Chapter 10: Black as Cole Part 1
November 18, 2001 – Thursday
Halliwell Manor
Buffy and Piper paced back and forth waiting on word from Phoebe and Cole about a demon they had gone out to vanquish. Leo had told them about a demon that was killing witches with an athame. Buffy had wondered briefly if it could have been Cole. After all Angel had lost his soul and gone evil. The same could have held true for Cole. She quickly dismissed the idea though as she remembered how helpful Cole had been since she had met him.
"A demon who likes to kill witches well..." Paige pursed her lips as she stood at the podium gazing down at the Book of Shadows. "...that narrows it down to about every page in the book."
"And a few that aren't in the book," Buffy added.
Piper rolled her eyes. "We have one clue, we know he likes to use an athame," she informed both her sister and mother.
Paige frowned. "How does that help?" she asked sardonically.
"Well..." Piper turned to Paige. "It means he has hands," she quipped with a smirk and Paige rolled her eyes trying not to laugh. She grinned. "Keep flipping," she instructed walking out from behind the podium.
Paige looked up, following Piper with her eyes. "So...I hear you and Leo are thinking about having a baby," she stated bluntly a smile tugging at her lips.
Piper froze momentarily as she looked at her mother then spun round to face Paige. "Where did you hear that from?" she interrogated.
Paige had noticed the looked Piper had given Buffy. "Not from mom," she said defending her mother. "From Phoebe."
Piper sighed. "Of course it was Phoebe," she muttered to herself darkly.
Paige's eyes widened. "Oh! Did I just break some sort of sister confidentiality clause?" she queried sheepishly.
Piper shook her head. "No, you didn't," she assured her sister as she folded her arms across her chest. "And no, we aren't."
"Really?" Buffy asked looking surprised. "Don't you want to? I would love to be a grandmother someday."
Piper shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mom. You're not going to be a grandmother, all right. At least not any time soon. It's too risky," she added looking to the book pointedly. "It would be in constant danger around us."
"What does Leo think?" Paige asked with narrowed eyes, one hand on her hip.
"Leo thinks that there's enough magic around here, we'd be able to protect it," Piper answered both looking and sounding extremely unconvinced.
Buffy tilted her head. "Maybe he's right."
"Maybe he's not," Piper countered then frowned at her sister. "Keep flipping."
Paige rolled her eyes. "I'm flipping," she promised turning a few pages for effect before addressing her older sister again. "You know, it's not like having a baby isn't hard enough even without demons attacking but...for what it's worth? There are ways of seeing what it's like before you actually have one."
"Mm-hmm, great. Well, the next time you pass a baby rental, pick one up for Leo." Piper said.
"Maybe I will." Paige said as Leo orbed in frightening Piper.
"So, did you find anything out?" Leo asked eagerly.
"Uh...yeah." Buffy answered as Paige began flipping again. "I scryed for the location of the demon, using the slime from the last victim and Phoebe and Cole are checking it out," she spouted off professionally.
"Alright." Leo nodded. "Well, I hope that it pans out because with two dead witches, they're pretty concerned up there," he told them glancing towards the heavens.
"Okay, well, we are pretty concerned down here too." Piper said.
"Hey? I think I got something." Paige called drawing everyone's eyes to her. "Upper-level demon who likes to kill witches using an athame, sometimes energy balls," she read, looking at the page. "His name...is…Belthazor."
"I don't think so." Leo said.
Buffy frowned. "Why not?" she questioned feeling out of the loop.
Piper and Leo exchanged uneasy looks before Leo answered carefully when Piper smiled at him. "Uh...well, because that's Cole in his demonic form," he informed Buffy with a kind smile.
"You knew he was half demon, Mom," Piper added with a shrug.
"Yeah." Buffy nodded as she moved beside Paige to look at the page on Belthazor. "But I didn't know the name of his demonic form," she replied as the phone blared loudly throughout the room.
Piper reached over and snatched it up. "Hello?" she greeted.
"We're at Battery and Clay, but there's no sign of any demons," Phoebe's voice informed her sister from the other end of the phone.
Piper frowned. "Okay, Mom will scry for him again," she answered. She looked toward her mother. "Phoebe and Cole are there, they can't find the demon."
Buffy knelt down at the table, picked up the crystal and dangled it over the map of San Francisco. "Battery and Clay," she told Piper as the crystal dropped in the exact same location as the first time she had scryed, right where Phoebe and Cole were at that particular moment. "He's still there."
"Mom said he's still there, Phoebe," Piper informed her sister over the phone. "You just got to look." She smirked.
Phoebe snorted down the line. "Mom says he's still here somewhere," she replied and Piper assumed she was addressing Cole.
The line went quiet until Phoebe screamed.
Piper flinched, almost dropping the phone in surprise. "Phoebe!" she barked sharply into the receiver but got no reply. "Phoebe!" she tried again but all she could hear was screaming. "PHOEBE!"
Streets of San Francisco
Phoebe giggled loudly as her boyfriend tickled her sides gently. "Cole stop!" she cried wriggling free, "We're working," she reminded him with a smirk.
Cole grinned. "So?" he asked yanking her towards him and planting his lips firmly onto hers.
