Disclaimer: I don’t own Charmed nor either one of its characters. I’m not paid for this, I just enjoy doing it.

Hi! This is my first fan-fiction of Charmed and I would like to know all your opinions! I’m a Spanish girl and you’ll probably find a lot of mistakes. I’ll thanked every correction, I swear. Thanks a lot and please, leave reviews!

Whitelighter Chapter 1-A Whitelighter called Chris

He waited almost two hours before they finally call him, but he had been waiting more than twenty years, so he could wait a bit more. He was sitting on his chair, surrounded by that fog that he had learned to appreciate through the time and despite the loneliness. And he was smiling. He wasn’t nervous. He wasn’t worry. He wasn’t even excited.

He was happy.

The Elder said his name with solemnity and kindness. He stood up and walked towards him, still smiling. The Elder put a hand on his shoulder and led him where the others were expecting them. The room was in completely silence. The Elders were all in front of him and all they were looking at him. One of them, the one named Zola, stepped out of the group, looking at him with gravity. He waved his hand and a chair appeared:

- Take a sit, Chris.

Chris shook his head, staring at them intensely:

- No, thanks. I’ve already spend too much time seated.

Zola nodded and got closer to him, meeting his eyes. The Elders contemplated the scene from behind, in silence and they all static. Chris couldn’t help rolling his eyes. They were so dull. Chris remembered the arguments in the manor with homesickness, always so noisy and funny… Zola must know what he was thinking, because when he was close enough, he whispered to him:

- It won’t be the same, Chris.

Chris blinked and sighed. The “you-shouldn’t-do-this-to-yourself” part had already begun.

- I know, Zola- he said firmly- And I’ve already said that I don’t care.

- Yes, you have. But when you be with them again, maybe you don’t think that way- Chris snorted, shaking his head, incredulous- Chris, listen to me. Do you remember when you was trying to save your brother? Do you remember the pain because the reject of your family? They didn’t know who you really were and they treated you…

- It wasn’t such a big deal- cut him Chris- I made a lot of mistakes and they pissed off, it was logical. But they cared about me, in their own way, though- he added, shrugging- But the point is that I had a mission then and I was desperate. The situation here is completely different. You… you can’t expect that I spend the whole eternity here, in Disneyland. Why did you preserve my essence, then?

- So you could live to see the peaceful world that you made possible- said Zola with tenderness- Because you deserved it. You deserve it.

- Well, I’ve seen it. And now, what?

- You could be any other Whitelighter’s witch.

- I don’t want to be any other Whitelighter’s witch, I want to be theirs- replied Chris, his eyes burning. Zola stared at those eyes and he knew that there was nothing that he could tell to convince Chris. Zola nodded slowly and turned to the other Elders.

Chris sighed again. Now he truly was getting a bit nervous. But they had to allow him to do it. They had to allow him to be their Whitelighter. They… they just had to.

During almost five minutes (eternal… five minutes), he only was able to hear whispers and rumors, but he didn’t get anything. Finally, the Elders were quiet again. The all turned to him at the same time. Chris couldn’t help laugh.

- So?- he said, grinning honestly.

The Elders didn’t smile back, but that didn’t worried him. Zola spoke again:

- All right, Chris- he said to him and Chris felt like screaming of happiness- You’re going to be the Halliwell’s Whitelighter. But if you respect our conditions, do you understand me?

- Oh, come on!- said Chris cheerfully- You know that I could accept anything just to be with them- he said- I would even dance.

Then some Elders laughed. Zola smiled too, his eyes brighten of tenderness and compassion:

- We’re talking seriously, Chris- he said- They can’t find who you really are. Nobody can.

Chris nodded, convinced. He already knew that, he did. But he really, really didn’t care.

- I just want to be with them- he whispered- I don’t ask anything else… nor anything less.

And that was true. They were not going to remember or recognize him. They were not going to call him nephew, brother nor son. Maybe they’ll never call him neither friend. But his hopes were not so high.

He didn’t expect they loved him. He didn’t expect they trust him at first time. He didn’t expect even they like him. But twenty years of waiting had been enough.

And now he just wanted to be with them… Not anything more… nor anything less.

The attic of the Halliwell manor remained in silence, like every attic in the world on Sunday morning in summer. Things were in its place, being covered by dust little by little, the sun was starting to slip in through the windows, illuminating the room, and the Book of Shadows stood in its place, closed and waiting to be opened again. Except for it, that could just be a normal attic of a normal house from a normal family. But the quietness didn’t take long in prove that the Halliwell family was just especial as the book.

POUM! The door opened with a tremendous bang and two people went inside, one of them, a tall and blond boy, subjecting the other, a brown-haired girl pretty much shorter, by her wrists, trying to stop her vigorous attempts to free herself.

- Get off, Wyatt!- she yelled angrily- You can’t do this to me again!

