DISCLAIMER: I'm getting sick of doing this, but if you've seen them, I don't own them.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: If you want this story to make complete sense, then please read 'Wedded Bliss……But For How Long?' and 'The Power of Three' in their respective order. This is most probably the final story in my series.

Agonizing months have gone by since the fateful day that Phoebe was so tragically taken away. But to those who held her dear, the painful memory continues to tear at their hearts.
It was a bright sunny afternoon, but Piper Wyatt barely noticed it. To her, these were the darkest days of her life, and she knew they wouldn't get any lighter. The one person who could light up any situation no matter how bleak, with just a smile or a hug, was no longer a part of her life, or for that matter, any life. That was why, today, Piper was at the cemetery visiting the graves of her mother, grandmother and most of all, her baby sister. She stood in front of the tombstone and closed her eyes, tilting her head upwards. "Angel, what are you doing right now?" she asked softly, as the words of a familiar song drifted into her thoughts.
When I think back on these times,
And the dreams we left behind
I’ll be glad coz I was blessed to
Get to have you in my life,
When I look back on these days,
I’ll look and see your face
You were right there for me."
"I am truly blessed, Pheebs. I always felt so much closer to you than anyone else, all the rainy days we spent together…the walks in the park or at the beach. Anytime I needed cheering up, you were always there with a ready smile and hug, or some joke."
In my dreams I’ll always see you soar above the sky
In my heart there’ll always be a place for you for all my life.
I’ll keep a part of you with me,
And everywhere I am there you’ll be
And everywhere I am there you’ll be
"You were always an angel in my eyes, and now you really are one…You once told me that we live forever in the hearts of those we leave behind…but why do I feel like I'm dying inside?"
Well, you showed me how it feels,
To feel the sky within my reach
And I always will remember,
All the strength you gave to me
Your love made me make it through,
Oh I owe so much to you
You were right there for me
"You showed me how to see and appreciate the good things in life, and not to let the bad ones get me down. You were never afraid to hang out with me in high school just because everyone thought I was a geek…you used to tell them off straight out…Prue stuck up for me, but she was too busy with her social life to really understand. But you…you preferred to be with me more than anywhere else…and you always said so?quot;
In my dreams I’ll always see you soar above the sky
In my heart there’ll always be a place for you, for all my life
I’ll keep a part of you with me
And everywhere I am there you’ll be
"You know that you'll always have a place in my heart…you always did and you always will…The only thing that keeps me going is that I know you want me too…I know you're watching and that you're with me…with all of us."
Coz I always saw in you my light, my strength
And I wanna thank you now for all the ways,
You were right there for me
You were right there for me, oh yeah.
"You were my light in the dark…the one person who could always cheer me up…not just while we were growing up…but even after we became witches. You gave me strength and confidence to believe in myself because you believed in me. You always told me how much you needed me…that made me feel so important…you were a wonderful person…and to think that I meant so much to you…it felt so good, still does."
In my dreams I’ll always see you soar above the sky
In my heart there’ll always be a place for you, for all my life
I’ll keep a part of you with me
And everywhere I am there you’ll be
And everywhere I am there you’ll be
There you’ll be."
"I love you, Pheebs. I miss you so much."
*****
Prue Haliwell stood on the Ocean Cliff, at the spot Phoebe had once shown them, saying it was where Jamie had proposed to her. Prue stared out intently to sea, as she watched the waves crashing against the rocks and the dolphins playing in the distance. It was almost half a year since Phoebe had died, and yet the aching in her heart had not subsided at all. She knew it never would. As she thought about her baby sister, she couldn't help thinking about a movie she had recently seen. She remembered the words of a particular song-like lullaby and had to smile. If anyone had ever sung that to Phoebe, they would never be disappointed.
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat, but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted,
"That's you, baby girl. Always full of surprises…never getting tired, never letting go, never satisfied and always pushing for more. You always rushed into life, almost afraid you wouldn't get another chance."
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance, I hope you dance.
"If something stood in your way, you'd go round it, over it, or just knock it down…nothing could stop you. You were untamable, just like a wild horse, a magnificent, graceful and powerful creature that lived only for freedom…that was you."
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
"You were never afraid of anything…only when you very young. As you grew older…if you were, I don't know of what…coz you never told anyone. It was that or you had an incredible amount of faith. You've never backed down on anything…never chosen the easy way out…I thought differently until I realized why you went away. You always said 'life is a challenge', and so you always took chances…explored life to learn from experience rather than hear it from other's."
Loving might be a mistake
But it's worth making
Don't let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling-out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above more then just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance,
I hope you dance, I hope you dance.
"You were always filled with so much love, for nature, for animals, for us, for everyone, and most of all, for life itself, and even when it hurt, it never stopped you from loving. After everything I said to you about Roger…the last thing you said to me before you left was 'I'm sorry, but I love you.' How can one person have such a big heart? Even after Jamie, it hurt you so much inside, but you found it in you to love again…to keep going. You ran away from us once, but something made you stop and turn back. There are times when things get so hard for you, and you want to quit, but something about you can't…won't let you. I can't believe how wrong I was about you."
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance,
Dance, I hope you dance. I hope you dance, I hope you dance
I hope you dance
"You had so much faith in everything, in yourself, in me and Piper. You believed in us so much more than we believed in ourselves…you pushed Piper to follow her dream…and you helped make it a reality. You showed me that life shouldn't just be lived for the sake of living it, but to enjoy…that's what you did…you lived life to the fullest and made sure you enjoyed it. You never missed out on anything. Not a single dance…no matter how tired or exhausted you might have been, you still danced, danced like you would never dance again…and even now, I can still see you dance up in the clouds in my heart…and I hope you never stop."
*****
Price Haliwell stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror in the former guestroom at Haliwell Manor that was now her room. The image that stared back sent a pang of guilt through her heart. If not for the piercing blue eyes and dark brown hair, she would be identical to her deceased twin, and she knew that every time Prue and Piper saw her, they were painfully reminded of Phoebe. Prue and Piper seemed to have dragged them forward through the days, but their minds were still locked in the memories of the past. They had discovered that the Power of Three spells worked with Price, but Price knew that her older sisters had lost the spunk and enthusiasm of vanquishing demons, and only did it because they had to. Price missed the sister she had only known for a month, but something about it disturbed her. Reaching into a drawer in her dresser, Price pulled out the thick manila folder she had found under the mattress in her twin's bed. The folder contained all details of Price's past, from birth records to foster home addresses. Price had been greatly surprised and curious as to why her twin had this information, but out of instinct she had chosen to refrain from telling Prue and Piper about her findings. Putting the folder back in its place, she stood up and checked her make up before starting out of the room to go to P3.
Before she went downstairs, she made a detour to Phoebe's room. She opened the door, and even after so long, half-expected to see her twin inside. She ventured inside cautiously and sat down on the neatly made, bed glancing around the room. Prue and Piper had decided to leave the room as it was, without disturbing or moving out anything, just giving it the occasional dusting. Otherwise, the room looked very much ordinary, except that the owner hadn't been in it for the past eight months, and was likely to do so never again.
Price sighed and blinked back an unwanted tear. Sometimes, she would wake up in the middle of the night, hearing noises from this room, only to find either Prue or Piper curled up on the bed, having cried them selves to sleep. Price knew that the bond Phoebe had had with them, especially Piper, was something very special, and she knew that it was a kind of bond, she would never have with either one of her older sisters. Phoebe's death had left them in a darkness that had forced them to close their hearts and push away even Bane and Leo. With another sad sigh, she stood up and straightened the sheets to remove any signs of her presence in the room, and then left, quietly closing the door behind her.
*****
That evening, while Piper was overseeing the smooth running of the club, Prue and Price were seated at the bar, sipping their drinks. Leo was away on whitelighter business, and Bane, Prue's fianc?was away on some work-related mission. After a while, Piper joined them and poured herself a martini mixed with a shot of her favorite tequila. Prue hid a frown and bit her lip. Ever since Phoebe's death, Piper had closed herself up, keeping to herself the emotional issues she usually confided in Phoebe, and instead of talking about her stress, she had started to take more alcohol. Piper didn't get drunk, but she tended to take more than she usually did. Piper took a long haul of her drink before surveying the room. Her eyes stopped at the entrance. "Kevin's here," she announced with a hint of surprise in her tone. Prue and Price turned round. They hadn't seen Kevin in over a month, and the last time they had, it had nearly broken Prue's heart. He looked so devastated and lost. He approached them, the vigor in his usually purposeful stride gone and his coffee-colored eyes, that had once always been bright and shining with a mischievous sparkle, were now dull and lifeless. He forced a fake smile as he greeted them, but he knew they weren't fooled. He could see it in their concerned expressions, but he could also see the pain they carried in their hearts, just like he did. "Long time," Prue commented. "Maybe the last," Kevin said, his eyes downcast. "What?" Piper asked, taken aback. He sighed deeply. "I'm transferring the company headquarters to New York, and as CEO I'll have to move too," he explained. "Why?" Price asked. "It'd probably be more successful there." "What's the real reason?" Prue asked quietly. Kevin looked away. "One year. It's been a year, and still…I just exist, I don't live anymore. She wouldn't want that…but as long as I'm in this city…I can't…it brings painful memories," he said softly. "What makes you think New York will help you forget?" Piper asked, a bit too harshly. "It won't, but I can't do this…I don't want to bail on you guys…but every time I see you, I see her…and it hurts so much. My apartment…my office…everything in San Francisco reminds me of her…just making tenfold the ache in my heart and its killing me…I just can't stand it anymore," he struggled to put into words what he was feeling. Prue placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know how you feel…we all do, but you can leave, we can't." "I don't ever regret meeting Phoebe or you, but fate sucks. It puts heaven in your hands and then just grabs it away leaving you empty," he said sorrowfully. They all nodded thoughtfully. He was right. Fate was cruel, very cruel. "When do you leave?" Price asked finally. "Two weeks from today…but I promise to visit you every month." "You think you can make it for a family dinner before you go. You are family," Piper requested softly. Kevin looked up at her face. Piper was the one person who he knew understood Phoebe better than anyone else. He nodded. "Of course. You know, I would strip my powers, but if I did, Phoebe'd kill me," he said, cracking a small genuine smile. Piper handed him a bottle of beer and a mug. He poured himself and then settled back to sip his drink. His eyes trailed towards the dance floor where many a night, he and his wife had spent moving to the beat and just enjoying each other's company. Some of their more intimate conversations had taken place there as well. It brought painful tears to his eyes. He knew he would never forget her, or ever be able to put his feelings for her behind, no matter how long it took, or where he was. He loved her with every inch of his heart and every ounce of his soul. It was a painful, but plain and simple truth, one that his heart would have to bear for eternity. His attention turned to the slow, mellow music that was playing and he fought back the lump in his throat.
There are times
I swear I know you're here
When I forget about my fears
Giving you my tears
Watching over me
My hope sees what the future will bring
When you wrap me in your wings
And take me where you are
Where you and I will be together once again
We'll be dancing in the moonlight just like we used to do
And you'll be smiling back at me
Only then will I be free
When I can be where you are
And I can see your face
Your kiss I still can taste
Not a memory away
Oh I see your star shining down on me
And I'd do anything
If I could just
Be right there where you are
Where you and I will be together once again
We'll be dancing in the moonlight just like we used to do
And you'll be smiling back at me
Only then will I be free
Only then will I be free
So take me where you are
Was she up there somewhere watching them? Could she see them slowly self-destructing? He hoped not, and if she was, he wished he could be different, but he was in too much pain. He couldn't pretend like it was there.
Baby, there are times when selfishly
I wish that you were here with me
So I could wipe the tears from your eyes and make you see
That every night while you are dreaming
I'm here to guard you from afar
And anytime I feel alone I close my eyes and
Just dream of where you are
Did she feel this way? Was she even on this plane in spirit form? Kevin wished he knew the answers, or at least where he could get them.
Where you are
Where you and I will be together once again
We'll be dancing in the moonlight just like we used to do
And you'll be smiling back at me
Only then will I be free."
