Title: Voices II - Piper's Nightmare
Part: Complete story
Author: Natalie Giardetti
Rating: PG (PG-13 for Chapter 3) Spoilers: References to Apocalypse, Now, The Power Of Two, Awakened and Love Hurts
Genre: I'm not sure. Anyone has any thoughts ?
Archive: Ask my permission first
Feedback: kitcharmed@yahoo.com
Disclaimers: I don't own any of these characters (except for the voices) and no profit is intended. This is just for fun.
Author's notes: This fic was written in October 2000 and takes place right after my story Voices. I would also like to mention that I am a French speaker, so if you find grammar or spelling mistakes, I'm really sorry. Oh, and a big thank you to my sister Karine who had the hear me read her the story every time I added something to it.
Voices II -Piper's nightmare
Chapter 1
It is a sunny morning, like there are often in San Francisco. The kind of morning when you tell yourself that everything will be alright, that it's going to be a great day. Unfortunately, it's not always what happens.
It is still pretty early and everything is calm and silent in Halliwell Manor. Everyone is still sleeping, recovering from the last two days. Two days during which Phoebe and Prue were kidnapped by Lucy, They're new apparently crazy neighbor. She wanted to kill them but failed. Then she killed herself in their bathroom. And they still don't know what, exactly, pushed the young woman to do so. Phoebe and Prue agreed that they would never know. They were wrong. They'll soon understand why.
A scream tears the air in the manor, waking up Prue and Phoebe, they run to Piper's room, having recognized her voice.
It is Piper who screamed. She's laying in her bed, agitated, apparently in the middle of a nightmare. Leo is next to her, obviously worried, and tries to wake her up. Because she is still sleeping. Piper Halliwell screamed in her sleep. Leo takes her in his arms, whispering to her to wake up, that it's only a nightmare and that everything's alright. Piper suddenly wakes up and tries to free herself from Leo's grasp.
" Let me go! " she screams, pushing away his hands. " Let me go! "
" Piper, it's alright, it's over. " Leo tries to comfort her.
" No! Let me go!" she screams again. " Go away! "
She manages to get out of his grasp and moves away from him, shaking. That's when Piper finally realizes she really awake and that she's not in danger. She starts crying.
" Oh, Leo, I'm sorry. " she says. " I. I don't know why I. "
" It's okay, Piper. " Leo does as he gets closer to her and gently takes her in his arms. " It's over now. Everything's fine. "
Piper cuddles against her boyfriend, trying to stop her body from shaking. Phoebe and Prue, who watched everything from the doorstep, in silence, not really knowing what to do, enter the room.
" Piper, honey, are you okay? " Phoebe asks, worried.
Piper nods, still unable to talk.
" Is there anything we can do for you? " Prue asks.
This time, Leo is the one who answers.
" A little coffee would be nice for everyone, Prue. "
" Alright. Phoebe and I will wait for you downstairs. " Prue says as she exits with Phoebe.
Left alone with Piper, Leo does his best to comfort her, trying at the same time to push away his own fears and worries. It isn't the first time tonight Piper wakes up from a nightmare. Apparently, always the same. Except that each time, Piper is even more terrified. Every time, he asked her to tell him her nightmare. And every time, all Piper was able to tell him was that Prue, Phoebe and him were dead. This time however, Leo feels Piper remembers more of her nightmare.
When she finally stops shaking, Leo, still holding her, asks " Do you want to talk about it? "
" No. " Piper answers. " I can't, Leo. Not right away. "
" Okay. " Leo does. " When you're ready, Piper. "
" I promise. "
They stay in bed a few more minutes then they get up to join Phoebe and Prue in the kitchen.
When they pass the bathroom, Piper stops. She looks inside and is overcome with shivers as she remembers the voice she heard there last night, the one that told her that her dream wasn't one and that she won't be able to resist. Leo sees her turn pale and wonders what's wrong.
" What's wrong, Piper? " he asks her.
