Chapter 21

Phoebe sat on the couch in the attic, the Book of Shadows lying on her lap. How could she not have seen it? How could see not see that Chris…is her nephew and Wyatt's brother? Chris was stubborn, kind-hearted, brave, hardworking, and everything else that is screaming Halliwell. Then it hit her like lightening, with the months Chris has spent with them and the memories:

"My family died before I got to know them."

"I may not have been raised by my parents for a long time. But I still remember them."

"I never wanted to ruin your life. I just wanted… to save Wyatt… to save my family…."

"She died just like Amanda did. She died protecting her child from a demon attack."

"And I was furious with myself because I couldn't heal her." Chris continued. "My dad blamed me for her death. He blamed me because I couldn't heal."

"You and your dad had problems?" Piper asked.

"He only cared for his work and never kept his promises to his family."

"You are not my father." Melinda snarled.

"Like mother, like daughter, right Leo?"

Suddenly, Phoebe found herself inside Piper's room and found Chris asleep on her bed. Hesitantly, Phoebe sat next to him and moved a strand of hair away from his closed eyes. But it was the same eyes that belong to Leo. How could she not notice that? The middle sister blinked her eyes a couple of times to stop the tears forming, realizing her older sister died before Wyatt turned evil and that Melinda, Piper's mini me, hates Leo. Melinda and Chris hate Leo. He's the father that never showed up when his children needed him. It sounded so unlike Leo.

"Chris, I am so sorry." She whispered. He must hate her and her sisters for invading a life that he didn't want them to find out for many reasons and Phoebe finally figured out one of them. They hurt him for months and he didn't lose control…ever! He never spilled a secret about himself in order to save Wyatt.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer." Chris mumbled and Phoebe saw Leo's jaded eyes open.

"Sorry," Phoebe smiled moving her hand away. "Are you feeling any better?"

"What do you think?" He snapped. Phoebe flinched and Chris noticed. He sighed, "Sorry. It's just that I'm still frustrated about you guys bringing Angie and Wyatt and invading my memories."

"Chris –"

"I know you're sorry. But –" Chris sighed as he ran his finger through his hair and Phoebe actually noticed how tired he looks. "Just forget about it, okay?"

"No, it's not okay Chris!" Phoebe yelled, causing Chris to look at his aunt with a shocking expression. "Even though, you managed to block your emotions from me. I would like to hear them from you time to time."

Chris scoffed, "Yeah right."

"Yep, he's definitely Piper's son." Phoebe thought.

"Angelica said something to us –" Chris groaned. "No it's nothing bad," Chris narrowed his eyes at her but she chose to ignore it. "She said that you needed someone to save for you change." Phoebe watched as her nephew's eyes looked down at his knotted hands on his lap and for once, Chris didn't have a sarcastic comment to say to her. "Is that true, Chris?"

"I don't need to be saved." Chris answered simply. "I'm a lost cause."

"But I think you do need a hero." Phoebe said softly as she touched his knotted his hand but Chris jumped off the bed and walked to Piper's mirror, staring at his tired and pale reflection. "Even if you won't admit it Chris, my sisters and I will save you."

Chris chuckled but it wasn't like any chuckle, it caused shivers up and down Phoebe's back. "I thought we were here to save Wyatt."

"But we can also save you." She said as she stared at Chris's reflection at the mirror. She wondered if he ever wanted to call her Aunt Phoebe or Piper mom. It must hurt him to call them by their first names.

Chris turned around to face her, "Don't waste your breath." And he orbed away leaving his aunt feeling like there's no hope.

Leo walked inside baby Wyatt's nursery and found Angelica inside, playing a little lullaby to Wyatt with a guitar. Leo knew he shouldn't feel surprised that his son didn't put his shield up but he was expecting it. "Where did you get the guitar?" Leo asked as he stepped inside the room.

"Piper found it in the attic." She told him. "It's old but it still works."

"He likes you," Leo said about the baby.

Angelica laughed, "He's so adorable." But her smile died down as she looked down at the floor. "Why do you hate Chris so much?" She asked, pretending as if she was asking future Leo. From what the sisters told her, Leo and Chris haven't been on the same page since he arrived to the past.

"I don't – I didn't –"

"Trust him?"

"It was lie after lie and the sisters trusted him easily. He didn't even bother to speak the truth." Leo said.

