DISCLAIMER: This story is based upon the series, Charmed, that was created by Constance M. Burge. All Charmed characters are the property of Spelling Productions.
We all know the story of how the Halliwells first got their powers, but we have never really seen the events leading up to that moment. This story is a possible version of the events preceding the start of the Halliwell sister's adventures.
A violent storm rages outside Halliwell Manor as evening sets in. Inside the house, the three sisters gather around the fireplace, in sleeping bags, as a nice fire keeps them warm. The power has been out for several hours now. "So what do we do now?" Phoebe asks her sisters: "Talk, I guess." Piper replies. Prue then brings up something that has been on her mind lately: "Do you two realize that this month will mark the first anniversary of Grams' death. The event that set things in motion that ultimately changed our lives forever?" Phoebe and Piper reply that they didn't realize it. "A whole year has passed." Phoebe comments: "Sometimes it doesn't seem that long at all. Still I was there when it all started...
FLASHBACK - ONE YEAR AGO
Phoebe is sitting in the living room, when her grandmother, Penny Halliwell, calls her into the kitchen. Phoebe gets up and goes into the kitchen, where Penny is working. "Grams." Phoebe says with concern: "You shouldn't be running around like this. You're supposed to take it easy." Penny just scoffs. "Oh nonsense. I'm fine. I have to get busy because Prue and Piper are coming over for dinner tonight. Prue is bringing that fiance of hers, what's his name again?" Penny wonders. "Roger." Phoebe supplies. "Right, Roger." Penny replies: "I don't much care for him myself, but if Prue is happy with him, then I am happy for her. Now what I need you to do. Go to the store and pick up a bottle of wine." She hands Phoebe some money and then says: "Sometimes I miss your sisters. I don't know why they just didn't stay here, instead of moving to that apartment." Phoebe shrugs her shoulders and says: "Maybe they just needed space of their own." She gives Penny a kiss and says: "Be back in a flash."
Phoebe quickly gets on her bike and heads for the store. It is a pleasant spring day and Phoebe takes the time to enjoy it.
After having picked up the wine, Phoebe head back home. She comes in the front door. "Grams, I have the wine." There is no answer. "Grams?" Phoebe calls, worry beginning to creep into her voice. She goes into the kitchen, only to see Penny lying on the floor, not moving. "GRAMS!" Phoebe screams and quickly goes to her side. "Please, God, let her be alive." Phoebe pleads as she feels for a pulse. It's there, but very faint. "Just hang on, Grams." Phoebe says as she rushes to the phone to dial 9-1-1.
At that same time, Piper is in the apartment she shares with Prue, wondering what to wear to dinner tonight, when Prue arrives home from the museum. "There you are." Piper says. "Where's Roger?" Prue shakes her head and says: "He's not coming. He has to work late tonight." Piper thinks for a second and says: "Maybe that's a good thing. I get the feeling that Grams doesn't like Roger very much." Prue nods her head in agreement. "Tell me about it, Grams doesn't like ANY man very much. If she did, she might still be married to one of her husbands!" Both of them share a little chuckle over this. Then Piper adds: "That's not true. She liked Andy Trudeau, when you two were dating in high school. I think she even hoped that you two would get married one day." Prue points out that things often don't work out as one hopes they will.
At this point, the phone rings and Piper answers it: "Hello? Phoebe, what... Slow down! Oh my God! Yes, San Francisco General Hospital, Prue and I will meet you there. I love you too, Pheebs. Bye." Piper looks very pale in the face. "What is it?" Prue asks, dreading Piper's next words. Piper composes herself and says: "It's Grams. She's had a massive heart attack!"
Having ridden along in the ambulance, Phoebe is now in the hospital waiting area, when Prue and Piper arrive. When Prue asks about Grams' condition, Phoebe replies that she doesn't know yet.
The hours drag by, and the sisters get more and more worried. At one point, Piper excuses herself and heads to the coffee machine. While there, a young man bumps into her. "Sorry." he says. "I didn't mean to..." he breaks off as he sees the look in Piper's face. "Are you okay?" he asks. Piper replies: "It's not me. My grandmother has been brought here after a heart attack. My sisters and I are still waiting for news." She looks up at the young man and offers her hand: "I'm Piper Halliwell." the man takes her hand. "Jeremy Burns." he replies. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Halliwell."
