The voice invaded her sleep as she heard it quietly talking to her. She wanted to sleep, she needed to sleep. She had just got to bed.
"Piper. Piper wake up." Paige was firm, yet cautious. She didn't like waking her sisters for anything unless it was demon. And to step now into hers and Leo's room she felt awkward.
She had seen the two of them snuggled into each other's arms, and really didn't want to disturb them, but she had to. Piper would probably get mad at her had she not.
"Paige?" Piper groggily opened her eyes as she gazed at the clock. The red numbers glowed back at her. 4:21AM. "Paige I just got to bed. What is it?" anger evident in her voice, bt as she said it she thought of the one reason Paige would wake her up. "Demon?"
"I wish it was."
Piper heard something in her sisters' voice that sent alarms off in her mind. Something was wrong, something was very wrong. She reached up and turned on the bedside lamp needing answers to her little sisters wake up call. "What's wrong?"
Paige looked at Piper and could see the worry on her face. She wasn't even sure where to start.
"Paige!"
"Its Phoebe." She said it.
"What about her? Paige just spit it out." Piper was getting angry, not at Paige, but at the fact she knew something was wrong with Phoebe and she wasn't just telling her.
"I just got in and I turned on the TV in my room. Its all over the news Piper. Jason is dead."
Pipers hand flew to her mouth as hers words where lost. "Oh my God!" Piper sat back shocked, "Ok wait, you said something was wrong with Phoebe."
"I know. I was just hoping she wasn't with him. They never said anything else, only that he was killed by a drunk driver."
"Oh my god. Ok I need to get to her. If she wasn't with him, she is gonna be devastated." Piper threw of the sheets and woke Leo.
"I'm awake Piper, but I can't take you."
"WHAT! Did you just hear what Paige said? Phoebe needs me."
"How are we going to explain that to everyone that is over there? Jason is killed and in less time that a flight takes to get there, her sisters shows up."
"Leo I don't care what people think."
"Piper. He's right. Look lets just call her right now and see what's going on." Paige tried to be the voice of reason. She knew right then, Pipers mind was in a whirlwind of memories. This was too soon to Prues anniversary.
Darkness consumed her. It hurt to even breathe. She felt the softness under her and the on top of her. She knew where she was, she just didn't know how she got there. She rolled over as she held the silky sheet close to her. The picture of the two of them laughing shone back in her face. She just starred at it. Why was it everyone she ever got close to she lost?
She heard voices in the distance. Someone was there with her. She heard the phone ring and the muffled sound of a conversation. The door slowly came open and she saw Julia standing in the threshold.
"You're awake." She stated as she handed her the phone. "It's your sister." she spoke softly almost afraid that any loud noise would cause more harm.
Phoebe waited a moment. She didn't know what to say to her. She hadn't even thought about them once. Or had she? She recalled a memory as she had slept.
"Owww Prue it hurts."
"I know it does sweetie but I have to put this cream on or its going to get infected."
"But it really hurts."
Piper took her hand in hers. "Look at me Phoebe, don't watch Prue. Then maybe when were are done we can go get some ice cream or something." Piper spoke taking Phoebes mind off her injury as she ran her thumb under her sisters eye, wiping away the tears.
Prue stood up and picked her sister up in her arms. "Good as new Phoebs. Now what you say about that ice cream?"
"Chocolate?"
"Any flavour you like honey."
They sat and ate their ice cream in the park with Phoebe sitting next to Prue and Piper across the picnic table.
"Prue?"
Prue looked down at her little sister. It still amazed her how tiny she was for her age, but she always seemed to get into big messes.
"Yes sweetie."
Phoebe hesitated a moment, "Who will clean up my scraps when you aren't here?"
Prue looked over at Piper who just shrugged her shoulders.
"What makes you think that honey?"
"Well Dad left and then Mum. I mean what am I gonna do when you go away?"
