Disclaimer: Again, I don't own the characters, I just love to write about them

This rated PG-13, possibly R.

The decision had been made that Prue would switch rooms with Piper and Leo. The furniture had been moved and all that was left for Prue to do was put her things away in their new home. Piper’s old room was considerably smaller than Prue’s, but Prue knew she hardly spent enough time in her room to mind the cut-down on square footage, not to mention she was glad Piper would be staying in the manor.

She spent time putting books back on the bookshelf and rewiring the DVD/TV system she had bought with her first paycheck from 415. She then rewired her stereo. Next she took on the daunting task of hanging her massive wardrobe in the new, much smaller closet. Prue had found the downfall of the move. Before she begun to hang the clothes on the rack she decided to sweep the hardwood floor. Prue did like the design of Piper’s closet but it definitely was smaller than her old one.

She returned from the kitchen with broom in hand. She laughed to herself when she realized the connotations that could be made with her, a witch, holding a broom. She shook off the laugh and returned to her work. Dust had gathered in the closet and Prue choked a little on the air. She walked into the closet and swept the ceiling, and then tried to sweep the shelf high on the wall. She hated being short and not being able to reach the shelves. She dragged a chair into the closet and stood. The shelf was covered with more dust than the floor was ever likely to have seen.

“Didn’t Piper ever clean her room?” Prue asked the dust.

She cleaned the shelves, returned the chair to its place next to the desk and then walked back into the closet. Again she took to sweeping the floor. Her arms were already tired from the moving of furniture and a twitch in her bicep caused her to drop the broom. She listened to it hit the floor…thwap.

“That sounded weird.”

Prue tapped a foot on the floor where the broom landed. It rang hollow in her ears. She stooped down to knock on the floor with her fist. What happened next surprised her. After the third rap with her knuckles, a small square portion of the floor popped away from the rest of the boards.

“I’ll be damned, a trap door.”

Prue was about to call out to Piper and Phoebe when she noticed there was something in the hole. She carefully reached in, fully aware of the possibilities of nature’s creatures, and took hold of the object she had seen. She abstracted it from the floor and saw that it was a small, leather bound journal. It, like the rest of the closet, was covered in dust. Prue opened the book and read the first page. Piper Halliwell - Baker High - Class of 1992.

Closing the book she peered again into the hole. She saw something else. Reaching in for a second time she withdrew a small pocketknife. Prue opened it and saw that the blade was rusty red. She returned the journal and the knife and decided she would not read the journal, nor would she ask Piper about the knife. She would let Piper’s yesteryears remain unknown.

The day went on and Prue found herself with a nicely put-together room. She also found herself alone for the third Friday in a row as Piper and Leo had gone dancing and Phoebe was out visiting Cole at the tomb. She thought about going to a movie but the idea of being alone in a room filled with couples only agitated her. So instead she decided to stay at home and watch a movie.

Comfortable in her bed, she flipped through the never-ending infomercials that bombarded her television set. Finally she settled on an old western starring John Wayne. It was 9pm when her eyes started wandering toward the closet door. Her sisters and brother-in-law wouldn’t be home for a while and the thought of the journal was, ever so steadily, pressing itself against the front of her mind. She shook off the temptation to read Piper’s private thoughts and returned to John Wayne.

In 10 minutes her mind joined her eyes in wandering toward the closet and the journal. Within 15 minutes her body joined the crusade. Prue rose from the bed and slowly opened the closet door. She flipped on the light and kneeled down to the board. She knocked once, twice and then suddenly she stood.

“I can’t do this, it’s not right. I can’t just invade Piper’s life like this.”

She began to walk out of the closet and then turned quickly back around, dropping to her knees and giving the board one final tap. Her heart thundered with anticipation at the idea of hearing what her sister’s thoughts had been during her high school years and in finding the answer to her new mystery concerning the origin of the pocketknife.

Prue held the journal tightly as she scurried to the bedroom door locking herself inside. She didn’t want Piper to see her reading it and she didn’t want Phoebe to know that Prue was not perfect and could not fight the temptation to be nosy. Prue slid under her covers and by the lamp on her nightstand she opened the journal to its first entry and began to read.

July 21, 1991
Dear diary,
Today was the crappiest day of my existence yet. And it’s all Prue’s fault…

Prue flinched at that first line of the journal but continued to read.

July 21, 1991
Dear Diary
Today was the crappiest day of my existence yet. And it’s all Prue’s fault. She told us today that she’s going away to college. I’m so mad at her right now. How can she just leave me here alone with Grams and Phoebe? I know she needs her education and all that, but I’m just going to miss her so much.

Phoebe and Prue are the only friends I have in this world. When Prue leaves I’ll have no one to look out for me at school, or to give me advice or anything. I probably sound so selfish. Prue says I’ll be fine, but I’m 18 and I’ve never been on a date. I have to wear these stupid coke bottle glasses because my eyes aren’t quite right yet for contacts. The eye doctor said I’ll grow into them eventually, just not yet.


Not only that, but I have braces and I’m so clumsy. Plus I have a real case of zits and my hair is all wrong. I never look good in makeup. I just can’t stand myself. But Prue makes me feel better. She makes me feel like I’m special and I don’t want her to leave me this year.

Why can’t she just stay and go to community college. I need her more than the rest of the world does. She was head cheerleader and class president. She could so help me be popular this year. Phoebe is pretty popular but she’s only going to be a sophomore.

I just want to be noticed in a good way. I want to hang out with the popular girls at parties and maybe date a football player. They’re all so cute.

Guess I’m just a hopeless freak, huh? This year is so going to suck. Well, I better go spend time with Prue. She’s leaving August 18th, the week before school starts. Ugh! That’s so soon!

Love, Piper

Prue shifted positions in her bed as she reflected on that time in her life. She had been so excited and ready for college. She never knew that Piper had needed her so badly. She remembered how hard Piper had tried not to cry that day.

“I know her year got better after that though.” Prue said as if speaking to the journal.

Prue’s eyes roamed the room and settled on the picture of Piper that sat on her dresser. It was from her senior year Christmas Dance. Prue loved the way Piper looked that night. She was gorgeous and elegant, everything she wasn’t at the beginning of her senior year. Piper, upon seeing the picture, had asked Prue not to display it, but Prue insisted and Piper relented.

Prue listened for any sounds in the house. She worried that Piper or Phoebe would catch her with the journal, but there were no sounds and the door was locked, so Prue felt comfortable enough to return to her reading.


August 23, 1991
Dear Diary,

Well, it’s Friday night. Grams is at a poker game and Pheebs is at a slumber party. Me? I’m sitting home alone. It’s a fair prediction of how my senior year will be. Alone and bored.

