Thank you so much for your reviews and encouragement to keep writing! I hope I don't disappoint…fyi: the stars are the beginning and the end of a flashback for Chris.

-Abs

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She felt his lips lightly touch hers before she opened her mouth a little for a softer, more sensual, more intimate kiss. There was no point in opening her eyes. She knew exactly who he was by the way he touched her, moved on the bed, even the smell of his shampoo, "Good morning, Cooper?" Chloe laughed as she opened one eye.

"He better not be kissing you like that," Trey pouted as Chloe reached up and pulled him back down into another passionate kiss.

"No, he doesn't kiss me like that," she slipped her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Don't tempt me kill him, Chloe, cause I will," Trey kissed her on the top of the head, "He's been getting on my last nerve."

Chloe sighed deeply thinking of the images she had seen from Cooper's childhood the night before. "He's been through a lot, Trey. And I think he is battling some inner demons as well as the ones of the world."

"As long as he does it without kissing my girlfriend we shouldn't have any more problems," Trey got up from the bed and grabbed a jacket before tossing Chloe one of his long-sleeved shirts. "It's nice to have you back," he turned back to her with a pot in his hands. He waved his hand over the dirt as a small plant began to emerge from the soil. Within seconds it had bloomed into a gorgeous red rose. He clipped it and handed it to his love. Chloe melted. Trey sat back down on the bed with her, "I've missed you, and I love you. We all need you around here. Chris is absolutely intolerable when you're gone. Sometimes I wonder who loves you more—me or him."

"Oh, it's so different," Chloe stiffened up.

"I know," Trey rubbed his hand down her arm, "you're like his little sister. But he worries, so much, Clo. He doesn't trust Wyatt. And neither do I."

Chloe leaned forward and put her head into Trey's chest as he draped his arms around her neck, "I know you don't. But I do. I really don't think he is bad, Trey. I know his actions speak otherwise, but I am not convinced that it is by choice," she sat back to look into Trey's eyes. He began to protest but she placed her finger to his lips, "No, he doesn't have me fooled. And I know he is powerful—too powerful to be under a spell."

Trey grabbed Chloe's hand and pulled it away from his mouth, "How many times do I have to tell you to let me ask the question out loud before you answer?"

Chloe shook her head with a wink and a smile before leaning over to put her fuzzy pink slippers back on her feet. "Probably as often as I have to tell you to stop worrying."

Trey grabbed her arm as she tried to walk away, "I worry because I love you. When I stop worrying is when you know something is wrong. If I lost you," his voice became shaky.

"You won't, angel. I do trust Wyatt. He is not going to put me in any greater danger than I can handle," she pulled Trey's shirt over her head and made her way to the sofa. "It's just getting harder and harder for me to play both sides. I want to be here fighting with you. I'm good. But sometimes it's too easy playing the evil part. And these past few weeks have been especially hard," she picked up the newspaper that was sitting on the sofa beside her. In her mind she saw the fighting, the open bartering for powers on the streets, innocents living in community shelters protected by good magic to shield them from the gang wars going on outside. It was chaos. "This is not the way it's supposed to be. I know it's not."

"That's what Chris keeps saying," Trey joined her on the couch, "But I don't know how else it should be."

Chloe let another image flood her mind—an image from her dreams. The image was one of her mother, her father, her aunts, her cousins, and Leo sitting around a table and enjoying a meal together. She looked to be around eight, Chris eleven, and Wyatt thirteen. They were laughing and enjoying each other's company. Nobody talked about demons. Nobody talked about death. And everyone was genuinely happy. "I had a dream," she confessed, "and not one of those bad dreams that I keep having. Not one of the ones where I feel like I am living someone else's memories. This one was like a vision. Like it was something that really happened, except it hasn't." She explained the dream to Trey with vivid detail, even down to the chocolate mocha truffle Piper had made for dessert, "With candles on top because it was my birthday," she smiled, "That was the way things should have been. But they weren't," tears began to form in Chloe's eyes, "My dad had to start shimmering between dimensions when I was five because he was being hunted by the new source and the Avatars had labeled him a deserter. I have very few memories of Leo, but none of them include him being at family meals. And my mom, Piper and Paige, I never saw them that relaxed, that happy. They never thought we were safe."

Trey picked up her hand and kissed it, "But what can we do, baby? You see the past to help us solve problems in the present. How does seeing a vision of what should have been effect what is now?"

