Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed
Present Mistakes
"It wasn't my fault!" Chris protested as his aunts and mother all looked at him sceptically.
"Chris, Jenny just ran past us, sobbing her heart out. What did you do?" Phoebe asked in exasperation, and he grunted in exasperation.
"Asked her what the hell she was doing when she kissed me!" he yelled, and they stopped looking at him sceptically or with irritation and looked at him in surprise.
"Wait, she kissed you?" Piper demanded, her hands flexing.
"Yes. One minute we were just walking, I was wanting her to the shut up and the next thing I know she's kissing me! I got up and demanded what the hell she was doing, she went all menstrual and ran up the stairs." He said, not at all liking the look in his mother's eyes, the one that would make demons run if they saw it.
"Did you lead her on?" Phoebe asked, and he glowered at her.
"Of course I didn't lead her on! She's only sixteen, I don't like her, I'm not here to get girlfriends of any age and considering how my last relationship ended with my big brother killing the woman who I loved, who also happened to betray me, I'm not really inclined to go for any sort of relationship right now." He grumbled.
"Alright, just calm down. I'll go and talk to Jenny ok?" Paige said, leaving Chris with his mother and aunt.
"Are you sure you didn't lead her on sweetie?" Phoebe asked, and he shot her a filthy look, which she retreated from slightly.
"Yes, I'm sure. She kissed me, not the other way around. Not my fault if she's an overemotional teenager." He growled.
"Maybe you did it without meaning to. After all, she is still pretty young, she probably doesn't know all the signs yet." Phoebe said, and Chris shook his head.
"Phoebe, I did nothing to lead her on! Trust me, I wouldn't, because I am seriously not interested. And if she doesn't know the sign 'shut up and leave me alone', than that isn't because she's young, that's because she's stupid! I was barely acknowledging her, barely talking to her and effectively blocking her out, and she seemed to take that as a signal to kiss me, which it isn't!" he shouted, and Phoebe rolled her eyes.
"Couldn't you at least treat her gently, she's probably quite new to this. And for the record, girls don't like it when guys jump up mid kiss." She said tartly, and he shook his head in frustration.
"Guys don't like it when girls kiss them when they're seriously not interested." He said waspishly.
"She actually kissed you?" Piper asked weakly, wanting to blow the girl up all of a sudden, and Chris grinned as he saw the horrified, protective expression on his mother's face.
"Yes mom she did. Why, you want to go and vanquish her?" he asked with a grin.
"Don't tempt me." She grumbled, and Phoebe looked at him irritably.
"Chris, she's just a kid, she likes you and she got carried away. There was no need to be quite so cruel about it." She scolded, and Chris' temper flared, his hackles rising.
"Phoebe, she kissed me! I wanted to get away from her because I don't like her, and she realised I didn't and ran off, what was I supposed to do!"
"Oh I don't know, maybe realise she's a kid going through changes and be a little bit nice to her?" Phoebe asked sarcastically, and Piper glowered at her sister.
"Phoebe, the point is she shouldn't have kissed him anyway when he had made it perfectly clear that he wasn't interested. And he's put up with her, but I have to agree with him, kissing him crosses the line." She said plainly, and Phoebe rolled her eyes.
"Well of course you'd believe that, he's your son, you'd rather no one ever kissed him." She said snottily, and Piper did have to concede that point.
"Phoebe, I was shocked and revolted, what would you have done if it was a guy who kissed you and you really didn't want him to?" Chris asked irritably, and she looked at him in the eyes.
"I'd force him off gently." She said, and both he and Piper scoffed.
"The hell you would." Piper said derisively.
No, you would slap him, and so you should count your blessings that I didn't slap her for what she did. I really don't like her, I didn't want her to kiss me, I didn't lead her on or signal her in any way that says 'come on and snog me', I thought it would be obvious from the way I was treating her that I didn't particularly like her being around, and she still comes on and kisses me!" he yelled angrily, and Phoebe shook her head.
"Look Chris, I'm not saying she didn't do wrong, but reacting the way you did really upset her, it was cruel." She said, and Chris looked away.
"Alright, I might not have handled it all well, but still..." he said as Paige came down the stairs, looking worried.