Prue left for college this past Sunday. I tried my best not to cry but after she drove away I locked myself in my room and bawled like a five-year old for hours. Grams and Phoebe just couldn’t understand why I was so sad. I already miss her so much. I guess I have to go through life without her at some point huh?

Well, school starts Monday and I so don’t want to go. I see how it’s going to play out when I close my eyes. I walk down the hall and somehow I trip and my books go flying yards in front of me. Then someone like Jenny Williams, Miss Popularity, walks by looks down at me and she and her little sidekick, Amanda Harris laugh at me, the whole hall full of people start laughing, and somehow Jake James hears about it and he starts laughing at me too. I see it now.

Jake James is the guy I’ve had a crush on since last year. He’s captain of the football team. He’s what Phoebe would call HOT. He has dark brown hair and big blue eyes. I bet he would never look twice at a geek like me.

Don’t think I don’t try to be cool. I read all the fashion magazines and try to use the right makeup but I always look like me, only half the time a bigger dork than usual. I guess only Prue and Phoebe got the cool genes in our family.

Well, I’m going to go to sleep. Phoebe, Grams and I are going shopping tomorrow for school clothes. Please, God, please, please, don’t make school suck this year, please.

Love, Piper


Prue flipped to the next entry still smiling over Piper’s desperation. Prue felt sorry for Piper but she found it ironic that the things Piper thought were so heart wrenching those days before school, paled in comparison to the battles she had fought as an adult. Prue smiled heartwarmingly at the memory of Piper, age 18, braces gleaming, hair in ponytail, thick glasses crooked on her nose, and heart of gold. She read on.


August 26, 1991
Dear Diary,

Well, it’s official. School sucks. Sure enough, in homeroom, I tripped over my own shoelaces and fell flat on my face only to gather my sprawled things up, stand and find myself face to face with a snickering Jenny Williams.

At least Paul Harlowe didn’t laugh. He’s Jake’s best friend. Maybe he will defend me if Jenny and Amanda go blabbing to Jake about it. As of 3rd period Jake hadn’t heard about the homeroom incident. I have chemistry with him. We’re in Mrs. Sutter’s class. She’s a real bore. But at least I can see Jake. Unfortunately Amanda’s in that class too.

Okay, I hear Gram’s calling me and Phoebe to dinner. I want to find out how Phoebe’s day went. I’m sure she probably already has tons of friends. She got the majority of the cute genes, Prue got the cool genes, and me…I got short changed! They should have put an overdose of chlorine in the gene pool before I was born!

God, what is that smell?!?! Grams must be cooking one of those really funky potions again. I hope I don’t have to eat it. I better go see what she’s trying to pass off as dinner.

Love, Piper


Prue read the last sentence of the entry and chuckled. Grams had probably been cooking a vanquishing potion right next to Monday night dinner. Prue got out form under the covers and laid the journal on the nightstand. She crept downstairs and looked out the kitchen window. There was no sign of Piper or Phoebe. The manor was dark as it usually was on a Friday night, only this time it was unaware of the single occupant creeping about. Prue, rifling through the chips in the pantry, snagging a coke from the refrigerator, swiping the cookies from the jar on the counter.

Suddenly headlights reflecting through the window swept the room. Prue quickly gathered her midnight snacks and headed for the stairs. Behind her she heard the front door open.

“Please, please, please, don’t let it be Piper.” Prue thought as she stopped in her tracks.

She turned slowly as the front door closed. Her eyes were tightly shut while she prayed
that her youngest sister was standing in front of her instead of the middle sister whose innermost private thoughts she had been invading for hours. She heard a voice, half-laughing, ask her what she was doing. She opened her eyes and took in the figure.

“Oh thank God, Phoebe, it’s just you.”

Phoebe made one comment and then another about Prue’s strangeness.

“I’m not strange, I was just reading…ummm…a really good scary story.”

Again a smirk from Phoebe and a word about Stephen King.

“Right, well, I have a few more chapters to read and then I’m through with the book.”

Prue excused herself and finished the trek up the stairs with snack in hand. They had gotten harder to carry the longer Phoebe had questioned her. She spread the snacks out on her desk and retrieved the journal from her nightstand. Amused by Piper’s pre-adult perils, she returned to the journal, geared for the next few entries.

August 30, 1991

Dear Diary,

Oh my God…you’ll never believe what happened to me today…He talked to me in chemistry. Jake James actually talked to me. He said he thought I was smart and he asked me if we could be lab partners. Duh, yes of course. When I tried to speak nothing came out so I just nodded my head yes, I know he doesn’t like me or anything but at least he likes my brain.

I heard Amanda and Jenny talking bad about me behind my back today. They said I was ugly and that I shouldn’t be allowed to live. They knew I could hear them. It really hurt my feelings and I was about to cry when Paul Harlowe gave me an invitation to his Labor Day pool party this coming Monday afternoon.

I don’t know if I will go or not. I am ugly and I look so disgusting in shorts, I know I’ll look like a freak in a swimsuit, especially if Amanda and Jenny are there. My boobs aren’t half the size of theirs.

Oh, well, at least I did get my braces off this past Wednesday. My teeth look okay. But I still think I’m ugly. I couldn’t even look at a mirror today. Why can’t I be even the least bit pretty. Later.

Piper


Prue put the journal down on her pillow and wiped away the single tear that played upon her cheek. She had no idea Piper’s self-esteem was ever that low. She had no idea that Piper had ever seen herself as disgusting. Prue gathered the empty chip bag and took her trash back downstairs. She turned the corner into the kitchen and was surprised to see Piper sitting at the table. Her head was bent over a notebook, a pen scribbling furiously.

“Piper, I didn’t hear you come in. Whatcha doin’?”

Prue met Piper’s eyes as she looked up from her writings. Piper’s brown eyes looked sorrowful. Prue sat next to her, touching her hand as she waited for Piper to speak. Piper explained to Prue that Leo had once again been called to duty and that she wrote a poem every time their dates were interrupted.

“So, then I guess you’ve become quite the writer?”

Piper smiled and nodded. Prue noticed how straight her teeth were and how true the smile was. She didn’t worry about Piper’s well being too often, but after the things she had uncovered in the journal, she worried about the Piper that had once been. She wondered how many layers her sister had buried to recover from such a bad self-image. Prue stood to leave saying goodnight. She got to the kitchen door and then turned to Piper once more.

“Piper, have I told you lately how wonderful you are?”

Prue could read Piper’s quizzical gaze.

“Well, I just don’t know if I’ve ever told you how beautiful you are. I don’t mean just your soul because we all know how incredible that is, but I’m talking about the outside too. You are a knock out. Well, anyway, I love you. Goodnight.”

Prue left Piper mulling over the compliment and returned to the room that had once been occupied by a very alone, very afraid Piper. She hated that she had not been there for her younger sister. But apparently Piper made it through. She had to have made it through or she wouldn’t be so incredible. Prue locked the door and returned to her bed to pick-up the temptation the journal had become. Simple thoughts from a high school girl in a high school journal, but yet Prue knew that if she read on she would discover a world left unknown to anyone but Piper. Prue thought about the knife beyond the trapdoor. The journal compelled her.

Journal – part 4

September 3, 1991

Dear Diary,

Wow, I can’t believe I actually had a great time at Paul’s party yesterday. I wasn’t sure if I was going to go or not but Prue called and she talked me into it over the phone. She even told me where all her bathing suits were. I had to wear one from a couple of years ago because her top is slightly bigger than mine.

Anyway, I actually overheard James tell Paul he thought I had a nice body. I almost died. I guess maybe if I had a tan I’d look okay, but I don’t have a nice body. I am so in love with Jake even though he doesn’t even know I’m alive.

Paul pushed Jenny into the pool, which was pretty funny, because she came back over the surface of the water just screaming about her perfect hair being messed. I’m still laughing about it. Even Amanda sort of laughed at her. I so can’t stand Jenny Williams, she must be Satan Spawn or something.

Today in Chem class Jake told me I was funny, like as in a good sense of humor. Normally when people say I’m funny they’re talking about me being weird not humorous. Anyway, I just thought that was so awesome that he even gave me the time of day and gave me a compliment.

Amanda even talked to me today and was very nice. I think getting the braces off helped a lot because I smile more now. Everyone likes a happy person right? Well, I better go, second week of my senior year and I have a lot of homework.

Love, Piper



Prue felt good about the entry she had just read. It seemed as though Piper’s life had gotten better quickly. Somewhere in the back of Prue’s mind she was concerned about the sudden rise in Piper’s sociability. Was there some joke being played on Piper when she was the most vulnerable? Prue pondered the possibilities as she flipped to the start of the next entry.


September 8,1991

Dear Diary,

My life is starting to be worth living. I actually went to a slumber party last night and you’ll never guess who invited me…Jenny Williams. Isn’t that hilarious? She invited me to a party at her house…life is strange. All the girls there were so nice to me. They wanted to do a makeover on me, like on the Oprah Winfrey show and I let them. Amanda did my hair for me while Jenny held my glasses. Amanda told me that Jake likes me and is planning to ask me out. That can’t possibly be true. I hope it is true though. I would die and go to heaven.

Another girl there, a cheerleader as well, Lori, she did my make up, and then they took a picture with a Polaroid camera. I can’t believe I’m even saying this but I thought I looked very pretty. Of course I had to eventually put the glasses back on to see, and I had to wash the makeup off before I went to sleep and the hairspray fell out of my hair before too long. But for a few minutes I looked okay.

You know, cheerleaders are actually very nice people. I thought they were all snotty and stuck up, with the exception of my big sister, but they’re all real people too. I think they’re all so cool. No wonder Prue was such a good cheerleader, she’s the coolest person I know.

I got my hair cut this morning. It’s shoulder length now and silky feeling. I guess all those years of having it pulled back in a ponytail really killed it. But it looks pretty good now.

Oh and before I forget> I have an appointment with the eye doctor in November. He thinks he’ll be able to fit me with contacts then. Right now school and life are so awesome. Oh please, please let Jake ask me out, please! Well, it’s Sunday and grocery day. I have to go help out Grams!

Bye for now,
Piper.



September 11, 1991

Dear Diary,

What an incredible day! Jake James did it! He asked me out! I am so excited. We’re going out this Saturday. He’s taking me to a movie and to dinner. I really hope he’ll kiss me. It’ll be my first kiss, how pathetic is that?

I have no idea what I should wear. I’ll definitely have to get Prue’s advice. Phoebe can help me with my makeup.

I hope we go to a really good romance movie. I heard Robin Hood Prince of Thieves is really good. It’s got that cute old guy, Kevin Costner. I don’t care what we see as long as I’m with Jake. I have to go call Prue!

Sweet Dreams,
Piper

Prue’s eyes fought sleep as her body had already succumbed to it. Her lids fluttered until she was finally in a state of dreams. Her dreaming mind raced through the few entries she had read. It had taken her a while because after every thought Piper had written Prue mulled it over in her own head. In her dreams, Prue saw the Piper that existed before the school year and then the Piper that was slowly progressing toward popularity. Her dreams were at first light and sweet, and then suddenly Prue’s subconscious collided with her surface dreams in a frenzy of darkness. Images of Piper now and as Piper then collided with one another and black turned to blood red as the knife appeared in the dream and there stood Piper holding the small pocketknife dripping with rusty red blood.

Prue gasped for air as she awoke. The dream had been confusing and yet somewhere mixed in the symbolism and interpretations there was a clue as to why Piper had hidden a knife with her journal. Prue threw back her covers and retrieved the book from where it had fallen n the floor. She quickly turned on the closet light and kneeled to the now daunting spot on the floor. She tapped three times and the hole opened calling for the article that had become its property. Prue slid the journal in the hole and closed it. She would wait. Wait until the day had risen and the darkness had slipped away.

She crawled back into her bed and trembled as she recalled the image of the dripping knife and then shivered with chills at the look in Piper’s eyes. Tomorrow she would read further and perhaps uncover the mystery she had formulated in her mind. Tomorrow, she would uncover the layers that had become Piper.

[Song in italics-Silent Lucidity by Queensryche]

Hush now don’t you cry
Wipe away the teardrop from your eye
You’re lying safe in bed
It was all a bad dream spinning in your head
Your mind tricked you to feel the pain
Of someone close to you leaving the game of life
So here it is another chance
Wide awake you face the day
Your dream is over or has it just begun

Another nightmare jolted Prue upright as the Saturday sun broke through the window. She winced with pain as the sun struck her eyes leaving her with spotted vision and a keen dislike for morning.

“Go away. Ugh, no wonder Piper always got up before everyone. The damn day wouldn’t let her asleep in.”

Prue quickly remembered what she had been doing the night before and as her eyes adjusted she looked toward the closet door as if something haunted it from within. Her dreams returned to her still foggy mind. The visions dark and surreal against the illustrious glow of the morning light. Footsteps bounding down the stairs jolted Prue out of her thoughts. She whispered her name.

“Piper.”

She knew Piper was downstairs cooking up her usual Saturday morning feast. Most mornings Prue would lie in bed and smell the hunger-inducing scent of bacon wafting up through the ventilation system. Instead of following her normal routine she decided to go downstairs and help Piper. Dressed in sweat pants and a T-shirt with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, Prue silently stepped into the kitchen.

She watched Piper move gracefully about the kitchen stirring one thing, flipping another. She gazed at her sister in such awe and admiration and when finally Piper noticed her watcher, Prue gazed at her in mystification. Piper asked her what she was staring at.

“You, dancing around the kitchen like a ballerina on a sugar high.”

Piper laughed and Prue enjoyed the sound of it. Piper set three plates on the table.

“Leo not coming to breakfast?”

He was on assignment again. Piper looked at Prue noticing the stare once again, this time Prue lowered her eyes. Piper asked Prue about her eyes and the suspicion she saw in them.

“What? Suspicious? Why would I be suspicious of anything? Have you done something wrong?”

Piper looked at Prue as if Prue were crazy and commented on how strange had been acting since the night before.

“I just didn’t sleep well, that’s all. Seriously, nothing new is going on, nothing at all.”

With that Prue turned to leave the kitchen colliding with the still half-asleep Phoebe.

“Oh, Pheebs I am so sorry.”

She pulled Phoebe off the floor where she had fallen. Phoebe rubbed her rear as if in pain and told Prue to be more careful so early in the morning.

“Guess I need more decaf huh?”

Prue laughed off the incident and ran back upstairs. After closing her room, she smacked herself on the forehead.

“I think you’re losing it here Prue, it’s just a simple teenager’s diary. It’s nothing to get this weird over.”

And yet somewhere in the back of her mind Prue knew there was nothing simple about the journal. She opened her closet to find something to wear for the day and pulled a long sleeve gray T-shirt and her favorite pair of jeans off their hangers. She began to leave the closet when a force outside herself drew her toward the journal and its hiding place. She wanted to know, she really did and so she tapped, once, twice, three times. The door popped up and there right where she had left it sat Piper’s leather bound journal. Prue hid the journal in her jeans that were folded in her hands and then headed to the bathroom for a bath and a good read.

Prue settled in the steaming water. She rarely took luxurious baths in the mornings but she figured with the door locked and the scent of the strawberry bubbles that she had added to the water, she would be less likely to be disturbed by anything while she delved deeper into Piper’s senior year.

September 14, 1991

Dear Diary,

I am so in love…I had my date with Jake last night. He was absolutely awesome although I’m sure we could have seen a better movie or ate at a better restaurant. I’m kind of glad we saw the movie we saw because it made me scared and I had to sit really close to Jake to stop shaking. The movie was called Cape Fear. It’s just so scary at the end when they’re on the river. My mom drowned and although I’m not really afraid of water, I don’t like when scary things happen on or near it.

After the movie Jake took me to Tex’s Mexican Restaurant. I guess he thought it was romantic because of the little Mariachi guys playing the music. I guess in a way it was kind of romantic. He did buy me a rose from the Senorita lady. The food looked gross but I ate it and it wasn’t too bad although my stomach started hurting late last night.

We went for a walk at the school track after dinner. It was a nice night out and the stars were all shining down on us. I wore a cute dress that Prue let me borrow out of her closet, she left a lot of stuff here when she went to college. Phoebe did my makeup for me. I looked pretty okay. I mean I still have my stupid glasses to contend with and of course my ever-present clumsiness. But, I felt okay.

Jake took off my glasses during our walk and he told me I had beautiful brown eyes. I can’t believe he actually noticed what color they were. He said I look really pretty in pink, which was the color my shirt was last night. Then he tried to kiss me and it all went to HELL from there. I am such a clutz. I was too anxious about the kiss and I bumped noses with him and then he dropped my glasses and as I bent down to pick them up so did he so we bumped heads. It was so typically Piper, as Grams would say. But he laughed. Not at me, but with me, for once in my life someone besides my sisters laughed with me instead of making fun of me. How could you not fall in love with that?


Prue smiled and wondered what happened to Jake and why they weren’t still dating when Prue came home that following summer. She felt like skipping to the end of the journal but she didn’t want to take anything said near the end out of context, so she read on.

September 16, 1991

Dear Diary,

My time has come said the Walrus, whatever that means. I am so loopy today, just absolutely ecstatic. During lunch, when I usually sit alone, I had people just fighting to sit next tome. How crazy is that. I mean I know I’m popular right now just because I went on a date with Jake but, Amanda, Jenny, Paul [I have to tell you more about him in a second] and a whole bunch of people made the effort to sit next to me. I know I’m getting a little bigheaded about this but wouldn’t you.

Okay, about Paul, something is really off about him. He’s got this weird look to him, you know, like cute nice guy, but there’s Ted Bundy in his eyes, kind of guy. He tried to sit next to Amanda and I think I actually saw her flinch. Not flinch in snobbery, but flinch as if in fear. It was so weird. I wonder if something is up with that. Could have just been my imagination, who knows?

But, after school I was walking home with Phoebe and Paul comes up to us from like out of nowhere. He’s acting all spastic saying something about being Jake’s best friend, but knowing a big secret or something. At first I thought maybe he was talking about mine and Jake’s date last Friday, like maybe Jake had made something up about us doing something besides kissing, but he didn’t say anything like that. He mumbled something about Amanda that I couldn’t pick up on and then he hit Phoebe on the rear very hard. He ran off laughing madly. It was like some scene out of a freaky movie or something. So strange. And poor Phoebe, she looked so embarrassed that Paul Harlowe had actually smacked her ass. It was just awful.

Phoebe asked me not to say anything to Grams or Prue about it although I told her it wasn’t really a big deal. She said that when she wanted a guy to touch her she would ask and that Paul Harlowe was a big freak of nature. And so now that’s our term for him. But I still have to hang out with him because he is after all Jake’s best friend. I just wonder what big secret Paul was talking about. What could be the big mystery?

Well, I better go more homework to do as usual!

Love, Piper~

Prue laid the book on the counter as she dried off with the oversized towel. She slipped into her jeans and T-shirt and laced up her Adidas shoes. She decided she would read for the rest of the day but wanted to get out of the house for the morning. She put the journal back in its secret place and told Piper and Phoebe she would be back by two o’clock that afternoon. She knew they had planned to go shopping that afternoon and that their absence would give her time to read more of the journal in silence and without fear of being caught. Rereading every sentence was making the reading of the journal a very long process but one Prue so wanted to complete. She decided to drive to the Golden Gate Bridge and sit with the wind for a while. She thought about Paul Harlowe and knew that if she had been there she would have smacked him in the face for touching her little sister. Prue thought once again about the knife and began to wonder what else she hadn’t stopped from happening.

