One Year Later
Phoebe woke up, looked around dazedly, and relaxed back into Cole's embrace. She mindlessly stroked him arm that he wrapped more tightly around her in response. How perfect the past year had been. Only five days after the babies were born had they all been able to go home. Cole had bought a beautiful house for Phoebe and their children, one only a block away from the Manor, so if "Charmed" duty called, Phoebe would be able to rush there immediately. Not that that was needed anyways. Since Phoebe went into labor, demonic activity had reached an all-time low. In fact, they had only been attacked a dozen times in the past year, and the vanquishes had not been too difficult. Though at times they all thought this to be eerily strange, and knew something must be up, the entire Halliwell family had to admit the break was desperately needed. Piper and Leo had finally gone on their honeymoon, to Hawaii, and had such a wonderful time Leo orbed them down there a week later. They were going to try again, but Paige and Phoebe stopped them, saying there can be too much of a good thing. Paige still held a grudge against Cole, and probably always would, and although she never felt completely safe with Phoebe living out of the house with him, her worries were no longer at the top of her list, for the lack of attacks had allowed time for her to get her life back on track, and she and Glenn were back together and very serious. Piper was in the second month of her pregnancy, barely, and soon Ebony and Ben would have a little cousin to occupy them. Not that the two were ever bored. With their mommy and daddy and each other, they were always in motion, and contained the uncontainable energy such young children do, until their nap time. Naptime was not just naptime for the twins, but also for mommy and daddy, who often slept heavily during those hours. Cole worked at a well-known law office and was able to flower his kids and wife with many gifts. Cole and Phoebe had been married three months after the babies were born and now lived as man and wife in their wonderful home. Ben was his son, their first son, and he adored his father, but he tended to be more a momma's boy. Phoebe's heart swelled with pride at every accomplishment her baby son achieved, but her heart had doubled its size, for there was equal space for the adoration she held for her daughter. Ebony was a beautiful baby, and though both she and her brother had their father's crystal blue eyes, her hair was more of a fawn-brown color like her mother's, whereas Ben's was dark and curly like Cole's. Ebony was Cole's favorite, he spoiled her and could deny her nothing. Both had survived their premature birth in perfect health, and now the once quiet home was constantly filled with childish babble and baby chatter. Phoebe looked around and breathed in the morning air. It was perfect, he was perfect, they were perfect, and life was perfect. How could she know her peaceful world would soon be dashed against the ground? "Mommy!" came a cry from another room. Sighing Phoebe struggled to get out of Cole's grasp to tend to her infant's cry. Cole was not one to let go, especially in sleep. **Oh boy** Phoebe thought **If he wakes up, he will never let me go. Please let go.** She smiled to herself, remembering the last time she had woken up Cole trying to get out of the bed in the middle of the night for a drink. His eyes stirred, slightly dazed, but soon adjusted as he smiled knowingly at his wife trying to get out of the bed. She tried to explain she was thirsty and needed a drink. He had tightened his grasp on her, ignoring her muffled cries to let her go. She insisted on a drink, and indeed he gave her one. Making sure she would not get out of his grasp, he had used his other hand to pull a very expensive wine from under the bed, causing Phoebe to giggle. Together they finished the bottle in record time and had spent the rest of the night passionately maki.. "Mommy! Momma!" Phoebe's thoughts were interrupted by her son's insistent cries. "Cole." She quietly whispered. She knew this was the only way to get to her child. "Cole, sweetie, Ben is calling. I need to go to him. Come on, wake up." "Mmmm, morning baby." He said as he turned over, forcing her over him backwards, causing her to cry out in surprise. She laughed and began to bang on his shoulder. "No no no. Ben needs me. Honey, let go, we will play later." She begged. "Ten more minutes babe. I can go to work late today." Cole mumbled, caught in a dream world. Phoebe continued to struggle, only looking up quickly as her son and daughter entered the room sleepily. Even at such a young age, they were extremely smart and were able to get out of their cribs, no matter what Phoebe and Cole did. "Morning sweeties. Did you sleep good?" she asked her children. "You no come." Ben replied sadly. "Yea, I know. See, I was trying, but Daddy caught me and will not let me go. He is still asleep. I am sorry. Help me get out of daddy's clutch?" she answered Ben. "Dadda sleepy?" Ebony questioned with a puzzled look on her face. It was not a scene uncommon to the two, mommy being stuck in daddy's arms. It made them happy to see their parents so close, so happy. "Yea, he is sleeping. Come help me wake him up." Phoebe beckoned. The two kids instantly ran and hopped onto the bed their parents were on, quickly tackling their sleeping father. Ben