Work Text:
November 16, 2018 (Dark Future)
“You know, just because it’s your birthday doesn’t mean you get to leave your clothes all over the floor, mister.”
Chris jumped and looked wide eyed and faux innocently at his mother from his spot on the couch, his face hidden behind his ‘MagicXD’ handheld gameplayer, it had been his birthday present, he’d woken up to it this morning sitting on the table. It was absolutely awesome, it was like you were actually in the game because it was well...magic.
He was expecting a few more good gifts, Aunt Paige was good at getting him the good stuff mom never would, she said it had to do with ‘babies of the family sticking together’, he had to agree. And Aunt Phoebe always got him the thing he didn’t even know he wanted and it was great, it was almost like they were normal, like nothing was wrong. They could pretend like they were normal just for the day when they got together.
It was almost like the Manor wasn’t warded by the Power of Three to the point of insanity, if a demon even stepped on the doormat they would be incinerated, at least the most low level demons would, it would hurt high level demons and alert anyone in the house that one was there.
After Wyatt had...well ‘gone his own way’ (evil, actually, completely and crazy evil), the family had become extremely cautious, Paige and Phoebe were in hiding, they were coming over later today, only because of Chris’ birthday.
He hadn’t seen them in months, and he did miss his cousins too, even if they were occasionally annoying...they made him feel less alone sometimes.
He broke from his thoughts to grin at his mother, “I will, I promise, just let me finish this level?” he asked sweetly.
Piper eyed her youngest son shrewdly, but couldn’t deny him that, “Okay, you little sneak,” she said fondly then leaned forward and kissed his forehead, “Happy Birthday, sweetheart.”
“Ewwww, Mooom, you’re getting feelings all over meeee,” he whined, and she laughed only to wrap her arms around him and squeeze, “Noooo, let goooooo!”
She laughed again and kissed his head, “Clean up your clothes before your Aunts and cousins get here, or else,” she threatened.
“Or else what? No cake?” he grinned and laughed when a pillow was thrown his way, he watched his mom go up the stairs then went back to his game.
It only took him two tries to get to his save point, which was about ten minutes after his mom had talked to him, but by then he was starting to sense something...off.
He frowned and pulled out his earbuds, “Mom?” he called, but there was no answer, that wasn’t good, he felt like there was something wrong, but in their life he had that feeling a lot, he couldn’t jump to conclusions.
He set his game down and moved to the stairs, “Mom?” he called again, again, there was no answer, his stomach sunk, he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. Something was wrong.
He started up the stairs, taking two at a time, “Mom!”
He burst through the door to her bedroom and saw her there, pale, all the blood drained from her face, eyes bright and full of horror and an arm thrust through her middle belonging to Zankou, one of the most powerful demons under the new regime of his brother.
“Chris!” she gasped, “Get...out...run!” she was trying to fight it, “R-Run!”
“Oooh my, the little forgotten son, I didn’t even know you were here,” the demon smirked, “I suggest listening to Mother Dearest here, who knows, you could be next.”
“You bastard!” he yelled, and snapped his hand out, “Mom!”
Blue orbs surrounded her and tried pulling her away, but the demon was too strong for that.
“Ah-ah-aaaah~” he tsked, “None of that now.”
Chris was desperate, what the hell was he supposed to do, he was draining his mom of her powers and her life, he couldn’t just stand by and let it happen!
He glanced around and saw an athame on her dresser, they had weapons all around the house for things exactly like this, he flicked his wrist and the blade sliced through the air and stabbed the demon in the side causing him to lose concentration for just one moment.
“Mom!” he cried again, thrusting his hand out and blue light orbs surrounded her and then she was suddenly touching his hand, a second later she was falling to the ground in a tangle of limbs at his feet, he went down with her.
“Mom! Mom?” he pulled her over so she was facing up, but oh god there was so much blood, he put his hands over it the gaping wound, he knew he had to stop the blood flow, yeah that was it, but no, there was a hole in her back too, “Mom?” his voice cracked.
“Shh…” she said raising her hand to cup his cheek, brushing away the tears he hadn’t realized he was shedding, “Chris…”
“Mom?” he was begging now, she wasn’t supposed to die, she was too strong for that, she had always been there, and promised she always would be.
“I love you…” she breathed and then her hand fell from his face as she went limp and the light in her eyes faded.
“N-no...no! No! MOM!” he sobbed, pressing harder on the wound, he could feel her blood staining his fingers but it already felt like it was going cold, “NO!”
His head snapped up when he heard the demon grunt pulling the blade from his side, “Oh, tricky little witch aren’t you?”
“You asshole!” he screamed, standing up he pushed his hand forward, throwing the demon back into the wall, “Athame!” he called making it come to his hand, he threw it and led it telekinetically towards the demon’s heart, but he moved at the last second and he only got him in the shoulder.
“You little shit,” he hissed pulling the blade out again, “Now you’re just pissing me off,” he waved his hand and threw Chris into the other dresser, he cried out in pain as it dug into his back and winded him.
He gasped trying to get air back in his lungs, he thrust his hand out again and tried to make the knife stab Zankou once more, but he was holding it too tightly.
“Potion!” he knew there had to be one in the room, “ Once the demon has been doused, banish him from this house! ”
He threw it and it landed at Zankou’s feet and beyond all hope, it worked, he snarled in anger as he was thrown out of the manor with the force of the spell.
It gave Chris a moment to take a deep breath and then crawl over to his mother who had no once moved during the whole attack.
“No!” he sobbed, “Please! Mom! Mom! You can’t go! Don’t leave me!” he choked on a sob, why had this happened? Why? Someone had to help, “Dad! Dad, please! Aunt Paige! W-Wyatt!”
