The Future Chronicles; Volume Two

[SimplyAretha]

posted by wiccangirl311


NOTE: I began working on the future Chronicles before the show announced that Chris was in fact the son of Piper and Leo. This volumes and the ones that will follow after completely ignore that idea...so just go with it and i hope that you enjoy.
*******
THE FUTURE CHRONICLES
Chapter One
He was running down the steep slope of the street. His shoes splashed in the puddles and pounded hard against the cement. He had to run they were after him, if they caught him…<br>
He was now on his back, his vision blurred for a second and the rain fell cold against his face. He got up and began to run faster than before. There it is, almost there. He quickly went up the stone steps and entered the old maroon manor. Home, he was home and everything would be right again. He tried to speak but nothing came out, he had no voice.

He ran into the living room and saw his family; he ran up to them. They looked at him strangely, “Who are you?” they mouthed. He could hear nothing, nor could he believe what was happening. He grabbed one of them, “Mom,” he mouthed. The woman looked at him disgustedly and tried to fend him off.

He let go of her and rant to the mantle to grab a picture to use as proof that he was her son, except he couldn’t find any. The pictures from his child hood were there except he wasn’t in any of them.

The family looked at him like he was crazy; a tall young man walked up to him along with a young girl. He knew them; it was his cousin and best friend.

“Chris, Evie,” he tried to say.

They laughed at him; Chris held up a picture of Piper, Phoebe, Leo and Jason and tore it to pieces.

Evie walked up to him “Choose your destiny,” she whispered in his ear. A bright flash blinded him, he was screaming, a white hot pain flooded through him. His cousin’s words echoed in his head.

Wyatt woke up in a cold sweat. His breathing was staggered.
A knock came at the door, “Wyatt are you alright?” Chris said from the hall.

“Yeah, just a bad dream; go back to sleep.”<br>End of Chapter One

[SimplyAretha]

Chapter two
Wyatt was walking briskly down the street. It was a beautiful day in San Francisco, the sun was out and there were but a few clouds in the sky. The breeze gently beat against Wyatt’s wind breaker jacket.

“Hey Wyatt,” Phoebe said as he walked into the manor.

Wyatt walked up to her and gave her a giant hug and a kiss on the cheek. “What’s all this for?”<br>
“Can’t I just let my aunt know I love her without any questions?”<br>
Phoebe smiled.

Piper walked in with some bottles of perfume, “Ok which one would you choose? Clinique or the Channel?”<br>
“Mom,” Wyatt walked up to her and hugged her, “Have I ever told you how much I love you?”<br>
Piper looked at him strangely, “Ok, who are you?”
Wyatt’s eyes widened,

“And what have you done with my son?”<br>
Wyatt laughed nervously.

*****
“Well?” Wyatt said as he waited for his cousin to respond to what he told her about his dream.

Evie finished tying her hair into a bun. “It seems that you just have a lot on your mind,” she said as she took a seat next to him on her bed. “Having the pictures, all of which in reality contain you in them, not have you in them, and probably suggests that you may be feeling slightly out of place in the family; a feeling of being different maybe.”<br>
“What about Chris’ role?” Wyatt asked.

“Well he did tear up a picture of both your parents and mine, which could represent some rocky waters to come for their marriages maybe…hopefully not.”<br>
“I agree so far, but how can you explain your role and what my mom said?”<br>
Evie thought for a while before speaking. “What Piper said is probably foreshadowing a change in your life. Maybe a big decision will come your way, you’ll dye your hair or maybe you’ll try to get serious with Anna. As for my part, probably the same thing…although I did come up to you at the same time as Chris so maybe you have an issue with my dating Chris.”<br>
Wyatt got up and began to pace the room.

“Ah-ha! I knew it,” Evie said standing up on her bed, “You do have a problem with me and Chris.”<br>
“It’s jus that he’s older than you and-”<br>
“Wyatt, don’t give me any of that. You’ve known Chris your whole life and you trust him and anyone you trust, I trust.”<br>
Wyatt sighed, “You’re not going to give this up are you?

Evie smiled, “Nope; also my whole choose your destiny thing I guess is as straight forward as that.”<br>
Wyatt nodded and continued to pace around the room.

“I wouldn’t just ignore it though,” Evie said after a while.

“I thought you just told me that I just have a lot on my mind.”<br>
“Yes, but you come from a long line of witches and maybe it could be-“<br>
“A premonition? That’s a power of mine.”<br>
“Not a premonition, more like intuition in a way. My mom says that sometimes dreams aren’t just dreams but a way for your subconscious telling you of something to come. Maybe you should talk to her about it.”<br>****
Wyatt was walking down the crowded hall. He hadn’t been able to focus in his lit class, he was too busy thinking about the dream he had a couple of nights ago. He kept thinking about what his cousin had told him, her opinions on deciphering the dream. ‘Maybe Evie was right,’ he thought to himself. ‘Maybe his subconscious was trying to tell him something. But what?’<br>
“Wyatt!” Chris said louder than before.

“Huh?” Oh hey Chris,” Wyatt replied just seeing his friend.
Chris looked at him curiously, “You ok?”<br>
“Yeah, I’m cool, why?”<br>
Chris shrugged, “Well you’ve been out of it the past couple of days, and you left your keys in the door knob. That’s not like you, are you sure you’re feeling ok?” he said handing Wyatt his house keys.

“I’ve just been preoccupied that’s all.”<br>
“Is that dream still bugging you?”<br>
“I’m just trying to figure out what it means,” Wyatt replied.

“I thought you and Evie deciphered it all out,” Chris said as he and Wyatt walked out to the court yard.

“We did but she said that it could be my subconscious trying to tell me something.”<br>
“Two coffees,” Chris said to the vender and paid him. “What do you think it’s trying to tell you?”<br>
Wyatt shrugged, “I have no idea, maybe it’s warning about the consequences of a decision that I will make in the near future. Evie suggested that I should talk to her mom.”<br>
Chris handed Wyatt a cup of coffee, “Talk to her, she would be the one that would be most helpful since it relates to her power.”<br>
Wyatt nodded, “Maybe I will.”<br>
Chris checked his watch, “I’ve got to get going, catch you later.”<br>End of chapter two

[SimplyAretha]

Chapter three
The street was quiet; no one had passed Wyatt by for quite some time now. The only sounds that could be heard were the occasional barking of a dog or the sound of Wyatt’s shoes pounding against the pavement. Wyatt enjoyed walking in the silence, it was peaceful and relaxing.

