Regaining consciousness is a strange feeling.
It's difficult for me to figure out how exactly I fit into myself. It's as if my soul has outgrown my flesh and been forcefully shoved back into this small form.
I feel soft fingers against my flesh, and they help me settle in my place. I'm able to recognise the sensation of fabric beneath my skin, the itch of my shirt against my ribs as I shift uncomfortably.
"Cas?" A voice softly calls, "Its time to wake up now..."
I try to respond, but can't work out how. The pressure inside my brain is intense, like the world's worst hangover. I just want to stay still and drift off into my dreams of soaring lights again.
"How's she doing?" A tender voice asks from the distance, sparking some awareness back into me.
A slight shuffle before the softer tone replies tightly, "Better. She's moving now, at least."
Well, that doesn't sound much better to me. What were they talking about? Who was that? Thoughts wash over me me in waves but they're hard to hold onto. Eventually, a moan vibrates its way from my throat.
"Come on honey, open your eyes. I've got some water here for you," the soft voice coaxes.
Mmm, water. I don't think I've ever needed it more than I do now. The bribe is sufficient, and I find myself battling against a weight over my eyes. I win the struggle, but even with my eyes opened it takes a moment for me to actually see. The world seems so dark.
I squint and eventually am able to make out Paige's smiling face. Her soft hair has a dull red glow from the sunlight streaming in through the windows. I want to reach a hand up to touch it, but the mere thought of movement makes my head spin. What happened? I want to ask but can't seem to find how to make the words form.
"There you go, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Oh, you have no idea.
She moves forward to help me sit up. I groan in protest at the movement, but that doesn't stop her. Once I'm relatively upright, she brings a glass to my lips, knowing I'd be unable to hold it myself.
I gulp eagerly at the liquid until it runs empty. Small streams had overflowed down my cheeks, and my tongue stretches out eagerly for every last drop.
"That was quick," Paige notices as she pulls the glass away. "I'll go get some more. Don't go back to sleep." The last sentence is said like a threat as the points a finger at me before making her way out of the room.
It was unsettling being back here, in this form. I missed the feeling from my dream. The breeze through my being, feeling that strong connection with my guiding light and all the elements that make up the reality around us. How could anyone choose to be a physical being, if given the choice, while there was so much space to explore out there?
Paige soon returns with a second glass, and I'm able to actually hold this one myself. Once it is drained as well, I feel cognitive enough to take in my surroundings and realise I'm in Paige's room. Wasn't I somewhere else earlier? Everything feels so scattered. It's hard to keep track.
I clear my throat and test out my vocal cords with the question that's been bugging me since I awoke. "Paige?" I begin with effort, "What- what happened?"
She lets out an exhausted sigh and responds, "Well, you missed a lot. Piper managed to defeat the Titans but then got a little God crazy. We were able to talk her down eventually, and she's been happier than ever since then. Leo's moved on to be an Elder and, Oh! Chris was assigned as our new whitelighter apparently," she punctuates this with an eye-roll. "I don't see how they could think that's a good idea after what he did to you." She continued rambling, but I had tuned out at one word.
Chris? Where was he? I feel an odd longing to be near him, and it drives me to try to move again. I try to adjust my legs and am glad to feel them responding to my commands, although its not without strain. I start to shift myself to get out of bed, but Paige is hesitant to let me.
"Woah, hold on their girl," she warns, "You've only been conscious for like twenty minutes! Leo said you really shouldn't be moving for a day or so, something about your soul needing to settle..?" She adds the last part as a question, like the whole concept confused her.
"I'm fine," I manage to say, "I need to feel my body moving again, Paige, please."
She still hesitates but nods her consent and holds my arm to steady me, "Put as much weight on me as you need," she offers.
Her grip reminds me of the guiding light from my dream. I long for that feeling of connection we had shared, but that was just a figment of my imagination. The disappointment raised in me at the thought is quickly pushed to the side, as I need to use all my focus to put one foot in front of the other.
Eventually, Paige and I make our way down the stairs; me hoping and hissing while she winces with each noise I make. She settles me on the couch and asks, "Are you hungry? We still have leftovers from brunch earlier."
I want to shake my head. The thought of food makes my stomach flip, but I know I need sustenance to help me get my strength back. "Just something light," I consent. She smiles happily, leaving to fetch something.
My head still hurts so much, but it's not from the light like a usual hangover. If anything, the world seems too dark. I struggle to make out the shape and colour of the objects in the dark room around me.
"I'm glad to see you're awake, but you really shouldn't be moving yet," I hear a charming voice say from the doorway, and the vibrations from it spark pleasant tingles in my soul.
I sharply turn to see the source of the noise and immediately cringe at the movement. I hold my head, pointlessly trying to keep my brain steady with my hands. I force my eyes closed in an attempt to help soothe myself.
