Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are the
property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.
Author's Note:
These unwritten scenes come on the heels of Spin City. Piper is 6 months pregnant and recently banished to Magic School. Leo is back and has come to the realization that his youngest son hates his very existence. This is a Piper POV epilogue.
If you take the time to read and enjoy it please review it for me. If you take the time and don't enjoy it please tell me why.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
As I lay on this bed, comfortable as it is, I can not believe the difference between how my day started and how it's ended. This morning was right up there with my best and most normal of days. Granted I was going to an OB appointment for my already born fully grown son, but other then that things were good. There was no morning sickness, no arguing with Chris, Wyatt was finally adjusting to Leo being gone, and there hadn't been one demon attack. That last one should have been my clue that things were about to turn… demons never stay quiet for long.
I suppose I should have felt something in the air, but Paige and Phoebe are much better at reading signs and being intuitive. Me I like to deal with what's right in front of me. So, I may have been dismissive to Chris' worrying about me and this pregnancy to the point of suffocating, but it turns out I should have listened to him. Great, something else I'll have to apologize to him for. I don't remember Grams taking our feelings into consideration nearly this much. Modern parenting… what will they come up with next.
Who could have foreseen a Spider Demon? Or the life size cocoon, the possession of my son, the return of my Angel ex-husband, or my supreme vulnerability? This was definitely one of those I-need-to-go-back-to-bed-wake-up-and-try-again days.
This place is way too quiet this time of night. The energy from the demonic vanquishes and childhood magical mischief is copious. It doesn't seem to be bothering Wyatt one bit. He's so peaceful every time I look at him I can't fathom what could turn him into the ruler of all evil. Well, I suppose I'll have to ponder that idea later. Slipping off the bed I went to the door to answer the soft knocking. Probably my sisters coming to visit or spring me from solitary… no, on second thought they better not be, they better be at the club saving one of our major sources of income.
"Just a second." I flung the door back to see Chris. My son certainly looked more like himself, but I could tell his clean clothes had not cleaned up his disposition at all.
"I didn't expect to see you tonight. I'm glad you got my message. I didn't want you do think I'd leave without talking to you, but your dad and Gideon believe it's safer for me here and wanted to get us settled right away. Come on in." Closing the door I stood in front of it bracing myself for whatever emotional assault was coming next. He sat crossed legged on the loveseat across from my bed. Not speaking he seemed lost in his mind where there really wasn't room for another person or a lot of chatter.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on or am I going to have to play twenty questions?" I broke his brooding.
He finally looked up at me seemingly at a lost for words. He kept averting his gaze until I stood in front of him and forced his eyes to focus on me. "I'm so sorry… about everything. My lack of a force field drove you out of the Manor and now Wyatt's living here instead of in his own room around his family. I've made a mess of everything!"
"What? Stop talking crazy there are plenty of reasons we're here and not home. And I don't mind it, honestly. You said it yourself I can't be running around vanquishing demons and acting invincible without a force field. This isn't the time for a pity party or an episode of "who's to blame". Chris there were plenty of contributing factors to how things played out today, but everything happens for a reason. At some point I must have taught you that." I sat down next to him put my hand on his shoulder. Then I proceeded to move the hair away from his face. It was like talking to a Muppet when he let it fall over his eyes.
"You also taught me to take responsibility for my actions."
"If you're talking about your father, Chris you were under a spell. We both understand that. I won't lie to you I wish it had never come to that and getting that image out of my head will take time, but I know it wasn't you." I was trying to be as reassuring as I could be, but a part of me was still deeply concerned about what had taken place in that cave.
"Mom," he got up and walked across the room, "some of what I did had nothing to do with the Spider Demon infecting me. My issues with Leo go back farther then tonight. I should've had more control and I'm sorry I scared you, but this thing with Leo won't be a problem anymore. He's going back up there and will be as absent as he's always been."
