The Show Must Go On

Disclaimer: I don't own them. Just borrowing.

AN: Wow, I finally updated! These next few chapters will take me a while to get out cos I've got prelims coming up so I have to study! :-(

Chapter 7

Discovery

Small fluorescent bulbs grouped together to form the name of the busy restaurant across the street. Piper watched intently as the seemingly small people stood patently in line, waiting for their chance to dine. She smiled from the comfort of her seat in the quite restaurant Leo's parents had picked. Suckers.

Tom announced that he was going to the bathroom but Piper barely noticed. Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of four plates of food. Looking down at her burger and fries she began to wonder if she had made the right choice of meal. It wasn't exactly going to make a good impression if she used her hands to ram a processed cow into her mouth in front of Tom and Helen.

Biting her lip nervously she looked over at Leo who was picking up his own burger with no worries at all. Helen looked at her expectantly.

"Something wrong with your food dear?" she asked politely.

"Um, no, it's fine, I just need...ketchup!" She looked around the table before spotting a sachet and grabbing it quickly. "Here it is."

She smiled triumphantly at Helen before trying, and failing, to rip the top part of the packet off. Leo, noticing her struggle, offered out his hand and she reluctantly gave it over to him. After easily separating the top and bottom he handed it back to her, smiling smugly. Annoyed at this she grabbed it rather too violently and the ketchup oozed out all over her hands.

Leo snorted a laugh while Helen grabbed a handful of napkins and tried to wipe all the tomato sauce from Piper's hand. She glared at Leo who immediately stopped laughing.

"Sorry," he mumbled quietly, a small smile still evident on his face.

"Humph," Piper slouched lower into her seat and began picking at her fries.

Just then Tom chose to come back from the bathroom. He sat down and smiled at Piper who attempted to smile back.

"Well then Piper," began Tom. "You never told us how you and Leo met."

Panic spread across Leo's features. He hadn't thought to tell Piper about his parent's expectations of him. They didn't know that he spent his nights dancing on stage dressed as a woman.

"I met him at a show," she answered vaguely.

"One of Leo's shows?" Helen asked proudly.

"Yeah," Piper replied. She hadn't thought that Leo would have told his mum and dad that he was a drag queen. "I was upset after the show and he comforted me. At fist I didn't know who he was because he wasn't wearing a dress."

Leo hid his face in his hands and Tom and Helen froze. Tom's burger fell back onto the plate as he and Helen both stared at her, open mouthed.

"Wh...why...why was Leo wearing a dress?" Helen sputtered.

Piper looked from Tom and Helen to Leo, who was now banging his head against the table, and then back to tom and Helen.

"I...I didn't say dress," she explained. "I said that he wasn't wearing a..."

Tom wasn't listening. He had turned his attention to Leo.

"Is this true son?" He asked quietly so no one at the other tables could hear.

"Dad I-" he was cut off by his father's harsh words.

"Come on Helen, we're leaving!"

Before she had time to object Tom was dragging her up off her seat and propelling her towards the door. From the far end of the restaurant they heard piper cry out to them.

"I SAID HE WASN'T WEARING CRESS!"

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