The guys all left around 5:00, since Owen offered to give Jack a ride home. Shortly after Dan left, Piper came into Prue's room and snuggled into Prue's bed. Prue almost seemed to be waiting for her. Piper never liked to be alone when she was sick, that's why Prue almost always gets sick after Piper. As a first reaction Prue placed her hand on Piper's head and could tell that Piper's temperature was down, but not gone.

"You're still a little warm."

"I know, but I feel a lot better."

Phoebe hobbled her way into the room moments later and climbed in on the other side of Prue.

"How are you?"

"I was fine till Owen stuck me with that needle again."

"Not so loud, I don't want Nancy to hear you. You're the one who's always telling her it for her own good, you want to be called a liar."

"No but, it may be for her own good, but that doesn't mean I have to like it when it's my skin involved with the needle. So did you two actually sleep today?"

"Of course, like we would do anything but sleep with Nancy in the house. Are you saying you didn't you sleep?"

"Prue, I wasn't being dirty when I asked if you slept,andI can hardly walk let alone anything else."

"I know."

"You know we are three very lucky ladies."

"Meaning what Piper?"

"We all have men who love us so much that they will come over and take care of us, even when we look like death worn over."

"Speak for yourself, but I do agree with you. Don't forget about Chad, he's great for Nancy."

"I couldn't. You should have seen Nancy after she got done talking with him last night. Even after everything she has been through in the last 24 hours she had the largest smile on her face I have ever seen."

Unknown to them Nancy was sitting in the hallway observing the whole sisterly encounter. She blushed a little when Piper told them about the smile she had, but knew that she couldn't hide her feeling about Chad from her family, it was too obvious. Rolling over to the phone she took the cordless into her room to call Chad so they could chat before it got to late.

"So how's the rest of the family?"

"Doing better, but do you think you could pick me up for school tomorrow, that way I can make sure they each have everything they need before I leave?"

"Sure, I'll pick you up at about 8:00."

"Great, I got to get going so I can keepworking on my paper."

"Did you get any of it done this weekend?"

"I got quite a bit done once the guys showed up to watch over the girls, but I still have two books to read, and the rough draft to write."

"Guess that means we won't be spending much time together the next few weeks."

"Depends on how much more I can get done tonight. I should be able to read the books tonight, and do the rough draft tomorrow during my free periods. Please be patient."

"I'm always patient with you."

"We could always study together."

"Right, like we really get a lot of work done when we do that. Unless you're helping me with math, we get no work done."

"I know, I guess I just miss you and love you."

"Love you to, now get to work. Goodnight."

"Night."

Smiling Nancy retuned the phone to the hallway before heading downstairs to work on her paper. Nancy spent the remainder of the night working on her term paper, and fussing over the girls. It felt really good for Nancy to be needed, especially with all the times she needed the girls to help her. She worked until almost 10:00 on her paper until Prue found her nodding off at the kitchen table and sent her off to bed.

The week rolled by fairly uneventful, Piper taking most of the week to recover from her flu, Phoebe hobbling around the house not using her crutches as often as she should have, and Prue back to work Monday morning despite many arguments with the rest of the family.

Nancy rode to school everyday with Chad, and was more then happy not to rely on her family for rides everywhere. On the following Friday Chad was unloading her chair from the back of his car when Piper came outside to greet them with a huge smile.

"Hey Piper feeling better?"

"This is the first day I actually felt like my normal self."

"You mean you actually have days when you feel normal?"

"Very funny Nancy, I mean since I got sick. How was school?"

"Not bad, everyone is a little crazy with not knowing where the prom is being held."

"I may have a solution to that, if you can just wait for…."

Before she could finish the statement Prue and Phoebepulled up into the driveway. Helping Phoebe out of the car they joined the others on the sidewalk.

"What are you guys up to?"

"Tell you in a minute. Prue did you get the papers?"

"Right here, we're all set and ready to go."

"Ready for what?"

"The Baker High School prom. It's all set, you can have P3."

"What? Piper…"

"Prue went down to the court house and got all the papers signed, it gives us permission to have minors in the club. We'll have to lock up the liquor, and a few other minor adjustments, but nothing we can't handle. That is if you don't mind us being at your prom Nancy."

"You mean as chaperones?"

"Of course."

"I don't mind, but Piper the prom is on a Saturday, your busiest night. You'll loose a whole night of business."

"I can make just as much on soda and chips as I can on other things. Chad why don't you talk to the committee and find out what they think. Give me a call when you've reached a decision, and we'll sit down and hash out all the details."

"Thank you so much Piper, I can almost guarantee they will all say yes, but about the money…"

"We can take care of that when you get the money back from the other place. I won't charge you any different. To make up the difference, I'll charge $1.00 for soda's and beverages."

"Nancy I got to go, I got…"

"I know go!"

Chad kissed Nancy fast waved goodbye to everyone and jumped into his car dialing his cell phone before the car was even turned on.

"Nan, you sure you won't mind us being there? We wouldn't want to cramp your style."

"I don't have a style that can really be cramped, besides you guys are not exactly a typical family."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Listen I know you're my mom, and you tell me to clean my room and go to bed, and don't be home late, but other then that, I think, and so does everyone else, that your pretty cool. Not to mention the fact that all the guys at my school think your beautiful to look at."

"Really, they do?"

"Don't act so surprised. I also have two sisters who are pretty hip considering their ten years older then most of my friends. Sure I pick on you guys at times, and give you a hard time when ever I feel like it, but name me a family with a little sister that doesn't do that."

"Can't, Phoebe's only done it our whole lives."

"Not fair Prue."

"Maybe not fair, but very true."

