| The next morning dawned clear and bright despite the sadness that hung over the Manor. Piper was downstairs making breakfast, trying anything to get her mind off of the idea that Prue was really gone. Phoebe and Cole were sitting at the counter, in silence. This was the scene that greeted Michael when he entered the kitchen. �Hi,� he began. Phoebe looked up when he entered. �How�s she doing?� she asked. Michael shrugged. �She still won�t look me in the eye. It scares me that she won�t talk either. She is usually so verbal, it�s almost like she has lost that glow.� Phoebe nodded laying her head on Cole�s shoulder. Piper, through a haze of tears, decided it was time to take charge. �We, uh, need to think about making arrangements,� she said. �Piper�� Phoebe cut in. Piper shook her head. �No. It needs to be done. There is so much to do,� she rambled. �Oh god, Phoebe. We need to call Dad.� Phoebe rose and embraced Piper. �I�ll do it. We just need to take things slow. I am going to check on Maria, then I will call Dad.� Phoebe left, leaving Cole and Michael with Piper. Once Phoebe reached Maria�s room, her tears had begun all over again. The whole morning she struggled to keep control, for Piper�s sake. Piper needed her to be strong. Phoebe paused outside the door. Leaning her head against the cool paneling of the wall, she trued to regain her balance. She slowly opened the door and approached Maria. She could see that she was awake, but just as Michael said, it seemed as though she lost the essence that made Maria who she was. Phoebe leaned down, to be eye level with her sister. �Maria? Honey, can you hear me?� Maria didn�t respond. She seemed to focus her eyes just above Phoebe�s shoulder. Phoebe stroked her hair gently. �Come on, honey. You gotta come back to us. Nothing that happened was your fault. Prue knew�� Phoebe became choked up. �She knew what she was doing when she got too close. Please, come back to us.� Still Maria refused to come out of the hell she had built for herself. Phoebe leaned over her sister, and cried on her shoulder. �I need you. Piper and I both need you. We lost Prue, please don�t make us lose you too,� she pleaded. After a while Phoebe leaned up to see Maria�s eyes were misty, but she still refused to acknowledge her. �You come back to us when you�re ready. We will be waiting for you.� After a gentle kiss to Maria�s forehead Phoebe walked out to call her father and tell him the bad news. DOWNSTAIRS Cole and Leo were both attempting to make preparations for Prue�s funeral. They alternated between calling Prue�s friends and co-workers, neither being able to talk for very long without getting emotional. Leo set up the funeral for the next afternoon. They told everyone that Prue had died from an aneurysm, something that was unexpected. Piper stayed in the kitchen, trying to keep herself busy. Every time she stopped to think about everything her emotions took over and she lost control. She hated the feeling of being out of control. Finally, after snapping at everyone they left her alone. Piper was so confused. How could something like this happen to them? They were supposed to be the Charmed Ones. They were sisters, who were supposed to grow old together. How was her family going to stay together without it�s leader? She knew that the younger sisters would be looking to her for guidance. Piper wasn�t sure she would be able to handle it. She never had to be the eldest. She was always Piper, the cool headed one. The one who followed Prue and dragged Phoebe behind her. �Oh Prue,� she whispered. �I really need some help here. The family is already falling apart without you. Maria has closed herself off, and wont talk to anybody. I can�t seem to go through an hour without getting so angry I want to hurt someone. And I don�t think Phoebe has really had a chance to process everything.� Tears started to course down her cheeks as she continued her askance of her dead sister. �How am I supposed to lead them? How can we go on saving innocents, when we can�t even save each other? Please tell me it hasn�t all been in vain.� Piper didn�t actually expect a response, but it felt a little better voicing her concerns outloud. She knew that wherever Prue was she would be watching over them, trying her best to guide them. Piper just hoped she was finally happy wherever she was. TBC |
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