A gasp flew from between my lips as the shot rang out in the air, the bullet lodging in Phoebe's stomach. Everything seemed to happen in slow-motion then as her body fell into my arms, blood blooming crimson on her white shirt.

So much had already happened, this being the least expected. After we'd finally gotten back our own Leo and Chris as well as ourselves back from the alternate universe, I thought things would go back to normal. At least, I had hoped.

I was wrong.

"Put him in the playpen. I don't want him seeing this!" Leo ordered Paige who was still holding Wyatt on her hip.

"But Phoebe-" Paige started but Leo cut her off.

"Just do it!"

Gently, Leo lied Phoebe down on the couch before putting glowing hands over her to start the healing process.

"Don't let him out of your sight," he said over his shoulder to Paige.

I paced alongside the couch, nervously biting my nails, "What's wrong? What's taking so long?"

Leo shook his head, a look of concern evident on his face, "I don't know,"

"Leo, you should have just healed her outside!" Paige snapped, her own concern coming out in a flash of anger.

"Right, and risk you getting shot, too? I don't think so," Leo retorted.

"Stop it, you guys! Let's just focus on the most important thing here - healing Phoebe," I cut them both off sternly, as if I was speaking to small children.

Chris came bounding down the stairs and my heart fluttered slightly in my chest, momentarily taking my mind off of the situation at hand. What with the headmaster, Gideon, now being found out as totally evil and attempting to kill my boyfriend's brother, Piper being in labor by herself at the hospital and of course, the whole world gone fruitcake-crazy, the fact that Chris was back, if only for a few more hours, was possibly the only good thing in my life at the moment.

"Okay, so I just sent our evil twins through the portal, although-" Chris began before stopping abruptly upon seeing a fatally injured Phoebe on the couch, "What happened?"

Suddenly, Phoebe awoke, gasping for air. Warm tears that had already brimmed in my eyes spilled over at the sight of her - alive. Swooping down, I grabbed her tightly in a hug.

"Mom..." I whispered softly, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off my chest.

Don't get me wrong - I knew Leo would be able to heal her. But just the idea...

Phoebe put a hand to the back of my head comfortingly as she squeezed me back, "It's alright. I'm okay... Just remind me to never park on Mrs. Noble's driveway again,"

I let out a strangled laugh and she held me tighter before letting go.

"Will someone please tell me what is going on here?" Chris asked, agitation clear in his voice.

Coming to stand beside him, I put a comforting hand on his arm, "The neighborhood patrol shot her point blank,"

"And nobody so much as blinked an eye," Paige pointed out.

"What? Why?" Chris asked in shock, not expecting this turn of events.

"Because by getting us all to the evil world, Gideon messed up the balance, messed with the grand design," Leo informed his son.

I huffed, "Well, if you ask me, the grand design is pretty messed up in the first place,"

"True that," Paige agreed, nodding to me.

Phoebe furrowed her eyebrows, "Wait, so are you saying because of what he did, our world is bad now, too?"

"No, on the contrary. It's good. Too good. Where every little infraction is a capital offense and everyone just accepts it," Leo stated.

"Oh, so we're starring in a little movie called "Pleasantville"?" Paige snorted.

None of this was making sense to me. At all.

"Okay, how come we weren't affected?" Chris piped up.

"Because we must have been crossing over when the shift occurred," Leo said.

"Well, that must mean Gideon's not affected, either, right?" I asked, feeling Chris' fingers intertwine with my own as we listened.

"No, he wouldn't be because he's an Elder,"

"How do we know he's not using the situation to his advantage, you know, come after Wyatt again?" my boyfriend asked, seeming to get more agitated by the second as the conversation went on.

"Because I'm going to find him first," Leo informed the four of us.

Phoebe shook her head, "No, you can't hurt him, Leo, not until he shifts the balance back, and you know he knows how to do that,"

Paige's eyes went wide then, "Oh, my gosh. We totally forgot about Piper! We have to get to the hospital,"

"Well, who's going to watch Wyatt?" Leo asked, knowing he needed to be there for his wife and unborn child.

"I will," Chris volunteered immediately, "Look, I didn't come all the way from the future just to lose him now, all right?"

"Me too. That way, I can spend a little longer with you before you have to go." I pointed out, squeezing Chris' hand once gently.

Leo nodded, sending a grateful smile our way before orbing away from the Manor.

Phoebe stood up then before directing her words to her sister, "I think we should drive. I don't want to risk orbing,"

Paige nodded understandingly.

"Hey, just watch your speed, okay?" Chris told them in a parental manner, making the pair of them roll their eyes before leaving.

Sighing, I wrapped my arms around my boyfriend, resting my head on his chest as he embraced me. I squeezed him back tightly.

Just a little longer now...