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: Here's the next chapter; hopefully it'll answer all the questions you guys have. If it doesn't please let me know and I'll see about clearing things up. Hope you like it!
Disclaimer: Neither Charmed nor any of its characters belong to me, well except Bryan and his family. So, please don't sue.
Chapter 6: A Druid, What's that?
"A druid?" Piper asked.
"I thought they were a myth," Phoebe commented with a questioning look.
"It'd made sense, I mean Bryan is Scottish. But, Phoebe is right; aren't they mostly a legend?"
"No, they are not," Leo answered as he shook his head.
"Ok, so they are real. So, how come we've never heard of them?" Piper asked.
Phoebe looked at Cole and asked him, "Do you know of them?"
Cole shook his head and said, "Some, but not much. They're as much off the underworld's radar as good's."
"So?" Piper asked while they all turned to look at Leo.
Leo took a deep breath and tried to decide how to begin. "You haven't heard of them because they parted ways with the Elders and the larger magical community a long, long time ago."
"They did?" Phoebe asked surprised. She hadn't known that was possible.
"But they're good, right?" Piper asked, thinking about how fascinated Paige had been with Bryan and how the least thing any of them needed was for another sister to fall in love with a demon. The last time might have worked out, but who knew if they could be that lucky again?
"Generally, yes." Leo said.
"Generally!" asked Piper, not at all reassured. "They're either good or they're not."
"Piper," Leo sighed. "It's not that simple and you know it. Whether a person in good or bad it's entirely up to the person, regardless of their heritage." He finished with a glance at Cole, who was sporting a wry smile. "But, for the most part, they've always been good."
Piper nodded to show she got his point, but motioned for him to go on with the explanation.
"I don't know much either, except what all whitelighters are taught and what I've been able to find in the School." Leo began the explanation with a disclaimer.
"Just tell us what you can, Leo." Phoebe said with a small smile. "Right now, any information is better than nothing."
"Druidism, along with Wicca, are two of the oldest religions known to humankind. They pre-date Christ and go as far back as the days of the Ancient Greeks." Leo began, going into lecture mode.
"Hold on," Piper stopped Leo's explanation. "Religion? We don't practice our witchcraft as a religion. It's just . . .our witchcraft, separate from our religious beliefs."
"Yes, the way Wicca is practice today doesn't have much to do with religion. But back then, both Druidism and Wicca were religions and their followers practiced the teachings faithfully."
"Are the two related?" Phoebe asked.
"Only in so far as they both began as pagan religions. Both began in Europe; the Druids in the British Isles, mostly Ireland and Scotland and Wicca in the Continent. Both worshipped the Earth and their followers derived their powers from it."
"The earth?" Phoebe asked again. "I thought we got our powers from our family line."
"Yes," It was Cole that answered. "But where did Melinda Warren got hers from? Do you remember what you learned when you went back to the past to save her?"
The questions stopped both Piper and Phoebe as it made them think back to that time. They both remembered how their ancestor had tried to teach them to go back to nature; how even without their active powers they were able to tap into the earth's power and work some powerful magic.
"Yes, we remember. And you're both right, of course." Piper acquiesced.
Leo just nodded and went back to the explanations. "But there were also differences. Wicca has always been a matriarchal group, with the powers passed down from mother to daughters. Druids, on the other hand, have always been a patriarchic group, with the powers passed down from father to sons. And while Druid women enjoyed more freedom than most women of the age, the men were still the head and had all the power – magical or otherwise. A group led solely by women was not something they understood, to the say the least."
By the looks on Piper and Phoebe's face, they didn't seem to understand the Druids either. "Is that why they parted ways with us?" Piper asked.
"In a way," Leo answered and then hastily continued as he saw that Piper was not happy with that answer. "As the time passed, both religions evolved differently. Wicca witches shifted their focus to the protection of innocents and the fight against evil, while the Druids kept as their priority worshiping Mother Nature and ensuring the balance. Over time, those two goals diverged more and more."
"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked as she scooted closer to Cole. Unlike her sisters, Phoebe actually liked to hear to Leo go on about the history of magic.
"Well, it got to the point where the most important thing for the witches was to protect innocents and fight evil, even if in so doing they sacrificed Nature's balance and the Druids would do anything they had to to ensure Nature's balance, even when that meant allowing some things that we would consider evil. Now, to be fair, they never actually promoted or helped evil, they just never fought it if the balance was stake."
Both Piper and Phoebe had perturbed faces; they didn't really like what they were hearing. Cole, however, had a smirk on his face. "I bet the Elders loved that," He said sarcastically.
