O.O

Note: This chapter introduces Phoebe's daughter. She will be called Prudence, while older Prue will stay Prue.

Past Consequences:

Chapter 10: The Wish For Freedom

The next day Chris sighed as he looked out his bedroom window. It hurt him. Seeing all those normal families doing things that normal families did. Played outside together. Went on picnics. Hung out at the park. Went on vacations. They were all so happy. In the outside world. Chris just wished that his family could be that happy, too. Chris just wished that they were normal, so they could do those things without fear of being caught and burned alive.

"Chris?" Wyatt asked from the doorway, walking over to his younger brother. What's up?"

Chris sighed and didn't face or respond his brother. He just stood there, not saying a word, and not moving.

Wyatt put a hand on Chris's shoulder. "Chris, tell me what's wrong."

Chris looked down at the ground. Then he looked back up and stared out of the window. "Wyatt, do you remember what it's like to go swimming? Or to go on a picnic?"

"Chris, we can do those things," Wyatt said, looking confused.

"Do you remember what it's like to just relax in the sun at the lake, without worrying about time and about if someone is going to turn you in?" Chris asked, sighing as he watch two little boys play in their little swimming pool, their parents watching nearby.

Wyatt sighed. "No. I can't say that I do."

"I want that life back," Chris said, facing him.

"Chris -"

"It's been six years, Wyatt! It's been six years since we could relax and feel free out in the world!" Chris yelled. "Sure, we get an hour a week, but then we're supposed to fit everything that we want to do into the hour, and it's frustrating!"

"I know it is, Chris. But there's nothing we can do about it," Wyatt said, sighing.

"Do you wonder what it feels like to be loved by every witch and whitelighter that sees you, instead of blaming your family for the witch trials? Do you wonder what it feels like to hang out with your friends at the mall?" Chris asked, tears coming to his eyes.

"Chris -"

"Wyatt, I just want to be free again. I want to be stripped of this pain. I don't want to watch everyone that I care about and love be caught and burned alive! I can't take it anymore!" Chris yelled, a few tears falling.

Wyatt reached over and held Chris close. "You know, you never told us her name."

Tears started streaming down Chris's face. "Samantha. Her name was Samantha."

Wyatt pulled back and looked his little brother in the eyes. "I know you miss her, Chris. And I know you miss Mark and Jeremy. But there's nothing we can do. There's nothing we can do but wait. And be patient. This will all end someday. I promise."

"You can't promise that, Wyatt. You just can't. And even if it does end, that doesn't bring back everyone who we've lost. That doesn't bring back Amanda."

Wyatt sighed and looked down at the floor. "I know. I'm never getting Amanda back. I know that," he said as tears started to stream down his face.

"Oh, Wy, I'm sorry," Chris said, hugging Wyatt tightly. "I shouldn't have brought her up."

Wyatt looked up at him. "No. It's okay, Chris. Really. We . . . We have to learn to get on with our lives. We have to learn to get past all this. And the only way we're going to be able to do that is remember who we lost so we can make sure that the rest of the people we love and care about don't end up with the same fate."

"How can you have so much hope? Especially after everything we've gone through?" Chris asked, looking confused.

"Because I don't want my daughter to grow up in the world that we have. I don't want her to be afraid to use her magic. I don't want her to be afraid of it. And I don't want her to be afraid to step out that door and take in the day. I want her to have a normal life, even if we can't have one," Wyatt said, looking hopeful. "And I know, that if we want it bad enough, and we work hard at it, we'll get that world. Where people aren't afraid of magic. Where mortals and witches can be the best of friends."

"You're dreaming, Wyatt. And by the sounds of it, you'll never wake up and face reality," Chris said, before taking one more good look at his older brother and walking out the door.

O.O

Paige orbed into the living room, bringing Phoebe, Past Phoebe, Prue, Prudence, and Cole with her.

Piper smiled widely. "Hey, guys!"

"Oh, this time is horrible," Past Phoebe said, sitting down next to Past Piper on the couch.

"Why? I like it," Past Piper said, smiling.

"Well, you're not the one who has to see her future ex-husband all the time, and to see how much he hates magic and witches," Past Phoebe said, crossing her arms.

"I don't like him," Cole said, looking mad.

"The only reason you don't like him is because he's the person who takes your place," Phoebe said, raising her eyebrows.

