"Its ok Piper, I know. I've always known."

"Known?" Piper lookeda tJulia with caution. Was she a demon just after thier powers?

"Yes, that you are the Charmed Ones. Witches with your legacy aren't a big secret in my family." She spoke it as if it was something that every witch or anyone with any Wicca ties knew. Like they had an ad with the picture of the three of them in the yellow pages under Wicca.

Piper immediate went on the defensive, "Meaning?"

"I too am a witch. I was very happy when I found out that Phoebe worked at the paper with Jason. I couldn't wait to meet her. But there was never the right time to tell her that I too was born to a Wicca family. So I know that your Whitelighter brought you here."

Piper relaxed a bit, but not completely. How long was this woman going to wait before she told Phoebe?

"I had quite the conversation with Jason the other day. Right before Phoebe came out here. He was telling me what he thought of her, his feeling. He asked me to help him go shopping. I knew what he was after and I helped him pick out the ring. He was going to fly home this week right after." She paused thinking again of the meeting he was coming back from. "After the meeting today. He had everything planned out for the perfect moment to ask her."

Piper took everything in as she sat on the bed next to Phoebe. Her hand placed gently on her sisters back as she ran it back and forth to sooth her sister and let her know she was still there.

--- ----

The day became darker as Leo watched Piper curled up behind Phoebe. It was a place he had seen them share on more then a few occasions. Even when they were younger. Phoebe was hurt or upset and it was Piper how consoled her. He had even seen Prue in that same spot a few times. And he knew that it would be the oldest that would be there now if she was her and able

As the sun started to rise again he placed his hand on Piper gently. "Piper."

"I'm awake Leo." she replied though making no effort to remove herself from holding her sister

"We can't stay much longer."

Piper didn't even turn to look at him. After the nights events she knew he was right. But that didn't make it any easier for her to have to go. She tightened her grip slightly on her still sleeping sister as she rested her chin on Phoebs shoulder.

Leo stepped from the room giving them the time they would need alone. They both knew they needed to keep their magic a secret and to do so, Phoebe needed to make it home on her own.

"Don't go." The small voice came from within herself.

"Honey I have to. We can't let others know I was here."

For the longest time there was silence. Each one not wanting to say a word. But each knowing what the other was thinking.

"Julia will come home with you sweetie, and Paige and I will be at the airport the second you step from that plane." Piper assured her sister as she held her close.

Phoebe didn't say a word. She knew that they had to keep their secret safe. She remembered the last time that it was revealed and she had lost someone dear to her heart.

"The flight is about twelve hours straight through Phoebs. You'll be ok."

"I wish you could come with me."

"So do I sweetie but I can't, Leo has to take me back. But let's say you and I spend the day together as soon as you get back and are up to it." Piper knew that if Phoebe left today, by the time she arrived back in San Francisco that it would be the day the two of them dreaded; the anniversary of Prues death.

--- ----

Julia stepped into the room cautiously she knew that the two sister needed some time and she didn't blame them. Phoebe had been through so much the last 24 hrs, that she was worried that maybe she would take the fast trip home. But she also knew that deep inside Phoebes Wicca heritage would prevent her from doing so. But she also wasn't sure if she was the one to be there for her trip back home.

Phoebe turned from the window of the apartment as she heard Julia enter. She looked at Piper who didn't move from her spot near the bed.

"You should have told me Julia."

"I know and I am sorry Phoebe." She said knowing what her friend was speaking of.

"Did Jason know? About you I mean."

"Yes. I told him last year. As a reporter he was very understanding, yet curious. But he kept my secret." She explained. She paused a moment, "He would have kept your as well, had he known."

"So he didn't know about my sisters or me?" Phoebe wanted to know she wasn't sure why, she just did.

"No. I think he was suspicious though. There were to many strange and unexplainable things around you."

"Paige." Phoebe said to herself. She recalled a time when Paige became a Nymph and Jason came by the house. She knew he was suspicious then when she went back to the office later the night everything was settled.

