Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chris always got tired after school.

So when Wyatt orbed them home from magic school (it was always his job since Chris was the little brother fourteen years-old and was pretty inexperienced at orbing) and Melinda was having a sleepover at Aunt Paige's, he helped his tired looking brother into his bed and kissed his head before walking out.

He was always the overprotective brother...especially with all the demons around. His powers were stronger than Chris and Melinda's and they were his little brother and little sister, so if his parents, aunts, or uncles weren't home, it was his job. Well, he considered it his job no matter who was around.

Wyatt sat down at his desk in his room and went to get started on his homework.

Fifteen minutes later, the screaming started.

Wyatt stood up so fast the he knocked over the chair and orbed into his baby brother's room down the hallway. Chris was screaming and thrashing around in bed.

"Chris! Baby brother!" Wyatt said, trying to wake him up, "Chris, wake up, please."

Chris opened his eyes, gasping for air when he did. He looked up at his brother and let out a sob.

"Hey, shh...it's okay, I'm here, baby brother," Wyatt said, holding onto him, "I'm here, it's okay. What happened? What hurts?"

Chris held onto him tightly, "Mom died," he whimpered.

"No, she's just at the grocery store, she left a note," Wyatt said, "I would sense if anything happened, Chris, you know that."

Chris just shook his head and held onto his shirt tightly, "I saw it."

"You had a nightmare, Chris," Wyatt said, rubbing his back, "It's okay...do you want me to lay with you until you go back to sleep?"

Chris stared at him before nodding and curling up to his brothers. The sobbing at stopped, but he was still crying and sniffling.

"What gave you the nightmare, baby brother?" Wyatt said, still rubbing his back.

"I don't know," Chris choked out.

Chapter Text

"It was so weird," Wyatt said quietly, sitting on the couch across from his parents in the living room after they both got home, "He just started screaming...I mean, I was terrified but obviously not as terrified as him. I thought something had happened to him or he was hurt."

"So why was he screaming?" Leo asked.

"It was a nightmare," Wyatt said, "He said he had a nightmare that mom died."

Piper and Leo looked at each other.

"What is it?" Wyatt asked, "What don't I know?"

"No, sweetie, don't worry," Piper stood up, "You know everything about your little brother," she kissed his head, "I'll go talk to him, okay?"

"Okay," Wyatt said, "If he's angry that I left before he woke up, tell him I apologize. I really had to go to the bathroom..." he trailed off.

"Wy, buddy, she gets it," Leo told him.

"Chris," Piper said, opening the door, "Are you- oh, you're awake," she said. She walked over and sat him staring up at the ceiling with a tear stained face, "Oh, peanut..."

Chris got up and hugged her quickly, "I had the worst dream, mom," he sniffled, holding onto her, "You died."

"I'm right here, sweetheart," Piper said, rubbing his back.

"A-And I yelled for dad and he wouldn't listen," the fourteen year-old sniffled, "He wasn't there and only Wy was there a-and he kept yelling and yelling and I was so scared."

"Shh, you're okay," Piper said, holding onto him, "You're going to be okay."

"They're asleep," Piper said after dinner that night. She had checked on Wyatt and then Chris and they were both asleep. She was glad Melinda wasn't there for the screaming or she would have been terrified.

"So what's going on with Chris?" Phoebe asked.

"He had a nightmare," Piper said, crossing her arms, "About me dying."

"Why would he- oh," Leo said.

"Am I missing something?" Phoebe asked.

"When Chris came back from the future...how old did he say he was when I died?" Piper sighed.

"Fourteen...oh," Phoebe said in shock, "You think he remembers?"

"I think his subconscious does," Leo said, "But he knows this life...he just thinks they're some kind of bad dream."

"We can't let him suffer like that," Piper said, shaking her head.

"What should we do?" Phoebe asked.

Before anyone could answer, there was a loud crash from the other room...from Chris' room.

Leo orbed upstairs before anyone else could move and Piper ran up with her sisters.

