Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Author's Note: Hi!

Hope you all enjoy. I've got a lot of school work so its taking me longer to update.

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"Mommy!" Tessa cried, as she barreled into the kitchen.

The sisters looked up and smiles lit there faces as the small girl launched herself at Phoebe – who dropped to the ground and wrapped the girl in a firm embrace.

"Good morning!" she continued, happily.

Phoebe laughed, "Good morning to you too!" She said pulling back, "Are you always this happy in the morning?"

Tessa shook her head, "Nope, only cause I'm here!"

"Use your inside voice, Tess." Cole said walking in, before Phoebe could respond.

The girl whirled around to face her father, pulling out of Phoebe's hold.

"Sorry, I forgot." She said sheepishly.

He smiled, "I figured."

"Daddy, can you ask her now? Please. You said the next time we saw her… please can you ask her?" She said, her words a little slurred together.

Cole stared down at her – someday he'd learn how to say no to her – maybe… hopefully.

With a resigned sigh, he looked to Phoebe who had stood, "Would you like to come to our house and see Tessa's room?" He asked in a monotone voice.

Phoebe squashed the irritation she felt at Cole and let her gaze drop to her daughter, "I would love to come see your room!" She said, "Would you like to meet your other aunt and your uncle?"

Tessa hopped up and down once, "Yes! I would love to meet them!"

"Okay…" Phoebe said holding out her hand, which was taken immediately, "This is your Uncle Leo, he's married to Aunt Piper."

Tessa smiled up at him, "You made Daddy better." She stated.

Leo smiled, shifting Chris in his arms, so one hand was free, "Yes I did. I'm also very happy you're here, Tessa." He said ruffling her hair.

"And that's your Aunt Paige…" Phoebe continued.

Tessa turned to the kitchen table where Paige was sitting feeding Wyatt in his high chair. She was grinning, and shifted so she could see the little girl, "Hey kid, come here and give me a hug." She said holding her arms open. Giggling Tessa raced over.

"Just so you know…" Paige said, pulling back, "I'm the cool aunt." She said.

"Hey!" Piper cried from the counter, outrage on her face. She tossed a dish towel at her little sister, "We'll see about that!"

Paige laughed, releasing Tessa, "You see what I mean!" she exclaimed, turning back to feeding Wyatt.

"What'd you want for breakfast honey?" Piper asked.

"Uhhh…" Tessa looked at her Dad, "Coco pebbles!"

Cole frowned, "We have a deal."

"Awwwww Dad, come on… it's a special day."

Cole walked over to her and lifted her up high, "We have a deal." He repeated firmly, looking up into her eyes; hoping she'd be fair and not beg… he always gave in when she begged.

Tessa dangled her feet, in the air, and sighed dramatically, "Okay fine." She murmured.

He put her down.

"I'll have oatmeal, Auntie Piper," she said dutifully, but shot a resentful stare at her Dad.

"What deal?" Phoebe asked, determined to find out everything about her daughter.

Piper had been right, a night's sleep hadn't changed anything, but it had given her new energy to go about things.

She wouldn't let Cole's attitude dampen her joy. And she was joyful, she was thrilled… she was a mother! She had the little girl she'd longed for…

Cole did not look happy as Tessa began to explain, "Daddy and I make breakfast together in the mornings. I'm allowed to have one not healthy breakfast a week. Anything I want… Daddy will conjure it for me… but only once a week, 'cause more than that and we'll be really trampling the personal gain rule." She said, obviously quoting him.

"Why don't you just buy the not healthy breakfast?" Paige asked.

To their astonishment Tessa blushed, and looked at her Dad.

A small smile appeared on his face, "If the not healthy breakfast is bought. Then it's home everyday and because of that it's harder to accept the no. Not accepting the no, leads to tantrums and tantrums lead to me having to punish."

"Last time she blew up a shelf…" he shared after a moment.

