A/N: Again I am taking my creative license and jumping around season 6 as my muse directs. This Chapter has spoilers for "Little Monsters" and has lines taken directly from the episode. Special thanks to Itachi-nii, the reviewer that this chapter is dedicated to.

Chapter 25
Seth

Chris was flipping through the Book pausing briefly on each page; he knew he was missing something. His mind was totally wrapped up in his task and he didn't hear the person, now behind him, enter the attic.

"Christopher Perry Halliwell!" he heard Wyatt yell out.

Chris froze. That wasn't baby Wyatt; that was big Wyatt. His very pissed off big brother from the future. Chris raised his head slowly from the Book but didn't turn around as he meekly answered, "Yes Sir."

"You are in so much trouble, Little Boy!" Wyatt yelled again. "Was I not specific enough? I thought I very clearly said THAT YOU WERE NOT TO SEE HER! Did you think that meant go ahead, travel to the past and stay? As a matter of fact, I don't remember giving you permission to travel to the past, DID I?" Wyatt varied between yelling and commanding.

Chris didn't answer and he was still frozen; he had not yet turned to face his brother.

"Well, Christopher?"

Chris slowly shook his head no.

"LOOK AT ME!" Wyatt shouted and Chris slowly turned; his eyes on the floor. Wyatt continued, "Did I give you permission to travel to the past?"

"Nuh… no sir," Chris stammered out.

Wyatt took three long strides and came up to Chris and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, "I cannot believe I had to travel to the past just to get you!" And he started to drag him to the now glowing triquatra on the attic wall.

Chris planted his feet and tried to resist but Wyatt was stronger and very determinedly pulled him forward. Chris struggled and pulled away in vain yelling, "No, Wy, wait. Something's wrong! Can't you see, something is wrong?"

Wyatt didn't pause as he said, "Oh, I see something wrong. You being here is wrong. You still having the ability to sit down is wrong. But you don't need to worry; I plan to fix both of those problems."

"Wy, please, don't," were the last words Chris was able to say before he was drug through the portal to the future.

Wyatt didn't let go of him when they exited the other side instead he continued to drag him towards the stairs. "After everything I have done to keep you safe you pull a stunt like this? I thought you understood the consequences of disobeying me. Apparently I was wrong," Wyatt said as he proceeded to haul him towards Chris's bedroom then shoved the boy into the room.

Chris sprawled forward onto his bed and scurried to sit up, "Wy, I had to!"

Wyatt had begun pacing and spun around as Chris spoke, "No you did not HAVE to! You left here when you were safe to go back to a time before you were even born! Do you realize you could have jeopardized your own birth?"

Chris scooted back on the bed as he defended himself, "But I didn't…"

At those words Wyatt raised an eyebrow and said, "Really? You didn't begin to cease to exist?"

Chris squirmed, how could Wyatt have known that? He didn't want to admit that little fact so instead he said, "But I'm fine… all… conceived… and all." He had trouble finding the words to convince Wyatt that he was safe in the past. He knew he needed to go back. Chris looked around the room trying hard to figure a way out. He tried to orb but he wasn't able to and there was no way he could out run his brother. He sucked in a deep breath to defend himself further.

Before Chris could get out another word Wyatt asked, "What about Seth?"

Chris let out his breath. He didn't understand. What had happened to Seth? Out loud he asked, "Seth?"

Suddenly the air before him shimmered and his best friend Seth appeared. Seth looked at Wyatt and then to Chris and asked, "What have you done?"

Chris opened his mouth but Wyatt spoke first, "Explain to him what you have been doing… Better yet, explain to him plan B-"

Chris screeched, "WHAT?" at the last two words Wyatt spoke.

Wyatt wasn't done though, "I thought the threat of plan B would be enough but apparently I have to follow through."

Chris was backing himself into the corner of his bed his face was flushed red with embarrassment and he looked between Seth and Wyatt before crying out, "Please, Wy, don't…"

Wyatt raised his hand and said, "Wooden spoon," and that awful paddle like wooden spoon appeared in his open palm. "Go ahead," Wyatt goaded, "Explain to Seth what happens to naughty boys that can't follow the rules."

