Chapter Twenty Six

San Franscisco

Penny for all her innocence had known that that demon had not been her brother. He certainly looked like her brother, he sounded like her brother, but he was definitely not her brother!

She couldn't tell anyone if they had asked how she knew to orb her Granpa and Moira out of there; she just had and she just did and that was that. She hoped beyond all hope that her Daddy would understand that it had been an emergency.

So here they were at the zoo in San Francisco. Penny had thought and thought where might be the best and safest place to go and had quickly decided that she couldn't go to Granpa's and she didn't know of too many places in Ireland where they could go. Besides Chris could have sensed them more easily the closer they were. The manor house was a wreck and the last time she had been there things just hadn't feel right.

Penny chose the zoo because her Daddy had taken her there so many times and told her of the wonderful times he had spent there with Wy and Chris, when they were younger. It was especially meaningful to Christopher because Daddy said that was one of his favorite places.

Moira had been unfrozen the minute Penny had touched her. She knelt down so she was eye level with the beautiful little girl that she now owed her life.

"Sweetheart, that was very, very brave of you. Your Daddy will be very pleased at your quick thinking." Moira pulled Penny whom she loved as if she were her own into her arms.

"I'm not exactly conspicuous here ladies." Victor gestured to his bath robe and night clothes. "Do ya think we could at least get me a pair of pants?"

Moira and Penny grinned at each other, then Moira stood and looked Victor up and down. As Victor was about to become incredibly embarrassed Moira extended her hand, closed her eyes and a perfectly nice pair of slack appeared in her hand. When Victor hesitated to grab them, Moira only cocked a dark red eyebrow expectantly.

Victor grumbled under his breath, grabbed the pants and quickly stepped into them. He discarded his robe in a trash bin and they were off.

Coles Penthouse

As the women circled their figurative wagons, Leo and Cole shared a quiet moment by themselves. They stood silently outside on Cole's terrace, which Leo noted was nicely decorated with flowering terra cotta pots and climbing roses over a faux arbor against a stark wall. It was homey, which seemed like a contrast with Cole, but instead made perfect sense.

The view was breath taking and more than enough reason for the two men to be silently reflective. After a short while, Leo turned to Cole studying the man who had beat back his inner demon.

"Why didn't you contact me?"

"I thought I could keep you and the kid safe by handling Christopher and the Kwasaar myself." Cole flicked the cigar he'd been chewing on off the terrace and leaned over to watch its long descent before continuing. "I would have too, if it hadn't been for wonder boy, lightning hands."

"Who?"

"Your oldest. Have you seen him tap into that 'ultimate' power of his? Well, I have and it ain't pretty."

"What are you talking about? I didn't think Wyatt could tap any of that without the sword."

"Well, I've seen it first hand and it's pretty powerful stuff and I didn't see any sword." Cole turned to lean negligently against the railing.

"I didn't realize." Leo fell back against the railing in shock. "Why did he have to use it?"

"He didn't have to he did it when he got pissed at me for telling him I didn't think he could get to the book. He was frustrated and angry and he lit up like a Christmas tree.

Leo couldn't believe what he was hearing. He and Piper had often lain awake at night and discussed whether or not to bind his powers to prevent him from tapping his legacy. Then they received the gift of the sword and had been lead to believe that without it he wouldn't be able to tap his ultimate power.

The French doors opened and both men turned quickly.

"Would you mind if I had a word with my husband alone?" Piper had ditched the towel and had changed from the flowing robes of the goddesses to more practical attire that Leo had no doubt they conjured or orbed in.

Cole nodded and walked back into the penthouse closing the door behind him. Phoebe was standing solemnly at the windows watching her sister and brother in law and trying hard not to let the empathy of their feelings for each other overwhelm her.

Cole slid his arms around her and drew her into him. His chin rested comfortably on her head as they stood there. He knew how the swirling emotions of Piper and Leo were affecting her.

"He still loves her."

"Did you ever doubt it?"

"No, but he's been revenging their separation by sleeping with an Irish witch." Phoebe leaned into Cole. "She loves him too, but he doesn't know it. She's hoping that he will wake up from his grief over Piper and see that she loves him." Phoebe was silent in thought for a moment and Cole knew she was forcing a precognition.

"This Moira is a good person. She loves Penelope as her own." She paused as if watching some unseen video. "Why am I being shown the zoo?"

Cole leaned back and spun her around to face him. "What does the zoo have to do with this Moira and Leo?"

Phoebe shrugged then turned back to watch her sister with a heavy heart. "I don't know Coleridge, but I think we should find out."

Chapter Twenty Seven

San Francisco Zoo

Penny, in spite of being on the run was having delightful time eating the pink cotton candy that Granpa had gotten her after she had to orb his wallet to him. That was pretty funny too, seeing his face when he distractedly made the comment to her that he couldn't get her any because he didn't have his wallet and then voila just like Daddy taught her she thought really hard and pictured it in her mind and then held out her hand and called for it.

Daddy had said that her Aunt Paige had that special talent and every time she used it she was paying tribute to her. Penny often thought about her unknown Aunt Paige. She day dreamed that if she had been alive she could have taught Penny all the neat little tricks her Daddy said Paige could do. Daddy had also said that Aunt Paige was kind just like Penny; that even before she knew she had special talents that she went out of her way to help people, especially kids.

