Chapter Six – The Truth Still Hurts
The tears dried from Chris Halliwell's face as he sat in there in the foyer taking in what had happened to him and how he was going to deal with it. He was annoyed that everyone had to stand so close to him. He could smell his father's aftershave; it made him want to throw up. He just wanted to be alone for a while, to sort things out on his own.
One thing he was glad about, but not by much, was that he no longer had to keep hiding his secret from his family, he knew on some level they would have figured it out; something told him that his mother knew already. He looked up and saw his mother's brown, bold, eyes. This was his comfort spot. His mother was always there to protect him, love him, and be there for him. He never blamed her for one single thing in his life, but he knew that she was hurting, he heard his mother's sobs as she and Wyatt stood by his door the previous night.
"But I said I would be there and I didn't show up."
"Look, this is only the beginning of the season, he'll have bigger meets."
"No Wyatt its not!" She said in a loud whisper, "I wanted to be there, I wanted to see him, I managed to go to your meet on Monday but not his. Look you just don't understand. Watch him please."
Chris pulled himself back into the present, he didn't want to go back into the past, and it was too hurtful, he wished he could have gone back in time and said to Jason, "Sure, let me get ready." So that he could have gotten a ride to Pizza Hut. But he hadn't. He was stupid and he hadn't. But then he thought about it, what happened to his powers? Why weren't they working? This puzzled him. He sniffled, and he felt a warm loving hand touch his neck, he breathed hard, scared.
"Chill, it's me." Leo said as he knelt next to his son as he moved his arm around Chris' shoulders, trying to comfort him. Chris moved his sight away from his mother and to his father. He gave back the same look he always had; his eyes were blue and faded. He was tired. He blinked and looked back at his mother.
"Chris." She said holding out her hand, "Can you stand up?" Chris looked at his mother and then at the hand. He took it and he was lifted up. He stood up, and heard Wyatt take a deep breath. He didn't hear him exile. God, out all times why did Wyatt have to turn sappy on him now? He hated the fact that people in the house became to concern when someone had to be healed or when they were cursed or hexed.
"Wyatt stop it!" Chris snapped.
Wyatt exiled, he looked at Chris, who he knew that Chris was looking back at him out of the corner of his eye.
Chris stood their, being held up by his mother and his father who had put his arm around his shoulders. He kept looking at the floor. He suddenly realized all he had was his Speedo on, he was cold, his chin was bouncing against his teeth.
Piper noticed this.
"Wyatt can you go upstairs and grabbed some clothes for Chris," Piper said as if it was an order for a plan to vanquish a demon. Chris wished it was as easy as vanquish a demon this time, but it wasn't. His dad's aftershave was now really beginning to bug him, he couldn't hold it down. He cupped his mouth and ran off into the kitchen.
"CHRIS!" Piper cried, running after him; Leo, Phoebe, and Paige followed.
Chris
vomited into the sink, the orange bile looked like soda, and he
heaved until nothing came out. He then just stood their, gripping the
counter with all his might, shaking, freezing. He then felt his
mother's hands over his back.
"its okay, its okay. I am here."
She said in the most caring voice he had ever heard her speak in.
"Chris its okay."
"I k-no-know!" he said.
Just
as Piper was about to ask Phoebe to go get Chris a blanket, Wyatt
came running down stairs, with a grey sweat shirt and grey sweats.
Wyatt handed them to his mother. Piper took them, and handed them to
Chris.
"Sweetie?" She said, "Here are some clothes."
Chris looked at them, Hyde School Swim Team; Chris pushed them away, which threw them from her hands.
"What's wrong?" Phoebe asked
Chris
was now shaking, out of cold and fear.
"Phoebe go grab him a
blanket!" Piper said almost practically yelling, she said as she
turned on her sister.
Chris
had cornered himself in the corner of the kitchen.
"What's
wrong with it?" Leo asked finally.
Chris shook his head, "No swim gear!" He said
"Why?" Piper asked
"Just no swim gear."
"Okay." Leo said, "Come on Wyatt." Leo and Wyatt went from the kitchen.
Phoebe
came in with a white blanket. "Here." She said handing it to him.
Chris didn't take it. Piper took it and wrapped it around her
son.
"Come on lets go out by the heater." She said. As they
went from the kitchen, Paige took the lead and grabbed the
temperature and turned on to high.
