Disclaimer: See chapter 1
Author's Note: The scene that wouldn't leave me alone is in this chapter. (Can you guess which one???)
Anyway, I'm not too sure where I'm going with this, so suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you so much for all the reviews.
Those interested in The Son, I have the next chapter of that written I just... I'm not sure where I'm going with that either...
I'll post it though (the chapter I have) and see if anyone's still interested.
I hope you enjoy!!!
Oh P.S. I know I took a little stretch with the possible effects of the spell, but... it is fiction. ) Just humor me. And... (F) - stands for "future" and (P) stands for "Present" - that would be on the show in 2004. )
Okay, for real now....
Enjoy...
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As they all stared at Chris wondering what he could possibly mean, the boys approached.
And one of them, the blonde one, walked right through Paige.
"What the hell!!" she screeched backing away.
"What was that?!"
"Where are we?"
"Chris?!" Paige screamed, "What the hell just happened!?"
"Where are we??!!"
They all turned to him for answers, all except Leo who whose eyes were still on the boys. The boys who'd stopped a few feet from the front of the manor and were completely oblivious to the five people among them.
"How did that kid just.... walk through me!!"
"You're stupid spell brought us here," he hissed at them suddenly.
"What? Where?"
"To the future," he said grimly, "... to a memory... he walked through you 'cause you're not here."
He paused, filling his lungs with air, "We're not here... they can't see us... we don't exist here... so we can't change anything..." he stopped, than whispered, "...there's nothing we can do..." the words trailed off; and they got the feeling he was talking to himself not to them.
"But the spell was to bring Phoebe's powers back, not take us anywhere," Paige clarified.
"Phoebe will have the power to do this... to take herself and others into someone's memory... just later... and since you included my name in the stupid spell - "
"- it wasn't stupid - "
"- and specified that you wanted the power to see things about me it brought you into my memories..." he continued as if Paige hadn't interrupted.
"But why this memory..." he almost groaned, his eyes clouding over with pain, than he turned to face them fully, "What else had you said about me today?" he asked.
The girls frowned at him, "Chris we just found out you're Piper's kid, you've been practically the sole topic of conversation for over a week," Phoebe stated.
"Today," he growled at her, "What did you want to know about me today...."
"Well... let's see... what meetings you were going to, who shot at you, where you were going, why you didn't call for Leo yourself, what you wanted for dinner...." Paige could have gone on but Chris had stopped listening.
He turned around quickly running a hand through his dark hair, something akin to a moan escaping his lips.
"What's wrong?" Piper asked, but Chris didn't answer because the dark-haired boy down the street suddenly got loud and drew their attention to him.
"No Wyatt I'm not going to!" he yelled.
And upon realizing that the blonde child was Wyatt the sisters practically flew over to them.
"Oh my god!" Phoebe squealed, "... it's Wyatt and Chris!!"
"They're so cute!!" Paige enthused.
Piper just looked at them, smiling, the smile died slowly though as she and her sisters realized that the brothers were in the middle of a heated argument.
Older Chris had stayed a few feet away his green eyes shuttered.
"You okay?" Leo asked him.
Chris gave him an I-know-you're-not-talking-to-me look, before turning to face the small group again.
Leo almost growled at him, "I'm just trying to - "
"You don't hafta try anything around me," Chris cut him off ruthlessly, "... my entire life I only asked one thing of you and you didn't deliver – you can take you're trying and shove it up you're pacifist ass."
With that he walked over to where the sisters were listening to the boys.
"Let's try a spell to get out of here," he said urgently.
"Shhhhh!" Paige hissed at him.
"Wyatt's trying to convince you to cover for him while he goes to the underworld," Phoebe whispered, as if he hadn't lived it.
"How about the return what has been moved spell?" he asked, ignoring them.
"Wait!" his mother said to him, "I want to see what happens."
Chris's stomach plunged and he grabbed her by the arm, almost forcefully, "Trust me," he said his eyes burning with intensity, "... you don't."
The air around them seemed to stop for a moment, even the former Chris and Wyatt stopped, staring at each other.
