Chapter 162: Courtship of Wyatt's Father
Buffy and Dawn, with Celia in her arms, stood opposite Piper and Leo, with Wyatt in his arms, by the front door as they thanked the parents for coming to Celia and Wyatt's first birthday party.
"Thanks for coming," Dawn said as a set of parents were leaving with their children.
"Thanks for inviting us. It was a fun party," said the mother.
"Bye. Thanks," added the father
Across from them a set of parents talked to Piper and Leo.
"I still can't believe that Wyatt or Celia are one already," said the mother.
"Oh, I know. You can't?" Piper said as she glanced past the parents at Buffy and Dawn, both of whom shrugged.
"Nice to finally meet you, Leo," said the father.
"Yeah. You, too," Leo replied.
"You know, Frank and some of the other dads get the kids together on Saturdays, if your interested,' the mother said to Leo.
Dawn rolled her eyes as she whispered to Buffy. "And of course gay and lesbian couples are trodden upon. Despite introducing each other as girlfriend and girlfriend to the invitees and that we are in love and planning on getting married. I'm not invited to this dad's thing, because I'm a gay woman."
~I know, baby,~ Buffy replied telepathically.
"Uh ... yeah. Thanks," Leo said as he looked at Dawn apologetically. "You wouldn't mind if Dawn brought Celia, also."
Frank, the father, looked at Dawn and hesitated in answering. It was the proding of his wife that finally made him to find his voice. "Sure."
As Frank and the mother left Buffy picked up on Franks thoughts. He really hadn't wanted Dawn to come.
Piper breathed a sigh of relief and went to shut the front door. "Whew! I'm exhausted," she said as she looked at Buffy, Dawn and Leo.
"So am I," Buffy said.
Leo looked down at Wyatt. "Did you have fun? Hmm? Did you like it?"
"Yeah," Dawn said. "Both Wyatt and Celia were good and made Piper only freeze the room once."
"They were excited," Buffy said. "It's their birthday."
"They were excited to see you," Piper added looking at Leo. "They both missed you."
Leo looked at Buffy and Dawn for confirmation and they nodded. "I know. I miss them, too."
They slowly walked into the dining room as Paige walked out of the kitchen. She picked up a champagne bottle and glass from the table and offered it to Piper and Leo. "Hey, you guys want any more champagne? Come on. We don't want it to go to waste. How 'bout it, dad?"
"Elders aren't allowed to drink," Leo said.
"Oh, come on," Paige said. "When on earth, you should do as earthlings do."
"Excuse us," Buffy said as Dawn handed Celia to Piper. She and Dawn led Paige into the kitchen
"Champagne and chocolate covered strawberries?" Dawn said. "I know we all agreed to try and get Piper and Leo to hook up. But isn't aphorodisiacs at Wyatt and Celia's birthday party a little too much."
"We're running out of time. At least Chris is," Paige said. "We should probably tell him."
"Yes," Phoebe agreed. "Chris!"
Chris orbed into the kitchen and looked at them. "Hey. So how's it goin'?"
"Your Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige think serving champagne and chocolate covered strawberries at your brother and cousin's first birthday party to be the best way to get your parents together," Buffy said.
Phoebe sighed. "We're running out of ideas."
"Look guys," Chris said. "It has to happen today, or I don't happen."
"Wait. Today?" Dawn asked.
Chris nodded. "Yeah. I did the math, and if I'm not conceived by midnight tonight, that's it. I won't be born, which means I won't be coming back from the future to warn you about Wyatt turning evil."
"Yeah," Dawn said. "We understand the whole paradox thing."
"What about making, like, a love potion, just, like, slipping it to them?" Chris asked.
"First of all," Phoebe said. "We're not tricking your parents. Second of all, there is no such thing as a love potion, obsession yes. Love, no. If there was don't you think I would have one of my previous dates who hadn't seemed attracted to me, a love potion."
"I saw a love potion in the Book," Chris said.
"That is not a love potion," Buffy said, "despite it's name. It's an obsession potion." Phoebe and Paige looked at Buffy as if to ask how she knew that. "I considered using it on Parker, the spell that goes hand in hand with the potion, talks about obsession. Obsession is not love."
"What do you suggest then?" Chris asked.
"I have an idea. Call me crazy, but why don't we just tell them the truth?" Phoebe wondered.
