DISCLAIMER: I don't own the sisters, so don't sue. I do however own Daniel, and Ben and his wife, and any others that appear in this that do not appear in the show. Feel free email me and give me your honest opinion!
"Phoebe!" Prue shouted. "What have you done to my credit card!" It was 7:00 in the morning and Piper and she were preparing for work, when Piper had presented her with her enormous credit card bill, that she had received yesterday, but had been nervous about giving her.
Phoebe came bounding down the stairs in an especially cheerful manner. "Hey Prue, what's all that screaming about."
Prue glared at her; "Do you happen to want to explain to me why my credit card bill has skyrocketed again?"
Piper was making breakfast, hoping that this morning could go fairly well, when she heard her sisters arguing again. She wiped her hands on the hand towel and made her way to the stairwell.
"Oh that… well I was going to tell you but I guess I just forgot." Phoebe said. "I'll pay you back as soon as I get a job!"
Piper contained a laugh, and Prue narrowed her eyes, "Yeah."
"What, I will." Phoebe said.
Prue's angry seemed to have abated and she was now giggling along with Piper, leaving Phoebe not at all amused. "You two just wait, I'll get you back." Phoebe said using her defensive posture.
"Oh please, no. Hasn't my credit card suffered enough?" Prue asked joking.
"Alright, alright." Phoebe gave in, "So Piper, what have you cooked for us today, and exactly how much coffee did you give Prue this morning?"
Piper rolled her eyes, "Today at Piper's, our special is toast and scrambled eggs." She said as she led the way into the kitchen.
They sat down to eat. "So Pheebs, what are you planning to do today?" Piper asked.
"I'm going to workout at 9:00, and then I have to go to the grocery and pick up your list you left me, and then I'll swing by the video store." Phoebe said.
Prue and Piper looked at each other. "No horror movies!" they said in unison.
"Well, I guess not." Phoebe said.
Prue smiled contently and put her plate by the sink. "I gotta run, see you guys later. I might be home around lunch." Prue said her good-byes and left. Phoebe got up and washed off Prue's and her own plate. She took Piper's plate and did it too.
"Thanks Phoebe." Piper said surprised that Phoebe had just done the dishes without even being asked to. Piper got up preparing to leave, "You have a good day, I'll see you later."
"Bye Piper." Phoebe said as Piper walked out the door. Phoebe ran upstairs and grabbed her gym bag, and then made her own departure, figuring she might as well go a little early to the gym, to get in some extra work.
* * * "What do you mean, you quit? You can't just…" Piper argued, but was cut off short when the person on the other end hung up on her. The chef had just phoned in saying that he wanted to quit. Now she was left to deal with the paying customers who had already paid for their food. Oh never mind, she thought as she went back to the kitchen and put on an apron. This was going to be a long day.
* * * Phoebe had arrived at the gym at 8:30 and had been at the gym for about an hour, working on her kick boxing, and she already felt worn out. Boy she was getting out of shape. The guy that taught the self-defense classes was always there and he liked to check up on his students whenever he saw them. He was a middle-aged man named Ben, and Phoebe could see him approaching her.
"Hey, Phoebe. It's nice to see that you have improved on those skills I taught you." He said.
Phoebe stopped working and smiled at him, "It has come in handy. I just can't believe how out of breath I am, and I thought I was in shape." She joked.
"It's probably your old age, Phoebe." Ben said chuckling. Phoebe looked at him horrified, not realizing the comment to be a joke. "Calm down Phoebe, it was a joke, you're fit as a fiddle and young and healthy." He padded her on her back. "I really came over here to ask you if you would be interested in a kick boxing tournament that we are having here next week. I've been watching you and I think you have a good chance of winning."
Phoebe blushed, "Yeah, I'll think about it."
"Well, it's on Thursday at 2:00 to 8:00 depending on how far you get. It was nice seeing you again, I hope you do show up for this thing, it'll be fun." Ben smiled and walked away.
Phoebe watched him leave, still thinking about the old age comment. Maybe it is true, am I already starting to lose it? She thought, and shook her head, continuing work. She looked up at the clock. 10:00. She decided to work another hour and a half and head home at 11:30. Maybe she could even catch Prue, if she came home.
* * * "Prue, are you available for a meeting today?" Claire asked.
