Note from Es: The rest of this fic is based on one of the few fanfics written specifically to be part of "No Greater Love..." and introduces a new character to the story--Rori--so we just call it "Rori's Story." But I'll let her introduce herself to you during this chapter. She has a very special power, the reason why she became part of the story.

Oh, also, if you'd like to read the letter Phoebe wrote to Piper, it's my fanfic "Charmed by Love".

Finally, there's something goofy with my PMs so my email notification doesn't work and then they don't stay put in my inbox. Those of you who have sent me one since I started this fic, please resend it, so I can reply!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Well, Chris, a couple weeks passed, and nothing changed. Each day I checked to see if that letter I had written to your mom was still there, and it was. And each day she became more and more cheery, each day happier and prouder about your dad's promotion to Elder, constantly telling us that, of course, he had to stay Up There. After all, that was a lot more important than being with us! I began worrying more and more about her, thinking maybe this was just her messed-up way of mourning. I admit, having a bubbly and chipper Piper running around the house was less depressing than having a moody and snappy Piper, but it just wasn't normal. She smiled all the time! It was creepy.

To top it off, each day, she became more and more Little Miss Susie Homemaker and was more and more irritating to Paige and me. Now, you know your mom has always been constantly on the go, but she was even more energetic with this weird high she was on. If she wasn't cooking, she was cleaning, and if she wasn't cleaning, she was organizing, and if she wasn't organizing, she was preparing for demon attacks, which was good, all things considered. I guess Piper had to be responsible even when she was tripping.

And if she was irritating, then our new Whitelighter, Mr. Chris Perry, was even more so! When we'd least expect it, he'd pop into our lives, wanting us to go off and vanquish some demon. Nephew mine, I think we vanquished more demons in the next two weeks than we had in the last five years! Piper was always there to blow them up, always happy, thinking what fun this was, but, oh, the mess on the carpet! and then off to take care of Wyatt. Whenever Paige and I asked Chris--the other Chris, Chris Perry--why he had us on "demon patrol", he'd give us that same very, very irritating line--"I can't tell you," and when we'd ask, "Why not?", he'd always reply, "Future consequences." Man, I learned to hate those lines!! I mean, sure, he wanted to save his future and wanted to be sure as little as possible was done to change it, so when he'd get back it would be similar to what he left--just better--but c'mon, give me a break already!

Of course, if I'd known then what I know now, I probably would've understood and even agreed with him, but I sure didn't then! I didn't even count him as cute anymore, just an annoying slave driver determined to screw up my life!!

Anyway, Piper was in a cross between organizing and preparing for demons when she called out early one Saturday morning that she was taking Wyatt herb-shopping. She was out the door with him before I could even roll out of bed. I was kind of miffed, too, because she'd woken me from a great dream about a real hot guy and then she left before I could yell at her. On her way out the door, she called out that she going to try out a new herb shop she had read about.

I suppose you can guess what came next, Chris, since we've told you how we found out about Rori and her power of retronition. Yep, that shop that Piper decided to check out just happened to be the one Rori's mother owned. Rori was working weekends as a cashier, and, boy, I bet she didn't know what she was in for when she opened the shop that morning!

I think I'll let you read a bit from Rori's diary now, since she recorded what happened there. Between you and me, Rori was a little weird herself, to have so fanatically kept up her entries. She didn't miss a day, and sometimes she recorded hourly. But I suppose we're all entitled to be weird when we're sixteen.

Speaking of which, nephew mine, I hope you'll keep in mind her age when she wrote these entries. They can be a little gushy, I'm warning you. And please, please, don't give Rori a hard time about them. She was very sweet to let me share her private thoughts with you (and me!), so you could know everything that was going on during that time, and I know she's worried about what you'll think. So if you do give her a bad time, I may just have to remind you of some of the embarrassing stuff you did when you were sixteen! And most of what she did was nothing compared to what you've done and you know it! So just think about that, mister, as you read this.

Why did Mom have to pick today of all days to open up the shop? And will you believe it, she actually made me work! On the day Dad is coming back into town. She knows I hardly get to see him. At least I get to see him tonight. I hope he found something from his dig in Egypt. I love finding out more about history.

Well, I'm back from the shop and although I sure grumbled when she decided to make me work, I'll admit I sure am glad Mom forced me to work. You'll never believe what happened!! I'll let you know how important it was--I'm not even going to have supper with Dad tonight!! I've got a lot more important job to do! I've got myself my very own innocent I get to save! My very first! And it's all mine!!!!

A woman waited for me as I fussed with the door trying to get the damm lock to open. Jeeze, I thought I was going to break the key. She waited with her son, not at all impatient. She just continued to smile. "It's ok, take your time," I heard her say.

I finally got the door open. I turned around and saw the woman for the first time. All I could think was Oh my God, is that who I think it is? Her face lit up as she looked at me. "What is it?" I asked her.

"Nothing, you just look so much like her," the woman answered me smiling even brighter so I could see her pearly-whites. She hugged me smiling. Then it hit me, a retro. No way am I sharing this one with Mom! As always, it only lasted a second of real time, but I don't think I'll ever forget any of it.