The Assimilation
The weekend arrived and tension was still high in the Halliwell household. Prue continued to give Victor the silent treatment and Piper was distancing herself from Leo. She was glad that he was back and so far hadn't disappeared on them but she couldn't seem to trust him. She was currently sitting at the kitchen table staring at her history reading.
"What are you doing?" Phoebe asked, coming to sit next to her sister.
"Trying to do my homework but I can't focus," Piper groaned, slamming the book shut.
"Still thinking about Leo?" her younger sister asked. Piper just shrugged. She wasn't in the mood to talk about Leo right now. She needed to figure out a way to sort out her feelings.
"How am I supposed to live with you people?" Phoebe snapped.
"What do you mean?" Piper asked, raising a brow.
"You aren't talking to Leo even though you really missed him. And Prue and Dad aren't talking. I feel like if I talk to anyone I'll get my head bitten off," the ten-year-old explained in one breath.
"I won't bite your head off. I just don't want to talk about him that's all," Piper murmured, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear.
"Yeah…I just wish that was how Prue felt," Phoebe grumbled.
Upstairs Prue was staring at her math book. She hated geometry. What was the point of learning all of these rules and properties? She felt her eyes glaze over as she stared at the page of problems. She was so absorbed in hating the assignment that she didn't hear the knock on her door or the footsteps as they entered her room.
"Prue," Victor said. His voice instantly drew her back from her misery. Prue glared at him, picking up her pencil and finishing the problem she'd left off on. Victor closed the distance between them and sat down on the edge of her bed, taking the pencil from her grip.
"Can we talk?" he asked and she ignored him.
"Prue please cut the silent treatment. I'm your father," he tried and she looked at him, her gaze cold.
"There is nothing to talk about, Victor. Now give me my pencil back. I have homework to finish," she said coolly. She snatched the pencil from his hand and turned her gaze back to the book.
"You're going to have to talk to me sometime. You can't stay mad at me forever over this," he sighed. She just shook her head. He opened his mouth to speak again but felt his body being forced backwards by an invisible hand. Before he knew it he'd been sent flying out the door only to have it slam in his face.
"Prue this is not over!" he bellowed and walked away. He found Phoebe and Piper still sitting in the kitchen. Phoebe saw him and winced. She'd heard the door slam and his response.
"I can't believe your sister used her power to throw me out of her room," he ground out.
"Is she grounded?" Phoebe asked in a hushed tone. Victor had decided a while ago that using their powers on him or each other resulted in a week of grounding. It had been enough for them to stay in line. Victor contemplated his youngest daughter's question. The easy answer would be 'yes'.
"No," he finally stated.
"What? That's not fair!" both Phoebe and Piper exclaimed.
"Let me finish. I'd actually like Prue to talk to me again before she turns eighteen. So this is a one time allowance," he said. Neither Piper nor Phoebe looked pleased with their father's explanation. Piper picked up her school books and headed out of the kitchen. Phoebe started to get up but sat down again.
"Dad," she said, looking at him.
"Yeah Pheebs," he said, sitting down across from her.
"You're not mad at me are you?" she asked.
"Of course not. Why would I be mad at you?" he asked,.
"Well I feel like I'm in the middle of everyone and I don't know what to do," she admitted.
"I'm sure everything will be fine soon, sweetheart," Victor said, placing his hand atop hers.
"I hope so. Prue is really making me nervous…since our powers are so tied to our emotions," she muttered. She stood and headed out of the kitchen, leaving Victor to watch her go.
Upstairs, Piper was standing in front of Prue's door. She licked her lips and knocked. At first she didn't get a response so she knocked louder.
"Go away!" Prue called.
"It's Piper. I need to talk to you," her younger sister answered. A minute passed and the door was pulled open and Piper was allowed to enter.
"What's up?" Prue questioned, sitting cross-legged on her bed. Piper joined her.
"It's about Phoebe," Piper began.
"Did she have a premonition?" Prue asked quickly.
"No…she just…feels like she's in the middle of everything and she is panicking," Piper answered.
"What do you mean?" Prue pressed.
"She's afraid that if she takes either your or Dad's side you'll take her head off," Piper snapped.
"I just can't believe he's being such a jerk about me and Andy dating," Prue railed again. It was the same argument as before.
"You're lucky he didn't ground you for using your power on him," Piper said coolly.
"Is that is peace offering? Talk to me and I won't ground you?" Prue asked with a laugh.
"Pretty much. And I'd take it," Piper muttered.
"I just hate that he won't let me do what normal girls my age do. Can't we have at least sort of normal teenage years?" the older of the two sighed, falling back against the pillows.
"I know what you mean. But he does have the right to tell you when you can date," Piper said. She instantly regretted saying it…taking her father's side.
"You won't feel that way when you find a guy you want to date," Prue said.
"Look…I know Phoebe is worried about you…about all of us. You being hostile and stuff could seriously affect our powers. And we never know when a demon is going to show up," Piper said.
"Ok…fine. I'll talk to him if it will make you happy," Prue snapped.
"It would…and it would make Phoebe happy too," Piper answered. Prue was about to get up when she noticed her sister fidgeting with a strand of hair.
"Is there something else you wanted to talk about?" she asked.
