Author's Note: This is the first part of a new series I'm writing called Sanctuary. I wanted to take an original angle on Chris life before he came from the future. This story will cover from the time Piper dies until Chris comes to the future and will probably be three to five parts. I hope to start the second part called Redefinition sometime soon. Hope you all enjoy.
Disclaimer: I'd be witty but I haven't the time or the energy to think stuff up anymore, so I don't own Charmed.
"She dies when I turn fourteen," Chris said sadly to Victor, then added silently, because I killed her.
"Chris! CHRIS!" his mother's voice penetrated his sleeping mind and his body immediately stilled. He could tell by the way his mother was restraining him with practically her whole body that he had had another nightmare. As soon as he regained full consciousness he recoiled from her touch.
"Don't touch me," he mumbled, moving away from her.
She sat down on the edge of his bed, while he scooted to the opposite corner and tucked his knees under his chin. "Chris, it's been a year. The demon is not coming back, you can't keep this up. Your grades are suffering and you have no social life, we're all worried about you." The fourteen-year-old whispered something, but she didn't quite hear, "What?"
"Did you actually vanquish the demon?" he repeated.
"No. But we've been through this, you have more wards around you than Fort Knox, he won't—,"
"Don't say 'he won't'. If he was vanquished then you could said 'he won't' but he's still out there. He'll find a way."
"The only place he can get to you is in your head, because you let him. If you continue to be scared of him then he's going to win without even touching you." She reached out a hand, knowing that he would recoil farther or physically push her away.
He ducked under her hand, "I said don't touch me." Then he pulled in on himself even more, his eyes going blank. Piper blinked back tears; it had been a year of this. A year of not being able to comfort her son, or hold him. A year of his silence, of watching him retract more and more into his own world. And a year of searching for the bastard of a demon that did this too him, but not being able to find him. It's like the demon didn't exist, and that made her feel even more helpless and like she failed than anything else in her entire life, even when Prue died.
The bed springs creaked as she stood up, she paused at the doorway with her hand on the light switch. "Goodnight Chris, try to get some sleep." He remained unmoving, his eyes glazed over. As she walked down the hall quietly passing her sisters' and Wyatt's rooms she let the tears fall, it was the same thing every night Chris' nightmare was bad enough to make him cry out. She navigated her way to the bed blindly, not wanting to wake Leo. She slid under the covers and curled in his warmth, the tears flowing faster now. One demon had taken her little boy's spirit and shattered it, rending apart an entire family in the process.
The bacon popped and sizzled in its pan as Piper flipped pancakes with one hand, and grabbed toast as it popped out of the toaster with the other. Paige was watching her in awe, her elbows resting on the island, and her head in her hands. Piper did this every morning, but suspected it was only to keep herself busy. "You're like a one woman kitchen staff," she said, accepting the food-laden plate from Piper.
"I am a one woman kitchen staff since no one else in this family bothers to learn how to cook." She flipped the dish towel she was wiping the counter with over her shoulder and turned to the now empty bacon pan, cracking three eggs into it. "Wyatt!" The eggs cooked quickly, and she put them on a plate along with toast and sausage. She handed the plate to Wyatt as soon as he orbed into the kitchen. "Take this to your brother."
"Why doesn't he just come down and eat with the rest of the family?" Wyatt asked, slightly grumpy.
"You know why, now scoot." She swatted his behind with the dish towel and he orbed out.
"You coddle Chris too much," observed Paige.
"Well what else am I supposed to do Paige? What would you do? Because I would really like to know if anyone has any better ideas. It's been a year and nothing's changed!" she slammed the pan into the sink and bent over it, panting.
"Sorry…" Paige said quietly, she didn't know what else to do so she quietly shoved the rest of her breakfast into her mouth and left. When Piper heard her leave she stood up and wiped at her eyes angrily.
"Mom?" asked Wyatt's voice behind her.
"What sweetie?" she turned to face him, her mouth shaped into a brittle smile that was more of a grimace than anything else.
"What's wrong?" he stepped closer to her and put a hand on her forearm.
"Nothing's wrong, I'm fine."
