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And here is the next chapter!

21. Chapter

When Donald Carey was ringing at the door the next morning, Cole and Prue had already prepared Amy's room. Cole opened the door and greeted Donald. Then he took Amy's luggage to bring it into the hall. Meanwhile Amy said Goodbye to her stepfather quickly. "I'll call you later." She promised and watched him getting into the car. Donald set off and Amy turned around to Cole. "He's got a few things to do." She explained.

When Donald was gone, they entered the house, while Prue left the kitchen to greet Amy. "Hello! I suppose you are Amy, I'm Prue."

Amy smiled at her shyly. "Hello!" she said and looked around in the hall. "But that's Mrs. Turner's house." She suddenly let out excited. She looked at Cole, who just entered the hall with the luggage and she realized enthusiastically. "Then you are related to her."

Cole dropped the suitcase on the ground. "Distantly." he said.

But there was no holding back, Amy was too excited about everything. "But you are like her, aren't you? A witch, well a male witch."

"Oh, not really." Cole said and looked at Prue, who had to pull herself together not to burst out laughing.

"You are, otherwise you wouldn't be able to get me free." Amy explained satisfied. "I'm sure you can show me some things."

"Well, you should better turn to Prue for help. She can rather teach you something." Cole told her.

Amy looked at Prue curiously. "You are a real witch? Like Mrs. Turner was?" she asked.

"Well I have been a real witch." Prue told her and turned to Cole. "But I think first you should take Amy's luggage upstairs and I'll show her the room."

"No problem." Cole took the suitcase and walked to the stairs.

Prue already wanted to follow him, when she heard Danny. "Wait a moment." She asked Amy and went to the kitchen to pick up Danny.

"Oh, do you have a baby?" Amy asked enthusiastically.

"Yes, that's Daniel!" Prue introduced him. "And that's Amy."

"Hello, can I take him for a while?" Amy looked at Prue asking.

"Of course!" Prue gave her the child. "He is Cole's and my sister's son." She told Amy.

"Oh, your sister is living here, too?" Amy asked in surprise.

Prue shook her head. "No, unfortunately, Phoebe is no longer with us."

"Oh, now I understand." Amy said softly and looked at the little boy. "That's terrible, but now you'll be around when he needs you, won't you?" She looked up.

"Yes I will." Prue explained firmly.

Amy nodded. "Yes, but you know, I have never met my father, yet." She told Prue softly. "And I'd given anything to meet him."

Prue looked at her in surprise, it was obvious, that Amy didn't know, that Edward Wingrove was her biological father. "And what did your mother tell you about him?"

Amy shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing. She doesn't like to talk about him. He already ran away before I was born."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Prue said and decided to change the subject. "Come on, I'll show you your new room."

After Prue had shown Amy her bedroom, she stayed upstairs to unpack her clothes. Prue went downstairs again and found Cole in the living room. She sat down onto the sofa and told him scornfully. "In Amy's eyes you are her hero, her knight, who came to her on his white horse to safe her life."

Cole looked at her in disbelief. "Utter nonsense."

"No! Really." Prue said and looked at him in amusement. "And that, after you've told me, that you don't want to help anyone again."

"I had no intention to do it, it happened accidentally." Cole informed her.

"Oh, I see! And how does it feel to be a knight in a shining armour?" Prue asked and got closer to him.

"It must sound familiar to you, finally you've rescued innocents non-stop." Cole reminded her.

"Mm, but nevertheless nobody had idolized me." Prue explained thoughtfully.

Cole laughed. "Yes, it's quite pleasant, that there is finally someone who is grateful, that I've saved her life." he explained.

"Well this time you've done it, nearly unselfish." Prue throw in. "And besides, Amy doesn't know, who you really are."

Cole looked at her sceptically. "Will you tell her about me?"

Prue shook her head. "No, why should I?"

"Hm" Cole shrugged his shoulders. "No idea." he said and just wanted to get closer to Prue to embrace her, when he saw Amy standing in the door.

"Oh." She let out embarrassed. "I didn't want to disturb you."

"Well, you didn't do." Prue explained and stood up. "I have to go now, I'll have to take some photos for a reportage."

