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Chapter 20: Saying Goodbye

Paige snuck downstairs and headed to the kitchen, making sure not to make any noise. She was surprised to find Phoebe and Shana in there, both nursing a cup of tea.

"Oh. Hi. Uh, since you guys look busy-"

"Come on in, Paige. Pull up a stool." Shana gestured, waving the Whitelighter into the room.

"So what happens next?" Phoebe asked.

"Now Paige joins us for tea," Shana answered cheekily.

"That's not what I meant."

"You know I can't tell you that. Besides, it'll all work out."

"You know, you're worse than Chris."

"Speaking of the little weasel, where the hell is he?" Paige interjected.

"Probably off celebrating being conceived. Wow, that's a really weird sentence." Shana took a sip of her tea. I need to talk it over with Angel, but we're going to be leaving in a couple days. Much as I love talking to you guys, I think we've over stayed our welcome. And you guys know things are about to get crazy in Sunnydale. So as soon as Angel agrees, we're gone."

"No need." They looked towards the doorway. Angel was leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed.

"Dude, two words: manners," Shana said. "Didn't your mom ever teach you that eavesdropping is rude?"

"Yeah, but I still ate her." He smirked as he moved away from the door and pulled up a stool.

Shana rolled her eyes. "So when do you think we should leave?"

"I don't know. How does time run between the two worlds?"

"We would get back any time we chose. Time runs differently. The two worlds are independent of each other. It's like 'Back to the Future', just pick a time, date, and place."

"When are you going to tell Piper?" Phoebe asked.

"Tomorrow. She needs her sleep. And so do the rest of us. Well, us living people." Shana looked pointedly at Angel, who rolled his eyes. "I'm going to bed. I'll see you guys in the morning." She rinsed out her cup in the sink and placed it in the dry rack, then waved good night. The two Charmed Ones proceeded after her, followed finally by Angel, who lingered in the doorway for a moment, then shut off the lights and went to bed.

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Two days had passed since Shana had made the decision to leave. The Underworld had given a going away party by way of another attack on Halliwell Manor.

Shana was at her usual perch, in Wyatt's room, watching him sleep. This is where Piper found her. She put her hand on the younger witch's shoulder. Shana turned and looked at her. "Hey," she whispered. Then she turned back to look at the baby boy. She stroked his cheek with the back of her fingers, causing Wyatt to open his mouth and turn his head. She laid her head on the arm resting on the side of the crib. Piper looked at her.

"Is there anyone back home?"

Shana sighed. "There is a guy back home. But he's worlds away. Literally. He's from the dimension I came from. I'm never going home and he can't come to me. So it's hopeless."

"Excuse me?" Piper pulled Shana away from the crib and turned her to face her. "You figure out away to travel to other dimensions to the past, and physically regress your body to that of a teenager, and you're talking about impossible." Piper was the only one who had gotten the full brief from Shana. "You've managed to do things that most people, hell, I thought impossible. But you did it."

"Yeah, but I still have my limits. There are people who have died, or will die, that don't deserve it. I can't bring them back or save them because I don't know how their lives affect the future. If I had gone back further and saved Prue, I don't know how that would change things. Maybe you would never have met Paige, or vanquished Cole, or had Wyatt. I mean, if you had the choice, would you send someone back to save Prue?"

Piper was silent for a moment. "No."

"Really?"

Piper nodded. "I've come to believe that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes I waiver in that faith, but sometimes it's all I have to hold onto, the only thing that keeps me going. Sometimes I miss Prue so much, it hurts to breathe, but I think that it was her time. And even though I lost Prue, I'm grateful every day for Phoebe and Paige. Besides, she's with Andy, and that's exactly where she belongs." Piper wiped away the tears that trailed down her cheeks. Shana hugged her and walked her downstairs.

Paige peeked from behind the corner, waited a minute or two, then them downstairs.

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"Dead Boy, we're burning daylight. Hurry the hell up!" Shana yelled up the stairs. She and Angel were heading back to Sunnydale, letting the Charmed Ones get back to their normal lives, or as normal as their lives got. The sisters and Chris were gathered in the solarium, waiting to say goodbye. Shana and Angel had already had private discussions with Leo, separately, not wanting to complicate relationships.

Angel came down the stairs, holding Wyatt, who had his arms wrapped around the vampire's neck. Shana followed them into the solarium. "You know you can't take him with us."

"I know that. He's just so… I don't know how to describe it. Besides, he won't let go of me."

Shana rolled her eyes, sharing a look with Phoebe, both knowing what Angel's future held. Piper went over to Angel and said to Wyatt, "Ok, sweetie, it's time to let go of Uncle Angel." Shana snorted at that, and Angel glared at her. Wyatt let go of Angel, and wrapped his arms around his mother. Angel rubbed Wyatt's head, and said, "Be good, Wyatt. Try not to blow anything up."

"Nope, that's your girlfriend's job." Phoebe had jumped on the bandwagon of teasing Angel about Buffy.

He turned his head towards Phoebe. "Hey, she burned down the gym, she didn't blow it up." He turned back to Piper and gave her a hug. "It was a pleasure to meet you. I wish you all the luck in the world."

"Unfortunately, the leprechauns won't give up that much luck."

"Wait, leprechauns are real? Ha! I knew it! Da said it was just hallucinations when I was drunk, but I used to see the little buggers, standing there, laughing at me when…" he trailed off at the looks he was getting.

Shana hugged Piper, and whispered in her ear, "You and Leo will be together. Just have faith, and patience." She placed a blessed kiss on Wyatt's forehead, and quietly pleaded, "Be good. Please, be good." Then she let go of those two, and pulled Paige and Phoebe in for a joint hug. "You will guys will find the right ones. I promise." She let go. Then she hugged Chris, and whispered, "You're gonna be a middle child." Chris gave her an extra squeeze, and they let go.

Shana stepped back and faced the sisters again. "I have one last gift for you guys." She pulled 3 objects out of her pocket and handed one to each sister.

They turned them over in their hands. "They look like beepers," Paige said.

"They're panic buttons. If you guys need me, press the send button, and I'll get here ASAP."

"They work across dimensions?" Phoebe asked.

"Yup. They're charmed. In the other sense of the word." Shana smirked. "Let's get out of here, before Angel starts weeping like a baby man."

Angel gave her a look and followed Piper, Paige, Wyatt, and Chris, who had started to the front door. Phoebe hooked her arm around Shana's, and walked along side her. "So, did you fix the thing?" Phoebe asked.

Shana shrugged. "I pled my case. Whether or not they changed anything is up to them. But I know just who to ask."

The group stopped on the sidewalk outside by the car, and gave one last round of hugs. Then Shana and Angel got in the car.

"Take care of yourselves. Watch out for really big snakes." Shana gave Paige a look. "Don't ask," Shana told Angel as they disappeared.