The Human Touch (Sequel to the story “Prodigal Fat

[noazmale]

CHARMED
“The Human Touch”
(Sequel to the story “Return Of The Prodigal Father”)
By J. B. Tilton a.k.a. NoAzMale and Teri Thibeault a.k.a. Tessalynne
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Rating: K

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 season 5 episodes “Centennial Charmed” and “House Call”.)

* * *

When Peter Coleson discovers that his father has been vanquished for the second time, he pays a visit on Phoebe to learn the answer to questions that still plague him.

* * *

ONE

Peter dropped his bag on the bed in his room. He was exhausted. The past couple of weeks had been grueling. Oh, the deposition he had taken went smoothly enough. It had taken a little longer than he had anticipated. But he had been able to deal with it professionally as he always had.

No, it wasn’t the deposition that had been so grueling. It had been his reunion with Cherise Young. Without realizing it he had found himself trying to make up for the mistakes he had made with her before. Mistakes, which, to his surprise, she had all ready forgiven.

They were getting closer than he had ever let himself get to another human being. He knew he would eventually have to tell her his secret. He wasn’t sure how she was going to take it. But he would go slowly. With any luck she’d understand that he wasn’t the demon he was descended from.

His mind immediately went to Cole. He had not spoken to his father since they had met more than two weeks ago. He still hadn’t decided exactly how he felt about the man. The demon he hated. That was a given. But the man was much more complicated than he had originally believed.

Peter had learned as much as he needed to know about Belthazor. He had been a very efficient demon. He had demonstrated loyalty and honor that was rare even for humans, let alone a demon. And he knew that since Belthazor was a part of Cole those qualities applied to the human as well.

But about Cole the human being he knew almost nothing. He knew that, from one perspective, being a demon was not unlike Cole’s occupation. And like many occupations what happened there and in someone’s personal life often had nothing to do with each other.

Peter could understand that. As an attorney he often had to do things for his clients that he normally wouldn’t ever have dreamed of doing. But he had to zealously defend his clients, which meant doing things that he often found distasteful.

He wondered how much of that would apply to his father. How much of what Cole did was the demon and how much was the human? Until he understood that his picture of his father was incomplete. And with an incomplete picture his feelings about him would remain in turmoil forever.

Peter looked at his watch. It was getting late. And he was exhausted from his trip. He decided to get a good nights’ sleep and visit Cole the next morning. He wasn’t sure what he would find. He had been pretty sure he had turned his father around. Brought him out of his suicidal slump he had found him in. With a little luck he’d find the same Cole Turner he had met that first time at Phoebe’s house.

* * *

Peter shimmered into Cole’s apartment. At first glance it appeared much different from the last time he had been here. There was the faint scent of vanilla in the air. Some form of air freshener no doubt. There was also new furniture sitting in the living room. And no empty pill or alcohol bottles strewn about.

He wasn’t sure if Cole was in at the time. Presumably, if he had come out of his suicidal slump he’d be at work. Perhaps he should have gone by his office first? As he was debating whether to go to Cole’s office he heard a sound from the bedroom.

Cautiously Peter moved to the partially open bedroom door. He didn’t know why but he somehow felt that it wasn’t Cole in the bedroom. He peered into the room and saw a woman bent over the nightstand next to the bed. As he watched, the woman stood up holding something in her hand.

“Find what you were looking for?” Peter asked pushing the door open completely.

The woman spun to face him, her hands raised in an offensive manner. Her long blonde hair was tied back to keep it out of her face. When she saw Peter standing in the doorway her hands dropped to her sides. She smiled at him.

“Well, surprise seeing you here,” she said.

“Angelique? What are you doing here?”

“Just collecting a small memento of your father,” she said holding up a small pendant.

Peter looked at the pendant. It was diamond shaped and appeared to the letter “A” enclosed in Lucite. But the “A” seemed to be formed from feathers.

“What is that?” he asked.

“I took the feathers from one of my bolts and had this made for Cole. It was a little present for his successful completion of his initiation into the Brotherhood of the Thorn. I thought I’d just get it back. It’s about all that’s left now. I just wanted something to remember him by.”

“Remember him? What are you talking about?”

“You don’t know? It’s the talk of the underworld. A few days ago your father was vanquished. The shudder of that much power suddenly being dispersed could be felt everywhere. And there’s no question it was him. Baldasor consulted a seer. She was able to confirm he had been vanquished although she couldn’t say who had done it.”

Peter just stared at Angelique in shocked dismay. Cole was dead? But he had just seen him two weeks ago. Other than the suicidal slump he had been in he was fine. In fact, he had all but admitted he couldn’t be vanquished. So how could he be dead now?

“Any idea how this happened? I was under the impression he couldn’t be vanquished.”

“So were we all. But trust me. He’s gone. And for some reason I don’t think he’s coming back this time. That sort of miracle only happens once.”

“I don’t understand. If he was invulnerable who would even try to go after him?”

“Perhaps a rival demon. Maybe someone wanting to make a name for themselves. Maybe he even did it himself, who knows? I’m going to miss him. He was more than a friend.”

Angelique didn’t say anything else. She simply took pendant and disappeared from the bedroom. It didn’t take Peter long to decide who was most likely to vanquish Cole. Only one person had the power necessary to destroy a demon of Cole’s status.

Well, three people, actually. Only the Charmed Ones had the necessary power to vanquish the unvanquishable. But that didn’t make any sense either. Why vanquish him after all this time? He knew there was only one place he would get the answers to his questions. And maybe he would also find the answer to the other questions that were still plaguing him.

[noazmale]

TWO

Paige hurried to open the front door to the manor. The temp office hadn’t called yet with a job for her and she was having trouble staying busy. Phoebe had just gotten up and was getting ready for work. When Paige heard the knock at the front door she figured at least it would give her something to do for a few minutes. She opened the door to find Peter standing on the front porch.

“Peter,” she said, a smile crossing her face. “Well, long time no see. What brings you by here?”

“I was hoping you might be able to answer a question for me. Mind if I come in?”

“Sure, sure. And I’ll be glad to answer any questions you have if I can.”

Just then Phoebe came down the stairs.

“Peter,” said Phoebe. “What a pleasant surprise. What brings you by this early in the morning?”

