As Time Goes By

Prue sat at the kitchen table while the mail came floating in the door. It opened in front of her and she sorted the bills, letters and her son's teen magazines. Peter came running down the stairs late for school, as always.

"I won't be home for dinner, Mom. The coach is having extra practice before our first game next week. See you later!" he said as he kissed her and ran from the Manor.

"Bye, dear. Love you," called out Prue. She looked up again thinking how much he was like Phoebe. Could this be her punishment? She quickly dismissed the thought and headed off to work. Checking herself out in the mirror, she was still the queen of the Charmed Ones, but was looking more like Grams everyday.

Waiting next to her car was her sister; Phoebe Marie Halliwell Rockwell looking very fashionable despite being six months pregnant.

"Morning, Prue!" she said "How Peter's doing?" as she got in the car.

"The Manor's going to be quiet tonight, Peter's going to be at practice. How is everyone in your brood?" asked Prue.

"All's well. Dick will be out of town till Friday, Patty's busy with Girl Scouts, Penny's working on an elephant sculpture for art, Paul's doing fine in nursery school and the twins have already been dropped off at day care. And I have got to get that new computer network up and running by the end of the week," explained Phoebe.

"I still can't believe it will increase our efficiency as much as you claim, Phoebes. Just get it up and running as soon as possible. You do have a way with those computers, I'll give you that!" admitted Prue as they headed out on the expressway.

Phoebes and Dick lived on one side of Halliwell Manor and Piper and Leo lived on the other. The growing Halliwell Coven never ventured too far apart.

Piper was at her home work station looking over the preliminary quarterly reports from her restaurants. Her chain of "Pied Piper" restaurants specializing in Asian cuisine had done well up and down the Pacific Coast. Leo and Piper had two children, Phillip and Melinda. Phillip was studying architecture at Berkley and Melinda was starting her senior year in high school. Piper could never forget the daughter she saw in the future and Melinda was the only non-P among Patty Halliwell's grandchildren.

"Whoa, these work stations still drive me nuts. They are too user-friendly and they give you too many options. It looks like I might have to go to Seattle next week to help out my two new outlets there." Piper thought to herself.

Piper had grown to look more like her Mother, while Phoebes had changed little still looking younger than her years. Piper pushed back from her chair pressing her hands to her forehead. Working at home was not working out as well since she had expanded outside of California. She had to open a branch office in Seattle and dreaded the amount of time she would have to be out of town to start that operation up. She also left messages for her sisters to meet her that night for a drink.

Down at Halliwell's Auction House, Prue and her assistant Barbara were busy going through the inventory list for their ancient Middle Eastern auction scheduled only three days away. Phoebe knocked on the door. Prue looked up a little disturbed.

"The network is up and running. One week ahead of schedule. How about that?" she asked.

"That's great, Phoebes. You really run your department well. Can you get them to load all of the data for the next auction? I'd like to run all of our presentations with it. Otherwise if you'll excuse us," apologized Prue.

"No problem. We'll get right on it. And don't forget we're meeting with Piper after work!" reminded Phoebe.

"I didn't forget. GOOD-BYE, Phoebes," answered Prue sounding more than a bit annoyed.

Phoebes headed back to her office worried that her sister had gotten too deep into running her company since Jeff had left her. Both of them were strong-willed individuals and had always had a rocky relationship together. When they lost little Prue to the demon Orpheus last year, Jeff couldn't take it any more and left. Prue just shut everyone out and dove head long into her work Phoebe Halliwell had finally found herself after many years of searching. She met and married a handsome male witch and successful stock broker named Richard Rockwell. Phoebe focused all that energy she had on running the business side of Prue's company and put the same effort into being a wife and mother. She was having her sixth child now and was very happy and satisfied with her husband and her life.

That night at the new P3, Phoebe and Prue walked in finding Piper standing behind the bar.

"The place really looks great, Pipe. I haven't been down here in ages," said Phoebes.

"Never forget your roots, Grams always told us. Since P3 is where I started, I'm not going to forget it. Sit down ladies. What will you have?" asked Piper.

"Just ginger ale for me. I've got to think about Patrick here," said Phoebe patting her stomach.

"White wine, please," said Prue.

"I'll have a screw driver. Ladies, sisters, I propose a toast. To the Charmed Ones. Our Silver Anniversary, surviving and prospering."

