Disclaimer: I Do not own charmed

To Look Again: Lost In Shadows

A few weeks past, Piper continued seeing Anna on a weekly basis and found things were starting to improve, but when she arrived home from school one day and found Grams sobbing in the kitchen she thought the worse had happened.

"Grams?" asked Piper as she walked into the kitchen rapidly hearing sobs, "What's wrong?" she asked,

"Piper," replied Grams, trying to talk through her tears,

"What's happened? Is it Prue?" asked Piper, knowing the answer,

"Yes," replied Grams,

"What has she done now?" asked Piper sounding slightly cross at her sister,

"She's… she's," spluttered Grams,

"What?" demanded Piper, growing impatient,

"She's getting home, three days from now. She's finally coming home to us, Piper, she coming home," Grams tears weren't filled with sorrow but with joy, Piper sat down beside Grams. She no longer spoke; she sat staring into thin air, her eyes glazed over as if she would cry,

"Isn't it amazing," sobbed Grams, "We'll be a family again," she pulled Piper close for a hug but pulled back when she realised Piper hadn't spoke since hearing the news, "What's wrong? Aren't you happy?" asked Grams,

"No, I'm just… adjusting," replied Piper choosing her word carefully, "I just need to adjust… but this is… em… great," she said, smiling and again thinking about what word would be less offensive, "I've got to go and well, adjust to this. See you later," Piper said before exiting very quickly.

Upstairs in her bedroom Piper slowly began writing in her journal, writing helped her collect her thoughts but it more seemed to make her more frantic this time.

Dear Journal,

I just found out that Prue is coming home in three days… it should be the best news I've had in ages but for some reason I can't stand the thought of her being her again. I know it sounds really harsh and I do love Prue but I just feel like she's getting out of there too soon. She's not ready to come out, not ready… or am I just not ready? I can't decide really… is it me who wants her to stay in there because it means I don't really have to worry about her attempts or something like that…but I just sort of think that maybe her coming home won't help things at all… I think it might make things worse…

Three days later Prue arrived in the front door, she dropped her bags and took a deep breath in.

"Its good to smell something that's not hospital smell," she sighed; lifting her bags she went up to her bedroom and found it in immaculate condition. She walked round and looked about to see if everything was where she left it. She sat down at her desk and opened her drawers, she fished around inside with her stationary – no scissors. She got up and walked over to her door noticing something was different but she could put her finger on it. She ran her fingers up and down the door and then found what was wrong, screw holes were all that was left of where her lock had been screwed on. No scissors, no lock – they don't trust me she thought.

Slowly she wandered through the house and came upon Piper's bedroom door, she knocked quietly but when she heard no reply from inside she wandered in to find Piper sleeping on the bed. She walked over and smiled, then started to walk out when something on the desk caught her eye. It was Piper's journal – she knew it was wrong but she started reading.

"Can't stand the thought of her being here?" she read aloud, "Not ready to come out? I'm not ready?" she continued down the page, "Her attempts," she continued, "Coming home won't help… make things worse," with that Prue slammed the diary shut

"What are you doing?" asked Piper, who had sat up in the bed behind her,

"Piper?" Prue spun round to see her sister staring at her, she was caught red handed reading Piper's diary, but she didn't care.

A/N: I hope that people are still reading this and I know that its sort of hit a slump but I'm starting to get some real action and emotion into the next chapters. I hope you stick with me until the next chapter or two. R&R Witch.