Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed.
All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!
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Anguished Soul - Chapter 23
~ Several weeks later ~
"Here, let me take some of the bags," Paige offered as she turned her attention to another display window.
Chris just smiled and shook his head. "That's okay. I think I can manage."
"Okay, let me go into this store and then we can drop the bags back at the car first."
"Yes ma'am," Chris laughed as she dragged him into a baby clothing store.
Forty-five minutes later, the two exited the stores with two more bags filled with clothes. "These would look so cute on Wyatt," Paige said excitedly.
"Yeah, they are pretty cute," Chris agreed. "But you still didn't have to take almost an hour to decide!" he added good-naturedly.
"I couldn't decide, okay?" Paige answered with a big grin. "Plus, you weren't helping much by spotting new ideas every time I was about to make a decision."
Chris sighed dramatically and nodded. "Alright, alright. I'll take the blame for this one, as usual."
Paige laughed at Chris' expression. "That's what makes you so lovable, Chris."
As the two walked towards the exit, they came upon a huge poster of Chris modeling the store's latest denim wear. At the same moment, a bunch of teenage girls seemed to realize that Chris was the same person as the model on the poster. What followed was nothing short of chaos as they fought for a chance to take pictures and get autographs from the young model/Whitelighter.
When they finally made their way to the car, Chris was exhausted. "Remind me never to come to the shopping mall during school holidays."
Paige simply laughed as she drove the car out of the busy parking lot. "I thought that was rather cute. Seeing you all frazzled and confused was definitely a change from the usual cocky Whitelighter that I'm so used to seeing."
"I am not cocky, just confident," Chris corrected.
Paige nodded and smiled knowingly. "Sure, sure."
"Of course you would think it's funny. You weren't the one who was almost suffocated and almost had his clothes ripped right off of him by a bunch of crazed teenage girls."
Paige turned towards Chris and pouted. "I know. For a moment, I was kind of hoping that they would actually rip your clothes right off of you."
A look of shock made its way onto Chris' face. "You have one dirty mind, Paige. I'm shocked."
"Life is full of surprises, isn't it?" Paige teased as they drove home.
Paige parked the car on the driveway and Chris went to the trunk to take out the fruits of their trip to the mall. With a bit of trouble, he finally managed to bring everything into the house.
"Oh my," Piper observed, "did you buy the whole mall, Paige?"
"No, she only had enough help to carry half the mall home," Chris remarked with a smirk, earning him a playful jab to his ribs.
Phoebe walked down the stairs to join everyone, stopping to admire Paige's purchases. "Are you taking advantage of our Whitelighter again?"
"I'd say," Chris smirked again. "She is just out of control once she steps into a shopping mall."
"Oh, you mean I forgot to warn you this morning?" Phoebe asked, laughing.
"Excuse me," Paige interjected with mock annoyance. "But if I remember correctly, about ten of these twenty bags belong to you, Mr. Perry."
Chris put up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, you win. I'll quit complaining."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Dinner was a light-hearted affair as everyone enjoyed the quiet company and the wonderful food. Even Wyatt cooperated by allowing Piper to enjoy her dinner without throwing a single tantrum.
After dinner, Chris offered to do the dishes while everyone else relaxed in the living room. Once he was done, he joined the group, hauling several bags that he brought back from the mall with him.
Taking out one box from the bag, he handed it to Phoebe. "Merry Christmas, Phoebe." Phoebe was clearly surprised but delighted at the gesture.
"Thanks, Chris! You didn't have to, you know."
"Hey it's Christmas. Of course I needed to get gifts for you girls." Bringing out another box, he moved over to Wyatt who looked on happily. "Don't worry, little buddy," he cooed. "I didn't forget you." Wyatt laughed happily as he saw the many presents that Chris had for him. Finally, he handed Piper her present.
Piper looked surprised and touched. "Thank you, Chris. I don't quite know what to say."
Chris smiled at Piper, although there was a tinge of sadness to the smile. "Thanks for putting up with me for so long. I know it's difficult and I haven't made it any easier for you either."
"No, no," Piper waved off the suggestion. "I should be the one saying that. I've been on your back ever since you arrived and I really feel bad."
"You don't have to," Chris answered with understanding. "To tell you the truth, I wasn't expecting any of you to accept me with open arms. Not to mention the fact that I'm not exactly the top-notch Whitelighter you would expect to be assigned to protect the Charmed Ones."
"Don't be silly," Phoebe joined in. "You've been great. More than great, actually. You've really helped us a lot, Chris."
"You really think so?" Chris asked with the hopeful tone of a child wanting approval.