"Yeah," Leo answered with a grimace. "They didn't like it and as I understand it there were quite a few arguments. Both sides were convinced they were right and neither was prepared to bend. Finally the Druids, convinced that the witches had influence the Elders and higher Power that Be away from the true path, decided to break ties and go their own way. Frankly, I doubt that the Elders and others made much of an effort to stop them; they were just as glad to see them go as the Druids were to go."
"And that's it?" Piper asked. "They went their way and the two sides never spoke again?" Piper asked sounding incredulous.
"Yeah," Leo answered with another grimace. "I know how it sounds, but that's pretty much it. Neither side has had direct contact with the other in all of these centuries."
"Then how do you even know that the Druids still exist?" Phoebe asked what Piper thought was a perfectly reasonable question.
"Like I said, there hasn't been direct contact, but the Elders can still feel magic from Scotland and Ireland and there are no Wicca witches there. Some have even said that the reason the land there is so beautiful and pristine is because the Druids are still tending it."
"Ok," Phoebe said when Leo stopped his explanation. "So, now we know what Druids are and that they still exist. But are we sure that Bryan is one?"
"As sure as we can be without him confirming it," Leo said with a shrug.
"But why are you so sure?" Piper wanted to know.
Leo looked at Cole before looking at the girls and in a tone of someone who had just answered that question, said, "Well, Bryan is Scottish, he's human and magical. The only way a human can be magical is if he or she is a Wicca Witch or a Druid. There are no Wicca Witches in Scotland and Bryan is a man – so, he's not a Wicca Witch and must therefore . . ."
"Be a Druid," Piper finished along with Leo and stuck her tongue out at him when he looked at her as if she were a bright child in his class. "Why are you so sure that there are no Wicca Witches in Scotland? I mean I know that that was the domain of the Druids," Piper added just as Leo opened his mouth. "but how do you know that there aren't any Wicca Witches there now? Couldn't some witches have moved there at some point?"
"There are some witches in the British Isles – in London and in some of the other big cities. There are even some in Ireland and in the lowlands of Scotland, but none in the highlands, where Bryan comes from, or the wilds of Ireland." Leo answered.
"But how are you so sure?" Phoebe asked, curious as to why Leo sounded so sure. "Couldn't there be witches that you don't know about? You know, maybe some that have had their powers bound and are thus not on the Elders radar."
Leo was shaking his head before Phoebe finished talking. "No. The Elders know where every witch is at any given time. It doesn't matter whether their powers are active or not; the Elders don't keep track of them by their powers but by their family line. They have kept track of every offspring of a witch from the beginning. Most of the witches left the British Isles around the time the Druids went their own way and though some have come back to the bigger cities, none have gone back to less populated towns, where the Druids are congregated."
Phoebe and Piper looked at each other, not liking the fact that the Elders have kept track of them all their lives, before Piper asked what had been in her mind from the beginning. "So, what kind of powers are we talking about here? How powerful do you think he is?" The question was directed at all them; Leo because he was the one that knew about the Druids, Phoebe because she may have felt something from Bryan and Cole because, well because Cole seemed to know something about everything.
"He's powerful," Phoebe answered with a shrug. "I don't know what powers he might have but he's powerful."
They turned to Leo and with a shrug he said, "Druids usually have powers that are tied to nature. It depends on how powerful the individual Druid is and how high on the hierarchy he is, but most have some control over the elements."
"The elements? You mean like air, fire, water and earth?" Phoebe asked.
"Exactly." Leo answered.
"Most have some rudimentary control over all four elements, while really controlling just one or two. There are some that have good control of three. And the real powerful ones have perfect control over all four." Cole said, showing that he too knew something about the Druids, not that anyone was really surprised. "Some can even become the elements," he added to the surprised of the two witches, who immediately turned to Leo for confirmation.
Leo nodded and said, "Only a few can do that, though, and they tend to be the high priests."
"All of them," Cole added. "are very in tune with the Earth and thus can grow almost anything in almost any soil. They all feel very comfortable in the outdoors, which way the way Bryan loves the outdoors, and they have an affinity with animals."
"It is said that some can actually talk to them," Leo added.
"What?" Piper asked, "Like Dr. Doolittle?"
"Yes," Leo the father of two answered, while Cole was in the dark as the reference. "Though I think that most just feel them more than talk to them."
"I also heard that because they are so good at growing things and are so in tune with nature, they are some of the best potion makers around." Cole added. "But, they're almost no good when it comes to enchantments and spells. And Phoebe is right; Bryan is powerful, very powerful. In fact, I think he might just be one of the most powerful Druids ever."
Leo just nodded while Piper and Phoebe looked at each other, and did what they've been doing all night, ask: "Why? You don't mean to tell me that all that non-sense about the seventh son of the seventh son is true?" Piper asked incredulous.
Cole just looked at her with a 'where have you been' expression. "Yes, it's true. Come on, Piper," He added. "You know that all of those sayings have basis on the truth."