"Here, here," said Phoebe and Prue in unison as the glasses clinked together.

"So what about the next twenty-five years?" asked Phoebe.

"Let's just take it one year at a time," said Prue.

"I just can't believe it's been this long and that we made it through all our trials and ordeals. We have to be charmed to have made it this far," mused Piper. "But can we keep this up?"

"We'll just have to pass on our legacy like it has been done for the last 300 years. Three of our children will have to be the defenders of the innocent. They all seem to have strong powers. Penny even started blinking last week," said Phoebe grinning.

"Whoa, we never had a blinker in our family before," said Piper. "How did you find out?"

"She popped in on me at work and I had to drive her back to school. We have to teach them to be more discreet their powers," warned Phoebe.

"Any hints at Patrick's power?" asked Prue.

"He definitely takes after his Aunt Prue," said Phoebes as she moved a glass across the bar. "This has been fun, but I have to get back home and get dinner started. Why don't you join us Prue? Peter's out this evening."

"Thanks, but I have got to get back to the office. New auction coming up. I'll drop you by home," suggested Prue.

"I'm heading that way, just like you should Prue. You have got to get out of that office and back into the real world. It's been a year since little Prue's death and you can't keep burying yourself in your work!" warned Piper. "Besides, Peter still needs you."

"Peter is doing fine," said Prue. "He won't listened to me anymore than..."

"I would?" said Phoebe. "It's OK. We started seeing eye to eye with each other long ago. I guess every generation needs a free spirit. I always figured it would be one of mine."

"Your family's still young, my little sister. And like I said, Peter is doing just fine. He has to deal with his loss in his own way too. We'll all have dinner in the Manor next week. Piper, thanks for the drink. See you in the morning, Phoebes." Waving lightly Prue headed from the club.

"That is one unhappy witch. We have got to help her out," said Phoebe.

"Uh-oh. I haven't heard that tone from you in a long time, Phoebes. Prue is a big girl and we shouldn't interfere in her life. We all have our own families to worry about now," said Piper.

"I wasn't looking for a magical solution. Why don't we just talk to Jeff? I know there was a lot of hurt between them, but they are SO right for each other," said Phoebe.

"Phoebes, we're not teenagers anymore trying to fix up Prue and Andy. We should just let them be," said Piper. "Forget about it. Let's head home."

"Coming," called Phoebe as a plot started brewing in her head.

Late that night, the door of Halliwell Manor opened and Phoebe walked in and headed up to the attic. The Charmed Ones still went up the stairs to deal with supernatural problems, but Phoebe almost never ventured up by herself anymore. She took the Book of Shadows off the stand, lowered herself onto the old settee and started pouring over the ancient spells.

"Maybe a little magical help is what Prue really needs. They have got to work things out. If she doesn't she could become a hopeless workaholic and recluse. I don't want to cast a spell on her, but maybe I can help them along. Here's a good one: To force two subjects to make a decision, bind them until they do."

Phoebe recited:

"Two lost soles,

Who can't decide,

Bind them together,

Side to Side.

My good deed for the day. Now it's up to, Prue and Jeff."

The next morning Prue was in the kitchen preparing breakfast when the doorbell rang. Prue went to answer it and found her estranged husband Jeff Caldwell standing there.

"Hi, sweetheart. I don't know what came over me. I had to see you this morning," he said apologizing.

"Well, isn't this a surprise! Come on in, I don't have long. Peter, your father's down here!" Prue called upstairs.

"We haven't seen you in weeks. What's the occasion?"

"I don't really know. Even with all the pain, I still miss you both," Jeff said.

"Don't you think I'm still grieving over little Prue, too? I just, just...can't think about it for too long or I will..."

"Hi, Dad. What's up?" said Peter running down the stairs.

"Nothing much. Hey, when's your first game?" asked his father.

"Next Saturday at four. Coach said I made the second string and will probably play in the second half." he said with a touch of pride.

"That's great! I won't miss it. Let me talk to your Mother, son, please," said Jeff.

"OK. I got to run. See you then, Dad. Bye, Mom!" Peter said as he ran out the door.

"Bye, Peter," said Prue after he left. "Oh well, come in and have a cup of coffee. We can talk for a little while."

She poured each of them a cup and sat at the kitchen table. They talked about little Prue's funeral and Prue started to shed some tears. Jeff reached over to comfort her and hold her hand. Blue lighting sparked between their hands.

