TLC (Charmed/f) - (5 Parts)

[wannablessedbe]

hi peeps,

so I'm a long-time lurker here on the forum, and I've finally decided to register and post something. not sure what made me want to come out of the shadows-- I guess I just felt like writing something. it's not the great american novel or anything (not even the great american sneeze novel!) but I like fanfic, so here's a little charmed story for those of you who are so inclined. let me know if I should continue!!

TLC (1/?)

A Charmed story by WannaBlessedBe

Rating: G

Disclaimers: I don't own Charmed or any of the characters thereof. If I did, I certainly wouldn't be sharing them!!!

Summary: This story is basically just a feel-good piece of sister-bonding fluff set in season 4, when Paige has just moved into the manor and is still adjusting to life as a charmed one, and a sister, and Piper and Phoebe are adjusting to her...

Paige stamped her feet as she jiggled her key impatiently in the lock, the chill October air curling around her neck and under her hair like icy fingers. She knew she was lucky to live in such a gorgeous old house, so full of history and character; but right now she felt ready to trade it all away for reliable heat and a working front door.

"Open up, you stupid door!" she fumed, losing her patience completely and kicking it. To her surprise, it swung open-- revealing her sister Phoebe on the other side, grinning impishly at her.

"Some people prefer the bell," Phoebe said innocently, shivering slightly as a gust of cold wind rushed into the doorway around her. Eager to get them both out of the cold, Paige pushed her sister back and shut the offending door behind them, gaining the warmth and light of the front hall.

"Whew," she sighed, happily shedding her coat and hat with thoughts of hot chocolate and maybe even a bubble bath. "Thanks, Pheebs, that door is sticking like crazy."

"I know, I told Leo this morning to..." Phoebe trailed off, causing Paige to look up inquiringly from her task of unbuckling her shoes. Phoebe's eyes had narrowed to slits, her chest rising and falling erratically as she raised her hands, hidden inside the long sleeves of her sweatshirt, to hover a few inches from her nose and mouth. Paige couldn't help thinking that her sister looked cute as a button with the half-surprised, half-expectant expression on her face that plainly said she was about to sneeze, standing there in her oversized Berkeley sweatshirt that reached halfway to her knees, like a child playing dress-up. Then with a deep breath, Phoebe's brows knit together with a muffled "K'shhh!" into her sweatshirt-covered hands.

"God bless you," said Paige, glancing around for something better for her sister to blow her nose on than her shirt. Noticing a box of tissues on the end table by the couch, Paige crossed to the living room, Phoebe sniffling quietly behind her.

"Thanks," Phoebe mumbled when Paige handed her the box, blowing her nose loudly. "Ugh. What I was trying to say was, I asked Leo to look at it this morning, but then he got called away on some Whitelighter emergency. Typical, right?" Phoebe sniffed again, taking another tissue from the box and pinching it around her nostrils.

"You sound like you caught that cold that's been going around," Paige observed, feeling a pang of guilt for thinking her sister looked cute when she was obviously not feeling well.

"I had to *sniff* leave class right in the middle of the lecture," Phoebe admitted, rolling her eyes as she flopped down on the couch. "It was so..." Another deep breath inflated Phoebe's small frame, raising her an inch or so in her seat as Paige quickly thrust the kleenex back into her hands. "Ehshoo!" The sneeze was strong enough to double Phoebe over, as if she were tied to an invisible thread.

"Bless you!" Paige exclaimed, beginning to worry that her sister would end up with whiplash if she continued to sneeze with such force.

"Thanks." Phoebe smiled weakly. "Like I was saying...it was kind of embarrassing."

"Oh, honey, you don't have to be embarrassed...you're sick!" Paige put out a hand and gently rubbed her sister's back.

"Yeah..." Phoebe sighed. "The worst part is that I had to *sniff* cancel my date with Cole." Her lower lip stuck out in a cranky pout.

"Poor Pheebs," Paige cooed, leaning over and kissing her sniffling sister on the middle of her forehead. "You've got a fever," she frowned.

"I thought it was just cold in here," Phoebe grumbled, wrapping the afghan from the foot of the couch around her shoulders. "You should really get away from me, Paige-- you don't want to catch this, believe me. Anyway, don't you have a...a..." With reflexes sharpened by constant demon fighting, Paige pushed another handful of kleenex into Phoebe's hands, just before her nostrils flared and her eyes squeezed shut, as another bone-rattling "Huh-ishoo!" tumbled out of her.

"Bless you, sweetie," Paige said again, very gently. She knew what Phoebe had been about to say before that last sneeze-- that Paige herself had a date to get ready for-- but the thought of leaving her sister here all alone with that horrible cold positively turned Paige's stomach. And even though she felt certain that Phoebe would prefer to have Piper be the one to stay home and take care of her, that wouldn't be possible tonight in any event, as Piper was busy at P3 with a large charity concert that was being covered by three different newspapers and a TV crew. Still, would Phoebe allow her to play the big sister and take care of her? Would she let Paige see her so vulnerable, when it had been such a short time since they'd even met, and discovered they were sisters? Not only was she practically a stranger, but she was the youngest, too; and Phoebe was used to having two older sisters to look after her when she wasn't well, not some well-intentioned kid.

Glancing over at Phoebe, Paige noted how very pale her olive-skinned sister looked; even her usually rosy lips had almost no color at all. There were dark shadows forming under her tired eyes, and her already pink-rimmed nose would soon be Rudolph-red if she kept rubbing it as she was now, eyes squeezed shut with determination to rid her nose of its ticklish itch.

"Huh-choo! Ahhhh...ahh...ishoo!" It wasn't working.

"Pheebs?"

"Uh-huh?" Phoebe looked up with a fresh kleenex pressed up under her twitchy nose, forced to breathe through her mouth.

"I'm not going on my date, either."

"Oh, Paigey, dod't stay hobe for be..." When she heard how stuffy her voice was beginning to sound, Phoebe looked up at Paige in surprise-- then they both started to laugh. "Okay," Phoebe conceded, once their giggles had died away. "I guess it would be *sniff* pretty great if you stayed with me...thanks."

"No thanks required," Paige smiled, as a sudden rush of contentment stole over her. "I may not be Piper...but I'm still your sister, and I hate to see you not feeling good." Phoebe smiled back, a faint blush coloring her pale cheeks, and curled up in Paige's arms, nestling her head comfortably on Paige's warm shoulder. Paige hugged her tightly, rubbing her face in Phoebe's soft brown hair with a happy sigh. They stayed that way for a few moments, until Phoebe sniffled and moved one of her hands out of Paige's arms to wipe her nose on her sleeve.

"Okay," Paige said authoritatively as she sat up, "first thing that's happening is me going to the kitchen to make you a cup of Theraflu. Have you had any dinner?"

