Wow! It's been such a long time since I've updated and I'm very sorry. Time just flies right on by. Again I'm extremely sorry, but I hope that you enjoy!
"Leo! Get your ass down here now," Piper demanded as she stormed her way into the kitchen.
"Well, what are we going to do?" asked Paige as she followed Piper into the room. The sisters had left Phoebe in the living room with the boys, seeking the solitude that they needed in order to discuss what was going to happen next.
"To tell you the truth Paige, I don't know. Quite frankly, I have no desire to talk to her, but if you do, then be my guest," responded Piper curtly.
"What makes you think that I want to talk to her?" Paige began angrily. "Isn't it obvious why she left us? She left so she could have a baby and raise her without the burden of magic – typical Phoebe selfishness. I find it hard to believe, actually, that you haven't kicked her out yet."
"Well, apparently Leo wants to talk to her," Piper answered. "Anyways, what's with this sudden change of mind, Paige? If I remember correctly, this morning you weren't talking to me because I didn't give her a chance. This isn't like you – I mean, you don't usually change your mind so quickly. What's up?"
Paige took a deep breath and started, "Seeing Phoebe today was tough. I can't believe that after all of this time she's finally back, she's just sitting in the next room. For so long I've been convinced that she left to help other people – the greater good. I just didn't understand why she couldn't take us with her. But then she showed up at our doorstep today... with a kid, and that shattered my illusion. I feel hurt, betrayed and - -"
Paige was forced to stop as her voice became too overwhelmed with emotion. Burying her face deep into her hands, Paige slumped over the countertop as her body began to tremble with tears.
"Oh honey," Piper began as she wrapped her arms around her sister's shoulders. "I feel the same way. And what does she expect? She can't just waltz back into our lives like this! It's too hard and unfair for us. We haven't done anything wrong, she has. And I think that I'm going to go tell her just that."
"No, you can't," came Leo's familiar voice.
"Well where the hell have you been?" Piper retorted as she whipped around to face her husband, the tip of her nose red with emotion. "And what do you mean I can't tell her to leave us alone? She can't just walk through that door and expect everything that she's done to be forgotten. She's hurt this family too much already."
"Piper, I don't think that she's here to beg for your forgiveness," said Leo.
"Oh really? Then why else is she here?" asked Piper.
"Maybe she's here to help us," offered Paige.
Piper turned around to look at Paige, "Somehow, I don't think that's the case Paige. We've needed her help a lot of times over these past four years and she hasn't suddenly appeared on our doorstep like this."
"But maybe this is different - -" began Paige.
"Huh?" Piper interrupted, surprised.
"Well, maybe this time, it's something big - something that we can't pull off without her. She's here to help us. I mean, she could have had some sort of vision to tell us, or something along those lines," Paige suggested.
"Exactly," Leo began eagerly. "And if it's magically related, you guys can't turn her away."
"You seem awfully excited, Leo," Piper said suspiciously.
"Well, who wouldn't be?" asked Leo. "This is the opportunity for a possible reuniting of the Charmed Ones!"
"I suggest that you don't get your hopes up too high," started Piper. "I'm still not talking to her."
"Piper, come on. You have to," Leo began.
"If you're so gung ho about it, then why don't you talk to her?" Piper asked. "You're obviously not as angry and hurt as I am about the whole situation, so go ahead, nobody's stopping you."
"Piper I can't talk to her," Leo started. "You have to. You and Paige, her sisters."
"I think Leo's right, Piper. It's something that only we can do, together," said Paige.
Piper thought for a moment. It seemed like a justified reason to interact with her long lost sister, but then again it wasn't. This was a sister who she had grown up with. Who, aside from these past few years, she had never spent a day without at least talking to. Was it so wrong to completely disregard the respect and love that they held for one another and skip right to the business? No, it wasn't. The love that Piper held for Phoebe was still there – she'd hardly been able to sleep without worrying about her baby sister. However, if they were every going to be able to share the relationship that they had before, Phoebe would have to earn Piper's trust back.
"Fine," Piper stated. "I'll talk to Phoebe, but only if she tells us why she left."