Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the characters seen in the television show CHARMED. They are the property of Spelling Television. I am simply using them for non-monetary entertainment purposes. Anything recognizable from the show is not owned by me.

WARNINGS: This story contains scenes of rape and violence, If this were the movies it would be deemed R-rated so please read at your own risk.

It was a Friday night. The wind swept the trees that loomed above Phoebe’s head. She knew a storm was brewing, she had seen it hours earlier, but she gave no thought to it. She knew it would be no light storm. It would be one filled with sharp winds and dangerous lightning. She also knew that she couldn’t go home yet, she couldn’t take refuge in the manor. The place that she knew was filled with so much love, and two people who would quickly see everything she was trying to hide. She knew that if she went home now her sisters would read the agony in her eyes, the pain and torment that in a few hours had become her soul.

Phoebe had left the house that evening in her usual optimistic spirits. She was giddy about
meeting her blind date. Piper had fixed her up with a friend of the bartender at P3. His name was Tom Kirkland. He had suggested that they go to an early dinner just to talk so that he could get her home before the storm. She thought he was so nice to think of her like that.

At least she had thought he was nice. Now she hid in a grove of trees in a park downtown where he took her, where he left her. Her dress ripped, her lip bleeding, her eye bruising, her arms, legs, chest and back scratched, her face stained with the tears that would show her sisters the truth of how her date really went. Phoebe was angry, so angry, yet she felt ashamed, and embarrassed like somehow it was her fault, it was her dress, it was her sexy voice. It was the way she looked at him over a glass of Chardonnay. She wanted to go home. She wanted her sisters to know. She needed to feel the safety of their arms and the comfort of their words. She needed Prue and Piper.

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

“Damn it Piper where is she? She’s the one who said that this storm was going to be a nightmare.”

Prue paced from the living room to the foyer. She was angry with Phoebe for not calling. It had been six hours since she’d left for her date with Tom. Tom had called three hours ago to tell Piper that Phoebe stood him up. Anger was the surface emotion for Prue, but deep in her heart she was worried, truly frighteningly worried.

“Listen Prue, we have to be calm. Maybe she went shopping or something.”

Piper paused staring at her older sister. She could see the panic in Prue’s face. Something Prue had never shown before. Prue was thinking the worst, and Piper was feeling the same way.

“Okay, should we go and look for her? Should we call the police”

“No Piper, she’ll come home soon. I just…I’m not mad okay, I’m scared. I just have this really horrible feeling. You know how some mothers know when their children are hurt. I feel her calling out for us. I feel her needing us. I have never felt anything like it before and it’s really scaring me.”

“Wow. Now you’re scaring me. You don’t think something happened to her on the way to meet Tom do you?”

“Yeah well, he isn’t exactly someone we know well is he Piper? What if he turned out to be a demon or worse?”

“What do you mean ‘worse’ Prue?”

“It’s nothing Piper. I’m probably overreacting. You know how much I hate storms. Just brings out the scary movie in me.”

Piper managed a weak smile, but in the pit of her stomach she felt it, a question that would soon be answered, ‘What kind of monster did I send my baby sister out with?’

The park was empty with the exception of the heartbroken Phoebe. Phoebe slowly crawled her way out of the grove of trees. She wasn’t quite sure of the steadiness of her legs. She held the trunk of a tree as she managed to stand. The pain shot through her like a six-gun. She sobbed heavily with each step not too sure of the damage that had been done. The only thing she was sure of was that at that moment with the thunder booming around her, she had never felt more alone, or more scared.

Phoebe made her way through the park. Shaking and clutching her coat to her chest, she half stumbled half crawled to a payphone. The rain had started to pour and she was drenched. The air had turned icy. Phoebe noticed that her bracelet was missing. Prue had given it to her for her birthday. It was a beautiful silver bracelet engraved with the triquetra. She had to call them.

She could find no money in her coat and her purse was still in Piper’s car at the restaurant so she dialed the operator for a collect call to the manor. She knew they had to be worried.

She heard the ringing. Once, they were probably in the living room watching some old movie. Twice, or upstairs in the attic thumbing through the book of shadows. Three times, maybe they went to the store. Four times, oh god where were they?

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

Prue guided the SUV toward the restaurant where Phoebe was going to meet Tom. As she drove, her mind was in complete disarray at the thought of the things that could have happened to Phoebe. She thought about the weather. She worried that Phoebe could have been in a wreck, her body lying in a ditch somewhere. She was half relieved, half in anguish when they pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and saw Piper’s Jeep. Phoebe had borrowed it for the evening. Piper had taken the weekend off from the club letting her new management team have a trial run at it alone, so she hadn’t needed her car.

“Prue…there’s my car. She did make it to the restaurant. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Yeah, this Tom guy is a lying bastard.”

Prue parked the BMW SUV and stepped out into the rain. Piper followed.

“Prue, what are you doing? It’s pouring out here.”

“I don’t know, I’m hoping maybe she left behind some clue.”

Prue had to yell above the roar of rain and thunder. The storm had increased tenfold in the last hour. Prue stepped to the Jeep. She wasn’t sure what she would find. That’s when she saw it. It gleamed under the streetlights. It was Phoebe’s silver bracelet she had given her for her birthday.
“Prue, what did you find?”

Piper walked to Prue’s side and looked at the bracelet. Tears were hard to hold back for the middle sister especially when she looked to Prue and saw that she too, the strongest of the three, was crying.

“Okay, Prue, why are we assuming the worst here? Why the worst?”

“Because you feel it as much as I do Piper, something really wrong happened to her.”

Prue was about to continue when the phone in her coat pocket began to ring. She jumped at the sound that was still loud despite the weather’s audible comments.

“It’s Phoebe, it has to be.”

“Well, answer the damn phone Prue.”

Prue flipped open the cell phone and spoke in a wavering voice, “Phoebe is that you?”

“This is the operator. Will you accept a collect call from a Phoebe Halliwell?”

“Collect? Yes of course.”

“Okay, I’ll connect you.”

A short pause while Prue held her breath and Piper grasped Prue’s coat sleeve.

“Prue. Please come get me.”

A thin voice, barely heard on the other end of the line sent a shock through Prue like lightening. She looked to the sky to make sure she hadn’t indeed been struck. But she knew that the childlike voice on the line was Phoebe.

“Oh thank God Phoebe sweetie where are you?”

“The park downtown, I think. Please hurry Prue, please.”

“Stay put Phoebe we’ll be right there.”

With that she and Piper were on the road again.

“Prue, what did she say?”

“Piper, she didn’t sound like herself, she sounded so…I don’t know, just bad, really bad.”

“Where is she?”

“The park, downtown.”

“Do you think this has anything to do with Tom?”

“I know it does. I feel it in my soul.”

Prue made the turn into the park entrance. The rain had not let up and the storm still raged.

“How are we supposed to find her Prue? There’s so little visibility.”

“Just look for a payphone.”

Prue spotted a payphone and that’s when she noticed the form that appeared in front of the car. She hit the brakes with so much force she skid sideways just missing the form in the road. She and Piper jumped from the vehicle simultaneously and ran to the figure. What they saw they knew would remain in their nightmares forever.

Phoebe lay huddled in the street. The rain puddled around her. She heard the car skid and the doors opening and closing. She felt so far away, in another place, another time. She heard them running. She saw Prue’s black Adidas with the bright white soles. She knew she was safe, but she was still afraid to look up. She was afraid to reach out. She managed to lift her head and her eyes met those tear soaked eyes of her sisters.

Piper was the first to reach out to Phoebe. She was afraid to touch her because she didn’t know what was hurting or what wrong movement would cause Phoebe more pain. She ignored her fears and sank to her knees gathering her sister in her arms.

“Phoebe, sweetie, talk to us baby.”

Phoebe continued to stare up, looking at Prue and sobbing uncontrollably. Prue stared back, her eyes filled with the horror. The awful image of her sister’s torn dress, bruised eye, the scratches, the bleeding lip. She stared and she knew. She stares and she swore to herself that whoever did this would regret ever laying a hand on a Halliwell sister.

Phoebe felt Piper’s arms around her as she helped her stand. She hadn’t taken her eyes from Prue. She felt like screaming. She so wanted Prue to reach out for her, but she didn’t. And Phoebe couldn’t really say much of anything, although she did manage to utter a few whispered words.

“Prue, I’m sorry.”

With that Phoebe saw Prue’s heart break. It had not been her intention. She had only wanted to apologize for making her sisters worry. She didn’t want to hurt them. But she could tell by their faces that seeing her like she was, was the most painful thing in the world for them.

Prue’s heart did break when she heard Phoebe speak to her. She knew she had to get over herself and reach out to her sister. Phoebe needed her support and her love now more than ever. Prue wished she could be as strong and helpful as Piper.

“Phoebe, what happened, who did this to you?”

Prue waited for an answer but only saw Phoebe sink further into herself. She took Phoebe from Piper’s arms and embraced her, held her tightly for comfort and support. She could feel Phoebe sink into her. She knew her little sister was weak and she needed to be strong for her, for all of them.

“Phoebe we need to get you to a doctor. They need to collect evidence and the police need to hear your story. Piper and I will be there the entire time. We won’t leave your side.”

Prue felt Phoebe tense in her arms. She gently held her at arms’ length to see her face. Phoebe was shaking her head no, looking at the ground.

“Please Prue I can’t. I’ll do anything but that. I can’t talk about it. I can’t repeat what happened, let alone let some stranger touch me. Please don’t make me Prue, Piper please.”

“Phoebe, Prue’s right. We have to go now. You have to. We won’t leave you alone. We promise.”

Piper guided Phoebe to the SUV and sat in the backseat with her. She stroked Phoebe’s hair as Phoebe laid her head in Piper’s lap. Prue drove quickly but safely to the hospital, the entire time holding Phoebe hand with hers behind the seat.

Phoebe’s stomach churned as she peeled what was left of her dress off of her battered body. She was glad only her sisters stood in the room with her. As she undressed her hand touched a cut on her shoulder. Phoebe winced with pain and then fell to the ground as she remembered how it had gotten there.
Prue saw Phoebe’s face turn twenty shades of white before she fell to her knees on the floor. Her baby sister was half-naked, shivering on her knees on the hospital floor. She could hear Piper’s heart breaking with hers as they saw the damage that had been done. On Phoebe’s left shoulder was the word ‘MINE’ carved into her flesh.

Phoebe heard them gasp. She knew they saw it. He had told her what he was doing. He had tortured her for an hour before shattering her soul into a million shards of fragile glass. She cried as Piper and Prue helped her into her hospital gown and then sat on both sides of her on the examining table. Phoebe had clamed slightly and stopped crying by the time the doctor and nurses entered the room. Phoebe was relieved when she saw that the doctor was a woman. Then the exam began.

Prue kept her eyes locked with Phoebe’s as the trauma team did their job of collecting evidence. Piper held Phoebe’s hands. When Phoebe winced with pain during the exam it took all the willpower Prue had not to fling the team across the room using her power. Prue thought about their powers. Why couldn’t Phoebe have an active power like ours? Maybe then she could have protected herself better.

Piper watched Prue and Phoebe stare at each other. Why hadn’t Phoebe said the word yet? She hadn’t admitted what had happened to her although they knew. It was so obvious. Piper could read it in Phoebe’s face, her eyes.

Phoebe was glad when the nurses and the doctor were through. Fear and apprehension returned when the doctor announced that the police would join them in a minute to take her statement. Then Phoebe was curious when the doctor asked if either Prue or Piper could speak with her in the hall.
Piper stayed with Phoebe and helped her get dressed in the sweats and socks the hospital furnished. Piper knew that she had to get Phoebe talking before the police arrived. She knew if Phoebe talked now, she would be more open when the police got there. And Phoebe needed to give the police every detail she could to catch the bastard who did this to her little sister. Her eternally, optimistic, happy, outgoing baby sister. Piper knew it would be a long time before Phoebe was all of that again.

“Phoebe. Do you want to tell me what happened before the police get here?”

“It was so awful Piper. I can’t even say it.”

Piper hated to push Phoebe, but she knew she had to.


“Phoebe, honey, who was it?”

“Tom Kirkland.”

“What did he do?”

“I can’t Piper, please.”

“You’ll have to say it sooner or later Phoebe. You’ll have to tell the police.”

“I know Piper, but I can’t. It’s so sick and twisted. I don’t want you or Prue to think I’m a bad person.”

