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Chapter 9: Confronting the Issue
Piper was being questioned by the police. She sat on the couch, her head in her hands. Laurie was missing. Someone had taken her. How did they expect her to sit here and answer their questions when they should be out looking for her daughter?
"What about Laurie's father?"
"What about her father?" Piper asked, her stomach clenching.
"Could he have taken her?"
"No. That's not possible."
"Why? Is he dead?"
"No, he's not dead. He just wouldn't have taken her."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because I know him! Why are you asking questions about her father? You should be out looking for Scott McGunther, the man who broke into my house and the man who took my daughter! This has nothing to do with Laurie's father!"
"Miss Halliwell, we are following protocol. It's our job to follow every lead."
"Laurie's father is not a lead! Scott McGunther is your lead!"
Leo, who had been listening to the arguing stepped in. "Officer, could I have a word with Miss Halliwell?"
The officer nodded in consent and Leo led Piper upstairs to his room. He shut the door and faced her. He thought she looked so broken, sitting on the bed, her head in her hands, slowly rocking her body.
"Piper, the officers are only trying to do their job."
"I know. I'm sorry I yelled. It's just…"
"Just what, Piper? Why don't you ever talk about Laurie's dad?"
"It's a touchy subject."
"I've noticed. So why don't you think he could have taken Laurie?"
There was a long pause before Piper finally looked up at him. "Because you didn't kidnap her."
Leo froze. What did she just say? "What do you mean?"
"You're her father," she said, not looking at him.
Leo sat down heavily on the bed. "Oh my God…" He was at a loss for words.
"Leo, I…" she reached out to touch him, but he moved away from her. Piper began to cry now, afraid of Leo's reaction. But most of all, she cried for Laurie. Laurie wasn't here to meet her daddy. But if, no when, they got Laurie back, Piper was afraid Leo wouldn't want anything to do with her now.
Leo was doing the math in his head. "No, Piper. It's not possible. I can't be Laurie's father."
"You are."
"No, I'm not. We dated four years ago. Laurie is three."
Piper let out a bitter laugh. "Leo, there is a nine month waiting period before the baby is actually born."
"Oh," Leo said, finally grasping the concept. "So Laurie is my, our, daughter?"
"Yeah."
Now Leo was getting mad. Why didn't Piper tell him? Damn it, he had a right to know. "Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded angrily.
"Because I didn't know!" Piper yelled back, trying to hold back tears. "I didn't find out until after we broke up."
"You still should have told me."
"I'm not one of those girls who breaks up with a guy and then goes running back to him when she's in trouble."
"That's one of the things I love about you," he told her, his temporary anger gone. He was having trouble grasping the fact that Laurie was his daughter. Leo looked at Piper and knew it was true. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Laurie looked like him now that he put some thought into it. Her eyes were almost the same green color as his.
The immensity of this was beginning to sink in. Laurie, his daughter was missing.
He wrapped his arms around Piper and she clung to him. "We're going to find her, I promise."
"Leo, I can't lose her. I can't live with out her."
"I know. Neither can I." And it was true. He couldn't live without seeing his daughter again, tears springing to his eyes.
Once they were both calm enough to go back down stairs, Piper tightly grasped his hand as they descended the stairs in the bustle of activity to find Laurie. Leo sat Piper down on the couch and went to talk to one of the investigators leading the search.
Piper sat on the couch, trying to control her breathing. In her hand was the stuffed rabbit Laurie loved so much. It was ragged and missing an eye, but it was Laurie's favorite toy. She never slept with out it.
Piper turned the toy over in her hands. It reminded her so much of Laurie that it hurt. Piper was crying mow, terrified that she would never see her daughter again.
And then the phone rang.
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Author's Note: Like none of you saw that coming! I want to thank all of you for your reviews; you've all been great! Most of you reviewed saying you thought Leo was Laurie's father and you were right! Please review and let me know what you think!