Who I am…

Chapter 4

By: teal-lover

Summary: How Chris learned the cunning and duplicitous behavior we saw for over a year. Alternates between the past, unchanged future, and the changed future.

AN: I am so so sorry for not posting in such a long time, and I know you all want to kick my butt. But the only consolation I can offer is that my bosses and my teachers have been doing it for you. In fact, I'm taking a break from homework right now—1am, to do this instead. Which is more fun. I just hope someone reads it :)

Rating: PG-13, which may change later on in chapters depending on where my mind takes me.

Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or any of the characters or get any money from writing this fiction.

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Last time…

"Piper, Honey. There is another way that Chris knows what Valhalla looks like. The fact is, that he remembers. What you saw in that dream, wasn't a dream. It was a memory, one that I saw part of a long time ago." She paused to allow her sister, and herself to prepare for what she was about to say, "And I saw it from the Chris that died saving his brother. Looks like we didn't loose him after all."

Piper's jaw nearly hit the floor as she finally understood her middle sister's earlier flight out of her son's room. Her mouth moved several times but no sound came. Finally able to speak, everyone turned as someone else voiced her concern before she could.

"What?"

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Chris stood in the doorway of the bathroom, his hair plastered to his forehead from the sweat pouring down his face. He had caught the end of their conversation, and he was more than just a little shocked. His mother grabbed a damp washcloth and immediately tried to wipe his face. He wasn't fooled by her attempt at distraction and brushed her away.

"What are you talking about? How could I have died saving Wyatt?"

Piper tried to smile through her worried expression, hoping that she could somehow avoid giving him the answer he sought. "Sweetheart, that wasn't—"

Phoebe interrupted before her sister could deny it any further, "Yes it was, Piper. There's no reason he should—or possibly could—have his memories if he wasn't somehow a part of him."

She spun around on her younger sister angrily, "Stay out of this!"

Chris asked insistently, "What is she talking about, Mom?"

Piper turned back to him again, her features softening as she brushed the hair away from his face. "Sweetie, why don't you go and take a shower and we'll head downstairs."

"No. Not before you explain this to me! How could I have died?" He swatted her hand away angrily and looked to the empath, "Aunt Phoebe?"

She lowered her eyes to avoid the piercing and pleading stare he focused on her, gesturing to the eldest Charmed One, "Ask your mother, Honey. It's not my place."

"Mom, what's she talking about? Don't lie to me, please."

"Sweetheart—"

Her normally affectionate words and tone towards him had usually comforted and set him at ease whenever she used them. But it seemed as if she was purposely going out of her way to avoid the subject, whatever that was, and now it had the exact opposite effect, frustrating him to no end. He responded by doing something he hadn't done in years. He raised his voice to his mother. "STOP PATRONIZING ME! I'm not a child!"

Piper threw her hands to her hips and fired back, "You are seventeen years old, Christopher Halliwell, and as far as I'm concerned, you are still a child. What's more, you are my child—and as such, don't you ever raise your voice like that to me again."

He took a deep breath, calming himself down before he spoke again. "I'm sorry. But I need you to tell me if you know what's happening to me."

"I don't know," she answered shortly.

"But you have an idea." He stated in an accusatory tone.

She narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger toward the doorway, "Go to your room. We'll discuss this later."

He couldn't believe that she was just going to dismiss him like that. "What?"

"Did I stutter? I said go to your room!"

He took the opportunity to glare at her one last time before he orbed out of her sight. Moments later, she heard his bedroom door slam. Obviously an attempt to let her know how angry he was at her, especially since he had orbed, there was no need to use a door.

Piper shook her head and turned to face her sisters, only to find them glaring at her with their arms folded. "What?"

Paige tapped her foot impatiently. "That wasn't fair, and you know it."

"I also know that it's not possible."

Paige threw her hands to her hips while she took offense to her sister's attitude. "Why not, Piper? Why are you refusing to believe it? All of the signs are there. It all fits. Is the idea that the other Chris could actually be a part of this Chris that horrible to you?"

"YES! As a matter of fact, it is." She answered, surprising both sisters. She sat down on the edge of the tub exhaustedly, wiping her tear filled eyes. "Because if it's possible for the other Chris to exist and influence my son's actions, then it's also possible that the evil version of my other son could also exist within him. And I don't even want to think about how much of a monster he must have been to make Chris want to come back, willing to risk his entire life, to fix him. I refuse to accept that something like that could just be lurking in my son just waiting to get out."

Phoebe finally understood her sister's reluctance that was simply born out of fear for her children. She sat down beside the older woman and stroked her back soothingly, "Oh, Piper. No, it's not possible. I think that the other Chris only exists because he died in the past—at the same time that our Chris was born. It was the same soul, and it had to go somewhere. But the rest of it, Honey, that whole timeline ceased to exist when Chris changed it all. But Wyatt—Wyatt was never in the past. Because he had died shortly after Bianca took him back to the future."

Sniffling, Piper wiped her eyes and looked up, "How do you know that?"

Phoebe took a deep breath and decided to admit her part in the events that took place eighteen years ago. "Because I—look, I know I never told you any of this, but do you remember that time when I sent all of you on that impromptu vacation up there with Leo? Well, I took the opportunity to meet Piper, Paige and Leo from the future that Chris came from. You know, to get to know him a little better. He was having such a difficult time after the incident with the spider woman, especially with Leo, and I wanted to help him."

Piper glared at the younger woman, "Wait, then you lied to me Phoebe. I specifically asked you what was going on that weekend and you told me that it was absolutely nothing."

She gave her a weak smile and a shrug of indifference. "I had to. He made me promise that I wouldn't tell you anything. Any of you. And he had his reasons for that. It was hard enough for him with me knowing, he didn't want to upset you in your condition. If you recall, you were pregnant at the time—with Chris."

"Fine. So you think it's really him?"

"I do. But you need to believe it as well. And he needs to understand it too if we're going to be able to help him through what's happening to him now."

"How are we going to know?"

"I have an idea," Phoebe announced as she stood up and held out her hand for her baby sister. "Paige, I need you to orb me home real fast. There's something there that I think will prove to you that it's him once and for all."

TBC…

More very soon—as soon as I can get it typed. The next few chapters are written though, so tell me what you think:)