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Date Posted: 07:39:46 10/25/04 Mon
Author: Patricia L. Bryans
Subject: The Lost Halliwell, Part One

THIS STORY IS TOO BIG FOR ONE MESSAGE, SO I'M SUBMITTING IT AS A TWO-PART STORY.

The Lost Halliwell, Part One
By Patricia L. Bryans

Disclaimer: The only characters in this story that I have created are Pam, Stella, and Andy. (Not the Andy you think)
Rated PG for mild language and a brief sexual reference. (Nothing more than you�d see in an average episode of the real show.)
This story is set to be the series finale of Charmed.
It is 2012.

Piper tied her hair in a bun and headed for her bedroom door. When she opened it, Paige was standing there, a mischievous grin on her face.

�What?� Piper asked. Paige showed Piper what she�d been hiding behind her back. It was a small white book, yellowed with age.

�What�s this?� Piper asked.

�See for yourself,� Paige replied. Piper took the book from her. She opened the first page and read aloud.

��Phoebe�s Diary 1998, Don�t Read Prue!� Paige, where did you find this?�

�The attic,� Paige replied smoothly.

�Why are you showing this to me?�

�Well, it seems that Phoebe had a little secret when she moved to New York��

�Yeah, right. Phoebe couldn�t keep a secret if her life depended on it,� Piper chuckled.

�Well, that might be because keeping this secret took up so much of her brain space that she didn�t have room for keeping others. Trust me, this is a very big secret.�

�Well, what is it?� Piper asked.

�Read,� Paige said.

�Paige! I�m not going to read Phoebe�s diary! I don�t feel like being grossed out by sex-capades right now! And besides, a diary is a personal thing; I can�t just invade her privacy like that! Which brings me to the question� why did you read it?�

�Because as her sister, I have a God-given right to snoop into Phoebe�s personal business.� Piper looked at Paige incredulously. �Okay, it was two o�clock in the morning, and I was tending to my crying children. I figured why go back to bed if the twins are just going to wake me up again? So I searched for things to do. I even considered going to my house and seeing how the renovations were coming so I could find out how much longer I�d be rooming here. But I didn�t, so I just rummaged around in the attic and found this. It turns out that neither Stella nor Andy cried again last night, but I still didn�t get any sleep because I was sucked into my sister�s diary!� Paige said. �Not literally,� she added quickly.

�Well, I�m still not reading it. Can�t you just tell me what the big secret is?� Piper asked.

�Alright, but you�re ruining all the drama of it!� Paige complained.

*******

�Why won�t you believe me? I swear I can turn invisible, I just don�t know how to control it!�

�Well, Pam, honey� we�ll always stick with you on anything, but you have to understand. We�re only sending you to Dr. Madison because��

�Because you think I�m a nutcase, don�t you mom? Don�t try to hide it, I can read your thoughts!� Pam said. Her voice was very firm.

�Honey��

�My real mother would understand me! She wouldn�t think I was crazy like you people do!� Pam shouted.

�Pamela Ann Richardson, you hold your tongue!� Mr. Richardson said. Pam sighed and stomped off to her room. Once she was up there, she emptied all her secret money stashes and packed a suitcase. She quietly snuck out of the house. As soon as she was away from possible eyesight of her adoptive parents, she stopped and took out the only picture she ever had of her biological mother.

�I�ll find you. I promise I will, mom. And then maybe you can tell me why I�m such a freak.� Pam stuffed the worn, old picture back in her pocket and continued walking. She was a little nervous about walking the streets alone when it was pitch black. �At least I don�t live directly in New York City. The danger would be greater there,� Pam told herself. Sure, that was true, but Pam�s town was only a little ways outside of the Big Apple. The danger would still be high. Well, at least she would be off the streets and on a bus soon.

*******

�Did you tell Phoebe you know about her secret?� Piper asked.

�No, I figured I should come to you first,� Paige replied.

�Good choice,� Piper said. �Now what is it?�

�Okay, well, do you know why Phoebe left for New York about fourteen years ago?�

�Yeah, she thought there was nothing left in San Francisco for her. And she wanted to find our dad.�

�That was her cover story. Do you remember how Phoebe used to party it up at college instead of studying?�

�How could I forget?� Piper asked, chuckling a little. �Grams was so mad whenever she�d come home with a hangover��

�Well, those drinking parties got her into a lot more trouble than you thought��

�Oh, c�mon, Paige, out with it! Stop building up the drama, I wanna know what this secret is!� Piper demanded.

�Alright!� Paige said. She took a deep breath. �Phoebe has a daughter,� she said quickly. Piper stood there expressionless for a moment, still processing what she�d just heard.

