A/N: Firstly I have a HUGE apology to all who have been waiting for this update. I've been in kinda a funk with this fic for a little (as you may have gathered) but I think I'm over it know.

Secondly I don't like the chap but it's kinda essential...so I'm completely open and ready to being slated for it.

Also I would like to thank all who reviewed and hope your all not too mad at the amount of time it's taken for this...


6. Confession Backlash

Silence filled the room as all eyes fell to the eldest Halliwell. Shock covered their faces as they comprehended her few words.

Leo glanced between the two older sisters, watching as Piper closed her eyes tightly. He knew she was wishing for the world to swallow her up and a small part of him wanted to help her, however a bigger part wanted answers.

"You knew?" Phoebe spoke up, unable to hide the anger in her voice.

Prue gazed defiantly at her younger sister, standing up for her decision. "Yes."

"And you didn't tell us?" Phoebe yelled in response.

"I told her not to." Piper defended her older sister.

The second youngest spun on her pregnant sister. "Don't, Piper! That does not make it right!"

"No it doesn't…" Prue jumped in.

"Then why do it?" Phoebe replied heatedly. "Piper is pregnant and you let her go!"

"Phoebe." Paige sighed, not wanting an argument.

"Don't you think I know that?" the eldest shot back.

"Apparently not! Although it wouldn't be the first time you kept something from us." Phoebe glared at her sister.

"What are you getting at Phoebe?" Prue asked, folding her arms in front of herself, attempting to deflect the glare she was at the receiving end of.

Phoebe rolled her eyes in frustration. "Wow, you have a short memory…"

"Come on, Pheebs, leave it…at least cool down a bit." Paige tried knowing where this was heading.

"No! She kept Piper's pregnancy a secret. Why not, say, a sister? I mean you kept Paige rather quiet for a while. It seems to be an epidemic with you, Prue."

"Phoebe." the youngest responded with a sigh, having thought they had all got passed that detail in her appearance in their lives.

"You know why I did that." Prue replied to the insinuation.

"Yeah…" Phoebe drew out the word in a sarcastic manner. "..you did it for her. Not wanting to throw her in the deep end…"

"Can you stop talking as if I'm not here?" Paige added, getting pissed off herself.

"…not the fact you're a frecking control freak!" the second youngest finished, ignoring Paige's pleas for peace.

"Phoebe, that's enough!" Piper yelled, standing from her chair.

Phoebe didn't look at Piper, instead continued to focus on Prue, not relaxing the glare she sent. "Once again, Prue; one - Phoebe; Nil." her voice was icy and spiteful. She turned from everyone in the room and left.

Cole cleared his throat carefully. "I'll…um…go see if I can calm her down." he announced, before following after her.

"You know what guys, I need to get out of here for a little while." Paige sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Congratulations, Pipe." she smiled and gave her sister's stomach a pat, before heading for the door.

"Paige, wait up." Glen called, not wanting to be left in the war zone. "Congrates." he smiled to Piper, like Paige had done moments ago. With that they both left.

Prue glanced at Piper, while pushing her hair of her face.

Piper's eyes slide from her sister's to her husband's. He was glancing between the pair, then suddenly he turned and left for the kitchen.

"Leo." Piper called, quickly following after him.

Prue gazed around the now empty room and breathed out heavily. "Great job, Prue." she sighed.

She sat back on her chair and rested her head on her arms. "I have a big mouth." she mumbled to herself.

-----------

"Leo, please." Piper sighed following him into the kitchen.

The whitelighter stopped but did not turn to face her straight away. Instead tried to find a little calm he wanted so desperately to be there. Eventually he turned to his wife, eyeing her in disbelieve.

"You lied to me. Not only about the pregnancy but you told me no one else knew!" Leo vented, trying hard not to scream and yell, although his voice rose throughout.

"I know and I'm sorry." Piper replied.

"Sorry you lied or just sorry you got caught…" he shot back.

"Leo!"

"What? Piper. What do you expect me to say? Thank you for keeping me,the father, in the dark and for telling your sister before me."

Piper pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling the unpleasant pounding of an oncoming headache. "I didn't tell Prue, she found out."

"Oh, well, that settles it then, doesn't it?" Leo spat sarcastically.

"Look Leo, I am sorry whether you believe me or not. I wanted to tell you first. Your right, you should have been told first…Okay, I made a mistake, but I standby that mistake." Piper replied. She did believe her decision at the time was right, only trying to explain that to them now was the problem.

Her husband was silent for a while, a mixture of emotions racing round him. "I can't believe Prue let you go." he muttered eventually, distaste obvious in his voice.

"She didn't let me Leo. I chose to go….so don't go thinking this is all Prue, because it's not." she responded to his insinuation that Prue didn't care.

"Well can you blame me. I mean…my God, Piper….."

"Do you realise I begged her not to tell anyone else, no matter how much she wanted to?... She did triple the worrying, quadruple the nagging as well as mothering….on top of the battle plans, endless prophecies, that Krolan mess and the meltdown with Mum. I put so much extra baggage on to her and she could have easily told you or anyone else….but she, didn't for me."

Leo looked at Piper, his iciness melting a little.

"…she did it because I asked, Leo. No other reason." Piper finished.

Leo was silent again, as he contemplated his wife's words.

"I need to think." he finally said and before Piper could protest, Leo disappeared in a mass of orbs.

"Leo…" she called after the fading light.

"Great," she muttered, "…just, great."

-----------

"Phoebe, don't you think your over reacting just a little?" Cole asked, as he followed her along the pavement. He had no clue as to where she was going but just followed her, hoping she would eventually give up and stop.

Phoebe spun on him, causing her to stop walking, like he had wanted. "Prue let Piper go to that battle knowing Piper was pregnant." she spat.

"I know, but are you telling me, you would have listened to Prue in Piper's position?" Cole replied softly.

"We are not talking about me, we are talking about Prue being a control freak." Phoebe shot back, before turning round and continuing down the street.

"Phoebe, this isn't us talking at all. This is you blaming your sister and me following…and it's getting you no where." he answered carefully.

"Actually Cole, it's got me halfway down the street, so it's having the desired effect." she retaliated.

"You need to talk to them, Phoebe, actually talk. You should be back there." the half demon tried.

She turned to face him. "You know what, I never asked you to come. So if your going to whine the entire time, I'd rather you leave."

"Fine!" he yelled suddenly, frustrated at her attitude towards him.

"Fine!" she shouted back, while moving on again.

Phoebe sighed and turned back round. "Cole." she called but he had already gone.

----------

"What are you thinking?" Glen asked softly, as he and Paige sat under a tree in the local park.

Both had barely spoken since they arrived, which Glen didn't mind, he was just concerned.

Paige looked up at him then turned forward again, with her legs stretched out in front of her.

"I'm thinking…." she began quietly, "…that my toe nails need an extra coat of vanish."

"Paige." Glen sighed with a smile.

"What? It's true, look that ones chipped." the half whitelighter contended, indicating the problematic toe.

"You know what I was talking about."

"Yes I do, but you asked what I was thinking." she smiled at him. "…and that is what I was thinking."

"Okay, smart ass.." he laughed, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close. "What are you thinking about what happened back at the manor?"

Paige was again silent, as she leant against him. "I'm thinking my family have far too many secrets…although most are kept with good intentions."

"So…your not mad at them?" Glen pressed on gentle.

"I wasn't mad, as such,I'm not happy either….but when Phoebe was yelling at Prue for keeping me quiet for a while, I kinda felt as though it would be hypocritical for me to have my say. I mean again, Prue did what she was asked…would it be right for her to break Piper's trust?" Paige replied, letting out a long breath of air.

"..but was it right for Prue to not protect Piper and the baby, just so Piper didn't get mad at her?" he countered softly.

"That's the thing, Prue did protect Piper. The reason she died was to get Piper away from the Source…but they all seemed to have slipped that little detail and started yelling."

"Sounds to me, your not mad at Prue….maybe someone else." Glen added.

Paige again sighed. "I'm not mad, but it is Piper's place to tell us…like it was kinda my place to tell Phoebe and Piper. Prue was just doing her sister thing…but I'm not saying it was right, just….." she trailed off.

"I know what you mean." he supplied when she couldn't find the right words.

"She had good intentions." Paige responded.

Glen laughed a little. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

"Don't we know it." she commented, with the slightest of humour in her voice.


A/N: There you go. It's taken a while but it is up.

I wanted to let you guys know, I didn't give up on writing altogether...I used my time productively (lol) and started a new one called The Return. I'm kinda having fun with that at the moment and working on the next chapter.

Anyway thanks for all the reviews on the last chap, much appreciated.

I'll let you guys go now.

Bye :o)