Epilogue One
Twenty-Three Years Later…
"Hey, Chris," Phoebe breathlessly called out as she caught up to her nephew in the park, "have you seen Randi?"
"No," he quickly answered before he, almost guiltily, turned to face her. But when his aunt muttered a curse, he pointed to a nearby area and admitted, "Well, I did hear a screech from some little girl on that bench not too long ago."
"I swear that five-year old's giving me more gray hair than all her siblings combined," she sighed when she finally spotted a giggling brown-haired girl crouched in the bushes.
He chuckled, "You sound like a broken record."
"Beloved nephew or not," she threatened, "I can still turn you into a toad." She heard more giggles and was again alerted to her youngest child. "How many times have I told her not to practice magic in public or on the public? And why isn't she with Alex?"
"Um, Brian Donahue showed up with some friends," Chris sheepishly revealed, "and I sorta told Alex I'd keep an eye on Randi so she could talk to him before we started."
"You didn't," she groaned. "Alex knows better than to pawn off her babysitting duties on others. And you know better than to encourage Randi and don't even try telling me it was to help her practice her powers." She then called out, "Miranda! Over here now!" But the little girl didn't hear or, more likely, was pretending not to, and Phoebe groaned, "Grams is up there laughing her head off." She glanced up to the golden-red sky, "You never had it like this!"
"'Cuz Grams didn't have seven witches to raise," he chuckled again. "It's what you get for being such a busy little Halliwell bunny." But his aunt wasn't amused so he shrugged an apology, "How 'bout this? I'll catch the little devil for you if you talk to Mom for me."
"Why should I make a deal with you when you didn't do what you were supposed to?" His smile suddenly disappeared and her annoyance quickly turned into concern. "What's wrong?"
"Mom's in her I-can't-have-a-demon-in-the-family mode." He threw his hands up, "It's not like Bianca and I are getting married tomorrow but why can't Mom understand how we feel about each other?"
"She does," Phoebe assured the young man before her. "She knows exactly how serious you and Bianca are but you have to try and understand her feelings, Chris. She's lived through the I-can't-have-a-demon-in-the-family thing with me and Cole and everyone got hurt."
"But that was twenty-five years ago and Bianca isn't Cole," he stated indignantly.
"I know," she patiently responded. "And so does your mother. But as good as Bianca might be, as pure as her intentions are, she can't fight her inner nature. She will always be a demon and that scares your mother. She loves you, sweetie, every bit as much as she loves your brother, and she wants you both to find love and happiness but she doesn't want either of you to suffer for it in the process. Love doesn't always mean a happy ending even when a demon's not involved."
"I know what Mom and Dad went through," he quietly acknowledged, "but everyone knows they still love each other. Mom and Dad's we're-only-discussing-the-kids meetings stopped fooling Wyatt and me when we were kids. And none of her relationships held a candle to what she and Dad have. I'm not saying she didn't love these guys. I'm sure she did, hell, she married one of them. But how long did it last before he couldn't handle this crazy family anymore? A year? Two? And through it all, Dad was still there. They don't mean to but they can't help feeling the way they do about each other and it'll never change and I don't think either of them even want it to. Don't you see, Aunt Phoebe, some people are just meant to be together."
"Like you and Bianca?" she warily inferred.
Chris nodded, "And aren't you the one who's always saying that we have to follow our hearts? And you of all people know what Bianca and I are going through. Can't you talk to Mom and convince her that it's okay for us to be together?"
"You and Bianca are facing an incredible hardship," she shook her head, "in order to be together and I can't tell you that it's okay. I'm sorry, Chris, but sometimes love isn't enough. Believe me, I know. Besides, if Piper truly sets her mind to something," Phoebe cautiously added, "not even I can change her mind."
"I love Bianca," he implored, "and I want to spend my life with her."
"You're barely twenty-two," she somberly told him, "and still idealistic about good and evil was well as love and hate. You and Bianca may be in love now but you don't know what tomorrow will bring."
"How cliché," he muttered.
"How true," she countered. "Chris, the dividing lines between good and evil and love and hate are so incredibly thin and fragile. Believe me, you don't want to learn your lesson the hard way." But she couldn't bear to see his crestfallen expression and she hugged him. "But I do understand how you feel and I'll talk to her when things settle down a bit."
Chris excitedly pulled away. "You're the best, Aunt Pheebs!"
"It may not change her mind," she quickly reminded him.
"I know," he accepted with a nod, "but it's a start."
She heard a fresh batch of giggles and frowned. "Miranda! Now! I mean it, young lady!"
"I'll get her," he said. "Y'know, if we don't get this over with soon, Wyatt'll have to leave."
"I don't get it," she teased, "you've never had a problem before with being the center of attention."
