Disclaimer: Do not own Charmed. Believe me! I really don't! The only thing I own is my plots and my anger at Brad Kern.
A/n: Not a lot of reviews, but two are better than none! Thanx to both of u!
LeoPiper24/7: Of course Leo didn't die! I would never let that happen! And ya never know. It could be... ::smiles::
Pink-Charmed-One: Lolz! Thanx for the review and the warning! I'm glad you don't want me to die. I don't really want to die either! I hope he's as nice as you say he is...
Princess Paige: Ur right, it is like "Love Hurts"! I never thought about that. And i happend to like suspense!
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"What do you think?" Phoebe asked Paige, taking a sip of her coffee. They were both sitting in the kitchen, going over what had happened the night before. "I don't know. Maybe the Elders are giving Piper a new power or something." Paige suggested.
"Nope. That's not it." Piper said as she walked in the door, hand in hand with Leo. "Did you two have a good night?" Phoebe asked. Piper walked over to the counter and poured coffee for herself and Leo. "Yes, we did, as a matter of fact." Piper answered.
"Maybe you can help us, Leo. Do you know why she's healing and sensing?" Paige asked her brother-in-law. Leo took a sip of his coffee, then set it on the island and wrapped his arms around Piper's waist. "I might." He said with a smile. "But I won't know for sure until tonight."
"What are you doing tonight?" Phoebe questioned. "Going on a date. Here. While you two are out of the house pretending you have something better to do than listen to our conversation." Piper stated, giving her sisters a major glare.
"I think she's trying to make a point." Paige joked. They all smiled. "Don't worry lovebirds, I have a date tonight. I'll be gone by 6." "I don't have anything to..." Phoebe stopped as Piper sent her another glare. "Then again, I could always go visit Darryl and Sheila."
"That's what I thought." Piper said. Everyone laughed. Phoebe looked at the watch on her wrist. "Well, I better get to work before Elise sends the "Column Police" after me." Phoebe drained the last of her coffee and set it in the sink before heading towards the front door.
"I should go too. The dogs are gonna wonder where their breakfast is." "I still don't understand how you got a job as a dog walker." Leo teased. "Let's just say there's a reason for everything." Paige explained before leaving the kitchen.
"So your not gonna tell me?" Leo asked Piper as the front door slammed shut. "No, you need to wait until tonight." Piper answered. She pulled out of Leo's hold and went to the sink. "I'm going to the club to set up for tonight. Want to come with?"
Leo looked up at the ceiling. "I wish I could, but the Elders are calling me right now." He walked over and put his arms around Piper again. Piper spun around to face him. "If I don't come by the club, I'll see you later tonight."
"Okay." Piper leaned in as Leo gave her a passionate kiss. Piper pulled away, her eyes still closed. "I love you." Piper whispered. "I love you too." Leo said. They shared another deep, passionate kiss, then Leo pulled his lips away. He let go of Piper and orbed out.
(((( The Bay Mirror ))))
"Phoebe!" A deep voice called as Phoebe walked in the front door. Phoebe froze as her secretary walked up. "Here's your mail, and all your fan letters are on your desk." "Thanks Jen." Phoebe mumbled absentmindedly as her boyfriend walked up.
"Jason. Hi" Phoebe greeted, trying to sound happy. "I thought you were leaving for Hong Kong?" "Turns out the meeting was canceled, and Elise needed my help here, so I stayed." Jason explained. He leaned forward and gave Phoebe a passionate kiss.
Phoebe's empath power kicked into full gear, feeling all of Jason's love for her. 'Just like last time.' Phoebe thought. She pulled away quickly, noticing everyone was watching them again. "Let's go into your office." Phoebe suggested.
She grabbed Jason's hand and walked into his office, shutting the door behind her. "Phoebe, why do you keep pulling away from me?" Jason questioned. "Jason, I can't really explain why, but if you get too close, I feel all your love and it makes me love you back even more."
"But we love each other, Phoebe." Jason said. "So you loving me even more should be a good thing." "In some ways it is, but...I think we should just sorta stay away from each other for a little while." "Phoebe, what's going on? You need to tell me."
"I really want to, Jason, but it's too complicated. Now, I need to go work on my column before Elise fires me. I will...see you around." Phoebe walked out the door before anything else happened. Jason watched her leave, then sat down at his desk and sighed in frustration.