Prue smiled falsely at her boss, "Yes, I might have a little…"
"Good," Claire cut her off, "A very important client wants to meet you today."
Prue nodded, "I could work it in, when do they want me?"
"2:00 okay with you?" Claire asked.
"Yes, that will work." Prue forced a smile towards her boss, and Claire looked her over, and then left without a word.
Prue breathed a sigh of relief. It was almost 11:00. She didn't really have anything to do, until that afternoon. It was Monday and usually it was very busy, but today had seemed a little slower and she was enjoying it. If she left now, she would get a chance to go down to Quake to talk to Piper, and then she could make it home to see if Phoebe wanted to come join them at Quake for lunch. Of course she could just call Pheebs and ask; sometimes Phoebe had a way of not answering the phone when she didn't feel like answering it. Prue grabbed some papers, and checked in with her secretary, telling her to go to lunch early.
* * * Phoebe sighed; She was in the ladies locker room, finishing with her shower from the workout. She looked at her image in the mirror. She looked around to make sure no one was there, and turned sideways, pulling up her shirt to see her waist, frowning. Phoebe knew she wasn't heavy, she was probably perfect, but nobody is ever just perfectly happy with their weight. A lady came out of the shower, and looked at Phoebe with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh please!" she mumbled as she passed her. "All the skinny girls think they're fat." Phoebe stared after the woman.
Okay that was embarrassing! Phoebe thought. She grabbed her bag, and left. Ben waved at her as she passed. She smiled; Ben must have been cute when he was younger. He was too old for her now, or at least she considered him to old for her. He was 41, close to 20 years older than she was. But he was in excellent shape! Probably better than her. She hailed a cab, and went home, depressed.
* * * Prue walked in Quake to hear a loud crash, and Piper cursing. The customers looked around startled and then at Prue. Prue smiled nervously, heading back toward the kitchen. Piper was a mess, chocolate on her clothes, chocolate on her face, with a destroyed cake on the floor beside her. The kitchen looked awful too.
"Piper!" Prue said alarmed.
Piper turned toward her, a frustrated and upset look on her face. "Prue! Oh my god, this is the worst day! The chef quit over the phone, no warning, and well I had given some of my waiters the day off! Oh what am I going to do?"
"Did you call Phoebe?"
"No, no, no, I couldn't get her at home. She's at the gym and I don't have that number." Piper said, sitting on the edge of the counter, adding flour on her pants.
"She'll be home by noon, I'll get her and bring her here to help you out. I can help during my lunch break." Prue said, trying to organize.
Piper took a deep breath, "Going to be alright, going to be alright." She said, more to herself than to Prue.
Prue raised her eyebrow; "I'll go get Phoebe. Try to calm down."
* * * Phoebe got home and checked the messages. She heard a couple of messages from Piper, who sounded absolutely hysterical. Phoebe slumped down on the couch; she should take her old bones to go help Piper. She got up to leave, when she thought of something. She ran upstairs to the attic. She'd looked through the Book of Shadows a million times and she remembered something. She looked over the Book of Shadows when she turned to a page entitled: Youthful Things. The spell had to do with bringing out your inner child and making you feel and look young and healthy.
"Whoa, it's like a little infomercial. Would this be personal gain?" Phoebe thought aloud. "Okay it probably would be, but I need to feel good to fight demons right?" She nodded to her own question and looked over the spell.
You're always young in your heart
It's just a matter of making your body catch up.
So say this three times, and
May this the people in this house now feel
refreshed and young until you decide to be old.Okay, Phoebe thought, she read on, looking for the spell to repeat three times.
Youth is emotions
Youth is mischief
Youth is innocence
Youth is the key
Let Youth be mePhoebe gulped like she always did before casting a spell alone. The last time she had done this it had cost her life. (See my story Long Forgotten Spell) Of course she had met Daniel. Oh boy did she wish he was here with her now. She said the spell the first time and repeated it a second…
* * * Prue walked in the door, and yelled for Phoebe. She frowned, when she didn't get answer. She saw her bag on the floor, so Phoebe was here. She saw a flash of light and a loud crash. Oh great she thought. As Prue was running upstairs to the attic, she glanced into her bedroom and something stopped her. She looked over her bed at the big mirror over her dresser. The person staring back was around eight years old.
