A/N: Thanks for everyone waiting for these sluggish updates. I've been sort of distracted lately. Deciding what to do with my life, trying to find a job, etc. It's rugged out there. Sometimes I wish I could cast spells…
Interruptions
Piper clutched at her back as she stood fully upright. How old was that couch? Seeing Leo's expression she waved him off.
"Wasn't lifting with my legs," she said simply, looking around. It was past midnight. As cost effective as it likely was to keep the manor in what she was beginning to affectionately call 'battle mode' it just wasn't conducive to everyday life. Overturned chairs and tables, everything scooted to the walls, there was no telling, too, what guests would say. No, she thought, it was time to surrender to the idea that the bad guy was not stupid enough to come waltzing through the front door, or some shimmered portal. For the night, the Charmed Ones were giving up. She looked across the living room, which was beginning to look like its old self, at Phoebe and Cole, empathizing. Both of them taking any excuse to touch one another, and then letting the contact linger, leaning into it. They were afraid, and sadly the eldest Halliwell agreed that they had reason to be. It was one thing for a powerful demon to be unstoppable, but predictable, and another for he, she, it to be additionally inscrutable.
"What do you think," Leo asked her, rubbing her back. It made her think of their warm bed upstairs, which made her think of how tired it was. Things were still missing, askew, but suddenly they seemed perfect.
"I think it's time for bed," she stifled a yawn.
"Fight evil tomorrow," Paige chipped in. Her expression seemed optimistic but her eyes were worried.
"After a good night's rest we'll all feel better," Phoebe said. Piper knew half of it was for her little sister's benefit, but half of it was also for her ex-husband husband. Piper frowned; what were they? As she thought it, she realized she had been drug in along with everyone else into the awkward moment. Cole had been attacked at his place earlier yesterday, and no one ever got any real rest on that ancient couch…
"I've got to use the bathroom," Cole offered, unhelpfully, kissing Phoebe on the forehead. His hand at her side, he stayed for an extra moment, and Phoebe closed her eyes while her hands played with the cotton of his sweater. After he left, Piper felt Leo behind her fidgeting. He had interpreted it correctly, that this was a sisterly affair. He just didn't have anywhere to go.
"I'll see you in a minute," he said, remembering that there wasn't any confusion about where he was sleeping. Piper grinned up at him, and at his back as he went. Piper looked from one sister's face to the other.
"So," she began.
"It doesn't matter how often I blink," Paige said. "my eyes still hurt,"
"Not helping," Piper nipped. For her part, Phoebe looked indecisive.
!#&
In the bathroom, Cole splashed water on his face. Then he filled the sink with water and dunked his head in. When he came up for air he was staring into an unexpected face. The salt and pepper haired avatar, the one who had been hounding him ever since his return from the wasteland, stared patiently. Cole checked his surroundings; everything was the same except for his reflection, none of the bathroom appeared in the glass. Cole made a face that was halfway between a squint and a glare.
"What do you want," he said through gritted teeth.
"Cole," the avatar began. "Surely, you cannot think it was to be that easy, that we'd be done with you. No, we still do, and that fact should prove resoundingly that we wanted you for more than you power from the outset," Cole took a step backward shaking his head.
"No," he said. "No, I'm finished with all that, the power mongering. I have Phoebe, and she's everything I want, everything I need," he said confidently. The avatar grinned knowingly.
"Cole, your story is known far and wide, especially for those who would seek vengeance against you. You think any demon you wronged in the past won't strike at you through her," He paused a moment, letting it sink in. "And when they do, as you say, you're done, powerless to stop them,"
"We can take care of ourselves," Cole said quickly. "I don't need your power," the avatar looked sad for a moment, and then straightened visibly.
"You will, Cole," he said cryptically. "You will," and in the next moment Cole was looking into his own, terrified, doubtful face. He passed a hand over his face and stepped out of the bathroom. Phoebe was waiting for him.
"Phoebe," he said. She smiled warmly at him, then it faded slightly.
"What's wrong?" she asked. He shook his head.
"Nothing," he said, smiling. "I'm just tired," she frowned but something took her mind away from questioning him. She put her hand between then, willing him to take it. He did so, if only to feel her touch. She held on firmly and walked to the stairs. It was in Cole Turner to resist what he saw unfolding, to voice his protest, but for some reason he matched step with her, didn't say a word. He even tried not to stare at how her newly donned pajamas hugged her slim frame. It was all for naught.