****
That night, just as Prue, Piper and Price entered the manor very late, a swirl of blue orbs revealed Leo. His expression was grim, and they knew it was business. "We have trouble, big trouble headed our way." Prue sighed, Piper shook her head and Price frowned. "What, how, when and where?" Piper asked rhetorically as they all flopped down onto the couch. "Two brothers, Pleltoris and Zoblig. Extremely powerful, yet stupid," Leo began. "So, we just have to outsmart them," Price observed quietly. "Its not that simple! Don't even think like that!" Leo warned, harsher than he had meant to. They all fell silent, before Price spoke. "You're not the only one who misses her, Leo." Leo looked down and spoke softly. "I know, I'm sorry…They both have similar powers, the same one that Cretus had, blinking and a number of others. No one knows for sure which ones." The sisters shuddered. Cretus was the last demon they had faced when Phoebe was still alive; he was the demon that had killed their sister. Just to know that the fatal power that had ended their sister's life was possessed by the two demons they were about to face did not sit well with any of them. "There's not much we can do now. Let's get some sleep and tackle this first thing tomorrow," Prue suggested, starting for the stairs, Price following. Piper turned to Leo. "I'm sorry Piper. I'm going to check with other whitelighters and see what they know. Be careful?quot; Leo trailed off. Piper nodded in understanding and kissed him softly, before he disappeared, and then started for the stairs. By then, her sisters were already out of sight in their rooms. Piper knew she wasn't very sleepy, so she went up to the attic to retrieve the Book of Shadows and brought it down. Absently looking through it, she found herself heading for Phoebe's room. With a slight shake of her head, she put the Book on her sister's bed and sat down. She leaned back against the pillow and smiled at the still familiar smell of her sister's shampoo. Phoebe may be gone from their lives, but never from their heart, and this room would remain like this forever. Piper was glad. Phoebe's room was an escape from the painful reality. She could sit there and imagine that her sister was only at work because everything was in perfect order, but it wasn't. If Phoebe were here, she would be the one doing the research on the Internet or looking through the Book. Piper sighed, swallowing the lump in her throat and sat up again, starting to flip through the Book of Shadows. It wasn't long before she found something on their demons, but she was too tired to go across the hall to her room, and so she settled back on Phoebe's bed and closed her eyes. She fell asleep dreaming of happier memories of the times the sisters had slept together after all night crash parties in college.
******
Prue woke up unusually early the next morning. It was only 5 am. She had been having trouble sleeping because of the demon vanquishing they were supposed to carry out. This was the similar kind of feeling she had after Andy died, but she slugged on because she knew that the demons wouldn't stop and Phoebe wouldn't want them to give up. Prue smiled to herself. Her baby sister had been more of an influence on her life than she could ever admit. It was sad that she had only come to realize after her sister died. With a sigh, she rolled out of bed and still in her pajamas, stumbled up the stairs to the attic. She rolled her eyes when she saw the Book not on its stand. She wasn't alarmed because she figured that one of her sisters, most likely Piper, had already taken it down to do some checking. Prue's smile faded momentarily, as she remembered the many nights she'd walked in on Phoebe secretly doing the research while they slept. Phoebe had loved their craft with all her heart, just like everything else in her life, and it had got her killed. Prue shook the unhappy thoughts away, and poked her head round Price's door, only to have the same thoughts return. Price was sleeping peacefully, with some of her raven hair covering her face. Her sheets had been twisted and entangled round her body. Prue blinked back a tear as she closed the door behind her. The scene she had just witnessed was not unfamiliar at all. She used to see Phoebe like that all the time, and right now if it weren't for the black hair, it would have been just like that.
Prue paused outside Piper's door, wondering if Leo was around. She giggled slightly at the thought of walking in on them, while they were in the middle of the act. She turned the doorknob and peeked in cautiously and was almost disappointed when she found that the bed hadn't even been slept in. She closed the door and looked around for a moment. Piper was either downstairs or in Phoebe's room. Prue thought the latter was more likely as it was too early and that she heard no sounds from the kitchen. Prue quietly opened the door to her deceased sister's room and smiled slightly when she saw Piper curled up on the bed, the Book of Shadows open beside her. Prue entered and quickly closed the door behind her, seeming to be afraid of letting escape the essence of her sister's presence that had been maintained only in this room. She gazed around sadly. Everything looked perfect, the only thing missing was the rightful owner. She looked back at her sleeping sister and smiled, remembering how many times she'd found Piper and Phoebe together in this bed, snuggled close to each other whenever one of them was upset or sick. Or the times when the three of them had crashed on that bed because it was the furthest from Grams when they violated curfew. As the memories returned, so did the ache in her heart constantly reminding her that things would never be the same again. She sat next to Piper on the other side and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. Piper stirred and her eyes opened. "Prue?" "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you up. Just looking for the Book," Prue apologized. Piper rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up. "Its okay. I found something though." She glanced round the room and sighed, feeling her heart sink again. Prue seemed to sense this and squeezed her hand lightly. "I crash here quite often as well," she confessed. Piper smiled sadly. "We all used to, especially after parties," she said. "I miss her so..." Piper stopped, realizing that Prue had said the same thing at the exact same time. She looked up at her older sister. "Much," Prue finished quietly. "Me too, Prue. Me too." There was a long silence as neither of them spoke. "So, what did you find?" Prue asked finally. "Nothing on the demons, but there is a way to protect yourself from the…the...power," Piper said flinching at the memory. "How?" Prue asked, looking at the opened page. "Silver…that shouldn't be a problem," she conceded in a satisfactory tone. Piper pointed to the corner of the page. "The protection is most affective when the item to be used is a symbol of unity and strength," Prue read aloud. "Silver charms," she added thoughtfully. Piper suddenly glanced at her wrist. "What?" Prue asked immediately. Piper had slept in her clothes, and she held up her hand for Prue to see, a pained expression on her face. Prue closed her eyes for a moment, taking in a deep breath. Piper had just shown her the silver triquetra bracelet Phoebe had given her shortly after her wedding. Prue had received one just like that as well. "Silver. Unity. Strength. That fits the bill," Piper said slowly, slipping off the bracelet and turning it over tenderly to read the inscription she knew by heart. 'Sisters first and forever. Luv u always. Pheebs.' Prue watched her sister's eyes fill with tears, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Except Price doesn't have one," Prue told her softly. "No I don't, but this might do," Price said from the doorway. She held out a small silver pendant in the shape of a triquetra. "I've had this since I was a baby. I can't remember how I got it?quot; she explained, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Mum or Grams," Piper said with a gentle smile. "Yours is prettier though," Price said, admiring the bracelet, but seeing the pain in both her older sisters' eyes. "Phoebe had great taste," she added softly, forcing back the tears that threatened to fill her eyes. She squeezed both her sisters' hands and they smiled back, drawing her into a three-way hug.
****
"Okay, this is the place," Prue announced, as they pulled up outside an apartment complex in a bad side of the city. "Nice neighborhood," Price commented, earning amused and annoyed looks from her sisters. "What?" "Just like Phoebe. No wonder you're twins," Prue said with a somewhat sad smirk. They were yet to learn how wrong the latter part of that statement was. Price shrugged and followed them into the dark and dirty building. "Can't we come up against clean demons for once?" Piper grumbled. "They wouldn't be demons then. Even nice, normal men are not clean and tidy," Prue responded. Price raised her eyebrows. Her sisters had this dry humor dynamic just before facing a demon, and she found it amusing to watch from the sidelines than to join in. Piper only rolled her eyes in response as they stepped into the elevator. "Basement would be my usual guess," Prue said, pressing the floor button.
When the elevator doors opened, the sisters stepped out cautiously and were greeted by darkness and a musty smell. They walked carefully down the dark, cold hallway. Price pulled up her jacket collar. They could hear voices coming from further down. As they turned a corner, Prue stopped abruptly. A dim light lit the small room, and they could make out the silhouettes of two men. Hearing footsteps they stopped talking and spun round. "Well, well. What a pleasant surprise! The Charmed Ones!" one of them said with mock politeness. "Since you know who we are, care to introduce yourselves," Prue responded in a similar tone. "My name is Zoblig, and my brother here is Pleltoris!" he said. Pleltoris waved and grinned cunningly. "So, you're Prue, Piper and Phoebe…or is it Price," he taunted stepping closer. "Hmm…you're not as beautiful as your sister, but which one of you is a better woman so to speak," Zoblig added as he eyed Price in a bad way. Price felt disgust and fear run through her veins. "I must say…that I like brown hair better, especially golden brown…and seductive brown eyes…a gorgeous figure," Pleltoris was about to continue, when Piper kicked him in the crotches. She wasn't a fighter, but anyone start picturing her Phoebe like that wasn't going to get away with it. Too bad Kevin wasn't here, or he'd have beaten the pulp out of this bastard. "You will pay for that, witch!" he growled, picking himself up off the floor. He extended his arm and the same claw-like hand came out heading straight for Piper. She couldn't help but flinch, but the magic of the silver bracelet didn't fail them. Sure enough, the claw arm was suddenly thrown backward, as it was about to penetrate her skin. Piper heaved a sigh of relief, and heard her sisters do the same. Seeing their enemies momentarily distracted, Prue quickly surveyed the room for any weapons. He eyes fell on a silver awl encrusted with jewels. Using her powers, she sent it straight into Pleltoris's back. He screamed in pain as smoke swirled round him. His brother stared in horror, but he too began to scream in pain and disappear. A heavy silence ensued. "I only killed one of the," Prue stated, sounding confused. "They were brothers, probably twins who are connected," Price offered. "You mean like magical Siamese twins?" Piper said. Price shrugged. "We can check with Leo when we get back."
****
"Yeah, they have that kind of connection, so when you kill one of them, they both die," Leo said. He, the sisters, Kevin, Bane and Darryl were at the manor at the dinner party they were throwing for Kevin before he left. "It wasn't that bad. They were a pair of idiots, powerful, but stupid," Prue said with a smile that faded slowly. It was usually Phoebe who made the cracks on demons and her absence hung heavily in the air. Kevin shook his head and looked down at his hands. How could one person make such a huge impression on so many people's lives? It was incredible! But then again, he knew that Phoebe had been an amazing and incredible person. He sighed, and glanced around the room, knowing that everyone was thinking about her. "So, I hope we'll be seeing you again?" Darryl inquired from Kevin. He nodded firmly. "Definitely." Just then, the lights went out. "Great!" Piper exclaimed. "Its just this house," Price said, glancing out the window. They all turned, and saw that all the other houses across the street were lit up. "Probably just a fuse," Kevin offered nervously, standing up. "A torch?" "In the kitchen," Prue told him, also standing. "I have a bad feeling about this," Darryl muttered. Piper smacked his arm, trying to stay calm. "Hey, normal people do have blackouts too." "Yeah, but you're not normal." As he spoke, a swirling portal appeared on the wall in front of them. "Oh, not again! Anyone believe me now?" Darryl exclaimed. Instead of sucking them in, the portal let out a cowering hooded figure in a reddish cloak. Leo gasped sharply. "The Source!" "Ah, so the whitelighter knows who I am, does he?" he taunted in a menacing, cackling voice. Prue drew in a sharp breath. The leader of all evil in their own home was attacking them and they didn't even have the Power of Three, or did they?
She watched as Piper threw up her hands up, but nothing happened. "Your powers don't work on me, witch! And now, I will destroy not only the Charmed Ones, but their whitelighter as well. And the souls of another witch and mortal is not so bad either!" The Source roared.
He was about to continue his taunting when to everyone's surprise a swirl of purplish and golden orbs appeared several feet in front of the group. The orbs looked very much like when Leo appeared expect the magical mix of colors was more spectacular. Piper froze as the orbs gave way to reveal a slim, athletic figure that she would recognize anywhere. She heard the gasps of everyone else as they too struggled to believe their eyes. The somewhat familiar stranger's hands glowed a soft purple and it lit up her features. Even in the darkness, Prue could make out the golden brown shoulder length hair, the pointed chin and the slender figure that was so familiar to her. She was too stunned to form any words to voice her thoughts.
Piper stared in shock and confusion. The stranger was clad in black clothing. She was wearing tight black pants with stylish black Nike shoes and a black leather jacket. It was unmistakable. The stranger was indeed, PHOEBE!
The Source looked taken aback. "What…No, you're dead! Cretus destroyed you…it can't be!" he stammered in shock, for once voicing thoughts identical to those of his enemies. Phoebe didn't respond, she didn't even blink an eye, just stared at him, an unreadable expression on her face.
Price flinched in surprise. She had just tried to get an empathic reading from her 'sister', but had been met with the strongest barrier she had ever faced.
Realization dawned on the Source's face and he raised his hands up. "So, The Council has given you back a life as a petty whitelighter…It doesn't matter. I will destroy you all and take what I have come for!" With that, he unleashed an energy bolt in her direction. Phoebe didn't even flinch as it headed straight for her. She merely raised her glowing palm and absorbed the energy. "I'm no petty whitelighter!" she retorted bringing her open palms to her sides. The Source looked well and truly shocked and Prue almost wished she had her camera to capture the expression on his face. Whoever this stranger was, Phoebe or not, she was damn powerful. "No!" the Source yelled in fury, as this time he unleashed a continuous stream of magical energy from his palm. Phoebe released her own stream of equivalent energy, only hers was purple. The two opposite streams clashed in between, holding each other off at a standoff. With his free hand, The Source sent out another stream of energy heading straight for Piper. Phoebe deflected it with one of her own. The Source yelled in anger again, before looking upward and chanting, as thunder roared around him and winds howled. Phoebe tilted her head sideways. "Leo, get Piper out of here now!" she yelled above the noise. Leo didn't move. He still wasn't sure if he could trust this being, even if it looked like his deceased sister-in-law. "I don't know how much longer I can keep this up…just get her away. Take her up there…just go!" Something in her tone made Leo obey. Maybe it was the sternness, or maybe the heartfelt and earnest plea. He put his arms around Piper from behind and orbed away, but lingered above invisibly with her as they silently watched the scene unfold below them.
