Third Time Charmed

Charmed Again (Part 10)

If she had been thinking clearly, Paige would have been worried for the safety of her job right now. She was too focused on what had just gone down, though, so much so that she had to pull over her lime green VW Beetle and take a moment to calm down. The picture of Jake Grisanti's smug face kept flashing across her mind's eye.

She had always known him to be a dirtbag, but the way he basically admitted to it, and then provoked her... It was infuriating! The worst part was, he was right. Without knowing for sure what was happening to Aaron Grisanti, there was nothing she could do to prevent it, professionally or otherwise. Was that feeling of uncertainty and powerlessness just something about the job that she would have to learn to accept? Or was there more she could do?

After resuming her journey a few minutes later, Paige arrived at the old church. It was more of a cathedral, really, tall and imposing, mounted with stone gargoyles. The inside was just as impressive, a cavernous space beset with an ornate altarpiece and beautiful stained-glass windows, which let colored light flood in from all sides.

Walking up the aisle in awe, Paige approached a nun in a royal blue habit and asked, "Excuse me. Are you Sister Agnes?"

"Yes," the kind-faced woman confirmed with a warm smile. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Paige. Paige Matthews?"

The woman's face showed no sign of recognition.

"You might not remember me. I've probably changed a little bit since you last saw me, on August second, nineteen seventy-seven. Does that ring any bells?"

The nun's eyes widened with wonder, and she touched a hand to the silver cross sitting on her chest. "Oh, dear Lord," she breathed.

***

When Prue emerged from the manor, wearing her leather jacket over a green peasant blouse, and about a pound of cover-up on her face to conceal a red handprint, Piper drove them to the church in silence. She was consumed with regret but didn't know how to voice it. When they arrived, she grabbed her sister by the arm to stop her from exiting the vehicle. "Piper, about what I said..." she started.

Piper took a breath and turned expectantly.

"I'm so sorry. I can't believe I even said it. It was like an out-of-body experience. I heard the words coming out of my mouth, but I couldn't stop myself."

Piper sighed, "Prue... I can't say it didn't hurt to hear you say those things...but everyone grieves differently."

"That's no excuse. It was a hideous thing to say," Prue admonished herself. "I'd have hit me too."

After a pause, Piper pressed, "So, you don't believe it? That it was my fault?"

"No, of course not," Prue insisted.

"Are you sure?" Piper asked, her eyes tearing up. "Because I've asked myself those same questions, and the truth is, I froze! I saw you slam through that wall, and I just...froze. Ironic, huh? The witch with the freezing power scared stiff!"

"No, it's understandable. Shax was stronger than anything we've ever gone up against."

"Yeah, but I just shut down, Prue. My legs moved on their own, and then I was standing there in front of him, flailing my hands, but all I could think about was you," Piper recalled. "I still remember the sound of it. Or maybe what I imagine I heard. It just pops into my head sometimes when I'm not expecting it—the sound of howling wind, the sound of your bones crunching against wood and plaster...."

Prue nodded. For her, it wasn't the sounds she remembered. It was the pain. "I don't blame you, Piper, really. What I said... It was just me trying to avoid facing the truth."