"I'm really not hungry," Phoebe frowned. "But the Theraflu sounds great."

"Uh-uh, missy, you've got to eat something. You know that's what Piper would say." Phoebe raised her eyebrows.

"Man, that's a low blow," she whined. Paige smirked.

"So how about some chicken soup with stars?"

"I'd rather have miso," Phoebe said meekly.

"Your wish is my command," Paige winked, tousling Phoebe's hair as she rose from the couch. As she walked to the kitchen, she heard three more snuffly-sounding sneezes coming from behind her. There was no doubt about it, Paige thought-- she would do just about anything to make her sister feel better. Grinning, she put up the kettle for some hot water, as she planned a cozy night of taking care of Phoebe.

[Frostybite]

Now charmed is definately a resource of very attractive women who have actually sneezed in episodes. Looking forward to another part if you choose to continue.

[elements]

ohhhh mmaann...Charmed!! You ROCKK! Glad you decided to join!

any ER fans out there?

coommoon CARBY!

[Blah!?]

We've had so many dry spells recently, and even more great fics that end them!

I know I just contradicted myself, but that's okay since this was so good!

I look forward to part 2, if you're making one.

[Guest obsessive_freak]

YAAAAY Charmed! Carry on please, it's amazing!

[sneezinglover]

YUMMY! CHARMED!

[Guest]

Now charmed is definately a resource of very attractive women who have actually sneezed in episodes. Looking forward to another part if you choose to continue.

Absolutely, I recommend episode 100- Paige gets a cold.

And wannablessedbe, great story, you should write more. I like your name as well.

[wannablessedbe]

yes, charmed centennial (100th ep) is super-hot!!! paige gets a cold and every time she sneezes, she loses control of her orbing (magical ability to disappear/reappear)-- so basically when she sneezes, her whole body dissolves into tiny white lights for a split second. SUPER. HOT. phoebe has a couple of good sneezes too, one in season 2 (miss hellfire) and one in season 6 (my three witches). I wish she had a whole episode of sneezing like paige!!! but those two eps are definitely worth watching...they're both the old "sneezing while hiding" plot device, which doesn't really appeal to me personally, but alyssa milano is SO good at pretend-sneezing, I'd swear they were real. and, hello-- the hotness of alyssa milano. so yummy!

anyway, I'm glad you guys are down for this...I will definitely post another part over the weekend

[Sternuto]

yes, charmed centennial (100th ep) is super-hot!!! paige gets a cold and every time she sneezes, she loses control of her orbing (magical ability to disappear/reappear)-- so basically when she sneezes, her whole body dissolves into tiny white lights for a split second. SUPER. HOT. phoebe has a couple of good sneezes too, one in season 2 (miss hellfire) and one in season 6 (my three witches). I wish she had a whole episode of sneezing like paige!!! but those two eps are definitely worth watching...they're both the old "sneezing while hiding" plot device, which doesn't really appeal to me personally, but alyssa milano is SO good at pretend-sneezing, I'd swear they were real. and, hello-- the hotness of alyssa milano. so yummy!

anyway, I'm glad you guys are down for this...I will definitely post another part over the weekend

We have those clips..... somewhere

Ah... the Charmed Ones. (They arent called that for their magic, either!)

[Gallatea]

We have those clips..... somewhere

Ah... the Charmed Ones. (They arent called that for their magic, either!)

Amen to that... my brother seems immune to their attractions however...

BTW, reruns of Charmed are on TNT in the US fro 4 to 6 in the afternoon PST. They are in the beginning of the third season right now, so in a few weeks they should be reaching episdoe 100. I know that I will be tuning in for that one!

[wannablessedbe]

TLC

Chapter 2

by WannaBlessedBe

************************************************************************

Paige returned a few minutes later balancing a heavy tray, to find Phoebe surrounded by a small mountain of crumpled tissues, shivering slightly under her blanket. Their cat, a blue-eyed siamese named Kit, was curled up on her stomach, and Phoebe was stroking her absently, eyes half lidded and out of focus.

"Here you go, sweetie," Paige said with a grin as she took in the cozily domestic scene before her.

"Th-thanks," Phoebe stuttered slightly, her teeth chattering audibly.

"Oh, honey," Paige crooned, sitting down next to her and rubbing her leg. "You've got the chills something awful."

"Uh-huh," Phoebe agreed miserably. Almost as if on cue, she sneezed into her cupped hands with a wet "Huh-chshh!"

"God bless you." Paige handed Phoebe a tissue, grinning despite herself at the completely adorable image of her sister blinking up at her, with her big brown eyes peeking out from behind her cupped hands. "Here," Paige offered her the steaming mug encouragingly. "This'll help, I promise."

Grumpily, Phoebe reached for the cup, dislodging her feline lap-warmer. Both hands curled tightly around it, she brought it up to her face and breathed in the hot steam with a sigh of pleasure before taking a small sip. "Oh, Jesus, that's good," Phoebe groaned, closing her eyes. "You're the best, Paigey."

"Considering you've saved my life about a dozen times this year, I'd say we're even," Paige teased, running one hand through Phoebe's long hair. "Poor baby, you're really burning up."

"It's n-nothing to worry about," Phoebe shrugged, another shiver running through her body under the blanket. "I've always b-buh...uhhhhh...ah-chshh! Been a bit prone to high fevers...it'll burn off in a day or two."

"Bless you." Paige frowned. "Are you sure?" She didn't like the idea of her sister scorching like this for two days.

"P-pretty s-sure..." Phoebe's eyes fluttered, and Paige grabbed the mug from her hands before it could spill. But the sneeze that had welled up suddenly inside her died away again just as her lungs filled with air, a desperately uncomfortable look settling onto her face in its place. "Oh..." Phoebe groaned, pressing a finger under her running nose and rubbing hard. *Sniff.*

"Stuck?" Paige asked sympathetically.

"Uh-huh," Phoebe mumbled, eyes barely open. "I cahhh...huhh..." Her brows knit together as if she were trying to remember something important. "Ehshoo!! ...Can't stand this," she finished grumpily, pulling out a fresh tissue and blowing her nose for what felt like the hundredth time in the past hour.

"Bless you."

"And you might as well stop blessing me every time I sneeze," she added crankily. "What if I use up all my blessings on this dumb cold, and don't have any left the next time we're fighting some slimy demon down a deserted alley?" Paige snorted with laughter.

"Eat your soup, wiseass." Phoebe pouted, but did as she was told. The hot soup and medicine really did seem to help; Paige noticed significantly fewer sniffles and sneezes from her sister over the next hour and a half, as they lay curled on the couch watching Empire Records. It was very comfortable, Paige thought, lying here with Phoebe's warm weight against her, both of them drowsy and cuddled together under the blanket. Paige hadn't felt this close to anyone in a long time...unless you counted the string of dysfunctional boys to come in and out of her bed over the years. But this was nothing like that...this was safety, and home, and...family. It was a word Paige had avoided ever since her adoptive parents had died, eight long and lonely years ago. But now, glancing down at her sister's sleeping face, feeling the gentle in and out of her breathing, Paige knew, for the first time in a long time, that she was exactly where she was supposed to be.