"Mom, I'm not five. I'm sixteen, don't lie to me."
Piper's smile collapsed and she turned away from the look Wyatt was giving her, wiping off an already clean and shining stretch of counter. Wyatt placed his hand on hers to stop her, she sighed and swallowed. "It's just Chris…it's affecting the whole family, him worst of all, and it just keeps getting worse. And that damn Zargos has dropped off the face off the earth, Underworld and everything in between."
Wyatt clenched his teeth, "If you'd let me go down to there I could find him and make him wish he had never even thought of touching Chris."
Piper's look was sharp and her grip sudden and almost painful. "You will do no such thing. Let me and your aunts handle this." Wyatt wrenched his arm free and nodded tightly.
"I have to go to school, do you want me to cover for Chris?" he asked. Piper almost thought about going up to his room and making Chris go to school, he had missed enough classes already, she only sighed again and nodded. "Bye mom," Wyatt kissed her on the cheek and grabbed his backpack from the dining room table. With a slam of the front door he was gone.
Wyatt quickly threw his back pack behind a bush, and retracted into the shadows of the front porch, with a flurry of orbing lights he disappeared and reappeared in the Underworld. He moved stealthily to his destination, he had been down here scouting enough times to know exactly where he was going.
The demon bar that Phoebe had destroyed had been rebuilt, and was now thrumming with demon life. It was loud and smoky and no one noticed Wyatt walk in until he threw and energy ball at the big screen TV.
"Not again!" he heard the bartender, and presumably the owner whine. Every demon focused on the doorway where Wyatt stood. With his shield up and eyes wild he made a fearsome vision, and the demons closest to him back up a few feet. One backed up too far and was vanquished by the demon he stepped on.
"Now that I've got your attention: where's Zargos?" No one spoke one spoke up and Wyatt threw an energy ball blindly, vanquishing three demons. "Lets try this again, same question, different answer this time." He tossed another energy ball back and forth between his hands, the demons watched it move back and forth like spectators at a tennis match. Wyatt raised the hand with the energy ball in it and prepared to strike again.
"Stop!" yelled the bartender. "W-we can't tell you where Zargos is, none of us know. He's on the run from something, and he covers his tracks well. If you leave my bar alone I'll tell you where you can find someone that does know." Wyatt studied him and he twitched a few times, but looked as honest as a demon could, with a nod he extinguished the energy ball and the tense mood in the room relaxed half a hair. The bartender scurried out from behind the bar and past Wyatt, into the dark cavern outside of the demon hang out.
"You have thirty seconds to tell me what I want to know before I go back and destroy that place, then kill you." Wyatt crossed his arms over his chest and gave the demon a cold look.
"Okay okay, Zargos disappeared about a year ago and cut off all ties… except with one demon, Barbas. Perhaps you've heard of him?" the demon had the audacity to smirk and Wyatt almost vanquished him just for that. The blonde nodded again and began to walk away before the demon shouted, "Tell your brother I said hello." He was dead before he took his next breath.
Sensing a demon as powerful as Barbas was easy for Wyatt, and he was in Barbas' lair within seconds, his hand was around the demon's throat in even less time. "Wyatt, how good of you to drop by," Barbas' voice was even more oily than usual.
"Where's Zargos?" he shook Barbas for emphasis.
"Tut tut where are your manners?"
"I don't think you're aware of who you're dealing with."
"Of course I am, the great and mighty Wyatt Halliwell," he waved his hand, "And your biggest fear is that your brother with do something…stupid." He grinned, showing off his crooked teeth, "And oh yes, you're also. Half. Whitelighter." He glanced for a moment at something behind Wyatt, and the witch-Whitelighter heard a familiar whistling through the air. He orbed out and the Darklighter arrow stuck in the wall straight ahead of him. He reappeared in the same spot and before he had a chance to realize he was surrounded or throw up his shield an arrow hit it's mark.
White hot pain shot down his arm, then back again to spread through his entire body. He clenched his teeth, but let no sound escape. He didn't want to leave his job unfinished, but he could do nothing if he was dead, so he orbed out of the Underworld and back to the Manor. It was usually an easy task, but the poison of the arrow seemed faster working than usual and he collapsed on the floor of the entry way.
