Chapter five

The events surrounding the birth of a baby boy

"Damn it!" Paige shouted out of frustration.

"Honey? What is it?" Henry asked

"Kristina ran away."

Time was running out as the first of June rolled around. Now that Kristina had run away, Paige had gotten desperate to protect this baby. She knew Kristina was doing as planned as she was instructed. She was with big W, staying in his apartment until the baby came, but she didn't know where she was. To scry for her, Paige would need something personal to her but Kristina had taken anything of value with her as though she didn't plan on returning home once the baby was born. There was still one more card she could play. Her name was Billie. Billie being an attractive young woman in her twenties was the perfect girl for the job. Her job was simple. Be flirty and act dumb. While Paige waited in her car a block away, Billie danced into the alley wearing a revealing crop-top and a short skirt. Her blonde hair flowing over her shoulders. There was one guy in the alley and Billie quickly got his attention.

"Hey there, baby. What might your name be?"

"Billie. Are you big W?" She asked, playing with her hair.

"I am. What do you say you and I head over to your place. Get to know each other."

"I was thinking that too, only at your place instead," Billie said.

"My place is a mess. Your place would be much better," big W replied.

"My boyfriend is at home. Are you sure we can't go to your place?"

"Sorry lady."

Billie stomped a foot on the ground in annoyance and left. Big W watched her leave and only when he was sure she was gone did he enter the apartment building the alley was beside and enter his apartment. Kristina jumped up from the couch and backed away. "I don't know her," she immediately said. "How did you know I was talking to someone?" He looked at her suspiciously. "Were you by the window? Huh! Well, speak up!" He yelled at her. Kristina backed herself up into a corner. "I'm sorry," she sobbed. He glared at her. "Did I or did I not tell you to stay away from the windows!" Kristina started crying. "I'm sorry." He calmed himself down before he'd do something Big R wouldn't like. "Did she see you?" He hissed. Kristina shook her head. "Good. You've already done enough damage talking to that bitch from social services." He started pacing the room. "I didn't tell her anything I promise." He turned around and stared her straight in the eyes. "I head her on the phone. She said your name, she said that you told her." Kristina started crying again and sunk to the floor. "God! Do you ever stop crying!? I can't wait to get you out my hair." He sighed and walked over to her. He reached out his hands and helped her up.

Billie opened the passenger door and climbed into the car. She shut the door and looked at Paige. "He definitely has the girl. He wanted me but once he realized he'd have to take me to his place...he pretty much rejected me." Paige banged her head on the steering wheel and groaned. "At least we know for sure Kristina is with him," Bille pointed out. Paige looked at her. "But we don't know where she is. What if she gives birth in his apartment?" Billie shrugged and looked down at her feet. "She thinks Big R is going to come back for her when she's eighteen. She's counting on that so she can protect her baby from him. He's never coming back for her. He wouldn't risk getting caught just to get her. He doesn't care about her, not in the slightest. It'll be easy for him to find some other chick to hook up with," Paige stated.

Chris wasn't at magic school, he was with his mom at his brother's school. Westcott Elementary was hosting an open house for prospective parents looking to enroll their child. Since Chis was to start kindergarten in the fall and his older brother already attended this school, it only made sense for Chris to attend this school also. They met up with Wyatt towards the end of the school day in his classroom. Wyatt ran over to his mom and little brother for a big hug as his classmates and teacher watched. Mrs. Wellington came over and shook hands with Piper. "Are you here to pick up Wyatt?" She asked. Piper shook her head and looked down at her second-born son. "This is Wyatt's little brother, Chris. He's starting school here in the fall, well I still have to get him registered." Mrs. Wellington looked at the small brown-haired brown-eyed child. She smiled at him. Chris was hiding behind his mother. "Hi. My name is Mrs. Wellington but you can call me Mrs. W. I will be your teacher." Chris looked up at his mother for reassurance and she pushed him forwards. "Hi," he said shyly. "It's okay, Chris. She's really nice," Wyatt ensured him. Chris looked at his brother. "You sure?" He asked him. Wyatt nodded his head. "Wyatt, maybe you can show Chris around the classroom," Mrs. Wellington instructed. Wyatt nodded and took his brother's hand. They walked off together. "They don't normally get on so well," Piper commented. They watched as Wyatt showed Chris the orange table. "Chris likes to pick on his siblings. Wyatt doesn't put up with it."

