By Nadja Lee 25/06/2007
English is not my native language. Please forgive me my mistakes.
Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all the characters here belong to CBS network and I intend no infringement, this is a piece of amateur fan fiction, and I make no money of it.
Only the original idea contained within this work is the property of the author. Please do not copy this story to any website or archive without permission of the author.
Timeline: After Piper dies in the unchanged future timeline.
Universe: Set in the future in which Wyatt turned evil.
Pairing: Piper/Leo, Chris/Bianca
Summary: Piper dies and Wyatt does his last act of good when he brings his 14 year old brother to their grandfather. The story follows Victor (the grandfather of Wyatt and Chris) through this and 3 other 'last nights' for him with Chris in the timeline where Wyatt turned evil. A dark AU story.
Archiving: Want, ASK, take, have.
Feedback: Yes, please. My e-mail address is .dk.
Rating: PG-13
Series: None
Warnings: Canon death (for this timeline), angst, mild child abuse
Author's notes: In this timeline Leo never became an Elder and thus never became a mortal since it was Chris going back to the past which initiated these changes. Also, while it appears as if Chris first developed his Whitelighter powers when he was around one year old then there is no evidence that he didn't have his witch powers and as a Halliwell it seems natural that he, like other Halliwells, has his Halliwell powers from conception. Very little was detailed or explained about the future Chris came from. This is my take on it.
Webpage: http://d./nadjalee/
Not betaed. Forgive me my mistakes.
***
Victor Bennett was awoken by someone calling his name and shaking his shoulder.
"What?" he mumbled and opened his eyes. He barely managed not to pull away in surprise and shock when he saw it was his 16 year old grandchild, Wyatt, who was shaking him. The light from the open door to the living room was enough for Victor to make out Wyatt's features. He seemed composed and calm but his eyes seemed more empty and dead than usual.
"I need to talk to you," Wyatt said and drew back, his voice cold. He turned on the lamp on the nightstand, making Victor blink against the sudden sharp light. "Get dressed." With that he walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him.
Victor quickly rose and pulled on a robe, tying it securely around his waist. Since around the time Chris, Victor's second grandchild, had been born, Wyatt had slowly but steadily moved closer and closer towards evil after he had been rescued from Gideon, an Elder who for two months had attempted to have him killed. It had made his parents and aunts' focus almost solely on him in their attempt to try and prevent his descent to darkness with love, attention and care. This had meant that Chris had often been left to himself or with his grandfather. Because of this Victor had developed a close and warm relationship with Chris. Leo's entanglement from his second son had furthermore meant Victor had become Chris's surrogate father and Chris the son Victor had never had. Though Piper tried to share her love equally between her two children then since Chris was a good and quiet child, most of her efforts were focused on Wyatt. However, Chris had always felt her love and he adored his mother and loved her dearly.
Victor had tried to reach Wyatt, to build a relationship with him but he had had to admit that he had never felt comfortable with him. It was strange to say that he had been afraid of his extremely powerful grandchild since he had been little more than a baby but it was still true.
"What's wrong?" Victor asked as he exited his bedroom, bringing his thoughts back to the present. Wyatt's calm when he had awoken him had made Victor believe the emergency couldn't be too pressing. When he saw Chris, now 14 years old, seemly asleep on his sofa all the colour drained from his face in fear. "Chris!" Victor overcame his shock and fear and ran to him. He knelt beside the sofa, checking to see if Chris was still breathing, dread making his heart beat wildly in his chest.
"He's alive," Wyatt said evenly from behind him, having remained standing calmly through Victor's display of raw emotions. Victor rose to face him after having checked Chris's pulse on his neck, not willing to take Wyatt's word for it.
"What did you do to him?" There was barely contained rage and concern in Victor's voice. He couldn't not love Wyatt, he was still his grandchild, but he didn't trust him and certainly not with Chris. Since he had been only a baby Chris had tried to make his brother love him but had at best been ignored and at worst been the victim of some prank which at times had been borderline dangerous. When Chris had been just a few months old Wyatt had started orbing Chris away, luckily mostly into his grandfather's arms yet a few times he had orbed him to the Underworld and only Leo's quick intervention had saved his youngest child. Chris had been a little over one year old before his Whitelighter powers had manifested. Before that he had instinctively tried to use his telekinesis to defend himself with as he, like all Halliwells, had had his witch powers from conception. However, when he had developed his Whitelighter powers he had been able to use them skillfully from the beginning, later being able to use them together with his witch powers, to parade Wyatt's more and more sinister pranks.