Journal – Part 6

Prue returned home late in the afternoon to find a note waiting for her on the refrigerator. Piper and Phoebe were at the mall and would be picking up Chinese takeout on the way home. They would be back around 6pm. Prue looked at the grandfather clock in the living room as she passed through and saw that she had exactly 2 hours to read more of Piper’s journal. She rushed up the stairs and pulled the journal from the place that had kept it safe for all these years. She kicked off her shoes and sat in the armchair by the window and began to read.


October 21, 1991

Dear Diary,

I am so sorry it’s been so long since I’ve written anything here. I actually missed you. However, I've been extremely busy in my new life.

This past weekend was homecoming. Baker high won the game and I had the most handsome date in the world. Jake of course. I wore a really pretty black dress and high heels to the dance. Can you believe that? Me, with heels. It was Phoebe’s idea. She said it made me look taller.

Amanda didn’t go at all. Jenny went with some new guy who’s pretty cute, Brad Sadler. We had the best fun. I just wish Amanda were there. We’ve gotten to be good hanging out buddies although I feel like she doesn’t really want to open up to me or for that matter to anybody. Amanda’s been acting really strange the last month or so. She’s so much quieter than she used to be. And she rarely smiles which is a shame because she has a great smile. But it just isn’t her demeanor either; it’s her wardrobe. She’s wearing all these baggy clothes and bulky shirts and skirts. She reminds me of the way I was. It’s almost as though we’ve traded lives or something. But there’s something else. There’s this look in her eyes like she’s sacred and she wants someone to help her, but at the same time she doesn’t want to say anything about being afraid or whatever. I don’t fully get it, maybe I’m not supposed to. All I know is that it definitely has something to do with Paul. Because he’s still acting weird too.

I am hanging out with the most popular kids in school, can you believe that? I keep waiting for the storm to hit, but day after day I go to school and Jake kisses me and Jenny and I exchange stories about our favorite TV shows. Amanda sits with us quietly and everyone seems to look up to us, much the way that I used to look up to them.

Enough of that, Halloween is next week and we’re all going trick-or-treating. I know we’re all a little too old for it but it’s fun and you’re only a senior once right? Jake and I want to go as a famous couple but we have no clue as to what to wear. I’ll let you know how it all goes, though. I’m going to try to talk to Amanda this week about what’s wrong with her. I think she can really use a friend, and although I may be getting more popular I always have time for someone who needs me.

Love, Piper

Prue turned away from the journal briefly to gather her opinion on the journal. She marveled at the amazing transformation that her sister had undergone during those first few months of her senior year. She was intrigued by the mystery of Amanda. But most of all she was concerned. A phrase replayed over and over in her mind until she finally spoke the words…“What goes up, must come down.” She shook her head and turned her attention to the next entry in the journal.

October 31, 1991

Dear Diary,

Well, tonight was interesting to say the least, and very scary. Of course why wouldn’t it be, it’s Halloween. I’m at home right now in my room. Prue’s at school and Phoebe’s downstairs crying because our dog, Rasputin ran away. But that’s the least of my worries. Amanda Harris is asleep on my floor. I told Grams she was having guy trouble and that her parents weren’t home which was all true. Let me start over.

As you know, tonight I went trick-or-treating with the gang. Even Amanda joined us. We all had on costumes and everything. Everyone was having so much fun. That was until Paul showed up. He joined us tonight around 8pm. He was drunk. I think that was the first time I’d ever seen a guy drunk. I mean I remember Prue during her little rebellious stage, but never a drunk guy. Anyway, he was very mad about something. He threw a beer bottle at Brad and made Brad and Jenny leave. So then it was just me and Jake and Amanda. I didn’t even pay any attention to Amanda at first but then I noticed that she was practically hiding behind me. Jake was trying to calm Paul down while I tried to talk to Amanda. When I asked her what was wrong she just started crying. Not like, just saw Bambi-crying, but funeral crying.

Eventually, Jake scared Paul off with his pocketknife. I told him that I needed to talk to Amanda alone. So he dropped us off at Jenny’s house where we had all met earlier that evening. I put Amanda in my car [she was still crying at this point] and then I said goodbye to Jake. He gave me his pocketknife and said it was in case Paul came looking for Amanda. I was so confused at first because I had no idea why Paul would come looking for her. Anyway, I brought her here to the manor and that’s when she told me. She and Paul had gone on a date the second week of September. That was around the time he started acting so strange. Anyway. They had gone on a date and he attacked her. That’s what Amanda told me tonight. I’m not sure if I handled this well at all. I really wish Prue had been here. She would have been so much better at this. But when she told me all the details it was so horrible. She said one minute he was so absolutely awesome and then the next he was a monster. She said he even had red eyes. I figure she must have been talking about them being bloodshot. Anyway, she said I was the first person she has told because I seem like I care.

I do care. And if I get a hold of Paul Harlowe, I’ll kill him. How can anyone do that to another human being? It’s just so wrong. No wonder Amanda has been so sad and not herself these past few weeks. He took her away from herself. I got to go. It looks like Amanda’s having a nightmare or something. I swear I’ll kill him.

~Piper

Prue finally let a breath out as she had been holding it from the start of the journal entry. She vaguely remembered Amanda Harris as a junior when she herself was at Baker as a senior. She thought about how awful it must have been for Piper to hear about such a horrible thing so early on. Prue looked again at the last line of Piper’s entry. “I’ll kill him.” Did she kill him? Is that what the knife is hidden for? Prue’s mind raced with the possibilities.

She shifted positions in the chair and laid her head down on the arm, her feet swung over the opposite side. She looked up at the ceiling. The same ceiling Amanda must have woken to that Halloween night in 1991. The same ceiling Piper must have looked at pondering the why of it all. The same ceiling Prue now stared at trying to uncover the depths of her sister, reaching out to the invisible hand that was the journal.

November 3, 1991

Dear Diary,

My life hasn’t been the same since Halloween night. The little thing is I have contacts now, no more glasses, the big thing is…I can’t get my mind off of what happened to Amanda. I worry about all my friends now. I went to the library downtown and I looked up all the statistics about it. No victim is the same; no attacker is the same. It’s horrible and they say that one out of four women will be raped at some time in their life. That’s just way too high. I’ve been thinking about the day that Paul hit Phoebe on her butt. What if I wouldn’t have been there, would he have hurt her like he hurt Amanda? I can’t help it. My mind is just so jumbled right now. I was going to talk to Prue about it when she called yesterday for Phoebe’s birthday but I just couldn’t talk to her about it. It was so weird, like maybe it was bad to talk about it, even if it didn’t happen to me, you know. Maybe I’ll talk to her about it when she comes home for Thanksgiving

Anyway, Paul wasn’t at school Friday. Thank God. Amanda rode with me. She said that she was glad she told me, and happy that she had a friend like me. I see so much good in her, and yet so much sadness.

Phoebe’s 16th birthday party was yesterday. She looked so cute. There was a small party here and I chaperoned. Grams made herself scarce. There weren’t many mishaps. Most of Phoebe’s friends are very well behaved and sweet. It was a nice night.

Jake came over and helped chaperone. He’s really a sweet guy but I’m a little worried because Paul is his best friend. When I asked him about the situation that occurred Halloween night he just shrugged his shoulders and said he didn’t know what to make of it. I can’t tell if he’s talked to Paul about it or not. If he has maybe he know what to say. Or maybe Jake is like Paul. I don’t think so, I mean I don’t think Jake would ever in a million years hurt me like that. He knows how I feel about sex before marriage. I didn’t tell him what Amanda told me. I think I was kind of afraid of his reaction.

I tried to give him his knife back but he wouldn’t take it. He said he thought I should have it. He said there were all kinds of crazy people in the world and that I was one special person who needed protection. I liked the fact that he thought about me like that, but at the same time I wanted to yell out, I can take care of my own self thank you very much. The damn woman’s movement has me all confused.

Grams was acting funny today. I heard her talking to herself in the attic. I think she may be getting senile. Phoebe’s still upset about Rasputin but she was happy today for some reason. She told me she had a date with a senior to the Christmas dance next month. That’s a whole month away. I wonder who it could be.

Prue closed the journal to breathe. Piper was so naïve and yet so perceptive. Prue recalled that time in her life when she was rolling fraternity houses and hearing about campus crime. She had no idea that it was happening in her old high school and much less to her little sister’s best friend. She sighed with anxiety as she began to feel guilty for reading Piper’s diary. She knew that Piper had forgotten about it probably years ago and that there was some reasonable explanation for Prue never hearing about Amanda or the effect it had on Piper. She never heard about Halloween at all.

“Was I too busy to know what troubled my little sisters?”

Prue remembered the Thanksgiving dinner that year when she told Piper not to ever act snobby no matter how popular she was. Prue thought it was good advice at the time but then Piper had gotten red-faced and angry and rushed out of the room. Prue shook her head in remembrance.

She returned for yet another round of the journal, this time sitting on the floor, back against the bed. The light was beginning to fade in the window and Prue looked at her watch. She had another hour before Piper and Phoebe were expected home. She decided to read one more entry and then she would go to the store and pick up a movie to share with her sisters. She suddenly felt the need to listen to their lives and see them happy.

November 28, 1991

Dear Diary,

Today is Thanksgiving and I have so much to be thankful for. First of all, Prue’s home. I forgot how much I missed her. She looks so cool as usual. She gave me the biggest hug when she walked through the door. It was so real and so full of her heart. I think she misses us too sometimes. I hope she does. I thank God that she was there for us every day to tell us things, to talk to us about things. She was, in essence, our mother. Thank you God, for Grams, without whom we’d be homeless and starving. Not to mention she loves us with all her heart. Thank you for Phoebe too. She can be a pest sometimes, but I love her with all my heart and soul and I’d do anything to protect her. She is the light in my day, the funny in my sad. Thank you god for contacts. Thank you for all my friends at school. Thank you God for Amanda. She seems to be doing okay, although I think half the time she’s pretending everything is fine. Paul hasn’t been to school since Halloween night. There are all kinds of rumors spreading around about him. I asked Jake about it and he didn’t have much to say, I got this really bad vibe from him.

Anyway, Thank you god for life itself and for making me the strong person that I am right now. I never would have thought three months ago that I would be the Piper Halliwell that I have become.

We went for family pictures two days ago. They should be really good. It’ll be cool to compare and contrast this year’s photo with last years.

I think I’ve been acting differently lately. At least that’s what Prue said just now at the dinner table. She said I was acting sort of snobby. I don’t think I’ve been snobby. I mean yeah I’m really happy about my life right now and I’m really embracing the popularity gig, but I haven’t been mean to anyone. I guess Prue just isn’t used to seeing me with any confidence. Wait hold on, Prue’s knocking on my door.

Okay, I’m back and everything’s okay with Prue. She explained that she said I wasn’t being snobby. She just said that I should never become snobby. I hate it when I get all upset over nothing. It has to be hormonal. Anyway. I have to call Amanda. And I’m trying to find out from Phoebe who the big mystery date is for the Christmas dance. When she’s keeping a secret about something she keeps it good. I wonder if it’s someone I know?

Journal – Part 8

Prue heard a knock on her bedroom door. She quickly slid the journal under the bed and then stood. Piper came flying in the room with a funny look on her face.

“You guys are home early.”

“Yeah, well we stopped by the video store on the way home and got a movie. We figured we’d have a girl’s night in. We feel like we haven’t spent a lot of time with you lately, although that’s not entirely our fault. You have been holed up in your room an awful lot in the past 24 hours.”

“I’ve just been doing some…um…reading, actually. You know, I was actually about to go get a movie too. We must be doing that psychic sister-witch thing huh?”

Piper looked past Prue into the room. Her eyes got wide and a look Prue was not used to seeing flashed across her face.

“Prue, what in the hell are you doing with that?”

Prue’s heart stood still as she followed Piper’s hand to her finger that was pointing toward the ground by the bed. She closed her eyes, squeezing the lids tightly together.

“Piper I can explain, really I can, I just found it. I didn’t mean to but it was there and…”

“Oh sure Prue you just happened to find this pack of cigarettes. What, did the demon of tobacco just throw them on your floor? You don’t smoke Prue.”

Prue let out a huge sigh of relief.

“The cigarettes, oh thank God.”

“Yes the cigarettes, what in the world did you think I was referring to?”

“If you’ll notice Piper the pack isn’t even open and even if it were you aren’t my mother. I’ve had a very lonely, tough go at it lately and if I want to turn to cigarettes to share my misery with then I will, because I would rather not get you guys depressed when you’re always so damn happy. Now let’s forget about the cigarettes and go have some freaking sisterly bonding time!”

“Woah, sorry, Prue. Really. I didn’t know you were so lonely and wound so tight. And you can smoke all you want, just be sure to do it outside.”

Prue gave her sister a huge smile and then followed her out of the room shutting her door behind her. Prue felt horrible lying to Piper. The cigarettes were hers, but she had only gotten them that afternoon because the journal was really keeping her on edge. Prue crossed her fingers and made a wish that the journal wouldn’t take her much longer.

Phoebe was waiting at the kitchen table with the Chinese takeout. Prue took her cup of hot and sour soup and began a very light and relaxing conversation with her sisters. It wasn’t until they moved into the living room for a little game of To Tell the Truth that Prue got a little anxious.

“Phoebe, why do we have to play this game?”

“Because it’s fun and we always promised to tell each other everything, this is a good way to make sure that promise is kept. And I have the big book of questions right here”

Prue studied the expression on Piper’s face as Phoebe talked about not keeping secrets. They had all had their secrets. Prue thought she saw a look of apprehension cross Piper’s face.

“Okay, Phoebe, your game, you’re holding the book, you start with the questions.”

“Okay, Prue I will. Ummm…Prue…Tell the truth, have you slept with anyone in the last three months.”

“I don’t want to play anymore. “

“Fine, Prue be that way, I’ll just ask Piper.”

Phoebe flipped through the book with her eyes closed. She finally landed on a page and with her eyes still closed picked a question.

“Piper, would you or have you ever killed a human being.”

“No of course not Phoebe, what a stupid question.”

Prue wanted to dig deeper into the issue.

“Would you kill another human being?”

“No, Prue, I wouldn’t.”

“What if someone hurt Phoebe, or a close friend.”

Prue could see the panic rise in Piper’s eyes.

“No I would not and have not ever killed a human being. Now can we stop this ridiculous game and watch the movie we rented.”

Phoebe shrugged and closed the book. Piper retrieved the movie from the kitchen. Prue quickly tried to think of a reason to leave the room and get back to the journal. When Piper returned with the movie, Prue thought of an excuse.

“Guys, I think I’m going to bail on girls’ night. My stomach is doing flip-flops. I think it was the soup. I’m just going to lay down in my room and read a little.”

Piper looked a little worried. Phoebe went back to fast-forwarding through the previews.

“Okay, Prue. You sleep well. And no smoking in this house do you hear me?”

“Night Prue.”

“Night guys.”

Prue knew she would get no answers from the Piper of the present, but the Piper of the past was upstairs just overflowing with readied information waiting to tell the world what she knew.

Prue shut her door and decided not to lock it knowing that Piper or Phoebe would check on her after the movie. She didn’t want to appear any more suspicious than she already had. She pulled the journal out from under the bed and picked up the pack of cigarettes. She put the cigarettes in her nightstand drawer and then sat on the bed with the journal.


December 19, 1991

Dear Diary,

Okay, I have been a really bad journal keeper, but I’ve been busy. Prue’s home for winter break and she, Phoebe and I have all been spending quality time together. Plus she helped me and Phoebe choose our dresses for the dance tomorrow night. Jake is taking me and I still don’t know who is taking Phoebe. She is being so very mysterious about it. When I told her that she said she was a Scorpio and that they are mysterious by nature. I told her she was just being a big freak. I asked her if she had been on a date with this guy yet and she said the dance would be their first.

Prue decided tonight that we’d talk about sex. She is a little late with the sex talk. Phoebe and I both have already had health class. Although I have never done more with Jake than kissing and Phoebe said she had only made out with one guy, but hadn’t had sex with him. I asked her if it was the guy who was taking her to the dance and she said it wasn’t. She said it was some guy from the year before. I know I’m really harping on this whole mystery date thing, but I can’t help it.

So anyway, I was slightly uncomfortable about the sex talk because I kept thinking about Amanda and what she went through and I think I freaked Prue out a little because I asked her if a guy has sex with you and you fight him and say no, is it rape. I think she thought I was talking about myself…

Prue remembered that talk quite well. She had indeed thought that Piper was trying to admit to something. She had been more than relieved when Piper said she had just heard about a girl in school. Prue had had no idea how close to the situation Piper was.

…but I wasn’t talking about me of course. I just told her that I had heard about some girl who had been attacked. Prue told me that no matter what if a girl says no, then that’s the final answer. I’m so glad she thinks that. She also said that if anything like that ever happened to either Phoebe or me then I should tell her because she would kill him. I told her she’d have to stand in line because if anyone ever hurt Phoebe, I’d kill him first. Prue said she was more worried about me because I was so nice and because I’m naïve. I told her I wasn’t worried about it because no one would want me like that anyway. I don’t even think Jake wants me like that, he hardly kisses me anymore. I think I’ll ask him after the dance what’s going on. Maybe he’ll talk to me about it. Anyway, Prue talked to us for about an hour and a half and then I just couldn’t talk anymore.

So, I decided to come here and tell you my dear diary what kind of dress I will be wearing for the dance tomorrow. It’s a royal blue satin dress [the dance is formal by the way so I’m not overdressing in case you were wondering]. It hangs just above my knees. The strap goes around the back of my neck. It’s hard to explain on paper but if you saw it you’d know that I’m going to be smokin’. Can I just tell you what a red-hot woman Phoebe is turning out to be? She is wearing this red velvet number with thin straps. It is the most awesome dress. I would have gotten it but it just suited her body frame so much better. I hope whoever is taking her to this dance really deserves to go with her. I feel like an overprotective mom watching out for my baby girl or something. Anyway, I better get into bed. I need my beauty sleep, we have a big day of Christmas shopping and primping ahead of us. I am so glad we’re out of school for Christmas break. I’ll write again Saturday with all the beautiful details of the dance. ‘Til then,

Love, Piper

Prue knew she was about to get to the heart of the diary. She knew she would find out what happened to Paul, who Phoebe’s date was and why there were bloodstains on the knife she found. Prue was anxious to read the next entry but heard footsteps coming closer to her room. Then a knock.

“Prue? It’s Piper, can I come in?”

“Sure.”

Prue quickly placed the journal under her pillow.

“Hey, mind if I join you for a minute?”

“Not at all little sis. What about the movie?”

“Right, well, Phoebe fell asleep. We had a hard day shopping.”

“Oohh, I see.”

“Prue, what really going on with you?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Today and yesterday you’ve been acting weird and treating me like I have the plague.”

“I just…I don’t know Piper. Sometimes I look at you and I see…well…you. And then other times I look at you and I get the feeling you’re hiding something. Like you aren’t really you at all. Like there’s something you really want to tell me but never would. Like you know some big secret that the world doesn’t know.”

Piper bowed her head and twisted Prue’s sheets in her hand.

“Prue…I used to know several secrets that the world never knew, but now…well, let’s just say you and Phoebe know everything I know…well…almost.”

Piper looked Prue in the eye and Prue followed Piper’s gaze as it crept toward the open closet door. Prue saw a flash of recognition in Piper’s eyes. Her heart started racing. Piper remained calm and rose steadily from her place on the bed. She walked toward the door leading out to the hall. She turned to Prue.

