Disclaimer: The Charmed Characters are the property of Aaron Spelling and Constance Burge. I just borrow them for your enjoyment and my writing addiction.

Summary: After a car accident Phoebe must deal with the consequences on her own. Based on a true story.

Phoebe 19
Piper 22
Prue 24


Prue walked into the apartment that she shared with her middle sister Piper. Tossing her books down on the table she then flopped down on the couch. Resting her head on the back of the couch she let her body relax before she started the studying that she had to do. She let her mind drift on the small argument that she had had with her baby sister the other day. She wanted to go to LA for a few days with her friend Laura to meet up with a few other friends from school, that had moved down there for college. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Phoebe. It was just that Prue was having a hard time letting go of the fact that her baby sister was growing up. Opening the door Piper soon interrupted Prue’s thoughts.

"Prue you here?"
"Living room." Prue hollered out.

Piper walked into the living room and saw Prue with her head tilted back. "You ok?"
"Yeah I was just thinking."
"Oh. Care to share?" Piper asked
"I was just thinking of the other day with Phoebe."
"Prue why are you so hard on her?"
"I’m not Piper."
"Yeah you are Prue." Piper said, as she went into the kitchen to get something started for dinner.
"No I’m not." Prue protested as she got up and made her way to help Piper.
"Prue why don’t you want her to go to LA? And tell me the truth." Piper said with no argument.
"I’m just worried about them driving down there alone. I mean we are talking LA here."
"Prue, Grams won’t let her go if she doesn’t think that Phoebe can handle it. Now what’s the real reason?" Piper persuade her sister.
"Piper you know that I trust her." Prue started. "It’s just that to me she will always be my baby sister. It’s hard for me to let go and think of her as anything else."
"Prue you need to let go. She will only resent you if you don’t." Piper explained.
"I know but its hard Piper."
"Prue talk to her. Tell her that you are just worried about her driving that way for the first time on her own."
"Piper I’ve never been able to talk to her." Prue said as she grabbed the dishes from the cupboard.
"Prue, yes you have." Piper said "You two just got to head strong and stubborn."
"Yeah whatever." Prue commented as she placed the plates on the table as her thoughts still stayed with her baby sister. She had a bad feeling and she didn’t know what it was.

(((FLASHBACK)))

Phoebe and Laura were up in Phoebes room talking about everything and nothing. Having been best friends for the past three years, there was nothing that they couldn’t discuss. Whenever Phoebe got into a fight with Prue, Laura was always there to put things back into prospective for her.

"I can’t believe I’m graduating in a month." Laura said.
"Yeah well it’s about time. Man I’ve had to wait a year for you to finally graduate. Now we can go to LA and do the college thing together."
"Yeah I just wish that I could have taken a year off like you. You are so lucky."
"Lucky yeah. Living here at the Manor. Having my sister tell me what to do constantly."
"Phoebe you know she does it because she cares."
"If you say so." Phoebe said, "Ok change the subject."
"Ok, let’s discuss you and Rick."
"Oh. I can’t wait to see him again. He asked me down for the weekend. He’s getting some award and wanted me to be there. I was thinking of asking Grams if I could go."
‘Oh that would be so cool. Oh. Want to make it a girls weekend?"
"Oh you see that is why I keep you around, you always have the best ideas. Oh the fun we could have."
"Oh man Mum will never let me go."
"Laura sure she will. We’ll just have to give her the best ‘Let Laura go with Phoebe to LA?presentation ever." Phoebe laughed.
"Yeah and you have to convince Grams."
"I’m not worried. She’ll let me go."
"And Prue?"
"She can’t stop me. I’m going to LA and there is nothing she can do about it"
"Who can’t stop you doing what?"
"Prue how many times have I told you to knock?"
"Whatever. And you are not going to LA."
"You can’t stop me Prue. You don’t run my life."
"You’re not going Phoebe and that final. Besides Grams will never let you go on your own anyway." Prue said. "Laura your mum called. She said dinner would be in half an hour."
"Thanx Prue."

With that Prue turned and walked out of Phoebes room.

"Oh I wish you would hurry and graduate so I could get out of here and as far away from her as possible."
"Phoebe cut her some slack. She just worries about you. Look if Grams lets you go just talk to her. Let her know that you’ll be ok, and that you need her as a sister now. Look I gotta go or I’ll be late. Ask Grams about the weekend and I’ll start on Mum. We can check thing out before we go down there."
"Ok. I’ll call you later."
"Cool. Bye."
"Yeah cya."

(((PRESENT)))

"Grams come on please. I’m old enough to do this and we’ll be fine. Laura is my best friend. I’ll make sure nothing happens to her and or me."
"Phoebe I just don’t know. I mean that’s a long drive."
"Grams it’s only about a four hour drive. We’ll be fine. Please let us go. Please." Phoebe begged her grandmother.
She wanted to go and she knew that she was ready to go. Making the drive to LA was her first trip outside of San Francisco on her own. She had gotten into a fight about it with Prue already.

"What does her mother say?"
"She hasn’t decided yet." Phoebe answered hoping that that would not go against her Grandmothers decision.
"Well I would feel better if Troy went too."
"You’re kidding right?"
"No why?"
"Well let me see he’s my ex to start with."
"And he is also still your best friend. You three are always inseparable so why didn’t you ask him."
"Actually we never really thought about it. We just hoped that this could be a girl weekend."
"What if the car gets a flat or something?"
"Grams I know how to change a flat tire. But ok if it will make you feel better and it will help in your decision to let me go then I’ll ask Laura if she wants him to go." Phoebe said a bit upset.

The two of them just wanted to meet up with some friends from school. Phoebe and Laura had both started a long distance relationship with a couple of the guys and that was the real reason that Phoebe wanted to go. She hadn’t seen Rick in over two months, and the same with Laura and her guy.

"Ok Grams if I ask Troy will you let me go?"
"I still haven’t agreed to let you go Phoebe."
"Ok well when you do decide I’ll be in my room." Phoebe said as she sulked up the stairs.

She knew that Prue had probably talked to Grams and told her not to let Phoebe go. Oh why can’t she just stay out of my life?

It had been three days since Phoebe and Laura had decided to go. Neither Laura’s mum or Grams had made a decision about it yet. And Friday was only a day away. Later that night as Phoebe got ready for bed Grams knocked on her door.

"Phoebe honey can I come in?"
"Yeah." She called back as she sat on the edge of her bed. Grams walked in and sat down beside Phoebe.
"Phoebe I just got a call from Aunt Gail and I have to go away for a few days. I spoke with Prue and Piper and they have already made plans. But they said that they could still come over and stay here with you."
"So you’ve decided about the weekend." Phoebe said as she starred down at her hands. Knowing what the answer would be.
"Yes I have. I have also spoken with Laura’s Mother. And we both agree that it would be for the best." Grams told her. "That the two of you and Troy, go to LA for the weekend. That is if you still want to go?" She finished with a smile.

Phoebe looked up at her Grandmother in disbelief. "You’re, you’re letting me go?" She asked still shocked.
"Phoebe you’re 19yrs old. And believe it or not I do trust you. Go have fun, once you two start school there won’t be many weekends like this where you can just be you. I’ll give you the number of where you can reach me."
"Oh you’re the best Grams thank you." Phoebe cried out with joy as she wrapped her arms around Grams neck.
"I know honey. Now get some rest so you can get ahead start in the morning."
Grams said as she got up and placed a kiss on the top of phoebes head. "I love you."
"Love you to Grams and thank you again."
"You’re welcome my darling."

Getting up early the next day Phoebe packed up the car and was just about to leave when Prue and Piper pulled in the driveway.

"Hey Phoebs. Where’s Grams?" Piper asked.
"She already left." Phoebe told her.
"So you’re off to LA hey?"
"Yeah I still can’t believe that Grams let me go."
"Neither can I." Prue whispered under her breath, only to receive a look from Piper.

"Ok well we wanted to see you off." Piper said as she pulled her sister into a hug. "Now go and have fun and we’ll see you on Sunday."
"I will thanx Pipe." Phoebe said as she pulled out of the hug. "Love you."
"Love you back." Piper said

Phoebe was about to go to her car but first she had to get past Prue. Both sister not wanting to give in to the mixed feelings they were having, until Prue pulled Phoebe into a hug. At first Phoebe was shocked but soon returned the gesture.

"Drive carefully." Prue said.
"I will. Love you." Phoebe told her.
"Same her." Prue said as she let her baby sister go. "Now go or you’ll be late getting to Rick’s."
"Ok I’m gone. I’ll see you two on Sunday." Phoebe said as she got in the car and back out of the driveway.

The two older Halliwell women watched as their baby sister drove down the road to a weekend of fun. Or would it be?

"She’ll be ok Prue. Don’t worry." Piper said as she put her arms around Prue’s waist.
"Haven’t you learnt yet? I always worry when it comes to you two." Prue said as she leaned her had on Piper shoulder and watched Phoebe until she was out of site.

"Oh ... I forgot my camera." Phoebe suddenly said as she turned around in the middles of the street.
"Duh Phoebs." Troy said from the back seat.
"Hey that’s enough from you or you’ll be walking mister."
"Yeah you wouldn’t, you love me to much." He said with a sly smile.

Even though Troy and Phoebe had broken up almost a year ago they had still remained the best of friends. And it was also no secret that Troy had his eyes on the other third of the trio.

"Yeah but only because you’re gonna change my flat if I get one."

Phoebe laughed at him as she sped back to the Manor to retrieve her camera. Running in and then back out again the trio were soon on their way to the adventure to LA.

"So Phoebe you’re staying at Rick’s hey?" Troy teased her from the back seat.
"So, you’re staying with Sarah."
"True, but Laura will be there."
"Only because she wants to see Sarah’s brother." Phoebe laughed at her best friend.
"Ok so we all have plans for the weekend. At least all our boyfriends and girlfriend are all good friends. That makes the partying easier." Troy added.
"Ok how many times do I have to tell you guys that there is nothing serious between me and Ryan?" Laura said in her defence.
"Say it all you want me friend. But I know you." Phoebe said as she playfully hit Laura.
"Ok can we change the subject?"
"Ok. So we all agree not to discuss people we may happen to care about of the opposite sex."
"Ok so what we go straight to the sex part." Troy laughed from the back.
"Ok you know this is why we broke up. You have a one track mind." Phoebe said with a smile, as she looked back at Troy in the back.
"Oh you loved it." Troy said a he stretch out in the back seat. "You know this is great I have all this space and no one to take it."
"Whatever." Phoebe said not wanting to open anything up about her past relationship. "So should we take the coastal road or I-5?"
"Coastal its way better and less crowded this time of year." Laura suggested.
"Troy?"
"Yeah I’m cool with the coast. The 5 is just a big freeway. Boring."
"Ok then the coast road we go." Phoebe said, as she took the exit that would take them down the California coast.

"Piper come on we’re going to be late." Prue yelled at her sister.
"I’m coming already. Can you tell me again how you talked me into this stupid party in the first place?"
"Easy. I would be derelict in my duty as a big sister if I let you stay at home. Not without experiencing the joys of life." Prue answered her with a cheeky smile.
"You know you wonder where Phoebe gets her cheekiness from. You should look in the mirror when you say stuff like that." Piper told her.
"Yeah whatever. Now come on we have to go find something to wear for tonight."
"Ok, ok. I am so going to regret this one day I know it." Piper said as she rolled her eyes at her big sister and followed her out of their apartment.
"Come on you’ll love it." Prue said as she pulled Piper out of the apartment.

Pulling into the parking lot of the mall the two sisters went inside arm in arm, in search of the perfect something to wear to the party that night. Prue was going with Andy before he left for the police academy and they had set Piper up with a good friend of his, Steve.

"Piper what do you think of this?"
Piper saw what her sister was holding up and laughed. "I don’t think that you and Andy will be there very long if you wear that." Piper told her.

Prue looked at what she had and decided that maybe Piper was right. "Hmm you may have something there. I would like to be there at least two hours, before we leave." She laughed.

They continued to go from store to store looking for something to wear.

"Ok whoever said that this was easy for us?" Piper said as they sat over a cup of coffee after lunch.
"Well it wasn’t me." Prue said in her defence. "Ok come on there is one more store I want to go and check out."

After four hours of shopping they arrived home almost exhausted.