"I just don't know what to do about Leo. I mean yeah I'm happy he's back but I can't seem to trust him," she groaned.
"You so like him," Prue giggled.
"You sound like Phoebe did when we met him," Piper said.
"Well…there's nothing wrong with liking Leo. Just…tell him," Prue suggested and stood up. Piper looked at her sister in shock. She couldn't just tell Leo that she liked him. He was their whitelighter and he was older than her…by a lot.
"Where are you going?" Piper asked as Prue started to walk away.
"To make you and Phoebe happy," her sibling called over her shoulder.
Prue headed downstairs, trying to mentally prepare herself for the discussion that would be coming. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and took several deep breaths to steel her nerves before she walked into the kitchen. She found Victor starting dinner. She said nothing, beginning to think this peace talk idea was not so bright. He turned around and looked at her.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Sorry," she said into her shoulder.
"What was that?" he pressed.
"I said I'm sorry. I shouldn't have used my power on you," she said, trying to keep her voice even.
"Talk to Piper, huh?" he said, leaning on the counter.
"I realize that there are more people affected by how I feel in this family than just myself," she said. Victor considered his daughter's statement for a moment. He figured it was her way of saying she wasn't going to be so selfish.
"Anything else you'd like to apologize for?" he prompted. She let out a breath.
"No," she stated.
"You know I had every right to tell you what I did," he informed her.
"Doesn't mean I have to like it," she shot back.
"Don't we deserve to have some kind of a normal life? I mean that's what you wanted right? So why can't I date?" Prue reasoned.
"You think you can keep your big secret from Andy?" Victor questioned.
"I have for the last five years. So why would now be any different?" she replied.
"I just worry about you Prue. I don't want a repeat of New Years Eve of 1980 ok," he sighed and she nodded.
"So can we maybe…make a deal or something?" she asked. He thought about it for a minute.
"You can date when you turn sixteen," he muttered.
"That's like two months away," she groaned.
"Be happy I'm letting you date at all, Prue," he stated firmly.
"Ok…fine. But you're not going to take it back are you?" she grumbled.
"No. When you turn sixteen, you can date," He reiterated. She couldn't help but crack a smile.
"Thanks Dad," she said, reaching to give him a hug. Victor smiled too and gave her a squeeze before she started to run off.
"Where are you running off to?" he called.
"To call Andy," she answered and sprinted off up the stairs.
The rest of the weekend passed by with a lot less tension. Piper was still avoiding Leo but Victor and Pure were back to being hospitable. The Halliwell girls sat on the bus, watching the streets pass by when it stopped at a new stop.
"The bus doesn't stop here," Phoebe noted.
"Maybe there is a new kid," Prue said. They both looked at Piper but she didn't say anything.
"You're not still pining over Leo are you?" Prue asked as the doors opened and a young boy around Piper's age boarded the bus. He caught sight of the girls and sat a few seats away.
"I just…haven't felt like talking to him," Piper muttered.
"Will you please just do it? What's the worst that could happen?" Prue snapped.
"What's the worst? He could leave again," she hissed, drawing the attention of the new boy. Prue glared at him and he turned back around. The bus stopped and Phoebe got off with the rest of the elementary school kids.
"I'll see you later sis," Pure called to Piper as they parted ways to find their lockers. Piper gave her older sibling a wave and leaned against her locker. She didn't notice the person standing next to her until he kicked the locker beside her.
"You're new," Piper said and the boy nodded.
"I'm Piper," she continued and extended her hand.
"Cole," he replied shaking her hand.
"I can't get this stupid locker open," he grumbled. Piper smirked.
"It just takes a special touch," she said in a whisper and jiggled the lock and it popped open.
"Thanks," he said and she nodded before walking away. She ended up in history class. Not two minutes later Cole walked in and sat down two seats away from her. The bell rang and the teacher began the lecture on the weekend's reading. Shortly before the end of class the teacher circulated a group assignment. Piper glanced over it and groaned. She didn't like group projects. Piper barely heard her name called as the bell rang again and class ended.
"Hey," she heard Cole calling. She stopped and turned around.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"Uh…we're partners for the assignment. I was thinking maybe we could work on it today after school," he said.
"Today's not good. I have some things I have to do after school and I don't know how long it's going to take," she said, starting to walk towards her next class.
"But it's due by Friday," he said. She sighed; after all he did have a point. But Pure would never forgive her if she didn't talk to Leo today.
"Ok fine…right after school. You can come over to my place I guess," she muttered, pausing to pull a piece of paper and scribbled down the address.
"Ok. I'll see you at four," he called and she just nodded. This was going to be interesting. She couldn't wait to get to lunch and tell Prue.
"I have to tell you something," Piper said when she spotted Prue sitting alone.
"Shoot," she said, watching for Andy to join them.
"The new kid on the bus…he's in my history class and we have to do a project together. He's coming over at four…so I guess Leo and my talk will have to be really fast," Piper informed her sister.
"Wait…you invited the kid to the Manor? What if a demon attacks?" Prue hissed.
"One hasn't attacked in a while," Piper said helplessly.
"Besides he was really insistent about meeting today," she added. Prue just gave her sister an uneasy look as Andy joined them.