Disclaimer:

"Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.

Author's Note:

So this was initially a one-shot. Then as I got reviews in I had some request to continue… So, I'm going to try it and see if it takes wings. Piper makes a point to tell Paige that Chris has been avoiding her for weeks in the opening of Hyde School Reunion, which I believe gives me some time to play the puppeteer in their lives on paper. If you take the time to read and enjoy it please review it for me. If you take the time and don't enjoy it please tell me why, writers only improve with constructive feedback.

Hello Mother

Epilogue to Courtship of Wyatt's Father, VI

It's a few days before Victor is due in town and until Phoebe's dreaded reunion. Everyone continues playing the avoidance game which is increasingly difficult since Piper is at the club daily right before the weekend. Paige is having a temp job dry spell and thinks now is a perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with her nephew.

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Paige was in the attic attempting to keep busy. She had been at the club but sometimes her big sister didn't appreciate her organization skills right off the bat. She figured if she worked at organizing at home, and stayed clear of the kitchen, Piper would be far more accepting. Things had almost been unusually quiet at the manor. Except for Wyatt the house felt the way it had when Paige had moved in three years ago. She and Phoebe were both back at home and it was mostly just the sisters every night for dinner and a movie. No Leo to bump into in the hallway. She loved her brother in-law, but without a man in the house running around half dressed caused less stress. Love lives at the manor were at an all time low. And Chris never showed up when he thought they were home, but something usually tipped them off of his presence. Paige, like her sisters, wanted to just shake that kid or hug him it depended on the day. He could sure be frustrating she thought. But Piper was the mom and she said the rule was to back off until further notice. So Paige dropped those thoughts and went back to her cataloging of potions and ingredients.

Just as a vial rolled away from her behind a box Chris orbed in on the floor beneath her. He would stop in to see his brother for a minute and then head to the book. There was word on a new mind controlling possession demon going around above and below ground that he wanted to investigate further. And the Scabbers were gathering in two days and he needed the bloody cloaking spell. He knew for a fact that Piper was at the club and that Phoebe was at the paper. And if Auntie Paige was home with Wyatt she'd be napping the same time as him. He needed to be in and out with minimal contact. Chris had finally gotten his "sea-legs" back and didn't have that constant guilty queasy feeling every time he saw his family. Mostly that was because he never saw his family. If he maintained his distance he knew he could work better and faster. He had desired the Power of Three more than once in the last few weeks, and took a beating for not utilizing it, but in the long run his sanity took priority.

Um, he thought, no Wyatt. Maybe Paige had taken him out. Perfect. He orbed upstairs and nearly gave himself and his aunt a coronary.

"What the hell!!" Paige was standing up from behind the box vial in hand. If she hadn't recognized the sound of orbs he'd be wearing that acid potion right now.

Chris threw his hands up in a protective stance at those words spying the vial as well.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I live here. Next question," Paige wasn't feeling the hugging idea as much as the shaking one right now.

Putting his hands back at his side Chris bee-lined it for the book and refused eye contact saying, "I'm here to check on some things since Piper freaked out on me the last time I took the book out of the house. I figured you'd be napping or gone."

"Wrong on both accounts, but you've been wrong about a lot of things lately." She gave him a sarcastic smirk to go along with her comment, but his nose was buried in the book and if he sensed her irritation he didn't acknowledge it. She continued, "In case you were actually wondering your mom is at the club and Wyatt is with her. Have you been at the club? You look a wreck."

"Funny when I came up here it wasn't for a game of twenty questions."

"Look mister…"

Chris cut her off, "No you look… I have no idea what you're focused on right now, but I'm focused on demon hunting. If you want to help fine, if you want to talk it's not gonna happen."

Paige bit down on her tongue so hard that she was sure she tasted blood mixed in with her saliva. She took a deep breath as Chris came across what he was looking for and crossed the room to see the book over his shoulder.

"What's a Dantalion Demon?"

Without turning around Chris answered. "He's a mid-level mind controlling possession demon. And I think he may be the ones the Elders are all a buzz about."

"You've been up there?"

"God no, I have some white-lighter friends who keep me current."

"You have friends?" She hadn't meant it to sound the way it came out. "Sorry."

"Not the let's hang out kind, no. They're more like 'office-mates'." Conversations with Paige somehow always got turned around and pulled into the direction of the unnecessary or ridiculous.

"Interesting," Paige went back to the sofa. "So, do you want some help?"

"Mid-level demon so I think I can handle it, if I decide to get involved at all."

"Oh, so this is all just an academic exercise."

"No, this is me leaving."

