Disclaimer. If you recognize the names they are not mine
“Do you have to be so clumsy!” Prue Halliwell glared at her younger sister “You know what I’ve had it with you! You can dam well clear that mess up and when you’re done you can change all the beds, clean the floor and then get outside and cut the grass!”

“Prue!” Phoebe felt close to tears it had been an accident she hadn’t meant to push into her oldest sister.

“Don’t even start! It’s one thing after another you’ve got no respect not for me not for anyone, don’t think for one minute I’ve forgotten about last weeks little escapade!”

“But that…” Phoebe felt the tears brimming in her eyes she choked as she tried to defend herself to her angry sister.

“Can it!”

Phoebe watched as Prue threw the cloth she’d used to wipe herself down onto the kitchen counter and storm out of the room.

“Dam it!” Phoebe swallowed back the tears and reached for a cloth.

“And pick up the pieces first you’re so dam stupid you’ll only end up cutting yourself!” Prue’s orders drifted through to the youngster, kneeling down she very gingerly began to pick up the shattered remnants of Prue’s breakfast.

“Hey baby! Come here let me give you a big hug!” Phoebe bit on her lip as she listened to the sister that had been so angry greet the youngest member of the family, “I’m so pleased with you! You’re teacher tells me you’ve really been trying these last few weeks ……..and guess what?”

Phoebe choked as she heard her kid sister’s response “What? What! I can’t tell me!”

“I am going to take you shopping! You’ve worked so hard I’ve decided you deserve a treat”

“Yay!” Paige Halliwell could hardly contain herself “Prue! Can I have them?! Please say yes! Pleeeeeeeeease……..”

Prue grinned at the excited eleven year old “Ok”

“Yes!”

Phoebe couldn’t hear anymore she sunk to her knees unable to stop the tears trickling slowly down her face, she’d seen them first, she’d been the one that had asked Prue, and now Paige was going to get them …………. Phoebe knew perfectly well what Paige was on about - new rollerblades! Phoebes were shot to bits, she never had them off her feet, if anyone needed new rollerblades it was her not Paige! Paige could hardly skate!

The banging of the kitchen door made Phoebe jump.

“Ugh! What the hell……..?” Piper gingerly stepped over the broken crockery, carefully avoiding the spilt food and coffee “What happened here?”

“Bumped into Prue”

Piper rolled her eyes she pulled out the kitchen chair and took a closer look at the thirteen year old “You look upset” Piper paused wondering whether to pursue the conversation, Prue and Phoebe had been at it for weeks she had no desire to get caught up in the middle.

Phoebe nodded slightly and got on with cleaning the floor.

“Here let me help” Piper ripped off a load of kitchen roll kneeling next to her little sister she scooped up most of the mess.

“Thanks” Phoebe felt her eyes fill; quickly turning away she let her hair hang down obscuring her face from her big sisters gaze.

Piper hesitated once again – she knew just how bad things could get between her sister, Prue was in charge, for the most part Piper thought her fair but now and again something just seemed to rattle her cage and more often than not Phoebe would end up on the receiving end. Piper had tried talking to her older sister but it just didn’t seem to register, Piper marvelled at how someone so smart could at times be so dim!

“Pheebes” Pipers sense of caring finally won through, she hated to see anyone upset especially if anyone happened to be one of her sisters, even more so if it was one of her kid sisters.

“Come here, sit down” Piper pulled out a chair almost in one movement she pulled her sister up and pushed her into the chair, and took the seat next to it “Now I’ve known you all your life little sis and I know that a bit of spilled food would not make you this upset so……………” Piper hesitated trying to gauge her sister’s reaction “Tell”

“Erm…..I ….it’s nothing”

Piper smiled “Ok….so its nothing, if its nothing no reason not to tell me about it then is there?”

Phoebe half smiled back, she loved Piper to bits she was always there for her, she always had time to listen.

“It’s just, I’m just, I mean, I know I’m being stupid”

“Stupid!” Piper looked horrified as she clutched her chest “One of my sisters stupid! Never! Not in this world”

Phoebe smirked her sister’s playful banter finding its mark.

“I just wish Prue wouldn’t be so mad at me all the time” there it was out.

“Ok, so keep going”

“She, she never listens, she’s always on at me, she doesn’t even give me a chance to explain stuff, she just assumes the worst and goes for me”

Piper took a deep breath, unfortunately so far, she had to agree.

Phoebe felt the involuntary tear roll down her face, Piper immediately leaned forward and gave the little girl a hug “What else” Pipers words were quiet she knew her little sister was hurting.

“Paige”

Pipers eyebrows hiked up “Paige!?”

“I don’t mean it like that I mean I love her and all she’s my kid sister” Phoebe smirked “Only one I’ve got so I’ve got to look out for her right?”

Piper grinned back “Doesn’t matter how many you’ve got you’ve still got to look out for them ……….right?”

