Sorry for the delay in posting, but when I came to post the next chapter I realised that I'd made a mistake in an earlier posting and missed out an entire chapter! I only realised that something wasn't right because my chapter numbers didn't add up, and it took me quite a while to figure out what I'd done. Since everyone has read on, and somehow not noticed the mistake, I decided that rather than remove the offending chapter and repost I would try to re-work the information so that you can move forward with the story. For continuity reasons some of the information had to appear at the start of chapter 17, so you may want to go back and re-read the start of the chapter as there is new stuff there. The rest I have put in as chapter 18. Apologies for the mistake, but hopefully it should all make more sense now.

'Okay Piper you're gonna have to run that by me again- slowly' Leo instructed.

Piper sighed heavily. 'Leo I've told you three times already, saying it again isn't gonna change the facts. The Elders deliberately let Prue die because they wanted to replace her with Paige. They blocked your powers so that you couldn't heal her that's just the way it is and you're gonna have to accept it.'

'No' Leo said hoarsely 'I don't believe that. There has to be some kind of mistake. The Elders are powerful forces of good they would never willingly kill. They wouldn't block my healing powers that's not the way they work. And anyway you can't cheat the Angel of Death you know that Piper. If it wasn't Prue's time to go he wouldn't have taken her.'

He looked at her confidently, convinced now that his argument was sound. 'It was Prue's time and there was nothing the Elders could do about it. I wasn't meant to save her.'

'Okay' Piper said doubtfully 'Well then if that's true, why would Grams lie about it? What possible reason could she have for stirring up trouble with the Elders, and alienating Paige for that matter? It just doesn't make any sense Leo.'

Leo rubbed his forehead trying to ease the knot of tension that had developed there. 'I don't know, maybe Grams is still bitter about Prue's death, and maybe she hasn't accepted Paige as part of the family' he offered. Or maybe' he continued noting Piper's sceptical look 'maybe she's been tricked somehow.'

'Tricked? Tricked by who?' Piper asked screwing her face up in confusion.

Leo shrugged. 'I don't know by a demon or a darklighter who wants to cause trouble for the Charmed Ones, you know divide and conquer. Maybe it's part of Taric's master plan, or it could even be Cole, did ya think of that? You have to admit you've been a lot less willing to listen to Paige since you heard about Prue, and now your sisters are out there trying to save a coven without you. If that is the plan then it's already working.'

'Okay, I guess that makes sense' Piper conceded. It hadn't occurred to her that the whole thing could be a trick. She'd just accepted the information on face value because it had come from Grams. If it was just a trick then Paige wasn't really responsible for Prue's death, and then she could stop having all these horrible feelings about Paige. Still she wasn't about to leap to any conclusions, especially when they didn't have any evidence, and then there were the other things that Grams had said.

'But what about all the other stuff?' she argued. 'What about all that stuff about our baby being written about in some prophesies, and changing the balance between good and evil? Do you believe any of that or is that just a trick too?'

Leo hesitated, looking a little guilty 'Well actually she might be right about that part, the Elders did mention something.' Piper opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off 'I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry. I thought that knowing something like that might be too much pressure and besides we can't be sure. It's a possibility, but the prophecies aren't exactly specific. And well I was gonna tell you' he finished lamely.

'Oh really. And when exactly were you planning on telling me Leo? When the baby is 18? When she suddenly develops incredible powers? When?' Piper demanded. She could feel the anger simmering beneath the surface and she was sorely tempted to blow something up.

Leo shifted uncomfortably 'I was waiting until we had more information, at least until after the baby was born. I talked it all through with Phoebe and we agreed that it was better that you didn't know.'

'Phoebe?' Piper was incredulous. 'You talked it all through with Phoebe! Well that's just great Leo, who else did ya tell?'

'Well Paige obviously' Leo said quietly.

'Obviously' Piper echoed him bitterly. 'Anyone else?' she looked at him inquiringly, one eyebrow raised in disbelief. 'How about my staff at P3? Phoebe's colleagues at the newspaper? The guy who delivers the mail?'

Leo sighed heavily 'Okay I might have mentioned it to Darryl, but that's it Piper I swear.'

Piper scowled. 'And not one of you thought that I deserved to know about the future of my own child? You're unbelievable.'

'It wasn't like that Piper honestly' Leo said quickly, trying to pacify her. 'We just wanted to be sure, we didn't wanna get you all worked up over nothing, it's not good for…' he lapsed in to a miserable silence, suddenly realising that he had inadvertently returned them to their original disagreement.

'Alright I get it' Piper said crankily. 'You were worried about the effect it might have on the baby, I know. But Leo we've just been through this. I have to know that you understand why I need you to stop trying to protect me. You have to let me know what's going on and let me deal with it my own way.'

She looked at him intently, trying to gauge his reaction. 'How can I trust you if you keep on hiding things from me? I know that you did it with the best intentions, but Leo you're my husband, and Phoebe and Paige are my sisters, and if I can't trust you then I can't trust anything.'

'I know, I know you're right, we should have told you' Leo admitted, instantly contrite. 'It's just I love you Piper, and even though I know that you can take care of yourself, it doesn't stop me worrying.'

Piper smiled and gave his hand an affectionate squeeze 'I know that Leo, and I'm not asking you to stop worrying. I worry about you too you know.'

'I know' Leo said, sighing heavily. He hated to think of Piper worrying about him, but he knew that it came with the territory. It was part of being in love.

I'm just asking you to be honest with me' Piper continued, using the same firm tone she had adopted earlier. 'I need to know what's going on, and that means everything that's going on. Okay?'

'Okay' Leo agreed, finally relenting.

'So' Piper looked at him questioningly. 'Is there anything else that I should know about?'

Leo shook his head 'No I think that's everything.'

'Are you sure' Piper looked at him suspiciously.

'I'm sure' Leo promised.

'Good' Piper breathed a sigh of relief. 'Well now we got that straightened out hadn't you better get going?'

'Going?' Leo asked in confusion. 'Going where?'

'Well isn't it obvious?' Piper asked. 'You have to go see the Elders and ask them if Grams' story about Paige is true? If she was right about that other stuff she could be right about this too, and if she's wrong, and it is all part of some demonic master plan then it means that Taric or Cole or whoever the hell is really behind all this is a hell of a lot smarter than we thought. '

'So Leo, I suppose you want an answer from me.' Michael said gravely. He looked at his young apprentice remembering how he had mentored Leo for a time when he first became a whitelighter. They had developed a close bond over the years, more like father and son than teacher and pupil. Leo had long since outgrown him, become a competent whitelighter in his own right, but still he always turned to Michael whenever he needed guidance, just as he needed him now. Michael sighed heavily. It was time to tell Leo the truth; he owed him that at least.

Leo nodded, watching the Elderly whitelighter carefully.

Michael stroked his beard contemplatively 'You know Leo, I'm a little surprised you haven't come to me sooner with your question, but no matter you're here now. Are you sure you're ready to hear the answer?'

Leo hesitated for only a moment and then taking a deep breath he said 'Yes Michael, I need to know. Did the Elders deliberately let Prue die so that they could replace her with Paige?'

To be continued ……