Chapter 10

Fighting the waves

"Hold on!" Leo said as a 20 foot wave crashed over the bow. Both Piper and Leo held on as the only thing that kept them from being soaked was the windshield. Leo was doing his best to keep the ship straight and in front of the waves. Having to speed up in order to get above the crest and slow down after going over the top.

"How do you know how to do this?" Piper asks.

"My dad, he had a fishing boat," he replied and remained focused as lightning filled the sky. Piper was a little astonished as he never spoke of his prior life before. "What do you need me to do?"

"Keep an eye out on the sides. We might get hit by a side wave," he replied and she would look to her left and right, but the only time she could see anything is when the lightning allowed her too.

Prue and Phoebe were at the police headquarters in Panama City as the storm was also bearing down on them. The windows were boarded up and most of the electricity was out. Only generators were keeping the darkness at bay.

"What about the Coast Guard can't they go out?" Phoebe asks the police chief.

"They are but there are a lot of ships out there that need help, so they are doing the best they can. Also since we don't have an exact location of where they are it could take too long to find them and they could run out of fuel or sink," he replied.

"We want to go out with the Coast Guard," Prue said.

"I will see what we can arrange," the police captain said as Phoebe looked out a small opening between the boards. She could see trees bent to the point of breaking and the rain was horizontal.

A rogue wave hit the side of the ship hard but Piper gave Leo time to adjust as she saw it. The impact tossed them both to the ground as the windows on the side were now broken and water was coming in as the waves would crest. Leo got to his feet and stretched out his hand to help Piper up. It was like standing on a treadmill that went all directions and almost impossible to keep balance. Once he could see out the window, his heart sank. "Oh god," he said as a 60 foot wave was rolling in front of them, he could not see the top of the crest. "Piper we need to get off now!" he yelled as he knew they would be no way to get over it. Piper stood next to him and was utterly amazed at the power of the ocean, she ran and grabbed the life raft. Leo used some rope to keep the wheel from turning and keep them straight as they got ready to temp Davy Jones locker. The raft was inflated by pulling a cord and Leo tied the extra revisions to it earlier.

"Come we need to jump now!" he yelled and they both stepped outside of the wheelhouse as Piper pulled the cord and tossed the raft into the water. It filled in just a few seconds as Leo tossed the waterproof bags over with it. They were now almost vertical and where sliding on the wet surface of the ship. They both had life preservers on but trying to jump over the railing and clear the ship was becoming an issue. Leo tried to help Piper over but lost his footing and slid off the boat. Piper saw him disappear under the waves.

"Leo!" she yelled as with all her might she used her upper body to get over the side. A wave hit the side and when she went over her rib cage hit the railing hard. She screamed as she hit the water and was now under the chaos above. It was a shock to the system, like jumping into a very cold pool and her lungs were already aching. She could see the bottom of the boat and knew she had to get clear. The pain of her ribs was nothing compared to the fear of droning or being crushed by the ship. Leo broke the surface and after taken in a large amount of air, he could see the ship going over backwards. He could not believe how far he was from it as he struggled to stay above the surface. "Piper!" he yelled as he was not sure if she got off. He looked around frantically but the night and the large waves made it extremely difficult to see only a few feet ahead of him. He could see the flickering orange light that was on the raft," Piper!" he yelled again but the howling wind made it difficult to hear anything. Piper emerged and took in a deep breath as she too was looking around. The ship was gone and now she was in a vast angry ocean.

"Leo!" she screamed and she too could see the light on the raft. Her instinct was to go to it and hopefully Leo was doing the same. Swimming was much harder than she anticipated as the giant waves would lift her almost 30 feet in the air and then she could look down after reaching the top. She was not sure if she was getting further away or closer as distance was impossible to judge, but she kept swimming, listening, praying. Leo also went towards the raft knowing that Piper would do the same. Eventually he reached it as he was closer and climbed aboard. He could now see much better and began to yell. "Piper!"

"Leo!" she yelled back and now was filled with hope and relief as she swam harder to the raft. Leo could hear something and then he could see her life jacket as its red contrasted the darkness of the ocean. "Come on baby, your almost here!" he yelled as his voice cracked while stretching out his hand. He grabbed her wet hand and held on as she grabbed his forearm. He then pulled her into the raft and hugged her breaking down as he did so. She held him tight as her rips would not be ignored any longer. She cringed and put her hand on her side."Are you ok," he asks.

"Yeah just hit my side, but its ok," she replied as she did not want to worry him. They were both shivering from the cold rain as the raft would handle the waves much better as it would give and take.

"Listen tie this around your waist, if we get turned over you will not lose the raft, but make sure you can untie it quickly just in case it goes down." he said and he handed her some rope. He tied one end to the safety rope went around its side as he put the other and around her. Leo did the same.

