Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I love the amount I'm getting on this story! And it really does make me update faster.

And I've had a few reviews asking if they can use my spells in their own fics. Sure you can! I'm glad you all like them!

Anyway, I'll stop talking now (or is that writing?) and get on with it.

Chapter 16 - Give it up!

After hugging, kissing, screaming, laughing, crying just a bit (both of us) we finally went downstairs, as Prue came through the door.

"Hi." She said. "What's up with you?"

Grinning ear-to-ear, I laughed. "Nothing - I'm engaged!" I cried.

"What!" Phoebe and Paige were in the living room doorway.

"Leo just proposed!" I was so ... happy. I felt I'd explode.

I picked up Patty, and laughed some more.

"Congratulations!" Paige laughed, hugging me.

"Welcome to the family, Leo!" Phoebe said, hugging us both.

Prue smiled. "I'm really happy for you." She said, hugging me, then Leo.

"Me too." I said, overwhelmed.

We had just cracked open the champagne in the living room, when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." I said, getting up.

"Andy! Hi!" I flung my arms around him.

Andy is Prue's boyfriend, at the moment. He used to live a few doors down, and we grew up together. The brother I never had, I suppose. And he's been a great help with the Dan situation.

"Hi." He said nervously.

"I'm engaged!" I laughed. "To Leo!"

"That's great, Piper, really. Congratulations." He said. And I could tell him mjeant it. But there was something else, something wrong ... "Can I have a word?" He asked.

"Sure." I lead him through to the living room, where Prue handed him a glass of champagne.

"Thanks." He muttered. "Piper, this isn't a social call ... It's about Dan. I'm sorry, he's ... escaped ..."

And right there, my whole world crashed down around me.

"How can he have escaped!" Prue raged. "He shot my sister, and you guys let him escape!"

"Prue, they didn't let him." Paige said.

"Do you know where he is?" Phoebe sighed.

Me? I was sat on Leo's knee, clutching Patty, trying not to cry.

This was crazy. A few minutes ago I was celebrating getting engaged. Now I was fearing for my life?

"It'll be OK." Leo whispered.

I shook my head. "He can't give up, Leo. He's determined to make my life hell - getting away from him hasn't freed me."

"We'll beat him, together." I murmured. "I'll always be here for you."

I nodded.

"Piper, we're going to put you under police protection, we believe he's going to come here." Andy said quietly. "They'll be a cop outside the house every hour, until he's caught."

I nodded. I wasn't sure if they'd do that for everyone - Andy might have pulled a few strings. But I knew Dan would find a way to get past them.

Why can't hejust let me be free?

"I have to go." Andy said. "But I've got an officer outside, and once I've tied a few things up at the station, I'll be there too. We wont let him get to you." Andy reassured me.

"Thanks."

"I'll show you to the door." Prue said, standing up.

"Andy," I heard her say quietly. "Is he going to come here?"

She really can't whisper. She never could.

"We think so." Andy replied soberly.

"You can't - we nearly lost her last time -"

"Prue, I wont let anything happen to her. Come on, she's like my sister too."

"I know." Prue replied. "And ... I think we'll have to cancel tomorrow night." She half-joked.

"Try to relax." Andy told her. "I've got the best on this case."

"Thanks Andy!" I called, as the door opened.

"Welcome!"

"Right." Prue said walking in. "Paige, get the book, Phoebe, get some ingredients, Leo, why don't you orb Piper and Patty somewhere safe?"

"Um ... Prue, we're not demon hunting now!" Phoebe cried.

"Duh. We're looking for a way to get Dan caught, or protect Piper, or something."

"Leo, take Patty somewhere." I agreed. "But I'm staying here. I can't risk you guys being put in danger because of me."

"Piper, it's not because of you -"

"It is! I brought him into our lives, I must have done something to make him like he is -"

"Don't ever say that." Paige said sharply. "You did nothing wrong. Dan has problems, but not because of you."

I sighed. "I - I don't even regret it. Getting together with him. Because if I didn't, I wouldn't have Patty." I admitted.

"Of course. That's the one good thing Dan has ever done." Phoebe agreed. "OK, Leo, take Patty -"

"I can't leave you guys. What if one of you needs healing?"

His voice was full of guilt, and I knew he was thinking about not healing me when I got shot.

"Please, Leo, I can't focus unless I know she's safe." I told him, adn he nodded.

"Besides, your just an orb away." Prue said.

He looked at us. "I wont be far." He said reluctantly. "Come on then, Pat-a-cake." She giggled at the use of the nickname, and her light, happy childish laughter lingered after they orbed.

I took a deep breath. "OK, what are we going to do?"

Not a whole hell of a lot, apparently.

We can't use magic on Dan, other than our powers, because he's mortal (Prove it, I say). We aren't really supposed use our powers on him, but Prue says we have right to protect ourselves.

Or not. We can't use protection spells on ourselves.

"What about this?" Phoebe asked eventually. "We could magically change how you look - a magical disguise."

"No. That's way too confusing, for us and Patty." I replied. "Keep looking."

She didn't mention how sharp I was being with her - I suppose she knew how stressed I was.

BANG!

"What was that?" Prue cried.

"The front door ..." Paige said slowly, confirming my fears. It was the sound the front door makes when it's banged against the wall. "Do you think -?"

"Get Piper out of here." Prue said, pulling Phoebe towards the stairs.

"We are going nowhere other than downstairs." I said to Paige.

"Come on then!"

By the time Paige and I reach the foyer, Prue and Phoebe are already stood over Dan, who's slumped on the floor. It looks like he's been thrown against the wall - which he probably has.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him angrily. He looked up at me, and I can tell he's trying to figure out the whole magic thing.

"To see you." He says cockily. "You know I can't stay away." He struggled to his feet, and smirked at us. Prue raised her arm, to send him flying again, but I grabbed it, stopped her. There was something I had to say first.

"Pity." I spat. "You are pathetic, you know that? Why did you come here? You think I'll take you back? Or you think I'm scared of you? Either way, you're stupider than you look."

"Which can't be easy." Phoebe says.

"I used to be scared of you, Dan. And at one time I'd have taken you back, sure. But you know what I've realised? None of this is my fault. And I don't need you. And I am not scared of you."

I slapped him, as hard as I could.

It must have been hard, it echoed around the room.

"Give it up Dan." I spat. "You have no effect on me now. I'm better than that."

Leo orbed in.

"Hi, honey." I said. I don't know why, I wanted to show Dan we were together, and happy. I kissed Leo, and Patty - clever little Patty - said brightly;

"Mummy, Daddy and I saw lots of clouds!"

"You - and him - and she - called him - daddy!" Dan spluttered. "But I'm -"

He suddenly lunged, tried to hit Leo, who sidestepped, then floored Dan with a single punch.

I felt suddenly free. Competly.

And it was great.

"You wanna call Andy, Prue"? I asked clamly.

"No need." Andy's sharp voice came from the doorway. He was looking round us all - it was obviously he had seen some kind of magic.

That's bad.

Really, really bad.