Two Horns and a Halo

The Manor had finally surrendered to an evening of relative slowness, leaving all who dwelled therein in a sort of recuperative trance. The mood was far from unpleasant, even far from somber. There was surprisingly little conflict to work through, though Wyatt and Lee could both expect a bit of teasing in days to come. As Shane had said earlier to Lee, "Mom said you've been through enough already tonight, so we're not allowed to do any scolding... But, the second my alarm clock goes off tomorrow, you will learn the true meaning of a 'tongue-lashing'." Such was how Halliwell wounds healed, with laughter as the traditional, if mildly cliché, medicine.

For Chris, one of the largest benefits of having telepaths in the family was that it made it almost too easy to keep track of his sons. This included being able to sense their approach before their arrival. It was this benefit that allowed him to confront his two children as they attempted to sneak into the Manor.

"Hey Mac, what's the big idea?" exclaimed Rider.

"Yeah," added Riley, "What's with the holdup?"

Chris stood before his two sons with arms sternly folded. "May I see some ID please?"

"How come?" asked Rider. "I'll bet you didn't check anyone else's ID when they came in here."

Riley agreed: "Yeah, this is total discrimination."

"Call it whatever you want," Chris retorted, "you're still not getting by until I see some form of identification."

"You know what," Riley scoffed, "I don't like your attitude young man. I'd like to speak to your supervisor."

Chris cocked his eyebrows. "One, you're speaking to him. And two, you two just happen to fit the profile of some escaped hoodlums we've been trying to track down."

Rider conferred with his brother. "Must be some handsome hoodlums."

"That's exactly what I was thinking!" Riley agreed.

Chris decided it was time for the 'parenting' to begin. "Guys..."

Rider was the first to beg. "Dad, pleee-heee-hease don't make us go back! The only people left at the Manor are all girls, and women scare me when too many of 'em get together."

"Seriously Dad," added Riley. "We were about five minutes away from forced facials, and that blue face gook does not look FDA approved."

Chris teased snidely: "Well then, thank God you two got out when you did. If you hadn't they might've tried to cut your fingernails. How could I ever live with myself?"

"So then..." Rider nervously began. "Can we stay?"

"Just hang on a second." Chris replied. Though he was already regretting it, he decided to ask his younger son about his unusual headwear. "Rider, why are you wearing a black knit cap in 65-degree weather? You look like Eminem's stunt double."

Riley tried swallowing his laugh, but couldn't. "Busted." he muttered to his brother.

"What do you mean?" Rider coyly asked his father. "I'm just trying to keep my clothing 2006-compatible."

"I see." replied Chris, enjoying the look of terror on Rider's face. "And just how is the cap helping you do this?"

"Well..." Rider stumbled. "The pop-culture website said this is what the cool kids wore in 2006."

Chris returned: "Yeah, but only if they're shouting angry nursery rhymes to the beat of a drum machine."

Riley was turning red from having to stifle his laughter.

"Dad," Rider exclaimed, hoping to defuse some tension. "Why you gotta be dissin' my threads, yo?"

"I'm not." Chris innocently replied. "I was just wondering if I could try your cap on?"

"Do what now?" Rider stuttered. "Wh-... wh-.. why? What for?"

Chris answered. "If I like it I may buy one for myself."

"Nah, that just gets weird..." Rider guiltily replied. "Parents and kids wearing the same clothes and all, that's a little on the Stepford side, don't ya think?"

Chris decided to put his foot gently down. "Rider, let me see the cap."

"What cap?"

"Rider..."

"Daddy, where do babies come from?"

"Nice try." Chris chuckled. "Le'me see it."

With a painfully defeated expression on his face, Rider let out a loud sigh, gripping his cap and tugging it off as his arm fell down to his side. His head dangled forward as he stared intently at his feet.

"Thank you, God!" Riley said with a sigh. "I thought I was gonna burst."

Chris took a step forward to get a better look at the small, bleached strip of white hair among a forest of dark brown, just above his son's forehead, where the hair parted. "Uh huh." Chris folded his arms, considering what to make of the situation. "Rider, if you wanna be an X-Man for Halloween that's fine, but without Rogue's costume, you just end up looking like a skunk."

"Ah kinda lak' it." Rider responded in Rogue's Mississippi accent.

Chris looked chidingly in Riley's direction. "I'm guessing he's made up a convincing story as to why this was a good idea?"

Riley winced unsurely. "The story's all there." he said. "It's the convincing part I'm having trouble with."

Rider huffed: "Well you wouldn't help."

"And we're currently standing at the corner of 'reason' and 'why'." Riley chided.

Chris grinned widely, despite all else. "Come on, Rider, let's hear it."

Rider bumbled anxiously. "Well, I thought, what with the whole twins thing and all, it'd be easier for Gra-..." As Rider froze mid-word, Riley swatted the back of his head. "-ma and Grandpa to tell us apart." He looked snidely at his brother. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Riley obliviously replied.

"I see." said Chris, in his best paternal voice. "And somehow you thought the extra five inches of hair on your head wouldn't take care of that little problem? Oh, then there's the fact that nobody can tell that you two are identical twins as it is."

"That's my fault, Dad." Riley said in a dry tone. "I sucked all the good looks outta that placenta."

"They got any barf bags on this flight?" Rider huffed.

Chris took one more long look at the white streak in his younger son's hair. "You know, Rider, it's really not that bad."

"Yeah?" asked Rider, careful to avoid any traps. "So I can keep it?"

"You two just go and put your stuff away." Chris answered. "We'll talk about it tomorrow?"

"We can stay?" Riley's eyes lit up like Christmas lights. "Seriously?"

Chris waved them in with a relenting sigh "Get in here, you two."

The twins smothered their young father in a familiar family hug.

"Actually," Chris admitted "I'm really relieved you two are here."

The boys stepped back with questioning eyes, though the moment was interrupted by every single dweller in the house (minus Rory, fast asleep in his room) coming out of hiding to greet the newest arrivals at the door. For those already familiar with the twins, it felt like the missing pieces of a puzzle had fallen snuggly into place. This was especially true for Chris, who had been fighting the urge to go back to the future and retrieve them.

For Piper, Leo, and Paige, this was their first opportunity to meet Riley in the flesh. Though they had anticipated to encounter a walking bookend opposite Rider, they were surprised at how many physical differences there actually were between Chris' two sons.

"Are you sure they're identical?" Piper asked Chris, looking at the twins as they stood comfortably shoulder-to-shoulder.

"That's what I told me." was Chris' reply, though he knew there was more to the story.

"So, personality-wise, are you two anything alike?" Piper inquired.

As Rider and Riley looked at one another, pondering the question, two of Steve's glowing creations appeared atop their heads: a sparkling blue halo above Riley's and a set of blue horns above Rider's. Piper covered her mouth as both she and Chris chuckled.

Appalled at his horns, Rider reached above Riley's head to grab his halo. "Give... Me... That!" he exclaimed, putting the halo above his own head and the horns above Riley's.

"Nice try, Rider!" said Riley. "But your pitchfork is showing."

With a thoroughly amused, glowing expression on her face, Piper turned to Chris. "What do you think there 'Dad'?" she teased. "Accurate or not?"

Chris grinned knowingly at the two. "I think the other set of horns is on backorder and they sent a halo as a temporary replacement."

"Wha?" Rider scoffed. Turning to Riley, he said: "You heard that, right?"

"With my own two ears." Riley replied, staring accusingly at their father.

"We're keeping tabs, ya know." Rider threatened. "You just better watch yourself, Mister."

Chris eyed Rider with a playful mischief in his eyes. "Don't think I won't take you over my knee, young man!"