~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have always needed you
I could never make it alone
I am the man who will fight for your honor
I'll be the hero you've been dreaming of
We'll live forever
Knowing together
That we did it all for the glory of love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Piper's recovery was both speedy and miraculous. There was no scientific explanation for the way she got better; even the doctors were baffled. They, as well as her family, attributed it to good luck, or a strong will. Piper and Leo let them think that. Only they knew the real reason she survived. Only they knew that it was his love that brought her back.
After announcing their engagement to their families, Leo and Piper couldn't wait to be married. They started planning their wedding just as soon as Piper was released from the hospital. At first, she'd wanted the big, traditional church wedding she'd grown up dreaming about, but she quickly let go of that fantasy when she realized how much time would be involved in the planning. Her illness had made her realize just how precious time was, and she wanted to start her life with Leo as soon as possible. With that in mind, they decided on a small, intimate wedding at the Halliwell manor.
Piper awoke on her wedding day, just one month after her extraordinary recovery, to find rose petals scattered all over her room, including her bedspread. She giggled, throwing a handful up in the air. Prue, Phoebe, and Paige came in seconds later, pouncing on her.
"Did you guys see this?" she asked, giddy.
Prue nodded. "I was the one who let Leo in. You should've seen him, just standing in the doorway watching you sleep. He could've stayed there forever, if I hadn't shoved him out of the house, but then you couldn't get married if he was just standing here."
Piper eyed her older sister suspiciously. "You knew he was planning on sneaking in here and you didn't tell me?"
Prue shrugged helplessly. "He swore me to secrecy. Would you really want me to break a promise to my new brother on the day he officially becomes part of the family?"
Piper smirked, and threw a fistful of petals at her sisters. They responded by dumping piles on top of her, and this continued until Phoebe glanced at the clock.
"Okay, that's it, you need to start getting ready, missy," she said authoritatively. Prue and Paige glanced at each other, arching their eyebrows at Phoebe's sudden take-charge attitude.
"Pheebs is right," Paige agreed. "It's about time you got out of bed and started pampering yourself. We've already set up a hot bubble bath for you, complete with candles, aromatherapy beads, the works."
"We'll come back up and check on you in about half an hour," Prue added. "In the meantime, we'll be downstairs making sure everything is absolutely perfect."
With that, they got up and left, though not before each tossing another handful of petals at Piper. She laughed, waving them off, and then sat still for a minute. Today was going to be perfect, and she wanted to savor every moment of it.
-x-
An hour later, the doorbell rang. Prue and Phoebe were the first to answer.
"Daddy!" Prue exclaimed, throwing her arms around her father. Phoebe soon followed suit.
"Hi, girls," Victor said jovially, giving them each a kiss. "Where's Piper?"
"Upstairs, getting ready," Phoebe told him. "If you want I can go get her. We haven't seen you in months, I'm sure she'll want to come down and at least say hi before things get really crazy."
Before Victor could answer, Paige came down the stairs holding six-month-old Aviva. "Hey, guys, who's at the door?"
Her sisters paused uncomfortably for about half a second. Paige had never actually met their father, and they weren't sure how to introduce them.
"Honey, this is our father, Victor," Prue started. "Dad, this is our sister, Paige."
Paige faltered for a minute, extending her hand awkwardly. "Nice to meet you, sir."
"Please, call me Victor," he said, shaking her hand and giving her a small smile to let her know it was okay. She smiled back. "And don't tell me this is the baby," he added, changing the subject to his granddaughter. "Prue, she's gotten so big. Oh, she's gorgeous."
Paige willingly handed Aviva over to her grandfather, so that he could better fawn over the child.
"Hey, sweetheart. You remember me, don't you? I'm your grandpa."
"Gah!" exclaimed Aviva, causing the adults to burst out laughing. Prue leaned in to kiss the baby, marvelling at her daughter's ability to diffuse tension.
"What's so funny?" Piper asked from the top of the stairs, wearing a bathrobe and curlers.
"Dad's playing with Ava," Phoebe told her.
"Daddy!" Piper called out, having just now spotted her father. She ran down to hug him.
He shifted Aviva onto his hip before putting his free arm around her. "Hey, sweetheart. God, I can't believe my little girl is getting married. So how well do you know this Leo guy, really?"