"He's just unconscious. He was beginning to panic," Wyatt explained as if this was a natural action and not more troublesome or worrying than rain on a picnic.
"Panic?" Chris never panicked. He was a solitary, thoughtful and protective child who was as loving and considerate as Wyatt wasn't. Though years of craving love and finding none had started to jade him Victor knew his heart was pure.
Wyatt sighed and for just a moment he looked the youth of his years but then the hard mask was back over his face. "Mom is dead."
"What?!" It took a minute for the news to sink in; it had been delivered so calmly that the message seemed even more surreal for it. Victor fought his shock and shook his head. "No, no. This can't be." He took a blind step backwards, tears in his eyes. His little girl, dead…no. He had lost Prue years before either of his grandchildren had been born and Phoebe had been killed a few years ago. Paige, the stepdaughter he had first seen when she had been an adult, had passed away in the chaos of the battle against the Titans – she had been turned into a stone statue and destroyed before anyone could reawaken her. Piper had been all he had had left. He couldn't bury his last daughter. Parents were not supposed to bury their children. Moving on after Prue had been hard, after Phoebe, his youngest who had always had a soft spot for him, had been even harder to deal with but losing Piper as well….
"Chris saw it happen. He tried to stop it," Wyatt told him, seemly unaffected by his distress or by the fact that his mother was gone.
Victor fought to pull himself together and slowly the tears stopped. He couldn't afford to fall apart now. "Did you do it? Did you kill my daughter?" The question was asked with a calm that surprised even himself. The thought wasn't inconceivable – just very scary to say the least.
"No."
There was darkness in his eyes which contradicted his words and Victor didn't miss it. "But you were a part of it." At Wyatt's look Victor knew he was right. "Why?" The question was almost a plea, a desperate need to understand, to make sense of something which would never make any sense to him.
Wyatt looked uncomfortable for a moment, for a brief second almost regretful. "She discovered what I'm about to do and wouldn't let it lie." The strength and dark determination was back in his eyes when he continued, "She was holding me back."
"You had your own mother murdered for that?!" Victor asked enraged. For power?! He had murdered her for power?
Wyatt's entire face seemed to darken, his dangerously powerful rage coming to the surface. "Watch your tongue, old man!" For a moment Victor felt an invisible hand close around his throat and he gasped for air, taking his hands to his throat in an instinctive attempt to remove the invisible hand which was stealing his breath and his life. Then it suddenly stopped as Wyatt took a deep and calming breath, his temper more under control when he spoke again. "I'm about to change history and no one is gonna stand in my way." Wyatt looked from where his grandfather was trying to regain his posture to cast a look at his sleeping brother. For a brief moment his eyes softened. "Take care of him."
"Wait!" Victor laid a brief hand on his arm but quickly drew a little back as he went on, nodding towards Chris as he spoke, "Why don't you stay here, raise your brother?" He had to try to reach him, just one last time before he would be able to let his oldest grandchild go forever and finally admit that he was lost. Wyatt had suffered severe mental damage during those months Gideon had tried to breach his defenses. Before he gave up on him he had to be certain he truly could not be saved.
Wyatt looked from Chris and then back into his grandfather's hopeful eyes. He shook his head, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "It's too late for me. You've known that longer than anyone else."
Victor didn't deny that and he knew should he ever meet Wyatt again it would be as enemies in whatever war Wyatt was about to start. He drew further back from Wyatt and accepted this was how things had to be with a heavy heart but determined to save and protect what he could; his youngest grandchild. "What shall I tell Chris?"
Wyatt moved to stand beside the sofa, looking down at his sleeping brother. "Tell him…." Wyatt stroked Chris's dark hair for a few seconds before he pulled back, a brief look of pained regret flashing over his face. His eyes still on Chris he softly whispered, "Tell him his brother is dead."
"He'll not give up on you."
Wyatt turned his head to look at Victor. "Then you must make him. After tonight I won't go easy on him if he defies me." Wyatt looked at Chris again before he went on, his voice now stronger and darker, "I'm giving him a chance to live, just make sure he doesn't rise against me."
"Wyatt…" Victor let the pleas die, knowing they were useless. Instead he simply asked, "Is this really what you want?"
"Yes." There was no hesitation in his voice or in his eyes as he faced Victor to answer. "Letting him live might be a mistake but it's one I can correct later." He briefly closed his eyes, a flash of pain moving over his face. "Don't make me have to do that."
Before Victor could reply Wyatt orbed out, his orbs by now completely black.
For a moment Victor simply looked after him, in a state of shock over everything he had been told. Then he looked at his sleeping grandchild and a smile appeared on his lips. At least he had Chris. He forced his grief at the loss of his daughter aside to tend to Chris, knowing Piper would above anything else want him to ensure her child was safe. He had just tugged a blanket around Chris when Leo orbed into his livingroom, his white orbs a sharp contrast to his oldest son's black ones.
"Leo," Victor acknowledged, relieved to see him well, as he turned to face him fully. He could see the pain and agony in every line of Leo's face and knew, truly knew, he had lost his last child. "She really is dead then," Victor said softly, sadly, finally accepting it.
Leo looked briefly at Chris before his eyes returned to Victor. "Is he alive?" There was no real emotion in the words, just endless weariness, pain and sadness. It was as if he had already accepted the fact that everything he loved was gone. That he had nothing left.
Victor nodded, clinging to this fact for dear life; for sanity and hope. "Yes. He has had quite a shock but he should wake up soon. I think Wyatt strangled him into unconsciousness. There are some markings on his neck."
Leo took a relieved breath at Victor's words. Alive! He was alive. It was clear these thoughts flashed through his mind just like it was evident from the thoughtful pain which returned to his face a few seconds later that his thoughts had returned to Wyatt and how he could reach him. Clearly preoccupied with thoughts of Wyatt he still went to stand before his sleeping son but didn't touch him. Over the years he had rarely done so at first because he had been unable to deal with having been so long in rescuing Wyatt, feeling like he had failed and fearing he would fail again. Later it had been because all his attention had been focused on saving the child he felt he had let down when Gideon had taken him. He took a deep breath, unshed tears burning in his eyes as he turned from Chris and back to Victor. "I need to go after Wyatt."
"Leo, all your life you've gone after Wyatt, making excuses for him, trying to stop him from doing evil or trying to turn him good," Victor's voice was sympathetic as he laid a hand on Leo's arm. "You have another son, one who you have a chance to save." Victor indicated Chris with a nod of his head.
Leo tore his arm free, a rare fire blazing in his eyes. "Wyatt isn't lost. I can still save him!" His voice held more raw, almost fanatic, desperation than conviction.
Victor shook his head sadly. "No, you can't and by trying to save them both you'll lose them both."
Leo shook his head, unshed tears in his eyes and a stubborn line around his lips. "I can save him. I have to. I couldn't save Piper but I can save our son." Leo's eyes seemed far away when he added, his voice soft, "Did you know she asked it of me just before she took her last breath? I held her in my arms as she died and the only words she had the strength to say was to ask me to look after our son, to take care of him?"
Tears began to form in Victor's eyes at the small glimpse into his last child's final fate but a look at Chris kept him from falling apart and in that moment he knew that Chris would always have that effect on him. He would become his reason to keep going on.
"Are you sure she didn't mean Chris?" Victor asked him just as softly.
Leo refused to be swayed by Victor's words. "I need to find Wyatt." Leo went away from the sofa without even glancing at Chris a second time.
"It's not his fault he resembles his mother," Victor said after him, desperate to make him reconsider his actions, as Leo stopped in the middle of the living room, about to orb out.
"What?" Leo looked back at him, waiting for him to explain his statement.
"Chris. It's not his fault that he resembles her. It's not his fault he reminds you of her." Victor went to stand beside Leo, his tone, body language and eyes softer now, compassionate. "Stay with him. Don't keep abandoning him."
Leo seemed torn for a few seconds but then his determination returned; he could not give up on his oldest son. "I need to find Wyatt." Leo repeated but just as he orbed out he said, his voice soft and pained, "Look out for him."
"I always do," Victor said into the now still room. He went to kneel beside Chris and stroked his hair, not noticing the tears that were running down his cheeks.
"Mom, don't leave," Chris mumbled in his sleep as he turned around and Victor rose, fighting to still the flow of tears.
"I'll take care of you. I swear I will," Victor vowed. He could go on, for Chris he could go on. He would have to.
Three days later Victor buried his middle child. By then Chris had cried all he could and he shred no tears at his mother's grave. Instead he swore that he would avenge her. No one else attended the funeral but unseen to them Leo had watched from a distance.
