Author's Note: Hey, peeps. Guess who's back? Me, your favorite author and I know you've been dying without me here, lol. Kidding (not about the being back part of course). My vacation went well but it was way too hot. Got sunburn on the top of my head, ouch, lol. So, it's good to be back.
Quick Disclaimer: Some quotations from this chapter are borrowed from some different episodes throughout Charmed.
Now on with the story so here we go.
Chapter 17: A Prue from the Past
The dream started like all the others.
After another emotionally draining day, she drifted off into a deep sleep. A sleep that she welcomed until the flashes invaded her dreams disturbing the peaceful slumber, a peace she desperately craved. It was like watching a picture show in slow motion.
Prue tossed back and forth on the bed. The darkness surrounded her. During sleep, it felt like a vortex sucking her in and she had no way of escaping its pull. Slowly, the sensation ceased, and she could hear the sound of a baby crying; however, she still couldn't make out anything. There was no one. Her mind was like a blank canvas. Then the darkness began to fade. Forming images merged from it. She found herself suddenly re-experiencing a moment from her own childhood.
(Memory Flash)
Seven-year-old Prue tossed in her bed. She held on tightly to the giant teddy bear, a gift from her father, whom she hadn't seen since her mother's passing a few months ago. Why did everybody she loved leave her? Had she done something wrong to make them go away?
"Grams?" the little girl called out from her sleep.
Grams entered the room. She took soft steps across the floor to check on Prue, careful not to wake her other sleeping grandchildren. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she placed the back of her hand against Prue's forehead to feel for a temperature. The child was still deep in sleep, but she was tossing and turning, with small beads of sweat forming and soaking the edges of her hair.
"Prudence," Grams whispered, giving a gentle shake in an attempt to rouse her from her nightmare. The nightmares were becoming more frequent since her mother's passing.
"Make it stop, Grams," Prue muttered. "Make it go away."
(End)
It happened a lot during those early days after Patty's death. The dreams, the nightmares, the indistinguishable baby cry. Then it would fade. What had it meant? She didn't have much longer to dwell on it though as she was instantly pulled into another flashback, another dream sequence.
(Memory Flash # 2)
A teenaged version of Prue stood in a school gym in front of the bleachers. A teenaged boy stood in front of her.
Andy?
Yes, it was Andy. She would recognize that face anywhere; however, they appeared to be engaged in a heated discussion about something. They were drawing a lot of attention as other students either entered the gymnasium or peeked through the large double doors to eavesdrop.
What was he saying?
Ah, yes. He was trying to break up with her. Prue remembered the sting his words brought to her heart that day but there was something else. Something she wasn't telling him but wanted to. She felt forced to keep the secret and she could remember the feelings of guilt and loneliness that accompanied it.
Why couldn't she remember what it was?
"Prue? I ... " Andy began. His feet shuffled against the floor and his hands were thrust into the pockets of his jeans. He refused to look Prue in the eyes while his voice wavered. "I just think it would be better if we broke it off now. While there's still a friendship to save."
Prue felt her eyes misting over.
No, that's not what she really wanted. How could he think that abandoning them would be better but then she quickly reminded herself wasn't that the problem? He didn't know anything. She used her shirt sleeve, in a rough manner, to wipe against her eyes. She wasn't going to give him any satisfaction in seeing her cry. However, she could still hear the cracking of her voice as she attempted to protest the decision.
"Friends?" teenaged Prue spat out in disgust. "Didn't we pass that a long time ago?"
Andy glanced away, looking a little guilty.
"Hey, no worries, I get it," she huffed folding her arms. "Why do you need me anymore when Becky Malone is waiting in the wings?"
Becky Malone was a graduating senior member and co-captain from their high school cheerleading squad. Kind of stuck up. Kind of rich because her daddy owned one of the newest and upcoming trendy clothing lines in modern retail. Granted, her valley girl impressions weren't as annoying as some of the other girls from the clique, but Prue still had an axe to grind with her, nevertheless.
Prue had been on the cheerleading squad the entirety of junior year and Becky made it no point to hide the fact that she had a huge crush on Andy. Prue had also made the unfortunate mistake of going to one of Becky's house parties one Friday evening. She had only been gone fifteen minutes for a quick bathroom break only to return and encounter an unsettling scene taking place. Becky and Andy were standing close together on the huge patio, a little too close, Prue observed. She was clearly drunk and not in control, her inhibitions gone as she openly flirted, running a finger down Andy's chest. She was swaying a bit but held her drink of choice firmly in one hand. Suddenly, she quickly leaned in and planted a kiss on Andy's lips. To his credit, Andy did appear quite taken aback and gently shoved her away.
Prue was pissed though. She then reached out and grabbed for the nearest cup from the hand of one of the teenagers standing close by.
"Hey!" they had protested.
Prue marched over to Becky and Andy and immediately threw the cup of alcohol in Becky's face. Shocked, she jumped back and began cursing.
Needless to say, that was the last time Prue and Becky socialized.
However, in their present moment, Andy appeared genuinely hurt by her accusation. "There isn't anybody else!" he had defended himself loudly.
"Then, what, you're breaking up with me because you already got to sleep with me?" came her next accusation.
Andy flinched.
"Or am I too boring for you now?" she was becoming angry. "Tell me, what is it? I think I deserve to know."
"Stop!" he demanded.
Their eyes locked. Prue exhaled a deep breath and took a moment to put her emotions in check. She knew it was mean to throw that out because Andy had never been that kind of boyfriend. Not by a long shot but she couldn't help it. Her emotions felt like they were on a rollercoaster ride she couldn't get off of, she wasn't feeling much like herself these days, and Andy deciding to break up with her on the last day of school was the final straw.
"If you honestly believed I used you like that, then why did you stay with me?" he demanded.
Prue stared at him with her arms crossed.
"I've always cared about you. A lot. Before we even started dating. I do love you. That hasn't changed. But now," he shook his head, looking away. "Now I'm wishing we never even crossed that line," he finished.
"You love me," Prue repeated. "You still love me, but you want to break up with me?" she challenged. "That doesn't even make any sense."
"Why are you so surprised anyway?" Andy was frustrated and his tone reflected it. "All we do now is fight about every little thing. And what's with you lately? You've been moody as hell, and I don't know the right thing to say or do anymore. We need a break."
Prue didn't know what to say.
