Chapter 22: Brothers for ever I
AN: Hi everyone, I can't tell you how sorry I am for my lack of updates. I never meant to stop this fic, and I plan to continue it. But you'll have to be very patient, because I'm really busy right now. I actually started this chapter two years ago and I kept writing and rewriting it because I never have time to sit quietly and write. I also want to apologize for not reviewing much this years. I remember all my favorites authors and stories and I promise to review when I have the time to read properly, I don't like to review without reading the story carefully.
So, I want to thank everyone that kept reviewing and asking and reading. Those that sent me pms telling me how much they like the story, I can't tell you how much those pms meant to me.
One thing, I appreciate all the reviews I get because it shows that you read and pay attention to my story. But please don't say things like "use a grammar corrector or a spell checker", or "the story is good but the grammar is bad". I already know that. As I've said a lot of times English is not my first language. Besides I don't have much time to write and I don't pretend this fic to be an example of good grammar. First of all, because I don't have the time. My English is a little better than this but it will take me too much time to do careful corrections and if I did that, I'll lose the fun of writing. But the most important thing is that I've always had this story betaed. The chapters that are not betaed have the proper warning. So, when you make states like the previews ones you make my efforts and my betaes efforts look futile. If you want to point out a particular grammar or spelling mistake I'll be really thankful and I'll see if I can correct it without changing the meaning of my story. But please don't say things about the grammar or spelling in general. Not because they offend me (I can't get offended by the true) but just because I already know. I understand that when the grammar is not good a story is hard to follow. Believe me, I know that. It's hard for me to read stories written in bad Spanish. When the grammar is too bad or there is a spelling mistake every two words I just don't read. That's why I decided to put this disclaimer at the beginning of the chapter. I check the story as much as I can, I use a spell checker and I have the story betaed. That's really the best I can do. Think that checking this story is really hard for my betaes. They do it voluntarily, on their free time and my chapters are really long ( I tried, but I just can't write short chapters). And I really think they do a wonderful work.
As I said my chapters are long so I split this one in two parts. The second part will be up next week (is already written, so don't' worry). And I promise that at the end of the second part you'll understand what's going on at the past.
I want to thank xinhe tan for her help and for the spell. She wrote it for me! So thanks a lot and I hope you are still reading.
Also, a real special thank to Just Cassie for all her reviews and her help. I wanted to send you the chapter but the system kept spoiling the e-mail addresses.
And very special thanks to liddlepierat, for betaing and encouraging me to go on with the story. If it wasn't for her, I would have finished these chapters at 2009, lol.
So enough rambling, hope you'll like the chapters!
Chapter 22: Brothers for ever I
Wyatt awoke suddenly, immediately alert and a little surprised; quickly realizing that the room, no the entire manor, was shaking. It seemed like a magical attack, but that didn't seem really possible. No one would dare to attack his manor. Watching through the window he could see a strange, unnatural rain falling in the garden while the room still shook. He sighed, realizing what was going on. He got up quickly and mumbled a spell to get dressed.
Before he could do anything else someone knocked at his door.
He opened it magically. It was Patrick, who bowed his head when Wyatt looked at him angrily.
Still, Patrick took a deep breath and spoke. "Sir, we seem to be under some kind of attack. We can't place the source of it, but it seems to be coming from inside the house itself." Patrick remained outside waiting for Wyatt's answer, not daring to enter the room without Wyatt's permission.
"Oh, really?" Wyatt asked feigning surprise. With a casual gesture, he flung the demon across the hall, causing Patrick to make painful contact with the wall. "You know I hate it when you state the blatantly obvious".
Wyatt left his room and closed the door telekinetically, leaving himself and the demon outside.
"Sir? What are we..?"
"We are going to do nothing. How stupid are you? All of you? If we were really under attack, everyone would be dead. Tell the others that was just a simulation and they failed. They should have placed the source of that power. I'm going to stop it now". Wyatt snarled angrily before shimmering out.
Instead of obeying immediately as he usually did, Patrick stayed still, watching the spot where Wyatt had been.
"He's so lying" he thought angrily.
He wasn't worried about Wyatt reading this. When Wyatt was with Chris he forgot about everything else. And he knew that Wyatt was going to Chris' room. Patrick wasn't able to read Wyatt's mind but he knew perfectly well that Chris had to have been the source of that power. One of Patrick's powers was empathy and he could sense a lot of distress coming from Chris' room. He was the one doing the attack or whatever it was but no one would dare say so to Wyatt. If it had been any other person Wyatt would have sent PATRICK to give that person a lesson. Even if it hadn't been an attack.
