Time has moved on from you,
But I hold on to your memory.

Why our love must always fail,
I am still unsure.

Warning:

This chapter contains reference to forced incest (rape). It is a minor reference but, I feel, it is needed for the plot. If you are uncomfortable with the subject, please feel free to skip this chapter; however, I would recommend reading this chapter due to it playing a major role in the character development of multiple people and it will be playing a role in the decisions of one specific character in a later chapter.

As always, thanks for reading!

Both Chris and Melinda's injuries are severe. It seems like one, if not both, of them will die. Wyatt never had any intention of trading one life for another. He wants them both to die. He hopes they both die. After all, once they are dead there be no family left to keep him from his ultimate goal. What that is, only Wyatt knows.

22 hours later, After Truth Spell

Leo was pacing at the foot of the bed, "I'm so stupid," he said to himself. Piper was sitting at the edge rubbing her son and daughter's face. After they were both shot, the four of them moved Chris and Melinda to Piper's room. They laid them next to each other and since then both Leo and Piper have kept guard.

"Our son is evil," Leo said, "and another risked his life to come back and I attacked him!" He shouted the last part. Piper looked over, "Leo, I feel as bad as you do," she whispered with an authoritative voice, "but, please, we need to let them rest." He nodded and came over, reaching for her hand, "I'm a bad parent, Piper." He said with disappointment in his voice.

Piper looked into his eyes, "We've both been bad parents," she looked at the two beautiful children, even if they were both adults, "but we can change that, Leo. We have to. We have to save our children. We have to save our family." Leo nodded his head, "You're right. We can change the future. We will change the future," he gripped her hand, "Piper, will you marry me?" She laughed but then noticed he was serious, "Leo, you're an elder." He sighed, "I know, but I can't allow things to get in the way of family anymore. We need to move forward. Time is too short for this." Leo had learned a lot from Chris, even though he probably wouldn't have admitted it before, but he respected the man's unending relentlessness to fulfill his goal. Frankly, it made so much sense now. Chris was willing to put everything on the line for family, and what had Leo done? Nothing. No, that's not quite right; he had prevented the one man willing to save Wyatt from doing his job.

Two hours after Leo had asked Piper to marry him again, Melinda's eyes fluttered open. She looked around and saw Chris beside her. Her mother was there and so was that man. She almost blasted him to nothingness but then she remembered she was in the past. She may have hated him but even she wasn't stupid enough to kill the man before she was born. Maybe she would do that after she was born. Yes, that would certainly make the future better she thought. Those thoughts quickly became secondary when she realized she needed to take care of a more basic need.

After about five minutes, Melinda left the bathroom and headed down into the kitchen. She fixed herself a nice sandwich and sat down at the table. She looked down at the deli-worthy sandwich and smiled. Her mother had taught Chris well and, in turn, Chris taught Melinda. Melinda was still so young when Piper died but she did remember a few lessons, but the memory of her mother's death was so painful that she blocked a lot of memories in order to move on. She just couldn't face the fact that her mother had died. No one came, not even her so-called father.

It was Phoebe who found Melinda first, crying into a sandwich that probably would have given Piper's sandwiches a run for their money. She quickly went to the young girl's side and pulled her into a hug, which the other girl did not fight, as she rubbed circles on Melinda's back. "Shh," she cooed, "It's okay. Talk to me, Melinda," she said quietly in a voice only a little above a whisper. "I miss her so much," Melinda said, forgetting for a moment where she was. Being that Chris had already spilled the beans about Piper's death, Phoebe knew who she meant, "I know, sweetie, I know."

Melinda looked at her aunt, through tear-filled eyes, "He told you?" Phoebe only nodded her head, "He did." She didn't feel right telling her yet about the spell. "We saw her die, we were there." Melinda's tears kept falling, "Wyatt did it. He never told us but…" She hesitated, "He told me today." She finally said. She looked down, "I should have killed him," she said as her body shook, "Chris kept saying not to and I trusted him and," she fell against her aunt, "I should have done it."

Phoebe couldn't speak because she had no idea what to say. She could understand why her niece wanted to kill her nephew. Hell, she wanted to now as well. This was a man that had murdered his mother, possibly the rest of the family. He had even shot Melinda and Chris, his own sister and brother! Forget sibling rivalry, this was going too far! And yet, not even all of this could convince Phoebe to kill her nephew. No, not even all of that could convince her to do it.

She sighed, remaining silent, rubbing circles on her niece's back. She just remained that way until there was a cough at the door. Both Melinda and Phoebe looked up to see Piper standing there with tears in her eyes. Melinda quickly let go of Phoebe and ran over, hugging her mother and crying even more, "Mommy," she called out sounding like a little girl. 'Maybe, in some way, both Chris and Melinda are still little kids.' Phoebe thought, 'Maybe Chris acts the way he does because he is afraid of losing his mother.' It would make sense, Phoebe realized.

