Disclaimer : Well, would you look at that? I still don't own Charmed, only my DVDs. They're mine, you can't have them. But no, I don't own Charmed. Not the neurotic white lighter from the future we love, nor the evil tyrant that makes being evil look good. Sadly, I was not blessed in my life enough to own them, but maybe someday. You mark my words.
And the song is property of Faber Drive, who I sadly don't own, nor have I had the pleasure of meeting. But I have seen Simple Plan, Alexisonfire, Crash Parallel, Metric, Hedley, Finger 11 in concert. I am just that cool.
Author's Note : Well I was tying yet another chapter for my series (That will hopefully be added later today -October 21- or tomorrow, but I got to study so I don't know) and lo and behold, I was listening to Faber Drive. Yes, this seems to be becoming a pattern, doesn't it? Every new chapter means a new One Shot? Well I don't know how this will last, but here you go.
This story takes place in the Unchanged future. Before Wyatt goes completely insane and destroys the place, and before Piper dies. So, Chris is thirteen, okay? Well I'm the author of this so you don't get any say, HA! But, here you go. Enjoy.
One-Shot : Something He'll Regret Forever.
Summary : Unchanged Future. To Leo, only his duties as an Elder matter and his Eldest, Wyatt, and on rare occasion - Piper. Well Chris is sick of it, so here he reflects on his sleepless nights when he thinks about his father.
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Another sleepless night,
I'm still starring at my ceiling.
A thirteen year old Christopher Perry Halliwell rolled over in his bed so he was facing his ceiling and sighed as he heard the noises coming from downstairs. He had often heard stories from his aunts and close family friends about how his parents had this big epic love that conquered all and about how they fought black and blue to be together - even to the point where they tried to marry in secret.
But now? Chris shook his head as he let out another sigh as he glanced towards his door as he heard his mother shouting at Leo - not dad, Leo - again, which seemed to be a regular things nowadays. Or at least, it was when Leo was actually around, and that was only for when Wyatt needed him. Sometimes it would be the rare occasion when Piper needed him, but it was never when Chris needed him, or even when Chris' nine-year-old sister, Melinda needed him. It was Wyatt, Wyatt, Wyatt. Or in debates like this, Leo sounded like nothing more than a teenager - me, me, me, or, I, I, I.
I can hear him fighting,
With her for no good reason.
If his parents did have this big epic love that could survive everything, then why was all of his memories of his parents them fighting about this thing or that. It was never important things they were fighting over, it was usually how Leo was never around - something that in his eyes could be easily fixed. Or they were fighting about Chris or Melinda and the way that Leo treated them - again, something that could be easily fixed. But, apparently children only saw the simple solutions like this, adults seemed to enjoy the bickering.
Hearing Leo's booming voice resound of the wall and into his room, embedding its harsh tone in his mind forever, Chris rolled over again and gripped his hands over his ears, wanting nothing more than to block out the offending noises. If his parents had this epic love and this was what it turned out like - a tradgedy - then Chris didn't want it. He would rather a much easier relationship, he decided, unaware of the fact that in under a decade's time he would be dating an assassin witch - someone who some would consider evil.
There were some days Chris wished he could go back in time, to fix all of this to better things for everyone. To make it so that it was only Wyatt - the golden child - he didn't want to die, nor did he wish for the death of his sister. But if they, or at least he hadn't come along then his parents wouldn't be fighting half as much. Considering that most of their thoughts were centered around him.
Hearing Leo shout "I know he's my son!" Chris sighed, yet another battle of the lungs, all centered around him. Well, he didn't ask for this, he wasn't the one who had wanted to be born, he had had no say in the matter. That was a result of him and his parents who had apparently "loved each other very much so one night..."
Will this ever end?
Will this house be a home again?
Chris could vividly remember when they were a family. He was four when Melinda was born, and even then Leo was around a lot more than he was now - making sure he was home three days out of seven, but shortly after that everything changed. There were no longer any family dinners and Uncle Coop, Uncle Henry, or even his Grandpa Victor started taking him to father/son days, Leo didn't have the time.
