Joint Post - Phoebe, Piper, Alexis, Jon
Leo - Temp'ed
Alexis was sneaking back into the manor, using the front door, with her key, going quietly. She was going to use her window that she had left from or orb in but it was so late, or early (the sun had risen) ... that she wasn't thinking straight.
Piper was already in the kitchen, making coffee for everyone. She was worried because she had gone to check on her kid, like she did most mornings, and Alexis wasn't there. But she was going to stay calm, her new thing, because she was sick and tired of fighting with her. With a mother's intuition, she could feel when the door opened and her daughter was back in the house, but she stayed in the kitchen for a minute, trying to gather her thoughts.
Alexis was trying to make her way towards ths stairs, quietly, hoping that no one would be awake yet and she wouldn't have been missed. She was tired of fighting with her mother, getting the dissaproving looking from her two Aunts and her father? Well .... who knows with him.
Picking up her mug of coffee, Piper stepped out of the kitchen and into the dining room, spotting Alexis trying to sneak up the stairs.
"Hi," she said, trying to surprise the girl. "Have a fun night?"
Alexis froze, her foot on the first step. Shit. She turned, slowly, silent praying for one of her Aunts to show right about now to buffer the upcoming fight she knew that were about to have.
"Good Morning, I .... Night? What do you mean? I was just out jogging ... You know, keeping in shape for all the demons and all..."
"Oh, that's nice," Piper replied, taking a sip of coffee. She looked her daughter slowly up and down, trying to unnerve her.
"Because those look like your running shoes. Of course, we do fight a lot of demons while wearing heels, so maybe you were just doing some realisitic training, huh?"
She flinched at her tone but held her ground, "Well, it wouldn't exactly be the first time we were attacked while wearing fine things ... " she said, totally ignoring the bit about her probably not really being out jogging.
Phoebe started down the stairs but stopped when she spotted her niece at the bottom. It was obvious she was trying to sneak in.
She would have thought Alexis would know by now she couldn't do that. "Morning Piper." Phoebe said.
"Morning, Pheebs," she replied, still keeping eye contact with Alexis. "There's a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen, if you feel like some.
Alexis doesn't need any, because, as you can probably tell, she went for a refreshing morning jog. Didn't you, honey?"
She bit her lip, wanting to stomp her foot but reminded herself she was not a 3-year-old anymore, "Right... I did but ... I think I'll go up and change clothes seeing as I've gotten these .... wrinkled."
"Why don't you just do that," Piper replied, smirking at her. "Then we'll have a nice little chat down in the kitchen, mkay?"
Phoebe looked at Alexis then back at Piper. "Thanks Piper." Phoebe said. "Morning Alexis." Phoebe said. She walked down the rest of the stairs and into the kitchen.
She poured herself a cup of coffee, then walked back to her sister. She looked at Piper. "What's that about?" Phoebe asked.
She sighed and waved her hands, "Yeah, whatever .... Morning, Aunt Phoebe," she said, going up to her room and flinging herself inside. "God!" she exclaimed, slamming the door.
Phoebe took a sip of her coffee. She watched her niece go up the stairs and heard the door slam. "What's that matter with her? You two have another fight?" Phoebe asked Piper.
Piper sighed. "I have no idea," she said, walking back to the kitchen to get breakfast together. "But I wish I did.
She's been sneaking around a lot lately, and it worries me. But I can't get Leo's attention for two freaking seconds to help me figure it out.
She opens up more to him, and as much as I hate that, I'll use it if I have to."
She moved to change her clothes, taking a morbid black looking catsuit from her closet and put it on, her black hair cascading over her shoulders. "Perfect," she said, putting some bright pink lipgloss on. The comparison was flashy and it flashed the message of ... well, something. She went back downstairs, straighening her spine as she went.
Phoebe followed Piper back into the kitchen. "Maybe she's just going through her rebelious stage. You know like I did." Phoebe said.
She took another sip of her coffee and sat down on stool. "I can try and talk to her if you want." Phoebe said.
