Disclaimer:

None of these characters are mine. All characters from Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Charmed are the property of Joss Whedon and Aaron Spelling, respectively.

Summary:

Crossover between the Charmed and Buffy universes. Cole is trying to deal with the events of the last evening while at work. Phoebe drops by to discuss some things. Cole discovers something new about Phoebe.

Author's Note:

Please "feed" the author.

Chapter Twenty-Three – She Doesn't Call Him EVIL Anymore

Cole hadn't wanted to come to work. Oh, no, not at all. He hadn't wanted to leave his little girl. Hell, he snorted, he hadn't wanted to ever let her out of his arms again. He shuddered as he thought of last night. He hadn't wanted this to happen. He'd never wanted either of his children to have to deal with demons. But, he had been deluding himself. Even if he hadn't been the demon he was, Willow had been fighting demons alongside Buffy since she was fifteen. The world of the supernatural would eventually have come knocking.

He was still trying to figure out what had happened last night. They all were. Turners and Halliwells. They hadn't said anything in front of him, but he wasn't fooled. Leo or Xander – or both – would've gone to see the Elders as soon as they were gone. He knew that. He, too, wanted answers. She was barely two years old. Yet, she'd killed her first demon. Not to mention the other things. The precognitive dream. The stopping of time. No, no, that wasn't quite right. She'd said that she'd heard the clock ring out at the Halliwells. Time had been moving. They just weren't. Hmmmm. He really didn't think Buffy had anything to do with the time. The dream, though, that was possible. She could have developed a power. She had said she'd spoken to the Goddess, though. That was disturbing. Cole had heard of witches that communicated with the Goddess. It was very rare. And, he sure as hell didn't want THAT for HIS daughter.

He was very tired. He'd stayed up all night reading books that had belonged to his grandfather. His grandfather had been a powerful Dark Priest. He and the Alchemist had been trained together. He thought of the Alchemist fondly. He was one of the few beings in the Underworld he had good memories of. The Alchemist had disapproved of the Cole being sent to Raynor to be trained. He had wanted Cole to go into training as a Dark Priest. But, Cole's mother had raised her son to be a fighter. After all, Cole mused, it was really the only way he would've survived. He had been a half human demon child and the Underworld was a very judgmental place. However, that didn't mean he didn't learn the ways of the Priesthood. The Alchemist would've been proud of him. He sighed. The old one was dead, though. Cole had learned a few years back that he had been in the throne room when the girls had killed the Seer – or rather, he and Phoebe's unborn son had.

His son. That still ate at Cole. Not his death. No. There was no way around that. It hurt, but Cole knew that the child had to die. What ate at him was the thought, the question. Just how much of that child was his and Phoebe's – and how much was the creation of the Source and the Seer? Could the child have been saved? That's what ate at him. He shook his head free of the thought. That's history. Water under the bridge. Now he had his living children. The ones that drove him crazy. He chuckled. I had been crazy before. But that little girl of mine, he thought. She'll drive me 'round the bend for sure.

The books were quite clear about what conversation with the Goddess meant. It meant his daughter had a destiny she could not turn away from. In many ways, she would be like Buffy. She wouldn't have a normal life. He groaned. He hadn't wanted this for his daughter. He had thought, deluded himself really, that he could give her a normal life, free of demons, and witches, and evil. Free just to be a girl. He had been a fool. Her father was a demon, he'd been an Avatar, a Source of All Evil. Her mother was a powerful dark witch, a sorceress really. Her grandfather was a retired Watcher. Her godmother a Slayer. She had two "uncles" that were vampires. What chance had she had? But this? This was too much.

He tried to concentrate on the papers on his desk. His case had really suffered with all that had happened lately. Between Buffy's little escapade and the appearance of Willow's dark self, he'd spent very little time on his case. He reached over to the corner of his desk and picked up the Bible that had been found buried under the Halliwells' mailboxes. It was just a normal Bible. A Revised Standard Edition. Hmmm. Well, that meant a protestant faith. Probably, evangelical or a community church. The King James was used more widely in more ritual-based churches. Catholic. Episcopalian. Mormon. Cole appreciated those churches. Had some respect for them. But, these churches who had left ritual behind... They were just full of nut cases in his opinion. In Cole's opinion, faith without ritual meant nothing. These people were just making up their religion as they went along. Such ways could only lead to danger. He began to leaf through it. There were colored pencil marks all through the Bible. I suppose, he mused, I could try to analyze what he was studying. It was buried for a reason. He shuddered at the thought. It wasn't that the holy book could hurt him. However, it was a nauseating prospect.