Without answering, Piper takes his hand and clenches it.
" Piper? " Leo does, more and more worried.
Piper still doesn't answer him. That voices, she realizes, she also hears it in her nightmare. Leo, who is starting to be worried for her, and puts his other hand on her arm and says " Piper, look at me. "
This time, the young woman hears him and finally looks away from the bathroom. What Leo sees in her eyes doesn't reassure him.
" What is it? " he asks again.
" I. I. " Piper hesitates.
" You what? " Leo gently encourages her.
" I don't want to go in there. " she says in one breath. " I don't know why, but I don't want to. "
" Okay, we won't go then. " Leo, who isn't sure what just happened, reassures her.
Maybe Piper is only traumatized because she's the one who discovered neighbor Lucy's body in that room. However, he doubts that that's the problem. Piper seemed terrified, not traumatized or sad. It didn't work.
Piper and Leo go down to the kitchen. Prue is waiting for them with two cups of coffee in her hands.
" Are you felling better now, Piper? " she asks her sister.
" Yeah. Thank you, Prue. " Piper answers as she takes the cup from her sister's hand.
Everyone sits around the table.
" You know what you need, Piper? " Phoebe asks.
" What? " Piper asks in return.
" A nice big breakfast! " Phoebe answers as she stands up. " I'll make you eggs and bacon. "
" No! " Piper and Prue react.
" Thank you, Phoebe. " Piper restarts " But I'll take care of it myself. "
" But Piper. " Phoebe starts.
" Don't take it personal, Phoebe. " Prue continues. " But I think Piper doesn't want you to intoxicate Leo and her. "
" Hey! " Phoebe reacts, pretending to hit her sister. " I'm not that bad! "
She looks at Piper and Leo, trying to get their support. Piper takes out the plates, pretending she heard nothing. As for Leo, he tries not to laugh and shrugs, not wanting to make Phoebe angry or to contradict Prue and Piper. Phoebe finally gives up and lets Piper make breakfast. " Besides, " she tells herself " it'll probably help her not to think about her nightmare. "
Prue, her, decides to give Piper a hand. She's still a little upset by what she saw in her sister's room. In fact, it's not as much as the fact that Piper had a nightmare than her reaction as she woke up. Prue never saw Piper like that. But everything seems back to normal now and she tells herself it's not important.
As for Leo, he watches Piper work in the kitchen and chat with her sisters. She seems to be herself again and there's no trace of fear left in her. Leo would like to be able to tell himself it's over but his instinct tells him that it's not. He still chooses not to talk about it now and puts his worries aside to enjoy breakfast. It will still be time to talk about it later.
***
At lunchtime, after the rest of the morning went without any hitch, Piper decides to make sandwiches et and salad. Phoebe offers to help her and Piper accepts, saying that, anyway, it would be hard for her little sister to make bad sandwiches. Leo also offers his help to Piper, who asks him to put the table on while she cuts the salad and Phoebe makes the sandwiches. He accepts and starts putting the plates on the table.
Suddenly, Prue comes up from the basement where she was working on photos in her darkroom and collides with Leo. He drops the glass he was holding and it shatters on the floor. Hearing the noise of broken glass, Piper jumps and quickly turns around, holding her knife as a weapon.
" What's happening?! " she almost yells.
" It's alright, Piper. " Prue answers. " Leo dropped a glass when I bumped into him. "
" What?! " Piper says in voice in which Leo detects fear. " What did you do to him?"
" Piper, I only bumped into him. " Prue answers, not understanding why her sister is asking her such a question.
" Are you okay, Piper? " Leo asks his girlfriend who's still holding her knife defensively.
Piper doesn't answer. She simply glares at Leo then Prue. In her mind, she hears a voice asking her if she's really sure she can believe them. She tries to tell herself that Prue and Leo would never lie to her.
