I feel like I've encountered a major problem with this story. Although, to you, I guess it must sound pretty stupid.

I don't know when to stop. I'm not sure I even really want to end it anytime soon.

I like writing… And I like Chris. And I love little Chris… And (G) Wyatt and even (E) Wyatt. So, do you see why this might be an issue? *sighs* Ah well, that's a problem for future me to deal with. For now I'll just keep updating :)

Disclaimer: Charmed is not mine, nor has it ever been or ever will be.

"Are you still set on this whole allowing-yourself-to-become-a-three-year-old-thing ?" (G) Wyatt asks ever so casually as he skims through the book of Shadows for any information on their new target.

Chris merely shoots him an uninterested look and replies lightly, "Before you start with all that unnecessary self-sacrifice nonsense, just know that I've made up my mind, I know a lost cause when I see one and there is no point yammering on about it because I really don't want to fixate on it so anything you say will only be written off as stupid."

Narrowing his eyes, (G) Wyatt says suspiciously, "What's with the chirper mood?" He glances around him before asking jokingly, "Where's my brother and what have you done with him?"

"What?" Chris laughs. "Can't a guy be in high spirits?"

(G) Wyatt pretends to think about it. "When it comes to you? And when you finally have an excuse to be as neurotic as you want to be?" He shakes his head to the side and purses his lips. "Nope. Categorically impossible. So what's up?"

"Nothing!" he insists, the corners of his mouth curving upwards. "I'm just feeling.. hopeful, okay? Is that so bad?"

"Hopeful?" (G) Wyatt repeats sceptically, brows drawn together. "Man, you are weird. Of course, you start to feel better once you think there's a chance the world and your family can be saved even if your own future goes to hell!"

Chris rolls his eyes. "Don't be a downer. I'm not happy about my impending toddler-hood, nor have I come even close to accepting it. However, things are looking up. We have months before you are supposed to be turned and I know who did it. Any time that I spent searching desperately for the culprit before can now be used as an opportunity to get rid off any demons that I vanquished the last time round as probable suspects since that was definitely worthwhile. So, we are still ahead, even if technically we are behind schedule because of the last few days that other me has lost out on."

"Are you seriously replacing your other self?"

"Uh…" Chris cringes. "Pretty much. As it stands, that little guy cannot pursue any demons and while I may not be fully functioning either, I have two of you on my side to help."

His expression turns thoughtful. "I find it so strange that you have all of these memories of things that haven't happened and now you are giving your next future self so much more confusion when his memories return because he'll have come to the past twice and saved the future."

"Yeah," Chris shrugs. "But then he'll be a kid again, so it won't matter much."

(G) Wyatt nods sombrely, heaving a small sigh. "I pity the future me who will wake up some day to discover that his twenty-two year-old brother has just regressed to a kid."

Abruptly, a loud intake of breath is heard from behind.

Startled, (G) Wyatt and Chris swivel around, and the blood immediately drains from their faces.

Chris gulps.

"H-how long have you been standing there?" he asks shakily, feeling his legs go weak at the knees.

Leo's expression is grim.

Voice soft, he confirms, "Long enough."

It's been one of those mornings.

His other self and adult Chris are up in the attic, gathering information, and saying as he has yet to forgive Chris for his rash decision yesterday, (E) Wyatt has been forced to sit down in the kitchen with everyone else, feeling entirely useless.

On the opposite end of the table, his aunts are preoccupied with all the latest gossip, blithering on about inconsequential things, and Piper is nursing a very petulant miniature him who can muster no enthusiasm for that revolting mush they call food and squeals every time the spoon nears his mouth.

Worse, little Chris seems to be determined to make as much noise as possible, and it doesn't matter how many times he glares at him to shut it, his brother continues to bang and clash those saucepans - the ones Phoebe foolishly handed over to him to keep him entertained - together like it's the funniest thing in the world.

Times like these, he really misses being in charge and ordering everyone around. If there is one thing (E) Wyatt cannot stand, it is feeling as if he has no control over anyone or the situation.

Needless to say, (E) Wyatt is not exactly happy and it's not long before Paige attempts to bring him around.

"Oh, come on, Wyatt. Lighten up." She smiles. "For once, Chris is actually having fun. So what if he's getting a tad carried away? At least he's smiling."

And, despite his annoyance, (E) Wyatt must admit, it is nice to see his brother's smile.

Okay, so it's not precisely the one he knows so well.

Childish dimples, a handful of missing teeth and chubby cheeks aside, (E) Wyatt can't help but notice how wonderful it is to see that that always-present hint of melancholy is gone, replaced with a simple, innocent kind of joy that brings a small, involuntary smile to his lips.

Yes, it was wrong of him to try to change his brother.

He never should have meddled with things he didn't understand.

Yet, there are some things that (E) Wyatt will never regret.

For instance, the moments like these. The moments when Chris' transformation allowed him a little fleeting peace.

"I'm sorry." The words themselves will never be enough. Leo knows that. He knows they won't mean much.