All of a sudden, a girl with light brown hair and eyes shimmered in front of him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked suspiciously.

The girl ran up to him holding her right side, “Help me, please.”<br>
Wyatt looked at her, “Why should I help you? The last time I did you attacked my family.”<br>
The girl grabbed his arm, “Please, there’s no time; if they find us they will kill us both.”<br>
“Who? Who are you running from?”<br>
The girl did not have to answer for three men clad in long red robes appeared. Each of them had a blade in their hands that glistened and gleamed in the sunlight.

“Get her!” one of them ordered.

One man lunged at them but Wyatt orbed the blade from his hand. The other two lunged towards them but Wyatt orbed him and the girl out.
****
“Thanks,” Bianca said when the two appeared in Wyatt’s apartment.

“Sit down, you’re hurt,” Wyatt said helping her to sit on the couch. Wyatt moved aside her brown jacket; blood could be seen on the right side of her purple shirt. Wyatt placed his hands over the wound and a goldish light appeared.

“What’s the matter?” Bianca asked looking at Wyatt’s puzzled expression.

“I can’t heal it, it’s like it won’t let me heal it.”<br>
Bianca nodded and covered the wound with her jacket again. “You tried,” she said and was about to get up when Wyatt stopped her.

“You’re not leaving, I won’t risk it. You’re hurt and it’s too dangerous with those guys after you.”<br>
“I can take care of myself,” Bianca said defensively.

Wyatt gave her a skeptic look and lightly hit her wound.

Bianca winced in pain. “Your enemy knows that’s a weakness. Stay here, I’ve got to make a call.”<br>
Bianca glared at him, ‘Who was he to be giving me orders?’ she thought to herself. She glanced around the apartment; it was not very colorful or decorated. There were a couple of paintings on the wall and a few picture frames here and there.

Wyatt hung up the phone and walked back over to Bianca who was holding a picture frame in her hands. “Is this your girlfriend?” she asked glancing at the girl with green eyes smiling cheerfully back between Wyatt and Chris.

“God no, that’s my cousin Evie.”<br>
Bianca laughed, “Oh, sorry about that.” Bianca placed the picture frame back onto the stand next to her.

“Since I’m helping you out, do you mind telling me who those guys are that are after you?”<br>
Bianca was quiet for a moment. “No one really knows their name but they’re called Bringers,” Bianca said after a while. “They’re called Bringers because they bring death to those they’re assigned to kill.”<br>
“Well why are they after you?”<br>
Bianca shrugged, “I don’t know.”<br>
Wyatt raised an eyebrow, “I find that hard to believe.”<br>
“When you have a track record as long as mine, it’s hard to remember who you’ve pissed off the most.” Bianca laughed weakly, she gasped out in pain. She looked at Wyatt and smiled, “Guess I really ticked someone off huh?”<br>
Wyatt smiled forcedly.

A knock came at the door and Wyatt got up to answer it.

“What was so important? Are you alright?” Evie asked as Wyatt let her in.

“I’m fine, I’m glad you came.”<br>
Evie looked at Wyatt curiously, “What’s going on?”<br>
Wyatt led her over to the living room where Bianca was.
Evie’s eyes widened.

“Let me explain,” Wyatt said quickly.

“You better have a damn good explanation as to why a Phoenix, a.k.a. witch killer, is in your apartment,” Evie said.

Wyatt smiled, “Evie she needs our help.”<br>
“Our help? With what, stealing the book and killing our family?”<br>
“Evie she’s in need of our help, we have to protect her.”<br>
“Wyatt, we protect the innocent, not foes.”<br>
Wyatt sighed, “Please just help. She’s been wounded by these people called the Bringers-“<br>
“Woa, rewind. The Bringers are after her? Do you know how much danger you just put yourself in by bringing her here?”<br>
“How do you know about the Bringers?” Wyatt asked.

“B.O.S.”<br>
“Right; anyways, that makes her an innocent…sort of. Evie, come on, help?”<br>
Evie looked at Bianca then sighed, “Alright but you owe me.”<br>Wyatt smiled, “Evie this is…er?”<br>
“Bianca,” Bianca said.

“Bianca this is my cousin Evie.”<br>
“Hi,” Evie said then turned to Wyatt. “Does Chris know about this?”<br>
Wyatt shook his head, “No and neither do any of our parents. I’ll tell Chris when he gets back but you have to promise to keep this a secret.”<br>
Evie laughed nervously, “Unfortunately I’ve inherited my mom’s lack of being able to keep a secret but I’ll try.”<br>
“Good; Bianca was stabbed by one of the Bringer’s blades.”<br>
“Well heal her,” Evie said.

“I tried but it won’t work.”<br>
Evie thought for a minute then asked, “What did the blade look like?”<br>
“Like this,” Wyatt said handing her the dull silver blade.
Evie examined it in her hands. “It’s old, my guess is that it dates back to the late 1600’s,” she said after a while. She then turned to Bianca, “The book says that a Phoenix’s blood line dates back to the time of the Salem witch trials, is that true?”<br>
Bianca nodded, “It’s true. My family tree runs that far back; a relative of mine was burnt at the stake. What does knowing that have to do with anything.”<br>
“It has everything to do with it. Next question, did the blade actually go in you or did it just graze you?”<br>
“The man who did it jabbed the damn thing in, deep too,” Bianca replied.

Evie nodded, “Just as I suspected,” she said. “The blade was wielded after the time of the Salem witch trials when the Phoenix was first heard of by a group of people- I forget who exactly- anyways it was to make sure that they could kill a Phoenix since they’re pretty much invincible.”<br>
“How do you figure?” Wyatt asked looking at the blade.

“Elementary my dear Wyatt,” Evie replied, “The blade had to be made in a poison; otherwise you would be able to heal her. Remember that a Phoenix is susceptible to death by non-magical incidents and poison would be a sure way to kill one off. The only thing is what kind of poison is it?”<br>
Bianca was now breathing heavily. Evie went over to her and checked her forehead, “Temperature,” she said and took out a pen and notebook from her book bag. “Wyatt, do you have any mandrake root, witch hazel and aloe leaves?”<br>
“I’ll check.” Wyatt left the room.

Evie began jotting something down in the notebook.

“What’s that?” Bianca asked weakly.

“I’m going to keep track of your symptoms, this way I might be able to figure out what’s in the poison,” Evie replied still writing. “About how long ago were you stabbed?”<br>
“Um…about a half hour ago.”<br>
Evie nodded.

