Disclaimer: See First Chapter.
Author't Note: Hi again!
This is just for Phoebe fans. I didn't want you to think I'd forgotten her! It's more aquickglimpse of the next chapter than an actual chapter, but I hope you all enjoy it anyway!
The kitchen was in an uproar when he entered it. A mess of people, voices, and food…
"Well someone has to pick the cake up!" Piper was exclaiming in exasperation, as she held Becky's hands—Becky who was hopping up and down on the counter.
"The only person who can be in two places at once is the birthday boy," Paige stated calmly, she popping a grape into her mouth, "And you siad he's not to participate in the setting up process..." her tone was smug.
"Paige you could do it!" Piper stated, glaring at her sister.
"I have a confernced!"
"Re-schedule!"
Paige released a long sighed; and Chris somehow knew this was his perfect moment for his entrance.
"My party's not worth you re-arranging a conference?" he asked in his most wounded voice as he fully entered the room.
Paige whirled around, grinning, "Well you did call me Paige this morning!"
Chris grinned, "I apologized."
Paige arched an eyebrow, "Did you?" she asked.
He rolled his eyes, "I'm so sorry, Aunt Paige..." Chris drawled out the words.
"Well... in that case; I guess I could re-schedule something and pick up the cake..." she conceded.
"Unca k-wiss! Unca k-wiss!" Becky squealed, still hopping on the table.
"Did you know your father was taking Lee out?" Piper asked, her brow furrowed "Did he tell you how long he's gonna be gone? I was counting on him to start orbing stuff over to the club."
His gaze shifted to his mother, "Uh... no, he didn't tell me; it was a spur of the moment thing... Lee asked and he had already promised so..."
"In other words they played him," Paige inserted, but Chris kept his gaze on his mother.
"They said they'd be back before dinner..." he finished telling her.
Piper nodded, trying to tame Becky who was attempting to launch herself at Chris from the countertop. Chris walked over to her and caught her as she bounced off it.
He grinned when she squealed, "Unca K-wiss!"
"Hey there!" he said pressing a quick kiss to her forehead, "You're kinda excited aren't ya!"
Becky gurgled and began playing with the buttons on his shirt.
"Phoebe gave her a cookie." Piper stated as though that explained everything.
His gaze lifted from the child and he searched the kitchen.
Phoebe.
She was sitting at the table, her fingers flying over the keyboard of her laptop, her gaze intent on the screen.
At the mention of her name her gaze lifted and when she found Chris she grinned, "There he is!" she cried, jumping up from the chair.
"The birthday-party boy!"
And suddenly she was standing right in front of him, grinning up into his face and… pinching his cheek?
"You are just the cutest almost twenty-three-year-old in the entire galaxy. Yes, you are…" she said in teasing tone.
The smile the came lit his face started somewhere deep inside as the realization struck – she was cooing at him…
With deliberate movements, not caring if he was drawing suspicion or not, he pulled away from her, handed Becky to his mother, turned back to Phoebe and pulled her into an embrace; quite nearly lifting the tiny woman off her feet.
"Ooh!" she squeaked, as he held he her. Chris smiled a little, but his eyes were closed as he pressed his face against the top of her head.
"Well aren't we just the sweetheart today…" Phoebe stated, hugging him back a moment later.
He didn't answer; didn't want to bother.
She was okay.
They were all okay.
Everything was okay… everything in his world…
"Chris?" he heard her say his name, a tinge of concern lilting her voice. She was running her hands soothingly over his back and he realized suddenly that he'd been holding onto to her very tightly.
Slowly, he released her.
"Are you okay, sweetie?" she asked gently, her hand reaching up to touch his cheek in a not-teasing way.
He nodded quickly, stepping back abruptly, "Yeah, yeah… I just…" he trailed off.
"Let me guess," his mother piped in, her voice skeptic, "She was in the nightmare too…"
"What nightmare?" Phoebe asked.
"He had a nightmare?" Paige echoed.
"Unca K-wiss…" Becky pouted, feeling neglected that she'd been cast aside.
"When's dinner gonna be ready?"
Mattie's sullen voice, filled the silence that had momentarily descended upon the kitchen.
The younger boy had been addressing his Aunt Pip as he walked through the door, not realizing that the majority of his family was gathered on the other side.
He froze now; obviously seeing his mother for the first time.
Paige whirled on her son, "So you've got yourself an impromptu vacation, huh?" she snarled at him, her eyes livid.
Mattie looked hesitant for an instant, before his chin lifted and defiance settled across his features, "That's right." He hissed, "… gotta problem with that?"
"Watch that tone, mister," Paige hissed back.
"Or what?" the boy challenged.
Chris's temper erupted, he turned in Mattie's direction and without a pause, reached out and chucked the boy on the back of the head, "You don't talk to her like that." He growled at his young cousin, his eyes threatening.
He didn't go through all the trouble of saving the world, so his little cousin could make his aunt's life miserable.
The kitchen was dead silent for a moment.
Until Mattie realized he'd just been smacked, the glower he'd been directing towards his mother shifted to Chris, "What are you now? The glowing defender? Yet another incredibly good deed for the perfect Christopher, huh? Well you know what? You can kiss my ass-"
"MATTHEW HALLIWELL!"
It wasn't Paige's voice that rang out in the kitchen. It was Piper's.
And it was beyond furious.
Her heated gaze was focused directly on her only nephew and if the boy had had any sense he would've looked down.
Instead he met her gaze defiantly.
"Don't you ever curse in front of my granddaughter!" Piper hissed at him, "Do you understand?"
For a moment Mattie's gaze flitted to Becky who was no longer giggling. All the yelling had made her uncertain and her bottom lip was beginning to quiver. But he quickly looked away from the sweet baby and met his aunt's gaze, "Well then tell your baby boy to keep outa my business!"
"I will as soon as you show you're mother the respect she deserves!" Piper hissed back.
"Go to your room Matthew; we'll discuss this later." Paige stated, her voice deadlyquietly.
"Oh, will we?" the boy drawled out sarcastically.
"If you think this little display of yours is gonna go unpunished because we're on the eve of a party you can just forget it." Paige hissed, "Tonight there is no party for you and by this time next week I swear you'll be begging me to let you go back to school."
Mattie nodded sardonically, his eyes bright with anger, "Will I…"
"If you don't I'm sure Magic School would be happy to have you stay for the rest of the year…"
For the first time something besides anger flitted across Mattie's face; something that looked suspiciously like dread, "You can't keep me at Magic School year round it's illegal…"
"Home schooling is really popular now'a'days," Paige cut in, her gaze hard, "Now go to your room."
"Are you gonna starve me too?" he asked.
"JUST GO." Paige snarled.
And the boy must have realized he'd pushed enough. He turned to leave but not before shooting Chris a loathsome look.
Chris met his gaze and knew instantly what it was this boy needed. He'd seen that look before; in the eyes of troupe leaders who'd lost men in the field. Angry eyes. Anger that came from some unidentifiable place inside, directed at something elusive and vague.
There was only one way to get rid of anger like that.
A good, hearty ass kicking.
And watching as the boy slammed the kitchen door shut, Chris knew he'd be quite happy to oblige the boy.
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