A/N: Hey guys! This is, like, my favorite chapter. So I hope everyone agrees and enjoys it, too!
Anouki90: Haha, thanks! I love my cliffhangers, so I'll take that as a compliment!
Ariya Elizabeth Cullen Black: My lips are zipped! But... You'll find out very, very soon!
Joy: Oh yeeaahhh. Haha :)
GirlOnFire33: No worries at all! Hmmmm. Love hearing theories, and you'll just have to wait and see! Ahh.. Yes, yes, I'll chance the entire story to fit your theories! Haha :)
Semper Fi Witchlighter: All I can say is... Muahaha. That is all.
sassytxnmama: That seems to be the consensus. Haha. Cliffhangers = evil.
So, again, this is really one of my favorite chapters. It answers a lot of questions, and I really hope you guys enjoy it, too!
PS: SURRENDER TO FATE SEQUEL UPDATE: I'm working on it, but it's slow going. So... I promise, it'll happen. I just don't know when :(
Kay, enough chit chat! Read, review, and enjoy!
...
After a few minutes, Leo gave up.
"What's wrong?" Paige demanded. "Why won't it work?"
Leo stood, shaking his head. "It's not Darklighter poison," he said, finally picking the arrow up off the floor and examining it. "I've never seen anything like this."
"So she's not a Whitelighter?" Phoebe questioned.
"I've only ever seen a Darklighter use an arrow like that," Paige commented.
"I don't know what it is... But I can't heal her." Leo frowned, staring at the arrow, scrutinizing it.
Piper brushed Marni's hair from her forehead. "Leo, she's burning up."
"Let's get her back up to my room, make her comfortable," Phoebe suggested. "Paige?"
Paige nodded. She took Marni's hand and orbed her to Phoebe's room.
"Leo, go to the Elders. See if they can make anything of that arrow and what it is," Phoebe suggested. He nodded and orbed out. "Piper? Sweetie, we need to go help Paige and check the Book of Shadows."
Piper nodded, almost in a daze. "Right..."
Phoebe took her sister's hand and gently guided her upstairs.
...
When Marni awoke, she felt disoriented. It took her a minute to remember where she was. Her lips were chapped, and her mouth felt like sandpaper. Her limbs felt heavy yet numb. She tried to sit up, but the movement caused the sensation of liquid fire coursing through her body. She hissed in pain, and sank back down.
"Hey there," Piper said, getting up from the chair across the room and moving to Marni's side. "Don't try to get up yet, okay?"
Marni swallowed heavily, her throat dry and itchy. She nodded, closing her eyes.
"Marni..." Piper paused. Marni opened her eyes again. "How are you feeling?"
"Peachy," she mumbled. Piper's expression fell. "I'm sorry," Marni said quickly. "I didn't... I didn't mean it like that."
Piper nodded. "Leo..." She cleared her throat. "He tried to heal you... But he couldn't."
Marni smiled, though it held an edge of defeat to it. "He won't be able to..." She licked her lips. "It's a future... poison," she tried to explain. She shivered, her eyes fluttering closed. It took her a minute before she could speak again. "The antidote is in the future."
Piper frowned. "I don't... I don't understand. That demon..."
Marni looked away. "He was sent from the future to kill me." She picked at the blanket, brushing hair wet with sweat out of her face.
"Why?" Piper demanded, eyes filled with shock. She took a breath. "I refuse to believe that we can't cook up a spell or potion to heal you."
Marni flicked her gaze back to Piper. "He personally made the poison... He has the antidote." She blinked back tears. "It will slowly kill me... Unless I go back there, I'll die."
Piper shook her head. "No, dammit."
Marni sniffled, closing her eyes again. She felt defeated. All of this had been for nothing.
"Marni?"
Marni opened her eyes, though it took some effort.
"I need to ask..." Piper hesitated. "When you were out, you were talking in your sleep..."
Marni's heart began to pound. Though it was likely from the poison, it was also partly caused by her panic. What had she said?
"You mentioned a name... Chris?" Piper asked cautiously.
Marni pressed her lips together, looking away.
"Who's Chris?" Piper questioned. "Is he... the demon you're running from?"
"No!" Marni said quickly, coughing. "No... Chris is my... He's my fiancée."
Piper nodded, finally feeling as though she was making progress. "And... Is he the father of your child?"
