Disclaimer: Don't own any part of Charmed, not even Piper and Leo's love for each other, though I wish I did, cuz then I could make sure they stayed together.
A/n: Wow, its been too long since I wrote a chapter for this. It has been constantly on my mind, though, I promise. Thanx too:
OTHCharmedHPFreak: well, ya kno, life can be kind of complicated in the halliwell house
Chrissister/Melinda: thanx
Versatilecutie: I guess its kind of she's using leo as a shield for the hurt…?
Piperfairy: yah, u kno, the elders will do anything to make sure that whitelighters and witches aren't together.
CharmedLover1329: sry, I can't really answer those ?s because it will totally ruin my ending. Just keep reading to find out
Anonymous: thanx
Charmedchick4eva: yes, u had good advice! No, they don't know about the magic yet
Linn-LovesPiperLeo: thanx
Meenyrocks: goody, she get is! Yah, its kind of a…I can't really explain it, it just kind of happened.
Piper+leo4eva: wow, u really must have been looking forward to my update!
A week later and Piper still couldn't get her mind off of Leo. Every movement they had made on the couch was burning into Piper's skin. Leo's touch had been so different from Dan she had felt like none of her problems with Dan had ever happened.
Dan was still forcing Piper to have sex with her every night. Piper had a feeling Dan was trying to get her pregnant, because he seemed to know when it was right before her period and when her period started. The forceful behavior never stopped when Piper's period started, though.
Dan was also constantly making arrangements to have the wedding sooner and sooner. Before Piper knew it, the wedding was planned for two weeks before her and Dan's engagement anniversary, which was only five days away. It was also the anniversary of her and Leo's first date.
"Hey, bitch," Dan muttered, walking into the kitchen. Piper snapped out of her thoughts and twisted the engagement ring on her finger nervously. "I'm going to the chapel today to work out plans for the rehearsal dinner. I better not hear about you leaving this house."
With that, Dan was gone. Piper slumped over onto the table and groaned because of the wedding and the bruises running down her back. What am I going to do? Piper asked herself. I can't be with Dan, but if I am he'll could hurt Leo…
Piper's cell phone rang, startling her out of her thoughts. She rushed to the front hallway and snatched it out of her purse. "Hello?" "Before this conversation starts, I just want you to know that I love you," Leo said immediately. Piper closed her eyes.
"Leo, you're making this difficult," Piper explained. She moved to the living room and collapsed onto the couch. "Piper, you have to break it off with Dan!" Leo ordered. "I can't, Leo, we're getting married!" Piper exclaimed. "That's not the reason and you know it," Leo said.
"I don't want anything to happen to you," Piper admitted softly. "Piper, no matter what Dan does to me, nothing can tear me away from you. I love you too much!" Tears started rolling down Piper's cheeks and she wiped them away with a sniff of her nose.
"Leo, I'm so scared. Every minute he's drunk and I never know what he's going to do with me. He's already forced me into bed God knows how many…" Piper trailed off. She hadn't told Leo about the raping every night.
"He's raping you?" Leo yelled. "God damn him!" Leo swore a little more, then his voice became soothing again. "Tell him you're going to your sisters and come sleep at my house. We won't do anything, I just can't stand you being there with him all the time."
"No, he'll know I'm lying." Piper explained. " He always knows when I'm lying." "Piper, I don't want you hurt anymore!" Leo pleaded. "Leo, I can take care of myself!" Piper snapped. Leo was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath.
"I just received a phone call for a job in Texas. I need to know if you're going to stay with Dan or break it off so I can tell them my answer." "So you're going to just pack up and leave if I marry Dan in four days?" Piper choked back another sob.
"Piper, this is the chance I've been waiting for! It's a brand new hospital and I can make a good reputation there. If you leave Dan, then I might consider waiting until we get married before I go." Leo said. A few more tears trickled down Piper's face.
"Who says we'll ever get married?" Piper questioned. "As soon as I tell Dan we're over he's going to kill me right in that very spot." Piper heard Leo swear under his breath and a car honk in the background. "Are you in your car?"
"I was out getting groceries and I just got home," Leo answered. Piper heard him open his door and step out onto the driveway. "Piper, open your door." "What?" Piper questioned. "Just go the front door and open it." Leo repeated.
Piper stood up and made her way to the front. She swung the door open and found Leo standing in front of her. She gasped and stared at Leo in shock. Leo took a small black box out of his pocket and opened it with one hand for Piper to see.
