An Angel Found
As an angel he waited from...1942
She was reborn...1973
"Mommy's...dead?" the little girl asked fearfully. Her grandmother nodded, eyes red rimmed, tears no longer spilling only for the sake of her granddaughter. Piper, aged four and eleven months, understood perfectly what the word meant, as it sank over her and she unconsciously formed a barrier against any real love entering ever again, mentally protecting her from the hurt she felt at that point ever being allowed to touch her again. No tears fell, not then, as she smiled a small smile and walked up the stairs from the lounge, and up to her bedroom.
The little girl heaved open the heavy wooden door, taking it's awkwardness and weight compared to hers in her own time, until her patience paid off as it swung open. Piper pushed it with all her might and finally it closed, shutting off the rest of the world, her Grams and her sisters, who's quiet sobs echoed though the house. Her hands pulled her up on to her bed, where she sat cross-legged, the consequences of that morning racing through her head. Who would look after them now? Who would read to her at night, kiss her better when she fell? A lump formed in Piper's throat as she realised as much as she ever would that things were changed forever. This was irreversible, Mommy wasn't coming back, Daddy was already gone. A small sob escaped her lips as the true reality of life dawned on her young mind, dwarfing her and causing her to draw her legs up to her chest, as her pigtails hung limply in front of her face. The world went on, and somewhere her mother's lifeless form lay. In the mind of a four year old a greater knowledge lay, a greater understanding of the cruelty of life than many adults would ever dream to achieve.
***
Her small hand pushed the yellow truck around the lawn, ripping through the grass and small weeds that lined the path up to the front door. Piper's brown hair was tucked behind her ears, her black dress was chosen, her teeth brushed and shoes found. Still memories crowded her little head, it was too much to handle, her mother's soft cheek against Piper's own, her small hand tucked exactly into her larger one. Her smiling face as the sisters made cookies. The truck forgotten, Piper sat calmly on the bottom step up to the manor, as she felt her cheeks become wet with tears. She brushed them away. She didn't want to cry, not now. She wanted to be brave, to be strong, for her Grams and her sisters. Absorbed in her own world of perfect days gone forever, the little girl did not notice as the blue lights twinkled behind
her, all merging to form a young man.
Leo looked sadly at the tiny girl, alone on the step, her world torn apart. Barely old enough to go to school, and already so much to handle that she shouldn't have to. With the Elders blessing he orbed down, unsure what he was going to say but confident she would guide him. He spoke softly, as she dragged her sleeve across her face, the tears absorbed into the velvet fabric.
"It's okay to cry, Piper." He whispered. Her face turned towards him cautiously, every person in her life now under suspicion. Was he going to leave her too?
"Who are you?" She asked quietly, drawing back from the blonde man.
"I..." He replied, holding out his hand to her, "...am your angel."
"Angel?" She questioned, still unsure. "How do you know my name then?"
"Because I'm your angel so it's my job to know your name. My name's Leo."
In her head Piper processed this information and stored it away. "I don't deserve an angel." She turned away from him, his heart cried for her. Of all the people in the world, he could think of anyone who deserved an angel more than Piper Halliwell. He walked towards her and took her hand, sitting down on the bottom step so not to tower over her. When he sat he was just the same height as Piper standing, so his eyes met hers exactly. They smiled
into hers.
"You deserve an angel, because you are an angel. That's what your Mommy told me." She watched his lips as they moved, and moved her legs over his so she sat on his lap, head resting against his chest.
"Mommy?" her thumb was in her mouth, she was suddenly allowed to be a child again. Her heart slowed as the safety of his hold comforted her.
"Yup. She said you're a very special girl. She's in heaven, Piper. That's where the angels are."
"Like you." Leo nodded, he had known she would understand, her very being radiating with wisdom beyond her years, forced to grow up faster than she should have, in a scary world were parents were unreliable people and growing up was hard at best.
"Can Mommy come visit me too?" Her words shook his very soul. He stroked her hair softly, and answered her with the truth.
"Maybe, Piper, though probably not till a long time from now. When you're older maybe. But you can visit her if you want."
"I can?" Her bright eyes, cheeks tear stained, met his again; hope dancing in front of him in the form of a person. Leo was in awe of her bravery.