She heard crying coming from upstairs and raced up stairs to check on what Phoebe had done. She entered the room, startled to find Phoebe (or at least a little Phoebe) to be about 2 years old. Phoebe had been crying until Prue entered the room, in which she exclaimed in a baby voice, "Pooh!" Which is what Phoebe had always called Prue when she couldn't say her name yet."
"Phoebe, what did you do!" Prue exclaimed. The little Phoebe started to cry again. "Oh no!" Prue said exasperated.
She picked up Phoebe and Phoebe smiled at her and gave her a big little kids kiss on the cheek. "Pooh!" She said happily.
"Congratulations, Phoebe you changed yourself to an age where you don't have to deal with the problem you've created." She tried to glare at Phoebe, but you couldn't stay mad at little kids too much.
"Alright, let's see what you've done here, Phoebe." Prue sat Phoebe down on the table and looked at the open page of the Book of Shadows. She read the page, and sighed. "Is there any way to reverse this?" Prue asked herself. Phoebe was sucking her thumb looking at her big sister.
"Pooh? Where's Biper?" Prue laughed thinking of how long it ever took for Phoebe to get there names right.
"I'm gonna call her, Phoebe. She's gonna get us back to normal." Prue said and Phoebe just looked back at her questioning.
"Pooh?"
"What?"
"I gotta go to the bathroom, and Grams told me I gotta use the big girl potty." Phoebe said, "Cause I'm a big girl now."
Prue looked wide eyed at Phoebe, "Can't you hold it, I gotta call Piper!"
Phoebe pushed out her lips and pouted. "Oh fine." Boy had she forgotten how it was to take care of little ones. She picked Phoebe up and carried her downstairs. Wow, Phoebe sure is heavy, Prue thought. Of course I am eight. She set Phoebe down and grabbed the phone-calling Quake.
Piper answered, sounding very upset. "Quake, may I help you!"
"Piper it's me Prue…" she started.
"Okay ya sure, little girl don't play mean pranks, my sister is an adult!" Piper said. It hit Prue; she sounded like an eight-year-old too! She hadn't been pushed back to an early an age as Phoebe, so that she was totally that age. She had only been pushed back far enough to look like an eight year old.
"Piper, no it really is me! Phoebe cast a spell, and well we need some help!"
"Oh my god Prue! You sound like you're a little girl!" Piper said convinced because of Prue's knowledge of their witchcraft. "But I can't leave, it's too busy." There was some noise in the background and Prue heard two male voices.
"Hello, Miss Piper. Can Chef Trudeau and I be of any service?"
Prue recognized the voice to be Daniel's, the bad demon gone good, and at the moment Phoebe's boyfriend, and since Daniel was staying with Andy, and from the mention of his name, Andy must be there too.
"Your friend Leo paid us a visit, said that we needed to come to Quake."
"Thank you guys!" Piper said. "I'll just be gone a second then I'll come back with Prue and Phoebe."
"Are they all right?" the men asked concerned for there girlfriends.
"Oh yeah great!" Piper said on her way out. She got in her car and shook her head. "Boy what a day!"
* * * "Pooh!"
"What Phoebe?"
"I still gotta go to the bathroom." Phoebe said.
Prue rolled her eyes slightly. "Okay, okay" she took her to the bathroom and waited outside.
"Pooh!"
"Yes. What is it Phoebe?" Prue asked, getting tired, her eight-year-old body needed a nap.
"Where's Grams?" Phoebe came out and sat down in Prue's lap. Prue gulped.
What was she supposed to say to that? "Well, Pheebs she's not here right now… and… uh." Prue looked down and heard a gentle little snore issue from her little sister.
Prue shoulders sagged, she remembered taking care of Piper and Phoebe, mostly Phoebe. Piper would remember too, she was only two years younger than Prue. Prue felt her eyelids drop and took her little nap too.
* * * Piper ran through the front door. "Phoebe, Prue!" she called. She walked into the living room to find Prue asleep against the wall by the bathroom, with a very little Phoebe sleeping on her chest.
Piper stood there wide-eyed. She approached them quietly; peering into their faces to make sure that was really Prue and Phoebe. She reached down and touched little Phoebe's hand accidentally waking her up. Phoebe started to cry and Piper gulped.
