Hey! I know it's been a while, but not to worry! I haven't given up yet. Lol. It's only been...very, very many months...:D (guilty grin).

Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed.

Chapter Six (finally!)

Chris shivered. At night it grew colder; that was the only downfall. It was growing dark now. Absent-mindedly he headed toward Travis' house. Maybe he'd run into him again and get to spy on him. He had to admit, he was awfully curious about that man. What kind of witch lived all by himself in the middle of San Francisco? At least Chris and his family were safe in the suburban edges of the city, where the Hunters didn't hit as often. And when they did hit, they certainly would pay people enough respect. There weren't any overturned trash cans or graffiti on the manor block.

He hugged his shirt tighter to him and thought about the mission tonight. He was seven miles out to Travis' now—if he wanted to get back to Wyatt, it might be too late. And he'd left his watch in the backpack Piper didn't let him retrieve, so he didn't even know what time it was. It seemed late, though.

Chris remembered the first time Piper had kicked him out. Probably about a month after Abby died, she'd blown up after Wyatt pushed him into a vase and it broke. Looking back, Chris realized it so easily could have been Wyatt that got kicked out that night. What if Chris had been the one to push Wyatt by mistake? Everything would be different. Chris would be the favorite.

Shivering harder, Chris decided he preferred being himself.

Although that first time he'd been scared senseless. Without any other place to go, he had run to the park and hidden underneath the play structure, wide awake the whole night. Every time he had heard a noise he'd freak out.

He'd come a long way since then, thankfully. Shadows didn't frighten him anymore.

Chris squinted ahead. Torches lit in the distance seemed to be heading his way. His heart fluttered; he knew there was no reason to be scared, but that didn't stop the rush of fear. Someday they might not ignore him as they blissfully had all these months. Someday he might be the one shrieking for mercy at their feet.

Suddenly his ears perked up. Behind him he could hear what sounded like an old engine of a car coming his way. Quickly he dashed into an alley, not choosing to be spotted from the road by anyone the Hunters might catch or accuse.

The car was right by the alley now. Any second it would drive away and disappear, headed straight for the Hunters. Chris gulped. He was about to run out and warn the person, but…the car stopped. Whoever was driving had parked the car right outside of the alley and slammed the door shut.

Chris' heart beat wildly. For a fleeting moment he feared the person would be able to hear it's incessant pounding, but he pushed the thought aside, hiding behind the dumpster.

"Hello?" a man's voice whispered. "Anyone here?"

Chris held his breath. Footsteps walked, closing in on him, right by his dumpster. Chris squinted to see the man's face, but all he saw was darkness.

The man looked straight at him. Chris' eyes grew as wide as saucers, anticipating the man's shout to the other Hunters. Surely that's what he was, walking in the streets so boldly.

But the man looked away. Was he blind? Chris wondered in awe. Maybe he'd just gotten really lucky.

"Is anybody here?" the man asked quietly again. He carefully lifted the lid of the dumpster, but closed it. Chris knew it was empty. Saturday mornings were trash days in this part of town.

The man began to leave. Chris heaved a sigh of relief.

"Aha!" the man cried. "I heard you. Where are you? How are you hiding…?"

The man turned around and came back, looking straight at Chris again without seeing him. Chris began to sweat. Either this guy was high on something or had really bad sight problems. Chris was practically in plain view now.

Tentatively Chris stood. The man didn't see. Chris dared to inch closer, trying to make out the man's face.

"T-Travis!" Chris choked, stepping back in shock.

"Who's there?" Travis whipped around. "Where are you?"

"I'm right here. It's me. Chris. Travis?"

"Chris?" Travis frowned. Then he remembered. "Chris! Why can't I see you?" he muttered to himself.

Chris looked at his hands…and didn't see them.

"Oh my god. I'm—I'm gone!" Chris squeaked. "I can't find myself! I'm invisible!"

"Kid? Where are you?"

"Right by the dumpster," Chris said, his voice shaking. He hit his right hand with his left. Yes, they were still there…just completely translucent. "Right here. I'm invisible. This is crazy."

"I guess that's how you hid from the Hunters, then," Travis chuckled to himself. "You're one lucky kid."

"This has never happened before." Chris started to panic and despite trying to hide it in his voice, he knew Travis could tell. "I don't remember it happening before."

"Calm down, kid. It's just a power. You're a witch."

"I know that!" Chris exclaimed. "I only do weak telekinesis, I can't do anything else!"

"Sometimes witches have more than one power," Travis explained to him. Voices sounded about a block away and he gasped. "We have to get out of here right now."

"How?" Chris demanded. "We can't take your car, they'll see us."

"See me," Travis corrected.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Looking for someone, none of your business," Travis said quickly. They could hear footsteps. "Oh, shit. I'm stuck."