"Well, she thinks you hate her and she's decided she wants to leave and never come back because she feels so stupid and think she's screwed everything up. Good job!" she said mockingly to Chris, and this too angered him.
"Why am I suddenly the bad guy?" he demanded.
"Because you're the older one and should perhaps be a little nicer?" Phoebe asked tightly, and he glowered.
"Oh, and you were no nice to me even though you three are three grown up, mature and sophisticated adults?" he asked angrily, and all three of them winced.
Good, he thought savagely, as they all looked guilty and sheepish.
"And for the record, aside from Bianca, I didn't really have many girlfriends in the future, and she's probably about the fourth girl I've kissed, because Wyatt either stole them, turned them or killed them. A world gone to hell doesn't offer many romantic opportunities. And then the one girl you do fall for stabs you in the back. Or the chest, as the case was." He muttered, and the two aunts did look guilty.
"She really wants to leave?" Piper asked, taking charge before this got any uglier.
"Yeah, and she never wants to kiss a boy again either." Paige said, rolling her eyes at the drama that was unfolding upstairs.
"You that bad a kisser?" Phoebe asked with a small smile, trying to get her nephew to lighten up a little, but it didn't work, and besides, his mother answered for him.
"Of course he isn't, I'm sure he's a brilliant kisser like his father." She said firmly, ignoring the shocked look Chris gave her.
"Well if she wants to leave, I say we let her." Chris said, and Piper was slightly inclined to agree, it would mean her son wouldn't have to be worried about some damn fool teenager kissing him in his own home.
"Chris, we can't just throw her out onto the street, we invited her to live with us." Paige said patiently.
"She's right. Not her fault you didn't cope very well with her throwing herself at you." Phoebe said, and it finally clicked what was going on here.
"Wait a minute, this isn't about who did what at all! This is because I'm a guy, and she's a girl, so I'm automatically the bad guy! She kissed me, but no, it's all my fault because I didn't let her do it, despite me not wanting to kiss her! Doesn't that matter to you guys? I was the one who was kissed against my will, I didn't lead the silly girl on, she did it all herself. But I'm still the bad guy even when it's obvious she's the one who did wrong! You're as bad as Grams, I'm a guy, so I'm obviously the one who screwed up, she wasn't the one who kissed me on her own will and on her idea, I clearly led her on. Ever think she may be the sole person to blame? I didn't want to kiss the silly girl!" he snapped.
"Chris, this isn't because you're a guy...though a girl might show a bit more sensitivity." Paige said scathingly, and Chris suddenly unconsciously sent a vase hurtling through the air, smashing against the wall.
"Hey! Enough! Phoebe, Paige, back off! Jenny's the one who kissed Chris, he says he didn't lead her on, so she's the one who made the mistake. And Chris, we don't think you're in the wrong just because you're a guy, and calm down or you'll wake up your brother." Piper said softly to her son, who was still glowering at the outside world, breathing heavily, trying to get his telekinesis back under control.
"Jenny says he did." Paige said quietly, and Chris turned to her in a fury, his green eyes narrowing, and Paige was again struck with the feeling that he was just as scary as his mother.
"What? What the hell is she saying I did?" he demanded angrily, shaking off his mother's restraining grip on his arm.
"She says you were talking about Bianca, opening up, and she was going for the comforting bit." She said patiently, and he rolled his eyes.
"Hardly. I was telling her Bianca was dead so she would hopefully shut up and leave me the hell alone, she didn't get the hint. And then she started prattling about me being her hero, I ignored her, and she kissed me." He explained, and she sighed.
"Alright, I believe you, she does seem a little distraught." She admitted.
"And delusional." Chris said bitterly.
"You still could have been nicer to her, being rejected hurts." Phoebe said coolly, and Piper grimaced as her sister foolishly left herself open to another emotional broadside.
"Yeah, try being rejected by your mother and your aunt for a smug jerk and see how good that feels." He sneered, and Phoebe winced.
"Look, she doesn't want to be in the house. Maybe you ought to just take her home." Piper said diplomatically.
After all, she was perfectly fine before Paige told her to move in here, she could be perfectly fine again, without the added distraction of Chris.
"Piper, we asked her to stay here a couple of days, we can hardly throw her out on her ear, she feels bad enough about the fire, and if we throw her out she'll just feel even worse. She thinks Chris hates her,"
"Which he does." He interrupted grouchily.