As the Source continued to chant with the wind howling round him, a red portal opened above him, sending a stream of magical energy into his body, which reinforced the one he was using against Phoebe. Phoebe's jaw tightened and she set it in a determined expression as she struggled to hold it off, but she knew she was losing. Keeping up with the stream of energy, Phoebe started chanting in a mystical tongue. Two more portals opened, one below Phoebe and the other above her, each one reinforcing her powers with strong jet streams of magical energy. And then to everyone's amazement, a stream from the portal opened by the Source also joined in the reinforcement. The force of the magical energy lifted Phoebe off the ground, leaving her levitating. She was gaining her own, and now the two forces were equal and neither looked like they were about to weaken. "You will pay for this! You may have won this battle, but there are many more to come!" he vowed in fury and defeat as his portal vanished and he too disappeared. The portals Phoebe had summoned stopped supplying the energy, and they too vanished. Calmness returned as the winds died down and the thunder stopped. Phoebe slowly floated back to the ground just as Piper and Leo orbed back in. Phoebe's expression was one of utter amazement and surprise as she looked down at herself. "I'm not dead," she uttered simply in disbelief. Uncertainly and hesitantly, Phoebe turned round to face her sisters, husband, friend and brother-in-law. They all stared back at her in stunned confusion and shock. "How? Wha?quot; Price was the first to break the silence. Phoebe jumped back as two more figures appeared in a blue light, different to orbing. She brought her hands up defensively. "We're the Guardians of Shalaman. Your presence is sought by the Council of Elders," one of them told her. "As is yours," the other said gesturing to Leo. Phoebe eyed them warily, but made no move to respond. "We've waited in training for centuries for your existence. Our duty is to serve and protect the rightful bearer of the Limpid of Shalaman," one of them explained. Phoebe still looked suspicious, but she lowered her hands. Wordlessly, the spectacular array of orbs surrounded her, and after that she was gone. The Guardians looked to Leo. He nodded, before vanishing in a swirl of blue orbs, leaving everyone else still confused and bewildered with the events that had taken place minutes earlier.
****
Almost two hours later, Prue, Piper, Price, Darryl and Kevin were in the living room of the manor, pacing about furiously for Leo's return with an explanation.
Piper put her head in her hands, as she comprehended the turmoil of emotions she was experiencing. What the hell happened? Who the hell was that? Phoebe? And what the hell had she become?
Kevin paced up and down the room as he mulled over his thoughts. Had he just seen the woman he loved as flesh and blood, alive? Or was that some maniac taking her physical form? If it was Phoebe, what was she? Why hadn't she shown up sooner?
Darryl meanwhile was still trying to believe it. Had he just seen Phoebe? The Phoebe who's mutilated body he had seen. The Phoebe who's funeral he had attended. And what the hell were those powers?
Price sat there trying process all the information. It was unbelievable!
Prue was still sorting through her feelings and her thoughts, just like Piper.
Little did they know that the explanation they were about to receive would be beyond their wildest dreams!
They all waited expectantly as the blue orbs appeared, announcing Leo's arrival, but they were somewhat taken aback when the purplish-gold orbs appeared alongside. Even though they had all seen it, now that Phoebe was standing before them in bright light, they were still surprised. Piper looked closer at this being that looked so much like her sister. She was Phoebe down to the tiniest detail, even the eyes and movements. The only thing different was the paler skin, from lack of sunlight, and the decidedly flat expression on her face. Phoebe sighed heavily, as she walked over to the window, avoiding everyone's gazes. "It’s a long story. And d…Victor should hear it," she said quietly. Prue eyed her with suspicion and she must have sensed it because Phoebe turned round briefly to meet eyes with her. "I know you don't trust me…but if I wanted to hurt you, I would have done it a long time ago…and I would've let the Source have his fun." Prue stared back at her, knowing what she said was true. They would all be dead by now, if 'Phoebe' or whatever hadn't intervened. But how did Phoebe know that she was thinking that way? Either this was a shape-shifting demon with incredible powers and insanity to challenge the Source, one that had been studying them for a while, or this was indeed her baby sister. With a sigh, she picked up the phone and left the room, not wanting to be overheard. Phoebe shook her head slightly, but turned back to the window, gazing aimlessly about, while she mulled up the revelations she was going to make, and the changes that would obviously follow.
Prue came back after making the call telling the others that Victor would arrive shortly, and they all lapsed into silence as they waited. That silence was broken by Kit, who wondered into the room limping slightly with a bloody gash on his hind paw. He meowed painfully and started towards Piper, but stopped shortly upon seeing Phoebe. He hissed slightly, but then cautiously approached her once he sensed who it was. Phoebe crouched in front of him with small smile. "Hey fella! Get into a fight did ya?" she asked softly. Kit meowed and stared at her face curiously. Phoebe held her hand out to him. Everyone else half-expected him to scratch her but instead, he licked it. Phoebe picked him up and placed a hand over his wound. Her hand glowed a soft purple and the blood and the gash on his fur disappeared. Kit looked back at his paw and shook it, and meowed again in surprise. Leo shook his head in surprise. Piper knew what he was thinking. Whitelighters can't heal animals, but Phoebe just did. Phoebe set Kit down again and stood up, returning her gaze to the window, but Kit wasn't about to throw away a chance of being pampered by his favorite mistress, whom he had missed out for so long. He hopped onto the window ledge and purred insistently. Phoebe turned her gaze towards him. Prue watched as Phoebe hooked her arm towards the cat, and then as Kit moved into it in a perfect position and gasped in surprise. That was a maneuver Kit only complied for with Phoebe. She and Piper could never get him to do it, and yet, this person had known how to do it, and the cat had accepted it. The more she watched the more Prue began to believe that somehow, this was the Phoebe she knew. She exchanged glances with Piper and knew that she was thinking the same thing.
Kit was still lavishing Phoebe's touch when Victor walked in. His jaw dropped in utter disbelief when he saw Phoebe. "Dad. Sit down," Prue told him quietly. Phoebe sighed as she met eyes with Leo, who she knew had a bit more trust in her. "I guess I'll start from the very beginning," Phoebe began, nodding to herself with determination. "Last year June 10th, I went to a realm or world known as Shalaman. It’s a lot like this one, with witches, whitelighters and so on…But a demon, who had manipulated the Limpid of Shalaman had taken over the land, using it to control the people. I learnt of a small group of witches who weren't under that spell because they had powers like mine. We worked out a plan to steal the crystal and break the evil spell on it. Part of that was researching and learning about the limpid. It's made from three unique minerals, one from Heaven only, one from Earth, and one from the underworld, Hell…The only being that can utilize the limpid to its full potential is one who has origins in all three dimensions of existence…something like me." Phoebe paused as she let it sink in. "How?" Prue asked finally, in confusion. "Heaven…whitelighter, Earth…witch, Hell…Evil dark side," Phoebe said quietly. "No?quot; Prue trailed off. Phoebe looked down. "Yes…Sam was my father," she said, voicing what was on everyone's mind. "No…It can't be! You are MY daughter," Victor burst out in denial. Phoebe looked away, but said nothing. "What about me? We're twins, so?quot; Price let her sentence hang unfinished. Phoebe shook her head. "We were both conceived on the same day, but by different fathers…I don't know how, and I'm not even sure I want to?quot; Phoebe paused, but continued more purposefully. "More importantly, the Charmed Ones should be full blood sisters, meaning I'm not a part of the Power of Three, you are." There was absolute silence, even Kit who still in Phoebe's arms was quiet and unmoving. Phoebe decided to break it and finish her story. "The Limpid is always in a magical display case. No one but me can actually touch it…After using it to banish the demon, the people of Shalaman gave me the Limpid. The two who appeared before are warrior guardians who protect the Limpid." Phoebe stopped again, setting Kit down and facing her back towards her companions, continued. "The Shalaman has an amazing resource library. It has several volumes of prophesies like the Charmed Ones, a witch-whitelighter child, that could one day, overthrow the Council?quot; Phoebe turned back to Piper. "That was why mum and Sam were forbidden, and why 'They' gave you such a hard time. They were afraid of being challenged…but it was too late, and yet, no one knew about it, no one but Mum and even she wasn't sure?quot; Phoebe forced herself to stop and closed her eyes, trying to get her voice to remain detached. "That's not the issue here. The crystal can do literally anything. It gave me a premonition of Cretus killing me. It let me clone myself, creating a being that was like me in every way, even in memories…a lot like when Prue used a spell to multiply her powers, except only the real me can summon the full extent of my magic. I did it to protect you. Once the Source discovered than there were four of us and that one of us was part whitelighter, he was bound to come after us, but he couldn't take chances, and if he didn't know exactly who, he couldn't do anything to hurt any of you. I sent my clone back to take my place in this world…while I went underground. There was no way she could tell you about Shalaman without telling you the truth, so she refused to say anything. So, she lived my life and I was in the Underworld?quot; "Wait a minute! You knew about me?" Price asked more in confusion than surprise. "I knew there was something missing in the puzzle but not what or where it fit?quot; Phoebe looked at Piper again. "On your wedding day, when mum came to us she said she had a premonition?quot; Piper nodded in response. "When I touched her, I had one too, except all four of us were there?quot; "Why didn't you tell us?" Piper asked. "What was I supposed to say? Mum, you're a liar? Besides, you were on the verge of calling the whole thing off. I couldn't," Phoebe responded. "Instead, I dug up mum's medical history…I found that she was pregnant with twins…After that I found our birth records and that you were given up for adoption on grounds of inability to provide financial support. I couldn't believe it…I figured it must have been magical. Anyway, I started looking you up through foster homes and?quot; "How'd you get a hold of all that? They were my info and even I couldn't get my hands on it for so long! DCF was so frustrating!" Price exclaimed. Phoebe shrugged and gave her a slight smile. "I was a doctor working for the largest hospital in the city…Medical records were easy. I worked with DCF a couple of times and knew a few people…I pulled a couple of strings, I guess," she admitted. "And you never told us?" Prue asked, slightly angry. Phoebe sighed. "I wanted to, Prue. But I knew there was a reason we weren't told. Besides, all I had was a bunch of addresses and a premonition. Nothing solid…And then, this whole mission thing came up and I had to stop. When I discovered that I wasn't a Charmed One, I knew that somehow we had to find you. When my clone came back, she continued to dig up on you and she even found your address but Grams warned her not to interfere?quot; "So, that's where the $500 dollars suddenly popped up when I needed it," Price said. Phoebe nodded. "But time was running out…I would be killed in just over a month, and well, if you were going to be accepted properly it had to be before then…so I sped things up a little." "So, you came to my room that night and gave me the address," Price said, as realization dawned on her. Phoebe nodded. "That was the first time I ever wandered out of the underworld to do more than observe," Phoebe told her. "Observe?" Prue questioned. "Just because you haven't been able to see me doesn't mean I haven't been keeping my eye on you," Phoebe explained. "So you saw?quot; Piper trailed off. Phoebe looked down at the floor and nodded. "When I died, at the funeral…I've been watching you, all of you, but mostly after I died…I guess I trusted my clone enough to handle things before." There was a moment of silence and then Leo spoke up. "You seemed surprised when he backed off." "The entire thing surprised me. My plan was to lure him into The Mystic, the only realm where I could defeat him single-handedly, if I caught him by surprise?quot; Phoebe explained, but Leo cut her off. "The Mystic! The imbalance of magical energy! That would have been suicide!" he exclaimed incredulously. "If it destroyed the Source, it was worth it. Besides, my life on earth was technically over! But it all changed when you vanquished Pleltoris and Zoblig, the Source's sons. It pissed him off big time, and I had to interfere. The Power of Three alone, even at full strength can't defeat him, but if we combined it with mine and that of the limpid, there is a good chance. The last thing I expected was to make it out of the confrontation alive," Phoebe explained. "So he hasn't been defeated yet?" Kevin asked, speaking for the first time. Phoebe glanced at him for a moment, but looked away. "No, just weakened temporarily. Hopefully that will buy us enough time to get the Power of Three at full strength." "What's wrong with it now?" Prue wanted to know. Phoebe sighed. "The foundation of your magical bond is your sisterly bond, and right now it's not at its best?quot; Piper was about to protest, but Phoebe held up a hand to silence her. "You've all got issues…probably my fault, but issues nevertheless, and its about time to deal with them. You've got to stop thinking that Price is my replacement, and start believing that she's your full-blood sister. And Price, you are NOT replacing me. You belong here. I was your replacement in the Power of Three. If anyone was supposed to be given away, it was me! You have got to work it out, and soon, especially if we have to hang on long enough till we can get aid from another powerful being." "Why not do that in the first place?" Victor asked anxiously. "She doesn't even exist yet?quot; Phoebe said softly, her eyes darting towards Piper. "That was why I wanted you out of there. You're a pregnant witch carrying the child of a whitelighter. Evil would do anything to get you." Piper's hand went to her mouth in shock. "I'm…I'm pregnant?" Leo's face bore the same expression. "Ho…How?" he stammered. "Uh, I think you can answer that yourself," Phoebe said, unable to resist the opportunity, causing Piper and Leo to blush and everyone else to burst out into giggles. The tension in the room was lifting bit by bit. Leo picked Piper up and kissed her. Phoebe smiled her first genuine smile in a long time, and looked longingly at Kevin, but refrained from doing anything. Prue and Price enveloped Piper in a hug once Leo released her, but Phoebe kept her distance. She wanted to feel her sister's arms around her and smell her shampoo, but she knew that things had changed, a lot. "How did you know? How far along am I?" Piper asked curiously with mixed feelings at Phoebe's nonchalance, but not entirely sure if she really wanted a hug from someone who could be an enemy. "Its hot news in the underworld, and as for how long…I'm not really sure, but most likely less than a month, or you'd be getting signs by now." Phoebe let out a long sigh and reached over to scratch behind Kit's ears. "When you died, I mean, your clone, wouldn't the Council have known something was up?" Leo questioned almost suspiciously. "I don't know, but they must have suspected something when my body magically disintegrated and the fact that my spirit never turned up, but I think they believed that I had turned towards my dark side or been captured by the Source," Phoebe offered with a shrug. "Why weren't we told?" Piper asked quietly. "I don't know, but I'm glad of that," Phoebe stated, and almost winced at the looks shot her way. "No one knew where I was, what I was, or even if I were alive. Why should you be given false hope? If I had gone up against the Source like I planned, I wouldn't be here. There was no point, in making you believe I was alive, when I was about to die. My life was over or would've been sooner or later. You had a life to live, and to move on you needed some kind of closure. You deserved that much," she emphasized. "You think it's so easy? You think that just because you're dead, we can move on? We can't Phoebe. You were my wife, my life, and when