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And yes, before Christmas I'm always busy, too. But I hope you'll have enough time to read the next chapter!

Hope you'll like it!

6. Chapter

At the same time Prue was standing in front of the court house. A big crowd of photographers and reporters had assembled on the little place to report about a spectacular murder of a clergyman. Prue looked around waiting for her colleague Vivian, who should work as a reporter on the spot. Prue saw her immediately, when she strode through the crowd. Because despite of her size of 1,78 m she wore high-heeled shoes. Prue and Vivian weren't the best friends and in Prue's opinion Vivian was full of herself. She came from one of the richest families in New Orleans and Prue was convinced that she owed her job to her family's relations. Her father had pulled strings. There were more capable reports working for the paper, but there was absolutely no doubt, that Vivian would get ahead.

"Prue, there you are finally." Vivian explained, as if she didn't come too late. "We have to get into the building immediately, otherwise we'll miss something interesting." She rushed through the crowed and Prue followed her in some distance.

When they arrived inside of the building some minutes later, media representatives were already present in large numbers. They just rushed at a policeman coming out of the courtroom. Prue and Vivian had no other choice than waiting on the edge of the crowd. They watched the policeman escaping from the reporters and coming up to them. To Prue's surprise she recognized the medium-seized man with the short brown hair. It was Paul Hennen. "Paul" she said surprised. "How long have you been in town?"

The policeman looked up and a smile shined on his face. "Prue I'm glad to see you." he said but before he could go on talking, Vivian held her recorder under his nose. Obviously she was practising for her future career on television.

"Have you found the corpse?"

Paul looked at her irritated. "No comment." He explained rigid and turned back to Prue. "I wanted to call you, but..."

But Vivian didn't admit defeat so easily. "Do you think it plays a part that the victim is a clergyman? Is it a ritual murder?"

"I've already told you, that I won't answer your questions." He refused flatly.

Vivian shrugged her shoulders. "Don't make such a fuss." she said indignant.

Paul shook his head, but in this moment the doors of the courtroom opened again and the defendant was taken out. Vivian left Paul alone and snapped at Prue. "Prue, not this way, you can have your private conversations in your leisure time, we have to work. And I need photos."

Prue darted Paul a meaningful look and burst into the crowd with Vivian.

Soon after they were standing in front of the court house again. Vivan looked unhappy, because she didn't find out anything spectacular yet. Paul Hennen and Judy's friend Robert joined them, but Paul had told Vivian in plain terms, that they were policemen and wouldn't answer one of her questions.

Prue looked back to the entrance, when suddenly another well-known person left the court house. "Cole," she said surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Cole looked up and went to her. Everything has gone as he had expected. He couldn't get Amy released on bail and David Morgan had left the room with a satisfied grin on his face. "I'm working, what else?" Cole explained still a little frustrated.

But before Prue could give him an answer, Vivian was at hand and held Cole her recorder under his nose. "Are you Amy Carey's lawyer?" she asked.

Cole looked at her surprised. "Don't you have a microphone?" He wanted to know. "Or don't you work for a TV station?"

"No, I'm working for the writing guild." Vivian explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but on principle I just talk to important people." Cole said with a smile

"I am important. And soon you can see me on TV." Vivian explained piqued.

Cole took a close look of her. "I have no doubt about it. And you look familiar to me. Have I seen you on TV lately?"

It was obvious, that Vivian felt flattered. "Indeed, my family is present in the local media and I am on a lot of gala events."

"And there you attracted my attention. What was your name again?" Cole wanted to know.

"Vivian Wingrove."

"Are you related to Edward Wingrove?" Cole asked surprised.

"He is my father, do you know him?" she asked, as if it was impossible not to know him.

Cole nodded. "Cole Turner, I'm working for him."

Now Vivian was surprised. "Really? I haven't seen you in the office yet." She smiled and looked at him attentively. "And I would have noticed you."

Beside them Prue rolled her eyes.

"I've just started to work there." Cole explained.

