𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 || 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥

Chapter 42 - A Twist In Our Fate

"So were you that cute as a baby?" I asked conversationally as I made faces at Wyatt through the holes of his playpen.

I could practically hear the eye roll I was getting from behind me as Chris continued to flip pages of the Book of Shadows.

"Cuter, actually," he replied and I couldn't help but laugh, shaking my head.

Of course he'd say that. I was about to retort something back when suddenly, a creak sounded somewhere in the attic. Instantly, the two of us were on our guard, sharing a look as we glanced around the tiny room.

"Hello?" Chris called out, green eyes flitting this way and that.

But all was quiet around us. I shrugged over at my boyfriend, turning back to Wyatt as he turned back to the book. Must've just been the house settling. Old houses did that a lot, right?

All of a sudden, the sound came again - this time, more insistent. Quickly, Chris dropped what he was doing to stand closer to me and Wyatt.

"Chris, I don't see anything," I pointed out, crossing my arms over my chest.

Something creaked again - almost like someone was walking around in the attic with us. Chris and I shared a look.

"Okay, it's time to get you outta here." Chris said to his brother before turning to pluck him out of the playpen.

If only that had happened. Instead, what did transpire was very different.

Before either of us had a chance to react, Chris and I both were being tossed around the room like rag dolls. I groaned as a chair broke underneath me, sticking me in all the wrong places. Just then, a figure formed out of a cloud of inky-black smoke. A very familiar figure.

"Don't make me sacrifice you all," Gideon warned us as Chris and I stumbled to our feet.

He turned then to grab Wyatt but he was too slow for my boyfriend's powers, this time Gideon being the one to be tossed away. Thank goodness for dating a Charmed spawn, am I right?

Suddenly, Gideon's hand glowed and an athame appeared in his grasp before he disappeared entirely. My eyes widened as the both of us lunged towards Wyatt, Chris making it before I did. But even he was too slow for Gideon.

Before I could even cry out, Gideon appeared before Wyatt and the athame was plunged deep into Chris' abdomen.

Groaning, Chris fell to his knees as a painful gasp ripped from my throat, "CHRIS!"

Gideon yanked the athame out then as Chris cried out, "Dad!" before falling to the floor.

I could feel my eyes darkening to a more demonic color, my hand growing warmer and warmer as I raced towards him. But it didn't matter - it was all too late now. I didn't have the strength to take him on and he knew that as he sneered over at me.

"Come on, little demon child, want to try me? You're just another abomination in this family," Gideon snarled, "Odds are they won't even miss you."

Before I could react, he was gone - gone with the very person Chris had given his life to protect. I could feel a whole of emptiness, sadness well up inside of me as I gave a last glance to the empty playpen before bending down to Chris. My hand brushed away strands of brown hair from his forehead, tears brimming in my eyes.

No, no, no, no! This wasn't supposed to happen - Chris had to live! He had to live!

"Chris..." I whispered softly, unable to tear my gaze from his broken figure, "I'm so sorry - I should've-"

A groan emitted from between parted lips and he shook his head, "No...no, this isn't your fault, Mattie..."

I was about to respond when the sudden sound of orbing distracted me. And then Leo was there, having orbed in from who knows where. His expression was pained as he checked on his son before his eyes flitted to the empty playpen. He knew immediately what had happened, he need not be told. But instead of worrying over a fact that couldn't be changed, he ordered me to stay with Chris before orbing away to the hospital.

Phoebe and Paige needed to be here...just in case...

Oh, please, just let everything be okay, I thought with hot tears forming in my brown eyes.