Disclaimer : I may not own them, but that doesn’t mean I can’t write about them.


The Mix Up
By Freaky Fan

Part 1

“Now we add some mugwart root.”
“Mugwart?” Paige wrinkled her nose. “What’s that?”
Phoebe shrugged. “I have no idea. But a lot of potions call for it.”
“Well it sounds disgusting.”
Phoebe plucked a root out of the appropriately labeled jar. “It’s not.” She dangled it in her sister’s face. “See.”
“Ew!” Paige knocked her hand away. “Don’t get that thing near me.”
“You’re awful squeamish for a witch.”
“Witch in training, thank you very much.”
“There’s no such thing as a witch in training in this house.”

Phoebe put the root in the pot in front of her. “What would you do if I wasn’t here to handle the mugwart root?”
“But you are.”
“But what if I wasn’t?”
“Then I would get Prue or Piper to do it.”
“What if neither of them were here either?”
“Then I guess I wouldn’t be making a potion.”
“But what if you had to? What if our lives depended on you using mugwart root?”
“If ifs and buts were candy and nuts it would be Christmas all the time.”
Phoebe frowned. “Huh?”
“Never mind.” Paige chuckled. “What do we do now?”

Phoebe looked at her for a second. “Now we add a pinch of hydranaught.” She caught some of the clear powder between the index finger and thumb of her right hand. “And the potion will be done. Maybe then you can explain that phrase you just used.”

“Hold it!” Paige gripped Phoebe’s arm as she went to throw the powder in the pot. “Isn’t hydranaught the stuff that knocked Prue on her butt last week?”
“Yeah.” Phoebe frowned. “So?”
“So maybe I should be the one to throw it in.”
Phoebe’s frown deepened. “Why?”
“Because you could get hurt.”
“Are you really worried about me or are you afraid Prue will find out we used some after she told us not to and say something about it?”

Paige only hesitated a half second but it was more than long enough to let Phoebe know what she was really thinking.

“Are you scared of Prue?”
“Me? Scared of Prue?” Paige rolled her eyes. “Please. I don’t want you to get hurt, that’s all. And who’s supposed to be making this potion anyway? How am I supposed to learn anything if you do all the work?”
“Here.” Phoebe tried to hand her the mugwart root. “I think it could use a little more of this.”

Paige stared down into the jar for a moment before closing her eyes and reaching in.

“Oh stop it!” Phoebe jerked the jar away again. “I can’t believe you. I know she can be intimidating but give me a break.”
“Are we back to talking about Prue?”
“We never stopped talking about her.”
“Oh.”

Phoebe shook her head. “You’re the oldest, Paige. That automatically gives you bossy rights.”
Paige furrowed her brow. “Bossy rights?”
“Yeah. Being the oldest means you’re in charge.”
“Of who?”
“All three of us. Prue’s just been at it so long she automatically thinks she can be the same way with you. But she can’t. So stop letting her walk all over you and stand up for yourself.”
Paige frowned. “I think you’re being too hard on her, Phoebe.”
“No I’m not, but you’re entitled to your opinion.” Phoebe let go of the hydranaught, causing a loud bang and a puff of black smoke.

“Hey!” Paige yelped as she jumped.
Phoebe grinned cheekily. “That’s something else you should know about Prue. She doesn’t listen very well. Piper told her to throw the hydranaught in from a distance. She was practically on top of the pot, so she got knocked on her butt.”
Paige sighed. “You’re too cocky for your own good sometimes.”
“I’m not cocky, Paige, I’m confident.”
“There’s a difference?”
“Hell yes there’s a difference. Being cocky means you say you can do something but might not have the skills to back it up. Being confident means you know you can do it.”
Paige snorted. “Now I’ve heard it all.”
“Laugh if you want to, Paige. But I’m telling you right now, Prue will never listen to you if you’re not confident. Like I said, she’s been at the whole oldest sister thing a long time. That’s why it’s been so hard for her to accept you.”
Paige looked hurt. “I thought I was making progress with Prue.”
“You are, sweetie.” Phoebe was quick to reassure her. “I’m just trying to find ways to speed up the process for you. I know how difficult she can be.”