"Oh I see, nevertheless I'm surprised, that a lawyer working for my father conducts Donald Carey's daughter."

"Yes?" Cole looked at her interested. "He has told me, that Donald is an old friend of him."

Vivian nodded. "That's right, since school days already. But Amy, well..., you know."

"What?"

"Well she is your client and you probably have already noticed that she is a strange person."

"Mm." Cole said unmeaning. "So do you know her better?"

"No, I wouldn't say that. But our fathers are friends and therefore we meet occasionally. But she was always odd, difficult, I don't know. But nevertheless that she has murdered this priest...." She shook her head. "Nobody thought that she was capable of doing something like that."

"Is she against the church?" Cole asked immediately, glad that Vivian was so talkative.

"No, not as far as I know. Although she went to church seldom for a Catholic only lately you could find her on a church service more often." Vivian explained, when someone behind her called her name. "Oh, duty calls." she smiled at him flirty. "But I suppose, that we'll meet again soon, Mr. Turner."

"I hope so Miss Wingrove." He said smartly.

When Vivian was gone, Cole turned back to Prue. "One of your colleagues?"

"You said it, but today I had the impression, that Vivian has forgotten who the real reporter is." Prue told him dryly.

"Well I liked it." Cole said grinning.

"And you really are Amy Carey's lawyer?" Prue asked surprised.

"That's it, or don't you think I can do it?"

Prue shrugged her shoulders. "I'm just surprised, that Wingrove chose you."

"Yes, he has every confidence in me." Cole answered ironically.

"Well he doesn't know you as long as I do." Prue said sneering. "Have you fixed the lock of the bathroom yet?"

"No Prue, how should I? Or do I look like the born craftsman?"

"You shouldn't repair it, you should call someone, who is able to fix it." Prue explained him.

"I was busy, as you see. And besides you wanted to take it upon yourself. Because you thought that it is so urgent." He reminded her.

"Wel this morning you have seen, that it is absolutely essential." she told him with a shake of her head.

"Oh, I liked it." Cole said and cast a meaningful glance at her.

Prue looked at him annoyed. "But I didn't."

Beside them Paul cleared his throat. "We have to go to the police station again." he explained reserved.

"Oh yes, Paul, Robert this is...." Prue started, but Paul interrupted her abruptly.

"We already met in court." Paul told her.

"That's right, you are the policemen arriving at the scene of the crime first." Cole remembered.

Robert nodded. "Yes and it was an awful sight."

"Bobby, we have to go now." Paul remind his colleague again.

"You'll go to the police station?" Cole asked and looked at the policemen interested. When Robert nodded, he added. "Okay, then I can go with you, can't I? I want to see the pieces of evidence today." Cole turned back to Prue. "Will you take care of Danny, or shall I take him on my way home?"

"No, that won't be necessary. I'm sure Judy has already forced Mrs. Jennings to pick him up. I mean in case that they put up with each other for such a long time."

Robert looked at them surprised about these news. "Judy is baby-sitter? Voluntary?"

Prue grinned. "Well Cole has taken her by surprise. He thought that she is the right person to take care of his son, because she has a motherly personality."

"Judy? Oh my god. It's a miracle to me, that you could leave the office alive." Robert burst out in loud laughter. "You should avoid her for the next years, otherwise you could be a dead man soon."

"Don't worry, many have already tried it, but it doesn't seem to work." Cole explained cooly

"Okay!" Robert said, when Paul glowered at him. "Let's go. I'll inform you about Judy and her relation to children on our way to the station."

The three men set off and Prue looked around for Vivian. Five minutes later she turned up again. "Oh, is he already gone?" she asked disappointed.

"Who do you mean?"

"Well of course this nice, attractive lawyer." Vivian looked around. "What a pity, he is gone. But you know him, don't you?"

"It's not as simple as that." Prue said. "Why? You aren't interested in him, are you?"

"Strictly professional." Vivian looked at her forcing. "So tell me, who is he and where do you know him from? Is he married?"

"I thought your interest is strictly professional." Prue said sneering.