"Sure, let's give them a massive case of performance anxiety," Paige said.
"We're running out of options," Phoebe said.
"And time," Chris added.
Suddenly there was a loud explosion in the other room. And they ran out to find what was going on.
In the dining room Piper waved her hands at a Darklighter as she tried to blow him up, but hit the railing of the stairs instead.
Leo turned and saw Wyatt and Celia alone in front of the front doors, he turned and rushed toward them. "Wyatt! Celia!"
The Darklighter orbed out and back in next to Wyatt and Celia. He raised his crossbow and pointed it directly at Leo, who stopped moving the moment he saw the crossbow and arrow. He fired and the arrow flew straight toward Leo, who orbed out barely getting out of the way in time.
Piper turned in time to see Chris step out of the kitchen into the dining room, with Phoebe, Buffy, Paige and Dawn not far behind him.
Buffy pushed Chris out of the way as Dawn held up her hand. "Arrow," Dawn called as the arrow shimmered out and as she thrust out her hand the arrow shimmered back in heading toward the Darklighter.
The arrow zoomed back past Piper and straight at the Darklighter lodging in his shoulder.
Leo orbed in and grabbed Wyatt and Celia. "I got you both," he said.
The Darklighter turned and saw Leo, Wyatt and Celia and then orbed out.
Piper and Dawn walked over to Leo, Wyatt and Celia.
"You're okay," Piper said as she took Wyatt from Leo. "You're okay."
"So are you," Dawn said as she took Celia from Leo.
From his position on the ground, Chris looked up at Buffy, holding his upper arm where it hit the floor. "Thanks for saving my life. Hope it wasn't for nothing."
They all turned to look at Piper, Dawn, Leo, Wyatt and Chris.
Moments later Phoebe used an eye dropper to suction up some of the Darklighter's blood from the floor. She headed into the sitting room to join everyone else.
"Is that enough to scry with?" Paige asked.
"Only one way to find out," Phoebe replied.
"At least he waited till after the party to attack. That was nice of him," Piper said.
Chris shook his head, something didn't jive. "You know what I don't understand is, why would the Darklighter attack at all?"
Dawn nodded in agreement. "With all of us here at the same time, it's suicide."
"All the more reason to find him and stop him before he tries again," Piper said.
Leo glanced down at Wyatt, who was in his lap. "I don't think he was after a Whitelighter. I think he was after me. Or Wyatt."
"Well, then why don't you take Piper up there, and take Wyatt, too?" Buffy suggested.
"Yeah, I'll go with you," Piper said.
"But she's not allowed," Leo said.
Buffy shook her head. "All right, so then take Piper to Magic School. You'll be safe there. You can't be hurt, right?"
"That's great," Paige said. "One big happy family."
"You change him, I'll pack him," Piper said as she left the room.
Leo picked up Wyatt and moved to follow Piper. "Come on."
"Leo," Buffy said, "Why don't you take Celia too. That way I don't have to worry about her while were trying to take care of the Darklighter."
Leo nodded. "Alright," he said as he and Buffy headed up the stairs.
Chris turned toward Paige, Phoebe and Dawn. "Think now's a good time to tell 'em?"
Dawn shook her head. "No. The sooner we take care of the Darklighter, the sooner we make you."
"I'm gonna start scrying," Phoebe said as she rushed out of the room.
"And I will go start the love potion," Paige said.
Dawn sighed. "We need to change that page to Obsession potion," she said. "Besides weren't we all against it anyways."
"I know it's obsession, but that is kind of what we need if were gonna save one of my two favorite nephews," Paige said as she left the room.
At Magic School Leo walked into the Great Hall to find Sara, one of the students, sorting the books and feeling bored doing it. She waved her hand and a book flew up to a shelf. As she waved again Gideon caught a book as it flew upwards.
"These aren't just books, Sara," Gideon said. "They're legacies ... handed down over the ages by other magical beings and worthy of your great care." He turned and placed the book on the shelf before turning back to Sara. "You understand?"
"Yes, sir," Sara replied.
Gideon smiled. "Good."
"Gideon ..." Leo said drawing Gideon's attention to him.
"Leo. What a pleasant surprise. How are you, my boy?" Gideon asked.
"I've been better," Leo said. "A darklighter attacked. I think he's after me."
