I promised updates would be more frequent now, didn't I. Thanks to my hard working beta Angelayzn.

Thanks a lot to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and who put me on one of their alert lists. I really appreciate it.

Now, have fun with this.

Chapter 10

"Rachel was kidnapped", Wyatt said and started pacing back and forth in the kitchen.

"What? How?" Piper asked comforting her son by resting an arm around his waist.

"We were in the apartement and suddenly a demon shimmered in right behind her and took her with him", Wyatt explained.

"Hold on, she was kidnapped in your apartement", Chris said.

"Yes."

"That's not possible. I wrote the protection spell on my own. It was a perfect spell. No demon could get through it."

"Apparantly, the spell was not that good."

"Hey, it kept my family safe for 4 years", Chris replied.

"Your family?" Wyatt had never heard Chris calling Kat and Josh his family. Usually it was Josh and Kat. But that was not what was important right now. He needed to find Rachel. She was a witch but with no active powers. She had a quick tongue and could mix great potions but she was helpless. Wyatt only hoped that she was alright and that she would hang on until he came. The demon probably only wanted a way get to him.

"I need you to help me find her", Wyatt said to his brother.

"You do?" Chris asked doubtfully. "I'm sorry, I can't help you."

Wyatt glared at his brother shocked. "What the hell?"

"Chris, Rachel was kidnapped. We should all help Wyatt find her", Piper said surprised that her son, refused to help an innocent and more so Rachel who was almost family.

"I can't and I won't."

"Why not? Because of what Rachel did? Come on, it was a mistake. She's sorry. You can't punish her like that. She could die."

"Wyatt, I can't help. It has nothing to do with Rachel. I admit I'm still angry with her and you, but that is not the reason why I can't help you. I just can't go after every demon that passes our way. It's too risky. What if I get killed?"

"We always almost get killed. You never worried."

"Well, I never had to care for Josh on my own. Who will be caring for him if something happens to me? I can't risk that. I'm sorry."

Wyatt could only stare at his brother helplessly. "Mom?"

Piper had to admit she could understand her youngest. She had the same fears when she was pregnant with Wyatt. Luckily, demon attacks got less when the boys were little and it always worked out. But she could not deny that she always worried that something might happen to her and she'd had to leave her sons behind. She knew, it was the same with Paige and Phoebe.

"Come on, Wyatt. We'll look through the book. You can identify the demon, right?"

The 24 year old nodded and followed his mom up the stairs.

Chris leant against counter. He felt bad, because he knew that Wyatt would not understand his worries and assume that Chris wanted to punish Rachel and him with refusing to help.

He took a deep breath. He could hear Josh laughing about something. Probably Left Shoe made a joke. It was a green shoe, a twin, and the joker in shoe town.

It didn't matter how mad Chris was sometimes and how much Josh annoyed him and no matter that Chris often blamed the birth of his son for his situation, he couldn't imagine to live without his son's laughter.

Piper and Wyatt found the demon in the book. It was an upper level demon, but he could be easily vanquished by Wyatt. The problem was finding the demon, and mother and son were in a hurry. Because every minute that ticked by brought more danger for Rachel.

Once Piper had found the demons lair. They orbed down. It was dangerous, because they knew that it was a trap.

The demon was already waiting for them.

Rachel was tied up against the stone wall. She was awake and seemed unharmed.

Piper tried to blast the demon but it had no affect. Since the brothers had more or less overtaken the power of the Charmed Ones, the demons needed to get more powerful because Chris and Wyatt's powers together were stronger than the sisters'. She decided to let her son handle the demon while she went to Rachel and tried to free her. After a few seconds the two women heard the familiar cry of a demon that was hit by Wyatt's energy ball.

"Are you alright?" Wyatt asked his girlfriend and hugged her tightly.

"Yes, I am. He didn't even try to hurt me. He wanted something from you."

"They always want something from me", Wyatt waved it aside. "They shall come again. Let's go home."

The three witches orbed back to the attic.

"Okay, mom, thanks for your help," Wyatt said.

