I think we're getting near the end of this story now ... which makes me want to cry ... I can't believe you guys are still following this, lol. Thank you!

Chapter 26 - Suspicious Minds

We orbed in still with our arms around each other. I don't want to let go, I want to stay like this forever. I feel safe. Besides, if I let go ...

Stop it. He chose you, he loves you, he'll never leave you. Ever.

Why is it so hard to trust myself?

Huh, let's see ... who's idea was it to stay with Dan?

Since when do I argue with, um, myself?

I'm kinda scaring myself right now.

"I'm sorry I even thought about leaving." He whispered. "I love you, I'll never leave you."

I had to smile. He did it again.

"Leo?" I heard Paige's happy surprised voice, and knew I'd have to let go.

"Hi." He said awkwardly.

"We though - you'd gone -" Prue said, sending him daggers.

"Well he hasn't." I said sharply. "He's staying here, with his family."

"OK, OK." Prue muttered.

"Here." Phoebe smiled, handing Patty to Leo. "She missed you."

He hugged her, one arm still round me, and vice versa. I couldn't let go of him even as Paige handed Wyatt to me, even though I almost dropped him.

"Hey there, Pat-a-cake." He murmured.

"Thought you were gone." She said simply. "Aunt Pwu said you gone." I shot Prue a look.

"I thought he had." She muttered.

"Well he hasn't." I snapped. "Patty, honey, don't listen to auntie Prue. Leo's not going anywhere."

"I'll never leave you." Leo said quietly.

"Good." Patty replied, then laid her head on his chest sleepily.

"Maybe you should get them to bed." Phoebe said, glancing sideways at Prue. From the look on her face, I'm guessing they didn't know Prue had told Patty Leo had gone, and she was in BIG trouble.

"Yeah, go on, it's late." Paige said. It is, actually. It's after eleven. No wonder the kids are tired.

I'm kinda tired myself.

"Yeah, come on." I said, and together we walked up the stairs. A family. Nothing can tear us apart. Ever.

What do you know, I actually believe that.

That's a first.

And now I feel like punching myself ... that smug little voice is really annoying me.

Hmm. My smug little voice.

Scary.

"Hi." Prue said sheepishly the next morning.

"Hi." I said simply. I wasn't sure how to act with her. Should I be mad?

"I'm sorry." She said awkwardly.

"What for?" I sounded indifferent, right? Mmm ... no ... I sound mad. Oopsie.

"For thinking the worst of Leo ... for upsetting your kid ... For being rude to Leo last night ... need I go on?" She asked meekly.

"No, it's OK. You're my big sister, you've always looked out for me, and protected me. But Prue ... Leo isn't going anywhere. I love him and he loves us. Always." I added thoughtfully, remembering our wedding.

She nodded. "I'm sorry."

"You know I don't like it when you apologise." I sighed. "You sound so ... meek and innocent. How do you do that, by the way?"

She smiled widely at me. "So I'm forgiven?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

She ran round the table and hugged me. "Thank-you-thank-you-thank-you-thank-you."

"OK ... Prue ... you're suffocating me here ..."

She drew back, smiling at me.

"Maybe you should apologise to Leo though ..." I said. She hates apologising. So so much. That's why it's so much fun.

"OK." She said weakly.

As Leo walked in, Chris (future whitelighter, remember?) orbed in. He double-taked when he saw Leo.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" He asked nervously.

"I live here." Leo said, looking at him weirdly. "What are you doing here?"

"I ... I thought ... you were sup - I mean, I thought you'd become an elder .. I ..."

"You thought you'd be our new whitelighter?" I asked sceptically. "Is that why you did all of this?"

"No - I -"

"You wanted to get rid of Leo? Is that it?" I asked angry.

"No - I -"

"Why did you even come back from the future?" Paige asked.

"To stop the Titans from talking over! To stop you from dying -"

"So why are you still here?" Phoebe asked. "Shouldn't you go back to your own time?"

"I ... the timeline's changed. I don't even know what I go back to." He said quickly.

"So? Shouldn't you have faded away? You don't exist any more, not the you that came back to us." Prue shoot back, just as quickly.

"I ... I ..."

"Or is there something else you're trying to stop?" I asked suspiciously.

"I ... yeah ... I mean ..."

"And that is?" He looked nervous. Well, I suppose the four of us glowering over him can't be great. And Leo looking at him like that, and Cole eyeing him suspiciously.

"I ... I came back because ... because ..." Hew faltered as Prue took a step forward.

"Back it up there." I warned her. "Chris, you need to tell us if you want our help ..."

"I came back to stop him." He muttered, barely audible.

"Who?"

"Him." He raised his hand slowly, pointing to ...

"Wyatt?" I asked incredulously. "That's -" I stopped, looking at him. "Stop him doing what?" Why do I feel so scared?

"In my ... my time, my future, Wyatt is the evil overlord. He's destroying the world with power. And I came here to stop him."

With that, he orbed out.

We looked at each other, then back down at him.

This can't be true.

It just can't. I mean, look at his sweet, innocent face.

Chris has to be lying, or mistaken.

"It can't be true." Prue said quickly.

"So ... why do I have the feeling it is?" I asked quietly.