"Come on guys, can't you see what I'm saying. Even though we don't get along all the time, I love you guys, and if I have to have a family at my Prom, this is the family I would want. Thank you so much guys for helping us to make this happen. Now if you don't mind, I have to go and call Jill and Sue, their going to flip out!"

Sprinting inside the girls laughed as their teenage girl darted for the phone to do the one thing that all teenagers like to do, talk on the phone.

"Did you hear what she said?"

"Which part, you mean about her having a cool mom?"

"No not that Prue, she called Phoebe and I her sisters. I don't remember her ever saying that before."

"I'm sure she has said it, just not in that context. We really are a family now, weather we like it or not."

"WE LOVE IT!"

Phoebe and Piper chimed in as they made their way up the stairs of the house and inside. Closing the door they could already hear Nancy yelling in excitement over the phone to Jill, who had conference called Sue, and were chatting over the loudspeaker about where they were going to find their dresses, and how they wanted their hair and nails to look.

For some reason Prue found herself thinking about a conversation she had with her mother so many years ago. Closing her eyes she let her memories float back to her as if they had happed just yesterday.


"Mommy, I don't like Piper and Phoebe anymore."

"You don't like your sister? Tell me why!"

"Well Phoebe is always taking my toys and getting in the way, and Piper is too quiet she never talks. When we're with my friends she hangs on me so I can't have any fun."

"Well Prue, why do you think your sisters are like that?"

"I don't know, but I don't like it."

"I know you don't, but just because you don't like something that they do, doesn't mean that you don't like them."

"Yes it does. I'm not going to play with them anymore."

"Well does that mean the next time Grams or I have to scold you, you won't like us either.? Will you still want to play with us?"

"Of course you're my mommy, I could never not like you. Besides you and Grams are fun to play with."

"I see, and your sisters are never any fun."

"Their fun sometimes, but I still don't like them."

"Think about what you just said."

"Think about what? I don't understand."

"Don't worry when your older, you'll know what I mean."

"But I want to know now. Can't you just tell me?"

"Well I could, but mommy won't always be here to give you the answers. Sometimes you have to figure them out for yourself."

"Why wouldn't you be here? Are you going somewhere?"

"That my sweet girl is for us to talk about another night. You close your eyes and think good things, and you'll have good dreams."

"Alright mommy. I love you."

"I love you too."

As Prue returned to the present day she opened her purse and pulled out her wallet. Reaching inside she pulled out a small sheet of paper that was folded inside a hidden compartment.

"What's that?"

"Oh, it's nothing…."

Prue replied trying to fold the paper up quickly and stuff it back into her wallet.

"If it's nothing why are you trying to hide it?"

"It's just something I wrote a long time ago and I kept it to always remind myself."

"Remind yourself of what?"

"Let it go alright."

Prue was about to put her purse on the table and walk away, but knew if she left it there the girls would snoop. Putting her purse over her shoulder she started to make her way toward the stairs. Looking over her shoulder she could see the hurt expression on her sisters faces. Sighing she walked back over to them reached into her purse and pulled the note back out handing it to Piper before walking back into the kitchen.

Piper looked over to Phoebe almost deciding weather they should read the note or not. Phoebe didn't need to think about it she took the note out of Piper's hands unfolded it. Piper gave in to her curiosity and looked over Phoebe's shoulder as they read theobscure note written in a little girls handwriting.


Dear Mommy,

I get it now, it is easy to love someone but not always easy to like what they do. I know now that I can still love Piper and Phoebe without loving everything that they do. I promise to always love my sisters no matter what they do, and I will teach them this lesson when the time is right. I also promise that when the day comes and I have children of my own, I will teach them to love is easy, but to like is hard.

Love

Prue


Folding the note back up the girls headed into the kitchen to find Prue sitting at the table almost waiting of them to come in. Placing the note in front of Prue, they sat down at the table waiting for Prue to speak.

"So there was a time when you didn't like us?"

Phoebe joked to cut the tension in the room.

"Sort of. One night when I was like five mom came in to tuck me in, and I told her I didn't like you guys anymore, and she tried to get me to understand that just because I didn't like what you guys would do to me, didn't mean I didn't love you guys."

"What did we ever do to you?"

"Come on Phoebe, leave Prue alone."

"I'm just asking."

"Gee I don't know, you always stole my toys, and Mom always made me take Piper to play with my friends, and she was so shy she would never talk. It bothered me."

"Sorry."

"I got over it. Anyway a few years after Mom died Piper came to me and said that she didn't like you anymore, because you had played a joke on her and hurt her feelings."

"I said that?"

"Yes you did. Suddenly the lesson that mom tried to teach me that night came to me, and I understood. I never wanted to forget it, since I knew the day would come when Phoebe would feel that way too. I wrote Mom this note, and Grams took me to the cemetery so I couldread it to Mom, then I kept it for future use."

"So did I ever come to you with that?"

"No you came to me, saying you didn't like Prue anymore."

"Not a surprise to me. We did always fight. What did you say to her?"

"The same things you said to me. I guess you kept your promise to Mom, you did teach us, and your making sure your kids understand that as well."

"Well I didn't exactly teach it to Nancy….

"I think you did. Is that what made you think of it now?"

"Maybe, she said we fight at times, but still love one another. It still amazes me sometimes how smart and loving she can be, given the life she's had to lead."

"I like to think that even in the short time she's been with us, you, me and Piper had something to do with that."

"I hope so."

"You don't have to hope Prue, to know that we had something to do with it. You remember what she was like when she got here, and look at her now. She's a totally different person, and we helped to her be that way."

"Now the hard part comes, making sure she stays that way. With all that we've been through, this does confirm many things that go far beyond even this note to mom."

"What things?"

Prue smiled as the reality of her adult mind overshadowed her childlike approach to her mother's lesson.

LOVE IS THE KEY TO LIFE'S MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS!