Disclaimer: I lay no claim to any of the Charmed characters, quotes, or overt references that may appear in my stories. They are the sole property of Spelling Television. I write for my own satisfaction and for the enjoyment of those who choose to read them.

What Little Girls Are Made Of

~ Petite and Complete ~

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“Sugar and spice, and all that's nice;
And that's what little girls are made of.” ~ Hmm...
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Prue was staring at the vaulted ceiling in her room. The darkness of the night was now being replaced by a colorless gray. The sun was just waking up but Prue had been restless for hours. The faint hint of a smile was making its way up from her heart. The shadows danced across the walls as if celebrating this special day with her. Prue was just too excited to stay in bed and made her way to the east window to sit and watch the sun come up.

Thoughts of this day never getting here took her back to when she begged her grandmother for the chance to go on her first solo date. Double dating was fun but at the ripe old age of sixteen she felt that she would much prefer to enjoy the intimacy of Andy unaccompanied. With much pleading and rationalizing, to which Prue was sure her grandmother was taking great pleasure in, Grams gave her the slightest nod of consent. Penny Halliwell was subsequently tackled and waylaid with alternating kisses and thank you’s. The matron was shocked at the overt attack of affection coming from the granddaughter who favored to show her love in a silent, subtler way. But she relished the rarity as well as the tickle war that ensued when the rest of her brood counterattacked from the rear.

The sun was now peeking over the peaked roofs across the street. The paperboy whizzed by and Prue noted that his aim was improving. The sound of children taking advantage of a beautiful Saturday morning lured Prue’s thoughts back inside the comfort of her bedroom. The strange noise of the nine o’clock hour scared the eldest Halliwell sister. The usual clamor of her baby sister followed by Grams’ playfully stern tones was absent. The excited cries of laughter when Penny swooped her up and tickled her tiny chin were drowned out by the silence. The sudden fear that her ‘perfect’ day was about to be ruined, urged her feet to the Manor’s soundless hallway. Finding the hall empty encouraged Prue into panic mode. With hesitant steps she worked her way to the bedroom of her sisters. All the time praying that her imagination was working overtime.

Upon the arrival of her view all her hopes sank. There stood her saintly grandmother holding a two year old Phoebe. The flushed cheeks and shiny eyes were dead giveaways that her baby sister was sick. The guilty look coming from the direction of Penny’s gaze proved her worst fears to be true... She wasn’t going to be allowed to go on her first ‘real’ date. Her thoughts ran the gamut. ‘I don’t ask for much... I do more than my fair share of the maternal load... She looks so helpless. I can’t leave her when she is sick... I always make the sacrifices. Why can’t Piper make it just this once... Her brown eyes pleading with me, begging me not to make her stay home.... Ugh!! Life just sucks.’

“...And I need to take Piper to the Science Fair. She has so looked forward to it all week.” Prue was pulled from her wallowing by the apologetic tone of her grandmother’s voice.

Sucking up the disappointment she replied. “It’s ok I understand.” ‘No I don’t but now is not the time to test the troubled waters of Grams’ patience.’ She muttered to herself, hoping the frustration didn’t show through her counterfeit piety.

“You’re a dear Prudence. I don’t know what I would do without you. I promise I will find a way to make this up to you.” Penny Halliwell said, her eyes trying to relay the earnestness of her pledge.

Placing Phoebe back in her crib, Penny began to rattle off all the usual instructions for when she was out of the house while postscripting the directives with counsel on how to care for her baby sister’s cold. ‘Like I haven’t done this before.’ Prue grumbled silently, giving the little girl a harsh scowl before following her grandmother and a very relieved Piper out of the room.
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Once the car was out of sight Prue slowly turned to enter the prison she was condemned to for the next eight hours. The sound of Phoebe was pendulating from sniffs to cries. She journeyed up the stairs to check on her sister. She wasn’t really mad at Phoebe as much as she was mad at the whole situation. Confusion followed by concern struck Prue in the face as she entered the bedroom to find the Jenny Lind crib empty. The soft cries of her charge sent her in the direction of their grandmother’s room.

“Gammy hold.” Phoebe sat in the hallway, her voice whimpering with one tiny hand holding Mr. Fuzzy and the other placed hopefully on the closed door.

The ice melted around Prue’s heart at the sight of her baby sister. Gently she picked her up and wiped at the tear-stained face. “It’s ok little one Prue is gonna take real good care of you. How about I fix you some breakfast?” This last statement reopened the closing floodgate, causing Prue to laugh. “You are right my cooking sucks.”

“Pop art?” Phoebe asked the signs of hope shining through the well of tears.

