Disclaimer: Not mine
Rhia:
Thank you for reviewing.
Jeps:
I'm not sure how large a part Leo will play in this story. As for Wyatt we'll be seeing a lot more of him.
Taynna:
Feel free to get as wordy as you like, whenever you like! =) Thanks for the advice on Polly I took it into account as I wrote up this chapter. And as for the reason why it was easy for Polly to travel... Wyatt mentions something in this chapter.
Sailorwind:
Thanks, I like knowing my characters are believable.
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"Chris doesn't stay at the Manor, because when he showed up we didn't know he was family," Phoebe commented as she and Polly walked down the hallway, "Now he refuses to move in with us, says he likes it better over at P3."
Polly laughed, "What he likes is not having to account to any of you for what he does."
Phoebe nodded as she pushed opened a door, "Yeah, we get that feeling too."
She watched her daughter drop her bag on the bed, watched as the young girl took stock of her surroundings.
"I hope this is okay," she said softly, wanting to please.
Polly nodded, "Every room in the manor is okay," she said wistfully.
Phoebe eyed her, opening her mouth to ask a question.
"Please don't. I can't answer anything, Chris'll freak if I do," Polly said quickly, "And he's mad at me enough, already,"
Phoebe blinked rapidly, "How did you... are you a telepath?" she asked excitedly.
Polly grinned, "No, I'm your daughter. I could tell you were about to fire off twenty questions."
Phoebe laughed, then sobered quickly, "He's not mad at you anymore,"
Polly sighed, "Yeah he is. He's just saving it up for a moment when I'm not expecting it," she said sadly, knowing how her cousin worked.
Her daughter's smile had faded and Phoebe wanted it back, "How about we go downstairs and get some food?"
The girl brightened, "...sounds good, I'm starved,"
"Not literally, I hope," Phoebe asked concerned as they headed for the stairs.
"No, I just couldn't eat at dinner, I was so nervous about this whole thing," she said as they entered the kitchen.
Piper, Paige, and Chris were standing around the counter, deep in conversation.
Chris eyed her intently as she walked in.
"How did you get into the manor?" he asked as Phoebe began putting a sandwich together for Polly. His voice almost accusing.
"I asked him if I could sleep over and he said yes," she answered meeting his gaze.
He studied her a moment before sighing, "I wish you hadn't come, Polly, I don't want you here," he said very sincerely.
Piper gasped, "Geez, Chris that's not nice," she scolded.
He glanced at his mother, then back at his cousin, shrugging as he said simply, "It's true,"
Polly walked forward, "You wanted me to come," she insisted, the beginnings of hurt on her face.
"That was an impulse," he said carelessly, "...it was better that you said no. He won't let you go Polly. He couldn't care less about me, but he'll want you back. Especially since you lied to him..."
Polly rolled her eyes suddenly, surprising the sisters with not only the pure aggravation in the gesture but by how much she looked like Chris when she did it.
She stalked up to him and shoved at his chest for emphasis, "You're such a jerk Chris," she hissed.
"Wha - "
"Yeah you heard me a jerk! 'that was an impulse'," she mimicked her eyes flashing, "You wanted me to come with you and Wyatt gives as much a shit about you as he does about me!!!"
"Don't yell at me Paula and watch your freaking mouth!!!"
"Okay Christopher, whatever you say, cause you have such a right to tell me what to do!!!"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean!!??"
"You're angry at me for staying with Wyatt when you're the one who abandoned me first!!!!"
"WHAT!?!"
"You guys need to take it down a notch," Piper interrupted before Polly could respond.
"Or five," Paige inserted, wryly.
She watched as her niece took a deep breath, and turned away from her cousin, running a hand through her dark hair.
Chris too looked aggravated, his green eyes glassy, his mouth drawn into a tight line, "What are you talking about? I never abandoned you," he stated grimly.
She whirled on him...
"Maybe we should just calm down a little," Phoebe began but the look her daughter sent her way silenced her.
