Chapter 25: Choice

Disclaimer: If I owned Charmed I think the world would finally be able to admit that O.J. did, in fact, do it.

A/N: So once again just about no one reviewed. It's just as well. I think I'm ending this terribly soon—honestly almost nobody is reading this.

"Well," Cole said in a deep, throaty voice that made both Bane and Pam jump.

"We…uh we were just," Pam began. She looked to Bane for help but he had his eyes defiantly fixated on the white linoleum floor. Prue kept her eyes on him, wanting him to have the courage to look her in the eye, but all the while knowing he it would never happen.

"Bane," Piper started quietly, "I think you should leave." She tried to sound as motherly and caring as possible, though it was a bit obvious that she was glad for an opportunity to get this particular complication out of their lives.

Bane looked at Piper, clearly excepting this, and nodded his head almost indefinably. She scratched this side of it absentmindedly and spoke gruffly.

"Yeah…ok," was all he had to say as he turned an almost expressionless face to Pam before turning his head back to the floor, steadfast in his efforts not to look at Prue.

"What are you doing?" Pam almost yelled, "Why should he have to leave?"

"It's just complicated," Piper started, "Andy's gonna be back soon…it just kind of makes sense—"

"Makes sense?" Pam let out an outraged squeal that made Leo and Cole start a little.

"Why? Because Bane and Prue had a thing five years ago? Oh yeah, that makes a whole lotta sense," she finished in a sarcastic tone.

"It wasn't just five years ago Pam," Piper said in a meek voice that was barely audible.

"What?" Pam said, turning her head sharply towards Piper, then back to Prue and to Bane.

Prue gave a surprised look to Piper, unsure of why she was ready to ruin something that could've been good for Pam.

"They…" Piper started but found herself a bit too uncomfortable to finish, "They…"

"We kissed," Prue finished, having rather Pam heard it form her than someone else, even if that someone else was Piper. Prue kept her eyes away from Pam much like the way Bane was keeping his away from her.

"Oh…" Pam said, many things making sense all of a sudden. She wasn't exactly what you would call surprised, it was clear to her of whom Andy was talking about in the cave, therefore obvious that Bane was still feeling for someone other than her.

"Look at me Bane," Pam said, wanting to be sure of one thing once and for all.

Bane looked up at her, a bit confused.

"Now tell me," Pam continued, "Tell me that just meant nothing."

"Pam…" Bane began.

"I want you to say it," Pam said, trying to sound as emotionless as possible but failing miserably.

"Pam, I can't," Bane started.

Prue had an unmistakable look of betrayal on her face. She knew she didn't love Bane—she knew the kiss between herself and him meant nothing to her—but yet she couldn't stop herself from feeling hurt that Bane could so easily have feelings for someone else so close to her.

"Oh, you can't, can you?" Pam said, trying to turn this into a jeer even though tears were falling fast down her cheeks.

"Why, Bane?" She continued, "Why can't you just make up your mind?"

"Me?" Bane said, sounding angry and a bit offended, "Why can't I make up my mind? What about her?"

He indicated towards Prue, who was now, to little knowledge of her own, crying as well.

"Bane…" Prue pleaded.

"No!" He cut her off, "I want you to make a choice. You can't just be with him and keep me around in case things don't work out—I'm not your ultimatum! You keep on sending me these mixed signals like I'm just your toy. Well I'm not. Dammit, we're adults Prue. This shouldn't be so hard!"

Prue put on her brave face and tried to act like she wasn't falling apart inside.

"You're right…" Prue started, "I…"

"I saved you," Bane cut her off once more, "I went back to jail for you, Prue. I risked my life for you and you're just as well going to throw me out on the street like some common criminal!"

"That's all you are," a voice said from behind the lot, "I might be the only one who sees it…but that is all you are."

"Andy," Prue breathed as she hesitated a second before moving in to hug him.

"Andy that's not fair and you know it," Pam said, eyeing him with great dislike at the moment.

"We're not that different, you know," Andy said to Pam, breaking away from Prue's embrace rather roughly, "You and me, I mean. Neither of us was really there, you know. To see it for what it really was—Prue and Bane. We watched it from 'Up There,'" he said, pointing to the ceiling, "But I understand it more than you—I could hear her thoughts—that was my job after all. I tried my best to get her away from him. But I couldn't."

Prue looked a bit alarmed at this, not being able to imagine what Andy must have felt having to hear what Prue thought about Bane so soon after he had died.

"But they made me…made me give her what would make her happiest. And that was Bane," Andy continued.

Bane took in a bit of gratification at the statement but Prue looked utterly horrified.

"That was the hardest thing I ever had to do," Andy persisted, "Until now. I can't bring myself to feel bad for him. I can't bring myself not to hate him. And God help me," Andy said as he hung his head in shame, making tears fall hard on the kitchen floor, "I can't even bring myself to save him. He's the only one…the only one I'll never…I can't."

Prue looked at Andy with a new realization lighting her eyes. Her heart stung in a way she never thought possible, feeling like the world's biggest dolt for everything she had put Andy through.

"I'm so sorry," she said, going over to Andy and hugging him once more, "I didn't know…I'm so sorry."

"Is that your choice?" Bane asked even though it was more than obvious to not only him but to everyone in the room that it was.

Prue brought her tear-streaked face up from its place on Andy's shoulder to meet Bane's. Before she had a chance to say anything Bane raised his hand to stop her.

"Alright," Bane said, "I can take a hint." He kept his head down and began to exit the Manor through the back door.

"So you're juts gonna leave?" Pam laughed through her tears as if she'd expected this, "Maybe what Andy said was true then…"

Bane jerked his head up quickly and advanced on Pam spasmodically enough to make Leo and Cole ready to stop him from hurting her. Bane grabbed onto both of Pam's shoulders and talked about an inch away from her face.

"I want you to take that back," he said roughly, "Now."

"I think it's time for you to back off a little," Leo said, laughing slightly to try to lighten up the mood and to not seem as if he were threatening Bane.

Bane paid no notice and continued to try to coerce Pam into taking back her words.

"Now!" He screamed, "You didn't mean that, I know you didn't!"

"Look," Cole said, throwing Bane off Pam and onto the floor, "Piper's right—it's time for you to go."

Bane got to his feet quickly and pointed straight at Pam.

"Don't you ever think that I want to leave," Bane said, "I'm doing this because I have to. What I felt for you—I'll be damned if you call that nothing."

He rubbed his shoulder a bit before sweeping past the group and out of the Halliwell Manor. Pam jumped at the slam the door made upon Bane's exit.

Just then a sleepy-eyed Phoebe walked into the kitchen.

"What'd I miss?"

A/N: So, like I said, this has a pretty good chance of ending soon. I really don't want to end it but from what I can tell you guys do. Review and tell me otherwise if you feel so inclined. But I have a inking feeling that no one will because no one ever does, except for the, lets see, two people who have been faithful readers through the whole story. The only reason this is still going is for you guys.