A Charmed Story - Part Eight:
Chris To The Max
Chapter 7

In our time:
"Why do I so often have to wake up alone," Bianca said smiling when she entered the attic. But then she stopped. "Julian? What are you doing here?" she asked. The colored witch smiled.
Wyatt, who was frowning, turned to look at Bianca: "That is what we were wondering, too... If I'm right, you did not want to help us, did you, Julian?" he asked, fixing his eyes on the witch.
Julian shook his head resigned: "WE didn't think it was the best thing to do... but now we've changed our minds," he said simply.
"Wait, wait, wait..." Bianca said, approaching Chris, and taking him by the hand: "Help HOW?"
Chris shrugged as Christopher stared at them wonderingly. He had repressed himself when he was about to say hello to Julian, waving. He wasn't sure about the future consequences, and he didn't want to be grounded for... the whole eternity.
"Actually I thought you didn't know anything..." Chris said, narrowing his eyes.
"Is that what you told them, Wyatt?" Julian asked, shocked.
The blonde man shrugged: "I know what our relationship is like in the future, I couldn't tell them that you would not help. That would probably have broken that friendship." All of the six remaining people frowned; therefore Wyatt went on: "I knew you would finally help us..." He grinned triumphantly.
Tom and Veronica were working hard with their minds trying to understand what was going on.
"You didn't seem to believe that," Julian muttered.
"Well... I was furious. But then I thought that in my time you are our friends; that would mean that you two never abandoned us... I shouldn't have tried to get your help. I'm sure your help would have come on its own, as it's happening right now."
"Wow..." Christopher said, who had never really understood all that mess of time travelling. "Whatever... Are you gonna help?"
Chris, Wyatt and Bianca looked at him expectantly.
The colored witch smiled: "Well... At least I'm gonna share the information we have: Cristóbal... He's got new powers now, and he's more powerful than he was."
Tom rolled his eyes, this time: "Too late, man. That's something we know, and I have some evidence..." he said grimacing as if his injury still hurt.
"But we also know who's behind all this. Who's helping him. And we know the motifs."
Now he had all the attention. Julian kept smiling. He knew that this helped them, but it was helping Belthazor too. Actually, he was the Source of all Evil, and this new demon, the one behind all the story, was threatening his throne too... That was why he had accepted, in part, to help.
But at that very moment, another person appeared at the door in the attic.
"Mike..." Chris muttered, at the sight of his pale friend.

°°°°°°°°°°

"And?"
"... And I had to bring her here... I'm so sorry! That stupid little witch. I don't know how he found my lair!"
The old demon was quite annoyed: "That was not part of the plan. If something else fails..."
Cristóbal swallowed. He knew... he knew very well. "Nothing will, I promise. They do not know this place, they won't find her here. They could not find that witch you told me about. The one you held and tortured in this very same place."
"Pray that you're right." The demon said menacingly, looking to the cave. The girl was inside. Probably she had no idea of where she was. And no one had. But this time, they hadn't make that spell to make the others believe that she was somewhere else.
"I am... We only need to hide her for a few more hours. It'll be easy."
"Of course..." the demon turned his face to the moon, the wolves, as always, howling around.

