Hello,

Charmed-snow just asked me to translate this story. Actually I didn't want to do it, but then I decided to start to translate the first chapters. But it's a lot of work and I just don't have so much time at the moment, but I'll go on, if you really want to read it.

I don't know if you'll like it, because this story has nothing to do with my other story (Flowers of stone). It isn't a sequel or anything like that.

It's a new story, so I don't know if you want to read it. Because it's about Cole and Prue. I suddenly had the idea to write it, after I finally accepted that Cole and Phoebe will never come together, she'll never trust him. Therefore I had to find another way to make him happy.

P. S. The Charmed characters don't belong to me.

Voodoo Magic

Prolog

Prudence Halliwell was sitting on a blue shimmering boulder and groaned. She was already dead for more than a year, but nevertheless she couldn't face the facts. In the beginning she was only shocked and she refused to accept her own death. She was worried about her sisters and she couldn't imagine, how they should protect themselves without her help, yes even without the power of three. But to her surprise, her sisters managed it and they even got the chance to revive the power of three with the help of their sister Paige, whom Prue never had the chance to get to know.

Of course Prue was happy for her sisters and relieved that they found a way to go on without their elder sister. But nevertheless it hurt to see that she was replaceable. Certainly these thoughts were nonsense, Prue knew that Piper missed her badly and that she never really got over her death. And Prue was sure that even Phoebe had mourned for her and missed her badly, but then Phoebe tried to accept it in her way and she went on without her.

Prue groaned, first she waited for an offer to become a whitelighter or to get another job to help innocents. But they told her, that first she had to accept her situation. Well that was a good one, accept her situation! She was dead, how should anyone be able to accept that? Her mother and grandmother tried to help her to face the facts, but it was easier said than done. Prue always felt, that that couldn't be everything, she couldn't say finally goodbye to her former life, there was too much undone.

But then Prue had to see from above what happened to her sisters without a chance to intervene. She saw, that her sisters defeated the source and she got a bad feeling. It went off too smoothly and Prue believed that it was somehow too easy. But nobody wanted to listen to her objections, they only wanted to celebrate their victory.

It wasn't a good feeling that she was right in the end. It hurt, because Prue knew about the nightmare Phoebe had to go through and she couldn't do anything to help her. But nevertheless Prue couldn't understand, why her sisters and Leo had been so blind like everybody else above. At least Phoebe should have noticed something, she was married with Cole and she must have noticed that Cole had changed. Prue shook her head, if she had been there, she would have noticed it earlier, early enough to fix everything. Not until it was already too late.

Prue looked up sadly to the shimmering soul, which was lying peaceful in a small tank made of glass. It had been too late for this little soul, she thought. It was the soul of her unborn nephew, who never got the chance to live his own life. Everybody had been surprised that he came here after his death. But it didn't surprise Pure. He finally was only possessed by the power of the source, like his father was. And only the death could take the evil powers away.

Prue couldn't understand, why Phoebe didn't try to rescue her son after Coles death. She must have known, that the demonic powers of the source passed on to her son, too. But she was blind again, she didn't want to see and so she didn't do anything, until it was too late.

But in the end Prue's little nephew got the chance to kill the seer and some other high-level demons. He rescued himself, he did a heroic deed for the good and nobody could tell Prue something else. She touched the wall made of glass with her hand and groaned, she wanted it so badly, that her brave little nephew would have had a chance to live a usual life.

She got off with a heavy heart and went to the exit. Somebody asked her for a meeting and Prue hoped that she finally would get a new job. She wasn't ready to give up everything, she knew there was still something to do for her!

When Prue entered the room there was only one single man waiting for her. Prue didn't know him, but he was looking like an angel. On alert she asked. "Who are you?"

The man looked at her with a smile on his face. "I am the angel of destiny and I have an offer for you."

Prue looked back sceptically and folded her armes. "You don't say? Why do you give me the pleasure now?"

"Well you know it was the fate of the Charmed Ones to vanquish the source of all evil. When they did it, I could offer them the chance to lead a usual life. But they haven't decided, yet."

"Really? But why should they accept it? They are witches and that's their destiny and not to vanquish the source." Prue explained forcefully. "I promise you, they won't accept it."