Phoebe turned back to the window over looking the city. She wrapped her arms around her body but soon felt a pair of loving arms around hers. She knew who it was and rested her head backwards into her sister.

"You gonna be ok goming home alone?" Piper asked, "Because I can come with you. I don't care about the consequences."

Phoebe didn't say a word as she stayed in Pipers arms. Everything in her world was turning upside down. Prue, Cole, and now Jason. Then she remembered something her Grams said to her.

"Things come in three's sweetie. That is why they say; Third Times the Charmed.'"

"I've had my three. What more could go wrong?" Phoebe started as she came out of her own memory.

Piper looked at her sister. "Sorry?"

"Grams. She always used to tell me that things came in threes. Be they bad things or good. I've had my three things. Three things bad anyway. Now it can only get better."

That was one of the things that Piper loved about her sister. She was always looking for the plus on life. Anyone else right then, it would have knocked them down, but not Phoebe. She would take the hits and bounce back up. Though Piper knew this hit would take a bit to come back from, she knew her sister would.

--- ----

They stood on the tarmac waiting for the plane to take Phoebe, Julia nad Jason back to San Francisco. Placing a soft kiss on her sisters cheek Piper let her go as the plane pulled up to meet Phoebe and Julia. Piper noticed that Phoebe made every effort not to watch, as the casket was loaded onto the planes cargo area.

"I will see you in few hours. Are you sure you are ok with this?" Piper asked again. She wanted to be with Phoebe then as much as she knew Phoebe wanted her.

"I'm ok Piper. I just need some time to think things through." She reached over and hugged her sister, "Tell Paige I look forward to seeing her and spending sometime together. Just the two of us."

Piper had to smile at her baby sister. Piper had known the last few weeks that the two of them had left Paige out of things, but it was just something they needed to face alone. It wasn't as if they were keeping Paige from anything Prue, it was just they needed to say their hello and good-byes as they had when they were younger.

"I'll tell her." she hugged Phoebe once more before she watched as her sister walked up the stairs to the plane.

As the plane taxied down the runway Piper leaned back into Leo,"At least this time I know I'll see her again." Piper stated. She could almost feel Leo's question as she leaned against him. "She wasn't coming back Leo. She told me last night. She was going to stay with Jason until she worked everything out. And if that took a few years she was willing to stay."

Leo didn't say anything as he held on to Piper. It had been an emotional few days and he wondered how long his wife would last, now that Phoebe was on her way home.

She sat in the seat and looked out the window as the sun gazed in on them. She closed her eyes as she thought of the cargo they carried below. The man she loved. But as her thoughts turned to a happier times something jerked. She looked over at Julia who was as shocked as she was, as another jolt hit them.

The plane twisted as she gripped onto her seat tighter. Closing her eye's she waited for the inevitable to reach her. A time when she would see Prue, Mum and her Grams again. A place where she would feel no more pain of love lost. Where she would be with Jason forever.

Piper and Paige stood at the airport waiting for the small private jet to land. It was already late and Piper was getting nervous as she usually did. It was her fear of flying that made her nervous when planes were late. But now when she just wanted to hold her sister everything seemed later then they should be.

Piper finally sent Leo up to see what he could find out. "Just find out of she is ok Leo. Get a read on where they are."

Leo kissed his son and then his wife as the blue sparkles carried him into the distance.

--- ----

He stepped through the halls avoiding everyone he knew. He had something to do and he wasn't leaving until he found her. Why was she so late?

"Leo you're the one that is a tuned to her the most."

"So something is wrong?"

"Focus Leo. You tell us."

Everything to them was in code. Nothing was simple.

Leo closed his eyes and still got nothing. He knew that something had gone wrong, he had felt it and he could tell now by the look on everyone else's faces, but they were letting him focus. If anyone could find her then he could, he was the most in tune to her and her sisters.

Opening his eyes he let them all know that he still as not able to get a read on her, and with that everyone feared the worst. But this time was worse then last time. This time there was no way to fix what was broken; there was no way to re constitute the Charmed Ones.