Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed or any of it's characters, any others that are not in charmed on the other hand are mine. But this story does happen to be mine and my own idea.

NOTE TO VIEWER: I'm sorry it took so long for me to update, I have been wanting to update for ages, but my computer wasn't working (laptop) something to do with the interal battery not charging when plugged in. I managed to get my stories onto floppy now so i'm using my mum's computer. I had this chapter all ready for you guys when I put the second one on, I was peeved. But i'd just like to thank you all for being patient.

© Charmed-Phoebe03

The Baby Bargain… Chapter 3 (The Contract)

Piper's PoV

Piper hadn't been so nervous in her life, or at least she didn't think so. Sure she had been nervous when she went for the interview but this was a completely different set of nerves, they were 'what if' nerves these were 'oh shit whats gonna happen nerves' she needed the money she kept thinking to herself. Why he had chosen she didn't know maybe she made an impression on him, what that mattered she didn't know though. He had been basically unreadable for the whole interview that was what had made her nerves set in like they had now. Besides his cryptic looks he had placed an interest when she told him about young mothers having less chance of the child they are carrying to catch some diseases. It was probably that he was thinking of when he chose her.

A few days ago she had thought that is was over, not knowing why just knowing that she'd have to quit college and get a full time job. The night before had been reasonably relaxed and they had all been in their pyjamas, with their coco going to bed when the phone had rung, she had to run back down stairs so that she could get there before the answer machine picked it up. She remembered the conversation like it was happening to her now, very clearly in her head. Even for so that at night, well coming to think of it, it wasn't that late she was just so tired it hadn't seemed real at the time, it was a good think she write it down or she have probably thought her imagination was running away with her again.

FLASHBACK (LAST NIGHT 11.07PM)

"Hello Ms. Halliwell?" she heard the voice clearly, she had to admit she had thought she had heard it before, maybe it was neighbour she thought.

"I'm sorry you going to have to be more specific, which one?" she asked tired and honestly.

"Oh sorry of course, Ms. Piper Halliwell?"

"Speaking, how may I help?"

"I'm Melissa Redford, Mr Wyatt's Personal assistant…" Piper felt her breathing stop in anticipation. "… Mr Wyatt would like you to know if you are still interested in the job then he would be happy to say that he is offering it to you, and he would like to have a meeting with you to discus details."

Piper paused.

"Ms. Halliwell?"

"Oh yes I'm still here and, yes I'm still interested."

"Good. Mr Wyatt would like to meet with you at Le Fleur at 2.00pm tomorrow for an late lunch, is that okay?"

Piper thought for a moment it would be Saturday, she didn't have anything planned.

"Yes I'll be able to make it"

"Good I'll inform Mr. Wyatt, he would also like me to apologise for the in time calling you he wanted to get all this business started."

"That's fine"

FLASHBACK ENDED

She had hardly slept last night, it had been a week now since her interview if that's what you want to call it, and she was scared. She had been so nervous at the interview her finger tips had been smudged with the newspaper she had held in her grip, she had only noticed when she had gotten to the library, researching. Of course she didn't think she was going to get it so she just ended up just doodling on scrap paper. She hadn't expected she'd actually be considered let alone be picked, after all he had said it himself she was young. After he had said that she thought her being his choice would be just plan fiction. Then again she had to admit she had put a valid point across about some illness being less chance of happening the younger the mother. He had looked surprised almost as if he didn't think of that and then he had nodded maybe in agreement, she wasn't sure but what she did know was that she was kinda freaking out. After all if this worked out right she was going to be carrying his baby, hell it would be hers too her DNA would be in the child too wouldn't it, that's why he had gone all into her background. that's why he had wanted pictures of her growing up and her to come without make up he wanted to see what features his child may have if he chose her. Same with her grade point average, she had heard the child got its brains from the mother but that was probably some old wives tale, either way he wanted the mother to be smart. She couldn't blame him for that after all, he'd want someone who was going to do this to know what they were getting into, but the fact of the matter was she wasn't she what she was getting into, and that had nothing to do with her almost perfect grade average, what could she say she had hated wood work, that was what held her down. Oh well she thought to herself she had to stay calm, hey maybe thinking about random stuff like that would calm her, you never knew she thought to herself waiting by the hostess stand. She had only been waiting there a few minutes she had said she was meeting with a Mr Wyatt and the hostess had left probably asking him whether I was suppose to be there, not that she minded. She still needed time to think of random thoughts, thoughts that seemed to decide they didn't want her company anymore. Dammit, she thought putting her face in a frown. Then the hostess appeared once again, she was strawberry blonde in hair colouring, and fair in face, pretty too she thought as she got closer.

"Mr Wyatt is expecting you" she said cheerily, when she could see in her eyes the surprise she wasn't shocked. "would you please follow me" Piper silently nodded and followed her. She was wearing a pair of khaki army pants that hung on her hips, matched with a white, light wool sweater and her favourite tan boots with long her up in a bun. Walking behind the hostess she got to a table with four seats around it, and a blonde man sitting in one of them she knew it was Mr. Wyatt she had no doubt. Almost as if hearing they were approaching he turned slightly facing them, gave a brief nod and turned back round. Offering a seat next to him she sat down.

"I hope you are doing well" he said in a sort of I-don't-really-care-I'm-just-trying-to-lighten-the-mood, way.

