A/N. Thanks for the reviews. This chapter is pretty bad because it was written in a rush, so don't expect much!
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Chapter 12"You should try this on." Prue stuck her hand out of the changing cubicle, in the small boutique, a purple halter neck clutched between her fingers.
Piper took the top and studied the price tag. "My finances won't let me." With a sigh she handed the top back. "Besides, my bump won't stay this small forever."
"You can wear it in what – six, seven months," Prue replied.
"It'll look great on you," Phoebe piped up from the other side of the shop. Of course, it had been her idea to go shopping, and she was making the most of it.
"People don't just snap back into shape. Normal women anyway."
"Okay, just promise us you'll come back when you can afford it," Prue said.
"What, in other twelve years when I can stop being a full time single mom and go to work?" Piper asked.
"You know we're here to help whenever you need us," Phoebe told her.
"Yeah, you're not going through this pregnancy alone," Prue added, stepping out from the changing room.
"I know, with you guys and Leo's help…"
"Leo?" Phoebe interrupted, wondering over to her sisters. "What's he got to do with it?"
"Oh." Piper flushed furiously, remembering too late that she hadn't told her sisters about Leo yet. "Uh, well… Leo and I… we're kind of… seeing each other."
"As in, romantically?" Phoebe wondered.
"Yes."
"I knew it!" Phoebe cried, earning her some strange looks from other shoppers. "I knew you two were great together."
"Well, it's early days, but things are looking good," Piper admitted, her face now flushed with pleasure.
"I'm really happy for you," Prue said as she hugged Piper. "But…"
"I know," Piper cut in. "The Elders…"
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Leo stood in front of the three highest Elders, surrounded by fluffy clouds and white mists. He wrung his hands nervously, waiting for their reply. He had told his bosses about Piper and him a few hours ago, and knew it was time for their decision.
"Leo," Zola began. "We have considered the relationship between yourself and the Charmed One…"
"Piper," Leo filled in.
"You know how we feel about witch/whitelighter relationships," Zola continued. "They cannot be allowed."
Leo's heart thudded. They were going to separate them; he just knew it. How could they, after all Piper had been through, after all they had both done for him? Rage bubbled up inside the usually calm whitelighter, and he was just about to lash out, when another Elder spoke.
"However, we have reviewed this case. Piper has been through so much in such a short time, and we believe she deserves all the happiness she can get."
"So what does that mean?" Leo demanded, more confused more than ever. The Elders had been cryptic and often sent mixed messages, but this time Leo's patience was wearing thin.
"It mean that you and Piper can be together."
Leo's heart soared. He and Piper could be together! He had to let her know.
"On one condition," a third Elder added. "That you do not let your personal feelings get in the way of your jobs."
"Of course." At that moment, Leo was so happy he could have agreed to anything.
"Bear in mind this is just a trial period. If you or Piper lose an innocent or charge because of each other, you will never see each other again," an Elder warned.
"I understand." Leo orbed away.
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As she stood in the queue, waiting to pay for the lunch she had ordered, Phoebe glanced across at Piper, who was saving them a table, surrounded by bags of clothes. "I think now would be a good time to ask her."
Prue knit her bow in confusion. "Ask who what?"
Phoebe rolled her eyes as if it was obvious. "Ask Piper to move in with us."
"Oh." Prue frowned again. "Why now?"
"Because," Phoebe answered. "She's relaxed and we've just spent the morning bonding like normal sisters."
"Okay," Prue agreed, "I guess now's a good a time as any." They finally reached the till, paid for their food and walked over to the table.
"We've got something to ask you," Phoebe announced as they sat down.
"What is it?" Piper wondered, already digging into her jacket potato.
"Well, we've all been thinking about this for a while, and we would really like it if you moved in with us," Prue replied.
Piper dropped her fork. "What?" 'Where the hell had that came from?'
"Would you move into the Manor?" Prue repeated.
Piper swallowed hard, considering the question. She had often thought of the Manor as home, and she loved her sisters and Grams, and she knew they loved her. They were ready. "Okay. I'll do it – I'll move in with you."
"Yay!" Phoebe cried, and suddenly, Piper was engulfed by sisters.
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Leo orbed into Piper's apartment as she slammed her suitcase shut. "What are you doing?" He asked, momentarily forgetting his news.
Piper squealed and spun around, her hands raised. Leo burst into a thousand points of light, and instantly orbed back together.
"Ow!" He complained, rubbing his chest.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Piper dashed over to her boyfriend. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Leo replied.
"Just give me warning next time, okay? You can cause serious damage with that power," Piper grumbled.
"So could you," Leo shot back. Suddenly, a smile lit up his face and he slipped his arms around Piper. "Did we say hello yet?"
Piper grinned. "No."
"Hello."
"Hi." Piper reached up and kissed Leo.
"I've got some good news," Leo told her.
"I've got some news of my own."
"Okay, you go first," Leo offered.
"I'm moving into the Manor."
"Really? That's great!"
