Disclaimer: If I owned Charmed, would I be writing this? Please people.

Ch. 18:

Phoebe and Paige stood in front of the Book, flipping the pages, while Piper stood next to the couch as Leo healed Meredith.

"Ow." She moaned as she came round, before sitting straight up. "Chris!"

"He's gone." Piper told her. "Bianca took him. We only got you because he offered to go quietly if she left you alone."

"You have to get him back!" Meredith said, swinging her legs down on to the floor. "He'll kill him."

"We're trying, but we can't find a spell." Paige told her.

"Bianca did it!" Meredith protested. "If she can do it, surely the Charmed Ones can!"

"How could she do it?" Paige asked. "We don't know how."

"How did we do it five years ago?" Piper asked Leo.

"The Elders made that happen, remember?" he replied.

"Well, you're an Elder." Meredith told him. "Make it happen."

"That was a unique situation." Leo replied.

"And this isn't?" Meredith demanded.

"Hey, I don't like this either." He said, pacing. "Don't you think I want to save him, too?"

Meredith watched him pace, the floorboards squeaking with each pass.

"I don't know if I want to save him or kick his ass." Phoebe muttered.

"It still doesn't change all the good he's done." Leo told her.

"Hmm." Paige mused. "You're certainly singing a different tune. You've come along way, baby."

"Okay, despite all his secrets, I still believe that he came back to protect Wyatt," Leo protested, "and that is enough for me to want to save him."

He continued to pace and the floorboard continued to squeak.

"The question is: How?" Piper asked.

Leo continued pacing and Meredith stood up.

"Did he say anything?" she asked suddenly.

"What?" Leo asked.

"Chris, did he say anything before he left?" Meredith asked.

"He said we should tell you…" Phoebe trailed off. "He said to tell you that you would be in his prayers."

"Even if they were unanswered?" Meredith finished.

"Yeah." Paige said. "How did you know that?"

Meredith walked over to where Leo was standing and shooed him out of the way.

"When Chris and I were kids, we would hide notes for each other." Meredith said, pulling back the rug and squatting down. "We were kids and we liked the idea of keeping a secret that was just ours. Well, when we were about five or so, we found a lose floor board in the attic and began hiding notes for each other there. We did this well into our teens, and after everything went to hell, I hid one last note for him. I told him I was sorry and that he would always be in my prayers, even if they were unanswered. He must have found it when he came back to the past." She pulled up the floorboard, revealing a cubby. "Voila." She said.

"That's what he meant." Phoebe said.

"What do you mean?" Leo asked.

"He said you would have to fix the floorboard without him." Paige said.

"Maybe that's where she was taking him." Piper added. "To the attic in the future."

"It probably is." Meredith told them. "If that's where they came from, that's probably where she took him back to."

"But that would still be there in the future, wouldn't it?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, unless we fixed it." Paige answered.

"Or used it to send him something…" Piper suggested. "Something that he needed."

"Like what?" Phoebe asked.

"His powers." Paige realized.

"Got you." Meredith whispered.

Wyatt walked across the attic, the floorboard squeaking as he went.

"They're no threat to me." Wyatt said, dismissing his demons.

The demons shimmered away and Wyatt focused on Chris.

"Et tu, Chris?" he asked. "And speaking of betrayers, where is our lovely Meredith? Did the whore of San Francisco run when things got tough again?"

"She's dead." Chris said, glaring.

Wyatt froze before turning to Bianca.

"Is this true?" he demanded. "Where's her body?"

"I stabbed her, but he orbed her body away." Bianca answered, not hesitating. "When I found him again, I didn't have time to go searching for a lost body. I barely got him away from the sisters."

"How do you know she's dead then?" Wyatt demanded.

"Because she was dead before he orbed her out." Bianca assured him.

"Are you happy?" Chris demanded. "Your wife, the woman we grew up with, the mother of your daughter, is dead, and by your order. Are you satisfied?"

"Of all the people to betray me, I never thought it would be either of you." Wyatt told him. "You know as well as I do, Jenny was never my daughter. She was yours, wasn't she?"

Bianca stared at Chris, but he didn't say a word.

"So I repeat." Wyatt said. "Of all the people to betray me."

"We didn't betray you." Chris said. "We didn't go back to betray you. I-We went back to save you."

"Save me?" Wyatt repeated mockingly. "Ha. From what?"

"From whatever evil it was that turned you." Chris told him.

"That's always been your problem, Chris." Wyatt said. "Stuck in the old good-versus-evil morass. I'm so past that. It's all about power. It's a simple as that."

"And whoever has the most power wins." Chris finished. "Is that it?"

"That's it." Wyatt agreed. "That's why I keep this museum intact. To remind everyone the power from which I was born and that which I possess."

"Too bad the rest of the city isn't faring as well as your little shrine here." Chris told him as Wyatt took a step towards him.

