Part 6 - pressure gets to us all

"Morning Honey" He smiled as he walked in with a cup off coffee to Prue,

"Morning, you got back late?" She asked, "I didn't hear you come in"

Andy sat next to her on the bed, "Yeah, I got back in the early hours…"

"Why are you still in your suit?" Prue asked as she took a sip of the coffee

"I'm…I'm not, I have to get back out there…heavy case load sorry" he explained,

Prue put down the coffee on the side table and closed her eyes, "no Andy, you can't do this to me…what about Matthew? I have to be in work today…you know that. Please Andy don't do this to me again" Prue practically begged.

"Prue I know that you…"
"That I what Andy" Prue asked, "I have three assignments to be in today…if I don't get in there I won't have a job to go to"

"I know but Prue I'm on the Watson murder case, I can't get out of today" Andy explained

"For god sake Andy, I have a job to…I have a job that is just as important as yours. I can't call in Sick again, I can't take another family emergency and I damn well don't think I should have to. I work from home most the time but there are the odd occasions much like today that I need to go in. I have a meeting Andy…I asked you three weeks ago to actually take this day off. I need some help with our son." Prue stood out of the bed and Andy also stood to his feet.

"Are you saying that I don't help out?" he asked,

"No I'm saying that I am sick of always having to put my career on hold…you said that you'd help me out Andy. I work half time and most of that time is at home…is it too much to ask for you to be able to keep up your part in this partnership." Prue looked at Andy, and then she sat down back on the bed.

He sat next to her, "Look Prue, I understand that in the past year things have been tough around here. I know I have not been around a lot. I'm sorry but I promise soon I'll sort it out, I'll sort out my head and our life but today…I need to go in."

"Andy…this is what you say all the time, I really want you around at night, I want you to keep to what you say. I can't take this pressure Andy."

"I know that your stressed about everything lately, you sister, Matt, me, work but I promise I'll sort it out. I'm sorry"

"Fine, go…just go to work, I'll find a way to cope like I always do" Prue was fully aware that she was blowing this way out of proportion but it was true she was sick of it…sick of it all. Her life was stressful enough she wished that she could rely on him, trust what he said.

"I'll be home later tonight…I'm sorry…and I love you" He lent forward and kissed Prue on the check.

"Yeah…what ever" Prue moaned, Andy turned ad left to room.

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"I'm coming" Piper shouted at the banging door, she walked down the corridor, "I'm coming" she said again as if to in form them she was on her way. She opened the door to see Prue stood there holding Matthew in her arms with a bag on her other. "Morning Prue, I sense you want more than a morning chat with me"

"Piper, I'm sorry…could you maybe…look after matt today?" Prue asked, she seemed pissed and even a little sad.

"I thought it was daddy day today" Piper spoke,

"It was but he let me down again…what's new?" She asked, "I'm sorry to ask pipe…" Prue was stooped by Piper putting up her hand

"Prue, you're my sister…I'll help you out – but first come in off the door step and sit down. You have time for coffee?" Piper asked as she took Matt from Prue's arms

"Yeah thanks pipe" She said following them, through to the living room. Piper who was now stood in the middle of the room rocking her laughing nephew looked over at Prue. "Okay I sense trouble in paradise" Piper said, "Have you two had a fight?" She asked

"Are you kidding me he wasn't around long enough for us to fight. He woke me up with coffee, said he had to go…we had…it couldn't even be classed as a heated discussion and he left." Prue placed her hand on her head, "I'm sorry about this…I know you have better things to do than look after my kid…"

"Well funnily enough – nothing to pressing…I'll call the manager and sort the club out from home. I can look after this little guy for as long as you like"

"Thank you so much – you are a life saver…" Prue sounded so relieved, "I'll make it up to you" She promised

Piper turned to Prue, as Mathew lay against her shoulder sleepily "You know he don't mean to piss you off?" Piper said

"Yeah well he does…I just need him to be around more, Piper and I need to see him… I can't handle the whole – work stuff. Matthew wasn't well last nigh…he had a high temperature and I was scared Pipe, I wanted him to be there. It's not just today it's all the little things that are doing my head in."

"You Prue need to calm down…talk it through with him…"

"Yeah you're right I mean – he's a great guy but he is just so bloody annoying. I just wish he'd put me before his god damn job sometimes" Prue explained

"I tell you what…tonight after work you come back here…you come back and we have a sisters night…a little wine, and a good talk"

Prue nodded, "Sounds good, right now I think I need that coffee though and need to get to work"

Piper smiled, "Sure thing" she gently lowered a now sleeping Matthew to the couch, "He isn't well still I don't think" Piper said, "He's worn out still"

Prue lifted the cushions of the back of the sofa and positioned them to make it safe to lay him on there with out him rolling off. "If he's still like this tonight I'll take him to the doctors" Prue said as she walked away into the kitchen.
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Phoebe waited for the lift to come to a standstill; she was lent against the side waiting with her head rested against the wall. Last night she had a bad night un able to get the images and nightmares to leave her head. She hadn't had much sleep at all. Although waking up with Darryl next to her had filled her with some kind of happiness she was still having trouble coping.

The lift doors opened and she walked towards the door, truth be told she had cried again last night and right now she just wanted to get to her room and get into her bed. Even if she didn't sleep she knew she wanted to be away from the concern, the talking the whole lot of it. She put her keys in the door and opened it.

Walking into the apartment she headed straight to her room hoping to avoid Piper, she headed towards the living room picking up her mail on the way. As she flicked through she turned into the room. Looking up she saw him, Matthew was lay – asleep. Phoebe dropped the mail, as she was hit with memories…