Post by Esmeralda on Mar 13, 2008 12:02:00 GMT -5
I'm glad you liked it, Melissa, and I'm sure that Aurora would, too. (Unfortunately she stopped coming to Charmed boards shortly after Charmed ended. 
) As for your questions, she had some similar questions at other sites and ended up rewriting her ending in order to make it a bit more clear, but I guess she never posted it here. So I'll copy it from one of those other sites. Here's an Alternate Ending to "The Root of All Evil" Hope it helps make things make more sense:
When Chris could see again, he was back in the attic. He somehow knew he had returned to his own time, now changed. He could still remember everything that had happened and knew he would have to keep it to himself. But try as he might, he had no memory of the timeline he was now in. He wondered how much his life had changed.
Just then a beautiful girl with long dark hair waltzed in. She was wearing a light-blue off-the-shoulder dress, her hair tied back with blue ribbon with lovely fresh flowers in her hair. She looked vaguely familar but Chris couldn't place her. She hugged him like he was supposed to know her, so he lightly hugged her back.
"Congratulations!" she told him. "I'm so happy for you!"
"Melinda!" A man walked in, wearing a tux. "You look absolutely beautiful!" he told her.
Chris shuddered at the sight of him. Wyatt! Except why was his hair and eyes both dark brown? Was he still evil?
"Andy!" Melinda gave him the warmest smile as she twirled around, showing off her dress.
Andy? Chris wondered. Who's Andy?
Andy smiled pleasantly at Chris, a look Chris rarely saw from him if he really was Wyatt with a different name. "I can understand you being nervous about this, but relax; you are marrying the perfect girl, and if any demons try to wreck your wedding, they will have to answer to me!" He spoke with total strength and sincerity as he tapped his hand against the sword Excalibur that lay sheathed by his side.
We did it! Chris thought in triumph. The wielder of Excalibur is now good, not evil!
"Yeah, I can't believe Bianca is letting me be her maid of honor," Melinda smiled.
"And I'm so proud that you chose me to be your best man," Andy added.
Chris nearly fainted. Bianca is still alive?! His smile grew bigger as the realization that he was about to marry her finally set in. But if his older brother was no longer evil, how did he ever end up with a Phoenix, an assassin?
The three walked down to the foyer, where he spotted his mother, fussing with a large floral arch, the flowers matching the ones in Melinda's hair.
He smiled at the others. "Excuse me." They nodded, smiling, so Chris raced to Piper.
"Mom!" he exclaimed. Piper hugged Chris as Melinda and Andy stepped up behind them, smiling.
She held Chris at arms-length away. "Look at you, my handsome son, all grown-up and about to get married. This brings back memories," Piper said with a smile.
"Of yours and Le- Dad's wedding?" Chris asked. Melinda raised a brow inquisitively at Chris, and he shrugged.
"Yeah," Piper smiled at the memory. Then she frowned. Then she smiled again.
"What is it, Mom? Did something happen at your wedding?"
She looked confused. "Funny, for a minute I thought it wasn't that great, except that I managed to marry Leo, so it must've been perfect."
Chris grinned. "Right--as long as you marry the person you love by the end of the day, the wedding was perfect."
Piper looked at him strangely. "Yes, exactly right. The funny thing is now I don't remember anything that went wrong. Now I remember that it was perfect in every way--just like I know yours will be," and Chris smiled to himself, thinking of the special wedding present he had given his parents.
Just then Prue walked in, looking as fit as ever. Instead of any kind of Gucci bag, she carried her camera. "OK, pictures," Prue declared, while everyone moaned, "Oh, no!"
Then she sighed in frustration. "Oh, Andy, come here a minute first."
"Ah, Mom," Andy whined as Prue straightened out his collar and tie.
Oh, he isn't my brother; he's my cousin, Chris realized. The oldest daughter had the Twice-Blessed child, so he's Prue's.
"Get your father," Prue told Andy. "I want him in the pictures, too."
"I think Uncle Bane is in the living room, watching football with Uncle Glen," Melinda told her.
Uncle Bane? Chris wondered. Uncle Glen? But Glen used to be Paige's boyfriend! Did he marry Phoebe? What happened to Phoebe & Cole? Did the sisters have to vanquish Cole after all?
Just then, in walked Paige from the kitchen. "Congratulations," she told Chris, as she hugged him.