- Melinda, why do you have always to make things so difficult?- he said, breathing with difficulty, still struggling with her- It’s for your own good! We don’t know how dangerous this demon is! Aunt Phoebe’s premonition wasn’t very specific this time!

- Oh, that means that every time that you’re not sure about a threat you have to lock me in the attic? Because in that case, I could just move in here! Come on, guys, give me some credit! Why the hell can Patricia come into the fight? What’s she going to do to the demon? Hit on him?

- Mel, you know she’s an empathic, a powerful one in fact, she can channeling demoniacal powers even better than aunt Phoebe.

- Oh, yeah, I forgot. And I just orb!- she grunted.

- Well, I’m sorry, but that’s right, you just orb by now and you can’t fight with us, not with an upper-lever demon.

- But, why not?- she cried, desperate- I can orb in and surprise him!

- Mel, don’t say silly things- said Wyatt, now with a sweeter tone, while he took the Book of Shadows- Please, stay here. The crystals are around the room and…- he noticed that his little sister was mimicking his talk. He laughed, incredulous- Are you imitating me?

- No, I’m talking to my imaginary friend. I invented her in order to she makes me company when you put me in here, which you do annoyingly often, did you know that? - Wyatt rolled his eyes and turned to the door, exasperated- Oh, yeah, she’s Natasha, my friend from the attic.

- Wait here until things calm down, please, Mel.

- Don’t worry, Natasha and I won’t go anywhere, won’t we, Natasha?- Wyatt looked at her narrowing his eyes, with that expression so his that meant: “How could you be so stubborn?” He closed the door with telekinesis and Mel let go a squeal of exasperation.

She sat down on the floor, her back leaning against the wall, feeling her anger boil in her veins. She was so tired of that! She was nineteen years and they still treating her like she was a defenseless child. That was right, she just orbed… but she still a witch, wasn’t she? She could cast spells, orb in and out, and she has gone to karate five years. She was able to fight demons! But nooooo! Nothing of that mattered! Because she just orbed.

Just the contrary that the twice-blessed, more known as Wyatt. He was able to do practically everything he felt like to and also, he was a machine casting spells. And, of course, he orbed too. And if the twice-perfect was a bit tired or hadn’t had a good day, they could always call one of their cousins. Henry was fourteen, but he had telekinesis and telekinetic orbing, Patricia was seventeen, but she was great empathic and could seduce everyone that she felt like (everyone meaning everyone, even women; she hadn’t tried that, though) and Paula was fifteen, but she could levitate and dematerialize. All they were younger than her, but who cared?

Despite that nobody would call Melinda, because she just orbed.

Her youngest cousins, Phyllis, Paris and Penelope weren’t allowed to fight neither, but they weren’t very affected about that. Phyllis and Paris were Paige’s twins and they just orbed too, but both thought that orb was the most beautiful thing in the world and they used to spend the whole day orbing around, until the point that aunt Paige had had to mark a quota. Penelope was aunt Phoebe’s younger daughter, she was eleven and she had the power of premonition and empathy, but they weren’t very developed yet, although she could have premonitions from past, future and presence. But she was still a kid, exactly like the twins. It was logic that they don’t fight.

But Melinda wasn’t a kid!

Aunt Phoebe seemed the only one who really understood her. When she, mum, and aunt Prue received their powers and became the first Charmed Ones, Phoebe was really disappointed about the fact of not having an active power like Prue’s or Piper’s and she knew how frustrating was it .

- Yeah, but at last you fought!- was always Mel’s reply. Then aunt Phoebe used to nodded sadly and shrugged. What else she could do but comfort her? It was Piper and Leo’s decision. But it shouldn’t be.

- It should be my decision- murmured Melinda and her words resounded all over the empty attic. But nobody was listening, as usual.

Melinda closed her eyes, sighing. And then opened they again. She fix her green eyes in the attic’s door, holding her breath. And then she felt it. Again. It wasn’t the first time, but it was going to be the last one. However, she didn’t know that yet.

Sometimes, during or after and argument with her brother or her parents, Melinda had some strange sensations, like some kind of déjà vu, but in the inverse way. Instead of having the feeling of had already passed through some situation, she felt that something that was supposed to happen in that moment… didn’t. She laughed lightly. Even think about it was weird.

Melinda didn’t know what exactly she expected if someday that… missed thing?, actually happened. A voice telling her than one day she would be a great witch? A sweet kiss in the cheek, to give her confidence? A playful wink, just to make her smile?

She didn’t know. The only thing she knew was that there was something deep inside in her that felt very sad every time that those smiles or caresses didn’t come.

Wyatt went downstairs feeling annoyed and guilty at the same time. Annoyed because Melinda was quite short, but she had that mysterious strength and when she wanted to hurt… she really did. And guilty because despite of the fact of the stubbornness of his sister, he understood how disappointing must be being closed in the attic while the rest of the family was fighting against demons. Melinda was brave, passionate and cleaver. The perfect witch.

