Chapter 13: Charming Pasts
A/N: I'm trying really hard not to abandon this story. I'm gonna have the Charmed Ones react to future Piper one at a time. It's just so you can see the differences in their reactions. I own nothing. Piper from the past will be Past Piper. Piper from the present will be Present Piper. Everyone else will be the same to avoid confusion.
Chris and present Piper talked in the attic for quite some time. Must to Piper's dismay, Prue had to leave moments after she arrived. The caused Piper considerable pain. Still, she got to see her older sister again, and discuss some things that were left unsaid. Prue had promised she would soon be back, and Piper knew that was true. She cried as Prue disappeared in a swirl of bright lights after whispering, "Blessed Be", yet her attention was quickly returned to her youngest son.
Piper missed this adult version of her youngest son terribly, yet she couldn't bring herself to tell him what had happened to him. She didn't want to make things any worse. However, her son was looking a bit discouraged, so she told him that he had in fact saved Wyatt. His smile lit up the whole room. Their conversation was cut short by the sound of a car pulling into the driveway.
"Phoebe's home", Chris told his mother. Piper was slightly worried now. She was a bit worried how her sisters, and especially herself, would react to her presence. This was a time in her life right after Leo had left her (again). She didn't trust anyone. She heard a key turning in the door. Then she heard Phoebe's voice yell, "Chris! Are you there?" Chris looked at his mother for a split second before answering, "In the attic!" Piper's entire body tensed as he heard Phoebe's footsteps coming up to the attic.
When Phoebe reached the attic, it took her several moments to notice anything out of the ordinary. Finally, she looked at present Piper curiously and said, "Did you change your hair Piper?" Piper chuckled slightly at what her sister had said. She decided that if she was going to explain, it had better be now.
"Look Phoebe", she said matter of factly, "I'm from a couple years in the future, and I came here to fix something. That's all I can say." Phoebe looked at her for a moment, obviously trying to empathically read her. She didn't get anything. That was because of the empathy blocking potion that present Piper had taken, but Phoebe didn't know that.
"Prove it", Phoebe said scathingly.
"WHAT?" Piper shouted. She was surprised at her sister's doubt in her. Phoebe was usually the most open minded of the Charmed Ones. She thought, if anyone, Phoebe would believe her. This was a time in all their lives, when they were having trust issues. She needed Phoebe to trust her, so she decided to humor her little sister a bit.
"In eighth grade, you stole my boyfriend, Billy Wilson. When we first met Leo we fought over him so much that you told him I was like everyone's mom, then I told him you were gay, and then you told him I was on medication. When Wyatt was born you said you want to eat him up with ranch dressing…need I continue?"
Phoebe laughed and hugged the older version of her sister. This older version of Piper looked different. It was in her eyes. There was a haunted, deadened look to them. It was like Piper had seen things that she wished she could forget. It was as if she wanted to break down, but she had no more tears to cry. Something terrible must happen soon in the future to make Piper like that. Even after Prue died, Piper didn't look so…broken.
"What can we do?" Phoebe asked present Piper.
"We just need to kill this demon", Piper said firmly, "then everything will be okay."
TBC…
Sorry for the shortness of Prue time, but she will come back. It just doesn't fit right now.