Chapter 5

Future

Chris's Diary (age 11)

Today the amazing Wyatt struck again with his super powers saving the day like Mom and Dad's personal super hero. I swear if he could he would have his own theme song complete with a long red cape and all. I mean it's not that I hate Wy, in fact at times he's pretty cool. I just hate it when he plays super man on my big days. I just don't understand why he had to do it today of all days.

Today was the last game in the finals for my baseball team and we won! During the whole game I kept looking for my parents, aunts and cousins who promised to there and cheer me on.

It was the seventh inning stretch when I decided to look for them the fifth time and they still weren't there. By the end of the game I had given up hope. When no one was looking I grabbed my things (My trophy included. I so rock!) and orbed home.

When I got there I expected to see demons or something to let me know that my family hadn't forgotten about me, but do you know what I saw instead of flying athame's and energy balls? Everyone sitting around the living room laughing and smiling!

Not wanting to jump to conclusions (like my Mom always says) I hid just outside the room until I could hear exactly what was happening.

My mouth dropped open when I heard about Wyatt saving them from some demon and how brave he was. Then they started raving about some new power of his. I couldn't believe it. They all missed my game to praise the almighty one just because he had discovered yet another power.

How could they do this to me? Don't they realize that I need them too? It's just so unfair. I wonder if I ran away would they even notice that I was missing?

I hate them. I hate them all so much right now. They always do this! They always chose Wyatt over me. ALWAYS! And the worse part about it is that they missed my game but I guess that doesn't matter because I'm not Wyatt. He's the important one, not me. Not matter how much I try, I will never be as great as he is.

Sometimes I wish that I was part of another family who cared about me as much as my parents and aunts care about Wyatt.

Well I'm tired now and I just want to go to bed and this happy and horrible day.

Oh great! I guess my Mom saw my baseball stuff downstairs because she's knocking on the door right now. I'll be right back to tell you what she said.

P.S I'm back and guess what Mom spoke to me about. Yep, you guessed it, my perfect all powerful brother. And you know what? She didn't even ask me how my game went. Oh well, I'll just celebrate alone later on tonight with some ice cream. Just like I always do.

Piper could not believe what her eldest son had read from his little brother's dairy.

The awful, pain filled words of her angel echoed over and over again in her head.

I hate them. I hate them all so much right now.

I wish that I were part of another family that cared about me as much as my family cares about Wyatt.

These words hurt her more than any athame, energy ball or lightening bolt ever could. Her little peanut hated her and wanted another woman for his mother and someone other then her husband as his father and it tore her apart.

But then again she deserved it.

As much as it pained her to admit it Piper knew that it was her fault the boy felt invisible and unwanted in the home and lives of his own family. She let him down for yet another life time and now she had to deal with the consequences of her actions or lack there of.

"My poor baby" she spoke softly as she felt the arms of her husband wrap around her. Her body began to shake as a lump formed in her throat and tears began to flood her eyes.

She had fought so hard to protect her baby from demons and evil witches since he wasn't as powerful as his older brother and in the end it wasn't any of those creatures that had hurt her son. No. It was her. The boy's own mother that was the cause of his heartache.

Seeing the hurt look in his mother's eyes made the witch feel sorry that he ever read his brother's diary out loud but then again they needed to know the truth. They needed to understand why his brother had left for the past, unfortunately that old saying holds true. The truth does hurt.

"It's ok Mom. Listen, when we get Chris back he'll understand that it was just a mistake and none of us meant to miss his game" the male witch spoke to his guilt ridden mother but he couldn't help but be a little upset with both she and her husband.

He couldn't understand how the couple could have forgotten about something as important as Chris's baseball game. What kind of parents would do that to their ten year old child? Everyone who knew his brother had to know how important his games are to him which made the truth about his parents that much more disappointing.

But he wouldn't say anything. He would never rush to judge his parents, especially because of one mistake, after all nobody's perfect.

"Wyatt's right honey. Maybe the next entry will be a better one" Leo spoke in a shaken voice feeling every bit as guilty as his wife but hoping that there would be happier times recorded in their son's writings.

Wyatt instantly turned the page hoping right along with his father that his brother had happier times but little did he know things were about from bad to worse.

Past

There he was. The boy that had died in his arms, the son who had given his life and endured such hatred, cruelty and mistrust at the hands of those he loved and was fighting so desperately to save.

His son, his hero and the world's savior was standing before him alive and well. He had so many questions to ask his youngest child. Was the future a happy one? Was he a good farther to him? Was Wyatt happy and did they get along? He just hoped that the boy didn't get annoyed by the amount of information that his father was requesting.