4 years later
Victor was sitting in his living room with a cup of tea and a book though he wasn't reading. As so before his thoughts instead went to his grandchild. Chris was 18 now and hadn't been a child since his mother had passed away. Life had forced him to grow up fast and painfully. Through all the hardships they had had each other and Chris had become Victor's reason for living, his only hope and source of joy.
There had been much change since Piper's death and none of it had been good. Wyatt's plan had unfolded and it had changed the world forever. It had only taken Wyatt two days to defeat the US military and gain control of the country with his army. To make an example he executed all members of the Senate and Congress as well as all other top officials, starting with the President. He then placed a puppet mortal government in its stead which had to clear all decisions and movements through him. Europe, Africa and Asia had had time to mount defenses, aided by their own good magic users and had so far been able to keep Wyatt's control contained to the American continent. Wyatt had created an invisible magic shield around his conquered territories which prevented anyone from magically teleporting, shimmering or otherwise traveling in or out. However, people, news and arms were smuggled in the old fashioned way though control at the borders was tightening and the punishment for smuggling was harsh and swift. Wyatt also employed various technological probes which were able to scan for magical objects or good magic users so Wyatt's army would be able to possess, kill or arrest them.
Wyatt was attempting to spread his control to central and Middle America but assistance from the rest of the world had made a line of control cut through Brazil. He had managed to gain control over a large part of Canada but also here the battles had been fierce as assistance from the rest of the world had blocked a complete takeover. The shock of realizing magic actually existed had been forced to fade quickly in the face of the threat facing the world and many countries had aided Canada by sending their good magic users there for the battles. The current line of control divided Canada in two and had forced the seat of the Canadian government to move further north. The reality of having to live with magic being real had been overcome by the terror of Wyatt's regime and magic had quickly become a normal part of life in both the free and occupied territories. Good magic users were trusted by the governments of the world - if nothing else then because they knew they didn't stand a chance against Wyatt's magical army without them. After the first months of readjusting to Wyatt's regime life had continued; people went to work and children went to school. Seeing probes scanning for witches or other magic users had become a normal part of the city just as living in battle warn cities from the initial takeover and the continued fight between Wyatt's army and the Resistance had become normal. The Titans had killed the Elders so with them out of the way Wyatt's first order of business had been to try and get rid of all Whitelighters and good witches if he could not turn them.
"Grandpa," Chris said as be orbed in to stand in the living room before his grandfather, making him almost spill some of his tea as his sudden appearance broke his trail of thought.
"Chris," Victor said with a smile as he rose and Chris hugged him warmly. Chris rarely smiled these days but there was always a smile and a warm look for his grandfather. Victor noticed something forming behind Chris and quickly drew back from him, giving Chris room to use his powers. "Behind you!" he warned.
"It's ok. They're with me," Chris said and turned to see four figures appearing. Chris's bodyguards and closest generals all had the ability to teleport in some way to make it easier to bring news over large distances. Two shimmered in, a demonic looking man and a beautiful but deadly looking woman, thereafter a forest spirit seemed to appear as if from a shadow and the last came in a red heart shape; a Cupid. He was a handsome young man with dark features and expressive eyes. This Cupid Victor knew. He was called Coop and had been with Chris for some time. Cupids were by definition pacifists but they were good at assignments which required spying, stealing or planting spy devices as well as to see who or what someone who wanted to join the Resistance loved which could help determine if they were trustworthy.
The Halliwell line had been one of the most powerful magical lines in America and Chris had become a symbol of hope for the Resistance which had formed under Wyatt's regime. He had been 16 when he had been approached by a new and still disorganized resistance force. He had been trained in military strategy and combat from surviving mortal military specialists who had joined the Resistance. Since then Victor saw his grandchild only when he orbed in to visit. It was safest for all if Victor knew as little as possible about the Resistance so if he was arrested by Wyatt's feared and very efficient secret police he would not be able to reveal anything.
"What's wrong?" Victor asked concerned. Chris rarely brought his allies or bodyguards with him to his grandfather's home though Victor had no doubt they were near. Chris was more than a leader; he was a symbol of hope for a better future for if anyone could defeat Wyatt everyone believed it had to be his own brother. It also meant that to protect Chris his involvement in the Resistance was a top secret. Wyatt knew of course that Chris had become a symbol for the Resistance but he and his allies did not know Chris was also the leader.
