Chapter 6
Finding the Strength They Never Knew They Had...
"What? Misdiagnosed? Does that mean she has...has..." Piper stumbled.
"Yes. She has skin cancer. She will need surgery to have it removed, and then Chemo for 6 months or so to make sure she doesn't get it again," Dr. Williamson explained. Prue burst into tears and ran out of the room. Even Prue, the strongest, couldn't take this. Piper and Pheobe got up and followed her.
She didn't get far. They found her sitting on the floor a few feet from the office they were in. "Prue, sweetie, it's okay. You will be okay," Piper said gently. Dr. Williamson came out just in time to hear that.
"Actually, she may not be okay. She has 6 months of Chemo, which may work, but if it isn't strong enough, she will die before she makes it through. I'm sorry, and surgery needs to be on Friday or Saturday at noon," He said, and then walked off insensitively.
"Friday," Prue mumbled. He turned around and nodded.
Pheobe began to cry. She hugged Prue tightly and tried to forget the horror that she had just found out. Piper was not crying, but she looked like she had just seen both sisters die, which in a way, she had. Both of them were dead emotionally. Prue looked like she was gonna die right then and there, and Pheobe looked like she had no life left in her.
"Come on...let's get out of here, guys," Piper said. Pheobe pulled Prue up and all three of them walked out of the hospital.
On the way home, Piper didn't shed a tear. She always wished she was strong, and now was her chance. Pheobe cried openly, but Prue remained frozen in her own world. Eventually, she let a tear fall down her cheek. Pheobe put her hand on Prue's and tried to smile.
When they got home, Piper got ready for work. She didn't want to be at home. "It isn't true," she told herself as she put on a short black dress and brushed her hair. "When I get back, Prue will be fine. Everything is okay," Piper told herself. But she knew it wouldn't be true. She went down stairs, only to find Prue sitting alone in the living room. Piper guessed that Pheobe was in her room, and had no intention of going up.
"I love you, Prue," Piper said.
"I love you too."
Piper left from there. She cried all the way to P3, and when she got there, a lot of people asked what was wrong. Piper wouldn't answer anyone, and she didn't talk, except to ask people what they wanted. Chloe, a waitress, told her to go home. It was 10:00, and the club would be open for another three hours, but Piper didn't look like she could stand any more.
When Piper got home, both Prue and Piper were asleep. She went in Prue's room, and Prue was sound asleep. Piper lightly kissed her forehead and went next door to her own room. She cried herself to sleep, thankful that she waited until Prue couldn't see. She knew why Dr. Williamson wanted her to leave. So she wouldn't break down and upset Prue. But now, she cried openly, and pretty loudly.
Prue was up first, around 6 AM. She didn't wake Piper or Pheobe, but she knew that both had cried themselves to sleep. She had went into Pheobe's room and they talked and hugged and both felt better. But Prue knew Piper was trying to hide it, so she pretended not to notice, for the moment.
Around 8, Piper woke up. She didn't expect Prue to be up, so she was still crying when she came down. Prue looked up and saw her before Piper could stop.
"Honey, you have got to learn to ask to talk when you need to," Prue said, as she wrapped her arms around her sister. "I know you cried last night. Don't be afraid to talk to me or Pheobe."
"I'm sorry, I just don't want to upset you. You're sick, Prue, and I don't want you to worry about me and Pheobe," Piper sobbed.
"That's no excuse. It's okay to tell me you need to talk. I am sick, but still here for you, and always will be," Prue said, still clinging to her sister.
"I'll be here for you, too, cause you will need to talk alot," Piper said. Prue smiled at her through tears. "And Prue?"
"Yes?" Prue answered.
"I talked to Pheobe last night, but I need to talk to you, too," Piper said.
"Okay, let's go in the living room," Prue said. Both women walked into the living room and sat down. "So what did you and Pheobe talk about?" Prue asked, greatful that at least her sister was talking to someone.
"We talked about how we are going to handle this, and how we both felt, and we both agreed that we were gonna talk to you seperately, and then hopefully all together. We also decided that you are gonna be upset if we won't talk to you anymore just cause you're sick, which is why I am here now. Maybe you'll feel normal after you know we still need you," Piper said.
"I would be upset if you guys wouldn't talk to me anymore, and I think you're right, it probably will help to help you two," Prue answered. "And I want to know what I can do to make this easier for you guys."
"We want to know what to do for you to help you, too, Prue, cause whether you want to or not, this isn't gonna be something that you can handle all by yourself," Piper said. She still looked teary eyed, but better.
"I know, but the Power of Three won't exaclty set us free," Prue pointed out, also teary eyed.
"But it will make this easier. I was so devastated last night, but talking to Pheobe helped, even though she didn't make all this go away," Piper said back. She had a point. If no one talked to each other, none of them would make it through this.
"You're right," Prue said. She knew that Piper had a valid point.
Piper suddenly looked crushed. It had just hit her that he sister was at risk to die. She had sort of forgotten about that part in talking to Prue. And just then, she had an uncontrolable thought. It was her and Pheobe sitting in a church...and she looked up and saw a white casket sitting on a stand at the front of the room...and Prue's picture on top of the casket..."In loving memory of Prudence Halliwell...may she rest in peace..." Thoughts of that type were running through Piper's head..."I'm so sorry, Piper, Prue was a nice person. But she's in a better place now," Piper felt a tear run down her cheek. "She just couldn't pull through, could she? Quite a surprise, huh?"
