Disheartened, Phoebe returned to the manor, only to find the six moth old Wyatt sat on the sofa, smiling and giggling at nothing in particular. Phoebe smiled, all thought of her meeting with Paige momentarily forgotten.
"Hey mister, you know you're not supposed to orb out of your room." She scolded lightly, walking over to where Wyatt was sitting. Before she could pick him up, however, Wyatt had raised his shielded instantly alerting Phoebe that they were not alone in the house. Instinctively, Phoebe kicked her foot back hard, she heard a loud grunt as it connected to the demon who had just shimmered in behind her.
"Nice to see you too." Wheezed Cole as he disentangled himself from the curtains Phoebe had kicked him into.
"Oh my God, Cole, I'm so sorry!" Exclaimed Phoebe as she helped him up.
"I see your nephew still doesn't trust me." He observed with a small smile.
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that." Apologized Phoebe, picking Wyatt up who had begun to cry.
Once Phoebe had put Wyatt back to bed, she and Cole were sat back in the lounge, Phoebe happily curled up against Cole's chest.
"So how are you here any way?" Asked Phoebe, as Cole gently brushed her hair off of her forehead, "When you left you didn't think you'd be able to return for weeks, won't the other demons miss you?"
"Not at the moment," Cole informed her happily, "the whole underworlds in turmoil. Not only did the source loose a lot of followers after we weakened him, but now some new power's down there, and every demon is clamoring to join it's inner circle."
"Wait, a new power?" Questioned Phoebe urgently, sitting up and turning to face Cole. "What new power?" Cole shrugged, not meaning his words to agitate the woman he had been pining for for so long.
"No one knows." He replied causally. "It just appeared out of no where. Other demons have tried finding out more, of course, but none have returned."
"You think he's raising an army?" Asked Phoebe, not liking the idea of having to take on another being as powerful as the source.
"I doubt it." Dismissed Cole, "More likely it's trying to stay hidden and vanquishing any demon stupid enough to look for it. We'd have heard if an army were assembling, the brotherhood would have been approached." Phoebe noted with satisfaction the disdain with which Cole said 'brotherhood'- maybe there was a chance for the demon yet.
Phoebe relaxed back on to the coach. If this new power was indeed vanquishing demons then it couldn't be too much of an enemy of the Charmed ones. But then another thought struck Phoebe which made her stomach sink.
"Wait, when did you say this new power emerged?" She asked hesitantly.
"As far as anyone can tell, it seemed to have risen only yestur..." he began, but broke off as he realized what Phoebe must be thinking, "Although I'm certain they must have been accumulating their power for much longer." He added, trying to comfort Phoebe, but she didn't seem convinced.
"It's just... things happened after you left." She began, "more... more people arrived from the future, and they claimed that Wyatt wasn't all that he seemed." Cole frowned, but didn't interrupt with questions as Phoebe explained all that had happened since Cole had gone back to the underworld, right up until the young Paige's visit.
"So you believe them then? Asked Cole once she had finished, "you really think that that little boy, who raises his shield in the presence of any demon- no matter how much on the side of good, or love with his aunt they my be- would really become evil. The twice blessed, first son of the Charmed ones?" Cole seemed sincere in his tone, but there was something about the look he had in his eye that made Phoebe believe he didn't think it was as ridiculous an idea as he was making out.
"Maybe... no... oh, I don't know." She sighed, burrowing herself into the demons warm body, "it's just, the more I think about it, the more the pieces fit together." She explained, "I mean, it would explain why he arrived when we were trying to summon the source, why he was so keen to get the other two visitors out of the house, the dark clothes, and why the other boy looked so much like Prue." Phoebe added the last point almost like an afterthought, although she had spotted the resemblance them moment she had laid eyes on the boy.
"Or, the woman and the kid could be the new power, and Wyatt be the one trying to stop them." Reasoned Cole, but Phoebe just shook her head.
"Then why would they come back?"
It was a simple statement, but Cole couldn't deny it's accuracy. Their was no motive for the pair of time travelers to come after Wyatt unless they truly were trying to stop him. If they were evil, surely they would have used Wyatt's absence to inflict damage in their own time, where they would have allies and weapons, instead of perusing the one person who could stop them into a time where they would be alone and powerless.
Cole couldn't think of anything to say to comfort Phoebe, who now seemed totally convinced of her nephews moral stance. Instead, he just wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. Phoebe, however, was less focusing on her nephews wrong doings, and more concerned on how she would explain her suspicions to her very sensitive sister.