Paige slammed the front door of the manor shut after she and Billie had walked through. Leo came around wondering why Paige was so mad. "I got to get home. I have a big exam tomorrow I need to study for," Billie informed. "Okay. Thanks for the help today. Good luck on your exam," Paige replied. Billie nodded and opened the front door to let herself out. Paige turned to Leo as the door closed behind them. "Shouldn't you be at magic school?" Paige asked him. My class ended early today." Having heard her aunt's voice, Melinda toddled over to her. Paige smiled happily and lifted her up into her arms. "Hi, beautiful." Paige gave her a kiss before turning her attention back to Leo and told him what had happened.

"So all we can do is wait. Wait for her water to break. Any type of pain automatically alerts you as her white-lighter. So, when her contractions start the pain will alert you and you'll be able to sense her location much easier," Leo stated.

"Hopefully. I'm so confused on why we haven't been able to sense her location already."

"Has Henry Id'd the father yet?" Asked Leo.

"No. He did warn it would be a long process since we don't know his real name. Darryl hasn't found anything yet either."

The front door opened and Paige turned around, Melinda still in her arms. Piper came in with Wyatt and Chris who both ran up the stairs without a single word to their father or aunt. Piper shouting after them to take their shoes off only to be seemingly ignored. Melinda cooed which caught the attention of her mother. Piper smiled at her and Melinda reached out her arms. Paige leaned over to Piper and handed the baby over to her. Piper kissed the top of her daughter's head and used her free arm to give Paige a quick hug. Leo then greeted his wife with a kiss. Two pairs of child-sized shoes orbed in next to them. Melinda giggled and leaned down wanting the shoes. Piper placed her on the floor and the three adults watched the one-year-old pickup Chris's left shoe and examine it.

"How did it go at the school?" Leo asked.

"Really good. Chris was shy at first but he quickly opened up. Wyatt showed him around himself."

"That's sweet," Paige commented.

"Did you register him?" Leo asked.

"No, you said you wanted to be there remember?"

"I did say that. We can do that tomorrow after dropping off Wyatt?"

"Yeah, that works."

Wyatt dramatically plopped down on a beanbag chair in his and Chris's bedroom. "School is really fun!" He shouted. Chris shrugged as he wasn't sure. "I don't want to go to school," he told his brother. Wyatt laughed in response and said, "I don't think you have a choice." Chris sat down in the beanbag chair next to the one occupied by his brother. Wyatt turned in the beanbag to look at his brother. "You will get to be really smart," he told him. "I know how to read now," he added. Chris climbed off his chair and walked over to the bookshelf that stood across the room and retrieved his favorite book about animals. He walked back over, climbed onto the available beanbag chair, and handed his brother the book. "Can you read this to me?" He asked. Wyatt nodded and opened the book to the first page. "Dogs say ruff. Cats say meow. Birds say tweet." Chris giggled at his brother's imitation of a bird.

June seventh. Kristina let out a scream. Big W came to investigate and found the teenager standing in a puddle of water. "Is that what I think it is?" He asked her. Kristina nodded and headed to the living room where she had been sleeping for the past few days on an old dusty couch. She opened her school bag and started packing some clothes and the blanket she had bought for the baby. Contractions hit and she groaned in pain clutching her stomach. Big W came over and grabbed her by her arm, she was still holding on to the baby's blanket. He started dragging her across the living room and through the hall towards the back door. "What are you doing, that's the alley. We need to go out the front." Big W laughed cruelly. "Not a chance in hell. That social worker and a bunch of cops will be there waiting. You're having this baby in the alley, but don't worry. I have a nurse already on the way, well she was a nurse before she got fired. I called her after your first contraction." Kristian started crying from pain and worry as big W pulled her through the now open back door and into the alley.