"Come on Prue, don't act stupid. What do you know about him?"

Prue groaned, suddenly she had some doubts that it was a good idea to live with Cole. The mere thought of a meeting with Vivian Wingrove at breakfast or worse in the bathroom was making her ill. "He was married to my sister, but that's all over and now he moved to New Orleans." She looked at Vivian forceful. "And a good advice, leave him alone, otherwise you'll burn your fingers. He never got over my sister."

"Probably he hasn't found the right woman yet." Vivian explained self-confident. "Do you know his phone number?"

"No!" Prue answered without going red. Nevertheless she hoped, that Vivian wouldn't find out, that Cole and her were living in the same house.

But this fact couldn't put Vivian off. "Doesn't matter," she explained. "He is working for me father, so it won't be a problem to get his number."

When Cole, Robert and Paul entered the police station, Paul said goodbye immediately and left them. Cole looked after him thoughtfully. Paul didn't say a word on their way to the station.

"Is he always too lazy to open his mouth, or does he have anything against me?" Cole wanted to know from Robert.

He shrugged his shoulders and led Cole along the corridor to the exhibit room. "It's about Prue, he was hopeful. He didn't know, that she is together with someone. And that's new to me, too."

Cole looked at him surprised. "What makes you think of that? Prue isn't together with anyone."

"And what is with you?" Robert wanted to know.

"With me?" Cole looked at him irritated. "I live with her in my house, but that's everything." he explained.

Robert stopped and looked at him searching. "I had another impression. You were so close, you handled with each other very familiar."

"We know each other already for a long time and we've been through a lot together. There isn't anything more between us." The mere thought of it was laughable, Cole thought.

"So I can tell Paul, that Prue is still up for grabs?" Robert wanted to know.

Cole cast a sceptical glance at him and hesitated to answer. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea, to live together with Prue. Just the imagination that this stiff grouch would be a frequent visitor in his house.

Robert noticed Cole's hesitation and misinterpreted it obviously. "I knew it." he said grinning. "But Prue is really a wonderful woman, if I wouldn't be spoken for." He opened the door. "So here we are."

Cole entered the room and a policewoman turned up, before Cole could enlighten Robert about his mistake. Soon after he was sitting at a table. A box with the pieces of evidence was standing in front of him. He saw a bloody blouse probably belonging to Amy. The laboratory blood test has shown that there was only the victim's blood on it. Then therefinally was the murder weapon in a plastic bag. Cole took it carefully and stopped immediately. It was impossible, he looked at the knife from every angle and he was sure, that it was an athame of a demon.

When Prue came home that evening, Mrs. Jennings was already ready to go. "Prue, I'm really sorry that I caused you a lot of trouble today." she apologized.

"Don't worry, Judy could do with that." Prue said with a smile. "And actually it was Cole's fault." she looked around. "Where is he?"

"Oh he's on the attic searching for a suitable desk." Mrs. Jennings explained busy. "And I really have to go now."

Prue said goodbye and went upstairs to the attic. The room under the roof was dark and crammed full with old furniture and souvenirs. It was dusty and hot there and that was one reason, why Prue entered it very seldom yet. The other reason was, that the attic reminded her of her home, despite all differences.

When Prue opened the door she noticed that Cole had opened the window. Bright light was shining into the room and dust whirled in the air, but it was still oppressive hot. Danny was sitting in the middle of the room on a blanket and was playing with a indefinable toy. When he saw her, he looked at her overjoyed. Prue sat down beside him and Danny let out exciting sounds.

Cole who was just inspecting an old cabinet turned around. "You're back again? What time is it?"

"Time for dinner." Prue explained and turned back to her nephew. "Well Danny, did you survive Judy's supervision?"

Cole walked to them and kneeled down. He had the feeling that he had to get something straight. "I hope you know, that I wouldn't leave him to anyone. I knew, that Judy is your colleague and I had to go to court and ....."

Prue looked up, what gave him the idea, that he had to explain it to her. In spite of everything she knew for sure, that he would never expose him to danger. "It's okay." she said calmly. "I know he means the world to you."

