A/N: My reaction to some of your reviews - wow. Thank you.
A/N: This chapter is happening at the same time as the last one, so when this finishes, it's the exact same time as it was at the end of chapter 13. You remember... Paige with a baseball bat over Phoebe's head? Yeah you do.
A/N: Just finished writing it now, this is longer than I expected, but yeah I really like it. Does that mean it's bad?? Enjoy (hopefully!).
A/N: Yeah. Don't know if 'mom' was alive at the point the flashbacks are sent but it's so not important. For the sake of this, she is okay? Okay.
Psychosis
Slowly I peel the lid of the yoghurt. It makes a small tearing noise, quietly objecting, but it's pathetic and weak against me. They say I don't eat enough anymore. That I don't eat anything. That I'm getting thin and rakish. A rake. What a stupid thing to get compared to. Granted, it's thin, but other than that... I don't think I look like a long bit of wood with a metal comb on the end do I?
Unless I do and nobody ever told me...
Oh dear, that's not very attractive at all! Why is Leo married to me then? He can't want me physically because I look like a garden tool, and mentally I'm as if I've been chewed up by the lawn mower more than once. Then what? He likes the security, the home, the food, use of what little money I have?
I bet all those time he's off to his other charges it's other women. Charges would be an apt word, they're probably prostitutes. Leo's spending my money on some cheap whores! He has to be! The Elders wouldn't assign him other charges alongside the Charmed Ones would They? I bet that's what They are too - Elders, older women. His mistresses. Or younger. Oh god I bet he's screwing a nineteen year old while I'm sitting here preparing for imminent spinsterhood. A nineteen year old with tight skin and cherry lips. No Piper, you're only twenty-nine. But that's ten whole years more than nineteen! That cheating bastard!
I like yoghurt. It's creamy and milky and fun to eat. Licking the bottom of the lid first before starting on the contents of the pot. Rather than use a spoon, I drink it like it was a beverage. It gets on my nose. So I drink some more and more gets on my nose. I can smell it. Cherry flavoured.
"Use a spoon Piper, you'll make a mess."
"But mom-"
"And you can't possibly manage all of that big yoghurt. Have one of the smaller ones."
"I can mom! I promise!"
There's a noise from behind me in the kitchen and I turn around slowly. Seeing Prue doesn't shock me anymore. She's putting the kettle on. Coffee-freak. I swear that girl is addicted to caffeine.
Once she's clicked the kettle on, Prue turns and gives me an exasperated look. "There's yoghurt on your nose," she says, then breaks into a broad smile. "You look just like you did when you were a little kid."
I smile back and wipe my nose with my sleeve, another childhood reflection. "Once you poured yoghurt down Phoebe's back."
She's silent for a moment then laughs quietly then louder until I join in and we're both screaming with mirth so much that we don't notice the kettle boiling over. Cole takes it off the burner. "Insane laughter all by yourself Piper? Nice work."
"Prue-" I start, but she's gone. Why does she always leave when somebody else gets here?
Cole raises his eyebrows. "Prue? Excellent! She was here?"
I glance up at Cole's sadistic leering face. "Yes," I say simply, not expecting any positive reaction from him. "We were talking about when we were kids, and once Prue poured yoghurt down Phoebe's back. She smelt like peach for a while and was screaming and crying. Prue got sent to her room but I brought her a cookie from downstairs and gave it to her so she wouldn't be sad."
Cole sits down opposite me, placing the kettle on the table without a heat mat. It'll burn. He leans forward, his chin cupped in one hand, and looks right into my eyes. "You know, I should be killing you right now," he says with complete seriousness.
"Want a yoghurt?" I ask pleasantly. "Mom never thought I could finish a whole one, but I can now. Look!" I proudly show him the empty pot I have just finished. "I promised her that I could and I can!"
He shakes his head but watches silently while I get up and put the pot in the trash. I then lean over his shoulder and pick up the kettle and start making coffee. I pour two cups. I give him one and sit down once more. Cole is staring at his coffee distastefully. "Piper you've given me a mug of boiling water."
"Drink up now," I encourage, "It's good. It's the expensive coffee not that instant crap Paige likes."
Cole's eyes brighten up at the mention of my sister's name. "Paige!" he grins. "Yes, how is she?"