Phoebe sighed happily breaking the kiss before it got heavy. "No." She pointed one finger at him. "Stop." She glanced around the warehouse. "I can't see him. Can you see him?" she asked turning back to Cole who shook his head, eyes glued to her.
Phoebe rolled her eyes. "You have to actually look." She giggled. "I'm calling home." She announced pulling out her cell phone and hitting speed dial 1.
"Hello?" Piper's voice answered from down the line.
Phoebe glanced around again quickly as she replied, "We're at Battery and Clay but there's not sign of any demons."
"Okay. I'll scry for him again." Piper's voice informed her, "Talk to Paige."
"Okay, Mom will scry for him again," Piper's voice informed her. "Phoebe and Cole are there, they can't find the demon," she added and Phoebe was sure that Piper was addressing Buffy. She could hear the sounds of footsteps through the phone and was sure that Buffy had moved to the table to scry. She only had to wait another minute before she heard Buffy in the background say, "Battery and Clay. He's still there."
"Mom said he's still there, Phoebe," Piper told her and Phoebe frowned scanning the building. "You just got to look," she added and Phoebe snorted at the clear insinuation in her statement.
Phoebe turned to Cole. "Piper said that Mom said that he's still here somewhere," she informed her boyfriend who frowned neither one of them noticing the demon dropping to the floor behind him. Nor did they notice him release his extremely strong slime at Phoebe, wrapping it around her leg and pulling.
Phoebe screamed as she was lifted into the air, dropping the cell phone to the ground and grabbing onto Cole.
"Hold on!" Cole ordered through clenched teeth as he fought to keep a hold on her.
"No! I can't!" Phoebe replied panicked as her hands slipped from his arms to gripping his hands.
The couple locked eyes and Phoebe nodded once.
Cole readjusted himself and counted down. "Three...two...one!" he cried and she let go of his right hand gripping his left with both instead and Cole threw an energy ball at the demon who exploded, covering them in green goo and sending them soaring forwards, landing on a pile of old clothes.
"We have to stop meeting like this," Phoebe rasped out through her laughter.
Cole nodded. "Marry me." He smiled.
Phoebe stilled, her body going rigid and her laughter ceasing. "Wh—what?"
Halliwell Manor
"Don't you think we should talk about this?" Cole asked as he stormed through the front doors of Halliwell Manor.
"Talk about what?" Phoebe asked innocently from in front of him as she maneuvered herself carefully making sure not to get demon blood everywhere.
"Wow!" Piper cried as she reached the bottom step, Buffy behind her, "Looks like you two got a juicy one."
"Yeah," Phoebe agreed. "But unfortunately not the one who kills witches."
"How do you know?" Buffy asked with a frown.
Phoebe gestured to Cole who took a step forwards, addressing the Piper and Buffy. "Because upper-level demons have a human form and they bleed red not green," he explained. "No offense,
Buffy, but with having Patty's memories I thought you would have known that."
"I remember most of my life but there is still some things missing," Buffy explained. "Like what did I get Prue, Piper and Phoebe for Christmas the year before I died?"
"Where are you going?" Cole asked Phoebe as she headed for the stairs.
"I'm going up..." she replied stopping next to Piper who took a step back, "...to take a shower first, and then I'm going to check out the Book of Shadows. I want to ID this demon that I'm..." she glanced down at her clothes as did Buffy and Piper, "...wearing, try to find some answers," she concluded turning and continuing her climb.
"At least she doesn't have Dawn's problem," Buffy chuckled.
Piper laughed and nodded as she remembered two weeks earlier when a spell Paige had cast had also affected her aunt transforming Dawn's clothing into a medieval gown that Dawn couldn't remove." You're right there."
"Speaking of unanswered questions—" Cole called after his girlfriend but Phoebe spun round cutting him off.
"There is a demon on the loose, Cole," she reminded him angrily. "We don't have time for this."
"Shouldn't we make time for it?" Cole retorted.
"No!" Phoebe snapped. "Not now we shouldn't."
Buffy and Piper exchanged suspicious looks. "What are you guys talking about?" Piper asked, her eyes narrowing at the couple along with Buffy's.
"Nothing," Phoebe answered quickly.
Cole shrugged. "Nothing," he repeated.
"Uh-huh," Buffy chirped not buying a word.
"Please Cole," Phoebe begged. "Let's just focus on vanquishing the demon," she suggested giving him a stern look when he failed to agree instantly.
"Fine," he relented unhappily. "I'll uh...go see what I can, find out." He forced a smile then shimmered out.
Buffy and Piper turned to Phoebe as she sighed. "Honey, did you two have a fight?" Buffy asked sweetly.
"No, Mom, he just… never mind," Phoebe said as she walked up the stairs.
"I wonder what that was all about," Piper said as Buffy shrugged her shoulders. It was something they both were curious about.
Streets of San Francisco
A very large black demon with red design shimmered in after a terrified woman, trapping her in a dead end. "Witch."
The woman turned to him and screamed loudly.
The demon sprang forward, covering her mouth with his hand to silence her and pushed her back against a dumpster. He pulled out an athame and used it to lift her necklace: three crescent-shaped moons. "You're next," he growled in her ear before plunging the athame into her stomach, muffling her whimpers with his hand. He yanked it out and let her limp, dead body slip to the ground before sheathing his weapon and morphing into his human form.
