A few days later ...
Chapter 14 - Piece by Piece
A sharp pain hit me, I looked down and my hands were shaking, blood spreading across my shirt ...
Prue's crying, I'm dying. I'm cold ... I can't feel my legs ... I'm dying ...
"Piper! Piper!"
Leo's shaking me awake, and after a few seconds I realise I'm not laying on a hospital bed bleeding to death, I'm in my bed, at home.
"Piper, it's OK, it was just a dream." Leo said softly.
"No it wasn't ..." I whispered tearfully. "It was real ... I was dying ..."
"What?"
"He shot me Leo, he wanted to kill me, what did I do to -"
"It's not your fault." He whispered. "You didn't do anything."
"I ... I ..."
"Shh. Piper, I know you'll never forget about him, but just try and move on ..."
"I know. I'm sorry ... for waking you up ... Go back to sleep ..." I whispered.
But neither of us slept that night, plagued my memories - or at least, I was. I think Leo was just keeping an eye on me.
Anyway, by eleven o' clock that morning, I was smiling again.
"This place is amazing!" I said as I looked around my new club.
It's mine, all mine!
And Prue, Phoebe and Paige's - but mine!
"What do you think?" I asked Patty, who was wondering around.
"S'OK." she replied. "What is it?"
"This," Leo said proudly, picking her up, "is your mummy's new club. She's going to run it and get lots and lots of money to by you new things."
I had to smile at the ease between them. He was nice to her, and she liked him.
"Yay!" Patty said. "OK, Daddy."
Such an innocent remark from an innocent child ... and I froze.
Leo looked at me awkwardly, and I finally found my voice.
"Patty, honey, Leo - Leo's not your daddy." I said carefully. No matter how much I wish he was. I added silently.
"I know." She said brightly. "But old daddy was mean. I want Leo daddy."
I had to smile.
"Me too." I murmured.
"Any news about Dan?" Prue asked nervously.
"Um ... no. Not about him ..."
"What does that mean?" Phoebe asked quickly.
"Um ... well, he sent me a visiting order ..." I admitted.
"What!" Four voices cried. Patty looked up, startled.
"Guys, relax, I binned it. I'm never going near him again." I said quickly.
"We know, honey." Paige said. "It's just ... how could he think you would?"
I shrugged.
"So, when do you think I could open the club?" I asked brightly, changing the subject.
"Soon." Paige nodded. "Not much needs doing - you just need suppliers, a couple of bands lined up, and to advertise a little."
"And a name." Leo said.
"Yeah, do you have any thoughts?" Phoebe said.
"No ... well ... I was thinking ... nah, it sounds stupid."
"Go on, Pipe." Prue urged. "We wont laugh."
"You said the same thing when I was seven and had a crush on Gary Peters." I told her. "And you laughed."
"Piper! I was nine!"
"OK, OK. I was thinking ... P4. I mean, you know, us - Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Paige. The Power of Four." I said self-consciously.
"I love it!" Prue said quickly.
"Yeah!" Phoebe agreed.
"It's great, Piper."
"P4 it is then." I muttered, beaming.
Finally, I'm building my life up, piece by piece.
Patty, Leo, my sisters, the club.
Right then and there I decided to look ahead, the future.
That was tested a few days later, though.
Immersed in the club, I'd almost forgotten about Dan.
Until, that is, he sent me a letter.
I was in the kitchen, my sisters, Leo and Patty all looked up as I gasped.
"What-?"
"He's ... sent me a letter." I said quietly.
"Another visiting order?" Prue asked.
"No. A letter." I began to skim it - both sides - then threw it aside with disgust.
"What?" Paige asked.
"Not once does he ask how I am, or how Patty is. Not once does he apologise, for anything. He just keeps going on about how bad prison is, and how much he hates it. He - he even asked me if I could get him let out ..." I shuddered. Leo put his arms around me, and I forced myself not to cry.
"I'm OK." I said, screwing it up and throwing it in the bin. "I want to forget about all this, move on."
Piece by piece, my old life falls away, my new one builds up.
"Are you sure?"
I nodded. "I just want to ... go to the club. I need to ... do something."
"You wanna be alone?" Leo asked.
"Yes."
He nodded.
See, that's why he's so great. He doesn't pressurize me one bit.
"You want me to take Patty for a while?" He asked.
"Don't you have to work?" I asked.
"Yeah, but she'll be OK. I bet she'll like orbing." He smiled.
I had actually meant the handy-man thing, but then I remembered he doesn't actually do that.
"OK."
"Come on, Pat-a-cake." He said to Patty, using his new nickname for her. "You wanna ... see come clouds?" He asked brightly.
"Yeah, yeah!" She said excitedly. He picked her up, spun her around and orbed out mid-spin.
"I see you guys later." I said to my sisters, still smiling at the sight of Leo and Patty.
Piece by piece, this new life is coming together. Patty and Leo, sliding together perfectly.
A couple of little Patty/Leo moments there, and they'll be more to come, I hope. Don't forget to review. Of course you wont. You're all such nice people ...