"No, no," Piper said, getting eggs out of the fridge. "I mean, I appreciate the offer, but she's seventeen.
Eventually I'm going to have to learn how to relate to her, so better now than never, I guess. We're just so different, you know?"
Phoebe nodded. "Yeah just don't get too mad at her ok. Seh
She'll get past it eventually. I did." Phoebe said. She took another sip. "Need any help." Phoebe offered, hopping off the bar stool.
"Sure, make some toast or something, will you?" Piper replied. "And I'm trying not to get mad.
I'm trying to stay calm, really I am, but she's just so... frustrating! She won't open up and tell me anything.
She just seems like a completely different person than she was a few months ago, you know?"
Alexis walked into the kitchen get some coffee and a muffin when she heard the last of her mothers words but chose to ignore them like she hadn't heard them at all.
"Morning," Piper said, falsely cheerful. "How are you this glorious day?" Okay, so maybe that wasn't staying calm, but... maybe it counted as killing them with kindness? Which was better than nothing, in her opinion.
Phoebe turned and looked at Alexis. "Hi." Phoebe said. She walked over, grabbed a few slices of bread, then popped them into the toaster. "How was your jog?" Phoebe asked Alexis.
She faked her own smile, cause last night and this morning WAS great... so... who was she to lie, right?
"I'm fantastic," she said, brushing back her black hair... She turned to her Aunt... "It was ... inspiring..." she said, and left it at that, though her thoughts were elsewhere on a beach.
Piper exchanged a significant look with Phoebe, then transferred the eggs from the pan to a serving bowl.
Phoebe smiled at her. "Well that's nice." Phoebe said. "Where'd you go?" Phoebe asked Alexis. She looked back at Piper. "So what's on the agenda today?" Phoebe asked.
"Are you going to sit and eat with us?" she asked pointedly. "Or just run off like you do most mornings?" Damn, she wasn't staying calm. Oh well, that wasn't her style, anyway.
Phoebe walked over and took the toast out of the toaster after it popped up. She placed a piece on each plate. "Butter?" Phoebe asked Piper.
Her mother wasn't making keeping her temper easy and she wasn't like Chris who had gotten his from their father. She was like her mother in that respect. "Fine, I'll sit..." she said as she did so. "Oh, around the city, even to the beach, a very long jog, actually..."
"Thank you," Piper said to her daughter, placing the eggs on the table. "And yes, butter, please Pheebs.
I'm going down to p3 for a while. I need to do inventory before the pantry is bare and we run out of alcohol."
"And you talk about me never being around," Alexis muttered under her breath.
"Oh well that's nice." Phoebe said smiling at Alexis. She walked over and brought the butter to the table. She looked at Piper again. "Juice or milk?" Phoebe asked.
"Juice for me, Phoebe," she said, looking at her daughter again. Piper took a fighting stance. "What was that, Alexis? Care to repeat it? Because I'd like to know what's so unimportant that you whisper it, and yet so important that you feel the need to say it at all."
She slapped her hand on the table, "Alright! I SAID, And you talk about me never being around but you have no trouble going off to that stupid club whenever .... likes it more important than Wyatt, Chris and I...." she said, though really she meant herself since her two brothers had gotten tons of attention in the first years of their lives...
Phoebe sighed. Alexis reminded her too much of herself at that age. She walked over to the fridge and got the juice out. She poured a glass of juice for Piper. She looked at Alexis but decided not to ask her.
"If I don't go down to 'that stupid club,'" Piper said, heated. "Then we wouldn't have the food you're eating right now. So maybe you should think about that before opening your mouth. AND, you're old enough to be working down there now, so if you really want to spend time with me, which I doubt anyway, maybe you should offer to come help instead of bitching! Ever think of that?"
"You don't care anyway! You only care about making toe your little line and controlling me! And I hear Grams was like that and how Aunt Phoebe said she was never going to make her kids like that but that's EXACTLY what did you did! At least Dad never judges me!" she yelled as she flung herself from the chair and ran from the room.
