Date Posted:20:42:23 01/10/03 Fri Author:Sadira Jewelstenp Subject: "A Family Split Apart"Sadira
Hey everyone! It's me, Sadira! Here's another "Charmed" story for you. I hope you like it! Please send me feedback!!!!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of hte characters from "Charmed". They are property of the WB.
Summary: MY version of how and why Paige was adopted.
NOTE: Prue is away at college when this happens.
“A Family Split Apart”
Paige Halliwell sat in the attic of the Halliwell Manor, looking through some photo albums. She enjoyed doing things like this, especially when she was alone. She also liked looking through them with her sisters, Piper and Phoebe, but when she did it alone, it had a certain peaceful quality to it. It was almost as if invisible hands were carrying her back to the events of each picture. It was almost like an adventure.
As Paige glanced down at a picture that showed her sitting on Piper’s lap, she tried to fight back tears. This was the picture that was taken the night before the girls were split apart because of a demon that was going to try to kill them. Til this day, Paige couldn’t understand why it had to happen. She was only nine years old at the time and she could still feel the pain that she felt that day. It was almost too much to handle.
Paige wiped a tear away as she flipped through the book some more.
“Hey,” a soft voice said as eh attic door creaked open, “what cha doing up here, Missy Paige?”
Paige jumped a mile as she turned around to see Piper coming across the room to sit next to her.
Paige shrugged.
“Nothing much. I was just looking through some photo albums.”
“Can’t sleep?” Piper asked, her face registered concern for her younger sister.
Paige nodded and sighed heavily.
“Me neither,” Piper said. “So anything interesting?”
Paige shook her head.
“Not much. I keep flipping to that same picture every time. Do you think it means anything?”
“I’m not sure,” Piper replied as she looked over her sister’s shoulder at the photo album. “What picture is it?”
Paige sighed and showed the photo to Piper.
“Oh….” Piper said with a frown as she slipped a comforting arm around Paige and gave her a hug. “It’s that picture. Well, honey, I think you keep flipping to that picture because you still have some issues about what happened that day that you need to confront. That’s what I think.”
“Yeah, but it’s just so painful to even think about,” Paige said as a few tears ran down her face. “I mean I-I lost everything that day, everything that meant something to me anyway. Everyone I had ever loved and cared about. I lost my home and more importantly, I lost….” Her voice trailed off as more tears came. She couldn’t bare to finish the sentence.
“Us.” Piper finished for her as she gave Paige a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “You lost Phoebe and I.”
“It seemed like forever at the time. It just wasn’t fair!” Paige sobbed. “It just wasn’t fair.”
“Shh,” Piper comforted. “I know, sweetie, I know it wasn’t fair that that happened to you and to us. But look on the bright side, we’re all together again.”
Paige nodded as she wiped away a tear.
“I know, but it’s just so hard to think back to what happened. I mean like I said before I was only nine and you were what?”
“Seventeen.” Piper said with a sigh. “And Phoebe was only thirteen.”
As Piper sat there, trying to comfort Paige, Paige began to think about what happened that night before she was torn away from everything and everyone she had ever known and loved.
******************
Nine year old Paige Halliwell ran as fast as she could to her older sister, Piper’s bedroom. She had just had a nightmare and she couldn’t get back to sleep. To make matters worse, a thunderstorm was in full swing outside, which made things even scarier for the child.
“Piper!” Paige said while knocking on her door. “Piper! Are you awake?”
“Yeah,” Piper said as she came to open the door. “Paige, what’s wrong, honey?” Piper asked as she picked her sister up and gave her a hug. “What happened?”
“I had a bad dream,” Paige replied as she buried her face in Piper’s shoulder. “Can I sleep in here with you, please?”
Piper thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Sure. Okay. Let’s get you tucked in.” She gave Paige one last hug before tucking her into bed.
“What are you still doing up?” Paige wanted to know as she snuggled beneath the covers and layed her head against Piper’s shoulder.
“Well, I couldn’t sleep,” Piper replied truthfully, “so I just decided to catch up on some reading.” She pointed to the Book of Shadows that was laying on her nightstand.
Paige nodded and gasped.
“That’s Grams’ book,” she said. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll get in trouble?”
Piper shook her head.
“No. Not really. I asked Grams first.”
Paige nodded.
“Oh. Okay then.”
