Thanks to everyone who is sticking with this story. Sorry it's been so long since my last update - uni has been crazy busy this term.

hannahlovespll - If you like Aria/Ezra and Piper/Leo I think you're going to love this chapter!

Leo and Ella took a seat on the couch, neither of them sure where they wanted to start. The past few minutes had been filled with so many revelations that they were still trying to get their minds around everything.

After a while Leo sighed and turned to face Ella. "Can I say my piece first?" He asked. When Ella didn't seem in a rush to speak he continued, looking her straight in the eye as he did. "I love you."

"I…" Ella started but Leo raised a hand to silence her.

"Please don't interrupt. I need to say this."

Ella nodded.

"I love you. I've always loved you, from the minute I laid eyes on you when I was pretending to be your handyman and every second following that. When you asked me from a divorce it almost killed me inside but I went through with it because I knew that was what you needed after Prue. You couldn't be around anything that reminded you of her and they life you'd had."

Leo watched as tears came to Ella's eyes from the memories of her sister's death.

Almost as soon as she'd returned from her funeral she'd cut all ties with anything magical, including her Whitelighter husband. She had wanted to mourn Prue as a sister, not as the loss of the Charmed ones, and she knew that being so close to the magical community would make that almost impossible. While Phoebe and Leo had respected her wishes, they'd urged her to take the Book of Shadows with her when she left the manor. She may not have been a practicing witch but they wanted her to have something to help her defend herself. Reluctantly she'd agreed as she signed away her claim to the manor.

Phoebe had left soon after as well. The house had become too plagued with memories of her lost sisters and seemed empty without them. Once or twice she'd even hoped for a demon to attack to liven the place up a bit now there were no arguments over who used all the hot water or who drank the last of the coffee.

"You know I've been watching over you all these years, not just as a part of my job as your Whitelighter but as a friend; because that's what I was and what I will continue to be for you. Always."

He paused and tried to gain his own composure when Ella spoke up.

"I don't want you to be my friend." She said, still silently crying.

Leo's gaze fell to the floor.

"I want us to be more than that."

"Are you sure? I know you're going through a lot right now."

"And it would all be easier with you by my side. It always was. Recently everything in my life has been turned upside down but through all of that the one constant has been you. You're always here for me, you always do and say the right thing and you make me feel like I haven't felt in years. Things with Byron had been going downhill long before 'A' came on the scene and I haven't felt excited to be around him in a long time. When you came back I felt like that again and I started to forget why I ever broke up with you. We'd fought so hard to get to where we were and I'd fight that hard again. I love you."

Leo took a few seconds to let what Ella had said sink in.

"So where do we go from here?" He asked, not wanting to push her. Despite all she'd just said, Leo knew that she was going through a divorce and it wouldn't be easy for them to pick up exactly where they had left off.

To his surprise, Ella leaned in and kissed him.

"The bedroom?" She asked.

A part of Leo wanted to tell her they should slow down but he'd wanted to be with her for so long and now he knew for sure that she wanted the same thing he couldn't say no.

Across town at the local Chinese take-out, Wyatt and Chris were picking up some food for dinner.

"Do you think we should've told them about the Seer?" Chris asked.

"I don't think it would've helped. They'd only become more worried, especially mom. You know how she gets."

"Yeah you're right. She'd probably go down to the Underworld right now and try and blow her up if she knew one of her sisters was going to get killed." Chris reasoned.

"We've just got to do our best to make sure that doesn't happen. We can't risk her getting hurt and not being able to have us." Wyatt said.

"I don't even want to think about how much we've already messed up the future by now. How can mom always see right through us? She doesn't even know who we are."

"Because she's our mom."

"Leo can't." Chris pointed out.

"You know it wouldn't kill you to call him dad."

"Whatever. I'm just worried about what sort of a future we're going back to."

"Hopefully one where Paige is still alive."

Chris nodded solemnly, not wanting to think any more about the horrible future they'd come from or the even worse one they could cause if their mission was compromised by the Charmed ones finding out any more of their secrets too early.

Unbeknownst to them, the dark haired woman behind them in the queue wasn't an oblivious bystander. They moved away from the counter with their order and the woman stepped forward.

"How can I help?" The server asked.

"I'd like to collect my order."

"Name?"

"Vivian Darkbloom." The woman smiled.

"Your order will be ready in about five minutes, Miss Darkbloom. You're welcome to sit and wait."

