The Hardest Night Of Their Lives
[December 2008]
"Okay girls ready? One, two, three, Melinda go, Breanna, Lilly, now Maddy now. No Makayla NO."
Piper was in the back yard instructing the girls in their magic lessons. She was amazed at the control that the little girls already had. Each day Paige and Phoebe would bring their children over and Piper would run practice drills. Sometimes Leo would help out but most often it was just the girls. It was easier for Piper to run the drills because both Paige and Phoebe had their hands full. Phoebe had just given birth to her second child about a month ago and Paige was just nicely pregnant with her third.
"Okay girls I am going to go over sit with Phoebe and Paige. You keep practicing that lesson. I will just be over there." Piper said pointing to where both Paige and Phoebe were lounging. She then headed over to her sisters.
"So Paige how are feeling?" She said sitting down in the chair next her.
"Great, no morning sickness again today." Paige answered in a bragging tone of voice.
"You just have to rub it in don't you. You have the best pregnancies and the best deliveries out of all of us. I still don't feel 100% after having Laura." Phoebe said. Laura was the newest addition to the Halliwell family. She was born November 30th, 2008. Once again Phoebe had had a very long labour and not the greatest pregnancy. She was sick for over half of it and by the time she felt better she had gained a nice size tummy and had difficulties moving around. Thankfully Laura arrived healthy and happy.
Paige and Luke welcomed Brittany into their family almost a year after Makayla's birth. She was born on April 15th, 2008 and by the time Brittany was almost six months old Paige announced that she was pregnant again. This one was due in June. Paige had the easiest pregnancies of all the sisters. She usually only had morning sickness for a couple of weeks and never seemed to gain much more weight then the baby. Her labours were quick and compared to Piper and Phoebe painless. Her children were also the closest together.
Piper's girls were doing fantastic. Melinda and Maddy both welcomed Makayla into the family wonderfully. Maddy was like her second mommy. She wanted to help Piper with everything. Melinda enjoyed the new baby and was very protective of both her and Maddy but she was so independent that she often wanted to play by herself. Melinda started school this past fall and it nearly broke Piper's heart. Melinda was completely ready to go to school. On the first day Piper's first baby announced that she was a big girl and didn't need her mommy to take her into class that she would do it all by herself. Piper watched her go into the school all by herself and started crying. Melinda reminded Piper so much of Prue. She was independent, confident, protective, and always aware of everything and everyone around her. She was also stubborn and determined.
Maddy was more like Piper and consequently she was Piper's favourite (although Piper would never admit to it). She loved to cook with Piper and she had a real artistic flare in her. She was the mommy of the sisters and one that kept everything together. She was not only the glue for Piper and Leo's family but for all the cousins as well.
Makayla was her daddy's girl. Now 18 months old she knew how to get what she wanted. Leo could never say no to her. She would just climb into his lap or give him her best puppy dog eyes and he would melt. Piper always said that they had that special connection because he was the one who delivered her. She would follow him around the house and even when he orbed out. When she was about 8 months old Leo orbed out to help a charge while Piper was feeding Makayla and she orbed out after him. Piper panicked and screamed for Leo to come back and right on his heels was Makayla. This was the first time that any of the girls had done that. She was the most adventurous of all the girls. Her favourite game was to orb around the house playing hide and seek when Piper tried to change her diaper or get her dressed. She was also the funniest. She would make faces and once she started talking say the silliest things. There was no doubt about it she had Phoebe's spirit and both Leo and Piper were nervous for her as a teenager.
As for magic, something that none of the sisters expected was that, all of the girls in each family had the same powers. All of Piper's children had the power to freeze and had very strong whitelighter powers. Each did it in their way but it was the same power. Phoebe's daughters had premonitions. Laura was still to young to control it but she was very good at levitating. Lilly had wonderful control of her premonitions. In fact she sometimes had better control than Phoebe. They also did not seem to affect her as much. When Phoebe first got premonitions she often lost her breath or got thrown right into it but Lilly is calm and can explain the vision as it happens. Paige's girls are the funniest powers. They have a little whitelighter in them but cannot orb. They can move things with their minds but they can do by both saying the word or thinking what they want to move like Prue could. This also makes them the hardest to watch. If they want a cookie it just appears in their hands or if they want a certain toy they can just take it. The protection of the Power of Three did seem to present among Piper's girls but in truth it the girls were still a little young to confirm it.