Piper emerged from the kitchen and immediately yelled for Paige. She knelt down beside Wyatt and pulled out the arrow, with only a little less gentleness than usual. When her youngest sister appeared she said, "Heal!" Paige placed her hands over Wyatt's wound and the familiar healing glow appeared, sealing the wound. Wyatt groaned and tried to sit up.
"Easy there big fella," said Paige as she helped him stand up. When he was somewhat recovered his mom attacked.
"What the hell happened?" she demanded angrily.
"I was attacked on my way to school," said Wyatt.
"Don't lie to me young man! We may be high on their hit list but demons do not attack in broad daylight! You were in the Underworld weren't you? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" her voice rose to a shrill shriek.
"No! I'm trying to save Chris because no one else seems to be doing a damn thing about it!
"Do NOT raise your voice to me! We are doing all we can, and we don't need you playing the hero and risking your own ass." Piper fixed a glare her eldest son.
"Well apparently you're not trying hard enough! I found out more in an hour than you have in an entire year! An entire year where you've been allowing Chris to waste away. I will refuse to let that bastard Zargos win! Chris is better than that." He orbed out before Piper could say another word.
"Well—," began Paige.
"Can it Paige." Piper stormed back into the kitchen and tried calling for Leo. She called him three times before she realized that it was useless. The only time he answered her was at night or when Chris wasn't in the house. Leo had been almost completely avoiding his youngest son for a year now, it had caused many fights between her and Leo, and there was now an almost irreparable rift between them, but he still refused to talk to Chris for more than five minutes.
Wyatt stood in the hall outside Chris' room and hesitated a split second before knocking on the door. "It's open," came the muffle reply from within.
"If it were open I wouldn't have had to knock," said Wyatt as he sat down at Chris' desk.
"Aren't you supposed to be at school?" asked Chris, glancing up from the book he was reading.
"Aren't you?" Wyatt responded, raising and eye brow.
"I didn't feel like going," Chris mumbled, turning back to his book. There were a few moments of silence between the brothers before Chris asked, "What was mom yelling about downstairs?"
"That was nothing…I just took a little trip to the Underworld instead of the bus stop." He tried to manage a laugh but it died in his throat when Chris gave him a look as sharp as Piper's.
"Why did you go there? You know how she feels about that. She's under enough stress because of me—," Wyatt made a noise to cut him off but Chris continued, "don't add to it.
"I did it to help you and almost got myself killed in the process."
"I never asked for your help and I don't need it."
Wyatt opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it and said, "Fine Chris, whatever. But you can't hide up here forever. You're going to school tomorrow."
The only person Chris really spoke to anymore was Wyatt, not only was it the brotherly bond between them, but Chris felt like Wyatt could actually protect him. And as weak as it made him sound he needed protection. If Wyatt hadn't been around Chris probably would have lost it long before now. Chris used to have a large group of friends, but the number of people that seemed to gravitate around him gradually dwindled down to one, and Chris had no idea why he hung around since he hardly ever said anything. . But through it all Adam had remained everything a best friend should be, even if he didn't know the reason for Chris' silence. Then again no one knew the whole story in detail, the only time Chris allowed himself to remember was in his dreams when his guard was down and his mind too tired to fight it. But now, sitting in Health, Chris was only focused on what their teacher was saying.
Mr. Harris appeared to be the last person one would choose to be a health teacher, he was a balding overweight man in his sixties, but it wasn't his hypocritical appearance that it made it hard for Chris to concentrate. It was the fact that he was trying to keep from losing his lunch all over the red head in front of him. Why did Wyatt have to force him to go to school on this day of all days?
Adam leaned over and tapped on Chris' desk, "Hey, man, you alright? You don't look so good. Maybe you should go to the nurse."
Chris shook his head, "No, I'm good."
