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The Ties That Bind
Chapter Twenty

Leo pushed his orbing self through the mountains and clouds faster than he ever would on the usual second-taking trips.
He was so close to getting his family back -he and Piper were finally close again, Wyatt was growing up so fast into such a great little kid, things were improving between he and Chris, Caden called him dad, they were going to have three other beautiful boys…
Chris was too close to a ledge when he caught up. A rocky shelf almost took his life in a cold splat and dull smack. Encasing his son in orbs, Leo did little to hasten back to the cave, instead he enjoyed the simple sensation of knowing his boy was safe for the time, but once there, they met silence. A rush of bodies ran to them like a human wall, hugging and smooching and sobbing.
Chris never said a word: stared at his surroundings with empty eyes. He was hiding from everything now. Because of him. Because of Kalister.

Speaking of which… where was the bastard?

"He's… not going to be a problem in the immediate future."

Leo gave Phoebe a questioning gaze with raised eyebrows -since when was she telepathic?

"Emotions are just as telling as thoughts, Leo. He's over there."

Somewhat reluctantly, Leo broke away from the group, his family and extended family; the overpowering need to see the man that hurt his boy finally winning over.

Always blank, Kalister's face remained so now. There wasn't a trace of the wide smile they saw in Chris's memory. At some point the sisters had bound the assassin to the very chair Chris had been captive to. Ankles, knees, waist, elbows, wrists… even a blindfold fashioned from Paige's jacket. It wasn't enough.
He wasn't in pain. He wasn't hurting. He was nowhere near uncomfortable enough. There was no trial in this. Nothing like anything Chris had had to endure.
If everybody got his or hers then this Kalister wasn't getting his fast enough.

So Leo hit him.
Hard.
Forced the chair to rock backwards, tilt on its hindmost legs for a second or so and hit the floor again with a not-quite-jarring-enough motion.
And you know what? It felt good. Kalister hurt his son, so Leo hurt him.
He raised his arm to do it again (- again and again and again and again -) and mustered every ounce of hate he had and threw his arm forward.

Found Phoebe on the end of it, effectively stopping the blow from ever making contact. Anger rose, wanting to be released.
"PHOEBE!"

Had he not been so-damn-angry, he would've noticed that look in her eyes. But he was, so he didn't. He restrained himself from hurting Phoebe, and thought he was doing pretty well to do that.
"Leo this isn't you! Leo! Listen to me!"

"I am listening! Say what you have to say and let me at that man." Leo snapped.

"Will you just calm down for a second? You're a pacifist, remember?"

Leo raged against her hold and discovered she was much stronger than she looked, "He hurt my son!"

"And he'll pay, but not like this. Get little Wyatt. Go to your family. Be a father. Let us deal with him."

"Phoebe."

"Stop being an ass and go. You really think Kalister is going to get away with what he tried to do?"

"Leo?"

He stopped at that. Not at Phoebe's reasoning and calm (or mostly calm) words. Not at the knowledge in a currently suppressed part of his mind that told him he was a pacifist. That he didn't like violence.
It was Piper, and her hand on his other arm.

"You promised Chris, remember? You promised you'd be there for him. You can't do that if you're off on a rampage for things that can't be changed."

The anger, so out of place, levelled off, letting more off through the look in her eyes. "Aren't you angry?" he asked incredulously.

"Of course I'm angry, Leo! I'm past angry, I'm pissed at him at what he's just done to our boy, but Chris needs our help now, and we need to be around for that, and to help save little him from ever having to go through that. We can be angry later. We've got to be parents now."

The boiling rushing river all but filtered out, returning to only slightly more that normal -an amount he could deal with later. He thought clearer now: beyond just hurting Kalister.
"Where is he? Who's with him?"

"Paige and Cadey, though he's pretty out of it," they turned away, her arm still on his, and he felt like they never split, that he never left her. Did she know he regretted it? Whatever he said, however great his destiny… he wanted her and their family. He didn't need anything else.
"Paige, can you take Phoebe and Kalister to the attic? Make sure he can't move, alright?"

"Got it." She offered a quick smile, brushed Chris's hair once more, and left. For once, he didn't spare the two sisters another thought.
All he could think about were the four most important people in his world.

"How about we go home too?" he offered, slipping his hand into Piper's.

Caden nodded, taking Chris's hand and taking Leo's spare one without a word. Could she orb? At that minute, he couldn't remember every seeing her do it. But he would find that out later. She wasn't mad at him any more, and Chris. Chris. Chris needed them… and an antidote to whatever he gave him.
The comfortably familiar surroundings of the Manor soon encased them, leaving Chris on the couch and they beside him.

Piper wasted no time, immediately jumping into action. "I'll get some blankets."

Leo understood her idea: moving Chris would just wake him up and that was not what he needed right now. "I'll get a pillow."

"I'll stay here."

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Author's Note: WOOO! CHRIS IS ALIIIIIIIIIVE! WOOOOOO! Oh yeah... I already knew that -ducks rotten tomatoes-

IMPORTANT
Anyway, for the final chapters I'm deciding on what the future COULD be like (I am evil and haven't decided myself yet...) but so far in the Evil Wyatt Timeline Piper and Leo have six kids. Should I give them a seventh in a (possible) Perfect Future as sort of a gift from TPTB? This 7th could either Ryan's twin, OR a triplet (lol) of the twins, or just another kid born between Caden and the twins. Since you're all so keen... i'll let you decide :)

Review Thank You's and Replies To:
ilovedrew88: Oh no! Please don't die! Yeah the Halliwell's lives do pretty much suck... and i so enjoy making them so :D :D

Queen of the Elven City: na-uh! -sticks out tongue- your reviews make my days brighter!

Sparkling Cherries: lmao! the end of this arc or the end of the story?

TurNArounD: hmmm... i still feel guilty! sorry the update was a bit slow... y'know... Christmas and all ;)

Raya Sparrow: -falls over giggling- oh hunney! you can orb if you want, we'll make you an honorary whitelighter or sumit :D
you're making me blush lol, that's very sweet of you :)
As Always: DON'T let him jump? Ooops sorry dude! Yeah who would be evil enough to kill off Chris? -joins in with the glaring at evil Charmed Writers-

PrueTrudeau: it's a neat trick isn't it? :D :D

IMPORTANT
Anyway, for the final chapters I'm deciding on what the future COULD be like (I am evil and haven't decided myself yet...) but so far in the Evil Wyatt Timeline Piper and Leo have six kids. Should I give them a seventh in a (possible) Perfect Future as sort of a gift from TPTB? This 7th could either Ryan's twin, OR a triplet (lol) of the twins, or just another kid born between Caden and the twins. Since you're all so keen... i'll let you decide :)