AN: Here's the sixth chapter and with this this is oficially my longest story! It's not a long chapter but the story demanded a stop here! Read and enjoy and please review! Thanks!

Chapter 5.

Chris orbed into the Manor as soon as possible. After he has just heard, he knew that he had to hurry. He had a lot of informants in the Underworld. This was the first thing he cared about when he came to the past. The first place he went when he arrived was the Underworld. It wasn't that hard to find help there as he knew how to blend in there, he had enough experience.

It was very useful to know about the plans of the enemy. He's heard just now that this not so powerful demon, called Shar, stole a powerful amulet from a sorcerer. This amulet made possible for him to repulse every kind of magic. And Shar boasted everywhere that he would get the Twice-Blessed child and give him over to the Great Council. The Council was once the consultative board of the Source and at the moment the only leading authority of the Underworld. Of course there were some powerful demons who worked on their own and tried to gain more and more power but the warlocks and the weaker demons served and supported the Council.

When Chris heard this news he orbed to the P3 where he stored up quite a lot of different vanquishing potions (using mostly the supply of the Halliwell Manor) and took the strongest and then orbed to the Manor, into Wyatt's room.

The scene that greeted him wasn't very promising. Wyatt was screaming his lungs out in his cot, his face red with despair. Piper, Phoebe and Paige were nowhere to be seen. Cole was lying amongst the ruins of the cupboard in which Piper kept Wyatt's clothes. He was blinking dizzily, obviously on the verge of unconsciousness. And the demon was turning back to the cot to get hold of Wyatt.

Chris didn't hesitate but used his power. He swore that he won't use it in the house but there was no other choice now and on the other hand there was nobody who could get suspicious. Or could tell the girls.

The amulet landed on the floor and with that Shar became vulnerable again. Then the potion curted with him easily enough.

This was a close call and Chris sighed relieved when the demon vanished. He stepped closer to the cot but Wyatt didn't lower the shield. How typical… Chris suspected that the baby must feel his controversial feelings. On one hand he loved Wyatt more than anybody else, but he couldn't suppress that different emotion that was very close to hate and despise. And he was ashamed of it. After all, this Wyatt was only a baby…

But now he had other things to do than analyze his own emotions. He felt that his charges were upstairs. At least two of them were and one of those was Piper. He wasn't that good in feeling them as he was only a half-whiteligther but Piper he always could find easier than the other two.

He orbed to the attic and found Phoebe and Piper there, both unconscious however the elder sister was making some noises that indicated that she was slowly coming to.

When he bent over her, she opened her eyes.

"Wyatt!" it was almost a scream and Chris flinched hearing the sharp tone.

"He's okay. The demon is gone."

"How…?"

"I'll tell you later. Leo!"

The Elder appeared immediately.

"What's wrong…?" he's hardly finished the question when he glimpsed the two women lying on the ground.

"I think Phoebe needs some healing" Chris said and then turned back to Piper. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. Take me to Wyatt."

He took her arm and orbed. This time when they arrived in the room, the baby stopped crying and lowered his shield. Piper ran to him and got him out of the cot hugging him tightly.

"It's okay, sweetie… mommy is here…" she said and put some kisses on the top of his small head.

Meanwhile Chris stepped to Cole who was still out cold. One piece of wood pierced into his shoulder and Chris pulled it out then put his hands over the wound. He wasn't such a great healer that's why he usually asked for Leo when one of the girls was injured. The fact that Leo was a member of the family was a good excuse for it, else somebody would have surely asked about it by now. But he could heal, even if a little bit slowly but this case was no emergency.

Soon Cole opened his eyes and the first thing Chris saw in them was suspicion. Shit! Did he see me using my powers? He thought immediately but he waved the thought away. Even if Cole saw it he wouldn't be able to tell anybody and maybe this was just the common mistrust that Cole showed towards everybody. However Chris rather pulled away and let the elder man struggle to the feet alone.

Chris stepped to the corner instead where the amulet fell and took it. It was made of red stone, in the middle an eye circled by two snakes.

"I'll better put this away" he announced.

"I want to hear what happened so don't go away. I'll see you in the attic in a minute" Piper said.

"Okay" and he orbed out not too enthusiastically.

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Piper felt so relieved that she could hold Wyatt in her arms that she didn't even see what was happening around her. Since the day Wyatt was born she was highly overprotective – she knew it – but what else could she do when demons wanted her baby even before he was born! But after a few minutes she calmed down a little bit and watched how Chris healed Cole and picked up that medallion from the floor. She wanted to know what happened and who this demon was. She wanted to know everything that was in connection with his son.

When Chris orbed to the attic – at least she hoped he orbed there, but you could never know with him! – she turned to Cole.

"Are you okay?"

The man was scraping his head as if it hurt but seemed to be all right. Piper didn't expect an answer and she didn't get any but she continued.

