The Flip Side of Paige

Paige stood on the sidewalk looking up at the sky that never looked as blue before. There was a mischievous little grin on her face as a mass of humanity paraded by her ignoring her state of euphoria. She was drifting along in a daze ever since her doctor had told her she was going to be a mother. Henry and Paige were going to be parents! Though this was a big surprise to the youngest of the Charmed Ones she was always ready for a challenge and this was going to be her greatest one yet.

"Uff! Sorry, Miss!" a young male college student said to Paige as he bumped into her.

Paige shook her head bringing herself back to reality. "Hey, it's OK!" she called looking around, but completely missed him as he disappeared into the crowd.

"Miss? Not for the last eighteen months," thought Paige. "Now to go tell Henry the great news. I wonder how Phoebe will take it still being the only sister without a kid? She's a tough girl. Speaking of that, it's too tough for me to orb out from here. Must find alternate transportation!" she concluded bobbing her head.

Paige stepped to the edge of the curb and held up her hand waving wildly.

"Taxi!" she yelled in a higher pitched voice.

Three taxis passed her with 'On-Duty' signs lit as a fourth one stopped in the middle lane. Quickly Paige stepped into the street as a small scooter hidden by the crowd raced by grazing her and causing her to spin around twice with arms flying into the air. She fell to the ground hitting her head on the curb. Her last thought was of Henry as her eyes closed shut.

Not knowing how long she was out, Paige first felt herself being shaken as she heard human voices, but she couldn't understand them. Her head ached as bad as the hangover she had after she chugged peppermint schnapps back in high school. Though it was the back of her head that was splitting, her frontal lobs, the back of her neck and her shoulder blades also throbbed. Everything was dark except for the light directly overhead. As her vision returned she found herself surrounded by people blotting out the sky except for that bright spot in the middle. The murmur of voices was a constant indistinct roar. She reached out her hand as a dozen arms stretched toward her to help her up.

In a voice too weak to hear she tried to say, "I think I can get myself up." Her various pains seemed to get worse as turned over and pushed herself up. Feeling weak she did accept the help of one rather large and burley young man.

"Whoa!" she barely squeaked as she was whisked up into his arms and carried over to a chair in an outdoor café. The large crowd followed her and then surrounded her again.

"Ya oah key?" the big burly guy asked.

"I guess. Nothing seems broken," she replied taking a physical inventory, "Just every damn muscle in my body is sore. What was that that hit me? Anybody see anything?" she asked shouting to the crowd.

"You just fainted!" one older woman said. "Right there in the sidewalk."

Another woman added in. "It is a good thing that nothing was coming."

"Maybe she's drunk," one young girl told her companion as she nodded. "I'll bet you she's drunk."

Paige spun her head around as her neck ached. "What? No! Like I just got hit by a car, thank you. Or could it have been something smaller?"

"No, mahm. We saw nothing," explained the first woman again. "You were walking along and just collapsed."

"That's not the way I remember it, but with this big head maybe there is something to what you say. Yeow," she said holding the back of her neck.

Carefully pushing down on the table she worked her way to her feet feeling comfortable enough to stand. Someone handed Paige her purse as she waved a thank you.

"Should we call the EMS?" asked a man holding up his opened cell phone.

Paige shook her head very slowly. "Just so happens that I just came from by doctor. I think I should just pop back in," she said looking up.

Instead of the ten-story Moore Medical Center, all Paige saw was the second story of the café she was now standing in front of.

"Hey, where did the medical building go? Did somebody move me?" she asked to the crowd to which she got a negative reply.

"Told ya she was drunk!" whispered the same disgusted girl. "Celebrities!" she huffed leaving and pushing her way through the crowd.

Looking around Paige forgot about her concussion and tried to see over the crowd. She couldn't make anything else out. Excusing herself she made her way over to the same curb where she had been earlier hit and again waved for a taxi carefully. For some reason the crowd followed her as two other people helped her signal for a cab which quickly stopped right in front of Paige.

"Ah, thanks?" replied Paige as she reached for the door which was opened by another smiling admirer.

