Warriors

by Coles Guardian

The R rating is for Chapter 5. Cole returned from the Wasteland a year ago and found a friend and a destiny... a destiny they would share. A year has passed and just as Cole moves to fullfill his destiny the Charmed Ones reappear in his life.

10. Chapter 10

Distribution: This story cannot in part or whole be sold or used for profit in any way. Copies may only be distributed with author's permission and must include all disclaimers.

Disclaimer: Cole Turner, Darryl Morris, Prue, Piper, Paige, and Phoebe Halliwell. Leo Wyatt, Jenna, and Andy Trudeau and all other characters that have appeared on the series "Charmed" as well as the concept of Charmed and all backstory are the copyright property of Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent, and the WB Television Network. No copyright infringement was intended. All original characters as well as the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

First… thank you to all those that have reviewed. Muse thanks you greatly for the kind words.

Second… sorry for the very long delay in getting this part out. I was away last weekend at the DragonCon and away from my computer. Because of this I give you a double g. It's longer than normal g.

Please keep reviewing as my Muse simply thrives on your kind wordsg.

Enjoy!

Darryl opened his eyes and quickly scanned the Dreamscape for his friend. He wasn't hard to find. As he ran to Cole's curled up form he took note of the memories that were playing out around him. His time as the Source's prisoner. Why am I not surprised Darryl thought to himself. Having seen the Charmed Ones had apparently opened the old wounds back up again, not that he was surprised in the least. The choice of memories wasn't surprising either, not that Cole had any control over the memories that surfaced during his morphine sleep as they had come to call it. Here and now Cole couldn't wake up no matter what the circumstance, not until the drug wore off, so he would remain trapped here on the Dreamscape for the next three hours. But never alone my friend, Darryl half smiled as he sat on the ground next to his charge's curled up form, never alone again my friend.

Cole had sensed his friend's approach and sat up, his eyes automatically seeking out Darryl's. "This really bites you know." Cole's smile was in complete contrast to his tear stained face.

"I know." Darryl knew he was referring to the fact that he could always see on the Dreamscape even though when he wakes up he would be blind again. Frustrated didn't even begin to describe how this made his charge feel. Before he could say anything else his eye caught a stray memory, this one of little Cole playing with a puppy. Darryl hadn't recognized Cole's new puppy even when he was named. It wasn't until this very second that he made the connection. He didn't need to say a thing though as Cole began to speak, his charge's obvious need to talk about what he was only now just remembering came through loud and clear for Darryl.

"I didn't remember about him until now. I guess I just blocked it out, like a few other things. I still don't really remember, not really and I don't know why." Cole fell silent as he played with the cuff of his sweatpants. His friend simply waited patiently for him to continue like he always did. It meant a lot to Cole not to be questioned or pushed or interrogated and his Guardian knew that and simply waited silently instead. "What does he look like? I know Grams said he was a Bernese Mountain puppy but unlike her and Uncle D I don't know a lot about our furry little friends."

"Join the club. Looks like we'll both be taking lessons from Dr. B and Uncle D." The very thought of taking puppy lessons from Uncle D made him wince and Cole snicker. "Teacher's Pet."

"Hey, can I help it if the Great Purple Scaly One likes me best." Cole continued to snicker in response to his friends rolling eyes. "When are you going to start calling her Grams anyway? It's been almost a year now." Cole sobered as he looked to his friend for a response. The look on Darryl's face was easy to read, for him at least. "Darryl now you listen to me. We are all family here you know and I know that it would make Grams feel good if you would just start calling her that. You are as much hers as I am and somewhere in there you know that so why?"

Darryl wasn't quite sure how to explain it but he had to at least try. "She's yours." He wasn't sure if it even made sense but then he somehow knew that if anyone could make sense out of his nonsense answer it would Cole.

"Darryl, my friend, she is yours as well." Seeing the slight hesitation in his friend's eyes he knew what he needed to hear. "I want to share her with you Darryl."

"But she has always been."

"Darryl." Cole wasn't going to take no for an answer on this one.

"Yes Cole." Darryl knew when he was beaten and decided to give in gracefully.

"Who is she?" He smiled as he saw Darryl finally give in.

"Grams." A smile to match Cole's appeared on Darryl's lips as he called Dr. B Grams for the first time. "She is our Grams."

"By jove I do believe he's finally got it." Cole barely managed to say before he lost it in a fit of giggles.

"Ha ha ha very funny Mr. Smarty…… very funny." Darryl watched as his friend giggled like a kid. Soon though the giggling stopped as another stray memory of a puppy flashed around them. "He looks exactly like that." He said as he watched his friend's attention turn to the memory. He wondered why Little Cole had never told him about the puppy but then he really looked at the memory that was playing around them and stopped wondering. He saw the tears form and fall silently from Cole's eyes.

"I didn't mean for it to happen. I didn't mean for him to die. If only I hadn't grabbed him and taken him with me. But I …… I was scared and …… I just grabbed him…… and…… " Cole's voice trailed off and Darryl shifted around so he was sitting next to him, his arm coming around his shaking shoulders offering comfort, comfort Cole took without hesitation. He easily leaned into Darryl's protective embrace, taking solace in the physical comfort being offered him.

Neither man noticed the puppies as they approached.

"It wasn't your fault Cole. It wasn't our time yet that was all." Snuggles said as he walked around to stand in front of the two boys.

Cole couldn't say a word as he looked to the puppy standing in front of him. Once his mind had released the memory he could see it as if it had only happened yesterday and Darryl watched as it played out fully around him.

It had been the moment his mother had killed his father and Cole had been scared, more scared than he had ever been before in his life. He didn't know what was really happening all he knew was that his mother was ranting about something, something to do with finally being able to return home. He thought that they were home, after all they were in their house but then why had his mother just hurt his father and where was she taking him. When suddenly he knew that they were leaving, he didn't know how he knew he just did. As his mother grabbed him by the arm Cole had reached out for his puppy Snuggles, grabbing him up quickly without his mother seeing him. When they had reappeared in the Underworld Cole was even more scared and he held onto his puppy for all he was worth. His mother though finally took notice of the puppy and tried to grab him from Cole. Instinctively Cole sought to protect the little puppy but his mother was bigger and stronger than he was and she soon had the puppy away from him. Cole had begged his mother to give him back his puppy but she just turned to him and told him that he had better shut up and do as he was told or the same thing was going to happen to him. She then threw the puppy against the cave wall and Cole heard a little snap and crunching sound and then his puppy didn't move anymore. As he fell to his knees crying for his little friend, even as his continued to cry for his father, his mother casually threw a ball of flame at the unmoving little puppy and Cole watched as it burst into flames and disappeared. He cried harder.

"Cole it wasn't your fault and I am not gone. I am right here. I am your Snuggles Cole and I always will be." Snuggles carefully walked up to his charge and sat down right in front of him. He could tell that Cole was having trouble believing him and since he didn't have his memories from his time in the human world he was a little stuck on how to proceed. As he watched the tears continue to silently fall from the blue eyes looking at him he just went with his instincts. Slowly he crawled onto Cole's lap, carefully placed his front paws on his chest and reached up, licking the tears from Cole's cheeks. He willed his charge to hear him, to believe him and was rewarded as a look of shock slowly crept over the face he was licking.

"Is it…… is it really…… really you?" Cole wanted to believe so badly that it frightened him, afraid that he was just wishing for this puppy to be his Snuggles.

Snuggles didn't want to do this but it was only the way he could think of to put Cole's mind at ease in the end. "Cole look at the memory. Please, I know you don't want to and that it is painful but please just look at me in the memory."

Cole found his eyes moving to the memory of their own volition. He didn't want to look, to see it again because it hurt too much but he just couldn't seem to help himself. He looked closely at the puppy that he had held in his arms all those years ago as the puppy sitting in his lap spoke.

"Look at the markings Cole, look at them and now look at me and my markings." He waited till Cole had turned his gaze back to him and he could tell that he was indeed looking at his markings. He turned his little puppy head to the left and the right so Cole good get a really good look. "Our markings are the same and the only way that could be is if we were the same puppy. No two puppies have the same markings and when you ask Uncle D and Grams they'll tell you the same thing." Snuggles felt like he may have to wait till the left the Dreamscape and asked Grams when Cole suddenly wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tightly too chest. He felt the tears falling on his head and smiled. "I'm here Cole and this time I'm here for good. Like Darryl I am never going to leave you again." He looked to Darryl and saw tears falling from his eyes as well.

Darryl was very happy for his friend, very happy that he had his puppy back. It may have seemed almost insignificant to most but to Darryl it was wonderful. He knew how much this meant to his charge, one less memory to hurt him because the old memory would now fade as it was replaced by new happier memories. He suddenly looked down at his own puppy, his hand having begun stroking his soft fur without his having really noticed, what he did notice was the calming effect just petting Bearlock had on him.

"And I am here for you Darryl. Actually we are all here for each other." Bearlock knew that Darryl preferred the idea that they were all there for each other, which was really the case anyway. It had become apparent rather quickly that for Darryl and Cole this was the only option. Bearlock laid his head on Darryl's leg as he looked back to Snuggles.

"Come on Cole and lay down for a little while. I'm not going anywhere." Snuggles looked to Darryl when he got no response from the man holding him.

Darryl could easily read the look in Snuggles' eyes. He was worried about Cole. "Don't worry little fellow he'll be all right, he's just very tired right now." Darryl used the arm he still had around Cole's shoulders and guided his friend's head to rest in his lap. "You heard the furry one my friend, rest. You may not be able to actually sleep here but you can rest." He waited for Cole to make himself comfortable but he didn't feel him really relax. "Come on partner, relax. He's not going anywhere so rest." He finally felt the tension begin to leave his friend and his own tension followed suit. Silence descended on the little group as all sought the comfort each was begin offered even as the offered comfort in return.

No one saw the little ball of smiling kitty fur appear behind them right away, but Snuggles and Bearlock knew that he was there.

How are they? Pee Wee thought to the puppies. Since they were all a part of the Prophecy they were able to communicate with each other using just their minds. Once the boys ascended they too would be able to hear as well. Until then the four of them were the only ones to hear each other's thoughts.

Cole is tired. He believes me though and that is the important thing. Once we return and he can finally sleep the memory of my earlier death may return but soon we will replace that memory with happy ones. Snuggles never looked to Pee Wee as he spoke, he was just too happy being wrapped up in Cole's arms again, he had missed Cole but they were together now and nothing would ever separate them again, it was all Snuggles could think about just now.

Darryl is worried about Cole. He doesn't know how he is going to handle the Charmed Ones entering their lives, especially now. He knows the feelings that Cole has been hiding from himself over the girls but Darryl also has his own anger towards them and he doesn't want that anger to interfere with Cole's ability to begin to heal the wounds left by the Charmed Ones. Darryl needs to heal as well but his Guardian instincts are putting Cole's needs before his own. I just want to see him begin to heal as well. Bearlock's worry over Darryl was plain to hear and completely understandable. The Charmed Ones had hurt both of the boys and both needed to heal. Yes Cole had been hurt worse but that didn't diminish Darryl's pain in the least. Pee Wee had sensed his dilemma and answered it.

