Chapter 11: Everything Ripped Away

I started crying…and I couldn't stop, Andy and I were finally together and now Prue is going to ruin it…everything was perfect this morning.

Why did it all get ripped away? What did I do? What is it with me that nothing can stay like that…like it's supposed to? Why does it always go away?

I ended up crying myself to sleep and I was woken by Prue shaking me really hard. I was still a little groggy when I opened my eyes

but I saw that look in her eyes and I immediately knew something was wrong. I saw Phoebe standing by the door her eyes was red and puffy from tears and there were still some running down her face.

"What's wrong? What happened?" I asked looking back to Prue.

"Where's Grams?" I gulped sensing something that I may not want to hear.

"....." Prue was going to say something but nothing came out all she did was shake her head and let me know what I feared was exactly what it was.

"No…but she was fine yesterday" I sobbed as more tears flowed down my already sticky cheeks.

Prue took a deep breath of air and gulped then she breathed out.

"She had a heart attack…while she was driving" Prue said I knew she was falling apart inside but she looked like a stone on the outside.

"No…you're lying! She's not dead! She's alive! This is a joke!" I shouted seeing the look in Prue's eyes justifying this wasn't a joke but I had to make sure…she was my Grams…she couldn't be gone.

"It's not a joke Piper" Prue said and when I tried to push her away and run she caught me and wrapped me in her arms.

"She's gone Piper" she whispered in my ear over and over again.

"No…she's not…she can't be…she was fine yesterday" I said in between sobs.

"The police are outside…their going to take us to dads for a bit…until everything is settled" Prue said rubbing my back then she kissed my head.

"I don't want to go to dads! I want to stay here! She's coming back Prue! She always does" I said remembering the other times she's had heart attacks each one scaring me more and more but she always makes it home.

"Not this time" Prue said sadly.

"Please Prue tell me your joking!" I begged as I backed away from her wanting to see her eyes light up and her mouth turn into the grin I know and love. But it never happens.

"Where…when…" I stuttered out.

"Just down the street….she was just heading home" Prue replied.

"….Prue…" Phoebe said barely above a whisper.

I looked over to her and she never looked so young and innocent then right now…she never looked so vulnerable. I looked at Prue and noticed the same thing, though she was trying hard to hide it, I was always able to see right through my sisters. I probably had the same look as them. I got up and went over to Phoebe.

"Its okay Pheebs…we're going to make it" I said into her ear as I held her close to me.

"She's gone Piper…I saw her car" she breathed into a sob.

I turned to Prue, still holding Phoebe, "we can't leave here Prue…you know that" I said not knowing where this was coming from but I felt I needed to be stronger, for Phoebe and I knew Prue was having a hard time. I just didn't know why I wasn't, once I saw it in Prue's eyes that this wasn't a joke…I had to make sure, but then it settled in and now I feel like Grams wants me to take charge…I don't know but I feel something.

"We have to Piper…the social service lady will be here soon…we have to be ready" she said coming over and taking Phoebe from me.

"Prue Grams wants us to stay together…and she never liked dad" I said.

"Well Grams is dead Piper she doesn't care anymore" Prue said then she walked out with Phoebe.

"Prue!" I said running after her.

I found them on the stairs, and I saw a sight I never thought I would…Prue crying she was sunk onto the steps and crying.

I went to her and as I sat down beside her I looked down to Phoebe who was on the next step in front of Prue. Phoebe looked scarred and didn't know what to do; she's never seen Prue cry before.

I undid Prue's grip on the railing and pulled her over to me, she clung on tightly and when her sobs started I'd never heard anything worse in my life, Prue crying…just made it all more real.

"I'm sorry Piper" she said after she'd calmed a bit.

"It's a normal thing Prue….we just lost our Grams" I nodded not knowing why I wasn't doing the same.

"But I'm the oldest I'm supposed to…" she said but one little last sob stopped her.

"Look after us…we know Prue, but maybe this time…let me do it" I said looking over to Phoebe who was just sitting there watching us while silent tears ran down her face.

"Piper your only 16…" she said.

"And your only 18…just this once Prue let me take care of it" I said.

"We're going to dad's…we have no choice Piper, they won't let us stay here by ourselves" she said looking over to the police and the social services lady who were pretending not to listen to us.

"Then call dad to come here or something because we're not leaving here." I said sternly and loud enough for them to here me.

"Good idea" Prue said standing also.

"You okay" I asked. It was weird seeing her eyes red and puffy.

"no…but I can't just crawl into a hole until this is all done" she said and I heard it in her voice and saw it in her eyes that, that was what she wanted the most.

"Doesn't mean we can't try" I said looking over to the lady.

"Piper…" Phoebe said only able to say one word at a time it looked like.

"Let's go back upstairs" Prue said taking my hand and Phoebes hand in hers.

She led us into her room and we lay on her bed with her in the middle.

"It's going to be alright" she said her voice scratchy.

"They can't take us away…right Prue?" I asked.

"No…I'm old enough" she said and the hesitation in her voice wasn't hard to miss.

"We can do this" Phoebe said her voice even worse then Prue's.

"Piper can cook, Prue can handle the money" Phoebe said lightening the mood a bit.

"And you can clean" Prue and I said at the same time. We laughed a little, all we wanted was to get our mind off the fact she was gone, so we talked about what we were going to do. Until the social services lady came up.

"Hello girls" she said walking halfway into the room, Prue got up and went in front of us.

"My name is Mrs. Mathews…I'm here to help" she said slowly moving forward with each word until she was all the way into the room.

"We don't need any help…we're fine" Prue said probably hoping she looked fine, and I was hoping this lady couldn't see through her like I could.

"I've called your father, Victor Bennett?" she asked.

"We're staying here" I said standing confidently beside Prue.

"It's normal to want to stay where you last saw your grandmother…we're her sprit is strongest" the lady nodded.

"We're fine…can you leave us now?" Prue asked.

"Here's my number…I'll come by to check up on you tomorrow" she said then she turned and left.

"Maybe you should put Phoebe to bed" I said looking behind me to her, she was tired and sleep would probably help her.

"She's fine in here" Prue said turning around.

"Can we all sleep in here?" Phoebe asked as she sat back on the bed.

"Yeah…I think that's a good idea Pheebs" I said nodding.

"I just have to go down stairs for something" I said and I met Prue's eyes and hoped she would fallow.

"Be right back" I said then I walked down the hall and down the stairs.

I went and the police were talking to the social worker and now dad.

"I thought you were leaving" I said crossing my arms.

"Yes…I was just telling you father a few things just in case" Mrs Mathews said.

"Are you okay honey?" dad asked coming over and looking at me.

"No…Grams is dead dad…I'll be right back" I said then I walked out the open door. I walked to the sidewalk and I could see where the road block was…where her car lay.

I wiped my eyes of the old tears and looked to see if there were lights on.

I was sort of in robot mode, I felt like I was a stone, I felt like a black hole…I didn't even hear Prue call my name…I never felt Andy grab my arms and make me look at him. I never really saw him though…I wasn't there.

I don't know what happened, I just shut down.

Penny Halliwell died 9:40 pm Sunday. My Grams