"Thanks again?" she replied looking at all the people who called out their farewells and a few even applauded.

"Wired," thought Paige as she shook her head and told the driver, "1329 Prescott Street." She wanted to stop at Halliwell Manor to see Piper.

"Say again? What town is that in?" the cabbie asked while pushing down the meter flag.

"South end, right here in San Francisco," she said a bit perturbed as her head again started to throb. She began to lay back in the seat and then realized that falling to sleep was not good until she saw the doctor.

"Hold it! I ain't going beyond the greater Los Angeles limits no matter who you are," he said angrily glancing at her in the rear view mirror.

Paige glanced at his license for his name and saw that is was Martin Sanchez and that it was issued by the City of Los Angeles.

"WHAT?" she exclaimed out loud. Looking out the window of the cab she saw several palm trees that did not thrive as well up north and two shops that proclaimed that she was definitely in LA. Santa Monica to be more specific.

"Come on, sweetie. Where to?' the cabbie inquired. "You're not my only fare today!"

Grabbing her head and then thinking clearly she thought, "Nowhere that I can't get faster. You brought this on yourself," she said leaning behind the seat and disappearing in a flurry of orbs.

The little white fireflies reassembled as she appeared in south end of San Francisco in an unknown neighborhood. "Hey! Where the Manor? This isn't Prescott Street" exclaimed Paige who was very woozy from her orb. "My head maybe hurting, but my sense of direction isn't that bad!" she orbed out and then found herself back where she started. "This is nuts! Leo!" she called out.

Several more hails failed to produce her whitelighter brother-in-law. "Calling any whitelighter! This is Paige, one lost and confused angel! Come on, guys. Help me out!" she yelled out at the top of her lungs.

No response.

Similar strange things occurred as she tried to orb to her house, P3, the Daily Mirror and Henry's office. None of the locales appeared where they should be. The world around her didn't seem magically or demonically altered, just her part of it seemed to have orbed out of existence.

"This is nuts!" she exclaimed throwing her hands in the air. "Usually when magic tries changing the whole world everyone starts acting screwy. To me everything looks appears normal except someone cut me out. I need some 411 here. All right, try the library!" she said to herself which appeared around her. "Now this looks about right. The date on the Chronicle is right. The headlines don't look too skewed. Too bad I didn't check them out this morning. No copy of the Daily Mirror in sight. Hmmm. Guess I'll try my favorite little information gatherer. The Internet!"

Using a free terminal, Paige tried the people search for her friends and relatives and got nowhere. Then she went to Google and entered 'Paige Matthews' realizing that her married name probably had not yet saturated the Internet.

The first "Paige Matthews" entry was for Wilkapedia AND it was about a WITCH.

"What the hell!" she said clicking on that.

On the screen was her picture and an opening sentence about a television show called Charmed where the character Paige had showed up in season four after the death of her half-sister Prue and that she was adventurous, independent, and strong-willed.

"This must be some demon trick," she thought as she read a summary of only a part of her life. It was not nearly as detailed as she remembered, but then she was still felt kind of a woozy after all of her orbbing around the Bay area. Everything she has seen could have been a hallucination, but it was one hell of a detailed one.

The other item that attracted her attention was the name of the actress that played this fictional character 'Paige Matthews.' Rose McGowan. Clicking on the word Charmed she found the names of other actors and actresses who were playing other people she knew including her sisters and her beloved husband, Henry.

"Says here that this show Charmed has been cancelled. It's got to be some big demon plot to drive me crazy or make me give up my baby or make met think we no longer exist or something else crazy like that," she thought shaking her head. "But then how are they doing it?"

After only a few minutes of surfing Paige found many websites praising this McGowan woman, the series Charmed and then she found the location of the Manor on a Carroll Street in downtown Los Angeles.

"Maybe I'll find SOMETHING I recognized," Paige remarked looking up to the ceiling and disappearing.

Bright white orbs appeared behind the tree she knew well next to a certain big red house built on the terrace above her.

