Post by Fourever Charmed on Jan 26, 2007 16:13:39 GMT -5
Summary: This is an alternate ending to House Call, in which Paige decides that she has to find out once and for all if Glenn truly loves her.
Rating: PG 13
A/N: First off, I’d just like to say that I know this pairing isn’t THAT popular. IMO, I believe it’s because most fans weren’t able to see it develop that far, because of Jesse Woodrow’s unfortunate departure from the show. (Yes! He would’ve become Paige’s first real love interest, had his scheduling not conflicted with shooting Charmed. He WAS offered the part of Glenn Belland, on a more permanent basis at first, and was forced to turn it down because of other commitments.) Secondly, I spell his name with two n’s, so please don’t get mad at me for not spelling it with one. (I began seriously writing fanfics back in season four, and his name had never been spelt out until after I started writing all my stories with the double n. It’s a hard habit to break, and besides that, I’ve become quite accustomed to seeing it spelt that way, as I always type it like that.) And third, I have to give thanks to The Charmed Café’s Assassin Witch (A.K.A. C:RR's own Drama!) and charmedgoddess. We recently began the Glen Belland Fan Club (in there is probably the only time you’ll see me spell it right), and started talking about how we love Paiglenn fics, and how we hated the way Glenn was written out of the show with his “marriage” to Jessica. This inspired me to write an alternate ending to the season five episode, House Call. So this story is dedicated to all the die hard Paiglenn fans out there (no matter what way you spell his name)! Thank you, and please enjoy!
A soft light from the dresser to the right of Paige Matthews’ bed bathed her room in a pale, golden glow. The door was shut and locked, and it had been for several hours now. And the air was thick, and held just the faintest aroma of salt. It, of course, was not due to the fact that the Halliwell Manor was located in San Francisco, or that it was so close to the salty bay.
A trail of balled white tissues paved the way to the edge of a beautiful, white satin bridal train. It was pinned carefully to the back waist of the young woman’s dress. Paige was staring forlornly into the full length mirror, in the corner of her room. Despite the black rivers down her cheeks, and the dark circles that ringed her eyes, she looked like the fairytale bride.
Gorgeous ginger curls fell loosely around her neck and shoulders, framing her porcelain skinned face and contrasting her ruby lips. Her bare arms hung limply down the sides of her snow white dress. The dress itself was a stunningly simple gown; a strapless satin piece, which fell perfectly along the curvature of her body, accentuating her full breasts and minimizing her already tiny waist. As it reached her hips, it ballooned into the classical bell skirt, ending just centimeters above the carpet that she stood on.
She was a fake. This was not her. She was not the marrying type. She was still young; the youngest of four sisters. She was still a free spirit! So why, she thought angrily, would I try to hurt Glenn the way that I did? I’ve never wanted this! Her white arms rose up and outwards, with her fingers dangling down towards the hem of the wedding gown. “And now I’ve ruined his plans, just because I was selfish and couldn’t handle the fact that he was in love with someone else.” A quiet knock at her door caused her to lock up. “Who is it?”
“Piper.”
Paige frowned. Another demon attack? She mused. Usually Piper didn’t drop by her room to make social calls. She waddled over to the door, all the while the sound of satin against the carpet humming in her ears. Maybe her senses were just hyperactive right now. But she thought it was due to guilt for, as she thought of it, ruining her best friend’s life. “Yeah?” She poked her head out of the door crack, nearly bumping her own face into Piper’s.
“Hey.” Piper smiled sympathetically. “I thought you might need someone to talk to.”
“About?”
Piper struggled to place her hand on her hip. “You know exactly what.” She pressed her hand to the door, gently shoving it open. “Can I come in?”
The younger witch bowed her head. “Piper, I really-”
“Could use some chocolate right now.” Piper smiled brightly, as she held out a tin of Ghirardelli chocolates. “Fresh from the square! Leo took me down there just about an hour ago.” She paused, studying her sister’s streaked face. “I thought you could use a little pick me up, and I’ve just been waiting for the right moment.” While her sister pondered the thought, Piper slipped through the door and was inside the room before Paige could protest.
“Piper,” Paige grumbled, “I really just want to be left alone right now.”
“No!” Piper wagged her finger as she waddled to Paige’s bed. “You’re having some serious man troubles, and as the big sister her, it’s my job to shove my extra sensitive nose into your business.”
Paige rolled her eyes as she leaned her weight against the door, closing it. “Fine,” she relented. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Glenn.”