"On Saturday?" Cole asked in surprise.

Prue nodded. "Yes the reportage is about a woman, who is in town only this weekend." She explained. "But I don't think that it'll take long." She took her equipment and left the room.

When Prue was gone, Amy explained once again. "I really didn't want to disturb you. I'll knock at the door in future." She announced, without thinking that the doors to the living room stood open mostly. "I didn't know, that Prue and you..."

Cole raised his hand. "Don't worry, actually there is nothing between us." He explained.

Amy looked at him in surprise. "How do you mean? I thought you ... But you are in love with each other, aren't you?"

"No, definitely not." Cole turned it away quickly. "And Amy to be honest, that's not your business." He explained firmly.

"Okay, I'm sorry, you are right." Amy answered. "But if you want to go out with her at night, that won't be a problem anymore. I'd like to take care of Danny." She offered him.

Cole nodded thoughtfully. "Thanks, Amy, I'll think about it."

When Prue arrived at the address, where she should take the photos, she looked around very surprised. It was the hotel, where she had spent a night together with Cole, a few days ago. Hopefully, nobody would recognize her, she thought, when she went to the reception desk slowly. But to Prue's relief, the woman there, didn't look familiar to her. She explained Prue, that Mrs. Maryson was already waiting for her and pointed at the armchairs in front of the fireplace. Prue looked at the elder woman in a colourful frilled dress. Great, that was just great for the photos. Prue thanked the woman and turned around to walk to the elderly woman.

Mrs. Maryson had already made herself a home in the armchair and didn't stand up, when Prue arrived in front of her. "I'm a bit wobbly. The infirmities of old age." She excused.

Prue nodded. "Do you want to have the pictures taken here?" She wanted to know and looked around sceptically. The entrance hall didn't change a bit since her last visit.

"Oh, of course. I think the fireplace with the lions is a wonderful background for the photos." Mrs. Maryson explained and looked around. "And it would be a nice advertising for my good old friend Harry, too."

Prue nodded, Petersen had told her, that she should fulfill every wish of Mrs. Maryson. She was very generous with her money and she published many large size advertisements for her charity events in the paper. And if she wanted to have a picture of her taken in a frilled dress in front of this overloaded fireplace, it wouldn't be Prue's problem, she'd do it. "Okay, as you wish." She put out her camera and tried to find a subject, which wouldn't be too horrible.

"I'm really glad, that Mr. Petersen has sent such a nice young lady to take photos of me. Because actually I don't like such a photo session at all. But it's for a good cause." Mrs. Maryson explained meanwhile. "I was born and grew up in New Orleans, you have to know. And I've spent the best years of my live here. And now I'd like to give back something of my wealth to the city. I benefit a lot of charity events for a good cause, but also to promote young artists or musicians."

Prue listened intently, while she tried to shoot good photos.

"I moved to Washington, because of my husband. But I always feel drawn to New Orleans and I want to give back something to my hometown." She looked at Prue asking. "Will my dress look good on the photo?"

"It's very nice, but could you turn aside a litte?" she asked. "Yes, great, that's it."

When Prue was ready, Mrs. Maryson finally stood up and suddenly she didn't look infirmly anymore. She led Prue to the exit and stopped immediately. "Oh! Belva will organize a Voodoo show once again." She said, when she saw the poster.

"Do you know her?" Prue asked very surprised

Mrs. Maryson shook her head. "No, I wouldn't say, that I know her. Instead I know a lot of people who are afraid of her. Not long ago, she was not allowed to perform such events anymore. People were afraid, that she could attract evil. She was up to no good."The old woman shook her head. "I'm surprised, that it isn't forbidden anymore."

Prue wanted to know more about it and looked at the old lady encouraging, but Mrs. Maryson was still shaking her head.

"I don't want to waste your time with this nonsense, my dear. We locals are probably too receptive in this connection." She shrugged her shoulders and said Goodbye to Prue.

Prue kept standing in the door and looked after Mrs. Maryson, until she disappeared in the elevator. When she was gone, Prue went back to the reception to ask for the tickets of the Voodoo show.

