A/N: This is a short chapter. Just before I start to get really busy... The lyrics of 'We might as well be strangers' are by Keane. They're a really good English band I like very much.

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While Chris and Piper were sharing their problems without words, Phoebe was scrying frantically for Paige. She understood now why Paige had looked so worried. Scary was understatement for Richard. She looked around the corner to check whether he was still there and saw he was. She also saw Chris and Piper hugging. A puzzled look appeared on her face. He wouldn't...would he? Anyways, she'd better be scrying for Paige. The faster they got her back, the faster she'd be able to talk to Jason.

"I've got her!" she yelled triumphantly as the scrying crystal landed on the map...in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. What irritated her even more than that was the fact that nobody reacted but Leo, who came orbing into the room.

"You've got her?" he asked, looking over her shoulder. "But she can't be in the Pacific. Unless...she's dead and floating or there's some secret island there..."

"Let's go for the island thing, OK?" said Phoebe and she yelled. "Piper, Chris! Get your butts down here!"

Then to Leo: "It looks like they're floating on a big pink cloud there, you know."

"No, it's not like that", said Leo, realizing Phoebe and Paige didn't know about Chris yet. "It's OK with me." He was trying to add that they'd need to talk when this was over but Phoebe didn't give him the chance.

"Well, it's not OK for me. He can't go round comin' from the future, driving you two apart and then hitting on my sister!" she yelled and she seemed to pump up her whole body. She walked in the direction of the living room, but Leo put an arm around her middle to prevent her from disturbing the mother-son moment.
Truth was, he hadn't been upstairs. Actually he had melted into the wall to watch them. It had felt kind of strange, watching them, young mother and grown son. If Chris was to be their son, why had he sent him, Leo, to the Valhalla (something Leo was sure of by now). Why didn't they get along if they were supposed to be related? What was it about Chris that made him untrustworthy? And why was he always taking dangerous ways, looking guilty as hell after being discovered...

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Meanwhile Piper was still in Chris' arms, knowing that at least hé loved her. But Leo... She doubted whether his kiss had been a real one, more than a way of distracting her to orb out...

I'm looking for a word
a completely new word
a word that no one knows
I'm looking for a word
that tells you
that you're the sweetest of all

The words just formed inside her head. It was a silly, childish rhyme she used to chant to Wyatt. Now however, it seemed to apply to Leo more than to Wyatt... She pulled Chris a little closer, holding on to him as though he was the only thing she had left. She felt like she'd fall the minute she let him go. She wanted to remain there forever, but someone was tugging at her arms, gently trying to release Chris from a hug that nearly choked him. But Piper was far away, she was flying over her life, seeing what she had done, seeing how it had become one big mess, imagining herself to be unworthy of her children and her Leo...

I don't know your face no more
Or feel your touch that I adore
I don't know your face no more
It's just a place I'm looking for

We might as well be strangers in another town
We might as well be living in a different world
We might as well be strangers
Be strangers

For all I know of you now
For all I know of you now
For all I know of you now
For all I know

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"Piper's down", came Chris' voice in the living room that was completely silent, except for Piper's sobs and frantic movements. Everybody stood still and waited for it to pass, but it didn't. Instead of that, Piper screamed out loud, not in her usual voice, but in such horrible, piercing screams that tears were beginning to run down Chris' voice. A second later, Chris felt her anger and fear and insecurity flow into him.

"How could I", he said, "Leo, how could I leave you, how could I let you go? I'm not worthy of my sons, my husband, my sisters." His breath rate rose and he looked feverish, then, he started screaming as she had done. For a brief second, he felt everything inside her. Another second later, it was over. He was face-down on the floor and Leo was crying next to him. Piper was empty, nothing in her eyes, not moving. She was – god only knows where – gone spiritually.