"Almost seventy percent of all rape cases are never reported—," Mr. Harris stopped as Chris shot out of his chair and into the hallway, finding the nearest trashcan. The sound of retching reached the class' ears and they made faces of disgust. When the teacher reached Chris he was already wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt. "I think you should go to the nurse, she'll send you home for the day." Chris nodded and watched Mr. Harris go back into the classroom, then walked in the opposite direction of the nurse's office. He went to a janitor's closet and prepared to orb home, normally he would have made a sarcastic comment about his surroundings, but all he wanted to do was get home and attempt to shut down his brain.
"Anyone home?" his voice echoed through the empty Manor and Chris wasn't sure if he was grateful for the silence or not. When he saw one of his text books sitting peacefully on the dining room table he realized that he had left his bag at school, he hoped Adam had gotten it for him. Even as he tried to distract himself by worrying about his stuff Mr. Harris' words were chasing around in his head. He groaned as memories of a year ago started leaking through his barriers and he tried to keep himself calm, not wanting to go into a full scale panic attack when he was alone in the house.
He orbed up to the attic and searched through the potions cabinet, finding a soft pink one. It was a calming potion Piper kept around for mostly her use, but he'd taken it a few times. The cork came out with a small pop and he downed the slightly bitter liquid, warmth spreading to his limbs and a pleasant fuzziness invading his mind. He swayed on his feet as exhaustion swept over him, he always forgot about that particular side effect. The potion didn't affect anyone but him this way, and Piper had yet to figure it out.
He lay down on the couch and pulled a blanket over himself, the attic could get a bit drafty. As his eyes closed his teacher's words echoed in his ears oddly "Almost seventy percent…never reported…" His mine drifted to sleep and the gates crashed down, pulling him back to Zargos' dark cave.
He had been struggling so much that his wrists had rope burn, now the slightest movement caused him to hiss in pain as the coarse material rubbed the raw and possibly bleeding flesh. He was tied to a stone pillar in a cave so dark that he couldn't see anything past his nose, but that was probably a blessing, the cave smelled like rotting flesh and Chris didn't want to find out if that was a designer scent or authentic.
"What's the matter?" he called out to anyone that might be listening, "You guys finally give up on my brother and decided to go for the easier target?" He couldn't count how many times demons had tried to take out Wyatt, usually if Chris was caught he was only the consolation prize, but this time the demon had targeted him specifically. The demon in question appeared out of nowhere, surrounded by what appeared to be light he created.
"No, it's you I wanted," Zargos stepped closer and fingered Chris' hair, letting his hand run down the witch's cheek, Chris jerked away, "I never did have much of a taste for blondes."
"What do you want?" asked Chris shakily.
"I told you…you."
Chris writhed on the couch, tangling himself up in the blanket, "No…no, not again…Wy…Wyatt!"
"Wyatt!" His head shot up from the desk, attracting the attention of a few around him. As calmly as he could he raised his hand, saying that he didn't feel too well and may he be excused. He grabbed his stuff and made a beeline for the door. Once out in the hall he ducked into the boys' bathroom and orbed to his brother. The brunette was half on the couch and half off, the blanket tangled around his legs, and his hair clinging to his sweat slicked forehead. Wyatt tried to gently shake Chris awake, but at the lightest touch green eyes flew open and met his brother's, he calmed instantly. Wyatt smoothed Chris' hair back from his forehead and was relieved when the fourteen-year-old didn't flinch, "Shh Chris, it's okay, I'm here, nothing is gonna happen to you." Chris searched his face frantically for a few seconds, then swallowed and nodded.
"Okay…you calm?" Wyatt asked and Chris nodded again, "Okay, I'm going to go back to school, it will draw attention if we're both absent at the same time two days in a row. What made you come home anyway?"
Chris hesitated and breathed deeply before saying, "Sex ed in Health, Mr. Harris was talking about…about…"
Wyatt could have smacked himself for making Chris go, "I'm sorry, bro. I didn't know."
"I know you didn't, it's fine."
"No it's not, I shouldn't—,"
"Wyatt, it's fine. Really. I've missed enough school as it is." He picked at the fringe of the blanket, then dropped it. "I have permission to be home, I don't think you do. You should probably go back."
