Chris was with the sisters when they attacked the Lorkoth demons. The group of demons was the start of a demon nests that gotten quite troublesome in the future and Chris had used his knowledge to help the girls plan out the attack. Unfortunately his knowledge was a bit off.
Since Chris's knowledge of the nest was 20 years out of date, he had underestimated their strength. Apparently the nest had banded together with another as the Charmed ones were taking out lots of demons offensively rather then defensively like they had in the past.
Chris and the girls were barely holding their own using potion and powers. There was a bit of struggle as the Charmed Ones were down one member since Piper wasn't told about the vanquish in trying to protect her and baby Chris.
The fight took a quick turn when, in a flurry of lights, so reminiscent of another white-lighter's arrival, a blonde woman appeared with a big sword.
She swung the sword, cutting in half a Lorkoth demon that was poised to kill Chris. With a step turn, she whirled, trying to catch another of the over-whelming Lorkoth demons. Once she was in a defensive position, she tossed her sword to Chris and withdrew another sword from a scabbard on her side. This one was a bit shorter but wider and she handled it beautifully as she attacked the demons. Chris, himself was not idle. He used his longer sword to cut a path thru the demons to his aunts, taking out one that was threatening Phoebe. The swords seemed as if they were a natural part of the two white lighters as they swung in graceful arcs, usually ending a demon apiece with each swing.
Phoebe was impressed as she saw her nephew swing his sword in a cross arc, cutting a demon across the chest. It stumbled away before going up in a pillar of flames. Of course, Chris was already attacking the next one, going onto bended knee and using the sword one handed to cut the legs out from under another demon. He used his momentum from that swing to do a standing turn move that brought the sword across his body.
On the other side of the fight, Paige was getting an eyeful of the stranger. It was obvious that she knew how to fight with a sword, her hands moving in a complex pattern as the steel wove it self in deadly patterns. Her feet were light as she danced around the demons, ducking attacks and killing her opponents.
With the arrival of the stranger and the sword work of the two, the Lorkoth demons were easily vanquished. Paige and Phoebe throwing the last of their potions to take out the stragglers. Of course, the excitement didn't end there. The stranger, still swinging her sword in graceful arcs, turned and thrust the sword... straight into Chris's gut.
"Oh my god! Chris!" Phoebe, who was closer, ran to her nephew, ready to attack the stranger.
"LEO!" Paige screamed, going after the stranger as well but hitting an invisible barrier.
Both the sisters stood in shock when they realized they couldn't help their nephew. Their shock quickly turned into puzzlement when they realized that Chris had his hand up and was the one putting up the barrier. They were doubly shocked when Chris smiled, trying not to laugh. The stranger had pretty much given up all pretences and was giggling.
"Bitch," Chris spurted out to the stranger.
"Bastard," she spurted back.
"Tramp."
"Tool."
"White trash."
"Tranny."
"Dyke!"
The stranger took a breath, her smile devilish as she said her next insult, "Lover."
Chris opened his mouth to counter but came up blank as the name penetrated his brain. He stood there shocked for a moment as he contemplated what she said. Indignant, he pushed her, sending her back a couple steps and the sword coming out of his gut as if it was never there.
"Hey, you cheated. I win. You can't use non-insult words."
"Oh, I don't think so. Rules were set up in May 19th of 2016 so this little match pre-dates the rules so the rules are exempt. This is my win," she said triumphantly as she wiped down her sword before sheathing it.
Chris just laughed before pulling the stranger into his arms for a big hug. "Gods, sis, I've missed you," he squeezed tighter as she returned the hug herself, standing on her toes to burry her head in his shoulder.
"I know, big brother. When the timelines started changing and started taking you with it, reading about your death. Well, I just about lost all hope. Please, never do that to me again. Promise me you won't die."
"I'd do anything for you, Alex. Anything."
The two aunts, listening to the conversation started getting excited, like school girls with a secret. Chris had called the stranger sister.