"Well, we'll see. Lately your sisters realized that to be a witch is more a burden not a pleasure, especially Piper and Phoebe are longing for a usual life. Therefore we want to do them that favour."

"I don't believe that they'll see it as a gift. I promise you, they'll turn down your offer." Prue explained convinced.

"That may be possible, but nevertheless we want to show them, how thankful we are." The angel told her calmly.

"Okay, but where do I come into it?" Prue asked.

"We want to thank you for your help, too. You had a great part in it, you helped your sisters to pave the way for their success. Therefore we want to offer you something, too."

"An offer?" she asked and looked at the angel searching. "Of course you don't want to relieve me of my witches' burden, do you?"

The angel laughed. "No, of course not. But we want to give you the chance of a usual life, too."

"Well, do you want to tell me, that I already have accepted the fact to be dead?" Prue asked sarcastically. Did the angel really tell her the truth? Would he give her the chance, to live together with her sisters again, just without magic?

"No, that's not the point." The angel said and Prue knew, that he not only answered her question, but also her thoughts. "You won't get back your former life, you won't live in your sisters' world."

"I don't know, why I should accept it." Prue said with a shake of her head.

"Because you still would have your memories. And if your sisters accept a life without magic, occasional meetings will be possible."

"Occasional meetings?" Prue looked at the angel doubtfully. She didn't see why this offer should be tempting, yet. Where was the sense to live a life without her family?

"It's your decision." the angel told her.

Prue looked at him thoughtfully and suddenly, she knew, when she would accept this offer. But she had to be careful, discreet to reach her goal. "So, you want to tell me, the Charmed Ones vanquished the source and now one of their dreams will come true."

The angel nodded. "That's it."

"But does it ever occurred to you, that we were unable to do without some help?" She looked at him forcefully. "Where is the favour for Cole? Without him, they would have failed." Prue asked and noticed that the angel listened to her carefully, so she had to go on. "Or where is the favour for Phoebe's son? He has vanquished the seer, who wanted to become the new source. My sisters would never have a chance against her. Without the help of those two persons, the good would have never been the winner, so where is their reward?" Prue looked at the angel requesting.

He groaned and nodded. "You may be right, but we don't discuss about their destiny. I'm just authorized to offer you a usual life."

"But where is the justice?" Prue asked sadly, although she didn't care about justice at all. "I will just accept your offer, if everybody, who helped to vanquish the source gets the same offer." she explained and hoped urgently, that the angel won't have the chance to offer Cole anything, she just cared about her little nephew.

The angel thought about Prue's words. "I don't have the possibility to intervene in the life of a demon." He started to explain.

"But they are dead. And the soul of my nephew is here." she told him.

"That's right. Let me just think about it." the angel closed his eyes for a while. "I would be able to offer the child a usual life. But I won't be able to reach his father, if he is in the wasteland or somewhere else. I can't do anything for him." He looked at Prue with regret.

As if she would care about Cole, Prue thought and nodded. "I'll accept it, if you don't have the power to reach him."

"That's it. I can only reach souls above and I have the power to reach them, if they were stranded in a world beetween. But unfortunately I can't sense him now."

That was really a pity, Prue thought sarcastically and hoped that he would stop to think about Cole. "So what is your offer now?"

"I'll talk about it with the elders, but I think under some circumstances they'll accept to give you and your nephew a usual life. But it'll be your job to take care of him, because your sisters won't be in your world. You'll take the responsibility."

"That's nothing new to me. I'm the eldest sister and I have always taken care of my sisters."

"Okay, and I'll promise you, that Cole Turner will get the same offer, if I have the chance to sense him." the angel looked at her seriously.

Prue nodded, she would get, what she wanted a life together with her nephew, she didn't care what happened to his father, but she won't tell the angel about it. "Okay, I'll accept it."

"Wonderful, but you can just go back to earth after the birth of the boy, until this time, you'll have to stay here."

"I agree." Prue explained satisfied.

Some months later Prue was standing in front of an old Victorian house in New Orleans. She held her little nephew in her arms and looked to the ornated front and the big windows. She went up the small stairs to the entrance and looked for her keys. When she found them, she opened the door and entered the house slowly.