you or your clone died, it killed a part of me with it, okay? We were together for years, we decide to get married, we do, and just a month later you leave, just like that. For the greater good! You come back, and you totally shut us out! Then you die! And now you're back again!" Kevin face was red with rage, all the bottled up emotions under his cool exterior had suddenly surfaced, and he didn't seem to be done venting yet, but unfortunately neither was Phoebe. She had maintained a cool composure all along, but inside she was waging a war with herself. "I'm sorry about that, Kevin. But how do you think I felt? You think I enjoyed it? You know what it was like spending one year surrounded by a bunch of bastards, who if they knew who I was, would do anything to get me, not for my powers, but to reproduce and get a child with blood from all dimensions? You know what it felt like to lie to you? To watch someone else live my life! To watch you suffer for no real reason! All for the sake of the greater good! Don't you think for a minute that I didn't care! I did, that was the only reason I did it!" Everyone else was taken back by this sudden heated exchange between Phoebe and Kevin. "I'm sorry for what you've gone through, but it hasn't been easy on me either. I thought I'd be dead once I went up against the Source, but things changed and I'm still alive! And now, every single minute after he discovers who I am and that I'm not dead, you guys are at risk! I wish there was someone to blame. I tried myself at first, but what the hell can I do? Mum and Sam made a mistake. A big one. Blame them! If they hadn't been stupid enough to do it, then I wouldn't be here, you wouldn't be here and the Power of Three…the real Power of Three would have been fine. There are so many lousy possibilities, but playing what ifs is a dangerous game that leaves you feeling sick of yourself in the end. And as much as I wish things were different, they're not. I made my choice, and whether I regret it or not, I can't change the past." "Then why did you do it?" Kevin shot back in frustration. "Because I'd rather risk myself than watch you die." The room fell silent then, as Prue and Piper knew that Phoebe's words came straight from the heart. It was true. She would throw herself into the line of fire any time just to save them. It was her nature. "I know you don't trust who I say I am. The Council can verify that I'm not an imposter, but not if I'm the real Phoebe and not a clone…I can't prove it either, its not exactly something I expected to deal with." If Phoebe had more words ready to come out of her mouth, she was interrupted. The others hardly had time to blink, but the moment the Guardians appeared behind Phoebe, she had spun round in a defensive stance. It began to occur to them all that if Phoebe was telling the truth, she had spent the past year in Hell, and it showed how alert her senses had become. Phoebe relaxed when she saw who it was but maintained a watchful eye. "The Council has made their decision, but they believe the final resolution is yours. They await your arrival," one of them said. Phoebe nodded briefly, and turned back to the group. "You know how to reach me, Leo." With a final glance at her family and companions, Phoebe disappeared in a swirl of purple and golden orbs, the two Guardians following in a flash of blue light. Kevin, Prue, Piper, Price, Darryl, Leo and Victor were left alone to absorb and process what they had been told.
Several hours later, The sisters, Kevin, Leo and Victor were still trying to comprehend everything. "I just can't believe it! Your mother never said anything about Sam or that she could be pregnant with his child. It just can't be true!" Victor exclaimed, pacing the living room floor, his expression flustered. Leo sighed. "It is true. The Council can sense whitelighter magic from Phoebe…And her existence was prophesied centuries ago, except no one ever expected it to be this powerful, but being a Warren witch, and half-blood sister to the Charmed Ones, has amazing affects," he pointed out quietly. "But is the clone theory true, and is she the real Phoebe or another clone?" Kevin asked, hardly believing the words coming from his mouth. "The Limpid of Shalaman is possibly the most powerful magical tool the Universe has known. And Phoebe is the only being in any dimension capable of utilizing its full power to carry out undeniable good or incredible evil. Its just like her, and can be swayed to whichever side she is on. The clone theory is true…even 'They' believe it, but as Phoebe said, she can't prove her identity," Leo informed him. "Could she be evil?" Price asked suddenly. Leo shook his head. "She could have destroyed you in a flash, and yet she chose to protect you. Besides, 'They' would have been able to sense it." The main question on their mind right now was, if that was their real sister or some magical impersonation. Kevin sighed, running his hand through his hair as he stood up. "I know this sounds crazy but…I don't know why…but I believe this is the real Phoebe. Maybe its because I want so badly for it to be her, but there's something about this whole situation that just screams out her character." He paused momentarily to catch his breath and to choose his next words carefully. "As her sisters, you meant everything to Phoebe, and she would do anything to protect you. Not like you, Prue. But its like, she'd sacrifice herself to save you, a million times over, without even thinking twice. She'd do anything to save you, regardless of the risks to her. That's just Phoebe. She had the fiercest determination to protect anything that meant anything to her. And this…going into the Underworld, creating a clone…they're all sacrifices she made for your sake…for your safety…for your protection. And the risk she took by coming here…she did it anyway…to protect you. I love that about her…but I hate it, knowing that we could lose her because of that. And if she was evil…I can't explain it…but something inside me was screaming that this was her…and I know in my heart that it her…I'm sorry…this is crazy and I'm crazy!" he exclaimed throwing his hands up in frustration. "In that case, we both are," Leo said quietly, causing Kevin to glance sharply at him. "I've had that feeling too. Phoebe's had the fiercest determination to hang on to her life, but at the same time, to make sure you were okay. All this, sounds just like something she would do…I really believe that it is her." Prue sighed and Piper shook her head. "Why don't we get a similar impression? I mean, we're her sisters," Prue asked. Kevin exchanged glances with Leo. "Maybe because you never look at it from her point of view," Leo blurted out. "What Leo means is…what he's trying to say is that you two always thought of her as your baby, someone you had to protect and…never occurred to you that maybe she felt just as protective of you," Kevin tried to explain. There was silence for a long moment until Victor, who had been quiet all along spoke. "So, what happens now?" "The Council decides what to do with Phoebe," Leo stated. "Like what?" Kevin questioned. "Either ask her to move on to the after life. Being a whitelighter, that's possible. Or erase memories to give her life back on the mortal plane. But because of what she did, they'll probably ask her to choose," Leo informed them. "And I have a feeling that depends on how we, especially you three react," Kevin conceded quietly, looking at the sisters. Prue and Piper exchanged glances. Price frowned slightly. "If she was good, how come I couldn't get a reading from her?" she asked tentatively. Leo sighed and shook his head. "I don't know. You'll have to ask her."
*****
The next morning, Prue was driving along the highway, her thoughts filled with the things they had discovered last night. What Kevin and Leo had said did make sense, and now that she thought about it, she herself was almost completely sure that was her Phoebe, her baby sister. She'd always taken her duty as protector to be hers alone, and had never even considered that her sisters, especially Phoebe, felt the same way. Prue pulled into an exit and drove along a few kilometers. As she passed the entrance, her eyes caught the faded name printed on a battered board: Camp Skylark. The thought that Phoebe was not even her sister almost made her angry. Phoebe was her sister. Nothing could change that, or could it? Prue sighed, mentally preparing herself for the soul-searching she was about to undertake. She got out of her car and made her way down past the camp house, as painful memories of her childhood flashed by. She glanced ahead at the docks and almost cried out in surprise when she saw a familiar figure standing there, staring intently into the water. The figure spun round defensively, and Prue was glad that she was still at a reasonable distance. She was sure she'd have ended up in the water otherwise.
Phoebe relaxed when she saw that it was Prue, but her discomfort was evident. She had come here to think, sort through her own feelings, and not face her sisters. That was something she had wanted to put off for as long as possible. She counted the seconds silently as Prue stood along side her, neither of them saying anything to break the silence. "Whatcha doing here?" Prue asked finally. "I could ask you the same thing," Phoebe responded briefly but continued moments later. "Think. Think. And think. And since there's no one here, I don't have worry about being spotted." Prue nodded thoughtfully, knowing that deep down, the real reason Phoebe was here was because this was where they had met Sam, and the place both their mom and he had died. She probably felt closer to them here. "Pheebs?quot; Prue started, but stopped when she received a surprised glance from the latter. "So, you believe who I say I am?" Phoebe asked skeptically. "I believe what my heart can see. You taught me that," Prue responded simply, smiling slightly. Phoebe cracked a slight smile of her own. "Sometimes your heart can be fooled, Prue. And when you find out, it hurts like hell. Don't give it too much credit," Phoebe said, returning her gaze to the electric pole at the edge of the deck. Prue followed her sister's gaze, surprised. Phoebe had never said anything like that before, and in that moment Prue could see the through the mask of impassiveness her sister had built round her, to the pain bottled up inside. She saw Phoebe tense and whirl round suddenly, only to unclench her fists and lower them down again, with an ironic smile. Prue followed the gaze and her jaw dropped in surprise when she saw Piper standing several feet away from them. "Did anyone call a meeting?" Phoebe asked, rolling her eyes, and turning away, as Piper stood on her other side. "Seems more like a coincidence to me," Prue admitted, shaking her head. "Bummer!" Phoebe muttered under her breath. This was supposed to give her a chance to work out her feelings, not to deal with the same people who were the reasons behind them. Prue and Piper exchanged glances from over Phoebe's shoulder. Now that they were all here, how were they going to handle the situation. Phoebe had made it clear that she'd prefer to have some solitude. "Lemme guess. Piper, you want to do some thinking too, right?" Phoebe asked dryly, breaking the silence. Piper nodded in response. Phoebe sighed and shook her head in frustration, but kept her gaze lost in the waters of the lake that had claimed the lives of both her parents. "What happened with the Elders?" Piper asked curiously. "I can move on to the afterlife, and get a fresh start. A new life, away from all this. Or 'They' have offered a chance to live out this one. Its basically my call," Phoebe responded in a flat, detached tone. "And?" Prue prompted. "And that's what I'm trying to decide," came the response. Piper felt her heart skip a beat. Phoebe was actually considering the possibility of death? No, it couldn't be. "You can't just give up like that," Prue blurted out. Phoebe turned to look at her sharply. "What have I got to lose, Prue? My life is technically over. And even if I got it back, its gonna be hell. My existence on this earthly plane threatens your lives, and moving on means a chance to forget all this pain, and start again," Phoebe pointed out. "Is that what you want, or is that what you think is a way for venting out your feelings?" Piper asked quietly. Phoebe dropped her gaze and looked straight ahead again. "I don't know." Those three simple words were spoken softly, the tone a mixture of sadness, pain, hurt and confusion. Prue and Piper exchanged glances again, but before they could say anything, Phoebe spoke again, her tone soft and distant. "Even though its been over a year since I discovered all this, who I am, what I am…This is the first time I've had the chance to actually think about me…how I feel about all this. My powers…Sam…mum, Price…everything literally, even where I stand with you, Kevin..." Phoebe paused pushing off the railing and took a step back so she could face both her sisters. "Before it wasn't a matter of how it hurt me or you, it was just a matter of doing it for the greater good…but now…now I have a chance to decide what I want…for me. I'm sick and tired of running and hiding. I want to stop. I want to live my life the way I want…and if I can't…then I don't want to live. And because I can't enjoy my life, I don't want you not to. It doesn't matter how much I separate myself from you, evil knows that if they threaten you, they can get anything they want from me. I don't want my powers used for evil, nor do I want to risk you for the sake of keeping them good. I'd rather they don't exist." Phoebe sighed running a weary hand through her hair. "Do you know how we feel about this? Don't you think we should decide if we want to be put at risk?" Prue asked, taking opportunity of Phoebe's silence. "No I don't, Prue. But you'll endanger yourself anyway. That's just you, but our priority are the innocents," Phoebe started, but Piper stopped her. "You can do a lot for innocents with your powers?quot; "But my powers make them bait for evil to use against me." "Like all our powers," Prue pointed out. Phoebe sighed rubbing her temples. "Guys, in the end this is a choice I have to make on my own, and I know that whichever I choose, there's going to be consequences, ones which I'll regret. I really need to be on my own right now," she said, glancing around them. Purplish orbs began to swirl round her but stopped when Piper called out to her. "Whatever happens Pheebs, at least tell us before you do it, and remember…I love you." "Whatever you decided, just remember that we'd risk anything to have you in our lives…I love you Phoebe," Prue said quietly, forcing down the lump in her throat. Phoebe nodded lightly. "I love you too," she said before orbing out. Prue and Piper were left staring at the empty spot where their sister, no, half-sister had been. "I don't care whether Sam was her father or not. She is my sister in heart and spirit, and she always will be," Piper stated with conviction. "That goes double for me. She'll always be my baby girl. I only hope she feels the same," Prue responded. Piper sighed sadly, her heart going out to her baby sister. "I don't think she's even thought about that yet. She's still trying to sort through her feelings for mum…she always believed mum was perfect in every way…but she herself is proof against that." "She's not the only one feeling betrayed," Prue said. As the sisters walked back to their vehicles, each engrossed in their own thoughts, Piper spoke up. "She's lucky, you know, I mean, even though dad's back in our life now, we know that Sam was always watching over her all the years we were growing up, even though he never knew it." Prue looked away, but said nothing. Her thoughts were on the many times she'd played with Sam as a child, whenever he came to visit. It was only a year ago that she'd found out that he was indeed her mother's lover and whitelighter but then she'd almost resented him, but deep down, for the short time that he'd been a part of her childhood, Prue had seen what fatherly love felt like. Sam had loved her mother with all his heart, and a part of that love had been carried down to them. She smiled absently, realizing now where her baby sister's wild side and loving heart truly came from. "He loved all of us…And he loved mum more than anything. Phoebe is the result of that love, another wonderful and caring person brought into this world because of their love," Prue said finally, smiling lightly at Piper. Piper smiled back, hoping that her sister would return to her. Phoebe may not be her full blood sister, but they shared a connection, a bond that to Piper bridged past any technicalities, and she could only hope her half-sister felt the same way. Subconsciously, she placed a hand on her stomach. Would her baby suffer the same obstacles in life because of what she was? Would she have to learn to fend for herself, not knowing how to control and understand the extent of her powers? Piper closed her eyes wistfully. This was another reason she wished Phoebe could stay with them. She had learnt the hard way, the full extent of her magical balance and how to use it. Melinda would benefit greatly from the guidance, support and encouragement Piper knew Phoebe would provide. With heavy hearts, she and Prue got into their respective cars and drove home.
