by
UnchainedPoem
DISCLAIMER:I don't own other ppl's work
Always had, Always would
Chapter 1 I hear you
The living room was dimly lit in the Halliwell home this evening. Outside the world was turning grey but it wasn't dark...yet.
Two charmed women with amazing powers sat on the sofa listening with only partial interest to the stern- faced young man with dark hair.
Chris was feeling rather distraught actually. He didnt understand how they could take their safety, the safety of the world, so lightly.
"Look you guys have been lucky, alright?!"
The words burst suddenly from his lips, as suddenly as he burst up from the chair and raked his fingers through the mass of his dark hair.
"Excuse me?!" It was Phoebe who spoke although Paige was also looking at him incredulously, her cherry painted mouth hanging open.
"If your mother was here-" Phoebe started in, leaping off the couch with her sister, but Chris cut her off.
"But my mother isn't here! Don't you get it? ! Without her here you don't have the power if three! You're divided, vulnerabl-" Paige broke into the conversation now as well. "Chris we've been just fine, Piper's been gone for a week now, maybe the dark forces don't even know..." She argued.
"Oh they know. I dont- How can you be so , so careless?!"
He was gesturing now and pacing back and forth, his face red hot with uncommunicable anger, why couldnt they see it?! Why couldn't they understand just how important this was? Their lives, the world was at stake! How could they just... There was a familliar sound as small beams of light appeared and pooled together, no one gave any notice though, as Leo orbed into the living room. Chris's back was to him as was Phoebe's who was still staring after the younger whitelighter breathing heavily. It was Paige who noticed him first. "Leo." She said surprised to see him suddenly just there. Chris and Phoebe turned now also, and Chris's expression went from passionate anger to cold and unreadable as he looked at the past image of his Father.
Leo couldn't help but feel hurt at the icy look that appeared for a moment on his son's face before he looked away. "You don't look so happy to see me." Leo observed softly. Chris breathed a sigh and paced toward the window, then he turned and faced his father again. "Dont worry DAD, there will someday come a time when I would be thrilled to see you. "Chris snapped, then added softly."You just wont be there."
Paige was looking from father to son continuously. Finally she and Phoebe shared a glance and Paige, unable to think of anything to say, gestured for Phoebe to come up with something.
"Boys boys." Phoebesaid raising her arms and stepping between them.
"What's this all about anyway?" Leo asked looking first at Paige then Phoebe.
Chris sighed, his fingers again combing through his hair.
"W-well Chris, Phoebe and I were just discussing..."Paige paused a
moment looking to Phoebe for help, while Leo folded his arms his expression changing to one of suspician.
"We were just discussing the possible threat of demons now that Piper is gone!" Phoebe said with a nervous smile.
Paige smiled and nodded. "Yeah, thats, pretty much it."She stammered smiling also at Leo.
"Okay...you guys are seriously creeping me out." The Whitelighter/Elder told them.
"We weren't DISCUSSING anything." Chris snapped.
All three turned to him, Paige and Phoebe's eyes lowered.
"For the past hour I have been trying to explain to them why it's important they be prepared for an attack. That they are extremely vulnerable right now without the power of three! But you know what? I shouldn't have to explain it to them. I think the risk of lives, their lives and the lives of innocents should be enough!"
Everything Chris was feeling poured out into that statement, his face was bright red, and Leo could have sworn his eyes had grown glassy if only for a second. He turned his back to the group, unwilling to show just how deeply he felt about what he'd just said.
"Well guys...Chris has a pretty good point." Leo said finally, gently.
Chris, now composed, slowly turned to face them again, but said nothing.
"We know." Paige said finally. "Look Chris, we understand what you're saying we just. We've been through this all before so many times, and there is ALWAYS the risk of an attack." She said shrugging and taking a step toward him.
"Yeah, Paige is right, and it's not like we're not careful, but we're big girls, we can handle ourself. Sweetie you don't need to worry so much." Phoebe put in.
Chris now looked almost as if he were about to cry. "You guys don't get it do you?! You haven't seen what i've seen you haven't-" He was cut off abruptly by
Leo.
"Chris. You're right, we havent. And hopefully because of you we wont have to. But the girls can handle themselves. Now that we KNOW about the future we can change it. And girls, Chris is right, you do need to be more careful while your sister is gone, you don't have the power of three to help you now, and that does make you vulnerbale to an attack. Alright?" Leo glanced at each person in the room. Everyone nodded.
"You're right."Phoebe conceded. "Yeah." Paige admitted also, eyes still cast down as if she were being scolded, which in truth, she was.
"Chris?" Leo looked lastly at his son, who shrugged.
"Yeah, whatever you say." The sarcasm in his son's voice sounded more like pain to Leo which made it all the worse for him.
How hadd he let things get like this between him and his son...how would he?...He was so excited about Chris' birth, which hadn't even happened yet...where in time, in the future, did things go so wrong, when would he become...a bad father?
"Alright guys, I have to go. I just came to check in on things, and see how everyone was doing." Leo told them, glancing one more time at his son before orbing out.
When he was gone Phoebe spoke.
"Chris I...We-" She wanted to apologize.
"Don't bother." He said before orbing out himself.
"Wow. Guess we really hurt his feelings.' Paige said, staring past her sister at the spot where Chris had been standing moments before.