She was standing in the entrance hall and on the left were the stairs to the first floor. She looked around and everything remembered her to her home in San Francisco. There was a kitchen on the left and two doors at the right side. Straight on their was an open entrance to the winter garden. She went there and looked through the wall made of glass to the garden. She opened the sliding door slowly and entered the old wooden veranda. Somebody would have to paint it in the next time, it was absolutely necessary, Prue thought and went into the garden.

It was obvious, that somebody had built it many years ago. Although at this time of the year, there weren't leafs at the big trees it wasn't possible to see anything of the neighbours gardens. The trees and the big fence around the ground made Prue feel to be in an own little world. Just at the other side of the garden, Prue could find a door in the fence.

The garden was absolutely different to normal gardens in a modern estate, wild and in disorder, but it gave Prue a great sense of harmony. She could imagine how the beautiful old trees, brushes and flowers would look like in spring. On the left side, she found an old chestnut tree with a bench in front of it. She walked there and sat down. She took a deep breath of the fresh air and looked at her nephew gladly. "Do you know Daniel? I'm sure that we'll enjoy to live here."

1. Chapter

In April, months later, Prue already settled into her new home. She had furnished the house in her own way. She had left a lot of the old furnitures at their place and bought a few new one's. Her bedroom and Danny's bedroom were located on the first floor and she used the rooms in the ground floor as living rooms and dining room. In one of these rooms, in the winter garden, was Daniel together with an elderly woman, who took care of him, while Prue was working as a photographer for a publishing house.

At the same time Prue was sitting in her office in one of the skyscrapers in New Orleans. "Oh, my back hurts." she moaned and stretched herself.

"No wonder, you were sitting over these photos already for ages." her colleague Judy Howard explained. Judy shared the office with Prue und they became friends within the last month.

Prue had never thought, that she would find close friends so easily. But she made friends with Judy and her boyfriend Robert and with her neighbours, Dianne and Scott McCormack, too. The couple had just married and they had a little daughter, who was Danny's age. They were shocked to hear, that Danny had just lost his mother and that his aunt took care of him now. It wasn't hard for Prue to lie, because basically it was the truth. Okay, Phoebe didn't die, but Daniel and she had died. And Prue had the feeling, that her whole family was dead. After she heard, that her sisters had refused the offer, the angel had told her, that she would never meet them again, because she would live in a world without magic. Prue had to accept it, but sometimes she felt bad, because she knew, that her nephew had to grow up without his mother. But there was no way to change it and Prue was convinced that Phoebe would agree. Prue was Daniels's mother now and she would take care of him and give him all her love, his mother couldn't give him.

Prue shook her head to get rid of these thoughts and looked at Judy with a smile. "Yes, I know, sometimes I'm too nitpicking. But I want to find the perfect photo, otherwise our best friend Vivian will complain about it to this idiot Petersen

Vivian Wingrove was their special friend. She didn't get the job because of her quality as a journalist, but of her family. It was one of the most influencing families in New Orleans. And in the eyes of their boss Petersen, she couldn't do anything wrong. And if an article wasn't good enough, Petersen could be a real tyrant. And the wrong photo would always be responsible for the bad article and nothing else.

"That's right" Judy laughed, "but today he's in a good mood. I don't know, but perhaps he has a new girlfriend."

Prue looked doubtfully. "Well I don't know, who should take him?"

"O I don't think that that's a problem for him, finally he's the boss here." Judy said and looked at Prue sceptically, she had already found out, that Prue was rather particular relating to men. Nevertheless she didn't want to give up trying to marry her off. "So, do you have plans for the weekend? One of Robert's friends will come to New Orleans for a few days, probably, he'll move back to his hometown. So I'd like to introduce him to you."

"I don't know, Judy." Prue told her sceptically. Judy's last friends had always turned out to be losers. Anyway, none of them did interest her a bit. Yes, she knew, that she had been considered to be particular, but that didn't disturb her. She didn't need a new man in her life at the moment. She had to find a way to accept that the had the chance to live again but without her family. There was no hurry with a man. "I don't think that I'll find a baby-sitter so easily." she wriggled out of it.