"Are you certain?" Gideon asked.
Leo shrugged. "I don't know. He may be trying to get me out of the way to get to Wyatt. I dropped Piper, Wyatt and Celia off at the nursery. I hope that's all right."
Gideon nodded. "Of course, absolutely."
"Well, I better get back to Buffy, Dawn, Phoebe and Paige, see if I can help," Leo said.
"No, you shouldn't," Gideon said, disagreeing with course of action. "You should go back up with the other Elders where you'll be safe."
"What about the Darklighter?" Leo asked.
"It's not your responsibility," Gideon said. "That's for the sisters to handle. It's what they do."
Leo sighed. "All right. Well, I can't just sit around while someone is after my son. I'm a father now."
"No, you're an Elder now, and it's time to start acting like one," Gideon said firmly. "Don't you see? You don't just put yourself at risk by staying here on earth. You put all Elders at risk, too. If they get you, they get access to us all."
"I know, but .." Leo said.
"You can't justify staying here any longer not with this," Gideon interrupted, "not anymore. It's time to fully accept your calling, one that necessarily transcends the sins of the flesh, family, even fatherhood. One that requires you to cut the ties that bind for everyone's sake."
"I can't. At least not until I know my son is safe. I'm sorry," Leo said as he orbed out.
At Payson's P5 Chris sat behind Piper's desk pouring over various astrological charts and maps. Buffy sat across from him at her own desk. She had agreed to keep watch just in case the Darklighter might try and come for Chris too. She watched as Chris used a compass to try and calculate and re-calculate his conception date.
"Ms. Halliwell, what are you still doing here so late?"
"Going over some paperwork," Buffy said. "About done, Clarence?"
"Pretty close. My business one way or another will be done tonight, and I will be moving on. So I just want to thank you again for hiring me even temporarily."
"No, problem," Buffy said. "If you're ever back in the area and looking for work, just let me know. You got a job anytime you need."
"That's much appreciated," Clarence said as he stepped inside the room to get the trash. "Beautiful day outside, isn't it?"
"Is it?" Chris asked. "I haven't really noticed. I've been too busy ... rechecking something."
"The whole world seems to be too busy nowadays," Clarence said. "Nobody's got time to just ... enjoy the day anymore."
Buffy smiled. "I wouldn't say that. I intend to enjoy the day most days."
Chris looked at Buffy and nodded. "It doesn't get any better in the future," he tried to remind Buffy before remembering Clarence was there. "I mean ... I'd imagine."
"Future don't mean squat to me," Clarence said. "I'm too old to worry about it. Shouldn't to you either. You too young."
Chris chuckled. "Well, unfortunately—" he said as he sat down and sighed. "I'm kind of obsessed with it." He rubbed his forehead tiredly with his hand.
"You all right?" Buffy asked suddenly concerned.
Chris nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I just—I just probably need to eat."
Clarence nodded. "Maybe you should let him have some time off, get some sun. Live a little. I'm of course not telling you what to do Ms. Halliwell, just my opinion."
"We're trying," Buffy said. "Isn't that right, Chris?"
"Buffy's right," Chris agreed.
Clarence nodded. "Do that," he turned and left the room.
Chris sighed and then he looked at his hand, opening and closing his fist.
"Chris, is something wrong, seriously?" Buffy asked as she came around the desks to him.
"I'm not sure," Chris said.
At the manor the potions pot exploded as a white, smokey cloud rose out of it.
"Oh!" Paige said.
Phoebe looked up from her position on the couch, crystal in her hand as she scryed for the Darklighter. "I thought you were making a love potion," she asked as Dawn ran in.
"What happened?" Dawn asked.
"Potion exploded," Paige explained before looking back at Phoebe. "And I am."
"She still trying to make the stupid not-love love potion?" Dawn asked as Phoebe nodded.
"Why did it blow up?" Phoebe asked Paige.
Paige sighed. "Maybe I'm trying to hard."
"Or maybe it just wasn't meant to be," Dawn said.
"Dawn!" Paige said.
"Come on, you weren't thinking the exact same thing?" Phoebe asked coming to Dawn's defense, not that she hadn't been thinking it herself.
"No. Ok, fine, but for, like, a second. The point is Chris is meant to be," Paige said.
