Future Consequences by Kalvana--Updated 2/09

[kalvana]

"Oh my god, Chris!" Phoebe shouted, rushing to her nephew's side when they'd managed to reform in the field. She held him half up as he gasped for air. Phoebe tried not to look at the wound encompassing Chris's chest, knowing the flesh was burned and bloody from the gut twisting scent staining the air. "Chris?" she asked, hoping for some sort of reassurance that he was at least coherent.

"Bianca's dead," Paige said quietly, diverting Phoebe's attention momentarily to the gnarled body not ten feet away.

"Give me that," Chris ground out, pointing to the sword that still hung from Paige's fingertips. Paige did as she was asked, placing the hilt of the sword in Chris's hand, watching as he struggled to wrap his fingers around it.

"You're not doing too good," Paige said. "Try to relax; I'm sure Leo is on his way."

"Wouldn't matter if he did show," Chris said. "He can't heal Wyatt's damage. I'm dying," he said quietly.

"Don't say that!" Phoebe snapped. Chris flashed her a reassuring smile, which did little to accomplish his goal, as the effort brought on a coughing fit that caused Chris to spit blood brought up from his damaged lungs. "Lay back down."

"Seeing as I can't feel my legs, I wasn't even dreaming of trying to stand," Chris ground out.

"I don't even understand how Wyatt is still here, and evil. The Warren sisters have been taken care of," Paige pointed out. "He won't be turned."

"The Wyatt from my future was already here. He won't change until he's sent back to his own time, just like I won't be," Chris choked out, struggling more and more for breath.

"He's getting cold," Phoebe said, looking up at Paige for a suggestion, biting back tears as she felt Chris trembling in her arms.

"Leo!" Paige shouted, staring at the sky as her own tears began.

"Back away!" he snapped quickly, pushing Phoebe away with all his force. "They're coming!" The sisters didn't have the time to ask who as orbs began to appear, forming into little Wyatt and the twins. "Wyatt, protect them," Chris demanded weakly, knowing that Wyatt had extended his shield to include two pairs of Charmed Ones, not only sealing Lord Wyatt out, but their own magics in.

"Not dead yet?" Wyatt asked.

"I'm working on it," Chris spat sarcastically from his place on the ground. "You've lost, you know? The Warrens are dead. You won't be cursed as you were."

"All the more reason to cause some permanent damage while I'm here," Wyatt said softly, squatting next to his brother, dipping his fingertips into the cooling blood on the ground around Chris. "You're really dying, little brother. Not going to cheat it again?" He took Excalibur from his brother's loose grasp.

"I was never really good at cheating," Chris gasped, feeling his lungs stiffen inside him. He could barely breathe. He couldn't force his lungs to move. "I'm sorry it had to be this way."

"I'm not," Wyatt said, pointing the sword towards Chris as he stood up again, taking a step away. "I wanted you to feel the loss of the Charmed Ones before you died, but maybe their pain at losing you will be enough." He took a moment to watch his brother gasping for breath and failing, blood trickling from his mouth. His skin was even paler than usual as he quivered, unable to move any more than that. This was his rival, and he was defeated. Chris's eyes lost their focus.

"I love you, Wyatt," Chris breathed as he concentrated on one thing only, the blade Wyatt now held in his hand. He closed his eyes, thinking only of that sword and hoping against hope that he was strong enough. He felt the sorrow behind him as his aunts and his cousins and his true brother watched him die, knowing that there was nothing they could do to help. He felt his parents' pain and fear. And then he felt the strangest emotion sweeping through him. Heaven itself was smiling as destiny took its course.

Wyatt felt the power of the blade in his hand. He knew it was Chris's, had known it from the time he was ten and he'd tried to draw it. But he was controlling it now. But then that shifted as it came alive in his grip, shaking and quivering as Chris's breath shook his body. It tugged at his grip, harder, stronger than him. He watched as it was pulled from his grasp by an unseen force, but then he knew what it was, knew it was Chris's final strike. The blade shifted in the air, twisted, turned, and drove itself home, impaling Wyatt.

Phoebe and Paige both gasped through tears as they watched their nephews kill eachother. Pay and Pi both screamed as Chris drew a final breath. Little Wyatt dropped the shield when the enemy fell. "Chrissy!" Pay and Pi screamed as they launched themselves towards the man who had raised them. Through tears, they shouted at him to be all right, to get up, to breathe, but it was of no use. Pi walked over to Bianca, shaking her in attempt to do the same.

Phoebe stepped over to Lord Wyatt, checking for a pulse and breathing a sigh of relief when she found none. She looked over at Paige, who had scooped up the younger version, holding him tightly in her arms as she cried for the loss and death all around her. Phoebe stepped over to her daughters now at Bianca's side, kneeling beside them and taking them in her arms as they wept for the loss of the two people who had raised them, protected them, loved them like no others.

"No!" Piper screamed before she'd even fully formed, already rushing to her son's side. "No," she muttered through tears. "No, this isn't fair!" she screamed, her face twisting in pain and regret. "This isn't fair!" she bellowed up to the heavens. "Why wouldn't they let you orb?" she snapped at Leo, who had taken a position across from her, on their son's other side. His own face was red and tear-stained, though his mourning was silent. "Why did they let this happen?!"

