Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed.

AN: Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm very happy you're liking the story. This is the last chapter beta'ed so far. Right not I'm beta-less  If anyone of you is interested in lending me a hand, I'd be forever grateful.

This chapter was beta'ed by Evil Amplified.

Chapter 5

*Sunday night, december 15th, 2003. The Underworld*

Chris let out a breath and rested his back on the cavern's wall. He felt truly tired, hungry and moody, a really bad combination for demon hunting, but he didn't want to get out of the Underworld yet, he didn't want to risk an encounter with any member of his family. He brushed off some dirt from his cheek and closed his eyes for a few moments, trying to get some energy to keep destroying the demons. Even with the tiredness his body felt, he didn't want to stop yet, the thrill of the kill and his powers were still running high in his blood.

A low sound pulled him from his thoughts and he opened his eyes, looking sharply at his surroundings. The last few days he had felt that someone was watching him, and the feeling had increased in the last day or so, but he couldn't find anything.

After a minute or so, he shrugged his shoulders and got up from the wall. He stretched his muscles while he thought which demon clan he should destroy. He had already wiped out two full clans of medium level demons.

He stared to walk again, mindful of his surroundings and looking for the source of the sound, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He stiffled a yawn, feeling his senses and reflexes slowing down, but he felt determined to keep going, to continue killing demons.

He walked a few more paces and stopped suddenly when he heard a new sound and felt the air ripple around him. He turned to fight whoever was there but his reflexes were too slow for his attacker. He felt something hit his temple and a moment or two later felt a searing pain in his head. Then nothing.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Chris slowly came back to consciousness. He was lying on a hard surface, and his brain belatedly registered that it was the ground in some Underworld cavern, hard, humid and muddy. He moved his head a bit and let out a groan of pain.

After a few moments he opened his eyes and whimpered in pain at the strong light coming from the torches. He closed them again and heard a hard laugh coming from his right side. A moment later he opened them again and realized that he was in Xanchek's cavern.

He moved his head to his right carefully, wary of whatever injury he had and his eyes locked with Xanchek's.

Xanchek walked slowly to him and knelt at his side. "Nice of you to wake up, kid. You've been 'asleep' for over twelve hours." He paused and eyed him with hate. "I have to admit it boy, you're hard to get. My minion followed you for many days until your reflexes were low enough for him to make his move against you." He smirked maliciously and eyed the pile of ashes of Caleb's burned body.

Chris scowled at him and tried to move his hands to toss around the demon. He felt searing pain and bit his lower lip to stop the cries of pain.

Xanchek laughed out loud. "I wouldn't move much if I were you, boy. I have put on you a nice pair of bracelets that will block any of your active powers, so don't even try to hurt me, kid."

Chris frowned when he saw the bracelets on his wrists. "What have you done to me, demon?" he asked upset.

"Nothing that you don't deserve, you lying and manipulating boy. Did you think that I wouldn't realize that you are half witch, half whitelighter and the son of a Charmed One?" he asked harshly and Chris swallowed, realizing for the first time that he was in a dire situation. "I will have to teach you a lesson, boy, so you won't mess with your superiors ever again."

Chris couldn't help but laugh at Xanchek's last words. "My superiors? You've got to be kidding me, disgusting piece of filth. You're just a Source wannabe that won't get anywhere. I won't allow it," he finished saying, trying to sound sure of himself while he desperately tried to plan his way out of the mess.

Xanchek smirked and an energy ball appeared in his hand, he threw it at Chris' right leg and the boy screamed in pain, feeling his leg burning. "That's rich coming from the boy who is lying in my cavern helpless and screaming in pain. I will teach you real pain for trying to best me, kid."

With those words the high level demon pulled out an athame from his robe and stared to trace Chris' face with it, enjoying it when the boy started to bleed and swallowed hard. "You know, the blade of this knife is poisoned with Tronemeheride, a powerful substance that will destroy your internal organs in the space of fourty-eight hours," he smirked. "I have heard that it's quite painful for the victim." He shoved the knife in Chris abdomen and smiled in satisfaction when the young man screamed in pain and tears fell down his face, mixing with the blood and dirt.

Xanchek stood up and observed the half witch's pain with amusement. The last hours of the boy's life would be really painful and he would enjoy every moment of it. No one would be able to save him. His cavern was protected against sensing or outside magic, and without his actives powers the kid was nothing.