(((( Oscar's house ))))
"Paige, I need to know where my dog is." Mr. Fonsed, Oscar's owner, stated. "I'm sorry, sir, but I can't answer that. He...ran away." Paige lied. "So, he's missing?" Mr. Fonsed asked. "Well, not really. It's hard to explain..."
"Ms. Matthews, if you do not find my dog by the end of this week, I will sue you and take you to court for the mistreatment and uncaring of animals." "Sir, I..." "No. Find my dog, or else." With that, Mr. Fonsed slammed the front door closed.
"Ugh!" Paige screeched, spinning on her heel. She walked down the front steps off the porch and around the house to the side lawn, where "Oscar" was. "So, how did it go?" Oscar asked in his deep voice. "Terrible." Paige answered. "If I don't find you, he's suing me."
"Would it be easier if you just turned me back into a dog?" "It would, but I don't want to take away your freedom just for the sake of me. There has to be another way." Paige answered. "Maybe you could fake my death." Oscar suggested.
"But what if the wicked witch turns you back into a dog? Then I'm going to have to explain how you came back to life after "supposedly" dying." "It's better than turning me back into a dog." "True." Paige said. "Do you mind if I turn you into a dog, hurt you, then turn you back and get you healed?"
"How exactly will you heal me?" Oscar asked. "My sister's husband is an angel and has the power to heal people." Paige explained. "Are we going to do this now or later?" Oscar asked. "I think the soon, the better. I'll think of an explanation later."
Oscar got down on his hands and knees. "I call upon the Halliwell's, I call our powers to undo this spell, return what has been undone, make him a dog once again." Oscar turns back into a dog. "Okay, are you ready?" Paige asked. "Yeah." Oscar says.
"Knife!" Paige calls. A knife orbs Paige's hand. "I'm really sorry." She closes her eyes and stabs Oscar in the side. Oscar howls and falls to the ground. Paige pulls out the knife and picks him up, rubbing a little blood on her hand to make it look like she has been carrying him for a while.
Paige walked behind three houses, then walked up towards the sidewalk. She took a deep breath, then started running towards Mr. Fonsed's house. "Mr. Fonsed! Mr. Fonsed!" Paige yelled as she ran up the front steps. The door swung open, and Mr. Fonsed stood inside.
"I thought I...Oscar?" Mr. Fonsed exclaimed. "Oh my word! What happened?" He grabbed Oscar out of Paige's hand and cradled him like a baby. "I was walking down the sidewalk, and I found him on the grass. It looks like someone shot him." Paige lied quickly.
"No, no. This can't be happening." Mr. Fonsed looked up at Paige. "How do I know you aren't the one that killed him?" "What! Mr. Fonsed, I loved your dog with all my heart. I would never want to hurt him." "I can't trust you. Why is there blood on your hands?"
"It was dripping onto my hands as I ran back here." Paige answered, trying to breathe heavily. "Why do you always make assumptions before you get any facts?" "You're sure you found him on the side of the walk?" Mr. Fonsed asked again.
"Yes!" Paige yelled. "Sorry. What are you going to do with the dog?" "Probably bury him in the backyard or at his vet's office." "If it makes you feel any better, I'll bury him for you." Paige suggested. Mr. Fonsed considered this for a minute.
"I have a meeting to go to, so yeah, that would be great." Mr. Fonsed answered. "The shovels are in the garage. Somewhere in the back garden is fine." Paige nodded and reached for Oscar. Mr. Fonsed kissed Oscar on the head, then handed him over.
"Thank you very much for finding him, Paige." Mr. Fonsed said. 'Well, I couldn't very well let you sue me.' Paige said to herself. "No problem. I'll just go around and look for a good place to bury him." Paige walked down the stairs and around to the back.
Mr. Fonsed's backyard was quite small compared to some of the other neighbors, but that was due to the garden that took up almost half of it. Paige looked around at the signs. 'Tomatoes, green beans, parsley, cabbage. Man, this guy is a major cook. Piper would definitely like it here.' Paige thought.
Paige looked down at Oscar, and noticed his breath was becoming very shallow. Had there not been kids in the backyard, Paige would have called Leo there. She quickly walked up to the front to see Mr. Fonsed pulling out of the driveway.
He rolled down his window. "Just pick a shovel. I don't care which one you use. Thanks again, Paige." Paige waved as Mr. Fonsed pulled out and drove down the street. Paige rushed into the garage and set Oscar down.
"I call upon the Halliwell's, I call our powers to undo this spell, make right again that we must, reverse the curse that made this mutt." Paige recited. She watched as Oscar turned back into a human, then looked up at the ceiling. "Leo! Leo!"
White orbs swirled down and transformed into Leo. "What?" Leo asked. "Heal him." Paige stated. Leo looked down at Oscar, then knelt next to him and held out his hands. "What happened?" Leo asked as his hands started to glow.
"I'll explain later." Paige answered as Oscar's wound healed. Oscar's eyes opened slowly and he blinked a couple times. "Paige?" Oscar questioned. "Yeah, it's me." Paige held out her hand and helped Oscar to his feet.
"Now will you explain?" Leo asked. "If you didn't notice, that was Oscar the dog, the one that was at the house the other day. He's really a human, but an evil witch cursed him. Well, I had to explain to Oscar's owner why he wasn't coming back, so we faked his death."
"I see." Leo sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Do you need me any more? I told Piper I'd meet her at the club." "No, go ahead. I've got it from here." Paige answered. "Okay. Bye." Leo said. "Thank you." Oscar put in. Leo nodded and orbed out.
"Okay, now I should make an illusion of you that we can bury." Paige explained. "Um, 'A death we faked, now we must explain, make a copy of this mutt, so things don't go a muck'. Suddenly, an exact replica of Oscar the dog appeared on the floor, blood and all.
"Wow." Oscar muttered. "Okay, now you go get a shovel and I'll carry the dog." Oscar went to the wall and grabbed a shovel off the wall while Paige picked up the other Oscar. They both set out for the backyard and buried the dog.
"Phew!" Paige gasped, rubbing the back of her hand across her forehead. "I didn't know digging took so much work." They both looked at the new gravesite, which included a sign that said 'Here lies Oscar, the greatest dog ever.' "Did you really have to put the sign?" Oscar asked.
"Yes, I did. It shows how much we care about you." Paige answered. Oscar smiled. "Okay, thank you for all your..." Paige was cut off as Oscar leaned in and gave Paige a short, sweet kiss. "...help. You should have saved that for tonight."
"I couldn't help it." Oscar stated. "Well, I should get back to my job before my boss fires me. I'll see you tonight. You're picking me up at 5:45, right?" Paige asked. "Yeah. I'll see you then." They shared another tender kiss, the Paige looked around and orbed out.
(((( P3 – 3:07 ))))
"Yes, I understand that, but... No, the point is... Just this once, please...Why won't you...Hello? Hello? Ugh!" Piper slammed down the phone. Her one chance to get Michelle Branch to play at the club shattered by a miscalculation.
Piper felt two strong arms wrap around her waist. She became on-edge for a second, but settled down as someone spoke. "What's wrong?" "Do you enjoy sneaking up on me?" Piper asked, turning around on the stool to face her husband.
"Why, yes, I do." Leo answered with a smile. He leaned forward and gave Piper a warm, passionate kiss, brightening Piper's mood. "Now what's wrong?" "I was going to have Michelle Branch play at the club tonight, but they forgot to check with Michelle, and she's leaving for Seattle right now."
"But you won't even be there to enjoy it." Leo reminded. "I know, but I already put up all the flyers, and it's gonna be a big crowd tonight. How do you tell a crowd of almost three hundred that the band they came for isn't coming?"
"There's nothing you can do?" Leo asked, pushing a strand of Piper's hair behind her ear. "No, she was already on her way to the airport when they called. I gave them two weeks notice, and they cancel at the last second!" Piper complained.
"I'm sure it will all work itself out." Leo said, leaning forward and hugging his wife. "Now, I need to go get ready for tonight." Leo explained as he pulled away. "You need four and a half hours to get ready for one night?" Piper asked.
"Well, if I want to make it perfect, then yes." Leo answered. "Well, I may not be able to come if things don't work out for tonight." "I'll see what I can do." Leo said with a smile. He leaned forward and gave Piper another passionate kiss, then orbed himself out.
(((( P3 – 5:52 ))))
"Hello?" A female voice called. Piper stepped out from the back room and looked up the steps. "M-michelle Branch?" Piper stuttered. "You must be Piper Halliwell." Michelle said as she took the last step and held out her hand. "It's an honor to play at your club."
"Not that I'm not glad that you're here..." Piper said, taking Michelle's hand. "But why am I here?" Michelle asked. Piper nodded her head. "My plane was delayed until at least tomorrow morning, and I called my supervisor and she suggested having a concert here instead of in Seattle."
