One Chris

Chapter 4

Chris stepped in the garden of the manor, his heart pounding and mind racing. He focused his energy, trying to use his whitelighter abilities to find Bianca. As he concentrated, a sudden, intense pain shot through his head. He doubled over, clutching his temples, and the world around him blurred. The pain grew unbearable, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Images and memories bombarded his mind, overwhelming him. He saw visions of Eve and Wyatt together, at different ages, in various situations. They kissed with passion, their hands all over each other, for countless moments, like if they were alone. But Chris was there, watching from a corner. The memories felt vivid and real, each one a sharp pain in his stomach.

When Chris finally regained consciousness, he found himself lying on the living room couch. The faint light of dawn filtered through the curtains. His head throbbed, and he could hear his parents' voices in the dining room nearby. He needed answers, but he couldn't face them now. Quietly, he slipped off the couch and made his way to Wyatt's room.

He burst through the door, his anger barely contained. Wyatt was startled. Before he could react, Chris launched himself at his brother, fists flying.

"How could you do this to me?" Chris shouted, landing a punch on Wyatt's jaw.

Wyatt stumbled back, trying to defend himself. "What the hell, Chris? What are you talking about?"

Chris continued his assault, fury driving his every move. "I know about you and Eve! I saw it all! You betrayed me!"

Wyatt managed to block a punch and pushed Chris away, confusion and hurt evident in his eyes. "Chris, I don't know what you're talking about!"

"You and Eve!" Chris screamed, his voice cracking with rage. "All those times behind my back!"

Wyatt's face paled as he tried to process the accusation. "That's not true! Eve has never shown any interest in me. She loves you, Chris!"

Leo, hearing the commotion from downstairs, rushed into the room and pulled Chris away from Wyatt. "What's going on here?"

Chris struggled against his father's grip, his anger not yet abated. "They betrayed me, Dad. Wyatt and Eve. I saw it."

"I thought you didn't care about her anymore?" Wyatt said.

"It's a matter of principle!" Chris replied.

Leo's eyes darted between his sons, trying to understand the situation. "Chris, Wyatt, you both calm down. What exactly did you see?"

"I had visions, memories. They were together, in ways that..." Chris trailed off, his voice breaking. "How can you both lie to me? Uh? I can't believe I was sorry for her, after all that I should be happy it's finally over."

Wyatt, his voice steady but pained, said, "Chris, I swear to you, nothing like that ever happened. Eve has always been devoted to you. I would never betray you like that..." Leo gave him a look of doubt. "OK... She would not." Wyatt corrected.

Leo nodded in agreement. "Chris, I know this is hard, but you have to believe us. What you are saying can't be true. Whatever you saw, it wasn't real."

Chris felt his world spinning. How could he be so sure of something that apparently never happened? "But the memories... they felt so real. How can you be sure it wasn't?"

Wyatt stepped closer, his expression earnest. "Chris, maybe it's your mind trying to cope with everything that's happened. You've been through so much. But I promise you, on my life, Eve and I never... we never did anything like that."

Chris looked into his brother's eyes, searching for any hint of deception but found none. He turned to his father, who wore the same expression of sincerity and concern. The anger began to drain from him, replaced by confusion and despair.

"How can I trust what I remember if it's not real?" Chris asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Leo placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure this out, Chris. Together. You're not alone in this."

Chris nodded slowly, the weight of uncertainty settling on him. He had no idea what was real anymore, but he knew he couldn't navigate this alone. With a heavy heart, he allowed his father and brother to guide him back to the living room, the promise of support the only thing anchoring him in the chaos of his fractured memories. They were joined by Piper, who immediately noticed the tension.

"What's going on?" she asked, concern etched on her face.

"Just... a misunderstanding," Leo said gently. "Chris has been through a lot. Let's all sit down and have breakfast. We could use some normalcy."

Chris nodded numbly, grateful for the semblance of routine. The kitchen was warm and familiar, filled with the comforting scents of fresh coffee and toast. As they settled around the table, Chris's eyes wandered around the room, taking in the details he had once known so well. His gaze fell on the refrigerator, where a faded drawing was pinned with a magnet. His name was signed on it with a weird and blurry writing.

He stood up and approached it, squinting at the childish scrawl. "What's this?" he asked, touching the worn paper.

Piper followed his gaze, her expression softening with a mix of sadness and affection. "You drew that when you were about five. You said it was a dream you had. I thought it was so adorable that I kept it all these years."

Chris examined the drawing more closely. It depicted a small boy, presumably him, playing with a glowing, ethereal animal, probably a cat giving the hears. The cat seemed to be offering him a handful of candy, its light casting a magical glow over the scene. As he looked at it, a dull ache started to throb in his temples, and his vision blurred slightly.

"I... I remember," he murmured, the pain intensifying but remaining bearable. He closed his eyes, letting the images flood his mind. He saw himself as a child, laughing as the radiant cat pranced around him, offering him treats. It was a sweet, innocent memory, filled with the wonder of a child's imagination.

Piper and Leo exchanged a worried glance. "Chris, are you feeling alright?" Piper asked, moving closer to her son.

Chris opened his eyes, the headache subsiding a bit. "Yeah, I just... I remembered the dream. It was so vivid, like it just happened."

Leo's brow furrowed in concern. "Are you sure you're okay? You've been through a lot in the past hours."

Chris nodded slowly, the realization dawning on him. "If I can remember my dreams like that, what if it's the same with my nightmares? What if the memories I had of Wyatt and Eve were just... nightmares?"

Leo's eyes softened with understanding. "It's possible, Chris. Your mind has been through a lot of trauma. Sometimes, it can be hard to separate dreams from reality, especially when they're so vivid."

Chris sank into a chair, the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him. "So, those visions... they might not be real? Just my mind playing tricks on me?"

"It's possible," Leo said, his voice gentle. "But we'll figure this out. You're not alone in this, Chris. We're here to help you."

"Uh... What visions?" Piper asked, lost in the conversation.

Leo took her apart to explain discretely what had happened, leaving their sons alone for a moment.

Chris took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. The idea that his painful memories might be nothing more than nightmares was both a relief and a new source of confusion. He had to find a way to distinguish between the two, to reclaim his life and his memories.

"The new you have a better right hook than the old one." Wyatt commented, his jaw aching.

Chris let out a chuckle. For now, though, he focused on the simple comfort of being with his family. He reached for a piece of toast, trying to find some solace in the mundane act of eating breakfast. As he chewed, he glanced around the table, taking in the familiar faces. Despite everything, they were here for him, and that was a start.