In her home, right next door to Halliwell Manor, Phoebe slowly opened her eyes, blinking away the sleep. She could get used to sleeping in all the time. Elise had practically forced her to work from home and now Phoebe silently thanked Elise for that. Between keeping up with her column, her new book deadlines, and the search for her nephew, Phoebe felt drained. Not to mention the morning sickness and other pregnancy symptoms. Even though she could have easily closed her eyes and slept till noon, she knew that she needed to get up. The smell of Cole's coffee from earlier was still in the air. As she made her way to the kitchen, the smell only got stronger and thankfully he had left her a cup and it was still warm. Her laptop was still sitting on the kitchen table where she had left it last night. After checking her email and finding only SPAM, she decided to take a hot bath, before heading next door to check on Piper and the search for Chris. She knew that Piper and Leo weren't taking the disappearance of their son very well. None of the family was, especially all the kids. She took the last swig of her coffee, as she reached the bathroom and saw that both Christine and Cole had left their towels on the floor. After some careful maneuvering, Phoebe tossed the still wet towels into the hamper. Christine got more like her father everyday. After the warm water had filled up in the tub, she slowly sank into it. The moment the water touched her body, she was completely relaxed and she felt a kick from her stomach. She smiled down at it and touched it. "And who are you going to be more like missy? Me or your father?"
An hour later Phoebe climbed out of the tub carefully. She didn't think she could get much more relaxed than she felt at that moment. That was until she remembered that Piper had said she was spending the day at Magic School looking for answers. Looking through her closet she picked the most comfortable clothes that she could find, as this was sure to be a long day. She looked at herself in the mirror as she brushed out her hair, "As long as we don't see any demons today." Ever since she and Paige had become pregnant again they tried to avoid as much demon interaction as possible. And luckily the demonic activity had slowed down a bit and now that she thought about it was strange. Demons had never given them a break in the past so why would they now? She looked herself over making sure she hadn't forgotten anything and went through the door they had connected their house to Magic School.
At Halliwell Manor….."So, I was thinking since scrying hasn't been getting anything on Chris, that maybe you could try sensing for him, like when we were kids." Melinda suggested to Wyatt, as they sat in the living room of the Halliwell Manor.
"I know you've done it about a millions times, playing hide-and-seek, even if Chris never really caught on." Just then, the door bell rang and her train of thought was interrupted.
"I wonder who that could be, nobody's home." she said mostly to herself, before walking down the hallway to the front door. Melinda peeked out the window and saw a young man with a badge, before deciding to open the door to see what he wanted.
The Source in his human disguise arrived at the Charmed Ones Manor and with a smirk on his face, he knocked on the Manor's front door. Melinda heard someone knocking and opened the door to see who it was. "Can I help you?" she asked in a polite, but cautious tone. She didn't know why the man would be there, they hadn't reported Chris missing to the police; well, except Darryl. So, what could this be about, she wondered as she waited for a response from the man standing on the front porch.
"Hello, I am a Detective with the San Francisco Police Department, I am looking for a Mrs. Piper Halliwell?" He looked into the eyes of the young lady who had answered the door. She was a witch, he could smell it on her. "I have come across some matters that I need to speak with her about immediately" he said, then he handed her his card with his number on it and turned to leave. Melinda scrunched her eyebrows at the police man, as he handed her the card. She looked down and read the number on it, before looking back up, just as the man was walking away.
"Matters? What the hell did that mean?" Melinda thought. "She's not home right now."
"Tell her to call me" the detective said, handing over a business card. "And don't forget, or I'll have you arrested for interfering with a police investigation."
"Sure thing" Mel said. "Rude much..." she replied under her breath, before walking back in the Manor and closing the door behind her and shoving the card into the back pocket of her jeans. The Source, in his human disguise, had a blank face as he stood there in front of the manor. He looked the woman who answered the door up and down. "Some Police Detective wants to see Mom." she said, keeping Wyatt in the loop, as she walked back into the living room. "Said he had some important matters to speak with her about." Melinda told him. "Do you think that he knows something about Chris?" The Source continued to walk down the street; he pulled out a cell phone from his long brown trench coat making sure it was still working properly as he walked down the street he looked around and engulfed in flames arriving in his office at the Police Station on his desk a file that said Chris Halliwell.
