Chapter Six…
"DAD, DAD, DAD, DAD, DAD, DAD" Chris screamed.
The sixteen-year-old had been slipping in and out of consciousness for the past twenty-two hours. His fever hadn't broken yet and not even the elders could tell Leo what to do to help his son. Leo Wyatt orbed upstairs then ran into his sons' room, Chris was sitting upright with his eyes glazed over with fear.
"Chris? Can you hear me?"
"Daddy? Is it you?" His voice sounded so small and fragile it reminded him of the day they took the boys to the beach, Chris had gotten lost and crawled into a cave to seek shelter from the storm that had been coming over head. They'd searched for him for hours sensing hadn't worked and they feared the worst. Finally they'd come across the CD player that Phoebe had bought the six-year-old for his birthday.
Flashback to Chris' sixth birthday:
"There." Wyatt said as Chris put the finishing touches on the sandcastle they had been working on for the past hour. Wyatt had to hand it to Chris, he was only six but he was good at art and this was a great castle.
"Okay, wait here Chris. I'm gonna go get the others to come check it out. Mum will get the camera. I will be right back," He pointed between two sand dunes, "That path leads back to the car park, if I'm not back in five minutes I want you to walk right back through there and wait at the car okay?"
"Alright Wyatt."
Wyatt raced off down the beach to where the family was packing up the barbecue. It was a beautiful sunny day and there wasn't a cloud in sight.
"Wyatt where is your brother?" Piper asked holding the two-year-old Daniel.
"Waiting back at our sandcastle, you need to get the camera. It's so cool."
"Alright honey."
Suddenly storm clouds began to rush over the water with lightning and thunder in tow; the storm got so thick so fast Piper could barely see ten feet in front of her.
Chris looked around, he'd gotten lost when the storm hit and couldn't find a way back to the car. He'd run off to find some kind of shelter.
"WYATT!" Chris screamed, "DADDY!"
Leo could have sworn he'd heard his son scream his name over the roar of thunder. "Don't let me lose him again, please. Don't take him from us again. He pleaded softly.
Chris spotted an opening in the cliff and ran inside, he just kept running until he couldn't run any further, he just stopped and waited. The water began to rise, it had been over half an hour and the small child was petrified.
"Hey." A voice said softly, Chris turned around and saw an older man of about twenty-three, "Are you okay?"
"I'm scared, I got lost."
"I know and it's going to be okay, I'll stay right here with you until Daddy gets here."
Chris looked at the man, "Are you real?"
The man smiled and laughed, "Yeah, I'm real. I'm going to give you a couple of presents."
"For my birthday? Am I going to like them?"
"Maybe, maybe not. But they're special just like you." Chris' face lit up, "Are you ready?"
He nodded, the man held the child's hand and he felt safe. He placed a hand over Chris' eyes and whispered some big words Chris didn't understand then after that he felt funny. "Okay kiddo open."
The six-year old opened his eyes and noticed the green light bathing the cavern, "What?" The man smiled softly, "it's okay Chris trust me, none of this is gonna hurt, it's magic." He looked around and noticed that the water was rising fast, "Chris I want you to hold on to me okay?" The six- year old did as he was told and wrapped his arms around his neck and held on for dear life, the twenty-three year-old could hear the boy whimpering softly. "Shhh…" He hushed, "You're going to be okay, I'm not going to let anything happen to you ever. Do you trust me?" He nodded into his shoulder, smiling he hugged him tighter, "Good boy. Now I need you to pass a message on to Daddy for me. Tell him; you may not have been able to save his life but you saved his soul."
The whole family had been running along the beach looking for anywhere the child could have gone. Phoebe had taken all the kids back to the car so they were out of harms way; finally they got a break.
'Crunch…' Leo felt something underfoot, looking down he saw the Discman his Aunt had given him only four hours ago. The storm cleared and they were standing directly in front of the cave opening Chris had found two and a half-hours ago.
"I'm going in." Leo said quickly.
"Well can you try sensing him first?" Piper suggested, " Couldn't we just orb him here?"
"I told you it's impossible. Not even Wyatt could sense him."
"Maybe Danny?" Paige asked.
"He's too young he doesn't know how to use his powers."
Leo walked into the cave, the water inside was up to his knees and it was climbing, he got about twelve meters in before he heard the soft voice of his son. Following the noise he began to see a faint green glow, rounding the corner he saw Chris, standing shoulders deep in freezing cold water his eyes wide, emitting a bright green glow.
Leo ducked his head and walked into the cave and instantly paled, the water was up to his knees. He kept walking in the hope he could find his son. He'd been walking for three-quarters of an hour when he heard soft talking down the tunnel. He noted a small green light from around the corner.
"Chris? Can you hear me?" He didn't get an answer.
"Okay Chris, remember what we talked about okay?" He kissed the child's forehead, "Be good to Wy and Danny. They're the only brothers you've got."
He nodded, "Thank you." The man sat Chris down on the big rock, "What's your name?" He asked as the man began to walk away.
He stopped and turned around with a smile he said, "Chris." Then he disappeared.
Leo followed the light and as he rounded the corner he saw his six- year- old son sitting on a big rock up to his waist in water. His bright green eyes literally shining.
"Daddy is it you?" Chris asked.
Leo ran forward and engulfed his son in a hug, which was eagerly returned, "Daddy!" He squealed, "He told me you'd come, said he wouldn't go till you got close. Gave me presents for my birthday. I was scared coz it was so dark and I thought you were never gonna find me but he came and made me shine and…" Chris hugged his father tighter.
"Daddy? Is it you?" Chris clung to his father now as he did then, "Don't let me fade away Daddy. I don't want to fade away."
Tears ran from Leo's eyes as he pulled his son tighter and swore, "I promise Chris, I won't let you fade away. I'll always find you."
"I'll shine again. Make sure you see it Daddy. You will see it won't you?" By this stage Chris had pulled away and was looking directly into his father's eyes.
"I promise I'll see it. I won't let you fade away."