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Post by Meluivan Indil on Nov 18, 2007 14:42:34 GMT -5
Disclaimer: Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Okay little explanation since someone asked me about it. The spell that was cast on Phoebe only keeps her from telling Chris’ secret, not from knowing it. She remembers everything they learned in the chamber. Her lips are just sealed on the subject until Chris reveals it himself. Poor girl must be ready to bust by now.
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Chapter 15 ~ Fixing Them
Chris sat dumbly for a minute just looking at where she had stood. He wasn’t sure what exactly had happened between them but he did know that he somehow had to fix it. He couldn’t bear to see his mother like that. “Come on, Wy. We have to fix mommy and daddy,” he whispered to his brother.
With that Chris stood and moved to the table in the middle of the room and sat with Wyatt on his lap. He took a piece of paper and pen into hand and then started to scribble until he had exactly what he wanted. It took several failed attempts and a good half hour before he had something that he thought would work.
“What do you think, Wy?” Chris asked looking down to his brother showing him the paper. Wyatt just giggled at his brother. “Okay, okay. I know, but what do you expect with such short notice?”
Wyatt giggled again and Chris just rolled his eyes that time. “Now, we need to check on Piper to make sure she’s not talking to anyone. That might be a little inconvenient for her.” Chris immediately orbed to P3 and into his own room still holding Wyatt. He set his brother down on the couch and went to the door peaking out into the nightclub. He could see Piper sitting alone at the bar pouring over some ledgers and there was no one else in sight. Perfect timing. Piper had said that Leo was at Magic School. He’d just have to take the chance that no one would notice his absence.
So he gently closed the door again and read the spell.
I call on the entire Halliwell line To help me in this place and time
Take Piper and Leo from this space So that they may come face to face
Where in paradise they may find A little peace of mind
Alone together out of space and time There they may see the signs
To repair the pain inside Only then may they return from where they hide
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Piper knew that the books could have waited. She normally wouldn’t have been working on them until the end of the week but she had needed to get away. To get away from her family. She loved them dearly but anymore every time she had to look at her sons the pain would overwhelm her. The pain she felt at knowing that someday her oldest would become the ruler of all evil and her youngest would suffer so much because of it. And because of her and his father she reminded herself.
How had Chris ever survived it all? And how could he have went all those months hiding his secrets from them enduring so much pain an rejection? In just the three months that she had been forced to keep it to herself she had realized just how painful it must be for him, because of all of the pain it was causing her to not be able to show the love she felt for him. She at least didn’t have someone treating her like dirt and sniping at her every action like he had had to endure. How had he dealt with it? She really wished she knew, because she wasn’t sure just how much more of this she could take.
She sighed deeply looking down to the ledger she was working in. She hadn’t actually gotten anything accomplished yet. She placed her pencil into the next column but suddenly the numbers before her started to blur and then everything around her seemed to fade into nothingness.
She blinked several times trying to comprehend what she was seeing around her. “What the hell…”
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Leo had had a very unproductive chat with Gideon. He had gone to his friend and mentor in the hopes of an objective voice but once he started talking he hadn’t been able to say much. He knew the only way to explain his problem sufficiently to the Elder would be to disclose Chris’ secret, which he was unable to do. Not even to Gideon. He had always trusted Gideon with everything but this was not his secret to share. Then Gideon had started in on him about the time he was spending on earth. He had said that the other Elders were becoming anxious about it. Leo was, after all, risking them too. Leo understood that his actions affected the other Elders also but still he would not desert his family especially not while Chris was still unable to open up to them and there was still the threat to Wyatt out there somewhere.
He had found himself walking alone through the halls of Magic School just thinking of everything that was happening in his life. Piper was becoming harder and harder to deal with as time went by. She seemed to be blaming him for something but he had yet to figure out exactly what it was. He had wondered if maybe she was beginning to blame him for what his future self had done to their son but that just didn’t seem like something she would do. And several times she had assured him that there was no blame to be placed. He hadn’t done those things yet and there was no way he would as far as he was concerned. But still… what else could have her this angry for no apparent reason?
He was lost in thought when suddenly the hall surrounding him seemed to dim and then brighten considerable and where there had been tile floor below his feet but a moment before there was now an endless sea of white sand. He looked up in shock and then all around him. He frowned in confusion as he heard the sounds of ocean waves smashing together to his left and looked out onto a vast expanse of water.
“Leo, what the hell have you done now?” he heard from behind him and turned to see Piper standing with her arms crossed across her chest a very angry look covering her face.
He shook his head in confusion as he answered her. “I didn’t do anything. Where are we?”
Piper’s eyes widened in slight disbelief. “You didn’t bring us here?”
“I don’t know where here is, Piper.” He looked around again and could see a veritable jungle further inland with what looked like a bungalow tucked in next to the trees. It seemed like an island paradise from a vacation catalogue.
Piper strode forward and grabbed his arm. “Orb us out,” she commanded still on the angry side.
Leo scowled slightly but attempted to comply. But nothing happened. He tried again concentrating harder, but still nothing. “I can’t. Something is blocking me.”
“Well isn’t that just peachy?” Piper said sarcastically letting go of Leo’s arm then started walking towards the bungalow up ahead.
“Where are you going? That might be some kind of trap,” Leo called out in worry.
“If it is I pity the demon who set it,” she called back to him trudging ahead through the sand.
“Me too,” Leo whispered following her grudgingly. He had faced Piper’s wrath way too many times not to realize just how much trouble whomever was responsible for them being there, was in.
Piper waited for him once she reached the bungalow door and then they walked in together. Looking around it seemed just like a normal vacation bungalow with all the immunities of a five star resort. “Okay, no demon. So what the heck is going on here?” Piper asked in confusion.
Leo just shrugged. But as he was doing so a figure that neither of them had seen in quite some time appeared sitting on the edge of the bed. “I’m offended that my own sister would think I was a demon.”
Piper’s eyes became saucers and her mouth dropped open in utter surprise. Leo, who had more experience with the Astral Plane wasn’t quite as surprised. “But I thought they said it was too early for you to cross over, Prue?”
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Chris took Wyatt and orbed back to the Manor just in time to see Phoebe walk into the attic. She looked at him in surprise. “Did you just orb in?”
“Yeah, I needed to check on something at P3, so Wyatt and I took a little trip. We weren’t gone long?” he told a half-truth nervously, hoping that Phoebe wouldn’t catch him in it.
“Did you see Piper there? I’m still worried about her,” Phoebe confessed not even noticing the slight fidgeting that Chris was doing.
“She was busy. I didn’t want to bother her,” he again stretched the truth as he walked over and placed Wyatt in his playpen. He could see that the little tyke was getting sleepy, so he orbed a pillow and blanket into the pen and helped Wyatt get comfortable.
Phoebe just nodded and walked over to the table where she and Paige had been busy earlier making potions. She noticed one thing out of place. “Oh no, Paige left her organizer here,” she said lifting it up. She knew that Paige took it with her everywhere except on demon hunts. But she froze her eyes taking on a faraway look as a premonition hit her.
“You know, I like magic. I really enjoy it, but does every temp job I get have to end up with me being almost killed?” Paige called out popping up from behind what looked like a boulder and tossing a potion vial at a demon across the room. The potion vial exploded at the demon’s feet but seemed to have no affect whatsoever.
“Is that the best you brought, Witchlighter? If so you are never gonna make it out of here,” the demon called out moving closer to her. “You can not orb from this chamber. And the only way out is through me. And even if you do get out the door you’ll have to make it through the maze of chambers beyond, all of which are orb proof.” With that the demon cackled in glee knowing he had her right where he wanted her. He finally had the opportunity to rid the world of one of the Charmed Ones. If he could pull it off he’d be famous among his demon peers.
Paige pulled the final vial of potion she had left out, knowing it was the strongest she carried, and tossed it at the upper level demon. In delight she noticed the demon start to smoke, but decided it was no time to gloat as she ran past him but stopped at the door when she heard his laughter again. She turned to see that the potion had singed him a bit but not enough to cause any real damage. But she wasn’t about to stick around and see what he’d do next. So she ran with all her might into the maze of chambers beyond hoping to outrun the demon.
Phoebe sucked in a huge gulping breath as she was pulled from the premonition. Chris had moved over closer to her and had a look of concern on his face. “What did you see, Phoebe?”
“Paige. She’s in the underworld and she's in trouble,” she said in a terrified daze. “Demon.”
“Was it the future or now, Phoebe?” Chris asked worry shrouding his features. When she didn’t answer he took her arm and shook it slightly. “Phoebe, focus. Future or now?”
She shook her head clearing the cobwebs from her mind and stalked over to the Book of Shadows. “Now I think,” she said in fear. “It was an upper level demon.”
“Okay, you check the Book and I’ll go check with one of my contacts. See if he knows if anything big is going on down there today,” Chris said in a tone that was all business. But the worried look on his aunt’s face softened his heart slightly. “Pheebs, we’ll get her back, I promise,” he added before orbing out.
Phoebe looked to where her nephew had been standing and smiled just slightly. For some reason she believed him. Something about the way he said it made her sure that he’d never give up until they did just that, or died trying. At one point she and Paige had both told Chris that Leo had a way of instilling confidence in them that they often lacked themselves. She wondered at just what point Chris had adopted that same ability. It was comforting.
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A/N: Okay anyone who is gaping close your mouths. Yes I did bring Prue into this. No she will not figure prominently though. Sorry. And yes I did just put Paige in some serious danger. And you will all get to find out where Chris sent his parents in the next chapter. It might not exactly be where you think it is.
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Post by Meluivan Indil on Nov 18, 2007 15:07:59 GMT -5
Disclaimer: Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: I know, Chris did a really big no no with the spell, personal gain and all. But I honestly see it as something Chris would do since he is doing it for his folks not himself. Well at least that’s the way I’d see him justifying it to himself. But we all know how that works out and now look at the situation they are in.
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Chapter 16 ~ Personal Gain
“Technically, you are right, Leo. I’m not allowed to cross over. But since we aren’t on the Earthly Plane right now I don’t see how I can get into trouble over this one,” Prue answered as if the fact that she was dead was no big deal.
Piper looked to Leo in confusion. “Did we die and I just don’t remember it? Wait you’re an Elder. Can you even die?”
“No, Piper, I am not dead, well anymore than an Elder already is, and neither are you, but we are in the Astral Plane, aren’t we?” he asked Prue thinking he had figured out what was happening.
Prue smiled at that. She knew this one would be a shocker to the two. “Actually, no you are not.”
Piper was actually really thrilled to see her sister. It had been such a long time and she would have loved to have just taken advantage of wherever they were to spend time with her but for some reason she felt a sense of urgency concerning where they were and why they were there. “Okay, I’ve already had a bad day, so just cut to the chase, woman, and tell us where the hell we are and why we are here?”
Prue looked slightly astonished by her sister’s words. “Well good for you. You finally lost the whole Pollyanna thing. I was wondering if I had rubbed off on you at all.” She could see the angry glare she was receiving for that. “All right, all right. This place is actually a pocket realm of sorts in between the Astral Plane and the Earthly Plane.”
“Wait, pocket realm, didn’t you and the sisters get caught in one of those several months ago? Something about the Demon of Desires. It nearly killed you all,” Leo hadn’t been able to help them out of that one but Chris had luckily been there to help them and it had nearly cost him his life.
Piper nodded remembering the occasion well. “So are we in danger, here? And how did you get here and are you really Prue?” Again the suspicion was blooming.
“Is she really this suspicious all the time now?” Prue asked Leo. He just nodded in reply.
“Okay, I don’t think you are in danger, considering who created this realm and why. Even though he may be once you get back. And I am actually not really here. This is just a projection of myself. None of us ghosts were allowed to enter but we thought you would need some explanation once you arrived. So since I had the power of Astral Projection I was elected. And that should answer your last question right there.” Prue was sure that wasn’t the last of their questions so she waited patiently for them to go on.
Leo decided to ask the next question. “Who put us here and why?”
Prue smiled knowing that question was next and since she had questions of her own concerning it she was glad it was so. “Yeah, see that’s what I don’t understand. Not the why. It was obvious. You two are fighting and are very soon gonna lose each other if you keep on the track you are on.”
Piper interrupted her then, “How do you know we are fighting?”
“Mom is keeping track of you. Well when she can. She’s confused about a lot of what’s going on but she has seen you fight and says it reminds her of her and dad. That’s not a good sign at all,” Prue explained then went on with the rest of the answer. “Now the who is what surprises me. It takes an immense amount of magical energy to create one of these, unless you are like that demon who fed on your desires. But for a normal witch to create one of these it would take more magic than they could possess on their own. It would take Halliwell magic. So that leads me to the question, how did your Witchlighter call on the magic of the Halliwell line to create this?” With that question she motioned to the world around them.
Piper and Leo both gaped at that question and Piper quickly turned to Leo. “Chris sent us here!”