Phoebe, who is still next to Piper, gazes at her sister. What she sees is worrying. Piper is there, almost threatening Leo and Prue with her knife, eyes wide open and full of fear. It seems like she's in a trance. Unable to take anymore, Phoebe holds out her arm and puts her hand on Piper's shoulder. She turns around to Phoebe as if she'd just been attacked. Taken by surprise, Phoebe pushes a little scream and takes a step back.
" Piper! " Leo does at the same time, hoping to bring back the young woman to reality.
Hearing Leo yell her name, Piper seems to get out of her trance. She lowers the knife and lets it fall on the counter as if it were a poisonous snake.
" Oh, my God! I. I'm sorry. " she says as she turns to Leo and Prue.
" Are you okay, Piper? " Prue asks her sister.
" I. I don't know. " Piper answers, seeming to be about to cry.
Leo takes her in his arms. Piper holds him and cries on his shoulder. Long minutes go by. No one dares to speak. Prue and Phoebe pick up the glass shards, exchanging a look every now and then. Something is wrong. They're sure of it.
When Piper stops crying, Leo convinces her to sit on the living room couch. Prue and Phoebe follow them.
" Piper, what happened? " Phoebe finally asks. " That wasn't like you. "
" I don't know, Phoebe. " Piper answers. " I had. I had the feeling. the feeling I was. "
" That you were what? " Leo gently prompts her.
" That I was stuck in my nightmare. " Piper answers in a small voice. " I felt like it was becoming true. "
Phoebe, Prue and Leo exchanges a look. It is obvious to the three of them what nightmare Piper is talking about. Leo, who put his arm around Piper, hugs her a little more while Prue holds her sister's hand and Phoebe comes closer to her.
" Piper " Leo says after a few minutes. " maybe you should tell us about your nightmare. "
Piper nods and starts to explain.
" In my dream, I see you die, all of you. Sometimes, I see. demons kill you. Each time. Each time, demons take your places. They. they pretend they're you and then, they. they try to. they try to. kill me. "
" Oh, Piper. " Prue does as she presses her sister's hand.
She looks at Leo and Phoebe. That explains certain things, like why Piper was afraid of Leo this morning or why she was scared of them sooner. But that doesn't explain why she felt like she was living her nightmare.
" Piper, what made you think you were living your nightmare? " Phoebe asks her.
" I don't know. I think it's. " Piper starts before interrupting herself.
" You think it's what? " Leo asks, reading in her eyes that she wants to add something but doesn't dare to.
" Nothing. " she answers a little too quickly. " I don't know. "
Leo stares at her for a few seconds. " She's lying. " he thinks as she looks away so he won't be able to read in her eyes. " Why? What are you hiding from me, Piper? What scares you so much that you don't want to tell us about it? " Leo is dying to ask her these questions. But he doesn't. He is scared too. Scared of her answer, yes, but also scared she'll lie again.
" Are you sure you don't know, honey? " Phoebe insists.
" Yes. " Piper answers after hesitating after a few seconds. " Maybe I'm just tired. "
" Alright. " Phoebe says, accepting that explanation for now. " In that case, I suggest you don't go to P3 today. "
" But. " Piper protests.
" Phoebe is right. " Prue adds. " You need to rest, Piper. "
" No, it's alright, it's over now. " Piper says. " I'm fine. "
" Piper. " Prue begins.
" Prue, I'm telling you I'm fine. " Piper replies.
Prue and Phoebe give her an unconvinced look.
" You tell them I'm fine." she tells Leo.
" Uh, Piper. I think your sisters are right. " he tells her. " You should stay here and rest a little. It can't hurt you. "
" But I have to open the club. " Piper insists.
" I think your employees can take care of it for one day, Piper. " Prue replies.
Piper looks at them and raises her hands, signaling she surrenders.
" Alright, fine, three against one, I got it. " she says. " You won. "
She turns to Leo.
" You know, " she tells him. " I'm beginning to understand how you feel when we all gang up against you. "
Leo smiles at her.
" Try to remember that next time. " he tells her.
