Title: Lonely Light of Morning

Chapter 21: And The Saints We See

A/N: I apologize for how long this took me to write. Real life, in the form of mountains of report cards and grading, got in the way. I will try to get the next one out soon, but I'm going to be swamped for the next couple of weeks so I can't make any promises.

When the days are cold and the cards all fold

And the saints we see are all made of gold,

When the dreams all fail and the ones we hail

Are the worst of all, and the blood's run stale…

- Imagine Dragons, Demons

Hours after everyone else had retired to bed, Leo stood over Wyatt's cradle, staring down at his sleeping son and wondering when the hell it had all gone so wrong. This was his beloved, precious son, the one he'd never thought he'd be lucky enough to have in the first place and when he'd been born, Leo had sworn that he would always love him, and that he would always hold his family together through everything life threw at him. And yet here he was, on numbered time.

In a few weeks, when they succeeded in saving Wyatt, he'd be forced to go back Up There, abandoning Piper and Wyatt once more- except that he couldn't even imagine doing that. Once had been bad enough, but twice? Being around his family again, even in these less than ideal circumstances, had made him realize just how much he'd missed them. He didn't think he'd be able to survive another painful separation.

His thoughts drifted to the man who had put him in this position in the first place. Even after hearing what Sam had said, it was still hard to completely forgive the whitelighter. Ever since Chris had come into their lives, he had thrown Leo's sense of equilibrium completely out of gear. He had been a whitelighter for decades before he'd been an Elder, and a doctor even before that. He'd always been completely sure that his calling was to help others in need, and he'd never wanted any kind of power or recognition for it. And then Chris had arrived, and Leo had been thrust into a position as Elder which he hadn't even been remotely ready for.

Chris had separated him from his family, and then made things worse by lying constantly and unapologetically to all of them for months. Now, after hearing about Chris's future and what he'd been through, Leo could better understand the desperation that had motivated his actions, but that still didn't make it any easier to deal with. H

His thoughts we interrupted by a familiar jingling. He nearly groaned aloud. He was in no frame of mind to have a conversation with anyone after today, let alone the Elders. But the sound grew too insistent to ignore, and he sighed, rolling his eyes heavenward before giving in and orbing. He glanced around at the pristine, cloudy surroundings which usually filled him with such a powerful sense of peace and grace- but today, they grated on him. This world, which was never touched by nightfall, seemed so far removed from the grim reality that his family was living with, that they might as well have been on a different planet altogether.

To his considerable relief, though, there wasn't a crowd of Elders waiting to greet him with a barrage of questions, only his old friend Gideon. "Leo," he said, inclining his head, "Forgive me for being so insistent, but the other Elders wanted me to check on your progress. Are you any closer to finding the demon responsible for turning your son?"

If it had been the other Elders asking the question, Leo might have considered prevarication, but this was Gideon. "No," he said, slumping in defeat. "It's like searching for a needle in a stack of needles. Chris isn't sure what turned him- I guess it happened when he was too young to remember it in his timeline. So we're looking at every possibility. It's exhausting."

"That's disappointing," said Gideon, "But don't lose heart, Leo. The Charmed Ones have always come out on top of every demonic threat they've faced."

"Not always," said Leo, thinking of Prue. They had run out of luck then, and Gideon's unfailing optimism, though it was one of the things Leo had always appreciated about him, wasn't enough to make him shake off the dark pall that had fallen over him. Not when the stakes were this high.

"If Wyatt needs protection, you are welcome to bring him up to Magic School," Gideon offered. "It's past time he visited the school anyway- he needs someone to help train him to use his powers properly. The nursery would be happy to take him for any length of time, day or night."

"That'll be a huge help," Leo admitted, relieved. "It's not exactly easy to find a babysitter for him on short notice."

"No, I would imagine not," said Gideon wryly. "Perhaps you could even consider moving him and Piper up to the school. No evil would be able to touch them there."

"Piper would never agree to that," said Leo, frowning. "She wants him to have as normal a life as possible. Besides, I really don't think it's a permanent solution- as soon as he leaves the place he'll be vulnerable again."

"You're right, of course," Gideon agreed easily. "I just wanted you to know the option is available. I hope you know that if there is anything I can do for you; anything at all, you just need to ask."

Leo smiled, feeling heartened by the kind words. "Thanks, Gideon," he said, "I really appreciate it. I'll bring the sisters around to see the school tomorrow- I'm sure they'll agree it's the safest option for Wyatt, too."

"Sigmund and I will look forward to it," said Gideon warmly.

Leo nodded and orbed back to the manor, his heart much lighter after Gideon's show of solidarity. Even when things were at their darkest, it wouldn't do to forget that they had good friends who were willing to help them. With Gideon's support, perhaps they'd be able to get through all this in one piece.

