My Storybook Hero

Reuniting with Andy and an 'old friend'

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If you hadn't already guessed, Prue has a daughter that she named after their mother, Patty.

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Piper and Paige were driving towards Andy's house the next day.

"Do you think Andy will want to see us?" Paige asked.

"Probably not, but we can try to talk. I feel really bad not being there to see Patty," Piper said.

"I feel horrible," Paige glanced at Piper driving. She took a deep breath.

"What's on your mind?" Piper asked stealing a glance.

"I was just wondering, you know you're not seeing anyone and I'm not seeing anyone. I'm sure you feel lonely—

"Paige, what are you trying to say?"

"Do you want to move in with me? I mean back at the manor?"

Paige saw Piper a look coming across Piper's face.

"You're still living there?"

"Yeah and it gets kind of lonely. I can think of none better than my sister to share it with," Paige said.

Piper took a deep breath.

"Forget I mentioned it," Paige said.

"No—

Piper's cell phone started to ring. Without saying another word, Piper answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Piper. It's me Leo."

"Hold on a second." Piper motioned for Paige. Paige held the phone so Piper could drive and talk. "What's up?"

"It's nothing, but I was reading over your latest chapter—I hope you're not busy." Leo said.

"No, I'm not."

"Well, I was just reading your latest chapter and everything was fine it's just that you have Julian engaged."

"Oh. I forgot about that. Listen, I wasn't really myself when I wrote it, so if you can—

"Give you a chance to rewrite it? Listen Piper, you're really pushing you're deadlines here," Leo said.

"I know I'm pushing my deadlines, but I need to talk to you, so how about I meet you for lunch this Friday?"

"This Friday?" came a surprised voice. "Sure and you don't have to worry about your deadlines, I can take care of them."

"Thanks, Leo. How about at one o' clock? There's this place about two blocks away from your office. Roger's—it's a really nice café'," Piper said.

"That's fine. See you then," Leo hung up and found that Ally was behind him massaging his shoulders. "I'm sorry we can't see each other anymore."

"What?"

"Goodbye."

Ally looked at him disbelievingly and then ran away in tears.

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"So you're over Cole or Julian or whichever it was?" Paige asked after Piper hung up.

"No. It'll take some time, but now I don't compare moments with Cole with Julian. I think of Cole as Cole, not as Julian," Piper said.

"Oh God! Don't tell me you love this guy!!" Paige said dramatically.

"I don't know. But maybe—hopefully I'll get over it, especially since he's unavailable," Piper said.

Piper parked in front of Andy's house. The last time she was here was several years ago.

"I wonder if they still live here," Paige said opening her door.

"Wait!"

"What?"

"Give me a minute," Piper said. "Some things in my life are going to change."

"Like what?" Paige asked.

"We're talking now. That's a change and some more are coming soon."

"Like what?" Paige asked again.

"I'm quitting."

"Quitting what?"

"I'm not going to write books anymore. I've found that I wanted to open up a nightclub. There's a building downtown that I like. I have tons of money. I'm rich and famous, I could buy it. And I'm moving in with you, so you better watch out," Piper got out of the car.

It took a moment for Piper's words to sink in. Paige was out of the car in seconds. "Really?"

Piper nodded.

"This is going to be so much fun!!!" Paige said with delight.

Piper linked her arm with Paige's and they walked towards the front door.

Piper took a deep breath and knocked. Paige had rung the doorbell at the same time.

Piper gave a Paige a look. She shrugged.

Andy opened the door. "Piper? Paige?"

"Hey Andy!"

"How are you doing?"

"Fine. How about you guys?" Andy asked, surprise showing on his face.

"Great!"

"Fine!"

There was an awkward silence between them.

"Andy, we're miserable," Piper said at last.

Andy looked at them questioningly.

"Where's Patty?" Paige asked.

"She's visiting my sister," Andy said.

"Oh." Piper looked disappointed.

"Can we come in?" Paige asked.

Andy was quiet for a second. "How about we take a walk instead?"

"Sure."

Andy disappeared behind the door and came out a second later, ready to go.

As they walked—Andy in between them, everyone was quiet.

