It's been several months since me and Chris came to the future. Mom had a spell in the manor that provided extra rooms for Chris and me to stay in. Chris had been avoiding Dad for the longest time, and I know that Dad won't be able to hold back much longer.
"Hey Mel," Aunt Phoebe said and I turned around flashing her a smile.
"Hi Aunt Phoebe," I said to her, tucking some hair behind my ear. "What's up?"
"Heading out for a date…" she said with a smile, putting some heels on.
"Ah…" I said throwing mine and Chris's laundry in the dryer, "So where is Jason taking you?" I asked her, starting it up.
"Don't know, he said it would be a surprise," she said.
"Well…I am going to go help Chris with the Book of Shadows," I said to her, "Have fun on your date," I gave her a wave as I headed out towards the stairs. Chris was looking in the Book of Shadows. Chris's eyes looked tired, and I walked over to him. "Chris…"
"Hey," he said tiredly, flipping through the pages in the book. I wrapped an arm around him, pulling him away from the book. "Mel…I'm fine," he whispered, trying to get back to the book.
"Have you been here all night?" I asked him. He shook his head, and I knew it. "Chris, you are going to go get some rest, come on," I said dragging him out of the attic. He orbed out of my grip and I let out annoyed growl. "Christopher Perry Halliwell!" I shouted, and Aunt Paige walked out of her room.
"Um…what's going on?" she questioned, putting an earring on. God she better not be going on a date with Richard. He is such a pansy.
"Me fighting Chris to get some sleep," I explained quickly.
"He pulled another all nighter?" Aunt Paige guessed.
"Yeah…" I said, heading back into the attic. " Chris, if you do not get some rest, I'll have Mom summon your ass home!" I threatened when I didn't see him in the attic. Orbs swirled in, forming into Chris. "Chris, how come I have to threaten to get Mom involved to get you to get some sleep?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Chris grumbled, heading reluctantly towards his room.
"No Chris. I think you know exactly what I'm talking about," I answered, following after him. I glanced over my shoulder and gave Aunt Paige a look that said 'I can handle this'. I shut the door to his room and watched as he sat on his bed.
"Look, what do you want me to say?" he spat at me.
"I don't know...that you're avoiding Mom," I snarled.
"So maybe I am. What does it matter," he asked.
"You can't push her away Chris. We lost her once. Don't make it worse now," I begged.
"She wants to talk..." he sighed.
"Chris," I started, sitting next to him, "You need to try and reconnect with her. I know it is hard," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Well if I even try to talk to her…she is going to want me to talk to Leo," he shot, shrugging my hand off his shoulder.
Chris's POVI felt bad that I was being a jackass, but I refuse to talk to Leo. I stood up, and started to pace around in my room. Mel hopped off my bed, and stopped my pace. "Chris…take a deep breath. You need to calm down, pacing and staying inside of your own mind isn't going to help you," Rolling my eyes I did as she asked, but it didn't help very much.
"Mel…I won't talk to him," I said in a stubborn voice.
"I don't want to force you to talk to him…" she sighed. "But please…don't desert Mom," she pleaded with me. I saw some tears in her eyes, and I pulled her into a hug. I don't want to keep dodging Mom, and hurting her.
"I'll talk with Mom…" I promised her, and she pulled away.
"But you should try and get some rest first ok?" Mel said, wiping at her eyes. "I hate to see you so tired…" she said.
"I will, don't worry about me so much. Aren't I the big brother supposed to be worrying about you?" I asked giving her a small smile. She returned the smile, and patted my shoulder before walking out of my room. Sighing, I laid down on my bed, and closed my eyes, hoping sleep would take me for once without a fight. After a couple minutes of tossing and turning, I got up and walked out of my room, and went into the bathroom to look for some Tylenol PM or anything that would knock me out when I saw Mom in there.
"Hey," she said giving me a smile. I must have not looked too well, because Mom put her hand to my forehead. "Chris are you feeling ok?" she asked, looking at my face.
"I'm ok," I said suddenly nervous.
"Chris…sweetie…" I resisted the urge to orb away, but still couldn't say anything to her. What the hell is wrong with me? It is just Mom… "Chris…what is wrong?"
"It's nothing," I mumbled, my eye catching the Tylenol finally and I orbed it into my hands.
"Chris…you have to know by now that I detest when I am lied to," Mom sighed. "but I can see that you don't want to talk…" I closed my eyes, and put my hand out to stop her.
