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Chapter 18 - Primed Pain ~*~*~*~ There's no time for
hesitating ~*~*~*~ He held onto her tight. He knew something wasn't right, but he wasn't sure what. "Leo." she called softly. He turned toward her. His beautiful wife. "Leo." she spoke again. "What?" he asked. Not sure what was going one. "Leo." she called again as if she didn't hear his question. "Piper, what is it?" he asked a little louder this time. "I'm gone Leo." she told him. He shook his head. She wasn't gone. She was right there next to him, "Leo." she screamed this time. Leo jerked and when he did his eyes were awake. "Leo." Andy stated. Leo looked up and took a shaky breath. "I didn't mean to fall asleep." he apologized. Piper was out there and he had fallen asleep becoming angry with himself. "Leo." Andy said again and Leo focused on him. "It's okay. You were up for twenty-four hours and your wife is missing. It's okay to fall asleep for a few minutes." Andy tried to reassure him. Leo started to shake his head, but Andy stopped him. "It's okay." Andy stated firmly. Leo didn't want to push the issue further, "Where are the girls?" he asked. "They're upstairs with Paige sleeping." Andy told him. Leo nodded and got up, "Has there been any news?" Leo asked. "Not that I know of, but I just got here thirty minutes ago." Andy explained. He had jumped the first plane when Prue called him crying. Prue never cried. Unless she was under great duress. So he told her he would be there as soon as possible and that was just what he had done. When Prue crushed him and Paige to her he knew that he had made the right choice. Plus they needed the help. "Has Cole tried to contact Phoebe?" Leo asked. Cole had been calling almost non-stop since Phoebe ran into the house telling them what she had learned. If Leo wasn't wrapped up in his own pain he could have felt sorry for her. Sorry that the man she loved turned out to be the one trying to sabotage her life and hurt her sisters. They had picked Cole up after Phoebe came home, but they knew he wasn't responsible for the kidnapping of Piper. Cole had confessed to everything else, but he swore up and down that he had nothing to do with her disappearance. There was no reason not to believe him. "No. Not since I've been here anyway. Prue filled me in a little and then she took Paige and Phoebe upstairs." Andy told him. Leo just nodded his head and went to the kitchen. This was where they had set up central command. It felt surreal. Like he was playing the part in a movie or on the show. Not in real life. When Darryl had called him frantic with the news Leo's world shut down. He had made it as fast to the restaurant, but they told him to leave. He needed to go home and start on a list of people that might benefit from kidnapping Piper or trying to harm her, but he wasn't leaving without an explanation as to what happened. Darryl with shame drenching every part of him explains what happened. Leo wanted to comfort him and tell him that it wasn't his fault, but Leo didn't have that ability. Somebody had planned to take his wife. Someone had watched and waited until the most opportune moment and then bribed a small boy to do his bidding. They were now looking for the small boy who had knocked Darryl over as he was running and in those few precious moments allowed the thief to steel his wife. There was muted tones coming from two detectives and one police officer. "Anything new?" Leo asked them. They all turned their head and stared at him, "Sir we told you to go and get some sleep." "I did sleep." Leo snapped. "Forty-five minutes is a nap you need..." "I don't give a SHIT as to what you think I need. MY WIFE IS MISSING!" Leo exploded. Everyone seemed to stop. No where in the history had they ever heard the famous Leo Wyatt cuss. Even Andy was taken aback. "Guys." he warned the Police Officers. "Leo. What have you got so far on your list?" Andy asked trying to get Leo back on course. "No one." Leo confessed. Andy shook his head and lead him out of the kitchen and back to the living room, "Let's start. I'll help." Andy told him. "I'm sorry I exploded back there..." Leo started to apologize, but Andy shook his head. "Don't worry about it Leo. You have every right to be upset. It's okay." Andy assured him, "Now, let's name everyone that you know of who has given Piper a hard time in the past few months." "I really can't think of anyone... There's my family, but they would NEVER do something like this. Then there was Dan..., but you don't think he would do something like this would you?" Leo asked. "I don't know. There is no depth to what people will and will not do. In any case it's something to pursue. Is there anyone else that might want you or Piper hurt?" Leo searched deep, but he couldn't think of anyone. "We're famous Andy. The whole world knows who we are and where we live. I know that crazy fans exist, but how do you stop it?" Andy just shook his head, "I don't know. We are going