"Frozen In Time"
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
A/N: I'm not sure if I ever mentioned, but this story began after the episode where Prue turned into a dog (3.21). Anything after that never happened.
Chapter Seventeen: Magic Will Survive.
Back at the Manor, The three Charmed Ones were researching some information about Cole, as Cole sat in their presence. On the Belthazar page was Phoebe's handwriting warning them of Cole.
"Are you good or evil?" asked Sander without hesitation.
"Good." said Cole as he looked around the living room. "Not much has changed here has it?"
"No. And why are you good. Here it says your evil." spoke Pru.
"I was cursed fifteen years ago by a witch named Rubella. She cursed me to spend the rest of my immortal life as a force of good. Pretty fucked up curse if you know what I mean."
"Yeah. Well, We have one thing we want to ask you."
"Yes Pru?"
"Fight with us. We could use a demon liaison to stop this hunt."
"Well, I don't know. What do I get out of it?"
"Our trust, and perhaps the chance to prove Phoebe wrong about you."
It must have hit Cole in the right way because in an instant, he responded, "Ok, I'm in."
It was late and they decided to go to bed. The trial was tomorrow morning at eleven and they needed to be rested for it. Sander situated Cole on the couch. Leo was surprised to see Cole, but who wouldn't after the past that they've had together.
Sander was in his room, turning down the covers on his and Mike's bed when Mike orbed in, with a sad look upon his face.
"What is it?" asked Sander as he walked to the other side of the room near Mike.
"Another charge of mine was killed by her father, who was a mortal. She was one of my favorite charges." cried Mike as he laid down on the bed and gripped one of the bed pillows and cried. Sander sat down next to his boyfriend and just held him as he cried. This was rather hard on him, he had lost three charges now.
"It's going to be okay." whispered Sander soothingly in Mike's ear.
"No its not. Everything is falling apart. The Elders are freaking and I'm losing charges."
"It's going to be okay. Me, Pru and Greg will fix this."
"You can't. And that is that. You three are going to end up dead just like the rest of your cursed family." yelled Mike.
"My family is not cursed." retorted Sander, anger filling his voice.
"Yeah, the only person in the last fifty years not to be killed by a demon in your family would be your great-grandmother."
"So? They died with purpose. They died doing what they were born to do!"
"Die? You're born to die. Sander, magic is far more complex than you think. Not everything is good and evil. There are forces that are both and neither."
"I know that. I'm not a stupid witch."
"Right, you're not. You're just a novice."
"A novice? Thank you, now I know what my boyfriend thinks of me."
"Sander, you have been doing magic for a year. I've been doing it for almost two centuries!"
"Right. And you wouldn't be a whitelighter unless you died fighting for what you thought was right."
"That is different, and you know it."
"Is it really? Think about it, my family is meant to kill demons and if we die by their hands then fine. You were meant to fight to save the north, and you died. A risk you took. Just like fighting demons is a risk. A risk that I might die."
"Look, you can't change anything. Magic is going to be persecuted and your descendants will have to deal with it, where their birthright might be punishable by death! God Sander. Quit. Just give magic up and save yourself."
"I can't. I'm Charmed."
"And so were your aunts."
"I don't understand what they have to do with this!" yelled Sander, who was losing his patience.
"Your aunts relied on that same fact, that they were Charmed. And they died to protect an innocent."
"I would die for any innocent. I would die to save Pratt himself if he was endangered by a demon."
"You say that now, but when you or one of your family members is burned at the stake, what are you going to think then?"
"Mike, why are you yelling at me?"
"I'm trying to protect you!"
"Mike! You can't always protect me, I have to make decisions even if they get me killed."
"I don't want you to die."
"And I don't want to die, but I'm willing to."
"I'm sorry Sander." said Mike as he sat back down on the bed.
"I'm sorry to." said Sander as he sat down next to Mike and wrapped his arm around him.
"It's just that I don't want to lose you."
"I know." said Sander as he reached over and kissed Mike.
Next Morning
Sander awoke wrapped in Mike's arms, still fully dressed from the previous day. Sander looked at the clock and read 9:45.
"Shit, I have an hour to get dressed." said Sander as he jolted awake and ran towards the bathroom.
Meanwhile Downstairs...Pru was reading the morning paper. She was dressed in a black skirt, and a black sweater with her triquetra hanging around her neck for others to see. Greg was over the stove preparing some breakfast, he was dressed in black dress pants, a white Oxford shirt and a blue tie with the triquetra on the tie.
"Cole, do you like eggs?" asked Greg, as he took the carton of eggs from the fridge.
"Yeah." said Cole as he took a seat next to Pru and took the obituary section.
Twenty minutes later, Sander entered the kitchen dressed in blue jeans and a black sweater, with his triquetra around his neck.
"Are you seriously going to wear that?" asked Pru, as she looked up at her younger brother.
"Yeah, I forgot to iron last night."
"Typical."
"Mike and I got into a huge fight last night." said Sander as he took a drink of orange juice.
"Who's Mike?" asked Cole.
