Unwell:  Part XI

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"After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." – Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) Music at Night, 1931

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Piper had always been attracted to the 'good guy'. Which was why she fell so hard for her husband. She hadn't been looking for love. In fact she had been ready to give the notion up all together. After all most of the 'good' guy's she had met had turned out to be not so good guys, so when she met Leo she was a little weary. However, he had soon put all of her fears to rest. To Piper, Leo embodied all the things she thought the love of her life would. He was strong, safe, sincere, honest, secure, funny, faithful, and very loving. And not once in her life with him had Leo ever made a liar out of what her.

They had their problems, all couples do, but the serious ones, were taken care of early on. Leo, since his family's death, had become a workaholic. And even after he met and married Piper he was still somewhat of a workaholic. Since Piper was trying to get P3 off the ground she let it pass. However, it didn't take long before that started to strain the marriage. Which was when the visits to his office had started. She would show up for lunch, dinner, or an afternoon delight, and if he could Leo would do the same. Either way it was a compromise for him to get his business going in the direction he wanted and for her to see him more. Plus it was a wonderful event to look forward to.

Prue on the other hand had always been attracted to guys who could handle and challenge her control-freak nature. Most guys couldn't handle her, but that just meant they weren't worth her effort. Not that most of the guys she went out with were worth it. In fact if you were to ask Prue how many had really been worth it she would tell you two. If you asked Piper, she would say one.

Piper did not like Bane Johnson. Never had. There was something about him that made Piper a little weary if not downright nervous. Unfortunately she had only talked to her sister once about him and that had met with disastrous results. She would never again approach the subject with her sister. When Bane was found dead Piper mourned for her sister's loss and she mourned that Bane had died, but the fact that he was gone from their lives made Piper breathe a little easier. That was until a month later when he came crashing into her restaurant that one fateful day.

Now two and half years later Special Agent Bianca Lawson was holding onto Piper's hands praying that she would wake up. Her hands were shaking and it was taking all her strength not to have them violently shaking. The only thing that seemed to settle her was holding Wyatt in one arm and Piper's left hand in the other. After she had explained everything to Piper, Piper had gotten up and was walking to the nursery when she fainted. However, it wasn't like when she fainted the first time, she just dropped to the floor and Bianca tried as much as possible to wake her but she wouldn't. Finally having no other option open to her Bianca called an ambulance.

Now, over three hours and many phone calls and diaper changes later Bianca was having a hard time keeping her emotions in check. She usually had a very high threshold for stress. Not much could shake her, but after being attacked, in a wreck, finding out Trudeau was taken, Seer was missing, Piper fainting, taking care of Wyatt, Bianca was ready to cry, scream, or kick some ass, which ever came first. 

The doctor had told her that there was slight swelling in Piper's brain, but that she should be coming out of the coma on her own. He allowed her to bring in Wyatt as they really had no other choice and encouraged her to talk to Piper. Bennett and Cade had called earlier to tell her that Bane was not in his apartment, but by the look of it there had been a struggle. She had told them all she could find on Seer, but they weren't able to put much together until they were all joined back at headquarters.

Bianca gently bounced Wyatt on her knee and held on to Piper's hand, "I called your sister, Prue. I know it isn't the safest option, but she can be here with you." Bianca explained. Her own voice sounded weak and weary which did nothing to help her, but she went on. "Wyatt's so beautiful Piper. We love him so much. His first word was Momma, but I wouldn't let him call me that. I kept pointing to the picture of you and saying Momma, and finally he started calling me Bana. Then he started to say Dadda to Trudeau, but Andy felt the same as I did. So, he pointed again to the picture. Poor Wyatt's probably going to be a little confused, but we just couldn't let him call us something as sacred as Momma and Dada. That's you and Leo." Bianca's voice started to break so she stopped and tried to collect herself.

She stood up and placed Wyatt in the small carrier and after she secured it and brought it back to the chair she had occupied she sat down again. She took Piper's hand once again, "I 'm sorry. I'm so sorry for all of this, but I do promise Piper. We will find your husband and we will give you back your family." she swore. She looked over her shoulder as the door opened a nurse was standing waiting patiently. She got up, but as she did she heard a soft sound, "Thank-you." She turned back to Piper, but nothing seemed different, but Bianca would swear she heard something. Shaking her head she walked to the nurse, "A Ms. Prue Halliwell is here. I was told you were to be notified." the nurse explained. Bianca nodded her head, "Yes thank-you." she went back to get Wyatt in his carrier and went out the door.

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Prue pulled up a chair next to Piper's bed. This morning she had gotten a call that said someone had found her sister and she wasn't allowed to tell anyone, but to get on the next plane to San Francisco. Three hours and forty-five minutes later Prue was at the hospital where she was greeted by Special Agent Bianca Lawson. The younger woman gave a quick explanation and then informed her she HAD to leave. So, there Prue stood looking at her unconscious sister and sleeping nephew. She had to sit down and breathe.

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"Well that was mind numbingly boring." Darryl complained to Paige as he walked into the makeshift office of Bennett Hospital. "Insurance usually is. Have you heard from Leo?" she asked. Darryl shook his head. "I haven't heard from him since this morning. I've tried to get a hold of him, but his cell phone says he's out of range and he's not answering his home phone." Darryl explained. Paige frowned, "Why?" Darryl asked. "Nothing. I just haven't heard from him and that's odd. Not to mention that Heather hasn't come in." Paige told him. "Where's Dan?" Darryl inquired. Paige's frown deepened, "That's another thing. Dan was going to get her on his way here and now I can't get a hold of him." Paige's concern was evident and it was spreading to Darryl. 

"Well something's not right." Darryl stated the obvious. "No, it's not and if it's something big... I'm going to call my brother." she told him. She took the phone from the desk and dialed his number. When he didn't answer his cell she called his home number.

"Hey Phoebe, can I speak to Cole?" Paige asked.

She paused for a moment and Darryl's eyes didn't leave hers.

"Really? When did he leave?" Paige asked.

Again there was a pause and Darryl watched as Paige's forehead scrunched together in puzzlement.

"Hmm. Okay, thanks Phoebe. What was that? Um, no I haven't. Well I've got to go, bye." she said in a rush and hung up the phone. "Where is he?" Darryl asked. "He's here. She said he got a call at about three this morning and left. She didn't know any more than that, and she can't get a hold of Leo either."

Paige shook her head in frustration and dialed her brother's cell phone number again. The phone rang until her brother's voice informed her to leave a message. "Yeah, Cole, this is your sister Paige. Something's not right here. I need you to give me a call immediately." she spoke into the phone. "I guess we'll have to play the waiting game." Paige said with a huff of frustration.

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When Bianca was finally out of the hospital she was able to use her cell phone and called headquarters. "They're not back yet, but they should be here soon." Turner informed her. "That's fine. I'm on my way back. I'll tell you more when I get there." she told him and then hung up.

By the time that Bianca reached the offices Cade and Bennett were already in the conference room talking with Turner. And right now they were in the middle of trying to figure everything out and getting no where, "Fine, then let's go back to basics. *Why* did Agent Seer take Leo?" Bianca's voice rang out, but she continued, "Why? He didn't know anything about this and she knew that. There has to be some reason why she chose Leo and not Piper. Why she chose Trudeau and not any one of us! We have to figure out why. There is something that is missing here and we are running out of time!" she sputtered in frustration.

Bennett and Cade glared at her, but Bennett spoke first, "Fine. Let's check the facts. Fact, Agent Seer isn't married. Fact, her only living relative is her brother. Fact, She wasn't assigned to this case until six months ago. Fact, we can't find Bane Jessup. Fact, We know that the only person who really knew her Was Trudeau. Fact, she never looked after Wyatt. Fact, she was mostly research for the case. Fact, she was never a field agent. Fact, she moved here from the DC office, not New York..." he trailed off when Bianca held up her hand. "Wait, her brother. Who is her brother?" Bianca asked.