I take a sip of my coffee. Strangely, it tastes quite bland. Maybe we should stop buying the expensive kind. Waste of money for something this tasteless and when I look at it it's discoloured. It's not even proper coffee colour. It's clear. I vow not to buy this brand again. I then realise Cole asked me a question. "She's fine," I muse, not really knowing. "She moved out."
"I know," he replies. "As a matter of fact, I saw her last night." A tiny smirk is on his face as he awaits my reaction.
"Better not tell Phoebe," I joke laughingly.
My statement seems even funnier to Cole, who gets a strange wild look in his eye and laughs strongly. He slaps his palm onto the table. The coffee in the mugs ripples. "No, we better not tell Phoebe huh? Piper you don't remember anything that's happened in the last while, do you?"
"Of course I remember," I say scoldingly. "I got married to Leo, but then he cheated on me with a nineteen year old slut. And Rex Buckland came and hired me to kill my sisters but I fell asleep so didn't, and then Prue came and moved the Book of Shadows and fell in a river and I had some yoghurt and this nasty coffee and Phoebe went to see Paige just a while ago."
There's a long silence while Cole stares at me in utter disbelief. His eyes goggle and he seems completely speechless. It's as if he isn't sure whether to belief a word I say or pass it all off as psychotic ramblings. But I know when I'm being crazy and I know when I'm not, and right now, I'm not.
Cole leans back with a look of satisfaction on his face. "Piper?" he begins, "You just made me like you a whole lot more."
"You mean you didn't like me?" I choke, hurt at this statement.
"Hell, I was gonna kill you!" Cole exclaims and starts to laugh. He stands up and paces arond the kitchen. "But you just had to charm your way out of it, didn't you, you little lunatic! Honestly, you're so screwed up I want to keep you around just to amuse me! You're a fucking psycho!"
His words have no meaning to me; they've gone right over my head. Sometimes, even though I don't mean it, people can be talking to me but I don't hear. All I can do is listen to their tones and decipher the meaning from that. Cole's tone is jovial and approving, so he must be saying something nice. I smile and nod along as if I'm in complete agreement with everything he says. If he was yelling and throwing things I would've had to ask him to leave. "Do you want me to get Phoebe?" I ask.
Cole stops laughing and fixes me with a confused stare. "I thought she was at Paige's," he mutters. His voice has taken on a much more serious and caring tone. "Is she here?" he asks hopefully.
"No, she's at Paige's," I tell him. "Didn't I already mention that?"
There's more silence until Cole breaks into a huge grin. "Piper, you're priceless," he enthuses. "But if you don't mind, I think I will leave a little note here for Phoebe."
I watch while he gets the phone notepad and scribbles a letter for my sister. It takes him quite a while. I ask him if he wants a yoghurt: he refuses - politely, mind. So I get one for myself, peach this time. It smells like when Prue poured peach yoghurt down Phoebe's back when we were kids. Phoebe was crying and screaming and Prue was laughing and so was I, but in secret. But Prue got sent to her room so I brought her a cookie to make sure she wasn't sad.
By the time I've licked the lid of the yoghurt pot, Cole has finished writing. He holds up the note and sticks it to the fridge with a magnet. "Make sure she gets that," he requests.
Nodding, I stand up, sensing he's about to leave. "Can I read it?" I ask waveringly, feeling like a little girl.
He smiles. "It's not like it's going to make any sense to you, so knock yourself out. Literally if you want!" He laughs again and walks over to me, talking my hands. He then places a kiss on my forehead. "I've had a nice time with you here Piper," he tells me. "I'd glad I didn't kill you right away."
"Me too," I whisper back. "Do you want to stay a bit longer?"
He presses his lips together regretfully and bows his head, still clutching my hands. "Sorry Piper, I have some people to take care of and a some spells to have made. But we'll meet again soon, I promise."
"How about tomorrow night, for dinner?" I suggest.
Pausing, Cole lets go of me and looks me up and down with a strange smile on his face, as if he's not sure whether he's happy or not. "Okay," he says eventually. "It's a date."
Then he shimmers out and I brush my hair out of my face. I rub a finger over my lips thoughtfully and then dip my pinky finger into the yoghurt before placing it into my mouth and licking it off.
"That was a bit close," Prue says.
"We're friends, that's all," I reply matter-of-factly. "He's coming over for dinner."