"Why won't anyone listen to me?" he complained. "I had nothing to do with this."
"But you did," Phoebe shook her head and gave a slight smile, "and you'll understand soon enough." She checked her watch and sighed, "It'll be dark soon." Her mind wandered for a moment and she thought of her absentee husband, 'I wish you were here.' Instead, she told Chris, "Go get Randi." He seemed puzzled by her sudden change in emotion so she assured him, "I'll be right there." He hesitated a moment before he turned away and Phoebe watched him sneak up on her daughter and raise the little girl high into the air. Miranda shrieked with delight when Chris swung her around and Phoebe smiled thoughtfully as she watched the two cousins race out-of-sight to the family's gathering spot.
"And what has the most beautiful advice columnist-slash-TV hostess smiling right now?"
Startled, Phoebe spun and let out a breath of relief. "Jason! When did you get back?" While she enthusiastically hugged him, she continued, "I thought you weren't coming back until Monday. How was Thailand?"
"Exotic," he grinned as he pulled back and looked her over. "Successful. And I wasn't lying, you are beautiful."
She slapped him lightly on his arm with the back of her hand, "Liar. I'm completely exhausted and I know it shows."
"You're glowing," he disagreed with a smile, "and it's not from the sunset." She merely smiled gratefully and he indicated to the basket next to his feet, "It seems my wife's not expecting me back until Monday. Think she'd enjoy a surprise picnic dinner in the park?"
"Hate to break it to you, but it's practically December," she shook her head apologetically, "we're in a cold snap and an outdoor picnic doesn't sound too appealing."
"Maybe you're right," he considered before an idea set off a sparkle in his eye, "maybe I should move the reunion to a warmer, more indoor, location."
"Now you're talking," Phoebe laughed pleasantly.
"Something funny?" a deep voice suddenly asked.
Phoebe frowned from the tone of the question but still turned around to face the inquirer. And the fact that Cole's expression matched his tone didn't bode well for the rest of her evening. "What's wrong?"
"We need to talk," he replied. He stared at Jason and deliberately added, "Alone."
"Cole," Jason greeted uncomfortably. While he and Cole were cordial enough on most occasions, he knew when to back off and this was one of those times.
Cole barely acknowledged Jason before he informed Phoebe, "I need Matt, Alex, and Sam. Get them."
"Don't order me around!" she snapped while she stood her ground. "And I'm certainly not getting any of them until you tell me what this's all about."
"A Drander's on the loose," he answered with a warning glance to Jason.
"No way!" she exclaimed. "You are not using my children again," she emphatically stated.
"Would you rather I use Paige's?" he quipped as his heart fluttered with unexpected excitement. Even after all this time, he and Paige still couldn't resist even the smallest opportunity to get on each other's back. Never to the point of actually doing harm but still…The sudden annoyance he was feeling made him stare at Phoebe and he realized that she had to be pretty mad if she was projecting her emotion directly to him. "Could've been a good compromise," he muttered.
"Dammit, Cole," she slapped his chest, "that wouldn't've been any funnier if you were still a demon and believe me there are some days I wish you were just so I could vanquish you all over again. Angel-boy or not, you know when you push my buttons you're just asking for a --"
Cole gripped her wrists and pushed her back a step while he interrupted her growing rant. "The girls are practically adults and are more than ready for this and Matt is just itching to prove himself."
"He's only eight!" she practically shouted and struggled in his grip.
Unconcerned by Jason's offensive step forward, Cole still released her hands and shook his head, "They need to practice as a team and this Drander's young. They'll be fine."
"You said the last one was young and it nearly killed Matt!" she spat.
Cole's face darkened. "That was an accident and you know better than to bri--"
Jason glanced from one furious face to the other but knew better than to interrupt what was bound to be one of their full-blown fights. Unfortunately, Cole wasn't the only one who knew which buttons to push. Phoebe could give as good as she got. So he picked up the basket and excused himself, "I'd better go." He glared at Cole but told Phoebe, "Let me know that everything's okay."
"I'm sorry, Jason," Phoebe quickly apologized to him. "It's just…you know."
"Honey, after twenty years of helping cover for you, I know," Jason smiled reassuringly, "and, believe me, I don't need to know the gory details." He kissed her cheek before he stared coolly at Cole. "Cole."
Cole didn't say anything. He merely gave a curt nod while he clenched his fists and concentrated on not sending the man flying across the park, picnic basket and all.
Phoebe watched Cole watch Jason stride down the path and she frowned. "You could've been more polite," she rebuked. "He just got off the plane after a six-week business trip and only wanted to surprise his wife with a romantic picnic."
"So in the meantime he hits on my wife?" he barked.
