Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed or any of the characters. Any resemblance in the plot is purely coincidental.

Chapter Four

"Chris?" Phoebe whispered to herself. Somehow she didn't expect to see him any time soon. But then again, she didn't expect to see Leo or Wyatt either.

She looked at him. He didn't look different at all. He wore a pair of jeans and a slightly open white polo shirt with sleeves that were rolled almost to his elbows. His hair was untidy just as it had always been. Those same green eyes stared back at her in question.

Chris put the beer cases down and furrowed his eyebrows. The sisters looked as though they've seen something close to a ghost. He thought maybe there was indeed a ghost somewhere behind him but he dismissed the idea. He heaved a heavy, sort-of-irritated sigh and knelt down to clean up the mess.

It took about nine seconds before the sisters finally regained their senses. They weren't sure how to react. Perhaps in reflex or lack thereof, they just stood their in silence.

Somewhere in the back of her head, Phoebe denied the fact that the person they are looking at is actually their whitelighter. But the bigger part of her was convinced that Chris existed for the same reason Leo, Wyatt, the potion ingredients and the Book of Shadows existed – to help them escape this intricately designed world.

At that moment, Chris lowered himself and began to gather the broken pieces of beer bottles.

"Oh, god, I'm sorry," Phoebe said kneeling down to help him. "This is all my fault…"

"No, it's okay, I got it." Chris said half-heartedly, waving her off but Phoebe was adamant on helping. Chris knew better than to reject Phoebe twice so he let her have her way.

"Thanks." Chris said smiling but never looking at Phoebe.

"Chris," Piper uttered grabbing Chris' arm. Chris looked at Piper's hand on his arm and stood to face them. He shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows in question.

"We, uh… Chris?" Paige asked still in disbelief and still wanting a confirmation.

"Yeah?" was all Chris had to say and Paige threw her doubts out the window. She walked up to him and gave him a tight hug almost pushing Piper out of the way.

All the air was forced out of Chris' lungs as Paige wrapped her arms around him. Now it was his turn to be surprised. He just stood there enveloped in Paige's body with a shocked look on his face. When Paige finally let go, Chris was barely able to manage an awkward smile.

"Yeah," Chris hesitated. "It's good to see you too." He knelt down again hoping he could escape this strange encounter with the sisters.

"Wait, let's talk." To his disappointment, the sisters wanted to speak with him.

"About what? Look, I have to clean this up. Jerry'll kill me…"

"You have all day to finish it. You work for me and as your boss I want you to have a little conversation with us." Piper demanded.

Chris looked behind him in a desperate wish Piper was talking to someone else.

"I'm talking to you, Chris." Just like that his expectations were crushed.

Chris sighed. This was highly unlikely of the sisters. "Why?"

"We just think you'd be able to help us." Paige ventured.

"I'm pretty sure I won't be of any help."

"Well, that's why we need to talk to you. To really see if you'd be of any assistance." Piper said exasperated.

Chris looked at her. The nerve on this woman. She was asking him a favor and she's the one who's angry. But he decided not to say anything. He wouldn't want to lose his job.

"She's right," Phoebe said, again, trying to break the tension between Chris and Piper. It seemed to her that in any world they won't get along. "You may know something that may help us."

"I told you I can't help you."

"Why not?" Phoebe's patience was also wearing thin.

"Because I don't even know you."

The Charmed Ones were all taken aback by Chris' response.

"What?"

"I do work for you but I don't know you. Well, I know you," Chris said referring to Piper, "as my boss, and you," he said, this time gesturing towards Paige and Phoebe, "as her sisters. But other than that, I know nothing about you. Maybe Jerry can help but certainly not me." It bothered Piper that Chris still talked with his hands. She found it very distracting when she's trying to have a conversation and something keeps on moving around.

Paige was confused. Leo and Wyatt had the same roles in this world. Chris on the other hand knew the Halliwells but on a shallow level. She knew something wasn't adding up.

"Will you excuse us for one minute?" Phoebe asked Chris. "And don't leave. We still need to talk to you." She added as she gathered her sisters in a huddle. Chris rolled his eyes and leaned on the bar counter. He watched as the sisters conversed in hushed tones.

"He doesn't know us? How can he not know us?" Phoebe asked the group.

"Well, obviously he can't be our whitelighter since we don't have one. This world may have created a new character for him." Piper said.

"But why exist at all? If he doesn't have a place in this world, why does he have to be here? There's no need to create a new role. He doesn't even belong to our timeline." Paige asked this time. Piper nodded furiously in agreement

"The same reason the Book of Shadows and the potion ingredients exist. They don't have a purpose but they're still here." Phoebe answered.

Piper and Paige considered this possibility. Somehow, everything about magic is still present in a non-magical world, only in a non-magical way.

Chris sighed and shook his head. He can't believe he's actually talking with the sisters. He was willing to bet his job that only yesterday, they didn't even know he worked at the club. He resumed to cleaning up the pieces of broken glass on the floor.

"Whoever got us into this mess wanted to keep Chris around. This wasn't something coincidental. He must play a bigger part." Paige stated.