The demon them proceeded to call 911 from a nearby payphone. "Yes, I'd like to report a terrible murder," he spoke into the receiver faking fear and disgust. "A beautiful young woman in the alley behind the Cannon Theatre."
"Hey? You gonna be long?" an innocent bystander asked from his left. "What are you deaf? I need to use the phone," he stressed when the demon failed to answer.
The demon turned to him. "Um...hold on," he said into the phone placing it down then sending an energy ball at the innocent. It sent him flipping backs before exploding against the far wall, leaving a scorch mark.
The demon picked up the phone again. "Hurry, please," he continued like nothing happened, "Before anyone else gets hurt." He ended the call there and shimmered out.
Halliwell Manor
"Okay," Phoebe said loudly, fresh and demon blood free, as she stood by the Book of Shadows. "So, the demon that Cole and I nailed is a Scavenger demon," she informed Piper and Buffy who were standing in front of her. "Apparently, he feeds on the remains of other demons' victims," she read aloud and shuddered. "Nice huh?"
"Lovely," Piper agreed sarcastically.
"That explains why I scryed for him accidentally," Buffy voiced, crossing her arms tightly. Then she and Piper exchanged a quick glance before they each took a step forward.
Phoebe looked up from the book with wide eyes. "Uh-oh," she whispered.
"Um..." Piper glanced quickly at Buffy. "...are you going to tell us what happened out there?"
Phoebe shrugged looking back at the book. "Well, there's not much to tell. I mean, the demon jumped in behind us and we—"
Buffy placed her hands on the book, "That's not what Piper meant," she said pointedly and Phoebe sighed. "Honey, what happened between you and Cole?" she rephrased.
"Oh." Phoebe nodded closing over the book. "Yeah, that. Um...I'm not exactly sure," she admitted then shrugged. "He asked me to marry him," she revealed nonchalantly turning away.
Buffy flinched and did a double take while Piper froze and blinked once as they both echoed, "What?"
Piper blinked again. "Wh—He, he did what?—He did?"
"More or less," Phoebe answered.
"What, what did you say?" Buffy asked.
"I didn't know what to say," Phoebe replied turning back to her mother and sister looking lost and confused. "I was too surprised. I mean, all my power of premonition and I never saw that one coming."
Prue scoffed, coming out of her shock induced daze, "I don't think anyone coulda seen that coming."
Piper shook her head. "I, I don't think a witch is allowed to marry a demon," she stated turning to Buffy. "Are witches allowed to marry demons?" she asked and Buffy shrugged.
"Your asking the wrong person," Buffy admitted. "Or did you forget that every single one of my relationships in both lifetimes ended badly. Your father and I got divorced. Sam and I, ended when I died. Angel, I sent to a hell dimension. That relationship never truly rebounded when he came back, because in part we were afraid of his curse. Parker was dumped me after a one-night stand. And Riley left me because I was closed off."
Piper sighed. "Phoebe, honey? We can't have a demon in the family."
"One thing I do know though," Buffy said. "Regardless if it's allowed or not. If Phoebe loves Cole she will find a way just like you did."
"Mom we can't kid ourselves," Piper said as she looked toward her mother. "If she decides to go through with this, it's going to be a source of huge concern. Especially for them. While we know that Cole is good I can understand they having problems."
"If they had problems with Cole," Buffy argued. "They would have stepped in and sent another witch after him. Even if it meant angering you three, especially Phoebe."
"Right now that is the least of my concerns." Phoebe moved to the sofa and sat down. She watched both her sister and mother sit down on either side of her. "I love Cole," she said looking between her mother and sister. "You both know I do but...demon stuff aside, I just, never thought of myself as the marrying type," she began to explain, trying to make sense of her feelings, by talking to the two most important and prominent people in her life: her best friend and her mother. "You know, it's not something I fantasized about, ever." She smirked as Buffy and Phoebe chuckled.
"So then, what are you going to tell him?" Piper asked gently.
"I don't know," Phoebe huffed.
"Well..." Buffy grinned. "You have to tell him something." She pointed out the obvious. "Because a question like that just doesn't go away by itself."
Phoebe pouted. "Are you sure?" she asked grabbing Buffy's hands.
Buffy nodded with a smile. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure," she replied with a giggle. "I loved your father, but do you know how long it took me to decide if I wanted to marry him? Three days. And it weighed on me that entire time till I told him yes."
Phoebe bit her lip, turning her head to Piper who nodded too, throwing an arm around her shoulders. Phoebe sighed and leaned into Piper, resting her head on her sister's shoulder but keeping a tight hold on Buffy's hands.
"How's your love-life?" Phoebe asked quietly and Buffy shook her head. "Mom, please?" Phoebe pleaded. "I need a distraction," she added bringing out baby Phoebe.
"I'm not sure I will ever fall in love again," Buffy sighed. "There has been too many heartaches in both lifetimes. Angel and I just would never have worked, his curse was a problem. Parker was only interested in one thing, sex and his next conquest. Riley, he left just before mom died. Then there was your father and I and we fell out of love. And of course Sam and I, well I died…"
"Oh, come on," Phoebe cried sitting up straight and turning to her mother.
Upon seeing Buffy's tear filled eyes Piper and Phoebe immediately sobered up.
"Oh my god," Phoebe whispered.
