Disclaimer: As Usual

To Look Again – Take A Chance On Me

            Piper stood in the local park, her coat wrapped warmly around her small body keeping whatever warmth her body had managed to retain in. She looked round nervously and awaited his arrival. She decided to take a seat since her legs were getting tired and walked over to a near bench, she sat down and looked around once more. That was when she caught a glimpse of him, Dan; he was walking towards her smiling. She thought back to their phone call earlier,

            "Hi… Dan, its Piper," said Piper when she heard Dan picking up the phone,

"Hey… so how've you been, haven't heard from you in a few days," said Dan, with a cheery but concerned tone of voice,

"I've been alright been visiting Prue every day, sorry I haven't called before this,"

"That's fine. I mean Prue needs all the support that she can get right now,

"That's true," replied Piper,

"But you do too… you know I'm here if you ever need to talk?" he asked,

"Yes… actually I was wondering," she said slowly,

"Yes," said Dan, curiously,

"Well could we meet up today? Perhaps one in the park?" she asked, and anxiously waited a reply,

"Yeah sure," he replied,

"Alright… well I've got to go but I'll see you then," said Piper,

"Bye, kisses," said Dan,

"Ditto," replied Piper and hung up the phone

"Hey Piper," said Dan as he approached her in the park, Piper stood up off the bench to greet him,

"Hi," she smiled, Dan pulled her in for a hug but Piper insured that it was a quick one,

"So what's up?" asked Dan, sitting down on the bench Piper joined him before she spoke again,

"We need to talk," she said, Dan's face dropped when she said this,

"Piper… nothing good ever comes after those words," he said, "What is it?"

"Well it's just that…"

"What?" asked Dan,

"I just don't think we should see each other any more," Piper blurted out quickly,

"I knew it… I've been moving to quickly… I've driven you away, I came on to strong. Piper its alright… I'll back off, we can still be together," he said in a rushed manner,

"Dan… its not you, its me," said Piper, she knew that that line always sounded phoney but she really meant it,

"That's just a line… tell me what's really going on,"

That is what's going on," said Piper, "I don't know how to say this… a way that you'll understand so I'll just say it. I don't want to be with you, not because of you… I really like you but I don't deserve you. And you shouldn't want to be with me because I have to many problems, I can't put them all on you its not fair. I think that we should split up, because if we don't then I'll just drag you down with me, and I can't do that,"

"But Piper, I want to be with you. I know that you come with problems, and you come with a past but so does every one… but you also have a beautiful heart, and soul and you're nice and kind and gentle and I think I'm falling in love with you," said Dan taking Piper's hand, she quickly pulled it away,

"Don't say that! You can't, I can't force you to get through this… these are my problems and I have to deal with them… you don't have to help me," said Piper,

"But I want to help you… I care about you and I'm already at the stage where you hurt and I hurt, I can't be without you!" said Dan,

"You have to be without me! You have to… I can't be with you,"

"Piper, do you remember that night at the pier?" asked Dan,

"Yes… how could I forget that night?"

"Do you know how I found you?" asked Dan,

"No… you never said but I was just thankful that you did,"

"I called your house, and Phoebe answered… she said that you had ran out of the house and that you were upset. My first thought was that something had happened with Prue… I asked her if she knew where you had gone but she couldn't tell me. She had to go with Prue I'm assuming…" he started,

"But if Phoebe didn't know then how did you,"

"That day in the cafeteria… we were talking and I mentioned that whenever I was going through a tough time I went to my attic and there was a corner towards the back where it was dark and quiet and I could think and you said that if you were ever in trouble you went to the pier… you went there because it was quiet, and dark, and methodical and you like how predictable it was… the waves went in and they went out, there was never any change.  I wasn't sure if that's where you would have went but I had to take my chance… I had to find you,"

"And you did,"

"Yes…" he continued, "I arrived at the pier about ten minutes after phoning Phoebe and you weren't there. It was pitch black, I called for you but I couldn't find you anywhere… so I left and checked anywhere else I could think… the last place I checked was along the docks by the pier and that's when I saw something. Up on the pier was a shadowy figure, standing at the very edge almost falling in and I knew it was you. I knew that it was you and I had to get to you. When I arrived at the end of the pier I heard you yelling, at first I thought you were yelling at me but then I realised you were just yelling.  I  just stood and watched you, I meant to walk towards you but I was simply compelled by you in every way possible and I couldn't move. Then I felt things getting worse, you were talking about jumping and I had to act… and that's when I spoke to you,"

"Dan," said Piper softly, but no other words left her mouth,

"I can't be without you Piper, I need you as much as you need me… and I know that I'm falling for you and I don't care if you have problems, you wouldn't be you without then and I need that… I can't be without you Piper, please," he finished,

"Dan… its… I can't do that to you… its not fair,"

"I don't care whether or not its fair," replied Dan,

"But…" protested Piper,

"No buts… you're not getting rid of me that easily… not now not ever… I'm here to stay," he replied, as he pulled her in for a kiss.

A/N: Ok, I know that I've been upsetting a few people by using Dan in this fic rather than Piper, but there are a few reasons for that.

a) I prefer writing Dan because I can adjust his character

b) I couldn't use Leo because he's too old for Piper at this stage as we saw when Paige time travelled to the 60's and Leo was already like 30 odd looking.

c) I don't like writing his character.

But for those who do like Leo as so many people do I have decided to have a chapter where he will be present. However this will be a one of occasion, think of him as a special guest star and please don't expect him to be a recurring character in this story. There will also be use of magic in the chapter but again this is the only time. So you can look foreward to Leo's guest appearance but beware Piper and Leo will not come into contact at all.

Sorry if that disappoints you,

As usual please review I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE feedback on my writing good or bad because both help me improve.