Puddles Puddles

October 20, 2003

Disclaimer: The Charmed Characters are the property of Aaron Spelling and Constance Burge. I just borrow them for your enjoyment and my writing addiction.

The rain continued to pour down from the sky. She couldn't even remember the last time she saw blue sky even a tiny piece of it. With all the demon fighting lately some how the blackness of the sky seemed almost peaceful.

They had needed rain all summer it was so dry, and now suddenly, it didn't know when to let up. The other day she swore the roof of the Manor was gong to blow right off it had been so windy. Though her sister had reassured her that wouldn't happen and that the old house had survived much worse then a little old storm.

Easy for her to say she thought to herself as she pulled herself away from the wet window and back to the kitchen in search of something to eat.

She took another bite out of the apple and went back to where she had been sitting, watching the rain. Only this time something was seriously different.

"Whoa." She looked out as the water rushed down the street. She was starting to feel sorry for the houses further down Prescott. The ones that were in the valley. And she sent a quiet thank you to her relatives for building their house on the highest point on the street.

She suddenly had an idea that might help her pass the time. She quickly ran back to the kitchen. Pulling on her winter boots, she tucked her pants inside, grabbing her slicker she opened the door and started down the street in the pouring rain.

& & &

"Thanks again for the help Phoebe."

"No problem Mr. Wilson. I was just watching it fall and had to get out."

"Well, I appreciate it and I'm sure Mrs. Johnson does too, though she won't say anything."

"We both know that won't happen." She laughed, "I better get back home. Prue and Piper will be home soon." she gave him and the neighbours helping a wave goodbye before making her way back up the street. She knew that Mrs. Johnson house would be the most susceptible of all the houses in the valley to the water coming in. and she also knew that Mr. Wilson would be doing everything he could to help the old lady.

She walked close to the curb on the road letting the water rush over the tops of her boots. She wasn't even sure when she came off the sidewalk onto the road. It just happened. She stopped in one spot letting it cover both her boots, she moved to just one then to the other then back to the two. She felt five years old again, playing in a puddle with her older sister yelling at her to get out of it. This time her sister wasn't around to spoil her fun , as she suddenly leaped up in the air and came splashing down in the running water, sending a spray up her pants and out towards the street.

She laughed as she jumped again, higher, pulling her legs up under her as she came down again and again.

By the time she got to the bottom of her own driveway her pants were soaked but she didn't care. She started up the walk when she spotted it. On the lawn right in the middle. Always in the same spot every year. It was like it was calling to her as it had in the past.

"Phoebe! Get out of there right now." Prues voice was heard from the top of the steps as five-year-old Phoebe jumped up and down in the large puddle or to her a small lake, in their front yard.

"NO! I wanna pway." Phoebe shouted back as she jumped again.

Prue watched as her sister defied her yet again. Taking in a deep breath she went back into the Manor briefly enough to don her own wet weather gear before she went back outside, grabbing her little sister by the arm, she practically dragged her into the house.

"You know better." Prue scolded her, "Now go upstairs and out of those wet clothes before you get sick."

Phoebe laughed now at the memory. Though at the time she was furious with Prue. But now there was no one home to stop her fun as she ran through the once again small lake, watching as she created her own waves and the wake to follow.

Piper pulled into the driveway and the first thing she saw was her baby sister on the front yard jumping up and down and running back and forth in the one spot she knew had their annual lake.

She sat there a few minutes just watching her. It reminded her of when Phoebe was five and Prue caught her out in the rain doing the exact same thing.

She smiled at the memory of her sister and the energy around her and it brought a natural smile on her face. It was the same smile and energy she had now 20 yrs later. That same sparkle in her eyes as she jumped up high in the air splashing down in the water.

Getting out of the car and starting up the walk she still watched Phoebe in the 'lake' "Having fun Phoebe?" she laughed, as she kept going not bothering to stop her sister.

"Piper! You gotta come back and try this."

"Don't think so sis. And you better not be there when Prue gets home either."

"She can't stop me now, " Phoebe turned back to her fun forgetting all about her sister. "I'm not five anymore."

Piper smiled and laughed shaking her head, "Don't bet it sis." She said as she went inside the Manor safe out of the rain.

Piper made her way upstairs into something more comfortable on a rainy day. Somehow she came to standing at the front window watching her sister still running back and forth. Almost mesmerized by the little waves she made with each step. But she also saw Prue standing on the walkway trying to talk to her.

The front door opened and closed but Piper stood where she was.

"What is it about puddles or in this case a small lake that catches her so?" Piper asked to Prue knowing she had given up on getting Phoebe inside.

"You answer that and parents around the world will love you. And I might add." Prue put in as she started for the stairs, "So will older sisters."

Piper laughed still watching Phoebe.

"Are you still watching her?" Prue questioned as she sat down on the couch.

"Oh come on Prue. Live a little through our little sister. She is trying to jump up in the air and do a 360. Only she always comes up a little short."

"And let me guess. She is soaked." Prue shot back over the magazine in her hand. She knew that eventually she would have to go out and bring Phoebe in. When it came to being a kid, sometimes the youngest Halliwell took it to extreme. "Was she out there when you came home?"

"Yes and you were not that far behind me so she hasn't been out there that long." Piper replied back to her sister, though knowing something Prue did not.

"And you know this how?" Prue asked, knowing that Piper didn't have the right answer.