"Finally a familiar locale. Street looks good, but I don't think the BoS is in the attic of THAT house! Still that definitely looks like the Manor, but way too small. Maybe I'll at least try. BOOK OF SHADOWS!" she summoned. Putting her hands out in front of her she kept calling for it. "BOOK OF SHADOWS! BOOK OF SHADOWS! BOOK OF SHADOWS! Nuts!"

Again nothing. "Now where do I go from here? Calling anyone with magic! Any magical beings out there? I'll take a witch, whitelighter, leprechaun, fairy or elf! Even an ogre if you're out there! Jeez!" she cried out looking up at the sky a bit sheepishly. She was one lonely witch in a place where magic didn't exist.

Paige closed her eyes tightly as her head was feeling a bit better. "OK then. I got one more trick under my pointed black hat."

"Caldrons and broomsticks,
Genies and magic wells,

Take me to where

True magic dwells," she chanted twice.

She sighed hopefully as she felt herself disappearing from in front of the phony Halliwell Manor.

Near a wooden fence supported by stone columns Paige appeared in an expansive valley surrounded by low mountains. The sign next to her said, "Skywalker Ranch."

Paige looked around and saw not a single magical being, potion or talisman. Not even an odd Halloween decoration.

"Great! Even my magic spells are off. They take me to home of what? Industrial Light and Magic. Not the PLACE I was looking for oh keepers of all things magical!" she yelled up to the sky. "These guys make movie buffs see things that aren't real and aren't there! Like in movies and television shows!!" she yelled up until a light went off into her head. "Shows like that "Charmed" thing. These guys would make the magic at least look real which tells me maybe there isn't any magic in this world except for a certain misplaced witch named Matthews. Great! A whole world around me and nowhere to go! And no one to believe me."

Clinging to the wooden fence was a large bush covered in tiny baby roses. "Why not? Maybe it's a sign. I'm off!" she said as she disappeared again.

Later under a line of palm trees, Paige appeared in front of a gate to a large one story white stucco home with an orange tile roof that could have been anywhere in LA. There was no name on the gate and no mailbox on the street.

Paige shrugged. "I hope that is the place. Whether it is or isn't the occupants are in for a big shock," she said shaking her head. Straightening her clothes and hair she walked up the steps to the front door and knocked.

A young red-haired woman answered the door looking very surprised yet please. "Forget your key? Damn, it's good to see you! Whose purse is that anyway. Get in here, ya crazy girl!"

Paige decided to see how this scenario played out so she nodded and came in.

"Marsha has called sounding frantic. Where have you been?" she asked closing the door, putting her hands on her hips and cocking her head to one side. Dressed in slacks and a plain blouse she had been on her knees somewhere cleaning.

"All around. Here and there!" replied an unconfident Paige as she glanced around the interior of the house. It was large and spacious decorated by a free-spirited individual that Paige could identify with.

"We last heard you disappeared from a cab this morning. Poof! Gone without a trace, sweetie!" she exclaimed snapping her fingers.

Paige nodded. "That would be the operative word. Over in Santa Monica. Right?"

The woman looked closely at Paige. "Of course. Right after you had lunch with Mr. Tarantino. You look a bit lost. Any of this making any sense?"

"Barely, but I'm working on it. No other word from me yet?" Paige asked looking around a bit more nonchalantly.

A crooked smile cracked on her face, "No. Why are you talking in the third person? You're a lot more of an "I" guy, Rose," she asked.

Paige now figured that this actress must have disappeared the same time that she had appeared since they were both in the same Santa Monica location. "Yea, I'm back now. That's me. McGowan comma Rose. Sounds like something on display at a Scottish garden show. Sorry, I worried you all. Where is it I should be?"

She threw up her hands. "Nowhere since they cancelled all of your appointments for today," she snapped back.

Paige shrugged. "Fine with me. Now I think I'll go and lie down. Kinda tired and still a bit woozy." Her head had cleared up, but she was worried about going to see Rose's doctor since he knew her intimately.

"After you talk to Marsha! Your agent is kind of worried, Rose," she reminded her.

