Another thing is - me shamelessly pimping my DracoGinny fan fiction on which I'm working recently as well as this beauty. It is called "I Will Never Let You Leave Me" and it can be found on my page or on where I bear the same pseudonym.
And last ramble before you'll go onto this chapter is - there is no fluff in this chapter as well, I'm sorry.
This chapter is mostly filler, so it probably sucks all kinds of badness. The next two chapters are almost all written out in my mind, but the rest… As I said before I have absolutely no idea where I'm going with this baby, so I apologize in advance if this fiction turns out to be really crappy. I hope it won't, but… ::whimpers in overwhelming fear of crappyness::
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Leo walked into the kitchen, his eyes darting forward, searching for Cole. Spotting him by the dining table behind him, Leo set down beside him, for a while not saying a word. He gazed aside, from the corner of his eye seeing Cole gazing at his cup of coffee. It has been three days since his and Paige's argument and though it ended on a chipper note, Paige refused to talk to Cole ever since. And he, on his behalf, did not cease from his constant attempts to discover Piper's whereabouts.
An issue that tagged Leo at the back of his mind was the fact that Cole heard nothing, absolutely nothing, for the past three or so days. Usually he would receive tips, clues that would lead to where she already left, but recently it was not even that. Of course, Leo did not allow himself to dwell on this topic since worrying about Piper have become an obsession of his that he knew wouldn't lead to anything good.
She shook his head and opened his mouth to say something, anything, but was cut off when Cole spoke first.
"She's such a child…" he huffed indignantly.
Leo glanced at Cole worriedly, though smiling inwardly, he couldn't help but to notice the trace of childishness in his own voice. "You can't blame her for everything…"
"I don't blame her!" he replied exasperatedly, as if this very accusation was tossed at him dozens of times before (as it actually was, by Prue). "I think she's a spoilt brat who received one too many dolls in her life to play with, but I don't blame her. For this…"
"That metaphor had absolutely no sense since you and I both know she burned the heads off her dolls when she was little…" commented Leo in an attempt to lighten the mood.
Cole glared at him in reply, gripping the coffee mug tightly. "She refuses to accept the solid fact that Bellatrix wasn't her friend, but a demon who was sent to kill us all. She wallows in self-pity and she's mad at me for no substantial reason and how the hell am I suppose to vanquish Piper without the power of three. I mean, I'll probably have no choice, but…" he let out an frustrated growl, thudding the mug down onto the table, standing up and starting to pace around the kitchen restlessly. "I don't know what she's thinking… scratch that, I do know what she's thinking and I can assure you none of that is rational in any way!"
"Cole, her trust has been abused! She unveiled herself completely to this one person who betrayed her… you have to give her time to heal…"
"She had three friggin' months to heal!" roared Cole in disbelief. "She have become moodier, her powers are acting wonky, she's not even talking to me, she disregards all her duties as a witch and as a Charmed One… she became absolutely inept!"
"Watch what you're saying!" warned him Leo, standing up. "Don't think she's the only one who've become moodier, whose powers have been acting wonky and who's disregarding their duties…"
Cole's eyes widen and his face undertook a subtle shade of scarlet. "I disregard my duties as a Charmed One? I'm the only one around here who actually trying to hunt down that damn demon and vanquish her!"
"I'm not talking about your duties as a Charmed One…" Leo replied evenly, his stern face clouded with seriousness as he pushed aside the strange sensation at a mention of vanquishing Piper. "I'm talking about your duties as a brother. You're job is to comfort her, to protect her-"
"That's what I'm trying to do, DAMN IT!" Cole shouted in frustration, the veins on his neck pulsating menacingly.
"You're sure as hell not comforting her!" countered Leo firmly. "If you won't stop your aggravated hunt, you will push Paige away completely and that not only destroy the power of three, but you as well. You have to stop obsessing about vanquishing Piper and concentrate on mending your bond with your sister. Believe me, it will only benefit you…"
Cole gazed at Leo for a long while, seemingly taking in his words. Then his expression lightened and he smirked to himself, shaking his head. "Stop trying to vanquish Bellatrix?" he asked in an almost amused manner. "I see…" he tucked his hands into his pant pockets and leaned against the isle, staring at Leo with mix of contempt and disbelief visible in his eyes. "And you offering such a thing wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you bedded the aforementioned demon?"
Leo's features instantly darkened, his back stiffened, squaring his shoulders and his jaws clenched together tightly as he clasped his fists and narrowed his eyes into tiny, resentful slits. "What are you implying?"
Cole chuckled venomously, taking in Leo's sudden change in intonation and stance. "Guess…"
Leo sensed his neck tightening as well and he had to fight the desire to punch Cole's teeth down his throat. "Are you saying my past brief relationship with Piper makes me want to stop you from vanquishing her?"
"Lucky guess… and quite good one, as well…"
"That has nothing to do with this," Leo hissed.
Cole snapped out of his short cool exterior and stormed over to Leo. "That has everything to do with this and don't try to deny it. I know you've been warning her every time I got close enough to catch her. I know you slept with her and I don't understand how the Elders haven't figured you out by now! And now you're saying I should drop the idea of vanquishing her all together! As far as I know you're working alongside with Bellatrix, so you should watch yourself or I will vanquish you too!"
"Are you listening to yourself?" bellowed Leo, deciding to avert the subject, knowing he might loose his temper if the conversation continued in the same route. "You're being absolutely paranoid! You think I'm working with Piper? Cole, I'm a whitelighter! Yours, nonetheless! Are you seriously suggesting that I'm trying to kill you?"
"Did I stutter?" he countered viciously. "Don't play coy, Leo! I know everything!"
Unable to control his features for just split of a second, Leo scowled disgustedly at Cole's latter declaration and spat his reply. "You know nothing!"
"I know damn enough to say that you still have feelings for the demon," Cole stated and watched for Leo's reaction.
Leo delayed his response, scanning Cole and trying to understand his overbearing madness for the past while. Leo's anger began to dissipate as he returned to his whitelighter-mode. "What happened to you? Can't you even see what your doing to Paige and Prue? The Elders have been worried because the power of three is weakening and it is because of your insisting insanity…"
Just when Cole was about to reply, a familiar jingle echoed through the kitchen and Leo glared upward, anger gradually seething to minimum. He glanced at Cole again, this time his features as mellow and concerned as always. "You won't win anything like this. Take a step back, breathe… you're losing your mind and I'm worried as well as the Elders…"
With these last, peaceful words he inhaled deeply, feeling the light blue orbs envelop him caringly and carrying him heavenwards.
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Author's Notes: ::cringes away from the accusing stares:: Was it as bad as I presume? Oh god, I'm so sorry! I will do better, I promise! Review?