She had the same green eyes as him though her hair was a sun-bleach blonde that both knew occurred naturally. It was almost white, it was so blonde. She had a thin frame but the aunts could tell it was more due to the lack of food then heredity. The stranger's eyes looked a bit sunken and blue, like she hadn't gotten sleep in a while. She also looked like she'd crawled thru the dirt. Her clothes were patched and ragged and her hair was in a frizzy braid that desperately needed a good washing and good combing. She was wearing a pair of khaki pants and a tattered skirt with buttons and safety pins along the edges. She had on a light brown, long sleeved shirt which was rolled up to her elbows with a poncho over the shirt. Under the poncho was a tell tale bulge of a back pack. Her shoes were something like Keds but had layers of multi-colored duct tape holding them together. She was also pale skinned and wore fingerless gloves.
The aunts immediately felt for her, knowing that her future was a hard one. They were desperate to take their visiting-from-the-future niece home and mother her appropriately.
"Oooh, she orbed, did you see that, Paige, she orbed!" Phoebe squealed excitedly as she ran to the embracing siblings and hugged them tight. "And she has Leo's hair. Leo and Piper are getting back together!"
"Yeah, Paige," Leo said, orbing in. He took a look around, trying to figure out who he was supposed to heal and was confused at the hug pile Chris and the girls had become.
"Niece, visiting, saved us, hugs," Phoebe babbled, pulling her brother in law into the hug as well.
"Oooh, can't breathe," Alex said before orbing herself out of the pile. The sudden loss of mass caused everyone to fall over onto each other. Alex laughed at the spectacle they made from a few paces away.
"I'll have to remember that one," Paige mumbled to herself, following Alex's example and orbing her self out of the mess. Leo and Chris, instead of orbing, straightened up and helped steady each other.
Phoebe bounced over to Alex, pulling her arm into hers then grabbed Paige's arm. "Come on, back to the manor, cosmic taxi. I want to sit down with my niece and hear all the good stuff." The trio orbed out with the two remaining white lighters not far behind.
Chris was positively giddy and as happy as Phoebe with Alex. He was so excited to see her that he could hardly contain himself. In fact, he had to orb himself back to the scene of the vanquish to get the sword. In the mean time, the two sisters were going a mile a minute, asking Alex everything about the future and why she was there.
"How do Leo and Piper get back together? What's the future like? Are you here to save Wyatt too? What am I like in the future? Who am I going to marry? How many kids?"
"Whoa, one at a time. There isn't much about the future I can tell you. Future secret stuff but I can tell you that I came here to save Chris which is quite a switch for us. He's usually pulling my bacon out of the fire."
"Not hardly. You've saved my life plenty. So sis, how long are you going to be here? I want to hear about everything that's happened, what's going on."
Phoebe bounced happily as Chris's question, smiling brightly at Leo.
"Oh don't worry, big brother; I'll get you up to speed. And I can't stay long. Time paradox and everything. I had to get a few strings pulled, quite literally, to get here."
"You can fill him in later, but first answer my question. Do Leo and Piper get back together? How?" Phoebe bounced in anticipation.
Alex looked pained at Chris. "Um... I don't know... I..."
"We can't tell you that. It could change things."
"Damn, I was hoping your sister; your BABY sister wouldn't be as tight lipped as you are. But since you have a BABY sister there must be hope."
Light dawned in Chris and Alex's eyes.
"Um," Chris hesitated. He really didn't want to break their bubble but he felt he had to be honest with them. "Sister is an honorary title. Alex, you see, is my best friend while growing up. We were insepritable. She's more of my foster sister," Chris added, hoping that saying that wouldn't uncover any memories that Leo might still posses. Alex really was his foster sister but they didn't need to know that.
"But she orbs, like a white lighter," Paige pointed out.
"Oh, no, I didn't orb. I teleported. Totally different," Alex said offhandedly as he picked up the fake Styrofoam fruit from the bowl and took a big bite out of it. She looked at it oddly before resuming her chewing and proceeded to eat the rest of the fake pear.
"Uh, Chris, is she all right?" Phoebe directed Chris's attention towards Alex as she took a seat in the sunroom.