"We definitely know so," Piper answered. "And although I can't say that I'm at 100% with you yet in terms of trust and confidence, I must admit that the situation is improving very quickly."
Chris nodded gently. "I understand."
At this point, Phoebe pulled out a number of boxes from behind the couch. "And since we're already in the midst of exchanging gifts, I guess this would be the time for us to give you the gifts that we got for you." Chris' eyes shot open as he tried to understand what was happening. His shock and surprise did not escape the Charmed Ones' observations. "You didn't think that we would forget you, right?"
"I really wasn't expecting this," Chris admitted, still trying to fathom what was happening. Finally, he slowly began to open the numerous presents that were addressed to him. Among the many things that he received were all sorts of clothing, a CD player and a number of CDs. "I don't know what to say," he finally managed to whisper.
"Oh wow. The one and only Chris Perry is actually speechless. Piper, mark down this historic day," Phoebe teased.
Chris' hands held the fleece sweatshirt that he received. The three witches looked on as the young Whitelighter fixed his eyes on the sweatshirt. "Thank you," he said gratefully.
"You're very welcome," all three of them said as everyone proceeded to the kitchen for dessert.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
After putting Wyatt to bed, Piper reemerged in the kitchen just as Paige and Phoebe were finishing up the dishes. The three of them then headed into the living room, only to find Chris sitting on the floor, the fleece sweatshirt once again in his hands. Phoebe was about to say something when Piper stopped her.
Paige and Phoebe looked at Piper with a confused look. The Charmed Ones then turned their attention back to Chris, whose eyes were glistening with tears.
No one quite knew what to make of the situation and they didn't understand why Chris was behaving this way. The young Whitelighter was oblivious to the fact that he was being observed by his charges.
It wasn't long before the tears streaked down Chris' face, his hands still holding tightly onto the sweatshirt. His body began to wrack with soft sobs. Even though he was barely making a sound, the sight sent chills up the spines of the Charmed Ones. This was a side of Chris that they had never seen before.
Chris continued to sob, and his cries were becoming louder. "Mom! Dad! Ben!" he whispered. "I miss you so much!" What came out of Chris' mouth after that was unintelligible, as his words became muffled by his cries of anguish.
~ to be continued ~
This is my first Charmed fic. I apologize if I get any of the show's details wrong. I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Anguished Soul - Chapter 23
~ Several weeks later ~
"Here, let me take some of the bags," Paige offered as she turned her attention to another display window.
Chris just smiled and shook his head. "That's okay. I think I can manage."
"Okay, let me go into this store and then we can drop the bags back at the car first."
"Yes ma'am," Chris laughed as she dragged him into a baby clothing store.
Forty-five minutes later, the two exited the stores with two more bags filled with clothes. "These would look so cute on Wyatt," Paige said excitedly.
"Yeah, they are pretty cute," Chris agreed. "But you still didn't have to take almost an hour to decide!" he added good-naturedly.
"I couldn't decide, okay?" Paige answered with a big grin. "Plus, you weren't helping much by spotting new ideas every time I was about to make a decision."
Chris sighed dramatically and nodded. "Alright, alright. I'll take the blame for this one, as usual."
Paige laughed at Chris' expression. "That's what makes you so lovable, Chris."
As the two walked towards the exit, they came upon a huge poster of Chris modeling the store's latest denim wear. At the same moment, a bunch of teenage girls seemed to realize that Chris was the same person as the model on the poster. What followed was nothing short of chaos as they fought for a chance to take pictures and get autographs from the young model/Whitelighter.
When they finally made their way to the car, Chris was exhausted. "Remind me never to come to the shopping mall during school holidays."
Paige simply laughed as she drove the car out of the busy parking lot. "I thought that was rather cute. Seeing you all frazzled and confused was definitely a change from the usual cocky Whitelighter that I'm so used to seeing."
"I am not cocky, just confident," Chris corrected.
Paige nodded and smiled knowingly. "Sure, sure."
"Of course you would think it's funny. You weren't the one who was almost suffocated and almost had his clothes ripped right off of him by a bunch of crazed teenage girls."
Paige turned towards Chris and pouted. "I know. For a moment, I was kind of hoping that they would actually rip your clothes right off of you."
A look of shock made its way onto Chris' face. "You have one dirty mind, Paige. I'm shocked."
"Life is full of surprises, isn't it?" Paige teased as they drove home.
Paige parked the car on the driveway and Chris went to the trunk to take out the fruits of their trip to the mall. With a bit of trouble, he finally managed to bring everything into the house.