He looked up sharply at the sound of a light rap on the door. "Yes, Leah?" The door opened a crack and Cole was surprised at the face that poked in. It wasn't Leah, it was Phoebe. She smiled nervously as if she was unsure at her reception. "Hi! Your secretary... or is it assistant... well, she's not out here. Could I have a word? Please?"

Cole chuckled at her tone. "Come in, Phoebe. Do you think we'll be able to talk to each other without planning tactics in case the other attacks?"

Phoebe laughed. It was the lovely high pitched giggle that used to send chills down his spine. He couldn't lie to himself. He still found her attractive. Although, he didn't approve of the butch hairstyle. He had loved running his hands through her hair. "That'd be nice. But, if you'll notice, I haven't said – YOU'RE EVIL! - yet."

Cole laughed at loud. That was true. Maybe they could get along. That'd be nice. Piper's boys would be good friends for his children. He smiled warmly at her. "So, what can I help you with?"

Phoebe smiled back at him. It was odd. There was a little comfort. Maybe she could move on. After all, he did. "Well, I wanted to let you know what Leo found out. Although, I have an inkling that Xander will probably go straight to Willow. Seeing as how Leo ordered him not to."

Cole chuckled. Yeah. A surefire way to get Xander to go somewhere was to tell him not to. He shook his head at Leo's actions. "You might want to tell Leo to brush up on reverse psychology."

She chuckled. "Yeah, I've figured that out. Why Leo hasn't I'm not sure. Anyway, he went orbing off right after you left."

"That I figured. Xander isn't the only one that's disgustingly predictable."

"Anyway, he found out that Buffy's going to be some super oracle what's-it."

Cole nodded his head slowly. Phoebe narrowed her eyes looking at him. He was sad, more than sad. He looked burdened down. "I know, Phoebe. What has happened hasn't occurred in centuries – a millennia at least. I was reading old demonic texts all evening. I just wanted something to tell me I was wrong." Phoebe started in shock as she heard Cole's voice crack with unshed tears. "I just didn't want it to happen to my little baby. I wanted her to have a normal life. This... this..."

Cole couldn't hold it in anymore. He didn't know why he broke down. Especially in front of Phoebe. But he did. He started to weep softly at first until it cascaded through his entire system and he was convulsing. Phoebe did the only thing she could. She went to his side and kneeling in front of him, she pulled him into her arms. She caressed his back in circles, letting him weep. She didn't think about him being a demon. Or that he was her ex-husband. He was just another being in pain. She didn't need to be an empath to feel that pain either. Cole just wanted to be a daddy. And, of course, whoever was in charge of fate really had a sick sense of humor. The Angel of Destiny. That dude has a lot to answer for.

Cole let it all out. He couldn't believe it. He was crying – bawling, as a matter of fact. And in Phoebe's arms of all places. He couldn't do this for Willow. He felt he had to be strong for her. He had to be there when she needed to weep. So, he let Phoebe hold him. After a while, he pulled himself out of her arms and wiped his face. He smiled sheepishly. "I don't know what to say. That was so undignified."

Phoebe snorted as she stood up. "Oh! And I suppose the great demon Belthazar wouldn't do this. Well, that's not who you are anymore. You're a daddy now. You'll have to put with your human half's emotional nature, mister!"

He shuddered. Damn! She sounded like Willow right then. Frightening. "Well, Phoebe, I forgot how good you were at telling people off."

"Hell, I had Prue for a sister. I learned from the master."

"Well, I should probably try and get to work."

She looked up. She'd forgotten with all that happened this week. Saturday! The parade! "Oh! Have you found out where they are? We've... I mean, you've got to stop them."

He nodded sagely. "I know, it'd just be easier if we can find where they are. Or at least where the explosives are going to be planted. We've tried to cancel the parade, but political whim won't do that unless we have proof."

"But we do!" She cried. "It's going to happen!"

"Pheebs, Pheebs. I believe you. It's just that a premonition from a witch, even a Charmed One, isn't exactly admissible evidence."

"Oooohh!" She groaned in frustration. "It should be."

He chuckled. "Yes. I agree."

"What about leads? What was under the mailbox?"

"Oh, just a... That's it! Maybe you can try and get another visions from it?" He picked up a Bible on the corner of the desk.

Phoebe peered at the Bible interestedly. Her visions hardly worked on demand. But... there was a chance. If only it could work... She reached for the Bible and was thrust into another world...