Paige rolled her eyes before continuing, "and she says she doesn't want to be around here anymore in case she causes any more trouble. Piper, we let her stay with us, we can't just chuck her out because a few things have gone wrong, the fire was an accident and Chris was a mistake." Paige said, and Chris flinched a little at her last statement, but it went ignored.
"Well, if we can't send her home, what can we do, if she's adamant about leaving? She doesn't want to stay where Chris is, so she kind of has to go home." Phoebe said, not liking the thought of a distraught teenager alone at home.
Piper thought about it. They were right, they couldn't send the girl home on her own, they couldn't just leave her high and dry after saying she could stay for a few days. She was a guest, even if she had screwed up. And Jenny had shown earlier with flying colours that she couldn't be left on her own, so where did that leave them?
Piper looked at Chris, and the idea came to her.
"Sweetie...maybe it would be best if you got out of here for a while." She said awkwardly.
That look, she was going to come to hate that look when he was growing up. The look of cold, hurt betrayal, of disbelief, with the signs of tears glistening in his eyes.
"Wait, you want me to leave?" he asked in shock, and she approached him, looking into his eyes.
"It's nothing you've done wrong sweetie, it just, it might be best. We can't leave a sixteen year old girl alone on her own, we can't just throw her out. It wouldn't be right." She said, hoping he would see the sense behind this plan, stinking though it was.
Chris glowered at her reproachfully.
"So you can throw your own son out, but not some stupid little girl, because it wouldn't be right. It wasn't right what you did to me and you did it anyway." He reminded her, anger and hurt building in his voice, and she shook her head urgently.
"Chris, baby, I'm not throwing you out, I just think it might be best if you...weren't around so much for the next few days. Just until Jenny's gone home." She said nervously, but as she had feared in her gut, Chris didn't see that as a sensible plan.
All he saw was his mother, the one who claimed to love him more than anything, was throwing him out of his own home. Again. And once more it was for someone of Dan's ilk.
"You want her to stay here over me?" he asked in a shocked, soft voice, sounding like a lost kid, and Piper shook her head, willing him to believe she wasn't throwing him out in favour of someone else.
"No sweetie, I just think it might work out better if you weren't here, it'll only be for a few days, then you can come straight back." She said, trying to wipe the hurt tears from his eyes but he took a step back, glowering at her.
"You're throwing me out again." He said, his voice angry and hurt, and she shook her head urgently.
"Chris, no, that isn't it, I'm not throwing you out..." she protested, but he wasn't listening.
"You're throwing me out. Just like you did before. Dan got rid of me, and now Jenny too. Don't worry Piper," he said angrily, and she knew he was hurt considering he was calling her by name instead of mom, "I'll leave if precious Jenny's so important to you. Mustn't upset her feelings now, as long as she's happy, as long as she's safe. Jenny comes first right? After all, she should be happy, it isn't as if she's family or anything important like that." He spat, tears on his face, and he orbed out before any of them could stop him.
"Chris, no, wait, it isn't like that!" Piper protested as he vanished, and Phoebe and Paige exchanged dark looks and bolted up the stairs to Wyatt and Chris' room.
And when they entered they found no trace that Chris even lived there, and Wyatt was looking at where his brother had disappeared miserably.
"Piper..." Paige said softly, looking at the complete absence of any sign of Chris, and Piper sighed.
"Still think it's best for him to give Jenny space?" Phoebe asked, as she and Paige looked at their sister as though she had sprouted an extra head, shocked by the fact that she had asked him to clear off when she had said Jenny was in the wrong, shocked by the fact that she had implied her son might not want to be around for a few days.
And for a kid with abandonment and trust issues already, who had been thrown out by the one he loved once before, it was never going to end well. Even if the plan did make some sense, there was only going to be one thing Chris saw, and it wasn't pretty.
His mother, taking the side of someone else, and then throwing him out of his own home all over again.
XX
"Leo!" Piper wailed the next morning, her throat sore just like her sisters, as the three of them had taken it in turns bellowing for her son, but she hadn't gotten anywhere with him, he hadn't responded to any of them. However, Jenny was back to her usual self, though she kept looking around curiously, as if expecting Chris to leap out of nowhere and reveal himself to her, forgive her for last night, and get another go.
