Cole and Phoebe's Apartment
Phoebe picked out a red off-shoulder dress from the apartment closet, smiling as she hoped Cole and her would enjoy some alone time after two weeks of daily demon vanquishing and a newborn baby constantly demanding attention. One strong arm wrapped around her waist and a chin rested on her shoulder. " I always liked that dress," Cole Turner whispered into her ear, fingers tickling her waist and the stretchmarks Benjamin Turner helped create.
" I know" she answered smugly. " Which is why when we go to P3, I'm wearing it,"
" Good,"
" Good? Don't you mean ' Wow, honey, you'll look great in something other than maternity clothes'?" Phoebe put the dress on the hook on the inside of the closet door, trying to relax. Maternal instincts nagged at her to check on Ben while he slept in his crib next to their bed.
No crying saved Cole from the wrath of his wife. " You'll always look beautiful to me," He said before turning her in his arm and then guiding her to the daybed that doubled as a couch, makeshift table, and Ben's bed.
" Then tell me that letting Prue babysit her half-witch, half-demonic nephew is the right choice. Why not Piper and Dan? At least they're more child-friendly," Phoebe tried to banish the traitorous thoughts of her and Prue's tumultuous relationship as sisters.
" Piper hasn't told Dan that she's a witch, that you're all witches," Cole gently stroked her hair back from her face, just happy to spend a moment demon-free with her.
She snatched his hand and kissed it. " True, but….Ben looks human. And he's your average needy newborn baby whose always crying-"
" -for no reason?" Cole ended the sentence in contented parental exhaustion. " Phoebe, Prue loves Benjamin,"
Phoebe frowned. " Prue attempting to divorce Andy and Andy knowing about us is already messy enough. Ben will just make it worse for them, and Andy dislikes you," She inched back to fully sit on the daybed.
Cole shimmered to sit beside her. His arm rested on her shoulder now. " Dislike is too soft. Loathe, hate, despise," He smirked and kissed her neck repeatedly.
" So Piper and Dan can watch Ben while we go to P3," Phoebe volunteered too quickly. Cole laughed off her nerves. The phone rang, followed by Ben crying. " For one moment I wish I had Piper's power," Rushing off the daybed, Phoebe answered Ben's call. Cole reluctantly answered the phone.
" Andy? Why are you calling?"
Cole Turner worked as the DA and worked with Andy on several cases where magic involved itself. " Another string of murders? The common link is that they're all featured in the paper? That's not much a link-"
Carrying a bundled Ben into the room, Phoebe nursed him from her breast. " What's wrong?"
" Nothing," Cole said quickly.
Shaking her finger at him, Phoebe sat down on the daybed and leaned back into pillows. She never took her eyes off of her husband, a half ear on the phone conversation. It went on for a half hour before Cole hung up and offered to fetch the diaper bag from the closet.
" No, no. I will grab it. What did Andy want?" She eased Ben away from her breast and pulled her shirt back up.
Disappearing into the kitchen, Cole returned with a glass of water. He handed her the glass. " Someone's killing in a demonic manner," He explained the gist with his usual level of interest.
" And?"
" Andy can't exactly tell Morris that a demon did it," Cole explained patiently, though his patience started to wane especially with their son keeping them up at night. Every night. Gazing upon the bundle, conflict tore at the half-demon. His off-spring stared up at him trustingly, innocent as a demonic babe could be.
" And it is?" She insisted, her irritation growing with Cole each passing minute.
He grabbed his waist coat. " I'll bring home a copy," Before she could argue, Cole Turner left the apartment.
When several minutes passed and she was certain he wouldn't shimmer back, she held Ben very, very close and whispered against his cheek. " I know you'll grow up to be a very evil child but I'm raising you. I'm off limits and so is your father," She kissed his nose and grabbed the diaper bag from the closet. " Time to go to Aunt Prue's,"
Ben's eyes flashed black. A smile transformed his innocent little face.
Halliwell Manor
Prue paced the house waiting for Ben to arrive, avoiding the phone and the door. She lingered near the window, pushing aside the white curtains to check every five minutes. What if they were attacked on the way to the house? What if the demons abducted Ben from Phoebe and Cole?
Halfway to the door, she stopped herself. Belthazor would never let anything happen to his child, and Phoebe practiced martial arts ever since she met Belthazor. Benjamin was perfectly safe.
No! Not safe. The little man needed protection-
A knock on the door caught her between worrying about Ben's safety and trying to trust her sister and demonic brother-in-law's all encompassing strength. The ornate front doors obscured the identity of the person ringing the doorbell. Advancing toward the door, she practically flung the door open.
" Morris?" She said with no enthusiasm.
Darryl Morris was Andy Trudeau's partner and suspected the sisters of being a part of something grander and bigger than the government. He tried to stay out of it., but it caught up with him often enough. " Were you hoping for Andy?"
Her cheeks colored. " No, no…what did you want?" Holding her hands behind her back, she looked over his shoulder waiting for Phoebe and Ben impatiently.
" I received a warning call from a concerned witness. Does the Rowe Coven sound familiar to you?"
" No,"
" They're killing innocent men and women," Morris dug his hands in his pockets. " The concerned witness said you could…"
" Stop them?" Prue said hopefully. " Morris, I thought you didn't want part of 'us'?" She made finger motions for emphasis.
Glancing at the porch boards, Morris cleared his throat. " Fourteen victims so far. I don't care about the oddities-"
" Darryl!" Phoebe stepped out of a blue SUV. Ben snug in his car seat swung into view. " So good to see you again. I thought that you were avoiding us," She mounted the steps and inched past Darryl Morris.
Removing Ben's car seat from Phoebe's hands, Prue smiled in true happiness. " There's my little buddy. Are we going to watch the news today?" Morris shifted his feet back and forth.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Phoebe stood across from the inspector. " Well, Darryl, not to pry, but should someone else babysit Ben?" Her fingers itched to take back the car seat and the baby. Prue set down the car seat on the floor at her feet.
Black eyes peered up at Phoebe from beneath the baby blue blanket and Phoebe shook her finger. Black turned to orbs of green. Morris cleared his throat. " The Rowe Coven," He repeated. " You have my number,"
Prue turned to Phoebe as Morris left them alone. " No trouble?"
" No. Oddly enough, the demons all took a calling card and are taking the day off," Phoebe said abrasively. " Now Ben has enough breastmilk to last the day but we should be back before 11 tonight, but if we don't get back before them-"
" Because of demons?" Prue finished cheerfully. " No worries, Phoebes. Ben is in good hands," Reaching down now, Prue unbuckled Ben and cuddled him in her arms. The boy's fisted hand rested against her breast.
Seeing that Ben was safe in Prue's arms, Phoebe moved in for a quick hug and then hurried back to the SUV. Her job as a columnist kept her busy and paid one half of the expenses of the Turner household.
" Maybe today we'll actually get to relax without Uncle Andy bothering us," She whispered lovingly. " Leo! We need you!" She waved a finger and the door closed by itself.
Their whitelighter orbed into the entrance vestibule. " The Rowe Coven?"
" Fourteen victims that are known," Prue added, rocking Ben. Leo gazed upon the demonic babe, a child he could never touch or heal. The sisters already knew of his destiny and accepted it as they accepted their destiny. It maintained the balance of good and evil for all, which was why Ben had been allowed to be born by both good and evil.
Leo orbed back out. Prue kissed Ben's forehead, the boy's eyes already closing for contented rest.