Piper paced the down stairs area of the manor, she occasionally cast a glance towards the stairs, then at her watch, three and a half hours, that is how long it has been since Dean left to see the younger sister. In that three hours Piper had hared the muffled raised voices of the pair but for a while now nothing.
Piper was looking at the picture on the table in the centre of the foyer when she felt a hand on her arm break through her thoughts, "How you holding up?"
Piper spoke, still looking at the photo in which had all four Halliwell sisters sat together, all happy. "What happened? What went so wrong?"
She felt the arms wrap around her, she automatically rested her head back, she closed her eyes. "Dean has her, He'll look out for her."
"I don't understand where it went wrong" Piper said again, "I have lost my big sister and I'm scared that I'm going to lose my little sister too..." Piper turned from the picture to face J, he stood with his arms on her shoulders and for the first time she looked into his eyes and was drawn into them, she looked again at the guy who was stood before her as if only now for the first time as seeing him to be more than just Phoebe's friend.
"You're fighters, the whole lot of you. And that girl up there is strong Piper, she'll make it"
Piper looked at him, and let her guard down, "What about me"
J smiled kindly at her, "Well, your strong too, and if you need anyone to talk to I'm here" Piper looked at him again and he at her, silence consuming them as they were drawn into each other...
"Pipe..." Paige's small voice sounded, Piper looked away from J over to where the youngest was stood, J let go of Piper and also turned to Paige,
"Hay baby, you look tired"
Piper walked over to a warn out looking Paige, "I...Where's Phoebe?" she asked reluctantly afraid of the answer.
Piper looked up at J for a split second then back at Paige, "Phoebe's tired, Dean's with her now upstairs." Paige looked expectantly at Piper, wanting to know more, but Piper had no more, "How's about you crawl up on the couch and rest, while I clean up the plates from dinner?" Paige nodded and turned from the Older sister and left.
Piper stood up from where she was crouching and pushed her hand through her hair, "I need to get this family back together...I need...Prue"
J walked forward, "Well I'm not Prue but I could help you tide up from dinner?" He offered.
Piper smiled, she forced a weak smile, but it was still sincere, "I'd like that." J headed through to the kitchen, Piper watched him walk for a few seconds before following.
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Phoebe woke from her restless sleep to find herself in Dean's arms with him watching her intently, "Hay babe" He spoke as her eyes flickered open.
"hay" She spoke softly, then she closed her eyes again, "i...I need to talk to Prue"
Dean was surprised, "Prue?" He asked.
Phoebe nodded her head, "I can not ever forgive her for what she has done to me but, Paige and Piper both need their big sister...I need her to come back for them."
Dean hugged Phoebe closer to his chest, "Phoebe, what ever you know I'll be here for you."
Phoebe nodded, "I know but this is something that I have to do on my own."
Dean understood but was reluctant. "I need to get up and phone her..."
"Now?" Dean asked, "Don't you think that It's a bit late?"
Phoebe shook her head; "I need to speak to her" Dean complied with Phoebe's wishes and got up from where he was sat.
Piper and J had finished the clearing up and they were now sat at the kitchen table, Paige had drifted of to sleep on the living room sofa. "Do you know what's worse?" Piper came out of know where, they had been sat in silence previous to her words been spoke, "What?" J asked,
"That, I lost a friend...I miss my big sister, she was always the one that I'd go to when I needed advice, we were really good friends..."
Piper was interrupted by a third voice in the kitchen, "yeah, Prue was always the one I'd go to, to get slap around my face!" Piper's head shot around, "Phoebe, I never..." phoebe shook it off, "Don't worry pipe...I know you and Prue were close." Piper looked at Phoebe and couldn't help but feel guilt, "I'm sorry"
"What for Piper? Missing your big sister? Don't be. She never hit you; you have nothing to hate her for" Phoebe spoke sincerely, "Piper, It's me and Prue that have issues, you shouldn't be punished for that and both you and Paige shouldn't be deprived of Prue because of me..."
"It's not your fault Phoebe" Piper spoke standing up,
"Yes it is, it is my fault...Look I need to speak to you all" Dean walked next to Phoebe, and took her hand, she looked at him for a second and never spoke, not a word.
A few seconds passed, and then she looked back at J and Piper, "I haven't told you how I ended up in hospital, You don't need to know that...I'm going to do something that none of you are going to like, but I have to do it..."
"Pho..." Piper began only to be stopped,
"No, Piper just let me..." Phoebe looked at the floor, "I'm going to walk out of here now and Dean will be with me, J I need you to stay here for me, Look after them, but when I call you, get the hell over to the digs, when he leaves the house Piper, lock the doors, don't move from our little sisters side, and Piper I need you to trust me..."