“Oh god baby, no, we aren’t going to think that…ever. No matter what happened, I know this was not your fault. Phoebe…was he a demon?”

“No, he was definitely human, but he is still evil.”

Piper pulled Phoebe close to her and held her while Phoebe closed her eyes wanting to lose herself in the safety of Piper’s arms.

Prue waited patiently for the doctor to begin.

“Miss Halliwell, your sister has, beyond a shadow of a doubt, been raped.”

Prue heard herself let out a gasp. She knew the doctor was going to say that but hearing it made it so awful and so final.

“What about her other injuries, on the outside?”

“Well, she has several cuts and abrasions, contusions and a few bruised ribs, but nothing that won't heal, with the exception of this sick bastard’s calling card. I suggest you get her help immediately for what she’s been through. There is no telling what has been done to her, physically and mentally. Rape is hard enough, you throw in torture, you’re dealing with a whole new ball game.”

“I understand.”

“No Miss Halliwell, I don’t think you do. I can feel you seething right now. Your anger is so heavy it could crush a building. Your sister does not need that now. She needs the police to handle the investigation. So do her a favor, no vigilante routines. I’ve seen it too many times. Just be her lifeline. Now, do you understand?”

“I do.”

“Good. Here come the police. Go in there and let her feel how much you love her. No anger okay.”

Prue opened the door for the police and followed them in sitting next to Phoebe on the table. She took Phoebe’s hand and held it tightly in hers. The police, two plainclothes officers, one male and one female, took seats in chairs next to the table.

“Phoebe, I’m Officer Webber, this is Officer Nichols. We want to take your statement. We know this isn’t easy but we need as many details of the story as possible. We want to make sure we nail this guy.”

Piper took note that the female officer was in charge. She was glad for everyone’s sake because she knew that there was no way Phoebe would open up to a man. She looked at Phoebe who looked at her and then glanced at Prue. She took a deep breath and exhaled before beginning.

“I was raped by Tom Kirkland.”

Consequences – Part 5

Phoebe tensed as she began her story. The first words sent her reeling into the past to four o’clock that afternoon, seven hours earlier.

“It started this afternoon. Piper had set me up with a friend of a friend. His name is Tom Kirkland. I was to meet him at Benny’s, that’s a restaurant downtown, at 4:30, so I left the house at four.”

Piper thought about the last few minutes before Phoebe left the house.

4PM:

“PIPER, PRUE…I’M LEAVING NOW!”

PIPER CAME OUT OF THE KITCHEN INTO THE FOYER WHERE PHOEBE STOOD. PRUE JOINED THEM FROM THE LIVING ROOM. SHE LOOKED AT HER YOUNGEST SISTER AND SHOOK HER HEAD SMILING.

“WOW, SIS. YOU SURE ARE OUT TO MAKE THE BEST FIRST IMPRESSION POSSIBLE, AREN’T YOU?”

“YES I AM, AND I DIDN’T EVEN HAVE TO GO IN YOUR CLOSET.”

“YEAH WELL, I DON’T THINK I LOOK THAT GOOD IN ANY OF MY CLOTHES ANYWAY.”

“YEAH PHOEBE, YOU REALLY LOOK PHENOMENAL. WHERE DID YOU GET THAT DRESS?”

“THERE WAS A SUPER SALE AT THE MALL THIS WEEK.”

PHOEBE TWIRLED SO HER SISTERS COULD SEE THE ENTIRE DRESS. THE BRIGHT RED COLOR COMPLEMENTED HER SKIN TO PERFECTION. THE DRESS FELL JUST ABOVE THE KNEES AND ACCENTUATED HER CURVES. THE SPAGHETTI STRAPS ATTEMPTING TO CREEP DOWN HER SHOULDER WHERE HER STRAIGHT BROWN-BLONDE HAIR FELL. HER MAKEUP WAS DONE PERFECTLY. SHE GAVE HER SISTERS A SMILE THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD LIGHT THE DARKEST DAY ON ANY WORLD. AND WITH THAT SHE TURNED, GRABBED HER COAT AND WALKED OUT THE DOOR.

“So, I arrived at the restaurant right on time…”

4:30PM:
PHOEBE PARKED PIPER’S JEEP INTO A SPACE NEXT TO A BLACK CHEVY TAHOE. SHE THOUGHT SHE REMEMBERED PIPER TELLING HER THAT TOM DROVE THAT KIND OF CAR. SHE STEPPED OUT OF THE JEEP AND WALKED TOWARD THE CAR. SHE HAD HER COAT WITH HER BECAUSE SHE KNEW IT WOULD RAIN THAT AFTERNOON.

THE DOOR OF THE TAHOE SWUNG OPEN AND A MAN STEPPED OUT. PHOEBE LOOKED AT THE MAN HEADING TOWARD HER. SHE HAD NEVER SEEN SOMEONE SO HANDSOME BEFORE. WHY ON EARTH WOULD HE HAVE TROUBLE GETTING A DATE? HE WAS DRESSED DOWN AND PHOEBE WASN’T SURE WHAT TO THINK ABOUT IT. SURELY HE KNEW BENNY’S WAS A CLASSY ESTABLISHMENT, COAT AND TIE SORT OF THING. BUT THERE HE STOOD IN JEANS AND WHITE T-SHIRT. HIS COWBOY BOOTS LOOKED SCUFFED AND WORN. BUT DAMN HE IS HANDSOME PHOEBE THOUGHT AS SHE SMILED AND WAVED. HE WALKED TOWARD HER.

“I CERTAINLY HOPE YOU’RE PHOEBE HALLIWELL.”

“THAT’S ME. PIPER DIDN’T SAY YOU WERE SO ATTRACTIVE.”

“PIPER DOESN’T REALLY KNOW ME THAT WELL. BOY YOU ARE FINE. I AM GOING TO HAVE SO MUCH FUN WITH YOU.”

BEFORE PHOEBE HAD A CHANCE TO REACT TO HIS COMMENT, HE GRABBED HER AND WAS DRAGGING HER TOWARD THE TAHOE, ONE HAND OVER HER MOUTH AND THE OTHER AROUND HER WAIST. SHE STRUGGLED AS HARD AS SHE COULD AND NOT ONE OF HER SELF-DEFENSE MOVES WORKED ON HIM. HE WAS STRONG AND HE KNEW HE HAD THE UPPER HAND. PHOEBE FELT SOMETHING SCRATCHING HE WRIST AS SHE WRESTLED WITH TOM. SHE HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO SEE THE BRACELET ON HER ARM AND KNOW TO RIP IT OFF AND LEAVE IT FOR PRUE AND PIPER TO FIND JUST IN CASE.


“That was a very smart thing to do Miss Halliwell. If you need to take a minute we can stop here and we’ll come back in a few minutes.”

“No I want to get this over with please.”

Prue held Phoebe’s bracelet in her fist. She hated that they could not have known sooner, that although they found the bracelet it still didn’t help stop Tom Kirkland from hurting her sister. Prue focused on Piper and could read what she thought was guilt on her sister’s face.

Indeed, Piper Halliwell let tears fall down her face, as they did on Prue’s and Phoebe’s as well. But she cried for more than they did. She cried because she thought it had been her fault that Phoebe now sat on this table with her bruised eye and cut lip. With the stitches that would forever mark the word ‘MINE’ on her shoulder. She had done this to her baby sister. She had sent her out to meet with this monster. Already she felt sick from the story and she knew that they had only just begun. Piper felt a hand on her back and saw Prue looking at her. Prue always knew when to reach out to her. She always knew when she was blaming herself for something. And this time was no different. Prue was reaching around Phoebe to comfort Piper as Piper was comforting Phoebe. She knew the dynamics of their relationships would help them all survive this. Prue and Piper returned their attention to Phoebe who had continued her story.

“I sat next to him in the Tahoe and I tried to jump out but there was some sort of lock on the door, maybe a childproof lock. I don’t know.”


PHOEBE TRIED TO GET OUT BUT THE PASSENGER DOOR WOULDN’T GIVE. TOM LAUGHED IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT AS HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE.

“WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?”

“I TOLD YOU I’M GOING TO HAVE FUN WITH YOU.”

“PLEASE DON’T HURT ME, PLEASE. IF YOU DO MY SISTER’S WILL COME AFTER YOU SO FAST YOU’LL NEVER KNOW WHAT HIT YOU.”

TOM LAUGHED AGAIN AS HE HIT PHOEBE ACROSS THE FACE WITH AN OPEN HAND. PHOEBE FELT THE HIT COMING BUT COULDN’T DO MUCH TO STOP IT. SHE FELT THE SKIN AROUND HER EYE BURNING AND KNEW THAT IN A MATTER OF HOURS A BRUISE WOULD SIT WHERE IT WAS NOW RED. SHE DECIDED TO STAY QUIET AND THINK WHILE TOM DROVE ON.

SHE DIDN’T HAVE MUCH TIME TO THINK. IN A MATTER OF MINUTES FROM LEAVING BENNY’S PARKING LOT TOM STOPPED THE CAR AT THE PARK DOWNTOWN. IT WAS DESERTED. MOST PEOPLE WERE EITHER STILL AT WORK OR PLANNING THEIR NIGHTS OUT. PLUS THE WEATHER SAID THAT THERE WAS AN AWFUL STORM ON ITS WAY.

PHOEBE HEARD A CLAP OF THUNDER. SHE TRIED TO THINK OF A WAY OUT OF THE SITUATION, BUT HER THOUGHTS WERE INTERUPTED BY TOM AS HE YANKED OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR AND DRUG HER TO THE BACK OF THE TAHOE. HE OPENED THE DOORS ON THE BACK OF THE TAHOE.

“GET IN.”

“WHY?”

HE PULLED A KNIFE OUT.

“DON’T ASK QUESTIONS, GET IN.”

PHOEBE KNEW THAT IF SHE GOT INTO THE TAHOE AGAIN IT WOULD BE LIKE GIVING UP. SO SHE DECIDED TO RUN, KNIFE OR NOT. SHE TOOK OFF AS FAST AS SHE COULD IN TWO-INCH HEELS. TOM CAUGHT HER BEFORE SHE HAD THE CHANCE TO GO TEN YARDS. HE GRABBED HER BY THE HAIR AND PULLED HER TOWARD HIM. SHE FELL IN THE PROCESS SCRAPING HER LEG ON THE ROOT OF A TREE.

“FINE PHOEBE, YOU WANT TO PLAY HARD TO GET, MAKE IT TOUGH? THAT’S WHAT WE’LL DO.”

HE BACKHANDED HER ACROSS THE FACE SENDING PAIN THROUGH PHOEBE’S LIP AND MOUTH. SHE COULD FEEL THE WARM BLOOD ON HER COOL SKIN AND KNEW THAT IT WAS CUT. AGAIN SHE HEARD THUNDER ABOVE. SHE KNEW THE RAIN WAS GOING TO BREAK LOOSE ANY MINUTE. SHE HAD SEEN THAT IN HER PREMONITION EARLIER THAT MORNING. WHY COULDN’T SHE HAVE HAD A PREMONITION ABOUT THIS, WHY THE WEATHER, SHE ASKED HERSELF.

SHE WAS DIZZY FROM BEING HIT AND HAD TROUBLE FIGHTING TOM AS HE DRUG HER BACK TO THE TAHOE AND SLUNG HER INTO THE BACK OF IT. HE CRAWLED IN BEHIND HER AND SHUT THE DOOR.

Phoebe looked from the officers to Prue and Piper. She saw that they were pale and their eyes were filled with unspent tears. She asked the officers if they could have a few minutes alone, so she could collect herself before beginning the next and hardest part of the story. The officers didn’t hesitate to leave the room, they knew by the medical report that Phoebe Halliwell had been to hell and dealt with the Devil himself. Alone with her sisters, Phoebe spoke again.

“This next part is bad. I know you said you’d stay here with me, but I’m telling you now that you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Prue was the first to speak. She couldn’t believe that Phoebe was so strong as to think of their feelings when hers were basically destroyed. Here her little sister sat in front of them, looking smaller than she ever had before and her heart torn to a million pieces, yet, still she put them first.

“Phoebe, there’s no way in hell I’m leaving you to deal with this by yourself. I know you. You’re brave and you’re going to make it through this. I also know you’d do it alone if that meant not having to ask for help, and I’m telling you now that, asked for or not, you’re getting my help, you’re getting all of me until you are 100% again. Is that understood?”

