"The lawyer at Prue's work is right," Cole said, after they had explained everything to him. "If they can prove you're a danger, especially to small children, the courts will force you out."
"What can we do about it?" Prue asked. "I couldn't tell the lawyer everything. He'd think I was nuts. But you know what's really going on. Isn't there anything we can do to prevent this?"
"You could use a spell, I suppose," Cole suggested. "Something to change your neighbors' minds."
"That's not an option," Leo said. "Personal gain, remember."
"It's more than that," Piper protested. "We'd also be protecting the Nexus from evil. Certainly they'd take that into account."
"You can do that without using magic on your neighbors," Leo said. "You can put a spell on the house that will mask the Nexus from evil. A Power of Three spell should do that. But using magic to keep the house would be seen as personal gain. I wouldn't suggest you try that."
"This is great," Phoebe said. "All this power and there's virtually nothing we can do to stop ordinary people from forcing us out of our home."
Just then the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Prue said.
"Isn't there anything we can do?" Piper asked.
"Well," Cole said, "we'll have to wait until you get served with the papers. Once we know exactly what they're complaints are we can decide on a course of action. It's possible I can even make sure you get a sympathetic judge for the hearing. I still have some pull in the DA's office."
"We don't need a sympathetic judge," Piper said, her anger beginning to flare. "We need this to just go away. I know we can't use magic, but we can't just sit by and wait for them to kick us out on our butts."
"Calm down, Piper," Cole said. "This is in the legal arena. Demon or not, I am still a damn good lawyer. I'll figure something out."
"But you can't be there for us all the time," Phoebe said. "You still have the bounty hunters after you. What if they find out you're back and come after you?"
"Let's just take this one step at a time," Leo suggested. "Maybe it's all a bluff. Maybe they aren't really going to sue you. It could be that they're just trying to scare you out."
"It's no bluff," Prue said, coming back into the kitchen.
In her hands were several papers. She was busily looking them over. Behind her Justin followed, smiling at the others.
"Hi, Justin," Piper said. "Uh, this is Cole Turner. Sort of a friend of the family."
"Hi," Justin said, smiling at Cole.
"Have we met before?" Cole asked. "You look familiar."
"No, I don't think so," Justin said. "I haven't lived here long."
"Cole," Prue said, handing the papers to him, "this is a summons. The neighbors filed suit against us. I'm used to reading over legal documents but you're the lawyer. Maybe you can make better sense of them than I can."
"Sure," Cole said, taking the papers from Prue. He hadn't taken his eyes off Justin. "Well," he said after looking the papers over for a few minutes, "it seems they are alleging that you throw wild parties at all hours of the day and night. That many of your guests are violent and unpredictable. And that since this neighborhood is zoned for residential use, your lifestyle is in violation of that zoning."
"Oh great," Piper said. "I could have saved my money on the club. I should have just opened P3 here."
"What can we do about it?" Phoebe asked.
"I don't think there's much of a problem," Cole said, standing up. "In fact, I think your problems are about to solve themselves."
"What do you mean?" Leo asked. "How can these problems just solve themselves?"
"Oh, I think Justin here will see to that," Cole said. "Won't you, Justin?"
"I've been trying," Justin said. "I'm afraid the committee won't listen to me very much."
"You're a poor liar," Cole said.
Suddenly, Cole swung out with a right cross, striking Justin on the chin. Justin was knocked back into the entryway as the others suddenly came to their feet.
"Cole, are you crazy?" Piper asked. "Justin's been a lot of help to us."
"I don't think so," Cole said, walking into the entryway. "In fact, he's been more of a hindrance than you know."
"You're insane," Justin said, nursing his jaw. "The others were right. You guys are violent. I must have been nuts to think I could help you."
"Give it up," Cole said, standing over Justin. He suddenly formed a fireball in his hand. "Now, do you want to do this the easy way, or the hard way?"
Everyone just stared at Cole as if he had lost his mind.