Chapter Twenty-Three
Wednesday 5:55 A.M.
"Do you think we can do this?" asked Phoebe.
Paige stared at Piper and Chris as they finished making the last potion.
"Yeah. I think we can," she said nodding as she turned her head to Phoebe and then the book. "I'm sure of it."
Phoebe's eyebrows wrinkled and her voice was curious. "How can you be so sure? How do you know that this will work?"
"Because," Paige said as she stole one more glance at Chris' almost smiling face as he watched his mom stir and curse about the uncooperative goo. "It has to."
"Are you sure that's what you want?"
"..."
"..."
"Yeah. It is."
"..."
"Tell him... Tell him a friend's coming back. Catch him up."
"..."
"He's going to need to be in top shape if my plan's gonna work."
"..."
"..."
"What about... Are you sure you want to bring the other one back? I mean...he hasn't exactly fallen for your 'broken dove' routine, luv. What makes you think he'll come back willingly?"
"..."
"..."
"Do you...do you know what this is?"
"... Um...yes. That's a power-sucking athame if I'm not mistaken."
"..."
"..."
"Hmm.—That's what I thought."
"Okay, so, basically, that should work..." Everyone stared at Paige. "Okay, maybe not but, I mean, come on! Given the circumstances—"
"Shh!!!" sushed Piper as she cocked her head in the direction of the attic door.
Four pairs of eyes widened.
"Brett," whispered Chris.
Piper's eyebrows met her hairline. "The healing potions! We can't let him heal! Paige—"
"I'm on it!" she said as she orbed out taking Phoebe by the hand.
"Okay, we got to stay calm," Piper said as she held onto Chris' hand.
"Okay, Mom, you're hurting me," Chris said, gesturing with his eyes to his wrist.
"What?" Piper asked as she looked down and noticed how hard she was gripping. "Oops. Sorry."
"'Skay," he shrugged, then chuckled. "I swear, it's like...sometimes I think you forget your not in labor yet."
Huh?
"Huh?" asked Piper.
Chris ducked his eyes away. "Nothing. It's just, sometimes, you act as if your already in labor, what with the yelling and the hitting and the exploding. It's quite funny actually." Chris smiled, then gave a solemn expression. "You know. Sometimes."
"Huh. You're smiling." Piper said lamely. "We might be facing death in the very face tonight—at the hands of your former lover, no less—and your smiling—possibly joking, for once—but, still, smiling," she said as she diverted her eyes to look for something useful. "Yeah, I'm sure nothing will happen to us. Nope. Nothing at all."
Chris rolled his eyes, but smiled. "I'm just saying...I'm not even a kid yet, and—"
Piper's eyebrows furrowed. "What did you say?"
Chris eyebrows furrowed in response. "That I'm not even a kid yet?"
Piper's eyes opened wide in shock, seconds before they heard a thump on the second floor. "Oh, my God! Kids! Wyatt!"
Realization dawned on Chris. "I'm already on it—" he said as he almost orbed out.
"No. I'll do it. You stay here. Brett's after one of you. You'll be safe in here!" she yelled as she wobbled her way out of the attic door.
"Wyatt! Honey! Are you okay?" Piper asked as she quickly strolled over to the crib. "Sweetie, are you alright?" she cooed as she quickly surveyed the room, one hand poised to strike.
"Piper?" Phoebe asked as she and Paige orbed in behind her. "What are you doing here?"
"I thought that Brett might go after Wyatt, so I came down," Piper said.
Paige sighed. "Yeah, that's what we thought, too."
Suddenly a loud crash and explosion could be heard from the attic.
Piper quickly put Wyatt down. "Wyatt! Danger!" she screamed and a familiar blue force field went up around the little boy.
"Go!" screamed Piper as she slipped her hand into Paige's.
When the girls orbed in they saw Chris with an athame to his throat and drips of something light blue trailing down the corners of his mouth.
"Well, now," Brett smiled as he saw the girls orb in. "Won't this be fun."