“Yes ma’am.”

Phoebe managed a weak surface smile although inside she was trembling. The tears fell again despite how loved she felt at that moment. Or maybe it was because of the love she felt from Prue. She looked to Piper.

“Oh, uh, uh. Don’t look at me. You ain’t getting rid of me either. Where you go, I go. What you say, I hear. What you see, I see. Understood?”

“Yeah, thank god for you two because if you’d have left I really don’t think I could have handled finishing this statement alone.”

“Be strong Phoebe, but not for us. Be strong for you.”

Phoebe held each of her sisters’ hands with hers as the police returned to the room.

“Okay Miss Halliwell, you ready to finish up and catch this man?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be I guess.”

“He shut the door behind him. His windows were tinted so I could see out but no one could see in, but like I said earlier, the park was deserted anyway, so no one was coming to find me.”

TOM KIRKLAND LOOKED AT PHOEBE, HIS EYES GLARING AND A WICKED SMILE FORMING ACROSS HIS FACE. PHOEBE COULD SEE HIS HAND TIGHTEN AROUND THE KNIFE. HIS KNUCKLES WERE WHITE. SHE SCREAMED AS LOUD AS SHE COULD. TOM LAUGHED AGAIN.

“GO AHEAD AND SCREAM PHOEBE, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU. SCREAM AS LOUD AS YOU WANT, I LIKE IT.”

PHOEBE CRAWLED BACKWARDS AS FAR AS SHE COULD BEFORE HITTING THE SEAT IN FRONT OF HER. THE CARGO SPACE WAS RATHER LARGE BUT SMALL ENOUGH THAT PHOEBE WAS BEGINNING TO FELL CLAUSTROPHOBIC. SHE BEGAN TO CRY AND KNEW THAT IT WAS EMPOWERING FOR HER CAPTOR, BUT SHE COULDN’T STOP. SHE WAS SCARED, VERY SCARED. SHE WISHED THAT PRUE OR PIPER HAD THE POWER OF PREMONTION SO THEY COULD FIND HER. SHE WISHED THAT SHE HAD AN ACTIVE POWER SO THAT SHE COULD KILL HIM. AND SHE WOULD HAVE. SHE COULD READ IN HIS FACE WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO TO HER. NO ONE HAD TO HAVE THE POWER OF SEEING THE FUTURE TO KNOW THAT.

TOM MOVED IN ON PHOEBE HIS HANDS GRASPING AT HER DRESS, TEARING IT DOWN THE MIDDLE. HE SMILED STILL WHEN HE SAW HER STRAPLESS BRA IN BLACK.

“OH EXPECTING ME TO SEE THESE WERE YOU?”

PHOEBE’S FACE FLUSHED RED WITH ANGER AND EMBARASSMENT. SHE KNEW SHE WASN’T THE MOST INNOCENT PERSON IN THE WORLD, BUT SHE HADN’T REALLY WORN IT FOR HIM, SHE HAD WORN BLACK FOR HER. SHE HAD WANTED TO FEEL SEXY, WANTED TO HAVE THAT SORT OF CONFIDENCE.

ANGRY SHE FOUGHT BACK. SHE HIT AND KICKED AND THAT’S WHEN HE TIED HER HANDS WITH ROPE HE HAD IN THE TAHOE. HE ALSO GAGGED HER WITH A HANKERCHIEF AND DUCT TAPED HER MOUTH. PHOEBE COULD BARELY BREATHE. SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO DROWN IN HER OWN TEARS.

“NOW PHOEBE, PIPER SURE DID SAY YOU WERE PRETTY BUT DAMN I HAD NO IDEA. AND YOU KNOW YOU ARE TOO, DON’T YOU? DON’T WORRY, I’LL FIX IT SO YOU NEVER FEEL PRETTY AGAIN.”

WITH THAT HE ATTACKED HER. HE CUT OFF HER BRA WITH HIS KNIFE LEAVING HER EXPOSED. SHE SCREAMED AT HIM TO STOP. SHE PLEADED WITH HIM TO LEAVE HER ALONE. SHE CRIED NO. BUT HER WORDS FELL ON EARS THAT DIDN’T CARE. THEY FELL ON THE REAL EVIL OF THE WORLD. SHE WAS GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS. SHE HAD TO.

HE TOUCHED HER BODY, HIS HANDS ROUGH AND DEMEANING. HE HIT HER IN THE STOMACH AND HELD HER SO TIGHTLY AROUND THE WAIST SHE THOUGHT HER LOWER RIBS WOULD CRACK. YET SHE KEPT FIGHTING AND SCREAMING. SHE WASN’T GOING TO GIVE UP.

THEN HE RAPED HER. SHE CRIED OUT IN PAIN AND SHAME. SHE CRIED OUT FOR PRUE AND PIPER TO SAVE HER BUT THEY DIDN’T MAKE IT ON TIME. IT WAS THE ONLY TIME THEY HADN’T SAVED THEIR LITTLE SISTER. PHOEBE SANK INTO HERSELF AS TOM CONTINUED TO ASSAULT HER. SHE STOPPED SCREAMING. SHE STOPPED FIGHTING. THE BATTLE WAS OVER, BUT SOMEWHERE IN THE BACK OF HER MIND SHE KNEW THE WAR HAD JUST BEGUN.

She looked at the officers and paused. She looked at her sisters and took in a deep breath. They were sitting in silence, mourning the loss that Phoebe felt. Prue stared at the ground. She was in awe of her baby sister, the sister that was like her own daughter. The one she mothered everyday for her entire life. The sister that had gone through hell, and sat here to talk about it just hours later. Phoebe continued.

TOM FINISHED AND PULLED HIS CLOTHES BACK ON LEAVING PHOEBE EXPOSED. PHOEBE DIDN’T MOVE, DIDN’T DARE TO BREATHE. SHE JUST CRIED. THAT’S ALL SHE COULD DO WAS CRY. SHE BARELY FELT THE PAIN OF THE KNIFE CARVING INTO HER SHOULDER, BUT SHE HEARD HIS WORDS LOUD AND CLEAR.

“YOU’RE MINE NOW PHOEBE. I’VE HAD YOU. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY POWERLESS AGAINST ME. AND TO PROVE IT I’M LEAVING YOU A REMINDER TO THINK ABOUT. HERE ON YOUR SHOULDER I’M MAKING SURE EVEYTIME YOU SEE IT YOU KNOW THAT YOU BELONG TO ME, YOU’RE MINE.”

PHOEBE SHUDDERED TO THINK THAT TOM COULD FIND HER AND DO THIS AGAIN. THANK GOD SHE HAD LEFT HER PURSE IN THE JEEP. SHE DIDN’T WANT HIM TO GET HER LICENSE AND SEE HER ADDRESS. THE GIRLS NEVER BROUGHT ANYONE HOME UNTIL THEY KNEW THEM WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW THEY WEREN’T EVIL. IT WAS HOW THEY PROTECTED EACH OTHER EVER SINCE PRUE’S FIANCEE HAD TRIED TO PUT THE MOVES ON HER AT THE MANOR WHILE PRUE WASN’T HOME.

PHOEBE SO WISHED SHE HAD SOMETHING TO COVER HERSELF WITH. SHE DIDN’T WANT HIM TO DO IT AGAIN. SHE WISHED HE’D JUST LEAVE HER HERE AND GO. SOMEONE MUST HAVE BEEN LISTENING BECAUSE HE OPENED THE BACK DOORS AND TOSSED HER TO THE GROUND. HE WALKED TO THE FRONT OF THE TAHOE AND GOT HER COAT OUT OF THE PASSENGER SEAT. HE CUT OFF THE ROPES AND YANKED OFF THE DUCT TAPE. HE THREW HER COAT AT HER AND BEFORE LEAVING HER LEANED VERY CLOSE TO HER FACE. SHE SHIVERED WITH FEAR THAT HE MIGHTCHANGE HIS MIND AND TAKE HER WITH HIM.

“IF YOU TELL A SOUL PHOEBE HALLIWELL, I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND I WILL DO THIS EVERYDAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.”

SHE DIDN’T BREATHE UNTIL SHE SAW THE TAHOE DISAPPEAR. THEN SHE PULLED HER COAT AROUND HER AND WAS SO GLAD SHE WAS FULLY COVERED BY IT. SHE TRIED TO STAND BUT HER LEGS WERE WEAK. SHE WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN SHE COULD BARELY BREATHE. BUT SHE DID, AND SHE MANAGED TO CRAWL TO A GATHERING OF TREES TO HIDE JUST IN CASE HE CAME BACK. BUT AFTER SEVERAL HOURS SHE KNEW HE WASN’T COMING BACK.

“So, I decided to find a phone and call my sisters. They got there about twenty minutes later and brought me straight here.”

“Okay, Miss Halliwell. We got all we need to bring this man in. You’ll have to see a lineup of course.”

Phoebe nodded her head in agreement. She looked at the micro-cassette recorder that Officer Webber held in her hand. It was all there. She wouldn’t have to say it again anytime soon. She was thankful for at least that. The police thanked them and left to file a report. Prue and Piper sat in silence with their sister for a few minutes before deciding to leave for the manor. Piper and Prue knew more than Phoebe did that Phoebe was in for a very long sleepless night, and silently, looking at each other they agreed that neither of them would sleep until their sister did. And even then they wouldn’t leave her alone.

The rain had stopped by the time the Halliwells reached the manor. All that was left of the weather was the biting cold wind that chilled them to the bone. They quietly made their way into the kitchen and sat at the table. The clock struck midnight causing Phoebe to jump. Prue reached across the table without saying a word and with her right hand she held Phoebe’s clenched hands tightly. In Prue’s left hand she still grasped Phoebe’s bracelet. She wanted to give it back to Phoebe but she also didn’t want to remind Phoebe of the moment she lost it.

“Phoebe, I am sorry we didn’t make it to you in time.”

“It’s not your fault Prue. You couldn’t have known.”

“Actually we knew something was wrong but I didn’t want to follow my instinct.”

“What do you mean?”

Piper explained it to Phoebe, “He called today around 5:30pm and said you stood him up.”

Phoebe looked at her and Prue’s hands on the table. She remembered what he had just done, at 5:30 he was calling on his cell phone, probably watching the trembling Phoebe in his rearview mirror. Prue shut her eyes at the realization of what Piper just said. There was no way they could have saved her. When he called he had already hurt their sister. Piper realized it too.

“It’s my fault Phoebe. I fixed you up with that sicko. I sent you to him.”

“No, Piper, don’t say that. It was my own fault. It must have been the way I acted or dressed. Something I did made him do that to me.”

Prue stood up in anger and turned her back to her sisters. Her sudden movement from the table surprised them, but they were shocked when she turned around. Her eyes were filled with tears, but Phoebe and Piper both knew they were tears of anger. They had seen those same tears in her eyes when Andy died. She leaned on the table for support and looked from one sister to another before shutting her eyes again.

“Listen to us. Piper, Phoebe, Why are we blaming ourselves for this?”

She opened her eyes and stared intensely at Piper.

“Piper, if you had known he was a monster would you have set Phoebe up with him?”

“No of course not. I would have killed the bastard before he ever had a chance to lay a hand on her.”

“Okay then. There was no way you could have known. It’s not like these sadistic sons of bitches advertise that they are dangerous criminals. Most of the time these guys make themselves appear to be the most worthy of men.”

Piper drew in a sharp breath and knew that Prue was right. She couldn’t blame herself. She couldn’t have possible have known. She watched Prue as Prue sat back down took Phoebe’s hand again and looked at her.

“And you baby girl. Just because you dress up, you go out there and look your best, doesn’t mean you were asking for this. Nothing you did set this guy off. It was apparent he was looking to make this happen before he ever got to you. I mean for Heaven’s sake, rope and duct tape, the police call that a rape kit, Phoebe, meaning pre-meditated, meaning, absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt, not your fault.”

Phoebe cried silently as she looked back thankfully to her sister. She was so grateful to God that if this had to happen, she at least had her sisters’ support.

“Thank you Prue. Maybe your right.”

“Maybe, Hell, Phoebe. The only person at fault and to blame for this situation is Tom Kirkland. Period.”