He smiled in triumph. The kid would die for daring to cross him.

& & &

*Monday night, december 16th, 2003. The kitchen*

Piper finished doing the dishes. That night's dinner had been tense, but at least her sisters had eaten her food. It had almost been three days since anyone in the house saw or heard from Chris, and that was grating on their high strung nerves.

She dried her hands and left the kitchen. She took a peek in the conservatory and saw that Phoebe was working on the column with a deep frown marring her face. Piper sighed, at least Phoebe was speaking civilly to her. Paige was another thing. Her youngest sister was completely unwilling to relent in her open rage at her oldest sister and brother in law. Not that she could blame her, but she thought that it would be better if they put their rage aside and worked together to find her son.

Piper walked up the stairs and reached the nursery. She stood in the entry and watched Wyatt with a fond expression. The blonde baby was standing in his crib, his little hands grabbing the handle to support himself. He lifted his baby blue eyes and smiled broadly at his mother's familiar presence.

"Ma! Ma!" Wyatt cried happily.

Piper reached out for him and picked him up. He was already dressed in his teddy bear pyjamas. She kissed the soft blonde hair and lost herself in his smell and comforting presence. "I won't fail you, Wyatt. I will keep you good and sane. I don't care what I have to do to protect you, but mommy won't fail you again."

She walked to the rocking chair and sat carefully. She put Wyatt's head in the crook of her arm and started to rock slowly. With her free hand she caressed the soft, pink cheek and the ten month old smiled in contentment.

She started to sing his favourite song to make him sleep.

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are!

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky!"

She repeated the verse a few times and Wyatt dozed off, feeling safe in his mother's arms. Piper smiled softly and stood up, walked to the crib and put the baby back in, careful to not upset his sleep.

She stood there, watching him fondly for several minutes, letting her baby's presence calm her down and offer her some sort of sanctuary. Then she turned around and turned off the light and left the nursery.

She walked slowly and reached Paige's bedroom and knocked softly. She heard a muffled 'come in' and opened the door slowly. She found her sister in her bed reading a novel.

Paige looked up and scowled at the sight of her sister. "What do you want, Piper?" she asked harshly.

Piper sighed and closed the door behind her. She closed the distance between them and sat on the bed. She started to talk slowly and softly, intent on not getting into another fight with her baby sister. "Look, Paige, I know you are furious with me and I don't blame you. I really don't. I would be furious with me too if I were in your shoes." She paused too see her sister's reaction. At least she wasn't scowling at her anymore. "I'm worried about Chris. We haven't heard any sign of him in almost three days," she finished desperately.

Paige's shoulders sagged at Piper's desperate voice. It was difficult for her to realize that Piper was her own worst enemy in this situation. She had mistreated her own child and she hated herself for it. She was still mad at her sister, but maybe she should make an effort to antagonize a little less. "He said that he wanted to be left alone when I spoke to him after…" She left it there, knowing perfectly that Piper would know what she was talking about. Piper lowered her eyes shamefully. Paige closed her book and put it in the nightstand. She moved in the bed and sat at her sister's side. "I'm worried about him, too," she murmured and Piper looked up at her. "I'm afraid he's on a killing spree in the Underworld and he could get hurt."

"What?" Piper nearly shrieked.

Paige pinched the bridge of her nose. "After we found out his secret," she began softly. "He disappeared for three whole days and we didn't know anything. We scryed and tried to sense for him, but we didn't find him. Finally I sensed him Wednesday night on the bridge. He told us that he had been in the Underworld for the past few days, vanquishing demons. He did the same thing the next day. He spent almost two days there after he heard you talking in the kitchen."

Piper closed her eyes in pain when she remembered her callous words. Then the realization hit her. Her son took too many risks with his life. Her breath quickened and she thought her heart might burst. "The Underworld, Paige! It's too dangerous. Anything could happen to him! What powers does he have to defend himself? He has no one to watch his back! What if…" she rambled and Paige cut her when she shook her by the shoulders.

"For God's sake, Piper. Get a grip on yourself. You're going to hyperventilate if you go on like this." She shook her sister's shoulders a few more times and smiled in satisfaction when her sister's eyes returned to normal instead of the crazed look. "I know that the Underworld is incredibly dangerous, but he is an adult. He is twenty- two. As much as I would love to wrap him in cotton wool and hide him in his room forever, I can't do that." Piper opened her mouth to protest. "You can't either, by the way. You may be his future mother, but you can't forbid him to do something." She tilted her head to a side. "Besides, I think he goes to the Underworld for cathartic release. It helps him to let go of pent up pressure and feelings."