"Don't you dare run away from me when we're--- oh, forget it," Piper said, practically falling down into a chair.
"Whatever happened to stay calm? Damn it!" She whacked at the egg bowl, sending it spinning across the table to hang precariously on the edge.
Phoebe placed a hand on Piper's shoulder. "It'll be ok Piper. She just needs to blow off steam. She'll come back." Phoebe said.
She hoped she was helping but wasn't to sure she was. Phoebe handed Piper her glass of juice and sat down in the chair next to her.
She looked up, holding back tears. "Thanks. But I don't think so, not this time. What am I going to do, Phoebe? It's like I can't stop pushing her away.
I don't mean to, but... it always seems to happen. And one day, I'm going to push her too far, and never see her again."
Alexis ran outside, slamming the door behind her, sniffing. She hated it there! She hated her mother! God, she wished she could be with Jon all the time, at least he never judged her... or with her father, he didn't either though secretly she knew he hated it when she fought with her mother.
"Well you remember what it was like when I was her age. And I made out ok. I always managed to come back too. Grams never really completely pushed me away for good anyway. I came back and so can Alexis." Phoebe said.
She took a sip of her coffee. "She's just going through a stage like I did. She'll get over it. All teenagers go through this." Phoebe added.
Jon watched her as she ran out of the house, silently appreciating her getup. She looked upset, frustrated, and a little hurt. Perfect.
He stepped out from behind the tree where he had been hiding since she left him, and walked slowly up to her, smiling.
"Hey, baby," he said. "I just couldn't stay aw-- oh, Lexi, baby, what's wrong?"
"Wyatt and Chris didn't," Piper said. "Maybe because they're boys? I don't know, Pheebs. It just seemed so much easier with them, maybe because I had already met them so many times, or something. But I really hope you're right, because I don't know what else to do."
Alexis turned around, towards the voice, when she stopped him, "What .... What are you... doing ... here?" she asked, between sniffles. "They'll.... see.... you...." she said, tears streaking her cheeks now, her hands swipping at them.
"Well I'm always here if you need me Piper. You know that, right?" Phoebe said. "And I'm sure she'll get over it. I did and so did Paige. She'll be ok. I promise." Phoebe said.
Jon stepped closer and pulled her in, pressing her head into his shoulder. "I don't care, let them see me," he said, running his hand down her hair.
"What you need is more important than that right now. So just let it out, baby. Let it all out."
Piper sighed and smiled at her sister. "I'm holding you to that, Phoebe," she warned. "So you better watch it if she ends up to be the mother-hating headbanger I'm currently invisioning." Piper sipped at her juice, trying to relax, getting ready for a second go-round with her daughter.
Hopefully, if they both cooled off, this one would go a bit better.
"God, I... Hate my mother! I don't know how my father can stand her! She is so controlling! She gave me the 3rd degree about where I was this morning and she was WAITING for me! I swear, she is out to get me!" she ranted, pulling on his shirt, her tears leaking into his clothes... "Oops, sorry."
"I'm sure she doesn't hate you Piper. She's just angry and frustated like you are right now. You both just need time to cool off then maybe you can talk about it." Phoebe said.
"It's okay, don't worry about it," he replied, settling her more comfortably into his shoulder. "Your mother sounds like a bit of a witch, Lexi.
She needs to respect your opinion and your choices about your own life. I mean, you're not a child anymore, right?"
She giggled suddenly, "Short of a few things, not after last night and this morning for sure." Then Alexis blushed.
"But I was in the right, right?" Piper asked, needing at least that. "She snuck out, and then she got mad at me! And about the whole p3 thing, well, I try to be here as much as I can, but that's my job! That's her allowance, her food, her clothes... why can't she understand that?"
Suddenly Leo orbed into the room, "What's going on? The Elders said the emotions flying round here is like a virtual hurricane that the magical world doesn't need..."
