Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the television show Charmed.
All characters belong to Spelling Television, and The WB.
I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!
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The Pain of Future Wrongs – Chapter 7
Chris rematerialized on top of the Golden Gate Bridge. He always came here whenever he wanted to be alone. He angrily wiped the tears from his face. "Stop crying like a weakling," he scolded himself. "You're past this already. You don't need him. Don't let him get to you."
As his tears subsided, Chris retreated back into the cold, controlled persona that he had mastered. For years, he had fooled so many of those around him, portraying himself as strong and unaffected by the horrible circumstances in his life.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Piper was shocked by Chris' anger and hatred towards Leo. She had never seen Chris react this way with anyone. Yes, he could be cocky and sarcastic at times, but deep down, Piper knew that Chris was kind and gentle. This knowledge made it more difficult for Piper to accept the scene that had unfolded before her eyes earlier.
"What could I have possibly done to make him hate me so much?" Leo lamented as he replayed Chris' words over and over again.
"Leo, you just need to give Chris some time. He has gone through a lot in the last little while," Phoebe suggested.
"Still..." Leo argued. "Did Chris treat Piper that way?"
The sisters glanced at each other, knowing that Leo had a point. No one quite knew why Chris reacted so strongly to Leo, but they also knew that Chris likely would not volunteer the information either.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chris took out several photos from his wallet and stared at them. He slowly flipped through them, each picture bringing back a flood of memories. His fingers touched the photos tenderly, as if doing so would let him relive those moments.
"Marisa," he whispered as his tears threatened to fall again. "Marisa," he called out again as he broke down once again, his cool exterior failing him miserably.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Piper, dinner's ready," Paige called out from the kitchen.
Piper slowly emerged into the kitchen, her eyes red from crying. She immediately received a hug from her sisters. "You guys go ahead. I want to wait for Chris."
"I've saved food for him already. You can't go skipping meals right now," Phoebe said as she set a place in front of her sister. "Is Leo staying for dinner?"
"No, he's gone," Piper answered. "Where could Chris have gone?" she asked, worry etched all over her face.
Paige took Piper's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Chris is a big boy. He can take care of himself."
Just as Piper was about to answer, Chris orbed into the kitchen. He felt a pang of guilt when he saw his mother's worried look. He walked over to where Piper was sitting and knelt down so that he was looking directly into her eyes. "I'm sorry...Mom," he whispered. Hearing Chris call her mom brought a smile to her face amidst her tears. Chris squeezed her hand and smiled weakly at her. "You better start eating or you'll starve me to death," he joked, trying hard to cheer Piper up.
Chris' comment earned him a laugh from Piper, which resulted in Phoebe and Paige smiling too. After a tense day, everyone sat down to a quiet dinner. While the drama had subsided, the unresolved issues remained, although no one had the energy to deal with it tonight.
After dinner, Phoebe retreated to her room to work on her column while Paige busied herself by playing with Wyatt. Piper, as usual, began to do the dishes.
"Why don't you relax for a while?" Chris offered. "I can do the dishes."
"It's okay, Chris," Piper answered gently. "You've had a long day. I can manage."
"We've all had a long day," Chris replied softly. "Come on, I won't break any of your dishes. I've had plenty of practice."
Piper hesitantly stepped aside and took a seat at the table. She smiled as Chris carefully but expertly washed all her dishes. "So you're the one doing the dishes in the future?" she mused.
"Yeah," Chris laughed. "It's one of the few chores that I am actually good at."
"Well, it's certainly good to know that I won't be stuck doing kitchen work in the future," Piper joked. Even though she knew that many problems still existed between Chris and herself, she appreciated her son's willingness to at least try opening up to her. It was all she could ask for at this time.
"Chris?"
"Yeah?" Chris said as he turned to face her. Despite the smile on his face, the underlying sadness that characterized her son's eyes could not escape her observations.
"I know that in the future I'm going to make some horrible mistakes," she began.
Chris tensed upon hearing those words. "Don't...mom," he pleaded.
"Chris..."
"Just don't..." he begged. "Not now..."
Piper sighed and realized that her son was not ready to deal with these issues just yet. But that didn't mean Piper could lay down this burden. Not knowing the reasons that caused her to treat Chris so poorly in the future was eating away at her. Part of her was horrified to know that she could treat her son this way, but an even bigger part of her wanted more than anything to change the future and prevent her son from having to experience such agony and pain ever again.
~ to be continued ~
I'd love to get feedback! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story so far. Please continue to review the story or e-mail me at jeff_langdon@hotmail.com!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The Pain of Future Wrongs – Chapter 7
Chris rematerialized on top of the Golden Gate Bridge. He always came here whenever he wanted to be alone. He angrily wiped the tears from his face. "Stop crying like a weakling," he scolded himself. "You're past this already. You don't need him. Don't let him get to you."
As his tears subsided, Chris retreated back into the cold, controlled persona that he had mastered. For years, he had fooled so many of those around him, portraying himself as strong and unaffected by the horrible circumstances in his life.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Piper was shocked by Chris' anger and hatred towards Leo. She had never seen Chris react this way with anyone. Yes, he could be cocky and sarcastic at times, but deep down, Piper knew that Chris was kind and gentle. This knowledge made it more difficult for Piper to accept the scene that had unfolded before her eyes earlier.
"What could I have possibly done to make him hate me so much?" Leo lamented as he replayed Chris' words over and over again.
"Leo, you just need to give Chris some time. He has gone through a lot in the last little while," Phoebe suggested.
"Still..." Leo argued. "Did Chris treat Piper that way?"
The sisters glanced at each other, knowing that Leo had a point. No one quite knew why Chris reacted so strongly to Leo, but they also knew that Chris likely would not volunteer the information either.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Chris took out several photos from his wallet and stared at them. He slowly flipped through them, each picture bringing back a flood of memories. His fingers touched the photos tenderly, as if doing so would let him relive those moments.
"Marisa," he whispered as his tears threatened to fall again. "Marisa," he called out again as he broke down once again, his cool exterior failing him miserably.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Piper, dinner's ready," Paige called out from the kitchen.
Piper slowly emerged into the kitchen, her eyes red from crying. She immediately received a hug from her sisters. "You guys go ahead. I want to wait for Chris."
"I've saved food for him already. You can't go skipping meals right now," Phoebe said as she set a place in front of her sister. "Is Leo staying for dinner?"
"No, he's gone," Piper answered. "Where could Chris have gone?" she asked, worry etched all over her face.
Paige took Piper's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Chris is a big boy. He can take care of himself."
Just as Piper was about to answer, Chris orbed into the kitchen. He felt a pang of guilt when he saw his mother's worried look. He walked over to where Piper was sitting and knelt down so that he was looking directly into her eyes. "I'm sorry...Mom," he whispered. Hearing Chris call her mom brought a smile to her face amidst her tears. Chris squeezed her hand and smiled weakly at her. "You better start eating or you'll starve me to death," he joked, trying hard to cheer Piper up.
Chris' comment earned him a laugh from Piper, which resulted in Phoebe and Paige smiling too. After a tense day, everyone sat down to a quiet dinner. While the drama had subsided, the unresolved issues remained, although no one had the energy to deal with it tonight.
After dinner, Phoebe retreated to her room to work on her column while Paige busied herself by playing with Wyatt. Piper, as usual, began to do the dishes.
"Why don't you relax for a while?" Chris offered. "I can do the dishes."
"It's okay, Chris," Piper answered gently. "You've had a long day. I can manage."
"We've all had a long day," Chris replied softly. "Come on, I won't break any of your dishes. I've had plenty of practice."
Piper hesitantly stepped aside and took a seat at the table. She smiled as Chris carefully but expertly washed all her dishes. "So you're the one doing the dishes in the future?" she mused.
"Yeah," Chris laughed. "It's one of the few chores that I am actually good at."
"Well, it's certainly good to know that I won't be stuck doing kitchen work in the future," Piper joked. Even though she knew that many problems still existed between Chris and herself, she appreciated her son's willingness to at least try opening up to her. It was all she could ask for at this time.
"Chris?"
"Yeah?" Chris said as he turned to face her. Despite the smile on his face, the underlying sadness that characterized her son's eyes could not escape her observations.
"I know that in the future I'm going to make some horrible mistakes," she began.
Chris tensed upon hearing those words. "Don't...mom," he pleaded.
"Chris..."
"Just don't..." he begged. "Not now..."
Piper sighed and realized that her son was not ready to deal with these issues just yet. But that didn't mean Piper could lay down this burden. Not knowing the reasons that caused her to treat Chris so poorly in the future was eating away at her. Part of her was horrified to know that she could treat her son this way, but an even bigger part of her wanted more than anything to change the future and prevent her son from having to experience such agony and pain ever again.
~ to be continued ~