"But I don't like it, Paige. It's too dangerous," the young mother answered softly.

"I know, I don't like either, but I accept it," she said softly.

Both sat in silence for a while. "You really know him, don't you?" asked Piper sadly.

Paige pinched the bridge of her nose. "Not as much as I would like. He's very tight lipped and I only found out a week ago. But I have tried to get to know him better, to bond with him." She smiled softly remembering the 20 questions game they played a few nights ago.

"What has he said to you?" Piper asked with a hopeful tone.

Paige scowled at her sister, suddenly remembering who she was talking to. "That's none of your business. If you want to know about him, you'll have to ask him," she said harshly, any previous softness or trace or forgiveness gone in a flash.

Piper lowered her eyes and stared at the folded hands in her lap. "You know he won't say anything to me," she said guiltily.

"Jeez, I wonder why," Paige said dryly.

"Paige, please!" Piper pleaded.

Paige let out a breath and rubbed her temples. She started to talk slowly, trying to organize her thoughts and feelings. "Look, Piper, I'm still incredibly mad at you, and I guess I'll be for a while." Her sister nodded sadly. "I know that in this situation, you're your own worst enemy and the pain and guilt you're putting on yourself is more than enough. But I can't help it. You hurt him a lot and that breaks my heart and fills me with rage." She stood and started pacing. "In the last few days there have been moments when I wanted to hug you and comfort you, but there are other moments went I want…" she moved her arms wildly to emphasize her point.

Piper raised her blurred eyes and stared at her baby sister. "I know, Paige. I'm thankful that you're at least speaking to me and not trying to hit me, or something worse. These past few days I have felt like the worst person ever and the most undeserving mother in the world." She finally broke down and started crying again.

Paige stood there for a while, staring at her sister's pain. Finally she relented and sat at her side, offering her shoulder, which Piper took thankfully. "His favourite colour is blue," she started to say in an attempt to comfort her older sister. "His favourite book hasn't been written, but he likes The Lord of the Rings a lot. His preferred character is Gandalf because he is wise and cool." Piper smiled through her tears and Paige started to run her fingers in Piper's long hair. "He loves pasta and is allergic to chocolate, so don't go and offer any chocolate, ok?" Piper nodded on her shoulder.

Both stayed in silence for a while, until Piper broke it. "Has he said something about Wyatt?"

Paige stiffened. "Not much, just that he was kidnapped before his second birthday and that somehow turned him evil."

Piper's tears fell with more force. "That's so soon! Am I going to lose my baby in a year's time?" she asked desperately and Paige felt her heart clench when she heard Piper's anguished voice.

"No, honey. We won't lose him so soon. Chris said that the evil started to manifest when Wyatt was sixteen or so. It laid dormant in him for many years."

"What or who pulled the trigger?" she asked softly and Paige tensed. Piper realized this and sat straighter, locking eyes with her sister. "Paige, please, I need to know."

Paige nodded but didn't talk for a while. "Phoebe's premonition was about you," she murmured and Piper stared at her confusedly. "Chris was fourteen or so and he was trying to heal you, but… but…" she didn't finish. It was too painful.

Piper felt suddenly cold. She wasn't afraid of death, but she was desperately afraid of leaving her children motherless. "So I die," she started to say with a raspy voice. "I leave my children motherless and Wyatt turns evil in the process," she finished while she stared blankly at her surroundings.

Paige nodded sadly. "That's what Chris told us."

The girls stayed silent for a while, Piper digesting the news of her ultimately demise and the thought that one way or another, her death had helped to turn Wyatt evil. After almost ten minutes in silence, Piper spoke again. "Are you alive, at least?"

Paige shrugged. "I don't know. I told you before, he's very tight lipped about his life. Besides your demise and Wyatt's turning, Phoebe and I only know that he has some sort of issue with Leo, because he completely ignores him or gets upset when we talk about him," she said hopelessly.

Piper closed her eyes in pain. That would be a hard blow for Leo, knowing that he had problems with his son both in the present and his son's past. "Thanks for talking to me, Paige. I really needed it," she said softly.

"You're welcome. Just… don't get used to it for a while. My emotions are in turmoil and I don't know if I will be so 'good hearted' tomorrow or in a few days time, ok?" she said softly.