“Obviously.” Paige flopped down at the edge of her bed. “Chocolate.”
“Hey!” Piper had been reaching for her favorite caramel crème filled chocolate, when it vanished in a swathe of small blue lights.
Paige whipped her head around, as the chocolate appeared in her hand. “You like the caramel ones too?”
Piper’s brows shot up. “They’re the best!” She wrinkled her nose. “I could never understand why Phoebe and Prue thought these ones,” she held up a dark chocolate candy, “tasted so good. I much prefer milk chocolate and caramel, compared to dark chocolate and orange crème.”
Paige wiggled her brows playfully. “So they did have something in common, ‘eh? From what Phoebe’s told me, they were complete opposites.”
Piper snickered. “Apparently so.”
Paige scooted back onto the bed, squeezing next to her big sister. “Hold out your hand.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
“Okay.” Piper stuck out her hand, palm upwards.
Paige placed her candy in the center of her own palm, and with her left hand she made a slicing motion through the air. Half of her chocolate candy disappeared, only to reappear in Piper’s hand. “Hurry, before it oozes out everywhere.” Immediately following, she stuck her own half into her mouth and closed her eyes, savoring the sweet and slightly salty flavor.
“Where did you learn to do that?” Piper tossed the half candy into her mouth, and then reached back for the tin to find something else.
Paige smirked. “Remember about a month ago when you made Phoebe and I help you with dinner? It was when Sheila and Darryl dropped by, and you wanted to have a nice, normal dinner?” Upon her sister’s nod she said, “Well do you remember how you told me you could understand how I’d cut the onion slices so perfectly?”
Piper gasped. “Paige!”
Paige shrugged. “What? They were making my eyes water. What if a demon attacked or something? I couldn’t have my eyes watering, now could I?”
“You sound like Phoebe,” the pregnant witch groaned. She placed a hand to her bulging belly.
“Thanks,” Paige replied sarcastically.
“You’re straying from the purpose of my visit.”
“Oh,” she frowned, “that.”
“Yes, that.”
“I still don’t understand why you have to be here, talking to me about Glenn.”
“Because I can see that you’re suffering over this-this…” Piper motioned to the white dress. “This situation.”
“I ruined his wedding! How am I supposed to feel?”
“Have you ever stopped to wonder why you ruined his wedding?”
“Because of magic?”
“No.”
“No?”
“No.” Piper tossed another chocolate into her mouth. “Think deeper.”
Paige placed a long finger to her temple. “Because I was jealous?”
The timer tapped her stomach lightly. “You’re on the right track.”
“Oh for crying out loud!” Paige grabbed a chocolate and mumbled. “Just tell me. I’m not in the mood to go on a wild goose chase right now.”
“More like a wild Glenn chase.”
Paige’s dark eyes rolled back into her head.
“Paige, magic wouldn’t have affected you like it did, if there wasn’t something to grab onto and expand upon already.”
“Can we say cryptic, anyone?”
“Do I have to spell it out for you?”
“Maybe.”
“If you didn’t already have feelings for Glenn, things wouldn’t have spiraled out of control like they did!”
“Oh, is that all? Come on, Piper! We both already knew that I have feelings for Glenn. So what’s that got to do with anything.”
“I’m not just talking about a crush, Paige.”
Paige’s eyes flickered. “Then,” she said slowly, “what are you talking about?”
“I saw the way you looked at him the day the rat demons abducted him. The way you say his name, the way you talk about him, and the way your face glows when you’re thinking about him…Paige, it’s obvious these feelings are deeper than you’re letting on.”
“Piper, don’t be silly.”
“Paige! Listen to me! I know what I’m talking about.” She touched her sister’s arm lightly. “And I don’t want to stand by and let another sister make the same mistake.”
“What’re you talking about?”
“Once upon a time, I had another sister who used to look at her guy the same way you look at Glenn.”
Paige closed her eyes. “Prue.”
“Yeah. Like Glenn, Andy was also mortal. And they’d been high school sweethearts too. And she let him go after high school, and he moved to Portland, only to come back here at the worst possible time in our lives. She was afraid to get close to him again, not only because of the pain, but because of our secret. And by the time she knew she wanted to be with him, it was too late.” Piper let her head hang at her chest, remembering Andy’s last moments. “He made the ultimate sacrifice for her. For all of us.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
Piper smiled weakly. “You’re so like her, and you don’t even know it.” She watched her sister’s face soften, almost threatening to spill tears again. “I just don’t want you to make the same mistakes Prue did. And I want you to start by fighting for Glenn.”