"Yeah." Phoebe agreed,"Guess so..." Her voice trailed off so that Paige almost didnt catch the last part.
Chapter 2- I Feel you
Sitting on the top of the bridge again, Chris looked down over the city, at once so familliar and so different. The city had changed by his time, but it hadn't been mch different, not until Wyatt turned. Then there was only destruction. Looking out now over the beautiful city lights it all seemed like a horrible dream, something only he could see. He knew though, that "the dream" could become a reality, that somewhere in time, his time, it had.They didn't undertstand. And what did Leo know anyway? Coming in with his all his infinte wisdom. His father didn't know anything...least of all...him. Meeting Leo in this time, his apparent desperation to fix things he had yet to destroy between himself and his son had left Chris with the unsettling feeling that maybe...he didn't know his father any better than his father knew him. The feeling was indescribable, and the others surrounding it were even more obscure. Chris didn't know what to feel. The only thing he was sure of was that he was angry, and so that was what he acted upon every time...but...
"CHRIS!" Phoebe called the Whitelighter after diving behind the sofa where Paige, her shirt torn, had already taken cover.
Two demons with gnarled brown faces,the only thing showing from beneath their black robes, were tearing the Halliwell's living room to shreds.
Chris orbed into the room and narrowly dodged a magical fire ball the hit the wall and disspated into nothing. A dagger shot from the other demon's long sleeve and he charged Chris with the blade.
"LAMP!"
There was a smash as Paige summoned the table lamp to fly into the back of the creatures head. It dissapeared before hitting the ground. The other demon took off suddenly at a run and dove through the window, glass shattering everywhere.
"We have to follow him!" Phoebe shouted leaping to her feet.
Paige stood up too.
"Yeah, Chris, you stay here in case more of them show up. We'll call if we need you, just don't let them get the book whatever you do!"
S he then followed her sister out the door.
Chris nodded and orbed up to the attic to check on the book. It was still in its usual spot with no sign of disturbance. A noise from downstairs however caught his attention and he quickly orbed down to the hallway to check things out. There were no demons, to his surprise there was nothing. Still cautious he began to check each room. Nothing in the kitchen, the dining room, nothing, the living room too was empty. Relaxing a little, he breathed a sigh of relief. That was when he felt the sudden lash of bindings coiling around his arms and legs. causing him to cry out in surprise. These were not ropes, but appeared to be made of pure magic, coming straight from the floor, from no where, glowing electric blue and reminiscent of lightening. A brown mist suddenly began to seep from a spot on the floor infront of him. The mist flowed out from one point but only went so far from there, forming a perfect circle. The circle rose like a cloak to the ceiling swirling as it did so, faster and faster, and then it disbursed leaving another dark cloaked figure in it's place. This one was similar to the ones before, but slightly different, older. The face was even more gnarled than the others and reminded Chris strongly of leather. Instead of nubs two full slightly curved horns portruded from it's forehead like bull's horns, and unlike the others also, the demon's gnarled brown hands were visible from within it's sleeves.
"Perfect." It half-purred half-growled, the voice coming from somewhere deep within it's throat.
Chris' first instinct was to try and orb out. It didn't work, his powers were somehow blocked by the magic that held him in place. Refusing to give up he struggled hard against his bindings. The demon laughed, loud and hard, it's whole body shook with amusement.
"Who are you?!" Chris demanded, still struggling, but to no avail.
Instead of a reply the demon's arms shot forward and Chris felt a burst of pain as wave after wave of electricity ran over and through his body, the same color as the bindings which too were begining to cause him pain. He jerked and squirmed with the force of the magic, unable to suppress cry after cry of pain from escaping his lips. The pain and the waves stopped abruptly, and the demon closed its eyes and threw back it's head as if in ecstasy, inhaling deeply, and sighing.
"Ahhh, tonight my children, we shall feed well. This one is strong, and FULL of energy." It said slowly bringing his head forward
Chris was still recoiling from the pain and shock that he'd just recieved to his entire body. He felt somehow drained and could barely stand but forced himself to do so. Children? What children? The ones before maybe? It would make sense, they were smaller, their horns probably werent even full grown yet. But what had the demon meant when he said "feed?"
"Who are you and what do you want?" Chris said in the same demanding tone, though his breathing was harder now, and his voice weaker.
The demon chuckled. "I am Acrigoss! And I want your energy boy!"
Acrigoss laughed again as he reached forward and began once more to torture the white lighter. Watching the young man's body convulse under the force of his magic.
Chapter 3- I need you
Paige and Phoebe raced through the dark alley after the demon which had managed to dodge their every attack so far. It stopped suddenly just ahead as it came out of the alley and reached the middle of the road. It's arms lifted to the heavens for a moment, and then it turned, eye's suddenly glowing, as it faced the girls rushing out of the alley.
"That can't be good." Phoebe stated stopping just as she and her sister emerged from the alley.
"Nope. Most definitely not." Paige said.
Before another word could be uttered bewteen them a massive energy ball was hurled in their direction. The girls scream as the dove in opposite directions the ball colliding with a dumpster and causing a massive explosion.
"Ok now what?!" Phoebe demanded pushing herself from the ground.
"Stop light!" Paige yelled,orbing the thing from its original place to above the demons head. It almost hit its target but exploded mid air without the creature lifting a finger.
