Blood Bonds by Princessia

Disclaimer: Although I truly wish I could lay claim to these lovely characters… I am not Constance M. Burge. I do not claim any of these as my own except Ellie and Lilly. I tried to follow canon where possible but did take some artistic license. It's a mixture of season six cannon and possible nasty future… bare with me.

Summary: When Chris goes to the past, he leaves more that just Bianca behind. Set after Chris-Crossed. Eventually a revelation fic.

Note: Wyatt is with Leo in Elder-land during this chapter.

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Chapter Two: Ellie

Just because some people don't cry, doesn't mean they're not suffering.
— Unknown

-+-

"Dinner was perfect Piper, thankyou." Paige said as she finished clearing the table.

"Yeah Piper, it was delicious," Complimented Phoebe as she washed the last of the dishes.

"Well, it was nice to have dinner just the three of us. We don't do it often enough." Piper thanked them as she dried and put the remaining dishes away.

As they walked into the living room to enjoy a quiet Friday evening together, there was suddenly a loud crash in the attic.

The sisters looked at each other in shock before racing up the stairs, calling for Chris as they went, knowing that Wyatt was safe with Leo. When they reached the attic and crashed through the door they stood in shock at what they saw.

Lying on the floor in a bloodied heap looked to be a fifteen year old Prue Halliwell, their older sister.

They were just close enough to see her open her eyes and gasp, "Help me, please." Before oblivion claimed her and Chris orbed in front of them.

"What is it?" he asked when he saw their faces.

Still too shocked to speak, Phoebe just pointed to their guest. Paige recovered enough to say, "She asked for help."

Chris slowly turned around, silently dreading what he would see, and was shocked at their visitor; a groan of pain encouraged him to act. He ran to the figure on the floor, carefully lifting her head and pulling her into his arms.

"You know her?" Piper asked, finally shocked out of her stupor by her Whitelighter's actions.

"You could say she's family," he answered before turning his attention to the girl in his arms. "Ellie, come on, I need you to wake up. Ellie, can you hear me? You need to open your eyes sweetie. Ellie, open those beautiful brown eyes for me."

With obvious reluctance, the young girl, Ellie, slowly began to open her eyes. "Chris, did I make it? Is it really you?" she asked in disbelief, pain evident in her voice.

"Yeah Ellie, it's really me," he smiled at her slightly, "you made it sweetie, you're safe now." He told her gently before turning to the sisters who were standing around them. "Can someone grab some cloths to stop this bleeding and something to clean her wounds?" he asked them, his face tense but his voice calm for Ellie's sake.

Piper grabbed Phoebe's hand and said, "We'll get it, be right back," while she pulled Phoebe down stairs.

Once out the door, Piper asked, "What did you sense from them?"

"When we got here, she was really scared, but I just felt relief from her when she heard his voice, but she's in a lot of pain." She answered. "I don't normally sense anything from Chris but I felt nothing but worry and concern, he loves her like a sister and she trusts him with her life."

"Well then, let's grab some stuff to stop that bleeding." Piper said as they got to work.

-+-

As Piper and Phoebe left, Chris turned to Paige, "In the cupboard over there," he said, pointing to their potions cabinet, "you'll find a multi-purpose antidote. Can you grab it for me please?"

"Chris, it won't work, and we don't have much time." Ellie protested, "It was a cursed athame that the Source blessed himself, not even you can counteract 'his' magic." She told him morosely.

"Just take it, please? It'll help with the pain," he told her as Paige handed him a vial of blue liquid. As Ellie reluctantly drank the potion, Chris asked her grimly, "How many are left Ellie?"

"Including me, Three, I think. The Source killed Katy two days ago; she was on a supply run. Paris was killed about a month after you left, and Parker a month ago. Sera is the only one left to protect Lilly, who is protecting everyone else. And Bianca… I heard that he killed her too, I'm sorry."

"What about…?" Chris began, confused.

"They've joined HIM," Ellie interrupted in a disgusted voice, "Meta, Laura, Ash, Lottie, Helena and Marie, they chose him." she told him, tears in her voice. "Sera and Lilly don't stand a chance, Chris. I think his demons may have killed Sera moments before I left, but I can't be sure."

"Did either of them give you something?" he asked as Piper and Phoebe returned.

"Yeah," she answered as she handed him a tattered piece of paper, which glowed slightly when he touched it. "What did it say?" Ellie asked, curiously when she saw he was putting it in his pocket.

"Peyton Elizabeth Halliwell-Trudeau, you a one nosey little Witchlighter."

"And damn proud of it," she retorted with a smile.

"Trudeau?" Piper and Phoebe asked in shock, remembering their fallen friend Andy.

"Umm… no?" Ellie replied nervously. "Actually, I prefer to be Peyton Elizabeth Perry."

"Ellie, it's not their fault they weren't there sweetie, it'll be different this time, I promise." Chris told her before turning to Phoebe and Piper who were tending Ellie's wounds, while stroking Ellie's hair. "Yes, she's a Trudeau, the youngest. Her father was killed with Darklighter poison about two months before she was born and her mother died about five months later. Before she died, Ellie's mom told me that she wanted me to make sure that Ellie didn't join her sisters, who had joined the Source about two weeks before their father was killed, I practically raised her."

"After all your future consequences crap, why are you telling us this?" Piper asked, confused.

"Because I'm not going to be here much longer, Aunt Piper," Ellie replied, gently. "It was a cursed athame, blessed by the Source himself. Not even elder magic can save me." She told them calmly. "What did the note say Chris?"

"It was a spell to restore a shattered bond, it won't fix things completely, but it will restore both the balance between us and our powers, and to meditate in the conservatory, with a cushion representing Lilly's place in the circle." He answered. "You did good Ellie," he told her, "I'll keep Lilly safe now."

"How did you know what it said?" asked Paige, "you never even read it."

"It's an enchanted message," he replied, "only the person it's meant for can know what it really says, everyone else gets jokes and sarcastic remarks."

"I'm surprised that you're both so calm," Phoebe said quietly.

"Emotions make it hurt more, Phoebe, and all the good magic infused in her soul is killing her." Chris replied. "I'm probably the only one to survive a cursed athame created by the Source from our time, and that's only because he reversed the magic just before I died."

"Why would the Source reverse it?" Phoebe asked curiously.

"Because it not only adds to the torture, but he want's me to join him and I can't if I'm dead." Chris replied grimly. "How you doin' Ellie?"

"Not so good. I don't want you to kill his younger self for this Chris," Ellie told him wearily, "You save him, you save all of us." She said, closing her eyes, exhausted. "Don't ever forget me." she whispered.

The Charmed Ones could only watch as Peyton Elizabeth Halliwell-Trudeau closed her eyes and faded away.

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Note: Yes, Prue is Ellie's mother. In the 'future' the elders brought her back as a Whitelighter for Phoebe's three girls. She met up with Andy again (who is Chris and Lilly's Whitelighter), got married and had four kids, three who joined the Source (Wyatt), and Ellie, who Chris kept safe.