Disclaimer: Not mine. Need I say more?

"Can we all please just focus already?" the young whitelighter snaps, his patience clearly wearing thin as he rolls his eyes at their distinct lack of energy.

He's been in the past for months now, and it feels like he's made zero progress at all, being no closer to uncovering who turns his older brother Wyatt than he did in the future. Not that he could explain any of that to his relatives who are still blissfully unaware of his true identity. They think Chris is here to protect mini-Wyatt from some evil being of the future. And he is… ultimately protecting Wyatt from himself. And mankind from Wyatt.

The twice-blessed, son of a Charmed One and white-lighter, who eventually destroys the world and half its population.

It's no wonder he's so damn frustrated.

And now this…

This is the last freaking thing he needs.

"Chris…" Paige moans, her eyes blinking rapidly in an feeble attempt to stay alert, "We're tired. You can't just barge in here after six days of zero contact and expect us to vanquish some demon we've never heard of and don't even register as a threat! Especially at this time of night! It's just not practical!"

"I don't care about practicality," he almost spits. "I don't even care whether or not you view it as necessary. This is huge! And it can't wait. What part of that don't you understand?"

"Why not?" Piper - the woman who is unknowingly two months pregnant with him - asks furiously. "What is it about this one demon that is so dangerous?"

"Yeah," Phoebe groggily pipes up. "I think if he was as important as you're making him out to be, he'd be in the Book of Shadows and we'd have dealt with him already."

Chris huffs in exaggerated frustration. "Look, I've just gotten some pretty reliable information on this guy from one of my inside sources down in the Underworld, telling me he's on his way. I don't know what he'd want with you or why this exact time, but we need to figure it out. Fast." He shoves a hand roughly through his hair, and inhales deeply. "And, in the future, this Anno demon is well-known for his ability to reset whitelighters' biological clocks. So, unless you want Paige and I to be aged rapidly or worse, regressed to a stupid infant, I suggest you hurry the hell up!"

"Jeez," Paige exclaims, massaging her head. "No need to yell."

"Argh!"

"Okay, okay," Piper calmly steps in before Chris can have an aneurism. "Let's just think for a second. What could he possibly gain from this? Only one of the Power of Three can be affected, so what's the point? Attacking us would be suicide. He's obviously not after-"

"That doesn't matter!" Chris interjects. "Just help me get rid of him before it's too-"

"Late?" an unfamiliar voice finishes as the demon in question shimmers in, grinning wickedly. And before anyone can make a move, he shoots a dark arrow directly at Chris whose legs give way in shock underneath him. Pausing, only to add triumphantly, "Don't worry, Chris. He'll be here soon," before vanishing from sight.

"Chris!" the Charmed Ones shout out, running towards their White-lighter. Only, as they near him, he casts a frantic look at Piper before orbing out in a flare of dazzling, blue light.

"What the hell just happened?" Phoebe asks, stunned.

"I have no idea…"

"I think what you should be asking is where the hell did he go?" Piper says, being her usual, short-tempered self. Though, her sisters don't take offence, knowing she is only concerned.

"Do you think maybe we should scry for him?" Phoebe suggests, still slightly dazed.

"Of course!"

"He couldn't have gotten that far," Paige reasons with a roll of her eyes. "I mean, he was injured for Christ's sake!"

"I know, I know-"

All of a sudden, they are silenced by the cries of a child downstairs.

In confusion, Paige is the one to murmur, "That doesn't sound like Wyatt…"

"No… Besides, that's impossible. Leo took Wyatt Up There."

"Kinda sounds like it's coming from the kitchen…"

Spurred into action, they race towards the kitchen only to freeze at the sight of a toddler of approximately three sitting cross-legged on the floor, red-faced and wailing as he gazes at his surroundings in horror. Wearing clothes that look suspiciously similar to their whitelighters…

With a collective gasp, the sisters come to the only logical conclusion as the brown-haired child lifts his head and his large, brilliant green eyes connect with theirs.

"Oh. My. God…"

Eyes brimming with moisture, Chris furiously wipes at his tear-stained face, and wills himself to take some semblance of control over his raging emotions. But it is all so very disorientating… He's no longer sure how.

Rising unsteadily to his feet, he sniffs and attempts to orb again only to have his arm snatched by Piper before he can go anywhere. "Weave me awone!" Chris yells as he tries to shake her off. But her grip his strong and in this weakened, puny body, it is next to impossible.

"Chris, stop it," Piper says crossly, and he shrinks under her stern gaze. "You're not going anywhere until we can get this fixed."

"You can't, you can't," he replies, near tears yet again. Even going so far as to stamp his foot. "I towd you to huwy! But you didn wisten and now I'm stwuck wike 'dis!"

"Awww," Phoebe coos, unable to stop herself. "You are sooo adorable! Yes, you are. Oh yes, you are."

Chris pouts, his little brows puckering as he shoots her a glare that only serves to make Paige and Phoebe giggle. There is no way he can look any less intimidating. "'Dis is all you fault! Stop waughing. It's not faiw!"

