Chapter 22: Dream Come True!

Disclaimer: For the last time, no, I do not own charmed, any rights to charmed, any charmed characters or anything related to charmed (I don't think)

A/N: ::Sniffles:: waaahhh ok so, finally here, the last chapter no more after this although I am working on another PL fic so if u liked this, you can look forward to that soon!

Oh, and Merry Christmas everyone! :D XxX xXx

Almost a year had passed, in which time Piper and Leo had been through the normal ups and downs of a relationship but had managed to stay strong.

One of the trials had been Melinda's first birthday party. Who would have thought a group of one year olds could have been so difficult to control? Piper and Leo certainly hadn't!

"Did you get the plastic cups with the teddy bear design on them?" Piper asked Leo when he walked through the door carrying three packed grocery bags (the rest were still in the boot she imagined; considering the list she gave him, three bags was definitely not enough) while she put the finishing touches on the cake. However, drawing iceing flowers on her homemade birthday cake reading 'Happy Birthday Melinda. 1 Today' was not an easy task.

"No, they were all out," He said putting the bags down in the kitchen and returning to Piper's exasperated moans. "but they're one! Do you really think they're gonna care" Piper merely stared at him before turning back to work. Her hair was a mess and she was covered in flour but it was all for a good cause. Tomorrow, they were throwing Melinda her very first birthday party!

At that moment, Melinda came crawling in being chased by aunty Phoebe close behind.

"Phoebe, you're meant to be helping! Not playing!" Piper yelled at her younger sister.

"Oh come on lighten up 'mummy' we're having fun!" She finally caught Melinda and was tickling her young niece in fits of giggles. "What's the big deal anyway? It's just a birthday party."

"Yeah but it's her first birthday party it has to be perfect. And I don't want it to turn out like yours, mum was humiliated about that for years after!"

"That's just an excuse and you know it. I turned out fine didn't I? OK don't answer that but the point is, you've always been a perfectionist." Leo tried to hide his laughter. He knew there was truth in what his sister-in-law had just said.

"So what happened at Phoebe's party anyway?" Leo asked trying to change the subject.

Phoebe rolled her eyes.

"Oh well, mum hired a clown only Phoebe decided that he was trying to eat her and spent the whole time hiding under the table until dad found her when it was time to sing happy birthday and tried to prove that 'Mr. Giggles' wasn't going to hurt her but she threw a tantrum, started screaming and pushed the cake on the floor. The house almost set on fire! All the parents wouldn't even speak to mum or let their kids anywhere near Phoebe, they thought she was an arsonist. Mum still got stared at in the street for like a year after." Piper remembered laughing.

"Well it looks like drama runs in the family." Leo teased.

"Oh whatever," Phoebe said dismissively. "That clown was evil and out to get me!" They all dissolved into fits of laughter. "besides it was like 19 years ago I'm sure Mr. giggles has retired by now."

"So how's your new job as an agony aunt going?" Leo questioned Phoebe. She had recently been given the position at the local newspaper even after just leaving high school. The editor had thought she had potential. Lucky breaks also seemed to run in the Halliwell family.

"Yeah, great. You know, its really fulfilling, being able to help people."

Prue and Andy, walked in carrying the rest of the shopping. They had got back together soon after Piper and Leo.

"Thanks for helping us with the bags Leo" Prue said sarcastically.

"Any time!" Said Leo with a wink.

"Prue, Piper's picking on me!" Phoebe pouted. She always used to run to Prue when they were kids and reminiscing and playing with Melinda had put her in a childish mood.

"Aww want me to beat her up?" Prue asked putting her arm around Phoebe's neck. Phoebe covered her eyes, pretended to cry and nodded.

"Hey, but you didn't beat Phoebe up when she threw Grams' glass elephant ornament at my head and gave me concussion and we had to spend 5 hours in the emergency room!" Piper said defensively.

"Oh my god, that was years ago! Are you ever gonna stop living in the past?" Phoebe joked.

"Ahh the good old days huh? Before mum died and Piper moved to England." Prue chimed in. Sensing a sisterly moment, Andy and Leo, grabbing Melinda walked out of the room.