Paige awoke with a start, wincing at the pain which was shooting through her body. Looking around she quickly realized where she was- the underworld. But this wasn't the safe cave she and Chris had been sheltering in. Looking closer at it though, Paige realized with a sinking feeling that she did know the cave- well. It was one Wyatt had used back in their own time to torture and interrogate potential resistance members. Paige had rescued many from this foul place, although she had a suspicion she would have a much harder job rescuing her self.
She tried to orb away, but some sort of force field sent electricity shooting through her body, sending her sprawling to the ground.
"Chris!" She called out weakly, trying to get to her feet before being shocked back once again. "Leo, please!" She tried, although she didn't hold out much hope for her not-yet brother in law to save her.
"It's no use." Came a cold voice from the shadows, "no one can here you." Paige looked up from where she was collapsed on the ground to see the familiar silhouette of her nephew sauntering towards her. "No one will save you this time." Paige closed her eyes, preparing for the inevitable attack, but when nothing happened, she reopened her eyes, to see Wyatt leaning against a near by rock, smiling in amusement at her.
"What are you waiting for?" Asked Paige with as much confidence as she could muster, "why don't you just kill me already." Wyatt just shook his head, moving towards Paige and kneeling just before the boundaries of her cage, so as they were eye to eye.
"No why would I want to do that?" He hissed, "what sort of monster do you think I am, that could kill his own family?" Paige turned away from his ice blue eyes, but couldn't help her self from spitting back a response.
"What about Coop, Henry, Phoe.." She began before the emotion at these memories became to much for her to continue, "How dare you say they weren't family?" Paige couldn't prevent the tears from falling from her eyes as she spoke.
"I didn't kill them." He said simply, but Paige did think she hear an undertone in his voice- regret maybe? Paige scoffed at his words, but still couldn't face him. Wyatt, angered by her disbelief, stood up, looming tall over his aunt. "Uncle Henry never should have been at the station during the attack, and I dealt with the demons response for his death. And as for Aunt Phoebe, well her death was certainly regrettable, but it was not by my hand that she died. And Uncle Coop isn't dead. He may have been driven out of his mind as he drove that dagger through Phoebe's heart, but I assure you: he is alive." Paige still couldn't face her estranged nephew, but she couldn't ignore his words either.
"Your lying." She whispered
"I'm not." Replied Wyatt, "Your brother in law plunged an atheme straight into your beloved sister's heart, and yet your resistance describes me as the monster."
"Coop's dead!" Chocked Paige, determined not to allow her anger and sadness cloud her brain. "He would never have hurt Phoebe!"
"Who told you Uncle Coop was dead?" Asked Wyatt, "I personally sent a messenger inviting you to come and collect him." Paige frowned. They had never received any message from Wyatt, and yet no matter how much she wanted him to be lying- to be using her family to make her weak, and yet there was something about his confusement which made Paige wonder- could Coop really still be alive? "Well I guess that would explain why Christopher is the only witch to ever attempt to free him." He added.
Paige's heart sank at his words. It had been Chris who had informed her of her brother in law's demise, and Paige knew he was not beyond lying to protect his family. He would rather comfort his morning cousins, who believed their father dead, rather than risk any of them trying to get him back.
"Ccoop would never have hurt Phoebe!" She cried, ignoring his question about the resistance's informant, "He loved her more than anything! He would have died first!" Wyatt smiled cruelly, using his telekinesis to pull his aunt's face round to face his.
"Oh but he did." Assured Wyatt with a triumphant hiss, "I tried to stop him of course, but he was a man possessed, determined to save her from what ever torture he believed she would face at my hands." Paige tried to pull her head away, but Wyatt's hold was too powerful, "And you're right Paige- it killed him to do it, and yet- he did." Paige winced at the cruelty in his voice. She hadn't spoken to her nephew for years, and she could scarcely believe such sadistic words were coming out of the mouth of such a wonderful teenager.
"And are those the same sorts of tortures you afflict on your own father?" She spat, wanting to move the conversation away from her sister's death.
"Leo?" Asked Wyatt, genuinely surprised, "He sealed himself off in the heavens along with the rest of those pathetic elders." he reminded her, "Why would you think he was with me?"
"Because he's not with the elders, Wyatt." Replied Paige, and despite everything, she couldn't prevent a small hint of sympathy entering her voice. "He disappeared not long after you're take over, the elders had no idea what happened to him, I just thought..."
"What? That I would imprison my own father? Hide him from the rest of the world until he joined my side."
"It's what you did to Coop." She retorted.
Wyatt didn't reply straight away, his thoughts clearly with his absent father. His mental grip on Paige's chin dropped, but despite the fact she could now look away, some how she couldn't take her eyes off of her contemplating nephew. He had his eyes tightly closed, as if he were trying sense his father in another time.
