Don't own Charmed or any of its characters.

Chapter Two

The Unexpected Visitor

"Wyatt," Chris whispered, still rooted to the spot.

"Chris!" Phoebe yelled, reaching forward to grab his hand. Chris moved away from her, tripping over his own feet.

"Surprised to see me?" Wyatt asked with a smirk, walking ever so slowly forward.

"Why are you here?" Chris asked hoarsely.

"Well I just had to pay my little brother a visit now, didn't I?"

"How did you get the spell?"

Wyatt rolled his eyes, starting to circle Chris as he spoke. "Now, Chris, did you really think I wouldn't be able to write my own spell? Me? The twice blessed, the ultimate power, King Arthur reincarnated? Perhaps it is you who is changing instead of me, Chris; you never used to be so unintelligent."

Chris shuddered, hating that Wyatt could still make him feel like this.

Standing up to him and fighting on his own was one thing. But with his aunts beside him and his mother downstairs?

It was too dangerous.

"Chris, what's going on?" a voice said from the hallway.

"No, Mom, don't!" he called, darting forward to shut the door before she could enter the attic.

Wyatt snarled, flinging out his arm and throwing Chris into the wall, dust settling around him as he hissed in pain.

"You bastard," Paige muttered, rapidly flicking through the Book of Shadows to find a spell to stop her nephew from killing her other nephew.

Why can this family never be normal?

"Chris?" Piper asked worriedly, hurrying into the room. She stopped as she saw Wyatt glaring at Chris, her mouth dropping open.

Wyatt's gaze softened as it rested on Piper.

"Hi, Mom," he said quietly, wishing he could hug her without Chris freaking out and attacking him.

"Wyatt," she gasped, her entire body trembling.

Paige took his distraction as a moment of opportunity, crying, "Crystals, circle!"

Wyatt exhaled angrily, throwing an energy ball at the crystal cage. It rebounded, flying straight back into his open palm.

"You be good in there, Mister," Paige said sweetly, ignoring Wyatt's scowl.

"That won't keep him for long," Chris said in a tight voice, pushing himself up and wincing.

"Oh, honey, are you hurt?" Phoebe asked sadly, subtly checking for blood or breaks.

"I'm fine, just a little sore," Chris said soothingly, glancing over to Wyatt.

"Maybe we should call Leo. I like that idea, any one else like that idea? Ok; Leo!" Phoebe said quickly.

"I am going to kill you," Piper said in a low voice as Leo orbed next to her.

"Blessed be," he said calmly, a serene smile on his face. One that soon turned to utter shock as he saw Piper's obviously pregnant state.

"What-how-when-is it mine?" he spluttered, his eyes wide.

"Um, yeah. Couple of months back, remember? Anyway, you need to heal Chris," Piper said quickly.

"I'm fine," Chris snapped.

Wyatt clapped his hands slowly.

"What do you do for an encore?"

"Wyatt?" Leo asked in a hushed voice.

"In the flesh," Wyatt said, smiling coldly at his father.

"Chris. Heal," Piper said bluntly.

"No, I'm fine," Chris said through gritted teeth. He turned to Wyatt, his mouth set in a grim line. "Cut the crap and tell me why you're really here."

Wyatt stared at him intently, clearly deciding whether or not to tell him the real reason. He spoke slowly, choosing each word with care.

"Even after our little…disagreement I still want you on my side, Chris. I did all of this for you."

Leo stared at him in confusion, whispering to Piper, "Why is Chris so important to him?"

Chris provided the perfect distraction to prevent her from answering.

"This was never about me in any way; this was all about you and your power, just a game to see how much you could collect. You don't care about me; you haven't in a long time."

"Who was there for you after what happened? Him?" he asked scornfully, glaring at Leo. "Oh wait no, it was me."

"Wyatt, I swear to God, you need to shut up right now!" Chris snapped, grabbing at his hair with both hands.

Phoebe moved forward to stand beside him, never taking her eyes off Wyatt.

"And you weren't there. You were off just like him, off seeking revenge. I was the one who carried the coffin, I was the one who sat home alone waiting for you to come back, I was the one who visited every week with flowers! Hell, if anyone was there for me it was Grandpa, not you!"

"When did you become so full of hate?" Wyatt asked quietly. Chris laughed, ignoring the hysterical edge to it.

"Look who's talking. And you know what? Maybe it was when you killed everyone I ever cared about."

"I'm still here, aren't I?"

Chris looked down and said sadly, "No, Wy. No, you're not. I lost my-"

He cut off abruptly, remembering his father was with them.

"Come back with me, Chris. We can be what we were always supposed to be. I created this world so that you could stand by my side. Come home."