She opened the door and Leo was holding onto Chris. She turned on the light and he had tears going down his face and was breathing heavily.

"Shh, shh, you're okay, buddy," Leo said, holding onto him, "Deep breaths."

"Mom?" Wyatt asked, walking over and looking in the doorway, "What's going on?"

"Nothing, sweetie, go back to bed, you have school tomorrow," Piper said.

"No, I want to check on him," Wyatt walked over quickly, "Chris-"

"No!" Chris yelled, moving backwards away from Wyatt's hand.

Wyatt looked hurt, "Chris?"

Chris looked up at him, breathing heavily, "I'm sorry," he said quickly, "I just...had another bad dream."

"About me?" Wyatt demanded, looking really hurt now, "Chris, you're my baby brother. Why would I do anything to give you a nightmare?"

"Y-You didn't," Chris whispered, "Well....you didn't. The one in my dream...you turned evil after mom died."

"I would never turn evil. Evil is...well, evil!" Wyatt said, hugging him as he sat down and pulled him away from Leo, letting him rest his head on his shoulder, "I love you, baby brother...I'd never turn evil."

"I know," Chris whispered, looking tired.

Piper looked at Phoebe and Leo and sighed, "I'm going to go and try to call Paige...Henry can stay with the kids. We need to figure out something," she said quietly so Chris and Wyatt wouldn't hear.

Chapter Text

"We have to put a block on his mind," Paige said, going through the Book of Shadows after she arrived.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Piper asked, "I don't like the idea of messing with his head."

Leo sighed, leaning on the wall, "We can't just let him continue on like this...what if he has more nightmares? It's only been a day and he's already had two. I'm not going to let my son grow up being terrified by nonexistent memories. The time he's having dreams of...it doesn't exist anymore. He should be afraid of that."

"Well, he is," Phoebe said, "Obviously. Who wouldn't be? He's getting visions of an evil future and he's only fourteen."

A floorboard creaked downstairs. It was the one outside of Chris' room.

Leo sighed and looked a the clock and it was one in the morning, "He's up again. I'll go," he said before orbing out of the room.

Leo orbed down to the kitchen and sighed when he saw Chris had climbed up on the counter to get something from the cabinets. The growth spurt wasn't there yet and Chris looked so tiny....definitely not like a teenager. He barely came up to Piper's shoulders, not like most of the people in the family so far. Wyatt wasn't very much older than him and he already towered over his mother and aunts.

"What are you doing?" Leo sighed, grabbing him and picking him before placing him on his feet on the floor.

"Nothing," Chris mumbled, "Don't manhandle me."

"Chris, there's a giant pot on the counter that's steaming, you can't tell me nothing," Leo laughed quietly.

Chris sighed, rubbing his eyes, "I got a big test in Aunt Paige's class tomorrow a-and I can't sleep," he sniffled, "I'm making a sleeping potion."

Leo sighed, "What did we tell you about making potions without us in the room?"

"Not to," Chris mumbled, looking down, "Sorry, dad."

"Hey, it's okay, buddy," Leo said, "How about I make you some tea instead of you making a potion? Don't you remember the last potion you made? You were trying to do this one for Wyatt when he was sick and what happened?"

"I turned him into a lizard," Chris sighed.

"That's right," Leo ruffled his hair, "I'll make you some tea and then you can go back to bed. We're going to keep you home from school tomorrow, Aunt Paige will understand."

"Okay," Chris mumbled, rubbing his eyes, "Dad?"

"Yeah?" Leo asked, putting the tea pot on the stove.

Chris swallowed, "Don't leave."

Leo froze up and then looked over at him, "I'd never leave you guys, buddy. What's going on?"

"I-I don't want you to leave me," he whispered, starting to cry again, "You left in my dream."

"That's the difference between dreams and reality, buddy," Leo said, letting Chris hug him tightly, "Those dreams will never happen, okay?"

Chris sniffled and nodded.

Leo poured the tea into a cup for him, "Be careful, it's hot."

"Thanks, dad," Chris whispered before orbing out of the room with the cup in his hand.