"Guess she would be. My disappearing isn't so funny when I have all these people depending on me," guessed Paige. "Get her for me, please," Paige asked since she had no idea how to contact her.

"Right away!" the housekeeper exclaimed, entered one or two numbers into the phone and handed it to Paige. "Here you are!"

Paige gingerly took it and sheepishly said, "Hey there."

Marsha took a deep breath and then started gently lecturing Paige like her mother had when she was eleven years old. "Rose, don't go off like that please. Rog has been calling me every ten minutes for the last three hours," she said sternly.

Paige wrinkled her forehead and asked, "Rog?"

"Um, your boyfriend? Please don't tell me you're higher than Lindsay at a party! Come on, Rosie," Marsha pleaded with Paige.

Paige shook her head even though she was on the phone. "No. I'm fine, Marsha," she replied and then thought, "At least I'm not married here." Trying to make some sense out of this world she asked, "Any word about… um… Charmed?"

A sudden gasp could be heard. "Hello! Cancelled last year! And you couldn't happier about that! Really Rose, you're sending me to my valium!"

"I've been cancelled? NO, it's been cancelled. 'Charmed' the television show was cancelled. Stamped with no forwarding address. Got ya!" interpreted Paige.

"Our lives still went on, thank God," she thought privately saying a prayer for small favors.

"Look you need some down time. Rest up for tonight. Limo at six thirty. Lainie awards start at eight, my little starlet," she said trying to build her client up. "And I have a great feeling that tonight is your night."

"Isn't that the Oscars ®?" asked Paige.

Now a chuckle came over the line. "Rose. Don't get ahead of yourself. The Lainies? The Los Angles News Writers Association awards? You're up for the best female horror performance, girl!"

"Not too far off my current path. All right, I'll try and be ready, Marsha," said Paige bobbing her head. She had to go along with Marsha, but her baby was also taking quite a bit out of her.

"No, you'll be your best Mz. McGowan. People expect it," Marsha said defiantly having to remind HER star.

"I don't think I'm what they're looking for," explained Paige hesitantly not sure that she could pull off a Quantum Leap impersonation.

Marsha came back even more insistent. "Negative, baby! The Grindhouse gal is EXACTLY what they are looking for! Your dresser and hair stylist Mimi will be there at four. Make sure that you are ready to look fabulous or the press will kill you!"

"At least it's not a demon," Paige shot back.

Another gasp came over the line. "Focus, Rose honey! Movies now! Charmed is over and gone! THERE IS NO MORE PAIGE!!"

Paige bit her lip. "Sure," she replied quietly though she hoped that that wasn't true for her. "Thanks, for everything, Marsha."

"Be your best, Rose. You can do it," Marsha said again encouraging her. "Think positive. Think open. You're on a roll and it's not over yet."

"Sure. No problem. I will look for Phoebe," Paige said too automatically.

"MIMI! Her name is Mimi. McGowan. Today. Keep on today. Think Grindhouse! Keep thinking Grindhouse and you can get through this, Rosie baby!" she said even more positive and LOUDER.

Paige snapped her fingers. "Gotcha!"

"Good luck, best wishes and have a great time, Rose. Later, girl," Marsha said as Paige hung up.

"Grindhouse! Grindhouse! Sounds like a place they make hamburger," Paige said to herself while heading back to the bedroom end of the house continually repeating the word of the day. She decided that the nicely decorated room must be Rose's while in another room that seemed to double as a den and trophy room she saw herself on a big movie poster labeled Grindhouse.

Paige perked up. "Ah, the movie!" she exclaimed smiling until she saw the machinegun extending from her leg. "Not too good against demons and probably a bit clumsy too. Still a lot of firepower for gal with those legs… Um, leg."

Perusing other movie pictures and posters Paige commented, "This gal likes her horror and gothic moments. I'll bet she can really kick ass too. But she did that as me. And I did it too. Or she is me and I'm her and… Oh, just forget it. This world just has too many paradoxes in it."

Paige checked out the rest of the room finding more trophies, awards and a few props that caught her eye. One item in peculiar. A small white curio box with small purple flowers mounted on a twirling green stem.

