Chapter Five – Truths Hard Blow, Part One

Wyatt sat in the living room, quietly reading "Once and Future King" by T.H. White. He also had it itch for Arthurian Tales and medieval wars. He flipped the page, has Lancelot was again fighting against another swordsman. He stomach grumbled, he remember he hadn't eaten since the burger earlier today with his little brother and Aunt Paige. She of coarse left back up to Elder-Land once lunch was over and gave Chris more then enough kisses. He looked up from the book and closed it. He stood and faced the stairs. And as he for-saw Leo orbed at the foot of the stairs. Leo's back was towards him.

Leo was in a blue and white flannel shirt, with jeans and his shoes which were all muddy. He placed his hand on the railing and watched the stairs leading up to the second floor. He then walked up the stairs and came to picture of him, Wyatt, and Leo. Wyatt watched this with great interest. Leo placed his hand over Wyatt's face, and Leo shuddered at what he saw, then Chris' face. He then smiled.

"Much Better." Leo said to himself.
"What is?" Wyatt asked walking over. Leo jumped.

"Wyatt."
"How is that picture better that Chris isn't in it?"

"Umm…Wyatt. I know this looks bad, but trust me it's not what you think."
"Really?" Wyatt said crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. "Then what is it?"
"It's-it's not what you think."

"Interesting…so keeping your hand over his face is making it better?"

Leo looked over and his hand was still on the portrait. He lowered it and nursed it like a hurt hand. "I am sorry."

"What do you have against him?"
Leo was silent.
"Dad, you have been avoiding Chris ever since mom died. You have no problem orbing in when I am alone…but when Chris is with us…you avoid us all together."

"That's not true." Leo replied.
"Oh really…then tell me, when he called you last week you didn't pick up, but when I called you you picked up."
"I was busy, I probably thought it was the same person."

"Uh huh." Wyatt said, "Then explain to me after weeks of me and him telling you that today was his big meet you weren't there."

Leo was silent again, then he spoke. "I was busy."

"Oh cut the fucking bullshit." Wyatt snapped. Leo looked up at him like he had just been slapped. "Paige was there. And she's an elder."

"Paige was there?"
"Yeah, she was! She stayed for the entire meet, and then she joined us for lunch. So I say again…what do you have against Chris?"

Leo stood as still as stone. He looked off past Wyatt on the opposite wall at a portrait of himself and Piper. She was wearing a red Chinese dress, and Leo was wearing a white suit. Their 10th anniversary, it was a night to remember. Also the night before, the tragic accident that killed her and Phoebe. He then looked down at his hands.
"He looks to much-" Leo mumbled off.
"Excuse me." Wyatt said, "Repeat what you said please."
"He looks to much like –" Then suddenly Leo orbed away. Wyatt was about to motion his hand.

"You're not worth it you know." Wyatt said loudly. "You've abounded this family…and how dare you. Don't come back until you have something to say – To Christopher." Wyatt then looked at the picture, and then went back to couch and read.

Chris Halliwell was sitting at the very top of the stairs the entire time.

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Chris sat right on corner of the wall by the stairs. He was perfectly still, stone still. He was thinking and analyzing everything has it just happened. One year…and still no real time to spend with his father, Wyatt was right, He spent time Wyatt, but not Him. What has Chris done to deserve this, who did he look like too much? Someone in his fathers long lost past? Still looking perfectly still, a tear dropped from his right eye and fell off his face. His head and hands were slightly shaking. He then stood up, he had his running shoes, shorts, and shirt on. He looked down at the blue and yellow shoes. They were Wyatt's old ones for Track…but since they work on a limited income from Wyatt's job of taking over at the club after Leo was given the job of Whitelighter, they had to make money stretch. He had his iPod in his hand…he was too furious and destroyed to listen to it now. His shaking hand put on the table by the stairs. He shook his head. And walked downstairs.

Wyatt heard his brother, then was hit by his emotional wave. Wyatt had no idea…no idea at all. Chris walked to the front door. "I am going running." Chris said without looking at Wyatt. Wyatt stood up, putting his book on the couch.
"Chris, stop." Wyatt said walking over.
Chris had his hand on the door knob. He closed his eyes hoping Wyatt would say "We'll talk about it later."

Wyatt walked over and stood behind Chris. "You heard everything didn't you?"
Chris didn't talk.
"You stood up there like we use to when were little and listened to mom and dad."

Chris was still silent.
"Look it's not your-"

"Can we talk about this later!" Chris said loudly with a choke in his voice. "Please!"

Wyatt stopped and stepped back. "Yeah we can."

Chris leaned on the door and opened it and closed it faster then Wyatt thought about it.

Chris ran down the steps on and on the sidewalk, putting his emotions behind him, ran. He ran, fast. Trying to get the thought of his father out of his head. Running faster down the street.

Wyatt had followed Chris outside, as soon as he saw him half down the block. He could still strongly sense his anger, sadness, and hate for Leo.

Chris turned the corner and ran faster. His hands were made into fists, and he was gritting his teeth harder and harder, it soon felt like he was smashing them together. His calves were squeezing but the harder they ached, the faster he ran. He passed another block and now was on "John St." It was long street, that winded up a hill. He ran up it, trying not to think of the physical strine he was putting on his body. He was at breaking point, his sadness and anger were about to overwhelm him. He was running so fast he didn't see the sidewalk had been uprooted by a tree, and he tripped and feel. He knee throbbed as he smacked on it his way down. He had fallen to his own will.

