DISCLAIMER: The characters are property of WB and Spelling Inc.

NOTE: Part three of the Forbidden Love Series.

"Hey, come in, Phoebe. Is this your son? He's big already." Valerie ruffles the two-year-old boy's hair. "Prue, did you bring the kids?"

"No. Their father adores the little tykes. Won't let them out of his sight."

"Dan, they're here."

They all sit at the table and Dan serves dishes suspiciously looking like they came straight from Piper's recipe book. "Is Peter in school?"

"Yeah. He's off at twelve. He'll be here anytime."

"We wanted to thank you two."

"For what?" Valerie smiled.

"Well," Prue smiled mistily. "You named your newborn Piper. It really means a lot to us."

"Piper means a lot to our family. We kind of think of her as the children's Guardian Angel."

Phoebe choked. Prue offered her some drinks. She looked around, "Where is he?"

Peter entered the room and put down his backpack. "Hey Aunt Pheebs, Aunt Prue."

"Hi, Peter. Did you see your cousin?"

"Oh yeah, I passed by him in the living room. He's feeding Piper."

"I wanna see this!" Phoebe said. The rest of the party stood up too and went to the living room.

There they saw Phoebe's son kissing Dan's baby Piper on the forehead and holding the bottle to her lips. "I'll watch over you always, Pwiper," the boy promised in his high two-year old voice.

Prue grinned. Phoebe was suddenly overcome with emotion. She walks to her son and whispers, "Yes, Leo, you'll take care of Piper always, won't you?" She smiled and thought, "The search is over, huh? It's time to love again."

"Do you realize that the Gordons named their kids Peter and Piper? Get it? Peter Piper!" Leo frowned at his cousin. Aunt Prue's son was stupid. His Uncle Dan and Aunt Valerie were bringing their kids to the manor for their annual vacation there. He couldn't wait to see them again.

Soon, the Gordons' minivan stopped in the Halliwell driveway. The four year old ran out to greet the newcomers. Peter was the first one to jump off the car.

"Hey, Leo! You're getting bigger. Soon, we won't know who's older."

Leo grinned at Peter. Of all his cousins, he was closest to Peter although he's the one who lived so far away.

"Where's the baby?" Peter grinned. That was the first thing Leo always asks when they arrive.

"With Aunt Valerie."

Leo waves farewell to Peter and stands in front of Dan and Valerie. "Welcome back, Piper!" the boy piped in.

The girl's parents smile. Valerie puts Piper down on the street and places her hand on Leo's. "You be careful with Piper now, Leo. She walks fine but she's still a bit unsteady sometimes."

Prue and Phoebe watch from the door as Leo leads the two-year old girl up the few steps to the house.

"Oh, don't worry, Aunt Val. I'll be careful with Piper." Peter follows them, but not too closely else his cousin got mad. Leo always thought he could handle Piper fine by himself. Peter didn't much trust him though. He's been an expert at this. After all, he was already eight years old. He'd been flying since he was five. Now Leo, he didn't know a whit about this newly discovered ability of his, and Peter had no real idea what it was. All he knew was that Leo was excited about it. Peter couldn't be too careful. He didn't want Leo leaving Piper frozen or floating out of control.

"Leo! Leo, stop it!" Piper shrieked. "Mommy! Mommy, Leo's doing it again!"

The ten year old boy grinned. "Your mommy's not gonna come, silly. She and your dad left ten minutes ago. Your month with us just begun again."

"Aaaah! Peter…"

The fourteen year old put down the book he was reading and smiled at them. "Get off my sister, cuz."

Reluctantly Leo let Piper go. Piper immediately ran to hide behind Peter's chair. "It's not like I can't move you away from there, Pipe."

Piper made a face at him. "It's not like Peter won't save me."

"Come on, this is in the name of fun." Leo moved his hand and Piper began floating off her feet.

"Let me down, Leo. What are you doing? You know this makes me dizzy."

They heard running footsteps, and Leo panicked. Aunt Prue and Aunt Phoebe told them not to use their powers on Piper because Piper, being Valerie and Dan's daughter, had no power. Leo frantically moved his hands in order to put Piper down. Piper began screaming as she floated from one end of the room to the other. Peter's eyes widened.

"Stop it, Leo!" He levitated and caught Piper's waist, carefully touching the ground at the same time the door opened.

