Chapter Four
"Max, darling," Madeline answered, smiling at her son.
"It's good to see you dear," she continued, getting up and hugging him.
"I have some people I want you to meet, Mom," Max said, but she brushed him aside. She walked straight up to Leo a smile spreading from ear to ear.
"Hello love," she whispered, placing a wrinkled hand on his cheek. He did everything in his power from breaking down in tears.
"Hi Maddie," he greeted, pulling her into a light embrace.
"Mom…aren't you wondering how Dad's here?" Max queried, looking stunned.
"Don't be silly Maxwell. He's always been around," his mother said with a dismissive hand gesture.
"Grandma, you know he died right?" Bryce checked.
"Yes, Bryce. Why wouldn't I know he died?" she asked.
"Well you're acting like he's been around the whole time," Bryce muttered.
"Well he has…not physically but he's been there. Isn't that right, darling," she addressed Leo.
"Yes, of course I've been watching over you and Max," Leo reassured her.
"Who are you companions?" Maddie inquired, giving the sisters a kind smile.
"I can see why he married her," Phoebe whispered in Piper's ear.
"Yeah…" Piper trailed off. She was growing nervous. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
"This is my wife, Piper," Leo began introducing the girls.
"It's lovely to meet you dear. You really lucked out with this one," Maddie said, as if she was sharing some well-guarded secret.
"Yes…yes he is," Piper replied, fighting tears.
"And my sisters-in-law Paige and Phoebe," he continued, guiding his first wife to Paige and Phoebe.
"Good afternoon," she greeted them with a handshake and hug.
"And these two are our sons, Wyatt and Chris," he said, suddenly feeling awkward. Would Madeline react the same way to Wyatt and Chris as Piper had to Max?
"Oh my, they're precious," she fawned over them. She bent down to look at Chris.
"He looks just like Max when he was that age," she commented.
"Yeah…he does," Leo agreed. Wyatt had Chris' hand in his, looking like the protective older brother. He looked at Piper who gave him a 'don't you dare' look.
"Hi there, sweetie," Maddie cooed at Wyatt.
"Hi," he said softly.
"They're just so adorable," she sighed, standing up and facing Leo and Piper.
"You have beautiful children," she told them.
"Thank you," Piper answered.
"Mom, do you want to go back to your room?" Max asked, starting to usher her towards the door.
"I…I suppose…but…can we all fit?" she asked, as she reached back for her book. Bryce rushed over to the table and grabbed it. Max led his mother and the rest of their small party down a maze of halls to a room.
They pushed the door open to reveal a comfortable looking room with one bed, a TV, a small couch and a bathroom. Madeline pulled her arm out of the grip of her son and moved to open the shades, letting in the evening light. She turned back to the group assembled.
"Well, I think we have enough places to sit. Please, come sit," she said, motioning for Leo and Piper to join her on the couch. Leo picked up Chris and sat him on his lap. Wyatt appeared and began to climb into Madeline's lap.
"Careful buddy," Leo cautioned.
"He's alright.," Maddie assured him. The rest of family found seats on a couple of chairs and her bed.
"I haven't had a little one like you in my lap in a long time," she told Wyatt.
"Mom, there's something we need to talk about," Bryce interrupted her talk with Wyatt.
"Yes, what is it Max?" she asked, looking suddenly drained.
"I guess I should tell her," Bryce mumbled.
"Grandma, I'm a Wiccan…a witch," he admitted.
"We are too," Phoebe added, pointing to herself, her sisters and nephews.
"I was a whitelighter," Leo concluded.
"What is that dear?' she asked, looking perplexed.
"A kind of guardian angel," he answered.
"Oh, that makes sense. You were always helping people," she commented, not phased in the least.
"Mom did you hear what they said. They do magic," Max reiterated.
"I heard them Maxwell. I'm not losing my hearing," she snapped.
"You don't have a problem with that?" he asked, shocked.
"Of course not. Why would I?" she countered.
"It's a free country. They can practice whatever they feel the want to," she explained further.
"Well I think we should get going. I had dinner on the table," max said, getting up and moving towards the door.
"Will you all be coming back to visit?" she asked, setting Wyatt down on his feet.
"If you'd like us to come, we'd be glad to," Piper said, placing a gentle hand on the woman who had once held Leo's heart.
"I would like that tremendously. And do bring the children," she called.
"Bye," Wyatt called, waving wildly at Madeline.
"Goodbye sweetie," she waved back.
Max led them back to the front lobby. He checked them all out with Janice and bid her goodbye, assuring her that they'd be back the following week. Once they were hidden by the trees across the street, Max turned to his father.
"This has been one hell of a day," he said, rubbing his bald spot.
"Yeah it has," Leo concurred with a smile.