However, she wasn’t enough powerful yet. Wyatt knew that someday that would change. He could feel the magic growing inside his sister. But meantime, she should be stay locked in the attic. Especially that day.

When he arrived to the living room, he found his father getting out of the kitchen. Leo stared at his son’s upset face and knew that Melinda had defended her position just as well as usual. And by the scratches in Wyatt’s arms, maybe a bit more vigorously.

- How is your sister?- Leo asked him.

- Locked- answered Wyatt faking a ironic smile that faded an instant later. Leo stared at his son comprehensively.

- She hasn’t taken the easy way, huh?- he said, with a light grin.

- Does she ever?- said Wyatt, walking to where the Charmed ones were. Leo’s grin widened as he followed his son.

They waked in the conservatory, where Patricia was preparing the crystals in an strategic position to capture the demon once he attacked, while Piper, Paige were trying to get a more accurate description of the demon from Phoebe.

- I’ve already told you!- complained Phoebe- He was tall, brown complexion, black eyes and hair… ugh, disgusting gray and dirty hair. You know, the typical demon.

- You know, sweetie, after all of these years I hoped that you could give us a better picture- said Piper raising her eyebrows- Are you sure there wasn’t any distinctive sign in your vision?- Phoebe thought it for a minute.

- Well, he was really tall- she said nodding. Paige laughed and Piper rolled her eyes.

- Jus listening her you cant tell that she’s a writer!- exclaimed Patty playful from the corner.

- Oh, come on, don’t tease me!- moaned Phoebe, upset- I’m still shaky by the damn vision. It hurt so much!

From ten years by then, two of the three Phoebe’s powers, premonition and empathy, had mixed up and now her visions were not just that: she could feel the emotions of the people who appeared in them. Ten years had allowed her to get used to it, but it was always painful. Especially in that case, when the vision had been of her beloved niece Melinda been harmed by a fireball of that tall, tall demon.

- Was she very injured?- asked Piper concerned by eleventh time.

- I told you, Piper, I don’t know, the vision ended when she was hit- Phoebe said, a bit exasperated, but trying to keep calmed. She completely understood her sister, she was very worried about Melinda too- I felt pain, that’s true, a lot of pain. It was like my stomach burn, you know…

- Okay, stop describing my daughter’s death- threatened Piper, quite edgy- Have you put her in a safe place?- she asked to his son, who nodded in affirmation - Have you told her that she appeared in Phoebe’s vision?

- Of course not!- snorted Wyatt- I wouldn’t have been able to keep her in the attic if I had.

- Good point. Now give me the Book. Let’s see if we found that dirty-haired demon before he arrives- Wyatt handed the Book to his mum and sat down on the couch.

While the Charmed Ones were flipping through the pages searching something useful, he got lost in his own thoughts, whose greater part were about his little sister, locked in the attic.

He didn’t like that neither. He knew that Melinda, in that victimization so typical of teenagers, thought that everybody was happy about her having just one power. A power that didn’t give her that safety that in the Halliwell family all needed. But Wyatt was far from being happy about that. His sister was the thing he cared the most and he hated leaving her apart. And alone.

From time to time, Wyatt had some strange thoughts that made him even feel guilty. But they were there and he couldn’t help it. But why he couldn’t help it? He had a great family. His life was quiet, but entertaining at the same time. He enjoyed helping innocents. He enjoyed being a witch. And he definitely enjoyed being part of his family. However, sometimes, he felt that destiny was denying something to him that he wanted desperately. And that feeling was even stronger in situations like that: when he had to leave Melinda alone.

It was hard to explain. When he felt that he was leaving his sister unprotected (like when he went with his school partners to Italy in a trip, or like when he started to going out with girls, or just in situations like that one), he didn’t blame his overprotective-brother-side of that. He blamed… he didn’t know… the universe?

It was like he knew that there was something out there that could make him feel more confidence about Melinda. But where was that thing? What is was? Or… who?

His aunt’s voice woke him up.

- That’s it!- she exclaimed, pointing at the page where the Book of Shadows was open- That’s the demon of my vision! Assis, the ugly!

- Assis the ugly?- asked Patty frowning.

- Well, just Assis in fact, but I think “the ugly” goes just perfect with him.

- What the book says about him?- asked Wyatt interested.

- Upper level demon that has the power of throwing a very special kind of fireballs that he developed by his own, particularly dangerous for the human life. He was condemned to sleep during two hundred years by a witch in the eighteenth century- read Paige- And apparently he had decided to get out of his nap today.

- It doesn’t say why the witch didn’t condemned him to sleep forever?- asked Leo.

- Yeah, apparently she had heard that the Charmed Ones will be alive by this time and she decided that it’ll be better that they finished with him- said Paige raising an eyebrow.

