THE BEST LAID PLANS

Chapter 6

Paige finally finished explaining to Victor how Chris had died. Victor sat on the sofa in shock. He'd been back in his daughters' lives for six years, and Chris had been the first one to make him feel completely accepted, like a real member of the family. Chris had given him hope that he would be able to redeem himself for all the years of his daughters' lives that he'd missed. He'd hated hearing that Piper had died young, just like Prue. He couldn't bear the thought of burying another child. That was a pain no parent should go through. And to think that now Chris was gone and Piper having to go through that burden. Except that there was no Chris to bury and a baby version of him still around.

Sitting next to Victor, Patty was feeling the same. She was holding Chris in her arms. She had never met the grown-up Chris, but she still felt the loss of a family member. And he hadn't appeared on the other side, not that she knew of. Then again, his soul inhabited the baby.

Grams, standing nearby, was saddened too. She and Patty had heard most of Leo's admission to Piper, but hearing it again it was still painful. She'd been rather rude to the young Whitelighter when they had met before. She wished she'd had another chance with him. Once his mission to save Wyatt had been accomplished, and the timeline irrevocably changed, he must have faded away. And she would have a second chance with the baby. It seemed as though she was always getting second chances with her great grandsons.

Upstairs, Leo continued to stroke Piper's hair and back, trying to comfort her. "It will be okay, Piper." He whispered.

"I wish I could just disappear." Piper said. No sooner had she said the words than she sunk through the mattress. For Leo it was a chilling reminder of when Chris's body had disappeared. For a second he thought that Piper had disappeared like their son. Then he realized what must have happened and ran out of the room.

The others were sitting or standing around the living room. Patty was holding Chris, cooing at her new grandson. Every so often Victor would reach out to stroke Chris's hair. Wyatt sat nearby playing with his toys, shooting his brother a dirty look every now and then. Grams was playing with Wyatt, telekinetically moving his toys around.

The quiet in the room was shattered as a body fell through the ceiling right above where Phoebe was standing. Phoebe looked up in horror and met Piper's eyes, just before Piper fell through Phoebe and then the living room floor. Phoebe looked over at Paige, shocked.

"What the hell was that?!?" Victor yelled, standing up. "Was that Piper?"

"Well, you don't see that everyday." Grams said dryly.

Paige and Phoebe turned and ran towards the kitchen and the basement door. They collide at the door, butting heads. Leo came running down the stairs and headed for the kitchen as well, reaching it before the stunned sisters.

Down in the basement, Piper was torn between crying, laughing and screaming. So she settled for blowing up some old furniture stored down there. She liked having a close relationship with her sisters, but that had been too close for comfort. When she fell through the mattress and then the bedroom floor, she'd thought about solidifying. Assuming she could do it at command, that is. But she'd seen Phoebe and hadn't done it. Instead she'd hoped that she would fall through Phoebe so that she wouldn't hurt her. Blowing up one last bit of furniture, Piper headed back upstairs to check on Phoebe.

She met Leo and her sisters in the kitchen. Phoebe looked fine, so apparently falling through someone didn't hurt them. Well, that was good to know. Leo swept her up in a big hug. She sank in his embrace for a moment, enjoying the feel. She missed this, the easy intimacy she and Leo had shared. With Leo around almost every day for the last two months, visiting the boys, it had been almost like they were married. But still, she had known that his calling was to be an Elder. He'd been angry with them about Gideon, but she'd attributed that to Wyatt. She hadn't known about Chris. About Chris dying in Leo's arms. Now he wasn't an Elder anymore. Wasn't even a Whitelighter. What would become of him now? What would become of them? Piper pushed the thoughts ruthlessly out of her mind. She wouldn't… couldn't think of them right now. She had to concentrate of Chris, both of them. The baby needed to be welcomed into the family. And the grown-up needed to be mourned.

The foursome headed back to the living room, where Patty and Victor were shocked and Grams was amused.

"What just happened?" Victor asked.

"I wish I knew." Piper answered. "That's been happening all day."

"We think her powers are advancing." Leo added, helping Piper over to a chair.

"Of course they're advancing, Leo." Grams said smiling. "My Great Aunt Pauline could do the same thing."

"Well, how did she control it?" Piper demanded to know.

"I have no idea." Grams admitted. "Besides, triggers differ from person to person."

"I always hoped I would develop that power." Patty admitted. "Would have come in handy a time or two."

"Once I learn how to control it, maybe. Until then I can't even touch my kids." Piper said, frustrated.

"You'll learn how to control it." Leo said encouragingly.

"Yeah, and you didn't hurt Phoebe when you fell through her." Paige said. Then, turning to look at Phoebe "Did she?"

"No, I didn't feel a thing. You won't hurt the boys, Piper. I know it." Phoebe said.

Piper stood up and walked over to her mother, intending to pick up Chris. Seeing Wyatt's unhappy look, Piper changed her mind and walked over to her oldest son and gave him a big hug. He happily returned the embrace.

"We need to decide whether or not we're going to have this wiccanning." Paige said. "With everything going on…"

"Well, of course we're going to have the wiccanning." Grams said. "Right, Piper?"

"Right, Grams. My son deserves a wiccanning and he's going to get one." Piper said firmly, holding Wyatt.

Leo picked up his youngest son, cuddling him close. "Did you hear that? Looks like your going to be welcomed into this family after all. Christopher Victor Halliwell."

"Victor?" chimed in Penny and Victor, both surprised.

TBC…