CHARMED
"Not Quite Vanquished"
by J. B. Tilton
email: aramath@isot.com
Rating: PG-13 (for mild language)
Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.
* * *
With Belthazor now vanquished, Cole gets his first taste of being fully human.
* * *
ONE
Leo orbed into the kitchen. Piper, Paige, and Cole sat around the table and all stood up immediately as he appeared.
"Phoebe's fine," Leo announced.
There was a collective sigh of relief.
"It was a relatively mild earthquake," Leo continued. "Some damaged roads and a few buildings but no serious injuries."
"Where is she?" Cole insisted. "Why didn't you orb her back here with you?"
"I can't do that," Leo replied. "Orbing the girls around because of Charmed business is one thing. But Phoebe went to Los Angeles because of her job at the paper. Unless it's demonic related, I can't just go orbing Phoebe or any of them around simply because it's more convenient. Like I said, she's fine. They've closed the airports for tonight so they can make a structural analysis and be sure that everything is okay. She's going to catch the first Redeye out in the morning."
"Good," Piper said. "This trip was a bad idea to begin with. Going off to do an interview in Los Angeles. What was she thinking?"
"Probably that it's part of her job," suggested Paige.
"Very funny," Piper said. "She's an advice columnist. Why would they want to interview her anyway?"
"She explained all that," Leo said. "They're thinking of syndicating her column in one of the Los Angeles papers. The interview was to give them some background on her. She's in no danger. She was a long way from the epicenter of the earthquake. She'll be here in the morning and everything will be back to normal."
"I know how you feel," Paige said Piper. "But we do have lives outside of our magic, you know? I have my social work and you have P3. Leo has his other charges and Cole.... Cole, what do you have, anyway?"
"Looking for a job, now that my powers are gone," Cole said. "I may not be a demon any more but I'm still a damn good attorney. I'm sure I can get on at some law firm. But I'll wait until Phoebe is back here safe and sound."
"Well, there's nothing we can do about it right now," Piper said.
"And if she needs any help," Leo added, "I'm sure she'll call me."
"Fine," Piper said. "Just make sure you keep an ear out for her."
"I will," Leo promised.
"Piper, are you baking something?" Cole asked, tugging slightly at his collar. "It's awfully warm in here."
"Seems fine to me," Paige said.
"No, I'm not baking anything," Piper said. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just worried about Phoebe," Cole responded. "Well, seems there's nothing I can do about it right now. Guess I'll go upstairs and read a good book or something."
"It can't be easy on him," Leo said after Cole had left the kitchen. "He used to be able to shimmer anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds. Now he can't even go across town without catching a bus or cab."
"Well at least we don't have to worry about him trying to cast fireballs at us," Paige said. "If we have to have a demon around, I prefer ones without powers, thank you very much."
"Any idea what time Phoebe will get in tomorrow?" Piper asked Leo.
"Well, the first flight from Los Angeles gets in about seven-thirty," Leo said. "I imagine she'll be home around nine or so."
"Okay," Piper said. "Any later than that, and you go looking for her, understand?"
"She'll be fine," Leo said, smiling.
Piper was always worried about her sisters even when they were in no danger. But then, as a Charmed One, she was a target for any demon out to score points with the Source. He'd make sure she was okay if only for Piper's piece of mind.
"Not Quite Vanquished"
by J. B. Tilton
email: aramath@isot.com
Rating: PG-13 (for mild language)
Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.
* * *
With Belthazor now vanquished, Cole gets his first taste of being fully human.
* * *
ONE
Leo orbed into the kitchen. Piper, Paige, and Cole sat around the table and all stood up immediately as he appeared.
"Phoebe's fine," Leo announced.
There was a collective sigh of relief.
"It was a relatively mild earthquake," Leo continued. "Some damaged roads and a few buildings but no serious injuries."
"Where is she?" Cole insisted. "Why didn't you orb her back here with you?"
"I can't do that," Leo replied. "Orbing the girls around because of Charmed business is one thing. But Phoebe went to Los Angeles because of her job at the paper. Unless it's demonic related, I can't just go orbing Phoebe or any of them around simply because it's more convenient. Like I said, she's fine. They've closed the airports for tonight so they can make a structural analysis and be sure that everything is okay. She's going to catch the first Redeye out in the morning."
"Good," Piper said. "This trip was a bad idea to begin with. Going off to do an interview in Los Angeles. What was she thinking?"
"Probably that it's part of her job," suggested Paige.
"Very funny," Piper said. "She's an advice columnist. Why would they want to interview her anyway?"
"She explained all that," Leo said. "They're thinking of syndicating her column in one of the Los Angeles papers. The interview was to give them some background on her. She's in no danger. She was a long way from the epicenter of the earthquake. She'll be here in the morning and everything will be back to normal."
"I know how you feel," Paige said Piper. "But we do have lives outside of our magic, you know? I have my social work and you have P3. Leo has his other charges and Cole.... Cole, what do you have, anyway?"
"Looking for a job, now that my powers are gone," Cole said. "I may not be a demon any more but I'm still a damn good attorney. I'm sure I can get on at some law firm. But I'll wait until Phoebe is back here safe and sound."
"Well, there's nothing we can do about it right now," Piper said.
"And if she needs any help," Leo added, "I'm sure she'll call me."
"Fine," Piper said. "Just make sure you keep an ear out for her."
"I will," Leo promised.
"Piper, are you baking something?" Cole asked, tugging slightly at his collar. "It's awfully warm in here."
"Seems fine to me," Paige said.
"No, I'm not baking anything," Piper said. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just worried about Phoebe," Cole responded. "Well, seems there's nothing I can do about it right now. Guess I'll go upstairs and read a good book or something."
"It can't be easy on him," Leo said after Cole had left the kitchen. "He used to be able to shimmer anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds. Now he can't even go across town without catching a bus or cab."
"Well at least we don't have to worry about him trying to cast fireballs at us," Paige said. "If we have to have a demon around, I prefer ones without powers, thank you very much."
"Any idea what time Phoebe will get in tomorrow?" Piper asked Leo.
"Well, the first flight from Los Angeles gets in about seven-thirty," Leo said. "I imagine she'll be home around nine or so."
"Okay," Piper said. "Any later than that, and you go looking for her, understand?"
"She'll be fine," Leo said, smiling.
Piper was always worried about her sisters even when they were in no danger. But then, as a Charmed One, she was a target for any demon out to score points with the Source. He'd make sure she was okay if only for Piper's piece of mind.