I felt my eyes welling up. How could we have done this kind of damage to our baby? Leo was an amazing father I knew this… I had witnessed it first hand and couldn't except that somewhere along the line in the future he wasn't. How could that be? The same way things had progressed with me and Chris I wanted things to heal between him and his father. I couldn't force either of them to see the other's side and they were both so stubborn that making one of them yield would require magic or a miracle. I think I may have been silent too long because Chris got antsy and looked ready to bolt.
"Chris I can't make you or Leo do anything you don't want, but for all of our sakes please make an effort. With me stuck here in Magic School you all need to be able to work together. That includes your father."
He turned on me and I saw the struggle he had to put his anger in check. "Why does that include him? We don't need him. We've managed all this time."
"He wants to be here and he has a right to protect his family. I'm not going to tell him to leave. I want you to work things out. Look I was all for non-disclosure and leaving things the way they were earlier today, but now that it's all out in the open I truly believe it happened for a reason other than the fact that my sisters can't keep a secret to save their lives. I'm not suggesting we have to fix this all tonight. I'm too exhausted to keep fighting with you or defending him. Let's just table it for now."
"I'll let you get some sleep."
Somehow I managed to roll off of the loveseat and propel myself into an upright position. I went over to embrace my son and could tell by the way he held on that he was in need of just that.
"Chris you need to sleep too," taking a step back I pulled out of our hug. "It's still early the club isn't shutting down yet. Why don't you go back to the Manor? Wyatt's room is free and so is mine."
"No, that's not necessary. Besides I like it at the club. There's nothing for me at the Manor."
"Of course there is it's your home Chris. I would feel better if you stayed there." I kept a firm hold on his hand so that he'd think twice about just orbing out on me.
"Isn't he going to be there? Trust me we've never lived under one roof and had it work out. He'd kick me out before weeks end."
"No he wouldn't… he'd have me to deal with if he tried."
"Why is this so important to you? The back office at the club has been good enough all this time. What's changed?" He walked away from me and sat back down after taking a peek in Wyatt's crib.
I held my ground and my position. "Look before you said the Manor was too crowded, well now it isn't and I'd feel better if you were there watching out for your aunts. Demons will come out in droves if they sense a missing or weak link. You know I'm right." He just stared at me, but I could tell I had finally said something that had gotten through. I went to sit back next to him and he leaned back on my shoulder. I tucked his hair behind his ear and we sat quiet for while each consumed with our own thoughts. But I wanted an answer.
"So, what's it going to be Chris?"
He was practically asleep. His breathing had deepened and he whispered a faint but audible, "anything you want mom." I was relieved because for the moment my son was at peace. Then talk about your bad timing, as soon as I heard the orbs and they began to take shape I knew it was Leo.
Not wanting to wake Chris I shooed his father out into the hallway without a sound and thankfully Leo took my lead and made no utterance in protest. I slid away from Chris and repositioned his head on the back of the loveseat. Then I made a beeline for the door to the hallway.
"I wasn't expecting you back tonight." I said.
"I wasn't expecting to see Chris here. I guess he told you then." Leo had aged since I last saw him a few hours ago. He was wearing his emotions all over his body… dropped shoulders, dark circles beneath the eyes, and hair that looked as though his hands rubbed at it continuously.
"Told me what? Leo what happened? Did you two have another fight? Did you hit him?" I attacked with my barrage of questions without taking a breath.
"Oh my God, no I didn't hit him. I would never…." Just then he stopped because we both knew that wasn't true. Leo had hit Chris on more than one occasion since he got back from Valhalla. He had hit him with his hands and his words, we all had.
"I know, not since you found out. I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that. What did happen?" He gave me a blow by blow of their last encounter.
On top of the Golden Gate Bridge….
"Can we talk?"
"There is nothing to talk about." Chris answered his father.
"I think there is Chris. I deserve to know what I did to become such a bad dad."
"You were never there for me. You were there for everyone else… mom, Wyatt, half the world, but not for me. You didn't have the time."
"So, maybe you came back not just to save Wyatt, but to save us."
"I doubt it!"