Still, even though Chris didn't think of Leo as his father, he didn't hate him. Chris yearned for the day that Leo would set out his priorities and become the family man the Chris heard of when he heard stories of his family. He prayed for the day that this story would have a happy ending and stop being some terrible, heartbreaking scene from a horror flick. He wished that he could go back in time and rewrite this as though it were a novel and he could write what was going to happen, like the story he was often told of when Aunt Paige got sucked into a novel, Crossed Double-Crossed.
But all the so called epic loves - his mother and Leo, Phoebe and Cole, Romeo and Juliet, Brad and Jennifer, Tom and Nicole and all the other couples throughout history that were said to be epic loves. Was that why? The fact that they all loved each other and fought what appeared to be impossible odds only for their love to fall apart and leave the others affected by these consequneces broken and suffering.
If I had my way,
I'd corner him and say
Put yourself in her position.
Throughout his childhood, Leo had been his hero. His father worked with others liked him, fighting to save the world one day at a time, much like a superhero from his favourite cartoon. Now he was only Wyatt's superhero. A man that like all superheros got stuck in a phase where they questioned what they were doing and got stuck in a rift, unable to pull themselves out - not having enough time for all of the things they wanted to do, or were responsible for. Chris just never thought that children would fall into that category for Leo - the legendary family man.
Now, his mother was his hero. Piper Halliwell was Chris' hero, and from his knowledge she was also Melinda's, and even Wyatt's - but Wyatt had two. Both paretns, the way it should be for all children. Piper was Chris' mother, and she didn't care if Chris and Melinda didn't have some title or not, or even that Wyatt was the next Twice Blessed, even though that caused her to worry more than she should. But that was his mom, the constant worry-wart.
But despite owning a club - the only source of income in their household since Leo didn't get paid for being a full-time Elder, something he really needed to talk to them about. She was a Charmed One - a legendary Charmed One that fought off demons since she had been Charmed, vanquishing well over a thousand demons already, but more than that, she was a mother. She was a mother to three magical children, who none of them were weak.
But unlike Leo, she still found the time to be a witch, a club owner, and a mother. Finding time to make all of her children, taking them to their practices or lessons, attending their games or recitals, all of the concerts and birthday parties. She found time for it all, she was always there - and she always would be. She had promised.
Chris snorted as he once again rolled over in his sleep. He would like to see Leo just attempt that - walking a mile in Piper's shoes. He wouldn't be able to do that, he couldn't balance being a father and and Elder for heaven's sakes. But regardless, Chris would love to see Leo in Piper's position, if only to watch him fail.
All she needs is recognition
By no stretch of the imagination was Piper Halliwell a selfish woman. She did what she needed to, and when she could, she did what she wanted. And often her children found themselves telling her they were sorry that she had to raise them alone, that she had to deal with the three of them all by herself. But whenever they brought it up Piper would simply shrug and say, "I don't mind," or, "you three are the best things I ever did with my life, even if I knew this was the way things would end up, I wouldn't change it for the world."
All his mother needed was a little recognition, a little thank-you here and there, or a hug before they went to school - even if it was considered to be 'uncool.' Or even a "Goodnight" and kiss before bed, that was all Piper needed to be happy. A little recognition, a little note that her sacrifices were appreciated and to know that it was all worth it in the end.
That was why Chris loved his mother, she wasn't selfish. She was selfless.
Love's not enough when you say it
Don't you know, you've got to mean it?
Cringing as he heard his mother's voice raise a few octaves, into a tone that she often used when one of her three children did something that was wrong, or something that put them in danger. But at the same time, it wasn't like that. This time there was a tone of hatred and even disgust underlining her words instead of the unconditional love and concern she used when speaking to her family. Chris sighed.