�What?� she finally asked.

�You heard me. Phoebe�s a mother,� Paige repeated.

�Whe� When did this happen?� Piper asked.

�You didn�t get it with all of the hints I gave you?� Paige sighed. �When Phoebe left for New York, it was because she was pregnant!�

�Oh my God,� Piper said. �Who�s the father?�

�She doesn�t know. But apparently, some guy named Clay basically acted as a husband and a father for her.�

�Yeah, Clay. I remember meeting him once� Nice guy, just a little two-faced,� Piper said.

�So she writes,� said Paige, holding up the diary for a brief second.

�I don�t believe this. Why didn�t Phoebe just tell us? I would�ve��

�You would�ve supported her. It was Grams and Prue she was worried about. Especially Prue.�

�Makes sense. They never really got along at all back then. Especially after that thing with Roger��

�Yeah, I know. I read about it,� Paige said.

�So, what�s my niece�s name?� Piper asked.

�Pamela Ann Halliwell. But Phoebe just called her Pam.�

�No wonder she was always so good with babies� And why she couldn�t stay away from Wyatt when he was born� And why she gave me breastfeeding advice,� Piper recalled. �So, what happened to Pam?�
�Well, Phoebe�s bills got out of control. She knew she had to come home, because she didn�t want to raise her daughter in poverty. But she was also afraid of facing Prue. Hey, can you image her coming home with a baby and saying something like �Surprise! You guys are aunts!� You�d be shocked. So anyway, although she couldn�t stop writing about how painful it was to do, and how much Clay opposed it, Phoebe gave up Pam for adoption.�

�Wow,� Piper remarked. �She must�ve struggled really hard to keep those emotions hidden once she got back. I can�t image having Wyatt or Chris for only two months and then giving them up.�

�Same here with Stella and Andy,� Paige commented.

�Well, it�s no surprise that Phoebe picked another �P� name. She never liked the fact that we stopped that tradition. So, does the diary say who Pam�s adoptive parents are?� Piper asked.

�Ben and Victoria Richardson. They live just outside the city. Or at least they did fourteen years ago.�

�Wow. It�s hard to believe that I have a teenage niece�� Piper said.

�I know. I was really taken aback when Phoebe first wrote that she was pregnant,� Paige commented. �Hey, do you think Phoebe would want to meet her daughter?� she asked.

�I never thought of that. She probably would. When she gets home from work, we�re going to talk to her about this, and then maybe we�ll call the Richardsons,� Piper suggested. Just then, the sisters heard crying from another room.

�Well, it sounds like naptime�s over,� Paige said, walking out of Piper�s room. �I hate having a husband on a business trip.�

*******

Pam arrived at the bus station. She looked up at the schedule. There was a bus going to Cleveland� from there maybe she could catch one going to Chicago, and then maybe St. Louis, and maybe Dallas, and then Vegas, and then San Francisco, where her mother�s note from long ago said she lived.

�I just hope she hasn�t moved,� Pam thought. �And that the bus routes I just thought up actually exist.� So, taking a deep breath, Pam snuck around to the Cleveland-bound bus. Her plan was to sneak on, but she had no idea how she was going to do that unnoticed. There were people standing all around. She closed her eyes. �Mom, help me do this,� she whispered to the wind. To her surprise, when she opened her eyes, she was invisible. �Maybe I�m finally getting some control over this power,� she thought as she casually strolled past the company employees and onto the bus.

*******

�Mom, we�re home!� a voice called to Piper, who was in the kitchen.

�Hello, boys. Did you have a good last day?� she called into the other room. She was sitting at the table, reading some Paige-chosen excerpts from Phoebe�s diary.

�Ooh, read June 5th, too,� Paige said as she rocked Stella. Andy was in his baby carrier on the kitchen table, sucking on his pacifier. Chris and Wyatt ran into the kitchen.

�I did good!� Chris said happily, waving his year-end report card in Piper�s face.

�You did well,� Piper corrected as she hung the report card on the fridge. �What about you, Wyatt?� she asked as the boys headed for the cookie jar. �Hey, no cookies before dinner!� she commanded.

�Sorry,� Wyatt replied. �I did okay. Hey, Mom, what�re you reading?� he asked.

Piper quickly closed the diary. �Uh, nothing, boys.� She glanced at Wyatt�s report card and hung it next to Chris�s. �Why don�t you go upstairs and play video games or something?� she suggested.

�I�m gonna beat you this time!� Chris said as the boys took off for the stairs.

�No you won�t, you�re two years younger than me!� Wyatt replied.

