"We ready?" Paige asked, red curls bouncing with impatience, "I gotta get back to work right after this, so hoping this won't take that long."
"It shouldn't," Phoebe nodded, flicking the spell over to her sister to read, "quick and easy, right, Piper?"
"Mmm hmm," the oldest sister agreed, "ok once we get there, I freeze, we chant, we vanquish, then we come back, go to work, and meet back at the Manor for dinner!"
The other two nodded and Paige moved to the center holding out the summoning spell for them all to read.
Demon that haunts we sisters three
With this spell we turn the tide
No place to run no place to hide
Bring us hither to vanquish thee
Golden orbs surrounded the sisters as Piper brought her hands together, ready to freeze the demon the moment they arrived.
When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more
"Uh… where are we?" Paige asked looking around.
"It appears we're at a… jazz club… oh my god that singer is so hot!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"Where? And is he the demon?" Paige wrinkled her nose in confusion as she turned to the stage where the crooner was giving a memorable performance.
"Wait, you guys, look at us!" Piper said looking down to find herself in an elegant black dress. Phoebe and Paige turned back to her and squealed, causing just a few tables to frown at them.
The sisters took a moment to examine themselves, dressed to the nines. Even the gold-rimmed plates and dainty spoons on the table spoke of elegance. Frantically they leaned their heads close together.
"Phoebe, what happened to your spell?"
"Wha? It was a good spell! It should have worked, I didn't say Take us out on a fancy night on the town did I?"
"Well something must've gone wrong, crap, I am going to get fired if I miss the staff meeting this afternoon," Paige moaned. The two of them gave her a look. "Hey, I just started this job! It's not going to look well on my resume that I keep quitting or getting fired because of demon hunting!"
"Ok, then," Piper said, rolling her eyes, "back to the book?"
"Definitely," Phoebe nodded. The three of them shifted out of their corner booth, dodged a few very harried waiters and smitten couples dancing to the music, and piled into the bathroom. Checking that they were alone, Paige grasped a hand from each sister and orbed them to the Manor in a swirl of blue.
"Hey, this place looks different," Piper said, frowning at the decorations and plants she'd never seen before lining their foyer.
"Well, we look different, so who knows what the spell did to us, or the house, whatever," Paige said throwing up her hands in frustration.
"Wait, I hear voices," Phoebe said stepping forward. "Kids voices?"
They cautiously made their way into the sunroom where, before they even had a chance to process the playpens and scattered toys in front of them, two kids, a boy and a girl ran out and screamed "Mommy!" before latching on to Paige's legs, causing her to nearly stumble in her dress and heels.
"Wha?!" Phoebe exclaimed but was quickly cut off by one of the new arrivals.
"Mommy," the little girl said tugging at Paige's purse, "you home early!"
"Yah!" the boy chimed in enthusiastically, "but Unc Leo been teaching us to orb, wanna see?" (He pronounced it awb and Phoebe squee'd a little inside.)
"Uh…" Paige stammered, still shellshocked.
"Your spell took us to the future!" Piper ground out of the corner of her mouth at Phoebe accusatorily.
Before any of them could say anything more though, Leo walked into the room and also proclaimed his surprise, "what are you doing back so soon? Didn't you like the cruise?"
"The cruise?" Piper queried as Paige continued to stare helplessly at the two kids who were both trying to tell her cool new things they'd been learning.
"Are you guys OK?" Leo said, sensing something was amiss at the way the girls were acting.
That immediately changed the attitude of the two kids, who then stared up at them and started throwing in their own questions, "Mommy? Are you OK?" "Yeah aunties, are you feeling funny?"
Paige still hadn't quite collected her jaw from the floor yet, but managed to stammer out, "Uh yes… I'm OK… er… um… you!" She finished lamely, realizing she didn't know any of the kids' names.
"Hey Amy, Adam, why don't you guys continue practicing, that way you can show your mom everything you've been learning after I have a quick chat with her and your aunts?"
"Yeah!" the two chorused as Leo led the sisters into the kitchen, with Paige still looking over their shoulders in disbelief.
"Alright, what's going on?" Leo asked bluntly once the door swung shut behind them.
The girls looked back guiltily.
"We cast a spell—" Phoebe began.
"—we were trying to track down this demon to vanquish him—" Piper continued,
"—but something definitely went wrong because it backfired and now we're in the future and I have kids, and oh god, I need to sit down," Paige finished breathlessly.
"Okaaaay," Leo said, "well, did you find the demon? Did he come to the future somehow?"
"Not unless he's a hot jazz singer," Phoebe said.
Piper rolled her eyes, "no, we didn't, and I don't think the demon's here. I think the spell was a total bust, we found ourselves in the middle of this jazz club, well," she corrected, "apparently a cruise."