It was an hour before classes were scheduled to begin, but Sigmund liked to have a quiet start to the day before the halls of Magic School were overrun with the voices of laughing, shouting, hormone-driven children. In the quiet of his small office, he finished the last of his marking before turning his attention to the lesson plans the two newest teachers had left on his desk for review. Scanning them carefully, he penciled in some changes before leaning back on his chair and letting the peaceful morning wash over him.

Sigmund liked to think of himself as one of the integral cogs which kept Magic School running. He had been here since the very beginning, helping Gideon build the place from the ground up, and he had seen it grow over the years into one of the only places of unadulterated good magic still left in the world. He was proud of their work, and had immense respect for the Elder who had fought to create and maintain this place.

He himself had been nothing more than a lowly warlock when Gideon had found him and brought him to teach magical theory to the first generation of students to attend the school. But Sigmund had been a good teacher and that was all that had truly mattered to Gideon- because at the end of the day, as Sigmund knew all too well, when dealing with young people, magical power didn't matter half as much as integrity, commitment and knowledge. The fact that Gideon had recognized and nurtured those qualities in him when nobody else had, had earned him Sigmund's undying loyalty. Now, he was determined to help the Elder in all his endeavors…even if that meant abducting an innocent child.

After decades of teaching and protecting young, innocent children, it went against everything Sigmund believed in to even consider the idea- but if Gideon thought it was necessary, he would follow him without question. Sigmund knew that no one was more committed to the greater good than Gideon, and he would never have suggested any course of action against Wyatt Halliwell unless there was a very good reason for it. Still, he hoped the Charmed Ones and their whitelighter were able to save Wyatt before it become necessary.

He looked up as Gideon orbed into the room moments later, wearing a dark look on his face. Sigmund's heart sank. "I take it they aren't making much progress?" he asked.

Gideon shook his head in frustration. "No, they aren't," he said. "It sounds like Chris Perry came back from the future without any real plan in mind- they're going after every demon they can think of, and praying that they stumble on the one responsible." He snorted derisively.

"I suppose that means we don't have a choice, then," said Sigmund, a leaden feeling in his chest. "The child has to be stripped of his powers. Are you sure that Leo and the sisters can't be talked into it?"

"Quite sure," said Gideon, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Leo wouldn't even agree to the idea of moving Wyatt up to Magic School for safety. Although, I did manage to convince him that he should drop off Wyatt in the nursery when they're busy on demon hunts, so at least we'll have access to him now."

Sigmund frowned. "I really don't think Mrs. Winterbourne would let anyone- including us- get to one of her kids," he said.

"I don't mean we should abduct him from our own nursery," Gideon clarified, "I just mean that it will help if he's physically close to us, so we can get him to start trusting us. Otherwise, it's going to be very difficult- he's got a protective shield strong enough to repel almost every magical force known to the Wiccan world. That's why we can't simply feed him a power stripping potion. There's no other choice but to somehow get him away from the sisters and find a way to make him lower his defenses. The more time he spends in our care, the easier that will be."

Sigmund's expression was uneasy as he listened to Gideon's words. It all sounded so very calculated, and it made Sigmund feel dirty to even be considering it. It felt so evil, so underhanded, and he was used to thinking of himself as good, and honest.

As if reading his misgivings on his face, Gideon said, "I don't like it any more than you do, my friend, but the child does need to be stopped. I've thought so ever since he was born, but I didn't want to hurt him- he's the son of a close friend, after all, and he could have been one of the greatest forces of good the world has ever seen; if only we knew how to ensure that his powers are channeled correctly. But after I saw the fear in the Tribunal's eyes, I'm finally convinced that something needs to be done. That kind of power can't be allowed to exist in the world. Besides," he added pointedly, "If we don't intervene and Chris Perry fails to save him, he'll be erased from existence by the Tribunal anyway, as will the Charmed Ones. At least this way, we can preserve his life and save the entire family."

Sigmund nodded, his doubts falling away in the face of Gideon's logic. "So what do we do next?" he asked.

"We wait," said Gideon simply, "And prepare ourselves. And whenever an opportunity presents itself to us…we'll act."

Two nights later, Gideon made his way through the Underworld, feeling fiercely glad of his ability to cloak himself in invisibility. Never mind how the demons would react if they saw an Elder sneaking around the Underworld; if any of the other Elders spotted him when they looked down, his plans for Wyatt would be over before they even began.

His face twisted into a disgusted grimace as he made his way through the dark, stinking caverns. This place was unspeakably vile, and even after less than an hour, he wished that he could go back to the open air and clouds he was used to. But of course, he had to find the portal first- and though he would have liked to orb there directly, it was hidden by powerful protective magic.