“Oh god, he must have heard us fighting earlier. What must he have been thinking?” Leo remembered the words from Chris’ memory on the day of the sister’s funeral. Wyatt had said that he and Piper fought all the time in Chris' past. What in the world had hearing them fighting again done to him? Surely it had frightened him enough to write a spell that would be considered to be personal gain. “He was watching his past repeat itself.”
All the color drained from Piper’s face. “No wonder he looked so sad when I left to go to P3. Even Wyatt seemed off. Why didn't I see it? How could I let them down again?”
Prue had been listening to their conversation and was becoming completely confused. The only things she had learned about the Witchlighter was what her Grams had said after her last trip into the Earthly Plane. According to her he was a sarcastic, half-witch, half-whitelighter from the future who drove Leo and the sisters crazy with his whole mantra about future consequences. Honestly Prue had found the story rather entertaining and wished that she could have met the young witch. But none of it pointed to any connection to them. So what was he hiding she wondered. “You two are gonna have to slow down and tell me what the heck you are talking about. At least give me the cliffs notes version.”
Piper and Leo looked to each other and realized just how much they had just revealed. They both clammed up immediately. At least the last three months had taught them something about keeping a secret. Piper finally decided what to say. “Prue, I love you with all my heart and would trust you with any secret that was my own to keep, but this time I just can’t. It’s not my secret and I don’t want to hurt someone who means the world to me, just because I may want another shoulder to cry on.”
Prue frowned in concentration as the wheels turned in her head. A secret. Chris. Someone who meant the world to Piper and apparently Leo. Chris’ use of Halliwell magic and she knew he was from the future. Her eyes widened slightly as she connected the clues in her mind. She smiled brightly nodding. “You know I was very surprised when Grams said you had a son instead of a daughter after Wyatt’s Wiccaning, but maybe that trait was just supposed to run in your side of the family.” She could see the reaction this brought and knew her suspicion was confirmed. “Anyhow, Chris sent you here to try to repair the rift between the two of you and I’m afraid that is the only way that you will be able to leave. That boy knows how to word a full proof spell, that’s for sure.” There was a hint of pride in the words that was unmistakable.
Neither Piper nor Leo wanted to comment on the spell their son had apparently written. It had personal gain written all over it and neither of them were too pleased about that fact or what might happen because of it.
“Oh, come on, you two. You are in paradise and as soon as I leave you will be completely alone. Take advantage of it,” Prue suggested amazed that neither of them seemed pleased by the event. Again they said nothing. “Anyhow, you know the score and I’m gone.”
“Wait, Prue,” Piper called as her sister’s projection disappeared. “I didn’t even get to ask her how she was,” Piper said softly feeling like she’d missed one heck of an opportunity.
“I think she’s fine, Piper,” Leo said trying to sound comforting. “She’s a lot like she was when she was alive. That’s good to see.”
“Yes, yes it is,” she said smiling sadly.
Leo looked at her and realized what they had to do if they were ever to go back home. “Piper, we have to talk.”
Piper’s eyes closed for a second and she took a deep breath. “I know.”
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It had taken Chris a little longer than usual to find his contact in the underworld, which in itself seemed strange but once he did find him he was determined to get information.
“What’s going on down here today, Danx?” Chris asked standing almost too close for the demon’s comfort.
“Nothing unusual, boss,” Danx answered nervously. He had been supplying the Witchlighter with information for months now and it seemed to be the only thing that kept him alive, otherwise he or the Charmed Ones would have destroyed him easily. He was just a minor low level demon but he was very good at finding information.
Chris leaned into the demon that was backed against the wall and held up his right hand starting to make a fist. With that Danx began to choke and his eyes went wild with fear. “Now, Danx, we have had a very good relationship until now. Are you gonna ruin that?”
Danx shook his head violently and Chris let up on the choking grip. “There was one thing. I had just forgot about it.”
Chris smiled nodding to the demon. “Spill it, Danx.”
“Someone mentioned some action going on in the mazes under the City Museum. But I never caught what it was. Just that it involved an upper level demon who was looking to make a name for himself.” Danx was petrified of the demon he spoke of but he was even more petrified of the witch before him and his current fear outweighed anything that might come from his information trade.
“You better not be lying to me, Danx. You won’t like the results,” Chris warned backing away to let his informant slink away.
He knew the mazes that Danx had spoken of and he also knew they were a no orb zone. It would be the perfect place to trap Paige. Part of him wanted to head over there by himself and try to save her, but then the part that actually thought logically decided that finding out what he was up against would be the wiser action. Being wise did not make him very happy at the moment though as he swung out in anger attempting to tk a boulder into the wall. He was surprised though when the boulder stayed right where it was. “What…”
He stared down to his hand then and saw something that honestly scared the life out of him. His entire hand was partially invisible as if it was fading out of existence. “Oh no. No this can’t be. It’s too soon, isn’t it?”
But apparently it wasn’t. Chris immediately shoved his hand into his jeans pocket and orbed back to the Manor.
“I’m glad you are back, Chris. I found the demon,” Phoebe called out in triumph as she read from the book. “His name’s Tarleq. He’s an upper level demon and he lives in…” she started to say but was interrupted.
“In a set of orb proof mazes in the underworld,” Chris finished for her.
Phoebe looked up to Chris and saw that his hands were tucked into his jeans pockets but didn’t comment on it. “And do you know where these mazes are?”
Chris nodded. “I’ve never been in them. They are supposed to be littered with traps to keep unwanted guests out and prey in.”
“Well, we’ll just have to brave the traps,” Phoebe commented looking down to the Book. “And there is a potion here and a spell, but it’s a Power of Three spell. You’ll have to orb over and get Piper. Oh, Piper. We forgot to tell her. She's gonna be pissed.”
Chris swallowed hard at her words. He was afraid of that. He sighed hard and shook his head. ‘Screw up one million and one,’ he thought bitterly to himself. “I can’t go get Piper.”
Phoebe looked up at that and a frown lined her face. “Why not?”
Chris shrugged slightly, still with his hands in his pockets. “Before you get angry with me… Let me just say that I had Piper and Leo’s best interests in mind.” He hadn't thought about how his aunts would take his little attempt to help his parents. But now thinking about it he wondered exactly what he was thinking. Of course they'd be pissed.
“Chris, what did you do?” Phoebe asked coming out from behind the podium and walking towards her nephew.
Chris backed away slightly. “I just cast a little spell.”
Phoebe’s eyes widened and she for once in her life got to yell at someone else on this subject. “Chris, yoo-hoo, personal gain ring any bells? What kind of spell did you cast?” It actually felt good for a change to not be the one getting this lecture.
Chris flinched at the berating tone but continued to explain. “It was just a little spell to send them to a place where they could work out their differences. I'm sorry Phoebe. At the time personal gain was the last of my thoughts. I just didn't want to see them end up the way they... my parents ended up.” He almost didn't catch the slip up that time but it was hard to keep it all straight in his mind when he had been getting closer and closer to all of them over the past few months.
Phoebe wanted to both hug her nephew for caring so much for his parents and ring his neck for doing something so crazy. You just didn’t fool around with personal gain. They had learned that the hard way. “Chris, where did you send them and how do we get them back?” she finally settled on her voice calm which actually surprised Chris.
“Never mind where I sent them. It’s not all that important other then the fact that they are safe. But the only way I know for them to get back is to work out their differences. It’s the way I worded the spell.” Chris was beginning to regret his own apparently fool proof way to fix his parents problems. It had personal gain written all over it and what if that was the whole reason Paige had been taken by a demon that required a Power of Three spell to vanquish. Maybe it was punishment for his meddling. If that was true Paige might just die because of him. And that was something he couldn't live with twice in his life. The first time they had died had been hard enough without him turning around and causing it to happen even sooner this time. And on top of that what would happen to thier whole future if the Charmed Ones were seperated this early? That would be horrible for the entire world.
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Paige couldn’t understand where it had all went wrong. She had went to her newest temp job, which she had to admit wasn’t that great a job. She had been a housekeeper in a five star hotel. Not too horrible if you could stand cleaning toilets. She was sure that her magical problem would have to turn up in one of the rooms she was supposed to clean and was working her way through the hall she was assigned to. That’s when things had gotten confusing. She went into one of the rooms and was grabbed from behind by a demon who immediately shimmered them to the underworld.
Now she was fighting for her life and trying to find a way through a maze of caverns. It hadn’t taken her long to run across the first trap as at one point in the tunnel the floor had just vanished from below her feet. She had been lucky that she was moving so fast or she wouldn’t have been able to grab onto a rock jutting out next to the large gaping hole. She pulled herself free of the hole and it immediately shimmered back to the solid ground she had stepped onto before. “You know, I’m as big an Indiana Jones fan as the next girl but this is just ridiculous.”
She picked herself up and moved ahead in the tunnel, a little bit more on the cautious side. She really didn’t want to run into anything she couldn’t handle. But it was not too long before she turned a corner to see an amazing sight. “Now how the hell did he do that?” She was staring at two stone pillars made of an obsidian crystal, one on each side of the tunnel. And between the crystals she could see three sets of energy balls flowing back and forth from pillar to pillar. There was about three feet in between each set of flying energy balls and they were going off at intervals.
She watched carefully and eventually could see the pattern they formed and could also see her chance if she could time it right. What she wouldn’t give right then to have Phoebe’s martial arts reflexes and ability to levitate, but she’d just have to deal with what she had.
“Are you stuck already, Witch? And just on the second obstacle. I really had more faith in you than that,” she heard booming through the tunnels.
“Oh yeah, just what I need. A little bit of pressure to make sure I really screw this up,” she called out but as her words died she took the plunge and dove through the middle of the energy balls just before another set streaked across the opening.
She landed on the other side with a thud and sat up stiffly staring back at the trap. “That was way too close.”
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A/N: Aren't they all having so much fun? What did you think? I really did not intend the conversation with Prue to last so long but it just sort of wrote itself and it was fun for Prue to see just how much Piper was becoming like her.
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Post by Meluivan Indil on Nov 18, 2007 16:02:35 GMT -5
Disclaimer: Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.
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Chapter 17 ~ Angels and Existence
Piper took a seat on the bed and waited for Leo to join her. It was a true wake up call to her to realize that things had gotten so far out of hand that Chris would risk so much to heal the rift between his parents. Then that thought struck her like a ton of bricks. “He must really love us even after everything we’ve done to him and all the pain he’s went through. He had to have known that there would be risks in casting that spell.”
“Piper, you raised him right, well at least your future self did. He owes that gentle heart and loving soul to you and no one else.” It was painful for Leo to admit that he had had no part in shaping the good man that his son would some day become but he had to give credit where credit was do.
“If that is true then why do I feel so guilty and angry at myself?” she whispered sadly.
Leo looked at her and he frowned at that statement. He had thought that Piper was holding up pretty well considering what they were going through. “What do you have to feel guilty for?”
Piper looked down at her hands resting in her lap, unable to face Leo. “Because I’m jealous.” There it was said, and wasn’t admitting it half the battle? Leo still looked on her in confusion as she glanced up at him so she continued on. “I’m jealous of the bond you and he are forming. You two spend so much time together and I can tell that he is happy with you. And I know that should make me the happiest woman in the world to finally see my son happy after all the pain he’s endured. But it hurts knowing that he doesn’t want that kind of bond with me. He pushes me away so often. And I understand why he pushes me away. I really do. My death in the future has hurt him more than most people can imagine. I know how he feels though. The few times that I've seen mom since her death have been very rough on me. I always know that I'll eventually have to let her go and Chris is in the same situation.”
Leo hadn’t considered how Piper was feeling. He had taken Chris’ feelings into consideration and he had reveled in the fact that Chris actually enjoyed being with him. But wasn’t Piper being left out? “I’m sorry, Piper. I had no idea how you were feeling. You just kept yelling at me for doing things that were dangerous with our son and I couldn’t understand why you would be that way. I just assumed that you knew I’d protect him, no matter what. It never dawned on me how much you were being left out.”
“That’s the whole point, Leo. I do know that you’d protect Chris with your dying breath if you had to. And I do know how much you love him and how being with you like this is so good for him. How it’s healing him. I know all of those things and I’m being petty and belligerent because I can’t have my turn with him. Why am I being so childish about this?” Piper felt ashamed of her own feelings. Chris deserved better than that. He deserved a mom who would be happy for him; no matter how much pain it cost her to do so. She wasn’t sure when she had started crying but the tears were streaming down her cheeks and she tried in vain to wipe them away, only to be replaced by more.
“Oh, Piper, it’s not childish to love your child and want him to show you affection back,” Leo said pulling her into his arms. “You are in so much pain and it’s clouding your emotions. I understand that and Chris would too. He’d understand that easier than any of us, Piper.” Leo knew what she needed to hear and he made a decision that he wasn’t sure would be well received but it was time. “I promise you, Piper, somehow before Chris has to go back to his time, you will hear him call you mom and see that loving look you so richly deserve in his eyes.”
