A Promise Unbroken
Young Melinda Wyatt was in her father's arms keeping dry from the pounding rain under his umbrella, which he held in his other arm. He was devastated all though he wanted to show strength for his daughter and sister in-laws. If Melinda was old enough to understand what was happening, she would be crying terribly like her two aunts. Prue had given up on being strong for Phoebe and her niece and started sobbing uncontrollably holding her now only sister closely. Phoebe was still in a state of shock. She was there. She had been there. She saw it happen. She could have helped, but she didn't. These thoughts chased each other in her mind. She barely knew where she was anymore. Nothing was the same without her. Nothing at all. Every thing was different, even Prue and the manor. Things had been like this before, but it never seemed to be so different. She looked across at her neighbor, Dan. She knew he still loved Piper even after her wedding. Even after her death. Poor Dan. Poor Leo. Poor Melinda. Melinda. Phoebe knew what it was like growing up without a mother. But with no sisters to count on? If that had happened to Phoebe when she was growing up she would have committed suicide by the time she was thirteen. She made a vow, then and there, at Piper's funeral to watch over her niece.
There were many other people at the funeral as well: Josh, Darryl, Jack, etcetera. But to Phoebe, there were only six people there: Prue, Phoebe, Leo, Dan, Melinda, and Piper. Phoebe had never done anything without Piper except maybe New York. Piper had always pulled her through the bad times. Piper was the one who always knew the right thing to say. No matter how hard Prue tried, Piper had always comforted Phoebe better then anyone ever could. Piper was the one who had assured her nothing was under the bed or in the closet. It was Piper's bed Phoebe always had crawled into in the middle of the night after a nightmare. She wished she could do that now. When would this nightmare end?
Phoebe, Prue, and Leo, didn't know the nightmare would end sooner then expected. But to understand the full meaning of what was about to happen that dreary afternoon, one must understand the occurrences of a few days before. And so, we travel back in time to a Saturday in the June of 2006.
"Piper, I'm taking Melinda out to eat," Leo said, on his way out of the door. Piper entered the hall and smiled.
"Hey, you used to do that for me. Have you got a new girlfriend?" Piper said, jokingly
"I'm sorry, Piper, but I'm leaving you for Melinda," Leo replied, with the same joking tone.
"B' bye," Piper said and kissed him, intimately, good bye. Unfortunately, this was the last time Leo would see her alive.
"Hey Pheebs, how are you?" Piper greeted her sister at the old Halliwell manor.
"I'm great! It's a great day. I'm so happy for you. Your anniversary is coming up, you have a beautiful little girl. I envy you,"
"Oh Phoebe, you and Mick are doing great," they were now in the parlor and Piper had brought them some coffee.
"Yeah, I know. I love you Piper and I hope you'll always be here for me," Phoebe smiled.
"I will..." Piper looked away from her sister.
"What is it?" Phoebe asked, a little concerned.
"It's just, I know that that, for once, is a promise I can't keep,"
Phoebe's eyes grew, "You're not dying, are you?"
Piper laughed, "No, of course not, sweetie, it's just you know that we all have to leave this world... sometime,"
"Piper, don't say that..."
Piper smiled at her baby sister, "But do you know what? My day to leave you won't be for a long time and that is a promise I can keep. Remember, I will always be there to watch over you and protect you," Phoebe gave her sister a big hug. The doorbell rang and Piper got up to get it.
"Prue, I'm glad you could come,"
"Why would I miss an afternoon with my sisters, like in the old days?" Prue asked, stepping into the room.