Wyatt shrugged, "I don't know, unfortunately I don't remember Chris disappearing as a little kid." "Scrying hasn't worked….it as if he's not even on this planet any more.
A sense of alarm swept over Melinda's face, when Wyatt mentioned the possibility of Chris not even being on this planet, then, she realized what else that could entail. "Okay, so that could be one of two reasons - he's been abducted by the Elders...or he's in the Underworld." She retorted sarcastically, noting that the Elders, to her, were just as bad as a demonic plague. "Wyatt, if he's in the Underworld, searching for him down there could take weeks without a specific location. Maybe Cole could help us."
Wyatt looked up at Melinda as she walked back towards him, "Matters? Interesting word choice. I don't see how he could even know about Chris, I trust Darryl." Wyatt stood up from the couch and paced around the living room, he hated being unable to protect his baby brother. "I've tried sensing for Chris; that was the first thing I tried when the scrying didn't work, I couldn't sense him anywhere." Wyatt bowed his head and rubbed his temples.
"I know that, Wyatt, but we have enough powers combined, just the two of us." She assured him. "And Cole could just be there to help navigate through the Underworld. Unfortunately, he knows the ins and outs of that place, which is going to come in handy for us right now."
Wyatt looked up, "Yeah, the choice between Elder's or Demons is a tough one." Wyatt said mirroring Melinda's concerns. "Would the Sister's have the power to come back and abduct little Chris? With the power of three around?" He paced once more around the living room "honestly, it would probably be simpler if it was demons...but how often are our lives simple?" Wyatt looked over when she mentions Cole. "I don't know whether Cole could help us find him there or not, I'm a little unclear on what powers he still has access too..." he sighed and crashed back down on the couch next to her. "Maybe you should call him, He always liked you more." he smirked and nudged her with his shoulder. Melinda got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen, picking up the phone and calling Cole's cell phone number. She waited as it rang.
At Paige and Henry's house, which was three blocks away from Halliwell Manor, Paige was just about to make a pot of coffee, before she was called by one of her charges. "Oh, well that's just great." she murmured to herself with a pouty face, setting the empty coffee pot back on the counter, before Orbing out. "Good morning, star-shine." Paige greeted Billie, as she orbed into the kitchen of her small apartment and picked up a cup of coffee that Billie had put on the counter just a couple of seconds ago, and took a sip. After all, it was Billie's fault that she hadn't gotten her morning coffee.
"What are you scrying for?" asked Paige, noticing the map and crystal in Billie's hand. "Another demon attack?"
Billie looked up at Paige for a split second, before continuing to scry. "Not exactly." she replied.
"Then what are you looking for?" Paige asked again, hoping to get some sort of detail from her.
"That's just the thing, I don't know." replied Billie, the sound of frustration in her voice. "There have been these random magical occurrences all over town and I was trying to see what I could come up with."
Billie then turns to Paige, with a smile. "Okay, you want something." Paige said flat out, knowing that look.
"Well, yeah, hence the reason for calling for you." Billie retorted a bit sarcastically. "Okay, so here's the thing." she continued. "Right now, this thing is moving way too fast for me to catch it, so I need to be in and out within a matter of seconds. You see where I'm going with this?" Paige cocked an eyebrow at Billie.
"I'm your Whitelighter, Billie, not a cab. Can't you take the bus?"
Since the arrival of Future Wyatt and Melinda, Paige hadn't really gotten any sleep, and it felt like every night she had some sort of nightmare involving Chris and some unknown demon. She woke up early that morning because she couldn't sleep, deciding instead to welcome the sun and get on with the day. She had quickly gotten the girls ready for school and made them breakfast, before Orbing them to Magic School and then Orbing herself back home.