"Ok now I need a complete body care package if you expect me to go anywhere tonight." Piper complained as she flopped down on the couch.
"Yeah well I tell you what. I’ll treat you tomorrow to the spa. How does that sound?"
"That you are by far the best older sister in the world." Piper said. She always threw in older or younger sister depending on who she was talking to with Prue and Phoebe for she never wanted to choose sides. And as a sister she shouldn’t have to be made to choose.
"Ok first dibs on the shower." Prue called out as she got off the couch and made her way to the bathroom.
"Ok that is so not fair!" Piper protested to the bathroom door. "Sisters." She sighed

As they cruised down the coast they laughed about all the good times they had and the plans they all had for the future.
"I want two kids." Laura said
"No way, no kids for this kid. I’m gonna be free and single forever." Troy proclaimed from the back.
"Yeah well no woman would want kids if she was married to a kid."
"Phoebe I’m wounded. Who said anything about getting married?"
"You see that is another reason we broke up." Phoebe laughed at him.
"Ok who’s hungry?" Laura asked, trying to change the subject.
"Ok that would be Troy, because he’s always hungry." Phoebe put in before Troy could say anything.
"Oh you’re one to talk Phoebs." Troy got in.
"Ok you know if you keep this up you will be walking." Phoebe told him trying not to laugh
"Whatever. Ok so we stop in Monterey for some food?" Troy suggested
"Ok so we got Mickey D’s, Burger King, or Wendy’s." Phoebe said as she exited off the hwy.
"I’m with Burger King." Laura said.
"Mickey D’s for me." Troy said
Laura looked over at Phoebe, "So you’re the deciding vote. Do you chose between your best friend or your ex?" she said with a smile.
"Ok that is so not fair." Phoebe said, as she pulled into the parking lot that had all three circled around the small shopping area.
"Who said anything about fair?" Troy said as he leaned forward to Phoebe and gently nibbled at her ear.
"Ok Troy that is so not going to work. I’ve already made up my mind."
"Oh." They both said.

Phoebe casually pulled into a parking spot in front of McDonalds.

"Yeah." Troy said from the back.
"Phoebe."
"Sorry Laura. I like their fries better. Not to mention the shakes."
"Ok but on the way home its Burger King."
"Deal." Phoebe agreed

They each got what they wanted before heading back to the car.

"Ok Laura switch." Troy said.
"Ok, besides I can curl up and sleep back here."
"Not if I can help it." He said.
"Hey back off mister. That’s my friend you’re talking about there."

Phoebe said hitting him playfully. Laura never heard the comment as she got in the back seat and fastened her seat belt. Getting comfy in the back she waited as her friends bantered back and forth outside. Those two she thought. Troy got in the car and they were soon back on the road again. They continued their drive for about another twenty minutes before their world turned into a tailspin.

"Phoebe this was the best idea we've ever had," her friend Laura said from the back seat as they drove down the hwy.

Laura rested her head against the back of the seat as they continued their conversation.

"It was wasn't it. And Troy you being along was perfect. I don’t think Grams would have let me go if you hadn't come...don't know why." Phoebe laughed at her friend. As she carefully passed by a semi-truck.
"I believe you said something about changing the tire." He laughed back.
"Oh yeah I did." Phoebe laughed as she checked lanes, before going back in front of the truck.

Looking back in front of her, her world went into slow motion as she spotted the car crossways in front of her. Looking to go around the car to the left Phoebe quickly realized that that option was not available as she saw a small red pickup truck coming the other way. Doing the only thing she could she grabbed her stirring wheel and yanked it hard to the right in hopes of going behind the car. Luck would not be on Phoebes side that day as she collided with the side of the other car doing 60mph.

Back in San Francisco, Prue and Piper were getting ready for their party. Neither Prue nor Piper had seen the answering machine light flashing. If they had they would never had gone out that night.

She could hear a voice that sounded distant, though it seemed to come closer. What was that on her shoulder? A hand? Her world slowly came into focus as she moved her head slightly back and forth. She wasn’t sure if she was hurt. She couldn’t recall what happen. She heard the voice again and the gentle hand on her shoulder she could feel more so now.

"Are you ok?"
"Hmm." Was all she could manage.
"It’s ok just relax. Help is on the way."

As her world became more focused she looked ahead through the shattered glass. She looked up the road they had just come from. She saw a slow stream of what looked like smoke come from the car engine. She started to panic thinking the car was on fire. Until the gentle voice and the soft touch told her it was ok. Why had she trusted this person? They were a complete stranger, yet they had stopped to help her: to help them.

She could hear the distant sound of sirens, getting louder the closer they get. She could hear people yelling around. Her eyes were open but she starred at the stream of smoke. Or was it just steaming. Then she started to focus more as the police moved everyone back. Making room for the emergency vehicles. First it was the firetruck that parked right in front of her. Then she saw the ambulance pull up behind it as everyone started to yell out orders.

A new voice spoke to her through the window. Looking up she could see the soft warm face of the police officer. Telling her it would be ok. She started to ask her questions about what happened. But she couldn’t focus on that. She didn’t know what happen, she couldn’t remember.

"What’s your name?" the officer asked.
"Phoebe." She said quietly as if trying her voice for the first time. "Phoebe Halliwell."

She turned as the paramedic’s opened the other door. She turned her head to look over at Troy. His glasses were lying on his lap and the dashboard had a huge dent in it from where Phoebe gathered his head hit it. The passenger window was shattered and the glass was ragged around the edges. That was when she saw the blood. His whole right side was covered in it. His head was resting on the headrest his eyes were open but he wasn’t moving.

"Troy?" Phoebe said quietly her heart pounding in her chest so hard she thought it may just break through. Oh god, please don’t let him be dead her thoughts screamed in her head.
"I’m ok Phoebe. But my arms hurts like hell though." He tried to laugh.

Trust him to make light of the situation. Trying to cheer me up. Then her thoughts turned to Laura. She hadn’t heard anything from her friend in the back. She looked up in the mirror but she couldn’t tell from there. She turned around just as the paramedics were getting in the car in front of her but before her view was blocked all Phoebe could see of her friend was the blood that seemed to cover her whole face. Phoebe quickly turned back as the site scared her more then anything. Closing her eyes she prayed that her best friend was ok.

She sat there as she could hear the sounds of Laura in pain. The paramedics were saying things to each other that she didn’t understand. All she knew at that moment was that her two best friends in the world were sitting there with her in pain and she couldn’t help think it was all her fault as she starred down the road they had come. Closing her eyes she tried to control the tears that threatened to spill down her face.

"Hi Phoebe." Was the next sound she had heard. It was the police officer again. "They are going to take your friends out of the car but they can’t get at you right now. They have to wait a bit for another fire truck."
"Why?"
"Your door won’t open. They have to wait for the jaws-of-life."

This scarred Phoebe. She had heard of them on TV but had always thought it was something that they used when someone was really badly hurt. She didn’t think she was that bad. Closing her eyes she tried to get a feeling of her body. It was then that she felt everything. And it was then that she let the tears escape.
A few minutes later she felt movement beside her. She knew they had taken both Troy and Laura from the car already.

"Hi. Phoebe is it?"
"Yeah." She said quietly as she opened her eyes and up at the fireman that was kneeling beside her.
"I’m John. Can you tell me where it hurts?"
"Where are my friends?"
"They’ll be ok Phoebe. But we need to focus on you right now ok? Can you do that for me?"
"Yeah."
"Ok." He ran his hands down her body from her head to as far as he could reach with her still in the car. Checking for anything that may be broken or a soft spot. "Well it doesn’t look like you’ve broken anything."
"My knee hurts."
"You have a pretty bad cut there, as well as one on your chin. Can you help me with something?"
"Uh huh."
"Ok I can’t reach down past your knees. Do you have any pain to your ankles, feet or lower legs?"

Phoebe thought a minute and tried to feel again.

"My left ankle hurts."
"Ok. Thank you, you did great. Now did the officer tell you what we need to do?"
"Kind of."
"Ok Phoebe I’m going to stay right here with you ok. It’s gonna get pretty loud in here."
"What are they going to do?" Phoebe was scarred but she trusted him.
"We’re going to cut the roof of the car off and around some of the door so we can get you out of here."
"Oh."
"Phoebe I know your scarred and its ok. But I’m going to be right here with you. And then we can get you out of here and you can see your friends again."
"Are they going to be ok?"
"Yeah they’ll be fine. They are already in the ambulance waiting for you."

This reassured Phoebe a bit more. Knowing that her friends were ok. Then her thoughts turned to the other car that she hit. She figured they were ok. As she remembered bits and pieces. She was certain that she had hit them towards their trunk.

"Are the other people ok?" she asked john quietly.
"I don’t know Phoebe. I haven’t been over there." He told her the truth as he applied a bandage to her chin. "Ok Phoebe are you ready?"
‘I guess."
"Ok if you get scarred just let me know and I’ll have them stop for a minute ok?"

Phoebe just nodded her head as John explained everything to her and as they placed a tarp over them so the shrouds of cut metal would not get on them. Soon Phoebe heard the machine stop and the sound metal creaking, as they used crowbars to pry the door off.

"See Phoebe, that wasn’t so bad. Now what do you say we get you out of here."
"Ok." She said quietly. She was starting to get cold, maybe it was the late May weather.

John looked at her as they carefully pulled her from the car. Taking a blanket he placed it over her and tucked it around her. "You cold."
"A bit. Thank you." She said as she gave him a slight smile.
"You’re welcome." He knew that she was not only thanking him for the blanket but for what he had done for her in the car as well. "Phoebe, they’ve already taken your friends to the hospital. You’ll be going in the other ambulance."

Phoebe was a bit upset by this. She wanted to be with her friends. This way she would know fore certain if they were ok. The paramedics picked up her stretcher and slid her into the back of the ambulance. Then she noticed three other stretchers. Two below her and one they rolled in after her and placed on the floor. She closed her eyes and tried to block everything around her. As she realized that she was sharing the ambulance of the victims of the other car.

The drive back towards Monterey seemed to take forever for Phoebe. She had driven that road a thousand times with her Grams and sisters. She tried to picture exactly where they were. The next thing she was doing was going through the emergency doors of the hospital. She watched as the lights above her head seemed to flash by and there were more people running around and yelling orders to other people.

The paramedics gently placed her on one of the emergency room beds and left her in the hands of one of the nurses.

"What’s you name?"
"Phoebe."
"Hi Phoebe, my names Jane."
"Hi."
"So the doctor will be here pretty soon. Is there anyone you want me to call for you?"
"Umm. My Grams went a way for the weekend. You could try my sisters, they should be home."
"Ok do you know the number?"

Phoebe gave her the number to Prue and Pipers apartment. And then watched as she went to call her sisters. Only to have her return a few minutes later.

"They weren’t home, so I left a message. Is there anyone else?"
"Umm you could try Laura’s parents." Phoebe suggested as she then gave her the number.

Once again the nurse came back with the same news. No answer. "I guess everyone is out for the day." Jane said
"Yeah I guess."

The doctor came over and looked Phoebe over for injuries. Jane stayed right beside her as the doctor carefully stitched the cut on her chin and then did the same for her knee. Explaining everything to her as he went along.

"Ok Phoebe I’m going to send you down for some x-rays on your ankle. It doesn’t look broken but I just want to make sure. Do you want Jane to go with you?"
"It’s ok." She said as she listened to the sounds around her. She could her Troy begging the doctors not to cut his brand new jeans. And Laura laughing at him to quit being a big baby
"Come on Phoebe we’ll go and then we’ll see if we can’t find someone that’s home." Jane told her as she helped Phoebe off the bed and into a wheelchair.

As Phoebe was getting her x-rays done Jane had gone and called a few more numbers that Phoebe had given her. Finally reaching one that she knew would be of good to the scared teenager in the x-ray room.

"Inspector Trudeau."
"Inspector my name is Jane I’m a nurse at the Monterey hospital. I have a Phoebe Halliwell here and she has asked me to contact you."
"Oh my god. Is she ok?"

Jane proceeded to explain to Mr. Trudeau about Phoebe’s accident.

"We are releasing her Inspector but I have a feeling that she has no one here to go to. We’ve tried to get a hold of her Grams and her sisters."
"Ok look I know how to get a hold of her sisters. Can I talk to her?"
"Sure. One second." Jane walked over to Phoebe and handed her a cordless phone.
"Mr. Trudeau."
"Phoebe you ok."
"Yeah I’m fine."
"Look Phoebe I can come a get you if you like."
"No it’s ok. I can get a hotel."
"Phoebe its no problem. Do you want me to call your sisters."
"They’re not home."
"I know, but I also know where they are."
"I don’t want to bother them."
"I’ll call them Phoebe. You hang tight honey. Ok?"
"Ok. Bye." Handing the phone back to Jane her thoughts turned to her sisters.

