Disclaimer: See first chap.
Author's Note: Hi! I decided to post the second chapter up right away so you can all get a feel for what I'm doing.
I know these types of stories have been done-- a lot. But I've never done one and I want a chance to write about the future Halliwells and what they're like.
I'm actually having a lot of fun writing it and I hope you all enjoy it.
Thanks for reading!
Oh! P.S. "Cia" is pronounced See-a
Okay, read on...
One incredibly long moment later they step out into magic school. For a moment Chris and Leo saw the bustling activity of the Great Hall, when suddenly everything froze.
"Wha-" Chris stuttered as he quickly whirled around taking in the frozen scene.
"Did you do that?" He asked father.
"Me? No!" Leo nearly yelled, then turning around as his son did, he called out in general, "What's going on? Who did that?"
"We did." A calm voice stated.
Both men whirled around yet again to find themselves staring at the cleaners. Chris groaned, "Oh great, you guys…" he muttered.
"That is our sentiment as well," one of cleaners responded.
"Your family is quite nearly more trouble than they're worth," the other muttered.
Leo arched an eyebrow, "They're worth quite a lot." and then, "What are you doing here?"
The first cleaner eyed them both, then said solemnly, "We are here to explain the situation to you…"
"So explain," Chris growled his gaze shooting out to the frozen students and staff in the Hall, his heart thudding in his chest as his mind contemplated all the things that could have gone wrong.
"In the year 2004 the threat to your brother Wyatt is neutralized, thus his future cemented as a being of good. After which it is the decision of the Council of Elders, of which you father is a part, that the memories of the Charmed Sisters be cleared of the events of that year."
"What!" Both men yelled at the same time.
"The decision was unanimous," the cleaner continued, shooting Leo a superior look, "All the elders agreed to it."
"I wouldn'-"
"I'm afraid you did… or will, as the case stands. Regardless, the memories of the Charmed Sisters were cleared of those events."
"What does that mean?" Chris asked his voice hoarse, "Did Wyatt turn? Did they forget? The threat was neutralized weeks ago and their memories haven't been cleared…"
"Our job is not to explain the events that have happened, or once again, as the case stands, will happen. Only to explain the current situation. It was the decision of the Council of Elders that due to your hard work in the year of 2004 you would be allowed to take note of the changes you perpetuated."
Chris glanced at his father quickly, before looking back at the Cleaner, "I changed things?" He asked, holding his breath.
The cleaners' mouth twitched, "Yes, young man, you changed things. And you are being given the opportunity to see these changes in comparison to your world for a period of twelve hours."
Again Chris stared at him blankly, the words refusing to register… he'd heard nothing but: …you changed things…
Leo seeing his sons' confusion spoke, "What happens after twelve hours?"
"The memories of his past life will fade, and only this life… his new life… will remain." The Cleaner answered simply.
"They'll fade!" Chris exclaimed suddenly.
The second cleaner glanced at him, and Chris was surprised to see something almost like sympathy in his eyes, "You will not miss what you do not remember, boy."
"But-"
"There is no negotiating this… one human being will not be allowed two sets of memories. It was voted that you would keep the new memories, not the old. And so it shall be." The first cleaner replied and Chris swallowed hard.
It would be better like that anyway, he told himself—less confusion, no nightmares…
"It'll be okay, Chris…" Leo said to him comfortingly, "You'll see… things will be better this time around… I know things will be different…"
Chris nodded numbly, but the way Leo grabbed his arm, caused him to focus on his father more alertly, "I didn't let you down, Chris…" Leo said steadily, "…it's better now." He repeated and as Chris looked into his father's eyes, he nodded slowly, taking strength from the determined glint of the man's eyes.
Things would be better now.
Leo stared at him a moment more, before being satisfied that the boy believed, then he turned back to the Cleaners, "Is that all?" He asked.
The Cleaners shook their heads, after a moment the first spoke, "We will be returning you to 2004."
The words echoed in the silent hall, before Leo exploded, "Like hell you will!" he growled at the man. "I'm not leaving him alone."