Do not let Cole's needs make you think that he isn't there for Darryl because he is and always will be. Cole's outward needs seem greater than Darryl's and to a degree this is true. However, Cole is and always will be there for his friend. I think his coaxing Darryl into finally calling Grams "Grams" is proof of that. Cole knew that Darryl wanted to but he also knew that there was something holding him back and even now, when Cole is going through the pain that he is he still thought of his friend and sought to help him. Cole is there for Darryl's nightmares just as Darryl is there for his, Cole simply has been around longer and has more that is all. They are there for each other and always will be so don't worry about Darryl too much Bearlock because Cole knows that Darryl harbours anger towards the girls and he will help his friend just as his friend will help him through it all. Pee Wee carefully walked around to stand in front of the boys and smiled up at Darryl. He was going to talk to both of them, they needed to know a few things before they left the Dreamscape and Pee Wee was just salivating at the prospect of messing with Darryl by talking to him here. On the Dreamscape many things are possible and the boys being able to understand him was one of those things. He ignored the puppies rolling eyes and snickered. Oh yes this is going to be fun he thought to himself, a smirk plastered on his furry whiskered face.

"And just how prey tell did you get here? Hmmm?" Darryl could understand their puppies being able to follow them to the Dreamscape but now how the ball of fluff could.

"On the Magic Carpet Express that's how." Pee Wee took immense pleasure in seeing Darryl's eyes turn into saucers and jump about a foot in the air.

"Pee Wee." Snuggles and Bearlock admonished as they both suddenly found themselves being squished by the boys strong arms, Darryl having instinctively grabbed Bearlock up into his arms.

"Sorry but I just couldn't resist." Pee Wee snickered again. His snickers faded as Cole sat up, still holding Snuggles tightly too him and looked at him. He could read the question in is eyes easily and answered it before Cole even had the chance to voice it. "You can understand me here because it is the Dreamscape and as for how I can travel here…… well…… " Pee Wee was reluctant to bring it up even thought he knew that he had too, it was just that Cole already had so much to deal with and the thought of adding to it was bothering him. Deciding not to put it off any longer he chose to simply jump in and hoped that Cole would be all right in the end. Thank the Gods Darryl is here for him Pee Wee thought to himself as he collected his thoughts. "All right, as for how I am here that is a story unto itself. Not a very long one but one that may prove to be painful for you Cole to hear. Before I start I want you to know that I am here for you as well, both you and Darryl and I will help you anyway that I can with the powers I have left and that I hold no anger or ill will towards anyone here." He saw their confused looks and watched as Darryl moved closer to Cole. He senses that he is going to be needed. I only wish that I didn't have to tell him this story but he needs to know Pee Wee thought to himself while trying to work up the courage to tell the tale.

"Okay there are a few facts that you have to know because now that we are here there will be others coming. It is almost time for the ascension and there are many who would like to stop it…… on both sides. I was to be the Vision Bearer, the one who would be able to warn of coming danger but that power was taken when my eye was taken, now I only have Past Sight and can sense things, usually through dreams, about what is to come. It isn't as clear as my true Vision was but it is all I have to offer now." Pee Wee stopped as he saw the question enter Cole's eyes. The answer was going to hurt Cole but he knew he had no choice.

"How? Who?" Cole couldn't get anymore words to come out, the very thought of what the little kitty went through hurt.

Pee Wee knew that there was no choice but that didn't mean he had to like it. Knowing he had to just say it or he would never get it out he took a deep breath and began.

"The who was Letore and the how was a dagger. Cole please, please don't." The tears he saw gathering in those blue eyes made his heart hurt. He had never meant to hurt Cole but he had; now he had to make Cole see that it wasn't his fault that he didn't blame Cole for what happened.

Cole knew which dagger Pee Wee had meant, he knew and he couldn't stand it. "She…… she used the……" He couldn't finish as his tears started to fall. As he felt Darryl's arm come to rest on his shoulders he leaned into him laying his head on his friend's shoulder as he fought to control his emotions. Through his tears he could see Pee Wee, his one eye looking up at him. Letore, his mother had taken the little kitten's other eye and she had used the dagger that she had had created from him to do it. It was one of the memories he truly wished that he could forget but never could. The scene around them began to change as the memory came so forcefully to the surface that it took full control of the Dreamscape. He didn't need to look around himself to remember; instead he kept his eyes focused on Pee Wee.

"Cole please stop, it wasn't your fault. Please." Pee Wee didn't want to see Cole suffer the memory but it just wouldn't stop. Before he could plead with Cole again Darryl spoke up.

"He can't stop the memory Pee Wee, the Dreamscape has control not Cole." With those whispered words Darryl's tears began to fall. He knew this memory as he knew all of Cole's memories from when the first Bond was created and this was one of the ones he most hated revisiting. Fortunately for both of them the Dreamscape rarely if ever played this one out. Unfortunately this time the memory meant more to Cole as Darryl could feel his friends guilt rise. Knowing that the memory had to play itself out he simply waited, held onto his friend and waited.

Snuggles and Bearlock each snuggled up as close to their boys as possible, the two waiting for the nightmare memory to come to an end as the Dreamscape suddenly became the Underworld.

All of them reluctantly watched the scene around them came alive.

Little Cole had no idea what his mother was doing; all he knew was that he was scared. It had been over a week since his mother had brought him here and all he wanted to do was go home. He had cried and pleaded with her to take them home but she just pushed him away and told him to shut up or hit him. He was afraid of her but he still loved her and this was very confusing for him. He jumped when he mother's voice cut across the room.

"Get up and come over here and sit down." Letore yelled at the six year old child. She wasn't in the mood for dealing with him and it showed.

Little Cole didn't know what to do, but he knew he didn't want to lie down on the large stone slab that was in the middle of the room. He had seen the metal shackles hanging from the corners of the slab and they frightened him, sitting on the stone slab was the last thing he wanted to do, especially with his mother mad at him. Not knowing what else to do he started to back away from her, towards the cave opening. He didn't get far when a pair of arms grabbed him from behind, pinning his arms to his sides and lifting him up off the ground. He kicked and screamed trying to twist free as the demon carried him over to the stone slab, but the demon was too strong. He started crying in earnest as another demon came around from behind him and tore off his pants and, grabbing his ankles, held them down as his mother placed the heavy metal shackles around them. The metal instantly began to dig into his flesh as continued to kick and scream.

"Oh enough of this. Bring me that potion bottle over there." She ordered the demon that had held the child's ankles down for her. She was impatient and wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible. As soon as the demon handed it to her she uncooked the long neck bottle and moved towards Little Cole again. She knew what she was going to do so she moved quickly.

Little Cole had heard his mother call for the potion and he didn't want it. He closed his mouth and tried to turn his head as far away from her as possible while continuing to try and twist free. He felt her grab his hair and knew what was coming next, a violent yank, so he was able to keep his mouth closed. He saw her motion with her head to the demon that was now standing next to the stone slab he was lying on but couldn't get away as the demon pinched his nose closed so he had to open his mouth to breathe. As soon as he did his mother shoved the potion bottle's long neck into his mouth, sealing her hand around the bottles neck and over him mouth so he couldn't spit the fowl burning liquid out. The demon had let go of his nose so he could breathe but he still chocked on the potion she was forcing down his throat, the burning sensation it left behind only caused more tears to fall from Little Cole's eyes. As soon as she was sure that he had swallowed all of the potion she released him and tossed the bottle against the cave wall.

"If you were going to give him the potion anyway why the shackles?" asked the demon who was holding a still struggling Little Cole.

"Because the little half-breed doesn't react normally to some potions. He wakes up a good four hours early from the sleeping potion I give him every night to shut him up and my father had better finish that cell he's making for him soon. As for the shackles, they are just in case the paralysis wears off before I am done. Just hold onto him, the potion should kick in quickly." She never looked at her son as she spoke, simply continued to prepare for her task.

Little Cole had continued to struggle but he also listened to what his mother was saying, his fear increasing with her every word as he felt a strangeness beginning to flow through him. It was becoming harder and harder to move and he found he couldn't cry out any more. A moment later his fear became terror as his body suddenly stopped moving, his head falling forward. No matter how hard he tried to kick or even lift his head up he just couldn't, he couldn't even cry. He could see and hear and feel but he couldn't move or speak. He watched as the demon ripped his shirt and undershirt off and he cried on the inside because now he didn't even have his own clothes to curl up in anymore and the shirt had been the special one his father had bought for him the last time they had gone into the city alone together. It was the last thing that he had that had the smell of home on it and now it was gone and he felt even more alone.

The demon laid him down, the cold of the stone quickly seeping deep into him making him cold. He could do nothing but watch as his arms were raised over his head, his wrists quickly trapped in the heavy shackles that were then locked in place on the slabs surface. He could blink but that was all, no matter how hard he tried to move he just couldn't. The noises around him sounded so loud and frightening that he just kept wishing his daddy would come and take him home like he did every night; but his daddy never came and he knew his daddy wouldn't come for him but that never stopped him from wishing, from hoping, from dreaming. He heard his mother's voice coming closer, her words making his terror grow.

"The potion should maintain the paralysis for the next ten hours so let's do this quick just in case it wears off early." She put a bowl down next to his head and drew one of her daggers from her sleeve.

"You mean the only thing he can do is breathe right now?" The demon that had been holding Little Cole asked, the look on his face making Little Cole just want to run. Letore took note of the look as well and wasn't pleased.

"Yes that is what I mean but you are not to take him, not yet. My father has special plans for this half-breed and unless you want to find yourself at his mercy then I suggest you just do as you are told and nothing more." Letore couldn't have cared less what was done to her son but she refused to let this idiot demon get her in trouble with her father; from the look on his face she knew that the demon got the point. "Now let's begin. First we need a piece from each eyeball and it must be a blue piece so hold his eyes open. Once I remove the pieces I want you to pour the healing potion over the eyes." As she gave each demon their instructions she looked down at the small unmoving body before her and smiled as the child's eyes dilated in response to the terror her words caused. "My father doesn't want him dead, not yet anyway." She knew that her father wanted her son alive but she savored the look of terror her words were causing and couldn't help but play with him a little, especially now when he couldn't whine and cry.

Little Cole screamed in his mind as his mother used her dagger and cut into his eyes. The pain he felt was unlike anything he had ever felt before and his mind screamed for his daddy over and over. He couldn't see anything but he could feel the blood running down his temples and into his hair. There was a splash of something in his eyes and the pain increased before it began to fade away. The demon that had been holding his eyes open had let go and he blinked rapidly, trying to stop the pain. The pain did recede a little but he still couldn't see and this scared him more than anything. When he heard his mother's voice he tried to listen to what she was saying, needing to know what she was going to do next. What he heard left him numb as his fear threshold was reached.

"All right, you take these pieces and stir them with this potion. As it hardens it will form into a blue jewel; once it is solid and shiny leave it sit. You take this bowl, stand over there and hold it for me. Once I have removed the rib we need for the blade I want you to pour this healing potion over the wound." After she was sure that her orders were being followed she picked up a large dagger off of the table and moved back to the stone slab.

"Why hasn't he passed out yet?" The demon who was holding the bowl for her was curious.

"Because the potion I gave him prevents him from passing out. He won't be able to pass out from the pain or sleep for at least another nine hours." She smiled as she said it, the cruelty and malice plain to hear in her voice.

