Rain on Her Parade (Charmed, Paige)

[onepageatatime]

Hey guys! So this is my first time posting fan fiction on this site and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous.. 

Anyways, I don't know if theres a super big Charmed fandom on here, but it is one of my all time favorite shows and has inspired a lot of writing for me (this is just the newest.) So this is the first part of many, I apologize theres not a ton of sneezing in this part, but it's building up to a sneeze filled part 2! So yeah let me know if you guys like this and want more. I have part 2 done and will be posting it tomorrow.

This takes place directly after "The Fifth Halliwheel" in season 4, when Phoebe and Piper are tired of Paige's accusations on Cole and leave her at the club to wallow after she says she doesn't trust him. Paige does some inadvertent self sabotage and fluff ensues. 

And if you're not familiar with the show, the general idea is that it is about 3 sisters who are witches, each having different powers. 

Like I said I have part 2 done and have a general direction I want to go with this fic, but if you have any suggestions/ideas feel free to drop them below and I will try to incorporate them! 

So, without further adieu... please enjoy.  

 

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Paige had always hated the rain, so it seemed pretty fitting that it would rain today. It was the kind of day one was sure couldn’t get worse, and then the universe had to go and do something like this and suddenly it was worse.

The windshield wipers of the bright green BMW bug swung frantically to keep the rain from clouding the view of the windshield. Not that Paige could see much anyways with tears welling up in her eyes as she slowly made her way back to the Halliwell Manor.

She’d had a pretty bad day. First she had gotten attacked and infected by a demon; almost died because of said demon (not that she could remember that part of it anyways.) And then she had gone and upset not one, but both of her sisters and been left alone to wallow at P3. Both Phoebe and Piper had left her there alone. Not that she was surprised. They were real sisters and who was Paige but the replacement they never wanted for their beloved Prue. The one who always managed to screw up somehow or say or do the wrong thing. Exactly like she’d done tonight.

The conversation that started it still rang clearly in her ears.
“I don’t hate Cole. I just don’t trust him.... I’m sorry.” She had tried to explain to Phoebe.
“Yeah. I am too.” Phoebe had uttered softly before getting up and leaving, Piper not trailing far behind. These were probably the last words her sister would say to her. It had only been a few months since she had even found them and she had to go and push them away, Phoebe for certain. She’d seen the look in her eyes as she had walked away. It was the same look her parents gave her every time she had come home drunk or done something else destructive to disappoint them. But this was different. There was something really off about Cole lately. All she was doing was trying to protect her sister. But nothing she said or did ever sounded like it.

She was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts however when she heard a loud “BANG” and suddenly felt her car veer sharply to the right.
 

Dammit! The tires shot.

 

She pulled over safely to the side of the road braking hard before putting the car in park and putting on her emergency lights. It was a dark night and because of the rain clouds there were no moon or stars to be seen. The last thing she wanted was to be rear ended by some asshole who wasn’t paying attention.
She opened the door and stepped out into the rain, shivering slightly at the ice cold water dampening her hair and cursing under her breath that she had forgotten her raincoat at home.

She really should keep one in the car at this point.

Walking around the car her eyes immediately landed on her right front tire which had a giant screw sticking out of it.
Paige threw her hands up in frustration “Oh come on!” She kicked it impulsively, immediately regretting it as a sharp pain invaded her foot. She turned against the car for balance and grabbed the foot in her hands. “OWW! God dammit!” She muttered bitterly. Clenching her teeth as a tear from both anger and pain ran down her face, stinging her already cold cheeks. Why did this day just keep getting worse.
 

“What am I going to do?” Paige asked herself quietly, pacing back and forth. She must have looked ridiculous to those passing in cars beside her but at the moment she really did not care. “I can’t call Phoebe or Piper. They couldn’t even stand to be in the same room as me they wouldn’t want to help me. I don’t even have a goddamn spare.” Her mind wandered. A mechanic would be her only option she decided. She had a few listed in her contacts in her phone. Paige was a lot of things, but she wasn’t the greatest driver and this unfortunately wasn’t her first time stuck roadside.