�One and three quarters!� Chris corrected. He orbed upstairs. �Beat you!� he called through the ceiling.

�No fair!� Wyatt said as he orbed up as well.

�Hey, don�t be so lazy! Use the stairs every once in a while!� Piper advised. She sighed. �I can�t believe in three years, Wyatt will be a teenager. I don�t think I�m ready.�

�Well, Phoebe already has a teenager,� Paige reminded as she put Stella down and picked up Andy. During the baby-exchange process, she orbed a bottle into her hand. �I don�t know how I would ever manage having twins without magic. I can�t imagine not being able to orb someone�s pacifier to them, or orb a smelly diaper in the can, or be to their room in the blink of an eye, or orb some keys above their heads for entertainment. Prue was a genius for thinking of that, by the way.�

�I�m sure she�s happy to hear that,� Piper said as she returned to the diary. They would only have to wait two more hours for Phoebe to get home.

*******

Pam was relaxing on the bus. Many issues weighed on her head, like what would happen if she didn�t find her real mother. She thought maybe it was a stupid idea to leave in the first place. But at least she was safe for now. She was blasting her headphones to block out anyone�s thoughts on the bus. She hated being able to read minds. She took out the old, yellowed note from her mother and read it once more.

�Dearest Pamela Ann: Hey. It�s your mother, Phoebe Halliwell. You�re probably about twelve years old when you�re reading this. It�s hard to imagine you, a tiny baby, being so big. I�m going to miss you everyday. You�re probably curious about who your birth mother was, so here�s a little bit about me. I grew up in San Francisco, at 1329 Prescott Street. I have two sisters, Prue and Piper Halliwell. My��

*******

�Hey guys! Is Josh here? He�s not at home next door.� Phoebe called out.

�No. He�s probably running late,� Piper replied from the solarium.

�Right,� Phoebe replied.

�Anyway, shh. The twins are sleeping upstairs,� Paige said.

�Well, if they�re napping, why aren�t you taking the opportunity to catch some Z�s as well?� Phoebe asked.

�There�s a more important issue to attend to,� Piper said.

�Is it a demon?� Phoebe asked.

�No,� Paige replied.

�Well, what then?� Phoebe asked. �I can sense that whatever it is, you�re nervous about it.� Both sisters started to stutter. They had no idea how to address this.

�Uh, Piper was just about to tell you,� Paige said. Piper sneered at her.

�Well, uh, Phoebe� Don�t get mad at us, now. Um, we� Paige kinda read your diary,� Piper concluded.

�What? Why? Which one?� Phoebe asked.

�The one that says you have a daughter,� Paige said, hoping not to be killed in a fit of Phoebe�s rage. �And Piper read it, too.�

�Oh.� Was all Phoebe could say. �I haven�t thought about Pam in a while.� She sat down next to her sisters and started talking about all the times when she wished she�d never given up her only daughter, especially when Wyatt was born, and back when she�d lost her own demon-spawn child. �Hey, why did you read my diary, anyway?�

�You know, Pam is fourteen now,� Paige said, trying to change the subject.

�Wow. I can only picture her as a two month-old baby,� Phoebe remarked.

�Y�know, Pheebs, Paige suggested that maybe we could all meet this lost Halliwell. You could call the Richardsons and ask,� Piper said.

�That�s a good idea. I�d love to see what she looks like now.� Phoebe cracked a smile. �Can I see my diary?� She found the page where she�d written the phone number and dialed it. �Hello, Mrs. Richardson? This is Phoebe Halliwell. Do you remember me? Yeah, I figured you would. Uh, I was wondering if maybe� I could see Pam some time. What? Oh my gosh. I picked a really bad time to call, didn�t I? Well, sorry for the inconvenience. If Pam comes home, could you tell her that I want to meet her? Okay, bye.�

�Well?� Paige asked.

Phoebe sighed. �Pam�s run away from home.�

�What?� Piper asked. �Why did she do that?�

�I dunno. It�s probably just a teen phase,� Phoebe said.

�Which means we either find her, or Phoebe might never see her again,� Paige commented.

�No, I don�t think we should meddle with this,� Phoebe said. �She�s probably not in any danger, or I would�ve gotten a premonition. She�ll turn up in a few days, and then she�ll get grounded, and I�ll call the Richardsons about a month later with the same question.�

�Whatever you say, you�re her mother,� Piper said. Paige left to go check on the twins. Piper could tell that Phoebe was trying to hide her glumness about this whole thing. �Hey, do you want some tea?� she asked.

�No, I�m alright,� Phoebe answered, staring at the floor.