"I don't know," Chloe sighed standing, "I don't know what it means anymore than what the nightmares mean." She knew she had to tell Trey how she planned to begin to understand. She also knew that he was going to protest heavily. "I've got to tell you something," she turned to him quickly.

"That's never a good way to start a new conversation," Trey hesitantly replied.

"I'm going to visit my dad," Chloe braced for the worst.

"Ok."

"Ok? You're not going to protest?" she was shocked.

"No, I'm not. Chloe, he's your dad and you are the only person in the world who can find him. Literally. And I know that right now you need him more than ever. These dreams might be your powers progressing and he is the only one left who can explain them to you," Trey answered honestly.

Chloe rose from the sofa before leaning down to kiss Trey tenderly on the lips, "Thank you. I won't be gone long. I only have five days leave. I'll tell Chris," she opened the door, "Trey?"

"Yeah," he stood and put his hands in his jacket pockets while checking her out.

"I love you, too," she smiled and closed the door.

-----

Chris orbed into the cemetery behind a withered rose bush. He scanned the area for any demonic watchmen before running up the steps and into the mausoleum. He waved his hand and unlocked the door as he slid inside. Chris took a couple of tentative steps towards the Halliwell wall. Before him read the names of Patricia, Penelope, Prudence, Paige, Piper, and Phoebe. He held open the palms of his hands as a white rose formed out of purple orbs. He bowed his head, "I promise that I will not rest until this has been changed. Until each one of your deaths has been revenged. I know this is not the future that you fought for and not the future you wanted for us. I'm going to change it. I promise." There was the sound of dropping chains as Chris turned to see two thugs walking into the mausoleum. He quickly orbed out.

He found himself sitting on top of the Golden Gate Bridge when he gathered himself. He found some sort of solace there—even though the view was anything but pleasant. The bay was dark, even though he could swear it was around noon. What had once been a magnificent view of the Presidio, Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz—now looked like the remains of a nuclear holocaust. Yet whenever Chris needed to think, this is where he found himself. He was perched high above the water, on the tallest tower support, legs curled under his chin, and quiet. His only occasional visitors were the few gulls that were scouring the city for the any remains of food.

One of the few memories from his childhood of his father was directly linked to this place. Leo brought him here to teach him how to use his powers. Unlike Wyatt, Chris was slower at developing his extra-perception senses. "You're not willing to let go," Leo used to tell him, "You have to relax and trust your instincts. Clear your mind." Leo would tell him stories of how when he first became an elder he would come here to think, to concentrate, and to connect with the other elders. He would assure him that he would understand "some day" with a wink and a sly smile. Thinking back on it gave Chris an awkward queasiness in his stomach—a twinge of familiarity that he couldn't explain. Almost as though it wasn't a memory from his childhood at all. Almost as though it had actually happened in the not too distant past. He quickly shook his head to rattle the thoughts lose, "That's not why you're up here, Halliwell," he mumbled to himself. "Today's the anniversary. The ten year anniversary," he caught himself, "ten years? No, five years." Where did that come from? He thought. "Today is the five year anniversary," he sighed as his eyes grew unfocused from staring off into the distance.

"Chris, pack your things. You're taking Chloe and you're getting out of here," Piper ordered as she walked into the attic tossing Chris a bag.

"What?" Chris picked up the bag exasperated with his mother, "You are not sending me away."

Piper paced the room, "The issue is not up for debate," she simply stated. She looked over her youngest son. He had her fighting spirit and sense of responsibility to family. She knew he would be an asset. His powers were progressing—he could now cause objects to disassociate. He could expertly disassociate a wall while simultaneously sending a lamp flying through it. Chris also never shied away from a fight. Sometimes Piper was convinced that he would look for demons just to work out his negative feelings for his brother by taking out the demons. It made sense to her. Piper had turned into a demon fighting fiend when Prue died—and again in the alternate reality Cole had created before his vanquish. It was in Chris's blood to fight, "To hell with the pacifist whitelighter genes," Piper had scoffed at Chris's first vanquish at age one. "He's a mama's boy." And he was. Now Piper was asking her baby boy, her only child left to carry on the Halliwell blood as Wyatt had turned. Just the thought of Wyatt's betrayal brought tears to her eyes and a knot in her chest. Piper opened Chris's closet and pulled out and armful of shirts and tossed them in his direction.

