Living just isn't hard enough

Burn me alive inside

Living my life's not hard enough

Take everything away

Piper was released from the hospital a few hours later, and went home with her sisters as planned. She didn't say a word throughout the car ride home, and when they got back to the manor, she went straight up to her room. Her sisters, unsure of what to do or say to comfort her, decided to let her be by herself for a while and went into the kitchen. Janna, who'd been upstairs watching Aviva, met them there a moment later.

"Hey, guys," she greeted. "What happened? When Phoebe called me to come over and watch the baby, she sounded absolutely frantic, and then she rushed out the door as soon as I got here. Was that Piper I saw slipping into her old room upstairs? Is she okay?"

"No, Janni, she's not," Prue answered. "She just had a miscarraige."

"Oh my God, no wonder Phoebe was so upset," Janna gasped. "I can't imagine how Piper must be feeling. I didn't even know she was pregnant."

"Yeah, and there's more on top of that," Phoebe interjected. "She told Leo she wants a seperation. That's why she's here instead of with him. She won't talk to him. Or us, for that matter."

"She probably needs some 'alone time' right now," Janna sympathized. "Is there anything I can do?"

Prue shook her head. "No, but thanks a lot for watching Ava."

"Hey, what are godmothers for?" Janna responded. "If there's anything else you guys need, call me, okay?"

The sisters nodded, and Janna left, squeezing Prue's shoulder comfortingly as she passed.

"So what can we do?" Paige asked once Janna was gone. "I can't even imagine what's going through Piper's head right now. How do we help her?"

"I think we just need to give her time, honey," Phoebe ventured uncertainly. Paige nodded, and both girls looked to their older sister for reassurance. But the expression on Prue's face told them that her mind was elsewhere.

"What are you thinking about, sweetie?" Paige inquired.

Prue sighed. "I was just trying to imagine how Piper must be feeling. I almost lost Aviva the night she was born, did I tell you that?" Paige nodded, and Prue continued. "She was so early, the doctors didn't think she'd make it. When she was born, her lungs were weak and full of fluid. It took a moment for the nurses to get her to breathe. It was only a minute, two at the most, before I heard her cry, but in that instant, I just kept imagining the worst..." She closed her eyes, as if the memory pained her, but then shook her head. "It's not the same thing, though. My baby lived."

As if to affirm that fact, Aviva started crying in her nursery. Prue, Paige, and Phoebe all got up and hurried upstairs, anxious about how Piper would react.

The crying stopped almost as soon as it had started, and when the girls reached the nursery, they saw why. Piper was standing near the window, with the baby in her arms. "You're okay now, sweetie," she cooed. "You just wanted a little attention, didn't you? It's okay. Auntie Piper's here."

"Piper," Prue called gently, slowly stepping forward. Her other two sisters remained in the doorway. "Honey, do you want me to take her?"

"No, I've got her," Piper answered.

"I can take her if you want," Prue offered again. "I mean, with everything that's happened, are you sure it's not too much for you?"

Piper looked up sharply, as if the question offended her. "Prue, she's my niece. Just because my baby's gone doesn't mean I have to stop being Ava's aunt. We're fine. I promise. Go relax or something, okay? All of you," she added, spying Phoebe and Paige still lurking in the hall.

"Okay," Prue said, sighing. With one more worried glance toward Piper, she left the room, taking Paige and Phoebe downstairs with her.

"Do you really think she's okay?" Phoebe asked, following Prue into the living room.

"No," Prue replied without hesitation. She thought for a minute, then added, "But I think maybe we were wrong to rush up there like that. I mean, she is Ava's aunt. Trying to keep Piper away from her wouldn't do either of them any good."

"But we were just trying to keep Piper from getting hurt," Phoebe argued. "I know she loves Ava - we all do - but do you really think that being around a baby is really a good idea for her right now?"

"I don't know," Prue admitted. "But Piper is going to have to deal with this eventually. I think we just need to back off and let time take it's course."

"I hate not being able to help her," Paige sighed. "I feel like I owe it to Leo to try, after everything he did for me."

"I know, honey," Phoebe said, giving her sister a reasurring hug. "But what Prue's saying does really make sense, at least to me. I think Leo would agree that the best thing we can do right now is nothing."

Paige nodded. "Okay. But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Prue smiled, for what seemed like the first time in days. "Honey, nobody ever said you did."

A/N: I know, I've taken forever to update. I got really busy with school. But my last final is tomorrow, so now that my excuse is gone, you have my permission to bombard me with e-mail if I get lazy again. g Thanks for all the reviews, people. :)

from the song "Prayer" by Disturbed