The woman behind the desk took out a slender pile of tickets. "There aren't a lot of tickets left." she told Prue. "They are very popular."

Prue nodded and bought two tickets. She had to swallow hardly, when she heard the price. But she had to know, what was behind this Madame Belva.

When Prue arrived at home, in the afternoon, she was looking for Cole and found him in the living room. She waved with the tickets in her hand. "Do you already have plans for Sunday evening?" She asked and dropped into an armchair.

"No." Cole answered. "Not that I know of. Why? What do you hold in your hand?"

"My photo shot was in the same hotel, where we had to spend a night a few days ago. And I've taken the opportunity to buy two tickets for Madame Belva's Voodoo show." She informed him.

"That's great." Cole said surprised. He took the tickets from her and looked at them curiously. "Is this a kind of a date?"

"No strictly professional." Prue explained with a shake of her head.

Cole nodded. "Okay, nevertheless we should start with it, shouldn't we?"

Prue looked at him sceptically. "With what? With dates?"

Cole replied her look. "It's time, isn't it?"

Prue shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I really don't know." she said indefinitely.

"Anyhow, I'd like to go out with you tonight. Amy will take care of Danny." Cole told her.

"Mm! Where to?" she wanted to know, not very enthusiastically.

"It's a surprise, so you'll come with me, won't you?" Cole asked and it was obvious, that he wouldn't accept a 'no'.

Prue looked at him thoughtfully, but why not. "Okay! I've nothing to loose, I already had a lot of bad dates in my life."

"It won't be one of them. Oh and perhaps you shouldn't put on your best clothes."

Later in the evening, Cole parked the car nearby the city park. Prue got off the car and looked around thoughtfully. "So what do we want here?" she finally wanted to know.

Cole took her hand and led her to the entrance of the park. "We want to go to the festival of sensual enjoyment." He explained with a wide grin.

Prue stopped, she was indignant . "What?"

Cole laughed. "Don't worry , we're just talking about food." He said. "Restaurants and pseudo cooks offer their own specialities."

"Oh, I thought as much. But you could have told me about it before." Prue explained in relief.

They entered the park, where a large banner over the entrance greeted the guests. One stand was standing next to the other along a place. Some booths were very professional, while others looked as if occasional cooks wanted to show their own cookery. Many seats were lying on the ground of a meadow on a sloping terrain behind the place and there also was a stage, where a band was playing.

Cole and Prue strolled along and looked at the different meals, which were on offer at the countless booths. Various scents were in the air and the cooks praised their meals. Cole looked to the left, where a dark-skinned woman stirred in a large cast-iron pot. He stopped to look at it. "What do you sell here?" he wanted to know.

The woman turned away from her caldron and beamed at Cole. "Gumbo." She told him and pointed at her stew. "With the best ingredients. Vegetables, meat, the most delicate spices and of course Kimombo." She informed him satisfied and motioned Cole to come nearer. "My nutritious stew is said to have a potency effect."

"You don't say. But I think I don't need it." He said and turned to Prue, who was grinning amused. "Or what would you say?" Cole wanted to know.

Prue's smile faded from her lips and she looked at him sceptically. "You don't expect an answer, do you?" She asked.

"Of course I do. Why not?" He wanted to know, very amused.

Prue shook her head. "Let's go." she decided and turned around to go to the next stand.

Cole turned to the woman again. "As you can see, she is already satisfied." He explained her. "So, no thanks." He followed Prue across the place, where she stopped in front of another stand.

"And what do you offer?" Prue asked herself this time.

A sturdy man turned around, there were beads of sweat on his forehead and he tried to wipe them away. "Alligator-goulash." He said. "It's something very special."

Prue looked at the big pot and pulled a face, this was disgusting. "No thanks." she said firmly and turned away, because she wanted to leave this stand as soon as possible. "We'd rather go on to look around."

"Mm, I think it looked very delicious." Cole explained thoughtfully and looked back again. "Perhaps I should try it."

"Okay, don't mind me. But I won't eat it." Prue explained firmly.

"You should be open-minded for the regional delicacies." Cole teased her.

"Obviously I don't like to experiment as much as you do." she told him.

