All rights to the Halliwells and Charmed go to The Wb and Aaron Spelling. This is a spin-off of his creation, of which we're all thankful for.
Chapter 3: Life In Time
After a talk with the sisters, I went home and showered. I saw the steam and water fall on me, but I couldn't feel it. The sisters told me that I was somehow going to reconstitute the power of three, according to the prophecy, and there was another piece that they said I'd have to put together myself. Apparently, my power is yet to be determined. I tried to scrub my ignorance away, but it stuck to me like mud. It was then that I got the idea that I should go into the past. The past could tell me all the answers I needed to know. That and I know the Charmed Ones have a spell for it. So I finished up and hopped out of the shower, trying to hurry. I slid on my jeans and pulled on a white t-shirt, then grabbed my grey coat and slid on my skechers and walked to the mirror. I frowned and pulled at my coat, then left to the Manor.
" HEY! How are you?" was the first thing I heard upon entering the attic. It was Wyatt and he was standing by the book.
" I'm good, considering." I sighed.
" I heard. Mom and my aunts told me about this...uh...prophecy." he said, faking a smile, " You know...mama's boy type things." he joked, then made a face that showed pain.
"I'm sorry. I was...am in a corner." I said, moving to him and the book.
" Water under the bridge, so what are you doing here? They said you were sort of...confused when you left." Wyatt said.
" Hurt is a better word. Doesn't it hurt you? I mean the prophecy is 1/3 about you." I said carefully turning pages in the book.
" A little, but I'll get over it. So, where's Talik." he asked, looking down.
I stopped and looked at him, " If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous. Look, I don't where he goes and that part freaks me out, but that's not important now." I said, turning back to the book.
" What is important now? Why are you holding this all inside? Let it out." he said quietly.
I looked at him, walking towards me and I felt almost betrayed. I pushed him, but he came back, so I pushed him again and he came back again and on the last push, something happened! A blast hit him and he slid back a few steps. I did this again, and it worked less and less each time until I felt his arms around me. I cried, " Why? I know why my parents are never here! It's me! I'm...there's something wrong with me, but I'm going to change it." I said, looking at the book.
" What are you talking about?" he asked.
I didn't even think about it, I just read from the book, " Hear these word, hear the rhyme, our future selves we'll find, in another place and time." I shouted and suddenly realized I had forgotten to switch the word 'future' with the word 'past' and I felt as if I was flying forward into nothingness!
I opened my eyes and saw that I was on the floor, but that wasn't the strange thing...I couldn't see over my stomach! It wasn't fat...I was pregnant! I was even more freaked out when I saw Chris come running over to me! He was much older now, but he was still as cute as he ever was.
" Hey, brother-in-law, what are you doing on the floor?" he said quickly, picking me up.
I looked at him confused, " What does that mean?! Wait, first things first, how am I pregnant?" I asked, trying not to convey too much.
He looked at me shocked for a minute, then laughed, " If you don't know, I'm not gonna tell you." he said, laughing.
" What year is this?" I asked cautiously.
He looked at me seriously, " 2023...are you sure you're okay? Maybe I should heal you or something." Chris said, helping me to a chair. I was shocked. The attic was the same, despite little changes, and it felt so weird. I was like 32 and pregnant. The only think I could think of was that Melinda and I had gotten married to have a baby together like Will and Grace, but why was I pregnant?
" So, when's Melinda getting here?" I smiled.
He looked at me seriously again, " Not sure she's coming until the baby's due. Her, Ted, and the kids. I'm kinda hoping Kyle will get back soon so I can go. Bianca is waiting." Chris smiled, " But Wyatt should be here any minute." he said, making me smile.
" How long is he staying." I asked.
Chris looked at me, confused now, " I hope forever, he is your husband." he chuckled. I almost fell from the chair when I hear the last part. Chris caught me and noticed my face.
" Can you get me some water?' I asked, grabbing at my throat. He nodded and orbed out of the room. I looked up, shocked, " WYATT MATTHEW HALLIWELL! YOU GET YOUR ASS HERE RIGHT NOW!" I shouted at the roof.
Wyatt instantly orbed into the room and stared at me. He looked his part. That would make him 34 and he was hot, but that wasn't the point, " Wow! Who's the lucky...guy?" he asked in disbelief.
I frowned, " You!" I said in a not-so-friendly tone.
Wyatt looked like a bus hit him, " That's...new." he said, sitting in the chair across from me. I avoided his eyes for a minute.
" Wait..Wyatt, 18 year-old Wyatt? You must have come with me when I read the spell!" I said in realization.
" Yeah. Why are we here?" He asked, " This is too much, we risk changing the future with every moment we stay." he lecture.
" Cut to 13 years later, and I'm pregnant by you...anything you want to confess." I asked sarcastically.
" I'm in love with you." Wyatt shrugged.
" Obvious. Did you know we're married?" I said, flashing the rock.
" I'm good. So where do we go from here?" he asked.
I looked down, " Despite the future, I've got a boyfriend." I said, staring at him.
Just then Chris orbed back into the room, " Hey, power of three is all here." he said, sitting in a chair between us.
" Charmed Ones? US?" Wyatt asked.
" Yes." Chris said impatiently, " What is going on with you two?!" he asked.
" We're past us." Wyatt confessed, gaining a punch in the arm.
Chris looked at us and smiled, " you guys told me about this. This is when you tried to go backwards and went forwards instead, right? So..." he trailed off.
