Hello! No I haven't died just been busy plus I have another story which is actually going pretty well...anyways next chapter!

A/N most abused kids do NOT want people finding out for fear it will become worse – it also generally means they act older than they actually are, the whole having to hide it makes you grow up fast in some ways (speaks from personal experience) hence how Chris behaves etc... (But does he seem too old? I can't exactly remember what I was like at that age only that at 10 I was at least 3 years ahead in the world wise sense)

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Chris padded up the stairs headed for the book of shadows. If he didn't want his Aunt Phoebe finding out then he'd have to do this; whether he got caught or not. Andy might know but he couldn't do anything, it's not like he's allowed to talk to his Mom and Aunts since he knew them in life.

The Book slipped open to the page almost automatically. Chris had been making this potion for years he pretty much knew it by heart but the book comforted him in a way he couldn't understand. It accepted him; regarded him as a Halliwell. Someone worthy of the name. He threw ingredients into the potion only looking at the book to confirm that it was still there; to him it seemed to be the only thing that truly liked him.

"Chris?"

Chris jumped about half a foot backwards. "Andy?! Why are you here? I told you nothing was going on."

"Which is obviously why you're brewing an empath blocking potion in the middle of the night." Andy said. "Just talk to me Chris."

"No." Chris whispered. "I can't."

"Chris I can't help you if you don't talk to me." Andy said. "Just tell me."

"No." Chris said grabbing his potion and orbing. "I can't."

Andy sighed, so attempt number two had failed as well. "He's your nephew." He called to the ceiling. "Ideas?" He groaned as he got jingled and orbed off. Now what?

...........

Chris huddled against a support beam on the bridge wishing he'd got his jacket; the middle of the night was cold. He swallowed his potion and hoped to God it would work; Andy had interrupted him and he wasn't sure how well it had ended up working.

He just couldn't see why Andy was so bothered, he was fine. No one knew what was happening, he was coping and Piper wasn't always that bad; just when Chris had been bad or done something wrong. Although that did seem to be a lot of the time...

Shut up, he told himself shaking his head furiously; she'd my Mom it doesn't matter, she's always right – it's me that's bad. Me.

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"Why were you in the Halliwell manor?"

"I - " Andy stumbled unsure of what to say, the Elders hadn't exactly given him Chris as a charge. So he couldn't say that; lying would just involve punishment which would mean not being able to help Chris.

"I asked him to check on Chris." Prue said walking up. "I obviously can't go myself and there's slightly less of a chance that he'd recognise Andy."

"Of course." The robed Elder said. "Concern for your family, we can understand that."

Andy shook his head, even the Elders wouldn't dare cross a Charmed One yet they were supposed to be the all powerful rulers. He stifled a laugh, he might just get off the hook with this one.

"But I have to ask why?" Another Elder put in. "Why in the middle of the night?"

"I assumed Chris would be asleep and there would be less chance of any one seeing him."

"Why would Chris need checking on exactly?"

"He's my nephew. Do I need another reason?" Prue said daring them to defy her.

"So why not Wyatt?" Put in the, now very annoying, Elder.

"The two share a room, therefore he sees both of them at once, problem solved."

"Very well. You may go." Said the Elder, not impressed at being overruled.

Andy and Prue walked off, Andy still impressed by how Prue had managed to win the Elders over so easily.

"So as I said. Ideas?" He said looking hopeful. "I'm seriously failing here."

"Become his friend. He's 8 years old Andy; he needs a friend. Someone he can talk to. It's highly unlikely he's going to tell Sam everything. He's just a kid."

"And you propose I become his friend how? He's not exactly the most trusting type."

Prue shrugged. "You'll know when it comes to you."

"You do realise you sound exactly like an Elder when you talk like that?"

"I try." Prue said laughing.

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Chris orbed back into his room, nothing was worth what would happen if his Mom found out that he had a) used magic and b) gone out of the house without permission. He dived back under the duvet desperate for its warmth after being out on the bridge. He wondered about chancing a spell but given that he'd had like zero practice he'd probably end up just setting himself alight. Although come to think of it it would be funny; until his Mom caught him anyway.

He drifted off to sleep but was woken moments later by the alarm Wyatt had set; he had football training this morning and of course the golden boy who can do no wrong was going to get driven there by his oh so perfect mother regardless of what anyone else wanted to do.

Chris scowled at his minimal length of sleep; of course it would have been longer if Andy hadn't have showed up.

"Hey sweetheart." He heard his mother's voice in the doorway, he didn't even hope for it to be aimed towards him.

"Hey Mom." Wyatt said sleepily. "Is it time?"

"Yes sweetheart, come on get up." She said gently. "You don't want to be late do you?"

"Nah." Wyatt shook his head. "Wish it wasn't so early though."

"No rest for the wicked eh Wyatt?" Leo said from the doorway.

"Morning Dad." Wyatt said a bit perkier now. "No."

Chris couldn't help but smile at the statement, it was so true especially in the case of him. He had no rest neither did his Mom well when she was...she didn't.

"Stop ganging up on me you two." Piper said swatting Leo on the arm playfully. "Now up before you're late."

"Yes Mom." Wyatt said swinging his legs over the side of his bed. "Come on Chris."

"K." Chris mumbled still pretty much asleep. "Up get."

Leo and Wyatt laughed, Piper just looked annoyed. Leo walked over and ruffled his youngest son's hair.

"Come on." He laughed. "Get up."

Chris bolted upright at the touch which led to Wyatt laughing even harder.

"You have got to stop doing that Chris. I'm going to end up killing myself laughing if you carry on." Wyatt said.

Chris just looked sulky and rolled out of bed, moaning in pain as his head hit the floor. Wyatt and Leo were no help as they just carried on laughing. Piper sighed and walked off; she could not be bothered to deal with that pathetic excuse for a Halliwell this morning. And he only had himself to blame.

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'Chris? What's up? You've been quiet all day.'

'Nothing Wy, just leave it. It doesn't matter.'

'Chris you're my brother. Of course it matters. What's wrong?'

'Seriously Wyatt just leave it.'

Wyatt shut up; Chris rarely called him by his full name and when he did he meant it.

Chris breathed a sigh of release as he felt his brother's voice disappear. It was hard enough hiding it from Aunt Phoebe with her empathy; Wyatt picked up something but it wasn't really enough for him to know what was going on. If anything he thought that Chris was afraid of Piper telling him off; not what he actually was. Saturdays were generally nice he mused; he had an excuse to lay in – unless Wyatt had football that is, and everyone was home so it wasn't bad; not like in the week when Wyatt and Leo were out.

Chris sometimes looked at Wyatt and how happy he was and wondered; he didn't know what he had done to deserve this and Piper wasn't telling. So why didn't she treat Wyatt the same? The only reason he came up with was Wyatt being the twice-blessed but surely that shouldn't matter? Chris was still Piper's son whether there was a prophecy about him or not. So why didn't she treat him as such?

.....

Andy read his charge's thoughts with a grim expression on his face; he knew he wasn't supposed to do it but given that it was Chris it was the only way he'd ever get anything. How could Piper not even give the poor boy a reason for doing this? More to the point how could she do it in the first place?

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So I didn't write it in English this time but I'm still not sure about it; it is going to move on a lot more next chapter if it all goes to plan so stick with it please! And I will be giving a full explanation for Piper's behaviour soon I promise.

Ldf x