Ella and Leo lay breathless on her bed, smiles plastered over both of their faces. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer to him.

"I love you." He whispered in her ear.

"I love you too."

Leo propped himself up with his arm and looked at Ella. "I think we should take things slow." He said.

"After what we just did?" Ella laughed.

"That's exactly what I mean. We need to figure out where we are." He explained. "Neither of us are the same people we were twenty years ago."

"I don't know. You still have the body of a man in his twenties." Ella smiled, looking him up and down. "You're right." She agreed. "Let's not tell anyone about us yet either. I want to know what this is before Mike and Aria find out."

"So how about we start with a date?" Leo asked.

"Ok." Ella agreed.

"But you've got to let me plan it." He smirked.

Ella responded with a kiss and reached for her robe. "I should have a shower then get started on dinner. Will you be staying?"

"I don't think so. Like you said, we probably shouldn't tell anyone about us yet." Ella nodded in agreement. "I'll pick you up at seven tomorrow for our date." Leo added before grabbing his clothes and orbing out.

"You'd think that would get less annoying over time." Ella muttered to herself once she was alone.

Leo found Gideon in his office at magic school. He'd wanted to be sure from the start that there would be no complications with him and Ella getting back together. Since Gideon had fought for them to be allowed to get married all those years ago, he seemed like the right person to see.

"Leo, how can I help?" He smiled, looking up from his work.

"Ella and I wanted to get back together. I know after last time it's a sensitive issue but…"

"Leo please, you know we were devastated when the two of your split up. Well, most of us were. There have always been some against your somewhat progressive relationship."

"So the Elders won't try and split us up again?"

"I can't promise plain sailing from everyone but you have me on your side." The Elder smiled.

Leo thanked his mentor and orbed out, a huge weight lifted from his shoulders. He'd downplayed his worry to Ella because of all the other issues she was facing. Why bother her with what the Elders thought of them if he didn't have to?

The next stop on his list was in San Francisco. He found the place he was looking for easily and stopped by to make a reservation. The restaurant had been one of their favorites when they'd been together and Leo had always had a soft spot for it. He just hoped that it would impress Ella.

Alison DiLaurentis sat in her room trying to put together the pieces of what she'd heard Wyatt and Chris talking about. Were they some sort of psychics? Is that how they knew so much about the future?

But they were talking about Paige and Leo like they were old friends and from what she could tell they didn't seem to know the brothers that well. And blowing things up? That sounded like Aria's mom, or at least the woman that Alison and her friends felt they were just getting to know after years of being taught by her and being friends with her daughter.

As much as she hated to admit it, maybe she didn't know the Montgomery family… or was it Halliwell family… as well as she'd thought.

She ran through the whole conversation between the two Whitelighters over and over in her mind. There was definitely some information in there that they didn't want anyone to know and, of course, that was Alison's favorite kind.

It took her a while but eventually she began to piece together some of the censored information. If Paige was the sister that was going to die, it meant that Ella must be the one they were talking about who would blow people up. That was her power, right? But that makes her… no she can't be. That would make her Wyatt and Chris' mom in the future.

Alison thought this over. Could it be true? Their last name was Halliwell like Ella's maiden name.

And they mentioned Leo. Was Leo their dad?

Suddenly it was all starting to make sense. Alison smirked as she realized the weight of the secret that she held. Now she just had to wait for an opportunity to use it.

Meanwhile, Ella was busy in the kitchen making her family dinner when her sisters walked in.

"So how'd it go?" Paige said immediately, doing nothing to hide her enthusiasm.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ella lied but it didn't deter them. She continued cutting up some carrots while the two women watched for signs of how well her talk with Leo went.

It wasn't until she turned around to face them that Phoebe could tell what had happened.

"You slept with him!" She gasped.

"What? No!" Ella protested.

"Come on I grew up with you. I know that smile." Phoebe teased.

Ella knew she wasn't going to win this. "Ok, yes." She admitted.

"How did it happen?" Paige asked.

"Well we talked, realized we loved each other and… well…"

"It's about time." Phoebe smirked.

"Huh?"

"We've been trying to get you two alone together since we arrived."

"Yeah and you weren't subtle about it." Ella shot back with a smile. At least her sisters were supportive of her decision to get back together with Leo. That could only help when it came to breaking the news to her children.

