Summary: I know, everyone is probably hating me right now because it's been so long since I've updated this story but I promised that I would be back and I am. I'm back with the second to the last chapter of this story. Yep, that's right, you heard me this story is now completed and I the last chapter will be posted soon, very soon (wink, wink.) Anyways, I want to thank all those who stuck by me and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Really, I appreciate it.

Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own Charmed nor their characters but December 13th I will own a fabulous college diploma. I'll finally be done with school. Yay Me. Now on with the story.

Chapter 20-Dead No More

"Detective-"

"Lieutenant." Thomas answered, moving away from the door and running to his brother's side. "I'm here to take my brother in but it looks like you've already taken care of that."

"How did you know we were here?" Melinda asked curiously.

"I'm not a detective for nothing; I put two and two together. Plus I saw the lights on and assumed that you were home."

"What do you want?"

"I want to apologize." he whispered, bending down to his sleeping brother. He couldn't believe that his brother was the cause of so much pain to one family, again. "I'm sorry for what my brother did and if you want to blame me then go ahead. I thought he was somewhere getting help but I was wrong and because of that I hurt this family."

"It wasn't your fault."

"I didn't put the gun in his hand but that doesn't make me any less responsible. He's my brother, automatically makes him my problem."

"Your brother chose this."

"Doesn't make me feel better?"

Melinda walked away from her brothers and closer to Thomas. She lowered herself to the floor and grabbed the officer's hand. As much as she wanted to she couldn't blame him for the sins of his brother. It wouldn't be right because it wasn't his fault. "Nothing's going to make you feel better if you keep dwelling on it. What your brother does has no reflection on the kind of person you are."

"You should hate me, all of you."

"No we shouldn't." Phoebe smiled, "Some of us know what it's like to help someone who doesn't want help. You can't hold yourself responsible for the evil they cause because it's not fair to you."

"I want to help. I want to make things right and to do that I have to know something; what are you people?"

"You really want to know?"

"Wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

Piper took a deep breath, looking around at her sisters and children as well as the dwarves in the corner. It was too late to lie, seeing as how he already knew way too much. She decided that it would be best to tell him the truth and hope that he could keep a secret. "We're witches."

"And half white lighters-" Paige added

"And we have powers that help us protect innocents from evils of the world."

"Evils…do I even want to know?"

"Trust me you don't." Darryl replied.

"Anyways." Piper said, rolling her eyes. "We're good people and we protect other good people from very bad people. I know it sounds crazy but that's what we do."

Thomas thought about it for a moment and realized there was no other explanation for what he saw. Either he was dreaming or everything the sister's were telling him was true, they were witches and that meant witches existed. "I believe you."

"Oh it's so great to have another cop in on the loop, one that can help us when we need it."

"Now wait a minute-" Darryl opened up to say when on the dwarfs walked over and pulled Piper's pants leg.

"It's ready."

They all turned around to see the dwarves, or little people, admiring their work of art. The glass casket was long and wide, with a solid gold base. The craftsmanship alone was amazing and the dwarfs or little people seemed proud of his work. Piper ran her fingers across and secretly prayed that their plan would work.

The little people grabbed hands and formed a circle, and began mumbling something in a language no one in the room knew. Suddenly golden lights surrounded the room and Leo's body was in the laid peacefully inside the golden coffin. He wasn't dressed in his previous attire; inside he was dressed in his white lighter clothes.

"Leo," Piper whispered as she walked up and touched the glass. She was surprised at how warm it felt to the touch and wondered if Leo was feeling it too.

"This is so unreal," Chris smiled as he walked over beside his mother, followed by the rest of his siblings."

Everyone else in the room crowded around the coffin, all amazed at what was in their attic. Even the man that was new to magic was astonished by what he was looking at.

"How long will this keep him?" Paige asked the little people before they had a chance to leave.

"For as long as he needs to be in it. It will continue to preserve the body that lies inside of it forever if need be."

"Don't worry, it won't be that long," Phoebe smiled as the little people disappeared out of the attic.

Once the dwarfs were gone, Darryl and Thomas decided it was time to take Jeff in before the man had a chance to wake up. The sister's promised to talk to Thomas as soon as they had the time. He took their word and with the help of Darryl, carried his brother out of the house.