Back at Magic School, Melinda watched as Christine walked out of the classroom. She felt bad that her friend was going to get in trouble, but Chrissy knew that she shouldn't have been playing around. Melinda set her attention back on her teacher who was letting the class have free time. Ever since her brother went missing the other kids stopped talking and playing with her and Christine. She heard her Mom and Dad talking one night and said that the other parents were afraid to let their kids associate (whatever that meant) with any of the Halliwells cause they afraid something might happen to their kid. Melinda thought this was stupid but didn't try to play with the others. Instead she stayed at her desk and pulled out her and Lily's idea book. They used it to draw their ideas of where Chris might be and she flipped through it. She stopped at a page with a picture of the Underworld they had drawn. Neither had been there but they had asked Chrissy's Dad one night and he described it to them. Melinda was sure this was where he was.
Cole looked at his Daughter in the face and said, "No lying is very bad, however this note says my name on it not your mothers. And since the teacher left it up to me to punish you I can choose to punish you by giving this talk about you need to learn not to lie, and behave in your class, or I can choose to punish you and tell your Mother and see what she thinks about it…your choice Hun." Cole looked at his Daughter with cross armed and a little frustrated that while he tried to give her a pass today giving what was going on with her Cousin and she was throwing it in his face. "Well what's it going to be? You going to go back to class and behave or should I call your Mother…in fact I think she is on her way to meet up with your Aunty here in a few min: he pulled up his wrist watching is clock and started to say, "Tick tock tick tock"
Christine looked at him and crossed her arms, "You can call Mommy. Aunt Piper said she was the same way when she was littler... Besides I don't like Mr. Parker... He's fat and bald and is always so stuffy and talks outta his nose." She sat there for a few minutes waiting for Phoebe, "It's not like anyone talks to me or Melinda anyway cause of Chris." Cole looked at his daughter with frustrations.
"Christine Halliwell-Turner! I don't want to ever hear you talk about someone like that again. Just because you may not like someone doesn't mean you can call them names you should know better young lady." Cole was very disappointed with his daughter while she may get her attitude from him this was taking it a bit too far. "you march your magical butt back to class young lady and after school me and your Mother will decided just how long your punishment should be. Cole then waved his hand and put her back in her class not waiting for her response. Cole then took a deep breath and said to himself "what are we going to do with her" as his body engulfed into grey dust particles.
A few seconds later the dust appeared in front of Piper and little Wyatt, "oh hello Piper, Hey little guy. Has Phoebe arrived yet we kinda have a problem with umm well the terrible fours it seams" he stood there with his grin. Piper like most of the family looked shot of course she looked the worse, it looked like she hadn't slept in days. Phoebe had just walked into the lobby as she heard Cole say her name.
"Looking for me?" She smiled at him as she walked up to the group. She could tell that Piper hadn't even noticed her arrival. Phoebe couldn't imagine how she would be feeling if it had been Lily that was missing, but she was pretty sure that she would be doing exactly what Piper was doing now. She didn't need her empathy power to see the pain and worry that radiated off her. She turned her attention back to Cole as she stopped standing next to Wyatt. "What's going on?"
Cole turned to face Phoebe as she walked in her beauty sending a warm smile to his face. Every time he gazed at her he remembered why he went threw hell and back so many times to be with her. He knew deep down that all the times before things were not right, with him being half demon, then even mortal for he could not stand back and let her come to harm, especial not as the source, and then when he was filled with demotic powers making him slowly go mad. All of those times he was not worthy to be with Phoebe the love of his life. But now he was human well for the most part and his powers came from good. He didn't have stand back while the evil in this world tried to kill the ones he loved and he wasn't remotely evil. He was truly happy. But then her question snapped him out of his bliss as he said, "our wonderful daughter has been miss behaving again in Mr. Parker's call, this time she broke a vase when I spoke with her about it she didn't want to go back to class because Mr. Parker is fat and bald and talks out his noise if I remember correctly" Cole took a breath as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Cole couldn't help pull himself close to Phoebe every moment with her was a very special moment.
