DISCLAIMER: All the characters in the following story (except Joy who belongs to me) belong to Spelling Television and Constance Burge. The following story was produced by Sarah. Unauthorized reproduction of text is not allowed. All feedback is welcome, contact me by clicking my name above.
* * * She was lying in her bed, thinking of him. Where was he? Was he safe? Did he think about her? Did he miss her even half as much as she missed him?
She tried to put him out of her thoughts as she grudgingly got out of bed to face a new day.
It was hard not to think about him. It had been almost a month since he left and there hadn't been a day she didn't think of him. She was constantly questioning if she had made a mistake in not trying to make things work between them. Things seemed so hard when they were together, but things seemed even harder now that they were apart.
Piper now realized that Leo knew her better than any man would ever know her. She could never tell Dan, or any other man, all her secrets. Leo knew her secrets. He understood them. He was apart of them.
Things were getting rough between Piper and Dan. He knew she had secrets that she wasn't telling him. Dan was starting to feel hurt that Piper didn't trust him enough to tell him the truth. But she knew that Dan couldn't handle the truth. No man could. Except Leo.
* * * Piper was at work when Phoebe called her. "You need to get back to the Manor, now!" was all Phoebe had said. Piper sighed as she went for her car. Her heart just wasn't into battling all the evils of the world today. It was too much effort without Leo.
"So we're never going to see him again?" Piper heard Prue ask as she walked into the house.
"Who?" Piper asked as she walked into the living room to find Prue and Phoebe sitting down with a woman about their age with red hair and freckles everywhere.
"Leo!" Phoebe said exasperated.
"Oh my God, is he okay? Is he hurt?" Piper asked panicky, with horrible scenarios racing through her mind.
"He's fine," said the red hair woman calmly, "he just feels that it would be better for all of you if he didn't work with you anymore."
"Oh, that," Piper said, saddened by the reminder.
"Wait a minute," Phoebe jumped, "you knew and you didn't tell us?"
Piper just shrugged her shoulders and looked away. It hurt too much to think about Leo, let alone talk about him, and explain what happened when she wasn't exactly sure what had happened herself. Besides Piper wanted to know who this woman in her house was, and how she knew Leo.
"My name is Joy. I'm your new white lighter," the woman replied to Piper's unspoken question. Joy stuck her hand out to shake Piper's.
"Oh, a... nice to meet you," Piper said as she shook Joy's hand, "I'm Piper, but I guess you probably already knew that." Piper couldn't handle this. She wasn't ready for a replacement for Leo. Though Joy seemed nice enough, she was just another slap in the face to Piper.
Just then Joy heard "them" talking, and had to leave. Piper was left with her two sisters who wanted an explanation.
"You knew?" Prue asked gently.
Piper sighed and closed her eyes trying to get herself composed. "Yes, after we vanquished Mom's water demon and found Mom's letters to Sam. We knew it was too risky to work together anymore."
"Are you okay with that?" Phoebe asked.
"I have to be."
"But you might not ever see Leo again," Prue stated.
"We're not together anymore," Piper replied.
"You still love him, Piper," Phoebe interjected.
"Yeah, I still love him."
* * * Her hand was shaking as she rang the doorbell. Piper knew she had to do this, but it wasn't going to be easy. She forced a smile when Dan opened the door.
"We need to talk," Piper started. "Is Jenny home?"
"No, she's at a friend's," Dan said as he gestured to come in. Piper came in, went into the living room, and sat down as Dan followed her.
"There's no easy way to say this so I'm just going to say it, okay?"
"Okay," Dan said slowly, wondering where this was leading.
"I," Piper started, pausing to tell herself not to freeze time-she had already practiced what she was going to say-she just needed to get it over with, "I think we should stop seeing each other."
"What?" Dan asked, disbelieving.
"It has nothing to do with you, it's all me. I thought I was over Leo, but I'm not. I'm so sorry," Piper explained, hoping this wouldn't last long-she hated break-ups.
"Leo?" Dan asked accusingly, then he sighed and said, "I guess I should have seen this coming. He's a lucky guy-I hope he realizes what he has."
"So do I."
* * * The next day was Saturday. Prue and Phoebe were out shopping. Piper was sitting in the sun room with paper and a pen.
Dearest Leo,
How I've missed you since we last saw each other. What I wouldn't do to see your face again. I know I was harsh when I broke things off with you. I was scared. Scared of having anything but a "normal" life. Scared to let you in. Scared to make us work. Scared to get hurt. I love you so much, and that scared me. The truth is that when we were together I was always focused on us talking about where we were. Instead I should have just enjoyed our precious time together and trust that wherever we were going we would get there together. I was an idiot to let you go. You were right, I couldn't tell Dan the truth about me. I hope these words find a place in your heart, and you can find a way to forgive me. I would like to find a way back to each other. I'm aware of all the difficulties and challenges our relationship would present. I'm willing to give it all I can, without walking away at the first sign of trouble. I hope to see you soon. I love you.
Love,
Piper
Piper folded the letter and stuffed it into an envelope. She put Leo's name on the front and went to put her things back in her room. She hoped this would make Leo understand.
* * * Joy came back to the girls a week later to dispense her wisdom about a warlock the Charmed Ones ran across. After they vanquished the warlock, Piper took the opportunity to give Joy Leo's letter.
