This chapter is short sweet and to the point. Expect another update a.s.a.p.

This chapter is also dedicated to my most loyal reader Crlncyln.

Truth. Noun. Five letters. One syllable. Ben'd been taught that the truth is absolute but led to believe that the only thing in life that's absolute is Vodka. He'd experienced that there is gray area between right and wrong, good and bad, truth and lies; that everything is negotiable, left to interpretation. He's witnessed people bend truth, transform it, and make unrecognizable. Ben was taught that the truth is absolute and the women that taught him the absoluteness of truth lied about dying.

Piper: Chris?

The tension thickened to the point that not even the sharpest knife in the world could put a dent in it. It was suffocation worthy sucking up every word in the English language and leaving him with nothing. He wanted to run, to orb, and he'd of even settled for walking. But he couldn't move; he could hardly breathe. That is until he feels soft slender fingers interlock with his. Then suddenly things get a little less scary and he's superman with the wind at his back giving him his voice.

Chris: No, not anymore.

The voice he found was as bitter as unsweetened chocolate. His mind rapidly pieced together the events that transpired and brought them to where they stood and he was downright pissed. They're the people that taught him to embrace his magical destiny, fight evil, save the innocents and they turned their backs on their own teachings. Sure he knew his mother was the queen of griping about wanting a normal life in this time but to actually fake her death to obtain it was like a knife in his heart.

Billie: Maybe we should go.
Chris: No, I wanna introduce you to the Charmed Ones.

Billie looked at the whitelighter, at the people on the stairs, and then back at him with a confused expression on her face.

Billie: That's not them.
Chris: Wha- of course—

'When they fake their deaths they really go all out,' he bitterly thought the moment he realized they were glamoured. Now he was border lining hysterical as he ran his fingers through his hair and let them interlock behind his head. Then a dry humorous laugh escaped his lips before he spoke.

Chris: Let me introduce you to the GLAMORous Charmed Ones. They hang you on a cross then turn their backs on everything you stood for.

None of the women had even fully recovered from the shock he was standing before them let alone his brash irate words. Phoebe reacted on autopilot- her experience as the middle sister/ mediator coming into play.

Phoebe: I know your upset—
Chris: Upset! No Phoebe I'm not upset. I'm abso-fucking-lutely livid. I moved mountains for you people, messed with the very fabric of time, even. God damn it! I even died for you- for family. What a fucking waste.

They tried to interrupt, to defend themselves, but found that a difficult- if not impossible- thing to do. Tears filled the eyes of all parties involved and Piper's actually fell at an uncontrollable rate. The way the witchlighter spoke- the brokenness he radiated- pulled at her heartstrings until they severed completely. Momentarily his eyes glazed over with a whiteness that Paige recognized and she pulled her sisters down for fear of what the obviously distraught man would do.

Instead of in their direction the hands that had electricity surging between their tips momentarily shot sideways and took out the grandfather clock before it died out and a new demeanor was displayed from their former witchlighter.

Chris: You know what? You're not worth this. I've spent so much of my time sacrificing life and limb for you and I… I can't do it anymore.

Phoebe, Paige, and Piper sniffle at his jaded tone and words, wondering how the man went from sarcastic to cynical. Chris stepped back, trying to create physical distance to match the growing emotional distance in his heart and their hearts lurch as he grows more cold and impersonal.

Chris: I'm done. Congratulations ladies. You got your magic free existence; it just cost you my respect and x amount of poor unfortunate souls that die at the hands of demons that require a Power of Three vanquishing spell from here on out. (Turns to Billie) C'mon Billie. There's nothing left for me here anymore.

Realizing he's about to leave Piper instinctively reaches out to grab him but the couple disappears in a shower of white and light blue orbs.

Assembled in the attic the Charmed Ones and Leo have a family meeting to explore their options on chasing their fallen witchlighter now whitelighter.

Paige: Why's he still here?
Phoebe: What? Paige!
Paige: I meant, why didn't he go to his own time after he uh… ceased to exist.
Piper: That's what we need to find out.

Christopher Perry Halliwell stood at a crossroads once upon a time. Before his discussion with Zola, Chris stood before the Tribunal and pleaded his case, desperate to get his family back in either their time or his. He'd of accepted anything at that point. He just wanted his family back. Was that too much to ask?

Chris: If it wasn't for me the future would be damned. I know for a fact that all the Elders would be dead and well, let's just say demons aren't much better off.
Adair: You cannot say your actions were for our benefit. In fact, the reason you came back was to save your family. You filled your purpose.
Chris: Surely I could find another purpose. Do you honestly think that my family would be so motivated to do the greater good after you erase me? The Cleaners know firsthand how unsuccessful it is to attempt to erase a Halliwell.
Crill: You sound so confident in your family.
Chris: The Halliwells- my family, the Charmed Ones- value family more than you value protecting against exposure.
Thrask: Are you a betting man Christopher?
Chris: Go ahead manipulate memories and make it to where I wasn't family. Do whatever you got to do any you won't be successful. My family would never forget me! I bet my entire existence on it.

But Chris was wrong. To this day, the Halliwells are clueless to the true identity. Piper remembers the witchlighter that braved the stormy moments and died to protect her oldest. Phoebe remembers the neurotic man that always seemed to overcome the odds and captivate their hearts. Paige remembers the witty sarcastic man that she watched die. Leo remembers the boy he had a rough start with but wound up taking under his wing and hitting it off. He remembers being by his side as he died.

Leo: Well we can't go to the Elders. They think we're dead.
Piper: Scrying isn't working, either.
Phoebe: Maybe a spell?

Piper: We call upon the power of three.
Phoebe: So that the truth may be set free.
Paige: And unravel the mystery
Piper: That we know as Chris Perry.

Their heads instantaneously jerk up as if they'd been shot in the back, and minds pounded with the unlocking of memories. Then another force captures the family standing by the book, taking their legs from beneath them and transforming them into jelly.

Piper: Oh
Paige: My
Phoebe: God!

When we open our hearts, we open them up to more than love, sunshine, and rainbows. Because every time you open up theirs that risk they'll reject you, break your heart, and leave you feeling empty. That's the sad truth and Chris had already had that sad truth shoved in his face more often than not. Letting Billie in was risking adding another car in the pile up of his car crash of a heart. Post declaration- owning up to every wrongdoing and summarizing the millions of random acts that brought him there- he watches her intently for any sign of how she was feeling.

Billie: Wow. I mean, wow.
Chris: (nervous laugh) Yeah, you said that already.

He observes her body language for any sign of where her head was at. She was staring at him like she didn't know him at all when in reality she knew him better than anyone at this point. He misinterprets the stare and stands up.

Chris: I… uh… I know you didn't sign up for this so if you want out… I won't blame ya'. I just want you to know that moment I told you about, the moment that drew me out of the shadows and made me want to live again… was the moment I met you.

His intentions were to go over to the door and open it being a gentleman until the bitter end but he froze the moment he felt those familiar slender fingers wrap around his wrist. Without warning, he turns, bends his head, and she brings closes the distance- and their lips collide in a passion filled explosion. The moment their lips touch, there was no stopping them.

Fireworks of passion explode in their heads and butterflies fly rampant in abdomens as blood pounds in their ears. Then he pulls away, ignoring her slight whimper of protest. She opens her eyes to see a smile on his face. Not a smirk but a legitimate smile.

Chris: So I'm guessing you're in.
Billie: All in, Future Boy.

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