Tessa frowned, "I didn't mean to…"

Cole chuckled, "Of course not, after all when you're on the floor kicking your hands and feet and screaming, you couldn't possibly mean to do anything."

"I can't picture it." Piper said after a moment, a smile on her face, "She's too well behaved."

This time Cole actually laughed, "Don't mistake articulate and brilliant with well behaved, Piper."

Tessa stamped her foot, her frown now a glare, "I am well behaved." She stated, a pout beginning to form.

"You absolutely are." Phoebe said smiling, "As long as you get your way…"

The glare disappeared, a smile took its place, "I knew you'd understand Mommy."

Piper snorted, "Great, it's another Phoebe…"

Paige laughed, "I think she's cute… you're really cute." She said to her niece.

Cole took a seat at the table, Tessa climbed onto his lap. Leo handed Chris to Phoebe and proceeded to help Piper in the kitchen. Phoebe sat with Chris next to Paige.

"So who's Angie?" Phoebe said her tone a little tight. It had bugged her all morning as she got ready. They kept mentioning, nothing much just in passing… but it was too much.

Tessa's face lit up and Phoebe felt a tightening in her stomach, she didn't want to have to fight another woman and Cole for her daughter.

"Angie, lives next door to us! She takes care of me!" the child exclaimed happily.

"How old is Angie?" Paige asked immediately, going straight to the heart of the matter and earning herself a glare from Cole, as of old, it did nothing to faze her. "Is she our age?"

Tessa shook her head, "Nu-uh, she's older… she makes me and Daddy food and lets me put my pictures on the fridge…"

Tessa's eyes widened, "Daddy! I forgot my paints!" She cried.

"We left in a hurry, baby, we can go back to get them later."

Tessa nodded appeased.

"Here you go sweetie," Piper said, as she placed a bowl of oatmeal in front of her.

Tessa stared at the bowl, than up at her father, "Do I hafta?" she asked.

"Yes." Than he frowned, looking at her more closely, "You haven't answered my question…"

But he didn't finish because Tessa quickly looked away and nearly buried her face in the bowl of oatmeal. Without hesitation she spooned a huge mouthful into her mouth.

The sisters watched amused. Even Leo had to smirk, the girl had avoidance down to an art form – at three.

Cole however, knew how to handle his child.

He waited unitl she'd swallowed, when the next spoon was rising to her mouth, he put his hand on her elbow and stopped it.

"I've asked you twice, Tessa Pilar, I want an answer this time.What happened to your hair?"

The others frowned, "What's wrong with her hair?" Phoebe asked.

"It looks fine to me…" Paige commented.

"It's a cute haircut," Piper added.

Tessa lit up, "See Daddy it's a cute hair cut…"

"I agree, I was also the one who had to sit in the salon for an hour while it was done and I distinctly remember that it was all cut even… and there's a chunk of hair missing in the front… why?"

Tessa sighed, and slid off his lap, than she turned to face him. "You're my favorite-est Daddy in the world, you know that right?"

Cole groaned, "What happened?"

"She collects locks from all her friends." Tessa said already on the defensive. She knew Daddy wasn't going to like this.

The kitchen immediately fell silent.

Cole inched forward on the chair, "Locks of hair?"

Tessa nodded.

"Who collects locks of hair?" He asked her, but he already knew and a feeling of dread was filling his chest.

"Lady." She said softly.

The sisters gasped, Leo paled, and Cole's mouth narrowed to a grim line.

Tessa's lip began to quiver.

"Lady took a lock of your hair?" He asked.

The child nodded.

He swallowed hard, as the pieces began to fall into place. "Did you give Lady anything else?"

Tessa looked down.

"I need you to answer me baby, it's very important."

She was still silent.

"I'm not mad, Tess, I just need to know what happened."

"She said she did it with all her friends and when she was little she made a pact so they'd always be friends and I wanted to be her friend. She's nice to me and I like her and…" she trailed off.

Cole took a deep breath, "What kind of pact, Tessa?"