"Everything happens for a reason. We must have come here for some reason." I said, trying to figure out the lesson.
" Yeah, now that we have determined part of the reason, can we figure out the rest?" Chris smiled.
" What are you smiling about?" Wyatt asked. Chris was about to say something, but he stopped at the sight of 3 demons. I waddled backwards and raised my hand to send someone flying, but nothing happened! Chris waved his hand at one of the demons and the demon disappeared in a swirl of orbs and appeared against a wall! A demon ran after me and suddenly I levitated into the air and kicked him. From the air, I watched Wyatt raise his hand and blow up a demon! I landed again and the demon came at me, but I felt electricity flick through my hands and suddenly lightning shot from my hands and hit the demons head on!
" Fun." Chris smiled.
I looked at him breathlessly, " Hey, what's to eat. I'm starving. Is Desperate Housewives still on?" I asked, waddling out of the room.
" That's why I was smiling. I've got to go and pick up Bianca, but you might want to get your hubby home." Chris chuckled.
" We don't live here? Where are mom and dad?" Wyatt asked.
" No, you live in your own house across town. I live here...not because I have to, but because the house is always under attack. Actually, you and Drake are thinking of moving back in here...but that's why I'm going to get Bianca. So we can go and get ready for Mom an Dad's homecoming celebration. The way they described it, Tahiti sounds fun." Chris said, orbing away.
Wyatt sat in a nearby chair, staring into space. He was happy that he'd be with Drake someday, but sad that it wasn't now. He walked over to the book and flipped through the pages, searching for any entry of Talik. His eyes widened when he saw the entry. He turned around and smiled to hide what he'd just found as I waddled back into the room, " Hey, slow down! I'd like to get my baby here without racing stripes." he smiled.
I licked my ice cream and sneered, " Funny, but when you're feet swell and...wait, did you say your baby?" I asked.
" Our. Our baby. Now, come on." he said, holding out his hand.
" Where are we going?" I asked.
" To get ready for Mom and Dad's homecoming celebration. We're going to 'our' home, where 'we' live together." Wyatt said in awe.
" I'm pregnant, not stupid! And I can read between the lines and we've already talked about this...I'm..." I started, but stopped when Wyatt interrupted me.
" I get it. I don't like it, but I get it. Look, father of my child, this is only the beginning. Not giving up." he sighed.
I smiled and hugged him, " If you did, I'd be worried. I love you, too." I said, orbing away with him.
I stood in front of the mirror once again, trying to fit shirts over my stomach, but it didn't happen. I heard a chuckle behind me and turned to see Wyatt smiling.
" I can't fit anything! I'm like a whale...or worse, Star Jones." I said, falling into his arms.
He patted my back, " It's okay. You're still hot." he said, making me pull away. I stared at him in disbelief for a minute, then he spoke again, " Look, what does it hurt? This is the future and I don't see Talik around." Wyatt said, not smiling anymore.
" Remind me to look at the book when we...we..." I stuttered. I, all of a sudden, felt an intense pain and I noticed I had peed all over myself. Wyatt grabbed me quickly and we orbed to the Manor.
When we orbed in, Piper and Leo were just getting in and looked at us as if we were demons! The people at the party, Melinda, Paige's family, Phoebe's family, Billie's family, and Chris and Bianca, jumped out, only to be surprised themselves. They immediately noticed the big, wet stain on my jeans.
" Nice accessory, but I'll stick with jewels." Bianca quipped.
" Get him to the table!" Piper shouted, helping me to the table. I climbed on top of the table and sat there in pain.
" This one is new...what do we do?" Wyatt asked.
" We? what is wrong with you?" Leo asked carefully, " You've been practicing for months, ever since you found out." he said urgently.
" Dad!" he said, impatiently rocking the table.
" Call for the baby!" Paige said quickly.
" Somebody call for the damn baby! It hurts!" I shouted.
Wyatt put his hands up, " Baby!" he said and my stomach opened and a baby levitated out, covered in orbs. They quickly cut the umbilical cord and my stomach closed back up.
" Awww! It's an itsy, bitsy baby boy!" Phoebe said.
Piper handed me the baby, " What are we going to call him?" Wyatt asked.
I held him, looking into his eyes, " Matthew. Matthew Wyatt Halliwell." I said carefully. Suddenly, I felt myself being hurtled through darkness, then I felt a thud as I hit the floor of the attic!
When we woke up, the sisters were there and they already knew what had happened. They saw the book and what page it was opened to. I explained what we saw and they weren't shocked. They said that they'd seen this happen and that they were aware that we were destined to be together and I was again shocked. I told them I needed time to adjust, then went home.
" It's a lot to take in, but I have something to tell you." Wyatt said, orbing in behind me.
" What?" I asked.
"Talik. He becomes the 'Source'." Wyatt said, trying to gauge my reaction.
I laughed in disbelief, " I know you love me, but you shouldn't lie. We're together in the future, but if you keep lying to me, we won't be." I said with anger building in my voice.
" What? I'm not! While you went downstairs to get some food, I looked through the book and Talik is...or will be the 'Source'." Wyatt said, moving closer.
" Get out." I said softly
" But, I..." Wyatt pleaded.
"Go!" I shouted, making decorative plates on the table blew up. Wyatt looked at me in shock, then orbed away, leaving me to stare at the space where he used to be.