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Chapter 14

Chris found himself in a room. Everything was all black: the walls, the floor, the ceiling. There was no furniture. Suddenly, one bright yellow spot lightened up the room, turning it into a dark shade of grey. A human frame appeared inside the spot of light. Chris narrowed his eyes. He felt suddenly really cold. "Tobey?" The young teen stayed perfectly still. Chris looked into the boy's eyes. They were all black. "YOU MURDERER!" Tobey screamed. The teen formed a large fire ball and send it towards Chris. Chris ducked right in time. When he looked up again, Tobey was gone. Chris got up. He was trembling. As he took a step forward, there was a hole in the floor. Chris could feel himself falling.

He landed somewhere with a thud. Chris brought a hand up to his neck, where he had been injured earlier. He groaned in pain. When his hand touched the floor, he could feel a soft carpet. He opened his eyes slowly. He recognized the guest room of his grandfather's apartement. Chris took a deep breath. He collected himself off the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. He was still trembling and cold sweat moistened his t-shirt. A nightmare! Chris' nightmares always felt way too real to him.

He left his room and went into the ktichen. His head was pounding. He searched for some ice in the fridge. He hold the cold bag up to the back of his head.

The young man walked over to the window.

It was a really quiet area, where his grandfather lived. Nothing but a cat strayed around.

Chris sighted deeply. When did his life become such a mess?

He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around. "Did I wake you?" he asked his grandfather.

"No, you didn't. But why are you up?"

"I had a nightmare."

Victor nodded understandingly. "Come on, sit with me. Let's have a cup of tea."

The two men headed towards the kitchen. Chris sat down.

"How's your head?" Victor asked.

"Not so good."

Victor frowned. "Maybe we should call Wyatt, though."

"No," Chris said vehemently. "We won't. Don't you dare calling him, grandpa."

"Are you treathening me, kid?"

"No." Chris slumped back in his chair. "I'm sorry."

Victor stood a cup filled with steaming hot tea before him. They both sat together in silence.

Chris wouldn't call Wyatt. But he hoped, that Wyatt could feel the terrible headache, Chris was feeling. God, when did he become such a bad person? He wanted his brother to suffer, because he himself was feeling bad. But it was all Wyatt's fault. If he hadn't done, what Piper had told him then Chris would still have is powers. There must be a way, how he could get his powers back. But then again, what was the use in that now? He had already lost one of his charges.

Chris and Victor had been sitting together until dawn. In absolutely silence. In the early hours of morning, Victor told Chris in a stern voice, that he should go to bed again. Chris obeyed rather willingly. He had taken two of the pain killers and was sound asleep, when Wyatt orbed into the apartement. Victor emerged his bedroom, now dressed in a sweat suit.

"Morning, grandpa. You look tired."

"Good morning, Wyatt. I sat with Chris half the night."

Wyatt nodded. "What is wrong with his head?"

Victor looked surprised. But than he remembered, that his grandsons were witches and always had some kind of connection. "He has a light concussion. It's not too bad. We went to a doctor."

"Okay." Wyatt wasn't really convinced. He had woken up last night with a terrible headache and he noticed at once, that it was Chris' pain, he felt. "I packed him some stuff. Clothes and his music, some books, you know."

"Don't you want to talk to him?"

"No, I don't. But tell him, I'll wait for him to contact me. I have to go." Wyatt orbed out. Victor took a deep breath. He never had seen that his two grandsons wouldn't talk to each other. He had never seen Chris so devasted and Wyatt so sad before. Victor felt really miserable for them. Victor was in deep thoughts, therefore the loud knocking on his front door startled him. He opened the door. His oldest daughter Piper stood in front of him. Her cheeks were flushed and she had a large brown bag with her. "Good moring, daddy. How are you?"

"I'm fine, honey. What are you doing here?"

"What do you think, I'm doing here. Chris is with you, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is. But he is still asleep and I'm pretty sure that he will sleep some more. We were up half the night."

A worried look darkened Piper's face. "Is he alright?"

"He'll be fine."

Piper put a hand through her hair. "This whole thing got out of control. All I wanted was to keep him safe. But now, he hates me. He hates all of us."

Teares welled up in her eyes. She sat down on the fluffy sofa. "I was so scared about him. I really only wanted to do what's best for him. I can not loose him again." Victor put an arm around his daughter's shoulders. "If there was a way, I would undo everything. I already talked to the Elders. They told me, that it was really important for Chris to get over this on his own. They said, that he needed more inner strengh to accept the greater powers, he will receive soon. I don't know what exactly that means. I guess, he will get more witch powers or his powers will expand, as soon as he is going to get them back. But they told me, that they are sure, he'll mangage it. He has to."