“But he loves Jessica!”
“If he really loves Jessica, then you’ve got nothing to lose.”
“Except my dignity.”
“Sometimes you have to make a leap for love.” She touched her bulging belly. “Take a risk, Paige.” Piper swung her legs over the side of the bed, and began to dust off small chocolate slivers that had fallen onto her shirt. “I’ve seen the way he’s looked at you, too. It’s worth a shot, honey. You’ve got nothing else to lose, and everything to gain.” She moved towards the door.
“But Piper, it’s not like I’m in love with him!” As soon as the words as left her mouth, her blood ran cold. In love with him? She couldn’t believe she’d really just said those words! Now her heart was beating a million times faster, and her head was spinning.
“Just think about it, will you?”
Paige began to shake her head in compliance. More to herself than to Piper, but it was enough to satisfy her older sister. After she was sure Piper had left the room, she sunk down onto the mattress and snuggled up into the warm vacancy Piper had left on her bed.
The whitelighter-witch dug her hand under her pillow, retrieving the same photo album she’d been looking at when she’d talked to Glenn on the phone earlier that day. Her fingers caressed the pages, and then she flipped to the middle of the book. Every time she opened this particular photo album, she always turned to page twenty-five first.
The witchlighter’s mouth broke into a grin as she stared at the smiling faces that were looking back at her. One of them had been from their senior prom, another on the day they’d graduated, and still another on a vacation they’d taken to Las Vegas for Glenn’s twenty-first birthday. In each photograph, Paige was positively glowing, and Glenn’s arms had been protectively draped around her.
Sighing, Paige flipped the album closed, and returned it to its hiding spot under her pillow. She wasn’t even going to bother taking off this dress tonight. She’d do it in the morning. With her big sisters words ringing in her ears, she just had way too much to think about right now.
----9:00 A.M.----
Paige Matthews inhaled sharply. Her entire body was tingling, and she wasn’t even within two yards of him. Her hands were already sweating profusely, and her heart beat was so loud that she could practically hear it thundering between her ears.
She could see him standing near one of the many ponds in Golden Gate Park. A tan, suede jacket was wrapped tightly around his arms, despite the fact that it was unusually sunny on this bright morning. The witch briefly wondered if, perhaps, he was nervous about meeting her too.
Swallowing quickly, she yelled, “Glenn!” There’s no turning back now! The moment she looked up, his gaze caught hers, and she felt a red heat creep into her snow white cheeks. God, I must look like a little school girl with a crush!
“Paige…”
The half witch edged her way over to her best friend, smiling sympathetically. “Hey.”
Glenn nervously laced his hands together. He cocked his head to the side, avoiding her brunette gaze. “Hey.”
“I wanted to apologize.” Paige bowed her head again, suddenly becoming highly interested in her white sandals.
“Can I ask you something?”
She looked up hopefully. “Sure! Anything.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you do what you did?” Glenn twiddled his thumbs. “I mean, what kind of being would trick you into sabotaging my wedding?”
Why did you have to ask that? Paige twisted her head to the side, allowing her soft ginger locks to fall in front of her face, shading it from her best friend’s view. “J-jealousy,” she half lied. “This witch doctor amplified my jealousy over Jessica.”
“Jealousy?” Glenn’s hand moved towards her arm, but he retracted it just moments too soon. “But I thought we were just friends. I mean…the last time I left and everything…”
“I know. I just…I guess I never really got used to seeing you with other women. When you were in San Francisco, we were always together it seemed. Always flirting in our on and off way. I’ve never actually seen you with someone else before.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Paige allowed herself a bitter laugh. “You shouldn’t be apologizing, Glenn, it should be me. I was the one who ruined your wedding. I was the one who destroyed a perfectly good relationship! What on earth do you have to be sorry for?”
Glenn’s shoulders heaved up and down. “I guess I should’ve told you about her and I sooner. It wasn’t fair to spring it on you like that.”
Feeling all the more guilty she said, “But I shouldn’t have expected that as soon as you came back, you’d be mine again.”
Glenn snickered. “I was yours?”
The witchlighter slapped his arm playfully, part of the tension breaking away. “You know what I mean.”
“Hey Paige-” A beeping noise from his back pocket caught the mortal by surprise. “Uh, hold on,” he smiled sympathetically. Pulling out his pager he sighed. “It’s Jess.”
