Chapter 10 - Hell's Haven…Again!

Three days later, Piper found herself watching her husband again. Leo was asleep when she sat down on their bed beside him. Yukon was awake at the foot of the bed. He stared at Piper and growled softly. She smiled at him, but her smile faded when her eyes fell on Leo. Her hand reached out to touch his face, peaceful with morphine-induced sleep for the shot to his side. The phone rang and she looked to the bedroom door before getting up to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Piper. Leo there?" Adam asked.

She was almost immediately upset. "No, you guys are not pulling him back into the station again. He's home, and he's sleeping. No more. Not until next week. He's too tired."

"…Okay…Can you come pick this stuff up for him, then?"

"What stuff?"

"Just a few papers that Leo asked for."

"Are you lying to me, Adam, or did Leo really ask for them?"

"He asked, I swear. It's just some files on the shooting, that's all. He wanted to read the reports, honest."

Piper sighed. She glanced into the open bedroom door. Leo was still sleeping. "Fine. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

Mike opened the door to Leo's office and was surprised to see Piper there, shuffling through papers on Leo's desk. She looked up, startled.

"Oh, sorry…Piper. I…didn't know you were here," Mike said, for some reason somewhat hesitant to say her name.

"Yeah, Adam called and I…Damn it…I have to find a few papers for Leo. Adam was lazy and didn't get them ready for me, and he's on patrol right now…"

Piper stood up straight and raked her hands through her hair. Her shirt lifted slightly and Mike was allowed a glance at the slashes on her left hip. He also noticed a long scar near her belly button.

He shook his head. "Which papers?"

"The report on the shooting, I guess Leo wanted to read them, or—"

"Yeah, Amy has them."

Piper laughed. "I should have looked there first. Thanks."

A week passed, and Piper allowed Leo to return to work. There was a "gathering" at Hell's Haven just for the occasion.

"So, why are—"

"We have a party for everything," Cortez was telling Mike as they walked into the bar. Most everyone was already there, and Cortez made a beeline for the bar. Mike watched him nod a hello to Piper and Leo at a table, then go up to a smiling woman with dark blonde hair. He noticed a ring on her finger, and remembered Adam had recently explained that Cortez was recently engaged.

An hour later, an old love song was playing, and most of the couples were dancing. Piper and Leo were together also, but in a more secluded spot, where Leo was leaning against a wall and Piper was swaying against him. She closed her eyes and smiled as she moved. Her arms were crossed near her waist, her hands locking with Leo's. He stood against her from behind, her back against his chest, and pulled her crossed arms up near her chest. Her eyes were still closed. She kept swaying, humming occasionally, when he leaned in and kissed the right side of her neck. She leaned her head back.

Mike watched from the other side of the room. They weren't the only couple teasing each other. Adam and his wife had retired to a corner, and Cortez and his fiancé marked the end of the bar as their territory, as well.

Still, of all the couples touching and teasing and making out, Piper and Leo were perhaps the most intimate. By now, they were both swaying together, and he was still kissing her neck. She leaned back more and he gave her a slanted kiss before moving down her neck and shoulder. Piper smiled, closed her eyes, and leaned back into him.

Mike spotted the scars on her stomach once more when the end of her shirt lifted when her arms raised. There were five scars. They were light, barely visible from across the room, but they were there. Two were barely crossed over each other. One of them was slanted toward her jeans, the other slanting below her jeans in the other direction. Above that was another slash. Beside that was a horizontal scar, with a slanted one crossing over it. They looked like random cuts from a large knife.

Abuse, maybe?

Mike took another look at the couple.

No way. They were too close. Besides, Mike reasoned, abuse leaves mental scars. Fear. She's not afraid at all.

Later that night, when Adam and his wife were at the bar talking to Jamie and her latest boyfriend, Mike approached them, curious about those scars. When he brought it up, they all went quiet, and Mike knew he had mentioned a memory that no one wanted to remember.

It was Adam's wife who spoke first when Mike asked about it. "It…Um…It's from a long time ago."