Victor watched his daughter while she wiped away some tears. She stood up and straighened out her clothes. She took her bag. "I brought you guys some cookies." She put a box on the coffee table. Then she yanked out a wooden case.

"What is that?" Victor demanded.

"Crystals," Piper answered. She opened the box and took one crystal out of it. "I want to shield your apartement against evil. The crystals will keep you two safe."

"I don't think, Chris will like that."

"He won't see them. After I placed them and I'll cast a spell to make them transparent. Don't worry."

Victor agreed. He didn't like demon attacks either. Piper did her work and then handed her father a cheque.

"What the hell is that?"

"Dad, it's a cheque, calm down. It's for Chris. I know, he won't accept my money. But I'm his mother, I can't expect you to pay for my son. Just take it. If he needs something, tell him it is from you."

Victor sighed. "Okay. Thank you. So you want to talk to him?"

"Not now. Let him sleep. Tell him, he can come home whenever he wants and he shall phone us."

Piper moved over to the door. "Dad, don't tell him, what the Elders said. He needs to come in terms with himself."

Victor agreed to that. He kissed his daughter goodbye.

Chris had a feeling like he was floating. When he could finally make himself getting out of bed to go to work, he tried to keep his thoughts straight. Victor watched him moving around the apartement.

"I could make you some sandwiches before you go."

"No, thanks. I'm fine."

God, how Victor hated this phrase. He hadn't told his grandson, that Piper has been here this morning.

"Wyatt brought you some of your stuff. He said, you can call him whenever you want. He feels really bad."

"He should," Chris muttered. His grandfather pretented, he hadn't heard him. "I'm leaving, grandpa."

"Okay. Bye. Be careful." But Chris had already closed the door behind him.

When he arrived down on the street, he took a deep breath. The sun was shining, like nothing bad had happened. There were two young mothers passing by with little children in colourful buggies. They chatted along.

Chris took the next bus and arrived in the shop only a few minutes too late.

Lois leant on the counter with her back towards the door. She talked to someone. Probably to Cathrin who was in the little office. There were no customers at the moment. Chris moved over to the counter. "Hey."

"Oh, hello, Chris," Lois greeted him.

"God, you look like someone had just died," Cathrin said emerging the office.

Lois took a closer look at the young man's appereance. It was right, Chris had dark circles under his eyes and the few injuries, from his fight with Wyatt, didn't give him a more positve look either.

Chris looked at the floor.

"Oh, my God, someone did die!" Cathrin explained. "A close friend? Relative? Pet?"

Lois gave her niece an angry look. Did this girl ever not drop a brick? "Are you alright, dear?" the older woman asked softly. "I could stay here and you go back home, if you like."

"No, that's okay," Chris objected.

Lois nodded reluctantly. "Alright then. Cathrin, you take it easy on him." She patted Chris shoulders as she went past him.

Chris brought his jacket into the office with Cathrin right behind him. "So, who died?"

Chris sighted. "A friend's grandmother."

"Oh!" This seemed to be too boring for Cathrin's understanding of life. "I mean, I'm really sorry, but I thought it was someone closer to you. Or were you guys friends?"

"No, I have never talked to her, actually."

"Okay, but I understand that it is still very sad."

"You know what? That's the problem, you don't understand and I can't explain it to you. So, let's change the subject."

"Okay, sure. I understand when my company is not wanted. I go into the office, I've got some schoolwork to do, anyway If you need me, yell."

Cathrin turned around and walked away offended. Chris put his hands over his face. His collegue was really annoying. But now as he wasn't living at home anymore, he could be really happy to have this job. Even if there wasn't anything to do, like today. Chris tried to read a bit but couldn't concentrate. He still stared at the same page when he heard someone clearing his voice behind him.

It has been clear from the beginning, that Cathrin wouldn't be staying in the office alone for long.

"Mind if I ask you a question?" she said in a voice that meant, she'd ask no matter what. "Superman, Batman, Spiderman?"

Chris frowned at her. What was this crazy girl up tp now? "Ehm…He-man?" he asked in return.

"What? No. I meant, who's your favourite superhero? Superman, Batman or Spiderman?"

Chris sighted. That sounded like a deep discussion was coming. "I don't know. Spiderman, I guess."

"Why?"

"God, what do I know. Because I liked the comics when I was little. And it was great, how he could swing all over New York. Spider powers, that sounds cool."

Cathrin considered that. "Spider powers? That truly is something special. So you only liked him because of these powers?"

"I guess so. I mean, what do you like superheros for? For their powers and that they rescue people."