"He will not be alone. You will be here… the version of you that belongs here." The cleaner replied.
"You just said that you erased-"
"Yes, of the sisters… you, however,are an Elder."
That gave Leo pause, it was true. He wouldn't forget—still…"I won't leave him." He repeated firmly and meant it.
"It's okay, Dad," Chris said quietly, surprising the older man.
Leo looked over at him alarmed, "No. You don't have to do this alone."
"Yes, I do." Chris stated, his eyes on a far off spot, "I have to face the future alone, dad. But it's okay…"
"Chris it's not okay-"
The boy snorted suddenly interrupting his father's words, and gave the man a wry smile, "No your right it's not… I'm scared-"
"Exactly," Leo cut in, "I won't let you-"
Once again Chris cut in, "BUT …" he said emphatically, "I trust you." He said softly, "I trust that you didn't let me down… that things are better… so I have nothing to be scared about… right?"
Leo looked at the boy—and felt his heart clench… this wonderful boy was his… "I didn't let you down." He repeated, and swore with all his heart that he wouldn't. He'd die first.
Chris nodded, his point proven. "You can go Dad… go keep your promise."
Leo took a deep breath, "I don't want to leave you."
Chris shrugged, and released a real smile onto his face, "So don't… go take care of baby me."
A small smile tugged at Leo's lips at that line, and he took a step forward, "I can't put into words how proud I am of you…"
Chris shook his head, taking a quick step back, panic showing in his eyes, "Don't do this Dad…"
God, how he didn't want his Dad to do this.
Bonding with his aunts had been great, fun even; bonding with his mom had been painful and sometimes scary… but so very sweet; bonding with his Dad had been so unexpected that it had blindsided him… he loved his father, always had—but now… now he liked him too.
"I have to Chris," Leo responded, "Because in a few minutes, I'm going to go back to 2004 and smother that baby Chris with so much love and attention he's not going to know what to do with it… I'm going to be the best Dad in the world to that boy… so he's never going to doubt that I love him and that I'm proud of him. You though… you I have to remind…"
"Don't worry about it… in twelve hours… I'll be that little boy so I'll know…" Chris stuttered out, not sure that he'd be able to keep it together with his Dad.
"In the meantime," Leo stated, walking closer, "I want you to know… that from the first moment I hold you in my arms to the day I draw my last breath I will thank fate for the honor of being your father; I swear Chris, I will never stop working at being worthy of the honor."
And with that Leo pulled his son into a hard embrace. For a moment Chris held himself stiffly, but after a moment he relaxed and hugged back. After a moment he held onto this father for dear life—he hugged him hard, knowing that soon he wouldn't remember not hugging his father… but for right now… for right now he hugged for all those times he'd wanted to. For all those times he'd needed his Daddy's arms, his Daddy's comfort…
"Please, Dad… please make it better…" he whispered, the words and tears slipping out against his will. His heart begging for the reassurance just one more time.
"I promise Chris, I swear it." Leo whispered back.
Slowly the men separated.
Hastily they both wiped at their tears. Then turned to face the Cleaners.
"Take it slow," the first one said to Chris, "… they will see you as their version, but you will be lacking the right memories; in twelve hours you will lose the memories of the life you now remember and gain those of the life you've lived in this world."
"Will it hurt him?" Leo asked suspiciously.
"No, he may lose consciousness though." The second Cleaner responded.
"That is all," the first stated. "Enjoy the world you have created, in twelve hours you won't remember your part in bringing it to be."
Slowly the two men and Leo began to fade. Silently Chris watched. His eyes met those of Leo, but they said nothing more… there was nothing more to say. And then they were gone… and Chris stood there… alone.
An instant later the Magic School Great Hall was abuzz with activity once again. Children rushed passed, chatter reverberated off the walls, somewhere a potion blew up and something roared… and he stood there trying to work up the courage to head to the Manor.
"CHRIS!"
The shouting of his name brought him out of his stupor but not in time for him to avoid the young colt of a girl that barreled into him.