"That's my mom's! Or one just like it," she said looking it over. She had last seen it on her dresser, but here is was in the house of her double-ganger. "At least this Rose has good taste. Must be a leftover prop now that Charmed is defunct. But then, my mother really loved this little knick-knack," she said softly wondering if she'd ever get back to her home.

Flashbulbs went off left and right as Paige walked down the bright red carpet to the Golden State Auditorium wearing a long gold dress slung over one shoulder. Fans screamed as she stepped from her limousine luckily without Rose McGowan's normal escort. She strolled down the carpet slowly turning left and right responding to the cries of the fans and the pleas from the photographers. Even though the hundreds of eyes were on her she didn't feel nervous since she had faced down many an evil demon. Phoebe was the Halliwell who had become very popular in San Francisco and she would really love all this glitz and glamour. Knowing that she couldn't hold up Rose's end of the interviews about her life, she just signed a few autographs as Rose, waved and went into her seat much to the annoyance of the press.

Though not a big celebrity fan, Paige still recognized most of her fellow thespians as she was ushered to her seat. Most of the stars greeted her with genuine affection while a couple of stars were slightly cold or sarcastic and must have had issues with her.

"Or maybe we're both up for the same category," thought Paige.

When she turned around and one tall handsome hunk in a black tux moved aside she saw a very familiar figure.

"Piper!" she called out to the actress who went by three names that Paige couldn't remember. She made a note to look her up after the show as everyone sat down as the orchestra started playing.

"Presenting the 2008 Los Angeles News Writers Awards with your host George Clooney," announced some unseen voice as the spotlights swirled around the auditorium and the stage curtain opened up.

Paige actually felt excited with this distraction from her current problem. The world didn't seem to be so out of control at the moment as the handsome star walked up to the podium.

"Good evening everyone and welcome to the twenty-third annual Lainies. These awards presented by the newspaper writers and television journalists of the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area for the best performances, direction, writing and of course the best movies of the past year. Tonight we offer..." he continued as Paige sat and watched as the stars paraded across the stage.

Seventy minutes later George got up to speak, "And now to present the horror awards we have a couple of the most horrible.. horrendous.. hideous.. figures for this category who you'd want to meet to present the awards. Linda Blair and Robert Englund!"

Robert Englund who Paige that looked like the Gammill, the demon that shank them started to speak.

"Many people go to the movies to get a good dose of scares and frights that haunt you in the daylight and maybe even in your 'DREAMS!' Right?" he asked slyly.

"Sounds scary when you say it. I think I might have that extra cup of coffee before I go to bed tonight. Or maybe stay wake with a bit of 'EXORCISE?' Hmmm. The nominees for best actress in a fantasy or horror film are Rose McGowan for "Grindhouse," Keira Knightley for "Pirates of the Caribbean – the End of the World'..."

Paige didn't hear the rest as she kept saying praying to herself that she just remained a nominee. She ended her plea with, "Lights and cameras, casting and Max Factor, give that award to another actress!"

A slightly transparent cloud formed around Paige and then flew straight up to the stage and hit Linda Blair who momentarily winched. She straightened up and then read. "And the Lainie goes to Keira Knightley for 'Pirates of the Caribbean – the End of the World'."

As the music swelled, Robert Englund announced, "Miss Knightley could not be here tonight so I accept the award for her and thank the Los Angeles News Writers Association."

Linda was about to turn as she looked again at the card and put her hand on he mouth. "Oh dear. What came over me? Stop the music, please. Stop the music. Thank you. I have made a terrible mistake! The award should go to Rose McGowan for Grindhouse and I do believe I saw her here tonight!"

The orchestra again played as the spotlights and cameras turned on poor Paige who looked quite shocked. The row of celebrities parted just for her and she headed up to the stage not smiling, but mumbling to herself something about trying to cast decent spells on a moment's notice.

Linda Blair apologized up and down to Paige about the mistake she had made.

Paige replied, "Believe me. It wasn't your fault. Please forget about it! I sure want to!"

