0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Chapter 3: The First Date

Piper woke up at eight, and immediately rushed to the bathroom to use the shower, barely beating her little sister, Phoebe. Phoebe pounded on the door. "Aw, come on, Piper! What are you in such a rush for? Got a hot date?" Phoebe laughed at her own joke.

That is why Phoebe stopped pounding on the door in shock when Piper replied, "Yes!" before hopping into the shower.

Phoebe immediately bounded into Prue's room, waking her up. "Piper's got a date… Piper's got a date…" she sing-songed.

Prue and Phoebe were now both at the door, asking Piper questions as she washed her hair and shaved her legs. Piper escaped into her room to change, still answering her sister's questions. After Piper changed into khaki pants and a light blue shirt with a matching sweater, she let her sisters into her room, where she immediately bombarded with a million questions.

"Hold on," she said pulling her hair into a half ponytail. "I'll tell you everything from the beginning."

By the time she finished telling them, she had her makeup done and it was only ten. Still two hours to go. Trying to get her sister's attention off of her, she turned to her older sister and asked, "How was your date with Andy?"

Prue smiled. "It was awesome. It was so romantic…" Prue went on talking about Andy, her high school sweetheart who was now an inspector for the San Francisco Police Department. After high school, Andy moved away and Prue stayed to help take care of Grams and her little sisters. A little over six months ago, Andy moved back to San Francisco and ran into Prue during one of Gram's many hospital stays. They had been dating ever since.

Piper smiled at her sister's enthusiasm over Andy. They were made for each other, and everyone knew it. Everyone except them it seemed, but it looked as if they were beginning to accept it. Piper was happy for her sister; Andy was a great guy.

It was only ten thirty, so Piper went downstairs and began to make some tea. Her sisters closely followed and Piper turned around and said, "What? Are you stalking me?"

"No, we just want to meet this Mark guy."

"Oh jeeze."

"Don't worry," Prue said. "We won't break out your naked baby pictures until the second date."

Piper playfully punched her in the arm. "And what if I show Andy yours?"

"Nice try, Piper. You know he's already seen them. We grew up together for crying out loud. I think his mom even has one."

"Not fair," Piper said.

"Piper," Phoebe said. "I still have a copy of that picture we took of Prue when she came home smashed and couldn't stand up straight. You know, the one where she was arguing with the toilet because she thought it was talking back to her?" Piper laughed.

Prue narrowed her eyes. "No, you don't."

"Oh, yes I do."

"Give it to me."

"Nope!"

"Phoebe…"

Phoebe took off running and Prue chased her. Piper watched the scene unfold, laughing so hard she had to gasp for breath.

The doorbell rang and Phoebe, who was still being chased by Prue, ran to answer the door. She opened the door to find Piper's date on the front porch. Phoebe was still laughing and Prue stood behind her, trying to hold a straight face.

Phoebe, after a moment of silence, finally burst out laughing. "Yes?" she asked the stranger.

"Uh, is Piper here?" he said cautiously.

"Piper!" Phoebe called. "She'll be here in a second."

Mark just stood there with his hands in his pockets, looking back and forth from Phoebe and Prue, who stared at him. He felt very uncomfortable.

Piper walked from the kitchen to the front door and was surprised to see Mark. He was early. "Mark!" she said, her face lighting up in a smile. "You're early."

"I hope you don't mind," he said, smiling too.

"Not at all." Piper walked to the front door and had to pry Prue's hand from the door so she could get thru. "Mark, I would like you to meet my older sister, Prue, and my younger sister, Phoebe."

"Nice to meet you," Mark said, shaking their hands.

"Same here."

"Okay," Piper said. "Now that's over. Are you ready to go?" she asked Mark.

"Yep."

"See you guys later," Piper said to her sisters.

Phoebe made a kissing face behind Mark's back and Piper held up a warning finger to her. Be nice, she mouthed.

I am, Phoebe mouthed back.

Piper made a face at her and turned back to Mark, who offered her his arm. She shyly took it, not used to being with a man who was so gentlemanly. Mark even opened the car door for her before jogging around to the driver's side. Piper couldn't help but smile.

"So where are we going for lunch," Piper asked, not really caring where they went.

"To this little outside café. I think you'll like it."

"I'm sure I will." Piper settled into the seat of the car. They drove the rest of the way in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Piper took turns looking at Mark and out the car window to sights she really didn't pay attention to. She was usually in too big of a hurry to take in the scenery. She never realized how beautiful San Francisco could be.

They soon pulled into the parking lot to a small outside café Piper never realized before. "This is cute," she commented, taking in the café's exterior.