Dawn shook her head. "Not if he changed too much by coming here. That is the thing with all time travel stories, it's called the grandfather paradox. If you kill your grandfather you can never be born, because your father or mother was never born. If you change too much it can have nasty results."
Paige sighed. "We're talking about his very existence."
"Paige," Phoebe said, "we know, but there's only so much we can do, especially now with that darklighter out there." She sighed. "I just think that we have to face the reality that Chris' destiny might have been just to come here and warn us about Wyatt, and that's all."
Suddenly there was a small noise coming from the attic doorway and they turned to find Chris leaning against Buffy.
"Hey," Paige said.
"Oh, my god, Chris, I'm so sorry," Phoebe said.
Chris shook his head. "No, that's ok. I've actually been wondering the same thing."
"You have?" Dawn said confused.
Chris nodded. "Yeah," he said as Buffy helped him into the attic and over to the couch. "I have the strangest feeling, like ... I don't know. It's really hard to explain, but it feels like I'm-I'm floating? Like I'm not really here, you know?"
"That doesn't sound good," Phoebe said.
"That's what I thought," Buffy said. "That's why I flamed Chris straight home."
"Well, you have to fight it," Paige said. "We still have time."
Chris shook his head. "Not much."
"I double checked Chris' figures when he first noticed this sensation," Buffy said. "It has to be today."
Suddenly the scrying crystal Phoebe held started to jingle and shake.
"I've never seen it do that before," Dawn said. "Is it possible that means there's more than one?"
Phoebe, Paige, Buffy and Dawn share a startled look.
"I'll go get Piper," Phoebe said as she jumped and rushed out of the attic.
"I'll go, too," Chris said as he moved to follow Phoebe.
"No, you stay here, ok?" Buffy asked. "Paige, finish the potion. Dawn, watch, Chris. I'll go with Pheebs." She looked pointedly at Chris. "When we come back, your parents will be in the mood."
Buffy turned and ran out of the attic.
An hour later Buffy, Phoebe, Piper and Leo stood next Piper's Jeep on the curb at the corner of an alley. Paige and Dawn had stayed behind at the manor so that Paige could finish the potion and Dawn could watch Chris.
"You sure this is the place?" Piper asked.
Phoebe nodded. "Yeah, down that alley.
"Do you think they know we're here?" Buffy wondered.
"It's a possibility," Leo said.
"I have to agree," Piper said. "It's like since when do Darklighters hang out in broad daylight like this? It could be a trap." She looked to Leo. "Maybe you should stay here."
Leo shook his head. "No, I'm the bait, remember? Besides, if it is a trap, you might need me to help you orb back."
"I got, Pheebs," Buffy said.
Phoebe grabbed a potions bottle from Buffy as they headed into the alley. "Let's just do this."
"I don't see anything," Buffy said as she looked around. "Nor do I sense anything. But they could be masking their prescence from my Slayer senses."
Piper looked up and spotted the Darklighter. She waved her hand and blasted him as a second Darklighter appeared next to him.
"Uh ... you take Piper." Phoebe said as she took Buffy hand and Buffly flamed them onto the rooftop as the second Darklighter lifts his crossbow to take aim.
Buffy threw a fireball at one of the darklighters as Phoebe threw her potion and they vanquished the both of them.
Another Darklighter appeared behind Phoebe.
"Phoebe, watch out!" Leo shouted having spotted the Darklighter.
The Darklighter hit Phoebe sending her over the edge and falling onto a trash can below.
Piper gasped.
The darklighter orbed out from the rooftop as Buffy rushed to the side and looked down into the alley. Just then the Darklighter from the manor orbed in behind Piper and Leo. "Behind you!" Buffy called out as Piper and Leo turned around.
The Darklighter raised his crossbow and as he took aim, Piper using her exploding power, caused the Darklighter to explode.
Buffy noticed that the blast from the explosion was far larger than it should have been as it engulfed Piper and Leo completely. Once the flames and smoke die down, she noticed that Piper and Leo are gone.
"Piper!" Buffy called out as she flamed down into the alley below. She rushed over to Phoebe who was just regaining consciousness. "Phoebe." She helped Phoebe up and found her palm covered in blood.
"Whoa," Phoebe said.
"Yeah," Buffy said as she helped Phoebe to her feet. "You know it's bad when even I suggest this, but maybe we should get you to the hospital."
