Disclaimer: Once again, I own Drew and my ring and that's it. Get offa my
case already! Lol.
((()))
Piper came downstairs some time later to see the dishes in the sink and pancakes left for Leo, Paige, Wyatt and herself on the table. There was a note next to them which read:
Had to get groceries, out of ingredients. Took the car. YES, we have driver's licenses in the future. -Chris
Piper laughed. She never did get to see Chris driving in their little quest...it must have been a riot. "Paige, Leo!" she called. "Breakfast is ready!" She shifted Wyatt in her arms and put him in his highchair, putting some cut-up pancake on his plate. "There you go, Wyatt."
Leo and Paige orbed down, Paige still in her pajamas and yawning loudly. "Pancakes? It's been a while since we had a decent meal."
"Chris made it, actually."
"Where'd he go?" asked Leo.
"Don't worry, he went to the grocery store...something NORMAL for once."
Leo laughed nervously. "Does he have an id for 2004?" he questioned nervously. "You know, if anything happens to him then people will wonder why the hell he's from the year 2027!"
"Don't worry..." said Paige, yawning. "Man, he didn't make coffee..." She yawned louder.
"You're addicted," said Piper flatly.
"I know..." She opened the cabinet to retrieve a mug and started brewing the coffee. "Coffee good," she mumbled incoherently.
"Right. Well, help yourselves to the pancakes. I'm sure they're not poisonous."
The front door clicked open and Chris walked in with two bags of groceries. "You didn't have any of Wyatt's diapers left and Phoebe mentioned something about being low on cereal so I got some at the store," he explained. He looked over to Leo and basically read the look on his face, adding quickly, "I have an ID for this time, don't worry." He held it up triumphantly.
"That's...kind of morally wrong," Leo said doubtfully. "It's against the law, Chris."
Chris stifled back a laugh.
"What?" Leo demanded.
"Oh, nothing...it's just that you were the supplier of the fake id, Leo. If anyone's responsible for me carrying this around, it's you." He grinned but his smile quickly faded, remembering how Leo had died a short time after that, right before Chris traveled to the past.
"I see..." Piper laughed. "Leo, the dangerous lawbreaker...We may have to take you into custody," she joked.
"Go ahead...just don't tell the elders," he chuckled.
"Right."
Jingle, jingle.
"Um...gotta go," he said apologetically. "I'll try to be back by lunch."
"And I have to go to my temp job—I'm already super late!!" Paige threw on her coat and ran out the door, coffee and a stray pancake still in hand.
"Yeah, and I have to go set up for tonight at the P3. You know, Friday's always the busiest night of the week and all...Can you baby-sit Wyatt while I'm gone?" she asked Chris, helping herself to another pancake as well.
"Sure. Got nothing better to do," he said with a shrug.
Piper was about to leave, but she paused. "Hey, just out of curiosity, can you still rapid-accelerate?"
Chris grinned.
"Uh-huh." He rapid-accelerated next to her at the door and grabbed her keys from the hook on the wall. "You forgot these."
Wyatt giggled from the playpen, amused with Chris' ability. Chris looked back and grinned at his baby older brother.
"Ha!" Piper laughed. "Well, gotta go...I'll see you two boys later."
"Bye mom," said Chris.
"Bye Chris." She waved at Wyatt with an idiotic I'm-so-happy grin and left the house.
"Well, kid, guess it's just you and me," Chris laughed.
"Mommy," Wyatt whined. "Mommy."
"Hey, that was your first word!" Chris exclaimed. "Uh...how about you don't say that again until mom gets back, okay? Is that alright?"
Wyatt giggled, seeing Chris bend down to his level and acting so goofy. They played with the blocks in the playpen for a little while and eventually had lunch. It was about two o'clock and they were still alone in the house.
"Naptime," Chris announced. Normally Wyatt would resist but today he merely yawned in response to the daily ritual. Chris grinned and picked him up, walking upstairs to the nursery.
Chris put Wyatt into bed and sat by his brother's crib for a little while, looking out the window in surprise. He couldn't believe it was raining so hard out there. He hoped that the sisters would get through the traffic all right, or he'd probably be stuck here forever baby-sitting Wyatt.