Back in History Class, Christine was pouting when suddenly she smiled. "I have a great idea" she exclaimed.
"What idea" Little Melinda said, fearful of her cousin's ideas.
"Let's go to the Underworld and look for Chris."
Melinda gasped at Chrissy's suggestion. "Chrissy we can't. You know how much trouble we would be in. And..." She whispered even lower, "it's the Underworld. We could die!" Melinda couldn't believe Christine would say something like this. Christine looked at her,
"Don't be a baby... the grown ups wont go there and we could be careful..." She crossed her arms, "I'm going... Are you? Or you gonna be a baby?" She knew what buttons to push to get her way. Christine looked at her, "Melinda, your Dad can't go down there any more, and neither can mine. And My mom and Aunt Paige can't go cause of the babies…" She looked around and scooted closer and whispered, "Maybe me and you could go? Maybe we can get Wyatt to go with us?"
Rebecca was getting the stuff for Leo ready, it took everything she could do, to not fall asleep in his class. She was trying to listen to the conversation going on with Piper, Leo, and Wyatt but all she got out of it was 'Chris' and 'figure everything out.' A lot of help that was. She had been here for how long now and she still hasn't gotten anything useful out of Leo or Wyatt. She didn't see how it was fair she had to be the student because she was the youngest. She sighed and shook her head and mumbled, "Maybe Steph and Candy are doing better than I am..."
Cole looked back at Wyatt as he again told the story of how Chris was taken away. After he was done Wyatt nodded his head and then walked off, Cole assumed he was heading to class. After words Cole put his hand up to his chin in thought. "I don't know Pheebs it doesn't sound like any demon that I know… I could go to the Underworld and look around and see what I can find out?" Cole knew Phoebe hated it when he even suggested him going to the Underworld; a part of Cole thought Phoebe actually thought if he spent time in the Underworld that he would be tempted by evil again. This of course was impossible but he understood her fears, Cole would probably never forgive himself for what he did to her. Cole then looked up and saw that Piper had zoned back in and ran after little Wyatt. There also was the possibility that if he was captured down in the Underworld, he'd be killed for changing sides.
Phoebe thought about what Wyatt said that happened that day. Nothing he said seemed to suggest anything specific. She thought through every demon and magical demon she had encountered these years as a witch and nothing seemed to fit together. She looked over at Cole when he mentioned going to the Underworld. "Oh, no. I don't.." she stopped in the middle of her sentence. Why not? she thought. That is one thing they haven't tried yet. She studied Cole's face carefully, in the past anything involving Cole and the Underworld never turned out right. But maybe he was right. She and Paige couldn't really go, it would be to dangerous for the babies, and Piper was too distracted, Leo being mortal wouldn't work, and there was Future Wyatt and Melinda who didn't know enough about the demons of this time. "I think I am going crazy to even considering this." She shook her head. "Let's talk about this later with everyone. Maybe there is another way."
"Well, I think we should all go home. Clearly Chrissy is having a hard day." Cole said.
"So is Wyatt" Piper added.
Phoebe looked around at the people going by. "Yeah, I think you're right. The kids are too distracted with what's going on and everyone here feels extremely uncomfortable around us." She felt a rush of emotions as she caught the eyes of some of the students that walked by. "You do what you need to do about your classes and I will go talk to Leo about taking the kids home. Maybe he will let Wyatt and Mel go too." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and a smile, "See you at home." She said as she walked off towards Leo's class. She made her way through the halls, which was relatively easy since everyone parted around, not wanting to be near her, and walked into Leo's classroom. She found Leo, Piper, and Wyatt in conversation and knocked on the door, wanting to get their attention first. "Cole and I were just talking and we decided that we were going to bring Chrissy home. There's no reason for her to be here, with what's going on. We were wondering if you both thought the same way and wanted us to take Wyatt and Melinda too." She waited a moment. "And Cole is going to get a sub for the rest day, so maybe we all should just go home?"