Buffy helped Phoebe out of the alley and to Piper's Jeep. She helped Phoebe into the passanger seat and then rushed around to the driver's side and hopped in.
Thirty minutes later she stood outside the emergency room talking on her cellphone. "It just seems weird, Dawn. That was a larger explosion for …" Buffy said as she spotted Phoebe. "We'll be home in a few Dawn. Looks like Phoebe's being released." She walked over to Phoebe. "Hey. What'd he say? Are you all right?"
"Yeah. Well, he's releasing me, isn't he?" Phoebe said lightly. She noticed the worried look on Buffy's face. "Ok, don't worry about this, Buffy. We're gonna figure something out." She looked around at the chaos around them. "Oh, my god. What happened?"
"I think I heard someone say a truck hit a bus," Buffy said. "I wasn't listening to closely as I was on the phone with Dawn."
"Excuse us!" Phoebe said as they made their way down the hall.
"Phoebe? Buffy?"
Phoebe stopped and turned around. "What? Do you hear something?" she asked.
"Yeah," Buffy said. "Sounded like someone calling out our names."
Nearby a doctor worked on the bus driver. "We're losing him," he said. "50 cc's of lidocaine. He's flatlining." The nurse gots the syringe ready. "Come on, come on, come on. Anybody call the driver's family?" The nurse pushed the syringe into the IV. "Still got no pulse."
"Paddles," the nurse said as she handed the doctor the paddles.
"200 joules."
"Charging!"
"Clear!"
The monitor showed a heart beat.
"He's back," the doctor said as the the nurse moved the oxygen mask away from the bus driver. He snapped his fingers. "Sir! Do you know where you are? Do you know your name?"
"Let's go," Phoebe said.
~Leo.~
"Wait," Buffy said as she looked at the bus driver. "He just thought of Leo."
Phoebe turned to look at the bus driver as he said, "Leo ... you must be an angel."
Phoebe gasped and grabbed her shoulder in pain.
"What's wrong," Buffy asked.
"Piper," Phoebe said.
Sometime later they returned to the manor. "I'm sure I felt Piper, as if she were standing right next to me," Phoebe was explaining to Buffy.
"But she wasn't," Buffy said.
"I know. I'm still trying to figure that part out," Phoebe said. "How I felt her and we both heard her."
"Uh, Phoebe. Buffy," Chris said as Dawn and Paige came down the stairs behind him..
"Chris, you're ok," Buffy said as she smiled. "Which means Piper and Leo are ok."
"Actually," Dawn said. "No he isn't, he's running out of time."
Chris pulled out his left hand from his pocket and showed it to them the, the hand along with part of the arm had gone transparent.
Buffy, Dawn and Phoebe rushed upstairs and began checking the Book. Eventually Phoebe slammed the Charmed Book closed and put her forehead down on it in frustration. "Ohh!" she said.
"What?" Paige asked as Phoebe looked at her.
"I don't know what else to try," Phoebe said.
Paige frowned. "What do you mean?"
"What she means," Dawn said. "Is we've exhausted every angle that we found so far. We're just not finding anything in the Book."
"Oh, great," Paige said. "Why don't you guys try telling that to Chris as he fades away?"
"We can't," Buffy said. "That would be worse. Remember when your parents died, not the trip we took to the past but when you went through it eventually. If you had known that they were going to die and there was nothing you could have done about it."
"I see your point," Paige said with a sigh. "So what we have so far is Phoebe you felt Piper. And you and Buffy heard Piper. So that means she's gotta be out there somewhere, and if we can figure out where, then maybe we can figure out how to bring them back."
"The bus driver," Phoebe said as she looked at Buffy. "You said he thought about Leo. And then he actually talk about Leo. He was dead at least for a little bit, so maybe that wasn't a coincidence. Maybe he actually did see Leo - in limbo."
"That's good," Paige said.
"Not entirely," Dawn said. "It depends on how Piper and Leo got there. If they died in the explosion, then their lost to us, forever as Limbo is a waypoint as they move on. But if someone else put them there."
"Like the Darklighter," Buffy said in understanding. "The one that Piper vanquished."
"Unless it wasn't really a vanquish - it was just made to look like a vanquish.," Phoebe said.
"You mean like a portal," Dawn said.
