This Changes Everything

Summary:

It's the new future where things are better. Wyatt isn't evil. The Charmed Ones aren't dead. Magic isn't exposed to the world. Things are all fine and dandy, right? Wrong. At least for fourteen-year old Chris Halliwell. Wyatt is being pampered like a little prince while Chris stands in the backround. It's all about Wyatt. And then there is always being compared to the "Great Chris" who had changed the future for the better. What happens when all of this along with a few new things pushes Chris over the edge?

Disclaimer: Charmed is not mine. It belongs to a whole bunch of people with a lot of money who I don't feel like naming.

A/N: Sorry for spelling and grammar errors. I'm not the best at English.

Chapter 14

Chris was in the car, with Paige driving. She was taking him to soccer practice. The car ride was very silent.

It had been a week since the Incident. That's what Chris called it now. He didn't want to think about it, but he always did. Whenever he did, he would push away his family. And unfortunately, that was all the time. It seemed that Paige was the only one who could break through his barrier.

Paige cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "You know Chris,"she said quietly,"you should be nicer to your family."

Chris turned his head. "I can't!"he exclaimed. "I can't face them anymore,"he said softly.

Paige sighed. "You should try. They love you."

"Do they?"Chris asked quietly. "What about those fourteen long years where I was always pushed aside for Wyatt? The past events have opened their eyes, but soon they are going to go back to Wyatt. It'll always be like it."

Paige didn't want to admit that she thought the same.

Chris smiled softly. "See?"he asked. "You think the same way as I do."

Paige pulled into the parking lot. "Here you go kiddo,"she said.

Chris grinned and took his bag from the back of Paige's car. "Thanks,"he said. He started to get out of the car and then faced his aunt again. "Sometimes I just wished that I could get away from it all." He closed the door and walked off.

Paige was getting irritated. She was noticing new things all the time now. After her talk with Chris yesterday, her eyes seemed to open. She seemed to notice the tension between her family and Chris. Of course, she noticed it before, but she noticed it even more.

Piper, Leo, Phoebe, and Wyatt constantly tried to talk to Chris, but he would push them away. Then they would stop trying and then start to try again. There was just so much tension in the air in the house.

Demon attacks were a pain as well. The family who was once a great team, were now awkward around each other. Too many times did one of the witches get hurt or did the demon get away.

Paige shook her head as she watched Piper try to make Chris eat his breakfast before school. She watched Chris turn his head down and go inside his shell again. She watched Piper try one last time before she turned her attention to Wyatt.

Later that day, Leo said that he was going to take Wyatt for his training. Leo turned to Chris and asked the boy if he wanted to go as well, but Chris said no. Leo kept on pressing Chris, and Chris orbed out to avoid his father. Leo then sighed and disappeared with Wyatt.

Phoebe and Wyatt were no different. Phoebe had come over for dinner and asked Chris if he wanted to talk with her about anything. Chris quickly shook his head and started to look at his plate intensely. Wyatt tried to coax Chris into watching tv with him, but hisyounger brother said no and ran off.

Paige watched all of this with a bad feeling in her stomach. Her family would be the death of her beloved nephew. He would do something rash and stupid only hurting himself in the end.

Paige was going to help Chris, and she knew what it had to be.

Chris sat in Magic School listening to Paige talk about rituals. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to be at home. But his Mom told him that he had to go. Chris didn't want to come because Harry was there.

Harry had been told what Chris had done to him, and Harry was a bit peeved about it. But after Chris' sincere apologies and Paige's explanation of what happened, he had forgiven Chris. This made Chris feel like he was unworthy. He always was unworthy. He just wanted to crawl up and die.

"So I want you guys to write a paper on the Tralonshine Ritual,"Paige declared. "It's due Monday."

Chris stood up and yawned. "That was pretty boring,"he said.

Harry who had heard him agreed,"Yes it was."

Chris' heart panged with the familiar feeling of guilt and hurt. He turned away from Harry.

Harry sighed. "Can you just stop sulking?"he asked. "I forgave you!"

Chris turned around and shrugged. "It's just that everything and everyone I see reminds me of what I did. I just want to escape."

"You'll escape someday,"Harry responded. "Now let's go do something before you have to go home."

Chris nodded, still not wanting to open up to Harry. "Alright,"he muttered in response.

The two left the classroom and went for the Great Hall.

"So how are things at home?"Harry asked quietly.

Chris cringed as he thought about it. "Terrible,"he responded. "Mom tries to pamper me, but then goes to Wyatt. Dad tries to make up for lost times, but then goes to Wyatt. Phoebe acts weird and Wyatt tries to act like a big brother. I just want to leave the house."

"I'm sorry man,"Harry said sympathetically.

"And I'm sorry for what I did to you,"Chris countered.

"You don't need to apologize,"Harry told him.

"But I feel like I have to. I hurt you just for something I wanted. You shouldn't even be my friend."

"But I am,"Harry answered. "And that's all that matters."

Chris fell silent after that.

Paige sat in the living room facing Leo and Piper. She was nervous. It was a week after Paige had decided to do something. Since her decision, she had been searching very hard to accomplish her goal. And she had finally found something. That was why she was going to talk to her sister and brother-in-law.

"So what is it that you want to talk to us about Paige?"Leo asked politely.

Paige sighed. "I've been thinking about the past two weeks,"she said. "And things have gotten really awkward. Especially with Chris."

"We agree,"Piper said. "He's getting too unstable."

"We wish we knew what to do,"Leo said sadly.

Paige nodded in agreement. "That's why I want to move out."

"But why?"Piper asked in confusion.

Paige shrugged. They weren't getting the point. She would have to tell them. But first, she wanted to see if they would get it first. "I want to get away from all of this."

"Alright,"Piper responded,"if that's what you want."

They still aren't getting it, Paige thought. "And I want something else."

"What?"Leo asked.

Paige took a deep breath before responding,"I want to take Chris with me."

A/N: Second to last chapter of this wonderful fic. I'll try and update the last one tomorrow. Please review.