Piper couldn't look away...
....there was such anger, such... defiance in those green eyes...
He was furious... he was hurting...
"Christ!! Chris!! Let her go," Paige said pulling Piper out of his grasp.
"What the hells wrong with you?" Phoebe asked.
"Just say it with me...A time for everything; And to everything its place," he began but they were just staring at him.
"Please," he said his eyes beginning to sheen with tears, his voice catching, "I can't live through this day twice."
The sisters stared at him.
All wondering what could possibly be so bad about Wyatt asking him to cover for him. Siblings did things like that all the time.
But Piper saw the desperation in his eyes and gave up the curiosity.
"A time for everything," she began and her sisters joined almost immediately.
"And to everything it's place,
Return what has been moved
Through time
And space"
Nothing happened, and Chris turning, actually groaned, "oh god no... please..." he whispered.
They could feel his anguish, there was something very wrong about this memory, and suddenly they didn't want to stick around.
By silent agreement they began to chant again.
"A time for everything
And to everything it's place
Return what has been moved
Through time
And space"
Once again nothing happened except the air filled with the clearly exasperated voice of a younger brother, "Fine Wy! Fine! I'll cover for you..."
"YES!" Wyatt yelled, ruffling his brother's hair, "You're the best, kid!! The absolute best!!"
Chris rolled his eyes, "You're still gonna get in trouble when Mom calls for you and you don't come."
Wyatt shrugged, "I'll tell her I was in a public area and couldn't get away."
Chris arched an eyebrow, "You think she's gonna buy that?" he asked skeptically.
Wyatt grinned, "Of course not, but I'll worry about that later. This is important...."
Chris sighed, "Fine... go... already... so I can get home."
Wyatt nodded, "Go on, I'm gonna watch you from here."
Chris scowled, "I'm fourteen not four."
"You're still my little brother and that's a block and half," Wyatt said condescendingly.
Chris rolled his eyes.
"Go!" Wyatt said, "... or I'm gonna tell Mom that rumor has it her baby spent twenty-five minutes behind the bleachers in the gym with Janet Freem- "
"Okay, Wy, see ya later," Chris interrupted, giving him a not-so-friendly shove.
Wyatt laughed and as his laughter carried through the street, the small group of travelers felt themselves get pulled into another vortex.
"Maybe it worked," Phoebe said hopefully.
Chris shook his head, his eyes instinctively seeking Piper's, "No," he said softly, "... we're just going in for a closer look."
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They were inside the manor now, in the foyer, facing the front door.
"My god! Chris are you okay!" Piper exclaimed, rushing over to him, once they'd all righted themselves.
He was deathly pale and shaking.
He shook his head, "I... I can't watch this... I can't... I can't live this again..." he moaned, his hands coming up as he grasped his head; it looked as if he were trying to keep the memories out.
They all looked at each other, this was an overload of emotion from the kid who considered monosyllabic answers part of a conversation.
"Chris honey, what are you talking about," Piper tried, her voice sweet and gentle, as she approached him with slow steps.
He backed away from her frantically, lowering his head so he couldn't see her, "No, no, stay away, don't..." he back himself into a corner.
Piper would have followed him, but just then the front door opened.
"Mom, I'm home," (F)Chris yelled, dropping his bag on the floor.
"oooooo" Phoebe hissed, "Piper's gonna hate that..." she said her eyes on the bag.
Paige grinned, "Maybe she changes."
"Don't hold your breath," Phoebe said.
"Wyatt's stayed after school..." (F)Chris called, as he rounded the corner into the living room.
The sisters watched him as he rounded the corner.
Heard him as he gasped.
"Mom!!!"
They followed and the scene before them was more horrific then they could have imagined.
The living room was completely trashed, windows broken, scorch marks littering the ground and walls, glass everywhere, furniture in pieces.
The most horrific sight though, was at the far end of the room; where Piper lay covered in wounds, oozing blood, and gaping for breath.
Chris was kneeling beside her, pulling her into his arms, tears already streaming down his face, "Mom," he cried, "...oh god what happened?"
