Chapter 3: Time Passes

Two years had passed since Andy Trudeau and Prue Halliwell were trapped in the parallel world. The world around them looked like the one they knew, but it was empty—silent and still, without a trace of life. At first, it had been unbearable. But over time, they adapted, learning to survive in a place without time, noise, or people. It was just the two of them.

When Prue regained consciousness, Andy explained what had happened. At first, she thought he was joking, but as she looked around, she knew it was true. The only words she could manage were, "Well, this isn't San Francisco, California. So where are we?"

As they searched for answers, they found a car. The two decided to take it, joking, "Well, if this world looks like ours, it should help. I mean, gas is expensive in the real world, but here we could use everything for free." Their search eventually led them to Boston, a place Prue recognized. They settled in a house that reminded her of Grams, and it became their temporary home.

In the midst of this strange, empty existence, their love deepened. They found beauty in their solitude, a bond neither had anticipated. And when Prue discovered she was pregnant, it was both a shock and a miracle. Bringing a child into a lifeless world seemed impossible, but life—however it could manifest—had found a way. Together, they prepared for the birth of their child, holding onto the hope that one day they would return home.

As Prue's pregnancy neared its final months, a sense of urgency built within her. She could feel something shifting—not just in her body, but in the world around them. Something was happening in the real world. Something powerful.

Back in the Real World: Halliwell Manor

Time had also passed for Piper and Phoebe, and their youngest sister, Paige, was now part of their lives. They had defeated the Source of Evil twice, and Cole was out of their lives. Phoebe, still grieving the loss of her child with Cole, had moved forward, now preparing to be a devoted aunt. Meanwhile, the Elders had sent Coop, a Cupid, to work with Phoebe. The Halliwell sisters were also preparing for the birth of Wyatt Halliwell, Piper and Leo's firstborn son. His arrival was creating ripples in both good and evil magic, as Wyatt was the Twice Blessed child of prophecy. Piper had discovered she was pregnant after they had rejected the Angel of Destiny's offer for a normal life. The Angel's warning that the second generation would not be included only meant that Warren magic would continue with them.

Wyatt's birth marked the beginning of changes in the balance of magic. For the first time in years, magic was in flux, and with it came an opportunity for Prue and Andy to escape.

The Rift Opens

As Wyatt was born, a disturbance in magic—a rift between worlds—began to form. Prue felt it before she saw it. The walls of her world began to shimmer, a thin crack opening in the space between dimensions. She knew, without a doubt, that the moment they had been waiting for had arrived.

"It's happening," Prue said, her heart racing. "We can go home."

Andy nodded, his face a mixture of excitement and apprehension. "Let's go. We have to take the chance."

Without hesitation, they moved toward the crack. As they stepped into it, their hands intertwined, the world around them distorted and warped. In a flash of light, they were pulled from the parallel world and into the real one.

But when they emerged, they didn't find themselves back in Halliwell Manor or even San Francisco. They were somewhere in between—a limbo where they could still feel the pulse of magic, but no sign of anyone they knew.

Before they could process their surroundings, three Elders appeared: Galen and two others, their forms glowing with pure magic. The atmosphere crackled with tension.

Prue and Andy instinctively stood side by side, ready for whatever was to come.

One of the Elders, a tall man with solemn eyes, stepped forward. "Prue Halliwell. Andy Trudeau. We sensed your return, but you must understand that it comes with great consequence."

Prue's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean? We've been gone for so long, and now we're back. We're ready to return to our family."

Another Elder, a woman whose face was lined with centuries of wisdom, spoke. "It's not that simple. You cannot return to your old lives, Prue. You cannot go back to your family or being a charmed ones. Your return would disrupt the balance of magic in ways we cannot predict. You weren't meant to be gone for so long, and the consequences of your return—especially with your child—are unknown."

Andy stepped forward, his jaw tight. "You can't be serious. We've been trapped for years. We've already lost so much. Our family needs us. We are having a child—"

The Elder raised a hand, cutting him off. "That's exactly why we're here. Your child, conceived in another dimension, doesn't belong to this reality. We cannot allow his existence to continue as it is. He's a threat to the balance of magic."

Prue's heart sank. "What are you saying? What will you do to him?"

The Elder's voice was filled with regret. "We cannot allow your child to live. If you choose to return to your old life, the consequences will be dire. He must not exist in these world. His very existence could destabilize magic. You are too powerful, and your child could bring catastrophe."

Andy turned to Prue, his face filled with horror. "What do we do, Prue? We can't just—"

Prue looked at him, the weight of the decision pressing down on her. She could feel the tension in the air, the oppressive silence. They had no choice. To protect their son, they couldn't risk his life.

She took a deep breath. "What do you want from us?"

The Elder's gaze was cold, calculating. "We can offer you a chance to return, but it comes with a price. You will not return as you once were. We will erase your existence from the world you knew. You will be no longer Prue Halliwell. You will be Prue Bennett. You will have a clean slate, free of your past life. As for you, Andy Trudeau, you will return as though you never died. You will have no past, no family, and no connection to the life you left behind. You will start anew with your child, and the mortal world will forget you entirely."

Prue's heart shattered. The cost was unimaginable. They would lose everything—their past, their family, their identity. But they had no choice if they wanted to protect their child.

Prue's voice trembled. "We'll accept your terms."

Andy, his face etched with pain, nodded. "For our son. For our future."

The Elder nodded. "Very well. You will be Prue Bennett and Andy Trudeau. Go now, and make your new life."

The Elders raised their hands, and the world around them shimmered. When Prue and Andy blinked, they were no longer in limbo. They were in a new life—a life free of their past, with no ties to the identities they had once known.

A New Beginning

After leaving their old lives behind, Prue and Andy found themselves in Crystal Falls, North Carolina—a small, quiet town tucked away from the hustle of city life. It felt like the perfect place to start over, offering them a fresh start, a clean slate.

The first few weeks were overwhelming. They had to adjust to a life where no one knew them—no one except for each other. Their memories, their powers, their family—none of it existed, it was erased. They were simply Prue Bennett and Andy Trudeau, two ordinary people trying to find their place.

Prue's pregnancy hadn't been without complications, and they had expected a son, just as the Elders had predicted. But when the day came, and Prue gave birth on February 28, 2002, they were shocked to find they had a daughter instead. She was a beautiful baby girl with soft brown hair and sparkling eyes full of curiosity and innocence.

The surprise of having a daughter rather than a son was overwhelming, but it didn't matter. They had a healthy child, and that was all that mattered. They named her Adrianna Penelope Bennett-Trudeau, after the great grandmother they never had the chance to meet. The name felt like the beginning of something new—a new chapter in their lives.

Andy looked at their daughter in awe, his hand gently stroking her tiny fingers. "She's perfect, Prue," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

Prue smiled, her heart full as she held Adrianna close. "She is. I can't believe she's ours."

As the days turned into months, Prue and Andy adjusted to their new roles as parents. Prue, in particular, thrived in her new life. She poured all her love into Adrianna, cherishing every moment. For the first time in a long time, Prue felt like she was exactly where she was meant to be.

Despite the simplicity of their new life, a part of Prue still longed for her old world—the world of magic, her sisters, and the Halliwell legacy.