Impulsively, Chris grabbed for Travis' hand and squeezed it. The effect was immediate. Travis vanished.

"What the hell--?" Travis looked down at the nothingness that he had become. "You can do that? I thought you said you'd just gotten this power!"

"I took a guess. Now shut up," Chris ordered, knowing the Hunters were near now.

Travis nearly snorted. Shut up? The kid was telling him to shut up? It certainly was laughable. But right now obviously wasn't a time for laughing, if not even breathing. The men were right outside the alley. Travis could feel it.

He was vaguely aware of the kid shaking next to him. Travis wondered what the hell the kid had been doing in the alley in the first place. Was it coincidence, or was Chris the ominous power?

No, he couldn't be. He was only six and a half. Witches didn't get on the radar until their powers were fully developed around the early teenage years. Besides, he'd received the reading of the power journeying north a half an hour ago. For all he knew, the person had turned around and gone in a completely different direction. Meeting Chris was just chance.

Really, really lucky chance.

"Al, I thought I heard something back here."

Travis took a deep, silent breath, trying to calm himself. Chris squeezed his hand tighter, as if afraid he might lose hold. Two of the hunters walked into the alley. Travis grimaced, hoping the kid didn't make any noise. Kids were notorious for ruining things—that much he knew just from training fourteen-year-olds.

But Chris remained completely still. Travis wondered if he was holding his breath, too.

"Don't see anything. You sure?"

"Eh, I'm not sure. Maybe I'm just going bonkers. Long night, you know?"

"Yeah, long night and hard work," his partner replied, cackling. "This is the best job a man could ask for. Don't even have to go through police training to carry a gun." As if to make a point, the man shot the gun at the ground.

If the men hadn't been so drunk, they would have noticed that the bullet never touched the ground. Travis' eyes widened when he realized what had happened. He braced himself to run, anticipating Chris to cry out, but it didn't happen. Chris' grip weakened, but he stayed silent.

Eventually the entire pack of Hunters walked past the pair. Travis could see a small pool of blood forming on the ground and he winced.

Once all of them had disappeared and not one rowdy shout could be heard in the night air, Travis let go of Chris' hand. Both of them reappeared in an instant.

Chris immediately gasped for air and reached for his foot.

"Are you alright?" Travis asked, leaning down to take a look. The bullet was lodged in his right ankle. He knew right away there were broken bones to deal with.

"I'm—fine," Chris forced out, his face turning pale. He shook uncontrollably. "Just glad they're gone."

"Me too," Travis agreed. "That looks pretty bad. You think you can walk?"

Chris tested his foot, wincing when it came down on the pavement. "Yeah," he croaked out. "I'm good."

"It's just to the car. Here. Take my arm, I'll help you." Travis wondered if, perhaps, he was wrong about little kids. If they were all like this one, then he could have a ready trained force in no time. Whenever someone was hurt during a training session, they were out in a flash—sometimes when they weren't even bleeding.

Not that Travis couldn't sympathize with pain. He'd been through some himself in his life—nobody in the Alliance, not even the Brains, could say that they'd escaped pain.

"What—what are you doing out here, anyway?" Chris asked, trying to make conversation.

"I thought we agreed…no questions," Travis reminded him.

"Oh." Slowly, Chris edged his way into the passenger seat of the car.

Travis began to drive past his block, towards the Alliance.

"Where are we going?" Chris demanded.

Travis looked at him in the rearview mirror. He was sweating now and even paler than before, but somehow just as defiant as ever. "You want to fix that foot or not?"

"I don't need to get it fixed," Chris insisted.

"Why is that?" Travis asked sarcastically. "You want it to heal all by itself, then? Good luck with that. I'm not sure your parents would be too happy."

The kid rolled his eyes. "My brother can…" He bit his tongue.

"What?" asked Travis.

"No questions," Chris told him.

Travis tensed. "You're pretty annoying for a six-year-old."

"Thanks." Chris closed his eyes and leaned his head back.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Why not?"

"We're almost there." Travis parked the car. "Hold on for a second, gotta make a call." But Travis could tell the kid was out like a light by now. He sighed and punched in the numbers.

"Hello?" Diana's frantic voice came on the other end.

"Hey. Must have missed the person in question, I patrolled the whole side of the city."

"You didn't find anyone?"

"Well, I found a kid. He's hurt. Might want to get someone from the Medical Ward out here. Take down the security so we can get in."

"Sure thing. Be right back." He heard her move around and heard the faint clicking off the buttons to disable the alarm system. "All clear. I'll get the Meds."

"Thanks."

"A kid?" she asked, making conversation. "What the hell is a kid doing out there in the middle of the night?"

Travis shrugged. "Something tells me he's not an ordinary kid."

And there it is, folks! I'll try not to be so overdue next time. I do apologize :D. Review, though!