"So, why are you guys miserable?" Andy broke the silence.

"Because we've realized our mistakes and how badly we acted," Paige said.

"Hmm," Andy looked straight ahead.

"Andy, the truth is that we were hurt really bad when Prue died. We thought we couldn't handle it. We both cut the connection between us," Piper said.

"You guys haven't talked to each other in awhile?" Andy asked.

"I mean we talked, but they were meaningless words. It was only yesterday that we realized what we've been doing to each other and you," Paige said.

"Me?" Andy asked.

"We got together under certain circumstances. We realized how we pushed you and Patty away and even each other," Piper said.

"You guys reminded us of Prue so much, we couldn't handle it. Prue was the one who sorta of held us together," Paige said.

"Now we realize that it was us who held us together, Prue just showed us the way," Piper said.

"We are so sorry for not being there when you needed us the most," Paige said.

"And we're sorry we weren't there for Patty," Piper said.

Andy was quiet. The first thing that came from his mouth was a chuckle. A sarcastic chuckle. "You think you guys can come back after all these years?"

"We understand if you hate us. We don't blame you," Paige said.

"I don't hate you guys. I'm just mad at you. How did you think I felt? I lost someone I loved, too. My wife. The mother of my child. I was devastated. You guys were not the only ones who felt the effect of Prue's death. I still had a child to raise. Where were you guys?"

"We said we were sorry," Piper said.

"Sometimes sorry doesn't cut it. It doesn't erase the pain from all these years. These things take time," Andy said.

Piper and Paige each took Andy's hand. "We'll be here for you when you need us."

Andy nodded. And then he smiled. "Let's put that behind us for now. How are you guys doing? Piper? A famous author? And Paige? Still a social worker?

"Yeah, but I think I'm going to retire from this writing business. I'm starting to have no life," Piper said.

"Yeah and I'm trying to have a life," Paige said.

Andy laughed.

"Well what's Patty doing?" Paige asked.

"You guys don't want to know about me?" Andy pouted. "Patty's fine. She's starting first grade soon and she would give anything to see you guys."

"Well she's going to be seeing us from now on," Piper said.

"Andy, we know this seems rushed—

"No! No! We're fine. We'll take some time. We'll be fine," Andy said.

"So how are you doing Andy?" Piper asked.

"I thought you'd never ask," Andy said. He led them towards a flower shop on a street corner. "I'm an inspector. And you know the same old things. I kinda buried my self in work and then I realized I needed to be with Patty and so I took off some time"

"Andy, we're so sorry," Paige said.

"Don't be!" Andy linked his arm through each of Piper's and Paige's. "I've got two beautiful ladies with me, now, and I think they need some flowers."

Piper and Paige laughed as Andy led them to a section with roses.

Piper was just about to reach out for a rose when someone tapped her on the shoulder. Andy and Paige turned around with her. A familiar looking woman was standing there smiling.

"Do I know you?" Piper asked.

"Oh Piper! Of course you know me. It's me, Phoebe, from high school!" the woman said.

"Phoebe? Phoebe?" Piper was searching her memory.

"Phoebe Matthews?" Paige asked for her.

Phoebe nodded.

"Phoebe Matthews?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, although it's Phoebe Dean now—

"Phoebe Dean? You're married? Congratulations!" Piper smiled.

"No. Divorced, now. I was married to Jason Dean, you know he owns that newspaper," Phoebe said.

"The Big New Yorker?" Andy asked.

"Yeah! Things didn't work out between us. I came back here—I was living in New York with him—and now my last name is changing again!" Phoebe said.

"You met someone? You're getting married?" Paige asked.

"Yeah!"

"Congratulations!" Piper, Andy, and Paige said.

"You know it's nice seeing each other again. I mean we all knew each other in school and that may have not been the best times, but it's still nice seeing each other," Phoebe said.

"Yeah, you too," Piper said.

"If you don't mind me asking, who are you getting married to?" Paige asked.

"I don't mind at all and speaking of him, here he comes," Phoebe waved over someone behind Piper.

Piper turned around and her jaw dropped.

"This is my fiancée, Cole Turner," Phoebe introduced.