Learning to Fall
Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize. You know the drill.
Yes, I finally updated!
A/N: Billie and Kari probably won't be in the rest of the story. Imaginary four year olds aren't anyeasier to deal with than real four year olds. Kari got bored and wandered off to play.
Characters:
Wyatt Halliwell-power over earth, telekinesis, telepathy, healing, orbing, magical shield, sensing friends and family
Chris Halliwell-telekinesis, power over water, orbing, sensing
Laura Halliwell-molecular manipulation-freezing time and blowing things up, power over air, orbing, sensing
Elisa Halliwell- seeing into past and future, power over fire, empathy
Matt Halliwell-orbing, far-seeing-he can see things far away using his magic, echo effect with Jamie-the two of them can join their powers and amplify them.
Jamie Halliwell-orbing, teleportation, echo effect with Jamie
Morgan-power over the dead
Alyssa-telepathy, power over light
Although Wyatt is the only Halliwell with telepathy, any of his family members can mentally contact him, and he can establish a mind link with them
The twins work best with each other. The older four can work well interchangeably. Out of the older four, Laura works best with the twins.
Chapter 4
As the weeks went by, Chris got accustomed to his family. He enjoyed Elisa's company the most. Laura still seemed to resent him. Matt and Jamie seemed to like him, but they were mostly in their own little world. Wyatt…he didn't know what to think about Wyatt. He kept wanting to like him, but his memories of the old Wyatt kept coming into his mind. He liked Wyatt's girlfriend, Lyssa. The fiery half-elemental seemed to charm everyone that she met. Morgan hadn't been around since her argument with Wyatt.
"How are you?" said Lyssa's bright, cheerful, voice. "All right," Chris answered shortly. "In other words, not that well." Lyssa's golden gaze seemed to pierce his soul. "Hey kiddo, tell me what's wrong."
"It's just…too weird. I don't belong here."
"Yes you do!"
"No, I don't! The other Chris belongs here!"
"Chris, you are our Chris. You just don't know it yet!"
"Look, in my world…"
"In your old world-one that doesn't exist anymore, mind you-Wyatt was evil, Laura was born dead, Morgan never existed, Wyatt and I hated each other, and and your mother and aunts were dead. None of that is real anymore, Chris, it doesn't matter!"
"How do you know all that?"
Lyssa suddenly looked hesitant. "Well, I am a telepath."
"So you know stuff from me that I didn't know?"
She wouldn't look at him. "What aren't you telling me," he demanded. "Chris, please don't be angry. I know about that timeline because-I lived it."
"WHAT!"
"Calm down, please. Yes, I lived it. You know I'm not completely mortal. The immortal part of me exists outside of time. It sleeps, so I can have a life. I can have friends, marry, have kids, all the things that normal people do. But when my mortal body dies, I will become immortal again."
"That's creepy."
"Yeah, it is. Wyatt's the only one who knows very much about it, him and Morgan. Anyway, I fought Wyatt in the old timeline.
"Who did you work for?" Chris asked, knowing that she had to have been protected by someone.
Lyssa hesitated. "Gideon," she answered quietly.
"WHAT!" Chris jumped back in panic, ready to fight. He threw up his hands-and found himself pinned against a tree. Alyssa held him with one hand, golden eyes brilliant with anger. "Will you calm down! It's not what you think. Now, I am going to slowly let go of you. You will let me talk. Otherwise, I will have Morgan dunk you into the River Styx until you can think properly!" She released him. Chris sat on the ground, morefrightened than he'd been in a long time.Alyssa sat down in front of him. "Now. In the old future, it didn't take Gideon long to figure out what a monumentally stupid mistake he had made. No one knew it was him; they thought that it was Barbas. I think Paige suspected something-she's had a suspicious mind in all the lifetimes, but she could never prove it. I think that the elders hoped that Piper and Leo could fix the damage-and they did the best they could-but it wasn't enough. Maybe things would have been OK if Piper hadn't died when she did, but that's what happened." She took a deep breath. "Gideon never stopped trying to find a way to fix things. The world needed Wyatt-needed Excalibur-for an evil that was coming, but the old Wyatt would probably destroy the world before the dead ever could. Then you came up with your plan, and we got our miracle."
"Well, if the all-knowing elders wanted me to go back in time, then why didn't they tell me who turned Wyatt?"
"Because that wasn't all we wanted!" Alyssa shouted. "We needed you. And your family. We needed the Charmed Ones alive, we needed a thousand other things. Everything they went through, everything they suffered, made them who they are today. It allowed them to raise warriors who could fight evil and still remember what they were fighting for!" The passion in her voice and manner burned like fire. She was literally burning, Chris realized. He stepped back quickly. Suddenly aware of the light and heat she was generating, Lyssa calmed down. Chris felt uneasy. "All right. I'm a Halliwell; I should be used to things like this." Alyssa laughed. "Don't worry, no one ever gets used to it. Wyatt's the exception. He seriously seems to regard it as normal. I don't know, maybe the Twice-Blessed thing has something to do with it."
"Yeah, you're all freaks together."
"Oh, and you're normal?"