At the mention of his name, Phoebe’s stomach flipped and she wanted to be sick. She denied herself that and decided instead that she need to shower. She needed to wash away everything about him. His smell, his touch, his voice, but Phoebe knew there was no way she could scrub away the memory. She explained to her sisters that she needed to be clean and they followed her upstairs. While Phoebe got into the shower, Piper turned down Phoebe’s bed and Prue found her favorite Old Navy pajamas.

When they finished getting everything ready for Phoebe, they took a minute to talk sitting in the hallway out side the bathroom. They could hear Phoebe crying in the shower and although they wanted to rush in and save her they knew she had to have those minutes to herself. Prue looked at Piper sitting next to her in the hall. Piper was crying silently and didn’t notice Prue staring. Prue pulled Piper into her arms and Piper buried her face in Prue’s shoulder. Prue could here her muffled voice.

“Why Prue? Why did this happen to her? She is too incredible, too happy and loving of life to have to go through this.”

“There isn’t an answer Piper. Sometimes the strongest most incredible people have to go through these tests. They have to see what their souls are really made of and you know as well as I do that Phoebe’s soul is the strongest for all three of us. She’s going to make it through this.”

“I know that Prue, I really do, but listen to her in there. She doesn’t deserve that kind of pain, that kind of agony. She has never hurt anyone before in her life.”

Prue couldn’t say anymore because the tears that she cried were for the three of them. She had no real answers for Piper’s questions. They had battled demons and warlocks, ghosts and hitmen, but never before had anything scared Prue more than the thought of losing her baby sister and having her hurt so badly.

Piper dried her eyes and sat up when she heard the water being turned off. She and Prue quickly stood and went to Phoebe’s room. They heard the bathroom door open.

“Piper, Prue, where are you guys?”

“We’re in here Phoebe, in your room. I found your pajamas and Piper was turning your bed down for you.”

Phoebe came into her room with nothing but a towel wrapped around her small frame. The calling card on her shoulder needed to be cleaned and re-bandaged. The bruises were prominent everywhere that was visible to the eye. Her collarbone, back, arms, legs were all black and blue. Phoebe sat cautiously on the bed, and Prue tried not to cry as she thought about the type of pain Phoebe was in. It was Prue who volunteered to clean the wound and dress it. Piper went downstairs while Prue stayed with Phoebe who was putting on her pajamas. She winced with every movement. But she didn’t cry.

Tears only fell when Prue began to clean the ‘MINE’ on Phoebe’s shoulder.

“Oh God, Phoebe honey I’m sorry. Does that hurt.”

Phoebe was trying to speak but the tears fell so heavily that she couldn’t speak. Prue and Piper looked at her confused and apprehensive. Prue didn’t want to hurt her sister but either the pain was too unbearable physically or Phoebe was trying to say something else. It was the latter. Phoebe spoke through tears.

“He’s right you know?”

“Who? Tom? About what?”

Prue was afraid to hear the answer but she braced herself and Piper as she held her hand and they looked at their sister sitting on the bed. Piper finally sat next to her while Prue kneeled on the floor in front of her.

“I will be his forever now. If I ever want to be with a man again and he finds out he’s not going to want me. I’m damaged goods. He said I’d never feel pretty again and I won’t. I feel so disgusting. I’m his now.”

Prue’s heart broke for the hundredth time that night. She saw the honesty and intense hurt in Phoebe'’ big eyes and knew that it would be a long time before Phoebe ever felt like a whole person. Phoebe laid her head in Piper’s lap looking into Prue’s eyes. Prue locked eyes with her, and stroked her hair. Before too long Phoebe was asleep. Prue managed to dress Phoebe’s wound and then she and Piper together managed to get her into the bed and under the covers. Glad that she was asleep but prepared for the next few hours when they knew she would awaken in darkness. The darkness that had instantly become her life.

The darkness came sooner than either of Phoebe’s sisters had expected. Within an hour of falling asleep, Phoebe broke the late night silence with a scream so earth shattering, it made Piper’s heart race and Prue’s stand still. Piper was the first to Phoebe’s side grabbing her into an embrace and immediately reassuring her of her safety. Phoebe couldn’t quickly be consoled. She sobbed violently for what seemed like hours, but was only minutes. Prue sat next to Piper who was still holding Phoebe. It was Prue who tried to speak to the overwhelmed Phoebe.

“Sweetie. You’re safe. Okay. Just feel Piper’s arms around you and know that it’s going to be okay now.”

Piper’s embrace tightened with Prue’s words and Phoebe hugged her back finally, coming into the reality of the present time. Piper tried to pull away from Phoebe so that Phoebe could tell them what happened but Phoebe was too scared to let go. Piper didn’t fight her.

When Phoebe finally calmed down enough to breathe in a normal pattern, she sat back against the headboard of the bed and closed her eyes.

“I was in that park again, and you guys were there but you couldn’t see me and he came back for me.”

“It was just a nightmare, Pheebs. We did see you and we’re here now and he’s not going to come back to hurt you.”

“But Piper what if he does?”

“Then we’ll vanquish his sorry ass.”

“Piper, you can’t vanquish a human, that would be called murder.”

Prue had been silent until this time,

“No, Phoebe, it would be called justifiable homicide.”

“What are you saying Prue? Are you saying that you and Piper are going to kill a man in cold blood?”

“No. Just me.”

“Prue. Phoebe doesn’t need vengeance. She doesn’t need for you to go out hunt this man down and kill him, only to be thrown in jail for it.”

“Piper’s right Prue, I need you. I need you here with me.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just angry for you, Phoebe. I just want to tear him to pieces, the way he tore…”

Prue stopped, she wasn’t sure if Phoebe wanted to talk about it anymore tonight.

“They way he tore me to pieces? Prue, don’t you see if you do that it would make you like him? Let the police handle this. He’s not a demon, it’s not our turf.”

“You amaze me Phoebe. You have always amazed me but now it’s phenomenal how much you amaze me.”

“Why’s that?”

“You’re so calm. You’re so collected.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call that episode just a few minutes ago calm and collected.”

Piper looked at Phoebe and saw the exhaustion in her face. She also saw what she thought might be shame. She could not let Phoebe wrap herself in that notion that somehow she was to blame. Piper knew that it was what rape victims did. She just knew.

“Phoebe, you’re allowed to be scared. You’re allowed to scream and cry, and you know what else? You’re allowed to be angry.”

“I know that Piper. I do. But right now I am so tired. Thinking about it confuses me. It drives me crazy to think about the logistics of what happened in that park tonight.”

“As long as you aren’t thinking it was you’re fault.”

“Piper, we’ve been through this already. Phoebe knows it wasn’t her fault.”

“Does she Prue? Do you Phoebe? Do you absolutely know you are not in any way to blame?”

Phoebe looked at Piper unsure of the answer. She knew logically that she should not blame herself. But something in her mind, maybe the same something that always told her she was a screw up, and a clutz, that she was imperfect and completely flawed, was now telling her that she was to blame. She simply couldn’t shake the feeling. She knew eventually she’d have to get help for that annoying little voice that reverberated throughout her head but for now she only wanted to rest here in the comfort of her sisters arms.

“Honestly Piper, the only thing I know for sure is that I want so badly to sleep with you guys here to keep me safe.”

They all crawled into Phoebe’s bed with Phoebe in the middle clutching tightly to her sisters’ hands. Phoebe fell asleep fast in the safety of that room. Prue looked over at her two sisters and saw that Piper was staring at the ceiling, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. Prue knew at that moment that Piper wasn’t just crying for Phoebe, there was something so much deeper than simple tears of mourning for a sister’s troubles. Piper was crying for something past and Prue could feel it. She knew Piper wouldn’t last much longer with out talking about it and she looked almost as fragile as Phoebe and Prue knew why. She just knew.

Prue was the first to wake when the sun broke through the blinds. She felt the presence of her sisters without looking at them. She hadn’t slept very well with Piper and Phoebe both mumbling in their sleep and Phoebe more than once reaching into the air for help. Prue had stayed up for hours after her sister fell asleep trying to remember anything about Piper that would help Prue confirm her suspicions, however, so far nothing was too obvious. Of course Prue had always been very good at hiding things so maybe Piper had inherited that trait as well. Maybe somewhere along the line Piper hid something from Prue and Phoebe. But when and where?

Phoebe awoke with a start. She wanted so badly to think that the nightmare that had shaken her so badly was a dream and only a dream, but when the light hit her eyes and the bruises on her body filled her with the sting of pain, she knew that it had all been real. Right down to the look in the monster’s eyes. She felt Prue run her hand along her hair as she lay back down. She snuggled into Prue hating the thought of starting a full day, the day after. But she knew that with every move she made to get better it would mean that he wasn’t going to own her. He wasn’t controlling her life. She surprised herself when she realized she wasn’t crying. She thought about what Piper had asked her the night before about blaming herself. She was thankful for the sun she could feel beaming through the window because with that brought new light to the situation. She was not going to be one of those women. She would not hate herself for something that was done to her. She refused to. She thought again about Piper as she lay in Prue’s embrace. How did Piper know so much? Did she know someone who had been through this sort of thing? There’s no way Piper could have possibly…

“Good morning guys.”

Phoebe rolled out of Prue’s arms and looked into the wide, beautiful eyes of Piper. It was then that she noticed Prue hadn’t taken her eyes off Piper yet that morning. Prue was worried about more than just Phoebe. Phoebe could feel it and her heart started pounding at the thoughts that were running through her head. She prayed to God that Piper had never been where she was now, because if she had then Phoebe knew that neither she nor Prue had been there to help which meant she went through it alone.

“Why are you two looking at me like that.”

Piper could feel their intense stares as well as see them. Had she talked in her sleep? They couldn’t possibly know could they? Now wasn’t the time she thought to herself as she focused on Phoebe. Prue answered Piper’s question.

“We were just staring cause you’re hair is sticking straight up.”

Phoebe couldn’t help but giggle at Piper’s squinched up face, although her heart still pounded and she knew Prue was lying. Prue knew something and she’d find out more.

“Fine, how about I jump in the shower, comb my hair and then fix us some breakfast?”

“Sounds like a plan, Piper. Phoebe, you are going to eat aren’t you?”

“Yeah, believe it or not I’m starving.”

Phoebe was lying but she really wanted that time alone with Prue to exchange their thoughts. Prue could read her mind and remained in Phoebe’s room until she heard the shower starting.

“Okay, big sis, spill.”

“Spill what? How are you feeling this morning?”

“Oh…uh, uh. Don’t do that. Do not change the subject. What do you know about Piper?”

“What do you know?”

“I asked first.”

“Okay, okay, fine. I know nothing, but I feel something.”

“You think she’s been through this. Been through what I went through yesterday?”

“It has crossed my mind. I was thinking all night and this morning about if something like that happened, when it could have happened. I can’t think of a time when Piper has never been Piper.”

“What about when I was in New York. You weren’t living here then. You were in an apartment. Is it possible that something could have happened then and she was too worried about us fighting to tell us?”

“Sounds like something selfless that Piper would do.”

“Prue, if she went through this, then she went through it alone. If she went through this alone I know there is no way she can be okay. I mean it’s only been one day and without you guys I know I wouldn’t have made it to this morning. If something happened to her there’s no telling how long she’s been alone with it.”

“That’s true, Phoebe, very true, but it hasn’t stopped her from falling in love, going on with her life.”

“Yeah, but Prue she fell in love with our whitelighter, our guardian angel, what man is safer than that?”

Prue nodded her head in agreement and heard the bathroom door opening.

“Okay you guys, whoever wants a shower go ahead, I’ll be downstairs making some breakfast.”

Phoebe felt sick as she remembered the events of the day before. She suddenly couldn’t wait to be in the shower again. Prue saw that Phoebe was uncomfortable and told he to go ahead. Phoebe showered and when she was done Prue cleaned and dressed her cuts again. Phoebe shivered trying to block out images of the park.

Prue joined Phoebe and Piper in the kitchen after her shower. Piper and Prue ate while Phoebe pushed her eggs around her plate with her fork. Prue was worried now about both of her sisters. The one who was fighting now for her sanity and the one who hid a secret deep within her. She wondered if Leo knew anything. She decided to call for Leo after breakfast.

“Hey. I think Leo should know about the rape.”

Phoebe and Prue both looked at Piper as she dropped her fork on the ground and her face turned pale.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I think we should tell Leo what happened to Phoebe yesterday.”