For about ten minutes it was silent. Then Paige asked the question that Piper was dreading.
“Piper, do you really think Grams is going to split us up?”
Piper sighed.
“Where did you hear that?” She asked, looking at her little sister worriedly.
“From Phoebe,” Paige replied.
Piper nodded.
“Well, I’m not sure. What exactly did Phoebe say?”
“She said a bad man was after us and that she heard Grams tell one of her friends from work that she was going to have to split us up.”
Piper nodded.
“Well, we’ll ask Phoebe about that in the morning. Now, Missy Paige,” Piper said, using her sister’s nickname, which made Paige smile, “I think ti’s time for you to get some sleep.” She gave Paige a kiss on the cheek and a hug good-night. Paige returned them both and layed back down.
Just then, a crash of thunder could be heard from outside. This made Paige shudder and she leaned closer to Piper for comfort and saftely.
“It’s okay,” Piper assured Paige. “The thunder can’t hurt you.”
Paige nodded. She knew that already, but it still scared her. A few minutes later, Paige turned to Piper and asked, “Piper, can you freeze the thunderstorm, please?”
Piper laughed softly and shook her head.
“No. I’m afraid not, sweetie. I have to let nature run its course.”
Paige sighed as a few tears ran down her face.
“But it’s so loud and scary! It’s gonna keep me awake!” She whined, tearfully.
“Aw, well, just close your eyes and try to think about something else. Something that makes you happy.”
Paige tried, but it was harder than it sounded.
**************
A few hours later, Paige was woken up by a lot of screaming and yelling. She soon felt Piper pick her up and start to run somewhere else in the house.
“Wh-what’s going on?” Paige asked, fear in her voice. “Piper, what’s going on?”
“Shh, ti’s okay. Paige, it’s going to be okay, I promise. You have to stay quiet and whatever you do, don’t orb out of my arms for ANY reason. Got it?”
Paige nodded, but she was beginning to cry from fear.
“Aw, ti’s okay, my darling,” Grams assured her as she gently patted Paige on the shoulder, “Piper is going to take you some place safe.”
Paige nodded and buried her face against Piper’s shoulder as more tears of fright came.
“Where’s Phoebe?” Paige asked tearfully. “Where’s Phoebe?!”
“Shh, my little one,” Grams said softly as she urged Piper to get to the attic fast, “she’s in the attic, waiting for you two. Believe me, dear, it’s going to be all right.” With that, Grams was gone.
“She’s right, Missy Paige,” Piper whispered, using Paige’s nickname again, “it is going to be okay. Just relax and like I said before, don’t orb.”
“Okay,” Paige replied.
“Piper!” Phoebe’s scared voice came from the attic door as Piper burst in, carrying Paige in her arms. “Piper! Where are you?! Piper!”
“Shh, ti’s okay, Phoebs, it’s okay. I’m right here and Paige too. We’re going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay.”
“How can you say that?” Phoebe asked, her voice quavering. “How can you be so sure? You heard what Grams said. This guy isn’t going to stop until we’re all-“
“Shh!” Piper hissed, pointing to Paige who was still shaking in her protective grasp. “Nine year old in the room.”
Phoebe nodded nad blushed slightly.
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Piper told her. “Now we have to figure out a way to stay out of the demon’s clutches long enough for Grams to V-A-N-Q-U-I-S-H him.”
Phoebe nodded.
“The question is how?”
Piper sighed as she sat down in a nearby chair and set Paige in her lap.
“I’m not sure,” she said truthfully. “I’m just not sure.”
Phoebe sat next to Piper and shivered slightly.
“I’m scared, Piper,” she said, her voice shaking a little, “I’m scared. What if Grams really does have to split us up?”
Piper shook her head.
“Don’t say that,” she said firmly. “Don’t even think it.”
“I don’t want us to be split up!” Paige whimpered against Piper’s breast. “I don’t wanna-“
“Shh,” Piper soothed as she began to stroke Paige’s hair gently, “shh. That’s not going to happen, sweetie.”
“Promise?” Paige asked hopefully.
Piper sighed and shook her head as she continued to stroke Paige’s long, brown hair.
“No,” she whispered, “no, Paige, I can’t promise you that. But what I can promise you is that no matter what happens, we’ll always be together. Always.”
“How?” Paige asked tearfully. “How can we be apart, and be together at the same time?”