Piper looked up to her husband and she could see the determination in his features and nothing in the world could have convinced her that he wouldn’t keep that promise. And at that moment he was offering her, her hearts one true desire. “Thank you, Leo,” she whispered wrapping her arms more firmly around him and reaching up to brush a soft kiss upon his lips.
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“Well then, Mister. You are gonna figure out a way to reword the spell and bring them back,” Phoebe said taking charge. After all she was the oldest sister in the current situation if not the only one. “And I’m gonna start making this potion. It looks pretty complicated actually and will probably take some time.”
Chris nodded in relief. “Maybe by the time it’s done Piper and Leo will have come back on their own.”
Phoebe looked at him skeptically. “Work on the spell, Chris,” she commanded.
He sighed in defeat and nodded. “I’m gonna go downstairs and work on this. I need to concentrate if I’m gonna get it just right.”
Phoebe just nodded as he orbed to the family room and plopped down on the couch pulling his right hand from his jeans pocket. He stared at his hand, which had for the most part vanished by then. He really wasn’t feeling well by then either. He felt disconnected but he wasn’t sure what he was disconnected from. He had figured out what was going on at least, but why he hadn’t thought about it beforehand just didn’t make sense. Maybe the fact that he had thought that Piper and Leo were doing so well together had led him to believe that his own conception was a sure thing. But he should have known that nothing was a sure thing when it came to magic or magical beings.
So what to do? He couldn’t risk Paige’s life to secure his own. That would be wrong, very wrong. But if he wrote the spell and brought them back early he might never be conceived. Well at least for now he could go ahead and write the spell so it would be ready when the potion was. And if he was still fading when his parents got back well he’d deal with that then.
So how to write with a fading hand. Well maybe you didn’t he decided as he tried to pick up the pencil with his non-existent hand. Okay, write left-handed. That would work.
He worked on the spell for almost as long as it had taken him to write the original but soon the pencil started to drop from his left hand too and he could no longer hold it. Both hands were almost completely invisible then and it had crept up his arms all the way to his shoulders. This wasn’t working at all. He knew he’d need help if he was to finish this. So he tried to orb back to the attic but orbing wasn’t happening either. “Oh, not fair,” he said angrily walking towards the stairs but was frozen at the sight before him.
It was a person he had only ever seen in pictures but one he was very familiar with. The person he had inherited his powers from. “Hi, Christopher, I guess you know who I am, but if not I’m your aunt Prue,” she said leaning against the banister at the bottom of the steps.
Chris’ eyes bulged in utter fear. “I’m sorry, I think I misunderstood you,” he said his voice trembling.
“No, you didn’t, and don’t worry, I have no need to tell anyone who you really are.” It wasn’t a complete lie. She didn’t have a need to tell them because they already knew, but at least it would work to relax Chris somewhat.
Chris sighed visibly. But then his mind was working a mile a minute. “But what are you doing here? Mom told me that you were never allowed to cross over till long after I was born.”
Prue gained a look of sadness on her face. “This is a special case, Chris.”
Chris’ brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I found out what was happening to you. See, I’m friends with a certain Angel who’s list you ended up on.” She couldn’t say the word and hoped that Chris realized of whom she was speaking of.
Chris seemed to think for a minute of what Angel would have a list then his mouth gaped open. “Death sent you!”
“I’m sorry, Chris. But unless your parents reconcile and come back to this plane it will be too late for you.” Prue hated to have to do this, but when she had went looking into the situation and discovered that Chris was dieing or ceasing to exist more like it, well she couldn’t let him be taken by Death. That was so impersonal and she remembered how hard it had been to go with him. She didn’t want that for her nephew. She wanted him to have a loving presence with him at the end even if it was one he had never met before.
“Do I have any chance at all?” he asked his voice becoming husky with the words. He wasn't ready for this. He had so much left to do. His mission was nowhere near complete and the idea of failing Wyatt and the rest of his family was just too much to take. He couldn't be a failure again.
“I did send a projection to speak to your parents. Sort of gave them a heads up on what to do to get out of there. I’m hoping they took my advice.” She knew it wasn’t much but maybe it would be enough to save him.
“You didn’t say anything about me to them, did you?” he asked in concern.
Always trying to protect that secret she thought to herself but she had to allay his fears. “I didn’t know who you were then, Chris.”
He nodded in relief. Well that was something. If he did have to cease to exist at least they wouldn’t be blaming themselves for it if they didn’t know he was theirs to begin with. Maybe they’d just figure that he somehow got pulled back into his own timeline.
“It isn’t time yet, Chris. We have a little time left. But I wanted to talk to you first. Prepare you, just in case. Now where were you heading?” she asked smiling confidently at him.
“I need to finish this spell to bring them back so we can go save Paige. But I can’t write anymore. So I was gonna have Phoebe help me with it. I just don’t know how to explain me being halfway invisible,” he explained unsure of what to say.
“I’m sure you’ll think of something. I’ll go with you though.” She could see the strange look on his face. “Oh, no one can see me except you. It was part of the deal I made with Death to be allowed to do this.”
Chris understood then. So he, halfway transparent and she, completely transparent walked side by side up the stairs and into the attic. Once they got there Prue stood back near the doorway watching the scene play out. “Wow, Phoebe looks great,” she commented and Chris was startled until he realized that only he could hear her.
“Um, Phoebe, I need a little help with this spell,” he said nervously.
“Oh, Chris, quit stalling. I know you are hoping that Piper and Leo will come back on their own but we can’t rely on that.” She was measuring out a potion ingredient as she spoke and dropped it into the cauldron. Then she looked up and blinked a few times at her nephew. “Okay, that’s a new look for you.”
Chris smirked and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, it’s all the rage. Before you ask, I’m not so sure what’s happening but I can’t pick up the pencil anymore. I need you to write the spell down for me.”
“Chris, um I’d really like to figure out what’s happening to you before we work on that spell,” Phoebe suggested in worry.
“Listen, Phoebe, I’m still here. We’ll worry about that afterwards. You need to concentrate on your sisters. We need to get Piper back here and then you two can go save Paige. After that, we’ll worry about me.” He knew he sounded harsh but he had to get her focused.
“You don’t have that much time, Chris,” Prue said quietly from across the room.
Chris tilted his head towards her direction and Phoebe thought it seemed strange but did not comment. Chris knew he couldn’t comment back to Prue without revealing her so he instead directed his statement to Phoebe. “Let’s just finish the spell.”
“All right. I just added the last ingredient into the potion. It just needs to simmer for a bit and then it’s ready. So let’s see what you got so far.” She sat at the table in the center of the room and looked up at him in real concern. His body had started fading too. That just did not bode well in her mind at all.
He couldn’t sit for fear of falling through the chair so he paced as he dictated a portion of the spell to her. He knew he couldn’t say it all out loud or it would take effect and he wasn’t quite sure about the wording, so he left the last line for her to write and she showed it to him. “Yes, that looks good, but lets change that word to something more specific.” He pointed to a word and then she changed it. It took some time but finally they had it worked out and he was pretty sure it would work. “I think that’s it.”
Phoebe stared at Chris and she realized for the first time just how much he looked like a ghost. “Chris, I’m worried about you.”
He was gonna tell her not to but then Prue spoke up from behind him. “She has every right to be. It’s time, Chris.”
Chris turned to Prue not caring if he seemed to have lost it. “But the spell?”
“She can say it, Chris. It’s designed for any member of the Halliwell line to say it. But I think you knew that when you wrote it, just in case you didn’t make it.” Prue truly was hating what was happening. She wanted so badly to stop it all. To tell Death that he couldn’t have Chris. But she knew, one way or another he’d get him. So she reached out her hand and he took it reluctantly.
Chris’ head dropped in deflated resignation and then he turned to Phoebe. “You’ll have to say the spell, Pheebs. I have to go,” he said softly. “My time here is up. Take care of yourself and them, okay.”
“Chris, what… what do you mean?” but then he disappeared from her sight and she gasped finally realizing what was happening. He was never conceived. He just ceased to exist. Sobs wracked her body and she collapsed on the floor crying. None of them had thought about when Chris would have to be conceived. They all just assumed that it would happen when it was time.
After her tears had run dry she stood and picked up the spell up ready to say it. She wasn’t sure how she’d tell Piper and Leo that their son, their baby boy would never be born. But she couldn’t put off the inevitable anymore. They still had to save Paige.
I call upon the Halliwell line To help me in this time
Return to their rightful place The ones who are lost in time and space
Bring to me those I seek, Leo and Piper Even if they have not made their burdens lighter
Phoebe waited in anticipation as all of a sudden the two people she had been calling for appeared before her eyes. They were standing together and Leo had one arm wrapped around Piper’s waist. They both looked as if they were completely frazzled. “What, we’re back.” Piper blushed accordingly thinking of what Phoebe would have seen if they’d appeared a few minutes earlier.
“Yes, yes you are,” Phoebe said sadly tears brimming her eyes again her voice breaking.
Piper immediately saw the emotional trauma her sister seemed to be suffering and moved forward pulling her into a hug. “Phoebe, what’s wrong? Where are Chris and Paige?”
“Paige has been captured by a demon," she said sniffling trying to stop the tears, "and Chris…” She didn’t want to finish the statement but realized she’d have to. “Chris is gone, Piper. He’s just gone.”
Piper pulled away from Phoebe a look of fear crossing her features as she looked all around the attic for her son. "Chris, Chris!" she screamed in fear.
Leo immediately tried to sense him but could get nothing. “I can’t sense him. Phoebe, what happened to Chris?” A look of anguish began to creep into his face.
“He just disappeared. Ceased to exist. He’s just gone,” Phoebe explained through her tears.
But then as if the person in question had been pulled from their own minds Chris suddenly blinked back into existence appearing before them, completely whole. He looked from his mother to his father and a broad smile colored his lips. Love still did conquer all. “Hey, your finally back. It’s about time,” he said sarcastically feeling on top of the world.
Both Piper and Leo gaped in surprise. "Apparently you are too," Piper said cautiously looking at Phoebe.
Phoebe looked at him in complete astonishment and then to Piper and Leo and just said. “Oh. Oh, I see.” She turned quickly away from them and dried her eyes as she walked back to the cauldron to bottle the potion. 'Awkward moment there,' she thought to herself.
“Okay, would someone mind telling me what’s happening here?” Piper said in complete confusion. For one brief minute there she had feared that her heart was gonna burst but then Chris had popped in, wait popped in. She turned back to him with a strange look on her face waiting for him to say anything at all.
Chris just smiled brightly ignoring their strange looks. They had more important things to think of. “Cliffs notes version. Paige has been taken by an upper level demon. Is being held in an orb proof maze and it takes a potion and a Power of Three spell to defeat the demon. So we have to find Paige, so you three can vanquish said demon. The rest will keep till later.” Chris had rambled on so fast that it was hard to keep up with his words.
“Ready to go,” Phoebe called out holding three vials of the potion. She saw the strange look she was given. “Hey, I’m not taking any chances.”
“Good idea,” Chris said grabbing Piper’s hand and then holding the other out to Phoebe. “Leo, mind watching Wyatt?” he called as he orbed them from the room.
Leo blinked in surprise but felt a presence appear behind him. He turned to see Prue standing there. “Projection?” he asked.
“No, special assignment. One I’m glad I didn’t have to go through with,” she said smiling sadly.
“Chris?” Leo asked in a shocked whisper.
“He was on the Angel of Death’s list, Leo. I couldn’t let him go that way. If you and Piper hadn’t patched things up, he wouldn’t exist anymore,” she explained.
“You mean, Piper’s pregnant now?” he asked in astonishment.
Prue just nodded.
“He was gone for a second there before we came back.” Leo understood now what Phoebe had been so distraught over. “That’s way too close.” Leo almost felt as if he would hyperventilate as his breathing constricted over the thought of losing his son.
“Leo, in that place you were in, you two were sort of frozen in time. You could have stayed there forever until you made up and conceived Chris and time would have kept ticking on out here. Chris understood that. He worded the spell that way. But he wrote a spell to bring you back early so they could save Paige.” Prue had asked Chris about it while they were traveling to the other side and he had explained it to her. “When I asked him why he did it, he said that he couldn’t be responsible for her death a second time and especially not earlier than the first. I don’t know exactly what he means by that but you have all gotta find a way to get him over his guilt or it’s gonna kill him someday.”
Leo felt tears spring to his face. He knew the guilt that Chris felt over the deaths of his mother and aunts but had never realized just how far it was ingrained into him. “I know, Prue. It’s just difficult right now, but somehow we’ll figure it out.”
Prue nodded knowing Leo would do whatever he must. “Take care of him, Leo. You got one hell of kid there.” And with that she dissolved into nothingness.