She just wanted her sisters to hold her and tell her that everything would be ok. She didn’t realize then how wrong everything would soon get.

Inspector Trudeau sped down the street with his siren going to clear away the traffic. His thoughts turned to the frightened girl he had just spoken with not a few minutes ago. It was hard to believe that he was talking to Phoebe. She sounded more like a twelve-year-old then the woman of nineteen that she was. He knew she was in shock. From what the nurse had told him the accident had happened earlier that afternoon. It was now 8pm. For eight hours she had been in the hands of strangers wondering about her friends and herself.
Pulling in the driveway he received a few stares from some of the people on the lawn.

"Hey Inspector Trudeau. What brings you by?" one of the guys asked.
"I’m looking for Prue and Piper."
"I think they’re inside. Try the kitchen. That was the last place I saw Piper."

Running towards the house he hollered back a quick thank you. Running into the house he quickly scanned the room before he spotted them in the corner with Andy and Steve. Andy spotted his dad and knew right away that something was wrong. Though he was not expecting what would come next.

"Dad? What brings you here?" Andy asked
"Um. Prue, Piper can I talked to you outside please."
"Uh yeah." They said as they wondered what happened, as they followed him through the crowd and outside to his car.
"What’s the matter Mr. Trudeau?" Prue asked straight away "I just got a call from the hospital at Monterey. Phoebe was in a car accident."

Both sisters looked at him in shock as they felt their world begin to crumble around them. Piper put her hand over her mouth to prevent the scream that almost came out.

"Oh my god. Is she ok?" Prue asked immediately in protective mood as she placed her arm around Piper
"I spoke with her briefly and she seems good. But I think she’s in shock right now. She told me not to get you guys but I know that all she wants right now is for you two to be there for her."
"What about Tory and Laura?" Piper asked.
"I don’t know she didn’t say. Look if you guys want to go down there I have no problem taking you."
"Thank you Mr. Trudeau but I think this is something that we need to do." Prue told him as she continued to hold Piper.
"Ok. But if any of you need anything please just let me know."
"We will. And Thanx again." Prue said as her and Piper headed to Prue’s car and back to their apartment.
"Prue?"
"Yeah." She said looking over at Piper.
"Let’s just go. I don’t want to go back to the apartment."
"You read my mind sis." Prue said as she took the next exit that would take them to the hwy to Monterey.

The drive was long and hard on the two sisters as they worried about their baby sister. Was she really ok? They both knew Phoebe. She was not one to talk about things that bothered her. She would keep them closed inside. In a lot of ways she was a lot like Prue when it came to that. They were both masters of keeping their feelings close inside of them.

When they arrived into Monterey, several hours later, they quickly got directions to the hospital. Pulling into the parking lot they both ran into the hospital to the reception desk.

"Phoebe Halliwell please." Prue asked hurriedly
"One moment." The nurse said as she scanned through her computer, "She was discharged over two hours ago."
"Discharged? Where did she go?" Prue almost yelled.
"I don’t know ma’am."
"Excuse me. You let a nineteen yr. old kid, who is hurt none the less, out of here with no where to go. And now you’re telling me you don’t know where she is?"
"She was old enough to discharge herself."
"Ok this is crap." Prue started before Piper pulled her aside. She was scared too but this was no way to get the results they wanted.
"Prue this isn’t helping."
"Piper how could they.."
"Prue stop it please." Piper begged her sister quietly.

Prue stopped and looked at Piper. Taking her little sister in her arms they just held each other. "I’m sorry Piper. I’m just worried."
"I know so am I." Piper sniffed away her tears.
"Excuse me are you Phoebes sisters?" Came the voice behind them.

Prue and Piper both looked at the woman approaching them though not letting go of each other.

Later that afternoon:

Phoebe had gotten out of x-ray and was sitting in the wheelchair that the hospital had provided for her while she was there. They had told her that she was free to go as she had no life threatening injuries and no injuries that required her to stay. The only thing she didn’t have was a place to go or a way of getting there. Considering what happened she figured that she was luck to have gotten away with the few injuries that she had. A cut to her right knee that required ten stitches and another ten stitches under her chin. That she hoped would not scar. A cracked check bone, that they of course could do nothing about. And finally torn ligaments in her left ankle. The doctor and Jane were very surprised that she hadn’t broken it.
The only other injury she had was the one that no amount of medicine could cure. The pain of a broken heart over what had happened. She had put her two best friends in the hospital, only one month before their high school graduation. As she tried to get the hang of the wheelchair she waited patiently in the lobby of the hospital. Rolling back and forth. She eventually got news about Troy and she quickly made her way up to his room.

"Hey you." Phoebe said as she rolled into his room
"Hey yourself. Nice bandage you got there."
"You think?"
"Yeah. Hey you want to compare?" he asked innocently as he tried to cheer up his friend showing her his arm covered in bandages.
"So what happen? You ok? And don’t even try lying to me."
"I got a bunch of glass in my arm when I opened the window."
"Well you know they do put window knobs on cars for a reason you know." Phoebe laughed at him. It was the first time she had come to laughing since before they crashed the car.
"Yeah but my way was quicker." He laughed.

They shared what was almost an awkward silence though between friends that would not be the right phrase.

"So have you seen Laura yet?" Troy asked.
"No I was hoping you had." She stated quietly
"Nope. But I’m hoping that they will let us know soon."
"Me too." She said.
"So I see you got a new set of wheels Phoebs."
"Yeah you like? A lot easier on the gas."
"And no windows to break." Troy laughed
"Yeah well I had that feature put in just for you." Phoebe laughed back at him. "Look Troy I’m gonna go see what I can find out ok?"
"Come right back?" he asked quietly
"Count on it." She said a she carefully pulled herself from the chair and kissed him.

Sliding back in she wheeled herself out of his room and down to the nurse’s station to inquire about her friend. Finding out that she had not yet been moved to a room, Phoebe made her way back to the lobby to wait. She didn’t want to be around anyone yet. So she found a nice quiet corner and just closed her eyes. Trying to remember what happened that turned their whole weekend into a living nightmare.

She found that as she sat there she could no longer hold it in, as a tear escaped from her eyes. Closing them tight she tried to stop them from falling. How could she be crying now? She had put her two best friends in the hospital. How could she sit there and feel sorry for herself?

"Phoebe?" came a familiar voice

Opening her eyes she saw the officer that had been with her at the car accident.

"Hi." Phoebe said quietly.
"Hey, how you doing?"
"I’ll live I guess."
"Well I’m glad to hear that." She said as she sat in the chair next to Phoebe. "I’m Officer Dickenson. But you can call me Rachel if you like."
"Thanx Rachel."
"So you can go home I guess."
"Yeah but I’m not sure how. No wheels."
"Yeah I heard. Look I spoke with the driver of the other car. And I know you probably don’t want to get into this right now but do you think you could tell me what you remember of what happened?"
"Umm we were driving from San Francisco to LA to see some friends for the weekend. We stopped at McDonalds for lunch. That was when Troy and Laura switches seats." Phoebe told her.

Rachel didn’t stop her as she knew that this was something that Phoebe would have to deal with and it was best if she talked about it now rather then shut out the world later.

"Then we were driving along the highway when I changed lanes to pass a big truck. After I passed him I checked over my shoulder to make sure it was safe to go back in. When I looked forward again, there was this car right on front of me. I tried to go around it from the front but there was a little truck coming right at me so I did the only thing I could think of. I grabbed the wheel and pulled hard to the right." Phoebe told it as if she was watching a slow motion reel as her memory of what happened came crashing around her. She could almost remember every little detail. "I tried to miss them but I guess not hey."
"No you didn’t."
"Are they going to be ok. I mean I only hit their trunk right."

Rachel looked at Phoebe with sympathy. She knew that this was something that would take Phoebe awhile to get over. "You hit the middle of their car Phoebe. The kids and Mother were released a few hours before you with minor cuts but the father was admitted with a ruptured spleen."

Phoebe could once again feel her tears welling up threatening to escape.

"Phoebe I want you to listen to me. From what I’ve heard from the witnesses and from what you have just told me this was not your fault. You told me the exact same thing that the truck driver did. You did everything you could to prevent this. In fact the way you handled this is better then most drivers would, and you reacted a lot quicker then most drivers that have been driving for twenty years or more." Rachel told her. "I know you’re worried about Laura and Troy right now and I’ll let you go. But remember what I’ve said. It’s not your fault Phoebe."

Phoebe let the tears she was holding go. She heard what Rachel was telling her but how could she say that. It was her fault: she was driving.

She watched as Rachel left the hospital as the tears continued to roll down her face. Blinking them away she wiped her face and thought about the days events. She couldn’t help but to think that it was her fault. She had been driving, who else was there to blame.

Closing her eyes again she tried to get all her emotions in order. Before once again going to see Troy or finding out about Laura. She suddenly opened her eyes when she thought she heard a familiar voice in the distance. Looking up she spotted Laura’s parents. Not wanting to face them she remained where she was not moving, just watching them as they spoke to the nurse at the nurses station. Then behind them she also spotted Troy’s parents. ‘Oh god will this day ever end.’

She watched then hoping they would not see her. But as most of the day, luck would not be on Phoebe’s side as Troy’s Mum spotted her in the corner. Phoebe knew she could no longer hide so she raised her hand and waved shyly.

Troy’s mum nudged her husband and the next thing that Phoebe knew was that all four of them were heading her way. She watched them carefully and tried to get her thoughts in order for everything that she thought may soon happen. The accusations of what had happened. They had trusted her with their kids and this is how she repays that trust. By nearly getting them killed. But to Phoebes surprise Troy’s Mum embraced her with a hug. Comforting her in a way that Phoebe had never expected.

Neither parents asked what had happened. For that Phoebe she was glad of. For she wasn’t really ready to talk about it. Not yet anyway.

After chatting a bit and making sure that Phoebe was ok everyone made there way upstairs to where Laura was getting settled in and to see Troy again. As Phoebe wheeled herself back and forth for the past hour she was getting a bit tired. She just wanted this day to be over. She sat back in the lobby and again closed her eyes as her thought turned to her sisters.

Laura’s mum told her that if she wanted she could stay at Laura’s Aunt Mary’s that lived there in town. Until Inspector Trudeau came to pick her up, or he got a hold of her sisters.

As Phoebe was starting to feel the effect of the painkillers they had given her she was more then happy to agree to go, with Aunt Mary.

Saying her good-byes to Tory and Laura, though she doubted the later had even realized that she had been there for the drugs they had given her, she left the hospital. She found out that Troy was just being kept over night for observation, after taking the blow to the head as he did. But she never really found out about Laura. At that point all she knew was that she was leaving and they were staying. For how long she didn’t know. She didn’t know that the next time she visited the hospital to see her friends that her world, as it was, would spin even more so off it’s small fragile axis

Present:

"Do you know where she is?" Prue asked a bit more calm this time. There was something about this woman that Prue trusted.
"Actually you just missed her. She left here with Laura’s Aunt Mary. You can probably see Laura’s parents in her room, 201."
"Thank you." They both said as they went in search of the people that could tell them where their baby sister was. For even they could not predict what would happen next.

Prue and Piper approached the house anxious yet nervous at the same time. Reaching the door they both seemed to almost freeze. Supporting each other they took in a deep breath and prepared for anything that may greet them with their baby sister.

"Prue"
"She’s ok Piper. We have to believe that and we have to be there for her." Prue said
"I know I was just making sure that you knew that."

Prue looked at Piper at first confused and then realizing what she was trying to say. ‘Don’t be so hard on her until we find out all that facts to what happened.’

"Ok. Ready?" Prue asked
"Yeah." Piper said she reached out and knocked on the door.

Phoebe lay on the couch with her eyes closed as the painkillers slowly started to relax her body. She was almost asleep when she heard the knock on the door. Figuring it was one of Aunt Mary’s friends she closed her eyes again and started to drift to sleep.

Aunt Mary opened her door and recognized Prue and Piper right away. Letting them in no words were spoken. She tilted her head towards the living room, "She’s in there" was all she said and left the three sisters alone

Prue and Piper made there way into the living room and over to where Phoebe was laying on the couch. Crouching beside her Piper brushed a piece of Phoebe hair from her face. "Phoebs."

Opening her eyes she looked into the eyes of her older sister Phoebe thought for a minute that she was dreaming. When she realized that they were actually there she tried to sit up but her muscles screamed out in protest.

