AN I: Sorry for the long wait, I hope this is up to snuff. I struggled with it forever and finally couldn't look at it anymore. It's kind of a bridge chapter anyway. I own nothing except the mistakes and I live off of reviews….please and thank you!

Piper's announcement had taken him by surprise. Chris hadn't really thought she would believe him. When it came down to it, Wyatt was the favored son and he, Chris, was just the annoying busybody whitelighter from the future who broke up her marriage and destroyed her life.

But oddly enough she had and Chris found himself taking her hand and orbing his mother downstairs as requested. Her hand was warm in his, her grip soft and sure. His heart ached all the more for having touched her and thought of his mother. Because she wasn't his mother, technically not yet. No matter how much he missed her and how much he longed to throw himself into her arms, he had to keep reminding himself of that one important fact.

It would hurt too much to lose her all over again. But even if he was successful, saving Wyatt didn't necessarily guarantee saving Piper. And fate had always been such an unforgiving bitch.

"Thank you, sweetheart," she murmured as she gripped his hand and ruffled his hair before turning to search for a pen and paper. His mom did love her lists and it looked like she was ready to get down to business. Her long brown hair was tucked up in a messy pony tail and her wrists jingled with her movement, the thin silver bracelets clinking against one another as she settled at the table with her supplies.

"How about you tell us what you know and we can go from there, try and figure out who turns Wyatt together. As a family."

Chris felt some of the chill in his bones thaw at the depth of feeling in Piper's earnest look. She was sitting at the table, pen in hand, poised and ready to write. It be kinda funny if it weren't so damn sad. Because in all honesty Chris didn't know what to say. No one had ever figured out the cause of the root of Wyatt's evil inclinations. It was why Chris had been chosen to come back, as the only other surviving Halliowell, he would have insider information, hopefully give the resistance against Wyatt the best chance possible.

Give the little brother trying to save his big brother the best chance possible.

They were all looking at him, waiting, his family. The sisters weren't quite so beaten down by life yet, still young and vibrant and beautiful. Chris's mouth went dry as his tortious brain reminded him what they had looked like, dead and broken. He blinked harshly to clear the painful memoires, as he stood frozen, awkward in the silent wake of Piper's unanswered question.

All those months of wishing the sisters and Leo would just help him and now Chris had no idea what to do with them, how to direct them through the landmines of future events without causing further damage. And his head really hurt, it was pounding actually.

Unconsciously, he reached a hand up, pinching the bridge of his nose and sighed. He didn't even realize his move was mimicking Leo's earlier stress headache. But Piper did and the father/son similarity made her smile.

Risking a glance, Chris sighed again, tensed shoulders drooping. Jesus, were they really all still staring at him. He had to fight the urge to orb away.

"I don't know what to tell you. Some stuff I can't tell you, it really would make the future worse."

Piper's crestfallen expression was like taking an ice pick to the chest.

"You must have had some sort of plan," asked Paige incredulously.

"Ever heard of the expression Hail Mary," spoke Chris.

"Oh Jesus," muttered Paige as Piper shut her eyes.

"Chris," came Leo's quiet voice, "can you tell us what you do know, what you think you can tell us."

"Yeah, like a clue," put in Phoebe her eyes shining encouragingly. Piper placed her paper and pen on the table carefully like they were made of glass. She too looked at Chris. God, he didn't want to disappoint his mother. Piper crossed the kitchen and took one of Chris's fidgety hands in hers.

"It's okay baby, one step at a time. We'll figure it out together." She smiled warmly at Leo as he too came to stand shoulder to shoulder with their son.

"You can do it buddy, just pick the stuff you think is pertinent," intoned Leo.

"Yeah, and tell me who's ass I need to kick," put in Paige laughing. She looked surprised when Chris let out a tremulous laugh himself.

"You said the same thing when I was in the third grade and came home with a bloody nose, Aunt Paige." Immediately after, Chris shut his mouth, his eyes showing his own surprise at the slip into terms of familiarity. Paige swallowed and then grinned, it hadn't sounded weird being addressed as Aunt Paige at all.