"Paige?" Chris exclaimed in confusion. He looked back and forth between Prue & Paige, wondering how both could be there.
"Wyatt, what's wrong?" Paige asked, concerned
Wyatt? Wyatt's here? Chris looked around, but didn't see anyone new. Then it suddenly hit him. Paige was talking to *him*! Since Prue had had the Twice-Blessed Child and named him Andy, Piper & Leo named their first-born son--him--Wyatt! "Ah, nothing, it is just that, uh, I'm sorry. Uh, must have pre-weddings jitters. Ah, nothing, it is just that… Didn’t Mom meet Paige at Prue’s funeral?”
Everyone burst out laughing.
Prue laughed the hardest. "I sure hope not, since I'd have to be dead in order for them to have my funeral! And I'm no ghost!"
"Well, then can you tell me again how you joined the family, Paige?"
"Oh, we've told you this story a hundred times!" Paige grinned.
"Go for a hundred and one," Chris requested. "Please. It's my favorite family story," he hoped.
"Well, all right," Prue agreed. "One night at P3," she began, "I overheard Paige telling her then-boyfriend about how she thought she might be our long-lost half-sister."
"Prue told Phoebe & me about it," Piper continued. "At first I refused to believe that it could possibly be true."
"But then Phoebe spotted the triquetra she drew on her napkin," Prue chimed in.
"So I froze everyone at the club," Piper laughed. "If she really was a witch and one of us, she wouldn't freeze."
"Sure enough, I didn't," Paige declared proudly. "And then they took me to the Manor, where I got to meet the ghost of our Mom and heard the whole story. And here I am today, charmed and dangerous!" and everyone laughed, especially Glen, who walked in with Bane.
Prue nodded. "So now we have the Power of Four, which is even more powerful than the Power of Three!"
"And," added Piper, looking at the children, "Raising you guys, we needed it!" and everyone laughed, while the children looked sheepish.
"Where's Dad?" Chris asked.
"Oh, he's not coming," Piper said with a smirk. "Elder business."
"Oh," Chris said. Some things never change, he thought to himself, very disappointed.
"Yeah, right!" Melinda retorted. "Like Dad would really miss my baby brother's wedding!"
So rather than a big brother, I have a big sister, Chris thought, just like Mom saw in that other future.
Just then Phoebe & Cole walked in, holding hands, looking as happy together as Chris had just seen them at that other wedding, except now Cole was smiling happily at Chris. "Hi, everybody," he greeted. "Wyatt, I have something for you," and he handed Chris an envelope.
Chris opened and read it. "Wow! Thank you!" he cried. "That is only the finest hotel in Hawaii!"
Cole grinned. "Phoebe & I wanted you to have a great honeymoon. One that was as nice as ours."
"Yeah, wait till you see what I got Bianca for her shower," Phoebe snickered. Cole smirked, while Paige and Prue both laughed. Piper pretended not to be listening.
"What?" Chris was oblivious.
"You'll find out," Phoebe said with a grin.
"What? When?" Chris asked.
"Probably tonight," Prue said with smile.
"When you are alone with Bianca," Paige added, sneering at Phoebe. "Wish I had thought about it!"
Phoebe stuck out her tongue at Paige, and everyone laughed.
"I just hope Nicole doesn't outshine the bride," Phoebe declared, proudly, which Chris thought was impossible, no matter how pretty Phoebe's daughter was. "And Sam will probably steal the show," she laughed indulgently. "Although I was still arguing with her this morning about having to wear a dress! Imagine a flower girl in jeans!"
Paige grinned. "Not Trish. She thinks the dresses Bianca chose are the prettiest things she's ever seen."
Melinda spun again. "I think so, too!" Then she grinned. "Nicole will make sure Sam behaves! She's been doing it Sam's whole life!" Then she grinned at Chris. "Just like I've been making sure Wyatt behaves his whole life!" and Chris managed to grin back.
Just then Victor walked in and gave Chris a hug. Chris hugged him back tightly, so glad he was finally getting this chance to hug his beloved grandpa again. Now if only...
"Grandpa, so glad you made it!" he exclaimed.
"Of course, I made it," exclaimed Victor. "Did you think I wouldn't?"
Just then two more people walked down the steps, a man and a woman. They looked vaguely familiar, but Chris couldn't place them. Piper did, as she ran to greet them. "Lynn! Antonio! Welcome! I'm so glad the big day has finally arrived!"
