C.C. McKenna

Earthquake!

Chapter: One

Monday - 7:00 A.M.

"Are you both sure, I mean very, very sure you don't want to come with us to New York?" Piper dropped her traveling bags on the foyer's floor and glanced at her sisters. The eldest and the youngest seemed to be getting along a lot better than they did just a couple of weeks ago, but still, Piper was not completely satisfied with their performance.

"No, Piper, you go ahead". Prue smiled weakly while placing her arm around Lexie's neck,which the latter swiftly shook it away. "You and Phoebe have lots and lots of great fun, and don't worry about us, I promise Lex and I will be ok, we won't kill each other while you're gone if that's what you're worried about".

"Our cab is here!" Phoebe shouted as she pushed open the main door and burst herself inside the house. She was more than happy to be able to go back to New York, in fact, she was thrilled now that her older sister, Piper, was able to tag along; so what else could be better than that? Piper's company would automatically be doubling the trip's fun. "Last chance Prue… you'll miss all the fun" Phoebe smiled while she picked up the bags from the floor. "Are you really aware that you're letting slip away a great vacation?"

"You know I would love to go with you guys, and I'm sure Lexie would too if she didn't have those complex midterm essays to turn in" Prue helped her sisters with their bags and walked them to their cab. "Besides, I'm going to be very busy preparing all my photos, they have to be ready for Thursday" They all stood at the side of the cab, while the driver placed their luggage in the trunk. "Remember my exhibition will be this Friday" Prue smiled widely.

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry we're going to miss it" Piper whispered, holding Prue's hand between hers. "Maybe I should stay here with you… you are going to need a helping hand around" She added softly.

Prue smiled and gave her sister a sudden kiss on her forehead. "Oh that's so sweet Piper, thank you, and, and it's not that I don't appreciate it, 'cause I do, I, I… I really do; but you need to get away, you need to have fun, you need your vacations".

"Yes Piper, we'll be fine," Lexie cut in, "I'll go with Prue and I'll help her with whatever she needs for that exhibit of hers; we'll have fun too" Lexie furrowed her nose and tilted the corner of her mouth. "Oh, come to think of it, I'm sure it will be so cool that I can hardly wait to be there" She rolled her eyes, and immediately received a slight slap from Piper, right on her shoulder blade.

"Hey, I was kidding!" Lexie whined and wrapped her arm around Prue's neck; She just loved to upset her sister, and Prue knew it, that's why most of the time she didn't take her words seriously.

"I know honey" Piper smiled. "Now, you better behave and be a good girl, I don't want any complaints from Prue when we get back"

"Hey, I always behave, just keep Prue off my back and everything will be cool" Lexie grinned, kissing the eldest's temple.

Prue frowned. "This is so not funny Alexia," andshoved her sister away.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of her" Lexie kept joking "I'll even make sure she eats well, 'cause we all know that when she goes into that bloody dark room, alone with those photos and cameras and stuff, she forgets about food existence, hell, she even forgets about us"

"All right missy, that's enough, say good bye to your sisters and leave already, I want you back home earlier than usual, Andy is coming over this evening and we'll go out for dinner, and I mean the three of us". Prue smiled and Lexie frowned.

"Ladies, ladies, will you hurry up!" The cab driver growled with annoyance, interrupting the sister's conversation.

"Sorry, sorry, Mr. Cab Driver" Phoebe quickly kissed her sisters good-bye and hoped inside the yellow cab, leaving the door wide open for Piper.

"Ok, guys, take care" Piper smiled and kissed her not traveling, boring sisters. "We'll be back next Monday" She beamed, barely having enough time to close the door before the driver stepped on the gas pedal.

"Geeze" Lexie shook her head. "I hope they get to the airport in one piece"

"Lex…"

"All right, all right, I'm leaving" Lexie raised both hands trying to calm her sister down and headed inside the house to grab her things. Prue clutched the doorknob and kept the door open, waiting patiently for her sister to come out. Lexie finally showed up, but not where her sister was expecting her; she came out from the backyard, her black leather backpack on her shoulder and a perfectly well strapped helmet. "Later" Lexie muttered before speeding away on her Honda; leaving a not too pleased sister glaring at her. Prue shook her head and slowly walked towards her Miata. She slowly slid her body into the driver's seat while her mind and heart traveled along with her baby sister. She knew too well that the relationship with the youngest was not so good, but she had the Halliwell's determination to make it work.

