Birthday memories (Charmed)
Feb. 23rd, 2007 01:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwaevalarinBirthday Memories
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
gwaevalarin
Fandom: Charmed
Characters: Chris, Wyatt, Piper
Disclaimer: Charmed belongs... not to me, that’s for sure.
Notes/Warning: angst, character death in a way but not really, slightly AU, unbeta’d
Rating: R, to be on the save side
Summary: At first it felt like the aftermath of a dream but instead of slowly fading away it became stronger and grabbed hold of his mind.
Chris hated birthdays. He didn’t really have a reason for that though there were some bad memories connected to the day.
His first birthday pretty much got screwed up by Zankou and his zombies. Of course Chris couldn’t remember but he had been able to put two and two together.
It was his 5th birthday when Leo wasn’t home all day. Because he had more important things to do. He still was an elder after all and had chosen that day to remember it. When Chris had asked for his Daddy Piper had told him that he was sorry but had no choice. Chris never told anyone but part of him believed that Leo just didn’t care. He couldn’t remember him missing one of Wyatt’s birthdays.
On his 9th birthday it was a demon who was after the Nexus. It destroyed half of the living room furniture and set the carpet on fire before his mother and aunts vanquished it.
But it was his 23rd birthday that topped them all.
At first it felt like the aftermath of a dream but instead of slowly fading away it became stronger and grabbed hold of his mind. Memories of another time, another life. Small fragments and feelings first that put themselves together to larger scenes fighting each other for his attention, claiming to be real. He knew that in a way they were. And the more he tried to push them back the stronger they became.
The destroyed city. Wyatt killing a young witch because she had performed magic without his permission. The museum. You do what I say or you’re my enemy. The back room of the P3. Phoebe asking him if he was Wyatt’s brother. Letters from his father. Maybe you came back to save us, too. Gideon. The pain. The look on his father’s face before everything faded to black. The save haven his grandfather’s place was. Piper looking at him like she saw him for the first time. His mother’s body lying motionless on the floor. Her pale face. His own trembling hands when he desperately tried to heal her. The smell of her spilt blood…
Chris barely made it to the bathroom before his stomach turned upside down and he threw up. Panting heavily he reached for the cool of the sink to have something to hold onto while the memories kept coming, racing through his mind, making him feel dizzy and hurt and confused.
When the world finally stopped spinning he got up, splashed some cold water on his face and went downstairs.
In the kitchen Piper was busy making birthday breakfast for the whole family, ignoring how much he hated that day like she did every year. Chris fought down the urge to reach out for her and hug her tight in the pure relief of seeing her alive and well. Which was kinda stupid. Of course she was fine. But the picture of the lifeless body and the feeling of helplessness when he couldn’t heal her had just been so strong, so real.
When Piper turned around to arrange some still warm chocolatey smelling cookies on a plate she spotted him.
“Good morning! I didn’t know you where already up. Did you…” She stopped to look at him closely. “You look pale. Is something wrong?”
For a moment he considered telling her that he had just had a bad dream but with her concerned eyes on him he settled for the truth.
“I remember.” His voice sounded rough and shaken.
“You remember what, sweetheart?”
Before he could try to explain Chris felt a hand on his shoulder and heard his brother’s voice. “Hey, little brother. Twentythree and you still haven’t caught up with me. “
It's all about power. It’s as simple as that.
Chris’ body tensed. He turned around and in the same movement brought himself between his mother and brother, shielding her. Without thinking about it he raised his hand and telekinetically send the older Halliwell crashing against a cupboard.
“Chris! What the hell are you doing?” His mother’s voice cut throuh the anger and pain of memories that had taken over. Chris looked at Wyatt who was holding his head where it had hit the edge and stared at him confused. He tried to calm his breath and unclenched his fists.
“I’m sorry.” he said more because he felt he had to than because he meant it. He didn’t know if he meant it. Before his mind’s eyes he could still see the pictures of what Wyatt had done. Of what Wyatt had done in another life, Chris tried to remind himself.
Piper had sent him in the conservatory to “calm down and try to relax until we figure this out.” He leaned his head against the back of the chair and closed his eyes. The new memories were not pushing into his consciousness that much any more but they where still there. Why had he gotten them back? How should he cope with memories of two different timelines? Of things that had never happened because he had gone back in time to make sure of that. He didn’t want to remember this other world, this other life.
He opened his eyes when he heard someone clear his throat. Wyatt was standing in the doorway pressing a cool pack at his head. This had to do until aunt Paige or Leo’d arrive to heal him.
“Didn’t know you were that angry with me for not letting you vanquish that demon on your own last week.” A small smile appeared on the older brother’s face.
“Hey, listen. I’m really sorry.” This time Chris meant it.
“Forget it.” Wyatt said because that was the almost annoyingly friendly and forgiving guy he was now… he was. At least when it came to family. “Just tell me what was going on.”
Chris fixed his eyes on on the floor and remained silent. Not until Wyatt said his name in that exact same tone of voice their mother’d use when she wanted him to open up Chris looked at his brother again.
“I can’t. Not now, okay?”
For a moment it seemed like Wyatt’d push for an explanation but then he just nodded and turned around to leave the room. He stopped for a moment when he remembered something.
“Happy birthday, Chris.”
Author’s Note: This started with me wondering how and when Chris may have gotten back his memory about the events of season 6. And then the angst came to join the party a little more than I had expected.
In case you want to know: Chris’ 23rd birthday is a Sunday (assuming he was born on May 16th 2004).
Edit:jellicle_freak just pointed out to me that Wyatt's birthday is on Feburary (2nd 2003 according to Wikipedia) which means that Chris' birthday would actually be around November 2nd 2004.
