~~O~~

Chris was flipping through the worn pages of the Book of Shadows when he felt the familiar tingling fissure in the air that indicated someone orbing in. Chris looked up and his face flickered with irritation before smoothing out into neutrality. "Oh. Hey, Leo."

"Chris." Leo studied him briefly. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing. Just looking for more demons for the sisters to vanquish. What do you want?" Chris felt the deep-set resentment collected from years of disappointment creep up on him. He pushed it away, and gritted his teeth, resigning himself to a conversation with the father he never got to know.
Leo was looking closely at him. Chris quickly recovered the poker face he'd spent years perfecting. Apparently discouraged by Chris' lack of expression, Leo stopped scrutinizing him and said, "Chris, I need to talk to you."

Chris' eyes narrowed suspiciously. "About what? If this is some sort of father/son talk, I have better things to do."

Leo shook his head. "I've been talking with the other Elders and we've got an assignment for you."

Chris covered his surprise with a raised eyebrow. Abruptly, he responded, "I don't want any new assignments; I'm busy enough as it is protecting Wyatt."

Leo folded his arms. "Your mother and I can protect Wyatt. We're his parents, it's our job. And we have a job that's far more important right now.

Chris had the childish impulse to put his fingers in his ears and start humming so he wouldn't have to hear it. Instead, he took the more age-appropriate route and looked Leo straight in the eyes. "I don't want whatever job the Elders feel like shoving onto me. Not my responsibility, not my problem."

Undeterred, Leo tried again. "Her name's Amber."

"I said no. I don't want another charge. I came here for Wyatt, that's it." Chris started to walk away. If he orbed, Leo would follow. Not that walking away was going to make a difference if Leo felt like being stubborn.

"Chris!" Leo gripped his shoulder and forced Chris to look at him. "Listen to me. She's in trouble. You're the only one left to help her. You have to do this. Please." The expression on his face made Chris pause. But only for a moment.

"I don't need another reason to be here."

He orbed out and this time Leo didn't follow.

He'd thought that was the end of it. Until now.

He was lounging on the couch in his room at P3, staring at the ceiling. It was so ironic. Back home, he probably would have given his right arm for the responsibility he was offered now. Maybe he was exaggerating a little. But he'd wanted nothing more than to prove that he was better than they thought he was. That he wasn't the useless one in the family. The irony was that when he was finally handed the opportunity, he couldn't accept it.

The gentle buzzing in his head that would never cease had gone nearly silent for awhile. Now it increased to a keening pitch that shrieked through his brain. He instinctively covered his ears, even though he knew that it would have no effect on the sound reverberating through his brain, and he orbed.