She pulled out her cell phone and checked her contacts, finding the 24 hour hotline almost immediately. After explaining the situation to the man on the other end he told her it would be about an hour until someone could get there with a spare.
“An hour?”
“Sorry ma’am we’re located all the way across town and we only have a few drivers out tonight.
“What if I come and get it?”
“I don’t think that would be much quicker but you’re more than welcome to come purchase a spare from us. It will definitely get you home tonight and then you can bring it into the shop during normal hours tomorrow.

“Perfect, I’ll be there soon. Thanks.”
She hung up the phone and climbed back into her car. She couldn’t very well risk someone seeing her orb as they drove by. She pictured herself standing st the side of the mechanics building and before she knew it she felt the blue and white orbs engulfing her.

“Yeet!” She squeaked as she landed in a heap beside the brick building, of course she had managed to orb herself right into the middle of a goddamn puddle. Her black pants were now drenched and she could feel herself start to shiver even harder as she pushed herself off the ground and onto her feet.
But she wasn’t surprised. Today just wasn’t her day.
She brushed herself off as best as she could and made her way into the store. After trying to come up with an excuse for getting here so quickly to the man behind the desk, who of course just happened to be the same one she spoke to on the phone, she paid for her donut tire and quickly left, not wanting to be held up for longer than she had to. She was absolutely freezing.

Stepping back into the rain she darted back to the side of the building looking around carefully to make sure nobody was around to see her before orbing back to her car. At least she knew she couldn’t screw that landing up.

She closed her eyes and before she knew it she was back in her green bug, the tire clutched tightly in both hands. The rain seemed to be coming down harder now, if that was even possible and Paige had the beginnings of what threatened to be a killer headache.

She got out and changed the tire, becoming so soaked that there wasn’t an inch of her that was dry. She was actually pretty skilled at changing a tire, her dad had taught her when she was 12, but the weather wasn’t cooperating and made everything three times harder. By the time she was finished she was practically vibrating she was shaking so hard and her teeth were rattling in her mouth.

Finally, she climbed back into her car, blasted the heat, and made the careful drive the rest of the way home.

When she finally pulled into the driveway at the manor it was ten past 11 o’clock. She saw the lights in the foyer and kitchen still on. Strange. She thought Leo and Piper would have left back for their honeymoon in Hawaii already, and Phoebe would be back in her hotel room with Cole celebrating theirs. God knows she wouldn’t be caught around Paige right now.

Still shopping wet, and shivering slightly, Paige climbed out of the car and booked it for the house. It was still absolutely POURING outside and the roads were starting to flood as the drains overflowed with the exuberant amount of water threatened to overflow into the street. Her tiny car had to practically SWIM home and she was quite sure that if the driveway wasn’t on a hill, her car would float away during the night.

She pulled out her key and raised it to the lock, her hands shaking uncontrollably from cold. She finally managed to get it into the lock but of course the door decided to stick. She jiggled it in the lock desperately, very anxious to get out of the rain.
“Come on you stupid door just open! Ugh!” She growled with exasperation, kicking the door with her foot and suddenly feeling her breath catch in her throat. She turned and coughed softly into her sleeve.
That was it. She needed to get out of this cold.

She closed her eyes and pictured her nice warm bed, but just as she was about to orb inside, the door flung open to show a disheveled Piper staring down at her.
“Paige? What are you doing out here?” Her older sister questioned, taking in her pitiful appearance. The poor girl was literally dripping water. Her arms were clutched around her small frame and she was shaking so hard her teeth had a slight chatter to them. “And why are you sopping wet? Oh get in here!” Piper demanded as she practically pulled her through the doorway into the nice warm manor.
“I h-had a l-little car t-t-trouble that’s all.” The youngest stuttered, coughing again into her sleeve. “W-what are you still d-doing here?”

“I thought I’d start cleaning up the attic after… after what happened today...” She explained, Paige’s cheeks turned pink with guilt over the damage she had caused, even if she couldn’t remember doing it.

“Oh look at you you’re chilled to the bone.” They walked into the living room, Paige’s teeth still chattering audibly. Piper fussed, wrapping a blanket from the couch tightly around Paige’s shoulders.

“Th-thanks,” The youngest smiled up at her sister gratefully, before her eyes clouded over with a distant expression, and her hand flew up to frantically scrub her nose, hoping it would make the sudden itching in it subside.

