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Chapter 2: Memories

They interrogated her over and over again, asking the same, repetitive questions.

"Why were you on that street?"

"I was walking home with me daughter. Where is she? Can I see her?"

"Later. You said you heard arguing so you hid, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"You saw a man in black shoot another man?"

"Yes. I already told you that."

"Please describe the shooter."

"I've already described him three times already! You had someone draw him and I recognized him! Can I see my daughter now?"

One of the officers leaned down and spoke in whispers to the officer interrogating her. The interrogating officer nodded his head. "Okay. We'll have an officer bring your daughter to you shortly."

Piper let out a sigh. "Thank God." The officers left her alone. She stood up and paced around the room, arms wrapped around herself. There seemed to be a chill in the room. But Piper didn't know if it was the room or a psychological reaction to what she saw. She saw a man be murdered. She saw a cold-blooded murder.

All she wanted was Laurie. She just wanted to make sure her daughter was okay. Laurie may not have seen anything, but it still had to be traumatizing for a three-and-a-half-year-old to hear gunshots and be taken by the police. She had to be terrified.

Piper heard the doorknob behind her click, and she turned around to find her daughter rushing into the room.

"Mommy!" she cried and Piper wrapped her in her arms. It was all she could do to hold back the tears that threatened to overflow.

She finally released her daughter and looked at the officer who had brought her in. She intended to thank him, but Piper's jaw dropped open when she saw the man with sandy hair and green eyes.

"Piper," the man said.

"Hello, Leo," she replied, trying to keep the surprise out of her voice.

Laurie, now happy to be reunited with her mother, said, "Mommy, Leo colored with me."

"Really? Did you have fun?"

Laurie shook her head. "I wanted Mommy."

"I'm with you now, Sunshine," Piper said, using her favorite nickname for Laurie. Piper picked her up and stood up and looked at Leo. "Can we leave now?"

"Yeah, sure. We may need to contact you as the investigation progresses. It would be best if you were around so we could contact you."

"Always about the job, aren't you, Leo?"

Leo winced internally at the insult, but didn't let it show. "It was nice seeing you too, Piper."

Piper just nodded and walked out of the room, into freedom, with her daughter.

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Leo tossed off his coat and threw it on the couch. He undid his tie and grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator. He opened it and sat on the couch, leaning his head back. Running into Piper had been… a rush. And not one he expect. He felt anger, sorrow, and happiness all at the same time. He didn't know it was possible, but clearly it was.

A little over four years had passed since he last saw her. He took another sip of beer and his mind slipped back to that night over four years ago.

Piper held Leo's hand from across the table. "Leo, it's just not working out between us."

Leo looked at her. "What do you mean? It's going great."

"No, Leo, it's not."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Leo, you're wonderful. You're just dedicated to your job, not a relationship."

"That's not true, Piper." He squeezed her hand tighter. "I love you."

Piper untangled her hand from his. "No, you don't. You love your job, not me."

"Piper, that's not true. Just give me another chance."

"Leo, I've already given you another chance. I've given you more than enough chances."

"Just one more chance, Piper, I promise I can make it work." He gave her one of those smiles she always fell for. He could tell she was considering his offer when his cell phone rang. "Hold on a minute." He answered his phone and began talking in soft tones. It was work, and they need him to come in for a break in a homicide case.

"Okay, I'll be there in a minute." Leo hung up his cell phone.

"Piper…" he said, turning back to her.

But she was gone.

Leo had gone to work and arrived home late. He walked in the door and immediately knew something was not right. The apartment seemed…empty. Leo thought it was because Piper wasn't there for a change, but as he looked around, he noticed the apartment actually was emptier. All of Piper's things were gone.

He wondered through all of the rooms, not really believing all of her things were gone. He wasn't sure what to believe. She had tried to break up with him before, but he always managed to talk her out of it. Even though she had sounded dead serious at dinner, he still expected her to be here when he came home.

But instead of finding Piper, he found a note in her handwriting lying on his pillow.

Leo,

You are a wonderful person, but not the person for me. Your passion is your work, not me. I'm sorry I didn't tell you this to your face, but I wasn't sure when you would get home. I know you think you love me, but you don't. You'll find someone right for you one day, it's just not me. I hope we can stay friends, but if you don't want to, I understand.

Love,

Piper

Leo still had the note. How pathetic is that, he asked himself.

Pathetic enough to have another beer, he told himself, getting off the couch to get another one.

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Laurie had her arms hooked around Piper's neck, fast asleep. Piper carried her up the front stairs to the manor, opened the door, and carried Laurie up to her room.

Two months ago, the lease on her apartment had expired, and Prue, her older sister, insisted she move into the manor instead of renewing the lease. Prue and her husband, Andy, and inspector of the San Francisco Police Department, were in Denver, Colorado, visiting his parents. They were currently looking for a small house of their own in the San Francisco area.

When their grandmother, lovingly referred to as Grams, died two years ago, she left the house entrusted to Piper, Prue, and their youngest sister, Phoebe. Phoebe was living in New York and Prue wanted a smaller house. That left the manor to Piper, who really didn't need a house that big. She didn't feel safe in a large house by herself and her daughter, but it was the house she grew up in a child and loved it here. So for now she was living in the manor.

She laid Laurie down on the bed with the pink comforter decorated with large, bright flowers.

She looked at her sleeping daughter's face and traced her features with her eyes. He strong chin, full lips, small nose. Beneath her close eyelids were bright green eyes with flecks of brown that Piper knew so well. Her light brown hair was a few shades darker than her fathers, but much lighter than Piper's own dark brown hair.

Piper went into her own room and changed into pajamas. She laid in bed, but sleep didn't come. The horror of the murder she witnessed was replaying in her mind. She couldn't stop seeing the blood, the dark crimson blood, slowly seeping down the sidewalk.

And Leo's face. She couldn't stop seeing Leo's face. She hadn't seen him in over four years, but it all came rushing back as if it were yesterday.

Piper had loved him, she really did. But he paid more attention to his job than her. She wasn't being self-centered or anything. After the first few months of dating, Leo routinely missed dates because he had to go to work. After she had moved in with him, she had barely seen him. Being a cop seemed to be a twenty-six hour a day job, eight days a week.

But somewhere along the line, Piper had fallen in love with him. Maybe it had been during one of those few nights she saw him. But after a while, she grew tired of it. She wanted to be with someone she saw more than three times a week. But every time she tried to break it off, he somehow convinced her to stay. And she listened. But after a year and a half of it, Piper decided enough was enough.

Being out to dinner with him on one of those rare occasions, Piper had tried to let him down easy. It hurt her to do that to him, but it had to be done. He almost convinced her into staying, but when he answered his cell phone during dinner, she realized he would never change. It would always be like this, her waiting for him to come home.

She left the restaurant before he could say another word. At the exit, she turned back around and looked at the table. Leo was still on his cell phone. He hadn't even realized she was gone.

There were tears in her eyes as she packed her stuff out of his apartment. She knew he wouldn't be home soon, so she left him a note. Tears streamed out of her eyes and on to the paper as she wrote the note.

But that had been over four years ago. Piper turned off the light and tried to sleep. I'm over him, she told herself.

But why did his face haunt her dreams?