"Because when I was upstairs changing, Mr. Wilson from down the street called. Said he wanted to thank Phoebe again for helping him place sandbags along Mrs. Johnson property line on the street, to help keep the water out. And she had only left a few minutes ago." Piper cast a look over her shoulder smiling at the look she'd got on Prue's face. That alone made it worthwhile, as Prue was expecting an answer, just not the one she just gave her.

Piper let out one more laugh as she watched Phoebe jump up in the air as high as she could tucking her feet underneath her and letting them out just as she was about to hit the water once again splashing her everywhere.

"I think soup is the food of choice for dinner tonight. Preferably chicken." Piper spoke to anyone how was listening as she made her way back to the kitchen.

Prue looked up after Piper was gone and went to the same window. She couldn't help laugh as Phoebe ran around the puddle as she had when she was five. But it wasn't just five. It was ever since she could escape the grasp of either Grams or Prue and up until; well now. Prue realized. Her baby sister had never grown out of the puddle stage of life.

She couldn't help herself for smiling, as Phoebe leaped in the air spinning one of her martial arts moves before landing in the water. Only this time she didn't land on her feet solidly, as she had the few times prior. This time her foot slipped from under her, sending whole body sprawling into the foot deep lake in the front yard.

& & &

Phoebe lay in the water stunned she had missed her landing but she started to laugh she couldn't help it, it just started. When she heard the front door to the Manor open she still sat there on her elbows laughing.

"Oh god. Piper! Go start a hot bath. Lots of bubbles!" Prue called out as she quickly ran to the front door grabbing her coat and slipping into her own boots easily. "Phoebe!"

"Prue relax I'm fine." She knew the get in the house lecture was about to start, but as she said to Piper, she wasn't five anymore. "I'm wet but I'm fine." She still sat there resting on her elbows but was now starting to push herself up from the lake.

Prue felt the wind pick up and the rain start again which only added to Phoebes playtime, as she tipped her head back letting the drops fall on her face.

"Phoebe this is crazy. Come inside." Prue spoke but she knew that her tone would fall on deaf ears. It always did.

Phoebe ignored her sister as she raced back and forth as the water level in the lake got higher. She treaded towards the deeper part almost daring the water to go higher then the level of her boots. A dare that Mother Nature took on as suddenly the water started to seep in at the top that reached half way up her shin.

Phoebe stopped, looking down at the tops of her boots. "Well that sucks!" she said as she started to stump up and down, just like a child having her fun ending.

Prue then laughed as her little sister, at 25, was throwing a temper-tantrum in the front yard because the water got to high and now she couldn't play any more.

"You coming in now?" Prue asked as she looked over at Phoebe, who slowly walked towards Prue. Prue placed her arm around Phoebes waist. "You look like a drowned rat." She said with a smile

"Thanks. I think." Phoebe replied as she rested her head on Prues shoulder.

Stepping in the Manor she felt the chill that always followed a play in the puddles. Placing her coat on the rack and making sure any water from her boots stayed outside. She took off her soaked socks and started for the stairs.

"Yeahyeah I know Prue. Get up stairs into dry clothes before I get sick." She sent her big sister a cheeky grin.

"After you get in the hot bath Piper is running for you. Your favourite, lots of bubbles." Prue smiled back as she watched Phoebe head upstairs.

& & &

Prue sat on the couch reading the same magazine she had earlier that night. She laughed to herself when she recalled her sister playing in the lake as they always called it, in the front yard like she had when she was 5.

Sometimes she never could understand her baby sister but then something's weren't meant to be understood. But as she thought she felt saw Phoebe out of the corner of he eye. Watching her, but not really, Phoebe came and snuggled in next to Prue. Tucking her feet under her legs she rested her head on Prues shoulder.

"Thanks for letting me play." Phoebe said quietly

"Well it wasn't like I could pull you out. I have a feeling that the both of us would have ended up in that lake." Prue said as she placed her arm over her sister.

"True." Phoebe smiled as she reached over and hugged Prue.

As much as Prue knew what would come in the next few days, she couldn't scold her sister, as she had many times before. Prue knew in the end, she would take care of the cold that would eventually show its head, it always did.

Piper walked into the living 15 minutes later to find Phoebe sleeping soundly against Prue. "I guess the lake wore her out."

"It usually does." Prue said, as she looked down at her sleeping sister. "It usually does."

Prue ran her hand over the top of Phoebes wet hair, never really understanding what it was about the rain, the running water down the side of the road, or the puddles no matter how large. It was just something her baby sister was drawn to. And it was something that Phoebe could help her keep attached to the child inside her.

Leaning down she placed a kiss on the top of Phoebes head, "Don't ever lose that young child inside you honey." She spoke softly, "I love you. My little puddle jumper."

What is it about a simple puddle no matter how small or how big, that we are all drawn too? No mater how young or old we get, it pulls us towards it. Walking through it, jumping in it, kicking it away or splashing down into it at a friend. We are all drawn to that one puddle. But have you ever noticed it isn't just any puddle. You walk past hundreds every day. But then there it is. That one that pulls you back to a time when everything was ok and you were expected to jump into that one puddle. Sometimes it is that one puddle that makes us all see that we have all held onto that inner child, that free spirit that no matter how much we try, we can never be free from.

And it all started with a simple puddle that no one ever showed us. It was just there that first time we held onto our mothers, fathers, grandmothers or sisters hand. There its was beckoning towards us. I"Here I am. Let your child hood begin'/I and once you do it just that one time..you are forever trapped inside that one piece of childhood...forever.