" I'll try but I don't make any promises. " Piper jokes, giving a kiss on Leo's cheek.
Then she gets up and walks to the stairs.
" Wait a minute. " Phoebe calls her. " Where are you going? "
" In my room. " Piper answers turning to her. " To rest. That's what you wanted, isn't it? "
" Fine, have fun. " Phoebe answers back.
Piper rolls her eyes and climbs up the stairs. In truth, it's not only to rest that Piper's going to hide in her bedroom. It's also so she won't have to look in her sisters' and boyfriend's eyes after having so blatantly lied to hem. Piper knows she should have told them about the voice but she didn't have the courage to do it. She is afraid of what it might mean. Piper Halliwell is afraid she's becoming as crazy as Lucy was.
In the living room, Prue, Phoebe and Leo are still sitting on the couch.
" You think she's really better? " Prue asks the other two.
" Seems like it. For now. " Leo answers.
" For now? " Prue asks. " Why are you saying that? "
" Prue, you know as well as I do that something's wrong with Piper. "
Prue bites her lips and nods. She knows Leo is right.
" What do you think is happening to her, Leo? " Phoebe asks.
" I wish I knew, Phoebe. " Leo as he lefts himself fall against the couch's back. " I really wish I knew. "
Phoebe puts her hand out to hold Leo's. She knows how much he loves Piper and how much this must be tearing him up inside. She would like to do something to help him but she knows he won't be better until Piper will. The best she can do is help him figure out what happening to Piper.
" Hey. " she says, searching for his eyes. " Don't worry, Leo. We'll figure it out, you'll see. "
Leo looks at her and tries to smile, but his heart is not in it. He has the bad feeling things will get much worse before they get better.
Meanwhile, in her bedroom, Piper is trying to sleep. But she can't; she's too scared to have another nightmare. The young witch gets up and looks at herself in the mirror. She picks up her hairbrush and begins to brush her long dark hair.
" Why do you think they forced you to stay here? " the voice she is beginning to hate suddenly asks her.
Piper keeps brushing her hair, trying to ignore the voice, telling herself it's only her imagination.
" You think it's because they worry about you? " another voice asks. " You're wrong. "
" It's not them, Piper. " a third voice tells her. " They're the demons who took their places. "
" They don't want you to leave so they can kill you. " the first voice goes on.
" No! " Piper says. " You don't exist. You're a figment of my imagination. "
" You know we're right. " the second voice says. " Think about it. Would Leo really let you come up here alone after what happened? "
Piper closes her eyes.
" Why did Phoebe insist so much to know if you really didn't know why you did that? " the third voice asks. " Because she knows you're beginning to see the truth."
" You must kill them, Piper. " the first voice continues. " You must kill them before they kill you. "
" No! Shut up! " Piper does. " Leave me alone. "
" They killed Prue and Phoebe. They killed Leo. They will kill you. "
" No. " Piper says. " Prue, Phoebe and Leo won't hurt me. "
The voices go on. Piper keeps telling them they are wrong but the voices continue, repeating the same thing over and over. So much so that Piper almost believes them.
Suddenly, unable to take more of this, Piper throws her hairbrush at the mirror, screaming " NO! ".
In the living room, Prue, Phoebe and Leo hear Piper's scream and the sound of shattered glass. They all jump on their feet and run to Piper's room, fearing something happened to her. Leo is the first one to get to the room. What he discovers breaks his heart.
Piper is on her knees, her head buried in her hands, crying her heart out. Shards of mirror are all around her, obviously shattered by her hairbrush which lays in the middle of it all. Silently, Leo nears Piper and takes her in his arms.
" Please, Leo, help me. " she sobs.
" How, Piper? How can I help you? Tell me, please. " Leo presses her, almost crying himself.
" Stop them, please, stop them. "
" Stop who? How, Piper? "
" Make them stop, Leo. Oh, my God, shut them up. "
" Who, Piper, who? " Leo asks again, crying, despaired to see the woman he loves like this.