"Right new plan." Paige gasped jumping to her feet, but being pushed back down by her sister as another energy ball came flying in her direction.
Back in the living room of the Halliwell manor Chris was in more pain than could ever recall being in throughout his entire life.
And he would definitely have remembered if he'd ever felt anything even comparable to what he was feeling at that moment. Acrigoss was feeding off his energy, sucking him dry. There were fewer and fewer brakes now between the bursts of magic that coursed through him in waves. Chris was growing desperate the girls weren't back yet...what if they were hurt? Or what if they came back to late, and had to face Acrigoss whose power was clearly growing as he drained Chris of his. The pain and the weakness that had now consumed him almost entirely were beginning to be too much and he fell to his knees.
"With each drop of your energy I grow stronger. My children grow stronger. Soon the rest will be strong enough tohatch, and our family shall reclaim the world into darkness. The energy and life of a whitelighter is all that it takes" Acrigoss said his strange, throaty, voice filled with unmistakable excitement.
Chris had already realised that if this continued he was going to die. Acrigoss merely confirmed what he had known all along. "...the life of a whitelighter..." In a final act of desperation Chris emitted a weak cry...
"Dad!"
The cry was soft at first so that Acrigoss' eyes fell on the boy who was doubled over before him, unsure of what he'd just said.
"DAD!"
Louder this time, and Acrigoss laughed. "No one can save you boy!" He cackled with growing amusement.
The same familliar sound from earlier fell faintly on Chris' ears as Leo orbed into the room. For a moment Leo looked baffled and then he noticed Chris and Acrigoss. The Demon and the Elder met eyes.
"So you've brought me another! I should thank you boy!" Acrigoss chortled arrogantly.
"Dad..." Chris murmerred.
Facing Leo now Acrigoss extended his arm to the side in Chris' direction and the young man was again assaulted with unbearable fits of pain as the demons cruel magic coursed through him sapping the last of his energy.
"No!" Leo cried attacking Acrigoss with surprising power.
Stunned by the blow of energy he'd just recieved Acrigoss' hold on Chris diminshed and the whitelighter crumpled to the floor. It didnt matter to him however for all his attention was now on Leo.
"Such power...I must have your energy!" Acrigoss cried, but Leo orbed out just in time to dodge the bindings that rose up from the floor.
Acrigoss snarled looking frantically around the room his fingers curled into claws ready to strike at the first sign of his opponent.
"Come and face me!" Acrigoss demanded still turning his head this way and that, he took a step forward. "Don't you wish to avenge your son?!" He called his tone bating Leo with it's mockery.
Leo orbed in behind him, a gilded dagger in his hand. Acrigoss whirled around.
"You will join him!" He hissed.
"You...will pay." Leo sneered and then with a cry of anger jammed the dagger into the demon's chest.
Acrigoss stumbled back in shock.
"Im-Impossible." He rasped looking down at the gold handle protruding from his cloak.
Leo watched as Acrigoss let out an unearthly bellow before dissappearing into a dispersing brown mist, the dagger landing idly on the floor stained with a black fluid that must've been the demon's blood. Breathing hard Leo took his eyes from the spot where Acrigoss had died before him. His attention turned immediatly to his son.
"Chris!" He cried
His son lay face down on the floor. Leo rushed to his side and took the lifeless body in his arms.
"Chris! Chris speak to me!" He pleaded with the young man.
His eyes scanned for wounds but none were visible. Leo then raised his hand, now emitting a warm light and placed it over his son's heart. If Chris was still alive there was a chance he could heal him. A wet sheen began to cover Leo's eyes as he focused on trying to heal his son. Finally a few tears began to trickle down his cheek...
"C'mon Chris...don't give up huh? Don't..."
Chris stirred finally, and Leo let out joyous laugh filled with relief, his face streaked with a wet shine from crying. The light eyes fluttered open and met Leo's. For the first time in a long time Chris was looking his father directly in the eyes, and for the first time ever Leo was met with the eyes of his son. He could feel a powerful connection bewteen them then, one that Chris had tried so hard to deny, one that he himself had denied all along.
"Dad?"
Though his voice was weak, and soft, Leo still caught the word and all its meaning as his son spoke it. He felt himself starting to cry again and he choked back a sob as he brushed his son's bangs from his forehead.
"My little boy."Leo said barely able to get the words out.
"You're going to be okay, everything is going to be okay." He promised still brushing his sons bangs with his fingers.
It was a gentle motion with a significance and a feeling Chris had longed for all of his life. And now finally resting in his father's arms, He knew, without any doubts, that his Father loved him, and he loved him just as much in return, just as he had when he was a boy, before the anger, the hatred, had set in, even now.
Paige and Phoebe struggled to their feet, as they were both recovering from a direct hit from their demon foe. It stood in the same spot in the street laughing giddly (at least thats what they had decided the noise was thatit was making) and waving its arms above its head as if in some sort of victory dance. Suddenly the monster emitted a startled cry and the glowing light in it's eyes was extinguished. The girls paused for a moment unsure of what had just happened. The demon did the same. Then it raised its arm in preparation for another attack. The girls braced themselves, Paige grabbing Phoebe's arm ready to orb out of the way at any second. There was a sickening thud as truck going far over the speed limit collided with the demon in the street causing it to dissappear in poof of brown smoke. The girls stood their for a moment stunned, unable to do or say anything. Phoebe spoke first.
