Disclaimer: Not Mine.

A/N: I know some of my readers out there probably think I died. I think it's been three years or more since I stopped writing this fic and at least two since I wrote anything at all. All I can really say is that a horrible life makes for a horrible writer. So after dealing with terribly poor health, the death of my mother, and the separation of my marriage (soon to be divorce), I have now remade my life. It's not really much easier but I am happier and with that happiness comes the urge to create again. That being said this is the second to last chapter of Lost Child. The one I've been working on for three years now. I will also be posting the last chapter within the next day or so. It's all but done. So no worries about me not finishing it. It will be done. I just really hope that I haven't disappointed my readers too much with the long wait.

Chapter 21 ~

Evil Universe – Underworld

"Wyatt, what do we do?" Chris asked with more than a slight amount of fear in his voice from the metal cage Barbas had imprisoned him in. For precautionary measures the demon had moved them to these cages knowing that it wouldn't take long for the two good versions of the children to find their way out of the crystal cages. The demon himself was nowhere in sight and for that the small child was grateful. Something about this good version of the demon seemed to freak him out even more than the evil one in their own universe. At least he knew where he stood with the evil Barbas. This Barbas acted as if he wanted to draw the boys into his strange version of family and the idea disgusted the small child. He already had a family, and really didn't want to change that now.

Wyatt glanced at his little brother sighing deeply. He had been racking his brain for over an hour now trying to come up with a solution to their current disastrous position. He shook his head silently not sure what answer to give the other boy.

"They'll come to rescue us, won't they?" Chris asked worried about his brother's lack of response.

"I don't know, Chris. They aren't the same in this universe. I hate to admit it but they may not want to," he said knowing how much his brother wouldn't want to believe that, but he couldn't lie to him and give him false hope either.

He had expected tears or at least a denial from the small boy but was rather surprised to see a look of sad acceptance instead. "So it's up to us, huh?"

Wyatt nodded in answer glancing several feet away noticing the third prisoner among them. The Seer stood motionless inside her own cage. Her eyes were closed and she looked as if she were searching for something inside her own eyelids as her eyes moved behind them. She was trying to garner a vision to predict the outcome of her particular situation, but no matter how hard she tried no images surfaced.

Chris followed his brother's gaze and watched the demon for a few moments. He could see the frustration evident upon her face and wondered just what she had done to anger Barbas so much. He had seen the other version of her in the attic with his family but hadn't had the time to even wonder why she was there. Had she been helping them? "Do you think we can trust her?" he asked his brother as his eyes never left her still form.

"Well, she hates Barbas, so she can't be all bad, can she?" Wyatt asked but he wasn't at all sure if it would be wise to count on the demon. After all the other version of her had tricked him into hating the older version of his brother, hadn't she?

"Trust is hard won, boys, and whether or not you trust me I do intend to help you," she pointed out. Her eyes had not opened as she spoke but she smiled imagining the confused looks they were probably giving her.

"And just exactly how are you going to help us?" Wyatt asked suspiciously.

"Well, I'm afraid that no amount of orbing or shimmering will get us out of these cages. They have been warded against both. The cavern itself has been warded against orbing but to my advantage it has not been warded against shimmering. If you two can some how figure out how to get us out of these cages, I can do the rest and shimmer you to your family," she explained calmly.

"Well that sounds like a great plan, lady, all except the whole us getting out of the cages thing," Wyatt pointed out rolling his eyes. How the hell could two little boys get them out of magically enchanted cages?

Good Universe - Underground

Unlike their good counterparts the evil versions of the two boys had been left in crystal cages, as Barbas had known that they could not touch the magically blessed items that he had killed a good witch to obtain. It had been tricky to set the cages himself without bringing harm to himself but he was a very resourceful demon and so what if he lost a couple of minions in the process. To keep the children secure was more than enough incentive to do what ever was necessary.

Wyatt glanced at the demon who was imprisoned not to far from them and smiled at her knowing she might come in useful in their escape. "So, who's side are you on?" he asked her pointedly.

She smiled at the evil version of the child seeing the darkness in his eyes and knowing that the boy possessed much more power than Barbas even expected. "The winning side, young one." Too bad he'd be going back to his own universe soon. She could see herself serving him in the future once he reached the height of his power.

Wyatt glanced around the room seeing that the guards that Barbas had posted didn't seem to be paying much attention and closed his eyes concentrating on the crystals that had been placed throughout the room. A low humming noise reverberated around them and steadily became louder until in one final explosive moment the crystals exploding leaving behind only a cloud of dust. At the noise several of Barbas' minions turned to face them but it didn't take long for the charmed sons to vanquish each of them. The Seer had stayed back knowing that she could easily be hit in the crossfire but didn't plan on that happening today. Once the dust settled and left only the three of them present she crossed over to them. "We have to get out of here."