The two presenters stepped back and there was Paige alone on national television holding a statue of a California surfer waiting for the entire world to hear what she had to say. Paige turned up the side of her lip and looked at the statue and as giggles could be heard from the audience.

Paige leaned too close to the mike. "Well, here we are. I never thought in a million years I'd be in this situation especially after all I've been through. This is different. This is good. I ..um ..find myself with nothing to say and that is highly unusual. Not as unusual as this," she said raising the heavy award. "Thank you. Thanks to everyone who worked on the picture, and my coworkers and friends who supported me. And, of course, my family and Piper and Phoebe."

The audience laughed loudly and applauded as a big picture of the actress with three names appeared above Paige applauding louder than most. Looking at the big screen overhead, Paige was escorted from the stage as holding the heavy award was quickly getting tiresome. Paige watched found herself taken to the waiting room where all the other winners were. She just sat in the corner feeling very much out of place after taking praise for something she had never done. It was Rose's night and there she was taking the bows and accolades, when all she wanted to do was click together her ruby slippers and head home.

After the show she posed with her costars and with the other winners and finally with her 'sister' that matched point by point her older sister Piper.

She whispered, "Rose, I thought you were putting it behind you? You know, back to the big silver screen? Charmed was a job, not a life!"

She bobbed her head. "I just can't shake it. Believed me it'll always be a part of ME! How about you?"

"Always a part of me too though now I'm enjoying my kids. And they aren't going into the business. Child stars don't get to grow up. I know. Right?" she asked raising one eyebrow.

"I guess," Paige said feeling queasy. "I don't know about growing.. um…"

The world began to spin around Paige as she reached out toward Holly.

Holly grabbed her hand. "You don't look so good, Rose honey," she whispered as Paige's knees buckled and she collapsed onto the floor.

Two security men picked her up and then carried her over to the nearest chair. The press also came over always anxious to get the latest on some star's personal life.

"Rose," asked Holly as she leaned over into her face. "How are you feeling? What's wrong?"

Paige's head rolled from side to side. Barely opening her eyes she saw Holly. "Fine. You probably felt the same way when you were pregnant with Wyatt," she replied wearily and a little bit too loudly.

Immediately every camera within earshot started to flash in Paige's face.

"Are you really?" came the first question.

"Who's the father?" asked another.

"When it's due?" and still another question.

"Boy or girl?"

"Now quitting acting?"

"Moving away?"

"Getting married?"

Paige pushed away the swarms of flashbulb demons as she batted at them one moment and then shouted that she had to get out of here. One nice security man grabbed her and helped push her through the crowd.

Alone in the limousine was handed her prize and headed home knowing that she was going to hear from that Roger fellow very soon.

The next day while Paige was barely awake, her bedroom door flew and Marsha showed up with an armload of tabloids.

"Every paper in town! Headlines in the less respectable ones. Rose, not that I'm prying into your personal life, but we were in agreement that I would know before the rest of the world did. This little blessed event puts your career plans in the toilet. Rose McGowan the little sexpot becomes Rose McGowan the mother and homemaker. Not the kind of image you need to help restart your movie career, sweetie," she exclaimed lecturing Paige.

Paige covered her eyes and tried to focus on Rose's manager and eventually also trainer and keeper. "Hey, I just learned yesterday! And it came out by accident. I staggered and didn't want to be called a drunk, again."

Marsha put her hand on Paige's chin and looked deep into her eyes. "Sweetie. As far as reputations go, party girl is better than mother. At least at your age. That slams the door on more roles for you. No more schoolgirl ingénue or sweet virginal things for you. That's about this far down from roles for middle-aged women. Unless you can do Shakespeare!"

Paige pushed down Marsha's arm for her grip was a bit much. "Hey, we'll work it out!"

A knock came at the door and in came Holly and Alyssa smiling broadly as they ran up to hug Paige.

"Congratulations, Rose. That is so wonderful!" exclaimed Alyssa. "When I heard the news I grabbed Holly and came right over here. That is great news. Rog must be thrilled!"

"Ya, which did come as a shock," added Holly. "Though I am still happy for you."

