It'll Always be Magic
Disclaimer: Nope, they don't belong to me.
A/N: Sorry for the long delay. There's really no excuse. I want to thank everyone that's review, especially: Blue eyes6, Joleca and Kaleena Mason, whose recent reviews inspire me to update sooner and reminded me how much fun I have writing this story. Like I said in the summary, everyone is going to get a power boost (because this is a show about a magical family, so they should have magical powers) do you guys have any specific powers you'd like to see them get? Let me know. I hope you enjoy this chapter and the Cole/kids scene is dedicated to lovemoonyforever asked for it and in doing so gave great ideas.
Chapter 9 Just Another Sunday Morning
"Hey," Cole said as he looked up from the casebook he was reading when Leo orbed in the next morning.
Leo nodded and said, "Hi," as he walked further into the conservatory and took a chair across from where Cole was sitting. "Where's everyone?" He asked as he laid his head down on the back of the chair and closed his eyes.
"It's such a beautiful day that they girls took the boys to the park," Cole answered as he wrote down some notes.
"How come you didn't go?" Leo asked, curious. Usually, Cole was the first to volunteer to take the boys out to the park. For a former demon, Cole had become real close to the kids and enjoyed taking them out to the playground. He seemed to enjoy it as much as the kids and the whole family had seen him get down in the sandbox with Chris and ride the swings with Wyatt more than once.
"I had some reading to catch up on for tomorrow," he answered as he made some final notes on his notepad. "But I'm done, finally," he said with a sigh as he put down the casebook and notepad. "So," he said as he looked at Leo and noticed the tire look on his face. "How did it go?"
Leo took a deep breath and answered without opening his eyes or raising his head. "Ok. We talked and came to an understanding. I'll run the school and help those that come to me for help."
"They didn't make a big deal about before?" Cole asked as he shifted forward to pick up his glass of juice.
Leo shrugged and said, "We didn't talk about it; it was a lot time ago so I guess they've decided to leave the past in the past."
"Um," Cole said as he rested the hand with the glass on his bent knee. "That's probably for the best."
"Yes, it is." Leo said as he opened his eyes and saw Cole's glass. "Is that fresh?" He asked indicating Cole's glass.
"Yes," Cole answered as he took another sip. "Apple water; Piper made it before they left. It's on the fridge if you want to go get some."
"I think I will," Leo said as he got up to go to the kitchen.
Cole nodded and rested his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes much like Leo had done earlier. A few moments later, Leo came back and Cole asked him, "Are they Ok with you living here and having a normal family life?"
Leo shrugged and said, "Whether they're Ok or not is a moot point. They know that's how it's going to be and that they have no choice but to accept it. I don't need to live up there or even in the school to run it. They'll consult me whenever something major comes up but I won't be involved with the every day things; I don't think they really want me that involved and I don't want to be that involved. So, everything will pretty much continue as it has until now except that now I'll have my powers back." He paused as he took a sip of his drink and then said, "You know, I hadn't realized how much I missed having my powers until I got them back."
Cole just nodded, he knew just what Leo meant, having going through it twice already.
"I knew I missed them," Leo continued, looking thoughtful. "But I didn't know how much they were a part of me until just now." He paused again and then turned to look at Cole and sincerely said, "I don't think I ever really understood what you must have gone through when you lost your powers. It's only now that I have mine back that I appreciate how much not having them affected my life and I was born human, I had a point of reference. I can't even begin to imagine how it must have been for you when you had your powers all your life. Loosing them must have been like loosing one of your senses."
"Something like that," Cole answered dryly. The truth was, Cole didn't like talking about or remembering that time; it brought back too many bad memories.
Leo just shook his head, knowing he could never fully appreciate the sense of loss the other man must have felt. And yet, if it hadn't been for the Hollow, Cole would have remained a mortal. Sometimes, Leo was in awe of Cole's strength of character and of his love for Phoebe.
"So," Cole said after a few moments of silence. "Are you ok with Piper having gone to the Elders on your behalf." He asked, knowing that Leo, like him, was old fashioned and didn't really like having his wife fight his fights for him.