"Okay. That works for me." She quipped.
"Yeah." Paige nodded. "Lets go home." And she orbed the two of them back to the manor.
"Chris?!" The girls called as they entered the large house.
The living room remained trashed, but was still empty.
"Hey what's this?" Paige asked picking up the dagger from the floor ad showing it to her sister.
"I don't know." Phoebe said, suddenly very worried. "CHRIS?!" She called again, louder.
"Is that blood?" Paige wondered aloud examining the dark substance on the blade.
"Chr-" Phoebe shrieked as she turned and nearly ran into Leo standing in the hallway.
"Oh god. Leo. Chris is he..." Phoebe asked Paige standing beside her with equal concern.
"He's alive. And he's going to be alright." Leo assured them, as he turned and headed for the stairs.
Phoebe and Paige followed close behind him.
"What happened?" Paige asked while they ascended the step and Leo led them to His and Piper's bedroom.
"He was attacked." Leo explained.
"The demon wanted to drain his energy, it was feeding off it."
"So...the other two...they were just..." She continued putting things together quickly.
"Bait." Leo confirmed.
"Oh god." Phoebe murmered. "They were after Chris all along... and he'd tried to warn us. To be more prepared."
She placed her hand to her mouth and looked at her sister who could find no suitable reply. Leo opened the door to the bedroom quietly and the three were met with the image of Chris fast asleep in his parent's bed. The girls looked at each other, half concerned and half touched by the serene expression on the young man's face. There was a chair beside the bed, which Leo sat in. For a moment he looked at his son, then turned in his seat to face the girls.
"He's just...resting." Leo whispered in the same way he would around Wyatt when the baby was sleeping also. Paige nudged Phoebe gently and gestured with a nod for them to leave the two alone. Phoebe not taking her eyes off Chris as she backed out of the doorway complied.
Leo had already turned back to Chris, and as the girls left he took his son's hand.
I Love you.
Epilogue
"So let me get this straight..." Paige said as she Phoebe and Leo stood in the kitchen the next day. "The demons we encountered were only..." She searched for the right word.
"Babies." Leo stated for her.
"Right and the big Papa demon feeds off whitelighter energy, in this case, Chris' energy in order to feed himself and his children?"Phoebe added.
"Yes. The demon was called Acrigoss. He must've been thousands of years old. He was the last of his kind. It's very likely that he had a nest somewhere and if he had succeeded in draining all of Chris' energy it would have nourished the eggs enough for them to hatch, so then there would have been hundreds maybe even thousands more like the ones you faced." Leo explained.
"We should have consulted the book." Paige said sourly. "Then maybe we would have realized what he was really after."
"Yeah, the life and energy of a whitelighter." Phoebe said eyes downcast in thought.
"You guys did what you had to do." Chris said appearing in the door way.
Leo looked up first, and took a step forward without realising it as his son entered the room.
"Chris." Phoebe smiled.
"How are you?" Paige stole the words right out of her sisters mouth.
"Good morning to you too." Chris chuckled. "I'm okay. Just a bit tired."
"Er... that's normal." Leo scrambled to explain. "Your energy was nearly gone yesterday...almost all of it..." He said, his expression changing as he remembered the pitiful state in which he'd found his son.
"Yeah." Chris nodded shoving his hands into his pockets.
"But i'm okay." He paused for a brief moment as if debating. "Thanks to you dad."
Chris didn't look up at first. He was afraid to meet his fathers gaze. When he did though Leo met his eyes and stepped toward him embracing him quickly, and abandoning his caution, he was just happy his son was alright, and so was completely caught up in the moment.
"Son!" He whispered pulling the young man closer, holding him tighter.
Chris' face was turned into his fathers chest and Leo could feel him crying softly. He only then realised that he was crying too.
The girls watched the exchange silently. And looked at each other, each smiling. This was how it should be. They were all family.
"Oh god just wait 'til I tell your mother." Leo said not letting go of his little boy.
"You saved me. She'll be proud of you." Chris said in reply.
"Not nearly as proud as I am of you. I'm just glad you called me. I-" Leo choked a little on a threatening sob. "I'm so glad you called me."
He repeated more tears streaming. He didn't care, He didn't care who saw, nothing mattered right now more than this. Nothing would ever matter ore to him than his family, especially his sons.
"Yeah. Me too Dad." Chris could not help but keep using the term. It'd been so long. But now he really felt like he was part of the family and Leo really felt like his dad. Leo was his dad, always had been, always would be. And he did love him,always had, always would. The same was true for Chris even though he was just realizing now. No matter how much he had hated his father, in the past, in the future, he had always loved him, always.
End.
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Yes I know I could have just uploaded these all as seperate chapters but you know what. I didnt want to post part of a story and not finnish it. And I'm to damn lazy to break this thing up. But the chapter titles are important. Thank you for reading, feed back is always welcome, that includes criticism, as much as I love praise, I want to continue to learn whats good so I can deserve it more and more, even if I hate to hear it lol :-p. But yeah, tell me what you think and if you liked it. I love the relationship bewteen Chris and Leo! I hope you enjoyed it. I preferred putting all this talk at the end for anyone who even wants to bother reading it, that way its less annoying, not in the way, and its easier to tell where the story begins if you'd rather just skip it.