"She's right," Phoebe commented, "the spell was supposed to bring us right in front of him, and instead we found ourselves in a crowded room, dressed like this," she motioned to her dress, "and no demon in sight. I think the wording was just off."
"Well," Leo began, "Ok, that's easy to fix, we'll just send you back to your time with another spell, and that should fix everything."
"Wait!" Paige exclaimed, "I have kids! I want to know about my kids!" She said excitedly. "When is this anyway?"
Leo sighed, "no, no future information, I know you've time traveled since Paige, and I know I've said this before, so let's just get you all home before anyone else sees you or you learn anything else about this time."
"Good idea!" Paige nodded, "but since you're from this time, and you know the book best, why don't you look at it with Phoebe and Piper, and meanwhile, I want to see my kids orb!"
Leo frowned disapprovingly and was about to speak up but Paige beat him to it, "after all, someone needs to keep an eye on the kids while you guys are searching the book, right?"
Leo let out a puff of air, "well, ok I guess you're right. But," he said eyeing Paige sternly, "don't try to ask them anything, they don't know you're from the past and you don't want to take advantage of that, of your kids!" He said as Paige mumbled a quick yes and excitedly slipped back into the sunroom where Amy & Adam started eagerly talking to her again.
"Why couldn't we have just orbed up to the attic? This is so awkward" Phoebe complained as Leo walked behind them, hands like blinkers next to their eyes, trying to not have them accidentally peek at the family photos that now lined practically every hallway of the house. They finally arrived at the foot of the attic steps where Leo breathed a sigh of relief, content that nothing had been spoiled, and then explained as they continued walking up, "we're trying to set good examples for the kids, no unnecessary powers."
"Ok well, that might be a little extreme, I mean orbing is almost as natural as breathing for those kids I'm sure!" Piper said, as she turned the doorknob and opened the door.
"Oh!" was the sound of her sharp intake of breath as she opened the door.
Phoebe didn't even have time to ask her what was wrong until she stepped in and saw a sight that stopped her cold.
Cole.
Leo heard the women and panicked, thinking they must've seen something. But then he remembered that nothing in the attic could spoil anything. They had no pictures up there, and none on the walk up the last flight of stairs because of all the demon traffic. Except a second later and he too arrived on the landing and saw what they were looking at.
There, on the far end of the room on a love seat was Cole Turner. And not just Cole Turner. Cole Turner asleep, legs splayed out in front of him, a Harry Potter book turned upside down on his chest, and on either side of him, a boy dozing with his head rested against the demon's shoulder.
Leo mentally face-palmed and quickly (disgracefully) reached over the girls to pull the door closed softly, earning a glare from Piper. Phoebe was still not quite over what she'd seen yet and continued looking at the door after it closed.
"What the hell?"
"Why is Cole?"
"Is that Cole?!"
"Are those our kids?"
"Wait that was Wyatt and Chris?"
The questions burst like a fire hydrant and Leo grimaced. "Ok, let's talk downstairs, and Paige can orb the book without them waking up."
He sped quickly down the stairs, leaving all questions unanswered and the girls, looking at each other with mixed emotions clearly written all over their faces, chasing him down the stairs.
"Look mommy, see!" Amy said as she proudly materialized across the room.
Paige clapped in genuine joy, "yes I do that was so great sweetie!"
"Mommy, now me!" Adam said as he orbed to join his sister, earning another round of clapping before the others came in.
"Amy, Adam," Leo said, "I'm sorry but I need to borrow your mom again, we'll be just a moment ok kiddoes?"
"Is this about a de—"
"No!" Leo said sharply, "No Adam, everything is fine, Mommy is fine, we're all fine." He placated as he grabbed Paige and pulled her into the living room against her protests.
"Why'd you have to do that? I was just getting to know them and they're soooo cute!" She gushed.
"We have bigger problems," Piper began, "Cole is upstairs."
"Cole is back?!" Paige nearly screamed, "Then maybe we did find a demon."
"No!" Leo interrupted. "Look ok everyone just sit down and I will explain!"
"Ok, you guys have to remember, you're in the future! You can't just see things and make sweeping judgments and make a big fuss because things are different!"
"Ok so, Cole is upstairs sleeping with my boys because?" Piper said, refusing to sit, instead she was crossing her arms and tapping her foot.
"Who is sleeping with who?" Paige cried, earning a slap in the arm from Phoebe, "Oh, oh, oh of course, not like that…"
"Cole was reading the boys Harry Potter and they must have fallen asleep reading it."
"Leo!" Phoebe began exasperatedly, "why—"
"He was reading Harry Potter to them because the boys didn't want to study orbing and wanted to do something else." Leo finished.
Phoebe eyed him incredulously, "no not that why is he even here?"
Three sets of eyes stared at him. Despite the situation, all Leo could think was even out of place and out of time, the Charmed Ones were intimidating, no wonder every demon that tried to destroy their family failed.