Tears of joy welled up in the man's eyes as he looked his second born son over. He loved the boy so much it hurt to think about him sometimes and now that he was no longer a dream or a hallucination but a living, breathing human being he was ecstatic and thanked the heaves about for such an amazing gift.

He couldn't hide his feelings any longer. He had to hold his little boy in his little boy and not the child that was probably playing happily in the nursery of magic school but the man that he knew his son would become, the one who stood just inches away from him.

"Chris" he spoke as if it were the most precious sound to ever escape his lips before taking a step in the boy's direction.

Piper watched on with eyes full of fear, happiness and hope.

Fear because she was scared to allow herself to believe that the boy who had haunted her dreams for a little over a year was now was standing in front of her. Her sweet little peanut who had given his life for the sake of others, the boy who called her Mom in that sweet tone of voice that she had gotten so used to hearing before he was ripped out of her life.

She was so happy to see him again after worrying for so long that her baby may be doomed to relive the same tortured life one filled with misery and pain. One where she had died and left him alone all over again with an evil older sibling who was out for his blood, but the boy in front of her didn't have that fearful, restless and long suffering look in his eyes like the other Chris had. Instead he held one of shock and intrigue.

But the second her husband, the boy's father, reached out to him the look changed to one of hate and disgust and she prayed with all her heart and soul that he wouldn't reject his father who had gone through so much the day of his death, the father who had mourned that death up till this very moment.

Leo must have seen it too because he stopped dead in his tracks and held a confused look on his face before taking his chances and pulling the boy into him and holding him tightly in an almost painful embrace. He just got his son back and there was no way in hell that he was ever going to let go.

Chris was stunned as he stood with his father's hands wrapped around him but that wouldn't stop him from doing what he came to the past to accomplish and knowing what his family was prepared to do to him made what little remorse he had disappear.

"I missed you so much"

He heard his farther whisper into his ear and the man cried on his shoulder.

"I missed you so much" sounded again in Chris's mind as his anger became balanced with confusion. How could his father miss him if he never met him as an adult?

Suddenly his question was answered with a premonition.

It's a Bad, Bad World

"You have to find Wyatt" and injured Chris spoke as the gapping hole in his side oozed with blood.

"We're going to find him together" replied the boy's father as he leaned over him while the golden light illumined from his hands as he struggled to save his son.

"It won't work. You've already tried. Gideon's magic did this to me. He's the only one who can stop it" Chris spoke in a soft pained voice causing his father to lose hope as he pushes the man's hands away "Just…go. Saving Wyatt saves the future. You know that"

"Gideon doesn't know how to kill Wyatt, remember? We still have time" He couldn't leave his son alone, not after everything they had been through this past year together. He needed to be there for his little boy especially at a time like this.

"Only until the trauma turns him"

"I am not going to choose between you and Wyatt, Chris. I can't" the Elder pleaded.

"You don't have to, Dad. Find Gideon and you save us both"

"All right. All right, but I'm not leaving you alone. I'll be right back"

"Where are you going?"

"To get one of your aunts to watch over you" (Chris breathes heavily as the pain in his side increases) "You're going to be fine. Okay? I promise"

Leo leans over and kisses his forehead. He then orbs out.

Next Scene

"Chris" the Elder calls out hoping that he was able to get back to his son in time.

Chris looks weakly at Leo.

"Hey" the boy responds as sweat pours heavily down his face. He's weak, tired and has little time left to live.

Leo kneels next to him. Paige stands in the doorway watching the scene before her as tears run down her cheeks.

"Hey. I'm here now. You can…hold on, okay? Hold on…hold on. I'm here. You can hold on, okay?" Chris nods hoping that he could believe his father's words. "Don't give up, okay?"

"You, either"

Chris closes his eyes and takes his very last breathe.

"No, no, no. Please…no. No, please. No" Leo shakes his son trying to bring him back to life. But there's no use. He's already gone.

Paige cries loudly in the door way and watches sadly as Leo starts to cry. He puts his head down on Chris's chest and tries to hold on to his the body of his youngest child, clinging to it desperately hoping and praying for a miracle as Chris slowly vanishes, leaving Leo with empty hands.. Leo then buries his face in the sheets and tries to grab for what's no longer there.

End of Flashback

Chris couldn't believe what he had just witnessed and didn't have much time to think about it as his senses grew numb; his body became limp in his father's grasp and darkness captured him.

Sorry it took so long to update but work has been pretty demanding lately. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story. I hope you all enjoyed the new chapter and please don't forget to review.