She looked up, "She pricked my finger… and I bleeded…"

"You bled." He said.

She nodded, "Over da bowl. And than in da lil 'ottle."

"The bottle?"

She nodded again, "For 'ackup." She explained, "…in case it 'idn't work da first time…"

No one said anything. The kitchen was silent, even Wyatt and Chris – sensing the mood – were still.

Tessa's eyes began to fill with tears, "I did a bad thing didn't I?"

Phoebe made a move to speak or to reach for the child, but Cole sent her a warning look. She froze, his gaze told her that he knew better than her what to do… and even though it goaded her every fiber, she knew he was right.

He took his daughter tiny hand in his and drew her to him, than he sat her on one of his knees.

"You're happy you have your mommy now aren't you baby?"

Tessa nodded, blinking the tears away.

"And she's happy she has you. And her sisters are happy too. But your mommy and her sisters are special…"

"They're the Charmed Ones."

Cole nodded, "That's right. What you did was make a friend, Tess, that isn't wrong. You're allowed to make friends, all the friends you want. But now that your mommy and your Aunts are around you have to be careful."

He paused and stamped down the resentment he felt for the Charmed Ones… this was their fault…

His daughter was looking at him with big innocent eyes and he was going to have to strip them of some of that innocence… because of them.

"You have to be careful because there are beings that would want hurt you… or to hurt them, or your cousins."

Her eyes widened in alarm, "Hurt us?"

"Yes, baby, hurt you. And sometimes they might lie to you, to get you to trust them. So it's very important that you don't make blood pacts anymore, or give anyone a lock of your hair… and you have to tell me about your friends, all your friends, okay."

Tessa nodded, her eyes still wide, and her bottom lip quivered, "Lady isn't my friend is she?"

Cole pulled her towards him and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "No baby, Lady isn't your friend."

The child's gaze dropped and everyone's heart clenched. The same thought filling all their minds, this wasn't fair.

With a wave of his hand, Cole conjured painting supplies and paper on the table. "Why don't you take Wyatt in the living room and teach him how to paint now, Tess…"

She looked up and then at the table, but her gaze didn't light up the way they'd gotten used to, instead she studied the table and looked up at her Dad.

"Personal gain, Daddy." She said softly, but there wasn't as much teasing in the words as there should have been.

Cole smiled, "I figured since it's a special day…" he answered, referring to her earlier comment.

She nodded and slid off his lap. Paige quickly lifted Wyatt out of his high chair and placed him on the ground.

Silently she reached out her hand, "Come on Wyatt. It's adult-time now." She told him seriously. He took her hand and she led him out of the kitchen.

Piper opened her mouth to call them back, "You forgo-"

Cole waved his hand, silencing her, Piper frowned at him, but she cut herself off when the painting supplies floated above the table and headed towards the door. When they got to the door, the door too opened telekinetically and the supplies and paper gently floated into the living room.

"Wow." Paige said softly, still staring at the door.

"That was cool." Phoebe added happily.

Cole still looked troubled, but he managed to answer. "I like to use small things throughout the day to keep her working on her powers. Stuff like that helps with her control and focus."

"But you didn't even tell her too." Piper stated.

"She knows the way things work." He answered, "We have a big problem."

"I agree…" Leo said, his tone grave, "Piper I'm gonna go see what I can find out now."

"Wait!" She called, looking from Cole to her husband, "What's going on?"

"What's the big problem?" Paige asked.

"This Lady took Tessa's blood." Cole said, his tone cold.

"Yeah, but she's not hurt." Paige added.

"She's a Halliwell." Leo stated.

The sisters looked at him, a no-duh expression on their faces.

"She has your same bloodlines…" Cole added.

Now they looked at him with a no-duh expression.

Cole rolled his eyes, Leo spoke patiently, "Your magic wouldn't work against her. Good magic wouldn't work against her."

Still nothing.

"A demon has the blood of a Halliwell!" Cole yelled suddenly, his voice startling Chris, who let out a cry.