"Oh crap!" Chris quickly picked up a couple of flowering plants within Alex's arm reach and relocated them onto the outside porch. "Alex, these plants are for later, harvest time. No eating the flowers, Piper would kill me."
The aunts and Leo looked at each other confused. Paige said a quick spell, turning the fake fruit into a real pear. Alex only paused as she noticed the change before resuming her snack.
After having moved the plants, Chris came back in and sat down next to Alex, pulling her into a hug and giving her hair a rub. She didn't appreciate the knuckle rub and pushed him away, laughing.
"Stop messing with my hair, you big goof."
"Goddess, I missed you Alex. How are the cousins?"
"Good. We got a new sanctuary set up last week and found a great place for a new den. Really safe. I set up some great wards before I left."
"Cousins?" Phoebe asked hopefully, thinking of her vision.
"Honorary. I have a huge surrogate family in the future. We're all pretty much orphans or our families are missing."
"Yeah, we call all within the order cousin. We reserve brother, sister, uncle, aunt and child to those we are close to. Or those who we call such out of respect."
"Order? You've mentioned something about this order before, Chris, but you never filled us in on the details."
Alex slapped Chris as he sheepishly ducked his head. "You can't mean that you haven't told them?"
"Why should I? It's not like it means something... err means something in this time."
"Chris! You should have told them. It's something to be proud of."
"Oh, yeah, be proud that I keep people homeless and outcasts. Proud that I teach children how to fight and die. Yeah, proud that I put my friends and cousins in danger. Proud that I couldn't protect you." Chris said the last in a soft whisper, pulling away from Alex. "It's nothing to be proud of. It's a curse that I put on some people. I have as much blood on my hands because of it as my brother Wyatt has."
Chris had gotten up to leave but Leo blocked his exit. "What do you mean? You've done so much good here, taken so many risks to help your brother. You have a good heart, I won't believe evil in you."
"Then you still keep yourself blind to me as you've always done. I'm evil too, just not maliciously so."
"Chris! Don't say that of yourself!" Alex turned Chris around and directed his gaze into hers. Chris could not face her, closing his eyes as tears fell. "Look at me, please?"
Chris tried to tear himself away from Alex but she would not let him go. "Chris, I love you but you're being a buffoon. I know you think the Knights of the Wandering Claddaug was a child's game gone horribly awry but its not and to say that it is, well, it cheapens everything we've done, everything we've fought for. The order, our knights have given hope where none could be had. You've created an army out of refugees. It is something to be proud of."
Chris leaned into her, resting their foreheads together.
"We stand beside you because we believe in you."
"You stand beside me because you don't know of anyplace else to stand and they die or get hurt because of it. You can't deny the truth."
Alex sighed in frustration, "We stand beside you because it's the right thing to do. We stand beside you and fight together, stronger then if we were alone. There are other places we could be, at Wyatt's side, at Paris's side, or refugees in the wastelands. We stand and fight because we know what is right and we fight for that. But this fear, this doubt inside you, is this what inspired you to try this?"
Chris couldn't answer. Traveling in time to save Wyatt which would erase his whole future was a coward's decision. He could not watch those who he had sworn to protect die. He could not stand to see them hurt and captured and tortured, like he had with Alex. He could not face his time and their fight anymore so he'd escaped into the past. He was totally willing to sacrifice his life and being to protect those he cherished.
"I don't understand, Chris?" one of the aunts said.
"I'm a coward. Here I only have to watch and help 4 people who are more then capable of taking care of themselves. I abandoned my family and left them to fend for themselves. I am a coward," Chris orbed out.
Leo was about to orb out when Alex stopped him. "Go check with the elders, see if I can stay. I need to talk to him alone." She orbed out after her best friend, knowing where he had gone. She knew that Chris wouldn't want Leo knowing about that spot.
He was right where she thought he'd be. The secret spot that he and Bianca shared. Alex sat next to him on the bench, staying silent as they contemplated the perfect ness of the spot in this time.
It was filled with bird song and flowers, something that would disappear in a few years. They sat silently for a long while until the silence was pressing into Chris so much he had to speak.
"I only hurt those I love."
