A/N: So...apparently, you guys aren't keen on cliff-hangers, lol.
I couldn't leave it too long, I'd get a guilt complex.
Never fear, it's here..
2. Breathing On Two Feet.
"Oh my God!" Phoebe screeched, stumbling backwards as she pulled back from the bed, along with everyone else in the room. Out of surprise and shock, they had all jumped back, distancing themselves from the cause of their scare.
Moments ago, they had been contemplating a life without her and now Prue was sat up slightly, breathing heavily. Pain plagued her features as she concentrated on the wound that refused to stop bleeding now that her heart was beating again.
"Leo, heal her." Cole instructed, as nobody else seemed to notice her obvious predicament.
The whitelighter shook his head slightly, trying to clear his frenzied mind, then rapidly moved to his eldest sister-in-law. His hands began to glow as he placed them over her impaled stomach. He smiled somewhat to himself, glad it had the desired effect this time.
The room watched and they all moved in closer, as the wound began to heal. Smiles and a few tears of joy radiated from their faces, noticing the colour return to Prue's features.
Piper, however, held back and her face was a complete mask, neither joy nor sadness could be seen. It was as if she was emotionless and distant. Minutes ago, she couldn't bare the thought of leaving Prue's side but now she moved towards the walls, cursing them for being in the way.
Her older sister's breathing regulated and Prue fell back onto the bed, with her eyes closed. Leo's healing faded and all that remained of the critical wound was a small scar.
Leo was slightly puzzled by the mark, usually healing would leave nothing to show there was ever any damage. He pulled back, waiting for what might happen next, along with the rest of the family.
Prue coughed softly twice, still keeping her eyes closed. "Well that was painful." she muttered, not realising the amount of anxious faces that were all focused on her.
"Prue?" Paige asked timidly, trying her best not to pounce on her sister and never let her go.
Prue eyes fluttered open briefly at the sound of her baby sisters voice. She smiled warmly, "Hey Missy Paige." her eyes closed for a moment again, trying to hide the need to rest. "Did you clean the demon goo up, like I told you to?"
She found if she didn't joke, the tension alone my just kill her all over again.
Phoebe and Paige exchanged glances and grins, both knowing it was their sister. In that moment, the two younger Halliwells bombarded Prue's bed, climbing all over her and insuring she would never be leaving.
"Your back, your back, your back…..Never do that to me again. Never." Phoebe warned in all seriousness. She was also trying to ignore the how part, that was nagging at her.
"Pheebs, for that…to happen, you…kinda need to…get off me." Prue exhaustedly managed to get out, while Phoebe clambered over her.
Phoebe moved to the side of Prue instead and sat next to Paige, who, although equally as excited, was able to contain herself, in the room filled with people.
Patty was beaming, walking over towards her eldest daughter and kissed her forehead, to which she received a toothy grin in response.
Searching the room, Prue's eyes met Andy's, after bypassing her father's. Andy's face showed how delighted he was, unable to keep the grin away.
"Your not one to stay dead, are you?" he joked, remembering the incident not long after he found out about the witchyness in her life.
"It's not in my nature." she smiled, with a small shrug. Then she pushed herself into a sitting position, glancing over the room again, taking in the noticeable absence of Piper. "Where's…"
Before she could finish her sentence, the bedroom slammed shut, signalling the departure of her sister.
Not wasting another second, Prue stood quickly and wobbled a little.
"Whooow." she commented, as she balanced herself carefully.
"Prudence, you should be resting." her grandmother told her.
"No, no. Got to talk to Piper." Prue argued, as she left the room after her younger sister.
"Will she ever listen?" Grams rhetorically asked to an almost empty room, since they had began to follow the oldest Halliwell sisters.
----------
"Krolan," one Elder boomed. "..this is unacceptable behaviour. You have granted Prudence Halliwell life, when death had already stepped in. You, as well as ourselves, are forbidden to interfere with his design."
Currently, Krolan was facing off with the other Elders. Some praised his decision, others secretly did and a few would rather cut out their own tongue out, then admit he had done the right thing.
"In all due respect," he replied carefully, "You know, just as well as myself, that deaths design changes ever second and I believed Prue had the right to be spared of his grand design, because you know with out her the Charmed Ones no longer exist"
"Prudence Halliwell is not above the law of death, Krolan." another reprimanded, not hiding the distaste to Krolan's use of Prue, rather than Prudence.
"I know this, but she was not destined to die in that battle." the younger Elder argued. "..and if I had not intervened, who knows the repercussions it could have had on the future."
"But you are unaware of the repercussions you may have caused, yourself." an Elder to his left added.