"Paige I still can't get over that you're pregnant again. Brittany is only 8 ½ months old and your already starting to show." Piper said reaching over to take Brittany out of her arms.
"I am barely showing Piper. And I know I can't believe it either. To say the least we were not expecting this one so soon. But what are you going to?"
"All I can say is that it is a good thing that you are not working. You are going to have your hands full with two babies."
"That's why I have sisters." Paige chuckled while both Piper and Phoebe rolled their eyes. "And besides this one is the last. I got it over and with quick. Now I can get my real figure back and lose this baby gut. So Phoebe is Laura the last or are you going to go for number three? If you do we will have a full coven of little witches running the neighborhood."
"I honestly have no idea. If I had an easy time of it like you then I wouldn't think twice about it but for some reason I get the worst of everything that pregnancy can through at you. I don't know if I could handle having another." Phoebe said. Laura was fast asleep in her arms and you would never the hell that Phoebe went through when she had her by looking at the little angel.
"Don't worry about it honey. I am sure that if it is meant to happen it will. Hey by the way what do you guys want for dinner?" Piper asked getting up out of the lounge chair.
"We don't care. I am just glad that you are still willing to cook for all of us after all these years." Paige answered.
Piper went into the house to start dinner. It had become a full time job making dinner for 13 people most nights. She still had P3 and it was doing magnificently but she also had a killer management team and had taken on a strictly owner position. In fact they were in the process of expanding the club and Piper was even toying with the idea of opening a second one. As for the kitchen in the manor the family had seriously out grown the space. With the amount of children around Leo had built a new table and it was set up in the sunroom. The children that could feed themselves ate at that table and adults ate at the dining room table with the highchairs. The system worked well.
About an hour later Maddy came in to help Piper. She was only three but she tried her best and did whatever Piper asked her to. However tonight Maddy was acting a little funny. She sat at the table and watched Piper cook instead of being at her elbow the whole time. Just before dinner was ready Maddy started to cry. Leo came into the kitchen when he heard her but Piper was already at her side.
"What's wrong sweetie?" Piper said pulling the little one to her lap. Maddy continued to cry and buried her head in Piper's sweater. Piper looked up at Leo questioning if he knew what was going on. Leo just looked back at her and shook his head. Piper asked her again. "Maddy look at Mommy. What is it? Do you feel sick or hurt?"
"My … tummy … hurts." She said through the tears that were pouring down her checks. Just then the pot on the stove started to bubble over. Piper instinctively went to get up to remove the pot from the burner and hand Maddy to Leo but Maddy started cry louder and yelled for Piper not to leave. Leo went to get the pot and Piper rocked Maddy. She had no idea what wrong.
"I think dinner is ready, Piper." Leo said looking in her direction.
"Can you get Phoebe and Paige to set the table and get the girls sitting down?"
Leo nodded and went to find her sisters. Maddy continued to cry. "Maddy baby, do you want to lay down while the rest of us eat?"
Maddy shook head and said, "No mommy I please stay with you."
"Okay do you want to sit at the table or on the couch?"
"Table." Was all she could get out. She was crying so much that she could hardly catch her breath. Maddy was starting to calm down when Phoebe and Paige came in. Phoebe looked over at Piper and mouthed, "What's wrong?"
"I don't know for sure. I think she is getting sick. Maddy if you want to sit with me at the table you are going to have to calm down and stop crying. Don't worry I won't leave you." Paige came over with a cool wet cloth and Piper wiped her daughter's face. She settled down a little more. Leo came in and announced that everyone was sitting down and asked if he could help.
"Yes please help Phoebe and Paige with the food. You lift and carry that tray of Lasagna neither of them should be carrying a plate that heavy. I am going to sit at the table with Maddy." And with that Maddy wrapped her arms around Piper's neck and she carried her out to the table.
After the meal was done Matt and Luke did the dishes and Phoebe and Paige stayed to keep Piper's girls busy. Piper noticed that Maddy was running a fever and seemed very tried. Her and Leo took Maddy upstairs to give her a bath and hopefully bring down her fever. Maddy wouldn't let go of Piper so Leo started to undress her as Piper held her.