Paige bowed her head. “Oh.”
“I’d better go,” he mumbled. “We have a plane to catch tomorrow.”
Paige nodded. “Right.” She stuffed her hands into her pockets. “Maybe we can hook up, the next time you’re in town?”
Glenn pursed his lips and just nodded, not wanting to tell his best friend that the woman he was about to marry didn’t want him to go back to San Francisco anymore, let alone be around Paige. “Well…” He pointed towards the trail that eventually led back to the parking lot.
“Yeah, yeah.” Paige waved him on. “See ya later.” She turned quickly, heading off in the opposite direction. The Charmed One could feel the hot daggers behind her eyes, and salty water was already beginning to cloud her vision. She blinked them back angrily. “Sometimes you have to make a leap for love.” Paige shook her head, trying to rid Piper’s words from her mind. “You’ve got nothing else to lose, and everything to gain.”
“Glenn, wait!” The words had leapt from her cinnamon red lips before she could think twice. As she spun around, she saw that he’d barely moved from the spot he’d been in when she’d begun walking away. Or perhaps it was her imagination. Either way, she wasn’t going to let him get away again. Not without one last try.
Glenn took two long strides, and met her face to face. She was so close that he could literally feel the heat radiating from her nervous, sweating body.
“I need to know something.”
“Wh-what?”
“You have to be honest with me, Glenn.”
“You know I always am.”
Paige nodded. I can’t believe I’m really doing this! Opening her mouth she blurted out, “Do you really love her?”
“What?”
“Jessica! Do you really love her?” At his dumbstruck look she said, “Are you in love with Jessica?”
“I-I don’t know.”
“Do you love me?”
Glenn began to shake his head. “Paige, I-”
The redhead placed her index finger over his lips, halting the rest of his sentence. “Close your eyes.” When he didn’t, she pressed her fingers a little harder. “Please, just trust me.” And when he did, she leaned close to his ear and whispered, “I just want one honest answer from you, and that’s it. I swear, if you don’t feel anything, I’ll leave you alone forever.” And she pressed her hands to the sides of his face, and connected their lips in a long, powerful embrace.
After what seemed like an eternity, she pulled away and her eyes roamed his for something. Anything. But what she found caused her knees to tremble. Nothing. She wanted to cry, to scream, but her ability to speak or even make noise had abruptly deserted her. Quickly, she turned on her heel and darted across the dewy green lawn as fast as her legs would carry her.
The sun disappeared from her face as she dashed under the shade of a flowering tree. What Paige Matthews didn’t notice was the new scuffling behind her. She was too caught up in her own pain to notice anything but the blur in front of her. At least, not until she felt a strong hand roughly grab her left arm.
She jerked backwards, colliding directly into a familiar body. She knew his smell by heart. He hadn’t changed his aftershave since high school. This was the same chest she cried into so many nights after her parents had died. Her mouth opened in protest, but was promptly covered by a hot hand.
Glenn guided her to the trunk of the tree, and pressed her body to it. He leaned towards her, feeling her accelerated breathing on his face and neck, and then he slowly guided his hand up her baby soft arm and across her shoulder. It hand stopped at the curve behind her neck, embracing it much like someone would an infant. With his opposite hand, he slid it away from her mouth and held the side of her face, keeping a steady gaze with her brown eyes. Then in what seemed like a slow motion maneuver for the two parties involved, he locked their lips with vice tight passion.
Paige’s mind, body, and soul screamed in ecstasy. Piper had been run. Taking a leap for love was worth it. Out of every man she’d ever been with in all her twenty-five years, she’d never felt anything like what she’d felt with her best friend. Glenn Belland was a one time thing, and she could see and feel that now. When their lips finally parted, she was completely breathless.
“Is that honest enough for you?”
“Do you even have to ask?” As she reached for his hand, the sound of the pager echoed again.
Glenn Belland held up his hand, signaling her to just wait a moment. He pulled the pager from his back pocket, turned towards the pond, and hurled it like a boomerang. With a loud splash, it disappeared into the clear blue depths of the water. He turned contentedly back towards Paige. “Lets get out of here.”
Paige glanced around quickly and then whispered mischievously, “I’ll have to hold you.”
“How about if I hold you?”
With a twinkle in her eye she said, “I think that’ll work.” And gladly, she accepted his strong arms.
Glenn pressed his lips to Paige one more time, as a fuzzy feeling engulfed the both of them. All thoughts of Jessica had been forgotten as he and Paige vanished in a blue haze. As the lights vanished his voice echoed, “Now this is something I could definitely get used to!”
