Recruiting Cole

Cole Turner, former Belthezar, former Source of All Evil, still lived in the Penthouse he had lived in with Phoebe during their all too short marriage. He had had several offers from Wyatt to join him but he had turned them down. He knew Wyatt wanted him, how could he not. He was invincible, All those powers he had gained from limbo had made him unable to kill. That didn't mean he attacked Wyatt but these sure were different then the days when he had loved Phoebe. He still loved Phoebe. He would always love Phoebe. Several times a day he still invented new ways to kill him. "Candle wax. Maybe I could burn to death. Yes, that's an idea!" he smiled and went to conjure up several candles that stood taller than he did. At that point Daryl Morris knocked on the door. Cole made a motion with his hand and the door opened.

"Daryl!" Cole exclaimed as a smile lit up his face. "How is it that you are still alive?"

"You don't want to know."

"Not liking the angel-kid."

"If you are talking about Lord Wyatt..."

"Of course I'm talking about Lord Wyatt."

"Cole, I hate to ask you this, but I need your help. He's got Shelia."

"It's a tactic to make sure you don't betray him. How's your son?"

"He's been recruited for Wyatt's army."

Cole nodded, the smile dropping from his face. "What is it you want from me?" Cole walked over to the fireplace and picked up a picture of him and Phoebe.

"I need your help. They want Michael too."

"I'm sorry, I can't help you."

"Can't or won't?"

"What's the difference?"

"You know the difference." Daryl started pacing "Don't you miss the days when we were on the good side, when we were helping the girls? I know I do. I'd give anything to have those days back. When my family was safe to walk to the park."

At that moment Chris orbed in. "I agree, Daryl."

"Christopher, what are you doing here? Did Wyatt send you?"

"No, Rest easy, Daryl. I'm not here for you. I'm here for him."

Cole laughed, "Well, you can tell your brother that my answer is final. I have no interest in joining Wyatt and his minions. The world can burn for all I care."

"I'm not here for Wyatt. I'm here for myself. I can offer you something he can't."

"You smell like a whitelighter."

"Be that as it may," Chris walked up to the fireplace and picked up the picture of Phoebe and Cole. "She was really pretty here. She's still pretty though."

"Ph-Phoebe. You know where she it."

"Perhaps. Phoebe and Paige are still alive."

"Phoebe's alive?"

"Very much so. In fact I just left her. The fairies are making sure that it's undetected, that it's magically protected."

"What is?"

"The Resistance."

"What is the Resistance?" Daryl asked.

"The Resistance Against Wyatt."

"Do you think you can save my son? Protect them from Wyatt's army."

"Bring them here. I'll be back. Right now we need Cole."

"What do you say Cole?" Daryl asked.

"If you can get Phoebe to not hate me, then I'm in."

"You got it." Chris put his hand on Cole's arm and orbed. Cole looked around.

"This used to be P3."

"Yeah. Phoebe has three daughters. Right now, only Prue is here. Wyatt has her youngest daughters; Pearl and Patty but we're going to get them back. Paige has a son named Henry along with two daughters; Penny and Dora. We're going to need your help, Cole. I've had word that Leo has joined Wyatt's Empire."

"Leo? As in your father?"

"No. As in Wyatt's father."

At that point Phoebe came into the room. "Cole? What is he doing here?"

"He's here to help, Phoebe."

"He's a demon."

"Are all the stories true? Could the Charmed Ones never vanquish him?"

"It's true, though God knows Paige tried. And Cole, Cole could never hurt me. Not even a little. He knew that if lost a sister it would kill me. He would never hurt me."

"He's been around over a hundred years and been possessed by the Source if he can't help us against Wyatt then who can?"

"I hate it when you are right but Paige isn't going to like this."

"I know," Chris stated. Go with Cole to get Daryl, bring him here and then we will figure out how to rescue his family."

"You got it."

