AN: I'm so sorry it took me this long to update… I have finals coming up and have to study lots. Anyway, I didn't forget about this fiction… in fact, I think you guys will like this chapter. Surprises are awaiting you in the end…. Hahahaha!! Lol, enjoy.

Chapter 6

OoO Bad News From Home OoO

She lay in her bed, staring at the darkness of the hotel room.

Wait... did I really kiss him? I kissed... Leo Wyatt?

Piper felt a sense of deja-vu. It wasn't the first time she'd asked herself that question… good thing she didn't go completely insane, then she'd be asking it with a bit of a difference, it would sound something like this; Did I really sleep with Wyatt? AGAIN?

After she'd calmed down earlier that evening, she took off to bed without eating, somehow her appetite was completely drained out.

Now it was soon time to get up and be ready for another long day in Milan.

A 'long day in Milan' might have sounded nice if it wasn't so stormy outside, and if she didn't know that the day that was set in front of her wasn't going to be a relaxing one. Which might be good; it would get her mind off of Tony. And Leo.

And so, she soon was up and making coffee. She got dressed and started working on making appointments for that day with people that they needed to see. All that of course after phoning Prue and 'talking' to Brie over the phone. Prue said she was easy to take care of, but Piper could very well hear her exhausted voice…

--OoO--

Leo ruffled his hair, too tired to reach for a brush to get it to sit right. He buttoned up his shirt, pulled some pants up, and threw a tie over his shoulder.

He was surprised to find Piper in the kitchen, all dressed up with a mug of coffee set next to her laptop, one in which she was already typing something.

He'd planed to wake her up later, thinking she'd want a little extra sleep after the previous sight, but it seemed like he had forgotten how efficient Piper Halliwell was.

She looked up as he came in, and he became self-conscious of how messy he must have looked, at least next to her neat dark red blouse and perfect grey knee-length skirt.

"Morning. Coffee?" She asked. She looked calm and completely recovered from yesterday, but Leo knew better then to be fooled by what she was letting out.

"Thanks." He said, and helped himself to it. "How are you feeling?" He asked casually.

Piper looked up, hesitating.

"Good." She said, and looked back down to her Mac.

Leo nodded, grabbing his now full mug and taking a seat next to Piper.

"You sure? Anything I can do for you?" Leo continued, refusing to cooperate with her attempt to treat it like nothing ever happened.

"No. Thanks. We have a meeting with Ms. Larsanda in an hour." She said instead.

Ms. Larsanda was the main secretary of the bank that claimed that Martini has used her sexually to get to the bank's money.

"Jolly." Leo said.

Piper chuckled at the expression.

--OoO--

"Ms. Larsanda? Lawyers Mr. Wyatt and Mrs. Halliwell are here to see you." The butler said, letting the two lawyers into the main hall.

A woman looking to be about five years older then Piper herself appeared from one of the rooms, looking not even nearly happy to see them.

"Good morning, Ms. Larsanda." Piper put her hand out for the other woman to shake, but she just stared at it, making no obvious motions towards it.

Piper, keeping her smile on, put her hand away casually.

Leo stepped forward.

"It's a great pleasure, Ms. Larsanda, we've been longing for this meeting." He said, sending her a dazzling smile and letting himself further in down the grand corridor.

Ms. Larsanda followed him closely with a suspicious look.

"Look; not to be rude," Larsanda started, looking back and forth from Leo and Piper, "But I don't understand why you two are here. I've already said everything to the federals. I don't have to tell you anything."

"True, but we aren't here to judge, we are here to understand what happened better. If you please, we'd just like to hear your side of the story." Leo said, smiling.

Piper knew he was putting on a show, but Ms. Larsanda seemed to be buying it.

And so, as soon as they were all seated, Larsanda started with her tale. It sounded something like this;

Martini came to get money; Martini didn't get his money; Martini persuaded Larsanda to go on a date with him; Martini had sex with her after he got her drunken AT THE BANK; Martini left her high and dry, taking about 40 million dollars with him.

Yeah, right.

As they were walking back to their car, Piper looked up to see Leo's thoughtful face.

"She's a good act. She'll fool the jury." Piper said. It was one thing convincing two lawyers; the jury might take a completely different look at it.

"True. She makes herself the victim and it's an easy way out. Although, we do have a very intimidating woman on our side…" Leo smiled.

"Who do you mean…?" Piper asked, but quickly realized he was talking about her.

She smiled as he opened the door to her seat for her, smirking.

She knew well that she was very good at playing the jury with her little finger, but this case seemed different. Martini had all the odds against him.

They spent the rest of the day with the detective, getting some information collected. Later they contacted Martini, and it was time to fly back.

"When is our flight?" Martini asked next to Leo. They were on their way to the airport.

"At nine. We have an hour or so." Leo said.

Piper was anxious to get home. She wasn't able to get a hold of anyone at home… and she couldn't keep her cell on at all times.

"This is a pretty nasty storm. They might delay the flight." Piper heard Martini say.