- How nice of her- said Piper ironically- What do you think? Will need a Power of Three’s spell?- she asked to her sisters.

- I don’t know, maybe with Wyatt’s help it won’t be necess…- started Phoebe but she couldn’t finish the sentence- Everybody down!- she yelled, at she pulled her daughter to the floor.

Assis had just shimmered out… and how.

The awful demon had threw them five fireballs in less than ten seconds, fireballs that they miraculously avoided. Too bad for the furniture, that didn’t have the capacity of movement. The two sofas burned up and the door’s crystals blew up. From their hiding place, Piper smacked Phoebe on the arm.

- He’s early!- she scowled her.

- Sorry! I forgot to tell him to wait until we were ready!- Phoebe countered angrily- Aaah!!!- they both yelled, avoiding another fireball.

- Crystals! –shouted then Paige, using her telekinetic orbing. But Assis was faster. He reflected them and threw them through the other window. Paige stood there for a second, open-mouthed, until another fireball made her hid herself with her sisters- Okay, don’t panic!- she said to them.

- Who are you to decide that?- grunted Piper.

- Wyatt, honey!- called him Paige- Telekinetic orbing in three seconds! One… two… three!- Wyatt and Paige stood up at the same time and yelled: “Fireball” as two of them were going to them… and it didn’t work. The two spheres carried on unperturbed straight to them, not giving them time to react. Luckily, Piper was ready and she froze them.

- Hiough!- she said, relieved, just a second before Assis threw her telekinetically to the other room, knocking her against the wall.

- ¡Piper!- yelled Leo and Phoebe at the same time and they ran towards her, but Assis made the same with them and they fell to the floor unconscious

- ¡Mom!- shouted Patty scared.

- ¡Aunt Paige!- said Wyatt- ¡Orb her away!- Paige nodded and took her niece’s hand and orbed away. Wyatt avoided another fireball. Hell, that guy was pissing him off!

He got up and after avoid another damn fireball (god, that guy didn’t know do anything else?), he tried to blow him up. Assis screamed with pain and made a couple of steps backwards, but he recovered immediately. Wyatt groaned, exasperated.

And then he saw something that froze him on the spot.

Orbs. White… bright orbs.

“ If we get out of this, I’ll kill her” Wyatt thought as Melinda materialized in front of them.

- Hey! Do you need a hand, bro?- she greeted cheerfully, as she threw two vials of vanquishing potions. They weren’t powerful enough to finish with him (they were just potions that Piper gave her just in case), but they confused him enough to Melinda could kick him on his face. The demon fell down. Wyatt whistled, impressed.

She was right about the surprise factor.

But not right enough. Before they could react, Assis stood up again levitating and threw a fireball to Melinda’s chest, who fell down unconscious.

- ¡No!- Wyatt yelled, as he threw to Assis a couple of energy balls. Assis reflected both and answered with two more of his own. Wyatt blew them up, but he couldn’t with a third one that hit his arm. He screamed painfully and his legs gave way. Assis laughed and walked towards him, smirking with evilness.

Wyatt felt very confused when he saw himself trapped like that. So he resorted to his last chance: his force field. But that didn’t seem to intimidate the demon. His hideous grin still broad, which made Wyatt shivering with fright. The demon conjured an energy ball (that was red-colored and extremely bright, like they had never seen it before) and throw it against the force field, which was broken in little pieces.

Wyatt felt like if the air had just left the room. He surely didn’t expect that.

And he didn’t expect neither what happened after. When the demon began to walk towards him again, while it conjured a new energy ball, white orbs appeared from nothing between his enemy and him and the silhouette that materialized pushed him away with an extraordinary force, keeping him away from the battle. Wyatt knocked against the wall and fell, just while he heard a strong voice yell: “¡Energy ball!” Wyatt looked up.

The mortal sphere was encircled by orbs and went straight to the hand of the new contest in the fight, who didn’t thought it twice and threw it against Assis, who screamed in the most scaring way in the moment of the impact. The demon faded away among big flames and with his screams resounding all over the manor. Wyatt swallowed, puzzled. He hadn’t understood what had happened yet.

Then he realized that his young savior had run towards him and now was kneeling by his side, staring at him with a worried expression:

- Are you all right, Wyatt?- He asked, while he help him to incorporate.

- I think so- he answered, his hand in his head, trying to not fell off. Then he noticed that his forehead was wet. He looked his hand and see that it was full of blood.

- Wait- said the mysterious young man, calmly. He placed his hand over Wyatt’s forehead and over his arm and a familiar golden light emerged from it, healing the wounds. Wyatt let him do it, still stunned, but he couldn’t help make the inevitable question:

- Who are you?- the young men stared at him and for a second, a smile curled his lips, but it faded away with the same rush. He stood up jumping and helped Wyatt to do the same.