Little Cole was beyond fear and terror now. When he had heard his mother tell them about removing his rib he found that he was numb on the inside as well. He couldn't scream or cry even on the inside as he passed his fear threshold. He watched with blurred vision as the blade came down on him and felt the slice across his ribs. The snap that the bone made as she broke off the last rib on his left side echoed off the walls of the cave. The pain was a blinding, white-hot one but Little Cole knew now that there would be no escape from it. It had seemed like an eternity had passed when he suddenly felt a splashing across his chest and more pain as skin began to knit itself back together. The place where his rib had been ached deep inside and his eyes burned as he vaguely wondered if the pain would ever truly go away. He floated within his own mind; the voices he heard around him had stopped making sense when the blade had cut across his chest. He didn't see the dagger when it was finished that day but he came to know it intimately over time.

It had taken seven hours for Little Cole's sight to fully return and another two before he could move again; though his mother didn't return till the next day. Little Cole laid for hours in the dark before his sight returned and then he laid for hours more in the darkness of the cave waiting for his mother to come back and release him. When she finally did return she carried a black robe in her hand, one that she threw at him once she had released his wrists and ankles. He didn't want to put it in on even though he was naked otherwise but she just yelled at him and finally forced the robe down over his head.

"I have had enough of you." She yelled at him and, grabbing his arm, dragged him from the cave, literally. Her voice continued to sound off at him and she never even realized that it was all wasted effort as Little Cole had stopped listening.

Little Cole was still cold and weak from spending all night on the cold slab and he couldn't keep up with her and when he fell she just kept on going. The robe didn't protect his legs from the rocks and debris that littered the uneven ground of the tunnels and they were soon covered in blood from various cuts and scrapes. When they reached the small cave that he was usually left in to sleep she tossed him in and he expected her to give him another potion to drink like she always did. When she didn't he became worried and tried to curl up into a very small ball in the corner. He didn't get very far when she grabbed him by the hair, yanking him back and off his feet.

"And just where do you think you are going? I'm not through with you for the day yet." She picked him up by the hair, his feet leaving the ground for a brief second before she tossed him against the back wall of the narrow and tiny cave. "Give me your hands. Now!" She screamed at him when he didn't move. She didn't even wait; instead she simply reached down and grabbed his little wrists in her right hand, placing one of his hands over the other as her left hand drew the newly made dagger out of a sheath at her waist. She laughed at the new terror that filled his tired eyes. "All right then, let's see if this works." She spoke in rhyme and just as the blue stone glowed briefly she speared the dagger through the middle of both of his little hands. She ignored his scream as she watched the results. The wound sealed itself around the dagger's blade, stopping the bleeding almost immediately. "Very nice. Now I won't have to worry about the sleeping potion wearing off early anymore." His continued crying though was annoying her so she ripped a length of cloth from her own robe and tied a fairly large sized knot at the center of it.

As she approached Little Cole he tried to be quiet, but it hurt too much and he couldn't help it. She yelled at him to open his mouth, when he didn't she kicked him and he couldn't stop himself from crying out. He felt her shove the large knot into his mouth, it's very size forcing his mouth open even further. Once it was firmly wedged in behind his teeth she pushed his head forward and tied the cloth really tight around his head. It cut into the corners of his mouth and his jaw was wedged open so far that it hurt. His tears continued to flow but he could no longer make a sound, his cries only muffled sobs now. He watched her leave and even though he hurt so badly and didn't know how long she was going to leave him there he felt relief at her leaving. Even with the pain though he eventually cried himself to sleep, the side of his head coming to rest on his upraised arm.

The memory faded from the Dreamscape only to be replaced with flashes of the many other times that his mother had pinned him to various cave walls, columns, and stone slabs. She had always stuffed something in his mouth to keep him quiet; it was something he had come to expect even. Sometimes he would be sitting on the floor while other times he would be standing, his little arms pinned so far over his head that his shoulders would wrench if he relaxed even a little. If he fell asleep standing up, as she would sometimes leave him like that for days, his shoulders would dislocate and the dagger would rip his hands and always his cries of fear and pain silenced behind what ever she had found handy to gag him with. After a time though she began to carry with her a somewhat large size rock tied in the middle of a length of cloth, this having become her favorite choice of gag as it added to Little Cole's pain as the rock cut into the inside of his mouth. More than once she had split his lip in her haste to silence him. As he grew she replaced the rock with a larger one, one that he couldn't push back out past his teeth, he had done that once when he was seven and she had whipped him for five hours straight as punishment; he never did it again.

As the memory had progressed Darryl had turned to watch Cole closely, his guilt was transforming into fear, overwhelming fear and Darryl had a pretty good idea why. When the memory didn't stop after the dagger had been created he knew he had been right. Cole had always remembered how the dagger had been created and he even remembered being tortured with it over the years, but for some reason he had blocked out the memories of his mother pinning him to things with it. Darryl had learned of these holes in his friend's memory when he and Cole completed the first Bond link and received each other's memories, now Darryl knew things about Cole that he himself didn't remember and these memories were some of the repressed ones. As he watched he saw Cole's body begin to shake and he reacted instinctively to his friend's need.

Pee Wee watched as Darryl created a wall behind himself then, wrapping his arms around Cole's upper arms and chest, he leaned back against the wall cradling Cole against his chest like one would cradle a child. Fascinated, Pee Wee saw Cole lean his head against Darryl's shoulder and rest his forehead against the side of his Guardians neck, his body already beginning to still. Snuggles was upset, as was Bearlock and both puppies moved to cuddle up to Cole; Snuggles pushed his way under Cole's hands that were resting on his lap and sat down in the circle those hands now made. Bearlock, who was slightly bigger than Snuggles, leaned against Cole's exposed arm and rested his head in the crock of Cole's elbow. Pee Wee wasn't exactly sure what was happening but he knew that he too wanted to comfort his frightened friend but he wasn't sure if he should.

"Pee Wee, come over here." Darryl had seen the look in the kitten's eye and knew that he was feeling bad for what he perceived as hurting Cole and he wasn't going to have it. "Pee Wee." As the kitten slowly made his way over to the cuddling group Darryl shifted just enough to give Pee Wee a place to sit, right on the arm he had wrapped around the front of Cole. "Come over here. You're small enough so just hop up here." Pee Wee hesitated again. "Pee Wee you didn't hurt him, do you understand. These are just repressed memories that would have eventually come out anyway. At least here he is safe to simply let go. Now come on over here and hop on." Darryl said, indicating the shelf he had made out of his arm and Cole's chest. He thought he was going to have to try a different tactic when he heard Cole's whispered voice.

"Please Pee Wee." Cole didn't want Pee Wee to feel sad about anything, as he hadn't done anything wrong, he just needed some time to adjust to the awakened memories and he wanted Pee Wee close like Darryl and the puppies were. As soon as Pee Wee jumped up, settling down on Darryl's arm and resting his furry little head on his chest, Cole closed his eyes and used the link with Darryl to help calm himself down. Sleep couldn't happen here on the Dreamscape but he and Darryl had found meditation could and right now he simply needed his Guardian and his furry friends.  As he slipped into a meditative state he felt and accepted the comfort each of them was offering him. He would be fine, they all would be but right now he just needed them and a little time.

Back in the Waking world Benjamin had finished his tale of the puppy that had followed his son home one day. He smiled fondly as the images of his little boy playing fetch with his puppy swam through his mind. As he looked to Julianna to answer her question he realized he didn't have one.

"I don't know what happened to Snuggles Julianna. I was already dead by then. I remember Cole standing in the doorway with Snuggles by his feet, I remember him looking up at me and then to his mother. I remember telling him that I would always love him no matter what and then the pain as her fireball struck me. After that I have no memory until the Source awakened my soul in the orb and that must have been a few weeks later at the very least." His voice trailed off as he remembered the look in his son's eyes the first time he saw him from the orb. His son hadn't known at the time that the orb in the alcove of the cave wall was his soul and he was glad that Cole didn't know then, his son was suffering enough as it was at the time.

"Why do you say that Benjamin?" It was Pandora who asked and Piper who translated for her. Pandora knew all about Cole and Darryl and Piper and their pasts, Pee Wee had made sure that they knew so that they would be in a better position to help them. Pee Wee's Past Vision was the first thing that they used their own Link for and now was going to be the first time that she was going to be able to use that knowledge to help her new family. She smiled even though she knew that it was going to be painful for them to hear.

"The look in Cole's eyes…… it was so…… haunted. Like a part of him had died. He looked so small in that black robe, small and lost. A person doesn't get that kind of look in their eyes overnight, it takes time to do that to someone especially a child, as they are more resilient than an adult." Benjamin looked to the puppy as he spoke and he wasn't liking the look on the furry little face. "It wasn't that long was it?" He didn't really want to know but he knew that he had to know if he was going to help his son.

Pandora wasn't sure what to do now. She didn't think Piper was strong enough at the moment to handle telling them what she would tell her. Fortunately Uncle D came to her rescue.

"Pandora, I can use a spell so that they will understand you as well but it will only be temporary. Do you want me to?" Uncle D took note of the looks he was getting. "I can understand all of them for I am the Prophecy Keeper of the family." The answer seemed to satisfy them so he turned back to the puppy.

"Do you think that they are ready to hear this, especially Benjamin? And would Cole want me to tell this?" Pandora was suddenly worried about Cole and how he would react to the others knowing these things. She didn't see the worried look that fell across her charge's face.

"I think this has to be told and you know that. You know the secret that Snuggles has told Cole and you also know that Cole seeing Snuggles will have brought to the surface some of the memories that he has kept hidden from himself all of this time. Julianna needs to know." Uncle D knew that Pandora would do the right thing and tell the story so he simply spoke the spell so that all could hear.

"You are right, they need to know, especially Julianna." She waited just long enough to collect her thoughts and then decided to simply jump right in as she knew that they only had about two hours left before the boys woke up and she had to make sure that she was done before that.

"All right, here it goes. Benjamin, the time you are referring to was one week after Letore had taken him to the Underworld." She saw the look on his face, one that was begging not to know what she saying. She felt for him but she also knew what she must do. "When they first arrived in the Underworld Cole had Snuggles with him. He had scooped him up when his mother had grabbed his arm and flamed out right after she had killed you. When she saw the puppy she became angry and ripped him away from Cole. Cole tried to protect Snuggles but his mother was so much bigger than him and when he cried and pleaded with her to give him back his puppy she simply laughed at him. She told him that if he didn't do as he was told the same thing was going to happen to him. With that threat she threw Snuggles against the cave wall, his little body crushed by the power of the demoness' throw. Cole fell to his knees and cried for puppy as he still cried for his daddy. Benjamin please don't, this was a long time ago and you and Cole are together again just as Snuggles and Cole are."

"This Snuggles is the same puppy isn't he?" It was Anita who spoke as she comforted Julianna who was crying too much to ask.

"Yes he is. It wasn't their time before and it was no one's fault as to what happened. They are together now and shall remain together forever." Pandy looked around the faces staring back at her and she felt her little heart began to break.

"Pandora, I take it you have all of their memories then? Both Darryl's and my little one's."

"Yes Grams I do. All of us have all of our charge's memories; Darryl's, Cole's, and Piper's, all of them." Pandy say the look fall across her charge's face and felt the need to make something clear right here and right now. She didn't have time to explain all of it but at least she could help Piper begin to understand and maybe even heal a little. "Yes Piper I have all of your memories as well, Snuggles, Bearlock, and Pee Wee also have them. You are supposed to be here, you were meant to be here from the beginning."