“Paige?” Piper watched as her sister continued to fight off the obvious oncoming sneeze, but it was unfortunately to no avail.

She bent over, catching the soft “Hetchoo!” in her cupped hands. Suddenly engulfed in blue and white lights as she orbed out and then back to the same position almost immediately.

Piper gasped in surprise, “Uhhh…”

“What?” Paige sniffed, looking at her sisters expression, wondering what was so surprising about a little random sneeze, “Is it because I didn’t use my arm?”  she smiled apologetically. She discreetly continued to wipe her hands on her pants and made a mental note to wash them extra well later.

“Um, no.” Piper dismissed the thought, although she did find it a little gross she had resorted to her hands. “Honey… you orbed..”

“I what?”

“So you’ve never?”

“Orbed out when I sneezed?” She sniffed, “No, that’s a first….”  Paige shivered, suddenly feeling even colder than when she was outside.

Piper handed her a box of tissues from the coffee table. “It’s a really good thing it happened here then, huh?” She squeezed Paige’s shoulder comfortingly.

Paige grabbed a few from the box and pressed them against her nose. “Yeah, it probably wouldn’t have gone over too well if I’d orbed out in the middle of your club.” Paige laughed shyly, then suddenly remembered what had happened there tonight, and her heart sank. She wasn’t even sure why Piper was talking to her after she and Phoebe got up and left her like that. But before she could delve too much deeper into her internal analysis she felt a familiar tickle returning to her nose with a vengeance.

“Uh-oh,” was all she had time to utter before she crooked over with a strong “Etshoo! HaAtshoo! K’tShh!” Making extra sure to sneeze into her elbow this time.

“Whoa, Paige you okay?” Piper asked with concern after the orb lights had finally vanished. Paige nodded slowly, looking absolutely exhausted. She handed the tissue box back to Piper, her hand brushing up against her own and sending a chill down Piper’s spine. She put the box back on the table and immediately took both of Paige's hands in hers. “Honey you’re freezing.” She rubbed them in her own, trying to get them back to more of a normal temperature.

“Yeah, I was kind of out in the rain for a while.” Paige admitted, her eyes still refusing to meet her older sister’s, who was just noticing her sweat sheened face. She carefully reached out her hand and pressed the back of it to her forehead.

“You feel a little warm.”

“It’s nothing.” Paige dismissed, pulling her head and hands away from her sisters embrace, “I think I’m just gonna go take a hot shower.” And before Piper had a chance to comment Paige had orbed herself upstairs.

She frowned. She had never known Paige to be anything less but outspoken. Something wasn’t right, and she was going to get to the bottom of it, even if it meant putting off her honeymoon for yet another day.

[turtlesneeze]

I love Charmed! Great job! Keep going please!

[Yuuki]

This looks promising

I hope you continue ^^

[turtlesneeze]

This is great! I love Charmed! I just recently watched this episode that this story was loosely based on! Please continue!!!

[20andsickfic]

this was great!!!! Please please continue! 

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On 1/31/2019 at 3:16 PM, Yuuki said:

This looks promising

I hope you continue ^^

Thank you! I am sorry it's taken me so long but more will be up today!!

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On 2/16/2019 at 8:47 PM, turtlesneeze said:

This is great! I love Charmed! I just recently watched this episode that this story was loosely based on! Please continue!!!

Thank you so much! Yes The Fifth Halliwheel is definitely one of my favorites! I will have more up today, so sorry for the wait!!

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22 hours ago, 20andsickfic said:

this was great!!!! Please please continue! 

Thank you so much, I am glad you enjoyed!

 

Thanks for being so patient, I am sorry part 2 took this long. My horse unfortunately got very sick and I have spent the past weeks getting him back on his feet and ready to show again. It took up so much of my time I had to put this story on hold. But I am back now and will update more regularly! 

So here is part 2, I hope you all enjoy! 

 

Rain on Her Parade

Part 2 

 

Half an hour later Paige stepped out of the shower, clean and a lot warmer than she was before. She hoped no one else decided they needed to take a shower tonight because she was almost completely sure there would be no hot water left.