He could hear his father as though he was right beside him, swearing that he loved them all, not just Wyatt and Piper. If Chris strained his hearing, he could swear that his exact words were, "I know they're my children! I love them all, and I love you. But the Elders need me up there, all I'm trying to do is make sure they grow up in a safe world. How in hell is that so wrong Piper?!" But Chris didn't believe him. The loving Wyatt and Piper - yes. The whole making sure the world is safe - sure. Loving them all - maybe. But the Elders needing him? HELL NO.
There was no way the Elders needed him more than his family did. Sure, he was saving the freakin' world, but at the expense of what? His marraige? His children? Even now there were times the golden, Twice Blessed child would snap at their father, demanding to know why he wasn't around. But Leo would always calmly explain, and after a few lies Wyatt would calm down and forgive his father. But Chris knew, with Wyatt's temper, there would be a day that something would happen, and there would be no going back.
And Leo. Leo. Chris couldn't stop the disgusted look that turned into a snarl from appearing on his face at the very mention of his father. Leo claimed to love him? But didn't he realise, that saying it wasn't enough? That he had to mean it, and then act on it. Especially to Chris, he had heard Leo's promises his whole life, all of which had been broken. In the back of his closet in an old box laid the proof - the letters of pain that Leo orbed onto his bed whenever he couldn't be at something, which was quite often. Every letter stabbing into Chris' heart, and every letter evidence of a broken promise.
Screwing up the best thing ever
Is something you'll regret forever.
As evil and vindictive as it sounded, Chris couldn't wake for the day that Leo woke up and realised his mistake - the day that it would be to late to take back all of the pain he had caused his family. Or better yet, the day they moved on from him. After all, Piper was dating, it was only a matter of time before a nice man came along that loved her kids and accepted magic. And then, well Leo would be kicking himself in the ass that day.
Espeically the man that his mother was dating now, Greg. He was nice enough, there were even days that Greg would take Chris, Melinda and Wyatt to the fire station to see the fire trucks, after all, Greg was a firefighter. And even with his crazy schedule, Chris still saw him more than his own father. But with all of that considered, Chris would rather Leo. And if there was a chance, anyway that he could save his parent's marriage and get rid of Greg, no matter how much he liked the man, he would.
Greg had met his mother sometime before he was born through some friends, but even though her marriage had been on rocky terms at the time and Greg's obvious interest in her, Piper had stayed true to her husband. But now they were divorced, and Greg was taking Leo's place. He was being the man, the dad, that Leo should have been to the all along. Because now that Leo was gone, there was nothing stopping Piper and Greg from taking the gradual steps to becoming more than friends - a standoff they had been at for over thirteen years.
And Chris knew there would be a day that Leo woke up and learned that he regretted the day that he was foolish enough to give up Piper and his family for his career. For giving Greg the chance to step into his shoes, being the man that Piper deserved. Because the way Leo was now, Chris knew that his mother deserved a hell of a lot better. There was nothing that he agreed with more.
Another day goes by
And nothing changed, he's still the same
But Christopher Perry Halliwell wasn't a fool by any stretch of the imagination. He was a lot like his Aunt Prue, at least that was what he had been told, and even Grams - his Great-Grandmother - even commented on how much he was like his eldest aunt. In her eyes and in her words - which was surprising considering her attitude towards men - he was a true Halliwell. He had received traits from all of his family. His mother's heart and stubbornness, his Aunt Paige's sarcasm and dry sense of humour, his Aunt Phoebe's love of sappy love movies and crappy horror movies, and her dedication to family. Chris also received his Aunt Prue's determination and flare for magic, the only thing he got from Leo was his favourite power. The ability to orb. Oh where would he be without that?
But .. what was he thinking? Oh yeah, he wasn't a fool. He knew Leo wasn't going to change, at least not in his lifetime. But considering Leo was an Elder, and the only way he could truly die was a dark lighter, which required him to leave his heavenly perch more than once a year - he was a safe. But Leo was immortal, or at least, he couldn't die because of natural causes.
