'Ello! Thanks for all the reviews :D. You are all very kind. Now, with this chapter, its mainly just a bunch of short blurbs, or highlights of what Chris is going through because if I honestly did a day-by-day thing, it would probably get boring and long winded, so I hope you all don't mind.
Second, many of you reviewers are saying that this is very realistic, and I would like to say thank you. While I've never had to go through cancer with someone in my immediate family, thank God, I have had it take two people away in my life. My grandmother when I was eight, she died from lung cancer that had moved into brain and liver cancer. And then two years ago, I lost my Uncle to stomach cancer.
During this time, I've gotten reviews talking about cousins and various other people getting cancer and it pains me to see those, because I know out there sadly, there isn't a person out there that hasn't been affected by this disease. And because of this, I want to dedicate this work to those who have fought cancer and won, and to those who were sadly taken too early because of this disease, hopefully one day, there will be a cure for it and no longer will we have to live in fear.
On a happier note, to those who've read 'From Yesterday' I'm thinking about expanding it even more! If you've voted on my poll about my next story, you've read the summary for the story Legacy, it still on my profile if you wish to read it. I'm thinking about actually mixing the two together.
The basic summary would be that Chris is the black sheep in the family, and he goes on a trip to Great Britain where he finds out that a great-great-great-great aunt actually built a dynasty within the British Magical Community, and it has been chosen that he would be the next heir. However, the Halliwells aren't happy about this, they want him to come home and for Wyatt to be the heir to the Warren family. This causes the family to split and Chris to fall out of contact with them. Twenty years later, Wyatt is Governor of the United States Magical Community and a new Magical United Nations is formed. The first meeting is to be held at the United States Magic School, and guess who is the British Minister of Magic? (Honestly, if don't know the answer, I worry for you). So, tell me what you think. And yes, it would be a slight crossover with Harry Potter but not much. It will mainly just be characters, and mentions. And no, Chris will not be paired up with anyone in the Harry Potter world, I already have his pairing set in my mind and no its not slash.
Okay, enough with the long author's note. Enjoy the story!
Chris groaned as the sun hit his eyes, awaking him. He turned but the damage was already done. Slowly, he opened his eyes and frowned. The faint scent of pancakes, bacon, and various other breakfast foods hung in the air, the scent slightly stale, meaning that his mom has already cooked the family their food for the weekly family gathering. He sighed as he pushed himself up and ran a hand through his hair. He blinked when he felt a patch of smooth skin. He twisted sharply and his eyes grew wide at the sheer amount of brown that littered his pillow. Looking at his hand, he licked his lips in nervousness when he saw them covered in strands.
He quickly grabbed his clothes for the day and rushed to the bathroom and looked at the mirror. His once thick hair was now thinning out to the point of unhealthy and unfashionable. He growled. He wouldn't just sit around and let his hair fall out.
He gripped the sink counter and glared at the white porcelain, his mind working a mile a minute. Alright, he had leukemia, that was obvious. He spent the first two weeks in the bathroom, vomiting everything that entered his body, but with his new anti-nausea drugs he could at least eat light foods without getting a churning stomach and he hasn't seen the inside of a toilet for two days. His weight has fallen to a mere ninety-three pounds and he was asleep more than he was awake. His gripped tightened. Is this how is was expected to live his possible last days on Earth? Depressed? Afraid of dying each and every night? Freaking out because he was losing his hair? He was being ridiculous! If these were his last days, he should live them to his fullest, not holed up in a room.
Chris shook his head. He was fifteen not two. Everyone has been telling that he wasn't given a death sentence three and half weeks ago, and maybe he should actually listen to them. Glancing up at the mirror, Chris glared at the sickly looking boy in the glass. He was a Halliwell and Halliwells didn't go down without a fight. It didn't matter that this wasn't a demon and it was some disease. He was going to fight it, and he was going to win. He was always told that he was the most stubborn of his family, well, it was time to use that stubbornness for a good cause.
Digging in a drawer, Chris smirked when he felt his father's razor. With a flick, it flashed to life, a small buzzing noise filling the room. It was time to fight back.
Chris exhaled forcibly as he walked down the stairs. He told himself that he would act like nothing happened and to play it off as nothing. Easier said than done. He turned into the dining room and heard a series of short, sharp gasps. Without a word he grabbed a few pieces of buttered toast, his anti-nausea pills and a glass of orange juice and sat down and began to eat.
"Peanut," Piper gasped.
