Episode III: Witch Way From Here?
The darkness of night cloaked the entrance of the Demons as they materialized in a small grove of trees near the Manor. Lead by Letor herself, the elite group were confident that their mission would be accomplished without difficulty.
"Do not worry about the Charmed Ones, they are of no concern to us now. The one called Lenora is your target."
"But Mistress, we are told that Belthazor is with the witches, should we not destroy him first."
She moved so quickly, the Demon never saw the strike coming. With her hand about his throat, Letor lifted him off the ground. "Do you really think that you could destroy Belthazor?" Tossing him to the ground as if he were a rag doll, she faced the group laughing. "Any of you? I can see I chose my army well. You are to avoid Belthazor at all costs. If you encounter him, he is not to be harmed in any way; him or his witch. The others you may do with as you please, but I will warn you, Lenora will not be as easily defeated as you may imagine."
"She's our what?" Phoebe was on her feet before the words left her mouth. Piper sat stunned, too shocked to speak. "This is some kind of sick joke right? You can't honestly expect us to believe this." With each word she became more agitated.
Sensing her rising panic, Cole moved quickly toward her, taking her by the arms and turning her to him. "Phoebe, please. I know it's hard but you need to listen to what she has to say. I think we all know this isn't a joke and if it's true," he said glancing toward Lenora, "it could restore your power and save your life."
Phoebe's face was filled with fear and pain as she looked into his eyes, but there was something else as well. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he could see it.
"You're right," she said, stepping into his arms needing to feel his strength. "I'm sorry, it's just…"
"Shhhh, don't." he interrupted her. Holding her tightly and gently placed a kiss on her head.
Lenora stood watching the couple, their love so evident. It had been that way for her and his father once, but that was a long time ago she told herself. She couldn't live in the past. Penny had taught her that, but no matter how many years went by the ache was still there. Being this near to Cole only intensified the pain.
Looking at him was like looking back in time. He was a mirror image of Benjamin. They even had the same sparkle in their eyes when they were in love. For all the years she had watched over Cole, she had never seen it; not until he had met this beautiful young witch. That was when she knew his transition was near.
The agonizing scream broke her from her thoughts. It sounded as if someone were in terrible pain right outside the manor.
"What the…."
Everyone jumped toward the sound, everyone except Lenora. She simply smiled, "The mist….. if you'll excuse me for a moment" With a tilt of her head she disappeared.
Reappearing immediately outside the manor, only feet from the Demon suspended in the blue mist and writhing in pain, Lenora began to look around. He wasn't alone. There were others. She felt them.
Leaving her little time to wonder, two Demons came quickly toward her. Lenora did not move, standing still as they advanced upon her. They were suddenly swept up in the mist as the other Demon had been, their screams joining with his.
Out of the darkness emerging slowly as in a haze, walked Letor. Slowly, deliberately, she moved toward Lenora. Stopping just at the edge of the mist. "You can't shield them forever."
"I don't intend to. Is this the best you could do?" She smirked, glancing toward the group still hanging in the mist.
"You won't be so smug when Belthazor takes his rightful place by my side, Lenora."
"He'll join you no more than Benjamin would, Elizabeth."
Cole and Phoebe rounded the corner of the manor just as Letor had come into view. Cole put an arm out to stop Phoebe the second he recognized the demoness.
Now standing in the cover of dark listening as they spoke, he froze. He could not breathe. A whirlwind seemed to be spinning in his brain. Quick flashes of memory flew in front of his eyes. A small boy in a meadow….a loving couple cradling a child in front of a fireplace. Then the images began to turn dark. The man lying crumpled and bloody on the floor with a beautiful blonde haired woman standing over him, a knife in her hand….Lenora, he recognized her now, lying sobbing over the body of his father. Elizabeth…Letor…his mother? He had forgotten her. Buried her away in a part of his brain that he had never wanted to surface again.
"You!" he wailed, the demon within him fighting to get out. Cole was torn. He wanted to squeeze the breath from her body with his bare hands; to watch the life drain from her eyes. But this was what she wanted. He could see into the dark empty cavern that was her soul and this was what she wanted. Just like Raynor had wanted it from him. How could he fight such hatred?
"Cole, Cole!" Phoebe's voice sounded so distant. Every movement seemed to be in slow motion as he moved toward Letor.
"Cole, no." Lenora stepped into his path. "You must not leave the mist. You are not ready yet." The look in her eyes and the tone of her voice stopped him dead in his tracks. Feeling as if he were coming out of a trance, he shook his head and looked around for Phoebe. Reaching for her, he pulled her into his arms.
"What a touching scene." Letor spat with venom in her voice. "Why do you persist on fighting me Belthazor? You know your place is with me. Why don't you save yourself and your little witch there and come with me now?"
"No mother, my place isn't with you. It never was." Cole gathered Phoebe tighter into his arms as she looked up at him quizzically.
"Mother?" she whispered.
"Long story…. Later." He smiled at her and winked, his confidence and strength returning with every passing moment. "Lenora, can I assume that this mist is some sort of shield?"
"Yes, you can." Her fear for him easing. "It's a shield against all evil."