"But I……" Piper couldn't believe what she was hearing, she couldn't have been meant to be here especially with all that she had done to Cole since he had entered her life. "No there is no way that I…… I mean if you have all of Cole's memories then you know all of the horrible things I have done to him…… I don't deserve to be." Piper found she had to sit down as her mind reeled from what her furry friend was saying.

"Piper, you were meant to be here. The only reason that the bad things have happened is because you are a chosen one and I mean more than just one of the Charmed Ones. You are more than just a witch, but like the boys both the sides of Good and Evil have sought to destroy your chance to fulfill your true destiny. All three of you have suffered at the hands of the Rulers of both sides. Piper," Pandy could see that her charge was still not accepting her words but at least they had been said, maybe Uncle D would have better luck but right now she had to finish telling the others about what had happened to Cole all those years ago, what had caused the haunted look in his eyes. "Piper, I know it's a lot to take in and I would dearly love to be able to help you understand right now but I have to explain to Benjamin about what happened to Cole the day before he first saw him in the Underworld, especially if seeing Snuggles awakens those memories as well."

"It probably will awaken those memories." Grams knew what Pandy was talking about and she couldn't help but feel guilty about all that had happened to all three of them. She knew intellectually that it was silly to feel that way as she had no control over the Prophecy but she still couldn't shake the guilt and she found it comforting that neither of the boys would ever find out just how guilty she felt.

"Then I should probably explain everything about them so that Julianna knows what to expect." Pandy knew that Grams felt guilty but she didn't call her on it because she knew it would do her no good alone. If Grams was going to be confronted it was going to have to be by all of them, only then will they have a chance at laying her guilt to rest. "All right then, the rest but please just remember that these are only memories. Yes I know memories can hurt too but he does have all of you to help him now, and so does Darryl because this will be very upsetting for him as well." Once Pandy was sure that she had everyone's attention she began.

Over the next hour and a half she told the story of what had happened to Little Cole before his father had seen him for the first time. She told of the dagger and how it had been created, having to stop occasionally for Julianna, Benjamin, and Prue to collect themselves enough to continue hearing the story. When she told of how Letore had pinned Little Cole to the wall, gagging him so that his crying during the night wouldn't bother her she had to stop and wait for Piper to clean up the plate that she dropped.

"That…… I saw him right after he…… " Benjamin just couldn't say it, his tears falling freely as he looked over to the sleeping form of his son, his heart shattering.

"Yes Benjamin. When you saw him she had just removed the dagger and gag, waking him up in the process."

"You mean he…… he slept that way?" Prue was holding onto Benjamin, trying to be strong for him but wavering herself.

"Yes Prue, eventually he simply cried himself to sleep." Pandy stopped speaking and waited again, she was patient and would wait till they were ready. After a few minutes Julianna spoke the question that Pandy was waiting for.

"That wasn't the only time she…… she did that…… to him was it?" Julianna was holding onto Anita for all she was worth as her need to go to her love and just hold him was becoming overwhelming. The only things stopping her were Anita and the knowledge that if she were to get that close to the boys that Darryl's Guardian instincts would toss her through a wall like he did with Simmons and Cam in the past. She didn't want to know the answer to the question but she also knew that she had to know if she was going to be able to help the man she loved.

"No Julianna, it wasn't." Pandy took a moment to collect her thoughts again before telling this part of the story. The tears flowed freely from all as she told the rest of the story. She watched as Piper shakily lowered herself into a chair, her hand covering her mouth as she explained about Letore's repeated use of the rock as a gag to add to Little Cole's pain.

When she finished she simply went silent knowing that they were going to need some time. She looked over to Simmons and Cam who had come in with Tim about five minutes into her story; they were still standing in the same spot. They all had one thing in common; they were all looking at the bed and the two sleeping boys that were lying there.

No one moved for a good fifteen minutes and they wouldn't have except that Snuggles, Bearlock, and Pee Wee began to move. Grams quickly looked to the clock on the wall.

"It's time so everyone get it together and do it quick. The last thing my little one, or Darryl needs for that matters, is to find us like this so get it together." Grams knew that her grandson was going to be upset but she also knew that there was nothing she could give him to help calm him down, his body's unique ability to become immune to drugs after repeated use made it difficult to give him anything except when absolutely needed. As for potions, they never really worked right on him, it was only the adding of Darryl's CSF to the med and potion combination that the boys carried that allowed it to continue to work; the sedative and potion combination she used to keep him under while he is on the vent had to be changed every few months and the testing process to find another viable combination always took a heavy toll on him and Darryl. She was brought out of her thoughts when she felt them begin to move.

Darryl was always the first to come back, his Guardian senses checking out the area almost as if checking to make sure that it was safe for his charge to wake up. He felt Bearlock raise his head and when he looked down he found himself looking into a pair of happy puppy eyes that he couldn't help but smile at. His eyes flicked a little lower as he felt something furry moving on his stomach, his smile getting a little bigger as he watched Snuggles licking Cole's nose. He would have laughed outright at his partner's words if he hadn't been in danger of dislodging anyone.

"Darryl."

"Yes Cole."

"Is there a kitty kat on my head?"

"Yes Cole." Darryl snickered, unable to hold it in any longer. He stopped when he noted the two pair of puppy eyes glaring at him. "Sorry." This time he felt Cole snickering a little against his chest.

"I take it we are getting the puppy evil eye." Cole moved carefully so as not to dislodge Pee Wee from his resting spot. "Uhm Pee Wee I love you dearly but I'm going to go deaf if you keep purring that loudly in my ear." He felt Pee Wee move, keeping very still lest a claw find it's mark, and smiled as he felt Pee Wee lick his forehead before hopping off of him. The smile quickly faded though as he opened his eyes to find darkness once more. It wasn't that he wasn't expecting it; it was just that he was still on edge from the memories he had just relived and he was tired, being on the Dreamscape was not necessarily a restful experience, it entirely depends on which memories it planned on displaying. This time though it had out done itself on the scary meter and it had left him feeling very unsettled. Then again, all of his memories concerning his mother have a tendency to leave him feeling unsettled.

Now that Pee Wee had moved off of his ear his mind began automatically cataloguing the sounds around him. When he came across Piper crying he stopped, his body tensing. As he sat up, bringing Snuggles with him, he tried to figure out what could have happened that had upset Piper. Darryl though had felt his tension and he laid a comforting hand on his shoulder as he sat up next to him. Before he could ask what was wrong he felt someone take a hold of his hand and as the old buried memories flashed in his mind he pulled his hand away without conscious thought.

Julianna and Anita had moved to the bed as they always did when the boys woke up, Julianna taking her love's hand in hers. When he pulled away she realized what she had done and had to fight not to cry, as her tears would only serve to upset him further. Not knowing what to do she simply sat and waited. It didn't take Cole long to realize what he had done and reach out to her.

"Julianna, oh Gods I am so sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I just… I didn't…" Cole turned so he was facing where Julianna should be and reached out for her, wanting to feel her close but he still tensed for a second as their hands met. He didn't know what else to say and since he couldn't see her he couldn't read her eyes either and he was afraid that he had hurt her with his reaction.

Darryl's hand was still on his shoulder and he felt the tension there. He knew it would probably be pointless but he had to try anyway. "Hey partner, why don't you lay down for a little while and rest until dinner is ready? Come on." Darryl pulled a little on his charge's shoulder hoping that maybe he would actually listen to him on this one.

"No. I don't want to." The last thing Cole wanted to do right now was sleep, he was too afraid of what nightmares lay in wait for him. He unconsciously tightened his hold on Snuggles and Julianna's hand; he never saw her worried expression as she looked over to Darryl.

Julianna could easily read the tension in her love and didn't know what to do about it so she looked to Darryl for help. She knew the look on his face, it was the look he always got when he wished that his Guardian Powers could help him help his charge more. She wanted to help him too and even though she also knew it would probably do no good she decided to try anyway. "Come on sweetie, it's going to be a good couple of hours before dinner is ready so why don't we just lay down and rest, hmmm." She shifted a little closer to him, putting her arm around his shoulders and frowning at the tension she found there. "What do you say?" When he shook his head no she pulled him closer to her and was glad when he didn't pull away. Sometimes when he was blind and just woke up from a backlash attack he wouldn't let her get so close right away; it didn't hurt her because she understood and she just waited knowing that all he needed was a little time.

Pee Wee also thought that Cole could use some rest so he marched up onto his lap and sat down next to Snuggles, placing his front paws on Cole's left forearm he raised himself up before speaking. "Cole, they are right and you need to rest. Meditating on the Dreamscape isn't the same as natural REM sleep and that is what you need." He could feel the tension in the arm under his paws and felt guilty believing that it was him that put it there in the first place. He was about to find out how stubborn Cole could be.

"I said I was fine and I don't need to sleep right now and I don't want to sleep right now." Cole was getting upset with everyone telling him to go to sleep. He was too afraid to go to sleep but he wasn't going to tell them that. He knew that Darryl would know because of the link and Julianna could read him like an open book but Piper was here and she was crying. Somehow he felt guilty about that; he didn't know why he felt that way since he had been out until now but he just did and he needed to find out what had happened. The nightmares he was afraid were waiting for him didn't make him want to sleep either. He had no idea that the choice was going to be taken away form him in a few brief seconds and neither did anyone else for that matter.

"Darryl." Pee Wee turned his good eye to Darryl with a pleading look. He noticed that Bearlock was keeping a close eye on Darryl as well but it was Cole that was their main concern at the moment. They could only concentrate on one of the boys at a time right now and Cole needed them more.

Darryl could understand the furry one's concern but he didn't know quite what to do about it. His friend could be very stubborn sometimes and this looked to be one of those times. Instinctively he reached down with the hand that had been resting on Cole's shoulder to pet Pee Wee on the back as his other hand was still full of Bearlock. "I know Pee Wee but you heard him he doesn't want to rest even though he should be resting right now." The minute he stopped speaking a purple glow surrounded the kitten under his hand, a second later he felt a power surge and he saw a flash of something purple come from his friend's unseeing eyes; he never saw the same flash coming out of his own eyes at the same second though.

What he did know was that the tension had left his friend's shoulder, actually had left all of Cole. As he watched, Cole's eyes fell shut and his body slid sideways a little until his dark head came to rest on Julianna's shoulder. Pee Wee quickly jumped off Cole's lap and made his way over to Darryl's lap while Snuggles stayed firmly within Cole's grasp.

"Darryl?" Pee Wee looked up to Darryl, afraid that he had done something to hurt Cole again. He saw Darryl's eyes turn inward before smiling down at him.

Darryl used the Link to check on his friend, what he found making him smile. "It's all right Pee Wee, he's just asleep like he should be."

"How?" Julianna kept her voice down for fear of waking the very tired man in her arms. Before she got an answer though she felt him trying to snuggle up to her, not an easy thing to do in their current position. When she heard him whimper a little because he couldn't get close enough to her she swung her legs up onto the bed and leaned back against the pillows. She smiled as he snuggled his head onto her shoulder, nuzzling her neck as he curled into a small ball next to her with his puppy still firmly grasped within his arms. Gently she kissed the top of his head as he settled down, his breathing quickly becoming the deep and even breathing pattern she knew indicated his descent into REM sleep. As she turned back to Darryl, still needing an answer, she carefully placed her right hand on her love's bare forearm to let him know that she was there, that he wasn't alone. When here eyes met his she smiled, his smile bringing her a measure of calm that only the Guardian could.

