"Don't worry guys. Lucy is the best. She's the most respected and most requested doctor in this hospital. If anyone can get Nancy through this, it's her."
Phoebe was trying to be brave for everyone, although it was difficult. She had been working with these people for over a month now, and she knew what great lengths they would go through to save a patient. Things were just more difficult when her family was involved.
Everyone that was floating through their minds was either unimportant, or seemed to disturbing to talk about right now. They were each brought out of their thoughts, when Pipers cell phone began to ring. Reaching in her purse she pulled out her phone, and didn't even look to see who was calling before answering it.
"Hello."
"Piper, I'm sorry to disturb you, it's John."
"Oh John, I'm so sorry. I totally forgot about you. Is everything alright?"
"No, I mean yes, everything is fine. I was just concerned because you never returned. I just wanted to call and find out what you wanted me to do with the money and receipts?"
"I'm sorry, um, tell you what, and just put the receipts on my desk in the office. Lock the money in the top drawer of the file cabinet. I'll take care of it when I get a chance."
"You sound strange Piper. Is everything alright?"
"Um no, not really. My cousin is in the hospital, and she's in surgery right now so.."
"Say no more. Listen, I'm going to need your keys to lock up the money, and so I can lock up the club. I'll send Todd over to the hospital, if you trust me?"
"Of course I do John. For God sakes, you're one of my best employees. My sisters and I are in the cafeteria, so just tell him to come here. If you wouldn't mind could you also tell the staff that they will have a few days off. Until we know what is going to happen with Nancy, I won't be able to work at the club, and I haven't hired a new assistant yet."
"Don't worry about a thing. I'll take care of everything. Bye."
Piper hung up the phone and looked up at her sisters, who seemed to go back into their own worlds once she began talking on the phone. Less then twenty minutes later, Todd, one of the bus boys from the club, showed up for Piper's keys.
"John said he would be happy to drop these back here after he finishes cleaning up."
"Tell him that's not necessary. I'll give him a call and arrange to pick them up as soon as possible."
"He also wanted me to tell you he talked to the staff, and we all will be waiting to hear from you. We all want you to know that our prayers are with Nancy, and hope she gets well real soon."
"Thank you."
After he left, Prue looked at her watch and realized that they had been sitting there for almost three hours.
"I can't just sit here anymore. Let's at least head down to the ICU and wait in the hallway, or something."
All agreeing that this was a good idea, they got up and started down the hall. Stopping to use the restroom, they arrived in the ICU ten minutes later and saw that everyone was busy with other patients. Knowing they couldn't force someone to stop to answer their questions, they sat down on the floor and began to play the waiting game again. Moments later, Megan came into the hallway.
"I've been looking all over for you guys. I thought we told you to stay put…Never mind. Listen, you look exhausted, and we all know that you won't go home, so the doctors on this ward told us to have you girls go and lay down in the Doctor's Lounge. Someone will come and get you when Nancy is out of surgery."
"Why would they do that for us?"
"Because of Phoebe."
"Really?"
Prue and Piper each looked at Phoebe like she had done something and not told them about it.
"What? Stop looking at me like that guys. I didn't do anything."
"No, it's not what you guys are thinking. It's just that Phoebe has done a lot for the patients on this ward. She has sat with many of them before and after their surgeries. The doctors know how much she cares, and how much she helps them. This is their way of saying thanks for all her hard work."
"See? You guys thought I did something wrong. Didn't you!"
Phoebe put a smile on her face. Prue looked at her baby sister with a great deal of pride in her eyes. She didn't really think that Phoebe had done anything to be ashamed of. She knew that Phoebe wasn't the same careless, totally wild kid who had run off to New York so many years ago. Getting up off the floor they followed Megan down the hall and into the Doctor's Lounge.
"There are some blankets over there. Try and close your eyes for a while. I promise the minute Nancy is out, we'll come and get you."
"Thank you Megan."
Megan walked out of the room, turning off the light, and closing the door behind her. Prue pulled out some blankets and pillows for her sisters, and helped them to get comfortable. She had no plans of relaxing herself. She began to pace the room, making Phoebe very nervous.
"Prue, you need to get some rest. We all do. It's not going to make the surgery go any faster if we're awake. Come on, just lay down."
"I don't want to sleep!"
"Then just close you eye's, get off your feet. Even if you don't fall asleep, you'll fell a whole lot better."
Walking Prue over to a couch, Phoebe noticed that Piper was already sound asleep. She had her eye's closed before her head even hit the pillow. Getting Prue settled, she returned to her resting place, but decided not to sleep herself until she knew Prue was going to stay put.
Prue fought with herself for quite some time before exhaustion overtook her body, and she fell fast asleep. Phoebe had a hard time shutting her brain off, she was so worried about Prue. If this surgery didn't work, and Nancy didn't come out fine, Prue would never forgive herself. Phoebe couldn't stand the thought of that, but as she thought more and more, her eyes soon closed, as she drifted off to dreamland.
Although each of the girls were off in their own dreamlands, their minds were racing about so many different things. If they had woken up, they wouldn't have been able to tell you what they had dreamt about.