"Yeah, it is. If you are going into this fight against the Kakó, then I'm going with you. And do you honestly think that Phoebe is going to be able to keep Chloe out of it?"

"Yes!" Piper threw the bag on the floor, "Yes, I do," she stormed up to her son and grabbed him by the shoulder, "I have lost my mother, grandmother, sister, husband and oldest son to evil. I am not losing you or Chloe, too. I refuse! You hear me!" she yelled through the roof. "Now pack that bag and get your cousin. You are leaving."

Chris remembered Piper's touch on his face. She ran her fingers down his cheeks before pulling him tightly into a hug. Her tears dripped to his shoulder. Chris could smell the vanilla in her hair. If he closed his eyes now, he could still feel her fingers as they ran down his cheek. I have to shake it off, Chris thought. But he couldn't…

"What are you doing? Get out of my stuff," Chloe waved her hand as the lid to the trunk Chris was rooting through shut on his hand. "And I can't believe you orbed here. Do you know how much trouble you could get in? Hello, witch in the underworld times two."

"Shut up," Chris's eyes were cold. He flicked his pointer finger and the lid to the trunk flew off the hinges and onto the floor.

Chloe's tone sobered and her eyes ballooned, "What's going on, Chris," her sixteen year old voice trembled. "What aren't you telling me?" Chris didn't answer, he gathered her shirts and other belongings into a bag. "Dad!" Chloe called knowing that Cole would be able to hear her. "Dad," she turned to the door in the cave in which Cole had stowed her.

"You do realize, sweetie, that when you yell, it has the potential of giving your location away," Cole practically snarled, "it will kill both your mother and me if that were to happen," he kissed his daughter. "Hello, Christopher," Cole winked. "Why are you here? And how did…" Cole paused, "I forgot. The spell."

Chris looked between Cole and Chloe. He doesn't know, Chris thought, He can't tell you.

Chloe's eyes searched Cole's before turning to her father's sky blues, "What's going on, daddy?"

Cole finally noticed the bags in Chris's hands, and realization swept his face. "Nothing, princess. Go with Chris."

Her head tilted to the side and she blinked her eyes. I'm going to find out, she shot a thought to Chris. She put her hand on Cole's cheek. There was nothing, absolutely nothing…until she saw him standing there looking back at her. "I can't tell you, you can't know. This fight is for you, and you can't participate." Her eyes flew open as she held up her fist and Cole flew back.

In a shimmer he was standing back in front of her, taking her hands in his, watching the tears of anger flood her eyes, "You have my temper, that much has never been in question. And you're right, I blocked your powers. Don't forget who I am," he winked, "and don't forget who you are. You," he looked up indicating Chris as well, "are the future of good magic. Your mothers and your aunts, and all things good, are fighting to protect you. Let them. Let me. I love you, my princess," he kissed her hand and shimmered out.

Chloe pulled Cole's black cloak off the wall, "I'm taking this," she ran her finger over the gold pendant, "I am willing to bet he's not going to need it anymore after this." And looping her arm through Chris's, she surveyed the room one last time before he orbed away.

"Absolutely dismal. I have no idea why you come here," Chloe sat beside Chris.

"You didn't…"

"Shimmer? No. Why shimmer when all I have to do is close my eyes and flash, I'm here," Chloe looked to Chris who stared vacantly out at San Francisco Bay. "I can't hear you," she waved her hand in front of his eyes.

He grabbed her wrist, "Because I'm not talking to you," he dropped her hand before she could read him. "Chloe, life has got to be better than this. I don't remember the last time I laughed."

Chris's comment made Chloe laugh, "I do. That night we were at P3," she chuckled, "You were so drunk, man, that you fell through a chair."

Chris slowly turned his head to his cousin who was still smiling, "What are you talking about?"

Chloe's smile faded, "I guess it was a dream," she turned to look at Chris, but the look in his eyes told a different story. "But it wasn't a dream, was it?"

"It was a dream," he tried to shake the memory away.

"No, it wasn't," Chloe stood up. "You know what I'm talking about Chris, I see it in your eyes." She waved her hand to make Chris stand and grabbed him by the arm before he could protest. Chloe suddenly saw a vision of P3, where she and Chris were playing blind telekinetic darts in a room lit only by blue orbs and small fireballs. "How could we possibly be dreaming the exact same thing?"

Chris jerked his arm out of Chloe's hand, "Let me go," he mumbled.