“Hello, Phoebe. As I was just telling Paige I have a question I’m hoping you can answer.”

“Sure, if we can. Legal, personal, or demonic?”

“Kind of all three,” said Peter smiling slightly.

Paige and Phoebe glanced at each other. There could be only one connection to Peter that would involve all three. Cole.

“I heard a rumor,” Peter continued. “Someone told me that Cole had been vanquished. Considering how powerful he was I figured the only ones capable of vanquishing him were the Charmed Ones.”

“Well, yeah, we did,” said Phoebe. “Peter, you have to understand. We didn’t have any choice. Cole was trying to get me back. He tried to kill Piper and Paige. We had to vanquish him to protect ourselves.”

“I see. I figured it was something like that. I guess things had changed between you. The last time I was here you were still protecting him.”

Paige went to answer the phone as Phoebe and Peter continued to talk.

“Yes, things changed. He changed. I guess it wasn’t totally his fault but that doesn’t change what he did. Like I said, he didn’t leave us any choice.”

“Well, I just got a call,” said Paige coming back into the living room. “They want me to play errand girl. You two going to be okay?”

‘We’ll be fine,” said Peter. “I’d like to talk to Phoebe for a bit. If she has the time.”

“I guess so,” said Phoebe. “It won’t matter if I come in a little late. Elise is kind of used to it by now anyway.”

“Great,” said Paige. “Well, guess I'll see you guys after work.”

“Have a good day,” said Peter.

“So,” said Phoebe after Paige had left, “what did you want to talk about?”

“Well,” said Peter uncomfortably, “this may sound a bit strange. Considering our past history you might find this just a bit odd.”

“Okay,” said Phoebe slightly confused. “I can see that whatever it is it’s important to you. Whatever I can help you with I’ll be glad to.”

Peter stared at Phoebe for a moment. He knew this would come as a shock to her. Even after promising his mother he wouldn’t kill Cole he still hadn’t wanted to know anything about Cole. He had made that perfectly clear.

“I need you to tell me what kind of man my father was. I want you to tell me about your relationship with him.”

Phoebe stared at Peter in disbelief.

“You want me to do what?” she asked, certain that her ears were deceiving her.

Peter ran his hand through his hair with a sigh.

“I want, no, I need you to tell me what kind of man Cole was.”

Phoebe watched his movements, studying his obvious agitation with as much detachment as she could manage. In this moment, he reminded her a great deal of his father. She didn’t really want to talk about Cole, but she couldn’t suppress her natural compassion for the man before her.

“Peter,” she said gently. “Suppose you start by telling me why you have this sudden interest in Cole. You made it pretty clear in the past that you were perfectly happy having nothing to do with him. He’s gone now, what possible difference could anything I could tell you make?”

“Damn it, I know he’s gone.” Peter rose from his seat and began to pace. “He wasn’t supposed to be.”

Phoebe was uncertain exactly why Peter seemed to be so unsettled. But she did feel a need to try and explain.

“We didn’t have any choice Peter. He’d completely given in to evil. He reset time, tried to wipe Paige out of our lives, he was…”

“That may have been partly my fault,” Peter interrupted.

“Don’t be silly. How could what Cole did be your fault?”

“That’s part of the reason I’m here, the reason I need to talk to you. I met Baldasor a while back and he told me some things about the kind of demon Cole had been. Things that made me think. So I went to see Cole a couple of weeks ago.”

Phoebe’s eyes went wide with shock. The memory of the state Cole had been in at that time would be forever etched in her mind.

“You saw him?” she questioned softly. “Then you know what he had become.”

“That’s just it, Phoebe. I don’t know. Powers and invincibility notwithstanding, I didn’t see a demon. I saw a man. Lost, desperate, stripped of all hope. It confused me even more.”

‘I still don’t understand why you would feel responsible for what he did.”

“I wanted to talk to him again. But I was worried…”

‘You were worried about Cole?” Phoebe interrupted, stunned.

“He seemed so devoid of hope. So I thought if I reminded him of who he had always been, how he never quit; well, I thought it would keep him from doing something foolish. But I guess it backfired,” Peter finished quietly.

“And now he’s gone. Peter, trying to help him doesn’t make you responsible.”

“I know. But as you said he’s gone and I still don’t understand so many things.”

Phoebe sighed in resignation. The last thing she wanted to do was dredge up memories of Cole. She didn’t feel guilty for doing what had to be done. But she did feel the unavoidable pain of his loss. However, one look at the troubled man before her was all she needed to know that she would try to help him if she could. Phoebe motioned Peter back to the chair and sat down across from him.

“I’m not sure how I can help you Peter, but tell me what you need.”

“I have a pretty clear picture of what kind of demon Cole was. But you are probably the only person in the world who can tell me what kind of human he was. Please Phoebe, I know it’s not probably not easy for you but I need you to tell me what kind of man my father was.”

“That’s not an easy question to answer. He was much more complicated than most people believed. I knew him both as a demon and as a human. There were facets to him that not even my sisters were aware of.”

“I know that. That’s why I’ve come to you. Like I said I have a good idea what kind of demon he was. But if I’m to understand him; to make sense of my life and who I am; I need the whole picture. I need to know what kind of human being he was.”

“I’m not sure what you’re looking for but I’ll help if I can. I’m just not sure what you’re asking for.”

“I guess,” said Peter nervously, sitting back down, “what I really need to know is what was it about Cole that drew you to him. I need you to tell me what it was about him that made you fall in love with him.”

Phoebe stared at Peter in total surprise.

[noazmale]

THREE

“You want to know why I fell in love with Cole?”

“Yes,” said Peter still nervous. “Phoebe, you probably know more about him as a demon than I do. But I all ready know what kind of demon he was. Efficient, ruthless, very oriented to detail. But that’s only half of who he was. He was also half human. I need to know what kind of man he was.

“You know you weren’t the first woman he was involved with. There was my mother and she loved him with everything in her. There was also a Dark Lighter that he was involved with. She seemed to care about him a great deal. More than I would have thought was possible from a demon. I need to know how he could have that kind of affect on women. Good looks and charm will only get someone so far. There has to be something about him I don’t know that would explain all this.”

