Of All the People

Chapter 5

By teal-lover

Summary: Wyatt reflects on the events after Chris Crossed and decides to do something about it.

Rating: PG13, T

Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed, just borrowing, promise to give them back when done, don't get any money for this.

AN: Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews. Since I'm getting short on time, I'm going to try and personally respond every other chapter. I wasn't going to take summer classes—but then my advisor said I had to take one, so timing will be tight. But I'll try to get the story finished soon:)

I'll get back to the family next chapter. I simply couldn't leave you hanging with Wyatt & Chris for too long:)

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No sooner had the two young men shimmered into the storage room of P3, Chris rolled away from his older brother and quickly stood up.

The older of the two snorted angrily, "So your sorry? For coming back here to ruin my life?"

Chris shrugged as he answered candidly, no longer seeing the point in trying to hide anything from the elder witch. "Not really. I just asked if it would help if I said it. Honestly, I don't have anything to apologize to you for, being that I'm doing this for you and all."

As Wyatt narrowed his eyes and took a step closer, Chris held out his hand, warning him to keep his distance. He halted for the moment but crossed his arms and answered snidely. "You can't seriously think I'm a threat to you. I just saved your life."

Chris looked frustrated as he explained to him evenly. "No. Good Wyatt just saved my life. He's still innocent and hasn't been corrupted by evil yet."

A brief look of hurt flashed in his blue eyes, but he replied calmly. "I tried."

Admitting reluctantly, Chris tilted his head slightly and sighed. "I know you did. Thank you for that, Wyatt. But it doesn't change anything, except to prove that there is good in you. That I still have a reason to keep fighting to save you. Blame yourself and this little impulsive trip of yours, because now I'm more convinced than ever that it can be done. That it's worth it."

"It's not worth it, Christopher. The path of good versus evil or vice versa can only lead you to an early grave. For thousands of years, that's how it's always been until I came along. The only thing that can save you is by ascending higher than those petty rules of good and evil, like I have. Power is the only way to do that. There is no good or evil Chris. Why can't you learn to accept the truth?"

"Because it's not the truth. And you didn't use to believe that."

"Well I do now. Even your family that you love so much died in vain over an inconsequential fight that can never be won. What you're doing is wrong. "

Chris tore at his hair as he practically screamed in frustration, ranting wildly. "No, Wyatt! This whole situation is wrong. These are not your beliefs; not the way your were taught. This is a result of whatever somebody did to screw up your thinking when you were little. And now it's just become a product of what you've learned from all of the death and destruction in your life!"

The older witch grinned as he stroked his chin nostalgically. "There is something to be said for all of the death and destruction—keeps the subjects in line."

Jutting his chin out defiantly, Chris's green eyes flashed stubbornly, "Well I'm never going to be one of your little subjects to be kept in line."

Wyatt rolled his eyes a bit, weary of his brother's petulant stance. He explained with as much patience as he could muster, but it was rapidly growing thin. "I don't want you to be. What I want is for you to accept things the way they are. Accept your place. Stop trying to remold everything simply because you don't like it. You're acting like a spoiled brat."

Chris's mouth hung open in disbelief. Had the man heard nothing he said? "You think this is about me? That this is some kind of game for me because I simply want my way? Listen clearly—this isn't about me! It's about YOU! And every psychotic thought and deed you've ever graced the world with. You were blessed with more power in your little pinky than anyone has ever possessed in their entire body—and you were destined for great things. But they screwed that all up. I'm not letting that happen again."

Wyatt shifted his position, drawing his shoulders to full height in an impressively intimidating stance. His tone gave a subtle warning, "Come home, Christopher. Stop this foolishness."

Chris knew he was treading on dangerous ground, but he couldn't help it. His natural tendency to rebel had been firmly implanted in him, courtesy of the Halliwell genes. Unfortunately in his case, that tendency nearly always came with a price—trouble. Christopher was doubly aware that his brother didn't like to be backed into a corner, least of all by his own words. Bringing them back up, showing the error in them, would only serve to antagonize the older man. No one corrected the heir to Excalibur and lived to tell about it. For anyone else, that would be a death sentence.

He would just have to bank on the fact that he wasn't just anyone else. Right now, more than anything else—he simply wanted his brother to return to the future—alone. Chris wasn't needed there, so why should he go? He would only cause more trouble for his sibling if he were forced back. He only needed a way to make him see that for himself.

Against his better judgment, Chris reminded him of the words his brother had gritted out in the heat of their last confrontation in the future. "You said you didn't need me."

Chris knew the moment the words were out of his mouth that Wyatt had just reached his boiling point. The flicker of anger that darted in those cold blue eyes only intensified with the grinding halt of his jaw. He backed up a step when Wyatt inched forward slowly, a menacing gleam boring straight into him.

"I don't. But I can't very well leave you here to your own devices, now can I?" Wyatt's tone lowered dangerously as he warned his brother, "You will die over this."

