Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed or any of the characters from the TV show. The song "Every Time" is taken from Britney Spears album "In The Zone" and I have no connection it or the artist.
To Look Again – Every Time, Phoebe's Revelation
Notice me, Take my hand,
Why were we, strangers when,
Our love is strong,
Why can't we cope without me?
Sirens blazed outside, red lights flashed across Piper's face as she stood at the front door. She held her arm tightly around Phoebe's shoulder who stood beside her, snuggling her small face into Piper's side. Piper's tears had subsided but her face was still red, Grams walked quickly up to the house. Piper looked at her hopefully,
"I'm going with Prue to hospital. Put Phoebe back to her bed, there no point in you two coming up because you'll just be sent home. I'm going to stay the night with her, and I'll come and get you two in the morning to see her." She said methodically, she was like a robot barking orders at them,
"How is she?" asked Piper, straining hard to hold back tears, "Is she going to be alright,"
"I don't know anything yet Piper. I'll call when I have more information, I have to go." She said and with that she left her two youngest granddaughters sobbing on the steps. As they ambulance quickly pulled out of the driveway and headed speeding towards the local hospital Piper lead Phoebe inside and shut the door behind them.
"Why is Prue going to hospital… what's going on, Piper I don't understand," sobbed the young girl, Piper pulled Phoebe close to her and hugged her tight. She wanted nothing more than to shield Phoebe from all the pain that she felt herself but didn't know how.
"Prue had an accident. She got a cut and they are just taking her to hospital to make sure everything is alright… she's going to be fine," sighed Piper, praying deep inside that her words would not turn out to be lies. "Well, I think that you should get some sleep… it's still very early, so how about I take you up to bed?" asked Piper hoping that Phoebe would not object.
"I don't want to… sleep in bed, can't I sleep here?" asked Phoebe, not feeling like fighting Piper nodded her head and then went to get bedding.
Every time I try to fly,
I fall without my wings,
I feel so small,
I guess I need you baby,
And every time I sleep,
You're in my dreams,
I see you're face,
Its haunting me,
I guess I need you baby,
Phoebe was settled within the hour, sleeping sound as Piper sat next to her gently stroking her hair. Holding the phone desperately in one hand she slowly allowed tears to fall gently.
Piper opened Prue's bedroom door, "Prue?" she called gently, her eyes narrowed when she saw her sister's body laying on the floor.
"Prue?" she sobbed, "Prue?" she ran over to her and tried to rouse her but Prue wouldn't wake… Piper ran quickly from the room and into Grams. She lay asleep in bed, Piper suddenly started yelling,
"Grams! Prue… she's bleeding, there's blood everywhere… and she… she won't wake up. I can't wake her up… Grams… please she won't… I can't… there's no… its too…" sobbed Piper hysterically, Grams quickly jumped out of bed and ran straight through to Prue's bedroom, she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Prue's motionless body,
"Call 911," she said instantly as she ran towards Prue's body, Piper stood still for a second until Grams' words had registered and then ran instantly towards to phone. She picked it up and dialled 911,
"Operator, what is your emergency?"
Piper darted her head up, shocked she looked around to try and figure out what she had heard. Then she looked towards her hand, the phone was ringing, Please let it be Grams' she prayed,
"Hello?" she said, then waited a couple of seconds for a response,
"Piper?" said the small voice on the other side, it was instantly recognised as Grams,
"Yes," said Piper, it felt stupid just to reply 'yes' but Piper couldn't think of anything else to say,
"Its bad Piper," sighed Grams, not attempting to shield Piper, "Prue has lost a lot of blood, the doctors say she doesn't have any medication in her system or anything but she has lost a lot of blood. They've given her more but they are worried about the damage the cuts have done…" Grams' voice was breaking into sobs as she spoke, "They don't know how she'll pull through,"
I make believe,
That you are here,
It's the only way,
That I see clear,
What have I done?
You seem to move uneasy.
