Piper watched with bated breath as Prue flipped through the Book of Shadows. The tension in the living room was more palpable than the erratic thumping of Piper's heart against her chest. Piper's mind jumped to infinitely many conclusions as she prayed that Prue didn't find the spell. She watched her older sister intently as Prue's gray-green eyes roamed over the pages of spells.
Phoebe was pacing, her brown eyes flitting over the living room. Never focusing, always moving. Her hands twisted anxiously against her body as she, too, waited for the inevitable. Phoebe had always been a free spirit- a wanderer of sorts. She adopted the same persona when she was stressed. She had to move, fiddle, twitch, just DO something.
Prue was silent, as usual. She had barely said a word to her sisters since they had broken her out of the holding cell. Her focus had been on searching the Book of Shadows. Quite the opposite of Phoebe, when Piper thought about it. While Phoebe refused to focus, Prue needed something to focus on. She bottled up all of her feelings and pushed them aside to focus on the task at hand. Piper's gaze searched her older sister's somber face, wondering what she was feeling.
Piper realized that she had been holding her breath and she consciously forced herself to breathe. She had shifted her focus to her sisters, momentarily distracting herself from the impossible decision she faced. She toyed with the fabric on the throw pillow beside her on the couch, her anxiety threatening to overtake her.
Suddenly, Prue gasped. It was soft, almost imperceptible, but Piper and Phoebe were so anxious that Prue's simple sound of shock immediately jolted them out of the silent wars in their minds. With a single look at Prue, Piper knew that she had found the spell that Rex had told them about. Piper didn't know whether to feel relieved or devastated.
Wordlessly, Piper reached out and turned the Book of Shadows around on the table so that she could read the ancient text. She needed to read the words for herself, just to convince herself that it was real. Piper could feel Prue's worried eyes staring at her as she read and reread the spell.
The silence suddenly became too loud. "It's a Relinquishment spell." Piper said simply, desperate for some reprieve from the suffocating shock. "If we read it aloud, it takes away all of our powers."
Although Phoebe had read the spell for herself, she still asked the question that was plaguing her every thought. "Is there any way to reverse it?"
Piper shrugged. "I don't know. It doesn't say." Her voice wavered as she answered her sister.
There was a brief moment of silence before Phoebe interjected. "Well, then I say we flip to another page and find a spell that kicks Rex's warlock ass." Her voice sounded confident, but all three of them knew better.
"We can't."
Prue's voice was much softer than Piper would have expected. She was almost shocked at the sudden answer from her older sister. Piper glanced at Prue, knowing that she and Phoebe were going to be on opposite sides of the impossible dilemma that they were facing. Prue's brow was furrowed in thought, but Piper looked into her sister's striking gray-green eyes and felt a pang of concern. Prue looked... defeated? Piper had never seen her sister look so utterly despondent and helpless before. A chill ran down her back as she suddenly realized the gravity of their situation.
"Why not?" Phoebe challenged, startling Piper out of her brief reverie.
Prue sighed deeply. "Because, for all we know, he's here, right now, watching us. And if we don't do exactly as he says, he'll tell the police I've escaped." Her voice was sharp, but there was no bite behind her words; only defeat.
"But we can't give up our powers without a fight!" Phoebe shouted, overcome with emotion. "It's like giving up who we are, who we've become!"
"Who we've come from." Piper added softly, agreeing with Phoebe but knowing that Prue needed to know that she wasn't giving up.
Phoebe sent Piper a grateful glance. "Exactly. These powers are gifts. Gifts that were given to us to protect and ultimately to pass on to the next generation." Phoebe's voice was calmer, more logical now.
Prue jumped to her feet, startling both of her sisters. Her expression was still somber, but Piper could see the emotion that Prue was hiding in her eyes. Pain, guilt, fear, sorrow... all of those emotions swam in the depths of Prue's eyes.
"Don't you think I know that? I mean, how do you think I feel, Phoebe? I'm the one who got us into this situation." Prue exclaimed, her tone tinged with some of the immense guilt Piper had glimpsed.
'So that's what she's thinking,' Piper realized. "Prue, it's not your fault." Piper reassured her sister immediately, surprised that Prue would even think to place the blame completely on herself.
"It's not." Phoebe insisted, suddenly realizing that Prue wasn't arguing with her.
"Yeah, but I'm the one that Rex tricked. I'm the reason we're having this conversation." Prue sounded almost as if she were trying to convince herself.
Piper gaped at her older sister, desperately wracking her brain for something, anything, to comfort her. Prue was normally so strong- she never let anyone or anything get to her. But suddenly Piper saw the vulnerable, guilty part of Prue that was normally hidden by her strong façade. Now, Piper was caught completely off guard. She had no idea what to do.
"There's gotta be a way out of this!" Phoebe said to herself, desperately hoping for some magical solution to make itself known.
Piper scoffed. "Like what, become fugitives? Something tells me that's not the best way to go about protecting the innocent."
"Well, we can't protect the innocent without our powers!" Phoebe reminded them. "Even worse, if we give them up... we'd be giving them up to evil." Phoebe tried to argue, knowing that it was a losing battle.
"We can't let that happen." Prue agreed softly.
Piper turned back to her older sister, startled at the determination that had replaced some of the defeat in her expression. The reason for Prue's sudden change of attitude became clear to Piper and she felt her heart clench.
Piper rose to her feet quickly, her warm brown eyes boring into her older sister. "Well we can't let you die in jail either!" She challenged, knowing that she and Phoebe would rather give up their powers than see Prue suffer. "Besides, with you behind bars we'll be divided... Rex wins either way." Piper added, seeing Prue glance away from her concerned expression.
"I don't wanna have to do this." Phoebe whimpered, her tone as close to acceptance as it would ever be.
The sisters sat in silence for a moment, dreading the inevitable. Suddenly, Prue stiffened and her eyes lit up as if she had an idea. The guilt and fear returned almost instantaneously, making Piper wonder if she had just imagined it.
"I'm going to make some tea... then we can-" Prue broke off, refusing to say what they were all thinking.
Prue padded towards the kitchen, leaving her sisters to think. Phoebe slumped down into the chair in defeat, knowing that they would have to give up being witches. She no longer had the energy to pace back and forth. Piper glanced towards the kitchen where Prue had disappeared, knowing that she should go help but also knowing that Prue probably needed some time alone to sort out her own feelings.
Everything felt too large, too distorted, almost as if the world she was glimpsing wasn't real. After everything that they had been through as witches, Piper couldn't believe that it would just... end. As much as she had fretted over becoming a witch and losing all chance of a normal life, Piper couldn't imagine giving any of it up. The thought that maybe she couldn't ever go back to normal scared her deeply. Piper wished desperately that some magical solution would make itself known, just as it had so many times in the past. But in her heart, she knew that wishing wouldn't save any of them.
Piper didn't know how long she had been sitting there, lost in her own thoughts, but she was jolted back to the present when Prue came back to the living room carrying a tray of teacups and a kettle. She set it on the coffee table, the glasses clinking together. She handed both Piper and Phoebe a cup, leaving her own on the tray. Piper inhaled the fragrant scent of lavender and honeysuckle, feeling her body involuntarily relax. She took a sip of the soothing drink, desperate for any distraction. Phoebe did the same.
Smiling slightly at her sisters, Prue stood and walked over to the front door. Piper turned to look at her older sister in confusion, wondering what on earth she was doing. Prue drew a vial out of her pocket. The liquid within was a glowing purple... a potion, Piper realized. Prue poured the liquid on the front door. The purple ooze was immediately absorbed into the wood. Light rippled across the door as all traces of purple disappeared.
Piper opened her mouth to ask Prue what she had done, but her tongue felt thick. She felt her body relax involuntarily as she fell back into the couch cushions. Confused and alarmed, she glanced up at Prue, who had reached the couch again.
Prue's expressive gray-green eyes were glimmering with unshed tears. All of Prue's guilt was fully reflected in those deep pools of green. Piper could tell that Prue could barely keep herself from breaking down as she kneeled in front of Phoebe. Piper barely had the energy to shift her gaze to the left to witness Prue and Phoebe's exchange.
Phoebe's eyelids were fluttering; it was evident that she was close to sleep. Prue gently took the empty teacup out of Phoebe's grip, setting it on the table with a clink. Prue drew Phoebe into a long hug, whispering into Phoebe's ear. All Piper's muddled brain could make out was, 'I'm proud of you,' and 'I'll always love you.' Prue pulled away and it was evident that Phoebe had fallen asleep. Prue pressed a gentle kiss to Phoebe's forehead, before stepping away.
Piper could see that tears were freely flowing down Prue's face now. Her addled brain tried desperately to piece together what was happening as she fought against the inevitable tide of sleep.
"Prue... no..." Piper barely managed to whisper as she finally realized what her older sister was doing.
Prue knelt in front of her Piper, her shining green eyes gazing guiltily into Piper's. "I'm so sorry." She whispered, her voice breaking. "But I can't let you give up your powers. You and Phoebe have done so much good in the world. You've saved so many lives... we can't give that up." She spoke slowly, hoping that Piper would understand. "I put a protection spell on the house. No warlock or demon can get in until..." Prue trailed off. "I'm so sorry. I just- I want you to know that I am so so so proud of you. You've grown up to be such a kind, capable young woman. You're going to do amazing things in the world, Piper. I love you." Prue pressed a gentle kiss to Piper's forehead.
