Chapter 1 of 30
Prologue
“But he saved the world,” Zola, one of the Elders of the Council argued. “He is a force of good.”
“Yes, he did. But that does not change the fact that he broke the rules,” another Elder argued back “The rules are there for a reason. We cannot risk him travelling back in time to change the world every time he doesn’t like the outcome. No Christopher Halliwell must be erased, for the greater good.”
“Isn’t that the same thing Gideon was trying to do?” a female Elder asked.
“No, because unlike Gideon I will abide with the council’s decision,” the Elder who had brought the subject up answered. “And we will have the Cleaners completely erase him; the Halliwells won’t even remember Christopher ever was part of their family. Those in favor?”
The voting started but the Elder who had come to talk to his colleagues, to ask them to show him he could still trust them, and had accidently heard this hearing, which he obviously hadn’t been invited to, didn’t wait for their verdict. He needed to act fast. He needed to save his son. And as the voting started to take place Zola, who had seen him but had made a point of not alerting his colleagues, couldn’t help but hope Leo acted fast, because he and the female Elder who spoke were the only ones to vote against erasing Christopher.
“It’s the only way Piper. If they think he died they won’t bother with erasing him. We’ll lose him otherwise,” he pleaded with his wife. He didn’t know how much time they had before the Elders and Cleaners came to a decision and didn’t want to waste any time. He didn’t trust them. He knew Gideon had taken the matter of Wyatt to the Council and when outvoted he took matters into his own hand. What was stopping the other Elder of doing the same? And worse, what if they all agreed that his sweet baby boy was a threat. How could they think him a threat when he risked everything to save everyone? When he gave his life for that? If someone had proven he was on the side of good it was Chris and Leo’s rage and hurt at the Elders was just getting stronger and stronger with each attitude they took. But this time he wouldn’t let them do anything. He wouldn’t trust them blindly again, and he would be the one deceiving them.
“I can’t lose my baby,” Piper begged sobbing. She couldn’t, not again. Not in any way. She couldn’t lose him to death, to the Cleaners nor could she stand the thought of someone else raising him.
“We won’t. We’ll just take him somewhere safe. I know these people. They’ll take good care of him. Trust me Piper. It’s just until he is old enough to defend himself,” Leo argued. He wanted his boy safe.
“No, the Cleaners know not to mess with us-they-“ Piper tried to argue back and held Chris closer to her chest, not wanting to relinquish him.
Leo sighed, he had gone through this with Piper and with her sisters and she had agreed. They had bound Chris’s Elder powers so no one would realize what he was. But now, faced with the goodbye moment Piper was once again hesitating, “Are not alone this time. The Elders are with them. Piper, please. I failed to protect him once. Don’t let us fail again. Please!” he begged.
Piper knew rationally that this was the only way. They were powerful, but there was just so much they could do against the Elders and Cleaners together. They had managed the Cleaners once, but that had been based on the fact that they knew the Elders would not want to lose the Charmed Ones and therefore would not let anything happen to them, so when blackmailed the Cleaners had to bend to their will and return Wyatt. But if they both united against the Charmed Ones, than they had no one to back them up and had no chance. And she couldn’t risk her baby’s life for her selfish desire of keeping him close. She was a mother, and as a mother her baby’s needs came first. And if what he needed was someone else to take care of him, then she knew she would fold.
She nodded reluctantly burying her face in the bundle in her arms. Her tears fell on his little face and aware of his mother’s distress little Chris started wailing. Leo gently took him from his mother’s arms who fell to the floor in despair. He looked at his sisters-in-law and said firmly.
“It has to be believable.”
“It will,” Paige nodded holding back her tears. She kissed the baby’s head and Phoebe did the same. They crouched next to Piper as Leo and Chris disappeared in a shower of orbs.
“I know you’ve recently found out you couldn’t have any children, and I’m desperate. He could easily pass as yours. You just have to darken his hair a little. I- I need to protect my son- they’ll-“
“Leo,” the woman interrupted. “You had us at I need a favor. Of course we will. After all you’ve done for us,” she smiled down at the baby. She had instantly fallen in love with him even before Leo had spoken. Something in that baby screamed to her instincts to protect him.
“We’ll care for him as if he was our own,” the man said firmly putting a hand on Leo’s shoulder.
Leo nodded, and with tears in his eyes he kissed his son, “I love you so much. I’m so sorry,” he handed the baby to the woman and orbed away before he gave into his parental instincts to take his son and run. That was the last time he saw them for the next fourteen years.