Chapter 13 - Witch's Love

"Leo." I said to the ceiling.

Half an hour.

That's how long it took me to work up the courage to call him.

Half an hour.

"Leo!" I yelled again, more confidently.

He orbed in, somewhat reluctantly.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his voice and face full of concern - But he fixed his gaze at some point above my head, and looked extremely interested in it. I was temped to turn around, but decided to get right to the point.

"My mum was just here." I said, simply because I didn't know where else to start.

"Oh?" He still didn't meet my gaze, but he looked interested, surprised. It dawned on me that if mum wasn't meant to come down and see me, then she might get in trouble.

Are their rules when you're dead?

"She helped me … face myself." I explained. "Find myself." Hint hint. I added silently.

But if Leo picked up on the hint, he didn't acknowledge it.

I cleared my throat and continued.

"What I'm trying to say, is …" What exactly am I trying to say?

"Is that, that I … She told me I'm a survivor, I can survive what life throws at me." I said finally. Not was I was originally hoping for, but then I had expected for more than one person to be in this conversation.

What's that old saying?

Oh, yeah. Actions speak louder than words.

So I kissed him.

I think that was a pretty loud action.

He broke out of it first, which made my heart beat even faster.

Had I pushed him too far, left it too late?

"Piper …" He said softly. "Are you sure you're OK with this? Do you need a little more time to get over -"

"Leo, I love you, that's all I need." I replied firmly.

"I love you too." He said quietly.

He kissed me, then we sat on the edge of my bed, holding hands.

"You understand why I couldn't heal you, once you were at the hospital, don't you?" He asked suddenly. I could see the guilt in his eyes, and nodded slowly.

"I … understand you must have had a good reason." I replied.

"The Elders … were worried about exposure - people can't know about magic."

I nodded - I already knew that - although I didn't know who the elders were.

"My bosses." He answered my unvoiced question.

"Oh … and I guess a person who had been shot suddenly being totally healthy with not trace of a wound would be pretty suspicious." I agreed.

"I wanted to - I didn't care about exposure, if you'd died …" He let the sentence hang in the air, and I guessed it didn't have an ending.

"They wouldn't let me." He said finally.

"Right … But I don't want to talk about your bosses - even if they would have gladly let me die - Leo, where do we go from here?" I asked softly.

"We … We love each other. What more is there?"

"I … just … don't hurt me, OK?" I said quietly.

"Shh." He pulled me into his arms, and I felt safe.

How could I ever think he'd hurt me?

He's an angel.

No pun intended.

After a while, I felt I had to ask him something, something that had been playing on my mind.

"When … when I was in the hospital, how come you … never visited when I was awake?" I asked uneasily.

By the look on his face I could tell he didn't know I'd seen him.

"I … you said you needed time to 'find yourself'." He shrugged. "I figured that would be harder if I was around. But I had to see you." He said, referring to his nocturnal visits.

"Sometimes, I really wanted to see you." I said. "I just wanted you there, with me. When the - the police came, I just wanted you to be there, holding my hand, instead of Prue."

"I'm sorry." He replied. "I did what I though was easier for both of us."

I nodded.

"Come on. Let's go get something to eat." I said eventually, standing up.

"Downstairs? With your family?" He asked uneasily.

"Don't you like my sisters?" I asked, confused.

"Yeah … but I don't think they like me." He stated.

"What? They love you! They think your great! Why would you -?"

"Well, Prue kinda threw me out of your hospital room."

"Oh, that!" I waved my hand to show the unimportance. "She was just upset, and yeah, a little mad, but she didn't mean it. Come on."

"Piper?" Phoebe knocked on the door, then opened it, holding Patty.

"Hiya, baby!" I cooed. (To Patty, not Phoebe.) Phoebe handed Patty to me, looking at Leo, then grinning at me.

"Prue wanted to know if you were OK." Phoebe told me. "You've been up here a while."

"We've been talking." I replied. She grinned at me knowingly.

"Well, she wanted to know if you wanted some soup."

"No! I can't eat Prue-soup!" I said loudly, and Phoebe giggled.

"Prue can't cook at all." Phoebe told Leo. "Neither can I, but I admit it."

"Come on then, before she decided to make some." I shuddered and Phoebe laughed. Shifting Patty to the other hip, I stepped forward.

"Aren't you coming?" I asked Leo. He looked uncertain, but nodded.

"Sure."

"Relax." I hissed to him as we made our way down the stairs.

When we entered the kitchen, everyone turned to look. OK, so everyone is Prue and Paige, but still, I almost dropped his hand.

But why should I? I'm happy, that's nothing to be ashamed of.

"I owe you an apology." Prue said to Leo. "I shouldn't have shouted at you like that. It wasn't your fault." He nodded awkwardly.

"Right, what does everyone want?" I asked, walking towards the fridge. "To eat." I responded to their blank faces.

"Oh! No, I'll do it!" Paige said, jumping up. Paige isn't a bad cook, but I enjoy it, and I wanted to, and I told them so.

"But, Piper, you need to rest." Phoebe said.

"Guys, I'm cooking, OK? Now, what do you want?"

They were reluctant, but let me.

"I can handle it." I said, as Prue tried to take the knife off of me.

I'm a survivor, remember?