"What about?" asked Pru, both at the same time.
"Mike is my boyfriend, and we fought about magic."
"Magic. Always the big factor in the Halliwell relationships." said Cole.
"Yeah. So when are we leaving?"
"Twenty minutes. I want good seats." said Greg as he placed a plate of eggs on the table.
At about ten fifteen, the three witches and the demon exited Sander's car and began walking towards the courthouse. To their left were the picketers. On their right were the reporters. After about ten minutes of being searched, and thrown through metal detectors and the like, they finally were able to sit down. Unfortunately, their seats were in the fourth row.
"Ah the good old days." exhaled Cole as he took his seat in-between Pru and some old woman, who reminded Cole of a smelly gym locker.
"What?" asked Pru, confused.
"I used to pose as a lawyer. That is how I met your Aunt Phoebe."
"I see. Did you actually know anything there is to know about being a lawyer?"
"Yeah. I did study law before I dropped out and decided my life would better be served as a demon."
"Interesting career switch. How was the transition?" asked Pru with mock interest.
"A bitch," smiled Cole, then he lowered his voice and whispered, "this old fart next to me needs perfume or a shower."
Pru snickered and too caught a whiff. "Or both."
[He's not so bad] she thought to herself as she waited for the trial to begin.
At eleven sharp, the doors locked and the trial began. Judge Salinger was a mean old judge, in his late eighties, who needed to retire. He was known for two things, finishing trials in one day and giving the death penalty.
The witch was brought into the courthouse, wearing an orange jumpsuit, and a remorseless look upon her face. Her hands were chained tightly behind her back, and her mouth was taped. The police had taped her mouth in fear she would cast a spell on them.
The trial commenced and went on for about three hours. The judge called for one twenty minute recess and that was it. The defense had a lot of evidence to support the prosecution, and it wasn't looking so good for the witch. Finally it was time for the verdict.
"I believe the jury has reached a verdict." came the Judge's voice.
"We have your Honor." said the foreman.
"You may proceed."
"We the jury find the defendant, Adrianna Houston, guilty on the charge of witchcraft. On the charge of first degree manslaughter, we find the defendant guilty."
There was a pause, and a lot of affirmations through the court. Sander, Greg, Pru and Cole hung there heads.
"Well, Adrianna, do you have anything you would like to say?" asked the Judge.
Adrianna shook her head, and her tape was removed. And she spoke.
"I'll pay for my crime, but there will come a day when you will have to pay for yours. The Charmed three have seen this act and they will avenge myself and the others. Magic will survive."
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
A/N: I'm not sure if I ever mentioned, but this story began after the episode where Prue turned into a dog (3.21). Anything after that never happened.
Chapter Seventeen: Magic Will Survive.
Back at the Manor, The three Charmed Ones were researching some information about Cole, as Cole sat in their presence. On the Belthazar page was Phoebe's handwriting warning them of Cole.
"Are you good or evil?" asked Sander without hesitation.
"Good." said Cole as he looked around the living room. "Not much has changed here has it?"
"No. And why are you good. Here it says your evil." spoke Pru.
"I was cursed fifteen years ago by a witch named Rubella. She cursed me to spend the rest of my immortal life as a force of good. Pretty fucked up curse if you know what I mean."
"Yeah. Well, We have one thing we want to ask you."
"Yes Pru?"
"Fight with us. We could use a demon liaison to stop this hunt."
"Well, I don't know. What do I get out of it?"
"Our trust, and perhaps the chance to prove Phoebe wrong about you."
It must have hit Cole in the right way because in an instant, he responded, "Ok, I'm in."
It was late and they decided to go to bed. The trial was tomorrow morning at eleven and they needed to be rested for it. Sander situated Cole on the couch. Leo was surprised to see Cole, but who wouldn't after the past that they've had together.
Sander was in his room, turning down the covers on his and Mike's bed when Mike orbed in, with a sad look upon his face.
"What is it?" asked Sander as he walked to the other side of the room near Mike.
"Another charge of mine was killed by her father, who was a mortal. She was one of my favorite charges." cried Mike as he laid down on the bed and gripped one of the bed pillows and cried. Sander sat down next to his boyfriend and just held him as he cried. This was rather hard on him, he had lost three charges now.
"It's going to be okay." whispered Sander soothingly in Mike's ear.
"No its not. Everything is falling apart. The Elders are freaking and I'm losing charges."
"It's going to be okay. Me, Pru and Greg will fix this."
"You can't. And that is that. You three are going to end up dead just like the rest of your cursed family." yelled Mike.
"My family is not cursed." retorted Sander, anger filling his voice.
"Yeah, the only person in the last fifty years not to be killed by a demon in your family would be your great-grandmother."
"So? They died with purpose. They died doing what they were born to do!"
"Die? You're born to die. Sander, magic is far more complex than you think. Not everything is good and evil. There are forces that are both and neither."
"I know that. I'm not a stupid witch."
"Right, you're not. You're just a novice."
"A novice? Thank you, now I know what my boyfriend thinks of me."
