Author's Note: I have returned after being gone for so long. Unfortunately I have been sick and work hasn't been very nice, but I made time to finish this chapter and I have a few ideas running through my mind for the following chapters. To keep my own note short, I hope you all enjoy and thanks for waiting patiently for this chapter (I still can't believe I've written 30 chapter…that's a new record for me). Anyway, please read and review.

Chapter Thirty: Caught

Piper paced around the island in the kitchen. She was a mess and she didn't know what to do. Both of her children had been in the attic with her no more than a few hours ago and now only Wyatt remained; Chris was gone. Damn that demon for taking her son away from her a second time. Inwardly, she screamed at herself for letting it happen, but she knew it wasn't her fault. It wasn't, but she still felt that it was.

Her determination to vanquish Barbas was greater than ever and she stopped herself in front of the stove and stared into a large pot. Inside were mixtures of who-knows-what, improvisations that Piper hoped would be strong enough to kill the demon who did nothing but ruin everything. Hearing a noise, Piper turned and watched Leo orb in.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Okay?" she said. Her tone changed. "Okay? I can't believe you have the nerve to ask me that, Leo."

"Piper…"

She shook her head. "Don't you dare Piper me. I told you when we first found Chris, I can't do this, I can't handle all of this. He was taken from me once and I let it happen again…I've lost him…"

Dropping the wooden spoon she used to stir the potion, Piper placed her head in her hands as she cried. Leo moved to her side and held her, comforting her as much as he could to let her know that it was going to be all right. He told her that Chris wasn't gone and that this was only more reason to get rid of Barbas and save their son. Chris wouldn't be harmed, no unless they were both there to see it, Leo said. Barbas wanted to play with them, not kill and get it over with; he wasn't that kind of demon.

And then there was Wyatt. After Barbas left with Chris, Wyatt had been too stunned to leave. He stood in the middle of the attic and allowed himself to be trapped by Daniel. Eyeing the same kind of crystals that were supposed to protect Victor's house, Daniel took his chance at placing them around Wyatt to prevent him from leaving. Besides, Barbas had Chris, now they had Wyatt.

The tender moment was cut short as the two heard a door slam shut. Not knowing where the sound came from, Piper and Leo both wondered if it had come from the attic where Daniel and Wyatt were and if either of the two were all right. Exiting the kitchen, the two were surprised to see grocery bags with legs making their way towards them.

"A little help here, somebody, please," shouted a voice from behind the bag.

It was Phoebe. Suddenly it dawned on Piper that here sisters had no idea what was going on. They had no knowledge of the finding of Chris and Wyatt, that Barbas was the demon behind the whole mess and why Derrick was going to be coming over. But then again, it almost seemed as if Phoebe and Paige hadn't been at the Manor for the last few days. True, they had their own lives and families, but everyone was normally not away for as long as this.

"Let me help," Piper said, taking a bag from her sister's arms.

Phoebe's face was now visible. "Thanks. Bryn and I went to the store to pick up a few things for dinner. And before you say anything Piper about my cooking, I think Bryn was going to ask you to help her. She has this strange idea that she can get all of us here for dinner at one time instead of…Piper, are you listening to me?"

Piper blinked. "What? I'm sorry."

Following her older sister into the kitchen, Phoebe sat the bags on the counter. "You know, you have been acting strange ever since Darryl came over. What did he talk to you about, anyway?"

Piper looked back a Leo, not knowing what to say. Was Phoebe ready to hear the truth? Was it time to let her know about Chris and Wyatt? Unsure of what to say, Piper decided on changing the subject. "Where is Paige?"

Phoebe raised an eyebrow. "At Magic School, her new home. No changing the subject, Piper. What are you hiding?"

Piper sighed. "Paige should be here too."

"If it's something you have to have both of us here for, then it must be important."

Phoebe looked at Leo to see if she could read anything from him. Both he and Piper were unreadable and it was driving her nuts. Before she could press the two any further, a door opened and shut. Of course, Phoebe knew it was only Bryn, but she could see a fearful look on Piper's face, which faded when she heard the girl speak.

"Mom, I got the last of the groceries."

