Part 2
The six hour flight from new York to San Francisco seemed to go by way to fast in Piper's mind every mile they got closer every minute every second towards her new future got piper more nervous. Leo took her hand in his as he could see that piper was getting more and more nervous the closer they got.
" I think this was a mistake, Leo.... I can't do this.... It is too soon.... What am I going to do when I see him...? I..." Piper could barely catch her breath as the plane touched the ground. A full-fledged panic attack was setting in. Leo stood next to her and rubbed her back.
" Piper hunny ...we don't have to do it right now. Lets go see your family first...I would like to meet your mother and sisters. And we don't have to tell them right away, why we are there.... We have all the time in the world." He spoke softly to her. " But Leo, you only have a few weeks...what if this drags out forever.... You are going to have to go back and I will be here alone by myself...and ...and" again her breath came in short spurts.
" Hunny slow down, I told my boss that I would be gone for as long as I was needed.... We are in the age of computers and faxes, what ever needs to be done I can do from here. I am not going to leave you". He told her as he was guiding her in to the cab waiting at the curb. " Promise me Leo" she almost begged. " Piper I love you and nothing is more important right now then for you to be able to go on with your life" he whispered in her ear as she had settled her head on his shoulder. " A life the two of us are going to built," He added to it.
Leo gave the address to the cab driver and not soon after they pulled up to the manor.
Piper got out of the cab. Nostalgia hit and a tear crawled over her cheek. Reaching behind her she grabbed for Leo's hand. He gave it a reassuring squeeze. " It is going to be okay...we don't have to tell them today.... Relax I am right here" Leo told her as they saw the front door open and phoebe running down the front steps.
"Piper you are here...you are finally here.... I have missed you so much" Phoebe shouted as she threw her arms around Piper. Piper again had tears running down her cheeks. For just now she knew how much she had missed her little sister. It was almost as if, when she had gotten on the plane several years ago that she had left her life behind including phoebe and the rest of her family. And even though she had been back it seemed different somehow.
Leo stood back looking at the woman he loved, a smile on his face. He could see that for a moment piper seemed to have forgotten why she was here. Piper turned to him and took his hand again. " Phoebes I want you to meet someone...this is Leo my fiancee" She introduced him. " Hey phoebe I have heard allot about you, nice to meet you " As he held out his hand. " Hey Leo, don't belief everything she tells you about me...I am really not that bad" Phoebe smiled at him and took his extended hand.
Phoebe seemed so happy it was hard to believe that piper and phoebe where from the same family let alone sisters. As he looked up he saw to other women coming down the front steps. Not as fast as phoebe had but still seemed happy to see them.
" Piper sweetie finally you are back again. It has been way to long" Patty told her middle daughter as she hugged her as well. " And you must be the man that has stolen my daughters heart" She directed to Leo. Leo gave a warm smile to the older woman. " Yes ma'am I am, and I am not giving it back to you" As he pulled piper a little closer to him.
"Leo this is my sister Prue" piper introduced her older sister. Again Leo put a smile on his face. Piper had never told him very much about her older sister. So he held a little reservation to wards her until he knew her a little better. Prue gave him a warm smile as well. " Why don't we take this inside?" she said.
Phoebe had once again thrown her arms around piper. " Yeah I have so much to tell you...and when are you guys getting married.... Where are you getting married...? And can I be your brides maid...or even better your maid of honor...." Leo heard her ask piper a million questions as the two of them walked up the stairs. Piper turned towards him a little worried. " I am just getting our suitcases ...I will be right behind you" he told her knowing how nervous she was.
Once inside phoebe kept bombarding Piper with questions. Luckily patty intercepted her younger daughter. " Phoebe it is getting late why don't we let piper and Leo get settled in and we can talk during dinner". Piper cast her mother a thankful glance. " We cleaned your room and we put the trundle bed next to yours so it looks like it is a queen size bed" Prue offered. " Thanks Prue" Piper told her.
Leo and piper walked up the stairs and towards piper's old room. In front of the door piper stopped. Leo held back knowing she had to do this on her own. Slowly she reached out and took the doorknob in her hands. Her shoulder slumped a little as she turned it and walked in the room. She had been here over the years but this was the first time Leo had come with her and he knew she was scared of what he might think knowing that most of her horrors had happened in this room.
Slowly she walked in and looked around it was as if she was going back in time and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. " This is so stupid" she whispered more to her self then she did Leo. " What is stupid piper?" Leo asked, but he knew what she had meant. " This is just a room and I can barely breath in here Leo" She said. " It is not stupid hunny...I can understand." Leo told her as he walked over and wrapped her in his arms. He could feel her stiffen, and starting to reject him. This had not happened in months and for a moment a rage ran through Leo. And he couldn't wait to get his hands around nicks throat. But he reminded him self how hard this was for her. And kept himself in check.
" We will make it all better I swear we will" He whispered to her. " Thank you for coming Leo ...I don't think I could do this on my own even with my family here" She said as she leaned more into him relaxing a little.
There was a knock on the door and piper froze in place her face white as a sheet. " Hey how long are you guys going to be dinner is ready in a minute" They heard phoebe's voice on the other side of the door. Piper's voice shook a little as she told her sister they would be down soon. " Oh and we have a surprise for you downstairs" phoebe added before her footsteps disappears down the stairs.
" Hmm wonder what that surprise is" piper said to Leo. " Could be anything from dessert to a present because we are getting married" Leo smirked. " You always have food on your mind" Piper smiled at him. She walked over to him and kissed him. " Do you know how much it means to me for you to be here" she asked him. " I wouldn't be any where else" He told her and kissed her softly. " Well we better get down there before [phoebe comes bouncing up those stairs again" piper laughed. Leo noticed it was the first smile she had given since they had left New York.
Both of them walked down the stairs. Walking in to the kitchen following the great smell coming from it. " Hey you two" Patty said as they walked in. " Leo would you mind opening the wine before we go in there" she asked him. "I would happy to" Leo replied. " Piper why don't you go into the dining room and put these buns on the table" Patty asked her. Piper took the buns of the counter and took one of the glasses Leo had offered her and walked out of the kitchen.