"No, you give them love. Hurst is just a part of the world. No way in avoiding it. The only thing you can avoid is love but then, that's the root of all evil and why Wyatt turned. But you will save him because you love him."
"No, I won't. I'll save him because there is nothing else to do," Chris turned to Alex, his eyes anxious for her to understand. He cupped her check, handling her like crystal. "I am a coward and you can't say otherwise. I left because I couldn't stand to see you die. I failed you and you got hurt. I failed Bianca and she died."
Alex tried to interrupt but Chris shushed her.
"I promised mom when she died that I'd protect you, protect my baby sister but I failed. I left you behind, defenseless for Wyatt's troops. And when I found out, I panicked. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't move, I couldn't breath, I couldn't do a thing and Wyatt's demons tortured you because I couldn't. I was supposed to protect you and keep you safe but I failed."
"Chris, why didn't you tell me this before? I never blamed you, I can't blame you. You were not responsible..."
"I am responsible..."
"No, you are not. Chris, when they attacked, I froze." They sat silently for a minute while Chris absorbed this new news.
"I don't understand?"
"Big brother, I froze. I couldn't move or fight or raise the alarm. I just stood there watching. If it weren't for Walsh, I would have died. It was my fault I got captured. I am the one to blame. I didn't do a damn thing when they attacked. I just stood there and watched, watched while they were slaughtered." Alex had started to shake at her revelation, filed with fear and dread. Chris held her close on the bench while she cried, tears falling from his eyes as well.
He whispered he was sorry and while Alex wanted to say that he had nothing to be sorry about, she knew that it would ring hollow in his ears. He'd always blame himself. There was no one but him who could give him forgiveness.
After a while, their tears stopped and Chris dug out a napkin from his pocket. He wiped her eyes and held it to her nose, telling her to blow. Alex rolled her eyes at him before obeying. They sat in silence, close to each other and reconnecting.
They had been friends for so long that there was no problem in sitting and listening to the world. After a while, a butterfly flew into the garden, landing brightly on a flower.
"Look," Chris whispered, pointing out the butterfly. Alex's eyes lit up with glee as she watched it, flittering from one flower to another before flying away.
"Oh, how beautiful. I haven't seen a butterfly in ages."
"We can wait around and see more. They have lots of them in this time. And honey bees and other bugs too."
Alex bumped Chris, smirking, "No wonder you and Bianca spent so much time here."
Chris blushed.
"This is a special spot. Where you and Bianca had your first date. Where you and Bianca lost your virginity together," Alex teased. Chris blushed even redder.
"I didn't..."
"Hush, lover, let a girl pretend. Best friend's privilege and all that."
"You take too many privileges of me, Alex."
"And are you really complaining? Fate brought us together, best friends for life. And when Piper adopted me, actually making me into your sister instead of it being just pretend, that was Fate laughing with us. I owe her a lot. She gave me a family, a real family, not just a foster home with siblings who were siblings just because they just happened to be in the same group home. Because of you I had a mom and dad for a few years. I have a big brother and a bigger brother and aunts and uncles. A grandpa even! I'll take as many privileges I can get."
Chris turned to Alex, drawing her gaze to his, cupping her cheek and stroking her soft skin. He had missed his friend, his sister, and companion. He tilted Alex's face up and kissed her lips lightly.
"I think you take privileges of me," Alex whispered against his lips when they parted.
Chris gave his Cheshire cat look that clearly said, 'like I'd do anything else,' and lightly kissed her again.
It was a whisper of lips, a soft kiss but Alex felt as if she was the most treasured in the world. She'd missed her friend, the boy into whose house she'd been adopted into. And apparently Chris had missed her, missed her greatly. It was strange to be kissed by him but felt so right. They belonged to each other, by each other's side and it was only coincidence that they were sexually compatible. Of course it was also strange to be kissed so intimately, so cherished. It felt like a betrayal of Bianca, her friend.
Alex pulled away.
Chris let the kiss end but pulled Alex into his arms, pulling her close to him so that he could feel her warmth and make sure she was real. Alex snuggled into his protective embrace. She would not betray her friend but she still needed her big brother's strength.