Leo opened his mouth as if to speak, but froze, his gut twisting, eye's widening in surprise. He felt like he'd been stabbed and was now burning from the inside. "No," he breathed softly as he realized what was going on.

"Leo?" Piper asked. Her own fear of losing someone else apparent, even to herself. "Leo? What's happening?" She watched her husband shake, fighting what was happening to him.

"No!" Leo shouted. His chest became orbs and then they floated away from him, his own battle ending, allowing him to breath again as the orbs settled into the gaping wound in his dead son's chest.

"Chris?" Piper asked with hope, seeing the orbs reform the wound, bring color again to his cheeks. "Chris?" she asked, wiping her hands over his face as it regained warmth.

"No!" Leo screamed again towards the sky. "This isn't right!" he yelled.

Piper looked at him, confused by his anger until she saw his eyes, saw the pure sorrow they held as he looked down at Chris. Green eyes fluttered open, focusing on his mother's face. She was looking down at him, her expression a mix of relief and joy and fear and confusion. "Hey," she said quietly, brushing a hand over his cheek tenderly. He leaned into the touch, remembering it from his childhood.

"Mom?" he asked, his own voice bewildered. He felt so odd. "Am I dead?" he asked, honestly confused. He remembered dying, remembered feeling almost relieved by the prospect.

"No, kid," Leo chimed in, drawing his son's attention. "Not exactly." Chris studied him, knowing that his father's expression was sad, maybe even angry, though none of it was directed at him.

"Chrissy!" the twins shouted excitedly, finally noticing what was happening.

Chris sat, wrapping them in his arms, breathing a sigh of his own relief that they were okay, that's he managed to protect them this time. Leo helped him to his feet and stepped back to allow Chris to receive hugs from his aunts before his mother again wrapped her arms around him. Chris let that love that he felt from all of his family wash over him, tried to block out that his brother and his beloved were both lying dead in the same field. He let himself just bask in the comfort of it all.

[kalvana]

Chris sat in the soft couch of the attic, staring at the three sheets on the floor, each covering a body of someone he loved: Tasha, Wyatt and Bianca. He chewed on his nail as he thought about it, about everything that had happened, everything that would happen. He knew there were other bodies that Leo had “cleaned up” earlier, and the scorch mark from Shay could still be seen on the bare wood of the floor.

He’d been sitting here all night, staring at the dead, lamenting his losses; he’d long since cried himself out. He silently thanked his mother and aunts for giving him time alone to do so. The athemae that held the Halliwell’s powers was in a locked case guarded by charms and spells, in a place of honor on the shelf. Excalibur was safely home in its stone prison. He sat here, sensing the peace that surrounded the rest of the house, the rest of his family. But, now it was time for the end to come. “You hungry?” Piper asked from the doorway.

“No,” he said softly.

“Eat anyway,” she said, handing him a bagel as she took the seat next to him. She glanced at the bodies they’d been storing in their attic and sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that Tasha died. I’m sorry that Bianca died. I’m sorry that you had to kill Wyatt. But I’m glad some miracle occurred that kept you here.” Chris gave her a crooked smile. But she saw that it hid something else. “Phoebe’s getting the girls ready.”<br>
“It’s time, then,” he said quietly. “I’ve already prepared the spell.”<br>
Piper bit her lip to hold back the tears. She nodded silently, watching Chris as he continued to stare at the bodies. He seemed so removed from it all. A voice was cleared from the doorway. She turned to see Leo with baby Wyatt in his arms.

“Dad,” Chris greeted.

“I’m so sorry, Chris,” he said quietly. “I never wanted this for you.”<br>
“I’m not sorry,” Chris said, standing up to face Leo. “I would do it all again, Dad. You deserve it. Mom deserves it. Wyatt deserves it.”<br>
“What are you talking about?” Piper asked, standing up and stepping between the two men. “What’s going on?” Chris smiled again, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her temple.

“Chris, is it true?” Pi asked, skipping into the room with her sister, mother and aunt in tow. “Are we going back to our time? Is it going to be all different? Will mom still be there?”<br>
Chris smiled broadly. “That’s the plan,” he said happily.

“It’s going to be awesome!” Pay exclaimed. “Will we get to go to school?”<br>
Chris laughed. “You sound excited about that,” he commented. “Remember that for later.” He gestured to the rest of the family. “Did you say your goodbyes?” He watched them turn, saying goodbye to baby Wyatt and their aunts and uncle, then their mother. Chris watched Phoebe cry, felt the sense of loss she was feeling, knew it was mirrored from his own sense of loss at the prospect of the little ones going home. Chris saw Paige reach to hug him, say her goodbye to him. He shook his head and stepped back. “Dad?” he said quietly.

Leo’s eyes stung, but he nodded, quietly escorting Paige, Phoebe and Piper from the attic, leaving Chris alone with the little Charmed Ones. “Don’t mom and Aunt Piper and Aunt Paige need to do the spell?” Pay asked.