"Oh no, Phoebe!" She picked her little sister up, trying to get her to stop. Phoebe stopped and looked at Piper strangely.
"You're big Biper!" Piper laughed at her name. Prue was waking up. Piper set Phoebe down for a little bit, but Phoebe kept tucking on her pant leg. "Go up, go up!" So she picked her back up. Prue stood up.
"Good, Piper you're here. I'll show you the spell." Piper felt a little strange listening to an eight-year-old but it was definitely Prue!
"What happened, Prue?" Piper asked once they entered the attic.
"Well Phoebe cast a youth spell, I don't know why, but she did and it affected me because I was in the house at the time she used it. I can't seem to find a reversing spell, all it says here is to beware of the Milagro."
"What's a Milagro?" Piper asked, towering over Prue looking at the book.
"Well it says they are creatures that will come around in a different form every time this spell is used. It takes the abilities from the child. Steeling the witches powers and using it for evil. The spell didn't completely work on me though. I still think my age, even though I don't look or talk or feel like my age. The spell lasts for four days. If we can stay away from the Milagro for that time then it will be fine. If we defeat him before the time is up, then the spell goes away then." Prue finished. Piper nodded, shifting Phoebe's weight from one shoulder to the other.
"Well then I can't leave you two alone, you'll have to go to Quake with me. Maybe I can ask Daniel and Andy to take care of you two." Piper said. "Come on let's go."
* * * "Miss, I'm sorry, we are getting your food as fast as it can be prepared. The manager is on her way here at the moment." Dan said, talking to a cranky old woman, complaining about the wait. Andy was back in the kitchen, Piper wasn't here and the people wanted their food. Dan just hated to think about what the people would find in their food with Andy as the chef. Dan heard the door open and looked up.
Piper was carrying a little girl, and was holding a bigger girl by the hand. Piper looked around Quake and then spotted Dan. She rushed over to him, and shoved the little girl into his arms. "Here hold your girlfriend, I'll be right back." Piper said in a hurry. "Will you watch them for me Dan?" she said walking away.
"Piper!" Dan shouted alarmed. He looked down at the little girl in his arms, "Phoebe?! Is that you?"
In reply to his question, she smiled at him and hit him on the nose.
"Look at it this way, Dan, you can blackmail her now, because you knew her when she was little." Prue said. Dan grabbed Prue's hand and pulled her back to the kitchen.
"Prue, you girls had better do some explaining." Dan said, as Andy came up behind him.
"What's going on here, Dan, who are the girls?" Andy asked smiling cheerfully at the little girls.
"See I told you, you'd make a great Dad." Prue said to Andy.
"Oh… Oh!!! Prue! What did you two do!"
"Pooh did it." Phoebe said pointing.
Prue just shook her head, "It's not anything serious, if we stay away from this creature thing for four days then it'll wear off and everything will be fine, have Piper explain it to you later." Prue stopped and looked at her oversize watch, "Oh! I need to get back to Buckland's, I have a meeting with a client!" she started to walk away, but Andy grabbed her.
"You'll have to miss it, you can't go like that!"
"What am I going to do! I'll lose my job." Prue said, Piper came into the kitchen carrying plates. She grabbed more and loaded them up with food.
"Okay, Andy, Dan, would you two mind watching them for today. I'll be busy here. Go to the mall and get them some clothes that fit." Piper said, eyeing Prue's shirt that was trailing behind her, and tripping her. Phoebe's jeans had been discarded at the house, and the shirt was filling in as nightshirt.
"Piper, what am I going to do about my job?" Prue asked.
"Okay, okay. Dan can take Phoebe into Buckland's and tell Claire that Prue's sister Phoebe is in the hospital and that she has to take care of Phoebe's baby. Claire doesn't know much about Phoebe, and you could say that Phoebe was Phoebe's daughter…" Piper was about to rattle on, but Andy stopped her.
"It's alright Piper. We'll take care of it."
"Can you handle this okay?" Prue asked, concerned.
"Yeah, you guys be careful." Piper said.
Phoebe was still on Dan's shoulder, and waved happily from there, "Bye, Biper." Piper watched them leave, and then grabbed the plates of food and started helping the customers.
