Walking around the cemetery I do everything possible to stall my entrance
to the funeral. I don't want to attend. It's just more dark feelings, more
reminders that I did it. I felt guilty for a while, but only a little. As
they paramedics took her small body away, Piper hysterical on the couch,
Leo trying to comfort her to no avail. Paige and I just stood off in the
corner, unable to do much. Piper didn't want us near here and we appeared
to be too personally shocked to do much anyway. Or at least Paige did, I
was secretly going over what I had done, retracing my steps, hoping that I
had left everything clean of my residue. I wanted no one to know I had done
anything. If they were to find out, well I didn't even want to think of
what would happen.
Coming out of my flashback I find myself in front of a large maple tree. Alone in the empty field it sits, only to be admired by some. Mostly people like me, who care enough to notice the little things. I look at the tree, admire its leaves as they sway in the breeze, it's calmness. The feeling is wonderful and I know this is where I want to be when it ends. My son, husband and I will be buried here, under this tree. Sure, their tombs will hold empty bodies, but it'll all be the same. And we won't mind that we're underground, we'll freely accept the insects that crawl among us. They'll become our new friends. We won't be like the bratty little princess who was to rest in luxury. Piper and Leo had insisted on placing her next to her Aunt Prue, in the space that had once been reserved for one of The Charmed Ones, just in case they were ever confronted with the need for it again. However, now it belonged to the princess. And the whole family swore that Aunt Prue would come down from the heavens today and reach her warm hand down to accept the little girl into her new home. I on the other hand thought differently. Prue wasn't going to reach for her, she was too busy taking care of Ben because Cole was out seeing to it that Melinda would end up where she deserved to be.
Once again approaching the church I casually walk in during the middle of the service. Many people turn around and give me nasty looks, as if to say that I should have arrived there earlier. Not caring though, I continue to walk towards the front of the church and take my seat next to Paige.
"Phoebe! Where were you? The service started 15 minutes ago!" Paige whispered aggravated.
"Sorry, I went for a walk and kind of lost track of time."
Not wanting to bother with me and cause a scene Paige turned her attention back to the priest.
After what seemed like 2 hours the priest allowed family and friends to approach the coffin and say their goodbyes. Piper had argued the night before that she wanted a closed coffin, but Leo insisted and went on to state that the funeral agency would make sure it wasn't evident that she had been suffocated. So, reluctantly Piper agreed. Yet walking up to the coffin was not an easy task for her. Hesitantly she approached it, with Leo standing strongly beside her. Then with a slight push from Leo they peered inside.
A loud blood curdling moan escaped Piper's lips as she fell to the floor for what had to have been the twentieth time since the afternoon of her death. Continuously she screamed, giving the guests a show they'd never forget. All around me I could hear 'oh the poor dear' and 'loosing your child like that, what a shame.' Leo could sense all eyes on them and not wanting to make any more of a scene or cause any more rumors he gently lifted Piper up off the floor. Heavily she leaned against him as he led her out of the church. Later I heard from some of the guests that she had a panic attack while outside and was the reason for they had left the church early.
I still wanted to see her though, regardless of the recent event. I made my way up and looked in. Leo was right, they had made her look normal. Her little cheeks were rosy and she was wearing the cutest pink dress. Seeing her like this brought something out that I hadn't felt since I found out I was pregnant with Ben. It was an incredible love and happiness. I had missed the feeling and it felt good to have it flow through my soul once again. However, it only lasted momentarily. Suddenly I was beginning to regret what I had done. I was supposed to be a Charmed One and for as long as I can remember our job had been to protect the innocents. Now here I was looking at the dead body of my niece, an innocent, who I had killed. I had gone completely against my duty. I could have stayed there for hours, just looking at her angel like qualities, but I knew there was something I had to do. I had killed her and now I was to pay.
As I left the church, I made sure to say a few words to Prue.
Hey, if you can hear me please take care of her and tell her I'm sorry.
Coming out of my flashback I find myself in front of a large maple tree. Alone in the empty field it sits, only to be admired by some. Mostly people like me, who care enough to notice the little things. I look at the tree, admire its leaves as they sway in the breeze, it's calmness. The feeling is wonderful and I know this is where I want to be when it ends. My son, husband and I will be buried here, under this tree. Sure, their tombs will hold empty bodies, but it'll all be the same. And we won't mind that we're underground, we'll freely accept the insects that crawl among us. They'll become our new friends. We won't be like the bratty little princess who was to rest in luxury. Piper and Leo had insisted on placing her next to her Aunt Prue, in the space that had once been reserved for one of The Charmed Ones, just in case they were ever confronted with the need for it again. However, now it belonged to the princess. And the whole family swore that Aunt Prue would come down from the heavens today and reach her warm hand down to accept the little girl into her new home. I on the other hand thought differently. Prue wasn't going to reach for her, she was too busy taking care of Ben because Cole was out seeing to it that Melinda would end up where she deserved to be.
Once again approaching the church I casually walk in during the middle of the service. Many people turn around and give me nasty looks, as if to say that I should have arrived there earlier. Not caring though, I continue to walk towards the front of the church and take my seat next to Paige.
"Phoebe! Where were you? The service started 15 minutes ago!" Paige whispered aggravated.
"Sorry, I went for a walk and kind of lost track of time."
Not wanting to bother with me and cause a scene Paige turned her attention back to the priest.
After what seemed like 2 hours the priest allowed family and friends to approach the coffin and say their goodbyes. Piper had argued the night before that she wanted a closed coffin, but Leo insisted and went on to state that the funeral agency would make sure it wasn't evident that she had been suffocated. So, reluctantly Piper agreed. Yet walking up to the coffin was not an easy task for her. Hesitantly she approached it, with Leo standing strongly beside her. Then with a slight push from Leo they peered inside.
A loud blood curdling moan escaped Piper's lips as she fell to the floor for what had to have been the twentieth time since the afternoon of her death. Continuously she screamed, giving the guests a show they'd never forget. All around me I could hear 'oh the poor dear' and 'loosing your child like that, what a shame.' Leo could sense all eyes on them and not wanting to make any more of a scene or cause any more rumors he gently lifted Piper up off the floor. Heavily she leaned against him as he led her out of the church. Later I heard from some of the guests that she had a panic attack while outside and was the reason for they had left the church early.
I still wanted to see her though, regardless of the recent event. I made my way up and looked in. Leo was right, they had made her look normal. Her little cheeks were rosy and she was wearing the cutest pink dress. Seeing her like this brought something out that I hadn't felt since I found out I was pregnant with Ben. It was an incredible love and happiness. I had missed the feeling and it felt good to have it flow through my soul once again. However, it only lasted momentarily. Suddenly I was beginning to regret what I had done. I was supposed to be a Charmed One and for as long as I can remember our job had been to protect the innocents. Now here I was looking at the dead body of my niece, an innocent, who I had killed. I had gone completely against my duty. I could have stayed there for hours, just looking at her angel like qualities, but I knew there was something I had to do. I had killed her and now I was to pay.
As I left the church, I made sure to say a few words to Prue.
Hey, if you can hear me please take care of her and tell her I'm sorry.