"Exactly," Phoebe said as she opened the Book again. She began riffling through its pages. "Ok, ghosts. Ghosts, ghosts ... ghosts ..."
"Hey what about a séance," Buffy suggested. "If their in Limbo, that means they are effectively ghosts, right? Why can't we talk to them like any other ghost?"
"Good idea," Phoebe said as she grabbed some candles and lit them as she placed them on the floor.
"So we're talking séance?" Paige asked. "Is that the right move?"
"Buffy's right if they are stuck in Limbo they are ghosts."
"The spell is done," Dawn said as she held up a slip of paper and moved beside Buffy, Paige and Phoebe.
"Ok, let's do this," Buffy said.
"Sorry, I don't mean to be pushy, but ..." Chris said as he entered the attic. They turned to look at him and saw that he was now completely transparent.
"Yeah, we're working on it," Phoebe said. "We're working on it."
"You don't look so good," Dawn said as Chris sighed. "Ok. Sister spirit, we call to thee, cross on over so we may see."
As they wait for something to happen, Chris disappeared.
"Wait, that wasn't supposed to happen, was it?" Phoebe wondered.
Dawn shook her head. "No, I don't think so anyways. But maybe. Think about it, if Chris is fading away, it may be kin to him dying and if that is the case he could be able to cross over and back as he fades in and out of life."
Just then Chris reappeared.
"What happened?" Phoebe asked. "Where'd you go?"
"I just saw Piper and Leo," Chris said.
"You were right," Buffy said as she looked at Dawn.
"Find out if they know of any way to get back," Dawn said as Chris disappeared again.
A second later Chris reappeared. "They think somebody made a portal for the Darklighter to pass through."
"Somebody who?" Phoebe asked.
Behind Phoebe, Buffy, Dawn and Paige a group of four Darklighters orbed into the attic.
"Darklighters!" Chris shouted.
"What—" Pheobe said as they all spun around to find the Darklighters.
Buffy and Dawn each through a fireball and and energy ball vanquishing two of the darklighters while Phoebe and Paige vanquished the other two with potions.
"Piper's not here anymore," Phoebe said. "I can't sense her."
"It's too late. "
They turn and could barely see Chris at all.
"And not just for Piper and Leo," Chris said. "Take care." And then he vanished completely.
"Chris?" Paige asked.
"We have to worry about Chris later," Dawn said. "After we get Piper and Leo back, which by the way if we want Chris back we have to tell them the truth so they can have sex and conceive their son. Now Piper and Leo think the Darklighter used a portal."
"Maybe you can access it somehow, Dawn," Phoebe suggested," with the Key."
Dawn sighed. "I can't, Phoebe. We don't even know if I still have the Key."
Phoebe sighed. "Then we're up a creak without paddle. If I remember right when we were dealing with the Key, it ended up being in Giles books we found anything on portals. But Giles is in England."
"And the Magic Box is closed," Paige said as they looked at her. "Stopped by there yesterday on my way home. Piper had wanted some stuff she had ordered picked up. But the shop was closed with a sign saying she was out of town on business."
"Probably buying something for the shop," Buffy said. "That leaves us with Gideon."
Several minutes later they stood in the Great Hall of Magic School waiting for Gideon.
"Phoebe," he said as walked through the doors. "Paige. Buffy. Dawn."
"Gideon, we need your help," Paige said.
"What's wrong?" Gideon asked.
"Well, we think we may have lost Chris," Phoebe said.
"What?" Gideon asked.
"That's not important at the moment," Buffy said. "What is important is currently we've lost Piper and Leo. And we're being targeted. Somebody's got a bunch of Darklighters after us, and one of them's got Piper and Leo trapped on the ghostly plane."
"Or the Spirit Realm," Phoebe added.
"It's the same thing," Gideon said quietly.
"Right," Phoebe said. "We made contact with them, but then we lost them."
"And we lost Chris, too, although we're not sure why, because Phoebe can tell if Piper's Dead," Paige said.
Phoebe nodded. "Yeah, and I can't."
"What their getting at," Dawn said. "Is we believe they are still alive, trapped on the ghostly plane. And we need to figure out how to either maybe use the Key or how to reopen the Darklighters' portal to get them out."
"And if you follow all that, you're really a very powerful Elder," Paige said.
