Post by StoryGirl83 on Sept 30, 2008 23:41:30 GMT -5
Chapter Twenty-Five – Footsteps on the Stairs
While everyone else was downstairs, Chris decided to go up to the attic and take another look at the book. He needed to relax and drop his invisibility. Surely Wyatt could be trusted alone for a few minutes, even if it was in the kitchen.
As Chris headed toward the stairs, Wyatt stopped just outside the doorway to the nursery. Chris?
Chris stopped and turned around. His brother couldn’t see him, but that was no reason to ignore manners his mother had installed in him. Yeah.
You sure?
I’m sure.
Are you heading back?
Chris shook his head despite Wyatt not being able to see it. No, not yet. I’m going to stick around until you are ready to go.
Leo headed downstairs, hugging little Wyatt to him. Phoebe headed downstairs as well. Paige stayed in the nursery singing to baby Chris. Piper watched Wyatt from the staircase.
Wyatt smirked. Don’t trust me, little brother.
Na, Chris returned. I just don’t think it would be a good idea to leave evidence of my visit and the only way I am getting back on my own is a triquetra.
“Wyatt, are you coming?” Piper asked, wondering why her son was just standing next to the doorway.
Wyatt nodded. See you later, Chris. “I’m coming, Mom.”
Don’t blow up the kitchen. Chris teased his brother.
Not funny, Wyatt threw back as he headed toward the stairs, followed by Piper.
Chris turned around and headed toward the other stairs, toward the attic.
Paige walked to the doorway carrying baby Chris and watched her sister head downstairs. The sound of footsteps from the opposite direction caused her to turn her head. She looked down the hall, but saw nothing. She looked down at her nephew in her arms. “Should we see what’s up?” she asked in a soft voice.
Baby Chris looked up at her silently.
Paige smiled. “Let’s go then.”
Chris breathed a sigh of relief as he reached the top of the stairs and pulled open the door. He closed the door behind him and let down his invisibility. With everyone occupied he should be safe up here for a little while. He walked over to the podium where the Book of Shadows still rested open. He placed his hand on the page and flipped to the next one. An almost ironic smile lit his face as he looked at one of the entries on the page. The demon whose visage he looked down at had been vanquished by his mother and aunts, like so many of the demons in their, but this one was different. This one had once been his uncle. Chris had never met him, but he’d heard stories, stories about the demon that fell in love with a witch.
He turned the next page and glanced at the entries there. Nothing caught his attention, so he turned to the next page, and the next.
He didn’t hear the sound of soft footsteps on the stairs or the door knob turn as the attic door opened. Paige peered into the room, looking for the source of the footsteps. Her eyes widened when she saw Chris standing at the podium. She looked down at the baby in her arms and back up at her second adult nephew. “Chris?”
Chris looked up startled, disappearing as he did. He stepped away from the podium and looked at his aunt.
Paige frowned as she looked at the podium where her nephew had stood a moment before. She walked into the attic toward the podium. “Chris, I saw you. Where are you hiding?”
Guess I can’t hide now, Chris thought as he turned visible. “Hi, Aunt Paige.”
Paige walked quickly to her nephew’s side. “Chris. How long have you been here?”
“A while,” Chris admitted.
Paige looked at him suspiciously. “How long is a while? A few hours? Days? Weeks? Months?”
Chris attempted to keep a straight face as he responded. “Honestly, Aunt Paige. You have trust issues.”
“With you? Yes.”
Chris chuckled. “I followed Wyatt when he disappeared.”
“Where have you been all this time?”
“Following Wyatt, mostly,” Chris admitted wryly. “I wanted to make sure he didn’t do anything crazy while you guys were trying to fix things.”
“You mean like, try to get Phoebe and me killed?” Paige asked sarcastically.
“Hey, I stuck around and helped,” Chris protested.
“You were there?”
Chris nodded. “I figured Wyatt could deal with it on his own for a while. You were a lot more out numbered.”
Paige shook her head with a smile. “Thanks.” She looked down at the baby version of her nephew in her arms. “Did you have anything to do with Piper panicking a little bit ago?”
Chris looked at her chagrin. “Yes, that was me.”
Paige snickered.
Chris shrugged. “And it was a good thing too. I can’t believe Mom left me with the Elf Nanny. She would have been no match for Wyatt.”
Paige stilled. “What do you mean?”
“Wyatt tried to kidnap me while he had everyone occupied.”
Only one word slipped from Paige’s lips. “Oh.”
Chris smiled reassuringly. “I’m okay. Don’t worry, Aunt Paige.”
“You want to come down stairs and join your brother?”
Chris shook his head. “No, I told Wyatt I was planning on staying out of history this time.”
“We’re not talking history, Chris. We’re talking your parents and other aunt. And when exactly did you tell Wyatt? We’ve been around him the entire time since he returned to normal.” Paige looked at Chris suspiciously. “He is back to normal right?”
Chris nodded, grinning. “Oh, yeah. He’s back to normal.”
“Good,” Paige pronounced looking relieved. “Now, come on.”
Chris shook his head. “Aunt Paige, I know you mean this for good, and I love you for it, but there is. . .”
“If you say anything that even translates to future consequences,” Paige warned, “I will orb you down there myself. As is, I am giving you the option of letting everyone know you are here and all right on your own.”
I guess I knew that was coming. Chris sighed. “Aunt Paige, I changed the future once, and I meant to, but I don’t want to mess up everything. What if one misplaced word does that.”
Paige gave Chris an amused look. “You misplace a word? Even one? I just don’t see that happening. You didn’t divulge your mission, let alone your identity until pretty much you wanted to.” She grinned at him. “Besides, if you’re so concerned about preserving the future for the future, you might want to keep in mind that your brother seems to have a looser tongue than you do.”
Chris chuckled. “All right, I’ll go down. You have to promise something first, though.”
“What’s that?” Paige asked relived that he was agreeing.
“Don’t mention this to anyone until I mention it first, and don’t let anyone try and find out what I may or may not know about the past, present, or future.”
Paige stared at Chris for several long seconds. Finally she nodded. “All right. You have my word.” She grinned as she once more asked, “Now, will you please come down stairs?”
Chris nod was all the answer she needed.