Disclaimer: I own nothing, save for my clothes, my books and my CD collection :D

The Ties That Bind
Chapter Twenty-Four

Stunned silence lay heavy upon the family; Paige knelt over the limp body of which she had been quietly assured was who she believed it was. Jules, or rather, Juliette Kelly Matthews-Montana. A few hesitant tears fell onto the girls scorched shirt, she didn't know why she was crying; she had never met this teenager -eighteen Caden had whispered- she never taught her to walk, or to talk, or saw her off to her first day of school, or even congratulated her on a good grade for homework, but she'd seen Chris' memories. This dead child before her would have been her first child with Richard, and she never got to know her.
Piper was in a similar state, sitting beside Ryan and stroking his hair in an effort to calm herself, or perhaps figure out how to break it to Leo that their firstborn had just killed another of his brothers.
She didn't cry however, for in her mind the boy that lay dead in their attic hadn't died yet. It was the only way she could stay functional, stay strong for the two other weeping children who had yet to move from the doorway.
And Phoebe? Phoebe watched on bearing not only her sadness but Caden's as well, and in a small part of her mind she was vaguely grateful that her sisters took the blocking potion, and the same section knew that at some point Chris must have too.

"This has got to end now." Chris muttered angrily, eyes never leaving Ryan's dead body.

"And how are you going to manage that?" asked Phoebe, "You've got to be careful, you know that."

"I've not been careful and I've been careful, Pheeb's. I've got an idea…" Trailing off mid-sentence his body swirled away, with angry relatives left in his wake.

"HEY!"

Piper rubbed her belly for a moment and then looked up at Caden, "Do you know where he's gone?"

The eleven year old shook her head. She didn't have any clue, or else she would be there with him.

-

Chris hastened through the never-ending corridor of Magic School and tried not to think. Thinking hurt too much. Thinking bought the images of Ryan and Jule's bodies back -
Eyes so empty -
Dead -
Thinking could wait. Save Wyatt, and then grieve -
They were just kids! Who's next Wyatt, Cadey? This is too much I can't -
Gideon could help him. In his future Gideon was always around, always coming into their classes when they went to Magic School, always there with a bit of wisdom to impart -
With all his knowledge and all his power he had to know something -
He was an Elder. His last hope.

"Gideon time is running out, demons are becoming less co-operative now that word has spread that, well, they usually die -"

"It is for the greater good, Sigmund, and that affects everyone one no matter what their side."

Chris froze not five paces from the door that stood mere inches ajar. The greater good? Elder's working with demons? Both sides? There was too much at stake now -
Ryan Scott Sam Mel Evelyn Jules Danny; and Nate and Imy we don't even know what happened to them -
The invisibility washed over him like a wave breaking on a shore; it felt so natural -
No one could yell at him now -
Edging closer to the door he barely breathed for fear of being discovered -

"The Halliwell child must be ended, he is far too powerful. So much power was never supposed to be held within one being."

"But he still just a boy -"

"You doubt me?"

"No, no of course not."

"Then it is settled. There is no question, the Halliwell child will be killed. I will see to it that all the preparations are made, and you will arrange for the child to be separated for Piper Halliwell."

He trusted him -
An Elder was going to kill Wyatt -
And Elder, a protector of the Light -
Chris clenched his fists, felt nails bite into his skin with a satisfying hot twinge and orbed away without pause to murder -
The Elder -
The person Leo trusted -
His father trusted -
They all TRUSTED -

"It's Gideon!" he screamed, barley formed and seething. Piper and Paige stared at him with blank gazes, halfway through a quiet conversation. Behind them the stained window cast multicoloured shadows over the floor, and Caden was nowhere to be seen.
"Gideon's been sending the demons! Gideon! He wants to kill Wyatt!"
Red-faced and breathing heavily -thoughts so loud so angry -would you rather burn alive - Piper placed gentle cooling hands on his cheeks as the ground lurched violently and an old glass lamp exploded.
"I trusted him!"

"Slower. Take a breath and slow down."

"Gideon. Gideon is the one that's been sending all the demons that've been trying to kill or turn -"

"Chris! You alright?" Caden orbed into the attic still running, her feet hitting the floor with thundering, frantic steps. "You're moving the ground!"

"GIDEON?" Piper roared, temporarily forgetting about the trial, "LEO! We need you down here NOW!"

"Paige what's happening?" Caden asked, observing the scene with confusion. Stood in the centre, her mom and brother were shaking with barely contained fury, little Wyatt was watching them with wide eyes from his play pen and Paige still hovered beside the map of San Fransisco, crystal limp in her hand.
A glass vial blew up.

Blue and white lights floated down from the ceiling, coalescing next to the angry figures with a confused look equal to Caden's.
"Are you okay? Are the kids okay? What's wrong? What happened?"

"Your friend and mentor has been the one trying to kill Wyatt, Leo." she ground out, hands never moving from Chris' face and eyes never breaking the stare they were locked in.

"Wh-What? What do you mean? Gideon?"

"Yes."

"How did -when did -who did… he wouldn't -he's an Elder -he's my friend he's -"

"A git, dad." Chris spat, "He's going to kill Wyatt himself now that his other plans have failed."

"You heard him say it? You heard him yourself?"

"Yes." Both sets of eyes flicked to Leo, doubt shining through in pools of green.

Leo's face fell blank; evidence present seconds before of disbelief, anger, and fear all disappearing into a void of nothingness. "Then I believe you. But who are they?"

"We'll explain later."

"Caden can you get Wyatt?"

"Got him."

"Then let's go. Everyone hold on to me."

-

Author's Note: Aaah well. it's almost over now i think. these next chapters will be pretty fast paced. next update on FRIDAY because i am just soooo nice, and it's already written ;)

Review Thank You's and Replies To:

Sparkling Cherries: no worries :) in the end i had to vote because they kept drawing! so i voted for... your one, incidentally.

ilovedrew88: well done :D

Avius: you like WYATT? the EVIL one? huney... we need to talk ;)