A Charmed Story - Part Thirteen:
Freaky Friday
Chapter 11

Steve and Nicki were sitting on the blanket in the park, holding each other tightly. They had eaten all the nice stuff he had prepared and his fiancée had to admit that it was delicious. Now they were just holding onto each other, enjoying the beautiful moment in this beautiful night, enjoying being close together again. During their dinner they had talked. Steve had apologized a couple of times, and Nicki did, too. Somehow both knew that this night meant a change in their relationship, they would start new, facing their problems together this time.
"I love you so much," Steve whispered into her ear, making her giggle.
"I love you," she replied then, turning to him to give him a kiss.
It really was a perfect moment, something both would treasure in their heart for eternity. That was until they heard the sound of breaking branches.
"What was that?" Nick asked sitting up.
"I'm not sure," Steve replied looking around, worried.
Then they heard the sound again.
"Maybe we should go back," Nicki suggested. Steve nodded and they hastily grabbed their things together.
But then Nicki caught some movement form the corner of her eyes. "Oh my God," she said and stepped closer to Steve.
The man had seen it too... them... Ashon... lots of Ashon... 20 or more... Steve had the feeling that the whole clan was there. They were suddenly there, all around them, surrounding them, slowly stepping closer.
"Shit," the man muttered as the anger began to boil in his veins. Why had they have to come, why couldn't they let them live their life in peace? His eyes flashed yellow again for a moment.
"Don't worry," he said then as he turned to Nicki. "The crystals should protect us for a while." Then he turned to the sky and called: "Christopher! I need help!"
A murmuring went through the group of Ashon. Steve had expected his friend to appear right away but nothing happened. Again his eyes turned yellow as he looked to the sky again, while Nicki clung to him fearful. "CHRISTOPHER???? MOM???? TOM???? ANYONE????"

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Belthazor sat in front of the computers watching the scene in the park from the distance. He knew - even with being the Source - he had no right to interfere. It was the right of the Ashon to take care of their own, and Steve was one of their own.
Still he was worried, worried about Julian. He shouldn't have let the witch go - demonic powers or not. It was a risk for him to be near all this. He could easily get caught in the line of fire when things went out of hand. And the source wasn't sure if he could handle losing his friend. As weird as that was, Belthazor really cared about this witch. He had saved him from Zankou's dungeons by accident... actually he just wanted to kill his rival. But what he got was so much more than he had ever expected. He got a real, a true friend.
But Belthazor knew, how much he ever cared for his friend, this didn't matter. If he would go there and appear in this situation, the Ashon would feel betrayed. And with him 'acting weird' and ordering to not attack the Charmed Ones, this would be another light to feed to the fire of a rebellion.
He might never talk to Julian about it, but he suspected his friend knew... He suspected Julian knew that Belthazor's position wasn't the best at the moment. He was weak, he cared for others... and his demons knew that, too.
So he had to stay calm and watch from the distance as the Ashon encircled Steve and Nicki, coming closer to them step by step. He just hoped Julian was hidden safely, outside of this ring...

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In the dark room just some muffled moans were heard accompanied with the fizzle of fabric. Veronica startled to giggle when Tom's lips brushed softly over a sensitive spot on her neck, right below her earlobe.
"I love you... so much..." he declared before his lips started to wander lower.
"I know," Veronica giggled, "and I love you, too..."
"Yeah...?" he asked teasingly. And when she nodded, his hands lightly brushed over her sides, tickling her, making her laugh heartily.
"That's unfair," she complained still laughing. But Tom claimed her lips again with his own, stopping her from further arguing.
For a while there was no other sound heard then the sound of love.
But then Tom suddenly tensed through he didn't stop the kiss...
"Tom? TOM? Please we need some help here!" he heard Steve in his mind.
"Not now buddy, I'm busy..." he sent back to his friend, trying to block him out right after that. He wouldn't let his friend ruin that moment.
But Steve's reply was faster than him: "What is more important than the whole Clan of the Ashon encircling us?"
Tom sat up with a groan.
"What?" Veronica asked since she had no idea about the silent conversation.
Tom switched on the lights and looked at his girlfriend apologetically. "I'm sorry," he said and rose to get his clothes.
"What's going on?" she asked still not understanding.
But Tom explained: "Steve... He called, troubles with his demonic family... all of them as it seems..."
Veronica was out of the bed in a millisecond putting on her clothes, too, saying: "Come on, let's hurry then..."
Tom nodded and grabbed her hand as soon as they were both dressed, shimmering them to the park.

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Christopher was by now sitting on the sofa, Bianca and Cole sat face of him as Piper paced in front of him. After the Charmed One had said his name, all pieces clicked into place also for the others. Bianca had felt a kind of relieve at first that she didn't really fight with her husband but now she was worried where he was right that moment. Cole on the other hand found this situation weird, but somehow also amusing. And Piper? She was both relieved and worried, same as the Phoenix, through she also felt a lot of anger.
Christopher had begun to explain things to them in detail, but the Charmed One kept interrupting him, saying that he was so grounded for this, among other things.
"Ok... stop it Piper," Bianca then said rising to her feet, stopping the woman before she could start another rant. Then she turned to Christopher asking: "When you are here, then tell me: where is my husband?"
"I don't know..." Christopher said, "I guess... he is in the future..."
Both women were speechless after hearing this. So Cole asked. "What makes you think he's in the future?"
The witch-Elder shrugged: "Where else should he be... he surly is fine or else Wyatt and Hope would have stopped me because they..." He stopped in midsentence.
"What?" Piper asked.
Christopher looked up: "Steve's calling me, he needs help."
"What? Oh... No no no... you will stay here young man until we figured this out, got it... I won't let you..."
"But..."
"No buts... you'll stay here until we know what to do about this mess..." Bianca agreed with her mother in law.
"But mom," Chris complained, right when the old grandfather's clock started to announce the full hour, "he's in trouble, he needs help!
Cole turned to the clock and then back to Christopher, remembering the vision he had have earlier. And while Piper was already arguing again he calmly said: "I think we should let him go."
Both women turned to him sharply, wanting now from him an explanation. So the man sighed and explained: "I don't know for sure, but... did you hear the clock? What if all this has to do with the premonition I had? Because during that one I heard the clock, too. It's just a feeling, but I think he needs to go... we all need to go..."
Piper sighed and nodded and turned to her son: "Where?"
"Golden Gate Park," Christopher said and then orbed away, knowing that they others would follow him.

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Silas sighed as he sat down on the stone floor. This was getting them nowhere as it seems. The Oracle could only tell him that Steve would make his own decision and whatever path he'll take he'll be happy with it. Ok, so far that was nice... But there was still this comment about 'the others not liking it'. They had tried to find out more about this, but the Oracle doesn't want to clarify, it doesn't even want to give them some hints.
Elenia was worried about this, and didn't want to leave this place. But Silas by now thought that this was all useless... a useless waste of time.
Odin had begun to feel the same way, through he also understood the female Elder. In former times he might have not understand her, but since he was Christopher's godfather, he knew what it meant to care for one being instead of all beings in this world. He understood the difference, and that's why he understood Elenia’s worries. But by now he did agree with Silas and tired to convince her to let things be... to take a rest and maybe try again the next day. "Maybe the Oracle will be a bit more talkative then," he just said.
Elenia turned to him, her eyes a mixture of worry and anger, and shook her head: "This thing will never help us..."
"Oh... now I'm hurt... I always helped you in the past and I'll always help you in the future," the Oracle answered ton this, "but right now an answer won't help you anyway..."
Odin rose an eyebrow looking at the shining ball: "Then I suggest you better say nothing at all anymore or can't you see that you bring even more distress to this woman?"
"I pretend I haven't heard that," the Oracle gave back. "By the way, I really don't understand why you are still here and not where you should be right now."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Silas now asked with another sigh.
But Odin suddenly rose his eyebrows. "Christopher," he muttered.
And "oh" escaped Silas lips as he rose. They had completely forgotten to jingle him. Hopefully it wasn't to late already... And hurriedly they dragged the confused Elenia out of the Oracle chamber while the shining ball in their back started to chuckle.
As soon as they stepped out of the protected room Odin wanted to call their friend, but Elenia suddenly paled visibly.
"Oh my God," she babbled, "Steve... he's calling me... he's in trouble!"
Silas shrugged and Odin said: "Then let's go..." And so all three orbed to where they sensed the half-Elder.

