Setting: During "Oh My Goddess Part One." A continuation of the scene where Chris orbs Up There and finds Leo mourning the Elders.

Written: July 8, 2004

For the Future

"I'm no Elder."

"Well, you better start acting like one."

I crossed my arms and eyed Chris suspiciously. It was not in my nature to distrust people, but everything about Chris and his attitude seemed to demand caution. "What does that mean?" I asked warily. Deep down, I thought, I probably didn't want to know.

Chris shrugged. "It just means..." he paused, as though trying to decide on the best words. "It just means that your future is about to change drastically. In ways you never thought possible."

I sighed and ran a hand across my face. This day had started out so well. Where had I gone wrong?

"Leo?"

"Look, Chris," I said, "I understand that you can't tell me too much about the future. I get it, I do. But I can't just go and do this. There are going to be consequences. Drastic ones. What if the Elders make me mortal again?" I paused. "What if they recycle my soul?"

A sad smile fleeted across Chris' face. "You're thinking the wrong way, Leo. That won't happen."

"Then what do you mean my future is going to change?" I demanded. "Unless the Elders really do decide to recycle my soul, my future is with Piper. With Wyatt. Nothing can change that."

I stared at Chris expectantly. I meant what I said. It was almost unheard of for the Elders to recycle a Whitelighter's soul, especially after so many years of service, but you could never be certain. And if it came to that I'd make myself mortal before I'd give up my family.

"Leo..." Chris began. Then he drifted off and tilted his head to the side, biting his lip. "Leo, you're on the path to becoming an Elder."

My eyes widened and I instinctively shook my head. "No," I said. "No. I'm not. I can't be. Elders don't go to Earth, Elders don't...they don't..."

"Have families," Chris finished. "I know Leo. But you have to do this. It's your new destiny."

"Says who?" I asked. "You?" I shook my head. If this kid thought he could orb in from the future and completely change my life he had another thing coming. There was no way I was giving up my family.

"You know what," I continued after a moment, "you do it. You make the girls into goddesses. Then you can change your future and get out of here, and I can keep my future the way it is."

"No!" said Chris. His eyes were cold, distant. He looked furious. "No. You. Have. To. Do. This. Leo." He took a deep breath, clearly trying to calm himself.

"Why?" I said. I was furious myself. How the hell could he possibly ask this of me? "Why? Why should I give up everything I love?"

Chris crossed his arms and shut his eyes, ignoring my question. Or thinking about it. I wasn't sure which. But still, I stayed silent, waiting for him to speak.

Finally, Chris opened his eyes, focusing them slightly above my own. "Because it's better to lose Piper this way than the way it will if you don't become an Elder."

Someone had punched me in the stomach. The scenery was swirling around me and I felt dizzy. I couldn't focus on Chris, but I felt his arms reach out to steady me.

This couldn't be real.

I wasn't going to lose Piper. Any way.

"No," I said, swaying slightly despite Chris' strong grip on my upper arms. "No. I'm not going to lose Piper."

Chris looked at me with a flash of sympathy in his eyes, but it disappeared almost immediately. "Yeah Leo. You are. One way or another."

I flung Chris' arms off me and started toward him. He backed up defensively, eyes glancing around for somewhere to go. "You're lying!" I said angrily. "It's not true! Tell me it's not true!" I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him toward me, trying to restrain myself from hurting him.

"I can't Leo. I can't."

For one second I contemplated punching him, but then the anger dissipated as quickly as it had come. Chris' eyes held some iota of truth. And it hurt. It hurt so badly I thought I was going to suffocate. After everything that had happened, after the hundred and one ways the future had changed since Piper and her sisters traveled there, one thing had obviously remained the same.

Piper and I were going to break up.

"How do you know?" I asked. "I mean...if you made them goddesses instead of me...the future would change..."

"Leo," said Chris, sounding defeated. "I swear to you that this is the truth. Even if you never trust another word out of my mouth again, I promise you this is the truth. This needs to happen the way I say. For everyone. For your family. For the world. For the future." He sighed. "And if things turn out the way I think they will, everything will be okay in the end."

I won't be with Piper. How can that ever be okay? I wanted to scream it at him. To shake some sense into him. To tell him to go back to wherever he came from and get on with his life. But I couldn't. Deep down inside of me, in the far depths of my soul, I could feel that I was meant to do this. That Chris was telling the truth. I just didn't want to acknowledge it.

For what seemed like an eternity, I knelt on the ground, trying to force myself to do what needed to be done. Chris hovered over me, somehow knowing I was raging an internal war. 'Everything will be okay in the end.' Chris' words echoed in my mind. I took a deep breath, and repeated his words like a mantra. It had to be true. It had to be.

I stood up and walked away from Chris slowly. Walked to get the urn. Walked toward my new destiny.

Please, I thought in silent prayer. Please let this be the right decision. And please give Piper strength.

And me. Please give me strength to give up my family. For the future.