Chapter 7 - Into Dust

Still falling
Breathless and on again
Inside today
Beside me today
A round broken in two
'til your eyes shed into dust
Like two strangers turning into dust
'til my hand shook the way I fear

I could possibly be fading
Or have something more to gain
I could feel myself growing colder
I could feel myself under your face
Under...your face

It was you
breathless and tall
I could feel my eyes turning into dust
And two strangers turning into dust
Turning into dust.
(Mazzy Star)

You know when you think things will all be okay? When you are sure the day will be perfect because the sun is shining, the birds are chirping and everyone is so happy? Nothing can go wrong.

"C'mon everyone get in the car!" Piper said enthusiastically.

Wyatt took my hand and dragged me along with a smile on his face. I smiled back when he glanced at me, but I couldn't kick this feeling of dread. Because just when you think you're happy that is when everything goes to hell. When you are least expecting it.

"Everything's in the car. The picnic. Kids." Piper ticked of her mental checklist on her fingers and smiled at Chris, Mellie, Wyatt, and I in the back seat.

"Pheebs, Paige you two all set," she call over to them where they stood by their cars.

"Yeah, let's get this show on the road." Paige said and we were on our way.

We're going to this lake that Piper and Phoebe went to as kids. Apparently it is the perfect place for a picnic and totally secluded and peaceful.

We got there and the foliage was gorgeous and we laid out our things. The food was being set up everyone was getting settled there wasn't a sad face in the bunch.

Phoebe's kids were running around laughing and little Henry was chasing after them. They were giggling and having a great time.

Chris was smiling happy. I mean this is his fourteenth birthday.

Wyatt grabbed my hand and my attention. I looked up at him.

"C'mere." He said and pulled me into the shadows where the trees were. We walked into it and then grabbed me around the waist and backed me up into a tree and kissed me.

"Wyatt," I whispered.

"Hmm," He grunted as he kissed down my neck.

"Wyatt, we should get back to the party."

"Not yet. It's only Chris's birthday. It's not like it's gonna be his last." Wyatt complained.

I looked into his eyes, seriously, "How do you know that? How do you know that this isn't the last time you'll see Chris laugh, or you're mom smile, or little Henry chase after the girls? Any day could all be our last." I said.

And when I finished speaking, that's when the screams came.

Wyatt pulled me to him and we orbed to the picnic where a score or demons were attacking the family.

"Wyatt, get the kids out of here now." Piper yelled to Wyatt and he was about to protest, but she gave him the look and he nodded and grabbed all the children. He went to grab for my hand and I shook my head.

"I have to help, go." And he hesitated for a second and then orbed.

I fought as hard as I could. Setting demons on fire. Turning them to dust. Deflecting fire balls and energy balls.

But what I didn't see was a demon come behind me with an athame. He wrapped his arm around my neck from behind and stabbed me in my lower back. Then dropped me onto the crisp green grass.

The demons slowly dissipated. Phoebe and Paige were on the ground as well, but I saw Piper was bleeding. Really bleeding.

I crawled over to her and placed my hand over the wound, applying pressure. Her eyes were open and she was shaking. I looked down at her and cried, "You're not gonna die Piper. It's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay." I said hoarsely.

"Leo!" I screamed. "Help!"

I saw Chris. "Chris, Chris wake up." And he did and he looked horrified and tears screamed from his eyes.

"Call your dad, Chris. Call him." I said.

"Wyatt! Wyatt, Help!" Please someone come! Please. Oh please, not Piper. Please not her. I'll die instead. She can't die. No she's a Charmed One. She can't!

"Help," I said feebly. I was getting weaker and weaker from blood loss.

"Mi – Mill –Millie," Piper said and I looked down at her. "Tay – take c—care of Wy—Wyatt."

"Piper, Piper you're gonna be okay, no last requests." I said.

"Te—tell…th—them ….I…I l—love them." She said.

I heard Chris yell for Leo over and over his voice hoarse. "Wyatt! Get your ass here! Right now." I sobbed in pain emotionally and physically.

He orbed in. I didn't give him time to register any of it. "Hurry heal her. Hurry!" I pushed myself away from her quickly and I wanted to scream from the pain, but I held it in.

"Dad," Wyatt called. Just once and Leo orbed in.

"Oh, Oh my God." He said and dropped to his knees by Piper and tried to heal her as well, but it wasn't working anymore and her eyes were staring up blankly at the sky.

I sobbed and coughed. Blood coming from my mouth.

"Millie," Wyatt said through the tears. "Millie you are not gonna die on me too. You are not. Keep breathing, Angel. C'mon." He said and allowed his hand to hover over my wound. It healed, but I felt so hurt.

This was my fault. I had a bad feeling. I didn't say anything about it and I couldn't help Piper, I couldn't help her when she needed it the most despite all the things she had done for me.

I'm a failure.

"It's not your fault," Wyatt said hearing my internal tirade.

He pulled me into his arms. Leo was reviving the unconscious Phoebe and Paige. They only collapsed again after the realizing they lost a sister…they lost Piper.

Who will hold us all together now?

The future is now as good as dust. What will the world do without Piper Halliwell?