Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the characters I created. I don't get any money out of this.

Don't get me wrong, I like Piper, really. She's just so stern and serious and pessimistic and stubborn and bossy, sometimes.

There's a bit of romance in that chapter. Don't worry that will be over soon. Drama is on its way!

Enjoy!

Chapter 11

Chris heard his mother calling for him for the third time now. He decided to finally answer her.

Since she knew about Mist, Piper hadn't talked to him much. It was difficult for her to accept that her son was together with a Valkyrie. Another witch, she could understand and even approve. Even a whitelighter was okay with her. But a Valkyrie. This was unbelievable. Piper was pretty sure, that the Elders wouldn't agree to this and that they'd put Chris through hell, just like they did with her and Leo. All Piper ever wanted for her sons was to be happy. There was no way, she would watch one of her boys suffer.

"Mum, you called me?" Chris sat down opposite her at the dining table.

"Three times, actually. Didn't you hear me?" This was a rethorical question. Piper knew that he had heard her but had ignored her. "Leo told me, that you plan on attending college again."

"I told him to tell you. I'll do if they accept me, that's it."

Piper smiled. "Well, I have to admit, I'm surprised. That's really great, sweety. And I promise you, that your father and I will support you 100 percent. Not only financially."

"Really? I don't need your money, though. I got a job offer."

"I'm impressed. I told you, everything will work out."

"Don't get to worked up about it. It's only work in a shop."

"Don't be so modest. That's is really great. I'm proud of you."

"Finally," Chris muttered but Piper didn't hear it.

"Where is that shop and how did you get the job?"

"It's a shop that sells magical stuff. Before you are all too disappointed, it's not real magic stuff – at least most of it. The girl that works there, told me, her aunt is the owner. Neither of them seems to be witches."

Piper took a sip form her tea. No, she wasn't happy about this. But she couldn't disapprove again. She knew, that Chris was really trying. "That's okay. I mean, a job is a job. If it was a book store, it'll be the same." Almost.

"Wow, mum, you should trink this tea more often. It makes you so understandable towards me. I'm not sick or anything?"

Piper frownd. "Don't be so sarcastic. I'm really happy for you, that you found something, you are interested in. "

Chris nodded. For some reason he wasn't convinced about the reaction of his mother. "Well, then, thanks." He intended to stand up but Piper took hold of his arm.

"Tell me about that girl from the store."

"Cathrin? She studies science, that's why I got this idea. She told me, that you can explain everything magical with science. Do you know, that your freezing is only a slowing down of molecules?"

"No, I didn't. Just, that I get this right, you want to study science?"

"Yes."

"Because this girl, Cathrin, told you about it?"

"Yes."

"Oh, that's good. What else does she do?"

"I don't know much about her. We only talked like half an hour. But…" Chris stopped. "Whoa, hold on. Why are you so interested in a girl, I barely know?"

"I'm not," Piper answered repulsingly. "I just want to know, who you spend your time with?"

Chris nodded. "But I'm not spending my time with Cathrin."

"If you work together, then you spend time with each other."

"Yeah, right, and maybe we fall in deep, passionate love."

"Maybe. Who knows? Cathrin seems to like you. And she obviously influenced you."

Chris got up. "You know, mum, maybe she influenced me a bit regarding college. But there's no way, that she has any say in my life."

"Chris, all I'm saying…"

"I know what you are saying. It's pretty obvious. All I'm saying is, that you may can take away my powers. But you will not take persons away from me."

"Don't be so stubborn. What do you know, about the complications a relationship like that will bring with it? I'm only trying to protect you."

"You can't protect me from everything!" Chris yelled. "I rather get hurt than not being together with Mist."

Piper sighted. "Okay, if that is how you feel. But don't expect any help from me, if you get into trouble with your precious Elders about that."

"I don't expect any help from you anymore."

"You are losing your son!" Phoebe exclaimed. "You practically drive him away."

"And you don't even know, how serious this relationship is," Paige added.