"I know. Now all I have to do is pack, and move out of this place." Piper glanced around the apartment, which still hadn't been properly decorated. "So, what was your news?"
"I spoke to the Elders."
Piper swished her arms in an effort to hurry him up. "And?"
"And we can be together! They've given us their blessing!"
"Oh! Oh my God!" Piper exclaimed, jumping into Leo's arms and squeezing him tightly. "This is brilliant!"
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One week later"Smile!" Prue ordered cheerfully.
Piper looked up and was instantly blinded by the flash of a camera. "Prue!" She complained. "Are you trying to damage my eyesight?"
Prue lowered the camera. "No. I'm trying to make my portfolio and get some pictures of you." Prue snapped again. "Remember we don't have any."
"That's no excuse to blind the poor girl," Penny said as she carried in one of Piper's boxes
"Fine," Prue said grumpily, putting down the camera. "No more pictures."
"And no more boxes." Phoebe plonked down the last box and dusted off her hands.
"Who wants food?" Penny asked.
"Me!" Prue, Piper and Phoebe cried simultaneously.
The witches wondered into the kitchen, debating on what to have. Most of it was dismissed, as one of them wouldn't eat it, or it made Piper throw up.
"You're one fussy eater," Phoebe commented.
"Yeah. I wonder if Mom was when she was pregnant…" She stopped short. Piper had referred to Patricia as mom. She didn't know why. Sarah had always been her mother. She looked up to see if anyone had noticed, and to her dismay saw they all had.
"It's okay," Penny said softly.
"No it's not okay," Piper hissed. "She's not my mom. I had a Mom, one I'll never forget or want to replace." Piper gulped back a sob. She shouldn't be here. Somehow her sisters and grandmother had become her family, and her parents were slipping away. "What if they hate me?"
"Who?" Prue asked gently.
"My Mom and Dad. What if they hate me for being happy, moving on?"
"Oh sweetie. They wouldn't," Phoebe assured her.
"How do you know?" Piper asked.
"I think I know just the spell to put her mind at rest. Come on." Penny led her granddaughters up to the attic, a mysterious gleam in her eyes.
"What kind of spell?" Piper asked, trudging up the stairs.
"One to summon the dead," Penny replied, opening the attic door. "I can summon your parents, if you want me to?"
"I…" Piper wanted more than anything to see her parents again, but what if they hated her; rejected her? She gave her answer quickly before she could change her mind. "I'll do it."
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"Hear these words, hear my cry, spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee, cross now the great divide."
Penny, Prue and Phoebe all stepped back, leaving Piper standing just in front of the circle of candles. Two swirls of golden orbs appeared in the circle and formed into Sarah and Nathan.
"Mom. Dad," Piper croaked, tears sliding down her face. She didn't know what else to say. She couldn't have said anything else even if she did.
"Honey." Sarah crossed over the circles, becoming more solid with each step. She walked over to a motionless Piper and held her tightly.
"How are you darling?" Nathan asked, following his wife.
"I missed you daddy," Piper sobbed, reaching for her father.
For a moment they all stood their, hugging, while Penny, Prue and Phoebe watched with tears in their eyes.
"We're so proud of you," Sarah told Piper, finally breaking away.
"What for?"
"For the way you've coped. For moving on," Nathan replied, glancing at Piper's biological family. "We're so happy you've found your sisters, that you're not alone."
"I… I thought you'd hate me," Piper confessed.
"We could never hate you," Sarah said, brushing away Piper's tears.
"We have to go," Nathan said reluctantly.
"No…"
"We have to. But we'll never be far away," Sarah promised. "I love you." The deceased witch pecked Piper's forehead, and moved back into the circle.
"I love you." Nathan embraced Piper quickly, and once again repeated his wife's movements.
"I love you both too," Piper said, her voice cracking with emotion. She didn't want the to go. It was too soon.
Sarah and Nathan faded away in a warm yellow glow, and Piper just stared at the spot where they had stood.
After a while, Prue spoke. "There's someone else you might like to meet." From the look on her face Piper could tell it could be only one person.
"Only if you want to," Penny added quickly.
"Okay," Piper murmured.
Penny, Prue and Phoebe beamed widely and repeated the well-worn spell.
Piper watched with anticipation as her biological mother appeared in the same way her parents had. Would they look the same? Would Patricia be happy to see Piper, or wish the daughter she had given up had never found her way home?
Patty's long, wavy golden brown hair hung loose, and her coffee brown eyes were happy at being summoned. The instant Piper looked into them, she could see some of her self. It wasn't that she was particularly similar to her mother, despite what people had told her, but some thing was… familiar about her.
"Hi Mom," Phoebe greeted brightly. "How're you doing?"
"I'm…" Patty's voice trailed off as her eyes settled on Piper. Her hand shot to her mouth in surprise. "Oh my…"
"Hi," Piper said shyly.
Patty stepped firmly from the circle and made her way quickly over to Piper, in the same way Sarah and Nathan had, and hugged her just as tightly. "Welcome home."
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A/N. I hope you liked. Please review.