It'll always be magic
AN: Ok, here it is the sequel to Despite it all. I think you probably have to read that to understand this; I'll try and work in some explanations, but I'm making no promises – sorry. But for anyone that hasn't read, I guess I'll just said that it deal with bringing Cole back. Sorry it has taken so long.
AN2: Sorry, for taking so long. But here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it! Please, please review!
Disclaimer: Neither Charmed nor any of its characters belong to me, well except Bryan and his family. So, please don't sue.
Chapter 3
"That was a great game," Leo said as they got out of the car in front of the Manor. They had just come from the game and were all in high spirits. "I'm glad you invited us, Bryan. I had a great time."
"I'm glad to hear that, Leo. But are you sure it's ok for us to be here so soon? Won't your wife be a bit put off to see us a couple of hours before we said we'd be here?" Bryan asked a bit worried.
The plan had been for them to go to a bar and have a couple of beers while they discussed the game and passed the time until dinner time. But when they got to the bar they'd chosen, they found it already full and none of them really felt like fighting for seats or attention. So, Leo had proposed that they go to the Manor straight away. After all, they could have the drinks, talk about the game and passed the time just as easily in the conservatory as in the bar. And they would make sure to stay of Piper's way. Cole had readily agreed, he liked hanging out at the Manor (how things do change!), but Bryan had been more skeptical. He wasn't sure how Piper would feel about the change in plans.
"It'll be fine, Bryan. Stopping worrying about it. Piper can be a bit of a pain in the ass sometimes, but she never says anything in front of guests." Cole joked.
"Cole!" Leo exclaimed, "be serious, will you?"
"Ok, ok. But what's the fun in that?" Cole answered making a face at Leo. He then turned to Bryan and said, "seriously, Bryan. She won't have a problem with it. As long as we stayed in the conservatory and out of the kitchen while she's cooking, she won't mind us at all."
"Well, if you guys are sure," Bryan still wasn't convinced. But that was probably because his mom would have had a cow if his dad had shown up at the house hours earlier than expected with guests in tow. Not that his mom had been a shrew or a particularly difficult woman or anything like that. It was just that she was the type of person that followed a strict schedule and anything that threw off that schedule threw her into a tizzy. And if that something happened to be a someone, then watch out, the resulting explosion was akin to a nuclear melt down.
By this time, the guys had reached the Manor's door and Leo led the way inside. As soon as he crossed the Manor's doorway, Bryan felt a tingling sensation go down his spine. He had felt that feeling before, usually whenever he walked some particularly old cemeteries or houses and, strangely enough, whenever he walks in to his family's ancestral home in Scotland and the surrounding woods.
"Honey, we're home." Leo called out as he walked down the foyer. Sometimes, he really couldn't help himself from using the corny line. And today was one of those days; Leo was in an exceptionally good mood. He had gone to a terrific ball game in the company of two men, one who he had only met this week and another one who had been his enemy for almost half the time they've known each other, but who he, somehow, still considered good friends. In all his years, Leo had not had the opportunity to have such an uncomplicatedly fun day.
"Leo? Is that you?" Piper called as she came from the kitchen. "I thought you guys were going to a bar after the game?"
"That was the plan," Leo said as he leaned in to kiss Piper when she reached them. "But the bar was way too full, so we decided to come home and have the beers here in the conservatory. That's not a problem, is it?"
"No, of course not. I'm just finishing putting the last touches to the roast before I put it in the oven. So, we should be ready to eat in about two hours. You guys have plenty of time to bond over beers until then." Piper said with a grin to all three of them.
"That's great," said Cole with an answering grin. "Where is rest of the family?" He asked as he looked around. What he really meant was 'where is Phoebe?' and Leo and Piper knew it. But at least he was making an effort.
"Paige's gone out to bring some wine for dinner. I was sure we had some bottles left, but it turns out we don't. So, she volunteered for an emergency run to the grocery store." Piper began the explanation with Paige just to wound up Cole. "And Phoebe is upstairs putting the boys down for a nap."
"No," she a voice from the stairs and everyone turned to look up, "she's done putting the boys down and is now coming down to greet you." Phoebe finished as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
Cole grinned and walked up to her to give her a hello kiss. "Hi, baby."
