See, told ya so... Now, on the the story.

Future Paige waited for them to yell at her. She continued as if she had to defend her actions.

"I felt it was the best thing to do with his emotions so unstable. I didn't want him to hurt himself or one of the girls or an innocent."

"I'm sorry, but it was the only thing I could think of." She defended.

Wyatt added, "Yeah, he kept orbing to the underworld."

Piper and Leo looked at each other and agreed,

"You did the right thing."

"I know, I'm just sorry I couldn't do more." She offered.

"He just gets so confused and it's just easier on him and us if he's less magical."

"Less magical?" Phoebe asked.

"What kind of powers are we talking about here?" Phoebe added.

"Chris can astral project, which I bound."

"But that's more of a passive power anyway."

"I wouldn't ever leave him completely defenseless!" Future Paige defended.

"I just diffused his powers down to, like 10."

"I didn't completely bind his orbing or TK ability.

He can still explode too, only for now it's more like popping

"Popping?" Phoebe interrupted. "Yeah, like a bubble. Less destructive." Wyatt answered.

"And his orbing has limited range."

"Whoa", said Phoebe a bit jealous.

"I know" Paige agreed.

"Well, my powers have grown too." Wyatt explained.

"I can freeze things now." "I freeze demons and Chris blows them up." The Halliwell Tag Team!" Wyatt said.

Future Paige added, "Chris just developed the astral projection."

"He doesn't heal though?" Leo asked. "No, not yet, anyway." Wyatt answered.

"And I have tried to heal him several times. But so far it hasn't worked."

He must have messed with some pretty 'Big Magic' to be this resistant to all of the things we've tried to do to help him." Wyatt said apologetically.

Future Paige continued, "Not that he'd notice. He doesn't really come out of his room too often, especially when the kids are home."

"Somewhere inside his mind and heart, he knows." Future Paige said.

"Knows what?" Leo asked.

"Knows to protect the girls from harm physical, or emotional."

"What about the girls?" Don't they wonder where Chris is?

Don't they ever ask about him?"

"Yes, and I tell them he's sick but he loves them very much and would do anything to protect them."

"And?" Piper asked. "He won't let them into his bedroom. He's blocked them."

"The girls spend most of the week at Magic School, Victor's or their Dad's, so it's not too bad."

"Shame though, before this. Chris was great with them." Future Paige said.

To this Wyatt added, "Yeah, he's a natural with kids."

"What's he like now" Phoebe wondered. Future Phoebe answered, "Mostly he's quiet. Occasionally he gets upset and won't stop talking."

"I have held of on calling in a doctor for obvious reasons. The Manor still gets attacked on occasion, not often – but it does happen. As much as I don't want him to suffer, I don't want to risk exposing magic."

"Plus, I have the kids and the clubs to deal with on top of Chris."

"Are the girls the next generation of Charmed Ones?" Paige wondered.

While Piper asked, "Clubs, plural?"

"No, that hasn't happened yet. Maybe in the next generation…I don't know." She replied to Paige's question.

"Yes, clubs… you have a nice little chain of P3's three of them. She smiled answering Piper's question. Wyatt oversees the general management of them and Chris was bartender at the original when he wasn't working at Magic School." Future Paige explained.

"Really, Magic School? A teacher?" Piper asked.

"Yeah. He was planning on starting a new department. Guess what it was." Future Paige asked them.

"Spells and Potions?" Phoebe tried.

"Nope, Research and Investigation." Future Paige said with a smile.

"Should have guessed that one, huh?" Piper said finally regaining more of her composure and ability to think straight.

I want…we want to see him now." Piper said so calmly that it spooked everyone.

"Uh?" Wyatt swallowed, again sliding his hand deep into his pockets.

"What!" Leo asked.

Wyatt took this one. "Well, that's going to be tricky. Not impossible, just difficult on you is all." Wyatt tried to be as gentle as he could.

"He hates me again, right?" Leo stated already guessing the answer.

"Um, he's confused Dad…Leo." Wyatt corrected himself and continued a little hyperactively.

"He didn't hate you before, well maybe BEFORE, before, but not now."

"After the information explosion, yes! You left and he took it hard. We all did."

"But he loves you…Both of you." Wyatt stopped, out of breath.

"You okay there big guy?" Phoebe asked patting him on the shoulder amused.

Wyatt inhaled deep and asked, "Did that make any sense?".

"I think we followed it just fine, son." Leo said giving Wyatt a slight smile to acknowledge his effort.

