Unfinished

•3•

Just ring the doorbell.

It's not that hard, just ring the doorbell.

Piper rocked between the balls and the heels of her feet, taking deep breaths in an attempt to steady herself.

The porch had changed since she'd last seen it. The rocking chair was long gone, replaced by plant pots full of vibrant and strangely welcoming plants. The windows had been cleaned of smudged handprints, the door re-painted, and the porch swept clean.

Despite the fact it had always been in need of touching up, Piper couldn't shake the feeling that it was as if her family had never been there.

The door swung open in front of her.

"Piper! Look at you!" Her Dad definitely looked different in person, rather than over a video call.

His brown eyes twinkled with excitement, his hair thinning on top of his head and grey and black stubble marking his cheeks. But he was unmistakably her father, reflected in the crinkle of his eyes when he smiled, and the laugh she hated but he flaunted gladly.

"Hey!" She could hear the awkwardness in her voice, and internally cursed herself as her dad reached forward and pulled her into a hug. She'd almost forgotten how good he was at those.

"God, I missed you." He grinned and kept hold of her shoulders after they separated. "Just look at you! You're all... Grown up."

He blinked a few times, the smile on his face dimming momentarily, before he ushered her inside.

"Here, do you have suitcases in the car?"

"Just the one." Piper smiled, adjusting the rucksack slung over one shoulder.

"I'll get that for you then."

"You don't have to." She started for the door, but he flapped an arm at her.

"No, no, I'll do it!"

The second he'd left, Piper began to properly scan the surroundings. The rocking chair had been bought inside, covered in a blanket. The living room had been decorated, pictures of her family positioned on the mantle piece.

One in particular caught her eye. She was a baby, looking horrified at the prospect of being held by Bella despite their dad hovering behind them. Aria was kneeling next to them, the massive smile on her face surrounded by chocolate. Deborah was holding and laughing at James, who was trying to wriggle out of her arms and reach for his dad.

They'd been so young, and so happy. Piper traced their faces with her finger tips, pausing over her own wide-eyed expression.

"That's my favourite photo. I suppose you don't remember it being taken?" Her father had bought the large suitcase in, and rested it by the stairs, rubbing his back with one hand.

"I'm sorry, I should have done that."

"Nonsense, you've had a long journey. Now that photo-" He wandered next to her to carefully take it off the mantle piece, "-was taken down here. It was a hell of a holiday, that was. For Easter, actually, and Aria fussed until we gave her an Easter egg early."

Piper chuckled. It sounded like something Aria would do.

"And you all were so little, your brother and sisters kept us running around like crazy. You were so quiet, though." He grinned at her, and pulled her in for another hug, stroking her hair with one hand. "You were always my little angel."

"Dad." Piper said, drawing the word out with a smile.

"I'll leave you to get settled then." He smiled and slapped his thighs as he sunk into an armchair.