climbed over his arm, trying to free his mother as Ebony (Bunny, as they called her) tickled Cole's uncovered feet with her tiny fingers. Phoebe twisted and began to tickle Cole's stomach, copying her daughter's motions. Within minutes Cole was bright eyed, waking up after the continuous tickling. He let go of his wife to grab his son, gently tackling him against the pillows. Ben squirmed away, leaving Cole's attention to Bunny. He scooped her up in his arms and tickled her small frame till she was writing in laughter. She took her little hands and reached up to tickle Cole's unshaven chin. Phoebe climbed up on her knees, leaning on Cole's back as he took the one-year-old twins in his lap. Phoebe moved over and he wrapped his strong arm around her waist. She began to rub Ben's back as Cole toyed with Bunny's hair. Each sighed a sigh of content as they lay in bliss, just the four of them in each other's arms that morning. The phone rang, disrupting the silence and bringing them back to reality. "Tant Pipe!" (Aunt Piper) Bunny happily cheered as she bounced out of bed, crawling to the phone, followed by her brother. Though each could walk and say few words, the two had found crawling more effective and faster. (Tant Pay is Aunt Paige, Unkieo is Uncle Leo, most baby talk is self-explanatory) "Mmm, that is our hint to start the day." Phoebe said as she curled up against Cole, glowing in the warmth of him. "Well, maybe we can put the two back in bed for a little and enjoy a nice, hot shower? How about it baby?" Cole asked, kissing her forehead. "Do you think they will go back to bed? They seem pretty awake?" Phoebe responded. "Well, we can always hope." And with that the couple bounded down the stairs to put their twins back to sleep. They found them in the kitchen, Ebony babbling away on the phone and Ben buried in the cereal surrounding him. "Pink!" he proudly displayed the pink marshmallow he picked out among the cereal. "Play to'ay?" Bunny was asking her aunt. "Okay, time to go back to bed. Piper? Hey, it is Phoebe. Yea they kinda got the phone before us. Today? Lunch? Hmm, I will ask Cole, I think we wanted to stay together today, but you know the kids love to go out to eat. Yea, okay I will get back to you. Bye." Phoebe hung up the phone and picked up her little girl as Cole picked up Ben and his marshmallows. "Piper and Paige want to meet us for lunch. How about it? I know we wanted to have a family day, but I am sure an hour or two can be put aside to see them. Who knows, maybe we could tell them about our little secret?" Phoebe asked, patting her stomach. "You know, only a few more weeks and I begin to show. They will find out sooner or later, and I am guessing sooner." "If you want, I am just wondering how they will take the news, especially since Piper herself is pregnant?" Cole asked, a worried expression crossing his handsome face. "They will love it. I know they will. Plus, we can tell Bunny and Ben with my sisters knowing, cause then we will not have to worry about them keeping a secret." Phoebe countered. "Okay, if you want. I am behind you all the way. C'mon, time for a shower." Cole and Phoebe brought the twins to bed, tucking them in. They undressed and slipped in the shower, and after the cleaning part stood wrapped in each other's arms lovingly for what seemed like eternity. They came out an hour later, dressing in towels. Cole picked up his wife and brought her to their bed, discarding the towels and trading them for the sheets. They were about to get busy when Paige orbed in with Piper suddenly. "Paige!" Phoebe shrieked as she and Cole quickly pulled the covers over themselves and her sisters turned away and covered their eyes. "Sorry, so sorry. did not need to see that." Paige responded, keeping her hands over her eyes even after Phoebe and Cole were covered. "This is why we say orb in outside of the bedroom." Cole said, wrapping the sheets tighter around Phoebe as Leo orbed in. "Well, see we would have, but a demon attacked and it was not that easy to blow him up, and he did the source-y thing and then flamed out, so we figured that Power of Three would be good, and so sorry we forgot to knock." Piper trailed off. "A demon?" Phoebe asked, puzzled as to why demons would choose to attack now. "Strangely source-like, again." Paige answered. "How many times do we need to vanquish that son-of-a-bitch? No offense." She said looking at Cole. "None taken, but what about the spell you used last time?" He asked. "Needed Phoebe to make it work, and she was obviously busy." Paige raised her eyebrows, getting a dirty look from Phoebe. "Ok, so we have the Charmed Ones on our side as well as the Source. Honey, could you help us?" Phoebe asked Cole. "I want to, but if he gains power over me by my using these powers, then what? We will lose everything." He sadly answered her, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "How is the power stripping potion going?" he asked Paige. "We are working on it, but it is not near done yet." She responded. "Once it is done, we do not have to worry about him anymo." Phoebe started, but the strangely Source-like demon flamed into the bedroom to join in on the conversation. He grabbed Phoebe by the arms and waist, flaming out with her, leaving the family to cry after her and stand in shock. "Say goodbye witch." He hissed before they left. "It is time to start your new destiny."