Prue thought she saw a moment of relief pass over Piper’s face. It perplexed her and she could tell Phoebe was more than intrigued by Piper’s reaction.

“Yeah, about Phoebe, that’s probably a good idea. He’ll need to know as our whitelighter right?”

“Right. Piper, honey, are you okay? I mean besides the obvious? Is there something going on that you need to tell us about?”

“Prue, what else could there be. I’m just extremely worried about Phoebe’s well-being, that’s all.”

“Piper, in answer to your question last night, about if I truly realize it’s not my fault, I do. I know that I can’t be blamed for what happened. And I know that the police will find Tom and they’ll punish him.”

The sisters didn’t hear the footsteps coming down the stairs. As they finished up with the breakfast dishes Phoebe went into the living room to watch a little TV. As she sat on the couch, she felt someone’s hand wrap around her face from behind her.

Phoebe’s screams from the living room sent chills up and down the spines of her sisters. They dropped what they were doing and ran into the living room. Their sister was huddled in the corner of the room cowering from the man that stood in front of her.

“Leo! What did you do to her?”

Piper rushed to Phoebe’s side as Prue turned a glaring eye to Leo and then turned off the TV. Leo backed away from Phoebe and Piper as they stood, Phoebe still shaking trying not to cry anymore.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it would scare you like that.” He paused, looking at the split lip and bruised eye that Phoebe had.

“Phoebe, you’re hurt, what’s going on.”

“Sit down Leo. Piper, Phoebe and I will explain everything.”

Leo sat in the chair while the sisters sat on the couch. Phoebe had calmed down and even managed a weak smile toward Leo.

“Sorry Leo. I think I scared you more than you did me.”

“Apparently not Phoebe, are you okay.”

Phoebe took a deep breath and looked to her sisters for help in explaining. Piper jumped in to save her sister from having to tell her story.

“Okay Leo. Sit down.”

“I am sitting Piper.”

“Right. Well, Yesterday Phoebe was kidnapped and attacked by a man. A non-demon man.”

“What do you mean attacked?”

“What Piper is trying to say Leo is that Phoebe was…”

“I was raped Leo. I went to meet a blind date, he turned out to be a monster and he raped me.”

“And there you go.”

Leo was in complete shock. He was supposed to be their angel, their guardian but he couldn’t even guard Phoebe from a human attack. What were the Powers-that-be thinking?

“Phoebe, I am so sorry. No wonder you were so frightened when I tried to surprise you.”

“Yeah, just try not to sneak up on me anymore okay?”

“Yeah you got yourself a deal.”

Prue could tell that Phoebe was still shaking and that they should probably spend more time together. She could also tell that Piper wanted to get out of the house as quickly as possible. She looked as though she couldn’t breath.

“Hey Piper, why don’t you and Leo hit the grocery store and the video store to find us some gourmet goods for dinner tonight and some videos for the long haul.”

“That sounds perfect,” Piper said in a very gracious voice. She knew Prue knew something but she was glad she hadn’t really confronted her about it yet. She also knew the time was coming.

After Piper and Leo had left, Phoebe laid her head on Prue’s lap on the living room sofa.

“Thank you Prue.”

“For what? For knowing exactly what we need.”

“It’s in my job description.”

“Don’t play it down Prue. It’s not your job description. It’s your heart. It’s a very healing thing. So, thank you.”

“Anything for you two. You know that by now don’t you?”

Prue’s voice dropped into a whisper as she realized her baby sister was falling fast asleep.

“And don’t you worry about a thing Phoebe. I’m going to make everything right for you, and for Piper.”

Prue continued to stay with Phoebe’s head in her lap until she too drifted to sleep. It was then that Prue got a glimpse into what a nightmare really was.

Leo and Piper walked through the aisles of the grocery store. Leo hadn’t said much since they left the house but Piper could tell that he was thinking about what happened to Phoebe. What good soul wouldn’t dwell on such an atrocity?

“Leo. Are you going to say anything?”

“I’m sorry Piper. I have never seen someone look as scared as Phoebe did in that corner. It was like she saw me but it wasn’t me you know?”

“Yeah I do know.”

“I’m sorry Piper. This must be hell for you seeing your little sister going through something like this.”

You don’t know the half of it, she thought looking over the bread selections at the fresh bakery.

“We’re going to need a lot of sister-time you know that don’t you?”

“Of course. I can completely respect that.”

“I know you can Leo. It’s one of the reasons I love you so much.”

“THEY told me something before I left there today.”

“Yeah, what was that?”

“Well, it didn’t make any sense to me then but now…”

“What Leo? Spill it already.”

“THEY said that the three of you will soon be connected as you’ve never been connected before.”

“Do they smoke big rolled up doobies where you’re from? It sure sounds like they’re high.”

“I know it sounds strange but think about it Piper. Phoebe has gone through something horrendous and she will be calling out for you guys. Not just in her nightmares but with her soul. With the Power of Three involved there’s no telling how it’s going to come out.”

Piper continued to look at Leo and sighed with resignation. She knew he was right. But what could she do, but go with whatever happened. She wasn’t about to not be there for Phoebe. She wasn’t about to leave Prue to deal with this by herself. She was in for the long haul.

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

Prue wasn’t quite sure where she was, but it looked like the parking lot of Benny’s. She could see Phoebe walk toward a man who in turn grabbed her and forced her into his Tahoe. What n the hell is going on? Prue wondered to herself. That must be Tom. Oh God, not again, Phoebe!!!

She screamed loudly but Phoebe not Tom seemed to notice. Then they were gone. Suddenly Prue’s world went black and she was in the back of an SUV. She heard crying and screaming. She looked over the seat and there in the cargo area of the SUV was Phoebe, stripped and bleeding, pleading for help and mercy. Prue heard Phoebe whisper her name.

“Phoebe baby I’m right here.”

God please don’t let this happen to her again, please don’t make me see this! Prue’s mind was racing. She had to help. She tried to use her power to throw Tom from the back of the Tahoe but her powers didn’t work. He didn’t even notice her there. Prue reached for Phoebe grabbing her hand and trying to pull her to her but her hand went through Phoebe’s like a ghost’s would. Prue was crying at the sight of what her sister was going through but she was powerless to stop it.

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

Piper was doubled over on the floor of the grocery store.

“Leo, oh God, what’s going on? I can feel them calling me. It hurts so much, I can feel their pain.”

“It must be the connection they were talking about. It must be starting.”

“Here, now, in the grocery store. Where are Phoebe and Prue?”

“Let’s get back to the manor.”

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

Prue jolted upright on the couch as Phoebe again huddled in the corner.

“Oh my god Phoebe, what was that?”

“I had another nightmare, Prue. Please make them stop, I can’t take them anymore. I can’t.”

“I was there this time Phoebe. Could you feel me there? Could you see me?”

“That was really you? I thought I was just remembering calling out your name.”

“For some reason I saw your nightmare. I saw exactly what happened to you yesterday.”

“How is that possible Prue?”

Phoebe was still in her corner, still shaking, but she had stopped crying, highly intrigued by the fact that Prue was with her in her sleeping world. It made Phoebe feel relief and also anguish over the fact that her sister had to see what had happened to her. She looked at Prue whose face had turned as pale as Phoebe’s and was stained with still wet tears.

“I don’t know how it’s possible but I bet Leo does.”

With the mention of his name, Leo and Piper walked through the front door. Piper ran into the living room.

“Prue, Phoebe!? Are you okay?”

She looked at her sisters in the corner where Prue had joined Phoebe. She saw both of them had been crying.

“Oh god, then you guys felt it too?”

“Well, I had a nightmare about it, Prue saw it, if that’s what you meant?”

“You saw Phoebe’s nightmare? Leo how is that possible?”

“Must be the connection.”

Prue and Phoebe looked at each other and said in unison, “Connection?”

“Yes apparently there’s some rule that if one of the Power of Three if traumatized and calls out to her sisters then there will be a connection. A permanent one, where you will always know if the other ones are safe, sad, happy, whatever emotions are strong enough. Phoebe, since you are the one who went through the trigger event you will always have the power to initiate the connection, Piper will always have the power to feel what you two are feeling and Prue, you will have the power to see into the dreams. Right now these powers aren’t very controllable since the trigger event isn’t that far in the past. But as time goes by you’ll be able to turn it on and off as needed. “

“So you’re saying that if either Piper or Phoebe has a dream of any kind, then I’ll see it?”

“Yes.”

“And I will always get that horrendous ache anytime I feel what they’re feeling?”

“No. Only when they’re hurting do you hurt. When they’re happy you get that too. It’s much like the time Prue was an empath, only it stays between the three of you.”

Leo orbed out and the three sisters sat on the couch in silence. Prue was thinking about what had happened to Phoebe and wondering if her new dream-seeking power would give her any clues as to what Piper was hiding. Piper thought about the feelings she had felt for Prue and Phoebe. God what had Phoebe really been through, and poor Prue having to see all of that. She also thought about when she lived in the manor alone after Grams died. She had been so extremely alone. Phoebe was wishing that she could time travel into yesterday, in order to stop Tom and take the pain from her sisters that she had burdened upon them. She knew that they wanted to help but she also could see that it was draining their strength. It was Phoebe who eventually broke the silence.

“Piper. I want to know.”

“Know what,” Piper answered in a whisper.

“I want to know how you made it through this alone three and a half years ago.”

Piper didn’t deny anything, nor did she speak. Prue was amazed at how blunt Phoebe had been in bringing up the subject, but she knew if anyone could get Piper to talk right now, it would be Phoebe. Phoebe waited patiently for Piper to begin and when she saw that she wasn’t going to talk she pushed a little harder.

“Piper, please. I need to hear this right now. I know you’re keeping something from Prue and me. I know it’s something that is very close to what happened to me. I need you to tell me how you made it, to tell me what happened.”

Prue continued to sit quietly next to Phoebe. Piper had gotten off the couch and now stood at the window. The afternoon sun was shining brightly into her eyes but she didn’t blink. Phoebe knew she was remembering another time. She saw silent tears creep slowly down Piper’s face. Piper wiped them away with the back of her hand and sat in the chair that faced the couch. Prue leaned forward. She knew Piper had a tendency to have a soft voice when she was sad or scared and Prue didn’t want to miss a word.

“I think that I should begin by saying that it hasn’t really been a problem for me in a while. I don’t think about it a lot. I’m not scared anymore, I don’t blame me anymore, and now since the two of you came back to the manor I knew everything would be okay. So don’t think I dealt with it alone the entire time. I leaned on you guys when you didn’t even realize it. You did help me with this.”

Phoebe and Prue both relaxed when Piper reassured them that she was okay and that it was them that helped her through it although they had no idea. Phoebe was reassured that it had only been three years and Piper was okay. It was only minutes ago that Phoebe felt she would never be okay again.

“I was always here alone. Prue you were in your apartment and Phoebe you were in New York. I went through a little phase of rebellion while you two were gone. I started going out to dance clubs, talking it up with strangers, getting drunk. But I never invited anyone home nor did I sleep with any of them. I just flirted there at the clubs and then I’d catch a cab home. Well one night, about a month after you left town Phoebe, I went out, got pretty hammered and took a cab home. What I didn’t know was that I was followed. I stumbled into the manor climbed up the stairs and crawled into Phoebe’s room. I missed you so much Phoebe. I missed your laughter and your smile. I missed the way you could always make me feel confident and happy. So that night I fell asleep in your room.”

Phoebe let herself cry. She let herself understand what Piper was saying. The words I love you had never been clearer than with that statement.

“I heard a noise about 30 minutes after I fell asleep. I went into the hall to see what it was. In the hall there was a man. I could smell the alcohol in the hallway. It wasn’t just from me, but from this man too. I recognized him as someone I had flirted with earlier at the club. He wasted no time in throwing me to the floor and raping me. It was over pretty quick and he ran out the front door. I crawled straight into the shower and washed him away.”

Prue was stunned, as was Phoebe. Their sister had been living in a house where she had been brutally violated just three years ago. They knew she must have been relieved when they both moved back in. Prue knelt in front of Piper whose eyes were red with tears, with emotion. She held Piper’s hand.

“I remember now. You called me the next morning. I was too busy at the museum to talk. But I could tell that something was wrong. I told you I’d call you back that night, but…”

“But I wouldn’t answer the phone. Yeah. That was it. I had called you that morning because I so needed to just hear your voice. To feel that protection in your voice. I was going to tell you then and there, but I thought you’d maybe think it was my fault. I was drinking and flirting. So I didn’t tell you and I dealt with it.”