Leo sighed and orbed upstairs, "We need to put the block on his mind."

"Wyatt, no," Chris whimpered as he tossed and turned in bed.

Chris watched as the demons bowed down to Wyatt.

Wyatt had let demons into the apartment when grandpa was out and Chris was terrified.

They were supposed to vanquish demons as soon as they saw them, not talk to them. Definitely don't give them orders, either.

"You serve me now," Wyatt growled.

Chris let out a gasp and that caught Wyatt's attention. He quickly ran into his room and shut the door. He jumped in his bed and hoped he wouldn't come in.

"Chris," Wyatt said, opening the door.

Chris closed his eyes tightly.

"Chris, I know you're awake," Wyatt said, "I think we should talk about what you just saw."

"Those were demons," Chris choked out, not looking at them, "You're supposed to vanquish demons."

"Not anymore...I'm powerful because they serve me. I want to keep you safe," Wyatt said, "You're all that I have left."

"We have grandpa," Chris sniffled, "And dad."

"Grandpa is a mortal and dad isn't here anymore," Wyatt said, "You know he's not even watching if I'm able to do this. He doesn't care. We only have each other now."

Chris stayed silent.

"Chris, look at me," Wyatt grabbed his arm roughly.

"NO!" Chris yelled, sitting up in bed and breathing heavily.

Chapter Text

"We need to put a block on his mind," Leo was telling the sisters quietly.

Before he could continue, Chris ran downstairs and held onto his mother tightly, hiding his face in her arm.

Piper sighed, rubbing his back, "See, this is why we need to put the block on soon," she said quietly.

"A block?" someone asked, "Why would he need a block? Is this about his nightmares?"

They turned and saw Wyatt standing in the doorway.

"Sweetie, go back to bed, everything is fine," Piper said quickly.

"It's six in the morning, I need to get ready for school anyways," Wyatt said, "And I want to know why that he screamed when I tried to comfort him and why he won't even talk to me."

Chris hid his face, sniffling.

"Peanut, Wyatt isn't going to hurt you," Piper said, "I know you had a dream that he would, but that was just a dream."

"Why would you need to block something? Why is he getting nightmares?" Wyatt asked quickly.

"I'll explain later, buddy," Leo sighed.

"No, now," Wyatt said quickly, "I'm not going to school until I know."

"Wyatt, now," Piper said, using her mom-voice.

Wyatt groaned and went upstairs.

"You want to tell us what that dream was about?" Piper asked, pulling away from Chris.

Chris shook his head no and wiped his eyes.

"Do you want to show us?" Leo tried.

Chris just nodded and walked over. He touched his dad's head and his hand glowed before he pulled away.

"That'll never happen," Leo told him firmly, "How about you go sit in the living room and watch TV while your mom and I talk?"

Chris stared at him before running off.

"Okay, we need to put the block on his mind now," Leo said quickly.

"Okay," Piper took a deep breath, "Wyatt's at school, let's do this before he gets home because you know he'll throw a fit if he sees Chris even shed a tear."

"Chris, sweetie, come up here!" Phoebe called.

Chris orbed into the room and landed on his back, groaning, "Ow."

"You need to practice that a little more, buddy," Leo sighed, helping him up.

"I'm getting better," Chris mumbled, "Last time I ran into the wall...at least I got where I needed to go this time."

"Just be more careful," Leo said, laughing quietly and ruffling his hair.

"Okay, we're going to fix those nightmares for you," Paige said, "Sit down."

Chris looked at her nervously, "What?" he whispered, taking a step back.

"We're just going to stop the nightmares, peanut, it's okay," Piper told him, pointing to the chair, "Sit there."

Chris looked at Leo nervously and his father gave him a nod. He quickly walked over and sat on the chair, "Will it hurt?"

"No, you won't feel a thing," Leo said, "I just need to get in your head, okay?"

Chris looked at him nervously and nodded.

"Take a deep breath and relax," Leo said and touched both sides of his head and was launch into Chris' memories.

