Part Two

Piper nearly hyperventilated when she turned to find her sister standing there. "Phoebe? I don't -- Is it, is it really you?"

Stunned herself, Paige could barely find her voice when Phoebe nodded, "But how?" And she immediately threw her arms around her older sister, "Who cares how? You're back!"

"Oh, sweetie, I wish I was," Phoebe murmured as she patted her sister's back before pulling away, "but I'm dead and --"

"Leo's dead too," Piper happily quipped, "and that didn't stop him!"

Phoebe stepped away from Paige to stand before her older sister, "I'm not a Whitelighter and I can't stay."

Piper's happy expression immediately vanished and she sharply requested, "Then why bother…just go back to Mom and Prue and leave us alone."

"I can't," Phoebe quietly replied, "and I'm not leaving until I know you're gonna be okay."

Piper chuckled bitterly, "Okay? How the hell am I gonna be okay? Tell me that, Phoebe. How is any of this gonna be okay?"

"You have Leo back," Phoebe indicated to the other room. "And you're going to have that normal life you always wanted. No more pressures of being a Charmed One so you won't be a target anymore for evil."

"No more than any other witch, you mean," Paige quietly corrected. "Evil will always come after good."

"True," Phoebe conceded, "but you did hurt them pretty badly defeating the Triad again."

"We did," Paige corrected.

Phoebe nearly smiled in acknowledgement, "Demons will be back eventually but it'll be easier for you."

"We'll still be alone," Piper sniffed in annoyance.

"Not alone," Phoebe disagreed. "You'll have each other not to mention Dad, Leo and the boys. Henry's part of the family now and don't forget Grams and Mom are always here if you need them. Prue will be too in time." She drew Piper into her arms and whispered in her sister's ear, "You're not alone, Piper. Let them in. Let them help you."

"I just want you back," Piper uttered in despair before burying her face in Phoebe's neck.

Those from the magical community shifted uncomfortably in place before one of the nymphs quietly stepped forward, "We are so sorry for not believing in you."

"You were fooled into believing something else," Phoebe told them as she moved away from Piper's embrace. She did reach for, and squeeze, Piper's hand as she assured the others, "And we should have given more consideration to those in the magical community."

The leprechaun shook his head, "We shouldn't have placed the burden of protecting our world solely on your shoulders. We took you for granted and paid the price."

"Just go," Piper pleaded with everyone. "You're all sorry, I get that, but Phoebe's still dead. The precious Charmed Ones are gone so just leave us alone now."

He nodded somberly, "Should you ever be of need, we will help, no questions asked."

With a sad smile, Paige simply remarked, "Thank you."

"I'd better clean up this mess," Piper said as she indicated to the shredded petals and shards of ceramic strewn across the floor. But she stopped in mid-stride and frowned at the Jenkins sisters who still remained, "What, you thought you were excluded?"

Tears welled in Billie's eyes, "Isn't there something we can do to help?"

"Haven't you done enough?"

"Piper!"

Piper spun back to her sister, "Don't 'Piper' me, Phoebe. You're dead because of them!"

"I'm dead because I wasn't invulnerable to demonic attack," Phoebe's own temper flared. "Stop blaming them!"

"They betrayed us!" Piper argued. "We took them into our home, treated them like sisters, and they betrayed us!"

"They were tricked by the Triad and all those other demons," Paige quietly added.

"They knew what they were doing," Piper angrily insisted, "when they begged us to help them save those kidnapped children." She glared at the sisters, "Except there were no children, just an army of demons. It was a trap and they knew it."

"So did we," Phoebe reminded her. "We went in prepared."

"Not prepared enough!" She pointed to the sisters, "I won't ever forgive you for this. I wish to God you were --"

"Don't finish that," Phoebe quickly warned before hugging Piper. "You're hurt and you're angry but I promise you, Piper, it wasn't their fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. You have to forgive them, forgive yourself, or you'll be lost too."

Paige's stomach fluttered with nerves, "Phoebe, what's going on? What aren't you saying?"

But Phoebe ignored her and urged her older sister, "Let the pain out. Don't bottle it up and shut out everyone who loves you. You need their love and they need yours. Now more than ever."

"Phoebe," Paige realized with a fearful whisper, "you're not with Grams and Prue are you…"

Phoebe stared at her insightful younger sister and slowly shook her head as she stepped back, "No, I'm not."

"What're you in some sort of waiting room," Piper sniffled.

"Not exactly," Phoebe meekly replied before shrugging with a sheepish smile, "but I did find love, how 'bout that, huh…"

"With who?" Piper suddenly demanded through gritted teeth.

"Hey, Piper, long time no see…"

Phoebe spun angrily, "What part of 'I need to break it to them gently' didn't you get?"

"Cole…" Paige whispered just as another vase of condolence flowers exploded.

"You're in limbo!" Piper shrieked and suddenly found her arms being restrained by Paige.

But before Phoebe could answer, all the frozen guests began moving and speaking so she grabbed Cole's hand and faded away as she promised her sisters, "I'll be back later…"

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