“Hey, Prue. If you want to know what I know, just finish reading my journal; just don’t ever let Phoebe read it okay. I guess fate has called.”

Prue looked at Piper in shock and in confusion. Piper turned and shut the door. Prue released an amazingly long sigh of relief. Piper now knew that Prue was reading her journal but she didn’t care. Prue wondered if whatever was in the journal was so heavy that Piper didn’t want to be the only one with that knowledge anymore. Prue opened the journal one more time and began to read the last several entries.

December 21, 1991

Dear Diary,

I have no idea where to begin. I’m not sure if I can make sense of it all, even by writing it down. I guess I should just start at the beginning of the dance. Jake picked me up a little early. We took pictures. I wanted to wait for Phoebe’s date to show up so I could see who it was but Jake was ready to go. So we left for the dance. We had fun until Phoebe showed up. She stood in the gym alone for a few minutes and then her date joined her. I almost screamed when I saw it was Paul Harlowe. I panicked so I immediately took Phoebe aside and told her that Paul was a very bad guy and she shouldn’t be there with him. She didn’t believe me, and she thought I was jealous. She stormed off with Paul somewhere. I told Jake that I was worried and he didn’t say much. He has a way of doing that, not saying much. I tried to keep my eye on her but the gym was crowded and I lost her around 9pm. I asked her friends where she went and they said they had no idea. So I asked one of Paul’s buddies, he had no idea. Jake had gone to get something to drink and when he came back I told him that Paul and Phoebe were gone. That’s when he panicked. We ran out of the gym and Jake saw Paul’s pickup leaving the parking lot. We got into Jake’s car and followed them. Paul must have known we were following him because he lost us. We drove around for nearly 30 minutes looking for the truck. Jake saw it in the parking lot of one of those motor lodges. I was so sick to my stomach thinking about what he could be doing to Phoebe.

We got the number of the room from the desk clerk. And when we got to it, I’ll never forget the room number, 24, I heard nothing from inside. I thought maybe he had killed her, Oh god I was so scared. Jake busted the door open with one kick. I saw Phoebe lying on the bed, that monster was on her. Phoebe was out cold. We were too late. He was already hurting her. Jake punched Paul and he fell to the floor. They wrestled while I took the cover off the bed and covered Phoebe with it. Oh God, I wish I hadn’t seen her like that.

Paul slammed Jake against a door and knocked him out. That’s when I remembered the knife I had in my hand. It was Jake’s pocketknife. Paul was coming after Phoebe again. That’s when I saw his eyes. It was just like Amanda had described, red. But they weren’t bloodshot, they were glowing. Like a monster. He reached for Phoebe and I did it. I just rammed the knife into his heart. And then the strangest things that no one will ever believe happened. He turned to fire and then disappeared. Right there in front of my face the guy that raped my little sister turned to ashes. It was so…I don’t have the words.

Anyway. I just sat there and stared into space for a little while. Then Jake came to and sat next to me while I just held Phoebe in my arms. She was still unconscious. I was just crying because I could see bruises already coming up on her arms and her legs. Then Jake took my hand and pulled me away from Phoebe. I didn’t want to let go of her for a single second. But he made me stand away. He took the cover off of her and I screamed at him to stop but he was so gentle with her and not at all harming her. In fact…and this is even stranger than the Paul to ashes thing. He let his hands, like, hover over her and some weird light came from them. The red spots that would soon be bruises just disappeared. He told me that Phoebe would never remember what happened to her. It was erased. He said he wished he could erase my memory of it but he couldn’t. I asked him what he was and he said one day I’d know another like him and then this bright blue light came from out of nowhere and he disappeared into it. I don’t know if I was hallucinating or what, but I’m sitting here in my room right now with Phoebe. I’m holding her close and not letting go, but the bruises still haven’t appeared and she seems to be sleeping peacefully I just don’t know if I can live forever with what I saw that monster do to Phoebe. I don’t know if I can live with that alone or not. I’m just glad she doesn’t have to go through it, if what Jake said is true or not.

Until fate tells me it’s time to tell this story to anyone I am going to lock you away. I am hiding you with the knife that killed Paul in the trapdoor in my closet. No one knows about the trapdoor, I don’t even think Grams knows about the trapdoor. Anyway, I am leaving you in fate’s hands. If someone happens upon you then I know it’s time for someone besides me to know that there are things out there this world knows nothing about. Pray for Phoebe.

Until fate calls,
Forever, Piper.

Prue gently closed the book as she swiped the tears from her eyes. She got up and trudged warily down the stairs to where Piper was sitting in front of a roaring fire. Phoebe was sleeping quietly and peacefully on the couch. Prue kneeled next to Piper and without looking at her handed her the journal.

“Do you think she ever knew Prue?”

Piper, also, was staring into the flames that slapped brick with such intensity it reminded her of Paul hitting Phoebe on the rear. She blinked the thought away and then turned her tear-stained face to Prue.

“I don’t know Piper. Maybe. With the power to see the past and future, maybe she sees it but doesn’t know what it is. I think the whitelighter made sure her surface memories would never see that night. What about you? Do you ever go a day without thinking about it?”

“Not really.”

The whole time I was reading I kept thinking that you were covering up some evil in your own conscious.”

“Is that what the questions were about after dinner.”

“Yes, but you didn’t lie, did you? You never killed a human.”

“No, but when he was coming after her that second time…I thought he was human.”

“I would have done the same thing Piper.”

They sat in silence and watched the fire burn into the logs. Prue tapped the journal and Piper looked down at its leather bound cover.

“Ashes to ashes?”

Prue nodded yes and Piper threw the journal into the fire. Piper laid her head in Prue’s lap and together they watched the memory burn. Praying, hoping that Phoebe would never know, never feel the pain of what was done to her. Prue turned and looked at Phoebe on the couch. Her eyes were open and glistening with tears. She had known all along. Phoebe crawled to Prue and Piper on the floor and together Piper and Prue embraced their baby sister. Prue didn’t know whether she had read the journal or remembered the night on her own, and it didn’t matter because either way Prue would hold her for a lifetime. She was just glad that neither sister had to keep that memory, that page of the journal to themselves.

Prue left her sleeping sisters in the living room and walked back up the stairs. She wanted to get the last reminder of that night so many years ago out of the manor. She tapped three times…the door opened and Prue peered in. The knife, stained with demon, had vanished from its hiding place in the hardwood floor. Prue’s heart raced for she remembered leaving it in its original place. She called out for Piper and Phoebe. She could hear them approaching the room. Shivers ran down her spine as she told them the knife was missing. It was yet another mystery the Halliwell’s would never solve.

THE END