Legacy 104: Halliwell Family Values
Part 3
Xxx
A little later in the afternoon, Wyatt Halliwell returned home to the manor with his camera equipment in a bag over his shoulder. He had been called in for a last-minute photo-shoot for the newspaper. He was a little out of focus and he just could not concentrate properly, though his boss seemed to be content with the photos despite that. His fight with Chris was really throwing him off balance. Of course they had fights while growing up, but this was different. Something shifted between them and Wyatt was not sure if it would ever be the same.
As Wyatt put away his equipment in the closet under the stairway, the front door of the manor opened. Wyatt turned and expected to see Henry or Chris, though he was surprised when his aunt Phoebe suddenly stood in the manor. Last he knew, she was still in New York.
"Aunt Phoebe." Wyatt said a little confused.
"Wyatt, hi." Phoebe said, she seemed surprised to see him. "Sorry, I still had my old key, I hope you don't mind."
"No of course not." Wyatt replied. "I am just surprised. What are you doing here? Where is uncle Coop?"
"He is dealing with some charges." Phoebe said. "I was just stopping by, the girls don't even know I am here yet."
"So why are you at the manor?" Wyatt asked.
"Honestly, I need to check the Book of Shadows for a moment." Phoebe said. "It is not a big deal or anything, nothing demonic, but I need it for some personal things."
"Anything I can help with?" Wyatt asked.
"No, I'll be fine." Phoebe said. "I will just hurry. The manor is yours now, so I should not even be intruding."
"Aunt Phoebe, you know you're always welcome here." Wyatt replied.
"Thanks, Wyatt." Phoebe said with a faint smile and placed a hand on his arm.
When she touched him, her face shifted. Suddenly, she seemed really emotional, almost in pain. For a moment, Wyatt was confused, then he realized she was sensing his own emotions through her empathy. Phoebe quickly withdrew her hand and looked at him with a saddened expression.
"Wyatt, what is going on here?" Phoebe asked concerned. "You're really upset."
"It is a long story." Wyatt replied.
"Well, tell me. I know I am not your mom, but you know you can always talk to me." Phoebe reminded him.
"I would not even know where to start." Wyatt said.
"Just try." Phoebe replied as she guided him toward the couch.
As they sat down, Wyatt started to explain what had happened in the last few weeks. How Barbas had manipulated both him and Chris and pitted them against each other. How his secret about his evil future self had come out and how things had played out after that. The fact that they were barely speaking. Naturally, Phoebe already knew about the dark future, so it made it easier to explain, though Wyatt still found it difficult to talk about.
"I just don't know what to do." Wyatt finally admitted.
"Honey, why didn't you call me or aunt Paige?" Phoebe asked. "You know we could have helped explain things. Back when you were a teenager, we all decided it was for the best not to tell the others. This was exactly what we were trying to avoid."
"We're all adults now, Phoebe." Wyatt said. "We can't keep calling our parents for help. Besides, you all have your own lives as well. I think keeping it a secret only made it worse."
"It doesn't matter how old you are, Wyatt." Phoebe said. "Sometimes you just need a parent, or aunt in this case. Everyone needs that."
For a moment, Wyatt thought he heard a pang of guilt in her voice, though she quickly corrected herself. She had never told him why she was here exactly, was there something going on that he did not know about? He wanted to ask about it, though Phoebe quickly moved on.
"I think you need to talk to Chris again." Phoebe said.
"I wouldn't know what to say." Wyatt replied with a sigh.
"Wyatt, you have to remember that Chris in your little brother." Phoebe said. "He has always been insecure when it comes to you. He always believed that he had to live in your shadow."
"That is ridiculous." Wyatt called out.
"Maybe, but that is how he experienced it." Phoebe said. "You were smart, popular, outgoing. He had a hard time living up to that. And because your parents often worried about you, perhaps they gave you more attention than Chris, unintentionally of course."
"What are you saying exactly?" Wyatt asked.
"I think that in Chris' eyes, you were always the perfect one, the golden boy." Phoebe said. "He tried to live up to that, only to discover that it was all a lie. You were not perfect, you never were."
"I never claimed to be perfect." Wyatt said a little annoyed.
"That doesn't matter." Phoebe said. "Because that is how Chris saw it. In his perception, you were. Now that image has been shattered and he doesn't know how to handle it."
Wyatt thought about what she said and let it sink in. Perhaps she was right. "So how do I fix it?" He eventually asked.
"Just talk to him, explain how you feel and let him express himself without judgment." Phoebe said. "Nobody is wrong or right here, that is what you need to remember. Only by letting everything out, can you find a way to get past this."
"Thanks, aunt Phoebe." Wyatt said. "It feels good to talk to someone who understands."
"You can make the others understand as well. They are your family." Phoebe said. "Just give it some time. We are always there for each other."
"I'll try." Wyatt replied.
"Just know you can always talk to me if you need to." Phoebe said.
"Thank you." Wyatt said.
