Faithfully Yours Part 8: I'm always true to you darling in my fashion..   Chapter 68 "The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means."   Oscar Wilde

Leslie looked up and waved as Paige and Piper walked into the café. It had a certain eerie, yet comforting, atmosphere, which was one of its mellow charms. It was owned by a rather large witch whose aim was to create a place where sister witches could meet in comfort. Unknown to its mortal clients the atmospheric charms and talismans were there to protect the magic customers not just add atmosphere.

The Charmed Ones often referred to the coffee shop as witch central and Paige and Piper had been a bit surprised when Leslie had suggested meeting there. However Leslie said she wanted to talk about magic and she explained that she did not want to talk at home, or even at the manor and at least she could say the word magic at the shop without anyone caring.

"That sounds awfully grown up" Paige said worried. "Does anyone grow up that much in a few days?."

"They do if they live through a war" Phoebe said sadly.

Leo stayed at home to baby sit and Phoebe said not quite regretfully that she had to work so Paige and Piper met Leslie. Piper suspected Phoebe really just wanted to avoid witch central.

"Your father speaking to you?" Paige asked after Leslie had ordered her coffee.

"I lived" Leslie smiled slightly.  "So he was just relieved to see me, and Charlie keeps getting …stories from other witches...about what happened...there… and telling Dad how pissed she is to have missed it. So he's really relieved that she didn't go too. Charlie says she'll never forgive me … for interfering with her going though" Leslie shook her head. "Said she would have enjoyed it." She smiled knowingly. Paige reached out and put her hand on Leslie's

"She'll get over it" said Piper.

"I don't care if she doesn't" Leslie answered very grown up. "I went and protected my sister from…that" she said intently. "Charlie lost mom.. young... and I've let her .. be a kid  a bit longer. So she can bitch all she likes" said Charlie's big sister.

Piper and Paige nodded.

"What I asked to meet you about" Leslie sucked her lip. "I think the magic thing with dad…It's just that I wanted to tell you guys" she said “I did what I had to...in Bur…there. But I made up my mind. I'm done with magic. I don't want to be a witch. I told the elders to take back my power."

Piper and Paige looked at each other. "Are sure that's what you want?' Piper asked.

“I hate magic" Leslie said "I think I hate the Elders. I think I hate anyone who claims to be wise." She looked at Paige "I know some of those whitelighter types behaved… well they were pretty damned wonderful. But there are some others that aren't. Anyone who thinks that magic is a fairy tale. Well they don't know what I know about magic." She glared at Paige and Piper daring them to argue her out of it.

Piper sat back and then she leaned forward. “I think if you feel that way about magic then you should listen to what you are feeling." she said finally.

Leslie sniffed awkwardly, almost a touch disappointed.

"You don't think mom would be disappointed in me do you?" She asked a shade wistfully.

“I think…I know your mother would be pretty damned proud of you for being brave enough to decide" Paige said.

“I am just so disillusioned with magic." Leslie swirled a spoon in her coffee "well at least with the people who run magic."

"There is nothing wrong with being disillusioned with magic, or with the people who run magic. God knows it's a big club." Piper said "the more witches disillusioned with some of them, the healthier it is for us all I say."

"It's not all magic" Leslie said. She squeezed Paige's hand. "You were so brave in Bu…there" Leslie said "You fought the Elders. You fought for us. You protected innocents. You protected us."

"Well there is a difference between magic and magic leaders" Paige said

Leslie looked down "So you are honestly not going to try and talk me out of giving up on magic.".

"Don't have that right" said Piper "But "and Leslie frowned. "It may not be that easy. In my experience and it's only my experience, magic has a way of not giving up on me. No matter how I try I can't get away from it and as I am pretty damned sure some elders would like me to… not be magical … and I still am.. I think maybe they can't stop me being magical.  I've finally decided I'm struck with it."

“I don’t think I can stand to have anything to with the elders or whitelighters" Leslie said passionately "At least the ones like Caleb. Not you, Paige. Mark seems okay" she added. "He's nice" she said.

"Oh I understand" said Paige “I do think maybe just at the moment you would be wise to take a break from magic, a long one, for your sake and your Dad's" she said "I was luckier than you because I got to do college and well… ran pretty wild without magic … pissing on my parade. And Grams kept the magic from Piper and Phoebe so they got to have a … be young."