The doorbell rang, and everyone froze.

"Do you normally get visitors?" Past Piper asked Leo, looking confused and afraid.

"No we don't. We never do," Leo said as Piper got off the couch, walking into the hallway slowly. he got up quickly and followed Piper. "Piper, don't open that door. We don't know who it is."

"Phoebe, open up the door! Please! I know you're in there! It's Cole!"

Phoebe eyes went wide and she fainted.

Past Cole quickly caught her.

"Looks like Cole doesn't give up that easily," Past Phoebe said, smirking. She walked over to the door and opened it up.

"Phoebe," Cole said, caught breathless. "You're as beautiful as the day we got married."

"Don't get your hopes up. I'm from the past," Past Phoebe said, letting him in. She pointed over to Past Cole and Phoebe. "That's my Cole and your Phoebe."

Cole nodded and started to walk over to Past Cole and Phoebe, but Paige stood in his way.

"Paige, please move," Cole said, staring down at her.

"No," Paige said, putting her hands on her hips. "We vanquished you. How are you back?"

"I have friends in high places," Cole said, starting to look annoyed.

"Don't you mean: Low places?" Paige asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Paige, move before I really get mad," Cole growled.

Paige smirked. "Hurt me and you'll never get Phoebe back. She's run right back to Jason. And we wouldn't want that, now would we?"

"Paige, move!" Cole yelled.

"I will not. You hurt my sister once, and I won't let you do it again," Paige said, crossing her arms.

Piper stood next to her. "We won't let you do it again."

"I just want to talk to her," Cole pleaded.

"You mean you want to stalk her again?" Piper asked.

"Just like during and after the divorce?" Paige asked, raising her eyebrows. "Face it, Cole. She made it clear a long time ago that she never wanted to see your face again. That's why she helped us vanquish you twice."

"The first time wasn't my fault. It was the Source," Cole corrected.

"What's the difference?" Paige asked.

"You were the source," Piper said, raising an eyebrow. "Just leave before we vanquish your sorry ass a third time."

"Well, it's nice to know that my sisters care in the future," Past Phoebe said, smirking. "Even if it is too much."

Past Cole patted Phoebe's cheek. "Phoebe, wake up."

Phoebe opened her eyes slowly. Then the went wide and she screamed as she saw who was holding her.

"Don't worry! I'm not your Cole!" Past Cole said, laughing slightly.

Prudence rolled her eyes. "This family is so messed up."

"Tell me about it," Past Phoebe said, sighing.

"I didn't want to do this, but you left me no other choice," Cole said, picking Piper and Paige up and throwing them across the hallway, near the dining room.

"Piper!" Leo yelled, running over to her.

Past Phoebe's eyes were wide. "Wow. You really do get evil, honey."

Cole walked up to Phoebe, who backed away from him. "Phoebe, please."

"Get away from me, Cole. I never want to see you again," Phoebe said, backing into the wall.

Cole walked up to her, then grabbed her and pulled her close. "C'mon, Phoebe. Don't shut me out."

"Cole, let go of me," Phoebe said, tears in her eyes.

"No," Cole said, leaning in for a kiss.

Prudence glared at Cole and telekinetically threw him across the room. "I believe she said to let her go." She looked back over at Phoebe and ran to her mother, latching herself onto her.

"It seems as if your daughter is a little overprotective of you, Phoebe," Cole said, smirking as he stood back up.

"Get our of my house!" Piper yelled, running up to him, jumping up in the air, and kicking him in the face.

"Wow," Prue, Past Leo, Past Piper, Past Phoebe, and Past Cole all said in unison.

Cole grabbed his nose, that was now bleeding. He growled at Piper and grabbed her by her hair, holding her with her back to him, a fireball in his hand, which was next to her head.

"Come with me, Phoebe, or lose your other older sister," he said, causing tears to come to Phoebe's eyes.

"Yeah, you wish," Piper said, kicking him in the balls.

Cole let go of her and bent over.

"You know, I really didn't want to do this, but now I guess I have to," Piper said, blowing him up. She turned around to find everyone staring at her.

"Wow, Auntie Piper. You kick ass," Prudence said with wide eyes.

"Watch your language," Phoebe said, hitting her daughter on her arm lightly.

Chris walked down the stairs to find everyone staring at Piper. "What's going on?"

