Legacy

[noazmale]

CHARMED
"Legacy"
by J. B. Tilton
email: [e-mail]
Rating: K+ (for mild language)

Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.

* * *

(Authors note: This story takes place between the season 4 episodes "Paige From The Past" and "Trial By Magic".)

* * *

Cole's past comes back to haunt him and puts the Charmed Ones in danger from a new enemy who turns out to be an old foe. But the truth behind their new antagonist and his vendetta against Cole is one of the strangest episodes in the Charmed One's lives.

* * *

ONE

Phoebe and Cole came into the manor arm in arm. Piper was in the entryway just heading for the stairs.

"Well, just where have the two of you been?" asked Piper.

"Cole knows this great restaurant in Chinatown," said Phoebe. "We went there for lunch. How's Paige doing?"

"Great," said Piper. "Her little trip to the past seems to have helped her clear up a few things."

"Good," said Cole. "I know it's not possible to change what we did in the past, but at least she learned she didn't kill her parents."

"Well, Leo and I are going out for dinner for a change," said Piper. "So you guys will have to fend for yourselves for one night."

"Ooh," said Phoebe, patting her stomach, "I don't think I'll be wanting any dinner. I think I ate too much at lunch."

"You know what they say about Chinese food," said Cole. "An hour after you eat . . . "

" . . . you're hungry again," finished all three in unison.

As the three of them laughed at the joke, a large moving truck pulled in front of an empty house across the street. They all watched as the men got out of the truck and began to unload furniture. Several minutes later a car pulled up and a man wearing a suit got out and began to direct the movers.

"Looks like we have a new neighbor," said Piper.

"Yeah," said Phoebe. "And he's kind of cute, too."

"Need I remind you," said Cole, putting his arms around Phoebe, "that you are now an engaged woman?"

"I know," said Phoebe, smiling. "But there's no harm in looking. You guys do it all the time."

"Just remember," said Cole. "Look but don't touch."

"Please," said Piper in her mock sarcasm voice. "I'm going to go get ready for Leo. There are some leftovers in the 'fridge in case you get hungry later."

Piper went upstairs while Cole and Phoebe went into the living room. A short while later there was a knock at the front door. When Phoebe opened the door, their new neighbor stood on the front porch.

He looked to be about twenty-five. He had light brown hair and was wearing a three-piece suit. He stood smiling at Phoebe and she noticed he was every bit as good looking as she had first noticed.

"Hi," he said, "My name is Peter Coleson. I just moved into the house across the street."

"Yeah, we noticed," said Phoebe. "I'm Phoebe Halliwell."

"I was wondering," said Peter, "if I could bother you to use your phone for a minute? They haven't hooked mine up yet and it seems my cell phone is on the blink again."

"Sure," said Phoebe. "It's in the living room. Right in there."

Just then Cole stepped into the entryway. Peter stared at him for a minute, as if trying to commit his face to memory.

"This is Cole Turner," said Phoebe. "Cole, this is Peter Coleson, our new neighbor."

"Welcome to the neighborhood," said Cole.

"Mr. Turner," said Peter coldly.

Peter moved past Cole and into the living room. He picked up the phone and dialed a number while Cole and Phoebe watched from the entryway. Cole stepped up next to Phoebe.

"Friendly sort," he whispered in Phoebe's ear sarcastically.

"Quiet," whispered Phoebe back. "Besides, he seems friendly enough to me."

As they listened to his phone call they heard him use words like "deposition", "arraignment", and "hearing".

"Sounds like a lawyer," whispered Phoebe.

"That would explain the suit," Cole whispered back.

Peter was just hanging up when Piper came down the stairs.

"Peter Coleson, our new neighbor," introduced Phoebe, "this is my sister, Piper."

"I see beauty runs in the family," said Peter, smiling.

"Why, thank you, Mr. Coleson," said Piper.

"Peter, please," said Peter. "I just moved here from upstate New York. Got tired of their lousy winters."

"I used to live in New York City," said Phoebe. "Until I decided to move back home."

"Imagine that," said Peter. "Move all this way just to bump into a fellow New Yorker. At least we have something in common."

"So, are you an attorney?" asked Cole, trying to be friendly.

"Criminal defense lawyer," said Peter.

"Then we have something in common as well," said Cole. "I used to be an assistant district attorney."

"Then that would make you the enemy," said Peter.

"Adversaries, maybe," said Cole. "I'd hardly use the term enemy. More like colleagues."

"Spoken like a true district attorney," said Peter. "Well, Phoebe, Piper, it was a genuine pleasure to meet you. Thanks for the use of the phone. I hope we can get to know each other better. Mr. Turner."

"Cole, what did you do to piss him off?" asked Piper after Peter had left.