"Prue didn't get to be ...that young" Piper said "Eldest sister and no mother so she got to be responsible for Phoebe and me. And Phoebe was… she hasn't changed that much" Piper said shaking her head.

Leslie grinned. "Maybe Charlie should talk to her. "I'm the eldest sister. So you see I'm just … not sure I can manage Charlie and magic" she said

"Maybe that's why taking a break form magic is a good idea" Paige said leaning forward.  "When I got to be magical I found out some things that just were not funny. I found out almost from the beginning being a witch, facing evil was terrifying. I found out it could disillusion you pretty badly about some people, and it makes you see yourself...honestly And there were some things about me I did not like."

Leslie put her head on the side enquiringly.

"Not my secret but I was pretty evil top someone I .. well …love now… most of the time" Paige looked at Piper who rolled her eyes. "At least I lived to make it okay." Paige shook her head. "I hate that I can be evil. I hate that evil targets me because I’m magical. And as far as Powers that Be, you know I just about hated Piper too, when I first became a witch."

Piper smiled as Leslie looked curious.

Paige nodded. ' Piper was bitch to me" she said.

“I needed to be a bitch to you:  Piper answered firmly. "I have one word for you Miss Paige.'

"What?" said Paige indignantly.

"Boobs" said Piper.

"You didn't need to try and strangle me" Paige retorted.

"Well Phoebe tried to strangle you too and you don't call her a bitch for it" Piper answered.

Leslie eyed both of them bemused.

"It hasn't been easy": Piper said as Paige crossed her arms. "I think my whole magic journey has been… well …one disappointment after another, but" she said "while many things have disappointed me, disillusioned me, the other side is that some things have been more wonderful. My family" she said "my sisters. Some of the people I know are better off because I'm a witch. Even when I was disillusioned as me."

“I bet you did not see the things I saw… there" Leslie pouted a little. "So it's not the same thing."

Piper took a deep breath "Sometimes disillusion is the way we grow.  Look at the way those witches, Matilda and her crew were behaving before Burvjara. Look what it took to make them disillusioned."

"Matilda isn't disillusioned "Leslie said "she's acting like she was the greatest witch warrior, like she is proud to be serving. Like the war made her someone special. Like it made her part of a special club that knows everything about magic. And the others… hell they just …let her…Even the ones who were…there sort of…join her. I don't get it "Leslie said her voice getting shrill. "Matilda was there. She lost her best friend. She knows what happened. I saw her crying when… Sara.. died" Leslie looked away and wiped her eyes, clearly not wanting to picture in her mind those events.

"Well some people can't be disillusioned "Paige said. She leant forward then back. "Maybe Matilda ...if she became disillusioned, she would … none of it would ever matter again, none of it would … it’s the only way she can deal with it."

Piper smiled "Old soldiers they lived through hell and most of them saw hell but you know they celebrate the war and the fighting at reunions," Piper said “I will tell you something" she told Leslie "You know Leo. My Leo."

Leslie nodded "Of course I know Leo".

"You know he was a soldier. Leo's been to some reunions…I needed to make him go." she told Leslie "Sometimes commemorating the thing, remembering with people who understand, even celebrating it is the only way to live with it."

"Did it help?" Leslie asked.

Paige leant forward "What Leo knows about war, and propaganda and what it does to people, and what you must do about it, it was what …helped … made it certain for us, for Phoebe and Piper and me… for our whitelighter… to.. do what we had to."

"There" interrupted Leslie

"There" said Piper "You know Leo used to be our whitelighter, a whitelighter" she said. "And got booted when he … got so disillusioned with magic."

“I heard things" Leslie admitted "he never seems to be …well… like the things I heard."

"Do you hear rumours about what he does now?" Piper asked.

Leslie looked embarrassed "I hear people say, well he sort of freeloaded off you" she said "Being honest then I say I cant believe that and they say well they also hear rumours, he works for great magic, that he still is a whitelighter, that he does things. Some of them even think he's one of the Great Ones, really one of the Powers that Be. Others think you know, someone who was one of those wouldn’t be living with you, just saying he helps you run the club.'

Piper looked at her "I am trusting you with this. He is a sort of great one, not a Power that Be, but someone who works… he has a really hard job. He works as a whitelighter to someone so far from our magic most of us should not know about him.