After putting on her coziest pajamas and wrapping her hair up in a towel she opened the door to the upstairs bathroom and walked across the hall to her room.
The dull ache in her head that she had felt in the car hours earlier was now becoming a full fledged headache and god all she really wanted was to go to sleep.

She had finally snuggled quietly into bed when Piper appeared with a mug of hot tea.

She cleared her throat, “Hey ...I’m sure you’re tired and want to get to sleep but that cough sounded pretty bad downstairs...so I made you some tea.”

“Oh...” Paige mumbled, surprised her sister was still showing so much interest in her after what happened at the club. She blushed, keeping her eyes to the floor. “Thanks.”
She took the mug from Piper’s outstretched hands and took a sip. It was so hot. Normally Paige would have resented it, but now it was just what her sore throat needed and the hot steam didn’t hurt either. She cupped her hands tightly around the hot mug, and waited for them to warm up a little.
She took a deep breath, inhaling the steam, which only made her nose start to itch again. She reached up and rubbed it, trying to make the sensation go away. No such luck.
Quickly, she turned her head into the crook of her elbow just in time to stifle a thick
“He-echt’SHUH! HumtSHU! K’SHH!” into the crook of her arm.
 

Paige sunk back deeper into bed continuing to sip her tea slowly, as though nothing had happened, although she was almost certain she had just orbed out again. Her eyes momentarily glanced in Piper’s direction, who still stood in the doorway, her arms crossed and looking very intently at her little sister.

“Are you sure you’re okay Paige?” She asked tentatively after a moment’s silence .
 

“I’m fine.” The response was quick and matter of fact.

Not convinced in the least, Piper raised an eyebrow. It wasn’t like Paige to say so little. If anything she overshared,  She and Phoebe would often laughingly tell Paige to stop rambling on and on. So why the sudden shut out? Maybe being infected by that demonic power had affected Paige in a more long lasting way than they realized, even after it had been removed. Could the high fever she’s had for a while be related to all this somehow?

I mean lets be honest, when had anything been easy in this family? Yes, she definitely needed to keep an eye on her little sister.

 

Piper walked over and sat next to Paige, crossing her legs and resting her hands on her knees.

“Paige, look I know we haven’t been close for terribly long.” She began, clearing her throat, “But if something is wrong you can tell me, you know that right? I’m your sister, that’s kind of what i’m here for.”
“Except if it’s about Cole, you mean.” Paige muttered under her breath, not missing a beat.
“What?”
“Nothing.” She said, finally meeting Piper’s gaze and forcing a small smile. Her eyes suddenly widened. She felt her breath catch and began to cough deeply. Any help the tea had done was erased as her throat ached more and more with each cough. She felt a hand rubbing small circles on her back and Piper’s voice soothing her until she could finally breathe again.

Piper’s concern grew as she felt the rattling congestion vibrating through her back as she attempted to ease Paige’s pain.

Paige didn’t notice Piper take the mug of tea out of her hands, but somehow it ended up on her bedside table and she couldn’t think of any better explanation.
“Honey it’s okay.” Piper continued softly. She took Paige’s hands. Her fingers were ice cold but her wrists were unusually hot.
Piper felt Paige’s forehead again. Slower this time. Paige didn’t object, and closed her eyes squeezing out a tear that  slowly ran down her cheek. It was a combination of coughing so hard and from the sharp pain in her throat that was now rubbed raw.

 

This time, Piper could really feel the heat of her sister’s face. She frowned “You’re really hot Paigey.”

“I know.” The girl admitted with a sniffle. She could always feel when she had a fever.  

She suddenly felt Another itch of impending sneeze and practically threw her arm up to catch it

“hhHa-HahCHEW!’

The sneeze resulted in a whimper as she orbed out and back in under the blankets. She threw her head back against the headboard and gave a forlorn sigh Piper could tell was laced with the pain Paige was obviously trying to hide.

 

Piper pulled a thermometer from her back pocket and popped the cap off.

Paige eyed it, confused as to why her sister was carrying around a thermometer.

“Why did you-“

“I had a hunch.” Piper cut in gently, already knowing exactly what her sister was about to ask. She smiled softly, tucking a piece of loose hair behind Paige’s ear. “Now open up, okay?”

