Disclaimer: not mine
Authors Note: Thank you all for the reviews.
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"Piper?...." the voice was quietly amused.
"mmmmmmm" she murmured, as she shifted in the chair, her long ago forgotten book sliding to the floor.
"Waaaaaaake uuuuuuuuup...." the voice said in a sing-song tone.
Blinking furiously trying to banish sleep she croaked," wha.... what?"
"Wake up." the voice said again, this time firmly and she cleared her vision to see Chris sitting up in bed holding Wyatt away from, a disgusted look on his face.
"your bundle of magic and joy here needs a changing.... the stench woke me." he said
She tried to smile as she stood but it turned into a wince as she straightened. Every muscle in her body screamed, "owww!" she exclaimed.
"you've been in that position all night?" Chris questioned.
"all night? what time is it?"
He smiled wryly, "nine- twelve." he said sweetly.
"What!!" she screamed and her eyes darted to the clock, "oh my god!" she said heading for the door.
"Whoa, whoa there..." he said loudly, his voice once again amused, "Don't forget your...bundle of shi... cra... waste here." he said wiggling Wyatt up and down.
She grimaced, "Watch the language." she said gruffly, still a little groggy as she returned to retrieve her younger son or is it older? Pushing the thought from her mind quickly, she took him in her arms.
Chris smiled, "he'll hear worse..."
"not from me." she said firmly. Chris just continued to smile and she glared at him. Having someone around who knew about your future was slightly irritating - to say the least.
"hey buddy..." she said softly looking at Wyatt, as she laid him on the bed and proceeded to peel off the offending garment.
"eeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwww...... do you have to that here." Chris whined, covering his nose with his hand.
She laughed as she walked over quickly to the nursery to get a new diaper and dispose of the old. "what? in the future there's no diaper changing?"
"In the future I always find a way to not be around when the diapers are being changed."
She rose an eyebrow, "why? your good with him." she said finishing up with Wyatt. The baby was gooing and gahing and everything in sight. One moment headed for Chris then pausing to examining a foot then going for Piper and back again.
"he was good with me." Chris said softly. His tone revealed a tenderness that caught Piper by surprise. The look on his face said the same happened to him.
She smiled, "how do you feel?"
"Better. Less tired. I slept all night."
"Good, let me go downstairs and check out where the girls are. Be right back, don't move."
"Actually, I think I'll head back to my place...."
The look she gave him could have killed, "I said don't move." she repeated seriously, then proceeded to leave.
He sighed, this was not going to be easy returning to what had become normal with the girls knowing his identity. Hell, it was going to be impossible.
Piper wasn't going to let it go.
He sighed, sitting up and placing his feet on the ground. He was going to have to make her forget.
But not today. Today he'd be lucky if he could make it the entire day without falling asleep. Today he'd be lucky if he spent more than five minutes out of her presence.
"Didn't I tell you not to move?" the voice cut through his thoughts, Yep, he thought turning to her, five minutes, if lucky... .
She was carefully balancing Wyatt on her hip while holding a tray. He couldn't stop the smile that touched his lips when he saw the tray.
"Soup? How'd you get that so fast."
"Phoebe had the tray ready I just had to heat the soup I made last night."
"Phoebe's here?"
"no she did it before she left. Its just me, you, and Wyatt in the house."
"Great he can protect us."
"Are we going to need it?"
"Don't we always?" he replied smirking.
She glared, "Anyway, sit back and eat." she said motioning for him.
"I'm not very hungry..."
"you need to eat something." she cut him off firmly.
He sighed and tasted the soup. It was so good, so smooth and warm and soothing. Just like the one his mom used to make...my mom did make it. He thought quickly, and a knot formed in his stomach.
His mom did make it, technically. It was his mom but it wasn't. This... woman didn't know him, she didn't know his fears and dreams and hopes. Didn't know what he'd wanted to be or where he'd planned to go. But she was his mother.... technically.
With this thought he couldn't eat it any more, he'd be sick if he did. He looked up and met her eyes.
It was as if she could read his thoughts, she nodded and reached over taking the tray from him going to place it on the dresser.
"So what are we going to do now?" she said sitting down on the bed again, holding Wyatt in her lap.
"Well... could order pizza..."
"Its barely nine-thirty!" she exclaimed before stopping herself and glaring at him realizing that he'd meant to get her off track "...That's not what I meant."
He smirked, "yeah I know."
"Well?"
"We don't' have to do anything. I mean, I'm just your whitelighter. Nothing's really changed. I've always been..." he paused not wanting to say son. "...its just now you know about it. In a few more hours I'll be back to normal and able to block all those annoying vibes you're getting from me. Things can just go back to normal." He stated it matter-of-factly.