"Look, I don't want to tell you anything because that could change the future and—"
"The future is already changed, Leo!" Paige said, "because now we're going to go right back home and find a way to vanquish Cole—again!"
"No!" Leo protested, "You can't! Ok ok, look. I'll tell you, just don't do anything rash."
They stared at him, Piper motioning with her hand impatiently for him to continue.
"Cole is, in the future, umm… he's the boys' uncle."
"WHAT?!" Three sets of voices shouted as Phoebe and Paige jumped up front the sofa.
"Everything ok?" A small voice asked from the sunroom.
"Yes! We're fine, stay there, just another minute!" Leo said back.
"Wait…" Phoebe said, putting together the puzzle in her head. "Oh my god, you have got to be kidding me. I married him didn't I? Or marry him don't I?"
Leo didn't say anything.
"Oh my god, why can't I ever be free of him, oh this can't be happening, I need to sit down," she said, collapsing back into the sofa as Piper sat down as well and comforted her. Only Paige was still standing now.
"Yeah, Leo, explain how this happens, and how I can prevent it."
"You can't prevent it," Leo said patiently, "I know this is a shock, but this is several years into the future. Things change, and honestly, Phoebe," he said crouching down and taking her hands away from her forehead and into his. "Phoebe listen, this was, is meant to be. I know it's hard to see that now, but this is what's going to happen. And no, he's not going to corrupt Wyatt. Cole isn't evil. He's just a father."
Phoebe looked up, eyes glistening with tears not yet shed, and questioned, "wait, I have kids with him?"
Leo mentally slapped himself. "Um… yes… but forget that ok? Look forget all of this! Paige, just orb the book down here so we can find a spell to get you home, and maybe another one to wipe your memories."
"Oh my god I have kids with that demon—again!" Phoebe cried.
"No, we have to remember this so we can change this," Paige said stubbornly while Phoebe groaned into her Piper's shoulder.
No one had a chance to say anything else though because orbs filled the room and the next thing they knew, Cole was standing there with Wyatt and Chris.
"What's going on we heard screams," he said, "Phoebe you're crying, what's the matter? Did something happen on the cruise honey?"
Phoebe only wailed louder.
"Uh… ok Cole, stay here, Wyatt, Chris, do daddy a favor and go into the other room and show Amy and Adam some cool orbing tricks ok?"
"But mommy, are you staying home now?" Wyatt asked with a confused tilt of the head that Chris imitated.
"No, just had a little change in plans," Leo quickly jumped in, "Promise we'll tell you later, but just go and watch your cousins OK?"
"Ok," Wyatt said suspiciously, but still he took his hand out of Cole's, and led Chris into the sunroom.
As soon as the kids were gone, Cole reached forward, "Phoebe, what—"
Before he could get closer, though, Paige had cut off his path and glared at him.
"Paige, what—" he started, "wait…" Cole looked at Leo who just shook his head and sighed. "Let me guess, you're from the past."
Even Piper looked up in surprised, "how did you know?"
Cole chuckled and gestured to Paige, "because she hasn't look at me like that in years."
"How do I look at you now?" Paige challenged, "like this?" She said making a face of even greater disgust.
Cole laughed, "don't do that, your face might freeze that way."
Paige looked offended, and Leo jumped in again. "Yes, Cole, short version, spell went awry, somehow the girls came forward in time into their future bodies, and they're learning too much information about the future," he said, staring at them meaningfully, "so we need to find a spell, and put everything back before too much craziness changes."
"No," Paige said, reaching for the book, "we need to find a spell to go back and change this terrible—" she gestured wildly in Cole's direction with one hand and flipping pages with another, "—whatever reality this is!"
"Paige," Leo said taking the book from her despite a hefty glare, "you can't change this future. This future is good, it's great even! I mean you have kids with—" he caught himself "—uh… you have kids, and they're wonderful, the twins. And Wyatt and Chris are healthy and beautiful. And Phoebe," at her name, she looked up at him, purposefully avoiding Cole's eyes, "I know you don't see it now, but you have a great life, too, and wonderful kids who love you very much, and—"
He was interrupted by golden orbs filling the room.
"Wyatt? Chris?" Piper said to the adult versions of her boys who suddenly appeared.
"And… who're you?" Paige said, to the third person who appeared with the other two.
"I'm Ben," the stranger announced.
On the bright side, Cole thought, the world hadn't imploded yet. Ben, his son from the future, had just appeared in front of him. There were a few moments of hugs, mainly for Cole and Leo from the boys; they tried to hug the sisters but Leo jumped in sensibly.
"Ok everyone, listen up."
