Chapter 19 - Always
The last few months have been hectic.
Remember Cole Turner, my lawyer? Great lawyer, bad demon.
Yes, demon.
He started seeing Phoebe, as we learned about the 'Triad', who were, of course, after us. Then we were warned about Belthazar, a demon sent to kill us.
You guessed it. Cole.
Broke Phoebe's heart when she had to vanquish him. She really loved him. Apparently he just wanted to get close to us, to kill us. But they fell in love with each other.
Which explains why she didn't actually vanquish him. She told us she did, to protect him from us, and from other demons, who were after him because he killed the Triad. (Saved us a job.)
Anyway, she kept it a secret for a little while, then told Leo, Paige, me then Prue.
Then he came back a few weeks ago. Took some convincing for us to accept him, but I think after he and Prue going to the old west to save Phoebe - and a load of people stuck in a time loop - we couldn't say no.
And he really does love her.
Oh, and Prue has a new power. Astral-projection. She's still struggling to control it, but I think she'll get the hang of it. The whole Andy thing threw her off.
Yeah. The Andy-thing. Well, he's kept our secret, of course. But his bosses were getting suspisious. So they've kinda broke off for a while. It's so sad, she's so upset about it. But she wont talk to us.
He's comeing to the wedding. Hopefully they can work things out. Magic and Andy don't need to cross.
Throw in a couple dozen demons and you have out lives over the last couple of months.
Weird.
And now, here I am.
My wedding day.
Ha!
Paige, Phoebe, Prue and Patty are my bridesmaids.
It's just ... wow.
I can't believe it. I woke up this morning to find loads of rose petals on my pillow.
Leo had left them there.
How sweet is he?
I picked up and handful and threw them over me, giggling.
"Was that just giggling I heard?" Phoebe said, walking with Paige, in carrying a tray.
"Yes," I beamed. "I am guilty of giggling and I am guilty of being happier than any previous romance in my life."
"Piper, it's your wedding day!" Paige laughed, picking Patty up out of her cot,
"I know." I smiled.
"Here comes the bridesmaids!" Phoebe yelled, and she, Paige and Patty jumped on my bed. We looked up to see Prue walk in.
"Prue, come play!" Paige cried, throwing petals into the air.
"Oh, hey." Prue said half-heartedly. She was smiling, and looked exited, but tired. Very tired.
"Uh-oh. Another bad dream?" Phoebe asked sympathetically.
"Yeah. I was still in that biker bar but this time I was attacked by a big galloot." Prue told us, climbing onto the bed with us. Patty threw a handful of petals over her.
And that when I got worried.
"A galloot? What is that?" I said panicky. Phoebe and Paige shrugged. "You fought a demon in your sleep?" I asked Prue. "If I'm gonna have to vanquish a demon in my wedding dress, just tell me because if so, then--
"Ay!" Prue interrupted loudly. "Alright, he was not a demon. He was just a big rude guy."
"And it was just in her dream." Phoebe said gently.
"Yeah, and the only thing I need to vanquish him is a potion called coffee." Prue said. I rolled my eyes. My big sister cannot function without her morning cup.
The doorbell rang, interrupting us.
"Ah, that must be the flowers. Um, okay, you just relax, no worrying." Prue said, standing up.
"And eat your breakfast and then we will have a hot bubble bath waiting for you." Phoebe said, as she and Paige stood up.
"Are you sure there's nothing witchy going on?" I asked carefully.
Prue threw more petals over me.
"Positive." She said firmly.
I played with Patty in the petals for a little while, then Paige came back in.
"The bubble bath's ready. I mean really ready. Phoebe put in, like, a whole bottle of the bubble stuff." Paige grinned. "Come on, Patty, let's leave mummy to get ready, kay?" She picked her up, then beamed at me.
"I knew you'd make it." She said softly.
"At least one of us did." I replied.
"Honey, you and Leo love each other so much, it was destined to happen."
I nodded.
Half-an-hour later, I ventured downstairs in a dressing gown, curlers in my hair - and screamed.
"Leo!" I cried, ducking behind the railing on the stairs.
"What?" He said, craning his neck.