That was the last thing Piper remembered before everything went black.
Prue shivered as she paced the concrete prison cell. The fluorescent lights and cold metal walls provided little heat, but Prue refused to use the thin blankets provided for her. At least the man in the cell next door had finally fallen asleep and had stopped catcalling her, much to her relief.
Her pacing slowed to a stop and she closed her eyes against the offending yellow light. Her mind was racing a million miles a minute while her heart screamed at her to keep going. She just needed a minute to ground herself. Prue took a shaky breath, trying to reel herself back in.
Her sisters were safe, at least for now. She had taken every possible precaution to ensure that Rex could not attack them while she figured everything out on her end. Her mind raced to every possible worst case scenario as she imagined Rex hurting her sisters. She gulped, trying to push those thoughts away as she contemplated her next step. Andy. She needed to talk to Andy. That was the only thing that she could do.
Prue perked her head up as she heard footsteps approaching her cell. She opened her eyes, momentarily blinded by the dazzling light. A guard turned the corner, barely sparing a glance in her direction. Prue quickly walked to the cell door, knocking on the bars to gain the guard's attention.
"Hey," Prue smiled. "Don't I get a phone call?"
Prue flinched as the huge metal door banged open, revealing Andy as he stomped into the conference room. Prue rubbed her wrists, trying to wriggle the cuffs so that they didn't cut into the sensitive skin of her wrists. Her efforts were futile, but they still attracted the attention of her ex-boyfriend.
"Prue!" The word was more of an exhale than an exclamation, but Prue still felt her heart jump.
"Andy." Prue replied, relieved to see him-relieved that he had actually come.
Andy's eyes were sleepy; shadows hung beneath his unfocused blue eyes. His dark, spiky hair was tousled with sleep. His tie was loosely tied around the neck of his polo and his wrinkled jacket hung lopsidedly off of one shoulder. Nevertheless, he had never looked so handsome in Prue's eyes.
She opened her mouth, attempting to say one of the millions of things she desperately wanted to tell Andy, but she became choked up. Tears rose unbidden to her eyes and she blinked harshly, trying to dispel them.
Andy evidently saw this. His sleepy demeanor crumbled and his expression morphed to one of concern. He sunk to his knees beside the chair that Prue was chained to. He reached out, wanting nothing more than to draw her into his arms and comfort her, but he knew that he couldn't. His expression was helpless as he watched the love of his life fight to keep from shattering to pieces in front of him.
Sensing Prue's need to focus on something, he finally asked the unspoken question. "Prue... why am I here?" His voice was soft and understanding, not accusing and annoyed.
Prue felt more tears rise to her eyes when she saw how kind he was being to her. She struggled to speak over the lump in her throat. "I-" She paused, gulping. "I want you to transfer me to the city jail." She said quickly, her voice cracking.
Andy's jaw went slack with shock as he processed what Prue was asking him. "Prue- I can't do that." He finally said, looking back at her.
"Why not?" Prue challenged, sniffling.
Andy shook his head sadly. "Prue, the city jail is dangerous. It's full of criminals. You don't belong there." He insisted, fighting the urge to take Prue's hand in his own.
"Yes, I do." Prue murmured softly, her eyes filled with guilt.
"What?" Andy asked, surprised. "Prue, I know you didn't steal the tiara. And I sure as hell know that you didn't murder that security guard." He insisted, unsure of what Prue meant by her comment.
Prue sighed deeply, looking away for a moment. She looked back at Andy, her eyes so full of apprehension and terror that it took Andy's breath away. "Andy... I'm going-I'm going to plead guilty." She finally admitted.
"What?" Andy jumped to his feet. "No, Prue. No! I know you didn't do this! Why the hell would you plead guilty! You can't do that!" He fumbled for words.
"Andy- Andy, please listen to me!" Prue begged, tears brimming in her eyes.
Andy nodded against his better judgement, kneeling back down beside Prue.
"Andy, I have to do this. I can't tell you why, so it's easier if you just believe that I did steal the tiara and..." Prue trailed off; she couldn't even say aloud what happened to Hymie. "Andy, I'm going to do this, with or without your approval." She insisted.
Andy's eyes widened at the sheer determination in Prue's eyes. "Why the hell am I here then?" He demanded, but more out of concern than aggravation.
"Andy... I need to ask you for a favor." She asked softly, innocently.
"Prue-" Andy began, unsure of what on earth to say.
"Please don't let my sisters bail me out, no matter what they say. I already told them goodbye. I want them to live their lives without me." Prue's voice broke, despite her every attempt to remain stoic.
