Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, don't sue me.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, they were much appreciated. I know how long I took to update. I know! And I apologise. School's started so they're handing out assignments and homework in bulk. . .I really am sorry. Hope you like this one.
"Your ex-husband. . ." Jason repeated, slightly confused.
Phoebe gave him a sideways glance, before nodding. "Cole Turner. . ." She said his name again.
"Cole Turner." Jason repeated it. "Didn't you say that he had left for good?"
"I did." Phoebe replied after a pause. "But he's back." She said, stating the obvious.
"Why?" Jason questioned. "Why is he back?"
Phoebe hesitated. "Leo needed his help with something." She finally said.
"Your brother-in-law asked your ex-husband for help?" Jason questioned incredulously. Phoebe gave him a wry smile, before nodding. Jason shook his head disbelievingly. "Should I feel threatened by this?"
A momentary pause. "Of course not." Phoebe replied. She prayed that he hadn't noticed her hesitation.
"The Underworld's buzzing." Cole said. "Apparently this new power hasn't only threatened good, but the Source as well."
"Looking for more power." Leo added.
"So how are we supposed to stop him?" Piper questioned impatiently.
"It'll take time." Leo answered. "He's not going to attack you until he has the support of the Underworld to help him. And for that to happen he'll need to destroy the Source."
"So what, we sit tight and wait?" Paige questioned.
"Despite what side he's on, if he destroys the Source, he's doing us a favour." Cole said. "The down side is that when he does do that, he'll have the support he needs to come after you three." He glanced at the three sisters.
"We have two options." Leo continued. "We can wait for him to come to us, or we can try and find him – keeping in mind that he'll probably be expecting us."
"How could we find him?" Paige questioned. Silence filled the room for a moment. Leo glanced at Cole.
"I'll go down to the Underworld, see what news I can find." Cole said. "Sooner or later I'm bound to hear something."
"I'm not letting you go down to the Underworld alone, not when I don't trust anything you say." Piper said after a moment.
"So come with me." Cole challenged, giving her a wry smile.
"Fine." Piper retorted. Cole's smile vanished, shocked that she had accepted his offer. He caught Phoebe's attempt to hide her smirk and frowned.
"Fine." He said. "But when we're down there, you listen to what I say."
"You have a right to hate me." Cole said quietly, as they edged through the dark, empty tunnels of the Underworld.
"Yeah, I do." Piper said simply, in a tone that told him not to push the subject. He sighed. The information gathered in the past three hours that they had been down here had led them to this tunnel, which slowly wound into a dimly lit cavern. Cole glanced around, a frown forming on his face.
"Something doesn't feel right." He said, shaking his head.
"For once, we agree. . ." Piper said, glancing around the empty room. "Maybe we should leave. . ." She turned back towards the doorway, but froze in her spot, finding the doorway blocked.
"I believe you're looking for me." The man said. Piper could only just make him out in the darkness. He was tall with dark hair, his features vaguely familiar to her. She glanced at Cole, who's eyes had grown wide.
"Ronan." Cole let out, barely audible. The man smiled slightly.
"I didn't think you would recognise me. After all, we haven't seen each other for over eighty years." Ronan replied.
"I watched you die. . ." Cole said, as though the words themselves were causing him torment.
Ronan's face darkened. "You're not the only one who's escaped death, Belthazor."
"Cole. . ." Piper let out, confused.
Cole jumped, as though only just remembering she was in the room. "Get out of here, Piper."
"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?" She questioned. "You brought me here, remember?"
"Neither of you is going anywhere." Ronan interrupted.
"Let her go, Ronan." Cole said quietly. "This doesn't involve them."
Ronan let out a condescending laugh. "Except it does, little brother."
"Little brother?" Piper repeated incredulously.
"It involves all of them." Ronan said, not paying any attention to Piper. He glanced down at his right hand as he formed an energy ball above it. Cole stepped sideways in front of Piper.
"Don't do this." Cole said quietly.
"Don't get in my way." Ronan retorted. Neither man did anything for a moment. Then, in a split second, Ronan threw the energy ball. Cole's instant reaction caused him to release one of his own energy balls, dissipating the other in mid-air within a metre of reaching them. He wasn't quick enough to dodge the next energy ball, however, and he was knocked off his feet completely, Piper being pushed off balance behind him. "Don't make me kill you." Ronan snarled through clenched teeth.
Cole staggered to his feet at the same time that Piper did. As Piper made to throw her hands forward, he stepped in front of her. She frowned. "Let me blast him. . ." She said, ignoring the sound of Ronan's laugh in front of her.
"Let's go." Cole said, grabbing her arm and shimmering her away, the sound of Ronan's laughter ringing in his ears.
"Brother?" Phoebe asked, confused.
"It's a long story." Cole sighed, grimacing as he sat down on the couch in the attic.
"Well you better clear it up if this is the guy that's after us. . ." Paige said.
"Can we talk about it later?" Cole asked.
"We have to talk about it before he decides to attack. . ." Piper said from her stance in front of the book of shadows.
"He won't attack for a while." Cole said, running a hand over his shoulder.
"How do you know?" Piper questioned suspiciously.
"Because I know him." Cole retorted immediately.
"You thought he was dead!" Piper exclaimed.
"Piper. . ." Phoebe started.
"No, Phoebe. This is just one more thing he lied to us about."
"I can't talk about this right now." Cole said suddenly, standing up and still clutching his wounded shoulder. "I'll be back in a little while."
"Oh no you--" Piper began, but broke off as Cole shimmered out of the attic. She growled softly.
"Are you not in the least bit offended that he didn't tell you that he had a brother. . .in all the time that you spent together?" Paige questioned, turning to look at Phoebe.
"I didn't know anything about his family. It was in his past. . .and that wasn't something he wanted to relive." Phoebe said, seemingly deep in thought.
"He protected me." Piper suddenly said. When Paige gave her a questioning glance, she continued. "Cole. He stepped in between me and an energy ball." She shook her head. Phoebe raised her eyebrows slightly. "It's just surprising. . .that's all." Piper said, shrugging. She caught Phoebe's smile. "I still don't like him!" Piper exclaimed.
"I'm sure you don't, Piper." Phoebe said, heading towards the attic door.
"Where are you going?" Paige asked.
Phoebe hesitated. "Just for a walk." She answered unconvincingly.
Neither sister was fooled. "Take an ice pack with you." Piper said, "His shoulder looked bad." Phoebe gave her a wry smile.
"I'll do that."
I don't know much about Cole's past. Nothing about his family. So I apologise if something seems a bit wrong. Don't forget to leave a review. . .tell me what you thought of this chapter, and what you want in the next one. Flames are always welcome.