****
The family, including Kevin and Victor were in the living room later that afternoon, and Prue and Piper had just related their conversation and meeting with Phoebe that morning. "She's seriously considering the afterlife option," Prue said wistfully. "It doesn’t matter what we think," Piper added, resting her hand on her stomach. Leo placed his own hand over hers. "Give her some time. She's just got a lot to figure out," he said softly, trying to sound reassuring. "But what if she decides that moving on to the afterlife is for the best?" Piper asked in frustration. "Phoebe's always had a knack for knowing the difference between right and wrong, and she'll make the right choice, whatever it is," Kevin said. Prue eyed him carefully. He'd been so neutral and level headed through it all, and she realized that just how much it was tearing him up inside, even though he refused to show it. Kevin saw her staring at him and forced a half-hearted smile. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine." "Can't help it really," she responded. "What the?quot; Kevin burst out in surprise as a figure faded into the room in front of them. He was a tall, handsome guy with short dark hair. Prue instinctively threw him across the room. They all leaped to their feet, glaring suspiciously at the newcomer. He slowly picked himself up off the flow and raised his hands in surrender. "I don't want to hurt you?quot; he began. "I can sense evil. Evil always wants to hurt us," Leo burst out angrily, wrapping a protective arm round Piper. "And I'm half-human. I just need to warn Phoebe. I can't reach her if she's up there. You must be a whitelighter. Please." Leo eyed him doubtfully. He could sense the evil that presided inside this being, but also the sincerity in his tone. Realization dawned on him. "Belthazor!" he exclaimed, a mixture of surprise and fear in his tone. His companions eyed him questioningly, but Belthazor only sighed. "If I was after you, I'd have destroyed you long ago. Please. I need to contact Phoebe." There was urgency in his tone that Leo couldn't ignore. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander over telepathic airwaves as he reached out to his charge. Barely seconds after he opened his eyes, the now familiar swirl of purple orbs appeared and Phoebe stepped forward, her expression anxious and worried. The expression changed to one of surprise when she saw the stranger. "Cole! What are you doing here?" "Phoebe. I came to warn you. The Source has been weakened, but there are still a number of demons loyal to him, and they have been ordered to change plans. All attacks and missions against the Charmed Ones have been stopped. Their new target: you," Cole said gravely, his expression troubled. Phoebe frowned angrily. "I was afraid of this. I just hoped I'd have more time." "Every one of his minions are out to get you. Anyone who can finish you becomes heir to the Source's powers, a place reserved for his sons, but they are no longer. You'll be safe if you get up there," he continued. Phoebe shook her head forcefully. "There's not much I won't do for the greater good, but I will not run away and hide, letting someone else take the heat for me. I'll save him the trouble of searching for me," she vowed in determination. "Wait a minute! You trust him. He's a demon," Prue asked incredulously. "I trust him Prue. I trust him with my life," Phoebe responded. Her sisters could sense the confidence in her tone and knew that there was no use arguing. "Between the four of us, I think we can handle them," Price said. "Make that six," Kevin said, speaking for both him and Leo. Phoebe looked at them sharply. "This is my fight." "And you're our sister," Piper responded. "I'm with you," Cole spoke up. Phoebe turned back to him. "What? You think I'm going to let you commit suicide?" he burst out. "Isn't that what you're doing! The Source will kill you for betrayal," Phoebe retorted. Cole locked gazes with her as he spoke. "You gave me back freedom. Freedom to do what I wanted to. And with that freedom, you opened up my human half. You made me realize that being human wasn't a weakness, but in fact a strength. And with being human, comes loyalty. What you gave to me is a debt I can never repay, but I can start somewhere," he told her softly, his eyes staring intensely into hers. "You've saved my ass a number of times, and even when you could have killed me, you didn't," Phoebe responded quietly. "And that's a chance I would take and a decision I would make a thousand times over, and it still couldn't repay you." Phoebe sighed, admitting defeat. "I really don't have a choice here, do I?" she said, addressing all of them. Prue was still staring intensely at Cole, but for the first time in her life, she'd met a demon who was on their side. But their reverie was interrupted by the sudden appearance of over a dozen demons, with different powers, strengths and weaknesses. They immediately surrounded Phoebe, and two of them grabbed her arms. Phoebe smirked and jumped doing a somersault in the air, and in doing so, throwing her captors to the ground. She launched a series of punches and kicks at them, making sure they wouldn't get up for very long. "Wow! Where'd you learn to fight like that?" Price asked in awe. In spite of the situation Phoebe couldn't help up but grin as she replied. "One year in Hell teaches you quite a lot." Cole transformed into his demon form, shooting out fireballs in all directions. The others joined in and soon only half of the demons were left standing. Unfortunately, to their dismay, several dozen more appeared and reinforced the slugged and defeated counterparts. Phoebe and her allies were tiring out, and they were greatly outnumbered. Phoebe had started to use her energy streams to fend off the demons, but she was draining, both physically and magically and so was Prue. Piper was blowing them up as fast as she could, but the effort was really wearing her out and she didn't know how much longer she could keep on doing it. This was a battle that the forces of good would lose and at what cost?
Cole or Belthazor was holding out better than the rest, but he knew that things would only get worse. Everywhere he looked, there were the Source's minions and it looked like his allies were tiring out. Then, an idea struck him. It wouldn't be in his best interests, but it was bound to work.
He released another fireball as he called out. "Phoebe! Use the crystal!" Phoebe was too busy handling three demons at the same time so it took a while for the idea to get through, and then she shook her head. "Cole. I can't. It'll kill you!" she protested fiercely. Prue cast a glance at them as she threw two more demons across the room. "What?" "Phoebe, just do it dammit. Or we're all dead!" Cole yelled forcefully. Phoebe still did nothing, but then, two of the demons grabbed Piper roughly by the arms to stop her from using her power. Prue paused, looking helpless. She couldn't throw the demons without throwing Piper and she was pregnant. Phoebe saw it too, as did everyone else. Cole met eyes with Phoebe and nodded the go ahead. "I'll cover you." Phoebe glanced up wards and moments later, two Guardians with the Limpid of Shalaman materialized before her. Stopping her attacks on the demons she channeled every ounce of magical energy she could muster into the crystal, and the crystal began to glow brightly, and soon the same soft purple glow had enveloped Phoebe. The demons becoming alarmed started to head straight for Phoebe and Cole kept his word by making sure that none of them broke her concentration. Kevin joined him, and together they managed to keep the demons away from her. Meanwhile, Leo was trying in vain to get to Piper, while she was staring at the avid purple glow that was swirling round her sister. And then, suddenly without warning a bright purple light emanated from the crystal momentarily blinding everyone. Agonizing screams from the demons pierced the air. Phoebe was thrown off balance due to the force of the crystal, but Kevin reached out in time to steady her. Looking around, she saw that there were no demons at all, but all her family was there. And Cole. "Cole!" she cried spotting his figure sprawled on the floor at her feet. She knelt down next to him, desperately fighting back the tears. "Phoebe," he rasped weakly. "Its okay…Please don't cry." Phoebe shook her head, as more tears threatened to spill over. "I did this to you…and I can't even make it right." He reached out gently and touched her cheek, wiping away a tear. "You made me right…I always thought that having a heart made you weak, but you showed me that it makes you stronger than anything else…A man is measured, not by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart…You taught me that. You showed me what it felt like to love…and to be loved…something I remember only while my father was alive. But being human means having a conscience…and there is still a lot of evil in me?quot; he spoke weakly, his strength waning, as everyone else stood round him, fearful of coming too close. "And there is also a lot of good," Phoebe broke in, her voice choked. "It took you to find it…and bring it out. And to ever be truly good, I have to pay for the crimes Belthazor committed, or I will never be truly good. I die proudly knowing that in the end I fought for good…and death gives me a new beginning…a chance to be truly good…and I have you to thank for it." He paused to catch his breath. "You are an amazing person…I hope that there are others, who are ever fortunate enough to get to know you. You, yourself said that we live forever in the hearts of those we leave behind…and if we leave behind hate, we remain hated forever…There are many who feel that way towards Belthazor, and hence, me. You showed me how to live…live the rightful way…and I want a chance to do it…and this is it. I love you, Phoebe." Cole's gaze lifted over Phoebe's shoulder to meet Kevin's eyes, relaying a silent message that said, 'Take care of her.' Kevin responded with a barely perceptible nod. Looking away, tears flowing steadily, Phoebe placed a glowing hand over Cole's body, letting him die less painfully. "Thank you," Cole whispered, as his eyes closed forever. Phoebe stared blankly as the physical form of her demon friend, a man who had first tried to kill her once, and then saved her from the same fate so many times more, vanished completely. The silence that followed was deafening. Phoebe rose to her feet slowly and walked away to the window, her shoulders trembling with unreleased sobs that were waiting to escape and let go of the pain she was in. Phoebe closed her eyes in an attempt to shut out everything that was going on round her, but the pain in her heart wouldn't stop and she couldn't help but blame herself for the outcome. She felt a comforting hand place itself on her shoulder, and knew without even looking that it was Kevin's.
Kevin watched as Phoebe walked away, and felt his own heart sting in pain. Silently following his instinct, he stepped up behind her and laid his hand on her shoulder. When she didn't retaliate, he gently pulled her in. That was all that was needed to break down the emotional barriers that Phoebe had built round herself and she leant into him, sobbing uncontrollably. He wrapped his arms round her trembling form and hugged her tight, closing his eyes and relishing the familiar feeling of holding her in his arms again and taking in the smell that was so uniquely Phoebe.
Phoebe buried her face against her husband's chest, the pain, frustration and guilt that she had bottled up for over a year, finally being released. She felt his arms wrap protectively round her, and remembered how much she had missed the warmth and safety of his embrace.
