Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my own ideas. Title is a song by Beck.
Well, here we are again! Thanks to all who read my last story and reviewed, I really appreciate it, and I hope you like this story just as much!
For new readers, I suppose you don't necessarily have to read my previous story, but it would probably be somewhat confusing if you didn't.
I'll keep this short, so please, enjoy the first chapter of the sequel to He Doesn't Know Why!
:)
Two groups of orbs appeared in the sun room of the Halliwell manor, one group forming the infamous Charmed sisters and another forming the Twice-Blessed and his younger brother. They were covered in dirt and demon guts, all looking worn and exhausted.
Paige collapsed onto a chair with a long sigh, sliding down the cushions as she looked towards her sisters.
"Oh my god." She exclaimed. "How many more demons are we going to have to fight today?"
Two weeks had passed since the Sources threat to Chris, and following that same day, demons were acting up and attacking more frequently, causing the sisters to break from their normal lives even more than they usually did. It was taking its toll on the three sisters and their families, and as each day passed, they all became even more and more exhausted.
Phoebe and Piper collapsed on the chair next to her, the youngest sister being squished in the middle between them. The last few demons they had fought were quite quick and skilled in the art of fighting. Though they really were no match for the Halliwells, the fight had taken some time and a lot of energy out of the witches, and now they felt as if they couldn't even move a muscle.
"Sorry." Chris replied from his spot across the room, head resting in his hand as Wyatt ripped at the torn part of his shirt and began to heal the seeping wound on his shoulder.
All three sisters looked up towards the young witch. He looked at them and gave a shrug of his shoulders right as Wyatt finished healing his wound. This was kind of his fault, he realized. If he hadn't vanquished the Seer, maybe not even let himself get kidnapped by the Seer - since it was all planned out by he himself to begin with - none of this would be happening. The Source was trying to make him suffer, and God, did the Source know how to do that. His apparent distaste for all things magic the demon had caught onto, and he knew that sending demon after demon to attack him and his family would easily wear and irk him. His body ached all over from constant fight, though he had just been healed, and he was so tired. And, to think, it was only four o'clock in the afternoon.
"You had to vanquish the Seer, Chris." Phoebe cut in, not even needing her empathy to know that the kid felt somewhat guilty for the sudden rise in demon attacks.
Chris' eyes narrowed, and the boy stood from his seat, declaring, "There could have been another way." He started his way out of the room, catching on to his Aunt Paige's quick and tired jibe.
"Seems like James Dean is never going to loss that attitude."
He almost stopped at that, almost. He was still mad at the family for hiding the whole other Chris thing from him. The fact that this was forcing him to spend more time with them wasn't helping either. He didn't like being with his family for long periods of time. More than ever, he liked to just get away from the Manor, go out with his friends, and just forget about this whole magical mess that surrounded him. But, when he left, a demon would soon attack either him or his family, and he'd be forced to be right back with them, fighting. The occasional lower-level demon he could handle by himself, and he was always thankful when one orbed in instead of a stronger one. He hated all demons though, he hated this mess that wouldn't just fix itself. It was like once he finally caught a break, finally had some time to relax and breath, something else magical would explode and ruin the peace. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. If the Elders didn't want him to stray from his magical destiny or whatever that crap was, they'd better step in at some point. That was a laughable suggestion though, because, knowing those assholes above, they were just going to watch again and let him suffer. They can't mess with what's been "predestined." He felt like he hated the word "destiny" more than magic, or even the single phrase that always caused his blood to boil, "Blessed Be, Christopher."
"Chris."
The call caused the boy to snap free from his thoughts and blink, falling back to reality and catching his father standing in front of him, wearing a small smile. Chris didn't get why his father was smiling, there was nothing to smile about. Well, maybe since he had no powers and wasn't fighting demons, there was. It was a beautiful day out; the sun was shining brightly, no clouds in the sky, and the weather was perfect - not too hot, but not too chilly. Chris had only had but a brief minute to take it in. He had been outside smoking a cigarette, staring up at the sky, relaxed, until his brother called him frantically, informing him of yet another demon attack. He hated magic.
"How did the vanquishing go?" Leo asked his youngest son, instantly catching onto the sudden annoyance and hint of rage that was shining in his jade eyes. That was a big difference between him and his son; Chris didn't like magic too much, he didn't want his powers, he didn't like the idea of being forced to push aside his normal life because of it. Leo, on the other hand, was now powerless and missing the times when he had powers and could fight alongside his wife and family.
