A/N: I hope everyone's enjoying this fic, and I want to thank every single
person who's reviewed! It means a lot to me. Thanks! Kay, well, on with the
fic! Lol.
[ PS: The paragraphing got messed up, so I had to space it. ]
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It was three in the morning, nearly seven hours after Leo and Piper had been rescued. Paige and Phoebe were collapsed on the couch, leaning into each other; eyes closed, and in a deep sleep. Leo was Up There, chatting away with the Elders. Piper was asleep on one of the big cushy chairs, tossing and turning a little. Chris sat in the chair next to Piper's. He was exhausted, yet unable to sleep. He couldn't help but feel like most of this was his fault. If he had been awake the night Wyatt had come for Melinda, she might not have been taken; if he hadn't willingly handed over the Book of Shadows, the sister's would still have it.
Chris sighed, blinking a few times to keep his eyes from closing. He knew he needed to get some rest, especially if he was going to be any help to his mom and aunts, but he just couldn't. He didn't want to close his eyes, fearing he'd wake up and find everyone he loved gone, taken by Wyatt.
Piper began to twist and turn again. Her arms and legs flailed slightly, her head rocking back and forth. She whimpered a few times. Chris frowned and leaned forward.
"Mom," Chris whispered, touching her shoulder gently.
Piper's eyes snapped open. She sat up, glancing at Chris. She licked her lips, trying to shake the memory of her nightmare away. "Thanks," she croaked, the remnants of sleep still apparent in her red eyes and slurred tone. She looked away from Chris. She was still angry with him for giving Wyatt the Book, but she also felt horrible for being so harsh on him.
Chris shrugged, looking down at the floor. He yawned, closing his eyes for a minute before opening them.
"You should get some rest," Piper told him, "You look exhausted."
Chris shook his head. "I can't rest until Melinda is safe and back home."
Piper felt her heart swell with happiness. Chris cared for his little sister so much! It made her so proud and happy.
"Chris, there's nothing you can do right now. You're better off resting so you're alert tomorrow"
Chris sighed and nodded, curling up in his chair. "'Night Mom," he murmured, closing his eyes.
"Good night, Chris," Piper whispered, sighing as she too closed her eyes."
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The next morning, nothing had changed. Leo had been coming in and out with no news from the Elders. Piper and Paige were trying, and failing to remember ingredients to certain potions in the Book. Phoebe was trying to remember some lines from old spells, and spells in the Book, while trying to make a few new ones. But she seemed to be having writer's block.
Chris paced the room, then stopped. "I need to go out for a little while. But I'll be back. Call me if anything new comes up." He orbed out before waiting for an answer.
"Where is he always going?" Piper asked, to no one in particular.
Paige shrugged. "He's a teenager, who knows? Maybe he has a sweetie we don't know about,' she joked.
Piper rolled her eyes. "I just hope he's careful. Wyatt is getting stronger and stronger, especially with the Book in his possession. We nee-EH!" she shrieked. A fuzzy little mouse had scurried across her feet. Her instincts kicked in and she threw her hands up to freeze the little gray rodent but . . . Nothing happened.
"Oh, that's not good . . ." Piper remarked, suddenly forgetting her fears as she watched the mouse run towards the wall and disappear. She looked up at her sister's. "You don't think . . . Wyatt . . ."
"Phoebe, try to levitate," Paige suggested.
Phoebe nodded. She took a deep breath to relax, then tried to levitate. It didn't work!
"Okay, I'm officially scared," Phoebe muttered. "Without our powers, we're defenseless!"
Piper chewed her lip. "Great. This is just great. I just hope Chris is being careful."
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Chris paced The Spot, the place Bianca and him called their own. He had been calling her for nearly fifteen minutes and she wasn't responding.
"Bianca!" he hissed. And finally, she appeared, moving to him and embracing him. Kissing him.
"What's wrong Chris? Are you okay?" she asked, seeing the look on his face and becoming worried.
"I need your help – to get Melinda back. But it's very risky. I don't want you getting hurt and I won't force you into it. If you don't want to I-" But Bianca cut him off by kissing him again.
"Chris, I'm here for you. Tell me what I need to do," she said gently.
Bianca let out a small sigh after Chris had finished explaining what needed to be done. "Do you think it will work?"
Chris shrugged. "There's no way to know for sure, especially since Wyatt has the Book of Shadows."
Bianca nodded. "Well, I'll do it. For you, I'll do it." She hugged him tightly, kissing him.
"Promise me you'll come back safe," Chris said, almost in a warning tone.
Bianca smiled and nodded. She kissed him once more. "I will. And I'll check in whenever I get the chance!'
Then, she was gone.
Chris paced The Spot, nervous and praying he hadn't done the wrong thing. For now, he decided he'd go back to the Manor and wait fore Bianca to check in. He glanced around nervously before orbing back home.
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Chris orbed in to the kitchen, where Piper and Paige were sitting at the table and Phoebe was pacing.
"What happened?" Chris asked, frowning.
