Thanks all for the reviews guys… I'm trying to have two fictions going at once, but it's a bit hard. With finals next week, it's even harder.
Now, don't hate me all! I'll redeem myself…. This chapter isn't as good, but it will at least fill the hole I left for you all to fall in last chapter. Oh, and the Italian I put in here and there… well, I don't know the language, so I probably have lots of mistakes… feel free to correct me if you find them (;
Enjoy!!
Chapter 7
OoO Hurrying Back Home OoO
Leo knew that something was terribly wrong even before Piper's cell dropped to the floor right from her hand.
He placed himself directly in front of her, trying to find a spot where her now lost eyes would see him, and started firing questions; "Piper? What did she say? What happened?"
She didn't say anything. She was staring right at him, but it was if there was something beyond him that her mind was focusing on. And not just a few feet behind him; but probably miles away, in San Francisco.
In all the years he'd known her, he'd never seen such a complex look on the woman's face. Unlike her strictly calm expression, one that lets all that are around her know she's in charge, now she looked stunned, confused, scared, puzzled, mad, bewildered, stupefied, perplexed… Leo couldn't find the word that would fit. It was too… too much emotion in her eyes.
"Wyatt, don't just stand there!" Martini exclaimed.
Leo then started noticing the painless of her features. Her hand flew to crass her chest, and her breathing was fastening. Soon her eyes were rolling to their backs, and Leo found himself catching her from collapsing on the floor, a state he'd never seen Piper Halliwell in.
"Piper!"
It was too late.
Her breathing seemed uncontrollable now. Leo was overwhelmed, and couldn't support her weight. He dropped down to his knees, his arms trying to hold her seemingly gelatinous body.
Martini was yelling for help.
"Aiuto! Aiuto! Questa Donna ha bisogno di un dottore!!"
Leo turned around so he had Piper's back leaning against his chest, both his arms holding her along her arms. She was holding his sleeves tightly, inhaling and exhaling so deeply Leo knew she would pass out very soon if someone professional wouldn't come into the picture.
"Qualcuno, per favore, aiuta!" Martini continued.
Two of the people working in the terminal, Leo couldn't tell as who, ran up to them and starting calling someone on their cells.
"Come on already!" Leo let out, not sure if it was to Piper, the two men, or himself. He had no idea how to help her; he wasn't even sure what was going on.
Her chest rose and fell in a fast temper, and the color in her face was slowly draining.
Both her hands were tightly clutched into a fist around the fabric of his long sleeves.
Soon, a man with big black glasses and gray hair kneeled down in front of her, and started instructing something in Italian…
"Alito lentamente... in e verso l'esterno... aliti profondi dell'introito…" He was saying.
"She doesn't speak Fucking Italian!" Leo panicked, seeing that it wasn't helping Piper any.
The man, who Leo figured to be a doctor, leaned forward and started pressing slightly on Piper's abdomen, seeming to form a bubble of air that systematically started slowing Piper's breaths.
It took long minutes before she didn't seem hysterical and her breathing had slowed.
At that point, the now stressed doctor pulled away and nodded to Leo.
"Thank you." Leo said. He helped Piper sit up, and suddenly was aware of all the people around watching them.
Before neither he nor Martini had a chance to ask her anything, a voice filled the building;
"Tutti i voli solo di nuovo a sqedual, prego ottengono ai vostri cancelli e sono preparati per una partenza nelle quattro ore prossime…"
Leo looked up to Martini for translation.
"They are starting to fly the plains out now." Martini quickly said, but both their attentions were quickly turned to the still pale Piper.
"Are you ok?" Leo asked. Her head was still resting on his chest.
"Yes." She said quietly.
Martini got up to talk with the doctor who helped them, and another man came over to help Leo get Piper to her feet. They set her down at one of the blue plastic chairs that the airport had thousands of lined up.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Panic attack." Piper summed up, taking the glass of water that one of the men was giving her and letting some of it pour down her throat.
"Something is wrong with Brie?" Leo asked.
Piper first gave him a 'how did you know?' look, but then nodded. He saw her eyes turn crystal shiny.
"They had to take her to the hospital… because of high fever. Oh god Leo…" He saw her start breathing loudly again, and hurried to speak.
"Shh… just relax… it's going to be ok." He said, knowing he was using the old cliché by putting 'it's going to be ok' in. Plus, she was a lawyer, he should know better then to talk to her like to a jury.
"I'm half way around the world from her… I don't even know how bad it is…" She said, ignoring his effort to calm her.
"Piper… Piper…" He tried to get her attention, but her eyes were flying everywhere. "Piper!" He said louder, grabbing her shoulders, gently yet roughly enough to get her to look at him.
"With all respect intended… Piper; it wouldn't matter if you are here or there, it wouldn't help Brie any. Now, I just want you to calm down… we're going to get on the first plain flying out to New York, and before you know it we will be in San Francisco." Leo said, knowing it was just bullshit, but just as well he knew the words would help.