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Monday 1:00 P.M.

"I've always loved New York" Phoebe whirled around and dropped herself limply on the king sized bed. "This is a cool two bedroom suite, isn't it?"

"Well yeah…but why did you ask for a two bedroom? We would have been great in a single room with two beds"

"Ha! Believe me, you don't know what you're saying" Phoebe mocked.

Piper raised an eyebrow and stared at her young sister. "What do you mean?"

"You'll find out…I hope" Phoebe giggled, she was happy to be in New York and even happier for Piper's company. "It's so cool Pipe; we're going to have the time of our lives"

"I'm sure we will honey" Piper opened the closet and started hanging all her clothes. "Give me your bag so I can hang your stuff in your closet too"

"Oh Piper, thank you, thank you, thank you…you're so sweet, and I love you, and…"

"Phoebe…enough!" Piper shook her head. "A little frantic, are we not?"

"It's just that I'm so thrilled to be back… to see my old friends, to…to"

"Call Cole and tell him you're fine and missing him", Piper smiled mockingly, "for instance?"

"Oh, you are right; I'm going to call my handsome D.A. and tell him how much I love him…'yes I am'" Phoebe spoke babyishly.

"You're nuts Phoebe" Piper smiled, finally sliding shut the closet door. "If you're going to call him… for God's sake, do it already, 'cause I'm starving; we need to go out…and I mean now"

"Any special place you have in mind?" Phoebe grabbed her purse and started looking for her cell phone.

Piper rested her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes and thinking for a moment. "Nah, you choose…I don't know this city too well… I just know I'm craving for French cuisine"

"Then I know the exact place to take you, mademoiselle" Phoebe smiled, taking the phone to her ear and raising her hand to hush her sister. "Hellooo honeyyyy…I've missed you so, so, so much"

"There's that childish tone again" Piper mocked. "I wonder if Cole ever thinks of you as an immature baby" She raised her eyebrows, smiling at her sister.

"What?" Phoebe shrugged, not quite paying attention to her sister's words and certainly trying to listen to Cole, who was enthusiastically talking on the other end.

"Nothing" Piper chuckled. "I'm going to take a shower" She gestured the words trying not to distract Phoebe from her phone conversation.

Phoebe covered the phone speaker and replied a half-whispering-half gesticulated 'ok'.

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Monday, 5:00 P.M.

"Are you sure Phoebe is going to be here next Monday?" Karen asked sadly. She was in the library, doing some research and Lexie was trying to finish her biology essay.

"Yup, that's what they said" Lexie replied, slowly hitting the keyboard of her laptop, using only her index fingers. "Damn, I've never been good at this typing thing" Lexie whined, not quietly enough, drawing the attention of the librarian towards them.

"I can help you if you want me to" Karen offered, ignoring the sharp gaze of the annoyed woman.

"If you don't keep quiet young ladies, I'm going to have to ask you both to leave" The dull faced woman took off her eyeglasses and warned them with a stern look.

Lexie rolled her eyes and turned to Karen. "I'm leaving Kary, are you coming with me or are you staying with the nice lady here?" Lexie smiled widely at the staring woman and started picking up her notebooks and laptop to put them inside her bag, biting her lower lip to suppress a laugh.

"Are you kidding? I'm coming with you" Karen hastily picked up her things and shoved them inside her leather briefcase; both girls walked out of the library, giggling.

"Are you through for the day?" Lexie asked, wanting to hear a yes for an answer. "Or do you have plans?"

"No, I don't have any plans… why do you ask? … Just being curious or do you have something cool in mind?"

"I don't want to go home just yet, do you want to come with me?" Lexie popped the question.

"Sure Lex" Karen wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulders. "Everything ok?"

"No…not really, I need some advice"

"Sure kiddo, you know you can count on me"

"Thanks" Lexie smiled weakly. "Did you bring your car?" She gazed around the parking lot, trying to find Karen's brand new, black Mini Couper.