Chapter Text

Chris stood at the funeral in. Wyatt was gripping his hand so tightly it hurt but he was crying too hard to care. That was it, all they had now was their grandfather.

"Come on," sixteen year-old Wyatt told Chris, pulling him away when he saw Chris looking at the relatives and friends of their family that they hardly knew nervously, "I'll take you home, little brother."

Chris sniffled, wiping his eyes on his sleeve, "Where's grandpa?"

"He has to make arrangements for after this, everything will be fine," Wyatt said, hugging him, "I'll take care of you...no matter what it takes."

Leo took a deep breath and focused on the memory.

Then he watched it slowly fade away.

"Leo?" Piper asked.

"Everything is fine," Leo said.

Chris watched as the demons bowed down to Wyatt. Wyatt had let demons into the apartment when grandpa was out and Chris was terrified.

They were supposed to vanquish demons as soon as they saw them, not talk to them.

Definitely don't give them orders, either.

"You serve me now," Wyatt growled.

Chris let out a gasp and that caught Wyatt's attention. He quickly ran into his room and shut the door. He jumped in his bed and hoped he wouldn't come in.

"Chris," Wyatt said, opening the door.

Chris closed his eyes tightly.

"Chris, I know you're awake," Wyatt said, "I think we should talk about what you just saw."

"Those were demons," Chris choked out, not looking at them, "You're supposed to vanquish demons."

"Not anymore...I'm powerful because they serve me. I want to keep you safe," Wyatt said, "You're all that I have left."

"We have grandpa," Chris sniffled, "And dad."

"Grandpa is a mortal and dad isn't here anymore," Wyatt said, "You know he's not even watching anymore if I'm able to do this. He doesn't care. We only have each other now."

Chris stayed silent.

"Chris, look at me," Wyatt grabbed his arm roughly.

"No!" Chris yelled.

"CHRIS!" Wyatt boomed.

"No," Chris whimpered, trying to get away.

"Fine, we'll talk tomorrow," Wyatt said and suddenly his hand was on his shoulder, gripping tightly, "Do me a favor and don't tell grandpa."

Chris closed his eyes tightly and nodded.

The next morning, Chris stared at his arm in the mirror and saw the finger shaped bruises on it and tried to stop crying.

"It feels like this Wyatt that he's having nightmares of doesn't even exist now," Leo said quietly, his hands still on Chris' head.

"Sweetie, calm down," Piper said to Chris when he started shaking, "You're okay, we're right here."

"I want to stop," Chris said quickly, reaching out for her but he had his eyes closed still, just like Leo's, "Please, make it stop."

Piper grabbed his hand, "It's almost over, we're right here."

"Just one more," Leo said, "If I get rid of that, there's no cause and effect, so the other memories will just disappear on their own."

"Wyatt, what are you doing?" Chris demanded after their grandfather's funeral, watching him pack things in the boxes.

Wyatt had told him he had things to do and to stay at the apartment, but Chris wouldn't listen to him. It was all over, they were the last of the Halliwells now.

"Fixing this place up," Wyatt said, "I'm turning it into a museum."

"Wh-What? No!" Chris yelled, "Wyatt-"

"Take this outside," Wyatt said, handing him a box.

Chris stared down at the box, "No," he whispered.

"Excuse me?" he demanded.

"No, I won't let you do this!" Chris yelled.

"You won't let me?" Wyatt laughed, "Chris, you aren't letting me do anything. I'm letting you breathe the air you're breathing...I could have killed you a long time ago, but you're my brother. You're the last of the family and I figured that would mean something."

Chris stared at him, "You aren't my brother anymore," he shook his head, "This isn't you...I'm going to stop you."

"You're going to stop me? Right," Wyatt snorted, "Chris, pick up the boxes and help me."

"No!" Chris yelled before running downstairs.

"Pathetic," he heard Wyatt murmur behind him.

Chris ran out of the house, breathing heavily. He stared up at it through the rain before running down the street. The town was in ruins, there was hardly and life there anyways.

