Piper's Death
Summary: My take on how Piper died on Chris's 14th birthday in the Unchanged Future.
Chris opened the manor door with exicitement. Today was his fourteenth birthday and, so far, he had had a great day. His teachers had all wished him a happy birthday and Wyatt had somehow managed to bring in a cake for lunch. Chris had no idea how he managed that without getting caught but decided not to ask, and to just enjoy the moment.
"Mom?" Chris called out, a smile on his face. Piper had taken the day off so she could decorate the manor and bake Chris's cake. As Chris walked through the conservatory he admired all the streamers and ballons she had hung up. Piper had really gone all out this time. For a moment, Chris was worried about why Piper hadn't answered him but then the realized that it might just be a surprise party. Chris's face lit up as he walked towards the kitched faster.
"Mom, I'm home!" Chris called, his excitment increasing the closer he got to the kitchen door. Beaming, Chris reached for the door and got ready to hear a chorus of "Surprise!" shouted at him.
Instead, what he saw was a war zone. Cake mix was scattered all over, and energy ball marks marred the walls. Decorations were ripped, burnt, torn and scattered throughout the kitchen. Chris felt the smile slipping off of his face as he stood, dumbfounded, in the doorway. "Mom?" Chris called worriedly, his voice quavering.
Thinking that perhaps a prank was being pulled Chris yelled out, "This isn't funny!" After a few moments of tense silence Chris heard a muffled groan from the behind the island.
"Mom!" Chris exclaimed, dropping to his knees beside her. Piper was laying in a pool of her own blood, one arm wrapped protectively against a heavily bleeding stab wound in her stomach and the other covering her face. Tears were running down her cheeks as she removed her hand and stared at Chris with sad eyes.
"I'm sorry Peanut." She said, her voice shaking with surpressed sobbs as she reached a hand up and gently cupped his face. Chris leaned into her touch and felt his own disbeliving tears drop onto her hand.
"For what mom?" Chris asked, shaking his head in denial.
"For everything I'm going to miss." Piper said sadly, sobbing openly now as she could no longer contain her heart wrenching grief. "For ruining your special day." She continued, pulling herself together. She had to stay strong for her peanut. She had too.
"Don't talk like that." Chris said harshly, grabbing Piper's hand as it fell from his face. "WYATT!" Chris screamed at the ceiling, his voice hysterical. He was not going to watch his mother die. It wasn't going to happen. "LEO!" Chris called, louder still. He could feel himself beginning to hyperventalate as Piper's eyes began to close. "Mom!" Chris screamed desperately.
Piper's eyes snapped open and locked onto Chris's. His eyes were leaking a constant trail of tears and he was hyperventalating. Piper heaved a shuddering breath and lifted both arms, which felt as though they weighed a thousand pounds. She moved her hands onto Chris's face and wiped his tears away gently.
"T-they won't come." Piper informed her son sadly. "They're with the E-Elders." She said bitterly. Seeing Chris's anguished look she said, "It's o-okay, peanut." Piper began to feel her life slipping away and fought with ever once of remaining strenght she had to get out her last words. "I-I will always b-be there for y-you and your b-brother. Tell W-Wyatt that I love him." She begged, her hands slipping back to the ground. This time, Chris let them fall. He was in complete shock, unable to register anything other then her words. "Peanut, I-I love you. I will a-a-always love you." Piper finished, shivering fiercely as her entire body became cloaked in the frigid cold of approaching death.
"I love you too mom" Chris choked, sobbing brokenly, but forcing his eyes to stay open. He didn't want to stop watching his mother for fear that he would blink and she would be gone. "Please don't leave me." He begged quietly.
"I'm sorry p-peanut." Piper said, taking a deep breath and realizing with a pang that it would be her last. Determined to use every second she had left she managed to choke out, "I l-love you." Piper exhaled and as her head dropped to the side the light left her eyes. Chris sobbed and hugged her tightly, refusing to let go even when Leo and Wyatt did eventually come home.
Nothing mattered anymore. Because Piper Halliwell, the matricarch of the Halliwell family, the strongest Charmed One still alive, Chris's mother- the one who made him tea when he was sick, ruffled his hair, and called him the embarassing baby name 'peanut'- was dead. And no magic would bring her back.