Chapter 33: For the Time Being

Disclaimer: Confucius say: "Anyone with the patience to put up with the BS put out by Brad Kern is someone far from anyone on his payroll."

A/N: So like I said it's here on time and everything. Just a heads up, Things of the Past has exactly seven more chapters left (including this one) and it's up to you all if you want a third story. So put in your votes or what have you so that you can be counted in the decision of continuing or not continuing this story.

"This can't be real," Pam mumbled to herself as she fumbled out of what appeared to be Bane's bed, "This CAN'T be happening."

Pam hopped around the room in search of her shoes and jacket. When she found the objects is question she grabbed her phone and purse from the bedside table where they had previously been and turned to Bane.

"Goodbye," she whispered, "I'm so sorry for this."

With a bit of a sad smile Pam wiped a stray hair from Bane's face and orbed out.

Pam arrived in her room only moments later and took it upon herself to creep around the house to see who was home. After seeing that both Piper and Phoebe's rooms were empty she sighed in relief to know she beat the rest of her family home. Assuming that Prue and Andy had since gone to sleep Pam then tip-toed down the steps just in time to see Piper, Phoebe, Leo, and Cole come in looking hopelessly sleepy.

"Hey, guys!" Pam chimed after recovering from the initial shock of the foursome's entrance.

"Whoa keep it down," Cole waved a hand at Pam; "You do know it's like 5:30 in the morning, right?"

"Heh, sorry," Pam laughed nervously.

"So how was you guys' night…morning?" Pam solicited.

"Great," Phoebe said through her sleepy demeanor, "Although I'm not so sure I'm awake right now."

"How about you?" Piper asked in return, "You got out of the club so quick I never got a chance to ask you what happened."

"Oh you know," Pam laughed, trying to shrug the question off, "We just had a bad date—nothing serious. It just didn't work out."

Piper got the feeling that there was much more to Pam's story than she was allowing. She also sensed that whatever that other story was it wasn't something she was about to announce to half the family. She silently resolved to get the real version of the night's events later and accepted what Pam had told her for the time being.

"So how long have you been here?" Leo spoke up as the group gravitated towards the Living room.

"Oh, hours," Pam embellished to a great extent with the same nervous laugh she'd exhibited at the group's entrance into the Manor.

"Really?" Phoebe solicited.

"Really," Pam answered matter-of-factly.

"You've been here for hours and you never changed out of your clothes?" Phoebe elaborated, trying to get a genuine answer rather than simply bust Pam's lie.

Pam stared open-mouthed at the group for a painfully awkward silence before stammering into an answer.

"W—well," Pam stuttered, "I just—this dress is so comfortable—I just kind of sat down in it and read for a while…while I was waiting for you guys to get back and tell me how your night went."

"…Oh, OK…." Cole trailed off, obviously implying that he neither believe Pam nor thought her explanation plausible.

"So where are Andy and Prue?" Piper inquired after a short moment of silence.

"Oh they're…asleep," Pam hesitated, "Been that way for hours."

"Yep," Pam continued, waving her hands around emphatically, "I just checked on the two lovebirds. They're sound asleep—"

Just as Pam was launching into her latest lie Andy entered the Living room from kitchen with an expectant face in place.

Everyone watched Andy come in and Andy looked increasingly confused as to why everyone seemed so interested in his entrance into the room.

"Hey," Andy drawled, "I heard you all come in and I thought I'd come out and say hi. Did I miss something?"

"'Sound asleep,' huh?" Cole mimicked.

"Well…" Pam trailed flustered, "I meant that Prue was sound asleep. Andy had woken up and—and gone into the kitchen to get…"

Andy has sensed that Pam was trying to hide something, and, like Piper silently decided to get the real story later and cover for Pam for the time being.

"Something to eat," Andy finished Pam's sentence.

Unfortunately, he did so at the same moment that Pam had blurted out "Something to drink."

The smile faded off Andy's face as well as Pam's as they both jumped to correct the mutual mistake.

"Something to drink," Andy commented in unison with Pam's "Something to eat."

After a quick and slightly aggravated glance at Andy, Pam broke out in panicky laughter amidst the confused faces of the four family members sitting across from them in the Living room.