While they were gone Chris organized P3 into a halfway house. They were all sorts of magical creatures helping him. There was now a second story added onto P3 with nothing but bedrooms and bathrooms. Christopher and Prue had their own room. Henry was sharing a room with Cole, Paige and Phoebe were sharing a room, Pearl and Patty would share a room when they returned, Penny and Dora shared a room, Seth and Derek shared a room, and Victor and Daryl would have their own room. Chris then began cleaning the dishes with the help of his cousins. Henry was there. Henry had the dark hair of both of his parents, but the green eyes of his father. His father had been an FBI agent and had taught his three children the art of combat.

"Everything's set, I've tried to heal Mom. She's thin, but she'll be fine. At least as long as you do the cooking," Henry stated with a smile as he tossed back his dark hair, pushing it out of his eyes.

"Why am I the only one who can cook?"

"Because your mom was the only one."

"Yeah, Mom."

"We're all really sorry about Aunt Piper."

"I know, Henry. It's not your fault."

"Do you ever worry, Chris. I once heard Aunt Phoebe say that her Grams thought that no male could handle the powers. That there had been no male witches born into the Halliwell's before Wyatt and look what happened to him."

"Yeah, Henry, I worry. I think something happened to him a long time ago. I don't know what. I mean when we were growing up he was just Wy. He seemed a little off kilter but he was still my older brother. Then after what happened to Mom...all the power just went to his head."

"Yeah, I used to look up to him. The two of you used to always be in the Underworld destroying demons and leaving the rest of us out."

"Sometimes we carried Prue," Chris stated.

"I wanted to go so much, but Mom would have known the instance I was in the Underworld."

"Yeah, well if you think that's bad, your mother wasn't an Elder," Chris subtly hinted at his own father who was never there. There was always some crisis that took precedence over his younger son's needs. "Besides, I didn't want anything to happen to any of you. We must save Patty and Pearl. Wyatt is a Halliwell. He wants the family on his side. We weren't meant to be on the side of evil. I'm going to have to return to him soon, can't have him find out about the Resistance too soon."

"Be careful, Chris. If saving them means something happening to you...then don't. Wait for the rest of us to come up with a plan."

"It's not just witches that are in danger. A mortal, Nathaniel Pratt has set upon these modern day witch hunts with Wyatt at the helm. Anyone that resists Wyatt's Regiment, Nathaniel finds proof of them being witches. Take care of yourself, Henry. We alone are the two males in the family. Any word from Uncle Kyle?"

"You know what happened when Mom disappeared. He fully embraced being a whitelighter in hopes of finding her."

"So he's not answering?"

"No. He's probably put us all on mute."

"Figures," Chris stated handing him the last dish to dry. "We need to find the nymphs and the leprechauns. Paige was pretty close with them once. We have to protect as much magic as possible although the mortals now know thanks to Wyatt. Still, you have to be careful about exposing yourself as a witch. It will let Wyatt know where you are. You know how much he hates whitelighters."

"I'm a witchlighter, Welder." Chris laughed along with him. Chris had been conceived while his father was an Elder, making him the first of his kind. Henry was the first second generation witchlighter. When Dora and Penny were conceived Uncle Kyle had been a whitelighter so they were ¾ whitelighter and only ¼ witch. Welder was a term that was only given to him and his deceased sister. They were the only Welders in existence. Leo had been an Elder when they were conceived. Since Melinda had died it was only him. He flicked the nights twice and rang a bell, signing bedtime. He trusted Phoebe, Daryl and Cole and knew there was nothing he could do for the night. Like Paige, he too, had had a long day and needed his rest. Chris went to make sure everything was fine. He started in Prue's room. He knocked lightly on her door.

"Come in."

He telekinetically pushed the door open and smiled at her. She sat in a silk pink nighty with a robe over it and on her feet were pink slippers. She had blue eyes just like her namesake and dark brown hair.

"How are you, Prudence?"

