"I'm telling you, Piper, that's all I saw," Phoebe said rubbing at her eyes.
Piper kept pacing around the attic and Paige sighed.
"This is what's been happening since I died?" Prue asked looking at her three younger sister. "It's a wonder you haven't died yet," she joked in order to lift the mood. "Phoebe, let's go over it again?"
"Fine," Phoebe said and sat down next to Paige on the couch. "I saw a schoolyard. And there was a board saying, 'Benjamin T. High.' Then an assembly hall, I think. And it sort of zoned in on this girl talking. She had dark brown hair, plaited back and blue eyes. She had a uniform on and was talking. Maybe giving a speech? But she was definitely the centre of the premonition. I've seen the same premonition for months, but today was the first time I saw the name of the school."
"Okay," Paige said looking at her phone. "It says here that Benjamin T High School has a debate today. It's to choose team captains, head leaders and so on."
"Do they say who's taking part?" Piper asked walking to Paige to read over her shoulder.
"Sure," Paige said scrolling further down. "This her?" she asked showing a picture to Phoebe.
Phoebe looked at the picture. "Yeah," she nodded. "Her name is IV? Like the roman number?"
"It's a numeral," Prue said and looked at the picture on the phone as well. "No last name?"
"No," Paige said scrolling around the rest of the website page. "Everyone else has their surnames there, except her. Maybe she's like Madonna? Or Rihanna? Opera?"
"It's not normal to not have a surname in school, Paige. Let's summon her," Phoebe said and walked to the centre of the attic.
The four sisters said the spell, but nothing happened. They said it two more times, but nothing happened. Just as they were about to try a different spell the girl shimmered in.
"Can I help you?" she asked irritated.
"You're a demon?" Phoebe asked perplexed.
"Demon-witch-elder," the young girl said with a wave of her hand. "Can we move this along? I'm running for captain of about nine different things and need to beat the rest of the pricks in about five minutes."
"Sorry, we thought... that you were in trouble," Prue said.
IV looked between the four sister then smiled as if the world made sence. "The Charmed Ones, I suppose? I have a piece of my mind to give one of you. But that will have to wait. Adios, chikas," she said and shimmered out.
The sisters looked at each other confused.
"We're protecting demons now?" Prue asked.
"Leo!" Piper yelled and Leo orbed in.
"Yes?" he asked tiredly.
"Go to the elders and find out what you can about a demon-witch-elder hybrid girl named IV. Like the roman numeral, not the plant."
He nodded and orbed out. While Piper started to cook dinner Coop arrived. Henry also joined them with Kat and Tamora. Andy also came. Leo never returned for dinner and the sisters put the cousins to bed.
Suddenly Leo orbed in with a solemn look on his face. "It's not good," he said as they all sat down in the living room. "IV is... a spawn, I think would be best to describe it. Or if it sounds better, an experiment. Take your pick. Her mother was the wife of the Source before... you know," he said looking at Phoebe. "She started out as a good witch. Then she fell in love with her Whitelighter. He was made an elder and they had a relationship for a while. Then he ended things and she found out she was pregnant. Turned evil. When the Source found out he... He implanted parts of himself in the baby. He took parts of any willing demon or witch or being that he found worthy, good or bad, and put it in the baby. He was to be the greatest weapon in the underworld.
"The mother was seven months pregnant when she couldn't take it anymore. She ripped the baby out of her and died in the process. The Source saw that the baby was female and thought she was dead so... he threw her into the pits of the underworld. No one really knows what happened then. She just materialised a few years ago. Aged twelve when she was already ninety-seven. She turns one hundred and one years old this year. Or sixteen, as you saw," Leo said looking at everyone's faces.
They were shocked, horrified, disgusted and had no idead how to react.
Then Leo continued, "The elders never alerted you because they didn't know about her. I had to go search documents and visit the underworld for answers. But there's something you should know," he said looking directly at Phoebe. "While I was down there to find out how she was still alive I found out that a child of the Source can't die. The part of the Source leaves them, but they can't die. While they're in that place they don't age. They're... frozen in time."
