Disclaimer : My name’s not Aaron Spelling, so I don’t own them. But I really, really, really like to write about them.

R & R
by Freaky Fan

Part 1

Phoebe leaned back on her elbows, the coolness of the grass against her arms a nice contrast to the warmth of the sun as it caressed her face. She loved days like this. Bright sunlight. A flawless blue sky. Birds singing their hearts out to anyone who would listen. Perfect weather for a getaway to the park. A lot of others thought the same thing. Some were walking their dogs. Some were playing with their kids. Some, like her, were having a picnic with their family.

It was hard to believe it had been raining cats and dogs for nearly a week. So much so that just the day before she and her sisters were about to scrap their plans and settle for a nice, old fashioned family dinner at home. But just as Piper was packing up the picnic basket, the skies cleared and the sun came out just in time to dry up the majority of what the rain left behind. Almost as if Mother Nature knew what day it was and decided to smile on them.

“I think we should ask your Aunt Phoebe. What do you think?”

She squinted one eye open when she heard her sister’s voice. Rion was only a few feet away, sitting on the edge of the sandbox as Tricia played in the slightly damp sand. Melinda was tucked safely in Rion’s arms, smiling at her aunt as she talked to her.

“Are you spoiling my kid again?” Phoebe grinned as she got up and started over to join them.
“No.” Rion made a face at Melinda.
“Good, because you’ve already got Tricia spoiled. Melinda is supposed to be mine.”
“Then here you go, Auntie Phoebe.” Rion handed her niece over. “She needs changed anyway.”
Phoebe elbowed her sister as she took the baby. “Jerk.”

An easy silence fell between them as Phoebe got Melinda settled in her lap. “So, sweetie. What were you and Aunt Rion talking about?”
“Tell her it’s about time you got a nickname.”
Phoebe furrowed her brow. “What?”
“A nickname. The poor thing needs something to go by besides Melinda. I mean, Little P had hers from the get go. But we’ve been so wrapped up in other things that we’ve neglected one of our most important duties as her aunts.”
“You…” Phoebe started to remind her Melinda had already been dubbed Indy but remembered there were still some blank spots for her sister. Spots they had learned to work around rather than upset her. “You are SO right. But shouldn’t Piper be here?”
Rion glanced at their big sister. “Nah. Prue didn’t have a say in Tricia’s. We should be equal opportunity nickname givers.”
“True.”

Phoebe held Melinda at arm’s length, giving her a once over. “How about Melly?”
“Uh, no.” Rion shook her head. “Makes me wanna call her Jelly Belly. And I think we both remember where that came from.”
“How could I forget?” Phoebe growled. “I HATED that name. Damn creepy grandpa number three anyway. I was so happy when Grams dumped him!”
Rion laughed, which made Tricia laugh too. “Hey.” She picked up a handful of sand and tossed it in her niece’s direction. “No comments from the peanut gallery!”
Tricia frowned. “I no nut gal!”

That made both Rion and Phoebe laugh. Tricia eyed them uncertainly for a moment before smiling and tottering over to them. Her fascination with their merriment only lasted a moment before she switched her attention to her cousin.

“Hi Indy.” Tricia’s smile grew when Melinda grinned at her. “Wanna pay?”

“Hey.” Rion wiped at the tears on her cheeks, laughter still bubbling up from her chest. “I like that?”
“Like what?” Phoebe laughed her response.
“Indy.” Rion nodded. “Give it a try. Rolls right off your tongue.”
“Indy.” Phoebe paused for a second. “Indy.” She looked at her niece again. “I like it, kiddo. What do you think?” She raised her eyebrows as Melinda smiled at her. “Well I guess that settles that. Indy it is.”
“Way to go Little P!”

Tricia squealed as her aunt scooped her up, blowing zerberts on both her cheeks. Phoebe watched them, a wistful smile spreading across her face. This is what life was all about. Time well spent with the people you love.

*************


Piper looked up from unpacking the picnic basket when she felt someone staring at her. Her eyes barely met Rion’s before her sister went back to talking to Phoebe. It was good to see them spending time together. Reestablishing their bond as sisters. They had had her worried for a while there. Being at each other’s throats one second, not speaking to each other the next. Their relationship had spiraled out of control and they almost lost the chance to set it straight again.

“Those two are up to no good.” Prue commented as she put down a sack and started unpacking paper plates and plastic ware. “I can smell it.”
Piper grinned. “They’re just watching the girls.”
“Yeah, riiiight.” Prue rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to hear any complaints when they have our daughters in their strollers, drag racing around the park.”

“Did I hear something about drag racing strollers?” Victor chuckled as came up behind them. “I wouldn’t give those two any ideas.”

“Dad!” Prue threw her arms around her father. “I didn’t think you were going to make it.”
“To be honest with you, neither did I.” Victor smiled. “But my plane landed an hour ago and I thought, to hell with going back to the apartment. I want to spend some time with my girls.” He gestured toward the well tailored suit he wore. “So here I am.”
“Well I’m glad you’re here.” Prue gave him a kiss on the cheek before going back to what she was doing.

“Hello Piper.”
“Hi Dad.” Piper gave him a quick hug. “Rion will be glad to see you.”

Victor shared a look with Prue. Of all his daughters, Piper was the one who still harbored the most resentment toward him for not telling them Rion was their sister sooner. Sometimes she was cordial to him and sometimes she was downright frosty. Today was one of those days when he would need a parka.