Phoebe grinned back and kissed him. "Hey. What don't you introduce your friend to us?"
"Oh, shoot," Cole's look of disbelieve at having forgot to introduce Bryan was hilarious. "I can't believe I forgot." He then turned to Bryan, who had stayed by the door during the conversation, and gestured for him to come closer as he said, "Phoebe, Piper this is Bryan Macintyre. Bryan this is Piper, Leo's wife and Phoebe, my fiancé." Cole loved introducing Phoebe as his fiancé, but he knew he'd love introducing her as his wife even more.
As Bryan walked under the foyer's chandelier to greet Piper and Phoebe, who were standing by the stairs, the chandelier trembled slightly so that the crystals tinkled and a fine, silver light came from it to surround Bryan. At the same instant, a strong wind blew the door, which hadn't been closed, wide open and swept through the foyer and everyone in it. It went away as swiftly as it had come up, slamming the door shut on its way out. The wind had, weirdly enough, strongly reminded Bryan of the smell of the forest in Scotland.
There was absolute silence after the wind slammed the door shut. They all looked at each other with a 'what the heck?' face. But then Bryan closed the gap with him and the sisters and said, "A pleasure to meet you. That sure was some wind, uh?"
Piper shook his hand and said, "It's our pleasure. And yeah, that sure was some wind." But she shared another look with Phoebe. They both knew that whatever that had been, it hadn't been just some wind. That had been magically related. And while magically related things were not an uncommon occurrence in the Manor and they were both used to dealing with them, this particular manifestation bothered both girls more than it normally would since they were sure that whatever it had been was related to good magic.
No, what bothered them was not whether evil was getting ready to attack; it was the fact that whatever it was, it was related to Bryan. The wind had come at the same time as Bryan had walked under the chandelier and somehow – for lack of a better word- 'activated' it. The girls had seen the silvery light come from the chandelier and surround Bryan. It was reminiscent of the blue it had given when the Power of Three had been formed – both times. It wasn't identical; the light that had formed the Power of Three had been more blue than silver, but it was closed enough to intrigued the girls.
The fact that the light (plus the shaking, and the tinkling) had come at the exact same time that the wind had come into the house could not be ignored. They didn't know what it meant, but they knew it meant something.
"I'm sure glad to finally meet you, Bryan. I've heard so much about you from Cole, that I have to admit, I've been very curious." Phoebe said with a big grin as she too shook his hand.
"Oh, I know what you mean, believe me. Cole does almost nothing but talk about you. Although he does talk quite a bit about the whole family, too." He couldn't resist adding with a grin.
"Oh, really?" Asked Piper. "You are going have to tell me everything he says about me, Bryan. I'd just love to hear how he describes me. But knowing him, I'd have to tell you to only believe about a quarter of the stuff he's told you." She said with a grin. Then looking at Phoebe, she added, "Well, about a quarter of the things he's said about me. And about only 10 percent of the stuff he's said about Phoebe."
"Hey," Phoebe protested as Leo tried to hide his grin and Cole tried his best to look innocent, a surprisingly effective look given that he had once been the source of all evil. "Just because you're sure he's said bad stuff about doesn't mean that he's said anything bad about me. I'm sure Cole wouldn't say anything bad about me." She then turned to Cole and asked, "Would you, baby?" as she put her arm around his and batted her eyelashes up at him.
"Of course, I wouldn't. You know that." Cole answered bending down to kiss Phoebe's nose.
"That's just what I'm talking about," Piper said. "He wouldn't say anything bad about you. But I'm pretty sure he's exaggerated your qualities to the point where you seem to be a paragon of good. And we all know how far from the truth that is." Piper said with a huge grin, she then turned to Cole and still wearing the grin, stuck her tongue out at him. To which Cole responded with a huge grin of his own. She then turned to Leo and said, "Honey, why don't you go get the beers while Cole shows Bryan to the conservatory? I have to go and finished preparing supper. Phoebe, can you come and help me?"
"Sure, Piper. But I'll have you know, that I'm a very, very good girl." She said as she, Piper and Leo turned to back through the dinning to go to the kitchen.