“Well... maybe just this once, but you have to eat a healthy lunch.” Prue once again being wrapped around the little finger of her sister’s not so innocent ways.
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Using the pop tart as a reward for taking her medicine Prue successfully got the horrid pink goo down Phoebe’s throat. The breakfast went without incident, making Prue release an audible sigh. ‘Maybe this day won’t be so bad after all.’ She mused while taking the washcloth to her sister’s sticky face and hands. Little did she know the day would be full of ‘surprises’.

Pulling the toddler from her highchair she placed her on the floor and giving her butt a gentle tap in the direction of her toy box. “Ok sweetie, you go play for a while so I can call Andy and tell him I won’t be able to go out today.” Her voice belied her chipper features making Phoebe know her sister was somehow sad.

“I sowwy.” She said before waddling off in search of her favorite toy.

Prue took the opportunity for what is was and spent nearly two hours on the phone with her boyfriend. Andy was naturally disappointed but being the ‘nice boy’ that Grams labeled him to be was graciously understanding. Once again the silence alerted Prue that something was not right and that she was being a poor caregiver. Reluctantly she got off the phone and went in search of the precocious tot.

The loud gasp that came from Prue’s lips scared the little girl hiding behind the wicker settee. The lamp’s electric cord nearly chewed halfway through, instantly fell from her mouth when the wail of fright spit the cord from causing permanent damage. “Phoebe Marie!!! You know better than that! You could have electrocuted yourself! Bad girl!!!”

Phoebe didn’t understand all of what her sister was ranting about, but she definitely recognized the tone in Prue’s voice... One she knew was not to be questioned.

A shiver went down Prue’s spine as she took a second glance at the red and green wires that were exposed between the teeth marks. Grabbing the tiny form into her arms she just held her, trying to figure out who she was more upset with Phoebe or herself. Once she got Phoebe calmed down she went to clean up in the kitchen. Sitting Phoebe in front of the TV and placing a reassuring kiss on her cheek Prue said. “Pheebs, you sit here and watch Mister Rogers while I clean the kitchen up. Be good for me ok?”

“Kay.” Phoebe said, but anxiously was waiting for the trolley to take her to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.

Smiling at the little girl who sat restlessly waiting for Fred Rogers to put on his red cardigan and lace up slightly worn blue sneakers. As she headed to the kitchen Prue’s smile held as she could hear her sister attempting to sing along.

“Booful day in neighhood...” She smiled as she saw the kind man make his was toward the little red conveyance. Clapping her hands and yelling “Yay!!” to the television as if to make him understand her happiness.

Just as the trolley was about to pull out the screen went blank and a deep voice began to speak.

“We interrupt this regularly scheduled program for a PBS special presentation... Tigers in Heat the mating rituals of the Indochinese tiger...”

The frown on Phoebe’s face turned to disgust as the picture on the television changed.

“Eww!” She said and went in hunt of something more appealing to do. She would have thrown a fit were it not for the recent run in with her big sister. Hoping to keep her word and be a good girl she went into the living room. Being the imaginative child that she was the coffee table instantly turned into a mountain that ‘must’ be climbed. Once on top of the icy peak it quickly changed to a surfboard and she was riding the big waves of the Pacific Ocean. Soon she was ripping the lip of a huge break, pulling off mad and maniacal moves just like she had seen Andy do when they went to the beach. But just as she was midst of carving a wave she was pitched... Wipe Out. The glass topped table suddenly flipped sending Phoebe to the floor, but not before her upper lip made contact with the pointed corner.

Prue was almost finished when she heard it. The loud crash followed by silence. Her feet made haste to the living room the sight before her was just too pitiful. Phoebe sat silent and stunned. But upon seeing her big sister, her lower lip began to tremble and her face turned red. Her mouth opened but nothing came out. Prue waited the few tense moments before the intake of breath released the howl she was expecting. The tears and runny nose were in fierce competition to catch up with the blood running down her chin. The anguished cries drove Prue to the little ones side.

“Poo Up... Up Poo.” She begged. The comfort of her sister’s arms the only thing that she was sure of at the moment.

Settling her rambunctious sister in her lap she dabbed at the split lip with a tissue, fighting the wild squirms and thrashing arms. Gently she crooned into her sister’s ear, wondering if this day could get any worse. She would soon find out the answer to her questioning.

“Pheebs, honey. We need to get something cold on your lip. How about a Popsicle? Hoping to kill two birds with one stone. Get the swelling down and get the crying to stop.”

Phoebe sniffed and let out a jagged breath. Looking into her protector’s eyes she tentatively asked “Pockle?” She wanted to make sure this wasn’t some sort of a trick.

