In this fic, Chris is five, and Wyatt is eight. I'm setting it in the changed, or what is supposed to be altered future. So Wyatt is not evil, just a normal little boy/brother, normal except for his powers of course!
I do not own Charmed or any of its characters. My decreasing bank account serves to prove that.
Demons Under The Bed
"You mean you have never seen him?" Chris slowly shook his head. "You have never heard him move in the night?" Again, Chris shook his head. Wyatt pretended to look confused; he placed his hand to his chin to look as if he was deep in thought. He had seen his Dad do this exact same motion earlier on when he had been wondering whether to allow his two sons to play out before dinner. It seemed to work as Chris waited patiently for his brother to 'think', maybe he had seen his Dad do the same action earlier on as well.
"Well he is in the book of shadows." Chris' eyes widened, anything in the book of shadows had to be real, he had even seen some of them with his own eyes, Wyatt had probably seen even more. "Mommy never told you about him?"
"No."
"Auntie Phoebe?"
"Nuh -uh."
"Auntie Paige?"
"No, she didn-"
"Oh." A hand swept aside a blond curl. "Well maybe they never wanted you to be…" Wyatt gave a dramatic pause; he knew the exact word to use to get his brother all riled up. "…scared."
Chris' face tensed up, a small frown appearing instead of its usual smile. He was never told anything about the adventures that his family had, his parents preferred it when both he and Wyatt were not involved, or at least were that was possible. Much to his family's chagrin, he and his brother were dragged involuntarily into an awful lot, Paige often commented on who was likely to want to hostage or destroy the kids this week.
"I could tell you what was in the book." Chris' face lit up, Wyatt would be able to tell him everything. His brother was incredibly clever when it came to magic, Demons, Warlocks, Darklighters, almost everything. Chris figured that this was because Wyatt was a whole two years older; this meant he had experienced a lot more. His brother was often kind enough to tell Chris things that his parents kept from him, he had many stories of demons, even some that Wyatt himself had singularly defeated. Regularly his Mommy would catch Wyatt telling his tales and she would say his name in the tone that Chris always heard when she caught him trying to hide his broccoli. Chris thought that she did this because she thought he was too young to know, and would be scared if he knew the truth. He was often frightened, but he tried his best not to show it, and his Daddy had said that he was very brave for his age. Wyatt knew what he was talking about though.
Chris slowly nodded his head, in response Wyatt clapped his hands together, quickly glanced left and right and then drew his head closer to his brothers. "We have to be secret." He explained. "Mommy would be mad if she knew I was telling you." Wyatt nodded grimly, "She said you'd be scared."
Chris pulled his head away and crossed his arms. "I am not scared." Wyatt blinked.
"I never said you would be, but Mommy says you are the baby and you need protecting."
Chris pouted; he often missed out on things because he was the baby of the house. "But, I am five!" He held out his right hand, four fingers and one thumb outstretched to emphasise his point.
"I know. I think you are old enough, but Mommy and Daddy don't, that's why they can't know. They'd be mad at me." He added as an afterthought. It was true, they would be very mad if they heard him trying to scare his brother.
Chris pondered for a second, he was not supposed to keep things from his parents, and it could and often did lead to a lot of trouble. "What about Auntie Phoebe?"
Wyatt shook his head, Chris opened his mouth to ask another question, but Wyatt quickly interrupted him. "No one, Auntie Paige as well. Promise?"
Chris nodded. "Promise."
Wyatt bit his lip, imagining what his demon could look like. He settled on a demon that he and Chris had once seen when flicking through the book, Chris' face had gone pale at the sight of the demon and he had started crying until their Dad had showed up and subsequently banned them from the book until they were older. "It has pale icky looking skin, and glowing eyes that watch you in the dark. Like Auntie Phoebe's kitty's eyes. It has long," Wyatt stretched out his arms as wide as he could, "grey arms that stretch out to grab you." Here he took a hold of his brother's shirt.
Chris interrupted his brother's dramatic explanation, prying off the clawed hands. "How do you know?"
"The book." Wyatt stated simply. "And... I've seen one."
Chris ran a hand through his dark hair, Piper often did this when she was stressed or worried and her youngest son had picked up the habit. Almost too scared to ask Chris opened his mouth, "Where was it?"
Wyatt shook his head, concealing a grin when his brother wasn't looking. "I shouldn't tell you. Daddy would be mad."
"Please, I promised, Daddy will never know." Chris started to sniffle.
Wyatt bobbed his head up and down. "It was when you were little, so you won't remember. Back when we slept in the same room. You were asleep, you were always asleep, or crying, or-"
"Wyatt." Chris whined for his brother to get back to the demon.
"Well I was meant to be asleep too, but there was a noise, and that is when I saw it."
"What?" Chris asked in a tiny voice, his fingers grasping a tight hold of his jeans.