"Our powers are gone. Wyatt must have stripped them," Paige muttered, not looking up. Piper, too, continued to stare at the table.
"Well, if my plan works, everything will be back to normal by midnight tonight, our deadline." Piper's head shot up and she glanced at Chris. "What plan? What did you do?" she asked nervously.
"Don't worry. I worked . . . something out. Plan B is moving into action as we speak. If all goes well, we'll have Melinda and the Book back."
Piper narrowed her eyes. "Chris, if you did anything stupid, I swear . . ."
Chris glanced at the clock. Barely five minutes had passed since Bianca had left. He prayed she was okay trying to remain calm.
"Chris, you okay? You don't look too good," Piper commented, frowning at her son and forgetting her anger.
Chris shrugged a bit. He didn't want to tell the sister's of his plan because he knew they would object to sending Bianca in the line of fire. So, he lied. "I'm fine. Just tired. I didn't get much sleep last night." He glanced at the clock. Ten minutes had passed. He tried to remind himself that what he had asked Bianca to do would take well over an hour and tried not to stare at the clock every two seconds.
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And then an hour came and went. Now Chris was worried. He paced the living room. Phoebe had gone to work, despite Piper and Paige's protests. Paige was napping in her room; she was exhausted from the last couple of day's events. Piper was in the kitchen sipping coffee, her eyes puffy and tear- streaked from crying.
Chris sighed as he paced, deciding that he would tell Piper about Bianca if she didn't return in the next couple of-
"Bianca!" Chris cried, as soon as his girlfriend had appeared in the living room, her back to him.
Slowly, Bianca turned around, a pained expression on her face. Her hands were clutched around her middle. Chris frowned and stepped close.
"Bianca . . .?" he asked, taking her hands and moving them. What he saw nearly made him pass out. A large ritual dagger had been jabbed into the right side of Bianca's stomach. The only part visible was it's leather black handle.
"MOM!" Chris cried. He heard pans and utensils crash to the floor, then footsteps pounding on the floor as Piper raced to the living room. Chris helped Bianca to the couch, laying her down. She was pale and sweaty and shaking.
"C-Chris, I'm s-sorry . . . "Bianca wheezed.
"Shh, it's okay. You're going to be okay," Chris murmured, kneeling beside her and kissing her hand. He could hear Piper behind him, gasping at the site before her.
Bianca shook her head once. "N-no, I wo-won't," she managed to say, but her voice was low and raspy. "Wyatt d-did this. H-He's powerful. B-be careful, C-Chris." Bianca let out a low, strangled gasp. Her eyes grew wide, then slowly closed. She stopped breathing.
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It was three in the morning, nearly seven hours after Leo and Piper had been rescued. Paige and Phoebe were collapsed on the couch, leaning into each other; eyes closed, and in a deep sleep. Leo was Up There, chatting away with the Elders. Piper was asleep on one of the big cushy chairs, tossing and turning a little. Chris sat in the chair next to Piper's. He was exhausted, yet unable to sleep. He couldn't help but feel like most of this was his fault. If he had been awake the night Wyatt had come for Melinda, she might not have been taken; if he hadn't willingly handed over the Book of Shadows, the sister's would still have it.
Chris sighed, blinking a few times to keep his eyes from closing. He knew he needed to get some rest, especially if he was going to be any help to his mom and aunts, but he just couldn't. He didn't want to close his eyes, fearing he'd wake up and find everyone he loved gone, taken by Wyatt.
Piper began to twist and turn again. Her arms and legs flailed slightly, her head rocking back and forth. She whimpered a few times. Chris frowned and leaned forward.
"Mom," Chris whispered, touching her shoulder gently.
Piper's eyes snapped open. She sat up, glancing at Chris. She licked her lips, trying to shake the memory of her nightmare away. "Thanks," she croaked, the remnants of sleep still apparent in her red eyes and slurred tone. She looked away from Chris. She was still angry with him for giving Wyatt the Book, but she also felt horrible for being so harsh on him.
Chris shrugged, looking down at the floor. He yawned, closing his eyes for a minute before opening them.
"You should get some rest," Piper told him, "You look exhausted."
Chris shook his head. "I can't rest until Melinda is safe and back home."
Piper felt her heart swell with happiness. Chris cared for his little sister so much! It made her so proud and happy.
"Chris, there's nothing you can do right now. You're better off resting so you're alert tomorrow"
Chris sighed and nodded, curling up in his chair. "'Night Mom," he murmured, closing his eyes.
"Good night, Chris," Piper whispered, sighing as she too closed her eyes."
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The next morning, nothing had changed. Leo had been coming in and out with no news from the Elders. Piper and Paige were trying, and failing to remember ingredients to certain potions in the Book. Phoebe was trying to remember some lines from old spells, and spells in the Book, while trying to make a few new ones. But she seemed to be having writer's block.
Chris paced the room, then stopped. "I need to go out for a little while. But I'll be back. Call me if anything new comes up." He orbed out before waiting for an answer.