But it would happen, Chris knew it would. It may not be his lifetime, or even his chidlren's lifetime, and maybe not even in his great-great grandchildren's lifetime, but there would be a day that Leo would regret it all, and he would change. And though tomorrow was a new day, Chris knew that nothing would change. Not tomorrow. Leo would still be the same.
I can hear her crying,
Thinking she's the one to blame.
Chris sat up in his bed as he heard the tell tale and unmistakable sound of someone orbing out anf sighed when he heard his mother heading to her room, but what angered him was the fact that he could hear her crying, as if she was the one to blame. But she wasn't, this was all on Leo's shoulders, Piper was a wonderful mom, and this was not her fault. Leo was his own person, and if his family wasn't his priority, it was his own fault. Not his mother's.
But all the same, Chris couldn't stand hearing her crying - it was the one thing that could break his heart. His childhood crush hating him, fine he could deal with it, espeically now. Kelly Townie had grown up to be a self-absorbed, spoiled brat that wasn't worth his time of day. But his mother crying, no one got away with that. And Chris made a mental note to tell Leo off when he saw him again, after all they were going to fight - or at least fight about him anyway, so why not add his two cents worth?
Taking a deep breath, Chris quietly pushed his blankets off of him and swung his legs over the side of the bed and placed his feet on the cold hard wood floor. Looking at his door, Chris held his breath, half expecting his mother to barge in and demand that he got to sleep, but when she didn't appear Chris climbed out of his bed, shivering as the cold air touched his arms as he reached his door.
Cringing as it squeaked, Chris silently cursed as it continued to squeak until the space was wide enough for him to get through. Of all the rooms, he had gotten Paige's, the most squeaky of all doors. It was as if when he was younger his mother knew he was going to be a handful and placed him in this room for that reason. But he didn't mind, Paige was his favourite Aunt - though he would never tell Phoebe such a thing - he didn't mind having her old room. But as if he would sneak out, if anything his mom shouldn't have given Wyatt Phoebe's old room, like his aunt had, Wyatt had sneaking out down to a science.
Passing his brother's room, Chris snorted as he heard Wyatt's soft snoring that only ceased when he mumbled something to himself, at which point the snores would start back up again. It was amusing, to say the least. Chris was almost at his mother's room when he got the fright of his life, "Chris!" His sister hissed, causing Chris to jump and spin around to glare at his baby sister who was standing in her doorway, her stuffed Eeyore that Chris and Wyatt got her for her fifth birthday secure in her hands. "Where you you going young man?" She demanded quietly, mimicking their mother perfectly - and Chris meant perfectly. Melinda was basically a reincarnation of their mother.
Chris, also having a majority of his mother's looks stood to his full height and crossed his arms. "You know perfectly know where young lady!" He hissed back, careful not to wake their sleeping brother who was like an irratable bear when he woke up, but also to make sure they didn't alert their mother who had very, very good hearing ... much to their grief. Seeing Melinda walk out of her room and walk up to him, an expectant look on her face, he sighed. "I was going to check on mom," he admitted.
Melinda nodded and reached out with her free hand and held Chris' hand, ignoring the look he was giving her as she lead him to their mother's room. "I'm coming to," she stated, her voice leaving no room for argument as they stood outside the door. Sighing, she reached out and carefully turned the handle, both the younger Halliwell's cringing when it squeaked slightly. Did every door squeak? What kind of conspiracy was this?
"Mom?" Melinda called as she and her brother entered, both of them frowning as they saw their mother sit up, wiping the tears out of her eyes as she looked to them. "Mom are you okay?" She asked as she and Chris walked over to her, both crawling into the bed with her - one on each side.
Piper smiled at her younger children, how could Leo miss this? Smiling contently as they snuggled into her, Piper knew she wouldn't be sleeping alone tonight as they snuggled into her and she gripped them into a tight hug. "I'm fine," she said, "I got everything I need right here," she confessed, kissing both of their foreheads, smirking when Chris's muffled whine of, "MOM!" Reached her ears.
Will this ever end?
Will this house be a home again?
