Disclaimer: I do not own the characters I am borrowing from 'Charmed'. The rest of the characters I solemnly own. This goes to all the chapters.
AN: I'm…… Back! Yay.
It took me sooner then I thought to come out with this story. I wanted to use this opportunity to thank EVERYONE who so kindly reviewed 'Lustville', I really appreciate it and happy to see that so many of you guys enjoyed it!
Now, back to this story; I'm very proud of the plan I got for it, and you all know how I like planning my stories ahead. You'll like it, I promise!
This has nothing whatsoever to do with what's going on in the show itself, but I'm using all the characters (like I did in my three other fictions). Enjoy! And don't forget to leave a review.
Summery: Piper Halliwell is a young successful lawyer. So is Leo Wyatt. Their ways have met before, but this time will have consequences. This is a romantic mystery that will follow along the couple as they try to overpower their challenges. This time; together. P&L, no magic.
Piper is twenty eight, and Leo is thirty one.
Enjoy!!!
Chapter 1
OoO Leo Wyatt's Offering OoO
Ok; there is absolutely no need to panic, everything is under control…
The words were chanting in her head as she stared at the eyes of the jury, all looking annoyed and irritated.
"What is it going to be Mrs. Halliwell?" Judge Nelson's voice came.
It's MISS Halliwell now.
She took a deep breath in, and made her decision.
"Defense rests." Were the words that came out of her mouth and signed the end of that day's hearing.
Fifteen minutes later, she was dashing out of the courthouse down the grand stairs, trying to avoid the endless journalists all around her, asking about the hearing, each trying to get the latest scoop.
"Mrs. Halliwell, would you care to share your thoughts with us? …Does Mrs. Havana have a chance? …Mrs. Halliwell!" The reporters were everywhere, and Piper seriously just wanted to push each of them away.
"My apologies, neither my client nor I will be answering any questions tonight, the verdict will be out by midnight tomorrow. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Piper pushed through the mass of microphones and photographers.
The taxi driver walked up to her and opened the black Kia Amanti Mercedes where she quickly slid in, and watched as the mass of reporters turned back to the courthouse where the opposite lawyer as just walked out, looking much more sure in himself then Piper felt.
She hasn't lost a case it years, and she feared the Havana case would break her record.
It was her first case since she came back from her maternity leave, which lasted exactly two months.
Robert, her driver, got into the driver's seat, but didn't start the car.
"What's wrong?" Piper asked.
"Good evening, Piper." A familiar voice said next to her, and Piper jumped.
Leo Wyatt.
He looked just like he did the way she remembered him; charming and attractive. Bastard.
"What the fuck are you doing in here?" Piper asked. All she wanted was to get home as soon as possible and takes some pills against her pulsating migraine which was becoming more and more common over the past few weeks.
"It's nice to see you too." Leo said, slipping from the goblet of dark red wine he was holding. Then he gestured it towards her, offering her some.
Piper decided to keep her brave face on, and shook her head in denial.
"Fine then, have it your way." He said in his unbelievably calm tone.
"What do you want, Wyatt?" She asked after a few moments of silence.
"I want to propose an offer," He started.
"I don't think so." Piper cut him, knowing that he was a lawyer and just as sly as herself.
He, however, chose to ignore the interruption.
"Next week. In Milan. With me." Leo said.
She glared at him. What the hell was he talking about?
He seemed to have noticed her confused face.
"Does the name James Martini ring any bells?" He asked.
Piper chuckled.
"Martini has been accused of robbing the Amsterdam Bank. He's the number one criminal on the charts. What has he got to do with this shit about Milan?"
"Ah, but you see; he isn't a criminal. His only crime is against his seven ex-wives, but he is clean other then that. He didn't touch that Bank." Leo said with a smile.
"And you want to represent him." Piper concluded.
"Correction; I want us -as in you and me- to represent him." His smile grew even wider, and Piper wanted to slap him.
"We haven't talked in… months, and you want me to take a case with you? Get real, Wyatt." Piper frowned.
"Listen to me; we are the best lawyers around and everyone knows it, don't deny. We have more then a good chance of winning, but only if we do it together." He seemed as enthusiastic as ever.
"I just got done with this huge Havana case which I'm about to loose…"
"You won't loose. I can bet you on it." Leo added.
"… And I'm in no fucking mood to go to Milan to save Martini's ass."
"Your reputation will grow beyond the sky. If you haven't checked lately, you and I are the most requested Lawyers these days. Right there on the top with your ex husband."
Piper's thoughts flew back to Tony, who she divorced about three months before she gave birth to Brie; three more months ago.
"Oh, and there is this another small bit of info that might attract you." Leo said, and she saw that his sly brain was already planning something.
"Surprise me, Wyatt."
"Haven't I always?" He chuckled, and she eyed him. "Guess who's the lawyer that the Amsterdam bank hired?"
It couldn't be…
"That's right Piper; Tony Granolas, the one and the only; your ex."
Piper's eyes widened. Well, that figures. It's so like him to go and represent this huge bank that has ninety present chances of winning.
"You like?" Leo asked.
"Look, as tempting as this is –and god knows it's tempting- I can't." Piper sighed.
"Why the fuck no? What's stopping you? Don't tell me you're going to miss on such an opportunity because I'm offering it to you?"
"The world doesn't revolve around you Leo; I have my personal reasons. Commitments."
"And what commitments would those be? You've just divorced, it's not like you have a husband waiting at home." Leo said, a bit too harshly.
Piper almost slapped him, but quickly remembered he probably didn't even know she had a daughter. It's been too long.
"Leo, you have to understand… things have change since the last time… We saw each other."
"Right. Then you were married; now you aren't. What's your point?" Leo asked.
