Help Me, Paige!

[Esmeralda]

AUTHOR's NOTES: A lot of people wonder why Prue was never shown after her death. Naturally, we know the *real* reason is that Shannen Doherty wouldn't let her. But here's my explanation within the context of the show. Those who know me might be a bit surprised!

Help Me, Paige!

by Esmeralda

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Disclaimer I don't own anything Charmed--all characters belong to Spelling Productions and The CW, the new WB.

KaBOOM!

Paige grit her teeth as she watched the potion blow up again for the third time. “At least Piper doesn’t have to see this mess,” she muttered. “I wonder if I'll ever be able to concoct a proper potion. Oh, well. Back to the old drawing board.” As she moped her way back over to the Book of Shadows, her brown eyes suddenly grew wide as she witnessed the pages turning all by themselves for the first time. When the pages stopped turning, Paige began reading from the Book:

"Hear these words.
Hear my cry,
Spirit from the other side.
Come to me,
I summon thee--
Cross now the Great Divide."

She smiled as she watched the ghostly lights appear and begin swirling around. Soon a form began to take shape and Paige wondered who it might be. Grams? Mom? But when the ghost finally fully manifested herself, Paige stared in mute shock.

“Paige! I need your help!”

“Prue?!” Paige squeaked in disbelief as she wiped a smear of greasy potion residue from her face. “Of course, I can help. I can get a hold of Piper or Phoebe right away.” She nervously dumped the contents of her purse out on the table, looking for her cell phone.

Prue shook her head. “No, no need for that. And it’s you I need, not them.”

“Me? Why me? I don’t even know you.”

“Maybe not, but you are a Halliwell, even if your last name is Matthews. And I need to make a decision soon and need you to help me decide.”

“To make a decision? Boy, have you got the wrong girl,” Paige muttered as a lifetime of regrettable decisions flooded her mind.

“What do you mean by that?” Prue asked, concern in her voice.

Paige waved that aside impatiently. “It’s not important right now. I still don‘t get it. Why me? Why not Piper or Phoebe or even Leo?”

“Because they would be thinking with their hearts and I need the advice of someone who understands what it’s like to be Charmed, but who could also think with her mind, not just her heart. I already discussed this with Mom and Grams, and they‘re no help.”

“Phoebe’s a professional advice columnist,” Paige pointed out. “I think you should ask--”

Prue cut her off. “Phoebe’s too close to me. All of my family is thinking with their hearts. Because you don’t know me, you’re the best one to help, because you’ll think with your head, but still with a lot of compassion, like you do in your social work. And that‘s what I need.”

“Well, I still don’t know what I can do to help, but why don’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

Prue smiled. “Oh, I don’t know if the proper question is ‘What’s wrong’. I love it Up There, getting to be with Mom and Grams and Andy and the others. And I love getting to watch how well all of you are doing, especially you, Paige. Even though I never met you, I feel like I know you. You’ve done such a great job helping to keep the Power of Three going.”

Paige stared in shock. “Great job?! Yeah, tell that to the attic,” as she glanced around at the mess she so recently created.

Again Prue smiled. “Yes. I know you don’t think you measure up to the standard I set, but you are truly doing a wonderful job, just by being you! I'm very proud of you. In fact, I'm certain that the reason why I died was so my sisters could find you, the true third member of the Power of Three--that I was just keeping your place warm for you!”

For the first time since Prue appeared, Paige felt comfortable. “Thank you, I appreciate that. Truly I do. Now please tell me how I can help.”

“Well, although I love it up here, my soul feels the need to move on. To come back to Earth as another person, to be reincarnated, to try to learn the lessons I didn’t learn as Prudence Halliwell.”

“So go ahead. Like Nike says, Just Do It. I don’t understand why you haven‘t done that before."

Prue shook her head. “Because another part of me says that you guys might need my help! I’ve been standing in the wings, just in case something should happen so you would need me.”

“Oh, Prue! I’m sure both Piper and Phoebe would be so happy if they knew you felt that way! But like you said, we’re doing fine. None of us would want to stand in the way of your being able to move on, especially Piper and Phoebe! You can let go of them, Prue. You don't have to take care of them any more.”

Prue sighed with relief. “Thank you, Paige! That means so much. There’s another problem, though.”

“What’s that?” Paige asked, now eager to help.

“Although it’s very unusual, I have a chance of becoming a Halliwell again.”

“What?!”

“Yeah, thanks to my actions as Prue, especially my willingness to die for an innocent, I’m being given that chance. If things don’t change, there’s a good possibility that Piper and Leo may have another child soon and if they do and if I agree, I have a chance to be that child."

Paige's eyes grew large. "No wonder you didn't want to ask Piper or Leo!"

Prue nodded. "That knowledge could change the future and prevent that child from ever being born. And Phoebe?! I love her dearly, but she still can't keep a secret!"

Paige giggled. "Too true. Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me."

Prue smiled. "Thank you. Normally I would jump at the chance, but depending upon what happens, that child has a chance to either save our family or to doom it, depending upon the choices that child makes.”

“Huh? I don’t get it. Too many ‘depending upons’.”

“I can’t tell you much more than that, partially because I sincerely don’t know--The Powers That Be won’t tell me--and partially because if you knew, then again you might change the future without meaning to and I may never get a chance to be that child. Part of me wants to have that chance, but part of me doesn’t think I should. I wouldn’t remember being Prudence Halliwell, couldn’t use my experiences as Prue to decide what to do. But I don’t know if I should let someone else have that chance to be that child and maybe mess up our family! But if I were the one who messed up the family, I‘d never be able to live with myself!"