Cole couldn't resist calling out, "Oh, honey, you are incredibly good, believe me," in a suggestive tone of voice and leer.
Phoebe just looked back at him and blew him a kiss, while Piper called back without turning around, "Cole take Bryan to the conservatory and behave, will you?" But they could all hear the laughter in her voice.
"See, didn't I tell you she was bossy?" Cole asked Bryan as he led the other man through the living room in their way to the conservatory.
Bryan just shook his head and laughed at the antics of the family. Because even if Cole hadn't yet married into the family, it was perfectly obvious to anyone with two eyes and an ounce of common sense, that Cole was part of the family and that they all had along pretty darn well. With was fortunate but damn unusual given that they all live together here, something that still mystified Bryan. He couldn't figured out why five independent adults still live together under one roof, no matter how big that roof happened to be, and especially when four of those adults happen to be two committed couples. He thought about it quite a bit; Bryan had never been able to let go of something that didn't make sense to him, his inherit need for order had always demanded that he tried and solve any and all puzzles that present themselves. He'd even thought about asking Cole about it but in the end had decided that it was the man's private life after all and he had a right to do with it whatever he damn well pleased without being interrogated about it. So, reluctantly he had resigned himself to the fact that he may never completely understand Cole's living arrangements.
A few minutes later, Leo arrived with three cold beers and some chips and dip. Piper had not been able to resist sending some munchies along with the beer. Soon enough the sound of masculine laughter and chatter could be heard from the conservatory as the three new friends immersed themselves in their talk.
The sound of their chuckles and relaxed conversation drew smiles from the two sisters cooking dinner in the kitchen. Both were glad that their respective better half was having a good time. They knew how little experience each man had had in having friends and enjoying an evening out with them in his previous live. Something that had been perfectly natural in theirs lives had not existed in the lives their men had led and they were just thankful that they could now enjoy the simple pleasure that most humans take for granted.
They had been working together in relative silence for about fifteen minutes, when they heard the front door open and close and then Paige's voice calling 'I'm back', moments before Paige walked into the kitchen.
"Oh, there you are. Here Piper, I think I got everything you wanted. I hope so, anyway, because I really don't feel like going back out there. I don't know why, but it seems like everyone decided today was a good day to go out. The streets and stores are packed." Paige said as she deposited the bags she'd brought with her on the table and plopped down on a chair with a big sigh. She put her elbow on the table and rested her weary head on her hand while she rubbed her temple with her other hand. The stores had been as full as if it was a holiday weekend and she had the beginnings of a huge headache.
"Oh, hey. Whose car's is that upfront?" She asked as she considered whether she wanted a glass of water enough to actually get up and get it.
"Oh, it's Bryan's. You know, Cole's friend?" Phoebe answered as she got a glass of water and gave it to Paige, "Here, sweetie. You look like you need it."
"Oh, thank you Phoebe." She took a long sip and felt much better. "I wondered if that car meant the guys were back. But they're here earlier, aren't they?"
"Yes. Leo said that the bar was full and they thought they'd have more fun here so they came home earlier." Piper paused for a minute and then turned and looked at each of her sisters. "You don't think that all this activity has anything to do with anything demonic, do you?"
Phoebe looked up from cutting the vegetables for the salad and said, "I don't think so, Piper. Maybe it's because the weather is so nice and yesterday was payday. It doesn't always have to be demonic, you know."
"Yeah, Phoebe, I know. But somehow most times it does end up being demonic, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Paige said as she finished her glass. "Most times it does end up being demonic. But that doesn't mean it always have to be. And maybe today it's not. Besides, there's really nothing we can do right now, so why don't we relaxed?" She took a big breath and sat back down in her chair and then said, "Hey isn't Cole's friend non-magical? Maybe we shouldn't be talking about this stuff right now anyway, huh?"
Piper and Phoebe shared a look and were about to comment on whether Bryan was or was not non-magical when Leo came into the kitchen to get new beers for him and the guys. "Hey, Paige, you're back." He opened the fridge and got out three beers asking Piper, "Honey, do you think we could some else to munch on?"