"Hold it Chris!" Paige knew she'd pay for this later if it didn't go well, but she figured why not at least try to get through to her surly nephew. She walked to the attic door and stood in front of it blocking his physical path.

He could have just orbed, but he knew she'd just follow his trail. So he stayed put and decided to let her exhaust her one shot at "getting" through to him.

"What?"

With his tone, Paige tried a different approach. "Nothing really, I just wanted to know how you were doing. You don't come around much and since Piper is doing lousy I guessed you might be too."

"Guessed or hoped?"

"Very funny, I'm being serious though. Three months ago you were determined to get your folks together, get conceived, save the world, blah, blah, blah and now you're all cold and methodical again."

"Everything worked itself out. What do you want me to say? I talked to Piper, Piper talked to, at and about me and we just keep going around and around. I don't want to say hurtful things to her so I work and I try not to say anything at all."

"I hate to break it to you, but clearly you've forgotten who your mother is, she's not going to let this rest."

"She doesn't have a choice. I won't engage her in any more conversations or make contact without serious cause, so she'll just have to deal. Can I go now?"

Paige stepped away from the door. "Fine. Will you at least let us know if this Dantalion thing is serious and if you need our help? She might want to take a switch to you, but she'll kill me if you run off half cocked and get yourself killed."

Chris walked out and never looked back. Damn it…. He left without the cloaking spell again. He would have to try to make due without it.

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Sitting atop the Golden Gate Bridge Chris tried to catch his breath and regain his composure. He was doing that a lot lately. As he sat there he thought about his mom and aunts from his time and the times they shared before things changed.

"Chris get down here and help your brother clean up we have to take Aunt Phoebe to the doctor." Piper yelled at the top of her lungs to her son, not knowing what room he was in.

His voice came from the kitchen, "I did my part already. Wyatt said he would pick up the blocks." Chris was on top of the counter with his hand in his mom's antique cookie jar. Paige orbed in, still in her teaching robe from Magic School.

"Freeze cookie theft!" Paige walked to the counter and retrieved her nephew from the counter. "What are you doing up here mister man?"

"I can't reach by myself. And Wyatt's being mean. He got one for his self and told me he wouldn't give me one unless I cleaned the whole consertori all by myself."

"Conservatory sweetie and we'll just see about that won't we?" Paige carried Chris into the room where her sister was pushing the toys into one area. Chris had earned his nickname honest. He was a peanut, a slight six year old boy who felt more like a four year old when you picked him up. He was short for his age and a smidge under weight. Piper had taken him to see doctors before but was told he just hadn't hit his growth spurt yet. Usually he hated it when his mom or aunts did pick him up protesting that he was a big boy, especially when Wyatt was around.

"Look what I found." Paige announced letting her nephew down.

"What happened to picking up Chris? You and Wyatt promised if I let you bring this stuff down here for a fort you'd get it all up before we left for the doctor." Piper was down at eye level hoping to elicit the truth from her youngest.

"Sorry mommy. I'll do it now." Chris bent down to take care of things and Piper took his hand and pulled him back in front of her.

"No. Chris you said you did your part. Was that the truth?" He nodded in the affirmative. "Then Wyatt will come and do his part. Stay put, okay. Wyatt Matthew Halliwell get down her now!"

Wyatt orbed down and knew when he saw his mom's face that it had been a poor choice.

"Yes."

"Don't you yes me young man. Why did leave your brother to do all the work?" Without saying a word Wyatt walked over to Chris and put his arm around him.

"I'm sorry Chris. I was just being mean because you won at the game." He looked up at his mom and apologized too. "Sorry mom. It won't happen again."

Piper leaned down again to talk to her oldest. "Wyatt you're the oldest and taking care of your brother isn't a bother it's an honor. Remember that please. You never leave him to do things on his own, ever."

"Yes ma'am." Wyatt went to the task before him.

"Finish in here please then get whatever you're taking with us because we seriously have to go in like ten minutes." With that Piper kissed both boys on top of the head and left with Paige to get her things.

"I'll help Wy. I didn't mean to get you in trouble." Chris started putting blocks and army men in the carrying case.

Wyatt folded blankets and put away the game they had been playing. "Thanks Chris, but mom is right I am the big brother and I'm sorry I left you. And as soon as mom and Aunt Paige are out of the kitchen I'll get you a cookie."

The boys finished cleaning and when they got in the back seat of their mother's jeep Wyatt slipped Chris a cookie.

Chris always wanted to remember those times when Wyatt did take care of him. When he was a model big brother before things changed and he went to the other side. He just wanted to get his family back and hopefully not do anymore damage in the process. He orbed off the bridge and back to P3. He hoped he would miss his mom altogether.

