The Best Laid Plans
Chapter 12
Leo held Piper tightly. He couldn't believe that Chris had come to his own wiccanning. He had thought that his grown-up son was gone forever. He'd seen him, felt him, fade out of existence. But no, he still existed. He was with Piper's family: Grams, Patty, Prue and the other matriarchs. They might even be allowed to see him again one day. And that was enough. Just knowing that his son wasn't gone completely, that part of his would live on, that was enough.
'It wasn't enough.' Piper thought. She'd gotten to touch her son for a moment. She knew her son was with Prue, Mom and Grams, but it wasn't enough. Would she watch her baby grow up only to lose him on his 23rd birthday? If she was even alive to see his 23rd birthday. She had to know. She couldn't spend the next 23 years waiting for something terrible to happen.
It felt right being in Leo's arms, but now was not the time. Piper pulled away from Leo. "That potion you created to send Chris back to his time – you said it would have worked?" Piper asked.
"Yes, I'm sure of it. What are you thinking, Piper?" Leo asked, not understanding.
"I have to know, Leo. I can't love that little boy for 23 years only to lose him again. I couldn't bear it." Piper tried to explain. "Please don't argue with me, I have to do this. I have to know."
"I know you do, so do I. That's why I'm coming with you." Leo said.
"No, you can't. You have to stay here with the boys in case something goes wrong. In case I don't come back. I don't want them left alone." Piper said.
"No way, Piper. Either we both go or nobody goes." Leo said, knowing he was fighting a losing argument.
"Help me, or I'll recreate the potion when you aren't around, Leo." Piper said.
"But what time will you go to?" Leo gave in.
"I'll go forward 23 years from today. Two months past his birthday. If he's still alive… that will be enough. That's all I need to know. That he's alive. Alive and happy this time." Piper said. "Now, let's make that potion."
"We don't need to. We still have two vials from the last batch. One to take you there and one to bring you back." Leo said, walking over the cupboards where he'd placed the potions after Chris died.
Piper picked up a piece of chalk and went to draw a triquatra symbol on the wall. Once the drawing was complete, Piper stepped away from the symbol. Leo handed Piper two vials of the potion. One she pocketed, the other she threw the other at the symbol on the wall. A portal opened up on the wall.
"Concentrate on the date that you want to go to, Piper." Leo instructed as she walked toward the portal. As she reached the portal she could feel herself being drawn in, leaving only Leo standing into the attic.
Piper stepped back into the attic, in the same place she had just been, but this attic wasn't empty, someone was waiting for her and it wasn't Leo.
Chris could feel that his mother was gone again. His father was still nearby, but not very close. Chris was with the others. He liked the other women, he did, but they weren't his mother. One had a loud voice and made scary faces at him. The other had a nice voice and sang songs to him, but it wasn't the same. He could sense the other little boy was there, the one who had protected him from the scary monster. So was the other man, the new one that seemed nice. But they weren't what he wanted. He wanted his mother back. Chris started to cry.
"It's okay, Chris. Yes, it is. Yes it is." Phoebe cooed as she placed Chris in a bouncy seat. She made faces for him and pinched his cheeks. "Ooh, I could just smush you. Yes, I could. Yes, I could. I could just smush your little cheeks."
'More scary faces,' Chris thought, 'as if I hadn't had enough of those already.' He started to cry even harder.
"I've been waiting for you." Said an older Piper.
"How did you know I'd be here?" Piper asked. 'Hey, I don't look bad for someone who's 54 years old.'
Older Piper's hair was still a deep rich brown color, although she had it pulled up in a nice up-do. She was also wearing a lovely red silk dress.
"I'm you, remember. Everything you know I know. Everything you did I've already done. Duh." Older Piper said sarcastically.
"Don't get snippy with me. If you already know everything about me than you know why I'm here. You understand why I had to come." Piper said.
"Of course I understand. That's why I'm here. Chris is fine. Alive and well." Older Piper said with a smile. "Although, you picked a bad day to come."
"I have to…" Piper began.
"…see for yourself. I know." Older Piper finished.
"Okay, that whole finishing each other's sentences thing is going to…" Piper began again.
"…Get old fast." Older Piper finished with a smile.
"Stop that. What about Wyatt? Is he…?" Piper asked, concerned about both sons.
"Is he what?" Older Piper asked. At younger Piper's dirty look she said "You said not to finish your sentences anymore."
"Don't play games with me, lady. Are my sons okay?" Piper demanded.
"Yes, as you'll soon see. Almost everyone is downstairs. I'll find a place to hide you so that you can see what is going on, but I don't want you talking to Chris or Wyatt. They won't understand. I never told them about the other Chris. And I don't intend to tell them." Older Piper said firmly. "That's why you need to take this. It will make you invisible. You will be able to see Chris and Wyatt, but they won't be able to see you."
Piper nodded in understanding. She'd already decided not to tell her sons about the other timeline. About Wyatt turning evil and Chris dying trying to save him. Telling Wyatt that he'd already been evil once could turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
"Follow me." Older Piper said as she lead her invisible younger self out of the attic.
They went slowly and quietly down the attic steps to the second floor hallway. Piper saw that the door to her room was closed. She could hear voices from her room. It sounded like Paige and Phoebe were talking to someone. Piper started to move closer, but her older self pulled her along.
Older Piper told her younger self, "Try to avoid Paige and Phoebe. They would understand, but you might be tempted to ask them things about the future. Things you shouldn't know yet."