"No mom," Polly said, her eyes fixed on Chris, "No need to calm down. Chris asked a question and I'm going to answer it," she said firmly, "Before you came up with the plan to come back here, when was the last time you'd seen me? When was the last you and I had a conversation? A meal together? When was the last time we just hung out?"
"You're blamin the wrong brother," Chris stated flatly.
"Am I?"
"Hell yes!"
"No Chris. Wyatt would never stop you from coming to me. I wouldn't let him," she said confidently.
He gaped at her, "You think it's my fault we never saw each other!!!"
"Isn't it?" she challenged.
"NO," he exclaimed, "Wyatt had the entire place guarded against me. I couldn't go within a five mile radius of it without being pursued. There was no way for me to get in there," he explained as if she hadn't lived there too.
"Wrong Chris," she stated firmly, "There was no way for you to get in there without him knowing
Chris rolled his eyes, "Big difference!" he hissed, sarcastically.
"YEAH!! IT IS!!" she yelled.
"Guys - " Piper started but never finished.
Chris made a downwards slash with his hand, "NO POLLY IT ISN'T - " he began loudly and firmly but she cut him off.
"YOU COULD HAVE ASKED HIM!! YOU COULD HAVE ASKED TO SEE ME!!""Guys maybe we should - " Phoebe tried now.
"LIKE HELL I'D ASK HIM ANYTHING!!!!"
"EXACTLY YOU ABANDONED ME!!" she yelled something besides anger flashing in her eyes. Something akin to pain.
Chris opened his mouth, but promptly closed it as his eyes were drawn to a vase that exploded in the far corner of the room.
Both he and Polly seemed to snap out of a trance as they glared at each other before surveying the kitchen...
... and finding three pissed off women.
"You CANNOT yell like that in this house," Piper stated like the mother she was, fire in her eyes, her hands still poised from having blown something up.
Once again Chris opened his mouth...
...once again he didn't get the chance...
"I don't care what the issues are between the two of you or how you behave in the future, you're in my world now and I will NOT tolerate that kind of yelling. Not only will you scare Wyatt, but... you're giving me a headache..."
Polly took a deep breath as she stepped away from Chris, "I... I'm sorry Aunt Pip I... didn't mean to...." she said softly, trying to control the emotions that were running rampant though her.
Chris was supposed to be happy that she was here.
He wasn't supposed to be angry at her. She was here to help. To help him save Wyatt... so that the things she'd seen...
...those horrific things...
... the wounded piled on top of the dead, awaiting the same fate...
... the starving people, the sick children, the destroyed buildings...
... the fear, the paranoia, the bitterness and hate that filled the air...
So that none of it would happen.
She'd made a mistake in staying, in not coming when he'd asked... but she was here now....
The problem was... Chris's anger at her... ignited her anger at him...
Suddenly she just had to get out of there...
Away from her mother's stare, from the love and kindness her aunts offered, from the questions she could almost hear...
Without saying another word she shimmered out.
"DAMMIT POLLY!!" Chris hollered, ignoring the warning his mother had just given, before orbing out after her.
The sisters stared at the empty spaces in front of them.
It was Paige that spoke first, "Did she... did....was that... I mean that looked like... but... I'm not...."
"She shimmered," Phoebe said dully, walking over and dropping into a chair, "My daughter shimmered...she shimmers..." she paused then added shakily, "...demons shimmer...."
"I'm sure there's a logical explanation," Piper said, softly.
Paige nodded, "Oh yeah, I'm sure there's a logical explanation for why Phoebe's daughter, whose father she hasn't even met yet, shimmered out of here followed by your son who won't be born for another four months..." she nodded again, "Yep, there's definitely room for logic somewhere in there."
Piper glared at her youngest sister, "Phoebe, honey..." she said soothingly as she tried her best to kneel in front of her sister.
When it didn't work she sat across from her in a chair, "...don't jump to any conclusions. We'll ask when they get back, okay?"
Phoebe said nothing, her eyes glazed over, her mind a million miles ?..." she whispered, trying to focus.
"Yeah, like her being Cole's kid," Paige offered, earning herself another glower.