As she spoke, Alyssa seemed almost to dim slightly. "Hey Alyssa, did Gideon know that he would die?"
"Who?" she asked blankly. "Gideon," Chris repeated. "You mean the fallen elder who tried to kill Wyatt? What about him?"
He stared at her, realizing she honestly did not remember the conversation. He felt disturbed. Who-or what-had he been talking to?"
Chris couldn't forget his eerie conversation with Alyssa. He didn't understand why she had acted so oddly. Wyatt found him sitting on the bed. "You all right, kiddo?"
"I'm fine."
"Chris, what's wrong? Lyssa says you're avoiding her. She thinks she frightened you. What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Chris, come on. I'm not stupid. What happened?"
"Does she ever…forget things?"
"Forget?"
"I was talking to her. She knew stuff she couldn't have known, told me stuff about my past I didn't know. But ten minutes later, she didn't really remember it at all."
"Oh, I see. Chris, Lyssa is only part mortal. The elemental part of her is immortal; it exists outside of time. Usually the immortal part of her sleeps. Occasionally it wakes up. When it does, she knows things from the past, or even things that never happened. It always goes back to sleep, though. When that happens…she seems to forget. I think it's her magic's way of protecting her sanity." Wyatt hesitated. "I'm not sure, but I think that Morgan may be similar to Lyssa. Except I don't think the immortal part of her has ever woken. I don't want to be around if it does."
"She's not evil, is she?"
"Evil, no. She's a good witch. But if she ever wakes, I'm not sure her immortal half will sleep again." Chris felt a chill run down his spine. He didn't ask for an explanation, realizing that this was something Wyatt knew instinctively rather than logically. Wyatt changed the subject. "I was going to play catch with the kids. Want to come?"
"Laura won't like it."
"Laura just hates change. But completely avoiding her isn't going to get her any more accustomed to you."
Chris suspected that he wasn't going to be able to get out of it. He followed Wyatt outside.
Laura, Matt, and Jamie were waiting outside. Laura scowled at Chris and started to leave. Wyatt caught her by the shoulder and whispered in her ear. Listening sulkily, she nodded. Chris and Wyatt alternated throwing the ball to the kids. Chris began to wonder at the wisdom of using a regular ball. Jamie was a terrible catcher but absolutely fearless, so half the time the ball either flew over her head or hit her-she was going to end up covered in bruises. Matt and Laura were much better catchers. Laura caught almost every ball. Chris turned his head when a flash of light caught his eye. Before he had time to put his glove up, Laura threw the ball hard at him. The ball struck him in the head. Wyatt flicked his hands at Laura, orbing her to her room. When he turned to heal Chris' eye, Chris muttered, "Leave it." Ignoring him, Wyatt healed the bruise. To Chris' surprise, Jamie ran up to him and hugged him around the waist. "Want to see our treehouse," Matt offered. "Laura can't come, but you can."
"Sure," Chris answered, laughing. He was surprisingly pleased at the twins' affection. Wyatt muttered something about talking some sense into Laura and orbed out.
Laura sulkily apologized to Chris, then ignored him for the next three days. Chris heard Wyatt and Elisa talking in low tones. "I just don't understand what's up with her," Elisa said. "I'm not sure, either," Wyatt answered. "Maybe she's just having trouble understanding what's going on."
"She's twelve, Wyatt, not two."
"Heck, I'm twenty-four, and I'm not sure I understand it. And don't forget, the last time we encountered another Chris he tried to kill her."
"But that was a Chris from an alternate world, not an alternate timeline."
"Oh yeah, and the distinction is really clear."
Chris found himself wishing he hadn't listened to the conversation. Elisa had told him it was a demon that attacked Laura! He realized the irony of her lie; he had told a similar lie when he first went back to the past. He decided to listen to music in his room. Hopefully he could slip by without Wyatt and Elisa noticing.
Chris played the music as loud as he could get away with. A knock at the door startled him. "Come in" he called. Jamie came through the door, looking nervous. "I brought you a Coke if you want it," she said anxiously. "Thanks," Chris laughed. "What was that for?"
"Since Laura was mean to you."
"I've survived worse than getting hit in the head by a ball," he answered dryly.
Jamie gave him a pleading look. "OK, squirt, thanks." He gulped some of it down to please her, coughing slightly. Jamie chattered nervously for several minutes as he drank it. When he finished, she edged out of the room. Chris' head began to spin. "Jamie, wha…" He collapsed.
Chris woke up briefly, hearing chanting. Laura was saying a spell. She had tied him up. He was really getting tired of people knocking him out. Couldn't these people just ask questions? Suddenly, the memories flowed through his head. He began to twist one way and another, trying to get away from the memories. Kneeling by his mother's dead body, seeing San Francisco turn into a war zone, watching his beloved older brother turn into a monster as the hidden darkness inside him came out, that same brother trying to kill him, killing Bianca instead…Long dead ghosts floated through his head, screaming for revenge. Every person who had been injured or killed just for knowing him, the people who had been punished because he had rebelled against Wyatt, all the innocents his brother had killed. He didn't deserve to be here. He didn't deserve this happy life. He had stolen it from someone else. He saw Wyatt, face twisted with anger, shouting. Wyatt was going to kill him. Panicked, Chris let his power explode outward, then retreated to the door in the back of his mind.
Chris found himself in a place he didn't recognize. He stood in a cold river. The water was shallow, with a slow current. Chris had the sudden urge to lie down. He knelt down in the water. Strangely, it felt warmer. He felt someone yank him up and slap him. "What are you doing?" Another slap. Chris opened his eyes-when had he closed them?-and found Morgan scowling at him. "What are you doing?"she asked angrily.
"Where am I?"
"You're in Death, you idiot. You have to go back."
"I don't want to."
Morgan gave a half scream of frustration. She hit him again, this time digging her nails in. Chris yelled in shock.
"Stop being an idiot and let's go home. It's not your time, Chris."
"How do you know?"
"Death is my specialty, numbskull.
"How did you find me?"
"Come back with me and I'll explain."
She froze. "Something's coming." Chris noticed that a shadow was moving in the water. It suddenly erupted. A gruesome monster reached for both of them. Morgan suddenly pulled out a sword Chris hadn't noticed beforehand. She stabbed the creature twice, then took off its head. "Let's go," she shouted. Chris was happy to follow her.
When they woke up, they were covered with ice. Chris shuddered, a flare of magic causing the ice to melt and evaporate into the air. Elisa was waiting for them. "Chris, you terrified us," she chastised. "Why did Laura do that?" Elisa sighed. "Chris, she's still young. And we didn't tell her enough. She thought you were a threat to Wyatt. She thought that she could send you away and bring her brother back. She doesn't understand that you are her brother."
"Am I?"
"Yes, you are, baby." Piper said. "You are my son. You belong here, with us." She knelt beside him. "Peanut, I know this is so confusing. I know the kids made mistakes," she said as she glanced at Wyatt, who flushed. "And we didn't do enough to help," Piper continued. "But I promise you, you are home. We'll find a way to get your memories. And if we don't, we'll help you make new ones." She hugged her son. "Now, sleep."
Wyatt gathered his sister, cousins, girlfriend, and Morgan into the attic. "We all need to talk," he said flatly. "I admit it, I made the mistake of thinking he was evil when he first came here. I also made the mistake of thinking as though there were two Chris'. There aren't. That is Chris. And the sooner we get used to it, the better off we are." He looked steadily at Morgan. "You don't trust him? I understand. But you had better learn how to trust him, because you're going to be working with him." Eyes down, Morgan nodded. Wyatt looked at his fiancée and Elisa. "You two have been working overtime trying to help him. I'm sorry we weren't more help. Just keep doing what you're doing."
"Are you mad at me?" Jamie asked. Wyatt knelt down in front of her and Matt. "Hey, I know this is confusing for you two. But I need you to trust me and Elisa. And you know to come talk to me about anything magical." They nodded slowly. Wyatt turned last to Laura, who was studying the floor. "Laura, I have the same question for you. Why didn't you come talk to me or Elisa?" Tears streamed down her face, but she didn't answer. "Laura." She looked up at him. "I know you're scared. I know you want to fix things, but sometimes we can't fix everything. This is one time where you just have to trust us. And we have to be able to trust you." She nodded. "Now, go talk to Mom." Laura sighed and orbed out.
Piper was waiting for her downstairs. "Laura, how could you do this?"
"I thought he had done something to our Chris, Mom!"
"I explained this to you!"
"Not enough!"
"Laura, you are a child. Sometimes you just have to listen to me, even if you don't understand."
A nearby vase exploded. "One minute I'm expected to think everything through and predict all the consequences, the next minute I'm supposed to obey you even when I think there's danger! Why can't you make up your minds?"
"It's called growing up, honey. Welcome to the real world." Piper raised her eyebrow at Paige, who shrugged. "Laura, part of growing up is learning judgment. Sometimes you make mistakes. Another part of growing up is learning to deal with the consequences. That's our job to teach it to you." Laura sighed in frustration. She hated these lectures. She wished that they would just skip to the punishment. "What are you going to do?"
"Laura, did you honestly still think that Chris was dangerous?" Laura trembled. "I didn't know. I thought that if we just had the other Chris back, then it wouldn't matter."
"He is Chris!"
"I know that now!"
Piper took a deep breath. "Laura, you misused your powers. I can't bind them, because I can't leave you helpless. But I am going to restrict your use of them. You are forbidden to use your powers except in an emergency, or unless an adult gives you permission. I'll have Wyatt do a spell so that he will know if you use your powers without authorization. You're also grounded for the next three weeks. No TV, no music, no telephone, no friends." Laura went to the most important thing. "When can I use my magic without permission?"
"When I decide I can trust you. I'll let you know when that is." Laura hung her head and nodded.
The man stood across the street watching the house. He knew better than to take on the Halliwells before he was ready. But he would be ready soon. Ready to destroy the Twice-Blessed Witch and everything he valued. "I will take all that is yours and leave you with nothing," he vowed softly. He sensed a familiar presence in the house. "I'll see you soon, little sister," he murmured. A cold wind wrapped around him.