"Yes he does." Cole sat down and looked at the little boy he was everything to him. "Anyhow he died because of me once before."

Prue looked at him surprised. "It wasn't your fault Cole. As far as I know, you were also dead for a short term."

"Mm!" Cole looked at her thoughtfully and finally he took the opportunity to ask something, he couldn't get out of his mind. "How did he die Prue?"

"You don't know it?" she asked surprised.

"No how should I? As you already told me, I was dead or rather in the wasteland."

Prue looked at him astonished, she couldn't imagine, that Phoebe hasn't talked about it with him. But how was she supposed to know? She had no idea, what has really happened down there. Finally she said. "He could vanquish the seer and some high-level demons with his demonical powers, but it also destroyed himself."

"You've killed this bitch?" Cole smiled at his son satisfied. He couldn't express, how grateful he was. He would love him now, if he didn't already do it beyond words. "You've taken revenge for me. I'll never forget that." Then her prophetical ability didn't help the seer along, he gloated. "If I just never met her..."

"What would have happened?" Prue asked interested.

"Well, what would have happened Prue? I guess the source would have killed your sisters with the Hollow's help."

"Really?" Prue asked sceptically.

"Yes, but so what. It won't happen. And by way of thanks I'm here now." he grinned at Prue, but then he looked at his son again. "Nevertheless I'm responsible for his death."

"You don't have to take the blame of every atrocity in the world. It'll do if you take responsibility for your own deeds. There is more than enough you are to blame for."

"Do you think so?" Cole asked and looked at her bored.

"Yes, but although I know it better, I trust in your ability to learn and finally we life in a world without demons now." Prue reminded him.

"Are you so sure about that?" he looked at her thoughtfully. "Do you really think this angel was able to send us in a world without magic? How did he manage it?"

Prue had to confess, that she didn't think about it yet. "How should I know? I've just accepted this fact and you should do it, too. What makes you suddenly think about it?"

Cole leaned back. "Well I've studied the murder weapon today. And if you believe it or not, it's a ritual knife."

"An athame?" Prue wondered.

Cole nodded. "And it belongs to a demon, the engravings on the handle and the blade are speaking for itself. I'm absolutely sure, that Amy wasn't able to kill the priest, no matter what the evidences say."

"So do you think a demon has killed the clergyman?" Prue asked sceptically, she refused to accept, that demons existed in this reality and she pointed out. "The murderer could have bought the weapon somewhere or he could have found it. You'll agree that demons loose their athames over and over again, won't you?"

"Sure, I know it from my personal experience. But nevertheless that doesn't answer the question why an athame turns up in this world."

Prue looked at him thoughtfully. "Probably it got to this world by chance." she explained.

Cole shook his head. "That isn't the only point, but there is also something else." He turned around and gave her a book from the cabinet behind him. "Here," he said and handed it over to Prue. "I've just found it in the lowest drawer."

Prue took the book curiously and opened it. She started to read the first words, but she stopped immediately to look up surprised. "That's a book of shadows." she noticed unbelieving.

"Yes it looks like I ended up in a witches' house again." Cole explained annoyed and showed Prue the cabinet. "There's a kind of an altar with all usual utensils, censer, herbs, amulets." Cole started to numerate, while Prue was leafing through the book interested.

"I can't believe it, but a witch must have lived here in the past." she looked up. "Do you think the old Mrs. Turner was a witch?"

"Oh definitely!" Cole explained with ironical intonation. "My ancestor or rather my descendant was certainly a witch."

"Do I have to remind you, that you weren't related to her? They've just wangled it the way, that you could inherit this house." Prue reminded him and stood up to watch the altar.

"Okay, you're right, but nevertheless it's strange." Cole explained meanwhile calmly and turned to Prue.

"Why didn't I notice it, when I was here last time?" she wondered.

Cole shrugged his shoulders. "I guess you didn't want to see it."

"So there is magic in this world, too." Prue thought and looked at him. "Do you feel anything?"