"Well, I hope I did," she remarked.

"No," responded Chris, a wry grin tugging the corner of his mouth up, highlighting his dimples. "Wyatt beat you to it, Tommy Jenkins never stole my lunch again after that." The room seemed to dim a little at the mention of Wyatt. Chris cleared his throat. "Ahhhh, anyway, We think it happened sometime before I was born. Wyatt was kidnapped around that time, he was missing for a week before you guys found him wandering around in the underworld. The impending birth had everyone rattled, distracted." At this he smiled self-deprecatingly. "Apparently carrying me did not afford you a, get- out -of- jail -free, protective shield."

"Okay," said Leo, taking it all in stride. "When were you born so we know when Wyatt went missing? Do you know who took him?"

"Ahhh, the last week in September. I'm not sure if giving you guys the exact date could mess up my birth, maybe give you a Christina instead of a Chris." At this, Chris's eyes sparkled with mischievous mirth, giving Piper a small clue to who her son was before the world changed, forcing him to change as well. She needed to focus, Chris was still talking. "And growing up you guys didn't say who took him. Apparently you didn't know either, you just found him wandering around by himself. He looked unharmed, just terrified. Or so the story goes."

Piper moaned low and desperate at the thought of Wyatt alone and scared. He would have been just a baby. He is just a baby, she reminded herself. This hasn't happened yet, it can change. Phoebe reached over and patted Piper's shoulder comfortably.

"So, what was the big bad around that time, any ideas on who we can start to focus in on," she asked.

Chris scrunched up his face in concentration and the whole room waited, on pins and needles. Come on baby, thought Piper, give mommy something to blow up.

"Well, Klepar demons were big that year and I remember erethreals having some big convergence in the seventh dimension. But those were the only big things highlighted in the magical history books. In our book, there were entries about something called the Shisku. There were pages, several in fact, detailing the Shisku love of magical Wiccan infant blood as the main delicacy in their thrice yearly sacrificial feasts. I always assumed that's what had you guys so distracted."

The sound of half bitten off growls mixing with the scratch of pen against paper had Chris leaning over his mother's shoulder to read her list.

Kelpar Demons

Erethreals

Shisku

Tommy Jenkins

"Mom," laughed Chris. "Tommy Jenkins, really?"

Piper smirked. "Nobody messes with my baby and gets away with it."

"He only wanted my lunch cause his mom made him buy the stupid cafeteria food and your cooking rocks." Piper glowed at her son's heartfelt remarks, not to mention he'd willingly called her mom.

"Well, at least it's a start," she said. "Alright, Paige you've got Kelpar demons. Pheebs, erethreals. Leo, go up there and find out what you can about Shisku demons."

"And go team," yelled Phoebe before cheekily smiling and bouncing off towards the attic.

"And just what are you going to do Missy," asked Paige.

"I'm going to feed our boy," answered Piper, calmly bustling around the kitchen. Chris had just been about to orb out to help with the research when he heard his mother's declaration. Leo and Paige orbed out with their marching orders as Chris turned around.

"Awwwww, mom," he wheedled. "We don't have time to eat right now. We have to find what changes Wyatt."

"Yes, we do answered Piper calmly, continuing on her self-appointed task. "But I can see every one of your ribs Christopher and no son of mine is going to go hungry."

Chris bit the inside of his cheek and before he could stop himself the words rolled out, unbidden from between his lips. "Everyone's hungry in the future, mom." Piper flinched, as she stirred the pot on the stove. Closing her eyes briefly she determinedly refocused on her son.

"Well, we're just going to have to fix that aren't we?"

Chris didn't answer but he didn't try and leave the kitchen either. And when Piper dished out his meal, he ate every bite.

Yes, Piper thought. It was a start.

AN II: thanks for reading, I would love any thoughts you would like to give me!