AN: Hey… I'm glad you guys liked it… and I'm glad you're still following it!
Thanks to…
Splombie, Hilz72, Lady Gallatea Ravenclaw, Potterwing, Touch of the Wind, TropicalTequila, piper-rox, charmedtomeetyou, aerohead1980, Kitty-Witty-Kate, Scary-Girly, teal-lover, angelkat2502, bstant, petites sorcieres, Charmedp3123, scme, shadowhisper, M.J.L.S., HellCat 1031 and last but not least, the-raven-angel.
(If I missed anyone, email my ass, and point it out that I neglected to mention you, and should be burned at the stake)
Chris was working on Isabella, a pretty twenty-five-year-old Witch, who like his Aunt Phoebe, had the power of premonition when his mental alarms started blaring.
Something's wrong… he stretched out with his empathy, using everything that he had.
His thoughts were further confirmed by a whisper from Isabella, whom his hand still lingered on.
"Chris… the spell… it's broken."
Obviously she had gotten a premonition from him, and he stared down, mentally urging the healing to go faster. But it wasn't, as he was so exhausted and in so much pain, it was surprising that he could still do it. "What? How…?"
Isabella shook her head, and finally the wounds across her back closed. "I don't know. It was vague. But you're in trouble, I did get that. Wyatt…"
"He's already here," Chris whispered, as the evil presence that masqueraded as his older brother suddenly brushed against his mind.
"Go! Everyone needs to get out!" Chris shouted, even though he knew it was already too late.
Both Alana and Max were both at his side; frowning. "Chris… what's going on?"
"Wyatt. He's here. Somehow, the protection spell is broken." Isabella answered for him.
They looked at him; stunned.
Chris shoved at them with a burst of telekinesis. "Don't just stand there! Go, now! Try to get everyone out!"
"It's a little late for that Chris." a familiar voice spoke from the shadows.
Unconsciously, Chris stepped in front of his friends… his real family.
This wasn't their fight.
"You want me Wyatt?"
An amused chuckle, then his older brother stepped out; clad completely in black as usual. His blond locks wavy and longer than the last time Chris had seen him in the Manor attic.
The blue eyes remained the same. Cold, soulless and completely empty. Devoid of on iota of the honor, justice, and devotion that had been the core of the Halliwell family.
"I think you know the answer to that little brother… and I will have you, now you graciously, or stupidly, decided to drop the protection spell."
As Wyatt spoke, Chris felt Alana stiffen behind him; and felt her wave of emotions roll over him. Fear mixed with a healthy dose of anger. Max was standing quietly, but Chris could see the tightened fists.
No… If they stood their ground fought Wyatt and the host of demons he had undoubtedly brought, it would be a bloodbath.
He only saw one way out of this… for his friends at least, if he could trust Wyatt to keep his word.
Mentally, he laughed uproariously at this. Wyatt… keep his word. Wyatt's word meant nothing. Family meant nothing. Wyatt would sacrifice everyone in order to get what he wanted, and Chris and his group had threatened that.
But it was the only shot, slim as it was.
Chris raised his hands in the international sign of surrender. "Fine. I'll come with you, peacefully-" As he tried to ignore the waves of alarm and panic coming at him from three different people.
Wyatt smirked. "Gotten weak, Chris?"
"Under one condition. You leave everyone else alone. Otherwise, I'm gonna come at you with everything I got. And believe me, Wyatt, I know you don't think I'm a big threat-"
"Try a nonexistent one." His brother sneered.
"But I'll either stop you, or make a hell lot of trouble for you before you take me out. So what's it going to be?"
Leo stopped suddenly; his blue eyes going wide.
Piper grabbed his arm. Up until now, they had been making a steady pace towards Chris.
"Leo? What is it? What's wrong?"
He looked at her, and the expression on his face made her feel faintly ill.
"We never should have removed the protection spell. He's in trouble…" he swallowed hard against nausea. "I think Wyatt's there."
"We'll never make there in time, walking." They had opted to do that, fearing that orbing would attract unwanted attention.
"Then we'll orb." Leo stated simply. If Wyatt was already there, then all the precautions were moot at this point.
So all three sisters and Leo linked hands, and disappeared.
Wyatt stared his younger brother thoughtfully. "Yes… you're right. I don't consider you a threat. But I'm a busy man, so… yes, baby brother. You've got a deal."