"Leo!" Piper cried again, and he orbed in a second later, presenting her with a huge bouquet of flowers.
"Leo! Thank you." She said fondly, and kissed his cheek as she looked for a vast to put them in.
"Picked from an Amazon's garden when she wasn't looking. Do you like them?" he asked, and she nodded.
"They're lovely. But are you sure this isn't some twisted attempt to get me into bed with you?" she asked coyly, and he grinned.
"Maybe, we kind of have an incentive to do it anyway. Where is he?" Leo asked, looking around for any sign of his youngest son.
"Um...he kind of isn't here." She said sheepishly, and something in her voice awoke the strange protect Chris gene that had been birthed a few weeks ago.
"Well why not, where is he? And I'm surprised at you, I didn't expect you to let him out of your sight now you know who he is." He said teasingly, and she looked at her shoes in embarrassment, and a feeling of trepidation entered Leo.
"Piper, where is Chris?" he asked suspiciously, and she pouted.
"I don't know. I made a stupid mistake Leo, and I really regret it, I didn't stop to think how it would seem to him, and now he isn't answering any of us, and Jenny keeps pestering us with questions about where he is, and I can't find him, I can't scry for him, and I'm worried!" she prattled, and he held her close, looking into her frightened eyes.
"What happened?" he asked, and she resigned herself to explaining the situation with Jenny.
By the time she had finished, Leo had let go of her, and was unhappy with her to say the least.
"Piper, how could you be so stupid? He's only just gotten over the emotional scars of the last time you kicked him out, when you chose dickhead Dan over him, and you go and do the exact same thing all over again, and to make matters worse, you do it with Dan's niece, and the crowning turd in the waterpipe, your sisters take her side, and get as sexist as your blasted grandmother and blame him simply because he's a guy! I can't blame him for running off and ignoring you, any normal person would do the same thing!" he barked in exasperation, and she hung her head.
"I know that Leo, I feel awful as it is. I just didn't think, I thought he would be alright, he would be getting away from Jenny for a few days, but it didn't once occur to me until it was too late that he would only think he was being thrown out again." She said miserably, and Leo rolled his eyes in irritation.
"Well duh." He said, and she glowered at him.
"Oh as if you've never screwed up with him." She retorted, peeved.
"I haven't thrown him out! Alright, how long is Jenny here?" he asked.
"A couple more days at least." She replied darkly, wishing she had gone with her original instincts and kicked Jenny out. Given a choice, she'd much rather have Chris staying here than Jenny. Chris was her son, and now he was out there again, all alone, because of something she had done. And while she knew full well he could take care of himself, still, she wanted him here where she knew he would be safe, where she could fuss over him, wheedle him to get a haircut, and also force him to eat more food, he was far too thin.
"So will you please find him, persuade him to talk to me?" she asked pleadingly, and he nodded, while rolling his eyes.
"Something makes me think he won't be mad at you for too long. After all, like you said, he is a mommy's boy. And now, daddy has to go and do some damage control because mommy and aunties screwed up." He said savagely, thoroughly enjoying the reversal of fortune, considering in Chris' future he was always the one that screwed up.
"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Piper asked grumpily, and he gave her a wide smile.
"Yeah, a bit. See you later." He said, preparing to orb out.
"Leo, tell him I'm sorry and I want to see him." She said softly, and he nodded.
"Basically that you love him?" he asked, and she nodded.
"Yeah." She said, and he nodded.
"Will do." He said, and was once more about to go when Piper called him back.
"And if he hasn't yet, tell him to get a haircut." She said hopefully, and Leo shook his head as he orbed out. Yep, she was going to drive Chris crazy.
XX
As Leo had suspected, Chris was in the underworld. But when he finally caught up with his younger son, the change from the last time he had found him down here was rather remarkable. Last time he had been broken hearted and despondent, willing to just give up and unsure of himself, his fight totally sapped. This time however, his fight was in overdrive, as he was flinging potions and fireballs around, vanquishing a nest of demons with very little effort. The last one gave a weak groan and Chris flicked him into the wall, and with a last burst of fire, he too was gone.
