Wow, it's starting to wind down now...sorta. lol. Well, anywho, thanks to all of you still reading. Hope you enjoy :)

CHAPTER 19

The Return

Leo blinked as his mind tried to grab hold of what Bianca was telling him. His son, the boy he had watched grow up into a capable, determined, stubborn, and generally, amazing young man, had been drugged. By his girlfriend. Who was doing who knows what to him at the current moment. Was he even still alive? He swallowed the fear and shook his head to clear away those thoughts. He would know if Chris were. . .well, he would know. His son was okay. Not perfectly fine, but okay. Chris was. . .well, he was Chris. No little drug-dealing-manipulative-lying-evil-little-bimbo-from-hell was going to hurt his son and get away with it. Chris must have seen through it. That was it. He had seen through her trickery and was off telling the police what she had attempted to do.

He noticed Bianca staring at him, hands on her hips and one eyebrow raised. He ran a hand through his hair. "He's Chris...he would never fall for something like that."

Bianca's other brow rose so that both were now up, questioning the man's sanity.

"He would know about those herbs," Leo argued against the evil eyebrows of doubt. "His mother taught him and his brother well. Plus, Chris is practically a professional chef. He would have tasted those herbs and spit it back out before they could get into his system."

The woman now folded her arms over her chest and tilted her head to the side.

"He would," the father continued. "He's fine."

"You so sure about that?" Bianca challenged. She picked up the empty cup and tossed it at the former elder. When he had it in his shaky hands she gestured at it, "There was soup in there at one point, but now it's gone. He drank it, Mr. Wyatt. All of it."

Leo shook his head, "He spit it out..."

Bianca sighed, "I'm sorry this is so hard for you to hear, but we need to move. We don't have much time. So, you can either keep denying that your son is in danger, or you can do something about it."

The father looked up from the empty cup, tears forming in his eyes as he looked at her. "You don't understand. I can't. . ."

"Can't what?" Bianca snapped. "Save your son's life? I told you, if he's been given even a sip too much of deadly nightshade, he will die. One berry alone can be lethal. We need to find him."

"I can't lose him again," Leo breathed, looking down in the empty cup and for the second time in a matter of days feeling completely helpless to aid his son.

"Again?"

Leo looked up at the young woman and saw something new in her. A fire and determination. Not of a killer, but of a human being desperately trying to save another person's life. Her face was hard, her tone cold, but in her eyes. . .in her eyes he finally saw what the other Chris must have seen. Her eyes held a warmth and concern that, in those chocolate brown eyes, reminded the man very much of his wife. Apparently, he had a lot to learn about this woman. For now, he pretended those eyes did belong to his wife, and that she were here right now with him, instead of this stranger. That the words he was hearing belonged to Piper.

He took a breath. "Paige!"

Bianca winced at the yell.

A moment later, orb lights sifted down from the ceiling forming into the youngest Charmed One. With arms folded over her chest and an annoyed look on her face, Paige gestured for Leo to explain why he had called her. "I don't have long. Prairie just went to sleep. So, if you don't mind, could we hurry this along?"

"Lydia drugged Chris, and we have to find him before it's too late."

Paige's mouth fell open, "What? Why?"

"The why isn't important right now," Bianca cut in. "There will be time for whys after you find your nephew."

The Charmed One turned toward the voice and her eyes grew wide at the sight of the Phoenix. She narrowed her eyes, "You..."

Leo laughed nervously, "Look like her cousin." He gritted out between his teeth, "Right, Paige?"

"Not what I was going to say," Paige replied bitingly.

Her brother-in-law gave her a pleading look.

She rolled her eyes, "Fine. Sure. My cousin."

"If my whitelighter's life wasn't on the line right now, I'd be demanding some answers," Bianca said. "Guess they'll have to wait till later. But, I will get some answers. For now, we find Chris."

Paige turned to Leo, "Have you called Piper?"

"Not yet."

"Do it, I'll try sensing and scrying for Chris. If that doesn't work, we'll try a blood to blood spell."

Leo nodded before heading over to the phone to tell his wife what was going on.

"You can go," Paige informed Bianca. "We've got this covered."

The young woman shook her head, "No way. You are not getting rid of me. He's a sweet kid. He doesn't deserve this. I'm helping."

"Kid?" Paige snorted. "Yeah, just keep repeating that."

Bianca frowned but kept silent. "So, being as you aren't getting rid of me, how can I help?"

"You know what he was poisoned with?"

"Yeah."

"Then come up with some sort of anti-toxin or a way to get it out of his system."

Bianca nodded, "I know just where to go. I'll be back soon."

As the other woman shimmered out of the kitchen, and Paige orbed down a map and crystal to start scrying, she shook her head, "At least she's not in leather this time. . ."

000

Phoebe shook her head as she listened to Wyatt's argument for the umpteenth time. The kid certainly did have his mother's stubborn streak. "No, it's too dangerous."

Shadow peered around the corner of the tunnel into the next cave, keeping a look out for possible threats. When none were found he turned to look at the love of his life in surprise. He tilted his furry head to the side as he pondered what could have happened to her to take the fight out of her. The Phoebe Halliwell he knew never would have run when family was in danger. She had always been the first to do something rash, actually.