"You're really serious," Piper finished and Buffy nodded once. She reached out and took one of Buffy's hand, Phoebe the other. "Well we will just have to fix that, won't we, Phoebe?"
"Yes, we will," Phoebe agreed. "We're not going to let you live your life vicariously through us, Mom. We're going to help you to find Mr. Right. Right, Piper?"
"Right, Phoebe," Piper agreed.
Buffy sniffed. "Thanks, girls. Being a Slayer I never wanted children. I never wanted to leave my children without a parent the way I left the two of you. But being here, with the two of you…"
"You want children, now," Phoebe said as Buffy nodded. "You are already a wonderful mother. And you will make an even more wonderful mother to your own children. I would be proud to be Aunt Phoebe."
"And Aunt Piper," Piper added as she and Phoebe, with their free hands, wiped Buffy's tears away.
Cole shimmered in at that moment. "Hey," he greeted Phoebe nervously.
Phoebe looked over at him. "Hey," she replied a little distracted.
Buffy leaned in close to Phoebe and whispered, "Did that do the trick?" she asked and Phoebe laughed. She smiled as her comment did exactly what she had intended: made her baby girl laugh. She looked between Cole and Phoebe before grabbing Piper's arm and yanking her to her feet. "We'll...be downstairs," she informed them with a nod.
Piper scurried after her mother out of the attic shooting Cole knowing looks as they passed. She turned toward her mother the moment they reached the second floor landing. "Mom," she said. "Do you really believe what you said up there or was that all for just Phoebe?"
Buffy sighed. "It's the way I've felt since Riley left. My memories of being Patty just compounded the problem. I've began to wonder if I'm just not meant to be happy."
"Oh, Mom," Piper sighed as she wrapped an arm around her mother. "Phoebe and I were right up there. We are going to help you find whoever it is that you are supposed to be with. We are not going to let you be alone forever. You deserve to be happy, mom. Regardless if it's as Patty Halliwell or as Buffy Summers."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Silence engulfed the couple as they stood staring at one another. Cole cleared his throat loudly, sticking his hands in his pockets. "I couldn't find out who the demon is," he admitted looking to the floor. "But at least I ruled out the usual suspects."
"Any idea of...who it could be?" Phoebe asked nervously playing with her hands.
Cole shook his head. "No. Just another upper-level demon trying to build a reputation by killing witches, to move up the ladder."
Phoebe remained silent, looking anywhere but at him.
Cole sighed. "Anyway...I guess I'll keep checking," he concluded turning to shimmer out.
"No, Cole, wait!" Phoebe called out, rising to her feet. "We should talk."
Cole turned back to her expectantly. "Alright."
Phoebe exhaled slowly. "It's...just...hard."
Cole's eyes flashed in what Phoebe recognized as hurt as he replied. "It's just me."
Phoebe locked her eyes with his, sadness shining through as she hesitantly stepped towards him. "Okay. Let me ask you a question," she began slowly, stopping at arms' length. "When you...you know, proposed...did you mean too?" she asked fearing the answer. "Or did it just come out? In, in the heat of the moment?"
Cole opened his mouth looking away. "Well, does that matter?" he questioned turning back to her.
Phoebe's eyes widened. "Well yeah," she answered nodding. "It matters to me."
Cole hesitated for a moment before revealing. "It just came out in the heat of the moment."
Phoebe's face fell. "Oh," she whispered in disappointment.
Cole quickly defended himself. "But that, that doesn't mean that once I said it I wasn't serious," he corrected himself. "Because I, I, I was. I still am."
"Cole," Phoebe sighed turning away from him and wrapping her arms around herself tightly.
"Phoebe, listen to me." Cole pleaded following her closely, "I...I know it was crazy to ask and I, I know it doesn't make any sense because of who we are but...that shouldn't matter." He came up right behind her, "If it did, we never would have fallen in love in the first place." He added in a last desperate attempt to reach her.
Phoebe turned to him and slowly ran her hands up his chest, gripping the lapels of his jacket and closing her eyes.
"I love you, Phoebe," Cole told her, looking directly into her eyes, the conviction and sincerity in his voice impossible to ignore. "And...I don't know where we go from here but...I do know that wherever it is...I want it to be with you."
Phoebe smiled taking his face in her hands and gazing into his eyes.
The moment of understanding was shattered by the shrill cry of a baby from downstairs.
Phoebe looked past Cole to the attic door, Cole twisting his head in the same direction. "Is that a baby crying?" she questioned incredulously before the two hastily exited the attic.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"You told me to rent one," Paige reminded Piper innocently, clutching a mechanical baby to her chest, "So I did."
Piper looked to Buffy in disbelief as Paige thrust the doll into her arms. Her eyes bulged. "Well, I didn't think you could!" she exclaimed giving the doll a fearful look. "Where did you get it?"
Paige shrugged. "The clinic."
"Great!" Piper chirped. "Take it back," she snapped thrusting it back into Paige's arms.
"What's going on?" Phoebe asked as she and Cole joined her mother and sister in the living room, Cole perching on the arm of one of the over-stuffed chair while Phoebe came to a stop at Buffy's side.
"Wait till you hear this," Buffy said to her youngest daughter whose interest was piqued.