Footsteps approach me and I hear Chris say with concern, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." He raises a hand to my head and every ache in my body is soothed as his fingers connect with skin. I lean into his touch, not wanting the feeling to end. "And I'm so sorry for what I put you through. I didn't realise- I thought.." He struggles to explain himself before giving up and just letting his sentence trail off.
I look up into his pale green eyes and see sadness flicker through them before it is quickly hidden behind his smile. He gazes back at me and seems to relish in this moment almost as much as I do, if that were possible.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Paige snaps at him as she returns to the room holding a small bowl of fruit.
He jolts his hand from my face, but I catch it with my hand before it can completely retreat, not wanting the soothing effect he brings me to end. I notice for the first time that someone must have removed my gloves while I was sleeping, but the thought doesn't bother me.
"It's fine, Paige," I try to reassure her, "He was just apologising, but I'm not quite sure what for..." I look up between them in question and see her shoot him a lethal glare.
He shuffles awkwardly before sitting next to me and admitting, "I kind of overdid it with the orbing. I thought the club was empty when I chose to go there, but you must have gone back to work. I couldn't just leave you there, and I couldn't drop you off in case they found you so..." I try to catch his eye, which should be easy considering how close we are, but he manages to avoid my questioning look.
I can't help but feel like he's leaving something out, and Paige adds, "So he nearly killed you by orbing you all over town." She crosses her arms, shooting a look of distain towards him.
"Oh." The realisation sends more pleasant tingles through me, and I make unconscious patterns on the back of Chris' hand. "I thought.. that wasn't a dream?"
His green eyes finally look onto mine, and I'm sucked into their depths. He opens his mouth to speak, but Phoebe and Piper enter the room before he can get a response out.
"Oh, Cassy!" Piper exclaims with delight as she enters the room, "How are you, sweetie?" Before I can answer, she continues and chastises, "You must be famished! Paige, how could you get her such a small bowl? I'm going to whip you up something fresh, you wait right here," And just like that, she's gone again.
"I'm, uh, not really hungry!" I try to tell her, but she's long gone into the kitchen. I faintly hear her happily humming a tune to herself. What the hell, she's way too perky!
Phoebe smiles and informs me, "Honey, I don't think there's any way to stop her once she gets going." She chuckles a little awkwardly before asking, "Honestly, how are you? You had us worried when you slept all the way through the cyclone."
Cyclone? Good God, I really did miss a lot. I reach for the bowl Paige placed on the table with my free hand and grab a piece of apple. "I'm okay now, I think. The pain seems to have eased for now."
"It's strange you're able to move around so soon. Usually it takes a day or two for people to acclimate back to their body," Chris ponders next to me, and I feel his fingers flex under my grip.
This seems to bring Phoebe's attention to our adjoined hands as her gaze shifts between them and our faces with a sly grin. She nudges to Paige's ribs and whispers something to her, but I don't notice the interaction.
The first piece of fruit seems to have awaken an insatiable hunger within me. I polished off the bowl in minutes along with my third glass of water, and actually find myself looking forward to whatever Piper is whipping up in the kitchen.
"You might want to take it easy," Chris suggests tenderly, squeezing my hand. "There can be lingering affects, it might take a while for you to properly align with your body again."
But I'm barely listening to his warning, too distracted looking at our connected hands. I'm brought back to the feeling I felt in my not-dream. The warmth that spreads through me from his touch is exactly like the gentle pull I felt from my guiding light... Was that him? I glance up into his green eyes and want to ask, but I struggle to find the words. He looks at me analytically, as if trying to assess my state of mind through my appearance alone.
"Here we are," Piper announces as she enters the room, and for once I'm grateful for her interruption. She places two plates on the table along with an assortment of toppings. "French toast! Light and fluffy, the perfect thing for you. This plate is savoury and this one is sweet, I've cut them all into triangles for you too so we can all share," She finishes with a winning smile at me.
The piles of food make my eyes bulge, I hope she isn't expecting me to finish it all. I reach for a sweet slice and moan as the sensation meets my tongue. "Thank you, Piper! You are a goddess," I exclaim with a smile, and Chris chokes on his drink.
"Oh no, sweetie," Piper coos, "Let me get you a tissue," and she's gone again.
He uses his free hand to make a fist and beat his chest while looking at me with disbelief.
"What?" I ask innocently, "You try this and tell me I'm wrong," Without thinking I playfully move the piece in my hand towards his face and he moves his head back, shooting me a look over the food.
When it comes into view, I remember I've already taken a bite out of it and here I am practically shoving it in his face. The embarrassment makes my face red as I mutter, "Sorry," and keep eating, slower than before.
Our hands remain connected throughout the whole meal, but never uncomfortably so. He doesn't make any attempt to separate our hold and I dread the thought of pulling away, because I know it is something we'll have to do eventually. I can't live the rest of my life holding his hand, as nice as that thought sounds right now.