"So are we," replied the woman, hugging Piper. As she did, Chris saw the Phoenix symbol on her wrist, and looking, he saw it on the man's, too. Now he realized who they must be -- Bianca's parents -- now he could see her resemblance to them. But his mother was happy to see Phoenixes? That didn't make any sense at all.
“I have never seen Bianca happier,” Antonio said, smiling. “Well, maybe on her 18th birthday, when we gave her that Porsche."
“That just proves you have not been around enough,” Lynn also smiled. “She has been like that ever since she started dating Wyatt.”
“Yeah, and I can’t believe I have not even met Wyatt yet,” Antonio said.
Melinda ran over to Lynn. “Mrs. Perry, hello!” she cried, as she hugged Lynn.
“Call me Lynn. We are family now!” Lynn declared proudly.
“Ok, Lynn,” Melinda smiled back, then smiled at Antonio when Lynn him to her.
Just then someone began to orb in.
Dad!" Melinda ran over and hugged Leo before he even finished re-materializing.
Chris' jaw dropped. "Le..Dad, you came!"
"Don't tell me you thought I wouldn't?" Leo looked just as surprised as Chris was. "When have I ever missed anything important in yours or your sister's life?"
Chris was about to answer, but Melinda cut him off. "Never," she declared firmly.
"Never?" Chris questioned.
Leo smiled at Chris. "Never!" and Chris continued to stare, trying to imagine his life with a father who truly cared about him & his sister, and who always put them and their mother first, ahead of Elder duties. It was nearly impossible, so opposite it was to the lifetime he remembered.
"How did it go with the other Elders?" Piper asked Leo hopefully.
"Great! They granted that surprise for Wyatt," Leo exclaimed. He smiled as another orb began forming. "Here it is now."
As the orbs materialized, Chris saw a familiar face. "Grams!" he exclaimed as he ran to hug Patty, so very happy that he finally had this chance.
"Grams!" Melinda & Andy exclaimed, too. They hugged Patty, too, while all of their parents smiled.
Then Piper took Leo by the hand and led him to the other couple. "I don't think you've met Wyatt's future in-laws, the Perrys, yet."
"No, I haven't."
After Piper made the introductions, Antonio smiled, and Chris could see where Bianca got her lovely smile. "We're so glad and so proud that Bianca is marrying someone who is both the son of a Charmed One and the son of an Elder."
Leo smiled. "And we are so glad and proud that Wyatt is marrying a Phoenix." But although he was talking to Antonio Perry, he was looking right at his son as he spoke.
Chris tried to prevent the shock he felt from showing on his face. His father was happy he was marrying an assassin? How could that possibly be?
Just then the clock bonged. "Almost time!" cried Melinda happily. "I'm going to go join Bianca and the other girls. See ya soon, baby brother! Love ya!"
Chris smiled, repeating, "Love ya, big sis!" realizing he truly meant it as she ran up the stairs.
Then Leo turned towards Chris. "I'd like to have a private father-son talk with you before the ceremony, son. Is that all right with the rest of you?"
The others nodded, smiling, so Leo took his son's hand and orbed them both to the attic. Chris rolled his eye at his father. "You know, you don't have to give me the birds-and-the-bees talk."
Leo smiled. "No, it has nothing to do with that. I know why you are so confused, Chris."
I very much doubt that, Chris thought to himself. "Just wedding-day jitters, I guess." He tried to sound convincing, and knew he hadn't succeeded.
Leo smiled. "No, I know it's not that."
Suddenly it hit Chris and he did a double-take, staring at Leo in shock. His father had called him Chris, not Wyatt!
Leo smiled, nodding. "That's right, Chris. As an Elder, I get to see not only my past lives, but alternate timelines as well. I know that you're Chris from the timeline when Prue died and Piper & I had the Twice-Blessed son, whom we named Wyatt, and who turned evil. I know you're his younger brother, and I know about your trip to the past, trying to prevent your brother from turning. I also know how you went back to Piper's and my wedding and how you let her have better memories of it. And I know how you & the Charmed Ones vanquished the Root of All Evil and reinstated the Source of All Good back into power."
Chris continued to stare, now not trying to hide his shock. "You know?"
"Yes, I do, and I will try to make this transition as easy on you as possible. If you're not sure about something, all you need to do is ask."
