A/N: based on episode 12 of the TV series. I will not write out the entire episode because I think that would be boring as hell. Just jumping from scene to scene. As always: enjoy reading ?

Edward stepped onto the little stage, all cheery. He was going to give a speech about a new veterans programme. He shook some hands, turned to the crowd and started talking. Always smiling. During his first few sentences, he noticed a light reflection at one of the hotel towers in front of him. Someone with binoculars? He continued his speech without showing a sign of his thoughts. There, again, that light reflection. Someone was taking a shot at him. How far away was that? 3300 yards, according to his calculations. That would be the longest kill of all time. To be able to hit a target from that distance, you needed to be brilliant. Or use NZT. Piper. That crazy scientist.

The moment Piper's bullet grazed his arm, Eddie was kind of amused. To try to kill him from that distance. She had to be desperate. She had to run out of the stolen NZT. Or the enzyme. Or both. Of course, she would never be linked to that failed assassination. He would find someone to claim that shot. Voluntarily go to prison for something never done. Most likely he would pay a lot of money. Maybe save someone from the brink of death. Pay some bills. The opportunity would arise, he knew that. It was a question of when, not if. In the meantime, he would send Brian after his little failed killer. Get to know what she knew, but more importantly, test Brian's loyalty. In one way or another, he would get rid of her.

Brian was something between elated and terrified when he learned about the failed assassination of senator Morra. It was all around the news. How could it not be, after all? He hoped his love was alright. The News said the bullet just grazed him, but… thankfully he was not yet on NZT. His mind would bring down madness and havoc upon him. Thinking about all the possibilities that assassination could have worked. Yet again, Eddie was using NZT for four years now. There was no possibility on earth he would not have realized someone was taking a shot at him. He would be alright. Definitely.

After taking his NZT and a terribly boring briefing with Edward Morra's security consultant / watchdog Sands, he went for the elevator. Only to realize, he would be in there with Sands. Yay. For a second he thought about taking the emergency stairs down, but he guessed there was no way around a talk with that man. How much he despised him.

An elevator ride later he knew a few interesting things. Looking after Sands calmly, he processed what he had learned. Piper Baird had most likely tried to kill the senator. And she would link him to NZT, which couldn't happen. Ever. And he knew, that Ed hadn't told Sands about their… well, what did they have? A thing in one or another way. Yet, why should he? Personal affairs where personal affairs. Sands didn't need to know about Ed's love life. Wait. Did he just call his thing with the senator a love life?

After several hours of research, he found Piper's hiding place in an abandoned building. He saw the sniper rifle she had most likely used for her shot on Edward. He saw a dozen wigs in different colors, cloths and a ton of technical equipment, PC's, monitors, but where was Piper? While he approached the central monitor, a question appeared: "Are you sure you're on the right side, Brian?" In the same moment images of his parents and his childhood home appeared on the other monitors. He looked around, terrified. No. No. No. She couldn't. She couldn't… Meanwhile the question disappeared from the monitor. Instead, a short sentence appeared. A threat. "Just one step away now!" How could she dare to pull his family into this! He turned around, running. He HAD to reach his family before something happened. Something bad. Who knew which people she was willing to sacrifice to get to senator Morra. To him she seemed ruthless and desperate. Most likely she would use his parents to get him to get her to Ed. Damn it!

10 minutes later he literally stormed into his parent's house. He heard laughter. Coming to a sudden stop in the living room, he looked around. Piper sat on the couch beside his mother, laughing cheerfully. "Hey, guys, everything alright?" his gaze switched between his parents and Piper, who had apparently shared a lively discussion. What the…?

"Oh, of course!" his mother said with the brightest smile. "We are just getting to know your new girlfriend." Girl… what please? He stared at her for a few seconds, still catching his breath.

Piper looked up at him, all innocent. "What's up, Brian?"

"Nothing… I, ugh… just… I am surprised to see you. Here. With my family." Putting special emphasis on the most important words. Piper just looked at him. Smiling gently. She had to be a psychopath.

His mother joined the discussion again: "How could you not tell us you had a girlfriend?!"

Brian looked at his mother, not able to say something.