"No. I came here to save you and I'm not going back until I do that."

Something seemed to snap inside Wyatt, his blue eyes suddenly filled with fury as his mouth contorted into a snarl.

"Then you will fail and when you return, I'll make your life a living hell."

Chris snorted. "You're about ten years too late."

"I could just kill you now."

"But you won't. I know you won't."

"What about them?" he asked quietly, glancing at his family.

"If you hurt them, I will kill you," Chris said, his voice low and serious, his eyes on his big brother.

Wyatt stared back, his expression unfathomable. Piper reached for Chris, wanting to comfort her youngest son in some way. Paige hovered behind her protectively.

None of them spared a thought for Leo.

Outraged at what Chris had said to his son, he lashed out, darting forward and hitting Chris full on in the mouth.

"Leo!" Piper screamed, grabbing at his arms and attempting to pull him away. Phoebe dropped to her knees, pushing Chris' hair away from his face to see how badly he was hurt. Paige stood still, silently seething and telling herself why it was wrong to attack her ex-brother-in-law.

What surprised them all the most was Wyatt's reaction.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HIM!" he roared, getting as close to the crystal cage as he could, his face screwed up in anger.

"But…Wyatt…he said-"

"God, you were a terrible father back in the future but I never thought you'd hit your youngest son before he was even born," Wyatt sneered at Leo, though his eyes were on Chris.

"Oh God," Piper breathed, her hand flying to her mouth.

"My-my youngest-my what?" Leo stuttered, staring at Chris in disbelief.

"You didn't tell him," Wyatt stated flatly as Chris flopped back down onto the floor, his eyes closed, banging his head against the wooden floorboards.

It was a sign of defeat, Piper realised in disbelief. Chris, the constant fighter, was giving up.

"I'm sorry, Wyatt," Chris said quietly, his voice ragged. "I just wanted to save you. I never wanted them to know, especially not him. I wanted my brother back. I just wanted to save you."

"I'm right here," Wyatt said softly, willing Chris to open his eyes.

"That's enough," Piper said sharply. "You're going to stay here and we, we being Chris and myself, are going to go downstairs for a moment. Paige, Phoebe, keep an eye on him. Leo…" She trailed off before snarling, "Stay the hell away from my son."

"I'm your son too, Mom!" Wyatt yelled, watching as she knelt, with difficulty, beside Chris, who sat up slowly, his green eyes locked on her brown ones. She took his hand and they were gone in a twinkle of blue orbs.

"Damn it!"

"Hey, watch your mouth," Phoebe warned.

"Sorry, Aunt Phoebe," Wyatt said sarcastically.

"Can't wait till you grow up!" Paige said cheerfully.

"Bite me, Aunt Paige."

"Don't talk to your aunts like that," Leo said weakly.

"Oh shut up."

"So…" Piper started quietly.

"I don't want to talk about it," Chris murmured, running a hand through his hair.

"I knew you two had issues but this goes way further than sibling rivalry."

"God, what did you expect? He killed my fiancé! He killed half my family! He's tried to kill me God knows how many times," Chris snarled, pacing up and down the conservatory, barely even registering what he was doing.

"Chris, stop."

"I'll send him back and this time I'll make sure him and anyone else from then stays there. No one will come here after me again."

"How exactly are you going to do that? Unless you plan on stripping his powers."

Chris laughed bitterly. "You still don't get it. I only survived for this long because he's my brother. He gave me chance after chance but there's no way in hell I could take him on and win. He's more powerful than…anyone. Except maybe the Charmed Ones. I wouldn't be able to bind his powers."

"Then what are we going to do?"

"Like I said, I'll write a spell, send him back, seal the portal from that time."

"Oh I'm sure he'll like that plan," Piper said lightly.

"What else do you want me to do?" Chris snapped before sighing, standing still for once. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to…I never thought this would happen. It's hard seeing him after-"

"After he killed Bianca," Piper finished gently.

He nodded, his jaw tense.

"How did-?"

"I don't want to talk about it," he repeated, once again pacing the room restlessly.

"Ok, ok. So you write a spell and-"

"I need you to break into his mind," he said in a rush.

"What?" she hissed, her eyes narrowing.

"I need to find out what spell he used so I can write a counter one to block it."

"How can you ask me do to that to my son?"

I'm your son too, he thought sadly, looking in the other direction so she wouldn't see the hurt on his face.

"Surely you-"

Suddenly his patience snapped.

"What is it that you don't understand, Mom? I'm a bad person; this is what bad people do!"

"Chris. Chris, listen to me," Piper said softly, catching his arm to prevent him from moving away from her again. Chris stopped, staring at her through bright eyes. "You are a good person, one of the best. You did all of this for your family, you came here and acted like nothing we said hurt you, worked yourself so hard to try and save your brother. Not many people would do that, Chris."

