Disclaimer: the Charmed Characters are the creation of Aaron Spelling and Constance Burge.. I've just borrowed them for your enjoyment


The day truly sucked, Phoebe Halliwell threw her bag into the hall and slammed her baseball glove onto the table. The eight year old made her way to the kitchen hoping that her sister Piper or her grandmother would be there to offer a comforting cookie and cold glass of milk.

Pushing the door open the little girl’s shoulders sagged, she might have known she wouldn’t be that lucky, no one in sight, grabbing a coke she made her way to the back porch.

“Dam it! Phoebe!” Prue Halliwell immediately felt the annoyance as she tripped on her little sister’s bag “How many times!” Prue growled as she flung the bag across the hall “Take the dam thing upstairs!”

It was then her eyes were drawn to the hall table “Ohhh! No!” her kid sister had been trying out for little league she’d been supposed to pick her up.

“Phoebe! Phoebe!” Prue frowned at the lack of response “Phoebe! Stop messing about come down!”

Prue let out a deep sigh it was just one thing on top of the other lately the fifteen year old was constantly at loggerheads with her kid sister, they’d had a massive row only this morning Prue just wanted some peace and quiet now and again but her little sister was a continual pain. She’d been following her around whining at her even before breakfast. Prue ran a hand through her long dark hair she couldn’t even remember what she’d been whining about, truth was Prue hadn’t really listened she’d just pushed her kid sister out of the room and locked the door.

Breakfast had been fun, Phoebe wouldn’t eat, then she started whining again, Prue had got annoyed so much so she’d ended up giving her a hard slap across her legs. The inevitable outburst came Phoebe screaming how much she hated her as the tears tripped down her face. Prue hadn’t been very sympathetic – she hadn’t smacked her that hard – drama queen!

Piper had had enough she quickly picked up her stuff and headed out of the door the shouting matches and the fights between her sisters had begun to be regular occurrences she had no wish to get in the middle of yet another one.

“Phoebe!” Prue tried once more before making her way to the kitchen, looking through the window she saw the small figure sitting on the back porch shoulders slumped, her head resting on the post.

Prue caught her breath; there was something about the little girl that caught her attention. Even from this distance she could see her kid sister looked upset, Prue had never seen her like this Prue frowned no matter what, Phoebe always bounced back she was never down for long.

Phoebe stared at the can in her hand; it was against the rules, milk after school not coke especially for an eight year old. Phoebe pushed it against her leg closing her eyes at the sharp pain she felt from the coldness of the can. Her day had gone from bad to worse, first Prue, then the teachers at school, then the kids in the playground but worst thing of all had been little league.

“Hey!”

Dam it was Prue! “Hey” Phoebe didn’t look up as she answered her sister she was the last person she wanted to see, Prue never listened to her, if she had none of this sorry business would ever have happened.

“You ok?” Prue frowned her kid sister looked as though she’d had the life sucked out of her even with her face down she could see she looked pale.

“Mmmm”

Prue sat on the step only a short distance dividing her from the little kid who she loved to bits but continually drove her crazy.

“Here” Prue handed the little girl a glass of cold milk “You know you’re not allowed coke”

Prue didn’t miss the impatient sigh as her sister took the offered glass.

Prue raised her eyebrows “Thank you Prue”

“Thank you Prue” the response automatic the voice dull no trace of the usual sarcasm when her big sister pulled her up on her manners.

“What’s up?”

“Nothin”

Prue took a deep breath “Ok”

Phoebe’s head hung down her hair obscuring her face, Prue took a closer look the coke can was still pressed against her knee, Prue reached out intending to put the drink to one side.

“Leave it” Phoebe sounded sharp as she shuffled a little away from her sister her back slightly turned.

“What have you done?” Prue was immediately on the alert.

“Nothing”

“Let me see” this time Prue kneeled in front of her sister there was no escape, Phoebe felt her sisters strong hand take the can off her.

“Phoebe! You’re hurt!”

“I’m alright” Phoebe choked she wasn’t ready yet, she wasn’t ready to talk, especially not to Prue, Prue would just get mad at her like she always did, Phoebe desperately wished Piper was around she was the one she wanted not Prue.

Prue hesitated, she hadn’t missed the crack in her sister’s voice, it was obvious this was much more than a hurt knee, deciding actions spoke louder than words Prue reached out and picked her kid sister up. Phoebe had no time to react she was already sitting on Prue’s lap before she realised what had happened.

“Pheebes talk to me, it’s alright tell me what’s wrong”

Phoebe felt her face twist, her lip tremble she had no control over her emotions, the kindness of her sister so unexpected had somehow pushed her over the edge.

“Hey! Hey! Its ok, whatever it is its ok” Prue pulled her kid sister close cradling her with one arm she rubbed her sisters back.

Phoebe felt terrible she couldn’t stop it it was as though a dam had burst, the tears were relentless the sobs harsh as they wracked through her body.

It took quiet a while before the little girl calmed down, Prue held her close her head resting on the top of her little sisters, Phoebe became more aware of her surroundings the strong arms holding her tight the sound of her sisters steady heartbeat, she closed her eyes the tears still leaking from the tight lids.

“Do you feel any better babe?”

‘Babe’ Phoebe couldn’t even remember the last time Prue had called her that.

“Well?” Prue prodded her again she was anxious to find out what had worked her kid sister into such a state.

“Everyone had someone”

“What?”

“At little league, I was all on my own”

Prue felt her own lip tremble, the lump in her throat, but unlike her little sister she was well practised at pushing her feelings away from the surface.

“I’m sorry” the words sounded so insignificant.

“I thought you’d come, you know to watch” Phoebe sniffed “I asked this morning”

Shit! Shit! Her kid sister hadn’t been whining at all she was merely being exactly what she was – an eight year old in need of encouragement and support.

“Phoebe I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise, I “Prue kissed the top of her sister’s head “I wasn’t listening I didn’t even think…………………………What happened?”

“I slid, banged up my knee”

Prue looked at the offending body part; it was swollen, already badly bruised.

“Looks sore, so I take it you didn’t get picked?”

“Why?”

“Erm” Prue looked puzzled.

“I was safe! I’m in!”

“Well done!” Prue was genuinely pleased her sister loved sports.

“We’d better get that knee sorted then or you won’t be playing anything”

Phoebe smiled as her sister hoisted her into the air and carried her inside; Prue picked up the ice pack and sat on the sofa her sister on her lap.

“Here keep this on it’ll take the swelling down…………one more thing, I’m really really sorry about today”

“It’s ok, I was a bit upset but I’m alright now” It was true for the first time in a very long while Phoebe could feel exactly how much her big sister loved her.

“I promise you from now on I’ll be at every single one of your practices and matches, I will be your very own personal cheerleader”

“Erm Prue, you’re not going to embarrass me are you? You’re not going to bring those big pom pom things?”

Prue smiled as she listened to her baby sisters distinctive giggle her imagination clearly running away with her………… “Don’t do the splits, and don’t go spelling my name out”.

“Ohhhh! Big sisters prerogative! You should know that by now! Its my job to embarrass you!”

Phoebe sniggered as she cuddled into her big sis……seemed the day wasn’t that bad after all.

THE END