You seem to know what you want and I only do as you wish. Most of the time, yet it seems to work. Somehow. Good to know then. :D
I thank all my readers and all who put me on alert! Yet I see you keep me busy then.
Wow, you seem to like this story more than my others but I can live with that! Definitely!
Here comes now the one with our little manticore baby. LOL
Disclaimer for all chapters: I don't own anything. Just the persons you might have never heard of.
Summary: Wyatt's sending his best assassin back in time, yet Zankou then starts his own plan – with the brothers. Meanwhile Chris has to face a lot which leads him into trouble. There are some close calls over time.
Chris' revelation story – second cut!
9. A Friend For Life
TROUBLE IN PARADISE?
Phoebe was fuming, yet she had to calm herself as being called by Jason lately, saying they'd meet in a short time. Her anger was caused by her older sister who had refused to talk with her about Chris. That could only mean she now knew as well his secret. And her baby sister wouldn't help her.
"God, if only I could prove my theory," the middle sister complained while dressing herself. "With time, with time," she promised.
In another room Leo had been arguing with Chris if they both should go 'Up There' and talk with the Elders as it'd been their wish from the start. After some hesitation Chris had agreed and immediately both of them had orbed, leaving the sisters to their own business, yet they'd had to promise Piper to be called if need be.
Now Phoebe was sitting in a nice restaurant, waiting for Jason to arrive. Her anger was suppressed and she'd enjoy her time with her lover. But he was a bit overdue.
"Hey," Jason Dean greeted her, kissing her on the lips. "You look troubled. Problems at home?"
"I wish I could tell you. Believe me," Phoebe replied, looking at him totally in love. "By the way, we should focus more on you than me. You called me, remember?"
He leaned back and explained, "I know. You see I've got an amazing call from Italy where I can buy now the winery of my Grandpa. I've always wanted that."
"That's great, Jason. Really."
"This is an opportunity I can't waste, Phoebe." Jason returned to his old position and leaned closer to his woman. "Well, flying around the world is nothing compared with the love of a woman."
Phoebe looked him directly into his eyes. "I know. I love you too."
"What?" Jason asked bewildered. "I love you too?"
Phoebe couldn't say anything. Way to put her foot in it. "Yeah, well," she started nervously but then suddenly a shadow was over them. "Paige?"
Paige smiled at them. "Hi. Hello Jason." She grabbed her older sister by the hand. "I'm sorry but I need to take Phoebe with me. She's needed. Our other sister needs us."
"Right," Jason only stated and looked after the fleeing sisters.
"Thank God, you've saved me," Phoebe said to her baby sister. "What's up with Piper?"
"When we're there," Paige only offered and orbed both of them to a power station where their older sister was in hiding and watched a weird demon eating another one.
MEANWHILE UP THERE
As father and son reformed, they were met with two separated groups of Elders who seemed to be in a deep argument over something. Looking at each other, Leo and Chris waited for anybody to notice them. What didn't happen. Chris just crossed his arms over his chest as this was so typical for the Elders.
Leo cleared his throat what made the others turn to him. "Excuse me? I thought we'd have a normal discussion here about me and Chris, not without us."
Roland walked over quickly and offered them quietly, "Be careful! Gideon is on a hunt and he's out on you as if knowing who you are. I don't want to disturb the timeline too much."
Leo eyed the trio of Elders suspiciously and turned to his friend. "I know, Roland. Though I have some suspicions of my own. Toward Gideon but I have no proof yet."
"You should confront him if necessary," Roland suggested. He saw how the others walked into the room where their meeting was. "I'll leave now. Just be careful!" And he was gone.
Father and son made their way confidently in the room as they were confronted with Gideon, Odin and Sigmund who sat at the opposite table. Smiling what gave them a bad feeling.
All of a sudden Chris looked up. "The sisters are calling me. Can you hold them at bay?" His father nodded. "Don't worry. I'll be back." Chris orbed away.
"Leo? What's going on?" Gideon wanted to know. "Where did Chris orb to?"
"The Charmed Ones need him but he'll be back. So, give him some time," Leo offered with a glare. "I'm sure you can wait a bit longer until he returns."
