Chapter six

Chris was starting to get sick and tired of Leo persistent crying. Ever since they had started out on this journey Leo had let his emotions get the better of him. As much as seeing Leo suffer a tenth of what he himself had, this was not why Chris had brought him here. He had brought him to pick out his faults in hope that Leo would not make the same mistake this time around with little Chris. And now Leo was making him feel sorry for him, a weakness in his armour! He had never shown his father any weakness before and he wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing it now.

"Will you please stop with the crying," Chris sighed.

"Sorry," Leo sniffed wiping his face with his sleeve. He was slightly shocked at the way Chris spoke to him. Sure now he could see why Chris resented him yet he felt like a broken man. Surely Chris could see that and cut him a tiny piece of slack. He had caused most of Chris' pain and anguish and there wasn't a damn thing he could do to erase that. Chris would still have the memories, still remember the broken promises. "I never meant…" he struggled to explain "I just feel so.."

"Guilty!" Chris stated with an icy expression.

"Yeah,"

"Good. You should. Maybe seeing your future mistakes will spare mini me the pain of the past,"

"I know," Leo answered. He may not of liked it, but Chris was making sense. Seeing the pain he had caused left Leo in no doubt that he was not going to make the same mistake all over again, that was for sure. He'd move heaven and hell before he lost his family again.

"If you don't want to carry on with this tour into the 'messed up' world of me!" Chris sarcastically commented, "You can get off at the next stop!"

"No," Leo answered, "I need to see this through. For both our sakes,"

A smile curled the corners of Chris' mouth "Good. Lets move on then,"

Leo orbed into the Halliwell kitchen three days after Chris' birthday. The reception he got from the sister's was an incredibly cold one. And although he noticed the hostility directed towards him, he chose to ignore it. He had more pressing matters to deal with at the moment. "Good you're here," he started "I need your help,"

"And why would you think that we'd help you anytime soon," Paige answered harshly. Leo was slightly taken aback by Paige's comment. It wasn't like her to be so sharp with him.

"Dad," Wyatt and Mark called excitedly as they walked into the kitchen.

"Hey boys," Leo greeted them both with a hug. He looked past them at Chris who was standing quietly in the doorway. "Hey Chrisey," Leo greeted him with a smile. Chris glared at his father and walked back out the room without saying anything.

"What's that all about?" Leo asked oblivious. Paige just rolled her eyes and glared at him.

"Well," Leo asked impatiently "What's Chris' problem?" Piper was about to blast him out with an explanation, but Mark got in first. "You didn't come to Chris' party daddy, I think that's why he's upset"

Realisation registered in Leo's mind "Oh my god!" he gasped.

"Paige, Phoebe can you take the boys into the other room and help them get ready for magic school please,"

"But mommm," Wyatt whined.

"Wyatt please do as your told,"

Phoebe ushered the boys into the other room followed closely by Paige who didn't pass up the opportunity to throw Leo another dirty look as she passed him.

"Piper I'm so sorry," Leo began "I…."

"Don't!" she yelled holding her hand up to stop him carrying on. "Don't you dare tell me that your sorry and that you didn't mean to forget,"

"But I didn't," he tried to explain "And I never meant to,"

"Twice! Not once but twice you've forgotten his birthday. Do you purposely forget or are you just that STUPID," she screamed. She was so angry right now, it wasn't just three days of pent up anger that she wanted to let rip at him. It was seven years worth! Seven years of watching him play favourites with her children. Seven years of watching him ignore his second son. "I told you what I'd do to you if you forgot again,"

"I'm sorry, I was so busy will work and all,"

"I'm busy too you know. I have a club to run, children to look after, demons to vanquish, yet I still find time to remember and sort out a birthday party for a seven year old,"

Leo sat down at the kitchen table with his head in his hands. "Leo why are you like this," Piper asked sitting down opposite it him. "Why is it that you always let him down? It was his birthday Leo. I had to sit with him for an hour, while he cried himself to sleep," Leo looked up at her, his eyes misting over slightly.

"I'll make it up to him I promise," Leo assured her.

"Talk to him. Let him know that he's important,"

"I will," Leo nodded "Just not now. The elders are calling and I can't face him…. Not yet anyway,"

"Leo," she started, but it was no use he had disappeared. She sighed and lent back in her chair "And that's what I'm talking about," she grumbled.