Phoebe was on the verge of tears. "You mean..." she could not bring herself to say the words. To ask the question that was burning inside her.
"I don't know," Leo said apologetically. "They can only be saved by a direct family member. Mother, father, siblings. I tried, but... he wasn't there, Phoebe. The demons say that you can feel their power if they're there, but... I didn't feel anything."
"He wasn't even born. Maybe you couldn't feel it, because he was to small," she tried reasoning.
"Phoebe," Prue said softly and all three sister hugged a now crying Phoebe.
"Sorry to interrupt," a voice came from the archway and everyone turned to see IV standing there. "Do you want me to come back another time, or was there a reason you s summoned me earlier?"
"No!" Phoebe nearly yelled and jumped up. "I... I need to ask you... something."
"Sure," IV nodded and stepped closer.
"When you were in that... place, was there... was there another baby there? A baby boy?" Phoebe asked with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
IV stared at her speechless. "You're Phoebe, aren't you?"
Phoebe nodded, "Yeah, I was the queen for a while, and..."
"The Seer stole your son," IV said in understanding. "Mrs. Halliwel... I haven't been back to the underworld since I was physically twelve and I haven't been back to that pit since my brother pulled me out nearly sixteen years ago. What I can tell you is that you should remember that the Source, he possesses. You don't have control over him. He takes over your every fibre. Manipulates, threatens and tortures your soul. The only one to ever fight against him is the father of your son," she finished and shimmered out of the Manor.
Silence fell for a moment then Any said, "She said, 'is the father of your son.' Does that mean he is alive?"
Everyone looked at him shocked.
"O, god," Phoebe said grabbing her head. The premonition shook her body and she fainted.
"Phoebe!" everyone yelled and rushed to her side. Leo held his hand over her head and soon she was blinking her eyes open.
"Phoebe, what happened?!" Coop asked.
"Premonition. A very strong one at that," she said sitting up.
"What was it?" Piper wanted to know.
"Was it about IV?" Prue asked.
Phoebe just shook her head and Paige asked, "Then who did you see?"
Phoebe looked up at them and softly said, "Cole."
They looked at her, waiting for an explanation, but Phoebe just shook her head.
"I need to sort this one out in my head first. I'll tell you tomorrow."
The sisters nodded, knowing Phoebe would need time to process anything to do with Cole.
The following day Phoebe, Prue, Piper and Paige sat in the attic. All the kids were dropped off at magic school as they were six and above.
"You ready to tell us, honey?" Piper asked.
Phoebe nodded. "I think so. I saw a demoness ripping herself apart. A baby fell on the floor as she died. Then I saw the Source pick up the baby and throw her into this cell, pit sort of thing. And suddenly Cole was there. He did some ritual and the baby came out. Then the premonition skipped to where a younger IV was doing some sort of ritual and Cole appeared in the middle. Then IV left and Cole went back to the same place and did a ritual again and a baby was suddenly laying in his arms and he shimmered out."
"So," Prue started, "we know that only direct family can save the baby, right? That would mean Cole has to be related to IV."
"Brother, maybe?" Paige suggested.
"No," Phoebe shook her head. "He would have said something."
"Pheebs," Piper took her hand, "Cole didn't tell you a lot of things. And it's the only explanation that makes sence."
Before Phoebe could say something again Prue said, "We also know that she resurrected him. And he saved another baby."
"My baby," Phoebe said. "It was my baby boy."
"Phoebe," Paige wanted to say something else but was stopped by the look on Phoebe's face.
"I can't do this now," Phoebe said and left the attic. She grabbed her purse and jacket and left the house altogether. Phoebe got in her car and started driving. She drove for two hours without knowing where she was going then found herself in front of a school. There was a board in front of the school that had the date and in big bold letters, 'PRAYER TONIGHT IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR FOUNDER: BENJAMIN COLETRIDGE TURNER.' In that moment Phoebe understood. IV was in the school Cole's father founded. Cole had a sister. And that meant her son had to be alive.