“Right” Phoebe was already starting to feel better, scooting to the side she leaned against her sister, Pipers protective arm immediately drawing her close.

“So what about Paige”

“I just wish” Phoebe closed her eyes almost willing her wish to come true “That Prue would be as nice to me as she is to Paige”

Piper felt like she’d had the air knocked out of her, she had no idea Phoebe had felt like this. “Pheebes, Prue loves you you know that right?”

“I guess”

“You guess!” Piper sounded incredulous – as much as Prue nagged their kid sister she still did a lot for her!

“I mean yes, I suppose she does, she does all the right stuff, I mean she makes sure I eat, and go to school and looks after me when I’m sick its just that well “Phoebe felt the tears again “She doesn’t just grab me and hug me like with Paige, and well she gets Paige stuff for like being good, she’s just as bad as me Pipe“

Piper let out a deep sigh “You’re not bad! Neither of you are bad” Piper paused “A little mischievous maybe, pains in the butt maybe but you’re not bad”

The two sisters sat in silence for a few minutes the older trying to think of some good advice eventually Piper landed a kiss on the top of her sisters head “Phoebe have you ever told Prue how you feel?”

Phoebe let out a little laugh “You’re joking right?”

“No, think about it babe, if she doesn’t know it’s broke, she can’t fix it”

Phoebe frowned “She knows it’s broke it went all over her”

“Not the plate!” Piper gave her sister a playful push “You and Prue, if she doesn’t know that you’re upset she’s not going to change”

Phoebe’s eyebrows shot up “And you think she’ll change?” Phoebe let out a sigh “You know what Prue’s like, once her minds made up that’s it, she’s made her mind up that I’m trouble and that’s that.”

“You’re wrong honey; you need to talk to her!”

Phoebe squirmed it was one thing talking to Piper but Prue?!!

“Go! Go now while its all still fresh” Piper tugged at her kid sister bringing her to her feet.

“She’s with Paige”

“So – go now!” Piper pushed Phoebe out of the door.

Prue looked up from the sofa as Phoebe practically fell into the room “Cleaned that mess?”

Phoebe nodded, suddenly she wasn’t so sure, the butterflies were fluttering round in her stomach, Prue was lounging on the sofa the youngest Halliwell leaning against her showing her the latest school photo.

“Erm Prue?”

“If you’re going to ask me if you can go out later the answers no”

Once again Phoebe felt her eyes fill with tears swallowing hard she decided to take Pipers advice “I wasn’t, I just, I just”

Prue rolled her eyes “Spit it out! You just what?”

“Wanted to talk to you” there she’d said it the ball was firmly in her big sister court.

“What about?” Prue looked puzzled it was very rare that Phoebe sought her out for cosy chat that honour was normally reserved for Piper.

“I was talking to Piper and she said I should tell you”

“Might have known! What have you done now?”

“Nothing!” Phoebe’s voice cracked already on the edge her sisters cynicism sent her right over.

“Ok, what?”

“Just us, please”

Prue frowned she paused for a moment to take a proper look at her sister, she was clearly upset about something deciding she had no option Prue nodded her head “Paige, either go upstairs and get ready for the mall or go find Piper”

“Ok!” Paige jumped up totally oblivious to the tension between her sisters the ten year old was already half way up the stairs “I’ll get ready for the mall – I’ll wear my new jeans”

Prue stared silently at her younger sister for a few minutes, neither willing to be the first to speak, eventually Prue gave in.

“You better sit down then” Prue moved and indicated for Phoebe to sit next to her “So what’s all this about? What’s with all the drama?”

Phoebe bit on her lip, this had been so much easier with Piper, after all she was slightly removed, and this was about her and Prue.

“I just, well it’s you know”

Prue struggled to keep calm, patience was never her strong point and Phoebe’s reluctance to come to the point was wearing thin.

“I don’t know, so why don’t you tell me?”

“It’s me and you”

Prue’s eyebrows shot up “Me and you? What about me and you?”

“You’re always so mad at me, I know I screw up sometimes, but you never listen, you only ever shout at me or tell me to do stuff, you’re not like that with the others just me” Phoebe held her breath waiting for her sisters reaction.

Prue was stunned although it had all come out in a rush she knew exactly what her little sister was trying to say.

“You think I favour them over you?”

Phoebe felt it again, this was so annoying, normally she could keep her emotions in check but today it was as though she had no control, the tears rolled silently down her face, her sister vocalising her deepest concern had hit her hard.

“Phoebe” Prue’s voice was quiet, she was shocked, she had no idea that her little sister felt this way “I have three kid sisters who I love dearly; I wouldn’t swap any of you for the world”

Phoebe still couldn’t speak the tears were coming thick and fast she offered no resistance when she felt herself being pulled onto her oldest sisters lap.