"I am Mr Wyatt" this seemed to get his attention he looked her in the eye.

"Please call me Leo" he paused "may I call you Piper?" he said quizzically.

"I- err, yes of course" she stuttered.

"Good" he said sipping his coffee, black she noticed.

"Oh sorry, I didn't ask you if you wanted anything, do you? Something to eat perhaps? After all it is a late lunch meeting." he asked her sincerely. She never had been one to get self-conscience well at least not since high school but she couldn't help it she only felt comfortable eating around family and this guy defiantly wasn't family, and plus the bad case of the nerves she had today she'd probably end up barfing it back up. No she'd stick to a drink.

"no thank you, but I would love a cup of camomile tea" with that he called over the waitress, placed the order and faced her again, that was just what she needed she told her self something to calm her down, as if by magic the waitress came back tea in hand.

"I asked you here to go over details" he paused "I hope you don't think of this going fast but I've asked my lawyer to meet us here as well as my PA at 2.30, to go over the contract drafted up, again I hope you don't think I'm rushing you but the sooner we get that signed the sooner we can get you ready for artificial insemination, I assume you want that?"

"Yes" she said without hesitation.

"I thought so, it's not as simple as ordinary insemination aka sex but it is one of the most comfortable and I use that term lightly, option there is." she nodded as he continued "you'll have to take oestrogen hormone tablets for a month or so maybe 3-4 weeks to start with-"

"why?" she said cutting him off, oh it would have so good if she actually had of done some research she thought grimly.

"It is part of the procedure, it doesn't mean there is anything wrong, it just makes the epidermis grow extra thick so when the egg is emplaced it will stick. First of course we will need an egg taken out so that we don't disturb the epidermis when it has grown a bit." he paused again. "I was hoping it could be done this afternoon" he said as if he was asking permission. I nodded and gestured him to continue I wanted to know exactly what was going to be happening to me and my body. She couldn't help but think he was mad to do this, after all he was … lets face it he was hot, here sitting before her was a slab of man-hunk history, or at least he would be one day- he could have had any woman yet he was picking her. She couldn't understand it. "I'm glad, personally I am happy with the way you are taking it, agreeing to my terms that is. But there are more" god she nearly heard her head hit the table, she wasn't surprised she just wanted him to come out with it. It was driving her crazy. "anyway… " he continued "… I understand when you conceive you are going to want your own private time or at least some, and I will grant that, but I do want you to understand I want to be part of the pregnancy, the doctors' appointments all down to the birth. I want to play an active role in this baby's life right from conception."

She could blame him, he wanted to be close to his, not-yet-conceived-child. She understood, nodding she let him know. "You do realise you wont have any right to this child once it is born don't you?" this was one of the dumbest questions she had ever heard and the way he leaned back told her she could read it in her expression, but she thought she might as well tell him but before she could he continued.

"there is also one other thing I would like to mention."

The look in his eyes it almost scared her to ask "yes?" she said ushering him on.

"Every child deserves to know where they come from, and when this child gets older. Well it's going to want to know who it's mother is, are you okay with this child maybe looking for you in the nearby future."

She didn't know how she felt about this so she just said, "yes of course, I-" that was all she could say as she saw two people their way over to the table. This must be the lawyer and the PA. Melissa her name was, she remembered she was the one she had talked to. Seeing were her eyes had drifted to Leo stood up, putting a firm hand on her shoulder as if to say don't stand up.

Greeting the two people that had joined the table he sat back down and introduced Piper. Mr Brown was the lawyer who on the circumstances insisted she called him Kyle and then there was Melissa.

"I've basically gone over all the main points of the contract with Piper" he told Kyle. "except of course her payment" he said turning his head towards me. As of he was thinking still looking at me he rubbed his chin. Stopped and put his hand on the table "how about £500,000? that sounds like a good deal to me" she nearly fell off the chair in shock luckily Mr Wyatt- no Leo grabbed her arm just in time, with a chuckle he said "I think that settles it, now we don't need to make up a new contract now do we?" he said to Kyle. She couldn't believe it he had planed on giving her $500,000! She couldn't believe he was willing to give her that much. As if reading her mind Leo then said "no price is too much" taking one last swig of his coffee he called over the waitress and asked for the bill, then took a pen out of his jacket pocket and effortlessly signed the contract on the table in front of him. Passing the pen to Piper she looked over the contract, it said pretty much everything he said, there was some small but she couldn't imagine it said anything that hadn't already been discussed. So she signed the contract and handed it back to Kyle, he smiled almost as if he knew something she didn't, but she brushed it off. The waitress was coming over, getting her purse she went to reach out a few dollars for her tea to put on the bill tray but as soon as she outstretched her hand to out it on Leo grabbed her wrist not forcefully, just enough to shock her.

"Please let me" he said releasing her hand and putting down card and a about $10 in tip. Then looking at her as the waitress headed back to the till he said "do you feel up to going to the clinic? I have been told it can be tiring." she nodded and he smiled knowing that had been the answer he had wanted to hear she got up as the waitress was coming and waited while he received his credit card back. On the way to the clinic he said he would give her a lift home, which she was greatful for she had taken a cab to the hotel, Phoebe had needed to borrow her car last minute. She was going to be having one of her eggs taken out of her and be given some extra hormones. She was going to be pregnant soon and she was scared.

"We're here!" Leo said enthusiastically.

Please Review I'd be grateful