“Thank you,” Bianca said.

Evie put her pen down and looked at Bianca, “You’re welcome, but if you turn on us when you’re cured, I will kill you.”<br>
“Fair enough,” Bianca said with a weak smile. Evie smiled also.
End of chapter three

[SimplyAretha]

Chapter four
“Wyatt?” Chris said as he entered the apartment.

“Ah!” Bianca exclaimed as Evie patted the wound with a cotton swab.

“I told you it would sting; it’s to help kill off the infection.”<br>
“Well it feels like it will be killing off more than just the infection.”<br>
“What the hell is she doing here?” Chris demanded as he entered the living room.

“Hi, my name’s Bianca and you are?” she said sarcastically.
Chris glared at her.

Evie got up, “Chris, I can explain…just not here.” She said as she dragged Chris away from Bianca and the two entered his bedroom.

“Mind telling me why she’s here?” Chris demanded.

“Don’t use that tone with me Chris, she needed our help and we’re helping her,” Evie replied innocently as she sat down on the bed.

Chris sat down next to her, “We? Who’s we?”<br>
“Wyatt, me and you if you want to help.”<br>
Chris sighed heavily.

“Chris, there’s people, called the Bringers, that are after her. She came to Wyatt for help that makes her an innocent.”<br>
“An innocent?” Chris said incredulously, “How does someone that tries to kill my best friend’s family and my girlfriend come off as being an innocent?”<br>
Evie grabbed his hand, “She needs our help and if Wyatt trust’s her-”<br>
“Then you trust her,” Chris finished. “I know it’s just that I don’t want you to get hurt.”<br>
Evie smiled and kissed his lips, “Christopher, thank you for your concern but I’ll be fine.”<br>
Chris kissed her on the forehead.


“I don’t even want to know,” Wyatt said as Chris and Evie walked out of the bedroom.

Evie gave her cousin a look, “What do we do now?”<br>
Wyatt shrugged, “We need to keep her out of harms way,” Wyatt replied.

“What about where she’s going to stay?” Chris asked.

“So you’re going to help?” Wyatt said. Chris nodded. “Now I really don’t want to know what went on in there.”<br>
“Shut up,” Evie said with a laugh.

“Evie, when do your parents leave for Paris?” Wyatt asked.

“Not until Friday,” she replied.

Wyatt nodded, “Bianca will stay here until then; as soon as your parents leave she’ll stay with you.”<br>
“I don’t need a babysitter,” Bianca said annoyed, “I have my own place.”<br>
“Yes but the Bringers probably know that and are expecting your return so that they can kill you,” Chris said. “But if you want to go home go ahead. There’s the door.”<br>
Bianca glared at him.

“Then it’s settled,” Evie said. “She’ll stay here until Friday then she’ll crash at my place. In the mean time I should figure out what was in that poison.”<br>
Wyatt handed her zip lock bag containing the knife, “Keep track of the symptoms and call my cell if anything new comes along.”<br>
Wyatt nodded, “Keep us posted with your findings.”<br>
“Ok; bye.”<br>
“Are we still on for tonight?” Chris asked.

“Of course; see you then.” Evie gave him a quick kiss on the lips then left.

“Well I have a class to go to,” Wyatt said. “Try to get along and she doesn’t leave the apartment.”<br>
After Wyatt had left an awkward silence fell between Chris and Bianca.

“So…you hungry?” Chris asked making his way to the kitchen.

“Yeah,” Bianca replied.

“Well unless you have telekinesis the food won’t be leaving the fridge so you might as well get up from that couch,” Chris said from the kitchen.

Bianca rolled her eyes and struggled to get up.

End of chapter four

[SimplyAretha]

Chapter five
“I thought you said that you were bad at this game,” Wyatt said as Bianca collected money from him.

She smiled slyly, “Well I was…until I played you. Monopoly has never been so much fun.”<br>
“Re-match,” Wyatt said setting up the game board.

“Ok, I can use another win.”<br>
“Don’t get cocky,” Wyatt teased.

“Must be some date,” Bianca said as Chris walked out wearing a blue blazer and slacks.

“Where are you taking her that requires you to dress up like so?” Wyatt asked as he rolled the dice.

“I’m taking her to the Blue,” Chris answered as he adjusted the cuffs of his shirt.

“The Blue?” Bianca said, “Isn’t that they restaurant down town in Union Square that’s really fancy and hard to get into and where celebrities eat?”<br>
“That would be the one, have you ever been there?” Chris said.

“No, how did you get reservations?”<br>
“I know this guy that works there and he owed me a favor. So how do I look?”<br>
“You look ok,” Wyatt said, “What’s the occasion though?”<br>
Chris took a seat on the arm of the couch, “It’s our three month anniversary and I wanted to treat her to some place special,” he replied.

A knock came at the door.

“That’s her.”<br>
“You didn’t offer to pick her up?” Bianca said.

“She needed to drop something off,” Chris said and went to open the door.

“Hey,” Evie said with a big smile, and gave him a kiss on the lips, “All dressed up and wearing cologne. You look great,” she said.

“Thanks and you look amazing,” Chris commented.

“Evie, you look nice, did you make that dress?” he asked referring to her black dress she wore which hit just below the knees. The material was loose from the hips down allowing the skirt part to accent the way she moved.

“Yup, not bad huh?” Evie walked into the living room, “How are you holding up?” she asked Bianca.

“I’ve been better,” Bianca replied.

Evie handed her a small purple pouch filled with a pink powder, “Here’s something that will keep the poison calm. Lemon and honey flavored; it’s just like tea so just add some hot water.”<br>
“Thanks,” Bianca said and took the pouch.

“We should get going,” Chris said.

“Where are we going anyways?” Evie asked curiously.

“You know I can’t tell you that,” Chris replied with a grin.

End of Chapter five

[SimplyAretha]

Chapter six
There was slow jazz music that was playing in the restaurant. The saxophonist was performing his beautiful solo as the couples on the dance floor floated along in each other’s arms.

Evie and Chris were silently dancing. The way they were was peaceful to Evie yet it made her heart beat fast.

Evie smiled, “What’s with the grin?”<br>
Chris smiled, “Nothing, I was just thinking.”<br>
“Thinking about what?”<br>
“Do you remember when we pulled that prank on Leslie Bielsker?”<br>
“Ah the snooty snob that used to live down the street from Aunt Piper; yeah I remember.” Evie laughed, “Remember when you used TK to move the painting off the wall, she completely freaked. Not to mention the fact that she was home alone when we did that.”<br>
Chris laughed, “The best part was when you put on that scary looking clown mask and entered the house through the wall.”<br>
“Good times, good times.”<br>
Chris looked at Evie, “I love you,” he said.