It was at the exact same time that Daniel decided to come down the stairs. He had spent his time in the attic watching Wyatt, but the latter has since sat down due to exhaustion and had fallen asleep. Daniel didn't believe it at first, but after both waiting and testing, he was sure that Wyatt was asleep and would not escape. With Wyatt out for a while, Daniel thought it best that he bring his father and Victor to the Manor and catch them up on what had happened. But, that meant letting Piper and Leo know and making sure it was a good idea.

"Piper?" Daniel called, his voice mixing with Bryn's as they spoke at the same time.

The two stopped mid-step and stared at one another. Both were confused as to why the other was there. Not that they weren't happy to see one another. After meeting that one day at school, Bryn had been quite taken with Daniel and it was safe to say vice versa. Though, Bryn kept herself away from Daniel for the same reason he stayed away: to keep their secret. Without knowing the truth about the other person, Bryn plagued herself daily on how to tell a mortal that she was a witch. And it wasn't as if Daniel could walk up to just any girl and say that he was a demon.

"What are you doing here?" they asked each other as the three adults entered the foyer.

"I happen to live here," Bryn answered. "I can come and go as I please. But you…how do you know my Aunt Piper?"

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Aunt Piper? That would make you…" His voice trailed off as he caught the look in Piper's eyes.

Phoebe fumed. "All right, will someone please tell me what is going on in this house? I know that I'm not always the most observant person, but I would like to know what Piper and Leo are hiding, who the young man is, why he is here and how my daughter knows him. Is this too much to ask for, people?"

Daniel walked down the stairs and joined the others on the first floor. He looked back when he felt Leo put his hand on his shoulder and nodded when the man spoke. "This is Daniel, Derrick's son."

Taking a deep breath, Phoebe remembered the phone call from the other day. Blinking, she looked the young man over. "You mean this is…you're the manticore baby. My god, has time flown."

Bryn stared at her mother, aunt and uncle repeatedly. What the hell was a Manitcore and how was it that everyone else knew Daniel better than she did? Coughing to get attention, Bryn turned her mother around. "What are you talking about?"

Daniel answered for Phoebe. "When I was a baby, I had been taken from my father by demons and your aunts and mom saved me. The demons were manticores, and my mother was one of them making me half."

Bryn's jaw dropped. "You're a demon?"

"Half, technically."

Bryn threw her hands in the air. "This is unbelievable. Of all the people I had to…all this time I could have told…I mean, what's next, you going to tell me that Chris is some sort of magical creature too?"

"Chris?" Phoebe asked.

"And what about your being a witch?" Daniel shouted back at Bryn, his tone matching hers. "It was hard keeping this secret from you and here you were, keeping a secret from me!"

"To keep you safe!" she snapped. "Don't you think I thought about it? I figured you were normal and would have freaked knowing the truth."

Daniel turned away. "You should have trusted me."

"Well, I could say the same about you."

"Enough! Who is Chris?" Phoebe shouted, stopping the argument. "It doesn't matter who didn't tell who what, the point is you know now. And now, all I want to know is who is Chris."

Bryn and Daniel both took deep breaths. Not having the energy to speak, Bryn spoke for the two of them. "He's Daniel's friend. Whether or not he's a demon or some type of witch is beyond me, but I know he's good."

"How?" Phoebe asked, her hands placing themselves on her hips.

Leo closed his eyes as he remembered the premonition Bryn had talked to him about. She had seen both Chris and Wyatt and knew that the two were powerful and now that she knew about Daniel, Bryn could come clean about what she knew. He only hoped that Phoebe was going to be ready for what she heard.

Bryn shuffled her feet behind her. "I had a premonition not too long ago. Nothing major or anything, just a series of images when I shook his hand and then I freaked and ran off. But, there was something different…just being around him made me feel…it was as if I knew him in a way, and I could feel his sorrow and confusion."

"It was the first time we met, wasn't it?" Daniel asked. "I knew you had a premonition because it's happened to Chris before. Not often, but enough to know why you went what would look like crazy to anyone else."

There was silence in the room. The question had not really been answered the way Phoebe wanted and Piper and Leo were surprised that their son had the power of premonition. Daniel noticed Phoebe's frustration, but said nothing, fearing he would say what Piper wanted to stay unknown. But Daniel wasn't stupid and he knew that there was a better chance of saving Chris is the other Charmed Ones knew what was going on. Seeing the look on Piper's face, Daniel knew that she wanted to tell her sister.