"Prue, I can't do this. I know that you're innocent. No matter what the evidence shows, I know that you didn't commit any crimes. You're a good person. Even if I don't know your secret, I know that for sure. Is someone making you do this?" Andy asked, trying to discover why Prue would want to go to jail.
Prue faltered for a moment, giving Andy his answer. "No, nobody is making me do this."
Andy sighed and ran a hand through his already messy hair. "Prue, I'm going to prove your innocence no matter what. You can't tell me that you did this, because I know better. I'll transfer you to the other jail for your safety, in case someone is threatening you, and I'll do your favor, but I'm going to get you out of there, okay? You're innocent." Andy begrudgingly agreed to her terms.
Prue looked relieved. "Thank you, Andy." She whispered gratefully.
"Prue... what are you hiding? I could help you more if I knew. Please tell me." He begged, desperate to know.
Prue smiled through her tears at him. "Do you believe in magic?" She asked vaguely.
Before Andy could reply, the heavy metal door was flung open and a guard walked in, roughly undoing Prue's handcuffs and pushing her out of the room.
"Time's up."
Birds... chirping...
The awful twittering sound rang in Piper's ears, bouncing around in her mind as she struggled to open her heavy eyelids. She felt the darkness, pulling her back into its warm depths... she could feel herself slipping back into the obsidian abyss...
RRRRRRRIIIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGG!
The shrill ringing of their phone startled Piper out of the darkness. She finally found the strength to open her eyes. Impossibly bright sunlight greeted Piper and she quickly slammed her eyelids shut once again. The ringing in her ears had faded to a dull roar in the back of her mind. Piper's mind felt sluggish; she grabbed slowly at fleeting thoughts, unable to move or think clearly. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to force herself to get up.
Finally, with more will power than Piper had ever thought possible, she forced her eyes open again. This time, the assaulting brightness wasn't nearly as jarring. With a groan, Piper moved her numb hand over her eyes, shielding herself from the light. The ringing was gone, Piper duly noted in the back of her mind. The witch took a few deep breaths before forcing herself into a sitting position, facing away from the window. The sunlight streamed into the dim room, illuminating the walls and furniture around Piper.
Piper fought to think, trying desperately to remember what was going on. She looked around through bleary eyes, realizing that she was in the living room. She heard quiet breaths beside her and saw that Phoebe was asleep beside her... on the couch. Somewhere in Piper's disoriented mind, she wondered why she was on the couch instead of in her bed, but she was too preoccupied with trying to force herself to move.
All Piper could feel was heavy. Her thoughts were heavy, her limbs were heavy... she felt numb and tingly and so tired. She briefly considered going back to sleep. 'It would be so easy,' she thought, before shaking her head vigorously. Something was wrong... she didn't know why she felt this way.
With extreme determination, Piper pulled herself to her feet, using the arm of the couch for support. Her legs felt weak and she felt herself falling backwards. Piper panicked and clutched the chair, trying to stay upright. She knew that if she fell back into the couch, she wouldn't get back up for a while.
Piper's eyes slipped shut and she took a few deep breaths, willing her legs to move. She stumbled on numb legs into the wall adjacent to the kitchen. She leaned against the wall, shuffling forward until she felt the doorway. Piper reopened her eyes and glanced into the familiar kitchen. With a deep breath, Piper half-stumbled, half-fell into the counter in the center of the kitchen. She braced herself against the countertop, her knuckles going white as she clutched the edge. Piper fell forward, pressing her brow to the cool countertop and sighing in relief.
It could have been minutes or hours, but Piper finally lifted her head off the counter with extreme difficulty. Piper was inwardly panicking at how weak and sluggish she was, but she couldn't bring herself to do anything about it. Had she been spelled? Drugged? She couldn't think straight.
Right before she closed her eyes, something caught Piper's eye. Two cups were on the counter, filled to the brim with a neon yellow substance. Piper felt her brow furrow in confusion as she slowly reached out and grabbed the cup closest to her. There was a post-it note attached to the lip of the cup. "Piper" was all it said... in Prue's handwriting.
Without thinking, Piper gulped down the contents of the cup. She grimaced at the overly sweet taste of the liquid. Immediately, the fog over her mind began to clear and she could feel her limbs again. Piper suddenly became wide awake. She stared down at the cup, tracing Prue's handwriting with a finger. Her memory was still cloudy... she closed her eyes and massaged her temples, trying desperately to remember what was going on.
She could feel herself growing more aware of her surroundings with every second. Piper suddenly remembered that Phoebe was sleeping on the couch beside her, presumably in a similar state as Piper had been. Piper grabbed the cup labeled "Phoebe" and returned to the living room to wake up her sister. Maybe together they could piece together what happened.