They watched the garden and flowers, butterflies and bees late into the day until the shadows grew long and they had to return to the manor.
Since Chris's knowledge of the nest was 20 years out of date, he had underestimated their strength. Apparently the nest had banded together with another as the Charmed ones were taking out lots of demons offensively rather then defensively like they had in the past.
Chris and the girls were barely holding their own using potion and powers. There was a bit of struggle as the Charmed Ones were down one member since Piper wasn't told about the vanquish in trying to protect her and baby Chris.
The fight took a quick turn when, in a flurry of lights, so reminiscent of another white-lighter's arrival, a blonde woman appeared with a big sword.
She swung the sword, cutting in half a Lorkoth demon that was poised to kill Chris. With a step turn, she whirled, trying to catch another of the over-whelming Lorkoth demons. Once she was in a defensive position, she tossed her sword to Chris and withdrew another sword from a scabbard on her side. This one was a bit shorter but wider and she handled it beautifully as she attacked the demons. Chris, himself was not idle. He used his longer sword to cut a path thru the demons to his aunts, taking out one that was threatening Phoebe. The swords seemed as if they were a natural part of the two white lighters as they swung in graceful arcs, usually ending a demon apiece with each swing.
Phoebe was impressed as she saw her nephew swing his sword in a cross arc, cutting a demon across the chest. It stumbled away before going up in a pillar of flames. Of course, Chris was already attacking the next one, going onto bended knee and using the sword one handed to cut the legs out from under another demon. He used his momentum from that swing to do a standing turn move that brought the sword across his body.
On the other side of the fight, Paige was getting an eyeful of the stranger. It was obvious that she knew how to fight with a sword, her hands moving in a complex pattern as the steel wove it self in deadly patterns. Her feet were light as she danced around the demons, ducking attacks and killing her opponents.
With the arrival of the stranger and the sword work of the two, the Lorkoth demons were easily vanquished. Paige and Phoebe throwing the last of their potions to take out the stragglers. Of course, the excitement didn't end there. The stranger, still swinging her sword in graceful arcs, turned and thrust the sword... straight into Chris's gut.
"Oh my god! Chris!" Phoebe, who was closer, ran to her nephew, ready to attack the stranger.
"LEO!" Paige screamed, going after the stranger as well but hitting an invisible barrier.
Both the sisters stood in shock when they realized they couldn't help their nephew. Their shock quickly turned into puzzlement when they realized that Chris had his hand up and was the one putting up the barrier. They were doubly shocked when Chris smiled, trying not to laugh. The stranger had pretty much given up all pretences and was giggling.
"Bitch," Chris spurted out to the stranger.
"Bastard," she spurted back.
"Tramp."
"Tool."
"White trash."
"Tranny."
"Dyke!"
The stranger took a breath, her smile devilish as she said her next insult, "Lover."
Chris opened his mouth to counter but came up blank as the name penetrated his brain. He stood there shocked for a moment as he contemplated what she said. Indignant, he pushed her, sending her back a couple steps and the sword coming out of his gut as if it was never there.
"Hey, you cheated. I win. You can't use non-insult words."
"Oh, I don't think so. Rules were set up in May 19th of 2016 so this little match pre-dates the rules so the rules are exempt. This is my win," she said triumphantly as she wiped down her sword before sheathing it.
Chris just laughed before pulling the stranger into his arms for a big hug. "Gods, sis, I've missed you," he squeezed tighter as she returned the hug herself, standing on her toes to burry her head in his shoulder.
"I know, big brother. When the timelines started changing and started taking you with it, reading about your death. Well, I just about lost all hope. Please, never do that to me again. Promise me you won't die."
"I'd do anything for you, Alex. Anything."
The two aunts, listening to the conversation started getting excited, like school girls with a secret. Chris had called the stranger sister.