"Okay," Odin agreed and gave his other colleagues a signal to stay quiet and wait.
Leo put his hands on the table and tried to read the others' faces as if he'd find out what they were up to.
BACK TO THE SISTERS
After having watched how the unknown creature had eaten, the three sisters were disgusted at the behavior. All three gasped what turned the demon's attention to them.
"Ugh, what now?" Paige asked.
"Still," Phoebe put in. "This was awful."
"I don't care. At least, if one demon eats another, it's fine with me," Piper agreed.
As the creature came closer and Piper's powers didn't work, the three sisters stepped back afraid. Not knowing what else to do, Paige called for the mains over them.
"Mains!" And those immediately electrocuted the demon and made him to ash. "Wow. That was weird and a strong demon."
"Now that's done, we should go home," the eldest suggested. Then they heard a whimper. "What's that?"
All three sisters walked back and found a bundle. Piper slowly drew the blanket and they saw a baby who had a split tongue what startled the three women.
"That's something anew," Paige commented dryly.
Piper only grabbed the bundle and gave her baby sisters the signal to orb back to the Manor where she immediately put the baby to Wyatt in the playpen and called for Chris.
"What's up?" he asked. "I'll need to hurry. The Elders are totally insane."
"I agree," Piper said. "But we have a slight problem. We've vanquished the wanted demon but found a baby left." She gestured to the playpen behind him.
Phoebe and Paige watched him curiously as Chris turned around and then suddenly smiled. "I take it you know the baby well?" Phoebe suggested while her baby sister nodded.
"Indeed," Chris agreed, still smiling. "He's harmless and one of my best friends in the future."
"Can you give us some information?" his mother asked, smiling as well. "We'd like to help the baby as well and know what we're dealing with."
Chris ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "Alright but only this once." He winced as a jingle was heard. "The Elders. Okay, cliff note version. The baby is half manticore. His relatives are very hungry and they have a loud scream what they hear anywhere. His father, Derek, has experimented with some potions and now looks like a beast." The jingle increased.
"How can we help him?" Phoebe asked horrified.
"Help him with his son!" Chris only offered before quickly orbing away.
Piper clapped her hands. "Okay, you heard the man. We've got work to do. Wyatt will protect his new friend." The younger sisters groaned at those words. "No excuses allowed! Vanamos!" She grinned at her sisters, knowing more than they did and hoping, her men could solve their problem 'Up There'.
IN HEAVEN
While Leo waited patiently, Gideon wanted to create facts and called the boy back. "Chris! Come back!" he yelled, startling Leo who looked angry at him. "Chris!" No answer. "Chris! Right now!"
Before Leo could protest, orbs came and Chris put his one hand in his ear. "I've heard you the first time, you know. I'm not deaf," Chris replied with heavy sarcasm. "The sisters just asked for my guidance with a half demonic baby."
"I see." Odin looked at his two colleagues. "I take it they won't call you again, will they?"
Chris shrugged and sat beside his father. "I don't know if they call, though it might happen if they find Derek. But we're here for a different reason, aren't we?"
"Agreed," Gideon spoke up. He went through some papers. "So, young man, what's your purpose for going back in time? It seems to me you have forgotten that there are rules to follow."
"And here I thought the Elders were all-knowing," Chris spit back. "Well, if you need to know, it's Wyatt I came back to save from turning evil. Happy?"
"Why did he turn?" Odin continued the questions. "Can you answer this question maybe? Would be helpful for our own research."
Leo looked suspiciously at his colleagues, not trusting them one a bit. He had to help his son. "I'm sure if he knew, he'd be gone already back to the future. Why are you so interested in this if you don't mind?"
"That doesn't matter, Leo," Gideon interjected and redirected the attention to Chris. "Now answer the questions Odin had asked."
Chris sighed. "Leo's right. As he'd said, if I knew, I'd be gone already." He looked now directly at them. "The only thing I know is that whatever happened to Wyatt happens during my birth."
"Right. What else?" Gideon continued. It seemed to the others, Sigmund was only a listener here. "Answer!" he demanded furiously.