“I can understand that. As for why I fell in love with him, that’s hard to say. I’m not sure why anyone falls in love with someone else. I can tell you that he could be very kind. And he was generous. When he wasn’t Belthazor he could be a very wonderful person.”

“Something that could be said about thousands of men right here in San Francisco.”

“Granted. I guess that really doesn’t say much about who Cole Turner really was.”

“I know this is difficult for you, Phoebe. And if there were any other way for me to find out what I need to know I wouldn’t bother you with it. But the only people I know who also knew my father are demons. They can’t really tell me what he was like as a human.”

“That’s fair. Well, maybe I could illustrate what he was like if I told you about a date we had. It was just after this whole confusing incident where Paige and I accidentally switched bodies.”

“Oh, that sounds interesting,” Peter smirked.

“I can tell you about that another time. Right now I think I should tell you about our date after that. Cole decided it would be romantic if we had dinner in Paris.”

* * *

Phoebe clung to Cole, leaning more closely into his chest, her eyes closed. It always took her a moment or two to adjust after a shimmer. As her eyes fluttered open she realized that the bright afternoon sun had been replaced by a starlit sky overhead. The sounds of birdsong had been displaced by the distinctive noises of a city. A tentative glance around her revealed little more than shadows. She looked up at Cole in wonder.

“Are we really in Paris?” She questioned quietly.

Cole nodded with a smile, amused by the somewhat bemused expression on her face. A smattering of conversation drifted toward them from a passing couple on the sidewalk beyond the shadowed recess where they stood making any further answer unnecessary. He slid his arms more firmly around her waist and dropped an indulgent kiss on the end of her upturned nose.

“Of course.” His smile took on an impish quality. “I told you I was taking you to dinner in Paris. Did you think I was kidding?”

“Well…” she began with a tiny laugh.

“You did, didn’t you?” He interrupted with a small shake of his head. “Yes, we’re really in Paris. Now if you’ll give me a minute, I’ll see if it’s safe for us to be on our way.”

He slipped away from her, walking out of the deeper shadows of the two buildings they were between toward the street. Glancing quickly from side to side to check for passersby, he turned back and motioned her forward. As she drew close he reached out slipping her hand into his and together they stepped out on to the sidewalk.

“It’s not too far from here,” Cole told her quietly. “Shall we stroll, milady?”

Cole quirked an inquisitive brow at her and tugged her hand gently to draw her closely to his side.

“Cole, I’m not sure that we’re really dressed for dinner in Paris.”

“We’re dressed just fine. Now come on my little chatterbox or we’ll be late.”

“We’re expected? You planned this? When did you find the time?” Phoebe volleyed the questions at him.

Cole stopped walking and looked down at her, reaching out to tilt her chin up so he could look into her eyes.

“Yes, we’re expected. I had to plan it if I wanted to be sure we got a good table. And I made the time. A little bird recently reminded me that I’ve spent so much time worrying about keeping you alive, I’ve neglected making you glad that you are alive. No way to treat your girlfriend,” he finished with a smile.

Phoebe made a mental note to thank Paige as Cole dropped his head to brush a soft kiss across her lips. Neither of them noticed the indulgent smiles of that were sent their way by the passing residents of the city renowned for love. Cole broke the kiss and drew her close to his side once again. This time drawing her arm through the crook of his elbow.

They strolled contentedly past small shops with darkened windows. Gradually Phoebe became aware of the sound of string music floating to them on the wings of the gentle evening breeze. They turned the corner at a brightly lit bakery and she felt as though time had stopped as the source of the music came into view.

Set back off the side street was a glass-fronted restaurant overlooking a canopy covered, flagstone terrace. A string quartet on a raised dais produced the gentle strains that had been soothing her frazzled nerves during their journey. Lanterns hung at intervals from the canopy, casting the terrace in a flickering firefly glow. Small tables for two dressed in snowy cloths were scattered around the three open sides of the terrace, resembling a wreath of white flowers. In the open center of terrace a handful of couples swayed to the music while formally dressed waiters moved among the seated diners.

Phoebe gazed up at Cole in silent wonder.

“That’s where we’re going,” she whispered, almost reverently.

Cole simply nodded, smiling softly at her awe, and led her across the street to the edge of the terrace.

“Wait here,” he told her quietly, moving forward to meet the elderly waiter who had approached to greet them.

The two spoke briefly and the older man then hurried off in the opposite direction as Cole returned to Phoebe. Cole led her to a corner table. Pulling the chair from the table he handed her gently into her seat. Dropping a kiss near her ear before moving to his own chair. Phoebe looked down and saw a single red rose lying on the table in front of her. She picked the rose up and smelled it, looking lovingly in Coles’ eyes.

The waiter approached again after they had been seated. Handing her a menu and Cole a menu and wine list. Bending over he lit the candle at the center of the table. As he straightened he spoke to Cole. Phoebe waited with amusement when she realized the waiter had addressed him in French. She had to struggle to contain her amazement when Cole responded easily to the man and handed the wine list back with a smile.

As he departed, Phoebe stared at Cole wide-eyed.

“You speak French?” she questioned wonderingly.

Cole shrugged and grinned at her surprise.

“Mais oui, mademoiselle.”

“I didn’t know that,” Phoebe said quietly. Her thoughts left their fairy tale surroundings with the reminder of how much she didn’t know about Cole and why that was so.

Cole watched her face change with her thoughts. He reached across the table and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

“Not tonight Phoebe,” he told her gently. “Tonight there aren’t any demons, no underworld, no Source. Tonight there are no battles to be fought, there’s no past and no future to worry about. There’s only us, nothing else matters.”

Phoebe nodded, misty eyed at the love she saw shining in his face. In this time and place she could almost believe they were any other couple in the world.

[noazmale]

FOUR

Cole ordered dinner for them both and as the candlelight danced off the wine filled crystal goblets the rest of the world melted away. They were oblivious to the indulgent attention they received from some of the restaurants older patrons. Hands clasped across the table, legs entwined at the ankles beneath it, they only saw one another. They fed each other from their plates whispering and smiling, as lovers are wont to do.

When dinner had been cleared, Cole led her to the dance floor. They slid easily into one another’s arms, swaying gently to the melody of the strings until dessert arrived.

