Chapter Eleven: Blood Ties

It was morning in the Halliwell manor and Melinda Halliwell stood in the attic, flicking through the Book of Shadows. She had not slept well during the night. Although her mother was alive and well in this time period, her father was seemingly missing she had not slept well knowing that her father was out there somewhere. As soon as she had awoke, she had rushed to the Book of Shadows to look for a spell or ritual that would reunite her family with her missing father.

Piper came into the attic and gazed her daughter. There was a part of her that could see herself in her daughter but the threat Melinda had mentioned was not too far from her mind. She couldn't help but wonder if the threat Melinda spoke of was responsible for the loss of her husband. She walked in greeting her daughter.

"Melinda," Piper frowned as she looked at her daughter, flicking through page after page. "What are you doing up this early?"

"I couldn't sleep with dad and all," The young woman trailed off. " but I've got an idea on how to find him." Piper eyed Melinda curiously, she didn't know what her daughter was planning but if it would get her father and her husband back then there was some hope.

"Dad's mortal right?" Melinda asked rhetorically.

"Yes." Piper replied. "Its harder to track mortals. That's why I'm looking for this specific entry." Melinda continued to flick through their ancestral tome with ease until she suddenly stopped and looked down at the page before her.

Piper came round the podium to look at what had caught her daughters attention, her eyes widened as she read the passage on the page.

...

At Phoebe's condo Prudence rose from her slumber, the young Halliwell had awoken to the smell of a cooked breakfast and then she noticed her mother was in the kitchen. The night before Prue had explained to her mother that she was her first-born, much to Phoebe's delight. Mother and daughter had bonded over the course of the night and in the end, Prue had fallen asleep on the couch.

Her mother had explained to her how proud she was of her daughter before her birth much to her surprise. Although the two had bonded, Prue still kept secrets about the future trying to avoid any unforeseen future consequences that could happen from revealing to much. She had hidden the fact that she was not Phoebe only daughter and as much as it pained her she wished her sisters had been here to enjoy their mother's company.

She rose from the couch with a yawn, wearing an spare shirt she had borrowed from her mother and some pyjama bottoms. Her other clothes had been put in the wash and it was pleasant surprise to be awoken by the smell of a nicely cooked breakfast. Prue walked into the kitchen and was greet with her mother's smile.

"Morning, Prue."

"Morning..Mom." The young Halliwell had forgotten how good it felt to call someone Mom. Her mother had been gone for so long she had almost forgotten her face.

Phoebe turned around with a pan in her hand. "Bacon? Eggs? Toast? I may not be like Piper but I can cook once in a while.." Phoebe dished out the contents of pan on to some plates at the kitchen table. Prue couldn't help notice how chirpy her mother was and she decided to go along with her mother's breakfast surprise.

Phoebe handed her a plate and both women moved to the kitchen table, feasting on the breakfast.

"So where's Dad?" Prue enquired at the breakfast table.

"Your father had a few charges to tend too, he will be back soon." Phoebe explained easily.

Prue's eyes fell down to the table and then she noticed something, something that stood out. Being the cupid she was, she would had noticed it any where. It an engagement ring on her mother's hand. A sure sign of her parents commitment to each other and their love.

"You're getting married!" Her eyes widened with joy as her mother's smile mirrored her own.

...

At the Mitchell-Matthews apartment, Henry Mitchell junior awoke from his slumber on the couch. His eyes flickered until he realized who stood before him, it was his father. "Morning, junior." His father had taken the news about his son quite well, not to mention the two had stayed up talking about each other and their interest. Unlike his mother, his father seemed to welcome the fact that he was around. His mother's awkwardness had not gone unnoticed by him and he couldn't help but think that his mother didn't want him around. When Henry junior didn't move, his father tossed a pillow at his head in a playful manner.

"Morning Dad," He replied half awake.

"Your mother told me to wake you before I left." Henry Mitchell senior explained as he headed for the apartment door. Junior rose from the couch and greeted his father good bye as he left. He knew his father had to work for the day and it was no surprise but he wondered why his father had been the one to wake him. His mother was no where in site so he guessed he was stuck in the apartment. Henry junior had borrowed a large t-shirt and some slacks from his father for the night and he could only assume his mother had put his clothes somewhere.

He strolled around the apartment, glancing from the photos that his parents had around the living room. His eyes caught sight of one taken on his parents wedding day. He took the photo frame in his hand looking from both his parents. Smiling carelessly as if they had not a care in the world. It reminded him of the future he had come from, a future where his parents had been great and perfect.