"You are a life-saver!" Piper exclaimed. "I was worried the crowd would have to either leave or listen to someone else play." "Well, I couldn't let that happen." Michelle said with a smile. The front door opened again, and three men started down the steps.
"Oh, this is the rest of my band." Michelle explained. "Where should we set up?" "Um, probably on the stage." Piper suggested. Michelle laughed. "That definitely makes sense. Can we set up now?" "Sure! The crowd will start rolling in around six, six-twenty. Feel free to practice until they get here."
"Thank you very much, Piper." Michelle held out her hand again. "No, thank you. Tonight would probably be a nightmare if you weren't here." Piper answered, shaking Michelle's hand. Michelle laughed, then her and the band headed for the stage.
'I am the luckiest person alive right now.' Piper thought as she moved behind the bar and started wiping down glasses. She hadn't been able to think of a back-up plan, let alone find someone that could play as a back up.
"Let's take it from the top." Michelle called to the band from the stage. "Are you going to stay and listen, Piper?" "Yeah, I have to be somewhere else tonight, so this can be my own personal concert." Michelle nodded and picked up the microphone.
"One, two, three." Michelle counted, tapping her foot. The music automatically grabbed Piper's attention, and she tapped her foot along with the beet. 'My favorite.' Piper thought as Michelle started singing.
I wanted to be like you I wanted everything So I tried to be like you And I got swept away
I didn't know that it was so cold
And you needed someone to show you the way So I took your hand and we figured out That when the time comes I'd take you away
If you want to I can save you I can take you away from here So lonely inside So busy out there And all you wanted was somebody who cares
I'm sinking slowly So hurry hold me Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on Please can you tell me So I can finally see Where you go when you're gone
If you want to I can save you I can take you away from here So lonely inside So busy out there And all you wanted was somebody who cares
All you wanted was somebody who cares If you need me you know I'll be there Oh, yeah
If you want to I can save you I can take you away from here So lonely inside So busy out there And all you wanted was somebody who cares
If you want to I can save you I can take you away from here So lonely inside So busy out there And all you wanted was somebody who cares
Please can you tell me So I can finally see Where you go when you're gone
Piper clapped her hands loudly as the music came to a stop. "What do you think?" Michelle asked. "I love that song!" Piper exclaimed. "Been a favorite ever since I heard it on the radio." "I'm glad you enjoyed it." Michelle said. "Okay, goodbye."
"Wh-"Piper stopped herself as the music started up again. 'Of course, it's the name of her next song.' Piper mentally yelled at herself. But she soon lost herself in the music.
Of all the things I've believed in I just want to get it over with Tears form behind my eyes But I do not cry Counting the days that pass me by
I've been searching deep down in my soul Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old It feels like I'm starting all over again The last three years were just pretend And I said,
[Chorus:] Goodbye to you Goodbye to everything that I knew You were the one I loved The one thing that I tried to hold on to The one thing that I tried to hold on to
I still get lost in your eyes And it seems that I can't live a day without you Closing my eyes and you chase my thoughts away To a place where I am blinded by the light But it's not right
[Chorus]
And it hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time I want what's yours and I want what's mine I want you But I'm not giving in this time
[Chorus x2]
And when the stars fall I will lie awake You're my shooting star
"So?" Michelle asked, taking a deep breath. "Awesome, as usual." Piper answered. She looked down at her watch. "It's almost six. Why don't you guy go backstage, and we'll call you out soon." Michelle nodded, and everyone headed back.
"Piper!" Phoebe yelled, running down the stairs with Wyatt in her arms. "I thought you said Michelle Branch had to cancel?" "Her plane got delayed." Piper explained. "So she decided to come here instead." "That is so awesome!" Phoebe exclaimed. "Yeah, are you sure you can watch the club and Wyatt?"
"How hard can it be?" Phoebe questioned. Piper smiled to herself as she grabbed her things from behind the bar. "Okay. I'm gonna start home. Did Paige leave yet?" "Yeah, some guy picked her up twenty minutes ago. Leo was hiding in the kitchen, and wouldn't let me in on his plan."
Piper laughed. "Okay. Don't have too much fun." She leaned over and gave Wyatt a kiss on the forehead. Phoebe took Wyatt's hand and waved it for him. Piper laughed again and headed up the stairs to the parking lot, wondering what Leo was trying so hard to do.