Piper returns with the tissues and manages to actually sit still for a while as she enjoys the fruits of her labour. Phoebe leaves to check on Wyatt, but Paige remains sitting in an armchair nearby by shooting Chris suspicious looks.
I had a thought and decided to break the silence. "So, have we figured out where Chris is going to stay?"
They all look clueless at my question. Evidently, it had not been discussed yet.
"Well he can't stay here," Paige quickly interjects with attitude, "and you don't have any space what with your roommate and all."
"I know," I sign in resignation, and Chris glances at me with some emotion I can't place.
Piper looks thoughtful as she suggests, "What about P3? We have that spare storage room out the back, and Chris would be able to come and go as he pleases."
The idea makes me smile. Considering how much time I spend at the club, we could see each other practically every day. That would be nice. I suddenly get this weird feeling like I'm forgetting something really important...
It's easy to dismiss this concern as Chris' finger draws patterns on the back of my hand while he says, "Thanks, Piper, I'll be sure to keep out of the way."
Paige seems like she wants to interject, but before she can Piper stands up and exclaims, "It's settled then! Cassy will show you around and give you the spare key. If you'll excuse me, I need to check up on Phoebe and my little man," She gives me a quick parting hug and another winning smile before making her way upstairs.
As soon as she leaves I can't help but wonder, "What's up with her? I didn't want to mention it, but I thought she'd be more upset about Leo leaving..."
Chris shifts awkwardly next to me and pulls his fingers from my grip. I want to stop him but catch myself just before I reach out for him. When did I get so clingy?
"We're not sure," Paige answers my question, "But we're going to find out."
I smile at her before changing the subject, "You didn't happen to bring my car over earlier did you?" My stomach rolls anew at the mere thought of orbing anywhere and my headache reawakens. The pain is dull now though, and easy to ignore.
Paige smiles and says "Yup, I got it while you were sleeping. Keys!" No sooner than the command is finished do they appear in her palm with a flash of lights and that otherworldly jingle.
I turn pale and have to close my eyes from the bright light. It reminds me how dark the rest of the room felt. A warm sensation brushes against my leg, and suddenly, everything feels alright again. I open my eyes and see Chris' thigh pressed up against mine. I look up with clear surprise, starting into his green eyes. I'm absorbed once more into his gaze, until the regular jingle of car keys brings both our attention over to Paige.
She looks a bit miffed until she notices my complexion. "Oh, Cas, I'm sorry- I didn't think. Are you okay?"
I nod my head slightly and try to smile at her. "It's okay, I'm okay, honestly."
"Maybe I should drive," She suggests with a dubious tone.
"No!" I exclaim too suddenly, and she looks taken aback. "I mean, you should stay here, right? And try to figure out what's wrong with Piper?" It sounds like an excuse, even to my own ears, but I beg her with my eyes not to say anything.
"Okayy," she drags out the word, hesitantly. "But, I still don't think you should drive. Have at it future-boy." She throws the keys at Chris' face, and he fumbles to catch them.
He holds them in his fingers like they're a foreign object as he says awkwardly. "One small problem - I, don't know how to drive," he admits sheepishly.
We both stare at him gobsmacked. "What? How's that possible? Paige asks without thinking.
"Hey, when you can orb everywhere, what's the point?" He tries to defend himself, "Not to mention in my future the roads weren't exactly clear for any cars."
It's Paige's turn to look sheepish now as she realises his implications. "It's fine," I interject wanting to stop any more embarrassment for either party. "You know I'm one of the safest drivers out there, and honestly I'm feeling okay now," I finish with a forced grin, trying to make her believe me.
She still looks like she wants to object, but at my pleading look, she can't find it in her. "Okay," she relents, before turning on Chris, "But if anything happens I am holding you personally responsible." With that threat, she marches off upstairs after Piper, or potentially to check their Book of Shadows.
Chris looks suitably stunned at the turn of events and I try not to turn red at her overprotective nature.
Needing a distraction and not finding a better one than getting out of here, I move to my feet. Piper's miracle food must have fixed me right up as I have no trouble doing so. "Well, now that's sorted, let's get you settled in your new home, Chris."
I hold my bare hand out to him, and he grins at the sight of it.
Author's Note: Soooo, how did I do? I hope Chris wasn't too OOC, I'm banking on the idea that her presence in the future has changed him a bit so he interacts with her with lots of affection! Did the interactions I created seem legit or out of place?
I've got PAGES of notes for ideas to continue this concept, but thought it best to split this into parts. The next one will be focusing on the 4 week period between seasons - mainly just Chris/Cassy fluff of them interacting at P3.
I won't be following the other episodes as closely, because Cassy won't be as involved with them unless something serious happens to Paige or Chris.