Chapter 32: What's Right
Disclaimer: Well—Leo's gone. Since I'll be heading off on a crusade to slit Brad Kern's throat in his sleep before gutting him like a summer bass, I'm obviously not anyone who has to be around him enough to own the show.
A/N: Damn, sorry it took so long to update. As you know if you read my other active fic, it's just since I'm getting off for holiday soon my teachers give me un-Godly amounts of work to do. Anywho, hope this was worth waiting for.
"Is that David?" Phoebe solicited; pointing to a man that fit the description of David that Pam had laid out to her, "Leaving?"
"Yeah…" Piper leaded as she watched David make his way up the stairs and out the front entrance of the club.
"Without Pam?" Phoebe continued, "That doesn't look like a good sign. Maybe we should go look for her."
"You're right," Piper complied, her face wrinkling with worry, "I don't want her to miss the band."
The two sisters broke away from the crowd and began to weave through the maze of people.
"Pam," Bane began, breaking away from the girl in question, "What are you doing?"
Bane recognized the vulnerability in the girl's eyes and knew she didn't mean what she'd just done.
"Only what's right," Pam breathed, all the while knowing she didn't mean it in the slightest.
"No see that's the thing," Bane continued, "It's not right. You don't want this," Bane commented, "Believe me—I do. But I don't want it to happen like this. I want you to want me because you actually do—not because you're trying to get back at some guy."
Pam thought on Bane's words for a quick moment before breaking out into an appreciative smile.
"Anyone ever tell you how big a man you are?" Pam solicited with her smile still in place.
"Yeah, I've been told before," Bane laughed, "Here—how about I take you back to my place to get something to eat and then I'll bring you home."
"Sure," Pam obliged, "But no funny business Mister."
Only a minute after Pam and Bane exited the room from its back door did Piper and Phoebe enter to try and find their older sister. After a minute of looking around Piper's phone rang and she jumped to answer it.
"Are you okay?" Piper spoke into her phone.
"Who is it?" Phoebe questioned.
"Shush," Piper said, waving a hand at her younger sister.
"Are you sure you wanna do that?" Piper asked of the person on the other end of the line, "Okay. I'll see you in a little bit."
Piper hung up her phone and turned to Phoebe.
"It was Pam," Piper spoke, but seemed to be far away in thought, "She says she'll see us at the Manor later."
"Well where's she right now?" Phoebe asked.
"She with…" Piper began, "…Bane."
"What?" Phoebe yelled indignantly, "It's not enough that he already got to Prue—why won't that piece of trash leave us Halliwells alone?"
"Phoebe," Piper said sternly, shooting a warning glance at her sister.
"Fine, whatever," Phoebe concluded, waving a hand in exhaustion, "But you can't argue that that guy's caused much more trouble than happiness to the people in our family.
"I guess…" Piper trailed off, "Come on—let's get out there before Chevelle goes on."
"Fine, change the subject," Phoebe grumbled to herself.
Piper started out the room and Phoebe followed behind. They came in and took places next to their respective men just as the band struck up their first chord.
"Prue," Andy started quietly as they both sat in the living room watching a movie, "Has it occurred to you how long it's been since we've been able to do this?"
"6 years," Prue answered, "3 months, 2 days, and 20 minutes."
Andy looked at her with both surprise and glee as a large smile played across his face.
"Give or take a few seconds, of course," Prue continued.
"Well it had to be more than that," Andy commented with a laugh, "I mean, with Phoebe and Piper and Leo always running around we hardly ever got to go on a date back then."
"You're right," Prue complied, "But the important thing is now we're here together."
"For now," Andy said in a quiet but gruff voice.
"What'd you just say?" Prue inquired, sitting up as to look at Andy straight.
"Prue," Andy said seriously, "I heard you and Leo talking earlier. I know what the Elders said about me…about the family. And I—"
"Stop," Prue said abruptly, just about jumping up from the couch, "Don't say it—"
"Prue, I have to," Andy said, rising to meet Prue and taking her in his arms, "Prue I can't be that selfish. The only way for the rest of the family to be safe is for me to…"
"Don't," Prue cut Andy off once more, "I just found you…I shouldn't have to loose you…not again."