“Prue, honey. Why don’t you go help the guys?” His tone was light but his eyes begged her for some time alone with Piper. “You know how bad we guys tend to screw up punch.”
“Yeah.” Prue nodded. “I’ll go see if I can salvage it.”

Piper watched her big sister walk away. “You didn’t have to make up some lame excuse to talk to me, you know. If you want to talk, talk.”
Victor nodded. “I wish you would take your own advice.”
Piper frowned. “What?”
“About talking. I wish you would stop the whole being mad at me routine and just say what’s on your mind.”
“You don’t want to know what’s on my mind.”
“Yes I do, or I wouldn’t be asking you to tell me.”

“Fine.” Piper threw down the spoon she had been using to mix the chip dip. “I still resent the fact that you kept Rion’s true connection to us from us for so long. I resent that I used to lay in bed at night, thinking you were this wonderfully misunderstood man when in reality you were just another deadbeat dad who walked away from not one, but two families. I resent that Rion, who should be the maddest at you, is the one who seems to have forgiven you the easiest.” She sighed as she looked at her shoes. “And right now I’m kicking myself because I can’t help but think of how wonderful you’ve been to her lately.”

Victor clinched his jaw. “You mean by actually sticking around?”
Piper nodded. “I thought you would run again. You know, when the going gets tough and all that crap. But you didn’t. You stuck it out. Not that you’re going to be getting any father of the year awards or anything.”
“I don’t expect any.” Victor used his hand to lift her chin. “All I’m asking for is a chance, Piper. I know I’ve had my second and third and probably my fourth already, but I’m asking for another. Do you think I can have that?”
“Yeah.” Piper slipped her arms around him. “I think we can manage that.”

“Hey Dad.” Rion smiled as she and Phoebe walked over to them. “Oh, Piper. I think you’ve outdone yourself.” Her blue eyes shone as she took in the spread her sister had laid out.

“Yeah, well it’s a special day.” Piper wiped at the tears that had formed in her eyes. “Can’t have the same old same old, now can we?”

Rion frowned. “It’s a special day?”
“Knock if off.” Phoebe elbowed her again. But then she saw the look on her sister’s face. “You seriously don’t remember what today is?”
“Sure I do.” Rion shrugged. “It’s Saturday.”

“It’s also been five years since you came back into our lives.” Prue spoke as she, Leo and Seth joined them, paper cups full of punch in their hands.

“Really?” Rion sounded shocked.
“Yes, really.” Prue made sure everyone had a cup before raising hers. “A toast. To Rion and the five years we’ve had together so far. They’ve had their ups. They’ve had their downs. But no matter what, they’ve always been filled with our own special kind of love.” She smiled at her little sister as she bumped her cup. “I love you Squirt.”

“Here, here.” Phoebe bumped her cup against Rion’s. “To the best crime fighting partner a girl could ask for.” She grinned mischievously. “Or is that crime causing partner?”

Everyone chuckled as Piper followed her sisters’ lead and hit her cup against Rion’s. “To the best damned protector a witch could ask for. But to an even better sister.”

Victor raised his cup high. “To five years.”

Rion smiled through tears of joy as she watched the most important people in her life raise their cups too, their voices blending on, “To five years!”
Prue held the door with her hip, barely noticing her sisters as they piled out of the Jeep. She was too busy looking at the sleeping bundle in her arms. People always commented on how much Tricia looked like her, but Melinda was the spitting image of Piper. Right down to the way her little brow creased when she slept.

“Whoa!” Piper somehow managed to keep a tenuous grip on Tricia as she shifted in her sleep, her blue eyes opening a fraction of an inch for barely half a second before she slammed her head back down on her aunt’s shoulder. “I have a question.”
Prue tore her eyes away from her niece. “What’s that?”
“How did I end up with the squirmer?”

“That would be because she wanted her Aunt Pooper.” Phoebe grinned as she came up behind Piper. “And we all know whatever Little P wants, Little P gets.”
Piper furrowed her brow. “Since when do you get to call her Little P?”
“It‘s not like it‘s an exclusive nickname.” Rion spoke as she finally joined them, picnic basket in hand. “Besides, we have an Indy now too.”
“Indy?” Prue raised one eyebrow.
“Yep.” Phoebe frowned when she saw the looks her big sisters were giving her. “What?” She shoved past Piper and went into the house. “Little P gave it to her!”

“No offense to Tricia, but Indy?” Piper followed her inside. “Makes me think of Harrison Ford in those movies.”
“Yeah, well those movies are awesome.” Phoebe put down the bags she was carrying. “And Harrison is a hottie.”

“He IS a hottie.” Rion waggled her eyebrows as she motioned for Prue to go before her. “That’s one old guy I wouldn’t mind knocking boots with.”
“Squirt!” Prue was shocked.
“Oh come on, Prue. Tell me you’ve never had a dream about him with that crooked grin and that beat up hat.”
Phoebe nodded. “And that whip.”
“Yeah.” Rion locked eyes with Phoebe as she shut the door. “The whip!”

“I think I can honestly say I just learned more about the two of you then I ever wanted to know.” Piper took on a mock look of disgust.

“Oh well.” Rion shrugged. “There goes the dominatrix outfit we were going to get her for Christmas, Pheebs.”
“Damn!” Phoebe snapped her fingers. “I guess it’s back to the drawing board.” She eyed their oldest sister. “Unless Prue….”

“