"I think you should tell her," he said, moving away from Bryn.

Piper glared at Daniel, but her expression softened. He was right and she knew it. But Paige deserved to know as well. Nodding, Piper turned to Leo. "Do me a favor, go and get Paige. Tell her to leave the girls at Magic School and bring her back here."

Leo asked with his eyes if this is what Piper wanted. Getting the okay, Leo disappeared in bright lights and left the others. Piper turned to Phoebe and explained that she would tell her everything once Paige was there. Bryn, not wanting to be left out, asked if she could stay too. The fact that she was already semi-involved allowed Piper to say yes and Bryn couldn't help but let a small smile escape her lips. Daniel was the only one who was a bit uneasy.

"I think I should get my dad and Victor," he said. "It's why I came down in the first place and I think they deserve a heads up on the situation."

"Victor?" Phoebe asked. "Wait, you mean dad is in on this too?"

"Be patient, Phoebe," Piper replied. "Go ahead, Daniel and get them. But be quick and maybe you should come back to the attic first and make sure…well, to see how he's doing up there."

Without a word, Daniel shimmered away and Bryn took a step back. She wasn't afraid, she had seen demons before and knew what they were capable of, but seeing Daniel leave the same way so many demons had…Bryn had to admit though, that this new side of Daniel was intriguing. Daniel had always been that tall, dark mysterious person whom she had been attracted to, and she was more than shy when she was around him. Ever since the day they had met, the two had been fast friends, but she longed for something more, only to be held back by who she really was.

That all changed now. Daniel was half demonic and knew about the magical world. True, he had grown up in the mortal world and raised by his mortal father, but that didn't mean he was ignorant to who he was. Maybe this was the chance they needed. But, although Bryn knew Daniel, she didn't know if he felt that same way about her. Of course, she couldn't see that he looked at her the same way when she wasn't looking, or he would forget what he was going to say when she came around. And what about the way he had reacted to finding out she was a witch…

Bryn's thoughts were interrupted when her Aunt Paige and Uncle Leo orbed into the foyer of the Manor. Her aunt seemed confused by her being called back home and said something about having papers to grade. Ushering everyone into the living room, they sat in silence as they waited for Daniel to bring the others. Thinking of Daniel, Bryn couldn't help but remember about what her Aunt Piper had said.

"…maybe you should come back to the attic first and make sure…well, to see how he's doing up there…"

Not knowing how long he was going to take, Bryn excused herself for a moment and said she would be back after putting a few things away in the kitchen. Picking up the groceries left in the foyer, she walked into the kitchen and placed the bags on the counter. Waiting a few moments, Bryn made her way back to the stairs and crept up them, making sure she was silent as the grave and didn't bring any attention to herself.

Once upstairs, Bryn made her way to the attic steps and then stopped. She was more curious than afraid and wondered who the someone was whom Piper had spoken about. Taking a deep breath, Bryn slowly walked up the stairs and opened the attic door.

The room looked no different than it normally did, and Bryn was about to turn and leave thinking her aunt was lying until she heard a noise. It was the sound of heavy breathing and only when she moved into the center of the room did Bryn see the crystal cage and the body that lay inside. Getting closer, she watched as the figure turned over and she could see his face.

"Wyatt?" she said aloud. "That guy from school."

"Bryn, get away from him!" a voice behind her shouted.

It was Daniel. He had returned from Victor's and had shimmered back to the attic as Piper had said. He wasn't sure why Bryn was there, but he knew that she needed to get away from Wyatt, less something should happen to her if he woke up. Trying to be quiet, despite the fact that his shout should have woken him up, Daniel moved closer to Bryn and held out his hand to her.

Unfortunately, Daniel hadn't noticed how Bryn had jumped when he shouted at her and how her foot accidentally knocked away one of the crystals, opening the cage. As Bryn took his hand, too afraid to do anything else, Wyatt began to wake. All of the commotion in the room was doing nothing for the headache he had from his encounter with Barbas and he wanted the noise to stop. Sitting up, Wyatt realized there were others in the room and that his cage was broken.

A grim spread itself across his face. Knowing that this might be his only chance to escape and go after Barbas, Wyatt stood and threw his hand out toward Bryn and Daniel, sending the two flying to the other side of the room. The sound of the crash could be heard from downstairs and the Charmed Ones and Leo looked up and wondered what was going on. Phoebe stood.