Jon laughed, catching the blush. "Hey, at least I got you laughing, right?" he asked. "That's better than crying. Feeling better now, baby? I hate to see you like that."
She nodded, "Yeah.... I hate being like that... Hey, at least no one came crashing out through the door screaming at us, right?"
Phoebe looked at Piper. "I agree with you. She shouldn't have snuck out. She's just mad because she was caught."
Phoebe said. She looked at Leo when he orbed in. "Oh they just had another fight is all." Phoebe explained.
"Oh no, it's more than that, Phoebe. Don't sugar coat it. What's going on around here is your daughter sneaking out, then acting like it's all okay!" Piper said, getting angry all over again. "Where have you been, Leo?! I wake up this morning, and you're just gone... again. I told you that Alexis was causing problems, having problems, and you just brush it off like it's nothing. Explain that to me, please, because I just don't get it."
Jon affected a wounded look. "Would that have really been so bad?" he asked her. "When are you going to tell them about me, Lexi? We can't keep sneaking around forever. It's not right to act like our relationship needs to be hidden, like it's something dirty or wrong."
Phoebe sighed. She hated it when Piper was like this but she didn't want to say anything and have Piper mad at her too. So she just kept quiet. It was between them now.
Leo gave his wife a look, he loved her but, sometimes he had things to do. "I've been really busy with work. I thought you could handle Alexis. I mean, you are her mother... Have you tried TALKING about her sneaking out rather than yelling or fighting with her about it? THAT might help," he said.
Alexis took a step back, "I never said it was dirty or wrong but imagine my mother taking the news that I'm dating someone ... what ... six-to-seven years older than me? She'd FREAK! She hated Cole and he was much older than my Aunt... I mean, the list of older men that the women in my family dates... She'd REALLY kill me then!"
"Of course I tried that, Leo! What do you think I am, an idiot?" Piper practically yelled. "She just doesn't talk to me, or react to me the way she does to you!
And you haven't exactly been around for her to talk to lately, either. And would you PLEASE quit giving me that I'm a whitelighter, I have work crap, because I've been hearing it for twenty-odd years now, and it's getting OLD! I have work too, incase you've missed it, and I've still managed to be here when people needed me, even if I mangle things sometimes!"
"Well, if you yell at her like you are yelling at me right now, so wonder she sneaks out and never talks to you! Listen to you, Piper! You can't expect her to want to open up to such hostility!" he yelled back.
A part of Phoebe agreed with Leo. Though she knew how she'd been at Alexis' age. She also knew she never would have listened to Grams, never actually did for that matter. Not at that age anyway. So she doubted Alexis would listen to Piper now.
"Oh... oh... I just can't talk to you right now!" Piper said, flinging up her hands, freezing him. "Why is everything that goes wrong in this house my fault! Damn it!" She took off, grabbing her keys and her coat, then yanking open the front door. Spotting the boy standing with her daughter, Piper said, "Oh hell no! Alexis, what the hell do you think you're doing!"
Alexis jumped at the sound of her mothers voice, letting out a squeak.
"Well, it looks like we're about to find out whether or not she's really going to kill you," Jon said, amused but trying not to show it.
"Want me to go? Cause I'm more than willing to stick around and give you some support."
Her mouth moved, but no words came out. She blinked, she could do this. She wasn't afraid. She was Charmed, and she could orb, right. Orbing is her friend. "You can go if you want," she whiserped back before taking his head in her hand and kissing him with all her might, no mind magic being used over her, only the need to piss her mother off royally.
"O-ho, fuck no!" she snarled. Piper marched down the steps and over to where the couple was, muttering under her breath the whole time.
Then she really let loose. "Alexis, who is this boy? Well, let me correct that. Who is this MAN? Because he had better be the UPS guy, and not the reason your ass wasn't in bed this morning!"
She let go and gave her mother a smirk, "Oh right, does he LOOK like the UPS guy? I mean come on Mom... they don't come that hot looking!"