Prue and Phoebe are still waiting when Piper returns. "You took your time." Phoebe says, having witnessed the whole thing. "Who's the guy?" Piper just replies that his name is Jeremy and leaves it at that. "Any news yet?" Piper then asks. Prue just shakes her head no.
About half an hour later, the doctor comes out of the OR and walks up to the girls. "You three are the granddaughters of Penny Halliwell?" he asks. Prue replies that they are. The doctor takes a deep breath and then continues: "I'm sorry, we did everything we could. But her heart had been bad for years and she was advanced in age. We just couldn't save her." With this news, the sisters sit down, all looking like somebody had just kicked them in the stomach. No! the grieving Phoebe thinks: Not Grams! Not my Grams! Piper turns away and begins to weep. Realization of the situation lands on Prue like a rock. Now I'm head of the family. she thinks: Somehow we WILL get though this! But even the tough-as-nails Prue breaks down and weeps.
A couple of days later, the sisters, dressed all in black, watch as Penny Halliwell is laid to rest in a local cemetery. The grave is right next to the grave of Patty Halliwell, Penny's daughter and the mother of the three sisters, who had been murdered twenty years before when a psycho drowned her (you must remember at this point the sisters didn't know about Warlocks, so I am assuming the official story at that point was that Patty had fallen victim to a psychotic killer).
Phoebe looks around and sees that all of Grams' friends are present. The young man Piper had met at the hospital, Jeremy, is also there. As the coffin is lowered into the ground, Prue throws a white rose down on top of it. "Good-bye, Grams." she says in a sad voice and then walks back to where Roger is standing, looking like he would rather be anywhere else in the world.
After the burial, everyone heads over to Grams' house for the get-together. At one point, Phoebe catches Piper alone in the kitchen. "So what is the story with you and this Jeremy guy?" Phoebe asks. Piper replies: "Jeremy has been really sweet to me these past couple of days. I think I really like him." Phoebe walks over and places a hand on Piper's shoulder. "I really hope things work out for you two." In tears, Piper replies: "Thanks, Pheebs." the two sisters embrace.
INTERLUDE - PRESENT DAY
Piper grimaces: "Ugh! What a mistake hooking up with that guy was." Phoebe replies: "Come on, Piper, you had no way of knowing, none of us did." Prue agrees with Phoebe and the three of then continue to reminisce.
BACK TO THE STORY
The next morning, the sisters head over to the office of Penny's lawyer, where he reads the will Penny had made after Patty was murdered. The will reads: "I, Penny Halliwell, being of sound mind, hear by leave all my worldly possessions, including my house, to my three granddaughters, Prudence, Piper and Phoebe Halliwell..."
When the sisters come home to what is now their house, Prue and Piper decide to give up their apartment and move back here. "After all, Halliwell Manor has been in our family for generations." Prue says: "Who are we to give it up?"
A couple of nights later, Phoebe is home alone when Roger, drunk as a skunk, shows up. "Where's Prue?" he asks in a loud voice. Phoebe, with disgust in her voice, replies that she and Piper are over at their apartment, arranging to have their belongings moved back to the Manor. "I haven't seen Prue in two days." Roger bleats. At this point, Phoebe has had quite enough: "Excuse me, Roger, but our grandmother has just died. Now get out of here before I call the police!" Roger just stares at her: "No ones talks to me that way. You'll be sorry." With that, Roger turns and stumbles out the door.
When Prue and Piper return later that night, Phoebe doesn't say anything about Roger's visit.
The next day, Roger tells Prue about his visit to Halliwell Manor, but puts his own spin on things. "I tell you, Prue, she was all over me. I tried to fight, but what is a guy to do?" he puts on a "hey it wasn't my fault." smile. Prue is outraged. "How could the two of you... How could...?" she pulls off the engagement ring and throws it at Roger. "We are through, Roger." she storms away.