"What am I then?" An irritated Wyatt asked from the doorway, yawning and rubbing his eyes, obviously not impressed with what his mother just confessed. "Chopped liver?" He said sarcastically as he made his way over to the bed and grabbed a blanket to lay on his family, "everything I need right here," he repeated a bitter edge to his voice, causing the occupants of the room to stifle their laughs as the attitude Wyatt inherited from his Aunt Paige shined through. "Sheesh, make me feel unwanted," he said as he crawled into the bed and covered himself up.
Melinda, who was basically Chris without the Y chromosome, rolled her eyes and rolled out of the bed and walked over to the other side, which could have been a hell of a lot faster if she could orb. Her father was an Elder, and her brothers could orb, so why couldn't she? It was almost as if it wasn't meant to turn out that way. Ignoring Wyatt's protest of "watch it," Melinda walked on the bed until she was between her to brothers and let herself fall onto the bed, at which point she put her back to Chris and cuddled into Wyatt, "I love you Wyatt," she mumbled sleepily.
Wyatt's victorious icy blue eyes met Chris' Jade eyes. "At least someone loves me," he exclaimed causing his mother and brother to roll their eyes as they all adjusted themselves in the bed. He smirked at Chris, "Mellie," he said, using he long-lived nickname for Melinda, "loves me more than you!" He stated childishly, forgetting that he was fifteen, going on sixteen.
"Enough of that," Piper shushed, as her children got comfortable. This is what Leo was missing out on, because he wasn't here, this house wasn't the home it was meant to be. It was still a home, and not even a broken home as some people said, it was a home filled with love - except when her ex-husband stopped by. Then it was filled with a battle of lungs, but it was a home.
But even though she had Greg, who in her eyes was a man that any woman would covet for, she hated that Leo was missing out on so much with his family. Even if they weren't together, that was no reason for Leo not to be with his children - hell, that was the reason they were separated. Leo had put his work before family to often, but that didn't mean she didn't wish that it was the way it had been almost a decade ago.
She could vividly remember when Melinda was born, she and Leo had finally had the little girl she had seen on her trip to the future. That was the happiest she had seen Leo in all her life, except when their other children had been born - even Chris. But after that the Elders, who she would permanently damn to hell if she had her way, had put more pressure on her husband to go up there with the other Elders ... how had they put it? Oh, "where he belonged."
But in her eyes he belonged here, with her and their children. And Piper didn't need a lot of things, for there were far more people less fortunate that she was - all she needed was her family, but still she wished that the manor was the home it was supposed to be. A home with her, Wyatt, Chris, Melinda, and Leo - and if that made her selfish - she was guilty.
If I had my way
I'd corner him and say
Put yourself in her position.
All she needs is recognition
Wyatt frowned as his sister went to kick off the blankets like she did every night, but he wouldn't let her. She may be wearing flannel pyjamas, but without the blanket he would surely freeze. Sighing, he smiled as he noticed that Melinda was curled into his chest and he had one arm slung protectively around her while his mother was resting her head on Chris' head, and Chris was snuggled into their mother, looking a lot like the four year old he had once been.
A five year old that Wyatt had comforted on his fifth birthday - a birthday their father had missed that ahd turned out to be the first of many. And Wyatt had sworn that day that he would protect his baby brother, he didn't care who was threatening him or hurting him, he would protect him. So hwe would do the same thing here, he wouldn't allow their father to hurt Chris, Melinda or their mother any more - he swore that day that no one would hurt his family.
He would do what he had always done, he would protect his family - and he wouldn't let Leo near them again. If he so much as tried to go anywhere near his siblings he would kill him - personally. He had nothing against Leo when it came to him, to him, Leo was a good - hell, a great father. But his mother had taught him that family came first, and she had also taught him that it was his job as the oldest to protect them from whatever harm ever came their way.