"Uh huh. In dreams you can visit each other all the time. You're never alone Piper. You've got your Grams and your sisters; they love you so much. And don't ever say you don't deserve an angel. Don't ever blame yourself." He hugged her tiny form tighter; he could feel her trembling against his frame.
"Will you visit me too Leo?"
"Sure I will. But not often, Piper, I can't come often. For the next few days I'll be around lots to help you, but then not for a while. But, I'll come back, I promise."
"Mommy promised she'd come back." His heart surged at her pitiful words, feeling all the hurt she bottled up.
"Mommy couldn't help it, Piper, she didn't mean not to come back. She loves you so much, you and Prue and Phoebe."
"How do I know you'll come back?" Leo thought over her question, searching his mind for an idea to provide her with some security in a life empty of any. Suddenly an idea came to him, and he drew back his arms from the little girl to pull his dog tags from around his neck.
"This..." He handed the silvery shininess to her. "..is my favourite necklace, and I never give it to anyone. "But...." he placed them around her neck and tucked the tags underneath the fabric of her dress, "I'm gonna lend them to you, because I know you'll look after them properly." Piper nodded her agreement. "And then soon I'll be back to get them, I promise. Then when I leave again, I'll give them to you again, so you know I'll be back soon. Okay?" he asked softly, as her hand felt for the dog tags underneath the black velvet. The cold metal against her skin caused her to shiver, and Leo placed his arms around her again, desperate to block out all the pain and confusion, willing time to reverse itself so the poor girl could have a mother again. But the day continued, the seconds passed.
"You have to leave don't you?" her tiny voice whispered. She had known, he thought. Of course she knew; she was Piper. He rested his chin on top of her head and nodded.
"I'm sorry Piper." He whispered. She drew her head away from his chest so brown met green once more.
"It's okay. Coz you'll be back."
"I'll be there Piper, at the church. You won't be able to see me, but I'll be there, I promise. Will you be okay?"
Piper, all of four years, eleven months and two days, drew herself away from her new friend and spoke one simple word. "Yes." She watched as the blue lights, smile and safety, disappeared. From inside the house her Gram's voice called her gently.
"Piper, honey, it's time." She slowly walked up the steps, her shiny black shoes conquering them one at a time, as her hand rested on the necklace hidden beneath velvet, and she allowed the memories of her mother to flood in, loving each one.
~~~
We can stay right here
Till our heads are clear
We can lose all track of time
You are silenced by your memory
~~~
The church seemed huge, too crowded with people, but Piper kept her head held high as she and her sisters approached the large wooden box with caution. Beside it was a huge framed picture of her mother, holding all three of them on her lap, four grins radiating out, happiness which now seemed so far away. Piper reached up and stroked her mother's two dimensional face, wishing she could do so for real, and not just a photograph, as tears which she had
denied herself previously formed and fell as rivers of sadness down the motherless girl's cheeks. Not yet five, and already she knew the feeling of being alone in a crowd.
Blue lights hovered in a corner of the church, too high up for anyone to notice, as Leo watched the crowds of black hats and well wishers sweep up the little girl, before her grief overcame her and she slid to the floor, leaning against the coffin, tears echoing through the church as her hand went to her face, burying her eyes within herself. His heart went out to her, so let down by almost everyone in her life. She was picked gently up by Prue, who led her sobbing sister back to the front pew of the church, not a single tear falling from her own eyes.
The service went quickly, Penny spoke briefly and Piper simply stared into nothingness, wishing her memories of her mother to never disappear. She was so afraid they would, along with those her father, caught up in a war with her memory that she would never win. Leo watched her from above, wishing he too could hold her hand as Prue was doing, wipe away the tears that he wished wouldn't fall. As the procession led the way out to the cemetery, he caught Penny's arm as she held tight on to her granddaughters, cheeks red and blotchy. At the sight of Leo, Piper's eyes lit up brighter than they had in three days.
"Penny....." The older woman eyed him suspiciously. He whispered in the woman's ear as friends and relatives milled around them. "I'm Leo, I'm ...their whitelighter, Penny." He answered the unasked question quickly. "Can I look after Piper for a bit?" he looked down at the little girl who clung to his leg tightly and smiled softly. The tears still coursed down her cheeks, her little mind still swam with so many worries, each bringing a thousand
more. "I don't think she can handle much more."