“Alone, Piper. I wish you would have told me, but I can understand I think. I was pretty judgmental then. It wasn’t until Phoebe got home and we all moved back that I got over myself.”

“I wished I would have never moved to New York. I was so selfish. My whole life you were there when I needed you like you have been the last 24 hours and the one time you really needed me I wasn’t there for you.”

“You guys we can’t do this, the shoulda coulda woulda’s. We just can’t. We have to stick to the present. What has been, has been, But now we have to deal with what is. And trust me Phoebe when I say that you will make it through this, your life will go on baby sister. It’s not an easy road, you will cry, you will scream, and damn it you will want to break things. And Prue and I will be here every step of the way, supporting you, sticking with you through thick and thin. But do me a huge favor…”

“What’s that?”

“When it comes to breaking things avoid mom’s china.”

The sisters laughed and felt a little relief fall upon them. Phoebe knew everything was going to be okay now that she knew Piper was okay. Prue knew that her little sisters needed her and she was more than happy to be their shoulder. Piper knew one thing; she would never be alone again.

The phone rang breaking up what had become a group hug. Prue answered it.

“Hello.”

“Yes it is”

“You what? When?”

“I think she will yes. Sure, hold on…Phoebe, it’s for you, it’s Officer Webber.”

Phoebe looked wearily at the phone and knew what was going on.

“This is Phoebe…oh yeah, hi. You did? Okay. How about 4:30? Yeah. Thank you.”

“Phoebe what did she say,” Piper was curious to know.

“They found Tom Kirkland. I have to see a lineup today at 4:30.”

The girls sat in the lobby of the police station waiting for Officer Webber. Phoebe saw her come out of a room and stood. Prue and Piper did the same.

“Hi, Officer Webber. So is it really him?”

“That’s what you have to tell us.”

“Okay, it’s just like TV isn’t it? He can’t see me?”

“Yes this is like TV, he can’t see you, but you’ll be able to see him. Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

Prue and Piper began to follow Phoebe and Officer Webber to the lineup room. Officer Webber stopped and with a grim face looked at Piper and Prue.

“I’m sorry but you two can’t be in there with her.”

“No they have to be in there with me.”

Prue saw the panic rise in Phoebe’s face and looking at Piper she saw that Piper could feel Phoebe’s fear in the pit of her stomach. Piper looked pale, almost as pale as Phoebe.

“Okay, can we have a second with our sister Officer Webber?”

“Yes of course.”

She walked a little further down the hall. Prue looked to Phoebe with understanding and sympathy.

“Okay Phoebe, don’t panic sweetie. It’s making Piper nauseous.”

Phoebe looked at Piper and saw that she was indeed looking green around the gills. She knew she had to be brave for Piper’s sake. She didn’t want to cause her sister any pain through the connection. Prue continued her pep talk.

“You can do this Phoebe. Honey we’ll be right here. And we have this connection going on so we’ll know how you’re feeling out here. We’ll know. So hang in there and remember that you are definitely not alone in this thing.”

Phoebe straightened her shoulders and walked toward Officer Webber. Prue watched as they continued down the hall and disappeared into the lineup room. She then heard Piper let a deep breath out.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, that girl has got some really strong emotions.”

“You can understand that huh?”

Piper nodded and they took chairs in the hallway ready to wait for Phoebe no matter how long it took.

Phoebe sat in the darkened room and watched as six men walked single-filed into the small glass enclosed room. She was assured again that they could neither hear nor see her. It took her only five seconds to see her nightmare.

“Number three.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Number three is the man who raped me. That’s Tom Kirkland.”

Phoebe wanted to run and she wanted to look away, but she was captivated by the evil that stood behind the glass. He was smiling that same horrible smile. She knew that it was only a matter of time before he realized it was her that turned him in, but she didn’t care. She wanted the justice system to make him pay for what he did.

Piper and Prue continued to sit outside the lineup room door.

“How’s she feeling in there, Piper?”

“She’s angry, I mean she’s really pissed off.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I mean it’s mixed with fear, so he must be there in the lineup. But she is definitely pissed.”

“That’s good, right?”

“Definitely.”

Phoebe stepped out of the room and ran to her sisters. She grabbed Prue and sank into her arms. She was crying. Piper stroked her hair as Prue held her.

“Phoebe sweetie, are you okay? I know that must have been hard for you. Piper was telling me how you were feeling”

Phoebe took Piper’s hand in her left and Prue’s in her right and she held them tightly and led them out of the police station into the sunlight.

“Phoebe, talk to us.”

“It was him, Piper. Nothing more to say.”

“So you ID’ed him then?

“I did yes.”

“So….then why the cryptic speak?”

“I don’t know what you mean Prue.”

“I’ll rephrase the question, what happened in there to make you so quiet?”

“He saw me.”

“What do you mean he saw you?” Prue asked in astonishment.

“Like I said, he saw me. They accidentally turned the lights on and he saw me.”

“What did he do?” Piper was angry that they would let something like that happen.

“He started laughing and kept saying, ‘You’re mine’ over and over.”

Phoebe gently placed her hand on her shoulder, feeling the bandage beneath her shirt. She refused to be his. Refused to let her mind fall into a trap of thinking he had any control over her. She wouldn’t go there, and wouldn’t do that. She would fight that bastard every step of the way.

“Phoebe, I’m sorry that happened.”

“Don’t be Prue, I’m glad he saw me. I want him to know it’s me who hung his ass out to dry.”
Piper and Prue both smiled at their courageous little sister.

“Anyone hungry? Leo and I did manage to pick up a few goodies at the grocery store. But we forgot the videos.”

“I’m actually starving,” Phoebe said touching her stomach.

Prue saw Phoebe wince with pain when she accidentally touched her bruised ribs. She knew Phoebe was going to be okay, but she also knew there was still a long road ahead of Phoebe, ahead of them all.


He watched the sisters get into a black BMW SUV. Poor Phoebe Halliwell, he thought. She has no idea I’m coming to get her.

The girls had just laid down on Phoebe’s bed to watch a movie. Being in Phoebe’s room was Prue’s suggestion. She hoped Phoebe would fall asleep and rest more than she did the previous night. At 9pm the phone rang. Piper ran to the hall phone to pick it up. Prue and Phoebe could here her in the hall. She seemed to be arguing with whoever was on the other end of the line.

“Well you better damn it or else.”

Phoebe looked anxiously at Prue. She couldn’t possibly imagine what would get Piper so ruffled. Prue didn’t seem to have an answer either. She merely shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. Piper came to the doorway and stopped, leaning against the frame she looked tired and weary, but Prue could see there was also trepidation and fear in Piper’s face.

“Who was it Piper?”

“That was the DA’s office.”

Phoebe swallowed hard, she knew by the look on Piper’s face that it wasn’t good news, “Go on.”

“Phoebe, don’t panic, but Tom Kirkland was released on bail this evening.”

“What? He can’t be out.”

Prue reached for her sister’s hand. Phoebe held onto Prue with all her strength. Her world was going black, the room was spinning and she felt nauseous.

“Phoebe, honey, it’s going to be okay. He’s not going to come after you.”

“Prue, he knows it was me, remember? He saw me today, they let him see me.”

Prue knew Phoebe could be in harm’s way.

“If he thinks about coming near this house he’s in for one Hell of a surprise.”

Piper joined them on the bed and they sat in silence without watching a movie. Before too long, Prue and Piper had both fallen asleep. Phoebe could not.


He stood outside the manor. In his coat pocket he caressed the black satin material. It was his reminder of her. She had worn it yesterday, just for him. He looked up at the second story window where the only light shined. They must all be in there, he thought. These women are all the same. They have to spend lots of girl time talking about their latest conquests. He knew he was their topic of conversation. He knew he was the best Phoebe had ever had.

Suddenly a light came on not far from the one that was already illuminating the dark night. Someone must be going to the restroom, he thought, still caressing the souvenir in his coat pocket. I bet it’s her.

Phoebe took her second shower for the day. She knew it was weird but she still felt unclean. She still felt him. When she was done she sat in her robe on the edge of the tub. She could hear the wind blowing outside. Possibly another storm? Who knows, Phoebe thought as she went to the mirror. It had been just over 24 hours sine the attack and Phoebe felt like it had only been one. She wiped the mirror with a towel and looked at the cut on he lip. The bruising on her eye was nasty, black and blue and slightly swollen. Then she let the robe fall to the floor as she looked at the mark on her shoulder. Her fingers gently traced the stitches that formed the word he had left on her body. “Mine,” she whispered to herself. She cried looking into her reflection and in a sudden fit of rage she shoved her fist through the mirrored glass.

He heard the noise even over the wind. She had shattered something. Someone would be awake soon to check on her. Not wanting to begin his plan too early, he got into his car and left.

Prue and Piper both heard the mirror shatter and ran to the bathroom. Flinging open the door Prue was the first to see Phoebe on the floor holding her bleeding hand in her lap.

“What in the world Phoebe, what happened?”

“I don’t know Prue, I was angry, I threw a punch at myself. It sounds weird I know.” Phoebe looked at the pieces of mirror on the ground. “Seven years bad luck huh? Do I get credit for time served?”

“Sweetie don’t worry about the mirror. Let’s take a look at that hand.” Piper was holding a clean towel and Phoebe stood and followed her sisters into her room.

Piper spoke again, “It doesn’t look like any of them are too deep. But you need to keep it bandaged.”

“That’s fine it will go with the other one.”

Prue had been cleaning and bandaging her other wound while Piper worked on her hand. Piper felt immense sadness from Phoebe. Phoebe knew Piper could feel it.

“Piper, when will I feel normal again?”

“Not today Phoebe, not tomorrow, maybe not soon, but you will, that much I promise you. You will be with a man; you will be able to fall in love. You will look at yourself again someday and think that you are a beautiful person, a sexy, vibrant person who deserves to be treated with respect. You will feel all of that again.”

Prue wanted Piper and Phoebe to have this time alone to bond over the thing they had in common.

“Hey, I’m going to go downstairs and make some hot chocolate. Do you guys want some?”

Phoebe was again thankful for Prue’s knowledge of what she needed. Prue knew that she and Piper needed to talk about what was to come. And Prue also knew that Piper had a rough time talking about it. So Prue left the room and Phoebe and Piper buckled into a heart wrenching conversation.

It had been two months since the day Phoebe Halliwell had been attacked by Tom Kirkland. She still had horrible nightmares, all of which Prue saw, and she still was afraid to be alone. Prue couldn’t really blame her for that, after all Tom had been out on bail the entire two months. The evidence hearing would be held in two days and it would only be a week before the actual trial. Phoebe’s name had managed to stay out of the papers, but the case hadn’t. Everyday in the metro section there was something new about Tom Kirkland. He was a politician’s nephew. He was rich. He was an all-around American male. He was the most sought after bachelor in San Francisco. The word at the magazine where Prue worked was that whoever the girl was must have set him up for money because there was no way he’d have to rape anyone.

Prue hadn’t repeated any of that to Piper and Phoebe. She knew it was just air-headed office help not knowing how to handle that sort of news. There was no reason to put those ideas into Phoebe’s head. She had been dealing so well with not blaming herself. Piper had been an amazing support in that. Piper and Prue had gone back to work after a week. Phoebe had tried to go back to classes, but she felt as though everywhere she went alone she was being followed. Prue wasn’t so sure she wasn’t being followed. Tom had not skipped town and had in fact hired the best most expensive lawyers in San Francisco. That worried Piper and Prue because the idea of Tom going without punishment burned them through and through. Prue knew she’d have to control her anger if he did go free.

Piper felt freer than she had in three years. Being able to discuss what happened to her in the manor made it less scary and made her more confident and in control. Phoebe had helped her see that about herself. Every night she and Phoebe would spend at least 30 minutes talking. It was free therapy for the sisters, and it was working.

Phoebe was growing less frightened and more angry. She wasn’t angry with herself, though. She focused her rage where it belonged, on Tom. And physically she focused it on SlamMan. Prue had mentioned to Piper that they’d have to get Phoebe a new one soon because several of the lights on it were broken. Piper was glad to see her baby sister once again taking an active interest in protecting her life.

“Yeah, Piper. I think my life is definitely worth saving,” Phoebe had told her when Piper had asked her why she was slamming SlamMan to death. Piper had nodded in pride and relief that Phoebe was taking care of herself.