She inched closer to him as Chris continued to shy away from her gaze, "You're having them, too. I know you are. You're not at the same risk I am, so you don't think it's a threat. But it is. You're still vulnerable, too." Chris didn't answer Chloe's accusation. "Last night, when I went into your room, you were having a nightmare. I took your hand, to try to wake you, and when I did I saw your dream. It felt like a memory, didn't it?"

"It doesn't mean anything," Chris's voice was once again icy.

"It does," Chloe crossed her legs and levitated above the bridge, "it does, and you know it."

Chris rolled his eyes and sat back down on the bridge. Chloe was right, he had been having nightmares for weeks. He had visions of Paige as a statue, the sisters defeating the Titans as Greek goddesses, of being turned into a spider demon, of cigars with Grandpa Victor, and a man named Gideon. The images had become so vibrant that there were nights he could not sleep, and other nights he did not want to wake up. Far too many of his dreams involved images of his mother, father and brother living together—happy—and as a family. He had no memory of what it meant to be a part of a real family other than those dreams. When he was awake all he could remember was his father's absence, his brother's decent, and his mother's heartbreak. "If you're right," Chris broke the silence, "and I'm not saying that you are. How do you intend to fix it?"

Chloe shook her head, "I don't know. That's why I'm going to see my dad."

He knew that's what she was going to say long before the words came out of her mouth. Chloe missed her father so much. She has always been daddy's little girl even with Cole shimmering in and out of dimensions. "I think that's wise."

"I am continually shocked," she laughed, "First Trey is ok with it and now you are. You know the world has gone to hell when the two of you agree. Maybe it's finally snowing in the hot place. What do you say I shimmer us down there and we find out?" she winked.

Chris finally smiled, "That will be our vacation for when you get back safely from your dad's. I've heard the underworld is nice nowadays. More demons topside, more room to run, play or ski, if you're right, down below."

Chloe punched him on the arm as she stood up, "That's the Chris I know and love." She then reached into the bag that was draped over her shoulder and pulled out six white roses, "I remember, too," she floated them into Chris's lap. They shared a look before he took her hand to orb them back to the forest.

-----

"We're not going to be able to reach you. What if we need to reach you?" Maggie's accent clinched her words.

"You'll be able to find me. You're always able to find me," Chloe stirred the bubbling concoction in front of her.

"You weren't traveling across dimensions before," Cooper sat on a log bench alongside the fire, "Plus we've always had Chris, the original On-star© for finding you."

"You'll find a way," Chloe dropped her last ingredient in with a small explosion. "Done," she coughed.

"Why are you even using a potion anyway? Why not shimmer?" Cooper huffed.

Chloe's eyes crossed as she measured out a precise amount of amber liquid into a bucket with a brush in it. She then approached the mirror that was standing next to the fire, "Because I can't," she smiled as she began painting the mixture onto the mirror, "If I shimmer out of this dimension it will alert all sorts of demons. Besides, this way I get to use my creative side," she splattered the remaining potion on the mirror as it glowed orange before flashing blue. A fiendish smile graced Chloe's lips, "Excellent."

"You do know precisely where Cole is?" Chloe's heart skipped upon hearing the voice. "You're not going to get lost?"

She turned into Trey, who was carrying her black cloak and bag to her, "I do know exactly where I am going. Dad told me. And I can sense him. No worries, remember? I might not be able to shimmer out, but I can walk out."

A silent figure lurked at the edge of the forest line. He never said a word, but watched as Chloe prepared for her departure, Why am I letting you go? He thought. You're all that I left.

Chloe turned her eyes over Trey's shoulder to Chris, Because you don't have a choice. You know that I'll be back, she looked him straight in the eyes as Trey hugged her tight. "He's the only one who can take better care of me than you," she whispered knowing Chris would be able to hear her as well as Trey.

I know, Chris thought at the same moment as Trey said it out loud, "But that doesn't make it any easier," Trey reluctantly let her go.

Chloe picked up her bag, "The portal is only good for seventy two hours—it's the equivalent of a weekend. I'll be back," she smiled, I promise.

"See if Cole has anything fun to send back. The scepter he sent last time is incredible," Cooper stood smiling.

"Done. Love you all," Chloe raised her eye beyond the fire ring to Chris before walking through the mirror.

"Blessed be," Trey, Cooper and Maggie said together.

"Blessed be," Chris orbed away.