Penny looked at the young man before her, and down at her second youngest granddaughter, whose body was relaxed for the first time in days and whose eyes held a slight glimmer of the brightness they so missed. Prue held tightly to little Phoebe beside her, eyeing the stranger cautiously, but Penny knew that he was right. Piper was taking this so to heart, trying to deal with it all by herself. She smiled her blessing, and leant down slowly to Piper.
"Piper, do you want to stay here with Leo?" The four year old nodded, brushing her bangs out of her face as her chestnut eyes met her Gram's. The two kissed, a barrier that had been put up slowly disintegrating. Penny cupped Piper's cheek in her hand, taking in her every feature, seeing the Patty in her already. "We'll be back soon honey." She took Prue's hand and knelt down to pick up a tired and confused Phoebe, and made to follow the procession of mourning friends and family.
Leo watched them leave, than knelt down to Piper, whose fresh tears he wiped away as she pulled his dog tags from around her head and touchingly placed them back around his.
"You came back." She stated simply, hugging him, hugging the only person she could truly be herself with right now. His arms wrapped around her tightly, her every word astonishing him, amazing him with her strength of mind.
"I don't break promises." He whispered, and held out his arms for her to jump into. With her form clinging to him tightly, he walked slowly though the green of the cemetery, looking for a bench away from everyone, where she could talk to him if she wished. Finally he found a spot, hidden from the graves underneath a weeping willow tree, in the shade. Piper scrambled down from his hold and sat down lightly, so her feet dangled high above the
ground, her shining black shoes glinting in the sunlight.
"Leo..." She started, unsure where to begin in the menagerie of thoughts and questions colliding in her head. "Why did Mommy have to break her promise?" Her wide innocent eyes searched his for an answer, any answer. He knelt reassuringly in front of her, and pushed her hair gently behind her ears, trying to think of a response that would not frighten or upset her.
"I don't really know, sweetie. God wanted your Mommy to be an angel; it was Mommy's time to become an angel. Mommy didn't mean to break her promise Piper." She nodded, absorbing this information, believing it; understanding it.
"But you already are an angel." He nodded. "So... why can't you stay, Leo?" Her voice caught on his name and he reached for her tiny hand, swamped by his own.
"Because sweetie, you don't really need me yet. You have your Grams and Prue and Phoebe now. You don't need an angel yet Piper, though I promise that if you ever need me, just yell my name, and I promise I'll come soon. Okay?" she shook her head, chestnut eyes not convinced as she remembered her father and mother.
"Daddy said he'd come back, and he didn't." Tears streamed down her cheeks, questioning the cruelty of life, the reasons behind death, the why her mommy had to be taken too. " Is Daddy an angel too then?"
Leo shook his head, wishing Victor could have been a more responsible father. "He's just not a good Daddy, sweetie."
"And Mommy didn't come back either."
"That's different, Piper. Mommy tried to come back and she couldn't. Daddy can't right now, he's not ready to, he's not a good Daddy." He stroked her cheek. "But I'm here, I'm always here. I promise. Whenever you need me, just call. Coz I'm your angel. I'm supposed to look after you. If you can't sleep, if you miss your Mommy, if you miss me, you can call for me.
And I'll come."
Piper nodded, his green eyes telling her the truth, his words convincing her. "Will you visit me in dreams too?"
Leo smiled, in his heart a glimmer of hope formed. She was so upset, so alone, so confused. But still there it was, that bravery, that understanding. "Sure, Piper. We can meet in dreams if you want." Her arms wrapped around his neck once more, her cries slowing and tears drying up. Twenty minutes passed, her breathing slowed to the rhythm of sleep and dreams of Mommy and Daddy and a world of childhood innocence that was no longer hers.
~~~
Would you lay with me
Would you lay with me
Till the sun peaks through the blinds
We can stay right here
Till our heads are clear
~~~
Her tiny form slowly stirred, Penny's hand rested lightly on her back as a yawn escaped her lips. "Mommy..." Piper whispered before the reality dawned on her. She remembered it all, the service; the memories, Leo...Leo. Her eyes scanned the room frantically, not meeting her grandmother's, trying to find the familiar blonde hair and emerald eyes. Finally her hand went to her chest where the dog tags lay, warmed by her own body heat, and a small smile formed on her face as she looked at her Grams, concerned eyes fading.