- There’s no time to explain- he said, firmly- heal your parents and Phoebe, they are just unconscious. I’ll take care of Melinda. She’s hurt bad.

- How do you know?

- Because I feel it. ¡Come on, Wyatt! There’s no time to loose- answered the new arrived vehemently, while he knelt next to Melinda and repeated the process that had done a few seconds ago with Wyatt.

This one, still shocked, stood a few moments there, watching stunned the Whitelighter (because he was a Whitelighter, right?), but then he remembered his parents and his aunt falling and he ran over them. He placed his hands over his mum and his dad at the same time , who didn’t take a long time to start to blink and breath normally again, the same as Phoebe when he healed her too. The Whitelighter was right: they were just unconscious. But not anymore. Piper was already standing up, with that look in her face that said that she was going to start to kick everyone’s ass in any moment.

- Where is that bastard?- said with peremptory voice- Have you vanquished it?- Wyatt shook his head, speechless. His parents and her aunt stared at him puzzled.

- Then?- just in that moment, they heard a gasp from the other room, followed by a swift emotion scream and Wyatt heard again the gentle voice of the Whitelighter: “Breath, Melinda, breath”. Piper frowned and went to the conservatory, followed by the others.

The picture there was peculiar, nobody could deny that: the young Whitelighter knelt on the floor, grasping the hands of a bewildered Melinda, who tried hardly to breath like he was telling her, while Paige and Patricia, who had just orbed in, contemplated the scene hugged. The whole family stood there, watching in silence how the Whitelighter helped Melinda to recover, like if it was the most fantastic thing that they had never seen. When finally color went back to Melinda’s cheeks and she could open her eyes and look at her healer, she said the first thing that thought:

- Who the hell are you?- asked confused.

- Good question, sweetie- said Piper, putting unconsciously her hands in the right posture to blow up anything considered dangerous.

- He’s a Whitelighter- answered Wyatt without thinking and without know, actually, but the young man didn’t contradict him, nevertheless his smile got wider.

- A Whitelighter?- said then Leo- How can be he a Whitelighter?

- Yes, it’s him who vanquished Assis- added Wyatt, now starting to feeling very grateful to the young Whitelighter.

- No, I didn’t- answered him entering at last in the discussion- Just a spell from the Power of Three can finish with him, but unfortunately it caught you unaware. What I’ve done is take one of his own energy balls that, ironically, are one of the few things that can hurt it and I made it run. But it’ll be back- added with gravity.

- How have you done that?- asked Paige curiously- I used my orbital telekinesis too and it didn’t work.

- Yeah, well, that energy balls repeal life- explained the young man- And you’re alive, Paige.

- Oh, right- said Paige- And you are not?- he shook his head and shrugged.

- Being dead seems to be required to be a Whitelighter.

- So you are a Whitelighter- repeated Leo, like he couldn’t believe it.

- I thought that part was clear already- he said with condescendence.

- A cocky Whitelighter- whispered Phoebe and Piper snorted. The Whitelighter rolled his eyes- So, honey, you have arrived in the perfect time. But, why have you arrived, anyway? We already have a Whitelighter. Three Whitelighters, in fact, and a lot a lot of half- Whitelighters around.

- Great, then I guess you’ll make me feel home- he said smiling- Because I’m your new Whitelighter. The fourth, according to your counts.

- Oh, are you!?- said Melinda and Patricia at the same time, both extremely animated by the news. Wyatt hid a laugh behind his hand. The Whitelighter flushed, but he smiled too.

- Yes, I am. And my name is Chris, by the way.

He was tall and skinny and maybe he could seem feeble, if it wasn’t for the determination of his expression. His hair was dark brown and he was quite pale, trait that brought his vivid green, sparking eyes out. In all the time that he had been with them, he hadn’t stop smiling and his grin was honest and mischievous at the same time. He wear white and light clothes and he just couldn’t look more like an angel.

- Could he?-asked Paige amused.

- I don’t think so. He’s cute!- exclaimed Phoebe.

- Do I have to worry?- asked Coop, Phoebe’s husband, raising an eyebrow.

- You’re the Cupid, you tell me- she said naughtily and he smacked him on her butt, making her laugh. She had call to send him to talk to the Elders. The Halliwell’s relationship with them wasn’t the greatest yet and they prefer to communicate through Coop, who hadn’t any kind of resentment against them.

- You don’t have to worry about Phoebe, but about your daughter. She hasn’t looked at away for ten minutes! And she doesn’t even blink!

- She’s just like her mama- commented Piper smiling.

- So, what do you want I ask them?- asked Coop to Phoebe. She shrugged.

- Nothing special, you know: if he’s really our new Whitelighter, why, who is he… You know, that kind of stuff…

- Do I take him with me?- suggested Coop.

- No!- exclaimed Piper and Leo at the same time, made the others jump.