She had made him promise that because she wouldn't be around forever, but little did the three children all sleeping in their mother's bed cuddled together, all touching in some way, blond and brown hair mixed together, would lose their mother in less than a year's time on Chris' fourteenth birthday - yet another one that Leo would miss - the important one. The one where they would all lose Piper, the glue that held them together. And with the loss of his mother, Wyatt would finally snap, succumbing to the evil that had laid dormant for almost sixteen years, and it would all be so he could protect his family. No matter how messed up his logic would be.
Love's not enough when you say it
Don't you know, you've got to mean it?
At one a.m. Piper sighed in her sleep and smiled when she noticed all her children were asleep so without any words she adjusted herself on the bed and smiled in content. This was all she needed. Leo may have left them, but she would never abandon her children. Never. That was her vow, nothing had stopped other Halliwell women from having children, and being Charmed hadn't stopped her.
But the cycle was stopping here. Her children would not grow up motherless. She would not leave them. That was one promise she had made to them. She may not be able to keep every promise, but she would keep that one. But little did Piper know that in a few months time, on Chris' birthday the Angel of Death would come after her, the same one that took Prue. She was already on his list, and if there was one thing about death he wasn't terrible or unjust - he was just damn good at his job.
Across the room, Piper hadn't even noticed the lone figure watching her in her children. Sighing, Leo walked out of the shadows and walked over to the closet that he could vividly remember being a nursery at some point for each of his children - all of which he loved equally, even if he didn't show it. Smiling as Melinda stirred as he placed the blanket on the four sleeping people who held his heart, he sighed.
Screwing up the best thing ever
Is something you'll regret forever.
He knew he put his work above everything, well mostly everything, but he was an Elder - which seemed to be his excuse for everything - and he couldn't be everywhere at once. He would love to be able to come home everyday; help Melinda with her homework, listen to Chris talk excitedly about his day at school or magic school - whichever, hearing about how Wyatt's team won their latest game. He knew he hadn't made the best decision when it came to becoming an Elder.
But it was what he had - what he still thought was right. He could protect them better up there. He could keep an eye on all the threats that were after his family, make sure they were safe at night. Like he used to when Wyatt was small - there were times he would orb into the manor at night, and take shifts. Spending a half an hour or more in each child's room, watching intently to make sure that they slept soundly.
Take her and make sure she feels it,
Let her know, you'll never let her go.
Screwing up the best thing ever
Is something you'll regret forever
But if he was doing the right thing, then why did Leo often question what he was doing? Or why did he often think into the past, when they were a happy family, or even worst, why did his colleagues often find him off daydreaming in his own musings of how he thought - knew how things should be. The five of them, living happily under one roof where he had time for all of them. A place where they took priority - not the damn Elders.
Like his son, Chris, Leo Wyatt wasn't a fool either. He knew better than to dream about those days, but he couldn't help himself. Smiling softly, he got ready to sit on the chair in his and Piper's - in Piper's room, he corrected. But just sd he was about to sit down, the familiar jingling appeared in his head and he casted his head to the heavens, a scowl on his face.
And then, without one last look at his family, Leo orbed out - unknowingly making a decision he would regret later. Sooner than he, or anoyone else would believe.
Another sleepless night
Nothing changed, he's still the same
But the Elder was unaware that as he was orbing out, a pair of wide, sad Jade eyes had been watching him, and as he orbed away the glimmer of hope that had been brightly shining dimmed immediately. The very Jade eyes that Chris had inherited from Leo, the only thing except him Elder abilities. Sighing, Chris shook his head as he rolled over on his side and slung his arm around his mom's waist so his hand could touch Melinda's and Wyatt's hand. "Typical," he muttered as sleep claimed him once more as his heart was breaking. He finally had his answer, after yet another sleepless night, Leo hadn't changed, and had shown he wouldn't. Everything was the same as it had been, and the way it would continue to be.
-Fin-
Author's Note : Well there is another One-shot that I felt the need to add. My new chapter for my series is currently being editied for mistakes and all that Jazz, so unless School loads me down with tons of homework today, you should get an update on that for any of you that may be following along with that. Well there you go, please review and let me know what you think.