"And he just left?" I was in shock. No wonder Chris was in such an emotional state when he got to me.
"Yes, and came straight here I guess." Leo propped himself up against the wall across from the door.
"Not for the reason you think. He never mentioned your conversation. He came to apologize."
"Oh, well he certainly wasn't feeling apologetic toward me. Piper I did what you said and I tried to get through to him. To make amends for whatever it is I did to make him hate me so much. He's not ready."
"I know but that doesn't mean you give up, because I don't intend to give up on him ever. I told him I wanted him to move into the Manor. He wasn't open to the idea at first because he was worried about your reaction." I could see Leo stiffen and that he was about to go on the defensive.
"My reaction, it's your house. I don't even live there anymore."
"You're not going back while I'm gone?"
"No, I'm here and I'm available, but I didn't think we were at the moving back in stage yet." He was looking at me with such longing that I wanted to dart across the hall and into his arms, but instead I stayed put and answered with the appropriate response.
"No we're not at that stage yet. He needs to know that it's his home and safe place for him to be and I just don't want anything interfering with that."
"Piper, I would never do anything to hurt our son, or make him feel unsure about his place in this family. You have to know that."
"Relax, I do know that, but for whatever reason Chris can't trust it yet, so I'm asking you to help him get there."
"So you want me to tiptoe around him or avoid him and at the same time make things up to him somehow. No, that's not unreasonable at all." Coming from Leo I did not have an appreciation for the sarcasm.
I never heard the door open or saw Chris, but I could tell by Leo's reaction that he was standing about a foot behind me. I was in no mood for round three of father vs. son.
"Don't speak to her that way! She doesn't need this. You don't get to be gone for six months and then ride in and play husband and father of the year. I will never forgive you."
"Chris! Chris, don't say another word. We're just talking and this is between me and your father." My exhaustion finally took a hold of me and I had to lean up against the wall myself. Chris was at one side and in the same moment Leo was on the other. I was just hoping that in all of their caring for me they didn't pull me apart like a wishbone.
"Every time you're around or we talk about you this happens. Why can't you just stay out of our lives for good? Go away and don't look back." Chris was over the top and I had to put a stop to his rant immediately.
"Christopher Perry Halliwell that is enough! Go home, now. I'm fine. Believe me the best thing you can do for me right now is to go to the Manor, get some rest and come and see me and your brother tomorrow. I need you to go, please." I was starting to feel very grateful that Chris did love me because the look he gave Leo was pure unadulterated hatred. He wouldn't stop glaring and hadn't let go of my hand. I was terrified of what would happen if I didn't get one of them out of here.
"You're taking his side. You're choosing him over me, again."
"I'm doing no such thing! I'm picking you," I rubbed my stomach for emphasis, "over everything. I can't have this kind of stress. I was on bed rest at the end of my pregnancy with Wyatt and I don't want to go through the same things trying to give birth to you. So would you please, just this once listen to me and go. We'll talk tomorrow, I promise."
Finally, I had gotten through the wall of anger and apparently was making sense to him. He dropped my hand and took a step back. "You're right and I'm sorry." With one final glare at Leo he turned back to me and said, "I love you mom," and orbed out of magic school hopefully going to the Manor to get the rest I so desperately desired.
"Let's get you in bed." I had no fight left in me and was grateful for the assist. Leo pulled back the covers for me and helped me into the oversized four post bed. Pulling a chair over to the bedside he planted himself there for the duration it seemed.
"What are you doing?"
"Just making sure you're okay. I do still have that privilege right?"
"Yes, and thank you, but I'm fine. If you check on Wyatt and cover him back up and get me some water I'll be perfect." He was on his feet and back in flash.
"Piper, I will do everything in my power to make this work. You have my word."
I took hold of his hand and the way we've always been able, we calmed one another instantly. We would take it day by day and we would get through this the way we got through everything… like a family.
"Goodnight Piper, I love you." Leo orbed out never waiting to hear my reply.
Into the night I whispered, "I love you too."