Paige looked up with mixed feelings. These weren't her sisters, but they were acting that way. "Um, thanks. But the truth is, I don't think he knows, and this kid is definitely not his," explained Paige truthfully.

"Rose!" said Holly a bit maternally.

"Yea, who else is keeping you warm?" asked Alyssa looking a bit naughty.

"You really want to know?" Paige asked. "Honestly?"

"Of course," replied Holly.

"Only if you want to spill it. Really, I just didn't think we had any secrets. Well, any important ones," Alyssa replied.

Paige nodded her head. "All right then. Marsha, please leave us alone."

Marsha shook her head. "Not on your life, Rose baby. If this affects…"

"…All of us. Yea, I know the drill. Been through ALL of that countless times. Please this is just sister talk," asked Paige giving her a smile. "Please."

Marsha threw up her hands and stormed out. "Fricking sororities," she mumbled under her breath.

"Sisters?" asked Holly cocking her head to one side. "Friends, yes. But…"

Paige took a deep breath and began. "All right guys. This baby here in my still little stomach is the son or daughter of my husband. My husband Henry."

"You're married?" Holly and Alyssa said together as their mouths flew open.

Holly threw up her hands. "Wait! Wait! Wait!" she exclaimed. "Henry? As in Paige and Henry?"

"You're pulling our leg there, 'sister,' " chuckled Alyssa.

"Not necessarily. You're Paige?" asked Holly looking deeply into her eyes.

Paige nodded. "The one and only. Now don't make me feel like I'm crazy," she added.

Alyssa pointed out the window. "You're from that other world!"

Paige nodded again. "Sounds weird, doesn't it?" she asked sounding quite ironic.

Holly disagreed. "Actually no. We once meant our Halliwell counterparts quite a few years ago."

"You passed through that dimensional whatzit?" asked Paige.

"Whatever you want to call it. We lived ever so briefly in the world of Charmed where real magic dwells, Paige," replied Holly.

Alyssa agreed. "Yea. Try chasing demons without a net or even any powers."

"Just how did you accomplish this little miracle?" asked Paige. "I am very interested, believe me."

"Your 'Phoebe' cast a spell and our characters and switched places with us about seven years ago before your Prue died. And we got to meet the real Charmed Ones," explained Alyssa. "She always did have a talent for making trouble for them."

"Really? I've got a few things to tell MY sisters about sharing information, if and when I get back," said a peeved Paige sitting there in the bed with her arms crossed.

Holly hugged her. "They must have had their reasons."

"It's was so long ago that Holly and I never met you, Paige. Now that the show has ended, you guys in your world are still moving onto marriage and kids and all those things we hinted at in the last episode. Yada, yada. They grew old and lived happily ever after," explained Alyssa. "Just like a Grimm's fairy tale."

"Please. I've had enough fairies for all time. Pesky little fireflies," complained Paige. After their battle with Billy and Christy, she still hadn't gotten over how the magical community had so easily written off the Charmed Ones.

"Easy, Paige. It's not good for you or the baby," said Alyssa calmly. "Besides I think Holly has something that might help you out."

"Hopefully a one way ticket back to reality," she said a bit sarcastically.

"What is reality?" asked Holly. "Only how YOU perceive the universe. And I have the spell that your sisters used to return to that universe. Interested?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Are you kidding? Not only do I want to get back to my world, but I have a big surprise for Henry. Well, 'little' right now," exclaimed Paige touching her belly.

"I thought so. And we have to get the real Rose back before her next job starts. Playing your Charmed character is one thing. Trying to take on a different role is quite another," replied Holly.

"Hey, I did my share of playing evil characters for demons and such," shot back Paige.

Alyssa nodded, "She has a point there. And some of those directors and produces are a bit demonic in nature."

"Let's not go there, Lyssa. Paige. We'll run by my place and meet you at the Blue Ox Restaurant at one. OK?" asked Holly looking a bit down at her.

"Thanks guys! I've really no where else to turn," replied Paige.