Phoebe drank in her sister’s features for a second before slipping an arm around her waist. “I’ll tell you what. We’ll just pour this out into a container to cool and go crash in front of the TV for a while.”
“Can we watch the history channel?” Paige milked the moment for all it was worth.
“I was thinking more along the lines of Brad Pitt’s interview on Entertainment Tonight, but…” Phoebe shrugged.
“Brad Pitt? He’s so hot!”
“Somehow I knew you were gonna say that.”

Paige snagged the oven mitt next to the pot before Phoebe could reach for it. “You did all the work. The least I can do is pour this stuff out.” She gripped the side of the pan. “Can you find me something to put it in?”
Phoebe looked around, finally grabbing a milk glass off the counter. “Here you go.”

Paige frowned. “We can’t use that.”
“Why not?”
“It’s a glass.”
“Which means it’s supposed to hold liquid.”
“Yeah, but not a potion. Find me something else.”
Phoebe gestured around the kitchen. “Do you see anything else to use?”

Paige surveyed the mess they had made. “Fine. I guess we can get rid of the evidence before Piper gets home.”
“Sure we can. Now hurry up and pour already. We’re gonna miss Brad.”

The tip of Paige’s tongue stuck out as she managed not to spill a drop.

“You’re a pro.” Phoebe grabbed her hand as she put the pot down. “Now let’s go.”
Paige stayed where she was. “Shouldn’t we put it somewhere else?”
Phoebe frowned. “What?”

“It looks a lot like water.” Paige turned the glass as if to emphasis her point. “Shouldn’t we put it where no one can get to it or mark it or something?”
“What for? We’re the only ones home.”
“Yeah, but…”
“Oh come on!”

Phoebe gripped her hand, leaving Paige no alternative but to give the potion one last look before being drug from the room.

Phoebe barely had Paige out of the room when Piper pulled up into the drive. She cut the engine and sat where she was for a moment, leaning her head against the steering wheel. It had been one of those days every business owner dreads. First one of her bartender’s quit without any notice, then the liquor distributor delivered twenty kegs that were supposed to be going to a fraternity party and to top it all off her ledgers were a mess again.

When she first started the club she was fanatic about making sure the books were perfect. After all, her sisters took out a second mortgage on their house to support her dream. But being a Charmed One meant you didn’t have much time for mundane things like accounting so as long as business was good and her drawer was close at the end of the night she didn’t worry about checking the figures every day. Adding Paige to the mix meant she hadn’t gone over the books in way too long. Somehow getting to know her new sister seemed more important than how much she spent on beer at the club. Now she had a mountain of receipts to go through and a sizeable discrepancy in the club’s checking account to find.

Such was life when you tried to be a normal woman and a witch at the same time.

She sighed as she opened her door, grabbed the work she had brought home with her and started for the house. Prue’s car wasn’t out front, which meant she must have had to stay overnight for her latest photo shoot. And Leo hadn’t shown up at the club, which meant he was still off with the charge who called him earlier in the day. That left Phoebe and Paige to hold down the fort. And as much as she loved her sisters, the two of them had a bad habit of finding some sort of mischief to get into. The last thing she needed was another mess to clean up.

Piper headed for the back door, hoping no one was in the kitchen. Maybe she could leave her stuff on the table, sneak through the dining room and upstairs to enjoy a little alone time in the tub before anyone realized she was home. Then she could brew a pot of strong coffee and get back to business.

She fumbled for her keys as she reached the door, dropping them before she could fit the seemingly tiny piece of metal into the lock. Resisting the urge to curse as she watched them bounce off the walk and into the flower bed was next to impossible.

Damn the key chain Phoebe gave her anyway. It was something she literally cooked up in the kitchen while experimenting one night. Whatever combination of ingredients she used melded into a plastic ball that bounced four times as high as the ones kids could get out of a bubble gum machine. Which meant it was more than powerful enough to carry her keys away when she dropped them. Who knew where they might have landed in the fresh mulch Paige had put around the flowers she planted the week before.

The outside light wasn’t on so she was forced to shift everything she was carrying into one hand and grope blindly with the other to try and find her keys. What she managed to do was reach too far and throw herself off balance. She squealed as she tried to grab the door handle to keep herself from falling over. Unfortunately the door was unlocked, so the knob turned, throwing her into the house. Her momentum knocked everything out of her hands, sending her oh so carefully arranged receipts every which way on the floor.