Piper looked up at Leo's hopeful face and sighing said, "I guess I can throw together something, but you guys better not spoil your appetite for dinner, Leo. I've worked hard on this dinner and you guys better enjoyed." She mocked scolded, completely ignoring the fact that she puts about the same amount of effort into anything she prepares because she loves cooking.
As she finished putting the roast on the oven and started putting together the snack for the guys, Leo put his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, honey. You're the best."
"Oh, gone on, you. Go back to the conservatory and to that male bonding. Go on, shoo." Piper said as she turned in his arms and started pushing him towards the door. "I'll take the snack in when it's ready. Now, go."
"I'm going, I'm going," Leo said as he left the kitchen chuckling.
"It's nice to see him having so much fun with someone other than one of us, isn't it?" Paige voiced what had been in the mind of both her oldest sisters.
"Yes, it is." Phoebe answered. "It's not normal for someone to only hang out with members of his family," said Phoebe, the doctor of psychology. "It's healthy for them both to go out with their peers and enjoy themselves."
"Yes, it's healthy for them and for us. If they go out with friends, we get to have some time for ourselves without feeling guilty about neglecting them. Plus, it is nice to have them out of our hair once in a while, isn't it? Despite how much we might love them."
Phoebe and Paige both laughed and agreed. The sisters chatted for a while as Piper finished the guys's snack and Phoebe put the last touches on the salad. When the snack was ready, Piper asked Paige, "Sweetie, could you please take this out to the conservatory? I have to finish getting the dessert ready."
"Sure. That way I get to meet the person that actually likes to spend time with Cole," she said with a laugh.
"Hey, I like spending time with him," objected Phoebe.
"Yeah, but he's supposed to be sane. We know you're not." Paige said as she left the kitchen.
Piper turned to look at Phoebe and said, "Well, I guess she's feeling better, huh?"
Phoebe looked at her and couldn't help but chuckled as she answered, "I guess so."
Paige was feeling better. It's amazing how good a little peace and quite can be for a headache. It was almost gone by now. She was debating whether to go take a shower before dinner was ready to get rid of the last niggling pain when she arrived at the conservatory. "Here you go, guys, snack time." She said in a bright and cheery voice."Thanks Paige," Leo said as he got up to receive the platter. Seeing that Bryan had also got up to greet her, Leo turned and began the introductions, " Bryan, this is my sister-in-law, Paige. Paige this is Bryan."
Paige turned to greet Bryan and they each got a good look at each other for the first time. The moment they locked eyes on each other, it was like the world stopped and they were the only two people left. Paige felt all the air leave her lungs; she's never felt anything like that before – it was like punch to the gut only the sensation wasn't painful at all. She felt something inside her shift, like something that had been missing had finally been found.
Unknown to her, Bryan was going to be a very similar experience. His family had always said that when one of them met the love of their life they knew the moment their eyes met. Bryan, being the practical man that he was, had never really believed it. But now, he knew that his family knew what they were talking about. The moment his eyes had met Paige's, he'd felt something come alive inside him; it was like a switch had been flipped and he was all of the sudden aware of a part of himself he'd never been aware of before. In that moment he knew that his life had just changed forever.
They were so preoccupied with the electricity flowing between them that they've completely forgotten that Cole and Leo were still in the room with them. Cole had been recounting a fairly amusing anecdote from a court appearance when Paige had come in and he had paused for the introductions, however, as soon as Paige and Bryan saw each other Cole knew that he wouldn't be finishing the story any time soon.
Cole looked at Leo and arched an eyebrow with an expression on his eyes that said 'was I right, or was I right?' And Leo could do nothing more than to slightly nod his head to say 'you were right.' Because it was obvious that Cole had been right; Bryan was perfect for Paige and if their stares were any indication they both thought so too. Thinking of how Paige was going to react when she realized that the guy she's gone over was a lawyer and the friend Cole had talked about made Leo grin. He turned to look back at Cole only to find that he had a similar amused look on his face signaling that he, too, must have realized how entertaining this new relationship could be.
They both raised their beers to the other in toast wearing the same identical smirk, as if on cue. Then they both sat back down to enjoy their drinks and the show. Oh, yes, this was going to be fun.