"Cole didn't do anything," defended Phoebe. "He said welcome to the neighborhood and asked if he was a lawyer. That's it."

"I guess he must have a problem with district attorneys," said Cole.

"I don't know, honey," said Phoebe. "He seemed upset with you before that."

"Well," said Piper, "just don't antagonize him."

"Antagonize him?" questioned Cole. "I didn't do anything."

"I'm not saying you did," said Piper. "Maybe he was just having a bad day or something. Let's just be as nice to him as we can be. I'm sure the next time you meet him he'll be a lot different."

"He seemed nice enough to Phoebe," said Cole.

"Like I said," said Piper, "maybe he was just having a bad day. Let's just be nice to him."

"I'll try," said Cole.

"That's all I ask," said Piper.

[elderess]

Looks good so far...

[noazmale]

TWO

It was two days later when Phoebe saw Peter again. She and Paige pulled up in front of the manor in Paige's car and were just getting out when Peter came across the street. Phoebe and Piper had told Paige of their new neighbor. But neither had mentioned his apparent animosity toward Cole.

"Phoebe, hi," said Peter. "I just wanted to thank you again for letting me use the phone. They finally got mine hooked up."

"No problem," said Phoebe. "This is Paige, my other sister. Paige, this is Peter Coleson, our new neighbor."

"Well, I was right," said Peter. "Beauty does run in the Halliwell family."

"Actually, I'm only a half sister," said Paige. "My last name is Matthews. Same mother different father."

"No doubt you take after your mother, then," said Peter, smiling. "Phoebe, I was wondering. Since I'm new to San Francisco and don't really know anyone, and since we're both from New York, I thought you might like to show me around."

"Oh, uh, well," stammered Phoebe, "actually, Peter, Cole and I are engaged."

"Of course," said Peter. "I should have guessed. I apologize. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"You didn't," said Phoebe. "I just didn't realize I hadn't told you, that's all."

Just then, Cole came out of the manor. He saw the three talking and walked over to Paige's car.

"Phoebe, Paige," said Cole. "I heard you pull up. I was wondering what was keeping you. Hello, Peter."

"Mr. Turner," said Peter, coldly.

"Just talking to our new neighbor," said Paige.

"So, Peter," said Cole, "I hope you're getting settled in okay."

"Just fine," replied Peter.

"Do you plan to join one of the law firms or open your own office?" asked Cole.

"Probably my own office," said Peter. "I'm sure there are a lot of people around here who could use my help."

"Well, that's certainly true," said Cole. "There never seems to be an end to the line of defendants needing good legal representation."

"Considering the mindset of most district attorneys'," said Peter, "that's not so surprising."

"I'm not sure I understand," said Cole.

"Oh," said Peter, "it's just that most district attorneys' tend to look at people as guilty until proven innocent instead of the other way around. You know? The way the law says they're supposed to be treated?"

"They do have access to all the information in a case," said Cole. "They're only enforcing the law, after all."

"In some cases," said Peter. "But in others they seem to go well beyond that. Prosecuting a defendant regardless of the circumstances or facts of the case. Even to the point of ruining lives. Without a single thought of the repercussions."

"Those are rare," said Cole. "Most of them just do what they can to get the bad guys off the street and into jail where they belong."

"Really?" questioned Peter. "And if that should require destroying a family in the process, well, that's just the misfortunes of justice, right?"

"It's unfortunate," said Cole, "that most criminals don't give much thought to how their actions might affect their families. And innocent people sometimes do get caught in the middle. It's unavoidable."

"Yes," said Peter. "But some lawyers don't give it any thought, either. They destroy whole families for their own agendas."

"That could be said of anyone," said Cole. "Not just lawyers."

"But a lawyer can do a lot of damage," said Peter. "With the law to back you up, right or wrong doesn't seem to matter any more. It’s win at any cost."

"You seem to have something on your mind," said Cole. "If you're trying to say something, why don't you just come right out and say it."

"Boys, boys," said Paige finally. "Are you're finished hosing down the driveway with testosterone now?"

Peter suddenly became very conciliatory.

"Phoebe, Paige," he said, "my apologies. You know how lawyers can be." He looked over at Cole. "Especially when it's about something they feel very passionate about. I'm sorry. I'll leave you now before things get any uglier. Mr. Turner."

Peter turned and walked back across the street to his own house. Phoebe, Paige, and Cole went into the manor.

"Boy, he seems to have some kind of bone to pick with you," Paige said to Cole.

"Who does?" asked Piper, coming into the entryway, Leo close behind.

"Our new neighbor," said Phoebe. "He was as antagonistic toward Cole as he was the other day."

"Did Cole do anything to provoke him?" asked Piper.

"No," protested Cole. "I was trying to be friendly. I just asked him if he was going to join one of the local law firms or open his own office."