UnchainedPoem
DISCLAIMER:I don't own other ppl's work
Always had, Always would
Chapter 1 I hear you
The living room was dimly lit in the Halliwell home this evening. Outside the world was turning grey but it wasn't dark...yet.
Two charmed women with amazing powers sat on the sofa listening with only partial interest to the stern- faced young man with dark hair.
Chris was feeling rather distraught actually. He didnt understand how they could take their safety, the safety of the world, so lightly.
"Look you guys have been lucky, alright?!"
The words burst suddenly from his lips, as suddenly as he burst up from the chair and raked his fingers through the mass of his dark hair.
"Excuse me?!" It was Phoebe who spoke although Paige was also looking at him incredulously, her cherry painted mouth hanging open.
"If your mother was here-" Phoebe started in, leaping off the couch with her sister, but Chris cut her off.
"But my mother isn't here! Don't you get it? ! Without her here you don't have the power if three! You're divided, vulnerabl-" Paige broke into the conversation now as well. "Chris we've been just fine, Piper's been gone for a week now, maybe the dark forces don't even know..." She argued.
"Oh they know. I dont- How can you be so , so careless?!"
He was gesturing now and pacing back and forth, his face red hot with uncommunicable anger, why couldnt they see it?! Why couldn't they understand just how important this was? Their lives, the world was at stake! How could they just... There was a familliar sound as small beams of light appeared and pooled together, no one gave any notice though, as Leo orbed into the living room. Chris's back was to him as was Phoebe's who was still staring after the younger whitelighter breathing heavily. It was Paige who noticed him first. "Leo." She said surprised to see him suddenly just there. Chris and Phoebe turned now also, and Chris's expression went from passionate anger to cold and unreadable as he looked at the past image of his Father.
Leo couldn't help but feel hurt at the icy look that appeared for a moment on his son's face before he looked away. "You don't look so happy to see me." Leo observed softly. Chris breathed a sigh and paced toward the window, then he turned and faced his father again. "Dont worry DAD, there will someday come a time when I would be thrilled to see you. "Chris snapped, then added softly."You just wont be there."
Paige was looking from father to son continuously. Finally she and Phoebe shared a glance and Paige, unable to think of anything to say, gestured for Phoebe to come up with something.
"Boys boys." Phoebesaid raising her arms and stepping between them.
"What's this all about anyway?" Leo asked looking first at Paige then Phoebe.
Chris sighed, his fingers again combing through his hair.
"W-well Chris, Phoebe and I were just discussing..."Paige paused a
moment looking to Phoebe for help, while Leo folded his arms his expression changing to one of suspician.
"We were just discussing the possible threat of demons now that Piper is gone!" Phoebe said with a nervous smile.
Paige smiled and nodded. "Yeah, thats, pretty much it."She stammered smiling also at Leo.
"Okay...you guys are seriously creeping me out." The Whitelighter/Elder told them.
"We weren't DISCUSSING anything." Chris snapped.
All three turned to him, Paige and Phoebe's eyes lowered.
"For the past hour I have been trying to explain to them why it's important they be prepared for an attack. That they are extremely vulnerable right now without the power of three! But you know what? I shouldn't have to explain it to them. I think the risk of lives, their lives and the lives of innocents should be enough!"
Everything Chris was feeling poured out into that statement, his face was bright red, and Leo could have sworn his eyes had grown glassy if only for a second. He turned his back to the group, unwilling to show just how deeply he felt about what he'd just said.
"Well guys...Chris has a pretty good point." Leo said finally, gently.
Chris, now composed, slowly turned to face them again, but said nothing.
"We know." Paige said finally. "Look Chris, we understand what you're saying we just. We've been through this all before so many times, and there is ALWAYS the risk of an attack." She said shrugging and taking a step toward him.
"Yeah, Paige is right, and it's not like we're not careful, but we're big girls, we can handle ourself. Sweetie you don't need to worry so much." Phoebe put in.
Chris now looked almost as if he were about to cry. "You guys don't get it do you?! You haven't seen what i've seen you haven't-" He was cut off abruptly by
Leo.
"Chris. You're right, we havent. And hopefully because of you we wont have to. But the girls can handle themselves. Now that we KNOW about the future we can change it. And girls, Chris is right, you do need to be more careful while your sister is gone, you don't have the power of three to help you now, and that does make you vulnerbale to an attack. Alright?" Leo glanced at each person in the room. Everyone nodded.
"You're right."Phoebe conceded. "Yeah." Paige admitted also, eyes still cast down as if she were being scolded, which in truth, she was.
"Chris?" Leo looked lastly at his son, who shrugged.
"Yeah, whatever you say." The sarcasm in his son's voice sounded more like pain to Leo which made it all the worse for him.
How hadd he let things get like this between him and his son...how would he?...He was so excited about Chris' birth, which hadn't even happened yet...where in time, in the future, did things go so wrong, when would he become...a bad father?
"Alright guys, I have to go. I just came to check in on things, and see how everyone was doing." Leo told them, glancing one more time at his son before orbing out.
When he was gone Phoebe spoke.
"Chris I...We-" She wanted to apologize.
"Don't bother." He said before orbing out himself.
"Wow. Guess we really hurt his feelings.' Paige said, staring past her sister at the spot where Chris had been standing moments before.