°°°°°°°°°°

It knocked on the door. Cole opened it to let the waiter in. They had ordered a huge breakfast, the 'honeymoon-breakfast' and those things the waiter brought were looking really delicious.
Cole gave him a gratuity and was about to carry the plate to the bed room, when the waiter stopped him.
"Mr. Halliwell?"
Cole grinned at Phoebe who had just entered the lounge, too. "Oh I love that sound," he said to her with a wink. Then he turned around to the waiter again: "Yeah?"
"I have a packet for you," the man said and gave Cole a black box with a red ribbon tied up to a big loop.
Cole took it frowning: "Who had sent that?"
The waiter shrugged: "I don't know... Have a nice breakfast and if you need anything just hit the zero on the telephone."
Phoebe nodded: "Thanks." Then the waiter left the suite.
Cole followed him with his eyes. "Who could have sent that?" he asked then, turning to his wife.
"I don't know," she shrugged, "maybe dad..." She went over to him: "Why don't you just open it and find it out?"
Cole nodded. He opened the loop and put away the ribbon. Then he lifted the lid. Inside, carefully wrapped into soft cloth, was an really old wooden pony.
'Nothing special,' Phoebe thought. But she noticed a weird kind of excitement inside her husband as soon as he saw it.
Cole stared at that pony with an unbelieving smile. "Oh my God," he muttered in a childish voice. His shivering fingers caressed the wooden toy softly while he sank down to the sofa, his eyes turning watery.
"Honey, what is that?" Phoebe asked.
Cole just kept focused on the pony and mumbled: "I can't believe it."
The empath shook her head, feeling the joy inside him. She examined the box and found a paper. She unfolded it and read.
"Dear Mr. and Mrs Halliwell. My best wishes to your marriage.
Cole, I guess you will recognise my little gift. That's the best I have to give to you. It was at the same place were we had left it, you remember?
I wish you both all the best for your future... B.
- By the way... It's nice to go back to the roots... if you ever need help, I'm sure you know how to find me."
When Phoebe looked up, she saw Cole chuckling and crying at the same time. She went over to sat down next to him and took his still shivering hand into hers. "Honey... what is that?"
Cole wiped away his tears and smiled at her: "This pony... it's nearly as old as I am... I got it from my father when I was three... I always loved that little pony... I was hiding it from my mother, especially... after she had killed him."
With his last words his voice and eyes turned sad. Phoebe felt that there was still pain inside him. She sighed.
But it didn't last long. The light in his eyes returned quickly as he said: "I can't believe that he had found it, that he is giving that to me... It's... It's overwhelming."
Phoebe smiled. She had never seen Cole like that... ok, maybe when he returned from death and she forgave him, or when the babies had been born... But no... At that moment Cole was so all churned up inside, like she had never seen him before.
And then Phoebe realised another thing. He had never before spoken about his past, his childhood like that. He had never told her anything about his parents before. 'Oh God... How could his mother kill his father?' she thought.
But, Cole was just happy that moment, she felt it. She put her arms around him and hugged him tightly, enjoying his excitement. "I love you," she whispered.
Then another thought crossed her mind. 'Maybe he's right about Belthazor... Maybe something inside him had changed too...'

°°°°°°°°°°

"Ooohhh... So sweet..." Paige said, as she entered the nursery still half-asleep, rubbing her eyes.
Piper raised her head, smiling. She was sitting on the floor, holding little Chris. Hope was in the cot by her side, and Wyatt was playing with some toys, and from time to time approached his mom with curiosity to look at his little "bother".
"Yeah, well, Wyatt... When you grow up, try to tell Chris that he's a "bother" and then wait for his reaction," Piper said, laughing.
Paige accompanied her, as she sat by her side and took Hope in her arms. "You know...? We're getting so used to see your sons in their adult version that we're gonna want to see all the rest of the clan soon. This is becoming the rule in this family," she said, grinning.
"Yeah... I can't believe my little Chris is here... Christopher." She paused, thoughtful. "I'm not really sure if I should call him like that already... I mean, they said he'll tell me that he wanna be called like that..."
"So let him tell you when the time comes..."
"Yeah... It's just that I'm getting used to call him like that now. By the way... Have you see how different they are?"
Paige grinned: "Oh, yes. VERY different..."
"I can't stop thinking that our Chris would have been like him, so lively, so happy, so... innocent, if he had had a good life."
"Piper..." Paige put a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Don't start with that... Chris is happy now, and he helped to create all that, he has his own little family, so I'm sure that is enough reward."
Piper nodded. Then baby-Chris started to whine, and his crying became louder and louder little by little. "It's ok... You're with mom here..." Paige smiled again, at the sight of that scene.
"Anyway, you're right, we have something more important to worry about now... Our little baby will be part of a plan I don't really like..." Piper said, without taking her eyes from the baby in her arms.