"Hello, Phoebe," Prue smiled. The sisters all knew that Prue was still recovering from an all most fatal car accident, which explained her broken arm and bandage around her head. She had had a concussion as well, which she had gotten over now, seven months later. Piper gave Prue a cup of coffee and they were chatting about Phoebe's latest gift, to absorb energy from one thing and shoot it out towards another. This, so far, was very helpful in demon slaying. Years ago, Phoebe had been jealous of Prue and Piper because they had active powers and she didn't, but now, Prue and Piper were jealous of Phoebe. Prue's powers had advanced as well. She had telekinesis, the power to Astral Project, as well as the power to blink. Phoebe had premonitions, the power to levitate, and, her latest power, which the sisters had no name for yet. Piper had also advanced. She could freeze time, speak with animals, and even turn back time a few minutes (no more then fifteen minutes so far). Prue was extremely jealous of Phoebe's new power because it was so powerful; she could blow away walls. But Phoebe complained.
"I'd trade you any day, Prue, for the power to blink. It's so draining, even more so then when I first had premonitions. And Piper, what I wouldn't give to talk to animals!"
"I don't exactly talk to them, I just sort of understand them and they sort of understand me. It's sort of like a special bond; I don't know how to describe it. I just know what their answers will be just as they know what my question will be the moment I look at them. It's kind of scary. Like right now I know Kit wants to be fed... Oops! Oh Kit, I'm so sorry!" Piper jumped up and petted the cat and went into the kitchen to get her some food.
"She's a wonderful girl,"
"Don't put yourself down, you are too. I'm sorry about Dave," Phoebe said, apologetically.
"You've been saying that ever since the crash. It's as if I just have plain bad luck with men! I mean, Andy was killed by a demon, now Dave in the car crash... Oh Phoebe, what am I going to do?"
"Prue, you'll find some one some day, just like Piper. You have a soul mate out there,"
"Yeah, and he died about six years ago," Phoebe knew Prue was referring to Andy, "I know that you and Piper want to talk about something alone, and I should get going anyway,"
"No Prue, don't leave," Phoebe pleaded. Prue smiled and left. When the door closed, Phoebe heard a scream from the kitchen. She ran in through the doors and saw Piper, terrified. Across from her was a demon, absorbing something from her as if he were breathing it in. When he stopped, Piper collapsed to the floor, barely breathing. The demon held a satisfied look on his face. Phoebe, having no energy to absorb from elsewhere, soaked up her own energy and directed it at the demon in the form of a lightning bolt. He turned to smoke and disappeared, screaming. Phoebe rushed to Piper at the same time whipping out her cell phone and dialing 911.
"Piper, honey, you'll be OK,"
"Phoebe..."
"Remember? You told me you weren't going to leave me for a long time," Phoebe tried to smile, but there were tears in her eyes.
"I won't break that promise, Phoebe, am I one for breaking promises?"
"No... No, you're not. Piper, you can survive this, you promised,"
"I promised I wouldn't leave you... But I never promised I'd survive this,"
"Yes you did. It's the same thing! Unless your idea of a long time is an hour,"
"No, Phoebe, I told you... I told you that I... I couldn't keep that one... one promise, but... but... I'll always be there for you... always... ..." Phoebe was confused.
"Piper, what do you mean?"
"I... I love you Pheebs, and I... I always will... Tell Prue that... tooo... ... ... ..."
"Piper? PIPER!" Phoebe began to sob uncontrollably.
As we return to the present, where people are beginning to file out, one by one, Prue, Phoebe, Leo, and Melinda were left there, looking sadly at their lost loved one. But how lost was she? For when Phoebe approached the coffin to give her final regards, she had a shocking premonition. She saw Piper smiling at her, alive and in the exact same dress she was wearing now, only it was impossible to be from the past because Phoebe had no recollection of Piper ever looking like that in that dress. In fact, Piper had only worn it once before and she wasn't smiling at their cousin's wedding.
"I told you I'd never leave you," a voice whispered in Phoebe's ear. Prue and Leo seemed not to notice it but when Phoebe turned around, the voice became louder and Prue and Leo did hear.