Cole watched her thoughtfully. He could remember the behaviour of her sisters to him too well. In their point of view demonical powers were equal with 'evil'. And they didn't care if their simple norm was right or wrong. But it was obvious that Prue didn't know what has happened and therefore he explained carefully. "I feel something, but I can't use it." He looked at her searching. "What's with you?"

Prue came back and sat down. "Well I don't feel anything, but that's saying nothing."

"Perhaps you should try to use one of this spells from the book." Cole suggested.

"I don't know. It isn't meant for me." Prue said and leafed undecided through the book. Finally she closed it resolute. She didn't want to know, if there was magic in this world. It would remind her of her former life. And she already missed her family too badly. She wouldn't be prepared to fight against evil without her sisters yet. "They have told me, that magic doesn't exist here." she explained unmistakable.

"Alright! And therefore they've sent us to New Orleans. Wake up Prue! This town is famous for voodoo. A lot of people perform the voodoo-cult to this days. I mean there is even a voodoo museum in this town."

"I didn't occupy with voodoo yet. And I don't know if I want to let magic in my life again. Okay, it was a part of me, I am a witch, but...." She looked at Danny and Cole followed her glance.

"Believe me, I'm not crazy about it, too. But it's better to know it to be able to protect ourselves." He paused for a while. "Especially for Danny."

Prue looked at him astonished. "He has lost all his powers, I'm absolutely sure about it. There isn't anything evil inside of him anymore."

"I know, but you can't be careful enough." Cole looked at his son. "Sometimes you don't have any choice, nobody asks you, if you want it or not. I hope he'll never have to go through anything like that."

"Why should he Cole?" Prue asked. Although it wasn't like her to refuse seeing the facts. But she didn't want to think about Danny's demonical genes. She already worried too much and she had enough problems. She had to manage her life without her family and although she was used to cope with everything alone, she could always count on the support of her family. And now there was only Danny, but he was baby and she had to protect him. And of course there was Cole.....

He just shrugged his shoulders. "Well, we'll always be around when he needs us." he tried to calm down and looked at Prue. But both of them knew, that sometimes that wasn't enough.

Prue bend forward to her nephew and suddenly she realized what he was playing with. She cast a sceptical look at Cole. "When you are afraid that Danny could come into contact with magic, you probably shouldn't give him a magic wand for playing."

Cole took the wand away from Danny. "Where did you get it from?" he asked perplexed. "And what did you want to do with it? Did you want to transform me?"

"Yes probably into a pink bunny." Prue said and had to laugh, this idea could easily remove all her gloomy thoughts.

"A cuddly toy?" He looked at her doubtfully. "That's your ideal of me?"

"Yes an inviting idea." Prue picked up Danny and went to the door. "But unfortunately I won't be lucky enough to see it coming true. So let's go downstairs."

When they had dinner, Prue asked. "Clara has told me, that you were searching for a desk in the attic."

Cole nodded. "Yes, but when I entered the attic, I suddenly had another idea." He looked at her satisfied. "I'll use the cubbyhole as my home office and will turn the attic into my bedroom."

"You can put that idea right out of your mind." Prue told him at once.

"Why? I think it's perfect. There is a lot of space there. And finally it's my house." he told her cooly.

"It's a little bit hot there, isn't it? There isn't an air-conditioning in this room. And you have told me today, that you aren't the born craftsman." Prue tried to convince him.

"There won't be a lot of work to do. I'd just have to clear away the junk. Believe me, I'll manage it." Cole said ironically. "Or do you want to use the attic as a witches' room again?"

"No!" Prue explained strictly, it would never have occurred to her. "But I'd prefer, if you'd stay downstairs."

"Oh, I see! Right beside the door, almost outside of the house."

Prue groaned annoyed. "I've already told you that I've come to terms with you." she explained.

Cole looked at her searching and it was obvious, that he was waiting for something.

"You'll never hear that." Prue told him and left the room.

"Thanks Prue, I also enjoy to live with you." he called after her with ironical intonation.