"And so he just LEFT?" Piper asked surprised.

"Well, he was dealing with it all again too!"

"Wyatt was a mess, Chris was a mess, and I guess Leo just couldn't take it."

"Leftovers from Future Chris' issues, I suppose."

"Once Wyatt was okay and Chris did 'whatever he did', Leo just snapped."

"He went off to hunt down every single demon, spell, magical whatever – that he could get his hands on." Future Paige stopped again to allow them to digest the information.

"He'd let Wyatt down, and Chris – AGAIN! So, he just couldn't take it."

"Without Piper, he just didn't have enough to hold onto." She finished.

"He HAD two sons that needed him!"

"I know that Leo, I'm pissed that he's gone too. Future Paige agreed pretty loudly. Wyatt put his arm around her sighed and said, "Shhh, it's okay."

"For the record, I don't feel 'let down'. "Lied to, sure. Excluded, yes. But not let down." Wyatt said looking Piper and Leo in the face.

"I know you aren't my Dad in this time. I just don't want you going back with anymore issues than you need. Okay?" He finished firmly.

"Okay", Leo said with a chuckle.

Future Paige let Wyatt continue now that he'd joined the conversation.

"And I doubt Chris really 'hates' you either."

"Not my Chris anyway."

"He's just messed up right now, like his mind is on overload and pause all at once from all that knowledge."

Feeling that Wyatt would be uncomfortable with the whole 'Future Chris, Evil Wyatt' issue Piper offered,

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, this is strange, but cool."

"I'm fine now, really" Wyatt said.

"I'm proud of Chris, both of them."

"He's the best person I know."

"Don't you think so?" He asked in general.

Everyone nodded. "I wish I hadn't reacted so badly. Then I would have been there to prevent this." Wyatt continued getting more upset with each word he spoke his voice was showing his emotions.

Piper got up to give him a hug.

"No, Honey. You are NOT to blame." She said rubbing his back.

"Chris was determined and secretive." Leo offered. "Brave and selfless" Wyatt quietly added.

"Bossy, pushy." Paige said with a smile.

"Courageous, loyal and strong." Piper prided.

"Willful, relentless, and neurotic as hell!" Phoebe exclaimed and the Sisters laughed.

The parlor was silent for a few moments.

Phoebe took the opportunity to change the subject and asked, "So, how old are the kids, I mean knowing that can't hurt anything can it." She looked at everyone wide eyed.

"What? You know you are curious."

"Phoebe, AGAIN, not the right time for stuff like that."

"I want to see Chris." Piper stated.

"I understand. First I've got to figure out what to do with the girls." Future Paige said.

"Call Grampa, he can watch them overnight." Wyatt suggested.

"Sounds good. Make the call. I want to see my son." Piper said getting anxious again.

"Okay, be right back." She said as she got up to go to the kitchen.

Wyatt got up to follow her, telling them, "I'll be right back." He entered the kitchen and said,

"Hey, Aunt Paige?" She turned towards him.

"What?" she snapped.

"What are you going to tell him?"

"I don't think you should be too specific."

"Just tell him Amy and I wanted to go out to give you some space for the night and would he take the girls cause they are driving you crazy."

"Something like that?"

"It could work?" Future Paige thought aloud.

"He could bring the girls back tomorrow and possibly see everybody then." She continued.

"You'd have to get the girls to Magic School before they accidentally see the Sister's." she advised.

"No problem." Wyatt assured.

Future Paige went to pick up the phone.

Wyatt said, "Hey Aunt Paige, sorry for being so against this. I've been thinking and maybe this will work."

"I mean maybe it's just what he needs. Seeing Mom and everyone again. It's been so long."

"Could be that's what's holding him back." Wyatt said with wide hopeful eyes. He even smiled.

At this Future Paige looked him straight in the eyes and placed her hand on his cheek.

"I hope it's that simple kiddo." She said.

Wyatt walked back to the parlor and Future Paige picked up the phone to make her call.

"Hey Victor. It's me." "Hey Honey. How's everything at Casa de Magic? He kidded. "Oh, hectic as usual." "Which brings me to why I called." "I have a favor to ask." "What can I do for ya, Honey?" Victor asked. "Wyatt and Amy want to go out for the night, and I was wondering if you would be willing to take the girls for an overnight with their Grampa?" "I could really use the time." Future Paige crossed her fingers and waited. Hoping that Victor would just say "Sure, Yeah." That's not quite what he said.

more to come...