Author's note: Written for the Daddy Dearest Comment Ficathon, for klutzy_girl's prompt: Chris and Leo, forgiveness.
The Limitations of Wishes
In no small way, it is a relief. Leo realizes only now how in the past months he has nearly continually felt some shade of negative emotion toward the interloper. Rage, resentment, suspicion, annoyance, impatience ... so rarely anything accepting or kind or calm. Despite occasional stabs at letting it go, playing the wise Elder mentor to the inexperienced Whitelighter, the anger never really left. To feel it lifted is to feel like himself again.
But it's also vaguely disturbing if Leo thinks about it too much. It took a day or so for the wish-induced fog to clear, for Leo to fully know his own mind, understand what had happened: how Chris accidently wished for Leo's forgiveness, Genie-Phoebe granted it, and how Leo blithely obeyed. He doesn't blame either of them. But he searches his emotions to find any remainder of that long-simmering bitterness, like his tongue might probe for a pulled tooth, and it's just gone.
As for Chris, there are only traces of his usual sullenness toward Leo today. He's actually called on Leo for help, and as they sit at the bar in the early morning at P3, Chris seems to be making an effort. And he's got a new theory on a potential threat to Wyatt.
"I just thought," he tells Leo, "why not find out up front what history the Elders might have on this demonic cult?"
This earns a snort from Piper, who's behind the bar taking inventory. "If the Elders worked that way, we wouldn't need the Book of Shadows, would we?"
"Yeah, well, Leo's different, right? You can consult with him. In fact, you should do that more often."
Piper looks deeply skeptical, and she soon, to Chris's evident disappointment, vanishes to the office in back.
As it is, there's not much to go on demon-wise - Chris's own information is too sketchy.
"Sorry I couldn't help," Leo says. "When you've got more ..."
He claps what he thinks is a friendly hand on Chris's shoulder, but he feels Chris tense up.
"No, it's fine," Chris snaps. "I'll figure it out on my own."
"You don't have to. I want to help you if I can."
"To help Wyatt, yeah, I know. You don't have to pretend it's about me." Chris visibly seems to quell his irritable tone and continues, "I know it's not, and it doesn't have to be. You need to be there for the sisters. And Piper, I know she needs you-"
"Chris, I'm not pretending. I know you're thinking it's not real, it was just the wish, but you know what I told you - it feels good to forgive. It still does."
"Forgive ... me," Chris mutters, barely loud enough to hear. Then he asks Leo: "What were you going to apologize for?"
"What?"
"The letter you were trying to write. You said you wanted to apologize."
"Oh, right." That part of the wish-fog had slipped Leo's mind. "For petitioning the Elders to send you back to your own time. I was wrong, and I'm sorry."
"And that's it?"
Leo thinks of Valhalla, that unanswered question, that lingering suspicion, and wonders if just maybe the wish hasn't wiped out every trace of that old anger. But he simply says, "Chris, I can't apologize for doing everything I could to make sure my family was in safe hands. You weren't honest" (the distant thought stirs: still aren't) "and you can't blame me for not welcoming you with open arms."
To Leo's surprise, Chris does not roll his eyes, he does not get defensive. He shuts down. "In that case, Leo, I forgive you for petitioning the Elders to send me back."
Everything else I will hold on to: As Chris orbs out, Leo gets the message.
Leo suspects, though, that he's missing out on a great deal of what that everything else could be, and contemplates, as Piper bustles back to the bar, that it's just never as easy as a wish.
The End