"He said he'd be back soon, Piper. He said to say you'd know?" The little girl nodded, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with screwed up hands, pushing away the tartan rug that lay around her shoulders. In her head an idea formed.
"Grams, can we make cookies? Like we used to ...before?" Suddenly it occurred to Piper that it was probably very late, as her Grams was in her dressing gown, and Piper herself in pyjamas. She sighed reluctantly, hope fading. "Tomorrow then?"
"You want to make them tonight, sweetheart?" The older women asked her granddaughter. Piper's brunette bangs danced across her face as she nodded enthusiastically.
"Uh -huh!"
"Well then..." Penny held out her hand. Piper grabbed it and ran into the kitchen, quickly getting the ingredients she knew off by heart, as Penny stood and watched, pride overwhelming her, till it fell as tears.
Piper noticed immediately, dropped the chocolate chips on the side and stood in front of her Grams. "Are you crying about Mommy?" She asked, her young mind working overtime.
Penny smiled through her tears, as the little girl's face changed to one of concern, their hands found each others. "A little bit, sweetheart. She...she would have been so proud of you, Piper. She was always so proud of you." Penny knelt down so her eyes met Piper's, a little Patty before her once again. "I love you Piper. So much."
The four year old nodded, tracing her Grandmother's face with her hands. "I love you too Grams." Grandmother and granddaughter hugged, the barrier between them broken forever. Up above the blue lights circled and smiled. She was going to be okay, as he had known she would. He allowed himself to float slowly upwards, unwilling to leave his new friend for any length of time, her little face, so brave in the face of danger. Below him the cookie
making started, and Leo could see he was not needed at that moment. Oblivious to the two below, the blue lights disappeared altogether, as flour and butter kneaded together and Piper pretended she wasn't stealing chocolate chips, despite Penny catching her very time.
~~~
I am here now
You've got the best of me
So go ahead now
Take the rest of me
There are two of us
There are two of us
~~~
Twenty-seven days passed, and with each day Piper felt minutely better as she woke up, and despite no sign of Leo, she believed him when he said he'd come back. Finally the day of her birthday came, the day she had been looking forward to as much as she had been dreading it. Looking forward to presents and happy faces and Prue being extra nice, but at the same time dreading the faked smiles, the no Mommy, the differences between this birthday and every other one she had ever known.
The day passed in a blur, presents opened, people thanked. Memories of previous birthdays ran through her mind, images of the traditional events tearing through her heart. Candles blown out, one wish wished, her sisters playing while she daydreamed, a slight smile on her face as she played with the dog tags that now always adorned her neck. Then suddenly a voice called through to her from the hall.
"Piper, you have a visitor!" her Gram's voice echoed around the old house. Piper's heart thumped. Was it...? She raced through the lounge in her new dungarees, skidding on the wooden floors. A touch of blonde hair, two green eyes.... "Leo!" she cried as she ran towards him. He knelt down to meet her huge hug, and the two remained quiet with just each other for several moments.
"Hey Piper." Leo greeted her, as the two parted ever so slightly. "Happy Birthday sweetie." From his pocket he drew out a long drop of silver, followed by...dog tags. She squealed excitedly, as he hung them around her neck, and another hug was shared, before she realised the true consequences of getting her own. Slowly she drew back from Leo.
"You need yours back, don't you? You can't come and see me anymore." Her voice grew quieter, as she slipped the dog tags over his head. Not anymore, not often.
"Uh uh, kiddo." He whispered, as Penny watched them from the end of the hall. Her eyes met Leo's and she nodded her approval, before turning to go back to the lounge. "You don't need me in your life right now, Piper. You have so many people; you don't need an angel just now. But... " He put the clasp of her necklace to the back of her neck gently, "...one day you will, and I'll be there, I promise. I'll be there for you when you need me."
Piper nodded slowly, knowing Leo was right, not wanting him to be. She wrapped her arms around his neck one last time. "But we can still meet in dreams, right?" she asked quietly.
Leo laughed softly and hugged her tighter, saying goodbye upsetting him as much as her. "Sure, sweetie. We'll meet in dreams. Always."
~~~
There are the two of us
There are the two of us
It's the cycle of our souls
~~~
He left in 1973...
She waited from 1973...