"Bianca?" Chris called as he ran into an alley, "Bianca!"

Bianca walked out and leaned on the wall, "What are you doing here, witch boy?" she smirked.

"Doing what's right," Chris said quietly, "Tell whoever that is against Wyatt that we meet tonight. We're starting a rebellion."

Bianca smirked, walking over, "Look who is finally growing a pair, witch boy," she said, running her hand across his chest as she walked passed, "I like that."

Chris watched after her, raising an eyebrow.

Leo pulled away, breathing heavily, "That should do it."

Chris opened his eyes and tears fell down his face.

"Are you okay, buddy?" Paige asked.

Chris sniffled and nodded, "I-I think..." he trailed off, "My head hurts."

"Why is Chris crying?" a voice suddenly demanded, "Chris? What happened? What did you do?" he demanded, looking at all of them. He ran over to Chris quickly.

"It's nothing, sweetheart, don't worry," Phoebe said, "He's just in a little pain right now."

"Head hurts," Chris mumbled, wrapping his arms around Wyatt's neck and hugged him, "It's okay, Wy," he said, rubbing his eyes, "I feel kind of better already."

"Are you sure?" Wyatt asked.

Chris nodded quickly, "They would never hurt me, Wy," he snorted and pulled back, "You're it," he tapped his head before orbing away.

"Chris!" he yelled before orbing after him.

"Well, they're back to normal," Paige said, rolling her eyes, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a house full of kids to get home to," she said before orbing away.

They all heard a crash upstairs and groaned.

"He really needs more practice," Piper told Leo, "I don't want him to get another concussion."

"Yeah...we're working on it," Leo laughed.

Chapter Text

"MOMMY!" Melinda screamed as soon as Wyatt orbed them down from Magic School two days later, "MOMMY! DADDY! COME QUICK!"

It had been almost three years since they put the block on Chris' mind, the memories were nonexistent now...like it was just all a bad dream that disappeared overnight. He never got another nightmare after the block was put on.

Leo orbed to where they were instantly and Piper ran upstairs to see Chris holding Melinda upside down by her foot.

"Chris!" Piper scolded.

"She's being mean!" the sixteen year-old yelled.

Wyatt was standing there, trying not to laugh.

"Put your sister down right now," Leo told him.

Chris glared at them and put her down. He crossed his arms before stalking out of the room.

"What's going on?" Piper demanded, looking Wyatt.

"Chris has a crush," Melinda said before he could, "She's in Wyatt's grade and she's older than Wyatt! Wyatt called it puberty."

"Wyatt," Piper gave him a look.

Wyatt just shrugged, trying not to laugh.

"Sweetie, don't tease your brother," Piper laughed.

"Fine," Melinda said before running out of the room, "CHRIS AND THE GIRL, SITTING IN A TREE! K-I-S-S-"

"Shut up, Melinda!" Chris yelled from his room.

"So what's this girl's name?" Leo asked once he was sure Chris was out of hearing range.

"Oh, her name's Bianca, she's in my class," Wyatt snorted, "He totally has a crush on her. She sits with me at lunch and Chris always sits with me. It's kind of cute, actually. Every time she talks to him, he ducks his head and blushes."

"Bianca?" Piper asked. They hadn't been prepared for this. Most timelines were set and it was always Chris' destiny to meet Bianca, they had just never been prepared for it.

"Uh...let me talk to your dad alone for a minute, okay?" Piper asked.

"Okay," Wyatt said, "Hey, can I invite her over after school tomorrow? It would be hilarious-"

"We'll see," Piper cut him off.

Wyatt walked out quickly.

"You let Phoenix into Magic School now?" Piper demanded.

"Hey, they're witches," Leo said, "And they're different for some reason...we talked to Bianca's mom and she said that she would never let Bianca kill."

"Do you think Bianca did something in the future?" Piper asked, "The first time?"

"Maybe," Leo said, "But they were very clear that they weren't going to follow their ancestors."

