Thanks to all the people who left reviews. This is my first fanfic and I wasn't sure how many people would actually be interested in reading, but the positive response I received convinced me to keep writing. Please continue to R&R. All comments and suggestions are welcome.

Ch. 2 -

Phoebe was thunderstruck. Victor Turner Halliwell; that could only mean one thing. "You're my son," she said breathlessly.

"Technically," Victor answered. His beautiful intense green eyes were narrowed to slits.

"And Cole…" she started.

"Any other half-demons you're likely to screw?" he said.

"Hey," Piper scolded. "Don't you talk that way to your mother!" She walked up and wagged a finger in his face. "I'm getting sick and tired of people being blamed for things they haven't done."

The man actually smiled at that, the first time his expression broke from a glare. "It's good to see you haven't changed Aunt Piper."

Piper's expression gravitated somewhere between confused and curious.

"I was going to say," Phoebe said quietly, "Cole's still alive?"

Victor sighed. "I really shouldn't say any more," he said. "Look, Aunt Piper's right. You haven't actually done anything to me yet – so it's not fair for me to blame you." He ran a hand through his dark hair. "But you really shouldn't have brought me here. I'm not your man. Send me back to my own time and call someone else."

"Um," said Paige, who had watched the scene in open jawed silence, "There is kind of a little problem with that." She actually made the gesture of holding something tiny.

Victor swiveled his gaze to her and raised an eyebrow. His mouth tightened in a frown.

"You see," Paige said, "when we brought you back we kind of linked up your destiny with the demon, so that you're now in sync with him. So you can't actually go back until he is, ah, vanquished." She smiled a sheepish smile. "Sorry," she said.

"Unbelievable," said Victor. He walked out of the room and down the stairs. The girls followed. He was obviously going for the door.

"Wait," Phoebe said, "Where are you going?"

"Out" Victor answered.

"But you don't know anything about this time," said Phoebe.

He stopped at the door and turned around. "You didn't strip me of my ability to read a history book," he said.

Phoebe felt miserable. How could she mess up so badly? This was so much to deal with. The idea that Cole, her Cole, the only man she'd ever really loved, was back – or would be. That alone would have been enough to throw her threw an emotional ringer. Did she want him to be back? Was she frightened or hopeful? Would she have to vanquish him again or could things actually work out this time? And her son; her son hated her. He was so beautiful, but so scarred; so bitter. She'd always just assumed that when she had kids she would be a great mother. She loved kids. Kids loved her. She started to cry.

Victor's mouth opened as though to deliver another cutting remark, but on seeing Phoebe cry his mouth closed and his eyes widened. He took a half step forward before awkwardly stopping. "Mom, I…" he cut off as three demons shimmered in behind the oblivious sisters.

Victor pushed his mother to the ground as he charged the nearest demon. His athame flicked instantly to his hand and with well practiced ease he thrust it into the demon's heart. The dead demon flamed out and Victor turned his attention to the other two. They each had a fireball in hand and were prepared to throw it. Victor waited for it, and dropped to the ground the moment they released their attacks. The demons' fireballs flew past each other and destroyed them both.

He looked over at the girls. They had recovered themselves and Piper had her hands extended in readiness to make something explode.

"You're pretty good at fighting demons for someone without any powers," said Paige.

"I have to be," Victor answered shortly. He looked to Phoebe. "I need money."

"What?" Phoebe asked, surprised at the sudden change of subject.

"Money," Victor said. "My currency from the future is no good to me here."

Phoebe grabbed her purse from the nearby table and fumbled through it. She handed him whatever there was without counting.

"Thanks," he said and before any of the girls could say anything more he walked passed and out the doors.

Phoebe stared after him as he left. She turned back at her sisters; her eyes distant – lost.

-- change of scene --

Victor paid the cabbie and stepped out in front of a nightclub called Underworld. Its owner had a sick sense of humor. Victor walked passed the leather clad patrons and to the head of the line. One of the two door bouncers, a huge lumbering lummox of a man, glared down at him in what he probably thought was an intimidating scowl. It actually made him look like a chubby child in the throws of a temper tantrum.

"Back of the line Pal," he said.

"Mr. Trent is expecting me," Victor answered, "V. Turner."

The man glanced down at his list and nodded to his equally bulky compatriot.

"Right this way," the other man said and led him through the doors, passed throngs of people and up several flights of stairs. The place had three levels, each with its own bar and dance floor. The décor and music were both dark industrial.

A glass enclosed platform office overlooked the dance floor on the third floor. The bouncer led Victor up the stairs and to door marked "Mr. Trent" in gold letters. The bouncer opened the door, ushered him in and then vanished in the literal demonic sense. This left Victor alone to stare at the back of a black leather desk chair. The chair twisted around to reveal a middle aged man clad in a fashionable black suit, black shirt, and black tie – all of which served to set off his shock of unruly white hair. The man regarded Victor with a raised eyebrow.

"I trust everything is going according to plan," Trent said.

"I'm here, aren't I? Though you might have warned me when it would happen," Victor said. "I was a bit disoriented at first."

"And your, um… family?" Trent grimaced as though he found the very the word distasteful.

"They know who I am," Victor answered, "But they have no idea what's really going on," He finished.

"Excellent," Trent said. "Well it appears I have fulfilled my part of the bargain. Now it falls to you to fulfill yours. Are you quite sure you can go through with it? I have observed most humans have some affection for their blood relatives. Can you truly betray your own?"

Victor simply nodded, and the demon broke out into a wide satisfied smile.