Disclaimer:
Halliwell house rules for Christmas:
1. Orbing-lights are not to be used as alternative energy to lighten the Christmas tree.
2. Living Fairies and Gnomes are NO Christmas decorations (Shame on Harry Potter!!!).
3. Common demon hunting is not counting as an equivalent replacement of the family Christmas celebration.
4. Potions are not to be used to spike the eggnog
5. Aunts who do silly things after drinking said spiked eggnog are not to be filmed or photographed.
6. Received presents are not to be transformed magically into something more likable.
7. In no way there is to be summoned Santa to impress younger siblings.
8. Demons are no presents (no matter how small they are) they will not be accepted as a pet.
9. Never enrage your mother while cooking the Christmas dinner.
10. Really, really never offer to go get take-out Christmas dinner, after you removed the blown up turkey from all the kitchen walls, unless you want a third door or a nice and BIG serving hatch in your kitchen.
11. Don't put "Chris and Wyatt" on your Christmas list….you will never get them, cause I don't own them either…but maybe we could first summon Santa…and he will…
Chris: You forgot about rule number seven!
Oh that's true. Damn!
Wyatt: We never would become presents anyway. And by the way I abolished this feast in the future. Now there is "Wyatt's-day"…On which everyone is showing their affection by giving me presents. Yeah, being the source rocks!
Chris: Haven't we spoken of king-sized egos in the last disclaimer???? There you go!
Wyatt: Someday I'm going to make "The sources rules for Christmas"!
…But not today…lets do the seasons greetings, boys.
All together: We wish you a merry and peaceful Christmas time wherever you are, or what ever you believe in. Let your faith be something to bring the people closer together and not to produce hate.
Chapter twelve / Part two (flashback)
…Chris couldn't believe it:
He was caught – again!
How could this happen? Just at the moment he was feeling something like a bit of strange kind of "normality" and the slightest happiness, if something like this still was able to exist in a world that Wyatt had turned into an apocalyptic nightmare with his quest for world domination.
He must have let his guard slip down for a second as he made his way back to their secret hideout where Bianca waited for him with a birthday dinner.
Yes, today was his birthday, and now he was struggling between two brute demos that dragged him without mercy into one of Wyatt's high security cells.
Wyatt was already waiting for him…
"There comes the birthday-boy!" The source sneered as the demons chained Chris to the cold and scuzzy wall.
"Welcome to our little party, brother! Surprise, surprise!"
Chris had some very angry sarcastic comments rolling of his tongue, but he preferred to stay silent, to not make the situation even worse than it seemed now.
But could it really getting any worse?
Oh yes, it could, as the boy knew out of own experience.
"So you prefer to be silent? Obstinate jackass! ... Alright then, let me tell you the reason why you are here today.
Well for one, to make something crystal clear: I get you little brother – every time I want to! Everywhere!"
Chris smiled inwardly at this, for he remembered all the times he and Bianca played tricks on Wyatt and his minions. He could barely imagine how raging with anger his brother must have been.
"For second, you became eighteen just today time to end your cherishing of illusions.
Your playtime is over now, pretty boy. After our last little brotherly bonding time I decided to give you some space. I hope you had fun with your rebellious resistance games. Oh yeah, I always knew! Especially the stunt you played by rescuing all the children. It wasn't easy to stop my demons from killing you at that one. Cost me some of my best underlings, you know!
Don't you ever underestimate me, Christopher.
For some time I was highly amused of your hide and seek games.
And your demon killing actions helped me keeping the fear of my minions on a level to let them always feel that they needed my guidance and protection. Well done bro!
But now its time to make some final decision!
You're grown up now and not bound to our dear deceased family's moralities anymore.
So I ask you one deathly-serious question today again…
Will you join me now?"
Thoughts were racing in the young whitelighters head at lightning speed. What should he say, what do now?
The last thing he wanted to do ever in his life was playing a part in Wyatt's evil tyrant game.
But if he denied, how much life of his would be left? Was his brother willing and able to kill him?
He felt panic arise in his chest. If he refused to join, this was going to be a hell of a painful experience. Former "chats" with his brother had made this more then clear.
But although he couldn't betray everything he lived for.
Damn! Where were the elders and their greater good when you needed them?
He got angry at that thought – not good, but it helped Chris to overcome his fears.
The young whitelighter straightened in his bindings and looked firm into the sources eyes – ready to stand up and be counted.
With a clear unwavering voice he started his creed.
"Wyatt I made my decision a long time ago. And even if I was young then, it doesn't devalue my confessions.
I…will never…ever…join…YOU!
You are on the evil side,
and there you are, even if you try to deny it with your "It's all about power" attitude. CRAP!!!
You know there will always be a place for you, if you come to your senses.
We'll fix this Wyatt, I know together we can!
But until then I can't find my brother anymore behind this monstrous evil mask."
It seemed to Chris as if he saw his brother - no the source, from now on only the source- wincing the slightest bit, but this could have been imagination as well.
"O… K." Said Wyatt with a murderous grin. "You made your choice, now live with the consequences!"
The source turned to his demons and nodded slightly.
"Enjoy your birthday present!" It laughed as the entity that once had been Wyatt Mathew Halliwell left the cell.
Chris knew that his brother was lost, and that he was doomed to be dragged down with him into the evil abyss that had already devoured the twice blessed.
Soon Chris agonized cries could be heard through the whole building…
…
Two hours later Wyatt re-entered the place of his brother's ordeal again.
He watched a while as his demons were visibly having fun by torturing the soul out of his little brother.
"No more sarcasm left?" One of the demons asked lifting Chris limply hanging head by his hairs.
"Don't you dare to get unconscious yet! We have ways to wake you up, as you know!"
With that he lifted his whip again to add one more wound to the severely beaten body of the young Halliwell.
Wyatt pushed the arm of the demon down.
"That's enough, stop it now!"
Through the raging pain that blurred his vision calling him into comfortable unconsciousness and the tears that had at least ceased to flow, cause there was not a single tear left to cry, Chris managed barely to look up.
He found no redemption in the sources eyes – in contrary, but Chris mind was now so numb and devastated that nothing could frighten him anymore.
If this should be the time to go, he would go – that simple.
It were, despite of how complicated his life was, the essential things that were always simple in the end.
Yes or no.
Good or evil.
Living or dying.
Simple as that.
He only hoped his brother – no the source! Why did his mind refuse to process that?
Yes, he only hoped that Wyatt would do him the act of grace of a fast death.
But by the look into his brothers eyes there would come some more.
The only thing he regretted was placed securely in the right pocket of his worn Jeans.
He'd never given Bianca the ring, never…
Rude he was ripped out of his thoughts by the sources voice.
"Was this worth everything?" Wyatt asked almost softly.
Chris closed his eyes.
He saw Bianca smiling warmly at him. He saw the people he'd saved over the last years. The children they had freed out of Wyatt's claws. The smiling faces of his family…the memories of better days gone by.
Chris opened his eyes and with something quite near to a weak smile on his lips he answered his brothers, actually rather rhetoric question in a voice so fragile...just upon a whisper.
"Yes!"
TBC…