Prue had also noted that Phoebe had gained a little of the sparkle in her eyes that had always been there. She, too, was proud of Phoebe’s progress. It had only been two months and Phoebe was well on her way to recovery.

Only Phoebe knew that she wasn’t as far along in progress as they thought.

The indictment hearing was closed to the public but the sisters were allowed to attend if they so wished. Prue and Piper had left it up to Phoebe to decide whether or not to go. Phoebe thought about it long and hard before she gave them an answer. She did indeed want to attend the pretrial hearing. She wanted to be there when the judge told Tom Kirkland that he would have to face a jury on an indictment of kidnapping and rape in the first degree. Phoebe knew that seeing his face so closely in court was going to be a nightmare. All that she had been trying to get past in the last two months came flooding back to her. Tomorrow morning, she thought, I’ll be in the same room with the monster who attacked me and carved letters into my skin. She had been sleeping by herself for a good month. But that night before the pretrial hearing she waited until she thought Prue was asleep and then crawled into bed with her, just needing to feel her sister beside her.

Prue was awake when she felt someone crawl into bed with he. She could tell by the smell of fresh shampoo that it was Phoebe who had been in the shower just 15 minutes earlier. Prue didn’t mind. She had almost grown accustomed in he life to having one of her little sisters around all the time. And she knew Phoebe needed her more than ever tonight, the night before she was to come face to face again with the Devil.

Phoebe felt Prue’s arm wrap around her. Prue had been awake after all. Phoebe snuggled close to her sister. She felt like she was 10 years old again, looking for Prue to take away the woogie-man nightmares. But she knew instead that she would be giving Prue a nightmare. She was sorry for that, but it had helped to have Prue there in her nightmares. Prue had learned to control the situation, to talk Phoebe out of the dark. Phoebe knew, with her big sisters by her side tomorrow, she would be just fine.

“Prue?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too Phoebe.”

It had been a few hours since she had heard Phoebe creep into Prue’s room. She was so glad they were so close these days. They were all closer than they had ever been. Having no secrets from each other kept them with no barriers. She walked softly out of her room and stood in the hallway just outside of Prue’s room, she leaned against the door frame and watched her sisters sleep. She felt that now familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach and knew that Phoebe was beginning to have a nightmare. She could see Phoebe’s face from the hall light. Phoebe’s forehead was wrinkled with tension, her eyes moved swiftly back and forth beneath her lids. She looked to Prue next. Her eyes, too, were moving. Piper thought she saw a tear escape from Prue’s tightly shut eyes. Piper did see Prue pull Phoebe closer to her and hold her more tightly. Piper was glad she didn’t have to see what Phoebe had been through, but she was glad they didn’t have to go through this without her. With that thought she ran to the bathroom and threw up. Their pain was too much for her stomach to handle. She prayed it would all be over soon.

Prue, Piper, and Phoebe sat together on the front row with Phoebe in the middle. Both of her sisters could feel Phoebe trembling when Tom Kirkland walked in the door. Phoebe felt his eyes on her and she refused to look at him. She could fell that Prue was glaring at him ready to kill. Piper seemed to stop breathing and Phoebe looked at her to be sure her sister was still taking in air. She had never seen her sister so pale before. Piper was stealing glances at Tom and didn’t notice Phoebe’s eyes on her. She felt her heart skip a beat when she saw him. It couldn’t possibly be. Fate was not that cruel. But his eyes, that smile. It was him.

Phoebe couldn’t decipher the look on Piper’s face so she elbowed Prue in the ribs to get her attention. Prue looked to Phoebe and then to what Phoebe’s attention was focused on. Piper, trembling almost as badly as Phoebe, sat with her hands clenched in her lap. Phoebe reached for Piper’s hands and Piper was jerked back into the courtroom from whatever reality she had been visiting.


He looked back at the sisters. Could it be her, his lovely Halliwell? Still in his pocket was the black satin souvenir. Boy are they in for a surprise today, he thought. He looked again at the sisters. The oldest one was glaring at him. His Phoebe was shaking at the thought of him, he loved that, and the other one…Piper, she looked so much like his first. His first victim. It had been a compulsive decision, but it had been the beginning. He would always remember his first, there in that house on the hill…it was her, that house. He had been so entangled in obsessing about Phoebe that he had forgotten about his first completely, it was in that house where Phoebe lived. No surely not, I was a bit tipsy that night, maybe it was somewhere near there. But then she does look so much like the first doesn’t she? Surely fate wouldn’t be this good to him. To let him have sisters. No. It had to be someone else.

The trial took only one hour and 30 minutes. The sisters didn’t understand a lot about what was said. They saw the evidence passed from the prosecutor’s table to the judge. Phoebe turned red with embarrassment as her torn red dress and her black underwear were passed in little plastic bags to the judge’s table and submitted as evidence. The prosecutor was allowed to present it’s evidence first and then the defense would present any arguments they had. The prosecutor turned over the medical records of positive semen DNA identification and the pictures the doctor’s had taken. They turned over Phoebe’s sworn statement and video of the lineup. Prue felt pretty victorious for Phoebe. The evidence against Tom Kirkland was overwhelming. He was going down.

The defense took their turn. The sisters felt their hearts stop when the defense presented testimony of a lab screw up when DNA-specifying the evidence. It was when the defense announced that due to a technicality their client could not possibly be held for trial now or ever and the judge agreed that Phoebe went ballistic. She stood up and started yelling to the judge,

“Please don’t do this to me! Please! Look at the evidence your honor, it’s all true, you know it don’t you, I see it on your face!! You can’t just let him walk, you can’t let him do this again to me or to anyone else.”

“Order young lady, please. The law is the law. I have no choice but to obey it to the fullest extent and make sure this man gets his full rights.”

It was Prue who stood up next.

“HIS RIGHTS!?!?!? What about my sister’s rights? Or did those stop counting when that bastard threw her in his truck and violently raped her?”

“I will not have that kind of outburst in my courtroom young lady. Now settle down.”

Prue sat down again in complete shock that the man that hurt her sister would be walking around free, Free to hurt another girl or worse to come after Phoebe again. Oh he’ll die for that, she thought, as she gently put her forehead against Phoebe’s forehead and whispered, “It’s going to be okay, Phoebe, we’ll find away.”

Piper could contain herself no longer, she ran from the courtroom, tears falling at her feet as she went. Phoebe stared ahead very aware that Tom Kirkland was eyeing her. Prue was torn between running after Piper and staying with Phoebe. She thought it would be best if she stayed with Phoebe. She didn’t want to chance anything with Tom in the courtroom. The judge dismissed everyone and went into his chambers. The lawyers, defense and prosecution, gathered to discuss other cases and Tom, without moving his eyes from Phoebe, caught up to the sisters as they were heading out the doors.

“Hello Phoebe,” He whispered into her ear from behind. Phoebe jumped with fear and Prue immediately pushed Phoebe behind her, protecting her with her body and soul.

“Listen, Kirkland, you won, okay? Leave her alone. Just go elsewhere and live your life. Leave Phoebe alone or else I will hunt you down and kill you.”

“Oh? Threatening me are you, Miss Halliwell, or shall I call you Prue? You see I would leave your sister alone, but I don’t know which one you mean. You see I’ve had them both, I believe.”

Prue could feel her shock creep across her face and knew that Kirkland could probably see it too. She could feel Phoebe move closer to her to hear what was being said as the words were spoken in hushed whispers.

“What do you mean Kirkland?”

“Oh yes, dearest Prue, I wasn’t sure at first, she looks so much different now. But she was my first. I had my first victim in the hallways of your precious manor. She was so good, such a fighter. Of course nothing like the fighter my darling Phoebe is here.”

He reached out and managed to touch Phoebe’s hair before Prue smacked his hand away. Prue could hear Phoebe whimper behind her at Kirkland’s touch. She thought about Piper. Was he saying the truth? Had it been him in the manor that night, the one who had attacked Piper in their home? God couldn’t be that cruel.

“Don’t look so shocked Prue, surely you she told you about our tryst. How she flirted and flirted as we danced on that crowded floor. How she touched me, teased me and then left me standing there alone in that club longing for her. She was a tease, Prue. What is she the middle child? Yes well I had her. She made me this monster. Think about it. If she had turned me into the police that night, I might not have been able to take your baby sister here and make her mine.”

He watched them leave. So happy about the shock he delivered to the oldest sister. He had taken what she loved the most and destroyed their hearts and souls. That was such an added bonus. Oh he was going to have so much fun making their lives a living hell. At least until it was time to take one of them again.

Prue and Phoebe burst through the justice hall doors onto the steps of the courthouse. Phoebe gasped for air. Prue could see that she was near hyperventilation so she took Phoebe’s hand and led her to a bench just off the sidewalk. They sat and Phoebe cried. Prue’s mind was turning in the information that had just been handed to her by a sadistic maniac. She couldn’t let herself believe that Tom Kirkland had gotten to both of her sisters and she hadn’t been able to protect either of them. She laid her head in her hands and took a deep breath. It was then that she heard Phoebe.

“How Prue? How could he have done this to her, too?”

Prue had no answer. She couldn’t even think straight.

“Come on Phoebe, we have to find Piper. We have to ask her if it’s true. We can’t take that bastard’s word for it.”

Phoebe sat a moment longer. She wasn’t sure if she could handle walking. But she did. She stayed close to Prue as they scanned the area around the courthouse looking for their sister. After a few minutes of looking, Phoebe saw her sitting on a bench across the street.

“Prue, there she is.”

Prue followed Phoebe outstretched arm and pointing finger to a figure that was sitting on a bench. She was sitting with her head in her hands, elbows on knees, much the same way Prue had been just minutes earlier. Her heart sank when she saw that it was indeed Piper and that she was crying. Phoebe and Prue slowly made their way across the street toward the small frame that sat trembling. Phoebe was the first to reach out and lay a hand on Piper’s head.

“Hey sis. Would you like a ride home?”

Piper looked up and her tear soaked eyes met Phoebe’s.

“I would like that very much.”

The three of them rode home in silence while they collected their thoughts. Piper looked at Phoebe in the back seat. She was staring out the window chewing her bottom lip as she often did when she was nervous. With the past two months Piper was surprised that Phoebe hadn’t chewed a hole through her lip yet. Then she turned her attention to Prue, who drove with one hand on the steering wheel and the other propping her head up, elbow on the windowsill. She could see Prue’s forehead and saw the lines of tension and perplexity written across it. She was worried that Prue knew. How would that be possible, she thought, surely they don’t know that Tom Kirkland had done the same thing to her as he did to Phoebe. They have to think that I ran out of there because I couldn’t stand what was done to my baby sister, which for the most part, she thought, is true. Piper felt it the instant she realized Tom was the man from three years ago. She knew that if she had handled things differently then, they wouldn’t be here, like this now. She truly believed that if she had gone to the police then, Tom Kirkland wouldn’t have been the free man that the judge just made him.

She felt a hand cover hers on the console of the SUV. Her grip relaxed and she allowed herself to take the comfort that was offered in that simple gesture. She nodded while looking ahead not making eye contact with the person that held her hand. She knew it was Prue. She knew her older sister knew. She also knew that they had to find a way to get over this without blaming themselves.

Phoebe let a single tear slide down her face as she watched the very simple, very meaningful interaction between her sisters. Tom definitely deserved to die. He deserved to die for stealing a piece of Piper’s soul, for tearing into her world like he tore into hers.

The manor was dark when they got home. Prue immediately turned on the lights. Phoebe looked at the grandfather clock in the living room. 4:58pm. She hated this time of day. She rubbed the back of her neck and then plopped onto the sofa. Piper sat next to her and Prue took a seat in the chair. Phoebe looked from sister to sister and saw that once again she’d be the first to speak.

“So…are we going to talk about it or not?”

Piper nodded her head yes, and shifted uncomfortably.

“How did you know?” Piper asked nervously.

“That your attacker is Tom Kirkland?” Prue asked wanting so badly for Piper to deny it. But she knew what she wanted she would not get.

“Yes, how did you know that Tom was the man that came here that night three years ago? It couldn’t be just because of me running from the courtroom.”

It was Prue who spoke again.

“After you ran out, Phoebe and I were leaving the courtroom and he came up to us.”

“Kirkland? He spoke to you?”