Krolan released a heavy sigh. "Look the decision was made and has now been processed, so if you plan on punishing me for my actions, then do so."
He really didn't care what they planned to do to him, as long as Prue was alive he wouldn't mind. It's not like they can just take her life away, that would be against their own lore, he thought to himself. …and the magical community would be in uproar, if they tried to take a life.
"Maybe your relationship with Prudence has clouded your judgement, Krolan." the first Elder replied.
"The only relationship I have with Prue Halliwell is one of friendship and trust, and if that has clouded my judgement, then so be it…at least the world is safer for it." Krolan glared in response, trying to hide the hurt at admitting it was only a friendship.
"You stand for your believes and I admire that, but it is undeniable that your friendship with the Charmed One was an influential aspect that would not have been present in someone else's decision." one spoke.
"And considering the circumstances, I wouldn't have changed it." Krolan replied confidently. "I have prolonged the Charmed destiny, for not only the worlds benefit but your own, unless you would like to inform them that their services are no longer required."
The opposed Elder's grew quiet and became indignant at what he was implying, with a challenging tone.
"You may leave, Krolan…but do not consider this matter closed." one of them announced.
Krolan bowed his head slightly, then turned away and smiled to himself. He knew it was not over but for now he had somewhere else to be.
---------
"Piper!" Prue called reaching the bottom of the stairs, just as her sister was heading for the kitchen. However, her call did little to stop the pregnant witch. "Piper, wait. Piper."
Prue grabbed hold of Piper's arm, stopping her from moving any further.
Piper spun at the touch, "What?" she asked harshly, pulling her arm free from Prue's grasp.
The oldest Halliwell felt as though she had been stabbed all over again, but this time it burned deeper than a mere blade. Sorrow was not the first emotion to spring to her, instead it was anger.
"A 'Hi, it's good to see your alright', wouldn't go a miss." she snapped.
"It wouldn't…but I don't care." Piper responded and she tried to get away, only to be gripped by the same hand she had clung to earlier.
"Well I do, now what the hell is wrong with you?" Prue irately asked.
The rest of the family were now gathered on the stairs, bewildered by the current argument. Leo tried to get past and comfort Piper, but he was held back by Paige and Phoebe. They didn't like the argument but it was clear, that the two older Halliwells needed to sort this out for themselves. Any interference may cause further rifts.
"Nothing is wrong with me." Piper retorted, glaring at the accusing manner her sister had used. Finally, she pulled herself free again and turned to leave.
"You could fool me. What is your problem? That I'm not dead?" Prue argued with Piper's back, feeling the annoyance of her sister's action boiling under her skin.
Piper stopped at Prue's words but chose to keep her back to her.
"…'Cause you know," the eldest continued. "I could call the Source up, tell him 'my sister didn't like the job you did, so would you be a pal and come and finish it off.'"
Tears slid down Piper's cheeks, although she had believed there was little left to be released. Her older sister's words were like bullets flying at her chest. She was mad at Prue, but that didn't mean she wanted her dead…or that she wanted to face her sister and pretend everything was perfect.
"..If you really want," Prue was riled up now and found she had little control over what was coming out of her mouth. "..I could ask for decapitation, little messy, but it'll be unlikely I'll come back."
Phoebe moved down the last couple of steps, feeling the arguing had reached a level she found unsettling. Rarely would the two argue to this degree and she didn't want to stand there and witness it.
She was about to have her input, until Piper span back round, showing the fresh tears and red eyes.
"Stop it!" Piper shouted.
"Why? Isn't this what you wanted?"
"You don't get it, do you?" she spat back.
"What I don't get is what have I done to make you hate me so damn much!" Prue retaliated, somewhat happy she had finally got a reaction from Piper.
"I had to watch you die!" the younger sister yelled.
"What do you think I was doing when you had aurora fever or when I had to get the essence out by killing you myself? Knitting?"
Piper paled very slightly, having not thought about that. "That was different."
"How?…because you had to watch this time. I'm sorry Piper, but I would do it again if I had to." Prue replied a lot more calmer.
"But it didn't work. You didn't kill the Source, he was still able to flame out…." before she could finish, Prue cut her off.
"I don't care about the damn Source, Piper. I wanted all of my family safe. Their future safe."
Leo watched the two and noticed how his wife instinctively and protectively placed a hand over her stomach. A flashback of the battle, withPiper's self-healing, played through his mind.
"Yeah, well he knew that." Piper retorted, oblivious to the people on the stairs or the scrutinizing look her husband sent her.
"So did I. He had already told me and I probably knew before he did. It's who I am." Prue answered, still trying to work out why Piper was so angry.