Prue shook her head with frustration. "Maybe it‘s better for me to just stay Up There, wait until all of you eventually join us, and then we can all go back as sisters or cousins or friends! That‘s what Mom and Grams are waiting for; that‘s what I sometimes feel like I should wait for--but what if someone else becomes Piper and Leo‘s next child and because they don‘t feel close to you guys--the way I always would, no matter who I am--and that person doesn‘t want to make the decisions needed to save the family? But what if you guys needed my help while I was still a baby?”

Now Prue sounded absolutely desperate. “Please, Paige, tell me what to do!"

Paige stared at her big sister for a long time.

“Paige?” Prue asked anxiously.

Paige took a deep breath, knowing the chance she was taking, but knowing she had to take it. “I’m sorry, Prue. I’m not going to tell you what to do.”

“What?!” Anger sparked Prue’s blue eyes, and she raised her hand, ready to TK her sister across the room and into the wall. “I thought you cared!”

Paige held up her own hand in the ancient sign of asking for peace. “It’s not because I don’t care for you, Prue. It’s because I do. Part of me wants to tell you that I’d love to have you as part of the family again so soon,” and Prue smiled, lowering her hand. Paige released the breath she was holding, then continued, “But there‘s another part of me that wants to tell you that I love the idea of getting to be your sister or your cousin or your friend in our next go-round rather than your aunt--actually getting a chance to get to know you.”

Prue’s smile beamed. “You do understand.”

“Yeah, but I’m not going to tell you to do either of those things,” and again Prue’s smile fell. “Because both of those answers would come from my heart. You said you don’t want an answer from the heart; you want one from the mind, from my social worker’s mind.”

Prue nodded. “Yes, I did. If you were a pure social worker, not an assistant, what would you tell our family to do regarding me?”

Paige shook her head. “I don’t think I can do that either,” and again Prue looked confused. “A social worker looks at what’s best for everyone involved--I’d have to look at what’s best for Piper and Leo, and me and Phoebe, too. That’s not what this is about. This is about your soul and your growth, what you think is the best thing for you to do. You’ve told us--and I’m sure you told Grams and Mom--that you don’t want us to speak with our hearts, Prue, but I think that’s what you should do. Don’t worry about how your decision will affect us--whatever you decide, we‘ll be OK; we‘ll be OK because we‘re family and we'll make sure that kid does the right thing no matter if she's you or if she's not!--instead consider what’s best for you, what your heart, what your soul feels is your right path to learn those lessons you were talking about.”

Again Prue’s smile beamed. “Thank you, Paige. That’s exactly what I needed to hear.”

Paige grinned back. “So what are you going to do?”

Prue smiled mysteriously. “I guess you’ll just have to wait and find out!” and with that, the glowing lights surrounded Prue, and the next moment she was gone.

Paige didn’t think she could keep this meeting from her other sisters, but fate had a way of doing it for her. The very next day, Piper went into labor with her first child--a boy rather than the girl that all of them were expecting. Paige got so wrapped up in Wyatt Matthew Halliwell--named after Leo and her!!--that in the midst of all the events that surrounded that blessed event, Paige totally forgot about her sister’s visit, while somewhere Up There, her oldest sister looked down and smiled.

A year later

Paige slammed the door of her room, leaning against it, still unable to believe what Phoebe had just told her. Chris Perry, their mysterious whitelighter from the future, wasn’t Chris Perry at all--he was Chris Halliwell, Wyatt’s younger brother, Piper and Leo’s younger son, come back to save his brother and his family!

"No way!“ she exclaimed out loud as a memory long-forgotten suddenly surfaced. “No way he can be Prue! No matter who she becomes, Prue could never hate Leo the way Chris hates him! But wait a minute, he’s not just Leo to Chris--he’s his father, and Prue hated Victor for a long time after he left them, just like Leo left Chris! And Chris has TK, likes to boss us around, thinks he always knows what’s best for us--”

“And what a bunch of lessons for me to learn.” Paige spun around to find Prue sparkling behind her.

“In a strange way," Prue continued, the glow in her eyes telling Paige that she knew she had made the right decision, "this is part of the reason why he came back--why I came back--to show me the lessons I’ll get to learn, both during the lifetime he's already lived and the new lifetime I'm determined he's going to have when he goes back,” and Paige‘s head spun at the paradoxes.

"Paige, just imagine me who loved being a woman having to be a man! Or me, the oldest, having to grow up the younger! Or me, the strongest, having to live in the shadow of the Twice-Blessed Child! My biggest sin as Prue was always pride--this is the best way for me to learn that lesson while still doing what I love doing most--protecting my family so that they can protect innocents. And, Paige, imagine me finding out that someone took my brother and turned him evil...”

Paige nodded. “You’d do anything to make sure he and the rest of the family would be all right; even risking coming back in time.” She smiled at a memory. “Either save the family or doom it. Coming back in time may save the family, while staying would‘ve certainly doomed it!”

“And I’m gonna save it,” Prue swore, and thinking about Chris' own determination, Paige wondered if he--she--whatever--had learned that pride lesson quite yet.

“But I need your help,” Prue continued. “And this time I won’t take no for an answer.”

"What’s that?” Paige asked cautiously.

The lights began swirling around Prue again and just before she vanished, her voice said, “Make sure I get a chance to save our family--make sure I get conceived!”

The End

[Assassin Witch]

OH! I remember reading this one. *jumps up and down*

Es, when I get a chance, I'm going to reread it and give you a review.