"Daddy," Piper said again, in a mock-warning tone. "He's a great guy, I promise. I really love him, and I know he loves me."
"Then I'm happy for you," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Now go on, get ready. You're getting married in just a few hours."
Piper smiled, then hurried back upstairs. Victor stared after her, suppressing the urge to cry.
-x-
Two hours later, Leo arrived at the manor, tuxedo in hand. Paige greeted him at the door and directed him to the basement, where Victor was already getting changed.
"Mr.- Mr. Bennet?" he called out nervously from the top of the basement stairs.
"So, you're the man who's marrying my daughter," Victor said gruffly, scarcely bothering to turn around.
"Uh, y-yes," Leo stammered. He went over to the racks where Victor was standing, and, his back to the older man, proceeded to get dressed.
"Piper tells me you're a doctor," Victor began.
Leo nodded. "It's how we met, actually. Prue was in a car accident, and... Well, you probably know the rest."
"Do you make a habit of going out with patients or their families?" Victor asked.
"No," Leo responded curtly. He decided not to say anything more, because a confrontation with his new father-in-law was the last thing he wanted on his wedding day. So he stayed silent, slightly irritated but letting it slide. Victor, however, persisted.
"How do you expect to support Piper? That hospital you work at doesn't pay much, does it?"
"It pays enough," Leo answered. "We'll be living in my apartment, for now, at least. Besides, it's not like we'll be a one-income couple. Piper has her own very successful nightclub."
"So you plan to live off of my daughter's money?"
Leo finished buttoning his shirt, then paused, taking a breath before turning around. "Mr. Bennet, no matter what you think of me, know that I love your daughter more than anything in the world. I would move heaven and hell for her, and I am going to marry her today, regardless of what you or anyone else has to say about it."
"You know," Victor started, turning to look Leo straight in the eye. "I think I'm going to like having you for a son-in-law."
Leo, surprised, said nothing as Victor helped him put on his tie. "Th-thank you," he finally stammered a moment later.
Victor nodded and patted his shoulder, then the two men put on their jackets and went upstairs.
Of the few people who'd been invited to the wedding, everyone was there by the time Leo and Victor came up. Darryl, Jack, Cole, and Glen were standing off to the side, making small talk and watching Mikey, Kali, and Aviva. Lily and Janna were tending to the last-minute details, while Prue, Phoebe, and Paige went upstairs to check on Piper.
They paused in her bedroom doorway, admiring their sister. She waas radiant, in a long, beautiful white bridal gown, with her hair curled and pulled back out of her face. She didn't notice her sisters watching her until Prue stepped into the room.
"You look gorgeous," she said, "Just like Mom."
Piper smiled, with a hint of sadness. "I wish she were here."
"Oh, she is, honey," Phoebe said, stepping forward with Paige. "She's here, and she's so happy for you."
"And so are we," added the youngest sister.
"Thank you," Piper said, hugging all three of them at once.
The hugged her back, not pulling away until they heard a knock at the door.
"Piper," Victor said, "It's almost time." She turned to face him, and he let out an inaudible gasp. "You look amazing," he breathed, wiping a tear from his eye.
"What's wrong, Daddy?" she asked, hugging him.
He shook his head. "Nothing. It's irrational, and I know it, but I feel like I'm losing my baby girl."
Piper smiled at him. "I'll always be your baby girl," she promised.
Victor kissed her, then pulled back before he completely lost it. "Come on. It's time for me to walk my baby girl down the aisle."
A few minutes later, Victor and Piper were standing at the top of the stairs. Prue, Phoebe, and Paige were in front of them, in matching pink bridesmaid's dresses. Piper looked around, first at her sisters walking ahead of her, then at her friends and family gathered around the foyer. Finally, her eyes locked with Leo's, and any apprehension she'd felt melted away. Never averting her gaze from him, she barely noticed the rest of the ceremony. In what seemed like only a heartbeat later, they were married.
