I was still a bit angry when I woke up the next morning. I sat up and stretched, letting out an exhausted yawn. Tossing and turning all night, I hadn't gotten much sleep at all.

I grabbed my laptop to avoid leaving my bedroom, at least for now. I decided to distract myself with work for awhile and pulled up the shop page. Routinely, I clicked 'Sales' first. Nothing had changed much at all. No spikes nor drops in sales. I wasn't improving anything, but at least I wasn't failing.

I logged off, shut my laptop, and tossed it carelessly to the foot of the bed.

Getting up takes a lot more effort when you've got a basketball sticking out of your stomach, I thought as I managed to pull myself out of bed. Not an easy task with my now seven-and-a-half-month pregnant belly.

I pulled my robe on and walked over to the door, wondering if Leo would be passed out on the couch.

Probably, I thought bitterly.

As I opened the door and walked out of my room, the smell of Pine-Sol instantly hit me.

"Leo?" I called out. Why would he be awake? Or cleaning, for that matter?

Paige popped her head out of the kitchen doorway.

"Morning, Piper!" She greeted cheerfully. "I cleaned! Wanna see?"

I smiled. Paige never failed to lift my mood with her random spontaneity.

"Sure," I said, walking to the doorway and peering in. "Nice job!" I exclaimed.

"Thanks," said Paige, beaming.

I looked around at the spotless kitchen, "Um, not that I don't appreciate it, but why are you up early on a Saturday cleaning?" I wondered.

"I woke up at four and couldn't get back to sleep. So I cleaned," she shrugged. "I also cleaned my room, the bathroom, and the living room!"

I laughed.

"You're so weird sometimes. But thank you, tons," I said. "Um, do you know where Leo is?"

She frowned. "On the couch."

"Of course," I sighed. I glanced around once more. "Thanks for cleaning, sweetie. I really appreciate it."

She nodded, smiling again.

Leo was snoring softly as I walked into the room. I stood beside the couch watching him, studying his face for a moment.

He looked just the same, but so different. I couldn't see the Leo I fell in love with anymore. It was as if my Leo was buried deep down, somewhere underneath this troubled exterior.

I looked at his unshaven face, messy hair, and wrinkled clothes. He used to be so put together. Now he was a drunken mess. What happened?

"What happened?" I breathed aloud. "Leo, what happened? What happened to you?" I demanded, knowing I wouldn't get an answer.

I put a hand on my belly. Soft tears fell from my eyes. "Leo, why have you done this?"

I missed him. So much.

........................................

Leo walked in as I was fixing my hair in the bathroom later on.

"Where are you going?" he asked in a tired voice, as he grabbed a bottle of pills for a headache.

"Shopping with Paige," I told him coldly.

He dry swallowed the pills, making me cringe a little. Gross.

"Alright," he said. "When will you be back?"

"I don't know, later tonight," I said, walking towards the door. "Paige! Are you ready?" I called.

He made a face when I yelled. "Jesus," he muttered.

"What?" I asked angrily, just as Paige called back, "Yeah!"

"I have a fucking headache!" he complained.

"And who's fault is that?" I snapped. I stormed out and made sure to slam the front door.

........................................

A few weeks had passed, and nothing had changed. Leo was still drinking, heavily. It was a Monday morning, and I was trying to get Paige up for school.

"Time to get up!" I called through Paige's door.

"Do I have to go?" she yelled back, in a tired voice.

"Yes!" I yelled. "Get up!" Then I went into the kitchen to start some breakfast.

On the counter, I saw a bottle of rum, completely empty.

"LEO!" I groaned.

He walked in sleepily after a few moments.

I pointed at the bottle. "What the hell is this?"

"I know what you're going to say, Piper. Just... don't," he sighed, going back into the bedroom.

I threw the bottle in the trash can angrily.

After Paige had eaten breakfast, I went in the bedroom.

"You need to get up," I told Leo, grabbing my jacket.

"No," he groaned.

"Babe, you have to look for work today."

"I've been looking every fucking day," he grunted.

"Get up," I said angrily one more time before walking out.

I was so tired of his drinking. Especially after what had happened with mom. It made me so angry. After dropping Paige off at school, I went back home to get ready for work. Leo was still in bed when I got there. I decided it wasn't even worth another fight to wake him up. So, I left him and went to work for the weekly inspection.

"So, how have things been?" I asked Dan.