Not three seconds later the shattering of glass could be heard in the kitchen. Leo dropped the bottle he was holding and ran into the other room. Piper was standing frozen to the floor. No color left in her face. Fear written over her face. Leo walked up to her and followed her gaze to where she was staring. A man standing in the doorway. He had been talking to phoebe. When piper had walked into the room. " Surprise!!!" Phoebe shouted. Leo knew with out having to be introduced who this man was. By just looking at piper. Who had started to shake. He walked over to her and took her in his arms.
"Piper.... Piper....hunny" But no answer came. Her eyes glued to the person in front of them. " No .....no...not yet...Leo not yet .... I am not ready...please not yet" piper started to say.
Phoebe looked at her sister. Clearly not knowing what was going on. "Piper what is wrong.... Are you okay......MOM...! Something is wrong with piper," she shouted for her mother. Prue and patty walked in the room. Both worried. " Piper hunny what is wrong?" Patty asked her daughter as Leo led her to a chair. " Watch her" Leo growled. Patty gave him a side ways glance. She had no clue as to what was going on.
Leo strode across the room in a flash. His vision went from red to total black. He reached back and with all the force he could muster up he let his right hook land on the mans jaw. " This is for what you have done to her...you bastard" as a second fist hit the man in the stomach. " This is for haunting her for all those years" and again a hard fist hit the man in the face. "And this just for the hell of it" again he reached back and this time he hit the man so hard he staggered back. Before he could get another one in he could feel himself be pulled by another pair of arms.
"Whoa there buddy...calm down.... What the hell is wrong with you" Andy said to him. Leo was slowly coming back to his senses. "Why don't you ask him?" he almost shouted. He looked around the room and could see all the faces where directed toward him.
But he only had eyes for piper who had coward in her chair. With in seconds he was beside her. He took her in his lap. " I am sorry piper...I didn't mean.....I ....I just lost....I am so sorry" He started. Piper curled her self-more into him. Leo....... Please get me out of here.....Please" she cried softly.
Leo got of the floor, bends over and put his arm behind her knees and her back and started to carry her out of the room. " NO........ Wait you two...you cant just come in here beat the crap out of someone you don't even known and then walk out" Prue said as she directed the last part to Leo. " Yes we can!" Leo said. " Why don't you let HIM explain why I beat the shit out of him" Leo told them and then left the room. Piper laid her head on his shoulder. "Thank you Leo" she whispered.
Phoebe directed her gaze to wards the man rubbing his face with his handkerchief. What is he talking about NICK?" she asked him. " Hell if I know" this one said. But I am not staying here for another second" He added as he walked out of the room.
" What the hell happened just now?" Phoebe said after nick had left the house. " I think we need talk to your sister and her fiancee" Andy offered. " I think you are right" Prue agreed. So the four of them walked up the stairs to piper room.
Leo had closed the door behind them using his foot and settled piper on the bed. " I am sorry piper, as soon as I saw your face and them him I snapped, I know I should have contained my self I.......I just couldn't.....Knowing what he has done to you and then him standing there with that grin on his face...as if he was innocence himself...." " It is okay Leo...don't worry about it, he had that one coming and more" Piper whispered. A little chuckle escaped from her throat. " His face was almost worth it.... He didn't know what was happening to him........." Her laughter had quickly turned in to a sob. Leo sat next to her on the bed and put his arm around her. Piper put her head on his shoulder. As she was trying to get her shaken body under control.
" Who was that guy who made nick a very lucky guy by pulling me of him" Leo asked. " That was Andy, we have known him since we where kids, I think him and Prue are an item now" she softly answered him. " Well a good thing he was there or nicky boy would not be walking out of this house". Leo stated.
Shortly thereafter there was a knock on the door. " Piper it is mom can we come in please ...I think we need to have a talk here!" Patty's voice came from the other side of the door. Piper tensed in Leo's arms and her body started to shake once again. Leo looked at her and with his finger he lifted her chin and his eyes met hers. " We don't have to do this know if you don't want...as a matter of fact if you rather not stay here we can leave all together and get a room in the four seasons" he reassured her. Piper crawled deeper into his embrace. She knew she had to get this over with sooner or later. And maybe it was better to it sooner rather then later. She nodded her head and Leo walked to the door to open it. Patty stepped into the room closely followed by phoebe Prue and Andy.
Piper cast a glance at the four of them. And tried to give a little smile. Which she failed at miserably? Leo had made his way back to the bed and sat next to her. As soon as he sat down piper leaned into him. She needed him she needed his strength, she needed to know he was there in case she would fall apart, he had become her pillar her strength she didn't even think she would be able to this on her own.
Patty walked over to piper and sat down on the other side of her. Reaching a hand over she stroked her arm. She looked at Leo. Not to happy with him at the moment. Leo knew his first impression had not been the greatest one. But he could care less. He looked back at piper. " Hunny you sure you are ready for this" he asked concerned. Piper had turned very pale and blood had left hr lips as well. Again she nodded her head. Then her look went over the room and settled on Andy. Leo knew right away what she had meant. " Andy my man, thanks for pulling me of nick," Leo said as she walked over and extended his hand. Andy was a little leery about this man. But he liked him and he had never liked nick so that was a plus for Leo.
" I hate to do this but piper has a lot to deal with and she would rather talk to her family first. Prue will inform you later as to what has been discussed in here," Leo said hoping Andy would understand. Andy did but Prue didn't. " Andy is family, he is more family then you are I think he should stay" she said trying to pull Andy back. " I am sorry Prue you don't know me from a hole in the wall, and I would never say anything to the contrary, but piper rather not have Andy in the room when she has to tell you what she has to tell you, and when all is said and done you will understand why......and what ever piper wants right now is what piper gets. And if you not agree to this then you might leave the room as well" Leo finished staring her down.
