Disclaimer: I don't own charmed, nor do I have anything to do with it.
Chapter Fifteen ----
"Christopher Perry Halliwell-Johnson… bloody hell that's a long name, get your ass down here!" Wyatt yelled up the stairs to his younger brother.
After a minute of standing at the bottom of the stairwell and receiving absolutely no response from Chris Wyatt decided to go upstairs and find the tyrant himself. He stalked into the room he had once shared with said tyrant only to be met with a half naked brother.
"Jees Wy', can't a guy get dressed in peace," said thirteen year old Chris with an over-exasperated voice and a strange glint in his eye.
"Not today he can't," answered back Wyatt, looking his brother up and down while he pulled on the last of his clothes as if searching him for something.
"What's so special about today?" he asked in an innocent voice, "And don't say anything about my name, yours is almost as long Wyatt Mathew Halliwell-Johnson."
"What's so special about today?" Wyatt repeated in an incredulous voice, "You have got to be kidding me. Do you even know what the date is?"
"Yeah it's September 27th, why?" said Chris in a completely passive voice, although if looked at closely there was definite humour on his face.
"And that means nothing to you?" asked Wyatt astonished.
"Well I suppose it does sort of ring a bell," said Chris while scratching his chin. He then looked at Wyatt and let a huge grin break out.
"You're an ass," stated Wyatt when he saw the grin appear on his brother's face. "An absolute ass."
"Who? Me?" asked Chris innocently pointing to himself. He then grinned once more and headed towards the door. Before he was completely out of the room he turned his head back and said in a laughing voice, "By the way, Happy Birthday big brother."
"Thank you little brother," said Wyatt sarcastically as he followed Chris out of the room.
Chris threw a grin over his shoulder as he turned into the doorway down the hall from his. He walked into the room and across to where his younger brother was lying, appearing to be asleep, on the bed.
"Come on Shawnie, you've got to get up," whispered Chris to the little boy.
"Why?" asked the boy without opening his eyes, "What's so special about to today?" At that Chris grinned over at Wyatt.
"He's only six and you've already corrupted him you ass," said Wyatt looking menacingly at Chris, while Chris laughed at his little brother.
"Me? I think that's the both of our doing's," said Chris, laughter still on his face.
"Well it doesn't matter right now, I need to talk to you Chris," said Wyatt seriously.
"We can talk later Wy', today's our day off and I plan on relaxing, whatever it is it can wait," said Chris. He didn't wait for Wyatt to respond, he simply bent down and swung Shawn up off the bed and onto his back then proceeded to walk out of the room.
"Chris, god you can be annoying, I need to talk to you," said Wyatt as he walked after his brother.
Chris simply ignored him. Wyatt always had issues and they had agreed on birthdays and other days of the like, those issues could wait. He walked downstairs with Shawn happily bouncing along on his back, to where he could smell the wonderful aroma of his mothers cooking. Birthday's, how he loved them, they always meant that he would wake up to a wonderful assortment of breakfast foods.
He walked into the kitchen and the sight that met him as he did so took him completely by surprise. In an instant his playful demeanour that had been evident since Wyatt first entered his room that morning had been replaced with an uptight, closed off one.
"Hello Chris," Leo said from his spot at the table, through a mouth full of pancakes.
Chris kept silent and looked to where his mother was standing by the sink. She was looking at him with worry etched into every line of her face. She didn't say anything but instead sent a pointed look over his shoulder where he knew his brother was standing. He knew Wyatt was behind him holding his breath, wondering what Chris would do once the shock wore off. That pointed look from his mother got the message she wanted him to hear across, it was Wyatt's day, whatever Chris's feelings towards his father were, this was not the day to make them known.
After a moment of silence Chris moved naturally over toward the table as if nothing was wrong and swung Shawn off of his back.
"Hi," he said shortly as he got Shawn settled into his chair.
He heard a distinct sigh of relief come from his brother and saw the small, proud smile that flittered across his mother's lips. Leo, oblivious to the large conversation that just took place between mother and son's, turned to Wyatt and smiled.
"Happy Birthday son, I took the whole day off to be here for you," he said in a rather proud tone. He looked as if he was about to continue talking, but any attempt to do so was shattered as a loud voice filled the manor.
"Where's the birthday boy?" They heard the front door slam shut, and the yells from the entrance way continued, "Has anyone seen him, he's about yay high, wispy blonde hair, adorable blue eyes that make the girls melt like butter." Owen appeared at the entrance to the kitchen. "Anyone seen him?" he asked in an innocent voice, much like the one Chris had used earlier, "It's just that there's this stack of presents out there I'd really like to unload," he said pointing to the living area.
