When the dwarf returns with his pick-axe and a fairy, I take a step back to allow them space to work their magic. I sit on the floral chair under the window to observe them work, knowing Piper and Leo would be able to handle their own issues. My full attention is on my primary concern - freeing my sister.
First, the fairy sprinkled her dust, then Fergus' luck springs from his palm, and once it has taken hold, he calls, "Now laddie!"
The dwarf swings his pick-axe, hitting between her shoulder blades. The noise makes me flinch - it reminds me of a shield rebounding. It's clear to me without even looking that their attempt has failed.
The dwarf turned to Phoebe and says dejectedly, "I don't know what else we can try."
"I'm running out of gold too, I'm afraid," Fergus adds with a grimace.
Phoebe places both hands on her hips and says, "Okay, well, there's gotta be something else we can do."
"...Potion," I mutter into my joined hands, deep in thought. They turned around in surprise like they had forgotten I was there, but I took no offense. I was usually quiet during magical gatherings, knowing it wasn't my place to contribute. I cleared my voice before looking up at Phoebe and stating clearer, "What if we tried using a potion before we hit her with the axe? Surely there's one that might help, I don't know, lessen the effects of evil magic?"
Phoebe brightens with the idea, "Cassy, you're a genius!"
I blush at her praise and continue, "Do you think there might be one over there?" I ask, pointing to the collection of potions on the table that we had to move away from Paige to clear space.
"No, they'd be too strong. Paige brewed those to vanquish evil, not suppress it." Phoebe denies in deep thought before adding, "Let me just run down to the kitchen and brew something up quickly. Don't do anything without me!" She grabs the book, shooting a cold look at Chris while she does it. Then sprints out of the room and down the stairs, eager to get started on the potion.
Her energy, along with the idea we might get Paige back to normal soon, is almost enough to make me smile.
I notice Chris picking through things in a cabinet, so I ask what he's looking for as I approach him.
"Nothing in particular," he responds while sniffing a candle, "These guys keep this stuff forever, you know that?"
I jump on the chance to question his knowledge, "No, but how do you know that? Do you know them? In the future, I mean?"
He's silent for a moment before answering, "This whole place becomes a museum. The stuff up here makes up a lot of the displays," he's avoiding eye contact with me as steadily as he avoided my question.
"Wait, so magic is known to the public in your future? And people come to gawk at it?" The idea sends a chill down my spine.
"Only those who can afford it," he dodges my initial question as he turns to face me and points out, "Why do you say my future? It's all our futures if I don't do something about it."
"Exactly my point," I explain, reaching over his shoulder to grab a random trinket from behind him. I fiddle with it while I let my thoughts flow freely through my lips, "Just by coming here, you've changed your past and our future. Therefore, you must have split our timeline from yours, creating a new branch where we now exist. As soon as you appeared and breathed our air into your lungs, the future you came would have been irrevocably altered and shattered unless it was preserved in its own separate bubble. That's the only way you could still exist, right?"
"Ah, but you're assuming our reality is multi-dimensional. What if by coming here, I just wiped the slate clean, giving us a chance to start over again."
At the word 'us', my eyes snap to meet his, and I see him gazing at me with such ferocity. I suck a breath in through my teeth at the sight of such emotion in his pale green eyes. I want to ask what he means, why he's staring at me like that - but before I can, Piper storms in to ruin the moment. Again.
"Alright, what's going on? Leo has not responded to any of my calls, and it's been over five hours." Behind her anger, I can clearly hear the fear for her husband.
Realising I've been practically pressing Chris against the cabinet, I quickly place the trinket back and step away. I go stand over by Paige and the three magical beings, not wanting to stand between Piper and the object of her fury. Fergus shoots me a knowing smirk, and I glare at him in response, but I think the effect is ruined by the blush on my cheeks.
Chris displays an alarming ability to cover his emotions, when he casually shrugs at Piper and responds, "I really don't know."
"Well, I really think you do," she immediately replies. Jeez, even though her child is less than a year old, she's already nailed that tone of 'mother dealing with angst-y teen'.
The thought would make me smile, if only Paige was here to giggle about it with me... I glace at her stone form, wishing she was properly here with us right now.
Chris approaches Piper as he calmly explains, "Look, you're the one who wanted him to go up there in the first place. Not me."
Piper just crosses her arms with a stare, and he immediately cracks.
"Alright, fine. Maybe I did know," he dips a little in his walk as he admits this, "And if I'm right, he's going to need some serious alone time."
She's clearly had enough, "You know what? Cut it out with the cryptic crap." He rolls his eyes, but she pays it no mind. "You need to go up there and bring him back, now. No more games."
Her tone leaves no room for arguments, and he relents, "Okay, fine, I'll go. But if I were you, I'd focus on freeing Paige because you're gonna need her. Soon."
His eyes flash over to meet mine one final time as he orbs upward in a blinding collection of lights.
"I swear to God, if he does not come back with Leo I'm going to blow his ass to the future - orbs and all," she looks around the room before settling on me and asking, "Where's Phoebe?"
"She's in the kitchen with The Book working on a potion to free Paige. Maybe you should go check up on her and Wyatt?" I suggest in my most mild tone possible. "I'll stay up here with Paige."
She gives a quick nod and stiffly turns to walk out of the room.
As soon as she's gone, I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding, still reeling from all this tension.