"Chris? You okay? I saw the light on." Leo stepped into the room.

"Dad, I'm find. I'm not going to self-destruct or anything. You really didn't need to come over here."

"I know, but I just thought you might need to talk."

Chris laughed humorlessly. "What about?"

"You know what about. Don't play dumb with me, it's beneath you. C'mon, Chris. In the space of a day you found a son, watched him die, saw your wife die after finding out that she was betraying you, and then you brought your son back to life. Plus, you saw a future that proved you as a bitter, stubborn man. Finally, you now have the Source on your tail, thirsting for revenge. All in all, it's been an eventful day." Leo sat beside his son on the sofa.

"Thanks for reminding me, dad. I'd forgotten." Chris sighed, and apologized. "Sorry, I just don't think it's really set in yet." He coughed harshly to clear his through before looking at Leo. "I…keep looking for Maya, dad. It's stupid. I mean, I know now that she was evil, and plotting to kill the entire family, plus hurting our son. I get that she was going to turn Reilly into that tortured kid we saw. But I can't help it. I love her, dad. I…miss her. It's not something I can control, I can't stop it. No matter what she was going to do, she hadn't done yet. Because of that, I can't help but love her, even though I know I shouldn't."

Leo sighed and wrapped an arm comfortingly over Chris' shoulders. "Maybe you shouldn't try to control it. I mean, don't go so over the top that you cause another storm of the century, but just mourn her loss. No matter what she did in the future, she hadn't done any of it yet. In your memories, Maya will always be your loving wife. She hadn't shown herself to be anything but. Maybe it will be easier and more therapeutic if you just treat her death as a horrible accident that you can't erase."

"She made our son evil, dad. At least she would have tried to. Is it fair to treat her memory like she was a wonderful, loving person who was truly good? To let Reilly believe that she wasn't truly evil?" Chris' eyes were cloudy with both sadness and confusion.

"Do you really think it would be better to tell him she was a monster, when in all honesty, she hadn't done anything to us yet when she died?"

"I don't want Reilly to think either option. So what do I tell him?"

"Be honest. Just tell him that Maya was a demon, but that you loved her anyway."

Chris nodded. "And when he asks what happened to her?"

"Just say that she died the day he was born because of a demon attack. He doesn't need to know that she was the threat. Later, when he's an adult, you can tell him the truth."

Both Chris and Leo lapsed into silence, both lost in their thoughts. Leo cleared his throat, and shifted on the sofa. "Chris, did I ever tell you about my life before I became a white lighter?"

Chris shot him a confused glance. "Yeah, you were a medic killed in combat in World War II."

"No, well, yeah, that's true, but I meant about my family." At Chris' headshake, Leo continued. "You see, I was married when I died. It took a really long time for me to figure out how to deal with the fact that I'd lost her. We were kids when we were married, but I truly did love her. And suddenly, I had to go on in this insanely new life without her. It was strange, adapting to this new life of magic, knowing that she was back there, morning and grieving. But I had to make a choice. I could either whole-heartedly throw myself into my new life and make the future as bright as possible, I could die, or I could dwell on a past that I was powerless to change. I made the choice. And because of that choice, I met the only woman worth bending the rules for, and worth risking everything that I am or was for. Because of that choice, I got two sons who have power beyond my wildest imagination, plus hearts and souls that are unequalled by any other- mortal or magical."

Chris snorted. "It feels like that heart and soul are both broken. I feel powerless, not powerful. I don't know how to make sure Reilly doesn't grow up to be that kid we saw. I can't let that happen to him, dad. I need to do better than that."

"You will, Chris. I have no doubt of that."

"How can you say that? You saw what I turned into!"

"I say it because it's true. Listen, Chris, you and Wyatt are as close as humanly possible. But from the day you were born- before actually, because we saw it in our visitor from the future- we knew there was at least one major difference between the two of you. Wyatt is all logic, knowledge and science. He needs to know how things will work before he's willing to try them. All of his actions come thought out fully with at least one back up plan. You, Chris, are based more in the mystical. You feel things and instinctively know them before you even try. Chris, there is absolutely nothing on earth more mystical than human emotions, and that is your strength."

"Dad, all of our powers are rooted in emotions. You know that, it's part of being a Halliwell." Chris scoffed.

"True, but Chris, let me put it another way. Wyatt uses his emotions as a guide, and as a power boost, but generally has a background of logic, much like I do. You tend to use your powers in conjunction with your emotions, like Piper. Think about it, Chris. Really, when you get the angriest, your powers are strongest. Generally, the only things that are powerful enough to piss you off that badly are threats to, or harm coming to this family. If you think about it, even your lives outside of magic work that way. Wyatt is the logical businessman at the restaurant. You are the one with the passion for the cooking, you love to finesse the food into a delicious concoction that has made you famous in this city. Between the two of you, blending your strengths, you've become very wealthy, successful men. And the most amazing part of that is that you barely are men yet…You're only 24, and Wyatt's only 26. To have accomplished all that you have, you should be so proud."

