A/N: This chapter is shorter, I know, but I've been forcing myself to write in Houses lately, but I keep coming up with nothing... I need ideas, people! Ideas! Give me something good and I'll write it! Email me your ideas or put em in reviews. At least I put chpt.12 up, though, so I got somethin to work off of...
Piper walked in the house in a daze. She couldn't believe what she had agreed to. She saw it as the best decision of her life. How could she make a better one?
Prue caught something immediately when Piper came through the front door. Something was different. Not wrong, just... different.
"Piper?"
"Hmm?"
"What'd you do at Daniel's?"
"Yeah, Piper," Phoebe asked, coming into the room, "what'd you do at your husband's?"
"He's not my husband," Piper said calmly. "...Well, not... yet at least..." she added.
"Oh my God!" Prue had it connected already.
"Oh my God what?" Phoebe asked.
"Piper's getting married!"
Piper smiled shyly.
Piper was outside on Spade when Jacob found out. She was dreading the moment he did, too. He came running out on one of his three best horses, Blackjack.
"Why, hello, Mrs. Gordon," he said.
"Hello, Mr. Jackass," Piper returned.
The remark didn't stop him, though. "When is it? When is the wedding?"
"In two weeks."
"That doesn't give you much time to gloat about him asking."
"No, it gives me more time to gloat about being married."
Jacob stopped teasing for a moment. "You're moving out, then?"
Piper sighed. "I have to."
"Piper, your ranch is here. It belongs to you. What will happen if you leave?"
"Jacob? I'm moving two miles away. I will still be here everyday to care for the ranch."
"It won't be the same without you."
"Stop it, I'm hardly moving far at all."
"Still... What will Mom and Dad say?"
"Joanne and Jack already literally own the ranch. All I want is their blessing."
The wedding was small and at Piper's ranch, but she was perfectly happy with it. She was already moved in with Dan and was settled. They sat in the living room together on the chair.
"Piper?" Dan asked.
"Hmm?"
"What happens to your ranch?"
"What do you mean?"
"Now that we're married, does that mean that we have some sort of joint custody over it?"
"Yes, we do," Piper said. "Half the ranch, including the work that comes with it, is yours. And that means that half the income is, as well, but it doesn't change the income we get."
"Meaning..."
"Meaning whatever we get I split fifty/fifty with the Armstrongs. They care for the ranch, as well. So it just means the regular income is what we get."
"Oh."
"But don't worry, it's plenty of money."
Piper smiled and Dan smiled back.
Three months went by smoothly, and Piper couldn't have been happier. The twin horses grew quickly and were healthy as, well, horses, and Piper was going to start to train them soon. She was out most of the day at the ranch and came home with the sunset. It never did bother her that Dan rarely helped her at the ranch, because she had Prue, Phoebe, Jacob, Joanne, and Jack with her and between the six of them plus a few hired hands, they got the jobs done.
Dan was usually at a friend's ranch, watching herd of cattle daily. There were five people to watch the two hundred cattle, so he got home just before Piper, and left just after her.
Another three months went by with no arguments or problems. One thing was bothering Piper, though... Each time she brought home money from selling horses at the ranch, she put it in the local bank. But when she went to take some, there was less in there. She hadn't bought anything new, and neither had Dan, so she was curious, and questioned Dan the night of their six-month anniversary. They hadn't done anything special to mark it, so Piper had her head clear to think about the disappearing money.
"So, I went to the bank today to take out a bit of money for Prue and Phoebe--they're going away for a week, remember?--"
Dan nodded.
"And the money wasn't there... I know it sounds strange, but..."
"Well, I don't know what to tell ya, Piper... I haven't touched it, and neither have you."
"Right, so... You think maybe someone else is? Someone breakin' in?"
"I dunno. If it ain't hurtin' us too bad, it's probly' just best to ignore it."
"K..." Piper knew it sounded like a strange idea, but she decided to agree with Dan and leave it alone. He was right, though, it wasn't hurting them money wise, so they didn't need to worry. Still, it was unnerving to know that someone may have been taking the money from her. In times when people couldn't afford the items on the shelves of their own stores, having the money she did seemed to be a blessing. But she didn't question the issue any further and went to bed.
A/N: Okay, in the next chapter, they fight... he he he... ::smiles evilly::