“Believe me. I know I do,” he whispered taking a seat next to Wyatt’s playpen staring off into the distance to think of what needed to be done to heal his son's battered emotions. Wyatt had been sitting silently playing with his toys. He had felt something wrong when Chris disappeared but it wasn’t long till Chris was back and he was happy again. Now daddy was sad but he knew Chris would come back soon and then daddy would be happy again. If only Chris could be happy all the time too he wished.
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Chris had orbed them to the opening of the maze ready to fight any demons stationed there but there were none, thankfully. As they entered the maze they could see Paige desperately climbing over a set of stone spikes embedded into each side of the tunnel wall. One of the spikes had impaled her shirt, which she was trying to rip loose before anything else happened.
“Paige, thank god,” Phoebe called rushing to her sister. Chris and Piper weren’t far behind.
Paige stopped moving staring down at them in astonishment. “Oh, well ain’t this just perfect timing. I fought through about a dozen traps to get to the opening of this damned maze and now you all decide to show up. Thanks for all your help.”
“Sorry, honey. It’s a long story,” Phoebe called as Chris climbed to where Paige was stuck and helped to free her from the spike.
Chris was about to help her climb the rest of the way over when he saw the demon behind her holding up an energy ball, ready to drive it into her back. “Drop, Paige,” he yelled in fear.
She immediately did as she was told and the energy ball flew towards Chris but he deflected it with his tk power. “Hurry, hand me the potion,” he called climbing to the top of the spikes and reaching down for the three vials. “You three get ready to say the spell.”
There were two-inch holes in between each spike and Piper and Phoebe kneeled down on the opposite side as Paige, where they could all see the spell. The demon had started tossing more energy balls their way and Chris was busy deflecting them but once the demon was close enough he threw one of the potion vials, which landed at the demon’s feet. The demon began to smoke but laughed at the pitiful attempt. Chris threw the other two vials at him just for good measure. “The spell,” he called.
We call on the power of three To make this demon un-be
Send him and his demonic maze Away from our time and space
Turn him to ash, turn him to dust In this please let us trust
After the words were said an explosion rocked the underworld and threw Chris from his lofty perch as the stone spikes disintegrated into nothing along with all the other traps before it. The demon had been swallowed into a pit of darkness, hopefully never to be seen again.
Piper and Phoebe helped Paige up and then they all went to where Chris had landed. He moaned slightly but soon was sitting up next to them. “Wow, that spell packed a punch.”
Piper knew he was being light in his words so he wouldn’t have to face what he had done but she knew they would still have to have a talk about personal gain. “Yes, just as much as the one you said earlier.”
Chris blanched white and swallowed hard as he looked down. How had they figured out it was him. Prue had said that she didn't tell them. “Yeah, I guess I wasn’t thinking.”
“Yes, Chris. You were thinking, and I thank you for it," she said softly placing one hand below his chin and pulling his face up to look into his eyes, "But if you ever do that again, I’m gonna tie you up somewhere and tape your mouth shut until you’ve learned your lesson,” she warned giving him a bright teasing smile.
“I"ve already learned my lesson. I promise you,” Chris said smiling happily back at her. ‘But I’d do it all again to see that smile of yours,’ he thought to himself.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A/N: Ha, I couldn’t help but put Prue in that position. I hated the fact that in the original it had been an almost stranger who was there for Chris. It just didn’t seem right at all. So Prue’s part got expanded, lucky girl. Anyhow this fic has three more sections to it. Now each section could actually be anywhere from one to four chapters, so I guess that means I have a lot more writing to do. Originally this whole fic wasn’t supposed to be more than like 15 chapters but when I get carried away, I get carried away. Oh and I will say for those of you biting the bit to have Chris’ secret completely revealed you do not have to wait till the last section. It’s coming up pretty soon actually.
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Post by Meluivan Indil on Nov 18, 2007 16:25:42 GMT -5
Disclaimer: Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Okay we are four months later. No secrets have been spilled yet but things have become even more comfortable between Chris and his family. So enjoy this chapter, which is sort of the calm before the storm.
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Chapter 18 ~ Naïve Innocence
Four Months Later – Magic School
“Leo, you just can’t keep doing this,” Gideon tried to reason with his fellow Elder. “Things are getting out of control now.”
“What are you talking about? Nothing is out of control,” Leo countered reaching up and pulling a book from one of the higher shelves in the library.
“Aren’t they?” Gideon countered then lowered his voice to a whisper. “You were seen in the underworld last week, vanquishing demons with that future half-breed.”
Leo turned angrily on Gideon. “That future half-breed has a name. It’s Chris.”
The amount of pure hostility that accompanied his words was enough to make Gideon step back warily. “I’m sorry, Leo. I meant nothing by it. It’s just that the other Elders are beginning to see him as a bad influence on you.”
A look of astonishment flitted across Leo’s face. “A bad influence? If you only knew everything we owed to him. If you only knew the sacrifices he’s made to come back here to save those he loves, you’d never question his actions or mine for wanting to help him. It’s my place to help him and no one, not even the Elders are gonna stop me.” With that Leo orbed away, the book he had been holding clattering noisily to the floor.
Gideon blinked a few times thinking about Leo’s words and then a twisted smile crossed his features. He had a theory, one that Leo’s words had nearly confirmed. “My, what secret lives we lead,” he whispered orbing to his own office.
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“Another long night and day with more just like it to come,” Chris said to his reflection in the mirror in his room at P3. He had spent most of his night in the underworld researching a new threat to Wyatt but it hadn’t panned out and he hadn’t gotten enough sleep to even be worthy of being called sleep. He kept promising himself that someday he’d get to sleep for more than a few minutes or hours. When, he wasn’t at all sure, but someday.
His day had been pretty decent though, even if it was long. Leo and he had spent a lot of it up on the bridge discussing theories for hours. A lot of the theories he had already discounted but it was still nice to feel like his father was listening to him and gave a flitter about what he had to say. Chris had begun to wonder though exactly how Leo would react if he knew who he was. Would he be angry and accuse Chris of tricking him? Or would he accept the bond that they were forming and let it progress to one of father and son? That was the rub of the whole thing there. He had truly started to want Leo as his father. Not the Leo he had grown up with but this Leo. The Leo who listened when he talked and who cared when he was hurt or not feeling well. The Leo who he was sure would be there if he ever needed him. “Who am I fooling? He’ll just shut me out if he ever finds out. Keep dreaming big, Chris, because that’s all it is, a dream,” he chided himself as he turned to leave the room.
He was planning on heading over to the Manor to see what Piper was up to and maybe try to beg a meal off of her, which he knew wouldn’t be hard to do. She offered to feed him every time he was within twenty feet of her. He knew he was getting too used to her taking care of him. But part of him was reveling in the attention even if he’d never let her know that.
He headed out into the club, into the loud music and glaring lights. It had taken him months to get used to living in the back room of the club. The noise and vibrations from the bands playing sometimes became annoying but he had gotten used to it. But it wasn’t like the Manor. It didn’t feel like home to him. But he kept telling himself that that was for the best.
He was just about to leave the nightclub when he noticed a very familiar figure standing behind the bar mixing drinks. “What the hell?” He immediately turned and made his way to the bar. Once he got her attention she came to stand in front of him.
“What’s up, Chris?” she asked wiping a small amount of perspiration from her brow.
“What the hell are you doing behind that bar, Piper?” he asked a frown coloring his face.
Piper made a sound that slightly resembled a snort. “Nice to see you too, Chris.”
He rolled his eyes at her. “I’m glad to see you, Piper. As a matter of fact, I was just heading to the Manor to see how you were doing. But look at my surprise to see a woman in your condition slaving away behind a hot and stuffy bar. Now why exactly is that?” Chris knew from stories he was told that her pregnancy with him hadn’t been an easy one at all and was very worried about her working so hard.
“Though I appreciate your concern, Chris, I have no choice in the matter. Taylor called and he had a flat tire. I’m not sure when he’ll be in and Brad is out of town, so I can’t call him. And that leaves me with me, me, and yeah I guess me.” Piper was looking from side to side knowing that she didn’t have the time to have this conversation as several customers were calling for her.
She walked away but soon found Chris standing next to her behind the bar with one hand under her elbow pulling her away from what she was doing. “Chris, what are you doing? I’m trying to work.”
He gently but forcefully guided her to a stool that was next to the cash register. “Sit,” he commanded then helped her to sit on the stool.
“Chris, who is gonna serve my patrons?” she asked giving him a false smile.
He turned and walked over to the nearest customer. “What will ya have?”
The customer answered him and Chris turned back to her. “I’m gonna serve them until Taylor gets here and you are gonna stay where you are at.”
Piper’s eyes widened in slight shock. She had never even seen Chris drink anything more than a beer but he was offering to run the bar for who knows how long. “You don’t have to do this, Chris. But I do appreciate it.”
“Think nothing of it. I’m happy to help,” he smiled at her brightly looking around at the different bottles of liquor. “Um, can you tell me what’s in a Kamikaze?”
Piper moaned slightly. No wonder she had never seen him drink anything besides beer. She proceeded to tell him what to put in the drink and then every other drink that was ordered that he couldn’t figure out for himself. “You know, you are a quick study,” she called out over the loud music once he found himself caught up and a second to actually breath.
Chris laughed at that. It made him think of another time when she had told him that and they were pretty much in the same place that they were right now. The sense of déjà vu was strange but also comforting.
“You are such a quick study, Chris,” Piper called to her youngest son as he made he and his brother each a Shirley Temple. Normally they would have both scoffed at drinking something named after a small red headed child actress but it was the only drink besides for coke that their mom would let them have. So it would have to do. It was daytime and Piper had brought the boys with her to work on the books at the nightclub and the boys were keeping themselves busy by pretending to work there.
Wyatt stuck his tongue out at his younger brother but had to add his own comment. “Yeah well I’m gonna be the one who runs P3 once we’re old enough.”
Chris turned to his brother and rolled his eyes. “Go right ahead, Wy. I want to be the master chef in mom’s restaurant when it opens.” Chris knew that Wyatt couldn’t cook worth a darn. If possible he’d burn water. And it pleased him to no end to be better at something than his brother, the perfect Twice Blessed.
“Well, I’m not gonna have any trouble finding help once you two age some, now am I?” Piper said not looking up from bookwork.
Wyatt was scowling at Chris but he answered his mother anyway. “You’ll always have us to help you, Mom.”
She looked up at her sons and smiled. How had she been so lucky? “I know that, baby. But not until after college,” she added knowing the groans this would illicit from her children and sure enough two identical sets of groans rang through the room.
Chris handed his brother his drink and started to drink his own when a jingling sound was heard. Wyatt immediately looked up. “Ah, Wy. We were just starting to have fun.”
“Sorry, Bro. They are calling me. I guess dad has some knew meditation thingie he wants me to try out,” Wyatt explained using one of his aunt Paige’s favorite terms. “It’s supposed to help calm me so my powers don’t go berserk.”
“Wyatt, you did remind your dad that tomorrow is Chris’ birthday, didn’t you?” Piper asked worried that Leo would forget and not show up again this year. That would be bad enough but if he made Wyatt miss it too Chris would be devastated.
“It’s okay, Mom,” Chris said quietly looking down. “We’ll do something together when he’s back.”
“No it’s not okay, Chris. Wyatt, you tell your dad that if he messes up this time, I’m gonna blow him into next Tuesday until it is next Tuesday,” Piper warned angrily.
Wyatt held his hands up. “Okay, Mom. Don’t kill the messenger. I’ll tell him.” Then he turned to his little brother who hadn’t looked up yet. “Hey, Chris. I promise, I’ll be there. No matter what Dad says.”
Chris looked up and a large smile covered his face. “Really, Wy?”
“Really,” he answered ruffling his little brother’s hair. “Gotta go.” And he disappeared into a swirl of blue and white orbs.
Chris watched until he was gone and then turned back to his mom with a bright smile covering his face.
“I’m sorry things are like this for you, Chris,” Piper said a sad expression covering her features.
“It’s okay, Mom. I’m used to it with Dad by now. And at least Wy never lets me down.” The look of naïve innocence on his face was enough to break Piper’s heart. She wondered if those words would always be true.
Chris shook himself out of the memory and noticed that Piper was staring at him. He knew he must be wearing a frown. He remembered that day so well. The day before his fourteenth birthday. The first time that Wyatt had let him down. The first of many times actually. But the one that had cut the deepest and the one he would never forget.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Piper asked seeing his distress.
Chris looked away from her for a moment trying to keep her from seeing the emotions running through his eyes. “I wouldn’t force these thoughts on anyone, not even if I paid them for it,” he finally whispered.
Piper stood up from the stool he had placed her on earlier and walked up next to him. “Chris, you don’t have to go through it all alone, you know. We are all here if you need us.”
Chris turned to her and sighed deeply. Oh how he wanted to let her comfort him just this once. But his current thoughts were just too hard to bear himself. He could never force them onto someone else and especially not her. “Thanks, Piper. I appreciate it but this one is my cross to bear.”
