A new Power of three Part 20:
The book 2 - charmed
Disclaimer: I own nothing of charmed. Some of the scenes included here are completely stolen!
2037, Saturday
1998
"There's no day ever since, I don't think of Prue... and our baby. We didn't know if it would be a girl or not, but we always believed it would be a girl. Our little Meghan. Prue loved that name. It all happened so fast. As soon as we finally had realized we were going to be parents, as soon as we finally loved the baby and were happy about having a baby, Prue lost the baby. It was the best for both of us, to start a new chapter in our lives."
Morris stayed silent. He didn't know what to do. His partner seemed to be through so much and he simply didn't know what to answer. He felt worst for pushing him into telling him this story
"If I had known... I'd never…"
"It's okay. I learned to talk about this. And now, you for sure want to know, what made me come back here, right? Around a year ago, my partner in Portland died. That ruined my marriage. And I once again, tried to run away from my problems. But destiny or whatever, played a game on me and my boss got me transferred here, to San Francisco. I failed running away this time, as I was sent back to where I started my run."
Prue shook her head, but had a small smile on her face. She studied the picture of the two men at buddy's some more. Andy never had told her about this talk with Darryl. Did Lily just make it up? Did Andy tell her? Did Darryl? Did she have some kind of transfer thing? Afterall Meghan had explained to her, how they could move thoughts and memories from mind to mind. She anyway couldn't believe how detailed Lily could describe it all. She was amazed how, just by reading it, these old feelings came up again. How she even felt like things were happening again.
1998
"May I help ya?" Andy turned around looking into Phoebe's face
"oh my god! You are here! U… oh my god!"
"Phoebe, calm down, please… I don't want Prue to see me"
"but… why? How? Andy… you gotta talk to her… please"
"she's engaged… I can't face her right now!"
"She's not engaged! She just thinks she is… he betrays her with ever woman he can get. He even tried to get me into something… he lies her into the face… He said, I was the one liking him, not the other way round. Andy, please… you need to talk to her"
"I can't, okay?"
"No! Not okay! You are the last one to stop her from doing a great mistake"
"and you think she'd believe me, when I come after all this time here. After I left her! You seriously think, she'd listen to me?" Phoebe looked to the floor not saying anything "I lost that right, Pheebs. As much as I want to do it. I lost the right to do it." On Phoebe's face suddenly grew a small smile. Andy looked at her oddly
"what?"
"You called me Pheebs…"
"Yeah, so?"
"No one called me that in ages" she said close to whispering. Andy smiled sympathetically and got up, just to hug her tightly.
"I'm so sorry" he whispered, holding her real tight. He held her like in the old times. Like a big brother would hold his little sister. Phoebe just held him tight back and cried into him. After she had calmed again, Andy carefully pulled away and ruffled her hair a little, then grabbed the envelope in his coat again
"give that to Piper and Prue. It's from my parents" Phoebe nodded "I gotta go now"
"I miss you so much"
"I love you too" Andy told her, pecked her forehead and then left the hall again.
[...]
"Piper?"
"Yeah?" Piper's head popped out of Jeremy's chest
"look" Prue pointed to Phoebe, which was held by someone they didn't know
"who's that?" Piper asked.
"I have no idea" Prue responded. They not even saw the side of Andy's face. As his face had disappeared behind Phoebe's. Then the stranger turned even more. His back to Piper and Prue. They still saw how he kissed her forehead and then left. Prue and Piper watched everything, but didn't notice, it was Andy
Prue smiled a little. She remembered how Phoebe had told her about this encounter with Andy after she returned from NY. How could she not have seen this?
1998
"Hey. I'm looking for my sister…" Andy froze. He knew that voice. "... Phoebe Halliwell."
'Halliwell…' Andy swallowed. It was Prue. She was standing right next to him. He looked a little away, so she wouldn't see him.
"One second please." The nurse told her.
'Maybe she forgot about me' Andy thought hopefully, when the nurse turned to face him again.
"What's the name again?"
'Damn... ask something else... please just not that question...'he thought, not wanting Prue to recognize him.
"Umm... Inspector Andrew Trudeau. Homicide. Dr Gordon's expecting me." the nurse went back into her cabinet and Andy looked back down. He didn't see Prue. He didn't hear what she said. He was lost in his files. He'd explain that this way to Prue. He felt some view on him and knew, it was Prue's. Prue looked at the back of the stranger. This voice. This hair. This smell. This name!
