Alright. So my laptop's still taking notions about when and when not to work, there's a weird blinking thing about the battery charge and sometimes it doesn't save properly, but saying as it's still going, I thought I'd try to squeeze another chapter in before it goes completely.

Disclaimer: Phew, almost forgot it there. Anyways, not mine

Nothing about this situation is right.

Not the kid's language, manner or facial expression. Hell, not to mention his derisive and defiant attitude, that blazing touch of pride and self-reliance in his deceptively innocent, rounded eyes.

Everything which has taken place within the last ten minutes is baffling to Riley, and he doesn't quite know how to react.

Saying as there is only one person he feels comfortable speaking to, Riley turns to Chris who suddenly appears resigned and yet somewhat amused, as though he had expected no less.

"Riley, to be blunt, that is Chris." He winces, mumbling lowly to himself, "God, it really doesn't get any better over time, does it?" Then he straightens and says plainly, "As in, Chris… the one you met in the future and befriended."

"Oh," Riley simply replies, raising a brow just a fraction and nodding along musingly.

There is a long, strained silence before he decides to speak.

"So… what are you then? A mutant clone? No, wait! Please tell me you're one of those neat cyborgs, programmed to kill undeserving, obstinate earthlings and comprised by some strands of Chris' DNA." He pauses, thinks it over with pursed lips. "Aw, that'd be awesome. It's always been a dream of mine to see one face-to-face." With a small smirk, he nods again, this time in satisfaction. "Who would've thought I'd meet one in the past?"

"I think you've watched one too many movies, Riley."

"Are you really the one that should be judging here?" he questions with that patronizing expression, tinted by disbelief, universally known as, come on, man. Look who's talking. "You just told me that that kid over there is the same friend who's face I burped in for the sake of proving that doing so in public is gross and socially inexcusable. Not an expression of manliness!"

Little Chris scowls. "Yeah, but you did it to me for no weason at all duwing the middwe of a meeting, and howed wif waugter fow ages aftewards. I can't believe you'we stiw twying to cwaim thewe was any kind of puwpose besides the fact that Joe dawed you to!"

"I got a kit-kat out of that deal," Riley states proudly. "Totally worth it!"

Then the reality of the exchange registers and his face drops.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" he suddenly exclaims, smacking the heel of his hand against his forehead before proceeding to make some pretty angry gestures. "Didn't you understand my last words before you left?! Because I thought the message was pretty clear." His voice is dripping with sarcastic optimism as he quotes, "Good luck, I said. It would be great if you could save humanity and stop your baby brother from turning into a gigantic screw-up, I said. In no way did I indicate you should turn into a freakin' toddler yourself!"

Riley sighs roughly, rubbing his eyes in exasperation and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Sheesh," (E) Wyatt mutters, dispassionately adjusting his watch and glancing at the time. "He's taking it well."

Piper wastes no time before glaring at her oldest to shut it.

"What was the great idea behind this one?" Riley continues, beginning to pace the room. "Oh, I know," he mocks, poorly and unhurriedly imitating Chris as he shakes a contemplative finger. "Let's get Wyatt's perspective! Surely being defenceless and constantly in danger myself will allow some totally harmless, first-hand experience with the list of possible suspects! Gee, I hope that narrows it down!"

"Dat's exactwy what happened, Wiley!" little Chris responds with equal cynicism. "Sounds pewfectwy wegit. I wove being usewess and having eveybody bewiddwe me whiwe I go about happiwy lapping up theiw concewn and affection. I especiawy enjoy my comwete inabiwity to pwonounce da most basic wowds or even my own stinkin' name! And having da go to time-out for bwoody cuwsing! It's an absowute bwast, wet me tew you."

"Time-out?" Riley repeats, snickering. "Ha!" Then he glances at older Chris again. "Wait… so if he really is Chris… then who are you?"

"Me?" Chris half-shrugs. "I'm Chris, too."

"Too?"

"Before you ask, no, I'm not seriously a clone-"

Riley opens his mouths, but Chris continues before he can speak.

"-Nor am I an actual cyborg and/or shape-shifter."

He frowns. "Alright, then. Android?"

"No, I'm not an android! I just told I wasn't."

"Cyborgs and androids are completely separate things!" Riley argues in indignation. "You can't lump them into the same category like that! One is a robot who looks and acts like a human and the other is half and half."

"Whatever. Makes no difference to me."

"So what are you, if not one of the fore-mentioned?"

"Is it so hard to imagine that I'm simply a Chris from another reality of another future?"

"Hold up, what?"

"I'm from a future where Wyatt is good and the mission was successful. Therefore, I have his memories, lived his life, too, blah, blah blah… It's really quite straightforward."

"Wait, what?"

And so begins the long, elaborate discussion where yet another person needs these wacky circumstances clarified.