“In spirit,” Phoebe whispered, answering her sister’s question. “We’ll be together in spirit.”
“That’s right,” Piper said as she gave Phoebe a much-needed hug and hugged Paige close. “We’ll be together in spirit.”
***************
About an hour and a half later, Paige had fallen asleep in Piper’s lap and Phoebe had fallen asleep in the spare bed that sat at the far end of the attic, hear the bay window.
As for Piper, well she couldn’t’ sleep. She couldn’t’ even begin to sleep. Not after what had happened and the terrible future that she and her sisters were now facing. How would she survive without Phoebe and Paige? And more importantly, how would they survive without her? She had been there to comfort and support them ever since their mother had died. During that time a bond had been formed. A bond that was stronger than any family member could understand. A bond stronger than anything destined to tear it apart. And this bond had nothing to do with the Power of Three. Oh no. This bond was the bond of sisterhood. Of love and caring for one another that coudlnt’ be measured in magic or gold. The bond that Piper, Phoebe and Paige possessed was one that was priceless.
So if it was so pricless, Piper wondered, then how could a demon so easily tear it apart? Her answer came three days later. Along with a terrible night that she would NEVER ever forget as long as she lived.
It was around eight-thirty in the morning when Piper was awakened by a anxious loud knock on her bedroom door. She jumped out of bed, fearing that the demon had returned and she was once again going to have to protect her sisters from harm and danger.
“What is it?” She asked anxiously as she flung open the door. “What’s worng? Is the demon back?”
Paige ran in and hurled herself at Piper, her face stained with tears along with more to come.
Piper picked Paige up and hugged her close.
“Paige, what’s the matter? Honey, what happened?”
“I don’t wanna leave!” Paige wailed as Piper began to stroke her hair and rub her back gently. “Piper, please don’t let Grams send me away! Please!” As she continued to cry, Piper got the stinging feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was about to happen.
“What are you talking about?” She asked her younger sister.
“She’s talking about Grams putting her up for adoption,” Phoebe said as she came into Piper’s room and closed the door and stood in front of it, as if to make it impossible for any demons to get in.
“What? Phoebe, what the he-in the world are you talking about?” Piper asked, almost cursing out of frustration and confusion.
Phoebe sighed. Then she began to tell Piper the story of how they had overheard Grams talking to a friend at work.
“We heard Grams say the word adoption then she said Paige’s name.” Phoebe told Piper. “After she got off the phone, Grams tried to explain what she was talking about, but Paige just started crying and said she wanted you. Grams picked her up to try and comfort her, but Paige orbed out of her arms and ran up here to find you.”
Piper nodded as the terrible pieces of the puzzle were coming together. She hugged Paige tighter and then put her right hand on Phoebe’s shoulder as well.
“Aw, Paige,” she said as she tried to fight back tears of her own, “Paige, honey, you know I can’t stop Grams from doing whatever it is she’s going to do, don’t you?”
Paige shook her head.
“Yes you can,” she said through her tears. “Just freeze her.”
Phoebe giggled and even Piper laughed softly.
“Aw, sweetie, it doesn’t work that way,” she told her sister gently. “I wish it did, but it doesn’t.”
“But I don’t want to live with anyone else!” Paige cried as more tears came. “I wanna stay here with you and Phoebe! I don’t want to leave! I don’t wanna leave!” She started crying again and Piper could only hug her and tell her that it was going to be okay.
“No it’s not!” Paige shot back through her tears. “It’s not going to be okay because we’re not going to be together anymore. It’s never going to be okay again!”
Piper sighed as she gave Paige a kiss on the cheek and began to rock her back and forth. It was all she could do to keep her sister calm. In fact, Paige was crying so hard and shaking so badly that Piper was afraid she was etiher going to get the chills or be sick to her stomach from how much she worked herself up. Niether happened though. The only thing that did happen however, was that Piper, Phoebe and Paige spent the night together in Piper’s room. Paige in Piper’s lap and Phoebe sleeping next to her sisters on the right side of Piper’s bed.
***************
”Piper!” Paige yelled in her sleep about an hour and a half later. “Piper! Piper! Help! Piper!” Her voice broke and tears came.
“Paige, wake up!” Piper coaxed as she rushed over and gently shook her sister’s shoulder. “Paige, sweetie, wake up, you’re having a bad dream. Wake up.”
Paige sat upright and collapsed in Piper’s lap, sobbing.