�You don�t sound alright,� Piper informed. Phoebe sighed.

�This is really stirring up the old pain, y�know? The pain I felt when I first left Pam. It was almost as bad as when we lost Prue. Over the years, it�s dulled a little bit, but today� I almost had a chance to see her again. And I�m not going to get it,� Phoebe said.

�You will,� Piper comforted, smiling. �Someday. Now, how about some tea?�

*******

Pam had no idea what time or hour it was. She was forgetful enough to leave her watch at home; back in New York. Cleveland was a long way away from her home; and there was no going back now. Pam was in Ohio, about to sneak onto a bus to Chicago. Hopefully, her invisibility power would pull through for her again.

Pam wished she could control her powers. To her, mind reading was a curse. At first, she thought it was great to hear the secrets her peers at school kept. But secrets are meant to be kept secret; she soon realized. There were things Pam didn�t want to know. The problem was, there was no way of turning off the mind-reading switch. And a lot of people in a room equaled a large headache for Pam. Sort of like what Jim Carrey was hearing in his head in the movie Bruce Almighty.

�Hopefully you know what�s wrong with me, mom,� Pam said to herself, taking out the picture again. She quickly stuffed it into her pocket again; because it was time to try to make herself invisible.

*******

Phoebe woke up the next morning on the sofa with a strange empty feeling weighing on her chest. She�d for some reason felt like sleeping in the Manor that night rather than going home. She dragged her feet into the kitchen.

�What�s this?� Paige said sarcastically at the sight of her. �Miss Fashion-Savvy hasn�t gone next door to change or style her hair?� Piper cracked a smile. Phoebe didn�t find it funny at all.

�Uh, Paige, could you excuse us for a second?� Piper asked, noticing Phoebe�s expression.

�Sure. I was going to watch some TV anyway,� Paige said, strolling in towards the living room with her bowl of cereal. A cry was heard through the ceiling. �Scratch my TV time, I have to be super-mom again. I swear, every time I try to do something�� she sighed, smirking at the irony of this. She orbed upstairs, still holding her cereal bowl.

�Still down about Pam, Pheebs?� Piper asked.

�Before, I didn�t have a lot of time to dwell on Pam�s memories. I had newfound powers to control, demons to fight, and a destiny to fulfill. That�s sort of how I got over her. I focused on my magic. But now, since I have fourteen years of witchcraft under my belt, and we�ve vanquished so many demons that barely any show up, I have nothing to hide the memories,� Phoebe said.

�Well, I suggest doing whatever you did to get over Prue�s death,� Piper advised.

�Once again, magic. You said it yourself, we didn�t have a chance to mourn Prue�s death, because one day, she was dead, and the next, we discover we have a half-sister, and the next the Source of all evil comes to kill us��

�But then you said that we would have the rest of our lives to mourn Prue, remember?� Piper smiled. She poured Phoebe some tea. �I can remember,� Piper recalled slowly, �the night Grams died. Before it happened, you were sitting around the house, obviously down about something.�

�Damn, I was trying to be subtle,� Phoebe commented.

�So, I asked you what was wrong. You asked if we could talk, so I said �Sure, just wait a minute, okay?� And then Grams� Well, you know. I never remembered that we never got to talk. It was about Pam, wasn�t it?� Piper asked.

�Yes. I had my whole escape plan to New York worked out. All that was missing was emotional strength. I didn�t know if I could go through with it. I knew I could trust you to help me. I was planning on telling you I was pregnant, and asking you what I should do.�

�Well, I hate to tell you this, Pheebs, but I would�ve been blown away by that one. I can�t guarantee that I would�ve been able to give you advice,� Piper said.

�That�s okay now. I�m glad I didn�t know that then, though. I would�ve felt even more alone,� Phoebe looked down at the table as she recalled an image of her smiling down on her new baby daughter, loving her more than she�d ever loved anyone. She thought that she would raise this girl in a family that she�d dreamed of having: parents who loved each other, a father who was around all the time, and most importantly� a mother who wasn�t dead. If only she�d know the reality that would happen in two months. Her dreams of a perfect family would be shattered. Sitting there at the kitchen table, tears began to fall uncontrollably from Phoebe�s eyes.

�Oh, Phoebe, it�s okay.� Piper grabbed the Kleenex box and handed it to her.

�I haven�t cried since� Cole died,� Phoebe remarked.

�Which time?� Piper asked. Phoebe cracked a smile.