Piper moved around to the edge of the couch and pulled her baby sister into a gentle hug and just held her, as Prue sat beside them and joined in.

"Oh Phoebe you scared the hell out of us." Piper said not letting go of her sister.
"I’m sorry." Phoebe said as once again the tears threatened to escape down her face.
"Sweetie don’t be sorry. We got you now it’ll be ok." Prue said as she rubbed the back of her baby sister.

Phoebe sniffed back her tears as she tried to hold it in. Prue noticed this and took Phoebe from Piper and pulled her on her lap. It was something that they had not done in a years. As they had gotten older they drifted apart and that small comfort as a child was lost in their adult selves.

"Phoebe let it out. We got you know." She comforted her sister as she ran her hand on her back.
Phoebe slowly gave in to her sisters words and the tears rolled down her face. "I was so scared."
"Oh honey."
"I thought I’d never see you again. I saw the car and then the truck." Phoebe said between her tears.
"Ok honey. Ok. We don’t have to do this now." Piper told her.
"Have you seen Troy and Laura?"
"Just briefly at the hospital. Laura was pretty much out of it." Piper said
"I could have killed them."
"Ok Phoebe don’t do that. It was not your fault." Prue told her. Rocking her sister who once again started to cry.

After getting her calmed down somewhat Prue got up and Piper sat with Phoebe a minute. Prue left and talked to Aunt Mary who was sitting in the kitchen.

"Mary."
"Hi Prue. How she doing?"
"Well a bit sore and stiff but I think she’ll be ok."
"No I meant emotionally."
"Not so good. But I don’t know whole story. Do you?"
"No not yet."
"Look Thanx again for taking her in until we got her. We’re going to go get a hotel for the night."
"Are you sure? You’re more then welcome to stay here."
"No we should. We need some time, just the three of us." Prue answered. She didn’t want to rely on other people to help her family that was her job.
"Ok look there’s a nice clean hotel about three blocks from the hospital. Why not go there? I’ll call ahead if you like?"
"That would be great. Thanx, for everything."
"You’re welcome. I love Phoebe as if she was my own. I’ve seen the friendship that has blossomed in those two."
"Yeah they do make a pair don’t they." Prue stated. "Thanx again." She said as she left the room and went back to Piper and Phoebe.
"Phoebe you ok to walk?" Prue asked realizing then that she never found out from her baby sister what happened to her.
"Yeah just hand me my crutches."

Piper grabbed the crutches that were leaning against the chair and helped Phoebe up. It was then that both sisters noticed the blood all over her shirt and the cut on her chin. They took a few minutes then to really see their little sister. One leg she kept straight and the other she held her foot off the ground. Not wanting to get into what had happened to her just then they made there way out of the house and to the car, slowly.
Piper sat in the back with Phoebe to hold her and let her know that they were there for her. As she wrapped her arms around Phoebe from behind and Phoebe leaned against her, Piper could feel her sister shake. She knew it was not from the cold but from fear.

Phoebe leaned back against Pipers hold and tried to relax in the love that was there. She could feel herself shaking but she couldn’t help it, she was scared. For that was only the second time she had been in a car since the accident and she was afraid of what may happen.

Pulling into the hotel parking lot they helped Phoebe get out of the car and into the hotel. Sitting on the bed she was ready for sleep to take over her body.

"Phoebs honey why don’t you change before you fall asleep." Prue suggested as she crouched in front of her sister. "Laura’s dad went with Troy’s and they got your stuff from the car." Prue said as she looked in the direction of Piper who was carrying Phoebes over night bag that she had carefully packed the night before.
"You need a hand sweetie?" Piper asked sitting beside her sister brushing her hair aside.
"Just with my pants. I cut my knee and I can’t bend my leg." Phoebe said softly
"Ok come on lets get you to bed." Prue said as Piper and her helped Phoebe change into her Pajama’s.

Piper tried not to gasp as she saw the large bandage on Phoebes knee, not to mention the tensor bandage around her ankle. It was then that they saw they bruises all over her body from where she had hit the stirring wheel.

Phoebe lay back on the bed after taking another painkiller. As the events of the day caught up to her she closed her eyes and started to drift off into a restless sleep. Only to be woken by the reality of what happened in a nightmare.

Her sisters had sat up talking when they noticed Phoebe stirring. Making their way to the side of her bed, Prue rubbed her sisters back to let her know that they were there, only to have Phoebe suddenly wake up with new tears in her eyes.

Reaching forward to hold her, Prue was taken back and Phoebe winced in pain.

"Can you guys sleep with me tonight?" Phoebe asked. Once again it was something that she had not done in a number of years, and her sisters were starting to realize how lucky their little sister really was. And how lucky they were that she was still alive.

But how lucky they still didn’t really know. And that was something that they would discover in the next few days.

Prue awoke first with her baby sister snuggled next to her. Watching her sleep peacefully she realized how precious she really was to her. Even though now they often fought and seemed to be drifting apart, deep down inside Prue knew that her sisters were her world and she didn’t know what would happen if she had lost either one of them.

Brushing the hair off her face she just laid there watching her breath and sleep.

"She’s ok now Prue." Piper said breaking Prue from her thoughts. "And there was nothing you could have done to prevent this."
"I know. I was so scared when Andy’s Dad." Prue couldn’t say it; it still scared her.
"I know you were. I was there remember?"
"Yeah." Prue said quietly not wanting to wake Phoebe.

Piper reached over Phoebe and took Prue’s hand in hers. "We just have to be here now for her Prue. She’s been through a lot the past 24hrs. She is already blaming herself for what happened."
"But Piper we don’t even know what happened." Prue said
"So we get her to talk to us."
"You. She won’t talk to me."
"Prue you’re her sister and that is what she need right now. She will talk to us."
"If you say so." Prue said, though hoping deep down that Piper was right and that Phoebe would open up to her as well.
"Ok let’s just wait and see what happens today." Piper suggested. She was thinking of a plan on how to get Phoebe to talk to Prue and yet at the same time find out what happened.

Getting up quietly the two oldest Halliwell’s waited for Phoebe to wake up. They knew that to day would be a tough struggle for her not only emotionally but physically as well. For after the accident and sleeping they knew that her muscles would be sore and stiff. One of the biggest tasks at hand for them was to get her to admit when she hurt. For they both knew that Phoebe could be very stubborn at times.

"Should we wake her?" Piper asked quietly, "We have to check out pretty soon,"
"I would love to let her sleep forever if that was what she needed to heal, but we do need to get going soon."
"I hate to wake her though."
"It’s ok she’s already awake." Came the familiar voice form the bed.
Piper got up from her chair and went and sat next to Phoebe. "Morning sleepy head."
"Morning."
"So we were thinking about a nice big breakfast and then if you like we can go up and see how Troy and Laura are doing. What do you say?"

Phoebe at first didn’t say much as she thought of seeing her friends again. She wanted to but she didn’t. She couldn’t face what she had done to them. "I’m not really hungry." She finally said quietly.
"Ok Prue and I’ll have a big breakfast and you can watch us eat." Piper said trying to get a laugh out of her little sister.
"Sure ok." Phoebe replied as she tried to sit up. "Oh."
Piper immediately put her arm around Phoebe, and helps her sit up. "That better?"
"Yeah thanx." Phoebe said as she swung her legs carefully over the side.

Sitting there a few minutes she looked down at the bandage that covered her knee. Absently running her hand gently over the top of it. ‘All I get was a few stitches and torn ligaments in the ankle, while my best friends still lye in the hospital Phoebe thought.

As if hearing her sisters’ thoughts Piper placed an arm over Phoebes shoulder and pulled in close to her.

"Ok, so I’m gonna go to the shower and then we can go." Phoebe said not wanting to deal with everything.

Carefully standing up she grabbed her crutches and headed for the bathroom. As she closed her door she heard Prue call out "Don’t get your bandages wet."

After realizing that a shower was out of the question Phoebe sat in the bathroom while she waited for the tub to fill up. Slowly letting her body down into the hot water she relaxed as the water soothed away at her sore muscles.

Getting out of the bath and changing into clothes that were not covered in blood, Phoebe came out of the bathroom ready for the day. Well as ready as she figured she would get.

They had breakfast though Phoebes not very big, even with her sisters insisting that she needed to eat something. They checked out and made their way back to the hotel.

"Phoebs you want a wheelchair? It may be easier to get around then your crutches." Piper offered.
"No I’m ok." As she made her way to Troy’s room.

Prue and Piper shared a look of concern but let it go at, as they followed her down the hall.

Phoebe walked into Troy’s room but was not prepared for what met her. They had Troy lying on a backboard starring up at the ceiling.

"Troy what?" Phoebe started to say
"Hey Phoebs."
"Troy.." Phoebe started again before she heard a voice behind her
"Phoebe. How you doing?" Troy’s mum asked from behind her. Once again pulling her into a hug.
"I’m a bit stiff and sore but I’ll be ok I think. What’s up with Troy?"
"When we came by this morning we were getting him ready to go home when he said he felt a funny tingling in his feet. They did some x-rays first thing and it looks like he has broken one of his vertebras."

Phoebe looked up in shock at what she just said. "Is he.." she couldn’t finish. The thought that Troy may be paralyzed scared her enough.
"At this point they don’t know Phoebe. We’ll just have to wait and see."

With her sisters right behind her, they two were not prepared for what they saw or heard. Troy was always so full of life and energy. That was one of the reasons that him and Phoebe had made a great couple. Seeing that the two of them needed some time alone, the two sisters and the parents left the room.

Making her way to the side of the bed Phoebe gently sat down in the chair. But not before Troy reached for her hand and pulled her towards him, giving her a kiss and a hug.
"Troy I’m sorry."
"Phoebe this is not your fault ok. Now stop it." He stated
"Troy how could you even say that."
"Because I know you Phoebe and you would have done everything possible to prevent this." He told her, "Now I need a favour."
"Oh what? I can’t smuggle a cute nurse in her for you. And I won’t even if I could."
"No, no not that. I need a burger King Burger. This hospital food is awful."
Laughing at her friend she just agreed. "If I get caught you’re taking the heat for it though." She told him with a smile.
"Deal." He said, "It’s good to see that again." Troy said as he reached for her face.
"What?"
"Your smile. I haven’t seen it for a while."
"Yeah well I haven’t had a lot to smile about." Phoebe told him. Standing up slowly, "I’m gonna go see Laura for a bit. I’ll be back this afternoon with lunch ok?"
"Ok. I love you."
"Love you too." She said as she limped out of the hospital room.

Pausing outside the door she leaned against the wall and felt the hot tears running down her face. Wiping them away she made her way to the nurses station to find out where Laura was.

As Phoebe approached the door to Laura’s room she could her talking to her mum.
"Mum I’ll tell her."
"Laura, you’ve been through a lot here I think it would be best if we told her sisters and had them tell her."
"Mum NO! I’m her friend and she deserves to hear this from me."

Phoebe stood outside and wasn’t sure if she should go in or not. But hearing the pause in the conversation she decided that she needed to go in, if only to find out was so important for Laura to be arguing with her mum about.

"Hey you. You plan on staying there all day?" Phoebe asked trying to sound joyful, but she was not fooling her best friend in the slightest.
"Phoebe you came."
"Of course I came. I was just over to see Troy. He wants me to smuggle him some Burger King. You want anything?"
"Oh you know that does sound like a good idea." Laura said, before turning to her mum that was sitting beside her. "Mum can you go look into that phone we were talking about earlier?"
"Sure." She said as she got up and walked out of the room.

Phoebe made her way to the chair that Laura’s mother had been sitting in, but bent down and carefully hugged her friend.

"So how long you gonna lie around her anyway?" Phoebe asked innocently
"Phoebe I need to tell you something and everyone seems to think it’s a bad idea. But as your best friend I thought that you had a right to hear it from me first."

Phoebe looked at her friend and was starting to get really scared. After what she ad just witnessed with Troy she wasn’t sure if she could handle any more bad news that day.

"Phoebe I have a broken back. At this point they are not sure how bad. Luckily the vertebra snapped and came back in place. They have to wait for the swelling to go down before they can assess the damage to my spinal cord if any."

Phoebe just starred at her blankly as the tears once again welled behind her eyes. Only this time she could not stop them how could both her friends break their backs and she only had a few cuts and bruises.

