𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 || 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥

Chapter 4 - Know Your Pop Culture

When Chris finally orbed back to the manor though, he brought news - but it was the kind none of us really wanted to hear. Apparently, the Titans had attacked and all the Elders had been murdered. And Leo, being the do-gooder he was, had decided to stay up there in case they came back. Oh, yeah, and did I forget to mention that he also released some Elder juju that turned the sisters into Greek goddesses? Oh, I didn't? My bad, must've slipped my mind.

I, on the other hand, had stayed unchangeable as always - stuck here in the kitchen making potions just in case things went south as the girls battled evil above. Although the irony of Chris becoming my babysitter now had not been lost on me.

A sigh escaped my mouth as thoughts ran rampant in my head. Things had gotten so bad so fast, it seemed. Would they ever be the same after this? I had such a bad feeling...that maybe Leo wouldn't be back. And just the thought of that broke my heart - for everyone's sake.

Someone cleared their throat then and I glanced up from my work, tensing when I realized who was standing there in the doorway.

Chris.

Another sigh escaped my mouth and I shook my head, "Why are you always here when I'm miserable?"

"Don't quote Buffy at me," Chris admonished and I rolled my eyes at him as he wandered into the kitchen, leaning his elbows on the counter across from me.

"Okay, great, future boy, so you know your pop culture references. That's great. What else did they teach you in future school? Can you tell Nick from Kevin?"

He paused a moment, "You mean the Jonas Brothers?"

I frowned, my eyebrows knitting together in confusion, "No, the Backstreet Boys! Who are the- you know what? Never mind. Shouldn't you be helping the girls learn how to be goddesses or something?"

"They didn't need me..."

"Oh...would you like me to play you a violin?"

He just glared at me with his jade-green gaze and I shot a smirk back at him, never letting my fingers slip from the wooden spoon I held in my hand as I continued to stir my concoction.

"So..." he began, attempting to pick up a vial I had laid out on the counter before I smacked his hand away with an admonishing frown and he nodded towards the cauldron, "who taught you how to do that?"

"My mother. Before she died," I responded in a clipped tone, more from distraction than actual irritation from the question.

"And what of your father?"

My hands faltered at throwing in a piece of mugwort and I shrugged, "I don't know. Just a minor demon, I suppose. I've never really known the circumstances of my birth... I don't think I want to though. I'm a witch - that's all there is to it."

I glanced up then at Chris who was watching me intently and pursed my lips, "But I'm guessing you knew all this already..."

He said nothing in response so I pressed on, "It's obvious you know the Halliwells in the future...so what of me?"

Jade-green orbs locked on cocoa-brown but before he could respond, his expressionless gaze slid into that of concern.

"Something's wrong." he stated, standing up straight.

Before I even had the chance to blink, he was gone in a swirl of blue and white orbs. A sigh escaped my mouth.

"I hate when he does that."