driftfleet | three . video

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three . video

WHO Chris Halliwell
BROADCAST Accidental Fleet-wide video (thanks Atroma!!)
ACTION SS Huntress.
WHEN May 10th. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.
WARNINGS don't play fetch with the soulball

[ The video is abrupt, the angle awkward. It cuts on to a comm laying on what appears to be a dining table in a fully upgraded kitchen. Chris is standing off-center, facing someone who is holding what appears to be a lightly-glowing orb in his hands.

This appears to be a very controversial thing, holding a glowy ball. ]

They gave you grandad?! It's a casino! Where the hell did they even get that?

Actually, where the hell do you even keep that now? Or... then. Back then? Whatever. How do you play slots to win your father's soul?

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[ Blowing him up would be so much easier, to be honest. But she can't do that no matter who or what or how confusing things are. Or how she can't quite look at him as she tries to yank her arm out of his hand. ]

Let go.

No! What happened?

[ He isn't going to let go. Just no way, not unless she tells him something to make him less worried. His family is on the line here and there is nothing Chris wouldn't do for family. ]

[ She continues to tug, but unfortunately physical fighting was Phoebe's thing. And pushing and pulling is obviously not working here so her last ditch effort is magic and, well, she knows better than to do it intentionally. She hasn't regained that much control over it. So she huffs and glares at him, still trying despite. ]

It has nothing to do with you.

[ He shifts them, taking Piper's other arm and moving to hold her shoulders. His concern is heavy and obvious, looking at her and trying to search her expression. This... He can't deal with this. The idea of his family being worse off, that it's his fault somehow, because anything making Piper this upset is something big. ]

We're family. It has everything to do with me. Please.

[ She doesn't want to look at him and so she continues to avoid it. She thinks hard. There's no way to avoid things with him right there. And he's close to Cole and these things and it's not right-- She knows that, and can feel it and she let's out a breath.

She's died at least three times. She's lost her husband. Knows evil is trying to kidnap and control one of her sons and... Then then. There's this. Why is this so much harder than dying a thousand times? ]

It doesn't. [ It's a simple, hollow response. ] Because my Chris would never call me Aunt.

[ There's a lump in his throat and he doesn't know how it got there. He doesn't understand what Piper just said. He doesn't understand what it means, or what he's supposed to do with it. Of course Piper is his aunt. She knows Chris is a Halliwell, so what else did she expect?

His head just won't wrap around it because the facts don't line up. ]

What?

[As he is known to do, Cole shimmers in at the worst time, right after this revelation and he can tell that he's shown up in the middle of something, so of course the first thing he's gonna do is move to Chris's side and place a hand on his shoulder.]

Okay, what did I miss? What's going on here?

[ Is this the moment where she can finally escape and turn away with a frustrated sound? No, well she'll definitely try to manage it anyway. Cole's just lucky that in spite of what little control over her powers she has right now she doesn't turn around and cause an explosion right then. Maybe then she'd get a moment of quiet because how is she supposed to deal with this, either? ]

Nothing. [ This is Piper-- this is Piper trying to deflect and get rid of people without saying anything. ] Why don't you two go back to your grandfather, or whatever?

[ She doesn't know what that is. She doesn't want to know. There's so much she knows and so little at the same time that this is already crashing fast. And she doesn't want to go further than that phrase because she knows she couldn't take it if what she thought was right. She's not Chris' Aunt. She knows it so well now just as she knows Cole hasn't been around for a while. Leo's gone and even now, she feels it, Prue, too. And she's so, so done. ]

[ Chris doesn't let go. He can't let go, not yet, and he hardly moves when Cole arrives. It does prompt him to breathe where the motion had almost been forgotten where his head was overfull of thoughts and feelings he can no longer process. ]

What did you mean, Piper? I wouldn't call you Aunt?

My father. [He has to clarify that. It's too important to him not to do so.] It's my father's soul and he can survive a few more minutes alone while we talk to you.

[Cole has always been a smart one. Always rushing headfirst into things because of impatience, but smart. He remembers talking to Piper about memory items and this was started by memories as well, so this was something they needed to clear up and he wasn't planning on leaving until this was settled.]

This is to do with your memories, right? Why don't we sit down and talk this out? It's pointless to keep it all bottled up inside because that'll make your powers go haywire.

[ She's bluescreening fast. This is exactly why she cut off the recording. 'My father'. Cole. So, this Chris was definitely Cole's son. In some world she doesn't know because she had that memory before here. It couldn't be a lie. Phoebe and Paige tried to convince her she and Leo conceived a kid... who she now knew was their Chris.

This didn't add up. She didn't want to believe all those memories from the past few months were lies. They were the only things she had. They were the only reasons she played those dumb games. She could have ignored the calls, but now. Now maybe she should have. Someone might still win, but maybe...

Maybe it'd have meant less and far less confusion and hurt right now. ]

They're already haywire. I barely remember how to use them properly, if you haven't forgotten already.[ Her voice gets quieter with each passing word. ]I can't. What I remember is obviously different from what you two do. Completely different.

[ And that means making it real and she doesn't want that. It's the same thing she's been avoiding all along. ]

Edited 2015-05-12 05:02 (UTC)

How?

[ He's listening to Cole, but unless the other two make the move first, Chris can't make himself go along with it. Piper's denial is distressing, her statement confusing, his world cracking at the edges. ]

How can they be so different? What's changed?