“Oh, “ Phoebe laughed as they finished. “If I eat anymore I think I’ll explode. This has been so beautiful Cole. I hate to see it end.”

He smiled at her wistful expression.

“It’s not over, Love,” he said softly. “But I think home is probably the best place to end this evening.”

His face was mischievous as he waved the waiter over to pay the check. As they were rising to leave a disturbance from the bakery on the corner drew their attention.

The burly baker was in front of his shop, shouting madly at the young boy he held with one hand. He was shaking the boy and periodically cuffing him in the head as he bellowed. There was what appeared to be a loaf of bread on the ground at their feet. The child looked terrified as he ducked blows and struggled in vain in the large man’s grasp.

He was a pale, thin urchin. Though he was clean, it was obvious even at some distance that his clothes were old, frayed and worn. His face bore an expression much too weary for what Phoebe guessed to be about ten years of life.

Cole halted them at the edge of the terrace. He turned to Phoebe, asking her to wait and headed for the man and child with a purposeful stride. Phoebe watched curiously as Cole approached the two.

She could see Cole talking to the baker, who had ceased his shouting; but appeared to be speaking rapidly and gesticulating wildly toward the bread on the ground and the boy he still held firmly. Cole nodded at the man sympathetically and then knelt to speak to the boy. He too appeared to be talking quickly and pointing up the street tearfully. Cole said something else to the child and Phoebe watched his young head drop in shame.

Phoebe watched in amazement as Cole reached out to tousle the bent head. Then standing, he addressed the baker again, removing his wallet from his jacket and handing the man several bills. The burly fellow looked from the child he held to the man beside him, and then nodding quickly, he released the boy and hurried into his shop. Cole remained standing with urchin, speaking to him quietly.

The baker returned with a bag, passing it to Cole. Cole handed it to the child and sent the child scurrying down the street with a smile. Then, with a final farewell to the baker, Cole rejoined Phoebe.

“And just what was that all that about?” she asked him, though she thought she had some idea.

“Just a hungry kid, with probably even a hungrier family at home and no dad around. Not a big deal, he stole some bread, which didn’t exactly please our friendly corner baker.”

“So you played the knight in shining armor?” her smile grew broad with the question. “How do you know the little guy wasn’t lying?”

Cole shrugged.

“Even if he didn’t tell me the whole truth, he’s a kid. He stole food and no child should have to go hungry.”

“My hero,” Phoebe whispered as she rose up on her toes to kiss him.

“Well, then, what do you say we go home so I can collect my reward,” Cole’s grin was wickedly full of innuendo.

* * *

Peter had watched Phoebe’s face change as she spoke. Her initial tension had gradually been replaced by a misty eyed smile. The pain of recent memories fading in the face of those more distant and pleasant thoughts. He was almost hesitant to disturb her reverie.

“Well,” said Peter. “I can see he was quite the romantic. I have to admit something like that surprises me. Most human men aren’t that romantic.”

“Cole was a very romantic person. I guess in a hundred years you learn a thing or two about romance.”

“Yeah, I guess you do pick up things in a century.”

“But it wasn’t just his romantic side. Cole could be very caring toward other people, too. He would go out of his way to help others.”

“That’s not exactly in keeping with his demonic half.”

“I thought you wanted to hear about the human Cole, not the half demonic Cole?”

“I do. It’s just been hard to separate the two most of my life. I guess on some level I still see him as a half demon. I’m just beginning to realize that there were sides to my father I never considered before.”

“Your father?”

“What?”

“You called him your father. It’s not the first time, either. You’ve never done that before.”

“I know. I guess I have accepted that he is my father. He’ll never be my dad but there’s no denying the biological connection.”

“I think there’s more than that going on here. More than just a biological connection. The fact that you’re asking about him at all proves that.”

“So, you’re a psychologist now?”

“Well, I do have a degree in psychology. I do know a thing or two about it.”

“You said he could be caring about other people,” said Peter, trying to redirect the conversation. “In a non-romantic way.”

“Yes, I did. And it was true. He did things that surprised even me. And some of those things I’ve never told Piper, Paige, or even Prue when she was still alive. Frankly, I wasn’t sure any of them would believe me if I did tell them. In many ways they never saw Cole as anything other than a half demon either.”

“I guess they never got to know him much better than I did.”

“Well, to be fair, they weren’t in love with him. And he was sent to kill us initially. That can kind of color a persons’ perception. Like someone once said you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.”

“That’s certainly true.”

“You know, I remember one time just after Cole had his powers stripped from him. Right around the time we met you in fact. He was feeling kind of useless since he couldn’t help us fight demons any more. He went out and got a gun.”

“He bought a gun?” Peter asked in astonishment.

“No,” said Phoebe, smiling, “I said he got a gun. We all thought he had bought it, too. I made him get rid of it, of course. Demons are one thing but a gun is totally different. At least no one ever accidentally shot themselves with a demon.”

“Yeah. With demons at least you’re expecting an attack.”

“Well, like I said, he got a gun. But I found out a little later he hadn’t bought it at all. And it was the way he got it that surprised even me.”

“What happened?”

“Well he had gone out to think things through. He had no powers any longer and it was quite an adjustment for him, as I’m sure you can imagine. While he was out he ended up on a deserted street. Well, not exactly deserted. There was one car on the street.”

[noazmale]

FIVE

Cole walked along the deserted street thinking. What use was he to Phoebe and her sisters now? Belthazor had been stripped from him, along with most of his demonic abilities. He was nearly as powerless as any mortal. When demons did attack he wouldn’t be able to help them.

Phoebe had insisted that he could still be useful. He knew more about demons that all of them put together, including Leo. That was true, of course. Having lived in the underworld for nearly a century he was a virtual walking encyclopedia of demonic information.

But having knowledge about demons was only part of it. He could help them prepare for demonic attacks but for the attacks themselves he was next to useless. All he could do was stand around and make sure he didn’t get in the way.

He noticed a car sitting up the block a short way. The cars’ driver seemed to fussing with a young child sitting in the car seat in the back. Cole smiled to himself. Normal, every day activity for a mortal with no powers. It was something he’d have to get used to.

