I feel totally blown away by all of you guys. Thanks so much for all of your reviews and encouragements, they've been so much help to me. Unfortunately this story had to end, and end it does now. Chapter 12 is the last chapter of LMBTM, and I want to say thanks to so many people.
MarieWalker: - Thank you so much! Thanks for all of your fabulous reviews!
Dark Fires: - I don't know why I always bash my favourite character… But anyway, thanks for reviewing.
Queen of the Elven City: - Thanks! They're in the Underworld… Leo can't even hear them…
Flephanie: - No, Chris rarely seems to have good days in my fics… But oh well, thanks for reviewing!
Aldrea7: - Chris is very kind-hearted, that's why it's so much fun to hurt him… insert evil grin here but 'disappear' him? Would I do that? Hm?
Melissa: - Deathbed apology… Nowhere near enough but there you are. Thanks for reviewing.
Eboni: - Hm… I shall see about that, lol. Thanks so much for the compliment, it was really kind. It only took me winces eight days to update… sorry…
Nautica7mk: - Yes, torturing Chris does stop. Because this is the end of this story!
Random insane person: - Ah, would I kill Chris? Would I follow the show that closely? Let's just say… maybe…
Chattypandagurl: - Wyatt's evil… He must die… Oh, wait, he did. Shame… NOT
X3: - Yup, he has such morals… This is why it's fun to hurt him, lol… Thanks for reviewing.
Tami: - Suspenseful? What a cool word!
silvermoon8705: - Dreams are confusing and really hard to remember… Sometimes… Sometimes they're easy to remember… Chris wants to save Wyatt, I felt that that was very Chris… Thanks for reviewing!
Kiseki-no-neko: - Whoa! Explosion of typing! Hm… I have no suggestions… I guess I suck, lol… See, I have updated! See? Memories are good, and I think that song from the Wizard of Oz does go like that… Oh well, I didn't drop a house on Wyatt…
Charmed Amber: - Yeah, I hope to see you on MSN soon!
Taynna: - Lol, just feel clever? You are clever! Piper puts the Sword back in the stone, so Wyatt can't get to it. I always thought that the Sword actually needed to be pulled from the stone, not just called for, and if it was in the stone it was safe from Wyatt for a little while… Thanks, I like the new pen name too!
Karone Evertree: - Almost done? Yup, it's almost done… In fact this is the last chapter… Thanks for reviewing all the way through!
Claddagh Ring: - Hey, great talking to you on Yahoo! Don't cry, it will be ok. I didn't mind you counting at all, I was just kinda shocked cuz I didn't count… lol…
evanescence2037: - Well a week after you reviewed… Yeah, not so good, huh… sorry…
cherry7up56: - Wyatt's really gone, and that's the end of that…
Denna5: - Chris has lots of issues and I was hoping to drop a truck on Wyatt, but being ran through with a sword seemed pretty good…
Princesscatie21: - Ooh, four days after you reviewed! feels proud Thanks for reviewing!
Whsgirl: - Ok, I did! See?
Musicstarlover: - Chris won't die… Or will he… Hm… I wonder…
iwhsgirl: - Ok, will do!
I want to thank all of my reviewers, and there's going to be a huge list, because you're all so great. I wouldn't have got anywhere without all of you! Thanks very much to:
piperleo4eva
Alcandre: - Love you, hon!
Kiseki-no-neko: - Julia! Yay!
goldstranger: - Hey there
X3
Claddagh Ring: - Who inspired me to write this chapter! Thanks!
Freedra Kyes
M J Rosemary
Ak8
Pixie Wildfire: - Love you loads, bestest beta ever!
princesscatie21
darkdestiney2000
Anaxandra
Kata Malfoy
gimmeabreak
SpiritOfEowyn
ChRsTiNe17
Teresa
cherry7up56
Dev
Devonny
gaby (hyatt
line100
Magicgrrl
darkdestiney2000
Laheara
Nautica7mk
Mor Cartel
Tigerdrake
AJS
Magical Princess
Pheniox-skye
TickledPink
Queen of the Elven City
Cat
Taynna: - Your reviews have always helped me so much!
denna5
Piper15
Dark Fires
Karone Evertree
Willows2
Ennaurial: - Hey, I know you! You're the person who I know from somewhere… Talk to you soon!
darla101
MerlinHalliwell
buffspike
Starlite919
Faith
xxaninsomniacsnightmarexx
Carla
Aldrea
Jessie Halliwell
DrewFullerFan4Life
terra fea
Musicstarlover
MarieWalker
Chrisoriented
whyra-carna
Rando insane person
Amila007
Caro
flephanie
russifoe
tp96
x Raya
Melissa
chattypandagurl
Eboni
Tami
silvermoon8705
iwhsgirl
Thanks so much for all the support you gave me, it means a lot to me. You're all great, you really are. If you didn't see your name here and think that you should have done e-mail me or review and I shall send you a grovelling apology... Lol, thanks.
