Phoebe walked down the hall into the half open door, she peaked in and smiled. He was sleeping. Her baby was sleeping. She walked to his little boy bed and sat on it, she saw him turn and his eyes open. "ma?" he cooed, "yeah, honey it's me, I came to kiss you good night" she said, planting a kiss on his forehead, she retracted and his arms reached out for her, she smiled down t him, "you wanna sleep with me tonight?" she asked, he smiled, his blue eyes sparkled by the reflection of his night light, he looked so much like his father. The same eyes, the same smile, the same black hair. He shot up in her arms and hugged her, she smiled and hugged him back. She carried him to her room, his arms never unwrapping from her neck. "what are you two doing up so late?" Piper said, they turned and smiled, Piper smiled back "Ben?" she asked, "mommy woke me up" he said quickly, he knew how not to get in trouble, 4 years in the Halliwell home, you kind of knew what lines to use, even if you were just a baby. "you lie" Phoebe said, setting him on the floor, he smiled up at her and than turned to Piper. "why are you up late?" he asked inquisitively, Piper stared at him and than looked at Phoebe "I swear to god, he's just like you" Piper said.
They had noticed that Ben was much more advanced than the other kids. For one, he was very well built, he was strong too, his intelligence was by a long shot very developed. He Began speaking when he was four months, he walked when he was 5. It was all do to the demon inside, courtesy of his father's inheritance. They didn't mind much, they had all agreed on binding it, until he was old enough to use his powers, for good. Of course he knew that his mother and his aunts were witches, he was surrounded constantly by demons and warlocks, of course none of them attacked him, they never sensed his demon half, it was very well bound. He knew very well that when there was an attack he should run to his room and lock the door, and come out only when on of his aunts or his uncle Leo told him to. He never found what he was exposed to unusual, although Phoebe had explained to him that he and his family were different from everybody else. He understood it perfectly, Phoebe was amazed at this, she didn't know how a 3 year old could understand the difference. Somehow he did and Phoebe and the Halliwells were all very thankful.
"You know you should go to bed, it's way past your bed time" Piper preached, Phoebe smiled at him and nodded, "you really should" she said, Ben looked pleadingly at her, she kneeled to his height "boo, you really should" she explained, he nodded defeated and kissed his mother, he than turned to Piper and frowned at her, "I don't like you" he said, Piper pretended to be hurt, she knew he didn't like that Piper was the mother type, while Phoebe was a child with him. "but I'm still going to kiss you" he said jumping up and reaching for Piper, she caught him in her arms and laughed, he kissed her cheek and she kissed his forehead, she set him back down. Both of them watched as he raced to his room and jumped in his bed.
They both made their way down to the kitchen, neither of them could get a wink of sleep. Piper didn't know why she couldn't sleep, but she knew very well why Phoebe couldn't. She knew Phoebe hadn't had a decent night of sleep in Four years. At first she assumed it was because of Ben, a baby cries and needs midnight feedings, but as he grew he no longer cried and slept through the night ver soundly. Than Piper deduced it was because of Cole. The way he left her and two months later she found out she was pregnant really got to her. But she had gotten over it, she had found a job as an elementary teacher, she taught first grade, and had finally gotten her life back on track and with Ben more reason to get it back on track fast.
"Why couldn't you sleep?" Phoebe asked Piper, taking her out of her thoughts, "I don't know" she said, as they entered the kitchen, "want tea?" Piper asked as she filled the kettle, "sure" Phoebe said as she sat down on the table. Piper joined her while she waited for the water to boil. "so, what are you doing tomorrow?" Piper asked, "well, um, Ben and I are going to the park with David" Phoebe said, Piper made a frustrated sound and got up, "what?" Phoebe asked, "why do you hang out with him? I mean, after what he did, you lost your first child because of him" Piper said, "yes, but he's helped me raise my second, I think he's made amends for what he's done" Phoebe argued, in her heart she still knew David was a good man. "that's not the point, do you know what he put you and Cole through?" Piper asked enraged, "yes, I was there, thank you" Phoebe said, getting up, walking toward Piper, "than what the hell is wrong with you?" she asked, "Piper, he loves Ben, almost like a father does, almost like Cole would have, and Ben is very fond of him, he likes playing with him and… given the lack of a parental figure, I think that David has done a pretty god job" Phoebe explained, "Cole could've done better" Piper stated, "yeah, well, Cole left, he isn't here" Phoebe said enraged. She hated talking about him, but it was inevitable. "I'm sorry Pheebs, I just.." Piper said, "I know, but he needs a father, or at least someone to teach him how to play football and man stuff, and Leo is never around not to mention he crumbles like a piece of paper, so…" Phoebe said, she knew it was lame excuse, but what the hell, she was tired. "I just can't help but think that, he wants to take Cole's place" Piper said, as she poured the water in the cups. "he could never do that Piper, Cole will always be Ben's father, I mean, he may not know it, but Ben knows that David isn't his father, I mean, Ben knows that his dad had to leave, I never told him why, and I never said he was dead or anything, I mean, he knows that his father is out there, but I just, I think that he needs a father, or at least someone that would guide him as a father would, I can't handle this by myself" Phoebe explained, "but, you're not by yourself, me and Paige are here, and Leo" Piper said, Phoebe hugged her, "I know, I know and thank you" she said, tears swelling to her eyes, she was so glad her sisters were there for her.
Cole walked into the old house, expecting to find a house full of dust and mold, instead, it wasn't, it was rather clean, he hadn't been here for four years and it was still clean, somebody had had to come by, and he had a pretty good idea of who it was. He wanted to go to her, he wanted to see her, but he couldn't. How could he face her?, after four years, he had left her and now to barge back into her life would be a calamity. He put down his bag and looked around, it was so good to be home. To be back, a smile crept his lips, he knew now that he had made the right choice in coming back to San Francisco. He had left the underworld because he was tired of the missions, he no longer cared about them, he just wanted to live a normal life, so he asked the source to let him go, he let him if he did one more mission, he carried it through very cleanly and he left, so strings attached, he no longer belonged to anybody, he was on his own. The source surprisingly enough gave him a new ID and somehow a job, he was again an ADA, beginning Monday. He had this weekend to just be with himself, think, get accustomed. He walked into his room and smiled. He opened the drawers and saw his clothes intact, he just wanted to sleep now, tomorrow he would buy food and everything he needed to begin his life again.