"Bryn?"

Bryn struggled to stand. Her grandfather was at her side in an instant, pulling the larger pieces of debris off of her. Carefully helping her up, Victor put his hand around Bryn's waist and looked up at Wyatt. Bryn, though surprised at what had happened, was preoccupied with trying to figure out where Daniel had gone. He had warned her and tried to get her away, but neither had been fast enough.

"Where's Daniel?" she asked, couching as she did.

"A good question, because I'd love to have a word with him," Wyatt said, menacingly.

"You so much as get near my son," Derrick threatened.

"And you'll what?" Wyatt asked. "I have no real need to find him. I'm sure he's underneath a table or something in a corner. Leave me to find him and he might survive. I have other things that need attending to."

About to orb to the Underworld to deal with Barbas and Chris, Wyatt felt something strike him on the back of the head. As he fell and lost consciousness, Wyatt could have sworn he heard a voice tell him that him sorry. Soon, everything went black and Wyatt lay motionless on the ground of the partially destroyed attic.

Piper stood in the door, her hands up to attack. She knew that her powers were useless against her son, and even if they weren't she would have never used them on him, but Wyatt couldn't leave. Not until Chris was found and Barbas dealt with. Knocking him out had been a little too easy; a piece of furniture conveniently behind him was the perfect thing to explode of some flying shrapnel.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked.

"What in the hell happened here?" Paige said, entering the attic.

"Never mind that, put the cage up around him," Leo said, motioning to the crystal strewn on the floor.

Without a word or question, Paige orbed the crystals around the body. The room fell quiet then, no one knowing what to say or do. Pulling away from her grandfather, Bryn made her way to her uncle and had him heal her. As her wounds faded, she suddenly remembered Daniel and frantically began to search for him in the debris. Going back to where she had fallen, Bryn lugged broken furniture away until she found the hidden body underneath it all.

Derrick was at her side and carefully pulled his son free. On his knees, Derrick held his son and looked back at Leo. "Help him."

The Whitelighter needed no other word. Daniel had gone through enough trying to protect Chris, Leo thought, he didn't deserve this. Instinctively, Leo hands placed themselves over the wounds and they faded in a warm glow. Daniel shot up out of his father's arms with a sharp breath that stung. Though they weren't there, he could still feel the wounds on his body and winced as his father helped him stand.

"Bryn?" he called. Taking his hand, Bryn stood before him and he smiled. "You're all right."

"Thanks to you."

"If only I had gotten here a minute sooner."

Before either of the two could say another word to another, Phoebe fumed. "What the hell is going on? It's like everyone is in on this little secret except for me and Paige and if I don't get an answer soon…" Her voice trailed off as she caught sight of the young man in the cage. Though he might have been curled up on the attic floor, Phoebe could tell that he was tall and he had shoulder length hair.

"He's from school," Bryn said, knowing that she could at least answer the question her mother was thinking. But, she was confused as to why he was there in the first place. Turning to Daniel, Bryn asked him with her eyes what he was doing there, but then she remembered what she had heard when Derricked had called the house a few days ago. "He's the one who is after Chris."

Daniel nodded.

"But, what does Wyatt want with Chris?"

Phoebe and Paige looked at one another and then at Piper. Was it just a coincidence that Bryn had said those names? Chris was a fairly common name, but Wyatt wasn't and the fact that they both were magical…It began to make sense in their minds. The boys had been taken years ago and could easily have been split up. Could Chris and Wyatt be their lost nephews?

Piper stared silently at the floor, knowing that there was no turning back. Her sisters knew, and if they didn't, they were close to knowing. Cursing at herself inwardly, Piper knew she should have told them sooner. But she hadn't only to keep them safe; Piper wanted to know that her sons were safe first, that they had really been found before she had told her sisters. Knowing how hard it was to loose them once, Piper felt that it would be best if only one of the three of them felt the pain instead of all of them.

"Well?" Paige asked, urging Piper on. "What's going on? Who are Wyatt and Chris?"

"I think you know the answer to that," Piper whispered.

Phoebe shook her head. "No. You can't mean that who Bryn is talking about are…that the one in the cage is…"

Piper nodded. "I found the boys…"

Paige and Phoebe stared at Piper in disbelief.

"And Wyatt is here."