Christmas Cole Part 1
The weather had gotten brisk in San Francisco. It wasn't really cold but it had definitely cooled off since mid November. Piper was sitting in the living room, reading a book she'd bought for three bucks at the book fair. She didn't often get the chance to read for pleasure. No matter what Prue said, reading the Book of Shadows was not Piper's definition of pleasure reading. Just as she turned the page, orbs jingled next to her. She looked up to see Leo.
"Hi," she said, putting a piece of paper in the binding to keep her place.
"Hi," he replied, sitting down next to her. Piper tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. She and Leo had been avoiding what she was feeling…what they were both feeling.
"Can we talk?" he asked. Her stomach dropped. He wanted to talk about…them.
"Ok," she answered.
"I know we've been avoiding…" he started to say.
"I just don't want the Elders to take you away again. With Balthazar around…it would hurt us more than help us," Piper interrupted him.
"I think right now we just need to acknowledge what we are feeling," he said, choosing his words carefully. She was still after all only a child.
"I guess we can do that. Dad would freak out anyways. I mean he nearly had a heart attack and Prue is sixteen," Piper muttered. Neither of them heard the footsteps on the stairs.
"Hi, Leo," Prue said, looking surprised to see their whitelighter there.
"Hi, Prue. How are you?" he replied.
"Good…glad that Balthazar hasn't been around. I can actually enjoy my newfound social life," she said with a smile.
"Prue! Where is the Book?" Phoebe yelled from upstairs. Prue rolled her eyes.
"In my hands. Why?" she shouted back. The bellowing back and forth drew Victor from the sun room.
"What's all the shouting about?" he asked.
"Nothing. Phoebe just wants the Book," Prue answered.
"Well do you have to shout about it from two floors?" he sighed. Phoebe thundered down the stairs and snatched the thick tome from her sister.
"Why do you need it?" Prue asked.
"I just feel like looking. You're not the only one who owns it," Phoebe answered, rolling her eyes.
"She has a point," Piper added from the couch.
Far below the bickering siblings, Cole was being summoned by the Triad. He knew they weren't happy with him. Ever since his mother had sent that demon after him and almost exposed him, he hadn't been able to get near any of the sisters. He stopped at the entrance to the cave, waiting to be summoned.
"Enter," one of the demons called. He took a deep breath and walked in, immediately coming face-to-face with the trio of demons.
"What have you to report?" the center demon asked.
"I…am having more trouble than I thought I would regaining the witches' trust," he admitted, eyes cast downward.
"How much trouble?" one of the others questioned. Cole looked up.
"I haven't been able to get near them. Piper and Prue keep a close eye on Phoebe. They make sure she stays away from me," he answered. The young demon figured if they were going to vanquish him, he'd look them in the eyes when they did it.
"I suggest you find a way to remedy the situation, Balthazar," the first demon hissed.
"Before we find you have outlived your usefulness," the third added.
"What do you suggest?" Cole asked, reverting to his demonic form. He felt powerful now. He could take them on if he had to.
"Take whatever demonic help you want. Kidnap one of them. Lure them to the Underworld where their calls will fall on deaf ears. Their whitelighter won't be able to save them," the second Triad answered.
"I will not let you down," Cole said, his voice deep and gruff as he shimmered out.
"Perhaps we were wrong to trust him," the third Triad sighed.
"WE will give him one last chance before we do this ourselves," the first demon replied and together they disappeared.
Cole wandered around the Underworld, trying desperately to think of how he could kidnap one of the Charmed Ones without getting caught in the process. As he roamed the intricate catacombs, he stumbled upon a group of shape shifters.
"What where you're going," one of them snapped, not realizing who he was.
"I think I could use your help," Cole said, smiling.
"You're going to serve the Triad," he continued. He motioned for them to come closer as he explained his plan. Happening upon these particular demons had sparked a plan in his brain. He just had to make sure it was executed properly. He would wait until the last day of school before vacation.
A day or two passed and school was almost ready to let out for the Christmas holiday. Piper was doing her best to not think about Leo. Ever since their little talk and mutual agreement to acknowledge what they were feeling, she couldn't stop wondering if he was going to disappear again. So it was no surprise that Prue pulled her aside as they waited for the bus. Andy's parents had grounded him for the weekend. He'd been late on curfew. Prue had managed to sneak in just in time.
"You still worried about Leo?" she whispered.
"I guess so. It's just complicated. I mean, why can't witches and whitelighters be together?" Piper answered. She pulled her coat around her shoulders.
"I don't know. It does seem like a stupid rule," Prue agreed just as the bus pulled up. They boarded and the bus pulled away, heading for the middle school. From behind a clump of bushes, Cole watched them. Tomorrow was going to be the day he would execute his plan. He would not fail the Triad again. He couldn't fail them another time. Looking around him, he shimmered out of view.
That afternoon, all three girls were curled up in the attic, sorting their magical supplies. They hadn't had to do much demon fighting but some of the herbs had started to go bad from the change in the weather.
"Add ginger root to the list," Prue told Piper. Piper dutifully scribbled it down.
"Where are we going to find all of this stuff anyways?" Phoebe asked.
"Leo said he knows somebody who sells this kind of stuff," Prue answered.