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the jingle of orbs. The dark-haired man turned around in time to see his mother, Paige Matthews materialise into the apartment. "Good, your awake Henry." Paige greeted him, she still felt awkward speaking to or even looking at her future son. She could see her husband in him and it was obvious that their son had bonded more with his father than her.

Herself and Henry still hadn't spoken about their decision, it was obvious to her now more than ever that Henry wanted to start a family but she still worried about her independence. She had just found herself and her sisters, she had some stability between being a Witch, Whitelighter and a Wife. Now, Henry wanted her to become something else, a Mother. Paige had never considered herself the maternal type and now her worries seemed to consume her with Henry and Henry junior's sudden appearance.

"Morning, Mom," He replied.

Paige noticed that the young man held a photo frame eyeing it curiously, she approached her son. Attempting to push her maternal doubts to the back of her head.

"What you got there?"

Henry gazed down mournfully at the photo in the frame and held out the photo frame to his mother. Paige could not help see the hurt in her son's baby blue eyes and tried to break the ice.

"Henry, is there something wrong?" She enquired.

"No..not at all." He tried to brush off his mother's questioning.

"You sure?" Paige pressed on, attempting to find the truth.

"Erh... I noticed that you and Dad haven't really spoken since I got here." He began. "Is it something to do with me?"

Paige was struck by frankness of the question. She had not thought Henry was so insightful on the issues that she shared with his father, not to mention she felt a tinge of guilt at the thought that here son was so aware of the atmosphere. Paige finally found the words she wanted to say and decided it was best if she was honest too. "No," She began trying to explain. If their son was so insightful in the future it would be hard to keep anything hidden from him.

"Me and your father are just having a few issues." Without realising it, Paige found that her hand was on the young man's shoulder in a notion of comfort.

Henry seemed to react to this with his face brightening from his sombre mood.

"In the future, you and Dad. You're just so close, you have...you had an understanding." He explained. Paige's heart lightened at the sound of those words. Maybe there was hope for her and Henry senior yet.

Paige sighed maybe it was time she voiced her own concerns. "Right now. Your father and I have different views. I just don't think I'll make a good mother..."

Henry's bluey gaze fell upon his mother. The same mother who had raised him in the future and granted that he was his parents first born, her words stung as he took offence. Before Paige could correct her mistake, her future son was consumed by cloudy orbs as he disappeared.

"Way to go, Paige." She said slapping herself mentally. You just had to tell your son. You never wanted to be a mother. She thought to herself. After a second, Paige disappeared in her own swirl orbs.

...

Phoebe sat at the breakfast table, as her daughter admired her mother's engagement ring. "Yes. We are getting married and we haven't set a date."

Prue stopped admiring the ring as if in thought and then replied. "Well, I'm glad Dad finally popped the question. The sooner you get married the sooner I come around." Prue gave her mother a knowing wink.

Her mother knew what she was referring too, a year before Phoebe had received a vision where she had spoken to her future self about the daughter she was destined to have and now the same daughter sat across the table, with a grin. Destiny still had a few surprises in store for the Charmed One, not to mention she hadn't seen this coming premonition or no premonition.

Phoebe's mind wandered to her sisters and how they were getting on with Henry junior and Melinda. She could only assume that her sisters had taken the opportunity of getting to know their children, especially Piper. Prudence had explained it was Melinda's idea to come back and change the future but with Leo missing Phoebe could help think her sister was vulnerable. Not to mention that she had kept the good news of her engagement away from Piper. The Charmed One may have the ability to see the future but she couldn't predict Piper's reaction. Would she be happy for her? Or would it make Piper miserable? Phoebe did not know.

Prudence seemed to pick up on her mother's doubts and turned her attention away from her plate to her mother. "Mom, what's wrong?" Prue enquired as she turned her attention from her eggs.

"It's nothing."

"I may not be clairvoyant but I can feel your doubts." Prue said, putting her hand to her forehead for emphasis on her power. The young Halliwell had taken after her mother and possessed her mother's gift of Empathy.

Phoebe felt her on annoyance rise slightly but she could not blame her daughter. She guessed she was getting a taste of her own medicine. The Halliwells had gone crazy when she had first developed the power, she would always act upon their feelings making them somewhat annoyed. She decided to be honest with her daughter as she was more than likely to find out what was bothering her.

"Its the engagement, I don't know how to break it to Piper with Leo and all..."Phoebe confessed, the issue had been bothering her for sometime.

Prue fell into thought, her cupid instincts reacting to this news. " I think you should tell Aunt Piper."

Phoebe sat and listened to her daughter, seemingly her daughter had inherited her talent for giving out advice and Phoebe found it strange receiving advice from a daughter who wasn't even born yet.

"No matter what, Aunt Piper's your sister and will be happy for you" Prue explained "She's just having it tough without Uncle Leo."

