Chapter Sixteen

When Chris made his way downstairs he was dreading what was waiting for him in the kitchen. As he expected both his mother and father were sitting at the table talking quietly amongst themselves. He had thought of orbing out from his bedroom but he knew that if he didn't come downstairs and they couldn't sense him they'd call the school to find out where he was. And he didn't want that. He wanted to spend the day with his dad and knew that the school would tell his mother and Leo that he was missing.

So he went for options two. Try and get to the backdoor and out of the house without having to engage in conversation with either one of his parents. No such luck!

"Chris," Piper's voice stopped him as he made his way past them.

"I'm gonna be late for school," he answered grabbing a packet of crisps from the food cupboard and headed to the door.

"Chris please wait," Piper's voice was so desperate Chris did as he was asked.

"What?"

"Sit down please," Chris rolled his eyes and parked himself down on a chair at the opposite end of the table of his parents.

"We wanted to have a talk with you about… your birthday," Piper answered cautiously.

"Planning it already," Chris quipped sarcastically "You've got what eleven months to plan this one,"

"Look Chris we know there's no excuse for forgetting your birthday, but we want to make up for it,"

"What you gonna do Leo," Chris asked "Buy me fifteen years worth of presents to make amends,"

"Is that what you want?" Leo asked rather hurt that Chris wasn't calling him dad.

"No what I wanted were parents that give a shit about me," Chris spat getting up from the table "But you can't have everything can you," he walked to the back door and stopped, turning round to his parents who were still dumbstuck by his comment. "And for your information Leo I can't be bought," and with that he left slamming the backdoor behind him.

"Well," Piper sighed, "that went well didn't it,"

Chris couldn't believe his parents. How could they think that they could make up for forgetting his birthday so easily? He expected his kind of attitude from his father. Leo had never really been on the ball when it came to matters that were important to Chris. His mother however he was disappointed in. She knew him better than anyone; she of all people should have understood that when he was angry the best thing to do was leave him alone.

Chris made his way down the beach to a small open bar where the other Leo was waiting for him. "Hey," Chris greeted.

Leo noticed the slightly gloomy tone in his voice "Hey yourself. Something the matter Chris?"

Chris took a seat next to his father at the bar "Same old stuff,"

Leo motioned for the bartender "Hi can I have another Jack D and coke," The bartender nodded and poured him the drink.

"Why'd you order yourself another drink?" Chris asked "That one's full," he gestured at Leo's glass. Waiting for the bartender to walk away Leo slid the glass to Chris.

"It's not for me, it's for you!"

"What?" Chris asked surprised "Why?"

"Because you look like you need it?

"But I'm only fifteen,"

"So," Leo shrugged "I was drinking at your age. One won't do any harm,"

Chris knocked back he warm liquid and winced, it left a sharp taste and slight burning in his throat.

Leo chuckled slightly. "I prefer Cider," Chris informed him.

"Have a extensive knowledge of alcohol do we?" Leo mocked playfully.

"No!" Chris answered "But I have an extensive knowledge of what a hangover feels like and I can tell you for afact, that necking a bottle of whitelighting will have you blowing chunks,"

Leo laughed again "Sounds like someone who knows from personal experience,"

"Yeah," Chris confirmed "Seemed like a good idea at the time. I was celebrating my birthday…. alone!"

Leo gave him a sad smile "Poor boy," he sighed "You've really been through it, haven't you?"

Chris didn't answer.

"Have they even realised that they've forgotten your birthday yet?"

"Yeah. Mom did the whole crying thing. Leo even apologised," Chris told him "There being nice at the moment," Chris made a face.

"I take it your not ready to forgive and forget just yet,"

"Nope!"

"Good," Leo grinned, "They need to realise that they can't just be forgiven for what they've done,"

Chris looked up at him "It's really bothered you that they forgot my birthday, hasn't it?"

"Of course," Leo answered. "So what do you fancy doing now?" Leo asked changing the subject.

"Don't mind?" Chris answered.

Leo downed the last of his drink and got up "Come on,"

"Where are we going?"

Leo grinned, "To have some fun,"

Piper was sitting at her desk at P3 looking through the clubs finances. She couldn't concentrate though. The club was in trouble financially and she knew she should be trying to find a solution to her money problems. But all she could think about was Chris. She looked over at the picture on her desk. Picking it up she studied it more closely. It was of her and Chris; Paige had taken it a couple years ago on a trip to New York that she and Chris had taken with her sisters.

With his arms wrapped around his mother's shoulders affectionately Chris looked so happy. That was something she rarely saw of late. Chris had a grin that could light up a room, yet he never smiled anymore. Piper missed that. It felt like she was losing her baby. He was pulling further and further away from her everyday. Chris used to tell her everything. Now he barely spoke.

She knew that he had good reason to be angry with her but it still didn't make it any easier. Her sisters had told her just to give him time to cool off, he'd forgive her soon enough. But right now she couldn't be sure if he ever would.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft voice from the door "Not disturbing you am I?"

Looking up Piper noticed Leo standing against the doorframe.

"No," she answered, "Come in,"

Leo crossed the room over to her desk "What you got there?"

Piper handed the photograph over to Leo "It was taken a couple of years ago in New York,"

"You look happy," Leo smiled.

"We were. That was the day when we took Chris to see the Tom Hunter exhibition. He had been nagging Paige and me all week to see it. Phoebe opted out, instead choosing to spend fifteen hundred dollars on shoes,"

Leo chuckled "Sounds like Phoebe,"

"Yeah," Piper continued, "So anyway the picture was taken just after, we found this small camera shop on the way back to the hotel. I brought Chris this old camera and that's when he got his first taste of passion for photography,"

"He takes pictures?"

"Yeah," Piper answered indicating at the several-framed images that donned the walls of her office.

"Chris took these?" Leo asked surprised taking a closer look.

"Yeah, has a real talent for photography. I even set up Prue's old darkroom for him. I think he must have inherited his artistic flare from her,"

"Probably, she was a real talented photographer and from the look of it so is Chris. These are really good,"

"I know," Piper, grinned "He wants to major in Photography when he goes to college,"

"I had no idea," he answered sadly.

"What's wrong?" Piper asked noticing Leo's sad and distant look.

"I've missed so much haven't I?"

"Yeah," she sighed softly "You have,"

Leo remained silent.

"Leo can I ask you something?"

"Yeah,"

"Do you love Chris?"

"What," Leo exclaimed slightly taken aback by Piper's question "Oh course I do. What kind of question is that?"

"A straight one," Piper answered. "Then if you love Chris, why have you been Mr Invisible for the past fifteen years?"

Leo looked down at his feet "It's complicated,"

"Complicated!" Piper repeated "Leo it's your son. What's so complicated about that?"

Again Leo became silent.

"Leo talk to me," Piper asked concerned "You've kept too much buried, for so long,"

"I…I was scared,"

"Scared?"

Leo moved to the couch and Piper followed him. "After Wyatt was taken, you know that I went kind of crazy,"

"Understatement!"

Leo gave her a look "Anyway, the elders were mad at me. I broke the rules and took revenge on them. They knew how to hurt me. Them kidnapping Wyatt almost destroyed me. I couldn't bear the thought of losing Chris as well,"

"Oh Leo," Piper whispered "I never knew,"

"I thought that if I wasn't around they wouldn't see Chris as a way of getting to me. He wouldn't be in any danger if I weren't part of his life. So I focused all my energy in to finding Wyatt,"

"Piper you have no idea how hard it's been not being in his life. Watching you guys being a family from the sidelines. Knowing that I should be part of that family," Leo's eyes misted up and he could feel the tears forming "You know when he was really small, I used to orb into the nursery to hold him while he slept,"

"Leo you have to tell him this,"

"I can't," he cried "He hates me,"

"He doesn't hate you. He just doesn't know you. You know when he was small he used to look at pictures of you and would constantly ask me questions about you,"

"Really," Leo smiled despite tears.

"Yeah. He never wanted normal bedtime stories like other children. He just wanted to know about you,"

"Thanks Piper,"

"For what?"

"For being you!" he laughed at her look of confusion "You are an incredible woman. Do you know that? I put you through hell, yet you've come out of it so strong,"

"I had to Leo. I had to stay strong for Chris, he needed me,"

"I'm so sorry for what I put you through. For what I put Chris through,"

"Well you got a chance to put things right with Chris," Piper told him.

"What about you?" Leo put his hand up and gently caressed the side of Piper's face. "Do I get a second chance with you?"

Piper's eyes met his and she realised that he was being dead serious. His eyes still held the love and passion that had always burned so brightly. After all these years and all that he had put her through she still couldn't stop the love she felt for him rising to the surface. It had been so long since she had any romantic relationship with a man. A lot of the guys she had dated hadn't liked the fact that she had a child and she and Chris came as a package, so they usually didn't last very long. The fact that she had always held a torch for her ex husband had also put a strain on any relationship she ever had. No man had ever been able to hold a candle to Leo. Her Leo, the man she had married, the one who hadn't been consumed with bitterness, was here with her now. He had been here with her over the past few months and she found herself remembering the reasons why she had fallen in love with him.

Leo edged himself closer to Piper, unsure at first how far and how fast to take things. Right now all he wanted to do was take his wife in his arms and kiss her. Kiss away the last fifteen years and start afresh. There had never been anyone else, there never would be. Piper Halliwell was his soul mate, no one else would ever compare. He wondered what would happen if he threw caution to the wind and kissed her. Would she yell at him? Would she push him away? Would she slap him? Or would she surprise both of them and kiss him back?

There was only one way to find out!

Piper felt herself responding to Leo kiss. She couldn't help it. Her head was screaming don't do it you stupid cow! He'll break your heart again. But her heart was telling her to go for it. Life was too short and they had both made mistakes. Now was a time for new beginnings. She had her family back together; her and Leo could give their marriage another chance. Leo had at this point wrapped his arms around her and had laid her down on the couch. He was kissing her with just as much passion as their first kiss all those years ago.

The sound of the phone ringing interrupted their passion. "Leave it," Leo moaned in her ear.

But the ringing continued. "I can't Leo," she answered breathlessly "What if it's important?" Piper gently pushed Leo up and made her way over to her desk to answer the phone.

"P3," she answered "Oh hi Paige… w…what are you sure...? When? … Alright I'm on my way,"

"What's going on?" Leo asked after she had hung up the phone.

"We need to get home," Piper answered grabbing her purse "Chris never turned up for school this morning,"