"I don't know how Julianna but I'm glad it happened." Darryl's relief was plain to hear to all who knew him. He had relaxed into Anita's arms as he watched his friend cuddle up to his twin, Snuggles still safely tucked away in his arms.

"I think I can explain…… some of it anyway." Uncle D had drawn the attention of everyone in the room. Quickly he decided on what to say now and what not to say now, some things were better left for later after everyone accepted their new roles in the Prophecy. "All right, this is what I believed happened. Pee Wee you were on the Dreamscape with the boys correct."

"Yes." This was one of the things that really bothered Pee Wee about losing his Future Sight, by losing that he had lost a key ability that was supposed to help the boys. He felt guilty and he didn't really know why.

"And you touched both of them while you were there also correct."

"Yes." Pee Wee was beginning to see where this was going but he had no idea how it had actually happened, as far as he knew it wasn't supposed to happen, not like this at any rate.

"You formed a Bond Link with them there and it has carried over to the Waking World. Darryl's Guardian instincts were telling him that Cole needed to rest, to sleep……"

"Screamed is more like it Uncle D." Darryl shivered a little in Anita's arms as he remembered the intensity of that need rise within him. The problem was it had felt so natural and then Darryl smiled as he reminded himself that it was perfectly natural for the Guardian and that was just what he was, Guardian to the first in a new breed of Warrior Archangel. An Archangel that would be the most powerful force the Balance would have pledged to it and it was his duty to help him any way that he could. As he looked to his sleeping friend he found a moment of true peace as he realized that for him it wasn't duty but friendship that tied him to Cole, that demanded that he help him and through the Bond he knew that his friend felt the same way. They were bound together by duty and responsibility but it was their friendship, their love for each other that truly bonded them together and neither he nor Cole would have it any other way. He smiled as that peace wound through him, a peace he somehow knew his friend was also experiencing. Uncle D's voice brought his eyes back to the purple Dragon sitting on the coffee table.

Uncle D briefly smiled at Darryl before continuing, almost as if he knew what Darryl was thinking. "The Bond is defining itself, it is opening itself looking for the rest, that which it will need to complete itself through the others of the Prophecy. The peace that you and Cole are experiencing right now is only the beginning. Soon all of those who are a part of the Prophecy will become part of a Bond." Uncle D snickered at the look on Darryl's face, Darryl wasn't happy and it showed.

"You mean that everyone involved will be linked like……" Darryl's voice trailed off as Uncle D held up a claw.

Uncle D didn't want Darryl upset, it was the very last thing he wanted and the reason for that made itself perfectly clear in the form of a whimper from his nephew. Darryl's agitation was finding it's way through the Bond as Darryl was also exhausted and in need of rest. As he watched the Guardian automatically reached out, offering comfort to his charge. Uncle D looked to his niece, a smile spreading across her face as her eyes stayed focused on her boys and twins.

Anita had moved with Darryl and now they too were laying on the bed, the boys safely tucked between their twins like always. Cole had settled right down when Darryl's hand had brushed his bare shoulder, the offered comfort gratefully accepted. As Darryl slid down a little, making sure that Bearlock was comfortable within the circle of his arms, he felt Anita spoon in behind him. The welcoming presence of his love's body resting behind him and his puppy resting easily in his arms and the calm, even breathing of his charge allowed Darryl to relax and in no time at all he too was fast asleep.

Grams watched as Darryl fell quickly asleep and looked to her Uncle. "Uhm, Uncle D?"

"Y-e-s." The fact that he had dragged the word out to almost five syllables told her the answer but she asked anyway, for clarities sake.

"Did you just do something and you know what I mean so don't even try for the innocent look because it so does not become you." She knew it had to be him since it wasn't her, not that she had the power to do it in the first place as most of her powers were active offensive and active defensive, not passive like her Uncle D's could be. She was a Warrior Dragon First Order, born and bred and that would never change.

Uncle D knew that there was no getting around it, especially with the looks he was getting from the furry brigade as well. He sighed heavenward once before speaking. "Yes it was me. Darryl needs rest and sleep as much as Cole does right now. It is hard on Darryl to have to keep witnessing the memories as they play out on the Dreamscape, most of them being memories that are better left in the dark. The memories sometimes hurt Cole, like now, and Darryl feels angry with himself for not being able to spare his friend this pain. He is the Guardian and he cannot even protect his charge from himself, his own memories and feels that he has let his friend and charge down because of this."

"But Darryl has no more control over the Dreamscape's choice of memories than Cole does when he is in a morphine sleep." Pee Wee said as he curled himself into a rather small ball lying up against Darryl's bare forearm.

"No he doesn't and your point is Pee Wee?" Uncle D fixed his eyes on the fur ball and just waited.

"He has no reason to feel guilty, he had no control." Pee Wee never noticed the smile that found its way onto Grams' face.

"Just as you have no reason to feel guilty about the re-emergence of these particular suppressed memories." His voice was that of and adult speaking to a somewhat dense child and received the appropriate response from said child as the ball of fur proceeded to stick his little kitty tongue out at him. Uncle D merely smirked in response.

"Uncle D."

"Yes Timothy?" He always had a tendency to call individuals by their proper and given names, much to the annoyance of some and amusement of others.

"You are having a conversation with a kitten and the kitten is talking back to you in Elfin. Care to explain this one to me?" Tim had seen and heard many strange things during his two lifetimes and many of them revolved around his Uncle Cole and family.

He was only in his second incarnation and being an Elfin Wizard of the First Ring meant that it was far from his last incarnation, but this incarnation he owed completely to Uncle Cole. If he hadn't rescued him as a baby he would have never have survived and all that he is would have been lost. His knowledge and his powers, which had been passed down to him by his father, as his father did before him and his father before him and his father before him on down the line would have been forever lost. The secrets and knowledge that he guarded were meant for the new Archangel and Guardian and his family had been guarding both for centuries. Neither Uncle Cole nor Darryl knew this as Grams had asked him not to tell them; after only a brief period of time getting to know Darryl and seeing the changes in his Uncle he understood why and agreed most readily that she had been right. Uncle D's voice snapped him out of his head and back to the moment.

"You hear him speaking Elfin?"

"Yes."

"But he's speaking English." Piper wasn't sure why she said anything but was a little surprised by their reactions which were nothing but nice. She had been expecting to get some not so nice looks but it never happened. She was both happy that they were being nice to her but also guilty because she hadn't been nice to Cole and he was their family member.

"Raven, what do you hear Pee Wee speaking." He was beginning to get the idea but he just needed to be sure and her words would confirm or deny his suspicion.

Grams had been startled by the question and it took her a second to stop and think about it. A slightly confused look crossed her face as she answered him. "He's speaking in Rogue Dragonish." Rogue Dragonish being the language of the Warrior class of her people and her first and primary language learned.

"Okay then. Apparently we are hearing him in our own first learned language, which means that our minds are the ones that are the ones translating for us."

"But how come all of us can understand him now?" Piper absently scratched Pandy behind the ears as she spoke.

"I think my dear that is because he is in physical contact with Darryl." Blank looks all around. "Only those who spoke during the naming ceremony could understand him before but now that he has connected to Darryl and Cole I do believe that they are acting as conductors. Pee Wee, shift a little so you aren't touching Darryl anymore and then say something."

Pee Wee did as asked. "All right then, everyone who can understand me now please raise your hands." He watched as Simmons, Cam, the Twins, Grams and Uncle D raised their hands and or claw as the case may be; Piper, Tim, Benjamin, and Prue did not. Pee Wee moved back to his place up against Darryl's arm before continuing. "Well I do believe that that answers at least some of our questions. But then where does that take us is the next question." He looked to Uncle D for an answer.

"I'd like to hear the answer to that one as well Uncle D." Pandy said from the kitchen table.

"I think all of us would right about now so how about it Uncle D." Cam's words brought a surprised look to Pandy's furry little face.

"You understand me too? Okay Pee Wee what's going on here? Why can they all understand me all of a sudden? I take it all of you can now understand me as well?" Everyone nodded and Pandy turned to look at Pee Wee again.

"If you are linked to Pee Wee then it would not be too far off to say that if he is in contact with either of the boys then you will all be understood by us. Exactly how far this goes I'm not sure but we should investigate it further tomorrow, after the boys get a good night sleep. The Twins as well." Uncle D could tell that the Twins were beginning to drift off as well. He couldn't blame them, neither one got any sleep last night as their worry for their boys had kept them up all night.

A silence descended on the room as each person contemplated what this new turn of events might mean. Tim was reluctant to break the mood but he had been brought here for a reason. He had planned on coming for dinner like he always did the night after Grams released his Uncle Cole from the hospital; he smiled as he thought of what hospital administration would say if they ever found out his Uncle and Darryl had even been in the hospital last night to begin with. Shaking himself he started towards the bed. "Well I think it's time I checked these little furry guys out don't you?"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Pee Wee sing-songed to him as he approached.

"And why is that my little furry friend? Hmmm." He bent down towards Bearlock but soon found himself sitting on his ass on the floor. Pee Wee voice ringing in his ears.

"I told you so."

"Pee Wee, that wasn't very nice. The least you could have done was warn the poor man." Pandy reprimanded the smiling kitty. "I'm sorry Tim, we should have warned you. It's a defense mechanism if you will and it's designed to keep themselves and the boys safe, after all they are the boys new Watch-Dogs." Everyone could hear the capitol letters of the Watch-Dog and knew that Bearlock and Snuggles were in no way your average watch dog. "They simply don't have a point of reference for you yet but once they do then that won't happen. Well, it won't happen as long as you don't try and take them from the boys that is; any attempt to remove them from their charges and…… well I think you understand what the response will be." Pandy smiled a little as she watched Tim pick himself up from off the floor.

"I think I'll just wait for Uncle Cole and Darryl to wake up to check out their furry friends. In the meantime how about I check you out little one. First off though what is your name." Tim walked over to Piper and Pandy only to find Piper pull Pandy into her lap and hold her tight. "Mrs. Wyatt I am not a danger to you or your little friend here. Grams simply wants me to make sure that they are all alright and then help Simmons get food for everyone. I mean you no harm I promise." He tried to make himself look harmless which was something he was very good at. However, this time it took his Grams vouching for him before Piper would let him close to her furry friend.

"It's okay Piper. That's why I had Simmons and Cam get Tim in the first place, that and he always has dinner with us when my little one gets out of hospital. He's safe." Grams wasn't sure weather or not Piper would believe her but she was glad when she saw the Charmed One relent.

"Her name is Pandora or Pandy for short." Piper placed Pandy back on the table but still refused to move from her side.

"It's all right Piper, I'll be fine so why don't you finish making dinner because the boys and the Twins will be very hungry when they wake up." Piper still didn't move. "Go on I said, I'll be fine beside it's not like you are going far anyway." Pandy smiled as Piper kissed her on her head before moving off to finish the dinner that she had promised Cole at the hospital.