* * * "Phoebe! Don't touch that!" Dan said, picking Phoebe up before she could get at any more antiques. "Come on girl, we have some acting to do."
He knocked on Claire's office, and when he got the go ahead, he walked in.
"May I help you?" Claire asked when she didn't recognize him.
"Hello, my name is Daniel, I'm Phoebe Halliwell's boyfriend." At least that much wasn't a lie. "Prue Halliwell sent me to ask you permission to take a leave for the next couple of days. You see, Phoebe was in an accident and she's in the hospital, Prue has to take care of Phoebe's baby." He said, pointing at Phoebe.
Claire looked at him oddly. "I didn't know Phoebe had a baby. I've met her before, but Prue never mentioned it.
"Uh… well Prue gets mad at us sometimes because we're still not married." Dan offered a smile, and Claire gave one back still suspicious.
Claire seemed about to say more, but she shook her head, "Alright, I'll expect her back next week though. And she'll have some explaining to do." Claire said under her breath.
"Thank you, we'll tell her." Dan said. When they got outside of the office he turned to Phoebe. "We did it!" He said, gently giving her a high five. Phoebe giggled.
* * * "Does this feel a little weird to you?" Prue asked Andy. They were sitting on a bench in the mall waiting for Phoebe and Dan to show up. "I mean, you look like you could be my Dad right now."
Andy nodded, "That's probably what it looks like." Andy looked at Prue. She was in an eight-year-old body and he still loved her.
"Hey guys, you two have fun while me and Phoebe were doing the hard work?" Dan said, having come up behind them unnoticed.
Dan lifted Phoebe off his shoulders and she scrambled up to Prue. "Did you have fun?" Prue asked her.
"Yup." Phoebe said, "Dan, go play with me?" she asked him.
"I'll tell you what, lets go shopping." Andy suggested. Phoebe nodded, and the four of them started their spree.
They walked out of Baby Gap and Gap kids with in the hour. Phoebe now clad in a pair of jeans and a Lakers jersey, and Prue in a pair of overalls and a 49ers football jersey.
"I'm going to kill Piper for leaving the shopping to you guys!" Prue exclaimed, looking down at herself. "Guys! We are girls!"
"What? You two look cute." Andy said, chuckling.
Phoebe seemed happy enough though. She was smiling and pointing to her shirt saying, "Bask-ball. Bask-ball."
"To bad Piper isn't along, we could have put her in a Detroit Red Wings jersey." Dan said.
Andy shook his head, "No way, New York Rangers for Piper." Prue sighed disgusted.
From across the mall they heard an old woman's voice. "Oh my, what cute little kids! And the people from that restaurant, Quake."
Dan's eyes raised and he turned back to Andy and Prue. "It's the lady that was complaining so much at Quake. Brace yourselves!"
The old lady came tottering over to them smiling, in a better mode than she had been earlier. "Well hello, you're the nice man that made sure I had a good lunch this afternoon. Introduce me to your friend and the little ones."
Dan stuttered, "Uh… this is Andy Trudeau, Prue and Phoebe." He said pointing to each one. Dan looked to Prue and Andy to try and get some silent communication going. He didn't say Prue and Phoebe's last name because he wasn't sure he should have even said their first names.
"And I'm Mrs. Kanter. What was your name again, son?"
"Daniel."
"And just let me see that precious little one, come here." Mrs. Kanter said, reaching out for Phoebe. "Oh she is so adorable."
Prue rolled her eyes, she used to hate when the people they met with Grams and Mom would do that. The woman tried to hold her, but Phoebe didn't seem to like the old woman a lot.
"Bad lady." Phoebe said, running behind Dan's leg. Mrs. Kanter seemed upset for a moment, but calmed herself.
"She really isn't very nice though, is she?"
"Hey!" Prue shouted instinctively. "She just doesn't like mean old ladies!" Prue stopped herself, something was happening, her mind was becoming more jumbled. She was regressing. The spell was making her start to act like an eight-year-old as well now. She knew it wouldn't matter if everything went all right, but if it didn't then she would lose the brain development she had gotten between eight and twenty-eight.
"Well, looks like you need to teach those girls some manners!" she exclaimed.
Andy was getting tired of this game. "Listen Mam, I'm a police officer and if you're only over here to insult us then I think you better leave."