Evie smiled big, “I love you too,” she replied and gave him a kiss.
*****
“Yeah, that sounds great; talk to you tomorrow; bye.” Wyatt hung up the phone.

Bianca came into the living room in baggy sweats and an oversized sweat shirt that had the letters SFSU printed on the front. “Thanks for the clothes.”<br>
“No problem, there’s some extra blankets and a pillow on the couch,” Wyatt said.

Bianca nodded, “Look, I’m sorry to be such a burden on you.”<br>“You’re not a burden.”<br>
Bianca sighed, “Still you all have gone out of your way to help me. It’s nice to be cared for.”<br>
“Your mom cared for you,” Wyatt said.

Bianca shook her head, “All she cared about was our duty as a Phoenix, and nothing more.” Bianca was quiet for a while.

“You miss her don’t you?”<br>
Bianca wiped her eyes, “A little but not that much. I think I want to get to sleep now.”<br>
Wyatt nodded, “Good night.”<br>
“Good night.”<br>
Bianca did not immediately go to sleep; she had turned out the lights but her head was filled with too many thoughts that it prevented her from sleeping. She thought of her mother, the times when she and her mother laughed and hugged; all these times were before she was thirteen. Now at the age of twenty four, Bianca still felt isolated; it was as if her mother had turned her heart to stone along with Bianca’s.

She envied Wyatt and his close relationship to his family and good friendship with Chris. She envied Evie; she had seen how protective Chris had become of her. She saw the way he looked at her with soft, loving eyes. She saw how Evie’s face lit up when he had entered the room. Bianca wanted that, she wanted to experience love; the guys in her past were based on lust and only attracted to her power. She wanted a family, someone to love and who would love her back.

Suddenly she thought of Wyatt again, yet couldn’t help herself by thinking about how attractive he was, along with his being powerful. The power didn’t matter to her; she liked the shade of blue his eyes were and the broadness of his shoulders. She liked his commitment to helping her out. She liked beating him at monopoly along with the sound of his voice when he spoke to her.

Bianca smiled to herself and closed her eyes. She was still smiling as she drifted off to sleep.

End of chapter six

[SimplyAretha]

Chapter seven
Evie smiled as she kissed Chris again on the lips.

"Whew," she said as she fixed her hair.

The two had pulled up to her street an hour ago but
couldn’t seem to let the night end. Chris stroked her
hand with his thumb.

Evie smiled at him, "Tonight was great," she said.

"It was wasn’t it?" Chris leaned over and kissed her
again. First her lips then her neck. "Oww," he said.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Yeah; damn stick shift."

Evie laughed, "It is in the way huh?" she leaned over
and kissed him then laughed. "Don’t you wish that we
could have one of those cars that didn’t have bucket
seats like they did in the 1970’s?"

Chris smiled, "All the time." Evie raised an eyebrow.

"You know what I mean," he said. Chris sighed, "Your
parents are probably wondering where you are," he said
as he tucked a curl of her hair behind her ear.

Evie smiled, "Yeah, if they weren’t in San Jose until
tomorrow morning." Evie looked at Chris again and
kissed him softly on the lips.


Evie took of the black cardigan she was wearing and
turned to Chris.

"Are you sure, because we can wait if you’re not ready
yet," he said. The two were now in her bed room.

"I’m ready." She grabbed his hands and placed them on
her waist and kissed him; then she pulled back, "Do
you have protection?"

Chris nodded and pulled her closer to him.

****
"You were out late," Wyatt said as he continued to eat
his cold cereal.

Chris grabbed a bowl and spoon and began to pour his
cereal, "Pass the milk," he said avoiding Wyatt’s
comment.

"So, what time did you get in?" Wyatt asked as he
handed his friend the milk.

"Late," Chris replied shortly.

Wyatt put down his spoon and looked hard at Chris,
"Chris, whatever goes on between you and Evie is your
business."

"I know," Chris said.

"What I’m trying to say is, don’t hurt her. If you do,
I’ll kick your ass."

"Wyatt, I won’t hurt her. I respect Evie and I love
her."

Wyatt sighed, "As long as we have a clear
understanding on that."

Chris smiled, "You only wish you could take me down."

Wyatt laughed, "Ha! I could take you down in a
second."

The two laughed.

"So where’s Bianca? Did she go out?"

"She’s taking a shower," Wyatt replied and ate another
spoonful of cereal.

Chris grinned slyly, "So what were you to up to last
night unsupervised?"

"It’s not like that," Wyatt said.

"I don’t know," Chris said, "she did come to you for
help and has seemed to really open up to you."

"I’m telling you that’ not what it is."

"That’s not what what is?" Bianca asked taking a seat
at the table. Her hair was still wet and she wore the
school sweater still.

"The reason why our football team is playing crappy
this year," Wyatt said quickly. "Chris thinks it’s
because they can never be good at all."

Bianca poured her self some cereal in a bowl that
Wyatt handed her, "Well shouldn’t you give them a
chance?"

"I don’t know," Chris said with a mischievous grin,
"Why don’t you tell me Wyatt? Should a certain team be
given a chance or are you still thinking that the home
team can win although the other team is really
worth…winning?"

Wyatt shook his head at Chris. Bianca looked at both
of them with a confused expression on her face.
End of Chapter Seven

[SimplyAretha]

Chapter eight
Evie was examining the blade through her microscope when a knock came at the door. Evie quickly hid the blade, “Come in,” she said.

Phoebe walked into her daughter’s room. “Hey Evie, what you up to?” she asked sweetly.

“Oh nothing much, just messing around with my microscope.”<br>
Phoebe nodded and took a seat on her daughter’s bed. “So what’s up?” Phoebe asked.

“Nothing; what about you?”<br>
“Nothing much.”<br>
Evie looked at her mother curiously.

“So, anything, um, new in your life?” Phoebe asked innocently.

“I got an A on my history test.”<br>

“Oh well that’s good.”<br>
“Yeah, I didn’t think I was going to do well but when the time came to take it I found it to be fairly easy.”<br>
“Anything else?”<br>
“Um…oh yeah. Max had this accident in Chem lab; see he added the wrong mixture of chemicals to the vile that was over the Bunsen burner, then to top it off he added powdered magnesium and the vile exploded. You should have seen the look on his face, it was hilarious.” Evie laughed to herself at the thought of it.