Tim spent some time checking out Pandy, as he wanted to be absolutely sure that everything was all right with her. When he finished and moved on to Pee Wee though he had to have Uncle D translate for him since Pee Wee was no longer touching Darryl or Cole. Pee Wee's check up took a little longer, but in the end he too get a clean bill of health. When Tim had asked him about his eye, Pee Wee had jumped down and went back over to curl up next to Darryl.

Pee Wee felt that they should all know what happened so that they would better understand and he wanted to do it before the boys woke up. He looked to each face before beginning and he tried very hard to keep it very neutral so as not to upset anyone unduly; he simply never realized the impact his words might have on Cole's family. The first to speak when he finished was Benjamin and his words startled him.

"I am so sorry Pee Wee, so very sorry." Benjamin had to fight the tears that threatened to fall as he looked to the kitty who had been so very hurt by Letore, a demoness he had once called wife. Yet again one stood before him who had been terrorized by her and he felt guilty.

Pee Wee of course took exception to this statement. "I can see the self flagellation runs in the Turner family line." He sighed heavenward once before clearing up the matter. "Benjamin you have nothing to be sorry for. You did nothing wrong, all you did was fall in love and that is never wrong. As for what happened to me well, yes it happened and yes it hurt but you didn't take my eye, you didn't use the dagger, and you didn't create the damned thing in the first place. All of this belongs solely on Letore's shoulders, not yours."

"But if I hadn't let myself be fooled so easily…… "

"Then I wouldn't be here and neither would Cole. Are you saying that he was a mistake?" That got the reaction he was looking for, anger.

"Of course not, I would never think…… of course he isn't, he is my son and I love him more than life itself."

"And if you hadn't met and fallen in love with Letore then he wouldn't exist. Is that what you want?" Pee Wee knew that what he was saying wasn't nice but drastic times call for drastic measures and he was fast running out of time before the boys woke up.

Benjamin opened his mouth to say something but no sound came out, the fur ball had made his point painfully clear. "No that's not something I would ever even think. I love my son, always have and always will but you are right, he wouldn't be here if I hadn't fallen in love with Letore. I guess I actually have something to thank her for." Benjamin said after thinking about Pee Wee's words for a moment, a small smile forming on his lips.

Movement from the bed brought everyone's attention to the beds occupants. Cole and Darryl were the first to move but as soon as they did the Twins purple eyes snapped open. As each looked down to their now moving love they smiled. Each twin gently raised their lover's face, claiming their lover's lips with their own.

"Mmmmm…… now that." Cole said as he reclaimed his love's lips.

"Is the best." Darryl picked up for him before doing the same.

"Way to wake."

"Up."

For a moment the two couples completely forgot about everything else as they simply enjoyed the feel of each other. However, when the two other occupants of the bed began to feel a little squished they decided to make their presence known and soon the two couples found their faces being thoroughly washed.

"Hey there little fella. Did we have a good nap too?" Julianna scratched Snuggles behind the ears with one hand while doing the same to Cole with the other and the result was highly amusing. Snuggles barked his approval while Cole purred, both responses bringing a smile to her face as she kissed the dark head that was still resting on her shoulder.

"And how about you?" Anita asked of their furry little companion as she scratched him behind the ears. Bearlock barked as well causing Darryl to laugh.

"I think that was a definite yes my love." Darryl chuckled and as he looked over to the beds other pair he felt a calmness coming from his friend that hadn't been there before. At least he's more relaxed now. I just hope he stays that way or I'll never get him to sleep tonight Darryl thought to himself. He still wasn't sure what had happened to make Cole go to sleep like he had and in all honesty it made him a little nervous. The very idea of having that kind of power, of that kind of control over his friend worried him. It wasn't that he would consciously misuse it, of that he was positive but still, he had used some form of power to make Cole go to sleep when Cole had already said that he didn't want to. He had overstepped his bounds and he knew it, he just hoped that he hadn't done something to change things between himself and his friend. Cole's voice suddenly cut through his thoughts.

"You didn't do anything wrong you know, you only did what you always do and that is help me and protect me. You were right, I was tired and snappy."

"And grumpy." Snuggles added with a smile in his voice.

"Yes and grumpy. I needed some sleep but I was too afraid of what might be waiting for me to even try. Thank you my friend." Cole had felt his friend's insecurities through the Bond and didn't like it. Darryl had no reason to feel guilty or afraid and he intended to make him see that. He spoke what he felt and let their audience be damned. He and Darryl helped each other in so many ways and he refused to let his friend think for one moment that anything had changed between them, no matter what.

He felt Darryl's emotions as his friend fought to let it go. Instinctively he reached out his hand, finding Darryl's shoulder with no trouble even without his sight and giving it a gentle squeeze. He let his emotions do his talking this time and smiled when he felt the muscles beneath his hand relax. Darryl had felt his emotions and accepted them and by doing so let go of his own fear.

"You're welcome my friend." Darryl smiled as he knew without a doubt that nothing had changed, that Cole didn't fear him or this new power what ever it may be. As he relaxed he took notice of the new arrivals and, out of habit relayed those to his charge via the Bond. They weren't able to actually speak mind to mind yet through the Bond but they had figured out that by concentrating on something the other would get the information.

As Darryl made Cole aware of Benjamin, Prue, and Tim's presence he automatically scanned the room, placing everyone. When his eyes fell on Grams he decided to make both hers and Cole's night.

"Hey Grams can you grab our T-Shirts from the cupboard please?" They always kept extra clothes in strategic locations through out the Manor and Grams just happened to be leaning on one of them at the moment. He felt Cole's happiness and he saw Grams smile. When she looked him in the eye he could see a thank you there. He hadn't realized it until this very moment but she had in fact adopted him when they first met and now, in front of their family, he has taken the final step and adopted her in return. He doesn't feel bad about taking so long because he knows that she understood, that he had to be sure that he was ready and that Cole was ready to share her with him. Now though the time was right and he knew it and with that knowledge came a sense of peace, a sense that his family was now complete and he smiled.

"Why don't you four go and get washed up for dinner while Tim checks out Snuggles and Bearlock." Grams could see the two boys hold their puppies just a little tighter as they sat up on the bed. This isn't going to be easy she thought to herself. They are still in the bonding phase and, like Piper, don't want to part with them. Before she could even begin to voice an argument Tim saved her.

"Grams, why don't we eat first, then I'll check the little guys out. After all we don't want the dinner to get cold now do we?" Tim had seen the way his Uncle and Darryl reacted and he knew that taking the furry ones away from them right now would only further upset his Uncle as well as Darryl. He couldn't help but smile a little as he watched them relax a little. As he looked to Grams he returned her 'thank you' look with a 'you're welcome' look of his own.

"All right then let's eat but first hands over your head." Julianna had caught the t-shirts that Grams had tossed over for the boys, handing the Scooby-Doo one to her twin for Darryl, she kept the Eeyore one for Cole. She knew that he could put the t-shirt on himself but she liked doing these little things for him, thankfully he enjoyed letting her as he obediently raised his arms over his head, after making sure that Snuggles wouldn't fall off of his lap that is.

"This is right side out and facing the right way right?" Cole smiled as he raised his hands over his head. Just as his head popped out of the t-shirt he heard a put upon sigh and his smile widened.

"I'm never going to hear the end of that one am I?" The smile on her face belied the exasperated tone that she used.

"Not any more than I'm going to hear the end of the boxer mishap." Darryl said as his head popped out of the top of his own t-shirt that Anita was putting on him. He, like his friend, had no qualms about indulging Anita the same way his friend indulged Julianna.

Julianna looked at the smiling face of her lover and saw the mischievous little boy he once was, the boy he didn't even get to remember being. Quickly she bent down and kissed him on the nose before her sadness could get a true hold on her. If he could survive it then so could she, after all it's not like she had all of her memories either.

Piper watched as Julianna placed the t-shirt over Cole's head and arms, arms that he simply raised up for her and found that she had to consciously pull her eyes away from the scene. Her mind was struggling with what she was seeing now when it compared it what she knew of Cole. What you thought you knew about him, but then what did you really know about him before. Did you even ask him anything about himself, did you even care. No! her mind screamed at her and she had no choice but to accept what it was saying as truth. She looked back over to Cole, taking a moment to simply watch him and she was startled yet again by what she saw.

As long as she had known Cole he had always been guarded, even somewhat aloof and he always tended to stay in the background never really speaking up except to answer questions or make a smart remark. The more she watched him now, here with his family, the more she realized that she never really knew him at all. She suddenly realized that all she had ever seen was a façade, a carefully constructed mask that he wore for them. But why? She asked herself. She jumped a little when she heard Uncle D's voice coming from right next to her, she hadn't seen him move from the coffee table.

"Seeing something for the first time are you?" Uncle D knew that his nephew had never truly opened up to the Halliwell family and he knew why, he just wasn't sure that Piper was ready to hear the answer. As he continued to watch her watch Cole he knew that he was going to have to tell her soon, if not right now. When he heard his nephew laugh he decided to wait till later, till after Cole had gone to sleep as his heightened hearing would pick up anything they said right now and Uncle D didn't want to upset Cole anymore than he had to right now. "I know you have questions Piper and I will gladly answer them but not here and not now." He met Piper's eyes before looking back to the boys, when he looked back to Piper he knew that she understood.

Piper needed answers but she could wait, she didn't know why but just hearing Cole laugh made her smile. Taking a deep breath to steady herself she called out, "Dinner is served." As she finished putting the plates on the table she waited not sure where she was expected to sit.

"Why don't you sit here Piper." Uncle D pulled a chair out for her and she quickly moved to take the offered spot. Normally she would have waited till everyone was served but she didn't know how they did things so she simply sat and watched.

Raven took the seat at the head of the round table with Tim on her right hand side and Cam on her left; Simmons sat next to Cam with Uncle D next to him and then Piper and Prue. Benjamin sat opposite his Mother with Julianna to his left, then Cole, then Darryl, then Anita who was next to Tim. Piper found herself actually sitting opposite from Cole and she found herself simply watching him. At first she didn't understand what Darryl was doing. He had taken a plate, filled it with chicken, potatoes, and corn and then proceeded to cut the chicken into bite size pieces before putting butter on the potatoes and salt and pepper on the corn; he kept the plate's contents neat and separate. While he did this Julianna began to fill four glasses with milk and Anita filled four glasses with juice, which they then placed at each of their place settings in precise locations. Piper was about to question what they were doing but Uncle D placed his claw on her arm, stopping her. Instead she simply continued to watch.

"Okay partner, chicken at 6, potatoes at 2 and corn at 10." Darryl set the plate down in front of his friend as he spoke. He then picked up two napkins. "This goes here," he said tucking the corner of one napkin in the neck of Cole's t-shirt, "and the other goes here." He said as he laid the other napkin over the back of Snuggles who was now sitting happily in Cole's lap.

"I resent the implication." Cole said as he reached for the napkin laying down the front of him, the put upon look on his face spoiled by the little smile in his lips.

"And don't even think about it." Darryl slapped Cole's hands away form the napkin. "I refuse to have you add anymore to my laundry day than necessary."

"Oh this from a man that doesn't own a tie without stains on it no matter how hard I have tried to get them out."