Leo shrugged and said, "Ok is kind of a strong word. But . . . what can I do?"
"Nothing," Cole answered the rhetorical question. "She already did it."
"Exactly." Leo nodded his agreement. "That's who she is – she sees something that needs fixing and she goes and fixes it. That's how they all are and we knew that when we got involved with them. It's a bit late now to complain about it. And everything work out in the end. So I guess it's 'all's well that ends well'."
Cole nodded and a comfortable silence fell between the two friends until the shrill of the phone broke it. They looked at each other to see who was going to have to get up until with a grin, much like the one Wyatt got when he did something, Leo orbed out and orbed back in with the phone in his hand.
"Hello. . . Oh, hi Bryan, how are you? We're fine . . .Yeah, it was fun. We're on for next weekend, right? . . . Oh, that's not necessary, really. Piper loves to cook and the more the merrier. Maybe we can go out some other time. . . No, she's not here right now. She, Piper and Phoebe took the kids to the park. I can give you her cell phone number if you want? Ok . . . Talk to you later. Bye." He hung up the phone and turned to Cole with his eyebrow raised.
"That was Bryan calling for Paige," he unnecessarily explained.
"I gathered that," Cole answered with a frown. "That was quick," he commented.
"You're not surprised?" Leo asked. "After how they looked at each other and him saying she'll be his wife?"
"No," Cole answered. "Did you tell Piper about that?"
Leo shook his head, "No, we got . . . distracted. Did you?"
"No, we too got distracted," Cole said with a knowing smile but then he got serious. "Do you agree with the girl's decision not to tell Paige anything about Bryan?"
"What's there to tell?"
"Oh, come on, Leo." Cole said with a snort. "Don't give that. Don't you think we should tell her about him being magic?"
"No, I'm serious. What can we tell her? We don't really know anything." At Cole's disbelieving grunt, he added, "Ok, so we think he's druid. We think, Cole. We don't know for sure. And I think Paige deserves the same chance that Phoebe and Piper had to fall in love."
"This family doesn't keep secrets well," Cole said. "This is going to come and bite us in the ass." He predicted.
Leo grimaced and said, "Perhaps. But I don't think we can say anything right now. For one thing, I don't think Paige would take it too well. And for another, I'm pretty sure Bryan doesn't even know anything and if we tell Paige we might make something happened that shouldn't yet."
"What do you mean?" Cole asked as he leaned forward on the couch.
Leo shrugged and said, "You know how he said that their thirty birthdays were a big deal?" At Cole's nod, he went on, "I think that Bryan doesn't have his powers yet. I think he'll get them on his birthday. They must have been bound, like the girls' were until they came together here after Grams died."
Cole sat back and said, "Um, I guess that makes sense. Hey, did you tell the Elders anything about this?"
"No," Leo denied. "There's really nothing to tell; all we have is speculation. Let's just wait and see what happens. We wouldn't want to precipitate something and maybe have things go wrong. Things need to happen when they should."
Cole thought about it and then nodded. After a while, Leo looked at his watch and said, "You want to go catch the game?"
"Sure," Cole said as he got up. Leo did too and with a wink orbed out. Cole laughed and thought that Leo was like a kid with a new toy. Then with a chuckle, he shimmered himself to the living room.
Half an hour later, the girls came home.
"What do you think about the blue dress?" Paige was asking as they walked in.
"It's a nice dress." Phoebe answered as she walked into to the living room and headed to greet Cole. "You look great in it."
Piper kissed Leo hello as the kids started to tell Leo and Cole everything they did that day.
"Or maybe the green one? You know the one with the floral print?" Paige asked again after she greeted the guys. "What do you think?"
Phoebe laughed and said, "I think you'd look great in either one, sweetie."
"You always look great, Paige." Piper said in encouragement.
"Come on, guys. Come on up and help me decide," she demanded as she pulled both her sisters towards the stairs. "You guys take care of the kids," she ordered the guys.
Leo and Cole just nodded as the girls had already left. Just as they started talking about what to do, Leo got that look on his face as he looked upward that he hadn't gotten in years. "Um," he said as he looked back at Cole.
