Suddenly, Darkness

Apparently although you'd fixed the guy about to drop all his dishes, you didn't fix the fact that he was standing in front of the kitchen door, and when Darryl came in moments later, he also collided with the busser, sending the bin of dishes flying... straight into your head.

You went down like a sack of potatoes and knocked your head on the floor which wasn't that bad considering being a whitelighter, you were made pretty sturdy, the problem came in that you couldn't just wave it off since no one knew you were a magical creature.

So you were rushed to hospital, they checked you over, came back with nothing on their tests, but still wouldn't let you leave for 24 hours in case you had a concussion with more delayed effects, some dumb hospital policy.

Which was how you found yourself 'patiently' awaiting release from the hospital. The sisters had also decided on a rotation system to keep me company, despite Phoebe all but saying that she'd stay here with you.

Which was how you found yourself laying next to Piper who seemed far more antsy than you. Originally it was just going to be Prue and Phoebe that kept you company, since Piper was up to her neck in trying to keep Quake afloat, but she pointed out that you'd been injured in her kitchen so anyone that made a stink could be silenced with the potential lawsuit.

"So, about last night?" Piper started as you were brought out of your thoughts.

"Oh yeah, sorry about that." You replied simply.

"Oh no, no reason to be sorry, except, I mean, why'd you do that?" Piper stuttered.

"You mean why'd I kiss you?" You affirmed, Piper nodding as you sighed, "Really it was just the last resort as I said. Your powers seemed to go off the most when you get really panicked, so I decided to help calm you back down." You answered, glancing at the brunette who was nervously biting at her fingernails.

"How does a kiss like that calm somebody down?" You heard her mumble, but decided not to answer since she was probably being rhetorical if she meant for you to hear her at all.

"But what about Phoebe?" Piper asked, aloud this time.

"What about Phoebe, she understands that some things have to adapt for your new heritage, besides it was just a kiss between friends right?" You supplied her with an out to avoid any awkwardness.

However, whatever she was about to say was lost as a nurse came over, informing both of us that you were being released. You were positive it hadn't been 12 hours yet, much less 24 but you weren't about to argue.

"I'll meet you outside Piper, okay?" You said as she nodded, rising from her chair as she walked away, her mind on other things.

It was approximately ten minutes later when you walked out of the hospital a free man, only to see Piper parked nearby, the van idling. You started to ask her about it since you were pretty sure you remembered her driving a Jeep, but she simply replied business expenditure.

"Hey, Leo, do you mind if we make one stop on the way home, I really need to do this?" Piper asking with you replying mutely with a shrug.

It was around an hour or so later when you got back to the manor, Piper's mood drastically changed from earlier after swinging by the church where she'd donated food. Said good mood was slightly dampened by the elderly Brittany sitting in the backseat, not that Piper knew who she was yet.

Even so, you both got out helping the woman up the incline and into the house as Piper called out to her sisters.

"Phoebe, Prue, we're back!"

"Already, I thought they wanted to keep him for a 24 hour watch?" Prue questioned coming down the stairs, Phoebe right behind her who deferred to simply rushing over to you and kissing you.

"Hey babe, I thought you had a model shoot to go to today?" You questioned as Phoebe looked at you strangely.

"I thought we talked about this, I told you I wasn't going to go to that, I was too worried about you anyways and if Stephan didn't make you comfortable, then I won't do it." Phoebe said, adding a second light peck to your lips as you heard the elderly Brittany seem to come alive, recognizing her attacker's name.

"Oh, you brought home a friend." Prue said as the elderly woman grabbed at Phoebe, her dry, rasping voice preventing any communication.

"Hey, watch it lady!" Phoebe said, only for you to interject.

"I think she's trying to say something, can one of you get a glass of water?" You asked as Piper vanished into the background, returning moments later with a glass of water which she handed to you.

Helping the elderly woman sit down on the couch, using what you hoped was a soft, soothing tone to calm her.

"Hey, it's okay, just rest here for a second, sip on this water and then you can tell us, okay?" You said as the woman lightly nodded, sitting down as she took the glass from you, trying to take a large drink, only for you to catch the glass.

"Small sips, that way you don't gulp down a bunch of air and get a cramp or something." You ordered.

"Wait a minute, what's that on her hand?" Phoebe asked, squinting her eyes as she got closer. "It looks like a butterfly, just like... Brittany!?" Phoebe exclaimed as the woman put the glass down, nodding emphatically.

"But, what happened to you?" Piper asked, as the woman began talking, telling the three sisters about how she was grabbed by Stephan, and he used some kind of light beams and when she woke up she was like this.

"I think you girls better head for the attic and see what you can find." You supplied as the sisters turned back, heading upstairs to search through the Book, leaving you alone with Brittany Sr.

"Here, have some more water." You offered, lightly tapping the glass with your finger as it refilled. Usually you'd be wary of using magic in front of a mortal, but in this case you supposed it wouldn't really matter.

As she slowly sipped on the full glass, which she didn't question ironically, you lightly brushed her back, a warm glow flooding her body as you felt her begin to drift away, reaching out to catch the glass just before she dropped it as her eyes closed, passing into the realm of sleep.

With perfect timing, the Charmed Ones came back down, bee-lining for the door, you following closely after them.

Woah, wait a minute there Leo, you're not coming with us." Prue said, stopping you.

"And why not?" You asked, irritably.

"Because this isn't some normal fight, it's a magical creature, and correct me if I'm wrong but the last time you got your ass handed to you when you tried to fight a warlock." Prue said, and you could just hear the superior tone in her voice.

Turning to your hopeful supporter, you saw Phoebe look down, trying to avoid your eyes. "It's not that we don't want you there, it's just, you just got out of the hospital, and I don't want you to get hurt again, okay. Besides, someone needs to watch Brittany to make sure she'll be alright." Phoebe answered the unasked question, and after a tense few seconds you sighed, waving them off as they all loaded in the van, tearing off down the streets towards their vanquish.

You wanted to be angry, but it didn't matter how you looked at it, they had a point from their point-of-view, without revealing yourself as their whitelighter, you would constantly be looked at like you needed to be protected.