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Meanwhile Phoebe finally returned from magic school. The first thing she noticed when she stepped into the manor was that it was unusual quiet. Frowning she went down the steps to the ground floor checking every room. But no one was there. Looking out of the window she saw Paige and Kyle by the fireplace, enjoying a romantic dinner. For a moment she thought about asking them if they had seen anyone, but then decided against it. She didn't want to destroy the lovely atmosphere out there. So she climbed the steps again and finally heard some voices from the nursery. Entering she found Leo sitting on the side of Wyatt’s bed and reading his sons and Hope a story.
But when he heard her step into the room he looked up. "Phoebe... Nice you're back, you missed a fabulous dinner."
"Yeah I'm sorry, I had to check something out... Where is the rest?" she replied.
Now Leo frowned: "Aren't they down in the living room?"
Phoebe shook her head: "No... No one seems to be home except us and the lovebirds in the garden..."

& & & & &

The full moon was hanging high in the sky now, having reached its apex. Its silver light shone down on the scene below making everything easy to see - including the two dozen or so Ashon standing just outside a protective circle.
Steve, standing just in front of Nicki in a shielding manner, watched them watching him. They seemed to be looking for a way passed the crystals. All Steve could think of was getting Nicki out of there, and fast! 'Where the hell is everyone?' he thought angrily. They should all have come by now. They had never let him down before. His eyes caught those of an Ashon, the demon grinned evilly at him.
One of them stepped forward then, taking a place of power in their circle, then spoke. "Steve. Lower the shield and come with us," the demon said in a commanding voice.
"Never!" Steve yelled back, holding on to Nicki's arm, and keeping her behind him.
"Lower the shield. We have business to discuss. You have to come with us," the demon repeated, taking a step forward.
"No!" Steve yelled again, taking a step back. His eyes flashed yellow again for a moment. There was no way he'd ever go with them.
"Lower the shield, and we won't hurt your friend," the demon tried again, taking yet another step forward. Steve's eyes turned yellow again, staying that way longer this time. He would never, ever, under any circumstances let them hurt Nicki. "I'll never let you hurt Nicki!" he yelled, feeling the anger build inside him.
"She's not the friend I was referring to," he said, then lifted his hand and motioned one of his clan-mates forward. A big burly demon, a bit big for an Ashon actually, came forward dragging a semiconscious Julian with him. He dropped him at the speaker's feet, eliciting a groan from the witch. Steve's mouth dropped when he saw him. He had no idea what Julian could have been doing there. But fear filled him then, fighting for domination with the anger. Should he stay safe inside the crystals with Nicki and wait for help to come? Or should he let down the shield and save Julian? But he was sure the Ashon wouldn't let them live no matter what he did. They were demons. So what could he do?
"This is my last offer. Let down the shield and come with us, and your friends can go free," the Ashon spoke again.
"What happens if I don't?" Steve found himself asking. Julian tried to push himself up then, trying to shake the cobwebs from his head that the big Ashon had given him when he'd hit him from behind. He was wishing now he'd turned himself invisible.
The Ashon looked at him for a minute, a smile creeping unto his face. Then without any warning, he kicked out, hitting Julian in the head, sending him sprawling. Nicki let out a gasp, and clutched Steve's arm tighter. The anger in Steve was building to dangerous levels. He couldn't just stand there and let them hurt Julian! But he couldn't risk Nicki either.
The head Ashon lit a fireball then, hovering it near Julian. "So what will it be?" he asked casually. His red eyes showing he was being anything but casual. Steve looked back at Nicki, then at Julian, torn between protecting his love and helping his friend.
"Steve, don't!" Julian got out before the big Ashon grabbed him by the throat and pulled him to his feet. Steve's eyes were starting to turn from yellow to orange now, and his skin was greying in the moonlight.
"Steve, please! You have to help him. We're witches, we can hold them off until help comes! Please!" Nicki pleaded from behind him. Steve was having a hard time to decide, but he knew he couldn't let them kill Julian.
"Well?" the Ashon said, aiming his fireball at Julian, ready to throw it.
"Don't!" Julian strangled out, clutching at his captor's hands, his feet barely touching the ground.
"Steve!" Nicki pleaded, squeezing his arm tighter. The demon pulled back his arm, just about to hurl the fireball.
"Stop!" Steve yelled, taking a step forward this time. The demon lowered his arm, but didn't extinguish the fireball. "Let him go," Steve said, taking another step forward, and removing Nicki's hand from his arm.
"Will you come with us?" the demon asked, looking suspiciously at Steve.
The young man sighed: "Just don't hurt Nicki or Julian."