Although Leo was very fond of magic, a part of him hated it now as well.
He hated that, now, whenever he looked at his son, the boy looked different to him. Those visions had changed his son, the things he had seen had forced him to grow up faster, and the jade eyes that stared up at him were no longer the eyes of the child he remembered months ago. He had been forced to mature so fast - just like the other Chris had been forced to - and it pained Leo to see that.
"Great, dad." Chris responded with usual sarcasm, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at his old man. "It was a grand ol' time - well, other than the fact that my shoulder got hit with a freaking energy ball, it was lovely." Chris pointed to the tear in his shirt that exposed the once singed and bloody bare skin that was now smooth and clean. "Wish you could have been there." He sneered.
Chris began to walk away, pushing by his father, but stopped dead in his tracks, flinching back before shutting his eyes.
This alerted Leo; by the way his young son looked, he knew instantly the boy was having a premonition. He had seen it happen many times with his son as well as Phoebe.
Leo placed his hands on his son's upper arms, watching and waiting for the boy to finally snap out of it. A few seconds passed, then suddenly, Chris' eyes snapped open, staring blankly at nothing until Leo started up.
"Chris," He called his son's name, the teenager's jade eyes suddenly darting to look towards him. "What did you see?"
He just stared at him for a second, not blinking, causing Leo to get a bit worried. Chris' eyes then snapped away from him quickly, focusing their gaze off somewhere behind his father, before the boy finally spoke up.
"Shit."
"Christopher -"
Before his father could even finish his scolding, Chris started into action, pushing his father out of the way - much to the man's surprise - and flinging his arms out, causing the three demons who had just shimmered in to fly back against the wall with a thud, bringing down a few family photos and broken shards of glass with them.
Leo stared in awe, mouth slightly agape, as he watched his son call out to the broken shards of glass and directed the glowing blue and white orbs that had engulfed them straight into the group of demons. All three let out separate, agonizing, hisses of pain as they were engulfed in flames, and Chris was silently thankful that he had had that premonition and that the demons were luckily a group of lower-level ones. Without that premonition, things would not have gone so smoothly.
The sisters and Wyatt had all appeared in the foyer now, hearing a loud bang that had instantly put them on alert. Each let their eyes avert from the small mess of glass and broken frames on the ground to Chris, and finally, to Leo, who still sat on the floor, staring up at his son.
Chris looked back towards the sisters and Wyatt, then over to his father. "The one on the left was going to throw a dagger into your back." He told his father with a shrug, the disturbing image still playing in his mind, but this time without sound. It hadn't been as bad as one of his visions, but still, he wasn't too fond of seeing any of his family hurt, and whenever he had to hear that sickening, painful gasp or scream, he always felt sick to his stomach. "I had to push you out of the way."
Leo just gave a simple nod and made his way back onto his feet, "I guess we should lay some crystals around the house again, just in case another demon decides to shimmer in today." This had been the first attack at the Manor in a few days - most of the attacks had been targeted towards Chris this week, and Chris was usually out, trying to get away from the family and everything magical.
"Good idea." Paige chimed in, giving a nod as Piper walked over to the debris left over from the small fight, leaning down to see what frames and what pictures had been broken.
"Phoebe and I will get right on that." The youngest sister added, looking over to her older sister, getting a look of approval from Phoebe.
The two started their way towards the stairs, somewhat in a hurry, hoping that there would be no more demon trying to attack until they finished placing the crystals. Though it would only block out lower-level demons, the two sisters weren't worried. As of late, that was mostly what was attacking them. The occasional upper-level demon shimmered in once and a while, but they never really were out of kill any one in the family. The fights did last for quite sometime though, and with each one, the sisters were getting more and more worn.
"And I'll just head out for a bit." Chris added, pointing his thumb towards the front door of the Manor as he took a few steps back. He was in need of a cigarette break as well as a break from demons and his family. He didn't know if he would get the former, but he had been with his family far too long that day, and he was starting to feel a trapped and awkward around them. Family time was always so odd to him now, he didn't know how long it'd take for that to end, but he assumed when he was finally completely over being mad at them, it would stop.
Piper's head instantly snapped up at her son's statement, dropping the one broken frame she was holding and turning to protest. "Oh, no you are not, mister!"
She stood up from her spot, watching as Chris crossed his arms and glared at her, ready for a fight. "I am not staying cooped up in this house all day. I won't be able to make it without throwing one of you out a window."