The woman scowled at all of them and turned and walked the other way. Andy turned around, "That lady was really weird."
Prue was worried though, "There's something wrong with that lady, or else Phoebe wouldn't have reacted that way." Dan was holding Phoebe again, her head was propped up on his shoulder, and she looked about ready for another nap.
"We'll talk to Piper about it when we get back to the house, Dan and I are staying with you guys tonight. I wouldn't want Piper to have to deal with you two by herself." Andy said laughing. Prue hit him playfully.
"Uh guys… what time is it? Phoebe's ready for bed, so I'm going to take her home, are you two coming?" Dan asked.
Andy looked at his watch, "It's almost five, we left Piper at 1:30. We have had a long day. We'll head home too, see you there."
They walked with each other out to the parking lot, and helped Dan get Phoebe into the car seat. "Hey where'd you get that thing so fast?" Prue asked.
"I borrowed it from a friend on the way to Buckland's… hey I don't want my girlfriend hurt!"
* * * Milagro watched them from inside the mall. My disguise didn't work very well, that little brat made them suspicious.
"Excuse me, lady! You left your purse." A young woman came up behind Milagro, he turned on her. She screamed at the sight of him. He turned around quickly and morphed, he had forgotten to get back in his disguise before turning on the girl. Mrs. Kanter turned around to find the girl had run off.
Mrs. Kanter made a quick escape and got outside behind the building. He morphed again and then disappeared into thin air.
* * * Piper had gotten home; the night manager had come early with some help and insisted she go home. Dan got home carrying Phoebe first, who was sound asleep on his shoulder. Piper jumped up, and Dan motioned for help upstairs.
They put Phoebe to bed and went back downstairs to talk. By that time Andy and Prue were already there and ready to talk. Prue motioned upstairs at Phoebe. "Why'd you take Phoebe to bed so early?"
"She was sound asleep, she had a long day." Dan answered.
They told Piper about the day, and about the old lady.
"So if that old lady is Milagro, then how did Phoebe know?" Piper asked.
Dan thought of something, "What if Phoebe still has her power. That could be really scary for a kid that age. She probably doesn't know what they are. Prue think about it, when you guys were little did you ever hear Phoebe cry a lot at night when she was alone, or did she tell stories about monsters or about bad things happening?"
Piper and Prue looked at each other and frowned. "Well come to think of it yeah she used to cry and carry on about all sorts of things. We just thought she had a big imagination. Grams took away our spells when we were little and Phoebe wasn't even born."
Dan thought for a moment, "Well, I could safely bet that she still has her power right now."
They decided to take a break for the night and Prue went in the living room to watch some TV with Andy, Piper went up to look for more information in the book of shadows, and Dan decided he wanted to go sleep with Phoebe.
Her little frame was all curled up around her stuffed animal, and she was softly sleeping in baby dream world. Dan smiled, he hoped this would all work out, he loved her, wanted a family with her, but he couldn't do that if she stayed like she was. Sadness and tiredness overtook him and he lay down on the bed.
* * * Andy moved slightly at the sound of the door opening. He had long since turned the TV off, and had sent Prue to bed. Piper, for all he knew, was still upstairs looking in the book of shadows. It was 3:00 am, who would be coming in at this time in the morning. He had a feeling it wasn't good. He peered around the corner of the living room, looking towards the stairs. A hideous sight met his eyes. The demon standing there was at least 7 feet tall, with fur all over his body. No clothes, glowing red eyes that looking snakeish. He had a wolfish face, much like a werewolf, but with bony, spidery fingers.
He stopped moving, and sniffed the air, listening. Andy was petrified, he stood silently, praying the thing wouldn't sense him. The demon seemed to smile and started silently up the stairs.
* * * Daniel's demon within him sensed something. He felt danger surrounding them, and the presence of the very thing they were avoiding. He looked at Phoebe and kissed her forehead gently. He got up and crept to peek down the stairs. Milagro saw him and smiled, readying himself. Daniel knew he had been spotted and did the only thing he thought he could do. He ran headfirst towards the demon, punching him viciously.