Twisted Flame
"Leo!" Piper sobbed, shifting Chris' head onto her lap. "Leo, please!"
"We're… we're in the Underworld, Mom…" Chris reminded her in a whisper.
"Yeah…" Piper said, tears blurring her vision. She swiped them away, looking to the rocky ceiling. "Leeeeeoooo?" She begged, feeling Chris's breathing start to shudder. Piper sniffed again, smoothing down his hair and pushing it away from his sweaty forehead.
A warm glow suddenly bubbled up inside her and she looked down at her stomach, surprised to find it glowing with swirls of orbs. She gripped Chris' hand and slowly the light engulfed them both.
"Leo!" Piper screamed, appearing in the attic. Chris' breathing was shuddering again, and slowly his eyes were closing. Immediately Leo was by her side, skidding to a halt on his knees, his hands already glowing.
"Is it working?" Phoebe whimpered desperately, Piper's pain mingling with hers.
"Oh God, Leo! Why isn't it working?"
Leo shook his head, willing the glow to intensify. "I don't know…"
"Look… It is working." Paige said, watching flesh begin to pinch together.
Piper's eyes brightened, shining madly as the healing light glittered in her tears. "He's going to be ok?" She murmured, wiping both of her eyes with the back of her hand.
Yeah, he'll be fine…" Leo assured, watching the wound seal. Flesh grew over the puncture and all the blood disappeared. Finally the job was finished and Leo let his hands fall. Chris moaned softly and began to stir.
"Mom?" He croaked, seeing her blurry face swim across his vision.
"Sweetie, yes…" Piper said, tears of sadness now replaced with tears of joy. "Yes…?"
Chris coughed slightly and sat up, realizing that he was still holding the bloody sword in crimson fingers. He pushed himself up from the floor and thrust the weapon back into the stone violently. "Don't ever let me touch that thing again," He spat, glaring vehemently at the glinting blade. "I don't ever want to feel that again…"
He closed his eyes, still feeling the Sword puncture his brother's abdomen, sliding in until it was stuck up to the hilt… He shuddered, feeling warm blood flow in between his fingers, watching Wyatt's grey eyes glaze over as he died… He let out a small sob and orbed away.
Rain lashed at the stained glass windows, the fat drops rolling down the glass. Chris stared out on the window, the raindrops throwing shadows across his face. A streak of lightning slashed across the sky, illuminating the tears on his face for a split second. He absently counted in his head.
'One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi, four Mississippi,' Thunder rumbled and he stopped counting, leaning his head back against the wall.
He was sitting on the window seat in the attic, leaning against the wall and with his legs hugged to his chest. He sniffed again and wind smattered water onto the pane. He hadn't turned the lights on, so only dull grey light filtered in from the outside.
He looked down at his hand again; just to make sure they weren't still stained with the blood of his brother. A gust of wind threw water violently at the Manor and the window became completely grey and opaque for a few seconds. Chris breathed out and the window misted up. He pulled his hand up into his sleeve and rubbed the glass clear.
He heard the door creak open behind him and the lights clicked on, allowing himself to see his own reflection in the dark window. His hair was a mess and his face was pale, eyes red from crying.
"Chris?" Piper asked quietly, "What are you doing up here all alone?"
"Thinking," Chris replied in a muffled voice, hurriedly combing his hair with his fingers and wiping his eyes, "Why?"
"I'm just worried about you…"
"Well don't be," he said, sounding harsher than he meant to, "I'm fine,"
"It doesn't look like it…" Chris wondered how Piper could tell, as he hadn't yet looked at her. Chris turned around and saw Piper standing in the middle of the attic, looking concerned. "Look, Chris… My expertise as a Mom hasn't gone much past changing diapers, ok? I've not dealt with adolescent problems, or anything like that, so bare with me, ok?"