Paige orbed herself and her sisters just outside the alley. Leo was already there. "Wait here. Maybe I can scare them off-" A scream was heard cutting Paige off. Paige and Leo both ran into the alley. Kristina had an arrow in her chest and the two adults were freaking out. The dark-lighter had already shimmered out. "WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO!" Big W shouted in panic. "Don't look at me!" The nurse replied. "What do you mean don't look at you! You're a nurse for crying out loud!" The nurse shrugged. "A maternity nurse! I don't know anything about injuries!" "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO TELL HIM?" "Just tell him that both Kristina and the baby died! It's the truth. If we run now they'll never find us."

Paige and Leo ran over to Kristina. Big W and the shady nurse fled the scene before Paige and Leo could get a good look at their faces. Kristina laid there silently on the ground. Blood oozing from her chest. Neither of them could touch the arrow. It was toxic and fatal to white-lighters. Phoebe conveniently came into the alley and she was able to remove the arrow since she didn't have a single drop of white-lighter blood. Leo and Paige both placed their hands above the teenager's heart and golden light shined down from their hands as they attempted to heal the wound.

"Why isn't it working Leo?" Paige demanded

"Because we can't heal the dead. I'm sorry, Paige."

"NO!"

"Paige, there might still be just enough time to save the baby. You have to orb him out."

Without hesitation, Paige quickly moved her hands over to Kristina's stomach. In a wave of the purest light-blue magic in existence, a baby boy appeared in Paige's arms The newborn started crying as Paige looked around and spotted the blanket in Kristina's hand. Leo reached for the blanket and helped Paige wrap the newborn boy in it. Paige took him back into her arms and rocked him gently until he had calmed. She refused to look at the dead teenager in front of her. She couldn't bear seeing her. She had lost charges before but never one so young, so full of potential. Piper finally came and gasped at the sight of the dead body and the baby in Paige's arms. Paige then looked up at her family.

"This is my son."

Puzzled looks came across the faces of her sisters and Leo. "Did you and Henry agree to adopt this baby and not tell us?" Phoebe asked. Paige shook her head. Up until a second ago, there had been no plans on adopting this baby. She was prepared to hand the baby over to social services and help find him a foster family or even better an adoptive family. Now it was clear who his family was. She was his mother, Henry was his father, the twins were his big sisters. "Honey. I know you're emotional right now and you want to do the right thing, but are you sure this is best? For your family? For him?" Paige looked up at her sisters. Tears streaming down her face. "This is my son." Phoebe looked at Piper and felt the worry she felt, the same worry she felt herself. "Sweetie. You need to talk to Henry. Let's get you home so you can do that," Piper said in a soft voice. Phoebe took the baby from Paige as Piper helped her up onto her feet. "I'll look after him while you talk to Henry," Phoebe offered.

Phoebe arrived home and Coop came over to greet her with a kiss not expecting to see a newborn baby in her arms. "Who is this?" He asked her. He looked down at the sleeping newborn. "My nephew, possibly." Coop looked at her confused. As far as he had known neither Piper nor Paige had been pregnant this year. "You remember me telling you about the teenage girl Paige and Leo were in charge of protecting?" Coop nodded. "Yes, she was pregnant, right. Is this her baby?" Phoebe nodded. She placed the sleeping infant down in the bassinet P.J. had outgrown. Coop and Phoebe's daughter were currently napping in the nursery. "His mother...she didn't make it. Paige is now suddenly convinced this is her son. She's gone home to talk to Henry about it. I think it's crazy. Raising a mortal child in a magical family."