Ella turned back to the kitchen counter, hoping to have some peace to continue preparing dinner. She had no such luck, however, as Phoebe and Paige started to grill her on exactly what had happened between them and how it all went down. Somewhere over the course of the conversation both Ella and Phoebe were hit with a wave of nostalgia when they realized how long it had been since they'd been talking like this with Prue back at the manor. Somehow, Paige had been able to fit in place as the third sister so naturally and this realization made both women smile. She was by no means replacing Prue, no one could ever do that, but in moments like this it was almost as if she had always been a part of their lives. She was meant to be there. As mad as they'd been at Patty and Penny for not telling them about her, they were happy that she was with them now.

Across town, Aria had just arrived at Ezra's apartment. She had felt that she needed a break from her new magical life for a few hours so took the opportunity to spend some time with her boyfriend.

"So your parents are alright with you being here?" Ezra asked her as they took a seat on the couch.

"They don't exactly know. Mom's got her own love life to sort out and my dad is out of town."

"So they're officially getting a divorce?"

"Well she hasn't said anything more about it to me but she did have a meeting with Spencer's mom yesterday. I'd bet money that's what it was about."

Ezra turned to face her. "You don't seem upset."

"When my dad left they'd just had a big argument. It got pretty personal and he said some stuff about me and mom that hurt. After that and everything he's put us through with Meredith I'm not ready to forgive him yet." Aria explained.

"What did he say?" He asked her, concerned.

"He called us freaks and accused my mom of lying to him for their whole marriage." Aria replied, leaving out a few incriminating details.

"That's a bit harsh!" Ezra exclaimed, wrapping his arm around Aria's shoulders and pulling her in to a hug. Aria mumbled in agreement, choosing to stop thinking about what Byron had said about her magic and instead enjoy the closeness of being with Ezra.

"Can we just not talk about it for a while and watch a film. I just need an escape from all of that."

Ezra agreed and the pair spent the afternoon smiling, curled on the couch and enjoying the simplicity of being alone in each other's company. It was as if nothing else mattered and that was exactly what Aria needed.

By the time Ella text Aria asking her to be home for dinner, she felt more relaxed than she had in a long time. It helped that she hadn't had to think or talk about demons or 'A' all afternoon. It wasn't until she was leaving Ezra's that she realized how much of a toll it had taken on her.

"Do you ever just want to run away and escape from your life for a while?" She asked as she was lacing up her boots.

"All the time. Why do you think I moved away from my mom's house and out here?" He replied.

"We should go away for a weekend."

"I've got a cabin we could use. It's outside of town so we don't have to worry about running in to anyone." Ezra suggested.

"Sounds perfect." Aria smiled, standing up on her toes to give him a kiss. "Maybe we could go next weekend?"

"Sure." He agreed. "You'd better get home. I'll see you soon."

Aria arrived home in perfect time as Ella and Phoebe were bringing the food out on to the table. They were able to get through an uneventful meal together and Aria was able to avoid taking about where she'd been, for which she was grateful.

After dinner was cleared away, Aria excused herself to work on an assignment in her room. It wasn't long before she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in." She said, still staring blankly at her biology textbook.

She was surprised to see Mike on the other side of her door. "Can we talk?" He asked. Aria nodded and gestured to her bed, where Mike sat down.

"What's up?" Aria asked.

"Have mom or dad said anything to you about getting a divorce?"

"I overheard mom talking to Phoebe about it." Aria replied. "I think they are going through with it. Mom met up with Mrs Hastings yesterday."

"So dad's moving out?"

"I don't know. It looks like it. I mean, the house is in mom's name. It was her money that bought it."

Mike sighed. "Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige will probably stay with her for a while won't they?" He added.

Aria nodded, not mentioning that it was just as much to keep 'A' happy as it was to support their mom. The conversation fell quiet, neither of them feeling comfortable talking about their parent's divorce.

After a while Mike spoke up again. "I'm thinking of staying with dad for a bit."

While shocked by this revelation, Aria nodded in agreement. "You don't want to be in a house of women." She joked. With Mike out of the house at least she could be sure that he was safe. Demon attacks were becoming more frequent and it wouldn't help anyone for him to find out about magic now.

"Do you think mom will mind?"

"Neither of them wants this to be any more difficult for us than it has to be." Aria reasoned. "She'll probably let you stay where you want."

Mike nodded. "Thanks." He said, getting up and leaving Aria to get on with her schoolwork.

She was almost finished when she saw a text message light up on her phone.

Now I've persuaded your brother to move out the real fun can begin. Kisses. –A