The next day, Piper dressed Melinda in her best clothes, a pink dress with her short hair lying straight on her back. The guests started arriving with their parents and the party seemed to go quickly without any problems. Melinda, as always was the perfect angel and her proud parents watched as they realised that she had been a part of this world for a whole year already.

By the evening, Piper and Leo were exhausted. Looking after 20 crying babies was not an easy task. One was enough. Once everyone had left, they rested together on the couch the sound of crying still echoing in their ears.

"Let's not do that again until she's at least five and her friends can take care of themselves!" Piper yawned and slept the rest of the night through.

Shortly after, a prospect of promotion came for Piper. Her boss was planning to retire and was looking for a new head chef and manager and rumours around the kitchen suggested that Piper was his first choice.

Mr. Porter called Piper into work early to discuss what everyone had been talking about and hoped that the gossip was true.

"You wanted to see me?" Piper said when faced with her boss.

"Yes take a seat why don't you" He motioned towards the seat opposite him. She felt like she was back at the job interview. She sat down and waited for what was about to come. "Well, I'm sure you know why I've called you here. I wont bore you with the pleasantries, I need a new head chef and you are by far the most talented person on my staff." Piper coloured slightly at this blunt compliment but carried on acting professional and dignified.

"Thank you sir."

"Piper, I want you to be my new head chef, and well this one may come as a bit of a surprise but I'm selling the restaurant, and I wanted you to be the first to know, I would rather that it went into trustworthy hands and you would be great. Plus I know how hard you've worked for this. Of course I don't need an answer now but let me know as soon as possible and we can make it official."

Piper didn't know what to say so she stood up and shook his hand.

"Thank you so much for this opportunity. I promise I wont let you down!"

Piper ran home that evening to tell Leo immediately. She wanted to run it by him before making a decision. He was delighted for her. So it would mean more work but the benefits would outweigh it.

"Hey, Leo, you still looking for work?" Piper asked later after telling him the news.

"Um well yeah I guess but with you working we would need to find someone to take care of Melinda, why?"

"Well say I did buy the restaurant? We could buy it together and well you can take care of the money, paperwork side and I'll manage and cook and there'll be two of us so there will always be one person to stay with Mel- you know I hate the idea of leaving her with a stranger! How does it sound?"

"Actually, that's not a bad idea." Leo said clearly excited.

The next day, Piper got back to her boss and a deal was struck. After years of searching Piper was finally getting what she had always wanted. She was going to be the owner of her restaurant and a partnership with Leo, not only in marriage, but in business as well. She was living in America with the perfect family; the man of her dreams and a perfect, angelic baby daughter. Life could not have been more perfect.

On opening night of 'HW'(Halliwell-Wyatts) Piper felt it necessary to give a speech. She gently tapped her glass with a spoon, and began:

"For as long as I can remember, I had wanted to live in America, to make something of myself and to own my own restaurant. Tonight and with my life with Leo I believe that I have achieved that.

I can't remember a time when I was happier than how I feel right now. I know it sounds cheesy but I feel like the luckiest woman alive!

I never used to believe in love until I met Leo, not real love anyway and a part of me always felt as though my aspirations were too high, I had no hope of achieving them. Tonight I have proved myself and everyone who has ever doubted me wrong. I'm living my dream as I always wanted and to be honest, its better than I could have ever imagined and with Leo by my side I feel that I cannot fail.

I guess what I'm trying to say toeveryone here tonight is that you are somebody. Even if you don't feel like it right now. I know what its like to feel alienated, like you don't belong, like you're not what people expect you to be but now I see that you don't need to be. Be what you want, not what someone else wants you to be. If you have a dream, follow it- there is no limit. As long as you believe, you will get there follow your heart. Believe."

Well, there you have it. People who know me will have been expecting that speech and I have to admit it hits home quite a lot! Im not going to go into what that means I'll leave you to interpret it however you want. All that is left for me to say is: thank you all for reading and reviewing and I really hope that you've enjoyed reading it as much as I have writing it. OK well thanks again.

Lissy

XxX xXx