Chapter Four

A/N: I do not own anything with the exception of Jake and Emily. Mel, as mentioned before, maybe a toss up as she is not mentioned in the show but is mentioned in the comics.

*ducks projectiles* I am so sorry about the hold up with this chapter and that it's a little shorter than the other chapters have been. Real life got a little hectic (got a promotion at work with different hours, now I'm working five days a week, as opposed to the four days I was working on my old schedule. On the plus side, I'm only working 8 hours a shift instead of my old 10-hour shifts.) so there's less time for writing. But I promise I'm going to do my best to make sure this gets updated on a regular basis.

The poll is still open so please let me know which story should be updated next by voting! You can choose up to five options so, if you haven't already done so, please vote!

Let me know what your thoughts on this chapter! I really appreciate any reviews or PMs sent my way!

Mel quickly found that Chris was not going to wake up anytime soon if the snores coming from his direction were any indication. Mel couldn't help but look around the familiar attic, amazed at how similar it was to the attic of her childhood. Obviously, there were some items that were newer, or more intact, but Mel just attributed that damage to demon attacks. It was so strange to be home and not be able to call it that-or be worried about being attacked by demons. At least, attacked by demons commanded by the Dark Lord.

"Wow," Jake said, looking slightly impressed as he stared at the older man and pulling Mel out of her thoughts. "I wouldn't have thought he'd stay asleep. If anything, I would think our fearless leader would wear himself out more worrying about us or about keeping his secret. You know, future consequences and all that jazz."

"Shut it, Jake," Mel hissed, her eyes darting to the stairs that Leo had just walked down. While talking at a normal volume wouldn't attract attention, Jake had a tendency to talk louder than most people. The last thing they needed was to get on the sister's radar; they'd never be left on their own again. "Just because we're in the past doesn't mean we get to become careless. If the sisters found out how big of a role Chris plays in the future, they are going to become protective-and when Chris feels protected, he also feels suffocated. We all know what happened the last time Chris felt suffocated."

"Don't remind me," Emily groaned, massaging her temples, while Jake shivered at the memory. "Being on Chris watch was not fun-we went through our entire stash of sleeping potions one week to get Chris to slow down so he wouldn't burn himself out. He still had 97 vanquishes that week."

"Don't give the sisters any ideas," Mel said with a smirk, turning away from her brother now that she knew he was fast asleep. "Remember what Paige said about his demon hunts? I'm sure they'd love to find some ways to slow him down if they haven't already."

"I thought Chris was going to orb right out of there," Jake said, chuckling at the memory. He sobered up as he looked over at Mel. Despite being their second in command, Mel's thoughts and feelings could always be read on her face. She hadn't nailed the poker face her mother and brothers were famous for, and Jake knew that being in the past and calling her mom and aunt 'the sisters' had to be killing her. Thankfully, she had experience calling her father by his first name so that wouldn't be as challenging.

"Mel-"

Before Jake could say anything more, an interruption by the name of Paige arrived in the attic, causing Jake and Emily to stiffen as if preparing for an attack. Mel, though, smiled softly at her aunt, wishing more than anything that she could call her that. But Chris probably hadn't revealed himself to her yet, so they had to keep the pretense. Even though she was sure it was killing her brother the same way it was killing her. She couldn't help but look forward to the day when she could tell her mom and her aunts the truth.

"Leo said that Chris was injured," Paige said, holding a soft quilt Mel would have known anywhere, considering the number of photographs of her and her brothers wrapped in it there were. Thankfully, her aunt had held off on asking any questions as to how Chris got injured, though Mel was sure either Piper or Phoebe would not show such restraint. "Thought a blanket would be nice. That sofa's not exactly the most comfortable to rest on when injured-I should know, I've been there a few times."

"You can't sweat the neurotic out of him," Mel told her while taking the quilt. It was slightly warm at about 86 degrees; a blanket would possibly be too much. "I know. I've tried."

"Aww! Well, it was worth a shot," Paige chuckled and couldn't help smiling at the small smirk that formed on Mel's face. Based on how Chris acted, it was safe to assume that the future the four of them came from was not a pleasant one, to say the least. Paige figured the least she could do was to make sure she made their lives a little easier. Besides, she felt a kinship with the younger girl; they were both half-whitelighter, half-witch after all."Anyway, if you guys are hungry, Piper's made dinner. It's downstairs."

"Thanks, Paige," Emily nodded and Mel shot her youngest aunt a smile. She didn't trust herself to speak, worried that she'd give something away. Paige was always the one she had the easiest time speaking with, so to be this close to her and know that they wouldn't have that relationship was killing her inside. 'We'll be down in a second."