"Well that was fun," Piper chimed, trying to end the awkward moment and the silent turn it had currently taken, "But I think I speak for everyone when I say it's time we all get some sleep."

"Yeah," Leo jumped to agree, "Sounds like a great idea."

Phoebe and Cole threw in their compliances as the whole of them made their way upstairs. After a bit of a knowing look at Pam, Andy went up after the group, leaving Pam alone in the room.

Pam breathed out a sigh of relief and dropped back down on the couch, happy that she at least got through one conversation without confessing how she'd actually spent her morning.

Hours later the Halliwell home faced a late rise as, excluding Prue, everyone had only lain down after the sun had already risen.

Prue had gotten up early and taken the time to attempt to make breakfast for everyone as well as try and brainstorm alternatives to Andy's plan to return to the Elders.

The family collectively stumbled into the kitchen around noon and was met with the aroma of a Prue-made breakfast.

"What's that smell?" Andy said slowly, not fully awake yet.

"Brunch!" Prue said excitedly with a large and innocent looking smile on her face.

"For who?" Cole inquired throatily, "The guys on death row?"

Prue shot an icy look at Cole and he jumped to correct himself.

"I mean it smells delicious," Cole boomed over exuberantly, clearly not meaning what he'd said.

Pam, Piper, Phoebe, Andy, and Leo snickered at the exchange of words as they all moved into the Dining room at the table Prue had already set for them.

"Pam," Prue spoke as she took a seat next to her older sister, "David called for you earlier—it sounded urgent."

Pam halted at the mention of David's name. Her heart gave a lurch of guilt at the thoughts of what she'd done last night in spite of the fact that he hadn't really done anything wrong.

"He left his number," Prue continued as Pam shook off her temporary paralysis and tried to act as everything was alright.

"Oh," Pam said bluntly.

"So who is this guy?" Prue continued, not knowing any of what had happened after the rest of the family had left for the club the previous night, "I've never met him—I want to know if he's good enough for my older sister."

"He's…uh…" Pam stammered.

"Gee Prue what's in these eggs?" Piper chimed, making it so that Pam didn't have to answer.

Pam gave an appreciative look and smile to Piper that Prue took notice of. Prue knew enough about her sisters to know that there was something going on that she shouldn't inquire further on and, for the time being, decided to go along with Piper's obvious diversionary tactic.

"I put some basil," Prue answered smoothly, "And a little bit of Cayenne pepper."

Right then Cole spit out the eggs he was eating and received looks from the entire table, Prue's being the coldest.

"A little Cayenne pepper?" Cole choked.

"Okay," Prue huffed, "Maybe a tad over a little."

"A tad?" Cole said in a disbelieving tone, "I think I liked the last breakfast better—the fire in my mother's cave wasn't anything compared to these things."

The whole of the table laughed while Prue cocked her head to the side as if to wonder if Cole had really said that.

Phoebe hit Cole in the ribs and stifled laughter long enough to try to cover up Cole's somewhat rude retort.

"Well I happen to love Cayenne pepper," Phoebe pronounced, "And thank you Prue for making this wonderful meal for all of us."

Everyone else threw in their similar thanks with large smiles.

After about half an hour passed Andy got up from the table with a bright face on.

"Hey I'm heading for the kitchen," Andy announced, "Anyone want me to take their plates for them?"

"That's okay Andy, I'll clear the table. You can sit back down," Piper offered.

Andy was about to sit down when a thought occurred to him.

"Actually, I think I'll go upstairs and change out of these clothes," Andy commented.

"That's a good idea," Prue stated, "I'll meet you up there in a second."

"Okay," Andy smiled before heading up the stairs.

As soon as he was out of sight Andy turned up the landing, went in the opposite direction of Prue's room and headed for the attic.

Once he reached the Book of Shadows Andy started to leaf through it frantically in search of the page on the Elders. Once he got to it he spoke in a remorseful yet reassured voice to the ceiling above him.

"I know you don't want me to have this second life," Andy shouted "I know you've threatened me and my family. So I know that it's time for me to come back to you—it's time for me to return to where I came from. Take me—I'm ready."

Just in that moment Andy was enveloped in purple orbs.

He then appeared in front of a council of Elders.

A/N: So just remember what I said at the beginning of the chapter about the end of Things of the Past. Please review so that your thoughts and ideas can be counted and what not.