He asked, but didn't give her a chance to answer, "Dad!! Dad!!" he called, his voice frantic.
"Chris..." Piper's voice was weak at best, it was obvious she was using the last of her strength.
"ssssh, it's okay mom, - DAD!! – it's gonna be okay," he assured, his young voice cracking, "DAD! Please!!"
"Chri-"
He was smoothing her hair away from her face, "Ssssssh, don't worry, Dad's gonna heal you.... or WYATT!!!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.
The pain on Piper's face cleared for a moment as she almost smirked at her youngest, "Listen..." she gapsed out, trying to get his attention, trying to tell him something, "...don't.... everything...." She was running out of air, "... everything. Happens. For. A reason. Okay."
Chris shook his head, "Mom... please... it's gonna be okay..." he sobbed, "... everything's gonna be fine – DAD!"
She smiled faintly, "Yeah... you remember that..."
His grip on her tightened, "DAD!!!"
"I love you," she said, the last word interrupted by a fit of coughing.
"DAD! PLEASE!! DAD!!" he cried, clutching at Piper tighter, "... mom..." he cried, lowering his head a little.
"I love you so much," she whispered, "... both of you..." reaching her hand up, she touched the side of his face.
He grasped at the hand, holding it to his side tightly, accidentally smearing her blood on his cheek.
"My darling boy," she whispered faintly, her eyes filled with love and pride, before they began to slide shut.
Chris's head began to shake, "no, no, no, no," he whispered, pressing the hand harder into his face, "Mom!! MOM!! Please!!! Please Mom, NO, NO, Please... don't... DAD!! DAD!! PLEASE DAD!!! PLEASE COME!!!"
Chris was sobbing now, and Piper lay completely limp in his arms.
"Please Mom, please... WYATT!! WYATT PLEASE!!" he cried again.
"DAD! SOMEBODY, ANYBODY, PLEASE!!!"
The tinkling of orbs was quickly outshined by the cry of surprise, of shock that emanated from Wyatt.
"What happened!! Oh my God!! Chris!!!" he cried, grabbing his younger brother by the shoulders; tearing him away from their mother; "What did you do!!??" he yelled at the boy as she shook him roughly.
Chris just sobbed, "I don't know. I don't' know. It was... it was like this... Wy... Mom..." he wailed.
Wyatt released his brother instantly and went to their mother, kneeling he held his hands out and watched, through tear-blurred eyes, as the golden glow emitted from his hands.
The group of travelers from the past shook their heads, as torrents of tears streamed down their face. All of them knowing it was too late, all of them knowing the boys knew it was too late.
(P)Chris had walked forward and was now standing behind the sisters. Watching.
The sisters were all clinging together and sobbing, not just for the death of the oldest but for the poor children who had to live their mother's death so vividly.
Leo stood to the side, alone, feeling every time Chris called for him like a physical blow....
... my entire life I only asked one thing of you and you didn't deliver...
The words were haunting him.
Wyatt held his hands there for minutes, even though nothing was happening.
"Channel me," (F) Chris said, the tears still falling, "... channel my power Wyatt..."
Wyatt nodded, reaching over and taking his brothers hand. The glow intensified, but still nothing happened.
"DAD!!" Chris called again; his voice breaking.
"... there has to be something Wyatt... there has to be something we can do..." Chris cried.
"The book, maybe?" Wyatt said lowering his hands.
Chris nodded, eagerly, his eyes frantic, seeking hope in anything.
"Book of Shadows," he called and the book materialized in hands.
Together the boys went through page after page of spells. Inserting words and substituting phrases, making up stanzas and inventing words; they tried to rewind time, call Father Time, Mother Nature, Elf's, Nymphs, Spirits; they tried everyone in and out of the book.
And every few minutes, between spell re-creations and the pleading of "mom, please" Chris would call out, "Dad!"
Leo didn't show.
"Okay what's next?" Wyatt asked, his tone tense.
Chris didn't' reply.
"Chris!!!"