"I mean, c'mon, even your grandmother doesn't want you seeing me anymore. I'm just tired, Prue. Tired of all the sneaking around," he finished venting.
"I've been sneaking around so I could be with you," she defended their actions. Her voice cracked and the tears threatened to resurface. "And I guess that's my fault too. I snuck around by myself?"
"I didn't say that," he boldly refuted. "I just don't ... what have I done that's so wrong?" He waited for an answer on why Penny Halliwell suddenly changed her attitude towards him. "You don't have an answer, do you?" he pushed.
Prue momentarily contemplated just telling him the truth to help clear up some of the confusion. Would he be angry? Would he still break up with her? He would know the secret and she'd still be left alone. Then she thought to what her grandmother's reaction would be and the wrath she would endure if she found out Prue disobeyed by telling Andy the truth. She loved her Grams, but she felt nothing but contempt for her right now.
It was all so unfair.
Andy sighed when he received no response back from Prue.
"I don't know," she lied, looking down.
"Listen, you said you're going away for the summer, didn't you? And I'm leaving for college in the fall," he continued in a calmer tone. "I still think this is for the best. We'll be apart anyway, and it'll give us both some space. Then if it's meant to be, we'll find our way back to each other. Prue, I don't mean to hurt you, but I was hoping maybe we could break it off on friendly terms. I understand if you can't, though. I just don't want us to walk away hating each other," he concluded.
She felt the tears begin to slip out and she needed to get out of the school gym and away from him. Luckily, she noticed her sister Piper just in time who peeked inside of the gymnasium door. She appeared to be looking for her.
"I don't hate you," she choked out. "But I have to go," were her final words as she bolted past him, refusing to look him in the eyes.
(End)
There was a secret. What secret? Prue searched her memory banks for the missing link but couldn't find it. Once again, she found herself being carried away into another forgotten memory.
(Memory Flashback # 3)
Prue stood in the attic with Piper to one side of her. Phoebe stood in front of her. She was holding a big leather-bound book with a strange looking symbol that graced the cover. Apparently, the three of them were having some sort of debate about the book and what it meant for the three of them.
"Incantation? What incantation?" inquired Piper as she stood with her hands placed against her hips, addressing their youngest sister. "Wait, you included me in this too?" she added as an afterthought.
"No, she included all of us," corrected Prue. "Give the powers to we sisters three," Prue read from the book as she looked up to face Phoebe. "It's a book of witchcraft!"
(End)
Suddenly, various images from her memory meshed all together in a frenzy but Prue had a lot of difficulty making out their significance. It was like trying to put together a puzzle with only half of the pieces there, as if her mind was on fast forward but it kept throwing these jumbled pictures at her over and over again.
(Mixed Memory Flashbacks # 4)
All three sisters held hands in the attic as they chanted in unison.
"The Power of Three will set us Free!" they all chanted together as they watched a man that was not human explode into a mass of nothingness.
A name quickly popped into mind. Jeremy? Piper dated him.
Prue tossed back onto her other side.
Prue stood at the front desk of the hospital emergency room. She was there to check up on Phoebe. When she heard the voice coming from the man standing next to her, she immediately recognized who it was.
"Andy?" she questioned as he turned around to look at her.
"Prue?" he replied back, pleasantly surprised to be running into her. "I can't believe it! How are you?" he asks with a pleased smile plastered on his face.
Prue could hear the faint sound of her name somewhere in the distance. Who was calling for her? However, as hard as she tried, her mind wouldn't allow her to break free from the sleep. Next, the images turned into a clattering of voices all thrown at her at once. She brought her hands up to protect her ears against the vocal onslaught.
"He's studied you Prue," came the voice of Phoebe.
"What are you hiding Prue?" asked Andy. "Looks like I'm not the only one with a secret!"
"No, you can't be there, Andy," Prue replies. "I would die if anything ever happened to you!"
"Why do you do that?" inquires Phoebe. "You never say I love you back. It's always me too. Have you ever said I love you to anybody?"
"Andy died because of me!" comes Prue's tearful admission. "And it doesn't matter what he said. It's my fault!"
"Prue, I can't believe you would risk your life to impress your boss," scolds Piper.
"Remember when I said you had no vision?" Prue addresses Phoebe. "Well, you will never hear it again. It takes a lot of strength to see what you see."
Piper lies on the hospital stretcher, blood gushing from the bullet wound. Prue's tear-streaked face watches, her own hands soaked with her sister's blood, and she holds onto her sister's hand tightly.
"I love you," comes Piper's last muttered response before dying. This flash is brief and is quickly re-winded back to a point in time that prevented this memory from taking place. So how was she able to remember it?
"This is a joke, right?" comes the voice of Dr. Griffiths. "My second wife put you up to this?"
"Dr. Griffiths, this is anything but a joke," responds Prue.
"Am I dead?" Prue asks the strange man dressed in a robe.
"Prue?" she could hear both of her sisters calling out her name. "Prue ... Prue ... " her name drifted on repeat until she finally woke to the sound of it.
(End)
"PRUE?" came the loud call that finally broke Prue from her deep sleep.
Her eyes shot open, and she bolted up in bed, trying to catch her breath. With a hand to her chest, her surroundings slowly came back into focus. She saw the woman standing there. It was Piper.
"Are you okay?" Piper inquired a bit uneasily.
Piper heard the sounds coming from her sister's room while approaching the bedroom door. Immediately, she had drawn the conclusion that Prue was probably dreaming about the past since the Elders had lifted the memory block a couple days ago. She had walked inside only to find her sister completely immersed in restless sleep.
Prue took a few moments to gather her bearings. "Um, yeah," she finally answered, giving a slight nod of her head. "Yeah, I'm okay." Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before feeling a small body pounce on the bed near the edge of her feet. When she opened her eyes, she saw Molly.
"Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you, but she had another nightmare and wanted you," Piper explained as Molly jumped onto the bed.
"I want to sleep with you, mommy," came the child's plea.
She crawled up the bed, rubbing against her eyes. There were some signs she had been crying. Prue lifted up the bed covers, providing her daughter the opportunity to snuggle closely beside her. She turned to glance at the small alarm clock which read three in the morning. With downcast eyes, she addressed Piper.
"It's fine, she can stay here with me," Prue let her know. "Thanks."
"Sure," Piper replied as she made her way to turn around and exit the room. "Let me know if you need anything," she offered upon leaving the room and closing the door.