****************
A/N: Chapter 100. I never expected to get this far. A huge thank-you goes out to all of you who've had the patience to hang around this far, and an even bigger thanks to everyone who'll stick around to the end. :-*
~from the song "Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera~
I have always needed you
I could never make it alone
I am the man who will fight for your honor
I'll be the hero you've been dreaming of
We'll live forever
Knowing together
That we did it all for the glory of love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Piper's recovery was both speedy and miraculous. There was no scientific explanation for the way she got better; even the doctors were baffled. They, as well as her family, attributed it to good luck, or a strong will. Piper and Leo let them think that. Only they knew the real reason she survived. Only they knew that it was his love that brought her back.
After announcing their engagement to their families, Leo and Piper couldn't wait to be married. They started planning their wedding just as soon as Piper was released from the hospital. At first, she'd wanted the big, traditional church wedding she'd grown up dreaming about, but she quickly let go of that fantasy when she realized how much time would be involved in the planning. Her illness had made her realize just how precious time was, and she wanted to start her life with Leo as soon as possible. With that in mind, they decided on a small, intimate wedding at the Halliwell manor.
Piper awoke on her wedding day, just one month after her extraordinary recovery, to find rose petals scattered all over her room, including her bedspread. She giggled, throwing a handful up in the air. Prue, Phoebe, and Paige came in seconds later, pouncing on her.
"Did you guys see this?" she asked, giddy.
Prue nodded. "I was the one who let Leo in. You should've seen him, just standing in the doorway watching you sleep. He could've stayed there forever, if I hadn't shoved him out of the house, but then you couldn't get married if he was just standing here."
Piper eyed her older sister suspiciously. "You knew he was planning on sneaking in here and you didn't tell me?"
Prue shrugged helplessly. "He swore me to secrecy. Would you really want me to break a promise to my new brother on the day he officially becomes part of the family?"
Piper smirked, and threw a fistful of petals at her sisters. They responded by dumping piles on top of her, and this continued until Phoebe glanced at the clock.
"Okay, that's it, you need to start getting ready, missy," she said authoritatively. Prue and Paige glanced at each other, arching their eyebrows at Phoebe's sudden take-charge attitude.
"Pheebs is right," Paige agreed. "It's about time you got out of bed and started pampering yourself. We've already set up a hot bubble bath for you, complete with candles, aromatherapy beads, the works."
"We'll come back up and check on you in about half an hour," Prue added. "In the meantime, we'll be downstairs making sure everything is absolutely perfect."
With that, they got up and left, though not before each tossing another handful of petals at Piper. She laughed, waving them off, and then sat still for a minute. Today was going to be perfect, and she wanted to savor every moment of it.
-x-
An hour later, the doorbell rang. Prue and Phoebe were the first to answer.
"Daddy!" Prue exclaimed, throwing her arms around her father. Phoebe soon followed suit.
"Hi, girls," Victor said jovially, giving them each a kiss. "Where's Piper?"
"Upstairs, getting ready," Phoebe told him. "If you want I can go get her. We haven't seen you in months, I'm sure she'll want to come down and at least say hi before things get really crazy."
Before Victor could answer, Paige came down the stairs holding six-month-old Aviva. "Hey, guys, who's at the door?"
Her sisters paused uncomfortably for about half a second. Paige had never actually met their father, and they weren't sure how to introduce them.
"Honey, this is our father, Victor," Prue started. "Dad, this is our sister, Paige."
Paige faltered for a minute, extending her hand awkwardly. "Nice to meet you, sir."
"Please, call me Victor," he said, shaking her hand and giving her a small smile to let her know it was okay. She smiled back. "And don't tell me this is the baby," he added, changing the subject to his granddaughter. "Prue, she's gotten so big. Oh, she's gorgeous."
Paige willingly handed Aviva over to her grandfather, so that he could better fawn over the child.
"Hey, sweetheart. You remember me, don't you? I'm your grandpa."
"Gah!" exclaimed Aviva, causing the adults to burst out laughing. Prue leaned in to kiss the baby, marvelling at her daughter's ability to diffuse tension.
"What's so funny?" Piper asked from the top of the stairs, wearing a bathrobe and curlers.
"Dad's playing with Ava," Phoebe told her.
"Daddy!" Piper called out, having just now spotted her father. She ran down to hug him.
He shifted Aviva onto his hip before putting his free arm around her. "Hey, sweetheart. God, I can't believe my little girl is getting married. So how well do you know this Leo guy, really?"