Mark once again took her arm and led her to a table. Piper smiled as she sat down. A waiter soon came and took their orders.

As they waited, Piper and Mark began to talk, asking questions about each other and answering. Piper was surprised to find out Mark loved to cook.

"Love of cooking runs in my family. My grandfather emigrated from China to America and brought his family recipes with him. My father translated them after my Grandfather died, and used them in our family restaurant."

"Your family owns a restaurant?" Piper asked, once again surprised.

"Used to. But after my father died, the business sort of went down the tubes. No one in my family wanted to continue it."

Piper hung her head and looked into her tea. "I'm sorry about your dad. I know it's not easy losing a parent."

"I take it you know that from personal experience?"

"Yeah. My mom died when I was six and my dad split on us soon after. My sisters and I were raised by my grams, who died about six months ago. My sisters are the only family I have left."

"I'm sorry. My family isn't overly large, but there is enough of us to be there when we need it."

"Let's move off of this depressing subject. Tell me more about your family."

Mark laughed and went into details about his family.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Mark dropped Piper off at the manor. He held her hand as they walked to the door.

"I had a wonderful time today," Piper said, smiling.

"I did too," he said. "I call you when I get a chance," he said.

He was referring to the fact he worked days and she worked nights. By the time he got off of work, she was already at the restaurant.

Mark leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. He smiled at her and turned around to leave. Piper placed a hand on her check where he kissed her.

"Mark, wait," Piper called. He turned around and before she knew what she was doing, Piper was kissing him on the lips, and he was kissing her back.

When they finally broke apart, they were both smiling. "Wow. That was…" Mark was at a loss for words.

"I agree," Piper said.

Mark looked at her beautiful smile. "I'll call you tonight, or maybe I'll stop in for dinner."

"I would like that."

"Okay then," he said. He kissed her again, and took a step backward to leave. But he didn't realize there was a step, and he almost fell backwards. He caught himself just in time."

Piper put a hand to her mouth, trying not to laugh.

"I'll see you later," he said, and continued walking backwards, watching her.

Piper waved, and then called out, "Watch out!" as he almost ran into a tree. He turned around just in time to avoid hitting it. He straightened himself out and waved on last time as he walked, forwards, to his car.

Piper watched as he drove away, and she went into the manor, the biggest smile on her face.

Her sisters immediately bombarded her with questions the minute she walked into the manor.

"So how was it?"

"Did he kiss you?"

"Where did he take you?"

"Did he kiss you?"

"Was he nice?"

"Did he kiss you?"

"You are hopeless, Phoebe," Piper said, finally responding to her sister's question of 'did he kiss you'.

"What? I want to know. So did he?"

Piper was silent for a moment and looked away as she sisters stared expectantly at her. She turned around to face them with a huge smile on her face. "Yes."

Phoebe and Prue squealed with delight, throwing Piper into a group hug.

"Can't breath…" she gasped and they released her. "Jeeze. It seems you guys are more excited about this than I am." But not quite, she mentally added.

"We're just happy to see you with a guy, that's all. You haven't dated since Jeremy, and you remember what an ass he was."

"Yeah, I kind of remember," Piper said, thinking of her ex. He was mean, vindictive, and Piper was glad to be rid of him.

After giving her sisters the details of her date, she went upstairs to her room and called Sarah, whom she promised she would call after her date.

After giving date details to Sarah, Sarah squealed, "You go girl!"

Piper just rolled her eyes. Then she explained the problem between her and Mark's work schedules.

"I have he perfect solution," Sarah announced.

"Sarah, I am not quitting," Piper said, trying to avoid an argument that had been going on between Sarah, Phoebe, Prue, and herself. They wanted her to quit and do something she truly wanted to do, but Piper couldn't afford to, not with Gram's hospital bills still coming in.

"Not that that isn't a good solution," Sarah said," but that's not what I had in mind."

"Okay then, what is it?"

"I will switch you the dinner shift for the morning shift."

Piper jumped up. "You would do that? Really?"

"Of course. Besides, I'm sure Tony," she said, referring to the assistant manager of Quake, "would love to tell you more boring stories about his family farm in Wisconsin."

Piper couldn't help but giggle. Tony was a good guy, but he had a tendency to get stuck on the same topic. Such as farms in Wisconsin.

"Sarah, I love. You are the best person in the world," Piper said, glad to have a solution to her problem. "I'm going to call Mark."

"Send him my regards," Sarah said before she hung up.

Piper was dialing Mark's number seconds after she hung up with Sarah. Piper was surprised how excited she was to be with Mark.

Was she falling for him?

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Author's Note: For those of you who think there is no drama yet, just hold on. Something big happens in the next chapter. Please read and Review. Thanks!