"Yeah, yeah," Piper waved away Cole's attempt to chide her.
Cole just smirked and went on, "Seven is the most powerful number and a very important number in a variety of believe systems and the Druids are no different. To be the seventh son is a very good omen and to be the seventh son of the seventh son would be the ultimate in blessings. Add that to have actually been born on the equinox . . ." He said while shaking his head in disbelieve.
"And the fall equinox at that," Leo added in agreement.
"What's so special about the equinox?" Phoebe asked.
And, once again, Leo and Cole looked at her with a 'I can't believe you asked that' expression. Phoebe and Piper looked at each other and rolled their eyes; sometimes the fact that the guys knew much more about magic than they did meant that Leo and Cole got a bit of a superior attitude.
"An equinox," Cole started explaining as Leo continued to sip from his cup of coffee. "means that there's an equal amount of light and darkness."
"We know what an equinox is," Piper interrupted. "We just want to know why being born that day is such a big deal?"
"Because," Cole answered patiently. "can you imagine a more appropriate day for a religion that believes in balance and in protecting the Earth than a day that's perfectly balanced and which marks the ending of summer and the beginning of fall – in other words it marks the time of harvest and of storing for the coming winter?"
"Historically," Leo interrupted. "the fall equinox signaled the start of a month of celebrating the Earth and its fruits. The month culminated the day where the Earth's power was at its peak and most felt . . ."
"All hollow's eve," both Piper and Phoebe answered at the same time.
Leo nodded and Cole said, "all hollow's eve and the fall equinox are the most important and most powerful days in most of the ancient religions. One marked the beginning and the other the end of their most sacred cycle."
After Cole finished speaking, the girls were silent as they assimilated all they've learned. Finally, Piper asked, "Is he more powerful than us?"
Cole shrugged and Leo said, "There's no way of knowing that right now. I wouldn't think so but I hope we never have reason to find out."
Phoebe turned on his arms and asked Cole, "Is he more powerful than you?" Cole had kept most of the powers he has as Belthezor – and Belthezor had been a very powerful demon; one of the few that had gotten really close to ending the power of three. In fact, the only reason why he hadn't finished the job was because of his love for Phoebe.
Cole looked at down at Phoebe and said with a shrug. "I don't know. He's powerful but then so am I." Though this was said in a matter of fact tone, Piper couldn't help by roll her eyes at the smirk Cole was wearing. "Actually, I wanted to run something by you guys." He added.
Phoebe sat up straight at the hesitant tone he heard in Cole's voice. That tone had never preceded any good news. "What is it?" she asked apprehensively.
"Well," Cole began, as his fingers played with each other. "remember when I told you that I've kept Belthezor's powers?"
"Yes," Phoebe answered slowly, while Piper and Leo shared a looked and silently asked each other 'what now?'
"You told me that you were upset not that I still had them but that I hadn't come to you as soon as I found out,"
"Yes," Phoebe said when he paused.
"Well," He continued, "This morning I cut myself as I was shaving. Now, that usually doesn't mean anything but ten minutes later I noticed that the cut had healed. And that got me thinking that I hadn't been hurt at all since I've come back. I know that I haven't been demon hunting with you guys too much and that I'm good at it; but all of you had been hurt at least once and I should have also gotten something."
"Wait," Piper said. "Didn't you get blasted a few days ago?"
"Yes," Cole said, nodding his head. "And I even thought that I had broken my arm but by the time we came back and Paige got to me, I had healed."
"Why didn't you something then?" Phoebe asked as she too thought back to the last few months and remembered all the times when he should have been more hurt than he actually was.
"I just thought that it hadn't been that bad," Cole answered with a shrug. "And then I just forgot with everything that was going on. But this morning, I know it was a somewhat deep cut and it shouldn't have healed in ten minutes; at least not if I was a normal mortal." He looked around and asked what was on his mind and he was sure on the mind of everyone there. "So, my question is: Could I have kept my invincibility too?"
There was a stunned silence for a few seconds and then everyone turned to look at Leo to see what he had to say about it. Leo noticed everyone's looks and sigh to himself, wondering when he had become the answer guy and then had to admit that it had happened when he had started to answered every question asked.
"I guess it's possible," Leo answered. "I mean there are no precedents for your case, so we're just making this up as we go along. And if you're not getting hurt, then I guess you brought your invincibility with you."
"Are there any other powers you want to tell me about?" Phoebe asked.
"I don't think so," Cole answered with another shrug and then at Phoebe's look quickly added. "I really don't, Phoebe. I haven't really tried them, you know. I mean, I haven't really gone and fight with you guys because I'm too busy with work and until today it didn't occur to me to even wonder if I still had them."
Phoebe just looked at him for a while until she was satisfied he was telling the truth and then said, "Well, I guess we should find out, huh?"
