Longing for Comfort

By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

Piper and Paige had just left Phoebe alone on her bed after lying with her for almost an hour. But they only left because I told them to…I made them leave. Phoebe thought as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, finding her mascara running, though she wasn't surprised. Her sisters never approved of their relationship, or marriage for that matter, but that was to be expected, she supposed.

He was a half-demon. She was a witch. Both sides were against them, but that didn't mean part of it wasn't good.

It was bad because her choice broke up the Power of Three and basically betrayed everything she and her family stood for. It was also bad that, because she was a Charmed One, it made her evil side that much stronger.

Evil wasn't power. She knew that now.

Her hands moved to her stomach. "Speaking of evil, I hope you aren't since I quit drinking that potion." She sighed. "It'd be a real shame if the first child of the next generation of Charmed Ones was evil. I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound good to me."

Phoebe stood, feeling a small kick. She smirked. She wasn't very far along, but thought it might be because of the good/evil thing. She wondered how much more different things would become.

Walking over to the window, she saw the rain had stopped as she opened the curtains. She shivered, feeling the cold air from the windows. Things would be much different now. They already were.

A yawn escaped her. She was incredibly tired, now that she noticed it. Instead of going to her bed, she found herself walking out into the hallway, as if steered by an unknown force. She walked upstairs to the attic without a reason.

The Book of Shadows rested on its podium and she felt compelled to look for something. Phoebe walked over, resting her hand on it and feeling a slight spark. Maybe her son had more of an influence on her powers than she thought. Lifting her hand from the heirloom, it opened to a familiar spell.

She chuckled, resting one hand on her stomach and the other on the page. "Is there someone you want to meet?" She asked with a smile as a response was felt.

She walked over to place the summoning candles in a circle, lit them, and then walked back over to the Book of Shadows.

"Hear these words,

Hear my cry,

Spirit from the other side,

Come to me when I summon thee,

Cross now the great divide."

Her son began kicking rapidly until it nearly hurt and she doubled over, but someone caught her. She looked up into green eyes. "P – Prue?" She asked in shock as she nodded helping Phoebe stand.

"Hello Phoebe." She said, nearly without emotion. "How are you?"

Phoebe backed away. "Y– you're not Prue!" She choked out.

"What do you mean, Pheebs? Of course I am!" Prue said walking toward her.

This wasn't her sister. It was no secret they hardly ever saw eye to eye, sure, but her voice – it just sounded so dull.

"Go away!" Phoebe said, running to the door, but a fireball flew past her.

"No!" Prue yelled running to her. "Phoebe, th – this isn't me!" She pleaded. In her eyes, Phoebe saw sincerity, but it was like her body wasn't hers as Prue formed another fireball and slammed her stomach…

A scream erupted from her throat and her sister came running. "Phoebe!" Piper called, sitting beside her sleeping sister. "Phoebe." She laid beside her, brushing her hair behind her ear.

She rolled over as Piper's arms came around her. "P–Piper?" Phoebe asked, eyes closed tight.

"Yes Phoebe?" She asked as she met her sister's sleepy brown eyes. "What is it?"

Her eyes watered and Piper wiped away streams threatening to spill. "I dreamt of Prue and I–I think she was a demon."

"What?" She asked. "Why?"

"Piper, she threw a fireball at my head. It–it missed, but–but…" Her emotions were too much and she leaned into her sister.

She took a breath. Having a dream that involved Prue was one thing, but saying she was a demon? That was completely another. "What else, Phoebe? Can you tell me?"

Phoebe nodded, but couldn't speak just yet. What the hell did that dream mean? Sure, Prue had never liked Cole, but to do that…? "I woke up screaming be–because…" She chocked up. Nothing about this was easy to say. "P–Piper, she slammed the last fireball into my stomach a–and–"

"That's it. Come on." Piper said standing and pulling Phoebe up with her.

"Where are we going?" Phoebe asked as they exited her room.

"Upstairs."

"We've tried a million times, Piper." Phoebe reasoned as they climbed the stairs. "It won't…" She sighed. "You know what? What's one more time?"

"Exactly." Piper said as they entered the attic and she grabbed the summoning candles. "But she's not who we're summoning."

"She's not?" Phoebe asked. "Then who?"

Piper ignored her questions as she lit the candles. "I hope this works." She said as she walked back over to Phoebe.

"Hear these words,

Hear my cry,

Spirit from the other side,

Come to me when I summon thee,

Cross now the great divide."

"Hello girls." She said walking over to them.

"Grams? Why?" Phoebe asked.

"Watch." Piper said.

"Drink this." Grams said, holding out a vial with red liquid.

"What is it?" Phoebe asked.

"Phoebe, honey, just drink it." Her mother's spirit said forming beside her. "It'll help."

Phoebe downed it, nearly gagging as it hit her lips. "What was that? It tasted like—"

"Like the potion the Seer gave you?" Patty asked.

Phoebe nodded. "How did you know?"

"It was the reversal. What you dreamt, was the evil he had within him." Grams said.

"But why Prue? Why not…someone else?"

"Out of the two of us," Piper said, "she was the one who hated him the most."

"Where's Paige?" Phoebe asked.

"She's with Leo." Piper answered.

"Do you feel better?" Patty asked.

"Yes. But…"

"But?" Piper asked.

"I wish she really could meet him."

Piper sighed, wrapping an arm around her. "Yes, but she will. We just – we won't see her." She choked out.

Phoebe nodded. "I'm gonna to my room for a bit."

"Okay." Piper said.

Phoebe walked over to hug Grams. "Bye sweetie."