°°°°°°°°°°

"Hey..." Wyatt went to Michael, and led him to a seat. "Are you ok?"
The man shook his head: "Actually I am not. I woke up there, alone, and when everything that had happened came to my mind, I freaked out." He was at the verge of tears, and Chris knew. He sat down by his side, and tried to make him calm down, in front of the interested looks of the rest.
"I'm sorry we left you alone. We didn't mean that. I was..." He took a look at the book. "Actually I was looking for something that could help."
Michael smiled grateful: "You should have slept." Actually he was feeling quite angry because he thought all his friends had forgotten about him, and that they had decided to enjoy a party upstairs without him, he thought ironically.
"He never sleeps," Christopher said, shrugging. Bianca frowned. Her husband was gonna have again difficulties to sleep?
"Ok... That is not the point," Wyatt said. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, guys, but time is coming nearer... And now, Julian... if you don't mind..."
All the heads turned to him, as he smiled and went on: "His name is Rhashirk."
Chris frowned... He had never seen that name in the book. Anyway, it was worthwhile to try again, so he left Michael with Wyatt and went to take a look at the book. Christopher opened his mouth to say something, but Wyatt's look made him shut up again.
Tom and Veronica were looking at Julian with curiosity, wondering what he knew, when the voice of the twice blessed interrupted him: "He won't be there... You won't find him there. Don't waste your time."
"But who the hell is Raskirshk?" Tom asked, trying hard to say that name.
"Rhashirk. The demon who's behind all this. He wants to destroy the Halliwells, as always, because he thinks they are the greatest threat he'll have to face before getting the throne. Destroying the Halliwells means destroying the balance between good and evil."
Michael shook his head. "But what does it have to do with me and my wife...?" he asked tiredly.
Julian turned to look at him: "He gave Cristóbal his powers back, and some more useful powers, so that he would help him in his plan. Chris is the first on both men's list. For one, you are the most powerful in the family because you have lived in so many timelines and know too much. For the other, you don't deserve to live here, this is his timeline, and he wants revenge. Once Chris is killed, Cristóbal will regain his place in life and in the Underworld, and of course, he'll help Rhashirk with the rest of the family." He stopped here, and all the others kept silent as a grave.
Finally, Christopher burst, lively and happily: "Only he doesn't know that the man he's gonna kill won't be Chris!"
"Christopher!" Wyatt exclaimed, visibly angry.
His youngest brother looked at him, surprised: "What??"
"Don't talk like that... He's not gonna kill anyone."
Christopher blushed, looking at Chris, and realising his other version's countenance: "I mean... He's not gonna kill any of us, don't worry. I'd never get me killed. It's just a way of talking."
"Christopher..." Chris said, staring at him. "Actually I'm not really sure of this... I don't wanna risk your life." Wyatt sighed, relieved, before his brother went on: "Not now that we know the plan and..."
"No way!" Christopher cut him off. "I want to help, and you can't keep me away from the action. Come on, Chris... cast that spell on me to let me get rid of my powers, and then we'll see. I'm sure none of you will let me die..."
"Be sure of that," Chris said, "but still it's not funny... and too risky."
They all kept silent for a moment. Tom used that chance to step a little forward. "I don't like to bring more bad news up, actually, but as I said before I have something to tell," he said hesitating a little, looking at Michael.
Chris looked at him: "One more or less doesn't matter I think..."
Tom nodded. He glanced at Michael from the corner of his eyes, before he turned his head completely to him again: "I guess you missed the part, that we saw your wife in the underworld..."
"What?" Michael jumped up but Wyatt pulled him down again.
"She's fine..." Tom stated. "Well... physically..."
"Yeah, right," Christopher said, "You've mentioned that you have something more to tell, before Julian distracted us." Tom nodded.
"So what is it," Piper asked. She had just entered with a weeping baby in her arm, walking now over to Bianca. "Guess someone is hungry here," she whispered and gave Hope to her mother. Paige followed short after her sister together with the other kids.
Tom sighed: "You will not like that..."
Christopher rolled his eyes: "Just say it ok?"
Tom looked from Christopher to Michael and then to Chris: "She knows."
"What... What do you mean?" Michael asked jumping up again.
"She knows me... she knows what happened... she knows everything about your time in the other kind of dimension..." Tom explained. Chris let out some air, not knowing what to say.
"Oh my God," Michael muttered. He sank back to the sofa and hid his face in his hands, crying silently.

°°°°°°°°°°

Three hours later Cole parked the car in front of the manor. He shut down the engines and sighed.
"Are you afraid?" Phoebe asked.
"No... at least not because of telling them that we're married... but... because of what else I want to do..."
Phoebe frowned looking at him. There was a weird kind of determination in his eyes. And then it hit her: "You want to tell them...? I mean that you...?"
He nodded. "I think they should know it... don't you think?"
"I would have never asked you for that, honey," she said smiling.
He smiled too. "I know," he said and kissed her full of love. Then he left the car, walked around it, and opened the door for his wife. He offered her his arm which she took with another sweet smile, and together they climbed up the stairs to the front door.

°°°°°°°°°°

Inside in the attic the family was still discussing how to handle that terrible situation. The fact that Angela remembers everything wasn't helping at that point... it even disturbed their planning, because Michael got completely mad about that... Everyone understood him, but he wasn't helping with that.
And then Chris was still discussing if his not-that-little version should take part in this or not, but suddenly he stopped within his speech.
"What's wrong?" Piper asked. Holding baby-Christopher in her arms.
"Cole..." he answered sensing his uncle, "and Phoebe, they are coming..."
"Oh that's good, cause we really need a babysitter," Bianca joked.
Chris grinned at her in a weird way, then he turned to Christopher: "I think it's better you stay up here for a few minutes, because I don't want them to get a heart-attack"
Christopher grinned: "No problem."
"We'll stay here, too," Veronica said looking at Tom. And also Julian decided that it would be better to join them a little later.
Chris looked at Michael. "I'll take care of him," Christopher said, patting his brothers shoulder.
"Thanks," Chris answered, and followed the others downstairs.