Gently, Prue rested her head against her daughter's, contemplating whether or not she should try to get some more sleep. These newly recovered memories were pulling her back into a world she was quite honestly dreading. She understood it was necessary to remember since her survival depended on it but that didn't make it any easier. Andy also asked her to do what was needed to be done and stay safe which was one promise she intended to keep. In the end, she did drift back off to sleep with Molly nestled closely beside her, who was battling her own nightmares.
X
As the door closed, Piper reflected on the last couple days.
She had felt torn between trying to comfort and help her older sister or keeping her distance because of the betrayal and those unresolved feelings regarding abandonment. For the first time ever, Piper could truly relate to Prue and why she had always felt the way she did about Victor, their father, abandoning them. Prue had a hard time forgiving him for it but she and Phoebe had opted readily to give him a second chance. But was that only because they were barely old enough to remember anything he did while Prue could remember more? The thought actually scared Piper because she hated the idea that she could quite possibly resent her older sister for the rest of their lives.
Did Prue need anything?
Andy back, for one, Piper told herself. It was a ridiculous question to even ask.
Prue mostly kept to herself the past couple days by staying in Paige's old room, the same room that used to be Prue's. She wouldn't talk about Andy or ask any questions regarding their past together. She would come out to use the bathroom or to join Molly and the rest of the family during meals but other than that there was very little interaction. It was probably for the best. They all needed a little space anyway.
As Piper made her way down the hallway, she caught sight of Billie. Clad in a night shirt and pajama bottoms, she was tip-toeing her way back to her bedroom with the Book of Shadows in her arms, clearly trying to avoid running into anybody. She was about to enter Phoebe's old room and hadn't caught sight of Piper catching her.
Great, wonder what she's getting herself into now, thought Piper, with a slight roll of her eyes. She quietly approached her from behind. "Billie?" she hissed in a high-pitched whisper. "What are you doing?"
Billie jumped. Damn, she mouthed to herself. She had waited and figured everyone would be fast asleep in the early hours of the morning.
Piper cleared her throat from behind.
Finally, Billie turned with a big smile on her face. "Piper, hey!" she began. "What are you doing up this early you look really really tired?" she nodded her head, feigning concern.
Piper smiled back.
Billie sighed. "I know, I know. Busted." Of course, Piper wasn't buying the act.
Piper came closer. "I would say so, but nice try," she shot back. She reached out for the Book of Shadows. "And why exactly do you need this at three in the morning?"
"Uh, well ..." Billie stuttered before deciding to give up the truth. "Look, it's not a big deal. I'm just helping out a friend who ran into some demon trouble."
"Uh huh," Piper nodded, narrowing her eyes.
"What, it's the truth!" Billie protested.
"Okay, inside, inside," she ordered, nudging Billie into the bedroom.
"Hey!" Billie squealed upon being forced into the bedroom.
"What kind of demon trouble are we talking here?" Piper inquired as she shut the door behind them. "And what friend?"
Billie sighed as Piper opened to the page Billie had book marked.
"Darklighters?" Piper questioned. "What does a darklighter want with your friend?" She turned a serious eye in her niece's direction.
"I was going to tell you a couple days ago, but all that new drama broke out here when I got back to the Manor," Billie began to explain. "Do you remember that guy JD? The same one Paige's father brought to us for help not that long ago?"
"Yeah, I think I remember seeing him. From Leo's body!" Piper cracked, remembering their little mishap with the soothsayer. She placed the Book down on the bed and sat down next to it. "I thought that poor kid died?" she recalled.
"He did but he's a whitelighter now," Billie explained. "And I need to help him before this darklighter gets to him first," she pled her case. "I've already waited a couple days after promising him," she persisted before being cut off by Piper.
Piper put up her hand. "Billie, that's fine, but from now on check in with us first before you do anything, please? Because if something goes wrong, we might not have any way of knowing until it's too late," she lectured.
"Okay. That's totally fine, I will next time. Promise," Billie nodded her head in acceptance. "I'm really sorry!" she stressed for brownie points.
"Yeah, got it, you're sorry," Piper retorted but in good spirits. "Feel free to tone down the sucking up."
"Right," Billie smiled. She was just glad that Piper hadn't completely banned the mission all together. Besides, she felt like she needed it to help take her mind off the new mind-boggling revelations.
Piper closed the Book of Shadows. "Billie," she broached the next topic carefully. "Change of subject but have you thought about when you're going to tell Prue who you are? She should be told soon. And I mean soon as in like sometime tomorrow?" her eyes went wide to drive home the point.
Billie clenched her teeth. "Uh," she hesitated. "Are you sure it's the right time? I mean, look at everything going on right now. Maybe I should wait until things settle a little bit?" she suggested, noticeably apprehensive.
Piper sighed. "To be honest Billie, I don't think there's ever going to be a right time. Something is always going to come up in our lives. Besides, the longer we put off telling her, the more it'll seem like we're hiding it from her. Believe me, we don't need any more secrets around here," she stressed.
Billie sighed in resignation. The situation was beyond awkward. Prue didn't remember having her and her presumed biological father didn't even know she had been born. Neither one knew she existed. She approached the bed and shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah, but what am I even supposed to say?" she lamented, taking a seat beside Piper. "I already look stupid for not saying something sooner. I've been here the past two days eating at a dinner table with her and still didn't say anything about it," she pointed out.
"Billie, it's okay, really," Piper tried to reassure her. "Phoebe, Paige, and I didn't rush to tell her everything either," she admitted, "but we got through it and so can you."
Billie thought about it. "I don't know," she muttered, still unsure.
"You do," Piper encouraged.
Fate was a strange thing. Last year, she had set out on a mission to find a missing sister, one that was lost forever, only to be given back another in return. There was quite an age difference, since it turned out to be Molly, the cute little girl Phoebe had been fostering very recently. Reflecting back, Billie thought she had felt a connection but had brushed it off.
"Hey, but I guess the new little sister part isn't so bad," Billie tried making light of it.
Piper was sympathetic. "Listen, if you want us there with you when you break the news, we'll be there. But if you think it's something you need to do alone, that's fine too. Whatever makes it easier for you," she offered. "But it should definitely be soon."
"You make it sound so easy," Billie made a face.
"Easy? No." Piper was thinking more on the entire situation.
"And?" Billie pushed, able to tell Piper had more on her mind than what she was saying.