Mike nodded. "Yeah, so are a lot of things between them that are hidden from me. What am I missing? I mean, I don't mean to be rude, I'm just curious. I know he doesn't like me, but we are partners."

No response, from anyone.

"What, did he abuse her or something?"

Jamie laughed. "Oh, God no. Leo and Piper…They're so close, a sheet of paper would have some serious trouble squeezing between them."

"That's true," Adam agreed. "I've known them since…forever. Leo would never hit Piper. He would never hurt her. The scars are from…I can't truly tell you the story, because it's not mine to tell. But I can tell you that…that some horrible things happened to them, and even though their demons are in the past, they've left some permanent scars."

"Too vague," Mike said.

"I'm sorry. Ask Leo."

"Right…" Mike nodded a little, but he was seriously confused.

Ron came up to them. "Hey, I'm headin' home. I can't find Piper and Leo, so if you see them, can you let them know?" His words were mainly directed to Adam, who nodded in agreement.

"Sure. And tell the wife I said hi."

"Will do, see ya." Ron made his way through the crowd to the door. On the way, he ran into his younger brother. "Hey, I just told Adam to let you know I'm leaving, okay?" he told Leo.

The middle Wyatt brother was entranced by his wife, who was finishing a dance with Cortez. He dipped her as a finishing move and she laughed, then they parted so that she could find Leo and he could find his fiancé.

"Hey, Ron, you headin' out?" Piper asked as she took her place beside Leo, sure to give him a solid kiss to be sure he felt no jealousy about her dancing with Cortez. He offered her a smile, and she smiled back.

"Yeah, I know it's early, but Marie's home with the baby and I think it's my turn to change the diapers," Ron said.

Leo finally acknowledged his brother's presence. "All right then. I'll have to come by and see Lauren sometime."

Ron nodded. "Yeah, you haven't seen her yet, have you? She's getting big, too. Almost a month old." His voice sounded distant, admiring.

"I think getting shot is a good excuse, right?"

"Right, and Piper boarding up the door so you couldn't get out, anyway…"

"What?" Piper protested. "I never…"

"Oh, you're right, you didn't board up the doors. You just stood there with a shotgun," Leo teased.

"Hush. Ron, you're a bad influence on my husband."

"Ah, no, we figured it out," Leo said.

"Figured what out?"

"Okay, try to follow us here."

Piper nodded. "No promises."

Ron smiled sarcastically. He pointed at himself. "I'm a bad influence, but in a good way."

Piper nodded again. "I coulda told you that."

"I'm a good influence, but in a bad way," Leo said.

"And Jake?" Piper asked.

"Jake? He's just an influence. However you take it is up to you."

Piper laughed and pushed her brother-in-law's shoulder. "Go home, Ron. You need a ride?"

"No, I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I had two beers, that's all."

"All right. See you later."

Ron left as Jake and Alyssa came up. "Where's Ron goin'?" Jake asked.

"Home."

"So Alyssa, you're not scared away yet?" Piper asked.

"Not yet," Alyssa laughed.

Piper looked up at Leo. He could feel her eyes on him and looked down at her. "What?" he asked quietly.

Piper motioned over her shoulder with her head. Leo got the hint, simple enough. He nodded for his brother to follow him. Jake rolled his eyes and gave a groan. He pulled Alyssa to him and kissed her, then followed Leo away. Piper motioned for Alyssa to take a seat beside her at the bar.

"You want a beer?" Piper asked.

"Uh, sure, I'm out." Alyssa swung her beer bottle by the neck. She set it on the bar counter.

Piper got them both drinks. She took a swig of beer. "So you and Jake…"

Alyssa nodded loosely. "Yeah, me and Jake…" She smiled.

"You two seem to be getting close…"

The younger woman laughed to herself. "Oh, oh, I get it…You and Leo play the parents, don't you? You watch out for Jake, huh?"

"Yeah, he's our little brother—Well, he's Leo's little brother, and he's my…little brother-in-law." Piper smiled.

"I see. So, what, you're making sure I'm…valid?"

"Um…Sure, something like that. We just want to watch out for Jacob. He's twenty-five. He's young, and, well, he's stupid." Piper and Alyssa both laughed. "I mean, me and Leo, we've done this five times now with Jake. He knows the drill."

