Chapter Twenty-six:

When Chris arrived up there he was greeted only by a silence and an emptiness. The elder's realm was deserted. "Where could they have all gone?" Chris thought to himself. After all Prue's had only seen the demise of ten elders in her vision, not the destruction of the entire council. Not knowing what else to do Chris orbed down to golden gate bridge to try and sense any remaining elders and call them to him.

It was not long before the elder Sandra orbed in before him. "Chris, I am glad to see that you are free from your brother." He shrugged off her statement. Like his mother Chris had no love for the elders. Because of them, he grew up without a father. "Whatever. Look, what is going on? Where is Leo and why have you all abandoned the realm?" She paused before answering his questions. "I'm sorry Chris, but your father, and nine other elders were killed earlier tonight by a mob of Wyatt's demons. The loss has drained the powers of us remaining elders to the point where we can no longer stay up there. We can no longer keep Wyatt and his demons out."

Chris could not believe what he was hearing. "I don't understand. You all are just giving up, hiding here on earth to save your own butt's? And how was it that Leo died, Prue said she saw some ritual in her vision? Chris could not understand how Sandra was keeping such a peaceful demeanor, it infuriated him how the damn elders always had this calm about them even when the world was in chaos.

"Leo volunteered to lead some of the other elders to go and diffuse the power of the Supremes. With the impending danger we were sensing, we could not be sure that Wyatt was not after the power. It needed to be deconcentrated, released into the atmosphere before the source could get his hands on it. We could not risk Wyatt becoming a god." Chris was unsure what she was talking about. "The power of the Supremes? Do you mean the powers you infused into the charmed ones when they defeated the Titans?" Sandra nodded. "I thought you all had decided never to use that power again, to hide it where no one could get to it." Chris demanded.

"We did, but with Wyatt's immense power and all his resources we could not be sure that he would not find a way to get to it. We needed to destroy the urn containing the powers just in case, and it was destroyed, only at a very high price." "Was Wyatt even after the urn?" Chris questioned. "We cannot be sure. It is unclear whether your father and the others were attacked because the demons were after the urn or merely because they were sensed out in the open and Wyatt and his demons saw an opportunity."

Chris was infuriated. "So this whole suicide mission may have been for nothing then?" He demanded. "No." She answered "Not for nothing. Now Wyatt will never get his hands on the supreme power. You should be very proud of your father. He offered himself up to the mission even when we didn't request his help. We understood that he had a family and he had to be there for you and your cousin as well as for us. Nonetheless he insisted on participating. His loyalty to the greater good is…was remarkable."

Hearing this did not make Chris proud. Rather it filled him with rage. Once again Leo had chosen his duties as an elder over his own family. Never mind the fact that he could have also been doing good protecting Prue and the others. And with this final choice Leo had now abandoned his family permanently. At least that was how Chris saw it. "You're right." Chris responded sarcastically. "Leo was a fine elder." Sandra merely nodded ignoring the tone in Chris' voice.

"Us elders, we are now scattered here on earth trying to rebuild our strength and recover our power after this devastating blow. In time we hope to return to the heavens, to continue the fight for good. Until then we trust that you and your fellow witches will continue to try and fulfill your destinies, and do all you can to protect the innocent." Chris was seething. Here was this self righteous elder urging him not to give up when the elders themselves were all but doing just that. "Why should we keep fighting?" He demanded. She gave him a simple answer. "Because it is who you are."

As much as Chris wanted to argue, he knew she was right. Piper had always taught him that fighting the good fight was the most important thing. Without good witches, the world would be lost. She was always telling him that. In reality the Haliwell's life was about sacrifice. His mother had come to accept that and he accepted it to. It didn't mean he always had to like it though. He merely gave Sandra a nod, letting her know he understood.

She was about to leave but he stopped her, remembering that Brian was gravely injured. "Wait!" he declared. "Brian he is hurt will you please go to the school and heal him before it is too late." Sandra could only look at him with sorrow in her eyes. "I'm sorry but I'm afraid it is already too late." Chris could only stand there silent. "I must go." She told him, "before Wyatt senses me here."

"Blessed Be." She said before orbing off the bridge, leaving Chris engulfed in rage. He threw his fist at one of the beams on the bridge's tower. "Damn it." He screamed into the air, for no one particular to hear. He was angry. Angry with Leo for once again choosing the elders over his family. Angry with Leo for dying. And angry with himself for caring. Not knowing where else to go he orbed off the bridge, heading for the park. He needed to see Bianca.

She was there when he orbed in. "Chris thank goodness. I was worried something happened to you." When he turned to look at her she could immediately tell that something was wrong. "What happened?" she asked him. "Is everything okay?, Did you get to your cousin and your friends in time to stop Wyatt?" He was hesitant to answer. "Yes and no." He answered. "One of the witches, one of my allies, Wyatt killed him. And Leo, he's gone." Bianca did not know what to say. "Your dad, he is dead?"

Chris did not know how to respond to her words, but he eventually began to speak. "He was never really my dad. He was just an absentee father. I am used to him not being around so nothing has really changed. He turned his back on his family, on me, yet again. I will not grieve for that man." Bianca could tell that Chris was in pain, but she decided not to push the matter. She merely wrapped her arms around him, happy that he was okay, that he survived the confrontation with Wyatt.

The too held there embrace for quite awhile, until they finally released one another. "What about you?" Chris asked Bianca. "Have you seen Wyatt, has he accused you of helping me?" "No." She answered him. "I've been here the whole time. I set up some crystals so he cannot sense us here. Anyways what about your cousin and the others? Are they safe now?" Chris nodded. "Yes they have relocated and set a new cloaking spell in place. We should go there where it is safe." Chris could see that Bianca was hesitant. "Are you sure?" she asked him. "Your cousin and her friends, they saw me attack the senator, they think I am evil, do you really think they will accept me staying with you all. Besides Wyatt has no idea that I disobeyed him, so I am not in any danger. He has no reason to come after me."

"Maybe he doesn't know yet, but one way or another he will find out. Either he will have a premonition or one of his demons will remember having seen us together. I cannot take that risk. I need to know that you are safe." Bianca was touched by how much Chris clearly cared about her. It was almost surreal. She never thought she would ever be able to find someone that would get her, that would understand how difficult life had been for her as an assassin. But she had. She had found that someone. Chris had managed to see good in her, and his faith in her was incredibly fulfilling. It gave her hope that things would get better. Anything seemed possible.

"Okay." She relented. I'll stay with you and your friends. "But you have to realize that it will not be easy convincing them that I am on your side. After all they saw me in action, working for Wyatt." "I know." Chris responded. "But people change. My cousin and our friends know that first hand. Come on, all they have to do is look at Wyatt. He used to be the greatest big brother, and a powerful force of good. Now he is the source of all evil. When they get to know you they will see that you are on our side. That you oppose Wyatt, and his power driven terrorism." She nodded. "I just hope that they all come to believe in me the way you do." She told him. Don't worry." He answered her. "They will." He said before taking her hand and orbing them over to the gymnasium.