Prue had wanted Andy to stay but more than that she wanted to know why Leo had lost his cool down there and what had happened to piper as soon as she had seen nick. "I will tell you everything later," Prue said to Andy. Then she kissed him. And Andy left the room.
Leo had once again taken his seat next to piper. And he had taken her hand in his. Piper was very nervous and she didn't really know where to start. She looked at Leo. " Just tell them from the start hunny" he encouraged her. Her fingernails where digging in to his hand but he would not have said anything to save to world. Piper's eyes darted from hr mother to her sisters and then back again.
Patty rubbed her arm again. " Just tell us piper it cant be all that bad" she said. " Yes it can mom" Piper almost whispered. " Okay piper out with it" Phoebe now interrupted. " It is a lot harder to say this then you think it is phoebe" Piper snapped back at her. "Phoebe sat down on the chair in front of the lady desk. " Well piper if you don't tell us then we wont know now will we" Phoebe snapped back just as fast. Prue looked at phoebe and gave her a straight stare. " What" this one said. " Just grow up phoebe, clearly she needs some time to gather her thoughts give the girl a minute" but she was dying to know what was going on.
Leo squeezed her hand again and piper looked up as if she had forgotten they where even in the room. "Well it all started when I was nine, or better yet my ninth b-day" Piper started. " What happened on your birthday piper" Patty wanted to know. " Remember we had that party and I wanted to watch this cool t.v show but you said it had been a long day and I should go to bed." Piper asked her mother. Patty nodded her head. " Yeah you tried several times that night to convince me other wise" Patty smiled at the memory. " Do you also remember leaving that night because you had to go to some meeting or something?" " I guess so," Patty said. Remembering she had left often during those years. But she had left them in the good care of nick.
Piper had to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. But she couldn't hold back the tears that had started to fall down her cheek. She tried to brush them away to no avail because as soon as she dried her cheeks new tears where there. " On that night........... On that....." it seemed the words didn't want to leave her mouth and she looked at Leo. Giving him a little nod. "On that night nick decided that piper should no longer be an innocent child.... That night nick came to piper and........... And" even Leo had trouble getting the words out of his mouth. Once again phoebe took it upon her self to ask. "What happened that night?"
Prue had walked over to piper and sat down on her knees in front of her sister. " Piper did nick do what I think he did" she asked her little sister. Piper knew Prue would figure it out the fastest and she nodded her head. Then she downcast her eyes afraid to see the disgust that by now was surely in her eyes. Prue was in shock as she looked at her sister, she had curled her self all the way into to Leo, afraid of what Prue might say. A tear fell down her cheek as well and she took piper hand into hers. "Piper I am so sorry this happened to you" she whispered.
Piper dared to look at her sister, still expecting to see disappointment. But to her surprise all she saw was love and the pain she felt in her heart. Prue gathered her in her arms. " He will pay for this I swear he will pay for this" she whispered in her ear. Piper gave a week little smile, " thank s Prue", she said. " For what?" this one asked a little surprised. " For believing me," piper said softly.
"Well I for one do not belief this" came a voice from the other side of the room. " You must have dreamed it piper! Nick would never do anything like that, never he loves you he always has" Phoebe said. It wasn't that phoebe didn't belief piper. It was the knowledge that this could have happened and piper had never said anything. " So I must have dreamt it for seven years then phoebe is that it" piper almost screamed. " Do you think I could have the same nightmare every Monday and Friday when mom went out.........you really think that is possible!" piper went on. Of the people to not belief her. She had never thought that phoebe would be the one. Prue maybe. But not phoebe. Tears where again streaming down her face. But these where tears of anger. And her anger was towards phoebe where it should be towards nick.
Patty had sat there and had not spoken yet, " Om god ...please tell me this is not happening...tell me this is not true....I ......I" Patty covered her face. Piper knew her mom believed her and it seemed like a ton of weight was lifted of her shoulder. Her mom had always loved nick like he was her son. And piper had not been sure if her mom would have believed her. Slowly piper reached out and put her hand on her mom's arm. Patty looked at her daughter. " I am so sorry piper.... So sorry" patty said.
"Why didn't you tell me what had happened ...I would have killed him.... Why didn't you tell me?" Patty almost pleaded with her daughter. " He had me convinced that this is what all girls did when they turned nine, he even went as far as to tell me he had done it to Prue a few years before" Piper said. " He told me you had told him that he had to do it while you where gone and that I had to be a good girl and just do it, so I let him" Piper whispered. " Then when I came downstairs the next morning you told me nick had said that I had been a good girl and that you where proud of me" She added. "So she assumed that you knew what had happened " Leo stated. " But I didn't know.... I swear piper I didn't know" patty said as tears where still running down her cheek.
"I know that now mom, but I didn't back then. That is why I became so mad at everybody. I was mad at Prue for not telling me this was about to happen, and mad at you for telling nick he had to do this" She tried to explain her behavior. " But if it went on for all those years, and you knew at one point that what he had told you was not true, why not come to us then" Prue asked her.
" The game changed after the first year or so, he knew that I could go to mom or even you at the time Prue," she said looking at her. " But he had an ace in the hole" she said and then put her eyes on phoebe. Phoebe shook her head. Piper nodded hers. " Yes phoebe he said if I would not comply with his wished then he would go to you" piper, said. Phoebe looked at hr in shock. " No this can't be true" she whispered. Piper got of the bed and walked over to her. " Yes phoebe it is true, you see he knew that I loved my baby sister more then anything in this world, and he knew I would anything to protect her, he told me he would never force himself on me again, but if he had to wait to long he would go get it from you, so at times I even asked him to do this to me just so I could be sure you would be safe". Piper had sat down on her knees and took phoebe's hand in to hers. " I would have killed for you phoebe, I still will, please tell me he never laid a hand on you?" Piper asked her. Phoebe shook her head. " He never did, piper I swear to you he never did!" with that phoebe got out of the chair and stormed out of the room. Tears running down her cheek. Four pair of eyes were following her.
