Disclaimer: I checked this morning and I still don't own Charmed or any of its characters.

Author's note: Sorry this chapter a bit short, but the next one is the big finale and the chapter will be extra long, so you'll just have to be patient!

Chapter 12

The light slowly faded and Chris found himself standing once again on the ground. Paige and Phoebe were studying him intently. Leo, however, looked miserable and refused to make eye contact with his son.

"Dad," Chris said quietly. Leo flinched at the word, and tears came to Chris's eyes. "What did you do?"

Leo was hoarse. "He has her. You seemed to think he was going to kill her. We can't find him without your powers. I couldn't lose her. I just couldn't. Not like this."

Chris felt like he had been slapped in the face. His father had just given up the baby, him, to save his mother. Leo had abandoned him again. He knew should feel hurt and angry that his father, who he had finally come to believe was different than the man he had grown up with, would turn his back on his newborn child in order to recover his wife. Chris reached for the familiar white hot blaze of rage that had always provided him comfort before when he was confused or didn't know how to accept something, but somehow, he just couldn't find it in himself to be angry with Leo. He knew in his heart he would have done the same to save Piper.

"Dad, it's ok. I'll bring her back to you." He said, pulling his father into an unexpected embrace. "I know you will, son." He said, sobbing into Chris's shoulder.

After a few minutes of shocked silence, broken only by Leo's muffled sobs, Phoebe spoke up. "So, I hate to break up your father son bonding moment here, but does that mean that you have your powers back, Chris?" she asked.

"How do you feel? That was some intense light you were putting out." Paige said.

"Actually… I feel great. Like I've been supercharged or something." He paused, concentrating. "And I can sense Wyatt now." He said, and started to orb out.

"Wait!" Leo called, and Chris rematerialized. "You should really test your powers first; make sure they're all back to normal before you go in there. And don't think you're leaving us behind."

Chris gave Leo a sheepish look. "Yeah, I guess you're right. He's out for blood this time, so I better make sure I can properly defend myself. As for you coming with me… well, we can try, but he's probably going to block you. But this is something I've really got to do on my own. This is my fight." Chris gave his father a determined look, and hoped he would understand. Leo nodded glumly. He wanted to go charging in with him, but he knew Chris was right.

"So test your powers, already!" Paige exclaimed, pointing to the already broken chair.

Chris took a deep breath and waved his fingers at the chair. Nothing happened. "Damn it!" he cried in frustration. "Dad, why aren't my powers fully working?" He turned to his father and his stomach dropped.

Leo, Paige and Phoebe were standing there like statues. How'd that happen? He'd never had the power to freeze before, and in any case, good witches didn't freeze! That's when he noticed the silence. It was absolute. The clock in the corner wasn't ticking, the birds outside had stopped their incessant chirping. He held his watch up to his ear. Nothing. He hadn't frozen the room, he'd frozen time itself. "Holy shit." he whispered.

He closed his eyes, concentrating, and that's when he felt it coursing through him. Power. A lot of power. He felt strong, he felt… whole. It was like some part of him he never knew had been missing had been restored.

He moved over to Paige and studied her frozen form. He waved his hand in front of her face and jumped as the room came back to life and sound came rushing back in.

"So how come it didn't move- Hey! How did you get over here? I didn't see you orb." she said as she noticed Chris right beside her.

"I didn't." he said. "I tried to move the chair and I apparently froze you guys instead. Well, actually, I seem to have frozen time."

"So, you got a new power when your old ones were restored?" Phoebe asked.

"I think I got a lot of new powers." Chris answered, the dazed look on his face transforming into one filled with wonder at this new gift. "Look." he said. He reached out and put his hand over Leo's still bleeding arm. It glowed that familiar warm yellow light, and instantly his wound was healed.

"Even the Elders couldn't heal that!" Leo exclaimed. "And I've never seen a healing work so fast!" He was looking at his son in shock. "How did you get so many new powers at once?"

"I have no idea." He said, a cautious smile breaking out on his face. "But Wyatt won't be expecting me to have any more than my orbing and TK. I'll have the element of surprise. I think I just may be able to beat him." And with that he orbed out.

"Talk about your sibling rivalry." Paige commented. "And Piper's got front row seats!"