A new Power of three Part 26:
Piper
2037, Saturday
Meghan went to open the door, expecting Robbie and the kids, instead Mike stood in front of her
"morning to you, too" Michael teased her, seeing her face fall a little when she saw him
"hey Mike" she said as well and now smiled again. "Brianna! Your loverboy" Meghan yelled
"very funny" Anna said as she walked up to them and kissed Michael. Mike immediately pulled her closer and like that their kiss deepened. They pulled away when they heard some noise from the bathroom. Mike looked at Anna with raised eyebrows
"Kevin is home" Meghan explained, almost yelling, so her sister and brother in law would get they knew what they were doing. Mike had to hold back a laugh. And started to walk more into the house to leave Lily and Kevin some privacy
"i brought some fruits from home… in case..."
"i already talked to Robbie. He is up. Could you two please now stop that..." Michael. chuckled a little. He just wanted to tease her anyway
"sorry. I just couldn't resist." He told her and pecked her cheek "sooo what can I do to help?" he asked looking from one sister to the other, while he had one arm around Brianna
"well as soon as the lovebirds are out of the bathroom again I'd say you and Kevin could get the big pick nick table from the backyard… I mean… I don't think we all match on Lily's tiny dining table." Anna suggested and pulled away from him, to look into the bag of fruits he got along. She got out a plate and started to set the fruits on it.
"yeah well… it's conciliation – sex…. Will take a while" Meghan laughed
"speaking of experiences?" Mike asked with a grin
"can we now please stop about Lily's sex life? Or our sex life? Or your sex life? Just about anybody's sex life?" Anna asked kinda annoyed
"okay… but only till they're done… cause I just NEED to bug her with this the rest of the day" Meghan told Anna grinning from ear to ear. Anna just shook her head and looked at her fiancée
"you want some coffee?"
"yeah sure. Why not?" he answered her and Anna immediately started to make one. Meghan in the meantime started to set some muesli and cereals. Mike went up to Anna while she was making coffee and held her from behind so she could continue what she was doing. He leaned down and started to whisper in her ear
"i missed you tonight" Anna smiled and ignored the sensation he caused deep inside her with being so close and now whispering into her ear. Feeling his breath on her ear and neck. Anna swallowed and then turned the coffee machine on, then turned in his arms while glancing at Meghan. She was relieved to see her occupied. She looked him into his eyes and kissed him passionately
"we'll make up for it tonight" she whispered back, a huge grin spread on her face "by the way. I made up my mind. I want a Christmas wedding."
"you know exactly I don't" he answered her
"but I talked to mom this morning and she told me, it is possible to have Christmas AND time alone..."
"oh please… don't start fighting… the bathroom is still occupied" Meghan told them
"what's occupied?" Lily asked innocently as she and Kevin walked into the kitchen. Kevin's arms both around her waist while they walked in with goofy smiles "hey Mike"
"morning you two"
"you'll so regret that" Anna just laughed at them
"what? We didn't do anything, right beautiful?" Kevin played dumb, but the wicked grin on his face clearly showed he would do it right away again. "hey Mike" Kevin now too added and reached for his hand.
"yeah well, if you've got so much energy left… get going at the picnic table…"
"what? Why?" Lily asked
"no offense sis, but, your dining table won't be big enough for about 10 people..." then the doorbell rang again
"i get it" Meghan told them and headed to the front door. She opened it to meet with her own family. Her smile grew.
"hey mom" Justin mumbled and pushed past her with some groceries into the kitchen while asking "where's grandma?"
"hello to you, too" Meghan yelled after her son
"hey mom" Jenny told her "can I babysit Hope?"
"well ask your aunt and uncle" she answered her and watched her pass by as well
"when did I like get invisible for our kids?" Robbie. laughed
"when they turned into teenagers" he answered smiling, let the bags in his arms down and pulled her closer to him "doesn't mean you're air to me" they grinned at each other and then kissed "hey"
"hey" she answered
"hey! You stop that immediately! You didn't fight..." Lily said grinning as she approached them as well "hey Robbie." she told him and gave him a quick hug
"how come you guys can have fun and I'm the only one not allowed to kiss my man"
"first of all he's not your man..."
"oh you have no idea how much he is my man" Meghan interrupted her
"second… we've got no time for that. I'm hungry. And Robbie. needs to help with the table…"
"what table?"
"picnic table… we wanna get it inside"
"and third… because you're the oldest" Lily finally finished in some kinda singing voice to mock Meghan
"unfair" Mags growled at her sister and kissed Robbie. quickly
"well I'm gonna go to the backyard then" Robbie. told the sisters
"Kevin and Mike are already there" Lily informed him as her and Meghan grabbed the groceries and went back to the kitchen "so where do we start?"
"where are my kids?"
"Jenny went with Hope to the backyard after she got mom is still upstairs with the book… and Justin I think went to help the men, after we told him he couldn't see mom right now. That she needed some space" Anna answered
"did you know they completely ignored me?" Meghan asked still completely shocked
"uuuh mom… the guys from next door are doing something weird" Chris told Piper, while looking out of the window. Piper went up to Chris and looked out of the window now as well. She watched them get the big pick nick table towards the backdoor of Prue's… no Lily's house. She sighed. And closed her eyes. One and a half years and she still couldn't get used to the thought her sister was gone
"can you stay with grandpa for a second?"
"sure" Chris nodded and walked up to Victor "hey grandpa, you wanna play a round of chess?"
"care to tell me what you're doing there?"
"uuuh Piper. Hey" Mike stuttered and looked back at Kevin, who nodded and headed inside
"we wanted to do some big family brunch… and so wanted to take the table for a few hours" Robbie jumped in
"why don't you do it outside?"
"Lily, your aunt Piper wants to know what we're doing with the table"
"what?" Lily looked shocked at the other two
"what are you looking like that at us?"
"do we tell her? I thought we agreed not to because of grandpa..."
"well… if you bring her inside grandpa won't get to know anything..."
"and I'm sure mom would like to talk to her as well..." Lily looked back at Kevin. She didn't know what to do. She sighed heavily and went outside
"why do I have to deal all of that?" she grumbled
"because you got laid!" Meghan called after her. Anna threw a dishcloth at Meghan, then just shook her head, while both still laughed slightly
"because we got a guest" Lily now told Piper
"and that guest can't eat outside?"
"no. that special guest can't. Because grandpa would probably..." Lily didn't know how to continue
"oh my god! she's here? isn't she?" Lily just nodded, not really wanting to talk about it in the backyard "Where?"
"she's up in our attic." Piper immediately went past her niece and got into the house "reading the book" Lily added, but knowing her aunt probably wouldn't hear her anymore
"Prue!"
Prue barely noticed how someone came up the stairs until she heard Piper's voice like right behind her. She immediately turned around. She wanted to right away get up and hug her, but first needed to take a look at her. What she saw totally caught her off guard. Just by her voice, Prue had expected her Piper to stand in front of her, but she really didn't. Piper at the age of 64 had grown almost completely white. She was wrinkled here and there and more looking like Penny Halliwell than ever. She just couldn't believe her eyes. Hearing her sister, she got thrilled. Finally something she could find comfort in. something she actually knew. She didn't think about her having grown old as well. And again she noticed what a mess time traveling actually was. She, the oldest of four sisters, now stood in front of her younger sisters who was actually older than her right now. She right away regretted again that she even thought about this whole time travel mess.
Prue continued to stare at Piper for several more seconds before she finally realized her sister actually was crying. She immediately reacted. She just couldn't stand the sight. In fact she never could. She pulled her sister into her arms and just let her cry.
"oh my god, Piper" Prue whispered. Only now fully realizing this indeed was her sister and why she cried at seeing her again. In this time she actually was dead. Piper just kinda hugged her dead sister. She couldn't believe how Piper must have felt. The sisters stayed in their embrace for a good while, then Prue pulled away and held Piper at an arm's length
"I'm so sorry" Prue started to apologize "i wanted to go to the Manor, but the girls..."
"don't. it's alright. you're here… that's all that matters" Piper told her and again pulled Prue into a tight hug "i missed you so much" she whispered and closed her eyes tightly to let the last tears on her eyes subside, then pulled kinda shocked away "I'm sorry… did you..."
"did I know I was dead here? Yes. Almost from the start. One of the girl's didn't know I actually was listening..."
"so since when are you here?"
"yesterday afternoon. Lily called the girls and we had a girl's night. They told me some stories… found out about the book..."
"so you know it like all, huh?"
"well… I guess..." Prue again studied Piper's face and then just shook her head "Piper..." she said softly as she let her hand run over her sister's cheek
"just a little older, I guess" Piper answered her with a laugh, but knew exactly what she meant.
"c'mon. Sit down with me..."
"you know… just because I'm old doesn't mean I can't stand..." Piper joked as she sat down on the sofa with Prue
"stupid" Prue scolded playfully
"i bet you've got a million of questions"
"well… this here" she motioned to the book "answered a lot, but… I still don't know how to handle all of that. All these information. These emotions I feel right now. it's overwhelming. Seriously. 30 years..." she unbelievingly shook her head and starred at the book for a while
"we never knew where you have been… or better when. You erased your memory of this completely, before talking to any of us" Prue nodded slightly and grabbed for the note in her pocket.
"i guessed that already. I found this in Lily's book… thought I take it along" she answered her sister "soo. How is dad?" she asked to change the topic. Piper immediately looked down
"well… on good days he still at least recognizes Chris. He kinda seems to live in the past and so he doesn't know me. a 60 year old daughter just doesn't match into his way of seeing the world. Then I explain things to him. Tell him, that I'm Piper and well… mostly he gets and accepts it. For a few hours at least..." Prue looked down also
"and the bad days?" she heard Piper heave a heavy, almost shaking breath
"on bad days I can't even enter his room. When he sees me, he calls me Penny, gets a yelling fit and throws me out of 'his apartment'" she let out a small laugh which made a few tears spill over. Prue however let out a laugh as well
"if I'm honest, I thought you resembled grams as well." she told her smiling and then turned serious again. She put a hand on her arm and squeezed it softly "it must be hard. I'm sorry you have to deal with it"
"well… when it got worse… he often only immediately turned on Chris. They had a good relationship before everything started. And so we decided he'd move in with me. Though Phoebe offered to take him, too"
"how did this all start?"
"well, about five years ago we noticed there was something wrong. First little things like on Lily's wedding he wouldn't know who Jenny and Justin where. Or even Robbie. We got worried and ran several tests. You always said he needed more support, but we thought he handled it pretty good. We checked once a week. But after you died he grew worse pretty fast. On her weekly visit Phoebe found his apartment a complete mess, because he forgot to clean or even wash the dishes. that's when we decided to make him move." Prue nodded slightly. Again everything was about her death. She sighed and took a few calming breathes
"you okay?"
"well… no… I thought I had adjusted of the idea of me being dead in these… like 18 hours, but obviously I didn't."
"to me it's 18 months and I still can't get myself used to the idea. " Piper told her understanding
"i can't believe the grief my death caused everyone. I can't take it. Really. I could deal with everything… but… not this. When I read about Lily's condition in the book. Found her breaking down completely last night… I didn't know what to do. Then your reaction on me. Meghan's… dad and this Alzheimer. My grandson… Piper he barely let go of me. Andy… god, Andy clipped his wings?" Piper looked down and sighed
"we were all shocked. He didn't talk to anybody. He just did it. Leaving everyone letters to explain things."
"i so understand it… but seeing your guys grief… how could he just walk away like that?"
"he wasn't the same anymore after your death. If I hadn't known it was him, I wouldn't have recognized him anymore, Prue. It was like… he pushed a button and decided not to feel anymore. Not to laugh anymore. Can you imagine Andy not laughing? Noone could pull him out of it, Prue. He just kept going because he felt like he had to take care of your girls. But then he learned about Mike and Anna and it suddenly dawned on him, that they didn't need him anymore. But he needed you. In our letter he said he just hoped, the elders would have the grace to let him be with you again. " Prue starred at Piper while she talked. It felt to her like her heart broke. Andy, the man who got her away from this all mind driven way of thinking, who got her to love again. Have fun again. Her gentle, caring Andy without emotions? Without a laugh? His laughing. Prue closed her eyes and heard her husband's laugh. She loved him laughing. She loved his sense of humor. This childish inputs that always made her laugh on her own. She swallowed and looked back at Piper
"so Chris still lives with you?" she asked again changing topics. Piper nodded
"yes. he. His wife. And his three little girls" she answered smiling. Prue smiled as well
"and you had twins… I read that"
"yeah. Matt and Mel. They haven't returned after finishing college. I mean we still have contact, but they loved these all independent lives with noone of the family busting in and all. they're anyway special. I mean… they're fraternal twins. So one just inherited witch powers and the other is the first to be born whitelighter. Mel's quite jealous on Matt for that anyway. And the two of them… well you met Mags and Anna, right?" Piper laughed and so did Prue
"what about Phoebe?"
"she moved out when Chris moved back in… she said it was time for her own thing."
"Paige?"
"still living in the attic. The triplets went to college last year"
"Paige with triplets." Prue again shook her head in disbelief "Piper… I read so much in this book… the years to come..."
"they weren't easy. But you made it through. don't worry. Everything works out." Piper answered softly
"how's Andy? My Andy?"
"he's upset. he's scared. he's… mad… in denial… he's gonna have a tough time with magic. But once Lily is born everything's forgotten again. You guys don't even know what a treasure you're carrying right now" Prue looked down on her still flat stomach
"well I think I've got a pretty good idea of it by now. I just wished I could keep the memory. You know? I mean… when I go back and erase my memory… I'll only know what's on that note. But I want to keep this feeling. This… knowing everything will be okay. I want to keep being so unbelievingly proud on my girls..."