Jon kissed Alexis back, surprised she had done that without any prompting. By the time they were done, her mother was upon them, and he grabbed Alexis's hand.
"Let me handle this, Lexi," he told her, then looked at Piper. "I'm Jonathan Andrews, ma'am, and I--"
"Did it look like I was talking to you?" she said, interrupting. "And you had better cut that tone out awful quick, child, or else someone around here is going to get blown up."
She gasped, outraged, "I am NOT a child! I am almost an adult and 17 IS legal in some places and I could just ... orb there! And don't talk to him like that!" she yelled.
Just then Leo unfroze, and sighed, looking at Phoebe, "What happened?"
"I'll talk to him however I damn well please!" Piper said. "He is a MAN taking advantage of my TEENAGE DAUGHTER! What do you want me to do, give him a medal?"
"He is NOT taking advantage of me! Ever think of the possbility maybe I want him to do.... to.... " her hands fluttered and the street lights blinked as her emotions soared and her cheeks blushed red.
"I'm not taking advantage of anyone," Jon said at the same time. "Alexis is with me because she wants to be, and because I want to be with her. If you can't understand that, well--- too bad for you."
Phoebe sighed and finished off her coffee. "She froze you then stormed off." Phoebe said calmly. She jumped when she heard yelling coming from outside. She stood up and started for the front door.
He looked up as the lights flickered, pretending to be surprised. And he was surprised, a bit, that her powers were showing themselves in public.
"Alexis, watch it," Piper said, voice low and dangerous. All they needed now was for this-- this Jonathan to find out about their secret, too.
"Great, I better go stop the yelling before the neighhood watch comes out," he said as he went outside, "Piper... Alexis ... and ...?"
Alexis bit her lip, trying to control her emotions - that controlled her powers but it was so very hard. She took a large breath. "You started it."
"Leo," Piper said sweetly, turning at the sound of her husband's voice. "Meet Jonathan, our 17 year old daughter's boyfriend. Or something. They sure do grow 'em big for 17 these days, don't they?"
Leo peered through the sun, "17? A bit.... big for being 17, aren't you?" Sure, he may not agree with his wife on things but their daughters welfare was one they did and her dating habits was another. Older men was a no-no.
Jon stood quietly, trying not to draw a lot of attention to himself. He was debating about whether it would be better to amp up everyone's rage, or try and sooth the savage beast so that he might finally have his in to the Manor.
"I'm not 17, sir," he finally said to Leo, decision still unmade. "I'm 24. And I believe right at normal height for my age."
"I see.... 24, and how'd you meet my 17-year-old daughter at 24 years of age?" he asked.
Alexis sighed, "Dad!"
"24? Twenty freaking four? Oh my god!" Piper said, turning from them, throwing her hands in the air. "I cannot believe this, I just can't."
"Well, that's an interesting story," Jon said. "Perhaps better told somewhere not so, uh... visible? I promise you, I can explain everything."
"At least he's not Cole's age when Aunt Phoebe was dating him!" Alex said, frantically.
"You better be able to," Piper snapped back. "And yes, Alexis, please reference COLE when discussing prospetive boyfriends. But fine, whatever, let's take this inside."
"Hey, I didn't say the other! Cole is a nice and normal name!" she said, pushing past her furious parents, pulling on Jon's hand.
Phoebe stood in the doorway of the Manor, watching the scene unfold in front of her. She stepped back when they approached.
She wanted to hear this explanation herself. She didn't exactly like them referencing Cole though they had a point. Cole wasn't exactly the best for boyfriend material.
Looking at Piper uneasily, Jon finally made his decision. One thing he didn't want was to be on the lead witch's bad side so early in the game.
He reached out with his power and gently soothed her anger, bringing confusion and a need for understanding farther to the fore;
Jon wanted her to release her anger, but if he tried to change her too much, her mind would never accept it.