It was past three when Piper tiptoed through the back door, the light from the television catching her eye on her way toward the stairs. Following the glow into the living room, she was surprised to find both her little sisters asleep on the couch, Paige's arms wrapped tightly around Phoebe's stomach. There were piles of used tissues heaped on every surface, half-drunk mugs of tea scattered between them. Sitting on the arm of the couch, Piper ran a hand gently over Phoebe's forehead, regretting it when Phoebe stirred and coughed.

"Shh, baby, go back to sleep," Piper whispered. "It's okay..."

"Piper?" Phoebe croaked, her voice husky with sleep and her cold.

"Yeah, it's me," Piper cooed, turning Phoebe's face toward the dim blue light of the television to examine her pale cheeks and bright red nose as her sister blinked and yawned. "You got the sniffles, little girl?" Phoebe nodded, too drowsy to talk. "Poor little thing," Piper crooned, leaning over and kissing Phoebe's hot cheek. "Yup, you're on fire...did you take anything to bring the fever down?"

"Paige *sniff* gave me some Theraflu," Phoebe yawned, rubbing her eyes.

"She did, huh?" Piper grinned into the semidarkness, looking down at her other sleeping sister. "Good, then you can just go back to sleep, sweetheart. Go ahead."

"Will you *sniff* tell me a story?" Phoebe murmured, leaning into Piper's cool hand as it stroked her hair.

"A story?" Piper grinned, charmed by her sister's sleepy innocence, recalling her childhood habit of asking Piper to tell her a bedtime story when they had shared a room. "Okay, my sweet girl, I'll tell you a story. Once upon a time there were three beautiful princesses who lived in a golden castle..."

[cherrypink]

I'm really enjoying this story... I've never really watched Charmed before, but I may start!

[Guest obsessive_freak]

Yay, another great part!! Keep up the good work!

[wannablessedbe]

TLC

Chapter 3

By WannaBlessedBe

All the Usual Disclaimers Apply

************************************************************************

Paige woke with a dull ache behind her left eye, which throbbed nastily when she shifted her neck from the awkward angle at which it had spent the night.

"Auuugh," she groaned, pulling herself up into a sitting position and kneading the knotted muscles in her neck and shoulder. Jostled by her movements, Phoebe stirred and gave a sleepy sigh beside her. *Sniff.* *Sniff.*

"Morning, Pheebs," Paige mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes with her free hand.

"G'bordig," Phoebe yawned, rolling over with a huge stretch that arched her back, making her look like an overlarge kitten. Her hair was a mess, splayed across her pale face, which, combined with her very pink nose, made her look much younger. Paige grinned down at her indulgently.

"What?" Phoebe demanded suspiciously, when she opened her eyes and found her sister staring at her, a silly grin plastered on her face.

"Nothing," Paige said quickly. "Just-- you must've been one hell of a cute kid."

"Oh, she was," Piper agreed, coming in from the kitchen with a breakfast tray balanced expertly in her arms. "Which was a good thing for her, since she was also a holy terror." Phoebe smirked as Piper set the tray down on the coffee table, and sneezed twice.

"Doh cobbedt," She sniffed as she reached for the mug of hot tea that Piper had set in front of her.

"No comet?" Paige frowned, blinking bemusedly at her sister's indecipherably stuffed-up words.

"Cobbedt," Phoebe repeated emphatically, a flash of annoyance in her voice. Paige looked at Piper blankly, eyebrow cocked in mute bewilderment.

"Comment," Piper repeated, chuckling. "She said, 'no comment.'"

"Oh." Phoebe was scowling into her tea now.

"I'b dot that stuffed ub," she grumbled mulishly, with a hearty sniff.

"Are you kidding?" Paige laughed. "You're a total snot factory!"

"Piss off," Phoebe whined, turning her back on both of them and curling up against the couch cushions.

"Hey," Paige said gently, the grin sliding off her face. She reached out tentatively to rub her sister's back. "I was just kidding, honey...c'mon, don't be mad." Phoebe curled up tighter, and for a second Paige thought she was rebuking her apology; then she realized it was just a wind-up for another big sneeze, as her sister's thin frame gave an almighty jerk with a muffled "Huh-chshh!"

"Gesundheit," Piper said mildly while Paige patted her lightly on the back.

"Cad sohbody give be a tissue, please?" Phoebe sniffed, face still hidden against the couch cushions. Piper and Paige grinned at each other in an indulgent sort of way, as Piper got up and walked around the couch with a fresh box of kleenex in hand.

"Thag you," Phoebe grumbled, then spent a long minute blowing her nose before turning around to face them again, a perfectly miserable expression on her face. "Sorry I'm being such a jerk," she mumbled, very softly though her voice was much clearer now. "I can't help it." She was staring down glumly at the crumpled kleenex in her hand, picking at it with her fingernails. She sniffed, and Paige realized there were tears in her eyes.

"Aww, baby girl, it's okay," she cooed, wrapping her arms around her sniffling sister, who was crying in earnest now as she buried her head in Paige's shoulder. Piper sat down on her other side and rubbed her back as Paige had been doing a moment ago.

"Shh, ladybug, it's okay," Piper hummed, running her fingers soothingly through her sister's silky hair and leaning in close to her. "Paigey and I are here, and we're gonna have you feeling better in no time." She kissed the back of Phoebe's head, then smiled up at Paige, who was looking alarmed. "She gets really emotional when she doesn't feel good," Piper explained quietly, her fingers still playing through Phoebe's messy hair as her breathing slowly calmed. "Ever since she was little...right, baby?" Phoebe nodded meekly, looking up at her sisters with red eyes and a watery smile.

"Sorry," she shrugged, wiping her eyes roughly with the back of her hand. "I dod't dough why I..." Piper and Paige both leaned away slightly as a telltale frown settled onto Phoebe's face. "Ehshoo!"

"Poor baby," Piper sighed sympathetically.

"It's not your fault, Pheebs," Paige added. "Everybody gets a little moody when they're sick."

"A little moody?" Piper grinned sardonically, handing back the tea that Phoebe had forgotten between the sneezing, sulking and crying. "Phoebe doesn't get a little anything. Remember that time when Grams was away on her honeymoon with her fourth husband?"

"Our grandmother was married four times?" Paige gaped.

"Six, actually," Phoebe chuckled, a weak grin blooming on her pale face.

"Right," Piper nodded. "And this one time-- on her fourth honeymoon-- she decided that since Prue had just turned sixteen, she was old enough to look after us, and we could stay home on our own..."