"Yeah." Phoebe agreed,"Guess so..." Her voice trailed off so that Paige almost didnt catch the last part.
Chapter 2- I Feel you
Sitting on the top of the bridge again, Chris looked down over the city, at once so familliar and so different. The city had changed by his time, but it hadn't been mch different, not until Wyatt turned. Then there was only destruction. Looking out now over the beautiful city lights it all seemed like a horrible dream, something only he could see. He knew though, that "the dream" could become a reality, that somewhere in time, his time, it had.They didn't undertstand. And what did Leo know anyway? Coming in with his all his infinte wisdom. His father didn't know anything...least of all...him. Meeting Leo in this time, his apparent desperation to fix things he had yet to destroy between himself and his son had left Chris with the unsettling feeling that maybe...he didn't know his father any better than his father knew him. The feeling was indescribable, and the others surrounding it were even more obscure. Chris didn't know what to feel. The only thing he was sure of was that he was angry, and so that was what he acted upon every time...but...
"CHRIS!" Phoebe called the Whitelighter after diving behind the sofa where Paige, her shirt torn, had already taken cover.
Two demons with gnarled brown faces,the only thing showing from beneath their black robes, were tearing the Halliwell's living room to shreds.
Chris orbed into the room and narrowly dodged a magical fire ball the hit the wall and disspated into nothing. A dagger shot from the other demon's long sleeve and he charged Chris with the blade.
"LAMP!"
There was a smash as Paige summoned the table lamp to fly into the back of the creatures head. It dissapeared before hitting the ground. The other demon took off suddenly at a run and dove through the window, glass shattering everywhere.
"We have to follow him!" Phoebe shouted leaping to her feet.
Paige stood up too.
"Yeah, Chris, you stay here in case more of them show up. We'll call if we need you, just don't let them get the book whatever you do!"
S he then followed her sister out the door.
Chris nodded and orbed up to the attic to check on the book. It was still in its usual spot with no sign of disturbance. A noise from downstairs however caught his attention and he quickly orbed down to the hallway to check things out. There were no demons, to his surprise there was nothing. Still cautious he began to check each room. Nothing in the kitchen, the dining room, nothing, the living room too was empty. Relaxing a little, he breathed a sigh of relief. That was when he felt the sudden lash of bindings coiling around his arms and legs. causing him to cry out in surprise. These were not ropes, but appeared to be made of pure magic, coming straight from the floor, from no where, glowing electric blue and reminiscent of lightening. A brown mist suddenly began to seep from a spot on the floor infront of him. The mist flowed out from one point but only went so far from there, forming a perfect circle. The circle rose like a cloak to the ceiling swirling as it did so, faster and faster, and then it disbursed leaving another dark cloaked figure in it's place. This one was similar to the ones before, but slightly different, older. The face was even more gnarled than the others and reminded Chris strongly of leather. Instead of nubs two full slightly curved horns portruded from it's forehead like bull's horns, and unlike the others also, the demon's gnarled brown hands were visible from within it's sleeves.
"Perfect." It half-purred half-growled, the voice coming from somewhere deep within it's throat.
Chris' first instinct was to try and orb out. It didn't work, his powers were somehow blocked by the magic that held him in place. Refusing to give up he struggled hard against his bindings. The demon laughed, loud and hard, it's whole body shook with amusement.
"Who are you?!" Chris demanded, still struggling, but to no avail.
Instead of a reply the demon's arms shot forward and Chris felt a burst of pain as wave after wave of electricity ran over and through his body, the same color as the bindings which too were begining to cause him pain. He jerked and squirmed with the force of the magic, unable to suppress cry after cry of pain from escaping his lips. The pain and the waves stopped abruptly, and the demon closed its eyes and threw back it's head as if in ecstasy, inhaling deeply, and sighing.
"Ahhh, tonight my children, we shall feed well. This one is strong, and FULL of energy." It said slowly bringing his head forward
Chris was still recoiling from the pain and shock that he'd just recieved to his entire body. He felt somehow drained and could barely stand but forced himself to do so. Children? What children? The ones before maybe? It would make sense, they were smaller, their horns probably werent even full grown yet. But what had the demon meant when he said "feed?"
"Who are you and what do you want?" Chris said in the same demanding tone, though his breathing was harder now, and his voice weaker.
The demon chuckled. "I am Acrigoss! And I want your energy boy!"
Acrigoss laughed again as he reached forward and began once more to torture the white lighter. Watching the young man's body convulse under the force of his magic.
Chapter 3- I need you
Paige and Phoebe raced through the dark alley after the demon which had managed to dodge their every attack so far. It stopped suddenly just ahead as it came out of the alley and reached the middle of the road. It's arms lifted to the heavens for a moment, and then it turned, eye's suddenly glowing, as it faced the girls rushing out of the alley.
"That can't be good." Phoebe stated stopping just as she and her sister emerged from the alley.
"Nope. Most definitely not." Paige said.
Before another word could be uttered bewteen them a massive energy ball was hurled in their direction. The girls scream as the dove in opposite directions the ball colliding with a dumpster and causing a massive explosion.
"Ok now what?!" Phoebe demanded pushing herself from the ground.
"Stop light!" Paige yelled,orbing the thing from its original place to above the demons head. It almost hit its target but exploded mid air without the creature lifting a finger.
