Of All the People
Chapter 14
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: As promised, a resolution to my evil cliffie. Wyatt comes to a decision. Finally:)
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Mausoleum…Day 6…August 26, 2003Wyatt was stunned as he pulled back his hand slowly. He couldn't believe that he had made such a major miscalculation. He had never done that in all of his time as ruler, and yet, here he stood in shock because he had failed to take such a small fact like leap year into account, but obviously an important fact. And because of that error, tonight was it. Chris was already fading.
He took a deep breath and tested the transparency again. He poked his fingers into what had been only moments ago, solid flesh, but now allowed his hands to pass straight through. "Can you breath?" he asked him softly.
Chris's response was barely audible. "For now…"
Wyatt nodded and turned away. He knew it would come eventually, but it wasn't just some abstract concept like good and evil—this was real. His brother was going to die tonight. And for the first time, that fact hit him like a ton of bricks, leaving him speechless. He avoided the look of sadness and betrayal in the watery green eyes that sought his own.
When he made his decision a week ago, he knew it was going to be difficult to let it happen and tried to prepare himself for the moment when it did. After all, they had been through so much together.
But he had never expected to feel a physical pain in his chest like he did now.
At first, he had mostly even convinced himself that with Chris's lack of existence, he wouldn't even know the difference. But now, he wasn't so sure that Chris wasn't correct and that his subconscious would always feel his absence, even if he didn't know what it was from.
A soft spoken voice broke through his fog, the humorous tone doing little to hide the slight tremors within it. "It's been nice knowing you. Well, most of the time."
The blonde stared at an empty spot on the wall, his vision replaying for him one of the many times he had heard that phrase as a child.
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The ten year old blonde stared at the spot where his mother's favorite antique clock stood, now currently splintered into a mass of pieces courtesy of his rough housing.
She had threatened him dearly if he broke one more thing in the house that week, and he panicked. Even more so when his brother walked up and clapped him on the back, "It's been nice knowing you. Well, most of the time. Mom's gonna' kill you. Can I have your room?" the mop of dark headed hair bounced excitedly before he noticed the look of terror in his brother's eyes. "Don't worry, Wy. I was only kidding—mom's not going to kill you."
The older boy was close to tears, "She might. Or she's going to bind my powers like she said last time. Then the demons will get me and I'll still get killed!"
The younger boy tried to comfort him, "I won't let that happen, Wy."
"But—" his eyes widened even further as he sensed her presence, "she's coming."
"I heard something break down there! That had better not be my antique clock. I've already put a ward on it so that demons can't break it." When Piper reached the bottom of the stairs, she sighed with disappointment as she saw her favorite collectible in pieces. She had a good idea who was behind it since he seemed to have a habit of breaking only the few items she valued. It was almost as though he sought them out for destruction. The Charmed One spun around to face her oldest child. "WYATT MATTHEW HALLIWELL. What did I tell you not even TWO days ago!"
Chris stepped forward, a picture of innocence. "I'm sorry, Mom. I was playing and it was an accident. I didn't mean to do it. When I grow up, I promise to buy you a new one." He beamed brightly.
"You did this, Christopher?"
"Yes. I'm sorry, Mom."
Piper looked at the wide green eyes and the small pout of his lips and crossed her arms suspiciously. She tried to figure out what the two were up to, but gave up after a few moments, deciding that she didn't care. "Ok, Chris. Since this is only your second warning, you're only grounded for one week. That means no TV, no holo games, no going out to play with your brother or your friends, and no orbing. Got it?"
He stared at her and asked incredulously, "For A Whole Week!"
"Wanna' try for two?" she dared him with her hands on her hips.
He bit his lip to avoid any retort that would surely earn him more punishment.
"Wyatt?" she said.
He looked up nervously, still convinced that she would find out. "Yes Mom?"
"Help him clean up this mess, please? Then the two of you go upstairs and finish your homework before dinner."
As soon as she left, Wyatt stared at the younger boy in wonder. "Why did you do that?"
"Thank you would be nice."
"Thank you. Now why did you do that?"
"Because we're brothers, Wy. We have to stick together, no matter what. There's me and you, and then there's them."
"Them?"
"Everyone else, dork," Chris shoved him playfully and answered plainly as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
A slow smile spread across Wyatt's face before he nodded in appreciation. "Yeah. I like that. Me and you."
Green eyes sparkled with mischief as he pointed to himself and clarified, "NO. ME and you," he said enjoying teasing his older brother by emphasizing his own importance in the relationship.
"No. It's ME and then you. I'm older," Wyatt shoved him back before they ran around the room tagging each other and laughing.
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At the mausoleum, Wyatt blinked and was hit by several more flashbacks in rapid succession.
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The sixteen-year-old dived for the ball his younger brother had just kicked and aimed for the goal post. He missed it, only to the delight of the brown-haired teen that was currently doing a victory dance. He laid down exhaustedly and had to laugh at the boy's actions as he jumped up and down grinning widely at his defeat. "I let you win, Chris."
