I promised myself I would update sooner and I have simply out of sheer stubbornness and not much else.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

"Where have you two been?" Is the first thing the two Chris' hear as they orb into the manor and are faced with an enraged Piper, clutching young Wyatt, who she promptly sets down in his play-pen in the corner.

Little Chris rolls his eyes. "I said I'd get him and I did."

He rubs his hands together, getting straight down to business. "What's ouw next pwan of action? We've got demons to vanquish, and accowding to Kis, we'we way behind scheduwe."

"Are you serious? You've been gone for over two hours. I was worried sick."

"It's my fault, Piper," Chris says apologetically. "I needed some time."

"Let's not get into 'dis, awight?" little Chris says impatiently. "Evewyone's sowy, we wewn't in any dangew, we bonded and aw dat cwap, bwah bwah bwah…" he lists in a bored tone while other Chris smacks his forehead, and Piper glares. Ignoring the incredulous looks directed his way, little Chris continues, "Now, about those demons-"

"You really do have a one-track mind, don't you?" Paige comments, trading amused smiles with Phoebe.

"Yes, I'm vewy focused on my mission." He goes to roll his eyes, but yawns instead, mumbling inarticulacy, "So sue me."

"Unfortunately for you, the two Wyatt's are upstairs in the attic with Leo right now and once they hear you're back, you won't be doing much of anything," Piper tells him unsympathetically, watching as he sways tiredly on his feet. "I recall Wyatt saying something along the lines of never wanting to hear you say the word demon ever again... Sound familiar?"

As usual, little Chris is unfazed. Even as he rubs his eyes and answers drowsily, "Pfft. What Wy Wy doesn't know won't huwt him."

Piper sighs. "Chris, you are exhausted. I know you hate being reminded, but you are a toddler now and your body can't function with the same evasive sleep schedule that you barely withstood before. Judging from the stories Wyatt told me, you used up a lot of energy at the park today and to be honest, you could have used a nap when you came home then." She prays this will work. "It's late. Go get some sleep, okay? All of your problems will still be there in the morning."

"Wate?" little Chris repeats in disbelief. "It's onwy nine o'cwock."

Trying not to scowl, she replies firmly, "Then that's two hours later than the bedtime I would have otherwise enforced."

"You'we being ridicuwous."

"No, you are being stubborn. Look at yourself, you can hardly keep your eyes open."

"I can so!" he argues, but his lack of conviction is a contradiction in itself.

"Chris, listen to Piper," other Chris pleads. "Just go to bed and save yourself a whole lot of trouble."

And there is something in little Chris' expression. This weariness that leaves him susceptible, and Piper hopes it will work to her advantage.

Approaching little Chris slowly, taking everyone else by surprise, Piper says softly in her notorious sing-song voice, "Come on, sweetie, if you stay up with the grown ups while we deal with all those nasty demons, you'll only give yourself bad dreams, and you don't want that, do you?"

Little Chris frowns - clearly at odds with himself as he tries not to respond to Piper treating him like an actual child.

Because it is there.

That innocent, childlike part of him that he's been trying so desperately to suppress.

Noticing his flash of uncertainty, Piper continues to inch towards him until she is close enough to pick little Chris up, letting his head be supported by her shoulder as she smoothes his hair.

And little Chris, for his part, doesn't even attempt to object.

The lethargic inactivity of his mind is making it hard to think straight. Impossible to resist the allure of his mother's loving embrace.

Even whatever is left of his adult self is also struggling to oppose Piper's sudden maternal instincts.

He is tired… And he has missed his Mom so much…

Clutching onto the soft material of her sweater, little Chris mumbles as he shuts his eyes half-way, "I'm so sweepy, Mommy."

Piper's heart leaps in her chest.

"I know, darling," she murmurs, planting a kiss on his forehead. "Mommy's going to put you in her room tonight, alright?"

He nods slowly.

"You can sleep beside Wyatt. No doubt, he'll want in my bed, too."

Little Chris smiles faintly. "Wy Wy's so wittwe, Mommy," he giggles. "Now I'm his big bwothew."

"Uh-huh," Piper agrees, amused. "You sure are."

"And what about Wainbow Bwain? Wiw he be thewe, too?"

Piper sighs. She should have known… "If that's what you want."

"Well, this is my cue to leave," other Chris suddenly announces briskly. "This is getting far too weird for my liking."