"Right new plan." Paige gasped jumping to her feet, but being pushed back down by her sister as another energy ball came flying in her direction.
Back in the living room of the Halliwell manor Chris was in more pain than could ever recall being in throughout his entire life.
And he would definitely have remembered if he'd ever felt anything even comparable to what he was feeling at that moment. Acrigoss was feeding off his energy, sucking him dry. There were fewer and fewer brakes now between the bursts of magic that coursed through him in waves. Chris was growing desperate the girls weren't back yet...what if they were hurt? Or what if they came back to late, and had to face Acrigoss whose power was clearly growing as he drained Chris of his. The pain and the weakness that had now consumed him almost entirely were beginning to be too much and he fell to his knees.
"With each drop of your energy I grow stronger. My children grow stronger. Soon the rest will be strong enough tohatch, and our family shall reclaim the world into darkness. The energy and life of a whitelighter is all that it takes" Acrigoss said his strange, throaty, voice filled with unmistakable excitement.
Chris had already realised that if this continued he was going to die. Acrigoss merely confirmed what he had known all along. "...the life of a whitelighter..." In a final act of desperation Chris emitted a weak cry...
"Dad!"
The cry was soft at first so that Acrigoss' eyes fell on the boy who was doubled over before him, unsure of what he'd just said.
"DAD!"
Louder this time, and Acrigoss laughed. "No one can save you boy!" He cackled with growing amusement.
The same familliar sound from earlier fell faintly on Chris' ears as Leo orbed into the room. For a moment Leo looked baffled and then he noticed Chris and Acrigoss. The Demon and the Elder met eyes.
"So you've brought me another! I should thank you boy!" Acrigoss chortled arrogantly.
"Dad..." Chris murmerred.
Facing Leo now Acrigoss extended his arm to the side in Chris' direction and the young man was again assaulted with unbearable fits of pain as the demons cruel magic coursed through him sapping the last of his energy.
"No!" Leo cried attacking Acrigoss with surprising power.
Stunned by the blow of energy he'd just recieved Acrigoss' hold on Chris diminshed and the whitelighter crumpled to the floor. It didnt matter to him however for all his attention was now on Leo.
"Such power...I must have your energy!" Acrigoss cried, but Leo orbed out just in time to dodge the bindings that rose up from the floor.
Acrigoss snarled looking frantically around the room his fingers curled into claws ready to strike at the first sign of his opponent.
"Come and face me!" Acrigoss demanded still turning his head this way and that, he took a step forward. "Don't you wish to avenge your son?!" He called his tone bating Leo with it's mockery.
Leo orbed in behind him, a gilded dagger in his hand. Acrigoss whirled around.
"You will join him!" He hissed.
"You...will pay." Leo sneered and then with a cry of anger jammed the dagger into the demon's chest.
Acrigoss stumbled back in shock.
"Im-Impossible." He rasped looking down at the gold handle protruding from his cloak.
Leo watched as Acrigoss let out an unearthly bellow before dissappearing into a dispersing brown mist, the dagger landing idly on the floor stained with a black fluid that must've been the demon's blood. Breathing hard Leo took his eyes from the spot where Acrigoss had died before him. His attention turned immediatly to his son.
"Chris!" He cried
His son lay face down on the floor. Leo rushed to his side and took the lifeless body in his arms.
"Chris! Chris speak to me!" He pleaded with the young man.
His eyes scanned for wounds but none were visible. Leo then raised his hand, now emitting a warm light and placed it over his son's heart. If Chris was still alive there was a chance he could heal him. A wet sheen began to cover Leo's eyes as he focused on trying to heal his son. Finally a few tears began to trickle down his cheek...
"C'mon Chris...don't give up huh? Don't..."
Chris stirred finally, and Leo let out joyous laugh filled with relief, his face streaked with a wet shine from crying. The light eyes fluttered open and met Leo's. For the first time in a long time Chris was looking his father directly in the eyes, and for the first time ever Leo was met with the eyes of his son. He could feel a powerful connection bewteen them then, one that Chris had tried so hard to deny, one that he himself had denied all along.
"Dad?"
Though his voice was weak, and soft, Leo still caught the word and all its meaning as his son spoke it. He felt himself starting to cry again and he choked back a sob as he brushed his son's bangs from his forehead.
"My little boy."Leo said barely able to get the words out.
"You're going to be okay, everything is going to be okay." He promised still brushing his sons bangs with his fingers.
It was a gentle motion with a significance and a feeling Chris had longed for all of his life. And now finally resting in his father's arms, He knew, without any doubts, that his Father loved him, and he loved him just as much in return, just as he had when he was a boy, before the anger, the hatred, had set in, even now.
Paige and Phoebe struggled to their feet, as they were both recovering from a direct hit from their demon foe. It stood in the same spot in the street laughing giddly (at least thats what they had decided the noise was thatit was making) and waving its arms above its head as if in some sort of victory dance. Suddenly the monster emitted a startled cry and the glowing light in it's eyes was extinguished. The girls paused for a moment unsure of what had just happened. The demon did the same. Then it raised its arm in preparation for another attack. The girls braced themselves, Paige grabbing Phoebe's arm ready to orb out of the way at any second. There was a sickening thud as truck going far over the speed limit collided with the demon in the street causing it to dissappear in poof of brown smoke. The girls stood their for a moment stunned, unable to do or say anything. Phoebe spoke first.