Clinching his fists, he pounded the ground.
"NO!" He yelled, "Why don't you love me? Why don't you love me! WHY!"

Tears were streaming down his face, as he completely broke down, he hadn't cried this hard since his mother died. He sat on his knees and cried.

Bianca who had been busy working on her Chemistry homework, heard someone yelling outside. Bianca walked over and saw someone on his knees outside. She walked over and grabbed her jacket and yelled, "Mom I'll be right back."

"okay" her mother replied.

She pulled on her jacket and closed the door behind her. She looked up and instantly knew who it was, Chris.
"Christopher!" Bianca yelled.
Chris didn't look up, all he heard was someone yelling his name, but that was it.

Bianca ran up to him, and knelt down. She saw the bloody knee and the tears in his eyes. His face was full of sadness and anguish. She wanted to cry just seeing him like this.
"Chris, what happened?" Bianca asked, putting her hand on his own. Chris didn't reply, he hated crying infront of people, he put one hand over his face and cried.
"Sweetie." Bianca said leaning forward, and hugging him. Chris didn't mind this, but at this moment he didn't care. Bianca embraced him as he cried into her jacket shoulder.
"Chris, what happened?" She asked into his ear.
"My father." He replied, through his tears. She let go, but had her arm around his shoulders.
"What happened?"
"He doesn't-" He broke down harder, it hurt even more to say it then to think it. "He doesn't.-love me." His heart instantly broke, and so did Bianca's. Her best friend in the whole world, being like this it wasn't him. She embraced him once again. She squeezed her eyes shut, stopping a tear from falling her own eye. She felt his body shudder as he cried.
"I know how you feel Chris, I really do. Trust me, out of all people I know how you feel." She said into his ear.

Chris opened his eyes and saw everything as it was through water. He remembered when Bianca was in this position and her father left her and her mother. He pulled back, and whipped the tears from his eyes. But still they feel, and he felt worse then ever.
"What did I do?" He asked her, "What makes me so horrible that he can't love me?"
"It's not you Christopher. It's not!" She said holding his hands looking straight into his eyes. "You are the most wonderful person I know, and don't you think for a second that this is your fault."

"But he can't look at me. He CAN'T LOOK AT ME!" He screamed, "He can't-look.."
He broke down again and this time he hunched over into his knees. She put her head down, and kissed his head. He rubbed his back in comfort. "it's gonna be okay, Chris, believe me."
"How can it?" He said shooting right up, looking her right in the eyes. "I have no parents!"
"You have Wyatt!" She said, "And he has watched over you since 6th grade, I remember watching him coming to you everyday after school, and he was there for you since September, when you started high school. He has been more of a father to you, then I bet you real father ever was." She stopped and saw Chris totally destroyed and lost. His glance was at the ground. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her Cell. "I am gonna call Wyatt to come and pick you up." She flipped open her phone.
"NO!" Chris said.

"Chris your hurt and I don't have a drivers license, yet."
"I'll walk." Chris said standing up.
"No! Chris, I am calling."

"Bianca," He said taking a step, "I said –ARGH!" He fell to the ground.
"Oh geez." She went next to him and pressed the "Call" button. It rang.
"Hello?" Wyatt said through the phone.
"Wyatt, can you come pick up Chris, he's hurt."
"What?" Wyatt said through the phone, "Where?"
"My house, he banged up his knee really bad."

"Alright I am on my way." Wyatt said hanging up the phone.
Chris was still crying, as he looked up at Bianca. "I hate you."
"I hate you too, but you're injured, and you can't walk."

Chris looked into her eyes. They were brown with a hint of red, with jet black hair, he smiled, and it slowly faded into another sob. Bianca took him in her arms and held him. "I am here for you, I always will." She then bit her lip. She squeezed her eyes, "I love you Christopher, I love you so much." She said holding him tighter.
Chris let go and looked at Bianca, before anything. The sound of Wyatt's VW Jetta came up the hill, and He stopped at the sight of Chris. He got out of the car as it was still running.
"Chris." Wyatt said, "What happened," He said leaning down looking at his knee.
"He must of tripped on the side walk." Bianca said.
"Chris, are you okay?" Wyatt asked.
"Fine. Just take me home okay." He said with a choke in his voice.
"Okay." Wyatt helped his brother up, and Wyatt supported the side which his knee was bruised and swollen. They slowly moved over towards the car, and Bianca walked over and opened the door. Wyatt thanked her. And with that, Wyatt got into the car and drove off. Bianca waved and blew a kiss…Chris watched in the mirror as Bianca disappeared from view.

Wyatt didn't ask Chris anything on the way home. His emotions spoke for him, and also the fact Chris kept thinking, "Please don't ask me anything." As they came into the drive way, and he parked, Wyatt got out and then helped his little brother out of the car.

"Here." Wyatt said, as he bent down and placed his hand over the knee, and a golden light appeared. The knee was instantly healed.
"Thank you." Chris said as he walked up to the door.
"You're welcome." Wyatt said, as he pressed the key pad on his keys and locked the car. As the two walked up into the house, what met their eyes was anything but something from God. Leo Wyatt was standing in the house waiting for his sons.

To be continued…