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Teaser: Alex recieves a disturbing thought from Paige Matthews, as she is first introduced to a Charmed One.

***********Part 1***********

San Francisco-Prescott Street
Three Weeks Later

I sighed sharply, staring out of the window of my new home; A two story house with light blue siding, somewhat cramped. But that was fine, with just the three of us. My Dad, Mom, and I. Correction, there were now four which was a newest member to our family named "Max", a golden retriever dog that we had just gotten a few years ago, who had gone with Dad until we had moved out there.

Max had laid his head on my lap, whining softly. I scritched behind his ears, thinking of being back home. This place just felt somewhat skewed, and ...just noisy. I wished I were back home, where things didn't sound so... loud.

Petting Max's head did nothing to reassure my loneliness. I still wished I were back home. I had thought that it *might* be better here, but despite what I knew about myself now, the secret I had found out just three weeks ago, I didn't know what to do with myself. I hadn't met anyone around here yet. I still felt like I was in another world, as far as my parents were concerned now.

I heard a knock on the door, momentarily snapping me out of my funk. "Yeah?" The person behind the door took that as a signal to come in.

"Oh, hi Mom." I smiled softly, then quickly looked back at the window. She frowned momentarily but strode up to me, and sat beside me, and tried to look me into the eyes. When I wouldn't, she grew impatient.

"Alex... What is wrong with you? I have taken this as long as it's been going on, but you've never been this surly this long before."

I tore my gaze from the window reluctantly, to face my mother. "I don't know. I just feel alone."

Mom's eyes grew softer with sympathy, and understanding. "Oh Alex. I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd take this that hard. Don't you talk to Ray on the computer?"

I nodded once, slowly. "...Sometimes. It's ...not the same." I looked down at my hands, which were nestled into each other. Sighing, I looked back up at my mom, to see her warmth in her face.

She smiled, holding out her arms. I went into her arms, sniffling slightly. As her arms held me, I felt a warmth, and overflowing love for my mom. She just knew what to do. I smiled, despite the feelings I was going through just earlier. Pulling back, I gently smiled, and nodded.

"Feel better, Alex?" She questioned with a light tone, a warm smile on her face.

I nodded, wiping away silent tears, that had trickled slightly down my cheeks.

"Now, I think it's time for you to take Max for a walk."

I nodded, out of duty, for the most part, plus I did like taking Max for a walk, and I knew he hadn't been outside, other than the usual. She smiled, lingering for a moment at the door. "It's gonna be ok, Alex." Then she was out of the door, with it closing behind her.

I scritched behind Max's ear, causing him to loll his tongue out. I whispered into his ear, "Want a walk?" He barked once, causing me to laugh. I could swear the dog really understood me. I headed downstairs to get the leash, while Max bounded along behind and aside me.

Soon after that, we were walking down the sidewalk, Max pretty much pulling me along, more than I was walking with him. I muttered loud enough for Max but he didn't like to listen sometimes, and always was a curious sort. I glanced around, at the houses, that seemed to tower over me, along the route we always took.

One house always attracted me for some unknown reason. It felt like a house I'd love to live in, whenever I'd get married, or just ...to have. I shrugged those thoughts off, because I knew they were just fantasies. Whoever lived there probably inherited it.

Max tugged suddenly at the leash, jerking me out of my contemplative thoughts, as he seemed to see something he wanted to go after. The leash slipped out of my hand by surprise, and I saw him run into the street with horror, as a car was coming!

I instinctively ran after him, screaming, "Max, come back!" Max stopped in the middle of the road, looking at me quizzically, unaware of the car approaching closer. I ran into the street, but the car was too fast for me to reach Max in time. I was desperately hoping for some help, but a totally unexpected thing happened. I stared at Max in concentration, as if wishing beyond all hope that he'd morph into water. I reached out with my hand and gasped as Max's body became oddly translucent, and whooshed into a puddle.

I stood transfixed at the spot, totally floored by what transpired.

/ Max?! Are you OK?! / I watched as the car sped by without hesitating, and quickly realizing that the driver hadn't seen a thing. Scanning around the area, I knew I better get to Max immediately.

Seeing the puddle slowly move toward me, as if hesistant, I quickly focused my new power again. Max's shaggy form began to reform to solid state, ending in a small whine of seemingly confusion. Exhaling sharply in relief, I led Max to the sidewalk, uncertain what to do next. Petting Max seemed to make him feel better, but it didn't make me feel much better.

/ What do I do? / Furrowing my eyebrows together, I just knelt there, petting Max, with thoughts running through my mind. I looked up for no reason, at a gigantic Victorian-esque Manor. The realization hit me. This was the house I really liked.

/ God. I hope no one saw me or the dog do that. Still. I wonder what they're like... /

After a moment's musing, I decided I should get back home. As I stood up, still holding his leash, I gazed at the house in an undefinable longing. Sighing softly, I tore my gaze away, and started on our way back home.

