A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful responses! Please keep reviewing, and I promise, I'll keep writing.
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"I can't believe you told them that." Wyatt hissed at his brother as they were backstage getting ready to put on a show.
"C'mon Wy! I'm 25 and you're 27! How was I supposed to know that they could still somehow ground us magically? I have premonitions, but I'm not a mind reader!"
"Yeah, and I'm so sure your 'Sun God' comment to dad helped us SO much." Wyatt groused sarcastically. "How'd you even know that anyway? That was back in the sixties wasn't it?"
Chris shrugged, "Aunt Paige must've told me. I don't know. But listen, I'm sorry, okay? Let's just do this show, then we can go to the Manor, listen to the 'Magic is a responsibility' lecture, clean the attic then go on with our lives."
Wyatt laughed. "I think I could recite that particular lecture word for word."
"Me too." Chris changed the subject. "So are we going with just a general show or the big shebang this time?"
"Might as well go big. Did you see Jakey in the audience?"
Chris sobered. "Yeah. Wy…this is probably his last show. He's out of remission again and Angie said he's not responding to the experimental drug they're trying."
Wyatt's face darkened. "Poor baby. He's only seven!" His hands fisted at his sides in frustration. "I want to heal him, Chris."
Chris nodded. "I know. So do I, but…we can't. You know the rules as well as I do. We can't heal mortal illnesses. Only the ones that a demon causes."
Angie, the charge nurse of the cancer ward, popped her head in. "You guys are on. You ready?"
Wyatt forced a grin. "Yeah, we're ready."
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"WOW! Chris, Wyatt that was the COOLEST show ever!!" The brothers showed off twin grins at the enthusiastic voice.
"Hey, Jakey! Glad you liked it, bud." Wyatt knelt down next to the tiny dark haired boy's wheelchair.
"Yeah, we added a few more tricks, just for you. "Chris ruffled the boy's hair lightly.
"Are you sure you can't show me how to do that?" Jakey teased.
"Sorry, pal, but we told you- it's magic."
"It must be. It amazes me how flawless you two perform. It's….unbelievable." Caroline, Jakey's mom added from behind her son.
"Nah… we're just charmed." Chris said with a huge grin.
Jakey coughed hard, his body shaking with the effort. "Shh… just take a nice deep breath, buddy. You're okay." Wyatt soothed, softly rubbing his back gently.
"Not okay, Wy." Jakey wheezed. "Cancer…got in my lungs."
"I'm sorry, pal. I wish I could make it go away…more than you know." Wyatt said sadly.
"Oh, Wyatt, there's nothing you can do. We understand that. You're doing exactly what he needs most- you love him." Caroline glanced at Chris. "You both do. It's enough. "
Wyatt stayed silent, instead sharing an anguished look with Chris. "Listen, buddy, I'm sorry, but we have to go now. We'll come back tomorrow to visit with you, okay? We have to go and see our parents."
"Okay. I love you."
"We love you too, Jakey." Chris forced out through this emotion-thickened throat.
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"Dad, we need to talk to you." Wyatt insisted as they orbed into the manor.
"Good, I hope it's about using magic irresponsibly." Leo was still angry.
Chris sighed. "Dad, look, we get you're angry with us. Mom, we know you are too. But we've got something serious to discuss with you. Bigger than the light shows."
"Bigger? Chris, your Aunt Prue died because magic was exposed! There isn't anything bigger!"
"Mom, we want to go talk to the Elders." Wyatt's somber voice broke through Piper's anger.
"What? Why? Is something wrong? Oh, God did you get exposed?"
"No, no, nothing like that. Look, there's this little boy at the hospital. He's got leukemia. He's had every treatment available and it keeps coming back. It's spread all through his body, and just recently hit his lungs. He's going to die."
"Wyatt, as sad as it is, sometimes kids do die. The Elders can't change that." Leo's voice was soft and full of sympathy.
"But we can." Chris said equally as soft.
"White lighters are forbidden to heal anything not demon related."
"Oh, come on, Dad! It didn't stop you! You healed mom when she had Aurora Fever! And you healed us a ton of times when we were little with colds and crap."
"You and your mom are my family, Wyatt. The rules blur at that point."
"Dad, please, I love Jakey. Chris and I both do. We've spent the past 7 years watching him fight. He's got the heart and soul of a warrior. It's just his body that's giving out."
"Yeah, he's got these little soldiers all around his room. He says that someday he's going to grow up and protect all the people that can't protect themselves. You should see him, he gets so much pleasure out of helping other people, it's uncanny. Death can't have him…the world needs him so much." Chris' voice was choked with emotion.
"But the rules…"
"FUCK THE RULES!" Wyatt screamed. Bottles flew off shelves and the cupboard doors slammed open as he lost control of his powers for a moment.
"Wyatt!" Chris rushed over, sending him a burst of calming energy. "Bro, get it back together!"
The room quieted as Wyatt got his powers back under control. "Sorry… I just…I need to save him. I don't know if I can handle him…" Wyatt swallowed visibly. "dying."
"Honey, I understand. About the rules…about not losing someone you love, I get it all. But, sometimes…you just have to let go."
Chris shook his head. "Not this time, Mom."
"We need to talk to the Elders."
"They won't allow it. They can't allow it. It would mess with the grand design too much."
"What good is it then, Dad? He's seven years old! It's not fair that he dies when some of the scum we saved from demons lives."
"Wyatt, I'm not saying I agree with it. But there's a reason for it, even if you can't see it right now. Good will triumph over evil. But it isn't ever easy."
"Then maybe there shouldn't be good versus evil. Maybe my other self was right before. Maybe power is the only thing that matters."
Piper's face bleached white. "Don't ever say that, Wyatt!"
"If the good in this world won't allow a little boy to live, then what good is it?"
"Wyatt…Chris… please. Just calm down, okay? I'll go up there and talk to them. I'll see what I can do to smooth the way. In the meantime, I want you to talk to your aunts. Discuss this with them too. This decision effects us all. If you two decide to defy the Elders, they may decide to recycle you. It's not something to take lightly."
"They can't do it, dad. If they recycled us, it would tip the balance of power too much to evil."
"But…you make a good point. We'll talk to Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige before we talk to the Elders."
"Not that they'll disagree with us." Wyatt added.
"Don't be so sure. They both learned the hard way about trying to help the ones that weren't supposed to be saved."
"He's supposed to be saved, Mom. If there's anything good in this world worth saving…it's Jakey."
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A/N: WOW! Ok, this story has officially taken on a life of it's own. This was not the direction I had planned, but I like it. I hope you do too!