“Oh Pheebes!” Prue held her sister close gently rocking her, trying to find the words that so desperately needed to be heard “I love you all to bits, each and every one of you!”

“Even me?” Phoebes voice was barely audible the pain evident the need to know apparent.

“Of course even you!” Prue was stunned “Phoebe do you have any idea how special you are?” The guilt washed over her in waves, Piper had warned her! Piper had told her!

Prue felt the slight movement of the head “No! ………Phoebe I remember so clearly every time I was presented with a new kid sister” Prue took a deep breath never strong at showing her emotions she knew this was one time she had no choice “First Piper, her arrival isn’t as clear as yours and Paige’s I was only three, but even so I remember the excitement at being told I’d have a little sister, someone to play with and that was what Piper became, she was my playmate, my partner in crime. Piper was different to me, everyone thought I was the strong one, the leader they were wrong. Up until she went to school I thought the same but she was the one who would go to school alone rather than go with kids she didn’t like, I was the one who tagged along with the popular kids, desperate to fit in not to stand out. Piper didn’t care she was her own person, strong and independent. Then you came bouncing into the world!”

Phoebe took a jagged breath; she had never heard Prue talk like this.

“I was nine by then – it was different, this time I was getting a baby. I could hardly contain myself the night you were born! I was desperate to see you! When Dad took me to the hospital I couldn’t remember ever being so excited. Dad had to hold tight to us both we were both pulling him along our only concern to meet you. I heard you before I saw you” Prue grinned as she kissed the top of her little sister’s head “You were screaming blue murder, your face was all red and scrunched up and proper little tears were running down your face”

“Did I look horrible then?”

“No! I just remember staring at you, you were tiny, always the impatient one you had arrived 6 weeks early, Dad could hold you in the palm of his hand. I didn’t care that you were crying I just wanted to hold you. Mum said you were too small but she saw the disappointment in my face, she made me sit next to her against the headboard with pillows all around me then she put you in my arms”

Phoebe was beginning to calm, her sisters words had her mesmerized lost in a time she had never known.

“Did I stop crying?”

“No!” Prue let out a laugh “That would have been nice, but no you cried the entire time we were there, you had something wrong with your tummy that was why you were so upset you must have been in pain. Next day they seemed to have sorted you out, I held you again and you woke up. You stared right at me your brown eyes looked huge! Piper was sat at the side we both had one of your hands and you gripped us so tight! I wondered how you’d grow, if you would be like me or Piper but you were like neither of us”

“Were you disappointed?” Phoebe’s voice shook her words highlighting her insecurity.

“Hell no! You were a bit like us in some ways, you were independent like Piper, stubborn like me” Prue laughed “A lethal combination, but most of all you were fearless, Piper and I couldn’t believe it, I don’t just mean that you’d try anything, although you did, but it was your attitude. I took you to school that first time and you practically ran off as soon as we got to the gate, you didn’t even look back, you went straight over to a crowd of boys and asked if you could play soccer with them. I stood there for a few minutes while Grams talked to the teacher and watched you, you were so confident, so happy, Grams shouted you to come say goodbye and you grinned at us and waved – that was that” Prue hesitated uncertain on how much she should go on ….. “I didn’t like it” Prue paused “You didn’t need me……….. you didn’t need anyone….. it felt… I mean I felt ……………sad………..if felt wrong, but then part of me was glad, part of me was pleased that you were so “ Prue stroked her sisters back “so strong, …….. I think for the first time in my life I knew how it felt to be proud, and the thing was it was you that I was so proud of”

Phoebe choked she had no idea, she vaguely remembered her first day at school, she’d been looking forward to it for months! She didn’t know what it was about or why she should go, she just knew her big sisters disappeared every day and she wanted to do the same! Ever desperate to be like them she hadn’t thought twice, she’d skipped merrily thorough the gate her sole intention to enjoy whatever life threw at her, she had been absolutely thrilled when she spotted the football all other thoughts had quickly flown from her head!!!

“What about when Paige was born?”

Prue bit on her lip, she had suspected that this was where Phoebe’s deepest insecurity lay.

“Paige, got the short straw, she got three big sisters to visit and fuss over her! It was like pass the parcel!”

“Did I get a hold?”

“No sweetie you were too little you were only just turned two, but you gave her the sloppiest kiss ever then smacked her on the face”

“I smacked her?!” Phoebe sounded horrified.

“You were only little you didn’t mean too, I think you meant to stroke her” Prue laughed at the expression on Phoebes face “You just weren’t very well co-ordinated.”

“Did I hurt her?”

“No, stunned her slightly but hey! What better way to be introduced into the world of three big sisters, things get rough!”

Phoebe smiled she couldn’t argue with that, things did get rough.

“You weren’t too keen when she crawled either!”

Phoebe half smiled wondering what the next revelation would bring.