- Okay- snorted Coop, a bit bewildered- I’ll be right back- he said and he kissed his wife, dematerializing away a moment later.

The four adults sighed and looked at the young ones, who were in the other part of the conservatory, sitting on the floor, since they hadn’t sofas anymore. Obviously, their children were pestering Chris with questions.

- He seems nice- commented Paige few minutes later- Don’t you think?

- Yes, and he seems smart too. He’s fast and determinate, that’s for sure- added Phoebe nodding- Maybe it’s not a bad idea, you know. I mean, have another Whitelighter. We are a lot of people and every time that happens something we have to call Wyatt since you have already enough Charges- she told to Paige- And our poor boy is always orbing around. That must be stressing for him.

- It is- said Paige- And now he’s going to start teaching at the Magic School, he won’t be there always for our kids- she sighed and thought it for a moment. Then she nodded too- Yeah, I agree with you, Phoebe. The Elders had a good idea. What do you think, guys?- Piper didn’t answered to her sister, nor Leo did- Guys?

But Piper and Leo weren’t listening her. They had their eyes fixed on Chris, who was talking with their children and their niece like if he had known them for years. Patricia was staring at him with her eyes brightening with a clearly teenager attraction. But Wyatt and Melinda were looking at Chris totally amazed, like he was some kind of miracle. Piper and Leo looked at him too. Apparently, he was telling something to them very funny, because they laughed animated. Without realizing, they both smiled broadly too, sighing pleased.

Paige and Phoebe looked at each other. Phoebe laughed.

- What is it with they two?- she asked smiling and then her empathy powers answered her- Whoa!- she exclaimed.

- What’s up?- said Leo, finally waking up.

- You tell me, I felt the paternal instinct running through your veins like the wind, sugar!- said Phoebe vivaciously- Humph! Do you like the new Whitelighter, don’t you?- she smirked.

Leo and Piper looked at each other, still smiling without know why.

- Well, actually I do, what’s wrong with it?- said then Piper calmed, although a bit embarrassed- He saved not only my son, but all of us and I think he could be a good guide to Wyatt and Mel.

- I agree- he said Leo.

- And to our children too, don’t you think?- said Paige, narrowing her eyes.

Piper and Leo vacillated just a second.

- Of course- she said and then walked over where the others were- Chris, would you like something to drink?

- Emm… no, thanks Piper.

- Are you sure?- added Leo- You don’t know what lemonade is until you taste hers…

Paige and Phoebe stared at each other again, smiling bewildered.

- What is it with they two? Really- asked Paige. Phoebe shrugged.

- I’m not sure- she said and then she looked at her daughter- Oh, great- she scowled- I’ll better go to stop Patricia before she begins to hit on Chris.

- Yeah, do it- Paige smiled- We have half-Whitelighters enough, than you very much.

Then Coop materialized in and everyone stop talking and looked at him.

- I talked to the Elders and they explained me the situation- he said solemnly- Apparently, they planned to talk to us before send Chris, but he decided to incorporate to the job a little earlier to help us with Assis, didn’t you, Chris?- the Whitelighter smirked and looked away.

Leo was the first who said something:

- Good for you, Chris- he said, smiling at him.

Chris looked up and smiled back.

- Thanks, Leo- he said and he got up- So, now that everything is clear, we need to move on, Assis could be back any minute- he said with determination- You girls, start with the spell, I think that there would be information enough in The Book of Shadows. Leo, Coop, could you help them please? Wyatt, Melinda, Patricia, you help me to build a trap with the crystals that are left. He can’t see them this time, okay?- he clapped- Now, every body back to work.

- Wow, you’re a bossy, you know that?- Phoebe said. Chris nodded, smiling.

- Yeah, they told me in every dimension- Everybody looked at him perplexed. He laughed- Okay, forget about it. Come on.

A half an hour later, while the Charmed ones and Leo were finishing the spell, Chris showed the younger ones how to put the crystals in the right position to catch Assis. He was levitating and sticking the crystals to the ceiling of the conservatory in a circular form. Wyatt observed the procedure very interested and so did Patty and Mel, but they were more fascinated about he one who was making the process than about the process itself.

- Have you seen his eyes? They’re beautiful!- sighed Melinda.

- Yeah, but right now I’m looking at a part of his body which is pretty much lower…

- Patty!- Melinda smacked her, although she laughed too.

- Chris, that glue doesn’t leave mark, right? Because if it does aunt Piper will kill you- said Patty in a cheerful tone. Chris looked down and laughed.

- I’m not using glue, Patty, I’m using my powers to keep these things up- he said while he went down to the ground slowly- When Assis appear, I’ll just let them go and they’ll fall, trapping him before they arrive to the ground, like a shopping bag.

- Huh, that’s smart- said Wyatt.

- Yes, it is- said Patty, clearly decided to catch the Whitelighter’s attention- So, Chris. When did you die?- she asked in a casual tone.