"Chris…"

"No! I wawned you. I wawned you! But what did you do?" He stabs a finger at them, and they all suppress the urge to smile at the unbelievable cuteness of it all. Not one of the sisters are listening to a thing he says as he rants on and on about all the things they should have been doing with that sweet little lisp, stumbling through the words as he becomes increasingly more agitated.

Recounting all the innumerable ways in which they failed him... But he is just so cute. "And to make matters wowse, I-" Suddenly, he cuts off, his gaze shifting to something behind them. "I-I…" he trails off distractedly.

Piper can see that he's trying to focus, desperately trying to get back on track, but Chris seems to struggle with something internally. As he continues to glance into the living room, there is an palpable shift in the air as Chris' pupils enlarge and his little mouth pops open to release an audible squeal as he reaches some kind of conclusion.

This startles the three sisters and they all watch as he grins broadly before running off in the direction of whatever's clearly sidetracked him.

Following closely behind, they are stunned by what happens next.

"Wainbow Bwian!" Chris cries as he retrieves one of Wyatt's stuffed toys from where it was discarded earlier by the sofa in one of Wyatt's tantrums.

"Is that…?" Paige asks, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yip," Piper answers dryly. "One of Wyatt's cuddly toys."

"A bright, yellow duck named Rainbow Brain, apparently," Phoebe adds with a smirk.

Chris hugs it to his chest tightly and begins rubbing his cheek against the duck's head, smiling softly.

"Chris?" Paige begins tentatively, wondering what on earth has happened to their bitchy whitelighter. Well, besides the magical transformation, that is. He was fine a second ago… "Whatcha doin'?"

"I founded Wainbow Bwain!" he tells her excitedly. "I fought Mummy thwew him out ages ago, but I founded him."

Piper and Paige exchange a worried glance while Phoebe simply clasps her hands to her chest as Chris holds the duck out in front of him and says, "I missed you so much Bwain. You're my bestest fwiand in the whole wowld."

Then, lowering his voice and drawing him closer, he adds conspiringly, "But don't tell Wy Wy. 'Cause he'll get really mad, and twy to take you away again. He says he's my bested fwaind in the whole wide wowld and I twied to tell him your both my bestest fwiends, but he says you can only have one bested fwaind and I have to choose. So, don't tell him, okay?"

"Oh, dear Lord," Phoebe murmurs in absolute shock. "Is this seriously happening?"

"Apparently so," Piper replies in amusement. "Uh… Chris?" she attempts to get his attention. "Are you alright? Do you want to introduce us to your friend?"

That seems to snap him out of it, because Chris blinks repeatedly, his cheeks reddening ever so faintly as comprehension slowly returns, and clears his throat. Shaking his head, he says, "I don't know what came over me… I was just-just-"

"Talking to an inanimate object who's apparently your best friend?"

"Uh…" Embarrassed, he rubs the back off his neck, still clutching the stuffed animal. "Um… I was… I don't understand…" He gazes at the duck for a second with an expression of pure revulsion, as though it's his sworn enemy, curling his lip in horror. "I had a toy like this when I was younger. It must've twiggewed somefing…"

Paige laughs. "Yeah, you were really convincing."

"You can say that again," Phoebe agrees. "It was so-"

"Don't you dare finish sentence with anything even remotely along the lines of adowable or sweet," Chris warns, narrowing his eyes into tiny slits.

"But it was!" she protests. "Aw, I just want to take you in my arms and give you a big, squishy hug!"

"No," he replies shortly. "Thewe will be nothing of the type. Though I'm glad my demon-induced innocence amused you."

"Alright, alright," Piper interrupts with a sigh. "How about we take this into the kitchen and I'll make everyone some choco while we try to figure this out?"

"Fine," Chris agrees heavily, with his signature rolling of the eyes. "Let's go." As he marches into the kitchen, the sisters can't help but notice how he tucks the duck under his arm without sparing a thought to letting it go.

While Piper warms the milk, the rest get seated, and it's silent for a few moments before Paige asks, "So, Chris, what can you tell us about this Anno demon?"

"Well, as far as I'm awawe, whoever shoots the arrow is the only one who can cuwe the victim. I'm not sure whether there's an antidote of sorts or if it's some sort of spell. See, this spec-" He stops, concentrating hard. "Spefic, spefif-"

"Specific," Piper automatically corrects. "Yes, go on."

"This demon is one fowth witch so it's possible that the arrow itself is laced with some sort of potion, but it could be simply cuwsed."

"Okay, so we track down whoever is responsible, then what?" Paige asks. "We vanquish them?"

"No, 'cause then it may never be wevewsed. I'm not sure exacwy. But I do know it's gonna be next to impossible to find this pawticular one."

"Why?"

"Just."

"Just why?"

"Because."

Paige rolls her eyes and prompts, "Because?"

"Because I said so. Just dwop it."

