"Back? Back where?"
"Back to my little bubble of, well, do I really need to go through the whole thing again Piper?"
Piper made a disbelieving sound. "Oh please, do you really expect me to believe that?"
"Piper? What is going on?"
"Let's just say, Paige, that we have an unexpected visitor," Piper spoke through clenched teeth.
"What? He's here?"
Cole rolled his eyes. "Wow, she really isn't too bright, is she?"
"Piper, what is going on?"
"God, I thought it was bad dealing with her when I was living… maybe I did end up in hell-"
"What is he saying? Is he-"
"-after all, because having to listen to her prattle on,"
"-really here? Because-"
"Would you both just shut up?" Piper yelled.
"Mom?" Chris came up the stairs sucking his thumb.
"Chris, thumb out of your mouth, now!" Piper snapped. She turned around to see her son staring at her. She sighed. "Sorry sweetheart, I didn't mean to snap, just…" no, he wasn't staring at her, past her. "Oh no, Chris, not you too! How can he see you? He never even met you!"
"Yes, but children are naturally trusting and will more readily believe."
"Mom, what is he doing here?" Chris sounded angry.
"Why Chris? What did he do?" Piper shot a look at her ex-brother-in-law, and then worriedly back at Chris.
"He keeps bothering us! Well, me more then the girls."
"What is he doing Chris?"
"Hey, I'm standing right here you know."
"Yeah, that's kind of part of the problem."
"He doesn't do anything, that's just the problem. He just stands there, looking at us, telling us stories about you and Aunt Phoebe and Prue too, but that can't be right. Because he says Prue used powers that aren't the ones she has. And Wyatt can't see him and he never listens to me when I tell him!" Chris pouted in the manner natural for a child his age.
Piper took a deep breath. "Hokay then. So, we need to get you back, one way or another. But first, I want to know your motive in all of this."
"Fine. My motive, dear, dear Piper," he sneered," Is that I don't want to be stuck here, screwing up Phoebe's life any more. Because you're right, she doesn't need me."
"Because then I wouldn't be a threat anymore. Phoebe would be safe from me, which would make me happy. In case you don't get it Piper, I loved Phoebe. I still do. And I'm never going to hurt her again. And if I have to give up a second- er, third-"
"Fourth I think."
"Sure. I've lost count. A fourth chance at life, I will do it. Hell, I've been around for over a hundred years. I think I should be ready to move on."
Even though he sounded certain when he spoke these words, Piper could see that a light was flickering in his eyes. Maybe he didn't mean what he said. Of course, he was a lying bag of scum, so...
"Oh please, you are far too selfish for that."
"Exactly. Phoebe's happy now. And I can't change that without breaking apart a family, which, frankly, I don't really want to do. Because, yeah, I know, I'm not a great guy, but I'm not going to destroy some little kids family. So, if I'm not willing to do that, then I have two options. Stay here and watch her sinking further and further into a world I don't have a place in. Or…"
"Go back."
"Exactly."
Piper swallowed. "Right, I guess, that almost makes sense. But I still don't see how you got here in the first place."
"Well, unfortunately-" Cole was interrupted by a harsh scream from downstairs. The four people in the attic looked at each other.
"Phoebe!"