After closing the door to her room, there was a hot urgency that insisted that Cole wasn't close enough to Phoebe, wasn't touching enough of her, feeling enough of her. Breathing became secondary. It could be that he consumed her levitation power, or maybe she had activated it herself, but very soon her felt the little nettles on the ceiling nibbling at his bare back. It was just a moment, though, a break in the crazy, heated, passionate moment that seemed to stretch and stretch. There wasn't a moment to say how he felt, but instead of wishing she knew, he decided to burn it into every inch of her flesh with his urgings.
!#&
Paige wished she had Piper's power to blow things up. Not only was it a cool power, but it could accurately be used to express an angry mood. A violent gesture and something exploded, she wouldn't even have to say anything. There was the hour or so during which she could've used the power to walk into her sister's room and obliterate her and Cole as they made up, or whatever it was. It sounded like they were doing construction. Well, she wasn't as serious about that; whatever part of her that was fatigued out of her mind was happy for her sister, and Cole, too. Truthfully, however, when the door bell rang at half past 4, and it seemed like she was the only one awake to answer it, that it would've really been useful to throw the door open and blow up whoever was behind it.
Paige wasn't completely sure how she got out of her room or downstairs but there she was, reaching for the door handle. A moment after the door was open for a full half minute she realized had it been some sort of horrible demon she would've been dead several times over. Fortunately, it wasn't. It was a young woman who looked almost as tired as Paige felt. She'd been crying enough for makeup to have run down to her chin from her eyes. Her hair was wild and her clothes had been put on hastily and she hadn't bothered to straighten them out.
"What?" Paige started. "I'm sorry, but who… lady, it's 4:30 in the morning," The woman's lower lip quivered and then she burst into tears, lunging at Paige, almost bowling her over.
"I need your help," she sniffled. "My coven. My entire coven," she balled. Paige closed her eyes for a long moment and then opened them again, suddenly more awake.
"Wait, you're a witch?" she asked.
"Yes," the woman wiped an eye. "I came for you, you're one of the Charmed Ones, right?" Paige nodded in response.
"Yeah, so what's with your coven?"
"They're dead, all dead," the woman almost screamed, starting to cry again.
"Ok, ok, don't worry," Paige paused. She had no come back for that. The woman's entire family had been ended, suddenly she inferred.
"Paige?" a sleepy Piper said from the stairs, Leo in tow. Paige helped the woman gingerly to the nearest upturned couch.
"Here you go, just sit here, I'll get you some water," Paige said, turning to the stairs quickly, saying quietly "I think I know what our missing, mystery demon has been up to," Piper came down stairs a bit more, suddenly worried.
"It killed someone she knew?" She intuited.
"Try everyone she knows," Paige said. "Her entire coven, she survived some way, came here looking for us," she paused to let Leo down the stairs past her. "this can't wait," Paige said more than asked. Piper shook her head gently.
"I'll go,"
"Oh no," Paige interrupted. "they kept me up all night. It's pay back time. Go console her," Paige looked over to where Leo was talking with the young woman. "Or let Leo console her, and you gather the potions," Piper blinked, and watched in a sleepy haze as her sister jogged up the stairs.
"Be gentle," Paige heard Piper whisper up the stairs after her. Right.
!#&
Tangled in bed sheets, tangled in Cole's arms and legs, on the far side of her naked bed, Phoebe was distantly aware of someone calling her name. She thought a moment about Cole's voice, and realized it wasn't him calling her, flexing her fingers to feel him all around her, she squeezed lovingly. She could feel his breath on her neck. It made Phoebe smile; however the voice persisted. Phoebe frowned, and chanced opening an eye. The fuzzy image of Paige slowly, slowly came into focus.
"Phoebe," she rasped, waving. Her response was to groan and try and roll away from her sister. That was when she realized how fiercely she was tangled up with Cole, which brought a smile to her face. "Ew," she heard Paige whisper. "Phoebe, dammit I'm serious get up, we have demons and dead witches," Phoebe put thought into figuring out which one of her arms would be easiest to untangle, then gestured with it. The concession made, Paige inched out of view, hopefully towards the hallway. Phoebe realized they weren't in her bed, but on the floor, beside it. She looked up and saw pre-dawn light illuminating strange patterns on her ceiling. She smiled wanly, kissing loving circles into Cole's face. Eventually, she felt him stir, and realized he was squeezing her and had scarcely noticed.
"Mm," He asked.
"We have to go to work," She cooed into his ear.
"Mm," he replied.
"I know," she whispered. "We'll rain check," she said, mischievously. Cole popped an eye open.
"We weren't done?" he asked incredulously. Phoebe put on her best affronted face.
"Of course not," she said, in an obvious manner. His face split into a grin.
"I love you," he said, and she felt the warmth of that. She kissed his nose.
"I love you, too," pressing meaning into the words. Cole laid back, then frowned, wondering.
"What's that on your ceiling?"