Chris didn't answer, just looked at her with shimmering eyes, "Ok…" She took a deep breath in and looked at her youngest son, "What you did saved the world, Chris. I don't know what Wyatt would have done with that Sword, and quite honestly I don't want to think about it, but from what you've told me of the future that could have happened here. You're a hero, Chris, you really are…"
"Yeah, well… Heroism sucks, ok?" He turned back to the window again.
"I know it hurts… And I know that it won't stop hurting… But you vanquished a great evil. And you don't need to feel bad because of that…"
"It actually hurts… I can't believe what I did… I killed him, Mom…"
"But you had to. Had there been another way you would have found it… But now you," She put her hand on her stomach, "And your brother can enjoy the future together, it's like a fresh start…" She crossed the room to sit down next to Chris, and he moved his sock-clad feet to make room.
She took his arm and stoked it gently with her thumb, watching a watery smile creep across his face, "You used to do that to me when I was little," he whispered, closing his eyes to squeeze back tears.
"Yeah?"
"Yup," Chris replied in conformation, "And it used to send me right off to sleep…"
"Thanks for the tip," Piper said, hugging him. They were silent for a few moments, enjoying the comfort. "Now," Piper said briskly, "Want some hot chocolate?"
Chris grinned slightly, "Yeah, thanks," Piper left the room, turning the lights out so Chris could watch the storm. The trees outside were swaying violently now, groaning as the wind tried to tear them from the ground. Chris swung his legs back up onto the seat again and sighed.
Whatever Piper said, it didn't make it right, nothing could justify murder. Nothing. He had sunk as low as Wyatt, and hated to admit it. Forked lightning tore across the sky again, frying a metal electricity box on a utility pole. A huge spray of sparks shot into the air and all of the lights in the street went out.
He held out his hand and a box of matches and a thick white candle flew threw the air. He caught them, struck a match and put the light on the end table beside him. The small orange sphere dipped and wavered in a draught.
A powerful beam of a flashlight cut through the darkness onto his face, blue with brightness. He hissed in pain as his pupils shrunk, shielding his face with his hands.
"Sorry," Piper said sheepishly, pointing the beam to the floor and setting a mug down on the table next to the candle.
"'S'ok…" Chris assured her, seeing spots dance in front of his vision.
"I just put new batteries in… I guess they're a little powerful, huh?"
Chris nodded and looked down at his mug, "Do we have any marshmallows?"
"Marshmallows?" Piper echoed.
"Yeah, little white things that float in your drink?"
"Hey, I know what they are. Whether we have any or not…" She left the attic again, leaving Chris shielding the candle with his hand.
"Marshmallows?" Piper repeated, holding her flashlight between her teeth and standing on tiptoe to rummage through the cupboard, "That kid will be the death of me… and of himself…" He fingers brushed a packet and she tugged on it, pulling down a packet of marshmallows. Triumphantly she split the packet open and grabbed a few, popping them into her mouth.
She began the climb to the attic, but when she got there all she saw was a single blue orb disappearing rapidly from her sight and the steaming and untouched mug of drink left abandoned on the table.
Chris immediately grabbed one of the huge suspension wires to stop himself being blown off the bridge. The wind was blowing a gale up here… He pulled his jacket tighter around him and huddled down, using a metal girder as slight shelter.
The rain drove down onto him and within minutes he was completely soaked, drenched to the skin. His jeans were sticking to him in large, wet clumps and his hair was plastered to his head and face. He squinted through the drops gathered on his eyelashes and felt water trickle down the back of his neck.
Suddenly he sprang up from his shelter and was caught in a vicious gust of wind, leaving him barely able to hold on. Still the storm raged, and the headlights of the cars below were blurred as they sped home through the weather.
Lightning shot through the sky and Chris threw up both of his arms, allowing rain to run down his sleeves. He tilted his head backwards, allowing the heavy rain to thunder across his features, lowering his arms.
Slowly the storm ceased, and the rain decreased slightly, allowing him a better view of the city. Half the lights were out, he noted. Probably still a blackout. A wind lifted sopping tendrils of hair slightly, and for the first time goose bumps raced up and down his body.
He looked to the sky, where the clouds were slowly thinning out to reveal dotted stars, "I'm sorry Wyatt…" He murmured, watching the moon slowly creep into view. "I'll always love you…"
At home he knew Piper would be frantic, and when he got there she would reheat his drink and grab him a blanket. Smiling slightly at the thought of a warm bed after all of the day's events, he orbed away, leaving the tallest pillar empty.