Both of them stood up and Wyatt gave his aunt a hug. It felt good to be understood by a loved one and to be held. Of course he wished his mom could have been here instead, but his aunts were almost as important to him. They were almost like surrogate moms and he knew they would always be there, just like his mother would be.
"I need to go check the Book." Phoebe said as he let her go.
"Of course." Wyatt said. "You know where it is. Call me if you need anything."
"Thanks, sweetie." Phoebe replied.
As Phoebe headed up the stairs to the attic, Wyatt sat back down and grabbed his phone. He did not know where Chris was, but he decided it was time they needed to talk. He texted him to meet him at the manor as soon as he could. They had to get past this one way or another. After he sent the text, he leaned down on the couch and sighed. He hoped things would get better soon.
xxx
On top of the Golden Gate Bridge, Chris Halliwell stood overlooking the bay and the cars way down below. He liked this place, as it allowed him to clear his head, though with everything that was going on, even this place did not help him calm down. When he felt his phone buzzing, he checked and saw it was a message from Wyatt, telling him they needed to talk. Chris sighed as he put his phone away, he had more important things to worry about now. He hoped Noah would hurry.
In a column of bright blue orbs, Noah appeared beside him dressed in a white robe. It looked pretty ridiculous and he seemed quite uncomfortable in it.
"What is the news?" Chris asked immediately.
"Well, hello to you too." Noah remarked. "I consulted with the Elders and they agreed this was the best opportunity to vanquish the Source. They are searching for the required spell as we speak."
"You managed to convince them?" Chris asked unconvinced.
"Chris, I know how you feel about the Elders." Noah said as he turned to him. "And yes, the Elders have made some mistakes in the past, but don't you think it is time to let it pass? In the end, we all want the same thing. We all serve the greater good."
"We have different views of the greater good." Chris remarked.
"Your personal vendetta against the Elders is not helping anyone, Chris." Noah replied with a sigh. "You made it clear you did not want to be a Whitelighter, but you will always be tied to them. We need each other."
"Why does everyone keep telling me how I should think and how I should feel?" Chris remarked annoyed.
"Maybe it's because you let your personal feelings cloud your judgment." Noah replied. "I know a lot has happened."
"I already told you, you're not my Whitelighter." Chris snapped at him.
"Alright, I am only trying to help." Noah said as he raised his hands defensively. "But you should take the time to think about what you're doing. If you keep this up, you will push away everyone who cares about you."
Before Chris could reply, Noah dissolved into millions of tiny blue orbs and disappeared, leaving him alone on the bridge once more. Chris stared down as the word echoed in his mind. Was he really becoming like that? Were his obsessions and insecurities taking over his life? He turned down part of his destiny because he hated the Elders, now he was busy alienating his brother. He needed to think about what he wanted and what he needed, but he could not think about any of that as long as the Source of All Evil was still threatening his family.
Xxx
Across town, twenty-year old Penny Halliwell was strolling across the pier while drinking an iced coffee. Dressed in jeans and a black tank top, she was enjoyed a nice Sunday with her younger cousin Henry. Normally, the two never spent much time together, but both were bored and they usually got along pretty well. There was a fair on the pier, so it was actually quite busy. Penny leaned against the railing overlooking the sea. A few moments later, Henry emerged from the crowd, dressed in a blue shirt and baggy shorts, holding two hotdogs and a bottle of water.
"Here." Henry said as he handed one of them to Penny.
"Thanks." Penny said. "We should do this more often."
"I know." Henry remarked. "I could not wait to get out of the manor with all that is going on."
"Are they still not talking?" Penny asked.
"Nope." Henry replied.
Penny sighed. She knew better than anyone what was going on between Wyatt and Chris. She had seen it first hand when she entered their minds. When she had read Wyatt's mind, she had seen it all flash for her eyes. She understood why Wyatt wanted to keep his future self a secret, but now that the secret was out, it all seemed to be worse than it had to be. Penny did not blame or fear Wyatt, after all, that future was prevented and he was too much of a goody-two-shoes to cross over to the dark side. However, she could also understand Chris' reaction. She knew what it was like to live up to a perfect older sibling as well as he did.
"How can we fix this?" Henry asked.
"We can't." Penny replied. "They have to fix it themselves."
"Well, they had better fix it soon." Henry. "I am walking on eggshells over there. If this keeps up, I might move to LA after all."
"No, you wouldn't." Penny remarked.
"You're probably right, I like it here too much." Henry replied. "Got room in your dorm though?"
"No way." Penny replied instantly.
"Worth a shot." Henry said with a shrug. "I'll be going there is a few years anyway."
"Can't you aim a little higher than community college?" Penny asked.
"Have you met me?" Henry asked with a frown. "I hate hard work, I barely study and I am a C-student at best. Besides, colleges are for parties, not learning."
"You know, sometimes I think you're my little brother instead of my cousin." Penny remarked.
"Yeah, how did we end up in this family?" Henry replied jokingly.
"We must be adopted." Penny said laughing.