"Andy?" she asked.
'Damn!' Andy cursed and turned around, looking at Prue. He put on a surprised face
"Prue! I don't believe it!"
She could only shake her head at how ridiculous they had acted when she and Andy had met again. Though their love had bloomed in a completely other way back then as well.
1998
"you promised to call..."
"I know… it was a busy week and... to be honest... I just... want to relax and have some time for myself on the weekend." Andy nodded
"where are we standing right now? I mean... I don't even know how to say... good bye to you now... kiss you... shake your hand... peck your cheek... hug you... I'm thrown off here... I know what I feel for you... I know THAT I feel and care for you... I just wished you'd finally give me a yes or a no... I'd love a yes... but also accept a no…" Andy told her, searching her eyes, but Prue's eyes were downcast
"I know you want answers Andy, but... I'm... not sure what I'm feeling myself and... I didn't really have the time to think about my feelings since I got the job at Bucklands'... leave me some time, okay? Like I said... I'll take the weekend for myself and... Then... we'll see, okay?" Andy bit his lip. No, it wasn't really okay, but what choice did he have? He leaned over to her and pecked her cheek
"night... if anything's wrong..."
"I got your number" Prue smiled at him.
"Sweet dreams" he said, taking one last longing look into her blue eyes. Prue looked back at him. The feeling was back. The magnet thing was back. But she couldn't pull this into a direction now. She had to consider this first. She couldn't again jump off into stupid spontaneous reactions, caused by their wanting. She first needed to think.
"Night Andy" Prue finally answered. Andy nodded one last time and walked out of the door, closing it after him. It felt so incomplete to both of them, but there was not more one or even both of them were willing to do at the moment.
:-:-:-:
1998
"I know it's hard... but... this is what you always wanted, remember? When your mom died... you wanted nothing more but him to be there... when... we found out about Meghan and... Grams was being a bitch... you wanted him to be there. To understand. To care. Maybe... he's here to do exactly that. Maybe... he understands he made a mistake. He's just a human, ho... Prue." Prue smiled
"you wanted to say honey, now did you?"
"don't change the subject" Andy answered
"don't you change the subject" she quipped and looked into his eyes.
"You know, that I want you... in every meaning of the word. Lover, partner, soul mate, friend, maybe even a little sex-toy" he smirked and she relaxed a little and finally smiled again as well "go in there... settle your issues with your father and... maybe... we can tomorrow settle ours and... I promise... I'll listen. I promise I'll want to know... whatever you wanna talk to me about... after all... I'm still your best friend, now am I?"
Prue smiled. This completely broke the blockade she had been trying to build up for now almost a week. He said exactly what she needed to hear right now. Prue again looked into his eyes. She wanted to say those three words so badly, but she couldn't. She just hoped, he'd find what he searched for in her eyes. Andy smiled slightly and put a hand to her cheek
"I know... but... I don't think we should... do this... not until we really talked and... then we'll see... where we are…" he told her.
"Thank you" Prue answered him. And beside him saying, he didn't want to, she leaned closer to him and gentle brushed a fast kiss onto his lips, before leaving him in his car and facing some of her inner demons first. Andy at first smiled, and then sighed. She again was gone. But this time, he somehow had the feeling it was different and so a small smirk played on his lips. Maybe the case of Prue... Trudeau wasn't cleared after all.
:-:-:-:
1998
"What... what is it?" he asked worried, after he had forced her to drink some water.
"It... it was just a dizzy spell... nothing to worry about" she whispered
"I think it's best if you are checked up once more by a doctor..."
"No! Andy... I just... want to get out of here... please..."
"Prue... you hit your head pretty bad in that accident... what if there's more to it?"
"There's not..."
"Where from do you know?"
"Andy..."
"No... don't Andy me…" Prue looked up to meet his very worried gaze
"Andy, I'm fine..."
"I saw people who weren't fine after having dizzy spells with a concussion"
"well, then I'm not one of them..."
"What date is today?"
"What?"
"When you're okay, then you can answer questions" Andy argued
"Andy, this is getting ridiculous..."
"Answer me... or I'm gonna call a doctor right away…" Prue tried to hide a smile.
"Wednesday"
"what was the name of your dog?"
"Rasputin"
"in which country are you?"