A/n: Not a lot of reviews, but two are better than none! Thanx to both of u!
LeoPiper24/7: Of course Leo didn't die! I would never let that happen! And ya never know. It could be... ::smiles::
Pink-Charmed-One: Lolz! Thanx for the review and the warning! I'm glad you don't want me to die. I don't really want to die either! I hope he's as nice as you say he is...
Princess Paige: Ur right, it is like "Love Hurts"! I never thought about that. And i happend to like suspense!
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"What do you think?" Phoebe asked Paige, taking a sip of her coffee. They were both sitting in the kitchen, going over what had happened the night before. "I don't know. Maybe the Elders are giving Piper a new power or something." Paige suggested.
"Nope. That's not it." Piper said as she walked in the door, hand in hand with Leo. "Did you two have a good night?" Phoebe asked. Piper walked over to the counter and poured coffee for herself and Leo. "Yes, we did, as a matter of fact." Piper answered.
"Maybe you can help us, Leo. Do you know why she's healing and sensing?" Paige asked her brother-in-law. Leo took a sip of his coffee, then set it on the island and wrapped his arms around Piper's waist. "I might." He said with a smile. "But I won't know for sure until tonight."
"What are you doing tonight?" Phoebe questioned. "Going on a date. Here. While you two are out of the house pretending you have something better to do than listen to our conversation." Piper stated, giving her sisters a major glare.
"I think she's trying to make a point." Paige joked. They all smiled. "Don't worry lovebirds, I have a date tonight. I'll be gone by 6." "I don't have anything to..." Phoebe stopped as Piper sent her another glare. "Then again, I could always go visit Darryl and Sheila."
"That's what I thought." Piper said. Everyone laughed. Phoebe looked at the watch on her wrist. "Well, I better get to work before Elise sends the "Column Police" after me." Phoebe drained the last of her coffee and set it in the sink before heading towards the front door.
"I should go too. The dogs are gonna wonder where their breakfast is." "I still don't understand how you got a job as a dog walker." Leo teased. "Let's just say there's a reason for everything." Paige explained before leaving the kitchen.
"So your not gonna tell me?" Leo asked Piper as the front door slammed shut. "No, you need to wait until tonight." Piper answered. She pulled out of Leo's hold and went to the sink. "I'm going to the club to set up for tonight. Want to come with?"
Leo looked up at the ceiling. "I wish I could, but the Elders are calling me right now." He walked over and put his arms around Piper again. Piper spun around to face him. "If I don't come by the club, I'll see you later tonight."
"Okay." Piper leaned in as Leo gave her a passionate kiss. Piper pulled away, her eyes still closed. "I love you." Piper whispered. "I love you too." Leo said. They shared another deep, passionate kiss, then Leo pulled his lips away. He let go of Piper and orbed out.
(((( The Bay Mirror ))))
"Phoebe!" A deep voice called as Phoebe walked in the front door. Phoebe froze as her secretary walked up. "Here's your mail, and all your fan letters are on your desk." "Thanks Jen." Phoebe mumbled absentmindedly as her boyfriend walked up.
"Jason. Hi" Phoebe greeted, trying to sound happy. "I thought you were leaving for Hong Kong?" "Turns out the meeting was canceled, and Elise needed my help here, so I stayed." Jason explained. He leaned forward and gave Phoebe a passionate kiss.
Phoebe's empath power kicked into full gear, feeling all of Jason's love for her. 'Just like last time.' Phoebe thought. She pulled away quickly, noticing everyone was watching them again. "Let's go into your office." Phoebe suggested.
She grabbed Jason's hand and walked into his office, shutting the door behind her. "Phoebe, why do you keep pulling away from me?" Jason questioned. "Jason, I can't really explain why, but if you get too close, I feel all your love and it makes me love you back even more."
"But we love each other, Phoebe." Jason said. "So you loving me even more should be a good thing." "In some ways it is, but...I think we should just sorta stay away from each other for a little while." "Phoebe, what's going on? You need to tell me."
"I really want to, Jason, but it's too complicated. Now, I need to go work on my column before Elise fires me. I will...see you around." Phoebe walked out the door before anything else happened. Jason watched her leave, then sat down at his desk and sighed in frustration.