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"No I didn't order 5 cases I ordered 15 cases. What am I an idiot? Don't answer that just get me 10 more cases down here sooner rather than later. I'm not paying another cent extra…don't you use that tone with me either. Fine." Piper slammed the phone down as orbs filled the office.

"Piper, what are you doing here?" Chris was both happy to see his mother but frightened of her motives.

"Trying to get enough Perrier here before Friday night, with no luck I might add."

"Oh. I thought you might be gone by now. You know not putting in such long days and all." Chris stayed by the metal closet he had reformed in front of moments before.

"I'm on my way now. Sheila has Wyatt with DJ at the park and I'm supposed to meet them there," she looked at her watch, "twenty minutes ago. I'm late. So, granola bar or chocolate bar?" Piper held up both.

Chris turned to face her briefly his head hung down. "What?"

"Which do you think your fetus would prefer? Because I need a something to eat and these are the only choices I have time for, so what'll be?"

"Granola."

"See I told Paige this was a totally different pregnancy. With Wyatt I would have had both. With you the chocolate really isn't that appealing. Go figure." Grabbing her bag, keys and granola bar Piper darted from the room.

Chris stared after her a while with mixed emotions. On the one hand he was glad she didn't push him for something he couldn't give and on the other he was a little pained that she hadn't tried. He was certain he'd never figure this out. But there was no time to dwell he opened the closet grabbed his disguise for the underworld and went to track his Scabber pals.

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"Piper… Piper!" Phoebe was more than keyed up.

Piper came down the steps flailing her arms and shushing her sister. "Wyatt's sleep, lower your voice."

"Sorry, I didn't realize. Why's he napping so late?"

"It was a late afternoon at the park because I got caught up at the club. What's going on? You look like the proverbial cat with the canary."

Phoebe pulled her sister into the living room as Paige came through the front door. She followed the voices and went into the living room as well.

"So, I know I've resisted it before and said I was happy with things the way they were, but I found out my column is going to be picked up all over the state of California. Finally, for the right reasons and in the right way my column is going to reach so many more readers. This is going to make the reunion so much sweeter."

"Honey that's great news, so when will it happen?" Paige inquired.

"Not for a couple of weeks, but it's very exciting. So, ladies put on your high heel sneakers I'm taking us out to dinner."

Piper was too pooped to party and told her sisters so. "Guys I'm going to pass. Between my all day morning sickness and exhaustion I doubt I'll be much fun. Besides I don't want to drag Wyatt to a noisy restaurant or pawn him off on Sheila again."

"Get Chris to watch to him." Phoebe suggested.

"There's a bad idea. Look if he would even come when I called I don't think he's up for brotherly bonding right now." Piper offered back.

"He might be. He was here earlier. And I think he went to see Wyatt in his room before he came to the attic. You could try and see." Paige gave a brief recount of her run in with Chris.

"And you let him leave," Piper wasn't happy to find out about yet another threat that her hard head son was determine to go after alone, again.

"I told him to let me know if he needed back up and he said he would."

Piper was back on her feet, "and you know he won't. Damn it I just saw him and I had no idea. Maybe I could have stopped him from doing something stupid instead of asking him about snack foods."

"Snack foods," Phoebe questioned.

"Not important. Chris! Chris! I am not fooling around young man get down here now! Christopher!!" Piper was getting really worked up now and her sisters knew that wasn't good for anyone.

Chris wasn't answering and with what they knew about him all three sisters surmised he was headed straight for trouble that they would be bailing him out of soon.

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Two days passed with no contact from Chris. Life went on without much fanfare and finally the day for the reunion was here. Piper had tried calling for Chris off and on for the last 48 hours with no success. Paige and Phoebe tried to get her caught up in reunion fever to keep her mind off things.

That was what Paige was doing when she sneaked into Phoebe's room and made off with her year book circa 1996. She gathered Piper could fill in the blanks so that she wouldn't head into the party cold with no idea who the "players" were. Phoebe was cagey when questioned about the good ole' days and Paige wanted dirt… all in fun of course.

Hopping up on her sister's bed Paige flipped the book open to a less than flattering photo of Phoebe with a less than stellar caption that read, most likely to be… arrested. Ouch! She heard the toilet flush and knew exactly what her sister had been doing in the bathroom for the hundredth time that day.

She looked back towards the bathroom door and yelled in, "you okay in there?"

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And there you have it my most splendid audience. Now feel free to pop in your DVD of Hyde School Reunion and see if my lead in fills in some of the blanks for you. I had a blast writing this story and look forward to finishing my other ones.

If you like closure then check out my Epilogue to Hyde School Reunion…Coming Full Circle.