My eyes skimmed the clipboard as we talked.

"Good, good. Actually smoother than I thought," he said.

"You thought me taking over wouldn't be smooth?" I laughed.

"No, I thought you leaving would be a disaster," he laughed. "Somehow you manage the chaos without even being here."

I looked at him suspicously.

"Sucking up?" I laughed. "I can't give raises, you know."

"I'm not after a raise!" he protested, still laughing. "I just wanted you to know you're doing a great job. Especially with..." he motioned to my stomach. "How is the rocker fetus by the way?"

"Well thank you. And doing alright," I smiled, touching my belly. "How do you know it's a rocker?" I laughed.

"Oh please. The first six months, you were here. Here, where constant rock and screamo plays in the background all day," he said, laughing. "Your fault for working in a rock CD shop."

I smiled at him.

The rest of the inspection went quickly. I left the shop happy. Happy, because at least one thing in my life was going right...

..............................

"Piper?"

I turned my head to follow the soft voice. Paige was standing, tear-stained face, in my doorway.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" I asked, as I offered her a spot on the bed.

"Can we talk?"

"Sure, about what?" I asked as she sat down beside me. She wasn't looking at me.

"James is dating Holly," she said softly.

"Holly? As in your best friend?" I asked, bewildered.

"My ex best friend," she muttered.

"I'm so sorry, sweetie," I whispered as I put my arm around her.

She sat still for a second.

"He broke up with me because I wouldn't have sex with him," she said softly, starting to cry again. "And sh-she did," she sobbed.

My brain was on overdrive. Paige. Holly. James. Having sex? They were all too young! Proud of Paige, angry at James, disappointed in Holly. My mind raced.

"Oh, honey," I whispered as she sobbed. I pulled her closer to me. "I'm sorry. You deserve so much better than them."

She kept crying. "I feel s-so stupid."

"What for?" I asked softly. "You did the right thing."

She stayed silent, but I knew what she was thinking.

I sighed. "You think if you would've given in, you wouldn't have lost him."

She nodded sadly and cried harder.

"Oh, sweetie," I sighed. I held her close to me while she cried.

After what mom had done to her, I told myself I'd never let anything bad happen to her again. It hurt to know that I could've prevented this. Why didn't I tell her she couldn't date him? Why did I let her set herself up for this?

But it had to happen at some point, I thought sadly.

Still, it broke my heart everytime she cried.

......................................

After a few days, Paige seemed to be doing better. A lot better. It was Friday afternoon, and I was picking her up from school.

"How was school?" I asked.

"Pretty good," she said. "I got a B+ on my science project."

"Good job!" I smiled.

"Not good enough," she shook her head. "I want to get into UCLA and they don't take B+."

"You're a freshman thinking about college? Wow. When I was a freshman, I was thinking about..."

"Running away?" Paige interupted me.

"Actually, I was a sophomore when I ran away, smartass!" I laughed.

She laughed. "So what are we doing this weekend? I wanna go somewhere!"

"Where to?" I asked.

"How about..."

Then my phone rang.

"Hang on," I said to Paige. "Hello?" I answered.

"Piper," a rough voice said. "He's here again."

"Oh god," I sighed. "I'll be there soon, Ron."

I hung up and sighed again.

"Who's Ron?" Paige asked.

I groaned.

"The owner of the bar that Leo has passed out in three times now," I sighed.

"Oh," she said softly.

I looked at her.

"I'm sorry, hun."

"You don't have to be sorry," she said.

I was though. I was so sorry that she had to watch Leo go through the same thing she watched mom go through.

I began coughing the second I walked into the bar. Through the smoke, I saw Leo. I was so furious, I could have punched him.

"Leo!" I snapped, walking over to him. I bent down and slapped him in the face a few times. "Leo, get up."

He moaned.

How pathetic was this? Picking up my alcoholic boyfriend from some cheap bar while my little sister waited in the car? It had to stop.

I hit him harder.

"Leo, get the hell up! Now!" I snapped.

His eyes fluttered open.

"Piper?" he groaned.

"Get up," I repeated one last time. He clumsily stood up and I led him to the car.

Once we were home, Leo staggered to the bedroom to sleep it off.

"Paige, what do you want for dinner?" I asked warily.

"I'm not hungry," she said before shutting her door.

I sighed. I turned the tv on, trying to fight the silence.