Chapter 2 - Theories and Suspicions ... But Nothing Else

I was stood in the doorway of her bedroom when he saw me. I was just outside it, not daring to go in, to walk on the floor like she had, to sit on her bed. Yesterday I had felt closer to her in here - today it terrifies me.

Strange. But true. Painfully true.

"Honey?" He said softly.

"Hey." I mumbled, not taking my eyes off of her bed. Was it only a night ago that she had laid on it, her long dark hair spread across the pillow, the eyelashes lighting resting on her pale cheeks?

"So, are you going in?" He asked casually. I shook my head. He didn't press me, just put his arms around me and held me.

"Why can't magic fix this?" I asked him softly. "I tried to - to get her back, and - and ... she's still not home.

"I know. I'm sorry. But magic can't ... it can't fix everything." He whispered.

"A whole night, Leo. She's been missing all night. That's bad, isn't it?" I didn't look at him. I couldn't. I knew I'd see a mixture of pity and pain in his eyes, and I can't ... I can't face it.

"Andy says there doing everything they can." He told me. "But yeah, it is bad."

I didn't cry. Maybe I cried myself out last night. We'd had stayed in they attic for a while, in his arms I felt safer. Then Prue had come upstairs. She'd told me there was no news. She'd had the pity/pain in her eyes, and I'd had to look away. Leo had spoken to her, but I don't know what he'd said. I hadn't been listening. Nope, I'd been crying, silently and thickly. Then we'd gone to bed, and I'd cried in his arms so more. Neither of us slept. Wyatt had wondered into our room at around eight o' clock, looking so scared and vulnerable. Leo had gotten up, and taken the boys downstairs.

Then I came here.

"Do you want to stay here?" He asked gently. I shook my head again.

"You wanna go downstairs?" I nodded, but made no attempt to move. I couldn't drag my eyes away from her bed, her toys and teddies still scattered across it.

Hugsy.

Hugsy's back, laid on her bed. I left him in the attic last night ... how ...?

"Did you -?"

"I thought it should be back there ... for when she gets home." He replied. I didn't want to say "If she comes home." I couldn't.

"Can we go downstairs?" I asked quietly, still not moving.

"Come on." He half-lead half-dragged me towards the stairs.

When we finally made it to the kitchen, everyone stopped talking and looked at me.

"Hi." I said, hating the awkward silence.

Next thing I knew, I was pulled into a hug by all three of my sisters at once. When they finally released me, a cup of herbal tea was pressed into one hand and a slice of toast in the other.

I wanted to scream "You think this'll fix it!" and throw the cup of the wall, but instead I sat down at the table and took a tiny bite of the toast. There was no point refusing to eat - Prue would force-feed me if she had to.

"Any - any news?" I asked Andy.

He shook his head. "There still looking, Piper." He assured me. "They wont stop until she's back home with you, where she belongs."

"Have - have you interviewed Dan?" I croaked. I felt the atmosphere in the room tension, but I didn't look away from Andy. His expression didn't change. Sober. Serious.

"Yes. He seemed as shocked as - as - as us." I think he was going to refer to Dan as her father. Good job he didn't. "And we've checked all his letters ... searched his cell ... there's no way he could have done. I mean, no obvious way."

I nodded and took another bite of toast without even thinking. I was hungry.

How could I feel hungry?

I shouldn't ...

"More toast?" Phoebe asked, holding out a plate. I shook my head. I can't eat ... Shouldn't I be unable to? To feel anything?

"Piper, you have to eat. Keep your strength up. You'll be no use to Patty without any energy." Prue told me. "Eat." I sipped the tea and reluctantly took another slice.

"So - so you don't think Dan did it?" I asked.

"Well ... no ... but -"

"So it was a demon." I stated. Wow, that toast disappeared fast.

"Not necessarily - it could be anything -" Andy said quickly, but I was already stood up, and walking out of the room.

"Piper - Piper where are you going?" Phoebe cried as they followed me.

"To find out what has my daughter." I replied.

"Where's my daughter?" I repeated, throwing another tiny crystal at the cage. The demon inside screamed in pain.

"I don't know!"

"See, I think you do, you must do, and I think I will get it out of you." I told him.

"I don't! Know one knows what happened to her!" The demon cried. I looked at him, unsure whether to believe him.

I put the crystals down and held my hands up.

"Do you have anything else you want to tell me?"

He remained silent and I flicked my fingers, blasting him into a million pieces.

"Piper?" Paige said carefully. "Are you OK?"

"No. He didn't seem to think it was magical." I said, confused. "So ..." I looked at Andy. "Maybe we step it up a bit." I walked past them and down the stairs.

I was certain my little torture session would turn up something ... but it just confused me even more.

He must have been lying. Demons lie.

But it still hadn't brought her back.

I sat back on her bed. Hopefully, they wouldn't know I was here.

How could anyone hurt her? She was so young, so innocent.

"I can't do this, I need her back here." I whispered.

"Think, Piper." My mother's voice floated over me, but she was nowhere to be seen. "You know the answer, deep down."

So deep, I can't reach it.

And that wont help her.