"Yes, thank you, Piper," Rachel hugged her almost mother-in-law.

"I'm glad it worked out so easily," Piper replied.

"We'll let's go home now."

Wyatt took his girlfriends hand to orb them back into their apartement, but was stopped by his brother's voice.

Chris had a piece of paper in his hand. "I worked over the protection spell once more and found the point that was uncertain. I re-wrote it. No demon should be able to get through this now. Do you want to use it?"

Wyatt contemplated it. In the end, he hadn't needed his brother at all, but he still was angry that Chris had refused to help. On the other hand, his brother's spells were always great. He took the paper from Chris. "Thanks. We'll use it."

"Good."

Wyatt and Rachel left.

Piper rubbed her sons arm. "I know how you feel. And I really recommend that you arrange something in case anything really happens to you. And I'm not talking about demons. Everything could happen to you. A car crash, an accident."

"Thanks mom, you bolster me here."

Piper smiled at her son reassuringly. "You know what I mean. And I know that you have been thinking about it, too."

Chris sighed. "So, you are not angry, that I refused to help Wyatt."

"I knew, you would've if we had told you that we couldn't fight the demon alone. But we could. And I'm a mother. Your brother hasn't been in a situation where he has to take care of someone else. But he'll understand, too. But no, I'm not angry at you. And I don't think, that Wyatt is really angry with you either."

Chris shrugged. "Josh's already in bed, I think I go to my room now. Good night, mom."

"You can watch a movie with me and your dad, if you want."

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I call it an early night as well."

Piper kissed her son on the cheek and left the attic to go to Leo.

Chris ran a hand through his hair. His mother was right. He had never arranged something for Josh's future except for the college account, which held the amount of money, Kat left her son. Maybe it really was time to go to an attorney.

Chris sighed and went into his room. He still had to unpack three boxes. He didn't want to start working on them because those boxes held really personal stuff like photo albums, credentials and year books from school. Chris knew that once he started looking through them, he would only feel bad and regretful.

Therefore he lay down on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

Wyatt sat in his classroom correcting some homeworks during the students' lunch break. He had been thinking a lot last night, and had decided that he really needed to come in terms with Chris. He loved his brother and they never had been really mad at each other for long. Tonight he would go to the Manor and invite his brother and only his brother for dinner and then they would talk.

A shadow fell over his desk and Wyatt looked up. "Chris? I was just thinking about you. I wanted to invite you for dinner tonight."

Chris smirked. "Well, here I am. And I accept your invitation. But first, I have something for you here to sign."

The 22 year old placed a paper in front of Wyatt.

Wyatt read it carefully, frowning. "What is that?"

"It's a document that says that if something happens to me and I'm not be able to care of Josh anymore, you will be the one I vest the custody for my son. But you have to accept it. I was with an attorney this morning and he said, it was a good choice to arrange the custody question, because if something happens to me, Josh would need to be in foster care until it is well ordered. So, all you have to do is sign here."

Wyatt just continued staring at the paper.

"If you do it right now, I could get it back to the attorney again before I need to pick up Josh," Chris said.

Wyatt sighed. He was honoured that Chris wanted him to care for Josh if anything would ever happen to him, but could he really accept it? He saw no doubt in Chris green eyes.

"Chris, I'm really honoured that you want me. But I'm not sure, if I can do it."

Chris frowned. "What does that mean? Of course you can. Josh loves you and you said you loved him too, so where's the problem? I really don't want mom to take care of my son. You would be the one I want. The only one I could think of."

Wyatt ran a hand through his hair. "I know and as I said, I'm honoured. But, Chris, imagine, I would marry Rachel now, she had to accept that too. Or if I got three kids plus Josh, it would be four kids and I don't think, I could handle that."

Chris sat down on one of the students desks. "What is that supposed to mean? You won't do it?"

"I'm sorry. I can not answer that right now. I need to think about it. I'll talk to Rachel about it and I'll give you the paper back later."

"I don't want Rachel to care of Josh, I want you."

"But I'm with her. She has a say in that. I'm thinking about asking her to marry me soon."