"Hmm, remind me never to take your brother's side when you're growing up." Leo said, making Chris jump in fright.
"Dad, what are you doing here?" he asked in confusion, and Leo still felt the small thrill he got whenever Chris called him dad, which he also thought he was doing slightly better in than Piper was at present.
"Your mom told me what happened." Leo said, and Chris' green eyes narrowed as he sat down on the floor, and Leo sat down to join him.
"Stupid little girl. This is all Paige's fault." He said petulantly, and Leo smiled a little at the tone of his voice.
"Far be it for me to defend Paige, but she didn't know Jenny would cause so much trouble." He said mildly, but he did think that Paige should have been a bit more careful about letting any relative of the scumbag who almost murdered his son into the house, and he saw the defeated expression on Chris' face.
"Bet she didn't know mom would choose her over me either." He said quietly, his eyes hurt.
"Chris, it wasn't about that you know? Your mom didn't want it to seem like she was throwing you out." Leo said quietly, and Chris looked at him sadly.
"Well it felt like that. Look on some level, I do get it, it means little miss perfect doesn't have to see me and won't do anything else stupid. Theoretically anyway," he said scornfully, and Leo had to admit, any relative of Dan's, he too was likely to take a rather dim view of their sensibilities, especially considering she had been trying to cook sea slugs, "But dad, why should I be the one to leave? Phoebe and Paige immediately jumped down my throat, to them it was my fault, all I did was ask her what she was doing. And then mom, who's meant to be on my side, then she decides I should be the one to go so as not to upset Jenny. Maybe I'm just being stupid, but I thought it would be different now, now that you guys know who I am." Chris said, his voice sounding slightly pitched as though he had a cold, and Leo looked at him kindly.
"Chris, it is different. We're finally being nice to you, we trust you, we do what you tell us to, and you're going to have to teach me how you did that because they never listen to me," Leo said, and felt triumphant when he saw Chris smile a little, "they're getting more independent and able to go their own way, and that's down to you, and you're not living on the couch in P3 anymore like a bum." He finished brightly, then realised he perhaps should have stopped a comment earlier as Chris glared at him.
"Firstly, I am staying on the couch at P3 because I can't be in the house as it upsets that prissy little tart, and secondly, you stayed on that couch and you didn't complain then." He pointed out, and Leo grinned wistfully.
"Not all that's happened on that couch." He said, remembering, then realised who it was he was talking to as Chris wrinkled his nose.
"Oh dad! Ew, that's just gross. Come on man, I sleep there!" he protested in disgust and Leo looked at him in shame, suppressing a snigger as he did so.
"Sorry, didn't realise you were still young enough to be embarrassed by your parents opening their trap." He said, and Chris smiled a little.
"Well yeah, well I would be if I had parents back home, but here I definitely am." Chris said cheerfully, and Leo smiled.
"Sorry buddy. Look, I know you're mad at your mom and your aunts..." he said, and Chris looked at his shoes sadly, avoiding eye contact.
"I know I'm being stupid dad, but...I don't know I just thought that I wouldn't get hurt anymore, at least not intentionally, that I was around to stay...that you guys want me to stay." He mumbled softly, and Leo realised just what was bothering his son.
Here was a kid, who had lost everyone who he had ever cared about. The only person he had left to care about hated him and was continually trying to either convert or kill him, and had taken everything from him, which was what had driven Chris here to the past anyway. Once he had gotten here, the people he had loved had treated him with disdain and distrust, which had culminated in his own mother, who he was incredibly close to, throwing him out. And then all of a sudden, things had been going good for him, and in the space of one day, it must have seemed like everything had changed around on him again.
"Aww Chris, it isn't like that buddy. Your mom made a lousy call. But you are here to stay. You've only been gone a night and your mom is already freaking out about you, I didn't have the heart to tell her it was basically her own damn fault. Chris, we want you around. I know you don't have much reason to expect anything different from us considering how we used to treat you, but we actually do kind of like having you around. It's all changed now, we know who you are, what you are. You're my son, and whether you like it or not, I want you to stick around." Leo said, nudging Chris gently with his elbow, and Chris smiled.