Phoebe considered her dilemma and then came to same conclusion her daughter did. She had to tell Piper about her engagement. There was enough talk of this threat and the Halliwells could do with some pleasant news. "Thanks ."

"Just ask Prue." The young Halliwell answered with a grin as she went back to her breakfast.

...

On the Golden Gate Bridge orbs materialised taking the forming of Paige Matthews, she had orbed all over San Francisco looking for her son. The son that had come from the future to save them all. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath attempting to focus her Whitelighter half and sensing powers. Her power called out to her son attempting to find his location but all she got was the same location. The Golden Gate Bridge. He was here.

Paige looked around the structure trying to see any sign of her future son. He had orbed out so fast Paige worried where her son could be. Her sensing powers was picking up his presence but there was no visible sign of him anywhere. Paige cursed her self under her breath. She had to screw up the opportunity to meet her future son.

"Henry, I know your here. Please can we just talk." Paige pleaded.

Paige heard no reply, her son had obviously inherited the Halliwell's stubbornness because he said nothing. It was a trait she was familiar with so she had not choice but to try and get through to her son. She could still sense his presence which meant that Henry was here, invisible. With that, Paige began to find the words for a spell, it was the only way she could talk to him face to face and get through to him.

"Out of sight, of out of mind,

Reveal the son I wish to find,

Show him well for he can not hide,

The power of invisibility I wish to bind! "

The spell was accompanied by a sudden gust of wind, signifying it was successful and before her eyes Henry junior appeared from beneath his shroud of invisibility. The young man was obviously still upset with her but she really needed to talk to him.

"I'm sorry," Paige blurted out. Henry's blue gaze did not move from his mother. " It's just – It's just I don't think I'll make a good mother." Paige confessed.

Her fears had consumed her, sure she was happy to be a good aunt to Wyatt and Chris but she had never considered having children so soon, not to mention they would be magickal. The added stress of raising magickal children was troublesome, with Wyatt they had risked exposure and had went against the Cleaners.

Henry gaze seemed to lighten as he realised his mother's fears. "You know you made a good Mom in the future and even better aunt." Henry face brightened as he tried to ease his mother's fear. "You taught me to heal before..you know." Henry junior's voice trailed off. Paige understood what her son was referring too and let him continue.

"I just never thought that there was at time, you never wanted me or to be a Mom."

Henry's eyes darkened as he remembered the events that had taken place in the Matthews-Mitchell apartment. The rejection he had felt along with the longing for the mother he knew so well.

Paige found herself strolling over to the young man in a gesture of comfort, something odd considering she thought she lacked a maternal instinct. Paige embraced Henry and he reciprocated the gesture hugging his would-be mother for the first time since he arrived in the past. Mother and son were finally bonding before Paige broke the silence.

"Let's go home." Paige suggested with a smile.

Henry's blue eyes brightened, his mother had finally accepted him. They had an understanding – maybe the future was not as dark as he thought. He gave his mother a questioning look. "What about my powers?"

"Ohh yeah about that..erhh. Let me think about that mister." Paige quickly thought of some words for a reversal spell. She wasn't as good as Phoebe but she could spell a rhyme or two with a little motivation.

"Blood of blood, son of mines,

Hide him well with this rhyme,

Return the invisibility, to the one I call family!"

The spell had barely left Paige's lips when golden lights swirled around her son, restoring his bound power. Henry went invisible for a brief moment then he appeared again before his mother. Paige held her hand over her son's shoulder and the two orbed out.

...

Melinda Halliwell stood at the podium with the familiar Book of Shadows it had been two hours since she had explained to her mother what she wanted to do about her missing father. Since then the young Halliwell had breakfast and showered well before returning to the attic to test her theory. She looked down at the at the page in the Book of Shadows she had found. It spoke of Blood ties. It was a page she had came across while in the future and now she was in the past, she had searched through the Book of Shadows trying to making sure her newly written spell possessed the essential wording to work successfully.

The page spoke of the blood ties kept between members of family and the power of family, considering her father was mortal it would be a task tracking him down. It was always easiest tracking magickal beings but mortals was much harder to find. However, the bond of blood and family was a powerful magick in itself which meant if she could tap into her blood she could possibly find her father.

Melinda finished writing and rewording the spell she had produced to help her find her father. She scribbled the last of her incantation down on notepad before she tore off the sheet of paper. At that moment, her mother Piper decided to walk through the Halliwell attic.

"Any progress?" Piper queried with her daughter.

"I think the spell is done. I just hope it works – I based it off the to call a lost witch spell and the to call a lover spell but I'm not sure its going to work." The brunette explained.