Everyone, minus Chris, was gathered in the kitchen with tea and sandwiches. Melinda and Piper had gotten to know each other better by making lunch for everyone. Now, Melinda had promised to reveal certain things. She told everyone that there were some things she could not or would not reveal, due to it being too personal or too hard to do so. Melinda took a bite of her sandwich and a sip of her tea. Leo watched her manners and realized how much Piper must have taught her before she…before she, er, died. Leo couldn't even think that without hesitating. He never came. He sighed and shook his head.

Melinda looked around at her family, "Please understand that the future is a terrible place. I am sure Chris has been persistent in his goal to find what turned Wyatt." They all either spoke or nodded to confirm this. No one spoke against Chris, however. They couldn't. Melinda sighed, looking into her teacup, "Everyone wanted to kill Wyatt," she hesitated gulping and then continued, "even me." She looked up at her mother, "Please understand, he's done so much to the world. Everyone is dead." She looked at Phoebe, "I saw him kill you," more tears threatened to come but Melinda tried to hold them back, "I tried to save you but he was too powerful." Phoebe gripped Melinda's hand giving her strength, "He enjoys being evil. No one really believed he could be saved," she looked to her mother again, "Some believed he was born evil. Chris didn't believe it because he remembered Wyatt being good."

Melinda held her head, "I tried to believe it but he's done so much," she sighed here, "so much," she nearly whispered. Piper looked to her daughter and suddenly a thought occurred to her, a thought that she wished she would never had been able to think, but after all of this she had to know, "He hurt you, didn't he?" Melinda looked at her mother in shock, "What?" She shook her head but it was clear that he had, so she just shook her head, "He," she looked down but her mother had already gotten up to pull her in a hug, "He forced more to," her mother held her tighter, "Shh," she cooed, "It's alright, you did nothing wrong. He's evil," Piper hated saying it but it was time to face facts, "You tried to fight it," she said without asking. Melinda nodded her head, "He was too strong and made me." She couldn't say the words. It was too much. She couldn't even tell Chris about it, even though it would have made him want to kill Wyatt, she couldn't do it! Chris couldn't know.

"It happened before Chris left," she whispered in a small voice, "I didn't tell him because a small part of me hoped he was right." Her mother was now sitting on the ground, still holding her hand, "I hoped he was right because then it never would have happened." She looked down, "The future, Wyatt being evil, what happened to me," she said still being unable to fully admit it, "my child," she finally said in a smaller voice that made it hard for anyone to make it out. Piper had heard it though and pulled Melinda into another hug, "You're pregnant?" She whispered. Melinda nodded her head but couldn't bring herself to speak about it.

Leo, who had been quiet all this time, felt a rage build up inside of him. He was certainly not young and knew about things such as incest and rape but he could never have believed it would happen to his daughter – let along his son being the one responsible. He was the first to deny it when Chris told them but now? Now, he had no choice. Hell, he had no choice the moment they used that damned truth spell. He knew what he had to do. He had to stop this pity party and comfort his daughter.

Melinda stiffened when she felt Leo's arms wrap around her but then she slowly calmed down, "I love you," he said as his strong arms wrapped around her, "I will always love you," he said. Melinda began to cry as her father had finally showed himself. Years in the past and she finally got to meet him. Her father was here. After Leo had hugged her, Piper's grasp also tightened. Her aunts, Paige and Phoebe, also got up to hug her. Phoebe just said, "Oh sweetie," with tears falling. The empathic aunt had always been there for Melinda, a second mother to both her and Chris. Aunt Paige was also crying and visibly shaking, almost as bad as Melinda herself. Maybe this was what she needed all along? Her family.

Yes, she was sure of it now. She was still that scared little girl whose mother died. Yes, she could kill any demon that got in her way. Yes, she was co-leader of the resistance. Yes, she was strong. Yes, she was an adult. Yes, she was the strongest witch of her time, minus Wyatt and Chris. Yet, there was that small part of her that missed her mother and wanted a father that loved her. She wanted her family, and now, now, she had them. She finally felt loved and you know what? It felt good, no…it felt great. Yes, great. Hah! In the future, she wouldn't even know the word. But here? Right now? She felt loved. It was a great feeling and she wanted to scream it off the rooftops.

'Too bad it won't last'

'Soon this life will grow inside me and be born'

'I'd rather die than mother his child'

'Please change the future, Chris'

'I love my family'

'Can I truly live this way?'

'Do I deserve to live?'

'Do I deserve to be called a Halliwell?'

These were only a few of the thoughts running through Melinda's mind. She didn't feel comfortable voicing them because then she would have to admit to the suicidal thoughts in her head. Maybe they would understand, she thought, but she couldn't risk it. She needed to be there now more than anything. She needed her family. She needed Chris. She needed her father. She needed her mother. She needed her aunts, Phoebe and Paige. Hell, she even needed this house. She needed something to ground her. Something that kept her sane. The future certainly did its best to make her go insane. After her mother died, she could never be a child again. Chris had to grow up faster though. A part of her wished she could go back to that simpler time. 'Maybe, in a way, I have?' she thinks. It's a thought that gives her peace and, for now, that is all she needs.

As always, thank you for reading and reviewing! It is much appreciated! :)

Jeffrey.