"Its eyes were all shiny, staring out in the black."
"What happened?"
"Well it just sat there in the dark. I think it could sense me so it stayed put." Wyatt puffed out his chest to look strong, after all that was what the brave men on the TV did.
Chris nodded, he would not want to mess with his big brother either. "Where was it?"
Wyatt lowered his voice so that Chris had to move closer to hear him. "That's why I shouldn't tell you."
"I didn't hear you, what shouldn't you tell me?"
Wyatt curled his hand next to his mouth and whispered, "It was under your bed."
Chris shot back from his brother, now thoroughly scared. A demon had been under his bed, which probably meant that it had wanted to get him. He was still here though so it must have been destroyed, but then why was Wyatt telling him now?
Questioning eyes flew back at Wyatt. Sensing what his brother was thinking Wyatt thought of what would terrify his sibling. "Mommy said she saw it in your room last night."
Chris gasped, his little body trembling at the thought of a demon in his bedroom. He sniffled once more, but managed to keep any tears back. Now that he was getting older tears were for babies and his little cousin. Instead he tried to think what a grown up would do. What would his Mommy and Daddy do if they were him? He had seen this scenario plenty of times, just before they were kicked out the room. One of the sisters would come and tell the others about a demon and the first question to be asked, "Did she vancish it?"
Wyatt shook his head, blond curls tumbling. "She was too late. It shimmied out. I heard her tell Daddy. That's why he went at dinner to try and find it." Almost nonchalantly, he added, "It must be after you."
Chris' eyes widened, his mouth forming an 'o' shape. What if the demon was after him? "We should tell Mommy."
Wyatt panicked; he would get into so much trouble if his parents found out. "You promised, I'll be in trouble."
"Oh." Chris thought about that, he had promised his brother that he would not tell. Maybe his Mom had managed to destroy the demon after all, or his Dad. Neither of them would let him come to any harm.
Wyatt shrugged his little shoulders. "Maybe Daddy did it?"
"Did what?" The two looked up to find Piper towering over them, her hands placed on her hips and her eyes searching between the two of them.
"Nothing." The two chorused simultaneously, which only led to more suspicion from their Mother. Piper glanced around the general area of where the two sat, seeing no destruction she turned her attention back to the pair. Her oldest had the faintest glimmer of guilt clouding his eyes, and her youngest looked remotely shaken up.
"Wyatt." It was the accusing tone that Chris recognised, she used it a lot and not just with broccoli. Wyatt stared back uncomprehendingly, wide blue eyes blinking innocently up at her. Piper rolled her eyes; he had picked up the trick about Chris' age now and never failed to use it.
"Alright, off to bed with the both of you, I'll be up in a bit to check up on you." The two stood up from the carpet, Piper stretched out a hand and stopped her youngest from joining the run up the stairs with his brother. "You okay, sweetie?" Chris bit his lip, remembering the promise to his brother and nodding his head at his questioning parent. Reluctantly, Piper relented, she wouldn't get anything out of a stubborn child and Chris could be surprisingly stubborn, she had learnt that from his older self, but hadn't expected it to set in quite this early. She sighed, kissing Chris lightly on the forehead, "Whatever that boy said you have no need to worry, Your Daddy and I are both here to protect you, we're only a call away," Piper smirked, "Your Dad literally." The humour was lost on the five year old, but he hugged her back tight anyway. "Right, bed."
It was simple. Switch off the light, run and jump. His hand flew to the light switch, his fingers pressed lightly onto the surface. He was ready. Maybe it would be better if he waited just a little longer, five seconds. Chris took a deep breath; he had better give it ten.
Ten, fifteen, twenty seconds went by and still Chris stood ready by the switch, his hand fell back to his side. He could not do it, after all, there was no guarantee that his plan would work. The demon could always magically appear he saw it happen all the time, one minute a demon stood in front of someone, and the next they had reappeared behind them. His Aunt Paige had explained that it was similar to the way that Chris could orb, though without the pretty sparkles. None of this information helped him out now though, it was there waiting for him, under his bed.
The safest thing to do was to yell for his Mommy, whatever was waiting for him she would be able to explode. Just like last week when he had accidentally spilt candle wax all over her new rug. Piper had walked in to find her two sons both trying to scrape red wax off of her new white rug, in shock she had blown up a nearby vase, Chris had giggled at the mess which had only caused Piper to become even angrier at her child. He was still saving up his pocket money to buy her a new one.
Chris opened his mouth to yell and abruptly stopped, he had forgotten the fact that he had promised Wyatt he would not tell, and that ruled out shouting for his Daddy as well.
Chris gulped; he would have to do it on his own. With lightning fast speed, his hand flew to the switch, pushing it down and drowning the room in darkness. He ran to his bed, jumping at the last moment so that the demon's arms could not grab a hold of his ankle. He landed softly on the bed and immediately dove under the sheets, pulling the duvet over his head. Silence reined in the darkened room,his breathing and the thump of his blood in his head the only sounds.
