Chapter 21

New Information

Chris was in the attic cutting up some herbs for a few potions. He was feeling a little jumpy. Not only did this latest contact scare him a little but ever since the Titans Piper has been keeping a closer eye on the young whitelighter. He felt pretty safe since Piper was still at the club and Leo was busy giving Wyatt a bath, so he had some time.

He grimaced when he thought about how Piper would react to his plan to go out alone tonight. After the little 'talk' she and Leo had with him about his 'gallivanting in the underworld' (and yeah, that was a quote) he had no choice but to make sure they didn't know how often he orbed out alone. The good news was that Piper wanted to limit his excursions, not stop them completely. He was surprised that he hadn't had to argue his point about being able to do things on his own; especially after the way she yelled at Leo before she came to 'talk' with him.

He almost giggled thinking about the argument between Mom and Leo. After the Titan attack Chris had been ordered (and he didn't use the term lightly) to get his father and inform the man that he was 'staying for a while'. Chris did exactly that and then promptly orbed himself back into his own room where he may have listened (and watched covertly) to the 'talk' between his parents. There had been some yelling and some threating but Chris's favorite part was when Mom blew Leo up. Now that was funny! Aunt Paige had been right about Mom doing that! He was glad he was half witch because Leo had complained that it hurt to be blown up.

Chris was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear Piper come into the house.

Piper watched Chris as he worked intently, completely ignoring her presence. "Where are you headed off to?" she asked him.

He startled and looked up at her but quickly gained his composure, 'now was not the time to show weakness' he thought. He answered her lightly, "I have a lead on the players behind Gideon. I thought if I could find more evidence then the other Elders would have to take us seriously."

Piper nodded but something felt wrong. Her mommy sense was spiking and she felt the need to protect Chris, but she wasn't sure from what. She was saved from having to say anymore when Leo walked into the room. "Do we have another vanquish?" Leo asked and Chris jumped again.

The boy was far too jittery for Piper's liking, "No, seems Chris here has a lead."

Chris took on a look of aloofness and said, "Yeah no biggie."

Leo looked at the face of concern on Piper and then back to Chris and asked, "Where are we going?"

Chris startled again but quickly shook it off, "Uh, just me… it's nothing really, merely a meeting…" He trailed off.

Leo and Piper exchanged glances again and Piper said, "A meeting with whom?"

Chris was quickly stuffing the vials he had made into a bag and said, "Really, it's nothing…" Trailing off and not answering.

This time Leo intervened, "Answer your mother."

Chris stopped what he was doing and retorted, "You know I am a grown man, I have plans. You two need to get over whatever protective crap you have going on. I can take care of myself and if I say I have a meeting then damn it, I have a meeting." He needed to get outta here fast.

He went to orb but Leo grabbed his arm, "Who are you meeting, Christopher."

And wasn't that just peachy, he suddenly had flashbacks to when he tried to act all grown up around Wyatt and Wyatt set him straight, usually straight over his knee. He needed to keep up this façade with his family. So far they had been treating him like the man he was glamoured to look like. Finally deciding he had to tell them something he said, "I'm meeting with the old Crone."

Piper exclaimed, "What!"

Chris continued as if nothing had been said, "There are demons down there that will set up this meeting for a price."

Piper walked in front of Chris and got in his face and said, "You most certainly will not! We have met with her before and that is not a meeting you are going to by yourself!" Chris took a couple of steps back already beginning to lose his nerve to fight Piper.

Leo completely agreed with his wife and said, "If this is to be done, ever, then we will do it as a family not as an individual."

Chris lost any ability he had to fight off both parents. A small part of his brain cheered that they would take such measures to protect him. A larger part was getting pissed off at being treated like a child. "Look, I am here for a reason, Leo." Still not using the 'Dad' title on his father, "Either you want to protect the world or you want to coddle me! You cannot make up for lost time by being over protective now!"

Piper stepped back into his space and said, "No. You are not going and that is final." She took the bag from his hand and placed it back on the table.

