AN: Thanks so much! Alyssa, it's nice to know you like this story when you don't really like Piper stories! Major honor! It's a really Piper story, but she's not the typical Piper. She's definitely different. Her sisters aren't in this a whole lot, but they will be more. And if you're waiting on Piper Leo fluff, I'm afraid that's not until Chapter 4. This chapter picks up where the last one left off. Now that you've patiently read my ramblings, on with the story!!

She could see her favorite mechanic, Jeff, doing a last overview of her Jeep, clipboard in hand.

"Hey Jeff" she said, walking up to him.

"Hey Piper." He greeted with a wave of his clipboard, "It's okay if you don't have the money today." He grinned. Piper pursed her lips in a half-smile.

"No, Jeff, I'm not sleeping with you to pay the bill." He stood from his crouched position and walked closer to her, hands in pockets.

"Who said anything about paying the bill?" Piper smiled full on.

"Kiss me before I change my mind." He obeyed. Piper and Jeff's relationship was an interesting and complicated one. They weren't exactly a couple, but occasionally they went out to dinner and he bought her a nice gift. They weren't exactly friends with benefits either. Mostly, they just gave each other love. Not in an "in love" sort of way, but softer and more subdued. When he pulled away, he tapped the clipboard.

"So your Jeep is fixed. Gave her the 'Jeff special'." Piper smiled.

"You'll never guess what happened to me coming from work yesterday."

"What?" he inquired, moving towards the back of the shop.

"I ran into Keith."

"Did the sorry son of a bitch give you your money back?" Piper frowned as she mindlessly fingered a wrench in passing.

"I'm never gonna see that 500 dollars again, what am I going to do?" Jeff frowned as he looked up from a table to her.

"Why didn't you just kick his ass and get your money?"

"Some intrusive ass audience member broke up the fight." He lifted up a stack of papers.

"Ooo, 'intrusive', using big words are we?" She gave him a look. "Alright, alright, sorry. So, he broke it up, huh? You must've been losing"

"Yeah, thanks for all the support, that's nice."

"I do the best I can."

"You are such an ass, you know that?" she smiled into his reflective emerald eyes.

"That's part of my sexy charm right?" He winked.

"No, can I have my car now?"

Leo wondered if he should try and patch things up with Beth. She was annoying as hell, self-centered and she had a cruel sense of humor and besides, he was completely intrigued with Ms. Halliwell. So maybe their initial meeting hadn't been the greatest—he had a bruise on his shin—but there was something deliciously amoral about her that left him wanting more. He tapped his pen against his desk as he thought. He could call her, actually, that was his only means of contact...

Wait! He could catch her after work. He tried to remember what time it was when he met the night before. Around midnight. Fine, he'd asked her to an incredibly late dinner. With that settled, he moved on to finish his work.

Piper reached for her bra. "Oh, I hate you Jeff Smith."

"I love you too." He said, bumping into his car door as he pulled his pants on.

"You are the worst." She insisted.

"You'll be the death of me, sweetie." She gave him a look. He kissed her on the temple as he helped her into her bra.

"Okay, you're forgiven."

"I think you already forgave me." He slid his hands along her bare shoulders. "You really need that money, huh?" She nodded.

"Gotta pay the bills and eat somehow, right?" She pulled her shirt on, and when she poked her head out again, he was writing a check. "Jeff, what are you doing?" He sighed before handing her the check. It was made out for 500 dollars. "Oh my god, Jeff, I couldn't possibly..." He kissed her forehead.

"Yes, yes you can and if you don't...I don't know but It's gonna be bad." She laughed. "Now, go on. You know my boss doesn't like us fraternizing with the customers. Let alone sleep with them." He added as an afterthought. Piper laughed. After climbing out she kissed him goodbye, "Thanks, I owe you big time." She darted across the parking lot to her Jeep, then pulled out onto the street. She gave a happy smile, it felt good to be back in her vehicle.

Again, her thoughts drifted to her sisters. She couldn't believe how separated they'd become. Prue was doing her thing in New York, Phoebe was trying to get her fashion line of the ground in San Francisco, and she was...what was she doing? Making ends meet, she noted with a sigh. She clicked on the radio. It was a song she liked, but she wasn't paying attention. It wasn't just physical space between him, there was emotional space too. She wanted to be close to them again, but no. Not after the fight.

"I didn't sleep with him, Prue! God, give me a little more credit than that!" a 21 year old Piper watched as a 23 year old Prue and a 19 year old Phoebe fought in the kitchen.

"Phoebe!" Prue yelled with crazed eyes, "How can I give you credit when you don't do a DAMN thing?!!" Phoebe scowled angrily.

"Roger is an asshole! I don't know why you would believe an asshole over your own sister—"

"Shut up, just shut up!" Prue put her finger in Phoebe's face, who promptly slapped it away.

"Prue, Roger is a liar! And anyway," she added with a smug smile, "I'm not the one who couldn't keep her pants on the first night we met." Piper saw it coming. Prue's hand flung out and connected to Phoebe's face with a loud thwack! Prue swiftly turned on her heel and walked out of the room. Things were never the same.

That'd been 5 years ago. Piper wondered why Roger had to come into their lives. "Devil in Arrogant's clothing!" she spat angrily as though the mere thought of his name was poison. Of course, they acted like nothing ever happened, but it didn't matter, what was done was done. Her phone rang, shocking her out of her reverie. "Hello?"

"Did you get my uh, phone message?" Damn that persistent Leo Wyatt.

"How'd you get this number?"

"You gave it to me what's wrong with you?"

"Oh, actually, I did get your message." She said, turning the corner, interfering with a U-Turn.

"Stay off the fking street! The U-Turner yelled.

"Screw you!" she replied, giving him the finger.

"Anytime!" the young man yelled, leaning halfway out his window. Piper sighed disgustedly.

"Traffic that bad?" Leo asked, leaning on his desk for support.

"No, some jerk-off, looking to jack-off." A fairly surprised look crossed his face but it left quickly.

"Are you always this...candid with everyone?" She gave a bitter laugh.

"Pretty much."

"So about that date tonight..." he said, getting straight to the point. Piper hesitated. Love made you vulnerable. Vulnerability made you weak. And weakness made life harder. But still...

"You know Leo," he brightened at the sound of her name on his lips, "that would be nice."

"7?" he asked.

"Ish." She replied with a mischievous grin. "Bye Leo."

AN: So, the big date is next chapter. That was a little insight into Piper's past. As always, please review!!