Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed or the song used in this fic – Strong Enough By Stactie Orrico.

A/N: Some of the words in the song have been changed to fit the fic. But there have been no major changes.

Strong Enough

As I rest against this cold hard wall,

Will you pass me by?

Will you criticise me as I sit and cry?

I had fought so hard and thought that all my battle have been won,

Only to find the war had just begun…

Piper walked down the hallways at school, heading for her English class. Slowly people started congregating in the hallways, Piper couldn't figure out where they had all come from but she could hear them whispering. She continued going and pretended not to here them, suddenly she found herself standing in front of Prue's group. It was headed by a blonde girl called Mindy Carmichael, Piper tried to move past her but Mindy wouldn't let her.

"Can I help you?" asked Piper, staring intensely at the floor,

"Well… as you know we're Prue's best friends…" said Mindy, smugly like she was rubbing it in Piper's face, "And we were just wondering where she is?"

"If you're her best friends you should know that shouldn't you," snarled Piper and pushed her way past Mindy,

"Well… you see, we heard that Prue is in hospital because she tried to kill herself? And if you don't tell us the truth we'll just have to tell everyone that asks exactly that and that could ruin Prue's reputation… she'd be a suicidal head case," smiled Mindy, taking some kind of sick pleasure knowing what had happened to Prue,

"That's not true!" Struck Piper, she turned back to face Mindy,

"Really, then where is Prue?" she asked,

"She's at home in bed. She's got a cold, that's all," said Piper, praying that someone would believe her,

"I don't believe you." Said Mindy instantly,

"Well its true," replied Piper, she could feel the tears mounting behind her eyes,

"I heard that she's in hospital, and I think that's true. But if she's really at home she'll be there when I call tonight won't she?" smirked Mindy, Piper sighed,

"Okay… Prue is in hospital. But not because she tried to kill herself or anything as ridiculous as that. She fell down a couple of stairs and hit her head off the table, she's only in for observation. She'll be out by the weekend," said Piper, hoping that they would drop it at that.

"Oh, well give her my regards," she said as she walked past Piper and continued down the hallway.

Is she not strong enough?

Is she not pure enough?

To break me, pour me out?

And start again?

Is she not brave enough?

To take one chance on me,

Please can I have one chance to start again?

                Piper survived through her English class and then was called to the guidance office. She stood outside the small office until the door before her opened and a familiar woman stood in front of her, it was Mrs Loch. She invited Piper in and told her to take a seat; they sat and stared at Piper for what seemed like forever,

"Piper… you're Grandmother just phoned," she sighed, Piper's eyes narrowed,

"Oh God… what's wrong? What's happened? Is she ok?" asked Piper out of instinct,

"She told the headmaster what happened with Prue a few night's ago, why she's in hospital," replied Mrs Loch,

"Oh," Piper sighed, "Why did she say anything… to the school I mean, what's happening. Its private,"

"She wanted the school to know in case…" she started but Piper cut her off,

"I got upset," Piper finished,

"No. In case they wanted you to bring Prue some homework or in case you needed out early to visit her or something,"

Will my weakness for an hour,

Make me suffer for a lifetime?

Is there any way to be made whole again?

If I feel renewed and find forgiveness find a strength I've never had,

Will my scars forever ruin all God's plan?

Piper sat for a few moments before any one said anything again, then Mrs Loch spoke up,

"Piper, we now understand your poems, and why you were so against everything in the first place," she paused for a second, "What you've been dealing with is huge and you've obviously been dealing with it on your own and now you don't have too,"

"What if I want to?" Piper muttered,

"Pardon?"

"What if I want to!" yelled Piper, "What if I don't want any help? What if I want to curl up n a tiny ball and cry? What if I want to cut myself like she does so I can understand what she's been going through? What if that's what I want? Why doesn't any one understand these things?"

"Piper, you can't deal with this on your own. And even if you think you can a part of must know that you can't,"

"I can!"

"But you don't have to," sighed Mrs Loch,

"You don't have to fight this by yourself, you don't have to face things by yourself anymore. There are people who can help you to deal with things and you don't have to hide away from the help that people are willing to give you,"

Is she not strong enough?

Is she not pure enough?

To break me, pour me out,

And start again?

Is she not brave enough?

To take one chance on me,

Please can I have one chance to start again?

Before Mrs Loch could continue her telephone rang, she turned and answered quietly,

"Hello… Yes, I'll accept the call… Hello, it's good to hear from you again… Oh, I see… well would you like to tell her… certainly… I can speak to her… I'll have her dismissed from classes for the rest of the day… would you like me to bring her… certainly… which school is the youngest at… I know where that is… I'll make it as soon as possible… goodbye Mrs Halliwell," sighed Mrs Loch hanging up the phone,

"Grams? That was my Grams?" asked Piper desperately,

"Yes, it was," sighed Mrs Loch once more,

"What's wrong? What about the youngest? Phoebe? Why were you asking about her school? Where will you be as soon as possible? What's happening?" demanded Piper, each question running into one another,

"Piper, calm down," she replied, "Its Prue. You're Grams says that she's taken a turn for the worse… and she thinks that you and your sister, Phoebe need to be there… so, we'll sign you out of school and then go and get Phoebe."

"What…" said Piper, reeling from what she had just been told,

"Then I'll take both of you to the hospital," She got up out her seat and opened the door for Piper. They walked in silence for the office where Mrs Loch explained the situation and signed Piper out of the school, and then they headed for Phoebe's school in Mrs Loch's car.

"I'll go get her, I think that I should tell her," sad Piper in a toneless voice opening her car door as they arrived outside Phoebe's school. Mrs Loch nodded as Piper climbed out the car. Piper walked along the empty corridors at Phoebe's school and arrived outside Phoebe's classroom. She walked into the classroom and spoke quietly to the teacher, then slowly walked towards Phoebe who was sitting at her desk chatting to her friends.

"Phoebe," she said, her sister's head jerked round and she looked up at her sister,

"Piper?" she questioned, "What are you doing here?"

"Can you come with me?" asked Piper who was trying to lead Phoebe out of the crowded classroom,

"What's wrong? Why aren't you in school?"

"Phoebe, just come with me," with reluctance Phoebe got up out her chair and followed Piper into the corridor,

"What are you doing here Piper, what's wrong?" she demanded,

"Lets go for a walk." Sighed Piper,

"No! Just tell me,"

"Its bad, Pheebs," sniffled Piper, "Really bad, well actually I'm not sure how bad,"

"Prue?" asked Phoebe instantly, Piper nodded.

She took my life into her hands and turned it all around,

In my most desperate circumstance its there I'm finally found,

That you were strong enough,

That you were pure enough,

To break me, pour me out,

And start again?

That you were brave enough,

To take one chance on me,

Oh thank you for my chance to start again.