"I thought the McCormacks and you have arranged that you'll take turns in taking care of the children, if someone has plans for the weekend. And you stayed at home for the last three weeks." Judy told her.

"Yes, but they won't be at home this weekend, therefore I can't ask them." Prue explained, she didn't really want to take part again in one of Judy's attempts to marry her off, no, she would prefer to stay at home together with Daniel. Hopefully that didn't mean, that she was getting old, Prue thought.

"But he is really cute." Judy tried again. "I'm sure, he's your type."

Of course, she had always assured her. "I can try to find a baby-sitter, but I really don't think that I'll manage it. And I don't want to leave Daniel to a complete stranger. I have to work all week and I want to see him at least at the weekend."

Judy groaned. "Okay, I understand, but if you manage it, you'll call me, okay?"

Prue nodded and paid her attention to her photos again, when she suddenly noticed, that something was wrong. She looked up and saw, that Judy had stopped in her movement. Prue looked at her watch and saw, that it was frozen, too. But that was impossible, she was living in a world without magic, or wasn't she? Prue looked around and was prepared for everything, when suddenly the Angel of Destiny appeared in front of her.

"Don't worry." he said calmly. "I've frozen the time to tell you something."

Prue nodded carefully. "Okay, I'm listening." she told him, although she didn't knew what to think about his appearance. Probably nothing good, she expected

"I've found a way to fulfill all your demands." he told her satisfied.

"All my demands?" Prue asked iritated, she had just made the demand to lead a usual life together with her nephew, nothing else. Or stop, perhaps she would get the chance to meet her sisters? She looked at the angel expectantly.

"Yes, I got the chance to offer the last person a usual life. He had finally accepted and he'll be here soon." the angel explained.

"What?" Prue jumped up and her thoughts revolved around. "The last person? I hope you don't want to tell me that's Cole." No, that couldn't be true. When Prue was waiting for the 'birth' of her nephew, she could see, what happened to her sisters. She saw, that Cole had found a way to escape from the wasteland. But then everybody above thought that it would be better for Prue to concentrate upon her new life. So they told her, that she shouldn't watch them anymore. The last she heard about her sisters was, that Piper was pregnant. She had been so happy for her sister, although it hurt to know, that she would never had the chance to meet her nice.

When the angel nodded, Prue snapped at him. "I thought you don't have the chance to intervene in the life of a demon. Or do you want to say he's dead again? But no, you can't tell me, that his soul was above." She explained forcefully, that was a misunderstanding and nothing else.

"No, but he was stranded in an intermediate world. So I got the chance to offer him a usual life and he accepted."

"You really want to tell me, that Cole will turn up here?" she asked exhausted, that couldn't be true. "Are you crazy?"

The angel looked at her confused. "But that was, what you wanted. You told me, that we have to offer it everybody to be fair-minded."

"But I didn't mean it like that." Prue told him angrily. "I don't want him near to us."

"Well now it's to late, I can't change it anymore." He looked at Prue with a shake of his head. "That's what you wanted and now you have to live with it." He said and just before Prue got the chance to say something, he was gone and the time went on in it's normal way.

"You can't do that to me." Prue explained and clenched her teeth.

Judy looked at her surprised. "Who can't do what to you?" she asked.

Prue looked back at her and shook her head. "That's too complicated." she said and went back to her seat. She looked at the photos and picked one of it, suddenly she absolutely didn't care, which one would be in the paper. She handed it to Judy. "You can tell Petersen, that I've chosen this one." she explained and took her jacket. "I've to go home immediately."

"You have to go?" Judy asked surprised. But Prue didn't answer. She rushed to the door and left the building, she had to go home as fast as possible, before Cole would turn up in her home.