"Mom…I do want to talk…it's just hard," I said to her. Mom turned to me, and I sighed. This may be the only opportunity to talk to her while Leo isn't around. "Mom…" I tried once again to start what was on my mind, but I stopped. Mom pulled me into a gentle hug.
"Chris…you can talk to me, I'm here," Mom said to me.
"You won't be for long," I murmured quietly. Mom stayed silent and I pulled away, thinking she was upset, and would probably just call for Leo.
"Chris…is that why you have been avoiding me?" Mom asked turning me around. I expected to see shock on her face, but it wasn't at all. I numbly nodded, and Mom pulled me into a hug once again. "I'm sorry I caused you pain," my mom whispered to me.
I pulled away from her, "It's not your fault Mom," shocked she would assume that. "If anything it's my fault…"
"Chris…" Mom said.
"I couldn't heal you…" I sighed, tears of anger hitting my eyes. "And when I called for Leo…he wouldn't come," I whispered.
"Sh…just let it out Peanut," Mom said to me, tightly hugging me. I put my head into her shoulder, and cried it out. As Mom held me, I heard orbs come in.
"Piper…what's wrong with Chris?" his voice sounded happy at first, but went to concerned when it went to my name. Instantly I orbs swirled around me, and I arrived into my room.
Mel's POVAs soon as I walked out of Chris's room, I knew he most likely wouldn't get any sleep, so I decided to make Chris a sleeping potion, so he could finally get a full nights sleep. As I walked downstairs I saw Mom playing with Wyatt. "Hey Mom," I said to her. I bent down to Wyatt, who was in his playpen, "Hey buddy," I said tickling his tummy.
"So what are you doing?" Mom asked, as I pulled myself up, and headed into the kitchen.
"Just a precaution to make sure Chris gets some sleep," I explained, getting a pot of water boiling. Maybe I should make sure to add something to make his sleep a peaceful one, instead of one with him holding Mom in his arms.
"Chris has troubles sleeping still?" Mom asked in a worried voice. Damn these loose lips of mine.
"Yeah…but can you please wait for him to come to you?" I pleaded with Mom. "He really does want to reconnect with you, but just let him do it on his own time…" Mom didn't look too happy about it, but she nodded.
"I will…" Mom said to me. "You hungry, I can whip up something…"
"No thanks Mom," I said to her. "I'll just make the potion, and maybe go and see Daddy," I smiled. Mom nodded and went back to playing peek-a-boo with Wyatt. I went into the kitchen, and got a pot of water boiling.
"Can you keep an ear out for Wyatt? I am going upstairs for a minute to grab some of Dad's shirts,"
"Sure thing Mom," I called out. I was putting finishing touches on the potion, when suddenly I heard Mom and Dad yelling, which distracted me, and I burned my hand on the burner. "Oh goddamn it!" I shouted. Wyatt orbed into my arms, and I barely caught him. He put a hand over my burnt one, and a white light went over it, and it healed. Wyatt gave me a smile, and I kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you Wyatt," I said to him.
I bottled the potion, and with Wyatt still in my arms, I headed upstairs. "Hey!" I shouted to them. "What is going on with you two?" I asked them. I thought the bickering was over with by now. "Wait…I don't want to know, just please take this somewhere else, baby in the room," I took a look at Chris's room, and saw him head in his hands. Finding another playpen I put Wyatt into it, and knocked on Chris's door. I saw Chris's head shoot up, and when he saw it was me, he started to wipe at his eyes. I went into his room, and gently closed the door behind me. "What's going on?" I questioned softly, sitting next to him.
"Leo interrupted when I was talking to Mom," Chris sighed. I knew that he and Dad needed to get over this block dividing them, but I am not going to force him to talk with Dad.
"I'm sorry Chris," I whispered to him, pulling him into a hug.
"Leo…no, do not go in there!" I heard Mom's voice around the door. Dad didn't listen, and he walked in.
"Get out of here Leo!" Chris growled angrily, standing up. Mom put a hand on her stomach, and she winced. Chris saw Mom wince, and he was instantly over to her.
Chris's POV"Mom," I said in a worried voice, instantly wrapping my arm around her and having her sit down on my bed. "Are you ok?" I asked, ignoring Leo's presence. Mel was right next to me, also putting a hand on Mom's shoulder.
"I'm fine…" She said. I looked down at her stomach. "Chris I'm fine," she said grabbing my chin so I could look at her face.
"Piper…" Leo said, trying to walk towards her but instantly I turned to him.