"I know," Andy agreed, "It's not fair, not for either of us. But it's the only way. Prue, I have to give myself up to them—I have to go back—"
"No," Prue said, starting to cry, "Remember what you said—remember, you told me you weren't going anywhere; that you weren't leaving? Andy you're not leaving. You just can't be leaving… "
"I know," Andy tried, "I know what I said. But Prue I don't know what else to do. It's my job to protect the innocent…both our jobs, Prue. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't do this. It just wouldn't be right—I have to do what's right."
"I don't want you to go," Prue sobbed, "I need you here with me…I need you."
When Prue's words were lost in her crying Andy led her upstairs and laid her down in her bed, not sure he'd be there to greet her in the morning.
"Are you sure Pam said she'd meet us at the Manor?" Phoebe questioned as she, Piper, Cole, and Leo made their way out of the club many hours later.
"Yeah," Piper said through a yawn, "She should be there by now. It's…" Piper took Leo's arm to look at his watch and her eyes widened.
"Five o'clock?" Piper yelled, "Leo, is your watch fast?"
"Nope," Leo answered simply, "I guess it got later…or earlier I guess, than we thought."
"Congratulations," Cole bellowed to Piper in a comical manner, "You've had your first successful night as a club owner and manager. What are you going to do next?"
"Is this the part where I'm supposed to say I'm going to Disney World?" Piper asked groggily.
"No, it's the part where you're supposed to give yourself a pat on the back and let me drive home," Leo answered sweetly.
"That would be nice," Piper said, half-asleep.
"Wait," Phoebe commented as the four of them loaded into Piper's car, "Are you sure that Pam said she'd meet us back at the Manor?"
"YES," Piper emphasized, "I'm sure that's what she told me."
"Well I'm calling her just in case," Phoebe concluded.
"Fine," Piper waved a hand, "Do what you want, see if I care…"
At Cole's raised eyebrow at Piper's offhandedness Phoebe and Leo jumped to answer his unasked question in unison.
"Piper gets grumpy when she's sleepy," the both of them said, receiving an understanding nod from Cole.
"I'm NOT grumpy," Piper said indignantly through her slumber.
"See what we mean?" Phoebe concluded as Leo drove them out of the lot.
Phoebe took out her phone and dialed her older sister's number before waiting patiently for Pam to pick up.
Pam's arm shot out from under the sheets and onto the dresser next to her. She fumbled a bit but after a second she retrieved her phone and picked it up.
"H—hello?" Pam inquired from the person on the other side of the line.
"Hey Pam?" Phoebe inquired with her eyebrows furrowed.
"Yeah," Pam answered, "Pheebs?"
"Yeah, it's me," Phoebe replied, a little concerned that Pam didn't recognize her voice immediately.
"We're, uh, on our way to the Manor," Phoebe continued.
"Great," Pam chimed, though whispering, "I'll see you soon."
"So you're at the Manor?" Phoebe inquired.
"Yeah, of course I am," Pam answered so quickly it didn't take someone as perceptive as Phoebe to tell it was a lie.
"Okay…" Phoebe leaded, obviously not believing Pam, "We'll see you there."
"Okay," Pam repeated her sister's words, "See you there."
Phoebe hung up her phone with a concerned look on her face.
"What did she say?" Cole asked her.
"She said she'd see us there," Phoebe answered with a shrug, not sure what to think of the odd conversation.
Pam hung up her phone and dropped it back down on the dresser she'd taken it off of. She looked around in the dim light of the early morning at where she was with confusion on her face. She thought hard on her surroundings before drawing a complete blank. But after a second something occurred to her that seemed almost impossible.
"No," she said to herself, "Oh no…this can't be happening…it can't be right."
After a long moment of hesitation Pam rolled over and confirmed her suspicions of where she was.
Pam rolled over and saw the sleeping figure that was Bane Jessup—the last thing that was right.
A/N: SO INCREDIBLY SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE. The next one will be up sooner. Please review.
