Disclaimer: Do not own Charmed. I do own the plot though.
A/n: Back from vacation. Had a great time. Well I should warn you before I start this chapter. I have no idea how well this chapter is going to turn out. I don't know exactly how I'm going to start it. I just need to get it done so bear with me. Here it goes.
Chapter 5: A Family
Leo and the Halliwells, future and present, were gathered in the kitchen. Piper Halliwell had a steaming mug of coffee in her hands. Her sisters held similar mugs with the same warm liquid inside them. Chris and Melinda sat at the table, also with mugs in their hands, but the mugs were filled with Piper's famous hot chocolate.
Leo was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Phoebe sat at the table across from her newly discovered niece and Paige was next to her "mom of three times" sister in front of the island. Ever since the surprising news had been shared in the attic, the family had been talking in the kitchen.
Melinda took a sip of her hot chocolate.
"Great as ever mom," Melinda said. Chris nodded his head in agreement. Piper beamed at the comment.
"So what exactly happened to make Chris come back to the past?" Leo asked his teenage daughter. "We know he didn't come back voluntarily. Not to be mean, Chris, but you did sorta die. And if he came back from a future were he didn't die, like a good future, how come he remembers coming back?"
"Let's take this one step at a time. Yes Chris did die. But he didn't come from the future you're thinking of." Melinda started her explanation.
"You mean we didn't change the future after all. My son is going to be the ruler of all evil! Again! How many times does this have to happen?" Piper interrupted her daughter. She couldn't bare it if her son became evil again. The thought made her sick to her stomach. After all the times her and her family had prevented that, she was beginning to think it was meant to happen.
"Mom, mom, mom," Melinda tried to calm her mother down. "He's not going to become evil."
"But you just said…" Piper questioned Melinda.
"I know what I said. Chris remembers everything because he came from the alternate future where Wyatt was evil. His future. See when he died, he created a time loop. Going to and from the future totally messed up things for him."
"What you mean, "messed things up"? Chris asked his sister.
"Well when you died, you went back to the future. There, Wyatt healed you. Some time later you came back to the past."
"He came back to the past? Why didn't you come here then, Chris?" Phoebe asked.
Melinda answered for her older brother.
"He was kind of unconscious. We were attacked by demons and one of them managed a good hit. Chris vanished in the middle of it. He was soon back though. Anyway, Chris is doomed forever to keep traveling from future to past."
"What?" Chris sat there with a shocked look on his face.
"Chris is going to keep time traveling forever?" Leo asked his daughter.
"No. That's why I'm here. My traveling to the past should break the loop."
"What do you mean should?" Phoebe questioned.
"Time travel is tricky," Melinda answered truthfully.
Melinda's words hit a nerve in Leo. His crystal blue eyes grew cold. Chris noticed his father's change in demeanor.
"What's wrong dad?" Chris asked. Melinda turned to look at Leo.
"Hmm, oh nothing," Leo replied. He gave his children a smile, but his eyes remained icy. Melinda and Chris weren't convinced. Chris turned to Melinda and raised an eyebrow. Melinda shrugged in response.
Painful memories swirled in Leo's mind. His daughter's words reminded him of certain people he despised. Leo's anger boiled and threatened to consume him. His anger flashed in his eyes. Leo clenched his fists. Yet at the same time, sadness and remorse flickered across his features. He looked as if tears threatened to fall. The whole time, Melinda was observing her father. She searched his eyes for what was causing his strange behavior. Then she recognized it. She had seen that look many times before. That was the look her father got every time Chris was almost killed.
"Oh," Melinda let out an understanding gasp. "I'm so sorry dad. I shouldn't have said that." But Piper wasn't understanding.
"Shouldn't have said what?" she asked.
"That thing about time travel," Melinda answered her mother then turned to Leo. "Don't worry about it anymore, dad. It's in the past. You got that bastard."
"Excuse me? Watch your language missy!" Piper scolded.
"Sorry, but it's true. Gideon was a heartless, unfeeling, betraying, son of a…" Piper gave Melinda a glare. Then as the words hit her, she let out a gasp. She finally understood.
"Oh, Leo." Piper gave her husband a hug. Gideon's treachery had been hard on the whole family. It had been especially hard on Leo. Leo, who had held his son as he died, betrayed by someone he looked up to. But Piper's husband had destroyed Gideon and their son was standing in front of them right now, alive.
"Leo look, it's over now. Melinda's right. Not to put it in her words, but you did take care of him. And look, Chris is alive. He's fine," Piper tried to reassure her husband.
"You're right Piper," Leo nodded his head. He was starting to gain control of his feelings again.
"Speaking of words, Melinda just where did you learn that language? Hmm young lady?" Piper was curious as to her daughter's answer. Her sisters and husband showed interest too. Leo gave Melinda a questioning look.
"Well, umm…" Melinda said uneasily. Suddenly she pointed to Chris.
"What! Me? Was not!" Chris argued with his sister. Leo raised an eyebrow.
"Chris?" Leo watched his son squirm.
"It wasn't me!" Chris tried to convince his family he was innocent. He turned to Melinda. "This is your fault. You know it's not me." Melinda flashed him a huge smile. Chris searched his parents for a sign that they believed him. He found nothing.
"I give up!" Chris shrugged his shoulders in defeat. "I can never win. Not against Miss Spoiled over there." He pointed to Melinda.
Phoebe laughed at Chris' words. She could totally believe it. When Piper first had Wyatt he was spoiled enough, but with a daughter Piper would spoil her rotten. Of course her sister would believe Melinda over Chris. Paige had the same thought and soon joined Phoebe.
"It's okay Chris I believe you," Paige gave her nephew a quick squeeze.
"You're the only one who ever did," Chris said.
He turned to Melinda and stuck his tongue out at her. She stuck hers out in reply. Piper stood between them and held out her hands.
"Alright you two, break it up," she playfully scolded. Leo laughed at his kid's antics. He had just met his daughter and all ready they were family. Leo wished he could stay like this forever.
'Sorry, but it can't,' a voice drenched in sorrow said in Leo's mind.
Leo searched around the room for the owner to the voice. He found no one, but he could've sworn he saw a deep glimmer of sadness in Melinda's eyes. Piper noticed him searching the room and turned to him.
"What's wrong Leo?" Her face was full of concern. Leo did not want to worry his wife so he gave her a gentle smile.
"Nothing," he said. But he wasn't convinced.
A/n: I finished it. There ya go. I apologize sincerely for its lack of excitement. I just wasn't very inspired. It's kind of boring. I'll try much harder next chapter. See ya next chapter! P.S. rate and review:heart: