I make no $.
Barbas: Yes, you are still haunting them in 2026. Good work.
AngelDranger: cause pain.
Calen: Not evil. Barbas is still messing with her remember?
PiperPhoebePaige: bad things.
xxAnxInSoMnIaCsxNiGhTmArexx: Gotta have Baras Lol
i-luv-cookies: love the name! And maybe he will????
Taynna: Good job catching the reference. UR the first. Thanks for the compliments. I'm flattered.
PiperLeo4eva: I'm trying!
Vintagegirl: THanks!
The Halliwell Manor was full of pain. Courtney's spell had worked, everyone believed her and her child dead. Now each member of the Halliwell family had to deal with that fact in their own way.
Phoebe, after giving her condolences to Chris, took her girls and left for home to spend time with her husband, Alex. Her belief in 'you never know when it might be your last day'
drove her to want to be alone with her husband and children for some rare quiet, quality time.
Wyatt, meanwhile, focused on Emily who still hadn't woken up. He was afraid that he would lose the woman he loved just like his brother had. In his mind he knew she would be okay, but his heart still clenched with every moment that passed in which she did not open her eyes.
Paige was too busy comforting Pearl, who had never lost anyone before, to even say a single word to her nephew. She so wanted to be by Chris' side and help out in anyway she could,
but her young daughter was frightened of the realization of mortality and upset over Courtney and the baby's passing.
Melinda had spent half an hour by Chris' side, her arm around him as he stared into the wall. She would stroke his hair or his back, whispering words of comfort she knew were empty. How could she comfort him when she too needed some? Courtney had been like a sister to her. She had loved her too. So, how could she tell Chris everything was going to be okay when she didn't even believe it? How could she tell him that the baby was in a better place when she knew the love of a parent for a child, knew the pain he was feeling wasn't about to be softened by any words. Nothing could make the pain any better. He had lost his little girl. Mel didn't know if she would survive if she lost Parker.
Bianca stood watch over them, taking Melinda's place when Chris finally spoke it was just to order Melinda to rest and not worry about him. He told her the stress wasn't good for her baby and asked that she please just go. For him. The only other person he responded to since was Piper, whom he hugged and then asked to go give Melinda another chance. He knew his sister better than anyone else, and he knew how much she needed her mother right about now. Even if she herself didn't know it yet.
So, that is what Piper did. She left her son mourning for his child and fiancee and the love that had been cut short by death. Piper knew her son well enough to know that he wouldn't talk about it until he was ready. Sitting by his side wasn't going to bring the baby or Courtney back to life. All she could do was what he had asked of her. Besides, Melinda needed her too. She had wanted to speak with her daughter again before she left, and now was as good a time as any.
When the eldest Charmed One reached the door to the room Leo had told her was Mel's,
Piper reached out hesitantly pausing before knocking to gather strength and courage. It wasn't everyday that a person talked to their adult child about their own death. After a moment she sighed and rapped lightly on the door.
The sound of footsteps, then the door opened. Melinda frowned as she saw Piper standing on the opposite side. "I thought I told you I didn't want to have anything more to do with you. You aren't a part of my life. You never really were."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Piper said sliding past her daughter into the room. "I know what it is like to lose a mother. I was probably about the same age you were when you lost me." She turned to look at her baby girl, tilted her head to the side, smiling. "Did I ever tell you about the time my sisters and I went to the future? How I met you?"
Melinda looked shocked to hear this. "No."
Piper smiled wider and took a seat on the bottom edge of the bed. She patted the spot next to her. To her joyous surprise, Mel sat. The mother took her daughter's hand and continued. "I was in the future trying to help stop one of Phoebe's premonitions from becoming true when all of the sudden I met this sweet, pretty, smart little girl. When she hugged me and called me mommy I couldn't imagine anything better in the whole world. She was my daughter. My Melinda. And, when I came back to the past I held onto the knowledge that someday I would meet her again. When Wyatt was born I had expected him to be you. As much as I love your brother, I have to admit I was a little disappointed to find out I didn't get the little girl I had dreamed of every night since my return to the past. Now, here I am in the future again, and you are here!"
"I never knew that." Mel lowered her head as a few tears fell down her cheeks.
