Okay here goes the next chapter. I really hope you like it. First I didn't want to add this chapter but I think it's a nice little one to lighten up the mood a bit before the real drama begins...once again.
Thanks for everyone who reviewed on the last chapter. Thanks to Ann.
Chapter 36
It was unusual that the Charmed Ones had to meet to vanquish a demon these days. Especially after Chris and Wyatt became the main demon hunters in the family. But Penny also didn't mind vanquishing demons now that she gained her mother's empathy power. And Paige's son Henry was about to turn into one bitchy demon hunter. Although Paige had always been the sister that was the most interested in magic, she couldn't help but worry that her son inherited her passion.
Anyway, this day had been one of the rare days that was the sisters' job to go after the Caesarius demon as none of their kids were available. And of course, they managed to vanquish as professional as always. Now they sat together in the kitchen waiting for Piper's cookies to cool down, talking about their all time favorite topic: men. Even as they were all married for several years now, they still didn't get tired of talking about someone else but their husbands.
Paige took one of the cookies and closed her eyes enjoying the taste.
"God, Piper, I don't know what I would do without your cookies. Mine never taste that good," the youngest sister said. "And I have to say that we can enjoy your baking abilities really often these days. Not that I'm complaining, even though, my new dress screams No."
"Well, then you shouldn't eat so many," Phoebe replied smirking also taking one of the chocolate chip cookies. "But it's true, Piper, I can't remember the last time when you had a new box of cookies every week."
"I know. Now, that Josh lives here, I at least have someone who appreciates my baking without complaining about getting too fat," Piper winked at her youngest sister. "Although, his father does complain. But have you ever seen a kid that was being corrupted by cookies. No. So for now, I am coddling my only grandson as long as he is my only grandson."
Piper expected Wyatt and Rachel to have kids really soon now that they were going to marry. She couldn't help it but still feel offended not having been allowed to organize a wedding for Chris. Not that she even wanted him to marry but a party was the least she could have been asked to do.
Paige and Phoebe shared a look and both agreed on changing the subject, but they were interrupted by Josh crying really bad in the hallway. But the three mother's understood at once that it was an angry cry and not a hurt one. Obviously, Josh had not gotten what he had wished for in the shopping mall and now he was pissed.
"Maybe he needs one of your cookies to calm down a bit?" Paige purposed.
Piper nodded. She took the plate with the cookies and went into the hallway. A little sneaker flew towards her head.
"What was that?"
"You see that? You almost hit grandma. It's enough now," Chris told his son and took him by the shoulders. "You stop throwing things around right now. And don't hit me!" He yelled when Josh wanted to use his fist to box his father's arm. His face was really red and there were tear strains on his cheeks, but most of all, he was angry. His grey blue eyes glistered with anger, just like Kat's had done sometimes. The brunette 4 year old stomped his foot in desperation. His daddy just didn't get anything and he wasn't treating Josh fair.
Piper went over to them and bent down. "Do you want a cookie, sweetie?"
Josh nodded. But Chris took the cookie away from him.
"No! No cookies for you. I'm really, really mad at you today."
"I'm mad at you too!" Josh yelled and grabbed the cookie back throwing it on the floor and stepping on it.
"Okay. You want it that way?" Chris picked Josh up, who tried to get away from him but wasn't strong enough. The 22 year old took the chair that stood next to the wardrobe and placed it facing the wall. He sat his son down on the chair. "That's it! Time out. 20 minutes for you to calm down and think about your behavior and then you are allowed to clean up the mess you made."
Josh crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared at the wall darkly. This was not fair! He hated time out. Mommy never put him on time out, because she said he rather did something like cleaning up his room or something. But daddy always stuck with the time out rule.
Chris shook his head and left his son to stare at the wall for the next 20 minutes. He greeted his aunts, who still sat in the kitchen, pretending they hadn't heard anything. Piper came shortly after him. "What was that all about?"
"We had a really bad time at the mall that's all," Chris said. It was always exhausting to take Josh to the mall but this time his son had behaved really badly. He did not only make Chris angry but made him worry. "He wanted some shoes that have little lights and they blink when you walk. They cost 75. I told him, I'm not buying such expensive shoes when I know he will need a new pair again in a few weeks. He made a big deal out of it, started crying and everything. Then we went to the drugstore on the first floor. I turn around for like 1 minute. And what happened? Josh's gone. I am not exaggerating here. Gone. Nowhere to be seen. I checked the whole store and finally sensed him in the toy store, third floor, playing with some other kids. I swear he must have orbed there. And when I finally found him and told him that we'd leave now, he got even angrier and threw things at me. And that's where we stand now."