"Then why am I allowed here?"
"Long story…. Later." She quipped, smiling at the couple. "But for now.." waving her arm, the demons caught in the mist flew to Letor's feet. "Why don't you take your little troop here and run home to daddy. Maybe you can come up with a better plan next time. You're starting to bore me, Letor."
"Really," she purred seductively "I didn't bore Benjamin."
The fury that flew from Lenora's body seemed to shake the ground. Quickly stepping from the mist and directly into Letor's path, her voice was a deadly calm. "I wanted to savor the moment when you watched the transition take place, but we can end this now if you'd like."
"You'll never have him, Lenora. He's mine." The demoness stood her ground, but the fear in her voice was evident. "You might have won this round, but the war isn't over. I'll be back. No matter how long it takes, he will be mine." With a twist of her head, she began to shimmer, taking the group of demons with her.
"Well, that was fun." Lenora said evenly and began to walk back toward the manor, passing Cole and Phoebe and a very confused Leo and Piper who had emerged from the manor only moments earlier.
"What just happened?" Piper asked, looking from Phoebe to Cole questioningly.
"Long story….Later." Phoebe laughed. Taking Cole's hand, she turned and started back toward the manor. "I think I'm gonna like her."
Lenora was pleased at how well her initial meeting with the Charmed Ones and their Whitelighter was going and even more so with Cole's partial acceptance of her. After all the years, he had remembered. That was more than she had even began to hope for. He had been so young when Elizabeth had stolen him away, but he had always been exceptional. It shouldn't have surprised her, but it did. "It's been a long and very difficult few days for you and tomorrow is going to be an even longer day. I suggest you all get some rest while the shield is still intact. It will only last for 24 hours. If I hold it any longer than that, it will begin to drain my powers and at this point I don't think that would be a good idea. If you are ready, tomorrow I will take you to meet your sister."
"Does she know about us?" Piper asked solemnly, looking at Phoebe.
"Yes, she was told of your existence the moment Prue died. She is young and unsure of your acceptance of her. You have to understand that Paige has been very sheltered growing up within the coven, but she has trained for this moment her entire life. Physically she is ready to assume her role as a Charmed One, but mentally she will need your help and guidance. She can't replace Prue anymore than she could have replaced either of you if the circumstances had been different, but if you will allow her to, she can become part of your family and help you to complete your destiny. Now, think about what I have said. I will be back in the morning and you can let me know then if you choose to continue your path. Cole, would you see me out please?"
Silently nodding his head, he stood and walked toward the hallway, leaving the sisters and Leo to discuss their options.
Waiting for her by the door absorbed in his thoughts, Cole looked up as she walked toward him. "He loved you, didn't he?"
His words were spoken softly, but their impact on her was enormous. "Yes," she whispered, the tears beginning to form in her eyes. "and I loved him…..and you, as if you were my own."
"She'll be back for me?"
"Yes."
"I don't understand this. Why do they want me so badly?"
"First things first, Cole. For now, we have to take care of the sisters. Their complete powers will be needed in what is coming. I promise you'll understand soon. Be patient and trust me. If you'll let me, I can protect you until the time that you no longer need my help. Now get some sleep." She laughed, "you look like you need it."
Gently moving a strand of hair from her sleeping face, he looked at her with love in his eyes. He could hardly believe this beautiful woman was his wife. "Piper" he whispered nudging her gently, "Honey, wake up. I've got to go." Moaning softly, she opened her eyes. "Leo, what's wrong".
"Nothing sweetheart, or at least I hope not. They're calling me. I've got to go and I didn't want to leave without telling you. I know how annoyed you get when you wake up and I'm gone."
"I don't get annoyed, Leo." she smiled at him sleepily and put her arms around him. "I get frustrated. There's a difference."
"Yes there is" he laughed, "but I still have to go. I'll try to be back before morning and if I do, then I'll wake you up the right way." Smiling he placed a kiss on his wife's lips and orbed away.
"Ah Leo, I hate it when you do that" she mumbled. Grabbing his pillow, she hugged it to her and quickly drifted off to sleep again.
Down the hall, the scene wasn't quite so tranquil. The clock on the bedside table indicated 4:15 am. The room dark except for a single beam of moonlight shining through the slightly parted curtain. The stray stream of light was just bright enough to illuminate the man and woman in the bed. She sleeping soundly and he with an almost contorted look upon his face.
Cole was more than restless. Tossing and turning as if he were fighting the hounds of hell, he slung his arm to block an attack, hitting the sleeping woman by his side. Being startled from her sleep so abruptly and always on guard, Phoebe came to fighting. Lashing out with a swift backhand she caught Cole in the mouth with her tiny fist, waking him as abruptly as she had been awoken. Disoriented and not realizing that he was not still fighting the demon in his dream, Cole went by instinct. Striking as quickly as a cobra he grabbed her by the neck and pinned her to the bed with one hand, raising the other to make his final assault. As he was preparing to finish off his attacker, his eyes followed the arrant strand of moonlight that fell across her terrified face. Gasping, he pulled back just in time from what would have been a fatal blow. "Phoebe, Oh God Phoebe," he exclaimed, his voice and eyes full of fear at what might have happened if not for the moonlight. Moving swiftly to distance himself from her, knowing that she was still frightened of him, he climbed from the bed and crossed the room to the window. With his back to her he whispered, "I almost killed you." The shear terror in his voice frightened her more than the attack itself. "If it hadn't been for the moonlight I would have. I've got to get away from here before I…...."
