Sitting across from his mother and aunts Wyatt looked at the book in front of them, craning his neck to see the page they had it opened to, and what his mother was writing on the sheet of scrap paper. Glancing up he saw Paige and Phoebe were staring at him, shifting his gaze back to the book he frowned slightly.
"How can it be so simple?" he asked annoyed that they had so much stock in such a simple spell. "I mean 'They' had me believe that it was going to be something harder, that only you three could restore them. So how can it just be as simple as the three of you handing me a spell to cast?"
"Maybe they had an ulterior motive?" Phoebe suggested. "You know how some divine beings can be."
"Like what?" Wyatt asked sarcastically. "I hardly think that family problems are their style."
"Maybe not, maybe they wanted you here for another reason." Piper suggested leaning forward, trying to catch her son's eye as she cast the pen aside. "Maybe you're here because something is going to happen at some point that you need to be here for."
"Like what?" he asked wearily.
"Does it matter right now?" Piper asked curiously raising one eyebrow as she reached over the small table for his hand. "Let's just concentrate on what you're here for and then later we can worry about the why's."
Nodding sullenly Wyatt turned the book to himself, screwing his nose up as he fell back into the chair behind him.
"Are you guys sure this'll work. It's a teeny tiny spell."
"We've reworked it so that it fit's the circumstances, so I don't see why it wouldn't." Paige muttered in annoyance.
The three women nodding in agreement as they watched him sit up again, holding his head as he read the page through several times.
"Yes." they all said before he could get the same question out again.
Wyatt rolled his eyes and moved his lips as he mimicked their yes's. One hand gently stroking the page as he looked over to the doorway. He could hear the faint sounds of the others in the kitchen.
"The last line seems a little iffy to me." he said softly, trying to work out what was going on in the other room.
"Don't worry so much, it'll work." Phoebe encouraged. "And if you hurry up and say the damn thing you can go in there instead of trying to hear from here."
Groaning lightly he looked around, scratching the back of his neck lightly as he picked up the piece of paper.
"Source unseen cross the skies
As I call upon the Halliwell line
Return to me what was lost,
When I gave up on the lot."
When nothing immediately happened Wyatt rolled his eyes and threw the piece of paper on the table. Looking over to his mother and aunts triumphantly.
"Can I say I knew it wouldn't work without getting slapped?" he asked.
"No you can't." Piper replied simply. "Maybe if you stopped being so negative something would have happened."
Shrugging Wyatt stood up, pointing his head towards the kitchen. Softly clapping his hands together as he walked up the hallway. Stopping in the doorway to watch the others as they sat around the table talking. Biting the inside of his lip he looked down at his hands.
"How'd it go?" Chris asked.
Wyatt jumping slightly as he looked up. Nodding quietly before shaking his head, Piper, Phoebe and Paige all pushing past him to get into the room.
"Is that a yes or a no?" Leo asked, confused as he stood up and walked a little closer to him.
"It hasn't worked as yet, but I have every faith in my spell writing abilities." Piper replied grouchily as she crossed her arms across her chest.
"I never said it was you mom." Wyatt sighed. "I'm just starting to think that this may be all part of some cosmic plan. Maybe I was never meant to have powers. Maybe it's too dangerous to have me with them."
"Puh-leeze!" Chris over exaggerated. "Don't start with the 'Being Mr Oh-so-Powerful was just too much hard work, all those powers to keep me safe, blah, blah, freaking blah.' speech again Wy, you and I and everyone else here knows it's bullshit. We all know your 'meant' to have them, and we all know that your 'destined' for great things. So don't go all self-righteous martyr on us."
Wyatt's jaw almost dropped to the floor in surprise at Chris' outburst. Blinking several times he shook his head and looked from one family member to the other, smiling sheepishly as he dug his hands into his pockets.
"Fine, whatever. I guess maybe I should wait at least 24 hours before complaining that a spell hasn't worked. Who knows, maybe it has a trigger effect, and needs something to kick start it."