“Alright but I was thinking we could have, you know, girl talk.”<br>
Evie stopped laughing, “Girl talk?”<br>
“Yeah, we could do it now or better yet we could have it tonight. In fact tonight’s perfect, I can buy ice cream and candy and cookies. It will be fun.”<br>
“I guess tonight is fine,” Evie replied.

“Tonight it is,” Phoebe said cheerily and left the room.
****
“Ok so you’ve only had the fever?” Evie asked as she continued to write this information down.

“Yeah and the chills,” Bianca replied.

“Hmmm,” Evie said.

“What is it?” Wyatt asked.

“I thought I had figured out the blades poison but if it was what I thought she would have worse conditions.” Evie sighed, “Well any new information on the Bringers?”<br>
“Only that they killed yesterday,” Chris said.

“Whoa, rewind. They killed someone, where?”<br>
“Down by the Embarcadero,” Chris informed. “Daryl Jr. said that they used a blade that looked similar to an atheme.”<br>
“Well do you know it who they killed was a Phoenix?”<br>
“We don’t know, we haven’t seen the body yet.”<br>
“Well I’ll go down to the morgue,” Evie said.

“I’ll go with you,” Chris suggested.

“Actually I was thinking Bianca could use a bit of fresh air, also she might know if the person was a Phoenix.”<br>
“Yeah sure,” Chris said with a smile, “be careful.” He kissed Evie on the lips.

She smiled, “I will be.”<br>*****
Bianca and Evie went around the back of the city Morgue. The sky was a dark gray and the office was closed.

“Are we shimmering in?” Bianca asked.

Evie shook her head, “No, that is the one thing you can’t do. The Bringers are attracted to your power, use it and they’ll find you.”<br>
“Then how are we going to get in, by breaking the lock?”<br>
Evie looked around and grabbed Bianca by the arm. The two walked through the wall.

“How did you do that?” Bianca asked feeling herself to see if she was solid.

“I can become incorporeal,” Evie said quickly. “This way.”<br>
The two walked down a long hall then entered a fairly large room.

The walls of the room contained silver freezers that were stacked three freezers high. Evie began reading the tags while Bianca Kept an eye out for people.

“You seem different today,” Bianca said looking at Evie curiously.

“Oh?” Evie said innocently. “How do I seem different?”<br>
“Well for starters you’re smiling a whole lot, more than I have seen you do before.” Bianca smiled, “Oh my gosh! Now I recognize that look.”<br>
“What look? I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about,” Evie said becoming nervous.

“What went on between you an Chris.”<br>
Evie smiled nervously, “If you can tell by the smiling I need to be careful around my mom.” She paused, “ I found him…or her,” she said suddenly.

Bianca walked up to Evie as Evie pulled out the stretcher with the body. A young red haired girl lay lifeless beneath a white sheet.

“Is there any way of telling whether or not she was a Phoenix?”<br>
“She’ll have a birthmark like this one,” Bianca said holding her arm out to reveal a reddish birthmark.

Bianca made to pull away the sheet when Evie stopped her. “Wait, put these on.” She handed Bianca a pair of latex gloves and put on a pair herself. The two began to search the body for the birthmark.


“Found it,” Bianca said after a while.

The birthmark was on the girl’s right hip. Evie glanced at it then her eyes fell upon the wound. “What’s this?” Evie said and took a closer look at the wound. She took a picture of it with her digital camera. “Interesting.”<br>
Bianca turned to the door suddenly, “Evie time to go.”<br>
Evie closed the freezer and she and Bianca ran through the wall.
End of Chapter8

[SimplyAretha]

*sorry for the delay but here's the rest of the story. enjoy.*

Chapter Nine
Evie hooked up her camera to Wyatt’s lap top and began downloading the pictures.

“What did you find?” Chris asked Bianca.

“Well the girl was a Phoenix and Evie found something but I don’t know what.”<br>
Wyatt handed Bianca a glass of water, she had begun to feel dizzy when they came back from their trip to the city morgue. Evie clicked on the picture and drew a box around a certain part of it. She hit a key on the key board which zoomed in on the selected area.

“Evie what is it?” Wyatt asked.

“I have a hunch,” she said getting up and picking up a square pillow. “Wyatt, hit this pillow with an energy ball.”<br>
“What, Evie-”<br>
“Just do it, this pillow is hideous anyways,” Evie said.

Wyatt lit one in his hand, “Whoa, Wyatt you’re not going to do this are you? That’s your cousin and my girlfriend behind that pillow,” Chris said.

“Its low voltage, but it will go through the pillow Evie,” Wyatt informed.

“I know it will and I want it to be the kind you use against demons, not low voltage. Now throw it,” Evie said becoming impatient.

The blue energy ball in Wyatt’s hand glew more brightly and he sent the energy ball at the pillow. It burned through the pillow and smacked into the wall vanishing but leaving a burn mark on the wall.

Evie winced, Wyatt, Chris and Bianca had shocked expressions on their faces. “I’m kidding, I’m perfectly fine. That tickled,” Evie said with a smile.

“Damn it Evie don’t play like that,” Wyatt said.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help it.”<br>
“So what was that for?” Chris asked curiously.

Evie sat down at the computer and studied the picture on the computer screen and compared them to the marks on the pillow.

Wyatt looked at the picture, “Scorch marks.”<br>
“Exactly; see the circular way the flesh is raised on the body, it’s identical to the way the material is raised on the pillow, see?”<br>
“So the Bringers can use energy balls?”<br>
“That’s what I’m puzzled about,” Evie said. “If they can in fact use energy balls then they are stronger than we deem them to be.” Evie’s cell phone rang. “Hello? Oh hey mom…” Evie rolled her eyes, “Yeah that sounds fine, bye.”<br>
“What did Aunt Phoebe want?” Wyatt asked.

Evie closed the window on the computer and placed her camera into her bag. “I have to go. She’s decided to have girl talk tonight.”<br>
“Wait, I thought that we were going to the movies tonight,” Chris said.

Evie held his hand, “I can’t, my mom’s really looking forward to this; rein check?”<br>
Chris nodded, “Yeah; I walk you out.”<br>
Evie smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Well keep me in touch if she feels worse.”<br>*****
Phoebe watched as Evie put a spoonful of strawberry ice cream into her mouth. “What?” Evie said noticing her mom watching her.

“So, what do you want to talk about?” Phoebe asked.

