I don't know, I may have gotten a little too excited writing this chapter.

Not sure why except that I really wanted to write and then this happened.

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't think you're supposed to write a new disclaimer for every chapter, but I do if only because I think it's important to remind myself that Chris and all those other beloved characters are not mine and I cannot take credit for them. Shucks :/

Downstairs, Piper is still trying to feed an uncooperative Wyatt and to (E) Wyatt's relief, Phoebe and Paige have left for work because the 'Cough. Cough. Too sick to move' excuse is wearing thin, and they really can't afford to take another day off.

As can only be expected, little Chris grew bored of fooling around with cookware and has now been given some crayons to colour with after insisting that he and Rainbow Brian sit up with (E) Wyatt at the table.

Wriggling about on his brother's knee, having lost his ability to sit still after the sugar rush kicked in - like an unsuspecting fool, Paige yielded to the little rascal's demands and allowed him just one popsicle and then, with the work of one teary-eyed pout, ended up giving him three - little Chris tugs relentlessly on (E) Wyatt's shirt every time his gaze dare stray from the masterpiece he is creating. He really doesn't appreciate being ignored.

"I'm looking, I swear," (E) Wyatt says for what feels like the hundredth time, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. "Your picture is very good. Lot's of… squiggles."

Little Chris scowls. "Dewe not squiggwes. Dat's you!"

"Oh." (E) Wyatt squints at the image. "Where's my head?"

He stabs something that looks vaguely circular and includes one gigantic dot, presumably an eye. "Dewe."

"That's…" He pushes his lips together to suppress a smile. "Very… flattering. I love it."

Beaming, little Chris adds, "And dewe is youw arms and youw weg."

"Just one?"

He giggles, giddy. "You don't need two wegs. You wike hopping instead."

"I see. But what if I get tired of hopping so much or need to go somewhere really far away?" (E) Wyatt asks, indulging him.

Little Chris thinks really hard for a minute, thrusting his thumb into his mouth and frowning seriously. After a while, he answers simply, "Den you owb," looking very pleased with himself.

"Wow," (E) Wyatt replies wonderingly as though he's really impressed, before continuing in a lilting voice, "You really have thought of everything, aren't you clever."

He grins hugely with visible delight, showing off those adorable dimples once again. "Mhm," little Chris nods. "I'm a big boy, I know woads of stuff."

"Mind if I join you?" a voice asks from behind, silencing the two brothers' chatter.

Unconsciously holding little Chris closer in protection, (E) Wyatt watches Leo with distrust as he gazes at his youngest son with new eyes - both men somewhat nervous about how little Chris is going to react.

With a small jump, he darts behind his older brother's shoulder. Nuzzling his face into the crook of (E) Wyatt's neck, little Chris peeks shyly at Leo from under his lashes as if he can't quite believe that he's there.

Piper, on the other side of the kitchen, looks on curiously, recognising that dazed light in Leo's eyes for what it really is.

He knows.

Recalling her own quest for forgiveness with little Chris, she can't help but compare how warm and adoring he had been with her, to how withdrawn (and scared?) he is now. It makes you wonder… why?

"Chris?" Leo murmurs gently, crouching down.

Face pinched with worry, lower lip protruded, he says in a voice so saddened it causes everyone's brows to knit, "Youw not going to take him, awe you?"

Leo's frown deepens. "Take who, buddy?"

"Wainbow Bwain," little Chris responds in trepidation. "You said I was too owd fow inamit-" He frowns, scrunching up his features with a look they are all beginning to identify as his 'concentrating face.' "Imnamin, naminte-"

"You said he was too old for inanimate friends," (E) Wyatt translates, patting little Chris' back in consolation. "Not that Chris knows what that means."

Brows raised, Leo says in a pitch a touch higher than usual, "I did?"

"Uh-huh. If I recall accurately, you threatened to dump the pesky little thing because you assumed it would stunt his social development when really, you just hated that it meant more to him than you ever did." (E) Wyatt shrugs. "That was before you stopped caring about anything involving Chris and still felt guilty about being away from home so much."

Leo takes a step back, surprised by this admission. "You know that I know? How?"

With a bitter smirk, (E) Wyatt says condescendingly, "Don't be stupid, Leo. I can read you like a book, and I detected far too much interest than normal in your expression the second you laid eyes on your precious son."

His gazes falls to little Chris who is hanging on his every word with no discernible awareness, unable to follow what any of it meant besides recognising his own name.

He shrugs uncaringly with one shoulder. "Thought I'd get a few digs in there while I was at it."

"You both hate me, I get it."

"Hate you?" (E) Wyatt repeats. "Right now?" He shakes his head, clicking his tongue disdainfully. "Due to his current mental state, Chris is in that stage where he doesn't really know much better and still trusts you to follow through with your promises. He hasn't given up on you." He pauses. "Yet. All he's upset about is that you're planning to get rid of his cherished fluffy duck."

"And you?" Leo asks, trying not to wince at (E) Wyatt's cold, emotionless, blue eyes staring into his.

Again he shrugs, as if none of it really matters.

"Me? I know better," he tells him simply. "Let's leave it at that."

