Summary: No-one can ever have that perfect a cover on their first go. What if Chris blew it the first time round?

Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed. All characters are copyright of their respective owners. All rights reserved. Am I done now?

Chapter 2

"Save us?" Paige asked incredulously "From what!"

"From something extremely evil, Paige." Yeah, my brother. But it's not like they'd believe me if I told them that.

"Right. And you know us how, exactly?" asked Phoebe. Whoops. Oh, shit, I'm

not supposed to really know them by my cover.

"Er… every Whitelighter knows who the Charmed Ones are." Chris replied.

"How far into the future are you from?" Piper asked.

"About 24 years." He admitted.

"And how long have you been a Whitelighter?"

"A fairly long time." He shrugged. Try my entire life.

"Hey, have we got kids in the future?" Phoebe asked eagerly. "I mean, Piper

has Wyatt, have we any children?"

"Umm, I can't tell you that. It would have serious consequences for the

future."

"Oh. Wait, how is he supposed to know if we have kids anyway, Phoebe?"

Paige pointed out. Shit. Chris, man, you are doing a terrible job here.

"Good point. So Chris, how do you know our kids?" 'Cos I'm one of them.

"Ok, so I know you in the future. Big deal." Chris shut up and folded his arms

across his chest, furious with himself for even letting that much slip.

"How well?" Leo demanded, suspicious. "Give us proof." Chris smirked.

"I could, Leo. But since technically I'm not born yet, anything I remember you saying or doing won't have happened yet. So I guess you've got to take my word for it."

"But how do you know us?" Phoebe pushed. "Are you related to us somehow? Or a friend of Wyatt's from the future? You've got to be what, 21?"

"23." Chris corrected absently, weighing his options. If he told him he was a relative the questions wouldn't stop coming until they found out who he was. And that would be disastrous. He hadn't been Wyatt's friend in nearly nine years, but could he say that's what he was? He looked from face to face, pausing.

Phoebe looked at him, studying him without appearing to do so. A handy trick she had picked up during one or the other of her psychology degrees. She looked at his eyes and gasped quietly. Her gaze flicked back to Leo to make sure. Chris Perry had Leo's eyes. They both had the exact same, startlingly emerald green eyes.

"Are you related to Leo?" she burst out. Chris looked her. Leo's relative? Yeah, I suppose I could say that.

"You could say I'm a relative of Leo's, yeah." He admitted slowly.

"Then how come I don't know you?" Leo asked harshly. Chris snorted.

" You can be really stupid, you know that? I-have-already-told-you-that-I'm-not-born-yet. Haven't even been thought of. Keep with it, man." He said, smirking again. Annoying bastard. Serves him right to look so stupid. Leo opened his mouth to retort, but Paige got in first.

"You said you can't say anything about family in the future, but could you at least tell us how we are? I mean, what damage could that do, right?" Chris hesitated again, then repeated his earlier excuse. "Sorry, but no. If I tell you anything, there'll be severe future consequences." They all shut up again, and Chris felt impressed with himself. I have got to remember that phrase.

"So, how are you related to Leo, again?" Phoebe asked. Chris gave her an exasperated look. Damn nosy aunts.

Phoebe started. That look. Wait, that look is so familiar. Ohmigosh, it belongs to Piper! How many times has that look been directed at me in the past? Phoebe's mind began working furiously. A young man from the future who looks like Piper, with Leo's green eyes… She grinned to herself. She had a suspicion about this Chris Perry.

"Wait a minute." Piper said. " You said you're a Whitelighter, right? 'For a fairly long time.' But you can't have been for that long at all."

"Yes, I can have. Why?"

"Because the times don't work out. If you're from 24 years in the future, and you're 23, and not born yet, or conceived, that gives you a gap of about 4 months of being a Whitelighter!"

Chris shifted uncomfortably. This is so not going as planned.

"Uh, time flies when you're having fun?" he said lamely. He shifted again, silently cursing himself.

Phoebe's grin widened even further. He is such a bad liar. But I'm sure he's proved me right! She told herself excitedly, almost squealing with delight. I'm going to be an Aunty again! Well, if my suspicions are correct.

Meanwhile, all the stares were unnerving Chris, and he was having a silent panic attack. Oh, crap, damn, SHIT! This is not good. I think it's time for me to get out of here.

"Okay." He said, backing away from the group. "I'm going to go now. Stuff to do, you know, places to see, demons to hunt…" In his haste, Chris backed right into the Book on its stand. It toppled over, taking Chris with it.

"Oh, sorry!" he gabbled. "Really didn't mean for that to happen. Not a good thing." He untangled himself, set the stand upright, grabbed the Book from the floor, and put it on the stand. The triquiatra on the front glowed brightly and shimmered green for a few moments, before fading back to normal. Everyone stared. Chris moved back from the Book, apparently not noticing anything unusual, and started to orb out.

"Wait!" Piper cried. "The Book…" Chris orbed back in, looked down at the Book, and cursed. The Book of Shadows tended to do something weird whenever a member of the Halliwell family first touched it.

(A/N: I have no idea whether it does that or not. I just need it to for this.)

Suddenly, Phoebe seemed to go mad. She started dancing around, grabbing Chris' hands and jigging about with him. "Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I was so right. I figured it all out!" she sang. She stopped after a few seconds and let Chris, who had gone pale, sit down on the floor.

"Phoebe, what on Earth is wrong with you?" asked Piper, shocked. Phoebe merely grinned, and turned to Chris with her hands on her hips.

"I certainly hope you aren't that bad at lying to your mother, young man. Did I teach you nothing while you were growing up?" she admonished. "Now, will you tell them or shall I?" Chris made a strangled noise.

Paige suddenly got frustrated and snapped. "Phoebe Halliwell! What are you talking about? Tell us what? Would you care to let everyone else in on the secret you share with Chris Perry here?"

"Au contraire, Paige." Phoebe grinned. "Our Mr. Perry here isn't actually Mr. Perry. He's-"

AnimeAlexis: So there's Chapter 2. I'm really sorry, but updates to this will prob be slow, because I'm a REALLY terrible typist. Anyway, please review! And still no flames. Thanks, everyone who reads this!