"Will this sink?" Piper asks.

"It could but its designed to handle this. We can always climb on its bottom if we need to if it is turned over. I just need to keep the water out," he replied and Piper used her hands to clear out as much water as possible as Leo did the same. This process seemed to go on forever and they would occasionally get tossed out, having to climb back in. Luckily the raft never overturned but the exhaustion of fighting the cold and the ocean was wearing them down quickly. Piper does not know when the storm stopped as she was numb emotionally and physically. She just remembers opening her eyes and the sun hitting her face. The sea that was hell bent on killing them was now quieter as the much smaller waves jostled them around gently. She was in a sitting position and every muscle ached but her ribs making her remember she was alive as the pain kicked in. She put her hand to her side and untied the rope that dug in. "Leo," she whispered and when she did not hear anything back she began to panic," Leo!" she yelled as something startled her. Leo emerged out of the water holding a rope. "Dammit Leo you scared me," she said and helped him back in.

"Sorry I was just retrieving some of our cargo," he said and pulled the bags of extra survival essentials towards him. "You ok," he asks.

"Not sure, did I pass-out?" she asks.

"Looks like you just fell asleep," he replied and Piper snorted and then cringed. "Piper what's wrong?"

"Nothing, just hit my side on the railing when I went over," she replied and after Leo got the bags inside he set his attention on her.

"Here let me look," he said and helped her take off her life jacket and rain-gear. She was mostly dry as the sun took the dampness and cold away. He lifted her shirt and could see massive bruising. "Do you taste blood?" he asks nervously.

"No but a lot of saltwater," she replied.

"I think you just bruised your ribs but I will need to wrap them," he said and looked for the first aid kit. There was a special compartment on the raft and after finding it, he began to empty the box. Inside was a flare gun with three flares, first aid kit, tubed water, a water gathering kit along with power bars and other essentials, like maps and a GPS locator. He rapped her ribs with the large goze and then gave her some fresh water. His hands were shaking and she put her hand on his.

"Leo I am ok," she said knowing he was worried.

"Here drink this and then sit back and relax," he said and helped her get comfortable. There was a canopy that he could put up to keep the sun from burning them.

"Leo take a break, please," she said as he was in his overly protective mode.

"I will just let me get the GPS on," he said and hit the button on the side of the device but nothing happened.

"What's wrong? 'Piper asks as Leo was hitting it with his hand.

"Come on," he said under his breath completely frustrated.

"Leo," Piper said and his body slumped.

"It's broken," he said and looked into her eyes.

"Its ok they know where we are," she said in hopes to keeps is spirit up.

"Piper we could be miles from that island, I have no idea where we are," he said.

"Well they have helicopters and very big ships along with two sisters whom well annoy them to death, so its going to be ok," she said and pulled him to her so he would take a break. He sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulders.

Natalie was at the manner and opened her hand to reveal as small chip that came from the GPS locator device that Leo was trying to activate. She smiled wickedly as she dropped it to the ground and crushed it with her shoe. What Leo and Piper did not know is that while they were unconscious from exhaustion She did a spell that moved them miles away from the search area. She had to keep her distance from them for now as the elders were also looking along with other whitelighters so she had to keep her cover.

Prue and Phoebe managed to get on board a Coast Guard vessel as they search the area.

"Starboard bow!" a man yelled and the ship turned as Prue and Phoebe ran towards the front to the ship.

"No," Prue whimpered as pieces of a ship was floating just above the surface. The ship came to stop and a few men got a small boat to investigate.

"It might not be theirs," Phoebe said in hopes it was not. After a few anxious moments the boat came back to the ship. One of the men walked over to the sisters and handed them a plaid shirt. Phoebe took it and closed her eyes as tears came rolling out.

"Leo," Prue whimpered out as she recognized it.

"I am sorry, but there is a chance they use to life raft. It has a GPS locator on it and we are checking for a signal now," the man said as some divers went over the side to look for bodies.

"They are still alive, I know it," Prue said and went back inside with Phoebe and found a part of the ship where they could get some privacy.

"Phoebe see if you can get a premonition," Prue said as Phoebe clutched the wet shirt. She held it close to her chest and focus harder than she ever has, but nothing. She tossed the shirt against the wall. "What use is this dam power if I can't safe them!" she yelled and then went to tears. Prue just held her as apparently what was keeping them from finding them was still working.

"This is not a bad thing, if they were dead then the spell that is cloaking them would be gone," Prue said.