Chris shrugged and swallowed before speaking, "It was just going to fall out anyways. I was sick and tired of waking up with hair all over the place,"
Wyatt looked at his brother, the boy's new bald head drawing every eye to it. It was like a big slap in the face. With the clean scalp, thin stature and dark bags under his eyes, his baby brother looked like the poster boy for leukemia. Wyatt wanted to do nothing but draw his brother into a hug and let him know that he wasn't in this alone, but that was hard when he was standing here perfectly healthy and his brother was fighting to live another day. Glancing around, Wyatt realized that everyone was paying attention to Chris. Wyatt slipped away and quickly trotted up the stairs. He had to do something.
Chris looked at this second piece of toast and refused to look up. He could sense that every eye was on him and his newly acquired bald scalp, but he refused to let it all fall out and to get depressed every time he woke up and saw more of his hair gone. This way, it was gone and he didn't have to worry about it. Although, he would be lying if he didn't say he didn't hate looking in the mirror and seeing his scalp. It was like a billboard plastered on his head proclaiming that he had cancer. He sighed as he pushed his plate away. He glanced up when he heard his mother gasp and his eyes grew wide. Wyatt stood awkward in the doorway, his once chin length blond curls gone. Wyatt smiled at Chris and shrugged.
Chris stood and wrapped his arms around his brother's neck tightly, not caring that he had to stand on his tip toes to do so. He felt Wyatt's arms coil around him and Chris buried his head into Wyatt's shoulder. Wyatt laid a hand on the back of Chris's head. "You're not alone bro," Wyatt softly whispered.
Chris sniffled, "Thank you,"
The next day, Chris found himself in the padded chair within the small corridors of the cancer clinic. A small tube was connected to his port in his collarbone, the chemo slowly being pumped in. Idly, Chris read his chemistry textbook, his mother and father finally agreeing that Chris could continue his schooling while be treated. He winced when he felt his stomach twist and prayed that his small breakfast didn't decide to reappear. Luckily, his pills seemed to be holding out and keeping his meals down. He sighed as he flipped a page and frowned at the series of complex chemical formulas. He ran a hand over his smooth skin, flinching for a moment when he didn't feel his shaggy hair before remembering what he did yesterday morning. With a heavy exhale, Chris leaned over an grabbed his notebook and started doing the assigned exercise.
Alderson frowned as he entered the room, Chris's files in hand. The young doctor sat down and looked at the mother and son that were sitting on the table. "We got Chris's blood results back, and the chemo isn't working like we want it to." he stated, "The cancer cells are being produced faster than we're killing them,"
"Then what should we do?" Piper asked, her eyes wide.
"I suggest an increase in dosage," Alderson stated as he marked it down on the chart, "I will also increase the amount of anti-nausea pills so Chris can continue keeping his meals down and hopefully start putting on some weight,"
"And this will start on his next treatment?" Piper inquired as she took the prescription from the doctor.
Alderson nodded, "Hopefully this will be the last thing we need to do to battle the leukemia."
"Chris-"
Wyatt halted in the threshold and looked at his brother on the couch. The fifteen year old was sleeping, his algebra book on his chest. Wyatt frowned slightly and looked over his shoulder debating to wake up his baby brother for lunch or not. Sighing, Wyatt gently took the textbook and put it on the coffee table and then pulled a blanket over Chris. The boy mumbled and curled up, clenching the fabric closer to his body. Wyatt chuckled and went to ruffle Chris's hair, his hand actually touching the bare scalp before he realized that he couldn't do that routine gesture. The older brother frowned when he touched the warm skin. Looking closer at his brother, Wyatt realized that Chris was shivering slightly.
Quickly, he headed into the kitchen and got his mother. "I think he's sick." Wyatt stated as his mother felt Chris's forehead.
Piper frowned and turned towards her eldest, "Get the thermometer,"
Wyatt rushed upstairs and did as his mother told him to do. By time he got back downstairs, Chris was sitting up and leaning against Piper. He weakly smiled at Wyatt. "Hey bro," Wyatt whispered as he sat next to Chris.
"Open up," Piper softly ordered as she slid the glass tube into her son's mouth, "Why didn't you tell us you were feeling sick?"
Chris shook his head, "I-"
"Tell me after your temperature is taken." Piper lightly chided.
A few minutes later, Piper took the thermometer out and promptly frowned, "102, now what were you trying to say?"
"I didn't feel sick before," Chris answered, "I was just tired but I figured that was because of the leukemia,"
Sighing, Piper lightly patted her son's knee, "I'm going to call Doctor Khan, see what she wants to do,"
Chris nodded and wrapped the blanket tighter around himself, shivering slightly. Wyatt frowned and brought his brother closer so he could absorb some of his body heat, "So, need help on your algebra?"
Chris snorted and grabbed the textbook, "When don't I need help on this? I mean, whoever's bright idea it was to add letters into math deserves to die."
"Sadistic much?" joked Wyatt.
Chris glared at his brother, "The person that decided that X had to too many problems to solve its self is a sadist, not me. I'm just a poor tortured soul trying to figure out this crap, crap that I will probably never use again in my life I might add."
Wyatt laughed and took Chris's textbook, "Alright, question number 14…"
The next day, Chris was too ill to leave his bedroom. During the night his fever had spiked to 106, the young man having night terrors that awoke his parents and brother, however no matter they attempted to awake him, Chris was caught within slumber's grasp. Piper immediately called both Khan and Alderson, telling them about the recent illness and they told her that they would contact Chris's usual doctor - McConnal - to come over and figure out what was wrong. The older doctor frowned and quickly took a vile of blood from Chris and hurried out to get it tested to figure out what was attacking him.
Piper sat at her son's bedside, constantly running a damp rag over the fevered skin in a futile attempt to keep it down. Leo was sitting at the foot of the bed and Wyatt hovered behind his parents. In his hands, Leo clutched the cordless phone, awaiting for the call from McConnal. Chris moaned as Piper dab his forehead, the young man turning away from it. Piper shushed her son, still trying to comfort him.
Suddenly, the shrill ring of the phone broke the silence and Leo quickly picked it up. He nodded and a few minutes hung up, his face solemn. "He said its just a cold, but since Chris's immune system is being killed by the chemo his body has no defense against such a simple disease,"
"So? What does that mean?" Piper demanded.
"He said he prescribed antibiotics and sent them over the pharmacy, and said that's all he can really do in short of admitting Chris to the hospital." Leo explained, "I'll go get them now."
"We can continue treatment if he still this sick," Doctor Khan explained over the phone to Piper.
Piper scowled, "But, he's only going to get worse if he doesn't get chemo."
Khan sighed, "Yes, but if we continue with the therapy the illness could get worse and Chris could die from that. With the antibiotics, the cold should be flushed from his system in a few days, and especially by time his next treatment is scheduled in two weeks."
"Are there going to be any serious consequences to not getting his treatment this week?"
"We can only hope not Mrs. Halliwell, but nothing can be said for sure with cancer, especially with leukemia." Khan replied, "Just give me a call a few days before Chris's next treatment and tell me how he's faring and we'll decide if we can continue with the chemotherapy for that day."
Piper sighed and agreed to do so before hanging up and walking back into her son's room. Wyatt had taken her spot next to Chris's head and resumed the task of dabbing cool water on the flushed skin. Leo had disappeared somewhere, probably to see if he could find anything to ease Chris's suffering. Piper exhaled forcibly and ran a hand through her graying brown hair. Even with the antibiotics in his system Chris still had a fever of 103 and wasn't waking up enough to become lucid. Getting the antibiotics into Chris's body was a hassle and a half. They had to push the pill down the unconscious boy's throat and than rub the muscles so they could finish the job.
Wyatt glanced up and locked eyes with his mother. He raised an eyebrow and Piper shook her head before heading out of the bedroom, calling her sisters so the worried aunts could get the play-by-play. Wyatt frowned and took his brother's hand in his and clutched it, "Chris, you have to survive, you know that right? Just, live please."
Two weeks later, Chris found himself with a stuffy nose and a slight cough in the familiar padded chair, his fingers tapping out a random rhythm as he attempted to keep his lunch down. "When I thought I didn't have to worry about vomiting again," Chris mumbled.
Piper chuckled, "Anti-nausea pills aren't doing their job?"
"Well, they're keeping that sandwich down so far but the queasy-ness makes me want to puke so it goes away,"
Piper patted her son's arm in sympathy, "We'll tell Alderson that the pills aren't doing what they're supposed to do,"
Chris nodded and opened his mouth to say something only to turn sharply and grab a basin shortly before vomiting. Groaning, Chris leaned back, "Well, there went my sandwich."
"I'll get you a towel," Piper said with a small smile.
"Thanks," Chris mumbled, closing his eyes, "This...sucks."
"Yes, you've told us numerous times," remarked Piper when she reentered the room, "Here,"
Chris muttered a thanks before dabbing his mouth with the damp cloth. "How much longer?" he softly inquired.
Piper glanced at the clock, "Thirty-five more minutes,"
Chris groaned and resisted the temptation of hitting his head on the chair, he was really hoping his mother said that he was done. But of course, the fates were against him...like always.
Chris bolted into a seated position when he heard a loud bang, his eyes wide. He heard his mother curse before the distinct sound of a vase exploding emerged. Seconds later, he heard his brother's door swing open and his feet pounding down the stairs. Chris rolled his eyes, apparently Wyatt once again forgot he could orb. Chris jumped up and quickly orbed downstairs. He jumped behind a wall when he spotted the trio of lower-level demons, a fireball soaring inches from his face. He cursed as he looked around, he saw his mother crouched behind the couch, clutching her arm. Hiding behind the television was his father, the blond man gasping for breath as he hid away from the demons, the man baring no powers. And Wyatt had finally made his appearance, but had to resort to hiding behind the china cabinet in the dining room as the demons sent a barrage of fireballs .
"Wyatt, anytime would be nice," Chris called out from his hiding spot.
"Well, maybe if I didn't have fireballs firing at me every three seconds I could actually do something!" responded Wyatt.
Chris sighed and using his telekinesis sent three of the dining room chairs towards the demons. The demons gasped and dove out of the way, stopping their attack just long enough for Wyatt to twist and flick his wrist, vanquishing them. Chris sighed and exposed himself from his hiding spot and frowned at the pile of ashes. He kicked one. "And here I thought I would get a demon-free time while I had cancer, but apparently not."
Wyatt snorted, "Right? What fantasy world do you live in?"
Chris chuckled, "A man can wish right?"
"Well, unless you have a genie that wish isn't going to come true little bro," Wyatt joked, throwing an arm over Chris's shoulders.
"Oh, well poo."
He stumbled into his bedroom, his hand clutching the doorframe tightly as his world spun around. "Chris? You okay buddy?"
"Yeah, just a bit dizzy," Chris mumbled, his father's arm wrapping around his center.
"How long as this been going on?" Leo asked as he lowered his son onto his bed.
"A few days?" Chris replied, slightly questioning his answer, "I dunno, it started in small flares a day after my chemo treatment and then now, its been almost constant."
Leo hummed in thought, "Lay down for a bit, I'll call the doctor, see what's going on."
"Great, now I have another thing wrong with me because leukemia wasn't enough." Chris said sarcastically.
Leo patted Chris's knee, "You'll be fine. It could just be something minor."
"Right, because something minor happens in this family,"
Leo rolled his eyes, "Just stay in bed while I call the doctors, alright?"
"Yes dad," Chris mumbled. He sighed when he heard his father close the door behind him, "Fates, you suck."
"Piper?" he called out as he walked down the stairs, "Piper?"
"In the kitchen!" she yelled.
Leo rolled his eyes, he should've known. Pushing the door open, he frowned as he saw his wife looking at a pile of papers, "What is that?"
"Chris's doctor bills. This is going to put us in debt for the next century," she moaned, her hand coming up to knead her forehead.
Leo crossed his arms, "Piper, we don't really have a choice,"
"I know, I know, its just" she sighed and ran a hand through her long hair, "I just didn't think about this when this all started,"
"I don't think anyone did Piper," Leo reassured as he brought her into a loose embrace, "It doesn't matter how much it cost Piper, we'll find a way to pay for it but right now, I'm more focused on making sure Chris at least hits sixty."
Piper sniffled and nodded, "What is it you called for?"
"Did the doctor say anything about vertigo when he was going over the chemotherapy or anti-nausea pills?" inquired Leo.
"Why? Is Chris okay?"
"He said he's been dizzy," Leo answered, "I'll call Doctor Alderson, or should I call Khan?"
Piper frowned, "Well, I guess it would be Khan first since she deals with the therapy, since I can't see anti-nausea pills doing this to him," she reasoned.
Leo nodded, "Alright, I'll give her a call," he stated before pecking her forehead before heading out the door.
"Ototoxicity," Leo sighed as he hung up the phone, his wife close by, "The chemo is damaging his inner ear which is producing the vertigo,"
"What are they going to do about it?" Piper asked.
Leo shrugged, "They're going to lower the dosage a little bit which will hopefully slow down the damage but they can't stop the therapy because Chris would just die from the leukemia then."
"Is it permanent?"
Leo frowned and clutched the phone, "It could be she said."
"Oh God," Piper gasped, "I thought all I had to worry about is the damn leukemia now I have to worry about the treatment hurting him as well?"