"Sander, you have been doing magic for a year. I've been doing it for almost two centuries!"
"Right. And you wouldn't be a whitelighter unless you died fighting for what you thought was right."
"That is different, and you know it."
"Is it really? Think about it, my family is meant to kill demons and if we die by their hands then fine. You were meant to fight to save the north, and you died. A risk you took. Just like fighting demons is a risk. A risk that I might die."
"Look, you can't change anything. Magic is going to be persecuted and your descendants will have to deal with it, where their birthright might be punishable by death! God Sander. Quit. Just give magic up and save yourself."
"I can't. I'm Charmed."
"And so were your aunts."
"I don't understand what they have to do with this!" yelled Sander, who was losing his patience.
"Your aunts relied on that same fact, that they were Charmed. And they died to protect an innocent."
"I would die for any innocent. I would die to save Pratt himself if he was endangered by a demon."
"You say that now, but when you or one of your family members is burned at the stake, what are you going to think then?"
"Mike, why are you yelling at me?"
"I'm trying to protect you!"
"Mike! You can't always protect me, I have to make decisions even if they get me killed."
"I don't want you to die."
"And I don't want to die, but I'm willing to."
"I'm sorry Sander." said Mike as he sat back down on the bed.
"I'm sorry to." said Sander as he sat down next to Mike and wrapped his arm around him.
"It's just that I don't want to lose you."
"I know." said Sander as he reached over and kissed Mike.
Next Morning
Sander awoke wrapped in Mike's arms, still fully dressed from the previous day. Sander looked at the clock and read 9:45.
"Shit, I have an hour to get dressed." said Sander as he jolted awake and ran towards the bathroom.
Meanwhile Downstairs...Pru was reading the morning paper. She was dressed in a black skirt, and a black sweater with her triquetra hanging around her neck for others to see. Greg was over the stove preparing some breakfast, he was dressed in black dress pants, a white Oxford shirt and a blue tie with the triquetra on the tie.
"Cole, do you like eggs?" asked Greg, as he took the carton of eggs from the fridge.
"Yeah." said Cole as he took a seat next to Pru and took the obituary section.
Twenty minutes later, Sander entered the kitchen dressed in blue jeans and a black sweater, with his triquetra around his neck.
"Are you seriously going to wear that?" asked Pru, as she looked up at her younger brother.
"Yeah, I forgot to iron last night."
"Typical."
"Mike and I got into a huge fight last night." said Sander as he took a drink of orange juice.
"Who's Mike?" asked Cole.
"What about?" asked Pru, both at the same time.
"Mike is my boyfriend, and we fought about magic."
"Magic. Always the big factor in the Halliwell relationships." said Cole.
"Yeah. So when are we leaving?"
"Twenty minutes. I want good seats." said Greg as he placed a plate of eggs on the table.
At about ten fifteen, the three witches and the demon exited Sander's car and began walking towards the courthouse. To their left were the picketers. On their right were the reporters. After about ten minutes of being searched, and thrown through metal detectors and the like, they finally were able to sit down. Unfortunately, their seats were in the fourth row.
"Ah the good old days." exhaled Cole as he took his seat in-between Pru and some old woman, who reminded Cole of a smelly gym locker.
"What?" asked Pru, confused.
"I used to pose as a lawyer. That is how I met your Aunt Phoebe."
"I see. Did you actually know anything there is to know about being a lawyer?"
"Yeah. I did study law before I dropped out and decided my life would better be served as a demon."
"Interesting career switch. How was the transition?" asked Pru with mock interest.
"A bitch," smiled Cole, then he lowered his voice and whispered, "this old fart next to me needs perfume or a shower."
Pru snickered and too caught a whiff. "Or both."
[He's not so bad] she thought to herself as she waited for the trial to begin.
At eleven sharp, the doors locked and the trial began. Judge Salinger was a mean old judge, in his late eighties, who needed to retire. He was known for two things, finishing trials in one day and giving the death penalty.
The witch was brought into the courthouse, wearing an orange jumpsuit, and a remorseless look upon her face. Her hands were chained tightly behind her back, and her mouth was taped. The police had taped her mouth in fear she would cast a spell on them.
The trial commenced and went on for about three hours. The judge called for one twenty minute recess and that was it. The defense had a lot of evidence to support the prosecution, and it wasn't looking so good for the witch. Finally it was time for the verdict.
"I believe the jury has reached a verdict." came the Judge's voice.
"We have your Honor." said the foreman.
"You may proceed."
"We the jury find the defendant, Adrianna Houston, guilty on the charge of witchcraft. On the charge of first degree manslaughter, we find the defendant guilty."
There was a pause, and a lot of affirmations through the court. Sander, Greg, Pru and Cole hung there heads.
"Well, Adrianna, do you have anything you would like to say?" asked the Judge.
Adrianna shook her head, and her tape was removed. And she spoke.
"I'll pay for my crime, but there will come a day when you will have to pay for yours. The Charmed three have seen this act and they will avenge myself and the others. Magic will survive."