"You shouldn't have run after the demon, it could have killed you."

Cole just looked at Wyatt and his eyes told everything. Wyatt stretched out his small arms towards the ex-demon and laughed happily. Piper looked from Cole to his son and then decided quickly.

"You can hold him if you want because as I see it he wants to go to you!" she said.

Cole looked at her stunned and for a moment Piper thought that he would rather run away than take the baby but then he took the offer tentatively. Wyatt made himself comfortable in his arms instantly.

"Could you take care of him while I talk to Chris in the attic? It won't take long, I promise!"

Cole sat down on the bed with Wyatt and it was as good an answer as she could get out of him so she went.

And then it actually took quite long. First they had an argument about the anarchy in the Underworld (which was nothing new considering how it was the fixa idea of Chris!) then Paige orbed in and they had to tell her as well what had happened. So when Piper came back to the baby's room she was a little bit nervous. Cole wasn't really the ideal babysitter after all!

But when she was through the door of the room she stopped immediately and smiled. Phoebe was right on her heels and she snickered.

"Oh My! Aren't they cute?" she exclaimed.

Cole was sleeping soundly on the bed and Wyatt was lying on his chest, sucking on his thumb and with his other hand grasping at Cole's shirt.

"Yes they are, but I better put Wyatt into his cot before he rolls down."

She stepped to the bed and tried to raise Wyatt but as soon as she touched him his small fist tightened around the shirt and he whimpered quietly.

"I think he doesn't want to go into his own bed" Phoebe whispered. "And…I haven't felt such peace around Cole since he came back" she added.

"All right but I'll stay here!" Piper decided.

She pulled the rocking chair next to the bed and sat down.

"Could you bring me my book from my room?"

"Of course."

So in the next two hours she sat there reading until Wyatt started to bustling about and this woke up Cole as well. And Piper realized that this was the first time that the man slept without any nightmares.

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The next two weeks were absolutely calm. They had some free time which Paige used for dating, Phoebe for working and Piper for being with her family. The evenings though they tried to spend together and Piper asked Cole to look after Wyatt frequently. It seemingly helped him to get back to normal. There were times when he seemed as if he almost said something but those minutes always passed by until now.

"…and then Richard asked me to stay there for another day, and we went out to the beach and he packed in a real picnic-basket. You can't imagine how romantic that was!" Paige stopped suddenly when she glimpsed the shy smile on Cole's face. "I'm rambling, aren't I?"

Paige wanted to tell every single detail about her two days with Richard but nobody was there to listen. Piper had to put Wyatt to bed and Phoebe had to stay in for some meeting. And they usually stopped her after half an hour. Cole, on the other hand listened to her… or at least never cut in for obvious reasons.

The two of them were doing the dishes after a slender dinner and the house was peacefully quiet.

"All right, I'll shut up… for a while" she said.

It was strange how her relation with Cole has changed in the last few days. She might have accepted him earlier as Phoebe's love but they never were close and she would have never called him a friend. Now though – however their conversation was rather one-sided – she started to see him in a different light. She didn't even know why. Maybe because for the first time she saw the vulnerability in him.

Paige was putting away the last of the plates when she heard something and turned. In the middle of the dining room a demon appeared – or at least she guessed he was a demon. He looked like a man – he was tall, thin and pale, and had long, black hair. She had a guess who he was after Phoebe's description…

She cried out for Piper and the next moment she was thrown into the wall. She didn't lose consciousness but she felt dizzy and she couldn't stand up instantly.

"So, here you are!" the demon said turning to Cole.

Paige saw that Cole practically froze.

"It's time to come back to your master!"

"No!" it was Piper who came down the stairs taking two at a time and tried to blow up the demon in mid-step. But it didn't work…

"Do you think that I came here so unprepared?" the demon asked laughing and with a wave sent Piper flying into the opposite wall.

Meanwhile Paige managed to stand up.

"Knife!" she shouted and sent the weapon into the demon's general direction. But to her distress the knife was deflected easily and she found herself on the ground again.

"I'm not interested in you! Don't make me change my mind! I just want my property back."

While talking he stepped closer to Cole who was still standing at the counter, trembling slightly. Suddenly though a blue energy-ball appeared in his right hand. He looked at it surprised but threw it at the demon without hesitation.

The attacker stumbled but didn't stop and the next instant he grabbed Cole by the throat and pushed him against the counter.

"You didn't think this over, I suppose!" he growled threateningly.

Piper stood up but the demon obviously felt it and he threw a lightning bolt at her way that made her stop.

"Sorry, but we have to go now. We need to have a little chat about his behavior" and with that he shimmered out taking Cole with him.

"Oh no…" whispered Piper. "Are you okay?"

Paige just nodded.

"Then go and get Phoebe! Chris!" she shouted without a pause.

Paige threw a last look at her sister and the forming orbs of their whitelighter and then orbed out.

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