Chapter Fourteen

Authors note: Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I've had way too much work on Uni.

He stood in the shadows watching and waiting for his moment to come. He had been watching the boy for weeks now and the recent turn of events with his family had set his idea in motion.

The boy looked so much like his mother, that he had recognised him the moment he had seen him. He had lost him so long ago; he had never really been able to picture exactly what he looked like, he should have known he would be an exact copy of the woman he feel in love with, his wife.

Although now she wasn't his wife anymore, by law anyway. In his heart however Piper Halliwell Wyatt would always be his, but his search for their son Christopher had put a strain of their marriage. Chris had been taken from his crib as a baby and he had been searching for him ever since.

This never ending quest to be re-united with his child had caused the breakdown of his marriage and made the relationship with his eldest son near none existent.

Leo Wyatt had been watching how his counterpart and alternate family had been treating their youngest son and it angered him. Didn't they realise how lucky they were, he would give anything to have his Chris in his life again. This Chris may not be the boy he fathered, but he could become his son. If his other self couldn't realise what he had in front of him, then maybe he deserved to have it taken away. And after the way he had been treated he was sure that Chris wouldn't take too much persuading.

He stepped out of the alley behind Chris and began to follow the boy. At first Chris hadn't noticed the presence behind him that was until his follower accidentally kicked something that that sounded like a bottle making him spin around to confront who or whatever was trailing him.

Chris turned expecting to get ready to do battle with whatever demon was tailing him, but instead found himself face to face with his father. "Dad! What the…?" he answered surprised "Why the hell are you following me," he added angrily.

Leo didn't answer! He was overcome with emotion, something he had always believed to be a weakness. But here standing before the boy who was on some level his son, his only link to the child he lost, he didn't care. "Chris,"

"What? " Chris snapped "Have you come here to orb me home cause if you have then forget it! You and mom have gone way over board with the grounding and what the hell is going on with that outfit?" Chris motioned to the all in black set up that Leo had going on "Cause really dad the 'dark avenger' look is so over,"

Leo grinned and shook his head slightly "Cocky aren't yeah kid!"

"Well if you had ever taken the time to find out, maybe you'd already know this,"

"Well unfortunately unforeseen events have kept us apart," Leo confessed.

"Yeah," Chris snorted "Like you only being interested in finding Wyatt, you've never really cared about me,"

"That's not true son,"

"Isn't it?"

"No! Listen Chris I'm not exactly who you think I am,"

"Really," Chris rolled his eyes "So exactly who are you?"

"Your father but…" he smiled

"No shit really!" Chris cut him off sarcastically "I mean I know you haven't been around a lot but mom did sit me down and explain that the man who turned up occasionally to look at the book of shadows was actually my dad,"

"You've really had it rough haven't you?" It was more of a statement than a question. Chris didn't answer.

"I am your father Chris, but from another reality,"

"What?"

"In my world you were taken as a baby, not Wyatt. I've been searching for you for fourteen years,"

Chris just stared blankly at him. "I know that this is a lot to take in Christopher. Look can we go somewhere and talk?"

Chris nodded "The Beach,"

Piper Halliwell stood at the book of shadows flipping through the pages. She was starting to lose it! They had been looking for Chris for hours and had gotten nowhere fast. They had tried scrying, sensing, spells to find a lost witch and had gotten nothing. They had even tried his favourite hang outs, but he hadn't been at the arcade or on the bridge.

Piper was starting to worry. Her baby was out there alone thinking that she didn't care for him. The guilt from that, mixed with the guilt of forgetting his birthday was more than Piper could bear. She needed to find her little boy and make it up to him. The familiar sound of orbs filled the room as Leo and Matt appeared "Anything?" Piper asked hopefully.

Leo shook his head "No nothing. We even tried the underworld but he wasn't there either,"

"You took Matt to the underworld?" Piper asked looking really pissed.

"Err yes," Leo, answered unsure whether he should have admitted to that.

"I told you I didn't want the boys down there. I've already got one son missing; I don't want to lose the other," Piper cried.

"Piper we'll find him I promise," Leo tried reassuring her.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because we both know that the most important person in the world to Chris is you," that raised a small smile from Piper despite the tears that were falling. Leo pulled Piper into his arms and held her tightly "He'll be back Piper, once he's cooled down and I promise we'll make it up to him,"

Chris felt like his whole world was being turned upside down. He had orbed to the beach with this alternate version of his father. This Leo had been filling him in on the events that paralleled the ones that had happened to his family fifteen years ago.

"So I was the one who was taken not Wyatt,"

"Yeah," Leo confirmed sadly "It broke mine and your mothers heart when we lost you,"

Chris could feel himself tearing up "You alright?" Leo asked surprised.

"Yeah," he answered "It's just I can't ever imagine my dad, the other you I mean caring that much for me,"

"Then there's something wrong with him, because if he's that oblivious to the fact that treats you differently to Wyatt then he doesn't deserve to have you,"

"How do you know about him favouring Wyatt over me?" Chris asked suspiciously.

"I've been watching you," he confessed.

"What!" Chris answered surprised. "Why?"

"Because it's been fourteen years since I saw son," Leo confessed, "I wanted to see what he was like,"

"But I'm not your Chris,"

"It doesn't matter. You're still my son. I've been watching the way my double treats you. It's not fair. He should be grateful for having you in his life. I wish I did!" he added

For the first time in a long while Chris felt happy. His father care, loved him in fact. That was all he ever wanted to hear. All he had ever dreamed of in fact. There was a bittersweet irony in the fact that in a world in which he may no longer exist his father was willing to go to the greatest lengths in the hope of one day finding him. Yet here in his world his father had every opportunity of being part his life but he really couldn't care a toss about Chris.

"I'm just sorry you've had to suffer so much Chris," Leo added "I know they all forgot your birthday,"

"Yeah they did," Chris answered solemnly "It doesn't matter now,"

"Of course it does," Leo told him "Do you know that every year since you were taken, your mother and I have celebrated your birthday together,"

"Really," Chris answered surprised.

"Yeah. We even buy birthday presents every year,"

"I don't even think my dad's ever brought me a birthday present,"

"Maybe one day you might want to come home with me and open your presents. I know your mother would love that,"

"But aren't they supposed to be for your Chris?"

"You are my Chris, in this world or any other. Your my son whether or not I'm the man who technically fathered you,"

Chris was about to answer Leo when he heard his mother calling him again. "I better get going,"

"Are you busy tomorrow? I was hoping we could meet up again,"

"I have school," Chris told him.

"You could skip it," Leo answered.

"Mom would find out and I'm in enough trouble as it is,"

"Well it's a good job you've got a father who could ring school and tell them your sick isn't it," Leo grinned.

"Really," Chris smiled "You'd do that?"

"If it meant that I could spend time with my boy, of course I would,"

"Thanks…. Dad,"

Leo smiled "I'll see you tomorrow… and Chris if I were you I wouldn't be so willing to forgive your other family just yet. They don't know just how lucky they are to have you in their lives. Maybe they need reminding," Chris just nodded before orbing out leaving Leo alone looking out at the ocean.

A small smirk crossed Leo's lips; maybe this would be easier than he thought!