Rating: PG 13
A/N: First off, I’d just like to say that I know this pairing isn’t THAT popular. IMO, I believe it’s because most fans weren’t able to see it develop that far, because of Jesse Woodrow’s unfortunate departure from the show. (Yes! He would’ve become Paige’s first real love interest, had his scheduling not conflicted with shooting Charmed. He WAS offered the part of Glenn Belland, on a more permanent basis at first, and was forced to turn it down because of other commitments.) Secondly, I spell his name with two n’s, so please don’t get mad at me for not spelling it with one. (I began seriously writing fanfics back in season four, and his name had never been spelt out until after I started writing all my stories with the double n. It’s a hard habit to break, and besides that, I’ve become quite accustomed to seeing it spelt that way, as I always type it like that.) And third, I have to give thanks to The Charmed Café’s Assassin Witch (A.K.A. C:RR's own Drama!) and charmedgoddess. We recently began the Glen Belland Fan Club (in there is probably the only time you’ll see me spell it right), and started talking about how we love Paiglenn fics, and how we hated the way Glenn was written out of the show with his “marriage” to Jessica. This inspired me to write an alternate ending to the season five episode, House Call. So this story is dedicated to all the die hard Paiglenn fans out there (no matter what way you spell his name)! Thank you, and please enjoy!
A Leap For Love
A soft light from the dresser to the right of Paige Matthews’ bed bathed her room in a pale, golden glow. The door was shut and locked, and it had been for several hours now. And the air was thick, and held just the faintest aroma of salt. It, of course, was not due to the fact that the Halliwell Manor was located in San Francisco, or that it was so close to the salty bay.
A trail of balled white tissues paved the way to the edge of a beautiful, white satin bridal train. It was pinned carefully to the back waist of the young woman’s dress. Paige was staring forlornly into the full length mirror, in the corner of her room. Despite the black rivers down her cheeks, and the dark circles that ringed her eyes, she looked like the fairytale bride.
Gorgeous ginger curls fell loosely around her neck and shoulders, framing her porcelain skinned face and contrasting her ruby lips. Her bare arms hung limply down the sides of her snow white dress. The dress itself was a stunningly simple gown; a strapless satin piece, which fell perfectly along the curvature of her body, accentuating her full breasts and minimizing her already tiny waist. As it reached her hips, it ballooned into the classical bell skirt, ending just centimeters above the carpet that she stood on.
She was a fake. This was not her. She was not the marrying type. She was still young; the youngest of four sisters. She was still a free spirit! So why, she thought angrily, would I try to hurt Glenn the way that I did? I’ve never wanted this! Her white arms rose up and outwards, with her fingers dangling down towards the hem of the wedding gown. “And now I’ve ruined his plans, just because I was selfish and couldn’t handle the fact that he was in love with someone else.” A quiet knock at her door caused her to lock up. “Who is it?”
“Piper.”
Paige frowned. Another demon attack? She mused. Usually Piper didn’t drop by her room to make social calls. She waddled over to the door, all the while the sound of satin against the carpet humming in her ears. Maybe her senses were just hyperactive right now. But she thought it was due to guilt for, as she thought of it, ruining her best friend’s life. “Yeah?” She poked her head out of the door crack, nearly bumping her own face into Piper’s.
“Hey.” Piper smiled sympathetically. “I thought you might need someone to talk to.”
“About?”
Piper struggled to place her hand on her hip. “You know exactly what.” She pressed her hand to the door, gently shoving it open. “Can I come in?”
The younger witch bowed her head. “Piper, I really-”
“Could use some chocolate right now.” Piper smiled brightly, as she held out a tin of Ghirardelli chocolates. “Fresh from the square! Leo took me down there just about an hour ago.” She paused, studying her sister’s streaked face. “I thought you could use a little pick me up, and I’ve just been waiting for the right moment.” While her sister pondered the thought, Piper slipped through the door and was inside the room before Paige could protest.
“Piper,” Paige grumbled, “I really just want to be left alone right now.”
“No!” Piper wagged her finger as she waddled to Paige’s bed. “You’re having some serious man troubles, and as the big sister her, it’s my job to shove my extra sensitive nose into your business.”
Paige rolled her eyes as she leaned her weight against the door, closing it. “Fine,” she relented. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Glenn.”
“Obviously.” Paige flopped down at the edge of her bed. “Chocolate.”
