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LANA WAS OVERJOYED BY LEO'S OFFER.

A real job. A real client.

And not just any client — but the client she wanted! Granted, she wasn't technically on their case for a month, she was supposed to observe Leo and take diligent notes (which she'd been doing a bang-up job at, thank you very much!) on exactly what to do and what not to do.

Rule Number One:
Don't fall in love with a witch.

Easy.

Rule Number Two:
Don't interfere unless absolutely necessary.

Easy.

Rule Number Three:
Eat lots of cake.

Okay.

That was a personal rule that Lana had come up with but once Leo showed her what cake was — now that she could actually taste it — and was in complete shock. Because how could something taste that good?

Lana would eat copious amounts of the food when not saving the Charmed Ones and ensuring Phoebe and Cole would not fall in love.

Priorities.

Leo looked at her expectantly and she blinked, face brightening when she realized she'd forgotten to answer.

"Leo!" She gushed excitedly, hitting his arm energetically. "Of course I will! You're getting married—"

"—Shh," he covered her mouth quickly. "Geez, Lana, be quiet, will you? It's only the Elders hearing everything I'm worried about. Code names."

Lana nodded with wide eyes from behind his hand and after a pointed look, he slowly lowered it.

"As I was saying," he continued. "You can be the new Lighter for them. It's a big task, though, you have to be careful and I don't know if the Elders will go for it—"

"—Oh, please, Leo!" She begged hopefully, gripping his arms. "Please, please, please, please, please—"

"—It's not up to me," he rolled his eyes with a laugh. "But there's no one else I'd entrust Piper's life with."

His words made her soften and she smiled gently up at him.

"Leo," she started quietly. "You're getting married."

Leo's face softened too, a matching smile on his lips. "Yeah, I am."

"You love her?"

But she knew the answer. She'd known from the second Leo came back and told her about the Halliwell. No other client, no one in the entire time she'd known him, had made him as happy as Piper.

"I do," he nodded, the light red creeping up his cheeks signaling his shy truth. "Yeah, Lana, Piper is...everything."

Lana let out a squeal and wrapped her arms  around her friend. "I'm so happy for you, Leo!"

Leo chuckled and hugged her back, squeezing gently before letting go.

"Okay, do you want to meet them now or later?"

"Now!" Lana replied quickly, a bright grin on her face. "Oh, do you think they'll like me?"

"I don't think I've met anyone that doesn't like you," he countered with a look and a pout formed on her lips.

"The Elders don't like me."

Leo nodded, grimacing a bit and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Yeah, that's true," he relented and the pair orbed to the Halliwell Manor.

—

"Oh, geez, Leo!" Piper exclaimed as they arrived. "You have to give some sort of warning."

"Put a bell on him," Phoebe chimed in.

"Like a cat?" Prue raised her eyebrows, then looked to Lana, seeing her for the first time, despite Lana being invisible in the home for months. "Uh, Leo, who's this?"

"This is the solution to our problem," Leo said happily, arm still around Lana's shoulders.

Piper's eyes narrowed. "Oh?" She asked carefully. "And, uh, what might that be?"

"I'm Lana!" She said excitedly, moving out of Leo's grasp, bouncing a bit, unable to contain her excitement. "I'm your new Lighter. So you and Leo can get married!"

The girls blinked, exchanged a look, then looked to Leo.

"What?"

"A new lighter?"

"You told her we're getting married."

"It's okay," Leo held his hands up placatingly. "She's my friend, my best friend, actually. Um, Piper, this is Lana."

He introduced his fiancé specifically to Lana, knowing it would ease her mind first to know they were strictly friends. Which they were. They were more siblings than anything else.

Lana loved Leo deeply, and she knew the feeling was returned, but they'd never felt any inclination of romance for one another.

In fact, Lana had never been interested in anyone romantically that she could remember. Even in her old life, when she was able to view her past, she didn't have anyone she loved. She was a war nurse, helping people and saving lives but she'd never found someone to hold her heart.

Lana smiled brightly at Piper. "It's so nice to finally meet you. I've heard about you a lot from Leo and I've come down to visit, though you guys can't see that—"

"—Like a peeping Tom?" Prue asked, giving Lana a strange look.