Cole was about to turn and walk back up the street when he noticed a man approaching the car. The first thing that he noticed about the man was that he was wearing a sweatshirt with the hood drawn. And his hands were shoved in his pocket. Suddenly the man pulled a gun out of his pocket and shoved it in the open window.

“Out of the car,” the man demanded.

The woman in the car looked up with fear in her face.

“I said out of the car,” the man repeated, waving the gun around wildly.

“Okay, okay, just don’t hurt me. Let me get my daughter out of the car, please.”

“Forget the kid. You try anything funny and she’s going to be an orphan, got it?”

“Yes, I have it. Please, be careful with that gun. I’ll do anything you want, just don’t hurt my baby or me.”

As the man fought with the woman Cole moved across the street and stepped up behind the man.

“Having a problem?” Cole asked in the cheeriest voice he had.

The man suddenly spun around to face him. As he did Cole reached out and grabbed the wrist with the gun in it. In one fluid motion he pulled the man off balance knocking him to the ground. The gun dropped from the man’s hand and skittered several feet away. Cole twisted the man’s arm and stepped on his neck.

“I suggest you just relax,” Cole said, “or I might just have to break your arm.”

The woman jumped out of the car brandishing a handgun in one hand. In her other hand she held up a police identification card.

“I’m officer Stephanie Gibbs,” said the woman. “Nice move. I was taking my daughter to daycare when this slime stuck his gun in my face.”

“Officer Gibbs,” said Cole. “I happened to be walking by when he tried to carjack you.”

“Thanks,” said Gibbs. “I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. You seem to have things well in hand. Can you handle this guy while I call it in?”

“Sure, no problem,” said Cole. “You have your ‘cuffs with you?”

“Of course,” said Officer Gibbs, handing the handcuffs to Cole.

As Gibbs went to the radio in her car Cole flipped the man on his stomach. Even though his powers had been stripped he still possessed a great deal of his natural demonic strength. It was more than enough to subdue the would-be carjacker.

As Cole snapped the handcuffs around the man’s wrists he noticed a slight bulge underneath the sweatshirt. He raised the sweatshirt and found another pistol shoved in the waistband of the man’s pants.

Cole glanced toward Officer Gibbs. She was busy calling for a patrol unit. He pulled the pistol out of the waistband and shoved it in the waist of his own pants. Then he pulled his jacket over the gun hiding it from view. As he pulled the carjacker to his feet Gibbs came walking back over to him.

“A unit will be here in a few minutes,” she said. “Thanks for the assistance. There wasn’t much I could do with my daughter I the car.”

“He did get the drop on you. But I don’t think he’ll give you any trouble now. “

Just then a car pulled up with a light flashing in the window. Cole looked on in amazement as Darryl got out and held up his identification.

“Officer Gibbs,” he said, glancing at Cole. “I was nearby when I heard the call come in. I thought I’d see if you needed any assistance.”

“Thanks, Inspector,” said Gibbs. “I appreciate the assistance. But thanks to this Good Samaritan I think we have the situation well in hand. A unit is on its way.”

“Yes,” said Darryl, looking suspiciously at Cole. “Thanks for helping out. The San Francisco Police Department appreciates your help.”

“My pleasure,” said Cole.

“We’ll need you to fill out a report for the District Attorney,” Gibbs said to Cole. “I didn’t catch your name.”

“I’ll tell you what,” Darryl said. “You’re going to have your hands full booking this guy. Why don’t I take care of the report? You have your daughter with you and I’m sure you don’t want to be tied up any longer than necessary.”

“Thanks again, Inspector,” said Gibbs. “I do need to get her to daycare.”

“You go on,” said Darryl. “You can come down to the station after you drop her off. And I’ll make sure you get credit for the collar.”

“Okay,” said Gibbs. “Thanks again, Mr.?”

“Cole,” said Cole. “My friends call me Cole. I’m glad I could help out.”

“Well, thanks again, Cole,” said Gibbs. “I guess I’ll see you at the station later.”

“I guess so,” said Cole.

“What are you doing here?” Darryl asked after Gibbs had driven away.

“I was just walking by when the guy tried to carjack Gibbs,” said Cole. “Just a coincidence, that’s all.”

“Well, you can’t go down to the station,” said Darryl. “Too many cops know who you are. And there’s no way you’ll be able to testify in court about this. But I will need the report for the captain.”

“Just say I want to remain anonymous,” said Cole. “You can tell the District Attorney if he really needs me you can get hold of me. But I don’t think that’s going to happen. We got this guy cold. He’ll be wanting to make a deal before you finish booking him.”

“Okay, fine,” said Darryl. “You get out of here. I’ll bring a report by later for you to fill out.”

Cole just smiled and hurried away from the scene heading back to the house. Now he had something he could use to help protect Phoebe and the girls. If a demon attacked the gun would come in very handy. It wouldn’t stop most demons but it would slow them down some.

* * *

Phoebe finished straightening up the living room just as the news came on. Paige was at work and Piper was busy with the club so that left her to straighten up around the house. They would be home soon and could she could relax then.

“In local news,” said the newscaster, “an off duty police officer and her three-year-old daughter were the victims of an attempted carjacking earlier today. A man with a gun tried to force her out of her car when a bystander intervened and helped prevent the carjacking. When we called the police station about the bystander we were told by Inspector Darryl Morris that he wished to remain anonymous.”

“Good for him,” said Phoebe to no one in particular. “It’s nice to see that not everyone is afraid to get involved.”

Just then Cole came in the front door. Phoebe had sent him out to get rid of the gun he had brought into the house earlier. She had planned to have a nice long talk with him later about not bringing firearms into the house.

“Hi,” she said. “Did you get rid of the gun?”

“Yes. You don’t have to worry about it again.”

“Good. I don’t want you to ever bring another gun into the manor.”

“Don’t worry I won’t. You made your feelings quite clear on that issue. So, we still on for our little outing?”

“Sure,” said Phoebe kissing him on the cheek. “Just let me throw on something more appropriate.”

“I’ll wait.”

Phoebe headed upstairs to change. Just as she was reached the top of the stairs there was a knock at the door. Cole said he’d get it and she continued on to her room.