BOOM! A clap of thunder shook the house a bit. There was a flash of lightning, illuminated in the already dark sky. Wyatt woke up and started screaming, alarmed by the noise. Chris picked him up.
"It's just a storm, Wyatt. Nothing to be worried about, okay? You wanna go back to sleep?"
Wyatt buried his face into Chris' shoulder, an obvious "no."
"I see what you mean. Okay, let's go downstairs and fix up a snack...want some goldfish? I know you like goldfish!" He couldn't help but add, "You're addicted to 'em when you're older, at least."
Wyatt pointed down the stairs, indicating that he wanted to be carried into the kitchen for food. Chris complied, opening the pantry. Wyatt reached out his hands for the crackers. Chris grinned and set the pack of goldfish on the tray of Wyatt's high chair, making sure to strap him in tightly. After seeing Prue fall out of this same high chair many times, he didn't want to take any chances. He grimaced at the thought of Prue. She was dead, of course, just like the rest of them...but she'd been dead for a while. Only because of that spell it seemed like yesterday. His entire life felt like yesterday.
He absentmindedly poured some crackers into a bowl and handed them to Wyatt, getting a juice box out of the fridge and trying to shake off the memories again. Wyatt seemed to notice that something was wrong, so he stared at Chris in such a way that forced him to break out into a grin.
They sat munching on goldfish for a couple of minutes in silence.
BAM! More thunder rolled through. Chris saw a flash and all of the lights went out.
Wyatt screamed again, scared by the sudden change of atmosphere.
"You're okay, Wyatt," Chris assured him, fumbling with the high chair straps in the dark. He heard the bowl clatter at his feet, spilling the crackers all over, causing Chris to step on them with a few crunches while trying to find a flashlight. "It's alright, nothing bad is happening, it's just a power outage. No demons. We're safe."
He finally found the flashlight in the drawer where Piper usually kept it in the future and switched it on. Wyatt stopped crying, seeing Chris' face in the light and knowing that he was there.
"You're okay. It's okay, Wyatt...no demons. See?" He pointed the flashlight so its beam traced the room. He walked into the foyer and the living room just in case, but there were no signs of intruders. It was clearly your everyday, normal power outage.
Wyatt was still whimpering. Chris remembered that Leo had already said he'd try to be back by lunch. It was three in the afternoon—what difference would it make if he called for him?
"Leo!" Chris called. He made sure his tone didn't sound too desperate or anything, letting Leo know that it wasn't urgent.
Leo didn't orb down right away, but Chris was pretty certain he'd heard. Knowing that Leo was probably engaged in a meeting, he sat down with Wyatt on the couch and picked the radio up off the table. Apparently the storm would be over in the morning, at which point they would start working to restore the power in the city.
Chris called Piper on her cell phone just in case. "Hello?" she answered.
"Hey, it's Chris. I'm using the spare cell. There's been a power outage here—how about you?"
"We've still got power, fortunately. Is Wyatt okay?"
"Yeah, just a little scared. He was just about to fall asleep when the storm started so we had a snack—then the power went out. You don't think it's demonic, do you?"
Piper laughed audibly on the other end. "You're so paranoid, Chris! It's just a storm. Don't worry."
"If you're sure. Should you call your sister? What's Paige's temp job today?"
"I'd call them but I'm super-busy at the moment. Gotta go. Bye!"
"Bye." He dialed a few numbers and got Phoebe on the phone.
"Hello, Phoebe Halliwell for the Bay Mirror. May I help you?" she asked in a mysterious, teasing voice.
"Geez, you sound so formal and...weird. Ditch the freaky hellos, you're scaring me AND Wyatt over here!"
"Chill out, you called on my cell and I have caller ID. I knew it was you so I decided to test my new office greeting on you while I could. Guess it's not so good, huh? So, how are my little nephews? Do you guys have power over there?"
"Not anymore. I take it you don't either?"
"Nope. We lost power about five minutes ago. I'm using good old fashioned wireless technology to type up my column..." She laughed. "You guys don't need anything, right?"