"Honestly, I envy you a bit," Piper confessed. "You and Paige. The two of you don't have a past with Prue so you pretty much get a clean slate. Me? Well, I still have to deal with the past before I can move on with the future," she sighed.
Billie weighed Piper's dilemma against her own before settling on the idea of a compromise. "How about a little deal then?" she wagered. "I'll promise to break the news by tomorrow and deal with my fears about it, if you promise to spend one day with her and begin talking everything out. And real talking," she stressed. "No arguing or running away when things get tough. That way we can both start moving on with the future."
Piper narrowed her eyes playfully.
"I'll even babysit, what do you say?" Billie threw in.
"Hey, I'm the adult here. That means I'm supposed to be the mature one," Piper teased.
Billie smiled back.
"You drive a tough bargain, Jenkins, but I suppose I can handle that. Deal," Piper finally agreed. After all, they did have to start somewhere, she reasoned with herself. "I'm going to wait until more of her memories are intact. That way she'll at least know what I'm talking about."
"Agreed," Billie replied.
"Yeah, you don't get that excuse," Piper cracked. "Tomorrow."
"I know," Billie made a face. "But I'm going to hold you to it."
"I don't doubt it," Piper yawned, getting up from the bed. "Right now, my head needs to hit a pillow. I was only up because Molly had another nightmare," she shared. "I brought her into Prue."
"How is she?" Billie asked out of concern. "I can't believe she even survived the Underworld on her own," she contemplated in amazement. Molly had been kidnapped by the Underworld and went missing there for at least a year.
"Yeah, well, she is Prue's daughter," Piper cracked. "But thank god she did get away on her own otherwise none of us would have known."
Bille was thinking.
Piper looked directly at her. "And you may be her daughter too, but that doesn't make you invincible," she gave her a stern look. "Please be careful with whatever you're doing," she admonished gently.
Billie protested. "Hey, I know how to be careful."
"Oh, and stubborn too," Piper grinned.
Billie smirked, taking it all in stride. Then she thought about how Molly was just reunited with her parents only to lose her father. "It must be confusing for her. To lose her dad again."
Piper sighed, crossing her arms in front of her. "It is but we're going to try and find a way to help Andy. It's the least we owe him," she reflected a bit sadly.
"What do you mean?" Billie inquired, genuinely curious.
"Well, for starters, we might not all be here today if it wasn't for him," Piper shared. "And he kept our secret at the cost of his job," she explained. "Andy was killed trying to help us."
"What? How did it happen?"
"The usual way," Piper cracked. "The demons love to toy with our personal lives; they can't seem to help themselves."
"Oh." Billie didn't know what else to say.
Piper went in for a deeper explanation. "The gist of it was that a demon was posing as an Internal Affairs officer back when Andy was an Inspector. He used Andy to get to us. We were still new to the whole witch thing back then so if Andy hadn't intervened and distracted him here at the house, the demon may have gotten what he came for."
"And so, he died," Billie stated.
"He died," Piper nodded, confirming it.
"Ouch," came Billie's solemn reply.
"It was a pretty bad time for Prue. She couldn't stop blaming herself," Piper shook her head, recollecting the guilt.
Billie looked down. "The magical world isn't very kind to mortal members, huh?" she tried joking, shrugging her shoulders. She immediately thought of Christy and her adoptive parents.
Piper picked up exactly what she was thinking. "Billie, don't, it's not your fault. What happened to Christy and your parents. Just like what happened to Andy wasn't Prue's fault."
"But they didn't have to die. It's only because they knew me."
"Your parents knew the truth about you and decided to care for you anyway," Piper quickly interjected. "They loved you and were aware of the risks. Andy was too when he came through our front door that day," she drew the comparison. "We do a lot of good as witches, but the bad things do still happen."
"Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better about it," Billie shook her head.
"No, you're right, it still sucks," Piper agreed, nodding her head. She reached down and grabbed the Book of Shadows from the bed. She turned around to open the door. "Get some rest. This will still be here later," she lifted the book.
"Night," was the last word Billie uttered before she heard the door close.
X
"My daughter's alive?" Victor exclaimed loudly, while standing in front of his daughter Phoebe.
She had just broken the news about Prue's return, and he was in a state of utter shock and disbelief. Phoebe had awoken in the morning and made the decision to stop at her father's place before heading to work at The Bay Mirror. Piper was still dealing with her unresolved issues regarding Prue and it wasn't Paige's place to tell Victor; therefore, Phoebe felt it fell on her to let him know. Best to get it out of the way. Later on, she planned on stopping by the Manor to see how things were progressing on the sister front.
Quickly, Victor grabbed for his jacket that was sprawled across his reclining chair. He attempted to walk around his daughter so he could head for the door leading out of his apartment. However, Phoebe blocked his path.
"Dad, no, wait!" Phoebe protested, putting up her hands. "You can't just go barging in over there,"
"Phoebe," came her father's objection. "You can't just drop a bombshell like that on me and expect me to sit around here and wait," he argued, determination evident in his voice. "I'm going over there!"
Victor resumed his steps in the direction of the door and reached for the knob when his daughter tried to dissuade him a second time.
"Dad! Please," she begged.
When he stopped and turned around, his daughter was walking towards him.
"I need for you to listen to me. I haven't had the chance to tell the others that I've told you. Piper's already having a hard enough time dealing with this as it is. Prue's still adjusting, we don't even know if she'll remember who you are! I told you; she lost her memory, and we don't know how long it's going to take for her to remember everything. She needs some time. Especially after Andy was just ripped away from her again," she trailed off.
Victor looked at his daughter's weary expression and just shook his head looking to the ceiling in anger.
"You know," he began. "I get that I should just be grateful to have my daughter back, but those guys have really crossed a line this time! How dare they play with people's lives like this? I've had my issues with them before but right now I'd just like to get my hands on them and wring their necks!" he demonstrated with his hands, venting his anger.
Phoebe reached out for her father and pulled him into a hug. "I know Dad, believe me. Me too," she soothed. Then she broke out of the hug and looked at him.
Victor shook his head once again, giving into his daughter's request. "Just tell her that I love her. Please do that for me?" he pleaded with his youngest daughter.
"Of course, you know I will!" Phoebe assured him as she gave him another hug. "Thank you for understanding."
"Yeah, well I feel like I'm on information overload right about now," he shared, hugging her back. "A daughter, a granddaughter ... " he trailed off.
"Two," Phoebe put up her fingers, as she pulled back.