[pipercharmedphreak]

i love it time a billion!! this story truely does remind me of how much prue and chris really are alike! i must say this is probably one of the best fan fics ive read in a while!!

[Esmeralda]

Thank you very much, both of you! Asssassin, yes, I've posted this on a couple of different sites, so you may have read it before. I'm interested to see what you think after you read it again!

PCP, I'm *SO* glad you like it and you agree that the best parts of Chris (there's not a lot, but there are some...) are the parts that are just like Prue. I even think he looks more like Prue than he does like Piper! Believe me, after someone suggested the similarities to me, the conversation that inspired this fic, I could never watch Chris again without thinking Prue, and I wonder if Chris-fans watching Prue will think the same thing!

[Assassin Witch]

So, third time (at least) that I've read this. TCS, here, and now.

I LOVE the fact the Prue came to Paige to ask her advice, especially since she was a social worker. I love that Prue praised Paige and said that she was probably meant to die so that Paige could take her place. So Prue-like. And I love how Paige wouldn't give her an answer. Brilliant.

And we come to Prue/Chris. I know you hate him. But reading this story, you'd never see that. I never thought of the similarities between the two until you pointed them out. The hatred with their fathers, their pride, TK, and their bossiness. So true. And for Prue to come back as Chris is truly a challenge. Just like you mentioned.

"Paige, just imagine me who loved being a woman having to be a man! Or me, the oldest, having to grow up the younger! Or me, the strongest, having to live in the shadow of the Twice-Blessed Child! My biggest sin as Prue was always pride--this is the best way for me to learn that lesson while still doing what I love doing most--protecting my family so that they can protect innocents. And, Paige, imagine me finding out that someone took my brother and turned him evil...”

This is so true and would be such an experience for Prue. She had difficulties with being Manny (hehe), and then being younger instead of the oldest and SHE's the one in the shadow instead of the forefront.

I am in awe and their similiarities, and if had been anyone other than Kern, I might have thought that was intentional, but I don't think it was like how you express it. He's just a Halliwell..lol.


BRILLIANT job. I love this story.

[Esmeralda]

musicrpgoddess said:

So, third time (at least) that I've read this. TCS, here, and now.

I LOVE the fact the Prue came to Paige to ask her advice, especially since she was a social worker. I love that Prue praised Paige and said that she was probably meant to die so that Paige could take her place. So Prue-like. And I love how Paige wouldn't give her an answer. Brilliant.

And we come to Prue/Chris. I know you hate him. But reading this story, you'd never see that. I never thought of the similarities between the two until you pointed them out. The hatred with their fathers, their pride, TK, and their bossiness. So true. And for Prue to come back as Chris is truly a challenge. Just like you mentioned.

"Paige, just imagine me who loved being a woman having to be a man! Or me, the oldest, having to grow up the younger! Or me, the strongest, having to live in the shadow of the Twice-Blessed Child! My biggest sin as Prue was always pride--this is the best way for me to learn that lesson while still doing what I love doing most--protecting my family so that they can protect innocents. And, Paige, imagine me finding out that someone took my brother and turned him evil...”

This is so true and would be such an experience for Prue. She had difficulties with being Manny (hehe), and then being younger instead of the oldest and SHE's the one in the shadow instead of the forefront.

I am in awe and their similiarities, and if had been anyone other than Kern, I might have thought that was intentional, but I don't think it was like how you express it. He's just a Halliwell..lol.


BRILLIANT job. I love this story.

Thanks much! Since this is an alternate-universe fic (since, no, I truly don't think that Chris is Prue, because Prue would never be a lying, whining, murdering brat no matter who her mother is!), it's more of a "Don't I wish" fic. Because if Chris was truly Prue and had Prue's personality, especially Prue's morality, then I would've loved him as much as you do! But thinking of him as Prue helps me tolerate him, and if the Chris-fans (especially the Chris-fans who hate Prue) think of Prue that way, then maybe they'll be able to tolerate her, too!

Had Kern been a bit more insightful, he could've used the idea of Chris to let Prue come back--I wish he had and wish he had let him act more like his aunt and less like the lying, whining, murdering brat he was rather than the noble person he should've been. It would've been fun to actually let LEO figure out that Chris is truly Prue reincarnated--it would've explained how the family accepted him so quickly, and it would've been fun watching Piper and Phoebe (even Paige) seeing their lost sister in him, especially when they'd have to lose her again when he died.

[Rebecca Malfoy]

That was pretty good. I hope there is more. I usually avoid fanfic's, but like I said this one was pretty good.

[pscharm]

i like it but i havw 1 question so is chris prues reincarnation

[Esmeralda]

pscharm said:

i like it but i havw 1 question so is chris prues reincarnation

According to this story, yes, she is. I'm glad you liked the fic!

[~B@MeLiSsA30@B~]

This story was amazing. I really could feel what was going on between Prue and Paige.

[Cara Halliwell]

I couldnt have done better myself. It was absolutely AMAZING. Loved it.

[Esmeralda]

Thank you very much. I'm glad you liked the fic.

Melissa, I'm glad you thought I wrote what was going on between Prue and Paige properly. That's my favorite compliment, that my characters are acting like they did on the show.

[~B@MeLiSsA30@B~]

[foxfire]

LOVED this. Hehe... I figured that I'd mosey on over to the fanfic section and this caught my eye. It was absolutely fabulous. You definitely maintained both of the characters' personalities all the way through. And I never truly realized just how alike Chris/Prue really are... and it's an interesting concept to have Prue learning from her past mistakes through being reincarnated as Chris.