She was on the sidewalk across from the Westfield San Francisco Centre on Market and Powell. She looked around. The parade hadn't begun yet. She looked up at the building she was in front of. It was just an old office building. Wasn't it? She walked through the front door. There was no one in the lobby. It didn't look like there was much going on here. Still... She went to look at the business directory. Weren't many people here. Her eyes narrowed as she read who was in Suite 1201... Nicodemus and Associates... She wasn't sure... her bible education had been lax, at best... still, she thought that was someone in the New Testament, wasn't it? And, these people were religious nutcases. That had to be it. She took the elevator to the 12th floor. There was a large bay area and several people were there. They... Oh my God! The guns... all the guns... They're not just going to watch the explosions. They're going to war. Dear God... They don't plan on getting away. They just want to...

Phoebe started as she exited the vision. Cole was looking at her in concern. He turned around and poured some water from a carafe in the room. "Phoebe..." he started as he gave her the glass. "Here, have some water. Or would you prefer something stronger. Brandy? Whiskey?"

She took the glass and drank it down in a gulp. "Do you... well, do you.."

Cole looked at her strangely. She wanted something and was embarrassed to ask for it. What was this? "Phoebe, don't be embarrassed. What do you want?"

She looked around, even though she knew her sisters weren't here, she was still nervous. "That ale stuff – you used to drink it when you were the Source."

Cole looked at her in shock. Well, well, well... I'd never have guessed. Phoebe. A closet fire-ale drinker. He chuckled and made a motion with his hand. A pewter tankard appeared in front of Phoebe. "My, my, Phoebe. And just what would your sisters say if they knew?"

Phoebe sipped at the ale. It burned everywhere, and it made her feel warm all over. It may be brewed in Hell, but she loved it. She tried to find ways to get it. Unfortunately, as she was persona non grata in the Underworld, she didn't get it very often. She smiled up at him sheepishly. "It's all your fault. Or the Source's. I'm not sure which. But I just love this stuff. Unfortunately, they don't sell it around here."

"Sure they do, Phoebe. You're just not shopping in the right places." He looked at her again. The vision had really affected her. A lot worse than they had when he had lived with her. "Are they worse, Pheebs? This one seemed to affect you differently than the ones when we were still together."

She nodded her head. "Yes, yes, they're much more intense now. It's almost like I'm really there. Not like before, then it was more like watching an old tv. This is high def."

"So, what... What did you see?" Cole was very interested. "I don't suppose you saw their ID?"

"Ha! My visions still aren't THAT specific, you know. But I did see what building they were in. And, they aren't just going to blow up the parade. They had guns. Lots of guns. I think they were machine guns. I'm just not a gun person."

Cole had looked up at that. "So, they don't want to get away? That's not good."

Phoebe drank the last of the fire-ale. She nodded glumly. "But we know where they are now. That's got to.."

"Yes, well, I'll see what I can do. We can't very well storm the building without..."

"WHAT!" Phoebe screamed. She did not believe this. She did SO not believe this. She helped. She found the building. She'd told him everything.

"Phoebe, it's okay." Cole reached forward and clasped her shoulder. "It'll be fine. I'll figure out a way, I promise. Where is the building?"

She smiled weakly. They had to be able to do something. "It's not fair. At least with demons you don't have to worry about their civil rights."

Cole chuckled. Exactly. "Yes, I know. It gets to me too. I wouldn't mind just shimmering in there and letting energy balls fly... However, even if they're not actually using their souls, they still have them."

She smiled at that. "The building was across from the shopping centre downtown. It was on Market Street and Fourth. It's an old office building. It didn't seem like it had a lot of business. But there was one business on the 12th floor – Nicodemus and Associates. I had thought that there was a Nicodemus in the Bible."

"Yes, he was a Jew – a man of some authority – probably in the Sanhedrin. He came to visit Jesus by night. Later he defended Jesus to the Pharisees and brought spices to Jesus' burial."

Phoebe looked at him in confusion. Sanhedrin? Pharisees? She glared at him. "Why is it you know more about the Bible than I do?"

Cole laughed. "Phoebe, you should really read Sun-Tzu. He wrote a book called The Art of War. 'Know thine enemy.' Excellent advice. So, you went up to the 12th floor and..."

"Well, there were a bunch of men and women with guns. They were loading them and.. well, then I came out of it."

"Okay, Phoebe, I promise I'll take care of it. Legally or illegally. Though, I do prefer legally. I want to get these guys."

She stood up and stumbled. Oops! Forgot about that fire-ale. It had been a while since she'd last had some. She looked into Cole's eyes. They were sparkling with unexpressed laughter. "Thanks, Cole. Um... where can I go for that fire-ale?"

Cole chuckled. "I'll take care of it, Pheebs. Just don't go turning into a lush on me."