My beta got this chapter back to me a while ago. I just somehow missed it. I'm pretty sure, Laura checked it. I really can not explain why I oversaw it in my email account.
Anyway, I hope you like it. If there are any mistakes, be gentle. It's kind of crazy at the moment as my beta's computer broke down, yeah, you know.
But please leave me a review anyway. And I really hope to have another update soon, as I'm only working on this story at the moment, as I already sent the final chapters of Bedshaped to Margot to work on it. I have some problems with my health, though, but I don't think it will interfere.
And now enjoy!
Chapter 8
Paige's arm started to hurt from the scrying; she did for what seemed like an eternity. Wyatt had given up sensing for his brother a while ago and no spell had worked so far.
"He is blocking himself from our magic," Piper said angrily. "Where the hell is he?"
No one answered her because they did not know.
Wyatt looked out of the window. He saw his nephew and Leo sitting on the front porch. Poor guy.
"Maybe we should use Josh to get Chris to come home. He could shout for him," the blonde brother said.
The other family members agreed. At least that was a new idea.
They went downstairs and Wyatt persuaded Josh to try to find his dad. The little boy's face was still tears strained. He didn't understand why he was here alone while his daddy went away. But if Uncle Wyatt said, Chris would come back if he called for him, than it had to work. Josh called for his dad again and again. They even pretended that a demon would attack, but Chris didn't come back.
Josh's face fell even more and he buried his face in his grandfather's shoulder.
"I don't understand. I'm sure he can hear Josh calling. He would never shut out his son. Why isn't he coming?" Paige asked.
"Well, it's not the first time, that he isn't coming when his son his crying, is it?" Rachel said.
Only Wyatt knew what she was referring to. He gave his girlfriend an angry look. "Rachel, you can go home. We'll handle this on our own."
Rachel frowned. "Wyatt?" It seemed like she couldn't get anything right today.
"Go Rachel, please." Wyatt repeated calmly.
She turned around angrily. "Okay. I see you at home."
Wyatt knew that she was upset. It was not the first time that she felt that Chris was more important to Wyatt than she herself. And maybe she was even right with that. Wyatt couldn't tell but he had to search for his brother now, no matter if it hurt his girlfriend or not.
They had to find him. Who knew what stupid things Chris would do in the condition he was in.
"I'll go and check…" What could Wyatt check? "The bars?"
"Wyatt!" Piper scolded.
"Actually, I think that's a good idea," Phoebe replied. "And we should go and check the underworld. Does anyone know any places; he likes to go apart from that?"
"The bridge. He always went there to think when he was younger," Piper answered.
"I could orb there," Paige purposed.
The family members splitted up and started to search for the 22 year old Halliwell.
It was crazy. The day had started more or less nicely. And now, Chris was mad at Rachel and Wyatt, everyone was mad at Rachel, Piper was mad at everyone and Josh didn't stop crying. Why does this have to happen, all drama all the time at the Halliwell household?
Leo had managed to get his grandson to bed. The 4 year old wanted to stay up until Chris was home. But Leo told him that his father would be back sooner, if Josh was a good boy and went to sleep like always. Of course, the ex-whitelighter knew he told the boy a fat lie.
Apart from Henry everyone had gone home.
The younger kids needed to go to bed. Paige had no luck with orbing onto the bridge, so she decided to care for her own children first and then help her sisters to search for her nephew in the underworld.
But one thing Leo knew exactly. If Chris didn't want to be found, he would not be found.
That was one thing he had in common with the Chris that had come to them from the future. Leo remembered how he followed the mysterious whitelighter around until they found out that he was actually their son from the future. He often had to be very tricky to find him.
But he and Piper had made sure, that they raised their second born son differently than the one from the original future. With the result that he still was a sarcastic smart ass and had a lot of other attitudes like the Chris, they got to know 23 years ago. But of course, his personality had changed due to the circumstances that surrounded his life in this timeline.
Leo stood a glass of water in front of his brother-in-law and took a sip from his own, before saying: "You can go home, if you want, Henry. I don't think they'll find him tonight, anyway."
"Oh, that's okay. But I guess you can use some company."
Leo would rather be alone, but he couldn't tell Henry that as he only wanted to be nice. "Thanks."
"You have a lot of trouble with Chris, haven't you?"
"No. No. Just the normal stuff. You know bad grades, adolescence, rebellious phase, teenage parent."
Henry smirked. "Yes, I know. I hope my kids know how to prevent that."
Leo gave him an angry look. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, nothing, Leo. Just, you know, he could have prevented a pregnancy."
"No, you know Henry, there's always a chance to get the woman you sleep with pregnant."
"I know. I know. God, Leo. I'm just saying. It would have been something else, if the girl had at least been his girlfriend. But a one night stand at 18. No wonder, he turned out…"
"He turned out what?" Leo asked as an eyebrow rose. It was really interesting to hear his brother in law's opinion.
"Well, he never could develop a real personality. He never had a chance to live through the things that helps you to become an adult. You know the normal stuff, parties, girlfriends, college, a real job and a career. And now he fleeds into alcohol."
"What are you? Psychologist?" Leo asked.
"You are angry. You think a part of this is your fault, that you did something wrong in your upbringing. But I can tell you, the parents are not always the ones to blame."
"Henry. Go home."
"Leo…"
"I recommend that you really go home now."
"Hey, I didn't mean that in a bad way. I love Chris, but I just want you to know, that there are things he has to experience on his own. And you can not stop it."
"Henry. Go home."
Henry understood he had no chance here. He really only wanted to help. But he was also a parole officer and saw a lot of young people that somehow lost their way. And they always blamed their parents instead of accepting that they were the main causes of their problems.