He also looked to Leo and Alexis, trying to do make them a bit calmer as well. It was one of his more ambitious trials, admittedly, manipulating three at once, but he had been training for this since the 17th century.
Then he went with Alexis, allowing her to pull him along into the house.
Piper followed, taking deep breaths, suddenly feeling a lot less upset by the situation. She just wished Alexis would offer a real explination over trying to make up excuses for her behavior. Going into the house, she took a seat in the living room, waiting for everyone else to sit as well.
Alexis was about to start her rant when she blinked rapidly and sighed, her mind wandering. Finally, she took some breaths and sat down, opposite her mother as her father sat besides her mother, more confused by the situation than anything.
Phoebe followed behind them. She walked into the living room and sat on the arm of the couch. She looked at Piper then at Alexis and Jon.
She sighed. She hoped the explanation would calm Piper and maybe she and Alexis wouldn't fight so much.
"So," Piper said, studying the two sitting across from her. "I'm ready to hear this explination. And it had better be a good one, you two. Because right now, I'm not exactly feeling charitable."
Jon reached over and took Alexis's hand again, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, hoping to give her comfort.
"Would you like me to start?" he asked, really to both Alexis and Piper.
She mumbled, "Yes.." her heart in her throat, from his touch and having to explain anything to her parents.
Leo waited silently, clapsing his own wife's hand in his.
Phoebe waited silently. She wanted to hear this. She hoped it was a good one for everyone's sake.
"Okay," Jon said to Alexis. "I'm a TA down at the university. I'm working at getting my masters in biochemistry and biochemical engineering. Anyway, I was at a party one night, and, well... Lexi here caught my eye. We started dating, but she didn't tell me how old she was until a few months into the relationship. I swear, if I would have known before we started that she was only seventeen, I never would have dated her. When I found out, I tried to break it off, but, well... I just couldn't. So... that's basically it. I promise I'm not taking advantage of her, or anything like that."
Piper let Leo take her hand. She loved him, even though they weren't exactly getting along lately, and his comfort was helpful.
"Okay..." she said slowly. "That explains your side of it. But not why Alexis was at a college part to begin with. Or why she lied to you about how old she was for so long."
Alexis dreaded this, her mother just couldn't let it go, could she? No, she just had to push. She gave her mother a look. "Because, if he knew I was 17, he'd have never went out with me, that's why and I was there because I like parties, there is no law against that... Aunt Phoebe will agree, won't you?"
"Leave me out of this. It's between you and you're parents." Phoebe said. She had wanted to hear the explanation but didn't want to be brought into the subject.
"There's no law against parties," Piper replied for her. "But there is a rule against it, if we don't know where you are going, or if there is drinking there.
And you know that, Alexis. Our rules aren't to punish you. They're to look out for you. Why can't you understand that?"
"Because you never give any headway for me to do anything and you always want to know where I am constantly like I'm a child. You don't do this to Chris or Wyatt ... even if they ARE a few years older than me..." she replied.
Her hand pressed against Jon's... Leo sighed, "Sweetheart," he began but she just shook her head, "I don't want to hear you take her side, Dad... I'm tired of getting different treatment than Chris and Wyatt, like ... just because I'm female or something..."
"Wyatt and Chris don't live here anymore," Piper pointed out. "But when they were here, they had the same exact rules as you did. There's no special treatment for them just because they were boys. But they also weren't sneaking out of the house to do God knows what. It scares me, Alexis, not to know where you are or what could be happening to you. With everything that goes on in this house, to not see you in your bed in the morning-- it's terrifying."
She looked at Jon and then at her mother, "It's not like I can't take care of myself in more ways than one with ... everything I can do .... if it came to that, Mom... But okay... so maybe sneaking out is wrong but ... still, I'm as good as they are..." she said, though she was speaking of magic and this was as close as she had come to an apology before without outright giving one.
Jon squeezed her hand, trying to offer moral support that was, as he was unsure of what to say. The rest of this Alexis and her family were going to have to work out on their own.
He just hoped that he would come out the victor in the end.