Piper got up to follow her. But Leo stopped her. " Leave her be for a minute sweetie I will go in there and talk to her in a few minutes, I think we need to talk to your mother first". Piper looked over at a visibly shaken patty. " Mom I don't blame you any longer, I am not even mad at you any more. Or you" she said to Prue. " I have had a lot of time to deal with this, and thanks to Leo" as she took his hand. " I am getting on with my life, he loves me no matter what, and we are going to do this" piper said. "Do what" Prue wanted to know. " Make him pay for the hell he has put piper through what else do you think" Leo said. " Fine with me, but I do think we have to get Andy involved" as she said it she looked at piper. " You know he is SFPD he can help us," she added. Piper thought about it for a minute. " Okay but you are going to have to tell him, I don't think I can right now." Prue nodded and then left the room.
Leaving only patty behind. The woman didn't know what to do and piper reached in her purse and gave her mother a little white pill that had calmed her many a time before. " Here mom take this and then lay down, we will talk more later." piper said as she handed to medicine to patty. Patty just nodded her head took the little pill and left the room.
Piper dropped on the bed, Leo right beside her. " I did it Leo...I told them.... And they didn't think I was disgusting or a whore or anything" "I told you piper he is the sick bastardt not you, now we can go after him and make him wish he had never laid a finger on piper halliwell" Piper took his face in his. And kissed him. " Thanks again partner" she smiled. " No thanks needed, I had my fun already " as he looked on the bruise that had formed on his knuckles. Piper bends over and kissed the bruise " Thank you then" She smiled.
They lay on the bed for a little while and then Piper got up. "Where are you going?" Leo asked in a sleepy voice. The 6-hour flight taking its toll on him. "I need to go check on phoebe," she said. "Want me to come with you?" he asked. " No why don't you take a nap, I won't be long" and she closed the door behind her. She made her way down the hall to phoebe's room and knocked. "Who is it?" come the soft reply from the other side of the door. "Its me phoebes can I come in?" Piper asked just as softly. As she was already opening the door.
Phoebe sat on her bed a pillow held against her stomach. A trail of dried up tears still on her face. "Hey," Piper said. Making her way over to the bed. "Hey", phoebe answered. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Piper asked her next. "Why would you want to talk to me, I am the one that defended him in there!" phoebe whispered. "Well we all make mistakes from time to time," Piper said with a little smile.
She crawled a little further up on the bed and sat next to phoebe. Who had started to cry again. "Its okay phoebe, I am okay now?" Piper said as she pushed a few hair strands behind her little sisters ear. "Yeah but not thanks to me!" phoebe said. "What do you mean by that phoebe?" Piper asked a little surprised. "Well if it wasn't for me non of this would have happened to you!" "Is that what you think phoebe?" Piper said even more surprised. "Don't you?" came phoebe's reply.
"No I don't think and I cant belief that you would either, this had nothing to do with me or you nico is sick the man has lost a few marbles along the way, that has nothing to do with you" Piper said sitting up and looking at her sister. "That has to do with the fact that this guy is a criminal who prays on little girls!" "Yeah but if I had not been around he wouldn't have done this to you!" "Yes he would have phoebe, that is just the kind of guy he is, the first few times it happened it didn't have anything to do with you, he had never even said anything about you!" Piper said now taking phoebe in her arms. She couldn't belief that phoebe was blaming her-self for this. "Yeah but he did later on Piper, you said so you're self."
" And i should have never told you that, I was angry phoebe, I think even after he told me what he was planning to do with you, I don't think he would have ever followed through on it. Because you where a lot more verbal than I was as a kid, you would have told mom or Prue or even me. I as a kid and most of my young adult life on the other hand was afraid to say anything to anyone. If I had just opened my mouth it might never have gone so far," Piper said softly. Remembering how long it had taken her to finally open up to someone.
"Why didn't you ever tell Piper?" phoebe asked her. "I don't know phoebe, now looking back at it I should have known that mom would have believed me, but then again as I explained earlier the way he played it I believed him specially after that first morning" Piper answered her. "Why did you wait so long after you knew we might belief you?" phoebe asked next. Piper had to take a deep breath.
"For the longest time I didn't tell anyone because I felt this was only happening to me, then when I moved and I made a few friends I figured this was not normal, but by then I was afraid of what people might think of me. And that included you and Prue. I was always jealous of you and Prue. Did you know that?" she asked her sister. "What do you mean?" phoebe asked her. "Let me see if I can explain this right. You and Prue always seemed so care free. In the beginning I couldn't understand why Prue was always so happy since I thought this was happening to her as well. Later when I figured out that it might not be happening to Prue I was mad. Why me? I always wondered. Then I saw you two growing up and specially you. You looked so happy. And had no problems with boys or men. I was happy for you. But at the same time I was jealous that you could flirt with someone without having to hold a secret with you. A secret so disgusting every man would run from you if they found out" Piper told her.
"But it wasn't your fault you knew that after a while. Why did you still feel like that?" phoebe wanted to know. "If some one for years tells you, you are worth nothing. That if or when someone found out you would be an outcast and people would find me disgusting. On top of that came the guilt for letting him do it for all those years. Like I said he had me so cowed that I asked him to do it to me willingly. Now I know that that was also a form of keeping me under his thumb. In his own weird way he had branded me and he knew that I would never tell anyone. Even when I left here he was confidant I would never tell." "I guess he was wrong!" phoebe said with a small smile. "Oh yeah, was he ever wrong." Piper said as well as she hugged her sister.
"How come you did tell?" phoebe wanted to know next. "Because I was not a healthy person. I was losing myself more and more, but most of all there was love." Piper said with a big smile on her face. "Leo?" phoebe asked. "Yes, Leo and a few very close friends." Piper said getting up from the bed. "Where are you going?" phoebe wanted to know. "Going to check on mom, then have something to eat, have a nap and then I think I need to go and talk to Andy." "Want me to come?" "I would love for you to come" Piper said as she waited at the door for her sister
The six hour flight from new York to San Francisco seemed to go by way to fast in Piper's mind every mile they got closer every minute every second towards her new future got piper more nervous. Leo took her hand in his as he could see that piper was getting more and more nervous the closer they got.