"So I heard," Prue mutters. "So let's see what's on this note of his." She walks over to the fridge and pulls the letter off. The magnet falls to the floor but nobody bothers to pick it up. "Dearest Phoebe, by now you may have caught wind of my plans and are deciding what to do. Piper's crazy and Paige is only going to get worse. And who's going to bear the brunt of this? You, my sweet." Laughing, Prue extends her arm towards me and pretends the letter is directed at me. She puts on a mock dramatic voice and continues to read. "So perhaps I can offer a route of escape. A better life. I am sure you still love me and I know I still love you. It's never-ending. So please, come away with me and live here as my Queen. I can't live without you Phoebe. Please. I love you. PS - Don't let Piper make you coffee... it comes out somewhat watery."
With a loud scream of laughter Prue grabs me and pulls me close to her face. "Oh, Piper," she gushes, "I can't live without you. Please, be my Queen!"
I grin and laugh too. "Oh anything for you my love! Give me a better life!"
"Well Piper," Prue giggles, "If it makes you feel any better, I think your coffee is the best." She takes Cole's mug and downs the lot.
Still laughing, I pin the letter back onto the fridge for Phoebe and turn around to talk to Prue again. But she's gone. Instantly my smile fades as I search the room quickly. It's bad enough when she disappears when somebody else comes in, but when we're alone?
Sadly, I sit back at the table and pick up my yoghurt. I'm not hungry any more.
"Piper, I told you you wouldn't be able to finish it but you were adamant you could, so finish it."
"I'm not hungry mommy."
"I don't care. You're not leaving the table until it's all done."
"But mom! I can't!"
"Oh Piper... if only you'd listen to me every once in a while."
"Mommy! Mommy! Prue poured yoghurt down my back! Mom!"
"Mom it was an accident!"
"Phoebe look at you! You're a mess! Prue, go to your room. Now!"
"Mom I finished my yoghurt."
"Oh... well done Piper, good girl."
"Can I have a cookie?"
"But I thought you weren't... oh, just go ahead. I have to clean Phoebe up."
"Piper has yoghurt on her nose, Piper has yoghurt on her nose!"
"Well you have it all down your back so there!"
I wipe the yoghurt off my nose with the back of my sleeve and place the empty pot on the table, glancing at the dark mark where Cole put the hot kettle on the table. My bare feet are in a puddle of lukewarm water.
A/N: This chapter is happening at the same time as the last one, so when this finishes, it's the exact same time as it was at the end of chapter 13. You remember... Paige with a baseball bat over Phoebe's head? Yeah you do.
A/N: Just finished writing it now, this is longer than I expected, but yeah I really like it. Does that mean it's bad?? Enjoy (hopefully!).
A/N: Yeah. Don't know if 'mom' was alive at the point the flashbacks are sent but it's so not important. For the sake of this, she is okay? Okay.
Psychosis
Slowly I peel the lid of the yoghurt. It makes a small tearing noise, quietly objecting, but it's pathetic and weak against me. They say I don't eat enough anymore. That I don't eat anything. That I'm getting thin and rakish. A rake. What a stupid thing to get compared to. Granted, it's thin, but other than that... I don't think I look like a long bit of wood with a metal comb on the end do I?
Unless I do and nobody ever told me...
Oh dear, that's not very attractive at all! Why is Leo married to me then? He can't want me physically because I look like a garden tool, and mentally I'm as if I've been chewed up by the lawn mower more than once. Then what? He likes the security, the home, the food, use of what little money I have?
I bet all those time he's off to his other charges it's other women. Charges would be an apt word, they're probably prostitutes. Leo's spending my money on some cheap whores! He has to be! The Elders wouldn't assign him other charges alongside the Charmed Ones would They? I bet that's what They are too - Elders, older women. His mistresses. Or younger. Oh god I bet he's screwing a nineteen year old while I'm sitting here preparing for imminent spinsterhood. A nineteen year old with tight skin and cherry lips. No Piper, you're only twenty-nine. But that's ten whole years more than nineteen! That cheating bastard!
I like yoghurt. It's creamy and milky and fun to eat. Licking the bottom of the lid first before starting on the contents of the pot. Rather than use a spoon, I drink it like it was a beverage. It gets on my nose. So I drink some more and more gets on my nose. I can smell it. Cherry flavoured.
"Use a spoon Piper, you'll make a mess."
"But mom-"
"And you can't possibly manage all of that big yoghurt. Have one of the smaller ones."
"I can mom! I promise!"
