He did it for me
Chapter 18
By: teal-lover
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Being twice blessed, Wyatt thought that nothing could ever hurt him. It's devastating to find out how wrong you can be. Takes place in the future that Chris changed.
Chris just turned 19, and Wyatt is three months shy of his 21st birthday.
Disclaimer in chapter 1
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Phoebe asked tentatively, "Grams? You talked to Prue—I mean, I didn't mean to eavesdrop—but I heard you from across the room."
Penny replied exasperatedly, "Yes. When she is in a certain location, I can hear her and vice versa. Now I've-got-to-go! There's something I have to do. Girls listen, I only got parts of Prue's message, because she was obviously distracted. But I do know that Chris is not out of danger yet. Apparently, Piper and Leo have stirred something up. I'm sure whatever is going on, they probably have a better idea than I do right now—so call them. But do not-under any circumstances—summon the Book back here because Chris will be vulnerable." She began to pull away and head for the circle of candles when Paige stepped in front of her crossly.
"Why did you send them away? And with the Book?" Paige questioned in disbelief.
Penny realized that she wasn't going to get away from them without some answers, "I can't explain why right now—I'm not entirely sure myself. But your sister told me that it was imperative that I get Chris out of here, and I trust Prue's judgment." She didn't mention that it was also because of the urgency in the young woman's voice when she received the message. She stepped forward, but Paige once again sidestepped her demanding an explanation.
"Piper and Leo are not going to accept that. They're going to want to talk to you when they get here—so, we'll just have to summon you right back here…"
"No. Because it won't do any good. You won't be able to summon me because I will just be called directly to the book—which is in Wyatt's hands right now. Trust me, when it is safe for Chris, I'll send the boys back with the Book of Shadows. Ok? Now I have to go."
Penny blew out a relieved breath when her granddaughters finally relented and gestured for her to leave.
The two sisters had no choice but to stand by passively at her departure. When they were alone, Phoebe turned to her sister and commented dryly, "Piper is going to hit the roof when she finds out. What are we going to do?"
Paige nodded in agreement before tilting her head in the direction of the ceiling and called out her response, "LEO!"
When Penny arrived at the waiting area, she surveyed the room cautiously, realizing that it was deserted. She wandered from room to room in a frantic rush, all the while searching and calling for her family that she had left only a few short hours ago.
Known for her iron-willed demeanor, Penny Halliwell's very presence had always resonated strength. She had never been one to panic in an emergency, and had always remained a pillar of calm composure. But something had shaken that foundation. The lack of a response to her calls, together with the of scare of Prue's urgent warning message, created a disturbing mix of unfamiliar anxiety for the matriarch witch. If her heart were alive and pumping, it would surely have skipped a beat—or two. "Prue? Patty?" she called again.
In the last room she had yet to check, she found who she was looking for. "In here, Grams." Her oldest granddaughter waved her over.
She rushed over and encircled the young woman in her arms, "Oh, thank heavens. Are you alright? What about Christopher, and your mother?" Holding her at arms length, she questioned "Prue, what is going on?"
The younger witch ignored the questions in favor of her own, "Did you get Chris out safely?"
"Yes, of course. I sent him away with Wyatt," she huffed impatiently, "now answer my question!"
Breathing a sigh of relief, Prue finally answered. "Good. Cause it's all over—for both of them—if they find him." Her eyes darted around nervously before she continued. "They took him, and Mom latched on to him, I supposed to keep an eye on him. A lot of good that will do."
"Christopher?" the name rolling off her tongue in a hushed whisper, "Who took him?"
"Yeah. Some of the Elders. I don't know why. But I heard them talking about how they needed both of them in order to end something. They were being really vague, and they seemed really nervous about something. Ok, actually—nervous isn't quite strong enough a word—it was more like scared. And I don't think that they were afraid of anyone finding out what's going on."
"Prue. Just tell me what happened."
Prue tossed her hair over her shoulders in her signature worrisome motion before recounting. "A little bit after you left, I headed for Chris's room and left mom and Christopher in the library…"
-
Earlier…
Patty crossed her legs delicately as she sat down on the couch, silently observing Christopher pouring through the texts vigorously. She tilted her head curiously trying to determine what he was writing down so furiously. Finally, she had enough wondering and decided to ask him outright. "What are you doing, Christopher?"
He was so absorbed in his work that her question left him at a loss for words momentarily. He glanced down at the books, almost willing them to call out an answer. "Um. There's a few really interesting things in here, and I'm just getting some ideas for a few spells—uh, for when I get back home."