"Your son has a bad temper," Paige said.
"He doesn't usually. It was only because of the stupid shoes. And that is not really what bothers me but he cannot run away."
"Of course not. You need to tell him," Phoebe replied.
"Do you really think I haven't tried that out yet?"
"You need to say it again and again."
Chris ran a hand through his hair. He stood up and took a bottle of beer out of the fridge. He usually didn't drink alcohol in front of his family as he knew what they were already thinking about him but this was a unique situation. He was really stressed. He tried his best not to think of Amy but he couldn't stop himself. He knew he was often letting his bad mood out on Josh these days but he felt himself right this time. He was always panicking whenever he couldn't find Josh at his side.
Wyatt entered his parents' house carrying a large duffle bag with dirty clothes. He may live in his own apartment now with his girlfriend but why spending money in a Laundromat when he could do their laundry for free at his old home. And if his mom thought she had to do the ironing for him as well, who was he to complain. Wyatt almost walked past his nephew sitting on a chair facing the wall.
"Josh? What are you doing?"
"Daddy put my on stupid time out."
"Why?"
"I was a bad boy today." He had to admit he wasn't really nice. But everyone had the shoes that blinked. Only he didn't. That was so stupid. It was really important that the other kids would see that he had the same cool things they had.
"I don't think, it was that bad. How about we play something together, okay? I'll bring the bag to grandma and then I'll come back and we can play with your cars. Why don't you go and get them?"
Josh nodded eagerly and climbed off the chair. His father surely wouldn't play with him today again. He was too angry.
Wyatt went into the kitchen. "Hey family!"
"What is that?" Piper asked.
"Laundry," Wyatt replied simply letting the bag drop on the floor. "I'll go and play a bit with my nephew."
"No, not yet. He still has eight minutes time out," Chris said.
Wyatt frowned. He had a feeling like he had done something wrong there. "Oh."
"Oh? Oh what?"
"Maybe…"
Chris brushed past his brother into the hallway and found the chair he had placed his son on empty. The little boy was indeed playing with his cars in the conservatory.
"Josh! You come here right now!" Chris yelled.
Josh looked at his father and his shoulders slumped. He should have known that he shouldn't have left his place before his dad had told him to.
"Did I tell you that you are allowed to leave the chair?"
"No, Uncle Wyatt did."
"He did, did he?" Chris looked at his son sternly. "Uncle Wyatt has no right to tell you when your time out is over. This just caused you 10 more minutes. Go!"
Josh sighed and climbed back on the chair. This was a really bad day.
"Sorry," Wyatt told his brother once Chris was back in the kitchen. "Really."
"You didn't even know what happened. Don't you think I have a good reason to punish my son? You have no right to interfere."
"I know. I just thought…I don't know. He looked so sad."
"Yeah and sometimes he looks really cute or he uses his puppy eye look to get something. Just ignore it. Don't play father to my son, Wyatt."
Wyatt sighed. "Okay. I'm really sorry. I'll do my laundry. If you allow I'm then playing with my nephew."
"We'll see." Chris was not ready to yet let his brother think everything was okay again.
Chris fell back down on the chair next to his Aunt Phoebe. He was really tired. Phoebe patted her nephews arm. "You really had a bad day today, don't you?"
Chris nodded.
"Take a cookie," Piper offered.
"Mom, I'm past the age that a cookie makes everything alright again," Chris replied but took one nevertheless. At least they tasted good.
Josh hummed a little melody while waiting for his daddy to finally tell him, that time out was over. What a boring punishment!
Chris turned the chair around. "Okay, buddy, time is over."
Josh climbed down the chair.
"Listen," Chris held him back. "You know that I'm not buying you expensive clothes or shoes no matter if they blink or make sounds or whatever. I do not care if your friends have them. We don't have enough money to pay those things."
"Okay. But I could wish for the shoes for my birthday," Josh contemplated.
Chris smiled. "Yes, you could. But that is not why you were sent on time out.
You cannot run away from me in a big, crowded shopping mall. I'm worried when I can't find you anymore. Really. It scares me when you run away. You are a big boy now and you have to understand that."