"Kira, my seer, foresaw that Wyatt will have you arrested one of the coming days to try and pressure me to join his cause," Chris told him solemnly. Wyatt had for some months now tried to get in contact with his brother to turn him to his side. Not only would it boost the powers his side had but it would be an effective way to break the spirit of the Resistance.
"What's the plan?" Victor asked calmly, having expected this move from Wyatt for some time now. As he spoke he went to his bedroom and took out a suitcase. He started to put his most treasured belongings, like family photos of his daughters, into it. He had been a soldier back in his days and the recent years had taught him to stay forever alert and on guard; little was able to shock him these days.
Chris had followed his grandfather and was now helping him pack. His allies stayed in the living room to give them some privacy. "I'll have you taken some place safe. We may have to move you around between different safe-houses to be sure you are protected." Chris paused before he added more softly, a hint of pain, hope and regret in his voice and eyes, "I could probably get you out of the country. It'll take some time and resources but in three months time I could have you safely in London."
They had had this debate a million times before and Victor responded to his grandchild's desire to protect him with the same stubborn courage as he always had, "First of all no one is chasing me out of my own country and secondly Wyatt has started to focus his attacks on England." With those words he closed the suitcase and with it the last remainders of a normal life without regrets; Chris was well and with him. He did not need anything else.
Chris couldn't help but try one last desperate argument; clearly hoping against hopes his grandfather would change his mind, "He thinks defeating England will give him a foothold in Europe but they have strong wizards and witches there. They will hold…for some years at least," Chris ended his argument on a grim note, his military training shining through. At his grandfather's stubborn look he sighed, "Ok. Safe-houses then."
Victor cast him a worried look, noticing how tired and drained he looked. "Chris?"
Chris looked him in the eyes and attempted a smile though it was weak from worry…worry for his grandfather…for all of them. "Yes?"
"Don't forget you're not alone," Victor said strongly and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. Chris had a heavy burden to carry; the fate of the world was too much responsibility to give one young man but it was nevertheless what had happened. Though he meant the words Victor also felt sad that he hadn't told Chris yet that he knew it would only be a few years before Chris would be alone. He was dying, cancer they had told him. Chris had too much on his mind for Victor to want to tell him…not yet anyway. He'll just get distracted and try and find a way to save him when they both knew there wasn't any cure. In this life distractions more often than not meant death and Victor had sworn he would not bury another family member; he knew he could never handle such a loss.
"I know," Chris said and warmth appeared in his eyes and his smile. He gave Victor's hand on his shoulder a gentle squeeze before he hugged him close. They both enjoyed the embrace, the silent comfort it brought them, before they reluctantly drew apart. Chris picked up Victor's suitcase for him and the brief pause allowed both men enough time to regain their postures after the emotional moment. They went back out into the living room together where everyone had respectfully remained.
"Coop, follow us. The rest of you return to base," Chris ordered, going from being the loving grandchild to the strong military commander so easily one should think he had played both roles from birth.
Everyone nodded in response to his words. "Yes, Perry," the forest spirit said before she disappeared. Two more voices echoed her and all but Coop disappeared from view. Perry was the codename Chris the rebel leader had been given to hide his true identity from Wyatt and his people. No one would think that Chris Halliwell, the symbol of hope and freedom for the people living under Wyatt's oppressive regime was also Perry, the mysterious military leader of the Resistance.
"Coop, I want you to remain close to my grandfather. Protect him with your life. Don't believe it if someone claim I send them. Your location will only be known to you two and me," Chris said seriously, looking from Coop to his grandfather.
"You know you can count on me," Coop said solemnly.
Chris nodded, "I know." Cupids as a species lived on love; they were love. They were therefore incorruptible though they could be tricked or killed as their most effective power was the ability to move in time and place as well as temporally freeze a person in time. However, for this job that would be enough. The most important thing would be that Victor didn't get captured. Chris knew should that happen he would be faced with a dilemma he never wished to face; turn and join Wyatt to try and ensure his grandfather's safety or kill his grandfather himself so he would avoid the suffering he would surely endure at the hands of Wyatt's people. As the leader of the Resistance he received numerous reports and many detailed the horrors Wyatt's army used to keep the population in control. He would rather see his grandfather dead than suffer like that.
"Let's go," Chris said and Coop nodded his compliance with the order. Chris then turned to his grandfather and laid a hand on his shoulder, his expression and voice instantly softening, "Ready?"
