Piper paced back and forth in front of the window beside Prues bed. She was trying to come to grips with what the doctor had said to them. Her baby sister, the one so full of life and energy. How would they ever get through this? No, they would, she won't be paralyzed. She will walk again.
She looked now and then over at the sleeping form of her big sister. Safe. She was here safe and sound as Phoebe was fighting for a part of her life. The life that she had known and loved.
"Piper you're gonna wear a hole in the floor."
Piper turned and looked up at Darryl in the doorway.
"How is she?"
Looking at her sister, "Prue's good. Just needs a little rest for the next few days."
"What about Phoebe?" he moved further into the room and looked down at the youngest of the three sister he had grown to care about.
Piper looked up at their friend before she turned around back to the window. "She's fine." Piper lied. It was what she felt, what she hoped.
"Piper. I have friends all over this city. I heard what happened."
"She's gonna be fine Darryl. She is." Piper felt the tears escaping her eyes as they started down.
Darryl looked at her and he could see the slight heaves that Piper was starting to have. He stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She turned into him, burying her face in his chest, as she let her tears fall freely.
"She has to be ok Darryl." She managed to cry out.
"She will be Piper. She is one of the strongest people I know. And with you and Prue beside her, she will be just fine. You'll see." He told her hoping that his words would be right.
How long had it been now, hours? Days? She had lost track of everything, as she spent all her waking moments at the hospital and even some sleeping ones. She looked up when she saw her sister walking through the doorway.
"Any change?" Piper asked as she walked in the door.
"No. Not yet. I thought she was waking a few minutes ago, but I think I was wishful thinking." Prue turned and looked back at Phoebe
"Prue you should be at home resting." Piper said as she pulled a chair in beside Phoebe across from Prue.
"Piper we've had this conversation already."
"I know and that's why I'm not going to get into it again, but just take it easy ok? Two days ago you were under the pier fighting for your life, and scaring the shit out of me."
Prue looked over at Piper and let out a small chuckle. "Sorry Sis. But the next time a demon decides to throw me in the water, I'll be sure to let him know it will scare the shit out of you and not to do it."
Piper reached across and took Prue's hand in hers. "You better."
The clocked moved slowly, the hands of time turning the past by them. They would sit beside her holding her hand or pacing near the window. One would go for food, then the other. They didn't want her to be alone when she woke up. She would be scared and frightened. They wanted to be there to help her with this, to tell her that together they would make it through this.
She had her in her arms. They would be ok. She had done this a million times in her sleep when she was younger. Put the victim between you and the pilings. It was easy. Then you would both get in safely. She could carry her sister to shore and everything would be ok. But no. It wasn't like that. She couldn't risk her sisters' life like that. She remembered the pain of the piling slamming into her, as the wave squeezed them both against it. She had rolled inward further under the pier as the next wave crashed against her, pushing her towards the next piling. Again she felt the hard impact and feeling the thud of her back slamming into the next pillar.
She hung on to her sister. She needed her and was counting on her to get her to safety. How many times had she hit the pilings? Five? More? She had lost count. She remembered the last hit. She had lost her grip on her sister as she saw the water closing around her.
As she recalled every moment she knew that when she opened her eyes she would be in pain. She tried to push it back. Tried not to think about it. But she couldn't she felt her awareness surround her. She could hear faint voices. Her sisters? Was she ok? Was Prue ok?
"Prue." She managed to whisper out, but it was not even audible. There was no sound coming from her throat. "Prue." She tried again a little louder this time.
Prue looked over at Phoebe thinking she heard her name. She was relived that she saw her baby sisters' eyes fluttering, trying to open.
"Come on honey. I'm right here." Prue grabbed a hold of Phoebes hand willing her to wake up.
Piper heard Prue talking to Phoebe and quickly approached the bed. "Phoebs? Come on sweetie you can do it." She said ,as she took her sisters other hand in hers.
She waited for the pain to come but it never did. Not like she thought it would anyway. "Prue?" her voice was weak and barely a whisper.
"I'm right here honey." Prue looked into the brown eyes.
"It hurts." she felt some pain, as a tear escaped down her face.
"I know honey. But we're here for you. Just hang in there." Prue encouraged as she ran her hand over the top of Phoebes head.
Phoebe turned her eyes towards Piper.
"Hi there baby girl."
"Hi."
"You scared the shit out of me you know?"
"Sorry."
Piper ran her hand over Phoebes head brushing the hair from her face.
Phoebe turned back to Prue worried. "Prue, are you ok?"
"Yeah Phoebs I'm fine. Really." Prue answered as she held Phoebes eyes to her own
"I'm sorry." she said feeling the need to apoligize for something.
"For what? You saved my life. If it wasn't for you jumping off the pier, I would probably be dead right now." Prue leaned forward and rested her forhead on Phoebes.