In the end they stopped in front of a booth where and elder woman fried fish in a huge pan. She covered every piece with a hot crust of salt, pepper, paprika and other spices.

"Are there onions and garlic in it?" Cole asked sceptically, while Prue flashed an angry look at him.

The elder woman laughed. "No, don't worry, there is just onion and garlic powder in it. You won't notice it later."

Cole nodded satisfied and paid for the fish. The woman added fried potatoes to the fish and handed the plate over to Prue. After that they went back to the alligator man and Cole bought a portion for himself. After they had bought a bottle of wine, too, they sat down on a blanket on the ground in front of the stage.

Cole tasted his goulash and held his plate out to her. "It's delicious, do you want to try it?"

She shook her head, disgusted. "No thanks, I just waited, that this guy would tell us, that he has killed the alligator himself."

Cole grinned. "Do you really think your fish died of old age?"

"No, nevertheless your alligator doesn't look very inviting. So I prefer my fish." She stated and ate the first bite of it, when she suddenly stopped. "Wow, that's hot and spicy." She said and waved her hand. "Give me some wine."

Cole gave her a plastic cup. "Mm!" He said and looked around. "I think next year we should rather bring along some wine glasses."

Prue smiled and started to drink a bit. "It's strange to think, that we could be here next year again."

"I think that's a nice picture." Cole looked at her searching. "Don't you think so?"

Prue nodded. "Yes, it is somehow." She admitted and looked at the stage where a new band got ready for their entry. "Jazz!" Prue said not very enthusiastically, when she heard the sound.

Cole looked at her in surprise. "Sure, did you expect anything else? We are in New Orleans." he said. "Why? Don't you like it?"

Prue shrugged her shoulders. "Well I could imagine better music, but who knows, perhaps I'll get used to it."

Cole grinned. "To everything?"

Prue looked at him thoughtfully. "Who knows?"

They cleaned their plates silently and drank wine out of plastic cups. To Prue's relief, the music was more bearable, than she had thought. And she could say the same about her company. It was never getting boring in Cole's company, she found out. She enjoyed to be here with him and she didn't want him to go away ever again.

Both of them enjoyed the mild summer night. They listened to the music and enjoyed the feeling to be alive again. The whole world was lying open in front of them. Everything was just perfect in this night, they could laugh together and could have fun.

Prue looked at Cole, was everything too perfect? She wondered sceptically. Was it because she lowered her great demands after her death? But no, she didn't change at all after she had been dead. She was still very demanding, she knew that, especially, when she thought about her dates with Judy's friends. No, it was something else. There was something wild, vulnerable, unpredictable inside of Cole and she couldn't change it, she reacted on it.

"What's going on?" Cole wanted to know meanwhile. "You won't tell me, that this is one of your bad dates."

"Oh no, not at all. Funnily enough I have the feeling, that everything is perfect." She explained sceptically.

Cole leaned forward to her. "What's the problem, Prue? Just enjoy it."

"Well I'd like to, but..." She started halting.

"No! No but." He explained and kissed her. He also didn't want to think too much about everything, he just let it happen. After a while he leaned back and asked. "Do you want a dessert?"

Prue shook her head. "No, I don't need one, because I have you."

Cole leaned forward to her again with a smile on his face. The band had just left the stage and a new appeared. Prue leaned on Cole and rested her head on his shoulder, while she looked at the stage lazily. "Oh my God, what happened to his hairstyle. Was it an electric shock?" She wondered.

"No, I think his hair-dryer exploded." Cole suggested.

"Mm." Prue grinned. "Do you know, if they'll play the whole night?" She asked and looked into the sky. "Because then I could make a night of it to wait for the sunrise." She explained sleepily.

"Can I join you in it, all night till the morning comes?" Cole wanted to know.

"Of course, it wouldn't be so funny without you." She explained in a low voice. "And besides I need a headrest."

"It's great, that I can be useful to you at least for that purpose." Cole said smiling.

"Oh, there is also something else." Prue told him and got closer, it was the wine definitely, she had drunken too much of it, she thought easily, but she didn't care at the moment. She had decided to let the matter take it's course, to let things drift, finally she had nothing to lose.

