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 11
Ryan stayed silent for a while after Chris posed the question. The truth was, Ryan knew that revealing the reasons behind Wyatt's attack would only cause Chris more hurt and pain. This was something that Ryan did not want to do.
"It doesn't really matter," Ryan finally said. "Maybe I provoked him or something. What's important is that I'm safe now."
Chris looked at Ryan with a hard-to-read expression. Most people would not be able to understand what Chris was feeling, but Ryan understood Chris almost better than anyone. He knew that his older brother wasn't buying the answer. He also knew that Chris had a feeling as to the real reason behind the attack.
"It was me, wasn't it?" Chris said softly as he stared at his hands, not wanting to meet Ryan's eyes.
"No," Ryan answered, wanting Chris to believe him.
"Then why?" the young Whitelighter questioned.
Ryan sighed, resisting the pressure to tell his brother the truth.
"I don't know," Ryan answered. "I must have done something that he didn't approve of."
Chris finally had the courage to look at Ryan, his eyes glassy and pain written all over his face. "Don't lie to me, Ryan. Please..." he pleaded.
Seeing the agony that Chris was going through melted away Ryan's resolve. Sighing again, he finally relented and told his brother the truth.
~ flash forward ~
Ryan gazed out the window as he took a break from his studies. His history exam was tomorrow morning but that was the farthest thing on his mind. He sighed and opened his desk drawer, pulling out a small photo album. He opened it and flipped through the pages. Ryan liked to do this once in a while but lately, he noticed that he was doing so even more frequently than before.
The first picture was taken at Ryan's tenth birthday. His mom was hugging him while Wyatt was making a grouchy face. He didn't quite remember where Chris was that day.
The second picture was a picture of his mom, Rachel, and him at Golden Gate Park. Chris was taking the picture and Wyatt didn't want to come along that day.
Ryan smiled as he looked at the third picture. This was a picture at his high school graduation. Chris has his arms around Ryan's shoulder and Todd, Ryan's best friend, took the picture. Todd and Ryan were especially close because they were both half-witches. This was the last picture that he took with Chris before his brother went back to the past. He missed Chris so much. Before, Ryan knew that Chris would always be there for him. Whether it was a homework problem or a silly girlfriend problem, Chris would always have time for him. All of that made life without Chris almost unbearable.
But at the same time, Ryan had promised Chris that he would be strong, that he would study hard, and that he would be happy. He knew why Chris went back to the past and he also knew that his brother would succeed. After all, Chris always succeeded. In his mind, Chris was perfect.
Ryan closed the album and put it back in the drawer. Almost at the same moment, Todd ran into the room, a frantic look on his face. Ryan laughed at the expression on Todd's face. "You look like you've just seen a ghost, Todd."
"I just heard some things on my way home from classes," Todd began as he tried to catch his breath.
Ryan waited patiently for his friend to continue. "Okay? I'm assuming you'll actually tell me what those 'things' are?"
"It's Wyatt..."
Ryan tensed as he heard his eldest brother's name. He knew Wyatt was evil. In fact, he was beyond evil. But Wyatt never bothered him since really, Ryan had very few powers. It wasn't like Ryan would ever challenge or rebel against Wyatt. Wyatt hadn't been in his life for so long that he sometimes forgot that he had another older brother besides Chris. Nevertheless, hearing news about Wyatt brought the anxiety level up since whatever news Todd had probably wasn't good news. "What about Wyatt?" he finally asked.
"He's got a new spell..."
Ryan snorted. "He has a new spell every day. And your point?"
"It's a spell to open the time portal again. He's going back to get Chris."
Ryan's throat went dry as he heard the news. This was impossible. Chris had taken the spell with him and he had sealed the portal. Then again, nothing is impossible with Wyatt. Worse still, Chris had no idea that Wyatt was coming for him and he would be no match against Wyatt if they clashed head on.
Ryan quickly ran around the room gathering a few things. "What are you doing?" Todd asked as he watched his friend scramble around the room.
"I have to stop Wyatt. If he opens that portal, he is going to kill Chris."