"Piper what's this?" He said pointing to some marks on Maddy's back.
"I don't know Leo. Maddy please let mommy look at your tummy." Maddy pulled away from Piper just long enough so Piper could see that her whole tummy was covered in a rash. "Leo take her pants off quick." He did and her legs were covered as well. Just than Maddy throw up all over Piper and started crying again. "Oh baby it's okay, it's okay." Piper's eyes widened in fear. She had no idea what was going on and Leo could sense her beginning to panic.
"Stay here. I am going to tell your sisters and get Maddy a nightgown. We are going to hospital. I have no clue what is going on and I don't want to waste anytime." Leo got up off the bathroom floor and ran down the stairs. Piper wrapped a towel around her screaming baby. Maddy was shaking and than throw up again. Leo came running back into the bathroom. "Here I got you a new outfit as well." He said handing Piper some clean clothes. Piper very quickly changed and Leo got Maddy into her nightgown and wrapped her up in a blanket. Handing Maddy back to Piper, he than orbed all three of them to the hospital parking lot. He didn't want to take a chance of someone seeing them in the hospital.
Holding Maddy as tight as she could Piper and Leo both ran into the hospital and right to the emergency desk. Maddy was still crying. As they approached the desk Piper called out, "please somebody help."
"Please my daughter is sick. She has some sort of rash all over her. She has a fever and has thrown up several times." Leo relayed to the nurse in his calmest voice possible. Piper was just as emotional as Maddy and couldn't get the words out fast enough.
"Okay sir calm down let me her." The nurse said getting up from the desk. Piper pulled back the blanket and lifted Maddy's nightgown to show the nurse. The nurse took one look and ran back behind the desk. She picked up the phone and paged some doctor to the ER. "Come with me right away." She said holding the door to the ER open. "Okay you said she has thrown up?" Leo nodded. "How many times?"
"Twice"
"When did she start feeling sick?"
"Late this afternoon. I was making dinner and she started crying saying that her tummy hurt." Piper said in a shaky voice.
"When did you notice the fever and rash?"
"The started sometime during dinner maybe an hour ago. The rash we just noticed like 15 minutes ago. We were going to give her a bath to help the fever and saw it when we got her undressed."
"Okay stay here in this room. I will be right back with the doctor. I'm your names are? Have you traveled anywhere outside the country in the past two weeks?"
"No we haven't left the city. I am Piper Wyatt and this is my husband Leo and Maddy." The nurse nodded and left the room. "Leo what's going on here?" Piper started to cry. Maddy was still in her arms crying and shivering.
"I don't know but I am sure the doctor …" He started to say as the nurse and three doctors came back into the room.
"Hi I am Dr. Anderson and this is Drs Marshall and Delaney. Let me see what we have." He lifted Maddy out of Piper's arms and put her on the table. He examined her chest and legs. "I want to run some tests. Nurse Parker will take some blood and the temperature of the child. I'm sorry her name is again?"
"Maddy… or Mad… Madison. What's wrong?" Piper asked still holding onto Maddy's hand.
"I'm not 100% sure yet but it looks like she may have Meningitis. I will do these tests myself so we can get the result faster. Time is the most important factor in these cases. You said she has been symptomatic for an hour?"
"Well I guess it was about 4:30 when she came into the kitchen from playing outside. She seemed fine but very quiet. She often wants to help with dinner but tonight she sat and watched. It must have been what 5:15 when started crying and saying that her tummy hurt?" Piper looked at Leo to confirm her times. He nodded. "She sat at the table with me for dinner but didn't eat. It was near the end of dinner that she started feeling warm. She we went up stairs to give her a cool bath and bring down the fever. That's when we noticed the rash."
"Okay so it is 6:40 now lets say she has been symptomatic since 4:30 that's 2 hours and 10 minutes. I am going to start her with some common antibiotics now. If it's not meningitis they will at least bring her fever down and if it is it will be a start to fighting this. I will be back in a few minutes." The doctors left the room with the blood that the nurse had taken while everyone was talking.
"Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt I will need one of you to come and fill out the health forms." The nurse said before leaving the room.
"I'll fill them out you stay with Maddy honey." Leo said starting to leave the room.
"Leo I didn't even my purse. All her information is back at the manor."
"Okay I will go and get it."
"Leo please fill in my sisters and ask them to look after Melinda and Makayla." Leo nodded and orbed out of the room. "It's okay Maddy mommy's here. I won't let anything happen to you." Piper said stroking her forehead. The poor baby looked so little and so scared. It seemed like an eternity for Piper before the doctors came back in.
"Mrs. Wyatt where did your husband go?" Dr Anderson asked as he came back into the room alone.
"He went to fill in the paper work. What is it?"
"Well I'm sorry to say but it looks like she has meningitis. She has both Meningococcal Meningitis and Meningococcal Septicaemia. Together this is called Meningococcal Disease."
"So what does this mean?" Piper asked having very knowledge about this.
"Meningitis is the inflammation of the linings of the brain and spinal cord, while Septicaemia is the blood poisoning form of the disease. The combination of these is the Meningococcal disease. I want you do know that over 90% of people survive this. The trick is catching it early enough. It can kill in as little as three hours but you have good news in the fact that she hasn't gone into shock. If she had I would not be very hopeful for a full recovery. Now I am going to start a very aggressive antibiotic treatment on her. Does she have any drug allergies?"
"No that I know of. Is she going to be okay?"
"I can't say that but I will promise you that I will be doing everything in my power to help her get better. I need to know has she had any contact with other children in the last 72 hours?"
"Yes. I have two other children and four nieces that she sees on a daily basis most of the day."
"Okay well I need you to call them and get them in here right away. This is a very contagious disease. They all need to come in a get an antibiotic treatment. This should kill any of the bacteria that they may be carrying. As long as they have no symptoms they can go right back home. This includes yourself and your husband and the other children's parents. There will be a public health announcement that a case has come to San Francisco. You need to make that call right away and then go and see Nurse Parker with your husband and she will make sure that you receive the proper medication. Your daughter will be quarantined. You can stay with but then you will not be able to leave the hospital. I will explain this all to your husband when he returns if you wish. I will stay her with Madison you need to make that call."
Piper nodded and kissed Maddy forehead and left the room. Just as she left she saw Leo walking towards her. She explained what the doctor said and that all of the children had to come in. Leo pulled her around the corner and gave her a hug before orbing the two of them home. Back at the manor Piper explained it again to her sisters and gathered a bag together for her and Leo. Phoebe said that they would drive there and Paige was going to look after Melinda and Makayla while Maddy was sick. Leo orbed Piper back to the hospital and the two of them went to see nurse Parker about their medications.
Phoebe and Paige did as they were told and brought all of the children and Luke and Matt down treatment. Luke and Matt took the kids afterwards but Paige and Phoebe stayed behind to comfort Piper as much as they could.
"Can we see her Piper?" Phoebe asked.
"Yes but you can but not Paige. Sorry honey but the won't let you in the room because you are pregnant. He said that they had to give a lower dose of the antibiotics because of the pregnancy and he doesn't want to risk you getting sick." Piper answered looking at Paige.
"That's Piper I can see from the window. Stay strong I know she will be okay and tell her I love her."
Phoebe and Piper went into the room. Madison was resting comfortably now.
"Phoebe I look at her and I cannot believe that is my baby. I am walking around in a fog. It's not real, she's not sick and I'm not here. But for some reason I am. Leo doesn't know what to do. He has already talked with the elders there's nothing they can do. He tried healing her and that's not working. I look in his eyes and all I see is sadness and fear. What if we lose her Phoebe? I will not survive that. I cannot lose my child."
"Piper, Paige is right she'll be fine. I have no idea what you are feeling. I cannot imagine if that was one of my babies. But we are here for you and we will not leave." Phoebe hugged Piper so tight and Piper started crying again.
"No, no I can't cry I have to be strong she needs me." Piper said pulling of the hug and wiping her face. "Phoebe what I need you and Paige to do is look after my girls. I have to know that they are fine. I cannot be thinking of them too. I trust you two more than I trust myself please just look after them so I can focus on Madison."