Piper chirped in "Oh, he had that awesome plan to introduce us. I just didn't want to wait anymore. I am so sorry, sweetie!" once again, he was simply speechless. How… could… she… dare…

"Well, our Brian likes to do things in his own way. On his own time." His father came to his – or her – rescue. He couldn't tell right now.

"Well, that's okay, I think I got him pretty well figured out." Piper said, directly looking at him, once again all cheery.

"Piper was just telling us about your first date." His mother said, all exited. It had been years since Brian had had a girl.

"Oh, yeah?" Brian answered, not at all happy. Then a beeping sound arose. His mother stood up. "Oh, I assume you are staying for dinner." Leaving for the kitchen.

Brian stared at Piper. "Piper? A word on the porch, please?" he could see, how his father was looking between the two of them, obviously worried. Piper stood up, still smiling. "We'll be right back." With that Brian turned around, waiting for Piper to get out.

On the porch, he closed the door. Meanwhile she started to talk about some tension between him and his dad. Of course, there was some tension between them. He had lied to him to protect his family. Then he had told him about NZT. And his dad had been all up to get him out of the FBI. He didn't want to, obviously.

"Listen to me. My family is not a part of this." He said trough gritted teeth, starring at her darkly.

And she… she just smiled and stated: "You can't really believe that. Not after being around Morra for this long." She grabbed his hand, feeling his pulse. "Relax, I just want to know if you're telling the truth." She looked into his eyes. "Did you tell anyone I am here? Does Sands know?" he stared at her. He could feel the beat of his heart. "No." a moment passed, then she let go. What did she know about Ed? Why was she so desperate to kill him?

"I am not here to threaten you. I'm not gonna hurt your parents. I just don't have much time. I had to learn everything I could about the person Morra is working with."

If looks could kill, she would drop dead in an instant. He just stared at her. "Oh, yeah. What did you learn?"

"Classic middle child, which explains the need for approval." She said, somehow flirty, while looking up to him. How could she DARE to look at him like that? "On the other hand, your fears of living up to your successful older siblings caused you to rebel and reject mainstream success. The most important thing I learnt is that you grew up surrounded by love and support, which suggests a strong moral framework."

He stared at her, seriously confused. "Why do you care if I have a strong moral framework? And how long have you been in there?"

"Seven minutes." She stated calmly. "And I care because I know how Morra works. He has a way of corrupting good people. You're one of them. Same way I was."

Brian frowned. "So it's his fault that you killed your boyfriend?" she was the prime suspect in that murder. She had killed him in his sleep and run away. And now she framed Ed?

"I didn't kill my boyfriend. Morra did. Or his people." Yes, she was obviously framing Ed. Yet… she sounded so utterly convincing. As if… she believed in her story.

"Why would they do that?"

She smiled sadly, turned around and walked a few steps. Then, once again, looking at him. Following she told him her story. How Morra had recruited her to help create the enzyme, which undid the side effects of NZT. How she had believed in him. And one day, she didn't. She stole a years supply of his NZT and the enzyme. And Morra killed her boyfriend as retribution. At this point she had decided that he needed to be stopped. Killed. Whatever the cost.

Brian stared at her, coming to the same conclusion Ed had had the moment he was grazed. "You are running out. Of NZT, or the enzyme or both. That attempt. It seemed so desperate, but you had to shoot. Else you could have missed your one shot forever." He remained silent for a moment. "Well, if you wanted me dead we wouldn't talk. What do you want?"

She put on a sad expression. "He has you under his thumb, the same as he had me." She came close to him. She seemed so determined. "He took everything from me that mattered. He will do the same thing to you, trust me. There is only one way out." She paused, looking at him. "You will help me kill Eddie Morra. I am close to replicating the enzyme. NZT could do all the good you know it would. You don't need him anymore." Brian simply stared at her. Both fascinated and terrified. She seemed so serene and innocent and upright. There was this tiny chance she said the truth. About Morra killing her boyfriend, at least. But kill someone over some pills? Seemed a bit drastic to him. Brian didn't think Ed would ever harm his parents. Not after what they had. Yet, he had been right. She wanted to use him to get to Ed. He would never-

While he stood there, grumbling and thinking, she went passed him, reaching for the door and opening it. "Wait. Where are you going?" and there it was again. That cheery smile. "We can't just leave. Your mom made meat loaf." And with that she re-entered the house. He closed his eyes, breathing out slowly. Then following her. He would NOT let his parents stay alone with that woman.

