***I've been trying to make sure that everything I quote gets properly
cited... disclaimer: I don't own any of the song lyrics below. Have a good
day!! ~abs
"Who's up for a night on the town?" Paige offered as she picked up the dessert plates for Piper. "Nelly Furtado is playing down at P3, and I am personally bartending."
"No drinks for you, two. You've both already had one hangover each this week. No need to make it, two," Phoebe jokingly instructed Chris and Chloe who cut side ways glances at one another.
The Halliwell family orbed, shimmered, or drove to P3 to join in the festivities. The club was packed and the music had started when they all arrived. After dropping their personal effects off in Piper's office, Phoebe took Chloe's hand as they danced out onto the floor as Nelly sang,
"...Cause this life is too short to live it just for you. But
when you feel so powerless, what are you gonna do? So say what you
want. Say what you want.
I saw her face outside today, weatherworn looking all the rage.
They took her passion and her gaze and made a poster. Now its
moccasins we sport, we take the culture and contort perhaps only to
distort what we are hiding. Cause this life is too short to live it
just for you. But when you feel so powerless, what are you gonna do?
But say what you want. Say what you want.
Hey you, the the one outside, are you gonna get in, get in?
Hey you, the one that don't fit in, how ya, how ya gonna get in?
Hey you, the one outside, are you ever gonna get in with your
broken teeth, broken, broken mojo?"
"What will you have?" Cole asked taking a stool next to Chris who had his normal straight look on his face and instead of watching the crowd and performance was watching his parents sit in a corner on a sofa talking. Cole followed Chris's eyes, "Those two will never break up. Take it from someone who has tried to break them up." He turned to one of the bartenders, "Two whiskey's on the rocks. You look like a whiskey man."
Chris turned and finally smiled, "You read my mind. Is that one of your powers, too?"
Cole laughed, "Unfortunately, no. I picked up a lot of powers in the demonic wasteland, but that wasn't one of them.
The song began to fade as Nelly and friends repeated, "Cause this life is too short to live it just for you. But when you feel so powerless, what are you gonna do? Say what you want..."
Chris took the drink from the bartender and nodded his head thanks. He turned his eyes back to the dance floor and watched as everyone seemed to be having a good time—everyone but him. "This one time, when we were little... a scarab demon attacked the manor. I was about five, so Chloe had to be somewhere around two. You know even at two, she had an awful temper. She wasn't someone to be messed with. It wasn't one of those terrible two deals either because she had fire power—literally. We were always targets. 'Get the charmed ones' kids and you'll get the charmed ones.' I really think I've seen a demon wearing a shirt that says that," Chris grinned and Cole smiled back at him, "they did get us. All three of us. That was the maddest I ever saw you," he looked Cole in the eyes and he understood where the story was going. "The Power of Three was broken because Paige had died before I was born—and the only spell in the book for vanquishing a scarab demon was a power of three spell. Phoebe and Piper were powerless against him. But nothing seems to get to a father like having his child taken away," Chris's eyes cut to Leo, "There was nothing left of that demon when you were through with him. Not even a smudge mark. And Chloe shimmered straight into your arms. Wyatt and I were all alone. Leo never showed up," Chris took a long sip of his drink.
Cole took a sip of his drink as well, "Yeah, I've always thought Leo was an ass," he admitted to Chris who spit out what was left in his mouth from laughing. "I'm serious. That guy is so focused on his job he forgets to live," Cole looked over at Chris, "I've known you for twenty-four hours now and I'd say you're taking after him."
"I am nothing like him!" Chris shot back.
"Aren't you?" Cole smiled devilishly, "You are so focused on vanquishing demons and saving the world you're not even living in it. Chloe and I talked this afternoon for a long time while we were sparring. Sounded to me like you've always been that way. Never let anyone in? Not even her? Not even Bianca?"
Chris spun around on his barstool, "Chloe talks too much."
Cole laughed, "Maybe, but she has a point. Don't let this opportunity to make things right with your dad slip by."
"How do you expect me to do that?" Chris practically barked.
"You're half witch—a charmed one no less, and half elder. You've come back from the future to save your little brother from turning evil. Something tells me you are not powerless when it comes to getting what you want," Cole finished his drink, "I never knew my dad, either, and always wanted to."
"Seems like a pattern in this family," Chris noted holding up his finger to get Paige's attention, "Killion's—draught," he ordered and turned back to Cole, "what happened to your dad?"