Piper and Leo would drift in and out of sleep as the ocean was quite and still. Leos' stomach began to growl and it was time to eat something. He pulled out a energy bar from the kit while Piper was asleep. He wanted her to rest as he was not sure if her ribs were just bruised or broken. He sat on the other side to not wake her and started to eat while looking over some of the supplies. He grabbed a small box from the ship before the storm hit that had maps in it. He then began to look them over but reading and ocean map was far different than reading a land one. He opened up another map and a picture fell out. He turned it over and he dropped his energy bar. "What?" he said as Piper began to wake.

"Hay there," she said and began to stretch but stopped pretty quickly when her side hurt. "Ouch, ok I will not do that again," she said as Leo was still looking at the picture. "Leo what's wrong, its like you have seen a ghost?"

He crawled back over to her and showed her the picture. It was her taken a few weeks before she and Leo orbed to elder land.

"How did they have this?" she asks.

"I don't know but look," he replied and grabbed the map it fell out of. There was a red X on it.

"What the hell?"

"I think that is where we were, the island. Someone told the Pirates where we were," he said.

"Who?" she asks.

"It doesn't make any sense, they could have killed us so many times before why send Pirates?"

"That would explain why our powers don't work and while we have not been found yet," Piper said.

"Wait and remember when that assassin came after you guys maybe it's the same situation, someone hiring humans," he said.

"Oh hellfire, yeah Prue had way too much fun with that but besides your right. They have had a lot of opportunities, why not just come themselves?" she said.

"Maybe they're waiting for something, maybe if your sisters get desperate enough they will give up their powers to get you back," Leo replied.

"Leo they know better then to do that," Piper said.

"Piper I am just saying-"

"Leo they wont," Piper said as it would be a death sentence for all of them. "We have to get back, can you read this?" she asks while looking at the map.

"I can try but I was only trained to read a land map not an ocean one," He replied and started the process while Piper drank some water and looked at the photograph again. She crumpled it up out of anger and tossed it to the side.

In the underworld Natalie orbed into a chamber where a woman was mixing ingredients in a small bowl. The room was most is that by fire and things were scattered about with no particular place to be put.

"You coming down here takes you off the radar, wont your bosses ask questions?" the woman said while looking up over her mixing.

"That is why this needs to be quick. The spells you did worked, no one can find them but I need one more, one that will not let someone hear another persons call," Natalie said.

"I thought we already did that."

"Not blocking magic, but a voice," she said.

"I see. I am sure I can come up with something for a price," the sorceress said and Natalie reached into her pocket and pulled out a small heavy bag and put it on the table. The woman opened it and poured out its contents. Gold coin spilled onto the table. "Give me a few days," she said and Natalie orbed away.

Back on the Ocean Leo was treading water a few feet from the raft clearly upset.

"Leo get back in the boat," Piper said while looking around.

"Raft its called a raft," he said while he faced away from her.

"Fine raft, just get back in," she said and he continued to tread water. "Leo dammit there could be sharks."

"There is already one in the raft," he whispered.

"I said I was sorry now come on," she said and his legs were getting tired so he swam back. Piper stretched out her hand to help him in but he did not take it. Once in he went to the other side and looked away from her. This was a odd thing, not that they were arguing but Piper would usually freeze him and walk away or Leo would orb away, but now they could do neither.

"So your just going to give me the silent treatment," she said as Leo continues to look out over the ocean. Piper leaned back and started fidgeting with some rope.

"I don't know why you think I am keeping things from you," he said and finally looked at her.

"Because you don't tell me about your past," she said.

"Piper its my past that is the point," he said.

"I know its painful and I am not asking for details, just cleft note version what you did for 65 years," she said and began to pull some of the rope apart to make smaller strings.

"What are you doing?" he asks.

"Not changing the subject," she said and Leo pressed his lips together.

"Ok tell you what, I will tell you something about me if you tell me something about you," Leo said and Piper tilted her head slightly.

"You know everything about me," she said.

"Not everything," he said and she stopped what she was doing.

"You first," she said.

"Lets see, I was born in a small town near a fishing village in Maine,"

"How come you never want to go fishing when your off?"

"I don't really have days off Piper and I have a new life. Your turn."

"Ok something you don't know, my first kiss did not go well. I had braces and a rubber band broke off and almost took the poor kids eye out," she said Leo laughed a little.

"My mom never wanted me to go with dad on fishing trips as we would be gone for weeks at a time, she would worry," he said.

"I cheated on a final exam in college," she said.

"I skipped school to see Dracula."

"Mine was pretty in pink," she said and Leo looked down as he was about to say something he tried very hard to forget.

"I never told my mom I signed up for the Army. I never got a chance to apologize for that. I was deployed very quickly," he said and Piper could see tears in his eyes.

"Oh honey I'm sure she is proud of you and forgave you," Piper said as he looked out over the horizon. She knew this was just too painful for him and decided to change the subject. "I am working on a sail."