“Shh, ti’s okay, Paige, ti’s okay. Shh, that’s a girl, ti’s okay. It’s okay….” Piper soothed as she stroked Paige’s hair and began to rock her back and forth.
“Piper?” A soft voice came from the doorway. “Piper, sweetheart, what’s going on?” It was Grams.
Piper looked up and sighed.
“Nothing. Paige just had a nightmare.”
Grams nodded and walked over to where her nieces were sitting.
“I guess you know about what my plans our to keep you girls safe.”
Piper nodded. It took all her strength not to take Paige’s advice and freeze Grams or owrse yet, blow her up.
“Why?” Piper asked, her voice full of anger and betrayal. “Why are you going to split us apart? What good will that do? What good will breaking up this family do?! Huh? Tell me that much.”
Grams didn’t know what to say. She had never been spoken to this way before. And especially not by one of her beloved granddaughters. No matter how angry they got.
“I-I’m only doing it for your own good,” Grams finally said softly. “Piper, you have to believe me when I say-“
“For our own good?!” Piper asked, her voice rising slightly. “The hell with our own good. What about the good of the Power of Three? More importantly, what about the good of keeping this family together? Would Mom have done this?” She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
Grams nodded nad sighed.
“Well despite what Phoebe or Paige said to blow this out of poportion, I am here to tell you Piper Jane Halliwell, that I AM doing this for the good of the family. And for the good of you and your sisters. Kascoff will be back and he won’t stop until he kills you all. I don’t want that to happen so that’s why I’ve decided to give Paige up for adoption. I’ve found a VERY nice family for her and they’re going to be here first thing in the morning. This way I figured, if Kascoff comes back and there is one less of you, his chances of harming you are less.”
“So what’s going to happen to Phoebe and I?” Was the only response Piper had for her grandmother.
Grams shifted uncomfortably.
“Well, uh, you and Phoebe will be staying with me.”
“So in other words we get to stay together and Paige is the one who is stuck with the grunt end of the situation. Well, how fair is that? Not very.”
Grams nodded.
“I know this is hard on you girls and I feel your pain, I really do, but it’s the only way I can see fit to keep you safe. And most importantly, to keep you alive. The reason Paige is being adopted is because she is the most powerful witch of all three of you. She’s had powers since birth unlike you and Phoebe so that means when Kascoff comes back, Paige is his likely target. That is why I have to do this. I hope you understand and can forgive me.”
Piper nodded. She could not believe that Grams had the nerve to mention the word forgive in her explaination. Piper would NEVER forgive her for splittling her and her sisters up. Never. Even though Piper now understood a little bit more better why Grams had to give Paige up, she still felt a rising anger and betrayal towards Grams. And she had a feeling it wasn’t going to go away any time soon.
“When is Paige leaving?” Piper asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“Tomororw afternoon.” Grams replied as she came over and sat next to Piper. “The Mathews are coming to take her tomorrow afternoon. Sometime after lunch.” Grams tried to put her arm around Piper, but Piper pushed her away. Grams then tried to take Paige from Piper’s lap, which was a big mistake. As Grams lifted her off Piper’s lap, Paige woke up and tried to orb out of Grams arms and back to the safety and security of her big sister’s lap. This didn’t turn out so well. As Paige was half asleep, she orbed and fell on her side. This woke her up fully and she started to cry from the pain and surprise of her landing.
“Aw, Paige,” Piper said sympathetically as she rushed over and picked Paige back up, “shh, it’s okay, Missy Paige, it’s all right. I have you. What happened?”
“I fell out of your lap and hit my shoulder on the floor!” Paige whimpered as Piper placed her in her lap once again and began to stroke her hair.
“You did? Well, I guess I’ll just have to keep a tighter grip on you then.”
This got Paige to smile a little bit, but she was still crying.
After Grams left the room, Piper knew it was time for the talk. She tried to wake Phoebe up, but she couldn’t. Phoebe was sound asleep.
“Well, Missy Paige,” Piper said, giving her sister a loving hug, “it looks like you and Phoebe were right, Grams is going to send you to live with another family.”
“I told you!” Paige said through her tears.
“But it’s going to be okay,” Piper assured her. “Remember what I said a little while ago about us being together in spirit?”
Paige nodded.
“Yes.”