“Hey!” Piper had been reaching for her favorite caramel crème filled chocolate, when it vanished in a swathe of small blue lights.
Paige whipped her head around, as the chocolate appeared in her hand. “You like the caramel ones too?”
Piper’s brows shot up. “They’re the best!” She wrinkled her nose. “I could never understand why Phoebe and Prue thought these ones,” she held up a dark chocolate candy, “tasted so good. I much prefer milk chocolate and caramel, compared to dark chocolate and orange crème.”
Paige wiggled her brows playfully. “So they did have something in common, ‘eh? From what Phoebe’s told me, they were complete opposites.”
Piper snickered. “Apparently so.”
Paige scooted back onto the bed, squeezing next to her big sister. “Hold out your hand.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
“Okay.” Piper stuck out her hand, palm upwards.
Paige placed her candy in the center of her own palm, and with her left hand she made a slicing motion through the air. Half of her chocolate candy disappeared, only to reappear in Piper’s hand. “Hurry, before it oozes out everywhere.” Immediately following, she stuck her own half into her mouth and closed her eyes, savoring the sweet and slightly salty flavor.
“Where did you learn to do that?” Piper tossed the half candy into her mouth, and then reached back for the tin to find something else.
Paige smirked. “Remember about a month ago when you made Phoebe and I help you with dinner? It was when Sheila and Darryl dropped by, and you wanted to have a nice, normal dinner?” Upon her sister’s nod she said, “Well do you remember how you told me you could understand how I’d cut the onion slices so perfectly?”
Piper gasped. “Paige!”
Paige shrugged. “What? They were making my eyes water. What if a demon attacked or something? I couldn’t have my eyes watering, now could I?”
“You sound like Phoebe,” the pregnant witch groaned. She placed a hand to her bulging belly.
“Thanks,” Paige replied sarcastically.
“You’re straying from the purpose of my visit.”
“Oh,” she frowned, “that.”
“Yes, that.”
“I still don’t understand why you have to be here, talking to me about Glenn.”
“Because I can see that you’re suffering over this-this…” Piper motioned to the white dress. “This situation.”
“I ruined his wedding! How am I supposed to feel?”
“Have you ever stopped to wonder why you ruined his wedding?”
“Because of magic?”
“No.”
“No?”
“No.” Piper tossed another chocolate into her mouth. “Think deeper.”
Paige placed a long finger to her temple. “Because I was jealous?”
The timer tapped her stomach lightly. “You’re on the right track.”
“Oh for crying out loud!” Paige grabbed a chocolate and mumbled. “Just tell me. I’m not in the mood to go on a wild goose chase right now.”
“More like a wild Glenn chase.”
Paige’s dark eyes rolled back into her head.
“Paige, magic wouldn’t have affected you like it did, if there wasn’t something to grab onto and expand upon already.”
“Can we say cryptic, anyone?”
“Do I have to spell it out for you?”
“Maybe.”
“If you didn’t already have feelings for Glenn, things wouldn’t have spiraled out of control like they did!”
“Oh, is that all? Come on, Piper! We both already knew that I have feelings for Glenn. So what’s that got to do with anything.”
“I’m not just talking about a crush, Paige.”
Paige’s eyes flickered. “Then,” she said slowly, “what are you talking about?”
“I saw the way you looked at him the day the rat demons abducted him. The way you say his name, the way you talk about him, and the way your face glows when you’re thinking about him…Paige, it’s obvious these feelings are deeper than you’re letting on.”
“Piper, don’t be silly.”
“Paige! Listen to me! I know what I’m talking about.” She touched her sister’s arm lightly. “And I don’t want to stand by and let another sister make the same mistake.”
“What’re you talking about?”
“Once upon a time, I had another sister who used to look at her guy the same way you look at Glenn.”
Paige closed her eyes. “Prue.”
“Yeah. Like Glenn, Andy was also mortal. And they’d been high school sweethearts too. And she let him go after high school, and he moved to Portland, only to come back here at the worst possible time in our lives. She was afraid to get close to him again, not only because of the pain, but because of our secret. And by the time she knew she wanted to be with him, it was too late.” Piper let her head hang at her chest, remembering Andy’s last moments. “He made the ultimate sacrifice for her. For all of us.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
Piper smiled weakly. “You’re so like her, and you don’t even know it.” She watched her sister’s face soften, almost threatening to spill tears again. “I just don’t want you to make the same mistakes Prue did. And I want you to start by fighting for Glenn.”