"You're not going in there alone. Your powers will do nothing against him."
"I don't care. I can't just sit here."
"Fine," Todd resolved, "then I'm going with you."
"Are you crazy?" Ryan scolded. "You're not going anywhere!"
"Says you," Todd shot back. "I'm not letting you go in there alone while I'm just going to sit here."
"No," Ryan refused. "This is too dangerous."
"So what? In case you're forgotten, Chris has saved my life on numerous occasions too. I'm not going to just let Wyatt go back and hurt him."
Soon, the two friends were deep in Wyatt's fortress. After taking out a few low-level demons, they made their way into the room that held the time portal. To their surprise, the room was empty.
"What's going on?" Ryan asked, perplexed by the situation.
Before the question could be answered, a chilling voice greeted Ryan and Todd. "Well, well, well. If it isn't my little brother and his sidekick."
"Wyatt..."
"My, you've certainly grown since the last time we met," Wyatt observed. "Too bad your powers are still pathetically weak."
Ryan glared at his older brother. "If having powers means turning into crazy, power-hungry freak like you, I'd rather have no powers."
Wyatt laughed at the comment. "You certainly learned well from Chris. It's a pity that you chose such a poor role model though."
"Don't you dare call Chris a poor role model. At least he was there for me. Where were you? You're nothing compared to Chris!"
Wyatt's face contorted with rage as he threw Ryan across the room. "Don't you ever compare me with Christopher. Who can compare with my powers??"
Ryan struggled to his feet as he defiantly stared at Wyatt, who just laughed at his younger brother's display. "Well, the good thing that I see from this is the confirmation of your close bond with Chris. That should serve me well."
Ryan blanched at that comment. "What the hell are you planning to do?"
Wyatt laughed evilly. "Chris is a stubborn boy. But I know his biggest weakness – YOU!"
"You're crazy, Wyatt."
"If your life was in danger, Chris would do anything to save you, even if it meant giving up his life."
"Chris will never give up on his mission, Wyatt."
"I guess I'll just have to convince him. I'm sure that if I put you through enough pain and agony, I would be able to bring Chris to his knees." Two demons shimmered in, one holding a green potion. "Give him the potion," Wyatt ordered.
"Wyatt, he's your brother!" Todd yelled, hoping to talk some sense into Wyatt.
Wyatt laughed at the comment. "Chris is my brother too, and I'm determined to destroy him. So what's your point, Todd?"
Ryan flicked his hands and blew up the two demons advancing on him. He rarely, if ever, used his powers, so he was quite relieved that he still remembered how to use them. Wyatt closed his fist in anger, causing Ryan to buckle to his knees, gasping for air.
"You're just as stupid as Chris, Ryan, thinking that you can work against me!!"
Desperate, Todd charged at Wyatt, accompanied by a bolt of energy that was just enough to knock Wyatt off balance and release Ryan from the chokehold. Todd then summoned his powers to temporarily make Wyatt immobile. "Ryan! Grab the spell and go warn Chris!" he yelled as he desperately tried to suppress Wyatt's powers.
"No! I can't leave you here!" Ryan shouted as he fought of another legion of demons.
"Just go, before it's too late!" Todd shouted as Wyatt's power slowly overpowered him.
In tears, Ryan scrambled to grab the spell from the table and read it, causing the time portal to open.
"You fool!" Wyatt yelled as he raised his hand into a claw-like formation. With no emotion at all, he plunged his claws in Todd's head, causing the younger man to call out in pain and agony.
"TODD!!!!" Ryan called out in horror, tears streaming down his face.
"Go..." Todd called out as he stubbornly refused to let go of Wyatt.
Wyatt tightened his hold on Todd, crushing his skull and sucking the life out of the young man.
Knowing that if he didn't go, all would be lost, Ryan took one last look at his dying friend and walked into the portal, but not before several demons blasted their energy balls into him. The immense pain that he felt as the energy balls struck him caused him to yell out. The last thing that he heard was Todd's terrified scream as Wyatt ended yet another innocent life.
~ 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!