"Your mother just kicked some serious ass," Paige said with wide eyes. "I haven't seen her like that since you were about ten."

Chris nodded slowly. "Uh, sure," he said before walking over to the door.

"Chris!" everyone but Cole yelled, running over to him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Piper asked, crossing her arms.

"Going outside," Chris said simply, shrugging before turning to knob on the door, opening it slightly.

Leo closed the door quickly. "I don't think so, young man."

Chris telekinetically threw everyone backwards into sun room and opened the door.

Prue got up slightly and telekinetically shut the door and threw Chris into the living room.

"Prue!" Piper and Past Piper yelled in unison.

"It's either he gets hurt inside, or outside," Prue said, raising her eyebrows. "I think my decision was the better one."

Piper and Leo quickly ran into the living room.

Chris slowly got up after crashing into the wall. "Ow."

"Sweetie, are you okay?" Piper asked, rushing to his side.

Chris winced. "Yeah. I'll live."

"Does your dad need to heal anything?" Piper asked, looking worried.

"No. I'm just sore," Chris said, sitting down on the couch.

"Good. Now we can kick your ass ourselves," Piper said, looking pissed.

"What were you think going out there?!" Leo yelled, standing next to Piper.

"That I want to enjoy the simple things in life again," Chris said, orbing away and into the park.

"Witch!" people started to yelled, running everywhere.

"No! Whitelighter and witch!" a man yelled. "That's Christopher Halliwell!"

That statement made people start screaming even louder, and they started running away from Chris faster.

Chris smiled and sat down on the bench, sighing peacefully as the witch sirens came on. "So peaceful," he said.

A girl walked up to him. "Chris Halliwell, right?"

Chris looked up at her and nodded. "Yeah? So?"

The girl smiled. "Good."

"Why aren't you running?" Chris asked, looking confused. "I can always pick out a witch from a crowd full of mortals, and you're no witch."

The girl shook her head. "No. I'm not. But you're also the uncle of my niece. Kristina. My sister's daughter."

"What's your point?" Chris asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I want my niece," the girl said, sitting down next to him.

Men in uniforms walked up to the two slowly. "Stay where you are."

"Sorry. But we can't do that," Chris said, grabbing the girl's hand and orbing on top of the bridge.

The girl looked down, looking frightened. "Where are we?"

"I thought that you'd come here," Leo said from behind them.

Chris quickly turned around. "Dad -"

"Chris, you could've gotten yourself killed. Do you think I don't know that it was you who caused the witch sirens to go on?" Leo asked, raising his eyebrows. "I'm not stupid."

"Can we get back to Kristina?" the girl asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Who are you?" Leo asked, looking over at her.

"Amanda's sister," Chris said, crossing his arms.

Leo nodded and looked back at Chris. "Please come home."

"I'm not going back there," Chris said, sitting down and letting his legs hang over the side.

"Chris, please. I don't want to lose you," Leo pleaded, walking over next to him.

"You won't. I can orb. I can get away," Chris said, not bothering to look up at Leo.

"Chris, why are you doing this?" Leo asked, tears coming to his eyes.

Chris looked up at him. "In these past six years, I forgot what it feels like to go to the park as a family. To go on picnic. To go to the lake. And to never worry about how long we've been out and I've we're going to get home in time before the spell wears off. And I don't care anymore. I just want to be free. Like human beings are supposed to be."

Leo sighed and looked down, the back over at Chris. "I know it's hard, Chris. We all feel the same way. That's why we need to get through it as a family. To work to correct it."

"Why can't we just go back in time and fix it?" Chris asked.

"Chris -"

"No. I'm serious. I've been to the past before. Well, not technically me, but it was still me," Chris said, standing up.

"And that you died in my arms because of it," Leo said, a single tear falling.

"I'll be careful. I just want to do this so I don't have to suffer anymore," Chris said, sighing. "It won't even take that long. Promise."

Leo sighed and glanced down at the ground. He looked Chris in the eyes. "Fine. But someone goes with you. And you have to wait until everyone's back in their rightful time. Got it?"

Chris nodded and took the girl's hand as the three went back to the manor.

O.O.O.O.O

Well, I guess that gives you guys a hint that there's going to be a sequel! But, not until I feel like I really want to end this story. But I think it's going to be soon. This story feels almost finished to me. Anyway, review please! Ciao!

Hannah