“But he loves Jessica!”
“If he really loves Jessica, then you’ve got nothing to lose.”
“Except my dignity.”
“Sometimes you have to make a leap for love.” She touched her bulging belly. “Take a risk, Paige.” Piper swung her legs over the side of the bed, and began to dust off small chocolate slivers that had fallen onto her shirt. “I’ve seen the way he’s looked at you, too. It’s worth a shot, honey. You’ve got nothing else to lose, and everything to gain.” She moved towards the door.
“But Piper, it’s not like I’m in love with him!” As soon as the words as left her mouth, her blood ran cold. In love with him? She couldn’t believe she’d really just said those words! Now her heart was beating a million times faster, and her head was spinning.
“Just think about it, will you?”
Paige began to shake her head in compliance. More to herself than to Piper, but it was enough to satisfy her older sister. After she was sure Piper had left the room, she sunk down onto the mattress and snuggled up into the warm vacancy Piper had left on her bed.
The whitelighter-witch dug her hand under her pillow, retrieving the same photo album she’d been looking at when she’d talked to Glenn on the phone earlier that day. Her fingers caressed the pages, and then she flipped to the middle of the book. Every time she opened this particular photo album, she always turned to page twenty-five first.
The witchlighter’s mouth broke into a grin as she stared at the smiling faces that were looking back at her. One of them had been from their senior prom, another on the day they’d graduated, and still another on a vacation they’d taken to Las Vegas for Glenn’s twenty-first birthday. In each photograph, Paige was positively glowing, and Glenn’s arms had been protectively draped around her.
Sighing, Paige flipped the album closed, and returned it to its hiding spot under her pillow. She wasn’t even going to bother taking off this dress tonight. She’d do it in the morning. With her big sisters words ringing in her ears, she just had way too much to think about right now.
----9:00 A.M.----
Paige Matthews inhaled sharply. Her entire body was tingling, and she wasn’t even within two yards of him. Her hands were already sweating profusely, and her heart beat was so loud that she could practically hear it thundering between her ears.
She could see him standing near one of the many ponds in Golden Gate Park. A tan, suede jacket was wrapped tightly around his arms, despite the fact that it was unusually sunny on this bright morning. The witch briefly wondered if, perhaps, he was nervous about meeting her too.
Swallowing quickly, she yelled, “Glenn!” There’s no turning back now! The moment she looked up, his gaze caught hers, and she felt a red heat creep into her snow white cheeks. God, I must look like a little school girl with a crush!
“Paige…”
The half witch edged her way over to her best friend, smiling sympathetically. “Hey.”
Glenn nervously laced his hands together. He cocked his head to the side, avoiding her brunette gaze. “Hey.”
“I wanted to apologize.” Paige bowed her head again, suddenly becoming highly interested in her white sandals.
“Can I ask you something?”
She looked up hopefully. “Sure! Anything.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you do what you did?” Glenn twiddled his thumbs. “I mean, what kind of being would trick you into sabotaging my wedding?”
Why did you have to ask that? Paige twisted her head to the side, allowing her soft ginger locks to fall in front of her face, shading it from her best friend’s view. “J-jealousy,” she half lied. “This witch doctor amplified my jealousy over Jessica.”
“Jealousy?” Glenn’s hand moved towards her arm, but he retracted it just moments too soon. “But I thought we were just friends. I mean…the last time I left and everything…”
“I know. I just…I guess I never really got used to seeing you with other women. When you were in San Francisco, we were always together it seemed. Always flirting in our on and off way. I’ve never actually seen you with someone else before.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Paige allowed herself a bitter laugh. “You shouldn’t be apologizing, Glenn, it should be me. I was the one who ruined your wedding. I was the one who destroyed a perfectly good relationship! What on earth do you have to be sorry for?”
Glenn’s shoulders heaved up and down. “I guess I should’ve told you about her and I sooner. It wasn’t fair to spring it on you like that.”
Feeling all the more guilty she said, “But I shouldn’t have expected that as soon as you came back, you’d be mine again.”
Glenn snickered. “I was yours?”
The witchlighter slapped his arm playfully, part of the tension breaking away. “You know what I mean.”
“Hey Paige-” A beeping noise from his back pocket caught the mortal by surprise. “Uh, hold on,” he smiled sympathetically. Pulling out his pager he sighed. “It’s Jess.”
Paige bowed her head. “Oh.”
“I’d better go,” he mumbled. “We have a plane to catch tomorrow.”