"Where is he always going?" Piper asked, to no one in particular.
Paige shrugged. "He's a teenager, who knows? Maybe he has a sweetie we don't know about,' she joked.
Piper rolled her eyes. "I just hope he's careful. Wyatt is getting stronger and stronger, especially with the Book in his possession. We nee-EH!" she shrieked. A fuzzy little mouse had scurried across her feet. Her instincts kicked in and she threw her hands up to freeze the little gray rodent but . . . Nothing happened.
"Oh, that's not good . . ." Piper remarked, suddenly forgetting her fears as she watched the mouse run towards the wall and disappear. She looked up at her sister's. "You don't think . . . Wyatt . . ."
"Phoebe, try to levitate," Paige suggested.
Phoebe nodded. She took a deep breath to relax, then tried to levitate. It didn't work!
"Okay, I'm officially scared," Phoebe muttered. "Without our powers, we're defenseless!"
Piper chewed her lip. "Great. This is just great. I just hope Chris is being careful."
------------------------------------------
Chris paced The Spot, the place Bianca and him called their own. He had been calling her for nearly fifteen minutes and she wasn't responding.
"Bianca!" he hissed. And finally, she appeared, moving to him and embracing him. Kissing him.
"What's wrong Chris? Are you okay?" she asked, seeing the look on his face and becoming worried.
"I need your help – to get Melinda back. But it's very risky. I don't want you getting hurt and I won't force you into it. If you don't want to I-" But Bianca cut him off by kissing him again.
"Chris, I'm here for you. Tell me what I need to do," she said gently.
Bianca let out a small sigh after Chris had finished explaining what needed to be done. "Do you think it will work?"
Chris shrugged. "There's no way to know for sure, especially since Wyatt has the Book of Shadows."
Bianca nodded. "Well, I'll do it. For you, I'll do it." She hugged him tightly, kissing him.
"Promise me you'll come back safe," Chris said, almost in a warning tone.
Bianca smiled and nodded. She kissed him once more. "I will. And I'll check in whenever I get the chance!'
Then, she was gone.
Chris paced The Spot, nervous and praying he hadn't done the wrong thing. For now, he decided he'd go back to the Manor and wait fore Bianca to check in. He glanced around nervously before orbing back home.
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Chris orbed in to the kitchen, where Piper and Paige were sitting at the table and Phoebe was pacing.
"What happened?" Chris asked, frowning.
"Our powers are gone. Wyatt must have stripped them," Paige muttered, not looking up. Piper, too, continued to stare at the table.
"Well, if my plan works, everything will be back to normal by midnight tonight, our deadline." Piper's head shot up and she glanced at Chris. "What plan? What did you do?" she asked nervously.
"Don't worry. I worked . . . something out. Plan B is moving into action as we speak. If all goes well, we'll have Melinda and the Book back."
Piper narrowed her eyes. "Chris, if you did anything stupid, I swear . . ."
Chris glanced at the clock. Barely five minutes had passed since Bianca had left. He prayed she was okay trying to remain calm.
"Chris, you okay? You don't look too good," Piper commented, frowning at her son and forgetting her anger.
Chris shrugged a bit. He didn't want to tell the sister's of his plan because he knew they would object to sending Bianca in the line of fire. So, he lied. "I'm fine. Just tired. I didn't get much sleep last night." He glanced at the clock. Ten minutes had passed. He tried to remind himself that what he had asked Bianca to do would take well over an hour and tried not to stare at the clock every two seconds.
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And then an hour came and went. Now Chris was worried. He paced the living room. Phoebe had gone to work, despite Piper and Paige's protests. Paige was napping in her room; she was exhausted from the last couple of day's events. Piper was in the kitchen sipping coffee, her eyes puffy and tear- streaked from crying.
Chris sighed as he paced, deciding that he would tell Piper about Bianca if she didn't return in the next couple of-
"Bianca!" Chris cried, as soon as his girlfriend had appeared in the living room, her back to him.
Slowly, Bianca turned around, a pained expression on her face. Her hands were clutched around her middle. Chris frowned and stepped close.
"Bianca . . .?" he asked, taking her hands and moving them. What he saw nearly made him pass out. A large ritual dagger had been jabbed into the right side of Bianca's stomach. The only part visible was it's leather black handle.
"MOM!" Chris cried. He heard pans and utensils crash to the floor, then footsteps pounding on the floor as Piper raced to the living room. Chris helped Bianca to the couch, laying her down. She was pale and sweaty and shaking.
"C-Chris, I'm s-sorry . . . "Bianca wheezed.
"Shh, it's okay. You're going to be okay," Chris murmured, kneeling beside her and kissing her hand. He could hear Piper behind him, gasping at the site before her.
Bianca shook her head once. "N-no, I wo-won't," she managed to say, but her voice was low and raspy. "Wyatt d-did this. H-He's powerful. B-be careful, C-Chris." Bianca let out a low, strangled gasp. Her eyes grew wide, then slowly closed. She stopped breathing.