"But you know why."

"Now," Leo mumbled.

"Before or after you went through his memories?" She asked, crossing her arms.

Leo swallowed remembering so many of Chris's expressions during those memories. "I never seen someone's life so –"

"Destroyed? Painful? Angst?" Angie narrowed down.

"I get it!" Leo yelled. "Yes, I feel guilty for the way I treated Chris but he lied to me! Why did he have to lie to me?"

"Would you have believed him?"

"No." Leo answered truthfully. "Wyatt is my child."

"But he's not your only." Angie spoke up.

"Piper and I have more children?" Leo questioned.

"I didn't say that. Uh, just forget we ever had this conservation, okay?"

"Angelica –"

"Got to go!" Angie yelled as she ran out the room, causing Leo to smile.

"Piper and I will have more kids. Maybe there is hope for us." Leo smiled at the thought of having another son or daughter. If only, he knew that his other son walked past the nursery and back to Piper's room.

"Come in!" Chris yelled. Angelica opened the door and saw Chris's bare back. She didn't know what to say to the man she was supposed to get married to but he was engaged to another dead person. It was giving the teen a headache. Quietly, she closed the door behind her and noticed the curtains were closed but a little of sun's rays hit the belongings in the room.

"Angel," Chris whispered, feeling her presence in the room.

"Don't turn around," She whispered. "Please, I don't think I'm ready." Chris nodded his head but felt his heart quicken by the touch of Angelica's fingers on his back. Slowly, her fingers traced on the scars as if her fingers were following a trail to the treasure on a map. She was touching the scars that Chris received before and after her death, but mostly after. Chris felt like he couldn't breathe.

"What happened to you, Chris?" Angelina's voice cracked. "Why…How…why did you do this to yourself?"

Chris gulped. "I –Angie, when you died I thought it was over. That everything was over. I didn't care anymore if I got hurt or the witch hunters kept torturing me because I didn't want to feel anything anymore. A part of me died along with you and I wanted to be with you, with everything attached."

"How did I die?" She wrapped her arms around his chest and Chris stood there limp, as if touching her will make her disappear again.

"I can't," Chris whispered out loud. "It's too hard."

Her hand now lay against his beating heart and he wanted so much to touch her again. "How long?" She asked.

"A year and half later," Her grip became tighter and Chris now could feel her heart breaking. "Please don't cry. Please," he said and gathered the strength to turn around and put his hands against her wet face. He wiped the tears away from her beautiful eyes. "I love you. I always have. Bianca…she reminded me of you."

Angelina chocked on her laugh, "How?"

"Your stubborn attitude, beauty, and bravery," Chris listed off to her. "And because of those things, you both fought to the death believing in me and believing that Wyatt can be saved."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't need to be saved?" Chris lifted his head and saw Wyatt sitting in a chair in the shadows.

"Yeah, I'm starting to get the message, pervert." Chris said and ignored Wyatt's growled. "Why do you keep following us? Don't you have something better to do?"

Wyatt shrugged, "Ironically, I was bored."

"Of course, you were." Angelia mumbled but didn't bother to turn around. "Wyatt, leave."

"What? 'No please'?"

Angie groaned, "Wyatt!"

"I rather stick around and watch the entertainment." All of a sudden, the branches from the ground rose up and surrounded Wyatt he was able to move. "What the – Angie, release me!"

"I'm not one of your sick minions, Wyatt Halliwell." Angie said. "I was your best friend."

Wyatt lifted his head and she saw hatred in his eyes, "Exactly. Was."

Angie scoffed, "I am so sick and tired of this!"

"Tired of being with Chris? That's understandable." Wyatt smirked but then, the branches covered his mouth. "Angie!" He muffled.

"Why can't you see that people actually believe in you? Their belief is causing them to die." Angie's voice was getting louder and she didn't care if the sisters or Leo heard her. "I would fight to the death just to save you because I believe in you!"

"She died believing there was good in you!" Chris's voice echoed in Wyatt's mind.

Using her strength, the branches released Wyatt but pushed him outside of the room. Wyatt lifted his head to see Angie's angry face as the wind blew around her, causing her hair to fly around. Wyatt couldn't help but think that she's beautiful. This is the Angie he remembers. "Stay away from me Wyatt or else I will kill you." She threatened and the door slammed in front of his face.