"Come on, Aunt Phoebe, if Shadow was in Ryak's cavern then that must mean he got Chris. How else could the dog have gotten here? He was probably trying to save Chris and ended up tagging along. You know it."

The Charmed One sighed, "I'm not saying you're wrong, Wyatt. What I'm saying is that we can't do anything about it right now. We need to get back to the manor, tell the others and come up with a plan to save him."

"But then it could be too late," Wyatt cried out in frustration.

For once, Cole agreed with the kid. He had heard what the seer said. Chris had taken some sort of potion already. There was no knowing what the potion did. The boy's life was in stake and if they didn't move fast there was no telling what could happen to him.

"We can't help him by ourselves," Phoebe continued to argue. "Our powers don't work against Ryak, and your mother would blow me up if something happened to you on my watch."

Shadow snorted. But Piper will be fine if you let her baby boy die?

The Charmed One turned a questioning gaze to the dog, a familiar feeling hitting her again. It was right there, but she just couldn't figure it out. Like a word on the tip of the tongue that refuses to be spoken.

"Aunt Phoebe, please, you can't ask me to go back up without him," Wyatt begged. "Would you be able to leave mom or Aunt Paige behind if they were being held by an unstoppable demon?" When she didn't answer, "See. You wouldn't. And I can't. Chris is my little brother. It's my job to protect him."

Cole looked up at the kid and found himself barking in approval. Who knew the teenager had a backbone? He had seemed so much like Leo before, but now? It seemed when family was on the line he had his mother's courage and strength. This Chris was lucky to have such a strong champion. If only Phoebe would get some of her own strength and fire back. The dog turned his brown eyes up to the woman, staring into her face, searching for any sort of reminder of the woman he had known so long ago.

Phoebe was about to respond when she noticed the animal staring at her. Her breath caught in her throat at the intense gaze. She stared into the eyes for a moment and once again was reminded of someone from her past.

Cole was sitting on the bed they shared in the manor watching her pace back and forth. She was rambling on and on about the Source, and how Piper was falling apart at the seams and it was up to her to stay strong. He just watched her, waiting.

Phoebe turned to look at him, a grim look on her pretty face. "What are we going to do, Cole? How are we going to get through this? How can we fight the Source now?"

He didn't say anything. His deep blue eyes just kept watching her.

Phoebe sighed, "Piper could barely control her powers before. She'd be useless against him now. I don't have any active powers. We're sitting ducks."

Cole tilted his head to the side, folded his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows as she started pacing again.

"Not to mention the manor," she went on. "P3 is only now out of the red, and with Piper such a mess I'm not sure it's going to stay that way. How are we going to pay all the bills?" She paused in her pacing, "Listen to me talk about bills. We're probably not going to live long enough to have to worry about them. The power of three is broken. Demons will be coming at us from all sides now that. . ." she swallowed and turned to Cole.

He nodded.

Tears started to prick her eyes, "Oh, god."

He opened his arms to her and she ran into them, her face burying itself into his neck as the sobs finally came. "Oh god, she's gone," she choked out. "P-prue is g-gone."

Cole stroked her hair gently, putting his chin on the top of her head.

After no more tears were left to cry, and the young woman was just resting against his chest. "She was our strength. . .how do we go on without her?"

"You will." Cole finally spoke. He pulled her chin up gently with his finger, "You will get through this. You are indomitable, Phoebe Halliwell. No matter what the odds are against you, you will overcome them. You never give up." He smiled softly at her, "You're too stubborn to quit."

Phoebe jerked to reality as something cold brushed up against her hand. She looked down to find Shadow nudging her with his nose. He barked softly then looked back over to Wyatt.

"Aunt Phoebe?" Wyatt questioned.

"We are going to save Chris," she answered, a determination in her eyes and voice. She let out a breath, "Here's the plan. . ."

Chris gazed adoringly at Lydia as they reappeared in the underworld in a swirl of bright light. She was unsteady on her feet, unused to being orbed, but he put his hands on her arms to steady her. Once she was grounded again, he smiled, "It gets easier the more you do it."

"I wish that were true about all things," She muttered.

He caressed her face with his thumb, "I love you."

"Sure," Lydia sighed dejectedly. When she noticed his crestfallen expression, she put on a smile, "I love you too."

Ryak appeared a moment later, in a swirl of black cloak. He grinned at the gypsy, "Well, done, Child. Well done indeed."

The raven haired girl narrowed her eyes at the demon, "My mother? And the others? We had a deal."

"They'll be released as soon as Arthur is dead," Ryak confirmed. He saw her turn her gaze away, and something in him told him all was not what it seemed. "What are you hiding, Gypsy?"

Chris turned a confused gaze on Lydia, "How do you know him? What's going on?"

The boy would have continued to question her, but the room started spinning. He grabbed his head, trying to get it to stop, to gain some sort of focus, but it wasn't working. In fact, it was getting worse. He could feel his heart like a sledgehammer in his chest going faster and faster and faster. To make matters worse, the faster his heart went the quicker and more erratic his breathing became until he collapsed onto the floor unable to remain on his feet.