"Christopher." Piper started, tone warning and facial expression stern. "What if a demon attacks? Remember what happened last time -"
"I just got hit by a dagger, no big deal." Chris shrugged his shoulders, arms still crossed, and Piper's expression took on a fierce change, the eldest Charmed One enraged by her son's statement.
"'No big deal?'" Piper repeated, voice disbelieving and tinged with rage. Her son had been hit by too many daggers as of late, and she wasn't ready to just blow it off as no big deal like her son was. Lately, she had been very protective of her youngest son, especially after all that had happened with him.
"I called you guys for help, and Wyatt healed me." Chris motioned over to his brother, who watched from his spot with a similar look that matched his mother's. His brother was acting like an idiot again, and, like his mother, Wyatt found being stabbed with a dagger as something much more than "no big deal".
"It wasn't like I was going to bleed out in that alley or anything." Chris went on. When his mother's expression didn't falter, Chris let out a sigh. He got why she was so worried, he did, but she couldn't keep him trapped in the house, wrapped in some plastic bubble until the Source got bored of sending demons to attack. He'd surely get cabin fever by then, and that would not be good for his family.
"Look," he started, "I'll call Wyatt if anything happens. He'll know anyway, cause of our bond, so stop freaking out and let me go, warden."
Piper narrowed her eyes as she saw her son grew one of his smirks. "Yeah, that's not helping your case any." She replied.
"I'll take vanquishing potions with me, I'll have my phone on me - and I'll actually answer when you call for once - and I won't block Wyatt from sensing where I am at all times." Chris told her, very peeved, his annoyance growing tenfold as he spotted the smile that grew on his mother's face. She knew this wasn't ideal circumstances for him, but it definitely was for her.
"Fine." Piper finally agreed, Chris instantly rushing to the door, grabbed the few vanquishing potions that sat on the table beside it. "But you better do everything you just said! Everything!"
"Got it." Chris replied, not even turning back to look towards his family as he rushed out the door, slamming it shut behind him.
"You think he's actually going to follow anything he just said?" Piper asked, looking over towards her husband and eldest son.
The two looked towards each other briefly before turning back towards Piper.
"Not one bit." Wyatt replied, knowing his brother all too well. He had already tried to sense for his brother, and not even two steps off the property and the kid was already blocking him.
"Piper." Leo made his way over to his wife, wrapping an arm around her as she stared at the door, a mix of worry and anger staining her features. "You know our son," he started, looking up towards the door along with her, a small smile on his face, though a bit worried for the boy as well, "he's never been one to follow the rules."
"Oh, I know. I'm going to kill him when he gets back." Piper declared, staring at the door of the Manor, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.
Chris sat on a bench in the park, across from the playground he used to play on as a kid, holding a cigarette between two fingers. Kids ran around the jungle gym, climbing on the monkey bars, climbing through tunnels, sliding down slides, and chasing each other through the maze of plastic and metal. Chris took a drag of his cigarette and placed his head in his hand, letting his eyes shut briefly, before opening them and allowing his gaze to land towards his shoes. God, he missed being a kid. Not for the usual normal reasons though. Well, yes, he missed being carefree, he missed being innocent, he missed always being happy, feeling like nothing could get him down, but what he really missed was not having to be involved in the magic world as fully as he was now. He didn't like having to be a part of this chaos, it just felt overwhelming. It was so hard to balance his normal life with his magic life, and he found himself struggling more and more as of late. He felt like he was just going to snap, break down and just scream and scream in frustration. There was so much going on, so much.
"I don't know how you do it." Chris spoke up, turning his head to look towards the woman who sat next to him, the brown haired Phoenix letting her eyes settle on the teenager before tilting her head.
"How I do what?" She asked.
Chris ran a hand over his face before sitting back up and taking a drag. "How you balance the two." He didn't have to say the two things, because he and Bianca had been having these conversations very frequently, and by now, she understand what the "two" were. He also knew it wasn't the best idea to speak of magic in a public place, where there were many open ears to hear him.
"Well, Chris." She started, "You know more of my life is centered around the other part." Bianca watched as Chris took a drag, rolling his eyes at her statement. He didn't understand why anyone would chose to immerse themselves in magic if they had the choice, but Bianca had grown up learning of it since she was a kid. She went on her first hunt when she was five, her life had been centered towards magic ever since she was born. Chris had been allowed to live normally for his childhood, and only when he got into the double digits was he exposed more to magic. A part of her wondered what life would have been like for her if she had been allowed to do the same thing Chris' parents had done for him, but she liked magic, she liked her life being centered around it. She couldn't help it, she just enjoyed the hunt.
"I do have a normal life too." She went on, "And I don't really know how I learned to balance it -"
"Maybe it's because you're not the son of a freaking Charmed One and an ex-Elder." Chris cut in, speaking the statement with a hint of resentment and venom. He had kept his voice soft, making sure that only Bianca could here him.
"That may be one reason, but your parents still found a way to balance it." She reminded the younger witch, her eyes wandering back towards the playground, watching as a group of children chased each other up the slide. A small smile grew on her lips, watching as the kids ran and smiled ecstatically. She loved children, they were like a bright light in world of darkness. They know nothing of what hid in the dark, they were protected from it, and seeing someone so innocent was refreshing for Bianca, especially in her line of work.
Chris took a drag of his cigarette, letting his eyes wander back towards the playground as well. "You're forgetting that my dad's now a mortal and wishes more than ever that he could use magic again."
"So?" Bianca crossed her arms and let her eyes wander back towards Chris, watching as the teenager dropped the remains of his cigarette to the ground and stomped it out with his heel, all while pulling out another stick and lighting it. "Your mom found a way to balance it." She reminded him. After a pause, she started up again, "Speaking of your parents; do they know that we've still been seeing each other?"
Chris let out a laugh and slouched back, taking a drag from his cigarette as he let the stick hang from his lips. "Hell no." He told her, pulling the stick out from his lips, "My mom wouldn't be too fond of me becoming buddy-buddy with an assassin witch." He paused for a minute, before adding, "She'd probably blow you up, then me, and I'd like to avoid that, if possible."
Bianca's lips curled up into a smile as she let out a small laugh. Chris was right on that. His whole family - especially Piper - would not be very pleased to see him becoming close to her in any way. It was odd, she had never pictured herself becoming friends with a Halliwell of all people, but ever since she had heard his name, she felt a connection to him. He felt it too, and now she couldn't imagine not seeing Chris every week, not having him in her life. The other Bianca's feelings still lingered inside her, and she felt that love for Chris, but not as strong as the other her. She cared for him deeply, she didn't want to see him hurt, and she knew Chris felt the same way towards her. Having those emotions from the other versions of themselves made things complicated. They were completely different people than their alternates, but in some ways, the completely the same.
Her eyes wandered over to Chris, watching as the brunette took a drag of his cigarette, jade eyes starring out towards the playground. "You know," Chris started, eyes still glued to the playground, "I wish I was still like them." Chris motioned over to the playground, Bianca's gaze drifting over that way. "I wish I didn't have to deal with any of this crap, I wish I was still allowed to ignore it all and just be normal."
Bianca had heard in the Underworld of the Source's little game he was playing with Chris and his family. He was sending demon after demon after them, ordering strictly that they were not to kill, they were just to fight. Of course, any demon would jump at the chance to be summoned by the Source to to actually go against the Halliwell family. Fighting with them was a great challenge, and if they did somehow manage to escape without being vanquished, they would have great pride and a right to it. She was really suspicious of the Source's motives though. Most of the Underworld claimed it was because of what Chris had down to the Seer, but Bianca knew the Source. He wasn't an idiot. He had kept himself away form the Halliwell family for so long for a good reason. There was something more behind this, something that the Source knew he could gain from this, but Bianca didn't know just what. She'd find out though, because she had a feeling it was something to do with Chris, and she would never let anyone harm him.
She looked back to Chris, watching as the boy blew smoke out from his lungs, sitting slouched on the bench, staring straight ahead at the children and the playground in front of them.
"You are normal, Chris." She insisted, seeing the longing and pain that he was trying to hid behind his gaze.
Chris let out a laugh and sat up straight, placing the cigarette between his lips, "Bullshit." He declared, looking her way. "We both know that's not true. So, please, Bianca, stop sounding like every other idiot adult in my life."
Bianca turned her gaze back to the playground, watching where Chris stared.
"You're right." She stated, Chris blowing out a cloud of smoke as she told him. "You're not normal - we're not normal - everyone around us is not normal. But that's our life."
"I never asked for this life." Chris told her, letting his eyes dart away from the playground, the children, parents, and world that he envied, starting down at the cigarette in his hand. "I never wanted this life."