It was long after midnight, when the music stopped abruptly and a lot of people of the audience stood up from their seats and took their things quickly.

Cole looked around thoughtfully. "What's going on now?" he asked in surprise.

Prue sat up, too and turned around to take a look at the booths behind her. Most of them were already closed long ago and the owners had started to remove them. "Couldn't they do it tomorrow?" She said angrily. "Such remove works mar the whole atmosphere."

"That's right. I'm just wondering why all people suddenly disappear. Was it the last band?" Cole wanted to know.

Prue shrugged her shoulders. "I've never seen a program." She explained, when she suddenly noticed, that a raindrop was falling on her naked shoulder. "Oh!" She looked up to the sky. Although it was night, she could see the dark clouds on the sky. Slowly but surely more and more raindrops were falling on the ground.

"No wonder, that they run away so quickly." Cole said and looked at the exit of the park, which was barricaded by a big crowd. It was unlikely, that they'd manage to get to their car, before the rain really started.

Prue looked around, searching for a place to take shelter, but in this part of the park weren't big trees. She looked at the stage, where the band had already packed up their things, then she looked at Cole again. "It seems as if the locals know the weather better than we do." She said, while the rain was getting thicker.

Cole nodded. "But so what, at least it isn't a thunderstorm." "

"That's right." Prue explained and looked around. "Luckily for me, I don't wear my best dress. Otherwise I'd have to run through the park naked, like Judy and Robert."

"What?" Cole looked at her curiously, but Prue gave a dismissive gesture.

"Forget it." she said and helped her head up, so that the warm rain could run over her face. It was pouring now and the rain was running over her body.

"Let's go to the car at least." Cole suggested and took her hand. Laughing they ran through the rain, that was getting thicker and thicker, to the exit. The other guests of the feast were already gone, probably much dryer than Cole and Prue. Nobody was in their way, when they jumped automatically over puddles, although they were already dripping wet from the head to the foot. When they arrived at the parking place, there was only one car waiting for them.

Dripping wet, Cole put out his keys and opened the car. "It doesn't matter, if we ruin the seats." He told Prue happily. "Finally it's Edward Wingrove's car and I don't know, how long I can still use it."

Prue laughed and got into the dry car. "If that's the case, I'm relieved."

Cole started the car to go home. When they arrived in front of their house, it was still raining. They ran through the rain for a last time and entered the hall wet to the skin. It was silent inside the house, so that you could have heard a pin drop. Prue stopped in the middle of the hall and rubbed her arms. It was quite cold in there, because of the air-conditioning.

"Are you cold?" Cole asked and got closer.

"It's okay." she said and looked at him. "That was a nice evening."

"None of your boring dates?" Cole wanted to know very interested.

"No." she explained and looked on the ground, where was already a little pool of water. "I think we can repeat it one day."

"It doesn't have to be over yet." Cole explained with a smile.

"We are already dripping on the ground." Prue reminded him.

"Then we'll have to take off our wet clothes." Cole suggested and looked at Prue.

She pointed at her arm. "No, I already got goose pimples on my arm."

"Come here, I can change it." Cole explained and drew her close to himself to kiss her.

Seconds later, her wet shirt was falling on the ground and Cole's shirt followed. But when it was the turn for Prue's jeans, Cole stopped for a moment and looked at her. "It's very tight." He explained with an amused grin. "Did you eat so much?"

"It's wet, you idiot." Prue snapped at him in a loving voice.

"Excuse me, I've never said anything else." Cole told her and kissed her again. "But I already wonder all evening, how I shall manage to undress your trousers."

"Oh I see, that's the reason, why you didn't take the stew." She teased him and showed him at the same time, how easy it was to get rid of her trousers.

"You can impress me ever and ever again." Cole explained.

Prue shook her head smiling. "You are an idiot." She said in a low voice and opened the door to his room. "Come on."

They dropped onto his bed and this time, there was no hesitation, no questions, this time they wanted it with every fiber of their body and their mind. What should be wrong with it, if it felt so good? They had found their counterpart, who deserved their passion. And neither of them wanted that the other would leave again.