"It is bad luck to see the bride's dress before the wedding." I said matter-of-factly.
"But you're not even wearing the dress." He pointed out.
"The same rule applies to the bride's... curlers. Go away." I ran back upstairs, giggling uncontrollably.
I heard dad come in, and my sisters, Leo and he talking.
Oh, yeah, we've made it up with Dad. To be honest, Phoebe and I didn't have a problem with him. Yeah, I was mad with the whole abondoning us thing, but I got over it. And after he saved her life a while back, Prue's but the past behind her too.
"Hold it right there. What's wrong?" I said, stepping back out of my room. My sisters were stood in front of me, guilty looks on their faces.
"Boy bands." Phoebe replied quickly. "There's just too many of them, don't you think?"
Paige nodded in agreement.
"No. What's wrong with you three?" I replied.
"Uh, nothing's wrong." Prue said. She never was a great liar.
"I can see it in your faces." I sighed. "We've been demon hunting for almost year now. You're going to the attic, aren't you?"
"Yes." Phoebe sighed.
Prue elbowed her, as Paige hissed "Phoebe!"
"I knew it." I said sadly.
Of course. Something was bound to ruin it.
"What, guys, she's onto us, she knows." Phoebe said loudly. She looked back at me. "Yes, Piper, we were heading to the attic. To find something old, something new...
"Uh, something, something borrowed, something blue." Paige continued.
"Yeah!" Prue said quickly. "Right ... We were gonna surprise you but now you caught us."
"Oh." I wasn't completely convinced, but it made sense.
"Yeah, I mean, look, I told you, you have nothing to worry about today, alright?" Prue told me. "It's going to be a demon-free day."
She'd barely finished talking when Cole shimmered in. I jumped, then looked at Prue pointedly.
"Sorry I'm late." Cole said.
"You were saying?" I said to Prue, raising my eyebrows.
"Near miss with a Zotar." Cole replied, waling over to Phoebe and kissing her. I looked up, startled. More demons?
"Oh, don't worry, I lost him. I think." Cole told me.
Not exactly reassuring.
"See? No matter what, a demon will attack today. It's just the natural order of our universe."
"Piper, you have to stay positive. You know what? I have Celine Dion 'Behind The Music' on video cassette. Would you like to watch that?" Phoebe asked brightly.
"Would you like to get slapped?" I replied.
"Hey, she's just trying to relax you." Paige told me gently.
"Don't worry, leave the demons to me. I can handle anything that comes through..." Cole said, his eyes darting around as though he expected more demons.
"Oh, no you don't. You promised you were not gonna use your demonic powers anymore." Phoebe said quickly.
"Oh. Sorry. Old habits."
"Think good."
"Oh, I am, I am." He looked at me awkwardly. "Um, I brought a gift ..."
He threw it to me, and I smiled.
"Thanks, Cole. Really."
"OK, why don't you go to the basement and fetch dad and Leo?" Phoebe said. "And you, go get ready."
I nodded, and turned back into my room.
Sat in front of the mirror, I put my earrings in. I was done.
Ready.
For my wedding day.
Oh, my god.
"Oh, you're so beautiful."
"Mum?" I whispered, looking into the mirror, willing her not to disappear.
"Don't be afraid." She said softly.
I turned around slowly.
"Oh my god." I whispered. "But... it can't be 'cause, um, ghosts, ghosts glow. You're not glowing."
"I'm not a ghost. Well, not today. Today I am simply your mother."
"But, uh, how?"
"After all the Elders put you and Leo through, they wanted to give you something back, so, so they sent me down, just for your wedding day. You know, I think I wore my hair like this for my wedding day."
"You did. Uh, I kept your wedding album after you died and..."
She licks her finger and pushes a piece of my hair into place.
"And I looked at the pictures every night like a bedtime story." I finished.
"I always thought you'd be the first to get married. You're the heart of this family, Piper." She told my softly.
I touched her hand, just to make sure she was there.
"I'm not dreaming am I?"
"No, sweetie, you're not."
"Mum." I murmured. She was really here. Yesterday, I said how much I wanted her here, and Phoebe held up a photo, saying she'd hoped that would do.
