It didn't take long for Phoebe to return with the new potion, she informed me that Piper was staying with Wyatt to give her time to calm down.
After a repeat of the earlier process, with the inclusion of the potion Phoebe throws, the stone finally brakes apart in blinding yellow lights. Paige is able to breathe again, and she looks around the room with dazed confusion.
Before she can even take her second breath, my arms are wrapped around her, tears leaking into her white shirt and she stumbled from the force of my hug.
"Why did you do that, Paige? What were you thinking? How could you not tell me?!" With each question, I get more mad. I stop hugging her and hold her by her biceps, "Do you know how worried I was? You almost died!"
I didn't really expect answers from her so soon, but all the stress I had been avoiding feeling was bubbling to the surface. I was relishing in the feel of her breathing and warm and alive!
I couldn't help feeling a bit miffed when Phoebe cut in. "Oh, Honey," she exclaimed with open arms, "Hi!" wrapping them around my sister, "Oh, I'm so happy to see you. Are you okay?"
"What happened?" Paige moans, before rushing out, "Where's the Titan? When did Cas get here?" A quick glance around the room and, "What the hell are these guys doing here?"
"Long story, I'll tell ya on the way," Phoebe says with a dismissive wave and a smile. She wraps her arms around Paige's shoulders and leads her down the stairs, leaving the three magical creatures and I in the attic alone.
"You're welcome!" The dwarf shouted after her, and it made me chuckle.
"Honestly, thank you all," I say making sure to look at each of them in the eyes, "I don't want to think what could have happened if you hadn't been here. What are your names? I know Fergus, but I don't want to forget any of you or what you've done for us."
They all blush under my praise. The small fairy smiles and introduces herself as Josephine with a twirl, while the dwarf grunted something like Gremich. Fergus bows cheekily at me before I leave to join the sisters, saying my thanks again.
As I walk to the sitting room I overhear Paige say "..I am so sorry for any distress that I might have caused you Piper."
"Not just Piper," I announce myself, and I move to take Paige's free side. "Remember we had plans - I was going to get your mind off those crazy dreams? Ringing any bells?"
Paige flushed red as she corrected herself, "And you Cas, I'm sorry. I was going to go see you! I just wanted to get rid of the cause for my worry first so we could have a nice lunch together," she tries to explain weakly in her 'please don't hate me' voice, "When did you get here anyway?"
"About 15 minutes after her lunch break finished," Piper interjects with a raised eyebrow.
I rub the back of my neck awkwardly. "Ah, yeah, about that, well, when Paige didn't show up, I just worked through through my lunch, but then I couldn't focus on counting. I thought you wouldn't mind if I came over," I explain in a ramble to my boss. "I made sure the place was locked up before I left, guess it's lucky P3's not open tonight, huh?"
She shoots me an understanding smile, letting me know she had just been teasing. Then she gets back on track, "In any case, Paige, don't worry about me. I should have listened to you in the first place. I'm just trying not to worry or to panic, but I've just got this terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach."
"What kind of feeling?" Phoebe asks her gently.
Holding back tears Piper replies, "That Leo's not coming back."
Phoebe moves over to comfort her, and I try to give them some space. I lean into Paige's side, relishing the feeling of her warmth as she side-hugs ne back. I had missed her so much...
"Sorry to interrupt," Gremich suddenly says, making Paige and I jump, "but we're all leaving."
"But, why?" I asked, as Phoebe said something similar.
"Didn't you hear the distress call?" He asks judgmentally. Fergus races to join him, and Gremich continues, "The surviving Elders have all been flushed out, and they need our protection."
Paige curiously mutters, "Surviving?" But he pays her no heed.
"The elf will stay and take care of the baby while you three witches battle the Titans," he delegates, skipping over me entirely, before adding with a sarcastic smile to Phoebe, "Chow."
"Wait, who said anything about us battling the Titans?" Phoebe asks, concerned, and Piper utters one word.
"Leo."