“Great.” She spoke through clinched teeth as she pushed the door shut, forgetting all about her keys. “That’s just perfect!”

She scooped them up and shoved them back in the folder they had been in, determined not to look at them again until she unwound a little. Adding a bottle of wine to her soak in the tub was sounding better and better as she stepped around the corner into the kitchen.

“What the…” She stopped in her tracks when she saw what looked like every bottle and potion ingredient they kept spread across every square inch of counter space. “Oh, don’t worry about cleaning up.” She grumbled as she walked to the table to slam her things down. “Good old reliable Piper will take care of it when she gets back from slaving away at the club.”

She took in the mess around her. “Well think again sisters of mine. This time I’m not being the responsible one.” She automatically started corking bottle, closing pouches and wiping excess ingredients off the counter as she ranted. “Just because the kitchen is my domain doesn’t mean I should be the only one to clean it. There are four of us in this house now. Seems to me someone else should be able to pitch in every now and then. I mean, what were they doing out here anyway?”

She picked up the glass next to the stove, dumping its contents before putting it the already full sink. “Let Prue walk in here and see this, that’s all I have to say.” She took another glass out of the cabinet and filled it with water from the tap. “Then we would see who leaves crap laying around.”

“Hey Piper.” Paige smiled as she came back in the room. “I thought I heard someone out here.”
“Very astute.” Piper toasted her before taking a long drink.
“Sorry about the mess. Phoebe and I were practicing my potion making and decided to take a little Brad Pitt break before…” Her voice trailed off when she noticed the glass was gone. “Did you…” Her eyes bugged out when she saw Piper taking another drink. “Oh my God! Stop!!”

Piper frowned at her as she rushed across the room. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”
“What’s wrong with me?” Paige tried to take the glass from her. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing that I’m aware of.” Piper kept her grip on the glass. “Cut it out. I’m thirsty!”
“Well you shouldn’t be!” Paige finally managed to knock the glass out of her hand, making both of them jump when it shattered on the floor.

Phoebe chose that moment to come in. “What’s going on out here?”
“Ask her.” Piper glared at Paige.

“She…” Paige swallowed hard. “She drank it, Phoebe.”
“Drank what?”
“It!”
Phoebe looked confused. “Who drank what?”
“Piper.” Paige pointed at their sister. “She drank the…”
“Holy shit!” Phoebe’s eyes were big as saucers as she interrupted her. “What are we going to do?!”
“I don’t know!!”

Piper gave both of them a look. “Have you two been drinking?”

“You shouldn’t be talking.” Paige put a finger over Piper’s lips. “Should she be talking?”
“How am I supposed to know?!” Phoebe ran her hand through her hair.
“Maybe we should lay her down.”
“No! That could make it spread quicker!”

Piper frowned again. “Make what spread quicker?”
“Nothing.” Phoebe patted Piper’s arm. “There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
“If I have something that’s going to spread I think I might want to be worried.”
“Phoebe’s right.” Paige spoke up again. “There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?” Piper quirked an eyebrow.

“We’re wasting time here people!” Phoebe gestured impatiently with her hands.
“The book!” Paige shifted her attention to her youngest sister. “There has to be some kind of antidote in the book.”

“Antidote?” Piper looked back and forth between them. “Antidote for what?”

“We’re going to have to keep her calm.” Paige looked to Phoebe for confirmation. “Getting all excited isn’t going to help anyone.”
Phoebe nodded. “You’re right.”

“Why don’t you two stop beating around the bush and tell me what I’m not supposed to be getting excited about already?”
Phoebe bit her lip. “You drank our potion.”
“What?!” Piper looked at her like she was crazy.
“Phoebe has been giving me witch lessons on the sly and thought tonight would be the perfect time to try a potion.” Paige rattled out an answer. “How were we supposed to know you would come home before we had a chance to get rid of it?”

“I didn’t…” Piper choked on her own words.

“Oh my God!” Paige was practically hyperventilating. “It’s working already!”
“Calm down.” Piper spoke as she coughed.
“Calm down she says.” Paige’s tone was incredulous. “Like watching one of my sister’s die is no big deal.”
“I’m not…”

“She’s right, Paige.” Phoebe wasn’t fairing much better. “We’re not going to do ourselves any good by freaking out.”
“I’m not freaking out!” Paige snapped at her. “We have to fix this!”
“I’m well aware of that, but what do you want me to do?”
“Nothing. I’ll take care of it myself!”