Cole sat for a moment. It had been so long, over a century, but he had never forgotten about it. His father was human, a mortal, and his mother was a demon. She had seduced his father into marrying her so that she could have a child that was part demon and part human—to better blend into society. After he was born, his mother showed his father her true side and left with Cole. His father hunted her down for years convinced he could save his son. When Cole was two his father finally found them and took him back. He lived with his father until he was five—always on the run from his mother. Benjamin Turner had utilized all kinds of good magic to protect his son from becoming evil—but in the end, failed. Cole's mother killed him right in from of her son. And as his father screamed his last breath, hatred built up in Cole to the point that he turned—embracing all that was evil. He remained that way until he met Phoebe, and she reminded him that he had a soul and was capable of loving. She reminded him that he was human. "My mother killed him in front of me," Cole informed Chris, "She was a demon. Part of the source's harem, but she wanted a part human child. One that could covertly blend in with the masses—attacking from the inside by better understanding their weaknesses. Watching him die is what turned me towards evil," Cole ordered a shot of whiskey instead of over the rocks and poured it back without hesitating.
"I never knew," Chris took a sip of his drink.
"Then take it from yet another member of this family who didn't have a father around, make it right with yours," Cole set the glass back down on the bar as he stood, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to join my daughter and her mother on the dance the floor. I've got moves they ain't never seen."
Chris laughed as he watched Cole sneak up on Chloe and Phoebe on the dance floor. "Well, aren't they the happy little family? Too bad I'm going to have to kill her," a voice crept into Chris's ear and made his skin crawl.
"What are you doing here?" he turned quickly to Batterak who was surprisingly sitting next to him.
"Enjoying the festivities. Isn't that what you're doing here? Oh, no, you're rolling in self-pity. Sorry to interrupt that. Maybe I should just go onto the dance floor and find me someone to have fun with," he licked his lips as he began to get up.
Chris grabbed his arm and pulled him back into his seat, "Get out, now," he growled.
"But this is where all the fun is. Why would I want to leave?" Batterak taunted moving a piece of Chris's hair behind his ear.
Chris had a difficult time controlling his anger and not send Batterak flying into the furthest wall. "You wouldn't attack here. There's too many people."
"Now, Mr. Halliwell, you know me better than that. I love drama. I love to be the center of attention," he hissed, "but you are right. I'm not going to attack here. I'm still drained from earlier. I need to wait until I'm back up to full strength," and then cutting his eyes back to the dance floor where Cole and Chloe were attempting to swing to the music the deejay was playing while the band took a break—noting the drink in Chloe's hand, "If she has another night like she did last night, who needs to be at full strength? Ciao," and shimmered out.
"Damn-it!" Chris slammed his hand on the bar as every drink disappeared falling through the top while their owners turned back alarmed at where their drinks had gone.
Paige noticed what happened and turned to the other bartender, "Justin, do you mind covering for me for about five or ten minutes?" Justin gave Paige a thumb's up as she took Chris's hand while cocking her head getting him to follow her.
Chloe was in the middle of being flipped by Cole, while Phoebe stood to the side applauding, when the ring on her finger began to glow, "Uh-oh, trouble," she commented seeing Paige take Chris back into Piper's office as Piper and Leo got up from their cozy seat to follow. "Come on," she took Phoebe's and Cole's hands and lead them back to the office as well. Once inside with the others, "What's going on? Chris, you're pissed."
"I was wondering the same thing. He made every person-at-the-bar's drink fall through it. You need to learn to control your liquor, son," she scolded.
Chris began to pace and then flicked his wrist as cup of pens and pencils from Piper's desk went flying. Piper froze them on instinct as Leo grabbed them out of the air before they could fall, "Or your temper. Chris, calm down and talk to us."
"He was here?" Chloe walked up to Chris and looked him in the eye, "At P3? And he didn't do anything to anybody?" Chris bowed his head in defeat, "But he threatened to. He threatened me again." Chloe sat on the edge of Piper's desk.
"What? I'm confused. Chris didn't say anything," Cole stated.
"He doesn't have to, they can read each other's minds," Paige explained, "the rings on their fingers connect them."
Cole looked at Chloe's hand and then over to Chris's—the Triquetras on the tops of each were glowing. "One of you catch the rest of us up then, please. Who was here? Why does he want to hurt Chloe?"
Chris sat next to Chloe on Piper's desk, "Batterak was here. He was sitting next to me at the bar."
"What?" all three sisters said in unison.
"How did I miss him? Did I serve him a drink?" Paige asked.