Henry was seated on the couch while his daughters were on the floor occupying themselves with coasters they had taken from the coffee table. Paige orbed in and Henry saw the mix of emotions on her face. He stood up as Paige orbed the twins into their nursery. He approached his wife and she buried her face in his chest as she started crying. They stayed this way as minutes passed them. Then, Paige pulled away and whipped the tears off her face with her hand. They both seated themselves down on the couch. "So, did you hand the baby over to another social worker?" He asked her, gently. He had insisted that she was too emotionally attached to be taking care of making arrangements for the baby after his birth. "No. He's with Phoebe right now." A few sobs came from her throat. "Shouldn't you call your boss? This baby needs a placement." Paige shook her head. "He has a home." Henry looked puzzled but then thought perhaps Kristina's mother was stepping up. He wasn't ready for what Paige said next. "This is his home and we are his family." Henry opened his mouth but no words came out. "I think we should adopt him."

Henry got up from the couch and started pacing around the room. "I know it's crazy but he was meant to be our son. I believe that strongly. We can move into a bigger place, we're surrounded by family. We're stable, our jobs are stable." Henry didn't know what to say. He and Paige had never talked about having another child, and after how hard it had been with the twins, he was starting to think they weren't going to have another. "You're a good person with a pure heart, I love that about you. Do you really think we're the best fit for him? You are a part of a world that isn't always safe, especially for someone without powers, like me and this baby," Henry pointed out. Paige stood up and approached her husband. She had never been more serious about something in her life. "I know adopting a mortal may not be ideal but I just can't let this innocent baby be tossed into the system. He needs to come home with us, it feels right. Like, he was meant to be our son and that is why the Elders assigned me to look after his mother." Henry took this under consideration. "Besides. You don't have powers and neither do our girls currently and I protect you guys well enough. Just because Wyatt and Chris have powers doesn't mean they're always safe," Paige added, further making her point. "Okay. We will adopt this baby, but we can't save them all." Paige nodded. "I know, but this one, this one was meant to be our child."

A week had passed. Henry and Paige stood at the front of social services wearing their best outfits. A car parked in the parking lot and a social worker emerged from the driver's seat. She opened the back door and leaned inside. Now with the infant in her arms, the social worker closed the car door and started walking towards the excited yet nervous adoptive parents. Paige reached her arms out and the social worker placed the sleeping baby boy into her arms. Paige looked down at him as tears slipped down from her brown eyes. Henry stood next to them looking at the baby over Paige's shoulder. He had warmed up to the little guy and now agreed this child was meant to be their son. "We still have one thing to go over." Henry and Paige looked up at the social worker. Fear coursed through Paige's body. What was wrong? Was there an obstacle? Kristina's parents had agreed to the adoption. The court had thought it best to sever the rights of the father given Paige's testimony.

"Is there a problem?" Henry asked

"Well, this little boy hasn't been given a name."

Relief came over Paige when she heard these words. There wasn't a problem. The baby simply needed a name, and Paige already knew exactly what his name was. After all, if it hadn't been for Henry, Paige would have the child in her arms right now about to take him home and raise. Paige smiled at her husband who had no idea Paige had already picked the baby's name. She then looked at the social worker. "This is Henry, Henry Mitchell Junior." A tear leaked down from Henry's face and he took his son into his arms and planted a quick kiss on his head. He then shared a passionate and emotional kiss with his wife.

Up the elevator and through the doors. Down the hall. They saw they weren't alone when they walked towards their apartment door. Baby Henry in his car seat which Paige held in her hand. Piper with Melinda in her arms and her boys in front of her, Leo beside them with Tamora in his arms. Phoebe and Coop were there too, Phoebe with her daughter in her arms and Coop with Kat in his. All with bright happy smiles on their faces and joy in their hearts. Paige smiled back to them and handed the car seat over to Henry so she could greet her sisters with a hug. She stepped back. "Please meet our son...Henry Mitchell Junior."