"It's cool, my teacher thinks I'm at the nurse's office, plus I have lunch soon…" he trailed off as he saw the look Chris was giving him. "Alright fine, I'll go back. But I'm calling mom first. And if you need anything, I'm just an orb away." He stood and looked at Chris for a few more seconds, before turning and leaving the attic.
"How are we doing on napkins?" Piper asked Michael, the only other person hanging around P3 at this time of day.
"Don't know," he said, still wiping off the table he was cleaning.
"Well then go check!" said Piper.
"Oh, right." He went to the back room.
Piper's cell rang and she checked the display screen, it was the Manor, but no one was supposed to be there, "Hello? Wyatt? What are you doing home? Alright, I'll be right there." She yelled briefly that she was going home for a while, but didn't care if Michael had heard her. What was the point of owning a place if you couldn't have semi-flexible hours?
Piper laid her keys on table in the entryway and closed the door. "Chris?"
"I'm up here mom!" Chris' voice floated down the stairs to her ears, she climbed them, placing a hand on the banister, she found him in his room, reading as usual.
"What are you doing home?" she asked.
"I wasn't feeling well, so the nurse sent me home. I don't know why Wyatt called you, I can handle myself."
The image of Piper and Chris talking rippled slightly in the scrying bowl. "Are you sure this is a good idea Barbas?" A demon dressed in black jeans and a black shirt with curly black hair was looking into the scrying bowl intently, hands clasped behind his back.
"Do you want the boy or not?" Zargos said nothing and Barbas smiled, "Good, so we agree on my plan?" Zargos nodded and the demon of fear grinned, it was a grin to make even Zargos cringe. "I'll take care of the boy. You get the other Charmed Ones out of the way…for good."
Piper pulled her hand back from Chris' forehead, "Well, you don't feel warm. Are you sure you're sick?"
"You can check the contents of the trash can for yourself," Chris said wryly, "it was probably just what I had for breakfast."
"You didn't eat anything."
"Well that's probably what did it." He set the book down and leaned against the head board, closing his eyes, "I'm fine mom, you need to stop worrying so much. With me and Wyatt for sons it's amazing that you have so few grey hairs." He cracked a small smile as Piper smacked his leg.
"I do not have grey hairs!" Chris went on smirking, and she was glad for moments like this, when it felt like nothing had changed. "Well, since you didn't eat, what do you want for lunch? We have soup, toast, soup, and soup. I suggest you go with the soup."
"Chef's specialty of the day?" Chris asked, raising an eyebrow, looking very much like Wyatt.
"You betcha, since you just tossed your proverbial cookies you need something light. Any preference or should I surprise you?"
Chris wrinkled his nose, "Just nothing with any French words, or floaty green stuff."
"So frog legs are out then?" Chris turned a little green. "Kidding, kidding. Jeez, tough crowd." The phone rang and Piper got up. "After I answer that I'll fix your lunch. How does chicken soup sound?"
Chris grinned; his mom went way beyond Campbell's chicken soup and said, "Sounds great." When she was gone Chris picked up his book again and relaxed. As he turned a page he thought he sensed something off in the house, but he hadn't exercised his sensing ability lately, so he wasn't sure what it was. He set his book down, listening intently, all he heard was Piper in the kitchen, so he rolled off the side of his bed and planted his feet firmly on the ground. He stuck his head out into the hall, but there was nothing there. Continuing his journey downstairs he could feel whatever it was getting closer. The sound of Piper in the kitchen had stopped and the Manor was completely quiet. Something really wasn't right. "Mom?"
"I'm in here sweetie," Piper said back, but she didn't get a response from Chris. He must not have heard her because he called to her again. She found him in the living room and when he saw her he gasped. "What? Do I have something on my face?"
Chris inhaled sharply and took a step back, "Z-Zargos…"
Piper whirled around, throwing her hands up, ready to blow up anything that moved. "Where Chris? Chris?" He was staring right at her with fear in his eyes. She took a step forward, "Chris talk to me. I don't see him."
Chris took another step back as Zargos' silent form advanced on him. "S-stay away from me." He put his hands up in front of him.