" I think this was a mistake, Leo.... I can't do this.... It is too soon.... What am I going to do when I see him...? I..." Piper could barely catch her breath as the plane touched the ground. A full-fledged panic attack was setting in. Leo stood next to her and rubbed her back.
" Piper hunny ...we don't have to do it right now. Lets go see your family first...I would like to meet your mother and sisters. And we don't have to tell them right away, why we are there.... We have all the time in the world." He spoke softly to her. " But Leo, you only have a few weeks...what if this drags out forever.... You are going to have to go back and I will be here alone by myself...and ...and" again her breath came in short spurts.
" Hunny slow down, I told my boss that I would be gone for as long as I was needed.... We are in the age of computers and faxes, what ever needs to be done I can do from here. I am not going to leave you". He told her as he was guiding her in to the cab waiting at the curb. " Promise me Leo" she almost begged. " Piper I love you and nothing is more important right now then for you to be able to go on with your life" he whispered in her ear as she had settled her head on his shoulder. " A life the two of us are going to built," He added to it.
Leo gave the address to the cab driver and not soon after they pulled up to the manor.
Piper got out of the cab. Nostalgia hit and a tear crawled over her cheek. Reaching behind her she grabbed for Leo's hand. He gave it a reassuring squeeze. " It is going to be okay...we don't have to tell them today.... Relax I am right here" Leo told her as they saw the front door open and phoebe running down the front steps.
"Piper you are here...you are finally here.... I have missed you so much" Phoebe shouted as she threw her arms around Piper. Piper again had tears running down her cheeks. For just now she knew how much she had missed her little sister. It was almost as if, when she had gotten on the plane several years ago that she had left her life behind including phoebe and the rest of her family. And even though she had been back it seemed different somehow.
Leo stood back looking at the woman he loved, a smile on his face. He could see that for a moment piper seemed to have forgotten why she was here. Piper turned to him and took his hand again. " Phoebes I want you to meet someone...this is Leo my fiancee" She introduced him. " Hey phoebe I have heard allot about you, nice to meet you " As he held out his hand. " Hey Leo, don't belief everything she tells you about me...I am really not that bad" Phoebe smiled at him and took his extended hand.
Phoebe seemed so happy it was hard to believe that piper and phoebe where from the same family let alone sisters. As he looked up he saw to other women coming down the front steps. Not as fast as phoebe had but still seemed happy to see them.
" Piper sweetie finally you are back again. It has been way to long" Patty told her middle daughter as she hugged her as well. " And you must be the man that has stolen my daughters heart" She directed to Leo. Leo gave a warm smile to the older woman. " Yes ma'am I am, and I am not giving it back to you" As he pulled piper a little closer to him.
"Leo this is my sister Prue" piper introduced her older sister. Again Leo put a smile on his face. Piper had never told him very much about her older sister. So he held a little reservation to wards her until he knew her a little better. Prue gave him a warm smile as well. " Why don't we take this inside?" she said.
Phoebe had once again thrown her arms around piper. " Yeah I have so much to tell you...and when are you guys getting married.... Where are you getting married...? And can I be your brides maid...or even better your maid of honor...." Leo heard her ask piper a million questions as the two of them walked up the stairs. Piper turned towards him a little worried. " I am just getting our suitcases ...I will be right behind you" he told her knowing how nervous she was.
Once inside phoebe kept bombarding Piper with questions. Luckily patty intercepted her younger daughter. " Phoebe it is getting late why don't we let piper and Leo get settled in and we can talk during dinner". Piper cast her mother a thankful glance. " We cleaned your room and we put the trundle bed next to yours so it looks like it is a queen size bed" Prue offered. " Thanks Prue" Piper told her.
Leo and piper walked up the stairs and towards piper's old room. In front of the door piper stopped. Leo held back knowing she had to do this on her own. Slowly she reached out and took the doorknob in her hands. Her shoulder slumped a little as she turned it and walked in the room. She had been here over the years but this was the first time Leo had come with her and he knew she was scared of what he might think knowing that most of her horrors had happened in this room.
Slowly she walked in and looked around it was as if she was going back in time and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. " This is so stupid" she whispered more to her self then she did Leo. " What is stupid piper?" Leo asked, but he knew what she had meant. " This is just a room and I can barely breath in here Leo" She said. " It is not stupid hunny...I can understand." Leo told her as he walked over and wrapped her in his arms. He could feel her stiffen, and starting to reject him. This had not happened in months and for a moment a rage ran through Leo. And he couldn't wait to get his hands around nicks throat. But he reminded him self how hard this was for her. And kept himself in check.
" We will make it all better I swear we will" He whispered to her. " Thank you for coming Leo ...I don't think I could do this on my own even with my family here" She said as she leaned more into him relaxing a little.
There was a knock on the door and piper froze in place her face white as a sheet. " Hey how long are you guys going to be dinner is ready in a minute" They heard phoebe's voice on the other side of the door. Piper's voice shook a little as she told her sister they would be down soon. " Oh and we have a surprise for you downstairs" phoebe added before her footsteps disappears down the stairs.
" Hmm wonder what that surprise is" piper said to Leo. " Could be anything from dessert to a present because we are getting married" Leo smirked. " You always have food on your mind" Piper smiled at him. She walked over to him and kissed him. " Do you know how much it means to me for you to be here" she asked him. " I wouldn't be any where else" He told her and kissed her softly. " Well we better get down there before [phoebe comes bouncing up those stairs again" piper laughed. Leo noticed it was the first smile she had given since they had left New York.
Both of them walked down the stairs. Walking in to the kitchen following the great smell coming from it. " Hey you two" Patty said as they walked in. " Leo would you mind opening the wine before we go in there" she asked him. "I would happy to" Leo replied. " Piper why don't you go into the dining room and put these buns on the table" Patty asked her. Piper took the buns of the counter and took one of the glasses Leo had offered her and walked out of the kitchen.