After the discussion with Chris, Piper had to meet her sisters. Her sons behaviour towards her, had made her sad. All the years, they got along so great. Unlike Wyatt, Chris never had a rebellious phase towards her. Not until now.

"Do you remember when Future Chris was with us? Can you remember the look he always gave Leo? Today, our Chris looked at me exactly like this. He hates me."

Phoebe looked at Paige. Of course, they remembered Future Chris. Phoebe had even felt his anger and hate towards Leo, but also his love towards his mother. Leo was really devasted, when he learnt about his issues in the future with his youngest son. This future had changed and Leo was a great father. And in this timeline, it seemed like now Piper was the one who could not understand Chris.

"But you can not compare these two Chris with each other. They have an absolutely different background," Paige tried to console her oldest sister.

Phoebe nodded. "She's right. I don't think, that Chris hates you. He's just angry with you, right now."

"I know, I'm the youngest sister and my kids are just in puberty, but can I give you some advice?"

Piper nodded.

"Let him meet with his Valkyrie, maybe you should even invite her for dinner. That's a better way, then to forbid him anything."

Phoebe frowned. It was true, normally children do the things their partent forbid them even more. But Chris was not a child anymore. "Can I give you an advice, too? When I saw them together, I could feel a deep love. And maybe you should get used to the thought, that your son is a man now, and will meet and be together with whoever he wants. And I can tell you, not as an empath, but as an aunt, that this girl is who he wants. I could see it."

"I' afraid you are right," Piper said. She sighted deeply. "But I don't need to like it. But I guess, I can tolerate it. Somehow."

"At least, it's not a assassin witch, this time," Paige said.

Chris had hidden in the basement. After the argument with his mother, he suddenly felt the same insecurities like weeks before. And he decided, that he wouldn't go on like that. Now, was the right time to console the higher powers. "WYATT!"

Wyatt orbed into the basement next to his brother. There were five burning candles and it smelled after sandalwood. "What are you doing?"

Chris gave him a look. "What do you think, I'm doing?"

"Summoning Grams?"

"No!" Chris shook his head. "Are you crazy?" Chris never summoned his great grandmother. When he was a little boy, his hamster died and Chris was so sad about it, that he summoned Merlin – the hamster, not the magician – but it somehow went wrong and suddenly Grams was standing before him and his older brother, who should have kept an eye on his parents, so they wouldn't enter the attic. The dead witch wasn't angry at all. She was proud that her little great grandson, who was only six years old, had summoned her. But Piper wasn't amused at all. And Chris himself wasn't either. He wanted to see his hamster again and not his great grandmother. He was close to crying as his mother scolded him, when suddenly Wyatt yelled. He had discovered Merlin, indeed. The little transparent animal ran out of the circle of candles and got a body again. Chris was really sad, when all his family told him, that he couldn't keep Merlin anymore, because he now belonged to another place, but Grams convinced him, that she'll take good care of his pet. Anyway, since this time, Chris didn't summoned Grams or any other dead relative for that matter.

"I want to look into my future."

"Oh, of course. How could I not think about that," Wyatt replied sarcastic.

Chris sat down inside the circle of candles, gesturing his brother to join him. Wyatt was really confused.

"Chris, you don't have any powers."

"No, shit. I don't think, I need them. I bought a book in the store, in which it is exactly described how to do that. And the book is written from a mortal for mortals."

"The store that sells the magic stuff to mortals. The shop you are going to work in. The shop from which you said, the stuff there is for shit."

"Yes."

Wyatt sat down. "What do you need me for then?"

"This will never work. But I think, that it may work, if a witch is saying the spell. With other words you. You cast the spell with me."

Wyatt sighted. "I might loose my job. My boss hates me. And you really expect me to help you taking a look into your future. You know, even if you were a witch, I wouldn't agree to that. I mean, it's always a risk to force a vision."

"Wyatt, this is mortally magic. Don't wet yourself."

