Disclaimer: Same thing as everytime, I do not own anything blabla.

I noticed (finally!) that does not adopt my interspaces between paragraphs. But I take it, you guys could still handle the reading. ;-)

What do you have to expect in this chapter? Billie, family dinner, some brotherly talk.

Enjoy!

Chapter 12

Cathrin's aunt Lois was of course no witch, just like Chris expected. But she was kind of freaky- in a good way. She really loved her little store with the half-wiccan stuff. She told Chris excited, that she once had a "premonition", when she was a young girl, in which she saw, that it would be her destiny to bring other people magic in their life. Chris had smiled at her and confirmed her, that she had done a great work. She explained that she had never been married but was now dating dentist, who had lots of spare time. Therfore, she needed some more help in the store. In the end he got the job, because he could answer her one and only question: "Do you like my niece?" Of course, he had said, yes. But the truth was, Cathrin was really annoying sometimes. She talked so much. She had no idea about magic and she played with hair, all the time. It was fun, to work with her, though. Time flew by, when she once started a story about some boyfriend or best friend or professor. It showed, that she and Chris had one thing in common: They couldn't keep friends around themselves for long. And it didn't bother them.

Chris had read at least five books from the store already. It was funny, how convinceable these explainations about magic was, considering that mortals had written them.

Chris could even persuade Lois to rearrange some of the stuff into other sections. That was exactly what he was doing now, as someone rang the bell at the counter signaling that a customer needed his assistance.

The woman that now searched for her purse in her large bag seemed familiar, even as that she stood with her back to him. As he came face to face with her, he recognized Billie.

"I really don't know, who of us should be more ashamed," Chris said.

Billie smiled sheepishly. "Let's just not tell anyone. I really love this tea. I think, they are selling it as some kind of love potion."

"Everything here is about love. It's disgusting."

Billie paid him. "But this is really good. It tastes after cherries, absolutely delicious. You should try it."

"I have a feeling like I'm not the cherry-type."

Bille frowned. "Yeah, well, I better get going. Don't tell anyone you saw me here!" She turned around but stopped. "Hold on, why did I pay you?"

"I guess, because you don't want to go to jail because of tea robbery," Chris answered her. "I work here."

Billie started to laugh. "Oh, god, you are serious. That's bad. I mean, this is an offence to every witch. Haven't I taught you anything?"

"I need the money, okay? I don't want to need mum's help."

"Oh!" Billie came back and leant over the counter. "You two have troubles?"

Chris nodded. "We hate each other."

"That's not true."

"No, that's not true." Chris sighted. "Let's say, she doesn't really like the things I do."

"You know what? That's okay. She's your mother. Why should she like the things you do unless you do exactly what she says? Don't worry, even Piper Halliwell will understand one day, that not everything is under her influence. You'll be fine."

"Thanks."

"Please, quit that job!"

"No. But I could bring you your tea with discount."

Billie considered that. "Good to know, now that I've already paid."

Another family dinner!

Why his mother loved family dinners so much, Chris couldn't understand. Not that he didn't like his family. He loved all of them, but it was also exhausting. The Halliwell family had the habit to talk a lot, and loud, and messy. Chris had not been born with lots of Halliwell gens and was more quiet and liked quietness more. Leo always said, that he was exactly like his father – who Chris was named after - had been. If Leo's dad had the same problem and was asked a hell lot of questions by his family because he didn't talk himself?

Today, only Phoebe and Coop came over, as well as Paige and Henry. No cousins! Phoebe's three girls form the age of 18 to 13 were really a pain. At least, for Chris and Wyatt.

Piper had told them – them, that was, Leo and Wyatt – that Phoebe wanted to talk with them about something really serious and she had explicit asked for Wyatt and Chris to be there as well.

That was the reason, why both young men were now seated next to each other opposite of their parents. "You know, I have so much things to do," Wyatt whispered towards his brother.

"I don't," Chris answered. "But I don't want to be here, anyway. Can't you summon a demon?"

"No, I can't."

"What kind of witch are you?"

"The one, that has magic powers and also a job. My boss told me, he wants at least three stories in a row, that aren't complete rubbish. I wish, something would happen in this city."

"You may think, that under millions of habitants there is at least one unlucky, sick person, who wants to do something noticeable. What happened to this world? Were are the criminals?"

"Okay,I got it. Now, shut up," Wyatt grunted.

Phoebe coughed. "Well, guys, we are here for a reason! We have something to tell you and I want an opinion from each of you."

Everyone nodded. "Okay, Coop, tell them!"

The cupid put his fork down. "Well, I told, Phoebe that I plan to give up my powers."

"What?" everyone asked, except for Chris. He already knew about that.

"But…Coop, you cannot do that," Paige said. "Without your powers you are no cupid anymore."

"I know that."

"Yes, but you are a cupid."

"Nice argument, Paige," Henry told his wife.

"Why don't you tell us, why you plan on doing that," Leo purposed.

"I want to be together with Phoebe and my daughters like a real person. I want to give her love and I want us to spend our life together. When Phoebe would one day leave me, there wouldn't be a reason for me to live anymore, though."

Paige considered that. "That is true, and I see, what you mean. But what about the other people, who need you to find love?"

"There are more cupids than Coop," Leo said.

"They are a married couple and they swore to each other to stay together until the end," Henry said.