"Dad. Thanks for the compliments, they mean a lot, really, but you're babbling. Is there a point coming soon?"

"My point is that I have no doubt you will be a wonderful father, Chris. You feel deeply, you care and you have the most important thing a parent can possess- common sense. You already know the mistakes that were made the first time, you now you can fix it. In case you haven't noticed, that's another thing you're great at…fixing the future."

Chris remained stubbornly silent.

"Jesus, Chris! I know that you know how many mistakes I made in your first timeline. I've fixed it this time, so I know you can too."

Chris found his first smile. "Thanks, dad. I didn't even know I needed to hear that until you said it, but somehow you did."

Leo grinned, and couldn't resist the urge to tousle his son's hair. "Chris, I know I'm your dad, but don't forget, I'm also your white lighter. I know when a charge is hurting."

Chris laughed. "It's been so long since we've needed it, I guess I forgot you were my white lighter."

Chris picked his head up as Reilly started to cry from the other room. He yawned and started to get up. Leo waved at him to sit. "I'll go, Chris. With your mom and aunts hogging him earlier, I didn't get a chance to hold him."

Leo reappeared seconds later with Reilly in his arms. "Chris, do you honestly have him sleeping in the bath tub?"

Chris flushed red. "I made sure I lined it with a comforter, and a pillow over all the hard parts so he couldn't get hurt, and it'd be soft. I don't have a crib yet, and the stores were closed. I didn't want to use magic to conjure one. He should be okay there for tonight, right? I'm going to sleep on the floor in there with him. I just didn't want to take the chance that he'd roll off the bed."

Leo hid his smile. "Chris, he's too small to roll over. And by the way, it's April out, not February. He doesn't need five blankets."

"Well, he's just so little. He was shivering! I didn't have much to dress him in, only the clothes of mine that mom found in the attic." Chris stated defensively.

"Okay, listen, Chris. Call Wyatt and get him over here. I'm going to bring Reilly to the manor, so your mom can watch him for a while. You, me and Wy are going shopping for baby stuff."

"Dad, it's 2 a.m. There aren't any stores open."

"Chris, you are a white lighter. We can orb anywhere in the world. Somewhere, there are baby stores open. We're going to find one, and then orb it all back here."

Chris stared at his father. "Isn't that personal gain?"

"Witches worry about personal gain, Chris. White lighters only have to answer to the elders. But your aunt has orbed all over the earth just for the sake of it being easier, so why not us?" Before Chris could argue further, Leo orbed away with Reilly in his arms.

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"What do you mean, Christopher Halliwell lives? I ordered his head be brought to me! How dare you fail me?" The Source thundered angrily at the lone assassin that had escaped the Halliwell's wrath.

"Sire, the pheromones didn't work. He said he loved Maya still. It's the only explanation."

"Imbecile! If he loved her, my daughter would be alive still. He found out her secret, and killed her because of it. He must have found a way around your pheromones. Regardless, he will pay…as will you." His glittering eyes snapped onto the assassin's as he hurled a fireball at him. The Source sniffed, stepping directly onto the pile of ashes that marked where the demon had stood. "They will all pay." He spoke to the empty room before shimmering away.

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"Dad, Chris only has one baby, not twelve. What does he need all this crap for?" Wyatt complained tiredly as they exited the last store, laden with packages.

Leo laughed. "Wy, you just wait a few months. You'll see why we need this 'crap'."

"You'll never convince me about that baby backpack thing. Why can't you just hold the kid for crying out loud?"

Leo slung a casual arm around Wyatt's shoulders. "Because, kiddo, even the most powerful witches' arms get tired after hauling around a wriggling 10 pound baby all afternoon." Leo chuckled, then lowered his voice. "Plus, if you get ambushed by demons, having both hands free helps a lot."

"yeah, speaking of demons, let's get this stuff back to the hotel, so we can orb it all home. I don't want to leave Reilly alone any longer than necessary." Chris broke in briskly. "What?" he added defensively after seeing his brother and father's stares.

"Chris, Reilly is at the Manor. He's as far from along as possible. Between your mom, Aunts and Uncles, and cousins, Reilly has enough people around him to create his own football team."

"Yeah, a kick ass magical football team, at that." Wyatt added.

Chris laughed. "Well, at least I know Aunt Phoebe will literally sit on a demon, while mom and Aunt Paige torture him if one attacks."