"Don't tell Chris." Was all he said when he eventually opened his eyes. "He'll only...". He broke off, not wanting to appear weak in front of his pray but Paige hadn't failed to notice the change in his tone- when he had spoken of Chris, it had become softer, more sincere. Paige just nodded, wanting to protect Chris just as much as he always tried to protect her.
There was silence between them for a moment, as both of them were lost in thought, and then it was broken by a very recognisable jingling making them both look up.
"Speak of the devil." Muttered Paige, praying that Chris would be able to distract Wyatt long enough for her to find a way to escape. Wyatt however didn't seem interested in talking to his brother. He simply waved his arm, muting the jingling. "He clearly needs you Wyatt." Pressed Paige, "Or are you abandoning him, like you did the rest of..."
Suddenly Wyatt's fist clenched into a fist, and Paige couldn't utter another sound. He pulled his fist up into the air, dragging his suffocating Aunt to her feet.
"I would never abandon him like you have." He hissed. "He understands the importance of my work, and besides, darling Auntie, you and I have a little catching up to do." His cold glare broke into a sinister smile as he took a step towards her struggling form. "Now why don't you tell me all about that little resistance of yours?"
"Paige!" Called Chris, "Paige, Wyatt Please!" But still there was no reply. Chris' heart was beating rapidly as he contemplated what must have happened. Paige was supposed to meet him on top of the Golden Gate Bridge more than half an hour ago, and as he couldn't sense Wyatt either, he knew the worse must have happened.
Shutting his eyes tightly, Chris tried to work out what he should do next. He knew what Paige would want him to do, but there was still a part of him fighting that. He couldn't face his father, not now, not after he had abandoned him in the future, and trusted Wyatt over him in this time. Yet, Chris knew his options were running low, and if he could convince Leo that he was telling the truth, then he would be much closer to saving Paige than if he were to continue trying to secretly battle Wyatt on his own. Sighing heavily, Chris stared up at the sky.
"Dad." He called quietly, half of him not wanting his father to respond, then, thinking of Paige, he tried again, "Dad, please! I need you're help!" Nothing happened for a few moments and then, much to Chris' surprise, a familiar jingle rang through the air.
"So what do we do now?" Asked Piper as she and Leo walked back to the manor hand in hand. "I mean, what am I supposed to do with my twenty one year old son from the future?" She questioned, unable to shake the thought that she was barely ready to take care of one Wyatt let alone two.
"Well, he's clearly here for a reason Piper." Pointed out Leo, "The spell wouldn't have malfunctioned accidentally, I guess his purpose here will become clear with time."
"I get that, but what do you think it is?" Pressed Piper, "do you really think he could be the key to vanquishing the source or is he here for a family reason?" She suddenly stopped dead in the middle of the road they were crossing, "what if he came back because of me? What if I'm a really terrible mother and he came back to..."
"Piper stop!" Interrupted Leo, "you're a wonderful mother, of course he didn't come back here for you." He comforted, gently leading here to the pavement, "You cast the spell calling for all past and future Halliwell powers to help vanquish the source, right, so this is probably how the spirits wanted to..." He broke of mid sentence as a sudden, urgent jangling erupted in his head.
"What is it?" Asked Piper, "Is it the elders, do they know something new?" Leo shook his head, trying to make sense of the call.
"Someone's calling for me." He told her vaguely, he pressed his eyes shut, concentrating harder as the jingles became more firm, "It must be Wyatt." He said eventually, "He's calling for me, I think he needs help."
"Well then what are you waiting for?" Exclaimed Piper, shoving her husband forcefully as if that would make him orb faster, "your son needs you!"
Without waiting for further encouragement, Leo orbed away, reappearing on the top of the golden gate bridge. He glanced glanced quickly around, expecting to see Wyatt.
"Still don't believe you have a second son?" Came an unfamiliar voice from behind him. Leo spun around just in time to face the boy who had arrived from the future yesterday, His bright green eyes glared into Leo's as the boy grabbed his arm and the pair of them were consumed in orbs.
When the orbs cleared, Leo realized to his horror that he was now in the underworld. He pulled himself out of the boys grip, staring in fascination at the kid who could call him by the name 'dad'. Chris did nothing, he just stood, staring, at Leo waiting for him to say something.
"I don't understand." Stated Leo eventually, "How..."
"How could you hear me call for my father, or how could my brother deny me?" Cut in Chris, using the cold, cut off tone he saved for his father.