He waited motionless, sure that if he moved even an inch the demon would sense were he was hiding and rip off the duvet, then it would do whatever it did when it killed. He was convinced that it waited for him just outside of his warm cocoon. He tried to shut his eyes, scrunching them up tight to hide his fear.
At least five minutes passed and there had been no movement. It was getting stuffy under the cover and Chris knew that he would not fall asleep this way, reluctantly he popped his head out from under the cover, his eyes still tightly scrunched together. Gleefully he took in fresh gulps of air, relishing in the coolness.
One more minute passed by and Chris felt it safe enough to open his eyes. His green gaze peered around his bedroom, piercing through the darkness, expecting to see a figure at every turn. There was nothing there and Chris, comforted by the fact, slowly allowed his eyes to close and a yawn escape his mouth.
He began to drift asleep, all of his thoughts disappearing from his head - a creaking sound brought his attention back into focus and he was sure that there was someone stood near the wardrobe to his right. His eyes stared through the shadows focusing in the direction of his wardrobe, but there was nothing there; his stuffed animals and toys all lined up as usual.
Chris buried his head in his pillow, his eyes crushed together and his lips in a tight line, again another creak sounded. His eyes sprang open, still buried in the pillow, he could sense that someone was watching him… the demon.
He waited quietly, not daring to move, maybe if he looked asleep the demon would move on and not bother him, maybe it only sensed movement. He just had to keep dead still. His breath quickened, and his heart beat loud, even if he didn't move the demon would be able to hear the loud thumping coming from his chest. There was a sound of scuffling right next to his bed and he panicked; he had only one safe place to go. Without opening his eyes, Christopher Halliwell disappeared in a flurry of blue light.
The sound of light breathing filled the warm room that he had orbed into. A curled form lay snuggled safely in its bed, looking all together peaceful and warm and most importantly, safe. Chris ran towards the figure, his bare feet lightly tapping on the floor. He reached out with his arm and pulled back the cover just enough to allow his small form to hop into the bed. With a start his brother, Wyatt, yelped.
"Wyatt." Chris' voice was quiet and timid.
"Mmmm, Chris you woke me up." His voice sounded sleepy and mumbled.
"Wyatt," Chris shook his brother's shoulder. "The demon, it came."
"Hmmm, what demon?" Wyatt in his sleep-filled daze had forgotten all about the story he had been telling his sibling. Chris shivered at the thought of his near escape and shoved his cold feet into his brothers. Wyatt protested, the cold waking him up just a little bit more.
Chris buried his head into his brother's neck. "It doesn't matter. Can I stay here tonight?" Again, Wyatt mumbled. "Pleeease." He did not know what he would do if Wyatt said no.
"Hmm, just go t'sleep." Chris nodded, pulling the duvet up to his neck and snuggling further into the mattress. He felt much safer now, even if the demon found him he would have to deal with his brother's wrath, and that fact alone would probably frighten it off, maybe even for good…
Piper popped her head around the door of her youngest son, expecting to see a sprawled out body draped in its covers, but instead finding an empty bed. She gasped in horror, her heart leaping to her mouth. Turning fast, almost stumbling to Wyatt's room. Leo stood outside, smiling as he gazed at the scene inside. "Leo." Her voice was loud in her panic, and Leo turned around quickly shushing her. "Chris he's-"
"Right in here." Piper blinked in surprise, elbowing her husband out of the way and seeing for herself, her two sons curled up together deep asleep. A smile crossed her lips, quickly replaced by a grimace. "I knew he'd said something." Leo glanced at her questioningly. She waved a hand dismissively, "I'll explain tomorrow, at the same time we have a word with our eldest."
Leo still looked a little bewildered, but could imagine the possibilities of what Wyatt had told his little brother all in the name of fun. "Should I orb him back to his room?"
Piper smiled and scrunched up her nose, "I think they're settled, besides it will serve him," She pointed at Wyatt. "Right when he's woken up in the morning by being pushed out of bed." Leo nodded, and placed a protective arm around Piper, being careful to close the door quietly and guiding her towards her own room.
End.
Well that's my first Charmed fic wrapped up, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I liked writing it. If so leave a review. I think the idea of the two boys is just so adorable, and everyone always has Wyatt as evil, he was, I suppose a little in this, but I think most siblings are at some point. I know me and my sister were, a lot! Just to point out that there were two deliberate spelling mistakes in there, the two are young and I think though they will have heard of Vanquishing and shimmering, they wouldn't likely say it themselves. That's why they were a little altered. I had a hard enough time typing Mom and Mommy, I'm English and it just doesn't sound/type right. Any other mistakes are completely my own and feel free to point them out constructively. I have quite a few more ideas from the Charmed universe in my head, so I hope people are interested. Review!