"Snack's on the table downstairs, you three. I hope you haven't been using your powers on the poor girl. You know she's not as fortunate as we are." The door shut. Leo shook his head. He'd always been right. Even as a kid, he knew Aunt Prue's kids weren't smart. Their frequent put downs of their annual human visitor proved it.

"Hey, Piper, I'm sorry. I panicked."

Piper nodded. "It's okay," she reassured him in a trembling voice.

Leo hugged her. "Don't worry about Billy. He's stupid."

Piper frowned. Peter ruffled her hair. "Billy's just jealous."

"But he's right. I'm a freak. I'm the only kid who can't fly or move things or stop things."

Leo chuckled. "Actually you're the only normal one in the lot of us. Out in the real world nobody does the things we do. Why do you think we're home schooled and you and Peter go to normal school? Because Peter can control his and because you don't have any." He tweaked her nose. "Come on, silly, race you downstairs."

Piper immediately brightened up and ran off. Peter watched the two go. His common sense told him that he should speak with Dan and Valerie soon. They'd better start separating Piper from his mother's side of the family. Not so much because of the teasing but because of the danger. Piper had no Halliwell blood, not even a drop. And these children would soon start encountering the dangers it entailed.

Peter grinned. He liked the way he thought. Just for his cautious and analytical mind (ehem) he knew he was the son of a Whitelighter. Dan and Valerie didn't know, but Aunt Phoebe never let a night pass without telling him who really was, without relating his destiny to him.

He looked towards the Heavens and saluted. "I'm waiting for your call."

Leo stood at the window of his house, waiting. It had been seven years since he last saw his best friend. And no matter how much Peter denied it, he knew he had something to do with it. So Leo had done a little research work and found Uncle Dan and Aunt Valerie a dream vacation. Now they had no choice but to leave Piper with them. Of course Peter just had to be there. He'd left the university to stay with Piper. It wasn't as though he'd make Piper fly again. Why did Peter always have to think the worst?

Leo grinned. Just a few minutes more and they'll be here. Uncle Dan was never late. That was what Leo liked about him. He wondered if Piper would be in braids or in pigtails. The last time he saw her, when she was eight, she had on pink clips at each side of her face. She was wearing a pink and white dress then, when they were leaving. She had clung to him so hard, just like she did the seven previous years.

Leo missed that little girl. He loved Peter, true. But he may never completely forgive him for instigating the Keep-Piper-from-the-Halliwells act. Now Leo missed her growing up. Well, she'd be with them a month again. That'd be plenty of time to catch up.

On the dot, Dan's minivan stopped on the Halliwell driveway. Leo grinned. Here comes pretty little Piper Gordon now. The front passenger seat opened and the twenty one year old Peter stepped out, with a backpack slung over his shoulder. He pulled open the backseat door and talked to someone inside. Valerie got out of the minivan. Leo opened the door to the manor.

Peter grabbed some bags from the back door of the minivan. Leo had a huge grin on his face. The grin froze when he saw a creamy leg touch the pavement and a denim miniskirt came to view. His jaw dropped.

"Oh, mama!" he muttered.

The long light brown hair caressed her back. The striking features of her face caught his attention at once. Pretty blue eyes, he could tell, even from the distance. She smiled at him and his heart began beating as though it was inside a jar of mercury.

"Leo, you aren't helping with the bags," Phoebe scolded him. Immediately he crashed to the ground. He walked towards Piper and extended his hand.

Piper grinned. "You're teasing me again, Leo! Why will you take my handbag?"

Leo swallowed. "Where are your bags?"

"The big ones that Daddy's unloading?" she answered.

Leo scratched his head. "Oh yeah." Piper smiled and waved her thank you's at him. She kisses Dan and Valerie and gets into the manor. "Hey, Piper." She turned her head at him, and as she did, she looked like a shampoo commercial to his mind's eye. Her hair flew in the air and settled half on her shoulders.

"Yes?"

Leo blinked again. "I just wanted to say—"

"Yes?" she prompted.

"Just wanted to say…man, you've grown!"

She waved him away. "I'll take it as a compliment." He stared adoringly as she kissed Phoebe on the cheek and entered the house. He tried to keep his eyes away from the swaying hips.

Little Piper's not so little anymore.

"In the attic?"

"Yeah. I have a surprise for you."

"Oh no," Piper smiled. "You're kidding me. I know what you're gonna do. You're going to levitate me again, Leo. I hope you noticed you can't do that anymore. I'm fifteen now!"

Leo scratched his head. "I still can, of course."

"I'm wearing a skirt!"

"But I won't," he amended. "I found something else. I'd have shown it to you but you didn't come back anymore."

"Yeah. It sucked." Piper climbed the stairs. "So, what're you waiting for, Leo? Thought we're going to the attic? Anyway," she continued, as she saw Leo following, "I asked daddy about it. They won't tell me. I thought it had something to do with all you other kids having hocus pocus."

Leo grinned. "There are no kids here anymore. Billy's nineteen and I'm seventeen. Alice is my age."

Piper giggled. "Are they going to be evil to me still?"

He shook his head. "I think they've learned their lessons. They both missed you too."

They entered the attic. "So what's this new power, Leo?"

Leo smiled at her and pulled a chair to the center of the room. "Sit down."

"I'm almost afraid to." She did anyway.

Leo stood a few feet away from her. Soon, little dancing lights played around Piper. They looked like fireflies blazing a trail of spectacular light. "Oh! They tickle!" The lights rose to the ceiling and swayed back down to Piper again. Some of the lights rose and spelled out her name. "Thank you!"

"It's not finished yet," Leo said, smiling as he carefully manipulated the movements. "I choreographed them just for you."

The lights moved in circles, and Piper laughed. "It's so cute." The lights begin spelling out. "I." More lights gathered. "Missed you." Piper clapped her hands and ran to Leo, giving him a hug.

"Thanks, Leo. I missed you too!"

Leo gently pushed her away from him. "Glad to have you back, Piper," he whispered. He stared into the blue eyes that smiled at him. He didn't know what happened, but suddenly, she'd grown so serious. The young lips were moistened. Slowly, he bent his head to touch his lips to hers. She raised her head and closed her eyes.

"Leo! Piper!"

They jerked apart and saw Aunt Prue standing at the door, hands akimbo. Leo's mom was standing there too, but unlike frowning Aunt Prue, she was grinning at the two of them. Piper bit back a smile when she saw Leo's mom give her son a thumbs up.

"Leo, what would your Uncle Dan and Aunt Valerie say if they knew you were spooning with their daughter?"

"Ummm, Prue," Phoebe interjected. "I think Dan and Valerie's been aware that something like this is bound to happen since the two of them were babies."

Leo protectively wrapped his arm around Piper's waist. "Aunt Prue, I've been in love with Piper for so long."

Piper turned to him, surprised. She gave him a blinding smile. "Really?" Leo smiled back at her.

"Still," Prue said, "you two are much too young. How do you even know if it's love? No! You two have to be watched from now on. We're responsible for you, Piper Gordon."

"Mom, Alice is on the phone!" Prue leaves the three in the attic.

"I hate forbidden love!" Piper exclaimed dramatically.

Phoebe burst out laughing. "Someday, I'm gonna have to tell you two a story."

"Okay, Leo, everything's in here," Phoebe said, handing Leo the picnic basket. "Here's the map. It's very romantic. My dates used to take me there everyday."

"Thanks, mom."

"Oh, come here, we'll powder you up. You can't expect Piper to go out with a young man with a shiny nose, do you?"

Leo was lucky. At least his mom was supportive. Maybe it had something to do with the stuff she believed in. After all, Peter had told him that Leo's mom always told him stories about his own mom, who was a witch, and dad, who was an angel. Peter even suspected that Phoebe held the deep belief that she had given birth to the reincarnation of Piper's angel, hence the name. Phoebe freaked out when she heard that Dan and Valerie named their own baby girl after Piper.

"You're lucky Prue took Alice shopping. She'd never let you go out with Piper after seeing you in the attic." Her son blushed. "Don't worry about it, Leo. I used to sneak out all the time. Just remember how you feel about her, and you'd know when to stop."

Leo blushed to the roots of his hair. "I respect her, mom."

Phoebe hid a smile. "Very good, Leo. Now keep repeating that to yourself, honey."

Her son looked down at his shoes. "Okay, mom. Now can I go?"

"Yes, sure you can." Leo didn't leave. "Oh, are you waiting for these?" She dangled the car keys in front of him. The boy grabbed it at once.

"Thanks, mom."

"It's okay, Leo. Why don't you kiss me goodbye?" Leo smacked her on the cheek. "Now you kiss Piper like that for the first few months. Don't be too ambitious at once. Slow's the word."

Leo couldn't believe his mother's actually giving him courting advice. He hurried upstairs and knocked on Piper's room. "Come in!"

"Hey!"

Piper looked up from the book she was reading. "Hey, Leo." She didn't say anything for awhile. "Are you allowed to be in my room?" She smiled a small smile.

"Well, yeah, I guess. You hungry?"

"Ummm…not very. Wh—"

"Coz I have a picnic basket prepared and I was wond—"

"Oh yes I am so hungry!" She closed her book and flung the blankets away. Piper grabbed her coat and combed her hair. "Where are we going?"

Leo sighed in relief. "I was thinking of trying a spot mom used to go to when she was younger. She says it's beautiful."

"Sounds great!" Piper sounded overexcited, but she didn't get out much when she was in the Halliwells. "How do I look?" Leo began to cough. "Okay, okay…" She inserted her hand in his. "Bye, Aunt Pheebs."

"Bye, honey! Have fun."

"We will," Piper answered enthusiastically.

Phoebe waved them goodbye. Piper got into the passenger seat and Leo took down the top. "It's a beautiful day," he commented. He hopped into the driver's seat and started the engine.

The manor door was suddenly flung open and Aunt Phoebe stood at the door, calling. "Oh Piper!"

"Yes, Auntie?"

"Not too much, ok? Prue might kill me."

"I know what you mean, Aunt Pheebs. I swear we'll be mature!" Phoebe grinned and watched as Leo pulled out of the driveway.

Billy nodded to Peter, who was working the bar for the month to help out while he and his "sister" stayed over. Since it was still afternoon, there were no customers yet. Peter was just cleaning up and looking over things.

"So you got both huh?"

"Yes, I did."

"That's pretty lucky. I'm passive. Good thing you can handle two."

"More. Dad had more than one."

Billy shook his head. "You're probably the strongest of us three."

"I'm the oldest. I probably just sharpened them enough because I'm the eldest."

"Still you have the most."

"You and Leo have human fathers. Of course I'd have more."

"Speaking of which, do you remember what he looks like?"

Peter stayed quiet for a while, and then shook his head. "The Gordons don't exactly have pictures of him around the house. Dan's been a pretty good dad though. I just wish I could remember him. I mean, mom has thousands of pictures at home. Dad, Dan I mean, must've gone a little off in the head when she died. He'd probably reproduced her pictures a dozen times each just to fill her room with them. We have only one picture of her before she got sick though. I think it was even from your mom."

"Yeah. Mom has tons of pictures of your mom. She and Aunt Phoebe think your mom's pretty cool."

Peter sounded interested. "Tons? You think maybe I could some?"

"Of course, man! They wouldn't mind. Me and Alice even have our own copies." He pulled out his wallet. "Why don't I give you this? You can keep it. It would obviously mean a lot more to you."

Peter took the worn picture. It was a snapshot of Piper and Leo. "Crap! Aunt Phoebe told me I looked like him but I never realized how much until now." He traced the picture with his finger. "They were so happy. I wonder why they even split up. It seems insane to me that two people this meant for each other would willingly stay apart." He shook his head. "You know, Billy, I've been hearing these strange bells in my ears for the past hour. It really bothers me."

"You should ask Aunt Phoebe about that on the phone. My mom might know what that's about but I think it's only Aunt Phoebe at home."

"Okay man." He hands him the picture. "I'll have that recopied. I know you really want a picture of her with you too. She's your aunt too." He turned to walk to the phone.

Billy nods and takes the picture. He's suddenly thrown into a premonition.

"This seems like a great spot." Leo unfolded the blanket and spread it on the grass.

"Yes it is." Piper unloaded the basket and laid the food carefully on the blanket. "Hey, what's this? Oh, Leo! I love tulips! Thank you." She kisses him on the cheek.

One point for mom, he thought. They shared the food and she dazzled him with stories of the past years. He was staring at her so intently he didn't recognize the slight change of the atmosphere around them until it was too late.

"Leo?"

He put a finger against his lips. "Do you hear anything?" Piper's heart pounded. There was a slight movement in the grass. She nodded. He held out his hand to her, and she grabbed it at once.

"I'm so scared," she whispered.

"Don't be. I'm here. I promise I'll keep you safe." She squeezed his hand and closed her eyes, praying that whatever or whoever was out there would leave them alone. Leo pulled her up. "When I say run, run."

"I'm not leaving you."

"We'll run together."

"I love you too, Leo."

He chuckles softly. "Don't start going sentimental or emotional, Piper. Disaster always follows those."

She smiles timidly. "I suppose."

He sees a dark figure at the corner of his eye. He flings it against a tree with the quick movement of his free hand. "Run!" The two of them go off scampering into the woods. As they got deeper, the slower she ran. "Come on, Piper. He's still behind us!"

"I can't anymore! Leo!"

Leo slows them down. The dark hooded man floats down in front of them. "I was wondering when you'd give up." Leo steps in front of Piper. "I can still see the girl, you idiot!" Leo raises his hand to throw the figure away, but he couldn't bring it back down. "Still using your hands? What a disappointment you are. I thought you'd have practiced enough and done like your Aunt Prue does and just uses her eyes." Leo felt an invisible force pull his hands behind him and tie them back. "Now you're helpless." The man shakes his head. He punches Leo in the stomach and Leo doubles over, falling to the ground.

"Leo!" Piper sits on the grass and cradles Leo's head on her lap. "What is wrong with you?" she screams at the man. "Leave him alone."

"Oh, don't worry. We'll leave him alone." He snatches her by the hair and pulls her away from Leo.

"Leo! Leo!"

Leo struggled with the invisible bonds. "Piper! Piper, I'm coming! I'll get you!" He kicked his legs and twisted on the ground. The man vanished in the air with Piper. "Damn! Piper!!!"

Billy clenched his feet and ran around the bar. "Where did Peter go?"

"I have no idea, sir."

Billy saw what happened, and he decided he couldn't wait around for Peter anymore. He had to save his cousin and the human. But what could he do, have premonition upon premonition and drive the man crazy with information? He ran his fingers through his hair. There wasn't much choice, was there? He ran out of the club and drove away.

Leo had been lying there for hours. Now he was cold and wet and afraid. The woodland got pretty dense now, and anyone's looking for them would be lost. But Billy and Peter must be looking, so he turned to his chest and set colored sparks flying to the sky with his hands tied.

Billy soon came running at the same moment Peter materialized from blue light.

"So you lost my sister."

Peter orbed into the manor. Phoebe smiled at her nephew. He reminded her so much of Leo more than twenty years ago when he would materialize anywhere, surprising her sister and sometimes, even her and Prue. He would have been so proud of his son, who was called by the Elders just today to warn him of the coming danger. Soon, Peter would be whitelighting, even though he was still alive. In fact, Phoebe was sure he had already been offered the position to assume automatically when his time came.

"He won't hurt her. It's a petty warlock who wants another power. He wants the power to stop time. I've agreed to give it to him. He'll bring Piper here and we'll trade."

Prue shook her head. "That's crazy, Peter. Give them what they want and they'll just thirst for more."

"Don't give the warlock the power, and he's bound to hurt Piper, Aunt Prue."

"My son's right. There are five of us against one."

"No. Unfortunately, Aunt Phoebe, there will be three of us—Billy, Leo and I."

"Charmed," Prue realized. "He wants the next generation of Charmed."

"You've trained me for this from the moment I was born, mother," Billy said. "We'll handle this. You can go to dad's house for a while and stay with Alice. Take Aunt Phoebe with you. He's always welcomed you even after you divorced. Leo may be a little rusty since Piper's all he's used his powers on, but we'll manage. Especially since Peter seems to have the largest power pool among us three."

"He's giving one away."

"And it will be our ace, auntie. Don't worry. We know what we're doing."

The warlock reveled in the feel of Peter's power on time surging into his body. He pushed Piper towards them, and Leo caught her.

"Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm fine."

"Stupid men. You do realize that I came to destroy you. Now you've given me the power, and I'll use it against you."

Peter smirked. "Use the power. How about a little test? I've developed it enough by now that you can freeze this entire house." Billy and Leo met his eyes. Peter's were expressionless, so they went along with him.

The warlock was suspicious. He'd never met more stupid people, but then again, they were the most powerful trio of supernaturals on earth. It used to be those three girls, but so long to them. They left an even more powerful group though, since they didn't exactly have one power each. The warlock raised his hands and froze the room.

Peter chanted and felt his power returned to him. "And he called us stupid. Didn't he remember that we don't freeze, and that he will? he chuckled. Peter unfroze Piper. "Stay back, sis." Billy, Peter and Leo held hands and chanted, "The power of three will set us free." Piper gasped as the warlock burst into flames right in the living room.

Prue was still in her old house reminiscing with her no-good Bane. She'd always love him, but in the practical sense, their love would never really work out. It was better this way. They were friends who loved each other, but didn't expect the same things that a married couple would expect from the other.

Phoebe sat on the couch. She was together with the kids in the living room. Billy sat on a single chair at one end of the room. Peter stood leaning against the wall at another side. Piper sat on the couch with her head on Leo's shoulder. Phoebe noticed how they twined their fingers together.

She'd promised to tell them the story. So she did. She told them about her sister Piper, who'd fallen in love with the whitelighter Leo. She told them how their love was forbidden, and the tragedy that befell them. "That's why Peter's a Gordon," she said. "Even though he's the son of Piper and Leo. On the other hand it's fortunate, because no one thought to look for the most powerful supernatural in the Gordon home. Valerie named you after Piper too. When Leo was two, I knew immediately that their promise of meeting again in their next incarnation was fulfilled. They wanted a chance to fall in love without barriers, and here you are. Nobody ever said witches and humans aren't supposed to fall in love." Phoebe yawned. "All right, kids. It's been a long day for you, fighting the warlock and all. It has been for me too, since I had to socialize with Bane Jessup for interminable hours while you did your thing. Let's go up and get some rest."

Billy took Phoebe to her room. Peter smiled at Leo and Piper. "So I call you two mom and dad now?"

Piper slapped his shoulder. "You try it, Peter Gordon, and we'll hang you upside down!"

Peter ran upstairs to his room, leaving Piper and Leo at the stairs. "Cool story, huh?"

"You believe Aunt Phoebe? That we're actually Piper and Leo." She laughed. "Well, we are Piper and Leo. I meant—"

"I know what you meant. Don't worry. If we're them, all I can tell you now is that because we've been given this chance, to love without barriers or boundaries, we'll make it."

Dan had other plans though. The next day, right after hearing the news, he descended on the Halliwell manor. "I apologize for this, Prue, Phoebe, but I hope you'll understand my position here. Peter can stay with you until his semester begins again. But I have to take Piper. She can't defend herself from the danger those three are going to be exposed to now. She'll have to stay away from them from now on."

Piper cries and holds on to Leo, not wanting to let go. Leo holds her to him tightly. Dan takes Piper's arm.

"Leo! Please, daddy, don't do this to me!"

"Uncle Dan, I can defend Piper. Please, Uncle Dan, let her stay."

Dan shook his head. "Take a look at what's going on around you, young man. If your cousins didn't get to you in time, you'd have been dead and where would Piper be? It's selfish of you to expose her to the dangers that would be coming now! If you love Piper, Leo, let her go."

Leo's hold on Piper slackens. "No! No, Leo, I want to stay with you. Don't let go, please! I don't care about all that. Leo!"

Dan pulls her away. "I'll find you someday, Piper. I promise. Your father's right. We'll not be parted, Piper." Dan's minivan speeds away, and Leo runs a few yards after it. "Someday."

Epilogue

Ten years later, Piper fixed Peter's bow. "Looking nice, Peter. Sharon is very lucky to have you. Speaking of whom, I hope she gets here soon. The ceremony starts in twenty minutes."

"And you'd better find your partner, bridesmaid. Everyone's pairing up out there."

"You assigned someone for me, didn't you? Let him wait. How do I look?" Peter looked her sister over. She was wearing the flowing white dress Sharon picked out. Her hair was caught up in a neat coiffure. Ringlets fell around her face to soften the do.

"Fantastic. Your partner's pants will fall off."

Piper giggled. "Right! Okay, you stay here and don't be nervous. It's just a wedding." She kisses his cheeks and walks towards the other bridesmaids. "I wonder where my partner is."

"Piper Gordon." She turned around and caught her breath.

"Leo." The decade apart didn't diminish the love she felt for him. Her heart jumped to her throat.

"I'll be walking you down the aisle."

She smiled and hooked her arms around his neck, pulling his head down for a deep kiss. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry for the delay," he answered huskily. "I spent the past ten years perfecting my powers so I can prove to your father that I can protect you now. This time there's no leaving or letting each other go, Piper."

"Well of course, Leo. This time, it's forever."