As I was about to leave, the front doors opened, and a lady started walking down the stairs, clad in a stylish white outfit. Her short hair swung from side to side, with a blazing red tinge to it, as if was aflame. She noticed me looking at her, and smiled. I smiled back shortly, acknowledging her.

/ So, that's who lives there? /

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she looked at Max, and giggled. "Oh, that's a cute dog you have." She knelt and rubbed Max's head, causing him to pant happily.

She looked up, smiling softly. "Hi. My name's Paige. Paige Matthews."

I smiled back, as it was hard not to be friendly, for some reason.

"I'm Alex. Alex Mack. I..er, live down the street. This is Max."

Nodding, she continued scratching behind Max's ear.

"I know. I've seen you up and down this street the last week or so."

I had an urge to flee, but only slightly, because what if she had seen what happened on the street? I smiled awkwardly, unsure what to say next. She seemed like a nice person, but I hadn't been good at making friends lately, since I had left Pleasant Valley.

Paige seemed to sense this, and her mouth curved into a wry grin. "It's really nice to meet you, Alex, Alex Mack." She grinned broadly for a moment.

I stared in confusion, then chuckled softly. "No. Just one Alex- -"

Continuing, with a slightly regretful expression, I gazed at her. "I..I guess I should get back home."

Paige nodded simply. "Alright...Are you sure you have to get back already? I've got some refreshments if you want some?"

I smiled shyly, with a short nod. "Are you sure it's ok? Max is pretty good, but I don't want to risk any ...ah, accidents."

She let out a small mirthful giggle. "No worries, Alex. I'm sure he'll behave himself. I have been wanting to introduce myself the last week or so, ever since I noticed you walking up and down the sidewalk."

With a skeptical expression on my face, I stared at her.

"You have? Why?"

Paige just shrugged her shoulders, as if she didn't really know.

"I dunno. I just thought I'd welcome you into the neighborhood."

"Oh," was all I had to say.

/ I guess I could take her up on her offer, plus it's a perfect chance to see who lives here, and I have always wanted to see the inside of this manor. /

Grinning broadly, I replied. "Alright! I guess I can come in for a few minutes."

Paige led us into the Manor's Foyer, which was very neat, with its ornate woodwork, and stained glass doors. Craning my head around, and trying to keep Max from roaming around, I took in the splendor, yet there were some cracks and scuffled marks on some of the walls, as if there had been a brawl or something recently.

She turned around abruptly and gestured toward the lounge, to an offwhite couch.

"Have a seat, while I grab something. Water? Juice? Soda?"

I glanced at the couch for a moment, catching her last question, looking at her before replying.

"Oh. Um. Juice is fine." Paige walked toward the kitchen, as I walked toward the couch, looking around the room, looking at various features. My attention was captured by the fireplace, which had an interesting sculpture, but it had a weird shape branded into the front. Max whined slightly, pressing his head against my leg, but I hadn't noticed.

The sculpture was as if it was a flowing waterfall, with green rocks as the base, and a wierd symbol carved there. The symbol captured my attention because it seemed as if it were glowing, or something alive moving along its lines.

Paige cleared her throat momentarily, snapping me out of my reviere. I turned around slightly embarrassed, as if she had caught me doing something wrong.

Paige walked over to me, handing me a small bottle of juice, and saw what I had been looking at.

"It's beautiful, isn't it, Alex?" Paige turned her head to look at me, with a small smile.

"We just got it recently, from a friend of ours."

"Oh, really? It's really nice." I felt awkward now, as if I shouldn't be here, or something.

"Uh...Thanks for the juice, ma'am." I started backing up, to leave the Manor, with Max.

Paige's hand touched my shoulder for a moment. "Wait...Why are you going?"

I was overtook by a blinding blast of thoughts.

~ I need to find out what she did. I need to help her somehow. Phoebe saw her in her premonition ~

I jerked back at the touch of her hand, as if burned.

"Who are you!? I gotta go!" I tugged at Max's leash urgently, as I tried to leave as fast as I could.

"Wait! What's wrong?" Paige nearly shouted as I shot out the door.

***********Part 2***********

"Dammit. I wonder what set her off." Paige stared, watching my receding form. Shrugging, she closed the door gently, and turned around.

/ I gotta tell them what happened. I just hope we can help. /

Paige crossed her arms, tapping one elbow with her finger, in thought.

Phoebe entered the foyer, seeing Paige, rushed over to her.

"Did you meet her yet? What happened?"

Paige sighed softly. "I have no idea. She seems really nice, but she left really strangely. Yes. I saw her morph her dog, or something, into water, and back."

Phoebe's eyes widened. "Really? My premonition was about her morphing into water. Hmm. I thought maybe it was a demon attack. I guess it may have been her power then."

Paige looked incrediculously at Phoebe. "Morphing into water? Don't you think that's a bit far fetched?"

Phoebe chuckled lightly. "Not as much as yours could be."

Paige grinned with an impudent face. "Right!" Her expression became concerned. "Um... How do we get her back here? I think something about me scared her off. But I just cannot figure out what the hell it is."

Phoebe's expression transmuted to thoughtful as scenarios seemed to run through her mind.