Phoebe was dead to the world, sprawled over the arm of the chair as if she'd fallen and decided not to get up. Her light snores disrupted the chirping of birds that sounded from the windows. Piper lightly clasped Phoebe's shoulder and shook her, hoping that maybe she wasn't as sleepy as Piper had been. Her shaking was futile; Phoebe didn't even stir. Piper sighed and set the cup on the coffee table, knowing that she would need both hands. She grabbed Phoebe's other shoulder and gave her a vigorous shake, shouting her name over and over again until finally, Phoebe's brown eyes opened. Her chocolate orbs blinked blearily at Piper and her irises were clouded with sleep. Piper held out the cup to Phoebe.
"Phoebe, drink this. It'll wake you up. Drink all of it." She instructed, pressing the cup to Phoebe's lips.
After a few moments, the fog in Phoebe's cloudy gaze dissipated and she looked up at Piper in confusion. "Piper? What are we- why are we on the couch?" She asked, her voice still thick with disorientation.
Piper sighed heavily and sat next to her younger sister. "You don't remember either?" She somewhat answered.
Phoebe's brow furrowed. "Piper, what's going on?"
Piper ran a hand through her sleep-tousled hair. "I don't know. I woke up to some ringing... I think it was the phone... but I was so TIRED that I couldn't even open my eyes. It took me twenty minutes just to stand up from the couch. I finally got to the kitchen and there was two cups there with our names on them. I drank mine and I didn't feel drowsy anymore." She relayed all of the information to Phoebe. "I have no idea why we're on the couch or what those cups were or anything!" Piper exclaimed frustratedly.
"What's the last thing you remember?" Phoebe asked curiously, furiously wracking her brain for any clues to their situation.
Piper scrunched up her nose as she concentrated on her recent memories. "I remember... the tiara... and Rex was- oh my God." She suddenly stopped. As if a dam had broke, all of her memories came rushing back to Piper. She remembered the stolen tiara and the murder, how Rex framed Prue, and how Prue was arrested. Piper recalled finding a Relinquishment spell in the Book of Shadows, but everything became a little fuzzy after that.
"Did we give up our powers? I don't remember." Phoebe wondered aloud in a small voice. "I remember that Prue made us tea and... then nothing." She told Piper.
"No..." Piper breathed, her throat tightening as she came to a horrifying realization. "No no no no no no NO!" She shook her head as tears sprang to her eyes.
"Piper!" Phoebe exclaimed, concerned. Phoebe reached to comfort her sister, but pulled back at the last second, her hands hovering over Piper in uncertainty. "Piper, honey, what's wrong? What happened?"
"She couldn't- no- she wouldn't- Phoebe! We have to find her! We have to find Prue!" Piper decided to hold on to the little hope she still had.
Phoebe shook her head in confusion. "Piper, what's going on?"
"Come on, Phoebe-" Piper stood up from the couch, "-we have to find Prue NOW." She commanded, rushing back towards the kitchen.
Phoebe's head spun as her mind jumped to a million possible conclusions. Piper seemed so scared... The youngest Halliwell's heart thumped as she ran to the front window. Piper's car was in the driveway, but Prue's wasn't. Phoebe remembered leaving it at Buckland's after Prue had been arrested. Phoebe turned away from the window and searched for Piper.
Piper burst out of the kitchen. "Maybe she's in her room." She said, feeling her heart sink at Phoebe's worried expression.
The Halliwell sisters climbed the stairs two at a time, racing towards Prue's room. Piper flung the door open and looked sadly upon the empty room. Prue had next to nothing in her small bedroom. Her bed was made and had obviously not been slept in. Her closet door hung open slightly, revealing neatly hanging clothes. Prue's desk supported a few Buckland's files, stacked meticulously in the corner. Four pictures hung above Prue's bed; one picture of the three sisters in front of the manor, one with Grams, one with their mom, and one with Prue and Andy in a swing.
Phoebe noticed as Piper's face paled rapidly upon seeing the empty room. She reached out a hand to support her sister. "Hey, maybe she's in the attic?" She suggested, knowing that it was a fruitless effort to look.
Piper nodded, swallowing around the lump in her throat. "Yeah. She has to be. She has to be up there." She muttered, her voice thick with unshed tears.
The sisters climbed the last flight of stairs slowly, wanting to reach the top yet not wanting to peer into the attic and be disappointed. Piper reached the top first and immediately pushed open the door, knowing in her heart that the room would be empty. Even though she saw nobody, she walked over to the Book of Shadows out of habit, tears blurring her vision.
"Piper..." Phoebe began, unsure of what to say to comfort her obviously distraught sister.