“Hello Darryl,” she heard Cole say.

Phoebe was about to head back downstairs to find out what Darryl wanted when she heard Darryl speak.

“Here’s that report you need to fill out about the carjacking,” said Darryl. “I thought it would be best if you filled it out and I took it back downtown.”

“Sure, no problem,” said Cole. “I’ll fill it out later and give you a call.”

“Thanks. I was able to keep your name out of it. My captain wasn’t happy but he said as long as the District Attorney doesn’t need you to testify he can live with you remaining anonymous.”

“I appreciate it. I really don’t want to get involved for obvious reasons.”

“Yeah,” said Darryl looking around. “The carjacker claims he had a second gun on him and that you took it off him.”

“A carjacker with two guns? Does that make a lot of sense to you?”

“Actually, no. And ADA Jackson says it doesn’t make any sense to him. Except of course to try and get a better deal. He doesn’t think it’s going to be a problem. We have the carjacker dead to rights. His lawyer is already talking deal.”

“I told you he would be. At least I won’t have to testify.”

“Just try not to do something like that again. I can only cover for you so much before someone starts getting suspicious.”

“I’ll do my best. How are Officer Gibbs and her daughter doing?”

“A bit shaken up but they’re going to be fine.”

“Good.”

“Just let me know when you have the report filled out. ADA Jackson says he’ll need it for his file.”

“I’ll have it for you as soon as I can.”

Phoebe heard the door close and she continued on to her room.

Phoebe changed and then went downstairs. She glanced down and saw Cole hurriedly shove the police report into his coat pocket. He just smiled at her as if nothing was wrong. As she stepped off the bottom step she reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

“What was that for?” he asked.

“Just being you,” she said.

Cole looked at her in confusion as she turned and headed for the front door for their outing.

[noazmale]

SIX

Peter watched Phoebe shake her head with a smile as though she could scatter the cobwebs of the memory to the wind.

“He never told you or your sisters the truth about the gun did he? Even though you were all angry at him for bringing it home.”

“No, he never told us. And I never told him I knew either,” she finished quietly.

Peter sat lost in thought for a few moments. It seemed there had been much to his father the man that might have been worth knowing as well. He still wasn’t sure Phoebe had answered his question, but then maybe he just wasn’t sure exactly what the question was.

Phoebe watched Peter as he mulled his thoughts over. It was obvious to her that there was more than curiosity motivating him. She felt a deep urgency to give him the best answer possible to his question, though she couldn’t say where that urgency sprang from.

“I can’t tell you why I loved your father Peter. Any more than I could tell you why your mother loved him, or for that matter, why this Darklighter had feelings for him. I just don’t believe that any of us know why we love someone. It’s not any one thing, more the sum of who that person is.”

“Well, I think I’m beginning to get an idea how it might have been possible.”

“I don’t know if this will be good enough, but it’s the best I can do at putting it into words for you Peter. Your father was a complicated man. It’s true that he was a romantic and it went beyond simple romance. He had an absolute gift for making a woman feel like she was the most special person in the world. Everything would just fade away, as though we were the only two people on the planet. And that honor and loyalty that you’ve heard so much about in his demonic nature? Well, it was a very big part of Cole’s human nature as well. When you add his capacity for compassion and the innate kindness he could show to anyone in need…” Phoebe trailed of with a small, sad sigh.

“Let’s just say he was easy to love and let it go at that, okay,” she finished with a tiny smile.

“Yeah,” Peter said quietly. “ I think that might just cover things pretty well. I know it can’t be easy for you, talking about him like this. So, thank you,” he started to stand, feeling he’d intruded long enough.

Phoebe could see that he was still disturbed and was reluctant to let him go like that. There were enough unresolved matters where Cole was concerned; she didn’t want to add Peter to that list.

“Wait,” she called out quickly.

He returned to his chair, somewhat surprised that she wasn’t more eager to have him leave.

“It won’t change anything Peter, but I really am sorry that we had to vanquish him. I didn’t want to believe he’d reverted so deeply to his evil nature. But he couldn’t be allowed to go on trying to hurt us. I wish things could have been different,” she couldn’t keep the sob from her voice as she finished.

Stunned, Peter reached for her hand to comfort her. He couldn’t believe that she thought he would blame her or her sisters. The turmoil that he felt came from an even more surprising source. The realization that he didn’t blame Cole either. As each piece of the puzzle that had been his father started to slide into place, he felt he almost understood. And with that understanding, came an overwhelming need to comfort this woman that his father had loved so much.

“Phoebe, please, I never meant to imply that you should feel bad. There are things that we just can’t change, no matter how hard we wish it to so. I don’t know if this will make it better or worse, but I have to say it either way. I don’t think he really did embrace evil again. I’m more inclined to think that he was just so desperately in love with you that he had to do something. He chose the wrong thing. That’s not your fault, but I’m not sure it was really his fault either. It just was. He told me that he didn’t even know what love was before you. If there is anything I’m sure of at all, it’s that he wouldn’t have wanted you to let him hurt you or to feel bad about having to stop him.”

Brushing at a stray tear, she considered what he’d said. Maybe he was right. She’d like to believe he was. She wondered, under the circumstances, if he would be offended by what she said next.

“You could be right,” she said. “I really hope you won’t take this the wrong way, but you are an awful lot like him. I mean that in a good way Peter. All the wonderful things that he was, I can see in you. And right now I can see that you aren’t anymore at ease than you were when you got here. There’s more than curiosity at work here. And, sweet as you are, you didn’t come here just to try and make me feel better. So, how about telling me what’s going on with you.”

Peter swallowed hard. He thought he’d disguised his emotions better than that. As he searched for a way to begin to explain, he realized Phoebe had provided perhaps the ideal place.

“I’m not insulted,” he said with a rueful smile. “ I have to admit that there was a time when I would have been, have been even. I guess that’s a big part of why I came here today. It made me angry when Baldasor said it. But after listening to him, it also made me think. He was right. And because I had to admit that, it forced me to examine who and what I was.”

“That can’t have been easy,” Phoebe said sympathetically.