“Chris, we all need to be comf…” she began to say but he cut her off mid-sentence.
“Hey, there’s Taylor. You really should go home and get some rest. It’s been a rough evening.” He had turned the emotions off just as quickly as they had turned on and she sighed in disappointment at the missed opportunity to help her son.
“What are you gonna do?” she asked hoping he’d offer to escort her back to the Manor so she could try to get him to open up again.
“Probably hang out here or just go for a walk. I need to clear my head some.” She tried to hide her disappointment at his words but he saw anyway. “But I’ll be over later. I’ve still got a demon to find,” he whispered smiling brightly at her and turned to walk away.
Piper watched him go and couldn’t help her thoughts. ‘Don’t Demons find us enough on their own without you walking right into their dens?’ She knew it wasn’t fair. He was after the demon that would someday get to Wyatt, but still she didn’t want to trade one son’s life for the others.
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A/N: Okay, well I think we all know what happens on Chris’ fourteenth birthday. I know a lot of people choose not to make that the exact day of The Event but it just seems to mean more to me for it to be on his birthday. And how many of you are just shivering because of what Gideon thinks he knows? I know I am.
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Post by Meluivan Indil on Nov 18, 2007 17:42:09 GMT -5
Disclaimer: Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Warning! If you thought some of the other chapters were a might bit too upsetting for you, don’t read this chapter. Lot’s of pain, anguish and heartache ahead with some serious torture thrown in. Don’t say you weren’t warned. As one of my reviewers might say it’s a lot of cryin’ and a little bit of dyin’. I'll also warn that this chapter is very fast moving and switches point of view very often. Now off to have some fun.
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Chapter 19 ~ Beginning of Forever
After speaking to Piper, Chris had orbed to the Golden Gate Bridge to just sit and think. It was getting harder and harder to keep his secret. Not because he made slip ups. No every slip up he’d made recently seemed to just go unnoticed by Leo and the sisters. That was strange but as long as it was working he wasn’t gonna question it. No, he had to admit to himself that he was having trouble keeping the secret because he didn’t want it to be a secret anymore. Every day that he spent with any of them was becoming so enjoyable that he didn’t want any of those days to end. Telling his secret had begun to seem very tempting but still there was so much holding him back. But he had begun to wonder if the things holding him back were half as important as the things that made him want to press forward.
The pain he felt over the way his father treated him in the future was becoming an almost afterthought to him. The Leo in this time more than made up for the mistreatment in the future. Chris knew that someday he’d have to go back to his own time but for some reason he believed that the change in this version of his father would carry through to the one in his present time. Or at least he was hoping so. If that was the case he was pretty sure he could forgive him for the pain and neglect. He’d do almost anything to have this version of Leo as his father in the future as long as he could accept Chris as his son.
And even the pain over losing his mom and the aunts was becoming just a little more bearable as long as he was with them in this time. It was still there. And it still hurt like hell when he thought about it but sometimes he caught himself almost forgetting it for just a few minutes as he enjoyed their company now. But then it would crash back in and he’d remember that they might not be in his own time when he returned and that would scare him to death and he’d back off again and find himself sitting on this bridge staring down onto the cars passing by below him. And on nights like tonight he’d also find himself crying to his own humiliation. But at least there was no one there to see it.
A deep sigh escaped his lips as he thought of Piper back at P3 and the way he had just left her there. It hadn’t been very long since he had left the club and he knew that she would be heading home soon. He had planned on escorting her home but his own need to get away from there had kept him from doing so but now his worry over her was surfacing again. He should have just stayed and saw her home. His own pain could have been held off that long.
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Piper hadn’t left P3 right after she talked to Chris but she hadn’t stayed too long either. She knew her family would be wondering what was taking her so long soon. But her mind was completely preoccupied with her youngest son as she walked towards her car. It had worried her to see that lost look on his face in the nightclub. She knew he had to be remembering something from his past. Had it been one of the memories they had seen in the tribunal chamber? Or was it a new past horror that they didn’t know of? Or maybe even a memory from this timeline before they had started treating him like a human being with feelings. She wanted so desperately to protect him from his own past and from the things they had done to him but he would never let her or anyone else for that matter. And that frustrated her so much. She was so lost in thought that she hadn’t noticed the demon shimmer in behind her until its arms wrapped around her trapping her arms at her side. Her eyes widened in fear and she called out the first name that came to her mind, “Chris!” just before they shimmered away from the deserted parking lot.
The one word screamed through Chris’ mind louder than he had ever heard it before and he felt as if a fist clutched at his heart threatening to squeeze it till it burst. “Mom!” he called in fear and stood orbing to where he had felt her presence. He ended up in the parking lot at P3 but not a soul was in sight. He bent over picking up a lose object that had dropped to the ground and realized that it was Piper’s purse. “Oh god, no.” he cried out clutching it tightly as he concentrated on sensing where she could be. There was nothing. It was as if she just wasn’t there at all. He couldn’t sense anything of her. He knew he was beginning to panic but he had to hold it together. And he had to get help.
He orbed into the attic in the Manor surprising Leo, Phoebe and Paige. They seemed to be in a deep conversation but what ever they were talking about faded away as they saw the look on Chris’ face. “Chris, what’s wrong?” Leo asked moving forward in concern.
Chris knew he had to form the words. He had to speak. He had to tell them, but all he could do was hold out Piper’s purse to Leo. Leo took it and realized what it was. “Where’s Piper, Chris?”
Chris just shook his head mutely. Why wouldn’t his tongue work?
Leo could see the tears in his son’s eyes and see the trauma he seemed to be in. He turned and threw the purse at Phoebe, who caught it in mid air and immediately went into a premonition. Her face was dazed for a moment and then suddenly bore a look of terror before she was ripped from the vision. “Oh, god,” she cried as she came out of the vision. “She was taken by a demon. She called for Chris right before he shimmered out with her.”
Her words had seemed to unlock his tongue and he began to speak his words husky with emotion. “She was gone by the time I got there. The only thing left was her purse. I can’t sense her anywhere.”
Leo wanted to panic as badly as he could see his son was but he had to think of this logically. Piper was still alive or Chris would be gone by now. That he knew had to be true. They still had a chance to rescue her. “She’s fine. Let’s not panic. We’ll find her. Phoebe, Paige, Book of Shadows. Find that demon. Chris…” he began to direct him but he shook his head cutting him off.
“I’m going down,” Chris said in determination his voice finally strengthening now that he had a direction in his mind. “I’ll start the search. Once you have any information find me.”
“Chris, I can’t let you go by yourself. There are too many blank spots down there that I won’t be able to sense you in,” Leo was already afraid of losing his wife and unborn child without having to worry about the grown version of that child running off and getting himself killed in the state he was in.
“Leo, trust me. I’ll be fine. Let’s just find Piper,” Chris orbed away before he could be stopped.
Leo was very frustrated as he tried to sense Chris. Apparently he had orbed right into one of those blank spots so Leo couldn’t follow him. “If he gets himself killed I’m never gonna forgive him for it,” he muttered turning to the sisters who were already scouring the Book.
Chris hadn’t wanted Leo to follow him yet. He hadn’t wanted to risk him seeing the major breakdown that he was surely gonna have real soon. This was wrong, very wrong. There were no stories from his childhood that had told of a demon taking Piper when she was pregnant. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. Something he had changed had caused this. Somehow that had to be it. Whoever had Piper had to be doing it to get to him. And he wasn’t gonna allow that to happen. She wouldn’t die because of him a second time and certainly not sooner than she had the first. That thought struck him as familiar as he realized he had had the same thought with Paige a few months before. He had come back to change things for the good of them all, so why did it seem that things were going all wrong for them?
He was on his way to find one of his informants when it happened. Chris was gripped with an immense amount of pain that brought him to his knees grasping his stomach and crying out in pain. After the first wave of pain washed over him Chris made himself get to his feet and push on. He knew the pain he was feeling was coming from his mother and the fear of losing her was enough to overcome any pain he might feel. So he kept moving.
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Piper had found that once she was in the underworld she was chained to a wall with her hands held completely immobile. Whoever had her knew the damage she could do with one flick of the wrist. The demon in question stood on the opposite side of the room giving orders to several other demons before he turned and walked up to her. It wasn’t a demon that they had dealt with, as of yet, she was sure of that. He was tall with skin the color of obsidian and eyes as black as night. His frame was rather on the thin side but she could see the strength he held in his hands. “I assume I should be a more gracious host, Milady,” he commented mock bowing in front of her. “I am in the presence of greatness, am I not?”
Piper scowled at the cocky demon. “If you want to be gracious you can unchain me, for a start,” she bit out sarcastically.
“Though I pride myself on my hospitality, I truly do not intend to allow you to blow me to bits,” he answered again in that fake polite voice of his. It was really beginning to annoy Piper. But at least he had let something important slip. She could kill him herself, if she could gain her freedom.
“So what’s with bringing me down here, anyway. You’ve had plenty of opportunity to kill me. Maybe a trap for my sisters?” she asked fishing for answers.
“Milady, I would never dream of harming you or your sisters, at this time at least. No, for now I have one distasteful task to complete and you will be returned to your family, more or less alive,” he assured her.
Piper didn’t like the sound of that. No matter how he said it, it sounded like pain for her. And she had her unborn son to think of too. What if the demon ended up hurting baby Chris? “Cut the pretty speech. What are you gonna do to me?” she finally demanded not at all sure she really wanted to know.
The demon smiled greedily and let the false façade drop. He moved closer to Piper. Closer than what was at all comfortable for her. He raised one hand up in front of her face and she could see sparks of electricity dancing between his fingertips. “You see, Milady, my powers are not very strong at all. This little amount of electricity, though would be able to give you a shock if I were to touch that pretty face of yours, just doesn’t hold enough of a jolt to be able to kill a full grown adult.” With those words he moved his hand down Piper’s body making sure not to touch her yet until it rested right above her abdomen where her pregnancy was beginning to show. “But to an unborn child, well I’m afraid a few shocks through the womb would be too much to handle.” He glanced at her a bright malicious smile on his face.
Piper gasped and tried to pull away from the demon’s hand struggling against the chains and kicking out towards the creature before her. Once his hand clamped down on her stomach she started screaming in both pain and fear as tears began to stream from her eyes.
The demon did not hold on too long but instead stood back enjoying the pain he was seeing on his victim’s features. “Not so sarcastic now are we?”
Piper was sobbing by then as Chris’ face flashed before her eyes. Oh god, she couldn’t lose him now. Not before he was even born. She constantly yanked at the chains holding her wrists and could start to feel blood pooling around them but that didn’t matter to her. This demon, no this monster was trying to kill her baby and she’d die first before she let that happen. “Stay the hell away from me,” she screamed in anger throwing ever ounce of pain she could into her voice.
“I’m afraid the one I’m working for wouldn’t appreciate that. So shall we continue?” he asked walking closer to her again.
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The pain had let up for a few seconds and Chris took the opportunity to rush forward in the tunnels. He had to find her, somehow. He wasn’t sure how he’d do it but he just had to. But the relief didn’t last long as he was locked in its grip again causing him to stumble and land face first on the hard stone floor screaming in pain. It was like his insides were burning him and he couldn’t imagine what could be doing this to him. But his thoughts were with his mother knowing whatever was being done to her was probably destroying her as much as it was him. “Dad, help!” he forced out through gritted teeth before he slipped into darkness.
He was standing alone in a chamber in the underworld and was wondering why exactly he had done such a foolish thing. He knew how angry his mother would be when she found him but at the time he had been angry too and he couldn’t just stay there and do nothing. Wyatt had promised and he had waited. He had waited for hours until he finally realized that neither of them were coming this time. When had Wyatt become just like his father he wondered? And why did it hurt so much more for Wyatt to disappoint him than for his father to?
So once the party his mother and aunts had thrown for him was over he had excused himself to go to his room. But he hadn’t stayed there. He and Wyatt had been orbing down into the underworld for almost a year now without their parents being any the wiser. They always took plenty of vanquishing potions with them and with their combined powers had never ran into anything they couldn’t handle together. But it was the together part that had made all the difference. Now Chris was alone and all of his potions were gone and his powers were not strong enough to get him out of the danger he had walked blindly into. He knew there were certain chambers in the underworld that were set up with anti-orbing spells and crystals. Unfortunately he had ended up in one of them and was surrounded by demons.
He was sure he was a goner this time but as always mom and the aunts came to the rescue. They fought well but Piper was distracted by trying to keep him out of harm’s way and things went very bad, very quickly.
Paige was the first to fall and Chris could see her cold dead eyes staring up into the dark cavern ceiling. It was the first time he had ever seen anyone he cared about dead and he knew he’d never forget that blank gaze as long as he lived.
Then it had been Phoebe. She had died while trying in vane to rouse Paige as a demon slit her throat with an Athame. By then Chris was trying to get away from his mother so he could help his aunts. But that was what had ruined it all in the end.