Before the sisters can even laugh, he orbs away.

"Okay, time for bed then, mister," Piper says. She looks at her eldest, who is also dozing off and adds, "You too, Wyatt. Phoebe, could you take him upstairs for me?"

"Sure."

"And Paige?"

She turns. "Yeah?"

Piper sighs. "Please go check what the men are up to. I'm not exactly comfortable with the idea of having two all-powerful, grown-up Wyatt's with such contrasting beliefs under the same roof."

Chris folds his arms, heaving a sigh and wondering aloud, "And you think that this will work?"

"What will work?" Paige asks, orbing into the attic.

Regarding her briefly, he replies, "Summoning the Anno demon from the future and creating a new bargain."

She raises her eyebrows inquisitively, but replies with a simple, "Oh."

"Am I the only one who thinks this is a bad idea?" Leo asks, glancing around at the small group. "If this demon is after power, he's not going to want to help us change a future where he has a means to obtaining quite a substantial amount. What makes you guys believe he'll help Chris?"

"We're not going to tell him any of that," (E) Wyatt says with an impatient expression, as though stating the obvious. "I'm only going to demand that he reverse the effects of the regression potion, then send him on his merry way while we try to get the recently-transformed-back-to-normal Chris to let go of his attachment to the toy."

"See, when you say it like that it sounds really straightforward, but it's not," Chris argues. "You promised him a position in your high command, right? Only the most dominant, feared demons are offered such an honour, which I take it would grant them a greater status in the Underworld? With plenty of all-too-willing minions to do their dirty work?"

"Yeah…You could say that…"

"Then what can you give him in return that is any better than that? That will make him a little more… compliant."

"I could always threaten to revoke our original arrangement." (E) Wyatt smirks. "Fear works wonders, don't you think?"

"I have a bad feeling about this," Chris admits, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't like the idea of asking a demon for help with something so crucial when you know, for a fact, they can't be trusted."

"I agree," (G) Wyatt says. "We're talking about someone who can potentially turn Leo, this Chris, Paige, and you and I into children or age us until we are mere days from death. I can understand why other demons would find him so inconsequential, view him as some kind of mongrel who is part-witch, but saying as we all have a little bit of whitelighter in our systems, we are vulnerable to his capabilities."

"Well, he can't use it against me," (E) Wyatt affirms with a careless shrug. "Otherwise, I'd have had him assassinated years ago. Becoming the Source essentially extinguished that part of me. I'm not how you say… good. Pure. So I remain unaffected."

"That's great," Chris responds with exaggerated cheeriness. "Unfortunately, however, not all of are as lucky as you and his potions will have an effect on us."

"It's worth a shot, though," (E) Wyatt insists, becoming more irritated by the second. "Unless you have any bright ideas, it would appear we are all out of options. He is one of a kind. This Anno demon is the only one who can change Chris back."

Chris huffs. "Well, I don't want to risk it."

"But we can trap him with crystals!"

"Um, Wyatt? I don't know if you've noticed, but magical potions are not confined to any crystal cage so that point is sort of invalid!"

"Then I can handle him alone!"

"No!" Chris shouts. "Stop being so impulsive and think about this. It is my body, my impending fate, after all. And I say no! There is no guarantee that this is gonna work. You are putting others at risk and it mightn't even be worth it. I might still be mentally a child, anyway."

"We'll destroy the toy, then."

"We can't!" Chris yells in frustration. "Future consequences! That thing is, like, my childhood." He stops, breathing heavily, his expression despairing. "Just face it, Wyatt. This is hopeless."

"You can't just give up! When do you ever give up?"

"Yeah. I can," he disagrees vehemently. "Let's not forget, you are the one who did this to me! If you don't like the consequences, then tough. Deal with it. We need to concentrate on the reason I came here in the first place. So accept it. Move on."

"You're right," (E) Wyatt says tonelessly. "I am the one who did this to you. And that's exactly why I can't sit back and accept it. I am the most powerful being in the world, Chris. I'll find a way."

"No," Chris answers just as emotionless as his brother, despite the fiery resolve they both harbour on the inside. "If you want to help fix this, then help me ensure that my reality of the future isn't lost."

He pauses, stifling an oncoming shudder.

"Even if it means that I am doomed to the life of a three-year-old."

Thank you so much for reading.