Author's Note: Thanks to those of you that reviewed. I'm sooooo sorry I haven't been posting as often, I've just been really busy. Forgive me? ^_^

Disclaimer: I own nothing….well I do own a few things *riffles through purse and pulls out a piece of gum and two pennies* but none of the Charmed Characters except my own creations being: Priscilla, Brennan, Petra, and Pandora. Most of the characters will probably be in the sequel instead of this installment. Please don't steal them. They like it here with me. :)

Chapter Twelve

"So soon?" Phoebe asked in confusion as they descended the stairs.

Leo answered from the living room where everyone else waited, "Well, since Risa isn't awake yet and we can't find out anything else about Charnaurus, we need to know what kind of information they are gaining with the other two scrolls. Plus, it could help us."

Chris glanced at Phoebe with a worried expression. She didn't have to be psychic to understand what was wrong. What if the scroll said something about him or Priscilla?

Trying to stall for time so they could think of something, Phoebe began to ramble. "Are you sure we shouldn't wait? I mean, what if it's one of those thingies were if we know what is going to happen it might not happen because we know it's going to happen so we try too hard or don't do something because we're afraid it might keep it from happening but by not doing it we are actually keeping it from happening?"

The others stared at her. Chris took advantage of the situation and grabbed the scroll, "I have no idea what you just said but it sounded good to me. Let's wait. I'll just take this somewhere safe until we're ready to read it." With that he orbed away, leaving the rest still confused.

"What just happened?" Paige asked.

Piper shook her head in bemusement, "I have no idea."

***

Phoebe slipped upstairs while the others were talking and started jotting down a restorative spell. When she had finished, she called Chris as quietly as she could, hoping that no one downstairs had heard her.

He swirled in and solidified, "What?"

"Take me to where ever you put the scroll. We need to read it."

"But they'll know someone read it when they see the seal broken."

A grin crept across Phoebe's face and she held up the piece of paper. "Don't worry, I've got that part taken care of."

When they landed, Phoebe blinked in surprise and stared at Chris. "You have got to be kidding me. You hid the scroll here?"

They were standing in the middle of Stonehenge.

He shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah, yeah, I know….But it's shielded. You can't use magic to find anything inside the ring. If you scried for it, it would just spin in circles. Plus, they'd never think to look here."

"You got that right."

He grabbed the scroll from under one of the smaller stones and handed it to her, "Let's just get it over with shall we?"

"Alright, alright." She broke the seal and unwound the old parchment.

Just as she was about to read it, Chris glanced up in alarm, "Mom's calling. Something's wrong." He grabbed her hand, scroll and all, and orbed back to the Manor.    

Both immediately ducked as demons fired at them.

Piper was blowing them up as fast as she could but she didn't see the one that shimmered in behind her. He held a slim dagger above her heart and growled into her ear, "Where is the scroll witch?! We know you have it!"

Chris flicked his hand and the demon went flying.

Paige summoned the dagger from the floor and sent it into his chest. He screamed and burst into flames, leaving only ash behind.  

The other demons saw that reinforcements had arrived and retreated.

"Damn them, I just had this carpet cleaned." Piper complained as everyone brushed themselves off.

Jason peered around the rail of the staircase, his face pale. "Is the ghost clear?"

Phoebe gasped and turned, "Jason!"

"Do you guys have to deal with this kind of stuff all the time?"

She smiled sheepishly, "Pretty much. Are you ok?"

"Physically? Yes. Mentally? Not quite sure yet. Give me a few more days, then ask me again." With that he headed back upstairs and closed the door to his temporary room.

Paige chuckled softly and Phoebe glared at her.

"What?" Paige asked innocently.

"What are you laughing about?"

"It's just, that is exactly what you said earlier when asked if he was ok. You two really need to spend less time together."

Phoebe frowned sadly, "Well, depending on what he decides about all this, I may be spending no time with him."

The mirth left Paige's face, "I'm sorry honey, I wasn't thinking. But don't worry about it, Jason loves you."

"I just hope it's enough."

***

While this discussion was going on, Chris tried to sneak away.

Piper caught his movement out of the corner of her eye, "Not so fast young man!"

He turned around, the expression on his face akin to that of a child with his hand stuck in the cookie jar.

She crossed her arms over her chest, "Might that be the scroll?"

He gulped. "Maybe."

Phoebe's eyes widened when she realized his predicament. The seal had been broken already and they hadn't had time to fix it. Dang! Think Phoebe!

An idea came and she rushed over, scolding him, "Did you think you could just run off with it again? There have been enough secrets around here and we want to know our future, so hand it over buddy." The mirth in her eyes made him realize what she was planning and he 'reluctantly' handed it over, careful to keep the seal side hidden.

"Thank you. Let's sit in the kitchen shall we?" She headed off before anyone could respond and took the opportunity to whisper the restorative spell. She smiled as the wax melted together again.

When they were all seated, she handed it over to Piper.

"Let's get this over with shall we?"

She broke she seal and unrolled it, the top and bottom edges curling under. "Here goes nothing….."

" 'The Power of Three was broken, but when the lost one is found, it shall be restored.' " 

Paige interrupted her as she bounced up and down in her chair, "That's me!"

Piper glared at her and she settled down.

" 'When she is found, they will be more powerful, for she will bring the blood of a whitelighter to the Three. If she lives to bring forth children, they will play a pivotal roll in rescuing the one who has slipped into darkness.' "

 

They all began asking Chris questions and he waved his hands in the air, "Stop! Stop! One at a time."

Paige was the first to speak, "I have kids?"

"Actually, no."

She pouted, "None?"

"Remember? I told you guys when I arrived that Paige was originally killed by the Titans, not just turned to stone."

Phoebe looked over in concern, "Wait a minute. But we saved her. You said she doesn't have any kids. Does that mean she still dies?"

Richard spoke up, "Actually, maybe I can help explain this. The way time travel works is that those who move through it don't receive the changed memories until they return to their time. Even then, it's gradual. Chris doesn't know because he only knows the future he left, not the one we are creating now."

"You really come in handy, you know that?" Paige smiled sweetly at him.

Phoebe rolled their eyes as she smiled. They were so cute.

Piper looked toward the window, "By the one who has slipped into darkness, they mean Wyatt don't they."

It was more of a statement than a question but Chris still nodded.

She shook her head to clear it and returned to the small scroll.

" 'Part of her journey will be spent in helping others through situations she did not previously foresee. They will be her training for she is meant to teach as well as guide.' "

"Teach? What do they mean by that?" Paige screwed up her nose.

Richard chuckled softly, "I can't really see you as the professor type."

Piper snorted, "Yeah, she'd die in those stuffy teacher's clothes."

"Is there any more?" Paige asked, impatient to have her 'fortune' told.

"Not much. I mean, it is a pretty tiny scroll."

"Well just get on with it then," She nudged.

" 'She will find a companion who will give her what she needs and if both learn to give and take, they will be together all their days. Until death do they part.' "

"It's kinda vague don't ya think?"

The others nodded in agreement.

"Nothing really useful except that we now know to get Paige pregnant as fast as possible. We need those little offspring to help their cousin." Piper joked as she rubbed Paige's flat stomach.

Paige swatted her hand away and glanced at Richard, a slight blush to her cheeks.

Phoebe took the scroll and started to hand it to Chris, "Here, why don't you take this back to- "

But before she could finish, something caught her eye.

"Hey, look at this…." She took the top of the scroll and straightened out the curl to find the top edge rough as if it had been torn. Directly beneath it was a single sentence:

" '-will cause a power to be born that surpasses all before it. If this does not come to pass, all is lost.' "