"Please, don't shut me out. Chris tried to do the same thing, but in the end he realized that it was best to appreciate the precious time we have together. We may not be able to change what happened to me, but I want to get to know you. I want to help you in anyway I can. I hate the fact that I end up putting my kids through the same thing I went through. No one should have to lose a parent."
Melinda nodded slightly as she wiped away her tears. "I'm so scared, Mom."
Piper pulled her daughter into a hug, letting the girl's head rest on her chest. "Shh, it's going to be fine. Everything is going to be all right. Chris is tough; he'll survive this. You're strong too. You aren't going to let anything happen to this child, Mel. You are going to be a great mother, and this little baby is going to adore you."
"I wish you could stay. I miss you so much."
Piper stroked her daughter's silky brown hair. "I know, sweetie. I know. I love you with all my heart. I will always be thinking of you and your brothers."
Mother and daughter remained like that for a long while. Piper held Melinda, soothing all of her fears until the poor girl fell asleep in her mother's embrace. The eldest Charmed One gently moved her to a laying position and covered the worn out witch with a blanket. She gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead before exiting to go check on Chris again.
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Emily yawned silently as consciousness claimed her. Opening one eye then the other the first sight she took in was her husband looking haggard with worry sitting by her side. She noticed that he wasn't looking at her face, but instead was focusing on their hands which were entwined. He was stroking hers with his thumb talking so softly she couldn't make out what he was saying.
"Hey there, hot stuff." She said grinning.
Wyatt's head rose quickly to look up at her face. His eyes lit up and a smile graced his lips. Without returning the greeting, the Twice Blessed bent down kissing his wife. When he pulled away he finally smiled. "Don't ever scare me like that again."
"Like what?" Emily asked sitting up in bed. "I don't remember exactly what happened."
"Courtney channeled you somehow. You ended playing an empath for awhile. Felt her pain as though it was yours. Still not sure how that happened." He paused thinking about it, then shook his head giving up for now. "Anyway, you passed out. Dad couldn't heal you because they weren't your wounds, and you've been out for hours."
Emily's face fell. "Oh, god. What happened? Where is Courtney? Is she okay? The baby?"
Wyatt closed his eyes against the pain. He didn't want to be the one to tell her, but he didn't have a choice. Besides, who better to break the news than him? They loved each other and would deal with the loss together. Help Chris together. "Baby, Courtney didn't make it. She and the baby are gone."
"No." She shook her head as the first tears slipped down her face. "No, please."
Her husband moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly. "I know. I loved her too."
Em pulled away wiping away her tears. "How is Chris dealing so far? Is he okay? I have to go see him." She began to stand but Wyatt pulled her back down. She glared at him. "Wyatt,
your brother needs us. I can grieve later. He just lost the love of his life and his child. I need to go to him. You should too."
Wyatt frowned. "Bianca is with him. I think mom might be too. You need to regain your strength first."
"Bianca? Oh, right. I forgot." Emily shook her head. "At least he didn't lose everything. He does have her and his family. She seems nice enough, but she's no Courtney."
Wyatt nodded. "I agree. It's kind of hard to like someone who hates your guts."
"Well, Wy, in all fairness you did kill her."
He rolled his eyes. "I did no such thing. That was evil-me."
"All the same to her. Trust me. When I read her this afternoon, she was having a hard time keeping her thoughts regarding which one of you was which straight. She was seriously giving me a headache. It's weird, really. I read her so easily, but I couldn't get a hit off of Chris at all. Usually he's an easy target."
Emily sighed. "I really want to see him, Wyatt. He's been like my little brother since the first time you introduced us in elementary magic. He even grilled you the first time we went out,
remember? It was hilarious."
"I didn't think so."
Emily rolled her eyes at that. "Come on, Wyatt. He needs all the support he can get. Plus, I feel fine." She pouted perfectly. "Please?"
Wyatt sighed. "Fine. But we orb. I don't want you over doing it."
"It's two doors down."
"Don't care." He reached out a hand and she took it willingly. The couple immediately went up in blue and white lights.
As they reformed in Chris' room, they saw Bianca was not holding Chris like they had expected instead she was merely sitting next to him. Neither said a word. Bianca was the one to notice when the newcomers arrived. She smiled weakly and turned to Chris. "Hey, Emily's awake. She came to see you."
Chris turned to the couple. "Please, go away. I can't deal with this too." He focused on Emily. "I can't deal with you right now."