"Can it be that the men are more romantic than we?" Piper asked. "I would say yes, to your plan, if there wouldn't be another way for you and Phoebe to be together but as it is not, I would say, think about it once more. There's no turning back once you did it."

"There are more important things than powers. I'm sure Uncle Coop already thought about all the pros and contras, didn't you?" Wyatt asked.

"Of course. I know, what I do and what will happen."

Phoebe sighted. When her husband had told her about his intention. She was first shocked, than really happy but now again, she was asking herself, if it was fair to let her husband lose everything he was. Coop had told her, that he was almost sure, that it was the thing to do. "Chris, what about you? What do you think?"

"I say: Do it!" Chris said nonchalantly.

Coop nodded. "At least, one clear answer."

"I think, I go with Chris, do it!" Henry said. He wasn't all too sure, what it would mean exactly if his brother-in-law would lose his powers, but he knew, that if Phoebe and Coop loved each other as much as he and Paige did, than they should do everything to make it best for both of them.

Paige took a deep breath. "Yes, do it!"

Piper shrugged.

Phoebe turned to her husband. "I fell in love with Coop not the cupid. Whatever you decide, I want you to not only think of me and the girls but also do, what makes you happy. Because you being happy, is really important for me to be happy."

The whole table fell in silence. "I go and talk to the Elders tomorrow," Coop said.

After the family had left, Piper moved to the kitchen and with Leo's help she started to clean up. Chris moved to the living room. On the coffee table, there laid a notebook. He took it and started to write a list.

"I really didn't expect that," Chris heard his mother say from the kitchen.

"Why not? We would have been in the same situation as Phoebe and Coop. I mean, if I'd stayed an Elder, I wouldn't be able to die. I wouldn't be able to spend my life with my family. I did exactly the same thing," Leo answered.

"I know. It just came so unexpected. Phoebe hadn't told me, that they had problems."

"I don't think, they have problems. Coop knows exactly what he's going to do."

"I hope so. I mean, what if he one day regrets his decision and gets angry with Phoebe."

"He won't. There's no reason for regret. I never regretted anything."

"Really? Did you never miss your powers?" Chris asked. He had entered the kitchen.

"In the beginning, I did. But there are more important things," his father replied.

"I'm with you here. Now. What about you, mum? Would you have abandoned your powers to be together with dad?"

Piper closed the cupboard after putting away the dishes. "Of course," she said. But Chris and his father both recognized the hint of disbelief in her voice. "I had to think about my sisters, too. If I had lost my powers, the Charmed Ones would have been weakened, too," Piper explained.

Chris only nodded. "Okay, I go to bed. Good night."

Chris went to his room, he put on the light. Wyatt was already sitting on his brother's bed.

"God, Wy, you startled me. Look at this, I started a list."

Wyatt took the notebook but didn't look into it. "Would you do it?"

Chris frowned. "Would I do what?" He took a shirt out of his closet.

"Dismiss your powers for love?"

"Yes, I would," Chris said convinced.

Wyatt smiled. "A few weeks ago, you would have said something else."

"That's true. I would do it – for Mist."

"You really do love her."

"I do." Chris changed into his pyjama. "Wyatt, this should be a hint for you, I want to go to bed."

Wyatt stayed seated. "Do you remember, when we got separate rooms? You were kind of disappointed but for me it was such a relief. Until I spent the first few nights alone. I really loved to talk to you about the previous day before we went to sleep. I went to your room every other night and we stayed awake talking until one of us fell asleep."

"I remember that. Usually, it was you, who fell asleep in my bed and we had to share it. Every morning when mum was going to wake you and you weren't in bed, she was terrified thinking you were kidnapped by a demon or something."

"That was fun."

"It was," Chris agreed. "Is there a reason, why you tell me this story now?"

"Not really. I just thought about it. You really changed. I mean, not your character. That would be bad, because I really like you as you are, but your attitude towards some things."

"Thanks- I guess." They both stayed silent. Wyatt looked out of the window in deep thoughts. Chris followed his brother's gaze but couldn't found the thing, that got Wyatt'S attention "Wyatt, the list!"

"Oh yeah," Wyatt looked over the names Chris had written on the page. "What is that?"

"The clairvoyent told me, she got the amulet from a male witch, I know. I wrote down every male witch, I know. People from the rare times we were in magic school, ex-charges or other witches ,I came in contact with."

"And me, and our cousin Henry jr. Really neat."

"I didn't want to miss someone."

Wyatt nodded. He took a pencil and crossed his name and his cousins out. "What shall I do with that?"

"Check them out."

Wyatt sighted. "Chris, these are at least 30 people. And even if one of them had been the owner of the amulet, what should I do with him then?"

"If someone owns an amulet like that, he must have a spell or something to deactivate this thing or to destroy it."

Wyatt looked over the list once more. "Okay. Are you sure, you wrote down everyone, that is in question?"

"Yes, absolutely."

Wyatt got up. "Alright, I take care of it. Good night."

"Hey, Wy! If you ever have this feeling again to talk about your day before you go to sleep, you know where to find me."

Tomorrow, Tuesday, will be a really bad day for me as we have some things to do in university, that are not really fun :-( You guys can make the day much, much better for me, if you write some nice/ not nice reviews (just like you wish).

Thanks to everyone!