As an angel he waited from...1942
She was reborn...1973
"Mommy's...dead?" the little girl asked fearfully. Her grandmother nodded, eyes red rimmed, tears no longer spilling only for the sake of her granddaughter. Piper, aged four and eleven months, understood perfectly what the word meant, as it sank over her and she unconsciously formed a barrier against any real love entering ever again, mentally protecting her from the hurt she felt at that point ever being allowed to touch her again. No tears fell, not then, as she smiled a small smile and walked up the stairs from the lounge, and up to her bedroom.
The little girl heaved open the heavy wooden door, taking it's awkwardness and weight compared to hers in her own time, until her patience paid off as it swung open. Piper pushed it with all her might and finally it closed, shutting off the rest of the world, her Grams and her sisters, who's quiet sobs echoed though the house. Her hands pulled her up on to her bed, where she sat cross-legged, the consequences of that morning racing through her head. Who would look after them now? Who would read to her at night, kiss her better when she fell? A lump formed in Piper's throat as she realised as much as she ever would that things were changed forever. This was irreversible, Mommy wasn't coming back, Daddy was already gone. A small sob escaped her lips as the true reality of life dawned on her young mind, dwarfing her and causing her to draw her legs up to her chest, as her pigtails hung limply in front of her face. The world went on, and somewhere her mother's lifeless form lay. In the mind of a four year old a greater knowledge lay, a greater understanding of the cruelty of life than many adults would ever dream to achieve.
***
Her small hand pushed the yellow truck around the lawn, ripping through the grass and small weeds that lined the path up to the front door. Piper's brown hair was tucked behind her ears, her black dress was chosen, her teeth brushed and shoes found. Still memories crowded her little head, it was too much to handle, her mother's soft cheek against Piper's own, her small hand tucked exactly into her larger one. Her smiling face as the sisters made cookies. The truck forgotten, Piper sat calmly on the bottom step up to the manor, as she felt her cheeks become wet with tears. She brushed them away. She didn't want to cry, not now. She wanted to be brave, to be strong, for her Grams and her sisters. Absorbed in her own world of perfect days gone forever, the little girl did not notice as the blue lights twinkled behind
her, all merging to form a young man.
Leo looked sadly at the tiny girl, alone on the step, her world torn apart. Barely old enough to go to school, and already so much to handle that she shouldn't have to. With the Elders blessing he orbed down, unsure what he was going to say but confident she would guide him. He spoke softly, as she dragged her sleeve across her face, the tears absorbed into the velvet fabric.
"It's okay to cry, Piper." He whispered. Her face turned towards him cautiously, every person in her life now under suspicion. Was he going to leave her too?
"Who are you?" She asked quietly, drawing back from the blonde man.
"I..." He replied, holding out his hand to her, "...am your angel."
"Angel?" She questioned, still unsure. "How do you know my name then?"
"Because I'm your angel so it's my job to know your name. My name's Leo."
In her head Piper processed this information and stored it away. "I don't deserve an angel." She turned away from him, his heart cried for her. Of all the people in the world, he could think of anyone who deserved an angel more than Piper Halliwell. He walked towards her and took her hand, sitting down on the bottom step so not to tower over her. When he sat he was just the same height as Piper standing, so his eyes met hers exactly. They smiled
into hers.
"You deserve an angel, because you are an angel. That's what your Mommy told me." She watched his lips as they moved, and moved her legs over his so she sat on his lap, head resting against his chest.
"Mommy?" her thumb was in her mouth, she was suddenly allowed to be a child again. Her heart slowed as the safety of his hold comforted her.
"Yup. She said you're a very special girl. She's in heaven, Piper. That's where the angels are."
"Like you." Leo nodded, he had known she would understand, her very being radiating with wisdom beyond her years, forced to grow up faster than she should have, in a scary world were parents were unreliable people and growing up was hard at best.
"Can Mommy come visit me too?" Her words shook his very soul. He stroked her hair softly, and answered her with the truth.
"Maybe, Piper, though probably not till a long time from now. When you're older maybe. But you can visit her if you want."
"I can?" Her bright eyes, cheeks tear stained, met his again; hope dancing in front of him in the form of a person. Leo was in awe of her bravery.
