Hey guys, thanks to everybody for the review. I'm glad you seem to be enjoying it and hope you enjoy this chapter.

Growing Up Troubles

Chapter 17

"What the hell were you doing with some stranger, Lizzie?" Jennifer asked her older sister as they stood in their father's hospital room, "That guy could have done anything."

"I was pissed off, ok?" the 16-year-old shot back, "You know Chris has a son? I found that out and ran off, ok?"

"Chris has a son?"

"Yeah, he's 16," the blonde nodded her head, "I didn't know that though."

"No because I bet you ran off without even thinking of asking for the details first," the brunette argued, "You always do it. You hear the slightest thing and go off about it. You need to grow up."

"Shut the fuck up, Jen…"

"Both of you can stop it," Wyatt stepped into the room to find his daughter's arguing. They had been in the hospital for a day. Elizabeth had been discharged and now they were just waiting for Chris to wake up, although they still did not know whether it would happen, "Chris is lying in a hospital bed, in a coma and all you two can do is argue? No matter how it happened or which one of you it was, he would have done the same thing. You both need to start growing up."

Elizabeth and Jennifer looked at their blonde haired father, shocked at what he had just said to them but they could also understand it.

"Now both of you may as well go home…"

"Dad, no…" Jennifer started to argue but realised that Wyatt was not just saying this because of them both arguing.

"Please, both of you. I will call you if there's any change, but I need you to take Scott home. He's with your grandpa at the moment."

"Dad, we won't argue anymore," Lizzie shook her head, glancing over to where the brunette laid in the bed, "Please, let us stay."

"Elizabeth, I need you to go home, you're not helping while you're here," Wyatt shook his head, "Neither of you can help. I'll be home later on ok?"

"Dad, we can't go home, not right now," Jennifer shook her head, "What if he wakes up and we're not here, he'll think we don't care."

"No, he won't," Wyatt shook his head, "I'll tell him I sent you home and I'll call the minute anything changes, ok? I promise. You can't help here and you'll just worry even more. Best thing to do is go home, look after Scott and get on with things."

The two teenagers looked at each other, folding their arms, still not wanting to leave. How could their father really ask them to leave their other father's side at a time like this.

"How will we get home?" Jennifer now asked, "You really want the three of us to take the bus?"

"Grandpa will take you home," Wyatt informed his two girls, "I've already spoken to him. Please?"

"You'll call if there's anything?" Elizabeth now asked, biting her bottom lip as she still felt guilty for what had happened.

"I promise," the father of three nodded his head, "I will call."

Wyatt sighed as the two girls decided to leave, he needed them out of here, more importantly he needed Elizabeth out of here. Josh and Bianca would be on their way over soon, since he had managed to call them last night to explain what had happened to Chris. He had also found out that Speedy had managed to call Titch, their high school friend, so would be expecting a visit from him at some point too in case Chris did not make it. That was something Wyatt could not think of though, Chris not making it, he would not know what to do without his lover. Chris meant the world to him.

A knock at the door took Wyatt out of his thoughts and caused him to look over to see Bianca stood there, dressed in a black pencil skirt and red blouse. The Halliwell could see the 16-year-old that he had kicked out of his house a few days ago, stood behind the woman, their eyes both on Chris. As much as Wyatt disliked his husband's ex-girlfriend, he could not help but feel a little sadness that she had just got him back in her life and this had happened and that Josh had finally met his father and could lose him.

"How is he?"

"No change since I called you last night," Wyatt shook his head at the woman, "I'll give you a few minutes alone with him."

"Is Ellie here?" Josh asked, looking at the blonde haired man.

"I sent her home," Wyatt shook his head again, "Don't worry, you won't see Elizabeth."

"Oh right," Josh sighed with a frown, "I kinda wanted to talk to her."

"She knows who you are now," Wyatt explained, he still was not over keen on the young man since he had caught him in bed with his daughter, "I don't think she'll want to talk to you."

Wyatt stepped out of the room after that and made his way to a line of chairs that sat in the waiting room of the ICU. Joined by his eldest cousin, Patty, he placed his head on her shoulder and now that his children were no longer here, he let himself cry to her.

"It's ok, let it all out, sweetie," he heard his cousin's voice tell him, "Just let it all out."

--

Later that night, Wyatt made his home to find his three children all sat in the living room with Holly and Speedy, a board game on the coffee table. He watched them, a small smile on his face. He had never seen this since Elizabeth started her rebellious stage, she would never join in with family activities. He just wished that Chris was here to see this too.

"Hey dad, how's Chris?" Elizabeth asked, looking up at the 34-year-old man, who now walked over and sat down on the couch.

"There's still no change," Wyatt shook his head, "They'll call if there is anything though."

"Is it my bed time now?" Eight-year-old Scott asked, scrunching up his nose. Holly had told him that he could only stay up until Wyatt got home, but he did not want to go to bed, he was enjoying his time with his two sisters, it was very rare he spent time with both of them.

"You know what," Wyatt smirked, glancing at his watch to see that it was nine-thirty, a little after Scott's bedtime, "How about I make you all some cocoa, you finish this game and then you go to bed," the youngest child smiled and nodded his head, he liked that idea. Wyatt laughed at his son and then looked at his friend and cousin, "Ben in bed?"

"Yeah," Holly nodded her head, "He fell asleep on Jen's lap."

"Right, cocoa everyone?"

At a resounding yes, Wyatt made his way to the kitchen and put on the kettle, while he left everybody else to carry on with the game.

"Dad?" a voice called out to him, causing him to turn around, surprised to find his 16-year-old at the door. It had not even sounded like her, it was that quiet and timid, he realised now that the accident had had a huge impact on her. Holding out his arms, Elizabeth walked over to him and hugged him tightly, "I'm so so sorry, I didn't mean for all this to happen. I don't want Chris to die. I really don't and I don't mean to be such a bitch. I want to take it back, I really do."

For the second time that day, tears fell from Wyatt's eyes as he heard his daughter cry. He knew she was sorry and knew that she wanted to take it back, he just never realised how much.

"I'm so sorry dad." She said again, this time her voice was in the quietest whisper he had ever heard from his daughter.

"I know you are," Wyatt spoke, hoping that his own voice would hold up, knowing that his tears were now falling freely from his eyes. Kissing the top of her head, he wrapped his arms around her tightly, "I know, sweetie."

Interrupting the moment, the telephone rang, making Wyatt jump. Elizabeth pulled away from the embrace so that older blonde could answer the call.

"Hello," Wyatt said into the phone, wiping his fallen tears with his spare hand. He looked at his daughter as he heard a voice over the other end from the hospital, "I'll be right there, thank you."

Wyatt stood still, shock had taken over his whole body as he heard the dreaded words he never ever wanted to hear.

"Dad?" Elizabeth's voice brought him back to reality, "Dad, what is it?"

Wyatt looked at his eldest daughter and gulped, his body now visible shaking

"That was the hospital," Wyatt explained to her, "Chris has died."

dum dum dum...

Anyway, with one chapter to go, how will it end? What did you think of this chapter - I know, a very evil cliffy before you say anything, but don't worry the update won't be long.