Disclaimer: the Charmed characters belong to the WB not me.

Phoebe Halliwell was in trouble for what felt like the umpteenth time this week. It had gone from bad to worse. First she had forgotten her homework, then she was late home from school because she’d missed the early bus. Today was no different. Prue had been on at her all morning. Yelling at her, ordering her around.

‘She hates me.’

Piper sighed. Her little sister could always make something out of nothing. She had been out of control since the start of the term, already in more trouble than the oldest two put together. Nobody knew what had sparked it. The 11 year old was causing more worry than she was worth. Phoebe and Prue were always head to head. It was a continuous war zone in the manor. Piper was always stuck as the mediator. Always there to pick up the pieces.

‘Pheebs she doesn’t hate you… just give her some time to cool off.’

‘I don’t get it though. Why is she always on my back? I know I mess up, but even when I don’t…she just…’

‘Honey, she’s only trying to do what’s best for you. She’s had to sacrifice-’

‘Save it! I’ve heard it all before. I know she’s given up everything for me. I know that it’s really hard on her! I’ve been told more times than I could count.’

‘She’s trying to look after you the best way she knows how!!! You know better than this!!! Why are you being such a baby?!?!’

‘So now you’re on her side?!’ Phoebe was easily on the defensive. ‘You always take her side! I don’t even matter to you!’

‘I’m not on anybody’s side ok! But no, breaking the rules was stupid and the way you’ve been acting lately really disappoints me!!!’

Phoebe let her shoulders drop. She let out a deep breath she didn’t even know she’d been holding and sank into the couch. Her sister’s words, although not sharp, cut right through.

‘I…I’m sorry.’

Piper looked down at her hands. She knew her baby sister wasn’t right. She wasn’t herself. She had never picked a fight between them before.

‘It’s ok. Go wash up for dinner.’

Phoebe nodded and fled up the stairs. She flung herself down on her bed. The sobs came freely and loudly. She wasn’t happy. Not at home and not at school. She couldn’t be herself anywhere anymore.
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Prue let her head lean against the steering wheel. The guilt was creeping in. Embedded in her memory, her baby sisters face as two big tears rolled down her cheek, the sheer look of hurt and fear.
She pulled herself out of the car and made her way up the manor stairs.

‘Hey.’ She sat down at the table and scarped back her chair. ‘Are you mad at me?’

‘No…’ Something about her was hesitant.

‘You think I was too harsh on Phoebe…’ She suddenly sounded destroyed.

‘I do, but….’

She felt like the weight of the world was resting on her shoulders. She couldn’t keep up. There was so much responcibility set on her plate and she was detirmind not to fail.

‘Go get her for dinner. It might give you two a chance to patch things up.’

Prue made her way up the stairs and pushed open her littlest sisters door. She gingerly sat beside the figure and ran a hand over it’s back.

‘Go away!’ She was surprised. Normally the youngest was the first to make up.

‘Phoebe, dinner’s ready.’

‘I’m not hungry!’

‘Stop sulking and wash up. You’re too big for this.’

This was not how she had intended things to go. The little girl was making this harder than they should have been. Prue leant down and pulled her sister out of the covers and set her on her lap. She was taken aback when her sister buried her face in her shoulder and cried. Prue Halliwell for the first time in her life felt helpless. She didn’t know what was wrong and she didn’t know how she could fix it.

‘Honey, talk to me. Why are you so upset?’

The words were so jumbled between sobs Prue couldn’t fit anything together. She held her out so she could see her properly. Swollen and red, the tears were falling thick and fast. She carried her out to the bathroom and ran a washcloth over her face.

‘Calm down or you’ll make yourself sick.’

She was at a loss. No words brought comfort.

‘What happened?’

Pipers voice rang through her head as she took the screaming child out of Prue’s arms.

‘Piper, I don’t know. . . she just. I picked her up and…’

‘Hey, hey. Shhhuuuusshh.’

‘Did she say anything?’

‘No she just started bawling.’

‘It wouldn’t still be about the fight this morning?’

‘I don’t know. We’ll let her cry it out.’
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Prue looked down at the small girl in her arms. She was quiet now, apart from the occasional sniff.

‘Honey, are you ok?’

She ran her hand over the little face and watched the inner battle as Phoebe continued to keep her emotions in check.

‘I’m sorry about before. I guess I was just feeling…’ She left the sentence stranded.

‘Don’t appologise! We need to get to the bottom of this. What’s bothering you?’

Piper quickly joined them and sat alongside the couch. The youngest pulled away and tried to squirm out of her sisters hold. She wasn’t sure she wanted to say. She was already so insecure. What if they blamed her? What if they laughed? But they kept pushing. She’d soon slip up.

‘Tell us the truth. No more lies, no more dodging the question.’

Finally she gave in….

‘Its school. I mean, not school. I don’t…’ Her stuttering was making it difficult. ‘I just. I don’t fit in.’

‘What do you mean? With friends?’

‘I mean I haven’t got any. Everybody stays away from me. They all say I smell and…they call me names. It’s so horrible. Ever since I started there they’ve all been so nasty. I don’t want to be there anymore. At home its just the same. You’re always bawling me out. I thought, if I was bad, that maybe you’d notice. Maybe, take me out of the school. But you just made things worse.’

‘Oh honey! I’m so sorry.’

The eldest sisters felt a heavy tug on her hearts.

‘Do you know what stared it?’

The little girl shook her head, obviously distressed.

‘On Monday we’ll go to the principal together ok? We can talk things through. Tell him why you’ve been out of sorts.’

She nodded, but was still concerned.

‘Do you think it’s me?’

Her face crumbled.

‘What’s you?’

‘That I am so horrible that they don’t like me. Do you think it’s my fault?’

‘Phoebe!!! NO!!! none of this is your fault! Understand. Bullies are just cowards who have their own inner demons to battle with.’

She nodded again, but was still unconvinced. Piper leaned in and pulled her onto her knee.

‘Phoebe Halliwell. You are the smartest, funniest, kindest, prettiest 11-year old I know. You’re heart is golden. Don’t ever be ashamed of who you are! Never doubt yourself. We will ALWAYS love you!’

She cuddled in and pushed her face into her sisters neck. This was the safest she had felt in a long time.
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