Chris had screamed out to Phoebe ready to spring to her rescue and Piper turned to see both her sister’s bodies dead on the cold stone floor. That’s when it happened. Piper was distracted by the sight of her sisters and her son’s obvious anguish over it. That had allowed the demon to come up behind her. Chris knew he would never forget what that demon had looked like. Tall and thin with black skin and eyes to match holding an Athame dripping in his mother’s blood. He had stabbed her in the back and then shimmered out leaving Chris alone with his dying mother. Chris had eventually realized that the demon knew leaving him alive would be much worse punishment than to kill him outright. And it had been. He had wanted to go with her if he couldn’t save her.
Chris had managed to drag his mother into an adjoining chamber where he could call for Wyatt and Leo. But the demon hadn’t been alone and another was waiting there. It didn’t want to risk the boy finding help so it had hit Chris with a low level energy ball, which should have been enough to kill him, but Chris wasn’t dead yet and as long as his mother still breathed he’d do what he could to save her. He used his telekinetic powers and tossed the demon into a nearby wall that was studded with sharp stones sticking out. The demon landed on one of the sharp points and imploded on impact. Then the screams started. He screamed as loud and as hard as he could for Leo or Wyatt or anyone who was willing to help his mother. But no one answered him and no one came.
Piper had been unconscious for a few moments but came too with her son’s screams. “Chris baby, calm down, Peanut. You’re hurt,” she said reaching out to touch her son’s cheek, her fingers becoming wet with his tears. He had been sitting on the cold stone floor holding her up and away from the dirt. He could feel her blood flowing through his fingers but he wouldn’t let her go. He couldn’t.
She had said he was hurt and he was but it didn’t matter to him that he had a huge energy burn on his shoulder and chest. All that mattered was that the one person he had always loved above all others was lying in his arms taking her last breaths and he couldn’t heal her. He had tried. He had concentrated just as Wyatt had tried to teach him to but it hadn’t worked. Nothing had happened. “Mom, they don’t come,” he cried in anguish.
“Shhh…baby. I know. You’ve done all you can for me. You have to orb out of here. Get help for yourself,” she whispered to him rubbing circles in the tears streaking down his face with her thumb.
“No, Mom. I can’t leave you. Please don’t make me. I can’t.” Then he turned his face to the heavens again. “Dad, Wyatt!” he screamed with all his might. “Please, Mom needs you!”
When there was no answer he bowed his head so his forehead rested against hers. “Please don’t leave me, Mom,” he sobbed clutching her even closer to his chest.
Piper wanted so desperately to be able to assure her baby that she wouldn’t leave him. But she knew she would. It was only a matter of seconds now. “Baby, I’ll always be in your heart and whenever you need me you just have to think of me and somewhere I’ll be thinking of you too. Death isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning of forever,” she whispered hoping her son would understand. She couldn’t explain to him about the Astral Plane and crossing back over and such. None of that would help his pain right now but she knew she’d somehow see her son again.
Chris had heard her words but they hadn’t stopped him from wanting her to stay with him. He lifted his head and looked down into her face, which had taken on a serene peaceful look. She looked almost as if she were sleeping, but he knew better. She would never open her eyes again. And he knew he could never truly be happy again without her.
When Wyatt had found him clutching their mother’s body he hadn’t been able to say a word. He just sat there rocking back and forth with the tears streaming down his cheeks and his whole body trembling in pure anguish. He hadn’t even noticed when his brother healed him or any of the words he had said to him. He felt as if his entire life was over.
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Leo had heard that cry for help and it was like a shot in the dark. It was so full of anguish and pain. He hadn’t bothered to tell the sisters where he was going. He just grabbed a leather pouch he had placed on the table earlier and orbed out sensing where his son was.
His shape took form right above where Chris was lying unconscious on the floor and kneeled next to his son checking him for injuries. But he couldn’t see any, but he could see the look of anguish on his son’s face even in his unconscious world. He placed his hands above Chris and waited for the glow of his healing touch. It was slow coming but it was there. And within seconds Chris had stopped writhing in pain and his eyes flew open. He saw Leo above him and reached out wrapping his arms around his father before he knew exactly what he was doing. All he could remember was being frightened and very alone and praying for his father to come for once in his life. And here he was before him.
The sight of his mother’s dying body was still ingrained inside his head but the notion that she wasn’t the one that needed saving right then was forcing it’s way back into his mind very slowly. At least not that version of her he thought to himself, which seemed like a strange notion to his very confused mind.
“It’s okay, Chris. You’re okay now and we’ll find her. I promise we will,” Leo said rubbing comforting circles on his son’s back. He knew how this must be affecting him. After all the pain her original death had caused him, now to risk losing her in this time too. He was sure that the strain on his son's sanity must be almost more than he could bear.
Chris was beginning to realize that something was strange about Leo holding him like this but the comfort was too tempting to turn down so he clung even tighter to him wanting his father to protect him, but somewhere in the back of his mind that thought even seemed strange. When had his father ever protected him before? But that wasn't what was important right now. “I can’t find her, and I can’t lose her again,” he whispered in complete anguish.
Leo pulled Chris away from him slightly so he could look into his eyes as he spoke. “Chris, you are not gonna lose her again. We are not gonna give up and I promise you we’ll find your mom and she won’t die this time and she won’t die in your future either.”
Leo realized what he was saying just about the time that the words had left his mouth but he knew it was too late to turn back now and Chris needed to hear them anyway.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A/N: Okay, yeah, someone’s gonna slap me for ending it right there, but I’ll risk it. Wow that was the hardest chapter to write yet but I’m hoping it came together well and everyone likes how Chris learns the truth. Yes I know you wanted to see his reaction but you have to wait till next chapter. Sorry.
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Post by Meluivan Indil on Nov 18, 2007 18:06:57 GMT -5
Disclaimer: Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.
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Chapter 20 ~ Saving Her
Leo pulled Chris away from him slightly so he could look into his eyes as he spoke. “Chris, you are not gonna lose her again. We are not gonna give up and I promise you we’ll find your mom and she won’t die this time and she won’t die in your future either.”
Leo realized what he was saying just about the time that the words had left his mouth but he knew it was too late to turn back now and Chris needed to hear them anyway.
Chris stared in disbelief at his father their eyes locked and the full meaning of those words hit him. He knew. Not only who Chris was but he knew about mom dying in the future too. His mouth opened to say something but no sound came out. He blinked several times not at all sure what to say. A million things ran through his mind. A million questions. How did he find out? How long had he known? Did the others know? Were they mad? Was he mad? Did they hate him?
Leo could see the questions and emotions running through his son’s eyes and he wanted so desperately to sit with him and give him the answers he needed and to assure him that everything would be fine. But at that moment they just didn’t have the time. “Chris, I know you are confused. I know you are hurt and that is the last thing I want for you, but we have to find your mom.”
Chris listened to his words running them through his mind and started to nod knowing his father was right. The rest of this would have to wait. Piper… no Mom needed him and that had to be his first priority. “I don’t know how to find her,” he finally admitted his voice cracking slightly.
“I know. She’s probably being shielded somehow, but in this world, in this place and in this moment you and I are the two people who love her most. I’ve gotta believe that that counts for something and we can manage together to sense her. It’s the only thing I got right now.” Leo knew it was a long shot but he wasn’t about to just give up because it was hard. And whether it worked or not maybe it would at least buy his son some sanity until Phoebe and Paige could figure out who the demon was that had her. Then they would go from there.
Chris nodded closing his eyes and concentrated on his mother and only his mother. Leo did the same still holding his son’s arms, still afraid that if he let him go he’d vanish forever.
Chris could feel his conscious mind reaching out, searching, seeking the presence he wanted to find so desperately. And then there it was. Like a light in the distance he felt himself being pulled closer to her. He could even see the tunnel walls blurring by beside him until he found himself standing in a chamber staring at a demon’s back. He could just barely see his mother’s profile in front of the demon, but it was her and she was crying and yelling at the demon, screaming in fear and kicking out at it. Chris’ first instinct was to use his powers of telekinesis to force the demon away but when he swiped his hand at the beast nothing happened, then Chris found himself being pulled back away from the scene.
His eyes flew open and Leo was staring at him in concern. “What just happened, Chris? It was as if you were in a trance.”
Chris blinked a couple of times and then answered. “I think I just Astral Projected. But I’ve never done that before.” He knew there was always the possibility that he'd gain more powers, but he just hadn't thought that much about it, not wanting to get his hopes up. But sure enough he had been in that chamber with them for just a few seconds.
Leo nodded. It wasn’t at all surprising. Chris was old enough for his powers to advance and the next logical step for him would be Astral Projection just as Prue’s had been. “You’re powers are just progressing. That's a good thing, but for now I need to know what you saw?”
“Mom. A demon has her. He’s torturing her. But I know how to get there.” Chris new the underworld passages almost as well as any demon living in them and he had recognized the tunnels he had been in. “We can orb partway there.”
Leo grabbed the leather pouch he had discarded on the floor and handed it to Chris. “I thought you might need these.”
Chris stared at his emergency kit and from the weight of it could tell that Leo had replenished the potions in it. “Thanks, Dad,” he said quietly and then he orbed away to a closer location to where Piper was.
Leo was stunned for just a moment by those words but he knew he had to go and quickly, so he followed Chris' orb trail to a different set of tunnels in the underworld.
Within moments they had weaved their way through the tunnels to just outside the cavern where Piper was being held. There were several demons waiting there but both Chris and Leo were ready for them.
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The second wave of electricity that had steamed through her abdomen was enough to make Piper fight even harder against the demon. She kicked, she screamed, she even tried to get her mouth close enough to bite the creature. Anything to get him away from her baby.
God her baby, Chris. Was he even still alive? Had the demon’s powers already obliterated her son? That thought made her want to curl up and die but she couldn’t give up yet. If there was any possibility that her son still lived she would fight on and she would kill the demon with her bare hands if she had to.
After the second wave of electricity the demon backed away again, this time not completely unscathed. The witch had managed to get her teeth close enough to rake a long scratch down his face. He reached out gingerly touching the cut and it immediately sealed at his request. He smiled nastily at her and wagged his finger making a tsking sound. Piper just glared at him and then spit the foul taste of him from her mouth. “You make me sick. You can’t even fight a full-grown witch. You have to prey on the weak, innocent and unborn.”
The demon just laughed at that but his eyes widened in surprise as suddenly her stomach began to glow. Piper looked down at the healing glow and tears of joy sprung to her eyes knowing her son was being healed. “Bless you, Leo,” she whispered as a chuckle of pure glee escaped her lips.
“Don’t be so quick to celebrate. I don’t understand how that child is being healed but I do know that I can torture it until it can no longer be healed,” the demon threatened as it moved closer to his prey.
Piper knew she somehow had to hold out until they could find her but she swore that the demon would not touch her son again. With that thought she kicked out again as hard as she could forcing the demon to step back slightly. And then something odd happened. The demon turned away from her for just a split second as if something behind it had caught its attention, but Piper couldn’t see anything there. Then the demon turned back to her and moved closer again.
She again kicked out but the demon somehow managed to grab her leg. She was stuck there with one leg trapped in the demon’s grip and the other just barely balancing her on the floor. She could feel her wrists that had become slimy with her own blood moving inside the chains now. That was it. That was what she needed. She turned both of her wrists at the same time and yanked down amazed at how easily they had slipped from their restraints.
This had also surprised the demon who immediately shoved her to the side and dove away from her. Piper fell hard but was soon swinging back around towards the threat. But something caught her attention from the doorway. There were explosions and screams coming from the tunnel outside the cavern. And the mouth of the cavern was lit up with an eerie blue glow.
The demon knew if he failed in his task he’d be as good as dead. He’d have to find a way to kill that child before he left the cavern. So he used the commotion that was distracting her and snuck around behind a couple of boulders and then shimmered out and then back in behind her. Before she could react he had an Athame poised at her throat. If he couldn’t kill just he child, he’d kill them both and cut his losses at that.
At that moment Chris and Leo barged into the room but both stopped dead in their tracks at the sight before them. Chris felt as if all of the air had been sucked from his lungs as he stared at the demon with black skin and obsidian eyes, the same demon that had plagued his nightmares since his mother’s death eight years before. How ironic that the same demon was now threatening her life in this timeline.
Leo always the optimist knew there had to be a way out of this. “If you let her go, we won’t kill you. You’ll be free to go.”
Chris wanted to scream at his father that they couldn’t do that. They couldn’t let the demon that would some day kill her go free just like that. But then again if they didn’t wouldn’t it just kill her now even sooner. His head dropped as if in defeat and his eyes closed.
“I’m sure you will let me go. Just as sure as I am that this witch wouldn’t blow me away the minute I set her free,” the demon said snarling at them.