"Mom. Thank you, both of you." She said walking down to her room.

"Isn't there some way?" Piper asked. "You two can cross, so why can't she?"

"It has to be a certain number of years, well, for me anyway." Grams told her.

"What about you, Mom?"

"Me? I'm the mother of the Charmed Ones. Honey, I wish she could too, but these rules can't be broken."

"What about dreams? Phoebe would even know it wasn't real." Piper said.

"Piper." Patty said.

"No I—just forget it, okay?"

"We're sorry. For now, Prue has to stay there."

"When will I know?"

"Oh, you'll know." Patty said as they disappeared.

SIX YEARS LATER…

The Charmed Ones sat in the living room while their children played. Leo was helping a young couple escape a Darklighter, Coop was helping a young girl finally get her friend's heart and Henry was…well, Paige never knew exactly what he did anymore with his duties changing daily.

A young brown-haired girl ran into the room. "Mommy," Paytin said. "Cole pulled my hair!"

A boy with green eyes ran after her. "Did not!"

"Cole be nice!" Phoebe said, grabbing him by the back of his shirt as Paytin disappeared into the other room looking for her cousins.

He gave his mom eyes of fire, but she grabbed his wrist before he could form an energy ball. Piper walked back in from the kitchen with a vial of red liquid. "Drink."

He pulled a face, but took the vial and downed the contents and handed it back to her. "Uncle Leo?" He asked as he looked behind Piper.

Leo pressed a finger to his lips and Cole (Jr.) walked back over to Phoebe.

"Leo, what are you doing here?" Piper asked.

He threw golden dust into the air and a woman in long white robes appeared. She had long black hair, green eyes and a smile on her face.

"Who is that, Mommy?" Cole Jr. asked as Phoebe stood, tripping over the rug, but someone stepped up to catch her.

"P—Prue? Is that really you?" Phoebe asked stunned.

Piper, meanwhile, had pulled Paige to her feet and over to see them.

"Yes, Phoebe." Prue said as she felt two hands tugging on her robes. "And who are you?"

"That's…he's my son." Phoebe stuttered. "Wh—why are you here? We've never been able to summon you."

Prue just smiled at Piper. "It all had to do with time, Phoebe. It was too soon."

"Piper, really, I feel out of place, I—I-" Paige stammered trying to pull away. She wasn't afraid. This was their time with Prue, not hers.

"You do?" Prue asked. "You shouldn't. You're doing so well, Paige. I never thought this would happen without me, but with you its better."

Phoebe grabbed her other wrist. "Yeah, she's your sister too, but I suppose, being as you never knew her…"

"Yeah." Paige said.

"It's okay, really." Prue answered. "I don't expect you to welcome me with open arms, but—"

"Who are you?" Cole Jr. asked, squeezing in between his mom and her sisters.

"Wow, he's persistent." Prue commented, picking him up.

"Yes, that he gets from his father." Phoebe said. "Unfortunately, that's not the only thing." She said under her breath.

"Can you guess?" Prue asked.

Cole thought for a moment. She wasn't his grandma or Great Grams that he knew for sure. She looked too young. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "You're Auntie Prue! I have a sister named Prue too!"

She laughed. "Yes you do, but you look a lot like me with your bright green eyes and dark hair." He formed an energy ball unconsciously. "Whoa!" Phoebe took him from her. "What the hell?"

"I sorry." Cole said, clenching his fist, extinguishing it.

"It's not his fault, he's—" Phoebe began, but Prue stopped her as she wrapped her arms around her.

"I know." She whispered into her hair. "And you've done a great job of that, sweetie." Prue pulled back, wiping her eyes. Phoebe sat Cole down and he ran off.

"So you don't hate him then?" Phoebe asked.

"No, look at him. He may have demonic blood, but he's not evil." Prue said. "I know about that dream, Pheebs. I never would have done that."

"I know, but—"

"You thought because of Cole I'd kind of resent him right?" Phoebe nodded. "I don't. You all love him, so why shouldn't I?"

"We might not love his dad, but we sure love him." Paige said.

"Yeah. Being with him – raising him that way – was one thing, but this – what's happening now – is completely another." Piper said.

"Well, obviously, he knows not to kill us, so that's good." Phoebe said.

Paige smiled. "That's always a plus."

Prue looked toward the ceiling. "Already? Guess my visit's gonna be cut short."

"It's okay." Piper said, hugging her.

"We understand." Phoebe said, hugging her as well.

"Paige?" Prue asked. Paige looked at her oddly, but stepped forward. "I know you're not gonna warm up to me just like that, but I do hope you'll forgive me for kinda forcing this life on you."

"You didn't force it." She smiled. "I was destined to be here, with or without you." Paige said, hugging her. "And I couldn't be happier. I finally have the sisters I'd wished for forever and a family to go with them."

Prue smiled, whispering in her ear. "I'm glad you think this kind of crazy is good. My sisters, I mean."

"Hey!" Phoebe said.

"We heard that!" Piper called out.

They pulled apart laughing. "Yeah, its definitely a good thing!" Paige said.

"I love you." Prue said stepping back. "All of you."

"We love you too!" Paige said.

Waving, Prue disappeared.

Phoebe pouted. "I still can't believe our own sister called us crazy!"

"Well, in her defense, she grew up with you!" Piper said as Phoebe smacked her in the arm. "Ow!"

"Nah, there's a reason for it, but I'll always agree with her!" Paige said pulling away from them.

"Hey!"

Paige's Orbs formed. "Paige, get back here!" Piper yelled.

"No way!" She laughed as she disappeared.

THE END