"What?"

"Well it may get us out of here much faster or at lest to land," she replied and Leo was glad she redirect his thoughts. He crawled over to her and grabbed the canopy that they used to shade themselves from the sun during the day.

"We could use some of this," he said and they both started working on the project. It kept them busy and their minds off the current predicament. Piper used the small strands of rope to make thread as Leo used his knife to cut a triangle shape to make a sail.

"Now all we need is dam wind," Piper said as the water was still and the air stagnant.

Prue and Phoebe where standing near a dock and looking over the damage the storm caused. Most of the ships and boats were sinking or on land. Darryl came over to them.

"Hay guys listen they are calling off the search," he said

"What, they can't do that," Prue said.

"They don't have a choice, there is a lot of rescuing that needs to be done and getting survivors taking care of medically."

"Their not dead Darryl," Phoebe said while starting to walk back and forth.

"I know but I am so sorry," he said as Prue saw a boat coming in that apparently survived the storm.

"Then we find them ourselves," Prue said and headed towards it as the man was docking.

"Prue wait," Darryl said and followed them.

"Darryl go home and be with your wife and keep a ear out if Piper or Leo call. Thank you for bringing us here but this is something we need to do as it is magical as well. I don't want you to get hurt," Prue said and went to talk to the man. Phoebe gave him a hug and joined Prue and Darryl understood and headed back to the police station.

"Excuse me sir can I talk to you?" Prue asks.

"Sure," he replied and so far his English was quite good.

"Can we buy your boat or rent it," she asks.

"Um its not for sale," he said as he continued to tie up.

"How much?" Prue asks again and Phoebe pulled on her arm.

"Prue we don't have a lot of money here," Phoebe whispered.

"Then we make more," Prue replied and Phoebe knew she was talking about doing a spell. Prue went back to the man. "Name your price," she said.

"This is my livelihood so unless you can pay me what I make a year we don't have a lot to discuss," he said and started to walk away.

"Like I said name your price," Prue continued and he stopped quite intrigued.

"Ok 200,000 American dollars," he said and was about to walk away again.

"Done just give me a moment to retrieve it," Prue said and he stopped. "Oh and we need the title."

They both walked around a corner as the man went back to his boat to get the title she requested.

"Ok sis your up and this is not personal gain. Do a spell that would give us at least 250,000. We will need supplies and any emergency money. What we don't use we will donate to the relief effort," Prue said and Phoebe whom was a little surprised but happy that she was willing to do this.

"You got it," Phoebe said and pulled out some paper and a pen. She began to think of a spell and fortunately this one was relatively easy. After writing it down and going through it to make sure it was correct she said it. Her backpack got heavy and she took it off to look inside. There was $250,000 in thousand dollar bills and some hundreds along with smaller ones in her backpack. "Holy crap I have never seen that kind of money in my life," she said and could not help but run her hands through it.

"Don't get used to it, quite a bit is gone already and be careful I don't want anyone to see this," Prue said as they made their way back to the boat. The man was still skeptical that they could have come up with that kind of money that quickly but he had the title in his hand. Prue and Phoebe stepped onto the boat and went into the wheelhouse for some privacy. Phoebe already put the exact amount in a pocket on the side and pulled it out.

"Here you go," Phoebe said and the man took the money. He did the familiar thrum fanning and then counted it.

"Ok its yours. Here is the title," he said and signed his name to show transfer of ownership. "Of course you need to get it notarized but this will work for now," he said and began retrieving his personal belongings." By the way do you even know how to handle this?"

"Yes," Prue somewhat lied as time was of the essence.

"One more thing, there are a lot of pirates out there and two very pretty ladies would definitely be a target," he said and continued Recovering his things.

"We can take care of ourselves," Phoebe said as they still had their powers. It took him over an hour and the sisters were also getting settled. Prue sent Phoebe to get supplies, like water, food and anything else they might need for the boat, while Prue familiarized herself with the controls. The man did help her before he left with things she may not know but she was glad to have the boat to herself as Phoebe returned.

"They will deliver everything in a few minutes," Phoebe said while carrying some bags.

"How much did you buy?" Prue asks.

"Just the essentials," Phoebe replied as a truck showed up and people began to offload bags and crates.

"Right just the essentials," Prue said and smiled as they helped load everything on. Night was coming and they needed to get out of the harbor before the sun set. Prue decided to take it out and let Phoebe organize the supplies.

"So how do you know about managing a boat?" Phoebe asks as she stepped back into the wheelhouse.

"Andy, he had a boat," Prue replied and Phoebe could see that flash of pain in her eyes.

"We will find them Prue," Phoebe said and rubbed her sisters back.

"Dam right we will."

To be continued...