Patrick tried to control his anger. Wyatt wasn't the same since Chris had turned. Although he wasn't sure if he believed that Chris really had turned. But the old demon didn't care.
"I'm going to kill him anyway. I know how, I just have to find the proper moment." He told himself.
He was about to shimmer when he suddenly thought of how stupid he might have looked, being afraid of telling a stupid kid that he knew that his brother was misbehaving. Because Wyatt was a kid compared to him, an ancient demon that came from a very powerful family. And for God's sake there was even a prophecy that said….but Patrick had postponed that hope and he hadn't thought about the unfulfilled prophecy for years. Partly because he feared Wyatt but also because he admired him and he enjoyed the power he was getting through him. But it was one thing being second to Wyatt and another very different thing being third because of Chris.
Patrick shook his head, trying to forget about his anger. It didn't matter right now. If he took too long Wyatt would sense that he hadn't obeyed and would be angry. And powerful or not, prophecy or not, he didn't want an angry Wyatt.
"What a coward I am, but I know him. He trusts me but he prefers his stupid brother. I know I can't kill any of them but I can always make them kill each other. Or just get Chris to die. It's just a matter of time".
He smiled contently before going to obey Wyatt. It wouldn't always be like this. He was an ancient demon and could therefore afford to be very patient.
Wyatt shimmered into Chris' room, finding as he expected his little brother tossing and shouting in his sleep.
I thought he could control this already. I should've been more careful, ordering him to have good dreams instead of just wishing it. He chided himself.
But Wyatt supposed it didn't matter. He would wake his brother up just like he used to do.
He approached Chris but Chris suddenly shouted "No. Wyatt, please tell him I didn't know, I couldn't know!"
Wyatt found himself frowning. What the hell is he dreaming?
A part of him was worried about Chris and wanted to wake him right away but another part of him, his curious self, beat that aside. He slowly touched Chris' hand; softly, just to increase the mental bond without waking him up and see what his brother was dreaming.
Leo and Chris were in the attic, discussing. Leo had an evil grin in his face.
"I told you the book existed."
"I didn't know, I couldn't know." Chris shouted in his desperation.
"You knew but you were too busy telling me I was a bad parent, right? You wanted me to die and you got your wish right? And why? Just because I've missed your graduation?"
"No, I didn't want you to die."
"So, your graduation was more important than the book. Always poor left out Chrissy asking for attention because daddy doesn't love him enough."
"Noo" Chris turned to the figure that was standing next to them. "Wyatt, tell him it's not like that."
Wyatt smirked and suddenly Piper's death started playing on a big screen next to him.
"Please, Wyatt, don't." Chris cried.
"You have to remember this; you have to learn your lesson, Chris."
"And the lesson is: your graduation is not that important you selfish bastard." Leo's voice was full of anger.
"No…dad ..I"
"I'm dead now as you wanted."
"I didn't want that I swear. Wyatt please tell him I didn't want that."
"Well, dad I don't think he wanted you dead. He's never been brave enough to put family first but he didn't want you dead."
"Come on Wyatt, did you wish my death just because I skipped your graduation?" Leo turned to Wyatt.
"Well, no but..."
"But you went to Wyatt's graduation." Chris hissed furiously.
"That's not the point. The point is Wyatt believed me and you didn't. He's a good son."
"But he's evil."
Leo shrugged. "Nobody's perfect. Besides you always say Wyatt was closer to you than me and he took better care of you. That he was the only one that worried about you. Well, enjoy being with him now." Leo orbed out.
Wyatt smirked. "It's not about good and evil. It's about power. You have to join me."
"No, Wyatt please stop this."
Leo's death started playing in the screen next to them.
"Stop this, Wyatt!"
Wyatt looked at him with an expressionless face. Chris could hear Leo's voice while the scene was playing "you wanted this, you wanted this, you wanted this…"
"Chris, wake up!" Wyatt ordered, realizing that he had waited too long. Chris was sweating and shouting an endless litany of "no" while the manor shook with incredible intensity. But hell, that dream had been interesting. He put his arms comfortingly around Chris' shoulders -
Chris opened his eyes immediately, glazed and half-lidded eyes showing his disorientation. He hugged Wyatt.
"Wy. I had an awful dream." he said hugging his brother and burying his face in his chest, as he used to do when he was a kid.
"It's okay, everything is fine now. We're together," Wyatt mumbled softly into Chris' ear.
Wyatt held Chris tightly, continuing to whisper soft assurances as he realized that his little brother was still very confused.
Chris slowly recovered, looking around the room while still holding onto Wyatt like a lifeline. It was then that he seemed to remember where he was.
