Chapter 1

Chris looked at the clock on the wall. It showed only four o'clock in the morning. He sighed as he got up from the bed. He knew that the rest of the household was still asleep and he also knew he couldn't get back to sleep. Even ten years after the event he was haunted by that nightmare. That day his relations with the family changed. His father became cold towards him and always accused him in his mother's death and everything else that wasn't the way he wanted it to be. For the first couple months he fought the idea, because his mother said otherwise, but then finally succumbed to the idea. For a very long time his brother and sister thought the same about him, but about four years ago they changed. At first it was small changes, stopped harsh words and they started protect him from the others who wanted to harm him and they managed to do that mostly. To Chris it was one big joke they wanted to play on him. Then they started to object their father whenever he said something hurtful to Chris and helped him every time they could.

Chris didn't know how to respond to such behavior and closed off from them and for the last four years they were trying to reach him. They always were here for him, they protected him. Paula helped him with his lessons and cooking if he let her and that was pretty rare, Ryan helped around the house and guarded him and shielded him from those he considered dangerous. They wanted to repay for their attitude when they were younger, but they understood that the damage was done and just hoped to get the forgiveness one day.

Wyatt also started to change. He knew now that the child couldn't possibly help a grown-up experienced witch with the demons, he was merely a child, a scared child. He was unfair to his son and now he wanted to change that. But he knew that his youngest son didn't let anybody close to himself. He watched his eldest children attempts and their failure. Wyatt was scared that if after four years of trying they didn't get much, how could he get more if he started trying about a year ago?

Chris noticed the changed in his father. He felt his father eyes on him, how his father almost never raised his voice at him anymore, light pats on the shoulder or hidden smiles, while he was doing something around the house. Sometimes he thought that he saw a concerned look in his father's eyes, but he didn't know what was really behind it. He had problems as it was, and even if he took care of it he knew from experience that his father would never forgive him for his mother's death, just like he would never do the same with himself and that was the mean reason he closed his heart. It was his burden to carry.

And here he was, coming out of the bathroom. He looked at the mirror, on his abdomen there were several bruises, he knew he deserved. It still hurt him but he thought it was a fair punishment for his crime. He knew that his family couldn't know about that, or he would need more punishment. So he kept it hidden from everyone in the house. He put on his t-shirt and jeans and left his room, went to the kitchen and started making breakfast for the family.

It's been seven o'clock and his family was about to come down for breakfast. Coffee for his father was ready as tea for his elder siblings. He heard the footsteps in the hall and stretched to the cupboard to get the plates for the scrambled egg with beckon, but he calculated wrong and flinched feeling the pain coming from the bruises. He bit his lip and swallowed the groan of pain. What he didn't know was that his father was standing in the door way and eyed him and he saw how his youngest son flinched from pain.

Chris turned around and started to put food on the plate. He didn't say anything, because not once he was interrupted rudely and said that he wasn't talked to.

Wyatt knowing that his son wouldn't say anything if not addressed to that was the result of his own actions, came to Chris and took the plate from his hand, slightly brushing his hand and patting the head. He felt that his son froze but let his father do it.

"Good morning, Chris." At that the boy was startled, his father didn't call him already for almost ten years. He always used his full name.

"Good morning." The boys answered very quiet, and if Wyatt wasn't standing right next to him he could have missed it.

"Chris, come there and relax. I'm the father and it's me who should prepare breakfast for you." Wyatt said taking everything from Chris' hands and pushed him slightly to the chair to sit. The teenager hesitated for some time and then went and sat down. He wasn't used to it. He wasn't used to be cared for.

As Wyatt was putting the rest of the food on plates and making coffee and tea, he watched his son out of the corner of his eyes. He had such pained and troubled expression. He knew that it was his own fault but still wanted to see something different. The kitchen was quiet and nobody was talking. They both were deep in their thoughts that they didn't notice Paula and Ryan standing in the door way. They smiled at each other. It was the first time when Wyatt was taking care of their brother and the said brother was sitting on the chair. They could feel the atmosphere in the room was sick, but they hoped the first step was made and may be in sometime they could be the real family once again.

"Good morning!" Paula said in the soft voice and a small smile was lying on her lips.

"Morning, guys. Come, sit down, the breakfast is almost ready."

"And who made this breakfast? I hope not you, dad!" Ryan grinned.

"No, I'm just playing the waiter now." Wyatt replied.

"Chris, at what time did you wake up, sweetie?" Paula wondered as she examined her brother carefully. Unfortunately the boy just shrugged his shoulders and looked down at his plate that was place before him a minute ago. "Chris, you need to sleep properly. It's very important at the moment, you are still growing up and you are always the first to get up and the last to go to bed." And once again Chris kept silent and played with his food.

"Oh, damn, Sam is going to be here soon. Paula, Chris, go and grab your bags or we will be late for school."

"Ryan, language." Wyatt said and he looked his children left the room. He didn't know if it was his imagination or not but he watched how his youngest son stiffed at the mention of his eldest children best friend. And now when he noticed that whenever Sam was here Chris tried to be as far from him as possible and then remembered the pain crossed his son's face as he tried to reach the dishes. There was something wrong but he didn't know what.

He left the kitchen and saw all his kids were ready to leave. The doorbell rang and Ryan stood there with a goofy smile as he opened the door. The three exchange greeting.

"Good morning, Mr. Halliwell."

"Good morning, Samuel. How are you?"

"Fine." Than Sam turned to Chris and grinned at him with the look that put some fear in Wyatt's heart and Chris made a small step back. Sam observed Chris as if he was a prey and nothing more.

'I don't like his look. What's going on here?' Wyatt thought.

"OK, let's go. I don't want to be late for school and spend time on detention." With that Sam, Ryan and Paula moved out of the house. Chris followed them with his hands shaking.

A/N: Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed=)