“Well, I want to get a tattoo,” Evie said.

“You do?”<br>
“Yeah, I like the one on your wrist and kind of want one like it on the back of my neck. What do you think?”<br>
“Well we’ll have to talk to your father about that.”<br>
“Or maybe a triquetra, a small one.”<br>
Phoebe smiled, “We’ll see, so how are things with you and Chris?”<br>
“How did I know that that topic would come up sometime tonight?”<br>
“Oh come on Evie, you can talk to me,” Phoebe said. “We’re friends too you know.”<br>
“Things are going fine,” Evie replied shortly “Did you know that Tower Records are going to re-open their store on Union Street next week?”<br>
“So how long have you and Chris been dating?” Phoebe asked ignoring Evie.

“Three months yesterday,” Evie replied. “So, I was thinking that I could go down there with Max and buy some cd’s. I heard that they’ll be selling some of the oldies like Incubus and Dashboard Confessional.”<br>
“Oh, did you two go out and celebrate?”<br>
“Yes, he took me to the Blue and he even dressed up,” Evie replied knowing that there was no use in trying to change the subject.

Phoebe smiled, “The Blue, your father and I celebrated our ten year anniversary there.”<br>
Evie nodded, “Pass the cookies.”<br>
“Evie, you’d tell me if …if things progressed to the next level with you and Chris, wouldn’t you?”<br>
“Um, yeah, I guess,” Evie replied then ate a chocolate chip cookie.

Phoebe nodded, “Then why didn’t you tell me that you had sex?”<br>
Evie coughed, “How the hell- for crying out loud!”<br>
“Evie I didn’t mean to-”<br>
“You promised you wouldn’t do that. That’s a house rule, no using powers on the other members of the family.”<br>
“Evie, why didn’t you tell me?”<br>
“Because it’s my own private business.”<br>
“Well it involves me too.”<br>
“Um, no it doesn’t; my body remember?”<br>
“Well it was through sixteen hours of agonizing labor that gave you that body.”<br>
“This is unbelievable!” Evie exclaimed.

“What else have you been keeping from me?” Phoebe asked suddenly.

“While in Europe I got so smashed that I married max at a twenty-four hour chapel, had an affair with a thirty year old French man named Pierre, and oh yeah, I’m pregnant.”<br>
“Your sarcasm isn’t appreciated young lady.” Phoebe sighed, “Were you careful?”<br>
“Yes,” Evie replied shortly.

Phoebe nodded and sat down beside her daughter. “You know that this means that you have to go on the pill.”<br>
“I know.”<br>
Phoebe nodded and a silence fell between them.

“So…I guess that was the talk?” Evie said.

“Yeah, it was better than I thought it would be,” Phoebe said.

“What now?” Evie asked.

“I don’t know.”<br>End of chapter Nine

[SimplyAretha]

Chapter ten
Bianca fell to the ground; her body was shaking almost uncontrollably. She reached for the phone and dialed the first number on the piece of paper she had in her left hand.

Evie picked up her cell phone, “Hello?” she whispered; she was in the middle chemistry class.

“Evie, it’s Bianca; I need your help,” she coughed. “The poison-”<br>
“I’ll be right there.” Evie hung up her phone. “Psst!”<br>
Max turned around, “What?” he whispered.

“I’ll need your note, I have to leave.”<br>
“Now?”<br>
“Yes, call you later.” Evie went under her desk and looked around. All the student’s eyes were on the teacher. She sank through the floor.
*****
By the time Evie arrived at the apartment, Bianca was in really bad shape. She was completely pale and wheezing.
“Oh my goodness,” Evie said rushing over to Bianca’s side.

Evie felt Bianca’s face, “You’re burning up,” she said.

“Yeah, no kidding,” Bianca said weakly.

“I’ll have to take you to my place,” Evie explained helping Bianca to her feet. “We can get some medicine there.”<br>
Bianca nodded; the room seemed to be spinning around her.

As they descended the stairs and stepped out onto the street, the colors all blended with each other. Evie was talking to her but her voice was distant, Bianca could tell by the sound of Evie’s voice that she was worried. Bianca wanted to ask Evie what it was that she was saying, her words didn’t make sense, but Bianca couldn’t get the words to come out.
End of chapter ten

[SimplyAretha]

Chapter eleven
Bianca woke up and looked around the room she was in. the sun was streaming through the cracks of the window blinds and it was quiet. Bianca finally realized that she was in a bed, the pillows were big and fluffy and the sheets were a light green. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was that she had entered Evie’s living room.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” Evie said entering her room carrying a tray of food.

“Where am I? What happened?” Bianca asked rubbing the back of her head, it felt heavy.

“In my room, you passed out.” Evie sat on the edge of the bed, “Open up,” she said. Bianca opened her mouth and Evie stuck a thermometer under her tongue.

“You gave me quite a scare,” Evie said taking some saltine crackers out of a package and setting them on the plate. The thermometer beeped and Evie checked it. “Ninety-nine point eight, nothing bad. Here, eat this,” Evie said placing the tray over Bianca’s lap.

“Thanks,” Bianca said and began eating the red soup.

“Wyatt is on his way over,” Evie said with a sly smile.

“Oh?” Bianca said innocently.

“Yeah, he sounded really worried when I told him about your condition. I think my cousin has a thing for you.”<br>
Bianca choked on the soup.

“Hmmm, same reaction I had just thinking about Wyatt dating,” Evie said with a smile. “You tow would make a good pair.”<br>
“He is attractive,” Bianca said now starting to open up. “But isn’t he seeing that Anna girl who’s always calling?”<br>
“Not technically,” Evie replied. “I mean, he rarely sees her so you have a chance.”<br>
Bianca shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.”<br>
“Why not? You’re pretty and just as stubborn as him; a perfect match.”<br>
“I don’t think he’s interested.”<br>
“You’ll never know until you try,” Evie said.

“Is that how it was with you and Chris,” Bianca asked curiously.

“No, not really, I mean I’ve been really good friends with him since who knows how long. It was just last year that I started liking him on a level that wasn’t platonic.”<br>
Bianca nodded, “That must be great.”<br>
Evie smiled, “Yeah, yeah it is.”<br>
The two were silent for a while then Wyatt and Chris entered the room.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Wyatt asked immediately.

Evie glanced at Bianca, “Chris come help me with this thing that’s in the kitchen.”<br>
“What thing?” Chris asked. Evie grabbed him and pulled him out of the room.

