A/N: This is more of an interlude. I'm incredibly busy right now, and while there are more parts, it's taking me a while to put them together. Thank you again for your comments.
Phoebe came down the stairs intending to start breakfast before her older sister got up. Piper had been in no mood last night to talk when she and Paige had returned, and Phoebe wanted to ease some of her sister's troubles this morning. Something upsetting had obviously happened last night with Chris, and considering what she and Paige had found out, today was once again shaping up to be a day not worth looking forward to.
To Phoebe's chagrin, however, Piper was already in the kitchen when she arrived. To her surprise, her sister looked cheerful--a far cry from last night. Just as Phoebe entered the kitchen, an orb cloud appeared next to her forming Paige, who was already dressed.
"Morning!" Paige ventured brightly.
"Why is walking so difficult?" Piper good-naturedly complained. "Between you and Chris, you'd think walking was the worst activity in the world." Since orbing was a whitelighter power and not a witch's power, it could not be bound, so Chris still had it. Piper wouldn't want it bound anyways, as it provided a measure of security for her son in case of danger.
"Aw, quit complaining. You know you'd do it all the time too, if you had the ability. Besides, it's not like we do it all the time." Paige batted back. Then she added, "You're in a surprisingly good mood this morning. Should I be looking for the pod you crawled out of?"
Deflating, Piper revealed, "Leo was here last night."
"Oh." Phoebe shared a knowing look with Paige. "And who won that argument?"
"I'm not sure, it got interrupted by Chris."
Loud exclamations erupted: "What!"
"Yeah, see, he, uh, walked in on us. I forgot to close the door. It was awful, so I don't want you guys bringing it up." She forced another smile. "Today, for all intents and purposes, is a very happy day."
"Poor little guy," Paige muttered.
"Not so little anymore,"Phoebe reminded her. "So," she hesitated, then turned back to Piper. "What did Leo have to say?"
"Oh, nothing much," Piper replied, a little too casually. She turned around to take a new cereal box out of the cabinet. "You know, stuff like Chris is unbinding himself, his powers are growing, and evidently Leo knows exactly what Chris is up to."
A second chorus of "What!" greeted this statement.
Piper turned back, smirking. "Yeah, that was my reaction. I didn't get to call him on it though, 'cause of the Chris stuff and all." Piper waved her arms around trying to get her point across.
Phoebe and Paige just looked at each other. Suddenly, an orb cloud appeared by the kitchen table. Chris formed out of it, clearly having just woken up. His hair was sticking straight up, and his pajamas were all crumpled. He yawned, stretched his arms, and tried to wipe the sleep out of his eyes.
"Morning, sweetie," Piper greeted her son. "Happy birthday!" Chris just yawned again. "What'cha want for breakfast today? Your choice--eggs, bacon, pancakes?"
Chris blinked and eyed the cereal box on the counter. It was one of those sugary cereals; one his mom usually never let him have. He looked at her suspiciously. "Anything?"
"Anything," she confirmed.
Chris snatched the box, got a bowl and some milk, and sat down at the table. Looking back at his mom, who merely raised an eyebrow, he got back up and took out the box of sugar too.
"Ah, the joys of a sugar high," Paige said knowingly. "As if you don't have enough energy already. But I suppose you're going to need it today!"
Chris was too busy piling sugar on top of his already too sugary cereal to respond to Paige's teasing. Phoebe tried her turn. "So, now that you're a big old teenager, I suppose you're too old for hugs and kisses?" To illustrate her point, she blew kisses at him. Chris made a face, then ignored her.
Piper laughed and lightly swatted her sister. "Stop that. It's bad enough that soon I'll have to fend off all the other girls. I don't want have to start with you!"
Without warning, and not even looking up, Chris unexpectedly announced: "Someone's at the door."
Just then, the doorbell rang. Troubled, Piper looked at her son. He seemed completely unaware of what he had just done. In fact, he was already working on his second bowl of cereal and was playing with whatever toy he had managed to find in the box. Giving her sisters a curious look, she quietly said, "I'll get it."
Piper walked down the hallway, her mind racing. Chris had just accurately predicted Victor's arrival at the house. Did this mean yet another of his powers was returning? How many were there? Obviously, he was aware of the telekinesis, but what else might he know about his powers? The thought that Chris might be aware of his potential terrified Piper. Reaching the door, and tired beyond her years, Piper wearily noted that this was yet another thing she needed to find out about her young son.