The younger boy shook his head, "That's it... there's nothing else... nothing else that could work..." he said his breathing picking up a little. A sob rising in his throat, "Nothing else could work... DAD!!!!"
"There has to be something..."
"THERE ISN'T!!" Chris yelled, "THIS FUCKIN BOOK IS USELESS!!!" he screamed and flung the book to the other side of the room.
"Try healing again Wyatt," he said after a moment.
Wyatt nodded and lifted his hands, but he stopped with his hands poised in mid-air.
"Do it!!" Chris yelled.
Huge tears welled in Wyatt's eyes and spilled out quickly, as he turned and met his brother's gaze, his hands slowly falling.
Chris started shaking his head even before Wyatt began to speak.
"There's no use, Chris...." he said softly, his chest rising and falling quickly, "I can't... I can't heal the dead..." he cried.
Chris shook his head vigorously, "no, no, no, no, no, she can't.... she can't be dead...she just can't... she... oh god... no... DAD!! PLEASE DAD!!!!! No... no... please Wyatt... do something... do something..."
Wyatt took a deep breath, a steadying breath, before shooting his gaze across the living room and into the kitchen.
Telekinetically, he brought the phone to him.
"Wha- what are you doing???" Chris asked frantically.
Wyatt said nothing; once again he just met his brother's eyes.
"No, Wy, don't... don't... you can't... you can't take it back... Wy... if you... you can't take it back... we can't fix it...if you..."
Wyatt dialed three numbers.
"No... please... Mom... MOM PLEASE...." Chris cried shaking Piper's body, "MOM PLEASE... Mom... I need you... please mom... mom..."
9-1-1 what is the nature of your emergency?
Hello
"My mother's been murdered."
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The vortex appeared, pulled them in, and deposited them in the same spot what was probably a few hours later, without any of them so much as flinching.
The scene they'd just witnessed was enough to give them all nightmares.
Chris's desperation to bring her back, Wyatt's wearied resignation as he admitted he couldn't heal the dead...
The living room was swarming with detectives now; Darryl among them. His eyes on the still figure draped in white.
The boys stood to one side. Both dry-eyed and somber, they watched.
"I got the office to hold off the full-throttle investigation until tomorrow; and Social Services to let you stay with me, until they can contact..." he shrugged, "I don't know... Leo's out of the question... your Grandfather maybe."
They nodded not really hearing him.
"I'm not sure it's a good idea to leave you both here alone," he said after a moment.
Wyatt looked up at him, "Thanks for the concern but we'll be fine," his voice was firm, confident; "We have to find who did this."
"Should you do that? I mean if it ... it's probably pretty powerful..."
Wyatt smirked a little, a twisted little smiled, that shivers down the sister's spines, "Don't worry about us Daryl, we can take care of each other, right Chris."
Chris nodded, without looking at either of them. He was watching the men that were standing over his mother's body.
Watching as they lifted her off the ground.
"What are they doing? Where are they taking her? They can't do that..." he said quickly rushing forward, "No... put her down... you can't..."
The men looked helplessly around, "Someone get the boy out of here," one of them said.
A man moved forward intent on grabbing hold of him, Chris lifted his hand and froze them all.
"Help me get her down, Wy..."
Wyatt didn't move immediately, and when he did he went to face Chris; inserting himself between Chris and their mother's body.
Grabbing the boy firmly by the shoulders he said softly, "She's dead, Chris," his voice broke on the words, and unshed tears glimmered in his blue eyes, "There's nothing we can do about it. Now unfreeze these people."
Chris held his brother's gaze a moment, before pulling away. With a flick of his wrist he unfroze the scene and moved away before the man who'd been coming for him could move.
Slowly the house emptied until it was just the two boys.
Daryl had left with a promise to be back early the next morning.
The house was eerily quiet after they'd left and sisters began to pull away from each other.
Leo remained silent.
Piper went over to (P)Chris who had a glazed look in his eyes.
"Chris... are you... I mean I know you're not... but..."
"Stop Piper," he said, hoarsely, "... the more you try to help... the worse it hurts..." he said softly.
She nodded, slowly.
"Get the book Chris," Wyatt ordered, "We have to put it back."
Chris nodding, getting down on the ground and pulling out the book from under one of the broken piece of furniture.
Slowly the two boys walked up the stairs, their steps resounding in the deathly quiet house.
In the attic they stood at the doorway, their family's legacy was displayed before them... everything they'd ever been and everything they could ever hope to be.
Chris walked forward, placing the book on its pedestal, figuring the texture of it's pages.
Countless generations of his family had stood at this spot, in front of this book...
... and for what...
It was sudden, but swift...
The rage that descended over him, had the sky's outside turning black.
He began tearing pages out of the book, pulling them out and shredding them into tiny pieces.
"Fucking piece of useless crap!!! It's useless all of it!! Fuckin worthless!!"
"Chris stop!" Wyatt yelled.
The boy turned away from the book and began blowing up the shelves that held potions and ingredients, "None of it does any good... all of it's rubbish... trash!!!!"
"Chris stop... get a grip..." he yelled glancing out the window where rain and wind were beginning to terrorize the city, "You're causin a freakin storm!!"
"What good is it Wyatt? Huh? What good is all that destiny bull-shit!!! It's over... the great Charmed Ones... Gone and what good did they do? What difference did they make huh? They're whole lives devoted to this shit and what good did it do???? Huh??"
The boy was sobbing now and Wyatt pulled him into a hug.
"I know, kid, I know... all that work and they never got ahead... they never won.... All that power... and they always had to hide... I know kid..." he said softly, "...it's not fair... their life wasn't fair... but I'm gonna make it better... I promise... I'm gonna make it better..."
He pulled Chris back for a moment, "... but you gotta chill okay... you can't... destroy the city... Mom would freak..."
Chris wiped at his tears, and took deep breath.
"Good, now listen up - "
Wyatt was interrupted by the tinkling of orbs.
The heads of everyone in the room snapped to attention to see the formation of blue orbs.
"Blessed Be," (F)Leo said calmly, almost before he was fully materialized.
He stared at the messy attic, before frowning at the boys, "What happened here?" he asked.
The boys stared at him in absolute shock.
"Does you're moth-"
Chris flew at his father, utter rage on his face, "You Asshole!! I hate you!! I hate you!!!" his fists were clenched and he had every intention of beating the shit out of his Dad.
Wyatt held him back though, shoving the boy behind him as he stepped over to his father.
Leo's eyes widened and he took a step back, "Chris! What kind of language is that!! You're mothe-"
"Our mother," Wyatt cut him off, "... is dead."
The words vibrated around the room, seeming to suck the oxygen out.
Leo gasped, "Wha- What!?... tha- thatt isn't funny Wyatt... that's not something to joke about..."
Wyatt took a step forward, "No one is joking, try and sense her... you won't... she's dead."
"... and with her she takes every last shred of tolerance we have for you...." He added, after his father had attempted to sense for Piper.
Leo said nothing just stared at him, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"It's not possible-"
"It is. The coroner just took her body. Grandpa will be our legal guardian and we'll be living here. You can go now."
Leo was shaking his head, tears beginning to fill his eyes, "But she can't... she... how? What happened? Who? What?"
"None of that is any of your concern. We'll deal with it."
"Not my conc- I'm your father!!"
"LIKE HELL YOU ARE!!" Chris hissed, lunging at him again.
Once again Wyatt held him back, giving him a long stare, before turning his attention back to Leo.
"We will handle this Leo," the others saw the way that Leo flinched at his son calling him by name, "...it's our responsibility. We're the only Hallowell's left so we'll deal with it."
Leo shook his head.
Wyatt spoke again, this time he took a step forward and the others saw a hardness, an edge that was very likely the beginning of the monster he would become.
"Maybe I'm not making myself clear. Mom was the only reason Chris and I allowed you in this house. Now she is gone, you are no longer welcome here."
Leo bristled, "This house is-"
"...is mine," Wyatt stated firmly, "I'm am the oldest, it falls to me."