Chris
stood by the grandfather clock, the heat from the ferniest was
warming his legs. He stood their wrapped in the blanket and his
mother by his side.
"Paige, Phoebe, please go sit down."
Piper said
They went into the solarium.
"Was it someone on the team?" Piper asked
"What?" Chris replied.
"Was
it someone on the team?"
Before Chris could answer Wyatt and Leo
were coming down stairs with a black sweat shirt and black pants.
"These
okay son?" Leo asked showing Chris.
Chris shook is head in
approval. Piper removed the blanket and Leo handed Chris the
sweatshirt, he put it on, and then the black pants. Still shaking,
Piper wrapped the blanket around him again.
"Wyatt can you give
us some space, Leo stay." Piper said.
"Sure." Wyatt said, as
he joined his aunts in the solarium.
"Come here sweetie." Piper said taking Chris into the living room. Chris sat in the big single arm chair, and Piper and Leo sat on the two ends of the couch looking at him. Chris sat in the arm chair for a minute rubbing his arms trying to warm up.
"So
Chris, what happened?" Piper asked, "I mean-how are you?"
"A
bit achy." He replied.
"Well
you were beaten pretty bad," Leo said, "it will be a little achy
for a few days."
Piper gave a him a look of you're an
idiot!
Chris didn't move. He sat their, he had his eyes fixed on the ground, it was something easy to look at. He didn't want to see the sadness in his parent's eyes.
"Chris, was it someone on the team." Piper asked.
Chris sat in for a moment, he didn't want to reply. "What do you mean?" He lied.
Piper took a deep breath. "Was it someone on the team who-" She stopped.
"who
hurt you." Leo finished.
Piper sighed in relief.
Chris sat
their in the chair, remembering now what happened. "Yes." He
replied.
"Who?" Leo asked.
Silence.
"Was
it Jason?" Piper asked
He Nodded. No.
"Who?" Piper asked
Chris sat their, he noticed he was warm, but his hands were still shaking in fear. He curled his legs up onto the chair and hugged them. Piper noticed instantly, that Chris used to do this when he was a kid, when something was really wrong. Leo noticed it as well.
(7 years ago)
"Chris? Chris?" Piper said walking into solarium, she saw him, sitting on the white chair, with his legs curled up in his lap. "Oh thank god, are you okay? Where's Wyatt?" She said coming to his side.
"With
daddy." Chris replied, now rocking.
"Okay where's Aunt
Phoebe?"
He just rocked in the Chair.
"Sweetie,
where is she?"
"A man took her."
"What?"
"She, was fighting him and then she shimmered away."
"Oh god."
(Present)
Chris
sat their, now ever so slightly rocking himself. He rested his
forehead on his knees.
"Chris," Piper said coming to his side.
"Who?"
Chris'
lips moved but no sound came out.
"I can't hear you." She
said moving his semi-long hair out of the way and behind his ear.
"Bla-" Chris said
"Who?" Leo asked
Chris looked up at his father and his then turned to his mother, this time he found comfort in his fathers eyes. They were full of determination and hope. Leo got up from the couch and knelt by chair, on the opposite side of Piper. Chris bowed his head onto his knee and sniffled.
"Black."
He finally said.
"Black?" Piper said, "who's Black?"
"Black, Black, Black," Leo said slightly wondering in his head, then he knew it, "The Asst. Coach?"
Chris
didn't move he just rocked in the chair.
Piper got up and went
into the solarium. Wyatt was talking to Paige and Pheobe.
"Wyatt,
whose Black?" Piper asked with determination in her voice and eyes.
"Black." He said thinking, "Jarred Black, the swim coach."
"Yeah-Oh god." She said
"Why?"
Wyatt asked standing up.
Piper looked back at Chris, whose
shoulders were now shaking and Leo was hugging him, trying to comfort
him. Piper stood in shock, the swim coach.
That bastard, how dare he!
"Mom?" Wyatt asked.
Piper stormed off back to Chris. Wyatt got the feeling to stay.
Piper
then knelt by her son, placing her hand on his back.
"Sweetie.
Look at me please." Piper asked
Chris'
head moved from his knee to his mother, his eyes were watery.
"Was
it your coach, was it Coach Black?" Piper asked, seeing her son
like this was breaking her heart.
"Yes." Chris replied