"But you didn't" she interrupted him. Standing she walked over to him and placed her hand on his back. "Cole you were having a bad dream. You hit me. I hit you. You were asleep." Pulling him around to face her, she pleaded with him to understand "You reacted instinctively. I know you would never intentionally hurt me." Reaching up and touching his face she begged, "Don't do this. Don't pull away from me, Cole. What happened just now wasn't Belthazor. It was human reaction. You were asleep and I hit you." Rubbing her fingers gently over his busted and bloody lip, she let out a tentative laugh, "I got ya pretty good, too."
Taking her face in his hands and turning her toward the shimmering light from the window, he looked at the bruise forming on her cheek just below her eye. "Looks like I got you pretty good, too," he uttered sadly. "Phoebe, I know that there is no way that I would ever intentionally hurt you, but I…." he paused taking her into his arms "I don't know what I would do if I lost control and hurt you."
"Cole, you won't. I know you won't."
Pulling away from her and walking back to the bed, he sat down. "How can you be so sure?" Regret spread across his face, "Phoebe, I can look in your eyes and tell you're frightened. How can you say you know I won't hurt you when you're just as afraid that I will?"
"Yes, I'm afraid, but not of you hurting me, Cole. I'm afraid of losing you. Losing you because you think you'll hurt me." Crossing the room and kneeling in front of him, she pulled his face toward hers, "Look at me." she demanded, "If you don't want to hurt me, then don't leave me. I love you. We can work through this. I know we can."
Reaching for her, pulling her up into his arms, he cradled her in his lap. "You really believe that, don't you?"
"I know it" she whispered, then kissed him with an intensity that made him believe it, too.
Phoebe could smell the aroma of freshly brewed coffee as she entered the kitchen. Piper, sitting at the bar hands clasped around a large mug, was buried so deeply in thought that she almost didn't hear her sister come in.
"Yes, coffee please. My eyes feel like they're filled with glue this morning." Securing a cup from the cupboard, Phoebe filled it to the rim and took a long drink. It was rich, strong and hot, just like she liked it. Giggling inwardly, she sat down across from Piper.
"Well, somebody's awfully chipper this morning." Piper said blandly. "I was going to wake you earlier so we could talk, but it sounded like you were kinda busy, so I decided to wait. Phoeb's do I even want to ask how you got that bruise on your cheek?"
Taking another long drink of coffee, Phoebe looked at her sister sheepishly, "No, not really."
Shaking her head, Piper stood and walked to the window. "The flowers are blooming. Prue would have loved them……. You know for three years, all I've wanted was to have a normal life. To get up in the morning and go work, then come home in the evening to a nice normal family. It didn't seem like so much to ask for."
Puzzled at Piper's attitude, Phoebe followed her to the window. "Do you think we could have that now?"
"I don't want it. Funny isn't it. That's all I've thought about for so long and now I don't want it. I don't want that nice, normal, boring life. I want to live out my destiny. I'm tired of trying to act like Leo and I are some sort of normal couple. We're not. Neither are you and Cole. We have the ability to do what others only dream of."
"Yeah, in their nightmares."
"Sometimes yes, but look at all the good we've done and can still do. Prue gave her life for this, and I don't think that she would've had it any other way. She understood it from the start. It's taken me three years and the loss of my sister to figure it out. This is what we're here for, Phoebe. We've risked our lives everyday doing what is right, saving innocents. You and Prue were always ready to trade your lives for what you believed in. I haven't been. I've always felt, well, I'll do what I can and if that doesn't work, oh well, I'll try to do better next time. I've never been willing to make the ultimate sacrifice before. Prue never hesitated. She was always ready. So are you. I've been thinking a lot the last few days. What Prue did…. What you were willing to do. Phoebe, you didn't just go after Cole because you loved him. You went there to save him, and you didn't care what it cost you. You were willing to trade your life for mine. You never hesitated. I always thought you ran into things because you didn't think about the consequences. Now I understand that the consequences are what you did think of. The greater good, no matter the cost. Phoebe, let's do this….and let's do it right this time. I'm going to meet Paige, but I want you by my side."
A single tear fell from Phoebe's cheek as she hugged her sister. "I'm already there."
Leo smiled as he orbed into the kitchen alongside the sisters. They were going to be all right. He could feel it. So as not to startle them, he cleared his throat before speaking. "Well, looks like you've come to a decision."
"Honey, how did you know?" Piper questioned as she stepped into his arms and kissed him tenderly.
"They told me," he grinned as he pointed a finger upward. "and since you have, they've got a little surprise for you."
Reaching for her cup of coffee, Phoebe turned toward him. "Really, what?"
"Not what…..who." he laughed as he stepped aside revealing their surprise.