Chapter two

The three charmed sisters stood in the attic, all glaring at the spot where their neurotic white-lighter had just orbed away, leaving them angry and frustrated as usual.

"Damn it, I am so sick of Chris's 'future consequences' crap," Paige snapped as Phoebe winced, as her head pounded with the hot rage coming from Paige and Piper.

"Why can't he just give us straight answers?" Piper snapped, pacing back and forth.

"I don't know, okay, but can you guys calm the hell down? I just got used to dealing with Piper's pregnancy emotions, I can't handle all this anger," Phoebe said, holding her head, as she sat down on the lounge.

Both Piper and Paige turned and gave her sister sympathetic looks and sat down on either side of her.

"Sorry, Phoebs, it's just…he's just so…argh….he's driving me nuts. Why can't I blow him up again?" Piper snapped, getting back up to resume pacing.

"Because it's against the rules….and it's murder. And it could change a lot- why is the triquetra glowing again?" Paige suddenly said, jumping up and pointing at the triquetra, which no-one had bothered to wash off the attic wall yet, which was indeed glowing a familiar blue.

"Oh, shit!" Phoebe muttered, getting up to stand in front of the triquetra beside Paige and Piper, who had placed a protective hand on her slightly swollen stomach, in a defensive stance.

What came out of the triquetra shocked them all, leaving them frozen and speechless. A girl about nineteen stepped out casually, as if she does this every day. She was tall, about five feet 7, and they were shocked by how dangerously thin she was, as if she hadn't eaten a good meal in months.

Her hair was dark brown and hung down her back in a messy tangle and her eyes were incredibly large in her pale face and were a bright blue/green and were darkened by large circles beneath her eyes.

She stared at them icily, as they studied her.

She was wearing tight black jeans that were ripped in several places revealing scars that seemed to cover her entire body and a black leather jacket that was dusty and looked older than the girl herself.

Paige, being the first to get over the shock of the girl's appearance, screamed, "Table" and orbed it towards the girl, trying to knock her away from them and back through the portal which was still glowing the bright blue.

The girl, however, simply flicked her wrists upwards and froze the table inches from her face. She glared at Paige angrily, before saying, "table," and orbing the table back to its original position against the wall.

"Well, that was a nice welcome. Very friendly of you. Would you mind telling me what I did to warrant an attack like that, because if walking through a portal screams 'potential danger' I've really got to work on my entrances," the girl said sarcastically, stepping away from the wall as it faded and closed altogether, her eyes narrowed as if she was studying them.

"Who are you?" Piper asked her, distrust evident in her face, at the same time Phoebe asked, "Where are you from?"

The girl raised her eyebrows at them, before wandering around the attic, looking curiously at the old furniture, "Well, it looks as if I have the advantage. I know all about you. You're the Charmed ones, Piper, Phoebe and Paige, and once upon a time, Prue."

"What do you know about Prue?" Piper said, her voice turning icy.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Don't get your knickers in a twist. I'm not going to hurt you, or your son or even your unborn child," she said, glancing pointedly at Piper's stomach, "and before your race towards your precious book, I'm not after that either. I'm looking for Chris."

That froze the sisters, as they all stared at her with wide eyes. "Chris?" Phoebe asked, uncertainly, studying the girl with clearer eyes.

The girl rolled her eyes again. "Yes, Chris. I'm sure you know him. Six foot two, longish brown hair, green eyes, half white-lighter half witch, slightly neurotic and currently your white-lighter

Paige chuckled at her description, but Piper was still all business. "What do you want with Chris?"

The girl suddenly turned icy, her eyes narrowed on Piper. "As if you really get care what I want with Chris. Don't you do get all protective of him after months and months of distrusting and wishing him away when all he has done is try and protect your evil, bastard of a son."

Piper, Phoebe and Paige gaped at the venom in the girl's voice before watching her turn and mutter under her breath, "If you won't call him then I will. CHRIS!"


Chris sat cross-legged on the top of the Golden Gate Bridge, staring absently over San Francisco, thinking back on his latest clash with the sisters.

That was what he thought of them, had to find of them, as since he'd arrived. He couldn't think of them as his mum, and his aunts. It would only cause him pain. More pain than they were causing him now.

They didn't trust him, they had no reason to but he couldn't help feeling their distrust cut through him every time they questioned his motives or accused him of being out to get Wyatt.

He ran a trembling hand through his long black hair, sniffling as he blinked back tears. If he had to be completely honest, it was eating him up inside but there was nothing he could do about it. All he had to do was complete his mission and go home. That was all, he told him, trying to make himself believe it.

He couldn't blow his cover but it was getting harder and harder not revealing the secret of who he was.

CHRIS!

Chris froze at the familiar voice, disbelief blooming in his mind. No way. It couldn't be.

Chris, come down here. It's okay, it's me.

This time the voice came from the mental link only they could use, and he knew it was true, that it was her and disappeared in a blur of white and blue. He stumbled when he reappeared in the manor in his haste and found himself staring at Mu- the sisters he corrected himself, staring at him in shocked disbelief.

He began to ask them where she was when he heard a voice whisper, "Chris."

He spun in a circle, a wide grin on his face. "Mel!" he cried, happily and ran towards her, grabbing her and spinning her in a circle.

Mel laughed, giving her first genuine smile since she'd arrived, "Hello big brother."