"Do you think Dad would let us summon Mom and Grams for Christmas Day?" the tne-year-old asked, sounding hopeful.
"Maybe. I don't see why not," Piper answered.
"Well…I think Andy might come over," Prue muttered. She received a disapproving look from her youngest sibling. Having a boyfriend was definitely complicating their lives as witches. She wanted to have Andy over a lot more than she had before.
"So he can come over in the afternoon. We can summon Grams and Mom in the morning…for presents and stuff," Piper said, trying to reach a compromise.
"Ok," Phoebe agreed.
"Sure," Prue answered.
Phoebe tossed a broken potion vial in the trash. Just as her fingers let go, she was hit with a premonition; her first in weeks.
It was disjointed and mostly dark. She could see herself lying on he ground. She saw three tall figures standing over her, inverted pentacles on long black robes. She cried out for her sisters, for Leo but nothing happened.
As quickly as it had come, the vision was gone. She looked over at her sisters and they had the telltale question in their eyes, 'what did you see?'
"I…I'm not really sure where I was. It was dark and there were three figures…demons I think, standing over me," she answered.
"I tried to cry out for help but no one answered," she added.
"Sounds like you could have been like in a cave…far away from people," Piper offered.
"Or maybe in the Underworld. We couldn't get to her there. Neither could Leo," Prue suggested.
"Great…I hate the Underworld. It probably has to do with Balthazar," Phoebe groaned. Couldn't they at least have a demon free Christmas this year?
"We'll make sure we keep a close eye on you," Prue said, squeezing Phoebe's shoulder comfortingly.
"Thanks," Phoebe murmured.
That night she snuck the Book of Shadows under her covers. She waited until Piper was sleep before turning on her flashlight and peering at the pages, one at a time. She was so engrossed with trying to find the demons from her vision that she didn't hear Victor walk in or pull the covers from over her head.
"Phoebe, it's after eleven. What are you doing?" he whispered so as not to wake Piper.
"I can't sleep," she answered, looking guilty.
"Is it the premonition?" he asked. She nodded.
"Prue told me about it," he added offhandedly.
"I want to find the demons but they aren't in here," she muttered.
"Try to get some sleep, Pheebs," he told her, taking the book and flashlight from her arms. Phoebe let out a yawn and pulled the covers back up.
"Night," he said, kissing the top of her head.
"Night, Dad," she sighed, curling up against her pillow.
The last day of school before Christmas break arrived and dragged by for all the students. Cole was walking through the hallway when he saw Prue. He quickly ducked out of sight. He couldn't wait for the end of the school day. He would finally prove to the Triad and the rest of the Underworld that he could take down the Charmed Ones.
"Can you believe we have homework over Christmas?" Andy griped as their last class of the day came to a close.
"It's one stupid assignment. We can do it today and get it done with," Prue said, linking arms with him.
"My place or yours?" he asked.
"How about yours," she said with a smile. If Balthazar did in fact attack again, she didn't want to risk an innocent being there.
"Sounds like a plan," he said, leaning over to kiss her.
"Get a room," Piper called from behind them.
"Grow up," Prue retorted. Piper just shook her head and grabbed her bag from her locker. The trio proceeded out to the bus amid the throng of people. Cole watched from his position behind the bushes. With a shimmer two shape shifters appeared behind him.
"We're ready," one of them said, causing Cole to turn around.
"Good. Lure the witches away," he instructed.
"And what exactly are you going to do?" the second demon asked.
"Leave that to me," the young demon snapped.
One of the shape shifters formed an energy ball, bouncing it high in the air. Prue noticed it and tugged on Piper's sleeve. Andy had gotten into a conversation with some of the football players so the sisters managed to slip away unnoticed.
"What?" Piper asked until Prue pointed out the energy ball.
"Great," Piper whined. Prue dragged her sister off in the direction of the demon. Just as they got close, two more shape shifters appeared from behind. They each grabbed one of the girls around their waist.
"Put me down!" Prue protested. She managed to send one of the demons flying into a nearby tree. Piper continued to struggle but to no avail. She watched in horror as the two demons that had lured them away from the crowd shape shifted into them and shimmered away.
"Oh, no…Phoebe!" Prue cried but it didn't help. The next thing she knew she was lying on the ground, barely conscious.
Phoebe waited for the bus to arrive, checking her watch anxiously. She wanted to get home. Knowing she could very well be kidnapped by demons make her edgy. She didn't notice the person standing behind her until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around to see Cole.
"What do you want?" she asked nervously.
"Your sisters told me to walk you home because they had to stay after school," he lied.
"They wouldn't tell you that," she spat, trying to walk away but he gripped her arm.
"Let go of me," she protested. Why weren't any of the other students helping her?
"Well they did," he said, dragging her along. Just then, shape shifter Prue and Piper appeared.
"I told you they wouldn't let you walk me home," she snapped, yanking her arm from his grip.
"Actually, Phoebe, we did," shape shifter Piper said, flashing the younger girl a sardonic smile.
"You're not my sisters," she said, and made a run for it. She didn't make it far as she fell to the ground, her shoulder aching violently. She felt a rough hand on her back and they disappeared.