“No, it wasn’t. Then Cole came back from the Wasteland. So, I took my questions and went to see him. I saw how he was. He told me about my mother and he talked about you. I came away even more confused. What I’d seen and heard went beyond any of the simple concepts I’d always used when I thought about him. I could almost understand and I saw even more of myself in him.”

“Well, I think I can understand why that might unsettle you. But if you’d already seen that there was more to him than the demon you’d assumed him to be, why was today so important Peter?”

“I spent my whole life hating him for what he was.” Peter pushed a hand shakily through his hair.

“Hating him for who he was. But I never knew who he was. You know I’ve always avoided forming close relationships with people. And I blamed the legacy of his heritage for that. I always lived with the fear that because he was a monster to me that I must be one as well. When I got back and realized he was gone again, for good this time…” Peter’s voice broke.

“I needed to know, Phoebe,” he went on brokenly. ”I am like him. And I needed to know if that could be a good thing. If he was a good man, at least as good as he could be. I had to know if maybe it would be okay for me to stop pushing people out of my life or if I just needed to accept that I would always be alone.”

“Oh, Peter,” Phoebe squeezed his hand tightly. “I can promise you that you are only the very best of everything Cole was. I’m sorry if the things I told you weren’t enough for you to see that. I don’t know what else to tell you.”

Peter fought to control all the emotions that were battling within him so that he could continue.

“It’s not that. I do understand. That’s why I’m so sad right now. So many wasted years and there’s no way to get them back. I understand what he was trying to tell me about regrets now too. I could have known sooner. If I’d ever given him a chance, I might have been able to spare myself and him so much pain.”

“Peter, don’t. His regrets aren’t something that he would have wanted to leave you with. I doubt that you have any idea how very proud of you he was. He couldn’t change the circumstances of your birth, but he loved you.”

Peter took a deep breath, his eyes, infinitely sad, met hers and found a mirrored expression reflected back at him.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly.

“Don’t be. The truth is your questions have given me a chance to spend some time with my better memories of your father. I’m grateful for that. Even when something is unavoidable, we need to mourn. That hasn’t exactly been easy for me. It’s not like I can share a lot of what I feel with Piper and Paige under the circumstances.”

“He didn’t leave many people behind to care that he was gone did he?”

‘No,” she whispered. “But I have to believe that those he did, were enough; enough for him and enough for us.”

“It’s ironic,” Peter said. “Even in death, his demonic heritage has managed to get in the way.”

Phoebe looked puzzled and he hurried on to explain.

“If he had been simply human. There would have been a funeral or a memorial. There would be a grave. Someplace to go to say good-bye. A period at the end of the sentence. But because of what he was, there’s only the reality that he’s gone and emptiness. I didn’t let him in much when he was alive, but it would be nice if there was a better way to say good-bye,” Peter finished with a helpless shrug.

Phoebe looked momentarily taken aback by his words. Then she smiled perhaps the most radiant smile Peter had ever seen.

“Maybe there is Peter. Just maybe there is.”

Peter just stared at her in slack jawed amazement at that pronouncement.

[noazmale]

SEVEN

“Phoebe, are you sure you’re okay,” Peter finally managed to ask. “I mean there wasn’t a body or a service right?”

“No, there wasn’t,” she said distractedly. ”But if you would really like to say good-bye there is a place that would be as close to perfect as we are going to get.”

Peter was still confused. It didn’t appear that he’d overtaxed her emotions with his questions, but he couldn’t imagine what she was talking about.

“Phoebe…” he began.

She heard the hesitancy in his voice and realized that she must sound a bit crazy to him right now. After all, he didn’t know. She really needed to get to work, so she didn’t have time to fully explain. And right now she just needed to know if he wanted to do this.

“Oh, Peter. I’m sorry I know I’ve confused you and I don’t have time to explain right now. Look, are we agreed that there isn’t really anyone but the two of us to mourn your father’s death?”

“Yes.”

“Would you like a chance to say good-bye to him? I know I would and I can’t think of anyone better to share that with than you.”

He took a deep breath. It was something he needed, even wanted to do. And there was no denying that the woman before him was probably the only living soul who could understand that. Who needed it as badly as he did. Looking into her expectant eyes, Peter decided that whatever she thought she had come up with was better than where they both were right now.

“I want that chance Phoebe. I think it will be good for both of us,” he said finally.

“Good,” Phoebe smiled. “ Do you have some time, say tomorrow around sunset?”

“Yes, but…”

“Just trust me Peter,” Phoebe slipped her arm through his and led him to the front door. “ Everyone else will be at the club tomorrow evening, so you meet me here. I’ll explain everything then. And Peter, if there’s anything you would like him to have bring it with you.”

Peter shook his head as they stopped in the entryway. He didn’t have a clue as to what she had in mind. But what harm could there be in going along with it.

“Okay. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll shimmer from here. There’s someplace I’d like to go.”

“No problem. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

Phoebe watched him shimmer out and grinned to herself. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of this before. Then again, perhaps she just hadn’t allowed herself to. They could say good-bye to Cole and Peter would even have the chance to learn something else about his father. She was ready to face the day with a heart that was far lighter than it had been in some time.

* * *

Peter shimmered into the silence of the penthouse. For a moment he just stood, letting himself absorb the reality that he wouldn’t find his father here. He was pretty sure that he wouldn’t be disturbed as Angelique had already come and gone. He supposed the reason he had come here shouldn’t feel so strange to him. Even the Darklighter had sought a memento of his father.

Running a finger through the dust on a small table next to him, he tried to decide where best to begin his search. After but a moments hesitation it came to him, the bedroom. It seemed to be the room that held the most of who Cole had been.

When he entered the room, Peter realized that Angelique had left the nightstand drawer open after her search. He padded over intending to close it. When he reached the side of the bed his eyes fell to the photo resting on top of the stand. He sank to the edge of the bed heavily. It was the picture that his father had held so tightly the last time he had seen him. He reached out to pick up the smiling image of Cole and Phoebe in a happier time.

As he did so, his eyes fell to the open drawer. It wasn’t the common items that caught his attention, so much as the seemingly odd items. His father’s nightstand reminded him less of something belonging to a successful attorney than it did of the drawer of a small boy. The photo forgotten, Peter began to rummage curiously.