"But the Phoenixes? In my time--"
"They're assassins." Leo nodded, then continued, "But, Chris, in the majority of stories, the Phoenix are actually very good. They usually symbolize resurrection and eternal life. And that's what's true in this timeline, as it is in most. In this one, the Phoenix are elite--powerful and noble witches, whom we are proud to have as our allies, and more proud to have connected with our family. A child who is both Charmed and Phoenix will be a child who will do much good in the world, and one I'll be proud to call my grandchild."
Chris stared at his father, unable to believe what he was hearing. "But, but, why was it different in the world I remember?"
Leo smiled. "Chris, the only reason the Phoenix witches were consider evil then is because the Root of All Evil said so and made it so. Once you and the Charmed Ones vanquished him, the Phoenix witches were restored to what they should have been in that timeline also, which helped make that timeline and this one come back together as one."
"Oh," Chris didn't know what to say. He continued to stare, unable to believe it. This meant that Bianca had the full support of her family, just like he knew he had the support of his. He couldn't think of anything more beautiful or wonderful.
"So you see, Chris, an evil Phoenix is about as ridiculous as an evil Elder," Leo pointed out, grinning. Chris let out a nervous laugh as he remembered Gideon. Then Leo's grinned grew so large that it nearly split his face in half. "All right, let's get you two hitched!" and Chris grinned back, remembering telling his parents the same thing.
No sooner did they orb back downstairs than the ghost of Penny Halliwell appeared in her place as high priestess. "Places, everyone!" she announced. "Girls! It's showtime!"
Chris, Andy, Glen, Cole and Bane stood under the floral arch, while Leo & Piper, Phoebe & Paige and Patty & Victor took their places as guests. Prue stood near the stairs, ready to start snapping pictures, but first she waved her hand, and soon the music of Pachibel filled the room. Leo flung his own hand into the air and the same lights that twinkled overhead during his and Piper's wedding now twinkled for his son's.
Shortly afterward, a pretty girl who looked to be about eight dressed in a white dress, with flowers in her hair, carrying a basket full of rose petals, began walking down the stairs, although she kept pulling her dress up as she did. Chris grinned. That must be his cousin, Cole & Phoebe's Samantha, who was obviously a tomboy.
Close behind Sam, a tall, dark, young woman, who looked to be about Chris' age and was dressed like Melinda, came down the stairs. She kept indicating to Sam to let go of her dress and that she should sprinkle the rose petals on the stairs, something Sam refused to do. Chris' grin grew. This must be Sam's big sister, Nicole. Unlike Sam, who was a miniature-Phoebe, Nicole looked just like her father. She was very beautiful, even more beautiful than Melinda, but not as beautiful as the Bianca in Chris' memory was.
When they reached the arch, Bane stepped forward and took his young niece's hand, while Cole reached out to take his older daughter's, while Prue kept snapping pictures, even when Sam stuck her tongue out at her! Prue shook her head at her niece before turning back to the stairs, so Chris looked up them, too.
Now coming down the stairs was another lovely young woman, just about the same age as Chris & Nicole and looked just like Paige, and Chris was having fun imagining three Charmed Ones all pregnant at the same time. He wanted to see those pictures! Chris was sure that she was his half-cousin, Glen & Paige's Patricia, especially when Glen stepped forward to take her hand.
His big sister came down next, almost floating down the stairs; she looked so happy for him. Andy stepped forward to take her hand, then they stepped on either side of Chris, so they were in their places as maid of honor & best man.
Finally Bianca herself came down the stairs, arm-in-arm with her parents. She was dressed in Piper's wedding dress and looked lovingly, happily at Chris. She looked even more beautiful than Chris had ever remembered seeing her. He was so happy, he had to blink to keep back his tears.
Soon Chris & Bianca were reciting their wedding vows:
"Heart to thee,
Body to thee,
Always and forever,
So mote it be."
Suddenly everyone but Chris froze again. The Angel of Destiny appeared again. "Congratulations, young Christopher Victor Halliwell!" he proclaimed. "You have put both the Charmed destiny and the Phoenix destiny back on their proper course. Now things are as they should be. And as a reward for you, you will no longer remember that earlier timeline, only this one that you have helped create."
And as he disappeared and everyone began moving again, repeating, "So mote it be!", Wyatt Matthew Halliwell took his beautiful bride into his arms and kissed her while the whole Halliwell clan cheered.