Alyssa nodded, understanding totally. "I have two younger brothers, I do the same for them."

"So how long have you guys been dating again?" Piper asked.

"Um…A month, now…"

"A month? You guys must be pretty close then…" Piper said, staring at her beer bottle on the counter.

"Yes, we've slept together, if that's what you mean," Alyssa said.

"Yes, that's what I mean, actually," Piper said, nodding, but still staring at the bottle. She laughed and Alyssa joined her. Piper looked up. "You love him?"

"Uh…You know, I haven't thought about it."

With a nod, Piper commented, "I didn't either…"

"So I'm really not sure," Alyssa said.

"I wasn't either…" Piper shook her head slowly. "You'll know when the time comes. Just…be good to Jake, huh?"

"Always. He deserves it."

"I'm glad you see that already. He's a good guy, we just like to tease him 'cause he's the youngest. My older sister and I treat our youngest sister the same."

Leo and Jake were outside the bar and following a wide sidewalk surrounding the building. "You're giving me a lecture," Jake started.

"Yes, actually, I am."

"Save it."

"Okay, I won't lecture you. Can I just talk to you?"

Jake raised his beer bottle. "Yeah, sure. Talk."

"Hmm…" Leo nodded a little to himself. He took a swig of beer. "So you and Alyssa are getting along well, I see."

"Yeah, look, are you about to give me the 'Birds and the Bees' talk?"

Leo chuckled. "No…I think Dad already covered that."

"In the third grade."

"Good, so I don't have to go over anything…"

Jake sighed. "Leo…"

"Okay, okay…" They walked in silence for a few seconds. "So did you take her to your place, or—"

"No, no…She was nervous and felt a lot safer at her place…"

"Ooh, smart."

"See? Listening to you every morning at the station is still paying off."

"Hasn't it always?"

Some time later, Jake and Leo came back inside and joined Piper and Alyssa, who were both finishing their second beers.

"Jeez, what'd you guys do in here?"

"Oh, nothing…" Piper looked at Alyssa and they burst out laughing.

"Okay, what're we missing?" Leo asked them.

"Nothing…" Piper glanced and Alyssa again and suppressed a giggle. She glanced around the bar. "Oh, look, the Exit door…" she said, standing up and walking down the door. As she went, she grabbed Leo's arm and pulled him along with her. They walked outside, leaving Jake and Alyssa alone.

Piper clung to Leo's arm and leaned on him as they walked the same sidewalk path Leo and Jake had walked moments before. Piper sighed.

"Tired?" Leo asked, bringing his arm up and around Piper's shoulder.

"Mmm hmm…"

"You ready to go home, then?"

"Yeah, I think so…" Piper nodded.

"Okay, you go get the car, I'll be right there, okay?" Leo said, leaning over to kiss Piper's cheek. She smiled and headed for the parking lot as Leo went back inside. He found Adam working the bar. "Hey."

"Hey. Want another drink?" Adam asked him.

"No. Actually, me and Piper are gonna leave. We're both tired."

"All right. It was your party."

"And it was a hell of a party, too. Thanks, Adam."

"Anytime, Man."

Piper really was tired. She fell asleep during the fifteen-minute ride home. Leo pulled into the driveway and shut the car off. He got out and shut his door, walking around to the other side of the car. He opened Piper's door and pulled her out, scooping her up in his arms. He carried her into the house, opening the door as quietly as possible.

Yukon came running up, barking and howling at them. Leo hushed him quickly and the dog immediately obeyed. "Go lay down," Leo ordered quietly. Yukon wandered off in a huff.

Leo brought Piper into their bedroom and laid her down on the bed. She was still sleeping, peaceful and satisfied with her night. He sat down beside her and watched her sleep for a few moments. He reached up and brushed some stray hair from her face.

His hand trailed down to her stomach. Her shirt had been pulled up an inch or so and he could see the scars on her flat stomach. His fingers hesitated above them. His eyes shot back up to hers. She was still sleeping.

"Oh, Piper, what am I gonna do with you?" he whispered.