"Phoebe please don’t blame yourself for this. And don’t even tell me that you’re not. I know you to well." She said as she took Phoebes hand in hers.
"Oh God Laura I’m so sorry."
"Phoebe please. I need you as much through this as anybody. I love you and that will never change.
Phoebe there is something else. They won’t now for awhile yet and even then they won’t be certain." She started. "They don’t know if I’ll ever be able to have kids. The pressure of child birth let alone labour could be something that my back may not be able to with stand."

Phoebe just looked at her friend as if she had just thrust a knife through her heart. Laura always wanted kids. And now this. At the age of 18, she is told that she may never have them.

Prue and Piper sat in the waiting area with Troy and Laura’s parents. Neither family really knew what happened that afternoon. Phoebe was yet to really talk about it and Troy and Laura had been to strung out on the hospital drugs to tell them anything. What the two sisters did manage to find out was the extent of the injuries to the two friends.

They had both suffered from a broken vertebra in some way. Troy’s had actually chipped and had pieces resting on his spinal cord. Thus causing the tingling in his feet. Where as Laura’s had actually snapped in half but luckily it came back before it had a chance to damage her spinal cord.

Laura also ended up with 40 stitches on her forehead. And Troy with about 50 all over his arm from the smaller lacerations.

But the one thing that did hit them both was when Laura Mum had told them about Laura, and the possibilities of her not having any children. They both knew that this was one thing that would really hurt their sister when she heard.

The morning went fairly quickly as Phoebe went back and forth most of the day from one room to the other. She had not said anything to her sisters about what Laura had told. She was still trying to process the whole thing herself. Though unbeknown to her, they already knew.
As Phoebe came out of Troy’s room she spotted her sisters sitting down the hall talking. Limping towards them they looked up and saw her coming towards them.

"Hey Phoebs. How’s he doing?" Piper asked.
"Just being his usual charming self." Phoebe let out a small laugh, "Look can we go to Burger King. He has this craving for real food."
"Sure if you call that real food." Prue said standing up.
"Look why don’t you two go. I’ll stay here, to visit with Troy and Laura some more." Piper suggested.
"Piper please come." Phoebe practically begged her sister.

Prue looked at Piper for some help. She was a little hurt that Phoebe almost didn’t want to go with her.

"Phoebe you’ll be with Prue. You’ll be ok." Piper said as she reached out for her baby sister.
"Piper please I need you there." Phoebe whispered in her sisters’ ear as she hugged her.
"Ok honey. I’ll go." Piper finally gave in.
"Ok Piper you two go get some food and I’ll wait here." Prue suggested. She wanted to get a hold of the police officer so she could really find out what happened.
Phoebe reached her hand out and took Prue’s. "You come too." She said quietly.
"Phoebe." Prue started
"Please."

Prue saw the look in Phoebe’s eyes. It was one of a scared little girl. It was one that Prue had not seen in long awhile. "Ok."

Making their way out to the car Phoebe limped along on her crutches as her two sisters walked slowly beside her. Getting in the car Phoebe once again got in the back as Prue and Piper got up front. Piper driving and Prue in the passenger spot.

Phoebe stretched out in the back of her sister’s car supporting her knee with a small pillow that the hospital had given her. She starred out the side window will clutching the edge of the pillow. She tried not to think of the driving, being in another car. But everything seemed to almost crash down on her. Closing her eyes she tried to shut it out but she couldn’t as she kept seeing the same movie play out in her head over and over. She tried to find in her memories what happened and where she failed.

Piper looked back to her sister in the back and could see her with closed eyes. Knowing full well that her sister was still terrified of the car she looked over at Prue and motioned with her eyes to the back seat. Prue turned around to see a small tear trying to escape from her sisters eyes.

"Piper stop the car." Prue said quietly

Piper slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road. Prue quickly jumped out and went to the back door before Phoebe could ask what was going on. Quickly getting in behind her sister she pulled her close to her as she closed the door. Piper seeing what Prue was doing waited until the oldest got back in the car before continuing the drive through town.

Prue just held Phoebe to her, her sisters small frame resting against her. She could feel the fear emanating from her sisters back, as she shock in Prue’s embrace. She had leaned back in to her more then Prue thought possible.

Quickly driving through the drive-thru Piper pulled up to a small park on the way back to the hospital. She was going to try and get Phoebe to open up to the two of them.

"Ok whose up for a picnic in the park?" Piper suggested
"I am." Prue answered as she looked down at her baby sister, Phoebs?"
"Sure." She answered quietly.

Pulling into the parking lot, Prue got out from the car followed by Phoebe. Making their way to a small out of the way spot they sat down and ate their lunch. Resting her head on Prue’s lap Phoebe just lay there not saying anything. She knew that she would eventually have to tell her sisters what happened, but she was to scared to relive that moment: The moment where she almost killed her best friends.

Piper watched as Prue ran her hand over Phoebe’s head brushing at her hair.

"Phoebe. I don’t mean to push." Piper started, "Do you want to talk about it?" she continued lovingly.

Phoebe didn’t say anything. She just continued to lay there in the comfort of her big sister. Even when they fought, Prue was always right there for her. Taking in a deep breath she closed her eyes.

"Take you time honey." Prue said.

Phoebe started to tell her sisters what happened. How she passed the truck and when she looked the car was just there.

"It just appeared out of nowhere." She said "I didn’t know what to do." She continued in a shallow whisper.

She told her sisters how she swerved to go around him and when she saw the truck yanked hard on the wheel to go the other way.

"I tried to miss them, I did." She told them.
"Phoebe this was not your fault honey." Piper assured her.
"Yes Piper it was. I should have seen them sooner. I should have gone to the right first. Why would I even think about going into the oncoming traffic? That was stupid." Phoebe stared to raise her voice. Not angry at her sisters but at herself. As the tears came freely. "I could have prevented this."

Prue she did the only thing could think of. She reached down and pulled Phoebe close to her. Giving her the love and support that her little sisters needed. It was usually Piper that supported Phoebe at times like this. Always the one to reach down and give her a hug. But Phoebe had gone to Prue this time. Ever since they had stopped the car and Prue had climbed in the back with her Phoebe was always right there beside her.

After holding her sister for a few minutes Phoebe pulled back and Prue reached up and wiped away her sisters tears.

"You want to go back to the hospital now honey?" Prue asked gently. She knew that hospitals always bothered Phoebe and now with this it would be worse.
"Yeah. And then can we go home?" Phoebe asked quietly.
"Of course we can honey." Piper said as she reached up and rubbed Phoebes back. "Then we can get you all better and back on the road to recovery." she added

Phoebe slowly pulled herself from her sisters’ embrace and reached out for her crutches. Trying to get back up from the grass it was not an easy task, with a leg she couldn’t bend due to her stitches and the other with the bad ankle. Yet she refused to ask her sisters for help.

Prue and Piper at first watched as Phoebe struggled to get up knowing that she would ask when she was ready and that she had to try and do it herself first. But after a few minutes Prue couldn’t stand by any longer. She went in around behind Phoebe and reaching under her arms lifted her up off the ground.

Phoebe looked at her big sister with as much love a child would have for a parent. "Thank you." She said quietly.

Prue reached forward with one hand and placed it on her sisters’ cheek, "You’re welcome."

Making their way through the corridors to the hospital, Phoebe continued to struggle with her emotions. "Hey lazy boy. I brought you lunch." Phoebe said cheerfully.
"Oh man I thought you had forgotten me." Troy laughed.
"Oh I wish."
"Oh you love me." He countered blowing her a kiss
"Oh now you do wish." Phoebe laughed.

Prue and Piper watched as her sister, who fifteen minutes ago was crying on the shoulder of the oldest, now stood here and joked with her friends. They knew what she was doing, or at least trying to do. She was trying to hide her feelings, bury them deep within herself so that she could convince everyone that she was fine. But over the years that they lived together the two oldest Halliwell sisters had gotten to know that trick of their sisters. And they both knew that this was something they could not let her bury. They had to get her to deal with this at all cost. Even if it meant forcing her to talk about it, until she realized that what happened the afternoon before was not her fault.

The day went by quicker then Phoebe thought. She dreaded the thought of sitting in the car and driving home.

"Phoebe I want you to promise me that you will not just go home and blame yourself." Laura told her.
"Laura I really don’t want to talk about this. Please."
"Phoebe, we are. You have two sisters that love you dearly not to mention Troy and I. Neither one of us blames you for this. It was an accident, no more, no less. There was nothing that you could have done."
"Laura."
"Phoebe. I know you. And I know what you are thinking. But you cannot go around like that. It wasn’t our time, and there is a reason that God did this now. In the end it will make our friendship stronger, it will make us stronger." Laura told her.

Laura’s up bringing and beliefs had helped her get through her tough spots after the accident and now she was trying and hoping that Phoebe would believe the same. She knew that her friend believed in the same things that she did. She just had to get Phoebe to see that again. That there was a reason for what happened.

Phoebe sat in the on the side of the bed that her best friend was lying in. She let the words sink into her mind.
"I got to go Laura." She said quietly.
"Come see me next weekend?"
"Yeah I’ll get Piper or Prue to drive me down." She said afraid of what may happen next weekend. Did she ask her sisters to drive her down there again? Or did she just leave it. And then did she want to drive down? As the guilt ran through her body she was afraid of what she had done.

Getting up she hugged her friend gently and kissed her cheek "Love you." Phoebe said
"Love you to Phoebe." Laura replied.

Phoebe stood up and walked out of the room that held her dear friend. She thought of what Laura had said. Would this make their friendship stronger or would it eventually pull them apart?

Phoebe once again climbed into the back of Pipers Jeep and started to get more comfortable.

"Hey you move over. Don’t be hogging the back seat." Prue told her as she climbed in behind her sister.
"Prue what are you doing? There is not enough room back here for the two of us all the way back to San Francisco."
"Sure there is. You just have to lean on me instead of the door." Prue told her.

Prue had known that Phoebe would need support and love on the ride home and she had ever intention of being there for her baby girl.

As the two sisters got comfortable in the back seat Piper sat in the front ready to make the long drive home. She watched with some caution, as Phoebe got comfortable against Prue. They had never really been close over the past few years. Piper had actually approached Prue saying that she would sit with Phoebe for the ride home and Prue could drive. But Prue had insisted that she ride in the back with Phoebe.

As they started to make their way down the HWY Phoebe got restless. She cuddled into Prue’s embrace yet she was still nervous and scared. As she cuddled into her big sister the drugs that she had taken earlier were starting to have their effect as she slowly succumbed to sleep.

Prue watched as Phoebe slowly fell asleep against her. She was worried about her baby sister, more so now then ever before.

The drive back home was just as hard on the sisters as it was for Phoebe. Though as luck would have it the drugs had kept the later asleep for most of the ride home. Piper was worried about Phoebe and also driving. She knew that if a little thing suddenly happened it would startle Phoebe, so she paid extra close attention to everything.

Prue sat with her head resting on the headrest in the back, with Phoebe’s head on her lap. She absently drew a pattern over the top of her little sister head with her hand. Her thoughts were almost random, yet they were all the same: Phoebe.

Lately Phoebe and her had been fighting more often and for what she now realized where stupid things. It was just the way that Phoebe was. She was the youngest; she wasn’t supposed to have cares or worries. She just graduated last year, how was she supposed to know what to do with herself? Just because I did doesn’t mean that Phoebe should. I’ve always thought ahead as has Piper. But Phoebe, no she does things on the spur of the moment. One day she’ll just come in and say I’m going to go to college. And that’s it. No thought of where, how.

Prue’s mind turned to when Andy’s dad told them about Phoebe. She was so scared. Scared of losing something that she was carelessly throwing away.

As Piper turned off the exit that would take them home she watched carefully at Prue in the back. She could tell that Prue was in some ways beating herself up about what had happened. She wished that her sisters would get along better, it would appear now that in almost losing Phoebe she would get her wish. She knew that her sister had a long road ahead of her physical, but it was the emotion road that Piper was worried about. She needs the love and support of both her sisters, but she also had to get past her feelings of guilt. Feelings that Piper knew she was already starting to build inside her. And it was up to her and Prue to get her through it.

Phoebe slowly fought through the darkness of her sleep. Though she didn’t move. Forgetting the fact that she was stiff and sore and it hurt too much to move, she was scared. She could feel the vibration of the jeep beneath her; she just wanted to be home safe in her room, or on the couch with her sisters beside her.