"Yeah, we're fine." He paused. "Do you think you're gonna be able to make it home, or should I orb you?"
"I'm not off work for another couple of hours, but if the storm's still going I'll call for you. Tell Wyatt I said hi! Love ya both, bye!"
Chris grinned. It'd been a while since he'd heard that. "Bye Aunt Phoebe."
Chris sighed. "Well, Paige didn't take her cell so I can't call her...but she'd orb here if anything was wrong, right?" he asked Wyatt, as if the toddler could respond.
Chris didn't know exactly what to do now that the power was out, so he sat on the couch, waiting for Leo. Wyatt fell asleep in his arms and the thunderstorm raged on for another two hours or so before Phoebe started calling for him to pick her up. He gently shifted Wyatt in his arms and orbed with him to wherever Phoebe was calling from.
He was a bit surprised to see her sopping wet and in her office.
"Uh, Phoebe? What would've happened if someone saw me orb in here?"
"Nobody's here," she grumbled.
"Why are you all wet?"
"Tried to catch a taxi. Those people aren't very nice! They splashed a big puddle in my face!"
Chris laughed and Phoebe couldn't help but giggle too at the absurdity. "Oh, and pick up Piper on the way. The club lost power and nobody came to party at light-less place...talk about your blind dates..."
"Okay." Chris grabbed her hand and they orbed backstage to the P3, where they sought at Piper. She was at the bar counter, washing it with a rag and a flashlight in the other hand.
"There you are!" she greeted them. "Sorry I didn't call you earlier, Chris, but I was figuring Wyatt was asleep and I didn't want to wake him." She held out her hands and Chris gave her the still fast-asleep Wyatt. Chris grabbed both of their hands and orbed them home to see Paige in the living room of the manor.
"Houston, we've got a problem," she informed them.
((()))
A/N—I'm seeing a whole bunch of really cool Chris fics being updated and published, but my comp has gone nutso and I can't review anything without it freezing! I'm super sorry to all those wonderful authors I can't review for!! I swear the instant it's back up I shall review EVERYTHING—I'm loving all the stories that are coming through!!
((()))
Piper came downstairs some time later to see the dishes in the sink and pancakes left for Leo, Paige, Wyatt and herself on the table. There was a note next to them which read:
Had to get groceries, out of ingredients. Took the car. YES, we have driver's licenses in the future. -Chris
Piper laughed. She never did get to see Chris driving in their little quest...it must have been a riot. "Paige, Leo!" she called. "Breakfast is ready!" She shifted Wyatt in her arms and put him in his highchair, putting some cut-up pancake on his plate. "There you go, Wyatt."
Leo and Paige orbed down, Paige still in her pajamas and yawning loudly. "Pancakes? It's been a while since we had a decent meal."
"Chris made it, actually."
"Where'd he go?" asked Leo.
"Don't worry, he went to the grocery store...something NORMAL for once."
Leo laughed nervously. "Does he have an id for 2004?" he questioned nervously. "You know, if anything happens to him then people will wonder why the hell he's from the year 2027!"
"Don't worry..." said Paige, yawning. "Man, he didn't make coffee..." She yawned louder.
"You're addicted," said Piper flatly.
"I know..." She opened the cabinet to retrieve a mug and started brewing the coffee. "Coffee good," she mumbled incoherently.
"Right. Well, help yourselves to the pancakes. I'm sure they're not poisonous."
The front door clicked open and Chris walked in with two bags of groceries. "You didn't have any of Wyatt's diapers left and Phoebe mentioned something about being low on cereal so I got some at the store," he explained. He looked over to Leo and basically read the look on his face, adding quickly, "I have an ID for this time, don't worry." He held it up triumphantly.
"That's...kind of morally wrong," Leo said doubtfully. "It's against the law, Chris."
Chris stifled back a laugh.
"What?" Leo demanded.
"Oh, nothing...it's just that you were the supplier of the fake id, Leo. If anyone's responsible for me carrying this around, it's you." He grinned but his smile quickly faded, remembering how Leo had died a short time after that, right before Chris traveled to the past.
