Sorry guys, it's been too long! I need to set aside time to write, haha.

I've been in Indiana visiting family and will be until the 5th, so if new chapters aren't coming often, you know why.

Actually, it's 2:30 a.m., this is about the only time I've had for writing.

Anyway, I meant to tell you guys why I'm so slow with new chapters, and I'm giving you my life story.

So, without further ado,...

It wasn't as if I had cheated on Leo. I had merely danced with Dan. I didn't sleep with him, I didn't kiss him, didn't even hug him closely as I left the previous night.

So, why did this guilt weigh so heavily on my mind? Why did I regret just dancing? Just having fun?

I couldn't explain to myself why it upset me so much to wake up beside Leo, knowing that somehow, I'd rather have woken up next to Dan. I barely knew him, but I knew how much fun I had with him. I didn't love him, but I loved how he made me feel. It wasn't even that I wanted to be with Dan. I just wanted fun and excitement back in my life. It seemed to have faded away as I grew up more everyday. Quickly, too quickly, my life was becoming pure work. I woke up to go to work, came home to take care of Paige, slept, woke up and did the same damn thing. But in that one night, last night, I found myself again. I found the sixteen year old girl that had been lost when she was forced to grow up after being ripped out of everything she knew. I found her, and I realized how much I missed her.

"Did you have fun last night?" whispered Leo, wrapping his loving arms around me as I stood in front of the mirror. He kissed my neck as I pulled away.

"Yeah," I muttered before making an exit from the bathroom.

Much to my dismay, he followed me. "What's wrong?" he asked.

He was owed an explanation. As much as I wanted to give him a lame excuse and walk away, I made a decision. The girl I found, the girl that I renewed, couldn't be lost again. The way to keep her a part of me, was to tell him how I felt. Tell him how I really felt.

"I danced with Dan last night," I said.

I watched his puzzled face as he tried to piece together my words with my attitude. To answer his expression, I continued.

"I drank, and I danced, and...I had a lot of fun," I sighed.

"And now you feel bad?" he surprised me with a small smile on his face.

I nodded as he came forward and gave me a quick hug and a kiss on my forehead.

"You don't have to feel bad just because you had fun without me," he said softly, with the same exact smile.

"That's not it," I sighed, shaking my head, pulling away a little.

"Then what is it?" he asked, clearly confused again.

"I do feel bad because I had fun without you, but it's not what you think. I had fun being away from my life. Away from you, away from Paige, away from responsibility. I feel bad because part of me preferred last night to my own life," I said, my words came out quite slowly.

His teeth clenched together as he thought for a moment.

"You mean, you'd rather be with Dan?" he asked. I could tell everything in him was pushing for him to stay calm. "You'd rather be with him than me?" he raised his voice.

"Part of me," I spoke with full honesty, not even thinking to be afraid of Leo's reaction. I was more concentrated on being totally honest with him. "But not because I love him...or because I don't love you. Because of the fun I had with him. Because of the fun we don't have anymore."

I tried my best to explain this odd feeling.

"We don't have fun?" he sounded hurt.

"Working, taking care of Paige, sleeping...Hell, you don't even want to fool around anymore," I said. "Do you think our life is fun? Are you seriously happy with being like this?"

"Piper, sex and fun aren't the most important things now. We have things to take care of, we have responsibilities," he spoke a little harshly.

"I'm eighteen!" I cried desperately, reminding him of the obvious that must've slipped his mind. Maybe he'd forgotten about fun and being young, but I hadn't.

Realization and sympathy washed over his face. For once, I let him see me at my weakest. I revealed my desperation and misery. He said nothing as he wrapped his arms around me, holding me close as I fought tears.

"I'm not ready for this," I whispered into his chest.

"I know, baby," he whispered back. His warm breath touched my ear and his arms pressed around me tightly as comforted me.

He held me tight as I release the bottled up feelings. I'd pushed them aside so I could be there for Paige, so I could help her. I loved her with all my heart and more, but I needed time for me. I needed time to be with Leo, time to have fun, time to be young while I could.