She had the same green eyes as him though her hair was a sun-bleach blonde that both knew occurred naturally. It was almost white, it was so blonde. She had a thin frame but the aunts could tell it was more due to the lack of food then heredity. The stranger's eyes looked a bit sunken and blue, like she hadn't gotten sleep in a while. She also looked like she'd crawled thru the dirt. Her clothes were patched and ragged and her hair was in a frizzy braid that desperately needed a good washing and good combing. She was wearing a pair of khaki pants and a tattered skirt with buttons and safety pins along the edges. She had on a light brown, long sleeved shirt which was rolled up to her elbows with a poncho over the shirt. Under the poncho was a tell tale bulge of a back pack. Her shoes were something like Keds but had layers of multi-colored duct tape holding them together. She was also pale skinned and wore fingerless gloves.
The aunts immediately felt for her, knowing that her future was a hard one. They were desperate to take their visiting-from-the-future niece home and mother her appropriately.
"Oooh, she orbed, did you see that, Paige, she orbed!" Phoebe squealed excitedly as she ran to the embracing siblings and hugged them tight. "And she has Leo's hair. Leo and Piper are getting back together!"
"Yeah, Paige," Leo said, orbing in. He took a look around, trying to figure out who he was supposed to heal and was confused at the hug pile Chris and the girls had become.
"Niece, visiting, saved us, hugs," Phoebe babbled, pulling her brother in law into the hug as well.
"Oooh, can't breathe," Alex said before orbing herself out of the pile. The sudden loss of mass caused everyone to fall over onto each other. Alex laughed at the spectacle they made from a few paces away.
"I'll have to remember that one," Paige mumbled to herself, following Alex's example and orbing her self out of the mess. Leo and Chris, instead of orbing, straightened up and helped steady each other.
Phoebe bounced over to Alex, pulling her arm into hers then grabbed Paige's arm. "Come on, back to the manor, cosmic taxi. I want to sit down with my niece and hear all the good stuff." The trio orbed out with the two remaining white lighters not far behind.
Chris was positively giddy and as happy as Phoebe with Alex. He was so excited to see her that he could hardly contain himself. In fact, he had to orb himself back to the scene of the vanquish to get the sword. In the mean time, the two sisters were going a mile a minute, asking Alex everything about the future and why she was there.
"How do Leo and Piper get back together? What's the future like? Are you here to save Wyatt too? What am I like in the future? Who am I going to marry? How many kids?"
"Whoa, one at a time. There isn't much about the future I can tell you. Future secret stuff but I can tell you that I came here to save Chris which is quite a switch for us. He's usually pulling my bacon out of the fire."
"Not hardly. You've saved my life plenty. So sis, how long are you going to be here? I want to hear about everything that's happened, what's going on."
Phoebe bounced happily as Chris's question, smiling brightly at Leo.
"Oh don't worry, big brother; I'll get you up to speed. And I can't stay long. Time paradox and everything. I had to get a few strings pulled, quite literally, to get here."
"You can fill him in later, but first answer my question. Do Leo and Piper get back together? How?" Phoebe bounced in anticipation.
Alex looked pained at Chris. "Um... I don't know... I..."
"We can't tell you that. It could change things."
"Damn, I was hoping your sister; your BABY sister wouldn't be as tight lipped as you are. But since you have a BABY sister there must be hope."
Light dawned in Chris and Alex's eyes.
"Um," Chris hesitated. He really didn't want to break their bubble but he felt he had to be honest with them. "Sister is an honorary title. Alex, you see, is my best friend while growing up. We were insepritable. She's more of my foster sister," Chris added, hoping that saying that wouldn't uncover any memories that Leo might still posses. Alex really was his foster sister but they didn't need to know that.
"But she orbs, like a white lighter," Paige pointed out.
"Oh, no, I didn't orb. I teleported. Totally different," Alex said offhandedly as he picked up the fake Styrofoam fruit from the bowl and took a big bite out of it. She looked at it oddly before resuming her chewing and proceeded to eat the rest of the fake pear.
"Uh, Chris, is she all right?" Phoebe directed Chris's attention towards Alex as she took a seat in the sunroom.
"Oh crap!" Chris quickly picked up a couple of flowering plants within Alex's arm reach and relocated them onto the outside porch. "Alex, these plants are for later, harvest time. No eating the flowers, Piper would kill me."