Piper blinked away her tears, trying to remain strong. She didn't know what happened to Prue; maybe she was just jumping to conclusions. Maybe she had gone on a walk, or she had called Andy, or maybe Rex had taken her, or maybe-
"Piper... what's this?" Phoebe had come to stand next to her sister and startled her out of her thoughts.
Piper swiped at the tears forming in her eyes and looked at Phoebe, following her younger sister's gaze down towards the Book of Shadows. The ancient book lay as it had always been, slightly crooked on the old oak bookstand. Piper stared for a moment, confused as to what Phoebe was looking at. She almost turned back to her younger sister before something caught her eye. A small triangle stuck out from between two pages in the Book of Shadows like a misplaced bookmark. Piper's breath caught in her throat as she gingerly turned towards the marked page of the Book. Piper could hear Phoebe's sharp intake of breath when she saw two envelopes secured in between the folded spells of the Book. Hands shaking, Piper picked up the top envelope, labeled "Piper" in Prue's elegant scrawl. A lump formed in Piper's throat and she swallowed back a sob as everything became horrifyingly, sickeningly, heart-wrenchingly clear. Phoebe's hand snaked out to grab her own letter from beneath Piper's trembling hands. Piper retreated backwards, haphazardly stumbling into a nearby chair, equal parts apprehensive and eager to read the letter in her grasp. With a heavy heart, Piper lifted the flap of the envelope and drew out the note.
"Piper, No words can describe how much I love you. I wish I would have said it more, but I'm saying it now. And I will say it every day for the rest of my life. I know that you'll take this the hardest. Phoebe will be upset, but she'll get over it. She'll barely remember me in a few months; and that's okay. But I know that you'll be angry and confused and sad. I'm so sorry, but you know I have to do this. It was my fault that Rex tricked us, it was my fault that Hymie died, and it's my fault that you and Phoebe are going through all of this anguish now. I'm so sorry; this ends today. I turned myself in and I'm going to plead guilty to all of the charges; stealing the tiara and killing Hymie. I know that you guys will try and bail me out, and that Andy will search day and night for a way to incriminate someone else, but please don't bother. This is what I want. I want everyone to be happy and safe. And the only way I can do that is by turning myself in. I'm sorry for drugging you and Phoebe last night. I brewed a simple sleeping potion. The effects should wear off in a few hours after you wake up, but I also brewed an awareness draught that is on the kitchen counter. I called you in sick to work for the rest of the week, too. I put a protection spell on the Manor. Rex and Hannah will never ever be able to hurt you or even come close to you until I come back... which will never happen. You, Piper, have done so much good in the world. You're beautiful inside and out. No matter what anybody else says, you've always been the one keeping this family together. I'm sorry that I couldn't be the sister you needed. I tried too hard to be a good mother that I failed at being your sister. I'm sorry, but I hope I can make up for it now. I want you to chase your dreams. Get out of Quake and start your own restaurant; you can do it. Don't be afraid, Piper. You are the strongest, bravest person I know. I love you so much. I'm going to miss you, but I want you to move on. Please, live your life and be happy. I love you... Always and Forever, Prue"
And Piper broke. Her breaths tore out of her throat in harsh, ragged sobs. Cold, wet tears streamed down her cheeks, leaving tracks of heartbreak behind. Her mouth tasted of saltwater and sadness, stinging with the force of her cries. She wailed into her balled fists, letting out her anguish and her fear. The only word running through her mind was why, why, why...
Phoebe felt her heart skip a beat as she looked down at the envelope. "Pheebs," it read almost sweetly in Prue's elegant handwriting. It wasn't "Phoebe," but "Pheebs," the nickname Prue only called her when... Phoebe didn't want to think about it. She could practically feel the sadness radiating off of Piper but she didn't know what it was about. Phoebe's heart raced as she struggled to piece together what was happening. Piper stepped backwards quickly, collapsing into a chair and opening her envelope. Phoebe crept closer to the bookstand, resting her elbows on the open pages and tearing open the envelope, wanting nothing more than to know what was happening.
"Phoebe, There are no words to describe what I need to tell you. The closest I can get is 'I'm sorry.' I'm sorry for not supporting you in the way I should have. I tried to be your mom but I failed at being your sister. I should have been there for you more. I should have called you everyday and gossiped with you about the people in New York. I should have visited you on your birthday and on Christmas. I should have been your sister... but I failed. I'm sorry that I took you for granted. I'm sorry that I didn't show you how much I love you. I'm sorry for everything, Pheebs. You're always going to be my baby sister, Phoebe. I will always love you, I promise. I know that you'll be sad, but I want you to move on. I want you to be the free spirit that you are. I want you to travel the world and meet people and party and make memories and do all the things that you were meant to do. You are a good person Phoebe, and I'm so so proud of you. You're everything that you were meant to be and more. I'm proud to be your sister. Someday, maybe you can forgive me. But I want you to know that I'm sorry and that I love you. I'll see you again someday. I love you... Always and Forever, Prue"
Phoebe swiped under her eyes, wiping away the tears that were threatening to fall. She could barely believe what she just read. She traced Prue's words with her fingertip, reading them over and over again and trying to make sense of the unthinkable.