"I love you all very much. You think I am gone from your lives forever but it is just the opposite. I am in your hearts forever and there, I am immortal. I'm only lost to you when you are lost to yourselves and even then, I will find a way to renew your faith. I am always watching over you and I always will. I was never one for breaking promises. And one day, I'm sure we will be together again... Someday,"
Young Melinda Wyatt was in her father's arms keeping dry from the pounding rain under his umbrella, which he held in his other arm. He was devastated all though he wanted to show strength for his daughter and sister in-laws. If Melinda was old enough to understand what was happening, she would be crying terribly like her two aunts. Prue had given up on being strong for Phoebe and her niece and started sobbing uncontrollably holding her now only sister closely. Phoebe was still in a state of shock. She was there. She had been there. She saw it happen. She could have helped, but she didn't. These thoughts chased each other in her mind. She barely knew where she was anymore. Nothing was the same without her. Nothing at all. Every thing was different, even Prue and the manor. Things had been like this before, but it never seemed to be so different. She looked across at her neighbor, Dan. She knew he still loved Piper even after her wedding. Even after her death. Poor Dan. Poor Leo. Poor Melinda. Melinda. Phoebe knew what it was like growing up without a mother. But with no sisters to count on? If that had happened to Phoebe when she was growing up she would have committed suicide by the time she was thirteen. She made a vow, then and there, at Piper's funeral to watch over her niece.
There were many other people at the funeral as well: Josh, Darryl, Jack, etcetera. But to Phoebe, there were only six people there: Prue, Phoebe, Leo, Dan, Melinda, and Piper. Phoebe had never done anything without Piper except maybe New York. Piper had always pulled her through the bad times. Piper was the one who always knew the right thing to say. No matter how hard Prue tried, Piper had always comforted Phoebe better then anyone ever could. Piper was the one who had assured her nothing was under the bed or in the closet. It was Piper's bed Phoebe always had crawled into in the middle of the night after a nightmare. She wished she could do that now. When would this nightmare end?
Phoebe, Prue, and Leo, didn't know the nightmare would end sooner then expected. But to understand the full meaning of what was about to happen that dreary afternoon, one must understand the occurrences of a few days before. And so, we travel back in time to a Saturday in the June of 2006.
"Piper, I'm taking Melinda out to eat," Leo said, on his way out of the door. Piper entered the hall and smiled.
"Hey, you used to do that for me. Have you got a new girlfriend?" Piper said, jokingly
"I'm sorry, Piper, but I'm leaving you for Melinda," Leo replied, with the same joking tone.
"B' bye," Piper said and kissed him, intimately, good bye. Unfortunately, this was the last time Leo would see her alive.
"Hey Pheebs, how are you?" Piper greeted her sister at the old Halliwell manor.
"I'm great! It's a great day. I'm so happy for you. Your anniversary is coming up, you have a beautiful little girl. I envy you,"
"Oh Phoebe, you and Mick are doing great," they were now in the parlor and Piper had brought them some coffee.
"Yeah, I know. I love you Piper and I hope you'll always be here for me," Phoebe smiled.
"I will..." Piper looked away from her sister.
"What is it?" Phoebe asked, a little concerned.
"It's just, I know that that, for once, is a promise I can't keep,"
Phoebe's eyes grew, "You're not dying, are you?"
Piper laughed, "No, of course not, sweetie, it's just you know that we all have to leave this world... sometime,"
"Piper, don't say that..."
Piper smiled at her baby sister, "But do you know what? My day to leave you won't be for a long time and that is a promise I can keep. Remember, I will always be there to watch over you and protect you," Phoebe gave her sister a big hug. The doorbell rang and Piper got up to get it.
"Prue, I'm glad you could come,"
"Why would I miss an afternoon with my sisters, like in the old days?" Prue asked, stepping into the room.