�Good thing I�m not wearing any makeup yet, huh?�

*******

�Dammit!� Pam whispered to herself. She couldn�t turn invisible. She began to panic. What if she was stuck in Cleveland forever? What if someone realized she had snuck on the bus? How would she survive in a strange city? Pam tried to calm herself down. With all of the buzzing thoughts around her, that proved to be difficult. She tried again to turn invisible. Nothing. She looked over at two bus company employees.

�Her! She�s the one who snuck on the bus!� One said to the other, pointing at Pam.

�Oh, no!� Pam said to herself as she dashed off, looking for a place to hide.

*******
�I miss her so much,� Phoebe said, on her seventh Kleenex. �I want more than anything to talk to her. I want to know if she was like me when I was a teenager.�
�Let�s hope not, or the Richardsons are in for it,� Piper said sarcastically.

�Piper, I just realized something.�

�What?�

�I never bound Pam�s powers. I didn�t even know about mine when I gave her up. What if she has them?�

�Then she would be a witch being raised by two mortals. That�s not very good,� Piper said, a little worried.

�Or worse, she could expose magic! Remember Prue?� Phoebe started to get panicky.

�Phoebe, calm down. I�m sure The Cleaners will take care of it!� Piper reassured.

�They didn�t take care of it with Prue! And they probably don�t know that Pam exists! That�s it, I can�t take it anymore!� Phoebe charged upstairs. Piper briskly followed.

�Where are you going, Phoebe?� Piper asked as they trolled through the second floor hallway. Paige came out of her temporary bedroom.

�What�s going on?� she asked.

�The hell if I know!� Piper remarked. The two sisters followed Phoebe into the attic.

�Phoebe, what are you doing?� Piper asked as Phoebe approached the Book of Shadows. She flipped through the pages.

�This,� Phoebe said, smiling briefly. Piper read the page she�d stopped on.

�To Call A Lost Witch. Phoebe, I don�t know if that�s such a good idea�� Piper began.

�I don�t care! I want to talk to my daughter!� Phoebe said.

�But the consequences!� Piper reminded.

�I�ll deal with the consequences when they come,� Phoebe replied.

�Personal gain!� Paige said as a last attempt to stop Phoebe from doing something potentially dangerous. Phoebe just smirked at Paige.

�Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies, come to me who calls you near, come to me and settle here. Blood to blood, I summon thee. Blood to blood, return to me!� Phoebe chanted dramatically.

*******

Pam wasn�t sure how much longer she could outrun these men. If she were to trip, she could be arrested and taken home in an instant. And she didn�t want to have come all this way just to go back. She rounded a corner, temporarily out of the eyesight of her pursuers. She hoped for something, anything to happen. Something to save her. And that�s when the lights appeared.

*******

�Phoebe, what were you thinking?!� Piper asked. �What if Pam doesn�t have her powers! Then you�ll be summoning a mortal fourteen year-old across the country! Do you think she�ll believe you if you tell her that you�re her mother? What if she doesn�t know she�s adopted?�

�The Richardsons said they�d tell her once she was old enough to understand! And I left her with a picture of me, anyway. She�ll recognize me!� Phoebe said.

�With all the times you�ve changed your hair color?� Piper asked. Phoebe was about to make a witty comeback when a swarm of lights appeared in front of them.

�What just happened?� Pam asked, looking around. Somehow she�d appeared in a strange room, with three strange women.

�Pam!� Phoebe said a little too enthusiastically. Pam jumped at the sight of a stranger coming toward her with outstretched arms. She was about to turn and run when she recognized the stranger. It was the same woman in her old, worn picture. Phoebe Halliwell, her mother.

�Mom?� Pam asked a little incredulously as the woman squeezed her tight.

�You recognize me! I told you, Piper!� Phoebe said, happier than ever.

�Piper? Piper Halliwell?� Pam asked. Piper nodded. �So you�re one of my aunts.� Pam smiled. She was very exited now. She didn�t even care how she got to this strange place anymore. �So,� she said, looking at Paige, �you must be my Aunt Prue.�

�Uh, not quite�� Paige said. Her face began to sink as she thought back to times when she didn�t quite feel like she fit in as a Halliwell. This was one of them. �I�m Paige Matthews. Prue is��

�Uh, let�s go over that later,� Piper suggested.

�Good idea,� Phoebe replied. There was a short moment of silence.

�So, how did I get here, anyway?� Pam asked. �Do you know?�

�Yes, yes! Of course we do! We�ll tell you all about it!� Phoebe said. She was still reeling with so much happiness that her sentences became sing-songy. �Oh, you�re so beautiful!� she remarked as she hugged her long lost daughter again. Pam breathed in the smell of her mother. It was comforting.

�Pam, has anything� weird� ever happened to you?� Piper asked.