"Tell me. What happened right before she reacted?" Phoebe began to pace slightly, in an investigative mood.

Paige ran her hand through her brilliant red hair and exhaled sharply.

"...Well. I do remember that I had touched her arm, because I was trying to keep her from leaving so fast. She seemed very awkward and shy when she got here."

Phoebe stopped in mid-pace, looking at Paige, as if an idea had occurred to her. "Hrm. What if she has other powers? God knows, we have several. I wonder what kind of powers. Hmmm. What was going through your mind then?"

Paige bit her lip her face momentarily. "Um. I think I was thinking that we had to help her, that I wanted to find out what she did in the street. And um, something about that you saw her in a premonition. Wait!"

Phoebe intensely stared at Paige with alertness.

"What?"

"Um. She asked who YOU were. Oh my god. She's telepathic."

Phoebe blinks, stunned into silence.

"She MUST be a touch telepath...kinda like Spock." Paige continued verbalizing her thoughts.

Phoebe whistled softly. "Wow. That'd be hard. To hear thoughts everytime she touched someone."

********************************************************************

Meanwhile, I was nearly home, my thoughts in turmoil.

/ Who's Phoebe? What the hell was that? A premonition? I wonder what the hell it means. I don't know if I want to go back at all. /

Without knowing it, I had reached the steps in front of my house. I trudged up the stairs softly, my mind still a whirl. The moment I entered the house, I let Max loose, and he happily trotted into the kitchen, presumably for water or food.

I strode up the stairs toward my room, without a moment's thought. I had to think about things. As my door slid shut behind me, I let go of my bewildered thoughts, and just laid there on my bed, trying to put things together.

So...was Phoebe one of them? Psychics? ...or dared I say it? Witches? Thoughts ran through my mind. / Maybe...I should ... No. I don't know. /

Sighing to myself heavily, I looked at the ceiling in frustration. Recalling what had happened earlier was strange enough, then this Paige person's thoughts...

Groaning, I clenched a fist and banged it gently into the bed in frustration.

"Why can't it ever be easy. Should I trust them? Paige seemed so nice. She didn't seem so mean. But then again, so did Danielle Atron....until she slipped. I knew she was fishy, from the first time I saw her."

Continuing to put together my thoughts, I remarked to no one in particular, "But... Paige just seemed a lot more genuine. Perhaps she can help...with my new powers."

Resolve rose in me, as a thought crystallized in my mind.

"Yes. I should talk to her. She probably was trying to help."

Sitting up, with my hands supporting me on the bed, I looked around at my bedroom, filled with my stuff. I saw the clear glass sphere resting upon a velvet cloth on my desk, and smiled wistfully.

"Annie. You probably would scoff at these people, especially if they were witches. I wish you were here..."

I paused, thinking about Annie's ideas. "You were too scientific. Even though you identified what I was drenched with...you tried to keep things scientific, even though some things happened that you couldn't."

"I know you can't be here, Annie. But I do know one thing. You probably would have suggested that I talk to them, if they knew anything that you couldn't help with."

I smiled softly, feeling better than I had in the last few weeks. Maybe I had a friend.

Now -- it was time to experiment, to see if I could duplicate what happened this afternoon.

********************************************************************

Halliwell Manor

Piper walked into the lounge from a long day at P^3, with a bulging bag of inventory books. Seeing Phoebe and Paige sitting at the couch, just not talking, but looking at each other, Piper stopped still.

"What's going on? Another demon? What?"

Phoebe shook her head. "Naw. Just we met our premonition today."

Dropping her books to the floor, she puzzledly looked at each of them, then thumped herself onto the lounge chair opposite them.

"Say what?"

Paige smiled wryly. "Well, Phoebe had a premonition about this young girl, near my age, and thought she was being transmuted to liquid by a demon, or something. But apparently it's her power. And I think I scared her earlier, somehow."

Piper blinked, and retorted, "How? What happened?"

Paige shrugged slightly. "Well. I don't know for sure. She came in after I offered her some refreshments while she had been walking her dog. She kinda got nervous after I got some for her."

"And?" Piper started having a foreboding uneasiness in her expression and body language.

Paige cleared her throat uneasily. "Uh. Well. I think she picked up something from me. Like a thought when I accidently touched her to try to stop her from leaving so fast."

Phoebe sighed slowly, at Piper's impatient expression. "Well, she somehow knew about me...and me having a premonition."

Piper stared in shock. "What?! You're kidding me?" Piper sighed inwardly as Phoebe shook her head.

"So...what are we going to do?" Piper held their gazes with a semi-resigned expression.

Paige became thoughtful. "Perhaps we just wait?"

Piper groaned softly. "Wait? Why? She could know our secret now."

Paige shook her head at this. "No. I don't think she does. But I think that she probably needs some answers."

Piper tapped her fingers on the armrest, gazing at her sisters with a thoughtful look. "Answers, huh. If you're sure, Paige. We'll wait, but I will make no promises as to whether she'll get them."

[ TBC ]