"Daddy?" Tessa called hesitantly from the living room.

He took a deep breath, running a hand through his dark hair, "Everything's fine Tess, draw me a nice picture…" he called out, than broke off in a groan.

Piper's gaze shot sparks at Cole as Leo shushed Chris, "Could you please watch the tone when the kids are around," she hissed.

"You don't get it do you?" He said softly, but with heat, "A very simple potion with Halliwell blood in it, is deadly. If a demon coats itself with it, it's undetectable to us." He said slowly, as if they were dumb.

"Not to mention," Leo picked up, much more gently, "That your magic wouldn't work against it because…"

"… because it wouldn't work against Tessa," Phoebe finished, the pieces connecting in her head.

Horror was beginning to etch itself on the girls' faces.

"You mean if we got attacked right now we'd be defenseless!" Paige questioned a little hysteria in her voice.

"Yeah, basically…" he said.

"Jeez, Leo what are you waiting for… go!" Piper hissed.

He smirked bending to hand her Chris, "Find out what's going on. How did they find her before we even knew she existed? Is that potion made? Who's using it?"

"And find out who the hell this Lady is…" Phoebe hissed, real venom in her voice.

Leo nodded and orbed away.

"Paige, you, get to magic school and find the kind of potion that would use our blood like that, and see if there's an antidote or something; Cole and Phoebe, you guys hit the book… don't look at me like that!" She said sternly when they stared at her in horror, "Cole can find the demon that attacked him and Phoebe, you can touch the page to see if you get a premonition that could help us."

Still they both stared at her, "I'm serious, I've got a play date for Wyatt scheduled. They'll be here in three hours and I still have baking to do."

"You're not gonna cancel?" Paige asked.

"No, I'm not. I can't. I've cancelled every time it's supposed to be held here. They're not going to keep inviting Wyatt if every time its his turn to host he cancels."

"Yeah, but…" Paige began.

"… imminent danger is a good reason to cancel…" Phoebe finished.

"But I can't explain it to them, so I look like a flake…"

"Better to look like a flake than be responsible for the deaths of kids," Cole said reproachfully, as if her priorities weren't straight.

"I'm not canceling this play-date, so I suggest you all move about your assignments, 'cause if you don't you'll be as responsible as me if we get attacked." She said calmly and stood.

Paige made a huffing sound and left the room.

Cole and Phoebe stood warily, both reluctant to spend any amount of time alone. "Let's take Tessa up too, she'd never seen the Book," Phoebe said with forced cheerfulness; the thought of having no one as a buffer while she faced Cole making her almost sick.

Piper rolled her eyes, "Tessa is going to keep Wyatt entertained for me while I bake. You two are going to find the demon that attacked your daughter…" Her voice was pleasant, but their was a note of warning in it.

Phoebe sighed softly, they'd have to talk sometime. Without looking at him she made her way out to the staircase and up to the attic.

She didn't look anywhere but ahead until she was standing at the book.

Then she lifted her head and looked at him. He was standing a few feet away, on the other side of the Book; making no move to look at it, just staring at her.

His dark eyes unreadable.

She didn't want to do this, was terrified of the things he'd say. Because she knew, he'd be right. His accusations would be nothing more than an echo of the ones she'd been hurling at herself, but coming from him it would hurt more.

In those remote eyes, she could see herself. And what she saw made her shiver. His eyes told her, he'd offered her the world, and she'd rejected it. That he'd have given her everything, and now, he saw, she deserved nothing.

Her heart thumped painfully in her chest and she felt a burning in the back of her eyes… those eyes had sent a different message long ago. Long ago their message had been love.

So much love.

He had loved her.

But sometimes love isn't enough, she told herself harshly, shutting off thoughts of the past, sometimes you need more.

She repeated those phrases in her mind.

Sometimes love isn't enough. Sometimes you need more.

Over and over she repeated them in her mind as she gathered the courage to speak. Hoping that somehow if she said them enough they'd become true.

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