"Cole's right," said Paige. "He was very friendly to the guy. Then Peter launches into this tirade about district attorneys. How they hurt innocent people for their own purposes. And how they destroy families with no thought about the consequences. But I gotta admit that Cole did absolutely nothing that should have set the guy off like that."

"Sounds like he has some kind of personal grudge against you," said Leo. "Have you ever met him before?'

"No, not that I know of," said Cole.

"He kept going on about destroying families," said Paige. "Maybe you sent his father to prison or something."

"I don't think so," said Phoebe. "He says he just moved her from New York."

"And I was never a district attorney in New York," said Cole. "Besides, I don't remember ever prosecuting anyone named Coleson."

"Maybe he just doesn't like district attorneys," offered Paige.

"Well, whatever it is," said Leo, "it's probably best if you just avoid him in the future. It sounds like he goes out of his way to try to get under your skin."

"No problem here," said Cole. "I have enough to worry about without locking horns with someone who has an imaginary grievance against me."

"Good," said Piper. "Problem solved. Now, everyone get ready for dinner. I've worked all day on this meal and everyone is going to sit down and enjoy it."

"Yes, ma'am," said Phoebe, giving her a salute.

[noazmale]

THREE

Two more days went by without incident. Peter stayed pretty much to himself or wasn't even home. It had been very quiet around the Halliwell manor. No demons attacked to destroy them and no warlocks showed up to try to steal their powers.

The sisters, Leo, and Cole had just finished dinner. They were sitting in the living room enjoying a nice relaxing evening when there was a knock at the door. When Piper answered the door, Peter stood on the front porch.

"Hello, Piper," said Peter. "I'm so sorry to disturb you so late. I was wondering if I might come in for a few minutes."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Peter," said Piper. "You clearly have some kind of issue with Cole and we don't want any repeats of the other day."

"That's why I'm here," said Peter. "I've decided to clear the air, so to speak. Get everything out in the open."

Piper was hesitant. Apparently, the hesitation showed on her face.

"I promise," said Peter, "I won't start any more arguments with Mr. Turner. I've been rather antagonistic toward him. I think he has a right to know why."

"Okay," said Piper. "But one argument and you're out of here."

"No arguments," said Peter. "You have my word."

Piper escorted Peter into the living room. When Cole saw Peter, he stood up. Everyone was understandably nervous.

"Easy, Cole," said Piper. "He says he's not here to argue. He says he just wants to talk. Come on, guys. Let's give them some privacy."

"No," said Peter, "stay, please. Phoebe and Cole are engaged. So I think this involves all of you as well. I don't plan to start any arguments. I'm just here to give some explanations."

"Okay," said Cole. "I'm listening."

Peter just stared at Cole. As he had the first time they had met. As if he was trying to commit Cole's face to memory.

"Bethany, New York," said Peter. "Ring any bells, Mr. Turner?"

"No," said Cole, "can't say that it does."

"I'm not surprised," said Peter. "It has been nearly fifty years since you were there. You've probably been a lot of places since then."

"Fifty years ago?" questioned Cole, feigning ignorance. "You obviously have me confused with someone else."

"No, I have the right man," said Peter.

"Listen," said Cole, "I'm obviously not even fifty years old. So there's no way I could have been in . . ."

"Angela Thomas," said Peter. "Does that name mean anything to you?"

Cole just looked at Peter. The look on his face was undeniable. It was obvious to everyone in the room that he did recognize that name, though none of the others had ever heard it before.

"Well, at least you remember her," said Peter.

"Who's Angela Thomas?" asked Phoebe.

"You mean he never told you?" asked Peter. "I'm surprised, Cole. Here you're engaged to this beautiful woman and you never bothered to tell her? About your wife?"

Everyone looked at Cole, then at Peter. Cole had never mentioned a wife before. And to Phoebe most of all, it came as a total shock.

"Wife?" questioned Phoebe. "You have a wife, Cole?"

"Technically, no," said Peter. "He had a wife. She died in 1970. Waiting for you to come back. Wondering what it was she had done to drive you away."

"It wasn't like that," said Cole. "She had nothing to do with it."

"And that's supposed to make everything okay?" demanded Peter.

"You're not even old enough to have known her," said Cole. "In fact, I doubt you were even born when she died. You can't know the truth of what happened back then."

"I know, all right," said Peter. "I wonder if your fiancé and her family know about you, Cole. About your secret. How you can be over fifty years old and still look as young as you do."

"Peter, I don't know what you think you know," began Cole.

"Well, ladies," said Peter. "Has he told you his secret? You might not believe it even if you knew. Cole Turner here is not even human. He's a demon. Well, half demon, anyway. That's why he's so young looking. Did you know that, Phoebe? Did you know the man you're planning to marry is actually a demon?"