°°°°°°°°°°

When the couple entered the house, they heard a lot of footsteps from the stairs.
"Hey, folks, we're home!" Cole yelled.
Seconds later the whole family stood in front of them, watching them. They all noticed, that something was different. Phoebe seemed to glow in a weird way, and Cole looked kind of shyly from one to the other.
Chris asked himself if it was because of the news he had to tell, or still because of his dreams. When he had been alone the last night, he had began to think that there was maybe more about that, too.
Piper frowned, when she saw her sister grinning: "Ok, what happened?"
Phoebe looked at Cole, like she was about to explode: "Can I...?"
He chuckled and gave her a passionate kiss. Then he nodded. "I wouldn't dare to spoil that, that's your moment."
Phoebe whispered a 'thank you' and turned to the rest of the family again. Then she hesitated a moment. How should she tell that? "Ok," she said, thinking hard about her next words, while Cole was still chuckling.
Phoebe smiled and pointed at Cole: "This is Mr. Halliwell!" Then she looked at her sisters expectantly.
Paige narrowed her eyes, thinking deeply, she really had now idea what this was about... or maybe she was too distracted with their other problem.
Piper was still frowning. 'Mr. Halliwell?' she thought. 'What kind of joke...' "Oh my God," she muttered when she began to realise what was going on, what they had done.
Phoebe just nodded and Piper again said, now with an excited voice: "Oh my God... Oh my God!"
She ran over to her and hugged her sister.
Then Bianca realised it, too. Smiling she went over to join them, same as Paige who finally understood.
Wyatt and Leo looked at Chris who was smiling, too.
"Brother, I'm lost..." the twice blessed said.
Chris grinned: "I thought you know when they have their wedding day..."
"What?" Leo exclaimed. Chris just nodded.
The next second Piper slapped Cole playfully on his chest: "How could you do that without us?"
"Outch... Sister..." Cole grinned. "we did it because we just wanted to... without any demonic spoilings..." he explained while hugging her.
She nodded: "I'm soo happy for you..."
They all embraced each other and congratulated. This were really good news in such bad times. They just needed to enjoy this short moment of happiness. But then Cole turned serious again.
"Well Cole... What's wrong?" Leo asked, who had noticed the look on his face.
Cole sighed: "I... well... there is something else I want to tell you..." Everyone looked at the man expectantly. Phoebe took his hand to show him, that she was on his side.
He smiled at her, before he faced his family again. "Well... What Phoebe said is true... I picked up her name, because that fits better to me... now..."
"What do you mean?" Paige asked, while Chris, Leo and Wyatt exchanged knowing looks.
Cole sighed: "I... I'm a witch..."
"WHAT?" Piper, Paige and Bianca exclaimed at the same time.
Phoebe stepped a little forward as if she wanted to protect him.
"It happened when I was in the fields about one year ago... remember, if you pass the trial you become a witch," Cole explained shyly.
"But they said the field isn't working anymore..." Bianca said.
Chris shrugged: "It seems there was a little magic left... that's also why mini-me has the power of premonitions too..."
"He has?" Piper asked with eyes wide open in surprise.
"Yeah," Phoebe said excited, "they have the same power like me... isn't that great???"
Piper and Paige didn't know what to answer... they didn't know if it was 'great'...
"And Christopher should have that power, too?" the oldest sister asked, trying to catch all that.
At that moment bluish orbing lights filled the room. "Yeah I do... well, kind of..." Christopher answered grinning.
"Oh my God... I knew there was something going on," Cole muttered only slightly surprised by his appearance.
Phoebe just stared at the absolute carbon copy of her nephew in shock. Then she fainted. Cole grasped her and prevent her from falling.
He put her on the sofa, while Chris rushed over to heal her. But she was already about to gain back her conscious... It was just the shock which was to much for that moment.
Still a little dizzy, she looked into concerned green eyes. "Which one of my nephews are you?" she asked
"The neurotic one," Christopher answered, before Chris could.
Phoebe rose a little. Her eyes moving around towards the 'twins'.
"Yeah," Chris grinned at her, "and when you don't want to piss him off, call him Christopher..."
His little brother eyed him warningly, but then his look softened again and turned into a grin.
"That's unbelievable..." Phoebe said. "Any other surprises?"
Cole who had sat down next to her holding her hand worried, looked at his nephews who were suddenly kind of serious. "I bet there are..." he said and sighed.
"As always... A demon," Christopher said with a calm voice, as if it was nothing.
Chris looked at him, and shook his head. "Do you remember Cristóbal?" he asked then. He couldn't and shouldn't hide this from them.
Phoebe looked a little scared: "Of course, I do. What has he done?"
At that moment Michael came down the stairs, his face red because of the crying. "What did he do with him?" the empath added, when she saw him and felt the weird emotional state he was in. Then she looked at Chris.
"His wife. He kidnapped Mike's wife... But actually he want me, for her..." When Michael heard those words, he started to cry again, this time even harder.
"Oh, my God..." Phoebe said, turning paler and paler, her hand being held by Cole's strong one. "Why didn't you tell us?"
Chris smiled weakly: "Well, aunt Phoebe, because you were relaxing... And After all... I think it was right that I didn't interrupt you."
Cole shook his head gravely: "Young man, I told you that if there was something you should have told us. I knew there was something. And you lied to me, I can't believe it." Phoebe pressed his hand kindly, as all the others in the room observed in silence the interaction between the two men.
Chris lowered his eyes ashamed, but he didn't have the opportunity to say anything.
"Look at that, I always wondered why the only person in this family capable of making Chris feel guilty was uncle Cole. And I'm still wondering!" Christopher said.
"He doesn't make you feel that way?" Phoebe asked, frowning.
"Nope," he said simply, looking at an embarrassed Chris. "I mean, our relationship is great, but... Chris's relationship with him has its roots somewhere else, you know... At least that is the way Chris explains that always."
Cole shook his head and smiled, and Chris did the same, looking into his eyes.
"Yeah... you're right." Piper took Leo's hand, staring at her son full of love, and Paige grinned widely.
"But... even if there's much to talk about, uncle Cole, and you'll want to know everything... Now we have a plan to carry out."
"Yes, and I'm ready brother," Christopher remarked, stepping towards him.
"So..." Paige clapped her hands, "let's go to the attic, there's no time to lose!"
"Yeah... Wyatt look for the spell to strip Christopher from his powers. But don't do anything without me. I have something to do first." After these words, Chris orbed without waiting for an answer.


(Chapter 7 written by Chrissy.W.x, Belén and charmedfreak)