Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Charmed...

Chapter Three

Sunday 5:07 PM

Piper was in the kitchen when she heard footsteps in coming down from the stairs, even over Phoebe and Paige's rather annoying and quite loud bickering. They were in the conservatory, gossiping and guessing who and, more importantly, what their newest guest was and his possible connection to Chris as well as the family while Piper was preparing dinner.

She listened to the footsteps. They didn't sound like they were that of a normal person's. They seemed heavy and down trodden, worn down. She heard them finally come down from the last railing and then suddenly stop, pausing. It took a while but they started again, slow, but heavy, not really caring if it made a noise.

Or maybe it was because they couldn't help it...

She stopped slicing the meat she'd been carving since even before their mystery guest made his appearance. She quickly, but quietly crossed the dinning room and stopped at the railing to the next room.

"Going somewhere?" she asked, not noticing the sharp intake of breath as he held his side with his left hand.

She did notice how he visibly tensed, just for a second, and then relax again before turning around. "Brett, was it?"

"Yeah," he croaked. "I mean, yes. Yes, my name's Brett, and no, not really. I was just going to step outside for a second, maybe go for a walk. I just needed to clear my head, get some fresh air...you know."

He saw Piper nod. "Yes, yes, I do know," she said in a calculating and knowing voice.

God, I need to get out of here...or at least a drink...

He turned around to walk out the door after giving Piper a brief smile, which she returned.

Three steps...come on. Almost...there. Just keep it together...

"I was just wondering if you were going to tell us about yourself. Maybe who you are, or what you are...you're connection to Chris...maybe even to us," she said with such cursed, ignorant ease.

Damn...

"I...uh...I guess I could tell you some things," Brett said turning around, masking his face with an almost smile. "But, I wouldn't want to tell you too much, and not about certain things..."

Piper raised her eyebrows, just slightly, never breaking her resigned, easy, and most of all, eerie calm. "I don't know how much Chris told you, and I wouldn't want to upset hi—the timeline..."

Piper gave a nod and a small smile, as if prompting him to continue. Neither noticed that Phoebe and Paige had joined them, only they were positioned, side by side, at the frame leading into the living room.

"Well, uh...my name's Brett," he said, starting off quite awkwardly. "I'm a friend of Chris."

Or...at least I used to be...

"He...uh...he helped me, growing up, and we were best friends."

Silence.

"You said that he helped you when you were growing up. Does that mean that we know you? In the future, I mean. Do we know you, do we meet? Do we know you well?" Piper asked.

Brett was visibly reluctant before he answered with a curt, "Yes."

"Oh...so that means...that means we meet you before you turn fourteen," Piper stated, almost a question.

Phoebe and Paige stared. Their sister was good at this...

Brett's eyes widened in shock before realization set in. He took a deep breath of air before letting out a heavy sigh. "So...Chris told you..." he said, making a statement/question of his own.

Piper nodded. "Well, yes and no. I—well—my dad figured it out, and then gave me some clues. It wall worked itself out."

"Gr—Victor's here?" Brett asked a bit enthusiastically, sending out clues before he could stop himself.

Piper didn't miss either.

"Um...no...he's still out of town, business trip...but he should be home in a couple of days... Do you plan to stay that long?" she asked, as she saw Brett stiffen. Damn.

"Um...no...I can't. I just came to give Chris something, tell him some stuff. I kind of have to keep moving... Chris isn't the only one Wyatt's desperately after..." he said, letting out a pained laugh.

If you only knew...

Piper nodded, only giving a half understanding smile. Wyatt couldn't be evil...

"You said that you and Chris were best friends...what happened?" Piper saw Brett grimace

How many ways could this answer come out wrong?

Brett spoke in a pained voice, only half hidden by a quasi-smile. "Uh...stuff happened, I guess... He...believed some things, I believed other... Things came between us..."

Like a certain blonde...

"It sounds like you still care about him," she said, in a voice too calm

You have no idea...

"You could say that," Brett said. "He was, after all, my best friend."

Piper grunted and nodded.

More silence.

"So...uh...I don't mean to be rude, but...uh...what are you?"

Oh, how many answers would make you disgusted of me...

"Oh, um...human," he said, giving a small laugh.

"Oh, uh, I guess I deserve that..." she said, laughing, too.

"No, you didn't," he said, a little too quickly, then looked down for a second before forcing yet another smile. "Um...I'm a witch."