"Piper, they're pumping a poison into Chris's body, we should've expected some damage,"
"Yes, vomiting and hair loss is one thing Leo, but permanent damage to his hearing or balance, damn it Leo that could get him killed in the long run by demons!" exclaimed Piper.
Leo narrowed his eyes, "I'm not so focused on the demons right now Piper, I'm more worried about my son living!"
"Well, hate to break it you Leo, but demons are a big part of our lives or must I remind you of the attack a week ago?"
"Piper, our son can't fight demons if he's dead from cancer!"
"And I can't get better if you two are screaming at the top of your lungs!"
The two parents' head snapped towards the stairs, their youngest son standing there, glaring. "Are you two done?" he drawled, "Good, because I'm up here like a good kid attempting to do his homework, but I can't exactly do it with two people yelling about some idiotic thing. Alright, Mom, I get that demons are big part of our lives, but I rather live with hearing loss, which I might add I don't have yet, or a balance issue than being in a pine box six feet under when I'm fifteen. Dad, get Mom's perspective, I can't really defend myself if I'm too busy find my equilibrium, now can I? Got it? Now, you two, hug, make up and let me do my homework!" he shouted before turning around and heading back to his room.
Leo blinked and turned towards his wife, "I wonder where he got that from," he said with a smirk.
Piper rolled her eyes and turned around "I'm going to be in the kitchen, don't follow or I might accidently blow you up,"
Chris sighed and tapped his pencil against the desk, his brows furrowing as he attempted to figure out this illogical math problem. "X, can't you solve your own damn problems?" he mumbled.
A loud explosion made the young boy's head snap up, his body jumping from the seat. Quickly, he peered out of his bedroom door and saw Wyatt doing the same from across the hall. Soon, a loud expletive was heard from the boys' mother. "Demon attack, again?" Chris mumbled.
Wyatt sighed, "Let's go help."
The two boys trotted down the stairs to find five demons in the foyer. They were large and their tanned skin was tattooed with random symbols, and in their hands were long, silver athames. "Shit," swore Chris.
Wyatt lightly tapped his brother's shoulder, "Watch your mouth,"
Rolling his eyes, Chris waved his arm sending two of the demons crashing into the wall next to them. Beside him, Wyatt sent out an energy pulse that sent the last three tumbling to the ground. Growling, the demons stood and threw their blades at the brothers, making them dive to the ground to prevent getting cut. "That hurt," Chris grumbled as he trotted down the rest of the stairs crouched down, his older brother behind him. "Where's Mom?" he inquired.
Wyatt shrugged, "I heard her, I- there behind the couch," he stated, "She's unconscious."
"Damn it," Chris muttered, "Is she okay?"
"Dad's by her, he doesn't seem too worried," answer Wyatt with a shrug, "Let's just get these demons vanquished, I have physics homework that needs to be finished."
"And a mother to heal, you know, that too," Chris deadpanned, "Alright, on the count of three, we stand, I'll send them back you blow them up?"
"Sounds like our usual plan,"
"It usually works, that's why its our usual plan Wy," Chris answered, "Okay, one...two...three!" Abruptly, he stood and threw out his arms, hissing when one of the blades dug into his right bicep. Wyatt growled and quickly flicked his hands, blowing up three of the five demons, the other two shimmering at the last moment. A few seconds later, Chris found himself being held hostage while the other demon held a athame to his throat. "Get away from him," Wyatt hissed.
"Aw, the big brother not like when we play with little brother?" the demon that held him mocked.
"No, and little brother doesn't like to be held," Chris snapped, shooting his elbow into his holder's stomach, the man gasping. Chris gritted his teeth as he slipped through the man's arms, the blade nicking his chin as he did so. Seconds later, he could hear the demons' screams as they were vanquished.
Chris wobbled on his legs before deciding that sitting down was probably the safer choice. "Go heal Mom first, we don't know what's wrong with her," Chris softly ordered as he weakly pushed his brother away.
Wyatt sighed but did as he was told and padded his way to his mother, his hand coming to rest on the gash on the back of her head. Piper gasped as she shot up, "Where are they?"
"Vanquished," Wyatt answered before turning, "Shit! Chris!" he exclaimed as he scrambled to his feet and ran over to his brother. He stood over his brother's prone body, Chris's eyes were shut. Wyatt fell to his knees and he placed his hands over the cut on his arm, the wound deeper than he thought. "How?"
Leo cursed, "He can't clot, that's why he's lost so much blood already,"
"Why isn't he healing?" Wyatt asked frantically, his eyes wide.
Piper swore and stood up and grabbed the phone, "Hello? Yes, I need an ambulance, my son is bleeding out."