"You gotta go," Cole said knowingly. At Leo's nod, he sighed and said, "Go, I'll stay with the kids and tell Piper."
Leo smiled his thanks and kissed his kids good-bye. As he orbed, the two kids looked on with surprise; they had been too small the last time Leo had been able to orb and neither remember it. So, for them it was the first time that they've seen daddy orb.
"Daddy orbed?" Wyatt asked.
"Yes," Cole answered. "Daddy orbs now."
Wyatt nodded and then smiled the same the way Leo had earlier on as he orbed to the other side of the room.
Chris laughed and clapped his hands as he said, "me too," and orbed after his brother.
Cole chuckled and shimmered after them. "Yes, I know you guys can orb and I shimmer. But you guys know that you aren't supposed to do it, especially when there's someone outside the family, right?"
"Yes, Uncle Cole." Both answered with angelic smiles.
"Hum," Cole said as he looked down at them with the sternest expression he had. If the last smile had been Leo's, those angelic looks were Phoebe's and he knew how deceiving they could be. But then, because the look reminded him of Phoebe, he wasn't immune to it. "Ok, well. What do you guys want to do?"
Chris and Wyatt looked at each other and said at the same time, "Soccer!!"
"Right," Cole said with a laugh, "I should have known. Ok, let's go outside and play." He took a hand of each and went to the backyard. As they walked out, Cole thought how things had changed: a few years ago, kids were asking to go play catch and now they were asking to play soccer. Of course, when he was a kid, the game of choice was to see who could flame the most rodents in the less time.
Five minutes later, he had fashioned a goal out of two pots and he was the goalie while the kids took turns kicking the ball. After a few frustrating tries, Wyatt had tired of missing and orbed the ball past Cole and into the goal.
"Wyatt!" Cole reprimanded as he kicked the ball back to the kids. "The object of the game is to kick the ball into the goal, not to orb it there. Orbing it is cheating and you don't want to be a cheater, do you?" Wyatt shook his head no and Cole said, "Ok, let's try this again."
Wyatt tried again and when it was Chris' turn, he simply took the ball and orbed himself and the ball into the goal.
Cole looked in surprise at the child's pleased expression and with shake of his head and a chuckle, went to pick him up. "Chris, if you're not allowed to orb the ball into the goal then you definitely can't orb yourself and the ball in, ok? That's also cheating." He put Chris and the ball down close to Wyatt and said, "Now, let's try this again, shall we?"
For the next twenty minutes the kids had a great fun playing the game as it should be. Then all of the sudden after kicking the ball towards Cole and the goal, Wyatt stared intently at the ball and when Cole when to put his foot to stop it, his foot passed right through it as if it was a hologram or specter.
As his foot passed right through the ball, Cole just stared at it as it went on to the goal and became solid again as it touched a pot further down. He then, slowly, turned to Wyatt and asked, "Wyatt, what did you just do?"
Wyatt looked at Cole with the angelic smile he had used earlier and said nothing.
"Don't give me that angel face, kid," he said as he shook his finger at him. "You just got another power, didn't you?" Wyatt just kept staring up at his uncle with the same innocent face, until Cole sighed and said, "Right, we'll let's go, we have to go and tell your mother and aunts about this new development."
He took Wyatt's hand and when he went to take Chris' hand, the youngest child put his arms up to be picked up and when Cole didn't react as fast as he wanted, he simply orbed himself into his uncle's arms.
Cole barely had time to get his arm in place to hold the child as he sighed and said, "Chris! We told you that you can't do that without some warning." He started to walk towards the house, while Chris just laughed up at him and put his arms around his neck.
Cole ended up shaking his head and wondering when the demon of the century had become such a soft touch with kids and then realized that it had probably happened when he'd fallen for a charmed witch who then had two adorable nephews.
"Piper! Phoebe! Paige!" He called as soon as he walked into the house. "Come down here!"
Moments later, the three sisters (Paige with curlers in her hair and in a robe) came running down the steps. "What's wrong?" Phoebe asked as she hurried down.
"Is there a demon? What's wrong?" Piper asked as Paige orbed the last part and came out of the orbed ready to fight demons, "Where is it?"