(((( Oscar's house ))))
"Paige, I need to know where my dog is." Mr. Fonsed, Oscar's owner, stated. "I'm sorry, sir, but I can't answer that. He...ran away." Paige lied. "So, he's missing?" Mr. Fonsed asked. "Well, not really. It's hard to explain..."
"Ms. Matthews, if you do not find my dog by the end of this week, I will sue you and take you to court for the mistreatment and uncaring of animals." "Sir, I..." "No. Find my dog, or else." With that, Mr. Fonsed slammed the front door closed.
"Ugh!" Paige screeched, spinning on her heel. She walked down the front steps off the porch and around the house to the side lawn, where "Oscar" was. "So, how did it go?" Oscar asked in his deep voice. "Terrible." Paige answered. "If I don't find you, he's suing me."
"Would it be easier if you just turned me back into a dog?" "It would, but I don't want to take away your freedom just for the sake of me. There has to be another way." Paige answered. "Maybe you could fake my death." Oscar suggested.
"But what if the wicked witch turns you back into a dog? Then I'm going to have to explain how you came back to life after "supposedly" dying." "It's better than turning me back into a dog." "True." Paige said. "Do you mind if I turn you into a dog, hurt you, then turn you back and get you healed?"
"How exactly will you heal me?" Oscar asked. "My sister's husband is an angel and has the power to heal people." Paige explained. "Are we going to do this now or later?" Oscar asked. "I think the soon, the better. I'll think of an explanation later."
Oscar got down on his hands and knees. "I call upon the Halliwell's, I call our powers to undo this spell, return what has been undone, make him a dog once again." Oscar turns back into a dog. "Okay, are you ready?" Paige asked. "Yeah." Oscar says.
"Knife!" Paige calls. A knife orbs Paige's hand. "I'm really sorry." She closes her eyes and stabs Oscar in the side. Oscar howls and falls to the ground. Paige pulls out the knife and picks him up, rubbing a little blood on her hand to make it look like she has been carrying him for a while.
Paige walked behind three houses, then walked up towards the sidewalk. She took a deep breath, then started running towards Mr. Fonsed's house. "Mr. Fonsed! Mr. Fonsed!" Paige yelled as she ran up the front steps. The door swung open, and Mr. Fonsed stood inside.
"I thought I...Oscar?" Mr. Fonsed exclaimed. "Oh my word! What happened?" He grabbed Oscar out of Paige's hand and cradled him like a baby. "I was walking down the sidewalk, and I found him on the grass. It looks like someone shot him." Paige lied quickly.
"No, no. This can't be happening." Mr. Fonsed looked up at Paige. "How do I know you aren't the one that killed him?" "What! Mr. Fonsed, I loved your dog with all my heart. I would never want to hurt him." "I can't trust you. Why is there blood on your hands?"
"It was dripping onto my hands as I ran back here." Paige answered, trying to breathe heavily. "Why do you always make assumptions before you get any facts?" "You're sure you found him on the side of the walk?" Mr. Fonsed asked again.
"Yes!" Paige yelled. "Sorry. What are you going to do with the dog?" "Probably bury him in the backyard or at his vet's office." "If it makes you feel any better, I'll bury him for you." Paige suggested. Mr. Fonsed considered this for a minute.
"I have a meeting to go to, so yeah, that would be great." Mr. Fonsed answered. "The shovels are in the garage. Somewhere in the back garden is fine." Paige nodded and reached for Oscar. Mr. Fonsed kissed Oscar on the head, then handed him over.
"Thank you very much for finding him, Paige." Mr. Fonsed said. 'Well, I couldn't very well let you sue me.' Paige said to herself. "No problem. I'll just go around and look for a good place to bury him." Paige walked down the stairs and around to the back.
Mr. Fonsed's backyard was quite small compared to some of the other neighbors, but that was due to the garden that took up almost half of it. Paige looked around at the signs. 'Tomatoes, green beans, parsley, cabbage. Man, this guy is a major cook. Piper would definitely like it here.' Paige thought.
Paige looked down at Oscar, and noticed his breath was becoming very shallow. Had there not been kids in the backyard, Paige would have called Leo there. She quickly walked up to the front to see Mr. Fonsed pulling out of the driveway.
He rolled down his window. "Just pick a shovel. I don't care which one you use. Thanks again, Paige." Paige waved as Mr. Fonsed pulled out and drove down the street. Paige rushed into the garage and set Oscar down.
