EIGHT
"So you're a witch named Piper Halliwell," Carpenter said as they sat in the living room of the cabin. "And both of your sisters are witches, too."
"Yes, that's right," said Piper.
"And you," Carpenter said, looking at Leo, "you're an angel?"
"Sort of," Leo said. "I'm what's called a White Lighter. We're kind of a minor form of angel."
"I came up here to get some rare herbs I needed for a potion," Piper said. They needed to be freshly cut. On my way home an animal ran out into the road like it did with us. When I swerved to miss it the car ran into a tree. I must have hit my head and stumbled around for hours before I stumbled into your backyard."
"Dr. Carpenter," Prue said, "I'm sorry about the threats. We just didn't know who or what you were. We've been searching frantically for Piper for days."
"I can understand that," Carpenter said. "I guess I can't blame you for being suspicious. I'm just glad you are the good guys. I knew I didn't stand a chance against those powers of yours."
"Leo, why couldn't you sense me?" Piper asked.
"I guess your temporary amnesia blocked me from sensing you," Leo said. "If you hadn't frozen that car we might still be looking for you. You're just lucky I was able to sense you using your power. When we got to the accident site this was the closest house so we came here looking for you."
"Well, she seems completely healed," Carpenter said. "That healing power of yours seems to have restored her memory as well as healing all of her injuries."
"It can be very handy," Leo said.
"Wouldn't mind having that myself," Carpenter said.
"You can still do a lot of good," Piper said. "You made an honest mistake. It happens. We all make mistakes. You can't just give up when it does."
"Someone died because of my mistake," Carpenter said. "Someone who trusted me to help her. She'd still be alive today if it wasn't for me."
"I'm not so sure," Prue said. "For years I harbored a lot of anger and resentment over our mothers' death. But I recently discovered it's not anyone's fault. If it was her time to go, there would have been nothing you could do to stop it."
"That's an easy rationalization," Carpenter said.
"No, it's not," Phoebe said. "It doesn't mean you can just sit back and let people die. But it's true. When it's your time to go, that's it. You can't blame yourself."
"Food for thought," Carpenter said. "Well, Piper has her memory back, her family has her back, and I got to feel useful again. All in all a pretty hectic few days."
"Adam," Piper said, "about what you've learned about us."
"Doctor-patient confidentiality," Carpenter said. "I may not be practicing at the moment, but I'm still a doctor. Everything I've learned is privileged. I couldn't tell anyone even if I wanted to. Besides, who's going to believe any of this anyway?"
"Thanks," Piper said.
"I take my oath very seriously," Carpenter said. "Of course, your name may be Piper, but if it's okay, you'll always be Jennifer to me."
"Fair enough," Piper said. "I guess we should do something about my car. I think I know where the accident happened."
"From your description," Carpenter said, "I think I know where it was. It shouldn't be difficult to find your car and have it towed into the city. I'll let the sheriff know so he can take of it."
"Thanks, Adam," Piper said. "Well, I guess we should be getting home. God knows how the three of have been eating while I've been gone."
"We've been eating fine," Phoebe said. "I'm pretty good at whipping up a meal on occasion."
"Right," Prue said. "Peanut butter sandwiches."
"I figured as much," Piper said. "You could probably use a hot meal."
"I even fixed a hot meal one or twice," Phoebe defended.
"You?" questioned Piper. "A hot meal?"
"Yeah," said Phoebe. "Peanut butter on toast."
Piper just laughed as Leo orbed them back to the manor.
"So you're a witch named Piper Halliwell," Carpenter said as they sat in the living room of the cabin. "And both of your sisters are witches, too."
"Yes, that's right," said Piper.
"And you," Carpenter said, looking at Leo, "you're an angel?"
"Sort of," Leo said. "I'm what's called a White Lighter. We're kind of a minor form of angel."
"I came up here to get some rare herbs I needed for a potion," Piper said. They needed to be freshly cut. On my way home an animal ran out into the road like it did with us. When I swerved to miss it the car ran into a tree. I must have hit my head and stumbled around for hours before I stumbled into your backyard."
"Dr. Carpenter," Prue said, "I'm sorry about the threats. We just didn't know who or what you were. We've been searching frantically for Piper for days."
"I can understand that," Carpenter said. "I guess I can't blame you for being suspicious. I'm just glad you are the good guys. I knew I didn't stand a chance against those powers of yours."
"Leo, why couldn't you sense me?" Piper asked.
"I guess your temporary amnesia blocked me from sensing you," Leo said. "If you hadn't frozen that car we might still be looking for you. You're just lucky I was able to sense you using your power. When we got to the accident site this was the closest house so we came here looking for you."
"Well, she seems completely healed," Carpenter said. "That healing power of yours seems to have restored her memory as well as healing all of her injuries."
"It can be very handy," Leo said.
"Wouldn't mind having that myself," Carpenter said.
"You can still do a lot of good," Piper said. "You made an honest mistake. It happens. We all make mistakes. You can't just give up when it does."
"Someone died because of my mistake," Carpenter said. "Someone who trusted me to help her. She'd still be alive today if it wasn't for me."
"I'm not so sure," Prue said. "For years I harbored a lot of anger and resentment over our mothers' death. But I recently discovered it's not anyone's fault. If it was her time to go, there would have been nothing you could do to stop it."
"That's an easy rationalization," Carpenter said.
"No, it's not," Phoebe said. "It doesn't mean you can just sit back and let people die. But it's true. When it's your time to go, that's it. You can't blame yourself."
"Food for thought," Carpenter said. "Well, Piper has her memory back, her family has her back, and I got to feel useful again. All in all a pretty hectic few days."
"Adam," Piper said, "about what you've learned about us."
"Doctor-patient confidentiality," Carpenter said. "I may not be practicing at the moment, but I'm still a doctor. Everything I've learned is privileged. I couldn't tell anyone even if I wanted to. Besides, who's going to believe any of this anyway?"
"Thanks," Piper said.
"I take my oath very seriously," Carpenter said. "Of course, your name may be Piper, but if it's okay, you'll always be Jennifer to me."
"Fair enough," Piper said. "I guess we should do something about my car. I think I know where the accident happened."
"From your description," Carpenter said, "I think I know where it was. It shouldn't be difficult to find your car and have it towed into the city. I'll let the sheriff know so he can take of it."
"Thanks, Adam," Piper said. "Well, I guess we should be getting home. God knows how the three of have been eating while I've been gone."
"We've been eating fine," Phoebe said. "I'm pretty good at whipping up a meal on occasion."
"Right," Prue said. "Peanut butter sandwiches."
"I figured as much," Piper said. "You could probably use a hot meal."
"I even fixed a hot meal one or twice," Phoebe defended.
"You?" questioned Piper. "A hot meal?"
"Yeah," said Phoebe. "Peanut butter on toast."
Piper just laughed as Leo orbed them back to the manor.