“Well, any time you get scared or just miss Phoebe and I just-“
“Orb myself back home?” Paige asked hopefully.
Piper shook her head as she fought her own river of tears from coming.
“No. I’m afraid not, sweetie. What I was going to say however, is any time you get scared or just miss Phoebe and I, just know that we are there in spirit and just think about all the good times we’ve had together. And one other thing. Just know that someday when you’re grown up, we’ll all live together again.”
“You really thing so?” Paige asked, her voice hopeful and her glance at Piper even more filled with hope.
“I know so,” Piper said as she gave Paige a hug and a kiss. “I know so.”
“Thanks Piper,” Paige said, returning her sister’s hug and kiss. “I love you.”
“Aw, I love you too, Missy Paige,” Piper said as she gave Paige a big hug. “Aw, I love you so much.”
After Piper had gotten Paige back to sleep, she stayed up long into the night. She couldn’t even think about how she and Phoebe would survive without Paige or how Paige was going to survive without them. It was too painful to think about. But somehow, deep down in her heart, Piper knew that as bad as things were now, they would work out for the best in the end.
****************
The next day was the hardest day of Piper’s and Phoebe’s and Paige’s lives. Everythign seemed to go wrong. Paige woke up crying and was in one of her Piper girl moods, maning she didn’t want to be with anyone but Piper. She wouldn’t listen to Grams and she wouldn’t do anyting unless Piper asked her to. She was close to Phoebe too, but it seemed like Paige feared leaving Piper the most.
Phoebe understood of course, but she still felt kind of hurt. She loved Paige too and she knew Paige loved her, but it was still very hard to accept that in a few hours they’re lives would be changed forever.
Around twelve-thirty, quarter to one, there was a knock at the door.
Grams opened it to find the Matnews standing on the other side. She greeted them warmly, then said, “I”ll go get Paige.”
Mrs. Mathews nodded and sat down on the couch, followed by her husband.
“Girls,” Grams said as she walked into the kitchen to find Phoebe and Piper washing the leftover lunch dishes, “the Mathews are here. I want you to come in and say hello to them.”
Piper nodded, but she didn’t have a good feeling about it. Niether did Phoebe.
As Piper lead her sisters into the living room, Paige tried to hide behind Phoebe and stick close to Piper at the same time.
“Mr. And Mrs. Mathews,” Grams said, “these are my granddaugthers. Piper, Phoebe, and this is Paige,” she gently pulled Paige away from her sisters and brought her to meet the Mathews.
“Why hello there, sweetheart,” Mrs. Mathews said kindly, “it’s nice to meet you.” She held out her hand, and Paige took it timidly.
“And how old are you Miss Paige?” Mr. Mathews asked a grin spreading across his face.
Paige frowned slightly as she felt her lower lip begin to quiver and her knees start to shake.
“Nine,” Paige whispered as she felt the tears coming.
Mr. Mathews nodded nad smiled.
“Are you excited about coming to live with us, honey?” Mrs. Mathews asked in a cheerful tone.
This did it. Paige shook her head and said softly, “No.” Then the tears came and she ran back to where Piper was standing and buried her face in her sister’s waist.
“Aw, Paige,” Piper said gently as she picked her up and hugged her close, “it’s okay. It’s going to be all right. I promise. I’m here. I have you. Come on.” She carried Paige out of the room with Phoebe following.
Grams was beside herself with embarrassment. It seemed like everything she had done to make the experience less painful, was back firing on her.
“I’m so sorry,” she said with utter sincerity. “You have to excuse Paige. She’s been a little nerovus since I told her.”
Mrs. Mathews nodded.
“We understand. It’s quite all right.”
Mr. Mathews nodded.
“I’ll be right back.” Grams replied as she left the room to see where the girls were at.
***************
”Piper, I’m scared!” Paige whimpered as Piper hugged her close and tried to calm her down. “I don’t wanna go with those people. I wanna stay here with you and Phoebe!”
“I know you do, Missy Paige, I know you do, sweetie.” Piper told her sister gently, “but sooner or later, you are going to have to go with them and remember what I said about us being together in spirit? Huh?”
“it’s not the same!” Paige wailed. “it’s not the same at all.”
“She’s right about that,” Phoebe said, speaking up for the first time since Grams told them that Paige was going to be adopted.
“Be quiet and keep your comments to yourself,” Piper said firmly. “You’re not helping.”