"Really? Wow. I never thought you were that serious."

"Chris, we live together already."

"Yes, you are right." Chris jumped down the desk. "Okay. You think about that. It really would mean me a lot to me, to know who is going to care for Josh when I'm dead, you know. I don't want him to be in foster care. Moreover, I would feel much safer when I'm fighting demons with you, then."

Wyatt grinned at his brother. "Okay. I know, that this is important for you, but it is a really serious decision."

Chris shrugged. "I never really had a choice."

Wyatt sighed and put the papers in his folder. "I'll pick you up for dinner at half past 7. We'll go alone, okay? I really miss us spending time together. You think, mom and dad will be okay with watching Josh tonight."

"He's already asleep by half past 7, so I guess they are. Moreover, they always tell me, that they want to help me. So they'll have to."

When Chris left the school building again, he couldn't deny that he was disappointed in his brother for not accepting the custody. It was not like Chris thought he'd even need it someday, as he really didn't plan to die within the next few years. It should have just been a security for him.

Wyatt sat next to his father in the living room, waiting for his brother to be ready to go. The two blonde men watched the news, both not really paying attention.

Piper brought her son a glass of water. "Chris will be ready any second. He's reading the book for the second time now."

"That's okay. I knew I had to wait," Wyatt said lightly. He drank some water. "Do you know, that Chris wants to give me custody for Josh, if something happens to him?"

"No, but its no surprise," Piper replied, while looking through a magazine. "Who else should he have asked if not you? You are the person he's closest to and you are Josh's uncle."

"We were close. We are not anymore. But still, I don't know."

Leo frowned at his son. "What's that suppose to mean? You don't want to do it?"

Wyatt got a feeling like he really did something wrong here, everyone was telling him just that. "Well, no. I'm thinking about it. But it's not an easy decision, don't you think?"

"We all hope that nothing is going to happen to your brother, so it'll only be a security for him. I think it's an easy decision."

"But what if I get three kids. With Josh it would be four, then. And I can't decide it on my own."

"That's a lame excuse," Piper said harshly. "Four or three kids, moreover Josh would be much older than yours."

Wyatt looked at his father for help.

"Nothing is going to happen to him," Leo repeated. "You should do it. It would make us all feel better."

Wyatt had no chance to answer that as Chris finally came down the stairs.

Usually Josh wanted to listen to a story and afterwards was fast asleep, but today he needed the story three times and was still awake when Chris left.

"You could check on Josh in a few minutes again, he was still not asleep when I left," Chris said, taking his jacket. "If something is wrong, just call me. I mean, usually I can feel it when something's wrong with him, but in case I didn't, call."

"Chris, we have raised two boys on our own," Piper said to her son, straightening out the collar of his shirt.

"I know, but Josh's special."

"Oh, and you weren't?" Piper smiled at him.

"You know what I mean." Chris stepped away from his mother. "I won't be home too late."

Wyatt coughed.

"I need to be awake tomorrow to take Josh to kindergarten."

"And if you're not, we'll do it," Piper assured him. "I love you both. Have fun and stay out for as long as you want."

The brothers said their goodbyes and took Wyatt's car. The blonde brother had decided they should go to a Mexican restaurant that they loved when they were teenagers. Of course, the place was at the third owner now, but they still had amazing food.

Chris hadn't been there in ages. The truth was he hadn't been out in a restaurant for ages, apart from the evening his parents had invited him. Usually, he went to a club, if he went out at all, because that was a place where it didn't attract people's attention when he was on his own.

The restaurant was almost fully staffed and Wyatt was glad he had made a reservation for a table in the back of the room, so they had a quiet place to talk.

Chris and Wyatt always were close and really protective of each other. But when Chris had met Kat and gotten her pregnant, while Wyatt was finishing college and getting together with Rachel, they didn't spend much time with each other anymore. They were busy. The first time they had met was after the night in the club, when Chris got to know Kat that was the night Josh was conceived. But Wyatt couldn't help his brother with a child and again they somehow lost each other for a while. Of course, Wyatt came to visit the young parents from time to time, but it wasn't easy to find a good topic for a conversation. In the end, they both regretted the situation.

But Wyatt was determined to change this now.

They chose something to eat: mini-enchiladas, Mexican salad, chilli con carne with pita bread and burritos with rice and different sauces.

Wyatt wasn't sure if he wanted to order something alcoholic, though. But the waiter persuaded them to try the pulque, which tasted horrible, and they ordered some beer to get rid of the taste.

"What a start!" Wyatt groaned. "Disgusting!"

"They clinked their beer bottles and took a sip."

"We haven't been here in ages," Wyatt said. "Do you remember the first time, dad brought us here?"

"Yeah, mom hated it. But in the end she had to admit that the food was great."

"Well, it had been an ugly little place back then."

"Who says that ugly little places don't have amazing food."

"That's right and there it comes!"

The waiter placed several plates of food on their table. Silence appeared between the two brothers. But it was a comforting silence. They could enjoy their food for a while.

"Rachel and I came here last week and she had something called Mole, it looked like shit but it was great," Wyatt said.

"I think we have enough to eat," Chris replied smirking. "Even Kat liked the food here." That was really unusual. Kat had the tendency to only like 4 stars restaurants.

"You've been here with Kat?"

"You sound surprised. We went out from time to time, Wy. At least at the beginning."

"Sure. I just thought you never...you know."

"Liked each other? Of course we did. The first year we were good. It just got bad, when we stopped respecting each other."

"I don't understand why you didn't got divorced. I mean, everytime I saw you guys you were fighting and met other people."

"You didn't see us the first years. We couldn't get a divorce or Kat would have lost her job. Channel 8 is kind of conservative. There wouldn't have been a chance for her to get into the show. Moreover, she was Catholic." Chris shrugged. "We could have made it, you know. If we had tried harder, if we had respected each other, we could have made it. I know it. But we started to hate one another. I guess, we were jealous. Eventually, we would have gotten a divorce and she would have gotten some TV man as soon as she had really built up a career."

"Like Derek?" Wyatt asked.

"No. Derek needed to stay with his wife as well, because he will never really build up a career. He will never leave Channel 8. Kat would have made it to New York to a countrywide show. I rather think a producer."

"I guess, we never talked about that. I mean, what your relationship really was like. I always kind of thought it was my fault, that you were put into this situation. After all it was me who introdruced you to Kat."

"Hey, not everything was bad. I mean, look what we made. Josh is great. He adores me."

"He does." Wyatt took a deep breath. Wyatt took another bite from his enchilada. "It scares me. The whole situation with the custody. I don't want to loose you and I can not even imagine to raise Josh and you not able to see him growing up."

"Well, Wyatt, it scares me too. And I don't really want to die, right now."

"I know. And I decided to sign it. I have in the car, I'll give it to you later."

Chris raised an eyebrow. "Wow. Don't tell me, Rachel was okay with that?"

"She doesn't know. It has nothing to with her. This is about my family. And you need me and Josh does. And I'm here just like I promised."

Chris smiled at his brother. "Thanks. This makes me feel much better."

And it was true. Chris had never once doubted that if Kat would have ended up with Josh alone, because something happened to him, that she'd take care of their son, maybe even better than Chris could. But now she was gone and it was a scary thought, that his son could be left an orphant. "

Okay. Let's talk about something else. Something fun."

"Okay," Wyatt agreed. "Girls!"

"I said something fun."

"Come on, I'm sure, you like someone at the moment."

"I don't. I'm not even searching. I'm not interested in girls right now."

Wyatt snorted. "Uhu. I see."

"I'm serious. I'm not interested in a relationship at the moment."

"Well, that is something completely different. So you stick to the random sex thing."

"I do." Chris grinned. "It's not easy for me to find someone. I mean, I have no job. I live with my parents, I have a 4 year old son, I'm single parent. Who do you think wants me?"

"You are pathetic."

"I am."

Just a little brotherly bonding here. Please don't forget to leave me a review, though.