“Yes, he spoke directly to me about Phoebe, but about you as well.”

“Then he remembers?”

“Yes, he told us that you were his first victim. Right there in the open admitted that he raped you and that he raped Phoebe, and yet he gets to walk out, a free man.”

“I’m sorry, Phoebe, Prue. I should have told you guys what happened to me, when it happened to me. I should have went to the police.”

“Piper, remember what we said about the shoulda, coulda, woulda’s? Huh? We aren’t playing that remember? What happened, happened and we aren’t blaming you for this. Phoebe and I do not blame you.”

Phoebe could hear them talking, saying her name, saying his name. She heard them but said nothing. Instead she focused her attention on a vase that sat on the coffee table. It was bright pink with flowers sprinkled on it. Such a happy vase, Phoebe thought, her mind focusing its energy on that vase. Such a damn happy vase. In a flash of anger and confusion, Phoebe grabbed the vase from the table and threw it into the far wall. It shattered into a thousand little pieces. She could hear silence now. They were looking at her, she knew. And all she could do was smile. Damn that felt good, she thought. I needed that.

She turned to Prue and Piper who were looking at her with deepest concern on their faces. She smiled wildly at them, knowing that Kirkland could go ahead and come after her again, she was ready. He could come after Piper or Prue but he would never make it past her alive. She was angry, and it scared Prue and Piper.

“I feel much better now. Sorry about the vase Prue.”

“Yeah, that’s okay Phoebe. I never really liked it much anyway.”

Prue was more than worried about her little sister. It was so unlike Phoebe.

“Phoebe, are you this angry with me?” Prue looked at Piper who had asked the question in the smallest voice. Prue could see Phoebe’s anger die and the ice melt. Phoebe hadn’t realized what they had been talking about.

“What? No, Piper. No. Why would I be angry with you? I love you.”

“But Phoebe I let him go. I allowed him to do this to you by not getting him put in jail.”

“Piper, if I hadn’t been living here with you guys, and hadn’t been so close to you when this happened I might not have gone to the police either.”

Piper nodded her head. She knew it was a vicious circle, the blame game. She thought about the bartender at work, Tom Kirkland’s friend, the one who had told Piper they needed to set up Tom and Phoebe. What a small world it was, she thought, if only I had insisted on meeting Tom before he took Phoebe out. She sighed heavily.

“So are we all okay here?” Piper wanted so badly to be reassured of their bond as sisters.

“I think we’re as okay as we’re going to be. Phoebe, how about you?”

“I think as long as we stay this close in our hearts and always are able to talk openly about it then we’ll be fine.”

Piper felt something strange in her heart. It wasn’t something she was used to in the two months since they had gained their connection. It was peace. It was perfectly, pleasant peace.


Through the window he could see them. If he wanted he could walk right in the front door. He was almost sure that they hadn’t remembered to lock it. He decided to wait for the wee hours of dark to make his move. He would wait until they were asleep and vulnerable. He would wait until she was alone.

They slept in Prue’s room that night. At least, Prue and Piper slept. Phoebe had been awake, not daring to breathe listening for him to come into the house. She had seen him earlier outside the window and had turned off the connection so her sisters would not feel it. He hadn’t known that he had been discovered. She could tell that much. She knew he was planning to hurt one of them, she felt it. But she wasn’t sure if it would be her or Piper. She didn’t think it would be Prue, surely Kirkland wasn’t that stupid.

The squeaking of the front door interrupted her thoughts. She had left it unlocked on purpose. Giving him the easiest access into the manor. She was more than ready for him. She slipped out of the bed quietly and crept to the top of the stairs. She saw his shadow against the foyer wall. He was moving toward the stairs. Phoebe’s heart pounded. She was scared, ready, but scared. If her plan backfired he’d have an easy time getting her out of the house and back to his car. Phoebe had thought seriously about using magic to do away with him, but she knew from the Cal Greene experience that she couldn’t do it that way. She’d have to get him on sheer human willpower. He was walking up the stairs now.


He saw her walking into her bedroom. “Tired of sleeping with your big sisters are you?” He finished walking up the last few stairs and paused outside of Prue’s room. He saw Prue and Piper lying in the bed. He thought for a minute. He changed his plan. He took out a handkerchief that was covered with a noxious liquid. Chloroform. He had used it on a number of victims before. And he would use it tonight to implement plan B.


“What’s taking him so long,” she thought huddled in the corner behind her open door. She peered out of the crack and saw him walk into Prue’s room. “Oh, no, no, no, no. Not that way. You aren’t supposed to go after them. Damn you. Phoebe knew her plan had failed. She would have to wait until the opportunity came for her to act.


He would get Phoebe in a minute. He was enjoying the idea of his new plan far too much to worry with Phoebe Halliwell. He wanted to hurry though because he didn’t want to wait too long for the chloroform to wear off. He stood towering over the bed. He looked down and gently placed a hand on Piper’s cheek. God, he thought, her skin feels as good as it did three years ago. He laid the handkerchief over her mouth and watched as she opened her eyes briefly before passing out again.


Phoebe continued to watch through the crack of the door. She saw movement at Prue’s door. Then she saw Kirkland carry Piper into the hallway and lay her down on the floor. Phoebe thought it strange at first and then she realized the significance. The hallway where Piper was raped was just a few feet from Phoebe’s door, right where Piper rested. Now what is he doing, she asked herself as she watched him returning to Prue’s room. Phoebe started to shake as she watched him return to the hallway carrying an obviously unconscious Prue. Phoebe had never seen her older sister look so vulnerable. She had to stop him.


As he laid the oldest sister down in the hallway, he heard a noise coming toward him. It was Phoebe. Oh, my darling Phoebe, he thought, you’re ready for the game. She ran right into him knocking him over as they tumbled together dangerously close to the stairs. He was surprised at her ferocity at first and recovered quickly as she stood and charged him again. This time he stopped her as easily as he would a child. He picked her up and slammed her into the wall knocking a picture onto the floor. The glass shattered. He saw that she was struggling to get up again. And before she had a chance to, he slammed her against the wall for the second time. This time she went down.


She came to and felt the ropes against her hands and the duct tape on her face. Before her vision was even clear she began to cry. When she finally managed to see, she cried harder. She was in Prue’s room. She and Piper were sitting next to each other on the floor; both were bound and gagged. On the bed was Prue, bound and gagged as well. Piper leaned into Phoebe trying to comfort her at the sight of their oldest sister being helpless. Kirkland sat on the bed facing the youngest Halliwells while holding a knife to Prue’s neck.

“Good evening ladies. I’m glad you could come to and join us.”

Phoebe wanted to beg him not to hurt Prue. But she could only mumble.

“What’s that little one? You want me to not hurt your big sister here? Well, now isn’t that a shame that you don’t want to watch. Too bad, Phoebe. You and Piper were so good I had to try out the third. And Piper, Piper, Piper. My sweet first. It’s all thanks to you, you know? So, thank you. If it weren’t for you I wouldn’t be the sadistic creature I am. And tonight I’m going to do the cruelest thing I can do to you.”

He leaned close to Piper and kissed her on the cheek. She flinched at the smell of his breath.

“Oh, yes sweetie, that’s bourbon you smell, your favorite as I remember it. And do you by chance know what the cruelest thing I can do to you two is?”

He leaned close to Phoebe’s face and touched her shoulder where his mark had been made, then moved his hand to roughly touch her breasts. He stopped and stood again.

“Did you think it was to have you again? Well, now you don’t know yourselves like I know you. The cruelest thing I could do to you would be to have your big sister right here in front of you.”

With that he turned toward the bed. Prue could see the look on his eyes clearly now that she was awake, she glanced toward her two sisters and saw the panic and pain on their faces. There was no way Prue was going to let Kirkland hurt her or her sisters anymore. She was going to use her eyes to work her power. She was going to send him across the room as much as it took. She braced herself and just as she was about to do it, her world went dark. She was not unconscious but she could not see anything.

Piper’s heart sank when Tom Kirkland put the blindfold over Prue’s eyes. She could tell by the look Prue gave her that she was going to use her power to stop him. But Prue couldn’t use her power with a blindfold on. And all their hands were tied behind their backs. They were officially powerless against him.

“Oh, what ladies? You don’t like the blindfold thing? I thought it added a little touch of class. Besides I hear it intensifies the experience. What do you think?”

He began to take off Prue’s nightgown. Prue was screaming beneath her gag. Phoebe could tell. She couldn’t watch. She wouldn’t watch.

“Oh no, Phoebe, do not close your eyes! Do you hear me!?! I have made this new plan just for you. I have taken the strongest people you know and made them weak. And you will watch what I do to your sister or I will take this knife and I will slit your throat.”

Phoebe opened her eyes and saw he held the knife to her heart. She shook her head no and closed her eyes again. She’d rather be dead than have to see what he was about to do.

“I said open them damn it. Open them.”

She did not budge. He raised the knife into the air and began the descent down toward Phoebe’s heart. It was slow motion to Piper. Phoebe could feel that she was about to die,

That’s when she heard the gunshot. She opened her eyes to see Tom Kirkland lying, eyes open, on the floor. He was dead. Her plan had worked after all. She had called the police when she had slipped into her room. She wasn’t sure why it had taken them so long but at least they had made it on time. In the doorway stood Daryl, gun in hand. He surveyed the room and Phoebe could tell he was saddened by what he saw and what he knew they had just barely escaped.

He untied Phoebe first who in turn untied Piper and together they took off the ropes that held Prue. They cried together for a long time. They looked in amazement to one another. They had survived what many thought was unsurvivable.

The next four days were spent answering police questions, and talking about what had happened. Phoebe admitted to Prue and Piper that she had seen Kirkland in the window that night and had planned to trap him. She knew that he was going to try to kill her that night, she had seen it in a vision. Prue had asked why she hadn’t seen it too, and Phoebe admitted that she had turned off the connection. Prue and Piper didn’t mind it now that Tom Kirkland would never hurt anyone again. They had all wanted him dead and they for once got what they wanted. Daryl was cleared of any wrongdoing. His supervisors called it justifiable homicide, killing in the line of duty to protect a life.

Life was still hard for the sisters but after a month or so they had settled back into normal routines, and demon battling. They enjoyed every moment they could together. Leo and Piper’s relationship continued to be strong, if not stronger, after she told him everything that had happened to her. Prue had started dating again, but still hadn’t found the right guy. Phoebe had not yet felt safe enough to go out with anyone yet, but she was sure that someday she would.

It was a night they had planned to get together. The three sisters. They had grown so close over the ordeal that they hated spending too much time apart. So they had set a night aside to bond. They were going to have dinner and then an all-nighter of movies and corny jokes. Piper was making dinner while Prue poured them some wine. Prue looked at her youngest sister and saw a look on her face that she wasn’t sure she had seen before. Phoebe was quiet, as she often was these days. Prue watched as Phoebe stepped out the kitchen door into the waning afternoon. She tapped Piper on the shoulder and they watch Phoebe sit on the grass looking up at the sunset. They took the wine outside and sat next to Phoebe, handing her a glass.

“What’s on your mind, Pheebs?” Piper was worried.

“Yeah, sis, what’s this look on your face?”

Phoebe smiled her famous half smile and looked from Prue to Piper and then to the sky again. She took a deep breath and exhaled watching the afternoon become night.

“That my dearest sisters, is the look of contentment. One mortal man almost destroyed our souls, by taking away things that we’ll never get back. But he gave us something that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”

Prue and Piper looked at her slightly perplexed, definitely curious.

“What’s that Phoebe?”

“He gave us this.”

She was still looking at the sky where stars seemed to form from nothingness.

“He gave us astronomy?” Prue was joking.

“No silly. He gave us this.”

She pointed to her heart.

“Can’t you feel it Piper? Can’t you see it Prue?”

They closed their eyes, and the strangest thing happened. Their lives flashed in front of them, the three of them, as babies, as children, adolescents, and adults. Then they felt it as Phoebe did. They felt what they had been given. They felt the strongest love that would ever be, that of a sister.


It was a Friday night. The wind swept the trees that loomed above Phoebe’s head. She knew a storm was brewing, she had seen it hours earlier, but she gave no thought to it. She knew it would be no light storm, and she wasn’t worried. She was safe on the lawn of the manor, her sisters sitting next to her watching the clouds roll in. She had learned one thing over the last three months. For every action there are consequences and Tom Kirkland had gotten his.