Prue, Piper, Price and Leo watched on as the scene unfolded. It tore at their hearts as they realized just how hard the past year must have been on Phoebe compared to how they had felt. Price felt her stomach flip as she felt real emotion coming through Phoebe's barrier. It was all pain, pain and more pain. However, their thoughts were interrupted when flashes of light revealed two all too familiar figures: Sam and Patty. Patty smiled at her youngest daughter, the one she had given away. Price stared in awe at her mother's face. Patty reached out and took her hand, and Price threw herself into a hug. "Mom!" They embraced and Price relished the feeling of a mother's embrace she had dreamed of for years. Kevin and Phoebe had hardly noticed the new arrivals. Patty glanced at her older daughters who gave her receptive smiles, but she could see the reluctance in their eyes. Finally she looked in Phoebe's direction. Phoebe and Kevin were still embracing, but her sobs had subsided. "My baby girl," Patty said softly, reaching out and placing a hand on Phoebe's shoulder. She was hurt and shocked when Phoebe pulled away roughly from both her and Kevin, tears still on her face. "Don't you dare touch me!" she said angrily. She looked behind Patty and noticed Sam's presence. "And you brought lover boy along as well!" her tone was one of disgust and sarcasm. "Phoebe?quot; Prue began, but Phoebe cut her off sharply. "Back off, Prue! Why are you here?" Phoebe demanded icily. "There's no need to take that tone with your mother, Phoebe," Sam spoke up, causing Phoebe to flare up in anger. "Oh yeah? Then how the hell am I supposed to react, Sam? Or is it, dad now?" "Phoebe," Patty began, but Phoebe wasn't about to be stopped. "No, mum! You tell me. Am I supposed to fling myself into your arms now I know the truth? When were you planning on dropping the bombshell? Or were you just waiting for someone else to do it with a gun pointed to the back of my head, which is what happened? Or did it just happen to slip your mind? How many more of us are there?" "Pheebs?quot; Piper tried to intervene. "Just stay out of this, Piper. So Sam, just for me to watch out, how many more like Sandra are there? How many more broken hearts out to get me for revenge?" Phoebe's words caused both Sam and Patty's jaws to drop in shock. "Sandra? You know her?" Patty asked in shock. "Yeah, when she tried to kill me!" Phoebe retorted. "So, how many more, mum? What about you, DAD?" Phoebe gave the words a sarcastic spin. "You don't understand and you have every right to be angry," Patty began. "You're damn right I am! So am I going to get an answer? Why are you here?" Sam sighed resignedly. "We're here about your decision with the Council," he said. "Phoebe, you should consider taking your life back," Patty began purposefully. Phoebe's expression was cold and angry. "There's so much you could do, both as a doctor and with your powers." Phoebe shook her head, anger blazing in her eyes. "You lied to me. To all of us! Why should I even listen to you?" she asked softly. "Because you're mum and dad? Where were you all these years when we were growing up? Mum and dad existed only in my dreams. And now, after so long, you think that just because you made a damn mistake you can walk in here and tell me what to do with my life? Where were you all this time? I didn't need you then to make my choices and I sure as Hell don't need you now! So you can go to hell for all I care!" Phoebe raged, her voice rising with every word she spoke.
Prue and Piper watched as Phoebe vented out her anger and frustration. They had never seen her like this. Sure she got angry, but never this outraged. And of all people her anger was directed towards their mum. But in a way, they could understand her feeling of betrayal because they felt it too. Everyone else knew that it would be in their best interests to keep out of the situation.
Patty stared at her daughter's beautiful brown eyes, that were usually so gentle and innocent, but today they were filled anger and rage, and she knew it was partly her fault, but what could she do to make it right? "Phoebe, listen to me. Please," she began firmly and sighed inwardly with relief, that Phoebe hadn't stopped her. "I know you're angry. I know you're hurting. And I know it's because of us. And I wish I could take away what you're feeling now, but all I can say is I'm sorry." "We're sorry," Sam added quietly. "Sorry for what? Sorry for lying to us! Sorry for betraying Victor! Sorry for messing up the real Power of three! Sorry that you didn't tell us sooner! Sorry for breaking the rules! Sorry for pissing the Elders off! Sorry for condemning me to a lifetime of fighting, revenge and sacrifices! And most of all sorry for making that stupid mistake that's created all these problems! Yeah well, you can be as sorry as you want, but it's too late now! You should have thought about that before getting into bed!" Phoebe's last words reverberated round the room as everyone gasped. Patty was stunned and stung at the words that had just left her daughter's mouth. Sam could only stare as the spiteful insult echoed in his head repeatedly. Prue, Price and Piper were stunned. Phoebe always had a way of being direct and straightforward, but to hear her come out with such words did surprise them greatly.
But Phoebe didn't even flinch. Her gaze locked with her mother's and she stared back intensely, intent on making Patty hurt as much as she did. But the battle was short-lived as the two Guardians appeared. Phoebe tossed them the limpid that had been clutched tightly in her hand. Then, suddenly, she glanced skyward, looking up in the way Leo did when he was being called. She nodded slightly and turned back to Patty. "I have to go. You can't influence what I do with my life. So don't even try." She felt a gentle familiar voice tug at her conscience and turned to face Kevin. "Okay," was all she said, before vanishing, leaving behind a swirl of orbs. Patty and Sam were left in the humiliating presence of everyone else. Piper sighed and Prue shook her head. The way things were right now, the chances of Phoebe coming back into their lives seemed very slim. And they would have to start dealing with that, as much as she didn't want to face losing her again. "I've never seen her like that before," Prue said finally. "She never loses it like that," Piper said. Price could only shrug helplessly, but her 'twin's' outburst still stunned her. Phoebe had never struck her as the kind of person to ever blow their top like that. Maybe Prue, but definitely not Phoebe. Patty sighed. "I don't blame her, really." "It is our fault," Sam admitted in defeat. He looked so down trodden. He had loved all four girls, but he never seriously expected one of them to be his own daughter. And not just that, but because of their magical essences, they had created one of the most powerful beings in the Universe, but one who was subjected to a lot of obstacles in life and he hated himself for it. Kevin placed a hand on his shoulder. "She'll come round. She's just hurting a lot right now. Give her time," he stated quietly. Sam looked up at him. This was his son-in-law, he realized. The man who'd committed his life to his daughter. Patty smiled at Kevin. "She's lucky to have such an understanding young man as a husband." Kevin shrugged. "I'm even luckier to have her, even if only for a short time," he said simply. Sam and Patty began to glow brightly, meaning it was time to go. Before leaving, the looked at Leo and Piper. "Be careful." Then they vanished. Leo wrapped his arms round Piper from behind. He loved this baby as much as he loved Piper, but they knew the risks they were taking, and not only theirs. Like Sam and Patty, they had thought only of themselves, but what about the baby? Would she face the same cruel fate that life had bestowed upon her half-aunt? Piper closed her eyes. Would her baby have to bear the burdens that her aunt did? And would her heart be left with the scars that painfully reminded her of who she was? Piper shook her head. NO! She needed Phoebe. She needed her sister there for her now. To say it would all work out. She needed proof that being half witch and half whitelighter wasn't so bad.
Prue could sense the heavy sensations that Piper was experiencing and tried to say something reassuring. "It'll be fine, Piper." But that was as far as she could get. How could she be sure? She'd seen the way it was tearing up Phoebe. They all had, and it was so bad, that Phoebe was even considering death as a way to get out of it. Piper shook her head and could tell from Prue's tone that even she had her doubts.
******
Later that night, Kevin was in his apartment, lying on the couch and mulling over the complications in his life, while he waited for Phoebe. He was drawn to reality when the swirl of orbs appeared in front of him. He sat up with a smile that instantly came whenever he saw her beautiful face. "Hey?quot; Phoebe greeted softly. He reached out, took her hand and pulled her onto his lap in reply. "Is that what you wanted me for?" she asked, trying to keep her tone light. "Sort of. I want to know if I'll get to grow old doing this," he responded, getting straight to the point. Phoebe sighed, leaning back against him. "I don't know, Kevin. But what I do know is that I don't want you or anyone else hurt." Kevin gently cupped her chin and turned her face to meet his. "If you choose to leave, then you will not just hurt, but you'll kill me inside, Phoebe. I'll die. And it hurts so much more than a couple of bruises. And it's not just me, Phoebe. It's Prue, Piper, Price and even Leo. Prue and Piper need you more than anything, especially Piper right now. She's carrying a baby whose gonna be a lot like you. And Price needs a chance to know you. Like Cole said. You're a wonderful person, and so many more people need a chance to experience that…Phoebe I love you, and when I saw you die?quot; He shook his head, as if trying to forget the images that flashed into his mind. "It hurt so much…I felt like my chest would explode…And when you came back I was so mad at you for making me hurt so much, but then I realized how you felt?quot; Phoebe reached up to stroke his cheek. "I'm so sorry for putting you through that?quot; Kevin placed a finger against her lips. "I know, and so am I. I love you Phoebe. I have since the day we first met, but then I couldn't show you and now that you know, I don't ever want to lose you. Please say you'll stay." His voice sounded like a baby begging for a toy, and yet his eyes held so much love and sincerity. "I love you Kevin." Kevin saw the flicker of longing in her eyes and the doubt. "I'll risk anything, Phoebe. I need you. I'm as good as dead otherwise," he whispered softly. Phoebe said nothing, but leaned in for a long passionate kiss, and Kevin knew that somehow he had got an answer, even if it wasn't the one he wanted.
*****
Later into the night, Phoebe sat in a beautiful garden gazing into the night. She was in a leisure area up in the world of whitelighters and spirits.
As she mulled over her thoughts and emotions, she remembered the words of a song she'd heard just over a year ago.
"A man is placed upon the steps,
A baby cries
And high above,
The church bells start to ring
And as the heaviness the body
Oh the heaviness settles in
Somewhere you can hear a mother sing."
A mother. How could her mum betray her like that? Why couldn't you tell us, mum? Is that the true reason Victor walked out? Phoebe sighed, trying to keep her anger under control.
"Then it's one foot
Then the other
As you step out onto the road
How much weight?
How much weight?
Then it's how long?
And how far?
And how many times before it's too late?
Calling all angels
Calling all angels
Walk me through this one
Don't leave me alone
Calling all angels
Calling all angels
We're cryin' and we're hurtin'
And we're not sure why..."
Phoebe had to smile dryly. Technically, because of her whitelighter origin, she was part angel, but then, because of her dark side she was part devil too. How weird!
"And every day you gaze upon the sunset
With such love and intensity
It's almost...it's almost as if
If you could only crack the code
Then you'd finally understand what this all means."
It had been so long since she'd watched the sun set over San Francisco, and love. Love was the emotion that controlled most of her powers, and love was the cause of all her pain. Phoebe still couldn't understand everything. Fate, Life. What was it all worth? Would she ever find out?
"But if you could
Do you think you would
Trade in all the pain and suffering?
Ah, but then you'd miss
The beauty of the light upon this earth
And the sweetness of the leaving."
Phoebe sighed. Sitting here all alone in the middle of nowhere, that was the one decision she was trying to make. She wanted to give up and into the pain that continually stung at her soul. Would she trade in all the pain? Should she? But then, she would never be able to help her sisters or be an active part in their lives. Phoebe sighed, feeling unwanted tears well up in her eyes.
She turned when she saw a familiar figure walking towards. "Hello, darling." It was Grams. "Grams," Phoebe said, giving her a hug. Grams held her at arm's length and looked hard at her face. "My little one. You've changed a lot since I last saw you," she observed. "Everything has changed, Grams," Phoebe responded. "And nothing's changed either," Grams spoke wisely. Phoebe looked into her grandmother's face in confusion. "The pain, anger and confusion you're feeling is a mask. Look past it and see the love you hold for your life, husband and most of all, your sisters, even though they're only half-sisters by blood." "Blood or no blood, Grams. I love them no less than I did before," Phoebe said quietly. Grams waited patiently for the rest of it to come. "I don't want them to get hurt because of me. I don't want to see them suffer for my mistakes." "Your mistakes? Phoebe, you did nothing. All your sacrifices were to save the world and protect the innocents, and maybe you feel that your mother and Sam made a mistake, but a powerful being like you is no accident. It was foretold just like the Charmed Ones. And an amazing and wonderful soul like yours being such a being is no mistake either," Grams insisted quietly. "Did you know, Grams?" Phoebe asked quietly. "No, darling I did not. But now that I do, nothing's changed. You're still my baby girl. Just like you are a sister. Piper needs you now more than ever. And, if I know you, you won't sit still and wait if you can do something," Grams told her softly. Phoebe sighed looking away. She knew her biggest problem was dealing with the betrayal her true identity brought with it. Everything else, she knew she could handle, or at least try. Grams seemed to sense what was on her mind. "I know you're angry and hurt with Patty, but don't forget that she loves you anyway, and if this was meant to happen, it would have happened. Don't blame yourself for things that were not in your hands. Everything happens for a reason, but never doubt your mother's love or even Sam's. He loved all of you, and now he loves you even more. But most of all don't doubt the love you hold for Prudence, Piper and Price, and the love they in turn carry for you, and you alone, regardless of who or what you are," she advised wisely. Phoebe turned to her grandmother, a slight smile on her face. "What would I do without you, Grams?" she whispered. "The same thing you would do even if I was around. Get into trouble," Grams responded. Phoebe hugged her tightly. "Now, go. You have an important meeting with the Council." Phoebe nodded and orbed out with a smile.