"Of course sweetie. You won't have anything to worry about. We will take care of everything. Paige cleaned up the bathroom already where Maddy was sick. Don't you even think about them or us. We will be fine." Phoebe gave Piper another squeeze and left to get Paige to go home.
Outside the room Paige was hugging Leo. He had obviously had a similar break down and Paige was trying her best to comfort him. When she noticed Phoebe she broke the hug. "What is it? What does she need?"
"She wants us to look after Melinda and Makayla. We have to go." She went over to Leo gave him a hug as well. "She'll be okay Leo, I promise. Now go back in there and be with your wife." She patted Leo's back as he left the sisters standing outside the room. Paige orbed the two of home because the guys had taken the kids in the cars.
Back at the manor Paige and Phoebe gathered all the kids in the sunroom.
"Okay listen up. As you all know Maddy is very sick. Leo and Piper have to stay with her until she gets better." Paige started.
"Mommy?" Makayla asked not really understanding what was happening.
"Come here sweetie." Phoebe said pulling her up on to her lap. "You all need to be very good. Melinda I want you to go with Aunt Paige and help her pack a bag for you and Makayla. You are going to stay at her house until Mommy and Daddy get back."
At the hospital Maddy was asleep. Piper and Leo were wrapped up in each other's arms in the only chair in the room. Dr Anderson had been to check Maddy. There was no improvement but she also was not getting worse. He also informed Piper and Leo that they would be moving her to the Children's ICU shortly and that they had put an extra bed in the room for them. Within an hour Madison was moved upstairs. Dr Anderson came back in check after they moved her.
"Well I don't still don't see any improvement. She's not getting worse but she's not getting better. I would like to try a different set of drugs. They are much stronger and it means that if you're not in the room than a nurse must stay with her. A nurse will be in every 15 minutes regardless as to where you two are. Is this okay?"
"Yeah fine. What happens if this doesn't work?" Leo asked.
"Well I'm not sure. These next drugs are the strongest and best we have. If I don't see improvement in the next two hours I am going to get a specialist to come in from Los Angeles. He is already aware of her case and is standing by. Don't give up hope yet. We won't." Dr Anderson said.
"I have a question." Piper said looking up to the doctor. "How did she get this? I mean wasn't she vaccinated against meningitis when she was a baby? Doesn't that mean she cannot catch the disease?"
"Well I really know for sure. Everyone carries the bacteria that causes this but some people, very few people are susceptible to the disease whether they are vaccinated or not. There was nothing that anyone could have done to prevent this. It was just a matter of time. I wish I could give you more answers but there just isn't any." Dr Anderson answered Piper.
"Well thank you for helping her." Leo said holding Piper tight. Dr Anderson left the room and Leo and Piper collapsed into each other's arms. "Piper why can't I heal her? I feel so useless and helpless. My baby, our baby is lying in a hospital bed dying and there is nothing I can do." Leo was crying by the time Piper got him to focus on her.
"Leo, baby, she's not dying. I won't let her go, we won't let them take her too."
"We don't have a say Piper. If it is her time we will lose her."
"No we won't. If it was her time she'd be gone by now. She's fighting it Leo, we have to help her fight it. We have to believe that she will be okay. We just have too." The two of them were crying in each other's arms when they heard Maddy's little whisper call to them.
"Mommy, daddy."
"We are right here baby. Don't worry we are not going anywhere. Daddy and I are going to stay with until you get better."
"Promise" Maddy was fighting to stay awake.
"I promise sweetie we will be here when you wake up in the morning. Go to sleep. Please try to get some rest baby." Leo leaned over and kissed her forehead. Maddy closed her eyes and drifted off. "I hope your right Piper. We can't lose her."
They both crawled onto the small bed just a few feet away from Maddy's bed. Although sleep would never come to them that night it felt good to be next to each other. They both watched Maddy sleep. The rhythmic sound of her heartbeat was somewhat soothing and they both seemed to relax a little.
A while later, the nurse came in to check the medication and seemed a little startled when she took Maddy's temperature. Piper noticed her face change and hopped off the bed to see what was wrong. Leo had drifted off and she didn't want to wake him unless it was something serious.