"Thanks dad. I know I'm being stupid, it just hurt, you know, mom choosing Jenny over me, even when she knows I didn't do anything wrong and knows who I am. Getting thrown out once hurt enough. Bet I'm the only kid in existence who's made their mom throw them out twice." Chris said, still looking a bit sad.
Leo knelt in front of Chris and looked into his green eyes, which had a faint glistening of tears in them.
"Chris, your mom didn't choose her over you. She made a crappy decision, but she hasn't thrown you out. She only wanted you to get out of the house for a while until they got rid of Jenny, not from any genuine desire to see you go. Listen to me. She wasn't throwing you out, and she's worried sick. And I know that you're her son, and if anyone should have gone it should be Jenny, not you, but your mom just didn't think about that. That's all. Your mom is worried about you, she loves you, and she didn't want to make you think you weren't welcome. And if you stop visiting her, I reckon she might be a tad miffed with you." He said, smiling slightly, and Chris nodded, smiling.
"I know dad. I'm still mad at her though." He said, and Leo grinned.
"Don't blame you, I'm not her biggest fan myself right now, she isn't her biggest fan. Look, give them the cold shoulder for a few days, that'll teach them. Paige should never have let Jenny stay, Phoebe should never have taken her side, and your mom should never have asked you to go while they sorted things out. But never, ever think we don't want you. At all, because I'm getting to know you now Chris. You think you're always a problem, that everyone would be a lot happier if you weren't around. The way we've treated you before didn't really help that. You're not, you're not a problem and you're not getting in the way. Clear? Your mom and I want baby you more than anything, and if I hear you doubting that buster, you and me, issues." He said grimly, and Chris grinned.
"Thank you dad. Why couldn't the one in my time ever said that sort of stuff, rather than saying the complete opposite?" he asked, and Leo shrugged.
"Because future me is an asshole Chris. But I swear, I won't become like that." Leo vowed, and Chris nodded.
"Good. And don't worry, I'm still going to stay at P3...when there's people there." He said nervously, and Leo snorted in slight amusement. Hard to connect the guy who was vanquishing demons left, right and centre with the kid who was almost murder by his mother's boyfriend in her club.
"Good. I thought you smelled better this time round than you were last time. Keep doing modern things like showering and brushing your teeth, and you might find yourself a nice, attractive hot sweaty demon to slam." Leo said, and Chris grinned.
"Mom will kill you if she hears you encouraging me to look at girls. She's already decided Wyatt and I should take vows of celibacy." He explained to his father's confused look, and Leo shook his head.
"She's finally cracked. Mind you, if you ever get a sister I'll probably be even worse." He admitted, and Chris looked at him.
"Did mom say how long that stupid girl was staying?" he asked, and Leo nodded.
"A few days at least apparently. Look Chris, I know it stinks, she's forced you out of your own home, but it won't be for long. And at least out of the manor, you shouldn't have to see her." He pointed out, and Chris nodded.
"Yeah that is good. She's just one of those annoying teenagers, who doll themselves up to look older and act all childish and irritating, she thinks she can get somewhere just by kissing me. Idiot." He grumbled, and Leo smiled.
"Hey, she is related to Dan. Oh and by the way, your mom told me to tell you to get a haircut." He said, and Chris rolled his eyes.
"For god sake, I'm not even talking to her and I still can't get a moment's peace. I'm not getting it cut." He said stubbornly, and Leo smiled.
"Didn't think you would. Anyway it looks fine to me. Be careful if you're staying down here ok?" he asked, and Chris nodded.
"I will. And thanks dad." He said, and Leo smiled at his son and bid him goodbye to go and report to Piper.
XX
Jenny was once again bored, but she didn't want to go into the kitchen in case she caused another accident. However, she did want to do something nice for the sisters, as they had all seemed pretty down this morning. And what was more, Chris wasn't there, and she was kind of missing him.
She had been stupid last night, he hadn't been ready, she had moved too hard and too fast. He could have been a little nicer with his rejection though. Hadn't Dan always told her any boy would be lucky to have her? Not that he encouraged it of course.
But she couldn't see why Chris was so dead set against it. After all, she was nice looking, so was he. She was nice, she always wanted to help, she was chatty. So why hadn't he wanted to kiss her, had she done something wrong?