After a sleepless night, he still couldn't decide. Piper seemed so utterly convincing, but Ed…? Killing someone over stolen NZT? He guessed the big games called politics were full of murder, threats and such a like, but… he groaned, grabbing his phone, which had rested on a corner of his couch desk. He texted Sands. Still his only reliable way to contact his love. He needed a number he could text or call. He always got texts or calls from him, but always from a hidden number.

An hour later a black SUV picked him up. He faced Ed, who was having a business call. After he had hung up he sighed softly, turning to face Brian. That one just stared at him, seriously torn. Well, just aim directly at the problem. "Did you kill Piper's boyfriend?" Ed looked at him for a second, then sighed softly.

"She found you, I knew, she would. What does she want?" he paused a moment. "She want's to use you to get to me?" Ed looked at him, calm and knowing.

"That's not an answer." Brian hissed softly. "Did you kill her boyfriend?" He had to know. No. He NEEDED to know. What kind of person was his love?

His love sighed once again. "I thought you might trust her. Piper Baird is brilliant, but she is tortured. And she is a good liar."

Brian silently looked at the senator. That was no answer.

Ed looked at him for a few moments, then simply sighed. "I didn't kill him. She did. People can do terrible things on an NZT blackout. The moment your conscious surrenders to the drug, you can do unspeakable things. I did kill a person during such a blackout. I mean, I don't remember, but I can count one and one together. I remember going into a hotel room with that woman. The next day she is dead. C'mon. Not that hard." He paused, looking at Brian. A soft sadness in his eyes. "After an NZT blackout, when you come back to be who you are, your mind tries to fill the blanks. My mind filled it with alcohol, which I remember in pieces, dancing and sex, but I know they are just fillers. I know I killed that woman. I accepted it. I can live with that." He paused, looking calmly at Brian.

Brian simply stared at him. Both sorry and terrified. He didn't know something like that could happen on an NZT blackout. And he wanted to hug his love. Take that sad expression from his face.

After a few moments, he continued talking. "Imagine you killed the person you loved most during a blackout. Could you accept that? The truth, that you killed him or her? Could you live with that? Or would your mind invent a story, you could better live with and put in into those blanks? A story you could happily accept as true because it freed you from all guilt."

Brian tilted his head. "When she was working for you, she would have access to the enzyme. Why would she experience side-effects?"

Ed smiled apologetic. "She had asked if she could work on something in private. I assumed she wanted to finish writing her stupid dissertation. She always talked about it, how much she wanted to finish it. End that chapter of her life. Start a new one with her boyfriend after that. I didn't know she was taking NZT until I heard what happened." He paused. "The next thing I knew was she breaking in to one of my facilities and steal a years supply of NZT and the enzyme." He paused again. "I assume she didn't realize that she had side-effects at the beginning. 'Just one more day, and I'll ask for the enzyme.' But the side-effects can come from one second to the other. Hit fast and hard and destroy everything that you hold dear."

Brian was silent for a moment. His gaze went to the front part of the car. Sands. Driving. "I trust you." Were his final words. If they wouldn't be watched he would hug and kiss him. Edward simply nodded, never lifting his eyes from Brian.

"Will you help me to get rid of her?" that wasn't a question, even though it was phrased like one. Brian could hear it in the tone underneath.

"How?" was his truly innocent answer. "I will not kill anyone. Not you" definitely not you! "nor her."

Edward suddenly smiled softly. "I know. I know you for some time by now." He was silent for a moment.

"Plan her assassination with her. Tell her you talked with me. Tell her, you wouldn't kill her. But that you had to make me believe you did because I would harm your family or else. Make her trust you. Get a corpse, change that persons DNA to hers in the system, because my people will definitely check the DNA. We have to be sure, don't we? 'Kill her' by throwing her in front of a train or something. Place the dead body at the very same spot. The corpse will get shredded to pieces by the impact. Get her out of the country. Somewhere far away. That way you don't need to kill her. But she gets as far away from me as possible. Without the tiniest chance of killing me." He chuckled softly.

Brian simply stared at Edward, his mouth slightly open. That plan was brilliant.