"Phoebe you have just come out of hospital..."
"Yeah I have and I have spent enough time lying in that bed thinking about how I have messed yours and Paige's life up...let me sort it out."
Piper moved forward and Pulled her little sister into a hug, "Phoebe I mean it don't do anything stupid"
Phoebe hugged Piper back, "You know I can't promise that...you are talking to Phoebe"
The younger sister smiled, "Phoebe not funny" Piper pulled back "and looked after my sister, Bring her back" She ordered Dean
"Don't worry" He reassured.
Dean and Phoebe left the manor and walked towards his car, She hesitated and looked at the house, Dean noticed this, noticed something but couldn't quite place, Phoebe turned to him, "Lets go then" He stepped into the car, Phoebe opened the passenger side door and also stepped in, after taking one last look at the house.
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Prue lay next to Roger on the bed, she hadn't been able to sleep she was thinking about her choice, she looked across at a sleeping figure of Roger next to her, and when she did she felt guilt, and insecurity.
She had been like this for hours, there was no way she could sleep not with what had happened today at the park, she looked down, remembering the hospital, the confrontation between Phoebe and herself, she for the first time feared her sister.
There was a nock at the door, Prue looked back over at roger who was still fast asleep, she sighed, and pulled herself from the blankets making her way from the bed she suddenly felt a sense of uncertainty hit her, who would call at this time? She walked from the room and headed towards the door, shutting the bedroom door quietly.
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Phoebe and Dean pulled up in the car, Phoebe turned to him, "Wait here now"
"Phoebe what if?" Phoebe smiled,
"What ever happens, happens Dean, but it has to happen" He nodded but didn't like this, She lent across and kissed him, "Before anything else happens tonight I want you to know that, I'm sorry for how I've been treating you, the past few weeks and that I love you"
"I love you too Phoebe, so much." Phoebe looked into his eyes, which were inches away from hers, then she kissed him passionately one last time before pushing the door open and stepping out, walking across the court yard she diapered into the early hours of the morning. Dean closed his eyes when she diapered and rested her head on the stearing weal trying to control his own emotion.
Standing in front of the door she rose her hand, she was just about to nock it when she took a deep breath, closed her eyes and forced herself to knock it. Once, twice and then, a third time. She waited, and waited.
The door opened and Prue was stood there in front of her, she seemed to be in shock for the first couple of seconds, Phoebe was lent against the door frame and just watched the oldest. Prue finally spoke, "Phoebe if you have come to cause any kind of trouble..."
"Hi to you too" Phoebe smiled,
"Oh well i'm sorry but the last time that we spoke if I remember correctly you threatened me...so is this it, you going to sort me out" Phoebe looked at the floor, "Can I come in"
She tried to step into the apartment but she felt the hand of Prue pressed against her shoulder, "No" Phoebe looked up at Prue who was now challenging her, face only inches apart, "Fine I can do this right here" She took a step back, "I can not look at our sisters, I can not look at them and pretend, and you know Piper never was to good a lying..."
"What's the point apart from you telling your guilt to me?"
Phoebe took a deep breath, "the point is Prue, I took their Dad away from them, and I'm not taking you away from them too...Piper misses you, I mean you guys are practically best friends and Paige, I just let her down, and I don't want them to be pulled into my world..."
"So what?" She asked,
"Tomorrow. You move back into the manor, I'll be gone, I won't step place in that manor again..."
"Piper would never..."
"I hared her telling J about you, how much she..." Phoebe stopped, "Go back Prue, be with your sisters"
"Why are you..."
"Not kicking the crap out of you? I could never hurt my sisters Prue. Physically or emotionally...but you don't believe that"
Prue looked at Phoebe, "I can't"
"I know" Phoebe looked at the floor, "Go back to them Prue, you'll never see me in that house again...you hit them though and you'll see me, a whole new side of me" Prue felt so much hatred as did Phoebe, but both overcame it because they were talking about the well been of Piper and Paige...
"What about..." Prue began, Phoebe shook her head, "They don't need to be around my life, until I fix it you won't see me again...and it may be a while."
"Phoebe I..."
"You won Prue. Don't mess up other wise what I have promised you, I'll give you. Here is a second chance...not with me but with them...take it" with this Phoebe turned and walked away, tears in her eyes and hands shaking...
"Oh. And Prue think hard before you marry that guy" Was the last thing that Phoebe shouted back as she left the apartment.