"I knew you'd come!" She continued in a very elevated voice, as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pushed the side of her face into his stomach, "You are the coolest cousin in the galaxy!" She added, then looked up at him wide, adoring hazel eyes.
Cousin?
Oh great… he hadn't even had a chance to collect his thoughts before running into family.
The girl frowned suddenly, "You did come to get me didn't you?" she asked worriedly.
Get her?
"Uhhhhh…." He stuttered, trying to come up with something to say.
The girls frown turned pleading, "Oh please Chris, take me with you… puh-leeeeese…"
"Ummmm, listen… I just…"
"Chris?" Another voice called—a voice he knew…
He turned quickly, and stared. It was Paige… as soon as the thought materialized though, he banished it… it wasn't Paige… this woman had dark brown hair tied securely in a French twist, this woman wore the black robe of Headmaster, this woman carried the fine creases of age around her eyes…
This wasn't Paige…
This was Aunt Paige.
And with that thought a great burst of joy filled him… something had changed… in his world Paige hadn't been this happy, this healthy, this alive…
Suddenly, the need to know washed over… to know how much he'd changed, to know what he'd changed. He couldn't contain it, couldn't control it… the need was an entity of it's own… "Mom? Where's Mom? And Wyatt? Where's Wyatt? " He asked her suddenly, not able to keep the frantic tone out of his voice.
To know if he'd saved them…
The slight frown the older woman was wearing intensified, and he noticed that the girl was no longer attached to his waist, "Chris are you okay?"
"Where are they Paige…" he stated, reigning in his emotions a bit, but he knew… in his eyes she could still see the frantic edge.
She shrugged slightly, still eyeing him oddly, "I don't know… Piper's at the Manor, I guess… Wyatt's at work…what's wrong? Are you okay?"
The Manor.
He orbed to the Manor without another word, "MOM!" He called out, almost before he materialized, "MOM!"
He ran into the kitchen, the foyer, the living room, and was heading towards the stairs when she came in from the conservatory.
"Whoa there kiddo, where's the fire?" she asked jokingly. She had a watering can in her hand, and her hair was loose.
Her dark hair, sprinkled with gray; her beautiful face, creased with laugh lines; her wonderful eyes, looking at him with the knowledge of a mother…
"Mom…" he whispered wonderingly and reached her in three long strides. He wrapped her in his arms, watering can and all…
"Uhhhh, okay…" Piper said laughingly, as she hugged her youngest son back… suddenly though she stiffened, "Is something wrong Chris?" she asked her tone worried now, as she pulled herself away.
When she saw the unshed tears in his eyes, her own eyes widened, "Oh baby what is it? What happened?"
He shook his head, "Nu-nothing…" he told her, while telling himself to pull it together. She didn't remember and it was better that way… in twelve hours he wouldn't remember either.
Quickly he glanced at the clock: 12:10
Twelve hours.
"Chris, you're scaring me… what's wrong?" Her sharp words brought him out of his reverie.
Again he shook his head, "Nothing… nothings wrong…"
She frowned at him, and felt his forehead, "Don't you have class today?"
"Class?" he asked, before he could stop himself. He needed to get a grip or he was going to blow this before the first hour was up.
He turned away from her and her piercing gaze, then took a few calming deep breaths. After a moment he turned back, and met that piercing gaze again.
"Okay… I'm feeling a little off today… I didn't sleep well so I'm a little fuzzy around the edges…" he offered.
She nodded slowly, and he watched as the worry faded a little, "What was the bone crushing hug about?" she asked curiously, bending to pick up the watering can she must have dropped during the hug.
"I… uh… I had a nightmare…"
"About?"
"About you…" sudden inspiration struck, "And Wyatt…" he added hastily, "Where is Wyatt?"
Piper stared at her youngest a moment and realized she was going to have to wait until he was ready to share whatever it was that was bothering him.
"I imagine he's at work," she told him, "How about I make you some lunch?" She asked, heading into the kitchen.
