Piper held the parchment in one trembling hand, the other resting on Leo's cheek. Her breath was taken in shaky gulps, her motion slow. She wished to turn back time, and her mind reeled back to a few hours ago.
Flashback
"Piper!" Prue called out warningly. Piper's hands flew up and froze the metal bar flying towards her. She gestured again and the metal bar exploded immediately. She glared at the demon across her, daring him to try his trick again.
"You will not win," the demon vowed. Piper gulped. She chanced a glance at her oldest sister. Prudence Halliwell held the demon with a cool stare. Piper's confidence surged and she collected her wits.
"Wanna see about that?" Phoebe challenged, stepping up to stand in line with her sisters. The demon was distracted with Phoebe for an instant, and Piper took a cue to send an explosion to him. The demon ducked, and the power hit a glass vase instead.
"You will pay," the demon growled. He conjured a metal spike and sent it towards Phoebe. Prue pushed it away from her sister and rammed it into the demon instead. The demon shrieked, and began to writhe as Leo orbed in.
"I will have my revenge!" the demon yelped.
"Where? In hell?" Piper teased.
"No," the demon smiled sinisterly. "Now!" He raised one finger weakly and aimed at Leo – and sent a poison blast, the fatal Darklighter poison each Whitelighter feared. Time seemed to slow for Piper. She pumped her legs, trying to run as fast as possible.
It was too late. The blast hit Leo, and the demon disappeared. Leo slumped onto the floor, and time seemed to zoom past again. Prue was still, but on Phoebe's urge, transferred Leo onto the beige couch in the living room.
"Piper…" Phoebe began in her comforting voice.
"Go." Piper interrupted, bent over Leo.
"Piper, dear…" Phoebe tried again.
"GO! Just GO!" Piper screamed. It was in that moment where she lost control. Everything that was in the living room exploded into smithereens. The whole room was frozen unconsciously before the bits could fall onto the floor.
Prue didn't speak, but sent her magic to weave through Piper's. All the exploded items fell gently to the floor in one sweep, daring not to break the silence that Piper had prompted. Piper seemed to be immune to everything. She was whispering to Leo softly. Leo, her Whitelighter and faithful husband, who was sweating, his pale body seeming cold and occasionally letting loose a small sound – a moan of some masculine way. His eyes were closed and he seemed immune to everything, except that his eyes would flicker open, see Piper, and close.
"Go…" Piper cried. Phoebe cast a dark look at Prue and stepped out of the house gingerly. A tear slid down Prue's cheek. She was helpless, knowing that she couldn't help, couldn't be in control anymore. She stepped out and followed her sister.
End Flashback