Chris's eyes filled with tears, whether from fear or embarrassment he wasn't sure as he said, "Wy, please… You can't…"

"Oh I can, Little Brother, and I will. Every night for two weeks and then I am going to bind your powers," Wyatt taunted him.

Chris was begging, "Wy, please, no," and he had scrunched himself up into the corner of his bed as far back as he could go.

"I warned you, didn't I?" Wyatt asked.

Chris cried out, "Please don't,"

"DIDN'T I?" Wyatt roared.

"Ye- yes sir, buh… but please Wy, please don't," his eyes shot over to his best friend. He couldn't believe what was happening! Not only did his big brother drag him back home but he was threatening to enact plan B. And Chris did NOT forget plan B. The threat of getting a spanking every night for two weeks and having his powers bound was not something he was EVER going to forget. And if that wasn't bad enough, Wyatt was going to sp- punish him right in front of Seth!

As he continued to beg and Wyatt kept walking closer with that horrible instrument of torture, Chris heard a soft plea coming from Seth, "Chris…"

The room started to blur and the voice became less distinct, "Chris…"

Everything went black and Chris heard the soft baby voice of Wyatt saying, "Cwiss…"

Chris opened his eyes and looked directly into the blue orbs of his little 'big' brother. Chris shot up and looked around the room. Same room… different time. 'It was a dream,' Chris sighed in relief, 'It was all just a dream… well, nightmare!' This had been something that Chris had worried about in the back of his mind. Could Wyatt from the future sense that Chris was in the past because of their unique bond? He was afraid that Wyatt would come and snatch him back from the past and drag his butt to the future. He knew that if that happened, Wyatt would surely put plan B into effect! So far he had seemed pretty safe from the far reaching bond. Hopefully the space time continuum would continue to protect and hide him. He laughed at himself for the Star Trek reference as he felt his heartbeat slow back down to a normal level.

Chris took in one last deep breath and realized that little Wyatt had been pulling on his shirt sleeve trying to get his attention. "What is it big guy?" he asked the toddler.

Wyatt pointed towards the door and said, "Baby…" then the little boy orbed out of the room.

Chris scrunched up his eyes in confusion and he hopped up to get dressed. He ran his fingers through his hair to try to tame the wayward strands as he walked downstairs to the living room.

His mom and aunts were sitting around the pack and play that Wyatt had orbed himself to. Chris called out, "Hey, what's going on?"

"Well…" Piper began, "We went on a vanquish but the demon we were after was eaten by another demon. So we vanquished that demon."

Chris looked to each aunt in turn and asked, "Okay… So what's the problem?" He stepped closer to the portable crib and peered inside before exclaiming, "What is that?"

Paige was the one to answer, "That is a baby."

"Yeah, I figured that much out already. What is it doing in there with Wyatt?" Chris asked impatiently.

"Well, every time we take him out Wyatt just orbs back in," Piper informed him.

"Whose baby is it?" Chris asked.

"Uh, see that's the problem. That demon that ate the other demon? Well this is her baby. We can't decide what to do."

Chris was stunned; they were leaving a demon in the pack and play with Wyatt. He was about to freak out on them when he heard Paige.

"We are not going to vanquish a baby. Maybe it's just because I was adopted, but there is that whole nature verse nurture…" Paige began.

As she was talking, a long elastic forked tongue snaked out from the baby. Chris gasped in surprise, "Seth…"

All three sisters looked up at Chris.

Chris looked around at his family in horror as he said, "No! You can't harm him! He's my best friend!"

Piper was stunned, "Your best friend is a demon?"

"He's half human, half manticore," Chris said earnestly. "Please, Mom, you save him and his dad. You have to protect them," he pleaded.

"Ok, honey, calm down. Tell me what's going on," Piper said softly.

Chris took in a deep breath to explain the story to Piper, while Phoebe played peek-a-boo with Wyatt and Seth.

"Manticore demons mate with humans to create hybrids, so they can blend in, hide in plain sight," Chris began, "They kill their mates after conception but Seth's dad got away. He mixed potions using whatever he could steal from them. He had to become powerful, it was the only chance he had. So he became a beast trying to find a way to fight them.

"He thought he was going to die saving Seth but the Charmed Ones saved him and the baby. Seth and I grew up and became best friends." Chris's voice still held a note of pleading in it, "Without his help, I never would have been able to find you, Mom."