Piper's heartbroken sob tore at Phoebe's soul; it was real. Prue had really given herself up. Phoebe quickly turned around and ran to Piper, flinging her arms around her sister and holding on as if Piper would disappear at any moment. And they cried. They cried out their frustration, their fear, their sadness. They cried for their situation, for their broken family, but they mostly cried for Prue.
Piper cried until she had no tears left. The tears tracks left on her face marked icy pathways on her cheeks. Piper felt her heart break, as if her chest had been torn open and her broken heart lay barren, at the mercy of the world. Phoebe sniffled, her small frame trembling with the exertion of sobbing for so long. With some emotional effort, Piper pulled away from her younger sister, wiping at her eyes. Phoebe's face was red and puffy from crying, mascara mingling with tears of sadness as it tracked down her cheeks. Piper could only imagine that her face looked similar, but she couldn't bring herself to care.
"Piper... why would she-" Phoebe's voice cracked. "Why would she do that?" Her big brown doe eyes were full of shock and sadness, round and shining as she asked Piper the question that was desperately plaguing her every thought.
Piper knew exactly why Prue had given herself up. She'd seen the look in Prue's expressive green eyes; the same look she'd seen when Jeremy attacked and she told Piper and Phoebe to run. The same look she'd seen when the fear demon had attacked them. The same look she'd seen countless times on her sister's anguished, sorrowful, tortured face. A look of guilt, fear, sorrowful acceptance, and some degree of self-loathing. But above all, the determination had shone through Prue's green irises, overshadowing any other emotion she felt in that moment. Prue was their protector-she always had been, she always would be-and she would always do whatever it took to keep them safe, no matter the sacrifice it required... and that scared Piper.
For their entire lives, Prue had given up everything for them. When they were kids, she would never hesitate to help Piper and Phoebe with their homework, even when they would become frustrated and yell at her. Piper always remembered seeing Prue's light on late at night while she finally worked on her own homework. Prue had given up her dream of becoming a professional photographer, instead working at the auction house to pay for the manor and support Piper and Phoebe. Even after they'd gotten their powers, Prue never hesitated to jump headfirst into danger, no matter the personal risk; as long as Piper and Phoebe were safe. It had taken Piper until adulthood to finally grasp the significance of all the sacrifices Prue had made. She had spent her entire life living to support and protect everyone else, never once being allowed to do what she wanted or needed. Piper had tried to help; oh how she had tried to help Prue understand that they could handle things themselves; that she could take a break and focus on herself. But Piper felt as if she was ten years too late. Prue didn't understand that nobody wanted her to sacrifice herself and her own wants and needs; nobody expected her to. Piper briefly wondered if she even knew that Piper and Phoebe loved her...
Suddenly, Prue's words from the previous night echoed in Piper's mind; Don't you think I know that? How do you think I feel Phoebe? I'm the one that got us into this situation... Yeah, but I'm the one that Rex tricked. I'm the reason we're having this conversation. Piper's eyes widened with the realization. She-she thought she deserved it... Her heart broke at the thought of Prue punishing herself by going to prison for a crime she didn't even commit and actively tried to prevent. She was punishing herself! Piper felt tears well up in her eyes. Prue thought she had failed both as a witch and as a sister. She had resorted to sacrificing herself to atone for something that wasn't even her fault. Piper had seen Prue's guilty, sacrificial tendencies many times, from the way she wouldn't eat or drink anything but coffee and water when she was feeling sad or sick. She had seen Prue go a week with nearly no sleep because she was so overwhelmed with work and other responsibilities. But she had never seen Prue's guilt manifest itself this drastically. Piper made a silent vow to herself; the moment they got out of this mess, she would gather Prue up in her arms and tell her that it wasn't her fault, that they weren't mad and that she didn't need to hurt herself, and above all, that they loved her.
Piper shut her eyes, willing the fresh round of tears to dissipate from her aching eyes. She shook her head, feeling the lump in her throat. "She... she wanted to protect us... whatever it took... " She said softly, knowing in her heart that it was so, so much more than that.