Phoebe nodded as she tried to fight back tears of her own. She didn’t want to see Paige leave and she CERTAINLY didn’t want to see the family be split apart all over a lousy demon that had nothing better to do than come after innocent witches.
“All right, back to you,” Piper said, turning back to Paige, “I know it won’t be the same, but I promise we’ll write to each other and I’m sure your new family will let you call us, maybe even come to visit once in a while.”
“You really think so?” Paige asked, looking up at Piper with a hopeful glance.
“Sure. They seem like really nice people.” She bent down and gave Paige a kiss on the cheek.
“I have an idea,” Phoebe said suddenly. “Be right back!”
Before Piper could ask what Phoebe was up to, Phoebe ran out of the room and returned with the Book of Shadows.
“What are you doing with that?” Piper demanded, so Grams like that even Paige giggled.
“I’m trying to find a spell that will keep our spirits near Paige at all times.” Phoebe answered as she flipped through the book. “That’s what I’m doing.”
“Are you crazy?!” Pipe asked.
“No,” Phoebe replied.
“Well I for one thing you are. Phoebs, we can’t cast a spell to make this all better. Magic can’t fix broken families, okay? That’s not how magic works.”
Phoebe nodded, but she still continued to flip through the Book of Shadows anyway. A few minutes later, Phoebe stopped nad closed it.
“You’re right.” She said with a sigh. “There’s no magic that can fix this.” As she touched Paige’s shoulder, Phoebe choked back a sob.
“Aw, Phoebe, ti’s okay,” Piper said softly. “it’s okay to be upset and it’s okay to cry. It’s not embarrassing or shameful.”
“Well, why havent’ you done it yet?” Phoebe asked as tears began to come.
Piper shook her head.
“I don’t know. I guess I’ve been trying to hold it together for all of our sakes.”
Phoebe nodded and playfully slapped Piper’s shoulder.
“Hey!” Paige said, glaring at Phoebe, “no hitting.”
Phoebe laughed.
“Sorry. Your’e right, Missy Paige. Now come here you.” She said soflty as she took Paige into her lap and gave her sister a hug. “Now you be good okay. Show them what a good girl you can be. Make Grams and us proud.”
Paige nodded as she gave Phoebe a hug and felt more tears coming.
“Come on you guys,” Piper said as she wiped away tears of her own and took Paige back in her lap, “if we keep this up, we’ll have enough tears to swim all the way down to the living room.”
Paige giggled.
“Yeah. You guys won’t even need me to orb us down-“ As Paige said this, Piper gasped.
“Paige, there’s something you have to promise me, okay?”
Paige nodded.
“Sure, sis, what is it?”
“Don’t for any reason tell the Mathews what you are. Meaning don’t tell them you’re a witch or that you have magical powers. Do you promise me?”
“Why not?” Paige asked.
“Because hoeny, that’s a family secret and it has to stay a family secret.” Piper told her. “Now promise me.”
“I promise,” Paige said honourably.
“Here,” Pheobe said, showing Paige how to make the promise sign, “do this.” She put her two middle fingers up on her right hand while holding the other three down.
Paige copied her sister’s motion and said, “I promise.”
“Good girl.” Piper said as she gave Paige another kiss. “Now come on. It’s time.”
Paige nodded and tried her best to be brave.
As she said good-bye to Grams, Piper and Phoebe could see tears in Grams eyes, even though she tried her best to hide it from them.
After Paige was gone, Piper went up to the attic and let her feelings go. She didn’t want Phoebe to see her cry or Grams for that matter. The reason was, Piper didn’t want Grams to feel guilty for what she had done and Piper didn’t want Phoebe to see her so vonourable to pain. Phoebe knew Piper to be the storng sister and Piper didn’t want to make Phoebe think otherwise. Besies, Piper knew that Phoebe would soon let her feelings go about what had happened and she need to be there for her if and when that happened. No matter what her own feelings towards Paige being adopted and leaving the family were.
****************
”You were right,” Paige said as she patted Piper’s shoulder gently and gave her a hug.
“About what?” Piper asked, returning her sister’s hug and putting the photo album back in its place.
“When you said we would all be together agan when I got older.”
Piper smiled.
“Yeah. I guess I was. Wasn’t I?”
Paige nodded and grinned as she wiped the remaining tears away and got up to go downstairs to eat supper with her two most beloved people in the world.