"Prue, I have a favor to ask," I said through the phone.

I was drawing on a pad of paper just to keep my hands busy while I talked to her.

"Sure, what is it?" she offered helpfully.

"Can Paige stay with you this weekend?"

"Absolutely!" she said. "Need some alone time with Leo, do you?" she said jokingly.

"Actually, yes," I giggled.

She joined my laughter. "Well, sure," she said. "Anything to help."

"Thanks, Prue," I said, truly grateful.

"No problem, sweetie," she said as we ended our short conversation.

I walked excitedly into the bedroom, joining Leo on the bed.

"Prue said Paige can stay with her this weekend."

"Sweeet!" he laughed, putting his arm around me. "What shall we do, dahling?" he added in a bad accent.

I giggled. "What kind of accent was that?"

"Are you mocking me?!" he said, pretending to be shocked.

I started laughing harder as he picked me up and began tickling me.

"Ahh!" I screamed. "Stop!" I demanded.

Eventually, he did. He released me and my laughter subsided.

"So, Cherry, where would you like to go?" he asked again.

"Wow, it's been a while since you called me that," I said.

I remembered back to when we were first dating, and somehow, the name 'Cherry' had just stuck. After awhile, 'Romeo' became his nickname.

"Too long," he said. "Because you're my Cherry," he smiled and kiss my cheek.

"And you're still my Romeo," I laughed, returning his kiss with a sweet kiss on his lips.

After awhile of kissing, we got back to planning. We decided to spend the weekend in a nice hotel in San Francisco and we planned to go sightseeing. To top it off, we also bought tickets to a Nickelback concert on Saturday night.

"Ugh," I groaned looking at my watch. "I need to start getting ready for work. Can you pick up Paige?"

"I dunno where her friend lives," he said. I didn't buy his lame excuse.

"Hm, isn't this just the perfect situation for you to use that GPS that you just had to have?" I joked.

"Well, she'd probably rather you pick her up," he protested further.

"And why is that?" I asked, beginning to undress.

"She doesn't like me much," he said, "well, actually, it's not that she doesn't like me, more like she avoids me," he added.

"That's ridiculous, and not true," I told him.

"Isn't it? She never talks to me, never even watches tv if I'm around," he pointed out.

"Hm," I thought. "I wouldn't worry about it. She just isn't used to having a father figure, or brother, or even a guy around."

"That makes sense," he nodded.

"So, will you?" I said with a smile and a sweet voice I knew he couldn't refuse.

"Anything for you, Cherry," he smiled and pulled me back in his arms for another sweet kiss.


"Life is way too short, and I can't wait no more, here I go, I'm gone, I'm gooiiiiiiiin'," I sang along to the CD with a smile as I drove to work.

I zoomed down the road, feeling great. I sang and flew past the people on the sidewalks. Downtown L.A. was fast and upbeat like my mood.

Suddenly, right in the middle of my happiness high, I was struck by an awful, short of breath, sick feeling.

"Oh, god," I breathed, slowing down, turning the volume off. "Leo," I whispered. "Oh, god, something's wrong."

It was just one of those feelings. One of those feelings when you know you're right. One of those feelings you can't ignore.

I dialed his cell number, knowing in the pit of my stomache that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

"Hello?" said a voice that didn't belong to my boyfriend. A horrible sensation filled my body.

"Who is this?" I asked, my mind racing with all the possibilities.

"Who is this?" the man repeated my question.

"Where is Leo?"

"Wyatt? He's just fine...for now," said the man. "Who am I speaking with?"

"This is Piper, his girlfriend," I told him.

"Listen Piper, I'm sure you'll be in contact with the police. Let them know we want 50,000 dollars before midnight or your precious boyfriend...well, you can imagine how many ways there are to end a life," he added with a laugh that made me shudder.

The line went dead and I began breathing heavily. I began to cry as I dialed 911 frantically.

No. How could this be happening? Who would do this to Leo? Why? My mind raced. Oh, god. I couldn't breathe.