Dust floated in the streaming light like a long forgotten memory finally waking up. Prue and Piper stared at the strange woman standing in front of them and wondered what kind of magic was at work here. They still didn't understand what Phoebe meant.

Paige stepped toward them and began fidgeting with her hands. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to add to your grief right now. I'll just go," trying to run past Prue who held out a hand, blocking her from leaving.

"What do you mean 'add to our grief'? Who are you?"

Paige looked back from Prue and Piper and to the other observers before letting out a huge sigh. "I think I might be your sister," she said watching Piper's jaw drop and Prue's eyes narrow.

Prue was flipping through the book while Piper placed the candles in a circle, leaving Leo to deal with Paige.

"I should just go," Paige said and tried to get up. "I don't belong here—"

"If you're their sister and a Charmed one then you belong here," Leo told her in a gentle voice. "What makes you think that you're related to the sisters?"

"My parents died when I was in high school and a few years ago I decided to find my birth family," Paige told him. "I went to the church where I was abandoned and talked to the nuns and one of them remembered the Halliwells. I looked into it but I realized that their mom died a long time ago so I just left it alone."

Cole looked at this girl and searched her face for clues. There was a striking resemblance between her and Prue that couldn't be denied. "Why did you decide to come today?"

Paige closed her eyes and kept back the tears that were threatening to escape. "I saw the obituary, and I guess I just felt as if a part of me lost her too. I know I didn't know her; I'm sorry—"

"Don't," Cole said. "Phoebe would like to know that. She loved her sisters and she would have loved you, too."

"Can I just ask, what are they doing?" Paige nodded toward Prue and Piper.

"Well, you read the incantation in the front of the book, right?" Paige nodded and Leo continued. "I know this is a lot to take in, but you come from a long line of witches."

"Like Harry Potter," she joked. "Sorry, sarcasm is my coping mechanism."

"Well, she's definitely a Halliwell," Victor said to himself. He still wasn't really taking in everything that was going on. They had only just buried his youngest daughter and already they were discovering that there was another to take her place. He had hoped that Phoebe's death would at least give Prue and Piper some kind of an out to lead normal lives.

"There is a prophecy about three sisters who would be the strongest force of good magic and they would be known as the Charmed ones, and the spell you did was one that would unleash your powers," Leo told her.

"Now," Cole said taking the lead, "there are only supposed to be three sisters and as far as anyone knew it was Prue, Piper and Phoebe. For you to be their sister means that your mother and Grams were hiding you not just from us but everyone, and Prue and Piper are going to summon them to find out why."

"They can summon the dead," Paige asked. "I'm sorry, this just all sounds a little weird and by weird I mean crazy."

"Look," Leo took her hand and Paige's eyes dilated.

"We're known as the Charmed Ones. We're the protectors of the innocent," Phoebe called after Piper.

The image shifted and Paige saw a woman cradling a baby in a familiar blanket, one the nuns had given her when she had gone to ask about her birth parents.

"I can't do this, Sam," Patty wept as she held her newborn daughter to her chest. "I can't just leave her in the hands of strangers."

"I know it's hard," he said embracing her and their child. "But if we don't she will be in danger from both sides." Tilting her head so she would look up at him, he continued. "This blessing is not supposed to exist and if anyone finds out about her than she and her sisters will all be in danger. We don't know what the elders will do and we cannot risk them recycling her soul."

"Everything happens for a reason," Patty cried. "She was meant to be here with her sisters!"

"Everything happens for a reason," he agreed, "like the prophecy only speaking of three sisters. Maybe it is so she can lead a normal life. You once said you would rather love your daughters as living mortals than have to mourn them as dead witches. I already know how much you love her; how much we love her."

"Paige," Leo said again trying to get her attention. "Did you just have a premonition?"

"A premonition," she asked.

"Phoebe could see the future and the past too sometimes," Leo answered.

"Then yeah," she said still a little taken aback. "I think I saw the past; why I was given up."

"It didn't look like one of Phoebe's premonitions," Cole said out loud. "What did you see?"

"I think I saw our mother and my father. She called him Sam."

Leo looked at Victor and then back to Paige. "That would be your mother's whitelighter," and started to explain at her perplexed expression. "They're mortals who died doing something good, and are offered the chance to come back and guide other witches and future whitelighters. It's like a guardian angel, and it would also make you half-whitelighter."

"No wonder they wanted to keep you a secret," Cole told her. "Relationships between whitelighters and their charges are strictly forbidden. Except of course for Leo and Piper."