" The voices. Please, stop the voices. "
Part: Complete story
Author: Natalie Giardetti
Rating: PG (PG-13 for Chapter 3) Spoilers: References to Apocalypse, Now, The Power Of Two, Awakened and Love Hurts
Genre: I'm not sure. Anyone has any thoughts ?
Archive: Ask my permission first
Feedback: kitcharmed@yahoo.com
Disclaimers: I don't own any of these characters (except for the voices) and no profit is intended. This is just for fun.
Author's notes: This fic was written in October 2000 and takes place right after my story Voices. I would also like to mention that I am a French speaker, so if you find grammar or spelling mistakes, I'm really sorry. Oh, and a big thank you to my sister Karine who had the hear me read her the story every time I added something to it.
Voices II -Piper's nightmare
Chapter 1
It is a sunny morning, like there are often in San Francisco. The kind of morning when you tell yourself that everything will be alright, that it's going to be a great day. Unfortunately, it's not always what happens.
It is still pretty early and everything is calm and silent in Halliwell Manor. Everyone is still sleeping, recovering from the last two days. Two days during which Phoebe and Prue were kidnapped by Lucy, They're new apparently crazy neighbor. She wanted to kill them but failed. Then she killed herself in their bathroom. And they still don't know what, exactly, pushed the young woman to do so. Phoebe and Prue agreed that they would never know. They were wrong. They'll soon understand why.
A scream tears the air in the manor, waking up Prue and Phoebe, they run to Piper's room, having recognized her voice.
It is Piper who screamed. She's laying in her bed, agitated, apparently in the middle of a nightmare. Leo is next to her, obviously worried, and tries to wake her up. Because she is still sleeping. Piper Halliwell screamed in her sleep. Leo takes her in his arms, whispering to her to wake up, that it's only a nightmare and that everything's alright. Piper suddenly wakes up and tries to free herself from Leo's grasp.
" Let me go! " she screams, pushing away his hands. " Let me go! "
" Piper, it's alright, it's over. " Leo tries to comfort her.
" No! Let me go!" she screams again. " Go away! "
She manages to get out of his grasp and moves away from him, shaking. That's when Piper finally realizes she really awake and that she's not in danger. She starts crying.
" Oh, Leo, I'm sorry. " she says. " I. I don't know why I. "
" It's okay, Piper. " Leo does as he gets closer to her and gently takes her in his arms. " It's over now. Everything's fine. "
Piper cuddles against her boyfriend, trying to stop her body from shaking. Phoebe and Prue, who watched everything from the doorstep, in silence, not really knowing what to do, enter the room.
" Piper, honey, are you okay? " Phoebe asks, worried.
Piper nods, still unable to talk.
" Is there anything we can do for you? " Prue asks.
This time, Leo is the one who answers.
" A little coffee would be nice for everyone, Prue. "
" Alright. Phoebe and I will wait for you downstairs. " Prue says as she exits with Phoebe.
Left alone with Piper, Leo does his best to comfort her, trying at the same time to push away his own fears and worries. It isn't the first time tonight Piper wakes up from a nightmare. Apparently, always the same. Except that each time, Piper is even more terrified. Every time, he asked her to tell him her nightmare. And every time, all Piper was able to tell him was that Prue, Phoebe and him were dead. This time however, Leo feels Piper remembers more of her nightmare.
When she finally stops shaking, Leo, still holding her, asks " Do you want to talk about it? "
" No. " Piper answers. " I can't, Leo. Not right away. "
" Okay. " Leo does. " When you're ready, Piper. "
" I promise. "
They stay in bed a few more minutes then they get up to join Phoebe and Prue in the kitchen.
When they pass the bathroom, Piper stops. She looks inside and is overcome with shivers as she remembers the voice she heard there last night, the one that told her that her dream wasn't one and that she won't be able to resist. Leo sees her turn pale and wonders what's wrong.
" What's wrong, Piper? " he asks her.
Without answering, Piper takes his hand and clenches it.