Paige was worried about having a non-magical child grow up in a not always safe magical family. To help with this, Paige and Henry agreed to have Henry Junior's wiccaning straight away. Paige was in the attic and had just summoned Grams. "Are you ready to meet your third grandson?" Paige asked. She brought her grandmother down to the living room where Henry and the rest of the family were waiting. Henry had little Henry in his arms. Grams awed and took baby Henry into her arms. Paige came in and stood herself next to her husband. "I didn't even know you were pregnant. Which is weird, It hasn't been long at all since I've seen you," Grams commented. "Actually, Henry Junior was adopted," Paige informed her. "What line of witches is he from, it'll be better to use his ancestors for the wiccaning?" "Henry Junior is mortal, so are his parents," Henry explained to her. "What? You can't have a wiccaning for a non-magical child." Paige and Henry both looked offended, the other adults exchanged looks. "What do you mean? Why can't we?" Paige asked stubbornly. "Well because wiccanings are for magical children." Phoebe stepped forwards. "Is this an actual rule or is it like the time you didn't want to do Wyatt's wiccaning because he's a boy." Grams huffed offendedly. Wyatt wasn't paying attention so he'd hadn't heard this. Grams didn't respond, she handed the baby to Paige.

"Grams," Piper called.

"Don't refuse this child his blessing," Phoebe said.

Grams looked at the sleeping baby in Paige's arms and knew her granddaughter was right. Henry was a part of this family now and therefore he deserved being blessed by the ancestors. Grams nodded. The family then made their way up to the attic and everyone got into position. Leo and Piper stood together with Melinda in Piper's arms and Wyatt and Chris standing in front of them. Phoebe and Coop stood together, baby Prue in her father's arms. Henry and Paige stood together, Henry held his twin daughters in his arms while Paige held the newborn in hers. Grams turned her back on them and began the wiccaning by summoning the matriarchs.

I call forth from time and space, matriarchs from the Warren line, mothers daughters sisters friends. Our family spirit without end. To gather now in this sacred place and help us bring this child to Grace.

Now facing the matriarchs who were all in spirit form, Grams spoke to them. "The newest child has joined our family, our legacy." She turned around and reached out her arms. Paige smiled at her son and then walked forwards and carefully placed her son into Penny's arms. She then stepped back to stand next to her husband and daughters. Grams turned back around to face the matriarchs. "We pledge to be with this child, this beautiful boy always. Apart but never separate, free but never alone. He is one of us and because of that, we will bless him with all the goodness that we are. Welcome to the family Henry Mitchell Junior." She planted a quick kiss on his little soft cheek. "Bless it be."

June seventeenth. It was the last day of the school year. Wyatt and Chris were enjoying bowls of fruit-loop cereal for breakfast. Melinda had been served slices of a banana but she was having more fun smushing them than actually eating them. Piper placed her plate of toast down onto the table next to where Leo was seated. She took a bite of her toast while Wyatt took a sip from his cup and Chris slurped some milk off his spoon. Leo took a sip of water and Melinda played with the smushed banana slices. "Wyatt. Did you know today is the last day of school?" Piper asked her son. "It is?" He asked looking very disappointed. "Yep, but not for good. Only for the summer." Wyatt's face lit up. He loved going to school. "When you go back to school, you'll be in S.K. and Chris will be in J.K." Wyatt smiled as he picked up his spoon from the table. "I don't want to go to school," Chris expressed. "I'm sorry but it's the law. That means you don't have a choice," his mother told him. Chris crossed his arms and orbed up to his bedroom to pout. He did not like it when he didn't have a choice.

Piper arrived at the elementary school with all three of her children. (Leo had some errands to run and it was best to not take Chris and Melinda shopping.) They arrived at the kindergarten area. "This is where you and Wyatt will play," Piper told Chris. She was trying to get him more excited about starting kindergarten in the fall. However, Chris looked unimpressed and uninterested. It wasn't surprising since Chris disliked going to daycare too. Mrs. Wellington came over. "Hello, Wyatt. Are you excited it's the last day of school?" She asked her student. Wyatt shook his head. "Only for the summer right?" He asked. Mrs. Wellington laughed. "Yes, you'll be back in the fall, but I won't be your teacher anymore. I will be Chris's teacher." Wyatt again looked disappointed. Mrs. Wellington unlatched the gate to let him in. "Austin and Darryl aren't here yet, but look, you like to play with Dakota and Kennedy right? They're over there." Wyatt removed his bag letting it fall onto the ground and ran over to the girls.