"That's my boy." Piper said proudly. "Now why doesn't everyone sit around the table and I'll get us something to eat, it is almost dinnertime after all."
Wyatt watched as everyone else started to talk over each other, the chairs scraping on the wooden floors as they all moved their chairs so that everyone could be seen and no one was being left out of the conversation.
"Wyatt." Paige called, waving her arm emphatically as she pointed to one of the vacant chairs they'd left for him.
Nodding he continued to stare at them slowly making his way to the end of the table. Placing both hands precariously on the back of the chair. Shaking his head when Paige insisted he take the chair she had pointed to earlier. Smiling he listened as they cracked jokes and told stories to one another, Piper occasionally butting in with her own little comments every now and then. Every now and again his eye would catch Bianca's, one of them looking away almost instantly. After a few rounds of that particular game he looked down at his fingers as they rested on the edge of the table. Off in his own little world until they called him back to reality. Looking up he glanced from person to person before his brow creased somewhat.
"What?" he asked softly.
"Well dad asked you a question about five minutes ago." Chris pointed out as Piper walked over to the table carrying several large bowls.
Wyatt quickly jumping up to help her before she dropped something. Placing it in the middle of the table he looked at his father and apologetically smiled.
"What was the question?"
"Nothing much, I was just wondering what your plans for tonight were?" Leo asked.
"Didn't have any." he quickly responded, turning his back on them to go help Piper with the stack of plates and cutlery.
"Wyatt you don't have to," she quickly stated as he slid them onto the table.
"It's no problem." he said over his shoulder. "Why don't you sit down mom, you've been working hard cooking. The least Chris and I can do is serve it up."
Chris stared at Wyatt, lightly punching his shoulder as he stood up. Taking one of the plates as his brother handed it to him.
"Thanks for offering my services Wy." he grumbled. "Too bad if I wanted to sit back and watch you play garcon."
"You can thank me later Christopher." Wyatt smirked as Chris balanced the plate in one hand and slugged him again in the shoulder.
"Boy's." Leo laughed, the warning he was trying to give not exactly coming out as one.
"Yes daddy?" Chris asked playfully.
Shaking his head Leo resumed his conversation with the women at the table, Chris carefully placing the plates in front of everyone. Playfully adding random words to the conversation. Wyatt laughing at him, lightly shaking his head.
'It's like nothing even happened.' he thought taking a seat
His eyes travelling the length of the table to Bianca as she sat the baby in a high chair. Laughing congenially at Chris as he started playing aeroplanes with a spoon full of food. Staying out of the conversations Wyatt observed them all. The conversation played much like musical chairs, the occasional warning from Piper or Leo to Chris, the clattering of cutlery hitting the plates as everyone broke into full bellied laughter due to inappropriate jokes inserted wittily by his little brother. Smiling, he stood to help Paige clear the plates as everyone continued with their conversations, silently moving from the table to the kitchen sink.
"You're very quiet this evening." Paige pointed out quietly. "We're not boring you are we?"
"Quite the opposite actually." he said softly, scraping all the leftovers onto one plate. "It's entertaining."
"Ah huh. Well tell me one thing," she said slowly, glancing over her shoulder to the table. "Are you going to talk to the girl before you leave?"
"Huh?"
"Huh?" Paige mimicked. "Are you going to actually talk to Bianca? You've barely said two words to her since you came in. And another thing. You both may think we're all blind, but those little looks you two were sharing through dinner, we all saw them."
Wyatt turned on the tap, quickly rinsing off the plates as he thought over his response. Stacking them as he carefully arranged the cutlery. Turning around to pick up a tea towel to wipe his hands on.
"Is that so?" he asked looking at Paige. Remaining composed as he crossed his arms across his chest and lent back slightly on the bench top.
"It is, so why don't you go over there, take her hand and lead her into the other room. Otherwise we'll be forced to actually look at one another and quickly vacate the room. I don't know about you, but that's usually a little uncomfortable for everyone."