"At work…" Chris parroted, remembering that Paige had said that too. Slowly he followed his mother into the kitchen, barely registering her words….
Work was good. Work was normal.
As long as ruling the world with an iron fist wasn't his job—which it couldn't be since his mom was pulling bread out of the fridge—work was great.
"Yes, Chris, at work… fuzzy around the edges is an understatement… why don't you go take a nap or something…"
"I really need to see Wyatt…"
Piper put down her whisk and stared at her son. "Are you sure you don't want to tell me what's going on? A spell gone wrong maybe? Tasting test potions again?"
"Tasting poti- who would be stupid enough to do that?" he asked without giving it thought.
Piper's eyebrows flew to her hairline, "Christopher, what the hell is going on?" She asked sharply. Apparently that was the wrong answer…
"Nuth-"
"No, something is going on, you never waste an opportunity to defend tasting a potion…"
He sighed; it had been stupid to think she wouldn't notice…
"Okay, maybe something… but I have it under control…" he told her, then grinned, "lunch is under your control though… lettuce, tomato, and mayo on that sandwich would be great…" she eyed him suspiciously for a moment before sighing.
"Fine, but I wash my hands of this mess…" She grumbled, "You're practically twenty-three years old you should know if you need help or not… I swear if you get yourself hurt… I'm going to kill you… you'd think that a lifetime of magical issues and he'd learn to keep things simple… to spell it out… but no he still has to try to work it out himself and end up making it worse, if he would ju-"
"Mom?"
She whirled around.
"I love you."
She sighed again, then grinned, "I love you too, baby… but I'm still not happ-"
Piper didn't finish her sentence though, because the sound of orbing filled the kitchen a moment later Paige and the young girl from Magic school materialized.
"Paige!" Piper cried surprised as she set the bowl down, then she frowned as her gaze landed on the girl, "Hey! What are you doing here? Paige she has lessons today…"
But Paige's eyes fastened on Chris, "Are you okay? It took me forever to find someone to cover my classes and then this one here wouldn't let me leave without her…"
"Whoa slow down! What is wrong with everyone today!" Piper cried.
"Chris looked like he'd just been dropped in an alien world without a map or mastery of the language and he called me Paige…" she explained then shot a glare at her nephew.
"Just because you're going to be twenty-three soon doesn't mean you get to call me Paige, mister… I wiped your bottom! I'll be Aunt Paige till your dieing day!"
"You called her Paige?" Piper asked her son, "Why would you do that?"
Chris looked from one to the other; wracking his brain for an explanation… what he really needed was a few minutes alone…
"It… uhhhhh… I was just testing it out… didn't like it though… Aunt Paige is much better…" he told them, hoping it was convincing.
"Damn straight it is," Paige grumbled, then released a sigh and leaned on the counter, "Thank god there's no catastrophe brewing…"
"I'm not so sure about that…" Piper stated looking pointedly at Chris, when he met her gaze though she just grinned and told her sister, "He has it under control…"
Paige groaned and further slumped onto the counter, "I give it till dinner to blow up…"
Piper laughed, and shifted her gaze to the young girl, "Patricia you are supposed to be taking lessons today." She told the girl firmly.
"It's not fair… of all the days…" the girl pouted.
"You'll be finished by six," Piper comforted, and reaching out she ruffled the girl's dark hair, "Did you have lunch already?"
Cia grinned, "A bag of cheese doodles," she told her aunt, "…the crunchy ones, not the puffy…"
"The abomination!" Piper cried in mock horror, "Take a seat there by Chris and I'll have lunch made for you in a jiff… You staying Paige…?"
Paige straightened, "Wish I could, but now that I know Chris has whatever it is under control then I have to head back," her teasing tone, wheedled a smile out of her nephew.
Chris couldn't stop looking around him in wonder…
It had worked… his family was alive and safe and happy… and sort of normal… now if he could just see Wyatt…
It was Paige's laughter that broke him out of his thoughts, "Jeez, he's really out of it today…" and then she was orbing out.