Paige closed her eyes. “Keep this witch in her place.”
Phoebe frowned. “What are you doing?”
“Frozen now through time and space.”
“Paige?” Piper tried too as she finally stopped coughing.
“Until an antidote we find.”
“This really isn’t…”
Paige cut Phoebe off. “All her senses I now bind.”

At first nothing happened. Then the bottles on the counter started to rattle just before the back door flew open and a wild wind tore through the kitchen. Phoebe didn’t even have a chance to raise her hand to shield her eyes before the tempest left as quickly as it had come.

“Are you all right, Pi….?”

Phoebe’s words stuck in her throat when she caught a glance of her sister. Piper was standing just as she had been before the wind, her mouth open as if she were about to say something. But she couldn’t. She was stiff as a board.

Phoebe turned on Paige. “What have you done?!”

“Don’t give me that look, Phoebe.” Paige pointed at her sister. “Something had to be done, so I took things into my own hands.”
“I can see that!” Phoebe rapped her hand on Piper’s still arm, sickened by the dull sound it made.
Paige frowned. “Well I didn’t see you doing anything.”
“I didn’t have a chance!”

Paige paced away from her sisters. “OK, so maybe coming up with a spell like that wasn’t such a bright idea.”
“Ya think?”
“But we had to do something.” Paige shot her a look. “The potion was having an effect on her. What did you want me to do, stand here and watch her get worse?”
“No. But you could have at least consulted me first. We have no idea what effect this spell will have on her. I mean, what if she never unfreezes?”
“She will.”
“You’re sure of that?”
“No, but….”
“Then you get to explain to Prue how our sister became a mannequin.”

“Hey! You’re the one who wanted to make the stupid potion in the first place! I was perfectly happy to sit around and vegetate tonight but no… You just had to show me how easy it was to whip up a vanquishing potion.”
“Well you have to learn sometime.”
“I understand that, but you picked out which one we were going to make. Couldn’t you have chosen one that wasn’t so deadly?”
“Hello?! Vanquishing potions are called vanquishing potions for a reason! They vanquish demons!”
“Yeah, well this one just might vanquish our sister!”
“How was I supposed to know she would come home and suck it down?!”
“She wouldn’t have had a chance to if you had put it somewhere else like I asked you to!”

Paige’s words hung between them like a nasty black cloud.

“You’re right.” Phoebe’s voice was little more than a whisper. “This is all my fault.”
“Phoebe…”
“If I had only listened to you none of this would have happened.” She chuckled halfheartedly. “And I was just belittling Prue for not listing to Piper about the hydranaught.”
“I think…”

Phoebe easily avoided Paige’s hand as she reached for her. “You stay with Piper, I’ll go check the Book of Shadows for an antidote.”

Paige watched her leave the room before turning back to Piper. “Well that went well, didn’t it?”


“Damn it!” Phoebe slammed the book closed. “What’s the use in having this stupid thing if it’s not going to help?!”

She left the question hang unanswered as she flopped down on one of the old couches cluttering the attic. She had been at it for over an hour now, searching every page in the book for something to help Piper and coming up empty handed.

Tears filled her eyes as she leaned forward, propping her elbows on her knees so her hands could cradle her head. When was she going to learn to be more responsible? Sure her intentions had been good. All she wanted to do was help Paige become a better witch. Being the older sister of the Charmed Ones meant she was in constant danger. Knowing she had a firm grasp on their heritage and how she could use it to protect herself seemed like the best way to stop worrying about her so much. But now she had put them all in danger by hurting Piper.

Just thinking her sister’s name added tears to the ones already spilling down her cheeks. What would she do if she lost her? Piper was her rock. The one she always knew she could turn to for unconditional love and support no matter what. How was she supposed to go on if something happened to her?

“Phoebe?”

She looked up when she heard her name, quickly trying to dry her tears when she saw Paige standing in the attic doorway.