After another half an hour of walking, he finally found the place he was looking for. Ancient magic crackled as he stepped into the non-descript cave. But instead of the dark, cramped interior he was expecting, he was shocked to find himself out in the open, surrounded by tall, hardwood trees. Disoriented, he closed his eyes and concentrated, and was amazed to discover that he was in Maine, in the middle of the 100 Mile Wilderness. Of all the unlikely places for a portal to be…

But of course, there was very little chance of anyone, human or otherwise, stumbling on it by accident here. The illusionary magic that protected this clearing was powerful, and he doubted that anything less than an incredibly powerful Upper Level demon, witch or Elder, could have walked through that cave in one piece. Sigmund certainly could not have, and Gideon was glad he wasn't here with him. The man was a loyal friend, but he didn't have the stomach for the kind of sacrifices Gideon was capable of making for the greater good.

Gideon turned his attention to the portal. He could sense its location, even though it was only buzzing faintly, not yet active. He raised his palms and gathered his magic about him sending a pure, powerful stream at the portal. He was once again glad to be an Elder when the portal sprang to life almost immediately. Very few magical beings would have been able to open a portal into Purgatory with raw power alone, but Gideon was a powerful Elder, and had been one for several generations. Using brute force wasn't usually his house, but they really didn't have the time to wait this out. Wyatt was growing more powerful every day, and he had to be stopped before it was too late.

He wished now that he had never supported Leo's marriage to Piper- he would never have done so if he'd known this would be the result. But of course, that was neither here nor there. He had to live with the consequences of his own actions, and this was one of them. With that thought to firm his resolve, Gideon reached out, extending his sensing ability across Purgatory, and found what he was looking for almost immediately. There were not many creatures who were more evil than the Demon of Fear, even in this place.

Gideon sent his magic forward, catching hold of the demon and dragging him towards himself. Minutes later, Barbas stood before him. Gideon found himself almost stumbling, feeling drained by his excessive use of magic, but he forced himself to stand as straight as ever. It wouldn't do to look weak in front of the Demon of Fear, after all.

Though his clothes were torn and his white hair windswept, Barbas looked as arrogant and unflappable as ever. His face was cold and calculating, and he shot Gideon and unimpressed look that seemed to suggest that it was an everyday occurrence for demons to be yanked out of Purgatory.

"Elder," he said in smooth, lilting voice. "I have to admit I'm intrigued. To what do I owe the…pleasure?" He shifted closer, his palm extending to read Gideon's fears, but reacted quickly, shoving him back with a telekinetic burst of power. "Don't even think about it, demon," he warned sharply. "Try to use your powers on me again, and I'll send you right back."

"My apologies," Barbas sneered, not sounding very sorry at all, "It's something of a habit, I'm afraid. Why have you brought me here?"

"I've brought you here because I have a proposition for you," said Gideon bluntly. "And I believe we'd be best served by working together for a time."

"And why exactly should I help you?" Barbas countered mockingly. "I didn't exactly ask you to rescue me, after all. Why shouldn't I just shimmer away from here?"

Though angered by the demon's ingratitude, Gideon forced his expression to remain neutral. This was after all, only temporary- a small, but necessary sacrifice for the greater good. Once Barbas had served his purpose, Gideon would have no qualms about sending the slimy demon right back where he belonged.

"Oh, you'll help me," he said evenly, meeting the demon's eyes without a hint of fear or hesitation, "I'm sure you remember the Charmed Ones?"

Barbas stiffened involuntarily, giving away his emotions for the first time. "You want me to go after the sisters?" he asked mildly. "What makes you think that would go any better than it did the last three times?"

"You're not going anywhere near the Charmed Ones," said Gideon sharply, "If you do, I'll vanquish you immediately, make no mistake about that."

"I thought Elders were supposed to be pacifists," Barbas muttered, sneering.

"We're supposed to do everything we can to serve the greater good," Gideon returned grimly, "which I am doing. You don't need to concern yourself with more than that. All you need to remember is that you are not to hurt the Charmed Ones…but their whitelighter is a different story."

"Ah, yes, Leo Wyatt," said Barbas, looking as if he had just smelt something particularly unpleasant. "I do recall. It will be my pleasure."

"Leo isn't their whitelighter anymore, he's an Elder," said Gideon sharply, "And he's off limits, too. I was talking about their new whitelighter- I want you to go after him, distract him from his duties by tormenting him with his fears- but don't kill him."

"I clearly seemed to have missed a few things," said Barbas, staring at him with narrowed eyes, "Why would an Elder want to go after one of his own?"

"It's not him, but something else, I'm after," said Gideon, "And I need him out of my way for a time, that's all. His name is Chris Perry, and he's a time traveler from the future."

TBC…

A/N: I'm sorry if I've unintentionally diverged from canon with this, but I really don't remember much about Purgatory in the Charmed universe. I read on the Charmed Wiki that it was where Barbas was banished by the sisters after he manipulated Cole, but that's about it. So I'm sort of making things up as I go along, and also using some of the mythology from Season 8 of Supernatural. Honestly, the only season of Charmed I still remember properly is Season 6…for very obvious reasons. ;)