Paige nodded and turned to go back downstairs. Mel watched her turn the corner before turning to the other two. There was one thing she needed to have cleared up.

"Okay, when did she get back from Richard's?" Mel asked, confusion evident in her voice.

"When did she leave for Richard's?" Emily responded, raising an eyebrow. "Remember Mel, your boyfriend and I don't know anything about what happened in those five hours you and Chris left us at P3 pouring over his notes."

"Oh, right," Mel said and at least had the decency to look sheepish. "Paige had left to go on her date with Richard, one of the many reasons Chris and I were left alone with the Book of Shadows."

"They just left you and Chris alone with the best demon hunting tool in their arsenal?" Jake groaned. Even if the sisters and Leo didn't know Mel was a Halliwell, wouldn't it make sense to at least assume that Chris and Mel would be similar as they were siblings? "I thought the sisters were more protective of the book for one thing!"

"Mel, if we have to start keeping watch on you and Chris, I'll lose what remaining shred of sanity I have left," Emily told her.

"I'm not that bad," Mel shook her head as if she couldn't believe they were having the discussion, ignoring her boyfriend's comment about the sisters protecting the book. They all knew that if evil did try to touch the Book of Shadows, the book had a way of protecting itself.

"Not that bad? You and your brother went after Klea of all demons! That would be like me going after the Source!"

"I was wondering when we'd get back to that," Mel muttered as she began unfolding the quilt and draping it over her brother. Thankfully, it wasn't as thick as she remembered it being so Chris wouldn't overheat. She should have known that Emily would have returned to the lecture about facing Klea with only Chris as backup. But there was no other choice; to risk the lives of any of the sisters was madness, Jake and Chris in the same area was asking for trouble and Emily had no active powers. Who else were they supposed to bring? Baby Wyatt? That would have been asking for trouble.

"Melinda, you are the second in command. If we lose you and Chris, the resistance is screwed," Emily stated, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You think I don't know that?" Mel snapped, turning toward Emily and stiffening at the use of her full first name. If the sisters or Leo heard that, it could be a give away to her true identity and she knew Chris would never forgive them if they were the reason the sisters found out who he was. "Gee Em, I seem to recall you being just fine with me going on the mission that landed us here."

"You think I could have stopped you?! Once you have your mind made up on something, there's no changing it!"

"Oh, like you're Miss Flexible when it comes to your decisions?!"

"When it comes to the resistance, I'd like to think I am!"

"Okay, let's table this discussion," Jake said as he noticed Chris start to turn, his eyes clenched as to block out the noise around him. "The last thing we should do is wake him up. He needs to heal and being awake is the worst thing for him-unless one of us can convince Leo to heal him."

"Shouldn't we?" Emily asked, still slightly heated from the argument with Mel. "After all, he needs to eat too and it might be easier to get Leo to heal him if it came from Chris."

"I'm sure Piper will let us save a plate for him," Jake told her after a few minutes of silence. It was as if Mel had wanted to be the one to say it but didn't out of fear that she would misspeak. "Should one of us watch him?"

"I'll stay here with Chris," Mel said, pulling a chair out. "I'm sure word has spread in the Underworld that Klea managed to stab Chris and stay alive. There'll be demons out for his head now that he's been weakened in their eyes."

"You sure?" Jake asked, looking at his girlfriend in concern. "We could just set up some crystals to ensure protection."

"I'm sure," Mel nodded and sat down at Chris' bedside. She knew the last thing her brother would want to see when he woke up was a bunch of crystals. Besides, now that she had her brother back, she wasn't ready to leave him-even if it was for her mother's amazing cooking, a skill only two of her children seemed to have inherited. Sadly, one of those children was now trying to take over the world while the other was unconscious in front of her.

"We'll bring you up some food," Emily told her, patting Chris on the shoulder. "You need to eat, Mel. Keep your strength up."

"I will," Mel said with a little half smile, trying to reassure her fellow companions as well as her self. "I just want to make sure that Chris pulls through."

"Of course he will," Jake said with a small smirk as he patted his girlfriend on the shoulder in what he hoped was a comforting way, before lightly kissing her cheek. "After all, his sister's made of some pretty stern stuff."

Mel chuckled and watched them go down the stairs that she had walked down so many times before. She wanted so much to go down there; to eat her mother's food again, to see her aunts laugh and not have her eldest brother be the most powerful being of evil that ever existed. She couldn't do it though. Leaving the dinner table would mean coming back to reality-and sometimes that was crueler than leaving it in the first place. She had to wonder how her brother had handled it.

"Wake up soon Chris," she whispered before grabbing his hand; not noticing in her worry the faint glow coming from her hands. "We need you. I need you. We've lost so many people, I can't lose you too."