"I don't want you to hurt him," he said in a hushed voice. "I just need you to…scan his thoughts."

"But it will need the Power of Three?" Piper said hesitantly.

Chris nodded slowly. "To get into Wyatt's mind, yeah."

"Will it hurt him?"

"Not if you do it right."

"You've done it before?" she asked, surprised.

"Once or twice."

Yeah right.

"Did you use the Power of Three?"

"Never used it on anyone as powerful as Wyatt."

"The spell in the Book of Shadows?"

"Yep."

Piper sighed tiredly, realising he was putting his mental shields back up, shutting her out.

"I'll go tell Phoebe and Paige then."

"What are you going to say to Leo?"

"He already knows who you are, Chris," Piper said lightly.

"I know but are you going to tell him-you know what, forget it. I'll be up soon."

Piper frowned. "You're not coming up with me?"

"I need a minute," he said in a small voice.

He looks so tired, she thought worriedly. So lost and tired.

"I love you," she said with a smile, hugging him tightly, wishing more than anything she could keep him safe from the world.

"I love you too, Mom."

Piper pulled away, wiping at her eyes before leaving Chris standing alone, lost in his troubled thoughts and painful memories.

"Did you know Chris was my son?"

"Yes."
"For how long?"

"A few months."

"Has he said anything about me?"

"Ye-ow! No, not a thing."

"Phoebe, please just keep shhh," Paige said, patting her sister lightly on the shoulder.

"He was asking me questions, I couldn't just ignore him!" Phoebe said loudly, swatting Paige's hand away.

Wyatt watched them curiously, wondering how people could change so much in so little time.

He looked up as he heard footsteps, his face falling when he saw it was Piper.

That didn't stop the twinge of pain and loss he felt in his stone cold heart.

"Where's Chris?" Paige asked, glancing at Piper's face in concern; she'd obviously been crying.

"He needs some time."

"I came here for Chris, he could at least have the courtesy to talk to me," Wyatt said angrily, his lip curling in disdain.

"I'm right here, Wyatt."

Piper took a deep breath as Chris passed her before making her way to where Paige was hunched over the Book of Shadows.

It was silent; Wyatt and Leo watching Chris warily, while Chris himself was staring out the window, his eyes unfocused.

"Chris, there's no spell here," Piper said, confused as she flicked through the pages again.

Chris turned to face her, frowning in thought before rolling his eyes at his own stupidity.

"Oh right, you won't have wrote it yet. Well, I can't do it for you. Phoebe wrote it originally, so write a spell and I'll say whether it's the right one."

"You can't be seriously," Phoebe said incredulously. "What is this, high school?"

"Don't start with high school again," Paige muttered, getting up to grab a pen and notebook and offering them to her. "Now write."

Phoebe glared at her, snatching the paper out of Paige's hand and sighing.

"What kind of spell?"

Piper leant down, whispering in her ear.

"It's rude to whisper," Wyatt said in a bored voice. "You told me that, Mom."

Leo glanced between his two sons and Piper, his mind going into overload.

"I need to…get some air-have a think," he said quickly before orbing out.

"Typical," Wyatt huffed.

"Ok, I have a spell," Phoebe said happily, throwing the notebook to Chris.

"You got it right first try, nice job."

"Let me see that," Piper said grumpily, scanning the paper over Chris' shoulder. "Not one of your best, huh?"

"Shut up and read it with me."

Piper glowered at her.

"Ready?" Paige asked breezily.

"Open this mind,

Make clear this heart,

Help me find,

That which is the crucial part."

"Piper was right, this is stupid."

"Next time you write it," Phoebe complained. "And then I'll-oh."

"What?" Chris asked urgently, noticing that the three sisters all wore the same expression, their eyes glassy.

"The spell...it's one of yours. From when you were a kid I think," Phoebe said softly.

"You wanted to-oh, Chris!" Piper cried. "You wanted to go back and save me. It's that spell."

"How did you find that?" Chris asked Wyatt in disbelief.

"I kept all of your stuff," Wyatt said, shifting slightly in embarrassment.

"You said you wrote the spell yourself," Chris said, bemused. "Why lie to me?"

"Because although I am the most powerful of all the Halliwell witches, you are the most brilliant. Together we'd be unstoppable, little brother."

"Well I should be able to write a counter-spell for it," Chris said, completely ignoring Wyatt's last sentence. "And then you can go back to your own time and stay there."

"I'll take you with me, Chris."

"I'm staying here," Chris said resolutely.

Wyatt stared at him, his eyes cold and merciless as he said darkly, "Then I'll take you down."