“Uh huh. What color?” Prue asked as she pushed the tangle of hair from her injured Waverunner’s face.

“Wed, pwease.” Phoebe said as she buried her head into Prue’s neck, delighting in the comfort she always found there.

Sitting at the kitchen table watching as Phoebe attempted to keep the melting crimson drops for landing on her Bamm Bamm t-shirt, Prue closed her eyes and said, “Just kill me now.” It was bad enough she had to stay home and take care of a sick sister, but she was really in rare form today. Managing to get into all sorts of trouble and still look too pathetic to scold. She glanced at the clock. “Only twelve o’clock? Will this day never end!”

“Poo mad.” Phoebe said, her tears threatening to start again.

“No Pheebs, not mad, more... Oh never mind. Just finish your Popsicle while I run and get you a clean shirt. DON’T MOVE FROM THIS CHAIR!! DO YOU HEAR ME MISSY?”

“Me hear.” Phoebe said, holding her once again sticky hands over her ears. Hoping to drowned out the boom in Prue’s voice.

“Good! I’ll be right back.” Praying as she went that her sister would actually listen to her... for once.

She had just made it to the stairs when Phoebe shouted. “POO!?!”

“What Phoebe?” The tension she felt being wrapped around her words.

“BING ME DOO... KAY?”

“Yeah, yeah. Scooby Doo, I got it.”

“FANK YOU!!” Her voice louder than was necessary to carry just into the foyer.
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Clean shirt in place and sister quietly coloring she went to work getting the makings for lunch. Nothing fancy, just peanut butter and jelly. Noting the improvement in Phoebe’s condition she wonder if a quick trip to the mall would be too much to ask. She would swear Phoebe to secrecy by promising an extra story at naptime... It didn’t take much to bribe the two-year-old and she too full advantage of it.

She had just placed the loaf of bread on the table, next to the jars of Skippy and Smuckers when the phone rang. Her heart leapt with expectancy that it would be her dream lover. As she picked up the receiver she was not disappointed.

Phoebe had finished her Snoopy picture and was now hungry. She spotted the makings of a feast and thought she would help her big sister make lunch.

Prue was once again lost in Andy’s deep voice. Hearing her sister was being very quiet raised suspicions and caused the love struck teenager to turn around.

The phone dropped and Andy had to pull his headset away from his ear as all that he heard was...

“PHOEBE!!!”

The mischievous toddler had done it again.

“I make wunch!” She said with such pride that Prue was hard put to remain angry.

The scene was too much and before she knew it she was smiling than giggling then full out laughing. Leaving Andy hanging and Phoebe confused; Prue went and grabbed her camera.

Through the lens of the Nikon she focused on the little sister who had more peanut butter and jelly on her then on the pieces of bread she was trying to pull the crusts off of. The screen processed Scooby was now hidden behind the numerous handprints strategically placed on the front of her, just ten minutes ago, clean shirt.

Snap. Pulling the camera from her face Prue said, “What am I gonna do with you?”

Seeming to miss the whole importance of the moment, she smacked the two pieces of bread together, extended the tattered mess toward Prue and said. “Yours.”
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Giving her charge one final once over and repeating that she was not to tell Grams about their trip to the mall. She waited for the child in the stroller to nod her assent. The ten block walk was more like twenty questions as Phoebe was in the ‘Why’ stage.

“Poo? Why we have belly buttons?” As she lifted her shirt to see if hers was still there.

“Poo? Why are peoples mean?”

“Poo? Can I have an uppy?”

“Poo? Why is pee wellow?”

“Poo? Does Mr. Fuzzy dweam?” Looking at the little bear cradled in her arms.

On and on the questions came. Phoebe was on to the next one before Prue could answer the first. “Give me strength.” she muttered.

The mall was packed and several of Prue’s friends came by, but to her irritation made over her ‘adorable little sister’ instead of talking to her. Prue finally negotiated the stroller through the mob and headed towards the sale rack. Phoebe entertained herself by singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider while she let her fingers do the hand motions. Grateful for the reprieve Prue started pulling out jeans and skirts and tons of blouses. She narrowed down her selection to five and turned to Phoebe to get her opinion. She was too young to really understand, but she always chose what Prue liked.

“So Pheebs, which one do you...” Prue found herself talking to an empty stroller.

“Phoebe get your butt back here or I will tan it right here in the store.” Her voice a combination of fear and annoyance. She was now getting weird looks from the girls in the aisle next to her. Prue gave a half smile and continued growling out for her misplaced sister. When panic was about to set in she heard the distinct giggle of her sister. Following the sound she marched over to a nearby rounder and spread the clothes apart. She found her sister very content ripping the price tags off of the various garments. With tag in hand she looked up when the florescent lights divulged her covert mission and with a slight laugh said “Uh oh.”