"I think I'd prefer that latter option." he muttered under his breath.
Looking over to the table as Piper stood up and asked if they'd all like to have coffee in the living room. Rolling his eyes he let out a soft chuckle before looking down at his feet.
"I've got Hunter." Phoebe said, freeing the child's legs from the chair and hiking him onto her hip before following Leo and Chris towards the living room.
"Watch it young man." she warned, laughing as she lightly slapped Chris' shoulder as he remarked on the lack of subtlety.
Paige lightly patting Wyatt's back before giving him a slight push and disappearing over towards Piper as she readied a plunger for the coffee. Wyatt's attention slowly moving to Bianca as he lightly slapped his thighs and moved back to the table. Resting his hands on the chair in front of him as he looked down at Bianca. Smiling awkwardly before slowly dragging the chair out and sitting down.
"They're as see through as the window pane over there." he said slowly.
Bianca letting out a soft laugh as she nodded in agreement before pushing her hair back behind her ear and looking towards him. A slightly nostalgic smile crossing her lips.
"Do you two want coffee?" Piper asked, holding up an empty mug as Wyatt looked over his shoulder, quickly looking back to Bianca before answering her.
"Yeah sure." he said as Bianca nodded in agreement.
Lightly Wyatt tapped his fingers on the top of the table as his foot tapped on the ground, painfully he smiled at Piper when she deposited the mugs in front of them before disappearing back over to the bench to pick up the tray before disappearing out the kitchen door and down the hallway with Paige, leaving Wyatt and Bianca alone in the kitchen. Wrapping his hands around the mug, Wyatt looked around the room bobbing his head to a silent beat before slowly looking back to Bianca.
"So," they both said in unison. Both smiling as a slight laugh escaped their lips before they both looked away again. Bianca looking back to Wyatt first.
"I'm glad you stayed." she said softly before taking a sip of her drink, lowering her eyes as she placed her mug back on the table and clasping her hands in front of her.
Wyatt slowly moving one hand over to hers, hesitantly placing one over hers. Softly running his thumb over her fingers.
"You could say a very wise woman gave me some invaluable advice."
"That's sweet Wy," she started, removing her bottom hand and placing it over his. "But what are you going to do now?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, quickly taking a swallow from his cup and placing it back where it had been.
"Do I have to spell it out?" she asked. "I need to know if I'm holding onto a fantasy. I don't want to let you go Wy, but if,"
Wyatt lifted one hand to stop her, slowly moving it over to her cheek. Tilting his head to one side as he slowly trailed his fingers down her jaw line. His thumb softly passing over her lips when he reached her chin.
"Here I was thinking you had given up on us." he whispered. Smiling stiffly as he lowered his eyes to their hands. "Can it really be that easy? You and me I mean?"
"Why not? Why can't it be?" she asked. "Haven't we been apart long enough? Been through enough crap? Why can't one thing just be that easy?"
Wyatt smiled easier this time, lowering his head as he raised his eyes to look at her sheepishly. Taking hold of her hand and pressing the knuckles to his lips.
"You know I've always loved you? That I still love you?" he asked quietly.
"I know," she said softly. "I love you too baby."
"I don't suppose you'd still want to marry me?" he asked almost hesitantly, afraid of the answer. "I kinda lost your ring, but that doesn't matter really. What matters is your answer."
Bianca smiled sweetly, reaching forward and pulling Wyatt's head towards her, softly kissing him to answer all the questions he hadn't asked yet, the ones she knew were still to come. Pulling back slightly to look at him.
"Of course the answers yes." she said almost inaudibly as she held back tears threatening to spill. "I could never imagine my life without you. I didn't enjoy my life without you, something was always missing. I don't ever want it to be that way again."
Wyatt smiled leaning in to kiss her again, standing up to move around the corner of the table. Picking her up in his arms as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"And don't worry about the ring." she whispered as she pulled back to take a breath. "Chris gave it to me, it's upstairs."
Letting out a soft chuckle he ran his hand up her side and kissed her again.