Or was it because of his ex? She didn't really see what the problem was, she was dead, she couldn't come back. There was no reason to be upset about it when a young, perfectly attractive girl was right here practically throwing herself at him.
She wanted to see Chris, but Piper had told her this morning that he had left already. She hoped she could see him later, just seeing his handsome face, his nice long hair, his slim frame and gorgeous eyes made her heart flutter.
Besides, if she wanted to make the dream of her and Chris being married come true, she would need him to appear so she could get started, after all, the more time they spent together, the easier it would be for him to fall in love with her.
The doorbell rang, once more disturbing her from her musings of marriage to Chris. Cursing, she answered the door to find Gregg, the fireman from the day before.
"Oh, hi, I never got a chance to thank you yesterday." She said, and he nodded.
"It's ok. Is anyone in? I swung by to perform a spot check on all their circuits, make sure nothing blows up again." He said with a smile, though secretly, he wanted to examine their home.
After all, witches were abominations in the eyes of the lord, and he couldn't allow the existence of witches. They were in league with the devil, and if he found proof he would use it against them to bring them to justice.
"Um no one but me I'm afraid, but you can have a look around if you want, I'm sure Piper won't mind." She said, and Gregg smiled as she allowed him into the house.
Gregg was adamant there were some strange things going on, and witchcraft could indeed be a solution, it would explain everything that had been wrong with his relationship with Piper, he had been subconsciously warned not to pursue it for fear of contamination.
He went around the house, checking the sockets, and saw some strange things. Too many herbs in the cabinets. The sea slugs, rabbits blood, pig's feet and cockle shells stored in the kitchen. Yes Piper was a chef, and he knew that, but these things presence didn't make sense.
As he worked, Jenny followed him around the house, prattling incessantly as he went through every room, and curiously found a dagger in each woman's underwear drawer, and in the baby's room he found strange crystals that formed a pentagram through the entire room. The evidence was getting more and more conclusive, he thought, followed by Jenny who was still talking, and he found he could go no further when they found the door was locked.
"Why is this door locked?" Gregg asked, wondering just what women as apparently normal but obviously strange as the sisters would have a locked attic for.
"I don't know, they won't tell me, it's probably full of really cool stuff they just don't want me to find out about. It wouldn't be so bad but it's really boring here during the day, there's nothing to do." She moaned, and Gregg grinned at her.
"Well, I still need to check the sockets. Promise not to tell Piper?" he asked, and she nodded.
He smiled smugly. After all, he was only doing his job, checking that the sockets were alright. As such, he slipped his id card down the side of the door, and after a little effort, the door latch slid, and the door opened.
Gregg began checking through the room, stepping around all of the junk, feeling slightly disappointed. He'd been so sure the Halliwells were up to something, it would explain so much, and he had already told his minister that there was a chance that there were witches in the city, and his minister had promised him every help available, he could become even more integrated into the community if he did something as big as discovering witches in league with the devil.
But as it stood, there was nothing there. The Halliwells were clearly just odd, nothing strange about them.
"Hey, look at this." Jenny said excitedly, bringing him from his reverie.
She was looking at a book, which was marked by a triquertra, and bound in a deep green cover, and Gregg smiled, knowing he had struck gold.
"Jenny, have you ever heard of a grimmoire?" he asked excitedly, getting closer to the book with a smile, raising his hands to touch it.
"No, why?" she asked curiously, and she smiled at her.
"Because I think I've discovered the reason the Halliwells are so strange. They're witches. And this is their spell book, their grimoire." He said, caressing the cover of the Book of Shadows in delight.
Well that isnt good! Gregg and Jenny have both stuck their noses in, and have found the book, which can only mean trouble for the Halliwell clan. Apologies once more to any Christians i may be offending with Gregg's insane single minded obsession.
And Jenny has caused quite the stir. All part of an elaborate ploy, or just because she's a stupid little girl?
And Piper, you made a lousy decision, of course Chris was going to be upset. But at least he isnt totally heartbroken this time.
What will happen next? What will Gregg and Jenny do now they have discovered the book? Who's true colours will be revealed? Will Jenny persist in her pursuit of Chris? Will Chris make up with his mother and aunts? Only two chapters left of this story!
So, as always, please read and review review review, I so enjoy reading them, so enjoy for now and I'll hopefully be back tomorrow!