"Hey! We'll take care of a friend or her double-ganger at least whenever the need arises. And now you better get some sleep. You look exhausted!" she said covering her up.

"You got it," Paige agreed snuggling down in the covers and waving goodbye.

Marsha marched back into the room as the former stars of Charmed left. "Rose, what are you doing? You have got a busy schedule today. Lazy actresses down get jobs in this town."

"Please. I'm awfully tired," pleaded Paige.

"Not after yesterday, sweetie. Now off you go!" she said tugging at the comforter.

Paige's eyes flashed as she called at her, "City Hall Plaza."

Marsha disappeared in a flurry of orbs looking very shocked.

"Now maybe she'll get the idea," said Paige as she turned over and went back to sleep

As the taxi halted Paige got out and saw the two young actresses waving to her. She stood up tall, mumbled something to herself about hoping that this works and walked over to the small trendy outdoor café.

Holly motioned to the chair next to her.

"Sit. Sit. Sit. So how's the future mommy feeling?" she asked leaning on one arm.

"Better. A little unstable here and there, but I think I recovered from my fall the yesterday," Paige responded looking around at the restaurant. "And speaking of that event, why are we back at the scene of that disaster?"

"Call it irony, a weird sense of the dramatic or an attempt to send you back from whence you arrived," quipped Alyssa. "And here's your ticket," she added handing her a well-worn piece of newspaper.

Paige turned it over and there inscribed was a brief magical incantation.

"That's Phoebe's neat little scroll. I guess I'm not the first Halliwell to journey here," remarked Paige.

"And the same is true for us. One moment we were on the set and the next we appeared in the real Halliwell Manor. Talk about immersing yourself in the role," explained Holly who found the experience exhilarating and frightening at the same time.

"OK, then I should read this and poof?" Paige asked going over the spell.

"If you've got enough power behind your magic, Paige," suggested Holly. "Go for it."

Paige shook her head. "This just doesn't look like one of our best spells."

"Hey, that happened before you ever showed up, Paige. Hopefully both your talents and your magic has grown since then. Now give us a hug," asked Holly.

Alyssa joined in. "Yea. It's been neat meeting the last of the Halliwell sisters, Paige. And take care of your little junior witch too," said Alyssa sadly.

Though his visit was interesting, she wanted to get home and didn't really want to meet up with her counterpart. It would really be too freaky.

"Likewise. I could never have gotten out of here without your help. Luck to you both. All right. Let's do it," Paige said reading Phoebe's spell.

"Problems that come and problems that go,

Prepare us for them and let us know,

What the real world will bring,

Grand us wisdom, to know everything!"

As Paige felt herself disappearing she waved to Holly and Alyssa.

To them Paige barely blinked and then changed clothes and started to cough.

"God, what now? Leo!" she cried and then saw her two former costars.

"Hi Rose!" said Holly very cutely.

Rose sighed. "Holly! Wonderful. Now I'm back. Hi Holly. Lyssa. You WON'T believe,…"

"Oh, we just might," broke in Alyssa. "You just visited the world of Charmed! Right?"

"How'd you know that?" Rose asked as she looked around.

"Been there ourselves. Just don't want others to think we went over the cliff," said Holly. "Just our own little secret."

"That could definitely drive me that way. Some yucky looking magical being kept chasing me around wanting me to heal him. Yewl! Nothing like our makeup department ever came up with," explained Rose shaking her head.

"Definitely not our lives. Now Paige can take over for you. She just left for her life," explained Holly.

"She can have it. What's been happening?" asked Rose.

Holly looked up. "Yea, well. How do we explain that?"

"We've got good news and bad news for you Mz. McGowan," said Alyssa slyly.

Holly agreed. "Clique but effective. The good news is you won the Lainie and Paige accepted it for you graciously."

"Really! And the flip side?" Rose asked dreading it.

Alyssa smiled, gagged a bit and then "You have to talk to Rog about the baby. Surprise! Paige was pregnant! And the whole world thinks that it was you!"

"Oh God! PAIGE!" Rose yelled putting her head down and draping her arms over her head.

Check out their previous adventures in Real World and Unreal World on