I could hear the rain hitting my window as I laid in bed trying to fall asleep. It had started to pour on the bus ride home from the game, but it had slowed in the hours since we had gotten home. Normally, on nights like tonight the soft patter of the rain helped me fall asleep but tonight was another story. I wasn't entirely sure why I was having trouble falling asleep. I had played an amazing game and we had won by double digits so it wasn't my basketball analyzing brain, but I just had this feeling that something was wrong I just didn't know what. I glanced over at my alarm clock to see the bright red 2:30 looking back at me. I decided to make my way downstairs and get some hot chocolate in hopes that it would help me get to sleep. Not only did I have practice in a few hours but we were also supposed to be going on our monthly family outing. Each month one of us got to pick something for us to go do as a family and a place to go out for dinner and Chris had decided that we should go bowling. I slowly made my way to the kitchen and quietly started to make myself a mug of hot chocolate.

"What are you doing baby girl," Piper asked from the kitchen table where she had been silently sitting.

"Oh shit, Piper you scared the crap out of me," I replied grabbing the milk carton from the refrigerator.

"Language Paige," she said in a warning tone and a stern glare "and don't make me ask you again young lady."

"Sorry Piper," I sighed setting the milk on the island, "I can't sleep and I figured that maybe some hot chocolate would help."

"Hmmm," she hummed walking over to me grabbing the milk carton and motioning for me to sit, "so what's bothering you baby girl?"

"Nothing," I sighed sitting on the chair at the island watching Piper pour the milk into a pot and turn on the stove, "I just can't sleep I guess."

"Paige the only time you have ever had trouble falling asleep is when something is bothering you. You over think every little thing Prue is the same way. When something is bothering her she can't sleep either."

"I don't know Pi."

"Well what's going on in that big brain of your," she asked kissing my forehead as she walked to the fridge for the whipped cream.

"Im not sure," I sighed laying my head on the cold tile of the island.

"Well talking it out can help," she probed putting the mug on hot chocolate on the counter in front of me. I stared at it for a few minutes before sitting up and taking it in my hands. The hot mug warmed my freezing hands and I stared at the mound of whipped cream my stomach churning. Piper had gone back to the kitchen table and resumed her work on what I assumed were menus or inventory forms. We sat it silence for a while the only sound the occasional rustle of paper or scratching of a pen.

"Piper," I said finally breaking the silence.

"Yeah baby," she answered looking up from her work.

"Do you ever get a feeling that somethings wrong but you don't know what? You know like you just have this feeling in your gut that something isn't right but you don't have a clue as to what."

"Everyday baby, it comes with being a parent. Why do you think I always seem to know when you need me?"

"What do you mean," I asked before taking a sip on my hot chocolate.

"Well tonight for example, I was getting ready to call it a night and finish this tomorrow when something in my gut told me to just keep working. Low and behold 15 minutes later I hear you creeping down the stairs and I knew something wasn't right."

"Is it just with me or do you get that feeling with everyone," I asked sarcastically.

"I get it with my kids too and sometimes with Prue and Phoebe and Leo. So is that what's got your brain in overdrive missy?"

"I guess," I replied with a sigh and finished the last of my hot chocolate.

I walked over to the sink and rinsed out my cup. I started to clean the pot and spoon that Piper had used earlier when I felt Piper's hand on my shoulder. She took my hand and pulled my behind her to the living room. She sat on the couch and pulled me down next to her.

"Just sit and relax baby girl and tell me what is going on in that big brain of yours."

"Fine," I said as I laid my head in her lap. I could hear her humming a lullaby as she started to play with my hair. It was then that I suddenly remembered something that I had been wondering about since last weekend.

"Hey Pi, did you and Pheebs really get in trouble with Prue the other day," I asked shifting my head to look up at her.

"What are you talking about," Piper questioned with a puzzled look on her face.

"The other day when I was sick I heard you guys arguing in the kitchen. You and Phoebe wanted to tell someone something and Prue was telling you that you couldn't. You guys kept arguing about it until she said that if you told then she would smack you until you couldn't sit."

"First off," Piper chuckled like my story had been funny, "Prue can threaten Phoebe and I all she wants but we all know that she wouldn't dare. Second what have I told you about eavesdropping?"

"Nothing good ever comes from listening at keyholes and that I should stop being so nosy all the time," I quoted the line I had heard so many times before as I reached for the remote.

"That's right," Piper replied grabbing the remote from my hand, "and you will never fall asleep if you start watching TV."

"It would be funny though," I added scooting closer to Piper my head still resting on her lap while she played with my hair and rubbed circles on my back.

"What would be funny?"

"Prue trying to smack you and Phoebe," I giggled.

"You're such a dork," she chuckled "now close your eyes and try to get some sleep baby."

I laid there listening to the rain falling outside and Piper started to hum another lullaby. It sounded so familiar but I couldn't quite remember what the words were. It reminded me of my mom which I thought was pretty weird since I didn't have any memories of my mom. She had never even had a chance to hold me before she died so how could a song remind me of someone I never knew. I had seen many pictures of her and my sisters had always told me stories about her but part of me always wished that I had been able to meet her. Piper covered me with a blanket and continued to hum.

"Pi do you miss mom," I asked pulling the blanket closer.

"Everyday honey."

"What was she like?"

" Well she was tall and thin just like you. She had this gorgeous long curly brown hair that always made people jealous and of course as you know she had the bright sea green eyes as you and Prue. She had a beautiful smile that was contagious. She loved music and would always blare the radio in the car and sing to whatever was playing. She always loved helping people and I think that is why she became a nurse. She loved her family more than anything and always had to bake up some amazing cookies. She was one hell of a cook too. She was the strongest person I know."

"Do you think she would have liked me," I asked trying to hold back the fresh tears forming in my eyes.

"Oh baby she would have loved you. She loved you before you were even born," Piper whispered as she leaned down to kiss my forehead and using her thumbs wiped the tears from my eyes, "don't you ever think for one second she wouldn't have loved you. You are more like her than you know baby and she will always love you whether she is here to show you or not."

Piper kissed my forehead again and resumed playing with my hair. I sighed heavily wishing that I could just fall asleep. I could hear Piper start to hum again but this time it was a different song that I recognized from Mary Poppins. After a few minutes she began to sing in a quiet and very soothing voice

"Stay awake don't rest your head

Don't lie down upon your bed

While the moon drifts in the skies

Stay awake don't close your eyes

Though the world is fast asleep

Though your pillow soft and deep

You're not sleepy as you seem

Stay awake, don't nod and dream

Stay awake, don't nod and dream"