Not three seconds later the shattering of glass could be heard in the kitchen. Leo dropped the bottle he was holding and ran into the other room. Piper was standing frozen to the floor. No color left in her face. Fear written over her face. Leo walked up to her and followed her gaze to where she was staring. A man standing in the doorway. He had been talking to phoebe. When piper had walked into the room. " Surprise!!!" Phoebe shouted. Leo knew with out having to be introduced who this man was. By just looking at piper. Who had started to shake. He walked over to her and took her in his arms.
"Piper.... Piper....hunny" But no answer came. Her eyes glued to the person in front of them. " No .....no...not yet...Leo not yet .... I am not ready...please not yet" piper started to say.
Phoebe looked at her sister. Clearly not knowing what was going on. "Piper what is wrong.... Are you okay......MOM...! Something is wrong with piper," she shouted for her mother. Prue and patty walked in the room. Both worried. " Piper hunny what is wrong?" Patty asked her daughter as Leo led her to a chair. " Watch her" Leo growled. Patty gave him a side ways glance. She had no clue as to what was going on.
Leo strode across the room in a flash. His vision went from red to total black. He reached back and with all the force he could muster up he let his right hook land on the mans jaw. " This is for what you have done to her...you bastard" as a second fist hit the man in the stomach. " This is for haunting her for all those years" and again a hard fist hit the man in the face. "And this just for the hell of it" again he reached back and this time he hit the man so hard he staggered back. Before he could get another one in he could feel himself be pulled by another pair of arms.
"Whoa there buddy...calm down.... What the hell is wrong with you" Andy said to him. Leo was slowly coming back to his senses. "Why don't you ask him?" he almost shouted. He looked around the room and could see all the faces where directed toward him.
But he only had eyes for piper who had coward in her chair. With in seconds he was beside her. He took her in his lap. " I am sorry piper...I didn't mean.....I ....I just lost....I am so sorry" He started. Piper curled her self-more into him. Leo....... Please get me out of here.....Please" she cried softly.
Leo got of the floor, bends over and put his arm behind her knees and her back and started to carry her out of the room. " NO........ Wait you two...you cant just come in here beat the crap out of someone you don't even known and then walk out" Prue said as she directed the last part to Leo. " Yes we can!" Leo said. " Why don't you let HIM explain why I beat the shit out of him" Leo told them and then left the room. Piper laid her head on his shoulder. "Thank you Leo" she whispered.
Phoebe directed her gaze to wards the man rubbing his face with his handkerchief. What is he talking about NICK?" she asked him. " Hell if I know" this one said. But I am not staying here for another second" He added as he walked out of the room.
" What the hell happened just now?" Phoebe said after nick had left the house. " I think we need talk to your sister and her fiancee" Andy offered. " I think you are right" Prue agreed. So the four of them walked up the stairs to piper room.
Leo had closed the door behind them using his foot and settled piper on the bed. " I am sorry piper, as soon as I saw your face and them him I snapped, I know I should have contained my self I.......I just couldn't.....Knowing what he has done to you and then him standing there with that grin on his face...as if he was innocence himself...." " It is okay Leo...don't worry about it, he had that one coming and more" Piper whispered. A little chuckle escaped from her throat. " His face was almost worth it.... He didn't know what was happening to him........." Her laughter had quickly turned in to a sob. Leo sat next to her on the bed and put his arm around her. Piper put her head on his shoulder. As she was trying to get her shaken body under control.
" Who was that guy who made nick a very lucky guy by pulling me of him" Leo asked. " That was Andy, we have known him since we where kids, I think him and Prue are an item now" she softly answered him. " Well a good thing he was there or nicky boy would not be walking out of this house". Leo stated.
Shortly thereafter there was a knock on the door. " Piper it is mom can we come in please ...I think we need to have a talk here!" Patty's voice came from the other side of the door. Piper tensed in Leo's arms and her body started to shake once again. Leo looked at her and with his finger he lifted her chin and his eyes met hers. " We don't have to do this know if you don't want...as a matter of fact if you rather not stay here we can leave all together and get a room in the four seasons" he reassured her. Piper crawled deeper into his embrace. She knew she had to get this over with sooner or later. And maybe it was better to it sooner rather then later. She nodded her head and Leo walked to the door to open it. Patty stepped into the room closely followed by phoebe Prue and Andy.
Piper cast a glance at the four of them. And tried to give a little smile. Which she failed at miserably? Leo had made his way back to the bed and sat next to her. As soon as he sat down piper leaned into him. She needed him she needed his strength, she needed to know he was there in case she would fall apart, he had become her pillar her strength she didn't even think she would be able to this on her own.
Patty walked over to piper and sat down on the other side of her. Reaching a hand over she stroked her arm. She looked at Leo. Not to happy with him at the moment. Leo knew his first impression had not been the greatest one. But he could care less. He looked back at piper. " Hunny you sure you are ready for this" he asked concerned. Piper had turned very pale and blood had left hr lips as well. Again she nodded her head. Then her look went over the room and settled on Andy. Leo knew right away what she had meant. " Andy my man, thanks for pulling me of nick," Leo said as she walked over and extended his hand. Andy was a little leery about this man. But he liked him and he had never liked nick so that was a plus for Leo.
" I hate to do this but piper has a lot to deal with and she would rather talk to her family first. Prue will inform you later as to what has been discussed in here," Leo said hoping Andy would understand. Andy did but Prue didn't. " Andy is family, he is more family then you are I think he should stay" she said trying to pull Andy back. " I am sorry Prue you don't know me from a hole in the wall, and I would never say anything to the contrary, but piper rather not have Andy in the room when she has to tell you what she has to tell you, and when all is said and done you will understand why......and what ever piper wants right now is what piper gets. And if you not agree to this then you might leave the room as well" Leo finished staring her down.