"I call upon the Halliwell's, I call our powers to undo this spell, make right again that we must, reverse the curse that made this mutt." Paige recited. She watched as Oscar turned back into a human, then looked up at the ceiling. "Leo! Leo!"
White orbs swirled down and transformed into Leo. "What?" Leo asked. "Heal him." Paige stated. Leo looked down at Oscar, then knelt next to him and held out his hands. "What happened?" Leo asked as his hands started to glow.
"I'll explain later." Paige answered as Oscar's wound healed. Oscar's eyes opened slowly and he blinked a couple times. "Paige?" Oscar questioned. "Yeah, it's me." Paige held out her hand and helped Oscar to his feet.
"Now will you explain?" Leo asked. "If you didn't notice, that was Oscar the dog, the one that was at the house the other day. He's really a human, but an evil witch cursed him. Well, I had to explain to Oscar's owner why he wasn't coming back, so we faked his death."
"I see." Leo sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Do you need me any more? I told Piper I'd meet her at the club." "No, go ahead. I've got it from here." Paige answered. "Okay. Bye." Leo said. "Thank you." Oscar put in. Leo nodded and orbed out.
"Okay, now I should make an illusion of you that we can bury." Paige explained. "Um, 'A death we faked, now we must explain, make a copy of this mutt, so things don't go a muck'. Suddenly, an exact replica of Oscar the dog appeared on the floor, blood and all.
"Wow." Oscar muttered. "Okay, now you go get a shovel and I'll carry the dog." Oscar went to the wall and grabbed a shovel off the wall while Paige picked up the other Oscar. They both set out for the backyard and buried the dog.
"Phew!" Paige gasped, rubbing the back of her hand across her forehead. "I didn't know digging took so much work." They both looked at the new gravesite, which included a sign that said 'Here lies Oscar, the greatest dog ever.' "Did you really have to put the sign?" Oscar asked.
"Yes, I did. It shows how much we care about you." Paige answered. Oscar smiled. "Okay, thank you for all your..." Paige was cut off as Oscar leaned in and gave Paige a short, sweet kiss. "...help. You should have saved that for tonight."
"I couldn't help it." Oscar stated. "Well, I should get back to my job before my boss fires me. I'll see you tonight. You're picking me up at 5:45, right?" Paige asked. "Yeah. I'll see you then." They shared another tender kiss, the Paige looked around and orbed out.
(((( P3 – 3:07 ))))
"Yes, I understand that, but... No, the point is... Just this once, please...Why won't you...Hello? Hello? Ugh!" Piper slammed down the phone. Her one chance to get Michelle Branch to play at the club shattered by a miscalculation.
Piper felt two strong arms wrap around her waist. She became on-edge for a second, but settled down as someone spoke. "What's wrong?" "Do you enjoy sneaking up on me?" Piper asked, turning around on the stool to face her husband.
"Why, yes, I do." Leo answered with a smile. He leaned forward and gave Piper a warm, passionate kiss, brightening Piper's mood. "Now what's wrong?" "I was going to have Michelle Branch play at the club tonight, but they forgot to check with Michelle, and she's leaving for Seattle right now."
"But you won't even be there to enjoy it." Leo reminded. "I know, but I already put up all the flyers, and it's gonna be a big crowd tonight. How do you tell a crowd of almost three hundred that the band they came for isn't coming?"
"There's nothing you can do?" Leo asked, pushing a strand of Piper's hair behind her ear. "No, she was already on her way to the airport when they called. I gave them two weeks notice, and they cancel at the last second!" Piper complained.
"I'm sure it will all work itself out." Leo said, leaning forward and hugging his wife. "Now, I need to go get ready for tonight." Leo explained as he pulled away. "You need four and a half hours to get ready for one night?" Piper asked.
"Well, if I want to make it perfect, then yes." Leo answered. "Well, I may not be able to come if things don't work out for tonight." "I'll see what I can do." Leo said with a smile. He leaned forward and gave Piper another passionate kiss, then orbed himself out.
(((( P3 – 5:52 ))))
"Hello?" A female voice called. Piper stepped out from the back room and looked up the steps. "M-michelle Branch?" Piper stuttered. "You must be Piper Halliwell." Michelle said as she took the last step and held out her hand. "It's an honor to play at your club."
"Not that I'm not glad that you're here..." Piper said, taking Michelle's hand. "But why am I here?" Michelle asked. Piper nodded her head. "My plane was delayed until at least tomorrow morning, and I called my supervisor and she suggested having a concert here instead of in Seattle."