Marni's eyes widened. When she said nothing, Piper said, "You were... Saying it in your sleep. Telling your baby that everything would be okay. I put two and two together with how sick you've been the last few days, and the whole talking to yourself last night."
"Yeah..." Marni licked her lips, wishing for a glass of water, though she felt too weak to hold a glass. "Chris... He's the father." Marni placed a hand on her stomach. The arrow had pierced just slightly to the right of her stomach. "Although, I've probably lost her..." She realized, an ache in her chest. "The poison..."
Tears filled Piper's eyes. "We'll fix this. I promise." She brushed some hair out of Marni's face. "I'll be back, okay?"
Marni nodded, watching Piper go.
...
In the attic, Paige was flipping through the Book of Shadows.
"I can't find anything about anything," she said in frustration.
"We need that antidote," Phoebe said.
Piper had filled them in on everything Marni had said.
"How are we supposed to get it? " Piper asked, shaking her head. "Some evil future demon has it."
Phoebe narrowed her eyes in concentration. "What... What if we did a spell to summon this Chris guy to us?"
"How would that help?" Paige asked, wrinkling her nose.
"Well, maybe he knows the potion ingredients? Or maybe he can somehow get a hold of it." Phoebe shrugged. "All I know is, we can't do anything for her. He might be able to do something, at least."
"It's worth a shot..." Piper said doubtfully.
Phoebe grabbed paper and pen, and began scribbling furiously. She crossed things out, re-wrote things, and paused several times to reconsider. It took about fifteen minutes.
"Done." She beckoned her sister's over. "Not my best... But it will do."
Paige quickly set up the circle of candles. Once they were all lit, she moved back to Piper and Phoebe. Together, they chanted:
"Hear these words, Hear our cry.
We call to you, through space and time.
Bring to us the one we seek
From a future oh so bleak."
At first nothing happened. After what seemed like forever, though, white lights filled the circle. Suddenly, the light grew incredibly bright. It dimmed slowly, and when it was gone entirely, a young man stood before the sisters. He was tall and thin, with brown hair that flopped into his eyes. The look on his face was one of shock. He looked around the attic, down at the candles, then back up at the Charmed Ones.
When he spoke, he simply said, "What the hell?"
"Chris?" Piper asked, ready to start blowing things up if they had somehow summoned the wrong person.
"Who wants to know?" He asked defensively.
"You tell us," Paige quipped. "You're the one who sent your fiancée to us, correct?"
Chris frowned. Marni had told them? But his thoughts quickly turned to panic. "Is Marni okay?"
They exchanged uncertain looks. How could they explain?
"Where is she?" he demanded.
"My room. But she's-" Phoebe cut off, as Chris took off out of the attic.
"Okay..." Paige said slowly.
Piper frowned. "Wait a minute... How does he know where your room is?"
They exchanged concerned looks, and took off after Chris. They came to a stumbling halt just inside Phoebe's room. Chris was sitting beside Marni, stroking her face gently. He looked like he had tears in his eyes.
Mari didn't even stir. Her eyes remained closed, and she remained still. Chris turned to look at the sisters. "What happened?"
"She said it was a future demon," Phoebe explained. "Some kind of poison..."
Chris cursed, checking Marni over for wounds. He lowered the covers and lifted her shirt, finally spotting the white bandage. He cursed again.
"She said some big bad had the antidote," Paige said. "But we were kinda hoping you'd know what it is..." she trailed off at his pained expression.
"No, I don't," Chris said sullenly. "I can only guess at the ingredients." He hung his head, gripping Marni's hand.
"Chris?" Marni's voice was soft and week.
"I'm here," he said gently, leaning closer. "I'm here."
"How?" she croaked, tears slipping down her face. "I failed you... I'm so sorry!"
"No," Chris scolded her. "You didn't fail me, sweetie. I won't let Him win. We'll fix this. I promise."
Marni tried to respond, but she had no energy. She gasped, wincing in pain, then fell still.
"Marni?" Chris asked, shaking her gently. "Marni?" No response. He stood, stepping back. He cursed, punching the wall – so hard, his hand went right through it.
"Oh my god!" Phoebe ran forward, helping him pull his hand free. It was covered in blood, his knuckles cut up.
Chris yanked away from Phoebe, storming out of the room.
"Guys..." Paige said, from by Marni's side. When Piper and Phoebe looked at her, she shook her head. "Marni... She's gone."