"Right," Victor nodded incredulously. "And don't you have a wedding you should be planning for anyway?" he teased, trying to lighten the mood a bit. "I'd like to know when I need to be prepared to walk my daughter down the aisle."
Phoebe laughed. "Dad? You should know by now that it's probably not going to be that easy. Remember Piper's wedding? And poor Paige had to throw out her engagement dinner and threw it into a quickie wedding," she half-joked. "And I'm not even sure whether or not Prue and Andy ever had a real one," she added on as an afterthought.
Victor gave a slight nod and smile of understanding, watching as Phoebe slung her purse strap over her right shoulder.
"Anyway, I have to get to the office, but we'll be in touch. I'll keep you updated with what's going on," she reassured him. "I promise. Try not to worry," she finished.
Victor nodded.
Phoebe quickly leaned over and placed a light kiss on her father's cheek. Then she headed for the door and exited the apartment leaving an anxious Victor behind.
X
Prue flushed the toilet and approached the sink.
"Does memory return come with morning sickness?" she mumbled, looking herself over in the mirror. Her face was pale and the bags under her eyes were definitely standing out. Clearly, sleep was not her friend. She couldn't get proper rest and hadn't even felt like this while pregnant with actual morning sickness. Hopefully nothing bad happened while she was being held hostage in the Underworld.
Turning on the faucet, she cupped some water in her hand and brought it to her mouth. She quickly rinsed and spit it out. She then flicked the light switch off on her way out of the bathroom.
She had woken up feeling extremely nauseous again.
Her nerves were jumping at the seams and these memories that continued to invade her sleep only served to make her feel more anxious by morning. Now, she even had the additional stress of figuring out how she was going to financially support herself and her daughter on her own. Being jobless and dependent upon some distant sisters for their support was a big no-go and to say it didn't sit well for her would be putting it mildly. During her other life, she had agreed to stay at home for a while after having Molly. At the time, it hadn't really bothered her that much but now she felt different. That other life hadn't been real. She had a made-up identity; it wasn't really her. Perhaps parts of her original personality were finally emerging?
Deep in thought, Prue exited the bathroom. She hadn't noticed Billie rounding the corner, so they bumped into each other.
"Oh!" they both exclaimed simultaneously.
"Wow, oh my god, I am so sorry!" Billie jumped right in to apologize.
"No, my fault, I wasn't really paying attention," Prue quickly offered as she bent down to retrieve the small container of toothpaste and the toothbrush Billie had dropped.
Billie swallowed, staring uneasily. Piper said there would probably be no right time so should she just break the news here? It was a fleeting thought though. The moment passed and she lost the courage to say it.
Prue stood facing her again. "Here you go," she gave a small smile, extending her hand with the dental hygiene products.
Billie hesitated before reaching out for them. Finally, she did. "Thanks," she replied meekly. "Running late for my morning class," she explained with a nervous laugh while lifting her toothpaste and toothbrush in the air. She lowered her gaze and moved around Prue to make her way into the bathroom. "See you later," came her parting remark as she closed the door.
"Yeah, sure," Prue muttered in front of the closed door. Shaking her head slightly, she moved to leave.
That was a little strange.
X
"Arrow!" Paige yelled out as the darklighter's crossbow released the arrow in her direction. Her call sent the arrow flying back in his direction as his dark orbs engulfed him, causing him to vanish before it made contact.
The arrow made impact with the wall instead.
This was just what she had been looking forward to on an early weekday morning, she thought sarcastically. Paige had heard the cry for help while driving to work when the familiar jingling sensation pierced her senses. She had tracked the young charge to an abandoned warehouse on the east side of town. Of course, it was conveniently located in the opposite direction of her job and now she was definitely going to be late.
"Great," she muttered to herself at her failed attempt to vanquish the darklighter. She proceeded to turn around to confront the young charge who stood hiding behind one of the large steel pillars centered throughout the structure. "It's alright. He's gone!" Paige announced as she walked in the girl's direction.
Slowly, the young woman peeked around the corner before taking cautious steps forward. "What if he comes back?" she questioned nervously.
"Then don't be afraid to call," Paige offered. "Now where do you live, um," she hesitated for a moment. "What exactly is your name again?" she prodded.
"Tiffany," the girl answered her.
"Right, Tiffany. Well, Tiffany, then I should definitely be getting you back home," Paige insisted. Then she looked around as another thought crossed her mind. "Hey, how did you get all the way out here anyway?" she questioned the young woman.
The young woman smiled at Paige and then closed her eyes. She dematerialized into a flurry of blue and white orbs reappearing into the same position she had been standing in before. Paige flinched and was suddenly taken aback at the sight of Tiffany disappearing and reappearing before her.
"Wait a minute!" Paige exclaimed. "You're a whitelighter?"
"Yes," the girl admitted. "I heard a call and thought I was coming to help a charge," she explained to Paige. "Only, when I got here, there was nobody around. Until he appeared out of nowhere and I realized it was a trap. But by then, it was too late. So, I sent out a cry for help hoping that someone would hear my call. And you did. Thank you," she offered with a sigh of relief.
"You're welcome," Paige replied back. "But how is a darklighter able to fake cries of help coming from charges?" she pondered out loud. And like they needed this problem added to their already full plate, she thought to herself. As it was, they were already dealing with Prue trying to recover her past so that they could begin preparing for how to defeat the Triad. Again.
"We don't know," Tiffany answered truthfully, with a shrug of her shoulders. "This has been happening to a lot of us. Some of us have already been taken out," she admitted sadly with a shake of her head. "But the problem is we have no real way of knowing because it could really be a charge in need of our help."
Paige acknowledged the dilemma right away. Every time they were hearing a call it could be a charge who really needed help but, on the other hand, there was the risk that each call was just a trap luring in another whitelighter. Immediately, she thought about her father, Sam. Maybe he had some idea about what was going on and she could ask him about it? After all, she was part whitelighter so this problem affected her too.
"Okay, look, just be careful," Paige advised the young whitelighter standing before her. "I'll see what I can find out about all this."
"I definitely will," Tiffany readily agreed. "And thanks again," she offered as she orbed away leaving Paige alone to contemplate the entire situation.
X
Prue sat on the bedroom floor, emptying boxes that contained some of her old belongings from the past. It was sometime in the afternoon, and she realized that the boxes contained keepsakes that her sisters held onto in honor of her memory. One of the items was a portfolio collection. Apparently, they were pictures that she herself had taken while working as a photographer for 415 Magazine. She was impressed by the quality of the work and now understood why she had expressed an interest in the profession while living as Marie. Perhaps there was a chance she could look up her old job?