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The Pain of Future Wrongs – Chapter 11
Ryan stayed silent for a while after Chris posed the question. The truth was, Ryan knew that revealing the reasons behind Wyatt's attack would only cause Chris more hurt and pain. This was something that Ryan did not want to do.
"It doesn't really matter," Ryan finally said. "Maybe I provoked him or something. What's important is that I'm safe now."
Chris looked at Ryan with a hard-to-read expression. Most people would not be able to understand what Chris was feeling, but Ryan understood Chris almost better than anyone. He knew that his older brother wasn't buying the answer. He also knew that Chris had a feeling as to the real reason behind the attack.
"It was me, wasn't it?" Chris said softly as he stared at his hands, not wanting to meet Ryan's eyes.
"No," Ryan answered, wanting Chris to believe him.
"Then why?" the young Whitelighter questioned.
Ryan sighed, resisting the pressure to tell his brother the truth.
"I don't know," Ryan answered. "I must have done something that he didn't approve of."
Chris finally had the courage to look at Ryan, his eyes glassy and pain written all over his face. "Don't lie to me, Ryan. Please..." he pleaded.
Seeing the agony that Chris was going through melted away Ryan's resolve. Sighing again, he finally relented and told his brother the truth.
~ flash forward ~
Ryan gazed out the window as he took a break from his studies. His history exam was tomorrow morning but that was the farthest thing on his mind. He sighed and opened his desk drawer, pulling out a small photo album. He opened it and flipped through the pages. Ryan liked to do this once in a while but lately, he noticed that he was doing so even more frequently than before.
The first picture was taken at Ryan's tenth birthday. His mom was hugging him while Wyatt was making a grouchy face. He didn't quite remember where Chris was that day.
The second picture was a picture of his mom, Rachel, and him at Golden Gate Park. Chris was taking the picture and Wyatt didn't want to come along that day.
Ryan smiled as he looked at the third picture. This was a picture at his high school graduation. Chris has his arms around Ryan's shoulder and Todd, Ryan's best friend, took the picture. Todd and Ryan were especially close because they were both half-witches. This was the last picture that he took with Chris before his brother went back to the past. He missed Chris so much. Before, Ryan knew that Chris would always be there for him. Whether it was a homework problem or a silly girlfriend problem, Chris would always have time for him. All of that made life without Chris almost unbearable.
But at the same time, Ryan had promised Chris that he would be strong, that he would study hard, and that he would be happy. He knew why Chris went back to the past and he also knew that his brother would succeed. After all, Chris always succeeded. In his mind, Chris was perfect.
Ryan closed the album and put it back in the drawer. Almost at the same moment, Todd ran into the room, a frantic look on his face. Ryan laughed at the expression on Todd's face. "You look like you've just seen a ghost, Todd."
"I just heard some things on my way home from classes," Todd began as he tried to catch his breath.
Ryan waited patiently for his friend to continue. "Okay? I'm assuming you'll actually tell me what those 'things' are?"
"It's Wyatt..."
Ryan tensed as he heard his eldest brother's name. He knew Wyatt was evil. In fact, he was beyond evil. But Wyatt never bothered him since really, Ryan had very few powers. It wasn't like Ryan would ever challenge or rebel against Wyatt. Wyatt hadn't been in his life for so long that he sometimes forgot that he had another older brother besides Chris. Nevertheless, hearing news about Wyatt brought the anxiety level up since whatever news Todd had probably wasn't good news. "What about Wyatt?" he finally asked.
"He's got a new spell..."
Ryan snorted. "He has a new spell every day. And your point?"
"It's a spell to open the time portal again. He's going back to get Chris."
Ryan's throat went dry as he heard the news. This was impossible. Chris had taken the spell with him and he had sealed the portal. Then again, nothing is impossible with Wyatt. Worse still, Chris had no idea that Wyatt was coming for him and he would be no match against Wyatt if they clashed head on.
Ryan quickly ran around the room gathering a few things. "What are you doing?" Todd asked as he watched his friend scramble around the room.
"I have to stop Wyatt. If he opens that portal, he is going to kill Chris."