Phoebe woke up, looked around dazedly, and relaxed back into Cole's embrace. She mindlessly stroked him arm that he wrapped more tightly around her in response. How perfect the past year had been. Only five days after the babies were born had they all been able to go home. Cole had bought a beautiful house for Phoebe and their children, one only a block away from the Manor, so if "Charmed" duty called, Phoebe would be able to rush there immediately. Not that that was needed anyways. Since Phoebe went into labor, demonic activity had reached an all-time low. In fact, they had only been attacked a dozen times in the past year, and the vanquishes had not been too difficult. Though at times they all thought this to be eerily strange, and knew something must be up, the entire Halliwell family had to admit the break was desperately needed. Piper and Leo had finally gone on their honeymoon, to Hawaii, and had such a wonderful time Leo orbed them down there a week later. They were going to try again, but Paige and Phoebe stopped them, saying there can be too much of a good thing. Paige still held a grudge against Cole, and probably always would, and although she never felt completely safe with Phoebe living out of the house with him, her worries were no longer at the top of her list, for the lack of attacks had allowed time for her to get her life back on track, and she and Glenn were back together and very serious. Piper was in the second month of her pregnancy, barely, and soon Ebony and Ben would have a little cousin to occupy them. Not that the two were ever bored. With their mommy and daddy and each other, they were always in motion, and contained the uncontainable energy such young children do, until their nap time. Naptime was not just naptime for the twins, but also for mommy and daddy, who often slept heavily during those hours. Cole worked at a well-known law office and was able to flower his kids and wife with many gifts. Cole and Phoebe had been married three months after the babies were born and now lived as man and wife in their wonderful home. Ben was his son, their first son, and he adored his father, but he tended to be more a momma's boy. Phoebe's heart swelled with pride at every accomplishment her baby son achieved, but her heart had doubled its size, for there was equal space for the adoration she held for her daughter. Ebony was a beautiful baby, and though both she and her brother had their father's crystal blue eyes, her hair was more of a fawn-brown color like her mother's, whereas Ben's was dark and curly like Cole's. Ebony was Cole's favorite, he spoiled her and could deny her nothing. Both had survived their premature birth in perfect health, and now the once quiet home was constantly filled with childish babble and baby chatter. Phoebe looked around and breathed in the morning air. It was perfect, he was perfect, they were perfect, and life was perfect. How could she know her peaceful world would soon be dashed against the ground? "Mommy!" came a cry from another room. Sighing Phoebe struggled to get out of Cole's grasp to tend to her infant's cry. Cole was not one to let go, especially in sleep. **Oh boy** Phoebe thought **If he wakes up, he will never let me go. Please let go.** She smiled to herself, remembering the last time she had woken up Cole trying to get out of the bed in the middle of the night for a drink. His eyes stirred, slightly dazed, but soon adjusted as he smiled knowingly at his wife trying to get out of the bed. She tried to explain she was thirsty and needed a drink. He had tightened his grasp on her, ignoring her muffled cries to let her go. She insisted on a drink, and indeed he gave her one. Making sure she would not get out of his grasp, he had used his other hand to pull a very expensive wine from under the bed, causing Phoebe to giggle. Together they finished the bottle in record time and had spent the rest of the night passionately maki.. "Mommy! Momma!" Phoebe's thoughts were interrupted by her son's insistent cries. "Cole." She quietly whispered. She knew this was the only way to get to her child. "Cole, sweetie, Ben is calling. I need to go to him. Come on, wake up." "Mmmm, morning baby." He said as he turned over, forcing her over him backwards, causing her to cry out in surprise. She laughed and began to bang on his shoulder. "No no no. Ben needs me. Honey, let go, we will play later." She begged. "Ten more minutes babe. I can go to work late today." Cole mumbled, caught in a dream world. Phoebe continued to struggle, only looking up quickly as her son and daughter entered the room sleepily. Even at such a young age, they were extremely smart and were able to get out of their cribs, no matter what Phoebe and Cole did. "Morning sweeties. Did you sleep good?" she asked her children. "You no come." Ben replied sadly. "Yea, I know. See, I was trying, but Daddy caught me and will not let me go. He is still asleep. I am sorry. Help me get out of daddy's clutch?" she answered Ben. "Dadda sleepy?" Ebony questioned with a puzzled look on her face. It was not a scene uncommon to the two, mommy being stuck in daddy's arms. It made them happy to see their parents so close, so happy. "Yea, he is sleeping. Come help me wake him up." Phoebe beckoned. The two kids instantly ran and hopped onto the bed their parents were on, quickly tackling their sleeping father. Ben climbed