SIX
"To begin with," said Justin, "everything I told you about the
potion is true. Your child's magical electrolytes are a bit low and
the potion will correct that. It wouldn't have harmed either you or
the baby.
"But the side effect - my being able to read the baby's aura -
is something that we've done for a very long time. We don't mention
it to the mother so that she won't be unduly concerned."
"Concerned about what?" asked Piper.
"Concerned about something that may never happen," said Leo.
"Something that, if it does happen, won't happen for many years. And
something that no one can do anything about."
"That sounds ominous," said Paige.
"It's not meant to be," said Justin. "It's just the way it is.
Piper, do you remember when you and Leo first got together?"
"How could I forget?" asked Piper. "The Elders were so dead set
against it I nearly lost him forever."
"Have you ever wondered why they were so against it?" asked
Justin.
"I guess we just assumed it was so Leo's involvement with one of
his charges wouldn't affect his objective," said Piper. "A lot of
businesses have rules about employees being involved with each other.
I guess we just figured it was something like that."
"That's only partially true," said Leo, "but it's not the entire
reason. The restriction doesn't apply only to a White Lighter and his
or her charges. It applies to any White Lighter and witch."
"Leo's right," said Justin. "Even a witch who isn't a White
Lighter's charge is not allowed to become involved with them. You
were granted a special exemption because of certain things you did for
the Elders."
"Yeah, like saving their butts," said Phoebe.
"No small accomplishment," said Justin.
"Okay," said Paige, "so why can't a White Lighter and a witch
become involved? My father was a White Lighter and my mother was a
witch."
"And the Elders would have put a stop to it if they had known,"
said Leo.
"Lucky for me they didn't," said Paige.
"Lucky for all of us," said Phoebe.
"What does this have to do with reading my baby's aura?" asked
Paige.
"Piper, your baby is half human," said Justin. "And as I'm sure
you're aware, ANY human has the propensity for good or evil."
"Leo's a White Lighter," said Phoebe. "Doesn't that mean she'll
have more good in her than evil?"
"Usually," said Justin, "but that is no guarantee she will be
good. When she's old enough to make her own decisions, she'll decide
if she's going to be good or evil. No one can make the decision for
her or force her to choose one over the other. Just as we all do."
"Oh, she'll be good," said Paige confidently.
"There's no guarantee of that," said Justin. "Certain creatures
are born good while others are born evil. It's a foregone conclusion
that those creatures will be either good or evil. Most have a choice.
Just as Piper's baby will have that choice."
"So by reading her aura," said Piper, "you'll be able to tell
which she'll be?"
"It's not that simple," said Leo. "It's only an indication of
which way she is predisposed to go. As Justin said, it's only a
starting point."
"Kind of like a barometer, so to speak," said Phoebe.
"Something like that," said Justin.
"I assume," said Piper, "there's a reason it's so important for
you to know this so early."
"Yes, there is," said Justin.
"Piper, Phoebe," said Leo, "do you remember the first time you
met Sam? Up at the lake?"
"My father?" questioned Paige.
"Sure," said Piper. "That's when we found out that you and I
weren't the first White Lighter and witch to fall in love."
"Right," said Leo. "Well, Sam and your mother weren't the first
either. In fact, in the distant past, it was not an uncommon
occurrence."
""Leo's right," said Justin. "While it was discouraged, it
wasn't forbidden. And one of those unions very nearly destroyed the
entire world."
"To begin with," said Justin, "everything I told you about the
potion is true. Your child's magical electrolytes are a bit low and
the potion will correct that. It wouldn't have harmed either you or
the baby.
"But the side effect - my being able to read the baby's aura -
is something that we've done for a very long time. We don't mention
it to the mother so that she won't be unduly concerned."
"Concerned about what?" asked Piper.
"Concerned about something that may never happen," said Leo.
"Something that, if it does happen, won't happen for many years. And
something that no one can do anything about."
"That sounds ominous," said Paige.
"It's not meant to be," said Justin. "It's just the way it is.
Piper, do you remember when you and Leo first got together?"
"How could I forget?" asked Piper. "The Elders were so dead set
against it I nearly lost him forever."
"Have you ever wondered why they were so against it?" asked
Justin.
"I guess we just assumed it was so Leo's involvement with one of
his charges wouldn't affect his objective," said Piper. "A lot of
businesses have rules about employees being involved with each other.
I guess we just figured it was something like that."
"That's only partially true," said Leo, "but it's not the entire
reason. The restriction doesn't apply only to a White Lighter and his
or her charges. It applies to any White Lighter and witch."
"Leo's right," said Justin. "Even a witch who isn't a White
Lighter's charge is not allowed to become involved with them. You
were granted a special exemption because of certain things you did for
the Elders."
"Yeah, like saving their butts," said Phoebe.
"No small accomplishment," said Justin.
"Okay," said Paige, "so why can't a White Lighter and a witch
become involved? My father was a White Lighter and my mother was a
witch."
"And the Elders would have put a stop to it if they had known,"
said Leo.
"Lucky for me they didn't," said Paige.
"Lucky for all of us," said Phoebe.
"What does this have to do with reading my baby's aura?" asked
Paige.
"Piper, your baby is half human," said Justin. "And as I'm sure
you're aware, ANY human has the propensity for good or evil."
"Leo's a White Lighter," said Phoebe. "Doesn't that mean she'll
have more good in her than evil?"
"Usually," said Justin, "but that is no guarantee she will be
good. When she's old enough to make her own decisions, she'll decide
if she's going to be good or evil. No one can make the decision for
her or force her to choose one over the other. Just as we all do."
"Oh, she'll be good," said Paige confidently.
"There's no guarantee of that," said Justin. "Certain creatures
are born good while others are born evil. It's a foregone conclusion
that those creatures will be either good or evil. Most have a choice.
Just as Piper's baby will have that choice."
"So by reading her aura," said Piper, "you'll be able to tell
which she'll be?"
"It's not that simple," said Leo. "It's only an indication of
which way she is predisposed to go. As Justin said, it's only a
starting point."
"Kind of like a barometer, so to speak," said Phoebe.
"Something like that," said Justin.
"I assume," said Piper, "there's a reason it's so important for
you to know this so early."
"Yes, there is," said Justin.
"Piper, Phoebe," said Leo, "do you remember the first time you
met Sam? Up at the lake?"
"My father?" questioned Paige.
"Sure," said Piper. "That's when we found out that you and I
weren't the first White Lighter and witch to fall in love."
"Right," said Leo. "Well, Sam and your mother weren't the first
either. In fact, in the distant past, it was not an uncommon
occurrence."
""Leo's right," said Justin. "While it was discouraged, it
wasn't forbidden. And one of those unions very nearly destroyed the
entire world."