" Piper? " Leo does, more and more worried.
Piper still doesn't answer him. That voices, she realizes, she also hears it in her nightmare. Leo, who is starting to be worried for her, and puts his other hand on her arm and says " Piper, look at me. "
This time, the young woman hears him and finally looks away from the bathroom. What Leo sees in her eyes doesn't reassure him.
" What is it? " he asks again.
" I. I. " Piper hesitates.
" You what? " Leo gently encourages her.
" I don't want to go in there. " she says in one breath. " I don't know why, but I don't want to. "
" Okay, we won't go then. " Leo, who isn't sure what just happened, reassures her.
Maybe Piper is only traumatized because she's the one who discovered neighbor Lucy's body in that room. However, he doubts that that's the problem. Piper seemed terrified, not traumatized or sad. It didn't work.
Piper and Leo go down to the kitchen. Prue is waiting for them with two cups of coffee in her hands.
" Are you felling better now, Piper? " she asks her sister.
" Yeah. Thank you, Prue. " Piper answers as she takes the cup from her sister's hand.
Everyone sits around the table.
" You know what you need, Piper? " Phoebe asks.
" What? " Piper asks in return.
" A nice big breakfast! " Phoebe answers as she stands up. " I'll make you eggs and bacon. "
" No! " Piper and Prue react.
" Thank you, Phoebe. " Piper restarts " But I'll take care of it myself. "
" But Piper. " Phoebe starts.
" Don't take it personal, Phoebe. " Prue continues. " But I think Piper doesn't want you to intoxicate Leo and her. "
" Hey! " Phoebe reacts, pretending to hit her sister. " I'm not that bad! "
She looks at Piper and Leo, trying to get their support. Piper takes out the plates, pretending she heard nothing. As for Leo, he tries not to laugh and shrugs, not wanting to make Phoebe angry or to contradict Prue and Piper. Phoebe finally gives up and lets Piper make breakfast. " Besides, " she tells herself " it'll probably help her not to think about her nightmare. "
Prue, her, decides to give Piper a hand. She's still a little upset by what she saw in her sister's room. In fact, it's not as much as the fact that Piper had a nightmare than her reaction as she woke up. Prue never saw Piper like that. But everything seems back to normal now and she tells herself it's not important.
As for Leo, he watches Piper work in the kitchen and chat with her sisters. She seems to be herself again and there's no trace of fear left in her. Leo would like to be able to tell himself it's over but his instinct tells him that it's not. He still chooses not to talk about it now and puts his worries aside to enjoy breakfast. It will still be time to talk about it later.
***
At lunchtime, after the rest of the morning went without any hitch, Piper decides to make sandwiches et and salad. Phoebe offers to help her and Piper accepts, saying that, anyway, it would be hard for her little sister to make bad sandwiches. Leo also offers his help to Piper, who asks him to put the table on while she cuts the salad and Phoebe makes the sandwiches. He accepts and starts putting the plates on the table.
Suddenly, Prue comes up from the basement where she was working on photos in her darkroom and collides with Leo. He drops the glass he was holding and it shatters on the floor. Hearing the noise of broken glass, Piper jumps and quickly turns around, holding her knife as a weapon.
" What's happening?! " she almost yells.
" It's alright, Piper. " Prue answers. " Leo dropped a glass when I bumped into him. "
" What?! " Piper says in voice in which Leo detects fear. " What did you do to him?"
" Piper, I only bumped into him. " Prue answers, not understanding why her sister is asking her such a question.
" Are you okay, Piper? " Leo asks his girlfriend who's still holding her knife defensively.
Piper doesn't answer. She simply glares at Leo then Prue. In her mind, she hears a voice asking her if she's really sure she can believe them. She tries to tell herself that Prue and Leo would never lie to her.
