title: Some Kind of Innocence
author: Anam-Cara
rating: kid-friendly
summary: AU. Prue helps her little sister Paige, who is having trouble sleeping.
notes: This is, of course, AU. But I've always liked the idea of the four sisters growing up together, and Prue and Paige being close. Hence, this story. This is basically just a "slice of life" story, a quiet moment. I might do one with a young Paige and Piper, following this piece. Enjoy!
Stray strands of mahogany hair escaped the grip of Paige's hair tie. She shuffled into the kitchen as quietly as possible, so as not to disturb the rest of her family. She was having trouble sleeping tonight, anyway, and decided to quench the thirst that crept up on her suddenly. Her moon-and-stars pajama bottoms overlapped the heels of her feet and she had to stand on tip-toe to reach a newly washed plastic cup from the dish drain.
As she wandered into the kitchen with her cup of water, she seated herself on the couch, pulling the blanket over her lap and grabbing the photo album laying on the coffee table. She had no memory of her mother, so as she flipped through the pages, it was like a story unfolding before her eyes as she saw Prue as a toddler with their mother, baby Piper, infant Phoebe and, later, herself.
"What are you doing?" she heard a voice ask her.
Paige turned around, smiling at Prue, who stood at the bottom of the stairs with her hand scratching at a wad of unruly hair. Prue's voice was devoid of anger, but full of confusion and surprise.
"It's late," Prue commented as she moved slowly over to her little sister, putting her hands on her hips in a mock gesture of authority.
"How shall I punish the little lady?" Prue teased.
"I couldn't fall asleep. And then I was thirsty."
"All right, I'll let you off the hook," Prue continued to tease as she took a seat next to Paige on the couch, lifting the blanket so she could crawl under it too.
Paige set her now-empty cup, and the photo album, on the coffee table, turning to ask, "Why are you up?"
"I guess I heard you," Prue shrugged.
"But I was really quiet."
"Maybe I have a sixth sense when it comes to you or something, like a 'Paige sense.'"
"Really?" Little Paige seemed to relish the possibility. "So if I was at the playground and Billy threw sand in my hair again, would you know about it and save me?"
Prue paused before answering, not wanting to shatter her sister's excitement at the idea of her sister being able to sense any trouble she might be in. Which obviously wasn't true. But seven-year-olds, apparently, took everything very literally. Or...this seven-year-old did, anyway.
"Well, not rea-- um, yeah. You know I would. Save you, I mean. That's what I do. And who is this Billy kid and why is he throwing sand in your hair?"
"He did it yesterday. He was making fun of Peter because Peter has big glasses, but Peter can't help it, Prue...he needs glasses. So I told Billy he needed to stop and he laughed at me and threw sand in my hair."
An overwhelming sense of pride welled inside Prue and she scooted closer to her sister, reaching over to give her a quick hug.
"That's my girl. Billy's a bad kid and I'm so proud of you for sticking up for Peter. He's lucky to have a friend like you."
"Prue?"
"Yeah?" Prue had pulled away and begun to tuck some stray hair behind her sister's ear.
"Will you tell me a story?"
Prue blew a sigh out of the corner of her mouth.
"Oh, kiddo, I can't think of a story on the spot."
Paige looked disappointed and pulled the edges of the blanket closer to her chest. She didn't want to pout and make her big sister feel bad, but she knew that only a story would help her get to sleep. Prue tucked a few more strands of hair away from Paige's face, then stroked her cheek, upset at the sad look on her sister's face.
"Okay, how about I tell you about when you were born?" Prue suggested.
Paige's eyes suddenly lit up and she nodded her head vigorously, then laid her head on Prue's shoulder, anxiously waiting for her to begin.
"Well, when Mom told me, I was the same age that you are now. And she said, 'Prue, you're going to have another sister.' I guess she knew you would be a girl. And I screamed and said, 'I don't want anymore sisters!'"
Paige started to lift her head up as Prue spoke, but Prue kept a hand around Paige's shoulders, smiling as she continued.
"And then you were born. Grams took my hand and led me over to the Nursery and there were so many babies, but before Grams could tell me which one was you, I knew. I tapped on the glass at you and you moved your head a little. The first time I held you, you had been crying, but you stopped as soon as you were in my arms. So, I was hooked. I knew I wanted to keep you forever. Piper thought you were the cutest thing she'd ever seen, she used to just stare at you all the time. If we let her hold you, she wouldn't let go."
"Really?"
"Yes. And that hasn't changed a bit. But I knew since you were the baby, you were going to be my baby girl, too, not just Mom's. And that's how it was and how it's been and how it will always be. Even though you threw up on me and bit me and now you wake me up in the middle of the night and force me to tell you stories."
Paige smiled on Prue's shoulder, causing Prue to smile, seeing her sister's eyes begin to droop. She leaned back, pulling the blanket tighter around both of them, and stroked her sister's hair to ease her into sleep.
Sensing Paige had finally fallen asleep, Prue whispered, "The first time I saw you up close, I reached out to touch your face and you wrapped your hand around my finger."
Prue kissed her sister's head lovingly, then shut out the light.
"Now you've got me wrapped around yours."
END