"I'm here daddy!" exclaimed Shawn, raising his hand. The boy then hopped off his seat and tried to run past Owen and out to where he was told the presents were. Before he could get anywhere though Owen bent down and caught him around the middle.
"I don't think you're the birthday boy," said Owen in a playfully sad voice.
"I'm not?" asked Shawn dejected.
"No I don't think so, sorry kid." He then scooped Shawn off the ground and surveyed the room. "Ah, there he is," he said when his eyes landed on Wyatt.
"God dad, you're such a loser," said Chris shaking his head. Nobody even noticed the surprise that appeared on Leo's face as that statement was said.
Owen ignored that comment and continued with his fun. "The big one five today huh kiddo." He bent down and pinched Wyatt's cheek in a decidedly Grandma like fashion, who was looking up at him trying for his life to keep disgust on his face, but the amusement that wanted to be there was seeping through.
"Now I remember the day you were born as if it were yesterday," he began in a voice that too resembled that of an old lady's, before been interrupted by Paige, who had just appeared at the kitchen door.
"Owen, you do realise you weren't at his birth," she stated rather amused at the scene she had stumbled upon.
"Well yes," he said looking up at her, his voice back to normal for the moment, "But I do remember the day well. The 27th of September 2002, I had an iron thrown at my head that day. You see my girlfriend off four weeks didn't like the fact that I had to work on our one-month anniversary. I had fifteen houses due by the end of the week, what was I supposed to do? Anywho so we broke up, and that was the day I received my first concussion, so yeah I remember it well."
"Piper what did you marry?" said Paige looking towards her sister with a questioning gaze.
"Most of the time I have no idea, sometimes I think he's a Wookie of sorts," she replied shaking her head.
Owen was momentarily distracted, "A wookie?" he asked in disbelief, "As in Chewie?"
"Well yeah you're kind of hairy like one," said Paige while grinning at her brother-in-law.
"And you've got the gut for one." Chris was the attacker this time.
"A few too many beers hey dad," said Wyatt joining in.
"Ok how did this become a personal attack on me?" He turned to Piper. "I liked them so much better when all they could do was giggle, now they have brains of their own. When did this happen?"
"Oh I'm guessing somewhere in that epic story you were about to tell," said Piper laughing.
"Right the story," said Owen. "I remember the day I met you like it was yesterday," he said bringing back his old lady voice. "Is that better?" he asked Paige in a mock annoyed tone. She just held up her hands as if to surrender. Owen went to continue but was interrupted by Wyatt.
"Oh dad, please shut up. I'm too old for this now." Wyatt and Chris, who had both finished their breakfast while the chatter had been going on, hopped off their stools and headed towards the living area.
"Come on dad, I want to see what Wyatt got for his birthday," said Chris while taking Shawn from him. The three boys then left the room.
Owen turned to Piper, "But I didn't even get to the part where I say what a cute little six year old he was when I met him, so small like Shawnie."
"Oh sweetie, there's always next year," said Piper while wrapping her arms around her dejected husband.
"Mmm I suppose so. I'll do it in front of his friends next year to make up for this." Owen turned his head toward the table. "Hi Leo," he said brightly before wrapping his arms around his wife and leading her out of the room.
Once they were gone Paige turned to Leo, "Are you going to come watch him open the presents?" she asked.
"Um…Yeah I suppose so," he said in an uncertain voice, "Have they always been so natural around each other?" he asked quietly, "Always been able to play around and not take things seriously?"
"Yeah Leo, they have. You see it's part of been a family, you just know some things aren't meant like they sound," stated Paige before shaking her head at the clueless man and walking out after everyone else.
The day went by in a steady motion. By that afternoon the manor was alive with people trying to set up for the party due to take place later in the evening. Chris had spent the majority of the day avoiding his father and putting on a happy, relaxed face for Wyatt. On many occasions Leo looked to want to come and talk with him, but Chris always found a reason to leave the scene before the man had gotten too close. However as he strung a streamer and stapled it to the wall of the entryway he saw Leo making his way towards him. He couldn't get away this time as it were only he and Leo in the room so he bit his lip, sucked in his pride and turned to face the man he had once referred to as daddy.
"How are you doing Chris?" Leo asked trying to sound concerned. "We haven't really had a chance to talk in a while, I thought maybe we could catch up for a bit," he stated rather sullenly.
"I'm fine," Chris said shortly. The look on Leo's face as he said this made him feel slightly guilty so he elaborated a bit. "We won our game on the weekend," he said trying to create a topic to talk about.