"You wish. Admit it, Wy. I'm just your superior in a lot of things. Soccer being one of them," the younger witch gloated happily.
"Never. Let's go again. There's no way you'll score this time if I'm really trying." His grin faded as he sensed a familiar but unwelcome presence. They were finally just starting to enjoy themselves after loosing their mother the year before. And now he shows up after not being around for far too long. 'What's he want now?'
"Hello Boys, blessed be. You know, your Aunt Phoebe was wondering where you two had run off to."
Wyatt crossed his arms in front of him defensively as he stood up. "She knows how to find us if she wants us to come home. What are you doing here, dad?"
Leo stiffened his shoulders, smiling to try and ignore the unfriendly tone in his elder son's voice. "I was looking for you. I want you to come with me."
"For what?" he asked suspiciously.
"To stay."
Chris moved in closer, smiling in anticipation. Maybe their father had finally realized where his priorities lie and decided to take care of his remaining family. "To live with you?"
The Elder answered simply, not quite understanding his youngest son's meaning while he addressed Wyatt. "Yes. You need to train in the use of your powers. You have a unique destiny, Wyatt. As heir to the throne of Excalibur, someone needs to show you how to use it. We had thought that your mother was going to do that, but—well, things change. That's why you need to come with me."
Wyatt jutted his chin out defiantly, not quite ready to give in so easily, "Well, what if we don't want to go? Aunt Phoebe is doing just fine taking care of us, and she'll teach us everything we need to know about being witches."
Chris elbowed him aside eagerly, "No, ignore him, Dad. We want to go with you, really."
Leo stammered nervously at the misunderstanding. Finally, he laid a hand gently on Chris's shoulder, "Uh, um. I'm sorry, son. I didn't—I mean, right now, I can only take Wyatt because of his destiny with Excalibur and being Twice Blessed. It's just that the other Elders--"
"Oh."
Seeing the crestfallen look on the brunette's face made him backpedal quickly, "Chris, it doesn't mean I don't want to take you or that I don't love you too, because you know I do, but—"
He tried to shrug indifferently, "It's ok. I was only kidding. I don't really want to leave Aunt Phoebe, anyway." He turned and pointed in the direction of the manor, "I think I hear her calling me."
The blonde watched his little brother hurry away and try to pretend like he wasn't hurt by his father's insensitive actions. He whirled around to face the man, practically emitting a low growl. "If you can't remember you have TWO sons, then just forget you have ANY, Leo!"
He brushed into the man with his shoulder, practically knocking him over as he left and sprinted after the younger boy. "Chris, wait up!"
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One year later…
Two young boys stood side by side, dressed alike in their dark suits for the third time in less than three years. They watched with tear filled eyes as the last of the mourners filed out of the small chapel.
"What are we gonna do, Wy? First mom, then Aunt Phoebe, and now Grandpa. We're all alone now. Who's gonna' take care of us?"
Wyatt steeled his gaze as he slung his arm around the smaller boy, "I will. I'll take care of us, Chris. I promise. We don't need anybody else. We're brothers. It's just me and you, remember? That's all that matters."
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Wyatt heard his own voice echoing in his head, 'all that matters…'
Chris looked at him curiously, "What's all that matters?"
The elder witch spun around with a startled expression. "What?"
"You were mumbling repeatedly, 'All that matters.'"
His decision made, he answered firmly, "We're all that matters."
Chris couldn't help the bitter sarcasm that dripped from his voice, "Since when is there a we in this equation? I'm dying, remember?"
Wyatt ignored the question and looked to the vials while he held out his hand, drawing them into his open palm. He held them up and demanded, "Take-the-potion-Christopher!"
"Why should I? I mean, how does it make a difference what I decide now, you're about to become an only child."
Wyatt angrily tossed one of the vials against the wall. He ran his hands through his unruly hair in frustration. "Why are you being so damn stubborn? Do you want to die?"
"No. But I would rather not live what little bit of life I have left against everything I've ever believed in. I'm sorry Wyatt. I'm sorry you don't want me in your life. I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I'm even more sorry that I can't save myself. But I can't do it."
Wyatt was quickly running out of options, and that made him feel like a caged animal. He closed his eyes in despair, trying to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to say. "Come back to the future with me. And I'll let you do whatever you want."
The brunette cocked his head in confusion, "What do you mean?"
"Have I ever lied to you?"
"No. Left things out, yes. But outright lie—no."
Wyatt told him impatiently, "Then you have to believe me now. I will turn it over, if that's what you want."
"Turn what over?"
"My empire," the heir to the throne of Excalibur said simply.
Chris's first reaction was to laugh. Until he realized that the crystal blue eyes gazed at him intently, the usual hint of malice gone from them, replaced by a desperation he hadn't seen in nearly a decade. Was it possible, he thought, that the Twice Blessed, power-hungry tyrant, was willing to offer a truce of some sort? "Wait, you're serious?"
TBC…
Thank you all so much for the reviews.
AN: Ok, so did that answer your question? Now I just have to figure out how Wyatt will get out of this mess he's made. Don't worry, I've already got plans.