"No, I lent it to Mike, my kid brother"

"Kid brother…huh? How old is Mike 'the kid' anyway?"

"He's twenty" Karen smiled. "But Phoebe thinks he's twelve!" She laughed.

"Yeah, that's Phoebe all right… twenty, huh? And I suppose he doesn't have a girlfriend or anything…right?"

"Girlfriend or anything?… hellooo? Define 'anything'" Karen mocked.

"You know what I mean" Lexie lowered her head, obviously embarrassed.

"No I don't sweetie, but I think he would die if he knew you are asking about him"

"He what?" Lexie beamed, failing to keep her coolness. "Let's just forget about it, ok?" She spoke sternly. "Let's pretend I didn't ask…please don't tell him" Lexie insisted. "Besides, guys are all alike, they're nothing but trouble; they can hurt you real bad"

"I won't" Karen smiled mischievously. "I'll try to keep myself out of this so we don't end up fighting" She shoved Lexie backwards but quickly hugged her back. "But you have to stop thinking like that…not all guys are the same, and not all guys are like Kevin…he was… he was"

Lexie smiled and wrapped her arm around Karen's waist. "Wow, twenty, and you call him a kid; where does that leave me?" She whined, deliberately changing the subject. "And Kary, before you say anything, I'm not a kid ok, I've lived my 18 years to the fullest; you don't know all I had to go through these past years, first in London and now here in the U.S" Lexie sighed.

"Ok kiddo," Karen grabbed Lexie's arm tightly, "it's obvious you need to clear your chest, so, let's get going" Karen smiled and ruffled her friend's hair. "Where's your bike? You've just got lucky, I'm coming with you"

"Hoooh, sounds like fun" Lexie gave Karen a slight shove and both girls giggled, playfully clinching their arms.

They slowly walked to the bike and Karen stood in front of the red marvel, as Lexie called it. "Uhm…Lex, you've got to know that I don't like speeding, so please be gentle"

"Ok, but I'm going to have to take back the 'sounds like fun' part" Lexie chuckled. "You are just as boring as Piper, you know she hasn't taken a ride with me?" Lexie grabbed the helmet from the motorcycle's handle bar and tossed it to Karen. "Put this on, I wouldn't want you to get hurt"

"Whaaaat?! Why would I get hurt? What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing dude…everything's cool" Lexie smiled and hastily hopped on the motorcycle, waiting for Karen to join her. "Need a hand?" Lexie mocked the question when she glanced back over her shoulder and saw her friend having trouble with the helmet's strap.

"I've got it, I've got it" Karen swapped Lexie's hand and went back to her breathtaking, and challenging assignment; 'strapping the helmet's belt under her chin'. Lexie rolled her eyes, turned the ignition on, and waited for another five minutes for Karen to finish her complex task.

"Did you know your kid brother asked me out?" Lexie muttered, trying to kill some time while she waited for Karen to strap the helmet.

"What?!" Karen forgot about the strapping thing.

"Never mind...I'll tell you all about it later" Lexie hid her naughty smile. "Go back to the strapping thing dude!" She scolded.

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It was eight P.M. when Andy arrived at the Manor; Prue opened the door and smiled with that usual sexiness of hers. Andy looked at her for a moment and nodded before wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Whaat?" Prue asked with an obvious flirting tone.

"You're so beautiful… and I love you" Andy whispered.

"Why thank you, Inspector Trudeau"

"You're welcome Miss Halliwell; and I mean it, you look stunning tonight" Andy bent down and softly gave her a quick kiss, but Prue grabbed his tie and pulled him down for a longer version. After…let's say a reasonable period of time, Prue finally broke the kiss, slowly releasing Andy's tie; she asked him to come inside the house and wait for Lexie. She pored two glasses of red wine and guided him to the sofa, enjoying each other's company…and waiting for Alexia to show up; but the latter had other plans in mind.