Victor looked around his home one last time before he nodded, "Yes." He had over the years gotten used to orbing with Chris and he knew Chris's words had been to give him time to say farewell to the last piece of normality he had had left.
2 years later
The night his mother had been killed had been the last time Chris saw his father or brother. He wouldn't meet his brother again until he had turned 19 and had become the leader of the resistance against Wyatt. Now a jaded and calculated rebel leader who had only one weakness, his love for his grandfather, Chris lead an army of mortals, demons and good magic practitioners against Wyatt on many successful missions. He approached his brother, claiming to want to join him like many mortals, demons and good magic users had done already. Working as a spy from the inside Chris managed to turn several of Wyatt's highest ranking officials to his cause, including Wyatt's right hand man (or in this case woman); a deadly assassin named Bianca. From time to time he would hear news about his father saving innocents from Wyatt's army around the world but his father never again came to him.
His soldiers and comrades knew the young man Chris had grown into as a skilled leader and a deadly adversary for Wyatt's minions, Bianca knew him as a compassionate and adoring lover while Victor knew him as the boy he still was inside, with a heart of gold and scars on his soul. When it became time for Victor to say his final farewells Chris was almost twenty-one and Victor's only regret was to leave Chris alone in the dark world they now all lived in.
"Don't cry. It's my time," Victor said when Chris knelt by his bedside. It was time. He had known it for a while but stubborn as always he had fought for as long as he could. Now his body refused to go on any longer. Coop, who had stayed his constant companion and bodyguard through the years as they had moved from safe-house to safe-house, had called for Chris who had arrived as soon as he had been able. Through the years Victor had come to grow fond of the melancholic Cupid and a close friendship, though with a respectful distance due to his status as the grandfather of his leader, had developed between them. Their current safe-house was far out into the countryside, far away from the evils of Wyatt's reign. Out here one could almost pretend the last years had been nothing but a bad dream.
Chris had arrived at the safe-house as soon as he had been able to slip away from the constant duties his role as rebel leader laid on him. He had gone directly to his grandfather's bedroom, his heart heavy with sorrow and grief. Now, kneeling by his grandfather's bed he wasn't the strong leader who had led millions into battle; he was just a young man losing the last family he had. "Don't leave me, grandpa. I have no one else," Chris whispered hoarsely, tears on his cheeks and in his voice as he squeezed Victor's hand almost desperately.
Victor looked to Bianca who had stayed near the entrance to the room; a silent support and protector for the man she had come to love so dearly. "You have Bianca. Take care of each other," Victor said weakly but lovingly, giving Chris' hand an encouraging squeeze. He desperately wished he could give his grandchild some kind of advice or words which would warm him through the dark years to come but his weakened and pained body left his mind a blank and the words wouldn't come.
"We will," Bianca said solemnly but strongly. She had buried her own mother some years ago when she had been killed fighting for Wyatt against the Resistance. Chris turning her to good had eased her hate and she had accepted her death. She would mourn for Victor as she had come to care for him also as more than Chris's grandfather but she had learned to live with death in a way Chris never had.
Victor's eyes softened as he looked down at his grandchild kneeling beside his bed, his tearful face turned towards him as if he even now hoped against all hope that somehow he would get well. "You have done so much, sacrificed so much. I'm very proud of you. Your mother would be as well," he said softly.
Chris's face light up with hope and love. "You think so?"
To be able to give Chris this certainty made Victor relax a little knowing that finally he had found some words, some advice, which would comfort and soothe his beloved grandchild in the struggles he had ahead of him. "I know so," Victor assured with a weak nod of his head.
"Do you think…." Chris began softly but then his eyes fell to the sheets and his words died out.
The hesitation was all Victor needed to know what he wanted to ask. "Your father would be proud as well. He does love you," Victor said, a hint of desperation in his voice to try and convince him of this fact so that this open wound Chris had carried with him for years could finally heal.
"I doubt it," Chris said bitterly his thoughts clearly on past pains before his eyes returned to his grandfather's and all his attention once more was with him.
Victor didn't comment on that, he couldn't. Leo had never been there for Chris. Had never held him when he had been a child, never said he loved him. Time after time when Chris had sought his help, his time, his attention or his assistance he had been turned away. As a child Chris would reach out his arms whenever he saw his father in the hopes he would be picked up and every time Leo would walk by him to go to Wyatt, hoping his love and attention would turn his oldest son away from darkness. With years Chris had stopped trying to reach for his father and had stood as a silent observer when Leo walked by him. At first he had been sad, blaming himself but with years his pain had become more volatile and directed towards Leo. Maybe it was a good thing Chris had never seen Leo again for he had grown into a man strong enough to challenge his father on his actions. It would be very hard for Leo to ever regain the trusting and loving behaviour from Chris which he had unconsciously scorned when Chris had been just a child.