*************************************

"Phoebe!" Prue hollered up the stairs, pulling on her jacket and draining her coffee. "For the last time, let's go! We're gonna be late for school!"

"I don't want to go to school!" Phoebe shrieked back from behind her closed door. "You can't make me!"

"Oh, just watch me," Sixteen-year-old Prue fumed, stomping noisily up the stairs and pounding as hard as she could on her eleven-year-old sister's door. "Phoebe Penelope Halliwell, you open this door right now or I swear to god, I'll keep you locked in there all weekend!" A moment's tense silence passed, during which Piper, who stood silently at the bottom of the stairs, prayed for a peaceful resolution. She absolutely hated being caught in the middle when her sisters battled like this, especially knowing they would both be coming to her for comfort later.

Just as Prue raised her fist to resume its pounding, the door flew open, and Phoebe stood flush-faced and furious on the other side. "Leave. Me. ALONE!" She shrieked, whirling to slam the door in Prue's face. But Prue was too quick for her, and put out a foot to prop the door open, grabbing her writhing little sister by the collar.

"Believe me, I'd like nothing better than to forget all about your bratty, troublemaking, good-for-nothing existence," Prue snarled, yanking Phoebe's small body roughly out of her room and into the hallway. "Unfortunately, I promised Grams I'd look after you. And unlike some people in this house, I actually live up to my word. So until Grams gets back, I am in charge, and I am telling you that we are GOING to SCHOOL. NOW." Prue turned to pick up Phoebe's backpack, and thrust it into her hands.

"You're such a fucking bitch," Phoebe mumbled. Downstairs, Piper winced at the sound of Prue's hand smacking her little sister hard across the face. Then Phoebe ran past in a blur, out the door and into the car, where she sat huddled silently in the back seat until they reached the Junior High School.

"We'll meet you here after soccer practice," Prue said quietly, her voice no longer angry. Phoebe walked off without acknowledging that she'd heard. As they pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward their high school, Piper sighed deeply. "You know I don't like fighting with her like that, Pipe," Prue said, squeezing her fourteen-year-old sister's knee reassuringly. "What else am I supposed to do? She gets in one of her rebellious moods, and it's like she turns into this little monster. And I'm the one who's got to find some way to control her."

"I dunno, Prue." Piper sighed again, staring unseeingly out the window. "But you can't hit her to get your way. You just can't. She's so little...it's not right."

"I know, Pipe," Prue admitted, a guilty expression clouding her face. "I'm sorry."

"Don't tell it to me," Piper shrugged.

"You're right," Prue agreed as they pulled into the high school parking lot. "This afternoon when we pick her up, I'll make it up to her, okay? We'll take her to The Pizza Factory for dinner or something."

But when they pulled into the Junior High parking lot later that day, Phoebe wasn't there.

"Great, she's probably run away to sell herself on the street," Prue grumbled sardonically with a roll of her eyes.

"Don't joke about things like that, Prue," Piper admonished her. "C'mon, they're probably still out on the soccer field." The two sisters made their way around the building to the athletic fields, where sure enough they could see the girls' and boys' teams still running enthusiastically around the field. Scanning the crowd for her youngest sister, Prue frowned. Where was Phoebe? She hadn't really run away, had she? Her stomach was just beginning to squirm uncomfortably when she spotted her sister, sitting on the bottom row of the bleachers with her head on her knees. Simultaneously relieved and concerned, Prue jogged across the field, wondering what her sister had done now to get her sent off the field.

"Pheebs?" she said gently, kneeling down in the grass in front of the hunched figure of her sister. "Wanna tell me what happened?" Phoebe just shook her head, and remained silent. "Hey, coach!" Prue called, standing up and crossing to the sideline where the potbellied coach stood hollering at the other kids, as one of them fumbled a pass. "Why's my sister benched?"

"She's not benched. She refused to play." He shrugged. "Can't spend all day psychologizing every kid with a bug up their ass, you know-- I got a whole team here to think about." Prue felt a horrible sinking feeling in her stomach. Had she really made Phoebe feel so badly?

"Phoebe, honey," she cooed, returning to her sister as Piper finally caught up with them. "What's the matter? Can't you tell me? I'm sorry about this morning, I didn't mean to get so angry..."

"S'okay," Phoebe mumbled against her knees. Her voice sounded hoarse, as if she'd been crying. Abruptly she raised her head just enough to press her hands over her nose and mouth, as a powerful sneeze shook her small body. She swiped her forearm under her nose, took a short, shuddering breath, and sneezed again.

"Bless you," both her sisters said in tandem.

"Pheebs, look at me," Prue frowned, grabbing her chin before she could put her face back down on her knees. Her eyes when she finally looked up were fever-bright; her cheeks were drained of color, and her nose was running. "Oh, Phoebe. Why didn't you say something?" Prue reached out and gently stroked her little sister's hair. Phoebe shrugged, and then began to cry, pressing her hot face into Prue's neck as her sister's arms went around her, picking her up easily. Phoebe locked her legs around Prue's waist as her sister murmured soft words of love and assurance in her ear, sharing a pained look with Piper over the crying girl's shoulder. They both hated it when their little sister was sick, and the idea of her sitting here in the cold all afternoon, burning up and feeling wretched, made them both want to primal scream.

"Excuse me," Prue growled to the oblivious coach now shouting reprimands at the goalie, a child so small she seemed barely able to move inside the heavy gear. "Are you so busy yelling at small children that you failed to notice our sister is sitting here by herself because she's too sick to play?" Her arms tightened around Phoebe, still cradled in her arms.

"What?" The balding man glanced distractedly away from the field, his eyes widening in alarm when he saw the irate expression on Prue's face. "Oh-- well-- she didn't say..." he shrugged somewhat indifferently, as if it was none of his concern.

"She's eleven years old!" Prue fumed, eyes blazing furiously. "These kids are in your care, it's your job to make sure they're safe and healthy before anything else. She should've been to the nurse's office, someone should've called our house! If you'd spent five minutes talking to her, or even just looked at her once in the past two and a half hours, you would've realized that." The large, beefy man was standing stock-still in front of Prue now, wide-eyed, mouthing wordlessly.

"I'm sorry!" He exclaimed, a definite note of panic in his voice. "I, I, uh--"

"You'll be hearing from our grandmother," Prue said curtly, turning on her heels and marching off the field with Phoebe held tight in her arms, her face still hidden against Prue's neck, sniffling quietly. Piper followed wordlessly, picking up her sisters' things and carrying them with her to the car. When they arrived, Prue passed Phoebe off to Piper, who sat in the passenger seat with arms outstretched. Phoebe went willingly, curling up against Piper as she had with Prue without saying a word.

