Chapter 35: Changes
A/n: This is the last actual chapter, and then there'll be an epilogue. After that, please read my new story "Trouble in Paradise". I'll update it pretty quickly once I'm done this. This is basically about when Piper returns to her time. The epilogue will wrap everything up.
Piper woke up on the cold, hard attic floor. It took her a moment to understand why Leo and her sisters were all huddled around her with anxious expressions on their faces. It all came back to her in a rush. The deaths, the past, the demons, Chris, Patty…everything. She had done it! She was back! Without a word she rushed to her sisters, husband, and sons, and hugged each of them in turn. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. They were not tears of sadness or anger, but of pure joy. They would all be okay now. She looked at her youngest son, and couldn't help but wonder what had become of the adult version.
"Phoebe?" she asked rather timidly, "What happened to adult Chris?"
Phoebe, Paige and Leo gapped at her as if she was insane. They didn't know what to say to Piper. Finally Paige answered incredulously, "You don't remember? He almost died, but he had this mysterious antidote. So after he was cured, we sent him back to the future." Piper's sisters and husband were very worried about her. To them, she had vanished two days ago, and they feared the worst. They were elated that she had reappeared. Yet, they were worried as to why she couldn't seem to remember the simplest thing.
Only adult Chris and Piper retained any memories whatsoever of Piper's brief time traveling journey. Chris had erased all memories of the time from the Charmed Ones mind. He had implanted new ones to take their place. The amazing thing was, he did all of this without them knowing. The boy was much more powerful than they had ever given him credit for. The only reason Piper could remember her journey was because technically she had just finished this. Piper never really thought about this because even thinking about time-travel made her head hurt.
Piper's family was still looking at her as though she was insane. They were very worried about whom or what could have affected her memories in such a way. They were thinking it might have been a demon or a warlock that might be messing with Piper's mind. While Phoebe and Leo were thinking about possible demons that could have done this, and how to fix it, Paige had other ideas.
"Piper, I'm worried", said Leo, sounding frankly concerned.
"I'm fine!" Piper replied indignantly.
Paige had a feeling she knew why Piper couldn't remember. She was the only one that noticed a few discrepancies in their memories of a time two years ago spanning over two days. Paige could recall fuzzy images of demon fighting and temp jobs. Nothing from that period of time came back clearly. She asked Leo and her sisters about it, but they had not experienced anything similar. Leo told her she was probably just stressed, and nothing of too much importance had happened during those 70 odd hours. Now Paige thought she knew what had happened, at least in part.
"Did you do something, in the past that changed things?" Paige asked her oldest sister. She had a feeling the answer would be yes.
"Well…" Piper said slowly.
Phoebe looked shocked. "Piper, what did you do?" she asked.
And so Piper explained. She spoke into rapt silence for nearly half an hour. When she finished her voice was growing quite hoarse. Her sisters and Leo believed her without question. They were grateful for what she had done and they all thanked her. Her family was a great audience. As she told her story, they gasped in the right places, they cheered when demons were vanquished. After Piper was finished, it was her turn to listen.
They filled in the blanks for her. She was happy to know that Paige was happily with Kyle, and they were still expecting their first child. She and Leo were still together and also happily expecting a baby. Phoebe had a boyfriend, and things were getting pretty serious. Demon attacks were less frequent, and less serious. Leo was headmaster at magic school, and Paige held a teaching job there. From what she could gather, her life was as perfect as she could ever hope it to be.
The most import thing was that they were all alive. She had stopped hoping to have a normal life. She was perfectly happy with the life she had. Her family was together and they were happy. Piper wouldn't have it any other way.
After this there'll be an epilogue which wraps everything up. Please R&R. If you like my writing please read and review "Trouble in Paradise".