The last name cried out only from old fears, when he’d had nightmares, Wyatt had been there to comfort him, and this, this was the worst nightmare of all. He wanted to wake up. He wanted it all to just be a terrible dream, for him to be in bed and for Wyatt to be in the next room.
But that wasn’t the case, the feeling of his mother’s blood on his fingers was far too real, his tears fell onto her chest, her eyes blank and staring up into oblivion.
But why hadn’t Dad come? Was it because he really didn’t care about him? Was he even planning on come to his party? Chris didn’t know why he tried, Dad had stopped coming to his calls ages ago, too busy trying to right the world and focusing on Wyatt, that was nothing new either. Chris had never been as important.
Where was Aunt Paige? She usually came, where was she? Why was nobody coming to help him?
He felt a wave of grief hit him and all he could do was curl in on himself, over her body and sob.
~
Wyatt orbed to the steps of the Halliwell Manor, Chris hadn’t called for him in years, and today of all days? How very interesting.
He stepped up to the door and opened it without any problem, even more interesting, he knew that it would be a bit of an annoyance to get into the manor after his mother and aunts had set up their defences, but seeing as he was still of their blood it was less effective against him.
He had never tested it, simply because it hadn’t been time to do so yet, he’d planned out every move and it wasn’t time to make a move against them.
He walked in and waited, he didn’t hear anything except- he paused and listened harder, upstairs there was something.
He headed upstairs and was a bit surprised to see his little brother curled over the bloody body of their mother. That was too soon for the plan. He frowned.
“Chris?”
The younger witch’s head snapped up and he turned to look at his older brother, “W-Wyatt…”
“You did call me didn’t you?” Wyatt replied, arching a blond brow in question.
Chris stared for a long moment, before his face darkened in anger, “This is your fault! You sent them after her! How could you?!” he demanded.
“I didn’t send anyone to attack today, I wasn’t about to ruin your birthday,” he said, completely honest, he hadn’t sent anyone to attack them...at least not for today.
“Liar!” Chris cried, standing up, and Wyatt noted his blood covered hands, “You always wanted to take any attention away from me! You- you asshole! You killed Mom!” He thrust both hands at his brother sending him flying through the open door and down the hall.
“Chris I-” he started but flew back, he was able to orb himself before crashing into anything, he reappeared where he’d started, holding his hands up, “Chris I never-”
He didn’t get a chance again as an athame came flying at his face, he was able to knock it away telepathically, he’d never seen his brother this angry before, or so in tune with his powers. It was giving him ideas.
“Get out! Get OUT! I HATE YOU!” Chris screamed, random items now flying towards his brother and Wyatt took a step back, now was probably not the best time to think about things like that.
“Chris-” he started but was once again interrupted, he was really starting to get annoyed by that, no one usually dared speak over him.
“Chris? Chris, I’m here, where are you? I was attacked by a demon, I’m sorry, Chris?” a voice called from downstairs, Paige, she was coming upstairs.
“Don’t worry little brother, this is not the end,” Wyatt said and then he was gone, just as Paige came up the stairs.
“Chris?” Paige said and then caught sight of him, “Oh my god,” she said rushing into the room, “What happe-” she stopped mid word when she caught sight of Piper, “Oh no.”
“She’s gone...it’s too late…” Chris said, there were still tears streaming down his face and Paige turned to grab him, she pulled him into a fierce hug.
“Oh Chris, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” she whispered, “I didn’t come in time, I’m sorry.”
Chris closed his eyes. Sorry would never be enough, he knew that, it wouldn’t bring his mother back.
~
The funeral was long, and sad, and a week after his birthday, he knew he’d never celebrate another one again. It would just be the date he lost his mother, and the date he swore to do anything to stop his brother.
He would do it, for her and for himself.
The world could not go on like this.
His eyes were dry when he looked at the rest of his family, Aunt Phoebe was to his right, not smiling like she usually did, her black dress not as stylish as she was known to be, Parker and P. J. were standing beside her in matching black dresses, holding hands, sniffling softly, they had loved their Aunt Piper, Aunt Paige was on his left...on the other side of his father, of whom he hadn’t seen all week, he’d only shown up now, for the funeral.
As the ceremony progressed and the casket was lowered into the ground Leo rested a hand on his shoulder, Chris shrugged him off.
Leo wasn’t there for him when he really needed him, he wasn’t going to be there later, Chris knew it.
Because he knew this was just the start of it, it wasn’t going to end with his mother.
Once the casket was down, and the rest of his family had started to leave he looked beyond the trees, he’d sensed his brother appear at the start of the funeral, but he’d done nothing.
Chris could see him standing there just watching, not making a move, which was a small mercy, the rest of the Halliwells just out in the open like this?
But nothing happened, and Chris just stood there, afoot his mother’s grave and glared at the one he knew was responsible. Zankou may have been the one to commit it, but he knew Wyatt was the one at fault.
He swore to all things that he would make the world right again, to the light orbs in the trees disappearing and taking away the one who needed to be take away.
Two months later, there was another grave next to his mother’s, that said ‘Paige Mathews-Halliwell’.
Five months after that, ‘Phoebe Halliwell’ joined her sisters, with her children sobbing and broken at the foot.
And then his cousins went missing, when he had done his best to keep them safe. They were gone, and he was alone. His father nowhere in sight.
He ran, and hid and stayed far from everything he’d known, he had only one goal in mind.
Chris Halliwell swore to uphold the Warren way of witches and be good until the day he died and would do all in his power to make the world a better place.
At any cost.
He would do it.