Phoebe came down the stairs intending to start breakfast before her older sister got up. Piper had been in no mood last night to talk when she and Paige had returned, and Phoebe wanted to ease some of her sister's troubles this morning. Something upsetting had obviously happened last night with Chris, and considering what she and Paige had found out, today was once again shaping up to be a day not worth looking forward to.
To Phoebe's chagrin, however, Piper was already in the kitchen when she arrived. To her surprise, her sister looked cheerful--a far cry from last night. Just as Phoebe entered the kitchen, an orb cloud appeared next to her forming Paige, who was already dressed.
"Morning!" Paige ventured brightly.
"Why is walking so difficult?" Piper good-naturedly complained. "Between you and Chris, you'd think walking was the worst activity in the world." Since orbing was a whitelighter power and not a witch's power, it could not be bound, so Chris still had it. Piper wouldn't want it bound anyways, as it provided a measure of security for her son in case of danger.
"Aw, quit complaining. You know you'd do it all the time too, if you had the ability. Besides, it's not like we do it all the time." Paige batted back. Then she added, "You're in a surprisingly good mood this morning. Should I be looking for the pod you crawled out of?"
Deflating, Piper revealed, "Leo was here last night."
"Oh." Phoebe shared a knowing look with Paige. "And who won that argument?"
"I'm not sure, it got interrupted by Chris."
Loud exclamations erupted: "What!"
"Yeah, see, he, uh, walked in on us. I forgot to close the door. It was awful, so I don't want you guys bringing it up." She forced another smile. "Today, for all intents and purposes, is a very happy day."
"Poor little guy," Paige muttered.
"Not so little anymore,"Phoebe reminded her. "So," she hesitated, then turned back to Piper. "What did Leo have to say?"
"Oh, nothing much," Piper replied, a little too casually. She turned around to take a new cereal box out of the cabinet. "You know, stuff like Chris is unbinding himself, his powers are growing, and evidently Leo knows exactly what Chris is up to."
A second chorus of "What!" greeted this statement.
Piper turned back, smirking. "Yeah, that was my reaction. I didn't get to call him on it though, 'cause of the Chris stuff and all." Piper waved her arms around trying to get her point across.
Phoebe and Paige just looked at each other. Suddenly, an orb cloud appeared by the kitchen table. Chris formed out of it, clearly having just woken up. His hair was sticking straight up, and his pajamas were all crumpled. He yawned, stretched his arms, and tried to wipe the sleep out of his eyes.
"Morning, sweetie," Piper greeted her son. "Happy birthday!" Chris just yawned again. "What'cha want for breakfast today? Your choice--eggs, bacon, pancakes?"
Chris blinked and eyed the cereal box on the counter. It was one of those sugary cereals; one his mom usually never let him have. He looked at her suspiciously. "Anything?"
"Anything," she confirmed.
Chris snatched the box, got a bowl and some milk, and sat down at the table. Looking back at his mom, who merely raised an eyebrow, he got back up and took out the box of sugar too.
"Ah, the joys of a sugar high," Paige said knowingly. "As if you don't have enough energy already. But I suppose you're going to need it today!"
Chris was too busy piling sugar on top of his already too sugary cereal to respond to Paige's teasing. Phoebe tried her turn. "So, now that you're a big old teenager, I suppose you're too old for hugs and kisses?" To illustrate her point, she blew kisses at him. Chris made a face, then ignored her.
Piper laughed and lightly swatted her sister. "Stop that. It's bad enough that soon I'll have to fend off all the other girls. I don't want have to start with you!"
Without warning, and not even looking up, Chris unexpectedly announced: "Someone's at the door."
Just then, the doorbell rang. Troubled, Piper looked at her son. He seemed completely unaware of what he had just done. In fact, he was already working on his second bowl of cereal and was playing with whatever toy he had managed to find in the box. Giving her sisters a curious look, she quietly said, "I'll get it."
Piper walked down the hallway, her mind racing. Chris had just accurately predicted Victor's arrival at the house. Did this mean yet another of his powers was returning? How many were there? Obviously, he was aware of the telekinesis, but what else might he know about his powers? The thought that Chris might be aware of his potential terrified Piper. Reaching the door, and tired beyond her years, Piper wearily noted that this was yet another thing she needed to find out about her young son.