"Uh huh. In dreams you can visit each other all the time. You're never alone Piper. You've got your Grams and your sisters; they love you so much. And don't ever say you don't deserve an angel. Don't ever blame yourself." He hugged her tiny form tighter; he could feel her trembling against his frame.
"Will you visit me too Leo?"
"Sure I will. But not often, Piper, I can't come often. For the next few days I'll be around lots to help you, but then not for a while. But, I'll come back, I promise."
"Mommy promised she'd come back." His heart surged at her pitiful words, feeling all the hurt she bottled up.
"Mommy couldn't help it, Piper, she didn't mean not to come back. She loves you so much, you and Prue and Phoebe."
"How do I know you'll come back?" Leo thought over her question, searching his mind for an idea to provide her with some security in a life empty of any. Suddenly an idea came to him, and he drew back his arms from the little girl to pull his dog tags from around his neck.
"This..." He handed the silvery shininess to her. "..is my favourite necklace, and I never give it to anyone. "But...." he placed them around her neck and tucked the tags underneath the fabric of her dress, "I'm gonna lend them to you, because I know you'll look after them properly." Piper nodded her agreement. "And then soon I'll be back to get them, I promise. Then when I leave again, I'll give them to you again, so you know I'll be back soon. Okay?" he asked softly, as her hand felt for the dog tags underneath the black velvet. The cold metal against her skin caused her to shiver, and Leo placed his arms around her again, desperate to block out all the pain and confusion, willing time to reverse itself so the poor girl could have a mother again. But the day continued, the seconds passed.
"You have to leave don't you?" her tiny voice whispered. She had known, he thought. Of course she knew; she was Piper. He rested his chin on top of her head and nodded.
"I'm sorry Piper." He whispered. She drew her head away from his chest so brown met green once more.
"It's okay. Coz you'll be back."
"I'll be there Piper, at the church. You won't be able to see me, but I'll be there, I promise. Will you be okay?"
Piper, all of four years, eleven months and two days, drew herself away from her new friend and spoke one simple word. "Yes." She watched as the blue lights, smile and safety, disappeared. From inside the house her Gram's voice called her gently.
"Piper, honey, it's time." She slowly walked up the steps, her shiny black shoes conquering them one at a time, as her hand rested on the necklace hidden beneath velvet, and she allowed the memories of her mother to flood in, loving each one.
~~~
We can stay right here
Till our heads are clear
We can lose all track of time
You are silenced by your memory
~~~
The church seemed huge, too crowded with people, but Piper kept her head held high as she and her sisters approached the large wooden box with caution. Beside it was a huge framed picture of her mother, holding all three of them on her lap, four grins radiating out, happiness which now seemed so far away. Piper reached up and stroked her mother's two dimensional face, wishing she could do so for real, and not just a photograph, as tears which she had
denied herself previously formed and fell as rivers of sadness down the motherless girl's cheeks. Not yet five, and already she knew the feeling of being alone in a crowd.
Blue lights hovered in a corner of the church, too high up for anyone to notice, as Leo watched the crowds of black hats and well wishers sweep up the little girl, before her grief overcame her and she slid to the floor, leaning against the coffin, tears echoing through the church as her hand went to her face, burying her eyes within herself. His heart went out to her, so let down by almost everyone in her life. She was picked gently up by Prue, who led her sobbing sister back to the front pew of the church, not a single tear falling from her own eyes.
The service went quickly, Penny spoke briefly and Piper simply stared into nothingness, wishing her memories of her mother to never disappear. She was so afraid they would, along with those her father, caught up in a war with her memory that she would never win. Leo watched her from above, wishing he too could hold her hand as Prue was doing, wipe away the tears that he wished wouldn't fall. As the procession led the way out to the cemetery, he caught Penny's arm as she held tight on to her granddaughters, cheeks red and blotchy. At the sight of Leo, Piper's eyes lit up brighter than they had in three days.
"Penny....." The older woman eyed him suspiciously. He whispered in the woman's ear as friends and relatives milled around them. "I'm Leo, I'm ...their whitelighter, Penny." He answered the unasked question quickly. "Can I look after Piper for a bit?" he looked down at the little girl who clung to his leg tightly and smiled softly. The tears still coursed down her cheeks, her little mind still swam with so many worries, each bringing a thousand
more. "I don't think she can handle much more."
Penny looked at the young man before her, and down at her second youngest granddaughter, whose body was relaxed for the first time in days and whose eyes held a slight glimmer of the brightness they so missed. Prue held tightly to little Phoebe beside her, eyeing the stranger cautiously, but Penny knew that he was right. Piper was taking this so to heart, trying to deal with it all by herself. She smiled her blessing, and leant down slowly to Piper.
"Piper, do you want to stay here with Leo?" The four year old nodded, brushing her bangs out of her face as her chestnut eyes met her Gram's. The two kissed, a barrier that had been put up slowly disintegrating. Penny cupped Piper's cheek in her hand, taking in her every feature, seeing the Patty in her already. "We'll be back soon honey." She took Prue's hand and knelt down to pick up a tired and confused Phoebe, and made to follow the procession of mourning friends and family.
Leo watched them leave, than knelt down to Piper, whose fresh tears he wiped away as she pulled his dog tags from around her head and touchingly placed them back around his.
"You came back." She stated simply, hugging him, hugging the only person she could truly be herself with right now. His arms wrapped around her tightly, her every word astonishing him, amazing him with her strength of mind.
"I don't break promises." He whispered, and held out his arms for her to jump into. With her form clinging to him tightly, he walked slowly though the green of the cemetery, looking for a bench away from everyone, where she could talk to him if she wished. Finally he found a spot, hidden from the graves underneath a weeping willow tree, in the shade. Piper scrambled down from his hold and sat down lightly, so her feet dangled high above the
ground, her shining black shoes glinting in the sunlight.
"Leo..." She started, unsure where to begin in the menagerie of thoughts and questions colliding in her head. "Why did Mommy have to break her promise?" Her wide innocent eyes searched his for an answer, any answer. He knelt reassuringly in front of her, and pushed her hair gently behind her ears, trying to think of a response that would not frighten or upset her.
"I don't really know, sweetie. God wanted your Mommy to be an angel; it was Mommy's time to become an angel. Mommy didn't mean to break her promise Piper." She nodded, absorbing this information, believing it; understanding it.
"But you already are an angel." He nodded. "So... why can't you stay, Leo?" Her voice caught on his name and he reached for her tiny hand, swamped by his own.
"Because sweetie, you don't really need me yet. You have your Grams and Prue and Phoebe now. You don't need an angel yet Piper, though I promise that if you ever need me, just yell my name, and I promise I'll come soon. Okay?" she shook her head, chestnut eyes not convinced as she remembered her father and mother.
"Daddy said he'd come back, and he didn't." Tears streamed down her cheeks, questioning the cruelty of life, the reasons behind death, the why her mommy had to be taken too. " Is Daddy an angel too then?"
Leo shook his head, wishing Victor could have been a more responsible father. "He's just not a good Daddy, sweetie."
"And Mommy didn't come back either."
"That's different, Piper. Mommy tried to come back and she couldn't. Daddy can't right now, he's not ready to, he's not a good Daddy." He stroked her cheek. "But I'm here, I'm always here. I promise. Whenever you need me, just call. Coz I'm your angel. I'm supposed to look after you. If you can't sleep, if you miss your Mommy, if you miss me, you can call for me.
And I'll come."
Piper nodded, his green eyes telling her the truth, his words convincing her. "Will you visit me in dreams too?"
Leo smiled, in his heart a glimmer of hope formed. She was so upset, so alone, so confused. But still there it was, that bravery, that understanding. "Sure, Piper. We can meet in dreams if you want." Her arms wrapped around his neck once more, her cries slowing and tears drying up. Twenty minutes passed, her breathing slowed to the rhythm of sleep and dreams of Mommy and Daddy and a world of childhood innocence that was no longer hers.
~~~
Would you lay with me
Would you lay with me
Till the sun peaks through the blinds
We can stay right here
Till our heads are clear
~~~
Her tiny form slowly stirred, Penny's hand rested lightly on her back as a yawn escaped her lips. "Mommy..." Piper whispered before the reality dawned on her. She remembered it all, the service; the memories, Leo...Leo. Her eyes scanned the room frantically, not meeting her grandmother's, trying to find the familiar blonde hair and emerald eyes. Finally her hand went to her chest where the dog tags lay, warmed by her own body heat, and a small smile formed on her face as she looked at her Grams, concerned eyes fading.
"He said he'd be back soon, Piper. He said to say you'd know?" The little girl nodded, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with screwed up hands, pushing away the tartan rug that lay around her shoulders. In her head an idea formed.
"Grams, can we make cookies? Like we used to ...before?" Suddenly it occurred to Piper that it was probably very late, as her Grams was in her dressing gown, and Piper herself in pyjamas. She sighed reluctantly, hope fading. "Tomorrow then?"
"You want to make them tonight, sweetheart?" The older women asked her granddaughter. Piper's brunette bangs danced across her face as she nodded enthusiastically.
"Uh -huh!"
"Well then..." Penny held out her hand. Piper grabbed it and ran into the kitchen, quickly getting the ingredients she knew off by heart, as Penny stood and watched, pride overwhelming her, till it fell as tears.
Piper noticed immediately, dropped the chocolate chips on the side and stood in front of her Grams. "Are you crying about Mommy?" She asked, her young mind working overtime.
Penny smiled through her tears, as the little girl's face changed to one of concern, their hands found each others. "A little bit, sweetheart. She...she would have been so proud of you, Piper. She was always so proud of you." Penny knelt down so her eyes met Piper's, a little Patty before her once again. "I love you Piper. So much."
The four year old nodded, tracing her Grandmother's face with her hands. "I love you too Grams." Grandmother and granddaughter hugged, the barrier between them broken forever. Up above the blue lights circled and smiled. She was going to be okay, as he had known she would. He allowed himself to float slowly upwards, unwilling to leave his new friend for any length of time, her little face, so brave in the face of danger. Below him the cookie
making started, and Leo could see he was not needed at that moment. Oblivious to the two below, the blue lights disappeared altogether, as flour and butter kneaded together and Piper pretended she wasn't stealing chocolate chips, despite Penny catching her very time.
~~~
I am here now
You've got the best of me
So go ahead now
Take the rest of me
There are two of us
There are two of us
~~~
Twenty-seven days passed, and with each day Piper felt minutely better as she woke up, and despite no sign of Leo, she believed him when he said he'd come back. Finally the day of her birthday came, the day she had been looking forward to as much as she had been dreading it. Looking forward to presents and happy faces and Prue being extra nice, but at the same time dreading the faked smiles, the no Mommy, the differences between this birthday and every other one she had ever known.
The day passed in a blur, presents opened, people thanked. Memories of previous birthdays ran through her mind, images of the traditional events tearing through her heart. Candles blown out, one wish wished, her sisters playing while she daydreamed, a slight smile on her face as she played with the dog tags that now always adorned her neck. Then suddenly a voice called through to her from the hall.
"Piper, you have a visitor!" her Gram's voice echoed around the old house. Piper's heart thumped. Was it...? She raced through the lounge in her new dungarees, skidding on the wooden floors. A touch of blonde hair, two green eyes.... "Leo!" she cried as she ran towards him. He knelt down to meet her huge hug, and the two remained quiet with just each other for several moments.
"Hey Piper." Leo greeted her, as the two parted ever so slightly. "Happy Birthday sweetie." From his pocket he drew out a long drop of silver, followed by...dog tags. She squealed excitedly, as he hung them around her neck, and another hug was shared, before she realised the true consequences of getting her own. Slowly she drew back from Leo.
"You need yours back, don't you? You can't come and see me anymore." Her voice grew quieter, as she slipped the dog tags over his head. Not anymore, not often.
"Uh uh, kiddo." He whispered, as Penny watched them from the end of the hall. Her eyes met Leo's and she nodded her approval, before turning to go back to the lounge. "You don't need me in your life right now, Piper. You have so many people; you don't need an angel just now. But... " He put the clasp of her necklace to the back of her neck gently, "...one day you will, and I'll be there, I promise. I'll be there for you when you need me."
Piper nodded slowly, knowing Leo was right, not wanting him to be. She wrapped her arms around his neck one last time. "But we can still meet in dreams, right?" she asked quietly.
Leo laughed softly and hugged her tighter, saying goodbye upsetting him as much as her. "Sure, sweetie. We'll meet in dreams. Always."
~~~
There are the two of us
There are the two of us
It's the cycle of our souls
~~~
He left in 1973...
She waited from 1973...