"Bye Aunt Paige…" the girl beside him called out.
Aunt Paige… and she'd said she was his cousin… he looked at her… and a grin bloomed on his face—Phoebe's daughter…
She met his gaze, "You can tell me what it is Chris, I'll help you keep it under control…" she offered sweetly.
And he felt something inside him melt… he was going to adore this little girl in twelve hours… he knew it…
"No thanks Patricia…" he told her softly, and knew he'd said the wrong thing immediately. Her eyes narrowed and Piper stopped slicing tomatoes.
"You don't have to be snotty about it Chris," the girl told him, a bit petulantly, "I just want to help you…"
"I wasn't-"
"You only ever call me Patricia when your being sarcastic… I hate it when you're sarcastic…" she said and looked away.
He looked up and found his mother staring at him as if he'd grown another head. He stood abruptly, "I really need to see Wyatt…"
Piper opened her mouth to respond but once again the tinkling of orb filled the room. This time they materialized to reveal a worried looking Leo. "Paige said Chris was acting weird…" he said to the room in general.
"DAD!" Chris cried, suddenly remembering that his Dad remembered…
The relief he felt was so immense that he practically ran to his father and hugged him. "Whoa… I see what she meant…" Leo muttered, hugging his son back.
"What's wrong buddy?" He asked when Chris pulled away.
"Nothing." Chris and Piper answered at the same time.
Piper shot her son an annoyed look but Chris was much to thrilled to care at the moment, "Dad can I talk to you for a minute…"
"So your father gets to know but not me… that's great Christopher, very fair… I don't feel like left-over parent at all… that's just great…"
Chris turned to his mother, "I just have to ask Dad a question…"
Piper sighed, "Just don't get yourself hurt in this mess, you understand…?" she stated.
He nodded, "I won't… come on Dad…" and he practically dragged Leo from the kitchen. Then up the stairs and into what he knew to be his bedroom… in the old world at least.
"Okay Chris, what is it… I'm getting worried…" Leo asked.
Chris took a deep breath, "It's me…" he said, "I'm Chris…"
"Yes, I know your Chris… I named you… what is going on…"
"No Dad… I'm Chris, the other Chris… the one that has no idea who the hell that little girl down there is…"
Leo stared at him, his eyes widening, "You're Chris?"
Chris nodded, "I'm Chris."
"But you're birthdays not until tomorrow…"
"Oh… that's great… but I still don't know who that kid is…"
"You're Chris!"
"I'm Chris."
A huge grin split Leo's face and Chris suddenly found himself wrapped in his father's fierce hug, "Oh god, Chris…"
Chris laughed, "Yeah…"
"Oh god…I've waited for this day…" he pulled back and grinned, "Since you were born… so I could show you… that I kept my promise…"
Chris grinned back, "Yeah, I can see that… thanks… where's Wyatt?"
Leo stared at him a moment, love and wonder shining in his eyes.
"Dad… Wyatt?"
The older man blinked and then shrugged as he pulled away and tugged his son over to the bed, "Probably-"
"-work," Chris cut him off as he sat, "Yeah, I've heard, what I mean is where that is? And most importantly when can I see him…"
Leo settled himself on the bed as well, and laughed, "You know I tried to teach you patience this time around…didn't work out to well either…"
"Dad!"
"Okay, ok… I just… I really have waited so long to help you through this Chris… let me enjoy it a little huh?"
Chris sighed, "This is just… weird… I saw you like… twenty minutes ago…"
Leo smiled a little, "Yeah, well I saw you like Twenty-three years ago… so let me enjoy the process of walking you through this new life…"
Chris smirked, "Okay, fine…" he took a deep breath, "I just…" he shrugged simply, "I'm excited…"
Leo's smile gentled, "You have twelve hours Chris, you can take is slow… you don't have to find out everything at once…"
"I know… you're right… I would have told myself that eventually… I just… I didn't get a chance to think things through… you and the Cleaners disappeared and then suddenly that girl was hurling herself and me and Paige was there… and…" he released a breath, "Everything happened so fast…"
Leo grinned, "Time travels' a hoot ya know… for you I just promised to make things better… for me I've spent a lifetime keeping that promise…"
Chris nodded, "Mom's alive and Paige seems happy… and you… you're here…"
"Yeah, Chris, I'm here… I've been here for you… always."
