Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this story, those belong to the WB. I do however, own the story and it should not be recreated without my permission. Thanks.

Her big brown eyes looked into mine and I felt my knees go weak. I couldn’t do this, I couldn’t leave her. But I knew I had to go. There was a car outside, packed with my things and I had to get into it and drive away. I had to leave her here, alone, for good. Her eyes filled with tears as she stared up at me. I wanted to turn away, I couldn’t look at her anymore.

Suddenly without warning she flung her thin arms around my waist and hung on tight, bending over to lean her head against my stomach. I felt a wet spot develop on my shirt because of her tears. I put my arms around her and pulled her as close to me as I could, sweeping my hands through her hair and trying to lock everything about her into my memory.

“I have to go,” I said firmly, but my shaky voice gave me away. I didn’t want to go, I never wanted to leave her.

“No please, don’t,” she begged, letting go of my waist only to grab desperately onto my hands, her face crumbling in tears.

“Phoebe, I’m sorry but I have to. We knew this day would come, you’ve known for weeks I had to go,” I said firmly. She backed away at my stern tone and shook her head. Tears streaked her face as her eyes flamed.

“Dammit Piper don’t you dare lecture me. You’re the one leaving me to go to college,” she screamed, her voice loud but full of hurt.

“Phoebe don’t be ridiculous, you know I have to go,” I insisted calmly. Her face softened and she flooded more tears.

“I...I’m...s...sorry,” she apologised, her face crumbling again as she fell into my outstretched arms. I smiled and caught her, lowering us both to the ground.

“Phoebe this is crazy, I’m only a few hours away,” I said, pulling her off the ground. She clung desperately to my shirt and shook her head defiantly, refusing to let me go.

“It’s not the same,” she insisted, her brown eyes seeming to swim in her tears as she glared up at me. I sighed again and patted her head.

“I’m going to be late,” I said softly.

“Not if you don’t go,” she pointed out with a vague smile.

I shook my head, “No Phoebe.”

“But Piper...” she started, her lips curling into her famous puppy dog look. Something we both knew I could never resist, but this time I had no choice.

“Phoebe stop,” I said, “I’m going.”

“You’ll call all the time?” she questioned, seeing that I was serious about going and she couldn’t convince me out of it.

“Phoebe every other day I promise. You know I love you and I would give anything to stay, but I have to go,” I said as I pulled her close to me one last time.

What she didn’t know was that it was killing me to leave her just as much as it hurt her to let me go. But college was something that had to be done. It wasn’t like leaving to go for a friends house when she was upset, that I could skip. College was something I had to do, needed to do, and wanted to do. I know she knew that I had to go. I also knew that in time she would be okay without me. This was something we both needed to do. With that in mind I kissed her head for the last time and pushed her gently away. Brown eyes stared up at me, hurting but looking so strong as she bit her lip.

“Bye Piper,” she said quietly, as the tears streamed down her cheeks, “I love you.”

And with that she gave me the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. It touched every part of her face and lit them up. My heart broke at that smile, the amazing smile that had never failed to greet me as I walked in the door after school. The smile that had been by my side when I was hurting and sick, taking care of me. The smile that far surpassed any words she could ever say. I wanted to run to her then, to pull her into my arms and tell her I would never leave her. Instead I turned away and picked up my purse, taking it out to the car.

After I reached the car I turned back to the manor one final time. She was there, in the doorway. Her fifteen year old frame looking so straight and proud through the frightened tears that poured out of her light brown eyes. I was so proud of her then, I had always known she was strong. Perhaps stronger than me and Prue put together. She’d always been there, every step of my life, a quiet force that picked me up and dusted me off. I always wondered sometimes, who was older, although she loved playing the baby and snuggeling up to us. I would miss her, and I knew that, but I also knew she would still be there, waiting for me, when I came home. And then she’d go off and leave me for college. And the cycle would continue. She waved at me and I smiled.

“I love you too,” I mouthed as I got into the car.

My hands were trembling as I turned the ignition and pulled out of the driveway. It was all I could do to drive straight as the car moved down the street. I saw her, running after the car. She stopped at the corner and stared after me until I was out of sight. It was then that I finally let a few tears slide down my cheeks, but I knew she would be okay, she’d done almost the same thing when Prue left. So now I glanced down the street in front of me and turned up my radio. I was free, independant.

I had finally tried out my own wings, and I was flying.