Ryak took a satisfied breath, "Good."

"My mother and the others will be released now," Lydia ordered. "You can tell he's moments away. Just give me what I want."

The demon looked at her in amusement, "What leverage do you have now? You've already done what I needed. Why should I let them go now? They'd be more useful as presents to my minions. They do thirst for some killing, and gypsy death is particularly enjoyable to watch. Besides, without your mother and the rest of your family's protection. . ." he eyed her throat and with one of his sharp claws jerked off her necklace, taking the evil-eye into the palm of his hand.

"No," Lydia cried, reaching out to grab it, but was backhanded for the effort.

Chris, despite his condition, crawled to her side, "Lydia? Can you hear me?"

She looked up at him, half of her face already covered with an angry bruise and one eye bloodshot. "You said you'd kill for me. Do it. Kill him. You're the only one that can. Summon Excaliber and take off this bastard's head."

"Excaliber," Chris called out. The Legendary Sword appeared with a flourish of orb lights into his hands, but in his current condition, the young Arthur could barely hold it up.

Ryak glared down at the girl, "You've just committed suicide."

The demon raised his hand, and immediately the young woman started screaming in agony. Her body was writhing on the ground, convulsing as pain coursed through her like an electric current.

Chris lifted the sword, heard it humming with power. Felt a familiarity with it that he hadn't felt the first time he had gripped it in his hands. Cole had been right. This sword was almost a living being. It was pulsing with energy, and filling him with it. Perhaps it was the energy that spoke to him. Not in words, but in feelings. It told him what he needed to know through intuition and their connection as Wielder and Wielded. It was through this connection, that something strange happened to the young Halliwell.

He became level headed again. His senses cleared, his mind wiped clean of all the intoxicating effects of the herbs he had been given. His body gaining strength it shouldn't have had after being poisoned.

Lydia's screams suddenly stopped.

The silence was what brought Chris back to reality. He turned on Ryak, lifting the sword to strike. The hand was brought up against him before he could move. Now it was his turn to feel the fire burning him from the inside out. Ryak's power making him drop to his knees.

"Hey," a voice shouted. "Nobody messes with my nephew."

Chris looked up just in time to see his Aunt levitate into the air and land a hard kick to the demon's chest, sending Ryak toppling backward. His brother was already moving to his side. As the Twice Blessed knelt down next to him, Chris shook his head, "Heal Lydia first."

Wyatt nodded and quickly moved to the fallen gypsy's side. The golden glow came quickly and a moment later her eyelids fluttered open to reveal a confusion. Wyatt helped her up. "Time to go."

Lydia looked at Chris who was moving to pick up Excaliber again. She opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it.

Meanwhile, Ryak had recovered from his tumble. He started to summon his power against the Charmed One, but Shadow leapt up on the demon, knocking him back to the ground, and started clawing and biting the demon's face and neck. However, Ryak was stronger, and threw the dog off him. Shadow would have been propelled into the cold stone wall, but Chris saw it happening and telekinetically slowed the animal's decent and allowed the dog to land gently on all fours.

Thanks. Bought time you did something useful.

"Yeah, yeah. Just keep your furry butt out of trouble and leave this to me. I don't feel like playing chess in limbo with you again. Gets boring beating you all the time."

Shadow's ears perked up at that. He hadn't ever told Chris about that.

Phoebe was trying to keep Ryak on the defensive while the two were having their short talk. Knowing her powers didn't work, the witch relied on what did– physical attacks. Her hand to hand wasn't as good as it once had been, but it was still good. As long as she kept him busy, he couldn't focus long enough to paralyze anyone with pain. So, she threw punch after punch, dodging the attacks he threw at her. A side kick to the chest sent him backwards and had him grabbing his chest in pain. She didn't let up. She levitated and landed another solid kick to his head. He stumbled further back. She moved to jab, but he caught her fist this time and twisted her arm, snapping it.

Shadow threw himself at the demon again, biting the arm that held the witch. Ryak was forced to release her in order to fend off the dog while Phoebe had to move back, pain blinding her in the form of tears. Her arm was hanging lifelessly at her side.

Chris charged in rage. No one hurt his family and got away with it. He swung down on the demon, removing the demon's arm altogether, causing Shadow to drop to the ground. With a grace the teenager didn't know he possessed, he turned out of the way of Ryak's other fist coming at him, and moved to slash the demon's chest. Ryak staggered back from the blow, but was able to slash at Chris' hand. The teenager didn't seem to notice the bleeding wound on his right hand. Instead, he circled the sword above his head, coming up and around in order to slash down toward the demon's neck, aiming to finish the demon. However, Ryak knew when to cut his losses and shimmered out before the blade could make contact.

Wyatt was already at his Aunt's side healing her arm. When he was done, he turned to his brother, "That was amazing. How'd you learn to use a sword like that?"

Chris didn't answer. He looked down at his hand now that the adrenaline had stopped pumping so hard. He lost his grip on the hilt as pain zapped away the strength in that hand, and the sword clanged to the ground. With Excaliber gone from his hands, he collapsed.

tbc. . .