Chris wanted to scream but he had a better plan; let them think they won. He huffed and said, "Have it your way!" And he orbed out of the room. Piper looked up to Leo and Leo confirmed that he had only gone to his bedroom. Piper let out a breath she hadn't been aware she had been holding. Leo pulled her into a hug. She didn't like the thought of fighting with Chris but he needed to be kept safe.

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Piper went to check on Wyatt again. It was the middle of the night and something felt off but the baby was fine. She stood in the hall debating whether or not to check on Chris. He was an adult, right? She shouldn't have to watch his every move. So what that he tried to go off on his own to the underworld. They discussed it, well argued over it and she won because she was the mom. So why did it feel like something was wrong?

Piper finally decided just one quick peak wouldn't hurt anything. At the very least it would give her some peace of mind so she could finally get some rest. She cracked the door open and looked into the dark room towards the bed; the bed that was still made and there was no sign of Chris.

"LEO!" She screamed.

Leo awoke abruptly and turned to face his wife only to find her not in the bed with him. He quickly sensed for her and orbed to her. She was standing in Chris's room with the light on.

Piper looked up at Leo and said, "Can you sense him?"

Leo was already on the job but looked back at her and shook his head no.

Piper took off towards the attic yelling, "We've got to find him." Her mind went back to the talk with Chris on how he had found his mom. She went straight to the book and got the 'to summon a lost witch spell'. She had all the ingredients together before Leo could even get into the attic with her. She took a knife and cut her finger before saying:

Blood to Blood I summon thee

Blood to Blood return to me

Within seconds white and gold lights surrounded Chris as he appeared before them. He had both his hands raised and he was frozen, covering his head and cowering in a defensive posture. Once the lights faded he slowly lowered his hands and looked around the room and upon seeing his parents he schooled his features to the aloof posture he often took.

Piper was in his face in an instant, "What the hell were you thinking? Where were you?"

Chris's eyes went from Piper to Leo and back to Piper before saying, "I, uh…" and all the while he was thinking, 'oh shit!' but he had to prove that he was a grown up so he straightened up a little taller and said, "I told you, Piper, I had a meeting."

Piper recoiled from her given name but Leo stepped up and said, "That didn't seem to be going so well."

Chris's eyes flashed to his father, 'how did they know it was going badly?' he thought but said, "Yeah, well I can handle myself. I am a grown man you know." There! He was putting them in their place!

Piper rounded on him and said, "You may be an adult, but we already discussed this. I told you not to go out."

Piper raised her arms and Leo gently placed his hands on her forearms.

Leo said, "Maybe we should talk about this tomorrow when we all have clearer heads."

Chris jumped at the chance to get out of this and said, "Fine!" and he orbed to his room.

Leo sensed for him and realized he had gone to bed. He turned Piper around and said, "We need to calm down before you blow him up, Piper."

She blushed, her anger flagging as the worry seeped back in. "It's just…" She started.

He said, "I know. We will all talk about this tomorrow. Let him get some sleep. Let us get some sleep. Things will look different in the morning."

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* * * Future 2018 * * *

Months had passed and Piper began to wonder if Chris gave the letters to her counterpart and her husband. Nothing had changed here except to have grown worse. Rumor had it that Wyatt was searching desperately for Chris and believed that Piper was hiding him. It took all her powers and she called in every favor owed to her to hide herself from Wyatt and still be able to redirect the flow of information to the Resistance. She hung her head thinking about the fact that she was trying to protect her nieces and nephew from her first born.

She pressed her lips together and thought about all the threats that they were being faced with. They had finally learned who was behind the attacks that had killed her sisters. Apparently there had been a leak of information and a renegade group of demons formed an alliance of sort. That was the reason that there were so many different demons. They don't usually work together but the information that had been gathered stated that the Charmed Ones were planning to overtake the Underworld. The demons decided to strike out at the magical sisters and end the revolt before it could even begin. The things they hadn't counted on were the fact that Piper wouldn't be there, that Chris could take them all on and the most important reason, the fact that it wasn't the Charmed Ones that were planning the uprising. It seems that Wyatt had planned to unite the Underworld under his rule and eventually lead the demons above ground; announcing magic to the world.

