Leo sighed as he looked out of his dorm room window. It was raining. Pouring rain in San Francisco. And it had ruined everything. Absolutely positively everything. He had that perfect date planned, a dinner he was going to cook at home for her then a walk along the beach, almost like their very first date. But Mother Nature had other ideas and he hadn't wanted to cancel their plans. So she was on her way, by his calculations, and he either had to do some quick thinking, or he'd have to postpone his declaration of love.

And he didn't like the idea of postponing his feelings. They'd waited long enough to get to this point, had been through so much in the last year, and more before that. Her own declaration of love had changed a lot in his life and even all of his friends had commented on how happy he'd been in the last little while. And it was all Piper that had done it.

He tried to put a smile on his face as the knock sounded at his door.

"it's raining cats and dogs out there," Piper exclaimed as she slipped through his door and shed her coat. "Absolutely pouring. Have you been outside today?"

Leo nodded. "Classes."

"Right," Piper said with a grin, "Sorry. Sometimes I forget that you have class every day."

"Unfortunate part of pre-med."

Her head tilted to the side. "Are you okay?"

He sighed. "It's been a long day."

"I'm sorry," she replied, her lips tilting downward. "Do you want me to go home?"

"No." He sighed when she laughed at hot quickly he'd answered. "I'm sorry, I'm trying."

"Hey," she said, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You shouldn't have to try."

"I had plans for us tonight," he admitted finally.

She arched an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"it's raining."

"It's raining. That's your problem? It's raining?"

"You make it sound so trivial."

Piper shook her head affectionately. "Leo, it is trivial. It's Mother Nature, we have no control."

He blew out a breath. "I hate the rain."

"How can you hate the rain?" Piper asked, moving to his window to lean out and just watch.

Leo had known Piper liked the rain. In fact, she loved the rain. She loved watching it fall outside the window creating rivers into the drainage system. She'd always loved the rain as far as he knew. "Because it's wet and yucky."

"When did you become four?" she teased. "Yucky?"

"Rain makes everything so muddy. And it's always muddy for days after the rain."

Piper rolled her eyes and grabbed his hands. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then trust me now. Come on." She led him down the stairs, grabbing his keys on the way, and out of the building.

"Piper, come on we're not-"

But she'd already dragged him out into the downpour. She laughed as she ran out into it, soaking herself to the bone, her clothes clinging. "Come on, Leo!"

He looked at her, shaking his head affectionately. "No."

"Why not!? Come on, Leo, it's just water! Clothes will dry."

"Piper, what are you doing?"

"I'm dancing in the rain!"

That got him into the downpour, racing out to her and wrapping an arm around her as he swept her into his arms. Piper laughed as he swung her in circles, holding one hand as he waltzed her through the rain. He wasn't really paying attention to it, just focused on her, on the woman in his arms and the feeling of having her there. Eventually, they slowed them down, until they were just standing there, his eyes fixed on hers.

Piper knew something was up. She could tell by the intense look in his eyes. "What is it?"

He let go of her hand, bringing his up to cup her cheek. "I love you."

Piper stopped moving completely, standing still, her mouth open slightly. "What?"

"I love you. I love that you love the rain, I love that you can drag me out into a downpour. I love how you stress, and that cute little wrinkle you get between your eyebrows when you're feeling overwhelmed. I love your quirky family, your Grams. I love you, Piper."

"But, I-" She shook her head. "I don't understand."

He chuckled. "You don't understand that I love you?"

She shook her head again. "I don't understand why you're telling me."

"Because you love me too." His thumb stroked over her cheek. "Can you tell me otherwise?"

Piper stood stunned for another minute. "How did you know?"

"I was awake," he said, stepping closer, pulling her much smaller body closer to his. "Weeks ago, when you told me, I was awake."

Piper stood stunned. "But you- You didn't say anything."

"You'd just figured it out yourself. I didn't want to put you on the spot."

"Because you haven't done it now?" Her voice was starting to sound slightly panicked. "Leo, I-"

"I'm not going to ask you to say it again, sweetheart, not until you're ready," he promised. "I just… I needed you to know that. I need you to know that I love you."

Piper's mouth opened and closed a few times, trying to make sense of what was going on around her. Leo loved her, he'd told her he loved her. And she knew she loved him. "I love you too."

"Piper-"

"I do," she said, stronger this time, gripping his shirt in her hands. "I love you, Leo Wyatt."

And with a huge grin, Leo swept her into his arms and kissed her. He put everything he could feel into the kiss, and tasted only rain and Piper. He had no idea where this was going to go, no idea what they could face, but he did know he loved her. And he knew she loved him. Everything else… well, he could deal with everything else so long as she was beside him.