Leo sighs, before looking at little Chris once again and stating solemnly, "I promise, I won't take Rainbow Brian away from you, okay? Not ever."

Hesitating for only a second to judge if he is serious, little Chris' face breaks into a smile.

"Weawy?" he asks hopefully.

"Really, really."

"Good," he chirps happily. "'Cause he's my bested fwiend and I can't seep without him. And Mommy says dat if she has to go twough one mowe night of my God-awfuw tantwums when I wose him den hew head is gonna expwode! And I weawy don't want Mommy's head to expwode."

Piper smothers a laugh. "I said that?"

Little Chris puckers his brow. "Uh-huh. To Auntie Bee Bee."

Unlike Piper, whose instinctive reaction is to go awww, (E) Wyatt's face drops.

"Uh, guys?" he says quickly. "Let's not talk about you-know-what anymore. When Chris starts referring to people using old, childhood mispronunciations, you know it's not a good sign. He's mind turns to mush every time his inner-child takes over and becomes the most dominant half. And clearly it's getting worse. We need to reclaim the annoying, twenty-two year old, Chris. Fast."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Leo asks.

"I don't know!" (E) Wyatt hisses through tight lips. "But the longer Chris behaves like a child, the more damage is done in the long-run. It becomes harder and harder to think like an adult, until eventually there is no alternative. Nothing left to return to. All he will be is a three-year old with memories of being a grown-up that he can't understand."

"Soo… we talk to him like he is our normal, neurotic whitelighter?" Piper suggests. "Do you think that could work?"

He shrugs. "It's worth a try."

"No, it isn't," another voice volunteers with a sigh. "You can't magically make him snap out of it just by changing the way you behave towards him. You'll only confuse the poor kid. There has to be a trigger."

"Like what?" (E) Wyatt asks, hating his sudden feeling of powerlessness.

Chris grimaces. "Well, in my experience, it's never something all that pleasant. It can be very disorientating. A jolt that brings you back to reality. Though, from what I've observed, this Chris goes into denial-mode straightaway to block out the fact that just moments before, he thought a cuddly duck could answer him back." He shrugs. "And you can't blame him. Self-preservation at it's best."

"So far your advice hasn't been all that helpful," (E) Wyatt comments snidely, though his expression is thoughtful.

"On the contrary, I think it's valuable insight into how we can help," (G) Wyatt contradicts, jumping to his brother's defence. "We just need something that will catch Chris off guard. A shock of some sort. Like we're rebooting his mind. Changing his pattern of thought or whatever."

"What's weboot mean?" little Chris asks, darting his eyes back and forth between his counterpart and two identical brothers. When no-one responds, he adds, "Kis, what's wong? Why is evewyone so sad?"

"We're not sad, little man," Chris says, forcing his voice into a relaxed, upbeat tone. "It's just…" He pauses, conflicted. Finally, he asks, "Do you remember when you found me at our secret place and I was a little sad so you cheered me up?"

Little Chris ponders this for a long moment, and just when Chris thinks he's going to deny it, he confirms unsurely, "Yeah…"

"Well do you remember what you said? That you didn't like that I was sad about Daddy just like you?"

"I fink so…" Again, he sucks on his thumb as though that's going to give him the ability to suddenly recollect everything or help him focus.

Chris hold out his arms and shoots (E) Wyatt a look to pass the toddler over. He does, and little Chris clings to his other self, and peers up into his face as though he holds the answers to world's greatest kept secrets.

Chris rests his chin on his younger self's forehead, lowering his voice to a confidential whisper. "The thing is…what I didn't tell you then… is that… underneath all that hurt and confusion? You still love him. And you're going to give him another chance, even when it feels like it'll kill you to be let down again. And it's going to be worth it. In the end." He takes a deep breath, voice wobbly, and clears his throat. "I know it feels like I'm the only one of us to ever see Daddy's good side - and it hurt you to know that I have to remember the other - but the truth is, before you left, you did patch things up with Daddy. You forgave him for things he hadn't done and, because of you, would never do."

"I don't undewstand…" little Chris mumbles.

"You don't have to feel bad about it anymore. I can tell you right now, you are capable of letting it go." He smiles thinly. "You won't always hate your father."

At those words, little Chris freezes.

He casts a frantic glance at Piper, then himself, his brothers, then finally… Leo. And something seems to give way within him.

They all see it. That light. That dawning realisation.

But instead of the fury or the defiance they expect, something else happens entirely.

Something no-one saw coming.

Little Chris sags in his older self's arms, his expression positively devastated as he stares into the distance.

His lip trembles, tears brimming over which he absently brushes away. Then, little Chris' breath seems to come much faster, almost hyperventilating.

He almost looks like he's… in shock.

"I didn't mean to," he says wretchedly, sobbing now. "Thewe was nothing I could do… I didn't mean to…"

Alarmed, Chris shakes his younger version. "Didn't mean to what?"

"I twied to heaw hew but I couldn't…"

Looking pained, Chris winces in sudden understanding.

The hysteria… this particular trigger… It all makes so much sense.

"I'm so sowy, Kis." The words are almost unintelligible through the tears and irregular breathing.

Red-faced and disjointed, he gasps, "I miss hew so much. I miss Mommy…"

Thanks for reading.