"We don't need you Leo, so just back off," I shot at him. Mom put a hand on my shoulder, and had me sit down next to her.
"Chris…" I knew that tone in her voice, and I knew that she wanted me to talk with Leo.
"I knew I shouldn't have told you," I whispered. "No…I don't want to talk with him," I tried to orb away, but Mom tightened her grip on me. Mel looked in between Mom, and me and I could tell she didn't know what she should do.
"Daddy…" Mel said in a sweet voice.
"Mel…I need to talk with Chris now," Leo said.
"Maybe you should wait until he is ready to talk," Mel tried again to get Leo to leave, but he wouldn't. Mel, walked next to me, and I was in shock, "Mom…this is not the best time to try and get Chris to talk,"
"Why do you hate me so much Chris?" Leo asked me, but I pointedly ignored him.
"Chris…will you please talk to him?" Mom pleaded with me. Mel put a hand on my shoulder, and I knew that she was on my side.
"Mom…" I tried to get out of it. Leo put a hand on my shoulder, and I yanked away from him. "Don't touch me," I snarled.
"Chris, what did I do to make me the bad guy?" Leo asked, putting his hand down slowly his face mirroring some hurt. Why do I have to talk to him? What law says I have to reconnect with him?
"I don't have to say anything to some deadbeat that abandoned his family for his work," I shot at him.
"I wouldn't…" Leo started.
"Well you did," I interrupted him, my hands balling up, my blood felt like it was boiling. "And it was bad enough that you were a deadbeat before you let Mom die. You made time to see Wyatt…you made to for your little girl…but when it came to me Leo. You were never there!" I growled, pulling away from Mom and Mel, punching Leo across the jaw.
I felt Mel starting to restrain me, and I reluctantly pulled away from Dad, despite the fact I just wanted to kick him in the ribs. "Chris…I'm so sorry," Mom said jumping off my bed, and tried to pull me in for a hug, but I backed away from her.
"No…just stay away from me," I said, finally managing to orb out of my room. I heard Mel calling for me, and I felt terrible ignoring her as I orbed myself once again to the Golden Gate Bridge. Chris…please come back! I heard Mom yelling to me. I shouldn't ignore Mom, and I sighed, and once again orbs surrounded me, and I was back in the manor.
Mom instantly enfolded me into a hug. "Mom…I'm sorry," I whispered. Mel was the next person to give me a hug.
"Thanks for trying," she whispered, giving me a kiss on the cheek.
"Chris…" Leo tried again to talk to me, but I shirked away from him.
"I only came back because Mom wanted me to come back Leo," I shot at him.
"I won't be like that Chris," Leo tried to say he wouldn't turn out to be the deadbeat that he was destined to become, but I am not going to listen.
"That is what you are saying now," I spat. "Mom and Grandpa were the only ones there for me, and that isn't going to change,"
"Chris…can't you give me a chance?" Leo pleaded with me.
"No…just…just…unless it has to do with protecting Wyatt…I want nothing to do with you," I stated. Leo sighed, running a hand through his hair, and left the room. Thank God, and good riddance.
Mom let out a sigh, and looked at me, a disappointed look on her face. "Mom…I'm sorry," I tried, but she silenced me.
"It's ok Chris," she said pulling me into a hug. "I understand, but can you please find it in your heart to forgive Leo?" she asked me. I was about to answer angrily, but once again she silenced me. "Just think about it for a while, ok?" Mom asked. "Whatever you choose Chris…I will love you," she said to me. "And I will never desert you," she promised me.
"Thanks Mom," I whispered to her. Mom kissed my cheek and walked out of the room. I sighed, and sat down on my bed. Mel sat down next to me, and gave me a weak smile.
"Chris…" I was expecting another argument to erupt between us, but unexpectedly she pulled me into a hug. "You are the best big brother," she whispered to me. I wrapped my arms around her.
"Thanks for supporting me Mel…" I whispered.
"Of course I would," Mel said to me. "You were the one that took care of me when Mom died…" Mel stated. She pulled away and handed me a vial. "I thought that you might have trouble sleeping, so I made you a little potion, to help you sleep,"
"Thanks Mel," I whispered as she pulled away.
"Get some rest Chris," she stated. I took a sip of the potion, and instantly felt drowsy. She pulled away the sheets and I laid down. "I love you," she whispered, "Thanks for being there for me,"
"Love you too Mel," I murmured as sleep gently took me away for the first time in a long while.