Hating himself for praying she'd agree, for praying she wouldn't.
Her gaze was fixed on his face but he was looking past her to the tray of soup. She'd be able to read his eyes in a heart beat. Always. She'd be able to read that just the tiniest part of him didn't want things to go back to normal. That a tiny, tiny part of him wanted to be her son again, wanted his family back.
"Honestly..." she began slowly "... I don't think you will ever be just my whitelighter again. No matter how well you block those vibes."
Her gaze was steady and he could feel it on his face.
"We could try..." he started lamely.
she shook her head, "no I don't think we could." she said firmly.
He met her gaze then and understood that while she knew him, he would never again be able to block himself from her.
"Are we... will we be close." she asked hesitantly. After a moment.
He leaned back and nodded, deciding that there was no harm in telling her since by tonight he'd make her forget. He was going to wait until they were all in the house, that way he'd only have to say the spell once. It had a better chance of working that way.
"Yeah... very...."he would have continued if not for a thump, thump sound that came from above them.
"What was that?" Piper asked standing, and looking up.
"told you we'd need protection." Chris said smirking. He earned himself a glare as she said, "stay here with Wyatt."
"Be careful." he said very softly as she reached the doorway, she didn't hear him but Wyatt did. Wyatt who was regarding him seriously with those big blue eyes. Wyatt who crawled over to him and sat on his lap before activating his shield. Wyatt who understood everything.
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It was ten minutes later that Piper re-entered the room balancing the book of shadows and the phone. At sighting her Wyatt lowered his shield. She sat on the bed putting the book between her and the boys while talking on the phone.
"uh-uh....yeah Phoebe....now.... nothings missing but.... it was moved....yes I'm sure..... I don't know I just feel it.... I have it with me now.... in my bedroom with Wyatt and Chris.... he's better.... not really.... fine, ok, yeah, fine see you later." she said turning the phone off and tossing it onto the other side of the bed.
"What happened?" Chris asked.
"The book was moved."
"Some one tried to take it?" Chris confirmed sitting up straighter.
"I don't know, I guess so, there wasn't anyone up there when I got there, though. Just the book on the floor."
"Phoebe's coming over?" he asked.
"no Paige is. Phoebe has a meeting and since nothing has actually happened she isn't going to skip. Which is rational." she added after a moment.
Chris remained silent. If there was one thing he'd learned in all his lifetime - never get the middle of a sister snit.
"She's mad at you, ya know?" Piper said interrupting his thoughts.
"at me? for what?"
"for what you said about Cole."
He shrugged, "I only said the truth. here why don't you take this?" he said handing Wyatt to her.
"You know you do really good jobs at avoiding subjects."
He smiled, "thanks I'm good at BS too. it got me through High School."
"Which brings me to a good question. How old are you?"
"Twenty." he said quickly. Too quickly. She arched her eyebrow. "Will be" he added after a moment.
"In two weeks - November 16" she added.
He nodded.
And suddenly he looked tired to her.
"Why don't you get some more sleep." she suggested gently.
And to her surprise he glared at her. "I'm fine." he said curtly.
"Sorry I just...."
he interrupted her, "I can't deal with you mothering me Piper. Your not my mother." the tone was unnecessarily harsh and he knew it.
He could see slight hurt in her eyes before she masked it with a shaky smile.
"ok then" she said softly standing. "no sleep." lifting Wyatt so she could look at his face. "Come one Wyatt lets get you fed."
She was at the door when he called out her name, "Piper.." he said his voice weary, his blue eyes pleading. He didn't want her to be mad.
She turned and looked at him. She didn't know why but she felt no irritation, instead an overwhelming tenderness took over. She shook her head ruefully, smiling gently at him, "You had me wrapped around your little finger didn't you?"
He just smiled at her and she sighed as she left. Every time she looked at him she wanted to hold him like she held Wyatt. When he blocked himself as he called would she stop having that urge? How could she? I mean she'd still know he was hers. Shaking her head she continued to the kitchen, refusing to give anymore thought to this.
As for Chris he laid back and realized he was going to sleep whether he liked it or not. He couldn't keep his eyes open. As sleep enveloped he felt himself being drawn into his world, the one he'd left behind.
The Manor he knew was there - with his room and things. His mom and Aunt were there - welcoming him home with open arms. The twins were playing in the living room. Payton and Wyatt were waiting for him in the kitchen so they could go out.
Everyone was happy, everyone was safe.
It was perfect. He enjoyed the perfection. Let it enfold him.
Somewhere, though, at the edge of his subconscious, a tiny voice said, its too perfect.
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