While Granpa and Moira whispered to each other on the park bench, Penny didn't think there would be any reason why she couldn't enjoy the monkeys. She watched them curiously as they hooted and hollered and jumped from tree to tree. She thought it might be funny if one could come over and talk to her, so she carefully looked around to make sure that no one especially Granpa and Moira were paying attention, then she thought really hard with her eyes closed, then found the monkey she wanted to talk to and wiggled her finger at him.

To anyone paying attention who didn't know Penny they might have thought she was just pointing. They may have gone so far as to think she was just a strange child standing there with pink cotton candy in one hand and the other outstretched and wiggling toward the monkeys, none the wiser. Moira would have known though and so would Daddy, had he been there.

One of the monkeys left the group and made his way over to Penny. He stood no more than two feet from her only separated by the black iron bars surrounding his exhibit. He cocked his head to the side as if trying to understand something.

"Daddy says that monkeys are much smarter than humans give them credit for, but if that's so how did you end up in here?"

"Well, first off little girl I have to say that your father must be an incredibly intelligent human if I don't say so myself, secondly I was born here and that is how I am to be here."

Penny nodded for that made sense to her.

"What's your name Mr. Monkey?"

"They, the humans call me Thaddeus, but you can call me Thad." The monkey bowed as if her were in the presence of royalty.

"Ok, Thad. Do you know why I'm here?" Penny took another messy bite of candy.

"Well, I suppose dear child you like all the other children are here to see me and all the others species of animals on display."

"Nope. We're in hiding."

"In hiding? What ever for?"

"My brother Chris is sick and he can't remember that he should be nice to us. Right now he's mean and he's doing mean things. He froze Moira, but I unfroze her and orbed us here." Penny pulled a little cotton candy off and offered it to the monkey.

"Thank you. This stuff is lovely, isn't it? I so adore how it just melts on the tongue." With that the monkey stuffed the bite into its mouth and closed his eyes as if in bliss.

"I'm not supposed to us my special talents while Daddy is not around, unless it's an emergency. I think he would understand that Christopher freezing Moira and being different and mean is an emergency, don't you think?"

"Well, yes I do young lady. I think your father would be very proud of you."

"Penny! What in the world are ye doing!" Moira jumped up from the bench and ran over to Penny looking to and fro to be sure that no one saw that Penny had been conversing with a monkey.

"Wee one ye can't be talkin' ta monkey's in front of everyone." Moira looked around again to be sure no one had seen. "We should also try not to use magick as much as possible so Christopher can't find us, ye ken?"

"Dear Madam, the child was only showing me a modicum of kindness; please do not be upset with her." The monkey seemed to be agitated and Moira was afraid it might hurt Penny so she decided it would be best if they left this exhibit.

"She can't understand you. She doesn't know how to speak to animals like I do. Thanks for talking to me Thad. Maybe I'll see you again soon." Moira grabbed Penny's hand and walked her back to the bench and Victor.

"Not so fast witch!" Chris orbed in, in a swell of dark black and grey orbs that looked like a swarm of bees in front of Moira. He hauled his arm back and slapped her so hard that she fell several feet hard on the pavement.

Victor jumped up to her defense but Chris just froze Victor's body allowing his to still be able to see and hear.

"Now little sister, I think it's time you came with me." Chris grabbed Penny by the arm and orbed her away just as Cole and Phoebe shimmered in behind Victor.

"What the?" Cole spun in a circle to try to get a fix on Chris and then shimmered out.

Victor shook himself as he got feeling back in his body and could move. Moira slowly stood up only to kneel again as she was wracked with sobs. She mumbled something about her fault.

"Dad! How did you get here? What just happened? Are you alright?"

Victor moved his neck and limbs to ascertain that everything was still functioning correctly.

"Chris grabbed Penny. Leo had sent me to Moira and Penny. He said it was to make sure they were safe, but I believe he was just trying to keep me safe. Moira here," Victor walked over to her and helped her up. " . . . has been the real hero. She knew instantly when Chris showed up that something was off and she fired everything she could at him. Penny saved us by orbing us here." He shook his head astounded by the events of the past few hours just by reliving them verbally.

Phoebe was muted in stunned silence. She glanced over the beautiful red-head and made note of her mossy green eyes, creamy complexion and aristocratic nose and chin. Beautiful was putting it mildly.

"I guess I should thank you for saving my family." Phoebe held out her hand, but Victor grabbed Phoebe in a tight hug.

"How is this possible? Was that Cole I saw with you? How are you here?" Phoebe laughed and hugged her father back.

"Yes, that was Cole and we're all back to help save Chris."

"I don't think Leo knows that Chris has turned." Moira straightened herself and wiped her eyes.

"He knows." Phoebe said softly. "He's with Piper now at Cole's."

Victor smiled broadly. "When you said you were all back I guess you really meant it! I'm glad Leo is alright and with Piper. I can't wait to see her and Paige."

Moira cringed a little inwardly. "When he left me with Penny and Victor he mentioned that his boys were in trouble, so I think he thought that something or someone was after them. He and Penny had gone to visit Wyatt at the manor and he found it in shambles. He thought demons were responsible."

"Oh, well that explains why he showed up at Coles. Speaking of which," Phoebe lifted her face to the sky and as softly as she could cried out for her beloved. "Cole! Cole!"

Cole shimmered in behind an ice cream stand and walked briskly over to Phoebe.

"Yes, dear?"

"Did you find them?"

"No. I think he may have taken her to the manor house, but you called me away before I could check."

"Sorry sweetie, but we kind of need a ride." Phoebe held out her hand for Victor and Moira as Cole shimmered them all back to his place.