Josh nodded. "I don't want you to worry about me, Daddy. I promise I will not run away from you again. I was a bit scared too."
"Okay. And there is one more thing. You do know that if I punish you, I have a good reason for it. And Uncle Wyatt – or someone else, for that matter- is not allowed to tell you when your punishment is over. You know that. I'm punishing you, I tell you when you are forgiven. And don't think I have fun when I need to use time out on you."
Josh nodded again mutely.
"And now you are forgiven. You can go and play with your uncle now, if you want. After cleaning up here."
"Okay." Josh hugged his father and gave him a kiss to end their argument officially.
"Oh no, seems like we headed back too long." Chris turned around at the sound of the familiar yet strange voice. He faced a young man and woman standing in the hallway. They looked surprised.
"Patty? Josh, what are you doing here?" Chris asked and crossed his arms over his chest. He eyed the older version of his cousin and son.
"We wanted to go back in time. But like 14 hours not 14 years," Patty said shrugging.
"Yeah, I don't understand. That was a good spell," the brunette man said. He checked the piece of paper in his hand again. "Hey, how did you know it was me?" he asked his father, who was almost as old as he was.
Chris shrugged and looked at the little version hugging his leg staring at him with large eyes, totally confused. They just looked alike, you couldn't deny it. When Josh resembled his father now with the age of four he just looked even more like him now.
"Right. I see. We need to get out of here," Josh said.
"Daddy!" the little Josh tugged his father's trouser leg. "Can I play with Uncle Wyatt now?"
But Chris shook his head. "You've got to clean up first."
Josh's shoulders sacked but he went started to pick up the things he had thrown around the hall earlier, anyway.
"Just ignore us. Me and Josh will handle this. All we need is to check the book once more," Patty said. "God, I forgot how cute you were." She shoved her companion lightly. "Except for the one time you puked on my favorite shirt."
The boy made a face at her. "What have I done, if I may ask?" the older Josh asked grinning. He saw the chair facing the wall and remembered the millions of times he had been put on time out. The stupidest punishment ever.
"You ran away at the mall."
"Come on, that put me on time out? I will do worse."
Chris raised his eyebrows at his son and glared at him. The future version of Josh just felt like the 4 year old again when he saw the look. He loved his father to no end. He always had but he also had great respect. He hated it to feel like a little child again, though. "I'm just saying. Stupid time out never made me change a thing."
Chris narrowed his eyes and Josh gulped. "With all due respect." When Chris didn't change a bit he added. "Sir."
Chris smiled at his son. It was strange to see the little version and the future version in the same room. But it also made him feel pretty proud to see what the now 4 year old would turn out. Except for the bad spell writing.
"I really hate to keep this reunion short," Patty said. "But we have a future to get back to and a demon to take care of."
"Hold on. Josh, you can go to your room now," Chris told his little son and went to the kitchen. He came back a second later with his mom and aunts and Wyatt behind him.
"Patty!" Phoebe shrieked. "What are you doing here?"
"A little mistake. The spell was a bit unclear," Patty explained.
"It was a good spell," Josh disagreed.
"Let me see that," Chris took the paper from the boy and read it. "Where did you want to go with that one?"
"It's a good spell, Dad. I know it." Josh rolled his eyes.
"It could have easily brought you to the 14th century. It's too vague. Who taught you?"
"You," Josh grinned. "Oh, grandma you look so young!"
"Be careful, young man," Piper winked. She had seen both her sons from the future when those were just little babies. Or not even born, in Chris' case. But it still was always a weird feeling to see future versions of people.
Phoebe stood next to her daughter and couldn't deny how beautiful and grown up Patty was.
"We need to get out of here before we say something that changes the future," the young woman said. "Josh…"
"Spell. I know." The teenager agreed. "Is the book still upstairs?"
Paige nodded. "We could help you."
"No, really. It's not necessary."
"You have a spell that could have brought you anywhere and you say you don't need help. I'll help you," Chris said and already headed up the stairs.
"Dad, I'm not 4 anymore. I can do that," Josh called after him.
"I can see that," Chris called back.
Josh searched for his second cousin's eyes. She nodded and motioned him to go ahead.
"Josh, are you coming? It's your spell after all."
