A/N: I know, I know, it's been forever since I've updated. Real life and the holiday left me little time to do anything fun. But finally, here is the next chapter and I hope you all will like it and thanks again for sticking with this story! Your thoughts and feelings on it make writing it all worth it. You all are the very best! A side note, next chapter will have a big Piper and Leo scene and I plan to post that quickly as I already have it written.

Chapter Six

The girls sat in Piper's room trying to process the morning's events. Piper had yet to utter a single word and her sisters worried because the color had not returned to her face. They could only speculate the emotions rushing through their sibling. The whole incident had been a shock to them but for Piper it was so much more than that.

"Piper honey, talk to us." Phoebe begged.

Vacant eyes looked back at her. "There is nothing to talk about." The words deceptively calm considering what had just transpired. Rising slowly to her feet, she went to the bed and curled up in a small ball closing her eyes.

Looking at each other Prue and Phoebe decided it was best to give her some time to deal with everything. Later they would be there when she needed them. Retreating to Phoebe's room Prue immediately started to pace.

Curious, Phoebe asked, "What is it Prue?"

"I don't know, something just isn't right about this. I've got a bad feeling."

Now that the initial shock had worn off, Phoebe reviewed the evidence in her head. "What are you thinking?"

Prue paused in her movements. "I'm not entirely sure. But lets look at this not as Piper's sisters or Leo's friends."

"Okay. Fact one, we saw Leo in bed with Nala."

"I know, I know, but we also know Leo. Do you honestly think he would jump in bed with the daughter of a friend? Or anybody for that matter? We know he still loves Piper and that is not Leo's style, which is a fact as well."

"True. And he claims it wasn't what it looked like. Leo is not a liar."

Prue's enthusiasm increased as they were beginning to untangle this whole mess. "Exactly. It just doesn't add up Pheebs. Plus I saw the look on Nala's face when she left. She seemed very pleased with herself. Don't get me wrong I wanted to kill Leo at first for what this did to Piper. But what if Leo is innocent like he claims?"

Phoebe nodded her head. "So where do we go from here?"

"I need to talk to Leo again."

"Why can't I go too?"

"Because I want you to pay Nala a little visit." When her sister made to protest Prue hurried on. "I want you to see if you can get a read off her. If she's lying maybe you can pick up on it."

Phoebe's face cleared as she saw the merit of the plan. "Got it. What about Piper?"

Her sister's eyes went to the closed door leading to Piper's room. "Let's give her some time. We'll fill her in after we find something."

Leo paced the outside lobby of the governor's office as he had been doing for the past twenty minutes or so. What was Rhaid waiting for? Leo's nerves were almost to their breaking point and the waiting was not helping. All of a sudden his life was spiraling out of control and he had no way of stopping it.

Finally the door opened and the governor's assistant beckoned for him to enter. Leo instantly spied Rhaid sitting behind his massive oak desk, his face grim. "Sit down." All traces of friendship and warmth absent from his tone.

"Rhaid." Leo attempted, but the other man raised a hand to silence him.

"No. It is I who will do the talking and you will listen. My heart is breaking knowing someone I considered a good friend would so dishonor me this way."

"Please listen to me Rhiad." Leo tired again.

He was abruptly cut off. "No! There are no explanations. I know what I saw and now the only solution is to make things right. I've already discussed it with Nala and she has agreed."

Leo felt a knot begin to form in the pit of his stomach. He did not like the direction this conversation was taking. Slow panic began to build as the governor went on.

"The only way to make things right is for Nala and you to marry and quickly."

The panic welled up and spilled over as Leo's eyes widened. "What? No Rhaid you can't mean this. I won't go through with it. I can't."

The other man's eyes narrowed in determination. "Oh but you will. Nala feels this is for the best. She's in love with you and thought you felt the same, which is why she agreed to spend the night with you. I am not happy about this, but she is and that's what's important as well as restoring her reputation. I've already contacted 'Them' and they have agreed to let me handle things as I see fit. You will remain here after you are married and continue your Whitelighter duties here. My people will now be your only charges."

Leo listened to his life being planned out and realizing he had very little power to change it. If 'They' had already given their consent then he was powerless to seek help from up there. His earlier uneasiness turned to anger. This wasn't right. He hadn't done anything wrong, at least nothing he could remember. Deep down he knew he was innocent. Never had he thought of Nala as anything but a friend. Piper was the only woman he would ever love, ever consider making love to.

Returning his gaze back to the man in front of him Leo spoke, "I guess there's nothing more to say. You and 'Them' have pretty much taken care of everything. I'll do as you ask because I've little other choice, but know I do it under protest. I didn't dishonor your daughter Rhaid. It hurts to know you think I could."

Rhaid's eyes softened just a bit. "This is the only solution Leo. The only way to salvage my daughter's reputation you must understand. It will all work out for the best you will see."

Leo shook his head in despair. "This is wrong Rhaid and it most certainly is not for the best." He turned and left the office without another word. His mind struggling with what was going to happen. 'It is for the best.' The governor's words repeated in his head. How could marrying someone you didn't love be for the best? Again his thoughts touched on Piper. What must she be thinking? Could she also believe this of him? He knew it looked bad, but she knew him didn't she? Knew he would never behave this way. With a dejected heart, he opened the door to his room and was surprised to find Prue waiting there for him.

"All right Leo, we need to talk."

Phoebe had spent the past thirty minutes or so in Nala's company and already had a splitting headache. The woman was the most self-centered, self-absorbed and immature person Phoebe had ever had the displeasure of meeting. Since arriving in the selfish girl's room, Phoebe was subjected to the girl's ramblings about the wedding. What she should wear, who to invite yadda, yadda, yadda. Each time Phoebe attempted to bring up the issue of Leo's claims of innocence, she was shut down. At this rate she would never get any useful information. It was time to put her witchy powers to work. She didn't look at it as personal gain, but helping an innocent.