Next to the watch he would have expected, Peter spotted a small plastic bag. His eyes widened a bit when, lifting it, he realized that it held seashells. He smiled in spite of himself.

“Now where did you come by these and why did you keep them?” the wondering question floated into the emptiness.

A folder beneath the odds and ends caught his eye. Peter set the bag of shells down gently and fished it out of the stand. He could only shake his head in amazement at the contents. Why wouldn’t he keep these things in a safe deposit box?

The answer came to Peter as he thumbed through the contents. Cole’s law degree, his birth certificate, a copy of his marriage certificate to Phoebe. You wanted these close to you didn’t you?

Setting the folder down, Peter returned to his search of the drawer. As he reached toward the back, his hand encountered something that felt like a picture. He thought he’d dropped something from the folder when he’d removed it. Intending to replace it, he pulled it from the drawer. But nothing could have prepared him for what he held in his hand.

The air caught in his lungs as he found himself staring down into a sepia hued photo. A photo of Cole and his mother. Peter knew the picture. He had the same one. It had been all that Angela had left of Cole. This copy was worn and dog-eared, but unmistakably the same picture. In the last place in the world he would have expected to see it.

Peter closed his eyes briefly and forced his lungs to work again. Carefully, almost reverently he gathered the shells, the folder and the worn photograph. Closing the drawer, he rose from the bed and took a final look around the room.

“Seems you were just full of surprises old man.” And with his treasures in hand, he shimmered out of the penthouse amid the echo of his own words.

* * *

The sky was awash in the violet and pink swirls of sunset as Phoebe pulled the car to a stop near the west end of the cemetery gates. The drive had been a silent one; each of them lost in their own thoughts. Peter gazed around curiously as Phoebe shut the engine off.

“A cemetery?” he questioned. “ I know that memorial services are usually held in cemeteries Phoebe, but didn’t we already establish that that wasn’t really possible in this case?”

“It’s possible. I think you’ll even agree that it’s appropriate once you understand. Come on, I’ll explain while we walk.”

“You know, Phoebe, even if the Halliwell’s have a monument here, I’m not sure I could agree that this is appropriate,” he told her as they walked through the family tombs and monuments.

“Not the Halliwells,” Phoebe said as she came to halt at the wrought iron door of a mausoleum. “Your grandfather.”

“My what?” Peter asked, his eyes darting between the burial chamber and Phoebe’s face.

“Your grandfather Peter. Benjamin Turner, your father’s father is buried here,” she indicated the mausoleum. “ Cole used to say this was the second safest place he knew. I learned about it when he was on the run from the demonic bounty hunters. “

“Only my father would consider a cemetery a safe haven. What was the safest place he knew, hell?” Peter snorted at his attempt at humor.

“No. The safest place he knew was with me,” Phoebe told him sadly. “ It always made sense that this was a good place to hide, it was more difficult for demons to sense him in a cemetery. But when I discovered through a premonition that this was his father’s resting place, well I knew it was more than that. It was a monument to Cole’s only link to his human heritage.”

Phoebe’s grip on the small bag she held tightened. She reached for the door and glanced at Peter with a small shrug.

“Here, with his father, seemed a fitting place to say good-bye to your father.”

Peter followed her into the dim chamber with a tiny nod, unable to speak around the lump that had formed in his throat. He stood quietly to the side as Phoebe knelt and brushed the dust from the brass nameplate.

“Hi Cole,” she whispered to the shadows. “ I brought someone to see you. I figured that if you are safe anywhere it would be here and I want to believe that you are honey. I couldn’t save you and you couldn’t save yourself, but Lord we sure tried didn’t we. I love you, no matter what happened and I just wanted you to know that,” Phoebe’s voice broke and she struggled to go on.

“I brought you some things to remember the good times by. “

She reached into the bag and removed three small items. She laid the first on top of the sarcophagus.

“Remember Paris? I saved the petals from the rose. I brought you part of them.”

“And the day at the photo booth,” she laughed as she laid the small picture down as well, “ we were so silly that day.”

“Remember this?” she set a tiny silver teddy bear on top of the photograph. “ You gave me the set the same time you gave me that giant stuffed bear. I know it was you and not the Source who did that Cole. I thought you might like to have one. I love you and I wish we could have had children together.”

Phoebe stood up and stepped back, brushing a tear from her face.

“I’m sorry we didn’t make it. Good-bye Cole.”

As he watched her turn away, Peter found himself fighting the betrayal of tears. He wasn’t sure he could do this.

“Phoebe,” he croaked.

She smiled at him, understanding without the need of the words being spoken.

“You can do it Peter. I’ll wait for you in the car okay.”

Peter stood like an awkward statue for several moments after she left. Trying to figure out how and where to begin.

“Well, Damn,” he cursed into the silence. “Trust me old man, this isn’t a scene I ever envisioned. I went by your place, when I found out what happened. Your Darklighter was there, collecting something to remember you by. You know I’m mad as hell that you did this. But I think I understand,” Peter’s attempt to hide behind bravado began to slip.

“I, um, took some things myself. I didn’t think you’d mind under the circumstances. And I brought some things for you too.”

Peter laid the small plastic bag of shells next to Phoebe’s items.

“I’m not sure why you kept those, but they were special for some reason. I just thought you might like to have them. And this,” he shook his head. “Well I sure didn’t expect you to have it. But then again, you’ve been surprising me a lot lately. Anyway, I already have a copy and this one was yours,” Peter finished quietly laying the dog-eared picture gently under the edge of the shells.

He ran his hand restlessly through his hair.

“I know it’s too late to really know you now. It’s a pretty lousy way to finally understand what you meant about regrets. But I want you to know that I think I would have liked to have known you better. And trust me, this isn’t a mistake I’ll make again.”

Peter swallowed hard and gazed at the little shrine they had created. Then he reached up and released the clasp on a silver chain that hung around his neck.

“This is my high school class ring. You weren’t there for that part of my life, but if it hadn’t been for some of the things I got from you, well, I might never have made it that far. I want you to have it.”

Peter laid the ring and chain down and turned to go. At the door he turned back, wiping away the tears he couldn’t restrain.

“You know, I think I could have loved you if we’d had the chance.”

“Good-bye Dad,” he whispered as he turned and walked away.

The End