"So they had to give me up," Paige said.

"They didn't have to do anything Paige," Prue said walking over. "They made a choice and it was the wrong one. You belonged here, with us."

Taking her hand, Prue helped Paige up from her seat and guided her to the book. "This is our Book of Shadows. It's a family heirloom with spells and information that our ancestors wrote and collected. It's very special and it's going to allow us to summon our mother. We just need you to say the spell with us."

"Hear these words; hear my cry, spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee; Cross now the great divide," they finished and Penny and Patty appeared.

"My baby," Patty whispered and crossed over taking a human form. "Oh, my darling, you're home," she cried and embraced her. "You're home."

"Girls," Grams said and followed her daughters lead, stepping through to the physical plane. "Paige, you're a beauty," she said grasping her chin. "You're a dead ringer for my mother; you have her eyes, too."

"Grams," Prue said as the moment passed. "You have some explaining to do."

"Girls," Patty turned to them, "I know you're upset especially because of everything that's happened since you've lost Phoebe, but learning about another sister, becoming charmed again is your destiny. Paige was always meant to find her way home," she said rubbing Paige's arm up and down. "Phoebe was so happy to lead you here," Patty told her.

"Phoebe?" Piper smiled. "Of course she was," shaking her head.

"Still, there is something you must do," Grams said. "The Source will eventually learn of her existence and he will try to break the Charmed circle again."

"Over Phoebe's dead body," Prue said. "She's not going to let that happen just as much as we won't."

"You have everything you need," Patty said. "Form your bond and avenge your sister." Stepping back into the circle with her mother, they became pure spectral light again. "Be angry, cry at it but don't fight your destiny. As always, we will be by your side protecting you as best we can."

"Be good to each other," Grams said. "Blessed be."

Prue and Piper took Paige by the hand and led her out of the attic. "Come on, Phoebe will never forgive us if we don't give her a proper send off," Prue told her. "You can stand with us and we can talk once everyone leaves."

They walked down stairs and the room became very quiet at the sight of the sisters. Darryl approached them and was accompanied by Inspector Lopez.

"I'm sorry about this, but Inspector Lopez wanted to drop by," he said.

"Is this about Phoebe," Prue asked and her eyes began to swell again.

"I just wanted to offer my condolences. I'm going to do everything I can to catch this monster."

Prue took an audible breath in and wiped her tears with a tissue. "Thank you," she said. "I want this bastard to pay for what he did," steely determination hiding the fact that she knew more than what she was letting on.

"If I could just talk to you about your sister's whereabouts the night of—"

"Not now," Darryl stepped in and glared down at the homicide inspector.

"Of course. Here's my card," he said handing it to Prue. "If you can just call with a time that's good for you I will be happy to work around your availability."

"Thank you," she said and held onto it.

"May I ask, who you are," Lopez stared at Paige.

"I'm Paige Matthews," she said looking to Prue and Piper for some idea of what to do.

"And how did you know Phoebe?"

"Paige is our sister," Prue said stepping forward. "And I would really appreciate," she bit off harshly, "if we could do this at some other time. We just buried our sister," she reminded him.

"Of course," he looked at her warily. "Just give me a call," he said and turned to leave. "Are you coming Morris?"

"They're family friends. I'm staying," Daryl bit off.

"I'll see you back at the station," Lopez told him before leaving.

The last guests left and Piper busied herself with cleaning while Prue made up plates for everyone. No one had seemed to have been able to eat earlier and they were going to sit down together. Victor and Daryl had left and Prue had to remind Cole that he didn't have any powers to stop her from making him stay.

"How did you know Phoebe," Paige asked him.

"She was the love of my life," he answered before taking a sip of the Irish coffee Prue had made for him.

Paige's mouth opened in horror and she couldn't stop apologizing. "I am so sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I suppose I should have known better than to think that the fates would allow us to be together," he wallowed.

"What do you mean," she asked.

"I used to be a demon," Cole responded and just stared when she laughed.

"Oh, you're serious. What the hell have I gotten myself into?"

"For what it's worth, I think you're strong enough to handle this. You haven't gone running yet," he reminded her.

"Don't think I won't," she joked. "I'm still freaking out."

