TWO
"I don't understand this," whispered Piper, wiping a tear away. "Leo is immortal. Something like this isn't supposed to be dangerous for him. Why isn't his healing ability working?"
"Calm down, honey," said Prue. "I'm sure there's a reason for it. He's going to be okay."
"Piper's right," said Phoebe. "Any damage he suffers is supposed to heal automatically. Something isn't right about all this. Maybe someone cast a spell to stop his healing power so they could get to us."
"This isn't helping," said Prue. "Let's just find out what's going on first. Then we can try to figure out why it's happening."
Just then a man wearing a suit and tie approached them. He looked to be about fifty years old and his hair was starting to turn gray. He smiled as he walked up to the sisters. He was wearing a pair of wire-framed glasses.
"Piper Wyatt?" asked the man.
"Yes?" responded Piper. "Do you have any news about Leo? Is he all right?"
"I'm afraid I don't work here," said the man. "I only just arrived. My name is Alister Crumley."
"You look like a lawyer," said Phoebe.
"I'm no lawyer," laughed Alister. "I've come because of Leo's condition. We need to talk privately."
"What about his condition?" demanded Piper. "What do you know about my husbands' condition?"
"Piper Wyatt?" interrupted a man wearing green hospital scrubs before Alister could answer. "I'm Dr. Reardon. Your husband is critical but stable for the moment. We need to get him into surgery as soon as possible. He seems to have a lot of internal injuries. Frankly, I'm amazed he's still alive."
"I don't think surgery is going to be necessary," said Alister to Reardon, taking off his glasses. "In fact, his injuries don't seem to be as severe as you originally thought. They looked much worse than they actually are."
Alister smiled and put his glasses back on. The doctor shook his head once, and then turned back to Piper.
"As I said," said Dr. Reardon, "he's stable for now. It's a miracle he wasn't injured any worse than he was. Someone up there must be watching out for him."
"What about surgery?" asked Piper. "How soon will you have to operate?"
"Surgery?" questioned Reardon. "I don't think surgery is called for. He doesn't seem to be injured that badly. It looked much worse than it actually is."
"But you just said," began Prue.
"I'm afraid they have been given conflicting information," said Alister. "Someone told them his injuries were much worse than you obviously believe them to be. They were told surgery would probably be necessary."
"Well, his injuries aren't that severe," said Reardon. "Some times the staff can get a little over-zealous when trying to comfort family members. I'm sorry for the confusion. Who are you?"
"Dr. Alister Crumley," said Alister. "I'm Mr. Wyatt's personal physician. I came as soon as I learned of his accident."
"I see," said Reardon. "Good. I'm afraid our medical history on Mr. Wyatt is woefully incomplete. Maybe you can fill in some of our missing information. Apparently Mrs. Wyatt wasn't sure about some of it."
"I'll be glad to," said Alister. "They've only been married about a month. I can give you any information you need on Leo."
"I'm assuming you'll want to be taking over his treatment," said Reardon. "Seeing as he's your patient."
"If it's no bother," said Alister. "No reflection on you, of course. I'm sure you are a very competent doctor. But I would prefer to treat Leo myself. One of my people is making arrangements right now to extend limited medical privileges here for me."
"I'm appreciative for the help," said Reardon. "My caseload is pretty hectic as it is. Besides, as the attending physician, we won't have to as a lot of questions about Mr. Wyatt's medical condition and history. That can save a lot of time with treatment, as I'm sure you're aware."
"Certainly," said Alister.
Prue, Piper, and Phoebe looked on in total confusion as the two strangers discussed treatment for Leo. And Alister seemed to know more about Leo than he should.
"I don't understand this," whispered Piper, wiping a tear away. "Leo is immortal. Something like this isn't supposed to be dangerous for him. Why isn't his healing ability working?"
"Calm down, honey," said Prue. "I'm sure there's a reason for it. He's going to be okay."
"Piper's right," said Phoebe. "Any damage he suffers is supposed to heal automatically. Something isn't right about all this. Maybe someone cast a spell to stop his healing power so they could get to us."
"This isn't helping," said Prue. "Let's just find out what's going on first. Then we can try to figure out why it's happening."
Just then a man wearing a suit and tie approached them. He looked to be about fifty years old and his hair was starting to turn gray. He smiled as he walked up to the sisters. He was wearing a pair of wire-framed glasses.
"Piper Wyatt?" asked the man.
"Yes?" responded Piper. "Do you have any news about Leo? Is he all right?"
"I'm afraid I don't work here," said the man. "I only just arrived. My name is Alister Crumley."
"You look like a lawyer," said Phoebe.
"I'm no lawyer," laughed Alister. "I've come because of Leo's condition. We need to talk privately."
"What about his condition?" demanded Piper. "What do you know about my husbands' condition?"
"Piper Wyatt?" interrupted a man wearing green hospital scrubs before Alister could answer. "I'm Dr. Reardon. Your husband is critical but stable for the moment. We need to get him into surgery as soon as possible. He seems to have a lot of internal injuries. Frankly, I'm amazed he's still alive."
"I don't think surgery is going to be necessary," said Alister to Reardon, taking off his glasses. "In fact, his injuries don't seem to be as severe as you originally thought. They looked much worse than they actually are."
Alister smiled and put his glasses back on. The doctor shook his head once, and then turned back to Piper.
"As I said," said Dr. Reardon, "he's stable for now. It's a miracle he wasn't injured any worse than he was. Someone up there must be watching out for him."
"What about surgery?" asked Piper. "How soon will you have to operate?"
"Surgery?" questioned Reardon. "I don't think surgery is called for. He doesn't seem to be injured that badly. It looked much worse than it actually is."
"But you just said," began Prue.
"I'm afraid they have been given conflicting information," said Alister. "Someone told them his injuries were much worse than you obviously believe them to be. They were told surgery would probably be necessary."
"Well, his injuries aren't that severe," said Reardon. "Some times the staff can get a little over-zealous when trying to comfort family members. I'm sorry for the confusion. Who are you?"
"Dr. Alister Crumley," said Alister. "I'm Mr. Wyatt's personal physician. I came as soon as I learned of his accident."
"I see," said Reardon. "Good. I'm afraid our medical history on Mr. Wyatt is woefully incomplete. Maybe you can fill in some of our missing information. Apparently Mrs. Wyatt wasn't sure about some of it."
"I'll be glad to," said Alister. "They've only been married about a month. I can give you any information you need on Leo."
"I'm assuming you'll want to be taking over his treatment," said Reardon. "Seeing as he's your patient."
"If it's no bother," said Alister. "No reflection on you, of course. I'm sure you are a very competent doctor. But I would prefer to treat Leo myself. One of my people is making arrangements right now to extend limited medical privileges here for me."
"I'm appreciative for the help," said Reardon. "My caseload is pretty hectic as it is. Besides, as the attending physician, we won't have to as a lot of questions about Mr. Wyatt's medical condition and history. That can save a lot of time with treatment, as I'm sure you're aware."
"Certainly," said Alister.
Prue, Piper, and Phoebe looked on in total confusion as the two strangers discussed treatment for Leo. And Alister seemed to know more about Leo than he should.