Phoebe, who is still next to Piper, gazes at her sister. What she sees is worrying. Piper is there, almost threatening Leo and Prue with her knife, eyes wide open and full of fear. It seems like she's in a trance. Unable to take anymore, Phoebe holds out her arm and puts her hand on Piper's shoulder. She turns around to Phoebe as if she'd just been attacked. Taken by surprise, Phoebe pushes a little scream and takes a step back.
" Piper! " Leo does at the same time, hoping to bring back the young woman to reality.
Hearing Leo yell her name, Piper seems to get out of her trance. She lowers the knife and lets it fall on the counter as if it were a poisonous snake.
" Oh, my God! I. I'm sorry. " she says as she turns to Leo and Prue.
" Are you okay, Piper? " Prue asks her sister.
" I. I don't know. " Piper answers, seeming to be about to cry.
Leo takes her in his arms. Piper holds him and cries on his shoulder. Long minutes go by. No one dares to speak. Prue and Phoebe pick up the glass shards, exchanging a look every now and then. Something is wrong. They're sure of it.
When Piper stops crying, Leo convinces her to sit on the living room couch. Prue and Phoebe follow them.
" Piper, what happened? " Phoebe finally asks. " That wasn't like you. "
" I don't know, Phoebe. " Piper answers. " I had. I had the feeling. the feeling I was. "
" That you were what? " Leo gently prompts her.
" That I was stuck in my nightmare. " Piper answers in a small voice. " I felt like it was becoming true. "
Phoebe, Prue and Leo exchanges a look. It is obvious to the three of them what nightmare Piper is talking about. Leo, who put his arm around Piper, hugs her a little more while Prue holds her sister's hand and Phoebe comes closer to her.
" Piper " Leo says after a few minutes. " maybe you should tell us about your nightmare. "
Piper nods and starts to explain.
" In my dream, I see you die, all of you. Sometimes, I see. demons kill you. Each time. Each time, demons take your places. They. they pretend they're you and then, they. they try to. they try to. kill me. "
" Oh, Piper. " Prue does as she presses her sister's hand.
She looks at Leo and Phoebe. That explains certain things, like why Piper was afraid of Leo this morning or why she was scared of them sooner. But that doesn't explain why she felt like she was living her nightmare.
" Piper, what made you think you were living your nightmare? " Phoebe asks her.
" I don't know. I think it's. " Piper starts before interrupting herself.
" You think it's what? " Leo asks, reading in her eyes that she wants to add something but doesn't dare to.
" Nothing. " she answers a little too quickly. " I don't know. "
Leo stares at her for a few seconds. " She's lying. " he thinks as she looks away so he won't be able to read in her eyes. " Why? What are you hiding from me, Piper? What scares you so much that you don't want to tell us about it? " Leo is dying to ask her these questions. But he doesn't. He is scared too. Scared of her answer, yes, but also scared she'll lie again.
" Are you sure you don't know, honey? " Phoebe insists.
" Yes. " Piper answers after hesitating after a few seconds. " Maybe I'm just tired. "
" Alright. " Phoebe says, accepting that explanation for now. " In that case, I suggest you don't go to P3 today. "
" But. " Piper protests.
" Phoebe is right. " Prue adds. " You need to rest, Piper. "
" No, it's alright, it's over now. " Piper says. " I'm fine. "
" Piper. " Prue begins.
" Prue, I'm telling you I'm fine. " Piper replies.
Prue and Phoebe give her an unconvinced look.
" You tell them I'm fine." she tells Leo.
" Uh, Piper. I think your sisters are right. " he tells her. " You should stay here and rest a little. It can't hurt you. "
" But I have to open the club. " Piper insists.
" I think your employees can take care of it for one day, Piper. " Prue replies.
Piper looks at them and raises her hands, signaling she surrenders.
" Alright, fine, three against one, I got it. " she says. " You won. "
She turns to Leo.
" You know, " she tells him. " I'm beginning to understand how you feel when we all gang up against you. "
Leo smiles at her.
" Try to remember that next time. " he tells her.
" I'll try but I don't make any promises. " Piper jokes, giving a kiss on Leo's cheek.
