Power Surge

Back At Halliwell Manor- A Short Time Later

         "Phoebe! Paige! Get your asses in here right now!" Piper screamed as she and Leo entered the foyer. "We've got an emergency situation going on!"

"What is it?" Phoebe inquired as she entered from the living room. "Yeah, what's your deal, lady?" Paige asked as she appeared from a swirl of orbs. "Oh-my-God!!!" Piper gasped as she looked at Paige. "What the hell did you do?!"

"What's your damage, lady?" Paige asked, and then it dawned on her exactly why her sister was tilting. She cuddled the tiny kitten close, and wrapped the blanket tighter as the kitten slurped loudly on the bottle hanging from its mouth. "Which one of our children did you cast a spell on, Half-Breed?" Piper growled. "If it was mine, you can kiss your Wiccan ass buenos noches."

As Paige opened her mouth to explain, Piper pushed past her and ran into the conservatory, where she breathed a loud sigh of relief as she spotted Garrett and Peyton snuggled side by side in the playpen, sharing a blanket between them, heads together, with Garrett's hand protectively resting on his little cousin's back. "Aww," Phoebe cooed as she came and looked over Piper's shoulder at her niece and nephew. "Okay, if the babies are asleep, what the heck was that?" Piper asked as she spun on her heel, nearly plowing Phoebe to the floor in the process. "Paige Alexandra Belland! Explain yourself, and I mean now!" she commanded. "I was trying to, but you went off half-cocked and screaming, as usual," Paige began. "Now let's go into the living room and I'll tell you what's going on."

Once in the living room, Piper perched on the edge of the couch and glared at Paige with an expression capable of freezing molten lava. "Okay, umm, here goes..." Paige stammered. "I found an orphaned Siamese kitten when I went to see what was up with Stuart in Australia. I couldn't just leave it there to starve, Piper, because it goes against the first part of the Wiccan Rede; 'First harm none, do what ye will'," she added for Glenn's benefit. "I don't care, Paige... it's going to the Humane Society," Piper informed her. "All three of us are pregnant, and we can't take the risk of Toxoplasmosis."

"Piper, we'll be fine if we wear gloves when we clean the litter box," Paige argued. "What's this 'we' business? Do you have a mouse in your pocket?" Piper asked. Paige got the distinct feeling that if she kept pushing, it wouldn't take much for Piper to give in. "Okay, I'll be fine if I wear gloves when cleaning the litter box," Paige replied. "Look at her... she's so little and helpless, and Garrett really loves her," she added, putting another nail in the coffin of her argument. "How can you refuse that sweet little furry face?" Phoebe asked. "You too?" Piper shrieked. "Are none of my sisters on my side?"

"She is pretty cute, you've gotta admit it, Piper," Leo murmured as he took the kitten from Paige's arms into his own.

"Uggh!" Piper groaned. "I give in! Everyone else loves the little fuzz ball, so I guess I can learn to as well."

"Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Phoebe gushed as she threw herself at Piper in a massive bear hug.

"Get off me!" Piper snapped good-naturedly. "Oh! There's an earthquake on the way. I forgot momentarily in the chaos over the kitten. Any thoughts on a name for her?" she inquired of her sisters.

"We'll name the kitten after we prepare for the earthquake," Glenn spoke up. "How do you know there's an earthquake coming, anyhow, Piper?" Phoebe asked. "Did they say something on the news?"

"Actually, I got a premonition," Leo revealed. "But you don't-" Phoebe protested. "I know, Phoebs... things are getting strange around here," Leo told his sister-in-law. "It all seems to have started this afternoon when Glenn broke the attic window with the rattle. Care to explain yourselves, you two?" he asked as he looked pointedly at Paige and Glenn. As the two of them shared a fearful glance, Peyton awoke and began to scream in the conservatory.