"Well, better to freak out with us," Prue said joining them. "I know it's a lot to take in but right now the safest place for you is with us. Now that you know about the Source and—"

"And how he wants to kill me? I'll take my chances here. I mean, you're gonna vanquish him anyway so I'll be safe soon, right? What are a few days?" Prue and Cole shared a look and Paige became suspicious. "What aren't you guys telling me?"

"Paige, we can't go up against the Source just yet. You're not versed in your powers and our bond is too weak. It might be months before we're ready to take him out."

"What am I supposed to do all that time? Sublet my apartment and move in," she cried.

"I know it's a lot to decipher, but we're strongest when we're together and you need to learn how to control your powers."

"You guys just lost Phoebe and Piper can barely look me in the eyes and I'm supposed to give up my whole life to be super witch," she exploded. "Sorry, not me. Can't do it," Paige said standing from the breakfast table in the kitchen.

Striding toward the foyer Paige reached for the front door when it was slammed shut all of a sudden. Turning, she saw Prue holding out her hand and yelled, "That's not fair! You know I don't have a power to use against you."

"Sounds like Phoebe," Leo said sadly.

"What the hell is going on here," Piper got off the couch and moved to stand between her two sisters.

"You can't stop me from leaving," Paige yelled at Prue.

"Do you want to die like Phoebe?" Suddenly everyone shut up.

"It's not cool to guilt trip me," Paige said and her anger dissolved.

"It's what sisters do," Prue told her. "We also keep one another safe and if you leave there is a very good chance that I might have to bury another sister."

"You don't even know me," Paige whispered.

"And I won't if you get yourself killed because you're too stubborn for your own good."

Prue and Paige engaged in a staring contest until Paige gave in. "Fine. I don't have to stay in the basement, do I?"

"We'll find a place for you," Piper said, her eyes glued to the floor. All she could think about was the fact that they hadn't even had the chance to go through Phoebe's stuff yet and they were already giving her room away. They hadn't even had time to mourn her passing.

Prue walked over to her and put an arm around her shoulder. She knew it wouldn't be easy for Paige to go from being an only child to the youngest in the blink of an eye and she could tell from the serious pout on her face that she didn't like having to give in on the matter of abandoning her independence for sisterhood.

"For now you can share my room and you can barrow some clothes for work tomorrow so you don't have to go back to your apartment," Prue told her and led her upstairs.

"It's okay," Paige whined. "I always keep clothes in my trunk," she said. Prue pursed her lips and gave Paige a look that said 'Do I want to know?' and Paige laughed. "I keep them there because I'm accident prone and always spilling coffee on my clothes. I can't exactly convince my boss to promote me to social worker if I'm walking around looking like a slob."

Prue pushed her door open and ushered Paige in before moving to her armoire and took out pajamas for Paige. "The bathroom is across the hall. There are spare tooth brushes in the medicine cabinet."

Paige nodded and came back in the floral chemise with her hair pulled into a high ponytail. She moved to the other side of the bed and climbed in. "What's that," she asked Prue, who had a large leather bound book in her lap.

Prue smiled sadly and moved the album so Paige could look. "It's a family album. We have dozens of them in the attic starting from the early 1900s when our family first moved into the manor," Prue told her and turned the page. "This is mom," she pointed out and flipped a page. "And this is mom reading a story to Piper. She's the one who looks the most like mom," Prue digressed.

"I think Phoebe looked like her the most," Paige said. "Same high cheek bones, same coloring; look, they even have the same smile," Paige laughed and pointed to a photo of their late sister.

"That's a family trait," Piper said from the doorway and Prue and Paige turned to look at her.

Piper chuckled. "You two are mirror images," she walked over with a tray of hot chocolate and vanilla shortbread cookies and sat on the bread. The middle sister still felt awkward around Paige and Piper supposed that was normal, it was just that Prue seemed to take a shining to her immediately and Piper didn't know how to.

Prue and Piper shared a sad smile before showing Paige more family photos and sharing stories.

Phoebe stood over Piper's shoulder and for the first time it hit her. Her life was over.

Her life was over and her sisters' could soon follow suit if they didn't do something drastic. Yet she looked at them, paying close attention to Paige as if trying to memorize her face, and knew that beyond her feelings of sadness for herself that somehow their destiny would protect them. They might not know it, but they were already doing exactly what they needed to. They were accepting Paige, even if it meant letting go of Phoebe.

Kneeling besides Piper, Phoebe finally let herself mourn everything she had lost and left behind as her sisters began to pick up the pieces from the latest catastrophe and mourn their loss with Paige; forming a new bond and relinquishing an old one.