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 13
Ryan and Piper eventually managed to make a couple more batches of chocolate chip cookies before everyone came home. Piper had tried to get more information about the future from Ryan, but he was careful not to divulge any more information. He knew that Chris had his reasons for keeping certain things from his family, and Ryan had every intention of respecting Chris' wishes.
After dinner that night, Chris and Ryan spent some more quiet time together. This was one thing that Ryan enjoyed the most. He simply loved spending time with his brother, even if it was just casual chatting or just watching a movie together. After Chris returned to the past and Ryan went off to college, these treasured times became only fond memories.
All these thoughts brought a smile to Ryan. Unbeknownst to him, Chris was watching him with a smirk on his face. "What's so funny?" Chris finally asked.
"Huh?" Ryan replied, momentarily lost in his reverie. "Oh, nothing much. Just thinking..."
"About?"
"I've missed having these brother bonding times that we used to have."
"Yeah, me too," Chris agreed.
"After you left, I was so scared that I would never see you again."
Chris smirked at the comment. "Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence."
Ryan playfully punched Chris again. "You know what I meant..."
The two brothers laughed as they enjoyed their time together as Piper watched unnoticed from the stairway. She could not help but smile. Ryan seemed to bring out a whole different side of Chris, one that seemed all too absent during the past few months. It was clear that both brothers loved each other very much. It was a bond similar to, if not even stronger than, the bond that she shared with her sisters. It was also clear that they needed each other. Together, both of them seemed stronger – and happier.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Piper poured her famous ingredients into her pasta sauce as she prepared dinner. She glanced at the clock and noticed it was already three o'clock in the afternoon. Normally, this would not be a concern, but with her pregnancy slowing her movements significantly, she needed more of a head start with the dinner preparations. She could hear Ryan playing with Wyatt out in the parlour as she stirred the sauce. All of a sudden, blue orbs appeared as Leo materialized in the kitchen.
"Leo?" Piper asked startled. "What brings you here?"
"I wanted to see how you were doing."
"I'm doing fine. It's getting hard to move around but hey, that's pregnancy."
"So little Chris is doing well?" he asked hopefully.
Piper smiled. "Yep. He seems to be developing quite a temper already though," she laughed. "He loves to kick his mommy's tummy."
"And what about big Chris?"
"I'm afraid he's a bit harder to figure out," Piper observed. "All I can say is that he is one complicated young man."
"Well, he does come from one pretty complicated family, right?"
"I guess so," Piper sighed. "I just wish he would open up and let us help him. I know he's more than capable for doing what he needs to do, but he's too young to be carrying such a big burden."
"We'll just have to take it slowly, I guess. The boy is just as stubborn as you are and I think he doesn't like working according to other people's timetables."
"Hey Mom!" Ryan called out as he walked into the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks as he stood face to face with Leo. There was a moment of complete silence. "Leo," Ryan finally acknowledged, his voice lacking emotion.
"Do I know you?" Leo asked, confused.
"Uh, Leo," Piper struggled to explain. "This is Ryan."
"Hi Ryan," Leo smiled nervously, extending his hand. He awkwardly withdrew it when Ryan did not return the gesture.
"Leo," Piper continued. "Ryan is your son. He's Chris' younger brother."
Leo's eyes widened with surprise. "I have another son??"
"Apparently so," Piper answered with a sympathetic smile. "Obviously, Ryan returned from the future as well."
"So what exactly are you doing here, Leo?" Ryan asked, his face void of any joy from the reunion.
"I'm here to visit Piper...and see how little Chris is doing."
Ryan sneered, as a worried Piper looked on. She shared a glance with Leo, both not knowing quite what to expect.
"How touching," Ryan said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "No Elder duties today?"
"Ryan," Leo began. "I don't know if it's just me but I get the distinct feeling that you don't like me very much."
Ryan laughed. "You don't say! Give me one reason why I should like you?"
"I'm your father, Ryan!"
"In name only. When were you ever here for us?"
"I wouldn't know. I haven't exactly been to the future yet, you know."
"Well, the future version of you really sucks, okay?"
"Ryan, don't talk to you dad like that," Piper warned.
"Mom, you don't understand," Ryan argued. "You don't understand all the pain he put us through. You don't understand what he put Chris through."
"Don't bring Chris into this," Leo shot back, his voice rising as was his temper.
"Why not?" Ryan spat. "Are you feeling guilty for all that you've done?"
"That's enough!"
"The truth hurts, doesn't it?" Ryan taunted. "Chris was more of a father to me than you ever were. I'll never forgive you for everything you put him through!"
"You're going to listen to me, Ryan!" Leo demanded.
"You lost the right to order me around long ago!"
As the argument escalated, Piper felt the onset of a major headache. Normally, she would put a stop to this, but she was simply too drained and exhausted to do so. It also didn't help that little Chris was refusing to cooperate by constantly kicking Piper. It was almost as if he knew Leo was in the same room.
Ryan and Leo continued to hurl hurtful words at each other, neither side willing to back down. As they continued to shout, a booming voice drove them all to silence.
"ENOUGH ALREADY!" Chris hollered as he stood at the door, glaring at everyone in the room.