Her mother came round the podium and looked at the wording of the spell before she spoke. "There's only one way to find out." Melinda took her mother's hand in her own and they both began to chant the words of power from the sheet.

"Blood to blood, I call to thee, to the one I call family,

Be he far or be he near, take us to the one we hold dear,

A Father, a Husband, a lover lost, bring us to the one we seek the most!"

An eerie calm fell in the attic and both Piper and Melinda where surrounded by a swirl of golden lights that whisked the witches away in the destination of their lost family member.

...

The golden lights materialised into an alley in down town San Francisco, both mother and daughter took in their surroundings. They were in an alley but neither Halliwell could see who they sought. Leo. Piper thought, desperately looking around. Melinda on the other hand, looked from side to side to see if anyone had seen the spectacle and breathed in a sigh of relief. They had not risked exposure not yet anyway.

Piper's eyes went to the mouth of the alley and both mother and a daughter walked slowly to wards the entrance. No sooner had the two Halliwells arrived than they saw the establishment on right of the alley.

There eyes focussed as they saw the occasional homeless person leave the entrance stumbling on their way elsewhere. Piper was getting anxious, the spell had seemingly worked and yet their was no sign of Leo anywhere. That was until both of their eyes caught sight of a blonde haired man dressed in dirty clothes.

Both Piper's and Melinda's eyes widened in recognition "Oh my God, Leo!" Piper exclaimed. She could had sworn her heart had skipped a beat when she saw him but before she knew what she was doing she was running towards her husband. Melinda was close behind and followed her mother. "Leo!" Piper cried out almost in tears. All the unshod tears she had cried for her lost husband threatening to consumer her in a wave of emotion.

She didn't care that her husband look rough and unclean but that he was alive. Piper Halliwell ran her hands over the man face before resting her head on his familiar shoulder.

Melinda stood back content that her parents had been reunited, it was some good news compared to the threat that lingered on everyone's minds. The blonde haired man stood rigid and apathetic to the woman crying on his shoulder. It was then he took the opportunity to speak.

"I'm sorry do I know you from somewhere?"

Piper stood back from the man as if he was foreign to her, rejection and hurt written all over her face along with disbelief. The eldest Halliwell recovered quick enough to come back with a response.

"Do I know you? Try me – your wife!" At that moment, annoyance surged through Piper before she flashed Leo her wedding ring. It was true they were married but surely he would not forget something as important as her and their family.

Leo stood their as apathetic as before with no recognition of the life he once lived and the marriage he had fought so hard to save. " I'm sorry you must have me mistaken with someone else. I'm Christopher." He extended his hand out to Piper in a gesture of introduction.

Piper stood their shocked, her husband had no recollection of his life, of their life. It was then Melinda stepped in, trying to diffuse her mother's anger.

"You are her husband, Leo. Don't you remember?"

"I don't remember," Leo said mournfully. "I don't remember anything.."

"Well, we can provide you with fresh clothes and bed for night. Maybe you might remember her after a while." Melinda said pointing to Piper who was still in denial about Leo's loss of memory.

Leo seemed to consider her offer before he nodded in agreement and followed the two women out of the alley.

...

Piper Halliwell sat on the Halliwell staircase looking across the room at the stranger that was her husband. He stood looking at the photos that were in the living room in interest. Melinda came down the stairs taking a seat besides her mother.

"Its going to get better, once he gets his memory back.." She trailed off not knowing what to say to comfort her mother.

Piper cried silent tears and her gaze did not move from man she knew was her husband, he was a complete stranger to her now. The part she had fallen in love with had been stripped from him – he was a complete stranger.

Piper's thoughts wandered, trying to find who or what was responsible for her husband's mysterious disappearance and amnesia but she found no immediate answer. Earlier, she had called Phoebe and Paige to tell them that Leo had been found. She may have found her husband alive but a part of him was missing, she was looking at a mere shadow of the man she once knew. The man she had fallen in love with was gone.

End of Chapter

Author's Note: Ok, Please don't hate me for the Piper/Leo relationship. It would be too easy to reunite them and then Piper's happy. Well, hey I love Piper/Leo drama and I'm sorry to all you Piper/Leo fans out there. I hope you liked that Paige mostly resolved her maternal issues and Phoebe accepted what she had to do. We are nearing the end of this story. I intended for it to go on longer but I've had to shorten it due to personal commitments. Please read and review. For those of you wondering about Christy and the Rowe Coven they will make an appearance very soon as the Charmed Ones find out about their enemies. Stay tuned to find out what Christy has planned and what the Rowe Coven has up their sleeves.

Alexis: Thanks for reviewing and showing an interest in this story, stay tuned for the next chapter.