She shook her head. She was doing everything she could to protect the people here; her father and nieces and nephews were all being guarded. She felt she needed to do something, anything to help Chris in the past. She needed to trust that he did give those letters out. He had promised, but then again, so had she. Technically she didn't break her promise although even she knew she had broken the spirit of it. She stood up and paced the small room thinking that she had done the right thing. He was going to need all the help he could get. Besides she would never wish the terrible guilt she had over her treatment of Chris before realizing he was her son. They would believe her, right? They would protect him, wouldn't they?

Great, so now she needed to worry about her mothering instincts in the past. Well, who could blame her considering her choice? In her timeline she gave her children up. What if they made similar mistakes? She could no longer sit by and do nothing. She had to get a message to the past. Just one more message, she reasoned, they needed to understand that on him all hope depends. They needed to recognize that he must be protected at all costs. With that thought she picked up a pen and began to write another letter to herself in the past. Once she finished she spoke the spell:

Unseen forces through space and time

Heed the hope within this rhyme

Take this note so she can see

And protect the boy I sent to thee

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* * * 2003 * * *

Piper and Leo were both asleep when the white and gold lights appeared over her bed. The sudden illumination awoke Piper slightly and she watched the light show out of sheer curiosity. Out of the center of the lights dropped a folded paper and the lights disappeared. Piper reached over to lamp by the side of the bed and switched it on; glancing at the clock and noting that it was 6:00 am. 'Well some sleep was better than none at all' she mused. She carefully reached out to the paper now sitting on her covered leg. She unfolded the paper and saw that it was a letter, another note from herself in the future. She idly began to wonder what the postage rate for a time traveling letter would be. She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind as she began to read.

Piper, months have passed and things here are only getting worse. My fears and my worries for Chris are escalating. I know you are doing the best that you can but I had to send one last message to make sure you protect Chris at all costs. He feels he has so much to prove and unfortunately my decision to leave him makes him doubt my love. I don't know what I intended this letter to do, I just can't sit by any longer and wait for my baby to return home. I should have never sent a fourteen year old to the past, no matter who it was to. Just take care of him. ~Piper

Piper reread the letter once and then again. Her mind just couldn't comprehend the age of that whitelighter from the future. He said he as twenty! Oh God, he had glamoured himself to look older. He knew there was no way they would treat him like an adult if he looked fourteen. She shook Leo awake, "Leo wake up! You have to see this."

He sleepily rose and took the note she shoved in his face. When he hit the part telling him Chris's age he shot up, all notions of sleep forgotten. He looked over at Piper and said, "He's just a teenager!" Leo shook his head, "I… I had no idea."

Piper stood up and threw on a robe saying over her shoulder, "I have to check on him." Leo was behind her in a flash.

The both strode to the doorway of the room they all considered to be Chris's and slowly pushed the door open. The light from the hall illuminated the room and showed a sleeping Chris curled on the bed. Piper backed away giving Leo a scathing look as if this were his entire fault. She walked downstairs and to the kitchen. She began to make some coffee saying, "Fourteen, he's just fourteen. Oh, God what kind of parents were we…" Then she remembered that she wasn't the one that raised him. Well that ended here and now. She may have made mistakes in the past but they were going to fix this.

Leo looked up at her and said, "Can you reverse the spell?"

Piper smiled thinly, "I was thinking the same thing." She paused for a moment thinking up a spell then focused her energy on Chris and said:

What once was shown put on the shelf

Show the face of your true self

Leo raised his hand and closed his eyes. Blue and white lights traveled through the air and into his open palm. Piper raised her eyebrows at him and he said, "We are going to be discussing this with him and I don't want him orbing off."

Piper's eyes widened, "You clipped his wings?"

Leo smiled and said, "Temporarily. The rest will be up to him. I cannot believe he lied to us for this long. What else is he hiding?"

Piper started to pace and said, "I have no idea! I am going to kill him. How dare he trick us like that? He's still a baby for God's sake."

The two parents settled at the table and waited for their 'youngest' child to wake up…

TBC