�Are you kidding me?!� Pam said. She was so happy to hear that her family dealt with weird things as well, and she wasn�t just a lone freak. �You see, I ran away from home to come� are we in San Francisco?�

�Yep,� Paige said.

�To come here, then. To find you� mom. You see, ever since I can remember, weird things have happened to me. I started by randomly turning invisible. And over the years, I started to read minds, too. My foster parents don�t believe me, and I have no idea how to control this. I thought maybe my birth mother could help me figure out what�s going on,� Pam said.

�She�s definitely a witch,� Piper thought. Pam could here it.

�I�m a what?� she asked. The sisters looked clueless. �I just read Aunt Piper�s mind. She says I�m a witch,� Pam said warily.

�Pam, I can sense that you�re really confused and scared about this, but trust me, being a witch is a good thing. We�re all witches. Me, you, Piper, Paige� and your cousins. Wyatt, Chris, Stella, and Andy,� Phoebe insured.

�When you say you can sense� is that a motherly sense, or��

�A Wiccan sense. Oh, Wiccan is just another name for good witches. You see, I am an Empath. It�s one of my three powers. It means I can sense the emotions of those around me. I channel those emotions into strength,� Phoebe explained.

�So you all have powers?� Pam asked.

�Yes. Every witch has powers. My other two are premonitions, which means I can see the future, and levitation. I don�t think I need to explain that,� Phoebe said as she floated to the ceiling.

�Whoa,� Pam said. �You can control yours! I wish I could.�

�You will,� Piper insured. �You just need some practice, and to focus. A little guidance can�t help, either. Trust me, it took me forever to control my powers, and mine are lethal.�

�Lethal?� Pam asked.

�You betcha. Watch the sofa,� Piper said. She threw her hand up at it. Foam shot up everywhere.

�Piper! Do you want us to keep fixing that sofa?� Phoebe asked. Pam whistled.

�Is that your only power?� she asked.

�No. I can also�� Piper threw the Book of Shadows into the air. She threw her hand up at it. It stopped dead. �Stop time.� She returned the book to the podium.

�Now that�s cool,� Pam remarked. �So why didn�t we get frozen in time, too?�

�Because that power doesn�t work on good witches. It does on demons, however,� Piper said.

�Demons?� Pam said, her eyes widening.

�Yeah,� Phoebe sighed. She�d hoped to keep this information away from Pam for a little while longer. �This might be a lot to take in right now, but as witches, and not just any witches, you see, your aunts and I are the most powerful witches in the world, The Charmed Ones� well, anyway, we have a destiny. We use our powers to fight and vanquish demons. That way, we keep the world safe from evil and protect the innocent. We�re sort of like superheroes,� Phoebe said.

�I�ll say!� Pam said, smiling. �So� Paige� what can you do?�

�Well, I can orb. It�s basically a fancy word for teleportation,� Paige said as she orbed behind Pam. �Over here,� she said.

�That is so cool,� Pam remarked.

�I can also orb things to me. Like this.� Paige held out her hand as a vase appeared in it. �I used to have to say the name of the object I wanted to orb, but now I can pretty much just extend my hand.� She set the vase down. �And I can glamour, meaning I can shapeshift.� Paige morphed into Pam and then back into herself. �I don�t use that power a lot, though.�

�Wow,� Pam said. �Yesterday, I was just a freak. Today� I have a family that understands me. Are you sure I�m not dreaming?�

�Nope,� Paige said. �Pinch yourself if you don�t trust us.�

�So, back to my original question,� Pam said slowly, still absorbing everything she�d just learned about herself. �How did I get here?�
�Oh. I summoned you,� Phoebe said casually.

�You what?� Pam asked.

�I cast a spell to bring you here. I am a witch, you know,� Phoebe said, smiling. �Here, come look.� Pam walked over to The Book. �It�s called the Book of Shadows. It contains our destiny and all the spells you could ever imagine. Plus all the demons, too.�

�All the spells?� Pam asked, flipping through. �How come I haven�t found an instant cash spell yet?�

�Because that would be personal gain,� Piper instructed. �We can�t use our magic to help ourselves without something coming right back to bite us in the ass for it.�

�Piper!� Paige scolded, reminding her of the fourteen year old in the room.

�Oops! Sorry,� Piper said.

�That�s okay. It�s not like I don�t here that every day,� Pam said.

�Right. It�s just that my oldest son is only ten, so I�m used to watching my tongue,� Piper explained.

�Mom?� Pam asked. Phoebe beamed when she heard that word.

�Yes?� she answered.

