Thanks to all my readers, and reviewers. This story will pick up like within a chapter or so….
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Piper put one foot in front of the other on her way home. And with each step, her guilt grew. She knew she shouldn't have ditched her afternoon classes. She also knew that with as little as she was able to concentrate, her mind would be ditching, but her body would still be in class. Half way home, she heard a car pull up beside her. "I can't believe you actually did that." Prue, the driver said.
"I could say the same for you." Piper said, still walking.
"Get in; I'm going to the hospital." Prue said. Piper stopped, and then got into the car. "How much trouble do you think we'll get in?" Prue asked.
"Too much." Piper said. "Mind if I turn on the radio?" She asked, leaning forward to turn on the tunes.
"No, go ahead."
Back at the school, Ashley and Amy watched Piper leave. "Do you think we were too harsh on her?" Ashley asked.
"No. She had a ticket outside all this time, and never used it."
Ashley picked up her book again. "But if Prue's sister is in a coma, and Piper is Prue's sister, then that means,"
"That Piper's sister is also in a coma. Yeah I know. I feel a little bad about saying that that was good news."
"You should be. Where do you think she was going?"
"I don't know, I just hope she gets caught." Amy picked up her book, and ignored all of Ashley's pleas to try to change her mind.
After learning that they had left school, Grams could understand why. She quickly realized that she had forced the girls back into school a little fast. When they got back to school two days later, things were much different. When Piper sat down at her usual table, Amy and Ashley wouldn't even recognize Piper's existence.
"Hey guys." Piper said, trying to be friendly. All Piper heard was a small humph from Amy. Piper got the message. She quietly packed up her lunch and went to her locker. She put everything away, and went to the library. She had finished her book, and needed a new one, and to return the finished book.
"Piper." She heard Andy call.
Piper spun around. "Hey Andy." She said.
"Have you seen Prue around?" Andy said.
"No, why?"
"I have a message from the office, and thought both of you should be around when I tell you." He said.
"Oh, have you checked outside yet?"
"No, I was on my way there. Come on."
Piper looked out the front doors to all of the popular people outside. She was quickly intimidated. "Uh, you know what; I have to return this book really quick. I'll meet you guys back here. I think I see her on that rock over there." Piper said, pointing to Prue.
Andy squinted his eyes. "Thanks." He said, running out the front door.
Piper walked into the library and dropped her book in the return slot. She turned to meet Andy and Prue outside the library when she heard a voice from behind her. "Oh Piper, I'm glad I saw you. That book that you recommended for the library, it came in today, would you like to check it out?" The librarian asked Piper.
"Thanks." Piper said. She approached the circulation desk. Piper smiled and went to check out her book. She handed the librarian her id card, and the librarian handed Piper the brand new book.
"How is your sister dear?" The librarian asked.
"Prue or Phoebe?" Piper asked, she figured that the librarian meant Phoebe, but she felt it was polite to ask.
"Prue. She hasn't stopped by here in a while. Which is funny because I see that boyfriend of hers in her quite a bit. And after that accident. It's a shame that the car was destroyed like that."
"Prue is fine." Piper said. She was frankly tired of everyone wanting to know how Prue was, and ignoring Phoebe and her. "But Phoebe isn't as well."
"That's nice." The librarian said, not really caring.
"I got to go." Piper said, waving good bye. She sighed and rolled her eyes as she left. That wasn't the first time someone was more worried about Prue than Phoebe. Two of her other teachers were the same way. She saw Andy and Prue coming through the front hallway. She was surprised that Prue wasn't hanging on Andy's arm, but then again, things were different with Prue since the accident. But what surprised her even more was a little man, no more than six inches high, standing near the door. Little did she know it was the same man that was in her locker two days earlier. Piper took a step closer to her, but before she could get a closer look, he was gone in a blink of an eye. She didn't see him reappear behind her. Thinking it was just her imagination, she shrugged him off, and went back to what was really bothering her. "I wish that people paid the same amount of attention to me as they do to Prue." She mumbled as she watched the principal stop and chat nicely with Prue.
Prue spotted Piper, and walked over to her. "Ok, Andy, we're both here, what is it that you needed to tell us?" Prue demanded.
"While I was in the office about five minutes ago, I had to call my mom about something, anyway. The secretary knew that I was dating you Prue, and had me deliver a message to just you Prue. But when I heard the message, I figured that Piper should hear it too."
"Get on with it Andy."
Andy took a deep breath. "Phoebe woke up an hour ago." HE said.
Piper and Prue looked surprised. "Really?" Prue weakly asked.
"Really. And you guys are already excused for the afternoon." Prue went over and hugged Andy.
Andy. It was our sister that just woke up from a coma, and she chooses to hug Andy! I'm her sister. A jealous Piper thought. Prue then leaned over and hugged Piper, not as tightly, or as long as she did with Andy, but it still made Piper feel better. "What do you say we go over and see Pheebs?" Prue asked.
"Yeah. Sounds great. I just need to get my backpack." Piper said.
"Meet you back here in five?" Prue asked.
"Actually, I parked on the other side of school, meet me at my car?"
"Yeah, since I catch a ride with Andy. Which lot are you in?"
"The east lot, towards the back." Piper answered.
"Ok, I'll see you there in five." Prue said. "This is good Piper, this is really good."
"I know." Prue and Andy went down one hallway, as Piper went down another. Her smile, although hinted jealousy, was the largest it had been in a while. Her little sister was out of a coma, and that was all she needed to know for a smile. Piper found herself waiting for Prue at her car for almost ten minutes.
"What took you so long?" Piper demanded.
"Some of my friends demanded to know where I was going."
Piper jumped into the car, as did Prue. Piper sped off. "And that took ten minutes."
"Piper, my friends for the most part don't know about Phoebe. I had to think of some excuse for why I was leaving. And then the explanation, and answering all of their questions, took ten minutes."
"What did you say?"
"I said I didn't feel like being in school anymore."
"Wow, I'm sure that went over well."
"Surprisingly. One girl wanted to come with. She even followed me until she saw that I was going to where you were waiting."
"Great." Her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"What do you mean by 'great'?" Prue asked.
"That you were able to shake her off." Piper quickly covered up.
"Oh yeah." Piper sat quietly in the car. Prue continued to talk to Piper, without Piper listening. Without listening too much, Piper could hear that Prue was talking about how her friends weren't being too supportive of this whole Phoebe thing. The few that knew that was. And how they were only saying sorry, and putting their arm around her. But when Prue would start to cry, they'd back off, and try to ignore her. Better than my "friends" Piper thought. When it was needed, Piper would throw in an appropriate comment, or head nod, but she really didn't care. Prue still had more friends than she did, and they were still more supportive than hers.
When they arrived to the hospital, together they ran to the room where Phoebe was staying. They passed a nurse, who had seen them often in Phoebe's room, and gave them a large smile, as Prue and Piper's smiles were large. They could hear two low voices talking, and they peeked into the room. "Hey." Prue said.
Phoebe and Grams turned to the sound of the voice. "Hey." Grams said.
Phoebe gave a small wave, but she was still weak. "How are you doing?" Piper asked.
Phoebe gave a small smile, and a thumbs up. "Better." Grams answered for Phoebe. "The tubes in her throat make it almost impossible to speak. The doctor said he'd be back in a little bit to take them out."
"I'm so glad to see you up!" Piper said, she leaned over and hugged Phoebe. Phoebe beamed. "I was really worried."
"Me too." Prue added. Piper took the seat next to Grams, where they sat happily talking until visiting hours were over. Piper felt like her family was perfect. Piper went to school, and had to face her grim reality.