"Do you ever see Leo? Or could you see him?" Piper asked when her sisters weren't listening.
"Once in a while I do. Why?" Joy responded.
"I was wondering if you could give him this letter," Piper asked, hoping Joy wouldn't find anything wrong with the request.
"I don't see him often, it might take a while," Joy explained.
"I don't care, just as long as he gets it. I don't have any other way of getting it to him."
"I'll see what I can do," Joy said with a smile as she took the letter from Piper and disappeared in the blue light.
Now, all Piper could do was wait.
* * * "You did what?" Phoebe asked, shocked.
"I wrote Leo a letter," Piper said again. It had been two weeks since she had given the letter to Joy. Piper knew it would take a while for Leo to even get the letter, let alone find the time to respond to her-if he responded. But the waiting was starting to freak her out, and she needed support. So she decided to tell Phoebe-hoping the romantic in her would come out and tell Piper she did the right thing. Now that she had told Phoebe the whole story, Piper was beginning to wonder if she was going to get the support that she needed.
"So now all you're doing is waiting. Oh honey, you must be going out of your mind," Phoebe said as she gave Piper a hug.
"It hasn't been easy," Piper said trying to blink back the tears. "What if he can't forgive me? What if he wants nothing to do with me? I don't know what I would do, I miss him so much-it hurts." She couldn't hold back the tears any longer. Piper cried with all hr fears flashing before her as Phoebe held her.
When Piper stopped crying Phoebe replied, "Leo loves you, of course he wants to be with you."
"But I've hurt him so much."
"I think he'll understand."
"How do you know?" Piper asked looking Phoebe in the eye.
"He love you."
* * * Two more weeks had passed. Piper had given up hope. Her heart was broken and she only had herself to blame. She was sure that she would spend the rest of her life alone. She would never find another man that understood her as Leo did. Now, Piper mourned for the life she could have had with Leo. The life she saw when she went to the future. She mourned for the marriage that she and Leo would never have. She mourned for Melinda, their daughter that would never come to be. Piper was in her room contemplating what to do with her life, when she heard the doorbell. She didn't move, knowing that either Pure or Phoebe would get it. After a minute she heard Prue call her name, telling her someone was there to see her. Piper sighed heavily as she slowly left her bedroom and went down the stairs. She really didn't feel like visiting with anyone. As she went down the stairs she could see that both Prue and Phoebe were in the foyer talking to the visitor, but Piper couldn't make out what they were saying. Then after she had gone down a few more steps and turned the corner to the last set of stairs she saw who the visitor was.
Leo.
Piper held her breath as she took in his blond hair and blue eyes. She stopped and stared at him, as he was yet unaware of her presence. He was so beautiful. She remembered to breathe and went down the final set of stairs-suddenly very nervous of his response. At the end of the stairs she looked up and saw Leo looking at her. Piper searched his eyes for answers-but didn't get any. Disappointment started to set in when he walked over to her. Leo quickly wrapped his arms around her and lowered his lips to hers.
Their passionate kiss awakened her senses. The whole world melted around them. Piper felt as if they were flying. Bright colors flashed before her eyes. After what seemed like a lifetime, Leo and Piper gently returned to the ground as their kiss softly ended.
"Whoa," Piper heard Prue say in the distance, and Piper remembered that there were other people in the world.
"Yeah, that's what I say. If I were kissed like that I wouldn't be able to stand for a week," Phoebe commented.
"What?" Piper asked trying to get back to reality. She heard Leo chuckle and Piper knew she was having a hard time focusing.
"We're going to give you two some privacy," Prue said as she dragged Phoebe up the stairs. Piper turned back to Leo.
"Hi," Piper said.
"Hi," Leo replied smiling. He hadn't let go of her, and it was taking all of her effort not to just forget about conversation.
"Do you want to go into the living room?" Piper asked.
"Sure," Leo said, still smiling.
"So, you got my letter?" Piper asked after they sat down on the couch facing each other.
"Yeah, I did," Leo answered. "It was sweet. I appreciate the gesture."
"It wasn't just a gesture, I meant, I still mean, every word."
"I know you do," Leo said quickly, "Its just... how can we make this relationship work when it took me two weeks to respond to your letter. That was your complaint when we were together before, and now it would be worse because I'm not working with you anymore."
"I know it won't be easy, but I know we can make this work. I'll take whatever time I can get from you-it doesn't matter how much time-just as long as we're together."
"Okay," Leo smiled lovingly at Piper, admiring the sacrifice she was willing to make, "but what about me clipping my wings?"
"You shouldn't have to give up being a white lighter for me," Piper said adamantly.
"And you shouldn't be forced to wait around until the next time I show up."
"Well, anytime I really miss you I could just freeze the rest of the world and then we cold have all the time we wanted," Piper joked.
"Wow," Leo said playing along, "Your powers have gotten that much stronger. I would love to see that."
They both laughed realizing how good it was to be with the other person.
"How about a compromise," Piper suggested, "For now I just sit around and wait for you." Piper gave Leo a look that told him that she would not just be sitting around. "And we continue to discuss you clipping your wings. Deal?"
"Deal," Leo said as he leaned in closer to Piper to seal their deal with a kiss.
