Power Surge

In The Jeep- En Route To The Restaurant

         "Dammit, dammit, dammit!!! We have ten freakin' minutes to get to the restaurant for the reservation time, and we're stuck in this traffic. Why didn't you just orb us?" Piper asked as she smacked the steering wheel. "Because you want a normal life without powers and Phoebe forbade the use of magic. Besides, let's enjoy the last night of the year. God knows it's been a long one with all the vanquishing, hormones, and child-bearing," Leo told her. "Who is Phoebe anyway? You know they used to call her Captain Freebie in high school?" Piper told him. They shared a good laugh at this. Moments later, Piper saw an opening in the traffic ahead. As she started to go, the guy next to her cut her off and moved in front of her.

Piper slammed on the brakes, laid on the horn, and screamed out the window, "Son of a bitch!" At the same time she started to put her hand out the window as the guy in front of her gave her a certain hand gesture. "Piper...." Leo said. "Maybe I should have driven instead," Leo pointed out as Piper pulled her arm back in the window after making her own obscene gesture in response. "You wouldn't get pissed off over him cutting you off?" Piper challenged him. "Why? We're not getting anywhere faster anyhow," Leo replied. "That's so not the point!" Piper shrieked, shouting out the window at the guy.

Halliwell Manor- Paige and Glenn's Bedroom- An Hour Later

Paige orbed in from her whitelighter call, and breathed an audible sigh of relief upon finding herself alone. A sudden mewling noise was heard, and Paige looked down, opening the front of her coat. "Shh, shh, little one... we'll get you something to eat. I imagine you're starving, aren't you?" The small Siamese kitten resting in her jacket looked up at her and cried again. "Okay, okay, we'll get you some food," she whispered. "Stop crying...I'm a mother to a human infant, so you shouldn't be too difficult to take care of." The kitten began to calm down at the soothing tone of Paige's voice, and as she stroked its tiny head, it began to purr contentedly. "Let's go get you some food," she whispered as she opened the door, and then checked to be sure that the hallway was deserted before she ventured out.

"Paige, hi... when did you get back?" Phoebe inquired as she met her baby sister on the staircase.

"Just a few minutes ago," Paige replied. "You still have your coat on...are you cold, sweetie?" Phoebe asked with a concerned expression. "No," Paige answered, thinking fast and trying to sound convincing. "I'm going downstairs to hang it up and see my husband; if I had taken it off upstairs, I would forget where it was."

"Good point," Phoebe praised. "Well, I'm going to go and get something from my bedroom, so I'll see you later, okay?"

"Sure, see you downstairs," Paige told her, trying not to visibly react as the kitten sank its sharp little baby teeth into her abdomen, looking for food. She bounded down the remaining stairs and then began to reprimand the kitten in a sharp whisper as she made her way to the kitchen, saying. "Hey! No fair biting, little one. There's a little human being growing under the skin you just bit, and I don't want him or her kicking at you to retaliate, got me? Cause I'm the one that's gonna feel it and that's just not cool."

"Who are you talking to, Noog?" Glenn inquired as he entered the hallway from the conservatory.

"Uhm, myself?" Paige stated with a comical facial expression. "You never were a good liar, Paige Alexandra," Glenn admonished his wife, trying to sound stern. "Neither were you, Glenn Christopher," she countered. "Seriously, Paige, who were you talking to?" Glenn asked. Before Paige could form an answer, the kitten let out a loud cry from the confines of her coat. "Was that a cat?" Glenn asked slowly.

"Come into the kitchen!" Paige ordered as she grabbed him by the elbow and yanked him in that direction.

"Yes, it's an abandoned, starving kitten that I found in Australia," Paige announced once she and Glenn were safely in the kitchen together. She then opened her coat, and Glenn murmured softly in awe as two very blue eyes peered out at him. "Noog; how cute is that...and pretty eyes like Peyton's! But, no; No, no, no...." Glenn protested, shaking his head. "We can't. It could be diseased, or a demon kitty, or hurts the kids, or especially our kid growing in there! Are you crazy!?"