"You know, if anyone else tried what you tried, I'd kill them on the spot." Wyatt told him. "I've forgiven Bianca. I can forgive you, too, if you promise never to cross me again."

"You just admitted to knowing that Jenny was my daughter when you killed her." Chris told him. "What makes you think I would ever come back to you?"

"I thought you said you could talk some sense into him." Wyatt told Bianca.

"Leave her out of this." Chris told him.

Wyatt raised his hand and made a fist, cutting off Chris's air supply. Bianca gasped, glaring at Wyatt as Chris sank to his knees, both his hand clutching his throat as he gasped for air.

"Pardon me?" Wyatt said neutrally.

With a slice of his hand, Wyatt threw Chris aside and into the wall.

"Chris!" Bianca yelled as he hit a cabinet, breaking it.

"Hurry!" Phoebe urged Paige. "Hurry! Hurry!"

"I'm trying." Paige replied, working on the spell. "I'm trying. Here."

She ripped off the paper and handed it to her sister.

"Okay." Phoebe said, rolling it up. "Here you go."

"Wait." Meredith said, walking over.

She took the paper and quickly wrote something on the bottom, before rolling it back up. She handed it to Piper, who put a rubber band around it. Leo lifted the floorboard and she tossed it inside.

"Got it." Leo said.

"Quick." Piper replied. "Put it back."

Leo snapped the floorboard back into place and covered it with the carpet. Piper looked over to see Meredith staring at the floor, her arms wrapped around herself. She sighed and walked over to the younger woman, wrapping an arm around Meredith. Meredith looked at her for a moment before leaning her head on Piper's shoulder and refocusing on the floor, waiting for Chris.

Chris crashed into a table as Wyatt threw him around.

"You promised you wouldn't hurt him!" Bianca said angrily.

"And you promised you'd turn him, just like I turned you." Wyatt shot back. "At least, I thought I had."

Bianca ran to Chris, falling to her knees at his side.

"Chris…please." She whispered. "I didn't bring you here to die."

"Don't worry." He told her softly. "I know what I'm doing."

He looked at Wyatt and the floorboards he stood on. As he shifted his weight, they creaked under his feet.

"I think." Chris added.

He got to his feet and tackled Wyatt with a yell, but Wyatt easily tossed him aside.

"Have you lost your mind?" he demanded, raising his hand and lifting Chris of the floor and towards the ceiling, choking him. "I don't…need you."

As he powered up an energy ball, Bianca surged to her feet and jammed her fist into his back. It sank deep into him and he froze, releasing his hold on Chris, who fell to the floor with a crash.

"Whatever you're gonna do, do it fast." Bianca told Chris, gasping. "I can't hold him for long."

Chris quickly scrambled to the loose floorboard, pushing the rug aside to lift it up. Inside, covered in dirt and dust, was the spell.

"Power of the witches rise,
come to me from across the skies.
Return my magic, give me back
all that was taken from the attack!"

As he felt his powers return, he read the note at the bottom.

Sometimes our prayers are answered. You and Bianca come home safe.

Chris took a deep breath and got to his feet.

At this moment, Wyatt broke free, kicking Bianca across the room. Chris watched in horror as she landed on a piece of broken table and was impaled.

"No!" he yelled, lashing out at Wyatt.

The force sent Wyatt crashing into the wall. He fell to the floor, out cold.

Bianca took short breaths as Chris rushed to her side.

"Bianca!" he cried. "No. No. No. No."

"Haven't we been here before?" she asked him, smiling painfully.

"Maybe we will be again." He told her sadly.

"I doubt it." She said softly. "Everyone could see that you and Meredith were meant to be together. Everyone that is, but you two."

Chris cried helplessly and rested his forehead on her shoulder. Bianca reached for his hand and put something in it. He looked to see that it was her engagement ring.

"If you can finish what we started…" she said. "Don't let her go again…"

Behind them, they heard Wyatt begin to stir.

"Hurry." Bianca told him as he glanced back to see Wyatt moving. "Take the spell so he can't send anyone else. Keep her and yourself safe."

Chris stared at her.

"Go!" she urged.

Chris ran to the Book as Wyatt raised his head.

"Hear these words." Chris began as Wyatt slowly got up. "Hear the rhyme."

Wyatt pulled his hand back and powered up an energy ball.

"Heed the hope within my mind." Chris continued.

Wyatt hurled the ball at him and Chris quickly ducked to the side, just barely avoiding the blast.

"Send me back to where I'll find what I wish in place and time." Chris finished.

The triquetra glowed and portal opened as Wyatt got to his feet. Chris grabbed the spell and ripped it out of the book before diving through the portal.

"No!" Wyatt screamed.

He threw another energy ball, but it was too late. The portal closed and the blast hit the wall instead.

Chris was gone.

The attic wall flashed and Chris flew out of the portal.