The brunette teenager rolled his eyes again and went after his pastime father. He couldn't stop but look inside his old room. His little self smiled at him and played with Willy. The teenage boy entered the room and sat down next to him. "Hi, how are you doing?"
"I'm good. Daddy was really angry with me but we made up again."
"That's great."
"Sometimes daddy gets really really mad."
"I know but you don't have to worry. He will always love you more than anything else. And he won't stay angry with you long."
The 4 year old nodded. "I know. I love my daddy too."
"I love him too, you know."
"I know. You are me, right?"
"Right and in the future I can tell you that you will have a lot of fun with dad and…"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, nothing about the future, young man," Chris said. "It can change it in even worse ways. I want to know nothing."
Josh nodded. "You are right, I'm sorry. I won't say anything, I promise."
"Come on." The two went into the attic. "What kind of demon do you need to vanquish?"
Josh flipped through the book of shadow. "Rorex. According to your book, he is a lower level demon. Apparently not. You should update that."
"The book updates itself from time to time. I'm sure this demon is lower level here."
"Hey, couldn't we just vanquish him here?"
"No. He maybe plays an important role in upcoming events. No changing the future, Josh."
"Okay, I got it. Now, what's with the spell?" Josh couldn't count the many times he had bent over a spell with his dad. Everything he knew about magic, he had learned from hours in the attic of the Manor. "How old am I here anyway?" he suddenly asked.
"Concentrate on the spell." Chris made another tweak and handed it to his son to check it out. "You are four."
"I see." The young man's face changed. It showed a pain, Chris didn't know on his son. He shook his head.
"Don't tell me anything."
"I maybe have to." Josh took the piece of paper and folded it. He had to be careful with the words he was going to use now. "Listen, I won't say much but I want you to know that there is a really, really difficult time coming for the both of us. I need you to be strong and go through it by any circumstances. Even when you once think you can't go on, forget what you saw. I know the future. I know what is going to happen and you need to make sure that it is going to happen by getting over what's coming."
"Have you ever seen me giving up?"
Josh smiled. "No."
Chris tried to make a sense out of the words he had been told but decided it was not important right now. If anything happened it would happen again. "You need the blood of the demon to vanquish it."
"I know."
"Do you have some?"
"No, but me and Patty are working on it. We are done here, right? We really need to go."
Patty was sitting between her mom and her oldest cousin. "So, you are not married yet?" she asked Wyatt.
"No, but soon."
"Oh, Patty, don't…" Josh said when he entered the living room. Chris said he'd be done in a second. He probably went to get the little Josh he was here.
"I know, I know. I'm not saying anything. Where is your dad?"
"Should be here any moment."
A little swirl of blue lights appeared in the living room. "Can I ask you a question? Really quick before daddy comes back?" The older version nodded. Josh showed him a picture of a Mercedes SLK roadster from 2003. "That's the car I want. Do I get it?"
The teenager looked at the picture for a moment. He had gotten the car for his 18th birthday. His father and grandfather had built it almost by themselves. A new motor and everything. He nodded.
Josh smiled proudly but hid his smile when the blue and white orbs turned into his dad. Chris looked at both versions of his son sceptically but didn't say anything.
Patty stood up. "Okay, we need to go now. We have a lot to take care of. Did you check the book again for Rorex?"
"I did but he is categorized at lower level here."
Patty shrugged. "Whatever. We already know what to do. Get some blood, vanquishing potion and finished."
"Hey," Chris got his adult son's attention. He threw a vial at him and Josh caught it.
"Rorex blood, I take it," Josh said grinning.
"Yeah, you know for putting you on time out."
Josh stepped forward and embraced his father. "Don't forget what I told. I love you."
"I love you, too."
They parted. "Oh and check out the top of the shelf in my room."
Patty smiled. She gave her mother a hug and moved over to her great cousin. The brunette spoke the spell and they disappeared in golden lights.
I hope you liked it. The next chapter will be up soon and start with the drama. I know a lot of people like the flashbacks and I know I haven't put one up for a long time now but that has a reason. There will come some chapters that contain a lot of flashbacks. Now, I have a question. It's a bit like early Christmas and you make your list with wishes for Santa Claus. Call me, Santa Clause and tell me what you would like to learn more about in a flashback. I already have a few things up but I don't want to forget anything that maybe is important for you guys to understand the story or what you are just curious in. So, please, when you write your review add a wish. Thanks a lot!