But this was so much better.
We hugged, and seconds later, my sisters walked in.
"Mum." Phoebe gasped.
"It's true." I said, wiping tears away. "She's real. They sent her to us for today."
Mum slowly walked over to Prue.
"Oh, Prue. It's been so hard on you, unfair."
"Yeah... no, it doesn't matter. I just wanted to make you proud." Prue said softly.
"You protected this family better than I could. I'm so proud of you."
"Thank you." They hugged.
Then mum turned to Paige.
"And you, you were so small, you didn't really understand, did you? You didn't remember me."
Paige shook her head.
"I wanted to be able to remember ... how you felt, how you smelt, how you hugged us ..."
A single tear slid down her face.
"I'm sorry." Mum. whispered, pulling her into a hug. "I was always with you, through it all."
"And you, you feel it all, don't you?" Mum said to Phoebe. "I was never there to comfort you. I died before you even knew me properly."
"Some nights I just wanted you to hold me." Phoebe nodded.
"Your road's been the longest, Phoebe. But I was never worried about you. You know why? Because I had a premonition the day you were born."
"You did?"
"What did you see?" I asked.
"Oh, I saw this. I saw this moment right now, my four daughters standing before me as beautiful young women and I knew that everything would be okay."
"What did you see next?"
"I held you." She said softly.
We hugged, tearfully.
"Places, places everyone." I heard Grams' voice ring out, as the doorbell rang.
"Don't answer that." I heard Prue said.
It rang again.
"Can somebody answer that?" I called downstairs.
"Girls!" I heard Grams call.
I heard the music start, and smiled to myself. That's my cue.
I slowly started down the stairs. When I reached the bottom, Dad walked over to my and I held onto his arm. We walked towards Leo.
"We did it. It's really happening." Phoebe whispered.
In that moment, a guy on a motorbike rode straight threw the front door. He knocked over the flowers and then knocks over the table and all the glassware smashes on the floor. He stops in front of the table the cake is sitting on.
"Prue!" He cried.
Prue? What does she have to do with him?
"Who the hell is that?" Phoebe cried.
"Oh, oh, oh no." Prue said suddenly. Then she fainted.
"Prue?" Paige cried.
Next to the bike, an astral Prue appeared.
"TJ." She breathed, running over as Grams gasped. "You came." She jumped on the back of the bike. Andy gaped.
"Had to beat the cops. I won't let them take you." The guy - TJ, I'm guessing - said.
What? What cops?
"Prue, what the hell is going on!" I cried.
"Prue, you get your astral ass back here!" Phoebe cried.
Too late. TJ rides off, knocking the cake table. I gasped in horror as the three tiered cake falls on the floor.
"Alright, that's it!" I snapped. "The wedding - is off!" I threw my veil on the floor. I tried to walk, but Phoebe is standing on my dress.
"Phoebe!" I yelled.
"Sorry! Sorry!" She said, stepping away. I walked towards the open door.
"Piper, Piper, wait, think about this." Paige cried.
Nothing to think about.
I pulled on a jacket, trying not to let the tears fall.
"Piper, Piper, you can not just leave." Phoebe said quickly.
"Yes, I can. A demon I could have handled, but my big sister ruining my wedding, I can not handle that." I told her.
"Okay, just listen to me for one second. All we have to do is find a way." Paige said.
"No, no, I don't wanna find a way to get married on my wedding day. It's-it's too hard. There must be a reason." I said, my voice breaking.
"Piper..." Leo said softly.
"Leo, I'm sorry, but this is just the final straw. It's just not meant to be."
I turned, and walked away, finally letting the tears go.
I went to P4. We opened a while back, and it's been a success, even if I do say so myself.
I was sat in silence, when I heard the doors open, and mum's voice.
"Just let me do the talking." She was saying. "You always had a way of saying the wrong thing when they were young."
"Wrong, according to you, you never opened to what I had to say because you wanted to raise them as witches..." He looked up and saw me. "Instead of little girls."
"We were worried." Mum said as they walked over.
"I'm sorry, I let everyone down."
"Honey, you have nothing to apologise for." Dad said quickly.