Suddenly, she was startled by the sound of the door bolting open as a clearly preoccupied Paige entered the room.
Upon noticing Prue on the floor, she froze. "Oh? Sorry!" she declared. "That was rude of me. I, uh, probably should have knocked first," she offered up uneasily.
"No, it's fine," Prue offered as she got up from the floor, using her hands to brush off the back of her pants in the process. "It's, uh, Paige, right?" She hadn't seen much of the two other sisters since a couple days ago.
"That's me!" Paige confirmed with an awkward laugh, a bit nervous about where this conversation would lead.
Prue offered a small smile. "Look, I realize things have been a little crazy the past few days or so, but I really did want to thank you," she began, placing both hands into her back pockets.
Paige openly relaxed. "Thank me? For what?" she felt a little perplexed.
"Well, sticking up for me and Andy when those Elders took him away," Prue opened up. "But also, for going out of your way and helping me out that night when I had nowhere else to go. Thank you."
Paige felt a rush of euphoria overtake her. These past couple days she had actually been dreading the idea of facing her oldest sister again. After all, she had been the one to give Prue that god awful advice to have faith in the greater good when it came to her relationship with Andy. Then no less than a few hours later, the greater good snatched him away in a heartbeat. She honestly felt like kicking herself for it but, instead, here Prue was thanking her for all her help. Paige felt instant relief and visibly relaxed.
"Nah, it was nothing," Paige humbly accepted the gratitude. "Besides, what are sisters for, right?" she shrugged.
"Right. I guess." Prue sighed and looked around the room. "So, uh, maybe I can return the favor and help? Was there something you were looking for?" she asked the woman she had come to learn was her youngest sister. "Sorry about the mess," she apologized, bending over and returning the scattered items back into the boxes.
"Not a problem. It's technically your room again so ... " Paige stated awkwardly. "Anyway, I was actually looking for the Book of Shadows, but I can't seem to find it," she began explaining. "We usually keep it up in the attic but it's not there. I thought maybe Piper or Billie left it somewhere."
The questioning looks on Prue's face stopped her cold.
"Oh, right, duh Paige, you probably don't remember what that is," Paige remarked, suddenly feeling stupid. "See, um, the Book of Shadows is like a ... witch's bible," she settled on. "It contains all this important information on demons that may attack and tells us how to vanquish them with different spells or potions of sorts. It's been in our family for generations," she finished explaining to her.
Prue listened and thought about it. "The Book of Shadows," she repeated as she suddenly recalled one piece of information retrieved from her dream last night.
Incantation? What incantation? Wait, you included me in this too? No, she included all of us. Give your powers to we sisters three? It's a book of witchcraft.
It was odd but the feeling hit Prue like a ton of bricks. This feeling of familiarity overtook her about the book. She remembered what it looked like, what it was supposed to contain, and she even felt a personal connection of having used it before. She could recall the unique symbol found on the cover.
"The Triquetra," Prue blurted out without thinking. "The symbol on the cover. I remember the book," she exclaimed more to herself rather than Paige.
Paige was startled for a brief moment. "You do?" she asked.
"Yeah, I do," Prue answered back.
Prue began looking around the room in search of it. After looking under the bed and finding no traces of it there, she proceeded to open the closet door and look inside. When she found no evidence of it located there, her next destination was the dresser drawers. She had brushed by Paige, who stood motionless, completely baffled by her oldest sister's new obsession with recovering the Book of Shadows.
"Prue," Paige began cautiously, watching her sister's frantic movements. "Maybe you should let me try and find it first and then we can look over it together," she suggested with some unease.
However, her suggestion went unheard as Prue brushed by Paige again, this time out the door and into the hallway.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Paige demanded to know as she followed behind her.
"You said the Book of Shadows is kept in the attic, right?" Prue asked over her shoulder, as she continued in her long and determined strides down the hall.
"Um, yeah, but I also said it wasn't there," Paige answered with a confused shake of her head. She tried to keep up the pace. Geez, why couldn't Piper or Phoebe be here at a time like this, she thought. She had no clue how to handle this.
Prue bolted up the stairs leading to the attic.
Paige, who had been trailing behind, stopped. She turned around with Prue already out of sight. "Piper, get home!" she threw up her hands, speaking into the air before resuming her steps up the attic stairs.
Prue was in the throes of a determined search as Paige entered the attic.
"Where's Piper?" she decided to ask Prue.
"Uh, not sure. She said something about dropping the kids off somewhere and then something about a doctor's appointment."
Paige's concern immediately went on high alert. She hoped nothing was wrong with Piper or the baby. It was kind of soon for another check-up.
"Well, did she say when she'd be back?" Paige inquired as Prue walked in the direction of the podium.
"Paige, look, I have no idea," Prue answered back in a distracted manner as she stopped in front of the podium.
A podium without a book.
Prue slowly placed her hand on the surface of the small wooden structure. Paige stood by silently watching the scene before her. However, within mere seconds, both women were broken from the distraction when a man with dark hair and an evil glare suddenly orbed into the manor attic in front of them. His black orbs faded as he produced his crossbow and was preparing to aim it in the direction of Paige.
"We meet again witch!" the darklighter addressed Paige with a snare.
"Again?" Prue's eyes shot to Paige.
Paige looked to Prue but then her focus quickly went back to the darklighter as he spoke.
"Too bad your whitelighter half led me straight to you!" he mocked, referring to the unique ability of whitelighters and darklighters sensing each other. He was so engrossed in his mockery towards Paige that he barely noticed the presence of Prue. That was until he went to fire his crossbow in Paige's direction, and she intervened.
"HEY!" Prue shouted as she instinctively waved her hand and sent the crossbow flying out of his hands and onto the floor.
The startled darklighter looked to the ground and then back to Prue.
"Well. What do we have here?" he sneered. "Another witch?"
Prue stayed silent.
Then upon observing her more closely, the darklighter drew his own conclusions. "Ah! I guess the rumors are true. You are alive. Which makes four Charmed Ones," he concluded, an evil grin in place. "Soon to be two."
Prue boldly stepped forward in his direction. "No, you're going to leave us alone!" she declared with determination.
"Is that so?" the darklighter sneered, beginning to laugh.