"Okay. That works for me." She quipped.
"Yeah." Paige nodded. "Lets go home." And she orbed the two of them back to the manor.
"Chris?!" The girls called as they entered the large house.
The living room remained trashed, but was still empty.
"Hey what's this?" Paige asked picking up the dagger from the floor ad showing it to her sister.
"I don't know." Phoebe said, suddenly very worried. "CHRIS?!" She called again, louder.
"Is that blood?" Paige wondered aloud examining the dark substance on the blade.
"Chr-" Phoebe shrieked as she turned and nearly ran into Leo standing in the hallway.
"Oh god. Leo. Chris is he..." Phoebe asked Paige standing beside her with equal concern.
"He's alive. And he's going to be alright." Leo assured them, as he turned and headed for the stairs.
Phoebe and Paige followed close behind him.
"What happened?" Paige asked while they ascended the step and Leo led them to His and Piper's bedroom.
"He was attacked." Leo explained.
"The demon wanted to drain his energy, it was feeding off it."
"So...the other two...they were just..." She continued putting things together quickly.
"Bait." Leo confirmed.
"Oh god." Phoebe murmered. "They were after Chris all along... and he'd tried to warn us. To be more prepared."
She placed her hand to her mouth and looked at her sister who could find no suitable reply. Leo opened the door to the bedroom quietly and the three were met with the image of Chris fast asleep in his parent's bed. The girls looked at each other, half concerned and half touched by the serene expression on the young man's face. There was a chair beside the bed, which Leo sat in. For a moment he looked at his son, then turned in his seat to face the girls.
"He's just...resting." Leo whispered in the same way he would around Wyatt when the baby was sleeping also. Paige nudged Phoebe gently and gestured with a nod for them to leave the two alone. Phoebe not taking her eyes off Chris as she backed out of the doorway complied.
Leo had already turned back to Chris, and as the girls left he took his son's hand.
I Love you.
Epilogue
"So let me get this straight..." Paige said as she Phoebe and Leo stood in the kitchen the next day. "The demons we encountered were only..." She searched for the right word.
"Babies." Leo stated for her.
"Right and the big Papa demon feeds off whitelighter energy, in this case, Chris' energy in order to feed himself and his children?"Phoebe added.
"Yes. The demon was called Acrigoss. He must've been thousands of years old. He was the last of his kind. It's very likely that he had a nest somewhere and if he had succeeded in draining all of Chris' energy it would have nourished the eggs enough for them to hatch, so then there would have been hundreds maybe even thousands more like the ones you faced." Leo explained.
"We should have consulted the book." Paige said sourly. "Then maybe we would have realized what he was really after."
"Yeah, the life and energy of a whitelighter." Phoebe said eyes downcast in thought.
"You guys did what you had to do." Chris said appearing in the door way.
Leo looked up first, and took a step forward without realising it as his son entered the room.
"Chris." Phoebe smiled.
"How are you?" Paige stole the words right out of her sisters mouth.
"Good morning to you too." Chris chuckled. "I'm okay. Just a bit tired."
"Er... that's normal." Leo scrambled to explain. "Your energy was nearly gone yesterday...almost all of it..." He said, his expression changing as he remembered the pitiful state in which he'd found his son.
"Yeah." Chris nodded shoving his hands into his pockets.
"But i'm okay." He paused for a brief moment as if debating. "Thanks to you dad."
Chris didn't look up at first. He was afraid to meet his fathers gaze. When he did though Leo met his eyes and stepped toward him embracing him quickly, and abandoning his caution, he was just happy his son was alright, and so was completely caught up in the moment.
"Son!" He whispered pulling the young man closer, holding him tighter.
Chris' face was turned into his fathers chest and Leo could feel him crying softly. He only then realised that he was crying too.
The girls watched the exchange silently. And looked at each other, each smiling. This was how it should be. They were all family.
"Oh god just wait 'til I tell your mother." Leo said not letting go of his little boy.
"You saved me. She'll be proud of you." Chris said in reply.
"Not nearly as proud as I am of you. I'm just glad you called me. I-" Leo choked a little on a threatening sob. "I'm so glad you called me."
He repeated more tears streaming. He didn't care, He didn't care who saw, nothing mattered right now more than this. Nothing would ever matter ore to him than his family, especially his sons.
"Yeah. Me too Dad." Chris could not help but keep using the term. It'd been so long. But now he really felt like he was part of the family and Leo really felt like his dad. Leo was his dad, always had been, always would be. And he did love him,always had, always would. The same was true for Chris even though he was just realizing now. No matter how much he had hated his father, in the past, in the future, he had always loved him, always.
End.
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Yes I know I could have just uploaded these all as seperate chapters but you know what. I didnt want to post part of a story and not finnish it. And I'm to damn lazy to break this thing up. But the chapter titles are important. Thank you for reading, feed back is always welcome, that includes criticism, as much as I love praise, I want to continue to learn whats good so I can deserve it more and more, even if I hate to hear it lol :-p. But yeah, tell me what you think and if you liked it. I love the relationship bewteen Chris and Leo! I hope you enjoyed it. I preferred putting all this talk at the end for anyone who even wants to bother reading it, that way its less annoying, not in the way, and its easier to tell where the story begins if you'd rather just skip it.