Piper stood up slowly and nodded at her sister. "I know, I know. You're still furious and I understand it. I just hope that we will get though this sooner than later."

Paige sighed sadly. "I hope that too. For Chris' sake."

Piper nodded and left the room, feeling a tad lighter than before. Paige and she weren't ok yet, but at least were on the way to being ok. And Chris… she now at least knew one or two things about him. She just hoped that he would be safe and appear soon. She desperately wanted to see him.

& & &

*Tuesday evening, december 17th, 2003. The Underworld*

Chris whimpered and opened his eyes warily. He didn't know how much time he had left. He only knew that he was in incredible pain and wanted it to stop. He felt like his insides were burning and his blood felt like acid.

He wanted get out of there and reach for his aunts. Maybe they'd save him. He didn't want to die yet. He had to finish his mission, or at least make an important discovery and transmit it to his family so they would save the future.

He was pulled from his thoughts with the sound of a malicious laugh. He moved his head slightly and stared at Xanchek though pained eyes.

"Are you giving up, kid? You know, you have less than a day left. Are you enjoying your last hours on earth?" he asked with an ironic tone and Chris hated him with passion.

Chris closed his eyes and tried to think of something to help him. So, he had been in and out of consciousness for a day now since he was stabbed and practically delirious thanks to the pain. He could feel the wound and the blood around him and that scared him more that he was willing to admit.

He tried to speak but his throat was too dry. Maybe he could think of a spell. His active powers were blocked by the bracelets, but not his ability to cast a spell, right? He had to try it. It was his last chance. He focused and after a few minutes managed to come up with a spell. It wasn't his best ever, but it would have to do. He just prayed that it would work. He would be tapping into a power within him, a power that he didn't know if he could gain access to it in this timeline because he wasn't conceived yet.

He took many deep breaths and moistened his lips. He focused his gaze on Xanchek and started to chant in a weak and low voice.

"I call upon the ancient power

To help me in this darkest hour

The Power of One I invoke thee

The Power of One will help me get free"

Huge was his surprise when the spell worked and Xanchek screamed in pain and then disappeared in flames. Then, the bracelets on his wrists disappeared and Chris let out a breath of relief. He let his head fall and rested for a few moments. The spell had taken a lot of his energy.

After a minute or so he tried to orb, but couldn't find the strength to do so. A disappointed sigh left his lips and he tried again. After five failed attempts, he managed to orb to his bed in the backroom of P3.

& & &

Paige closed the Manor's door behind her and left her car keys on the table. She left her cloak on the perch and called out "Hello! Anybody home?"

"In here!" she heard Phoebe's muffled voice from somewhere on the second floor.

"Hi, Paige!" Leo answered from the conservatory, where he was playing with Wyatt and some cubes.

"Hello, Leo." She walked into the conservatory. "And how is my little guy this evening?" she cooed to her baby nephew, who smiled in delight at his Auntie's presence.

Suddenly the adults in the room staggered a few paces, astonished. Paige looked at Leo with scared eyes. "Chris! I can sense him! He's in pain!" she exclaimed.

Leo nodded gravely, his eyes mirroring her concern. "The backroom at P3. I'll go for him."

Paige frowned. "No! He won't want to see you. I will go and see what's happening to him, ok?" Leo wanted to protest and go see his youngest son, but knew that Paige was right. Chris wouldn't want to see him. Piper had already told him everything and apparently he and Chris had issues in the future, which pained him terribly. He nodded sadly to Paige. "Here, take Wyatt," she said softly and then orbed to P3.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

She orbed in the backroom and let out a gasp of surprise and fear. Chris was lying on his bed, with a big wound in his bloody abdomen, an energy ball burn in his right leg and his face bloodied and dirty.

She felt her eyes burn with tears as she reached her nephew's side in three large paces. She knelt by his side and took his hand. "Chris, honey, can you hear me?" she asked him urgently, terribly afraid of his stillness.

Slowly, Chris opened his eyes and she let the tears fall when she saw his pained gaze. "H-hurts, Auntie," he choked out and closed his eyes, losing consciousness again.

"Shh, everything it's going to be okay, little angel. Just hold on, ok? Hold on for your Auntie Paige." With those words, she orbed him out of there, a deep fear taking hold of her heart.

"To be continued"

AN2: Please, don't forget to review ;)