Paige smiled innocently. "Piper and Leo wanted to try out having a baby before actually having one," she explained. "So I got them a mechanical baby. We use them in parenting classes all the time."
"Yeah and they don't need one," Buffy said. "If they have any questions about raising a child in a magical household they can ask me. I did it for Prue, Piper and Phoebe till I died, remember?"
Phoebe grinned. "Wow! It sounds so real," she commented as it continued to cry.
"And so annoying," Piper added, cringing at the noise and glaring at the doll. "Look, Paige, I appreciate the thought, but we are on a demon hunt and the last thing I want to do is protect a fake baby."
"Oh, really?" Paige questioned smartly before throwing the baby into the air.
Buffy and Phoebe followed it with their eyes calmly while Piper jumped, throwing her hands up in a frenzied panic. "AH!" and froze the baby in mid-air.
"See?" Paige smirked. "Your instincts were to save it."
Piper glared. "My instincts were to shut it up!" she corrected, curling her hands into fists.
Buffy shook her head. "Paige is right your instincts were to protect it, even if it wasn't a real baby."
"Not now, Mom!" Piper said as she glared at her mother.
Paige rolled her eyes. "The doll has a sensor," she explained. "It'll stop crying if you just hold it."
"But I don't want to," Piper huffed.
Paige narrowed her eyes. "Come on. Just try it," she begged. "If it doesn't work, I'll take it back I promise."
Piper sighed in frustration and flicked her hands at the frozen baby and it fell into her waiting arms, the screaming continuing.
Buffy moved and wrapped her arms around Piper and the baby. "Okay, now you just rock it gently," she instructed rocking them both up and down and side to side
"Mom, I know how to hold a baby," Piper informed her mother through clenched teeth. "That is not the issue, thank you!" she snapped and Buffy released her jumping away.
"Just give it a shot." Paige encouraged with a smile, "What have you got to lose?" she added with a shrug.
Piper glared at Paige as Leo orbed in beside Cole.
"Another witch has been killed," Leo informed them grimly.
"Oh no," Phoebe whispered sadly.
"Yeah, the police found her body at the Canon Theatre," Leo explained.
"We should go there and see what we can find out," Piper suggested looking at her mother and sisters who all nodded their agreement.
"We've got to call Morris on the way. Make sure he can get us in," Phoebe said. She then pointed to Cole as he stood. "And no you cannot come. Someone might recognize you from when you posed as a D.A."
Cole sighed but nodded, slumping into the seat in defeat. "I don't get to go anywhere anymore," he called after Phoebe's retreating form.
Paige gawked at him. "You were a demon and a lawyer?" Cole scowled and she crossed her arms. "Insert joke here," she muttered.
"Paige." Buffy said not that she didn't agree. It was after all funny to think about especially when the rest of the world sometimes tended to think of lawyers as being evil.
Leo walked over to Piper and tapped the hand of the baby in his wife's arms. "Where'd you get it?"
Piper smiled. "It's Paige's," she answered looking pointedly at her younger sister.
Paige shook her head. "No, it's yours. You need to figure it out." She smiled before dashing after Phoebe.
Piper smirked. "Yeah, Daddy, figure it out," she instructed pushing the doll into Leo's arms. "Excuse me."
Leo approached Cole and Buffy with the screaming doll seemingly lost. Cole stood when Leo turned to him.
Cole looked pointedly at the doll then up at Leo. "Don't look at me."
Leo sighed and turned to Buffy who chuckled taking the baby from Leo's arms and rocking it gently, the crying quickly lessening until silence replaced it.
Buffy smirked and passed it back to Leo. "You're on your own now," she told him amusement shining in her eyes.
Leo groaned and Cole smirked turning to Buffy. "You're a natural, Buffy," Cole stated the obvious and Buffy's face fell. "What?" He immediately realized there was a problem.
"I want to be in love, I want kids," Buffy said as she sighed. "But every single relationship in either lifetime has been doomed to failure. As I was telling Piper and Phoebe. I don't know if I will ever…"
"Mom!" Piper called out interrupting Buffy. "Are you coming?"
"Be right there," Buffy called back. "Leo, despite my own problems. I know that you and Piper can make this work. After all I raised Prue, Piper and Phoebe till my death and for part of that time their powers were bound."
"I'm sure your right, Buffy," Leo said as he watched his mother-in-law head after Piper, Phoebe and Paige. He looked at Cole. "We have to do something. Buffy shouldn't…"
"I'm in total agreement with you, Leo," Cole said.
Cannon Theater
"I can't guarantee you much time on this," Morris informed the Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige as he escorted them under the crime scene tape. "Promise me you'll stay on the fringe," he asked looking between the four of them.
"We promise," Phoebe assured with a sparkling smile.
"So, what do we know?" Buffy asked looking at Darryl.
"Who is she?" Darryl wondered. He had only let her in because she was with the Halliwells.
Piper, Phoebe and Paige looked at each other as if wondering how to answer. "She's our mother," Piper finally said.
"Mother?" he asked. He had actually seen Patty Halliwell as a ghost and this woman looked nothing like her.
"It's a long story," Buffy sighed. "The short of it is that I'm Patty Halliwell reincarnated. We'll be more than willing to fill you in on the long story, since you know the girl's secret, at a later time," she told him as he nodded. "As I was saying, what do we know?"