"It's possible," Chris frowned, "but you wouldn't have necessarily known it was him. He's feeding off future Cole's powers, remember? He can shape shift. He might have even been a woman when you gave him his drink."
"That's not fair," Paige pouted.
"What all did he say?" Leo posed.
"He could attack here if he wanted. The only thing stopping him was that he is not back up to full strength yet from this morning."
"And he's after Chloe?" Phoebe asked looking to her daughter with alarm.
"Yeah."
"Why?" Phoebe tossed back.
"Because if you get the kid of a charmed one, you get the charmed ones," Cole answered reflecting back on his and Chris's conversation. Chloe and Chris collectively nodded their heads.
"Except he's after you," Leo added giving Cole a cold stare.
"He's not going to get you," Cole walked up to Chloe and lifted her chin. "I'm not going to let him."
"That's exactly what he wants you to do, dad. I'm the bate more than I'm the target," Chloe corrected.
Chris stood up and walked over to the filing cabinet. He moved it back to reveal a hole in the wall—he reached inside and pulled out a small black book. "What's that?" Piper asked waddling over to him, "I didn't know that was there."
"You wouldn't," Chris flipped it open, "I put it there. It's mine," then turning to Cole, "Or I should say it's his."
"I don't recognize it," Cole covered as Phoebe raised her eyes to him.
"Not yet," Chris smiled, "You left this with Phoebe and she gave it to me. It has different demonic contacts in it. We're going to track this guy down," he looked to Chloe who nodded and grabbed her cloak off the desk and handing Chris his bag.
"Now wait a minute, if you think we're going to let you two just go off demon hunting you've got another thing coming," Piper warned with authority, "You are the kids of the charmed ones, and Batterak knows it—not to mention who knows who else. You are the targets."
"We know," Chloe threw the cloak around her shoulders, "but you don't know where to look and we've done this before."
"These demons won't be vanquished yet," Chris looked to Chloe.
"Yeah, cause we haven't been through to vanquish them," she laughed.
"I don't like this," Phoebe took Chloe's hand.
"You never do," Chloe cupped her mother's hand, "But we've got to go."
Chris put his hand on Chloe's shoulder and turned back to the room saying, "Don't worry. You can trust us," and Chloe shimmered them out. Everyone's eyes stared blankly at the spot where they had been standing before singly walking out of the room.
"Who's up for a night on the town?" Paige offered as she picked up the dessert plates for Piper. "Nelly Furtado is playing down at P3, and I am personally bartending."
"No drinks for you, two. You've both already had one hangover each this week. No need to make it, two," Phoebe jokingly instructed Chris and Chloe who cut side ways glances at one another.
The Halliwell family orbed, shimmered, or drove to P3 to join in the festivities. The club was packed and the music had started when they all arrived. After dropping their personal effects off in Piper's office, Phoebe took Chloe's hand as they danced out onto the floor as Nelly sang,
"...Cause this life is too short to live it just for you. But
when you feel so powerless, what are you gonna do? So say what you
want. Say what you want.
I saw her face outside today, weatherworn looking all the rage.
They took her passion and her gaze and made a poster. Now its
moccasins we sport, we take the culture and contort perhaps only to
distort what we are hiding. Cause this life is too short to live it
just for you. But when you feel so powerless, what are you gonna do?
But say what you want. Say what you want.
Hey you, the the one outside, are you gonna get in, get in?
Hey you, the one that don't fit in, how ya, how ya gonna get in?
Hey you, the one outside, are you ever gonna get in with your
broken teeth, broken, broken mojo?"
"What will you have?" Cole asked taking a stool next to Chris who had his normal straight look on his face and instead of watching the crowd and performance was watching his parents sit in a corner on a sofa talking. Cole followed Chris's eyes, "Those two will never break up. Take it from someone who has tried to break them up." He turned to one of the bartenders, "Two whiskey's on the rocks. You look like a whiskey man."
Chris turned and finally smiled, "You read my mind. Is that one of your powers, too?"
Cole laughed, "Unfortunately, no. I picked up a lot of powers in the demonic wasteland, but that wasn't one of them.
The song began to fade as Nelly and friends repeated, "Cause this life is too short to live it just for you. But when you feel so powerless, what are you gonna do? Say what you want..."