- Patty!- exclaimed Wyatt and Mel at the same time.

- I’m just asking!- replied Patricia in an innocent tone- I mean, it’s obvious he has overcome his death, he looks great!- Chris looked away, blushed, and Wyatt and Mel rolled their eyes- Come on, tell us. Did you die in the Second World War like uncle Leo?

- No, actually I didn’t- said Chris.

- Oh! Then in the First World War?

- Mmm… no.

- In Vietnam?

- I didn’t die in the war- said Chris- I… was killed by my parents.

- Oh, crap!- exclaimed Melinda astonished and he couldn’t help laugh.

- No, don’t freak out, it’s not so awful like it seems, they didn’t mean it. It was an accident, they even didn’t know that I was their child.

- Oh, poor little boy- said Patricia putting her hand on Chris’s shoulder- You suffered a lot, didn’t you?- she said and then she felt something that wasn’t her own- But now you’re very happy. Extremely happy, I can tell that. How is that possible?- she asked, like she was indignant at his joy.

Chris shrugged.

- Why not? It was long time ago and now I’m the Charmed one’s family Whitelighter- he looked at Wyatt and Mel smiling- What could be better reward than this?

Wyatt and Mel smiled back.

- Well, the spell is ready- said in that moment Phoebe walking in- Patricia Halliwell, let go our Whitelighter right now- she said in a warning tone.

- Mum, I’m comforting him!- protested Patricia- He was killed by his parents!

- Whatever, just keep your powers where I can see them- replied Phoebe pulling her daughter away from Chris- I’m sorry about you, though- she added to Chris.

- It’s okay, don’t worry- assured Chris.

- So, everything is ready?- asked Piper entering in the room with Leo, Coop and Paige- Where did you put the crystals?

- Up there- said Melinda pointing at the ceiling- Chris is subjecting them and when he let go them they will fall, trapping Assis inside.

- Oh, good- said Piper nodding- Are you subjecting them with your powers or with glue?

- With my powers, of course.

- Okay, because if you weren’t, you’d die.

- Yeah, I’ve been already informed about it- Piper looked at him raising her eyebrows and he wink at her. She snorted.

- Okay, let’s do this then- she said.

- Hey, wait- said Wyatt- Shouldn’t she be locked in the attic?- he said pointing at his sister.

- Wyatt!- protested her, feeling terribly embarrassed. Wasn’t humiliating enough be closed in that attic every time that there was a fight? Okay, for one time that she had escaped she had been hurt… But no one was going to admit how greatly had she kicked the demon’s face?

- What’s the point of that?- asked then Chris. Mel looked at him and so did Wyatt.

- Emm… protect her?- asked Wyatt frowning. Chris shrugged.

- She’s nineteen years old, I think she can take care of herself.

- Oh, do you?- asked Leo.

- Okay, I get the point, I really do, but it’s probably that Mel’s powers are not being developed so fast as Wyatt’s because you never let her fight. If she’s never under pressure, she won’t need her powers and they’ll be always asleep. She needs to wake them up.

- Yeah, well, but today?- protested Wyatt- She has been hurt and this guy almost finished with all of us, even…- he didn’t finished the phrase, but Chris knew what he was going to say.

- Even with you, right?- he said in a comprehensively tone- that’s right. Now, imagine than I hadn’t arrived and Assis had killed you. He would have found Melinda in the attic alone and locked. What would she have done then?

- Well, I can orb, actually- intervened Melinda.

- Yes, but you can do more than that- replied Chris.

- No, I’m on your side, don’t worry- smiled her- So can I stay?- she asked to her parents, who looked at each other doubtful- Oh, come on, this is practically done! The spell is ready, the crystals are ready! All I have to do is watch and learn!

Piper and Leo sighed. They had talked a lot about Melinda’s continuous complains and they knew that they had to let her fight at some point. And Chris was right. Maybe, in order to protect her, they were making her weaker. They shared a look and then Piper nodded.

- All right, then- she said- Come on, let’s go do this before I think it better.

- Ha!- exclaimed Melinda happily- I can’t believe this!- she turned to Chris- Where have you been all my life?- she asked. He laughed and shook his head.

- I can’t tell you that- he said, smiling.

The younger ones didn’t noticed, nor Coop did, but Piper, Leo, Paige and Phoebe frowned at the same time. No one of them said anything, but they had the same strange feeling all at once.

It was hard to explain. Some kind of déjà vu.

They had never commented that even between them. Those thoughts… were so weird that they couldn’t even explain them.

But they all remembered the night that they began. It had been twenty-three years ago, at Wyatt’s first birthday. A Darklighter had trapped Leo and Piper in the ghostly plane. With Gideon’s help, Phoebe and Paige had been able to rescue them. Of course, they had find out later that Gideon had put them there in the first place, in order to get to kill Leo and then get to Wyatt. It had been like that how that they had find out that Gideon was who turned Wyatt evil in the future, although by accident. Everything turned okay at the and…

… but then the strange feelings had started.

