Hello Again Prue

Halliwell Manor Living Room - Several Hours Later

"No." Glenn answered, worry evident in his tone. "What's wrong?" Piper asked as she set her mug of coffee back on the table and focused her attention on Glenn. "Paige has been awake off and on since about 5:30 this morning." Glenn began. "That was about the time that she woke up crying, at least."

As he paused to take a breath, Phoebe interrupted, asking. "What happened? Did she have another bad dream?"

"I don't know." Glenn answered. "She woke me up at about quarter after three, when I heard her moaning. I asked her then if she was okay, and then I realized that she was still asleep. She snuggled up to me, moaned again, and then I fell asleep. The next time I remember hearing a peep out of her was when she woke up crying, saying that her lower back was really hurting."

"Do you think...?" Phoebe trailed off as she looked at Piper. "Possibly." Piper answered. "Can you clue us in?" Leo inquired pointedly.

"Sorry, honey." Piper answered, and then turned to Glenn, asking. "Has her pain been constant, or does it last for a certain amount of time, and then go away?"

"Well, she's been complaining about every hour and a half or so." Glenn answered. "In between, she's either been sleeping, or I've been taking her to the bathroom because she says she's sick to her stomach. She hasn't thrown up, yet, but it always seems to hit her right after the pain in her back goes away." Suddenly, a look of recognition crossed Glenn's features. "She's in labor," he announced. "I remember my aunt acting the same way when my cousin was born."

"Oh." Leo replied simply. "We need to go to her," Phoebe fretted. "She needs us, Piper!"

"She asked to be alone," Glenn answered. "I think she's a wee bit on the embarrassed side."

"What happened?" Phoebe asked. "I tried to give her a hug while she was drifting off, and she snapped." Glenn answered. "She called me 'Dave' and told me to leave her alone, and to 'get my self-centered paws off of her before she orbed me to Siberia and left me there.' Then she realized who I was, and asked to be left alone... I saw what happened when I pissed her off yesterday, so I figured I'd better not push the issue." Glenn answered with a shudder.

"Oh, honey, she wouldn't intentionally hurt you." Phoebe reassured him. "What happened yesterday is probably one of the baby's powers, and Paige doesn't know how to control it. See, our powers are tied to our emotions, and until we learn to control them, just about anything can happen. When you pissed her off by calling her 'Noogie,' that was her anger taking over, and that's why she froze you. Then, with the demon, that was a fear response."

"Wow, there's so much to being a witch... how do you guys deal with it?" Glenn asked.

"Well, some days are better than others." Piper began. "We were born into this; it's our destiny. Let me tell you this, though...if it wasn't for the rewards of saving the lives of innocent people, I think I could happily walk away and lead a mortal life."

"Piper's right." Phoebe agreed. "It's a hard life being a 'Charmed One.' We've basically walked away from so many friendships because it's too difficult to keep this secret of ours."

"Yeah, I'd imagine." Glenn agreed. "I've got to admit that when I first found out that Paige was a witch, I was more than a little freaked. Now I'm okay with it, but I understand the importance of keeping it quiet."

"So what do we do about her?" Leo asked, changing the subject. "She's in labor, and she wants to be alone? That's not right; she's probably scared out of her mind. I say we go to her...show a little family support."

"Good thinking honey." Piper said with a hint of sarcasm in her tone. "Then you can heal all of us when she gets pissed off and deep-freezes us!"

"She can only freeze Leo and Glenn, Piper." Phoebe reminded her big sister. "Possibly Wyatt, too. Don't know the rules on half-breeds," she added. Piper fixed Phoebe with an angry stare and snapped. "Be grateful I can't freeze your ass, Phoebe! I'll thank you not to refer to my son as a half-breed! Paige either!"

"Oh, so it's okay for you to call her that, but when I do it, I get the stare of death? What's up with that?" Phoebe questioned. "I haven't called her that in months, and you know it, Phoebs." Piper reminded her sister. "The last time I did it, I was pregnant and foul-tempered; I didn't mean it."

"Neither did I." Phoebe stated. "I was just trying to lighten the mood...I didn't expect you to go outer-limits on me."

"Sweetie, I'm sorry." Piper answered, seeing the hurt expression on Phoebe's face. "I'm just scared for Paige; having been through it myself, I know how she must be feeling right now. At least somewhat," she added.

"Yeah, and I don't, because my pregnancy never got to that stage." Phoebe reminded her sister, as she covered her face briefly with her hands. "Now you and Paige are going to have something else in common, and Garrett and Paige's baby will have each other. I'll be stuck by myself, as usual," she whimpered.

"Phoebs, c'mon." Piper pleaded, giving Phoebe a sideways hug. "It will happen for you someday, honey; I know it will. "

"I'm going to be late for work." Phoebe choked as she pulled away from Piper. "You're going to work while Paige is in labor?" Piper inquired incredulously. "Phoebs, you can't! We need you here!"

"What am I gonna do?" Phoebe asked. "You'll be at the 'receiving end' so to speak, and Glenn is here to coach her through it. I don't see the point in my staying here."

"We need you, Phoebs." Piper pleaded. "Please stay. It will mean a lot to Paige to have you there. I know it did for me. She needs us...we're the only family she has."

"Okay, fine." Phoebe said, smiling in spite of herself, through her tears. "I'll stay for Paige; I just hope I can convince Elise of how much Paige needs me. Wish me luck, I'm going to go call her," she finished as she got up from the table and left the kitchen. "If she doesn't, then she's truly the heartless bitch you make her out to be!" Piper called after her. She grinned widely at Leo and Glenn as she heard Phoebe's snort of laughter from the hallway. "I always had her pegged as being a little demon-like from the beginning." Piper finished. Leo just shook his head as he looked at Glenn. After several moments of comfortable silence, Piper, Glenn and Leo looked at one another worriedly as they heard a shriek from the second floor. "That's most likely Paige." Glenn stated, as he consulted his watch "It hasn't been an hour and a half, yet, though."

"Grab Garrett, would you, baby?" Piper asked Leo as she followed Glenn out the door.