Still, it's all he can think of - all he knows what to say. Leo was trying to protect his family, but what he didn't realise was that he was doing so at the expense of his son.

And for that, there is no apology. No, 'I didn't know any better.' No excuse.

Because - the unquestionable resemblance to Piper and Chris' evident familiarity with the family notwithstanding - Leo was an idiot to ever have believed that this man could ever have meant any harm or that his motives were anything but pure. And his past behaviour towards Chris is arguably atrocious on all levels, especially coming from a supposed pacifist who is known to give people the benefit of the doubt.

But not this time. Not when it really counts.

So, he is sorry. Though, really, it just isn't enough.

Chris regards his father for a moment, his face an odd blend of purpose and uncertainty.

"He doesn't completely hate you, you know," he suddenly murmurs, voice cracking with emotion. "Other Chris. He… he loves you. In his own, roundabout way." He pauses, struggling to find the right words.

Chris sighs. "I feel so unequipped for this, you know? Because even though I lived it, too, and that Chris is equally as present inside me, I just… didn't think I'd ever have to take his place of explaining why you don't entirely suck."

Leo half-laughs. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," Chris smiles unsurely. "Believe me, you should be grateful. If it were the other Chris, he'd be shouting all kinds of things at you right now that you really don't wanna hear."

He frowns. "How so? Why would he get so mad if you wouldn't?"

"Because.." Chris runs a hand quickly over his hair. "You… you were a massive disappointment. And he doesn't know if he can ever forgive you for being such a horrible father."

Leo's face, if possible, becomes even more distressed. Gaze probing, he says, "Why? What did I do?"

Chris shrugs, and when he speaks next, he accidentally slips into first-person, "Simple. You were never there for me." He glances away. "The world needs you? Sure, not a problem. You'll do anything. Wyatt's calling you for help? Oh, dear Lord, you'll be there right away! I need you?" He stops, clears his throat. His voice lowers, just barely above a whisper. "Never quite important enough to be considered."

"I-I'm so sorry, Chris."

His head snaps up, eyes glassy. "Don't be." Chris' features suddenly tighten. "Just… promise me you won't beat yourself up over this, alright? I shouldn't have said anything. I…" A touch of pain hits his eyes. "I couldn't stand it if you did. I-I love you, Dad." Then, so wide and genuine that it shocks Leo, Chris grins. "In my future, the only problem we've ever had is that I'm such a mama's boy and you occasionally get jealous and try to persuade me to go to a baseball game with you and Wyatt, which I hate."

"It's true," (G) Wyatt adds, smiling at the memories. "We always end up dragging him along and the whole time Chris sits there begrudgingly sipping on his soda while we cheer along until he eventually makes you feel so guilty about wanting to spend time with him, that you promise never to force him to come to the games with us ever again even though we all know that that's what you said last time and you'll soon forget how anyone could ever hate baseball and try to prove your point all over again."

Chris laughs. "Yeah, it's a vicious cycle."

Leo continues to frown, unable to wrap his head around the sudden change in outlook of their father-and-son relationship. "But… I thought I was a terrible father?"

(G) Wyatt rolls his eyes. "Yes," he replies slowly, "to other Chris."

"I am so confused."

Chris exhales heavily. "Look, before I returned to the future, we did eventually patch things up. Though, in all honesty, if you told little me that he'd never believe you. Because… that took time. I told you that my memories of you are conflicting, and they are. You didn't exactly treat other me right both in his childhood and later, when he returned to the past. But, the thing is, future you never could quite grasp why it was so wrong. In your mind, it was this simple: I wasn't Wyatt. And therefore, didn't require nearly as much effort or parenting because in comparison, I'd never amount to much."

Chris laughs humourlessly at Leo's appalled expression.

"Ironically enough, it didn't matter how much you nurtured Wyatt or how much attention you showered him with, he was destined to misuse his power." Tilting his head to the side, he adds, "You were a different person. Becoming an Elder changed you, and not for the better. Understandably, that's where other me's slightly intense hatred of Elders stems from."

"I'm sensing a but."

"But," he continues, "When other me kind of, um, turned into a Spider demon temporarily and may have tried to throttle you-"

Leo blinks, his jaw falling open.

"-That was when you really realised how damaged I was. He was. Whatever. And how much he loathed the sight of you, and for the first time, the only reason you didn't understand was because that version of you hadn't been there to experience it. And that sparked this determination in you to get to the bottom of it. To repair whatever had gone wrong. And yes, I kind of wanted to hurt you so I divulged enough information - despite my future consequences rule- for you to hope that maybe, just maybe, there was a part of me that wanted to fix it, too."

"Sooo….?"

"Sooo, you tried. You tried, and you tried, and you tried to get through to me. And eventually, something broke inside of me and all your persistence paid off. And then you swore to me that you would be better. That you wouldn't ever become that person." Chris half-smiles. "And you didn't."

"I-I'm glad," Leo replies earnestly.

"So, just remember. I've come out the other side. I'm healing. But the other Chris? The one downstairs playing with pots and pans?" Chris sighs. "He's a long way from being okay."

Thanks for reading.