"What?" she said taking the glare in stride, shrugging she added, "We're all thinkin it...."
Phoebe started shaking her head, "No... no... he's dead..."
"Exactly which is why I'm telling you to not jump to any conclusions... okay..."
Phoebe nodded, taking a deep breath and shaking her head as if to clear it, "Okay... okay, I'll ask when she gets back,"
Piper smiled slightly, standing, "Good... so now all we have to do is - "
"...wait..." Paige finished in on a sigh.
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He needed to stop.
If he kept blowing up his demon staff... soon he'd have none left.
Just one more, he thought as he waved his hand and vanquished a guard at the door.
He loved watching them go up in flames... always had.
The pacing continued and he could feel the guards cringe every time he took a step. It was a minimal amount of pleasure compared with the amount of displeasure he'd been caused today.
All because he hadn't had the heart to whip her.
It was almost funny... he hadn't had the heart to whip her.
And because of it he'd been made to look like a fool...
... not to mention he now had two family members in the past.
The situation had to be remedied.
After the Bianca fiasco he'd decided to let Chris be for a while... not out of any sympathy for his loss... but simply because it was easier to rule the world when his little brother wasn't underfoot.
Chris could be a pain when he wanted to be.
And lately he'd wanted to be.
He hadn't just been part of The Resistance. He'd been leading it.
And with him at the helm the petty force, actually managed to foil a few of his conquests. His little brother had managed to strengthen the operation, make it more covert, more deadly.
It was a damn pain in his ass.
So having Chris in the past was a good solution.
It would keep the boy entertained and allow Wyatt the time he needed to sufficiently squelch The Resistance.
He wasn't really worried about Chris changing anything.
Chris had once asked him where the hell he'd grown up because he couldn't have possibly been in the same house as him.
It had been though.
Wyatt had seen exactly what Chris had seen... just more clearly.
Chris had seen a fight between good and evil.
Wyatt had seen a struggle for power.
Chris had seen a balance.
Wyatt had seen those in power trying to keep it and those without it trying to get it.
He didn't blame his little brother. Chris just didn't know.
Wyatt knew though...
... how he knew he wasn't 't really only feel an overwhelming knowledge and confidence in that knowledge....
... a knowledge he seemed to always have had....
...it's all about power....
Chris claimed this was a mistake.
He was in the past trying fix it.
What his little brother didn't understand, what he'd never learned, never accepted, was that if something was meant to be -- it would be.
And he was meant to be the way he was...
No, Wyatt wasn't worried about Chris changing the future.
He was however, sick and tired of his family members trying to. And he sure as hell wanted Polly back here.... where she belonged.
In a burst of exasperation he summoned one his top demons.
"Master," the demon said, his head bowed.
"Bring me the Grimoir," he ordered.
The demon shimmered out and returned shortly with the book in his hands, "Leave me," Wyatt commanded.
He flipped through it's pages quickly, already knowing what he wanted.
Finding it he proceeded to make the potion -- himself -- not trusting a demon to do it.
He wanted it watered down some...
....after all...
...he didn't want it to kill...
...yet....
He had some meetings to attend, some guards to kill, some demons to recruit...
After which he'd orb himself over to the manor and take a quick trip to 2004.
It was time for his wayward family members to come home.
Whether they wanted to or not.
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"Shimmering in front of them was not the most brilliant idea you've ever had," Chris said softly as he approached her.
They were at P3. She'd skipped around a little, probably trying to lose him, before settling here. She was at the bar, making drinks.
Five of them.
Apparently all for her.
She said nothing, concentrating on the concoctions in front of her.
"You can't drink those Polly," he said still softly, taking slow steps towards her.
She was pissed.
And one thing he remembered very well about approaching his cousin when she was upset.
Do it slowly.
So you had time to dodge the fire balls she sent your way.
"If you get alcohol poisoning we can't take you to the hospital cause you haven't been born yet and Leo can't heal you cause it's self inflicted... so you'd have to tough it out..."
She slammed the bottle down -- hard.