Stephanie looked around the corner again just as Phoebe went into the classroom. Something had to be up. She closed her eyes and listened in to what Phoebe told Leo and Piper. She smiled at what she heard from Phoebe's head. "Ha! This was easier than I thought it would be. Maybe I won't even have to do anything." She knew better than to go off before she knew if Piper would accept the offer, so she continued to hide around the corner.
Leo brought his attention to the hallway, once Phoebe entered his classroom, listening to what she had to say. She had a point in taking the kids out of school for awhile. They were just going to be distracted anyways, with everything that was going on with Chris. Honestly, he thought the other parents were taking this a little too far, what with having their kids stay away from any and all Halliwells. Leo looked over at Piper, before turning back to Phoebe. "That's an excellent idea, Phoebe. I don't know about Melinda, but I know that Wyatt here can't wait to go home." He said, placing a hand on his Son's head. He then walked over to the doorway, where Phoebe stood. "I'll see what I can do about a sub for both Cole and myself. Excuse me." Leo gave a slight smile, before walking pass Phoebe and out of his classroom to arrange the rest of the day.
Phoebe nodded as Leo left the classroom. "Okay, great." She felt a little relieved that everyone was going to head back to the manor. She hadn't been standing that long, but her feet had already started to hurt and she was ready to sit for awhile. "I am going to go get the girls. I will meet you two back at the manor." Phoebe headed down the hallway once again this time toward Christine and Melinda's classroom. It wasn't far but with her feet hurting like they were it felt like miles. When she arrived at the classroom door she saw the girls huddled together by their desks, they looked like they were deep in conversation. She recognized the look on Chrissy's face and knew whatever they were talking about could not be good. Her eyes scanned the room for Mr. Parker who was sitting at his desk grading some papers.
Cole began to notice people staring at him and Piper and Phoebe, even some of the teachers. Cole shrugged it wasn't like this was the first time he had been shunned before. But they soon arrived at Leo's class room and Phoebe pitched his idea of sending the kids and themselves home. After Leo agreed Cole nodded and then said, "Thanks Leo I know Mr. Tenet would I am sure love to teach my class for as long as he can" Leo nodded and then said he would go check on it, Phoebe said she was heading over to get the girls and as Cole turned his head around he saw that Wyatt was Orbing piper out. Cole looked around and said "Well I guess ill just…" his phone rang. "Hello? Cole Turner here."
Melinda gulped and bit her tongue forcing herself to say the words she hated. "Hey, Uncle Cole." Melinda answered into the phone, without stating her name. She hated when people did that, they should know her voice by now, and who doesn't have a caller ID on their cell phones anyways?
Meanwhile, Phoebe politely knocked on the door of Christine and Melinda's classroom, before she entered. "Mr. Parker." She said as she walked up to his desk. Mr. Parker looked up from his papers,
"Ah, Mrs. Turner. What can I help you with today?" Phoebe stopped in front of her desk and lowered her voice so that the other students would not overhear.
"Cole, Leo, Piper, and I have decided that with what is happening right now.." She gave him a look to make sure he knew what she was talking about. "..that it would be best if our kids went home with us today."
Mr. Parker leaned on his hands and nodded. "I understand. Yes, I do believe you are right. I know that the girls, especially Christine have found it rather difficult to concentrate. Take as long as you need."
Phoebe frowned a little, "Her Father has already explained to her that what happened this morning was wrong, and we will be discussing it with her tonight. Thanks." She gave him a polite smile and walked over to the girls who were now staring at her. "Ok girls, get your things together. I'll be back in a couple minutes." Phoebe then walked out of the classroom and saw that Cole was still on the phone. With all the noise in the school, Cole motioned to Phoebe that he was going go back to his classroom to finish his phone call. Phoebe nodded her head and then turned to see that the girls were gone.
