"Didn't Cole mentioned something about dinner?" said Angelique coyly. "I understand the middle sister is supposed to be a passable cook."
"Passable cook?" shrieked Piper. "Why you insulting, self-serving... I'm a professional chef, not some cook."
"Down, girl," said Prue, putting her hand on Piper's shoulder. "She's only a Darklighter after all." Prue turned to Angelique. "No offense, honey, but having a demon at the dinner table wouldn't be my first choice."
"Technically," said Angelique, "I'm not a demon. I'm a Darklighter. I was human once, you know?"
"Yeah," said Phoebe. "An evil one."
"What can I say?" asked Angelique. "I had a very traumatic childhood."
"Ours wasn't exactly a picnic," said Prue. "But you don't see us going around trying to kill the good guys all the time."
"True," said Angelique. "To be honest, I had a pretty good childhood. My father was quite rich. I just like being evil. None of those pesky rules and restrictions like you have."
"That's enough," said Cole. "Angelique is just yanking your chains. She likes to do that."
"True again," said Angelique smiling. "And it's so easy with some people."
"An old friend, huh?" Phoebe questioned Cole.
"Yeah," said Cole. "We, uh, dated for a while. Then the war broke out and the Kaiser had some people he wanted out of the way. You know how things can get."
"The Kaiser?" questioned Phoebe.
"Yeah," said Angelique. "World War I. Now those were the good old days. Cole, when you get tired of this skinny little thing, you know where you can find me."
"Skinny?" questioned Phoebe. "Just don't worry about him. We will be quite fine."
"For now," said Angelique. "But when he looses interest in you, don't say I didn't warn you."
"He's not going to loose interest," Phoebe insisted.
"Sure he will," said Angelique. "In twenty or thirty years when your breasts start to sag, and that little mustache of yours become more noticeable, and those little crows feet around your eyes become more pronounced, I'll still look like I do now. Who do you think he'll be interested in then?"
"Mustache?" questioned Phoebe vehemently. "Crows feet? Why you arrogant little...
"Angelique, that's enough," said Cole sternly. "I didn't bring you here to spar with the girls."
"Of course not," said Angelique. "You brought me here to kill an Elder. I must say it was easier than I thought. And there aren't many Darklighters that can boast of a kill like that."
"Technically," said Percy, "he wasn't an Elder."
"Close enough for government work," said Angelique. "And your witch is a feisty one, Cole. I like her. Under other circumstances we might actually have become friends."
"Yeah," said Phoebe. "In a pig's eye."
"Angelique, thanks for the help," said Cole. "And as I promised, your debt to me is paid."
"Don't let that keep you away," said Angelique, winking at Phoebe.
"I think it's time you were going," said Cole.
"Girls," said Angelique, "it was a real pleasure saving your butts. Until next time."
Angelique suddenly blinked out and was gone.
"Some friends you have," said Phoebe.
"Ancient history," said Cole. "I did have a life before I met you, you know. What did you think? That I just sat around waiting for you to come into my life?"
"No," sighed Phoebe. "I guess not. But that woman is..."
"Gone," said Piper. "And good riddance. I'm surprised Damonculous didn't realize she was a Darklighter."
"No reason he should have," said Percy. "Darklighters didn't exist in Damonculous' day. Again, I must thank you for all your assistance. Without you Damonculous may well have carried through on his threat."
"That's what we're here for, isn't it?" Prue asked.
"Percy," said Leo, "about Thomas."
"I shall take him back with me," said Percy. "He perished protecting me. He will be honored as a true hero among the Whitelighters. The Council will wish to speak with you, Leo. To get your version of what happened."
"I know," said Leo. "I'll be up there shortly."
"We have a lot of cleaning up to do," said Piper. "Those attacks by Damonculous did a lot of damage. Leo, under the circumstances, do you think it would be okay if you gave us a little supernatural assistance?"
"Actually," said Percy, "I believe that would be perfectly acceptable." He passed his hand in front of him and everything in the manor was suddenly back in its original state. "After all, if it had not been for Damonculous, you wouldn't have sustained the damage. I don't think anyone will begrudge you a little magic to repair what was damaged."
"Thanks, Percy," said Phoebe, kissing him on the cheek. "For an Elder, you aren't half bad."
"High praise coming from you," said Percy. "I will take that as a compliment. Now, if you will excuse me, I must get Thomas up there."
Percy turned and headed for the arboretum where Thomas' body still lay.
"He's not like the other Elders," said Prue. "He seems almost human."
"I guess that's because he spent a lot of time in the field before he became an Elder," said Leo. "He helped prepare me for my assignment with you."
"Well, there may be hope for the Elders yet," said Piper. "I guess all that time as a Whitelighter helped him understand humans a little better than the rest of the Elders."
"True," said Leo, "but he always says it was his very first charge that helped him better deal with humans."
"That must have been quite a charge," said Phoebe.
"She was," said Leo. "And he always said he really loved Salem in those old days."
"Salem?" questioned Prue. "You mean Salem, Massachusetts? He was around during the witch hunts?"
"Yes, he was," said Leo. "In fact, his first charge was a victim of those hunts. That's why he was chosen to prepare me for my assignment to you three. His first charge was Melinda Warren."
"He was Melinda's Whitelighter?" questioned Piper. "No wonder he seemed so friendly. I guess we remind him of her some."
"More than some," said Leo. "He's often told me that he looks on you three almost as extended daughters. He was very close to Melinda before..."
"Come on," said Piper. "Dinner sounds like a good idea. And with Damonculous vanquished and our powers restored, I think we've earned something special tonight."
"Sounds good to me," said Cole. "All the shimmering has made me famished."
"Well," said Piper, "considering you were instrumental in saving us all, I'll tell you what. Let me know what your favorite meal is and I can prepare it. Call it a thank you for everything you've done."
"Now that's something I can go for," said Cole, smiling.
"And when you're done with that," said Prue, "there's something else you can fill us in on."
"What's that?" Cole asked.
"A certain demon named Por," said Prue. "I seem to recall a deal that we'd vanquish him when this was all over. If we're going to do that we'll need to know everything we can about it."
"Sure thing," said Cole. "It shouldn't be too difficult. He's not as powerful as I am. And he's probably in the Book of Shadows. I can also help with a vanquishing potion if you need."
"Wow," said Phoebe.
"What is it, sweetie?" Piper asked.
"I was just thinking," said Phoebe. "We had an Elder as a house guest, demons and a Darklighter helped protect us, we vanquished an ancient evil that everyone thought was unstoppable, and now we're preparing to vanquish another demon to help out the demons who helped us. Not exactly a typical day, even for us."
"No one said being a Charmed One was boring," said Leo.
"Boy, you can say that again," said Prue as she followed Piper into the kitchen.
The End
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