“Uh oh is right now get your butt over here right...” The disproportionate weight of the clothing sent the rounder tumbling and the two year old scurrying to the safety of her sister. The stern look of the store manager was not missed on either of the sisters. Phoebe clung to the leg of her big sister like a koala bear and Prue attempted to make an apologetic and hasty retreat.
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Phoebe sat motionless on the walk back to the Manor. The words coming from Prue’s mouth were ones she knew were not ones Grams would approve of. She also knew that they were being directed at her. Words like careless, obnoxious and hopeless were randomly placed into her angry tirade. Phoebe may not understand all the words but she understood the emotion behind them and it made her sad.

Prue had placed Phoebe in her crib and turned off the light. No cuddle, no story, no kiss. She just closed the door and left the little girl to cry herself to sleep.

Two hours later, enough time to cool off and realize that Phoebe was just a baby. A baby that had more sadness in her two years than most have in a lifetime. Overall Phoebe was a loving and well-behaved child. A child she might add that was sick and had no business being out in the mall. Guilt swept over the sister who was more like a parent then a sibling. Making her way to Phoebe and Piper’s room she promised to make a better go of it then she had up ’til now.

Standing at the side of the crib she met with the infinite chocolate stare. One that was guarded and unsure. Prue gently picked her up and went to the rocker. The sleepy child leaned into her sister and twirled her finger around a strand of silky fine hair. The two words that she fell asleep to were “I’m sorry.” For Phoebe that was all that was needed to make things right again. They stayed like for quite some time. Basking in the healing balm of love.
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After sharing an apple and a lot of laughs Prue sent Phoebe to the sunroom to play. But Phoebe had other ideas. Making her way to the front door she pulled a chair to its side and turned the handle. Happy with her success she escaped into the front yard. Prue was on high alert and was soon heading to the still opened door. The frantic sister was met at the steps with a bouquet of flowers.

“Pity Flowders for Poo.” Phoebe chimed hoping her gift would make her sister forgive her. With hand held out, she offered up her small peace offering.

Prue looked on in horror as she saw Phoebe furnishing her with Grams’ prized gladiola, roots and all.
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Prue sat on the couch, eyes closed, head leaning against the sofa’s back and her fingers messaging her aching temples. “This has been the roughest day of my life.” Soon she felt the cushion slightly sink in next to her and the stuffed up voice of her sister aping her very words.

“Me half the woughest day of my wife.”

Prue opened one eye and focused it on Phoebe as she too was leaning back, eyes closed and rubbing her temples.

Stifling a laugh she chose rather to question her sister. “You had a rough day, what about me?”

“Me worser.” She countered moving to her sister’s lap to explain.

“I suppose you are gonna tell me eh?”

“No I gonna ’splain you.” She offered in the most authoritative tone that Prue had to cover her mouth to avoid upsetting the seriousness in her sister’s eyes.

“Well first.” She began taking one little finger and placing it on the other, as if the list was going to be very long. “I wake up icky. Free. I no pay wiff widdle D.” Prue knew that Grams was breaking the news that Phoebe couldn’t go to play with Darryl because was feeling... icky. “Nine. I no get Mizzer Wogers.” Prue rolled her eye, wondering who in their right minds would program a zoological procreation documentary at ten o’clock on a Saturday morning. “Four I got a big owwey on my wip and...” Ignoring the mixed up run of numbers she had to admit Phoebe did indeed have a rough day.

“Ok you win. I give. You did have a worser day than me.” She conceded defeat, and pulled her closer to herself.

“And... and... and Poo... Poo you... you wanna know what weally made it wough?”

Prue nodded over the top of Phoebe’s own head, knowing her sister only stuttered when she was upset. “ You din’t kiss me night night and naptime. It make me sad.”

“I am sorry Pheebs that was wrong of me. May I kiss you now?”

“Hmm.. Wet me fink on it.” Phoebe played.

Prue turned her around and said. “Oh you! What am I gonna do with you?” Giving her an Eskimo kiss.

Phoebe pulled away and set her gaze on her sister, cupping her tiny hands under Prue’s chin she softly said. “Wove me... just wove me.”

Tears filling her eyes she pulled the little girl, who was so unsure of herself when it came to her big sister’s love. With a shaky voice she told her. “Always baby... Always.”

As Penny and Piper entered the front door the sounds of loud and abandoned laughter filled the rooms. “I see that the day went well after all.” She followed a running Piper and the Halliwell women had an all out tickle war commencing on the floor of the Manor’s living room. Life was never easy, but love would see them through whatever came their way.