Chris took the drink from the bartender and nodded his head thanks. He turned his eyes back to the dance floor and watched as everyone seemed to be having a good time—everyone but him. "This one time, when we were little... a scarab demon attacked the manor. I was about five, so Chloe had to be somewhere around two. You know even at two, she had an awful temper. She wasn't someone to be messed with. It wasn't one of those terrible two deals either because she had fire power—literally. We were always targets. 'Get the charmed ones' kids and you'll get the charmed ones.' I really think I've seen a demon wearing a shirt that says that," Chris grinned and Cole smiled back at him, "they did get us. All three of us. That was the maddest I ever saw you," he looked Cole in the eyes and he understood where the story was going. "The Power of Three was broken because Paige had died before I was born—and the only spell in the book for vanquishing a scarab demon was a power of three spell. Phoebe and Piper were powerless against him. But nothing seems to get to a father like having his child taken away," Chris's eyes cut to Leo, "There was nothing left of that demon when you were through with him. Not even a smudge mark. And Chloe shimmered straight into your arms. Wyatt and I were all alone. Leo never showed up," Chris took a long sip of his drink.
Cole took a sip of his drink as well, "Yeah, I've always thought Leo was an ass," he admitted to Chris who spit out what was left in his mouth from laughing. "I'm serious. That guy is so focused on his job he forgets to live," Cole looked over at Chris, "I've known you for twenty-four hours now and I'd say you're taking after him."
"I am nothing like him!" Chris shot back.
"Aren't you?" Cole smiled devilishly, "You are so focused on vanquishing demons and saving the world you're not even living in it. Chloe and I talked this afternoon for a long time while we were sparring. Sounded to me like you've always been that way. Never let anyone in? Not even her? Not even Bianca?"
Chris spun around on his barstool, "Chloe talks too much."
Cole laughed, "Maybe, but she has a point. Don't let this opportunity to make things right with your dad slip by."
"How do you expect me to do that?" Chris practically barked.
"You're half witch—a charmed one no less, and half elder. You've come back from the future to save your little brother from turning evil. Something tells me you are not powerless when it comes to getting what you want," Cole finished his drink, "I never knew my dad, either, and always wanted to."
"Seems like a pattern in this family," Chris noted holding up his finger to get Paige's attention, "Killion's—draught," he ordered and turned back to Cole, "what happened to your dad?"
Cole sat for a moment. It had been so long, over a century, but he had never forgotten about it. His father was human, a mortal, and his mother was a demon. She had seduced his father into marrying her so that she could have a child that was part demon and part human—to better blend into society. After he was born, his mother showed his father her true side and left with Cole. His father hunted her down for years convinced he could save his son. When Cole was two his father finally found them and took him back. He lived with his father until he was five—always on the run from his mother. Benjamin Turner had utilized all kinds of good magic to protect his son from becoming evil—but in the end, failed. Cole's mother killed him right in from of her son. And as his father screamed his last breath, hatred built up in Cole to the point that he turned—embracing all that was evil. He remained that way until he met Phoebe, and she reminded him that he had a soul and was capable of loving. She reminded him that he was human. "My mother killed him in front of me," Cole informed Chris, "She was a demon. Part of the source's harem, but she wanted a part human child. One that could covertly blend in with the masses—attacking from the inside by better understanding their weaknesses. Watching him die is what turned me towards evil," Cole ordered a shot of whiskey instead of over the rocks and poured it back without hesitating.
"I never knew," Chris took a sip of his drink.
"Then take it from yet another member of this family who didn't have a father around, make it right with yours," Cole set the glass back down on the bar as he stood, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to join my daughter and her mother on the dance the floor. I've got moves they ain't never seen."
Chris laughed as he watched Cole sneak up on Chloe and Phoebe on the dance floor. "Well, aren't they the happy little family? Too bad I'm going to have to kill her," a voice crept into Chris's ear and made his skin crawl.
"What are you doing here?" he turned quickly to Batterak who was surprisingly sitting next to him.
"Enjoying the festivities. Isn't that what you're doing here? Oh, no, you're rolling in self-pity. Sorry to interrupt that. Maybe I should just go onto the dance floor and find me someone to have fun with," he licked his lips as he began to get up.
Chris grabbed his arm and pulled him back into his seat, "Get out, now," he growled.
"But this is where all the fun is. Why would I want to leave?" Batterak taunted moving a piece of Chris's hair behind his ear.
Chris had a difficult time controlling his anger and not send Batterak flying into the furthest wall. "You wouldn't attack here. There's too many people."