"You are a life-saver!" Piper exclaimed. "I was worried the crowd would have to either leave or listen to someone else play." "Well, I couldn't let that happen." Michelle said with a smile. The front door opened again, and three men started down the steps.
"Oh, this is the rest of my band." Michelle explained. "Where should we set up?" "Um, probably on the stage." Piper suggested. Michelle laughed. "That definitely makes sense. Can we set up now?" "Sure! The crowd will start rolling in around six, six-twenty. Feel free to practice until they get here."
"Thank you very much, Piper." Michelle held out her hand again. "No, thank you. Tonight would probably be a nightmare if you weren't here." Piper answered, shaking Michelle's hand. Michelle laughed, then her and the band headed for the stage.
'I am the luckiest person alive right now.' Piper thought as she moved behind the bar and started wiping down glasses. She hadn't been able to think of a back-up plan, let alone find someone that could play as a back up.
"Let's take it from the top." Michelle called to the band from the stage. "Are you going to stay and listen, Piper?" "Yeah, I have to be somewhere else tonight, so this can be my own personal concert." Michelle nodded and picked up the microphone.
"One, two, three." Michelle counted, tapping her foot. The music automatically grabbed Piper's attention, and she tapped her foot along with the beet. 'My favorite.' Piper thought as Michelle started singing.
I wanted to be like you I wanted everything So I tried to be like you And I got swept away
I didn't know that it was so cold
And you needed someone to show you the way So I took your hand and we figured out That when the time comes I'd take you away
If you want to I can save you I can take you away from here So lonely inside So busy out there And all you wanted was somebody who cares
I'm sinking slowly So hurry hold me Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on Please can you tell me So I can finally see Where you go when you're gone
If you want to I can save you I can take you away from here So lonely inside So busy out there And all you wanted was somebody who cares
All you wanted was somebody who cares If you need me you know I'll be there Oh, yeah
If you want to I can save you I can take you away from here So lonely inside So busy out there And all you wanted was somebody who cares
If you want to I can save you I can take you away from here So lonely inside So busy out there And all you wanted was somebody who cares
Please can you tell me So I can finally see Where you go when you're gone
Piper clapped her hands loudly as the music came to a stop. "What do you think?" Michelle asked. "I love that song!" Piper exclaimed. "Been a favorite ever since I heard it on the radio." "I'm glad you enjoyed it." Michelle said. "Okay, goodbye."
"Wh-"Piper stopped herself as the music started up again. 'Of course, it's the name of her next song.' Piper mentally yelled at herself. But she soon lost herself in the music.
Of all the things I've believed in I just want to get it over with Tears form behind my eyes But I do not cry Counting the days that pass me by
I've been searching deep down in my soul Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old It feels like I'm starting all over again The last three years were just pretend And I said,
[Chorus:] Goodbye to you Goodbye to everything that I knew You were the one I loved The one thing that I tried to hold on to The one thing that I tried to hold on to
I still get lost in your eyes And it seems that I can't live a day without you Closing my eyes and you chase my thoughts away To a place where I am blinded by the light But it's not right
[Chorus]
And it hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time I want what's yours and I want what's mine I want you But I'm not giving in this time
[Chorus x2]
And when the stars fall I will lie awake You're my shooting star
"So?" Michelle asked, taking a deep breath. "Awesome, as usual." Piper answered. She looked down at her watch. "It's almost six. Why don't you guy go backstage, and we'll call you out soon." Michelle nodded, and everyone headed back.
"Piper!" Phoebe yelled, running down the stairs with Wyatt in her arms. "I thought you said Michelle Branch had to cancel?" "Her plane got delayed." Piper explained. "So she decided to come here instead." "That is so awesome!" Phoebe exclaimed. "Yeah, are you sure you can watch the club and Wyatt?"
"How hard can it be?" Phoebe questioned. Piper smiled to herself as she grabbed her things from behind the bar. "Okay. I'm gonna start home. Did Paige leave yet?" "Yeah, some guy picked her up twenty minutes ago. Leo was hiding in the kitchen, and wouldn't let me in on his plan."
Piper laughed. "Okay. Don't have too much fun." She leaned over and gave Wyatt a kiss on the forehead. Phoebe took Wyatt's hand and waved it for him. Piper laughed again and headed up the stairs to the parking lot, wondering what Leo was trying so hard to do.