Chris swallowed hard but felt a warm hand on his back. It was Leo's. "Well," he began nervously. "After an Event what I won't explain to you, Wyatt changed slowly. Grandpa helped me during this time, yet for Wyatt the most important thing is power!" Chris started to sob.
"Power?" Odin requested shocked and looked at Gideon.
"I don't know where he got it from." With tears in his eyes, his anger rose. "Should I maybe ask you, Gideon, for an answer? Answer me, damn it!"
The three Elders remained silent and without any more words spoken, they left the room. For an outsider, it looked like those three men were guilty in that obvious case.
Leo had seen it but at the moment, his baby boy needed him more. Tears were rolling down Chris' cheek. "Hey buddy, it's okay. Shsh." He drew Chris' head to his chest. "I promise we'll get them. They'll pay for hurting you and Wyatt. Shsh, buddy."
"You really promise?" his youngest son requested afraid.
Leo kissed his son's head. "I promise. I really do, because from now on you'll have my support. As well as Piper's." He looked at his son. "Should we return home?"
Chris shook his head. "Not yet." He wiped his tears away but stayed close to his Dad. "Still need some time to recover. You be here?"
"Of course," Leo immediately agreed and just gave his son a silent support. He'd wait for him. All the time if wanted. For the father, it was clear that his boys and family would always come first. No matter what.
MEANWHILE AT THE MANOR
The two babies were playing together in the playpen happily as the three sisters were fighting with the ugly relatives of the manticore baby. Half manticore. Unfortunately, those creatures were in the majority and their potions didn't work yet, because they weren't strong enough.
"Guys? Any ideas?" Piper wanted to know as her powers wouldn't work on them. "I'm open for any suggestions."
"If we had any, Piper, we'd let you know," Phoebe yelled back as she hid behind the couch.
"If only we could find this Derek Chris had mentioned," Paige put in. "Could we get the baby to scream once?"
"I don't know," Piper continued like in trance and turned her gaze to the kids. As if reading her mind, the little boy turned to her and … screamed. A short time later, another creature appeared what looked really like a beast. "This must be Derek," she let her sisters know.
"Freeze him?" Phoebe suggested.
"Eh … guys," Paige said, gesturing to the fighting demons. "I think we shouldn't intervene as they're solving it alone."
All three sisters watched a bit fascinated the fight in their attic where it seemed that the manticores had the upper hand against Derek who fought back as hard as he could. Yet they could see he was losing it as he fell, the sisters gasped.
"Oh my God!" Piper shrieked and held the hands before her mouth. Seeing the manticores shimmer away, the eldest took charge and demanded, "You two! Work on the potions!"
"Piper?" Phoebe asked bewildered whereas Paige did as told. The middle sister wanted to help but had still the problem with Jason ahead for her.
"Just do it!" the eldest sister demanded angrily and Phoebe reacted finally. She ran while Piper called for her men, "Leo! Chris! It's Derek. He needs healing!"
SHORT CUT TO HEAVEN
"Piper's calling," Leo announced, feeling Chris nod against his chest. "You heard it too, huh? Anyway, who's Derek?"
"The father of a very good friend of mine and Wyatt's. Derek is mortal but his son is actually half manticore. I'll explain later," Chris offered. "We should go!"
"If you say so," Leo said smiling and orbed, knowing his son would follow.
BACK AT THE MANOR
As father and son reformed, they heard a relieved sigh what made the younger man shove his father immediately to the injured man while he himself turned towards the playpen where Wyatt and the baby sat playing.
"Oh, thank God," Piper exclaimed while Leo healed the man. "Chris, am I right that that is Derek? You said the baby is your best friend, right?"
"Yes," Chris agreed, standing at the playpen. "Yet I think you should make a strike against the manticores, just in case."
"Agreed," Derek said after being healed. "The manticores are pairing with humans. To live under them unnoticed, so my son means no harm."
"I know. We've been informed by Chris," Piper said and gestured to her baby boy. "Do you need some baby clothes maybe?"
A slight panic gripped Chris by those words but only Derek laughed. "Well, if you need to know, it'd be only a few clothes and a stroller." Derek gestured to the young man behind him. "I don't think he likes it. Care to share why?"