Gideon frowned and shook his head. "But Darklighters don't have the power to make portals, let alone use them."
"We know," Buffy said. "We figured they are working with someone. Someone that might be targeting Leo, since they are using Darklighters."
Gideon sighed. "I warned Leo. I told him something like this might happen. What do you need?"
"Well, we know where to find the Darklighter's portal. We just don't know how to reverse it," Paige said.
Gideon walked over to the counter and took a large book out of the pile and opened it and turned it toward them.
The page in the book read: Everything You Wanted To Know About Portals But Were Afraid to Ask.
"There," he said.
Paige smiled. "Handy."
On the Ghostly plane Piper sat slumped against the wall, her jacket wrapped around her like a blanket. As she woke she noticed Leo standing at the mouth of the alley facing the light.
"Leo?" she said as he turned toward her and smiled.
"Morning."
"What are you doing?" Piper asked.
"Just trying to sense them," he said as he moved back towards Piper.
"Any luck?" Piper asked as she looked Leo over, worry etched on her face. "You don't look so good."
Leo glanced at his wound and sighed. "I know. Listen, about last night."
Piper smiled. "I don't have any regrets if that's where this is going."
Leo shook his head. "It's not. But I'm glad you said that. Because I don't either. I just want you to know that I don't have any expectations. Because I know everything that you went through when I became an Elder, and it just ... it wouldn't be fair to put you through that again."
"I'm not sure I understand."
Leo sighed. "Neither one of us wanted me to become an Elder, but I did anyway. I was supposed to go up there right away, but I-I didn't."
Piper nodded in understanding. "Because you wanted to find out who Chris was ... and to protect Wyatt."
"Those aren't the only reasons I didn't go up there, Piper," Leo said. "I was holding on to you. And because of that, I've put you at risk, and I've put my son at risk. I can't let that happen anymore. I won't let that happen."
"Well, fortunately, you won't have to worry about that for much longer." They looked up for the source of the voice and found the Darklighter walking into the alley.
Leo stood up placing himself between the Darklighter and Piper.
"I'm a little surprised, actually," the Darklighter said. "Didn't really think you'd come back here. Thought I knew you better than that. Oh, well." He raised his crossbow and aimed it at Leo.
"Let her go," Leo said. "You don't want her."
"No ... but I can't pass up my opportunity, can I?" the Darklighter said. "It's in my nature. Besides, I wouldn't want A Charmed One coming after me when this is over."
All around them, things started to shift and change. Busy street sounds burst through the thick silence and various colored items in the alleyway appear as if by magic.
Leo and Piper look around them as the sounds of traffic and sirens and people rushed into their world.
The Darklighter also noticed the changes as he lowered the crossbow, confused by the alterations. Color filtered in through their colorless world.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you 'cause this time I'll vanquish you for real."
They turned to find Buffy, Paige, Dawn and Phoebe standing behind the Darklighter. They notice that Buffy is bouncing a fireball in her hand and realize she had been the one that spoke.
"Well, it's about time," Piper said.
"Who sent you?" Buffy said as she stepped up in front of the Darklighter. "No answer hunh. I guess I'll just have to read your mind."
As Buffy tried to enter the Darklighter's mind and arrow hit him in the chest. He staged back from the impact as they all looked up at the source of the arrow, another Darlighter.
The Darklighter on the ground shouted in pain as he was vanquished and the other one orbed out.
Chris suddenly appeared in the alley quite solid. He raised his arms high above his head and gave a triumphant shout. "Yes! I'm back!"
Piper looked at Chris, confused.
"Wait. How is that possible?" Phoebe asked also confused.
Leo sighed, his strength giving out on him as he slowly collapsed to the ground.
"Don't ask me. Ask ..." Chris said as Leo fell backwards.
Buffy ran to Leo her telepathy filling her in on what was going on. She grabbed Leo and flamed out.
The next day Buffy smiled as she watched Dawn from the doorway of Celia's room. And thought back on Leo. He would never get to know Chris was his son, having gone up to the Elders to apparently stay. Which made her appreciated Dawn all more because for her, Dawn was there and was not going anywhere.
Dawn held Celia as she rocked her. "Can you say mama Dawn?" she asked Celia. "Mama Dawn."
Buffy knew right then at that moment that Dawn would make a wonderful parent. And she could not have asked for a better partner.