Lana frowned. "Peeping Tom?"

"Yeah," Phoebe chuckled a bit. "You know, someone who...peeps. Sees things they shouldn't."

"Oh, no," Lana shook her head. "I'm an observer. I've only observed because you're close to Leo. And you're super cool, too. The Charmed Ones. It's not everyday someone gets an opportunity like that."

"And, technically," Leo added, "she's not your Lighter yet. They could assign someone else. But, Piper, this way we can be together and if you guys request Lana because you feel comfortable with her, they're more likely to oblige."

"Despite all my indiscretions."

"All of your what?" Prue asked, still not liking the idea.

Lana's eyes widened and she looked up to Leo helplessly. He sighed and shook his head minutely to her.

"Lana's had...trouble in the past," he started gently. "She tries, she's the most hardworking person you'll ever meet but she's never actually...succeeded in protecting a client."

"But my odds aren't my fault," Lana defended quickly. "I've only had one client. And that demon was super tough."

"So...you failed your only client?" Prue narrowed her eyes. "And now you want to be the Lighter for the Charmed Ones?"

"Prue!" Phoebe chastised. "She's trying. And it's not like we have many options."

"Yeah, I mean, I'd...love to be with Leo without the threat of this all hanging over us," Piper added softly.

Guilt flashed Prue's face and she sighed. "I get that, really, but we don't know this girl, no offense," she looked to Lana and Leo, "and we face hard demons all the time. Leo's protected us and—"

"—If it helps, I know more about demons than Leo does," Lana interjected. "I've studied them and I've observed them. And taken notes on them. I know who's who and what's what and I'm really good at healing." She hesitated. "Mostly."

"Mostly?" Piper asked, crossing her arms.

"Okay, I'm not great," Lana relented, grimacing. "But Leo is and he won't be your Lighter, but he'll still be here in your life because of Piper. And it's really just in name only so they," she pointed upwards, "don't get upset and send one of the stricter ones down here. Those guys are a bore," she mimicked yawning into her hand, "talk about lame."

Phoebe laughed a bit at her words and Lana's face brightened at the sound, hoping she was winning over at least one sister.

(Who just so happened to be her favorite, not that she was supposed to have them.)

"Okay," Piper rehashed, shaking her head. "Say we agree to this and you become our Lighter. What happens when things go South, as they often do in our line of work?"

Lana shrugged. "I'll fight a demon for you. I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty. Leo's more by the book, but I've been known to break a rule or two."

"And if you break so many we need a new Lighter?" Prue asked.

Lana gave her finger guns (she hoped she was using them correctly) and grinned. "That ain't gonna happen, toots."

Phoebe snorted. "This girl, I gotta say, I'm okay with it," she shrugged. At her sister's looks, Phoebe sighed. "Come on, guys, what choice do we have? And she's fun. I like her. I like you," she told Lana who beamed at the praise.

"One down, two to go." She held up a hand for Leo to high-five but he simply shook his head.

She high-fived herself and nodded. "That's okay, you're a bad friend anyway."

Piper smiled. "Okay, fine, I'm...in. Especially because you seem so on board with me and Leo. Prue?"

Prue observed Lana for a moment, taking in her hopeful expression and bright-eyed stare.

"If you get my sister's hurt, I will find a way to kill you."

"I'm a whitelighter," Lana replied honestly. "It's my sworn duty and purpose to make sure you all live long lives to protect innocents."

Prue watched her a moment longer before nodding. "Okay," she sighed, smiling a bit at Phoebe's squeal. "Fine, yeah, okay."

"And the best thing is I don't have other clients!" Lana exclaimed. "I can spend all my time with you guys and—"

"—Come on," Phoebe walked over and took Lana's hand. "I'll show you around Earth a bit. When's the last time you came down here, anyway?"

"Uh," Lana thought for a moment as they walked to the front door. "Twenty years ago?"

"Twenty years!" Phoebe exclaimed, shaking her head. "Nuh uh, you and I are going out."

"Be careful with her," Leo called out helplessly as Phoebe waved him off. "She's...innocent."

Lana smiled to herself as they walked to Prue's car.

Go, Lana.

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hehehehhehe she's so baby