“Don’t mind them,” Wyatt said taking a seat on the bed, “They’re weird like that.”<br>
Bianca smiled weakly.

“I heard what happened to you, are you alright?”<br>
“I’m better now; if Evie hadn’t shown up I probably wouldn’t be here right now.”<br>
Wyatt nodded, “Bianca, I was doing some research on the Bringers and they’re not ordinary assassins. The only go after Phoenixes, which we already know.”<br>
Bianca looked at him, his face expression was grim, “Wyatt what is it?” she asked taking hold of his hand.

Wyatt sighed, “The poison allows them to track down their victims…they can sense it out.”<br>
“If that was true then wouldn’t they have found me by now?” Bianca said.

“Unless they’re waiting for the right moment to attack, they must have figured out by now who you’re with and how close you are to the Charmed Ones.”<br>****
Chris kissed Evie’s neck gently, “Am I going to see you tonight?” he asked.

Evie sighed, I have to take care of Bianca and make sure that she gets better.”<br>
Chris kissed her lips, “Well what are you doing right now?”<br>
Evie smiled as she kissed him, “Well Wyatt is with her right now and she’ll be safe with him.”<br>
Wyatt came down the stairs just then, “Chris, come on, we need to get going.”<br>
“Uh, actually, Evie and I were just on our way out to the…”

“To the store,” Evie finished quickly. “I need more soup ingredients.”<br>
“We’ll go to the store for you; we need to stop by the manor.”<br>
“What for?” Chris asked.

“For help.”<br>End of chapter eleven

[SimplyAretha]

Chapter twelve

“Wyatt do you have any idea what kind of trouble you put yourselves in?” Piper said pacing the living room. “Chris, how could you just go along with this and allow him to get Evie involved?”<br>
Chris glared at Wyatt, “Just like old times, huh?”<br>
“Where is she right now?” Piper asked folding her arms.

“With Evie at her house,” Wyatt replied.

“You left her alone with a Phoenix?” Piper placed her hands onto her head, “What made you do such a careless thing like that? What if the Bringers attacked them? Wyatt, what has gotten into you?”<br>
“Mom, she needed my help, our help; Bianca is an innocent in this case.”<br>
Piper sighed, “Chris, orb over there and bring them both here.” Chris orbed out. Piper took a seat next to her son, “Wyatt, I know you’re doing what you believe is right but you should have told me and your aunt about this, along with your father.”<br>
“I knew you’d react this way which is why I didn’t tell you immediately. Mom, she needs out help, she came to me for help, and I couldn’t just turn her away.”<br>
Piper smiled, “I have raised you well young one.”<br>
Chris orbed in with Bianca and Evie.

“Hey Aunt Piper,” Evie said cheerily.

Piper gave her a look and her niece stopped smiling. “How long has the poison been in her system?”<br>
Evie glanced at Wyatt, “About seventy-two hours,” Evie replied.

“Any idea what’s in it?”<br>
“A couple of ideas, but it seems that every time I’m close to figuring out, new symptoms occur.”<br>
“Wyatt take Bianca up to the spare bedroom, Chris go find Phoebe and Jason.”<br>
“No!” Evie said all of a sudden. They looked at her oddly. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, have Wyatt go.”<br>
“Why, Chris can go,” Wyatt said looking at her curiously.

“Er…no he can’t. Chris knows why too.”<br>
“I do?” Evie looked at him, “Oh yeah, I think Wyatt should go.”<br>
“What’s going on?” Piper asked curiously.

“Nothing; Wyatt my parents are staying at the Ritz in Paris, Chris show Bianca to her room and Piper lets get researching.”<br>****
“Maybe I should go,” Bianca said as she and Chris entered the spare bed room.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Piper and Phoebe will help you,” Chris said as he got some blankets out of the closet.

Bianca sighed, “It just seems that I’m the last person Piper wanted to see.”<br>
“I wonder why,” Chris said. He placed the blankets at the foot of the bed, “Look, the Halliwells are great people and they help the innocent and with the Bringers after you, you’re an innocent.”<br>
Bianca smiled, “I guess you’re right, but then again aren’t you a bit biased seeing as you’re dating a Halliwell?”<br>
Chris smiled, “Maybe I am biased, but that’s not always a bad thing.”<br>*****
“Evie how could you do something so careless?” Phoebe said as she flipped through the book of shadows.

“Mom, it isn’t careless, I’m helping her out. You of all people should know where I’m coming from.”<br>
“Phoebe, she was only doing what she thought was right,” Chris said in Evie’s defense.

Phoebe glared at him, “Stay out of this, it doesn’t concern you Chris.”<br>
Chris sighed, “You’re being ridiculous, and Evie was-”<br>
“Chris,” Jason interrupted suddenly. He was giving him a hard look, “we didn’t ask for your opinion. Now if you want to talk about something, why don’t you and I have a little chat about your relationship with my daughter?”<br>
Evie’s eyes widened, “Oh my god! You told him?!”<br>
Phoebe sighed, “Evie I didn’t have a choice, he’s your father.”<br>
Evie looked at her disgustedly, “Why don’t you tell the whole damn world while you’re at it!” Evie stormed out of the attic; Chris was quick to follow.

“Why did you have to bring that up?” Phoebe asked.

“You’re going to blame this on me?” Jason said incredulously.

“You embarrassed her, I embarrassed her,” Phoebe sighed again. “What happened? Since when did we become the most conservative, fun-sucking people?”<br>
“Since our daughter became a teenager,” Jason said.

“I thought we’d be the cool, hip parents that every other child would envy, not the kind our daughter calls embarrassing.”<br>
Jason smiled and kissed his wife, “You and me both.”<br>
Piper entered the attic, “What was with all the yelling?”<br>
Phoebe smiled faintly, “I’ve become the mom whose relationship with her daughter is she-who-nags-a lot.”<br>
Piper smiled sympathetically, “Aww honey, don’t be so hard on yourself. It happens to us all.”<br>End of chapter twelve

[SimplyAretha]

Chapter thirteen
Evie was seated on the couch in the conservatory when Chris walked in. He took a seat next to her, “I’m sorry,” he said.

Evie looked at him, “For what? That night? It takes two to tango remember?” She cuddled up next to him, “Besides, it doesn’t matter what they think.”<br>
Chris smiled and held her hand in his, “They’re angry though.”<br>
“Only because I didn’t tell them right away; Mom found out through her power- completely breaking a rule in our house- then she told dad, who is probably on some trip about me not being his little girl.” She sighed, “Anyways, it’s our private business.”<br>
Chris kissed her hair, “I love you,” he said.

