SIX

The three of them stood outside the Bay Area Social Services the next

morning.

"So, how do you suggest we proceed?" asked Tiffany. "We can't very well

just walk in and ask her if her mother was a witch and her father was a White

Lighter."

"We have to take this one step at a time," said Leo. "First, we have to

find out if she was adopted."

"I have an idea," said Chris. "Paige has always had a soft spot for

orphans because she was one herself. I can pretend that I'm an orphan trying to

locate my birth parents. That way I can ask her some questions that won't sound

suspicious."

"And us?" asked Tiffany. "What are we doing here with you?"

"Well, you're too young to be my adoptive parents," said Chris

thoughtfully. "I know. You can be my aunt and uncle. You're helping me try to

track down my birth parents."

"Wouldn't it make more sense if we went to a lawyer if we were doing

that?" asked Leo. "Won't she be suspicious that we're coming to social services

for that?"

"Trust me," said Chris. "I can make it convincing. Remember, I know

things about her no one else knows."

"Just don't over do it," said Tiffany. "If she gets suspicious we might

not find out anything and then we'll be right back where we are now."

"I won't," said Chris. "Just let me do most of the talking and things

should go smoothly."

The three of them turned and walked into the building. Leo and Tiffany,

of course, had no idea who they were looking for. Chris, however, had no

trouble finding Paige. While he had never been in the building before, he had

the hindsight of his months with Paige. He found her at her desk going over

some papers.

"Paige Matthews?" asked Chris, walking up to her desk.

"Yes?" Paige questioned.

"Hi, my name is Chris Perry," said Chris. "This is my uncle, Leo, and my

aunt, Tiffany. I was told you might be able to help me with something."

"That's what I'm here for," said Paige, smiling. "Why don't you have a

seat and tell me what I can do for you?"

"Well," said Chris, "I'm adopted and I'm trying to locate my birth

parents. A friend of mine recommended you. She said you might be able to

help."

"Wouldn't a lawyer be more useful?" asked Paige.

"Well," said Chris, "I do have a lawyer working on the legal aspects. My

friend said you might be able to help in other ways. Maybe suggest some avenues

that a lawyer might not use."

"Who was your friend?" asked Paige.

"Melinda Warren," said Chris, gauging Paige's response.

"Funny," said Paige, "I don't remember having a client by that name."

"Well, actually," said Chris, "it was a friend of Melinda's that you

helped. She told Melinda and Melinda told me. She never actually said who her

friend was only that you had helped her."

"I see," said Paige. "You've come to the right person. Actually, I kind

of have a soft spot for orphans. I was adopted when I was only a baby myself so

I know how important this is for you."

"I appreciate that," said Chris. "My adoptive parents were killed in a

car accident when I was thirteen so they can't give me any information. All I

have to go on is what I remember them talking about when I was younger."

"Déjà vu," said Paige. "My parents were also killed in a car accident

when I was thirteen. I was with them but somehow I was thrown clear otherwise I

would have died, too."

'What a coincidence," said Chris, glancing at Leo and Tiffany. "Do you

remember anything about your birth parents?"

"No," said Paige. "Apparently I was given up when I was only a couple of

days old. I was found on the doorstep of an orphanage with only a blanket

wrapped around me. They never were able to find out who left me there so

there's no way for me to track down my birth parents."

"That's too bad," said Chris. "I actually know very little about my birth

parents as well. What little I do know I'm hoping will provide some link to

them."

"You do understand you may not find them?" asked Paige. "It's even

possible they are no longer alive. You have to be prepared for that event."

"I am," said Chris. "I know it's a long shot finding them, but I have to

try."

"I can understand that," said Paige. "Now, why don't you tell me what you

know or remember about them and I'll see what I can do about steering you toward

the right agencies who might be able to help."

* * *

"You were very convincing in there," said Tiffany as they left the

building. "I was almost believing your story."

"It wasn't hard," said Chris. "I just used Paige's own story with a few

modifications so she wouldn't get suspicious. But it does tell us one thing.

That's the same Paige I know as a Charmed One. Her life up to the point where

Piper and Phoebe found her is virtually identical to the one I know."

"Which doesn't prove anything," said Leo. "That story could fit any

number of people, especially in a city this size."

"She was in the car when her parents died," protested Chris. "The only

reason she survived was because she instinctively orbed out of the car before it

was hit. She didn't even remember orbing it happened so fast. But that has to

prove she's the same person."

"He has a point, Leo," said Tiffany. "And you did say you would consider

his story to be true if Paige turned out to be who he said she was."

"We haven't ascertained she's half White Lighter," said Leo. "Frankly, I

find it hard to believe that she could have gone this long without the Elders

finding out about her. That's not something you can cover up very easily."

"They should all ready know," said Chris. "They never said when exactly

they learned about her heritage but they did admit they knew about her before

Piper and Phoebe found out about her. That much should still have remained the

same."

"Well," said Leo, "I can orb up there and try to find out. I know a few

people that can give me some answers without too many questions of their own.

If Paige is half White Lighter, and the Elders know about it, I should be able

to find out."

"Great," said Chris. "Now all we have to do if figure out why things have

changed. And who's responsible for it."

"One step at a time," said Leo. "I'll orb up there once we get home.

Then we can decide what to do next."

"Fair enough," said Chris. "Considering the circumstances, would it be

okay if I stayed with you guys for a while? I've been living at the manor and

don't really have any other place to stay."

"That's a good idea," said Tiffany. "And while Leo's gone you can tell me

more of what things are supposed to be like. It might give us an idea of what

exactly is going on."

As Tiffany drove home, Chris sat thinking about what was going on. The

answers he was able to come up with didn't make any sense to him. But he was

sure of one thing. This had to be some form of demonic attack. Which meant

there could be a demon after him right now. And he had no idea which one or

when it might attack.