"Future consequences?" Piper asked, annoyed, as they continued down the stairs to the first floor.
"Exactly. I like my present just the way it is. We've had good times and bad times, but I wouldn't change any of it." Older Piper said.
As they reached the ground floor, Piper noticed that there were flowers and decorations everywhere. "What's happening today?"
"Like I said, you picked a bad day. The entire family is here." Older Piper said.
"Why?" Piper asked. But before her older self could answer she saw the reason. In the living room was a wedding cake. She saw corporeal Grams, Mom, Prue and a much older looking Victor in the room. There were some more people there that she didn't know. Along with Chris and Wyatt, both of whom were wearing tuxedos. They both looked so handsome. Wyatt looked a lot like Leo, but much taller. He certainly didn't get that from her. And Chris. He looked the same. The hair was a little neater and he was clean shaven. But the biggest difference was how happy he looked.
"Because Chris is getting married today." Older Piper announced.
"Married? He's only 23. Who's he marrying?" Piper asked, shocked.
"Bianca. You remember her." Older Piper said with a smile.
"She tried to kill him." Piper said angrily.
"Keep your voice down. That was a different Bianca. This one is different. She was never corrupted by Wyatt. Her mother raised her differently after the older Bianca came back through time." Older Piper explained. "I tried telling them they were too young, but you know how headstrong Chris is. This one is just as stubborn as the other."
"Yeah, but she's so much older than him. Why…" Piper began.
"Do you want to stay or should I take you back up to the attic so that you can go home?" Older Piper asked, already knowing the answer.
The two Pipers heard people coming down the stairs. Piper could hear Paige and Phoebe's voices as well as some she didn't know. "It's time, Piper." She heard a voice call out.
"Stay out of the way and be quiet. They might not be able to see you, but they will be able to hear or feel you." Older Piper whispered. "Meet me in the attic after the ceremony. The invisibility potion will last that long."
Piper watched her older self walk into the living room. "It's time." She heard her say.
Piper heard 'Here comes the Bride' being played on the piano. The pianist was a young teenaged girl. With her dark brown she could be a member of the family. Phoebe's daughter, perhaps? The one she was so eager to have?
Piper watched her older self take her place in the front. In walked Leo, also wearing a tuxedo. He had aged over the last 23 years. His golden hair was liberally sprinkled with grey and his face was lined. But he was still handsome. Older versions of Paige and Phoebe quickly entered the room. Both were still beautiful, although Piper could see streaks of grey in Phoebe's hair.
Another teenaged girl entered the room, dressed in a bridesmaid's gown. She too looked like a member of the family. Piper wished she knew who they were. But perhaps it was better not to know. She'd find out eventually.
The bride entered the room behind the girl. Everyone stood up as Bianca walked down the aisle wearing an ivory colored strapless gown. Piper watched her youngest son's face light up as he saw his bride. Seeing the joyful expression on his face she understood why her older self hadn't tried to stop the union.
Piper watched tearfully as Grams officiated the wedding. She could barely tear her eyes off her sons, but she wanted to see everything. Chris standing tall next to Bianca, with his back toward her. Next to him was Wyatt, his best man. Her older self stood nearby next to Leo, holding his hand. Mom, Prue, Paige and Phoebe were next to them, as was Victor.
The ceremony was over too quickly for Piper. Everyone was congratulating the newlyweds. Older Piper walked over to where she'd left her younger self.
"I'll meet you upstairs and see you off." Older Piper whispered.
"No. You belong here with your family." Piper whispered back. "And I belong with mine."
Older Piper nodded and returned to her family. She hugged her son and daughter-in-law ecstatically.
Piper smiled at the family, her family. Then she walked back upstairs to the attic. It was time to go home.
Piper removed the vial from her pocket and threw it at the wall. Concentrating on where she wanted to arrive, Piper stepped through the portal.
Piper stepped back out into the attic. It was her attic she knew because Leo was there waiting anxiously.
"Well?" He asked impatiently. "What happened?"
Piper smiled at her ex-husband. "Everything is fine. I'll tell you later. Right now I want to be with my children." She took his hand in hers and headed toward the attic door.
Piper and Leo walked downstairs and found the family. They were down in the conservatory, playing with the boys. Well, Wyatt was playing. Chris was crying and Phoebe was leaning over him making faces and trying to make him smile.
Piper smiled at her family. She picked Chris up out of his bouncy seat and cuddled him close, kissing his downy soft head.
Chris let out a deep sigh as his mother took him in her arms. Finally, back with one of the only people who made him feel truly safe.
"Is everything alright, Piper?" Paige asked, concerned.
"No, not yet. But it will be." She replied, cuddling her youngest son close and smiling at her older son. Leo had picked him up. 'The four of us made a beautiful family.' she thought. Leo had broken her heart many times before, but she knew know how devoted he was to his family. She didn't know what would happen, but she was glad she had a chance to find out.
THE END
Author Note: Thank you for all of your kind reviews – and even the semi-kind ones. And an extra big shout-out and thank you to my friends from Television Without Pity, without whom none of my stories would have been written. I love to get input on my stories, and tried to implement some of them. This story had far more twists and turns than I had originally intended, but when inspiration struck I had to go with it. As for my flagrant abuse of verb tenses, I sometimes get swept up when I'm writing and don't always go back and proofread the way I should. This is the end of this story, but there are two more stories bouncing around in my brain that I will start work on right away.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my story and any original characters I created.
Archive: Please do not archive without my permission.