"A man called 911 from that pay phone." Darryl began pointing to the object in question, "Reported he found a body."
Buffy turned to her right, eyes falling on the scorch mark. "Looks like she wasn't the only victim." Her daughters turned to her and she pointed. "Scorch mark."
"Definitely demonic. Looks like one of Cole's, actually," Piper added from Buffy's side.
"Don't you mean Belthazor?" Paige corrected.
"Not now, Paige," Buffy admonished her youngest daughter.
Phoebe walked towards the mark inspecting it closely. "It's too bad Cole can't check it out. Probably be able to tell us who did it." Phoebe glanced around quickly. "Is anyone from the D.A.'s office here?" she asked Darryl.
Darryl nodded and pointed. "Yeah, that guy over there is an ADA. He's interviewing a friend of the victim's." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a clear plastic bag. "They also found this on the victim."
"Triple crescent." Buffy said recognizing the wiccan symbol.
"Yeah, does this mean something to you?" Darryl questioned.
Buffy nodded. "It's an ancient wiccan symbol, a cousin to the triquetra," she explained.
"Could be the mark of a coven," Piper added with a glance at her mother.
"Very possible," Buffy agreed.
"A coven someone's trying to wipe out," Phoebe added. "We have to figure out who else is in it."
Buffy walked over to Darryl, looking past him to the other woman. "The victim's friend would be a safe place to start," she offered heading off in that direction.
Darryl grabbed her arm. "Fringe remember?" he muttered and she nodded.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"And she hasn't complained about any disgruntled friends, co-workers, ex-boyfriends?" the ADA asked.
The friend shook her head. "No," she replied. "Kari was a beautiful person. Everyone loved her."
The ADA reached into his pocket. "If you can think of anything else at all, please, don't hesitate to call," he told her handing over his business card.
The friend took the card and nodded. The ADA smiled before turning and walking away.
"Nice necklace," Buffy admired as the victim's friend walked past her. "Very unique."
The woman turned to her, "Do I know you?" she asked suspiciously.
Buffy smiled. "No, but you might know of me," she replied. "I'm the Slayer. I'm sure I have quite the reputation even amongst the Wiccan covens," she added as Phoebe appeared at her side, Paige and Piper making their way over. "Especially when one of my friends from Sunnydale is a progenitor."
Phoebe leaned close to the woman and whispered. "The same is true for me and my sisters. I am sure you've heard of us too. The Charmed Ones."
The woman's eyes bulged in surprise and her mouth fell open. She had of course heard of both the Slayer and the Charmed Ones.
"You and Kari were in the same coven?" Buffy continued with her interrogation.
The woman glanced down at her necklace. "Yes."
Phoebe nodded. "And your mark is the triple crescent." She stated reaching out to touch the necklace. Once she did a premonition struck her.
The woman was in a park. It was daylight. A large, strong demon grabbed her from behind and plunged his athame into her back.
The woman looked at Phoebe in concern. "What is it? Are you alright?"
Buffy pulled Phoebe close and smiled. "She'll be fine," she assured the concerned woman as Piper and Paige reached them. She turned her attention to Phoebe. "What happened? What'd you see?"
"The demon," Phoebe replied looking the woman in the eyes. "He's after her."
"Where?" Buffy questioned rubbing Phoebe's arms comfortingly.
Phoebe shook her head. "Uh...by the steps...in some park," she answered unsure. "I think it was like an old amphitheater or something."
"I know that," the woman spoke up and all four heads turned to her. "That's in Stanley Arboretum. I walk past it every day going to work."
"What did the demon look like?" Paige asked.
Phoebe fiddled with her hands avoiding eye contact. "Like Belthazor," she admitted reluctantly. "I mean, not exactly like him, just similar," she corrected herself quickly.
"What the hell is going on here?" The ADA demanded catching sight of the Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige as she strode over. "This is a murder investigation. Who are these people?" he demanded of Darryl.
"I'll get rid of them," Darryl assured him. "Come on, ladies, move along. First time I ask nicely."
Piper glared at Darryl as she, her sisters, Buffy and the woman retreated. "We're goin' mister," she snapped as Darryl led her away.
The ADA smirked glanced around quickly to make sure no-one was watching then shimmered out.
November 19, 2001 – Friday
"I don't understand. If you know the demon is meant to attack here, shouldn't we go someplace else?" Susan asked as the five of them walked through the park along her usual route.
"Not if we want to get rid of him for good," Buffy answered as she smiled at Susan. "They only way to get rid of him is to fight him," she explained gently. "If you run away then he'll just keep coming." Susan nodded as she rubbed the woman's arm gently.
"Power of Three spell?" Paige asked her sisters.
"No," Piper replied with a shake of the head. "The only way to vanquish an upper-level demon is with a potion of his own flesh."
"Sounds like you've done this before," Paige commented.
"Once," Phoebe answered while Buffy said, "A few times. "
"On my fiancé." Phoebe stressed the word as Piper's head snapped round to her and Paige wrinkled her nose.
"Your fiancé?" Paige echoed and Phoebe shrugged.
"Yeah, I just wanted to hear how it sounded," Phoebe explained.
"And...?" Buffy and Piper asked.
"Kind of weird," was Phoebe's reply.