Piper began to inch her hands up. If only she could somehow … but then the knife dug further into her throat drawing a thin line of blood where it bit into her skin. “Ah, ah, ah. Keep you hands where I can see them Milady.”
The demon hadn’t noticed the near trancelike state that Chris had gone into. But he did notice when a second being that looked identical to him appeared next to his arm with his hand snaking in between the hand holding the Athame and Piper’s throat, not even noticing the cut that was sliced into his own palm. At that moment even though Piper had been completely surprised by the action she raised both hands and froze the demon.
For a few brief seconds no one moved in the room and then Piper ducked from under the demon’s arm and Chris’ projection disappeared as his eyes opened and his head came up. He rushed forward and helped Piper to move away from the demon and back over next to Leo. They all turned and looked at the demon who had threatened the things they most held dear. “What do we do with it?” Leo asked.
“We vanquish it,” Chris said pulling a potion bottle from his leather pouch and tossing it at the demon in question. When it hit the demon unfroze for just a moment and then burst into flames until it was completely consumed.
“Wait,” Piper called too late. “It was following someone else’s orders.”
Chris looked at her and shook his head. “I don’t care if it worked for the Holy Pope in Rome. That is one demon that you don’t want to be alive in fourteen years.”
Piper and Leo both gasped guessing at what Chris was referring to. They both accepted his words without question. That left the three of them standing alone in the silence.
Piper hadn’t been able to keep her eyes off of Chris. He was alive and well. That was what counted the most. Chris stared down at her and he knew by looking into her eyes that she knew exactly who he was. It was all there. The look of a concerned mother. The pain of almost losing that child. The joy of finding that child alive and well. He couldn’t help the feeling of relief he felt. She knew. He wouldn’t have to hide from her anymore. With those thoughts in his mind he wrapped his arms around her pulling her into a tight hug. He was still slightly afraid that she would reject him once the fear and adrenaline had worn off but for that moment he was just grateful that she was alive.
Piper hadn’t expected Chris to do that, but something had changed in him. Something very important and she felt as if she was falling behind in the information category but that would not keep her from accepting the first real show of affection her son had ever made towards her. She finally pulled away from him and gave Leo a strange look, which he only returned with a smile. “Can we go home now,” she asked in a very tired voice.
Leo pointed to several crystals that were buried in the ceiling of the cavern. “If you can destroy them, we’d be happy to orb you to your very own home.”
She smiled at him and threw her hands up destroying the crystals and then placed a hand on each of them as blue and white orbs surrounded them whisking them away from the hell she had found in the underworld.
They all three appeared in Piper’s bedroom. Leo knew exactly how tired she must be by then and he still had to heal her various cuts and abrasions, so he helped her to lay down and started healing her. Chris had backed away next to the door and stepped out of the room calling up the stairs to the attic. “Paige, Phoebe.”
It sounded almost as if a herd of buffalo’s came barreling down the steps. “Chris, you’re back. Good. We found the demon. His name’s Falsit and…” but Phoebe never finished the statement as she stopped next to the bedroom door and saw Leo healing Piper. “Apparently you found him too,” she finished. Paige was right next to her peaking into the room.
They both moved into the room and took up spots on Piper’s bed, worried for her. “Are you okay, honey?” Phoebe asked in deep concern.
Piper nodded even though her features seemed strained and almost painful from the ordeal she had gone through. Leo backed away once the healing was done and then looked to Chris standing by the door.
Chris caught the look and his eyes seemed to widen in fear. He shook his head. He didn’t want to put Piper through any more stress after the day she had had and he wasn’t so sure he was ready to face it himself either.
“Chris, we can’t put this off.” Leo had been tempted to just let it go knowing how difficult this would be on both of them but then he also realized that the best way they could face the pain they had both suffered would be together.
Piper had caught the tone in Leo’s voice and sat up looking between the two of them but she didn’t say anything yet.
“Yes, yes we can. She’s too tired to handle it right now,” Chris said not looking at Piper, only staring at Leo.
“Chris?” she said questioningly as a suspicion entered her mind. She wanted to see his face, to read his eyes. “Chris, look at me.”
Chris licked his lips nervously and looked down first before he was able to raise his eyes to meet hers. She could see the tears shimmering there and the pain he held deep inside and the fear of rejection. It was all written plainly for all to see. “You know, don’t you?” she asked hesitantly.
He didn’t answer her. It seemed as if he was paralyzed in fear. He wanted to scream it out loud. He wanted to beg her to not hate him. But he couldn’t bring one syllable to form in his mouth.
Piper knew she couldn’t just sit there and let him drown in his own pain, so she stood easily and moved close to him. He didn’t back away from her and he didn’t break eye contact with her. Once she was within just a few inches of him looking up into his eyes she smiled at him and reached up touching the side of his face. “Don’t be afraid, Chris. None of your fears are gonna come true.” She wanted to hear the words from his own mouth. She knew it would be easier for him if he could admit it himself.
He licked his lips once again and pressed his cheek into her hand enjoying the comfort it offered. “Dad let it slip while we were below,” he whispered.
Piper didn’t look at Leo. She knew the stress they had been in and if Leo had told Chris it was for his own good anyway. “I’m glad it’s out in the open,” she said nodding encouragingly to him.
Then the questions finally began to spring to his lips. “How? How did you find out?”
Leo thought he should be the one to answer that since he was the one that had convinced them to keep it a secret. “The Tribunal Chamber. We saw some things after you passed out.”
Chris’ face blanched realizing the things they could have seen. He turned to stare at Leo letting Piper’s hand drop away from his face. “You told me that the chamber didn’t show anything else.”
“No, I said that it didn’t show anything worth commenting over,” Leo admitted.
Chris rolled his eyes at that and shook his head. He hadn’t ever guessed his father would be such an artful liar. “So you decided it would be easier to just keep the charade going instead of facing the type of person your second son had become.”
“No, Chris,” Piper denied adamantly. “That’s not at all why we kept the secret.” She tried to reach out and touch him again but he pulled away from her.
Leo could quickly see how things were spiraling downward on them. At any minute Chris would be orbing out and that was the last thing he wanted. “Chris we didn’t tell you because we loved you too much to do that to you.”
Chris looked at his father and his mouth dropped open in surprise. He could see the love shining from his father’s eyes. They always showed everything they felt, just as Chris’ did and Piper too had that look of pure undying love on her face. But how could they? “I don’t understand.” It was so soft and his voice sounded so lost right then.
Leo moved forward so he stood as close to his son as he could without touching him. He didn’t want Chris to misunderstand anything he was saying to him. “Chris, that chamber showed us a lot of things that none of us had ever dreamed could come true, but it also showed us just how painful it would be for you if we found out your secrets. None of us could risk hurting you anymore than we already had. We could see how devastated you were by the sister’s deaths and by my …” Leo paused almost unable to say the word but he knew he must. “…mistreatment of you and then Wyatt turning on you. You weren’t ready for us to know yet. You weren’t ready for us to care about you. But we do. More than you can ever imagine. So we agreed to wait until you were ready. Until you wanted us to be your family.”
Chris thought back to how he had felt at the time they had been in the Tribunal Chamber. It was true. They had showed him nothing but distrust and hate since he had arrived in their time and he wasn’t at all ready for them to be his family back then. But what about now? Nothing was the same. His love for them all had grown over the last few months and he had wanted nothing more than to have his family back. To have these people be his family. But what of his fears? “But I lied to you, I tricked you, I even sent you to Valhalla,” he admitted.
Leo’s eyebrows raised slightly at that. He hadn’t thought about that little trip in some time now. He knew then that Chris had done it, but he knew now why it had been done. “Though, I didn’t exactly enjoy my vacation in Valhalla, it’s not something that I haven’t already forgiven you for, Chris. And you lied to us because you thought you had to, and honestly you probably did. I’m glad we know the truth now, but we are ready to know it now. I don’t think any of us were back then.”
Chris looked at Piper then. She had been quietly waiting her turn to talk to him and even though she was dying to have his attention she couldn’t keep the smile of pleasure off her face hearing he and Leo working through their differences.
She had an expectant look on her face, which seemed strange to him. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because I’ve waited seven months now for this one moment and it’s nearly killed me to do so.” She knew she was risking him running away but at that moment she couldn’t have stopped herself if she wanted to. She reached up wrapping her arms around his neck grasping him in a tight hug and whispered into his ear the words she had so wanted to say. “Chris, I love you with all my heart and no matter how old you are you are always gonna be my baby, my little Peanut. I was so afraid tonight that I was gonna lose you. And that would have broken my heart into a million little pieces. Don’t ever leave me, please.”
Chris had been shocked by her actions at first but her words had touched him so deep in his heart that he knew he could never deny her. He wrapped his own arms around her returning the hug. “I love you too, Mom,” he whispered. And for the first time since he had arrived in this time he let himself love her with all his heart. He wasn’t sure whether killing the demon that killed her in his future would change her fate but for the first time in a long time he had hope.
When he pulled away from her he looked to his dad and he could see the tears shimmering in his eyes. Chris nodded to him and Leo moved forward wrapping his arms around both of them. He pulled Chris close and some of the guilt and pain he had been carrying around for months had finally started to lessen just a little bit. His son didn’t hate him and they were building a future together. That was all he could ask for.
Paige and Phoebe both sat on Piper’s bed with tears in their eyes, but that didn’t last long. Paige stood and moved towards them. “Can I get in on a little of that hugging action too? I know I’m just an aunt but I think it should count for something,” she asked Chris sheepishly.
Chris always loved his aunt’s humor and wit. At times like this it could always break a tense or sad moment and make them all smile. “Well you are a very cool aunt,” he admitted pulling from his parent’s embrace and walking forward to hug her too.
After that he pulled back and stared at Phoebe who was still sitting speechless on the bed with tears streaming down her face. This struck Chris as odd. He had figured she would have been butting into the entire conversation but instead she had stayed deathly quiet. “Um… Phoebe… aren’t you gonna say anything?” he asked nervously.
She looked from him to Paige and then to Piper but still kept her mouth shut. Paige was the first to realize what was wrong. “Oh god, we forgot. Uh… I know it’s sort of a strange request, Chris… but uh… could you sort of say your secret out loud?”
Chris looked at Paige like she had lost her mind but complied without any regret. “I am Christopher Perry Halliwell, son of Piper and Leo and little brother to Wyatt.”
“Oh my god,” Phoebe finally blurted out. “I am never gonna let any of you put a spell on me again. Do you know what pure torture the last seven months has been on me? Do any of you realize?”
Chris’ eyes had grown wide and he backed away slightly thinking his aunt had lost her marbles.
“Excuse us,” Paige answered her voice dripping in sarcasm. “If you remember right the spell was your idea and you wrote it yourself.”
“Wait, you cast a spell on her… so she couldn’t do what?” Chris asked in surprise.
“So she couldn’t spill your secret before you did,” Piper explained also stepping back slightly. She remembered that she had helped write the spell also.
Chris nodded appreciatively. “I have to admit. It was probably a good idea.”
Phoebe swung on him and marched up to him not inches in front of him. “Yeah, you say that now, but how do you think I felt when I thought you had ceased to exist right before my very eyes? I didn’t think the pain would ever go away and then poof, you pop back in.” She wasn’t really mad at Chris. She just had been keeping it all bottled up for so very long now and it just had to come out. “But I am glad that you finally decided to join the family, where you belong.” With that she hugged him tight and after he realized what she had said, and the fact that she wasn’t gonna kill him he hugged her back.
“I’m glad I did too,” he whispered for the first time in a very long time feeling as if things were finally going his way.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A/N: There you go. Everyone knows all of the secrets. Well maybe. I might have a few more up my sleeve. You all didn’t think this was the end of the fic did you? Oh know. I haven’t forgotten about poor Wyatt. Chris was just the center of attention for these chapters. Now we must move on in the plot and figure out who turned Wyatt and why and see if we can fix things. Not to mention figuring out who is trying to have Chris killed and why. Believe me nothing you saw on the tv show is gonna help you with the answers to these questions. Well at least not most of them. So what do you think?
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Post by Meluivan Indil on Nov 18, 2007 18:46:42 GMT -5
Disclaimer: Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Okay, I’ve had the lovey dovey family moment and everyone’s gagged over it for a while so now it’s time to move on to the rest of the plot. Hope ya’ll enjoy the ride. It might be a bumpy one.
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Chapter 21 ~ New Direction
January 2004
Chris was sitting on the old comfortable couch in the attic going over a list of demons that they had vanquished since he arrived in this time. He had a pen poised in his hand tapping it against his teeth every so often as he stared at the page trying to figure out what their next move should be. What the next obvious threat might be. They had already vanquished so many of them. His list of possibilities was growing smaller. He sighed in frustration and tossed the notepad across the floor and then leaned back against the soft comfort of the couch closing his bloodshot eyes. “Note to self, sleep sometime in the next four months,” he whispered.