"I see..." Piper laughed. "Leo, the dangerous lawbreaker...We may have to take you into custody," she joked.
"Go ahead...just don't tell the elders," he chuckled.
"Right."
Jingle, jingle.
"Um...gotta go," he said apologetically. "I'll try to be back by lunch."
"And I have to go to my temp job—I'm already super late!!" Paige threw on her coat and ran out the door, coffee and a stray pancake still in hand.
"Yeah, and I have to go set up for tonight at the P3. You know, Friday's always the busiest night of the week and all...Can you baby-sit Wyatt while I'm gone?" she asked Chris, helping herself to another pancake as well.
"Sure. Got nothing better to do," he said with a shrug.
Piper was about to leave, but she paused. "Hey, just out of curiosity, can you still rapid-accelerate?"
Chris grinned.
"Uh-huh." He rapid-accelerated next to her at the door and grabbed her keys from the hook on the wall. "You forgot these."
Wyatt giggled from the playpen, amused with Chris' ability. Chris looked back and grinned at his baby older brother.
"Ha!" Piper laughed. "Well, gotta go...I'll see you two boys later."
"Bye mom," said Chris.
"Bye Chris." She waved at Wyatt with an idiotic I'm-so-happy grin and left the house.
"Well, kid, guess it's just you and me," Chris laughed.
"Mommy," Wyatt whined. "Mommy."
"Hey, that was your first word!" Chris exclaimed. "Uh...how about you don't say that again until mom gets back, okay? Is that alright?"
Wyatt giggled, seeing Chris bend down to his level and acting so goofy. They played with the blocks in the playpen for a little while and eventually had lunch. It was about two o'clock and they were still alone in the house.
"Naptime," Chris announced. Normally Wyatt would resist but today he merely yawned in response to the daily ritual. Chris grinned and picked him up, walking upstairs to the nursery.
Chris put Wyatt into bed and sat by his brother's crib for a little while, looking out the window in surprise. He couldn't believe it was raining so hard out there. He hoped that the sisters would get through the traffic all right, or he'd probably be stuck here forever baby-sitting Wyatt.
BOOM! A clap of thunder shook the house a bit. There was a flash of lightning, illuminated in the already dark sky. Wyatt woke up and started screaming, alarmed by the noise. Chris picked him up.
"It's just a storm, Wyatt. Nothing to be worried about, okay? You wanna go back to sleep?"
Wyatt buried his face into Chris' shoulder, an obvious "no."
"I see what you mean. Okay, let's go downstairs and fix up a snack...want some goldfish? I know you like goldfish!" He couldn't help but add, "You're addicted to 'em when you're older, at least."
Wyatt pointed down the stairs, indicating that he wanted to be carried into the kitchen for food. Chris complied, opening the pantry. Wyatt reached out his hands for the crackers. Chris grinned and set the pack of goldfish on the tray of Wyatt's high chair, making sure to strap him in tightly. After seeing Prue fall out of this same high chair many times, he didn't want to take any chances. He grimaced at the thought of Prue. She was dead, of course, just like the rest of them...but she'd been dead for a while. Only because of that spell it seemed like yesterday. His entire life felt like yesterday.
He absentmindedly poured some crackers into a bowl and handed them to Wyatt, getting a juice box out of the fridge and trying to shake off the memories again. Wyatt seemed to notice that something was wrong, so he stared at Chris in such a way that forced him to break out into a grin.
They sat munching on goldfish for a couple of minutes in silence.
BAM! More thunder rolled through. Chris saw a flash and all of the lights went out.
Wyatt screamed again, scared by the sudden change of atmosphere.
"You're okay, Wyatt," Chris assured him, fumbling with the high chair straps in the dark. He heard the bowl clatter at his feet, spilling the crackers all over, causing Chris to step on them with a few crunches while trying to find a flashlight. "It's alright, nothing bad is happening, it's just a power outage. No demons. We're safe."
He finally found the flashlight in the drawer where Piper usually kept it in the future and switched it on. Wyatt stopped crying, seeing Chris' face in the light and knowing that he was there.