Chris was shaking his head and so Leo offered, "If we tell you, you wouldn't believe it! It involves time travel and in this family, this is normal!"
"Piper, we're ready!" Phoebe's voice came from upstairs.
"Okay, we'll make it short." Piper gave Leo a quick kiss before joining her sisters. "And you two will give Derek his wanted clothes and the stroller!"
The three men looked awkwardly at each other before Leo did what his wife had wanted while Derek and Chris watched the playing boys.
"So you know my son?" Derek asked casually and looked at the young man. "Do you think we can separate them?"
"Don't worry, Derek. You're a close friend to this family," Chris offered and heard Leo coming back. "Ah, here comes your stuff. Enjoy!" Chris walked away.
Leo and Derek exchanged the stuff and Derek's son immediately shimmered into the stroller, smiling at his Dad. Saying good-bye, Derek left the house with his son. Leo looked after his youngest son who seemed to think about something and he'd let him, so the father took care of his eldest.
WITH THE SISTERS
In the underworld, the three Charmed Ones had quickly found the lair of the manticores where those creatures were already eating another demon again what disgusted the three sisters terribly. The women gasped.
The gasp got the attention of the manticores who turned to them and were about to fight, yet they didn't come far. The moment they stood up, they were hit with the strongest potion the witches had made.
As the explosive spectacle was over, all three witches sighed relieved. Phoebe dusted herself off and spoke to her sisters, "Okay, I'll need to leave now. Jason may fly to Italy before I could solve my dilemma."
"Okay," Piper agreed. "Paige, please back home!" She grabbed her baby sister's hand and all three returned.
AT THE MANOR
When they were back, Phoebe immediately left the house to speak with Jason while Paige decided to phone Richard and just talk with him about their life. Piper, instead, looked for her husband and babies.
"Leo? Wyatt? Chris?" she called out.
"In here," Leo's voice came from the conservatory where she found him with their son. "Hi. How did it go?"
"Very good." She walked over to him. "Where's Chris?"
"I think he needs some alone time. Thinking about the future, Zankou and Wyatt. Though he has us but we're not his known family yet." Leo kissed his wife. "Give him some time."
"Okay," Piper agreed hesitantly. "I don't like it but I'll wait. Let's play with Wyatt." And mother and father entertained their elder son.
AT THE BAY MIRROR
As Phoebe entered the main office, she saw Jason standing there. Shyly and looking absolutely adorable. She smiled at him. "I thought you were already in Italy? Buying the winery?"
"It's still there tomorrow but I thought you'd be gone then, Phoebe," Jason replied shyly. "I know we men don't like to talk about our feelings but I'd like to say them myself."
"I know and I'm sorry. I didn't want to corner you." Phoebe walked closer and into his offered embrace. "So what'd you say?"
"I love you too." And Jason kissed his beloved woman.
MEANWHILE IN THE FUTURE
Wyatt was satisfied as he walked down to his deepest jail where his latest victim was. Oh, he looked forward to torture her if only to satisfy himself or to let his brother know. Reaching his goal, the Twice-Blessed kicked the Phoenix.
"Hello Wyatt," Bianca greeted her 'guest' glaring. "What do you want from me?"
"I take it you know that I know where my dear brother is. In the past, trying to 'save' me from turning evil. Like I need to be saved," Wyatt spat out, smiling.
"Have you maybe looked outside your building? Your demons are ramping around and the normal people, who belong in this world more than we do, are in hiding! You want to explain this to me?" Bianca yelled. Still her opposite stayed calm what she didn't like. "What do you have in mind?"
"You are right, Bianca. I do have something in mind what, unfortunately, doesn't involve you. You're going to lend me your powers though as I know, you're engaged to my baby brother."
"No! Whatever you're planning, I'm not helping you in any way! Never!" Bianca yelled and turned away.
"We'll see, woman. We'll see," Wyatt said and started to leave the jail. He turned around once more. "It'll be over very soon. For you." The leader of the world left the jail and planned his new steps: For himself, Bianca and his baby brother.
TBC ...
You know where this is leading to ...
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