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Belthazor watched in horror as the big Ashon held Julian up by the neck. It killed him that he couldn't interfere. He couldn't watch as his best friend was being hurt like that, but he also couldn't turn away. When he first saw the Ashon bring Julian forward, he'd grabbed the edge of the desk, digging his claws in. And that seemed to be the anchor he needed to not rush up there and tear them apart.
It was a few heartbeats before the head Ashon signaled for the big one to let Julian go. Julian crumbled to the ground, coughing and rubbing his throat. A look passed between him and Steve, but Belthazor wasn't sure exactly what it was from his angle. But he was definitely glad that they'd released Julian. He just hoped the others would answer Steve's call for help soon.

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Nicki stayed right where she was. Afraid to move. ‘Where could they be?’ she asked herself, wondering why no one had come yet. She watched Steve move slowly to one of the crystals, ready to pick it up, failing to see the look that passed between him and Julian. But then she'd been too preoccupied with the strangeness she'd felt in his arm a moment ago. And the change in his eyes and color of his skin... She thought she was dreaming. Was he changing?
Steve reached the crystal then, never letting his eyes leave those of the head Ashon, he slowly bent down to pick up the crystal. His fingers wrapped around the rocky substance, forcing him not to look at Julian. He lifted the crystal then, and lowered the shield.
Julian watched him closely, the second the crystal left the ground he jumped forward, somersaulting behind the invisible shield line, and coming up in a low fighting stance. But neither him nor Steve noticed the demon hanging back just behind and to the right of the big Ashon. And just as Steve lifted the crystal and Julian jumped forward, this Ashon let fly a fireball. Right at Nicki.
She yelled out and hit the ground, drawing Steve and Julian's attention. Steve dropped the crystal, but he'd move too far and the shield never came back up. His heart stopped when he saw Nicki lying in the grass, her new top charred and covered in blood. The anger started to bubble inside him now, turning his eyes bright orange.
"Nicki!" he heard a voice call, but the rushing anger made the voice unrecognizable. Only when Veronica dropped down beside her did he realize whom the voice belonged to.
Turning back to face the demons, Julian backed up and watched the Ashon who'd hit Nicki turn to ice. He turned back again and saw Tom standing there and Veronica yelling out Nicki's name and running to her side. He backed up then until he was next to Tom.
"Took you long enough!" Julian berated him.
"Sorry. I was kind of busy," Tom replied, not happy with the situation, and feeling bad enough already. He didn't need Julian ragging on him. He glanced over at Veronica, who was cradling Nicki's head in her lap, and then at Steve. His back was to Tom, but Tom could see he was breathing heavily from the way his shoulders were heaving. What little of his skin he could see also seemed rather greyish in the moonlight.
The Ashon were closing in, forcing Tom and Julian to take up stances near the girls. Steve stayed planted where he was, so angry he couldn't move. Tom was wondering what was taking so long for the Ashon to attack. Each of them was tossing a fireball in the air, as if they were pitchers at a ball game, just waiting to start. And the friends were severely outnumbered, and one down already. Easy pickings. And the fact that Tom could shimmer them all out never crossed anyone's mind.
Just then white and blue lights appeared nearby along side a shift in the air. Christopher, Piper, Bianca and Cole had barely materialized when the Ashon let loose their fireballs. Tom and Julian, distracted by the orbing and shimmering, barely got out of the way in time. Julian pulled Tom to the ground, getting grazed in the process. Tom had been hit in the shoulder, letting out a yell that drew Steve's attention.
Piper blew up two of the demons, while Christopher telekinetically sent one back to its source. Cole meanwhile pulled Bianca to the ground, barely avoiding getting hit, and landing next to Tom and Julian. They hardly had time to get back to their feet when more orbs appeared. Silas, Odin and Elenia had to duck as more fireballs flew at the group. Christopher pulled Piper down, narrowly avoiding a fireball to the head.
Everyone waited a moment before trying to stand up again. The Ashon were standing still, fireballs in hand, waiting for any more interruptions. As everyone finally got to their feet and looked around, the Elders noticed the injured and moved to heal them. Elenia kneeled next to Nicki and Odin went to Tom. While he healed the young man’s shoulder, Tom looked over at Steve. His eyes had gone red now, burning with anger and hatred. Piper saw this, too, and called for Leo.