"So, you're telling me that Chris behaves like a child, too?" his voice is ringed with disbelief. "I'm sorry, but there is no way that's true. Have you seen the guy? He's, like, eerily mature for his current age."

"Not necessarily," (G) Wyatt argues from his languid position on the sofa.

At present, there is only Chris, little Chris and he in the room. Piper had to go change mini-Wyatt and the other's continual half-joking threats were making Riley nervous so Phoebe and Paige practically dragged the man out of the room, promising a potentially scarring bonding session - much to the rests' amusement.

As for Leo… Well, he simply upped and left, and there was no logical reason to be alarmed.

Expression aberrantly uncomfortable, little Chris pipes up, biting his lip softly, "I fink we've estabwished dat I'm fine. Aside from appeawances, I'm compwetewy nowmal, see?"

Looking at his brother, (G) Wyatt can't help but be impressed by his self-control. To anyone paying close enough attention, it is clear by his clenched fist that he's struggling not to surrender to his newly-developed, soothing habit.

Riley's eyes widen at the undercurrent of weakness in how rigidly little Chris holds himself, and let's just say, his interest is immediately peaked. There's no doubt something's amiss.

"Good job we can prove otherwise then," (G) Wyatt remarks before abruptly leaving the room.

Before Riley can even form a question, he returns holding none other than-

"Wainbow Bwain!" Little Chris is beside himself, eyes lighting up like it's Christmas morning. "Whewe wewe you? You can't keep wunning off wike dat!"

There's a dumbfounded pause while a speechless Riley simply looks on at the scene unfolding before him in horror.

Meanwhile, his older self cringes. Does he really not have the sense to know that Leo lifted it for him when they came downstairs?

His brother, on the other hand, carries on like nothing's wrong, "Yeah. I found him in the kitchen trying to steal some of Mom's cookies! The little rascal."

Little Chris giggles. "Wainbow Bwain! Dat's not vewy nice," he admonishes before peeking up at (G) Wyatt for his approval.

"Uh-huh," he nods along. "Better be careful. You know what happens to greedy little boys, don't you, Chrissie?"

His eyebrows knit in confusion. "No?"

"Well, they get put in time-out, don't they?" He feigns a sympathetic expression. "With really achy tummies, too."

"I don't want Wainbow Bwain da go da time-out," little Chris mumbles sadly. "Den he can't pway wif me!"

(G) Wyatt smiles. "You know what? Just this once, I think we can let it go. But only if you say the magic word."

"Pwease, Wy Wy. Pwease, pwease, pwease."

"Well… alright. Since you asked nicely."

"Yeess," little Chris grins and hugs the bright, yellow duck tightly. "Fank-you, Wy Wy."

"No problem, kiddo," he says, mussing his hair affectionately.

Then, all of a sudden, (G) Wyatt's face becomes grave and searching, and he asks as solemnly as he can to a boy clasping a cuddly toy, "So, do you think that the demon after younger Wyatt is actually in the Book of Shadows? How can we be so sure that it isn't a time-traveller like us, who knew what the future would hold and wanted to ensure it transpired exactly as they wished?"

"Hmm…" little Chris ponders, and Riley is stunned, impossibly more so, by the astuteness in the expression that just seconds before contained nothing but ingenuous gratitude. "You might be wight. We'w have to wook into dat. Ask da others if dey fink it's possible."

Chris, already certain of the culprit, knows this is not the case, but he's glad to see that little Chris' awareness has returned before he could fall into the childish mindset too deeply.

"Yeah, um, wow," Riley murmurs. "Just… wow."

"What's wif him?" little Chris questions, swiftly receiving the are-you-serious-look from his disbelieving friend.

"Nothing, Chris. It doesn't matter," other Chris assures him and he shrugs in his standard, dismissive manner.

"In many ways, he's in denial," (G) Wyatt explains. "Although, I suspect that each time he probes into the mind of his inner-child, some… behaviours become… How should we say?" He pauses. "Normal, almost. Or to an extent, as it would seem. The adult and the toddler parts seem to intertwine and in some cases, Chris just doesn't recognise when he's doing something unusual. Like, with Rainbow Brain. He feels it's okay to interact with the toy." Riley still appears muddled so he elucidates, "Every time his child-like parts takes over there is a risk that he may lose his grasp on reality completely."

"There doesn't seem to be any damage done this time, though, right?" Riley comments, and (G) Wyatt sighs and shakes his head.

"You sure about that?" he asks and points to his baby brother.

There, having lost track of the conversation and possibly all those big words he mightn't be capable of following, little Chris stands absentmindedly sucking his thumb like it's not at all an issue.

(G) Wyatt thinks back on his observations earlier, and is saddened by the fact that his previous instinct to fight the urge has been replaced by the instinct to effortlessly give into it.

Thanks for reading. Sorry for the unintentional recap. What with Riley needing everything explained. Though, who knows? Maybe you needed it..?