AN: Thanks for all the reviews! Yes, Leo did know there names from when he bumped into her, but it was kind of chaotic, you know? One quick question: What does "(sp?)"mean? You guys probably think I'm the biggest loser on the planet, but I feel totally clueless!! -----rolls eyes at self------ Anyway, here's the chapter!! And, Spitfire Maguire and CF12, it's funny that you say that. This chapter should clear some things up.
Piper rolled over in bed. God, it was so much easier to slip into memory here. Here, in bed a night, alone…by herself…
"Leo, I'm pregnant. As the father, I thought you deserved to know." With that parting information, Piper turned and walked away. Piper's body shook with distress as she made her way just 3 steps from his door.
"Piper, wait."
Piper froze instantly. Did he really want to talk now? Couldn't that wait? Did they have to talk now? Piper turned and walked in front of him.
"Yes?" Piper asked softly, face pale.
Leo raised his eyebrows. "This…This is a lot." He said, moving his hand to the doorframe.
"I know." Piper said lightly.
"This is big." Leo said slowly, raking a hand through his messy hair.
"I know." Piper repeated, putting her hands in the pockets of her dark jeans.
"Really big. Huge."
"I know." Why wouldn't he say something constructive? "Leo—" Piper began.
"Piper, no. I know what you're going to say and no, I can't let you do this alone…" Leo said, suddenly, taking her hand in his.
"Then why did you?" Piper murmured, drifting into a troubled, nightmare-filled sleep.
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Piper and Phoebe walked the mall, laughing and giggling as the fountain spewed water next to them
"…And so then he's all like, 'call me, please!'."
Piper nudged her little sister. "Phoebe!" she scolded. "That wasn't very nice at all, that guy could have really been into you."
Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Piper, please. The guy was the biggest ass I ever met…Even if he was cute…" Piper laughed as Phoebe glanced at her watch.
"Hey!" she exclaimed, "Aren't you excited about the Pulse contest?"
Piper nodded happily. "Phoebe, I can't thank you enough for watching the boys tonight. I really need this."
Phoebe smiled. Sometimes, she forgot her sister was only 25 and needed to do ambitious stuff too, instead of staying home with her children. "It's okay, Pippy! You know I love the boys!"
Piper rolled her eyes at the old nickname. Pippy. Who'd have said it but Phoebe? Now, everybody close to her called her that. Piper smiled. "Thanks, Pheebes. Hah! Got you back!"
Phoebe rolled her eyes playfully before pulling her sister into a store. "Come on!"
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Piper had jitters. There was no other way to put it. Sure, she'd stood up before people before, given speeches…Hell, she'd graduated Valedictorian in high school. But this was different. Piper was backstage at the fashion show, getting her dress. She'd picked it out a couple of days prior, and loved it.
It was a floor length, backless, silvery beauty. It was also a halter, and where the cleavage would be, it was absent of material. The look was finished with matching shoes and her hair falling in slightly curly tendrils down her back.
Piper heaved a heavy sigh. Oh Christ. Here she was about to live out her dream, well, to a little extent, but here she was…She was going to do this.
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Piper gulped heavily as the blonde girl before her came backstage again, in a short, bright yellow dress that Piper had found frighteningly ugly.
"You're up next, Piper." Said Brooke, the woman who'd coordinated the event." Piper nodded and listened as the announcer said a few words.
"Again, Victoria Spencer everybody." Piper heard a chorus of claps and tried to calm her self as she knew she was next. "And without further ado, Piper Halliwell."
Piper gulped once more before opening the curtain and stepping onto the runway. As she started to walk, her heart was pounding in her chest making here feel as though she was about to close. As she got appreciate claps, she began to add a little strut to her step. It was then that the announcer began to speak again.
"Nice angles, bold structure, defining lines, bodacious melting contours…" The handsome announcer paused as Piper turned, giving the audience a wide smile, and continued. "And," he went on, "the dress isn't bad, either."
Piper flushed as she heard what couldn't have been anything other than Brooke slapping a hand to her forehead. Evidently, that hadn't been part of his script. All of the other people behind the curtain were looking at her in awe. Especially the women. Brooke was silent a moment before ushering a man onto stage. Piper contorted her face in exaggerated distress, before turning to put on her next outfit.
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Piper stood on stage. There were two men and two women in the finals. Of course, only one of each sex would win the grand prize, a thousand dollars and doing ads for Pulse. Sometimes, Piper thought it funny that she'd found an ad for a place called Pulse in a restaurant named Quake. The announcer, who Piper soon found had gorgeous hazel eyes, started to speak again.
"Just to remind you, for the men's finalists, Cory Smith and Ryder Strong. And for the women," he paused, "Lilly Sharp and Piper Halliwell."
Piper's competition gave her a death glare before smiling at the judges. God, people were so competitive.
"The winner for the men…Drumroll, please." From somewhere in the back, a drumroll sounded. "Ryder Strong!"
A relieved look washed over Ryder's face as he shook hands with his partner. He smiled brightly and sighed happily.
"And the winner for the women…" Another drumroll sounded. "Piper Halliwell!"
Piper seized up. Oh God. Did he just say her name? Couldn't have been…But Piper knew it was realty when Lilly turned and gave her another death glare and Ryder turned and hugged her. She had done!!!
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"Aaaaaaah!!!" Piper exclaimed into the phone as soon as she heard Phoebe say hello. "Phoebe, I won!!!"
"You won?" Phoebe asked, blinking twice.
Piper rolled her eyes. "Don't sound so shocked. Pheebes, I won!!"
"Aaaah, you won!!!" Phoebe said, jumping up and down as her nephews looked curiously at her.
"I won!!" Piper looked at her watch. "Okay, Phoebe, I'll be home soon. Love you, bye."
"Love you too, you big winner!" The sisters hung up.
Piper looked out the window of Pulse at the fast falling rain and rolled her eyes. Damn, it was always raining.
"You know, I meant every word I said."
Piper turned around to see the announcer standing behind her, with the hands in the pockets of his slightly baggy jeans. Piper blushed profusely. "Thank you." She said shyly.
He smiled. "You're welcome…I'm Kevin."
"Hi, Kevin…You already know my name." she said lamely. They smiled at one another. She admired his light brown hair, which fell a little into his eyes.
Kevin smiled. "Listen, I'd like to get to know you better, so—"
Piper could tell where this was going and frowned. "I have two kids." She said flatly.
Kevin's smile faltered for a minute at her bluntness. "That's okay." He said a moment later, smile returning. "I love kids. Hell, bring them along!"
Piper's eyes brightened and she grinned. "Okay!" she proceeded to jot her number down on a napkin and handed it to him. "Call me." She walked out to her car and climbed in with huge smile on her face. As she turned on the ignition, her grin widened. Things were looking up.
AN: What'd you think? Sorry, no Leo in this one! Tell me what you think of this Kevin guy! Two things. 1: Would you guys prefer I write one fanfic at a time, because I've got the first chapter to a new one all ready, or should I finish this one first? 2: Please Review!!