Author:
gwaevalarinFandom: Charmed
Characters: Chris, Wyatt, Piper
Disclaimer: Charmed belongs... not to me, that’s for sure.
Notes/Warning: angst, character death in a way but not really, slightly AU, unbeta’d
Rating: R, to be on the save side
Summary: At first it felt like the aftermath of a dream but instead of slowly fading away it became stronger and grabbed hold of his mind.
Chris hated birthdays. He didn’t really have a reason for that though there were some bad memories connected to the day.
His first birthday pretty much got screwed up by Zankou and his zombies. Of course Chris couldn’t remember but he had been able to put two and two together.
It was his 5th birthday when Leo wasn’t home all day. Because he had more important things to do. He still was an elder after all and had chosen that day to remember it. When Chris had asked for his Daddy Piper had told him that he was sorry but had no choice. Chris never told anyone but part of him believed that Leo just didn’t care. He couldn’t remember him missing one of Wyatt’s birthdays.
On his 9th birthday it was a demon who was after the Nexus. It destroyed half of the living room furniture and set the carpet on fire before his mother and aunts vanquished it.
But it was his 23rd birthday that topped them all.
At first it felt like the aftermath of a dream but instead of slowly fading away it became stronger and grabbed hold of his mind. Memories of another time, another life. Small fragments and feelings first that put themselves together to larger scenes fighting each other for his attention, claiming to be real. He knew that in a way they were. And the more he tried to push them back the stronger they became.
The destroyed city. Wyatt killing a young witch because she had performed magic without his permission. The museum. You do what I say or you’re my enemy. The back room of the P3. Phoebe asking him if he was Wyatt’s brother. Letters from his father. Maybe you came back to save us, too. Gideon. The pain. The look on his father’s face before everything faded to black. The save haven his grandfather’s place was. Piper looking at him like she saw him for the first time. His mother’s body lying motionless on the floor. Her pale face. His own trembling hands when he desperately tried to heal her. The smell of her spilt blood…
Chris barely made it to the bathroom before his stomach turned upside down and he threw up. Panting heavily he reached for the cool of the sink to have something to hold onto while the memories kept coming, racing through his mind, making him feel dizzy and hurt and confused.
When the world finally stopped spinning he got up, splashed some cold water on his face and went downstairs.
In the kitchen Piper was busy making birthday breakfast for the whole family, ignoring how much he hated that day like she did every year. Chris fought down the urge to reach out for her and hug her tight in the pure relief of seeing her alive and well. Which was kinda stupid. Of course she was fine. But the picture of the lifeless body and the feeling of helplessness when he couldn’t heal her had just been so strong, so real.
When Piper turned around to arrange some still warm chocolatey smelling cookies on a plate she spotted him.
“Good morning! I didn’t know you where already up. Did you…” She stopped to look at him closely. “You look pale. Is something wrong?”
For a moment he considered telling her that he had just had a bad dream but with her concerned eyes on him he settled for the truth.
“I remember.” His voice sounded rough and shaken.
“You remember what, sweetheart?”
Before he could try to explain Chris felt a hand on his shoulder and heard his brother’s voice. “Hey, little brother. Twentythree and you still haven’t caught up with me. “
It's all about power. It’s as simple as that.
Chris’ body tensed. He turned around and in the same movement brought himself between his mother and brother, shielding her. Without thinking about it he raised his hand and telekinetically send the older Halliwell crashing against a cupboard.
“Chris! What the hell are you doing?” His mother’s voice cut throuh the anger and pain of memories that had taken over. Chris looked at Wyatt who was holding his head where it had hit the edge and stared at him confused. He tried to calm his breath and unclenched his fists.
“I’m sorry.” he said more because he felt he had to than because he meant it. He didn’t know if he meant it. Before his mind’s eyes he could still see the pictures of what Wyatt had done. Of what Wyatt had done in another life, Chris tried to remind himself.
Piper had sent him in the conservatory to “calm down and try to relax until we figure this out.” He leaned his head against the back of the chair and closed his eyes. The new memories were not pushing into his consciousness that much any more but they where still there. Why had he gotten them back? How should he cope with memories of two different timelines? Of things that had never happened because he had gone back in time to make sure of that. He didn’t want to remember this other world, this other life.
He opened his eyes when he heard someone clear his throat. Wyatt was standing in the doorway pressing a cool pack at his head. This had to do until aunt Paige or Leo’d arrive to heal him.
“Didn’t know you were that angry with me for not letting you vanquish that demon on your own last week.” A small smile appeared on the older brother’s face.
“Hey, listen. I’m really sorry.” This time Chris meant it.
“Forget it.” Wyatt said because that was the almost annoyingly friendly and forgiving guy he was now… he was. At least when it came to family. “Just tell me what was going on.”
Chris fixed his eyes on on the floor and remained silent. Not until Wyatt said his name in that exact same tone of voice their mother’d use when she wanted him to open up Chris looked at his brother again.
“I can’t. Not now, okay?”
For a moment it seemed like Wyatt’d push for an explanation but then he just nodded and turned around to leave the room. He stopped for a moment when he remembered something.
“Happy birthday, Chris.”
Author’s Note: This started with me wondering how and when Chris may have gotten back his memory about the events of season 6. And then the angst came to join the party a little more than I had expected.
In case you want to know: Chris’ 23rd birthday is a Sunday (assuming he was born on May 16th 2004).
Edit:
jellicle_freak just pointed out to me that Wyatt's birthday is on Feburary (2nd 2003 according to Wikipedia) which means that Chris' birthday would actually be around November 2nd 2004.