Once again her thoughts turned to her friends that she had left behind. They had all been told that they would be in the hospital for at least a month. Meaning they both would miss their high school graduation at the end of June. As Phoebe recalled her own graduation almost a year ago she felt even worse. It had been the happiest moment of her life. Getting up there in front of your family and friends, showing your accomplishments. And in some way laughing at those that didn’t think you would make it. Then the dance and the party after. It was a weekend full of more fun then she had ever experienced. Maybe because those were the parties that she had Grams blessing to go to, not to mentioned Prue’s. And now because of her, her two best friends were going to miss out on that experience.

She lay there with her head resting on Prue’s lap. Not wanting to move as the thoughts rained down in her head. She could feel Prue’s hand absently playing with her hair. Even as a child that small gesture had comforted her. She opened her eyes and looked up at her oldest sister, who seemed to be in thoughts of her own. She just watched her. Thinking of the fights they had had. Then she realized how close she had come to never seeing her again. All it took was one lousy mistake and she would have thrown her life away and never seen her sisters again.

Prue watched as Piper carefully drove down their street. She knew what Piper was thinking, the same as her. Help Phoebe deal with her guilt and make her understand that this was not her fault. It was a task that she was ready to deal with she just didn’t know how long that guilt would tear her little sister apart for and what it would do to her in the process. She suddenly felt something, a feeling. Looking down she caught the soft brown eyes of her sister looking up at her, just watching her. Not saying a word Prue just smiled down at her sister. Receiving a half smile back that was more the enough for Prue at the moment. She knew that Phoebe was having a hard time dealing with the drive home and for that Prue was thankful for the painkillers that they had given her before they left the hospital.

Piper pulled into the driveway that led to the Victorian Manor that Phoebe shared with their grandmother and where they had all grown up. Turning and leaning over the front seat she looked down at Phoebe.

"Home sweet home honey. You ok?"

Phoebe just nodded, afraid of what may come out of her mouth.

"Ok lets get you inside and comfortable." She said as she reached and took Phoebes hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Helping Phoebe up the steps with her crutches Prue and Piper were right beside her.

"You want anything to eat honey?" Piper asked,
"No I just think I’ll go up stairs my room. I’m still kind of tired."
"You want to sleep down here?" Prue asked hoping that her sister would agree and they would be right there for her if she woke up.
"No I think I’ll just got to bed." Phoebe said making her way slowly up the stairs. Her whole body ached with every movement, as she hobbled up the stairs. One hand on the banister, and the other on her crutches.

Finally reaching the top she slowly made her way to her bedroom. Closing the door behind her she sat on the edge of her bed not moving, not thinking, just being. After several minutes she gently pushed herself off the bed and carefully changed into her pajamas, feeling every bruise and ever muscle as she moved. Finally crawling into bed she laid there facing the window as her thoughts played out the accident again. There were still some blanks in her memory but not many. The only thing missing was when she was out cold. But even that wasn’t for very long she realized. She now had the unfortunate luck of remembering it all. Right down to the crunch of metal meeting metal. It just played over and over, as the tears welled behind her eyes and at first slowly ran down her cheek. But the longer she laid there the faster the came. She closed her eyes tight hoping that the pictures would stop, but they didn’t. They just kept coming, a long with the tears.

How would she get through this? How could she face her friends again after what she did? The thought of going there to see them the following weekend scared her. Scared of their rejection and anger that they were now burying deep inside. Scared to drive down there in the car. She wished she had died in that accident, or at least been more seriously injured then they were. It was so unfair. She was driving; she was the one that wasn’t paying attention to what was going on. It was her side of the car that was completely destroyed. Why had she walked out of the hospital that night and now she was home safe in her bed with her sisters downstairs?

Eventually crying herself to sleep, Phoebe would never really understand the long road that she faced. For she thought that she was facing it alone. How long would this guilt eat her up? It was something that nobody can really answer. For everyone handles things in their own way.

Prue watched as Phoebe hobbled up the steps. She wanted to go with her but Piper sensed her movement and placed a hand on her arm and just shock her head. Piper knew that right now Phoebe just wanted some time alone.

‘Give her 10 minutes then go." She said quietly as she turned to the kitchen to find something for them to eat.

Prue stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked up. There was no way that she would wait that long. Her baby was hurting inside and out and she had full intentions of letting her know she was there for her and that everything was ok. She waited 5 before heading up the stairs. Approaching the door to Phoebe’s room she paused before knocking gently. Opening the door she saw Phoebe on the bed facing the window.

"Phoebe." She said quietly. Getting no answer she made her way to the other side so she could see her baby’s face. It broke her heart when she saw the still wet tears on her cheek. "Oh honey don’t do this to yourself. It was not your fault." She said lovingly as she ran her hand over the top of her head. Bending down she placed a kiss in the same spot. Pulling up the chair she sat beside her sisters sleeping form.
Prue had no idea what the days and even weeks to come would bring. She hoped that helping her sister through this time would help them repair their relationship. She had no idea that it could also go the other way as Phoebe healed on the outside but the inside was still a mess. On the inside she would shut off the world and pushed everyone away.

Guilt. It rained over her like a tidal wave, crashing through her body with no remorse of the pain it was causing her. The act of her wrongdoing cursed through her veins like a river running to the ocean. The only thing it left behind was the shame of what she had done. The painful feeling that was left behind, due to her guilt.

She awoke with pain throughout her body. She feared movement in case it flared more so. Her ankle throbbed, as her knee felt as it was being hit over and over with a large sharp rock though no pause between each strike. It was just constant. Her chin just sent out a dull ache, while the crack to her cheekbone sent the pain ripping through her head, giving her a major headache. It hurt to even smile, as she had discovered the previous day at the hospital. But the ache in her heart was far worse then any of her physical injuries.

She lay in her bed just looking out to the window. The drapes were still drawn but she could see the light breaking through. She didn’t care. She just wished that it was all just a bad dream and that everything was somehow just all wrong. She closed her eyes praying for her pain to end and for her questions to be answered. Why? There was so many of them. Why them? Why her? Why was she not killed? Why did she suffer the least? Once again the tears escaped through the small slit between her eyelids.

"Prue we just need to give her the time she needs to work this out."
"Piper you should have seen her last night. She cried herself to sleep."
"Prue I think this is something that…..”
"Piper no. I am going to help her get through this."
"And so am I Prue, we both will." Piper said defeated to her argument
"Ok so I’m going up there to see if she’s awake yet." Prue said as she got up and started for the stairs.

Reaching her sisters door much as she had the night before she knocked gently before opening it.
"Phoebe, you still sleeping honey?"
"No." Came the whispered reply
"Want some company?" Prue asked as she made her way around the bed and sat down beside her sister
"I don’t think I’d be much company Prue."
"Ok then why don’t we just sit here together?" Prue suggested as she went around the other side of the bed and sat up next to Phoebe.

Prue never said anything else; she just sat there rubbing Phoebe back. After ten minutes Phoebe rolled over and looked up at her big sister.

"You think Grams will be mad about he car?" she asked quietly.
"No Phoebe I don’t." Prue answered

Phoebe cuddled into her big sister and said nothing more. She just relished in her warmth and protectiveness.

Piper busied herself in the kitchen as Prue went upstairs. She wanted to go as well but she realized that this could be a chance for them to heal their wounds with each other. So she let them be. It had been a long couple of days for all of them and they were all a bit tired. Piper figured that Phoebe was probably sleeping anyway.

After 20 minutes and Prue never came down, Piper decided that she would go and see what her two sisters were up too.

"Prue? You two ok in here?" Piper asked as she quietly pushed open the door to Phoebe’s room. She smiled to herself when she saw her two sisters fast asleep. Prue with her arms around Phoebe, and the later resting her head on Prue’s chest.

Walking quietly to the bed she pulled the blanket at the end over Prue, kissed them both on the top of the head and walked back out of the room.

Several hours later Piper was sitting on the couch when she heard footsteps behind her. She knew who it was without even looking up.

"Thanx for the blanket." Prue said falling on the couch next to her sister.
"Welcome." Piper replied, "So why you so tired anyway?"
"No reason, just after the last few days. You know." Prue said trying to hide the true reason.
"Yeah I do. But I am not the one sleeping the morning away, you are." Piper explained, "Spill sister."

Prue looked up at Piper. She saw the look in her sisters’ eyes and she knew that some how she knew the reason. "I sat up with Phoebe all night." She finally said quietly
"I figured."

Prue just looked over at her little sister. She wondered how in all the years she had gotten to know both her oldest and youngest sister so well.

"So how is she?"
"I’m not sure. But if I was to guess I would say not good." Prue answered
"Oh."
"She feels guilty Piper I can feel it. She feels that she is responsible for what happened. And personally I think it’s going to take a long time for her to heal." Prue said as she rested her head on Pipers lap.

Piper looked down at her big sister. She knew that the Prue and Phoebe had drifted apart but she could tell then that Prue never let go.

"We’ll help her through this Prue." Piper said running her hand through Prue’s hair.

They had stayed there for a while, each thinking of how they would get Phoebe to realize that this was not her fault.

The days went by and the weekend slowly approached. Phoebe had left her room each day at the persuasion of her sisters, but only to put up a front to them. She did not want them to worry about her.

Lying on the couch as she had many times before she would just sit there watching TV or reading a book.
"Phoebe you have company." Prue said as she walked into the living room, with two of her friends following her.
"Hey Phoebe. How you doing?"
"Hi Steve, George."
George came and sat next to Phoebe. “You ok?"
"Yeah a few bumps and scrapes but I’m ok." She said.

They talked for a bit before George looked over at Steve, and then back to Phoebe.

"Phoebe a bunch of us from school were going to drive down to Monetary to see Troy and Laura, and we were wondering if you wanted to join us?"

Phoebe just looked at them at first not quite comprehending what he had said. After everything she had done her friends still wanted her to go with them to see Troy and Laura.

"Umm I would love to but I can’t."
"Oh come on Phoebe it’ll be fun."
"No I can’t go I’m still a bit sore from everything maybe next time."
"Ok Phoebe but if you change your mind you know my number." George said.
"Look we got to get going Phoebe. We’ll pop by on our way home tomorrow after we see Troy and Laura." Steve told her.
"That’s ok. Have a good trip guys." She said as she went to get up from the couch only to be met with a sharp pain ringing through her body.
"Phoebe relax. We know the way out. You take care of yourself." George said as they exited the Manor.

Phoebe just lay on the couch as she heard the Manor door close. She wanted to go with them and see Laura again and Troy. But she couldn’t face the drive or her friends. She couldn’t face what she had done to them.

In the five days she had been home those were the first friends she had seen. She was beginning to believe that even her friends figured it was her fault as well. She hadn’t heard from Laura in two days, and before that she called every night.

She believed more and more that this whole mess was her fault. She reached for her bottle of painkillers and took two as the pain had become too much for her. She turned to the couch and slowly drifted to sleep.

Prue had heard the door close and figured that the guys had left. Walking into the living room she saw her sister roll over.

"Phoebe. You ok?"
"I’m just tired Prue."
"Ok. So are you going with them to see Troy and Laura?"
‘No. I’m to sore to make that trip." She lied. The truth was she couldn’t face them, let alone the drive there.
"Well when you feel up to it let us know and we’ll be happy to take you down." She said, "If you need anything let us know ok?"
"Ok. And thank you Prue."
"You’re welcome baby." Prue said draping a quilt over her sister and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head as she drifted to sleep.

Prue left her sister to sleep. She knew that Phoebe felt guilty about what happened and that was one reason why she didn’t want to go with the guys. She still blamed herself. Prue was determined to make her baby sister heal on the inside. And that this was an accident, and that for whatever the reason it was meant to be and that she was not to blame. Grams always told them that things happen for a reason. And there had to be one here: and Prue was going to find out.

The days turned by and Phoebe slowly healed. At least on the outside. She had her stitches removed from her chin after a week, but the ones on her knee where still present. A continuous reminder for her of what had happened. The Dr. wanted to keep them in a little longer, just because she had come so close to shattering her kneecap. He wanted to make sure that the ones inside had done their job.

Laura had called her almost every day. Asking when she was coming down to visit. Phoebe always gave some excuse. Until Laura finally gave up and wrote her a letter.

"Phoebe. You got company." Piper said as she walked into the living room.
Looking up Phoebe saw Laura’s and Troy’s Parents. "Hi."
"Hey You. So you just lounging around letting your sisters cater to your every wish?" Troy’s dad asked.
"I’m trying. But I don’t think they buy the I’m hurt act." She replied with a laugh.
"Yeah well go for it as long as you can." He suggested.
"I will." She said with her cheeky smile. "So what brings you by?"
"Well we came to see how your were doing for starters." He said.
"And to see if you wanted to come to a graduation party." Laura mum added.
"Oh. When?"
"This weekend. We got the kids diplomas from the school and we are going to have a special presentation for them at the hospital."
"So they won’t make it up for Thursday then?" Phoebe asked quietly.