"Andy!" she hit his arm playfully
"I'm just worried"
"I know" Prue told him and pulled him down to her, kissing him.
:-:-:-:
1991
Prue sat in her car, waiting for Andy in front of the house his apartment is in. when she finally saw him pulling up behind her she got out of the car. She walked towards him
"Hey."
"Hey." He told her, passing her, pretending to be in a hurry. Prue followed him towards the stairs
"Uh, can we talk?"
"Is there really anything to talk about?" he asked her kinda, nerved, pulling out his keys, and searching for the one of the front door
"Andy…" finally Andy stopped and turned around to look at her
"I'm sorry…"
"So am I!" he exclaimed angrily
"What do you mean by that?" she asked confused, folding her arms, to protect herself from whatever he'd throw into her face. He just laughed
"come on, Prue. Who are we kidding? I mean... let's face it! One of us is obviously more interested in this relationship than the other!" he yelled at her, finally letting go of some of his suppress anger towards her. Prue just shook her head in disbelieve
"That's not true."
"Isn't it? Then how come I'm always the one left standing there looking like a jerk!" he asked, Prue really did drive him angrier by the second right now
"I can explain."
"No, you can't…" he cut her off. He didn't want to hear her lousy explanations anymore. He made a small break, reconsidering what he just said "Or you won't…" he told her and with one last eye contact turned around and walked up the first pair of steps. Then suddenly, he wasn't able to go through with all of this. Something just wouldn't let him finish this off once and for all. He stopped abruptly. Maybe she really would explain things this time, maybe everything would turn out okay after all. He angrily slammed his jacket on to the handrail, turning around while doing so
"Damn it, Prue! I still love you! I'm not saying you have to explain it all to me Prue... that's you're prerogative." He told her, stopping short, ashe saw her approaching him again"All I'm saying is…" he searched for the right words to express himself and also let her see it
"it hurts that you don't trust me enough..."
"I do trust you Andy." She told him, locking eyes again "It has nothing to do with you, it's just…" Prue realized, she was about to spill the beans and held her breath, starring at him, then closed her eyes to look down. She couldn't lie into his eyes. She never could. Never would.
"It's just something that I don't know if I can ever share with anybody..."
"Well I hope that's not true for your sake…" Andy answered her, what caused Prue to look up again. He collected strength and coolness, in a short break "All I know is there's nothing I can say or do to reassure you, that I'm there for you." He sighted deeply.
Again there were just lousy excuses. Nothing coming from her heart. No real explanation for her behaviour. Nothing. He was just simply sick of it. He was sick of her fooling around with him, like he was his doll. He loved her, yes, but he wouldn't let her break his heart over and over again. This was hard for him as well. But he knew, they couldn't go on like that. He again grabbed his jacket and continued onto the next pair of steps.
"Andy…" he froze on the top of the stairs and turned after a few seconds around, looking down at her "Are you saying that you don't want to see me anymore?" she asked in a hurt voice. Andy heard the subtitle in her voice, what didn't make it easier on him.
"I don't know what I want anymore…" he told her in a cold, emotionless voice. Prue looked after him till the door was closed, then looked down, realizing, she had lost him again. Knowing she had screwed up a second time and not sure, if she'd get another chance. But hoping so dearly.
She smiled at the memory of finding her father back and just completely shook her head at Andy and her constant on and off thing. They had lost so much time back then. They just should have enjoyed their time together instead of all this discussing, fighting, bickering. They had so little time and today it seemed like they had just wasted that year away. And Then his death. Tears spilled immediately from her eyes.
1999
"I don't wanna lose you..."
"Don't worry. You won't…" Andy stroke her cheek gently and Prue looked at him. Was forced to. She looked into his eyes and saw, he wasn't calm. Not at all. Maybe on the surface, but his eyes showed fear and sorrow. She wanted to ask him, what was wrong, but she didn't have time. He leaned down to kiss her. Prue automatically closed her eyes. A tear left her eye. She enjoyed the kiss. Felt his hand on her cheek and his tender kiss. How his tongue started to gently massage hers. And just as she was about to think, this never would end. He broke the kiss. Andy didn't want to stop neither. He didn't want to let her go. But again this invisible force made him pull away.