Prue was in a dream, where everything happened, that she had always wished for herself. She nibbled at Cole's earlobe, when she suddenly heard something, what brought her down to earth with a bump. "Phoebe." was a whisper in her ear.

"What?" Prue pushed Cole away forcefully and stared at him in disbelief. "What did you just say?" She still couldn't believe it, although she had heard it with her own ears.

"I don't know, what you mean." Cole tried to wriggle out of it.

"Oh you know exactly, what I mean." Prue stood up, shaking her head. She looked for her clothes to pick them up. "How could I act so stupid."

Cole saw, that it was useless to deny it, therefore he said. "It just slipped out. Don't dramatize it."

"It slipped out?" Prue stopped and flashed at him angrily. "Well, let me tell you, I'm too good for that. I won't be a stopgap for my little sister." she explained furiously.

"It's not so bad. You misunderstand it. It doesn't mean a thing." He tried to explain.

"Oh no?" Prue rushed to the door, but then she turned around once again. "You still mourn her, but she was wise enough to send you into the wilderness."

"Wait, you got everything wrong." He tried to stop her. "It was just..." He even didn't know himself, what it had been. "out of habit." He finally said hesitating.

"Habit? I can't believe it." she looked at him in disbelief. "What on earth do I want here? I should have never get involved with you."

"Oh, you got involved with me?" Cole asked. He was furious with himself, but slowly but surely he was getting furious with her, too. "You have always told me, that it means nothing to you."

"Exactly!" Prue said coldly. "It didn't mean anything to me." She left the room and closed the door noisily, before she disappeared upstairs.

Cole's nerves were shot and he laid back on his bed with a sigh. He couldn't understand, how it happened. He hadn't thought about Phoebe lately, she was his past. There was no reason to think about her and especially less than ever when he was together with Prue in his bed. He felt good, he was too happy to think about his past, when he was together with Prue. It was a mystery to him, why he let Phoebe's name slip out. He looked sighing at the ceiling, it was as if Phoebe still wanted to punish him for whatever. As if she wanted to protect her sister from the evil demon. But that was nonsense, it was paranoid. It was more likely, that it was just self-defence, or did he really take into consideration that Prue and he could have a future together? Not just as Daniel's parents, no, for more.

But did he really want it? Did he really wish to get involved with a Halliwell once again? No, of course not, they just drove him mad, no matter how different they were and they were different, beyond doubt. But nevertheless he had seen it happen before, he knew from experience what it meant to fall in love with a Halliwell. He had been helpless against it, but he wouldn't allow it ever again. Exactly, should Prue run upstairs and let him alone in future, that was the best solution. He had never wanted anything of her and therefore he should be lucky that it was over. It was good to stop it, before it was too late. He just hoped, that it wasn't already too late. Because suddenly he was overcome by dejection. A feeling he unfortunately knew too well.

But that was rubbish, he should be lucky. Because there was just one person, he wanted to love and that was Danny, no one else, Cole decided satisfied. Then he would be safe from frustrations, well at least for the moment.

When Prue entered the bathroom, she barricaded it immediately. Although she supposed, that Cole wouldn't dare to came upstairs in the near future. Nevertheless she didn't want to take a risk. She laid down her clothes and was undecided, if she should have a shower or a bath. Finally she decided to take a shower. She turned on the water and let the hot water running over her body, while she tried to get a clear idea of what had happened. Everything had to end in a disaster, what did she expect? Did she really think, that Cole and her could have a future together? That was ill, more than ill. She had felt attracted to him and had gotten in a state beyond all self control and reason. But now she woke up, finally! Actually she should be happy about it, she should thank Cole, that he had forced her to see the truth. But unfortunately she was sad, desperately sad. She had acted like a fool and now it hurt more than she had ever thought. She couldn't understand, why she felt so bad.

She turned off the water tap and left the douche. It was wrong and she always knew it, therefore she should be glad, that she came back to her senses, Prue tried to convince herself. But why did it have to hurt so much? He wasn't worth it, no she wouldn't let it get her down. She left the bathroom and entered her room resolutely. She wouldn't allow this idiot to rob her sleep ever again.