Excellent job!

[Esmeralda]

Jul 31, 2008 19:59:08 GMT -5 foxfire said:

LOVED this. Hehe... I figured that I'd mosey on over to the fanfic section and this caught my eye. It was absolutely fabulous.

Thank you so much, Firefox!!

You definitely maintained both of the characters' personalities all the way through.

;D Thank you SOOO very much..that's absolutely my favorite of all compliments!

And I never truly realized just how alike Chris/Prue really are... and it's an interesting concept to have Prue learning from her past mistakes through being reincarnated as Chris.

And that's part of the fun of this fic. Hmmm. The more I think about this old fic, the more I start considering letting it be the start of a full alternate universe fic--what could Season 6 been like had Chris truly been Prue's reincarnation? Coz he certainly would not have murdered and he certainly would not have been a such a lying, whining brat no matter who his mother was. What would he have been like...

Excellent job!

Thanks!

[charm1d]

Great job Esmerelda i just read this for the forst time today and loved it, I never thought of Prue-Paige and Prue-Chris before but you put it in such a realistic way, hoow could you not believe it!

[Esmeralda]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you liked it!

Of course, the way you couldn't believe it is that no way Prue would be a lying, whining murdering brat no matter *who* her mother was, but it's fun to watch S6 and look for the similarites or to watch the Prue Years of Charmed and look for the similarities there!

I decided to give you guys a treat. This fic was originally my entry in a contest I held at Es' Library of Charmed, a "Finish the Fanfic" where I stopped the fic at this point:

Prue shook her head with frustration. "Maybe it‘s better for me to just stay Up There, wait until all of you eventually join us, and then we can all go back as sisters or cousins or friends! That‘s what Mom and Grams are waiting for; that‘s what I sometimes feel like I should wait for--but what if someone else becomes Piper and Leo‘s next child and because they don‘t feel close to you guys--the way I always would, no matter who I am--and that person doesn‘t want to make the decisions needed to save the family? But what if you guys needed my help while I was still a baby?”

Now Prue sounded absolutely desperate. “Please, Paige, tell me what to do!"

and asked the contestants to finish it.

This contest, in turn, was inspired by a different contest run at Charmed's Designation, during their Demon Hunt when we were divided into four teams: Prue's Team, Piper's Team, Phoebe's Team and Paige's Team. That contest was an "Advice for My Sister" one where each team's sister had to ask a different sister for advice (Piper had to ask Prue, Phoebe had to ask Piper, Paige had to ask Phoebe and Prue had to ask Paige) for a real problem that sister had on the show and this is what we at Prue's Team decided to ask--so at the time that I started the contest at ELoC, I truly had no idea what the ending would/should be....I came up with my own entry after the contest started.

So I decided to share the other entries with you guys and see which ending *you* like best. I'll do them in the order I received them, the same way I listed them for the contest. Although I'll give their authors proper credit, at the time of the voting, they were only listed by Entry Number, not by name, since the contestants had emailed their entries to me and I numbered them in the order I received them.

ENTRY ONE, written by SILVERSTAR03:

As Prue pleaded for Paige’s help, the sound of footsteps could be heard coming from the stairway.

Paige panicked. “Prue--”

“Think it over, Paige, but let me know what you think soon,” Prue whispered before glowing lights floated around her and she disappeared from Paige’s sight.

“Paige? What’s going on up here? I thought I heard voices…” Paige turned to the door to find Piper standing with her hands on her hips. Paige blushed upon seeing her sister, reminded of the to-be baby, and then nervously turned towards her unsuccessful potion.

“Oh, it was only my potion …” Paige said, moving quickly to clean it up and prevent herself from thinking about Piper’s child. She was excited, but…afraid at the same time. She couldn’t stop thinking about what Prue had said.

“…that child has a chance to either save our family or to doom it…”

“What in the hell is that suppose to mean?” Paige thought to herself as Piper left. “Of course the Elders wouldn’t tell us anything remotely helpful–it’s their job to sit back and do nothing in times of crisis. That’s what they did when Prue died, wasn’t it?” Sighing to herself, Paige finished cleaning up the disaster in the attic and retreated to her room to think things over.

She awoke the next morning to a crash coming from the kitchen.

“Paige! Phoebe!” Piper called, and Paige immediately orbed downstairs to the aid of her big sister. “Watch out!” Piper screamed as a fireball came flying towards her. Paige barely had time to throw herself out of the way as the fireball flew inches from her head, singeing the ends of her hair in the process.

“Oh, great,” Paige said in exasperation, holding her singed hair as she picked herself up off the ground and focused on the demon. He had fang-like teeth, dark dirty hair, and beady yellow eyes. “Where does this guy live? The dump?” Paige thought to herself as she orbed out of the path of another fireball and over to where Piper was crouching behind the overturned table.

“Good morning,” Piper greeted with gritted teeth. Paige answered with a nod while dodging another fireball. “My powers didn’t work. Atheme?” Paige nodded and quickly disappeared in a flurry of blue and white lights. Seconds later she appeared behind the demon, holding an atheme in her hand. At that exact moment Piper stood up to distract the demon as Paige threw the dagger. It slid easily into the creature’s back, and in seconds the demon disappeared in a poof of dust.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Phoebe asked as she walked into the kitchen, fully dressed for the day.

“Hey, sis, nice of you to show up,” Piper responded sarcastically as she attempted to salvage her breakfast.