“Just thought I would come up and see how you were doing?”
“How does it look like I’m doing?” She realized how harsh she sounded. “I’m sorry. I’m just a little frustrated.”
“Didn’t find anything, huh?”
“That’s the understatement of the century.”
“Do you want me to try?”
“It won’t do any good. I tried looking under everything I could think of that had anything to do with potions. I even looked up the individual ingredients we used.”
“And?”
“And there were instructions on how to use them and what to do if you misuse them, but not what to do if you add them all together and someone drinks them.”

Paige’s heart broke when she heard more tears in her sister’s voice. “Everything is going to be all right, Phoebe.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You didn’t kill Piper.”
“Neither did you.”
“Not yet anyway.”

Paige put her arm around her. “I’m sorry I yelled at you before.”
Phoebe sighed. “If anyone should be apologizing, it’s me.”
“It takes two people to argue.”
“But we wouldn’t have had anything to argue over if I had just listened to you about putting the potion in a regular glass. Or if I had put it up like you suggested. Or if I had never come up with the idea of making a potion in the first place.”
“Beating yourself up isn’t going to help.”
“I know, but I can’t help myself.”

Phoebe pulled away from her and stood, walking back to the podium holding the Book of Shadows. “I was showing off tonight.”
Paige frowned. “What?”
“Trying to impress you by making some complicated potion.” Phoebe traced the outline of the triquetra with her finger. “I keep telling myself it was so you could protect yourself better but that’s not it. Truth be told, I’ve been jealous of how much Prue and Piper have taught you already.”

“You’ve taught me things too, Phoebe.”
“Yeah, but not like they can. Having an active power means you can connect with them on a level we’ll never have.”
“You have a power too.”
“Not one I can show you. Spell writing and a working knowledge of the Book of Shadows have always been one of my major contributions when it comes to demon fighting. So when I came across a vanquishing potion Piper didn’t already have stock piled I thought it was my chance to finally show you I know what I’m doing.”

“Phoebe.” Paige went to her sister. “You and Prue and Piper are equal partners in the whole being a Charmed One thing. Separately you’re just three more witches. Together you’re the most powerful force for good the world has to offer.”
Phoebe looked at her. “I never really thought of it that way.”
“Then you’re lucky I’m here to point it out.”
“Yeah, especially now that I’ve poisoned Piper.”
“You didn’t poison Piper.” Paige tucked a lock of hair behind Phoebe’s ear. “It was an accident. One that we’ll work through together.”
“What if Prue comes home before we find a way to help Piper?”
“Then we’ll work through that too.”

Phoebe grinned. “You’re getting pretty good at this big sister thing.”
“That’s because I have such great little sisters showing me the ropes.” Paige hugged her. “Now what do you say we take the Book of Shadows downstairs and look through it together?”
“Sounds like a plan to me.”

Phoebe picked up their family tome, linking arms with her sister as they left the attic. “Do you realize we had our first official fight tonight?”
“We did?”
“Yep.”
“How did I do?”
“You held your own.” Phoebe squeezed her arm. “And you’re pretty good at the making up stuff too.”
Paige smiled. “Keep that in mind the next time we get in a screaming match.”


The sound of the grandfather clock striking the hour had Phoebe sleepily opening her eyes. She groaned as she stretched, wondering what she was doing in the living room instead of upstairs in her bed. The last thing she remembered was flipping through the Book of Shadows with Paige and….

Her heart started hammering in her chest. Piper! She jumped up, knocking a still sleeping Paige off her shoulder as she went.

“What?” Paige looked up at her through blurry eyes. “What’s going on?”
“We fell asleep Paige!” Phoebe gestured toward the clock. “It’s seven in the morning!”
“Seven?” Paige yawned. “I haven’t been up this early in a long time. Wake me back up at nine.”
Phoebe grabbed her by the shoulder. “Get up!”
“I’m not ready to.”
“But what about Piper?!”
“Piper.” Saying her sister’s name brushed away the remaining dregs of sleep from Paige’s mind. “How could we have fallen asleep?”

“That’s what I’d like to know.”

They both jumped when they heard the voice behind them.

“God, Piper.” Phoebe put her hand on her chest. “Give me a heart attack why don’t….” She turned to look at her sister. “Piper!”
“Piper?” Paige turned too. “But how….”
“I came to or whatever you want to call it about four o’clock.”