Cole Turner stared at the key in his hand undecided what to do. He was standing in front of an entrance to an unknown house. He didn't know, how long he had been stranded in an intermediate world. Sometimes he felt as if it has been an eternity but sometimes it was only a second. The last moments of his former life were still clear in his mind's eyes. And after that, it became calm, it was nearly peaceful, he hadn't felt anything, no pain, no desire, no hate, no love, nothing. There was whether good, nor evil. That had been a relief for him, after all the pain and suffering of the last weeks. And it would never have occurred to him to make an effort to change his current situation. But suddenly this angel appeared in front of him and wanted to offer him something. The offer to live a life without magic, as if Cole wanted to change anything, no, he had lost the will to go on living. He really felt no desire to go back to the normal world. He couldn't see anything in a usual life without magic. And he had made it quite clear to the angel.

The old man had groaned and turned around to leave him again. But despite of all of his lethargy Cole didn't want to let him go so easily. "What made you think of offering me something like that?" He stopped him. Because this man could be the last person, he would ever had the chance to talk to.

"I've offered the chance for a usual life to every person, who helped to vanquish the source."

That was a good one, Cole had to try hard not to laugh. This guy couldn't mean it like that, but the angel went on talking. "The Charmed Ones didn't want to give up their powers, but their sister Prue and her nephew have accepted my offer."

Cole looked at him surprised. "Where did Prue get a nephew from?" he wanted to know.

"Well I suppose we're talking about your son." the angel explained.

Cole starred at him and didn't know, what to think about it. It had to be a trap, an angel would never offer him anything, and for what? It had to be a trick, the Halliwell sisters could stand it, that he was stranded here in peace. No, they tried to used this trick to send him to hell. "It's a trap, isn't it? They want to see me suffer, at best in purgatory. It wasn't enough to vanquish me again."

"Who?" The old man looked at him iritated.

"Well the glorious Halliwells, who else?" Cole explained angrily, although he thought that he was immune to all feelings, the Halliwell were still able to get on his nerves

"No, you won't see them ever again." the angel explained calmly. "They've refused my offer, like you did, so I'll go."

"No, wait a moment." Cole stopped him again, although he had lost the will to live, he felt a flicker of hope. His son, could that be true? These thoughts would haunt him all the time, he wouldn't be able to rest in peace anymore. Should that be his punishment? Pestering questions forever? No, he would take this chance, although he felt no desire to go on living, but he would accept this offer.

And so he was standing in front of his house and didn't know, what was in store for him. Finally he took the key and tried to lock up the door. He opened it with a little surprise and entered the entrance hall. He heard some noise from the kitchen on the left and straight on he saw an open door to a living room. He went to the door carefully, when an elderly woman rushed out of the kitchen

She looked at him confused. "Who are you?" She asked with a loud voice, to chase away the intruder.

"I'm Cole Turner, and as far as I know, is this my house." Cole explained with a smart smile. "So the question is, who are you?"

The woman closed her eyes tightly. "I've heard you are dead."

"Well I'd say, that I'm still alive."

"I'm sorry, perhaps I've misunderstood Prue. She didn't tell me that you were coming." The woman was still sceptically, but she gave him her hand. "My name is Clara Jennigs and I'm managing the household and take care of your son, while Miss Halliwell is working."

Cole took her hand. "Where is he?" he asked immediately

"Your son? He is sleeping in the winter garden, I just went to the kitchen for a moment to take a drink." she explained, but Cole already didn't listen.

"Thanks!" he said. "You can go home now." he told her firmly and smiled. "I'm here now and I'll take care of him."

"Are you sure?" Clara Jennings looked at him doubtfully. "Prue told me..."

Cole stopped her with a gesture. "It doesn't matter, what Prue has told you, finally she didn't know, that I'd arrive today. Therefore enjoy your evening." he explained and took her jacket. "I'm sure you deserve a long weekend." he told her with his brightest smile and led her to the door.

"That's true, sometimes I really work too hard." Clara said and took her bag lying on a little table near the door. He was right, she still had a lot to do at home, and it would be wonderful, if she went home so early. "I hope Prue doesn't mind."

"It's okay, I'll talk to my sister in law, don't worry." Cole assured her und pushed her out of the door. "See you later" he said and closed the door.

On the other side of the door, Clara Jennings still didn't know exactly, what to do. She looked back again and searched for her phone to dial Prue's number at the office. Prue's colleague, Judy told her, that Prue was already on her way home. Clara put back the phone satisfied and went to her car to go home, too.