"I'm scared, Chris. After what happened to Daddy, he was a Cupid, Chris. A Cupid! What kind of harm could he have caused Wyatt's regiment?"

Chris sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. "You know I've wondered that myself, I think he was just sending a message."

"What kind of message?"

"That he wouldn't hesitate to stop anyone in his way including family. I think it was more a message to Aunt Phoebe. We're going to be okay, Prue. All of us. I promise you." He put his arms around her and rocked her gently as she had done him after the death of his mother.

"You know the worst part, Chris? I was so mad at him for grounding me after I was sneaking out to see Billy Jenkins that I...the last thing I said to him was that I hated him."

"Prue, your father was a Cupid, he knew what love looked and felt like and he knew you loved him. He forgives you. I know it and you know it. Besides, we're Halliwell's we can get through this." He kissed her cheek and tucked her in. She kissed his cheek and smiled.

"Thanks, Chris, I needed that."

"No sweat, Munchkin."

He traveled down the hall, to Penny and Dora's room. He knocked.

"Come in," he heard twin voices shout followed by giggles, they were at that age. This time he orbed in just to see their faces light up. Dora was playing with the shadows, she made them come together and spread apart.

"That's great Dora," Chris stated and as he watched the shadows turned into their late father. Then disappeared. "Dora-don't," he stated as he read her mind, but she did. There was his mother's shadow.

"She's gone, and she's not coming back," he stated a little harshly. "I'm sorry, Dora. But it still hasn't been long enough for me to see her and it's...difficult."

"We know, Chris," they nodded in unison, though they had different shades of hair and different tastes in clothes. Penny, like her namesake, wore loose-fitting clothes and had dyed her hair blonde. Dora on the other hair wore her clothes black to her sister's bright colors of pink, oranges and yellows, and they were much skimpier than Chris liked to see he was constantly after her to cover up. "Good-night, girls," he said with a smile as he headed off to his own bed. And even though he was seventeen years old he bent beside his bed folded his hands and he prayed.

"I know I haven't been the best son, the most dutiful son, but please protect us all from Wyatt. And Mom I will keep my promise, I will find a way to save him," he closed his eyes and heard familiar orbs.

"Son, it isn't that easy."

"Don't call me that."

Leo sighed as he looked at his youngest son, although he had officially sided with his eldest he had done so to keep and eye on him and to hopefully keep Wyatt from going too far, Chris looked much older than his seventeen years, he knew he had neglected this son. He knew why too even if he was sorry now. He had blamed him for Melinda's death. It wasn't the Elder thing to do but he hadn't come to term with in until years later, and by the time Chris wasn't up to forgiving him.

"Son, I want to help. Let me help."

"I don't need your help, Leo. But...if you ever get tired of kissing Wyatt's ass, this place is a safe haven. We will protect you."

"Thanks, son."

"Look, Leo," Leo flinched at the use of his given name although he was used to it, even before Piper's death Chris had been calling him by his given name, and the irony of ironies as he had once blamed Chris for Melinda's death, Chris blamed him for Piper's he knew it and he blamed himself. "I'm not your son. You have Wyatt. I don't want you to call me son. I don't even want to be known as a Halliwell. I am simply Chris Perry. I won't have you compromising everything I'm hoping to achieve."

"And what is that? Are you trying to kill your brother?"

"Always you assume the worst," Chris stated with pursed lips, his face white, at his sides, his hands clenched into fists at the control it took not to scream at his absentee father. "No, the Resistance's goal is to protect the world from the witch hunters, from Wyatt, and Nathaniel Pratt, with minimal casualties. I promised Mom I would save Wyatt, even if I have to save him from himself."

"You don't know if Wyatt can be saved."

"Neither do you."

"I want you to know, what you're doing here, I'm proud of you."

"Yeah, whatever. If you want to help tend to Paige. Did you know Wyatt had her?"

"Chris, it isn't that simple?"