"Jason and I have been over for more than twenty years!" She placed her hands on her hips as her own temper flared. "I can't believe you're still jealous! He's been happily married to Michelle for ten years while you and I have been ha--"
"We don't have time for this," Cole interrupted. "The Drander's out there."
"And it'll wait another hour," she maintained through clenched teeth. "Wyatt has to leave for his rounds at the hospital and I pushed off the start for as long as possible in the hopes that you'd show up. I can't believe you were out demon hunting when you know how important this gathering is to me."
"But --"
"No, buts," she angrily said. "The Drander can wait. Why isn't this date just as important to you?"
"It is!" he argued. "Or was I imagining your satisfaction during this morning's private celebration?"
"Of course not," she snapped.
"Then why are we arguing?" he suddenly groaned.
"Because you're being a jackass," she hissed. "And if you dare suggest any other reason, you'll find yourself a jackass with a black eye." Before he could say anything, she continued, "You always weasel out of these family gatherings."
"I do not!" he protested. "I'm there every single damned time."
"Because I bribe you with favors," she reminded him with exasperation. A leering grin slowly appeared on his face and, in the hope of not letting her anger melt away into desire, Phoebe turned away. "I can't believe that this time you'd use your own children as your excuse."
"The Drander's not an excuse," he growled. "The danger's real."
"And so am I!" she practically cried as she spun back, stepped close to him, and pressed her palms to his chest. "I was brought back from death and so were you. Why can't you see?" she sniffled before she took a deep breath and tried to reign in her emotions. "You're as much a part of this celebration as Chris and I want you there, Cole. I need you there."
"Phoebe, I --"
"Just kiss her and get it over with already," a youthful voice suggested. The pair watched her approach and the tall lithe brunette merely shrugged, "It's what you both want and, believe me, I'd rather not have this power to know how much."
Phoebe glanced up at her husband and finally smiled. "You won't listen to me, listen to your daughter."
Cole gratefully complied before he teased his wife, "At least we know who Pat gets her brains from."
"Yeah, from her Uncle Leo," their daughter muttered while she rolled her eyes.
"Don't be smart," both parents warned simultaneously before each wrapped an arm around their eldest daughter.
They'd managed only a few steps before Pat suddenly stopped. She stared at her mother in shock and found herself unable to speak.
Cole shared a concerned glance with Phoebe before he placed his hands on his daughter's shoulders. "Is it a premonition? What'd you see? What happened?"
In a daze, Pat slowly focused on her father before she suddenly looked away, shook her head, and sighed, "I'm twenty years old with horny teenagers for parents."
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Phoebe questioned in surprise.
"It means," Pat sighed again, "that there already are seven of us and no one's getting any younger. Ben and I are sharing an apartment with Wyatt and Chris, Mel's in college, Alex and Sam are teenagers, and you've still got the two kids. Why would you want to start over with another baby? Y'know, Ben and I've sensed something off for a while now but he's gonna flip when he hears it's because of this."
"I hope that doesn't mean you and your brother have been practicing your powers on your parents," Cole commented in his warning tone.
"It's not like it was that hard," she defiantly replied. "For weeks you guys've been radiating sheer…I don't know…I guess this explains it."
"I guess it does," he told her, "and you, young lady, have seven months to change your attitude."
"But Dad, it's not --" she began.
"Any of your business what your father and I decide to do," Phoebe heatedly interrupted before she reached for Cole's hand. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe, just maybe, your father and I happen to love each other and have found no more beautiful way of expressing that love than by creating a new life?"
"You and each of your siblings are miracles but no more or less than the ones your mother is carrying. And demon or witch heritage aside, your mother and I have beaten the odds and all expectations and we survived. We've never been more united or stronger," Cole sternly told his daughter. "And maybe," he continued with growing disappointment, "we deliberately kept this news a secret simply so we could enjoy this special time before we received all the lectures from everyone else on how we should be living our lives. What a shame the first one had to come from our own daughter."
"You were loved by us before you were even conceived and you will be loved by us for eternity but don't you dare pass judgment," Phoebe warned as she squeezed her husband's hand, "on me, on your father, or on any member of your family for their decisions."
"Have we made ourselves clear?" Cole demanded.
"Crystal," Pat quietly replied.
But as much as his children drove him crazy with their combined Halliwell-Turner genes, Cole still hated seeing his children upset, especially if he may have been the cause, and he quickly hugged his daughter. "I love you, baby," he whispered while he gazed lovingly at Phoebe over his daughter's head.
"Love you too, Daddy," she mumbled into his chest as she had done when she was a little girl. "Wait a minute!" she exclaimed when she suddenly pushed herself free from her father's embrace. "What'd you mean, 'the ones' Mom's carrying? There's more than one?"
Phoebe grinned knowingly at her husband, reached for his hand, and led him past their stunned daughter. "Come on, Patricia, everyone's waiting."
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