over his arm, trying to free his mother as Ebony (Bunny, as they called her) tickled Cole's uncovered feet with her tiny fingers. Phoebe twisted and began to tickle Cole's stomach, copying her daughter's motions. Within minutes Cole was bright eyed, waking up after the continuous tickling. He let go of his wife to grab his son, gently tackling him against the pillows. Ben squirmed away, leaving Cole's attention to Bunny. He scooped her up in his arms and tickled her small frame till she was writing in laughter. She took her little hands and reached up to tickle Cole's unshaven chin. Phoebe climbed up on her knees, leaning on Cole's back as he took the one-year-old twins in his lap. Phoebe moved over and he wrapped his strong arm around her waist. She began to rub Ben's back as Cole toyed with Bunny's hair. Each sighed a sigh of content as they lay in bliss, just the four of them in each other's arms that morning. The phone rang, disrupting the silence and bringing them back to reality. "Tant Pipe!" (Aunt Piper) Bunny happily cheered as she bounced out of bed, crawling to the phone, followed by her brother. Though each could walk and say few words, the two had found crawling more effective and faster. (Tant Pay is Aunt Paige, Unkieo is Uncle Leo, most baby talk is self-explanatory) "Mmm, that is our hint to start the day." Phoebe said as she curled up against Cole, glowing in the warmth of him. "Well, maybe we can put the two back in bed for a little and enjoy a nice, hot shower? How about it baby?" Cole asked, kissing her forehead. "Do you think they will go back to bed? They seem pretty awake?" Phoebe responded. "Well, we can always hope." And with that the couple bounded down the stairs to put their twins back to sleep. They found them in the kitchen, Ebony babbling away on the phone and Ben buried in the cereal surrounding him. "Pink!" he proudly displayed the pink marshmallow he picked out among the cereal. "Play to'ay?" Bunny was asking her aunt. "Okay, time to go back to bed. Piper? Hey, it is Phoebe. Yea they kinda got the phone before us. Today? Lunch? Hmm, I will ask Cole, I think we wanted to stay together today, but you know the kids love to go out to eat. Yea, okay I will get back to you. Bye." Phoebe hung up the phone and picked up her little girl as Cole picked up Ben and his marshmallows. "Piper and Paige want to meet us for lunch. How about it? I know we wanted to have a family day, but I am sure an hour or two can be put aside to see them. Who knows, maybe we could tell them about our little secret?" Phoebe asked, patting her stomach. "You know, only a few more weeks and I begin to show. They will find out sooner or later, and I am guessing sooner." "If you want, I am just wondering how they will take the news, especially since Piper herself is pregnant?" Cole asked, a worried expression crossing his handsome face. "They will love it. I know they will. Plus, we can tell Bunny and Ben with my sisters knowing, cause then we will not have to worry about them keeping a secret." Phoebe countered. "Okay, if you want. I am behind you all the way. C'mon, time for a shower." Cole and Phoebe brought the twins to bed, tucking them in. They undressed and slipped in the shower, and after the cleaning part stood wrapped in each other's arms lovingly for what seemed like eternity. They came out an hour later, dressing in towels. Cole picked up his wife and brought her to their bed, discarding the towels and trading them for the sheets. They were about to get busy when Paige orbed in with Piper suddenly. "Paige!" Phoebe shrieked as she and Cole quickly pulled the covers over themselves and her sisters turned away and covered their eyes. "Sorry, so sorry. did not need to see that." Paige responded, keeping her hands over her eyes even after Phoebe and Cole were covered. "This is why we say orb in outside of the bedroom." Cole said, wrapping the sheets tighter around Phoebe as Leo orbed in. "Well, see we would have, but a demon attacked and it was not that easy to blow him up, and he did the source-y thing and then flamed out, so we figured that Power of Three would be good, and so sorry we forgot to knock." Piper trailed off. "A demon?" Phoebe asked, puzzled as to why demons would choose to attack now. "Strangely source-like, again." Paige answered. "How many times do we need to vanquish that son-of-a-bitch? No offense." She said looking at Cole. "None taken, but what about the spell you used last time?" He asked. "Needed Phoebe to make it work, and she was obviously busy." Paige raised her eyebrows, getting a dirty look from Phoebe. "Ok, so we have the Charmed Ones on our side as well as the Source. Honey, could you help us?" Phoebe asked Cole. "I want to, but if he gains power over me by my using these powers, then what? We will lose everything." He sadly answered her, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "How is the power stripping potion going?" he asked Paige. "We are working on it, but it is not near done yet." She responded. "Once it is done, we do not have to worry about him anymo." Phoebe started, but the strangely Source-like demon flamed into the bedroom to join in on the conversation. He grabbed Phoebe by the arms and waist, flaming out with her, leaving the family to cry after her and stand in shock. "Say goodbye witch." He hissed before they left. "It is time to start your new destiny."