Prue reached over and pulled Phoebe into her lap, "I'm not going anywhere sweetie, and neither is Piper."
"No matter where you are Phoebs we will always be there for you. When you are hurt or upset we will come to you no matter what."
Phoebe stayed on Prues lap as she finished her ice cream, "I love you." She said as she rested her head on the only person she knew as her mother.
"Me too sweetie. Me too." Prue held her sister tight wondering where her sisters question had come from and hoped that she would always be there for her no matter what.
She had thought of her sisters. And now when she needed Piper, she was thousands of miles away. She reached up and took the phone from Julia and watched as her friend walked out of the room pulling the door closed behind her.
"Piper?" her voice quiet and shaky.
"Oh honey. We just heard."
"Piper." Her voice cracked even more as fresh tear escaped down her face. "I need you."
Piper felt her own tear breaking under her eyes. She wanted to hold her sister so bad but she couldn't. "Oh baby I know, but we can't get there. Come home Phoebe." Her own voice was giving away to her own pain of losing someone. She had only known Jason a short time, but he was someone she had hoped would be around the Manor for a long time.
"He.. He was going to..to propose. Julia. She gave me the ring. Piper. Oh god I miss him so much." her tears and sobs became unbearable as she let the phone go and buried her face into her pillow.
The cries on the other end where too much for Piper to take any more. She handed Paige the phone and grabbed Leo. "Take me there NOW!"
"Piper!"
"Don't even try and feed me the company line Leo. My baby sister is half way around the world with her heart ripped out over the man she was going to marry. You are taking me there now if you know what is good for you!"
Leo looked at her for a moment and then to Paige. He knew what he was about to do, but he also knew he didn't have a choice.
"Ok. But you can't stay long. And you have to stay outta site." He wrapped his arms around Piper and orbed out.
Paige stood in the room tears slowly falling down her face. Her heart reaching out for the sister she had known for barely two years. She had been through so much lately. Why couldn't the powers that be just give her one small piece of happiness?
She wanted to go with them but she knew someone had to stay with Wyatt. She also knew that this might be something that only Piper could even try and fix. She knew it would take Phoebe a long time to get through what she was starting down, but she knew that with Piper and herself they would help her through it.
Piper released Leo the minute they materialized and she ran over to Phoebe who was still crying into her pillow. "Ok sweetie I'm here now. Come on." Piper ran her hand over Phoebes back as she bent down towards her sisters' tear laden face, letting her know she wasn't a dream she was real.
Phoebe felt Pipers hand and heard her voice, but she didn't move at first. How? But she soon realized she didn't care how. She felt Piper help her sit up and hold her as she cried harder into her sisters' shoulder.
Piper felt Phoebe start to relax in her arms after she had finally stopped crying. She gently rocked her back and forth much as she had when they were little. Running her hand over her sisters' back easing some of her pain. Though even Piper knew it would take a lot more then that and a lot more time.
"You came." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"I said I would always be there for you remember?"
Phoebe just nodded her head. It was the memory she had. But one person who had promised wasn't there.
"Prue is here with you too honey. You have to believe that." Piper said almost reading her sisters' mind. As she hugged her tight.
Phoebe didn't say anything she just rested her head on Pipers chest as she took in a few sobs now and then, until sleep consumed her once again.
Leo waited by the door in case he heard anyone coming. But as the door opened he was to late as a Julia walked in, more then a little surprised to see them sitting there.
Piper looked from Leo to Julia not sure what to say.
Leo saw Piper tense as Jason's assistant stood before them, each one waiting for an answer that the other would say. Explaining how two from so far away got to where they were. But none of them willing to wake the one they were all there for.
--- ----
Every now and then life places you in a situation that you don't like. But it is one of those things once you are there you can not change. You deal with it the best that you can. But as witches and magical beings you tend to deal with things a bit different. You react with powers and instincts that keep you alive every day. And you hope and pray that you made the right decision to face another day with yourself