Chapter 4

Waking sister

Prue was looking at pictures of her and Piper in the photo album as she sat on the bed; Piper's smile was already being missed along with her laugh. They just found out about Paige and after a very heated argument with Grams and mom, they now know that she is Patty and Sam's daughter that they had to give up because of the rules. Leo went to tell Paige about her new family and at first she was reluctant but now she is somewhat excepting her new sisters, but her destiny is a different matter. Phoebe and her have been wanting to asks Paige to move in sense the power of three was reconstituted as Piper could not even opened her eyes yet.

12 days has passed through time slower than a snail moving across country as Phoebe sat in the kitchen alone at the moment. So far there have been no attacks on Piper or them and she was getting nervous. "What the hell are they planning?" She thought while taking a drink of coffee as the night reluctantly became morning. She didn't know why she was up so dam early, but sleep was more elusive then Cole these days. Andy has been staying with Leo at the hospital in case any attack occurs. It's not like Leo can just orb Piper away, she is hooked up to more machinery than Phoebe's school's computer lab.

"Caffeine for your thoughts," Prue said as she entered the kitchen dragging her feet along the way.

"Hi honey and it's fresh I just made it," Phoebe answered still looking into her half-filled cup.

Prue grabbed a cup out of the cabinet and poured herself some hot Mojo. "Phoebe you ok, because you are never up this early?" Prue asks as she sat down next to her.

"I can't sleep."

"You know we need are rest before Piper wakes up."

"I know god it has been a long 12 days. I just wish we could be with her longer than five minutes."

Prue nodded as she took a drink. "Me too."

"My room is a mess," Phoebe said as a tear escaped its enclosure.

"Phoebe its ok that your room is a mess sweetie," Prue said while rubbing her baby sisters back.

"It's not that Prue, Piper would hound me about cleaning my room and I knew that if I just let it go she would eventually clean it. I took advantage of her Prue," Phoebe replied as more tears escaped.

Prue knew what Phoebe meant, now that Piper was not home she realized just how crucial she was to the everyday household task, she cooked, cleaned and kept her sisters in line not to mention the club that has seen better days. Her employees have taken turns visiting Piper in the hospital between their shifts and Prue was grateful for that. Andy knew a witch /accountant who finished the taxes and that was a huge help.

"Is Paige completely freaked out yet?" Phoebe asks in attempts to change the subject.

"Who would blame her," Prue answered.

"Are you going to asks her today, you know to move in?" Phoebe said with a snort.

"I'm going to try because we really need the power of three under one roof," Prue finished and put her cup in the sink.

Andy smiled at Leo who was sound asleep in the oversized chair while she kept vigilant through the night. Nurses and doctors came in and out through the evening and never noticed them. Just has Leo has his cloak so did he. Vampires can move between realms so fast that they are a blur or not seen at all if that is what they wanted. "Leo wake up, we are about to get unwanted company," Andy said and could hear Leo wake from his slumber. Andy moved to his right and vanished from Leo's site as he moved to his left looking around the room. He knew what he was doing, waiting for them to attack and then she would spring on them like a panther stalking its prey. Leo could feel the hair on his arms stand to attention as he moved closer to his wife's bed. Black orbs materialized behind him and Leo turned to face a poisonous arrow. The Darklighter smiled at him, but just as quickly as his lips curled into a pleasurable position, the pleasure was removed by a sword in his chest as Andy came into focus behind him and the darklighter exploded. Two more dark orbs filled the room and Leo pulled out a large knife that Andy gave him earlier and longed at one of the men, dodging an arrow on the way. Andy orbed away and then back behind the other Darklighter and stabbed him. Both men exploded and the danger for the time being was eliminated.

"See Whitelighte's can fight," Andy said as she put her sword away.

"Thanks Andy you for everything," Leo said as he put the knife back behind him.

"No problem Leo you would do the same for me," Andy answered and set down.

"Do you think Paige will work out?" He answered somewhat unbelieving in his own voice.

"I don't know Leo she seems a little overwhelmed right now."

"It's just Piper really needs time to heal and go through rehab so I need Paige to get everything quickly," Leo said as he rubbed his eyes.

"It will be ok Leo Piper is strong and a fighter."

Leo could see light and shadows play on the wall and knew it was morning. He cloaked himself and Jezebell vanished as well because Dr. Jackson came into the room with two nurses.

"I think we are going to try to wake her today, could you call the family and tell them?" Dr. Jackson said to one of the nurses as he took Piper's vital signs. "Does it smell like smoke in here?" He asks looking at the other nurse. "Have one of the technicians look at the equipment." He asks and continued his procedure. Leo was grinning ear to ear, he would be able see those beautiful brown eyes that he has missed for 12 days. He orbed away to tell Phoebe and Prue the great news with Andy in tow.

Phoebe was now dressed and was hanging up the phone when Prue came into the living room.

"Who was that?" Prue asks as she sat down.

"Cole finally I haven't talked to him in a week. He said hi and that he is thinking of Piper," Phoebe said and sat down next to her.

"Wait you told him?" Prue said now facing her sister.

"Prue I know you don't trust him but I do, and I kind of need him right now," Phoebe said in defense of her actions.

"Phoebe half of the underworld is planning right now and we don't need to let people in that we don't know."

Before the baby sister could answer Leo and Andy orbed in. "They are going to wake her up today," Leo said with a wide smile.

"What oh god that's great Leo, do you know what time?" Prue asks now standing up to give him a hug.

"No but they will call."

Prue ran upstairs to get dressed as Phoebe put her shoes on and fussed with her hair. "I can't wait to see her, to hear her voice and see those big brown eyes," Phoebe said as she put her hand to Leo's face. "She's going to be ok Leo, I know it."

Back at the hospital, the sisters and Leo waited outside of the room as Dr. Jackson woke Piper up. They could see through the large window as three nurses unplugged and adjusted the bed so Piper was sitting up slightly. They could hear what was going on in the room as they stood anxiously and nervously outside.

"Piper can you hear me?" Dr. Jackson's asks with his hand on her shoulder. Piper did not respond at first and it seems to take forever for her eyes to open. Finally they did but barely; they could tell she was struggling to stay awake as he asks her questions.

Piper let the image flood her eyesight; it was mostly blurry and hard to make out. She felt so tired that all she wanted to do was close them but she fought the urge and just kept trying to open wider. Everything was moving in slow motion even her thoughts. "Where am I, what happened, where is Leo?" She tried to say the words that rambled in her mind but her mouth was working against it. She tried to move her right arm and found it was impossible but she could move her left one at least from what she could tell.

"Piper can you squeeze my hand?" Dr. Jackson asked while holding her left one. He felt nothing and could see that she was trying. He asks her to do the same with her right and he felt a slight squeeze. "Good, now I need you to wiggle your toes for me ok?" She only moved her left foot as her right remained motionless. "Can you feel this?" He asks and poked a sewing needle into her right hand. She nodded and gave a half smile not because she did not want to give off a full one, but the right side of her face was a little paralyzed from her stroke. He did the same to her leg and foot and she could feel the needle. "Good you will start getting your movement back in a couple of days or so ok." The doctor said and continued telling her what happened.

"Rupture, surgery what is he talking about?" She said again to herself trying to keep up with him. "Stroke oh god." The last part she understood very well and now started to panic.

"Lwoooooooo," She said.

"What Piper?" The doctor asks as he leaned in.

"loweeeeeeee," She said again getting frustrated that she couldn't speak very well.

"Leo is that what you are saying?" He said and motioned for the family to come in.

Piper nodded at him and then saw him move away as another man came into focus.

"Hi baby how are you feeling?" Leo asks as he took her right hand.

Piper's eyes were blinking slowly as she felt exhaustion but could see her husband. She heard his question but her response was slow and grueling. She wanted to say like a train ran over her and then for good measure a bus. But it just came out grumbled and incoherent. She could see Leo struggle to understand her as he leaned in with one ear. Her voice was low and her throat is killing her. She used her left hand and almost like a zombie pointed to her throat to give them a hint on her predicament.

"I think she is thirsty," Leo said and looked at the doctor.

"She can have ice chips about every hour but that's all she can have right now," He answered and a nurse left the room to go get a cup of ice chips.

Phoebe and Prue were at the end of the bed waiting patiently to say something.

"Honey your sisters are here," Leo said pointing to the end of the bed. Piper's eyes finally focused on the two people at the end. She smiled but again it was a half one as she recognized her sisters.

"Hi honey," Phoebe said smiling back.

"Hi Pipe," Prue said next and put her hand on Piper's foot.

"She will be in and out most of the day and we will be setting her up in the recovery room. There are no visiting restrictions there so you can spend as much time with her as you want," Dr. Jackson said and left the room to give them some privacy as the nurse came in the with a cup of ice chips.

"Here you go sweetie," She said and handed the cup to Phoebe. "Just give her one for right now ok. I will give you some privacy with her.

"Thank you," Phoebe answered while taking out a piece of ice for Piper with a spoon. "Here you go honey." Piper tried to take hold of the spoon to feed herself but Phoebe was much faster and she just let her win this round. The cold smooth ice felt wonderful on her sore throat but the feeling was short lived as the ice melted. She could no longer fight exhaustion and her eyes closed once again but this time in sleep and not a drug-induced coma.

"Good night honey we will be here when you wake up," Prue said and gave her a kiss on the forehead. They all left the room to get some breakfast as the nurses moved Piper to the recovery room.

Cole was hiding around the corner with another daemon beside him.

"Andy and their new sister are going to be a problem," The demon said to Cole.

"Paige what were the odds of them having another?" Cole replied and rolled his eyes.

"Charmed I guess," The demon replied with a snort.

Cole formed a fireball and blow up the demon next to him clearly irritated at the comment.