"Did you know Wyatt had her?"

"Christopher, I..."

"Look, you sent me on that mission to save Kevin and you didn't even tell me that he had Aunt Paige!"

"Christopher, it isn't that simple."

"How was she captured! Leo, you were part of it. My God, Leo, can you be any stupider? Don't you know what kind of hope Aunt Paige has inspired?"

"He promised to leave you alone!" Leo fired back at him. For a moment all the fight went out of him. For once his father had done something for him.

"I can take care of myself," he finally answered, "It's not like I haven't turned him down before. I want no part of his Empire. I saved your blasted Elder didn't I?"

"Yes, and I'm grateful."

"How many are there?"

"Five. There are five Elders." Chris was silent at his elder-father's admission. Where there had once been thousands of Elders there were five.

"Whitelighters?"

"Ten, not counting the witchlighters and you."

"You don't count Wy anymore?"

"I...don't know."

Chris shook his head, going to a window and staring out at the city. Phoebe had had a vision of everything being destroyed. Chris did not want to see that happen. How was he going to stop it? He had never been as strong or as powerful as he brother, and they were all counting on him, even his aunts. How had he gotten himself into his position. For once the father who had never been there was staring at him like he too, was putting the fate of the world in his hands. Part of him wanted to scream and real and the fates at destiny and even at death. If things had been different he would have just been a senior in high school, his biggest worries would be college admittance exams and what girl to take to senior prom, he shook his head trying to clear it, the image a lot nicer than he would imagine. "How is Wyatt?" Chris asked.

"Your brother, Wyatt, is sinking more into madness. I'm worried about him. You should go see him soon. It can be arranged that you take a 'vacation' from school," Leo added. Chris smirked, they both knew that he had been following missions since he was fifteen, not going to school, though Chris always came up with good stories from school to tell Wyatt.

"I will. You should go, Leo, before he finds you missing." Leo nodded and orbed away, casting one last look toward his son. He remembered when Chris had been very young and he used to tug on his shirt.

"No, Daddy, don't go. Stay, you promised."

"Chris, I have to go now. It's important, but I'll be back. I always come back don't I?" Leo remembered the tearful nod, as Chris nodded brushing away the wayward tear. And now it was You should go. He had promised to always come back. Leo felt old, he felt so old as he orbed back to face his eldest son.

"Hello, Father," came Wyatt's voice, "I've been expecting you," Leo looked into the black orbs of his eldest sons' eyes and his visibly shivered.

"Hello, Wyatt."

"Father, I'm thinking of turning the manor into a museum. I'll have tour guides. Since you know so much about the house, and the family, I think you should train the tour guides."

"Whatever you wish, Wyatt."

"Good. Did you know that I have had some prisoners escaping?"

"Which ones?"

"Paige, for one and an Elder. If he had been a threat I would have killed him. He was mostly harmless, I'm not worried about him. But Paige is another matter. I would really hate to get rid of the rest of the Charmed Ones."

"Yes, that would be a shame," Leo stated, all but defeated, or he had been before Chris had sprung hope to life in him. "Wyatt, they are family. There was no need to lock her up."

"You think I don't know what she wants. You must find Christopher, bring him back from school. If Phoebe and Paige find Christopher they may try to use his blood to make up for Piper and bind my powers, I won't have it!"

"I will find, Chris."

"I will have him, Dad, as my second in command. He must take his place at my side. If he does then I will leave Phoebe and Paige alone."

"And their children?"

"I make no promises. I got rid of Coop didn't I."

"Does that make you feel proud son?"

"What if it does? I don't answer to you! I am Lord Wyatt, and this is my kingdom."

"Excalibur was not meant to be used that way." Wyatt shot an energy ball at his father followed by Wyatt raising his fingers and orbs blowing Leo to pieces.

"Wyatt!" Leo screamed when he reformed.

"Get Christopher, and don't make him angry! Now Go!"