When Henry closed the front door behind him, Leo looked at the ceiling.
"Chris, son, I know you can hear me and I know you could hear your son crying earlier and I have to tell you, that although I do understand, that you are upset, this is a behaviour, I can and will not accept. You have a responsibility lying in a car shaped bed upstairs. Not to mention the responsibiltiy you have towards yourself. Whatever you are doing right now, always remember that. And for God's sake be safe."
The sisters' search through the underworld ended with a dozen killed demons. They got a few tips, that a witch had been down there, but they never found him.
Wyatt had to give up his search eventually as well. There were hundrets of bars in San Francisco. And Chris had orbed, he could be all over the planet.
He went back to his apartement. Rachel lay in bed staring at the ceiling. When he climbed into the bed she turned around and showed him her back.
Wyatt contemplated talking to her, but decided against it. She was probably still upset and they would only end up in an argument. And Wyatt was much to tired for that. He could only hope that his brother would come home on his own free will, if not they had rare chances to find him.
The next day – Sunday – Chris still had not came home. 24 hours had passed. Piper even contemplated to call the police. But Paige wanted to try it with magic again. Without any result of course.
Josh spent the day on the front porch with Willy. He waited. He refused to eat something. All he did was sitting there, crying quietly. Now, his mommy was gone and his daddy. He could live without mommy; she was never really nice to him and she was hardly home at all. But he needed his daddy pretty bad. Of course, his grandparents and Uncle Wyatt and all the others were great and he loved them very much. But no one could replace daddy. Willy was his opinion and didn't mind waiting with Josh. Even though, they missed their favourite cartoon.
And then grandpa came again and brought him a sandwich and told him that he needed to go to bed soon. And now, Josh knew that another day had passed without his daddy coming back.
"What are we going to do?" Piper asked her husband.
"He'll be back."
"When, Leo, when?"
"Soon."
"This is my entire fault. If I had not started the argument, he wouldn't have orbed out."
"Or maybe he still had. Who knows what's going on in his mind?"
Piper was not convinced. "I am going to go to bed."
Leo decided to let his wife go. He knew she would never agree with him. Leo sat down on the sofa. There was nothing they could do but wait.
The ex-Elder jumped at the noise. He must have fallen asleep. Leo got up and walked into the hallway. He saw the broken vase.
At the same moment Chris stood up straight again.
"Chris! Where have you been?"
"Hey dad. Have you been waiting for me?"
Leo sighed at his brother's obvioulsy drunken state. "Chris, we were worried. Where have you been?" He took a closer look at his son and saw that his shoulder was bleeding. "What happened?"
"I vanquished some demons. And then I met my friends Jack and Johnny."
Leo got at his son's side. "Do you need someone to heal you?"
"No! I'm fine. Just fine. But I should go to bed now."
Leo had to agree on that. "Come on, I help you."
The two men climbed up the stairs. Leo tried to keep the noise down, so neither Piper nor Josh would wake up.
"Dad, I need to use the bathroom. Really. Let me go!"
Leo helped him in the bathroom and closed the door. Chris threw up in the toilet. Leo could not even feel a bit of sympathy. But he still helped his son to get cleaned up and into bed.
"I really messed up, dad," Chris said almost asleep.
"Yes, you did. But we are here for you. Just don't run away. Not from your problems and not from us." Leo put the blanket over his son.
"Dad! Dad, I'm sorry. I left my son behind. They are right. I'm a bad father."
"No, you are not. But to be a good father means to never lose yourself. Do you understand that?"
Chris nodded.
"Okay, go to sleep now. You have to be okay tomorrow.You have to unpack your stuff and decorate your rooms."
"Yeah, okay."
Leo sat down on the edge of the bed waiting for his son to fall asleep, just like he did when Chris was younger. He knew they had a lot to work on.
Josh woke up early the next morning. Well, he thought it had to be early. He really had to learn how to read a clock. But it was so complicated. He rubbed his eyes and yawned and then he felt it. Daddy was here in the Manor! Downstairs in the kitchen. He rushed out of bed only to be stopped by the stair. The stair was really bad for him. The stanges were really deep and so many. He could climb them down but only when someone helped him. It would took ages to get down there. But could he orb. Daddy always said, no orbing in the apartement. Lucky for him, they didn't are in the apartement. Therefore, Josh didn't feel guilty when he appeared at the end of the staircase. He hurried into the kitchen and really saw his dad standing there leaning against the cupboard talking to grandfather. Josh ran for him and hugged Chris' legs. He couldn't reach higher.
"Hey, there you!" Chris crouched down and hugged his son. Willy had fallen down. For once there was no room for the stuffed dog.
Josh put his little arms around his daddy's neck. "Daddy, you forgot me and Willy Saturday."
"Yes, I know. I'm really sorry."
"Don't do it ever again."
"Okay, I promise."
That was all Josh needed. He knew that his dad had only made a mistake.
Chris felt really bad. He knew that Josh would never be angry with him for long. At least not as long as he was little. "You are up early. There are still two hours before kindergarten starts."
"I need an alarm clock," Josh purposed. We have one in kindergarten that is a fire engine. Can I have one?"
"We'll see. Come on. Let's see if we find some clothes in the boxes."
"I'm going to make you boys some breakfast. Something special. What do you want?"
Leo asked. But he had to wake up Piper first and make her agree that there was no use in yelling at their son. He was already feeling bad enough as it was.
"Waffles!" Josh yelled happily. For him the world was okay again. Waffles and daddy back. That was great!
Okay, Chris is back. Question is for how long. I'm still considering how this story will go on, so I'm open for suggestions as well, just press the bottom below and send me a review!
Greetings to Laura! (Are you anywhere out there?)