They had been trying to convince the Dr.’s that they could still go to their grad, if they went in a wheelchair. But the Dr.’s refused to release them. Hearing this only caused Phoebe more grief.

"So you’re having it at the hospital?" she asked.
"Yeah and they really want you there."
Phoebe was silent a minute before saying anything. "I’ll see how I feel."

Piper and Prue had gone to the living room to get some tea and coffee for their guest when they over heard the conversation in the living room. They both knew that Phoebe going to the graduation could be the best thing for her.

"Piper."
"Yeah Prue I know."
"We got to get her back in a car and down there for that graduation."
"I know Prue. But we can’t force her."
"I know. It just hurts to see her like this."
Piper walked up to Prue and placed her arm around her waist. "We’ll help her get through this Prue. And she will go. You’ll see."

They all talked for about two hours about the kids and everything. But after awhile Phoebe excused herself as she was getting tired.

"Phoebe it’s ok. You stay put. We should get going anyway." Laura’s Mum suggested.

Staying on the couch where she had been sitting for the past two hours they all said their good-byes and headed for the door. Before leaving Laura’s Mum turned back and went up to Phoebe.

"Laura asked me to give you this." She said handing Phoebe a sealed envelope. "Phoebe I know that you are blaming yourself for what happened. But please don’t. If anything, you saved them and yourself from death. Everything you did was the right thing to do. It happened for a reason. And one day we will all find out what that is. But right now the journey that we, and especially you three, all take will be one of discovery." Standing up she bent over and kissed Phoebe gently on the top of the head. "Laura misses you and sends her love."

They all left leaving Phoebe in the living room thinking about what she had said and holding the envelope in her hand. She was scared to open it. Afraid of what her friend may say to her. Taking a painkiller she snuggled into the couch holding the letter in her hands.

"Phoebe. You ok honey?" Prue asked
"I’m just tired."
"And?" Prue persisted
"I’m a bit sore. I just want to sleep a bit."
"Ok. Just holler if you need anything ok?" Piper said as she kissed Phoebe on the cheek and went to the kitchen.

Prue sat down on the chair across from the couch and picked up a book. Ready to be there if her baby girl needed anything. She had seen Laura’s mum give her something and guessed it was the envelope she clutched close to her. She knew that when the time was right she would open it.

Waking up a few hours later Phoebe still clutched the envelope in her hand. Seeing that her sisters were not around she looked down at the paper in her hand debating with herself if she should open it or not.

Finally deciding that she should she slowly tore open the side to reveal the letter within. Pulling it out she carefully unfolded it and began to read.

Dear Phoebe.

I hope this finds you well. Or as well as can be expected. You should hear Troy. He keep...ting on all the nurses and me. What is up with that anyway?

We’re doing ok. But I miss my best friend. You know the one. The one I used to laugh with and talk about everything with. Maybe you remember her; Her names Phoebe. She’s going through a rough time right now and she has shut me out. But I’m going to keep persisting.

Phoebe I know you are going through a rough time right now and I wish I could be there for you. But please let me in now. Phoebe this whole thing was not your fault. God had a reason for wanting this to happen now. Maybe in the end it will bring us closer but right now it is just something that we will have to work out. And we need to work it out together.

Phoebe, neither Troy nor I blame you for this. There was nothing that you could have done that you didn’t do. That guy pulled in front of us. If anything the reaction that you had, saved us. If you had reacted differently then we could all be dead right now. Yes right now it may seem bad, but Troy and I are both ok. And we will all be fine.

I really want you to come down to the party that Mum and Dad are planning for us. I miss you. More then you’ll ever know. You are my best friend and nothing will ever change that. I love you Phoebe Halliwell and don’t you ever forget that.

Your friend forever Laura.

Phoebe read the letter a second time as more tears ran down her face. She couldn’t understand how Laura could not blame her. She was driving. No matter how much they told her it was not her fault, she felt the guilt travel through her like an out of control train.

Prue walked in the living room as Phoebe quickly wiped away her tears. "Hey Phoebs. You’re awake."
"Yeah."

Prue could see the redness in her sisters’ eyes and sat beside her on the edge of the couch. "You want to talk about it?" she asked as she brushed Phoebes hair behind her ears.
"Not really."
"Phoebe can I tell you something?"
"Sure."
"Phoebe I can’t sit here and tell you I know how you fell, because I don’t. But I do know Laura and Troy. I can tell you that they would not want you sitting here walling in self-pity. It was not your fault honey. And I think its time that you moved past this."
"I.."
"No. Phoebe let me finish. I love you Phoebe more then you even thought possible. When Andy’s dad told Piper and I about the accident my world started to crumble. I thought I had lost you. But when we got there I was so happy to see that you were ok. But in the end I did lose you. I lost that baby sister that always smiled and always had a special way of making me smile. I think you should go to the hospital for the graduation. It will do you good to get out. And I know that deep down you want to get out of the Manor. Piper and I will be right there with you honey. You just have to trust us. That we won’t let anything happen to you."

Phoebe looked at Prue as the tears started down her face. "I’m scared Prue." She finally managed out.
"Oh honey. I know you are. But Piper and I will be right there with you. Ok?"

Phoebe waited a bit before she moved. She reached up and pulled Prue into a hug. "Ok." She cried into her sisters’ shoulder.
"So. We go on Friday then?"
"Yeah."
"Ok. So Piper made a great dinner. What you say we help her eat it?"
"I’m not really hungry Prue."
"Come on Phoebs you have to eat something. You haven’t eaten a whole lot since the accident. Please."
"Ok but only a little. I’m really tired right now." She said quietly as she sat up and got off the couch.

Watching her limp to the kitchen Phoebe never showed her sister the letter but Prue could tell that she had read it. And Prue also knew that it was from Laura. She was the only person that could ever really get through to Phoebe, except maybe Piper. But whatever Laura had said Prue could see it in Phoebe’s eyes, that she was thinking about something and that somehow something was starting to get through to her sister. She just hoped that it was enough

Friday came and Phoebe was very nervous. Lying on her bed she wondered if her sisters would let her out of going.

"Prue we can’t force her."
"Piper I know. But she’ll go I know she will."
"If you say so."
"Piper we just have to help her out a lot here. This is tough for her. I know that Laura’s Mum gave her a letter from Laura and ever since its been eating her alive."
"Prue what are you saying that we should read it?"
"No I have a pretty good idea what it says. Laura told her not to blame herself for what happened. You know what she is like."
"Yeah and if anyone will start to get through to her it will be Laura."
"Or you."
"Prue I don’t want to push. She’s still hurt inside and she will be for a long time."
"She’s hurt on the outside too."
"I know." Piper said. "Ok I’ll go get her. We should get going pretty soon anyway."
"Ok I’ll meet you in the car." Prue said as she grabbed the car keys and headed outside.

Piper headed up the stairs and softly knocked on Phoebes door. "Phoebs you ready to go?" she asked as she pushed the door open slightly.

Phoebe sat on the edge of her bed playing with the handle of one of her crutches. She never looked up at her sister and she never said anything. She was ready to go but she was starting to think that it was not such a good idea after all.

Piper sensing her sisters’ distress went and sat down beside her on the bed. She never said anything she just sat there and watched as phoebe fiddled with the crutch.

"We should get going Phoebs." Piper finally said to her.

Phoebe remained quiet in her own thoughts.

"Phoebe, Prue and I will be with you all the time. We won’t let anything happen. Ok sweetie?" Piper reassured her as she tucked the hair behind her sisters’ ear.
"Promise?" Phoebe finally said
"Promise. You ready?"

Nodding her head slightly Phoebe stood and with her crutches helping her along she made her way to the stairs and then out to the car, where Prue was waiting for them.

Piper sat in the back with Phoebe who either slept or just starred out the window the whole way to Monterey. She was still scared of the car but over the past week it had gotten better. Her sisters had taken her out the other day to the doctor’s office to get the stitches out of her knee. Though it was still stiff and hard to bend it was not as bad as it had been.

They pulled into the parking lot and Prue stopped at the front door to let Piper and Phoebe out.

"I’ll catch up with you two after I park ok?"
"I want to stay with you Prue." Phoebe said quietly.
"Honey its going to be a long walk with your crutches." Piper explained
"It’s ok."
"Are you sure Phoebs?"
"Yeah. Please."
"Ok." Prue said as she pulled out to find a spot to park.

Making their way to the entrance Phoebe stopped just before the doors. Her sisters never said anything for they both knew it was something that she had to do on her own. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly Phoebe stepped forward and entered the hospital

Making her way down the corridor she first went to Laura’s room. Putting on a brave face she walked through the door.

"Oh so this is all you’ve been doing the past few weeks. Lying around doing nothing."
"Phoebe you came."
"Of course I did. I wouldn’t miss this." She said as she sat on the edge of the bed.
"I thought maybe you wouldn’t have come."

Phoebe looked at her friend lying there and knew what she meant. "I’ll always be there for you Laura." She said quietly
"Ok. No more sappy stuff. Are we here to party or what?" Came the familiar voice from behind Phoebe.
"Troy. Your up?" Phoebe said in surprise
"Just a temporary thing."
"Yeah till he gets caught." Laura laughed
"Whatever. So are we going or what?"
"Alright already." Laura said.
"Prue, Piper can you give us a hand here." Phoebe asked as she sat off the bed and started to push Laura’s bed.

"Uh. Phoebs honey. Why don’t you let us do that?" Prue suggested knowing that her little sister was still not to mobile.
Sitting back up on the bed. "Ok lets go then."

As the afternoon progressed Phoebe seemed to almost be her old self. She was laughing and joking with her friend and they were even talking about next weekend. Both Prue and Piper were glad that Phoebe had decided to make the trip for it seemed that it was the best thing for her.

"Ok Phoebe we really should get going if we want to be on time for dinner." Piper said.
"Ok." Phoebe replied before turning to Laura. "So I’ll be seeing you Laura."
"Yeah and don’t forget next weekend." Laura reminder her friend.
"Right. Ok I got to go. It’s a long walk back to SF." Phoebe said as she reached over and hugged her friend.

Turning to Troy she did the same to him.

"See ya kiddo." He said hugging her and planting a kiss on her cheek. "I’ll be home before you know it."
"Oh great. As if my life isn’t complicated enough already." Phoebe said with a smile.

As they made their way back to the car Phoebe limped along between her sisters. "Guys I want to see the car." Phoebe suddenly said to them.

Both Prue and Piper were stunned by her statement.

"Phoebe are you sure?" Piper said. Even Prue and Piper hadn’t seen the car.
"Not really but I need to." She said
"Ok honey." Prue said as she got in the car, with her sisters right behind her.

They pulled in front of the police impound yard and made their way to the front desk. Phoebe walked in and right away spotted a familiar face.

"Officer Dickenson."
"Phoebe hi. And what did I tell you?"
"Sorry. Rachel."
"And these must be the sisters I heard about. Hi I’m Rachel Dickenson."
"Hi I’m Prue and this is Piper."
"So Phoebe what brings you by?" she asked the teenager, who to her looked nervous and scared all at once
"I, umm . Phoebe struggled with what she knew she should do and running out of the station. I want to see the car." She finally managed quietly.

Rachel looked up at Prue who just tipped her head to one side knowing that when Phoebe made up her mind there was no going back.

"Phoebe are you sure?"
"Yes please. I need to."
"Ok follow me." She said as she led them through the station out the back to where the impounded cars were kept. Either from an arrest or an accident like Phoebes.

As the sisters stepped outside Prue was the first one to see the car. The state of it, shock her through her heart. She realized then how lucky her baby sister really was. The front end on the, drivers side was scrunched up so it was almost right below the front window. That whole side had taken the full impact of the crash. Prue just stood there stunned.

Piper was the next one to see the car and she too had the same reaction as Prue. The thoughts again of when Mr. Trudeau told them about the accident. She wrapped her arm over Phoebes shoulder and pulled her into a hug. Just to make sure that she wasn’t dreaming and that her baby sister was still alive and with her then.