Inside was a small silver diamond ring. Piper pulled the ring out and stared at it in awe. She twirled it around and caught the words "forever" engraved on the inside of the ring. Piper finally looked up at Leo and locked eyes with him.
"As soon as you broke up with me after that night in college I went out and bought that ring. I hoped that on some rare occasion you came back to me, I could propose to you and we'd life happily ever after. It sits in my car everyday as a reminder of how much I love you."
Piper heard Leo's words through the cell phone that was still attached to her ear and hung up, stuffing the phone into her pocket. Leo followed suit then looked back up at Piper. "All I want to know is if I should go to Texas or stay here where I know you'll love me."
"Leo…" Tears shone on Piper's face as she looked up at Leo. "I-I-I…I have to think about this." Leo's face fell but he took Piper's hand. "Take as long as you need, I'll always be here." Leo gently brushed his lips over Piper's then squeezed her hand and walked back to his car.
Piper opened her hand and looked down at the ring. The engraving caught her eye and she couldn't take her gaze off it. The motor to Leo's car started and Piper's head shot up. The back wheels rolled off the curb onto the road.
Piper sprinted down the sidewalk and across the grass. Leo stopped the car and opened his window. Piper ran around the car and stuck her head inside the car, catching Leo's mouth passionately. Leo set his hand on the side of Piper's face and kissed her back.
The kiss felt so right, so perfect, Piper never wanted it to stop. Her hand fingered with the ring held tightly in her grasp. She was about to pull away and slip it on when two arms grabbed her shoulders and yanked her away from Leo.
"I thought I told you not to leave the house, bitch," Dan grumbled. "Get off her!" Leo roared. He swung open the door and started to get out. "No, Leo, don't!" Piper yelled. She locked eyes with Leo for a minute and Leo slowly put his foot back in the car.
"Smart move," Dan said. He looked down at Piper's fist and smiled. "Hmm, what's this, a diamond?" Dan questioned. A sparkle caught Piper's eye and she saw the rock of the ring sticking out of her closed fist. Dan made a reach for the ring.
Piper opened her hand and gave her wrist a flick. The ring flew out of her hand and landed near the sewer opening. Leo jumped out of the car just as Dan pushed Piper to the ground and tried getting to the ring first. Leo hit the ground hard and his arm jostled the ring into the sewer.
Dan tackled Leo and started punching him. Leo curled up in a ball and put his hands over his head. "You… are…such…a…baby," Dan growled between punches. Piper picked herself up and pounced on top of Dan's shoulders.
Piper and Dan fell backwards onto the pavement. Leo popped up and straddled Dan's stomach, throwing punches at his face. Piper rolled herself out from under Dan and sat up on her knees. Dan threw all his weight into standing up and pushed Leo off him.
Leo's head hit the car and lolled against his shoulder. Piper gasped as Dan stood and started towards Leo. "Stop!" Piper screamed. She scrambled over to Leo and laid her head on his shoulder. "It's no use killing him now. Just let him go home, he's moving to Texas anyway."
Piper looked into Leo's eyes as she said this and he looked upset. She tried to tell him that she didn't mean it with her eyes but he wasn't catching the message. "He better be gone in the next 24 hours or he's a dead man." Dan ordered. He walked up to the house and slammed the door behind him.
"So you're staying with Dan?" Leo asked sadly. "Not if I can help it," Piper answered. Leo's eyes shone with hope. Piper helped him to his feet and hugged him tightly. Leo put his hand on her back and leaned against the car.
"Just let me get him off my back then I'll drive to your house tonight and we can plan something. I've decided that if you were willing to do all that for me then I shouldn't be so scared of Dan anymore." Leo smiled and kissed Piper.
Piper pulled away faster than she wanted to and helped Leo into his truck. "Get some rest, please, you look awful." "You just made all my pain go away," Leo said softly. Piper leaned into the truck and kissed him again then let him drive off.
As Piper made her way up to the house, she imagined her and Leo running away to go life in Texas. They could get married and have that family they had always dreamed of. Piper opened the door to the house and stepped inside.
Before Piper could go upstairs, Dan cleared his throat. Piper turned her head and saw him sitting on the couch. "You better go call some of your family members," Dan said. "We're getting married tomorrow afternoon whether you like it or not."
A/n: There ya go, chapter 16. I still amaze myself at what I come up with for this chapter! Plz review!