The aunts and Leo looked at each other confused. Paige said a quick spell, turning the fake fruit into a real pear. Alex only paused as she noticed the change before resuming her snack.
After having moved the plants, Chris came back in and sat down next to Alex, pulling her into a hug and giving her hair a rub. She didn't appreciate the knuckle rub and pushed him away, laughing.
"Stop messing with my hair, you big goof."
"Goddess, I missed you Alex. How are the cousins?"
"Good. We got a new sanctuary set up last week and found a great place for a new den. Really safe. I set up some great wards before I left."
"Cousins?" Phoebe asked hopefully, thinking of her vision.
"Honorary. I have a huge surrogate family in the future. We're all pretty much orphans or our families are missing."
"Yeah, we call all within the order cousin. We reserve brother, sister, uncle, aunt and child to those we are close to. Or those who we call such out of respect."
"Order? You've mentioned something about this order before, Chris, but you never filled us in on the details."
Alex slapped Chris as he sheepishly ducked his head. "You can't mean that you haven't told them?"
"Why should I? It's not like it means something... err means something in this time."
"Chris! You should have told them. It's something to be proud of."
"Oh, yeah, be proud that I keep people homeless and outcasts. Proud that I teach children how to fight and die. Yeah, proud that I put my friends and cousins in danger. Proud that I couldn't protect you." Chris said the last in a soft whisper, pulling away from Alex. "It's nothing to be proud of. It's a curse that I put on some people. I have as much blood on my hands because of it as my brother Wyatt has."
Chris had gotten up to leave but Leo blocked his exit. "What do you mean? You've done so much good here, taken so many risks to help your brother. You have a good heart, I won't believe evil in you."
"Then you still keep yourself blind to me as you've always done. I'm evil too, just not maliciously so."
"Chris! Don't say that of yourself!" Alex turned Chris around and directed his gaze into hers. Chris could not face her, closing his eyes as tears fell. "Look at me, please?"
Chris tried to tear himself away from Alex but she would not let him go. "Chris, I love you but you're being a buffoon. I know you think the Knights of the Wandering Claddaug was a child's game gone horribly awry but its not and to say that it is, well, it cheapens everything we've done, everything we've fought for. The order, our knights have given hope where none could be had. You've created an army out of refugees. It is something to be proud of."
Chris leaned into her, resting their foreheads together.
"We stand beside you because we believe in you."
"You stand beside me because you don't know of anyplace else to stand and they die or get hurt because of it. You can't deny the truth."
Alex sighed in frustration, "We stand beside you because it's the right thing to do. We stand beside you and fight together, stronger then if we were alone. There are other places we could be, at Wyatt's side, at Paris's side, or refugees in the wastelands. We stand and fight because we know what is right and we fight for that. But this fear, this doubt inside you, is this what inspired you to try this?"
Chris couldn't answer. Traveling in time to save Wyatt which would erase his whole future was a coward's decision. He could not watch those who he had sworn to protect die. He could not stand to see them hurt and captured and tortured, like he had with Alex. He could not face his time and their fight anymore so he'd escaped into the past. He was totally willing to sacrifice his life and being to protect those he cherished.
"I don't understand, Chris?" one of the aunts said.
"I'm a coward. Here I only have to watch and help 4 people who are more then capable of taking care of themselves. I abandoned my family and left them to fend for themselves. I am a coward," Chris orbed out.
Leo was about to orb out when Alex stopped him. "Go check with the elders, see if I can stay. I need to talk to him alone." She orbed out after her best friend, knowing where he had gone. She knew that Chris wouldn't want Leo knowing about that spot.
He was right where she thought he'd be. The secret spot that he and Bianca shared. Alex sat next to him on the bench, staying silent as they contemplated the perfect ness of the spot in this time.
It was filled with bird song and flowers, something that would disappear in a few years. They sat silently for a long while until the silence was pressing into Chris so much he had to speak.
"I only hurt those I love."
"No, you give them love. Hurst is just a part of the world. No way in avoiding it. The only thing you can avoid is love but then, that's the root of all evil and why Wyatt turned. But you will save him because you love him."
