The fallen names were motionless against the brisk outside air. Tree leaves graced the ground, only to ascend toward the sky briefly before twirling into the long green grass. Sound emanated from each hit the tree branches made against each other. Chris sat in in the middle of the two names.
Months had passed since he had lost his life; and he had you asked him, he would have said he had fallen into hell. After all, he had died, and that is the day of judgment. The day that told you who you are and what you deserve.
It was the day he had lost them.
Not lost, I know exactly where they are.
Chris' hand caressed the grass to his left, in front of one of the fallen names. He looked to the side of the headstone, seeing the empty plot. Time would give it an occupant, a neighbor for his love, but it would never be him.
The dead took this land, and was he not dead? Why not crawl into the Earth and let himself be accepted into the cycle again. Be forever the companion he was in his heart.
The grass was soft in Chris' fingers, tickling his sense of touch. The ground was warm.
He had chosen this spot for them because of her mother. It would seem only right to place the daughter she died to protect with her. Family should be with family. Always. Which meant Nic had to be here as well. Chris would have joined them.
His attention shifted away from the two names in front of him, toward the mother's name.
"We both died for her." The wind carried his soft voice. "I always felt so angry that Susie would grow up to never know her mother. You were a fine woman, would have made a fantastic mother. And I cannot thank you enough for you allowing me to have her, raise her as mine, as Nic's." There were not tears; they had abandoned him, and he wasn't going to call them back.
"And now that she's with you, all I want to do is take her back."
"Talking to the dead isn't healthy, Chris. They don't answer back." Silent feet presented themselves in Chris' side view. He didn't turn back to look, already knowing who had come. The only person who he would let come.
"I know. Just…" Silence laid between the two men. The newcomer cast his eyes on the names, taking them in.
"You hate them, don't you." Both knew he wasn't referring to the fallen.
"They had the power," Chris shook his head, "they did nothing."
"I heard it took eight Elders to slow you down." The man said lightly.
"I think it might have been ten," he turned toward the man, "can't quite be sure, wasn't exactly keeping count." the man chuckled at the image of ten Elders trying to stop one whitelighter.
"You scared them." Chris said nothing. "They think you might join me now. Especially after what you did to Leo."
"You think I'll join you?" Asked the sitting man who faced his family's names.
"I could have protected them." Answered the other, sitting down next to Chris, who smiled.
"That's because you know better."
"I learned at an early age to not mess with the mama bear and her cubs. Probably one of the most important lessons a man can learn in this family."
"You keep that one, but forget all the other lessons mom taught?"
"The others have no worth." The man faced Chris, "What good is there in keeping lessons that just end you up talking to no one?"
"What good is all that power when you have no one to share it with?" Neither voice was raised, they had had many forms of the same conversation for years, dulling the anger, resentment, emotions. They had almost reached an equal respect for each others' stubbornness.
"I felt it. When you died." The man squinted, looking into the distance at the rustling trees, " you just left." Chris noted the sadness in the man's voice.
"You big baby, you cried didn't you?" He teased. The man did not answer, merely threw a death glare at Chris, who would have died, had there been any real power behind it.
"I can help, you know."
"You'd kill all the Elders for me?" Jested Chris.
"If that's what it takes." For you to come with me.
A smirk sneaked onto the whitelighter's face.
"Damn, that's tempting." The other man just nodded, knowing he hadn't won.
"One of these days Christopher…" Chris knew; he had always known.
"I know, and you may think you know, Wyatt, but you don't. I won't."
"Will not join me, but won't oppose me either." He sighed, "guess I'll take what I can get."
"Lord Wyatt the Powerful, everybody." Lightly exclaimed Chris to the soft breeze. Wyatt ignored the comment.
"You can't keep doing this. I can protect you, keep you from getting hurt." Chris shook his head.
"It won't happen again." He gestured toward himself, "I'm already dead, soI don't have to deal with that, and now I can heal." His eyes locked with Wyatt's, "No one will die on my watch again."
Wyatt saw the power in that statement, and as long as Chris had that, he would not be helping Wyatt anytime soon.