Evie smiled, “I love you too.”<br>
“Ahem!” Jason said.

Chris let go of Evie and she sat up, “Hey dad,” Evie said awkwardly.

“Your mother wanted me to come check up on you,” Jason said.

His daughter nodded, “Well I’m fine, thanks for your concern.”<br>
“Good,” Jason said and took a seat between both Evie and Chris. He smiled slyly.
*****
As Phoebe continued to flip through the book of shadows, an odd feeling swept over her. She stopped searching the pages and glanced around the attic.

“What is it?” Piper asked noticing her sister’s uneasiness.

“I don’t know,” Phoebe replied. “I have this weird feeling.”<br>*****
Evie, Jason and Chris sat in a heavy silence.

“So…” Jason said after what had felt like an eternity. “Chris, what do you plan on doing after you graduate?”<br>
“Well, I was planning on traveling a bit,” he replied.

“Travel, what about a job?”<br>
“I haven’t decided,” Chris said quietly.

“Don’t you think that’s more important than traveling? How- with what money are you going to pay for your traveling if you don’t have a job?”<br>
“Dad-”<br>
“No, I’m curious,” Jason said interrupting his daughter. “How are you going to pay off that loan you took out for college?”<br>
“I’ll find a way,” Chris said becoming annoyed with Jason.

“Well that won’t do; what if you wanted to get married and start a family? How would you support them?”<br>
“Look,” Chris said growing angry, “I may not have my own newspaper and vineyard, but that doesn’t make me imperfect. And I’m starting to think that this isn’t about what I’m going to do after college.”<br>
“Since you seem to know everything, enlighten me on what this is all about then,” Jason said coldly.

“This is about you not thinking me to be good enough for your daughter.”<br>
“Well, you’re not wrong.”<br>
Evie looked at him disgustedly, “How could you say that?”<br>
“You’re wrong,” Chris said angrily. “I love your daughter and I’m just as good enough for her as any other guy that might be, and probably better.”<br>
“You’re twenty-one and she’s only eight-teen,” Jason said. “See where I’m going with this? She deserves someone who-”<br>
Three robed men appeared and fire balls towards Jason. Chris sent them back telepathically and the robed men combusted.

“That was too easy,” Evie said getting up. Suddenly three more robed men attacked.
*****
Phoebe flew across the attic and landed hard on her back. Piper blew up the robed men and rushed over to her sister’s side.

“The others,” Phoebe said.

“I know,” Piper said and shimmered them both out of the attic.
*****
When they appeared in the living room, it seemed like a war was going on. Wyatt sent a few blue energy balls at the Bringers causing two to explode. A red fire ball lit up in Bianca’s hand and she sent it across the room setting a Bringer on fire. The Bringers kept appearing.

“There’s too many,” Evie said as she deflected an energy ball with her wind power. “Wyatt, orb my dad out of here.”<br>
“Uncle, its time to go,” Wyatt said. Before he could orb them out, three Bringers attacked them. As Wyatt, Chris and Evie fought them off, one attacked Jason. Jason was thrown through the glass doors of the conservatory.

“Dad!” Evie tried to run over to him but another Bringer attacked her.

Piper and Phoebe did they’re best to fight off the Bringers but it seemed that the more they killed the more appeared.

Suddenly a Bringer clad in a dark blue cloak appeared behind Bianca. He had a long black blade sword.

“Behind you!” Piper yelled.

When Bianca turned, the Bringer swung the sword at her; she shimmered and reappeared away from him. He was now before her again. She dropped kicked him, causing him to stumble a bit. Piper tried to blow him up but it didn’t work. The Bringer sent Bianca flying across the room; before she could get up he was before her again. Quick as light Bianca appeared behind him and punched her fist into his back. He screamed and she ripped it out.

“Poison sucks, doesn’t it?” She picked up the sword he had dropped and stuck it straight through his stomach. Smoke began to come out of him, Bianca stepped back. The other Bringers screamed ear piercing screams and combusted. The one in the dark blue robe was now on fire, screaming shrilly. Then he too combusted.

“How did you know that would work?” Phoebe asked rubbing her elbow.

“I didn’t,” Bianca said. “I was just trying to kill him.”<br>
“Well it worked.”<br>
“Dad!” Phoebe ran over to where Evie was.

Jason was not moving. He was bleeding from the head along with from his right side where a big piece of glass had dug into him.

“Chris get her out of here,” Phoebe ordered kneeling beside her husband.

Chris grabbed Evie’s arm but she pulled away, “No, have Wyatt or Leo heal him,” she said.

“Evie, come on,” Chris said grasping her more firmly. Evie tried to fight him off but he dragged her inside.

Wyatt knelt down beside Jason and tried to heal him but couldn’t.

“Leo!” Piper yelled.

“What happened?” he said as he rushed over to Jason. Leo placed his hands over Jason and a goldish light appeared but nothing happened.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

Phoebe hugged the lifeless body of her husband, tears flooded down her cheeks.


“Let go of me!” Evie yelled trying to get free of Chris’ grasp. She wriggled and moved about violently, hitting him, trying to get way. “Christopher, let go of me!” she stopped all of a sudden when she saw Piper walk in with a grim expression on her face; her cheeks were stained in tears. She didn’t speak; she didn’t have to. Evie knew it, Chris knew it. Evie suddenly became limp and felt like a rag doll in Chris’ arms.

End of chapter thirteen

[SimplyAretha]

Chapter fourteen

The funeral had been held. Phoebe had fallen apart during the mass. Evie had done the same only when her dad’s coffin was lowered into the ground. The world was cold and cruel to Evie.

She was sitting next to her father’s grave a couple of days after the funeral, gently touching the engravings with the tips of her fingers.

“It’s getting late,” Chris said as he walked up to where she was.

Evie didn’t respond she just sat there staring at the tombstone that was raised a bit out of the earth. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks. “I didn’t even get a chance to say good bye, I didn’t even get a chance to hug him one last time.”<br>
Chris placed an arm around her, “I know,” he said quietly.

“He was angry with me and now he’s gone and I can’t make amends. I can’t tell him that I love him or that I got an acceptance letter from U.C. Berkley yesterday. I just don’t want him to be mad at me; I want to wake up and see him tomorrow. This morning I thought I heard him saying my name.” she leaned her head against his shoulder and cried.

“He’s not mad at you, and he loves you more than anything,” Chris said reassuringly and kissed her hair.

The end