Wyatt joined his classmates on the blue carpet as their teacher sat down on the chair facing them. "Today is the last day of school!" Mrs. Wellington announced. Most of her students cheered, Wyatt wasn't one of them. "What are you going to do this summer?" She asked them. Lots of hands shot into the air. "I'm going on vacation to my grandma's house," Jo-anne announced. "I'm going to Disney World," Carter shared. A couple more children shared their summer plans. "I'm going to camp with my brother," Wyatt revealed. "That sounds like fun," his teacher replied. Wyatt nodded his head. He was looking forward to magic camp. This was the first year Chris was going to, you had to be three in order to go. Which meant Chris was finally old enough. (He was three and a half.)

Mrs. Wellington pulled a heavy box towards her and removed a fancy book. She held it up for the class to see. "These are yearbooks. When I call your name, I want you to stand up and come get one." Carter went first, then Austin and Jo-anne. A couple of girls, a boy name Mic, then a girl named Ciara. "Wyatt." Wyatt jumped up and walked over to his teacher. She handed him a book and he then sat back down in his spot. He flipped through the book as the rest of his classmates got theirs one by one. He laughed at a picture of his principal. He was surprised to find a picture of himself (on his class's page.) He giggled at Darryl's picture and laughed harder at Mikey's. He also recognized Emma Benson from seventh grade. (A witch Paige used to train.)

"Okay, class. These books are really special. You have to be careful with them. Can you put them in your bags please and make sure you give them to your families when you get home."

Since it was the last day of school there wasn't any work. At least not for Wyatt's class. Instead, he got to spend the day dancing to music, drawing pictures, and playing with his friends. After lunch, Mrs. Wellington had her class line up at the door. She led them out of the classroom and to the gym. For the last two periods of the school day, every student was in the gym. There was music, balloons, snacks, drinks.

Wyatt walked in a quickly spotted his best friend. He ran over to him and Darryl greeted him with a quick hug. Mikey was there too, he said hi to Wyatt before heading off to find his own friends. "Mikey is boring now. He says he's too old to play with me," Darryl told Wyatt. Mikey (age 9) and Darryl Junior (age 6) were the sons of Darryl and Sheila Morris, they were close friends to the Halliwell family and had been for years. "My dad said it's normal. He said Mikey is growing up and he said I will to one day." Wyatt scratched his head. "When will you grow up?" Wyatt asked him. Darryl shrugged in response.

Meanwhile, Paige was at home alone with the baby. Henry was at work and the twins were at their mortal daycare. Paige was nervous because she was about to have her dad come meet her newborn son. Everyone in her family had given an opinion about her adopting a mortal newborn on such short notice. She was worried her dad wouldn't improve. Paige acted tough and pretended not to care what her father thought, but in actuality, she did care. Sam orbed in and greeted Paige with a hug, not noticing the baby boy that slept in his cradle. Pulling away from the hug, Sam looked to the side and saw him.

"Meet your grandson." Sam walked over to the baby confused. "Okay, I know I'm not the most present father but I'm not so bad that I didn't know you were pregnant." He carefully took his grandson into his arms, making sure not to wake him. "I adopted him. His name is Henry Junior." Sam turned to look at his daughter. "You adopted him?" Paige nodded. "What that the plan or did it just happen?" Paige took a step closer to him. "It just happened. One of my charges was a future white-lighter but she also happened to be a sixteen-year-old girl. She um, she died." Sam placed the baby back in the cradle and took a step towards his daughter. "He's mortal?" Paige nodded. For a minute Sam's thoughts weren't visible through his facial expressions. His face was blank, calm. He then walked over to his daughter and gave her a hug. "Congratulations."

(Thanks for reading. For more information on my characters, links to their wikkia pages are on my profile. Children are all up to date but the adults need work. Extra characters have been neglected but you can still access their pages.)