"No, I won't. I'll save him because there is nothing else to do," Chris turned to Alex, his eyes anxious for her to understand. He cupped her check, handling her like crystal. "I am a coward and you can't say otherwise. I left because I couldn't stand to see you die. I failed you and you got hurt. I failed Bianca and she died."
Alex tried to interrupt but Chris shushed her.
"I promised mom when she died that I'd protect you, protect my baby sister but I failed. I left you behind, defenseless for Wyatt's troops. And when I found out, I panicked. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't move, I couldn't breath, I couldn't do a thing and Wyatt's demons tortured you because I couldn't. I was supposed to protect you and keep you safe but I failed."
"Chris, why didn't you tell me this before? I never blamed you, I can't blame you. You were not responsible..."
"I am responsible..."
"No, you are not. Chris, when they attacked, I froze." They sat silently for a minute while Chris absorbed this new news.
"I don't understand?"
"Big brother, I froze. I couldn't move or fight or raise the alarm. I just stood there watching. If it weren't for Walsh, I would have died. It was my fault I got captured. I am the one to blame. I didn't do a damn thing when they attacked. I just stood there and watched, watched while they were slaughtered." Alex had started to shake at her revelation, filed with fear and dread. Chris held her close on the bench while she cried, tears falling from his eyes as well.
He whispered he was sorry and while Alex wanted to say that he had nothing to be sorry about, she knew that it would ring hollow in his ears. He'd always blame himself. There was no one but him who could give him forgiveness.
After a while, their tears stopped and Chris dug out a napkin from his pocket. He wiped her eyes and held it to her nose, telling her to blow. Alex rolled her eyes at him before obeying. They sat in silence, close to each other and reconnecting.
They had been friends for so long that there was no problem in sitting and listening to the world. After a while, a butterfly flew into the garden, landing brightly on a flower.
"Look," Chris whispered, pointing out the butterfly. Alex's eyes lit up with glee as she watched it, flittering from one flower to another before flying away.
"Oh, how beautiful. I haven't seen a butterfly in ages."
"We can wait around and see more. They have lots of them in this time. And honey bees and other bugs too."
Alex bumped Chris, smirking, "No wonder you and Bianca spent so much time here."
Chris blushed.
"This is a special spot. Where you and Bianca had your first date. Where you and Bianca lost your virginity together," Alex teased. Chris blushed even redder.
"I didn't..."
"Hush, lover, let a girl pretend. Best friend's privilege and all that."
"You take too many privileges of me, Alex."
"And are you really complaining? Fate brought us together, best friends for life. And when Piper adopted me, actually making me into your sister instead of it being just pretend, that was Fate laughing with us. I owe her a lot. She gave me a family, a real family, not just a foster home with siblings who were siblings just because they just happened to be in the same group home. Because of you I had a mom and dad for a few years. I have a big brother and a bigger brother and aunts and uncles. A grandpa even! I'll take as many privileges I can get."
Chris turned to Alex, drawing her gaze to his, cupping her cheek and stroking her soft skin. He had missed his friend, his sister, and companion. He tilted Alex's face up and kissed her lips lightly.
"I think you take privileges of me," Alex whispered against his lips when they parted.
Chris gave his Cheshire cat look that clearly said, 'like I'd do anything else,' and lightly kissed her again.
It was a whisper of lips, a soft kiss but Alex felt as if she was the most treasured in the world. She'd missed her friend, the boy into whose house she'd been adopted into. And apparently Chris had missed her, missed her greatly. It was strange to be kissed by him but felt so right. They belonged to each other, by each other's side and it was only coincidence that they were sexually compatible. Of course it was also strange to be kissed so intimately, so cherished. It felt like a betrayal of Bianca, her friend.
Alex pulled away.
Chris let the kiss end but pulled Alex into his arms, pulling her close to him so that he could feel her warmth and make sure she was real. Alex snuggled into his protective embrace. She would not betray her friend but she still needed her big brother's strength.
They watched the garden and flowers, butterflies and bees late into the day until the shadows grew long and they had to return to the manor.
