Soul Exchange

Halliwell Manor- Living Room 2:00 PM

         "I'm sorry, Jenna," Paige began with an apologetic smile, as she seated herself on the couch opposite the wedding coordinator, with Peyton sobbing in her arms. "My daughter's not feeling well, and all she wants is Momma."

"Not a problem," Jenna replied with an understanding smile. "I have one myself who's just a little older; her name's Morgan."

"This is Peyton," Paige said, as her daughter let out a loud howl. "Here, sweetie," Piper said as she offered Peyton her pacifier. Peyton latched onto it greedily and immediately calmed down. Paige smiled gratefully at her sister, and then focused her attention on Jenna.

"Okay, Paige...lets talk colors," Jenna suggested, all business, now that the baby was quiet. "Well, my sister Piper, here had pink for her wedding dresses, and my other sister, Phoebe, had aqua for hers. Since I'll be getting married in December, I was thinking a deep red or maybe a royal blue?" Piper could not hide her smirk of disapproval when Paige mentioned the color blue. "What's your problem over there?" Paige demanded, scowling at Piper, who sat on the other couch. "Royal blue?!" Piper replied with a look of indignation. "Royal blue is boring, Paige. How about iridescent midnight blue instead?" Paige's scowl turned to a look of interest as she gazed at her older sister. "I never thought of that," Paige said as she looked to Jenna again.

After a moment or two had passed, Jenna turned the book she held in Paige's direction and pointed at a color swatch. "I think this is what Piper was talking about," Jenna announced as Piper stood up and approached them. "Yep, that's it," Piper stated as she looked on over her sister's shoulder. "That's beautiful!" Paige gasped. "Thanks for butting in, sis."

"You're welcome," Piper answered as she laid a hand on Paige's shoulder.

"Okay, so the wedding date is the sixth of December, correct?" Jenna inquired. Paige nodded and said, "We wanted to have it in December, but we wanted to make sure we were home from our honeymoon in time to celebrate Christmas with the family."

"All right. Do you have any thoughts in mind for food?" Jenna continued. "Actually, Piper is a chef, so she will be taking care of that end," Paige announced. "Well, the planning, anyhow," Paige amended as her sister glared at her. Paige shot a look in Piper's direction with a thought that said, 'I'm so sorry!' Piper's returning thought said, 'Your ass is mine, later, half-breed.'

"I guess our next order of business will be flowers, then," Jenna stated. "Well, my fiancé and I have decided on red and white roses," Paige answered. "Since it will be December, summery flowers wouldn't look right."

"Okay, I know this is short notice, but how about invitations?" Jenna prodded. "We know who we want to invite..." Paige answered. "It will be a small, intimate gathering here at the house."

"Okay. I guess that's all I have, then," Jenna answered as she began to gather her samples. "Thank you so much," Paige said a few minutes later as she opened the Manor's front door to see Jenna out. "You're welcome, Paige," Jenna answered as she stepped out onto the porch. "I will call you later in the week and let you know how things are progressing," she promised. "Thanks again!" Paige called as Jenna walked down the outside stairs to her car.

Paige breathed a sigh of apprehension as she pushed the door closed and turned to face her big sister.

"You have got some explaining to do, Missy!" Piper snapped. "How dare you volunteer me without asking!"

"Piper, I'm sorry!" Paige cried. "She was just so, so pushy! I had to say something to shut her up! I'll call a caterer, I swear!"

"You do that again, and you'll see a coroner first, lady!" Piper shrieked. Peyton, startled by her aunt's outburst, shot ice orbs, covering an end table in a thick layer of ice. "Why does she always have to pull stunts like that when the 'human torch' is at work?" Piper inquired.

"'Human torch'? Paige asked with a puzzled frown. "Phoebe!" Piper shouted. "I was talking about Phoebe!"

"Just keep up the screaming, Piper...let's see what else you can make my daughter coat in ice, shall we?" Paige snapped. She shot a scathing glance at Piper, and then screeched at the top of her lungs. "LEO!!!!"

"Now who's yelling?" Piper inquired as she tapped her foot on the floor. "Oh, shut up!" Paige ordered as blue and silver orbs shimmered in the air. As the orbs dissipated, Leo stood before them, worry evident in his blue-green eyes. "What? What is it?" he inquired.

"Well, you can start by calling off Bitch-zilla, here," Paige quipped, as she nodded her head in Piper's direction, earning herself a death glare. "What I really called you for is to ask if you can melt Peyton's little 'mishap', here. Piper scared her, " Paige explained. "'Bitch-zilla', huh?" Piper suddenly interrupted. "Is that honestly what you think of me, Paige?!"

"Piper!" Paige yelped, as she looked, horror-stricken at her big sister. "Of course I didn't mean it! How can you even think that I did?!" Paige choked as unbidden tears formed in her eyes. "I just got angry with you because you kept on yelling at me, even after I apologized, and I didn't like it," Paige finished in a wail as she began to cry.

"Paige, calm down," Piper ordered gently. "You're already sick, sweetie...don't get yourself all worked up. Here," she continued, as she pushed Paige toward the couch. "Why don't you lie down with Peyton and try to relax, okay?" she suggested. Paige wordlessly obeyed as Piper turned to her Whitelighter husband, asking, "Can you take care of this yourself, or do you need Phoebs, here?"

"Don't bother Phoebe at work, please?" Paige begged. "For as many things as Peyton has iced in the past two months, Phoebe's probably getting tired of cleaning up the mess. "

As Piper opened her mouth, Leo silenced her with a look and said, "Paige has a point, Piper. I'll try to melt it myself, and if I can't, maybe you could try the vanishing spell."

"That is so personal gain!" Piper protested vehemently. "No it isn't," Paige stated through a yawn. "It's like when I froze Glenn and you exploded the throw pillow...using magic to clean up magic's mess isn't to be viewed as personal gain."

"She's right, Piper," Leo stated. "My suggestion is to just go straight to using the spell...if I fix it; we'll have water damage."

"You're right," Piper stated begrudgingly. She took a deep breath, offering up a silent plea that there would be no repercussions, and then closed her eyes as she began to recite the vanishing spell.

"Let the object of objection become but a dream,

as I cause the seen to be unseen."

Piper warily opened one eye and looked at the end table. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that it had returned to its normal state of existence. Seconds later, the Manor's front door opened, admitting Glenn, who called softly, "Hello!"

"In here, honey," Paige called softly. Seconds later, Glenn walked into the living room with a smile on his face. His smile faded quickly as he saw Paige stretched out on the couch; her face still streaked with drying tear tracks. "Baby, what's wrong?" he inquired in an alarmed tone as he dropped to his knees beside her.

"I'm okay, now," Paige insisted. "Piper and I had a minor disagreement, but we settled it, don't worry." She paused to yawn widely, and then continued, asking, "I know you just got home, but can you take Peyton for me? I'm really tired," she whimpered. "Sure. I can take her," Glenn answered as he kissed Paige and reached for the baby. "Come to Daddy, Missy Peyton. I missed you so much!" he exclaimed as he showered her small face with kisses. Peyton sighed contentedly and clutched one of Glenn's fingers in her tiny fist as she closed her eyes.

"Thanks, honey," Paige whispered as she, too, drifted off to sleep.