"I guess we should," Cole answered as Leo and Piper nodded their agreement.
"We should what?" Paige asked as she came in to living room from the kitchen with a glass of soda.
"Oh sweetie," Pier said as she looked up at her sister. "We didn't hear you orbed in."
"I orbed into the kitchen because I was thirsty," she explained raising the glass a bit.
Phoebe smiled and asked, "Everything ok?"
Paige sighed and sat in the sofa at the other end from Piper and Leo. "Yes. It was only a minor emergency. Wanda wanted some advice about the potion she was preparing for this warlock that's been attacking her coven."
"Nothing serious, then?" Piper asked.
"Nothing urgent," Paige agreed. "But what should we do?"
Cole looked at her while Phoebe answered, "It appears that Cole may have come back with more than just Belthezor's powers. It looks like he also has invincibility and I was just saying that we should find out if he brought back any other power."
Paige just stared at her for a few seconds and then she blinked and said, "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. But why is this the first time I'm hearing about it?"
"This is the first time we're all hearing about," Phoebe answered. "Apparently, he just found out." She added tilting her head in Cole's direction.
"Hey, I did just notice it – no apparent about it." Cole protested. "I really just did." He insisted when he noticed Paige's look.
"Um," was Paige's only response.
"Paige?" He asked a bit tentatively. "Are you ok with this?" At her somewhat blank look at the question, he clarified. "I know that you were the most affected by everything that happened the last time I had all these powers and that you were the one that was least sure about bringing me back – with good reason. I just wondered how you'd feel if I got them back?"
Paige looked at him seriously for a long moment while everyone held their breath and then she began speaking slowly as if she was feeling her way. "I'm not going to deny that you hurt me, a lot, back then. Changing history so that I never met my sisters was probably the worst thing that anyone could have done to me. So, yes, I was not happy with you coming back." She paused to take a breath and smiled at Phoebe, who was looking very anxious.
"But that was then. I might not have been eager to bring you back, but once we did, I accepted the fact that we were going to have to move on – that I was going to have to move on. I'm not going to say that it was easy or that I don't still have nightmares sometimes; I still have them, just not as frequently. And I'm not going to say that you don't irritate the hell out of me sometimes," She added with a grin and Phoebe let out the breath she'd been holding. "Because you do.
"But I know you're not evil, I know that now. And I also know that most of what you did, twisted as it was, was because you loved Phoebe." She paused again to smile at her sister. "I've never seen Phoebe happier than she's been these last few months. She loves you as much as you love her – I get that. And I'm happy for you both. My problem last time was that you lost your head. That doesn't seem to be a problem now. So, to answer your question, I'm OK with this."
"Thanks," Cole answered as Phoebe jumped up from her seat and rushed to hug her.
"Thank you," Phoebe whispered in Paige's ear. Paige just laughed as she returned the hug. "No problem, sweetie," she whispered back.
They pulled back and Phoebe went back to sit next to Cole. Paige said as she sat back down, "This doesn't mean that I don't still find you a royal pain in the behind, mind you; or that I don't wish sometimes I could make you disappear for a while."
"Oh, that's just what you feel about a brother," Piper said waving her hand as if to wave the comment away. She too was relieved that Paige was dealing with all this so well and that there wasn't going to be more drama because of this new twist. At the incredulous expression on both Paige's and Cole's face, she laughed and asked, "What? You going to tell me you don't feel like that about Phoebe and me and even Leo sometimes?"
"Hey," Leo protested but Paige looked at Phoebe and they both joined Piper in laughing. They both knew that what Piper said was true; the reason why Paige wanted to kill Cole sometimes was because she had finally began to see him as a sibling, much like Leo, and not because she still thought of him as evil. A bit of warped mentality, maybe, but truth nonetheless.
"You guys are ok with this too, right?" Cole asked Piper and Leo then. Worry that this might bring up some issues with them when they had just gotten things to a comfortable level for all involved.
Piper and Leo shared and look and then Leo said, "We're fine with it. Like Paige said, the problem last time was that you lost your head and went all crazy using your powers left and right. But you seemed to have learned your lesson. You no longer act without thinking things through or talking them out and you no longer seemed to be defined by your powers. You've been able to accomplish a balance that you didn't have last time. As long as you can keep it, and I don't see a reason why you shouldn't, we'll be fine."
Cole just nodded his thanks. Phoebe smiled at Piper and Leo gratefully as she hugged Cole's arms to her and leaned her head on his shoulders. She tried to keep her composure but it was hard. Cole had, by his own initiative, asked her family how they were coping with the latest news and Phoebe couldn't be any happier or prouder. He seemed to have finally understood but it meant to be in a family; and what was most important he seemed to appreciate and care about that family.