Piper sighed, "Should we let him?"

"I think we should," Leo said, "I mean...things are different now and there are different circumstances. Maybe Chris won't even like her the way he did in the future."

Chris was in the kitchen with Piper helping her wash dishes when someone knocked on the door. "I got it!" Chris said, racing Wyatt to the door. He stuck his tongue out when he got there first.

"You go right ahead," Wyatt smirked, leaning on the wall.

Chris opened the door and his eyes widened when he saw Bianca standing there.

"Hey," Bianca smiled, "Wyatt invited me over, is he-"

Chris went to orb to his room and the blue dust hit the ceiling and he fell to the ground.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" Bianca ran over, checking on him.

"U-Uh," Chris stuttered out, "I have...I'm helping my mom," he blurted out quickly before running into the kitchen blushing, "Mom, I need an ice pack."

"Did you hit your head again, peanut?" Piper asked.

"Mom," Chris groaned, "Don't call me that."

Wyatt walked into the room with Bianca and laughed, "Did you hurt your head, baby brother?"

Chris glared at him before running upstairs.

"Wyatt, don't pick on your brother," Piper said.

A week later, Chris had his seventeenth birthday party. He didn't want a party, but Wyatt made him have one. He invited a few friends from magic school, including Bianca.

Chris was in the kitchen, helping his mom decorate the cake to avoid her.

"Sweetie, you shouldn't he helping me decorate your own birthday cake," Piper laughed.

"I want to," Chris said quickly.

"Go enjoy your party," Piper laughed.

Chris peeked around the corner slightly to see Wyatt making people laugh and talking to them, "They're fine," he mumbled, his cheeks turning red when Bianca caught eye contact with him. His eyes widened when she stood up to come in, "You're right, bye mom," he kissed her cheek and ran out of the other entrance to the kitchen and upstairs.

"Oh...sorry, I thought Chris was in here," Bianca said, sighing and going to walk out.

Piper sighed, accepting what was going to happen. Somethings were just destined to happen.

"He's actually upstairs in his room. First door on the left," Piper said, pointing to the stairs.

"Thanks," Bianca smiled, going upstairs.

Chris sat on his bed, going through the Book of Shadows and reading the spells in it.

"I thought that was supposed to be in your attic," someone said, causing him to jump.

Chris' eyes widened when he saw Bianca leaning against his door frame, "I, uh..." he swallowed, staring at the book and orbing it back upstairs, "You didn't see anything?" he tried

"Whatever you say," Bianca laughed, walking over and sitting on the edge of his bed, "I didn't get to tell you happy birthday...Wyatt kind of grabbed everyone as soon as we came in."

"Yeah, he does that," Chris mumbled, rubbing his arm nervously and scooting away from her slightly, his cheeks turning red as he did.

"Well, then," Bianca said, "Since they're downstairs, I can give you your birthday present-"

"What- oh," Chris breathed out in shock because the next thing he knew, Bianca was kissing him.

Chris kissed back, trying to figure out what to do with his hands. He went to put them on her waist but then thought twice about it and quickly moved them to the bed, gripping the blanket there tightly.

Bianca smiled against his lips, continuing the kiss.

"Chris-" Piper walked in with Leo, "Oh!" she said in shock.

Chris pulled away quickly, blushing slightly as he did.

"So...no matter what would have happened, they would have ended up together?" Phoebe asked Coop as they all cleaned up the living room after the party.

"Most likely," Coop nodded.

"Great," Piper said under her breath, "Chris is dating an assassin."

"Not in this universe," Leo pointed out.

"Mom," Chris walked downstairs, "I'm going to walk Bianca home."

"Wyatt!" Piper called, "Walk Bianca home with your brother!"

"Mom," Chris groaned.

Bianca just laughed, not saying a word.

"Okay, lovebirds," Wyatt orbed downstairs, "Let's get going."

Chris shook his head, walking out with them. His family was full of the most embarrassing people.

"There goes destiny," Phoebe said under her breath.

"Don't push it," Piper said.