"The Piper, Paige, and Phoebe that you see here are from the past, a past where apparently Phoebe and Cole haven't gotten together yet, so there's a bit of awkwardness (Leo hurried on seeing Ben's frown), and clearly Wyatt, Chris, and Ben you guys are from the future. Now, we need to figure out what everyone is doing here so we can send you back before the timelines get any more mixed up. The girls got here because they were trying to track down and vanquish some kind of demon, but it backfired. Now, Wy, Chris, Ben, why are you here?"
"Adam and Amy disappeared!" Ben cried, causing Paige's head to shoot up.
"What do you mean disappeared?" She asked, in a few moments already fully accustomed and used to the fact that they would be her kids.
"That's just that, we were just having dinner when they vanished! Caused an uproar in the restaurant and we had to first cast a spell to make everyone forget." Chris said.
"So we cast a spell to guide us to when they disappeared and it took us here." Wyatt concluded.
Three sisters and three cousins looked at each other and then at Leo.
"Well, ok clearly the timeline is already messed up," he groaned pinching the bridge of his nose. "This is why I tried to keep you from learning anything about the future. Man, Cole, why did you have to be in the attic?!"
Cole shrugged, "that's where we keep Harry Potter."
Leo sighed. "Ok, Paige, see you have to stop thinking you're going to change this."
"What? Hey why are you blaming me? I wouldn't change the future to make my own kids nonexistent!"
"I know! But you're going to try to change the future to vanquish Cole, right?"
"Wait… why would Aunt Paige try to—"
"—Ben my boy," Cole said as he slung an arm around his future son's shoulders. "That's a story for another day, why don't we get a little better acquainted upstairs, and we'll come down when this is all sorted out?"
"Sure dad," he said brightly.
"Wyatt, Chris, you better go with them, too," Leo said to the adult versions of his kids.
"Wait, can't you stay?" Piper interjected.
"No we need to figure this out first," Leo firmly said and waived them off. ("So Uncle Cole, Ben told us you could do this sweet trick with your conjuring power that we haven't seen yet!" they could hear Wyatt say excitedly as they went up.)
Piper furiously gestured after them to Leo, "he is a demon he still has powers! And you just left him alone with our kids!"
Paige nodded her head in agreement. Only Phoebe seemed still out of it, only looking for a moment at the direction the four went, before turning back to Leo.
"Ok you guys enough of this!" Leo said, "If they came back here to find out what's changed, the only thing that's changed is your attitude toward Cole! Look if you'd just stayed in the past, things would have resolved themselves in their own time, and we'd be fine. But now, you're going to go back and get it in your head to try to find Cole and vanquish him, and I don't know, somehow you're not successful because Ben is still alive, but Paige you do mess up your future, because Amy and Adam don't exist anymore."
Paige was still trying to think of something to say to counter the assertion that she would ever mess with her kids like that before Piper jumped in, "well that wouldn't make any sense, then why did the spell bring them here, to the… middle future, and not to the past when we did change something?"
"Because now is when your minds changed, and that's enough, look time travel is complicated…" Leo said.
"So how do we not change our minds?" Phoebe said, finally finding some words to say.
"Phoebe!" Paige cried.
"She's right," Piper said, causing Paige to direct a look at her, "look I don't like the future either, but it's not our time to understand, or to judge the future, and it's probably best if we can forget this entire thing."
Paige crossed her arms, "whatever."
"Leo, don't you have some memory powder you can just dust us with?" Piper asked.
"No… we no longer use memory dust outside of accidental exposure to mortals. It's a violation of free will otherwise. If magic brought you were, just like it's done before, we can't just make you forget."
"Well, I can't just forget on my own!" Paige said petulantly.
"You're going to have to!" Leo said, "otherwise—"
He didn't have a chance to finish before Wyatt and Chris younger orbed in. "Mom! Dad!" "Aunt Paige, Aunt Phoebe!"
"We can't find Adam and Amy!"
"Yeah, we was playing orb hide and seek but they haven't orbed back and we can't find them anywhere and we're so sorry," Chris cried, on the verge of tears, holding onto Leo's hand with both of his.
"Oh Chris, don't worry, we know where they are. They um… we had to borrow them." Leo finished lamely.
"Are you sure? Sure it's not because of us?" Wyatt said sniffling and holding onto Piper who was stroking his hair.
"No sweetie, it's not," she said. "We adults just have to um… work out some things so we took Adam and Amy, sorry we forgot to tell you."
"Actually, boys, we still need to work out some things, why don't you uh… go find Ben and them and hang out for a bit?"
"Ok! Yay we're coming Uncle Kyle!"
Leo grimaced and mentally face-palmed again as the kids orbed out and Paige turned to him with a surprised look on her face.
Leo threw up his hands in defeat.
Chris was 2 at end of series
If Paige conceived shortly therafter, her kids are 5, chris is 7
Phoebe's kids are 3 and 4