Each of the girls began to notice that the room they were in was beginning to fill with smoke, or at least that's what they thought it was. As it began to rise over their heads, they became more aware that it was not smoke, but a dark, thick fog that they each started to walk though, each hoping to reach the door, and get out. Little by little, with each step they took the fog began to clear, they soon realized that they were no longer in the Doctor's Lounge. Not understanding what was happening, and not knowing where each other were, they began to yell out each other's names, to see if they were around too.
"Prue, Piper, are you here?"
"Over here Phoebe."
Making her way through the remains of the fog she stopped when she bumped into something, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she found out it was Prue. Joining hands so they didn't loose each other, they eventually found Piper who was standing still, so she could be found.
"Where are we?"
"I'm not sure. I want each of you to take hold of my belt, and stay behind me. I don't know where we are, but if this some kind of demon trick, I will not have you guys hurt. I've done enough of that today."
Piper and Phoebe knew that Prue was still blaming herself for what happened to Nancy, but each realized that now was not the time to talk about it. Walking along for awhile, they started to look around at everything that was around them. Little by little the fog began to pass even more, and the three ladies found themselves under a bright and shinny sky. They could feel grass underneath their feet as they walked across a meadow filled with the greenest grass they had ever seen.
"Look, up there. Who is that?"
Phoebe pointed to a figure that sat atop a small hill. Although the fog had cleared, Piper and Phoebe continued to keep a firm hold of Prue's belt. Things seemed to change a little too quickly for their liking, and they weren't taking any chances.
"I don't know, but we sure are going to find out."
Prue took hold of bother her sisters hands, and lead them up the hill. Slowly they made their way toward the person, making sure they could see him, or her, but they couldn't see them. As they got closer and closer they seemed to sense that the figure wasn't dangerous, but stayed prepared for the worst. Piper raised her free hand ready to freeze, as Prue prepared to make them fly. Walking up behind the figure Prue cleared her throat loudly.
"Excuse me, we don't want to bother you, but can you help us?"
They stood at the ready and waited for a response. When they got none they tried again.
"Hell, can you hear me? Please tell us where we are?"
Still not getting a response, and getting sick of standing around, they walked around and stood in front of this person, who was just sitting cross legged on the ground, ignoring them.
"Hello, did you hear what I…huh…Nancy is that you?"
Nancy raised her head, shielded her eyes from the sun, and nodded her head yes.
"Why didn't you answer me? Where are we?"
"Nowhere."
"What do you mean nowhere? What are we doing here? More important what are you doing up here?"
"Waiting."
"Waiting for what?"
"Not what Phoebe. Who."
"Ok then, who?"
"I'm waiting for someone to come and get me. They will take me away from all this."
"Nancy what are you talking about?"
The three girls sat down across from Nancy, still somewhat keeping their distance. They knew some demons could take on many forms, and they didn't want to take any chances that this was a mind game.
"I'm waiting for my family."
"But we're right here!"
"NO! Not you guys, I mean my real family. My parents."
"Your parents? Nancy, where are we EXACTLY?"
"This is where people come to meet their loved ones, and t shown the way to the gate of heaven. I'm waiting for my parents to come and get me. Then we can be together always."
"Nancy, are you…UM….WELL…"
"DEAD? No, Prue, I'm not. At least not yet. When my parents get here, and show me the way, I will be. Don't morn me, be happy for me. I'm going to be with my parents, I'm going to be happy."
Nancy's eyes began to light up with a joy that none of the girls had ever seen before.
"You better go now. I'm sure that's them coming now."
Turning around they followed where Nancy was pointing. Off in the distance they could make out four people making their way across the meadow. They each stood up, Nancy taking the time to dust herself off, and fixing her hair."
"Nancy, you can't leave us now. You said you weren't going to give up"
"You know this is why I didn't answer you when you showed up here. I wanted to avoid all of this. This isn't my choice Piper. Besides, I'm not really leaving you. You got along fine without me before. Don't cry about this guys, you'll be fine, don't worry."
Prue walked over to Nancy and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Nancy, you can't leave us, not like this. This is all my fault. If I had only delivered the note to the school myself, or drove you there myself. If I had been home when you got there, or at least made sure that someone else was…"
"Prue, stop it! This is not your fault. You can't control everything that happens. You know I could play the 'What If' game too. If only I had never met you guys, none of this would have happened. You wouldn't be feeling responsible, Piper wouldn't be crying…"
"No Nancy, that's not true. Piper is only crying because she loves you, we all do. Don't blame yourself, it's not worth it."
"I know that Prue. I just wanted you to know that too. I'll make you a deal, I won't blame myself, if you don't blame yourself. Besides once I'm gone, you guys can get back to your normal lives."
Phoebe walked over to them supporting Piper who was just starting to wipe her eyes. As she finished she lifted her head and looked out into the distance. She stood there for a month, and before Phoebe knew what was happening, Piper pushed her out of the way, as she ran toward the approaching people.
Prue and Phoebe saw her take off and looked at her strangely. They thought that Piper was about to do something stupid, until they realized who Piper and seen, and took off running as well. Nancy just stood there and watched as the girls were reunited with their mother, and Grams. She smiled and started to approach them herself. Her walk became a run once she looked into her parents eyes, and she ran into their open embrace.