Piper nodded. "So...uh...what are your powers?"

Piper saw how Brett seemed to shrink into himself, his face scrunching up as if to keep something from coming out, something that could give any indication of what he really felt. Damn...wrong question.

Brett seemed to relax after a second, as realization dawned on him.

What are your powers...

"Oh...um...I can create illusions. It sort of runs in the family," he said, with a real smile this time.

"Oh, really. Huh. You mean...like a wizard," Piper asked.

"No, no, not like a wizard. Wizards don't just make an illusion, they partly conjure it, too. For example, food or water. Wizards can create an illusion but make it partially real. My family powers are purely mental, psychic. They just work with the mind, not anything else," Brett finished.

"Hmm. Okay. Uh...can you do anything else?"

You mean besides—

"No. No, not really," Bret finished. "Those are my only powers."

Brett studied Piper's face. It hadn't left that smug, knowing, and calculating glance yet. She opened her mouth to speak, but Brett raised his hand.

"I'd be happy to show you," Brett said, finally relaxing now that he wouldn't have to answer anything too draining. Besides, it would be familiar.

"Are you sure you aren't a telepath?" she asked, a playful smile on her lips.

An emotion clouded over the boy's face for the briefest of seconds, but disappeared before she could decipher it.

Not originally...

He just laughed as an answer before raising his hands. Suddenly, the whole room—including the foyer and the dinning room turned into the greenest meadow she had ever seen. There were trees, a lake, and so many flowers, even she couldn't identify them all. That's when she noticed she was all alone.

"Brett!" she called.

An echoing voice responded. "I'm here."

"Where are you?"

The voice behind her startled her and she turned around to face him. "In your head." He smiled. "I can make it so we're just in your head, or...sort of...project it so it takes place of the room around you, instead of you just standing still."

She watched as his head cocked, as if listening to something only he could hear.

"Your sisters are wondering what happened to you. Do you want me to show them?" he asked. Piper just grinned.

Brett lifted his hands again and suddenly Piper was standing where she was a second ago, except, now, the illusion had spread all over the rooms. The meadow seemed to stretch for miles and miles, regardless that they were still in the manor.

Paige and Phoebe suddenly appeared out of no where.

"Where is this place?" Phoebe asked.

"Piper? Where are we?" Paige said speaking to her older sister.

"Well, I guess, in the manor," Piper said.

"But, this isn't the manor," said Phoebe.

"Actually, it is," said Brett, Phoebe and Paige barely noticing him.

"Oh, so this is an illusion," Paige stated, looking around, nodding. "It's pretty."

"Thanks," Brett said. "It's the place, I go to or create, whenever I need to relax." His eyes seemed to glaze over for a second, and they became sad. "There aren't many places like this left in the future."

This caught the girls' attention. "I'm sorry," said Phoebe, speaking on behalf of her two sisters, right beside her.

You would be if you saw it...

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

Entirely...

"Besides, I'm sure Chris can fix it," he finished.

"Still..." Phoebe continued.

"I know...but not everything can be perfect," he answered, giving a sad smile. "Um...I should go. I still need to talk to Chris, but I'd like to get some rest first, or at least some fresh air," Brett finished.

"Oh, we're sorry...for keeping you," said Paige. "Well, that...and for eavesdropping." He saw Phoebe nod. "But, uh...thank you, though...for showing us, anyway."

"It's okay. It was fun," he said again, smiling. A real one. Wow.

Brett raised his hands and the manor dissolved back into their sight. He could hear Paige and Phoebe give small sighs. Piper had a frown.

Thank God. I was sure that she'd figured something out...

"Well, I'll be going then. I'll be back in a few. Bye," he said.

"Bye, Brett," Phoebe said, smiling.

"We'll see you later," said Paige, waving.

Brett smiled once more and turned to leave.

Just one more step...

Piper's knowing, neutral, almost nostalgic, tone cut through the air.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?"

Thank you everyone who reviewed. Please, no flames coming from xenophobic homophobes. It is not very nice. And, just so you know, Chris is bisexual, not gay.

For those of you who are bored, I'm sorry. I just have a chapter or a chapter and a half before I explain the situation. There are plenty of shocks coming your way. Don't worry, though. The next chapter will have have the story's first demon attack.

Please, if you have any suggestions, e-mail them to me.