"Yeah," Piper agreed instantly.
"Wait, wait, wait. Back up," Paige exclaimed looking at Phoebe. "Did you say you once tried to vanquish Cole?"
"No Belthazor," Phoebe corrected her. "There's a difference."
"Is there?" Paige murmured to herself but Buffy heard and shot her a look. She widened her eyes innocently.
"Okay, review," Buffy ordered stepping forwards and turning so she was facing them all. "Phoebe, you'll play decoy," she repeated and Phoebe nodded. "Demon attacks. Piper or I freeze." She pointed at Piper and herself. "Whoever doesn't freeze will then disarm and Paige..." She turned to her youngest daughter with a smirk. "You get to slice and dice."
"I think I should be the one to freeze," Piper said. "Then you disarm, mom. You are more likely to be able to do it since you're also the Slayer."
"Alright," Buffy agreed. "Then we get out of there. No delays understood?" she asked and received nods from all. "Okay. Everybody ready?"
Paige cringed as she pulled her own knife from her purse. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Phoebe turned to Susan. "I'm going to need your coat and hat," she said gently and Susan removed them, handing the items over. "Um...and your necklace," she added softly.
Susan sighed, she handed it over reluctantly.
"Okay, we got to get Susan someplace safe." Buffy decided.
"LEO!" Piper called for her husband who appeared behind Phoebe instantly amongst a shower of blue and white orbs. "Hi, honey." She smiled. "Could you orb Susan out of here?" she asked sweetly.
"Sure." Leo replied, "Any place in mind?"
"I don't think home is a good idea," Phoebe said.
"You should take her to my old loft." Paige told him, "I don't think it's rented yet."
"Or fixed yet," Buffy said.
Paige sighed. "That too."
Leo nodded, "Alright, take my hand." He held it out to Susan who took it hesitantly.
Paige frowned, "Where's the baby?" she asked.
"Leo, take her to Sunnydale," Buffy said. "With Faith, Willow and Tara, you should be able to protect Susan."
"Good idea, mom," Piper agreed.
Leo nodded. "Alright, take my hand." He held it out to Susan who took it hesitantly.
Paige frowned. "Where's the baby?" she asked.
Leo smirked turning to show the doll sitting in a strap on carrier on his back. "See? We can make this work."
"Mm-hm," Piper replied rolling her eyes. "Go away and drop Robo-kid off at the Manor," she ordered him with a smile. "Please? Thank you." She smiled wider as he orbed out with Susan. She glared at Paige who grinned. "Okay! We gotta do this quickly because this demon won't stay frozen for long," she pointed out looking her mother to each of her sisters. "Ready? Let's go."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Phoebe, disguised as Susan walked slowly down the path from her vision, eyes darting about, senses on high alert. Buffy, Piper and Paige were crouched behind some bushes out of sight, watching her every move.
"Hello witch," the demon greeted as he shimmered in behind Phoebe.
"Goodbye..." Phoebe spun to face him, her eyes bulging at the sight. "...demon," she whispered stunned at how similar he was to Cole.
The demon roared as it charged for Phoebe who flipped it over her as Buffy, Piper and Paige emerged from the bushes. Piper raised her hands to freeze as a woman charged out behind her, throwing her own athame at the demon and knocking Piper to the ground. The demon saw it coming and shimmered out, their chance lost.
"I had him!" the woman seethed.
"Who the hell are you?" Piper demanded as Prue pulled her to her feet.
"Good question," Buffy said in agreement.
Halliwell Manor
Buffy, Piper, Phoebe and Paige sat at the breakfast table facing Emma, who stood at the kitchen island. Piper and Paige were seated on the table while Buffy and Phoebe took residence in the two chairs in front.
"He used this to kill my fiancé," Emma informed them holding out the athame from them all to see. "It's a ceremonial knife. The demon left it behind after the struggle," she explained. "I've been hunting him down for the last year and a half. It's...all I care about."
"May I?" Cole asked, gesturing to the knife. Emma glanced at the sisters and Buffy, all of whom nodded and she handed it to him.
"Look familiar?" Phoebe asked her boyfriend.
"He looked familiar to me," Paige commented and Buffy squeezed her leg to silence her.
"I meant the athame," Phoebe retorted.
"It's one used by the Brotherhood," Cole informed them staring at the object in his hands.
"Emma?" Buffy called her name gently. "Do you know why the demon wanted to kill your fiancé?"
"Because Andrew was a witch," Emma replied instantly.
"Are you a witch too?" Piper questioned this time.
"No." Emma shook her head. "But after Andrew died, I studied his books and devoted myself to the craft."
"To continue his work?" Phoebe asked with a smile.
"To track down his killer," Emma corrected crisply.
"It's possible she's a progenitor, like Willow," Buffy said as Piper, Paige and Phoebe nodded in understanding.
"Progenitor?" Emma asked in confusion.
"Beginnings of a new magical line," Buffy explained. "Only someone with magical blood could do what you have been doing. So you've been tracking that means …"
"I know his M.O., yes," Emma replied. "I know when he kills a witch he goes after the entire coven."