Prue had wanted Andy to stay but more than that she wanted to know why Leo had lost his cool down there and what had happened to piper as soon as she had seen nick. "I will tell you everything later," Prue said to Andy. Then she kissed him. And Andy left the room.
Leo had once again taken his seat next to piper. And he had taken her hand in his. Piper was very nervous and she didn't really know where to start. She looked at Leo. " Just tell them from the start hunny" he encouraged her. Her fingernails where digging in to his hand but he would not have said anything to save to world. Piper's eyes darted from hr mother to her sisters and then back again.
Patty rubbed her arm again. " Just tell us piper it cant be all that bad" she said. " Yes it can mom" Piper almost whispered. " Okay piper out with it" Phoebe now interrupted. " It is a lot harder to say this then you think it is phoebe" Piper snapped back at her. "Phoebe sat down on the chair in front of the lady desk. " Well piper if you don't tell us then we wont know now will we" Phoebe snapped back just as fast. Prue looked at phoebe and gave her a straight stare. " What" this one said. " Just grow up phoebe, clearly she needs some time to gather her thoughts give the girl a minute" but she was dying to know what was going on.
Leo squeezed her hand again and piper looked up as if she had forgotten they where even in the room. "Well it all started when I was nine, or better yet my ninth b-day" Piper started. " What happened on your birthday piper" Patty wanted to know. " Remember we had that party and I wanted to watch this cool t.v show but you said it had been a long day and I should go to bed." Piper asked her mother. Patty nodded her head. " Yeah you tried several times that night to convince me other wise" Patty smiled at the memory. " Do you also remember leaving that night because you had to go to some meeting or something?" " I guess so," Patty said. Remembering she had left often during those years. But she had left them in the good care of nick.
Piper had to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. But she couldn't hold back the tears that had started to fall down her cheek. She tried to brush them away to no avail because as soon as she dried her cheeks new tears where there. " On that night........... On that....." it seemed the words didn't want to leave her mouth and she looked at Leo. Giving him a little nod. "On that night nick decided that piper should no longer be an innocent child.... That night nick came to piper and........... And" even Leo had trouble getting the words out of his mouth. Once again phoebe took it upon her self to ask. "What happened that night?"
Prue had walked over to piper and sat down on her knees in front of her sister. " Piper did nick do what I think he did" she asked her little sister. Piper knew Prue would figure it out the fastest and she nodded her head. Then she downcast her eyes afraid to see the disgust that by now was surely in her eyes. Prue was in shock as she looked at her sister, she had curled her self all the way into to Leo, afraid of what Prue might say. A tear fell down her cheek as well and she took piper hand into hers. "Piper I am so sorry this happened to you" she whispered.
Piper dared to look at her sister, still expecting to see disappointment. But to her surprise all she saw was love and the pain she felt in her heart. Prue gathered her in her arms. " He will pay for this I swear he will pay for this" she whispered in her ear. Piper gave a week little smile, " thank s Prue", she said. " For what?" this one asked a little surprised. " For believing me," piper said softly.
"Well I for one do not belief this" came a voice from the other side of the room. " You must have dreamed it piper! Nick would never do anything like that, never he loves you he always has" Phoebe said. It wasn't that phoebe didn't belief piper. It was the knowledge that this could have happened and piper had never said anything. " So I must have dreamt it for seven years then phoebe is that it" piper almost screamed. " Do you think I could have the same nightmare every Monday and Friday when mom went out.........you really think that is possible!" piper went on. Of the people to not belief her. She had never thought that phoebe would be the one. Prue maybe. But not phoebe. Tears where again streaming down her face. But these where tears of anger. And her anger was towards phoebe where it should be towards nick.
Patty had sat there and had not spoken yet, " Om god ...please tell me this is not happening...tell me this is not true....I ......I" Patty covered her face. Piper knew her mom believed her and it seemed like a ton of weight was lifted of her shoulder. Her mom had always loved nick like he was her son. And piper had not been sure if her mom would have believed her. Slowly piper reached out and put her hand on her mom's arm. Patty looked at her daughter. " I am so sorry piper.... So sorry" patty said.
"Why didn't you tell me what had happened ...I would have killed him.... Why didn't you tell me?" Patty almost pleaded with her daughter. " He had me convinced that this is what all girls did when they turned nine, he even went as far as to tell me he had done it to Prue a few years before" Piper said. " He told me you had told him that he had to do it while you where gone and that I had to be a good girl and just do it, so I let him" Piper whispered. " Then when I came downstairs the next morning you told me nick had said that I had been a good girl and that you where proud of me" She added. "So she assumed that you knew what had happened " Leo stated. " But I didn't know.... I swear piper I didn't know" patty said as tears where still running down her cheek.
"I know that now mom, but I didn't back then. That is why I became so mad at everybody. I was mad at Prue for not telling me this was about to happen, and mad at you for telling nick he had to do this" She tried to explain her behavior. " But if it went on for all those years, and you knew at one point that what he had told you was not true, why not come to us then" Prue asked her.
" The game changed after the first year or so, he knew that I could go to mom or even you at the time Prue," she said looking at her. " But he had an ace in the hole" she said and then put her eyes on phoebe. Phoebe shook her head. Piper nodded hers. " Yes phoebe he said if I would not comply with his wished then he would go to you" piper, said. Phoebe looked at hr in shock. " No this can't be true" she whispered. Piper got of the bed and walked over to her. " Yes phoebe it is true, you see he knew that I loved my baby sister more then anything in this world, and he knew I would anything to protect her, he told me he would never force himself on me again, but if he had to wait to long he would go get it from you, so at times I even asked him to do this to me just so I could be sure you would be safe". Piper had sat down on her knees and took phoebe's hand in to hers. " I would have killed for you phoebe, I still will, please tell me he never laid a hand on you?" Piper asked her. Phoebe shook her head. " He never did, piper I swear to you he never did!" with that phoebe got out of the chair and stormed out of the room. Tears running down her cheek. Four pair of eyes were following her.