"Whoa!" Piper exclaimed as he landed hard on the floor behind Leo.

"Chris!" Meredith called, running to his side.

"Ow." He moaned.

"Oh, my god." Paige said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Chris said, his voice muffled by the floor. "I'm fine."

Meredith helped him to his feet as the others walked over, but he pulled away. She looked at him sadly for a moment before moving away.

"Nice spell." Chris told them.

"But we just put it in there, like two seconds ago." Phoebe protested.

"Well, you see, the way time travel works-" Leo started, but Phoebe interrupted him.

"Yeah, I don't wanna know." She said. "I already have a little headache, thanks."

"You have some serious explaining to do, young man." Piper told Chris. "You both do."

"I know." Chris replied. "Listen, I'm sorry I lied to you. I really am, but-"

"No!" Piper interrupted. "No 'buts'. It's about time you tell us the truth. Now."

"We can't." Meredith told her. "But it's not because we don't want to. We would like nothing more than to tell you everything, but we can't risk it. Not without changing the future too much."

"Um, isn't that the whole point?" Paige asked. "To come and change the future?"

"Yeah, but that was supposed to be more like a surgical strike." Chris replied.

"To save Wyatt." Leo said.

"To save Wyatt." Chris agreed, nodding.

"What about Bianca?" Phoebe asked.

Chris sighed sadly.

"Bianca won't be a threat to anyone anymore." He said softly.

Meredith looked away, quickly wiping her eye.

"I'm sorry." Phoebe told him.

"Me, too." Chris said, nodding.

He looked at them all, his eyes landing on Meredith last. He sighed and reached over and gently took her hand. She looked up in surprise, but finally squeezed his hand, which he returned.

"So you guys still alright with us hanging around here?" he asked the others.

Leo looked at the girls before answering for them all.

"Absolutely." He told Chris and Meredith.

The two young people smiled in relief.

"But the next time you're in trouble, you've got to tell us." Leo continued. "Trust works both ways."

"Okay." Chris said, nodding.

He squeezed Meredith's hand one last time before walking out of the attic. Meredith watched him go before smiling at the sisters and melting into the shadows.

Chris walked past Wyatt's bedroom to see the boy in his playpen He leaned on the door frame and stared at the young child.

"If I can't save you, I swear to god I'll stop you." He promised.

He stared at Wyatt for a moment before backing out of the room. When he was gone, Meredith stepped out of the shadows and kneeled next to the playpen.

"He means it." She said. "But I promise we'll do all we can to save you. I swear."

She gently kissed the top of his head before melting back into the shadows.

Piper walked into the dining room to find Phoebe and Paige waiting for her.

"Hey." Paige said.

"Hey." Piper replied.

"What's going on?" Phoebe asked.

"Uh, well, I've been thinking." Piper said, sitting between them.

"Uh-oh." Paige groaned. "Does that mean I'm in trouble?"

"I think it's time we make some changes around here." Piper said.

"What kind of changes?" Phoebe asked.

"Like I think you should move to Hong Kong with Jason." Piper told her before turning to Paige. "And you should move in with Richard."

"I never said I wanted that." Paige protested.

"You didn't have to." Piper said, shrugging. "The spell did that for you." She looked at Phoebe. "And you, too."

Paige and Phoebe looked at each other.

"Well, we can't leave you alone." Phoebe told Piper. "We have to stick together."

"No, I know." Piper told her. "Believe me, I know. But you can't keep sacrificing your lives forever. And neither can I. Mom did that. Grams did it, and even Prue, and look what happened to them. It's not a legacy I want us to inherit."

"What if it doesn't work out, us going our separate ways?" Paige asked.

"Well, we'll worry about it then." Piper replied.

"You sure about this?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah." Piper replied after a beat. "I am."

Phoebe reached out and took Piper's hand. A second later, Paige did the same.

Meredith knocked on Chris's door at P3. When no response came, she quietly opened the door and entered.

Inside, Chris lay on his bed with his back to her. She softly walked over to him and sat on the bed behind him. When he still didn't say anything, she reached over and took his hand and held it tightly.

After a second, his hand gripped hers and he held on to it for dear life. His shoulders began to shake as he pulled her hand to his chest. She just sat there, stroking his hair with her other hand as he cried for Bianca.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm so sorry. No matter what was between me and Bianca, I never wanted this. I would never have wanted you to have this pain. I'm so sorry, Chris."

Chris finally turned over to face her, his cheeks wet with tears. She gently brushed away some of the tears and he pulled her to him, burying his face in her abdomen.

"Shh." She soothed, holding him. "I've got you. I've got you and I won't let go. You're not alone. I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere."

She moved so she was laying next to him, his head on her chest, and she wrapped her arms around him.

"I've got you." She whispered.

A/N: So what did you guys think? Let me know and make sure to take the poll!

Abbey