"Write me a spell, Chris," she hissed, "... and I'll be out of your hair."
"Do you have to be like that Polly?" he sighed, regretting that he'd so blatantly said he didn't want her here.
"Be like what?" she asked, sticking straws and umbrella's in the drinks as if they were for customers.
He almost growled, she always did that.
Always answered a question with one of her own.
"A brat," he said, before thinking it through.
She looked up and the hurt in her eyes made him feel like scum.
In one swift movement she lifted one of the drinks to her mouth and downed it.
"Polly don't," he said closing the distance between them.
He could see the tears glimmering in her eyes and suddenly it occurred him -- Wyatt must have done something really bad to drive her here.
"I'm going to say this slowly so you'll get it Chris," she began, her eyes burning, "I. Want. To. Be. Alone." she enunciated each word.
He looked down a moment, "I didn't abandon you Polly,"
She smirked, "As you so rightly stated. it sure as hell looked like it from where I stood."
"You're refusing to see..."
"No Chris, you are. You're the one who won't see that you left me first..."
"You're the one that wouldn't come with me!" he stated, irritation filling his voice.
She rolled her eyes and picked up anther drink, he telekinetically shoved it out of her hand.
She swore before sending him a death glared, "No, you moron, before that," she hissed, shaking the spilled liquid from her hand, "When Wyatt took power and kicked us all out of the Manor. You left after about a year of the Tower.... and you left me with him!!"
"He would never have hurt you!!"
"He lashed me that same day!!" she yelled.
The shock on his face though was more than she was going for, "...but that is not the point," she stated quickly, "The point is you left, you wouldn't submit to him, but expected me to. You're upset because I chose him, but it was you that made the choice for me Chris. You're the one chose to leave me with him."
Chris stared at her, his eyes wide, "He lashed you?" he questioned, his voice hoarse.
She shrugged, looking away, "He healed me afterwards," she said softly.
Chris started pacing, his steps echoing in the silent room. Finally he went to the bar and wordlessly drank one of the concoctions she'd created.
"If there's been one thing Wyatt and I have agreed on since Mom died it's that you and kids have to be kept safe," he said softly, his eyes begging her to understand, "Your right, I left you with him, but I did it because it was safer for you. I knew Wyatt would send everything he had after me... at least at first... I didn't want you caught up in that," he finished.
She glared at him, "Why is okay for you to risk your life and not me? Why did I have to be kept safe while you got run all over the city dodging energy and fire balls?"
He sighed, "At the risk of sounding anti-feminist -- you're a girl, and at the time you were a barely eleven-year-old girl. Not to mention your powers weren't active," he shrugged, "Keeping you safe seemed like a good idea, taking you with me while I ducked in and out of dangerous situation didn't."
It was her turn to sigh now, it was hard to be mad at Chris when he was being sincere and honest. When he looked at you and begged you to understand.
"I don't want to leave Chris, but if you ask me to I will," she said softly, walking around the bar, her tone sincere. She didn't want to be here if he was going to be angry at her.
He said nothing for a moment, just looked at her, "You didn't believe me. I wanted your help and you denied me," he said softly, then looked down a moment. When his gaze met hers again, his eyes glimmered with unshed tears, "That hurt, Polly, it hurt that you wouldn't come when I needed you,"
Her heart broke a little, but she knew better than to reach out to touch him. She took a shuddering breath, "It just... it seemed so improbable, Chris. And I couldn't... I didn't know how associate the Wyatt I knew with the one you were telling me about,"
"You didn't trust me," Chris accused, his tone rising.
"I didn't know!" she cried, feeling the sting of tears.
"You called me a liar!!" he yelled and she felt the pain in those words.
"I'm sorry!!!" she yelled back suddenly, tears spilling out, "I'm sorry I said that... but... I didn't know what to think. And you were so anxious, so demanding. You almost ordered me to think like you, to believe you, and I... I didn't know what to do... what to believe..."
"You believed him," Chris stated, his voice husky with emotion.