Phoebe looked around, saw the overturned table, and finally put two and two together. “Are you guys okay? Why didn’t you call me?” she asked while setting the table back up.

“I called both of you,” Piper replied, and Phoebe looked over to see a sleepy Paige still in her pajamas and with bed-head.

“I guess I didn’t hear it over my blow dryer,” Phoebe responded. “I’m really sorry you guys. Forgive me?” Phoebe asked while looking at her sisters with that pleading-guilty face.

“It’s okay,” Piper responded before smiling and giving her sister a hug. “Even if it had just been me, things would have been okay. We have many angels looking out for us up there…Prue included.”

Paige watched in silence for a moment before heading back upstairs to get herself ready for the day. Prue’s question was still swimming around in her head, and she wondered why Prue had to come to her. Most of all, she hated lying to her sisters. Keeping something this big from them was considered lying in her book, and it made her feel queasy.

After Paige showered and dressed, she headed upstairs for the Book, now knowing for sure what she was going to tell Prue.

"I'm headed for P3!" she heard Piper call.

"I'm going with her, headed for the paper!" yelled Phoebe.

Paige yelled out her good-byes, and after hearing the front door slam shut, she walked over to the Book. Her eyes stared down at the triquetra for a few minutes before she took a deep breath and started flipping pages. “I hope I’m doing the right thing,” she whispered before reciting the spell:

"Hear these words.
Hear my cry,
Spirit from the other side.
Come to me,
I summon thee--
Cross now the Great Divide."

She waited patiently as the ghostly lights appeared and begin swirling around. In seconds her big sister appeared before her, more beautiful then ever.

“Paige, thank you for getting back to me so fast,” Prue said, smiling at her youngest sister. “You’ve made up you mind?”

Paige nodded. “Prue, I never had sisters before I became part of this family, and now I realize how important we all are to each other. Piper and Phoebe still love you and believe in you watching over them, and I draw on that strength. I told you that we don’t need you, and I still stand by that, but…I don’t think I could live every day hearing Piper or Phoebe referring to you, and knowing that you were no longer up there watching them. I’m sorry…It just seems to me that we’ve been connected through our past lives for so long, or at least you and Piper and Phoebe have, and that connection shouldn’t be broken. You said that Piper and Leo’s child could save our family, or doom it. Whether your soul resides in that baby girl, or someone else’s does, I don’t believe that the child will turn out bad…I just can’t believe that. This is a line of good witches, and I have faith in that. She’ll have her mother, father, and aunts. And if something does go wrong, she’ll have you watching over her. Everything happens for a reason, and I just have to trust in that.”

“You say that everything happens for a reason…What if my reason for dying was to be reborn as Piper and Leo’s child?” Paige hesitated for a moment, but finally decided on speaking her mind. "Prue…In my heart…In my heart I truly believe that your reason for dying was so that I could learn about and become a part of this family.” Paige smiled over at Prue, and she was relieved when her sister returned that smile.

“You think?” Prue asked.

“Yeah,” Paige replied. “I think.”

“Thank you,” Prue responded before giving Paige one last smile and disappearing in bright angelic lights.

ENTRY TWO, written by KRYSIA:

Licking her lips, Paige’s slender brows lowered as she pondered Prue’s dilemma. She closed the Book of Shadows, giving its cover an absent pat, before walking over to join Prue in the sunlit alcove. Tucking a curly, chocolate lock behind an ear, she smiled at the sister she’d never known. “Prue,” she began, her smile widening as Prue’s anxious gaze turned from perusing the attic, no doubt cataloging any changes since her death, to her.

“I think you’ve already made your choice. I think what you’re really here for is for reassurance. I mean, think over what you’ve just said.”

Prue crossed her arms in front of her chest and floated closer to the window to stare out at the street below. The movement made her long, pale rose gown seem to sparkle, and Paige squashed the urge to touch it, to see if the material was as soft as it looked. Prue’s blue eyes were knowing as she looked back at Paige over her shoulder. “You’re talking about my saying I felt ready to move on, and about how The Powers That Be have gifted me with the option of returning.”

Paige nodded.

Prue’s laugh was soft, and some of the desperation dissipated from her visage as she turned back to her youngest sibling. “Funny… We’ve never met, and yet, look how well you already know me.”

A corner of Paige’s mouth quirked up, and she nodded again. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Prue smirked. “I’ll bet.”

As Paige looked up at the ceiling, an expression of pure innocence on her face, Prue rolled her eyes and glided over to the pedestal that held the Book of Shadows. She looked down at the large volume for a long moment before raising her gaze to Paige.

The younger glanced at the Book, then held Prue’s look. “For what it’s worth, you have my blessing.”

Prue smiled, then grinned. “It’s worth a lot, Paige.” She raised her hand, and the rose sparkles on her gown intensified, turning gold in the sunlight, picking up from the dress and hovering about her. As her image faded, the last thing Paige heard was her voice:

“I’ll see you on the flip side.”

~*~

Epilogue

One Year Later…


Phoebe’s brown eyes gleamed bright as she cooed at the infant she held in her arms. “Hi, Sweetie…” She raised her gaze to Piper, who, now that she’d found a diaper, motioned that she was ready to take the baby. “Piper, I just can’t get over how beautiful my niece is,” she murmured, as she handed over Prudence Melinda Halliwell-Wyatt.

A pair of white-blue light clusters heralded Paige and Leo’s arrival into the room. Leo held wipes, and he placed them on the bed beside his wife. Paige carried a pink satin blanket and a white and pink blanket sleeper outfit. Ever efficient, Piper quickly changed her daughter’s diaper, and tossed it into the stainless steel trash bin. As she dressed the baby, Paige asked, “Has my niece revealed any of her powers yet?”