"Chris-"

"Choco's ready," Piper cuts in, giving Paige a significant look and subtly gesturing towards the toy Chris is still clinging to with a tilt of the head, when he isn't looking as though to remind her of his current fragility. She hands everyone their own mug and instinctively cautions Chris, "Careful, it's hot," as she sets his in front of him despite the fact that his is barely lukewarm.

Leaning towards Piper, Phoebe whispers quickly, "Why has he still got that… thing?"

"I don't know," she answers too lowly for him to hear, "Should we do something?"

"It can't hurt to ask, right?"

Piper merely shrugs, neither entirely comfortable with the idea of their twenty-two year old whitelighter becoming so attached to some children's toy so quickly while in the body of a toddler. Clearly it's not a great sign.

"Um, Chris?" Phoebe tries to approach the subject delicately, not wanting to upset or embarrass him. "I see you still have… Brian, isn't it?"

"Wainbow Bwain," he amends abstractedly, bringing the cuddly toy up to his shoulder protectively. "I only call him Bwain sometimes. He doesn't like it."

"Oh," Phoebe replies lamely, shooting a frantic look at Piper which can only communicate that she is clearly out of her depth. With her heightened empathy, she can discern that Chris already feels a strange sort of tenderness for the toy, and she is all too aware of how badly this could go if not handled sensitively. The fact that she can sense anything at all from him isn't exactly promising.

"Really?" Piper asks in surprise, adopting that sing-song tone they often hear her use with Wyatt, and kneeling down in front of him.

Chris nods seriously. "I like both names though."

"Well, that's understandable. I mean, Brian and Rainbow Brian are both wonderful names. May I see him for a moment? I promise I'll be really gentle."

Chris scrunches up his face, and seems to deliberate. Meanwhile, Paige and Phoebe watch on, bemused. "I don't know…" he says uncertainly.

"Please?" she adds pleadingly.

Chris bites down on his lip. "Well… I s'ppose, but only for a moment."

He hands it over with visible reluctance. Piper hopes the child-like tendencies are directly linked to this and that if she can get the adult Chris back now, then she can get rid of it without an issue, however unlikely. "So who's Wy Wy?"

"You know I can't tell you, Piper. Futuwe consequences, wemember?" Chris replies in a bored tone before turning to Paige and saying, "Could you orb to Magic school's libwawy and get me a any books you can find on spells linked to physical wegwession? I weally don't want this to go my head."

"Er... Sure."

"And I know I don't look like it, but I am still your whitelighter so bear with me. I'm still to be taken sewiously, okay? No awguments."

The sudden change in behaviour startles the Charmed Ones. Could it really be that easy? Could removing one simple toy keep his mental state stable?

Then with complete earnestness, Chris turns to Piper and asks, "Can I have wainbow Bwain back now? He doesn't like stwangers."

The next day after Chris falls asleep on the sofa while making his way through the stack of books Paige brought him and they've performed an anti-orbing spell on the white lighter who has an infuriating habit of orbing away at the slightest provocation, the three sisters gather in the kitchen to make sense of what's going on.

"What the hell was that all about?" Piper demands and the other two shrug, as clueless as ever.

"I don't know," Phoebe responds worriedly. "I honestly don't think Chris knows what he's doing. One minute he's completely normal, ordering us about, the next he's telling us stories about the time he and Rainbow Brian went demon hunting in their pyjamas. Which, considering how many he times he changed his mind about how he defeated the demons, didn't sound all that factual."

"I know," Paige says. "It's like his younger self has merged with the older one, and he doesn't see any of it as unusual."

"He's freaking researching how not to let himself act like a child while simultaneously cuddling a fluffy, soft toy. Of course, he has no clue what's happening to him," Piper says in frustration. "Chris still thinks he's completely in control."

All of a sudden, there is a loud thump in the attic, and the sisters glance towards the ceiling. They hurry upstairs as quickly as possible as Paige grabs hold of her sisters hands and orbs them there, mentally preparing themselves for a second attack from the demon, only to discover two figures falling out off a glowing, blue portal.

One of which they recognise instantly, wearing a sheepish expression as he picks himself up, brushing off the dirt from his knees, and gazes at them all. "Nice going, doofus," he hisses with that all too familiar note of sarcasm in his voice, elbowing the taller man, with his back to the Charmed Ones, in the ribs.

"Hey! Not the most gracious of landings, I know, but there's no need to-"

"No, look!" he points towards them, rolling his eyes in exasperation, and the man slowly turns. His face immediately drops.

"Oh, crap," he murmurs, eyes wide and panicked, staring at them in shock before gazing around the attic with visible confusion, regret and something akin to wonder.

"Oh my God!" Phoebe exclaims, finally finding her voice. Squinting at the grown-up white-lighter, she says in total disbelief, "Chris?"

(Note: name Rainbow Brian actually comes from the TV show The Middle. I just thought it was cute).

All reviews are welcome.

Thanks for reading.