�Why is it that you gave me up to some mortals when you�re obviously one of the only ones who can teach me about myself?�

�Oh. I figured that question would come up sooner or later,� Phoebe said. �When I gave you up, I didn�t have any powers. I didn�t even know witches existed. I gave you up for your best interest, so you would have a future ahead of you. If I had known any of this existed, there would be no way I would�ve let you go. Which is why I called you back here today.�

�Why didn�t you have your powers then? When did you get them?� Pam asked.

*******

For the next hour or so, the four Halliwells sat down on the partially blown-up sofa and discussed everything Charmed. Pam was ecstatic. There was a completely different side of her that she barely knew anything about. And now she could learn. Pam imagined what it would be like as a Charmed One. She imagined her mother bravely vanquishing demons. She wanted this life more than her old one. She wanted to be a witch. A Halliwell. And then Leo orbed in, and a completely different conversation started. The talking dissipated, though, when Leo orbed back out.

�Pam, you know, there are a lot of times when your aunts and I just wish we were normal. If you want, and it�s totally your decision, we can send you back to New York with your powers bound. You can get them back whenever you like,� Phoebe said.

�Take them away? Of course not! I want to learn to use them, not go home with failure written across my face! Come to think of it, I don�t want to go home at all. They don�t understand me there. You do,� Pam said.

�I don�t know if that�s going to work or not,� Phoebe said. �I�d love to raise you here, but the Richardsons have custody of you. And you can�t just leave them. You love them, too, don�t you?�

�Yes, but� I�ve already opened my heart to you. You seem like you would be such a cool mom to have. I don�t want to let you go, I want to know what you�re like. And I want to fight demons, too,� Pam said. Phoebe shed a tear or two. She was so happy that she�d only been a �mother� to a teenager for a few hours and already Pam loved her.

�Wow. Are you sure that�s what you want?� Phoebe asked.

�Yes!� Pam said.

�Because fighting demons isn�t all glory,� Phoebe informed. �You can get seriously hurt.�

�I know, but Leo can heal me.� The three sisters looked down at the floor.

�Not always,� Phoebe said. Pam could read that they were all thinking one word: Prue.

�What about Prue?� Pam asked. The sisters were a little confused for a second until they remembered Pam�s mind-reading power.

�She, uh�� Phoebe began solemnly. �She died. About eleven years ago. She gave her life in the line of duty. A demon named Shax killed her while she was trying to protect an innocent. By the time Leo got there, she was already gone. Luckily, we were able to get revenge by vanquishing Shax, but it wasn�t easy. So you see, being a Charmed One is a very dangerous job.�

�Wait� I thought it was the Power of Three. How could Prue have been a Charmed One, too?� Pam asked.

�Because I am very much like you, Pam,� Paige said. �I was given up at birth as well. I didn�t know I was a witch or anything about my birth family until after Prue died. I got my powers; I met my long-lost half sisters, and reconstituted the Charmed Ones. You know, you two owe me a lot,� Paige joked with Piper and Phoebe. Paige was happy that she finally found a place with her long-lost niece. Instead of just being �not Prue,� she could now guide her and relate to her, because they were so similar in their upbringing. �So think about this for a second: Do you really want to just ditch the people who raised you to live here just because we�re related?�

�Hey, that better not be what you thought when you moved in!� Piper said.

�My parents were dead when I moved in!� Paige reminded.

�I�� Pam thought for a while. �I guess not. But it�s so hard to choose.�

�Well, we�ll give you some time,� Phoebe said.

�I�� Pam changed expressions. �I didn�t know about Prue. I�m so sorry,� she said. She was silent for a minute or so. �I still want to be a witch,� she decided. Phoebe smiled.

�Now that�s my girl!� she hugged her again. �C�mon. Wanna meet your cousins?�

*******

Pam toured the Manor at the same time she met Wyatt, Chris, and little Stella and Andy. She learned their powers as well. There were so many things to be attached to there. �Now I don�t know if I can ever go home!� she exclaimed.

�Hmm�� Phoebe began.

�What?� Piper asked.

�I know!� Pam said. They all looked at her. �I can read minds,� she reminded.

�Right,� Piper said, reminding herself.

�Mom, you�re thinking that maybe we can work something out with my foster parents. Perhaps I could stay here for the summer, to learn my powers, and then go back to New York. And maybe come back the next summer.�

�That�s amazing,� Phoebe said. �It sounds like you already know your powers��

�I already know what they are; I just need to learn to control them!� Pam said.

�I know, I was kidding,� Phoebe smiled. �Well, all powers are linked to a witch�s emotions. To exercise control, you have to be relaxed. I suggest we meditate.�

�How can I meditate if I have to clear my mind to do that? Every moment of every day, I hear voices,� Pam complained.