He wished he could be like them, he wished he could be like any other person in this park, any random, normal passerby who didn't have to worry about some demon randomly attacking them. He wished he could go through his life living in their world, filled with the minor problems such as work and love. He wanted to be just some ordinary, average Joe. But he knew, as much as he wished, he would never be normal. He wasn't destined for normal, he was destined to do great, almost unreal things. He hated destiny, he wished that word didn't exist, just like he wished magic didn't. But, wishes don't come true; and there he was, sitting in the park, staring out at a normal world that he wasn't allowed to be completely part of, a world that he would always feel separated from.
That was all because of his heritage, all because of what ran through his veins, all because of destiny ... He hated destiny.
The air was murky and the room was dimly lit, just the way the Source liked it. He sat at a table in the center of the room, his two closest minions to his sides, and two strong demons in front of him, finishing their bows before rising up and waiting for him to speak. These two were crucial to his plan.
"I know you must be wondering why I summoned you both here?" He started, watching as the two demons both grew wide smirks, already guessing why they had been called.
"I want you two to personally go after Chris Halliwell." The Source informed them. "Do not harm him though. I need you to work at breaking him and his brother apart - they already have a very strained relationship, so I believe the task will be no problem for you." He looked towards the demon on his right, watching as the old demon grew a wider smirk, looking excited.
"I'll take care of it." He told the Source, dark green eyes shining his excitement. "It's been a while since I've played with the Halliwell's, and if the rumors about the younger one are true, I bet he's got a lot to be afraid of."
"You've been vanquished by the Halliwell's four separate times, Barbas." The other demon pointed out, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. "What makes you think that you'll escape vanquishing this time?"
"I'm a lot stronger than I used to be." Barbas told her, turning his head to look towards the demon by his side. "I've got a lot more up my sleeve now a days." He paused for a moment, smirk growing once again, before adding, "And, besides, I always come back. Fear always exists, and along with fear, there is me."
"I've got a question, though." Barbas turned his head and looked towards the Source, devilishly, "Why don't you just kill the little Halliwell?" He inquired, "Not that I don't find the idea of messing with the kid not fun. I'm just wondering."
"Because," The Source started, "if I kill one Halliwell, I'd have the rest of them, including the Twice-Blessed brat, on my back." He paused, folding his hands and letting a small smirk grow across his features. "Besides, Chris could be of great use to me."
"Oh really?" Barbas asked, smirking, instantly intrigued, "Do tell."
"That doesn't concern you, Barbas." The Source hissed, tone changing, his voice almost threatening, reminding Barbas of his place. "You're just to work on pulling Chris farther and farther away from his family, especially his brother."
Barbas raised his hands up, still wearing a small smirk. "Fine." He took a few steps back, letting his eyes wander over to the female demon beside him. He pointed a finger her way and asked, "Why'd you summon her then?"
The Source looked from Barbas to the demon beside him, starting to get very irritated by the Demon of Fear's questions. These things were none of the demon's business, and his cocky attitude was very displeasing to the Source. "She'll come into play later." He informed them both, the woman growing a wide smile at this, even more interested in her part of the plan. "I suggest you leave, Barbas." The Source ordered, "Your questions have really started to annoy me, and I need to talk to Altus in private."
Altus gave a smile and turned to Barbas, giving him a small, sadistic wave goodbye, each finger waving slowly at him.
"Report back to me periodically." The Source ordered Barbas. "Once Chris has been pulled far enough from his family, I can get the rest of the plan into motion."
"Yes, your highness." Barbas replied as he bowed, letting his eyes wander over to Altus one more time, the she-devil giving him a wide smirk. He knew she liked the idea that she was being used for a more important purpose than him, but he wouldn't let that get him down. He was going to be attacking the Halliwell boy, feeding off of the youngest's many fears, and boy, did this excite Barbas. The Halliwells were always such a challenge, and always so much fun to mess with. He had a feeling this brat wouldn't be any exception.
Barbas stood back up and looked towards Altus and the Source once more before flaming out, orange fire consuming him, leaving the Source and a smirking Altus behind, discussing the Source's true intention with messing with the Halliwell boy. Barbas almost wished he could stay to hear it, but he had a feeling that he would find out soon enough, once the plan was put fully into motion. Most of the success depended on how much he could torture the youngest Halliwell brother, and he would make sure to do a fine job with that.
Oh, he could hardly wait to feed off of Chris Halliwell, he had a feeling his fears were far more abundant and rich than any other witch he had ever fed on before.
Thank you all so much for reading and hopefully reviewing!
I've already started the next chapter and I will try to get it finished and up as soon as possible.
Thanks again for reading, and I hope you all review!
:)