Piper got up to follow her. But Leo stopped her. " Leave her be for a minute sweetie I will go in there and talk to her in a few minutes, I think we need to talk to your mother first". Piper looked over at a visibly shaken patty. " Mom I don't blame you any longer, I am not even mad at you any more. Or you" she said to Prue. " I have had a lot of time to deal with this, and thanks to Leo" as she took his hand. " I am getting on with my life, he loves me no matter what, and we are going to do this" piper said. "Do what" Prue wanted to know. " Make him pay for the hell he has put piper through what else do you think" Leo said. " Fine with me, but I do think we have to get Andy involved" as she said it she looked at piper. " You know he is SFPD he can help us," she added. Piper thought about it for a minute. " Okay but you are going to have to tell him, I don't think I can right now." Prue nodded and then left the room.
Leaving only patty behind. The woman didn't know what to do and piper reached in her purse and gave her mother a little white pill that had calmed her many a time before. " Here mom take this and then lay down, we will talk more later." piper said as she handed to medicine to patty. Patty just nodded her head took the little pill and left the room.
Piper dropped on the bed, Leo right beside her. " I did it Leo...I told them.... And they didn't think I was disgusting or a whore or anything" "I told you piper he is the sick bastardt not you, now we can go after him and make him wish he had never laid a finger on piper halliwell" Piper took his face in his. And kissed him. " Thanks again partner" she smiled. " No thanks needed, I had my fun already " as he looked on the bruise that had formed on his knuckles. Piper bends over and kissed the bruise " Thank you then" She smiled.
They lay on the bed for a little while and then Piper got up. "Where are you going?" Leo asked in a sleepy voice. The 6-hour flight taking its toll on him. "I need to go check on phoebe," she said. "Want me to come with you?" he asked. " No why don't you take a nap, I won't be long" and she closed the door behind her. She made her way down the hall to phoebe's room and knocked. "Who is it?" come the soft reply from the other side of the door. "Its me phoebes can I come in?" Piper asked just as softly. As she was already opening the door.
Phoebe sat on her bed a pillow held against her stomach. A trail of dried up tears still on her face. "Hey," Piper said. Making her way over to the bed. "Hey", phoebe answered. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Piper asked her next. "Why would you want to talk to me, I am the one that defended him in there!" phoebe whispered. "Well we all make mistakes from time to time," Piper said with a little smile.
She crawled a little further up on the bed and sat next to phoebe. Who had started to cry again. "Its okay phoebe, I am okay now?" Piper said as she pushed a few hair strands behind her little sisters ear. "Yeah but not thanks to me!" phoebe said. "What do you mean by that phoebe?" Piper asked a little surprised. "Well if it wasn't for me non of this would have happened to you!" "Is that what you think phoebe?" Piper said even more surprised. "Don't you?" came phoebe's reply.
"No I don't think and I cant belief that you would either, this had nothing to do with me or you nico is sick the man has lost a few marbles along the way, that has nothing to do with you" Piper said sitting up and looking at her sister. "That has to do with the fact that this guy is a criminal who prays on little girls!" "Yeah but if I had not been around he wouldn't have done this to you!" "Yes he would have phoebe, that is just the kind of guy he is, the first few times it happened it didn't have anything to do with you, he had never even said anything about you!" Piper said now taking phoebe in her arms. She couldn't belief that phoebe was blaming her-self for this. "Yeah but he did later on Piper, you said so you're self."
" And i should have never told you that, I was angry phoebe, I think even after he told me what he was planning to do with you, I don't think he would have ever followed through on it. Because you where a lot more verbal than I was as a kid, you would have told mom or Prue or even me. I as a kid and most of my young adult life on the other hand was afraid to say anything to anyone. If I had just opened my mouth it might never have gone so far," Piper said softly. Remembering how long it had taken her to finally open up to someone.
"Why didn't you ever tell Piper?" phoebe asked her. "I don't know phoebe, now looking back at it I should have known that mom would have believed me, but then again as I explained earlier the way he played it I believed him specially after that first morning" Piper answered her. "Why did you wait so long after you knew we might belief you?" phoebe asked next. Piper had to take a deep breath.
"For the longest time I didn't tell anyone because I felt this was only happening to me, then when I moved and I made a few friends I figured this was not normal, but by then I was afraid of what people might think of me. And that included you and Prue. I was always jealous of you and Prue. Did you know that?" she asked her sister. "What do you mean?" phoebe asked her. "Let me see if I can explain this right. You and Prue always seemed so care free. In the beginning I couldn't understand why Prue was always so happy since I thought this was happening to her as well. Later when I figured out that it might not be happening to Prue I was mad. Why me? I always wondered. Then I saw you two growing up and specially you. You looked so happy. And had no problems with boys or men. I was happy for you. But at the same time I was jealous that you could flirt with someone without having to hold a secret with you. A secret so disgusting every man would run from you if they found out" Piper told her.
"But it wasn't your fault you knew that after a while. Why did you still feel like that?" phoebe wanted to know. "If some one for years tells you, you are worth nothing. That if or when someone found out you would be an outcast and people would find me disgusting. On top of that came the guilt for letting him do it for all those years. Like I said he had me so cowed that I asked him to do it to me willingly. Now I know that that was also a form of keeping me under his thumb. In his own weird way he had branded me and he knew that I would never tell anyone. Even when I left here he was confidant I would never tell." "I guess he was wrong!" phoebe said with a small smile. "Oh yeah, was he ever wrong." Piper said as well as she hugged her sister.
"How come you did tell?" phoebe wanted to know next. "Because I was not a healthy person. I was losing myself more and more, but most of all there was love." Piper said with a big smile on her face. "Leo?" phoebe asked. "Yes, Leo and a few very close friends." Piper said getting up from the bed. "Where are you going?" phoebe wanted to know. "Going to check on mom, then have something to eat, have a nap and then I think I need to go and talk to Andy." "Want me to come?" "I would love for you to come" Piper said as she waited at the door for her sister