"No!" Alana tried to lunge forward, but Chris, expecting this, held her back telekinetically.
"Don't Alana… please."
The elder Halliwell smiled coldly.
"Yes, Alana. Listen to Christopher. He just bought you a few more days of life before I hunt you down," he glanced at his brother. "Come along then, Chris."
He didn't move. "First, send away the demons. Then I'll come with you."
Looking more than a little exasperated, Wyatt called out the order.
They obediently shimmered out.
"Fine. Now get over here, before I make you." Wyatt said flatly.
Chris glared at Wyatt. "Just… let me say goodbye."
"How touching… and sickeningly sentimental."
Swallowing hard, Chris looked at his three friends.
Yet he smiled, as he didn't want their last image of him to be one of him being afraid. He briefly hugged Isabella.
He did the same to Max, and whispered in his ear. "Take care of yourself buddy. You were the best friend… and brother I ever had."
Max's eyes filled with tears that he didn't try to repress. "We'll find you, Chris. Don't give up, dammit."
Chris nodded, even though he didn't believe it. He knew that his people would try their hardest… they would probably be too late.
He stopped at Alana, who was still struggling against his telekinetic hold. But as he came in front of her, she stopped, her shoulders slumping.
At first, she wouldn't look at him.
"Lana… Lana… listen to me."
She finally looked up, her dark eyes full of a mixture of terror and fire and she looked so beautiful, Chris felt his heart break.
"Don't you do this," she whispered fiercely. "Don't you dare die for us."
Chris shook his head. "Lana… you know that if he killed you, or Max, Keiko… then I'd rather be dead. One life for god only knows how many others."
He smiled, the soft, sweet smile she knew so well. "This is the best way."
"Okay, time's up!" Wyatt's voice had gotten dangerously sharp.
"No." Alana realized she was close to whimpering.
Chris ignored his older brother, and leaned in and bestowed upon her lips a kiss that was feather-light, but filled with such warmth, she couldn't stop the tears that began to flow down her face.
"You know, I always loved you. I never stopped, I-"
But whatever else Chris had to say, was cut off as Wyatt evidently had decided that Chris's farewells had gone on long enough, and dragged him back using his telekinesis, and grabbed his younger brother tightly around the neck.
And at the same time, white-blue orb lights began to fill the room.
Both parties stared.
"What the hell?" Max muttered.
After a moment, the orbs disappeared, leaving four people in their wake.
Four very familiar people.
Chris, even though his precious air supply was being cut off, managed to choke out words first, even if they were garbled and laced with fear.
"Piper, Phoebe, Paige… Leo? What in the hell are you doing here? Get out of here!"
Piper couldn't tear her gaze away from the horrifying sight.
Chris… her baby… trapped in the arms of a blond man, who although young, who was obviously a few years older than Chris.
A blond man who was chillingly and heartbreakingly familiar.
Wyatt.
Her eldest son's hands were wrapped tightly around Chris's throat, those face was turning an alarming shade of red.
Yet her youngest managed to choke out, his voice full of alarm, and almost inaudible. "Piper, Phoebe, Paige… Leo? What in the hell are you doing here? Get out of here!"
Wyatt who had been looking at them without a great deal of interest, finally raised an eyebrow.
"Well, isn't it obvious little brother?" Chris winced at that. Well, there went his secret right out the window…
Wyatt noticed the wince, and started to laugh, causing everyone to cringe at the sound. It was hard, and utterly without any real humor.
"Ah… they didn't know, did they? You never told them. What's wrong little bro, afraid that they wouldn't want you?"
Chris coughed, as Wyatt had finally relaxed his grip… just a little, allowing air to rush into his starving lungs.
Phoebe stepped forward, her dark eyes steady. "I knew."
Wyatt grinned. "Aunt Phoebe… been a long time. You knew Chris's little secret? So I'm betting I'm right, you guys came rushing here to save him…" the cold mirth faded from Wyatt's face as quickly as it had came. "But I'm afraid you're too late."
"Please Wyatt… don't." Piper said softly, pleading both with her words and her eyes.
"Sorry Mom. Nice seeing you again."
And tightening his grip on Chris, he shimmered out without another word.
Love it? Hate it? More coming up, if everyone is still interested.