"Prue? Don't!" Paige tried to warn her sister off. There was no way she was ready to take on demons, let alone darklighters, by herself. Not yet.
"Try and stop me!" the darklighter baited Prue.
Prue suddenly felt a bit unsure of herself. She hesitated.
Paige watched as the darklighter averted his gaze in the direction of the crossbow sprawled on the floor and immediately she called out for it. "Crossbow!" she shouted out, as it materialized into an array of blue and white orbs.
But it was too late.
Paige had taken the bait and while she distracted herself with calling out for the crossbow, the darklighter was provided with the opportunity to summon his real crossbow. He aimed it at Prue and fired. The crossbow lying on the floor had been an illusion and when it failed to reappear in Paige's hand, it was only then she had realized her mistake. Her eyes widened in horror, and they quickly darted to Prue, who was falling to the ground while the darklighter was now aiming the real crossbow in her direction. He shot at Paige.
"Arrow!" Paige reacted quickly by calling for it and sending it back in the darklighter's direction.
Once again, the darklighter escaped by orbing out, his crossbow still in hand. At this very moment, that was not Paige's immediate concern. It was for her older sister who lie injured on the ground. Quickly, she rushed to her side.
"Prue!" she shouted as she kneeled down at her side.
"One will have to do for now," came the darklighter's remark, while orbing back into a different location of the attic. "Guess her return was short-lived after all," he mocked.
Paige looked up in his direction, sending him a chilling stare.
He laughed then faded away.
Paige went to move her.
"Don't," Prue told Paige when she tried shifting her body weight off of her injured side onto the other side. She had felt the sharp tip pierce through her skin upon contact. While clutching her side, the stinging erupted into a full-blown burn coursing throughout her entire body. It began at the point of penetration and then traveled to her torso and limbs. She wanted it to stop.
"Prue, I'm sorry, but we can't wait, I need to heal you fast!" Paige declared in a panic. She lifted her sister's shirt, observing the afflicted area. It was already inflamed. "You're having a bad reaction to the poison," she determined upon taking in Prue's drastic decline. Sweat was quickly forming around her forehead, matting the edges of her hair. Her temperature appeared to be spiking dramatically.
The arrow hadn't penetrated too deeply so removing it wasn't going to be the problem. The problem was how to remove the arrow without Paige putting herself at risk too. Touching the poisoned arrow could be deadly for her. She needed help.
"Leo!" Paige shouted, hoping that her brother-in-law would heed her call for help. "Leo, we need your help NOW!" she cried. "It's an emergency!"
"Paige," Prue's groggy voice drifted.
She was beginning to lose consciousness and having difficulty holding on. Shortness of breath took root in her chest. Was this it? Was she going to die for real this time? All she could think about was her daughter and what this would mean for her. Sure, her sisters would probably see to things and take good care of Molly in the aftermath of her death, but she didn't want to leave her at such a young age. Not like her own mother had left her. What about this new power that was needed to defeat some evil Triad? Her sisters wouldn't be able to do it without her.
"Prue?" Paige called out as she watched her sister drift in and out. "Prue, hold on."
Prue's thoughts began to scatter. Maybe she would get to see Andy again?
Paige couldn't let her give up; they needed her. She needed her and she wasn't going to let death pull her away this soon when she finally got the chance to have her oldest sister in her life. "Stay with me," she instructed. "Just keep looking at me."
Prue tried really hard to remain awake but couldn't anymore. Finally, Paige's image transformed into a blurry mass. "I can't," came her barely audible response.
"Yes, you can!" Paige insisted.
"Molly," Prue uttered.
"Molly is fine," Paige tried to keep her sister engaged in conversation. "And she needs you so don't check out on us, okay?"
"Tell her," Prue muttered in bits and pieces. "Tell her ... I'm sorry. And ... I love her," she got out before finally losing consciousness. Her eyes closed and her head slumped to the side.
"No! No!" Paige panicked. "Prue, don't!"
Quickly, she bent down and put her ear close to Prue's mouth and chest. Paige sighed with evident relief. Her sister was still breathing, faintly, but it was still there. She also grabbed for her sister's wrist to check for a pulse to make sure. It too was faint but still there.
Damn. If her power was more like Prue or Billie's, she knew she could probably just move the stupid arrow thing right out of her and be done with it.
Where the hell was Billie when you need her?
Paige knew her only option would be to call for the arrow but that also meant the risk of the arrow making contact with her after she called for it. Just as she was about to take the risk, her prayers were answered because she could have sworn, she heard Billie's voice traveling up the staircase.
"Piper? Anybody home?" Billie's voice got louder as she got closer.
Suddenly, Billie entered the attic with the Book of Shadows clad tightly in her arms. A young man walked in with her. However, Paige didn't have time to ponder it or reprimand Billie because her sister's life was at stake. Paige quickly stood on her feet and waved Billie over to her.
"Paige, hey, what's going on," Billie's voice trailed off as she caught Prue lying on the floor and observed Paige's frantic state. Billie quickly threw the Book on the table and walked over. "Oh my god, what happened?" she shrieked.
"Billie, act now, questions later!" Paige instructed with unmistakable urgency laced in between her words. "I need you to use your power to remove the arrow from her side because I can't touch it."
Billie focused and used her hands to push her hair behind her ears. She knelt down beside Prue to find the problem. There it was. An arrow was sticking through her side. There was no mistaking it, it was the arrow from a darklighter's crossbow. After her morning classes, she and JD had spent the afternoon scanning the section of the book covering information about darklighters. However, they had no luck in Iding the darklighter with the particular powers JD had described so they had returned to the manor in the hopes of getting some help from one of the sisters.
"Okay, everyone stand clear," Billie instructed to JD and Paige as she placed herself in the right position to move the arrow from Prue's injured body. With the wave of her two fingers, the arrow began to move slowly until the entire length of it moved through the flesh at the exit point and then Billie sent it flying in the direction of a wall.
"A darklighter," JD commented as he caught sight of the arrow embedded in the wall.
Paige quickly returned to her sister's side. "Yeah, that's right! And you would be?" She placed her hands over the gaping wound waiting for the healing energy to work.
"JD," he answered with sincerity. "I'm a whitelighter. I was Sam's charge, remember?"
Paige looked to the young man as the white light emanated from her hand. Billie remained at Prue's other side, a worrisome expression gracing her features. Paige briefly glanced over in her direction.
