Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed and I never will. Too bad.

A/n: I was in the mood to write some Charmed fanfiction, but I didn't feel like dabbling in any of my WiPs right now (unfortunately). So I dipped into my list of requested stories. This one is for Anetteo who requested something with Victor and Patty. I hope you all enjoy this. As always I love requests and would be happy to add any to my list.

Katie

Setting: February 24, 1970

Time

a story by Ryeloza

Forty-five days: the length of time she's been married.

She enjoys counting the days and saying them out loud for the world to hear. We've been married seven days, she remembers whispering a week into their marriage. They had been curled up in bed together and she had written her name on his chest with her finger as she said the words. Seven days.

Counting by days makes the time seem longer. Seven, twenty-two, thirty-seven… As she thinks, says, lives these numbers they intertwine her more and more with Victor. Our souls have been joined for forty-five days! The sentiment bubbles inside of her, a package of hope and excitement and love.

One week and three days: the length of time since Cynthia's baby shower.

Cynthia is a friend of hers—actually her former babysitter—and when Patty sees how happy Cynthia and her husband Bill are she feels as though she has an ideal to which to aspire. As she got ready for the baby shower one week and three days ago, she turned to profile in the mirror and put her hands on her stomach thinking, someday. And she smiled.

Now, she looks back at that afternoon and quells the nausea that comes from the memory.

At the shower, Bill's little sister, who is Patty's age, began to make snide remarks about Patty's marriage. The implication that the hurried nature of the affair made it a shotgun wedding and, even worse, that Patty had tricked Victor into the marriage infuriated Patty from her head down to the tip of her toes. As she glared at the other woman, the can of soda the woman was holding suddenly contracted—crunched as though her hand had squeezed too tightly—and soda exploded all over her blouse. As the woman shrieked and dove for napkins, Patty's face paled and she crept away to the bathroom.

Somehow she knew that she had destroyed that can.

Four days: the length of time since she found out she is pregnant.

The doctor hadn't been able to see her until three days after the shower and then Patty had to wait another three days to get the results of her blood test. She didn't tell Victor. She didn't tell her mother.

The doctor called her and announced in a pleasant voice that Patty was pregnant, and Patty had nearly fainted.

Nineteen years, eight months, and four days: the length of time she's been alive.

She can't believe that she's pregnant. Even now, having known for four days, having suspected for one week and three days, her mind can't fathom the idea.

I'm only nineteen! I can't be pregnant!

Her mother had calmly replied, If you're old enough to be married, you're old enough to be pregnant.

But I'm not ready to have a baby.

Patty knows all of the words that had been on her mother's lips after that statement: Too bad. You acted irresponsibly and these are the results. You better get ready, Patty.

Before her mother had been able to say any of this, though, Patty's anger of the anticipation of these words had gotten the better of her and unwillingly she shattered the mirror across the room. Her mother had jumped and Patty had started to cry.

Well, at least we know she has powers, was all her mother said.

Now, four days after that, Patty is still certain that she can't handle this. She doesn't know anything about babies. Victor doesn't know anything about babies. They scarcely have money to take care of themselves. How will they care for a baby?

How is she going to tell him that she's a witch? That their baby is one too?

Six weeks: the length of time she's been married.

In light of the pregnancy, suddenly Patty can't think of the length of their marriage in terms of languorous days. Instead the time is an abrupt six weeks. Hardly any time at all! How could they have rushed into the marriage? How could they have been so irresponsible as to not take steps to prevent a pregnancy?

She doesn't know how to tell him. Six weeks is such an overwhelmingly short time. Has he really signed on for so much in such a short time? Has she? The doubt weighs heavily on her heart and she wonders what they should do.

When Victor opens the door and walks in his spirits are high. He takes Patty into his arms and kisses her soundly, but she barely responds. Her mind is still a mish-mash of questions and uncertainties and fear. As he steps back from her and raises a questioning eyebrow she can't help but blurt out the truth.

I'm pregnant.

What?

I'm pregnant. I'm having a baby.

For a moment, Victor stands so still that she thinks he may faint, just as she almost did four days ago. Then he punches his fist in the air, practically jumping, and scoops her into his arms, spinning her around.

You're pregnant! When did you find out? How far along are you? I'm going to be a daddy! Oh my God, Patty! This is fantastic!

She gets caught up in his excitement for a moment and actually smiles for the first time since she heard the news. Momentarily, there seems to be no negative to being pregnant at nineteen and only married for six weeks. Then she remembers the second part of this truth and her smile fades as Victor sets her on the floor again.

There's more.

More? Really? What, twins?

Patty starts. No! Well, I hope not. Victor's eyes lose a bit of their sparkle and Patty rushes to get the rest of her words out. I don't know how to explain this exactly. I guess I thought I'd have more time to figure it out, but now that I'm pregnant… She sighs.

What's going on, Patty?

She steps away from him and takes a deep breath. This may sound crazy, but it's not. Victor, I…I'm a witch.

In the longest moment of her life, Victor gapes at her. Then, abruptly, he chuckles and tugs on his ear. She's learned that this gesture means that he's nervous.

Uh…what?

I'm a witch. But it's so much more than that. I have magical powers. I fight demons and warlocks. I—

You're serious about this.

Of course I am, Victor. I wouldn't…This isn't a joke!

Victor shakes his head and steps back from her. He looks frustrated and any thoughts of the baby seem to have flown away. You're not…There's no such thing as magic!

The only thing she can think to do is pick up the magazine on the coffee table, throw it into the air and freeze it mid-air. As Victor stares at the magazine, she stares at him, trying to gage his reaction. He looks astounded and confounded and like he's in some pain, but there's no trace of fear. Patty's heart leaps. No fear.

I…I…I…

I'm only telling you now because the baby…well I can't control the baby's powers yet. I wanted you to know before I did something out of the blue.

The baby? You mean the baby is…the baby can…?

Yes. She's a witch too.

Victor gawps at her stomach for a moment and then he spins around and heads for the door.

Where are you going? She sounds desperate and scared and she hates herself for this.

I just have to get out for awhile, Patty. I can't…I just need some time to think.

Victor…

Please, Patty. Just let me be.

So she does.

Four days: the length of time she waits for Victor to come back home.

-Fin-

A/n: This is a variation on a scene intended to be included in Legacy: Part One. I've been re-reading part of Legacy and really attempting to get back into that project. While I still like a lot of the ideas I started in that story a lot of it is hard for me to look back on now. I started that story my sophomore year of college (which is so hard to believe) and I've changed a lot since then. I'm debating whether to just bite the bullet and jump back into it, start a new version of the same story, or simply dabble in vignettes like this one with the important stories I want to tell. So for those of you wondering, I am not done playing in the pre-Charmed universe. One way or another, there will be more stories from me about Patty, Victor, Penny, Sam and the girls when they were younger.

Thanks for reading.

Katie