Buffy nodded sitting up straight. "You've taught yourself well," she praised and Emma nodded. "But what you did today was stupid," she added. Piper, Phoebe and Paige each recognized the tone in which Buffy spoke for she had used it on each of them at one time or another. It was the tone of a mother reprimanding her child. "You're actions were reckless and could have resulted in catastrophic consequences. Not only did you endanger your own life but you also endangered the lives of me and my daughters."
Emma shook her head. "Vengeance empowers me," she defended herself.
Buffy shook her head. "No! It blinds you."
"Vengeance won't save you," Cole added from behind Buffy, backing her up and all eyes turned to him. "Your desire for revenge is keeping you from the truth," he elaborated. "You want the demon vanquished, my advice is to stand back and let the Slayer and the Charmed Ones handle it."
"This is my fight," Emma insisted.
"Then you shall lose it," Cole said simply.
"Cole's right," Phoebe agreed her voice kind. "You have to trust us. Trust that we want the same thing you do."
Emma sighed looking away. "It's just—his face has haunted me ever since Andrew died. It's the face of pure evil." She shook her head adamantly. "I can't let him get away."
"He won't," Buffy assured her. "But you cannot do this on your own," she insisted firmly. "If you do, you'll die and I am not willing to let that happen," she told her sincerely and Emma dropped her gaze. She stared at Emma unblinkingly until she looked up. "You either work with us or...we incapacitate you until it's done," she told her honestly and Emma's eyes cut to hers sharply her expression one of disbelief.
Buffy raised an eyebrow and Emma faltered. "This is not a game, Emma," she told her firmly. "The choice is yours."
Emma held Buffy's gaze a little longer before relenting with a nod.
"Why don't you scry for him again while we prepare the vanquishing potion," Piper instructed gently, "Once we get a piece of his flesh, he's dust." Emma nodded again.
"We'll get him." Phoebe smiled. "I swear we'll get him," she promised as the fake baby began to cry again.
Emma turned towards a noise.
"Ignore that." Piper said flatly.
Paige gasped and slapped her back. "Piper!" she chastised.
"Alright," Piper spat through clenched teeth then smiled at Emma, "Excuse me." And with that she went off in search of the screaming toy.
Emma placed her hands on her hips, "She has a baby?" she questioned confused.
"Actually she's not sure yet." Paige replied with a smile.
"Paige got Piper a mechanical baby to show her that we can defend and raise a real baby in a magical household." Buffy explained. "That way Piper will be prepared should she ever want a child of her own."
"I see," Emma said.
Summers Residence, Sunnydale
"How much longer do you think I'll have to stay here?" Susan questioned as she paced nervously back and forth.
"Well, I'll talk to your Whitelighter," Leo replied from his place by the open window. "But my instincts tell me that everyone in your coven should break their routine until this threat is over," he advised.
"I have to agree," Willow said just as Susan's cell phone began to ring. "The safety of your coven and yourself is our number one priority."
"Excuse me." Susan apologized as she pulled it free She was about to flip it open when Faith grabbed the phoebe from her hand.
"Sorry," Faith apologized. "But, the demon we're after can impersonate human beings. Let me?" Susan let out a sigh as she nodded in understanding. She smiled as she flipped the phone open. "Hello?"
"Miss Coleman? This is the assistant district attorney Sykes," a voice down the line greeted Faith.
"Who is it?" Leo and Tara asked simultaneously.
Faith looked over at Leo as she covered the receiver of the phone with her hand. "ADA," she said before turning her attention back to the phone. "Uh...I'm sorry. Yes, hi."
"I'm calling cause I've received new evidence," he informed Faith. "I'd like to talk to you about it, if that's alright?"
"Sure," Faith said. "I could come in tomorrow."
"If you don't mind. Can you come over to the office now?" he asked hopefully.
Faith frowned and looked at Leo, Willow and Tara as she put her hand over the receiver again. "He wants to meet her now."
"While he may or may not be the demon, if he is not and if this is an ongoing investigation," Willow said. "It might look suspicious if she doesn't come in. And if he is the demon and she doesn't show, he might move on to his next target. I think we should do it with Faith going with her as her sister, that way she would be protected."
"That sounds like a good plan," Leo said as he agreed.
"Alright," Faith replied addressing her caller. "I'll be right there." she promised.
"I'll be waiting," he answered ending the call.
Halliwell Manor
"I can feel the crystal pulling," Emma informed them from her place at a small round table in the conservatory. "He's still in the area," she announced dangling the crystal over the map of San Francisco, the string tied around the demons athame.
"Well, mom and I can't find him in the book anywhere," Phoebe announced from her seat between Buffy and Cole.
"Did you notice how he vanished?" Cole asked staring at the book. "Did he smoke out? Flame out?"
"Actually he shimmered," Buffy informed him.
"Like uh...Belthazor," Phoebe added glancing quickly at Emma then averting her gaze to the book.
"I uh...I think I found him," Emma announced from the table.
"Where?" Buffy asked.
"He's at uh...Prescott and—" Emma replied but Phoebe cute her off.
"Pine," Phoebe finished looking at Buffy.
Emma turned to Phoebe. "How'd you know?"
"That's where we are," Buffy answered. She was the first on her feet and heading out of the room. "Phoebe, find Piper and Paige, get ready. Cole, you take upstairs. I will check down here, outside and the basement."
Emma's eyes widened. "Wait, he's here in the house?"
"Possibly," Cole answered as he headed for the stairs.