There's a noise from behind me in the kitchen and I turn around slowly. Seeing Prue doesn't shock me anymore. She's putting the kettle on. Coffee-freak. I swear that girl is addicted to caffeine.
Once she's clicked the kettle on, Prue turns and gives me an exasperated look. "There's yoghurt on your nose," she says, then breaks into a broad smile. "You look just like you did when you were a little kid."
I smile back and wipe my nose with my sleeve, another childhood reflection. "Once you poured yoghurt down Phoebe's back."
She's silent for a moment then laughs quietly then louder until I join in and we're both screaming with mirth so much that we don't notice the kettle boiling over. Cole takes it off the burner. "Insane laughter all by yourself Piper? Nice work."
"Prue-" I start, but she's gone. Why does she always leave when somebody else gets here?
Cole raises his eyebrows. "Prue? Excellent! She was here?"
I glance up at Cole's sadistic leering face. "Yes," I say simply, not expecting any positive reaction from him. "We were talking about when we were kids, and once Prue poured yoghurt down Phoebe's back. She smelt like peach for a while and was screaming and crying. Prue got sent to her room but I brought her a cookie from downstairs and gave it to her so she wouldn't be sad."
Cole sits down opposite me, placing the kettle on the table without a heat mat. It'll burn. He leans forward, his chin cupped in one hand, and looks right into my eyes. "You know, I should be killing you right now," he says with complete seriousness.
"Want a yoghurt?" I ask pleasantly. "Mom never thought I could finish a whole one, but I can now. Look!" I proudly show him the empty pot I have just finished. "I promised her that I could and I can!"
He shakes his head but watches silently while I get up and put the pot in the trash. I then lean over his shoulder and pick up the kettle and start making coffee. I pour two cups. I give him one and sit down once more. Cole is staring at his coffee distastefully. "Piper you've given me a mug of boiling water."
"Drink up now," I encourage, "It's good. It's the expensive coffee not that instant crap Paige likes."
Cole's eyes brighten up at the mention of my sister's name. "Paige!" he grins. "Yes, how is she?"
I take a sip of my coffee. Strangely, it tastes quite bland. Maybe we should stop buying the expensive kind. Waste of money for something this tasteless and when I look at it it's discoloured. It's not even proper coffee colour. It's clear. I vow not to buy this brand again. I then realise Cole asked me a question. "She's fine," I muse, not really knowing. "She moved out."
"I know," he replies. "As a matter of fact, I saw her last night." A tiny smirk is on his face as he awaits my reaction.
"Better not tell Phoebe," I joke laughingly.
My statement seems even funnier to Cole, who gets a strange wild look in his eye and laughs strongly. He slaps his palm onto the table. The coffee in the mugs ripples. "No, we better not tell Phoebe huh? Piper you don't remember anything that's happened in the last while, do you?"
"Of course I remember," I say scoldingly. "I got married to Leo, but then he cheated on me with a nineteen year old slut. And Rex Buckland came and hired me to kill my sisters but I fell asleep so didn't, and then Prue came and moved the Book of Shadows and fell in a river and I had some yoghurt and this nasty coffee and Phoebe went to see Paige just a while ago."
There's a long silence while Cole stares at me in utter disbelief. His eyes goggle and he seems completely speechless. It's as if he isn't sure whether to belief a word I say or pass it all off as psychotic ramblings. But I know when I'm being crazy and I know when I'm not, and right now, I'm not.
Cole leans back with a look of satisfaction on his face. "Piper?" he begins, "You just made me like you a whole lot more."
"You mean you didn't like me?" I choke, hurt at this statement.
"Hell, I was gonna kill you!" Cole exclaims and starts to laugh. He stands up and paces arond the kitchen. "But you just had to charm your way out of it, didn't you, you little lunatic! Honestly, you're so screwed up I want to keep you around just to amuse me! You're a fucking psycho!"
His words have no meaning to me; they've gone right over my head. Sometimes, even though I don't mean it, people can be talking to me but I don't hear. All I can do is listen to their tones and decipher the meaning from that. Cole's tone is jovial and approving, so he must be saying something nice. I smile and nod along as if I'm in complete agreement with everything he says. If he was yelling and throwing things I would've had to ask him to leave. "Do you want me to get Phoebe?" I ask.
Cole stops laughing and fixes me with a confused stare. "I thought she was at Paige's," he mutters. His voice has taken on a much more serious and caring tone. "Is she here?" he asks hopefully.