“Well…” Piper began, but was interrupted as the baby waved a tiny hand in a jerky, absent motion, and the bedroom door slammed shut, just as her brothers, Wyatt and Chris, tried to enter the room. “There’s that…”

“She hasn’t orbed anything yet, at least,” Leo added.

“Give it time,” Phoebe interjected.

“It’s funny…” Piper continued, “Melinda’s powers so far mirror Prue’s.” Her brown eyes narrowed as she looked at her husband, just as Wyatt orbed with Chris into the room. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that now, would you?”

“The Elders haven’t said anything to me.”

Paige looked at her infant niece and smiled when the tiny blue orbs locked onto hers. And I won’t either, she thought. Welcome back, Prue.

ENTRY THREE written by THE FOURTH CHARMED ONE:

Paige was at a loss for words. Ever since becoming a witch, she had thought about the moment when she would finally meet Prue and it wasn't exactly going the way she had expected. But that wasn't important. Her sister needed help.

"Okay. I'm not going to lie to you. This whole reincarnation deal isn't one of my strong points when it comes to magic, but I think I've come across it before in the Book." Paige said, finally breaking her silence.

She crossed the room and started to flip through the Book of Shadows. Prue stood behind her, gazing at the pages. After a few moments of searching, Paige stopped flipping.

Prue read the ancient calligraphy on the page in front of her and frowned slightly. "That's about alternate realities..." she stated, not quite following.

Paige nodded. "Exactly. You're having trouble choosing between two alternate destinies. What better way for you to make your decision than by seeing each one first hand?"