"Be careful," Victor said instead, his voice soft and weak, a hint of fear and worry in his face and eyes. He had not been able to give Chris back his family but he hoped he had eased some of the pain.
"I'll try," Chris said with a reassuring smile.
Victor knew it was the best promise he could give with the life he was living and he took all the comfort from the words as he could. "I love you. You became the son I never had. I could not have asked for a more loving grandchild," Victor said sincerely, his expression loving and his eyes moist as his hand gave Chris's as hard a squeeze as his weak body could muster. Despite all the pain, all the loss and heartache the last many years had given him, he would always be thankful because despite everything this harsh life had also given him Chris.
"I love you too. You're all I've left," Chris whispered softly, tears in his voice and on his cheeks as he squeezed his hand in return. Pain and grief were as if carved into his face and eyes; a forewarning of yet another loss, another burden for a young heart to carry.
"Don't despair. You will get through all this. Things will get better…somehow. They will," Victor insisted softly, his conviction born out of hope, dreams and desperation. This could not be how things were meant to be; he refused to believe it. Things would get better…they had to.
Chris gave him a small smile but it lacked any real hope and faith in this possibility; instead grief and pain fought for dominance in his face and entire posture. Victor gave a weak smile back and wanted to say something else, wanted to comfort, to reach out, but no more words came. He fell into an exhausted sleep and never woke up again. He died a few hours later. Chris buried him under a large tree in the garden, shadowed by a few chosen bodyguards while Bianca held his hand as he said a last silent goodbye. Not long after this Chris heard news that Wyatt had killed their father and that he was suspicious of his brother; the latest rebel attacks had been highly successful and Wyatt was beginning to admit that he might have underestimated his brother's strength and power. The news of his father's death left Chris with a cold emptiness he couldn't fill; torn between anger for all which had been denied him and grief for a father he had never really known.
A few months later
While Wyatt was waiting to see his suspicions confirmed Chris had come up with a daring plan; to go back in time to prevent Wyatt from ever turning evil. It was risky but it was his only hope. The rebel force was shattered and weary. His seer, Kira, had trouble gaining insight into Wyatt who used his own and his followers' powers to block her. He was down to two options, a direct attack on Wyatt with the goal of killing him or time-traveling. Despite it all, Chris found himself unable to kill Wyatt outright and chose the latter option.
The week before he was to leave he left his army for a few hours, taking only Bianca and a few bodyguards with him to visit his grandfather and mother's graves. With the rising tensions Bianca, now his own second in command, didn't let him leave anywhere without protection.
"I will save your son, mother, and you as well. Or I will die trying. No matter what I have to do…steal, kill or die then I will do it. I will fix this. I promise," Chris swore at his mother's grave, dark determination in his words and expression. This was his last chance to save his family; to save his world. It had to work; no sacrifice would be too great.
After this he orbed to his grandfather's grave, Bianca and his bodyguards following. At Victor's grave he simply said, "Thank you. For everything. Mother and you…you made me the man I am today. You kept me good. I will watch over you in the past to make sure you're alright even if you won't see me."
"Are you okay?" Bianca asked softly after Chris finished his vow to his grandfather, laying a hand on his arm as she walked up to him, having stayed a respectful distance yet close enough for him to feel she was near as he had said his farewells.
When he looked into her warm and loving eyes he felt better, stronger. He took hold of her hand and kissed her tenderly, stroking her face with his one hand. "Yes. Let's do this," he said strongly as he drew back. He knew there was one thing he would do on the day he was to leave…he would ask her to marry him. The memory of her would help him be strong enough to do what had to be done in order to change the future while he would be in the past.
The bodyguards stayed out of sight yet followed them as Bianca shimmered them both back to the current headquarters for the Resistance just as the sun started to set over the broken and destroyed city.
The end
Author's notes:
I hope you enjoyed it. Feedback would be treasured. I have two song vids which fit this theme of the relationship between Chris and his grandfather. Apparently I can't write URLs in here so instead you will have to look up my youtube profile (nadjalee2000) and search for the videos there. One is with the song 'Thank You For Loving Me'. Thanks for reading.