"As a matter of fact," said Cole, "they do know. All of them."

"I see," said Peter. ""Well, I guess it doesn't really matter. I know all about what happened back then. Even if I wasn't there, I know. And I made a promise. To make sure you paid for what you did. To make sure that you were punished for your sins."

Suddenly, Peter raised his hand and cast an energy ball at Cole. The energy ball struck Cole in the shoulder, sending him falling over the arm of the sofa. Peter moved around behind the sofa to get another shot at Cole.

"Peter, no," screamed Phoebe.

"Stay out of this, Phoebe," said Peter. "This is between Cole and me."

"That's about enough," said Piper.

She raised her hands and Peter froze in place. Leo moved over and helped Cole away from Peter. Then he used his healing power to heal Cole.

"What do you think he is?" asked Paige. "A warlock?"

"Why would a warlock be concerned with something that happened fifty years ago?" asked Phoebe. "And I find it almost unbelievable that a warlock would attack him with us standing right here."

"I think Phoebe's right," said Leo. "Even if he has some grudge against Cole, it would be crazy to attack Cole right with the three of you standing here. So that brings us back to the question. Who is he?"

Before anyone could answer, Peter suddenly turned and faced them.

"Piper," said Paige, "did you unfreeze him?"

"No," said Piper, as surprised as Paige and the others.

"You're a witch," said Peter. "I never suspected. No wonder you weren't surprised that Cole is a demon. I can see I'll need my full power to finish this."

Suddenly, Peter's form changed. Peter was no longer human. Instead, he revealed himself for what he truly was; a demon.

Everyone stared at the demon in disbelief. The form was one they all knew well. A demon they also knew could not possibly exist.

Standing before them was the demon Belthazor.

[noazmale]

FOUR

"He's no warlock," said Cole, getting to his feet.

"No, I'm no warlock," said Peter. "But that won't save you."

Piper raised her hands to explode the Belthazor that stood in the living room. But he was expecting her attack. He raised his hand and an invisible force cast Piper backward into the entryway. This Belthazor obviously had the same telekinetic ability that Prue had.

Belthazor then turned on Cole again. He formed another energy ball and cast it at Cole. When the energy ball was halfway between them, Paige called the energy ball to herself. It appeared in her hand and she immediately cast it at Belthazor.

The energy ball struck Belthazor, sending him crashing into the table in front of the living room window. The table collapsed under his weight and he fell to the floor. He was on his feet again in an instant.

"Two witches," he said, staring at Paige.

"Make that three," said Phoebe, stepping up next to Paige.

"It seems," said Belthazor, "that I've misjudged the situation." He looked over at Leo. "So you must be one of those White Lighters. Obviously, I didn't do enough research before I came here." He looked over and saw Piper getting to her feet. "I won't make that mistake the next time."

Suddenly, Belthazor shimmered and was gone.

"Okay," said Piper, "what the hell is going on here? He looked just like Belthazor."

"That's not possible," said Cole. "All upper level demons have their own form. No two are exactly alike."

"Piper's right," said Phoebe. "It was Belthazor. Which is clearly impossible. We vanquished him. Or rather we stripped his powers from you, Cole. How could there be another demon that looks so much like him?"

"Could it be some sort of shape shifting demon?" asked Paige.

"Unlikely," said Cole. "Shape shifters don't have the powers he had. And as Belthazor, I used fireballs, not energy balls. Energy balls are a power for demons one step below the level of Belthazor. Why should a demon imitate my form but not my attack? And as Belthazor I never had that telekinetic ability he seemed to have."

"He didn't seem to have it," said Piper, rubbing her arm. "He definitely had it."

"You okay?" asked Leo.

"I'll be okay," said Piper. "Nothing broken."

“I'd better check with the Elders," said Leo. "There may be a new demon in town. If there is, we need to know about it."

"I'll check the Book of Shadows," said Paige. "There might be something about him in there."

"I'll help you," said Piper, realizing that Cole and Phoebe needed to be alone so they could talk.

Leo orbed out while Piper and Paige went up to the attic. Cole and Phoebe sat on the sofa for several moments, each afraid to speak. Finally, Phoebe broke the silence.

"Is what he said true?" she asked. "Were you married before?"

"It was a long time ago," said Cole. "I haven't even thought about it since then."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" asked Phoebe.

"To be honest," said Cole, "I had forgotten all about it. It's not like it was a real marriage or anything. It was just part of a plan to complete a mission I had been hired to do."

"What happened?" asked Phoebe.

Cole looked at her and took a deep breath.

"It was 1957," began Cole. "I was a mercenary who hired out to anyone who'd pay my fee. I didn't care what the job was as long as I got paid.