Wyatt was suddenly thrown to the wall by Chris' telekinesis. He could have stopped it, but he had been really taken by surprise.
"What the hell are you doing?" Wyatt asked going back to his bossy tone of voice.
"This is your fault." Chris answered tiredly.
Now he remembered where he was and everything that had happened. He knew it had been silly to attack his brother; that it wouldn't really have solved anything, but he was angry at Wyatt for hugging him and acting as if he had wanted to comfort him. After all, it was Wyatt's fault that the nightmares were back.
"I didn't send this dream. Hell, I don't even know what it means."
Wyatt stood up, looking angrily at Chris and wondering whether he should do something to punish him for the attack. But Chris seemed to have had enough. He looked exhausted and he didn't try anything else.
"You showed me those memories, you bastard." Chris' voice was filled with emotions but his eyes were fixed steadfastly on the wall.
"Oh, well you needed that. You choose stupid, non-existent concepts over your family. I was just reminding you where your loyalties should lie."
Infuriated, he tried to throw Wyatt against the wall again, but this time, Wyatt was prepared for it and he made Chris fly to the floor.
Chris knew that he would be the loser if he got into a fight, so he just went back to the bed.
"Well, thanks for waking me up. If that's all, my lord, I'd like to go back to sleep.", he added ironically and closed his eyes.
"No, that's not all." Wyatt sat on the bed.
Chris sighed and he crossed his arms, showing his anger silently.
"What now?" he demanded.
"I want to know how you managed these dreams when you were at the resistance. I always wondered about that. Those fearful rats wouldn't have allowed a display of power like that one without killing you or accusing you of being a traitor."
Chris frowned. "Bianca helped me. She knew about the dreams and she always slept by my side. She used to wake me up when I started tossing and all."
"Oh" Wyatt didn't know what to say. Now that he had mentioned Bianca, Chris was even angrier than before.
"And at the past?"
"I didn't have them at the past. I guess that having mom around calmed me down somehow. That was of course until someone started sending memories to remind me of my oh so wrong loyalties."
Wyatt wasn't giving up. "If I'm so wrong, then why do you feel guilty?"
"I don't feel guilty about that."
"You can't lie to me. I know you feel guilty. And I want you to tell me why. Now."
Chris didn't want to answer but the spell made him. "I feel guilty, but not about not joining you. It's about dad and that stupid book." When he realized what he had said he felt worse. "God, Wyatt, why do you have to be so annoying?"
Wyatt felt surprised and a little disappointed. A part of him was actually hoping his brother felt guilty over siding with his family's enemies instead of joining his brother.
"What about dad and the book?"
"I don't want to talk about it! Don't you get it?"
"I get it, but I don't care. Now answer."
"The last time I saw dad I yelled at him for missing my graduation. He had been looking for the book and he lost the track of time. I was sure the book was a false tip, as were all the ones he had been searching for before. He went to the manor to apologize for missing the graduation, but I didn't want to listen to him. I was sure the book was just another excuse to be away from us. That was the last time I saw him and the next thing I knew was that he was calling you and then you came home with his body in your arms. I should have known the book existed and I should have helped him. The last thing I told him was that I didn't want to talk to him. Now you showed me that the book existed. And you'd listened to him. "
"Come on, Chris. The fact that the book exists doesn't change the fact that he missed your graduation." Wyatt gently consoled, wanting to help his brother ease his guilt. But it was a difficult task with Chris looking at him the way he was, with those 'killing eyes' and Wyatt knew that the only thing Chris wanted was to be left alone.
"But you listened to him! And I didn't. No wonder he always liked you more than me. When I went to the past he was awful to me. It was like he could guess I was going to be a bad son."
"Come on little brother" Wyatt tried to hug him again, but Chris wouldn't let him get any closer to him. "I didn't listen to him. I didn't believe the book existed either and I yelled at him for missing your graduation, too. I only started searching for the book after seeing the elders killing him. You weren't there and you never let me tell you what had happened. But till then I was sure the book was a false tip, too. And we had every right to think that. How many false tips had he chased before?"
"I lost count."
"Me too."
"See? It wasn't your fault."
Now Wyatt was hugging Chris and Chris didn't pull away. Wyatt was the only one that could understand what he was feeling. Wyatt had murdered a lot of people, including Chris' best friend. And yet, finding out that he thought that Chris hadn't been so wrong in his last talk to Leo was strangely comforting to Chris. The thought that his father may have hated him towards the end and that his brother would hate him if he knew what had happened between the two of them, had been the cause of a lot of Chris' inner turmoil, especially prevalent when he was at the past. He hugged Wyatt tighter, trying to pull that thought away.