"And why not?" she asked, "Why not believe him? He may be the ruler of all evil Chris, but he's the one freakin tucked me in at night!!" she yelled. "Didn't we just cover this!?! You left me! All I had was Wyatt!"
"Polly I did visi - "
"No, Chris," she made a downward slash with her hand, "...at first you visited every week or so, but that was only at first. Before you approached me with your plan and your truth about Wyatt, it had been almost six months since I'd seen you," she accused.
"Well, pardon me for trying to save innocents and stay alive instead of making weekly visits to you!!!"
"I do!!" she roared, "I do pardon you..." her voice lowered in pitch, "...I do... I just... I want you to understand... to understand how difficult it was for me. You came at me like a whirlwind of rage, yelling and declaring things. And I... I didn't know anything. You demanded a decision and I... I couldn't make it... I needed time to think and you weren't willing to wait..."
"I wanted you to believe me... to believe in me," he whispered, his throat hurting from the yelling and holding his emotions in check.
She reached up and gently touched his face, "I've always believed in you, Chris, but you told me the man who'd been raising me was a disgrace to the very blood that ran in his veins. And you said it in such a way that I... I knew it was true and it terrified me..." she shrugged lightly, dropping her hand, "I made a mistake," she said firmly, "I blocked out your words and pretended like nothing had happened. And that's something that I'll always have to live with, the knowledge that I could have done something sooner and I didn't."
He studied her, doing his best to keep the emotions raging with in under constraint.
Instead he focused on the emotions he saw on her face. What he found was an overwhelming display of regret, "You went out into the city didn't you?" he asked finally.
She met his eyes, and he saw the pain in them. Nodding slowly she whispered, "I did."
He should tell her to leave, he didn't need the added aggravation of knowing that while he was out searching the underworld for whoever turned Wyatt, she was home with the sisters -- talking to them.
He didn't need to have yet one more person to worry about during an attack.
Didn't need a constant reminder of the world he was trying to save.
"You can stay," he heard words leaving his mouth. Saw the surprise appear on her face.
She eyed him warily for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm herself, "You mean it?" she asked hesitantly.
He nodded.
"You're sure?"
He let out a sigh, "Yeah... I'm sure."
She smiled a little, "And you and me... we're... you know... good? You're not gonna yell at me or accuse me of stuff or call me a brat anymore?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.
He knew the amusement was just a facade, he knew there was hurt underneath it, "No, I'm not going to do any of those... I'm sorry... I just... you being here just caught me off guard."
She eyed him a moment, it had been a long time since she and Chris had been close.
And suddenly she saw the opportunity to get that closeness back. Her mood seemed to lift at the thought.
She could get her best friend back.
"Good," she said firmly, before lunging her self at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Hug me back this time, you jerk," she said as she squeezed him.
He seemed to have the same thought as he laughed warmly, "I did hug you," he said even as he wrapped his arms around her. He had hugged her -- the second time.
"Not the first time, not when I hugged you like this," she complained.
He smiled a little as he tightened his hold on her, "Okay," he stated pulling back, "We need to get back..." he said.
Suddenly though, the smile and content look on his face dissipated and he completely removed himself from her hold, "You shimmered," he said angrily, "You shimmered in front of the sisters! What the hell were thinking!!!"
She smiled, "You're not mad at me anymore Chris," she taunted, grinning, and then she shimmered out.
"Ugh!!! Polly!!!" but it was no use, his little cousin had shimmered out and was probably going to reappear at the manor.
He groaned as he began to orb, just what I need... another cheeky witch...
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"You're back!"
Polly nodded, "I'm back... and still hungry," she said as she eyed the stove and the pots on it... presumably filled with food.
Piper laughed, "I'll make you a plate, sit down," she added as she got out a dish.
"I'll do it," Paige interrupted, "...you should be sitting," she said to Piper, taking the plate from her hand.
"No, I'll do it," Phoebe inserted, taking the plate from Paige, "...I'm her mother."
"I can fix my own," Polly said, a smile on her face as she now took the plate from her mother.
The sisters watched her, she knew where all the utensils were and filled up the plate to capacity.