They didn’t know why they knew that Wyatt in the original timeline had turned evil. However, time goes by… Piper and Leo went back together, and they eventually assumed unconsciously that it had been because of a Phoebe’s premonition.

But that night, twenty-three years ago!, no one of them had been able to sleep. Without knowing, they had all the same sensation. A disturbing, sad feeling. Like if the had forgotten something (something important) and they couldn’t tell what.

As Melinda had predicted, Assis’s vanquish had been quite easy after all the fight. Chris had let go the crystals and they had fallen, trapping the demon and letting the sisters finish with him with the spell they had create. Melinda had even clapped, enthusiastic. Wyatt had rolled his eyes, although Piper was able to tell that he was proud of his sister.

Not many people can kick a demon in the face so gracefully.

All that had happened two hours ago, and now Piper sat in the stairs outside the manor, staring at the September sky full of stars, lost in her own thoughts. It had been a very complete day: a new demon vanquished, a new Whitelighter on stage, an old daughter fighting with them in they battle… Yeah, very complete, nobody could deny that.

She heard the front door of the manor being closed and she turned back, just to see Leo walk over her. He sat down hex to Piper and took her hand.

- Long day, huh?- he said, while she leaned her head against his chest.

- Yeah, I was thinking about that- affirmed she- and that I hate September’s first week.

- What?-Leo snorted- Why is that?

- Well… you know. It starts to be cold again, and the restaurant begins to fill again, and the kids start school again… Well, sort of, because Wyatt is actually teaching this year and Melinda is going to the college, but you know what I mean…

- Yeah, I do- said Leo- You mean that you love the summer- the both laughed quietly. Piper kissed his cheek and sighed.

- Where are the kids?- she asked.

- Torturing Chris- he said and Piper grinned- Jeez, I haven’t seen them so excited about something since we took them to England to visit Harry Potter’s stages.

- They like him- said Piper- It’s normal, I guess. They are all Whitelighters, they’re about the same age… well, you know what I mean. He looks like he’s about the same age… - she looked at her husband, suddenly indignant- Did you hear? He was killed by his parents!- she said, horrified.

- Yeah, I know, it’s terrible- said Leo nodding- I can’t believe how that kind of things can happen. Although he said that it was an accident.

- Yeah, well, still it’s horrible- Piper shivered- Poor thing… Did you tell him we wanted to talk whit him?- Leo nodded.

- Yes, I did- he said.

Suddenly, like if he had listened them, white orbs appeared from nothing and Chris materialized in front of them.

- Hey- he greeted, smiling.

- Hey, Chris- said Piper, smiling back- They finally have let you go?

- Yes, it took a while, but finally I could send them to the bed- he joked- You guys wanted to talk to me?- he asked kindly.

- Yeah, we do, actually- said Piper- We wanted to thank you for all your help with Assis. You have done a great job, Chris- Leo nodded in agreement, smiling at him too with complicity. Chris stood there a few seconds in silence, speechless.

- Wow- he said eventually- Thanks. I mean, it’s my job, but thanks anyway. It means a lot to me- he said sincerely.

- Well, you deserve it- said Piper with honesty- Until you came here, we hadn’t realized that now we are too many and that we need more help than ever. We thought that being so many people we were invincible, but it looks we’re more vulnerable. Our kids are growing up and their powers are being developed and they definitely need a Whitelighter, because we’re not going to be there forever, after all- Piper sighed- And I’m glad the Elders picked you, really.

- We’re glad the Elders picked you- added Leo, putting emphasis in his words- We really are. Welcome to our family, Chris.

Chris studied their faces, suddenly amazed for what he was contemplating. He hadn’t seen his parents like that before. In his life, Piper and Leo had been always separated for a reason or another, like if destiny didn’t want that they were together. But now they were sitting there, side by side, with their hands clasped and that expression of warmth and calmness that only the full happiness can give.

And then he knew that all his fight, all his sacrifices, had been worthy of it. And he felt happiness too and sadness at the same time, because he would never be able to tell them that he was their son and that he really was part of the family. But they were there, they wanted him, and they were there… together and happy.

And that was all that mattered.

- Thank you. Thank you very much- he whispered again, touched. Both Leo and Piper smiled broadly. He felt like crying and laughing at the same time, but he didn’t do neither- I better go. If you need me… you know, just call me.

- We’ll do- said Piper with tenderness, winking at him. He smiled again and he orbed out.

Piper and Leo remained in silence a long time after he was gone, both lost in their own thought. But, without knowing, they were thinking the same.

They looked at each other.

- Doesn’t he remind you someone?- they asked in chorus. Both stared at each other, surprised.