Chris shook his head as he bent down, scooping up both girls, one in each arm. “You’re getting too big for this,” he laughed. “And no, I can do the spell to send you two back.”<br>
“Us three,” Pi corrected.

Chris shook his head as he sat all three of them down onto the couch. “I’m afraid not. Just you two are going to go back.”<br>
“But—“

“No buts,” he cut off, sniffling in an attempt to hide his tears. “Now, you two are going to go back and everything is going to be different. Wyatt is going to be good and he is going to love you two so much. And your mom is going to be there, and Aunt Paige, and your Aunt Piper, and your Uncle Leo. They’re all going to be there and they are all going to love you so much.”<br>
“What about Bianca?” Pay asked.

Chris shook his head. “I don’t know, Pay Day,” he said quietly. “She might even be evil where you go.”<br>
“B would never be evil,” Pi argued.

“You never know, Sweetie Pi,” Chris said.

“What about you?” Pay asked. “You’re going to be there with us too, right?”<br>
Chris bit away more tears. His voice cracked as he spoke. “I’m going to make you a promise. I will always be looking out for you. Absolutely always.” He saw both girls beginning to cry. “Now I need you two to be strong.” They nodded sadly. Chris helped them to their feet and moved them to stand over beside the bodies that were in the circle of candles. “Remember I love you,” he said, ducking down in front of them.

“I love you too, Chrissy,” Pay said.

“I love you,” Pi added.

Chris smiled at them, pointing to his cheeks, getting the automatic response of a kiss on the cheek from each girl. He wrapped them both in a quick hug before stepping away from them. With a wave of his hand, the candles were lit. “A time for everything and everything it's place. Return what has been moved through time and space,” he whispered. “A time for everything and everything it's place. Return what has been moved through time and space,” he repeated, watching as they disappeared.





“I don’t understand!” Piper demanded as she pushed her way back into the attic. “Why didn’t you go with them? Why is Leo so sorry? What is going on?”<br>
Chris turned to face his mother, giving her a sad smile. “Everything is as it was meant to be.”<br>
“What does that mean?!” Piper shouted. Chris slid his hands through his hair. Piper watched as streaks of it turned white, glowing against the otherwise dark locks. “No!” she shouted, her fear and confusion gone in favor of outrage. “No!”<br>
“Mom, stay calm,” Chris said, stepping forward to hug her, try to consol her. “This is the way it’s supposed to be.”<br>
“How? How could this be the way it is supposed to be?” she cried.

“I was supposed to be an Elder, always. Wyatt made sure I lost sight of that, made sure I was too damaged to take my place. But coming here, winning against him, seeing my family whole and well and with a bright future ahead of them? That healed me, Mom. That healed me and made me ready to take on my destiny. And this way, Dad gets to stay here. He gets to be a father to Wyatt. He gets to be your husband and your Whitelighter without all the complications of being an Elder. It’s what you wanted, what you needed,” Chris reminded, holding her tightly, feeling his own tears beginning to form. He glanced up, seeing his aunts both crying as well, his father looking resigned and sad with Wyatt in his arms.

“But?” Piper started, pulling back, her hands moving to rest on his lower abdomen.

Chris grinned at her, putting his hand there as well, her moving to cover it. “Will you still name her Chris?” he asked, smiling at her.

“Her?” Piper asked. “But—“

“Things can always change, Mom,” he said softly. “And no matter what you remember, what you’ll experience or not experience, you will always be my mother,” he said. “You will always be my mother,” he said again, no longer bothering to hold back the tears as he held her close. “Always.”<br>
“I love you,” Piper cried.

“I love you too, Mom,” he said. He smiled at his aunts. “I love you all,” Chris said as Piper moved to tuck herself beneath his arm, facing her sisters. “Aunt Paige, you’re a natural teacher. Trust it, accept it. Your intuition will take you where you need to go. Phoebs? You are the bravest person I have ever met. Whatever life throws at you? Throw it right back. And you, little big brother,” Chris said, taking Wyatt from his father’s arms. “You will know love, now. I promise you that,” he said, hugging the little boy.

“Kay, Kiss,” little Wyatt muttered.

He turned to his parents, still balancing Wyatt on his hip. “You now get to have two sons and a daughter. And you only have to change diapers on two of them. I came completely potty trained.” Leo laughed through his tears and Piper at least cracked a smile. “Be good to my sibs. And be good to eachother. As I was growing up, I never saw you much, Dad. And after Wyatt attacked the heavens, I saw you once in a blue moon. But, there was one thing I never doubted, and that was how much you two truly loved eachother. So, act like it, cause I’ll be watching.” He hugged them each in turn before leaning to kiss Piper’s temple. “I’ll see you again one day,” he said.

“I love you,” he said again before disappearing into a swirl of orbs.

[CanadianHalliwell]

Please don't tell me this is the end. I am a bit confused how can Chris not be born and yet be an elder. Help!

[silenttypewriter]

I'm bumping this up because that can't possibly be the end of the story!! Please, keep writing!!