"Now, Mr. Halliwell, you know me better than that. I love drama. I love to be the center of attention," he hissed, "but you are right. I'm not going to attack here. I'm still drained from earlier. I need to wait until I'm back up to full strength," and then cutting his eyes back to the dance floor where Cole and Chloe were attempting to swing to the music the deejay was playing while the band took a break—noting the drink in Chloe's hand, "If she has another night like she did last night, who needs to be at full strength? Ciao," and shimmered out.
"Damn-it!" Chris slammed his hand on the bar as every drink disappeared falling through the top while their owners turned back alarmed at where their drinks had gone.
Paige noticed what happened and turned to the other bartender, "Justin, do you mind covering for me for about five or ten minutes?" Justin gave Paige a thumb's up as she took Chris's hand while cocking her head getting him to follow her.
Chloe was in the middle of being flipped by Cole, while Phoebe stood to the side applauding, when the ring on her finger began to glow, "Uh-oh, trouble," she commented seeing Paige take Chris back into Piper's office as Piper and Leo got up from their cozy seat to follow. "Come on," she took Phoebe's and Cole's hands and lead them back to the office as well. Once inside with the others, "What's going on? Chris, you're pissed."
"I was wondering the same thing. He made every person-at-the-bar's drink fall through it. You need to learn to control your liquor, son," she scolded.
Chris began to pace and then flicked his wrist as cup of pens and pencils from Piper's desk went flying. Piper froze them on instinct as Leo grabbed them out of the air before they could fall, "Or your temper. Chris, calm down and talk to us."
"He was here?" Chloe walked up to Chris and looked him in the eye, "At P3? And he didn't do anything to anybody?" Chris bowed his head in defeat, "But he threatened to. He threatened me again." Chloe sat on the edge of Piper's desk.
"What? I'm confused. Chris didn't say anything," Cole stated.
"He doesn't have to, they can read each other's minds," Paige explained, "the rings on their fingers connect them."
Cole looked at Chloe's hand and then over to Chris's—the Triquetras on the tops of each were glowing. "One of you catch the rest of us up then, please. Who was here? Why does he want to hurt Chloe?"
Chris sat next to Chloe on Piper's desk, "Batterak was here. He was sitting next to me at the bar."
"What?" all three sisters said in unison.
"How did I miss him? Did I serve him a drink?" Paige asked.
"It's possible," Chris frowned, "but you wouldn't have necessarily known it was him. He's feeding off future Cole's powers, remember? He can shape shift. He might have even been a woman when you gave him his drink."
"That's not fair," Paige pouted.
"What all did he say?" Leo posed.
"He could attack here if he wanted. The only thing stopping him was that he is not back up to full strength yet from this morning."
"And he's after Chloe?" Phoebe asked looking to her daughter with alarm.
"Yeah."
"Why?" Phoebe tossed back.
"Because if you get the kid of a charmed one, you get the charmed ones," Cole answered reflecting back on his and Chris's conversation. Chloe and Chris collectively nodded their heads.
"Except he's after you," Leo added giving Cole a cold stare.
"He's not going to get you," Cole walked up to Chloe and lifted her chin. "I'm not going to let him."
"That's exactly what he wants you to do, dad. I'm the bate more than I'm the target," Chloe corrected.
Chris stood up and walked over to the filing cabinet. He moved it back to reveal a hole in the wall—he reached inside and pulled out a small black book. "What's that?" Piper asked waddling over to him, "I didn't know that was there."
"You wouldn't," Chris flipped it open, "I put it there. It's mine," then turning to Cole, "Or I should say it's his."
"I don't recognize it," Cole covered as Phoebe raised her eyes to him.
"Not yet," Chris smiled, "You left this with Phoebe and she gave it to me. It has different demonic contacts in it. We're going to track this guy down," he looked to Chloe who nodded and grabbed her cloak off the desk and handing Chris his bag.
"Now wait a minute, if you think we're going to let you two just go off demon hunting you've got another thing coming," Piper warned with authority, "You are the kids of the charmed ones, and Batterak knows it—not to mention who knows who else. You are the targets."
"We know," Chloe threw the cloak around her shoulders, "but you don't know where to look and we've done this before."
"These demons won't be vanquished yet," Chris looked to Chloe.
"Yeah, cause we haven't been through to vanquish them," she laughed.
"I don't like this," Phoebe took Chloe's hand.
"You never do," Chloe cupped her mother's hand, "But we've got to go."
Chris put his hand on Chloe's shoulder and turned back to the room saying, "Don't worry. You can trust us," and Chloe shimmered them out. Everyone's eyes stared blankly at the spot where they had been standing before singly walking out of the room.