𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 || 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥

Chapter 19 - The Other Me Strikes Back

Note: Sorry for the wait, guys! As well as being a super short chapter but I promise to do better lol :) Hope y'all like it! ^_^

Gently, I pressed a damp towel to Chris' forehead. Hopefully, that would cool him down some. At least, I hoped so. He was growing more feverish by the minute and it was making me anxious.

"We found the other Mattie." Piper stated as together, the girls strode back into the living room having been finally done with their scrying, before she handed the ring back to me.

I bit my lip hard, feeling pain erupt underneath the skin there as I stared down at the glittering diamond, overcome with emotion. So hard to fathom that this tiny little object held such sentimental value - for Chris and now for me as well, I suppose. I still couldn't wrap my head around it. Somewhere in the future, I was Chris' fiancee. We were supposed to be married. And now...now what if that was all for naught? If the future version of myself was trying to kill him then that means...that means that maybe my demon side had finally won out. What if...

I was snapped back to reality though when something weird happened.

"-got the vanquishing potion so after we orb over there, I'm gonna..." Piper was saying before trailing off into silence.

Suddenly, a blue glow washed over all three Charmed Ones. I gaped at the scene in confusion just as Leo asked, "You're gonna what?"

Paige's face slid into a smile then, "I'm gonna move into Richard's house,"

"Are you? Good for you," Piper congratulated her.

"That's a great idea. And I think I'm gonna go check out what's going on in Hong Kong," Phoebe said with a smile just as radiant as her younger sister's.

"Leo..." I began warily, eyeing the Elder beside me, "What's happening?"

"Hang on a second, this isn't you guys," he tried to reason, standing up, "You must be under some kind of spell, you have to fight this!"

"How can you fight your heart?" Phoebe shrugged, as if that explained everything before turning to her sister, "Will you drop me off on the way to Richard's?"

Paige smiled, "I would love to!"

"Paige, Phoebe, listen to me-" Leo started.

But it was much too late for any kind of reasoning - they were too far gone. Before we could make a move to stop them, both girls orbed out of the Manor, quickly followed by Piper leaving as well. I shot an exasperated look towards Leo and he made a face.

Just then, Chris started mumbling in his sleep and I turned back to him. P

Pressing the towel back to his forehead once more, I couldn't help but sigh in frustration, "So now what to do we do?"

"We go after them," he said, as if it were obvious.

"Yeah? And what about Chris? We can't just leave him here, Leo-" I started but he cut me off with a serious but soft tone in his voice.

"We're not gonna be able to save him without them, Mattie."

My gaze locked with Leo's blue eyes, knowing in my heart he was right. Of course, he was. But I couldn't bear the thought of leaving him here alone while we went out to search for them. I know we needed them but...

I didn't have long to ponder that thought before something happened then - something I wish I had been able to foresee. Suddenly, I was jealous of Phoebe's Sight - if I'd had it, maybe I could have saved him.

But with one swift kick to the head, I was down on the floor, moaning in pain. Meanwhile, Leo had been thrown to the other side of the room, totally knocked unconscious in a rain of shattered glass. My gaze flitted up then, blinking at the figure who now resided on the the couch, a hand resting on Chris' chest. A fire burned inside my own chest, anger roiling over me as I recognized the dark hair, olive complexion and cocoa-brown eyes immediately.

My future self had finally come for Chris.