"You're okay. It's okay, Wyatt...no demons. See?" He pointed the flashlight so its beam traced the room. He walked into the foyer and the living room just in case, but there were no signs of intruders. It was clearly your everyday, normal power outage.
Wyatt was still whimpering. Chris remembered that Leo had already said he'd try to be back by lunch. It was three in the afternoon—what difference would it make if he called for him?
"Leo!" Chris called. He made sure his tone didn't sound too desperate or anything, letting Leo know that it wasn't urgent.
Leo didn't orb down right away, but Chris was pretty certain he'd heard. Knowing that Leo was probably engaged in a meeting, he sat down with Wyatt on the couch and picked the radio up off the table. Apparently the storm would be over in the morning, at which point they would start working to restore the power in the city.
Chris called Piper on her cell phone just in case. "Hello?" she answered.
"Hey, it's Chris. I'm using the spare cell. There's been a power outage here—how about you?"
"We've still got power, fortunately. Is Wyatt okay?"
"Yeah, just a little scared. He was just about to fall asleep when the storm started so we had a snack—then the power went out. You don't think it's demonic, do you?"
Piper laughed audibly on the other end. "You're so paranoid, Chris! It's just a storm. Don't worry."
"If you're sure. Should you call your sister? What's Paige's temp job today?"
"I'd call them but I'm super-busy at the moment. Gotta go. Bye!"
"Bye." He dialed a few numbers and got Phoebe on the phone.
"Hello, Phoebe Halliwell for the Bay Mirror. May I help you?" she asked in a mysterious, teasing voice.
"Geez, you sound so formal and...weird. Ditch the freaky hellos, you're scaring me AND Wyatt over here!"
"Chill out, you called on my cell and I have caller ID. I knew it was you so I decided to test my new office greeting on you while I could. Guess it's not so good, huh? So, how are my little nephews? Do you guys have power over there?"
"Not anymore. I take it you don't either?"
"Nope. We lost power about five minutes ago. I'm using good old fashioned wireless technology to type up my column..." She laughed. "You guys don't need anything, right?"
"Yeah, we're fine." He paused. "Do you think you're gonna be able to make it home, or should I orb you?"
"I'm not off work for another couple of hours, but if the storm's still going I'll call for you. Tell Wyatt I said hi! Love ya both, bye!"
Chris grinned. It'd been a while since he'd heard that. "Bye Aunt Phoebe."
Chris sighed. "Well, Paige didn't take her cell so I can't call her...but she'd orb here if anything was wrong, right?" he asked Wyatt, as if the toddler could respond.
Chris didn't know exactly what to do now that the power was out, so he sat on the couch, waiting for Leo. Wyatt fell asleep in his arms and the thunderstorm raged on for another two hours or so before Phoebe started calling for him to pick her up. He gently shifted Wyatt in his arms and orbed with him to wherever Phoebe was calling from.
He was a bit surprised to see her sopping wet and in her office.
"Uh, Phoebe? What would've happened if someone saw me orb in here?"
"Nobody's here," she grumbled.
"Why are you all wet?"
"Tried to catch a taxi. Those people aren't very nice! They splashed a big puddle in my face!"
Chris laughed and Phoebe couldn't help but giggle too at the absurdity. "Oh, and pick up Piper on the way. The club lost power and nobody came to party at light-less place...talk about your blind dates..."
"Okay." Chris grabbed her hand and they orbed backstage to the P3, where they sought at Piper. She was at the bar counter, washing it with a rag and a flashlight in the other hand.
"There you are!" she greeted them. "Sorry I didn't call you earlier, Chris, but I was figuring Wyatt was asleep and I didn't want to wake him." She held out her hands and Chris gave her the still fast-asleep Wyatt. Chris grabbed both of their hands and orbed them home to see Paige in the living room of the manor.
"Houston, we've got a problem," she informed them.
((()))
A/N—I'm seeing a whole bunch of really cool Chris fics being updated and published, but my comp has gone nutso and I can't review anything without it freezing! I'm super sorry to all those wonderful authors I can't review for!! I swear the instant it's back up I shall review EVERYTHING—I'm loving all the stories that are coming through!!