Little Melinda watched carefully as her Aunt talked to her teacher. Maybe, just maybe this would turn out okay. She smiled when Phoebe told them to get their things together and she was just about to pick her everything on her desk when Christine grabbed her shirt. Melinda's eyes darted around when she felt her feet touch the ground. "Where are we?" Melinda asked.
"Is this the Underworld?" Chrissy wondered. "It's so creepy and yucky and dark…..and it smells bad too." This could not be good. She looked at Chrissy with a duh expression,
"Really? What did you think it was going to be? Full of sunshine and rainbows?" She quickly turned her head and looked behind them. She put her fingers over her lips, "Shh..." She grabbed Christine's hand and pulled her back into an even darker corner. She whispered really low, "I think someone is coming."
Christine gave Melinda a look, "You don't have to sound like your Mother Melinda..." She got quiet after that and waited for who ever to pass and then looked around, "Now... Where do you think he is?" She looked back at Mel and put her hands on her hips, "We gotta act fast.. cause I'm sure my Mommy has already found my Daddy and he'll be here soon."
Melinda muttered under her breathe "I hope so." Melinda hated to think about how much trouble they would be in as soon as their parents found them, which wouldn't be too long. But she decided that she would rather be in trouble than be in this scary, dark place.
"He could be anywhere." She heard some scratching sounds beside them on a ledge and looked over to see a large rat with red eyes staring at them. "Ah." She screamed startled. "Yuck, okay let's start looking.". With that she started off not waiting for Christine.
Christine rolled her eyes and ran after her- "Do you even know where your going too?" Melinda stopped suddenly and turned to face Christine.
"Yes I know exactly where I am going cause I am here all the time." She could feel herself getting madder and madder. Lily might be her Cousin and best friend, but sometimes she made her so mad. The more she thought about the more mad she got. Melinda felt as if she could explode and balled her fists up, when she did that there was an exploding sound.
When she looked she saw that the rocks she had been standing next to had exploded. Melinda looked back at Chrissy "this was your idea so where are we going?" Chrissy was actually concentrating really hard so they actually ended up in the Underworld and she looked around and pulled her Cousin closer and whispered,
"It's really dark Mel..."
"So what" little Melinda exclaimed. "Don't be such a baby!"
Chrissy looked at her cousin and her eyes flashed with anger. "I'm not being a baby!" Just then they both heard several growling sounds and began to get very scared. "We're going back, now!" Chrissy yelled.
Phoebe blinked at the spot that Lily and Melinda had been standing in. It took a couple seconds before panic erupted in her. "Christine?! Melinda?!. No, no, no, she wouldn't. She wouldn't dare." Phoebe took a couple of deep breaths and felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Mrs. Turner are you alright?" Mr. Parker asked quietly. The feeling that she had deep in her gut almost felt like a panic attack coming on, but after some more deep breaths, she was able to answer him.
"Yes,...no. I have to find my husband." Mr. Parker nodded not sensing the urgency in the matter. "Yes, you stay here. I will go get him." Before he had time to do so, she turned and ran, as fast as a pregnant woman this far along could run, down the hall back toward Leo's classroom. "Get out of my way!." She yelled at some students who were lingering in the hall and who stared at her like she was crazy. "COLE!"' She called from around the corner. She managed to stop in front of him gasping for breath.
Cole was on the phone with Melinda and Wyatt. "Wyatt and I think we might've figured out who has taken Chris. But we need your help." Adult Melinda explained. "You're the only one that I know, with an extensive amount of knowledge of the Underworld. Do you think that you could, maybe, assist Wyatt and I…" Melinda stopped talking when she heard a familiar voice, barely audible, on the other end. Melinda could have sworn that someone had just screamed Cole's name. "Is that Aunt Phoebe? Is this - is this a bad time?" He saw Phoebe running and heard her scream his name. "Melinda I have to call you back, something's wrong." He hung up the phone and took, off running towards Phoebe.
"The girls are gone!" Phoebe exclaimed.