Paige nodded. “Right.” She stuffed her hands into her pockets. “Maybe we can hook up, the next time you’re in town?”
Glenn pursed his lips and just nodded, not wanting to tell his best friend that the woman he was about to marry didn’t want him to go back to San Francisco anymore, let alone be around Paige. “Well…” He pointed towards the trail that eventually led back to the parking lot.
“Yeah, yeah.” Paige waved him on. “See ya later.” She turned quickly, heading off in the opposite direction. The Charmed One could feel the hot daggers behind her eyes, and salty water was already beginning to cloud her vision. She blinked them back angrily. “Sometimes you have to make a leap for love.” Paige shook her head, trying to rid Piper’s words from her mind. “You’ve got nothing else to lose, and everything to gain.”
“Glenn, wait!” The words had leapt from her cinnamon red lips before she could think twice. As she spun around, she saw that he’d barely moved from the spot he’d been in when she’d begun walking away. Or perhaps it was her imagination. Either way, she wasn’t going to let him get away again. Not without one last try.
Glenn took two long strides, and met her face to face. She was so close that he could literally feel the heat radiating from her nervous, sweating body.
“I need to know something.”
“Wh-what?”
“You have to be honest with me, Glenn.”
“You know I always am.”
Paige nodded. I can’t believe I’m really doing this! Opening her mouth she blurted out, “Do you really love her?”
“What?”
“Jessica! Do you really love her?” At his dumbstruck look she said, “Are you in love with Jessica?”
“I-I don’t know.”
“Do you love me?”
Glenn began to shake his head. “Paige, I-”
The redhead placed her index finger over his lips, halting the rest of his sentence. “Close your eyes.” When he didn’t, she pressed her fingers a little harder. “Please, just trust me.” And when he did, she leaned close to his ear and whispered, “I just want one honest answer from you, and that’s it. I swear, if you don’t feel anything, I’ll leave you alone forever.” And she pressed her hands to the sides of his face, and connected their lips in a long, powerful embrace.
After what seemed like an eternity, she pulled away and her eyes roamed his for something. Anything. But what she found caused her knees to tremble. Nothing. She wanted to cry, to scream, but her ability to speak or even make noise had abruptly deserted her. Quickly, she turned on her heel and darted across the dewy green lawn as fast as her legs would carry her.
The sun disappeared from her face as she dashed under the shade of a flowering tree. What Paige Matthews didn’t notice was the new scuffling behind her. She was too caught up in her own pain to notice anything but the blur in front of her. At least, not until she felt a strong hand roughly grab her left arm.
She jerked backwards, colliding directly into a familiar body. She knew his smell by heart. He hadn’t changed his aftershave since high school. This was the same chest she cried into so many nights after her parents had died. Her mouth opened in protest, but was promptly covered by a hot hand.
Glenn guided her to the trunk of the tree, and pressed her body to it. He leaned towards her, feeling her accelerated breathing on his face and neck, and then he slowly guided his hand up her baby soft arm and across her shoulder. It hand stopped at the curve behind her neck, embracing it much like someone would an infant. With his opposite hand, he slid it away from her mouth and held the side of her face, keeping a steady gaze with her brown eyes. Then in what seemed like a slow motion maneuver for the two parties involved, he locked their lips with vice tight passion.
Paige’s mind, body, and soul screamed in ecstasy. Piper had been run. Taking a leap for love was worth it. Out of every man she’d ever been with in all her twenty-five years, she’d never felt anything like what she’d felt with her best friend. Glenn Belland was a one time thing, and she could see and feel that now. When their lips finally parted, she was completely breathless.
“Is that honest enough for you?”
“Do you even have to ask?” As she reached for his hand, the sound of the pager echoed again.
Glenn Belland held up his hand, signaling her to just wait a moment. He pulled the pager from his back pocket, turned towards the pond, and hurled it like a boomerang. With a loud splash, it disappeared into the clear blue depths of the water. He turned contentedly back towards Paige. “Lets get out of here.”
Paige glanced around quickly and then whispered mischievously, “I’ll have to hold you.”
“How about if I hold you?”
With a twinkle in her eye she said, “I think that’ll work.” And gladly, she accepted his strong arms.
Glenn pressed his lips to Paige one more time, as a fuzzy feeling engulfed the both of them. All thoughts of Jessica had been forgotten as he and Paige vanished in a blue haze. As the lights vanished his voice echoed, “Now this is something I could definitely get used to!”