"Your mother's right though, Alexis." Phoebe said. "They just want to keep you safe." Phoebe added.
Phoebe knew she didn't believe that when she was Alexis' age but she knew it now and hoped Alexis would understand that.
Piper laughed, in a warm, friendly way, not sarcastically at all. "And we know that you can take care of yourself, Lex," she said.
"After all, we uh... showed you the ropes ourselves. But still, it's just a matter of trust. If we feel like we can't trust you anymore, it makes it harder and harder to let you do the things you want to do. Do you think I enjoy having to watch you like a hawk? I would much rather be the laid-back, cool mom who doesn't have to worry about you, you know?"
Alexis nodded, turning her face away... "Sorry," she whispered. Leo squeezed Piper's hand, nodding towards Alexis, in a parents way to tell his wife to make up with her. "I think you may have won, love," he said.
Now Piper grinned. There was nothing she liked better, but still... she didn't like to see her daughter lose, either.
"I am sorry for yelling at you like that, Alexis," she said. "I know I can fly off the handle sometimes. But I love you, if that helps."
She nodded again, "I love you too... I just... I wish I was more like Chris or Wyatt so... well, I know you both do... They have so much more po- wisdom... and... are less trouble in the end... Maybe you wish you'd had another son..."
"Oh, Lex," Piper said, sad now. "No, no, not at all. I wanted a daughter ever since I first thought about having a baby. You're a blessing after your brothers, you know? It's just that, uh... we got to know them a bit better than we've gotten to know you, that's all. It's not fair, I know, but it's the way it happened. But we could try and get to know each other better now, if you'd like. I can spend less time at the club than I do, I'm sure."
"I wouldn't want you to stop going, I know how you love it there... and all.... and 'sides, you were right before, I COULD probably use to get a job, I guess.... Wouldn't kill me or anything.... And go to less parties and stuff...."
Leo watched the exchange between wife and daughter, his heart aching for them both but knowing they had to work this out on their own, to mend their bond together.
"Well, as you know the owner, I'm sure we could find a job for you at p3," Piper offered. "And it's like a party there, even if you're working behind the bar.
But it's whatever you want, honey. As far as a job goes, anyway. I just don't want things to get bad again."
She looked over at Jon and then back to her mother, "What about Jon?"
"Shit," he thought, having stopped paying attention a long time ago. Jon hadn't been learning anything useful, so he just tuned them out. But with a little twist, both Piper and Leo would feel a lot more relaxed towards him, he was sure.
Piper looked at her husband, trying to get a read on how he felt about the situation. "I think that we'll see how that goes for a while," she said.
"He doesn't seem like a bad guy, it's just unforunate that you met the way you did, I guess. But no more sneaking around! Or else we're not going to be so pleasant about it. Okay?"
"I can always help out too you know Piper. After all I already do a lot of my work at home." Phoebe offered. Phoebe agreed with Piper. Jon didn't seem like such a bad guy.
"I believe what your mother means is no more sneaking out or you'll be grounded and you won't have to worry about seeing him or not, right, Piper?" Leo said, quickly remembering his father role in all this. Alexis promised, "Alright, as long as you agree to treat me like an adult - or an almost one..."
"Deal," Piper said. "Now, is anyone hungry? The eggs are cold as ice by now, I'm sure, but I can make more. Or some pancakes. Whatever you guys feel like having."
Jon looked at Alexis in surprise. "Uh.. does that invitation include me?" he asked, wary of being rude, but really unsure.
Piper looked him over. "I suppose so," she said. "That way we can interrogate you mercilessly over my five-star cooking."
"Yeah I'm hungry. But it doesn't really matter to me what we eat." Phoebe said. She looked at Alexis and offered a friendly smile. She laughed a little at what Piper said.
"I'll just have a blueberry muffin and some apple juice if we have some," Alexis said, heading towards the kitchen.
"Um, okay," Piper said, deeming this the incorrect time to inform her daughter she didn't need to diet. "Leo? What do you feel like having?"