�How do you think it is to feel pain and anger and happiness and sadness and euphoria all at once?� Phoebe said. �You have to learn to block out your power. In time, you will be able to only here voices when you want to.�

�I feel for you,� Piper said. �I cast a mind-reading spell once. It wasn�t fun.�

�Alright, so shall we meditate?� Phoebe asked.

*******
Just then, a demon appeared out of nowhere in the hallway. It knocked Phoebe back against the wall. She lay there in pain. Pam hid herself from the demon, remembering what she�d just heard about Prue. Piper tried to blow it up, but it darted out of the way. It appeared to have some sort of super-speed power. It was immune to Piper�s freezing power as well. The demon began to shoot fireballs at the girls. Paige reflected them, but the he darted out of the way of those, too.

Pam, hiding behind a corner, could here the demon�s thoughts. She knew his attack strategy! She could take him by surprise! She remembered in the book that athimaes kill demons if they�re stabbed with them. Pam saw one on Phoebe�s dresser. She picked it up. Now all she had to do was sneak up on him� Invisibility! But she still couldn�t control it! She remembered what Phoebe had told her about relaxing and concentrating. She tried her hardest to empty her mind and concentrated on turning invisible. When she opened her eyes, all she could see was the athimae, floating in mid-air! She�d done it!

Slowly Pam crept up behind the demon. Piper and Paige saw the floating athimae and diverted the demon�s attention. Feeling powerful and courageous, Pam plunged the athimae into the demon�s stomach. He screamed in pain and burst into flames. Then he was gone. Pam turned visible again.

�I did it!� she said triumphantly. She turned to see the three sisters smiling with approval.

*******

�You�re a great cook, Aunt Piper,� Pam said as she finished her lunch.

�Thank you,� Piper said. �I used to be a chef.�

�Pam, come up to the attic with me,� Phoebe said. �I have to show you something.�

�What is it?� Pam asked once they were in the attic. Phoebe rummaged through a trunk. She pulled out a long, rolled-up piece of paper.

�This.� Phoebe unrolled it and showed it to her daughter. �The Halliwell Family Tree.�

�Wow.� Pam studied the family line, from Melinda Warren down to Wyatt, Chris, Stella, and Andrew Halliwell. �There�s so many of you,� she exclaimed.

�And there�s about to be one more,� Phoebe said. She uncapped a pen and smoothly drew a line down from her name. She wrote out Pamela Ann. �Would you prefer to be known as Halliwell or Richardson?�

�Halliwell,� Pam smiled. Phoebe wrote Halliwell and Pam�s date of birth.

�So� would you like to stay in San Francisco for the summer?�

�Definitely!�

�Alright. I�ll call your parents and see what we can do,� Phoebe said.

�Can I come back the next summer, too?� Pam asked.

�Of course you can. You can stay as many summers as you want. Maybe someday you�ll have a sibling to visit, too.�

�Maybe,� Pam replied.

�I�m just so happy to finally meet you after all these years. I missed you so much.�

�Same here.�

�And before I thought there was nothing special about me to pass down to you. Now� I�ve given you one of the most precious gifts in the world.� Phoebe and Pam hugged again.

�It�s so surreal,� Pam said. �All of this. I feel like I�m in a fairy tale. I just wish I could�ve met Prue.�

*******

Phoebe�s expression changed. It was obvious she was thinking about something.

�What?� Pam asked. She then realized what she�d just said. �I can�t read your thoughts! The meditation worked!� she laughed. �I never imagined I�d be happy to not know what others are thinking!�

�Yeah,� Phoebe said. �It sucks to be a psychic sometimes.�

�So what are you thinking?�

�Would you like to cast your first spell?�

*******

�Piper! Paige! Can you guys come here for a minute?� Phoebe called down the stairs. Both women trolled in, each holding a twin.

�What?� Piper asked.

�Pam here is going to say her first spell,� Phoebe informed.

�Which one?� Piper asked. Phoebe didn�t answer, but set down five candles.

�I think it should work by now,� Phoebe commented as she lit the candles.

�What?� Paige asked.

�I mean, it�s been eleven years,� Phoebe continued.

�What!?� Paige asked.

�Go ahead, Pam. Chant away,� Phoebe instructed. Pam stood at the podium. She read from the Book of Shadows.

�Here these words, here my cry, spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee, cross now the Great Divide,� she said flawlessly. Phoebe was beaming with pride as a swarm of light appeared inside the circle.

�WHO!?� Paige asked, still lost.

*******

CONTINUED IN PART TWO

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