Phoebe went to her. “Are you all right?”
Paige joined her, putting her hand on her sister’s forehead. “How do you feel?”
“I’m fine.” Piper knocked her hand away.
“But you drank the…”

“No I didn’t.” Piper stopped Phoebe before she could finish. “I dumped whatever it was you two made down the drain while I was griping about coming home to such a mess.”
“Then you didn’t….”
“No.” Piper turned her attention to Paige. “I didn’t.”

“Thank God!” Phoebe threw her arm around her sister. “I thought we were going to lose you.”
“Me too.” Paige joined in the hug.

Piper let them hold on a minute, enjoying the love she felt radiating from them both before pulling out of the embrace.

“So what, exactly, were two doing last night anyway?”
Phoebe looked at her shoes. “I thought it would be cool to show Paige how to make a vanquishing potion.”
“And?”
“And we got through just in time to watch Brad Pitt’s interview on TV so we left it to cool in the kitchen.”
Paige nodded. “And then you came home and I thought you drank it so we both freaked out and I cast a spell to freeze you until we could find a way to reverse the effects of the potion.”

“So that’s what that was.” Piper eyed them both. “What’s rule number one when you’re making a potion, Phoebe?”
Phoebe couldn’t meet her gaze. “Make sure everyone knows you’re making one.”
“And then?”
“And then you put it away so something like what happened last night doesn’t happen again.”

“Very good.” Piper turned her attention to Paige. “And you, little missy. Congratulations on coming up with a spell so fast all on your own, but it’s a major no-no to cast them on each other.”
“I know. But I thought I was doing it to save your life.”
“And what if I had stayed frozen forever?”
Paige hung her head. “I didn’t think about that.”
“I’m glad you’re so interested in learning the craft, Paige. And I’m even more glad you’re trying to help her, Phoebe. But you’re both going to have to be a little more careful in the future. Could you imagine if Prue had come home to something like that?”

“I did.”

They all three jumped when they heard Prue’s voice.

“Imagine my surprise when I finally drag myself in at three o’clock in the morning to find one of my sisters stiff as a board in the kitchen and the other two asleep sawing logs on the couch.” She came the rest of the way down the stairs. “At least now I know what was going on.”

“Wait a minute.” Piper gave her a look. “You saw me frozen in the kitchen and didn’t bother to wake these two up to find out what was going on?”
“Nope.”
Paige’s mouth fell open. “I can’t believe it.”
Phoebe had a similar reaction. “Me either.”
“What’s wrong with you?” Piper slapped her on the arm.
“I was dead on my feet by the time I got here.” Prue rubbed her stinging arm. “If I had thought it was anything serious I would have woken Phoebe and Paige.”

“Serious?” Piper looked at her like she had sprouted a second head. “I was frozen, Prue. Didn’t that seem a little out of the ordinary to you?”
“Yes.”
“And we had the Book of Shadows open to the vanquishing potion for a demon we’ve never faced.” Phoebe joined in.
“I know.”
Paige shook her head. “Then how could you have just gone to bed?”

“First of all, the demon you were making the vanquishing potion for is one Grams took out before I was born so I knew he couldn’t have attacked. And Phoebe mentioned something the other day about helping Paige make a potion so I figured that’s how the mess was made in the kitchen.”

“That doesn’t explain why you left me frozen and went to bed.” Piper frowned.

“For your information, I was still up when you unfroze and went upstairs. I was sitting right there,” Prue pointed at the chair next to the couch, “reading up on Pherris, the demon the potion was meant for, when you went by, grumbling about why Paige and Phoebe would have freaked out over you wanting a drink of water. I didn’t see any sense in waking them, so I went upstairs behind you to ask what was going on but you were already in the bathroom and I fell asleep waiting for you to come out again.”

It was Paige’s turn to frown. “Then how did you know she didn’t drink it?”

“That’s simple.” Prue smiled. “There was an awful smell coming from the sink and something had eaten through the strainer.”
Phoebe rolled her eyes. “The same thing that happened the last time we dumped a potion down the drain.”
“Exactly.” Prue nodded. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need a cup of coffee.”

“Wait up.” Piper hurried after her. “I still can’t believe you weren’t more concerned over finding me that way!”

Phoebe and Paige shared a look before linking arms and following them.

It was the beginning of what was bound to be yet another interesting day in the lives of the Charmed Ones and their sister.