Chris glanced at the wall nearest them and shook his head. "Not without the mirror. We need it to get back home."

She glanced up at the shiny surface and frowned. "If you just stepped through it wouldn't you be home?" she asked skeptically. Could it be that easy?

"Only if our other selves are there to trade with us," he answered walking over to the mirror and peering through it. He could see their counterparts still imprisoned in their cages and frowned at them. "Barbas couldn't send us through until the other Barbas started to send those two through."

Wyatt had joined his brother at the mirror and was scowling. "And by the looks of those two we are never gonna make it. Are they just weak or what?" he growled.

At his words three faces turned to stare at him from the opposite side of the mirror. The two good versions of themselves scowled at his words and the Seer spoke up in complaint. "And why exactly is she out already?"

The evil version of the Seer smiled at her counterpart and answered for them. "Because I got the two stronger versions, ha!"

"Not fair," the good version said snippily.

"You know, if you two would hurry it up we could fix this real quick," evil Wyatt said impatiently.

"Hey, I'm just a kid. What do you expect me to do?" good Wyatt asked petulantly.

"This," evil Wyatt called throwing his arm out towards the mirror only meaning to demonstrate his power for his counterpart but as he did a wave of distorted air flew through the space between them disintegrating the top portion of their cages. The Seer being taller than the two boys had been forced to drop to the floor in surprise once the superheated energy passed above her.

Good Wyatt's jaw dropped in surprise at the power his other self exhibited as he reached up and felt that a few of his curly blonde locks were singed. "Hey, that was close," he called out angrily.

"Oops!" evil Wyatt said as he and his brother both snickered at the smoke wafting from his good counterpart's hair.

Once his temper had calmed the good version of Wyatt had managed to crawl out of the cage with some help from the Seer and then he helped his brother to do the same. "Why does he get all the neat powers?" he said in a low petulant voice to his little brother.

Chris just shrugged knowing that even though things were the same in the two worlds that there were also some differences. "Maybe he had to have them to survive in this world."

Wyatt nodded as they crossed the room and stood before the mirror looking at their counterparts. "So, how do we do this?" he asked his evil counterpart.

"Same as before. We just step through at the same time," he answered him.

None of them noticed the figure who had just slipped in through the cavern door though. "Ah, but I was hoping you'd stay," two voices echoed each other and both sets of boys turned to see the Demon of Fear and the Demon of Hope smiling sadistically at them.

"You can't stop us this time, Demon," evil Wyatt spit out bitterly. "You don't have any leverage left to use on me."

"No, I don't, now do I?" the demon crooned and they could all see that he wasn't truly all that broken up over the fact. "But you do realize that even if you escape today I and my counterpart there will always be after you. There will never be a moment in your lives that you don't have to look over your shoulder to see if I am just behind you. Imagine the years and years of fear I shall enjoy at your expense."

Good Universe

As it turned out it hadn't taken all that much torture to convince the demon to tell them where Barbas was keeping the children. A few well-placed energy balls and a Darklighter arrow in the shoulder had convinced their captive to sing like a canary.

Leo and Paige had first attempted to orb to the cavern they knew the boys were in but once that failed they had admitted defeat and all present clasped onto the evil versions of Chris and Wyatt so they could dark orb and shimmer their way below.

Once they appeared in the cavern they could see that there seemed to be some sort of standoff between the children and Barbas.

Barbas himself backed slowly away, seeing that he had no kind of shield present to keep them at bay. "My, my, looks like the whole family is here now," he said nervously.

"Does that bother you, Demon?" two identical voices belonging to Piper called out icily. "Because you know, it should." With her words Piper moved in closer to the demon a look of pure rage upon her face. "It was bad enough when you came after my sisters and I, but to go after my children, did you really think you'd get away with that?"

Barbas seemed to be mulling the question over to the surprise of all present. "Well you see, when you have the tribunal and the cleaners backing you up, everything seems possible."

At those words Chris stepped forward with a rather devious look on his face. "So are they still backing you up?" He had a sneaking suspicion that once the demon had failed in his plan to keep the children that his support from on high would be gone.

With those words the demon before them seemed to cringe slightly. "Just a temporary setback."

A/N: Little on the short side, I know, but I had to leave it off at a semi cliffhanger, or I just wouldn't be me. Hope everyone liked it. I do realize that it's mostly centered around the little guys. How that happened I'm just not sure. I'll say they made me and leave it at that. Last chapter will be up in the next day or two.