When she turned to face them, they were all grinning, looking at the amount of food she planned to consume.
"What? I'm hungry..."
They laughed as they followed her into the dining room, "So we see," Paige responded.
They watched her eat for a moment, before she looked up, "Is there something I can do for you?" she asked.
Almost simultaneously they all sat down across from her.
"How come you can shimmer?"
"Did you and Chris sort things out?"
"How long are you staying?"
The questions were all asked at the same time, so that she was able to pick out only a few words.
She smiled slightly in confusion just as blue orbs appeared, "Wow," Chris said grinning as he took in the scene before, "It is amazing, isn't it!! She eats!!," he said with false enthusiasm.
"Shut up," Paige snapped, an involuntary smile lighting her face.
It was kinda funny, they were sitting here staring at the girl as she ate.
Chris laughed, "How 'bout me? Do I get any food? Or do you only feed one future offspring at a time?"
"There's food in the kitchen," Phoebe told him smiling, "Do you need one of us to fix you a plate or can you handle it?" she asked him, her tone only lightly teasing.
She'd be the first up to fix it for him and they all knew it.
He grinned, shaking his head as he headed for the kitchen. Polly giggled.
"What?" Piper asked.
She shook her head, "Nothing, nothing," she said but her eyes were twinkling.
Chris came back out a few minutes later, his plate piled just as high as Polly's.
Phoebe commented on it and watched as the two shared a look.
Before Chris commented lightly, "There's nothing like mom's cooking," just before stuffing his face with food.
As they ate the sisters talked, planning out what they'd do now that they had an extra person around. Paige stood and got drinks for her niece and nephew.
Soon though they were asking questions.
"Polly don't answer that," Chris interrupted when Phoebe asked how it was possible for her to shimmer.
She sighed, "Sorry mom, but Chris has a point, you can't know too much about the future."
Phoebe pondered that a moment, "What if I ask just one question and you answer it with a yes or no, how about that?" she said hopefully.
Polly glanced at Chris quickly, "I... guess... that wouldn't hurt," she said softly as she brought a glass of soda to her lips.
"Is Cole your father?" Phoebe blurted out immediately.
Only to be sprayed with dark fizzy liquid as her daughter spit the substance out, "What!" she exclaimed.
While Chris threw his head back and laughed, tossing a napkin at Phoebe. She didn't even glance his way.
"Is Cole your father?" Phoebe asked again, as she wiped her face.
Polly shook her head, vehemently, "No, absolutely not," she said firmly.
Chris was still laughing.
"You're sure?" Phoebe continued, when her daughter nodded, she added, "It's just that he's the only demon I've ever... you know... with.... and you can shimmer and only demons can shimmer. So figured you'd inherited it from... Cole."
"Isn't he dead?" Polly asked, the horrified expression still on her face.
"He comes back sometimes," Paige said helpfully.
Polly stared blankly at her a moment, before looking at Chris who was now simply grinning as he finished his meal.
She elbowed him while he was chewing, glaring at him, "She hasn't met my dad yet? She supposed to have met him already... What did you do to the timeline?" she asked.
Chris nearly choked, not just at the action but at the words which would produce further enquiry from the Charmed Ones.
After pounding him on the back and forcing him to drink soda -- which didn't help -- she looked at him pointedly, "Well?"
"I didn't do anything to her timeline," he answered, his eyes still watery, "It was Piper's timeline I screwed with," he said, "... and I managed to fix it, so all the timelines are exactly as they should be."
"So why hasn't she met..."
"Maybe she has," Chris interrupted, "I don't keep tabs on the guys they date... it grosses me out," he added.
"You know as amusing at it is to see you two talk about us as if we weren't here -- could you stop," Phoebe stated.
She received to identical smiles in response before the two brunette's began eating again.
The sisters exchanged smiles. Since finding out about Chris they often sat together to comment on just how cute he was.
Now with another future child in their midst, they couldn't wipe the smiles off their faces.
"I must suggest an upgrade in security around this place," a smooth voice said from the doorway.
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