"It is a tribute to you and Leo that you made it as far as you did, I think." Mum said carefully.
"Yeah, but we didn't make it all the way." I pointed out.
"Not yet maybe, but..."
"Not ever. I mean, I think it's obvious, don't you? Leo and I are just clearly not..." I trailed off. It hurt to say it.
"Destined to be? Oh, I don't believe that. And I don't think that you really believe that either." Mum said.
"Don't I? All I have to do is look at you and dad to see where I might end up if I marry Leo. I mean, look at the track record. The Halliwells, we are blessed as witches and we are cursed as women. Sometimes I think we're all destined to end up alone."
"You don't really... I mean, just because... Victor."
"You think your mother and I were cursed?" Dad asked.
"Don't you?"
"Honestly, I look back at those days as the best of my life. I loved your mother, she was the best thing that ever happened to me until the three of you came along." He stopped suddenly. I guess he felt a little guilty about not mentioning Paige.
"But your marriage still didn't last."
"Yeah, that hurt. A lot. But it was our love that gave birth to you and your sisters. Maybe that was my destiny."
"I'm sorry, I just need to be alone." I sighed, standing up and walking away.
"Not bad for a guy who always says the wrong things." I heard mum say.
"Thanks. I just wish I knew that it helped."
Several hours later, Prue's voice called down to me.
"Piper? Are you here?"
"Hi, traitor." I said. I was confused about what went on, and mad.
Prue quickly explained. Something about her subconscious taking control while she slept, and going to the biker bar she was dreaming about. Except it wasn't really a dream. It was her astral self. Something about repressing herself. I don't know. It made my head hurt.
"And then I was arrested for murder." She shrugged. "But Cole and Leo helped catch the real killer."
"They did?" I smiled.
"Miracle worker, that Leo."
"I know." I said slowly.
So what is really stopping us?
Nothing.
"Let's go." I said, walking towards the doors.
Andy went in first, saying loudly "Sorry we're late", then Prue walked in.
"What, no who you were expecting?" I heard her say.
Time to put them out of their misery.
I stepped through the doors, and everyone smiled.
"So, okay, what are we waiting for?" I asked, taking off my jacket. "Don't look so shocked." I muttered to Leo.
"Girls, it's show time." Grams beamed.
We quickly got into place, and Prue put on my veil.
"Oh, no, there's no power for music." Paige said.
Smiling, Grams flicked her wrist, making the wind chimes chime.
"Alright, is that the best that we can do on the lights?" Prue asked.
Leo threw his arm into the air and clouds of bright lights appeared above us.
"That's more like it." Phoebe smiled.
"We are gathered here today to unite two souls as one." Grams said. "Do you, Leo Wyatt, and Piper Halliwell, join us here of your own free will to acknowledge the eternal bond shared by both of you?"
"I do." Leo said solemnly.
"I do."
"You may face each other, join hands." We did so. "Leo, you may recite your vows." Grams told him.
"Piper, through all the tears and struggles, the fights and battles, I always knew in my heart that we'd make it here. I promise to love and respect you from this point forward as your husband, as my wife, my lover, my friend, and my soul mate. All I am is yours. Always."
"Piper..." Grams prompted.
"Leo, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, you saved me, when no one else could. You got me through so much, and I want you to know I'd do it all for you. I was afraid that you were too good to be true, that - that maybe I didn't deserve someone so pure and beautiful and loving as you are. But here we are surrounded by the people that I love the most and I feel so proud, and so blessed to be your wife. Leo, I was born to love you and I always will. Always." I added, smiling.
"Here before witnesses, Leo and Piper have sworn their vows towards each other. With this cord, I bind them to those vows." She sounded tearful. Wow.
Magically, a rope loosely tied around our hands.
Together, we recited; "Heart to thee, body to thee, always and forever, so mote it be."
"So mote it be." Grams repeated.
"So mote it be." Everyone echoed.
The clock started to strike midnight.
"Kiss her, fast." Grams prompted.
And we did, everyone clapping and smiling.
So many smiles, so much happiness.
Always.
Was that long enough for you, lol. I wanted to keep some of the original wedding, but from Piper's point of view.
Anyway, review, please.