Then she gets up and walks to the stairs.
" Wait a minute. " Phoebe calls her. " Where are you going? "
" In my room. " Piper answers turning to her. " To rest. That's what you wanted, isn't it? "
" Fine, have fun. " Phoebe answers back.
Piper rolls her eyes and climbs up the stairs. In truth, it's not only to rest that Piper's going to hide in her bedroom. It's also so she won't have to look in her sisters' and boyfriend's eyes after having so blatantly lied to hem. Piper knows she should have told them about the voice but she didn't have the courage to do it. She is afraid of what it might mean. Piper Halliwell is afraid she's becoming as crazy as Lucy was.
In the living room, Prue, Phoebe and Leo are still sitting on the couch.
" You think she's really better? " Prue asks the other two.
" Seems like it. For now. " Leo answers.
" For now? " Prue asks. " Why are you saying that? "
" Prue, you know as well as I do that something's wrong with Piper. "
Prue bites her lips and nods. She knows Leo is right.
" What do you think is happening to her, Leo? " Phoebe asks.
" I wish I knew, Phoebe. " Leo as he lefts himself fall against the couch's back. " I really wish I knew. "
Phoebe puts her hand out to hold Leo's. She knows how much he loves Piper and how much this must be tearing him up inside. She would like to do something to help him but she knows he won't be better until Piper will. The best she can do is help him figure out what happening to Piper.
" Hey. " she says, searching for his eyes. " Don't worry, Leo. We'll figure it out, you'll see. "
Leo looks at her and tries to smile, but his heart is not in it. He has the bad feeling things will get much worse before they get better.
Meanwhile, in her bedroom, Piper is trying to sleep. But she can't; she's too scared to have another nightmare. The young witch gets up and looks at herself in the mirror. She picks up her hairbrush and begins to brush her long dark hair.
" Why do you think they forced you to stay here? " the voice she is beginning to hate suddenly asks her.
Piper keeps brushing her hair, trying to ignore the voice, telling herself it's only her imagination.
" You think it's because they worry about you? " another voice asks. " You're wrong. "
" It's not them, Piper. " a third voice tells her. " They're the demons who took their places. "
" They don't want you to leave so they can kill you. " the first voice goes on.
" No! " Piper says. " You don't exist. You're a figment of my imagination. "
" You know we're right. " the second voice says. " Think about it. Would Leo really let you come up here alone after what happened? "
Piper closes her eyes.
" Why did Phoebe insist so much to know if you really didn't know why you did that? " the third voice asks. " Because she knows you're beginning to see the truth."
" You must kill them, Piper. " the first voice continues. " You must kill them before they kill you. "
" No! Shut up! " Piper does. " Leave me alone. "
" They killed Prue and Phoebe. They killed Leo. They will kill you. "
" No. " Piper says. " Prue, Phoebe and Leo won't hurt me. "
The voices go on. Piper keeps telling them they are wrong but the voices continue, repeating the same thing over and over. So much so that Piper almost believes them.
Suddenly, unable to take more of this, Piper throws her hairbrush at the mirror, screaming " NO! ".
In the living room, Prue, Phoebe and Leo hear Piper's scream and the sound of shattered glass. They all jump on their feet and run to Piper's room, fearing something happened to her. Leo is the first one to get to the room. What he discovers breaks his heart.
Piper is on her knees, her head buried in her hands, crying her heart out. Shards of mirror are all around her, obviously shattered by her hairbrush which lays in the middle of it all. Silently, Leo nears Piper and takes her in his arms.
" Please, Leo, help me. " she sobs.
" How, Piper? How can I help you? Tell me, please. " Leo presses her, almost crying himself.
" Stop them, please, stop them. "
" Stop who? How, Piper? "
" Make them stop, Leo. Oh, my God, shut them up. "
" Who, Piper, who? " Leo asks again, crying, despaired to see the woman he loves like this.
" The voices. Please, stop the voices. "