"There was a law firm in upstate New York. This firm was doing entirely too much good in the world or something. I never did learn the specifics. I didn't care. I just needed to know what my employers wanted done.

"They wanted this particular law firm brought down. They wanted the senior partners disgraced and the firm closed. I figured the best way to do this was from the inside. I'd get hired on then did everything I could to ruin them.

"But it was a different time then. Everyone expected any successful man to have a nice grounded family life. At the very least, to be happily married. So I found a young woman, courted her, and persuaded her to marry me."

"This Angela Thomas," said Phoebe.

"Yes," said Cole. "Well, after we were married, I got the job. The firm felt that a newlywed would be a great boost to their image. Then I set about to ruin them as I had been hired to do.

"It was easy, really. Doctor a few books a little. Make it appear as if the senior partners were violating attorney-client privilege. Sabotage cases so they fell apart in court. Of course, I left nothing that could be traced back to me.

"Within a few months, I had completed the assignment. All the senior partners were up on criminal charges as well as ethical charges with the state bar. I did my job very well and the firm collapsed.

"Then I moved on to my next job. I just forgot about Angela. She was just another human who wasn't of any importance to me. She had served her purpose. I just forgot about her."

"You never even thought about her after that?" asked Phoebe.

"There was no need to," said Cole. "I hadn't regretted what I had done. Besides, I completed the job successfully. It soon became just another job in a long line of jobs.

"I swear to you, Phoebe, until Peter mentioned Angela's name, I honestly didn't remember any of it. I don't even remember the name of the law firm or who hired me to bring them down. You have to believe me. If I had remembered any of it before now, I would have told you."

Phoebe laid her head on Cole's shoulder.

"I believe you, honey," said Phoebe. "It was a long time ago. And you were a different person then. Literally. We all do things we aren't proud of and wish we could change. Do you have any idea why Peter would feel so strongly about this?"

"None," said Cole. "I was the only demon in the firm. I can't believe any demon would resent what I did fifty years ago, even if they had been involved. It was just a job like so many other jobs."

"Uh, Phoebe?" questioned Piper, sticking her head just inside the living room door.

"Yeah, it's okay," said Phoebe, sitting up.

Piper and Paige walked into the living room and sat down. There was an awkward silence for a moment.

"So, are you two okay?" Paige asked finally.

"We will be," said Phoebe. "Ancient history. I'll explain it all later. What did you guys find out?"

"Nothing," said Piper. "The only demon in the Book of Shadows even remotely like Belthazor is Belthazor."

Just then, Leo orbed in.

"Great timing, sweetie," said Piper. "What did you learn about our guest?"

"Nothing," said Leo. "The Elders have no idea who it is. The demons who can shape shift enough to mimic Belthazor don't have the power this one had. And the ones with the powers can't shape shift enough to mimic Belthazor."

"So where does that leave us?" asked Paige.

No one spoke for a moment. None of them had a clue. Finally, Phoebe voiced what everyone was afraid to say out loud.

"It leaves us with a new kind of demon," said Phoebe. "One that no one has ever heard of before.

[noazmale]

FIVE

"That's impossible," said Cole. "There haven't been any new kinds of demons for hundreds of years. Besides, from the way he was talking, he's been around a while. I find it hard to believe that he would have been around for any length of time and no one has learned anything about him."

"Cole is right," said Leo. "If there was a new kind of demon, the Elders would have heard something about it. Even if it was just rumors and innuendo."

"Do you have another explanation?" asked Phoebe.

"Calm down, sweetie," said Piper. "There has to be some explanation. We just haven't thought of it yet."

"Well, until we figure out what's going on," said Leo, "we need to be on our toes. This Belthazor or whoever he is intimated that he'd be back."

"We're ready for him," said Paige. "He has no idea who he's messing with."

"You know," said Piper, "he didn't know who we were. Even after he learned there were three of us, he didn't call us the Charmed Ones like every other demon in creation does. It's like he has no idea of who we are."

"You're right," said Leo. "And he called me one of those White Lighters. Like he had heard of White Lighters but never actually met one."

"A lot of demons have never encountered a White Lighter," said Cole. "And trust me. Every demon knows about the Charmed Ones."

"Maybe," said Paige, "but Piper is right. He didn't know who we were. In fact, he seemed surprised to find three witches in the same place. Like it was something he hadn't expected."

"What does that mean?" asked Phoebe.

"I don't know," said Piper. "But Leo is right. We have to be on our toes. Until we find a way to deal with him."

"That may not be possible," said Cole. "If he doesn't know who the three of you are then that can only mean one of two things. Either this is a totally new type of demon, which as I've said, I find very hard to accept. Or it's something that is infinitely older than anything you've ever faced. Something so old that it might even pre-date witches and demons completely."