"What's wrong now?" Piper said not really knowing if she wanted an answer or not.
"Actually I don't think anything is wrong. One minute I am going to get Dr. Anderson. Her fever is down and her vitals are up. I will be right back." Nurse Parker said leaving the room.
Maddy started to stir from her sleep. Piper rubbed her back trying to keep her asleep but it was no use. She was still uncomfortable and woke up as Dr. Anderson and Nurse Parker came back in. Leo also woke up.
"So what's going on?" He said coming to Maddy's side.
"Well give me a minute to check everything." Dr. Anderson said going over the information that Nurse Parker had collected. He followed up by checking Maddy himself. "I think she is starting to pull through. The signs are good. It will still be a long while before she will be out in the clear. But all the signs are positive. I am going to keep her dosage the same and hope that she keeps improving. If she stays at the same level or regresses then we will up the dose." Hr paused looking at Piper and Leo. "Give me a smile you two. This is good, really good. I will be keeping a close watch on her but believe me this is a good improvement. You both should try to get some sleep. You too little miss." Dr. Anderson said brushing Maddy's hair off her forehead. Giving Piper and Leo a smile he left the room.
[Back at Paige's house]
"Melinda come here your mother is on the phone." Paige yelled into the toy room. It was early the next morning and Piper and Leo had decided to call home and let everyone know that Maddy was going to be okay. Although they had received the news very early in the morning they decided to wait until everyone was awake. Melinda came running into the kitchen seconds after Paige called to her.
"Mommy!" She screamed into the phone. "When are you coming home?"
"Well sweetie, daddy will come home for a little while today but I need to stay with Maddy. Maddy is feeling much better but she is still very sick. I need you to be a very good girl for Aunt Paige and Aunt Phoebe. Help them with Makayla. Can you help mommy out and take care of her?" Piper said over the phone.
"Yes mommy I will take care of Makayla. When can Maddy and you come home? I miss you."
"Oh, I miss you too baby. I will be home soon. Please just be a good girl for mommy. I love you. Can you put Aunt Paige back on the phone please? I love you baby."
"I love you too mommy, bye, bye." Melinda handed the phone back to Paige.
"Hi, so what's going on?" Paige asked.
"Hi, things are good, I think. Dr Anderson says that she is going to be fine. He is a little concerned about the side effects. Apparently there can be serious repercussions and we won't know for a while. She will be in the hospital for at least a week more. He said that she could be here as long as three weeks. It all depends on how fast she heals. Leo is coming home this afternoon but I am staying. For the next few nights I will be here but Leo has to work. Can you keep the girls for a while? We don't know when Leo will or will not be home and I am not sure when I will be back for the night."
"Of course honey. It's not like their nasty little girls. I am so glad to hear that Maddy will be okay. She had all of us worried. I talked to Phoebe already this morning and neither she nor I got any sleep. I kept Luke up tossing and turning in the bed."
"I am so sorry. I didn't get any sleep either. Leo fell asleep for a very short while but I couldn't take my eyes off her. Thank you Paige for everything. I am so lucky to have sisters like you. I need to go Paige Maddy is calling. I will phone you later. Thank you again. I love you."
"I love you too Piper. Give Maddy our love. Talk to you later." Paige said hanging up the phone.
[At the hospital]
"So how is everyone at home?" Leo asked after Piper hung up the phone.
"I think everyone is fine, a little nervous maybe but holding up. Melinda wants us home. I told her you would go home to see her."
Leo hugged Piper and said, "I better not disappoint her than. I will be back soon. I am also going to check with the Elders. I won't be too long, I promise." He bent down and kissed her. He turned and gave Maddy a kiss as well before orbing out.
Piper climbed up onto the bed with Maddy and pulled into her arms. Gently cuddling the little girl and brushing her hair back she sang the lullaby that she used to sing to her when Maddy was a baby.
"Baby mine don't you cry…"
While she sang Piper couldn't help wondering what life would be like if she didn't have Maddy or if they had lost her. Piper wouldn't survive loss of a child. This was defiantly the hardest night of their lives.
To Be Continued …
Spoiler for the next fiction
They need a break, time away. In a surprise kidnapping they find peace and reconnect with each other.