Chris looked saddened by the words. "By your hand?" he asked in surprise.

Wyatt turned to his open palm, the glow from the energy ball lighting up his face eerily. "If need be."

A look of resignation passed over the younger man. His shoulders slumped disappointedly, "Look, I'm getting really tired of trying to justify myself to you. You're never going to get it. I'm not going back with you until I've done what I came here to do. So let's just get this over with right now. Kill me if that's what you really want—cause it's the only way you're ever going to stop me."

Christopher was not a gambling man, but at the moment, he could think of nothing else except to use his brother's own tactics against him. He closed his eyes as his heart beat wildly, trying to hide the fear and doubt he held in them. He prayed that his brother would see it as a calm, but firm acceptance at what he had just suggested—the fact that he was ready to die for his cause.

Eyes still closed, his body tensed when he heard the familiar whirring sound of one of his brother's most deadliest powers activating. He had bore witness to many who had heard that sound before their demise. And it was their screams he now heard echoing in his mind. His breath shuddered fearfully while he awaited the intense pain of such a death to follow.

A minute later, there was nothing left of his target except the black ash that littered the air after Wyatt hurled the full-powered energy ball.

Christopher's knees went weak while his gaze shot open to the obliterated couch that had stood beside him a few minutes earlier. He glanced at his brother in chagrin to hide the panic he was feeling. "You know that was moms favorite couch?"

A little more confidently this time, Chris tried to stir the soul he knew lay within his brother. "You can't do it, can you? You can't bring yourself to end your little brother's life. Admit it, Wy. I still mean something to you regardless of the fact that it drives you crazy to do it." Brazenly, he poked his finger into Wyatt's chest, "You see, that heart that you like to pretend is dead? Well it isn't. It's still in there somewhere. Right along with the rest of my brother. And I'm gonna' get him back—whether you like it or not."

With lightening fast speed, the blonde grabbed at the hand and flipped his brother over onto the floor, holding and twisting his arm painfully in the process. He dug his booted heel into his chest to hold him in place, ignoring his little brother's squirming and telekinetic attempts to free himself. "Maybe I won't kill you," he contemplated out loud for Chris's benefit. "And since you've been so kind as to point out that disgustingly moral flaw I seem to have inherited...You've given me an idea."

If Chris believed he was getting away, he was severely mistaken. He had thought that since Wyatt could no longer orb, he would be able to escape his grasp using the blue and white lights. While he managed to orb, he was mildly surprised when he arrived on the opposite side of the room and found himself still firmly planted under Wyatt's foot, his brother grinning down on him with a snide expression.

He winced painfully as Wyatt twisted his arm further and dug the sharp heel into him further. Damn! he thought, I should have gotten him rubber-soled shoes to go with the shirt. "What are you going to do? Fight with me until neither one of us can stand up, in the hopes that I'll eventually give in. Because the only thing that will accomplish is you getting your ass kicked by your baby brother. Just one request—can we go someplace else and have it out? Piper and the others would kill us if we destroyed her club."

Wyatt laughed heartily at the younger man's snarling words, thoroughly enjoying what he considered a hollow threat. "No, Piper and the others would kill you—they're good at that. Besides, I'm currently the only one standing. And yet, you think you could ever be a match for me? Honestly, I would very much enjoy stripping you of that overconfident arrogance. One. Broken. Bone. at a time. And while that is an interesting idea I may entertain later--No. That's not what I have in mind right now."

"Then what do you want from me?"

Blue eyes met green as he replied thoughtfully, "Freedom to rule the world as I see fit. Peace from this insufferable, nagging conscience that just won't let me kill you as I've done to thousands of others who've opposed me. But I've been thinking that I won't have to. I'm starting to think that perhaps it would have been better off if I never had a brother to begin with. Nothing ever had is nothing missed. Right, Chris."

Fear gripped the younger man's voice as he understood the meaning immediately, "You don't want to do that…"

Wyatt leaned in curiously, "Why not? I'd just be helping you along. You've already screwed up your own existence by splitting them up early. Maybe I'll just keep you locked away in some little hole until it's past your conception date."

"They know about me, now. You made sure of that. They wouldn't let that happen."

Wyatt gazed at him tenderly, his words contrasting sharply with the expression. "What with how good you've been getting at lying as of late, I'm guessing that they don't know how old you really are, so they'll never know when it's time."

For the first time, Chris saw the possibility of his own non-existence. He would be erased from time all together. And Wyatt would be happily evil and blissfully unaware of the loss. He fought back the tears trying to reason with his sibling. "You'd be alone, Wyatt."

Wyatt replied indifferently, "I'm alone now. What's the difference?"

"No one would understand you. Not like I do."

"But the problem is—you don't.

"You could make things worse…"

"How much worse could they get?"

TBC…

Thank you all so much for the reviews. I can't tell you how excited I was to see them in my inbox. You guys are really the best part of writing. I'm tearing up here…