Everyone knew the implications of what Cole was saying. If it were a new type of demon, they would have no knowledge of how to fight it. If it were older than even demons and witches, its' power might be unbelievable.

Demons, like many supernatural beings, grow stronger the longer they exist. If this entity did grow in power the longer it existed, then it could be more powerful than any foe the Charmed Ones could ever face. Perhaps even so powerful that it couldn't be stopped.

[noazmale]

SIX

The next morning, everyone carefully checked the entire manor. They wanted to make sure that this Belthazor, whoever he was, wasn't lying in wait in the manor waiting to attack Cole again. Satisfied that the manor was clean, they went into the kitchen to enjoy breakfast.

"I've been thinking," said Phoebe. "I'm going to try to write a Power of Three spell for this Belthazor. If he is imitating Cole, maybe a similar spell will work on him."

"Good idea," said Piper. "It's worth a shot."

"What about the Belthazor vanquishing potion?" asked Paige. "We still have it. Once we stripped Cole of his demonic half, there wasn't much need for it. Couldn't we use that against him?"

"It won't work," said Leo.

"Leo is right," said Cole. "That potion was made for me when I was Belthazor. It won't work on any other demon, even one imitating me. And since I'm not Belthazor any more, it won't even work on me."

"And without a piece of his flesh," said Piper, "I can't even hope to make a vanquishing potion for this Belthazor."

"What about a sort of generalized vanquishing potion?" asked Paige. "Isn't there something that might work on just demons in general?"

"Unfortunately, no," said Piper. "Each vanquishing potion is unique to the creature or type of creature it will work on. For instance, when I made the vanquishing potion for the Grimlocks, it worked on any Grimlock. That was a sort of generic vanquishing potion for a specific type of demon.

"But upper level demons are different. Each one is unique, different. That's why we have to have a piece of the demons' flesh. So that the potion can be geared to that specific demon. I only wish there was one potion for all upper level demons. We could keep gallons of it on hand in case we needed it."

"Well, the paper should be here by now," said Cole, getting up from the table. "I'll be right back."

"You shouldn't be alone," said Leo. "There's no telling when this Belthazor will decide to attack again."

"Leo, I'll just be in the next room," said Cole. "Besides, I can't run scared for the rest of my life. Even if he doesn't attack me here, he'll just follow me."

"Just be careful," said Phoebe.

"I will," promised Cole.

Cole went to the front door and got the paper. He glanced over the headlines quickly and found nothing of major interest. Sticking the paper under his arm, he turned and started to move back to the kitchen.

He hadn't taken more than two steps when Belthazor shimmered into the entryway. He stood in the back of the entryway out of sight of the kitchen. After a moment, Belthazor raised a dagger and threw it at Cole.

[noazmale]

SEVEN

Cole dived into the living room. The dagger missed him by inches, embedding itself in the doorframe where Cole had stood only a moment before. As Cole rolled into the living room away from the demon, Belthazor moved in after him.

"Your witch can't save you now," said Belthazor.

The demon cast an energy ball at Cole, barely missing him as Cole rolled behind the sofa. Belthazor was about to cast another energy ball when Piper stepped out of the kitchen and froze him. Cole moved away from the demon over to Piper, who was now joined by Phoebe and Paige. Leo was just coming out of the kitchen.

"Thanks," said Cole. "He just shimmered in. I didn't even have a chance to call for help. Why didn't you just blow him up?"

"We were talking," said Leo. "We decided we needed to find out about him. What he was and why he's after you. If he was hired to kill you, whoever hired him might just hire someone else if we just vanquish him."

"Good thinking," said Cole. "I should have thought of that myself. I was hired several times to finish a job that another demon had botched."

Suddenly, Belthazor broke free of the freeze. He turned to face the sisters.

"Stay out of this, witch," said Belthazor. "I have no quarrel with you. Only with this former demon."

"If you're after Cole," said Phoebe, "then you have a quarrel with us. We're the Charmed Ones, just in case you didn't know. And whatever Cole may have done in the past, he's an innocent now. And it's our job to protect the innocent."

"The what?" questioned Belthazor. "I don't care who or what you are. My quarrel is with him, not you."

"Like she told you," said Piper, "you have a quarrel with him, you have a quarrel with us."

Belthazor raised his hand and the three sisters were knocked back into the entryway. Leo still stood near the kitchen and remained unobserved by the demon. As the sisters were knocked back, Belthazor cast another energy ball at Cole. Cole dived into the living room, behind the sofa. It was a daring move. He had to dive past Belthazor; a move he figured would not be expected by the demon. Cole looked down at the dagger in his hand.

He recognized the dagger. It was one of his weapons. Somehow, this Belthazor had been able to get one of his own weapons. To use to kill him with. Sort of poetic justice, actually. It had been mere luck that he had been able to pull it from the doorframe where this Belthazor had thrown it.

Crouching behind the sofa, Cole had no idea exactly where this Belthazor stood. He knew the demon would finish him in seconds, just as soon as he showed his face. He only had once choice. He had to delay this Belthazor long enough for Phoebe and her sisters to get to their feet.

He looked over and saw the sisters regaining their feet. The dagger probably wouldn't kill this demon. It might not even hurt it. But it just might delay it long enough for the girls to get back into the fight. Cole took a deep breath, estimated where he figured this Belthazor was, then rose up and threw the dagger.

His guess had been close. But he had misjudged exactly where the demon stood. The dagger flew at this Belthazor, but the demon had only to bend to one side to avoid it. Cole watched as the dagger flew past the demon, missing him completely.

But this Belthazor had been in the process of casting another energy ball. He had just started to cast it, when he was forced to twist away from the missile that Cole had thrown at him. In horror, Cole watched as the energy ball flew off at a wild angle, striking Paige fully in the chest.

The youngest sister was knocked back by the impact of the attack. It burned into her, covering her in its' energy. The force of the attack sent Paige flying back into the entryway, slamming her into the opposing wall.

"No," screamed Belthazor, as he watched Paige slam into the wall and slump, unconscious, to the floor.

He shimmered over to Paige immediately. Leo also moved to Paige to use his healing power on her. Before Leo had a chance to kneel down, Belthazor grabbed him by the wrist and literally pulled him to the floor.

"Heal her," demanded Belthazor. "She will not die because of me. I won't be like him. I won't have innocent blood on my hands."

Leo looked at Belthazor for a moment. This was the most bizarre behavior he had ever seen in a demon. Worried that a Charmed One might die? Any demon would give anything to be in this position right now.

Perplexed, Leo brushed the thoughts aside. He placed his hands over Paige and began to heal her. Cole moved up behind Belthazor and pulled the demon to his feet. He spun the demon around and looked directly into his eyes.

"I want some answers," demanded Cole. "Who are you? Why are you pretending to be Belthazor? If you know me then you also know that Belthazor is dead. What is it you think I've done to you?"

Belthazor changed form. Peter stood looking at Cole. There was a look of hatred on the younger mans' face.

"What did you do?" asked Peter. "You murdered Angela Thomas. That's what you did."

"That's ridiculous," said Cole. "The last time I saw her she was fine."

"You murdered her all the same," said Peter. "You stole the remaining years of her life. She waited for you every day wondering what it was she had done to drive you away. Praying each night that you'd return so she could make it up to you.

"That's not all you did, either. You left her alone. Alone to raise a child without a husband. A child who had to grow up without a father. Father."

[Fourever Charmed]

I knew it! I had initially thought this Peter (having a "P" name) was Phoebe and Cole's future son, who (like Chris) had a bone to pick with Cole. I'm actually very surprised by this twist with Angela Thomas. Great idea!

[noazmale]

EIGHT

"Are you telling us," said Phoebe, "that Cole is your father?"

"Where do you think my demonic form came from?" asked Peter. "You think I was looking through a catalogue and just picked it out one day? "

He turned back to Cole.

"It was your legacy to me, father," he said. "A child, part human, part demon. With no one around to explain things to me. I had to grow up thinking I was a freak because not even my own mother knew why I was different.

"I was born November 17, 1958. Seven and a half months after you abandoned my mother. Abandoned her without so much as a goodbye. Nothing. You simply left, like she didn't even exist."

"Listen, son, I," began Cole.

"Don't you ever call me that," snarled Peter. "You forfeited the right to call me your son the day you walked out on my mother. And you lost any chance of getting it back the day she died. With your name on her lips. When you left me to grow up wondering why I was so different. Why I could do things no one else could."

"Peter," said Piper, "we know what you've been going through."

"You couldn't possibly know," said Peter.

"Oh, yes, we could," said Phoebe.

"When I was five," said Piper, "and Phoebe was two, our father abandoned us. So we do know what you've been going through. We've been through it ourselves.

"But Cole isn't the same person he was then. He's changed. He's no longer Belthazor. He's an innocent. I know you're hurt, but . . ."

"That absolves him of nothing," snapped Peter. "I might be able to forgive him for what he did to me. But I can never forgive him for what he did to my mother. It's not my place to forgive him. It was my mothers'. Only she's dead now.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to watch your own mother die a little at a time? A little each day? Every time a car pulled into the driveway, every time the phone rang, every time there was a knock at the door. Even on the day she died she still felt you would come back one day. I was twelve years old at the time.

"I grew up hearing about what you had done. My mother never believed you would just walk out without a reason. But I could see. You couldn't be bothered with a wife and family once your law firm got into trouble. I resented you for what you had done.

"When my mother died, that resentment turned to hatred. I even changed my last name to Coleson. So that I would always be reminded of what you did and how much I hated you. If you had only come back, things could have been different. Maybe you could have convinced her that it wasn't her fault. Maybe you could have let her know that it wasn't her, it was you."

"It was me," said Cole. "Peter, I never meant to hurt your mother or you. I didn't even know about you. The day I left, your mother told me she wanted to talk to me when I got home that evening. I didn't think it was anything important. Besides, my job at the firm was finished and it was time for me to move on."

"Was that all she was to you?" asked Peter. "Part of one of your precious plans? She was a person. A living, breathing, flesh and blood person. And you treated her like she was nothing more than a piece of furniture."

"Back then," said Cole, "that's all that humans were to me. But as Piper said, I've changed since then."

"And me?" asked Peter. "What was I? You claimed you never knew about me. You claimed she never told you before you left. Did you even stop to consider that I might exist? Did you ever stop to think that living with a human woman all those months might actually produce an offspring?"

"To be honest," said Cole, "I never thought about it. It was never part of my plans."

"Your precious plans," said Peter. "That's all that matters to you isn't it? Your precious plans. How do Phoebe and her sisters fit into your precious plans? What sort of elaborate scheme involves them?"

"No plan," said Cole. "As you must know, I'm not Belthazor any longer. They rid me of him forever. Now, I'm just trying to live each day like any other human."

"Yes, I know Belthazor is gone," said Peter. "When I heard, I was filled with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I was glad to hear you were dead. On the other hand, you have no idea how disappointed I was that it wasn't me that killed you.

"Imagine my surprise to see you walking down the street one day. I recognized you from an old photograph my mother had. You walked right past me and didn't even recognize me. You looked right at me and never even saw my mother in me."

"Peter, whatever grudge you may have against Cole doesn't apply any longer," said Paige. "What he did, he did as Belthazor. For one of his plans. I don't like it any more than you do. But with Belthazor dead, the person responsible is gone. Cole isn't that person any longer."

"Belthazor didn't marry my mother," said Peter. "Cole Turner did. I made a vow on my mothers' deathbed. A vow to find you and destroy you. No matter how long it took. No matter how far I had to go to find you.

"But I also swore that I would never be like you. That I would never use innocent people for my own ends. I swore I would never hurt anyone like you had hurt my mother. No matter what. I would never be like you."

"That's why you stopped the attack when Paige got hurt," said Phoebe.

"Yes," said Peter. "I don't belong in either world really. I don't belong in the human world because I'm part demon. And I'm not accepted into the demonic world because I'm only part demon. Not even half like my father. Only a very small part. I'm looked on as even less of a force for evil than a warlock."

"You seem to have made a pretty good life for yourself among humans," said Piper.

"Because I have no other choice," said Peter. "I can never have a normal life. Not like most men. I can't take the chance that my son or daughter might be like me. A human with the powers of a demon. Ostracized for what I am."

"That may not happen," said Cole. "The farther down the line, the less likely any demonic powers would be inherited. I'm surprised you have any at all. Usually by the second generation the demonic gene is so overwhelmed by human genes they can't even manifest themselves."

"Well, I can't take that chance, now can I?" said Peter.

He turned to Paige.

"Paige, I am truly sorry you got hurt," said Peter. "I'm only glad your White Lighter was here to heal you. I would never have forgiven myself if anything had happened to you."

He turned back to Cole.

"It's clear these three won't let me just kill you," he said. "And I won't risk one of them getting in the way again. So for now, you're safe. But they won't be around forever. One day you'll be alone. And when you turn around, I'll be there. Then I'll finish what I started here. Enjoy your life while you can. I'll be back for it when you least expect."

Peter just shimmered out leaving the others in the entryway. Cole just looked at the others, not knowing what to say.

[Fourever Charmed]

I wonder if the girls will offer to strip Peter's powers from him? Then he could be "normal." However, I'm not sure he'd even want that until he could kill Cole, which he can't do with the sisters there.

[noazmale]

NINE

"Are you okay?" Cole asked Paige when they had gone to the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Piper. "Leo's healing power made me as good as new."

"Phoebe," said Paige, "are you okay?"

"Well," said Phoebe, "I've just learned that my fiancé has a son who's almost old enough to be my father. And that he plans to kill his father some day. I guess this is what they mean by a dysfunctional family."

"Well, at least he fits right in with this family," said Piper.

Phoebe just laughed. It was more tension than humor. The past few days had been quite a bit more than she had bargained for. She and Cole had some talking to do, she knew that.

She also knew that they would work things out. As they always had. As she hoped they would always be able to do. But there would always be the thought of Peter in the back of her mind. Waiting for his chance to attack and destroy his own father.

The End

If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed" stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction.