Chapter 5

As Wyatt and Ryan re-emerged from the dining room after making the call, they found Chris tightly bound in the blanket they had long ago dubbed, 'Mr. Fuzzy'. Ever since the two could think back, the blanket had always been there to offer its comforts whether in times of a crisis or if the latter of the boys were sick. Thinking back on the memories that were etched into the stitches, they couldn't help but grin a little.

"Do you think you can lift your arm up for me?" Leo questioned as he kneeled in front of the boy inspecting the bruising on his ribs. Chris merely nodded and followed instruction with a wince on his face.

"Good news, it's not broken. Bad news, it's gonna be sore for a while," Leo continued to prod around to double check his findings before letting the boy's arm fall, "Make sure to ask your dad to change your band aid every 5 hours and apply anti-septic onto the cuts," Leo kept a light hand under Chris's chin as he inspected the cuts further, "I don't think any of these will leave scars and the bruises should be gone within two weeks."

Getting up from his position on the ground, Leo turned to his two sons who stood watching from the doorway, "Did you reach his house yet?"

Shaking his head, Wyatt strode forward, "No one's picking up so I just left a message saying what happened and our address."

Chris had remained silent throughout the whole check up, too shy to speak up in front of a room full of strangers who he had just met and who also seemed to offer him more hospitality and care then he had received in quite a while.

"That's good, I'm sure he'll get the message eventually and come soon enough," Cole assured while he stood with his arms crossed watching the boy in front of him.

Gathering his nerves, Chris cleared his throat to draw everyone's attention, "I really appreciate everything you guys have done for me, you know- saving me and stitching me up. I'll find a way to pay everyone back, I promise," Chris struggled not to stutter as he was not used to talking to others very often, "My dad's probably busy. I don't think he's gonna come anytime soon. I think I'll just ride the bus home or something."

He unraveled himself from the warmth of the thick blue blanket and stood as though getting ready to leave, trying not to let the slight wince show across his face.

Piper however was having none of it, "There's nothing to feel so humble for, you just sit back down and let us handle things. Like hell I'm about to let an injured fourteen year old wonder the streets in the middle of the night," when Piper noticed the un-sure look that crossed his eyes she gave him a warm smile, "It's okay. Just sit down and rest for a bit. We'll keep contacting your dad and if he doesn't answer then in the morning we'll drive you to your place. I don't think you should be moving around right now."

Nodding his head, Ryan followed his mom's example, "You're probably exhausted by now, you're looking pale. I have an extra bed in my room. Come on bud, I'll take you up."

Blushing a little, Chris didn't think he could refuse the warm offer as the alternate would mean a whole night walking around the cold streets trying to find his way home. He couldn't place his finger on it but somehow watching the room and its occupants buzzing around made him relax and unintentionally lowered his guards. For the first time in over a year, Chris Parker was able to slacken the weight on top of his shoulders and just rest with no worries of tomorrow.

A thirteen-year-old Chris was storming down the streets of San Francisco with his mom, Jaime, trailing behind.

"Chris, come on. Don't be like this, please," Jaime tried to soothe the seething teen.

Halting to a stop and swirling around, Chris gave his mom a scowl, "Mom, I hate it there! I just don't fit in! Why are you forcing me to go? I can get a great education at my old school!"

Sighing and shaking her head, she grabbed his arm and urged him to keep walking, "I just want you to have the best. Going to that school will give you a head start in life. I don't want you living like this, like your dad and me. I want you to have better. I'm doing it for you, Chris."

Shaking his head, Chris replied in a vehement voice, "There's nothing wrong with the way we live! I hate that place, mom! It's full of rich snobs who think they're better than me just because they have money! It's like having my own personal hell! And you're forcing me to go there everyday!"

"Chris," Jaime wrapped her arm around her son as they turned the corner to get back to their apartment, "They can only hurt you if you let them. I know it's gonna be rough for a while, but you'll fit in eventually."

Letting out an annoyed snort, Chris shrugged his mom's arm off his shoulder, "You can only say that cause you're not the one who has to be the brunt of every joke! The one kid everyone can pick on! My whole high school experience is gonna consist of me being the social outcast and the laughing stock of Bayside High, and you're gonna be the reason why I had to go through that hell!"

With his final words spoken, Chris turned around and stormed off not looking back to see the reaction on his mom's face. Several feet behind him he could hear the impact of his mother's heels as they hit the concrete, "Chris, just wait-"

The swift words were cutoff by the heavy sound of three bullets being fired and frustrated yells between a group of men.

As the echoes continued for miles, the only thing Chris was coherent of was his heart pounding a million beats per second.

Turning his head, Chris felt his heart drop as he was dashing back to the fallen figure, which laid a couple of feet ahead.

Dropping to his knees, Chris instantly grabbed his mom's hand with his own quivering one. Frantically looking around with wild eyes, Chris began to shout, "Help! Please! Anyone! Call the ambulance, my mom needs help!"

An instant crowd of people began to gather around the two of them as the close proximity of the mob and the buzzing of their anxious words created a white haze for Chris whose head was swarming and he was unable of coherent thoughts.

Through the crowds mixed words, he distantly heard few clips of phrases, "-middle aged woman shot in the chest" "-down on the corner of Haywood street" "-lots of blood lost" "needs ambulance now".

When a gentle squeeze came from his mother's hand, Chris looked down to peer into his mom's gentle face, "Helps coming, okay? Just hold on a little longer."

She gently reached up and wiped his tears, tears he didn't even feel anymore, "Shh… don't cry. Chris, listen to me for sec, okay?"

Reduced to a soft sob, Chris shook his head, "No! No! No! You're gonna tell me to be strong and that you love me- and that means you're saying good-bye! You're not going anywhere! Don't tell me good-bye!"

Squeezing his hand, she managed a teary smile, "Chris, let me just finish. I don't know if this is my time or not, it could be today, tomorrow, I don't know. Whatever happens, happens for a reason. Got that?" She took in a quivering breath as she tried to force the words out, "But you gotta keep going, okay? You can't give up, no matter what. I love you so much. I would never want to see you stop for anything. You gotta keep living your life…"

Frantically shaking his head, Chris couldn't manage to stop his sobs that wracked over his body making it harder to breathe, as everything around him seemed to close up.

"I need you…"

Nodding her head a little, her blue lips barely lifted to form a shaky smile, "You'll always have me. Take my locket. Whenever you feel lonely, and things feel like it's too much… you know I'll be there, watching over you…" feeling her breath slowly recede away, she knew her time was running on borrowed minutes, "I love you…."

"Chris! Come on, buddy! Wake up, it's just a nightmare."

Chris, whose body was soaked in his own sweat, found himself frantically sitting up looking around the foreign room as a stranger was kneeling by his bedside with a concerned frown on his face.

"It's okay. Slow steady breaths, alright?" Ryan began to rub comforting circles on Chris's back as he waited for the young teen to calm down.

As memories of the nights past events fluttered through his mind, Chris let his tense posture fall as he put his aching head in his hands.

Getting up from his crouching position, Ryan took a seat beside the other and waited for him to raise his head.

When Chris looked up, he found familiar brown eyes staring back with genuine worry, "I'm okay…. Just a bad memory…."

"Wanna talk about it?"

Hesitating for a moment, Chris shook his head, "You probably don't want to hear about it…"

Ryan gave his most hear-warming smile, something he inherited from his mother, "Try me."

Not being able to resist the urge to talk to someone, someone who actually cared and worried about him, Chris continued, "I lost my mom last year…. She died of a bullet wound…. I guess I just can't get over it cause these nightmares have been haunting me ever since…. I don't know what to do…"

Slowly taking in the information, Ryan compensated what his next words should be, "Moving on after you lose someone you love is never going to be easy…." Ryan thought back to his own experiences before continuing, "But it shouldn't stop you either. It's gonna hurt like hell, and there are times when you're gonna wanna give up. It's okay to mourn…. It's natural to want to mourn. Just don't let it consume you. Moving on doesn't mean forgetting her, Chris…. It means keeping her in your heart but still living your life."

Nodding his head in understanding, he looked up with a curious look, "Seems like you're talking from former experience."

When Chris noticed the brief flash of pain cross Ryan's eye, he knew not to push matters further.

"Ryan?"

"Yeah?"

Chris blushed for a second before continuing, "Thanks."

"For what?"

"Talking to me like that…. No ones really done that for me for a long time…. I just wanted to say thanks."

Grinning, Ryan ruffled Chris's hair, "No problem… I know I might seem like a stranger to you, but if you ever want someone to talk to… you can come here and talk, alright?"

Before Chris could reply, he was cutoff by an angry shout from downstairs, "Where's my son!"

TBC….

Thanks a lot for being so patient and all the reviews! Loved every single one. I'm trying my best to update ASAP.