Balloons, Cakes and Demons

Part 2

Piper sat in the rocking chair of the nursery, watching as Wyatt played quietly in his bed. Earlier in the attic, she had cried for several minutes before drying her tears and waking Leo up forcefully by dumping cold water over him. It was harsh, she knew, but she needed answers and to vent. He was good at answering and good for venting on. After he orbed Up There to try and get some more information, she left her sisters in the attic to figure out what demon it was. She couldn't deal with anything at the moment.

If Barbas were here, he would have been thrilled at the fear radiating off her. Fear of failure as a mother, fear for the safety of her baby boy, fear of not being able to save him in time. She didn't want to go downstairs to see the remains of the ruined party and she didn't want to be in the attic with her sisters. Sure, they meant well with their assuring words and looks but she needed to be alone. Which was how she found herself in the nursery.

What she really wanted was to go after the demon that took her son and vanquish him over and over until he was nothing but a burnt mark on the floor. That was what she wanted to do.

"Chris can't come back, Mommy."

She lifted her head, staring at Wyatt in surprise. "Wh-what?" she said.

"The demon took Chris to somewhere far," the toddler continued, playing with his toys. He showed no emotion on his face to indicate whether he was worried or afraid. He had never been the emotional child. "Chris can't come back."

"Why do you say that, sweetie?" she asked, stopping her rocking, looking at him closely.

He met her gaze unwaveringly. It was disconcerting to her that he seemed to know exactly what was going on around them and he understood. He had the intensity that reminded her of someone from the future.

"Because he can't come back. He doesn't know how to get out." Wyatt held her gaze a beat longer, as if to say it was her fault that Chris got into such a predicament.

"Well, when we find him, we'll get him out," said Piper reassuringly. She got up from her chair, crossing the room to his bed. She sat down next to him.

"He's not afraid, Mommy." Wyatt reached for the picture book on his bed, pulling it into his lap. "He knows you're coming for him."

Piper drew in a sharp breath at the words. She placed a hand under Wyatt's chin, tilting his head up. "Do you know where Chris is, Wyatt? Can you sense him?" she asked, not hiding the glimmer of hope in her voice.

"I can't find him, Mommy." Wyatt didn't blink at the disappointment crossing her face.

So much for brotherly bonding. The two got along well most of the time. Of course, Wyatt was entitled to his little fits of jealousy once in a while. Like orbing his brother to the Underworld or halfway across the world to Tibet.

"Of course, I know, sweetie," she said soothingly. She felt a little foolish for thinking perhaps being twice blessed and all, he might be able to sense where Chris was.

Wyatt didn't look perturbed. He simply went back to his picture book, turning the pages, memorizing the names and illustrations of the animals in it.

That was when she heard the doorbell ring.

"Aw, crap!" Paige exclaimed. She had forgotten about the party. She grabbed Phoebe's hand and orbed them both downstairs, personal gain be damned. The sight of the downstairs forcefully reminded them they hadn't clean up. There was hardly time to pick everything up.

"I told you we should have cleaned it up," Phoebe despaired at the dismal looking banner. The cake had turned to an upside down cake, laying smashed on the floor. The drinks had soaked into the carpet, giving it the most unusual lovely purple Kool Aid color. Paige sniffed and recited her favorite handy dandy spell.

"Let the object of objection become but a dream;
As I caused the seen to be unseen."

Lights swirled around the rooms, and when they faded, everything was as before. The banner hung in one piece, the cake sat on the table, the single candle in the center and the drinks were on the table instead of in the carpet.

Phoebe didn't share her sister's pleased look, only nodding in approval at the quick thinking. "Ready?" she asked.

Paige nodded and she yanked open the door to reveal their guests plus kids and spouses. All wore bright smiles and were carrying colorfully wrapped packages. Most were Piper's friends.

"Hi! We're here!" Christy chirped.

"Yes, we can see that," Phoebe chirped back, pasting a bright smile on her face.

Their guests needed no invitation, all trooping into the manor. Phoebe thanked heaven that Paige had used magic to clean up the place. The sisters eyed each other and followed their guests to the sitting room where they were all milling about, as if it was their home.

"So, where's the little birthday boy?" Elizabeth asked, looking around.

"That is a good question," Paige said, only to get a jab in her ribs from Phoebe.

"I bet he's excited!" Michelle chimed. "My little Michael is."

"Yes, yes he is." Phoebe's face was starting to hurt from the smiling she was doing. "Unfortunately that excitement is short lived. The, ah, party is canceled."