As Phoebe saw the car all the feelings of guilt once again came crashing down on her. How was it possible that she had walked away from that? She had gone home to the comfort of her own home with her sisters and Laura and Troy were still in the hospital. ‘I should be dead’ as she looked at the damage to the car. The driver’s door was missing from where they cut it off to get her out. But the front end looked like somehow had taken a torch to the front, middle of the hood to the edge of the driver’s door and cut that piece off. It was totally smashed in, it didn’t even buckle up as they usually do.

She could feel once again the tears building behind her eyes as she walked around the car. She almost felt like she was looking for something. It was answers. She needed to know why.

They had made their way back to the car and climbed in for the trek home. Prue was about to get in with Phoebe in the back but was stopped.

"Prue I just need some time to myself here."

Prue looked at her sister to make sure that she was certain of her choice.

"Prue I need to do this sooner or later. I can’t have you two always with me whenever I go in a car."
"Ok Phoebs. If you’re sure." Prue hesitated, for she knew that since seeing the car her sister had gotten awfully quiet.
"I’m sure." Phoebe said as she hugged her oldest sister. "Thank you."

Making their way home Phoebe soon drifted off to sleep. All the walking on her crutches all day had tired her out. But the images of the car tormented her thoughts even as she slept. Before she had fallen asleep the one question haunted her. As the guilt built itself around her once again she wondered: How long could she go on feeling like this?

It was the how long that was never really known in cases like these. She could go on forever blaming herself she knew and she felt that she should. Her friends continually told her it was not her fault, as did her sisters and the police, everyone that knew that had happened that afternoon.
Laura and Troy came home from the hospital almost five weeks after the crash. Well actually Troy came home about a week and a half before Laura did. Phoebe was there when he came home and walked into the house with him. Giving him all the love and support that she could.

When Laura came home they were both there for her as well. The three Muskakateers everyone called them. As if they weren’t close enough before this would be a bond that they would share the rest of their lives. No matter what ever happened to them they would have that moment in their lives that would always bind them as family.

The months ticked by and the memories were formed, but Phoebe still had her moments of guilt over what happened.

"Ok salmon and steak ready to be eaten" Piper asked from the BBQ grill.
"Oh Steak for me I hope." Phoebe called back.
"I know Phoebs. You don’t even like salmon." Piper answered her back.
"Phoebs how can you not like salmon?" Laura asked her friend.
"It’s just gross."
"Yeah well then all that much more for me." Troy said with his trademark cocky grin.
"You can have it and all the bees that flock to it when you’re trying to eat." Phoebe said as she swatted another bee away from the picnic table in the back yard.
"Hey if you don’t bother them they won’t bother you." Troy told her as they ate.

As they ate and laughed as Piper went for more salad in the Manor.

"Ok there are four people out here eating Salmon. Why are all the bee trying to eat mine?" Troy said as he swatted another away from his dinner.
"They love you Troy that’s all it is." Phoebe said as she laughed.
"Yeah well I’ll show them." He said waiting for one to land on his dinner. Then when he had one in his site he came down on it with his fork, killing it after a few seconds.
"Ok Troy that’s gross." Prue said as she laughed at his antics. "Piper, Troy needs another fork." She called into the Manor.
"Don’t worry about it Piper this one is still good." He said with his winning smile again. Wiping the fork off on his shorts
"Ok now that is gross." Laura and Phoebe said.
"So Troy we water skiing tomorrow?" Phoebe asked
"Yeah." He said
"Is that very wise Troy?" Piper asked as she came out of the house.
"I’m ok Piper. My back has never felt better."

Unlike Laura, Troy took his injury as a new lease on life. He lived every day to the moment and never let anything bother him it was his way before the accident and it was his way now. It was one of the things that Laura and Phoebe loved about him.

New Years Eve that year the three of them had gone out to a party. Troy had finally gotten the courage to ask Laura out and she happily accepted. Phoebe had secretly made up her mind to put this whole year behind her. She wanted to start a new chapter in her life and as it was the New Year it seemed that that would be the best time to do it.

Though as the night progressed she was reminded more and more of that day and what had happened. So in order to wa... away she had another drink, and another, and another and another. Laura found her later sitting in a corner down the hall with a can of beer in her hand.

"Phoebe your sisters are here."
"So." She mumbled back quietly.

Watching her friend she sat down beside her neither one saying a word. They sat in silence together. Laura knew what was going through Phoebe head but she didn’t pu.... She had to let Phoebe do this on her own.

"Laura why did this have to happen?"
"I don’t know Phoebe. But we are all ok and that’s the main thing. And through that our love for each other has gotten stronger then it ever was. And from that it will grow even more."

The tears rolled down Phoebe face as she leaned into her friend. "I’m sorry."
Wrapping her arms around her Laura just held her. "Oh Phoebe. It wasn’t your fault."

It was then that Prue came around the corner spotting her sister on the floor with three cans of beer beside her and Laura holding her in a hug. As she stepped forward a hand grabbed her by the arm. Ready to let into who ever it was that pulled her back she was surprised to look into the familiar face of Troy.

"Troy what the hell do you think your doing?"
"Just let them be Prue." He said softly.

It was then that Piper also came around the corner. "Prue, Troy. What’s going on?" she said and then she too spotted Phoebe and Laura.
"They just need some time. Just the two of them. Phoebe has been drinking a lot as most of us have. And it’s just bringing back the memories and the guilt. She just needs to let it out." he told them. As he turned and went to his friends. Bending down the three of them just held each other.

Prue and Piper watched as the three friends comforted each other. They knew that this was one of those rare occasions when Phoebe needed her friends more then her sisters. But the also knew that the three friends were now bound as sisters and brother; forever family.

For Phoebe it was one of many episodes of memories and alcohol. Every year on that day she would be out with her friends and she would relive it in her mind over and over. She usually went out and they usually drank but not a lot. No more then any other college students did. But after five years it finally all caught up with her.

Troy was out somewhere logging as he had always wanted to do, and Laura was living in LA going to university. Phoebe stayed at home at went to the local college. She thought she had gotten over it. But it would seem not. Having spoken with Laura that day Phoebe was a bit down.

"Come on Phoebe we’re gonna be late." Her friend hollered from the living room
"Ok I’m coming." She said as she came down the steps.
"So where’s Grams?"
"I don’t know. Off somewhere I imagine. She’s never around much anymore."
"And your sisters?"
"They’re doing their own thing."
"Phoebe you talked to Laura today didn’t you?" her friend asked.
"Yeah. But I’m ok. Come on."

They headed into town and caught up with the rest of their gang from college. As the night went on Phoebe had gotten drunker then she ever had. She had gotten into an argument with two of her friends and from then on it was a drink after another. All she could think of was that day. Why after all these years had it come back so badly? She was feeling all the feelings she had five years ago. As they closed the bars and had danced the night away. Her friends took her home and got her to her room. After they had left she cried like she did five years ago, all her guilt and pain washing over her.

From that day on the guilt that had consumed her for five years was washed away. It had taken her that long to realize that it was not her fault. And to not blame herself but the other person who was driving the other car. From then on she vowed to never think of it as a bad thing that happened to her, for it happened and there was nothing that she could have done. It was time to move on.

But the one thing that she would cherish forever was the friendship that she had with Laura and Troy, for as the years went by their friendship grew. Forming memories that they would always cherish of each other and a bond that would never be broken. The Three Musketeers, that was what Prue, Piper, Grams and all the parents and kids used to call them. For where there was one the other two were not too far behind.

13 yrs later:

Troy owned his own logging company and was still the same fun loving guy that Phoebe had loved as a boyfriend all those years ago. He still had that same cocky smile that seemed to melt you heart. It was always something he had when he was up to something or even when he was not. That was just Troy, living and loving life. Having no regrets along the way.

"I’m telling you Laura you are going to be calling me this weekend." Phoebe told her friend on the phone.
"No way Phoebs."
"Ok. But when I see you Monday or Tuesday. I’m gonna say I told you so."

Three days later:

Phoebe looked down at he tiny baby she held in her arms. Every now and then she would open her arms and look up at her.

"Oh Laura she’s beautiful. And look even at two days old she knows I’m her Aunty Phoebe."
"Yeah well just don’t be teaching her any bad things."
"Who me? I would never. Don’t you worry Ava. One day when you’re older you and I will have a nice long chat about your mummy there." Phoebe said as she held the baby and saw the miracle that she was.

As she was getting ready to go home Phoebe hugged her friend tight. "Hey you. Just think 13yrs ago they all said that this would never happen. And she is absolutely perfect. I love you."
"Love you too Phoebe." Laura said, as the two of them looked down on the miracle that lay sleeping on the couch.

One years after that:

Phoebe walked into the Manor after work. Her sisters were not home. Piper and Leo had gone away for the week and Prue was out of town on a photo shoot. She had the place to herself. The summer air wafted throughout the Manor, as Phoebe dropped the mail on the table in the kitchen. Then she saw her. Going to the door Phoebe was met with the face of her friend. She just stood there not saying a word. But Phoebe could tell that she had been crying. The First thing that Phoebe thought was her baby, and then her husband. What other reason would she be standing on her steps? What she said was the last thing that entered Phoebe mind.

"Laura what’s wrong? You’re scaring me."

At first she never said anything. Then it came like a sledgehammer to her brain. "Troy was in a plane crash. They can’t find the plane." She finally cried out.
"Wh..what?" Phoebe got out as she reached and the two friends embraced "I called you at work and I tried to page you. I just came here right away so I could tell you in person." She cried onto Phoebes shoulder.
"Oh s..t. I heard it going but I never even register that that was what it was. I never heard the original page." Phoebe said as the two made their way tot he living room.

Waiting for the news they got the same report that Laura had already told her. A plane carrying 5 loggers heading into a remote camp went down in bad weather. Monday afternoon, it was now Tuesday night.

When Laura left Phoebe let the tears run down her face. But she held on to hope that her friend was ok.

Phoebe went to her ball game but she couldn’t play. All she thought of was Troy. For the next two days all Phoebe could do was go to work and think of her friend. Praying that he was ok and that the search teams would find him, sitting on a rock somewhere drinking the beer that he was taking in. Laura and her called each other three or four times a day, each waiting anxiously for any news from somewhere.

For Phoebe it was the waiting, the unknown that was eating her apart. Each night she would sit in the Manor alone. She had managed to get a hold of Prue and tell her what happened and she said she would be home as quick as she could. But Piper and Leo were unreachable.

Finally on Thursday she walked into the manor running a bit late to catch the start of the news. She had been in the Manor all of 5 seconds when the phone rang.

"Hello." She said in her usual cheery voice.

All she heard on the other end was crying amongst the words that tore at her heart. "Phoebe. They found the plane." Laura cried into the phone. Phoebe only caught the first few word, but she knew what the rest were. He was gone. She could tell by the way Laura’s crying.

Phoebe was stunned as she felt the tears well in her eyes. She told her friend that she would be right over. But Laura reminded her she was at work

"Laura go home you can’t stay there like that."
"I’ll try. I’ll call you." She said as they hung up.

Phoebe slowly set the phone down as she then realized what was actually happening. He was gone. Her friend, her brother. He was gone forever.

Over the next few days Phoebe and Laura spent as many hours together as they could. As she drove to the service, with her sisters the memories of that day so many years ago, when they all had cheated death, came back to her. She felt the tears well behind her eyes once again at the loss of her friend. She wondered if she would ever be whole again.
At the service they were there for his family as they were a part of it. It all started over 14years ago, a bond that had formed and was sealed in their blood of an accident. They recalled times together with him and laughed at his antics. He was Troy, he would never regret his life or what he did. He lived it to its fullest.

At least she found some comfort in the fact that all the passengers on the plane had been killed on impact. They had not suffered. Which was some but little relief to her broken heart.

Phoebe knew it would be hard the next few days and every time she heard a song on the radio or saw a seaplane pass over the Manor or anywhere. He was a part of her soul and now it was gone. The three musketeers were now two. She would always cherish the memories they shared and cry for him as necessary. But until the time came when they were together she would miss him and love him for who he was: Her friend, Her brother.



Ok.. as I mentioned here before this story was based on fact...Phoebe played me in this story. Iit was a very difficult time for me. But most of this is true. The only name I changed was mine, and the police officer because I can’t remember what it was.

This story was also supposed to end on a happy note. The birth of my best friends Laura's baby girl. But circumstances beyond anyone's control occurred and I lost 1/3 of my heart and my soul. My best friend Troy, was killed in a plane crash heading into a remote logging camp area just above Campbell River, BC, Canada, August 13, 2001.

He touched the heart of all that knew him and I dedicate this story to his memory. he was a true friend and i will miss him dearly. Now and forever: My friend, My brother.