Note #1: Lilian's comment about Legolas, from Lord of the Rings, was very appropriate. That's exactly what I had in my mind when I made Sarsour half elf. Sure he doesn't exactly look like Legolas, being also half demon, but his relatives from his mother's side do.
Note #2: Your reviews aren't too long at all, Lilian. If you'd rather send them by e-mail, suit yourself, but as far as I'm concerned, posting them is okay, too. As long as you keep them coming. :-)
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"Yes, I am," Cole says. He hesitates, then adds: "Sorry."
Leo sighs and puts his hands on his pockets.
"Okay," he says, "that's your call."
"Leo!" says Paige, shocked. "You can't let..."
"As Piper said," says Leo, cutting her, "Cole isn't a witch. I can't tell him what to do." Then, turning to Piper: "Do you want me to hold Ben while you unfreeze him?"
Without a word, Piper gives him the baby, and gestures towards Sarsour, who restarts from the point he had stopped:
"... stand here, quiet as a mouse, while you..." -- he stops short as he notices the change of scenery.
"Did you just freeze me?" he asks Piper, frowning. "That was rude."
Piper rolls her eyes and motions for Cole to speak. Just then, Ben giggles, deeply amused by the funny colorful man.
"Hey! Is this your son?" Sarsour asks, taking one step in Leo's direction.
Piper immediately raises her hands towards him, and Phoebe forms another fire ball in her hand. Before they can do or say anything, though -- even before Leo can orb out with the baby -- Cole is between Sarsour and his son, one hand clasping the demon's bony shoulder.
"Don't even think about it," he says, tensely.
"But I..."
"No."
"Okay," says Sarsour, raising his hands defensively and turning away from Ben, "okay..."
"Now," says Cole, as Sarsour is at a safe distance, "what exactly have you put yourself into?"
"You mean," says Sarsour, hopefully, "that you're gonna help me?"
"I mean, what exactly have you put yourself into?" Cole says, cautiously.
"Well, you see, there's this village where I used to, uh... have some business. A couple of days ago someone broke into their granary: all the food the trolls had saved for the winter is gone, and they're not happy. And you know how careful trolls are with their provisions, it's almost impossible to steal from them: someone must have done some spying and sold the information, and they think this someone was me. But it wasn't!"
"Are you sure?" says Cole, raising an eyebrow. "Because it seems like the kind of thing you'd do."
"Hey, I'm not stupid!" says Sarsour. "I don't mess with trolls: they're big and mean."
"Sarsour, you understand that the minute you lie to me, I'm off this case, don't you?"
"I won't," Sarsour assures. "So, you're gonna help me?"
"Yes," Cole sighs. "But you know the rules," he adds, "in order to have the right to a fair judgement, you must turn yourself in."
"I will. I will. But you know you have to...?"
"I know." Turning to Phoebe, Cole asks: "Baby, can you get me a piece of paper, and a pen... and a knife?"
Phoebe raises her eyebrows, but goes get the items he asked for. While the others wait for her to come back, they remain in an awkward silence.
"So," says Sarsour, after a few moments, giving Cole an intrigued look, "you gave up the throne, and the powers, and everything?"
"Yup."
"Hum!" -- he looks around, examining the room and the people in it with great curiosity -- "Don't you regret it? I mean, you're not like me: even without the Source you were very powerful. Everyone always thought you'd achieve great things."
"I did achieve great things," says Cole. He looks at his son, and the baby squeals with delight and smiles at him. "Things greater than anything a demon could aspire."
Sarsour gives him a curious look, then starts to ask:
"So, you've never again seen... Oh, okay, here's your wife." He stops as he sees Phoebe entering the room.
"Thanks, baby," says Cole, taking the things she brought him.
Phoebe gives him a curious look, but decides to question him about what she's just overheard later. They all watch as Cole writes a few words on the paper, then uses the knife to cut the palm of his own hand, and lets some drops of blood fall on the paper. Before giving this quite unusual document to Sarsour, he says, gravely:
"Now, Sarsour, I want you to listen to me, and listen very carefully. I'm gonna help you out of this. For the old days. But if anyone in my family gets hurt because of you, I swear I'm gonna make you wish I had left the trolls finish you. Did I make myself clear?"
"I would never betray you," says Sarsour, for the first time looking genuinely offended.
"Fine," says Cole, handing him the paper. "Now go: you have to get there by your own means before the trolls find you."
"I know," he says, carefully folding the paper and putting it in his pocket. "Thank you. You won't regret this."
He holds out his hand, and Cole shakes it, saying with a half smile:
"You know, last time you said that, I ended up fighting a very angry winged dragon."
"Yes, and you beat him." says Sarsour, smiling, before shimmering out.
The others remain silent for a moment, until Piper gives Ben to Phoebe and timidly approaches Leo.
"Honey," she says, "I know you're upset but..."
"Piper, I'm not upset," Leo says. "I'm worried."
He gives a concerned look towards Phoebe and Cole, then adds, turning to Piper again:
"I know that I can't expect you not to do something just because I think it's not a good idea, but it works both ways: just because I can't forbid it, it doesn't mean I have to like it." -- as he sees Cole open his mouth to say something, Leo raises his hand to silence him up -- "And I'd appreciate your not trying to convince me otherwise. You have a point on his right to have an attorney: I'll grant you this much. I just wish this attorney wasn't you."
Leo sighs and proceeds:
"Represent him in court if you must, but please, please restrict yourself to the trial, and by all means keep the girls out of it. I really mean it, Cole: no magic involved, otherwise I'm gonna be way past upset."
Leo suddenly looks up and grimaces.
"Are they calling?" Piper asks, concerned.
"Yes," he sighs. "Is it just me or have they been calling me way too often lately?"
"I always think it's too often," she says, softly. "Honey, is your stomach better?"
"Yes, I'm fine," he says, kissing her lightly on the lips before orbing out.
"Is Leo sick?" Phoebe asks.
"Can a dead person get sick?" Paige asks, intrigued.
"He was kind of nauseated this morning," says Piper. "I don't think he can actually get sick, but he has been working a lot lately, and has been kind of edgy, so maybe he is somatizing... assuming such thing is possible."
"Do you think he's gonna be okay with, uh... all of this?" says Phoebe.
"He will," sighs Piper. "He always does," she adds, a little bitterly.
"Hum, I'm sorry for bringing you into this," says Cole.
"Don't be," says Piper. "I believe you're doing the right thing. It's just that Leo's the one who always have to go up there and tell it to Elders."
"I know you guys don't wanna hear this," says Paige, "but this time I agree with the Elders. I think you're making a big mistake." Then, raising both hands: "Then again, what do I know? I'm just the little sister. I'll be in my room if you need me... to fight evil, not help them."
Piper, Phoebe and Cole watch as she walks upstairs. Then, Piper sighs heavily and says:
"So much for a peaceful, relaxing Sunday afternoon. I'd make myself some tea, but right now I'm afraid to see the state the kitchen is in," she adds, giving Ben's applesauce covered face a meaningful look. "I'll settle with a nice hot bath instead."
As she, too, leaves the room, Cole glances at his son and says:
"Baby, since you're home, would you mind finishing feeding him?"
Seeing Phoebe smirk, he adds, defensively:
"It's harder than it seems, he doesn't stand still and keeps trying to grab the spoon."
"Come on, sweetie," says Phoebe, smiling at her son, "let's finish this snack of yours," -- she reaches out and grabs Cole's arm before he can sneak out -- "while daddy watches and learns."