As Chris finished Piper had tears in her eyes. No way was she going to let her boy down again. She glanced up as she watched Phoebe take a phone call in the other room before she looked at her son and said, "Don't worry, Peanut, we'll find a way to save him."

Chris was shocked, "What did you just call me?" he asked quietly.

Piper ran the sentence back through her head.

Chris tried again, "Did you call me, Peanut?"

"I guess I did. I'm sorry, does that bother you?" she asked him. She didn't mean to say it; the nickname had just come out.

"No… it's just…" Chris blushed and looked away. He had never told anyone about the note. "You, uh, you left me a note and in it you called me that."

Piper reached her hand up and put it on Chris's cheek. "I left you a note?" she asked with a small smile.

Chris leaned into the touch as he said, "Yeah, you made a baby book for me." He chuckled, "It didn't have many pictures, but it had a bunch of little quotes. After the photos, there was a letter tucked inside that you wrote for me."

Piper's mind went back to the note that Chris brought with him from the future. In it she had said that she would be making a 'special baby book'. At the time Piper assumed it was for Wyatt. Obviously she had made it for Chris. She smiled as she recalled the look of wonder that Chris gave her when she called him Peanut. Maybe she wasn't as horrible of a mother as she had worried she had become.

The mood was ruined as Leo orbed in. He was facing the pack and play and saw Seth just as his elastic forked tongue snaked out. "What is that in the playpen with Wyatt?"

Chris jumped up and said, "Dad, it's ok. He's my friend in the future. We just need to save Derek and vanquish the other Manticore Demons."

Leo looked at his son. He loved hearing the boy call him 'Dad', but he still glanced to Piper to make sure she was OK with saving what was obviously a demon. The look on her face showed she was supporting the decision. "Ok, Chris. What's the plan?"

Chris and his parents brought both babies up to the attic. Chris began to work on the Manticore vanquishing potion and had instructed Piper to continue to play peek-a-boo with Seth. He explained that last time they had to vanquish the Manticore demons while Seth was with them. Baby Seth was in a cave with the other Manticore demons and Piper encouraged him to play peek-a-boo. When he did he would shimmer out of the room then back again. Chris smiled as he told them how it never got old, teasing him about the peek-a-boo saving his life!

Chris had run downstairs to get an ingredient when a greenish grey hunchbacked demon shimmered into the room. The demon tried to get the baby but Wyatt's shield protected them. Piper tried to blow him up but he shimmered in behind her and then shimmered them both away.

Chris orbed up just in time to watch them both disappear. He paused to sense for his mother and tried to orb and follow her but Leo grabbed his arm. "No, Chris. I need you to stay here and watch your brother."

"But…" was all Chris was able to say before Leo began again.

"I need you to be safe," Leo told him.

"But… what about Mom?" Chris asked. Didn't his dad understand that she was pregnant with him! He wasn't safe unless she was! Chris opened his mouth to push further but shimmering interrupted him.

Suddenly Piper and the Beast reappeared. Piper quickly threw her arms up to stop them from attacking them, "Wait, this is Derek. Seth's father," she gave a knowing glance at her husband and immediately he believed her. Chris, on the other hand, wasn't so sure. Okay, he knew the story that the man had turned himself into a beast but those were just stories. Chris knew Derek! He was as human as they get. Well almost, he did have better than average hearing and strength, but he was human looking!

Piper saw the look that Chris was giving Derek and decided that he was the one that should retrieve her sisters, "Chris, go and get your aunts. We are going to need all the help we can get to vanquish the Manticore demons."

Chris gave his mother a dark look but relented when she returned the stare. He sighed and mumbled, "Yes, Ma'am," as he orbed off to find his two aunts.

When he returned he found a human looking Derek on the couch with his dad standing over him healing him.

"What happened," Paige asked, stopping Chris from asking the same question.

Piper answered, "Leo went to change Wyatt while I was bottling the vanquishing potions. Two of the Manticore demons came in. They knocked me down and attacked Derek. I was able to throw the potion at one of them but the other took the baby."

Chris was frantic, "We have to find Seth!"

"We will, Chris. There is some demon blood here on the ground and we'll scry with it," Phoebe told him. She then gathered some of the liquid and proceeded to use the crystal to try to locate the demons.