Turner picked up the paper to look, but Cade answered, "Ray Sanford." Bennett looked to Cade as the name pricked some familiarity. "What is he doing now?" Turner asked. "Nothing. He's living in a home." Cade answered and looked to Bianca who was going through her papers trying to find something. "Which home? Where?" Bianca asked still flipping through the pages rapidly. 

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Leo and Andy groaned in a sick twisted melody of sounds. Both were suffering from complications of head wounds and every now and then regained moments of lucidity, however it never lasted more than a few scant moments. Even though they had found the door, it was too much work to pry it open and their combined strength equaled that of a very small very weak six year old girl, if even that.

So, when the door flew open it shocked them both into wakefulness. "I said put him in there." a very clipped woman's voice commanded. Before the two men could get up another was thrown into their midst. The door was slammed shut and locked. If they could muster more than conscience thought they would have tried something, but as it was they turned to their new cell mate. Unfortunately he was knocked out. Trudeau and Leo looked at one another, "Ever get the feeling the universe it out to get you?" Leo asked. Trudeau snorted, but helped Leo move the man to a more comfortable position.

When all of their energy was sapped Leo and Trudeau just looked at one another. "Do you think they'll figure it out?" Leo asked. Andy Trudeau had faith in his team. They would figure it out. He just hoped, for all of their sakes, that it was much sooner, rather than later. "Yes I do." with his resounding positive notion Leo took what small hope he could and fell back into unconsciousness.

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Prue was exhausted both physically and emotionally. In the last twelve hours she had gone from being her normal, everything's-okay-as-it's-going-to-get, self to having her sister back and a nephew. Not to mention that her brother in law had been taken and behind all of this was Bane. The man she had mourned and lost. She had a serious need to kick some ass. On the other hand she had been in prayer (for the first time in what seemed forever) for the safety of Leo and to bring Piper back out of everything.

The nurses had helped her with Wyatt. Which was blessing as she didn't really deal with babies, but this little guy. Well he was special. When she finally got some confidence in what she was doing Wyatt seemed to settle down and all Prue could do was bask in the miracle that not only did she have a nephew, but her sister was mere inches from her.

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"What is it?" Bennett asked into his cell phone. There was a pause and everyone looked at the field agent, "Lillian calm down, what are you talking about?" A short pause followed, "When? Hmm.. We'll find them I swear!" Bennet told his sister. "My brother and dad are now missing." he told the group. Turner turned to the group, "That's not surprising, Ray Sanford is currently at Bennett Hospital." Bennett opened his mouth to speak, but Cade beat him to the punch, "Guess who was senator of California before Victor Bennett?", he gave pause, but answered to the group, "that's right children, Ray Sanford."

The agents began to piece everything together, "Well we know why he took your dad and brother, but why did he take Leo?" Lawson asked. "Because Leo invested in both of them." Chris answered with a hefty sigh. "Yeah, but your dad still has three years until election Leo has only known him for a few months." Cade said. "Yes, but Leo donates to the RNP." Turner told them. "Explain why she took Trudeau." Bianca demanded. None of them could give her an answer. "Then he most know something, maybe the location of where she is at? Doesn't matter. We are going to have to find them now. They couldn't have gone far if both Dan and Victor were taking." Lawson explained, "Well let's make of list of places that Ray Sanford or Agent Seer own or like to visit." "Also one of us needs to go back to the hospital and look after Prue and Piper." Bianca reminded the group. "I'll go," Turner volunteered, "You guys know the area better and I can be of some help to Prue." Everyone nodded at the plan and left in unison to carry it out.

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End of Part XI

-- I'm sorry about the long space between updates.  However, I've been in classes (15 Hours) and work.  Not to mention the homework and research papers.  And my muse took a wonderful time to go on vacation.  However, I'm almost finished with this story.  I just have the next part and then the epilogue.  Part XII was written along with Part XI so it's written, I just need to go back through and make sure it is correct.  Thanks again, for your wonderful patience and support.