𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 || 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥

Chapter 7 - Wanted: Missing Elder

Luckily for us, even with an overly-happy Piper, we were able to vanquish the demon without too much fanfare. Although there were minor injuries sustained. Injuries that a Whitelighter could fix...if Chris could heal, that is.

A very sour-faced Paige trudged ahead of me into the living room, agitated with our Whitelighter's reply when asked to heal her. She had every right to be mad though, to be fair.

"What kind of Whitelighter can't heal?" she snapped at him before flopping down on the couch with a groan.

"For the record, you can't heal either," Chris shot back.

"I'm half-Whitelighter. How come you didn't tell us about this before we hired you?"

"Because you didn't hire me - I was assigned by the Elders,"

"Any other little surprises you would like the share with us?" Phoebe smiled sarcastically his way as she strode in, ointment tube in hand.

Chris faltered at the question, sitting down in an armchair across from the girls as he stuttered out defensively, "No. Look, I haven't been a Whitelighter very long, okay? And healing...it's big, and takes a little while to learn how to do,"

"So you've literally never healed anyone before?" I asked, arching an eyebrow in surprise.

"Well...there was one time actually. But I was...emotionally charged then..."

He trailed off at the last part, strands of shaggy brown hair hiding his expression as he turned away, clearly feeling uncomfortable with the subject as he avoided my gaze. I frowned at the oddity of it but said nothing in response, leaving it alone.

Phoebe scoffed, "Good to know we rank so high on your list then, student Whitelighter,"

"Okay, you could've told us about this, like, I don't know, maybe a month ago," Paige told him pointedly.

"Well, I know one thing for sure, we're gonna stop all this demon fighting for a while,"

"Wait, why?" I interjected.

Piper's voice drifted in from the kitchen then, "Can somebody please fold the towels in the dryer when it's done?"

Both Halliwells sighed in frustration before Phoebe replied, "That's why. I know the witchy stuff means a lot to you, Mattie, and I'm not trying to override that. But we need to find out what's wrong with Piper. Family first, right?"

A small smile graced my lips, automatically knowing I was included in that statement before nodding in response, "Always."

"How about this? Three more demons, then we can talk about taking a little break," Chris tried to haggle with us.

"What, do you have a quota or something?" Paige questioned and I almost laughed at the accuracy, 100% believing she was right.

Chris rolled his green eyes, "Look, I've already told you this before. I know from future knowledge that a demon is gonna come after Wyatt. These are all pre-empted strikes,"

"Okay, look, Chris, we like you a lot-" Phoebe started.

"Debatable," I coughed into my hand to which I earned an elbow in the ribs.

"-but we have been doing this a lot longer than you have. Trust me, you have to pace yourself and you gotta let us have a life," she glanced down at her watch then, "Ooh, speaking of which, I have to go get ready for my lunch date,"

We all stood up then from the couch and I smirked, "Oh, I didn't know your boss was back in town,"

"No, it's not with Jason, it's with Chad, the DJ, who I'm not really interested in,"

"Two demons, how about that?" Chris interjected, "Two,"

She sighed, shaking her head, "No, Chris. And especially not until we figure out what's wrong with Piper, and more importantly Piper's powers,"

"I swear, I think Leo did something to her before he left," Paige said.

"You know what? I think it's about time we orb him down here and ask him,"

Chris vehemently shook his head at the suggestion, "I don't think that's possible,"

"Why not? I think it's a great idea!" I put in, hands on my hips in defiance.

Phoebe arched her eyebrows at him, "Well, then make it possible. Look, even if he doesn't care about Piper as his wife, as an Elder, he at the very least should care about what happened to her powers,"

"I can't," Chris insisted.

Strands of Paige's red hair flipped over her shoulder as she pursed her lips in agitation, "Yeah, you can. You just go up there and tell him to get down here,"

"That's not why I can't. Look, I didn't wanna tell you this because I didn't want to worry you two but... Leo's missing,"

I almost felt my heart stop as questions spewed forth from the three of us a mile a minute, shock and disbelief resonating between us all.

"Missing? How long?" Paige asked, the look of anger fading in the blink of an eye into that of concern.

"Since the last time you saw him. Anyway, the Elders think he's been kidnapped." Chris told us.

I frowned, suddenly feeling suspicious. Chris must've felt me watching him because his green orbs locked on mine before uncomfortably looking away. Hm. That was odd.

Phoebe and Paige immediately began to decide on a course of action, ultimately choosing to go tell Piper about it before doing anything rash. While I was, again, made to stay with Chris. Honestly, I was getting quite sick of being this boy's babysitter 24/7. As the front door slammed shut behind them, I spun on my heel to face the Whitelighter in question.

"How can Leo be missing? I know you were with him on the steps that day," I confronted him, stepping closer so that I was now looking upwards to meet his gaze.

His expression was guarded though, vacant, as he looked back at me, "I don't know what you're talking about,"

"Sure you do. You just don't want to tell me about it," I challenged him, anger sizzling in my veins at the thought that he may be withholding information on Leo, "What were you two talking about that day on the front porch?"

"I told you..." Chris started, narrowing his gaze, "I don't know what you're talking about. The last time I saw him was the same time as you guys,"

I shook my head, "I don't believe that,"

He waved a hand as he began to walk towards the stairs, "Believe what you want, it doesn't matter to me. Look, I have things to do, I don't have time for this."

Without a second glance, he brushed by me then and disappeared up the steps to the attic. But I couldn't shake the tightness in my chest that signaled anxiety.

Something was very wrong.

And Chris knew it.