"What the hell? Prue, I can't let go," said Jeff. "It must be some demon."

"I can't let go either. I don't think this is a demon's handiwork. This is can only be the work of one person I know...PHOEBE!" she shouted.

They both stood up from the kitchen table, walked around it and headed out the front door to her sister's house. Prue knocked on the door.

Patty answered it. "Hi, Auntie Prue. Can I help you?"

"May we come in? We'd like to see your Mother," Prue said sweetly.

"MOM! It's Aunt Prue and Uncle Jeff!" Patty cried out.

"Be right down," she called from upstairs.

They both sat down on the couch as Phoebe walked into the room all smiles.

"It's good to see you two together..." she started.

Prue held up their hands stuck together saying, "Are you responsible for this? We are totally glued to each other."

The kids were giggling behind Phoebe.

"Shh, kids! Yes, I did cast a spell to bring you two together. A little closer than I imagined," Phoebe said with a smirk. "I just wanted you to work things out. In fact, I don't think you can come apart until you come to an agreement. I just want both of you to get on with your lives. I'll do everything I can."

Jeff said, "We have to work this out in our own way, in our own time. I have got meetings with clients this morning."

"And YOU know about the auction coming up, Phoebes. Help us get unstuck!" Prue asked.

"OK. Penny run over to tell Aunt Piper to meet us in the attic. Patty you are going to have to get your brothers and sisters ready for school. Let's head up to the attic. After you 'Jeff'n'Prue'."

"That's not funny!" said Prue disgusted.

The Charmed Ones poured over the Book of Shadows for over an hour.

"I can't find anyway to reverse it," said Piper, "except to resolve the problem. Anyway I have to agree with Phoebes."

"Piper!" cried Prue.

"Thanks, Pipe!" said Phoebe.

"I don't necessarily agree with her tactics, but at least you must make some kind of a decision. You have been avoiding each other for months. The funeral was over a year ago. Jeff you have to either accept that Prue is a witch or start over elsewhere. Phoebe and I were lucky enough to do it to have guys that understand. Prue, you have to put your daughter's death behind you, too. Turn to your husband, or your son or us, but don't turn into yourself. There a big wide wonderful and dangerous world out there that needs you. So WORK ON IT!" Piper finished sternly.

"Wow!" explained Phoebe. "You don't usually get so worked up about something."

"You forced us to this point, Phoebes. Let's leave them alone. We'll be waiting downstairs. Now get to it, Jeff, Prue," demanded Piper.

"What other choice do we have? Please leave us alone!" exclaimed Prue.

Piper and Phoebe went down to the kitchen and reheated the coffee that Jeff and Prue started with two hours before.

"Well, Phoebes, I hope you know what your doing," said Piper.

"So do I," she agreed.

Over the next two hours they heard the clash of wills between their sister and brother-in-law coming from the attic. Shouting, raving, crying. After an hour things started flying around the house.

"Prue's really worked up now. Hopefully she won't wreck the Manor," said Phoebe as she ducked.

Just as glass started to break and plaster fall from the ceiling into the living room there was a deadly calm. Piper and Phoebe looked at each other wondering what was next.

Prue walked into the kitchen several minutes later followed by Jeff several feet behind her. The spell had obviously been broken.

"Well?" said Phoebe very anxiously.

"I guess I should thank you, Phoebe. I needed to vent myself. Both of us needed to," said Prue.

"And as you can see we are no longer Siamese twins." announced Jeff holding up his hand.

"Yes, and...and..." said Piper, "What about you two?"

"And we agreed to start to work things out," said Prue.

"We're going to have dinner tonight and see what happens. We're both willing to try. It's going to take a lot of work. And Phoebe, thank you. Your screwball idea did make us talk and that's what we really needed to do," exclaimed Jeff.

"Great! And Prue can you level off on the overtime at the office?" asked Phoebes.

"I will have to for our marriage's sake. I still love him and don't really want to lose him," admitted Prue.

"Whoa, that's beautiful," said Piper shedding a few tears.

"We all have got to get to work. Phoebes, you'll have to drive yourself in. I have a date!" said Prue.

Prue and Jeff headed for their cars while Piper smiled at her little sister. "You did it, Phoebes."

"No, we did it. We're charmed remember!" said Phoebes grinning broadly.

"And we always will be!" said Piper as they headed out the door.

THE END