~ 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 13
Ryan and Piper eventually managed to make a couple more batches of chocolate chip cookies before everyone came home. Piper had tried to get more information about the future from Ryan, but he was careful not to divulge any more information. He knew that Chris had his reasons for keeping certain things from his family, and Ryan had every intention of respecting Chris' wishes.
After dinner that night, Chris and Ryan spent some more quiet time together. This was one thing that Ryan enjoyed the most. He simply loved spending time with his brother, even if it was just casual chatting or just watching a movie together. After Chris returned to the past and Ryan went off to college, these treasured times became only fond memories.
All these thoughts brought a smile to Ryan. Unbeknownst to him, Chris was watching him with a smirk on his face. "What's so funny?" Chris finally asked.
"Huh?" Ryan replied, momentarily lost in his reverie. "Oh, nothing much. Just thinking..."
"About?"
"I've missed having these brother bonding times that we used to have."
"Yeah, me too," Chris agreed.
"After you left, I was so scared that I would never see you again."
Chris smirked at the comment. "Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence."
Ryan playfully punched Chris again. "You know what I meant..."
The two brothers laughed as they enjoyed their time together as Piper watched unnoticed from the stairway. She could not help but smile. Ryan seemed to bring out a whole different side of Chris, one that seemed all too absent during the past few months. It was clear that both brothers loved each other very much. It was a bond similar to, if not even stronger than, the bond that she shared with her sisters. It was also clear that they needed each other. Together, both of them seemed stronger – and happier.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Piper poured her famous ingredients into her pasta sauce as she prepared dinner. She glanced at the clock and noticed it was already three o'clock in the afternoon. Normally, this would not be a concern, but with her pregnancy slowing her movements significantly, she needed more of a head start with the dinner preparations. She could hear Ryan playing with Wyatt out in the parlour as she stirred the sauce. All of a sudden, blue orbs appeared as Leo materialized in the kitchen.
"Leo?" Piper asked startled. "What brings you here?"
"I wanted to see how you were doing."
"I'm doing fine. It's getting hard to move around but hey, that's pregnancy."
"So little Chris is doing well?" he asked hopefully.
Piper smiled. "Yep. He seems to be developing quite a temper already though," she laughed. "He loves to kick his mommy's tummy."
"And what about big Chris?"
"I'm afraid he's a bit harder to figure out," Piper observed. "All I can say is that he is one complicated young man."
"Well, he does come from one pretty complicated family, right?"
"I guess so," Piper sighed. "I just wish he would open up and let us help him. I know he's more than capable for doing what he needs to do, but he's too young to be carrying such a big burden."
"We'll just have to take it slowly, I guess. The boy is just as stubborn as you are and I think he doesn't like working according to other people's timetables."
"Hey Mom!" Ryan called out as he walked into the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks as he stood face to face with Leo. There was a moment of complete silence. "Leo," Ryan finally acknowledged, his voice lacking emotion.
"Do I know you?" Leo asked, confused.
"Uh, Leo," Piper struggled to explain. "This is Ryan."
"Hi Ryan," Leo smiled nervously, extending his hand. He awkwardly withdrew it when Ryan did not return the gesture.
"Leo," Piper continued. "Ryan is your son. He's Chris' younger brother."
Leo's eyes widened with surprise. "I have another son??"
"Apparently so," Piper answered with a sympathetic smile. "Obviously, Ryan returned from the future as well."
"So what exactly are you doing here, Leo?" Ryan asked, his face void of any joy from the reunion.
"I'm here to visit Piper...and see how little Chris is doing."
Ryan sneered, as a worried Piper looked on. She shared a glance with Leo, both not knowing quite what to expect.
"How touching," Ryan said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "No Elder duties today?"
"Ryan," Leo began. "I don't know if it's just me but I get the distinct feeling that you don't like me very much."
Ryan laughed. "You don't say! Give me one reason why I should like you?"
"I'm your father, Ryan!"
"In name only. When were you ever here for us?"
"I wouldn't know. I haven't exactly been to the future yet, you know."
"Well, the future version of you really sucks, okay?"
"Ryan, don't talk to you dad like that," Piper warned.
"Mom, you don't understand," Ryan argued. "You don't understand all the pain he put us through. You don't understand what he put Chris through."
"Don't bring Chris into this," Leo shot back, his voice rising as was his temper.
"Why not?" Ryan spat. "Are you feeling guilty for all that you've done?"
"That's enough!"
"The truth hurts, doesn't it?" Ryan taunted. "Chris was more of a father to me than you ever were. I'll never forgive you for everything you put him through!"
"You're going to listen to me, Ryan!" Leo demanded.
"You lost the right to order me around long ago!"
As the argument escalated, Piper felt the onset of a major headache. Normally, she would put a stop to this, but she was simply too drained and exhausted to do so. It also didn't help that little Chris was refusing to cooperate by constantly kicking Piper. It was almost as if he knew Leo was in the same room.
Ryan and Leo continued to hurl hurtful words at each other, neither side willing to back down. As they continued to shout, a booming voice drove them all to silence.
"ENOUGH ALREADY!" Chris hollered as he stood at the door, glaring at everyone in the room.
~ to be continued ~