"You're not going in there alone. Your powers will do nothing against him."
"I don't care. I can't just sit here."
"Fine," Todd resolved, "then I'm going with you."
"Are you crazy?" Ryan scolded. "You're not going anywhere!"
"Says you," Todd shot back. "I'm not letting you go in there alone while I'm just going to sit here."
"No," Ryan refused. "This is too dangerous."
"So what? In case you're forgotten, Chris has saved my life on numerous occasions too. I'm not going to just let Wyatt go back and hurt him."
Soon, the two friends were deep in Wyatt's fortress. After taking out a few low-level demons, they made their way into the room that held the time portal. To their surprise, the room was empty.
"What's going on?" Ryan asked, perplexed by the situation.
Before the question could be answered, a chilling voice greeted Ryan and Todd. "Well, well, well. If it isn't my little brother and his sidekick."
"Wyatt..."
"My, you've certainly grown since the last time we met," Wyatt observed. "Too bad your powers are still pathetically weak."
Ryan glared at his older brother. "If having powers means turning into crazy, power-hungry freak like you, I'd rather have no powers."
Wyatt laughed at the comment. "You certainly learned well from Chris. It's a pity that you chose such a poor role model though."
"Don't you dare call Chris a poor role model. At least he was there for me. Where were you? You're nothing compared to Chris!"
Wyatt's face contorted with rage as he threw Ryan across the room. "Don't you ever compare me with Christopher. Who can compare with my powers??"
Ryan struggled to his feet as he defiantly stared at Wyatt, who just laughed at his younger brother's display. "Well, the good thing that I see from this is the confirmation of your close bond with Chris. That should serve me well."
Ryan blanched at that comment. "What the hell are you planning to do?"
Wyatt laughed evilly. "Chris is a stubborn boy. But I know his biggest weakness – YOU!"
"You're crazy, Wyatt."
"If your life was in danger, Chris would do anything to save you, even if it meant giving up his life."
"Chris will never give up on his mission, Wyatt."
"I guess I'll just have to convince him. I'm sure that if I put you through enough pain and agony, I would be able to bring Chris to his knees." Two demons shimmered in, one holding a green potion. "Give him the potion," Wyatt ordered.
"Wyatt, he's your brother!" Todd yelled, hoping to talk some sense into Wyatt.
Wyatt laughed at the comment. "Chris is my brother too, and I'm determined to destroy him. So what's your point, Todd?"
Ryan flicked his hands and blew up the two demons advancing on him. He rarely, if ever, used his powers, so he was quite relieved that he still remembered how to use them. Wyatt closed his fist in anger, causing Ryan to buckle to his knees, gasping for air.
"You're just as stupid as Chris, Ryan, thinking that you can work against me!!"
Desperate, Todd charged at Wyatt, accompanied by a bolt of energy that was just enough to knock Wyatt off balance and release Ryan from the chokehold. Todd then summoned his powers to temporarily make Wyatt immobile. "Ryan! Grab the spell and go warn Chris!" he yelled as he desperately tried to suppress Wyatt's powers.
"No! I can't leave you here!" Ryan shouted as he fought of another legion of demons.
"Just go, before it's too late!" Todd shouted as Wyatt's power slowly overpowered him.
In tears, Ryan scrambled to grab the spell from the table and read it, causing the time portal to open.
"You fool!" Wyatt yelled as he raised his hand into a claw-like formation. With no emotion at all, he plunged his claws in Todd's head, causing the younger man to call out in pain and agony.
"TODD!!!!" Ryan called out in horror, tears streaming down his face.
"Go..." Todd called out as he stubbornly refused to let go of Wyatt.
Wyatt tightened his hold on Todd, crushing his skull and sucking the life out of the young man.
Knowing that if he didn't go, all would be lost, Ryan took one last look at his dying friend and walked into the portal, but not before several demons blasted their energy balls into him. The immense pain that he felt as the energy balls struck him caused him to yell out. The last thing that he heard was Todd's terrified scream as Wyatt ended yet another innocent life.
~ to be continued ~