"That makes it okay for you to die?" her sister was unable to hide to noticeable choke in her voice.
"If it protects you, yes." Prue used the matter of fact tone, most had heard before.
Piper moved forward, until she was face to face with her sister, "Even though you promised." she replied. "You promised me you wouldn't do anything stupid."
Paige watched, worried that one of them will explode. She had come accustom to fights like this from Prue and Phoebe….but Piper and Prue, was slightly scary.
"I didn't though. He was waiting for me, I knew that." Prue looked straight into Piper's eyes, trying her best to work out what was wrong. "What's really the problem?...Would you just tell me?" she finally snapped.
"You promised!" Piper yelled back but was not given the chance to continue, as Prue argued.
"I didn't do anything stupid."
"You promised…" Piper spat in response and pushed Prue ever so slightly, trying to make her listen and see sense. Her sister barely moved and in defence crossed her arms over her chest. "..You promised you would never leave, like everyone else. You promised me."
She nudged Prue more, wanting her sisterto understand. "..Everyone else has walked in and out of my life but you have always been there. You promised you wouldn't leave….and you did. You did!" Piper pushed, then found her arms held gentle but firmly, by Prue.
"Let go, let go." she shouted, tears returning as frustration took over.
"No." Prue replied resolutely, as she watched her younger sister and noticed the stray tear to fall down her own face.
"Let go."
"No, Piper, I'm not letting you go, okay. I'm not going anywhere, I'm staying." she kept her voice low, so onlyher sistercould hear her.
"But you did…" Piper whispered back. "You left and you weren't supposed to….not without me." and at that moment, she fell apart and landed in Prue's arms.
Phoebe felt a wave of sadness and regret wash over her. She had known how close the two were, but to hear her sister speak of everyone's desertions pained her. The original youngest had never regretted going to New York, until now.
Piper and Prue had falling to their knees, while the rest watched one. "I was, Piper." Prue whispered, stroking her sisters hair. "You can't believe your life ends when someone else's does, sweetie. You have to make them proud that you can find the strength to carry on."
"I couldn't cope if you weren't here." Piper mumbled.
"Yes you could, you have more strength then you give yourself credit for Piper. You would be great at it."
"I wouldn't."
"Yes you would. I'd make you." Prue threatened playfully. "I'd make sure you were…and I'll come back to keep Phoebe and Paige in check too." she smiled, when she heard what could have only been a soft laugh come from Piper. "You wouldn't lose me that easily, Piper….not without a fight."
Piper pulled away and smiled delicately, having lost the resentment and majority of the anger.
"You okay?" Prue asked with a small smile, to which Piper nodded.Eventually she offered a hand as she stood from the floor, happy when Piper accepted.
Paige and Phoebe walked down, glad it seemed to have been resolved.
"You have no idea how unbelievably happy I am, right about now." Paige grinned, leaning comfortably on Prue's shoulder. While Phoebe hugged Piper close, incapable of shrugging offthe thought that she had been a cause to some of Piper's pain.
"I don't know, I'll challenge you on that." Prue laughed, wrapping an arm tightly round her baby sister.
Phoebe studied Prue for a short amount of time, as the rest emerged from the stairs while the air around them settled.
"You okay, Prue? I mean being back and all." Phoebe asked, keeping close to Piper.
"Never better.." the eldest grinned, "..it's great. I'm breathing on my own two feet."
"Breathing on your own two feet?" Andy asked, grinning back towards her.
"Yep, it's funny the things you miss…" she looked thoughtful for a brief moment. "..but now I'm back and I'm not going anywhere." she added, looking towards Piper, to reassure her.
I hope that applies to you too, Mr Trudeau, Prue thought, knowing the Lighter would get the message. She knew he did, when his smile broadened and she caught his eye.
"How did you get back, though?" Cole asked, bringing everyone to a thoughtful state.
Prue looked puzzled at her own lack of knowledge. "I'm not sure…I just kinda am." she answered, although unhappy with her response.
"Maybe I can help."
Krolan walked into the room, gaining all of their attentions.
A/N: You guys didn't actually think I'd kill her off permanently, did you?
Thanks for all the support and I'm glad most of you have came with me over to this one. It's great! and your all big big gems.
I have one question...would you prefer Cole to go all evil and possibly be vanquished or would you want him to settle down with little miss Phoebe? It probably won't happen in this fic but I'm thinking ahead and at the moment I have two plots running around in my otherwise empty head.
So...door 1 Evil ...or... door 2 settle.
Other than that, thanks for all the lovely reviews and hope you all keep reading.
HAPPY EASTER...and to all a good night, lol.