When Prue gets home, she launches into Phoebe like a tornado. All the pain and frustration that has built inside Prue for the past few days boils to the surface and Phoebe ends up the target. Phoebe is stunned: "Surely you don't believe him, Prue. You know me." The angry Prue replies: "Oh yes, Phoebe Halliwell, I know you. I know how you used to steal Piper's boyfriends in high school, I thought you had changed, but you're still the same little slut you were back then."
Phoebe then goes on the defensive: "Look Prue, I told you the truth about Roger. How could you say these things to me." Piper tries to break it up, but is told by both of them to stay out of it.
"Face it, Phoebe." Prue says, continuing the attack. "You have always been an irresponsible little freeloader. How many times did Grams lay awake at night, worrying about what kind of trouble you had gotten yourself into? Now it looks as if I am going to be saddled with that burden. Great way to spend the rest of my life!" With ice in her voice, Phoebe replies: "Don't worry, Prue, you won't have to be burdened with me. I'm leaving!" she turns and storms up the stairs. Prue yells after her: "Go ahead! Leave! See if I care!"
Phoebe is in her room, packing her suitcase, when Piper enters. "You're really leaving, Pheebs?" she asks. Phoebe nods: "I have to, Piper. I can't stay here now, not with Prue." Piper tries to be a peacemaker. "Surely you'll be able to convince her that you didn't go for Roger. Surely..." she breaks off as she sees Phoebe shaking her head. "It's more than that, Piper. Prue has always treated me like a child. The only reason I stayed around this long was because of Grams. Now that she's gone, there is nothing to keep me here." Piper opens her mouth, but Phoebe cuts her off: "Please don't give me the 'Prue practically gave up her childhood to raise us!' speech. My mind is made up." With that, Phoebe finishes packing. "So where will you go?" Piper asks. "New York City, I think." Phoebe replies: "Surely I can find a good job there, plus it will put three thousand miles between me and Prue!"
Prue is waiting downstairs when Phoebe, suitcase in hand, comes down, followed by Piper. "You won't last five minutes in the real world, Phoebe. In the end, you'll be trampled under. Just don't come running to me when that happens." Prue then turns and walks away without a backward glance. "Well I am going to miss you, Pheebs." Piper says as she gives her younger sister a hug. "Promise you'll call when you get settled in?" Phoebe replies: "I promise, Piper. Also tell Prue that I WILL miss her, even if she hates me." With tears flowing, Piper promises that she will.
INTERLUDE - PRESENT DAY
The light from the fireplace shows the tears on Prue's face. "I said some pretty terrible things to you that day, Pheebs." She goes over and gives Phoebe a hug. "I wish I hadn't. You're my pride and joy. The best miracle in the world happened the day you were born." Tears are now also flowing from Phoebe's eyes. "God, Prue. You're going to make me cry. I know you didn't really mean those things you said. You were hurt and angry." Prue nods in agreement: "Grams dying just brought back memories of losing Mom. Then Roger pulls his little stunt, I guess I just vented it all out on you." They hug again, Piper joining in, before resuming their trip down memory lane.
BACK TO THE STORY
Within days of arriving in New York City, Phoebe procures an apartment and gets a job as a hostess at a night club called the Rainbow Room. One night while she is working, local musician is playing there. Phoebe watches and after he is finished, the two of them strike up a conversation. "My name is Clay." he says. Something clicks and soon Phoebe is opening up to Clay. "So I had this big fight with my dictator of an older sister. Realizing that I just couldn't take it anymore, I left, and hear I am." She stops when she notices Clay staring intensely at her. "What?" she says, giggling. "Would you like to go out to dinner sometime?" Clay asks. Phoebe needs no further encouragement. "I'd love to." she says.
A couple of weeks later, back at Halliwell Manor, Piper is reading a letter from Phoebe. "So Phoebe has found someone." Piper says, smiling. Her own relationship with Jeremy is going great. Poor Prue! Piper thinks. Now she's the only one of us not in a relationship. Bad enough she still has to WORK with that creep, Roger. At this point, Prue comes home and asks what Piper is holding. "Oh a letter from Phoebe." Piper replies. At the mention of Phoebe's name, Prue becomes instantly cold. "What is it? How much money does she want to borrow?" Piper shakes her head. "None. She just says that she has met a guy named Clay. He's a musician at the club she's working at. They have been going together for a couple of weeks now." Prue snorts and says: "Good, let someone else bail her out for a change. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have a cup of coffee." Prue turns and head for the kitchen. Piper looks around the living room, seeing the boxes of items she and Prue have brought from their former apartment. Looks like we have a busy time ahead of us. she thinks to herself.