Piper and Grams had hung up the phone not long after, and Piper had instantly started to sob. She tried to keep quiet so as not to wake Phoebe but her efforts didn't work and soon enough Phoebe was awake looking desperately at her sister. After a few seconds Phoebe spoke up,
"Prue… she's… she's not well is she?" she said quietly, Piper said nothing, merely shook her head, "But, she didn't get cut… I mean not by accident." She continued, this caused Piper to look up,
"What do you mean?" asked Piper,
"She… I mean that… those cuts, the ones on her arms… they… they're not by accident. She did that… she did it to herself… didn't she?" sobbed Phoebe quietly, Piper shook her head,
"No." she said shortly,
"Don't lie to me," pleaded Phoebe. Suddenly everything that Piper thought she knew was thrown into question. I couldn't protect her; I couldn't protect Phoebe from all the awful things in this world… I tried but I couldn't. I'm such a failure she though,
"OK, yes. Prue made those cuts herself, but that doesn't mean anything. It had nothing to do with you or me or Grams… and," Phoebe cut her off,
"I know… she's just unhappy, she cries you know. All the time, I hear her late at nights, when everyone thinks I'm asleep. She's cries lots, every night almost… I sometimes hold a pillow to my ears so I can't hear it, doesn't always work though…"
"Oh, Phoebe," sobbed Piper, hearing what her younger sister was going through was heartbreaking to Piper, she had hoped to have shielded Phoebe from at least some of it,
"She's not going to be alright is she… she's went too far this time, I know it," wept the young child,
"Well…" Piper started but again Phoebe interrupted,
"Lie to me,"
Every time I try to fly,
I fall without my wings,
I feel so small,
I guess I need you baby,
And every time I sleep,
You're in my dreams,
I see you're face,
You're haunting me,
I guess I need you baby,
Phoebe had fallen to sleep about an hour after speaking to Piper, and Piper had drifted off into an uneasy sleep not long after that. The next thing either of the knew Grams' was waking them gently,
"Hey," sighed Piper as she yawned and sat up, disturbing Phoebe unintentionally when she did,
"Hi Grams," smiled Phoebe, pulling her grandmother into a hug instantly,
"How is she?" asked Piper, abstaining from the hug, Grams stayed silent for a second and looked away from Piper, "Grams? What happened?" asked Piper, Grams took a few deep breaths in and then turned back to her granddaughters,
"She… she's… as you know she lost a lot of blood and well… she's," Grams paused and looked intensely towards the ceiling, trying to stop tears, "She's slipped into a coma… in the early hours of this morning," she said quietly. Piper took a deep breath in and felt the tears well up behind her eyes. Phoebe looked at Grams heartbroken and shocked. Her face made Piper want to cry even more, no one that young she wear a face with that much pain thought Piper.
"What else did the doctors say?" sobbed Piper, trying not to cry but the tears were too much she couldn't help it,
"They told us… they said we should… we should, hope for the best…" Grams paused for a second and then continued, "But prepare for the worst,"
I may have made it rain,
Please forgive me,
My weakness caused you pain,
Now save my soul please,
Piper, Phoebe and Grams sat on the sofa for what seemed like the longest time ever and then Grams went upstairs to bring Prue some clothing and other things she might need if she woke up. Piper and Phoebe sat in silence on the sofa then once more Phoebe began to speak,
"Earlier… I asked if Prue would be alright… and you said you were sure," sobbed Phoebe,
"I know," replied Piper,
"Why did you say that," asked Phoebe,
"You told me to…" she started and then stopped – saying what she was going to would have placed blame on Phoebe in her eyes and Piper didn't want that – "I wanted her to alright, I was praying that she would be… I lied,"
At night I pray,
That soon you're face will fade away,
Every time I try to fly,
I fall without my wings,
I feel so small,
I guess I need you baby,
And every time I sleep,
You're in my dreams,
I see you're face its haunting me,
I guess I need you baby…