"Hey, hey…c'mon in their defense, you mom and aunts had had a really rough night. I'd been called 'Up There', your Uncles were both dosed with a sleeping potion, and it Samheim and a full moon, so they'd lost control over their powers. There was no way they were going to let a low-level Broxa demon kidnap you two. They used what they had. All in all, they kicked butt, as always." Leo immediately defended the sisters as he always had when this particular memory came up.

"True, but they really didn't need to laugh and poke him with a cooking fork in front of a six and eight year old!" Chris protested with a laugh.

Leo dismissed the comment with a wave. "Well, you won't have to worry about him being 'scarred for life' like you to always complain about. He's only a day old- even if the same this did happen, he wouldn't remember it."

Chris sighed heavily. "Yeah, I know. I guess I'm just…nervous. I don't want to be away from him. Too many bad things can happen."

"Chris, bro, would you relax? You're not going to screw up. Neither of us will, okay? Super witches equal super dads, all right?" Wyatt reassured teasingly.

"And, don't forget, Chris, even if you are a witch and a white lighter, you're still a human being. Bad things will happen, that's a given, whether you have anything to do with magic or not. What truly matters, is how you deal with them." Leo answered.

Both Chris and Wyatt stopped in front of the hotel. "Dad, we're witches. Powerful, feared witches. I'm Twice Blessed, Chris is Thrice Blessed. Bad things, aside from the occasional demon really won't be much of an issue." Wyatt commented blithely.

"Oh really, Wy? If that's the case, you never would have gotten lost on our trip to Yosemite. Chris never would have been suspended from high school for beating Jay Carten when he'd slugged Chris girlfriend…uh…Becca. You wouldn't have been kidnapped fifty times, Chris wouldn't have died in my arms…do I really need to go on? After all, you are the children of the Charmed Ones. Not only do you have to worry about the normal every day kid bad stuff, but you have to worry about the magical ones too."

Chris and Wyatt both remained silent as they walked into the hotel lobby. Wyatt finally spoke in the elevator. "Dad, how did you deal with that? How did you and Mom deal with all the normal stuff at the same time as all the magical stuff?"

"You just…do. There's no way to explain a parent's actions except that once you hold that baby in your arms, you exist for them. There is nothing too hard or not worth the hassle when it comes to your children. And it never ends, whether that child is two hours old, two years or twenty-two years old. Once those kids are with you, there is absolutely nothing on earth that you won't do, nothing that you won't give to create a perfect life for your kids. All of that just means that you figure out a way to fix the bad stuff." Leo smiled at both of his sons as the elevator doors opened with a ding. "Besides, you two already have things pretty well under control. You had a real bad thing happen with Maya and Reilly. But you found a way to fix it. You gave Reilly a second chance. By combining powers you made it happen. So you already both know what being a parent means."

Chris grinned. "So basically, you're saying don't worry about screwing up our kids- after all magic can always help us save them."

Wyatt and Leo both laughed. "Yeah, Chris. I guess you could say that. At least with most things. Magic didn't help us any with the Jay Carten incident." Leo answered dryly.

"He had it coming. He punched Becca when she wouldn't go out with him. He's lucky I didn't send him straight to Hell- literally!" Chris protested.

"I know. Which is exactly why you got to go to Magic School during your suspension instead of being grounded for a month like your vice-principal suggested."

"Ah…VP Foley. He brings back memories, eh Chris?" Wyatt grinned sharing a look with Chris.

"Yeah, what a porker." Both Wyatt and Chris broke out in laughter.

Leo watched in confusion. "Am I missing something?"

"Well, dad, you know how Aunt Phoebe turned that guy the paper assigned to work with her into a hog? Well after Chris got back to school after the suspension, Foley called Chris and me into his office. He started bitching about behavior such as ours wouldn't be tolerated in his school and how he understood we had 'emotional issues' due to our 'domestic issues'. He basically called Mom a trashy drunken bar tramp, and you a pathetic loser who couldn't keep a job. We finally had enough and turned into a pig using Aunt Phoebe's spell. Then we called out for pizza, and when we were done, reversed the spell. He never said anything else about our family."

"You two used magic for revenge? Not to mention for personal gain?" Leo shook his head, stunned. "I am so disappointed in both of you. Magic is a privilege…"

"Not a right… We know dad." Chris interrupted. "It was a long time ago, and I promise, it was the only time we've ever done it. We learned our lesson when we grew curly little tails and kept them for a week."

Wyatt scowled, remembering. "Yeah… I had to cancel on Jennifer Macon… damn, that sucked. She never spoke to me again."

Leo started laughing uproariously. "See guys, you have nothing to stress about. Sometimes magic does it's own parenting. C'mon, let's get out of here. I'm beat."