Prue sighed after breaking a very passionate kiss. They were tossing on the sofa, trying to get something going before Lexie's arrival; but it seemed that her thoughts had a mind of their own; she just couldn't stop thinking about her sister. Prue placed her elbows on her knees and lowered her head, staring aimlessly at the floor; she slowly pulled her hair back and kept it there for a few seconds; she suddenly shook her head and swiftly got up. Andy felt Prue's tension and promptly went to her side, to hold her.

"I'm sorry Andy, I… I can't…" Prue tried to pull free from his arms but Andy held her tighter.

"Ok, Prue, tell me what's going on" He asked worriedly. "I want to know why are you so upset…so nervous…tell me, what can I do to help you" Andy held her at arms length, and softly stroke her chin with the back of his fingers.

"You'll probably think I'm making a big thing out of nothing, but I'm worried about Lexie; I specifically asked her to be here early so she could come and have dinner with us; she was supposed to be here around seven, and she hasn't even called to let me know where she is; and it's past eleven… and she's, God knows where, driving that hideous motorcycle, which by the way, I regret having bought that thing for her, and… and"

Andy smiled and pulled her close to his chest, firmly wrapping his arms around her. "I'm sure she's fine Prue, come on, be positive" He gently kissed her forehead. "But here's what we'll do; we wait for another hour and if she's not here by then, I promise I'll personally go look for her and I will also send some patrol cars if necessary".

"Ok" Prue whispered; her head still buried on his chest.

"Have you tried her cell?" Andy asked softly kissing the tip of her nose.

"For the 10th time, but the voice mail keeps answering for her, and that's so exasperating! Andy, what if she suffered an accident, or what if her heart…"

"Ok, ok, come on, sit down, you need to be calm, nothing happened to her, I'm sure of that" He kissed her temple and guided her to the sofa.

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Monday 11:47 P.M.

"I don't understand Lexie, if you love your sisters why do you keep hurting them?" Karen

tasted her beer and gently placed the bottle back on the table. They had been sitting in that Club for more than three hours; Karen was a good listener and Lexie knew it, that's why she chose her and that's why she had been the one venting the entire evening.

"I don't even know myself," Lexie whispered while she grabbed the last cigarette from the pack and lit it. She absentmindedly crushed the empty box and dropped it inside her unfilled cup of coffee. "I guess that I love them but I don't want to love them; and I know they love me, but I don't want them to love me…it's complicated" She embossed a weak smile. "Am I making sense?" She smiled.

"Well… not exactly sweetie, but if you elaborate a bit more…I might…"

"Let's just forget it"

"No, let's not" Karen held Lexie's hand for a moment but the latter hastily pulled it free. Karen nodded and exhaled deeply. "I think I know what the real issue is here" Karen took another sip of her beer. "Look, I'm no psychologist or anything like that, but I can easily read your heart; You, my friend, have commitment issues… no, no, I take that back" She smiled. "You have love issues, that's exactly what you have," She stated matter-of-factly.

"No, no, it's not that" Lexie breathed out a mouthful of smoke and pinched the bridge of her nose, while she slightly lowered her head again.

"Sure it is, but you don't want to accept that you are a coward" Karen swayed her finger in front of her friend's face. "A bloody British coward; as you would nicely put it, I'm sure"

Lexie raised her eyes and glared at Karen. "I'm no such thing; it's just … it's" She took a deep breath, "I want to go back to London". She sighed.

Karen startled back, surprised. "Are you out of your mind? Why? Why would you want to leave? Why would you want to hurt your sisters? They love you Lexie, Phoebe would die if… if"

"If I stay… Phoebe would die if I stay" Lexie said determinedly. "And so would Piper and Prue, and maybe even you, for that matter, because I'm cursed, because people get hurt when I'm around them…"

"Lex"

"No, let me finish please" Lexie cleared her throat. "Everybody who's near me… everybody I love… dies; my grandmother, my grandfather, my mother…and Kevin…I really loved him" She shook her head. "I'm ashamed to say it, but I loved him at the beginning, before I found out how evil he really was" She lowered her head, recalling the last few months. "He raped me Karen, and he tried to kill my sisters!" She drew some smoke in.

