CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

But Paige was smiling. "She laughed and said 'Okay, point taken," and I sighed with relief. "Then I asked Chris if he was OK and he actually smiled and said he thought he was, so I declared that we should all get back to the Manor, so you could say good-bye to Prue, and I orbed out. You know what happened next."

I did, but neither of us found out what happened next between Prue and Chris until much later, when we got to visit Prue at Valhalla after Chris was gone and Prue told us. She said after Paige orbed out, her eyes opened wide, telling Chris, "Yeah, we should get back, but before we do…"

And he looked at her, asking, "Yeah?"

So she told him, ""When you told me about your dad before, I didn't realize you were talking about Leo. I have known Leo for a long time. I know he wouldn't intentionally ignore his son. It's his job that keeps him away. Piper often had the same problem with him, both before and after they were married,"

He nodded, "Yeah, I get what you are saying."

But she was not convinced. "Look, Leo really is a great guy," she insisted.

"Yeah, and so is my grandpa!" he threw back, obviously remembering what she had said about our dad. "After Mo…. He was the perfect grandfather."

And Prue smiled. "Glad to see family really does mean something to him. And it will to Leo, too, believe me!"

He still wasn't convinced. "Yeah, maybe, let's just get back."

She nodded and grabbed his hand, and they orbed back to the Manor.

Not too long after that, a portal suddenly opened up and Mist reappeared. "Time to go," she told Prue insistently.

Prue hugged me one more time. "Don't be sad for me; be happy!" and I nodded, beginning to snuffle despite myself.

She went over to Piper and gave her a big hug "Keep taking good care of our family, OK?" and Piper nodded, trying to keep her tears back.

Next she hugged Paige, "I no longer have to worry about my sisters, since I know you're part of the group," and Paige hugged her back, blinking tears back.

Next she hugged Leo. "Even if you're an Elder, you keep an eye on this family--this whole family, you hear me? You don't, we might have to lock you up in Valhalla again!" and Mist grinned.

Leo grimaced at her, even as he tried to hold back a grin. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea after all."

Prue grinned back, "Yes, it is, and you know it."

Finally she hugged Chris goodbye. "Thank you so much for everything," she told him. And because I was standing right next to them, I could hear her whisper just for him, "Don't worry, everything will work out," and he nodded, although she said he still didn't look like he believed it would.

Just then another portal opened. "Prue, it is time to go," Mist told her. "Now."

Prue nodded, smiled and waved at us, her family, one more time, then followed Mist through the portal to Valhalla.

We all snuffled, then joined in with a family hug. Even Chris joined in. We knew we'd miss her greatly, but were so happy for her, knowing that she was going to be okay.

And just a few days latter, Piper, Paige and I began setting up the Manor for Wyatt's first birthday party.

In case you don't recognize that, we're now at the start of "The Courtship of Wyatt's Father." So?? What do you think?? Did Aurora do a great job of writing a tweener or what? I love how she messed up all the relationships and then put them right back to where they were at the beginning of "Courtship"!

Thank you so very much for reading this, especially to those who took the time to review! It means SO much to me!

Now it's up to all of you. Would you like to read more pieces of my never-completed novel "No Greater Love…"? Should I include the "Phoebeizations" of the episodes, or do you just want to read the parts based on fanfics? What about the incompleted parts? Should I let you know what I planned for those parts, or isn't that necessary? If you don't want to tell me via a public review, feel free to go to my homepage and send me a Personal Message. If I get at least 25 people who would like to read the same thing, I'll begin.

If all you want to know is how Piper went to reacting towards Chris as she does in this fic and how she did towards the end of S6 (and in my novel, she and Chris are a lot closer than they were on the show, since unlike the show, I didn't have to work around Holly Marie's pregnancy!), be sure to check out my "Epilogue to the Courtship of Wyatt's Father", my favorite part of "No Greater Love..."

Thanks again for your interest in my fanfics—and Charmed!