He paused meeting his father's eyes.
"Don't make me say it again."
"Wyatt you can't do this. I love you..."
"Do you?" the boy asked sardonically, "... I don't think so. I don't think just a letter on every birthday for ten years is love. I don't think missing every game, every performance, every parent-teacher meeting is love. I don't think love is not showing up when you say you will or forgetting special events. And if it is... well too bad... cause I don't love you. You've been a father in name only for too long."
"Wya-"
"You had you're chance. It's gone now. I don't need you. Chris doesn't need you. Leave."
Leo looked helpless for a moment, "Chris?" he said trying to find some support in his youngest.
Chris turned his face away.
Leo nodded slowly, "I'm sorry," he said, tears making his voice thick, "... I did the best I could."
He began to orb.
"Wait!" Chris called suddenly.
Leo stopped an expression of hope on his face.
Chris stepped forward, ignoring Wyatt's questioning look.
"Did you hear me?" he asked softly.
(P)Leo's heart dropped.
(F)Leo looked anguished, "Chris I - "
"Did you?" he asked, still calmly.
"I was... I had... I was in a meeting, I didn't kno-"
"DID YOU HEAR ME!!" he yelled now, all calm vanishing in an instant, "DID YOU HEAR ME CALL FOR YOU!! DID YOU HEAR ME BEG FOR YOU TO COME AS SHE LAY DYING IN MY ARMS!!!! DID YOU!!"
"Yes."
The word came out small and was accompanied by tears.
"I heard you."
Chris took a deep breath, controlling his rage, he stepped even closer to Leo.
Their identical eyes meeting.
"Good," he said bitterly, his mouth twisting, "... treasure that. Because I swear to you Leo Wyatt, on her soul, I will never call for you again."
Leo flinched, taking a step back.
Wyatt moved in behind his brother, "Now get out," he spat at him.
Standing like that, one behind the other, their eyes glazed with hate, their fists clenched, they were quite a formidable pair.
Leo orbed out after a moment.
And absolute silent reigned in the attic.
Then slowly Chris turned and laid his head on his brother's shoulder, letting the tears fall.
Wyatt nodded, gently patting his little brother on the back. But there was a somewhat pleased expression on his grim face, an expression that made the girls and Leo shiver.
"You did good, kid, you did good." He said softly, as the younger boy sobbed.
Chris shook his head as he pulled back, swiping at his face, "Mom would kick my ass for that...." he sobbed.
"Mom's dead," Wyatt said bluntly, "... it's just me and you now Chris, just me and you."
Chris tilted his head to one side, "Yeah, but - "
"That means new rules, Chris."
Chris shook his head, "We can't-"
"You said it yourself Chris, the old rules got them no where. They're obsolete. It's time for new rules... and we're the ones to implement them."
Chris eyed his brother a moment than said softly, "I don't think it's a good idea Wy. I think Mom wouldn't like it, I think the aunt's would tell you no, and I think it sounds dangerous."
Now it was Wyatt's turn to eye his brother, than he answered, his voice tender, "You trust me don't you Chris?"
The quandary was apparent on fourteen year-old's face. He knew somewhere inside that although what Wyatt was saying sounded right... it wasn't.
But it didn't negate the fact, the unalterable fact, that from the depths of his being he trusted his brother.
"Yeah, Wy, I trust you."
He'd never known anything else.
Wyatt smiled, "Good, don't worry Chris, just trust me."
And Chris nodded, agreeing, placing his absolute faith in the big brother that had never let him down.
And why wouldn't he?
His whole world had just been abruptly shattered; Wyatt was the most solid thing in his life, his center...
It would be years later, another bleak day, when once again his world would shatter.
When the blinders would be ripped off and he would see...
When he would no longer trust his brother.
For now though, Chris nodded and Wyatt smiled, and slowly they made there way to their mother's bedroom.
As they exited the attic, five pairs of eyes glued to them, the vortex appeared again.
They were all pulled into it and moments later safely deposited in their own time, in their own attic, in their own hell.
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