Phoebe closed her eyes as she felt the pain on her back. The pressure of her weight on her cuts piercing into her.
"Ah I see you're awake."
All three looked at the doctor as he walked into the room. Prue and Piper tried to give him a look of she doesn't know yet.
"How you feeling Phoebe?" he looked at her chart and then back up to her.
"Like I was hit by a truck. A very big truck."
"Well the pain should go away in a few days or so."
He made his way to the end of the bed and pulled the covers up. Revealing her feet. "Phoebe, you have some swelling in your back. I just want to try something here ok?"
Phoebe cast her eyes to Prue who was sitting beside her. She saw a sudden look of worry in her big sisters eyes. "Prue. What's wrong?"
Prue looked up at Piper and then to the Doctor. "Doctor can you give us a few moments first please?"
He sensed what was about to happen, so he just nodded his head and stepped out of the room for a moment.
Phoebe looked from one sister to the next wanting an answer from one of them. She could see the worry in their faces. But the more she lay there, the more she felt what was wrong. Or in this case couldn't feel. "Guys." She felt the tears running down her face. It was like she knew without a stupid test. "Why can't I feel my legs?" She was afraid to even look. She knew something was wrong when she woke, but she wanted to deny it all.
Piper took a quick glance at Prue who had her eyes locked with Phoebes. Was she going to tell her? Was she going to say anything?
"Phoebs you hurt your back in the accident, but I'm sure it's only temporarily, just some swelling. Once that goes down you'll be as good as new." Prue tried to explain to her sister, not even sure if she believed what she was saying.
Phoebe felt the tears starting down her face and felt Prue wiping them away.
"You are going to be fine Phoebe. I can promise you that." Prue said as she felt her own tears threatening to cascade down her face.
The days past by, as Phoebes swelling started to go down. The day they had all dreaded was there. It was down enough that the doctors could get an idea of what was going on.
"Piper, where's Prue?"
"She'll be here honey. Just relax." Piper tried to calm down her sister, they were all scared, but she had to be strong for Phoebe right now.
Prue rushed through the doors of the hospital. She was running late and wanted to be there when Phoebe went into x-ray. She was as scared as Phoebe was, maybe more so. "Piper?"
"You made it." Piper turned back to Phoebe, "Told you she'd be here."
Prue bent down and placed a kiss on Phoebe forehead, "Hey there lil Sis."
"Hi."
The doctor came and two orderlies started to push Phoebes bed along the hall and towards the doors.
"Ok Phoebe. Why don't we finally see what's going on in there?"
Phoebe didn't even look up at him. She had given up hope that she would get her feeling back. That she would never walk again. They had all explained to her the chances and her possibilities. She had her own mind set on what the outcome would be. And everything else she shut out.
They waited for hours, maybe longer. First the machine that develops the x-rays broke down. And then it was the doctor got called into emergency surgery. If it wasn't one thing it was something else. None of them could blame him it was just frustrating waiting.
Piper heard the door open first, as Prue had her head resting on the bed beside Phoebe. Even from there she saw the look on his face. She had been the middle sister long enough to read the emotions of most people. And what she saw scared her more then anything she had ever come across as a witch.
He looked into her eyes and he knew that she knew the news he boar.
"Prue, Phoebe." Piper placed her hand on Prues shoulder and shock her awake.
Prue looked up at Piper and saw her sisters' eyes shift towards the door.
Prue and Phoebe looked over at the doctor standing at the end of the bed. Somehow they both knew what he was about to say.
"How are you feeling Phoebe?"
"Tired. A bit stiff."
"Can you feel this?" he ran his pen along her foot.
Phoebe looked down and shook her head.
Prue gripped her hand giving her any support she could.
"Phoebe I got the result of the x-rays back."
"And?" they all said at once; all that is except Phoebe. She already knew the answer, but she needed to hear it.
He wasn't sure where to even start. "There is evidence of damage to your spinal cord Phoebe. I'm sorry."
The words bounced in her mind. That was it. A done deal. She would never walk again.
"Can I be alone for a minute please?"
"Sure. Just ring if you need anything." He turned for the door.
Prue and Piper looked down at Phoebe.
"'Honey." Piper stared before he sister interrupted her
"I want to be alone."
"Phoebe." Prue tried to reason with her.
"I said LEAVE!" she screamed at Prue, as she tried to console her. "This is all your fault. Get out! Leave me alone. Both of you!"
Prue and Piper looked down in shook as their sister lashed out at them. Piper took Prues hand and led her towards the hospital rooms door.
"Well be in the hall if you need anything Phoebs." Piper said as she exited the room, taking one last look at her baby sister. It was too real. She had already lost her spirit and now this. Her sister would never walk again.
