San Francisco Park (Past)
Night fell, and Cole with his two daughters sat perched on a picnic table, allowing the moon's light to wash over them. Ella sat on her father's lap, and Mel sat a foot away from them, starring up at the stars.
"Why are you lookin' up at the sky?" Ella asked her sister, "You can't see any stars."
Mel grinned mischievously and tilted up her head at the starless sky. Squinting carefully, she focused intently on the cloudy, foggy sky above. Slowly, with a slight rumble, the clouds parted, creating a hole of glittering, twinkling stars. Ella laughed softly with delight.
"Oh…" she said with understanding. Mel ruffled her sister's brown hair, causing the young girl to go into yet another bout of giggles.
"Melody, would you please at least try to control yourself?" Cole scolded her lightly. He was too happy seeing his children happy and at ease to put much force behind his command.
"Fine, Dad," Mel grumbled, "I'll put it back." The clouds returned to their original positions, and Cole nodded in thanks to her.
"Daddy, it was pretty," Ella pouted, trying to use her charm to get her way, as all little girls are bound to try when they get to that age. Cole just chuckled, and waved his hand lightly. Fire danced around, hovering above the ground at Ella's eye level. With several gestures, he created familiar figures, including an edgy Chris, a bunny, and several ponies that Melody had adored as a child.
"So," Mel huffed, "you can do tricks, but I can't?"
"I'm older and wiser," Cole shot back playfully. Mel crossed her arms and pouted, causing Ella to break into more fits of laughter. She loved seeing her older sister like this, as did Cole. She seemed so relaxed, away from the pressure of their world, away from the bloodshed and trickery. 'If their plans didn't work out, this could become a very nice vacation retreat', Cole though only half joking.
"Oh yeah?" Mel returned, "I'm voluntarily possessed by a million year old—"
"Melody Prudence Haliwell!" Cole cut her off, and looked around anxiously. "Don't' you dare say anything about that here!"
"Sorry," she mumbled, looking down at the grassy ground, ashamed.
"You should be!" he ranted, "If just one demon had heard that, it would be the end of that. We're lucky other demons haven't sensed you yet!"
"Dad, I know…I just wasn't thinking."
Cole breathed out for a moment, trying to stop his blood from boiling with rage…and fear. His oldest daughter lived a dangerous life, against his will, and she was becoming too reckless. She didn't, however, need him yelling at her. She was under a lot of stress already.
"I'm sorry, Mel," he apologized, and pulled her head toward his shoulder, "I'm just worried about you, that's all."
She rested her head on his shoulder, and her rubbed her back gently. The father and two daughters sat there, still as could be, simply watching the moon fly through the endless sky.
Back at the manor…Phoebe, Paige, and Piper all stood around the stove in the kitchen, waited for the water to boil properly, so that they could at the final ingredient. Upon seeing Leo, she had dropped the only vial they had, since the rest of the batch had overcooked itself when Paige ran to Piper's call.
"Where is everybody?" Paige asked, breaking the quiet around her. Her sisters looked up at her.
"Cole and the girls went to the park," Phoebe answered instantly, "He said that Ella needed a break from it all."
"I have know idea where Chris, Jonas, or Bianca is, but with Future Leo running amok, I have a feeling they're all together." Piper glanced back down at the potion, checking its progress.
"Where is our Leo, anyway?" Phoebe asked, and peeked at her sisters. Both shrugged.
As if on cue, Leo orbed in. He was covered in mud and bits of grass, and his face was full of small, harmless little cuts, that looked like large paper cuts. Even as he stood in front of the sisters, they began to heal themselves up. However, the dirt did not go away.
"Honey! What happened?" Piper laughed, secretly relieved that her ex-husband was with them again.
"I trust Chris and Jonas," he muttered, and the Charmed Ones looked at each other knowingly, "But I still don't trust Melody or Bianca."
"Well, we have some news for you," Paige said, and turned her attention back to the odorous potion, as it simmered and splashed over the pot. Paige swore quietly as she grabbed a dishtowel to wipe the melted ingredients off the surface of the stove.
"What can be more drastic than discovering the Chris is my son?" he asked warily, prepared for some blow of extreme proportions.
"Future you came to visit!" Piper said, with an almost accusing tone. Leo stepped back a foot, as if he had been physically harmed.
"What? What was I like?" Leo stuttered excitedly.
"You were evil, and gullible, and cruel, and," Paige rambled on, naming negative characteristics that Future Leo had shown, until Piper finally smacked her in the shoulder.
"Ow," Paige muttered.
"Leo," Phoebe tried to take an advice columnist's approach to the issue, "your future self can be changed. Our fate is judged by our actions. The only reason you seemed so twisted is because you held Wyatt in value over all else, including you second son, the remainder of your family, and the greater good."
"I didn't love Chris?" Leo asked sadly. He seemed genuinely concerned. Piper reached over to embrace him. He accepted her, and the divorced couple hugged each other tightly. Phoebe, the hopeless romantic, couldn't help but "aw" at them.
"So what are you girls trying to do?" Leo asked, still draping his arm around Piper's shoulder.
"We're making a potion to send Cole and Ella back," Phoebe replied absent-mindedly. Leo nodded.
"Where are they, anyways?" Paige asked, looking up from the potion, "because it's ready."
"We're right here," Cole answered, and Phoebe whirled around to face him, and Ella. He smiled at her, and she blushed deeply.
"I'm here!" Mel announced, shimmered a moment later.
"What, did you get lost on the way?" Leo remarked rudely. Mel glared at him. He didn't care; he would work hard to show Chris that he loved him as much as Wyatt, but Mel was half-demon – she was half Cole. Some one like that, he could never love.
"Is the potion ready?" Cole asked, getting down to business.
"Yes."
"Yep."
"Definitely."
Piper called Chris, Jonas, and Bianca, and they said good-bye to Cole and Ella. After, Chris orbed back to P3 with Bianca; since the pregnancy, she was feeling a bit under the weather, and Chris insisted she stay in bed. Jonas orbed back as well, after asking Cole to talk to his family for him.
"You're comin' with us, right Mel?" Ella asked sadly, knowing the answer. Melody scooped her up in her arms, and hugged her tightly.
"You're going to be fine, Ella," she promised, "but I need to stay here, and stop Wyatt from turning."
"Ok, but kisses first." Mel showered her face with little pecks. After a minute, however, she backed away, and Ella ran to her father's arms.
"Do it,' he ordered, and his own eyes shone with sadness. The sisters nodded somberly, and began the incantation Phoebe had created, as Cole and Ella stepped into the circle created by candles and crystals.
Magic forces far and near
Collect your strength and settle here
Send these people forward in time
Back to hearth and home whence ends this rhyme
Phoebe threw her potion first, then Piper, then Paige. Smoke of various color and smells filled the air, and the impenetrable mist, through which no eyes could pierce, enveloped the entire attic.