The boy looked down, but an infinitely pleased smile slowly bloomed on his face, "That sounds great, Dad… really great…"
Leo nodded, "It was kid, it was wonderful..." He opened his mouth to elaborate, but the knocking on the door stopped.
"Uncle Leo, Aunt Pip says lunch is ready if you and the butt-head want to come down…"
Leo winced as the girls' footsteps receded.
"Jeez, Chris what did you do to her?" he asked.
"Me?" the boy squeaked, "Nothing! I did nothing to her, I've barely spoken to her!"
"If it were one of the other girls, I'd probably believe you… but Cia… she wouldn't call you a butt-head for nothing…"
"Other girls? There's more of them?"
Leo laughed at the horrified look on his face, "I take you didn't have cousins in your world?"
"Just one… a boy… Hey! What did you call her? I thought her name was Patricia?"
Understanding lit Leo's eyes, "Did you call her that?"
"Well yeah… it's her name… I heard Mom say it…"
Leo grinned, "Piper was probably scolding her for something… her full name is Patricia, yes, but she's never called that unless she's in trouble—otherwise she's Cia. Poor girl probably thought you were being sarcastic with her… which you never are…"
Chris nodded, "She said she hates it when I'm sarcastic…"
"She's the baby of the family… very sensitive, you probably hurt her feelings." Leo said, but he sound so amused that Chris glared at him.
"So what do I do…?" he asked.
Leo shrugged, "Dunno… shouldn't be too hard though… she worships the ground you walk on…"
"She did seem pretty happy to see me…" the boy mused after a moment.
"She wants out of her lesson today."
"What lesson?"
"Magic School lesson. None of the kids go to Magic School on a regular basis; just twice a month for a full day. Today is her turn and she doesn't want to stay… wants to help set up for the party."
Chris rolled his eyes, "Dad… I have no memories, remember… what party?"
"Right, sorry. Your party… it starts tonight at midnight…"
"My party…?"
"Yeah… you know… for your birthday…" Leo said grinning. "It's at P3. Your Mom closed the club down tonight."
"I don't understand… why today and not tomorrow…"
"Because tomorrow's Saturday and you can party all day long…" Leo explained still grinning, then he stood, "Come on, Piper'll have a fit if you don't get down there…"
Chris stood too, "What do I do about the girl?"
"Stop calling her "the girl" for starters. She's Cia…"
"Cia, okay, I can remember that…" Chris nodded, as he repeated the name and Leo smiled at him tenderly .
"Let's get this show on the road buddy. Today is going to be a great day…"
Chris nodded again and started following his father, but stopped suddenly, "Class! Mom said I was supposed to be in a class!"
Leo turned back around and glanced at his watch, "Oh yeah… you're a Med student at Stanford in Palo Alto." Then the man frowned, "I wonder how that worked…" he said musingly, "You left here for class this morning… and I hope you didn't just disappear in the hallway or something…"
Chris shrugged and smiled at his father, "Maybe I didn't actually go to class today."
Leo scowled, "That's much too probable."
"I'm a Med student…" he mused.
Leo's scowl faded and he nodded, a look of pride on his face, "Gonna be a doctor… like your old man…"
Chris smiled a little at the pride on his father's face, "Sounds… nice…" he said hesitantly, not sure what he should say. In his world, he'd never gotten the chance to consider going to Medical school, by the time he might of, the world had gone to hell—and all schools had closed... permanently.
"Uhhh…lunch…" Chris reminded his father, when Leo seemed about to speak. He headed for the door again and this time Leo let him.
"I'm glad you're here, son…" he said quietly as Chris opened the door.
The smile Chris turned to his father was warm, "Me too, Dad, me too…"
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