"So I guess you just want me to drop you off?" Paige interjected.
"You didn't really have dinner on the table, did you Dad?" Bryce questioned, knowing his father was not that prepared.
"No…" Max answered.
"Why don't you come back to the Manor," Piper suggested.
"She's an amazing cook. Please, we have a lot to catch up on," Leo begged.
"Alright…Dad," Max acquiesced, having to smile at calling the man before him, who was several decades younger in appearance, Dad.
"Great!" a chorus of voices echoed as they disappeared. They reappeared in the living room. Piper dragged Paige and Phoebe to the kitchen to help her with preparations for a large family meal. Leo knew she was giving he, Max and Bryce some more time to talk.
The three men sat down, not talking. Max was brooding over how well his mother had taken the news about the family oddity. Leo was basking in having seen Maddie again. It had felt right. He knew Piper would be pleased that she could get to know Madeline and see how alike they really were. Bryce was staring at Wyatt, who had dragged at some crayons and coloring book. Chris was chewing on a teething ring. Wyatt looked up to catch Bryce's gaze.
"Want to color?" he asked of his nephew.
"Ok," he said, his voice catching in his throat. He sat down next to the three-year-old and took the coloring utensils he was offered.
"You look really happy right now Dad," Max commented, smiling at his father. He couldn't help but be infected by his father's joy.
"This day started out like hell but it's not turning out to be half bad. I avoided getting blown up by my wife, I met my grandson, reconnected with my son and first wife. I'd say it's a good day," he chuckled.
"Mom seemed so happy to see you. I was kind of shocked how she just accepted the whole magic concept," Max murmured.
"She's got a lot of faith. And a lot of tolerance," Leo commented with a shrug.
"So…can I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"What exactly does having magic mean to your lives?" Max queried.
"Around here, it's a daily battle…literally. The sisters are the Charmed Ones. The most powerful force of Good," Leo explained.
"If there is good, there has to be bad."
"Oh believe me there is. They kick demon ass daily. They have been for the last eight years. We've been through so much. But it's made us all stronger as a family," Leo affirmed.
"Is this going to affect Bryce at all?" he asked, concerned.
"As long as demons don't find he's related. He should be fine," the former whitelighter answered.
"That's a reassuring thought," Max muttered.
"Back at the home, you said you were a…" he trailed off, not sure of the term Leo had used.
"Whitelighter. Last year, as a consequence of becoming an Elder and an Avatar…" Leo launched into an explanation.
"I'll tell you that story later," he added as a side note.
"The Elders felt...especially since I'd killed two Elders…one had betrayed our trust and tried to kill Wyatt and another the other…was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, that I needed to choose whether I wanted to be an Elder, and severe all ties with my family or be with my family and be mortal," he said, longwindedly.
"Needless to say, I chose my family. It wasn't that difficult of a decision, once I regained my memory," Leo said with a laugh.
"You're right. We do have a lot to catch up on," Max chuckled.
Time had flown by and Piper walked in, ushering everyone to the table. She placed Chris in his high chair and pushed Wyatt closer to the table. He gave a protesting look to Phoebe when she tried to sit next to him.
"No…Bryce sit here," he informed her. His nephew sat down, ruffling the boy's hair.
Leo sat down on Wyatt's other side, Piper next to him. Max seated himself across from his father. Once everyone was in a chair, Piper began to pass food around the table. Soon the room was filled with the comfortable banter of a family enjoying a meal together. Bryce and Max slipped into the conversation easily enough, Bryce contributing more to the magical talk.
"Let me help you with those," Max offered to Piper as she started on the dishes.
"Thanks but I've got it," she answered. She was the boss in the kitchen, even with the dishes. Leo laughed at Max's crestfallen expression.
"Don't worry. The only time she lets someone else do the dishes is when she's mad at them. So take it that you're on her good side," Leo teased his wife.
"Careful what you say. You want to get soapy?" Piper threatened. He just shook his head and led his other family towards the door.
"It was great to see you guys. Please, come over whenever you want. Our door is always open," he promised them, hugging them both tightly.
Just as Max opened the door, Wyatt came barreling out of the kitchen and latched onto Max's leg.
"Bye brother," he said. Max looked at the little boy with a watery smile.
"Goodbye little brother. I'll be back, don't worry," he promised, ruffling Wyatt's hair.
"Don't be strangers," Phoebe called as the three sisters showed up in the doorway.
"We won't," Bryce assured them.
"I'm still you're charge," he said pointing to Paige. She nodded and smiled as he and his father walked out of the Manor.
Maybe it was best that Leo's war secrets had been unveiled to the Halliwells. He felt lighter and as Piper embraced him from behind, he was sure he could feel a new understanding radiating from her.