"Don't worry, sweet girl," Piper murmured, wrapping her arms around her sister and rocking her gently as Prue went around to the driver's side. "We're gonna get you right home and into your nice warm bed, and then I'll make you some of Grams' special chicken soup. Does that sound good?"

"Uh-huh," Phoebe mumbled. "Piper, I *sniff* need some tissues..." She pulled away slightly from her sister's protective arms as she spoke, taking another long swipe under her nose with her sleeve. Piper dug into the glove compartment, finding a handful of loose kleenex; but in the same instant she felt her sister's small body tense and heard her sharp intake of breath. Reacting on instinct, Piper simply held the kleenex in her hand up to Phoebe's nose for her, just in time to contain a wet "Ehshoo!" as her upper body pitched forward, propelling her even more forcefully into the bundle of tissues in Piper's hand.

"God bless you," said Prue, who was grinning affectionately at the pair of them as she started the engine.

"Ugh," Phoebe mumbled, blowing her nose with another wet sniffle. "Thag you." Then she looked up bashfully at Piper. "Sorry I sdeezed od you, Piper."

"Don't you worry about anything, ladybug." Piper ruffled her sister's soft brown hair and kissed her temple. "You can sneeze on me all you want." She winked, and Phoebe giggled. Then she looked up at her oldest sister, with an awe-struck expression on her pale face.

"Dohbody ever yelled at Coach Boore before," she sniffed, a small, sly grin appearing on her face.

"Well I think Coach Moore is about to get what's coming to him," Prue said confidently, giving Phoebe a reassuring smile. Then she frowned thoughtfully. "Pheebs, why didn't you tell him you weren't feeling good? Or just call home yourself? You know where the school phones are." Phoebe shrugged, looking away from her sisters' eyes to stare at the crumpled kleenex in her hands.

"I thought you'd *sniff* still be adgry," she mumbled eventually. "I was afraid we'd fight again, ahd...uh...huhhh..." Piper rubbed her sister's shivering back as she leaned forward in her lap, pressing the already damp kleenex in her hands back to her nose with a tortured expression as she hovered on the edge of a sneeze. "Huhshoo!!"

"Bless you," Piper and Prue said together.

"Honey, you know I'd never yell at you when you're sick," Prue said gently, reaching across the seat to squeeze Phoebe's shoulder reassuringly. "Piper and I are always here to take care of you when you need us...no matter how mad we are. And I'm really, really sorry about hitting you this morning. I promise, it will never happen again."

"It's okay," Phoebe sniffed, leaning into Piper's shoulder and yawning. "I deserved it."

"Next time, just tell us when you're not feeling good, okay?"

"'Kay," Phoebe nodded. Piper hugged her tightly.

"Now," Prue grinned, "should we order a pizza and get some movies?"

[Alucard]

Very nice!

[wannablessedbe]

TLC

Chapter 4 (Conclusion)

By WannaBlessedBe

************************************************************************

The next time Phoebe woke up, she found herself back in her own bed, though she had no memory of getting there from downstairs. A soft snore near her elbow let her know that her sisters were asleep on either side of her, and she realized Paige must've orbed her up here from the couch after she fell asleep. She grinned at her sleeping sister, reaching out to brush her hair out of her eyes. Phoebe knew that Paige still felt insecure sometimes about her place in their family...and while she didn't want her sister to think she had anything to prove to her or Piper, she was still touched by Paige's sweetness, and the loving attention she'd been showered with since coming down with this awful cold. Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes when she thought of how unfair it was that Prue had died before ever getting the chance to even meet their youngest sister; burrowing back down into the warm blankets, she sent up a silent prayer that there would be no more loss in their lives.

"Hmmm..." Paige sighed in her sleep, rolling onto her side with a faint frown. "Don't crash the spaceship..." Phoebe giggled, then pressed her sleeve up under her nose with a quiet sniff. Her tears had aggravated her runny nose, making her squint and sniffle as a deep tickle began to blossom. Phoebe shut her eyes and rubbed her nose as hard as she could against her damp flannel sleeve; she didn't want to sneeze and wake her sisters.

"Huhh...huhhhhh..." Now her eyes were beginning to itch, too, and she rubbed them viciously, until stars exploded behind her closed eyelids. She wished she could blow her nose, but the kleenex were out of her reach, on the bedside table next to Piper. She knew she was fighting a losing battle, but by now her ragged breathing was completely out of her control, anyway; it kept welling up and falling away erratically, keeping time with the ticklish twitch in her nose. All thought of disrupting her sisters gone now, Phoebe leaned into her cupped hands, desperate to sneeze and rid her nose of the quivering itch that teased her unbearably.

"Huh-- huh-- heh'tchshoo!! K'shhuh!" She barely had time to recover a breath from the first sneeze before the second one hit, making her gasp and wheeze. Her eyes, when she opened them, were tearing again; blinking, she saw Piper sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"My goodness! God bless you," Piper yawned, reaching for the kleenex and handing them across the bed. Then she frowned. "Where'd Paige go?" Looking around, Phoebe realized her younger sister had vanished from beside her, where she'd been sleeping soundly only moments before. Just as suddenly, she re-appeared in a bright swirl of orbs, rubbing her eyes and glaring.

"Freakin' A, Phoebe!" She growled. "You scared the crap out of me."

"Sorry," Phoebe mumbled meekly from behind a handful of tissues. "I *sniff* couldn't...huh-- huh-- hehschkk!" Winded, she paused to blow her nose, relieving the unquenchable itch somewhat. "...couldn't help it," she finished miserably. Paige's face immediately softened.

"Of course you couldn't," she agreed, arching her back and yawning hugely. "I didn't mean to snarl at you like that...I was just startled, that's all." They smiled weakly at each other.

"Phoebe's got a healthy set of lungs, all right," Piper agreed, smirking. Phoebe stuck out her tongue, and Paige snickered. "You guys hungry for some dinner?"

"Sure," Paige agreed with another huge yawn, rubbing her eyes roughly with her knuckles.

"Paigey?" Phoebe asked quietly as Piper crawled past them out of bed.

"Hmm?" Paige looked over distractedly, pulling her long black hair into a knot.

"You feeling okay?" Phoebe was frowning in a very mom-ish way, eyebrows knit together.

"Fine," Paige smiled mechanically, completely unnerved. In truth, she was starting to feel kind of lousy. The headache she'd woken up with had stayed with her all day; she'd been sure an afternoon nap would help, but it felt worse now than it had before. Her throat felt a little scratchy, too, especially when she swallowed. But she didn't want to say anything and make Phoebe feel guilty; she'd known that this might happen, after all. What was the point in complaining? She was already having a nice, restful weekend at home with her sisters, while they took care of Phoebe. She'd just sneak an aspirin on the way downstairs.