"Oh" said Leslie. "I mean…"

"Well it took some pretty great disillusionment for Leo to learn how to be… to know enough to understand about …magic. Leo is pretty damned wonderful" Piper told Leslie, "But if you want to know about disillusionment. He may not tell you about Great Magic but he can tell you about letting disillusionment destroy you or make you. Leo is pretty wonderful" she said smiling to herself.

"Well in the interests of disillusionment I think you should tell her that you think the great magic power Leo works with is rude, crude and disgusting bore" Paige said.

Leslie opened her mouth in surprise.

Piper grinned "The Great Magic power is the most disgusting, horrible vulgar foul mouthed, creature you can think of."

"How is he so great then?" Leslie asked.

Piper curled her lip. "Apparently he knows right from wrong but I keep wondering if he knows right wrong from wrong, how he doesn't know you don't grab a woman's" Piper looked around and with a small shudder indicated her breast "In public." She hissed. "Especially when you have just met her."

"God he must be brave "grinned Leslie. She smiled. "So you don't think I can really run away from Magic." Before either Piper or Paige could answer Leslie's expression changed. "Oh shit "she said and glanced at the door.

Paige and Piper followed her gaze.

"Oh shit" they both muttered as Matilda Binks and one of the witches in her coven came into the café and came toward them.

"Quick orb" said Piper grabbing Paige's hand.

"We haven't paid "said Leslie bravely holding her ground and well brought up girl that she was she greeted Matilda politely.

Matilda's action was to grab Leslie and hug her and then repeat the same for Paige and Piper, hauling them out of there chairs.

"My comrades in arms "she said and sat down at the table uninvited, pulling her slightly uncomfortable companion onto another chair.

"You know Paige and Piper. The Charmed Ones. "Matilda said to her companion" The ones I fought with. You know," she said. "There."

“I know" said the witch companion awkwardly. "We have met" she said shyly She looked around. "Your sister isn't with you."

"No Phoebe's at work unless she got fed up and came home to clean the house" Piper replied.

"Phoebe cleans the house" breathed the witch. "Your sister does housework."

"She lives in it she can clean it" Piper said smugly and Paige raised her eyes..

"Phoebe must be pretty amazing" said the witch with the glow of hero worship on her face.

"She is" bit in Matilda ''She's a heroine. I'm so proud to say she is my friend. I fought beside her. I can tell my grandchildren. I fought with Phoebe Halliwell. I fought beside her sisters." Matilda said her eyes welling with tears while Paige sucked her lips and Leslie looked acutely uncomfortable.

"I'm proud to know Phoebe. When you fought like we did, … well share things that we share, you never lose that bond" Matilda announced, her voice filled with emotion. "Even when you're very old.'

"Wasn't the whole point we did not fight?" interrupted Leslie.

"Fight means different thing to different people" Matilda almost snapped. "Sara died there…fighting" she said glaring around defying the witches to contradict her.

Paige and Piper tried to make pleasant faces and Piper ended up almost  grimacing.

"You're loyal to you companions in a fight liker that" Matilda said her voice shaking, "you defend them you support them. No matter what."

Piper said nothing so Paige took a deep breath and put her hand on Matilda's "There are things that happen  ... in circumstances like that that only someone can share it can understand" she said in a whitelighter type voice. "Things we all know about each other that only someone who was there could ever understand."

Matilda nodded and just for her a second her face took on that look of never ending pain that Piper and Paige recognised as the one you wore when you were pushing away the memory of things that were just to hard to accept.

"Heard how Tisha and Edna are?"  Matilda said changing the subject.

"Edna is fine. Tisha is having… not so good a time." Paige said just a touch tightly.

"Maybe she needs to talk... keep in touch… with witches who can understand" Matildas said thinking about it. "I think I'll call her. I can in Serbia can't I?"

Paige and Piper exchanged glances.

"I'm pretty sure they have phones in Serbia" Paige said straight-faced. Matilda looked uncomfortably like crying "I'll get you her number" Paige said quickly.

Matilda sniffed back tears while Leslie watched her intently.

"If you want to go visit Tisha, I can take you "Paige offered.

"Orb?" asked Matilda looking at her witch companion just a little smugly.

"Its no problem" said Paige nobly.

Then Matilda sucked her lips together and dragged her breath in hard. Her face changed again. '' Comrades in arms" she smiled. "You never lose… what you shared. It will bind you always."