"The book never leaves the house, Billie!" Paige chastised her niece.
"It was safe. It didn't leave my sight the entire time," she defended. "Besides, Piper knows I was using it!"
"That's not the point," Paige argued. "And I doubt Piper gave you permission to take it out of the Manor. I should know, once upon a time, I tried that very same stunt myself," she stressed.
Paige was beginning to feel her energy drain but with no sign of recovery in Prue. Why wasn't she healing? Now her own face was masked with a worry, an expression that matched Billie's.
"What's wrong?" Billie asked with a lot of concern. "Why isn't it working?" She looked to Paige for an answer.
"I don't know," Paige admitted. "It should be but it's not." Then she turned to address the young whitelighter standing in the background watching the scene. "Hey. I'm going to need you over here. Try using your healing energy and combine it together with mine," she instructed him.
JD began to object, putting his hands up in the air and backing away. "Hold up, I still haven't mastered the whole healing gig yet," he protested. "I wouldn't be much help to you. Or her," he looked down at the injured witch.
Billie turned around, her eyes pleading with him. "JD, please? We can't let her die! Just try it," she insisted.
"Billie, I explained to you what happened before," he argued with her. "How can you ask me to make the same mistake twice? I can't heal and when she dies it'll be my fault," he reasoned irrationally.
"Listen, you two, we don't have time to argue about this," Paige interjected sternly. "JD, are you going to help me or not?" Paige could feel herself weakening and she feared if she let go Prue might too.
"Please! She's my mother," Billie gave one final plea.
JD looked between Billie and Paige and then to the other woman lying on the attic floor. It was Billie's admission that eventually led to his decision to give in. "Fine. I'll give it a try. But I'm not making any promises." He walked over and knelt down beside Paige and extended his hands next to hers.
Slowly, a faint white light began to shine through JD's hands as that small amount of energy conjoined with what was left of Paige's. But it was no use. Paige was too spent, and JD's healing power hadn't manifested itself enough to contribute. Prue's injury apparently required something more. What was going on? They needed Leo and they needed him fast. His elder-like healing ability was the only shot left.
"It's no use," Paige finally gave up, as the energy ceased to flow through her hands. JD backed off as well. "Something else is wrong but I don't know what it is."
"Sorry, but I warned you I wouldn't be much help," he declared once more, while standing back up to his feet. He looked in Billie's direction and caught a glimpse of the disappointment that momentarily passed over her face.
"You tried. Thank you," Billie offered up.
"Billie, do you have your cell phone on you? Can I have it please?" Paige asked as she stretched her hand out in Billie's direction.
"Um, yeah, sure," Billie answered as she grabbed for the small cell phone shoved inside one of her pockets. "Here."
Paige reached over and took the phone. Then she proceeded to punch in Piper's number waiting for her to answer. They needed to locate Leo and find out what was wrong with Prue before she died. Finally, she heard Piper's voice from the other end.
"Piper?" she exclaimed frantically over the phone. "Get home. We've got a big problem!"
X
Piper sat in the examination room awaiting the return of the doctor.
The stress had been accumulating over the course of the past week or so and it was finally having an effect. She quickly came to the conclusion that she needed to calm herself and relax because none of it was worth losing her baby over.
"Okay, Piper," the doctor stated upon opening the door and walking back in. The woman was carrying one of Piper's medical charts in her hand. "You can get dressed. Your blood pressure is a little high so I'm going to prescribe something small to help with that. But if the spotting continues, please let me know," she concluded as she ripped off the written prescription from her notepad and handed it to Piper. "Other than that, you know the drill. Take it easy and stay off your feet for a while."
Right, Piper thought. Probably not happening.
Skeptically, Piper reached out for the piece of paper. "Medication? Is that really necessary?" she inquired with concern.
The doctor smiled. "Don't worry. It's a low dose and won't harm the baby," she reassured her. The doctor turned around to exit the room as Piper started to redress. However, at that exact moment, her cell phone rang.
"Great. Perfect timing," Piper muttered to herself as she shoved the shirt over her head and reached inside her purse for her cell phone. "Paige?" she answered, after checking caller ID.
"Piper?" she heard Paige's frantic voice come over the phone. "Get home. We've got a big problem!" she exclaimed with a heavy breath.
"What's the matter now?" Piper asked, her face suddenly crestfallen.
"It's Prue," Paige declared. "We're at the manor, in the attic. A darklighter attacked and Prue was hit by an arrow. She's having a bad reaction, and I can't heal her! We need Leo's help, any idea where he is?"
"What?" Piper exclaimed through the phone. She quickly thrust her legs into her pants, pulling it over her legs, before buttoning and zipping the front. "How is that even possible, Paige, the poison shouldn't be effecting her like that, she's a witch, not a whitelighter," she argued logically. "Is the injury fatal?"
"No, at least I don't think so," Paige's voice rose. She was pacing the attic.
"Well, what do you mean you don't think so?" Piper interrogated.
"Look, Piper, I really don't know what's wrong, okay?" she continued on in a panicked state. "Could you just get home? I'm here with Billie but Leo's not answering my calls."
Piper grabbed for the rest of her belongings in a haste then she quickly made her way to the door. "Paige, Leo should be at magic school. Send Billie there to get him if he's not answering. I'm on my way right now," she declared firmly and ended the call.
While she left the doctor's office as quickly as her two legs could carry her, an overwhelming sense of doom settled in the pit of her stomach as her own panic came to life. She had tried to remain calm and rational on the phone with Paige, but she felt anything but that with the news. How could this all be happening so suddenly? A few days ago, she was dealing with the return of her dead sister but now she could be losing her for real.
No, no. That's not going to happen. Prue's strong, she'll fight like hell.
She opened the car door and stepped into the driver's side sitting down. As she slammed the door shut, she reached for her cell phone a second time. This time she dialed Phoebe. However, all she got was voice mail.
She started the ignition and put the car into reverse, her phone cradled tightly between her head and shoulder. As she looked over her shoulder to back out of her parking space, she began leaving a message.
"Phoebe, as soon you get this message, get to the Manor. It's an emergency. Prue's hurt and in serious trouble," she finished and clicked the cell phone shut, throwing it onto the passenger's seat beside her.
As Piper pulled out onto the road, her final thought passed through her mouth.
"Hang on, Prue. We're coming!"
To Be Continued: Okay, I'm back and finally got through with this chapter, lol. I hope you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for the next chapter which should be coming soon.