Wyatt was about to snap at his brother for being so rude to his sister-in-law when he noticed a far away look come into Emily's eyes. She was staring into the air not focusing on anyone or anything. She was getting a read on someone. A pretty powerful one by the looks of it. He touched her arm lightly to pull her out of it. "Honey?"
"Oh, no." Her hand flew to her mouth. She just stared at Chris. "You were blocking me before, but now...it's so raw. The pain is too fresh to hide. The memories of...of us are too painful to hide."
Bianca's mouth dropped. "Chris, is that the Emily?" When he nodded, Bianca took a sharp breath in. "Oh, my god."
"The Emily?" Wyatt asked getting a little annoyed at being left out of the loop. "What is going on? What memories of us? What do you mean by us? Hey! Would someone tell me what the hell is going on?"
Chris turned his head away. "It doesn't matter now. It never happened. For you at least."
Emily turned to her husband an apologetic look on her face. "Well, Honey, Sweetie,
Love of My Life, I just got a read of Chris and saw some thoughts and memories about his other life that you aren't going to like too much."
"I figured that out as soon as you used so many terms of endearment." He sighed. "Just tell me already. What could be so horrible?"
"He and I were highschool sweethearts."
Wyatt frowned. "Tell me that means you held hands a lot, and nothing more."
She blushed and started looking at the floor.
"Okay. Okay. I can deal with this as long as you only kissed a couple of times." Wyatt nodded. "That picture won't cause me to orb myself into a volcano. The thought of anything further may make my stomach cave in on itself and my head explode."
Chris made a hmph sound and shook his head.
Wyatt glared at him. "You think this is funny? It isn't. My little brother doing the horizontal tango with my wife is not my idea of a good joke. I'm going to have that damn thought in my head for the rest of my life."
The younger brother finally snapped. He rose from the bed quickly and moved to stand only inches from Wyatt. His eyes were full of fire. "Funny? Nothing about this is funny, Wyatt. I loved Emily once upon a time. We were together for six months before one day I found her dead in my apartment. She had been shot through the head with a high voltage energy ball. You killed her, damn it! I had pissed you off by creating a resistance group, so you took the only thing left I had. I found out two weeks after the funeral that she had been two months along. I have lost a child in both my lives, so don't you dare accuse me of finding anything about this funny!" He turned to Emily and shook his head. "I can't see you right now. Just leave, please."
She nodded and grabbed Wyatt by the arm. "Come on. I will fill you in on everything once we get back to our room." She looked over her shoulder at her brother-in-law. "I am so sorry, Chris. For everything."
He nodded before turning his back on her and his brother.
Bianca reached out to touch his arm but he pulled away. "You can go now too."
"What?"
Chris turned towards her his face blank of emotion. "I need to be alone right now. So,
could you please just go."
Bianca shook her head. "Chris, you need your family right now and with Wyatt and Emily being so-"
"-Just go!" He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "For now. I'll call you sometime tomorrow. I just need some peace and quiet."
She leaned in to kiss him but he moved his head so she ended up pecking him on the cheek. Bianca nodded understanding why he was reluctant. "I love you, Chris." She didn't wait for him to respond. She knew he wouldn't. So, she shimmered out to leave the man she loved alone in his pain. Just as he always was.
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Barbas watched the scene in the manor play out just the way he had hoped it would. Losing another child, another woman he had loved was destroying the young Halliwell. Plus,
now that his brother knew the truth about the relationship Chris held with Emily in his other life,
the two brothers would begin to drift further apart. Their powers, much like their mother and her sister's powers were strongest when they were together. It would be easier to pick off Chris when Wyatt wasn't watching his back. Then, all hell would break lose. Again.
He turned to his partner in crime and smiled evilly. "Your power to see into other worlds was of great value to me. You, however, have nothing left to offer." He lifted his hand, holding it by the thin demon's face. "Your greatest fear is being thrown back into hell."
The other male demon's eyes became wider and he swung his arms about widely scratching at thin air. After a few moments, his black hair was silver and his face was frozen in fear. He had been scared to death. Which, pleased Barbas greatly. "Ah, young people nowadays. Aren't taught to mistrust strangers offering things too good to be true." With that he stepped over the dead demon's body, snatching back the money he had offered in return for the information regarding Chris' other life. Then, he flamed out to finish scaring Courtney out of her mind. Literally.