"No, she's at Paige's," I tell him. "Didn't I already mention that?"
There's more silence until Cole breaks into a huge grin. "Piper, you're priceless," he enthuses. "But if you don't mind, I think I will leave a little note here for Phoebe."
I watch while he gets the phone notepad and scribbles a letter for my sister. It takes him quite a while. I ask him if he wants a yoghurt: he refuses - politely, mind. So I get one for myself, peach this time. It smells like when Prue poured peach yoghurt down Phoebe's back when we were kids. Phoebe was crying and screaming and Prue was laughing and so was I, but in secret. But Prue got sent to her room so I brought her a cookie to make sure she wasn't sad.
By the time I've licked the lid of the yoghurt pot, Cole has finished writing. He holds up the note and sticks it to the fridge with a magnet. "Make sure she gets that," he requests.
Nodding, I stand up, sensing he's about to leave. "Can I read it?" I ask waveringly, feeling like a little girl.
He smiles. "It's not like it's going to make any sense to you, so knock yourself out. Literally if you want!" He laughs again and walks over to me, talking my hands. He then places a kiss on my forehead. "I've had a nice time with you here Piper," he tells me. "I'd glad I didn't kill you right away."
"Me too," I whisper back. "Do you want to stay a bit longer?"
He presses his lips together regretfully and bows his head, still clutching my hands. "Sorry Piper, I have some people to take care of and a some spells to have made. But we'll meet again soon, I promise."
"How about tomorrow night, for dinner?" I suggest.
Pausing, Cole lets go of me and looks me up and down with a strange smile on his face, as if he's not sure whether he's happy or not. "Okay," he says eventually. "It's a date."
Then he shimmers out and I brush my hair out of my face. I rub a finger over my lips thoughtfully and then dip my pinky finger into the yoghurt before placing it into my mouth and licking it off.
"That was a bit close," Prue says.
"We're friends, that's all," I reply matter-of-factly. "He's coming over for dinner."
"So I heard," Prue mutters. "So let's see what's on this note of his." She walks over to the fridge and pulls the letter off. The magnet falls to the floor but nobody bothers to pick it up. "Dearest Phoebe, by now you may have caught wind of my plans and are deciding what to do. Piper's crazy and Paige is only going to get worse. And who's going to bear the brunt of this? You, my sweet." Laughing, Prue extends her arm towards me and pretends the letter is directed at me. She puts on a mock dramatic voice and continues to read. "So perhaps I can offer a route of escape. A better life. I am sure you still love me and I know I still love you. It's never-ending. So please, come away with me and live here as my Queen. I can't live without you Phoebe. Please. I love you. PS - Don't let Piper make you coffee... it comes out somewhat watery."
With a loud scream of laughter Prue grabs me and pulls me close to her face. "Oh, Piper," she gushes, "I can't live without you. Please, be my Queen!"
I grin and laugh too. "Oh anything for you my love! Give me a better life!"
"Well Piper," Prue giggles, "If it makes you feel any better, I think your coffee is the best." She takes Cole's mug and downs the lot.
Still laughing, I pin the letter back onto the fridge for Phoebe and turn around to talk to Prue again. But she's gone. Instantly my smile fades as I search the room quickly. It's bad enough when she disappears when somebody else comes in, but when we're alone?
Sadly, I sit back at the table and pick up my yoghurt. I'm not hungry any more.
"Piper, I told you you wouldn't be able to finish it but you were adamant you could, so finish it."
"I'm not hungry mommy."
"I don't care. You're not leaving the table until it's all done."
"But mom! I can't!"
"Oh Piper... if only you'd listen to me every once in a while."
"Mommy! Mommy! Prue poured yoghurt down my back! Mom!"
"Mom it was an accident!"
"Phoebe look at you! You're a mess! Prue, go to your room. Now!"
"Mom I finished my yoghurt."
"Oh... well done Piper, good girl."
"Can I have a cookie?"
"But I thought you weren't... oh, just go ahead. I have to clean Phoebe up."
"Piper has yoghurt on her nose, Piper has yoghurt on her nose!"
"Well you have it all down your back so there!"
I wipe the yoghurt off my nose with the back of my sleeve and place the empty pot on the table, glancing at the dark mark where Cole put the hot kettle on the table. My bare feet are in a puddle of lukewarm water.