Post by StoryGirl83 on Sept 30, 2008 23:20:52 GMT -5
Chapter Seventeen - Vicus Revealed
Upstairs Leo walked down the hall, carrying baby Chris, completely unaware of what had been going on downstairs. On the other side of the wall Wyatt followed first by Piper, then Phoebe, and then the older invisible version of the younger Halliwell brother, walked toward the main upstairs hall. Leo had just turned the corner when Wyatt reached the doorway and spotted his father. “Dad!”
Leo looked at him stunned as Wyatt circled his father delighted. The older Chris squeezed past the doorway and found himself staring his baby version in the face. Baby Chris stared in the direction of the older Chris and Chris was suddenly sure that he could see himself. It was an odd thought.
Wyatt continued his delighted speech. “Hey, look at you! You haven’t changed a bit! Maybe a little less gray and few pounds lighter.”
Hearing his brother Chris felt like groaning, but get his thoughts silent as he watched what was going on. Leo looked at Piper and Phoebe trying to figure out what was going on and who was this man calling him “Dad”? Bewildered he asked, “What?”
Phoebe’s response is seemingly matter of fact, though she is still trying to get around the facts of the situation. “Future son.”
Great, Chris thought as he eyed his older brother. What has Wyatt been telling them?
At that point the Wyatt saw baby Chris. “Hey, is this Chris? My gosh! He's so small. Hey, little brother.” Piper and Phoebe looked on smiling until Wyatt asked a question. “Is this before of after he swallowed the marble?” As he said it he tried to remember where he heard that story.
Piper was instantly in mother mode. “Marble? What marble?”
“Easy on the future information,” Phoebe told him with a calming voice.
A few feet away, an invisible Chris groaned. Wy, what are you thinking? You know better than this. You don’t mess with the past unless you have a very good reason, and curiosity is not a very good reason. Chris looks at his miniature version wiggling in Leo’s arms. Still I’m not too comfortable with the idea of swallowing a marble.
Wyatt acquiesces quickly. “Of course, you're right.” Chris sighed in relief.
Piper, however, was more interested in the marble than any future consequences. “No, but really, what marble?”
Chris found himself smiling. Good old mom. Always, we come first. Obviously I survived this marble, but you have my permission to do something about it, if you can.
Leo was still not sure what was going on, so he asked, “You want to explain what's going on?”
Putting a hand on Leo’s shoulder, it was Wyatt who answered. “Apparently they brought me here to figure out what's wrong with me. Is that still my room?” Without waiting for an answer, Wyatt walked over to the room and headed in. Chris looked quickly between his brother and other relatives and decided to follow his brother.
Still stunned, Leo turned and looked at Piper and Phoebe. “Explain.”
In the bedroom, Vicus was kneeling down next to little Wyatt's bed. He was trying to convince Wyatt to give him his teddy bear. “If you let me see Mr. Bear, I will give him right back, I promise.”
The older Wyatt entered the bedroom and stops when he saw Vicus. An invisible Chris followed behind him, more interested in his brother’s actions than that of the other family members. Chris almost ran into Wyatt and frowned as he looked around the room trying to determine why Wyatt stopped.
In front of him Wyatt asked, “Hey, don't I know you?”
Chris frowns, knowing Wyatt isn’t talking to him, but not seeing anyone else in the room. Wy, who are you talking to?
At the sound of Wyatt’s voice Vicus stood up and stared at Future Wyatt. He had a puzzled look on his face.
The older Wyatt continued to look at Vicus, trying to determine why he recognized this man. “You look familiar.”
Vicus is more interested in why this witch knows him. “Wait. You can see me?”
Wyatt looked at him confused. “What do you mean? Of course I can.”
Chris looked from his brother and into the direction Wyatt was looking. He saw no one. All right, Wy. Who’s over there? Who are you talking to?
From the other room, Piper’s voice could be heard. “Wyatt?”
Vicus decided it was best to not stick around and started to vanish out of the room; first his body, then his head, and finally, his glowing yellow eyes.
From outside the room Wyatt and Chris heard Piper asks, “Who are you talking to?”
Wyatt turned and saw Piper carrying baby Chris, Phoebe, and Leo walk into the room. Chris walked over to little Wyatt’s bed trying to determine who his brother was talking to.
Not seeing the answer to her question, Piper asked another one, “What's going on?”
Wyatt looked at her and asked, “That man, you didn't see him?”
In a soft voice Phoebe asked, “See who?”
Wyatt looked at them with a slightly bewildered look on his face. “He was just there talking to ... me.” His voice trailed off with the last word.
Chris looked up worried. Though he knew that Wyatt had talked to someone the fact that this person, like him was invisible, worried him. The fact that this person was not invisible to Wyatt worried him more.
It was Leo who asked the inevitable time-travel-confusion issue question. “‘Me?’ What, do you mean you or him?”
Wyatt’s answer did nothing to clear up the matter and did nothing to allay anyone’s concern. All he said was, “Both.”
In a small part of the underworld where Vicus’ lair was hidden, Vicus was talking to Hugo, a worried expression on his face as he tried to puzzle out what had just happened. “The boy was just starting to trust me. He was about to give me the dear. Where did this other witch come from?
Off in the distance Hulo leaned against a table and asked a question. “What other witch?”
Vicus turned his head in Hugo’s direction and annoyed he replied. “The one who saw me.” Shaking his head Vicus turned back to staring straight ahead. “Now how it that possible?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Hugo told him looking off into the distance. “They know you now. I told you this was going to be too dangerous.”
Vicus seemed to ignore Hugo as he continued speaking, wringing his hands. “I made it so that only Wyatt could see me.”
Concerned Hugo tried to bring logic into this. “Well, then they must have found a way through your powers.”
Vicus didn’t think so. Shaking his head he said, “No. No, this witch who saw me seemed surprised.” Standing Vicus walked away from his chair. “But still, he thought he knew me.” Suddenly he stopped, a look of realization coming to his face as he continued. “And his name was Wyatt, too.” Vicus turned and looked at Hugo. “We may have an opportunity here.”
Hugo looked at him, his eyes drifting. “I don’t follow.”
Excited by the growing idea in his head Vicus explained. “Don’t you see?” Hugo got up and moved toward Vicus, suddenly all his attention caught. Vicus started walking toward Hugo excitedly. “If I made it so that only Wyatt can see me, then that means this other witch must be Wyatt, too.” Vicus grasped Hugo’s shoulder. “They conjured him from the future. An older Wyatt, a good Wyatt.”
Hugo didn’t see why this was a good thing and told Vicus so. “But doesn’t that make it worse? If this future Wyatt is good, then that means you never infected the bor.”
Vicus patted Hugo on the shoulder and headed for the entrance eager to test his new hypothesis. If he was right, this would be an amazing opportunity for him. “Gather the collective. We need to attack now. Distract the sisters with everything you’ve got.”
“What do you plan to do?” Hugo asked.
Vicus turned around and looked at him. “I'm gonna get the boy to give me that bear. With it, I'll finally turn him, and then I'll watch the future change before my very eyes.” Vicus’ eyes glowed yellow as he disappeared.