"Lexie…please, you have to let go"

"I can't…he ruined my life"

"But he's gone…and you're here; you need to forget about what happened and go on with your life"

"Easy for you to say" Lexie wiped her eyes. "I think of him, of what he did to me, every hour, every minute of every fucking day, I just can't take it anymore"

"I know sweetie"

"No, you don't know… you could never know what I feel"

"Lexie, sweetie, it's not easy for me to hear you say that, because I love you very much and I hate to see you like this, that's why we have to do something…we must help you forget, me and your sisters"

"I can't, I really can't forget! … Sophia's absence reminds me of him… she's my best friend, you know"

"I know who she is… she saved your life, and your sisters' too; I don't know her personally, but I am very grateful to her."

"Yeah, me too, but being grateful won't get her out of jail, she's in that bloody place again, just because of me!" Lexie slammed her hand on the table, unwillingly drawing the attention of the waiter, who hastily came to them and quickly filled another cup of coffee.

"Thank you" Karen turned to the young man and smiled at him.

Lexie didn't seem to notice his presence, but took a sip from her coffee before she went on. "Ever since I came into the Halliwell's lives things have been going wrong for them" She smirked. "Ironic, huh? I'm like a bad luck magnet for my own sisters" Lexie wiped the tears from her face and bit her lower lip. "And besides, I can't afford to love them or anybody else… I mean, what's the use if I'm going to die soon anyway?"

"What?! What are you talking about sweetie? You're so not dying, you're too young to be thinking like that"

"Yes, I am going to die Kary" Lexie insisted. "I've been going to the doctor, behind my sisters' backs, and my heart condition has worsened". Lexie grabbed Karen's hand and squeezed it tightly, suddenly realizing her lack of discretion. "Promise me you won't say a word to them"

"But Lex" Karen's eyes started to well up. "I…"

"Promise me, please" Lexie pleaded, still holding tightly her friend's hand. Karen nodded, and lowered her head to hide the tears from her eyes.

"Thank you Kary" Lexie whispered and drew a weak smile on her face. "Will you get the waiter and ask him to bring a pack of Marlboro, please"

"Lexie, you shouldn't be smok…"

"It's too late for that dude" Lexie cut her friend's words. "I'm dying anyway, whether I smoke or not, so what's the big deal…ok," She suddenly changed her mind, "let's forget about the cigarettes and go home instead.

"Lexie, we still have to talk about lots of things"

"I know, but not now, I think we should be going; you think Prue is pissed enough by now?" She grinned.

"Whaat?! Don't tell me you didn't let her know you were coming with me?"

"Hey…first of all, you came with me…remember? I dragged you down here!" Lexie chuckled. "And no, I didn't tell her I was going to be home late, so we better go"

Karen stared at Lexie, "Don't you think I don't know what you're doing Lex; you're trying hard, and I mean real hard for your sisters to hate you, to stop loving you; but let me tell you something young lady… you just don't know the Halliwells very well, do you? They don't give up on people, especially on the people they love; and you, sweetie, are someone very special for them, you are their baby sister; and they love you very much… that, I can assure you"

Lexie smiled and slowly stood up. "Special, you want to talk about special? Well, let me tell you something, you are the special one; now I know why you are my sister's best friend, and why she loves you so very much." Lexie grabbed her bag and stared at Karen. "I'm not special Kary, believe me, and I intend to let them know about it"

"Lexie, please, think about what you're saying, you don't really mean that; you should talk to them about your health condition"

"No!" Lexie quickly went back to her chair. "And you promised not to say a word to them about our conversation"

"But..."

"But nothing.... Karen, there's nothing that can be done about it; my heart is worn out, get it? It has been utterly damaged…you know…it wasn't that shabby, but because of the drugs I've taken, it kind of… well, you know the rest"

"But what about surgery…I mean, something has to be done"

"Oh, I have, believe me, I've done my part of the job, I'm on a…let's say… relatively 'long' waiting list, and I don't think I'm going to be receiving a new heart any time soon; there are several people ahead of me, and with a much more critic condition than mine, so I don't think my heart will last long enough to wait for it's replacement" Lexie barely managed to smile. "So you get my point? Why should I worry my sisters with this nonsense?"

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