"Daddy," Piper said again, in a mock-warning tone. "He's a great guy, I promise. I really love him, and I know he loves me."
"Then I'm happy for you," he said, kissing the top of her head. "Now go on, get ready. You're getting married in just a few hours."
Piper smiled, then hurried back upstairs. Victor stared after her, suppressing the urge to cry.
-x-
Two hours later, Leo arrived at the manor, tuxedo in hand. Paige greeted him at the door and directed him to the basement, where Victor was already getting changed.
"Mr.- Mr. Bennet?" he called out nervously from the top of the basement stairs.
"So, you're the man who's marrying my daughter," Victor said gruffly, scarcely bothering to turn around.
"Uh, y-yes," Leo stammered. He went over to the racks where Victor was standing, and, his back to the older man, proceeded to get dressed.
"Piper tells me you're a doctor," Victor began.
Leo nodded. "It's how we met, actually. Prue was in a car accident, and... Well, you probably know the rest."
"Do you make a habit of going out with patients or their families?" Victor asked.
"No," Leo responded curtly. He decided not to say anything more, because a confrontation with his new father-in-law was the last thing he wanted on his wedding day. So he stayed silent, slightly irritated but letting it slide. Victor, however, persisted.
"How do you expect to support Piper? That hospital you work at doesn't pay much, does it?"
"It pays enough," Leo answered. "We'll be living in my apartment, for now, at least. Besides, it's not like we'll be a one-income couple. Piper has her own very successful nightclub."
"So you plan to live off of my daughter's money?"
Leo finished buttoning his shirt, then paused, taking a breath before turning around. "Mr. Bennet, no matter what you think of me, know that I love your daughter more than anything in the world. I would move heaven and hell for her, and I am going to marry her today, regardless of what you or anyone else has to say about it."
"You know," Victor started, turning to look Leo straight in the eye. "I think I'm going to like having you for a son-in-law."
Leo, surprised, said nothing as Victor helped him put on his tie. "Th-thank you," he finally stammered a moment later.
Victor nodded and patted his shoulder, then the two men put on their jackets and went upstairs.
Of the few people who'd been invited to the wedding, everyone was there by the time Leo and Victor came up. Darryl, Jack, Cole, and Glen were standing off to the side, making small talk and watching Mikey, Kali, and Aviva. Lily and Janna were tending to the last-minute details, while Prue, Phoebe, and Paige went upstairs to check on Piper.
They paused in her bedroom doorway, admiring their sister. She waas radiant, in a long, beautiful white bridal gown, with her hair curled and pulled back out of her face. She didn't notice her sisters watching her until Prue stepped into the room.
"You look gorgeous," she said, "Just like Mom."
Piper smiled, with a hint of sadness. "I wish she were here."
"Oh, she is, honey," Phoebe said, stepping forward with Paige. "She's here, and she's so happy for you."
"And so are we," added the youngest sister.
"Thank you," Piper said, hugging all three of them at once.
The hugged her back, not pulling away until they heard a knock at the door.
"Piper," Victor said, "It's almost time." She turned to face him, and he let out an inaudible gasp. "You look amazing," he breathed, wiping a tear from his eye.
"What's wrong, Daddy?" she asked, hugging him.
He shook his head. "Nothing. It's irrational, and I know it, but I feel like I'm losing my baby girl."
Piper smiled at him. "I'll always be your baby girl," she promised.
Victor kissed her, then pulled back before he completely lost it. "Come on. It's time for me to walk my baby girl down the aisle."
A few minutes later, Victor and Piper were standing at the top of the stairs. Prue, Phoebe, and Paige were in front of them, in matching pink bridesmaid's dresses. Piper looked around, first at her sisters walking ahead of her, then at her friends and family gathered around the foyer. Finally, her eyes locked with Leo's, and any apprehension she'd felt melted away. Never averting her gaze from him, she barely noticed the rest of the ceremony. In what seemed like only a heartbeat later, they were married.
****************
A/N: Chapter 100. I never expected to get this far. A huge thank-you goes out to all of you who've had the patience to hang around this far, and an even bigger thanks to everyone who'll stick around to the end. :-*
~from the song "Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera~