Undeniable - Breakfast for Two

Breakfast for Two
by Kitka

Piper leaned against the counter, her arms crossed before her chest as the fingers of her right hand impatiently tapped her left elbow. Her eyes continued to dart from the dining table that was set with a feast that included eggs, bacon, popovers, and even some fresh strawberries to the kitchen doorway. As she wondered for the thousandth time what disaster was keeping her family this time and how long it would take them before they finally managed to get their butts there, her answer came in the form of stampeding footsteps pounding down the stairs.

Prue entered first, mere seconds ahead of Phoebe, and marched directly to the coffee maker. Without even noticing the frustrated look on Piper's face or the anger in her sister's eyes, she poured herself a cup of coffee and downed it in one long gulp. "Sorry, Piper, but we don't have time for breakfast this morning. I just can't get used to having to fit Phoebe's schedule into mine, but since she crashed her bike like only she could manage . . . "

"Hey, stop rubbing it in!" Phoebe complained even as Prue set the empty cup into the sink and turned to look at her sisters. "Believe me! This isn't all fun and games for me either, you know! I have more value for my life than to want to ride alone with you in morning traffic!"

"Well, you'd better hurry or else you won't have the inconvenience of having to choose between the values of your life and your education," Prue snapped as she raced out of the kitchen. "See you later, Piper!" she called back to her sister without even taking the time to look back at her.

Piper fixed Phoebe with a look, but her younger sister merely shrugged as she tossed the bag of bagels back into the cupboard she had pulled them from. Taking the bagel out of her mouth, she said only, "Sorry. Can't. Bye!", and then rushed after Prue.

It had been mere seconds after Piper had sighed after the way Prue and Phoebe had just rushed in and out of the kitchen when a voice called her name. "Hon?"

Piper's head jerked towards the door, and she sighed again at the sight of her husband sticking his head through the door. She had already expected what his problem was, and the guilty look on his face just affirmed her sinking suspicion. As he moved towards her, she wanted to demand that he stay at least long enough to eat a quick breakfast, but she forced herself to hold her tongue as the last thing she wanted that morning was more arguing on top of everything else.

"Piper, I know I said that They'd agreed to let me have the morning off," Leo began as he reached her, his pleading _expression begging her to understand and not be angry with him for what he felt he could not help, "but I was just summoned. I've got to at least go see what the problem is. I'm so sorry, love." He brushed a quick kiss across her forehead before turning and snatching a few slivers of bacon even as he orbed.

Piper sighed as she sank into her chair. Her elbows propped up onto the table, and she closed her eyes as she buried her head in her hands. The scream that threatened to explode from her escaped her lips as a long, slow sigh that was muffled only by her palms. It was mornings like this that she really didn't know why she ever bothered to try to do anything for her family that did not involve the Supernatural. Something always cropped up, and it seemed to be happening increasingly more lately. Indeed, she had yet to manage to gather them all together for a single breakfast the entire week as at least one, perhaps even two, members of her family always had some excuse as to why they couldn't linger even long enough to sit down for a few sparse moments spent with their family.

Piper did not know how long she had sat there when a soft voice suddenly interrupted her despairing thoughts. "Piper?" She looked up to find Cole standing in the doorway. In his blue eyes, she saw reflected a little boy who was fearful that he had missed out on something wonderful, but she knew she had to be imagining the expression. "Am I too late?"

"Too late for what?" Piper's brow knitted with confusion.

"For breakfast, of course," Cole replied as if his answer was as obvious as his handsome, tall form towering in the doorway. "I really hope I'm not," he admitted. "I'm starving, and your food is always so delicious!"

His words brought the first smile from Piper in days and touched her heart with a warmth that quickly spread through her body. "Of course not!" she exclaimed.

His grin lit up the room as he replied happily, "Wonderful!" He eagerly took his seat and began to fill his plate. Piper watched him, her brown eyes shining joyously as her delight grew with each new heap of food that Cole added to his plate. Not a single container went untouched as Cole filled his plate until it could not hold even so much as one more inch.

As he had been filling his plate, Piper had rose from her chair and moved to the refrigerator to pour him a glass of milk. She had not thought that she would need to ask him what he wanted to drink, but she doubted her choice as soon as he spoke again. "Piper," he asked softly, disappointment lacing his voice, "aren't you joining me?"

Piper's eyes had snapped back to Cole the very second he'd spoken again, and she could not help the merry dance that his humble question set her eyes in. "I'd love to, Cole," she said, smiling brilliantly, as she reached for a second glass.

The End