"I'll always be there for you…" he whispered. Prue looked at him and noticed he was about to lean forward again. She closed her eyes again. Awaiting another kiss. Nothing. Prue then noticed his warm hand was gone. His gentle warm touch on her cheek wasn't there anymore. She opened her eyes and found him gone.
She remembered his funeral. How she had almost killed herself. How she laid for days in her room. Missing andy. Feeling him. His pressence. She had been sure back then he was with her. A least whne she had been alone. How she tried to get him back, without any success. How she thought it all was her fault.
1999
[Scene: Police station. Prue walks up to Darryl.]
Darryl: Hey.
Prue: Hi.
Darryl: You wanna sit down?
Prue: Sure.
(Prue sees Andy's empty desk.)
Darryl: They haven't assigned me a new partner yet since Andy died. Here.
(He takes her into a room.)
Prue: I'm sorry I haven't come by to see you.
Darryl: Yeah, me too. I'm just glad you're here now, Prue. I've been worried about you.
Prue: I'm all right.
Darryl: Really? Then how come you've been avoiding me? And don't give me that crap about being too busy 'cause I know better. I know what you're going through, Prue. I lost him too, you know?
Prue: I know. It's just been so hard, to, uh…
Darryl: What?
Prue: To face you after what happened.
Darryl: Now, see, that's exactly what I want to talk to you about…
Prue: Darryl, um, I need to know what Andy told you about me and my sisters... about who we really are.
Darryl: Just that you were involved in some of our unsolved cases, and that you somehow helped stop the killers.
Prue: That's it? Nothing else?
Darryl: He was my partner, Prue. I didn't need to know anything else.
Prue: So, then, um... why did you cover for us when Andy died at the house?
Darryl: 'Cause he asked me to. That's why I've been trying to get ahold of you. To give you a message from him. That morning, after he saw you, Andy told me to tell you that if anything were to happen to him, that it wouldn't be your fault. He didn't want you to blame yourself.
Prue: Too late.
(They hug.)
The years of them being witches… so much happened. So many things they learned. Had to learn.
2000
Sam: I knew I should've given you a stronger dose.
Prue: Not only did you put my sisters and me in danger but you risked innocents lives. How could you?
Sam: I did what I had to do to protect you and your sisters.
Prue: Not that. This. All these years. How could you just sit here and watch them die? People that you were meant to protect.
Sam: Well, in case you didn't get the memo, I'm not one of the good guys anymore.
Prue: Part of you is. Part of you always will be.
Sam: I've done nothing but make your life difficult. What makes you so sure?
Prue: Because you saved me. You still have Whitelighter instincts Sam. You may have clipped your wings but this still gets you, it matters.
Sam: What matters most was taken from me twenty years ago.
Prue: Then we have something in common.
Sam: You think I choose to stay here, to watch? That, that I'd get my kicks this way? I've been waiting for you.
Prue: Why?
Sam: I knew you'd come, and I had to be here to stop you. To, to save you.
Prue: Because you couldn't save mum. Sam, I need the powder and then I'm gonna need for you to tell me how mum was gonna vanquish this thing. If you're gonna defeat your demon, Sam, then you're gonna have to help us defeat the one out there. We need your help.
(Sam opens a drawer and gets out the powder.)
Sam: I'll try to face mine. The question is can you face yours?
:-:-:-:
2000
[Scene: Manor. Living room. Prue, Piper and Phoebe are looking at an old picture of the bridge that Prue took.]
Prue: Well, the bridge hasn't changed much has it?
Piper: But you sure have.
Prue: Well, we all have, for the better.
Piper: Prue, Phoebe and I were wondering…
Prue: What? Why I was on this bridge eight years ago. Why I took this picture?
Piper: Well, yeah.
Prue: I don't know. I guess I was just in a really bad place then. Anyway, I was out scouting for a shot and I found myself on the bridge and I just wanted to take the picture of it to remind myself of that particular moment and how I was feeling.
Piper: But you weren't gonna…
Prue: No. No, I would never ever do that.
Phoebe: But why didn't you develop it?
Prue: I guess I just wasn't ready to relive that pain. But now I am. Especially since a demon tried to take advantage of it. But that was then... (she puts the photo in the fireplace and it burns ) and this... (she opens a magazine up to the article on Maggie.) this is now.
Piper: What's this?
Prue: Hi, it's me, I'm a professional photographer. Look.
(She points to her name under the photo.)
Phoebe: Yay.
:-:-:-:
2000
Prue: He's a businessman, Piper. I would think that he would appreciate that. We can do the whole family-bonding thing once the work is done, alright? So, how about you just tell us everything that you know about the playground?
Victor: What playground?
Phoebe: Dad, I had a premonition. I know you were there.
Piper: And somebody's hurt, so we need to get back inside.
Victor: Oh, let it go.
Prue: That may be your motto, but we made a mistake, and we would really like to fix it. So just tell us how you got in, and we can handle it from there. We are big witches now.
Victor: Yeah, but you're still my girls.
Prue: Victor.
Victor: Prue. (Silence.) Alright. Yes, I was there. I went in after you, and it was the last thing I ever did as your father. You were home with a cold. You must've been about six. Your mum had some errands to run, so she took your sisters with her and left me home in charge of you.
Victor: You had asked me to read you a story. You used to love that. But the cold was too much for you. You only lasted a page or two. When I left your room you were still sleeping.
Victor: I never heard you come downstairs. You must've been looking for a glass of water or me. And that must've been when you heard it.
Prue: The song.
Victor: I mean, I heard a truck drive by and stop a few doors down, but I didn't think anything of it. It was an ice-cream truck. How was I to know? But somehow you did. And you must've gone in the living room following that song. And that's when you saw it happen. A little boy not much older than yourself.
Prue: Yeah. He was standing by the truck, and something pulled him in. He was so scared.
Victor: And you ran out to help him.
Phoebe: Just like yesterday.
Victor: When I saw your bed empty, I lost my mind. The door was wide open, there was a truck parked outside. I mean, I had no idea what I was getting into but I just had to go.
Piper: You saved Prue.
Victor: But I lost the three of you.
Phoebe: You said that you left because Grams wanted us to use our powers and you didn't.
Victor: That's the truth. And now you know the whole story. I mean, when your grandmother found out, I had just brought Prue back, but being your father wasn't good enough, but how could I protect you from something like that happening again when I didn't have powers?
Piper an Leo's wedding. The one andy wanted so barely to go to as well. She could have seen him again that night. Oh how she had wished for him to be there.
2001
Grams: Girls, it's show time.
(Everyone stands in place. Prue puts on Piper's veil.)
Piper: Little help here.
Victor: (to Leo) I noticed you don't have a best man. If you like, I could, uh…
Leo: I'd be honoured.
Phoebe: Oh, no, there's no power for music.
(Grams makes the wind chimes chime.)
Prue: Alright, is that the best that we can do on the lights? (Leo makes clouds of bright lights appear above them.) That's more like it.
(Grams clears her throat.)
Grams: We are gathered here today to unite two souls as one. Do you, Leo Wyatt, and Piper Halliwell, join us here of your own free will to acknowledge the eternal bond shared by both of you.
Leo: I do.
Piper: I do.
Grams: You may face each other, join hands. (They do so.) Uh, Leo, you may recite your vows.
Leo: Piper, through all the tears and struggles, I always knew in my heart that we'd make it here. I promise to love and respect you from this point forward as your husband, as my wife, my lover, my friend, and my soul mate. All I am is yours.
Grams: Piper…
Piper: Leo, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I was afraid that you were too good to be true, that maybe I didn't deserve someone so pure and beautiful and loving as you are. But here we are surrounded by the people that I love the most and I feel so proud, and so blessed to be your wife. Leo, I was born to love you and I always will.
Grams: Here before witnesses, Leo and Piper have sworn their vows towards each other. With this cord, I bind them to those vows.
(A rope is loosely tied around their hand.)
Piper, Leo: Heart to thee, body to thee, always and forever, so mote it be.
Grams: So mote it be.
All: So mote it be.
(The clock strikes twelve.)
Grams: Kiss her fast.
(Piper and Leo kiss. Everyone applauds and grins.)
Shax.
2001
All Prue felt was pain. No matter which part of her body, she tried to move, but she couldn't. her head fell to her side. She saw Piper lying next to her
"Pi… Piper…"
she managed to get over her lips before her world turned black. When she opened her eyes again, she was on a place she knew already. It was the swing. It was surrounded by clouds. It was the place, she saw Andy for the last time.
"Where am I?"
she asked looking around. There was no one, who could answer her. there was absolutely no one. She was alone. She didn't know where she was.
Andy was back. And then everything happened so fast...