The demon and Daniel began a little dance circling each other. Dan made the first move; he lashed out at Milagro with the nearest thing he could find, a lamp. The demon tried to react, but was too slow. Dan's lamp smashed down on the demon's head, and Milagro swayed for a second. Angered, he tried to reach out for Dan, only to be stopped by a gunshot through Milagro's arm. Andy, though pale, was bravely holding his gun to the demon. The demon struck out at the terrified cop, and threw Andy into a wall. Andy struggled to get up as the demon advanced on him.
* * * Piper had heard the noise from the attic, and had run downstairs, Phoebe was at the door of her room, looking scared down the stairs. Piper scooped Phoebe up and went to find Prue. Prue was on her way out of her room when Piper grabbed her and quickly shoved a trembling Phoebe into her arms.
"Go to the book of shadows, find anything that can help, I'm going to go help if I can." Piper said.
Piper headed downstairs, took a breath and tackled the demon approaching Andy.
"Piper!" Dan yelled, frustrated that he had let Andy get involved in this, because it had now brought Piper into the fight, and he didn't want to see Phoebe's sister hurt.
* * * Phoebe was trembling so hard it was hard to keep a hold of her for an eight-year-old. Prue raced upstairs and sat Phoebe down. Prue had heard the gunshot, felt Phoebe's trembling, and heard Piper scream. Those things alone were enough to send her into a panicked rage. She was flipping through the pages of the Book of Shadows as fast as she has ever done it before, not noticing as Phoebe wandered down the stairs.
Phoebe got all the way down to the scene of the fight, and saw Piper struggling with the demon. The sight of the demon was too much for her though, she ran out through the open doors of the house.
* * * Prue was beginning to cry there was nothing she was finding that would help them at all. Suddenly the pages started turning and she gained hope. They opened up to a spell that sped time up. The book wanted her to use that so, she chanted the words quickly.
* * * The demon flung Piper up against the wall next to Andy, and approached them both. Dan saw his opportunity and tackled Milagro from the side, bashing the demon's head into the wall. The demon kicked him off, and materialized a knife in his hands. He prepared to use it on Dan.
Dan looked around him, "This is the end, I failed Phoebe." He said quietly. Just then the spell took affect and everyone froze, the world seemed to speed up and two days passed until it was Thursday morning, the day of the end of the prophecy.
The demon, alarmed, dropped the knife, and turned to flee, running into little Phoebe outside. Milagro smiled evilly and picked the little one up. The rest of the crew hurried out the door to the sound of Phoebe's frightened cries.
"Phoebe!" Prue shouted, being the first outside. Dan, Andy, and Piper followed right behind her.
The demons voice was deep, a throaty hollow kind of a voice that almost echoed. "At least I will take this witches powers!" He opened his hand on the little one, despite the screams of his audience. Phoebe's fear seemed to abate and she giggled. Leo stood behind the confused demon. He quickly stabbed the demon in the back. Milagro screamed and then exploded in a cloud of dust. When the dust cleared, Phoebe and Prue were standing their "all grown up."
"Oh they grow up so fast." Piper said jokingly, and tiredly. After the fight that they went through, Andy and Piper were going to need some medical care, they all piled into the Jeep and drove to the hospital.
Piper and Andy were taken to emergency, while Prue decided to go with them, and Leo went to the bathroom, leaving Phoebe and Daniel to talk. They stood there for a while in the waiting room, just looking at each other. Finally Phoebe spoke,
"Thanks for saving me, again." She said.
"I wouldn't of had it any other way." He leaned in and kissed her passionately. She returned it with the same fierceness. "Phoebe." He said stopping the kiss. "I love you, but I have to leave. I can't explain why, I just have this feeling that I need to be somewhere."
Phoebe shoulders shook with hurt; she tightened up trying to hide her feelings. He kissed her again, less passionately this time, and turned and walked out of the waiting room.
Phoebe stood their for a second, battling with her emotions. She straightened her sagged shoulders, and tried to be brave. She had found somebody perfect, he knew her secret and yet he still loved her, and now he had left her, without even a good explanation. Prue approached her from behind.
"Pheebs, you okay?" Prue asked, softly.
"Yup…" she replied trying to sound cheerful, Prue smiled sympathetically and hugged her little sister. Leo came out and told the two that he had to go… white lighter stuff.
Piper and Andy came out a little later, the doctors having said that it was okay to go home as long as they stayed off their feet for a while. They dropped Andy off, and then went home themselves. Piper got to the couch, and Prue sat down for a well-deserved afternoon off. Phoebe came in and sat down with them, feeling that something was tugging at the back of her head.