"Really? That's great! Did you hit a home run?" asked Leo relieved that Chris had continued the conversation.
Chris couldn't do anything but stare at his father. It had been two years since he last played baseball. He had absolutely loved the game but in a demon attack he had received an injury to the shoulder that prevented him from been able to pitch and swing a bat properly, so he had finally given into his best friend Ryan's pleas and joined his soccer team, and in the process found a far greater love.
Chris shook his head sadly and decided to just answer the question reminding himself that he had to be strong for Wyatt.
"Yeah I did, hit it right out of the park," he said, a false smile playing at his lips. He went to continue, deciding that if he was going to lie why not do it well and make himself the hero of the game, but was interrupted by someone from behind clearing his throat. He swung his head around and immediately a true smile broke out on his face.
"Ryan! Kel! What are you doing here so early," he asked as he jumped down off the stool he was standing on.
"That would be my mother's fault," said Kel, "She thinks if we're going to something we weren't supposed to be invited to and eating at said event, we can at least earn our food and help set up. You know it's as if she thinks we don't deserve to eat." Ryan sent Chris a pointed look and rolled his eyes at Kel.
"Always the one for overdramatising things hey Kel," Ryan chuckled. He looked past Chris to where Leo was standing and held out his hand, "Hi, I'm Ryan, and you are?" he asked innocently.
"I'm Leo, Chris's father," replied Leo, taking the boy's offered hand. He didn't realise that the strength coming from Ryan's end of the shake dropped considerably when he uttered the word 'father'.
"Should have known," said Kel with a fake cheerfulness, "You look so much like Wyatt." She didn't look at Leo as she said this but at Chris. From everything she had heard about Chris's real father she had developed a deep dislike of the man and was not pleased to see him standing where he was. She was worried about how close Chris and Leo were in proximity to each other, and the look of disgust on Chris's face didn't do anything to ease her worry.
The conversation was broken up by a loud noise bounding down the steps. After a moment of waiting Wyatt and Shawn came into view.
"Oh sexy girl," said Shawn, pointing at Kel.
At that Kel's face lit up and Chris, Wyatt and Ryan all burst out laughing. Wyatt looked at Chris and noticed that under the amusement there was a definite redness to his cheeks. Wyatt then looked down at his youngest brother and saw that Shawn also noticed that tinge of red and silently gave him five.
"How you doing Shawnie?" asked Kel amused.
"I'm good," he responded with a wide grin. He then walked up to her and watched while she bent down to his level and then proceeded to give her a big kiss on the cheek.
It was obvious that the two had done this before. Shawn walked out of the room looking quite pleased with himself and the group fell into laughter.
"Ah dad, I actually just came down to get you, we needed you upstairs," said Wyatt once the laughter had died down, "I would have just um… called down but we have guests," he said looking pointedly at Kel and Ryan.
"Oh please Wyatt, don't act like a human being on our account," said Kel sarcastically.
"I'll remember that advice, thanks Kel," he answered back with equal sarcasm. He then turned and headed back upstairs, Leo following in his wake.
Once they were gone Kel and Ryan both dropped the act and turned to Chris.
"That's your dad?" asked Ryan amazed, "He almost looked normal."
"Well don't be fooled," snapped Chris heatedly.
"Oh don't worry we weren't. We happened to catch that little conversation you guys had," said Kel, glaring up the stairs to where she assumed Leo now was.
"Yeah what's with that? You haven't played baseball in ages Chris, you're a soccer dude like me now," Ryan exclaimed.
"Yeah I know," stated Chris vaguely before planting a grin on his face. "It's actually a pity you turned up when you did, I had this whole hero story ready to tell him."
"What's happened to you Chris?" asked Kel while grinning at him, "When we first met you you were so sweet and innocent and couldn't lie for quid, now you have elaborate stories ready to roll off your tongue."
"Dad's taught me well," he said with another grin, before quickly changing the topic, "Come on, lets go see if we can nick some of the silly string, mom can't have eyes and ears everywhere."
"I heard that Christopher!" yelled Piper from up the stairs.
"You know, I think your mother just might," stated Ryan while Kel nodded along, her startlingly blue eyes wide with shock.
A/N: Ok that was just a nice little chapter before everything starts going to hell, and it will in about two chapters time, I promise you that. I just want to say, thank you for reading, and please oh please leave a review. I tell you I'm not liking this new hit thing this place has going, the ratio between the number of people that read this and the number that review is seriously depressing. Anywho, the next chapter should be up soon, stay tuned, and once again, please review.
Next chapter is the actual birthday party, and Chris finally getting some feelings about Leo off his chest.