"Canceled?! Whatever for?" Christy looked like she had been told that someone had just run over her dog.

"Well, because he, um, he... He's got a, ah..." Phoebe fumbled with her excuse. She couldn't think of one right now and was beginning to look very suspicious to their guests. Saying, 'He was kidnaped by an acid spitting demon.' would make her seem like she was ripe for the nearest loony bin.

"A bug!" Paige exclaimed.

"A bug?" Phoebe echoed. She was beginning to sound like a parrot, repeating everything her sister said. Or maybe her pickup was rather slow today.

"Yes, one of those nasty little bugs that comes and bam! You're out for the count," Paige said, sounding proud of herself for her sudden brilliance. She need to pat herself on her back someday. "Poor thing, imagine how he must feel. On his birthday, no less!"

The women clucked their tongues, murmuring among themselves sympathetically.

"That is just too bad for the poor dear," Christy sighed. "Isn't it?" she asked her friends.

They all nodded.

"I hope he recovers from his, um, his... What was it again?" Michelle asked, brow furrowing.

"Stomach virus," said Paige promptly.

"Chicken pox," Phoebe said at the same time.

The two sisters glared at each other.

"Which is it?" Elizabeth asked, puzzled.

"Actually, it's a stomach virus," came a calm voice from the stairs.

The sisters whirled around to see Piper coming downstairs, seemingly calm, carrying Wyatt. She didn't meet their eyes but smiled at her friends, as if she was actually glad to see them.

"Yeah, he just started puking all over the place," Paige threw in for effect.

"He's upstairs sleeping," Piper continued without batting an eyelash at the lie that rolled off her tongue so easily. "Sorry not to have called you earlier, but it just came on so suddenly. Why don't you all leave his presents here and I'll give them to him. Don't want those little ones catching anything now, do we?"

Her friends all agreed, leaving behind the presents and well wishes to Chris before they all piled out the door and left.

"All right, what are you doing?" Phoebe demanded, as soon as their guests all left.

Leo sighed for the umpteenth time as he waited for the other Elders to finished conferring out of earshot from him at the corner. He had come up here after Piper practically forced him. When he informed them of what happened, there was a slight air of panic from the Elders before they all suddenly huddled together like football players in private conference.

So, Leo had waited as patiently as he could. While they had all the time in the world, he did not. His family couldn't afford to have them dilly-dallying about while Chris could be in grave danger. He shifted in his seat for the tenth time since he sat on the hard, uncomfortable chair. Contrary to popular belief, they did not sit on chairs made of clouds or something cushy. Maybe the others did, but Leo didn't.

It was another ten minutes before the Elders finally finished their little meeting in the corner and came back to him. It was Basil who stepped forward to represent them. The Elder began to speak, informing him of the events that had happened in the last two weeks.

As Leo listened, he could barely contain his temper. He rarely got out of control. That had been only once when circumstances had been different. Right now, it was taking him all his will not to fire bolts of electricity into their thick heads.

"Why did you keep this from us?" he demanded when Basil finished.

"We didn't think it concerned you or the sisters," replied one Elder to Basil's left.

"Didn't think?! That's an understatement!" Leo was close to shouting at them. He restrained himself. "Because of your keeping this from us, it's going to cost my son's life! How dare you keep something this big from us! You could have told us and we could have been more prepared. Now, my son is gone and so are the other kids out there!"

Basil cringed, stepping back hastily to avoid being decked by the throughly angry Elder before him. "Leo, please, try to understand..."

"Understand this," Leo hissed, coming to stand before him, grabbing a fistful of the golden robe. "If anything happens to Chris or Wyatt because of you, you will wish you were recycled."

Without another word or a backward glance, Leo orbed out.

"We should have recycled him when we got the chance," one of the Elders spluttered indignantly. "Ever since that day..."

Basil said nothing, though his eyes betrayed his worries as well.

"I am done crying, I am done wallowing in misery and I am done doing nothing." Piper placed Wyatt in his playpen in the sunroom. She turned to face her two sisters. "I am going to do something. I am going to find the demon who took my son and vanquish his sorry ass."

"I may have a suggestion about that." Paige smiled, looking pleased as a cat that got its cream. "Magic School has resources on demons that aren't in the Book."

"Well, what are we waiting for then?" Piper held out her hand to Paige, ready for her to orb them all to Magic School. Phoebe had picked up Wyatt. "Chop, chop."

Before Paige could orb, someone else orbed in. It was Leo, and he looked grim.

Piper had a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of her belly when she saw his expression.

"There's something you all should know," he said somberly.

TBC...