"I like Batman most," Cathrin replied. "He rescues Gotham City all the time, too, but he doesn't have any powers. He's just a normal, hunky millionaire with a fancy car. He does a great job. Moreover, he has the cooler outfit. I mean, what's it with this red and blue costumes? If we are honest, it is the dark side that appeals us. Believe me, Batman beats Spiderman. Because he is not only a good guy. He has affairs and a rather dubious relationship with his butler and Robin, who by the way, is really evil. All this boy wants is revenge for his parent's death. And Batman does not only have to rescue a city all day long, but also has to teach Robin moral, again. I tell you, that's a real hero." Cathrin said breathless. "Okay, how about food? Are you hungry? I'm hungry," she stopped noticing, that Chris wasn't listening to her. She waved a hand in front of his face. "Hello!"

Chris looked up. "I was just thinking…"

"I can see it, when you think. Well, you have any special wishes regarding food?"

Cathrin left a few minutes later, to buy them something to eat.

It was really quiet today in the shop. This left Chris more or less alone with his thoughts. Some part of him was glad about that, as he could finally - at least try to - figure things out. Truth be told, it all came back to him blaming himself.

He jerked out of his thoughts every other minute because he felt someone moving up behind him. But there was no one.

Cathrin was still gone, when the bell over the door fainally announced another customer.

"Oh, really cute!" Paige said. She looked around the small store observing a few things closer.

"Aunt Paige, what are you doing here?" Chris asked in a stern voice.

"Me? Oh, I wanted to buy…this." She took a small casket out of the shelf. She went over to the counter. "Is someone else here?" she whispered.

"No. 3 Dollars."

Instead of her purse, Paige put an envelope down in front of Chris. "Here. I want you to read that."

Chris grabbed the envelope and pulled out a few pieces of paper. "What's that?"

"It's Tobey's grandmother's patients file from the hospital. I made a copy."

Chris frowned. "Is that even allowed?"

"What do you care? There is written that she had a cerebral apoplexy, that's what put her into a coma. There's neither a potion nor a spell to create this. I even checked the books in magic scholl. Such potions or spells do not exist. Moreover, they say, that even if she had woken up, she would have needed medical care for the rest of her life. If you are in a coma for that long, it destroys your brain. Do you know what that means? One, there was no magic involved, which means, we couldn't have done anything. Second, she was lost anyway."

Chris put the papers down. "I don't believe that. It can't be that…"

"Simple? Yes, it is. Not everything happens because of magic. And some innocents aren't for us to safe. Believe me, I had to learn that the hard way, too."

"You call that the hard way?" Chris exclaimed. "Where's Tobey?"

Paige sighted. "We don't know. I went everywhere, I could think of. I told the Elders. They are sending out whitelighters to search for him also. Maybe, you could think of a place, where he could be?"

"Now, you are asking me! Listen, Aunt Paige, he's your charge. I can't help you," Chris said icy. Chris suddenly felt the same about his aunt, as he did for his brother. He really wanted to punish her. "I guess, you have to go on searching."

Paige's jaw dropped. She could understand that Chris was upset, but why didn't he want to help? Wasn't he worried sick about Tobey earlier? "Chris, I don't understand…"

"He hates me, Aunt Paige. He wanted to kill me. He has totally lost it. He could be anywhere. He could do anything. I don't think, he has a real vision of good and evil right now. He wants revenge. And he'll be with the ones who'd help him to take revenge."

"Demons. The underworld," Paige breathed. "Okay, I'll find him."

Paige grabbed her bag. "Please, Chris, look at these papers. I beg you, stop beating yourself. And please, talk to Wyatt. You have really hurt him."

Chris avoided her gaze. "Be careful," he said sheepishly.

Paige nodded. She had known that her nephew would help her, even if he was angry with her. And even if he didn't make it sound like it was him helping.

Paige left the shop.

Chris looked at the documents, she had given to him, once more. He couldn't have been that wrong. He knew, magic had been standing behind the disease of Tobey's grandmother. But how did he know that?

When the Elders sent him to Tobey, his grandmother was already in a coma. The Elders had given him the task, to help Tobey earn control over his powers and learn all the wiccan stuff. But Tobey didn't show much interest in his studies. He wanted to hunt demons all the time, finding the one that was responsible for his grandma's condition. Now, that Chris thought about it. It was Tobey, who told him that some magic had made his grandmother sick. And Chris had believed him. Of course, he had. Why should Tobey have lied about that?

Again there'll come another family member or friend in every now following chapter. What would you do without family?

Okay, I hope you liked it - or not...whatever reviews are welcomed!