 

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

 

Paige sat tightly tucked in bed with about 5 blankets her sister had piled onto her.

When her temperature had read 102.3 Piper went into overdrive; she’d always had the need to take care of her sisters and it only doubled since Prue died. Paige remembered just last week, Phoebe had scraped her elbow chasing down a Grimlock. Once they’d vanquished the bastard Piper had practically bandaged her entire arm after applying every ointment sold at their local Kroger.

 

“Arighty, This should do it.” Piper hollered from behind another stack of warm blankets; a tray of steaming hot soup and cough syrup balanced on top.

“Piper this isn’t the Arctic. I don’t need 20 blankets all to mys-hehH- Hhehechxschoo!” Paige actually felt the orbs engulf her this time and shivered slightly as she reappeared.

“Bless you.” Piper sighed, settling for just wrapping one more blanket around her sister and placing the tray of hot soup on her lap

Paige just stared at it with a blank expression on her face.

“Paige, honey, you gotta eat something.”

“I’m.. I’m not hungry...” she whispered half heartedly

“It’s hot soup, it will help, I promise.”

Reluctant but not wanting to hurt Piper’s feelings; she freed a hand from under the layers of blankets and slowly raised a spoonful of the hot soup to her mouth.

Piper noticed her hand trembling slightly, which only made her worry more. Paige took another spoonful and sipped it slowly. It was so good. She couldn’t think of the last time she’d had such a comforting meal since her parents died.

She was going in for more when she felt a familiar tickle in her nose. Piper watched as her sister’s gaze glassed over and her lungs expanded as she took in a deep inhale. “EtSHOO! He’ectxUh! KShh!”

“Goodness. Bless you honey.”

“Thadks,” Paige sniffed, smiling weakly at Piper once the orb lights had vanished,

her voice barely a whisper. Piper handed her a box of tissues; Paige gratefully grabbed three and blew her nose.

“I think it’s time for some cold medicine, wouldn’t you say?”

Paige grimaced. There weren’t a lot of things she liked less than that icky cherry syrup - gross!

“It will help with all that sneezing, and make you sleep.” Piper coaxed in a sing-songy voice.

Paige pursed her lips in contemplation. Now the sleep she could definitely get behind.

 

She nodded slowly, deciding the pros definitely outweighed the cons.

 

“That’s my girl.” Piper gently ruffled Paige’s black hair before unscrewing the cap off the NyQuil and measuring the correct amount.

She handed it back to Paige who still had the same disgusted look in her face, but gulped it  without complaint.

 

“Eck” she practically gagged, her face contorting to one of even more disgust, if that were even possible. She handed the cup back to Piper with just enough time to quickly turn away and catch a wet “K’shoo!” In her elbow.

“Bless you.” Piper comforted, knowing that one had stung a little by the way Paige was rubbing the base of her neck.

Realizing her sister was too exhausted to keep eating, she took back the tray of soup and gently got up from the bed. She would try again in the morning, but for now she could sense that more than anything, Paige needed sleep. It was already past eleven and Paige was struggling to keep her dulled eyes from closing shut.

“I’ll let you get some sleep, okay?”

She had just about made it to the door when she heard a soft voice calling her name.

“Piper?” Paige asked shyly, “w-will you stay?”

 

The eldest turned around to face her little sister, her big eyes and fevered cheeks staring back at her expectantly. She looked so innocent sitting there wrapped in all those covers, as if she were just a child again.

This made Piper smile and chuckle softly under her breath.  Then a sudden thought made her heart ache... that she and Phoebe didn’t have the chance to know Paige as a child. She’d missed so much of her sister’s life, and Paige missed so much of theirs. But they  had each other now, and while she knew Paige sometimes felt a little out of place and was still figuring out her place in this new family, Piper wanted her to know she was always there for her no matter what.

 

“Oh honey, of course I will.”

[onepageatatime]

Okay I'm not sure if theres a way to add to a post /edit it (still new here 😅) but if anyone wants to see anything specific let me know. I have a general plan for the story but I am always open to suggestions!

[20andsickfic]

Omg!!!! This was outstanding!!! Well done!!!

[20andsickfic]

I love contagion but I am also loving the sweet care taking!!! It’s so perfect!!!