You all seemed to like the journal bit, that makes me happy, and it is important for later on, though I don't think any of you figured out how... Okay, thanks to: Angie, Chub, Sci Fi Fan Gillian, balooie (No, I'm not going to make Patrick be a blond-version of Aragorn, sorry, but it just doesn't fit.). Shaz (I thought the that little bit might be a welcome bit of humour.), Bluie Twilight Star, the proud Canadian, Laheara (You three are all closer than you might think to knowing what is about to happen, especially you, Laheara.), Rachael, goldstranger, X3, Magical Princess. This chapter is, of course, for all of you.

Oh, and one more thing, it just occurred to me that things might work better if this was set after 'The Courtship of Wyatt's Father'- only without the last few minutes, and without Leo's decision to leave (obviously). It sets a better balance. Not that any of this means anything, I just wanted to let you all know.

Now, on with the story.

The morning dawned early, the sunlight shining in through Chris' window; shining on a clean floor, a tidy, organized bookshelf, and an exhausted and unsatisfied youth. He'd spent the night cleaning, searching desperately for the memories from a past that he'd never lived. He now lay on the undisturbed, tartan quilt that covered the bed, staring up at a ceiling that was far to familiar considering he was at the far end of a timeline he wouldn't have known if it had hit him in the face.

It did hit me in the face. He reminded himself, almost bitterly. And at full speed.

A hesitant knock came at his door, followed by his mom's voice; 'Chris, are you awake?'

'Yeah,' he sighed, bringing himself to a sitting position. 'I'm awake.'

The door opened and she stepped inside. 'Wow,' her surprise was evident. 'You cleaned!'

'Yeah, well, I was hoping…' he paused, then barrelled on. 'I was hoping that I would find some clue as to what my life's been like these past years.'

Piper smiled sympathetically. 'I wish I knew what it was you went through in that other timeline, I really do, but you have to let it go, Chris, it never happened. This,' she motioned at his room, but he knew it was meant to encompass all the world, 'this is all that matters now.'

'I know, which would be why I'm so freaked out by not knowing what's happened here. You probably all have these expectations of me, like Penelope did- she was obviously disappointed to learn I never knew her.'

'No, that's not true, we all knew that adjustments would have to be made. We never expected you to come back exactly as you were before. You've done so much- there's no evil left to fight-'

He cut her off. 'There's always evil in the world, otherwise the world wouldn't need people like us.'

She sighed, 'I know, but just be glad your brother's not a part of it.'

'Believe me, I am.'

`

'You still scrying for Chris?' Piper asked offhandedly as she flipped through the book of shadows.

'Yes!' Paige snapped, irritated that she'd not found anything. She'd switched to a map of the world, and would have gone to a map of the planes but there were none in existence so she had to make due. Phoebe had, at her sisters' insistence, gone back to work.

'Why?'

'Because he's still missing?'

'Well, duh, but the elders are looking for him,'

'The 'elders' were looking for Leo, but it was still us who found him, on that weird Valhalla Island.'

'Point taken,' She closed the book suddenly. 'I'm going to go check on Wyatt, okay?'

'On that note, you sure we can trust that Patrick guy? I mean, you just met him at the park and all of a sudden he's like the babysitter from Heaven?'

'Sounds about right, see ya!' and she vanished through the door and down the stairs.

She walked into her son's room just as Patrick finished humming the last few bars of a lullaby. 'My Grams used to sing that to me,'

Patrick looked up, startled. 'Yes, my mom used to sing it to me.'

'Hmm, what a small world.' An inkling of doubt and suspicion came into her mind, but the man seemed to know it was there the second it appeared.

'Don't you trust me?' He asked, smiling.

'She stared at him, 'o-of course I do.'

'Good, then you know that it's going to be okay, right? All you have to do is separate yourself from Leo.'

'And I'm doing that, I just don't know why…'

'You can't risk having another kid right now- the child is what will turn Wyatt evil.'

'How do you know this?'

'You just have to trust me.'

For another moment, Piper looked doubtful, but then her eyes met Patrick's and she smiled. 'I'm going out now, okay?'

'Don't worry, I'll watch him.' The woman left, and Patrick turned to the baby beside him. 'Wouldn't want anything to happen to me, now would I? Now, let's see how corrupted you are…' And he placed a hand on Wyatt's forehead and a soft blue light encompassed the two.

Short update, I know, but this seemed like the right place to leave you hanging…