"Are you sure?" Phoebe persisted, smoothing a few wisps of hair off of Paige's face in a not-so-subtle attempt to feel her forehead. "You're looking awfully pale."

"Phoebe, this is how I always look," Paige reminded her dryly, glad she didn't have a fever to give her away. "I'm Snow White, remember? We can't all be blessed with your skin tone."

"Tell me about it," Piper snorted, gesturing to her own freckle-splashed arms.

"Aw, Piper, don't diss your freckles! I bet Leo thinks they're cute..." Phoebe waggled her eyebrows, and they all laughed.

Downstairs, Piper tucked her sisters expertly into the soft couch with a huge, fluffy blanket, and turned on the TV for them, flipping it without being asked directly to the Cartoon Network. Paige felt very cozy indeed as Piper swooped down and kissed her forehead, handing her the TV remote with a smile. Then she turned and kissed Phoebe, pursing her lips with a slight frown.

"Pheebs, I'm gonna make you some more of that Theraflu before we eat," she said slowly, running her fingers through her sister's messy brown locks. "You still feel really hot."

"'Kay," Phoebe sighed, her head resting comfortably on Paige's shoulder.

"Paigey, do you want anything? I'm gonna make some coffee," Piper offered, standing up and stretching again. What Paige really wanted was a hot cup of tea for her sore throat, but she didn't want to make her sisters suspicious; and tea wasn't something she normally asked for.

"Sure, coffee sounds great." Piper nodded, and left the room. Paige sighed, snuggling down in the warm blanket, and allowed herself to be drawn into the action on the screen.

"If we were the Powerpuff Girls, which one do you think you'd be?" Phoebe wondered aloud, rubbing her nose absently. Paige laughed.

"Well," she said slowly, "Piper would be Blossom, obviously..."

"Duh." Phoebe nodded. "She's the one who takes charge and plans things out, and makes lists and stuff."

"Right," Paige nodded. A faint itch was beginning to bother her nose, and she scratched it casually, hoping Phoebe wouldn't notice. "And you'd be Buttercup, cause you're the most kick-ass." Phoebe grinned shyly, but didn't protest; it was true that she'd studied karate for years before they'd even known they were witches. "So I guess that makes me Bubbles," Paige concluded, with a quiet sniff. She shut her eyes and wrinkled her nose, trusting that Phoebe's eyes were on the TV and not her. That helped for a moment, but it wasn't enough. She could feel the tickle building, slowly but insistently, as she shifted uncomfortably inside the blankets. Don't sneeze! She commanded herself, pinching her nose hard between her thumb and forefinger. Against her will, she drew a sharp breath, startling Phoebe off of her shoulder.

"Atchoo!" Paige doubled over as she sneezed, cupping her hands just in time to cover her face. "Ugh," she groaned, blinking and sniffling as she reached for the kleenex. "Dammit." Looking up, she was surprised to find her sister staring at her, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. "What?" She demanded, completely nonplussed. "Do I have snot on my face or something?" Phoebe laughed and shook her head.

"You have no idea what just happened, do you?" Phoebe was grinning in amazement.

"Uh...I sneezed?" Paige blinked, one eyebrow quirked in confusion.

"And you orbed." Paige mirrored her sister's expression of a moment ago, jaw dropping.

"No way," she shook her head.

"I heard that sneeze," Piper announced as she came in, unintentionally breaking the shocked silence. "And you can just forget about that coffee, Paigey. You're getting Theraflu, too."

"Piper, you didn't-- did you see? Wait till you see!" Phoebe laughed, looking only slightly abashed when Paige turned and glared at her.

"See what?" Piper asked, sitting next to Paige and feeling her forehead as Phoebe had done before.

"Paige. Just now-- she sneezed and orbed at the same time." Phoebe was still grinning, obviously amused by the situation.

"Really?" Piper looked back at her youngest sister in surprise. "Wow. We're lucky no one else was here to see that." She grinned, and ruffled Paige's black hair with a snicker. "Well, I guess that settles it. You're both under house-arrest for the rest of the weekend."

"What?" Paige exclaimed indignantly. "You can't tell me what to do, little miss Blossom!"

"Huh?" Piper laughed.

"From the Powerpuff Girls," Phoebe clarified.

"Paige, you can't go out if you're gonna be orbing every time you sneeze. What if someone saw?"

"Maybe it was just a fluke," Paige shrugged. "I don't think I've had a cold since I got my powers...maybe it was just, like, a magical glitch in the system." She looked up hopefully.

"Well...maybe," Piper conceded. "But for now, we're keeping an eye on you. And anyway, if you're coming down with Phoebe's cold, you're gonna be feeling a lot worse soon. You're not going anywhere, orbs or no orbs."

"Sorry, Paigey," Phoebe sniffed. "I didn't mean to make you sick."

"Oh, sweetie, of course you didn't," Paige said soothingly, hugging her sister tightly. "Please don't feel guilty. It was my choice to stay home with you, remember?"

"Yeah, you never feel guilty when you give me a cold," Piper added sardonically.

"That's cause you gave me the chicken pox," Phoebe retorted, sticking her tongue out.

"That doesn't count!" Piper cried indignantly. "I got it from Prue!" Paige laughed at her sisters' silly banter, as they pretended to be mad at each other. They were too wrapped up in their mock-argument to notice when Paige started sniffling again, until she took a shuddering breath and pressed the kleenex in her hands up under her nose.

"Huh-chshkk!" Paige sneezed, and disappeared.

"Whoa." Piper said flatly, eyes wide and unblinking.

"Told ya," Phoebe snickered as Paige reappeared. "Bless you, honey," she added sweetly.

"Did I do it again?" Paige sniffed, pulling another tissue from the box that sat between them on the couch and wiping her nose impatiently.

"Uh-huh," Piper grinned affectionately. "Definitely not a fluke."

"Great." Paige flopped back against the couch cushions, rolling her eyes. "I'm officially a freak."

"Welcome to the family," Phoebe grinned, kissing her cheek. Paige grinned slowly back.

“I wonder if anything else will make me orb...?” Paige’s eyes widened as the possibilities hit her, and Piper and Phoebe exploded with laughter.

“You’re on your own there, sister,” Piper snickered. “But I will make you some nice hot chicken soup. How does that sound?”

“Awesome,” Paige sighed gratefully, sinking back into the warm blankets and Phoebe’s warmer arms, as Piper kissed them both and headed for the kitchen.

THE END

...hope you all enjoyed my little romp!

[army-girl]

the end? what do you mean the end? I want more

Gosh, whatever made you come out of lurkdom... bless that I really liked this fic you did an awesome job, really, so cute gimme more *plead* superb.

[army-girl]

Right, now that I'm awake, and it's not like, 3AM in the morning. I wanted to take another shot at expressing how happy I am with this fic, I think you really managed to stick to the original feel of the characters and their dynamics, I think the whole thing was pretty sweet, and I like your use of the English language (which is "big words" for well written).

