A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while! I just got an iPod, so I've been spending all weekend getting it set up and everything...

Mediatorsk: Yes, I did have to leave you guys hanging. It creates more suspense that way. :)

Leigh1986: Don't feel bad about your story. I know it's hard to find time for everything. And don't worry, next chapter has a lot about Chris in it. :)

Lucy Knight: I'm usually pretty bad with names too. Actually, as I was first forming the idea for Pamela Halliwell: Wiccan Outcast in my head, I thought of Pam's younger sister as Allie, but then I was like, "no, I want it to be a 'p' name..." but I kept going back to Allie, so I decided to make it short for Allison, and Allison be her middle name, and her first name be Prudence after Prue... you get the idea.

reader: Thanks! I'm going to continue writing this no matter what the circumstances! (Unless I die of course lol)

CHAPTER TEN

Leo instantly orbed in. The first thing he saw was the tiny baby cradled in Phoebe's arms.

"Phoebe, I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner… the Elders…"

"It's not that, Leo," Phoebe replied frantically. "It's Piper."

Paige re-entered the room with a doctor at her side. He knelt down and checked Piper's pulse.

"Oh God, is she alright?" Leo asked.

"Her heart rate seems normal…" the doctor started. Everyone in the room let out a collective sigh of relief. "Do any of you have an idea why she might have fainted?"

"Umm…" Phoebe began. "It's a bit hard to explain. Dr. Reynolds is her main, uh, physician right now. Your best bet is to ask her for a medical opinion." She hoped that physician was the right word to describe what Dr. Reynolds did.

"Or, I could just get her into a room and have Dr. Reynolds come look at her as soon as possible," the doctor replied. "Which is what I will do."

………………………………………

Piper groaned slightly as she opened her eyes and took in her unfamiliar surroundings.

"How did I get here?" she asked Leo.

"You… fainted," he answered.

"What?" Piper questioned.

"Whilst standing in your sister Phoebe's room," Dr. Reynolds explained as she walked in.

"Right… Phoebe…" Piper turned to Paige. "How is she? How's the baby?"

"They're both resting comfortably," Paige replied.

"That's good…" Piper turned back to face Dr. Reynolds. "So, doc, what happened this time? How many more pills do I have to shove down my throat now?"

"None," Dr. Reynolds replied. "The ones you have been taking seem to have no effect, so I doubt a different brand will. Your fainting spell was brought about because your body was being overworked. I told you before that you should take things slower."

"I know, and I've tried…" Piper replied. "But it's just a bit hard. I've been kind of, um, seeking a lot of other opinions lately. That and alternative medicine. I've been trying some of that."

"Nothing that could interfere with the meds you were taking, I hope?"

"No. Of course not."

"Anyway, Miss Halliwell, the internal deterioration still continues in your system. So, your body trying harder than it did before to keep you the same way you've always been. Overworking yourself just adds to its exhaustion, until you faint like this. Or worse. You're lucky a brief fainting spell was all that you sustained. If this continues, you may fall into a coma next time."

"Oh. I see. I'll try my hardest to slow down," Piper swore.

"Good. Because from your latest scans, it seems that the process of deterioration is moving faster than it has been previously. You're only going to loose more and more of your energy, especially if you continue to be stubborn."

"Okay. I'm sorry," Piper apologized sincerely. She was so mad at herself for not taking the doctor's orders. Did she want to die?

"Depending on how much you need to move throughout the average day… and how big your house is… you may want to take home a wheelchair," Dr. Reynolds suggested.

"What?" Piper nearly shouted.

"An electric one, of course. They're easier to operate for someone in your…" Dr. Reynolds looked at Piper's hands. "…condition."

"There is no way that I am going to ride around in some, some granny-mobile!"

"They're not just for the elderly, Miss Halliwell. It doesn't have to be permanent, of course, but I think it would be wise to rent one for a month or so in case you change your mind."

Piper looked at Leo and Paige. She sighed, hating the compromise. "Fine."

……………………………….

Paige walked back into Phoebe's hospital room.

"Hey," Pam said. She was holding her new sister, who was fast asleep.

"How's Piper?" Phoebe asked.

"You tell me," Paige said. In came Piper in the wheelchair, followed by Leo.

Piper looked at the doorway behind her. "Can Dr. Reynolds see us? Okay, good." She immediately jumped up out of the chair, as if riding around on it was like sitting on nails.

"What is that?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh, just another stupid suggestion of Dr. Reynolds'…"

"Piper, I thought we agreed that you were at least going to try it out," Leo reminded.

"I will, I will. But only if I need it, or if that pesky doctor is watching."

"Be careful, Piper. I don't want you to go into a coma," Leo said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"A coma? What's going on here?" Phoebe asked.

"We'll explain later," Paige replied. "It's late, we're all tired, I should get home to Wyatt and Chris…"

"I understand," Phoebe replied.

"Um, listen, I was thinking," Piper started, "Maybe we should all get a family portrait taken soon, since now we have another person to add onto the tree. We could use a picture for the Christmas cards this year.

"Good idea," Phoebe replied.

"Yeah," Pam agreed, although she telepathically knew that Piper's real motive for getting the portrait taken was so that there would be a memory of all of them together, before she started to visibly look worn and sickly, or worse… before she was dead.

A/N: I should be updating quicker now. I had a patch of writer's block, but I drove up to North Jersey today and got a lot of ideas! Anyway, here's a preview for the next chapter: Piper starts to realize the effect her illness is having on her family members... most particularly, her son.