[Cole gives Chris's shoulder a light squeeze, letting him know that no matter what, he was going to be there for him even as all of this went incredibly downhill for all of them.]

Your powers are tied to your emotions, Piper. Control your emotions and you'll control your powers. You had the same control issues when your powers evolved into exploding as well as freezing, so I know you'll be able to get control of them again.

[There a soft sigh and a huff of laughter. A difference in memory. Maybe it was like an alternate timeline. Like the one he had created as an Avatar.]

We need to figure out all the changes and figure things out from there. If we can work together and figure this out, we can learn to deal with it or find out why things are different.

[ It seems everyone's world is cracking at the hinges and Piper herself is trying desperately to hold onto what little thread of control she does still have. It's easy to roll her eyes at the emotion bit because it's something way too like Leo and she doesn't want to hear it and has to ignore the pang in her chest.

She doesn't want to figure things out. No, that's not right, she does, but she doesn't want the answers that comes with it. It hurts enough as it is, she doesn't need more stings but she can't help but give a short laugh. ]

How can anyone have control over anything when they find out their son who is supposed to be their son isn't? [ It's said quickly and she pauses and closes her eyes. She keeps them closed as she exhales. ]

I don't want to know anymore.

[ Except she does. Of course she does, and anyone who knows her knows that. But right now she just can't deal and it's far easier to push away and be alone. ]

[ That pit of dread sitting in his gut has expanded and he almost can't feel his fingers anymore, close to digging into Piper's shoulders while the immediate answer clarifies in front of his eyes. It isn't right, it can't be right, but that piece slots into place so quickly and he's almost dizzy from it. ]

I wouldn't call you Aunt... because I'd call you... Mom?

[ Distress, heartbreak, pick a terrible-sounding word and there's probably some of that in his tone. Piper's expecting a son and he isn't that son. He's himself, he's Chris, son of Phoebe Halliwell and Cole Turner, but he can't help but feel like a failure or something that wasn't made right, anyway. Years of degradation of his worth and place in the family is pretty hard to get rid of for all the self-confidence his family helped build up around him like a shield. It's only a temporary revolt of the mind but that uncertainty is crushing while it lasts. ]

[Hearing Chris's words throw all attempts at helping Piper out the window and his focus is on Chris. Cole always had issues about not being Chris's father, that he was just a replacement for the one that actually raised him, but this? This hits him in the gut like he'd been run through by another sword or wing.

Piper remembers Chris as her son, which means he's Leo's son as well. She might remember it being that way, but Cole definitely doesn't and even if it was true he wouldn't accept it. He's already lost one son. He's not going to lose another if he can help it.]

He's not your son. [Cole can't help but say that a little bit too sharply as he pulls Chris into a half-hug.] It's impossible. You wouldn't cheat on Leo and I wouldn't even dare get involved with you like that.

[ It's with the wash of pain from Chris' fingers digging into her shoulder that every reason and thought she had to not say anything was affirmed. She trains her eyes on anyone but the pair of them and swallows hard. She tries desperately to count to three but there is no more restraint. Not when Cole speaks. She knows what she remembered.

The eyes trained on the wall don't even blink when the paneling flies off, a luckily, interior wall of the ship. Her mouth feels filled with cotton when she's finally able to speak. ]

That's right, he's not. [ Still just as hallow, still refusing to look at the pair of them. ]So just go. There's nothing else to say.

Edited 2015-05-12 06:19 (UTC)

[ Chris falls into the half-hug like he's being arranged rather than moving of his own accord. His hands are still on Piper's shoulders and it makes the position awkward, but he can't let go. He wants to after all this, but he can't. His body isn't listening and his mind is working against him.

His life was good before it went to shit. He doesn't blame anyone but the actual parties involved with turning Wyatt, it certainly wasn't his family's fault, but part of him is desperately wondering if maybe the things Piper remembers — maybe if Wyatt had a little brother instead of a demonic little cousin, maybe things would be better. Maybe he should have been that way instead? ]

But I am to you. Your son. The Chris—the me—that you remember is your son. [ He licks his lips, expression difficult and twisted up, as impossible to sort out as his emotions right now. He doesn't even react to the microexplosion behind him. ] Dad, I—Piper, it's not...

[It says a lot that his first instinct is to grab Chris and just shimmer out, but it says a lot more that all he does is hold him close while being overly protective. This is his son, not Piper's and all he wants to do is keep him close and confirm it. He was already comparing himself to his future self, the Cole that this Chris was raised by and loved dearly, but now he has to compare himself to Leo and that's almost a bit too much for him.]

Kit, you're not the son she remembers. We should go before things get even more out of hand here.

[Namely, Piper doing more than blowing up parts of the ship.]

No, he's right. And pretending you are wouldn't be right.

[ But it just complicates so many feelings. Because this looked like her Chris-- exactly like him. Even if she doesn't remember as much as she likes those feelings and thoughts are as strong as they always were, stronger even with the lack of memories. Again, she tries to pull away closing her eyes. ]

Next time I tell you to get out of her you might as well listen.

[ It's dry humor, still not quite there even for her dryness. ]

[ Maybe not right to pretend, but it isn't something Chris is discounting. He kind of owes his family everything and wants to do right by them, his own instincts a jumbled mess of insisting Phoebe is the only mom he'd want (it's true) while feeling terrible for being something Piper doesn't expect, might not even want.

He turns his head down, finally forces his hands away from her shoulders. ]

Right... We're still family, though. Nothing is going to change that.

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