Now seriously, about that end thing... what do you mean end? more! more! I said MORE! *greedy look*

You do them justice.

[wannablessedbe]

aww, thanks army girl!

the only reason I decided to end there was cuz I haven't hardly been getting any feedback since I posted the first part...that, combined with the fact that my semester is just starting to hit "crunch time." of course I am vain enough to respond to popular opinion on these matters...is anyone else reading this?? shall I go on...?

I was also sort of thinking about doing an ER fic over x-mas break...anyone else besides me in love with neela?

[army-girl]

Heh, you're a fine example as to why I feel weird about reading stories on forums... I prefer the format of serotica or other story-archive sites so much better just because the inevitability of comments on forums is avoided. Also the entire reason I very rarely feel like I oughta respond to a story on this section of the forum... it's like... I read it, but saying I liked it (or even worse, didn't like it ) just isn't enough nor is it fair to the writer, and if I can't commit myself to an honest peripheral review of it, why comment at all?

Anyway, judge by the number of views I know for a fact I will be giving the whole thing a second read (just not sure when), I found it really enjoyable (is it maybe ahem because I'm head-over-heels for Alyssa Milano? maybe a little... )

Anyway, my advise (and this is good valuable advise from the point of view of a self-proclaimed writer who is not writing, we're the best kind.... *smack forehead*) keep writing for yourself, write what you'd like to read, think less of "pleasing your audience", I sense a certain tonality in your dialogs (both between characters and internal) that is rather sweet to be around, a certain sensitivity. Granted, in the hand of characters made of scratch that are entirely your own I'm not sure how it would fully manifest itself, but between the walls of fan-fiction, particularly the Charmed sisters, I rather like it

Now I've gotta go stamp out any sort of motivation or urge to criticize writing this post flared inside me before I go do something silly like try to write...

Over and Out,

Army-girl.

[wannablessedbe]

TLC

Chapter 5

by WannaBlessedBe

************************************************************************

"This sucks," Paige groused as Piper handed her a steaming mug of tea, pursing her lips in a childish pout that reminded Piper irresistibly of Phoebe. "I don't want to stay in all weekend...I don't even feel that sick. I don't think I got it as bad as Pheebs," she motioned to her other sister, who had fallen asleep on the end of the couch in the few minutes it had taken Piper to make the tea. She was still much paler than normal, her face and throat glazed with a faint sheen of sweat.

"Wake up, lovebug," Piper cooed, stroking a damp lock of hair back from Phoebe's face as she sat beside her. "I've got some nice hot medicine for you."

"Uhhhh...sleepy..." Phoebe mumbled, eyes still closed.

"C'mon, baby girl," Piper hummed, gently but persistently shaking her sister's shoulder until she opened her eyes, shooting them both an ugly look as she blinked groggily.

"Piiiiiiiiper," Phoebe whined, rubbing her eyes with the exact same pout Paige had displayed a moment ago. "I don't feel good."

"I know, honey, that's why I brought you this." Piper held out the steaming cup, which Phoebe grudgingly took. "Drink it while it's nice and hot, and then you can go right back to sleep, okay?" Phoebe said nothing, but brought the mug to her lips and slowly sipped, sighing when the hot liquid reached her throat. Piper smiled encouragingly, then glanced over at her other sister, who was still looking grumpy.

"Paigey, that goes for you too, you know." She pointed to the mug in front of her youngest sister.

"I told you, I feel fine," Paige whined, crossing her arms and scowling. "I don't need any Theraflu, and I don't need to be treated like an invalid! I just have a little cold. So why can't I just--"

"Paige, we've been through this already," Piper exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "You don't just have a little cold; you have a magical little cold. And if anyone saw--"

"You don't think I could control myself if I had to?" Paige asked, raising her eyebrows. Phoebe snickered into her tea. "What?" Paige demanded.

"Oh, please," Phoebe giggled, a little hoarsely. "You couldn't hold in a sneeze if your life depended on it."

"You're one to talk!" Piper exclaimed, tapping Phoebe on the nose and smirking. "You couldn't do any better if all our lives depended on it."

"You're never gonna let me live that down, are you?" Phoebe complained, but she smiled when Paige gave her a confused look.

"What?" Paige asked, looking between her sisters as they caught each other's eye and began to laugh.

"Oh," Piper snickered, "it was just this one time, a few years ago, when Pheebs and I were hiding from Prue behind this trellis thing..."

"Why were you..." Paige frowned, wrinkling her nose. She wanted to prove to her sisters that she could stop herself form sneezing if she really wanted to; but try as she might, she couldn't keep her eyes open as her breath welled up and her nose twitched.

"Ah...ahhhh..." Paige scrubbed her nose as hard as she could with the side of her hand, and the itch abated. "Huh." She blinked, opening her eyes with a triumphant smile. "See, I told you guys I could...k'tchoo!" Immediately, Paige disappeared.

"Bless you," Piper and Phoebe chorused as she reappeared, sniffling and scowling.

"Son of a bitch," Paige grumbled, snuffling into the tissues Phoebe handed her.

"Guess you're stuck with me," Phoebe gave her sister a wan smile, reaching for another tissue and wiping her own pink nose with a deep, wet sniffle. "Sorry."

"Aw, honey, I didn't mean it like that," Paige said, the grumpy scowl sliding from her face as her attention was shifted away from her own problems and onto her sister, who looked far more miserable.

"It's okay," Phoebe sniffed, a quaver in her voice as she curled up against the pillows rubbing her eyes. Paige remembered what Piper had said about Phoebe being sensitive and emotional when she was sick, and suddenly felt like a complete jerk for her momentary thoughtlessness. It was shocking how strongly the urge to cheer her sister up came over her; like some part of her brain she had never even used had suddenly kicked into autopilot. Crawling across the small space on the couch, Paige pulled Phoebe into her lap and began lightly stroking her hair.

"So why exactly were you two hiding from Prue?" she asked Piper, hoping the story was a good one, that would divert Phoebe's attention from her current misery.

"Oh," Piper grinned sardonically, "she was trying to kill us at the time..."

"What?" Paige gaped.

"Long story," Piper assured her.

"Demon put a spell on her," Phoebe explained with a weak grin.

"Apparently not that long," Piper amended, giving Phoebe a playful wink. "Anyway, we were hiding behind this trellis thing, and little miss stealth here just had to sneeze." Piper reached over and tousled Phoebe's hair playfully.

"I *sniff* couldn't help it," Phoebe shrugged. "I was getting a cold."

"Of course you couldn't," Piper grinned sardonically. "That's the point...and that's why you can't go out for a few days, Paigey. Demon hunting and colds just don't mix!"