Prue smiled at her baby sister. She wished more than anything that she could've grown up with her or even met her. It was amazing how fate worked and how their destinies had been so intertwined yet they hadn't ever faced each other until now. "Let’s do it," said Prue, and the two read the spell. No sooner did they than a bright fog enveloped them, surging the sisters through time and space to their first destination.

~~~

Paige and Prue reappeared in the foyer. A full on-war awaited them.

An aged Phoebe lay on the floor in front of the banister, blood trickling from her forehead. Wyatt, who looked to be adult-age, stood over her, using his magical gift of healing to save her life. Piper was attempting to stand, using the wall for support. Blood speckled in her salt-and-pepper-colored hair. Paige stood next to her, bruised but ready for more.

In front of them all, facing a seven-foot tall ferocious demon was...well, neither of them knew quite exactly who he was. The guy looked about nineteen. He had chestnut brown hair, blue-green eyes, and a large freckle on his cheek. "That must be you." Paige whispered, and Prue rolled her eyes.

The demon let out a monstrous growl. Wyatt helped his Aunt Phoebe up and turned to the guy. "Chris, this is it. This is what you've been preparing for. I may be Twice Blessed, but I can't fight this battle for you and neither can the Power of Three. It’s your time to shine. Only an Elder can kill this thing, and you're half-Elder. If anyone can do this, it’s you. Kick some a$$." he said, encouraging his brother.

The demon lunged forward, but Chris was ready. With a wave of his hand he sent the demon hurtling across the room. Confidence rolled off of him like bright light...Wait, that is bright light, Prue realized, as a divine mixture of orbs and electricity flowed from Chris' hands, streaming through the air toward the demon. The magical onslaught blasted through the demon, expelling him to oblivion. The battle was over, and Chris...Prue...had just won.

As the rest of the family gathered around him, smothering him in hugs, the world around Prue and Paige turned bright white.

The next minute, they found themselves looking onto the same scenario as the previous reality, only Chris looked a bit different. He had green eyes like Leo's, his hair was a bit longer and the same color as Piper's, and there wasn't a large freckle on his face. That wasn't the only thing different about this Chris. This one lacked the cool confidence that the other Chris had exuded. He seemed much more frightened and unsure of himself.

But his older brother didn’t see any difference. "You can do this, Chris." he shouted, healing Phoebe. "You were born to do this. The power is inside of you--conquer your fears and find it! Your whole life you've watched from the wings, but that time is over. I believe in you!"

And with that, the same brilliant light show filled the room as Chris vanquished the hideous demon.

Once more the two sisters were surrounded by white light and this time found themselves back in the present-day attic. Prue sighed. “Well, we did it." She said, but without much feeling. "It doesn't really help me with my decision though. In both realities, things ended fine."

"Prue, our journey showed just was it was supposed to. You don't need help making the decision." Paige announced. "In both realities things worked out. This has shown you that for once in your life you can make whatever choice you want for your own reasons. For the first time you can do what you want."

Prue perked an eyebrow.

Paige nodded. "You don't have to worry about the future. Prue, you're free, and quite frankly I think its about time. Your whole life you protected those around you and sacrificed yourself for those around you. Now it's time you do something for yourself," Paige told her with a huge smile.

Prue smiled back. "I think you're right. I still have more thinking to do before I make my final decision, but you've really helped me. I can't thank you enough, Paige," she said, hugging her baby sister. "Now, it’s time for me to go. You won't remember what we learned about the future."

"What?!"

"It’s better if you don’t know--then you won’t be able to change the future. But you will remember seeing me and remember how grateful I am to you--you just won’t remember why, " Prue explained. "Tell Phoebe and Piper that I love them and miss them, and Leo, too, of course. And give that little nephew of mine a kiss. Bye, Paige, I love you."

"I love you, too," Paige echoed, as her oldest sister was swept away in a swirl of lights.

ENTRY FOUR written by CF1234:

Before Paige could even answer, the door flew open and Chris stormed in, glaring at Prue. “Why would I ever want you to be me?” he screamed. “I’m nothing like you and would never want to be like you, so you just get your a$$ back to the other side right now and don’t ever come back again, coz we don’t need you!”

Prue shrugged at Paige. “I guess he told me!” and with that she was gone.

THAT'S the one that inspired my own and my own was ENTRY FIVE. But before I could finish it, the next one came in.

ENTRY SIX written by JULES:

Pressing a hand to her stomach, Paige tried to control the nausea washing over her. Why would Prue think that she could make a decision like this? She couldn’t even make normal life decisions, let alone decide the future of the Halliwell family, and possibly even the rest of the magical community.

“Well,” Prue prompted. “What do you think I should do?”

“Prue!” Paige shouted, half in anger, half in fear. “You can’t just ask me to decide on the future of all magic, and then expect me to give you an answer in 2 minutes! In fact, it’s not even my decision to make. It’s YOUR decision. I can’t believe that you would even ask me to make a decision like this, just so you won’t get blamed if the wrong choice is made.”

Prue held up a hand, angered at her own tears trying to surface. “Paige, stop right there.” Prue ran her fingers through her hair, trying to figure out a way to explain what she was feeling. “I love you, Paige. It may be hard for you to believe, but I love you every ounce as much as I love Piper and Phoebe. You are just as much a part of me as they are. In truth, you are everything that I aspired to become when I was alive.”

“I l-love you too, Prue…” started Paige, but was stopped by Prue.

“That’s why I wanted your help. I’ve watched you for years now, and one of the things that I’m most proud about is your stubbornness to see that the magical world becomes better each and every day. You are able to look at the whole of a situation, and not just bits and pieces of it. Because of that, I have every bit of faith in your instincts as a witch.”

Heat began to rise in Paige’s cheeks once again, only this time they were from embarrassment, not anger. “Prue, I’m not as wonderful as you believe I am.”

“Yes, you are. I’ve never joked around about things that I knew were true.”

Paige smiled at her sister and her insistent faith in her abilities. Okay, Paige thought, What would a good witch do at a time like this? After a few moments, an idea popped into Paige’s mind. “I’ve got it!” she announced suddenly. “I think I can come up with a spell that will allow you to see the key points of the future if you were to become Piper and Leo’s child. This way, you can see how the world would be and be able to come to the right decision.”

“Perfect,” said Prue. “I knew you could help me.”

“Don’t thank me yet. I need to come up with a spell that will work first.” Paige thought for a few moments, trying to come up with something that would work. “I think I have it,” and she slowly began to chant the words that she came up with. Paige had to chant the short spell three times, but Prue eventually slumped to the floor in a deep sleep. Paige bent down and brushed her thumb over Prue’s forehead. “Don’t worry, sis. I know you’ll do what’s right. You always have.”

~~Meanwhile~~~

Prue opened her eyes and looked around. Sure enough, she saw Piper about 10 years older, clasping Leo’s hand. “Isn’t she beautiful?” she heard Piper whisper in Leo’s ear. Leo watched Phoebe’s wedding before him, mesmerized by the flower girl making her way down the isle. “That’s because she looks like her mother,” he whispered back.