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"I really need to talk to Piper and Paige. You don't have any idea where Piper could have gone?" Phoebe asked, pacing around the room. Leo had just finished putting Hope to bed, while Phoebe nervously paced the room. He could tell something was bothering her. He picked up Christopher then, and moved to put him to bed as well.
"No, I don't. I left her in the living room with Bianca, Chris and Cole. Why? What's wrong?" Leo asked. Christopher, obviously not ready to go to bed just yet, started fussing.
"Well, I've spent all afternoon looking for something in the library at Magic School. And I came across something. Something bad. And..." The look on Leo's face just then changed in a way that Phoebe stopped mid-sentence. She knew he was hearing Piper's call. "What is it?"
"Piper. She needs our help. Now!" he said. He'd just finally gotten Christopher down. Wyatt had hopped into his own bed, and was waiting to be tucked in. Leo leaned down and tucked him in quickly, kissing him on the head and telling him to go to bed, before leaving the room. "We need Paige," he told Phoebe as they descended the stairs.

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Paige and Kyle were laughing as they entered the kitchen, finding it was getting a little cold outside, and hoping to finish their date in her room. They'd barely placed the dishes on the counter when Phoebe and Leo came in looking troubled.
"What is it?" Paige asked, all hope for an uninterrupted night gone.
"We have to go. Piper needs us," Phoebe said coming to stand next to her little sister.
"But Piper's..." Paige began.
"At Golden Gate Park with the others," Leo finished for her. Her face dropped. The last time she'd seen Piper, she was just picking up the dishes from dinner.
"Kyle, can you please watch the kids?" Phoebe asked, as she wrapped her arm around Paige's.
"Sure. Of course," he said, feeling down that they wouldn't finish their date, but also worried about Piper and the others. "Oh wait! Here, take my jacket," he said, then took off his jacket and gave it to Paige.
"Thanks," she said, then she and Leo orbed away with Phoebe.