"Anything you feel like making," he said with a grin, "You know I love anything you cook.... " He didn't want to fight and hoped she had forgotten their shouting match from earlier.
Piper really hated it when people just left it up to her, but decided to try her remain calm technique again. She headed into the kitchen, calling out to Phoebe, "Hey, sis, want to help?"
"Sure Piper." Phoebe called back. She stood up and walked into the kitchen to help Piper. "So what can I help with?" Phoebe asked.
"You coming?" Alexis asked Jon, from the kitchen. She looked through the cabinets for muffins. Herbs, spices, muffins. Yum. "Okay, who ate the last blueberry? Wyatt? Chris? If so, I'm gonna kill 'em! How hard is it to put it on the shopping list?"
"Shopping list?" Piper asked, joking. "Don't you mean how hard is it to tell
Erin: Mom we need more muffins? Cause she remembers everything, you know. And Phoebe, how about nuking the syrup? These pancakes shouldn't take very long."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," Jon replied, following her into the kitchen. He was suddenly kind of uncomfortable, a new feeling for him;
Erin: in fact, he wasn't used to feeling anything at all. Hesitantly sitting at the kitchen table, he watched the action, trying not to draw attention to himself.
"Whatever! I mean, come on! There's only rasion left and I hate that kind!" she said, her hands on her hips. Boy, personal gain type magic. She wanted to use it at times like this. A spell and she'd have the muffin she wanted and big boobs too, like Aunt Paige had that one time... Or so she had been told.
"Yeah sure no problem Piper." Phoebe said. She went to the fridge and got out the syrup. She walked over to the microwave, popped in the bottle of syrup and waited for a few seconds.
Heating the griddle, Piper whipped up a quick batter and started making pancakes. "Raisin is kind of nasty," she agreed. "Who buys those, anyway?"
"Dad... I think.... Or Uncle Henry, maybe?" she said absenstly, snapping her fingers and muttering something under her breath to at least take the raisos out of the stupid muffin. Bland but raisonless.
"What was that snapping? Alexis..." Piper said quietly, making eyes towards Jon. "Okay, pancakes done. Phoebe, syrup?"
She carried the serving plate over to the table, plunking it down in front of Jon, then went to get more plates out of the cabinet.
"Lex, can you grab some forks please? Then take a seat, your boyfriend is looking nauseous, and he hasn't even begun eating yet."
She smiled, suddenly, "Nope, no snapping, must have been your imagination or something," she said, with a grin, getting the forks and sitting down. "Jeez, you okay, Jon?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, giving her a weak smile. "Breakfast with the parents, no big deal. Oh, and the aunt, sorry. Um, anybody have some coffee? I'm feeling the need for a shot of caffiene."
Phoebe took the syrup out of the microwave after it dinged and brought it over to the table. "Anything else, Piper?" Phoebe asked.
Phoebe looked at Jon. "No problem. Don't worry about it Jon. Oh and coffee. I don't know. Is there any left, Piper?" Phoebe asked.
She frowned, "You had a load more confidence this morning, when we were on the beach," she whispered in his ear. Then she blinked, What had made her say that? Sure, she had a lot of wildness in her but ... she wasn't usually so .... forthright with guys.
Leo snorted, "I do not eat that kind of muffin so it must be your Uncles..."
"No, sit down, have some food," she said. "I'll take care of the coffee." Then Piper laughed. "Better late than never, honey," she said to Leo, rubbing his hair affectionately as she went to put a pot on.
Jon looked at Alexis and smiled, suddenly feeling a whole lot better. He was still holding strong emotional sway over here, and he wouldn't have had it any other way.
"Yeah, I remember," he said. "The sand, the sun, the... surf. Wonderful."
jessmanyrpgs: She blushed, "Yep... sand, sund.... surf... You..." she said, sitting next to him, her hand on his thigh. Leo hugged Piper from behind, "You aren't mad, are you?"