“You kept sitting on her” Prue couldn’t help herself she burst out laughing the image of a tiny Paige squashed flat while Phoebe sat on her quietly eating a cookie “Don’t worry I was just as rough with Piper!”

“Prue….” Phoebe hesitated things were going well she really didn’t want to spoil things “Paige, do you, I………do you love her the most?”

Prue ran her hand through her hair “No, I love her the same.”

“But you always fuss her, you know, and well you just seem different”

“Ok…maybe you’re right, maybe I do treat her different but that doesn’t mean I love her any more or less than you. Honey I’ve got three kid sisters, each at different stages, Pipers not much younger than me, she’s the easy one, a couple of chats and she’s normally sorted, I can relax with her do you understand?”

“Yeah, she’s still your playmate?”

Prue laughed “Yes she’s still my playmate! Then there’s you, you’re testing the waters a bit, you’re growing up desperate to break the chains but you’re not ready”

Phoebe felt Prue’s grip tighten “You’re still fearless and I love that and hate it at the same time. I love it that you’re so confident but you scare me shi…, senseless that you don’t stop and think of the consequences. That’s why I come down on you so hard” Prue hesitated but she knew it had to be said “And you confuse me”

“I do!! I mean how?!”

“One minute you’re like a kid the next you’re all temperamental and angsty” Prue’s voice was quiet there was no condemnation she had stated the fact.

“I, didn’t I mean, I”

“What” Prue smiled she knew her kid sister was struggling just as much as she was.

“I, I, I confuse myself”

Prue laughed “Go on”

“Well one minute I feel all happy and like know exactly what to do and then the next I just want …….” Phoebes voice trailed off.

“Want what”

“To be little again…you know to hug and cuddle and … “ Phoebe let out a deep sigh.

“I know, and I’m sorry I forgot just how hard it is to be thirteen!”

“And Paige?”

“Paige is still a little girl, but make no mistake I know she’s no angel, I’ll probably be just as hard on her in a couple of years when she starts pushing my buttons”

“No you won’t!” Phoebe smirked “She’ll have me to look out for her!”

Prue grinned as she kissed her little sisters forehead “Oh! Will we ever have peace?” Prue hesitated as she returned to the original subject “Phoebe, there’s something else you should know”

Phoebe waited patiently she could tell Prue was grappling with her own emotions.

“When Mum, well……..” Prue rolled her eyes she was starting to sound like her little sister “When Mum died and there was just Grams, you were my baby. Paige was tiny, she was only 6 months old Grams had to look after her but you were mine. I used to do everything for you”

“Everything?” Phoebe blushed as she stared at her sister.

“Everything!” Prue laughed as she ruffled Phoebe’s hair Prue cuddled her sister, something she hadn’t done in ages “You’ll always be special to me Pheebes you were my baby then, you are now ………… you always will be”

“I love you Prue”

“Mmmm, after this morning’s little fiasco I don’t deserve it” Prue ran a gentle hand over her sisters back “I’m sorry. You were right I have been unfair. I should listen to you more, how about I give you a hand with those beds – it’s a lot quicker with two, then you can go put your new jeans on and get ready for the mall”

“I haven’t got new jeans.”

Prue smirked “Yes you have, I got them when I got Paige hers, I was just mad at you for breaking the window last week so I kept them back”

Phoebe grinned “Cool! Are they the same as Paige’s?”

“No” Prue’s voice was a conspiratorial whisper “Don’t tell her I said, but yours are better, yours have got holes in”

“Yes!” Phoebes face broke out into a wide smile, she’d wanted them for ages but Prue had said they looked old!

“Prue! I’m ready! I’ve been ready for ages! When are we going?” Paige glared across at her big sisters they hadn’t even moved! They’d been sat there for ages and she’d had a shower, done her hair and tidied her room!

“Just as soon as I’ve helped Phoebe change the beds and she gets ready”

“Oh Prue! That’ll be ages!”

“Then you help as well and we’ll be quicker”

Paige thought for a second “No that’s alright I’ll go talk to Piper”

Prue couldn’t help the half smile on her face, Phoebe was right she would have to look a bit closer at the behaviour of the youngest!

“Hey!” Paige was halfway out the door “When I get my rollerblades will you show me some stuff?”

Phoebe raised an eyebrow, so the kid wasn’t happy about waiting for her but more than happy to ask for her help!

“Phoebe will need to get used to her own before she helps you with yours”

“Prue!” Phoebes face was a picture “You mean?”

“Yes I mean” Prue fell backwards onto the sofa the weight of her sister sending her flying.

“Yay! Tickle fight!” Prue groaned as she felt Paige launch herself on top.

Piper stood by and watched for a few minutes before going to her big sisters aid, pulling Paige off with one hand and Phoebe with the other she grinned at the dishevelled form of her big sister

“See Prue……………it’s good to talk!”


THE END