Later on, Piper is trying to put some of the stuff in the attic, but the door is stuck. "What the heck is wrong with this stupid door?" she growls. Prue arrives on the scene: "What's going on here?" she asks Piper. Piper replies that she can't get the attic door open. Prue tries it herself, but has no luck either. "We'll just have to use the basement instead." Prue says.
As the days progress, Phoebe enjoys her relationship with Clay, but then little things start to creep in. He is always borrowing money from her, putting her in debt herself, in fact she has to get two extra jobs just to keep the bills at bay. One day, Phoebe comes home to find a surly looking man waiting for her. The man says that if Clay doesn't pay up soon, he will be wearing cement boots. Finally Phoebe can take it no longer and confronts Clay. "This is really scaring me." she tells him. "I come home to find a man who says you owe money to some loan shark! What is going on here?" Clay looks at her and says: "I've just had a little financial trouble, that's all. I'll get back on my feet soon enough." Phoebe is not convinced: "When will that be, Clay? I've had go into debt myself just to lend you money. I'm sorry, but I just can't live like this anymore." Clay looks at her and asks: "Does that mean you don't want to see me anymore?" Nodding her head, Phoebe replies: "I'm afraid so, Clay. I'm having a hard time enough making ends meet without having to support you as well. You say that you will change, but I just can't take that chance. Good-bye, Clay." Phoebe turns and leaves. "Phoebe, come back!" Clay calls after her, but she doesn't turn around.
Following her break-up with Clay, Phoebe's life in New York goes downhill over the next five months. The blow comes when she loses her job at the club. "I'm sorry, Phoebe." the owner says: "But with profits down, we have to let some staff go. I hope you understand." Phoebe just grumbles: "Yeah, yeah."
Over the next few weeks, Phoebe looks for a new job, but cannot find one. Even with the two jobs she now has, she cannot keep up with her bills, plus pay off her debts from the money she borrowed to help Clay. She has to sell most of her belongings. Finally, Phoebe realizes that there is only one alternative. I'd rather not. she thinks: But I really have no choice.
The same intervening months at Halliwell Manor were spent taking care of the place, Piper suggesting that perhaps they should rent out the extra bedroom. One day, while Prue is out of the house, Piper gets a call from Phoebe. "So how are things on your end?" Piper asks. "Well not so good actually." Phoebe replies and goes on to explain her current situation to Piper. "What I mean to say is that I would like to move back home. If you don't mind." Piper is beside herself with joy. "Of course, Pheebs. You're always welcome here, by me at least." When Phoebe wonders what Prue will say, Piper just says: "Don't worry about Prue. I'll can handle her."
As the week progresses; however, Piper cannot bring herself to tell Prue. She finally comes clean just before Phoebe walks in the front door and says: "Surprise!"
PRESENT DAY
Yawning, Phoebe says: "I guess we know what happened next. I found the Book of Shadows, we got our powers, Jeremy revealed his true colors, we kicked his butt, and the rest is history."
Prue nods and adds: "Also Andy came back into my life, but I would rather not talk about that." she looks at her watch. "Good grief, it's almost midnight. We've been talking here for hours." Phoebe yawns again and says: "Good way to spend a stormy night when your electricity is out. Well I'm wiped out, good-night." she puts her head down. "Good night, Pheebs." Prue and Piper say, before saying good-night to each other. Soon all three sisters are fast asleep.
A little while later, the spirits of Penny and Patty Halliwell materialize and look down on the sleeping sisters. "Look at my little angels." Patty says and turns to Penny: "You did a wonderful job raising them, Mother. I just wish I could have been part of it more." Penny smiles at her daughter. "It's not your fault, besides, I made sure they remembered you with love." Patty nods and replies: "I know." she turns to her sleeping daughters: "I love you all." she says. It is Phoebe, in her sleep, who answers back for the Sisters Three: "We love you too, Mom."