"Yeah but what? If he doesn't even know us, how can he –" Piper was cut off by someone cursing behind him. She turned around to see who it was.

"Shit." Chris whispered. Something crimson was dripping from his right hand.

"Oh my god what happened to you?" Phoebe ran to his aid.

"I cut myself." Chris said sarcastically stating the obvious.

"I can see that." Phoebe was reminded of someone by Chris' noticeable sarcasm.

"That looks bad." Paige observed looking at the huge cut across his palm.

"Here," Piper offered him a dish towel. "Try to stop the bleeding."

"Is that clean?" Phoebe asked looking hesitantly at the piece of cloth.

"It'll have to do. Just use it for the meantime until Leo takes care of it."

"What? Who?" Chris asked alarmed.

"Leo, my husband. He's a doctor. Come on, we'll take you to the manor and he can have a look at it." Piper grabbed his arm to pull him up.

"He's home? A doctor's home at this time of day?" Chris tried to stall.

"This is no time to be smart-ass, Chris. If you don't come with us you'll lose all your blood."

"Oh, come on, it's just a cut," Chris said standing up. "I'll be fine. Besides, I still have to clean this up."

"Jerry can take care of that. You come with us." Piper was pulling Chris by the arm again. But he was reluctant.

"No. I clean the place up. Jerry does something else I couldn't care less about. But this is my job I don't want to lose it."

"You won't. I'm the only one who can fire your ass and I'm not doing that anytime soon. But now, you have to come with us." Piper said with a faint hint of worry in her voice.

Chris stared at Piper. She always thought of her as a cold, difficult person. But this is the first time she showed even just a tiny bit of concern towards him. He figured he should take it.

"Alright," Chris said finally giving in. "But I can't stay long. I have work – Ow, shit!" Chris swore loudly as Phoebe pressed the dish towel on his hand. "Why did you do that?" Chris cried pulling his hand from Phoebe's grip.

"It won't cease bleeding and you're not doing anything to stop it."

"Come on." Piper tugged at his arm again. This time Chris didn't object.

Paige was driving the car to the manor and Phoebe was on the passenger seat freaking out at Paige's daredevil style of driving.

"Slow down! He's not dying. The least you can do is get him there in one piece." Phoebe yelled.

"I'm going to throw up very soon." Chris whispered trying not to talk too much in fear something else will come out.

"Let me see that." Piper said taking Chris' hand in hers.

Piper slowly removed the carelessly draped dish towel from Chris' hand. He winced as the towel fibers parted ways with his fresh wound.

"It's big. You won't be able to do anything with this hand for a while. Are you by any chance a lefty?" Piper asked looking at Chris. Chris was staring at his cut apparently grossed out by the sight. He shook his head. Clearly he's still conserving his words.

Piper noticed a touch of fear in Chris' green eyes. Somehow she knew it wasn't because of his hand.

"What's wrong?" Piper asked.

Chris looked up. "Uh, I'm just dizzy. You didn't warn be about this crazy driver." Chris laughed uncomfortably.

"I have a feeling it isn't about that."

Chris hung his head. Piper seems to read him very well. He fumbled with the bloody dish towel. "I have this," he paused trying to string together some words. "'Irrational' fear of doctors and hospitals." He said using his left hand for an air quote.

Piper raised an eyebrow. She was intrigued by this new information.

"You don't have to believe me. I didn't expect you to." Chris said noticing Piper's doubt.

"No, I believe you. Though, if you don't mind me asking… Why?"

"I don't really want to talk about it." Chris said looking away.

"You know, Chris, if you keep things like that to yourself, you'll never be able to get rid of them." Piper said matter-of-factly.

There was an uncomfortable silence wherein Paige honked the horn at an arrogant, slow driver hogging both lanes.

Chris sighed. He knew Piper would eventually get it out of him. He now gathered Piper was a determined woman. Chris had to chuckle. He found it funny that in the course of half an hour he was able to change his impression on Piper from cold and difficult to concerned and determined. Still, he knew he had to answer her question.

"My mother," Chris swallowed. Piper leaned closer trying to listen to Chris' barely audible whispers. "She uh, died in a hospital. The doctors told us they would be able to save her… they didn't. Since then, I never really wanted to be near a doctor or a hospital. It reminded me too much of what happened." He looked at Piper awaiting her reaction.

Piper didn't know what to say. This was the first time she felt sorry for Chris. Just several hours ago she was ready to blow him up but now, she found herself searching for something to say to comfort him. She never found those words. Instead she grasped Chris' good hand and smiled at him.

Chris smiled back. He was going to treasure this first real moment of mutual affection between him and Piper.

Phoebe beamed from her seat. She was watching from the rear view mirror these past few minutes. She was happy Chris and Piper were finally able to sort things out.

Just then Paige slammed on the brakes, which launched Phoebe off her seat towards the windshield. Phoebe glared at her sister before angrily opening the door. But she was more grateful than pissed that the ride was finally over.

Chris got off the car and looked at the set of steps leading up to the Halliwell manor. Strangely enough, he felt no hesitation at all. In fact, he felt welcome.