"Oh my," Piper observed, "did you buy the whole mall, Paige?"
"No, she only had enough help to carry half the mall home," Chris remarked with a smirk, earning him a playful jab to his ribs.
Phoebe walked down the stairs to join everyone, stopping to admire Paige's purchases. "Are you taking advantage of our Whitelighter again?"
"I'd say," Chris smirked again. "She is just out of control once she steps into a shopping mall."
"Oh, you mean I forgot to warn you this morning?" Phoebe asked, laughing.
"Excuse me," Paige interjected with mock annoyance. "But if I remember correctly, about ten of these twenty bags belong to you, Mr. Perry."
Chris put up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, you win. I'll quit complaining."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Dinner was a light-hearted affair as everyone enjoyed the quiet company and the wonderful food. Even Wyatt cooperated by allowing Piper to enjoy her dinner without throwing a single tantrum.
After dinner, Chris offered to do the dishes while everyone else relaxed in the living room. Once he was done, he joined the group, hauling several bags that he brought back from the mall with him.
Taking out one box from the bag, he handed it to Phoebe. "Merry Christmas, Phoebe." Phoebe was clearly surprised but delighted at the gesture.
"Thanks, Chris! You didn't have to, you know."
"Hey it's Christmas. Of course I needed to get gifts for you girls." Bringing out another box, he moved over to Wyatt who looked on happily. "Don't worry, little buddy," he cooed. "I didn't forget you." Wyatt laughed happily as he saw the many presents that Chris had for him. Finally, he handed Piper her present.
Piper looked surprised and touched. "Thank you, Chris. I don't quite know what to say."
Chris smiled at Piper, although there was a tinge of sadness to the smile. "Thanks for putting up with me for so long. I know it's difficult and I haven't made it any easier for you either."
"No, no," Piper waved off the suggestion. "I should be the one saying that. I've been on your back ever since you arrived and I really feel bad."
"You don't have to," Chris answered with understanding. "To tell you the truth, I wasn't expecting any of you to accept me with open arms. Not to mention the fact that I'm not exactly the top-notch Whitelighter you would expect to be assigned to protect the Charmed Ones."
"Don't be silly," Phoebe joined in. "You've been great. More than great, actually. You've really helped us a lot, Chris."
"You really think so?" Chris asked with the hopeful tone of a child wanting approval.
"We definitely know so," Piper answered. "And although I can't say that I'm at 100% with you yet in terms of trust and confidence, I must admit that the situation is improving very quickly."
Chris nodded gently. "I understand."
At this point, Phoebe pulled out a number of boxes from behind the couch. "And since we're already in the midst of exchanging gifts, I guess this would be the time for us to give you the gifts that we got for you." Chris' eyes shot open as he tried to understand what was happening. His shock and surprise did not escape the Charmed Ones' observations. "You didn't think that we would forget you, right?"
"I really wasn't expecting this," Chris admitted, still trying to fathom what was happening. Finally, he slowly began to open the numerous presents that were addressed to him. Among the many things that he received were all sorts of clothing, a CD player and a number of CDs. "I don't know what to say," he finally managed to whisper.
"Oh wow. The one and only Chris Perry is actually speechless. Piper, mark down this historic day," Phoebe teased.
Chris' hands held the fleece sweatshirt that he received. The three witches looked on as the young Whitelighter fixed his eyes on the sweatshirt. "Thank you," he said gratefully.
"You're very welcome," all three of them said as everyone proceeded to the kitchen for dessert.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
After putting Wyatt to bed, Piper reemerged in the kitchen just as Paige and Phoebe were finishing up the dishes. The three of them then headed into the living room, only to find Chris sitting on the floor, the fleece sweatshirt once again in his hands. Phoebe was about to say something when Piper stopped her.
Paige and Phoebe looked at Piper with a confused look. The Charmed Ones then turned their attention back to Chris, whose eyes were glistening with tears.
No one quite knew what to make of the situation and they didn't understand why Chris was behaving this way. The young Whitelighter was oblivious to the fact that he was being observed by his charges.
It wasn't long before the tears streaked down Chris' face, his hands still holding tightly onto the sweatshirt. His body began to wrack with soft sobs. Even though he was barely making a sound, the sight sent chills up the spines of the Charmed Ones. This was a side of Chris that they had never seen before.
Chris continued to sob, and his cries were becoming louder. "Mom! Dad! Ben!" he whispered. "I miss you so much!" What came out of Chris' mouth after that was unintelligible, as his words became muffled by his cries of anguish.
~ to be continued ~
