Part 3 – back in the past
Her body lay motionless. Her hands still and unclenched her eyes shut and her face blanch. He sat next to her bed, took her cold hand in his...silent tears fell as he brought her hand up to his face, placing his lips on them, he kiss her hand, a sign of hope, of willing
Pulling back from the kiss he rubbed her hand on his cheek and spoke, "P...listen to me P...I know that you can hear me so...just listen. It's, It's just you and me now. Just us, mom and dad, they are gone...so P it is just you and me. Forever" He continued to break up as his hands shook. "you have to wake up, you have to open your eyes because I can not ever lose you...If I do not have you then I have nothing. I'll look after you, always no one will ever hurt you. You have me...always. Just You...you and me. No one or anything will get between us"
His heart beat faster as his emotions grew rawer, "If I don't have you, then I'm nothing. You're my life. Who will I drag home in the early hours because you can not stand up? Who will I fight with over the car? Who will I go out with to the movies? Who'll be my best friend? Who?
"Who?" he asked, still half in a dream world, It was the oldest who had spoken, but he had not quite court it.
"SO you like to travel?" Prue repeated, Rick just nodded,
"Yeah...erm, I'm sorry will you excuse me?" He asked as he stood to his feet and headed towards the kitchen.
Prue looked from Rick's back as it exited the room to a very stressed looking Paige who pushed her hand through her fiery hair... she looked over at her sisters, "Sorry guys, he's a bit..."
"Don't worry, look...we will leave you guys alone, I mean, it's late so we will head up to be. If you need a place to sleep, you know where me room is"
"Thanks" Paige spoke, "Night guys, and thanks for dinner Pipe it was great." She kissed each of her sisters on the head and then started in the search of her brother.
"Rick, I thought we'd sorted this? What is it?" Paige asked as she walked through the door to see her brother lent up against the door frame that lead out to the garden.
"I can not do this?" He admitted,
"Do what?" She asked, Making her way closer,
"Sit and pretend that this isn't crushing me P...I can't sit and pretend that I'm not feeling like shit."
"Why? Why do you think that I'll love you less?" she asked now as she stood behind him.
"Because...you don't need me any more" He explained, "You don't need me but..." He turned to her, "But P, I still need you. I need you to be my baby sis, to be someone that needs me to protect them. To be someone who wants me around."
Paige saw just how much that she had hurt him, not that she was surprised he was taking it like this, but she felt guilty. "Rick I still need you, I need you to be there for me, the next time I'm desperate to pick up a bottle. The next time I get dumped and I want to go out and order as much take away as possible. I'll need you to protect me, and I'll need you to still be my best friend. Nothing has changed between you and me...Nothing especially how much I love you."
Rick rested his head back on the door frame, "This was one thing that I really was not ready for" he sighed, "P, look...I'm finding this something really hard to deal with." He then took to looking into her eyes, "Do you remember the accident? While you were in that comma I was in a living hell, because there was a chance that I was going to lose you. Well I have to be honest, I'm reliving that again. I feel like I'm sat in that hospital again begging you to open your eyes."
"But Rick there is one difference...my eyes are open and I'm here, I am still the same old sister...You won't lose me." She reassured. "Promise?" She spoke resting her hand on his arm. "I'm sorry this is a shock, but you will get used to it, and you'll see that it'll all be okay. You'll see that I still love you. It's because I WILL NOT choose between you all. Please just give this a chance." She was now practically begging...Rick saw this and knew that he'd end up agreeing and he wasn't up for the usual argument and fight in which he always lost.
"This is one that I am not going to win Isn't not?" Rick spoke,
"Your right" She lent forward and hugged him, "I'm so sorry about tonight..."
"P I know you are...and I'm just confused so how about, I get some rest and we play catch up tomorrow?"
"Sounds great...thank you" She beamed, happy that he was ready to talk, "So there is a spear bed in my room that you can stay on..." She offered.
"Sounds great...I'll get some stuff and then well head up there"
Prue awoke early that morning to find her room empty, 'They must have sorted it out' she thought as she sleepily rose from her bed to ready herself for the shoot that she had today. She got washed and changed as she the headed down the end of the corridor. Passing Piper's door she noticed that she was already up and then walking past Phoebe's seeing the covers thrown of the bed and door flung open she came to the same conclusion
As she walked into the kitchen she smiled as she saw Piper wrestling with Phoebe trying to get free from the younger death grip. It was a routine for the two middle sisters in the morning, get up, change, wash, drink, read paper, fight and go to work. As Prue looked on she noticed that Phoebe had the advantage as Piper was pinned against the counter been tickled to death.
"Guys, stop!" The oldest shouted mockingly taking charge, "What have I told you about fighting in the kitchen." Prue mused at how funny it was that these twenty something year olds who could turn into four year olds in seconds and then turn back just as quick.
"Quits?" Phoebe asked as she tickled her older sister,
Piper gasped for breath, "Yeah, quits? I give!" She screamed.
Accepting this she got off of Piper, "great, now next time I say I want pancakes instead of waffles you'll just comply" Both laughed and made their way respectably back to their places.
Prue rolled her eyes and returned back to the section of news paper that she was reading, "All that over pancakes?" she asked, Phoebe smiled cheekily, "Yup" Piper was still too weak to answer so just smiled and continued to cook.
"So how's Paige?" Piper asked as she was now able to speak, directing it at the oldest sister.
"Paige? I do not know...I have not seen her." The oldest admit as she continued to read.
Piper took that as an answer and brought a plate of pancakes over, "Breakfast?" She asked the turned, "I'm going to get the paper" Piper explained.
Piper opened the front door, and as she did hared the sound of music...then her eyes connected with Rick, sat on the bonnet of his car, that was pulled up on the driveway he had his acoustic guitar placed on his lap as he strung away...his eyes clenched as the emotion ran through him.
Piper couldn't help but watch, she was there for quite a while, until the music stopped, she watched as Rick lowered his head, obviously in deep thought, then he once again began to strum...but this time words accompanied the soft notes...
Sweet words, that held so much emotion. His face saddened as his hands took over. Many people had sung, Piper had seen them, at the club but none of them could manage to capture such emotion. Not like him...
The song stopped and Piper was still in a Daze. "Wow...that was great" She spoke, "No that was amazing" She corrected.
Rick turned to look at her, "I didn't know anyone was there" He explained as he put his guitar down.
"OH..." Piper came out of the daze, "I just came out to get the paper and you...that's great."
Rick smiled, "Thanks" Piper looked at him, "So do you want to come in for breakfast?"
"That'll be great" He smiled, but his smile turned into an evil grrn "But I'm actually on the run from..."
Before he could finish the voice of the youngest could be hared, "RICK! RICK you are so dead..."