Piper frowned, and looked down at her watch. "It's late, I have to get home." She said, feeling the all too familiar pain in the sides of her head. She was too tired to argue.
Leo stared at her for a while, then dug out his card from his pocket.
"Promise me that you'll think about it. Martini's case is a once in a life time opportunity." He said, handing her the card with his number and office address, which she knew all too well. Yet - she took it.
"I will. Good night."
He nodded to her, then opened his door and walked out.
She saw him getting into one of his black SUV's, and turned back to her driver.
"You know the way Robert. ASAP will be appreciated." She said softly, and leaned back in her seat, holding her troubling head in her hands.
About twenty minutes later she was finally climbing the porch steps to her way-too-huge house.
She started working at 7 that morning, and now it was over 9 pm.
As she opened one of the double doors into the house, a nice and homey sight caught her eyes.
Piper's Grams was walking around in circles, bouncing Piper's three months old daughter; Brianna Penelope Halliwell.
"Well, it's about time! What took you so long?" Grams asked, not to loudly so Brie wouldn't be disturbed.
"The damn hearing took two hours more then I thought it would." Piper said, approaching her grandmother and daughter.
She couldn't help but smile at Brie's peaceful little face. Her big brown eyes lit up as soon as they landed on their mother.
"Oh… Come here you little trouble maker." Piper took her daughter in her arms and laid her along her chest carefully, holding her fragile head with her palm.
Grams was smiling.
"She missed you." She said.
"I know. I'm the worst mommy in the world for leaving you for the whole day like that… was the milk I pumped last night enough?"
"Yes. But I think she'll be hungry soon enough again."
"I know, I promise I won't starve her." Piper said, and walked over to the sofa to sit down together with Brie still looking over her mother's shoulder.
"Prue called." Grams said, sitting down herself.
Piper suddenly remembered something.
"Oh no, I forgot… we were supposed to meet with her and Pheebs today at seven…" Piper said, starting to feel guilty.
"It's ok; she said they'll stop by tomorrow morning before your hearing. By the way, how did that go?"
"Bad, very bad. I'm afraid we might loose that one."
"Don't be ridiculous Piper; you haven't lost a case in years." Grams waved it off, and Piper decided not to argue.
"Listen, Grams, you really shouldn't be doing this for me. It's not fair to have you stay here all day like that… I'll be starting to look for a nanny." Piper announced. She felt that she was using her young grandmother's kindness one bit too much.
"None sense Piper, I love staying with my great-grandchild, and she's no trouble at all. There is nothing I'd want to be doing more." Grams exclaimed.
"Ok. But I'm still hiring a nanny, just so you have some help."
After a few minutes of convincing, Grams agreed. After all, Piper was a lawyer – convincing was her specialty.
By nine thirty Grams had already left. Piper took Brie upstairs and settled down to feed her.
She looked around at the grand room she was in, then down at her small daughter.
They didn't need that big of a house. She and Tony bought it when they found out Piper was pregnant, but only two months after they finally moved in everything crushed and Tony was soon out of the house and her life.
Piper made herself a mental note to start and try to sell the mansion, but those unpleasant thoughts quickly were vanished from her mind.
After Brie seemed full, Piper took her to her bed and put her already sleeping angel in her bed, grabbing a monitor with her as she dashed downstairs.
In the kitchen she dug out her pills from one of the cabinets, and swallowed two of them, drinking it up with a full glass of water.
She set the glass down, already feeling better even though the pills didn't take effect yet At least she knew she would be able to sleep.
Next she took out her Mac to check her e-mail.
Various e-mails were sent regarding the Havana case which finally will be over tomorrow. The rest were offerings from her boss about some new cases she might be interested in.
Nothing grabbed her attention, and Piper was the kind of a lawyer that had the right to pick her clients.
Then her eyes landed on an e-mail from Leo Wyatt.
Hesitating a bit, she opened it.
Good evening Piper.
I realize you probably didn't have much time to think over my offer, but I've just had a talk with James Martini, and I wanted to let you know that he is very much interested. Be prepared to get a call from him sometime tomorrow.
I'm not pressing on you to agree to this; but I want you to think it over.
I've also talked with our boss, which I doubt you still remember we share - and he was delighted to hear the idea of you and me uniting again for a case like this.
Hoping to will hear from you soon.
Always,
Leo Wyatt
Piper sighed.
She remembered all too well the famous case that took them both to the sky, reputation-wise.
That was back in the time when they were… together. Well, somewhat together.
They were never really a couple.
She only saw him about twice a month, and they usually spent most of the day flirting, then the night having very violent sex.
But that was in the past… that was the way things were about three odd years ago.
Then she married Tony. And, well, from there things went the way they did, and Piper only saw Leo on rear occasions. Unless you count that one night stand about a year and a half ago, one which Piper tried to forget.
Her mind brought her back to the present.
She would give almost anything to win in a case against Tony, who she hasn't switched a word with since he walked out of the house. He called ones, but she didn't return that call. He didn't bother to call again, not even after Brie was born.
He never met his daughter.
Maybe she should take that case with Wyatt?
It would bring back many past memories… but just the thought of winning a case against her fucker ex after he left her high and dry…
The small squeak from the monitor attracted Piper's thoughts, and she went up to suit her daughter.
God, she was so precious; so perfect. Life seemed to be so easy for the twelve week old girl.
But Piper had a decision to make. Maybe after the Havana case would be over tomorrow things will seem clearer, and it would be easier to make that decision.
But until then, Piper was left to ponder the new possibilities that were opening to her in life.
AN: Well? What do you think? I know there are many question forming in your guys' heads, but they will all be answered in future chapters.
Let me know if you want me to go on!