As they continued down the pier, Henry took a sip from his bottle of water, though he spit it out when suddenly white wisps appeared before them, and started coughing. Penny was shocked when Payton appeared out of nowhere and gasped. Several people around them looked at them with a frown. Obviously, they did not see Payton and a little kid even ran right through her.
"That felt really awkward." Payton remarked as she looked at the kid.
"Payton, what the hell?!" Penny called out, causing even more people to stare at them. "Are you dead?!"
"I know this looks bad, but I can explain." Payton quickly said.
As they were attracting quite a crowd, the three witches decided to move a little further down the pier where they had some more privacy. Once they were alone, Payton quickly filled them in on what had happened.
"How can you be so stupid!?" Penny remarked. "Payton, you're supposed to be one of the smart ones of the family."
"And also, who the hell is Matt?" Henry added confused.
"He is the ghost Prue has been helping, or seeing." Payton replied. "And yeah, I made one little mistake, but I did it for good reasons."
"After all the times you lectured me on personal gain." Henry remarked annoyed.
"Okay, I get it." Payton replied with a sigh. "Prue already yelled at me. Can we move on?"
"What is it like to be a ghost?" Henry asked curiously.
"It feels really weird." Payton replied. "I feel a bit lightheaded, but is fun being invisible and being able to teleport anywhere I like. All I have to do is think about it."
"Just don't get yourself in anymore trouble. This can be dangerous." Penny said, much to her own surprise, and she noticed the others frowning. "Wow, since when am I the responsible one?"
"Guess hell must be freezing over." Henry remarked dryly.
Penny glared at him, even though she thought the same thing. Suddenly, she heard her phone and grabbed it from her pocket. She saw it was a text from Chris, asking everyone to meet him at the manor in about an hour or so. She wondered what it was all about and hoped he and Wyatt did not have another fight or something. Meanwhile, Henry got his phone and apparently got the same message.
"What is going on?" Payton asked.
"More family drama, I guess." Penny remarked. "Let's go find out."
As they put their phones away, Penny and Henry agreed to meet Payton back at the manor. Her younger sister then disappeared in white wisps and they started to leave the pier.
Xxx
Phoebe Halliwell entered the attic and closed the door behind her. She then made her way to the Book of Shadows and flipped it open. Her dreams were troubling her still and she needed answers. She needed to know if her fears were true. Suddenly, the book started flipping the pages by itself, or rather, someone was helping her from up there. She wondered who it could be, one of her sisters, her mother or grams. It did not really matter. After deciding to keep her fears a secret from the living, she was glad to get some support from the afterlife.
When the book stopped, Phoebe placed her hand on the page and noticed it was the spell she had once used to astral project herself to Cole when he trapped in the wasteland. That could not be a coincidence, it had to be meant to be. Without another thought, she cast it.
"Whither my love,
Wherever you be
Through time and space
Take my heart nearer to thee."
As she cast the spell, Phoebe became surrounded large white orbs and she found herself being teleported away. When she reappeared, she found herself standing in a disturbingly familiar room, the coronation room of the Underworld. She was confused, as the last time she had cast the spell, she had astral projected, now she had been teleported.
Suddenly, an invisible force threw her across the room and she rolled over the floor. When Phoebe looked up, she saw the Source walking up to her. His face looked so familiar to her that it sent chills down her spine once again. He looked like a person she had loved a long time ago, though his face was consumed with anger and his eyes were black as night.
"You got some nerve coming here, witch." The Source said as he raised his hand and created a fire ball with swirling metallic rings.
"You knew I was coming." Phoebe said as she stood up.
"I did, I sensed it when you appeared in my mind." The Source replied. "You should be careful of what you dream, because sometimes the dream looks back."
"I am not afraid of you." Phoebe said.
"You should be." The Source replied.
Suddenly, the Source threw the fire ball, but Phoebe did not flinch. She held out her hand and caught the fire ball by tapping into the emotions of the Source. It hurt and she nearly cried out. She felt an overwhelming evil pressing down on her, though she felt something else underneath. Anger, confusion and even sadness. She suppressed her tears. She needed to be strong.
Phoebe clenched her fist and threw the fire ball back at the Source. The swirling rings exploded against his chest and he was thrown back. However, he instantly rose to his feet and held out his hand. Phoebe felt a crushing force on her throat, though she tapped into his powers again and freed herself. She then pushed and forced him to stumble back a little.
"I don't want to fight!" Phoebe called out.
"Then what do you want?!" The Source screamed angrily.
"Just tell me the truth!" Phoebe yelled at him. "Who are you?!"
"I think you already know." The Source replied more calmly and his eyes turned to their regular brown. "Just say it."
Phoebe felt herself clamping up. This was the reason she was here, but she was scared to know the truth as well. However, she knew she could not rest until she knew for sure. She cleared her throat and suppressed all emotion.
"You're my son." Phoebe stated. "Mine and Cole's."
"Hi, mom." The Source replied with a grin.
The Source raised his arm and Phoebe was thrown back against the wall. She hit her head and fell down on the ground. As she faded in and out of consciousness, the Source hovered over her. The last thing she saw before blacking out was the face of her long lost son.
xxx