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Everyone was now staring at Steve, horrified. No one had any idea what to do. Just then more orbs appeared and Paige, Phoebe and Leo materialized. The Ashon let their fireballs loose again, making everyone duck. But Paige used her power to deflect one and sent it back at another Ashon.
"No!" Christopher, Nicki, Elenia and Tom yelled at the same time. Christopher used his power to deflect that fireball and send it into another demon. Paige, Phoebe and Leo looked at him, confused. The head Ashon smiled at all of them then, and with a signal, the demon clan shimmered away, leaving everyone in shock.
"What was that about?" Paige asked Christopher, somewhat angrily. Everyone got back to their feet, facing the spot where the demons had been, Nicki leaning on Elenia. Paige waited impatiently for Christopher to answer her, pulling Kyle's jacket a little tighter around herself.
Christopher took a deep breath before replying: "You almost killed Steve."

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Meanwhile in the future...
Chris lay in a bed, the blanket wrapped around him. He lay on his back and looked up to the ceiling. After Wyatt and him had had that talk, the situation between them turned back to the brotherly banter he had become used to while his brother was in the past. And that was a relieve, really. He had worried a lot about the distance he had felt between them earlier. It had felt wrong and it so didn't fit to the things Wyatt had told him about his older self just half a year ago. Whatever was going on, he knew he would do everything to correct this. But he still wasn't really sure what had made him act like he seemingly would do...
While he still watched the dark ceiling his mind drifted on to what happened after the brothers had finished their work. Chris had suggested that they could follow Wyatt's earlier idea and make a tour through the house. "And when you're with me I can't get lost," Chris had said, making his brother laugh heartily.
And the first surprise he had found right on the start of their tour. When Chris opened the door to the attic there was a small hallway with three doors...
"Huh? What happened to this place...? Where is the book?" Chris asked looking at his brother confused.
Wyatt just grinned: "Go ahead!" Chris did and opened the middle door which was on the other end of the hallway. There it was, the attic as he knew it, just a little smaller.
"Wow," he muttered looking around. The table with the scrying map, the caldron, the shelf with the ingredients it was all there and it was all in great order... And the book lay on its place by the window as usual.
"See, everything is where it's supposed to be..." Wyatt said gesturing around.
Chris nodded, then he asked:" Who's the one keeping everything this clean?"
Now the twice blessed winced: "Prisca... even mom gets scared when our sister starts to rant when someone leaves things not in its right place."
"Really?" Chris asked laughing.
Wyatt nodded. "With a bit of luck, you'll find out yourself in the next days..."
Chris turned serious at this. "Sorry, but I hope I won't stay that long..." And when he saw Wyatt's sad face he added: "I mean, don't get me wrong, it's nice here, but... It's not where I belong."
"I know," his brother replied, "But I hope fate will give me some time to show you the wonderful future you've built for all of us..."
At this Chris could do nothing but nod. Then he was curious to where those other doors would lead. So they went back and Chris first tried the door to their left. But before he could push down the handle Wyatt hold him back...
"I would knock first," the blond man said with a smirk.
Chris did and a moment later he heard the voice of his wife, well her older version, saying he could enter. So he did. Behind that door was a small room which contained not more then a double bed and a crib and a small sideboard on which Liam laid while his mother was busy with changing his diapers.
"Hey you two," Bianca greeted while closing the sleeper and picking the boy up to her arms. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh nothing... just giving Mr. Past here a tour through the house," Wyatt said smiling.
Chris didn't react to that comment he just looked at her confused and asked: "Don't tell me we live on this small space, what happened to our apartment at the school?"
Bianca just smiled at him while she tucked Liam into bed. Then she explained: "We still live there... But even in the past we spend many nights here. And with this family constantly growing we build those rooms up here..." And when Chris still looked confused she added: "View them as guest rooms. We have this one here, and the one on the other side contains two bunk beds for the twins and the boys."
Chris just had frowned at this still confused, but then nodded anyway.
He then had inspected the other room and had the chance to see his kids who where already half asleep and whish them good night again. Usually they wouldn't be at the manor since it was a casual week day and they all had school the next morning. But with past-Chris being in the future, they all wanted to be close to him as long as they could.
The next stop Wyatt and Chris had made on the first floor. The kids room and the guestroom where now occupied by Prisca, Patty and Nicki, while his mom and dad and Paige and Kyle still lived in the same rooms like in the time he came from. Also the ground floor hadn't changed much. Sure there was some new furniture but the rooms still were used in the same way like in the past. The only new thing was that small bathroom which was built in the corner of the living room, behind Cole’s office.
But that left Chris with a question...
"And where is your bedroom? And where sleeps Christopher... and Jim???" he asked wondering.
Wyatt just grinned and let him into the dinning room, and there to a door which he had noticed before but didn't have the chance to ask. But the older one now just went over there and opened it, revealing a stairway that led downwards.
Chris looked at his brother with a smirk. "The basement?"
Wyatt nodded: "Yepp... the only place where boys can be boys." He winked at his brother and then went ahead explaining: "We moved the entrance form the kitchen to the dinning room since mom got a little pissed that we stole all the food from the fridge at night... She said it was just too easy for us, with the stairs leading right to the fridge, you know...?"
Chris had laughed at this, as he imagined his brothers sneak in to the kitchen at night. They had together made their way down the stairs and Wyatt then had showed him Christopher's room where he should sleep that night. Then the blonde man had said good night to go to bed on his own. Chris had stood in the doorway to Christopher's room for a moment unsure what to do. It somehow felt wrong to be in his brother's room without his permission. But then again, it was Christopher's fault that he was there in the future at all. And he wouldn't look through his stuff, he just wanted to sleep. And maybe he would borrow some clothes the next day. But right that moment he just had felt tired. So he had went to the small bathroom (which really was a boy's bathroom, from the chaotic look of things) to get ready for bed.
And now he was lying there, in his brother's room, which was really cozy and nice looking, and tried to get some sleep. But all he had experienced through the day made this a really hard task.
'God, I'll have 6 kids,' he thought in wonder, still not really getting his mind to understand that. And the next moment he regretted that, when he would be home again, he wouldn't be able to tell this to anyone. He had to keep all he saw as secret - damn the future consequences... but he knew that this was important. And he would do it, because for nothing in this world he would risk this wonderful future.
Right that moment, there was a light knock on the door. Chris sat up in the bed, switched on the light on the nightstand and called: "Yeah?"
A moment later the door opened a little and the head of Jim appeared in the gab. "Can I come in for a second?" he asked.
Chris smiled. "Sure," he said and moved a little aside so that his cousin could sit on the bed, too. He liked that young man, he looked a lot like Kyle, but he definitely had Paige's eyes... 'And her humor,' he thought. "So what can I do for you?" he asked then.
Jim took a deep breath before he spoke: "Well, I wanted to ask... could we maybe spend some time together tomorrow afternoon?"
Now Chris frowned: "Sure... why not?"
The teen smiled at this. Then explained: "I just would like to spend some time with you, without the rest... I mean, Wyatt knows you, and Christopher knows you, too... and..." By now the young man was red like a tomato. "... I would like to know you, too."
Chris couldn't help but smile. Wyatt had told them that he was the family hero, but this... this was really cute. So he hugged his cousin closely and then ruffled his hair before he said: "Sure we can do that... Why don't you show me a little bit of future San Francisco tomorrow... what do you think? Because actually I'd like to know you, too."
Jim smiled brightly at this: "That's a great idea! I'd love to do that!"
"Good, then it's settled," the Elder-witch replied happily. "But I guess now it's time for bed, you have school tomorrow."
Jim nodded at this and gave Chris another hug before he said good night.
When the teen had closed the door, Chris switched the light of again and lay down with a sigh. Tomorrow would be great, he was sure of that. And while he slowly drifted of to sleep he wondered what his past family was doing at the moment. Just for some reason there was one thing he was sure about: They all would be fine...

(Chapter 11 written by Chrissy.W.x and Kirianna Ledräen)

Alright... Yeah, I know... A cliffhanger. Sorry for that. But the story will continue soon, when Story 14 will start on Friday June 26th. Thanks for all your support and we hope to see you again here in three weeks.