Derek sat up, "I can't believe I'm human again. Thank you. But, why are you helping me?"

Leo answered, "I'm a father first," and with that comment Chris gave a small lopsided grin. Leo continued with, "Don't worry; we will save your son."

Derek smiled back and then looked over at Chris, "Why do you keep calling him Seth?"

Chris blushed, "Well, it's uh, his name…"

Derek gave a questioning gaze and Leo filled him in with the cliff notes version of how Chris came from the future and is actually his son's best friend.

"Good to know," Derek said with a smile.

"Ok, we're ready," Paige said as she watched the scrying crystal stop at a spot on the map.

Chris walked over to grab some of the vials himself but was stopped when Piper said, "No, you stay here and watch your brother."

"What? But Seth's my best friend!" Chris yelled.

"Christopher, I would watch your tone if I were you," Leo told him in a commanding voice.

Chris whirled around to face his father as he yelled again, "You would have let me go before!"

Leo's face became hard as he said in a menacing voice, "Would you like to go to your room and discuss with me why I wouldn't have minded before?"

Chris knew what Leo meant; did he want to discuss the glamour spell he had cast on himself, making him appear at least six years older. He also thought when Leo said 'discuss' that he didn't actually mean talk. Chris didn't heed the warning though; he stepped closer to the vials as he said firmly, "No, I would like to go with them."

Leo stepped forward, took Chris's arm and began to lead him out of the attic. He caught sight of Derek when he turned to see Leo taking him to the stairs. Chris suddenly had a flashback to this morning's dream where Wyatt was dragging him to his room to spank him in front of Seth.

Chris's voice held a note of panic as he dug his feet into the ground and said, "No, Dad. Fine! I'll stay, OK?"

Leo stopped and looked at his son's face, "Are you sure?" he asked in a cold tone.

Chris dropped his head in defeat as he whispered, "Yes sir."

Leo let go of his arm as he said, "So long as you are sure."

Chris rolled his eyes, but only because Leo couldn't see him. The last thing he needed was to be treated like a little kid in front of Seth's dad!

The Charmed Ones had already orbed off while Chris and Leo were talking. They returned ten minutes later holding Seth and announcing that they had vanquished all of the demons.

Chris stalked off and went to sulk in his room.

Piper and Derek talked for a few minutes. She offered to bind the boy's power if he ever needed it.

Derek replied, "No, thanks, that's really sweet but it's not necessary. He's a good boy so it's just up to me to make sure he stays that way."

Piper smiled and said, "In that case he's in good hands. Well, take care."

Derek turned and pushed the stroller that Piper had given him as he replied, "You too." And he left the manor.

Piper walked up the stairs and knocked on Chris's bedroom door. He didn't answer but she opened the door and stepped in the room. He was laying on the bed facing the wall.

Piper walked over and sat next to him on the bed. She carded her fingers through his hair and said, "I'm sorry we are being so over protective, Peanut."

Chris sighed and rolled back over to face her. He wondered if he should tell them that he was used to it. That Wyatt had treated him the same way growing up. That he honestly understood that they were just trying to protect him.

Piper continued running her fingers through his short hair, "You have to understand, we aren't used to having a teenage son." Then she said with a small grin, "One that likes to put himself in harm's way.

"Your dad and I are going to do everything we can do to keep you safe," she continued, "I'm sorry it upsets you but that is what parents do."

Chris sighed again as he said, "I know Mom. Wyatt wouldn't have let me go either. He would have kicked my butt if I had yelled at him like that." He blushed as he realized he had just said too much so he pushed on, "I'm the one that's sorry. I was just worried about Seth."

Piper smiled and she leaned down to kiss her son's forehead. She filed away that little tidbit of information Chris had just shared. "You're a good friend, Chris. We are going to fix all of this. I have a feeling that things are falling into place."

And with that cryptic last sentence she got up and left the room. Chris smiled as he watched her go. He also had a feeling things were happening the way they were supposed to.

TBC

A/N: I bet you didn't see that first part coming… or the fact that it was just dream! LOL! That was my answer to my faithful reviewer Itachi-nii who requested having Wyatt come to the past to scold Chris for leaving the house without his permission.