Phoebe teared up again, glimpsing the extent of Prue's fierce love and protectiveness towards them. Piper realized that Phoebe didn't see Prue as she did. Phoebe had been blessed with the gift of blissful ignorance; as the youngest, she had been spared the sacrifices that Prue and to some extent, Piper had to go through to get where they were today. She had escaped; gone to New York to live her dream life, and was now free to live happily. Phoebe simply had never seen Prue's sacrifices in the same light that Piper had, until now. The shock on Phoebe's face broke her heart and she had to fight off the urge to wrap her younger sister in another hug. A spark of determination had stirred in Piper's chest; she knew that they had to take action and defeat Rex, once and for all, and figure out some way to fix this mess.
With one last sorrowful sigh, Piper carefully folded her tear-stained letter and stood up, offering a hand to Phoebe. "We have to fix this." She stated firmly, hoping her voice didn't show how tremulous she was feeling inside.
"How?" Phoebe asked, slowly accepting Piper's proffered hand and getting to her feet.
Piper's brow furrowed and she looked down at the floor. "I don't- I don't know." She said, her voice soft. "I-"
DING! DING! DING!
Piper exchanged a shocked look with Phoebe. Who could possibly be at their door? Eyes round with confusion, Phoebe headed for the stairs. A thought struck Piper and she reached out, pulling Phoebe back.
"Wait," Piper hissed, her eyes darting towards the attic door. "What if it's Rex or Hannah?"
Phoebe's eyes widened in understanding and she looked at Piper nervously. Piper held a finger to her lips and crept towards the attic window, gazing down to see who was at the door. Her jaw dropped in surprise when she saw Andy pacing back and forth on their porch. She turned to Phoebe and nodded, gesturing towards the stairs. The sisters hurried towards the door, hearing a few bangs as Andy knocked desperately.
"Piper! Phoebe! Open up! I have to talk to you! Please I know you're in there!" Andy was shouting through the door, his voice tight with fear.
Anxiety blossoming in her chest, Piper opened the front door, Phoebe standing behind her worriedly. "Andy?" She hesitantly greeted, hoping that her voice didn't betray her inner turmoil.
Relief washed over Andy's features before suddenly being overtaken by frustration, fear, and desperation. He pushed past her into the house, slamming the door behind him. His face was drawn and dark shadows hung beneath his piercing blue eyes. He ran a hand through his spiky hair anxiously, his eyes boring into Piper's.
"Piper, what's going on?" He demanded, his eyes betraying that he wasn't truly angry.
Caught off guard, Piper stuttered slightly in response, glancing back at Phoebe for support. "Uh- I don't- I don't know, Andy. What are you talking about?" She decided to play dumb, unsure of exactly how much Andy knew about their current situation.
"Cut the crap, Piper. You know exactly what's going on!" He retorted. Then, Andy stepped back, sighing deeply and putting up his hands, palms facing outward. "Prue called me last night, at almost four in the morning, practically begging to be transferred to the county jail. She said she's going to plead guilty-but she didn't do it! I KNOW she didn't! Hell, she can't even say the security guard's name without tearing up! I just- You and I both know that Prue is innocent. She doesn't deserve to be locked up with a bunch of criminals for something she didn't do. I'm doing EVERYTHING I can to help, but I can't save her from something I know nothing about!" Andy paused, swallowing harshly. "I need your help, Piper and Phoebe. Please, just tell me what you can."
Piper gazed at Andy pityingly, knowing that he was experiencing the same emotional turmoil that she was going through. She looked at Phoebe, silently asking the question that they were both thinking. Phoebe gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head. Piper nodded slightly, knowing that Andy would only be in more danger if he knew their secret.
Piper sighed heavily, looking up at Andy with defeated eyes. "Andy, I'm sorry. We can't tell you what you want to know. You'd be in even more danger." She broke off, eyes watering slightly. "All I can tell you is that Prue is innocent. She didn't steal the tiara and she sure as hell didn't murder a security guard in cold blood. Maybe the three of us are the only ones who can realize that. Prue turned herself in to protect us. But-" Piper broke off, not knowing what more there was to say.
Andy's brow furrowed in- anger? confusion? fear?-Piper would never know. He let out a deep, shuddering breath, almost looking deflated in the way he hung his shoulders. He closed his eyes. Piper exchanged a worried glance with Phoebe, unsure of what they should do or say. Finally, Andy looked up again, a determined fire burning behind his blue eyes.
"Fine, don't tell me. I appreciate that you're trying to protect me, but please, if you change your mind, call me. I'm going to do whatever I can to help Prue." He turned to leave, not waiting for a response from the two broken sisters before him.
As he reached for the doorknob, Phoebe lunged forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. Andy turned around and met Phoebe's brown gaze. "Thank you." She whispered, saying more in those two words than either Piper or Andy expected. After a few moments, Andy nodded and left the Manor. The door closed with a foreboding click, and Piper felt the gaping crack in her heart grow a little bit deeper...