“Yeah, yeah,” Paige waved her off. “I got it, Pipe. So what happened after Phoebe sneezed and gave away your hiding place? Prue obviously didn’t kill you...”

“No, we managed to break the spell, vanquish the demon, and save the day,” Piper smiled mildly. “Prue felt sooooo guilty afterwards, though...”

********************************

Piper pulled her Jeep into the driveway and was about to jump out, when Prue poked her ribs and motioned for her to look over her shoulder. In the back seat, their youngest sister was out cold, her cheek pressed against the window, snoring quietly.

“She’s our little angel, isn’t she?” Prue murmured fondly.

“You’d never say that when she was awake,” Piper snorted, as Prue leaned over the seat and gently shook her sister.

“Hey sleepyhead,” she cooed, “we’re home.”

“Mmhmm,” Phoebe mumbled, shifting slightly in her seat. Prue waited a few moments, then shook her again.

“C’mon, Pheebs, time to wake up...”

“She must be exhausted,” Piper sighed, leaning over the seat to help Prue shake their little sister awake.

“S’amatter?” Phoebe murmured, finally opening her puffy eyes with a yawn, followed by a snuffly sneeze into her lap.

“Bless you,” Prue and Piper chorused, both grinning fondly over the seat.

“Where’s the demon?” Phoebe sniffled sleepily.

“All gone, thanks to you,” Prue smiled adoringly over the seat at her sleepy-eyed sister. “Want a piggy-back ride, honey?” Phoebe nodded, rubbing her nose with another huge yawn. Piper said nothing as she trailed behind them, watching as Phoebe put her head down on Prue’s shoulder, arms wrapped limply around her big sister's neck. Unwilling to disturb her, Prue simply used her powers to make the front door swing open, depositing her quarry neatly on the couch.

“How about some dinner?” Piper asked brightly, bringing up the rear and kicking off her shoes.

“Yeah, I’m starving,” Prue agreed, flopping down on the couch next to Phoebe. “You guys want to call for a pizza?”

“Ugh, I’m not hungry,” Phoebe groaned, curling up in Prue’s lap and closing her eyes again. Prue frowned.

“Phoebe, honey, are you coming down with something? You don’t sound so good.”

“Just tired,” Phoebe mumbled, a small sigh escaping her lips as Prue’s hand sifted through her hair and felt her forehead.

“And hot,” Prue said worriedly. “Piper, will you bring me the thermometer, please?”

“Prue, you don’t have to baby me like this anymore,” Phoebe frowned, sitting up and rubbing her nose roughly. “I just...just...huh-choo!”

“Bless you,” Prue said sweetly, rubbing her sister’s back lightly as she pulled a crumpled kleenex from her pocket and blew her nose.

“Thanks,” Phoebe sniffed, glowering. "But I'm not sick. One little sneeze doesn't mean..." Prue observed her fluttering eyes and shallow breathing; it seemed utterly unnecessary to point out that she had counted three sneezes so far. Knowing her sister wasn’t through yet, she grabbed the box of tissues that sat on the coffee table and deposited them in Phoebe’s lap. Phoebe grabbed a handful, and with a wheezy snuffle, launched into a series of bone-rattling sneezes.

“Goodness,” Piper remarked mildly as she came back into the room with thermometer in hand, and a bottle of NyQuil. “You sound terrible, baby.” She sat down on Phoebe’s other side, waiting patiently for the sneezing fit to subside.

“Ugh,” Phoebe panted when she could finally draw breath. “I *sniff* guess I am sick,” she admitted sheepishly, a small smile creeping onto her face as her sisters fussed over her, both of them feeling her forehead and smoothing her hair back.

“No wonder you were sneezing out on the balcony,” Prue frowned, thinking back to an hour earlier, when she’d nearly killed both her sisters. She shivered involuntarily. “Well, baby girl, no more demon hunting for you-- not for a few days, anyway. Wanna watch a movie?” Phoebe grinned weakly, knowing that Prue would offer no resistance to whatever she picked.

"And I'll make some of your favorite miso soup, okay sweetie?"

"'Kay," Phoebe nodded happily, curling up in Prue's lap again. "Prue, will you rub my back?"

"Sure, baby girl," Prue smiled broadly. "Anything you want." Phoebe grinned and closed her eyes.

*********************************************

"Oh, you totally milked that one for all it was worth," Piper snickered, quietly observing how Phoebe had curled up in Paige's lap exactly as she used to with Prue, the two of them looking as comfortable and familiar as if they'd been together all their lives.

"Little sisters' prerogative," Phoebe sniffed, grinning devilishly. "Remember that, Paigey, it's...huhhh...choo!" Phoebe curled up involuntarily, knees tucked into her stomach as she sneezed.

"Bless you!" Paige giggled while Phoebe quickly wiped at the damp spot she'd left on Paige's pajama bottoms.

"Thanks...*sniff*...sorry I sneezed on you." Phoebe looked up bashfully, a faint blush coloring her pale cheeks.

"Don't worry about it," Paige said dismissively with a wave of her hand. "You can sneeze on me all you want, sweet girl." Piper grinned, remembering how she'd said almost those exact words more than fifteen years ago.

"Okay, you two snifflebugs...time for some dinner. And don't even think about telling me you're not hungry," she warned, wagging her finger in a menacing, mom-like way.

"I wasn't going to," Paige shrugged. Phoebe scowled, and pulled the blankets up over her head.

"I'll be ba-aaaack," Piper chirruped as she left the living room with a wink for Paige, who was quietly snickering at her sister's childish pouting.

"C'mon, honey, finish your tea," she urged, patting the Phoebe-shaped lump of blankets. There was no response for a moment; then the lump wiggled, and gave a muffled "k'tchoo!"

"Uh-oh," Paige said in a serious, dramatic voice. "I think this blanket has a cold! I'd better give it some medicine..." Sneaking her fingers under the covers, Paige began tickling every part of her sister she could reach, making Phoebe shriek with laughter.

"Okay, okay!" Phoebe gasped, throwing the blankets off her now flushed face with a huge grin. "I give!"

"Good girl," Paige smiled back, handing her the still warm tea with a kiss on the temple. Phoebe took it without arguing, swallowing what was left in one gulp. "There, that wasn't so bad now, was it?" Paige asked, cocking her head with a superior expression. Phoebe raised one eyebrow, glancing significantly at Paige's still untouched cup sitting on the coffee table.

"You tell me," she grinned innocently.

"Oh...no fair!" Paige cried, but she couldn't help smiling at her sister's broad grin. I guess I have a knack for this sister thing after all, she thought happily, as she grudgingly accepted her tea, and took a long gulp.

[army-girl]

Hey fun for me! you wrote another one ^.^ thanks for that

Will be looking forward for more

[Mindnight Sword]

This is really good, wannablessedbe! I've never seen the show, but I enjoyed your story very much.