She had to admit that she had that thought in the back of her head, but she didn't want to think it.

She saw Leo glance at her.

"You think they might delay it?" Piper asked, suspecting something.

Leo's eyes looked elsewhere.

"Leo…" Piper warned.

"The Signora is talking to you, show some respect." Martini ordered.

"I'm sorry Piper, but there is a good chance that we won't be able to fly out today…"

"What??" Piper asked.

"I'm not saying anything; chances are the flight is going to be late no more then a few minutes."

"And what about his storm? I can't even use my cell because of it." Piper said. She didn't like what was going on.

Leo just gave her an 'I'm sorry' look. Piper was about to snap something else, but then reminded herself that Leo didn't do anything, he couldn't control the weather.

Soon they were in the airport. The first thing that caught her eye as they came in were the words;

'ALL DEPARTING FLIGHTS FROM MILAN ARE CANCELED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.'

"Fuck." Piper said aloud.

"Watch you're language. Signoras don't use bad words." He said with his Italian accent.

Piper knew Martini was just trying to cheer her, but Piper was now completely unsatisfied with the situation. She couldn't stay away form Brie for that long… it's not ok. She missed her daughter.

She felt Leo's hand on her shoulder.

"I'll go talk to someone, figure out how long are we stuck here." He said, understanding, and headed towards a counter to talk to someone.

"Are you in a hurry to get to San Francisco?" Martini asked as they walked and found a place to seat. There were hundreds of other irritated people, disappointed and hopeful.

"Yes… I have to get to my daughter."

"A daughter? So you two are married?" Martini asked casually.

You two? Who was he talking about…? OH.

"Me and Wyatt? Are you mad?" Piper chuckled.

Martini looked taken aback.

"I assumed you were. You look like a couple. Not a married couple, but a couple."

"Well, we are far from that." Piper quickly said, and Martini smirked.

"So your daughter is staying with her father?"

"No. She's with my sister. Her father is here in Milan."

"In Milano?" Martini asked, now looking completely confused. "You make no sense, Signora."

Piper sighed.

"Have you met the lawyer representing the bank yet?"

"Yes. That Granolas guy. I don't like him." Martini added.

"Yeah, well, neither do I." Piper noted.

Martini seemed to catch on. "I see. And you are running against your ex-husband… interesting move."

"I am here to save your ass."

"And for that I'll be grateful forever." He smiled, just as Leo came back.

"Well?" Piper asked, but Leo's face said it all.

"They don't know. Might be in an hour, might be in a day. Might be more. We can wait here for a couple of hours, incase things clear up." Leo said.

Piper, with no other choice, nodded in agreement.

For the next hour and a half she was trying to reach Grams or one of her sisters, wanting to let them know about her delay, but the call couldn't be connected due to the weather.

It wasn't until they were about to give up and leave to stay in the closest hotel that Piper finally reached Phoebe's cell phone.

"Hello?" A familiar voice said.

"Phoebe! Thank god… I've been trying to call all day."

"Piper, is that you? I can't hear anything… Piper??"

"Yes, It's me… can you hear me now?" Piper asked, moving about until the line seemed clearer.

"Oh god, we were trying to reach you but you didn't answer…"

Piper was starting to identify the worrisome in her sister's voice.

"What happened? Is something wrong?" Piper asked franticly, receiving concerned looks from both Leo and Martini.

"Piper, are you there?? Piper!"

"Yes! What's wrong? Talk to me Phoebe…"

"Last night we…" Phoebe started, but the line didn't let Piper hear it all, "and we called the doctor and he sa…. High fever… took her to… trying to reach you but you di… now here wi… sh… don't know wha…" Piper couldn't make out anything her sister was saying.

"Phoebe! I can't hear you…" Piper said desperately. She knew something was terribly wrong.

"Piper..."

"Yes! Phoebe, I couldn't hear you; what happened??"

"Brie has a very high fever and we took her to the emergency room a few hours ago!" Phoebe shouted, and Piper heard well.

Oh god. OH GOD.

"Piper I…. eh…. She…Gra…doct…" She could no longer make out anything Phoebe was saying.

"Phoebe!" Piper exclaimed, right before she heard the line go dead and a machine saying;

"Your call was disconnected, if you wish to try again, please dial one…."

Piper let her hand drop to her side.

This couldn't be happening… her daughter was in the hospital in a god knows what condition, and Piper was halfway across the globe from her.

"Piper? What did she say? What happened?" Leo asked, trying to get her attention.

But Piper couldn't concentrate on anything anymore.

She was starting to feel the familiar symptoms of a panic attack.

She put her right hand on her chest, feeling the dull pain creeping through. She felt the severe palpitations of her heart, followed by a flow of faintness and nausea.

"Piper!" She heard Leo's voice, but it was too distant. She couldn't breathe; she didn't know what to hold on to.

At some point she felt Leo's body supporting her weight, but she could no longer make out what was going on around her.

AN: Well, that would have to be a cliffy… I think it's the perfect place to stop (evil laugh…)

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