CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The next day, Paige and I were in the kitchen--Paige making pizza, me on the phone, talking to Elise, trying to come up with a good excuse as to why the auction went so well. After hanging up, I told Paige how much I helped raise and that I might have even gotten a second date with one of the guys. Paige wanted to know what Jason would think. Well, I admitted that I missed Jason a lot, but with a shrug, I pointed out that I couldn't put my life on hold for him, and if he ever got back to San Francisco, we'd see. I still thought (and I'll admit I still think!) being the goddess of love had its perks, which might be why I kept acting like one until I met your Uncle Jonathan--without the sappy sayings, of course!
Not Paige! She'd had it with being a warrior goddess or a super witch. She'd decided that she had let too much slide in order to do that, and she didn't want to, especially not after what we'd just lost. I reminded her that we hadn't lost him--he was still watching over us, but Paige didn't think it was the same thing. Looking back, I'd have to agree with her!
Just then the doorbell rang. It was Darryl and Sheila, there to, what, give their condolences, show their respect? Whatever it was, it was Piper's idea. When they wanted to know how she was doing, adding that she must be devastated, we told her that we weren't sure--Piper wanted to stay with Baby Wyatt all night. Sheila said she wouldn't be surprised if Piper didn't come down for a year.
But Piper didn't stay in her room for a year, Chris--had she, you never would've been conceived, much less born! Just then she came down the stairs, bouncy, smiling, cheerful. We were sure she had flipped her lid! The Morrisses tried to give their sympathy, but Piper smiled happily and insisted that this was a celebration--that Leo got a promotion and we should be happy for him! We should what?
Paige reminded her that suppressing emotions wasn't a good idea in our family, but Piper insisted that she' wasn't, and why don't we go eat before Wyatt woke up from his nap. Then she realized that she forgot the baby monitor and actually turned around and skipped back upstairs, just as happy and as bouncy as could be!
The Morrisses headed for the dining room, while I told Paige that something was wrong with Piper. Paige thought maybe she'd moved on, but I knew better--Piper doesn't move on; she fights!! .It was almost as if her pain had been taken away. I didn't know who did that, but I also knew that whoever did that did her no favor, because that isn't Piper's way--you know that as well as I do,Chris--Piper doesn't accept; Piper fights! The way she fought when they tried to take Leo away from her before. The way she fought when our big sister Prue was taken from us. Now I was afraid that the Elders had taken away that pain by taking away all of those memories of all those things that she and Leo had gone through, since that's exactly the sort of thing the Elders would do--as you know, They fought your parents' union from the start, because witches and Whitelighters weren't supposed to get together like that.
If I knew then which Elder had done that to Piper, I never would've believed it! Even then I started thinking about writing her that letter.
A/N: If you recognized this chapter as the end of "Oh, My Goddess!" you're right. The Aftermath starts next chapter, including the introduction of a new character, one who looks just like Prue! But is she truly a cousin as she claims or is she a demon pretending to be Prue as a way to get to the sisters...and Wyatt??!! Chris doesn't remember a Rori Bowen in the future...or does he?