"So how long do we have wait before I have my husband again" Piper asked her middle sister once they were alone in the attic.

"Only a few days, the process won't take that long since Leo's been through it before. Don't worry sweetie, you'll have Leo back in no time I promise."

"I better or else I'm switching over to the dark side."

"Me too," Phoebe smiled.

"Me three," Paige added.

"Don't forget about us," Wyatt laughed joined by the rest of his siblings. Soon the entire attic was filled with laughter and for the first time in a long time everyone felt as if everything was right in the world.

A week and a half passed since Leo had been preserved and Piper felt as though she was going crazy waiting for him to wake up. Everyone else seemed to be able to go back to their normal lives but Piper found herself unable to leave the house. She didn't want Leo to wake up alone. Someone needed to be there when he woke up.

Her long brown hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, a small strand falling in his face. Currently she was in the attic flipping through the Book of Shadows when suddenly the lights began flickering off and on. The pages in the Book of Shadows began to turn as a strong wind swept through the room.

"Paige!" she screamed to the ceiling as the wind became stronger and swept through the room, "Phoebe!" she called out again, falling onto the floor.

It didn't take long for Paige to appear, holding on to Phoebe. Not knowing what they were orbing into they too found themselves being swept up in a tornado currently in their attic.

"Piper what's happening," Paige shouted as she held her sister's hand tighter and reached out for Piper's.

"I don't know, it just started happening," she shouted back, making her way towards Paige and Phoebe.

Paige didn't have a chance to respond when bright orb lights shot down from the ceiling and straight into the golden coffin. The wind stopped and allowed the sisters to see that the entire coffin was glowing.

Piper pushed herself up from the floor and rushed to the glass casket. Lifting up the lid she saw that Leo's body continued to glow as the orbs floated above him. The glow grew brighter and brighter and soon the whole room was filled with a blinding white light. Having no choice, Piper covered her eyes and looked away while the room continued to glow.

It didn't take long for the glow to slowly dissipate and the attic turned back to the way it once was. Piper opened her eyes and looked down to see one of the most amazing things she ever seen in her life. A smile and blue sparkling eyes shining back at her.

"Leo," was all she could say before she bent down and kissed her husband with as much passion as she could. "Leo," Piper smiled again, tears falling down her eyes as Leo orbed out of the glass casket and to her side. "Oh god, I can't believe you're back."

"Nothing can keep me away from you Piper," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her again. He knew that he'd only been gone for a few days but without Piper it felt like an eternity.

"I know; you think people would stop trying by now."

"Well they can keep on trying but it's never going to work. We belong together," he laughed, wiping the tears from his wife's eyes. After being apart from her for so long he was on the verge of tears himself.

"You got that right."

Leo turned around to see Phoebe and Paige smiling at the two of them with tears in their eyes. He smiled back at them and opened up his arms so the two of them could hug him which they did. "

"Dude don't ever scare us like that again," Paige laughed as she let her brother-n-law go.

"I agree with Paige. I missed you so much and Piper here, whoa I mean, she was simply going absolutely crazy without. Seriously, you should have-"

"Okay Phoebe he got it," Piper hissed, nudging her sister in the side. "I was a complete basket case waiting for Leo to return. You would be the same if it was Coop."

"I would so not be that crazy," she smirked back as he caught the gaze of her non-believing sisters. "Okay maybe I would be the same way too."

They all laughed at Phoebe's honest but late response before hugging Leo again.

"So Leo are you our white lighter again?" Phoebe asked.

"If Paige doesn't mind me taking over-"

"Dude I totally don't mind," Paige smiled at Leo, swatting him on the shoulder. "The job is now yours."

"Thanks," he smiled back before turning his attention back to Piper. He couldn't believe that he was finally back with the woman he loved more than anything. The one woman he would give his life for, have given his life for, and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Piper looked up at the love of her life and could instantly tell what he was thinking. She was thrilled to have him back in her life and couldn't imagine a world without him. Her eyes gazed loving into his as she pulled him closer.

Phoebe and Paige watched silently as their sister and brother-n-law lost themselves in each other's eyes. They didn't know what they were going to do if Piper had really lost Leo but were glad that it didn't come down to that. Piper deserved to be loved and Leo was just the man for her.