"Hello, Phoebe," Prue smiled. The sisters all knew that Prue was still recovering from an all most fatal car accident, which explained her broken arm and bandage around her head. She had had a concussion as well, which she had gotten over now, seven months later. Piper gave Prue a cup of coffee and they were chatting about Phoebe's latest gift, to absorb energy from one thing and shoot it out towards another. This, so far, was very helpful in demon slaying. Years ago, Phoebe had been jealous of Prue and Piper because they had active powers and she didn't, but now, Prue and Piper were jealous of Phoebe. Prue's powers had advanced as well. She had telekinesis, the power to Astral Project, as well as the power to blink. Phoebe had premonitions, the power to levitate, and, her latest power, which the sisters had no name for yet. Piper had also advanced. She could freeze time, speak with animals, and even turn back time a few minutes (no more then fifteen minutes so far). Prue was extremely jealous of Phoebe's new power because it was so powerful; she could blow away walls. But Phoebe complained.
"I'd trade you any day, Prue, for the power to blink. It's so draining, even more so then when I first had premonitions. And Piper, what I wouldn't give to talk to animals!"
"I don't exactly talk to them, I just sort of understand them and they sort of understand me. It's sort of like a special bond; I don't know how to describe it. I just know what their answers will be just as they know what my question will be the moment I look at them. It's kind of scary. Like right now I know Kit wants to be fed... Oops! Oh Kit, I'm so sorry!" Piper jumped up and petted the cat and went into the kitchen to get her some food.
"She's a wonderful girl,"
"Don't put yourself down, you are too. I'm sorry about Dave," Phoebe said, apologetically.
"You've been saying that ever since the crash. It's as if I just have plain bad luck with men! I mean, Andy was killed by a demon, now Dave in the car crash... Oh Phoebe, what am I going to do?"
"Prue, you'll find some one some day, just like Piper. You have a soul mate out there,"
"Yeah, and he died about six years ago," Phoebe knew Prue was referring to Andy, "I know that you and Piper want to talk about something alone, and I should get going anyway,"
"No Prue, don't leave," Phoebe pleaded. Prue smiled and left. When the door closed, Phoebe heard a scream from the kitchen. She ran in through the doors and saw Piper, terrified. Across from her was a demon, absorbing something from her as if he were breathing it in. When he stopped, Piper collapsed to the floor, barely breathing. The demon held a satisfied look on his face. Phoebe, having no energy to absorb from elsewhere, soaked up her own energy and directed it at the demon in the form of a lightning bolt. He turned to smoke and disappeared, screaming. Phoebe rushed to Piper at the same time whipping out her cell phone and dialing 911.
"Piper, honey, you'll be OK,"
"Phoebe..."
"Remember? You told me you weren't going to leave me for a long time," Phoebe tried to smile, but there were tears in her eyes.
"I won't break that promise, Phoebe, am I one for breaking promises?"
"No... No, you're not. Piper, you can survive this, you promised,"
"I promised I wouldn't leave you... But I never promised I'd survive this,"
"Yes you did. It's the same thing! Unless your idea of a long time is an hour,"
"No, Phoebe, I told you... I told you that I... I couldn't keep that one... one promise, but... but... I'll always be there for you... always... ..." Phoebe was confused.
"Piper, what do you mean?"
"I... I love you Pheebs, and I... I always will... Tell Prue that... tooo... ... ... ..."
"Piper? PIPER!" Phoebe began to sob uncontrollably.
As we return to the present, where people are beginning to file out, one by one, Prue, Phoebe, Leo, and Melinda were left there, looking sadly at their lost loved one. But how lost was she? For when Phoebe approached the coffin to give her final regards, she had a shocking premonition. She saw Piper smiling at her, alive and in the exact same dress she was wearing now, only it was impossible to be from the past because Phoebe had no recollection of Piper ever looking like that in that dress. In fact, Piper had only worn it once before and she wasn't smiling at their cousin's wedding.
"I told you I'd never leave you," a voice whispered in Phoebe's ear. Prue and Leo seemed not to notice it but when Phoebe turned around, the voice became louder and Prue and Leo did hear.
"I love you all very much. You think I am gone from your lives forever but it is just the opposite. I am in your hearts forever and there, I am immortal. I'm only lost to you when you are lost to yourselves and even then, I will find a way to renew your faith. I am always watching over you and I always will. I was never one for breaking promises. And one day, I'm sure we will be together again... Someday,"