"So you are my son." Leo almost whispered, looking upon the skinny boy in front of him with fresh eyes- suddenly spotting familiar Halliwell facial features, and even his mothers eyes, "Chris.." He breathed as he suddenly realized the significance of the name,
"Your father's name." Confirmed Chris, walking over to the side of the cave and leaning against the wall.
"What are we doing here?" Asked Leo eventually, when he guessed that Chris wasn't going to say anything else. He gestured around the dank cave, unable to see why his son would view this as a good place for them to talk.
"This cave's protected." He explained, "as long as we're here, Wyatt won't be able to sense we're together." Leo still didn't seem to understand, his brain unable process the thought of his precious first son being a threat. "Wyatt doesn't want me talking to any of you." He elaborated, "Seems to think I might interfere with his plans."
Leo didn't like the matter of fact way Chris described his relationship with his brother, the cool indifference about ignoring his wishes, the ease at which he found ways around his brother finding out what he was up to. What must their future be like, for a bond between two brothers to be so twisted?
"What do you mean his plans?" Was all he asked, "I thought the sisters summoned him back here to help them vanquish the source?"
"The sisters don't need help with that." Protested Chris, knowing not to mention too much about the future, "trust me, if he's here for a reason, it's not to help."
"Then why is he here?" Asked Leo apprehensively, but Chris just shrugged.
"I'd like to think he might have been summoned here so as the sisters can help save him from what he's become, but I have a feeling he's got other ideas." He paused for a second, looking up to check that his father was still able to believe him before he continued, "I think he plans to get the sisters to help changed the time line in some way. I think he's going to try and persuade them that that was why he was brought back in time. And if he needs the sisters help, it's going to be dangerous."
"Well then you've go to warn them!" Exclaimed Leo, but Chris shook his head frantically.
"If I tell them, then Wyatt will know it was me. You may only have to survive defying him for a few days, but when we go back to the future, I need for him to believe he can trust me." Leo looked into Chris' pleading eyes and knew he couldn't ask him to do anything he viewed as dangerous, Chris clearly knew what he was doing.
"Fine, I'll see if I can persuade the sisters, but it won't be easy." He promised.
"I know." Said Chris, looking guilty, "But I can't risk it. He already has Paige, and I need to rescue..."
"Wait, so is she really your aunt?" Interrupted Leo, unable to believe that he could loose one of the sisters. Chris nodded sadly, and Leo felt a lump rise in his throat. "How long?" Was all he could muster, knowing Chris would never say which sister it was.
"I can't say." Replied Chris, "But I can say that the replacement sister doesn't have long if you don't help me."
Leo nodded but was unsure of what Chris was expecting him to do. Chris explained that Wyatt had blocked him from sensing his location, but it was possible that Leo might still be able to sense his son as Wyatt wouldn't have viewed him as a treat. Leo closed his eyes, trying desperately to sense for his eldest son, but there was nothing. Chris hit his hand against the cave wall in frustration, running the other through this scruffy hair. Leo wished he could do more to help.
"What else can I do to help?" Pressed Leo, reaching out his arm to comfort him, yet for some reason Chris flinched at his touch and he moved away from Leo's outstretched hand.
"Just warn the sisters." Stated Chris turning away. But Leo didn't move an inch, not wanting to leave things with his son like this. Chris was not in the mood to tolerate his father any longer. "Just go Leo!" He insisted more forcefully.
Leo hesitated for a second, but there was something in Chris' tone which made him nervous about staying. Quickly he orbed back to the manor, only to find a rather flustered looking Piper standing over a terrified looking Phoebe, with Prue desperately trying to calm her down. In the corner, Leo spotted Cole collapsed against the wall, and it wasn't difficult to guess which witch had blasted him there.
"I swear the next person who suggests my son is evil I will blow up for real!" She cried, spinning around to face her husband, her arms still raised. "Is everything okay?" She asked in a slightly softer tone, noticing his anxious demeanor, "What did our son want?"
Leo swallowed hard, preparing for the imminent blast.
I'm back! So sorry about the whole promising to update and then not doing anything for about thirty days, I've just had a lot on :) Any way, good news, I have actually already written half of the next chapter as I was forced to cut it out of this one as it was just too long, so I will be quicker (although this time I won't promise so as I didn't lie if I forget) in releasing the next one- who knows you may only have to wait 29 days!
Any way, hope you liked it and please, please review!
P.S. I am aware that several chapters back Prue was a bit not nice to Paige- with the whole throwing her out of the manor- "have a nice day" thing. This wasn't actually supposed to be so bitchy, but more of a link between her and Chris who did the same thing to Darryl at the end of season 6. Sorry for any misplaced resentment you may have had for Prue, I just wanted to make her do similar thing because I think they are quite alike :) Night xxx