“I’m sure whatever the notepad did, it’s probably sorry, Chris,” Piper called from the doorway just before she walked in.
He looked up and gave her a sheepish smile. He then retrieved the notepad, knowing she would if he didn’t. He wasn’t gonna make a pregnant woman pick up after him, that was for sure. Even if she was his mom. That just wouldn't be cool at all.
“So care to tell me what’s bothering you?” she asked sitting on the couch next to him.
For the last month since Chris had learned that they knew who he was, she had thought that things were working out pretty well. She had convinced him to move into the manor, which was in her mind a major victory, even if he had insisted on staying up here in the attic instead of in one of the bedrooms below. He had refused to take either Paige or Phoebe’s rooms, even though they had both offered, stating that he had a lot less stuff that would be displaced. Piper had realized exactly how true that was when he brought in two beat up duffle bags of cloths and that was it. He didn’t own any other possessions it seemed. He had used the excuse of traveling light when she questioned him about living such a spartan existence.
Chris sat in thought for a moment trying to decide how to say what he was most worried about then. But before he could speak orbs formed in the space before them. “Hey,” Leo smiled seeing that the two of the three people he most wanted to see were there. He looked around the room noticing that Wyatt wasn’t there though. “Where’s Wyatt?”
“He’s taking a nap, but he should be up soon,” Piper answered, leaning up as Leo bent to kiss her.
Chris turned his head in slight embarrassment rolling his eyes. No matter what timeline he was in it was still gross to watch his parents kiss.
Leo broke away from the kiss and had a seat on the arm of the couch next to Piper. “So what’s up?” He looked expectantly at his wife and son, neither of which looked as enthused as he seemed.
“Well Chris was just about to tell me what is bothering him,” Piper answered swinging her head back around to look at her son expectantly. “Weren’t you, Chris?”
Chris smirked slightly. “Thought maybe you’d forgot,” he whispered staring straight ahead. He hated to admit to his parents that he had made a rather large error in calculation when he decided to come back to this time, but truth be told. “I screwed up,” he said not looking at either of them.
“Excuse me?” Piper asked frowning.
Leo also had no clue what he was talking about. But the fear that his son was blaming himself for something new bothered him greatly. Chris took way too much responsibility on his own shoulders that shouldn't have necessarily been his to bear. “Chris, whatever it is we can figure it out. Just tell us. Trust us to help you.”
Chris smiled at his father and nodded a couple of times. He wasn’t so used to being able to rely on others yet, but he was trying. “I just always thought that I’d somehow know. That whenever I got the demon that got to Wyatt, I’d know and then I could relax and concentrate on finding a way back. But I’m running out of demons to suspect. And nothing has seemed big enough to be the one.” He paused for a moment placing his elbows on his knees and folding his hands together in front of him so he could rest his forehead on them.
Piper could see the tension in him. He seemed like a metal coil that was pulled too tight and at any moment might snap. She hesitantly reached out placing one hand on his upper back. He didn’t flinch at her touch so she decided it was safe to go ahead and rub comforting circles between his shoulder blades. She could feel the tension there and wanted it to go away, but she just didn’t know what he needed to hear. His concerns and worries were not trivial. She and Leo had been wondering along the same lines for the past couple of weeks but neither of them wanted to bring it up with Chris. Both were worried how hard he would take it if he thought they didn't have faith in him. And they did have faith in him. It was just the rest of the world that wasn't cooperating.
“I’m just not sure what to do now. I can’t vanquish every demon in the underworld. And at this point I’m not even sure it was a demon. What if I’m completely wrong and it was something else that gets to Wyatt? What if I’ve been wasting all our time here?” He was so frustrated. When he had decided to come back to this time his plan had seemed so fool proof, but now he just wasn’t sure anymore.
Piper leaned closer to him wrapping her arms around him and said the only thing she thought might help. “Oh, baby, you’re doing everything you can. You aren’t flawless and you aren’t all knowing. There is no way that you can blame yourself for not figuring it out yet. And we will figure it out. Someway, somehow. Together.”
Chris looked over to his mom and could see the faith she had. Faith in what they were doing and faith in him. In a way it was comforting to know she believed in him but then again it was frightening. What if he failed? He didn’t want to disappoint her. That was the last thing he wanted to do. “I just wish there was a way for me to see into my time. That way I could tell if anything I’ve done here has made any difference at all. Maybe I’ve already changed things and I just don’t know it.”
“Well, why don’t we divide and conquer?” Leo suggested an idea forming in his mind.
“What are you suggesting, Leo?” Piper asked curiously.
“Split into three groups. Phoebe and Paige could stay here and work out the rest of the demons on Chris’ list. They are all low level demons and the girls shouldn’t have any problems with them. You, Piper, can take Wyatt and go to Magic School to do some searching in the library. You never know. The threat might not be anything that the Halliwells ever encountered before. If that's the case you might find something to go on at Magic School. And Chris and I can work on a spell or a potion to try to see into his time period or even to travel there and back.” Leo didn’t mention the fact that he wanted Piper at the Magic School for her own protection. If he thought she’d agree he’d move her there until Chris was born, but he knew she would flatly refuse.
Chris liked the idea. He too had been worried about Piper and it had kept him at the Manor alot more than he used to be, trying to be there if she or Wyatt needed protection. He gave his dad a smile and stood. “That’s sounds like a great idea. Because I’m telling you right now, if I have already gotten the demon that gets to Wyatt and I don’t know it, I’m gonna have to stick around here for the next fourteen or so years just to confirm it. And even though I’d enjoy spending the time with you, it might get a little bit confusing for mini-me once he starts to look like me.”
“Yeah, see. I didn’t think about that. And we thought you were neurotic in the original timeline.” Piper quipped back giving him a teasing smile.
Chris gave her his best imitation of one of her own glares. “Such the comedian. Anyway, lets say we do this.”
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January 2027
“My Lord, here are the daily reports,” an upper level demon said kneeling before his master waiting to be released to stand.
Wyatt stared at the reports in his hand and shook his head in disgust. “He’s at it again,” he whispered more to himself than anyone near as he motioned for the demon to stand. Galask was his most faithful of servants and the one who he had allowed grudgingly to take Chris’ place as his second. And he was also the only demon that he would trust with the task of collecting these particular reports.
“Sire, he… who?” Galask asked hesitantly.
Wyatt hadn’t realized that the demon had heard him. He knew he probably should tell the demon to mind his own business or not to assume so much trust from his master but instead he decided to let the demon in on what was concerning him most. “My brother.”
Galask’s face paled at the mention of his Lord’s dishonored younger sibling. The entire demon world had come to the conclusion that Wyatt had killed his betrayer after their last meeting and the death of the Phoenix Witch. But if he wasn’t dead then just where was he and how was he causing more trouble for Lord Wyatt? “Forgive my ignorance, My Lord, but I was under the impression that your bother was dead like the other’s in the Halliwell line.” With that the demon motioned around them. They were standing in the Halliwell family plot in the oldest cemetery in the city. Every day at dusk Galask reported there to deliver a report of all of the demons that Lord Wyatt commanded. The report explained which were still active and the ones that were vanquished that day, usually a very short list in their day and time and also a list of defeated foes, which gained in frequency and number each day.
“No, no my brother managed to escape my grasp and has gone back in time to try to change the events that we live with everyday. He is the reason for these reports. See my brother made one minor miscalculation. He assumed that if he changed something, I’d never be the wiser, but knowing what he was trying to do, I cast a spell that would allow me to remember both the events that happened before and the ones that he has changed.” Wyatt hated the fact that he had no control over his brother’s actions anymore. It was unnerving to look at his list of demon minions and watch them diminish everyday. Galask did not realize the number of followers Wyatt was losing to his brother’s demon hunting in the past. It was staggering to see the difference his brother was making.
Galask was surprised to hear this information. He couldn’t understand why his Lord hadn’t just sent more demons into the past to kill his upstart of a brother. “And has he made much of a change, My Lord?”
Wyatt decided that he had probably given his second enough information that day. It wasn’t something he normally did. He didn’t want to have to kill the demon for knowing too much, but it had happened before. “More than I like, but less than I’m sure he thinks. Much less. That is enough for now. You are dismissed,” he commanded and sent the demon away with a flick of his wrist.
Alone he walked through the graveyard until he reached the three headstones he visited almost daily since his brother had left. The stones were partially covered in moss and showed the wear of time and neglect. Wyatt had ordered that the caretaker leave the three graves alone as a sign to the outside world that he didn’t need the Charmed Ones to be great. They were to be forgotten. The only memorial to them was the Manor house and that was more a memorial to the Halliwell line than to the actual three witches that capped it’s greatest triumphs. Wyatt wanted the world to revere him as the strongest Halliwell ever to exist, even stronger than the Charmed Ones. And so their final resting place had been left uncared for and unkempt for many years now.
Wyatt still remembered the day he had caught Chris trying to care for the graves himself. He had never even noticed as Wyatt shimmered in before him the only thing between them was his mother's gravestone.
“Christopher, what do you think you are doing?” Wyatt asked casually as he leaned on the gravestone directly behind his mothers.
Chris’ eyes flew up to meet his brothers and they held more grief than Wyatt had seen in them in the four years since their deaths. “What does it look like I’m doing?” He was kneeling on his mother’s grave weeding the small patch. His hands were covered in filth and he even had smudges of soil on his cheeks.
“I ordered these graves to be untouched,” Wyatt said calmly giving his brother the opportunity to make excuses and leave.
But Chris wasn’t about to do that. In the three years he had spent under his brother’s thumb he had never once given in to any of his wishes before. He didn’t know what would give Wyatt the mistaken impression that he’d start doing so now. He knew he was reckless with his own life but he found himself day after day finding new ways to defy his brother’s authority. He snuck out of his brother’s home as often as possible going to visit Grandpa Victor before the cancer took him away and since then to visit Bianca and even sometimes to meet with the resistance. Those were the times that it was most dangerous. But every time Wyatt would just send more demons to find him and bring him back. Many times he wondered when Wyatt’s orders would be not to bring him back but that had yet to happen. “You ordered the caretaker not to touch these graves, not me,” he said reaching out and removing a piece of moss from his mother’s tombstone.
“And that didn’t give you a hint that I wanted them left as is?” Wyatt asked his voice becoming tense, knowing his brother wasn’t gonna take the easy way out.
Chris leaned back on his haunches and wiped his hands on his jeans as he looked around the graveyard as if his brother’s presence there made little difference to him. “Wyatt, you may be the lord of all evil in this world, but you are not the lord over me or my heart,” he whispered quietly. He knew if he spoke any louder his voice would crack and he didn’t want his brother to mistake his grief for fear. Because he wasn’t afraid of him. Not any longer. He had given up on fear. It had no use in the world they lived in. To survive you had to be fearless and believe you were untouchable. In Wyatt's world fear was a comodity that was too dangerous to possess.
Wyatt shook his head now caught up in more anger at his brother’s defiance. He reached his hand out and waved it before him and through magic the grass Chris had been pulling grew back and moss crept from the ground up to cover the tombstone even worse than before. “I am the lord over everything, little brother. Even the ground you walk on, the wind in the skies, and the water in the oceans. You need to remember that.”
Chris shook his head in disappointment and looked back up to his brother, reaching out and pulling another strand of moss from the stone. “You loved them once, Wyatt. What turned your love into hate?”
Wyatt snarled at his brother’s words and actions and then swiped his hand out knocking Chris several feet from the stone and up against another in the row behind him. “Just leave the d**n graves be, Chris!”
With that Wyatt shimmered away and into an empty chamber in the underworld. He sat in the middle of the chamber and remembered the day he had found Chris holding their mother’s body in that very chamber. He had loved her and the aunts too. He could remember it as if it was a dream. But it was so long ago and Chris was the only one he had left now. Why couldn’t Chris understand that everything he did was for him? So he would never lose him. Oh there had been cousins. They were family too but somehow he had lost track of them. None of them had ever really mattered to him. Just Chris. Only Chris. Eventually the others had managed to get in the way of his minions and they had perished just as any being standing in his way should. But not Chris. Chris stood in his way often. But never Chris.
He knew he should do something about his brother. Send more demons after him, maybe even go after him himself, but he discarded the ideas. No, let his brother try his hardest to change it all. It would never happen. Not the big stuff. Not the things that mattered the most. Chris didn’t know why Wyatt was the way he was. He had no earthly idea, and he never would and things would continue just as they had before. “Sorry to disappoint you, little brother, but someday you’ll come back and this time I’ll keep you here where you belong, but only after you’ve learned what the meaning of loyalty really is.”
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A/N: Ah and the plot moves on. Everyone has a direction and everyone has a task. And look at that I even included another memory, but this time it was Wyatt’s. I thought the poor guy deserved a little screen time too. And before you ask, I know Chris thought he’d prevented the Event when he killed that demon. But unfortunately future boy is not always right. But you have to wait a couple of chapters or so to find out why.
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