"There's no demon," Cole began but before he could explain further, the girls started to reproach his yelling.
"Wyatt just got a new power," he said before they really got into lecture mode. That announcement stopped them cold as the three turned to look at the child in question.
"New power?" Piper asked, not all that enthused. "What happened?"
Cole answered as Phoebe came and took Chris from his arms, Piper took Wyatt's hand and they all moved to the living room. Phoebe sat down with Chris and Piper with Wyatt in the couch, Paige sat on the chair and Cole perched on the arm of the sofa next to Phoebe.
"We were out playing soccer and when I went to stop the ball with my foot, the ball passed right through it as if it wasn't solid. But when it touched a pot it was solid again." Cole explained with a shrug.
Piper nodded with a sigh, "Another one, then, huh?" She asked in a weary tone. It wasn't that she didn't want her kids to get new powers, but couldn't they get them when they were older? "Like fighting with him not to orb things wasn't enough, now we'll have to fight with him not to de-solidified things."
The other three adults just nodded their heads, all thinking about the thousand and one ways this new development could lead to disaster.
"Well," Phoebe said as she let Chris down, trying to cheer them up, "at least is a cool and useful power."
"I wonder if he can de-solidify himself as well as objects," Paige mused.
Piper got an alarmed look and ordered, "Don't go giving him any ideas, Paige. That's all I need, a kid that can't be touched whenever he feels like it."
While the adults discussed Wyatt's new power, Chris had walked over to the corner and was playing with his toys. He was throwing his teddy up in the air, when suddenly he went up himself to retrieve it in mid-air. He looked around to see if any one had seen his new trick, but everyone was still focused on Wyatt. So as he did it again, he called out, "Look, mommy!"
Everyone turned to see him go up a few feet in the air.
"Chris, what are you doing?" Cried Piper as she shot to her feet.
"I'm flying, mommy!! Like Auntie Phoebe!" Chris told her as she started to rolled over in mid-air.
"Wow," Phoebe said as she too stood up. "He got my power!" Then she got a thoughtful look and asked, "Can he do that? Shouldn't he get Piper or Leo's powers?"
"Well," Paige said from where she stood. "Whether he should or not, it seems he definitely can because he did," she pointed out.
"Your powers come from your family line," Cole said. "There's no reason why he can't have your powers or why he should only get Piper's."
Phoebe nodded but at that moment, Chris who had kept going up despite Piper's calls to come down, seemed to loose his concentration and started to fall. Piper cried out and Phoebe started to levitate towards him and Paige call, "Chris!"
He was orbed to Paige's arms in mid-fall and after a few seconds of disorientation he laughed and tried to do it again. Paige took a firm hold of him and said, "Oh, no, you don't young man."
Piper gasped and rushed to pick Chris up. After hugging him and scolding him, she turned and joined Phoebe and Cole in staring at her youngest sister.
"Paige," Phoebe said, "you call for him. I didn't know you could do that."
Paige looked startled and then surprised as she answered slowly, "Me neither." She had orbed people without touching them before, but she had never called them to her like she did whenever she was tele-orbing things. Though, they look similar, they were different powers.
"I guess the kids aren't the only ones to get a power boost today." Cole said as he looked at the sisters and the sisters looked at each other.
It seemed that something was going on.
A/N2: Ok, I'm not sure if you guys know what 'apple water' is or if its call that in Englis. It's this really good drink my aunt makes where she boils apples with sugar and cinammon and then we drink the water - it's really, really good. Also, I can't remember if Paige can call people, I know she can orb them and I kind of remember she can do it without touching them, but I'm talking about something different - I want her telikenis/orbing power to be stronger, I hope I explained it right. Please, let me know what you think and if you have any ideas about new powers. I'm not sure where I'm going with this, I thought about bringing Wyatt, Chris from the future along with one kid of Phoebe and Paige to warn them about a coming danger, the problem with that is that I'm not really good inventing demons and writing actions scenes - I'm much better with family, fluffy, romantic scenes. So, please if you have any ideas let me know, they really inspire and help me write a better fic.