Nala was in the mitts of trying on yet another gown when Phoebe switched tactics. As the woman gazed at herself in the mirror, Phoebe strolled over. "That's a really good color for you."

"It is isn't it? I think my Leo will like it."

"You're Leo? So you've known him a long time then?"

Without looking away from her reflection Nala replied, "Oh yes. Since I was a small girl. I always knew we would be together. That he would wait for me."

As the girl continued to admire herself Phoebe gently began to rearrange the garment around Nala's shoulders, finally letting her hands rest there. Instantly a vision filled her mind's eye. Nala mixing something in a goblet. Leo fast asleep as Nala snuck in. Nala arranging the scene in the bedroom. As fast as the images came they left, but it was enough. Leo was right. He hadn't done anything wrong. She needed to share her vision with the others and quickly.

Piper sat by the open window. She had been there for the better part of two hours and knew she needed to bring herself out of her depression. Had to get the agonizing picture of Leo and Nala in bed together out of her mind. Honestly what business of it was hers if Leo decided to sleep with someone else? It was over between them. She was with Dan so if Leo wanted to be with someone else it was not her concern. 'Yeah right!' her heart screamed. 'You keep telling yourself that missy, but we both know that's a load of crap! Come on Piper, admit it, you still have feelings for him. Deep feelings.'

Piper closed her eyes against the emotions emitting from her heart. Willing it to be silent. None of it matter anymore. Leo had found someone else and was obviously no longer in love with her and it angered her to realize how much it really did hurt. It would be her last thought on the subject as a knock the door was followed by Phoebe; a serious looked stamped on her features.

Leo flopped onto a chair across from Prue. "What do you want to talk about?"

Prue had never seen Leo look so lost and defeated and it torn at her heart. She loved Leo almost like a brother and she hated to see those she loved hurting. "You need to tell me everything you remember about last night."

"Doesn't matter now."

"What do you mean?"

His troubled eyes found hers and his tone miserably resigned. "Rhaid and 'Them' have decided Nala and I will have to marry. Tomorrow afternoon to be exact."

"What! They can't do that."

"They can and they have. I don't have a say. I didn't even get a chance to defend myself."

Getting her temper under control, Prue said, "Well you can do so now. Something isn't adding up Leo and if you want us to help, you need to tell me everything."

"To what end Prue? No body will believe me."

Looking directly in his eyes, she replied, "I will."

Leo told her everything he could remember about the previous night, which was precious little. "That's it Prue, everything else is blank."

"That's pretty suspicious on its own don't you think?" And knew for certain her first instincts were correct, something was up. "Listen Leo, we're on it. We'll get you out of this I promise."

He sent her a wan smile. "I appreciate it Prue and you believing me mean a lot to me, but I really don't think there is anything you can do."

"Hey, where's all that confidence you had in us a few days ago, huh?" She tried to joke hoping to bring up his spirits. "I need to get going, but keep a stiff upper lip. We'll fix this."

Leo watched her go and as much faith as he had in her he was pretty sure this was beyond her.

The girls sat in Piper's room and compared notes. Prue filled them in on her conversation with Leo. Phoebe then relayed the vision to Prue, having already filled in Piper.

"So you're vision confirms Leo's story." Prue nodded thoughtfully.

"But what do we do about it?" Piper asked. After hearing everything her sisters had learned her earlier depression turned to ire. How dare someone do this to Leo. Her ire also directed at herself for not believing Leo from the start as her sisters had done. But now was not the time for self-pity, they needed to save Leo and they didn't have a lot of time to do it.

Rhaid sat in his chair stiffly as the sisters revealed what they had discovered. Unfortunately the governor was none too pleased to hear them accuse his daughter of such evil mechanics. Rising to his feet, his eye sparkling with anger, he spoke with barely controlled rage. "How dare you accuse my daughter of such things. Of such deceit. You dishonor me, my home and my hospitality."

Prue's own anger started to boil. She was not about to let a father's blind loyalty ruin Leo's life. "Rhaid we are not trying to dishonor anything, but get to the truth."

"The truth is Leo and my daughter were caught in bed having spent the whole night together. Tomorrow Leo will do the right thing and marry Nala."

"Even thought Leo is innocent of all of this?" Piper growled back. "You're willing to ruin his life."

Rhaid reigned in his own temper and tried to defuse the situation. "I understand Leo is your friend and you feel you must protect him, but what's done is done. The marriage will take place tomorrow. You will go back to your home and life will go on."

"A life without out guide, our friend." Phoebe added.

"Regrettably yes, however I'm sure you will be assigned another and soon all of this will be a distant memory."

"Don't count on it!" Prue prophesized.

By the evening the girls were no closer to solving Leo's situation than before. The palace was in full swing even at this late hour as they made preparations for the wedding. Nala, upset because she was forbidden to see her love before the wedding, her father having decreed it improper. She tried not to get too angry over it. After all soon she would have Leo all to herself forever. She still couldn't believe how well her little plot played out. It all went exactly as she had hoped. Yes Leo was not happy about it all but she was confident he would come to love her as much as she did him. It would have helped if the Charmed Ones had left, however they insisted on staying for the ceremony. Once Piper Halliwell was completely out of the picture, then Leo would be more inclined to give their marriage a go.

A/N: I promise next chapter will have a big Piper and Leo moment and will be posted in the next couple of days. Thanks again guys!