*****
The next morning, Prue, Piper, Price, Kevin, Bane and Leo were having a late breakfast. Piper was trying to eat but she had begun to feel the effects of morning sickness and so didn't have much of an appetite. And the hormones were making her grouchy. "You know, this better be the worst part of a pregnancy or I'll kill you," she grumbled, glaring at Leo, causing everyone else to stifle grins. Kevin hid his face behind the newspaper, as he tried not to laugh. Bane looked at his plate in order to hide the smile. Prue smacked his arm, while trying hard not to burst out laughing. Leo could only sigh. "Actually, the worst is labor, Pipe." Everyone else glanced up in surprise as they recognized Phoebe's voice. "Oh, shut up Phoebe," Piper grumbled angrily, and then her head shot up as she realized what she had just said. "Phoebe?" Phoebe just stood at the doorway to the kitchen grinning mischievously. "You just told me to shut up?" she responded, with a mock pout. Prue was recovering a little. "Not that I'm glad to see you but?quot; she began. "Seems like I'm joining the land of the living again," Phoebe said with a smile. As she spoke, a blue ripple of magic passed through the house. "As of now," she finished. Everyone except Kevin, who looked mildly surprised, looked almost shocked. "Let me put it this way. I've had a lot of sense knocked into me by two very smart people," Phoebe continued, shooting Kevin a glance. He smiled back, his eyes dancing with joy. "And that means?" Bane questioned. "It means that I'm alive. I have a bank account, a job, credit card. A cell phone, a pager and a car. Basically, I'm not dead anymore, and no one but you guys can actually remember the truth," Phoebe explained dramatically. Price was the first one to get up and come over to give her a massive hug. "Nice to meet you. The real you," she said. "That goes double for me," Phoebe responded. She turned to everyone else. "Is she the only one who wants me back? Or should I just listen to Piper and shut up?" she asked with a perky grin. Prue needed no further urging and she leaped to her feet, grabbing Phoebe in a death grip. She pulled back after a moment and stared intently into her sister's eyes. They had always told her what she wanted to know, and now, all she could see was happiness, but she knew that was hiding the changes that had taken place. Phoebe locked eyes with Prue, staring back without blinking. Finally, Prue broke the gaze and smiled. "Welcome back." "Now, move over," Piper instructed from behind her. Prue obeyed instantly, not wanting Piper to get mad again. Phoebe however was enjoying the situation and playfully dodged her sister's hug. "First you tell me to shut up, and now you demand a hug?" she questioned, raising her eyebrows. "Be careful, Phoebe. You don't wanna be blown up!" Bane joked. "Don't tempt me!" Piper muttered. Phoebe chuckled as she pulled Piper in for a hug. "I love you too," she said sarcastically. Piper didn't respond, just tightened her arms around her sister, wanting never to let go. Finally, Phoebe drew away and turned to Leo. "There's a whitelighter conference this morning?quot; she began but paused to glance up at the exact same time as Leo. "Just about now. And I need you to translate the clicks and clacks," she explained. Leo smiled as he stood up. "How long?" Piper asked with a frown. "About a couple of hours," Leo answered. "Meaning a couple of days earth time," Phoebe said, warily exchanging 'yikes' glances with Prue. Kevin stood up and approached Phoebe. "I guess I can wait," he said with a resigned sigh as he leaned in for a kiss. Phoebe said nothing, but orbed out in the middle of the kiss. "Ooh! I hate that!" Kevin said. "Now you know how I feel," Piper responded as Leo did the same.
*****
Only two days later, both Phoebe and Leo had returned, but Phoebe's return to life also meant a return to her busy schedule and massive workload at the hospital. Unfortunately, since things were back to normal in the everyday world, Phoebe didn't get a chance to catch up on quality time with her sisters and even Kevin. Luckily for them all, one afternoon, Prue, Piper and Price were at home just having lunch, when Phoebe walked in. "Hey!" she greeted lightly, grabbing a bottle of mineral water from the fridge. "Hungry?" Prue asked, pointing at the casserole on the table. Phoebe shook her head as she sat down. "No thanks. I already ate." Price shook her head. "I really don't know how you live on hospital food," she said, looking mildly disgusted. "Hey, we get good food. Not like you ordinary patients," Phoebe responded. "Besides, its not like we have time to taste what we eat," she added with a smirk. "Yeah, you're too busy staring at the cute male interns," Prue teased. Phoebe rolled her eyes but then her expression turned cheeky. "Talking about male interns, what's up between you and Nick Hades?" she asked, looking at Price. Price almost choked on a mouthful of food. "How do you know him?" she asked in surprise. "I asked you first," Phoebe responded with an evil smirk. Prue and Piper merely raised their eyebrows in curiosity, staying on the sidelines. "Well, I literally ran into him at the mall yesterday. And…I guess I sort of like him. Your turn," Price said quickly. Phoebe smiled. "He's one of my interns. He asked me if I had a sister who fits your description, coz he noticed the resemblance. He's got a serious case of love at first sight," she informed her. "He works for you?" Price asked, her tone a mixture of surprise and disappointment. "Yeah. And he wants to ask you out." "Really?" Price asked eagerly. "Don't look so desperate," Phoebe teased smacking her arm. "I'm not desperate!" Price retorted defensively. She grew serious then. "So, if he does…is it okay with you? I mean, conflict of interests or something," she questioned. Phoebe eyed her serious expression and smiled. "Like I told him, his private life is none of my business." Price smiled, but when she subconsciously tried to get a reading of emotions, she came up against a brick wall and frowned. Piper noticed it and narrowed her eyes. "What? What is it?" Price sighed and looked at Phoebe hesitantly. "Um, can I ask you something?" she began tentatively. Phoebe nodded. "Yeah?quot; "Is there any reason why my powers may not work on you?" Phoebe's brow furrowed in confusion, and Prue and Piper looked somewhat surprised. "You mean, you can't get readings from me?" Phoebe questioned. Price only nodded. Phoebe sighed. "You can, if I let you," she said quietly. "I know its not my business, but why won't you? Coz it seems mighty suspicious," Price said cautiously, knowing she treading into deep water. "Most of my powers are psychic and telepathic…that comes from being a witch. But I get something similar from whitelighter blood as well. Together, they give me more control, not on my emotions as such, but on the way I express them and how another witch, like you, or even a higher level demon may interpret them," Phoebe began explaining. "You can manipulate your emotions?" Prue asked in surprise. "I can manipulate the way you might read them. No one can manipulate their emotions, only hide them," Phoebe corrected. "I'm confused," Piper confessed. "When I was in the Underworld, if any upper demon could get readings of love and fear from me…well, it'd make things mighty suspicious. So I learnt to control, putting up a sort of barrier, so that they couldn't read my emotions. I learnt to do it even in my sleep…I had to. But if they came up with a blank wall, they'd still be suspicious?quot; Phoebe stood up from the table and walked over to the window as she spoke. "So, I sort of made them believe that they were getting readings of hate, evil and so on. I wasn't even sure it worked, but I couldn't dare ask…Until now I thought I was just lucky, but I guess it worked if you can't pick up on it," she admitted, turning round to face them again. "So, why are you holding it up even now? Its not like you're in any trouble now," Piper pointed out. Phoebe sighed. "I guess its just active subconsciously. After spending so long surrounded by evil, and having to constantly watch my back, even the short time I'm asleep, its hard to let your guard down, even if I know that its safe. I can assure you that it doesn't take Limp Bizkit to wake me up anymore," she said with a quiet smile. "To manipulate evil and hate…don't you like…I mean…don't you have to?quot; Prue trailed off. "Be evil," Phoebe finished, looking down at her feet. "Yeah, but like my powers and the Limpid, there is a part of me that is pure and simple evil. And if that part of me ever takes control…I don't even wanna think about it." There was a long moment of silence and Phoebe shifted uncomfortably, and almost wished she could orb out, but this was a discussion she would have to face sooner or later. Piper wished she could say something to put her sister's mind at ease, but she knew that Phoebe understood the extent of her powers and the reality of the situation, and it was all too serious. "So…do you have charges? I mean, you are a whitelighter, right?" Price asked finally. Phoebe smiled at her in gratitude for changing the subject. "Yeah, actually I do," she said. "Are we permitted to know who?" Prue asked rhetorically. "I just keep my eye on the Power of Three?quot; "Wait a minute! I thought Leo was our whitelighter," Piper interrupted frantically. Phoebe held up her hand as they all walked into the lounge. Phoebe flopped down on the comfy chair while her sisters settled on the couch. "Relax! I'm not gonna get angel boy out of a job! Leo's your guide, but he has his limits. Unlike him, my powers weren't given to me by the Council, so they have no influence on it, nor can they control how I use it," Phoebe explained. "Care to explain?" Price prompted. Phoebe rolled her eyes with a dry smile. "Hmm…Okay. If something happens to one of you and 'They' say Leo can't interfere, he can't. Either his powers won't work or he'll face punishment. But, 'They' can't take away my powers or punish me for using them…just like 'They' can do nothing, if I use them for evil. So, I'm sort of like your magical Protector or whatever…And because of the magical mix of blood and power, I can heal animals as well. Better?" Her sisters nodded, slowly sorting through the information. "So, officially we have two whitelighters," Price concluded. "Why?" Piper asked suspiciously. She had very little, if at all any faith in 'Them'. "Officially, its only temporary. As for why, well, because demon attacks will intensify for two reasons: my presence and your baby. And also because the Power of Three is gonna be a little rusty," Phoebe replied. "Ooh! You've been up there to long. Your head's in the clouds and you're talking in riddles just like whitelighters," Piper said growing frustrated, causing her sisters to giggle. "You're gonna need a hand, because once your baby's powers start developing, yours will go haywire. And that's not good, especially with more demons around. And there's hardly a chance of you learning to control all of them…coz if I seriously lose my cool, I start zapping away like anything…not necessarily to heal. So, I'm officially assigned to you guys only until Melinda is born?quot; Phoebe explained, or rather tried to, when Price cut in. "How do you know its Melinda?" Phoebe glanced at Piper, silently telling her to explain. "We were sent to the future to learn an important lesson and I found out I had a daughter with Leo, and her name was Melinda," Piper explained briefly, and then turned back to Phoebe. "What happens after Melinda is born?" she asked, wondering if her sister's priority would become other witches and not her family. "I'm assigned to her, but that's not gonna work out unless I keep an eye on her family now, is it?" Phoebe replied with a smile. "I thought it was one whitelighter per coven?" Prue said. "Yeah, but Leo already has a handful with just you three, and your baby is special. Leo will be your guide, but Melinda gets?my priority I guess," Phoebe told them. "Is there any other reason that you're going to be watching over the next witch-whitelighter child?" Price asked curiously. Phoebe sighed. "Unlike witches, whitelighters get all their powers at the same time. So, Piper, you're gonna have a tough time dealing with at least half a dozen powers, and Melinda will have to cope from a very young age. My powers were truly released, only when I had contact with the Limpid. That was how it was written and meant to be, but your baby will have hers from birth. She might need guidance in learning to control them, and use as she wants to." "You don't seem to have too much trouble with yours," Prue pointed out. "I'm 25 years old. She'll be a baby," Phoebe pointed out in response. Piper sighed. "I guess a witch and a whitelighter ought to think twice before joining up, huh?" she said, looking upset. "It depends on how you look at it, Piper," Phoebe said gently, reaching over the coffee table to squeeze her sister's hand. Piper rose her gaze to meet Phoebe's gentle brown eyes, that had always been so familiar, and yet now, they seemed so different. "On one hand you'll be bringing into this world a powerful force of good. Once she gets the hang of her powers, she won't have any trouble taking down several demons single-handedly," Phoebe said reassuringly. "On the other, it'll be condemning her to a lifetime of sacrifices and pain," Piper retorted, her voice choked. Phoebe looked down, but shook her head firmly. She chose her next words carefully. "Melinda will come into a world that knows who she really is and accepts and loves her for that. She'll grow up dealing with her true identity, and learning to adjust to it. She won't have to fear who she is, and she'll have her mum and dad to thank for it. You and Leo fought for what you wanted. You weren't about to give up, nor were you about to chicken out and hide. You faced up to it and because of that, your baby is going to have a wonderful life. Don't ever think otherwise. If I were her, I'd be more grateful than life itself to you and Leo." Piper knew where this was all coming from. They all did, and Piper could see the flicker of anger and pain in her sister's eyes. "Phoebe…you can't blame mum?quot; Prue began gently, knowing that she was putting herself in the line of fire. "Blame her for what, Prue? For not being loyal to Victor! For lying to us! For betraying us! How can you not see that?" Phoebe asked, anger blazing in her usually calm and gentle eyes. "Because I know she loves you. She loves all of us," Piper said quietly. "She lied to us, all of us. She betrayed Victor, your father. She gave your own sister away!" Phoebe burst out angrily. "She loved Sam, Phoebe. She loved him, and they created you out of that love. For no other reason," Price broke in quietly. Phoebe shook her head firmly. "Love might be a reason for a lot of things. But one thing it isn't, is an excuse for mistakes!" Prue sighed. "Phoebe?quot; she started again, attempting to be gentle. "Don't Phoebe me, Prue! You have no idea what its like when someone drops the bombshell that everything you built your life around was a lie, and worse, with a gun pointed at the back of your head!" Phoebe said quietly, her fists clenched tightly. Prue, Piper and Price fell silent. Phoebe had never told them exactly how she found out, and they began to realize just how much pain she was in. "Can you look me in the eye and tell me that this entire situation doesn't bother you? Can you tell me that you aren't mad even in the slightest?" Phoebe asked quietly, her eyes gazing intently at them. Prue looked down, and struggled to come up with the right words. Phoebe had a valid point, but she was the only one who was willing to admit it. "I always looked up to mum. In my eyes, she was perfect in every way, but this?quot; Prue trailed off, unable to meet her sister's burning gaze. "This has brought changes, right? And worst of all, after everything, they both have the nerve to come in here and tell me what to do!" Phoebe's voice came out through gritted teeth, as she struggled to maintain her composure. "Phoebe, whether you want to hear this or not, you need to. Mum and Sam are your parents and however you might feel about them, they are your parents. And they do love you. That was why they wanted you to make the right choice." Prue said firmly, her voice rising a notch. Piper winced. She could see this turning into a fully-fledged verbal assault battle. She glanced at Price and could tell that she was getting a similar impression. When Phoebe said nothing, Prue mustered up the strength to continue. "Sam loved you. He loved all of us. After dad left, Sam used to come here to see mum, probably on business, but he was here. And he was great. I can see why mum loved him, and I can see a lot of him in you. You might not remember, but he was a great guy." Phoebe whirled around briefly. "That's right, Prue. I can't remember him. I can't even remember mum. Everything I knew about her was what I saw in photo albums or what you two told me. And as for a dad, I wasn't even sure we had one. Family was just you two and Grams. There was no mum and dad anywhere. Where were they all those years when we needed them? We managed just fine without them all these years. All my life, I've made my own choices, doing what I wanted. That was why you and I had and still do have trouble, seeing eye-to-eye. I would never listen to you. I would listen to no one, Prue. I've never let anyone or anything decide the way I live my life. And if I wouldn't listen to you two, people I've looked up to my entire life, there was no way mum could think that she can drop in anytime she feels like it and tell me what to do. If she didn't realize then, she better have now! You can't buy respect, you have to earn it. And it goes both ways." Prue and Piper just sat still stunned by Phoebe's heartfelt confession. "I love mum, but I resent what she did, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive her for it…And Sam. I almost despised him when we first met him, and now he's my father. I really don't know what to think or feel anymore. I'm sorry if you don't agree," Phoebe finished softly. "How do you feel about us, Phoebe?" Piper asked quietly, voicing out the one question she knew that was waiting to leave all their mouths. "No different than I did before this stupid mess," was the sincere response. Phoebe glanced up at the clock. "I have to be at the hospital in a little while and I want to catch a shower before I go," she said quietly, starting up the stairs. However, before she could reach the top, the doorbell rang, and moments later Kevin walked in, looking flustered, as he tagged along behind his mother. "Who called the cavalry?" Phoebe said with a smile as she came back down again. Marcia Grant stopped abruptly, staring at Phoebe in both shock and surprise. "Oh my! It really is you!" she said. Phoebe leaned down to give her mother-in-law a hug. Marcia however, still did not believe her eyes, and just held her at arm's length, eyeing her suspiciously. "Something big has been happening, right? Something seriously involving the Charmed Ones?" she asked. Phoebe only smiled in response, and turned towards her sisters. "Marcia, you know my sisters, Prue and Piper. This is my other sister, Price. Guys?quot; Phoebe trailed off as Marcia greeted Price curiously, and shot Kevin a glance. Jonathan Grant, meanwhile, gave his only daughter-in-law, a firm handshake, but his expression registered his puzzlement. Phoebe sighed. "If you still think I'm dead…I guess I have a lot of explaining to do……" And so, the same explanation was repeated with Phoebe relating the details of her experiences and endeavors, leaving both her husband's parents shell-shocked.
