Alright. First I would like to say that I appreciate comments and am happy that you all enjoy this story. I honestly didn't think this would be all that popular given the way Chris' identity is revealed. So thank you to all of my readers.
Second. There are a few things different in this story than in the show. One would be that Chris is the youngest of his generation with a fifteen year age gap between him and Wyatt. The reason will be explained later don't fret. Second is that Piper died when Chris was a lot younger than fourteen but you'll have to wait and find out what age.
Chris had screamed for Piper, Phoebe or Paige to come back, to let him out; to do something, anything. No one helped him. He had eventually slumped back down onto the base mat of the playpen and sulked. This day just sucked!
An hour and a half later and the wonderful smells of Piper's cooking were emanating throughout the bottom floor of the house. Chris' stomach clenched slightly at the desirable aroma. He sighed; it had been so long since he'd had his mother's cooking; about… fourteen years give or take. Regardless Chris knew for a fact that the food wasn't for him; Piper would never cook for him.
In truth, he decided that it didn't matter; it's not as though his body would know what to do with the food anyway. Ever since he'd come to the past his diet had consisted almost solely on water and what he could scrounge from the dumpsters at the local fast food joints. Even before that though he'd been living off of next to nothing.
When his mother was alive Chris had eaten like a king. Once his mother had passed Chris had eaten the scraps from the leftovers that he snatched off of the plates he cleaned. After Wyatt took over he lived off of dumpsters while trying to find someplace to survive. When he started the resistance they had managed to come up with a somewhat reliable source of food from their own gardens. Still the food was sparse and he often found himself giving his share away to the little kids who looked at him with big, pleading eyes (it didn't matter that Chris was no older than twelve himself).
Chris' stomach clenched again and pulled him from his thoughts. He sighed and slouched back against the netting of the playpen. Maybe pissing Piper off hadn't been such a good idea.
He wasn't really sure why he'd done it. Probably had something to do with the fact that the woman was wonderful at getting under his skin and he always felt the need to repay the favor.
Stupid - yes.
Worth it - definitely.
Well… it had seemed to be worth it at the time. Now… he wasn't so sure. His watch beeped, reminding Chris that he had somewhere to be.
"Hey!" he called. As usual no one came. They'd been ignoring him and he knew it was Piper's doing. He'd just had to piss off the current matriarch of the Halliwell line.
Chris felt like a child. Like he was three again and put in time out for having thrown a toy at his older sister. As a child the only way his mother would have let him out was if he apologized. He had a feeling that the same would hold true with this Piper. The catch? He'd never apologize to this Piper.
Sitting here Chris was faced with two choices. He could either apologize to Piper or he could… call Leo. Either way he needed to choose one because he was already running late for a meeting. It was either apologize to an egotistical, power hungry woman or call a man who hated him.
Still, Leo was at least honest with his feelings towards Chris from the very beginning. If he called Leo all he'd have to deal with would be a few bruises and then he could be on his way.
Taking a deep, calming, breath Chris did something he never dreamed he'd do. He called Leo for help.
"Leo?" It was soft, hesitant and barely understandable but still the man came. He actually showed up. Chris just didn't understand his parents very much.
Leo had heard the soft call and was curious so he came immediately. Chris never called him so Leo thought the boy had to be pretty desperate. Imagine his surprise when he orbed into the sunroom to find Chris sitting in the playpen.
"What the hell are you doing?" Leo demanded his curiosity quickly turning into rage.
Chris quickly stood up and bowed his head a little to show submission. It was a pose that his Leo had always wanted to see and right now Chris thought it might be the best tactic. "I'm stuck in here"
"Stuck?" Leo asked unbelievingly.
"Yeah." Chris hesitated. "I can't get out."
Piper had heard Leo from the kitchen and hurried over to the sunroom only coming in a minute after his arrival. "What are you doing here?"
Leo turned to Piper, "He called for me"
Piper turned to Chris and raised an eyebrow, "He did, did he?"
Leo became confused once again. "He says he's stuck in there."
"Oh please" Paige sighed, joining the conversation "It's not as though it's difficult to get out of that thing. I don't see why he's keeping up this ruse."
"What ruse!" Chris demanded to know, "I can't get out of this thing. I've tried everything I know of"
"You're seriously trying to get us to believe that you're trapped in a playpen meant for a toddler?" Piper asked incredulously.
"Even orbing?" Leo threw in.
"Yes!" Chris exclaimed. Did they really not believe him? Why else would he still be in this bloody thing? "And I'm running late for a meeting so it you don't mind…" Chris was interrupted by Wyatt orbing into the playpen next to his feet.
"Wyatt" Leo said, happy to see his son but a little concerned that the boy just orbed in next to Chris.
Wyatt looked up at his father and smiled before orbing into the man's arms.
"Unbelievable" Chris said. Of course Wyatt could get out of this thing and yet he – the adult – was trapped.
"I thought you said you couldn't orb out?" Leo asked skeptically as he held Wyatt in his arms.
"I can't" Chris responded through gritted teeth.
"Well then how come Wyatt could?" Piper asked.
"Yeah," Paige chimed in, "If Wyatt can orb out why can't…"
Chris turned to Paige curiously as the woman stared at him with wide, shocked, eyes. "What?"
"The spell" Paige whispered.