She approached silently and peaked over his shoulder for a glimpse.
He slammed the book with his notes shut with an audible thud to prevent her from seeing. As she narrowed her eyes in suspicion, he tried to recover and offered a hasty explanation, "I don't like anyone to see my work before its done. I get self-conscious about things like that—I'm a perfectionist. I get it from mom."
"Uh huh…" she answered in a disbelieving tone. Eyeing her daughter, Prue also shook her head in mutual agreement before wandered off.
Nearing the end of the hallway, Prue spun around suddenly at the familiar sound of orbing in the library. She cursed under her breath while racing back in the direction she had come. 'Damn', she thought as she remembered that she no longer possessed any powers for defense. Unfortunately, all that she had had been transferred to her baby sister when the Charmed Ones were reconstituted after her death. She skidded to a halt in the doorway and quickly ducked back out. Thankfully, none of them had seen her—but she saw them, and there was nothing good to be seen.
Inside, the spacious library was crowded with Elders and even several Whitelighters. Until today, Prue hadn't known that many even existed. And it seemed as if they were all here. Her eyes widened in surprise, 'Were those demons? On a spiritual plane!'
She poked her head back in as she listened to the conversation taking place within the library's walls.
Patty shouted in outrage demanding to know what was going on, but her questions went unheeded as the focus was directed to her grandson.
"Christopher Perry Halliwell?" came the question. The boy rose to his feet as a female Elder pointed at him haughtily.
He gulped nervously as a number of Elders, Whitelighters, and Upper Level Demons alike surrounded him, cutting him off from Patty, "Would you believe me if I said no?"
She dismissed his wry statement with a wave of her hand. "It matters not, we know who you are. Where is the other?" she demanded urgently.
"What other?" he decided to play dumb, knowing very well who she was referring to. But her tone of voice, and the fact that the room was swarming with unwanted guests that most likely meant him harm—allowed him to answer no other way.
Coldly, she asked again, "I warn you. Answer truthfully, or my methods will not remain pleasant."
Christopher replied with a confidence he didn't really feel. "In case you haven't noticed, Lady. But I'm dead. You're threats don't mean a hell of a lot to me."
Her lips curled slightly in what he assumed was meant to be a smile, but seemed deceptively false on her porcelain features. It was unnerving. "Your soul hasn't crossed over yet, Christopher. Therefore it is still subject to many of the physical laws of nature. Namely, pain. Again, where is the other?"
He fidgeted slightly under her penetrating gaze, but remained true to his original response, "And I told you, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know what an 'other' is…"
The only indication that she was disturbed by his response was a slight twitch of her jaw. She nodded to the brute demon on her left, giving him the permission that his gleaming eyes anticipated.
Despite her warning, Christopher was quite surprised to feel the excruciating pain radiating into his shoulder blade as the demon wrenched his arm behind his back. He thought he faintly heard his grandmother yelling his name as his head was slammed into the table he had been sitting at only moments ago. But it could have been the blood rushing to his head. He wasn't really even sure if he had blood anymore. But one thing was clear—he still had pain—plenty of it. He bit his lip to keep from crying out as his arm was nearly pulled out of its socket. "I—DON'T—KNOW!" he repeated.
When Christopher's vision cleared slightly, he accused her breathily, "You're supposed to be a pacifist! What the hell is wrong with you?"
The Elder closed her eyes in silent defeat. She knew she would get no worthy response from him at the moment. "Hell has nothing to do with it. Our actions are born out of necessity." "Take him," she ordered before directing all present, "Search every room." When no one moved, she added reassuringly, "Do not be alarmed, he WILL be found. And we will we have them both. Then we will finally bring about an end to all of this."
Patty struggled in the grasp of the Whitelighters that held her at bay. Finally yanking herself free, she tried to pull the brute demon off of Christopher, but ended up being shimmered away with them at the Elder's orders.
Prue continued, "That's why I was in there hiding when you showed up. I had to stay here to warn you about Chris. They're looking for him. Desperately. And I don't know why."
Penny hugged her granddaughter again tightly; probably more for herself than to comfort the young woman. "They can't hurt your mother, she has already crossed over. And Wyatt will protect Chris for now, until we figure out what to do."
"I know. But Christopher, on the other hand…" she began to fidget with her fingers as she left the unspoken words to hang in the air ominously.
Tbc…