*****
Everyone was walking on eggshells for the next few days, partly because of the heated conversation that had taken place between the sisters and partly because of Piper's hormones causing irritable mood swings. Even though Phoebe was uncomfortable around them, she seemed to take Piper's grouchiness in stride, without letting it get to her too much. Prue and Price assumed that it was because Phoebe dealt with such people almost everyday professionally so she was more or less used to it after slogging through it every day for several years.
One night, Piper just shot up in bed. She'd been having re-occurring nightmares of Phoebe leaving again and then of her being killed at the hands of Cretus, and they seemed all too realistic. Glancing beside her, she found the bed empty. She sighed. Trust 'Them' to call Leo away in the middle of the night! Slowly getting out of bed, she made her way down the hall to her sister's room. Quietly peeking in, her heart thumped harder when she found Kevin lying on his side, his face towards the door, but the place next to him was empty. Taking a deep breath she made her way downstairs, and was surprised to find no light on anywhere. Piper closed her eyes to calm herself. There must be a rational explanation. "Phoebe usually preferred to be on her own a lot, so where would she go if she wasn't in the kitchen?" she asked herself. There were two likely options: the backyard or past the solarium and just outside the French doors. Piper thought the latter was more likely. Without making any noise, Piper slowly ventured into the solarium and sure enough saw that the large doors were open, and outside, stretched out with her hands under head and gazing at the stars was her sister, no, half-sister. "Hey Piper. What are you doing up at this time?" Phoebe broke the silence, causing Piper to jump. She hadn't expected her sister to realize that she was there. "How'd you know I was here?" she asked in surprise. "I heard you…trying to give me a fright, huh?" Phoebe responded, still keeping her gaze fixed on the sky. "Actually, you gave me a fright," Piper said quietly, slowly walking over to stand beside her sister's chair. Phoebe eyed her curiously, and Piper could see the flicker of concern in them. Phoebe reached out to touch her arm lightly. "What's wrong?" Piper smiled inwardly. That sounded exactly like the Phoebe she had grown up with. She knew that whatever happened, Phoebe would always be her Phoebe. "Just couldn't sleep," Piper said vaguely, but inside she really wanted to be close to her sister. She lightly perched on the edge of Phoebe's knee. "Oof! You're getting heavy!" Phoebe complained, but Piper knew she was joking when she felt an arm slip round her waist. "Well, I'm only going to get heavier," she responded with a grin, and leaned back against Phoebe, so that her head was resting against her sister's shoulder, just under Phoebe's chin. She smiled gladly, when she felt Phoebe's other hand come to rest lightly on her stomach "So, watch ya doing?" Piper asked. "Star-gazing," Phoebe responded distantly. Piper tilted her head to look at Phoebe's face, whose expression held a jumble of emotions. Phoebe looked back down at Piper. "What?" she asked. "You don't star-gaze and you seem like you're in a totally different world," Piper told her. Phoebe looked back up as she replied. "Maybe I am in a different world. Or maybe I've changed. Maybe I do star-gaze now." "That's a lot of maybes," Piper pointed out quietly, glancing up at the clear sky. "Maybes are sometimes more valid than reality and the truth…it hurts less," Phoebe responded. Piper took a minute to process the words and realized what her sister was thinking. "Pheebs?quot; she began, but Phoebe cut her off. "Piper please, lets not go there. We're only going to end up arguing." Piper nodded slightly. "Do you do this often?" she asked, skillfully changing the subject. "Over the past year, almost every night," Phoebe said quietly. "When do you sleep?" Piper asked, almost scolding. "I couldn't sleep much, Pipe. Too much stuff in my head, I guess…Whenever I needed to cool off or just be me…you can stare up at the stars for hours without getting tired…I mean you can really lose yourself. And you know…it sounds crazy, but I used to talk to them, and I'd just go on about how much I missed you guys…and how much I loved you…just hoping that you'd hear. I couldn't go to the beach or the stables so I guess I settled for the next best thing." Phoebe sighed, bending her head backwards and closing her eyes. Piper felt a tremor of pain travel through her heart. She placed her own hand on top of her stomach over Phoebe's and squeezed it. She knew that no words were really necessary. Phoebe had taught her that. Sometimes a gentle gesture such as a smile, a hug or even a touch could speak a thousand words. Phoebe opened her eyes and smiled gratefully. There was a peaceful and comfortable silence between them for a few moments until Piper struggled to stifle an enormous yawn. Phoebe's smile turned into a grin. "You should get back to bed, or is Leo becoming too tiring?" she teased playfully. "I just felt sorry for you. You were looking lonely," Piper responded. Phoebe rolled her eyes. "In that case, I'd have stayed curled up beside my husband, you know." Piper sighed, feeling somewhat happy and fearful at the same time. "Actually, I like it here. Besides, I couldn't ask for better company," she said. "Thanks, but I have a feeling you're only saying that because you're just too comfortable on top of me," Phoebe responded, giving Piper a gentle squeeze. "Maybe?quot; Piper said with a slight smirk. "Ooh! You know, sometimes I wonder why I love you so much," Phoebe said. Piper grinned, but said nothing for a long moment. "I love you," she said finally. "I love you too," Phoebe replied softly. Piper snuggled into her sister, and Phoebe smiled, placing a soft kiss against the side of her sister's head. "Phoebe?" "Mmm?" "How do you feel about Price?" Piper asked cautiously. "Love her! Just as much as I do you. Maybe even more!" she added with smirk, earning a smack on the thigh. "Just be glad I won't throw you across the room!" she threatened. "Pregnant woman!" Piper responded. Phoebe laughed slightly, and Piper smiled, cherishing the sight of her sister's beautiful smile and the sound of her laugh, and realized how much she had missed it.
They both fell silent then, and Phoebe returned her attention to the stars, while Piper closed her eyes relaxing into the warmth and safety of her sister's embrace. After a while she glanced back at Piper, and smiled when she saw her sleeping peacefully. Phoebe contemplated taking her back upstairs, but decided that if Piper had wanted to be here, who was she to deny her that? Closing her eyes, Phoebe allowed her body to rest as sleep overcame her. Several hours later, Price came down the stairs and wandered into the solarium. She smiled at the sight she saw outside. Phoebe was lying on a sun bathing chair, with her arms wrapped round Piper and Piper's head resting comfortably against her shoulder. They were both asleep, but Phoebe's eyes suddenly popped open, and her head turned immediately in Price's direction, and she relaxed. "Morning," she greeted with a grin, but her smile faded, when she saw Price pout. She raised her brows. "I don't think you love me. You bond with them at Camp Skylark, and all those years before, and now here you are again. No fair," Price whined playfully, perching on Phoebe's other knee, earning a groan from the latter. Phoebe rolled her eyes when Price leaned back, so that her head was resting on Phoebe's other shoulder. With a sigh, Phoebe removed one arm from around Piper, and wrapped it around Price. It wasn't long before Price fell asleep, but Phoebe remained awake. Well, it wasn't very easy to sleep comfortably when you had two adults on top of you! From her position under her sisters, Phoebe watched the sun rise, wondering how long ago she had last seen it. "Hey kids! You know, you're going to break the poor chair," Prue said, as she came downstairs with Bane. "Forget the chair, what about me? I have one sister who thinks I don't love her, and the other who finds me as a very comfortable mattress," Phoebe said dramatically. "Not such a bad idea," Prue said, crouching beside them on the steps and resting her head against Phoebe's arm. Phoebe rolled her eyes and cast a helpless look at Bane who smiled sympathetically. "Where's my guardian angel when you need him…or her?" Phoebe muttered, as she felt both Price and Piper stir. They both opened their eyes and smiled, and then glanced back at Phoebe who just sighed and rolled her eyes. At that moment came Kevin outside, with Phoebe's insistently ringing cell phone in his hand. "So, that's what happened to you? Ah, can't a guy enjoy his wife's company without having her sisters trying to flatten her?" he said dramatically. "You know, for once, I'm not complaining!" Phoebe said as she reached for her phone from Kevin's hand. "The hospital sounds good compared to being a cushion!" her sisters finally got off her and Phoebe stood up, taking the cup of coffee from Prue's other hand. She took a sip as she answered her phone. "Hello…What's up?…Yeah…And?" Phoebe almost choked on her coffee. She coughed and spluttered in shock. "Wha…How…No?But?quot; Her sisters, Kevin and Bane looked on in concern and surprise at her reaction. Phoebe was recovering a little. "Dana, Nick! This is not funny! Stop it!…It can't be. There has to be a mistake…um, yes but?quot; Phoebe stunned and dazed gaze was directly at Kevin. Their eyes met, and he could see something in hers…something? "Oh my God!" he whispered in shock, realization dawning on him, as his mind traveled back to one night just three weeks ago, in her room. Phoebe hung up the phone and they just stared intently at each, shock, surprise and delight playing about their expressions. "What? What is it?" Prue asked anxiously. Phoebe couldn't form the words. She was still too stunned. Kevin swallowed hard before answering his oldest sister-in-law's question, a delightful smile of pure happiness spreading across his face. "She's pregnant!" It was everyone else's turn to make a spectacle of themselves. Prue, Price and Piper were stunned at first, and then, they leapt up on Phoebe, hugging her and congratulating her. Bane gave Kevin a pat on the back and shook his hand. Finally, Phoebe and Kevin were left, still trying to collect their thoughts. Without a word Kevin, stepped up to her and swept Phoebe into his arms, her hands curling round his neck, just as their lips met for a passionate kiss.

End of this story