She climbed out and walked around the grounds. Everything was pristine and well taken care of. There were multiple trees that could be mistaken for a small forest and benches all over the grounds. She found a small boy sitting at one of the many wooden tables colouring in. He seemed to be all alone and content to be that way.
She walked over to him. "Hi, there," she greeted and crouched down beside him.
"Hi," he smiled back and Phoebe's heart skipped a beat at how cute he was. His near black hair and blue eyes and the playful almost smirk on his lips.
"Where's your mommy? Is she around?" Phoebe asked.
He shook his head, "No. I don't have a mommy. But daddy takes good care of me. He's at work. I'm waiting for my aunt. We're going to get ice cream because I got five golden stars today," he said excitedly and smiled even wider.
Still worried Phoebe asked, "Is your aunt close? Do you want me to give her a call?"
"It's okay," the boy said with a shrug and started packing his things into his green backpack. "I'm supposed to meet her at the motorcycle now. It was nice meeting you," he said and bowed his head down before walking off.
Phoebe smiled as she watched him go and could not help the feeling of longing in her heart. She walked around the grounds more before getting in her car again and driving home.
Cole Turner prided himself on being a good parent. He had his mistakes in the past and he did terrible things, but that never stopped his pride from growing in moment such as the one he found himself witnessing. He watched as his son sat on the quad bike. The monstrosity on four four wheels had been a wish the little boy kept wishing for every night four six months before his third birthday. Then on the day of Cole's sister had arrived at the estates on a four wheel monster machine. Benji had been ecstatic but to small to steer it. So his aunt went through the trouble of creating adjustment for him that could be adjusted as the little boy grew, taken off if someone else was driving and easily put back. After eight months it was finally ready and now she was in the process of teaching the almost four year old to steer.
Cole walked out to the open piece of field they were on and watched them for a moment. It was not fair. To be raised without a mother and a father that was working nearly all the time could not be save a for a boy with his powers.
"Cole," his sister greeted with a laugh as the small boy accidentally put on the horn in order to get to his father.
"Daddy!" he yelled happily as Cole picked him up and hugged him tightly.
"Hey, Benji. How was your day? Did you have fun?" Cole asked knowing that Benji would go on forever about how his day was.
"Yeah, we prayed for grandpa to be save and thanked him for starting our school," Benji said and clambered off of Cole and back onto the bike. "And Ives took me out for lunch. We went to a really cool place a few streets away from the school and had waffles with ice cream. Ives says it's 'cause I got five golden stars in class but she just really wanted waffles."
"You weren't supposed to know that, Benji," IV said sitting behind him again. "Now, you have to decide between talking to daddy more, or learning to drive this thing."
Benji smiled at his father and said, "Call us in for dinner, please? Bye!"
"Be save okay, kid," Cole saud before walking back into the house.
The house felt sombre, as if it knew what day it was. Cole looked at the portrait above the fire place in the living room. His father looked back at him and Cole felt a tear slipping down his cheek.
"Another year without you, father," Cole said and put his hands in his pockets. I hope that you've been watching over us. And that you're proud of us. We've changed some things around the estate again, but I still hope that you like it somewhat."
Cole made dinner and then called IV and Benji in to eat. After dinner IV left the house and Cole bathed Benji and put him to bed.
"Daddy, I just remembered something!" Benji exclaimed as Cole was about to leave his room.
"What is it, buddy?"
"I met a lady today, she's really pretty, and I think you should ask her out," Benji said before drifting off to sleep.
Shaking his head with a fond smile Cole made his way to his own room. The fact that many of the mothers and teachers wanted his attention did not go unnoticed to Cole. He was the only single father and like a treat to the woman who always loved to stare. But he was never interested. He had a son to care for. He had a sister so care for. He had an estate to keep clean and for all that, he worked long hours. The main reason was because no matter how hard Cole tried a certain set of brown eyes haunted his dreams.