The Window's Sacrifice

"So, did I just earn you a lifetime of fraternal torture?"

"Nah," answered Jared. "Just a good decade or so. Nothing I can't handle."

"Better be careful. I'll have you feeling like a 3 year-old in no time."

"Actually, I was just wondering where my blanky was."

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen yours." said Piper with raised eyebrows. "But maybe 'Baby Christopher' would lone you his."

"For a small fee, of course." Jared added.

"Unless teething rings are a new form of currency, I just don't see it happening," said Piper.

After pulling back the top comforter, Piper pointed for Jared to get under the covers. He

shuffled off his sports shoes and hopped into the bed with a bounce. "Actually, a little 'inner child' pampering is kinda nice." he said. "Especially after this morning."

"Oh look, a stop sign." Piper said, "Apparently this conversation must come to a halt." She pulled the covers up to her son's broad shoulders.

"Sorry." Jared sighed. "Tonight, right?"

Piper looked Jared in the eye and blinked intently in response.

Jared eyed his mother with playful curiosity. "Is Elvis coming back from the dead tonight or something?"

"No, silly." Piper returned "It's Cher's third Farewell Tour. We've got front row seats. Wear something sparkly." She softly patted the top of the young man's head.

Jared rolled to his side and pulled the comforter up over his shoulder. "Mom, seriously. My inadequacy levels are at an all-time high."

"Even after serving on the welcoming committee for the Demon-Exclusive Witness Protection Program?"

"It's just a part time job." said Jared with a smile. "I'm still waiting to hear back from the Demon YMCA."

"And let such a good thing go?" Piper asked.

"Magic school does have a community service requirement." Jared said.

"And demon vanquishing isn't an option?" Piper asked. "Boy, Paige is gonna hear it from me!" she exclaimed.

"We've tried. She's a rock that Paige." answered Jared.

"Speaking of rocks, your head's a little on the solid side itself." Piper teased. She gently knocked the top of the young man's stubborn head.

"Mom, everything in this house with the word Panasonic on it runs when it sees me coming."

"Apparently somebody is forgetting the part where he saved his brothers life this morning." said Piper, sitting down near Jared at the edge of the bed. She explained sarcastically: "It's understandable. It was one of those blink-and-you-miss-it moments."

Jared's eyes took on a rare expression of reflective sadness. "I could've caught that chandelier. My inner chicken just took over."

Piper slowly brushed the hair off of her son's forehead. "I'm sure the window forgives you." she said softly.

"You're right, Mom." Jared said. "Any window would gladly give its life to save the boy wonder."

"Ya' see? You're already coming around."

"Seriously though, you can't possibly understand..."

"More mind reading?" asked Piper, sarcastically. "Well, we're just a family full of telepaths aren't we?"

"As you've probably guessed, your sons are the deadliest demon hunters on the planet."

"Sounds like a shameful existence so far."

"We're the only children ever born of an Elder." argued Jared.

"A-ha! Yet another sin for the confession box." Piper teased.

"It's when you're known as the one without any powers..."

"Well," Piper interrupted. "According to Lee, even before you had your powers, you told quite a few demons where to go, how to get to the station, and what time the train left. If ya' catch my drift." She swatted Jared playfully on the knee. "Get it? Catch my drift? With the weather and the wind and the… drifting." "Jeez, rough crowd." Piper thought.

"Okay, point one, Lee could see the bright side of a plague. Two, he teaches Advanced 2 Power Skills so he's in no place to understand this either. Every single one of them can teach an Advanced 2 course of one kind or another."

"Honey," said Piper, "you sound like the only astronaut who didn't get to go to the moon." She sounded like she had known him his entire life.

"More like the only twenty-year-old who still uses training wheels." Jared scoffed.

"Okay, that's it." Piper declared. "I'm officially dead-ending this conversation."

Jared grinned in surrender "Darn, I was just getting to the meat and potatoes."

Piper folded her arms. "What would it take to get you to just sleep on it?"

Jared scratched his head. "A Golden Girls marathon."

Piper's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

"I had the flu once and got hooked." explained Jared sincerely. "I'll deny it if that gets out, by the way." he warned playfully. "And by 'out', I mean to Steve."

"Honey, do you at least understand where I'm coming from?" asked Piper, motherly concern in her voice.

Jared shook his head. "No clue." he returned, "but I've lived long enough to know that there's a method to your madness."

"My madness?"

"Bad choice of words?" Jared asked, squinting his eyes.

"Not necessarily, I'm just wondering why I'm being labeled the crazy one." Piper teased. I'm not the one using a Golden Girls marathon as bargaining incentive."

"Golden Girls?" Jared asked, with a clueless expression. "Are they some sort of punk band? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with their work."

Piper rolled her eyes. "Cute… Now sleep!"

A pleasant moment of peaceful contemplation settled into the room. "They're right, ya' know." uttered Jared.

"What do you mean?" asked Piper sincerely.

Suddenly, Jared felt a little bit childish, and a look of embarrassment settled onto his face. "I am a bit of a 'mama's boy'."

Piper folded her arms and smirked slightly "Do I look shocked?" she asked. "I am. No, really!"

Jared blushed. "Good-night." he chanted, pulling the covers up under his chin.

Piper leaned towards him kissed her son lightly on his forehead. "Goodnight, Sea Breeze." she whispered with a warm, teasing grin.

Jared rolled his eyes. "Note to self: Strangle a certain rosy-cheeked telepath."