Leo found his son in the kitchen brewing the potions they would need. He wasn’t stupid. They found the warlocks. Tomorrow Chris and the girls would finish them off and then Wyatt and Chris would leave. He wouldn’t have more time to make things right with Chris. He needed to talk to him now. He had tried showing through actions that he was sorry and that he would change. He would be there for him. But sometimes just actions weren’t enough.

He approached the bench were Chris was preparing ingredients and cleared his throat, “May we talk?”

“I’m busy,” was the short answer.

“This won’t take long. Please,” Leo said motioning to the table. Chris sighed, dropped the knife on the counter, walked around the counter and sat on one of the stools facing Leo. Leo understood the defiance of not going to where Leo was pointing and he took a stool.

“I haven’t said this before but I am sorry for how I acted. It was wrong and I really don’t have any other excuse than using you as a scapegoat to blame for my actions.”

Leo looked at Chris but Chris remained silent, his arms crossed just staring at Leo. Leo took a deep breath and said:

“I know my future self wasn’t the best father,” Chris snorted. “Okay, I heard he was the worst. But I promise you that will change. I won’t be that man and I hope you can look past what he did and give me a chance. I hope you don’t make the same mistake I made. I didn’t see you. I saw an enemy. But you’re not seeing me either. You’re seeing the man who raised you. And I’m not him yet and hopefully will never be.”

Chris sighed and observed Leo. He rubbed his fore head. He hated to admit but Leo was right. Chris’s anger at him was for what his father had done in the future. Not what Leo had done in the past. Yes, Leo had been wrong but Chris had hardly ever let what Leo said affect him. He expected the worst from him and let it bounce. No, what he was holding against Leo were missed birthdays, broken promises. And Leo was right. That was the same thing he and Piper had been doing. Chris inhaled deeply.

“I- I can’t just forgive 18 years of neglect Leo. I can’t forgive him. What I can do is accept that in this time you made a mistake and are sorry about how you treated me and forgive that. And what I can do when I get back is judge you by what you did, not what my Leo did. That you’re not him. So how our relationship will be in the future will depend on you.”

Leo nodded swallowing a lump, “That’s all I’m asking for.”

Chris nodded jerkily and got up to continue the potions. Leo stood and silently started helping Chris.

---

“Grandpa, I’m leaving,” Chris called the next day opening his grandfather’s bedroom door quietly. His eyes widened at what he saw and he quickly shut the door hoping he hadn’t woken the slumbering couple. He orbed away.

---

“All set?’ Wyatt asked as his brother orbed into the manor’s kitchen.

“Yes, I already talked to them.”

“Good.”

“Okay. Gotta tell you something,” and Chris was positively giddy. “Before I left. I saw grandpa-“

“All set?” came Phoebe’s voice as she entered the kitchen.

“Yes!” Chris moaned.

“Good. Piper and Paige are coming down and then we’re ready to go.”

“Okay. But before Grandpa and-“

“Ready,” Piper and Paige arrived. “Let’s go.”

“But I have to tell about grandpa!” Chris whined.

“When we come back you tell us. Let’s go and deal with this once and forever,” Piper said firmly. Chris huffed but grabbed her hand.

---

The family of six had been having lunch as demons shimmered in and looked around disgusted.

“You were followed,” the father seethed at his sons as the family positioned themselves for a possible fight.

“No, I swear,” one of the sons shook his head violently.

“So, that’s what you want warlocks? What do you think? That we’ll be your slaves?” one of the demons sneered and the patriarch recognized him as a fairly upper level demons with a lot of influence.

“We only want our kind, evil, to rule where we belong,” the father answered. “Up here. Like we should have always been. If I may ask how did you find us?”

The demon smirked, “Apparently your plan fails. Spectacularly. We’re here for the show,” he finished simply with a raised eyebrow. And as he and his companions moved back four people appeared from thin air.

“Now,” the youngest man of the group said. “That would have been me who followed you. And that would have been 18 years from now, when you first tried, and I do emphasize the tried, to gain control. This should be fun again,” he said turning to the oldest woman.

She smirked at him, “You see,” she finished turning to the mother of of the evil clan. “My son here doesn’t appreciate people hurting me,” she caressed his cheek fondly. “And he let you know that.”

Chris shrugged, “But then I thought. Why not get the annoyance out of the way early on?” and he sent the youngest son flying towards the wall. A battle of potions and powers started between the two magical families while the demons just watched. Delighted.

The father of the clan had already perished when the mother sent Paige crashing on a wall effectively knocking her out. Seeing this Chris blew the mother up. And the four sons, enraged with grief, renewed their attack on the Halliwells. Piper blew one up as Phoebe stabbed the other with an athame killing them both instantly. Neither saw when the youngest son took a gun from one of the drawers and pointed it at Piper. The shot never arrived though as Chris threw himself towards her knocking her out of the way.

“NO!” was Piper’s horrified cry as she saw the blood seeping from her son’s back and she immediately blew the son with the gun up and gently turned Chris around. “Chris, baby. Stay with me. PAIGE!”

Phoebe was trying to rise Paige with no success and she hadn’t seen the last son. Chris, in his weakened state did, and with his last strength sent a jet of lightning towards him finishing of the family.

The demons, looking satisfied, looked down at the stricken mother. “Well done Halliwells. I think you’ve proved your point. The next time we cross paths we won’t be just spectators,” the leader said and they shimmered away.

Piper didn’t listen though, as she desperately caressed Chris’s face. “Hold on baby, I love you, I love you so much, hold on,” she begged as Phoebe kept shaking Paige.

“Love you mom,” Chris whispered with his last breath and closed his eyes. Piper kissed his forehead in tears. Blue orbs formed and Leo and Wyatt appeared. They both ran to Chris and Wyatt’s hand started glowing but faded instantly.

“NO! I have my powers back!”

“You can’t heal the dead,” Leo choked out as Chris’s body vanished leaving behind a stricken family.

“Chris, no!” Wyatt sobbed as his mother grabbed him in a hug and mingled her tears with his. Leo joined the hug and hid his face in Piper’s hair damping it with his own tears. Next to Paige’s unconscious but breathing body, Phoebe sank to the floor not able to process what her eyes where telling her. Her nephew was dead.