Wyatt sensed his distress. "Come on, Chris. It's okay to cry. Cry if you need to, that doesn't mean anything."
Almost immediately, Chris began to cry. He hadn't cried in years and he felt it wasn't fair.
"Make me stop, Wyatt. It's your stupid spell. I don't want to cry." Chris mumbled between sobs.
"But you don't do it often enough. It will make you feel better. That's why you have those dreams, because you don't let out your frustrations in any other way."
"Make-me-stop". Chris hissed angrily, pulling apart from his brother's embrace, but still crying.
"Fine. Stop."
"You don't have any dreams and I haven't seen you crying since mom's funeral. You cry even less that me, if that's possible."
"That's because I kill people to let my frustration go. You should try it sometime, it's better than crying."
Chris looked away, disgusted.
"Oh, come on it was just a joke…almost. I was just trying to make you feel better."
Chris couldn't help but smile a little. Even though it was a distinct possibility that Wyatt was just faking to win Chris' trust, but it felt nice to see someone actually worried about him, even if it was faked. He hadn't had anyone worry about him for a long time.
Wyatt read that thought, but decided to let it go for now. Chris had already been through enough tonight and wouldn't be able to understand at that moment he really did want to help. They would have time to talk later, and about more serious things.
He smiled, too. "Can you sleep or do you want me to bring you Wuvey?"
Wuvey was a small stuffed bear that had been Wyatt's favorite toy until Chris was five and said that he couldn't sleep without it. Wyatt had given it to Chris and Chris had kept it until he was ten and poor Wuvey was just trash.
"Where did you find it? Mom told me to throw it out ages ago." Chris had actually hidden it too well and consequently forgot about it for years.
"But I knew you didn't. I found it when I recovered the house."
"Oh, you found it. I knew you had a reason for doing all of this. It was always about Wuvey!"
Wyatt smiled. "But please don't tell my demons, they think it's about power."
Chris couldn't help giving his brother a bright smile. "Your secret is safe."
"Sleep now, brother."
Chris immediately fell asleep.
Wyatt looked at him for a while. "I'll take care of your dreams." was Wyatt's last thought before shimmering away.
Chris opened his eyes feeling a little lost. He felt that he had rested incredibly well, better than what he had rested in years. But something still felt wrong. He looked around, confused for some moments when the events of the previous day came to him. Looking through the window he realized that it was morning, the sun was really intense, but that hadn't been what had woken him up. So, what had it been?
Chris, come here! What the hell are you doing? Where the hell are you?
Chris instinctively tried to orb away before even thinking about what was going on. He quickly angered when he realized that it was Wyatt's voice in his head and that he was trying to go to his brother due to the spell. But this anger was quickly replaced with fear when he realized he couldn't orb.
What's going on?
Before he could think this twice, he suddenly orbed away, finding himself in a big room and facing a very angry Wyatt. "What the hell were you doing? How did you resist my call? Why is your presence so weak?"
Chris felt really dizzy, the room was spinning around him and everything had been so fast - one moment he had been sleeping, then he couldn't orb and now he had orbed straight to his brother's presence.
"Answer me! Are you all right?"
"I was sleeping. I didn't resist your call, I couldn't orb. I don't know why my presence is weak. No, I'm not all right. Stop making so many questions and making me answer, you are giving me a headache!" Chris couldn't help shouting.
"Don't yell at me!" Wyatt ordered coldly.
Chris let out a sigh of frustration and he sat on Wyatt's bed, covering his head with his hands. He felt tired and annoyed, and he didn't want to deal with Wyatt at that moment. He wasn't sure what was going on but he was almost sure it had to do with the changes he'd made in the past. Changes that he had no way of fixing anymore.
Wyatt looked carefully at his brother, relieved to see the spell was still working. For a moment he'd been afraid that his brother had left and that was why he couldn't feel him. He had chosen to call him instead of going to his room to test the spell and be sure that Chris was still obeying him. But now that he had his brother by his side, Chris' presence was still very weak.
Chris remained still with his face being covered with his hand.
"What the hell are you doing Chris?"
His brother finally looked at him annoyingly. "Can't you see? I'm just trying not to look at you." When Wyatt looked annoyed he went on more softly. "I'm sorry. It's the spell that makes me answer like that. I need to rest, I'm just tired and I…" He interrupted himself when he saw the look on Wyatt's face. "What?"
"Holy shit, Chris."
"What?"
"Look at your hand."
Chris obeyed. "Oh my God!"
"You're disappearing."
