9

xXx

Embarrassed that she'd just witnessed such a private moment, Phoebe eased back away from the shower curtain. She could still hear their ragged breath, their lips parting and coming together, but at least she wasn't watching. Still, she felt like such an intruder. It was a truly magical moment for Piper and Leo; something the sisters' powers could not conjure no matter how they might try. And it belonged only to them.

The moment came to an abrupt halt, though, when Prue called out, "Piper?"

And the breathless moan that followed as Piper pulled away, and answered in a voice shaky and half-lost, "Yeah, Prue."

Prue's footsteps thudded as she climbed the stairs. "Is Phoebe up there with you?"

Phoebe covered her head with her arms. Not now, Prue. Couldn't you have waited one more minute? It wasn't just her own shame of being exposed she was thinking of, but Piper and Leo's when they realized they had not been alone.

Phoebe returned to the shower curtain out of necessity; if she was going to be busted by Prue she at least wanted to see it coming. She watched as Leo continued to work on the clogged sink as if nothing had happened, although his breathing was still deep and his hands were the slightest bit unsteady. He looked as if he were concentrating on the curved pipe he held, but his face was lit up, a new smile—one that reminded Phoebe of a man who had just found his luck.

They stood there beaming, as much as they tried to hide it, as Prue came and stood in the doorway.

"I can't find that girl anywhere," Prue said. "She's not downstairs. I thought she might be up here with you guys…but guess not." Prue seemed to sense the intimacy in the small space of the bath. Leo's shirt was still wadded on the vanity's counter. The air practically sizzled with electricity.

"Haven't seen her," Leo said, still examining the plumbing.

Prue sighed and leaned against the doorframe. "Piper, I need you downstairs. Phoebe has left us to entertain O'zeph—and we have…things to do."

Phoebe fumed behind the curtain. Once again she was made out to be Phoebe-the-irresponsible-one. She would've been downstairs the whole time if the timing hadn't been screwed up, so much for her good intentions.

"Whoa! I found the problem," Leo said, pulling a long tangle of black material from the pipe.

Prue stepped forward, her eyes squinting. "Those are my new fishnets! How did my fishnets get in there?"

Phoebe groaned silently. She wanted to go to bed; pretend this day had never happened. But of course, it was only going to get worse.

"Wait, there's something else," Leo said sheepishly, as he pulled another sopping mass of black from the pipe.

"Oh, no," Piper muttered.

Prue lifted her waterlogged fishnets from the sink basin and then let them fall back. "That's why we can't find Phoebe—"

"I'm sure there's an explanation," Piper said, trying to calm Prue. "Just give her a chance."

Prue pulled her hair away from her face. "It's always something with Phoebe. And you know what?—she's going to replace both pairs." She took a deep breath. "Leo, thank you for fixing the sink, but I think we should just call it a day."

Leo was tightening the pipes he'd put back together. "I understand," he said as he put his wrench in the bag. "I'll come back later in the week to tackle the other stuff."

Prue nodded. "Yes, that would be great."

Flushing a bright red, Piper slid Leo's shirt from the vanity and draped it across her arm. "Come on, I'll walk you to the door."

Phoebe watched as Piper and Leo walked downstairs and Prue turned her attention to the mess in the sink. She stared at the mess for a long minute then lifted and examined one pair before throwing it into the waste basket. The other pair she wrung the water from and then turned to the bathtub. Phoebe held her breath.

Pulling the shower curtain back, Prue was startled to see Phoebe standing there with an exaggerated grin on her face. "Why am I not surprised?" she asked Phoebe.

But Phoebe had no time to reply. Suddenly there was a loud thud downstairs, followed by several smaller thuds, and then Piper screamed.