She nodded, listening.
"Good. How are you feeling?" He asked another time.
Piper nodded again.
"Alright. I'll just go and see if we can get a private plain going."
"How the hell will you do that?" Piper asked.
Leo just flashed one of his smiled, and walked off as soon as Martini joined them.
Half an hour later, there was a plain arranged for them to fly out on, joining a few men heading out to New York.
When he returned to Martini and Piper, all men and women who were before gathered around them now were gone, everyone hurrying to get back to work, and others just to get on their plains as soon as possible.
Piper seemed much calmer, staring blankly at her cell, as if waiting for it to ring.
Martini was next to her, sending her constant worrisome glances.
"Alright, I've got us a 'ride'." Leo announced.
--OoO--
It was about four hours into their flight to New York. Another 6 or 7 to go.
Piper tried to keep it together, especially after the episode back at the airport. She didn't have a panic attack like that for about six months now… not since after Tony left her. She had a bit of a shock and broke down.
Now she couldn't get her mind off of her baby.
How could she let it happen? She never should have left San Francisco. This case won't have a good end anyway. With all the accusing fingers pointing right at Martini; plus Ms. Larsanda was too convincing. Martini had a chance close to zero of winning the case, even with the best lawyers at his side. Mr. Ronaldy and his bank had Tony on theirs.
"How are you?" Leo asked from next to her.
She looked up at the man.
"Ok."
"You can try and call from here, we've passed the storm." He continued.
Piper's eyes lit up.
She reached over for the phone Leo extended towards her, and started dialing.
Leo took a seat next to her, looking a bit tense.
"Hello?" Prue's voice came.
"Prue!!" Piper exclaimed, louder then she had intended to.
"Piper! Is that you??"
"Yes! Prue, how is Brie? I didn't get anything Phoebe told me…" Piper started.
"We brought her in with high temperature… Where are you now?"
"On a plain, on my way to New York… Oh god Prue, please tell me she is ok…"
"She is, Piper, the doctors are doing all they can…"
Piper dreaded those words. She felt a wet tear being relieved, leading its way down her cheek.
"What's wrong with her?"
"It's nothing you could prevent Piper… she caught a virus, but she's too young to fight it by herself…" Piper could tell Prue was trying to be positive, and she probably knew that things like that didn't get around Piper, not when it came to her daughter's health.
"What are they doing to her now?" Piper asked.
"They have her under very close observation… Try not to worry too much Piper… How soon will you be here?"
Piper looked at her watch, not sure.
"We'll be there by tomorrow afternoon; in their time zone." Leo said, as if reading her mind.
"Tomorrow afternoon, more or less." Piper said, nodded to Leo thankfully.
And the afternoon of the next day it was.
Piper hadn't gotten more then an hour of shuteye; she was physically and mentally not able to.
--OoO--
From the airport, Leo drove Piper right to the hospital, obliged to take Martini with them, seeing as he was practically a prisoner.
He didn't stop her when she practically ran into the building, heading for the babies' department.
Soon, she was directed to where her daughter was at.
They let her see her daughter, but only through a glass wall. The infant had all kinds of machines connected to her. She looked even smaller then Leo had remembered her.
Two hours later, three sisters and their grandmother were sitting around a small cafeteria like table.
Leo was back with a try of coffee for them all, and they accepted it gracefully. Well, not Mrs. Halliwell, but he didn't expect her to jump and hug him… not Grams.
He was getting endless phone calls from the press, who managed to track him and Piper; some asking questions that were too personal to answer. The fact that they brought Martini into San Francisco was already being printed on every law newspaper's front page, and unfortunately there would now also be a few gossips about why they were at the hospital.
Even lawyers needed some gossip once in a while, and Piper was a perfect victim.
He drove Martini to his place and himself returned to the Halliwell family, knowing that even if they were everything but close to him, they probably needed help.
Prue's husband and Phoebe's boyfriend were also there. It was heartbreaking to see that Piper had to go through this without a man to help her. I could be a man.
The thought crossed his mind, but before he could elaborate his cell rang. Again.
"Hello?" Leo sighed.
"Leo? Darryl here. Someone broke into your house." He informed.
"What the hell are you talking about? I was just there thirty minutes ago!"
Piper looked up at him, alarmed.
"Someone did a very professionals job. More over; they grabbed Martini with them."
"Fuck." Leo mumbled.
Oh, Fuck.
AN: I know not much happened this chapter… But this is all leading to a big breakthrough, like every other one of my stories. And remember; everything in this story is somehow connected. So it's time you start trying to figure it out… You have some surprises on the way. And I promise; you still haven't seen the last of Milan………
Oh, and all you PiperLeoness lovers… well, you'll LOVE next chapter… (wink)
Review please!!