Finally, after almost a minute of silence the two sisters realized that the happy couple had been apart for a few days and probably wanted to be alone. Phoebe looked at Paige and smiled before the two of them orbed out of the attic.

Piper and Leo didn't even notice that Paige or Phoebe had left after a few minutes passed and they turned around to find themselves alone.

"Well after all these years your sisters finally learned to take a hint," Leo smiled, pulling Piper into another passionate kiss. He didn't even wait for her to ask as he orbed the two of them into their bedroom.

"God how I've missed that," Piper smirked as the two of them landed on the bed before she pulled their bodies closer together.

It was later in the afternoon and Piper had just finished making Leo something to eat. After a wild afternoon of passionate lovemaking, the two finally made it to the shower and downstairs to put some food in their stomachs. Leo was currently in the middle of telling Piper exactly how he was his white lighter process went when the sound of the front door opening interrupted them. They could hear their children close the door and run up the stairs; probably to put their things down before coming into the kitchen.

"You will never believe the day I've had," Chris frowned, the first one in the kitchen. He walked over to his mother and kissed her on the cheek, never noticing his father was back from the dead. "I'm telling you Mr. Wright is out to get me."

"Maybe you only think that because you sleep in his class all the time," Leo spoke for the first time waiting for his son to notice him.

"Leave it to dad to take the teacher's side," Chris replied back to his father. Realizing that his father was the one talking to him he turned around and saw him sitting at the table. "Dad!"

At the same time Chris noticed his father Melinda came flying down the stairs, arm flailing above her. "Mom," she shrieked as she came into the kitchen, "I just came from the attic and Dad's body not there. He's missing. Who would be sick enough to steal a dead body, while beside you and the aunts anyway?"

"Mel look." Chris grabbed his sister's shoulders and spun her around so she too could see her father at the kitchen table staring back at her with a smile on his face.

"Hi sweetie, Chris." Leo smiled, standing up from his seat and walking over to his children. "Well what are you waiting for, aren't you going to come hug your old man."

That's all they needed to hear as the two of them rushed over to their father and embraced him in a loving hug. Melinda couldn't stop the tears that began falling from her eyes as she buried herself inside Leo's shirt. Chris couldn't wipe the smile that was currently plastered all over his face as his father ruffled his hair.

"Dad what happened, when did you get back?" Mel asked, pulling out of the hug first by never taking her eyes away from Leo's.

"Earlier this afternoon."

"Why didn't you call us mom?"

"Because you guys had school and I thought it would be nice to spend time with my husband, alone."

Chris shuddered at the sight of his father walk over to his mother and pull her into a passionate kiss. "Okay eww, we get it," Chris winced, closing his eyes. "No need for the visual."

"Yeah, I'm with Chris. There are things child should just no see."

Piper and Leo only smiled as they continued to kiss at the same time Wyatt finally orbed into the kitchen. Since Leo had his back turned to his oldest son, Wyatt couldn't see it was actually his father in a lip-lock with his mother. "Mom what the hell are you doing?"

Chris rolled his eyes while Melinda laughed at their older brother. Sometimes Wyatt could be slower than most people believed the twice blessed could be. "Kissing our father you moron," Chris smirked.

"What-"

Leo let go of Piper and grinned at his oldest son who come immediately to his side. "Dad, I can't believe it's you."

"Well believe it kid because I'm here in and I'm never leaving you again."

"I thought you'd never come back," Wyatt whispered as he engulfed his father in a tighter embrace. To see his dad in front of him was the one thing he'd been waiting for since the night of the accident.

"That would never happen; I missed all of you so much."

"I missed you too dad."

"I know son, I know."

Melinda and Chris, along with Piper, all walked over to Leo and all embraced him. Leo could only smile at the sight of his family around him and the love he felt surrounding him. His family was the most important thing to him and he was glad he was able to be with them for as long as he could.

Chapter 20 is up and running and I hope you all enjoyed it. I worked really hard on it and I hope it meets everyone expectations. Stay tuned for the last chapter of this story coming soon to a fanfiction near you.

Peace and Love to all,

"Ricka"