Thanks much to lizardmomma, littlemissbad, PrueAndyForever, and Allen Pitt for being such loyal reviewers -- we truly appreciate it.

Just a reminder: Today is Friday, and due to my wonderfully fast (NOT!) dialup connection at home -- the next update for this fic will be posted on Monday, February 11th. Hopefully today's update will be enough to tide you over until then. :-)

Have a great weekend. And, as always, Happy Reading!

PART FIFTEEN: "You'll always have us"

Phoebe looked up and saw her brother-in-law looking older and more haggard than she ever remembered him looking. She suddenly felt very guilty for only thinking about herself and how losing Piper would affect her and not about the one who it would affect the most--Piper's husband, the one who once gave up immortality for love of Piper. After taking a sip of coffee, she let out a soft sigh. I've still got Cole and now Prue has Andy. But Leo has no one of his own to turn to--he only has us.

Getting up, she ran over and hugged Leo as tightly as she could. "Yeah, we're going to need you, too," she whispered. "I know it's not the same as having Piper, but remember that you'll always have us."

At that moment, Prue walked into kitchen hearing Leo and Phoebe's words and seeing her younger sister going over to hug their despondent brother-in-law. Wordlessly she hurried over and joined in the hug, trying to give Leo as much comfort and love as she could.

Leo hugged his sisters-in-law back, trying to absorb as much comfort as possible while still giving these two who have lost their sister as much consolation as he could give

"You okay, man?" he hears a voice softly ask. "You don't really have to do this." He starts to say, "Yes, I do," but when he looks up, he's confused by the new face in the kitchen. This man was short and slim with long chocolate-brown hair and a beard and moustache. His eyes were brown, his cheekbones sharp. If Leo didn't know better, he would've thought that his Piper had suddenly come back as a man. "Who are you?"

Phoebe and Cole also turned to look at the newcomer and their expressions were as confused as Leo's.

Prue grinned. Yes! They didn't recognize him. That's a good sign. I wonder if they'll figure it out when I say this. Slyly, Prue asked, "Don't you recognize him? He's our cousin, Manny Hanks."

Phoebe looked perplexed. "We don't have any cous--" Then she smirked knowingly as the name hit her and she put two and two together. "Andy?"

Andy nodded in affirmation. "Got it in one, Phoebs. I figure it'll be easier to explain a cousin than explain a long-dead friend." All right. It looks like I passed the test. If Leo and Phoebe didn't recognize me in this disguise, then I'm willing to bet that none of the rest of the mourners will either.

"But others know that we don't have any cousins," Phoebe pointed out.

"True," Prue agreed. "But we do have second-cousins--the ones whose grandmother was Grams' sister."

"Of course!" Phoebe grinned, catching on. "Great-Aunt Phoebe, the one I was named for! And we got that email from one of her daughters who said they were sorry but none of them could make it from Hawaii."

"Hawaii?" Cole asked.

Prue nodded. "Great-Aunt Phoebe was quite a bit younger than Grams and she was like a big sister to Mom when Mom was growing up. But she moved to Hawaii shortly after she got married, so all of those relatives are out there."

Cole grinned. "So none of them will be there, wondering who Cousin Manny is."

Andy nodded. "Exactly. Prue's suggestion after I glamoured. And this way I look like a Halliwell."

"Yes, you do," Leo agreed. "Good idea, Andy, using your glamouring power."

Andy smirked. "My favorite whitelighter trick."

Prue took a deep breath to gain a sense of composure, then she looked at her family. "C'mon. I guess it's time. Let's go make Piper proud of us." Turning away, she led them out the back door and to her car.

Phoebe managed a tiny and slightly-amused grin at Prue's words. Make Piper proud of us. Yeah, that's the right way to think of it. We know how Grams is always watching us. Now Piper will be watching us. She'd want us to make her funeral the best ever.

Cole solemnly sighed, knowing how tough this was going to be on everyone, but at the same time understanding that it was something they had to do. Thinking that he was getting pretty good in the comfort and support department, he reached out his hand towards Phoebe.

Phoebe reached out for Cole's hand while picking up her purse with the other and then they followed Prue out the door.

Andy turned to Leo. "C'mon, let's go," and when Leo nodded and gave him a little signal to go on ahead, Andy followed Phoebe and Cole out the door.

Once the others were gone, Leo turned to look around the kitchen, seeing his wife, his love, everywhere he looked. In his own heart he told her how much he loved her; how much he was going to miss her. He gave out a heavy sigh. But my one and always love, how am I going to, as Prue put it, do my best to make you proud? I know one way is to just keep doing my job--guiding your sisters and my other charges--do it in your honor. But this? This public good-bye. Help me, Piper. If you can, help me to make you and Prue and Phoebe proud of me.

Then having said his private good-bye, he prepared himself to go and say his public one. He followed the others out the door, stopping only to shut and lock it.

Phoebe held tightly to Cole's hand as they slowly made their way towards the cars. I so do not want to do this! I don't, I don't, I don't! If I don't go to the church, Piper won't be dead! Piper can't be dead! She can't be! How can Prue and I survive without her?

Seeing Piper's SUV parked in the driveway brought fresh tears to Phoebe's eyes. What will we do with it? No way I'd want to drive it--I'd be so afraid of putting a scratch on Piper's beloved vehicle. We'll probably have to sell it. And the club. What will we do with P3? And her clothes and, and, well, everything. No, no, I can't think of such things. I won't think of such things. At least not now.

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