"Didn't you miss me Chris?" asked Zargos.
"Mom!" Chris yelled frantically.
"Chris, stop it! You're scaring me!" said Piper, her throat constricting with panic. She moved forward again, and Chris moved away from her, his back now pressed against the banister.
"I said stay away!" he flung out and arm and Piper crashed into a wall. She groaned and slid to the floor.
"Chris…what are you doing?" she asked, wincing at the pain.
Chris was satisfied with the thump Zargos made when he hit the wall, but wondered why the demon didn't fight back. This was one of the most powerful demons in the Underworld, and he was just letting himself be tossed around. "Is that all you got?" Zargos asked, "No wonder you were so easy to capture." Chris poured all his anger into his power and the demon crashed through the banister, landing sprawled on the stairs.
Piper was near tears, but not because of the pain, because there was a hate that she had never seen in her youngest son's eyes, and it seemed to be directed fully on her. "Chris, stop. Please…what are you doing?"
Barbas watched the whole scene unfold as Chris hurled his mother against anything solid. If Zargos held up his part of the deal the Charmed Ones would soon be dead, he would have his precious boy, and Barbas would have his reward. Chris was so fueled by his fear of Zargos that he failed to notice Barbas' illusion. His fear was so strong it was intoxicating; Barbas had never felt anything like it before. Piper went completely still and a slow smile spread across Barbas' face. Time for the fun part.
Before Chris' eyes Zargos still body dissolved into the bruised and bloody form of his mom. He froze in shock, then dived next to his mom. "Oh God, I didn't mean to. I didn't know!" He checked for a pulse and found a weak one. "Dad!" he screamed. He looked back down at his mom, smoothing her hair back. "C'mon mom, please. I didn't know. Dad! Wyatt!" Piper opened her eyes, "Mom! Stay with me mom, Dad or Wyatt will be here soon. Oh God, I didn't mean to. I thought…" he trailed off as Piper smiled weakly.
"Hey, shh, it's okay. I don't blame you," she swallowed and her eyes filled with tears, causing Chris' to shine with wetness, "Just know, that I love you." She nodded faintly, as if coming to a decision.
"Don't say that, Dad will be here soon," he continued to run his hands through her hair, "Please mom…stay, for me."
Piper shook her head, it was the hardest thing she had ever done. "I love you, tell Wyatt and your father that." Her eyes closed one final time and Chris knew she was gone.
"No…please…" tears were falling freely down his cheeks, soaking her shirt, he kissed her forehead, "Please come back…"
Wyatt orbed in on a scene of destruction, it was the fourth he had seen like this. He had already found Paige, Phoebe, and Leo dead, but this, this he couldn't deal with. His little brother was rocking his mother's body. "Chris…"
Chris looked up sharply and his eyes filled with fear at the sight of his brother. "Wyatt! I swear I didn't mean to…I didn't know." He gently laid Piper's head down and back against a wall.
To Wyatt he looked like an animal trapped in a cage, the blonde kept his eyes glued on his mother's form and tried not to completely lose it, he had to stay strong for his brother. Chris needed him, he could cry later. Wyatt approached him carefully, when he got within five feet of the slender fourteen-year-old his brother started to hyperventilate. "Chris, calm down." He placed both his hands on his little brother's shoulders, "Look at me Chris. Breathe." When their eyes locked Chris' breathing immediately started returning to normal. "Tell me what happened."
"I thought…Zargos…and I just started attacking him…I didn't mean to…I thought…oh God," he moaned.
"Chris it wasn't your fault…I think I know who did…this," said Wyatt. He wasn't going to tell Chris about the rest of the family because there was no way he could handle it, Wyatt was barely holding onto his sanity. "I want you to orb to Magic School and stay there until I come get you. Okay?"
"What are you going to do?" Chris asked.
"Just promise you will stay there," said Wyatt, gripping Chris firmly by his shoulders.
"I promise…what—,"
"You'll see."
ATTENTION:
This story will NOT be updated. If you are interested in reading what happens afterwards please go read Redefiniton and Revolution in that order. Thank you.