Grams knew where this was going and headed the boys off at the path. "Boys." One word and instant silence as the boys in question turned their heads in her direction. "Don't even think about it." She knew those looks and she knew what they meant and she was not going to have a food fight at the table tonight. The innocent looks they slipped on only served to make the table in general giggle. "Like anyone sitting here would believe those faces." The table resounded with laughter as Grams rolled her eyes and shook her head at the two very tall children that were still trying for innocent and failing miserably.

"Milk here and juice here." Julianna said as the laughter died down. She had taken her love's hands and placed them on each glass so that he would know where they were relative to his position. She then removed the knife from the place setting and moved the fork to the opposite side from the spoon. "Fork here, spoon here." She once again placed his hands on the items as she named them. Once she was sure that he had everything he needed she then got herself a plate, as did Darryl and Anita.

Piper found herself staring and made the conscious effort not too, she didn't want to make Cole any more uncomfortable around her than he already was. Her eyes did come up though as she heard her name as they tried to include her in the conversations going on around the table.

The family knew that Cole would want them to be nice to Piper and they did try but some of them were finding it a little difficult. They knew that out of the three girls that Piper had actually been the nicest to Cole during his time with the Charmed Ones, Prue not withstanding. She had tried to accept Cole for who he was but in the end she too lost sight of the person that was Cole, the person who could be hurt by both word and deed; in the end she too had hurt him and those wounds had yet to heal.

Julianna was the one that was having the hardest time for she was the one that soothed her love's soft whimperings in the middle of the night, whimpers that were accompanied by tears which she carefully, lovingly dried. As she held him close, the memories of his time trapped and tortured by the Source vied for a place alongside the memories of the place they had sent him, had left him…… abandoned and all alone. The Charmed Ones never knew what had happened to her love in the Wasteland, they never bothered to find out what would happen to a soul left there; how it was unrelentingly hunted, how it was emotionally and physically tormented every moment of it's existence there. No, they never knew because they never sought the truth about anything and that was by far their greatest sin. However, for her love she would try and be nice, try and see the good person that he had once known named Piper and maybe, just maybe she would find her and like her as she liked Prue.

During the next half-hour the family kept the talk light, all of them painfully aware of the tension at the table and each hoping that it didn't escalate for everyone's benefit.

"Mmmm Piper, your chicken surprise. As delicious as the last time I had it." Cole said as he carefully pierced the last piece of chicken with his fork; of all of the things he hated about being blind, trying to eat was the thing he hated the most. He always felt clumsy and awkward and the only thing that saved him from being embarrassed was that none of the family cooked anything that was hard for him to eat with anything other than his hands. Piper hadn't known that of course but he didn't want her to feel bad either, so he did his best to enjoy it. Her question though caught him off guard and he answered before thinking.

"When did you have my chicken surprise?" Piper couldn't remember Cole ever having this particular dish, which is one of the reasons she chose it.

"I was too worn out after my escape from the Wasteland to do much of anything so I raided the fridge at the Manor for food. I was just so hungry that the risk didn't matter to me at that point so I grabbed whatever I could carry and flashed to my Mausoleum to eat. I ate the chicken first because it was the easiest thing to get to. Darryl?" Cole automatically looked to his friend when he found he couldn't remember what happened next, he only had vague images but he knew that Darryl would know exactly what happened after all he was his Guardian.

Darryl felt Piper's eyes move to him, the question in them one he wasn't going to answer right now. Instead he answered Cole's question as honestly as he could. "You ate the whole chicken and then you passed out from exhaustion. The rest of the food was spoiled by the time you woke up."

"Spoiled?" Piper didn't know why she asked the question but something just didn't sound right, the food shouldn't have spoiled that quickly her mind was telling her. Darryl's answer made her hold Pandy, who had made home on her lap just like the boys puppies had on their laps, just a little tighter as her guilt began to rise once more.

"Yes Piper, the rest of the food was spoiled. He slept for four days and four nights straight." Darryl felt Cole shiver a little next to him and, out of habit he opened the link a little more in hopes of calming his charge.

"I wouldn't exactly call moving from one nightmare to another actually sleeping." Cam's voice was tight as she fought to control her own rage. When she saw Piper turn to look at her she decided on telling the whole truth in hopes of making The Charmed One feel bad. "I stayed with him those four days and four nights to watch over him and protect him. Uncle D and Grams found him first but they were afraid to move him right away so they called me and I stood watch till he woke up then I brought him to Grams." She could see the question in the girl's eyes and answered her again. "Uncle Cole had been hurt badly by the Devourers and had lost a lot of blood, it was too dangerous to move him then so we had to wait till he was stronger, till he woke up on his own." Cam couldn't say it but when she shifted her eyes to Julianna's she could see the same look staring back at her…… if he woke up…… the thought was there but neither woman could voice it.

The sudden sound of glass breaking brought everyone's attention to Cole, well everyone except Darryl and Julianna as they were already in their feet with Darryl grabbing Cole's now bloody hand and Julianna grabbing the napkin off the back of Snuggles to wrap around it. Bearlock had jumped onto the table when he felt Darryl begin to move and as no one seemed to mind him being there he simply stayed needing to be as close to Darryl and Cole as he could get.

"Sorry." Cole's head fell forward as he cast his eyes down while simply letting Darryl and Julianna take care of his hand. If he had been able to see he would have recognized the looks he was now getting but in his world of darkness he remained oblivious.

Darryl and Julianna quickly looked to each other when they heard Cole apologize, the pain clear to see in both pairs of eyes. Cole had just reacted as he would have almost a year ago and it hurt them to hear it. It had taken Darryl longer than he would care to think about to break his friend of that most annoying habit of apologizing for everything, even things that he had no control over and nothing to do with in the first place. It had been the first ground rule Darryl had made when Cole had first moved into his apartment with him yet even though Cole had readily accepted the rule it had still taken weeks to actually break him of the habit. The fact that one of the Charmed Ones was so close at hand was not lost on any of them, save Cole himself. Darryl had checked using the link discreetly and found that his charge hadn't even realized what he had done and this only served to anger him even more; the very presence of even one of the girls had his friend retreating back into himself without Cole even realizing what he was doing.

A sudden heat flaring from his hand brought Darryl's attention back to the moment. As he looked to his hand all of his sudden anger fled, a smile coming to his lips instead as he watched his power heal his charge's damaged hand. He quickly looked to Julianna and found a small smile forming on her lips as well, but he could still see the anger just behind her joy and he found himself having to clamp down once again on his own emotions, afraid of what Cole might do if he felt that anger. It had been a long time since he had to watch himself like this and he couldn't help but blame Piper and her sisters for it. Once again he was saved from himself when Grams spoke up from the head of the table, her words telling him that she also recognized the change in Cole and wasn't liking it.

"Okay everyone, it has been a long day for everyone and I think it would be best if we all got some much needed Zzz's. Tim, why don't you go with the boys and check out Snuggles and Bearlock while they get ready for bed. You can use the north wing guest room like always." She said, smiling to their old family friend.

Cole had had a tremendous influence on Tim's life though he wasn't even aware of it. It was because of his Uncle Cole that he even thought about becoming a doctor and it was because of his wanting to make his Uncle Cole proud of him that he pushed himself, graduating at the top of his class. When his Uncle Cole had attended his graduation he was so happy and proud, the day that the two of them had spent together was one that Tim still spoke to her about to this very day. She knew Tim wouldn't be leaving and so offered him the use of his regular room. The smile that met her gaze told her that he was grateful as she smiled back at him.

"Excellent idea since I haven't had the chance to check these last two little guys out yet. Not that I think there is anything wrong with either of them but it's always best to have a clean bill of health as the first item in a patients new file." Tim quickly added when he saw a look of worry start to make it's way across his Uncle's face. He was very glad when Darryl took over for him.

"You heard Grams so let's go there my friend." Darryl picked up Bearlock from the table as he helped steady Cole who swayed a little as he stood up, Snuggles safely tucked away in his left arm. He wasn't overly worried as that tended to happen a lot when his charge couldn't see; his balance being off set because of the temporary blindness and the swelling that always accompanied the bullets sharp shifting movements. Normal movement of the bullet resulted in pain only, excruciating pain but that was all; however when the bullet moved with sufficient power it created swelling which caused the temporary blindness as well as a loss of equilibrium. And it seemed that Snuggles was upsetting his charge's balance a little as well, not that he minded since he always made sure that he was close by during these times. He didn't have to look behind them to see their twins hot on their heels. What he didn't see was Pee Wee trotting along bringing up the rear.

Julianna looked to her sister as they walked behind their boys, the tears in her eyes were plain to see. Although she didn't dare say a word her sister still put her arm around her shoulders offering support. Anita knew how hard it was for her twin to see her love like this, it was hard on her as well. She loved Cole like a brother and it hurt her to see him in so much pain. As she looked her to her own love, who was walking ahead of her, she could see the tension in his back and she knew that it was because of the Charmed Ones. Only one of them was here and already they were having a very bad effect on Cole; he was retreating back into himself and none of them liked that at all. As she looked to Cole she could practically feel the tension pouring off of him and that was bad enough but the fear that accompanied that tension was almost unbearable. She could only hope that Darryl would be able to keep Cole from further retreating into himself. As she looked to her sister she knew that she was thinking the same thing.

Darryl brought Cole through their room to their regular bathroom as the Twins grabbed their jammies. Carefully he put Bearlock down on the end of his bed, making sure he wasn't going to fall off before turning to take Snuggles to place him on the bed as well. The look on his friends face was almost painful to look at, that lost look. He had worked so hard in making that very look leave his friend and all it had taken was seeing the Charmed Ones again to bring it right back. Knowing he had to be careful he gently reached over and tried to take Snuggles so he could put him on the bed for Tim to check out. Thankfully Snuggles helped him out.

"Cole, you need to put me down so that you can get ready for bed. I'm not going anywhere and I won't be far. I will stay right on the bed with Bearlock so that Tim can check us out. I know everyone will feel better after we get our clean bills of health and you need to get ready for bed. I promise I won't go anywhere but the bed." Snuggles didn't want to get down but he knew that he had to for them to get ready for bed. At first he didn't think Cole had heard him but then he slowly relaxed his grip so that Darryl could take him. As soon as he was on the bed he and Bearlock cuddled up together, both of them nervous and on edge from the feelings they were experiencing from their charges. He suddenly realized that Tim wouldn't be able to understand them but before he could work himself up Pee Wee came into the room with Uncle D right behind him. He and Bearlock looked at each other and relaxed somewhat. Now Uncle D could translate for them and they wouldn't have to bother the boys.

As the boys got ready and the puppies got their exam Grams was helping to clean the table off with the others. Piper was sitting in her chair just holding Pandy close. She turned to look at Piper but decided against approaching her right now. Instead the others took care of the clean up while Prue made up the other bed in her room for her sister. Grams could only hope that her little didn't retreat to far into himself this time and that Darryl would be able to reach him if he did. As she thought about the unique relationship between the boys and their Twins she calmed herself somewhat, if anyone could help her grandson it was Darryl and their Twins. Of course now they also had their furry Watch-Dogs as well. Yes, my little one will be fine, he just needs a little time to adjust she thought to herself and no more interference from the rest of the Charmed Ones. I don't think he could handle anymore of them right now. She turned her eyes to her son and knew that he was thinking the same thing.

"Simmons, why don't you get ready for bed as well, and that goes for you too Cam." She knew that neither of them was thrilled with the idea of a Charmed One being so close to the boys but they were going to have to live with it, besides it wasn't like she and Uncle D hadn't taken Piper's close proximity into account. Already they had spells in place that would protect the boys and the Twins and now that they had their furry Watch-Dogs, who also packed a punch apparently, she felt fairly secure. Of course that didn't mean that she was going to be sleeping much tonight but hey, it's not like she needed a lot of sleep anyway.

Back in the boys bathroom Darryl had gotten Cole's toothbrush ready for him quickly wanting to get his friend to bed as soon as possible. Cole was tired and scared, not a good combination for his friend. Even though he was keeping a very close eye on Cole, both visually and through the link, he wasn't aware that there was still a small place inside Cole's mind that he couldn't see, couldn't reach. He knew that he had a place that he could hide things from Cole but he never realized that Cole could do the same thing. Of course Cole never realized that Darryl had a hiding place of his own either but that was about to change as the link advanced once again.

Cole was hiding from his friend in his hidden place; he didn't like hiding from Darryl but he needed a few moments alone to reflect on what had just happened. He replayed what had happened in his mind and realized that he had broken the first ground rule; he had apologized for something that he had had no control over. When the muscle in his arm had spasmed and the glass broke he had reacted like he would have a year ago. The very fact that he could see this made him feel a little better but he was suddenly afraid that he might have hurt Darryl by reacting the way he had. As he brushed his teeth he tried to think of a way to explain what had happened to his friend but he couldn't think of a way that wouldn't hurt Darryl in the end. Suddenly he felt Darryl's hand on his shoulder and he froze.

Darryl had seen the turmoil behind his friend's unseeing eyes and he instinctively sought to offer comfort. As he placed his hand on his charge's shoulder he felt the muscles under his hand freeze and himself as well. Abruptly he felt the link flare up on its own and Cole's hiding place was found as was his own. Both boys simply waited for the link to calm down before doing anything. When it had it was Cole who spoke first.

"Do you think it's trying to tell us something? Like the fact that we are both pathetic maybe?" Cole had a smile on his face as he said it and even without his sight he knew Darryl had an answering smile on his face.

"Yeah I think you are right." Darryl chuckled a little as he simply took comfort in the fact that his friend hadn't run away from him, even figuratively. The very thought had scared him more than he cared to admit even to himself.

"Is it okay for me to say it?" Cole felt a deep need to say it and not about what had happened with his hand.

Darryl was silent for a moment, as if in deep thought before he chuckled once again. "Yes it's okay for you to say it."

"Sorry." Cole didn't know why exactly but he felt better after saying it. He was sorry, sorry for hiding himself away from his best friend, the man he had come to think of as the brother he never had. Darryl's next words though made him understand just a little bit more.

"I'm sorry too." Darryl knew what his friend was apologizing for and he knew that his friend deserved an apology from him as well. He too had kept a secret from a man he had come to think of as his brother and now that it was out he too felt the need to apologize.

As the two men looked at each other through the Bond they felt their emotions bouncing back and forth between them with two words whispered over and over… family… brothers. The words echoed around their minds until they finally disappeared.

"What was that?" Darryl's voice held no fear only curiosity as a sense as peace settled over him, one that he had never known before.

"I'm not sure but we should ask Grams about it tomorrow." Cole felt secure in the feelings he was experiencing but he still needed his Grams' reassurance that no one was going to take these new feelings away from him. He knew Darryl wouldn't do that but that didn't mean that someone else couldn't take them from him and the very thought of that was more than he could handle at the moment so he forcefully pushed the icy fear away and concentrated on the good feelings. Feeling a lot calmer he finished brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed with Darryl's help.

Darryl watched as Cole finished brushing his teeth and he couldn't help but smile as he felt his charge push away his fear and hold onto the good feelings that were still flowing between them. He had been worried when Cole had reacted as he had, he had felt that he had failed his friend somehow but now he knew that he hadn't. He knew that his friend felt the same way about him that he had felt about his friend. Brothers. Yes the word and the feelings suited them no matter what anyone else might say about it. As he continued to get himself and Cole ready for bed he continued to let the good feelings lift his own spirits just as they were his charges. The Charmed Ones may be back in their lives but they weren't going to ruin their lives, not this time he was going to make sure of that.

"Cuddlies sound very nice right about now and don't look at me like that. That was not eavesdropping as you practically shouted that image out." Cole's lips easily fell into the lopsided grin that Julianna always found so endearing and his Guardian always rolled his eyes at.

Darryl couldn't help himself he just started laughing. Yes if his charge could laugh then everything would be all right. He knew that there was still some tension in their future as well as some tears but in the end they would all be all right. "Well we have some serious cuddlies waiting for us so let's go and get them shall we?" Darryl took Cole by the elbow and carefully maneuvered them back out into their regular bedroom. He made sure that he kept clear of the large windows that were on either side of the room, the large windows being the main reasons why they were going to be staying in the living room as Darryl was taking no chances with Slater on the lose.

They had barely made it four steps when their furry little friends made the leap from the bed and landed right in their arms. Tim noted the connection that his Uncle and Darryl already had with their new little companions as even without his sight his Uncle had caught Snuggles mid leap. He excused himself as the furry ones happily made themselves comfortable in the men's arms.

"Well what we have here are two very healthy and very happy little furry ones and now I bid you all a good night. I am going to my room to fill out everyone's files, which of course will stay here, and then I am going to hit the hay. Oh one thing." Tim stopped with his hand on the door, "I take it none of you are siblings are you?"

"No." The question was aimed at the little guys but it was Uncle D who answered for them.

"How about ages?" Tim wanted to make sure that his files were as complete as possible in case anything happened to any of them.

"Uhm…… you don't want to know. Let's just say 9 months each and that includes Pandy and Pee Wee." Uncle D looked to the puppies to make sure that they agreed, which they did.

"All right then 9 months each and with that goodnight." Tim didn't argue because he quickly decided that he really didn't want to know the answer. He left for his own room to a hail of goodnights, his file folders safely tucked away under his arm.

"Okay then ladies, if we are all ready I think it's time to hit the hay." Darryl looked to their Twins as they both spoke at once.

"Ready." The girls each took an arm and quickly lead their men back into the living room. Uncle D, with Pee Wee riding on his back brought up the rear.

"Oh Uncle D before you head to bed we need you to do something for us. Darryl do you have the scumbags address?" Cole never forgot about his promise to the furry ones and he intended to see it through; from the sound of his friend's voice Darryl hadn't forgotten either.

"Don't worry I already know about what happened. All I need is his address and we are off." Uncle D knew what he intended to do already and he was just itching to get to it. When he noticed the questioning looks he was getting he explained what he meant. "I am going to take the furry ones with me since they haven't been out since they got here…… if you know what I mean. And don't worry about them. I promise on my Blood that I shall not let anything happen to any of them." He waited for the boys and Piper to cuddle their little friends one more time before setting them down on his back.

"You promise that you won't let anything happen to them?" Piper wasn't thrilled and it showed. It was Cole though who answered her.

"Don't worry Piper. When Uncle D makes a Blood promise you can be sure that he will honor it." Cole wasn't thrilled with having to be separated from Snuggles and he could tell that Darryl wasn't thrilled with his own separation from Bearlock but they both knew that Uncle D would never let anything happen to them and that he would protect them with his very life for that was what a Blood promise was.

Piper looked at Cole and Darryl, she watched them as they carefully placed their companions on Uncle D's back and then stepped back, right into the arms of their fiancés. You said that you wanted a chance to show Cole that you had changed, that you trusted him…… well here is your chance. With this thought ringing through her head she moved forward and gently rested Pandy on Uncle D's scaly back. Well, that was your first step but it is going to be a long road if you want him to trust you.  Piper had no intentions of giving up though, no matter how painful for her it got.

"All right then boys and girls we are off and I promise no to be too long either." Uncle D made sure that everyone was secure on his back before disappearing in what looked like a cross between a shimmer and a fade. Grams was the first to move.

"Okay then, Tim is already in bed I take it." She turned to the boys and saw them shake their heads yes. "Good then. Piper, Prue has made up the extra bed in her room for you and since Benjamin, Cam, and Simmons are already in their rooms it is time for lights out." Grams had been moving as she spoke and stopped when she was directly behind her grandson. "Just one more thing though." She looked to Darryl as she spoke and Darryl quickly grabbed both of Cole's hands and held them tightly against his bare chest. Before her grandson had a chance to react she had pulled his boxers down, baring his hip, and quickly jabbed him with the needle she had prepared earlier.

There was a brief glow from Cole's hands as his power flared up from the shock and pain of the injection, a glow of power that Darryl easily absorbed.

"You know Grams, one of these days you are going to have to take a class in the proper way to give a shot because all I can say is OW!!" Cole complained as he rubbed the offended part of his anatomy with his one free hand while his other hand stayed in Darryl's grasp like always. He had barely finished speaking when his world, though dark, began to spin a little on him as the anti-inflammatory drug/potion that his Grams had just shot him with started to take effect. He felt Darryl quickly put his arm over his shoulder as his legs began to give out while Julianna held onto him from the right side. Between the two of them they got him safely onto the bed, his world settling down as soon as he stopped moving. The effect didn't last long but without his sight he had no way of staying on his feet without falling flat on his face. He vaguely heard his Grams explain to Piper what was happening, but most of his concentration was fixed on riding out the dizziness without being sick. He felt the bed shift a little as Julianna sat down and immediately began to rub his tummy. "Hmmm. Thank you." He said half grinning up at her. When ever he felt sick having his tummy rubbed always made him feel better.

"You are more than welcome my love." Julianna bent over and gently kissed her love on the tip of his nose causing it to scrunch up in the cutest way. As she lay down next to him she saw Piper leave and head for Prue's room. Once she was out of sight Julianna relaxed a little bit more. She didn't like having a Charmed One so close to the family, especially her Cole but she also knew that if the boys didn't heal some of their wounds left by the fabled three witches before their ascension then they never would. For the boys she would control herself and be nice, and maybe just maybe she might just come to like this sister like she likes Prue.

Darryl and Anita joined Cole and Julianna on their bed as soon as Piper left. Quickly they settled down so Grams could turn off the light and get some rest herself. "Goodnight Grams." All four called out together.

Grams looked back once more at the kids on the bed and smiled, to her they were kids but they were strong and brave and willing to meet their collective destiny together. She knew that they would survive, that they would make it and she felt great comfort in this but also great sadness. They knew about their destiny but they have yet to look too far ahead and for that she is grateful. Their last days before the ascension should be filled with nothing but happiness and as hard as it was for her to see the boys in pain she also knew that the only way to truly heal that pain was to face it and face it they shall. Piper's presence shows that they have already started to heal, she just hoped that they had the chance to truly put the past behind them before they met their destiny.

Oh well, no point in obsessing over it now is there. Nope. You need rest just as they do if you are going to help them tomorrow. She thought to herself as she turned out the main lights, leaving on some lamps on their lowest settings; her grandson didn't like the dark but it was by force of habit that she left them on.

"Goodnight children." The response was automatic and was meant with love and affection, which was precisely the way the beds occupants took it.

Okay then…… another chapter comes to a close. There is much more to come of course but please review g. Like I said Muse just thrives on your kind wordsg.