"You know, I have the funniest feeling like I'm supposed to be doing something…" she spoke out loud. "Oh wait!" Phoebe jumped up and ran upstairs, returning with her gym bag.
"And just where are you going?" Piper asked, tiredly.
Phoebe smiled, "I have go to the gym for a kick boxing thing today."
Prue looked at her like she was crazy, "Aren't you tired?! After all that we've been through in the past three days!"
"Could you tell me again, why you deemed it necessary to cast a youth spell?" Piper asked.
"Well… I thought I was out of shape." Phoebe answered sheepishly. The next moment she ducked a pillow thrown at her.
Prue shook her head, "Next time, I won't miss."
"Oh yeah, well ‘I'll be back'." Phoebe shouted running out the door.
* * * Phoebe entered the gym and found it to be really changed since she last came in. A concessions stand was set up and there were at least 30 other participants getting ready for the tournament. She went to the sign up sheet and started to sign in when Ben intercepted her.
"Don't bother signing in, I already signed you up, I knew you'd be here." He smiled, "I hope you do well... Oh, Susan come here." He said calling to a lady, "Susan this is the young lady I was talking about, Phoebe, she's going to win today." Phoebe blushed, "Oh and Phoebe, this is my wife Susan."
Phoebe smiled and met the women but she felt a bit of jealousy. It wasn't because she had the hots for Ben; it was just jealousy for what the two of them had. She excused herself from them, and Ben pointed her in the right way to get changed and then in the competition. She thanked him and then changed, trying not to thing of Daniel.
Her match was next, she was paired with a big woman, big but slow, she told herself. She was extremely nervous, but excited too.
"Go Pheebs!!!" She heard her name and turned around toward the bleachers, smiling when she saw her sisters.
"Kick some ass!" Piper shouted, making Phoebe laugh. It was god to have them here.
Then it was time, they announced the winner of the previous match and then announced Phoebe and her opponent. It was a short fight; Phoebe literally took about 30 seconds to wipe the big lady off the face of the earth. She could hear Piper and Prue yelling the whole time.
The day pretty much went like that, and after 8 matches Phoebe still was unbeatable, and now was in the championship round. This match was going to be harder, because it was the championship, but Phoebe, a little cocky, was sure that she could win. Her opponent was a small thing, smaller than herself, only with bigger muscles, but that was okay, she'd give it a go.
They started the match pretty evenly. Jesse, the girl, got off the first punch, catching Phoebe off guard, considering that she hadn't been hit all night. Phoebe returned the hit with a kick that knocked Jesse's legs out from under her. The fight wore on, going up to 20 minutes of slaughter on both sides. The crowd was into it, and it was still unsure as to who would win.
* * * "Hey! That wasn't legal!" Prue shouted. This match was scary for her to watch, but exciting and she was proud of Phoebe.
"Oh my god, is that blood!" Piper asked alarmed.
Prue smiled, "It's okay Piper, it's just a bloody nose, but that wasn't a fair move. I'm going to give that girl a peace of my mind, when this gets over, I'll…" Prue continued to babble making Piper laugh.
* * * Phoebe shook her head, she was getting a little tired and this girl was pulling illegal moves! A fight had started in the crowd with two teenage boys, and Jesse was distracted and Phoebe took advantage of it, punching and kicking until Jesse fell down, and pulled the sign for forfeiting the match.
Phoebe helped Jesse up, and they congratulated each other on a good match. Phoebe got a trophy and was on her way out when she saw a man smile at her and then leave quietly. She didn't get a good look at his face, but she felt good about it.
"Hey Champ!" Piper said, startling her. "Do you need a lift home?"
"Sure, thanks for coming you guys!"
Prue stood thoughtfully for a moment; "Oh we wouldn't have missed it for the world. Why it seems like only yesterday you were a little girl, it ‘s so nice to see you've grown up!" Prue said. Phoebe narrowed her eyes and laughed with her sisters on the way to the car.
* * * Daniel stayed in the shadows for the match, secretly rooting his love on. When the fight ended, he turned to leave. "I love you Phoebe." He said quietly, he had some business to take care of, but when that was over, he would be back.