Wyatt snorted. "Okay. On your risk."

Wyatt took his brother's hand.

Wind, water, earth and fire

Show me my future

As it is my greatest desire

"Okay, that really was a simple spell. Chris?" Wyatt watched his brother carefully. He didn't really believe that this spell could do any harm, but you could never be sure. "Chris? Are you alright?" But he didn't got an answer. Chris' eyes were closed. But his face showed that he was relaxed. And then he smiled. A genuine and content smile. "Chris?" His younger brother opened his eyes. "Are you okay?"

Chris nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."

"What did you see?"

Chris shrugged. "Nothing."

"Don't lie to me. Well, whatever it was, you seemed really happy."

"I was."

"Are you sure, that this was really your future? I mean, the spell said, that you wanted to see, what you desire."

"Even if it was only what I desired, now that I know what I desire, I can make it happen."

Wyatt nodded. He saw that his brother was absolutely convinced. And because he looked so happy, Wyatt could only hope that whatever Chris saw will happen.

The little island in the Indian Ocean was so beautiful, it was a shame that so less people were allowed to come here. The trees and bushes were a full green and there were flowers in every colour you could imagine.

Mist wandered around the rich forest, when the vortex before her appeared, she wasn't surprised at all to see Chris exiting it.

He looked nervous and immediately, she felt so also. He greeted her with a light kiss on the cheek.

"I don't have too much time, I'm sorry. But I really need to tell you something," he said. He observed the place, trying to figure out what he was going to say.

"Then you better hurry."

"Okay, listen." He avoided her gaze for a moment. "Okay, I love you and I really like spending time with you…"

"And…" She saw him hesitating. "But…"

"I want to be together with you."

Mist frowned. "I don't understand."

"I mean, I want to be together with you like always. You know?"

She smiled. "I think so."

"The problem is, as things are going now, we can not be together. Unless one of us gives up his life. Not, giving up like giving up, but…you know."

She didn't really. "Chris, Valkyries only bring the best warriors here. And you are not. I mean, you are, sort of, but it's not your destiny. I'm mean, if you die, you won't come here. You just die."

Chris looked into her eyes. "I know that. That's not what I was going to say. I don't want to die. I could do without my powers but still…" he trailed off.

"But still, I'll be in Valhalla." She turned around.

"All I'm saying is, that we have to give serious thought how we manage that."

She nodded. She had known, that this time would come, when they had to have this talk. But she didn't know how much it hurts to think about possibly losing someone. "I know. We'll handle it, right?"

"Of course. I mean, I will do everything because I love you. And you…"

"Oh, I love you, too. At least, I think so. I mean, I have never loved someone before. But I know that I never felt about someone like I do for you."

"Good," Chris couldn't hide the relief in his voice making Mist grin. "I think, as long as we think about a solution, we should…"

"…not see eacht other."

"What?" Chris exclaimed shocked. "Why?"

"I thought, you were going to say that!" Mist replied protectivly.

"No! Why should I say that. God! Don't scare me. No, I was going to say, that you shouldn't come to the Manor. I'll come to you."

"Oh," Mist blushed. Very unlikely for a Valkyrie. But she regained control over her feelings very quickly. "How much time do you have left?"

Chris didn't even looked on his watch but embraced her. The young man knew, that this'll become a hard time. The only way, they could stay together, without anyone giving them trouble, was if Mist would become mortal. For some reason, Chris couldn't imagine that she'll do it. She was a Valkyrie after all and they were not noted for doing something for a man. Moreover, the young woman had never lived outside Valhalla. And who would leave a paradise like that to spend his life in a city like San Franciso. Maybe, it was even unfair to purpose, that she'll leave her home.

But then again, he had seen the future. He knew, what will happen. But could you trust a spell out of a colourful ilustrated book.

Thanks everyone for reviewing. It really makes me happy, that you take your time to write me your opinion.

Marcus1233: Are you still with me ;-) as I'm still breathing!