“T-that’s me.” Prue said to herself, as she too watched the flower girl. “I mean, that’s Piper and Leo’s baby girl. That could be me.” Curiosity piqued her attention, and Prue went nearer to the groom, wanting to know who he was. Her eyes widened to humungous proportions, as she realized that she knew this groom. But he was supposed to dead, how could this man be alive? Her eyes now seemed to pop out of her head, as Cole Turner kissed the bride. Cole and Phoebe’s smiles seemed to shine throughout the church, as they made their kiss a little longer than required. Prue watched, mesmerized. She didn’t know what had brought Cole back to life, but he was a truly a good person now. Phoebe must have finally realized that nothing can stop or conquer true love.

Prue darted her eyes around the church, captivated by the lack of evil present. But somehow, something seemed to be missing. She looked over the guests one more time and realized what it was when she saw the big easel holding an in-memory-of picture. Paige was gone. Prue walked up to the picture, right next to where Phoebe and Cole were standing. Phoebe was leaning against Cole as she looked up at the picture of her younger sister. “I miss her so much.” she said, as she clasped Cole’s hand tighter. “I can’t believe she’s already been dead for a year.” Cole nodded sadly and Phoebe continued, “I am so proud of what Paige did. I mean, because of her, the next generation of Halliwells will get to grow up in a world without evil. I know she lost her life in the process, but all Paige ever wanted was to make the world a better place.”

Prue leaned in, wanting to hear what Cole said back, but suddenly felt very dizzy. She slumped to the floor, and closed her eyes for a moment. When she reopened them, she was back in the manor attic. Paige was sitting in front of her, worry present on her face.

“Was everything okay? I mean, what did you see?”

Prue looked at her baby sister, and realized what she would go through in the future if Prue became Piper and Leo’s child. Tears fell from her face as she stared at Paige. “I’m fine. I know what to do now, all because of your spell.”

Before Paige could ask Prue what she was going to do, she heard Piper hollering for her downstairs. She and Prue quickly hugged goodbye, as Paige rushed out of the attic to see what Piper wanted.

Prue stayed for an extra minute, as she thought about her situation. She thought about the lesson she’d learned years ago. If there were a fire, would she save one sister, or five strangers? Prue had ultimately chosen five strangers. Even though it was hard knowing that her baby sister would die if Prue chose to be Piper and Leo’s daughter, all evil would be gone forever. Prue smiled as she realized that she had indeed made a decision. She was going to become the daughter of Piper and Leo.

Yes, she knew that her entire family would miss Paige so much, but in the process Paige would finally accomplish what she had always worked for. Paige would become more than a witch or a whitelighter. She would be a hero.

ENTRY SEVEN written by JEDIYA:

Paige tilted her head in thought before eventually responding. “I can’t tell you what to do, Prue – only that if I was in the same position, I’d do what I thought was best for this family.”

Prue nodded and after turning the statement over in her mind a few times a small smile spread across her face. “Thank you, Paige. That’s precisely the kind of advice I was hoping for.”

“Great! So…” Paige said, then seeing that Prue didn’t understand she elaborated. “Have you made a decision then?”

“Oh. Yes, I have.”

Paige raised her eyebrows in anticipation for more but when none came she let out an exasperated sigh. “And?”

A glint of mirth entered Prue’s green eyes. “I can’t tell you … future consequences!” Suddenly she became serious again, “Thank you so much, Paige – I will never forget this.” And with that she was gone.“

You could’ve given me a hint!” Paige shouted up to the ceiling. But none came.

[Two Year Later…]

Paige didn’t even glance up at the sound of orbs. She waited until the sound had died down before uttering one word. “No!”

“Oh, come on, Paige!” Chris groaned, “Nobody else will.”

“I am not going off to vanquish whatever random demon you’ve picked out this time” she replied, turning to face the other witch-whitelighter.

“But this could be…”

“The one that turns Wyatt, yadda yadda yadda” she said, cutting him off mid-sentence. “I know the whole shebang – we’ve heard it enough!”

Chris rolled his eyes. “All the more reason to get it over and done with now!”

“Chris …” Paige began but after getting a look at his pleading green eyes, she let out a heavy sigh and threw her hands in the air. “Fine! But this is the last time.”

“Thanks, Paige.”

“I mean it, buster – last time!”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paige stepped out of the shower, still angry. Chris had conveniently forgotten to mention that this would be a very messy vanquish, and now she’d just finished scrubbing off the sticky green goo. To top it off, their mysterious whitelighter from the future had on purpose stayed out of the way, so the only goo that landed on him was the goo Paige had thrown at him! And when she yelled, his only response had been, “But I thought green suited you” then he actually orbed out before another piece of glob was thrown in his direction.

She’d just changed into fresh clean clothes when suddenly a loud crash came from the attic. As she entered she was greeted by the sight of a young woman clambering to her feet. “Alright, who are … Prue?” she gasped upon seeing the newcomer’s face.

“Umm, not quite” ‘Prue’ replied.

Paige noticed that she was a younger version of the dead Halliwell – in fact, the more she looked at her she noticed subtle differences; for instance, longer and lighter colored hair, no large freckle on her face; but apart from these little things she looked and sounded exactly like Prue Halliwell.

“What do you mean, ‘not quite’?”

‘Prue’ sighed, “My name is Melinda Prudence Halliwell – I’m from the future.”

Paige let out a groan. “Not another one.”

She was about to call the others when Melinda stopped her. “Please. Paige, hear me out,” she said, pleading with the elder woman. “Two years ago you had a conversation with Prue about her being reincarnated right?”

Paige nodded with a frown.

“She told you she had a chance to become a Halliwell again …” She paused before continuing. “I’m that Halliwell – I’m the reincarnation of Prue!”

“Wow! That’s…strange.” Paige let out a whistle, trying to grasp the situation. “But wouldn’t telling me this prevent your birth?”

Melinda smiled softly. “Oh don’t worry. Mo…Piper’s already pregnant.”

“She is? Wow!”

Just then the familiar sound of orbs filled the room and Chris appeared. “Paige, there you are!” he said, not noticing that they weren’t alone. “Look, about earlier I … Mel!?!” Chris stared shocked at Melinda, not believing his eyes.

Paige looked confused. “You two know each other?”

Melinda ignored her. “Chris, before you start…”

“What are you doing here, Mel?”

Melinda smiled sweetly. “I’m here to help!”

So??? Which ending do YOU like best??

[micki98]

Jan 3, 2008 16:52:02 GMT -5 Assassin Witch said:

I LOVE the fact the Prue came to Paige to ask her advice, especially since she was a social worker. I love that Prue praised Paige and said that she was probably meant to die so that Paige could take her place.

Actually, I hated that part. Prue is a true, real Charmed One. She only died because Shannen left (or was let go), and they didn't want to replace the character.

[Esmeralda]

Sept 5, 2008 21:20:33 GMT -5 micki98 said:

Jan 3, 2008 16:52:02 GMT -5 Assassin Witch said:

I LOVE the fact the Prue came to Paige to ask her advice, especially since she was a social worker. I love that Prue praised Paige and said that she was probably meant to die so that Paige could take her place.

Actually, I hated that part. Prue is a true, real Charmed One. She only died because Shannen left (or was let go), and they didn't want to replace the character.

But even if it's not true, if Prue knew how much in her shadow Paige feels and if she really wants Paige's help, she might tell a little fib in order to make Paige feel more comfortable...

[heybethann9]

okay i think Prue as Chris is Crazy but I could see any of the others working if done correctly. Written well. I liked the idea of being reincarnated as a girl the best I think it was entry 2 if she was going to be reincarnated her powers would mirror prue.
I really liked the story