to find her Leo. " Andy affirmed and stood up. "Now I know you don't want to hear this, but you do need to try and get some sleep. It will make it easier on everyone if you would sleep." Leo looked like he was about to argue, "At least just lay down and rest." Leo nodded. After Leo laid down Andy walked into the kitchen and pulled out his cell phone, "Darryl?" he asked on first ring. "What is the boy saying?" he asked. Andy waited for Darryl's reply. "What about Dan Gordon?" Again Andy waited for Darryl's response. "Yeah the same guy that was harassing Piper earlier." Andy confirmed. "That's what I was planning on." He told Darryl. He hung up the phone. It was time to see where 'Dan the Man' was at. Before Andy could leave Prue poked her head into the living room, "Who was that?" she asked. Andy looked up at her, "You are suppose to be resting." She just gave him a look. "I was talking to Darryl. We're going to try and see if Dan might be behind all of this." he told her. She didn't say anything, but it would make sense. Prue was having a hard time. Her sister. Her first best friend. Her family was out there somewhere. Had been stolen from people who loved her for God only knew what. "Come here." Andy softly commanded. She obeyed and found herself encircled in his arms. She wouldn't let the tears fall. Not again. "You can cry." he told her. "I know." she said. He didn't say anything further but held onto her while he waited for Darryl to get there. ~*~ "That was a bust." Darryl stated. Andy only grunted. His house hadn't checked out. He had just bought it. Nothing had been moved in yet. In fact according to the real estate people he was still back in San Francisco. Andy shook his head. Piper had to be out there somewhere. They HAD to find her. "So what now?" Darryl asked. "I don't know." Andy replied honestly. "I just can't shake the feeling that Dan has something to do with this." he confessed. "So we go up to San Francisco. He could have taken there by now." Darryl told him. Andy nodded. It was possible that he could have her stashed up there, but where? "Well let's get a team assembled and see what we can drag up." Andy commanded. "We haven't lost it." Darryl muttered. Andy gave him a smiled. No they hadn't. ~*~ "San Francisco?" Prue asked. Andy nodded. "Yeah. We're going to find her Prue." he assured her and himself. "I trust you." Prue declared. "Thanks." he told her with a hint of a smile. "You take care of our daughter and I'll be back soon." She just nodded and watched as he finished getting his stuff together. "Be safe." she cautioned. He came back to her and kissed her. "I will." he promised. Prue watched him go. Praying he found her sister and remained unscathed in the process. Phoebe came up behind her and put her arms around her. "He'll be safe." Phoebe assured her. Prue nodded but didn't say anything. "Are we going to talk after we find Piper?" Phoebe asked. Prue turned around and looked at her, "Talk?" she asked. Phoebe nodded, "Don't play dumb Prue. It's beneath you. I know you disapproved of Cole. How does it feel to be right?" "I don't want to discuss this now Phoebe. I can't." Phoebe just nodded her head. "Where's Paige?" she asked changing the subject. "With Leo." Prue answered and left the bedroom to find her daughter. Phoebe stayed back in the bedroom. This was normally where she would stay if she was visiting her sister. She was so lost that it physically hurt. She was pregnant for one thing. She could kill herself for that one alone. Then to add insult to injury the father who she barely knew as it was was the one trying to destroy her family. Some she knew she could have handled it if he had just gone after her, but he didn't. He had gone after her ENTIRE family. And now Piper was stolen. She curled up into a ball and tried to think of what on Earth was going to happen. ~*~ "Do you know that your wife has beautiful breasts?" the voice slimed. Leo stood up instantly. The detectives moved around him. This was the call they were waiting for. "Who is this?" Leo asked. "Now, Now, Leo Wyatt. You should know that you're not going to find that out." the voice taunted. "Where is she?" Leo asked. "A $64,000 dollar question." was the quick reply. "Why?" Leo gritted out. "Why not?" the voice taunted. "What do you want from me?" Leo asked. "Another good question and in all good time, but I'm sure I'm being traced. So ta'ta for now!" the voice was jubilant and hung up the phone. Leo looked to the detectives who shook their heads. "We'll just have to wait. In the mean time we'll send the recording to the lab to see if we can get if the voice is male or female." one of the detectives told him. Paige who had witnessed the whole thing poked her finger into Leo's thigh. He looked down at her but didn't say anything. Paige wasn't sure what to ask, but before she could even think of a question her mother was there picking her up. "We'll find her Leo." she assured him. Leo didn't say anything. ~*~ End of Chapter 18 |