Paige and Piper nodded and Leslie visibly paled.

Matilda smiled, superior while her friend wriggled in acute embarrassment. "You know that witch Noni?" Matilda asked abruptly.

"Basketball freak. We know her" said Piper grimly.

"I ran into that witch Noni yesterday. "Matilda said. "Shopping at Union Square. Well I was window shopping. She was carrying all sorts of bags. You should have seen her hanging off that man's arm. Gloating. Shoving that huge damned ring in every one's face. He isn't that great a catch. And she looks ridiculous with him."

"Man" said Piper genuinely stunned "what man?'

"You haven't heard "said Matilda with a smug smile "I told her. I told her good. I told her that not everyone got to stay behind and go chasing after fantasy men like love sick fan girls. Some of us went to war; those of us with active powers, those of us called, went to war with Phoebe and her sisters."

"To be fair to Noni" Paige said "her powers are logic and there wasn't much...logic…"

"There" interrupted Leslie

"There" agreed Matilda with a catch in her voice. She straightened up. "I told that Noni I told her we didn’t have time to make asses of ourselves over men. He was standing there all the time I told her. But I didn’t care. She tried to tell me that she did not believe Phoebe your sister could be a heroine. That she knew Phoebe and Phoebe was a total bitch. I told her" said Matilda "I just told her that Phoebe Halliwell was a heroine. I know because I was …there. I told that Noni that I saw it all and if she wanted to say any different she could call me a liar to my face. I told her she could answer to me if she wanted to bad mouth Phoebe. Or her sisters, or anyone who fought with me"

Matilda glared fiercely around the café while her friend shuddered a little and Leslie shook her head.

"Oh" said Paige.

"So Noni was okay?" said Piper finally

Matilda snarled "Damned bitch just grabbed that stupid man's arm and stalked off with him, acting like she was not just another screw to him. I don't think she's listening to her powers of logic.

"She is engaged to him" said Matilda's companion reasonably and not a little enviously.

"We'll see if she gets him to the altar" snorted Matilda.

"Who's Noni?" Leslie asked "whose she engaged too?"

"She wasn't engaged when we saw her, just days ago really" Piper said "when we helped her with the demons at the tax department. She was stalking every damned basketball player she could. Cyber stalking."

Matilda leaned forwarded "Okay so things have been a bit…crazy last few weeks, with witches...liking males. We fixed that" she said "Up there" Paige and Piper nodded.

“I know that" said Paige"

"Well she has this huge crush on one they nicknamed superman" Matilda said "and she was apparently using magic to watch him. So she goes to his house and well says it is to save an innocent, warn him about some... stuff being seen, gossip. Sex nudity" said Matildas darkly.

"Oh" said Piper "Noni never shut up about basketball players.

"Well she didn't leave there for 3 days and when she does she is wearing a mega size diamond ring. I bet I know how she got to him. And it wasn't logic. Well she wouldn't have to even kneel down would she" Matilda sniffed "He's got to be 7ft 3 and she isn't maybe 5ft."

Piper and Paige just gasped. "Noni's engaged to the superman?" Piper asked stunned.

Paige grinned "I just can't wait to tell Phoebe".

"You make sure you tell Phoebe I wouldn’t let Noni badmouth her" Matilda insisted grimly. To her companion's relief she stood up. "Anyway I'll leave you alone. It's wonderful to see my comrades in arms " For a second Matilda positively glowed, then her face contorted and then she determinedly pulled herself together "Leslie I'll be over if you need anything" she said. "Companions in arms we stick together."

As Matilda and her companion walked off Leslie winced "Oh hell" she said "I'm not going to escape magic am I?"

"It's pretty hard to in my experience" said Piper. She shook her head "Noni got engaged too the superman. Phoebe is going to love this."

"She isn't going to love Matilda telling everyone she's a heroine" said Paige.

"Phoebe needs to learn to live with her choices" said Phoebe's big sister "Noni engaged to a basketball star." Piper shook her head too. "Bloody spites.

"Well someone had to get their fantasy" Paige said. She thought about it "I wonder why it was Noni?" She stopped "You know Matilda may just be right how she did it. I mean if she is about five foot."

Leslie turned up her nose. "You think" she asked awkwardly, "You have to do that to get your fantasy lover."

"No" said Piper firmly

"Not unless you want to" said Paige.

Leslie grinned.

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