“Prue?” Andy walked up the front steps into the manor, looking around worriedly at the many paramedics and police officers. “Prue what happened?”

Prue stood just inside the front door, her hand to her mouth, staring straight ahead in complete shock. When she saw Andy approach, the first signs of tears appeared in her eyes. “They’re both dead Andy” she sobbed and collapsed into his arms.

He gasped in shock also and hugged her tighter than he had ever hugged anyone before. He couldn’t believe it, dead? He stared past Prue at a photo of the three sisters that stood on the dresser. He lovingly stroked Prue’s hair as her salty tears soaked into his suit.

He couldn’t imagine what she was feeling. He didn’t know what was going on but the shattered glass and signs of a struggle told him that it was something supernatural. Prue must be beating her self up over this, asking herself the same questions over and over. Why couldn’t I stop them?

“Rodriguez came” she told him in a muffled voice, “he’s a demon. She killed Piper and Phoebe before I could do anything to stop him. I should’ve used my powers Andy, then they might still be alive.” She shouted those last words, not caring at all if anyone heard. If anyone found out she was a witch, so what? The power of three was broken anyway, Prue didn’t care what happened to her. She pulled away from Andy and held her face in her hands.

“Prue…” Andy said her name in a soft, calming tone, trying his best to hide his own distress and trying to stay strong. He didn’t know what to say, what could he say. Nothing was gong to make a difference now anyway.

He touched her lightly on the shoulder, expecting him to pull away and tell him she needed more time. But she didn’t. Her tense body relaxed a little and she turned to face him again.

“I don’t know what to do Andy, they were my life.”

His composure began to crack and when he spoke again, his voice wavered. “I don’t know what to say Prue, it will get better.” As soon as the words left his lips, he knew how stupid and insensitive they sounded. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean… Oh god.” The full reality of the situation finally sunk into him. He pulled her into another hug and she rested her head on his chest.

“Inspector Trudeau, you’ll have to vacate the crime scene.”

Andy turned around to the junior officer and he snapped. “Just piss off Manning!”

He glared at his colleague as he backed away and continued to comfort Prue. Her sobs had now dispersed and she seemed numb again. He rocked her gently back and forth in his arms.

“I need to umm… I need to get some things.” Prue pulled away and walked up the stairs, pushing past the cops who were trying to block her way. Andy feared she might do something she regretted and expose her powers but she did nothing.

He sighed. Andy felt another tap on his shoulder. He swung around, all ready to tell that person to get lost but softened when he was it was Darryl.

“I heard, I’m sorry man.” Andy gave a num half smile and shrugged.

“I know, I can’t believe it. They were both so strong… I’m just scared for Prue, what she might do, how she’ll react when it’s sunk in. I want to be able to stop the pain.”

“You know you can’t.”

“Yeah, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want to try.” He looked towards the stairs, where Prue had last been and dropped his head, trying to hold back tears.

“Take her home Andy” said Darryl, putting a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “She can’t stay here, it’s just too painful.”

“But… How will we explain what went on?”

“I have no idea. I don’t even know what went on. But it doesn’t matter, Prue matters.”

Andy nodded. “I still love her Darryl, I always have. I can’t bear to see her like this.”

“Her world’s been shattered completely, just give her time.”

Time. Time wouldn’t fix this. Prue’s life, and his, had been taken forever with Phoebe and Piper’s deaths. Nothing would be the same again. One thing would stay the same, he hoped, his love for Prue and hers for him. They shared a bond, one so deep that nothing could rip it apart.

At that moment, Prue came down the stairs. “Let’s go” he said in a whisper. She didn’t protest, he just put his arm around her and they both walked out into the sunshine.

* * *

“This is how it’s meant to be” said Piper, hugging her younger sister close. Tempus had been vanquished, they didn’t know how, they didn’t know by who. But that was the only way the time loop could have stopped.

But they both knew that everything had a purpose. They didn’t know why this had happened, but if it Prue and Andy’s destinies were worth breaking the Power of Three for, who were they to argue.

Phoebe sighed. She didn’t like anyone to be so devastated, let aloe her own sister. She wanted to must to tell her that they were both fine, but Prue had Andy now. They could tell how much they loved each other, and she, as well as Piper, knew that he’d take care of her forever.