Chris was afraid of this. He had been aware for some time that the changes he'd made in the past were affecting him now. And he had desperately hoped that while his symptoms were a sign of the changes, that somehow the changes would fix themselves, that his parents would get together again and the symptoms would cease. Now it was abundantly clear that he had changed everything: He was fading away and soon no one would even remember him. And it was his own stupid fault. Maybe he hadn't thought things through too clearly.
"Chris, what are you thinking about? What changes? What did you do?" Wyatt fired off at once. "And now you're not disappearing anymore."
Chris realized that he could see his hand again but his fingers weren't as clear as they should be. As if they were there, but not with the intensity that they should. He thoughtfully touched the covers of Wyatt's bed and he realized that he could touch them, but he just couldn't feel them.
"Chris?" Wyatt was losing his patience fast, his brisk tone masking his worry. He was starting to comprehend what was going on, but he wanted Chris to tell him.
Chris sighed. Wyatt would never let this go. Besides this was probably the last talk he would have with his brother. He looked directly into Wyatt's eyes. "I told you that when I was at the past I made dad an elder. What I didn't say is that because of that mom and dad aren't together anymore. I mean they weren't when I left or they wouldn't be or… "
"You did this before your conception and now you won't get conceived," Wyatt interrupted with an angry look.
Chris shrugged "Or didn't, who cares". He could read that Wyatt's anger increased when he heard this answer. "Why the hell are you getting angry? You tried to kill me. What difference does it make? Now you won't even have to bother because I did it to myself. Now you'll have no brothers or cousins, the whole power of three for yourself, and no stupid little brother that doesn't know that it's all about power."
Wyatt looked at him calmly. "It makes a lot of difference. I wouldn't be what I am without you, whether you like it or not."
Chris didn't know what to say. Did that mean that he was the reason for Wyatt's turning?
Wyatt sighed. "Of course not, silly. First of all, as I told you a thousands times, I didn't turn, I was always like that. What I meant is that you are a great part of my life and I really can't say how much of it would change if you hadn't been there. Besides, you don't know what could happen. Mom and dad could hook up with other people and I could even have one or more half-siblings. I really don't need that. You are really enough of an annoyance for me." he finished with a small smile.
"That's good to know" Chris answered bitterly, then he jumped when he realized that his hands were disappearing again. "Shit, it's coming and going but I guess I don't have much time left. Apparently knowing that I'm enough of an annoyance to you will be the last thing I'll ever hear".
"You won't disappear. I won't let you."
"I know that you are a totally evil and totally powerful annoying lord, but I don't think you can fix this. Powers aren't everything, Wyatt."
"Really? Well, let me see, it's because of your power to go to the past with the proper spell that you are in this mess. You just couldn't leave things as they were, could you?"
"I wanted to save you. I'm still happy I tried.", Chris retorted angrily.
"Still, there has to be something we can do. First of all why do you have a new power that apparently has to do with dad being an elder if dad won't conceive you if he is an elder? Why haven't you just disappeared when you messed up with your conception instead of disappearing now and slowly?"
"I've been trying to think about that, but I really don't know. And you are right, something could have changed, you could have half siblings or something like that. Why hadn't anything like that happened?"
Wyatt looked at his brother worryingly when Chris started disappearing again. Now it was faster. There was a moment when Wyatt could only see Chris' head. Then his body reappeared but his arms weren't as clear as the rest.
Wyatt racked his brain, trying to come up with a solution. And it had to be quick. "I think I get it, when you were in the past I did some research on time-traveling to see how much harm you could make. I think it's because the moment of your conception is getting near. Once the Piper and Leo you left in the past live the day of your conception without having sex you won't be born. They must be getting near the moment of your conception, that's why you're having these symptoms."
"But why hasn't anything changed yet? Why do I have this elder power?"
"Because the change is still not clear. If it could be fixed by itself you wouldn't disappear and if it could be done by itself you would have disappeared the moment you made it. I think this means that only a time traveler can fix it or make it definitive. If not, it will be definitive when the version of mom and dad you met at the past live that day without conceiving you."
Chris disappeared completely and when he reappeared Wyatt could only see his head.
"It doesn't matter. It's too late". He realized that he was about to die. At least he was with Wyatt. The only good thing that had come from Wyatt's spell was that he had learned that his brother didn't hate him, but he had to tell Wyatt that he didn't hate him either even if in a few moments his brother and every one would forget about him.
He sighed and looked at Wyatt's eyes.
"I'm sorry, Wyatt. I'm sorry I've ever said you weren't my brother anymore. You might be a jerk and tyrant but you are the best brother in the world. I'll always be your brother, no matter what. I hate that everything is going to end like this but I don't regret it. I can't think of a better reason to die than saving you..."
And with that his body appeared and disappeared until Wyatt almost couldn't see any part of him.
TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC