-1A Half-Breed's Redemption?
By: Dragonstar/ Lunara Dragon

Chapter 8: Judging Hearts

Author's Note: Thanks again to everyone for the support and I am personally going to thank Atlan and Joleca for your suggestions. It is a huge help and I am using both of them in the next couple of chapters. Thanks so much both of you for the continued support from the beginning, and to everyone for reviewing etc.

On another side note, This is a day and half later taking place in the story's timeline on Valentine's Day. Now on to the story.

Halliwell Manor

It was the morning of Valentine's Day and the sisters had all stayed at the Manor, Coop was busy as usual for this time of year and felt better with his pregnant wife and daughter staying at the manor. Paige and Phoebe woke up early because it had been two days since their original encounter with one, Cole Turner. The two sisters decided it would be best to wake up early with Piper as well to discuss matters further. Paige looked at her older sister and let out a deep breath as she sat sipping her tea and smiled weakly. Piper was still in bed at this point in time.

"How am I supposed to believe him this time? We can't just let it all go!" Phoebe whispered in to the morning calm. Paige just nodded her agreement weakly then a thought struck her.

"You know the kids seemed to like him. The whole day he was here the twins loved it when he bounced them. Patricia seems to take after her mom and was infatuated with getting his attention." Paige commented as she laughed. She recalled how Phoebe's toddler followed Cole around the Manor the entire time he was visiting two days earlier. She was amused by the way he played ball and had enjoyed it even more when Cole finally went against her parents and picked the toddler up. He then told all the kids a story about their Aunt Prue fighting the Angel of Death.

Phoebe shot a glare at Paige "What are you getting at?"

"Well why don't we try a truth spell. Will that help any? Then we will know for certain if he is being honest. I mean it is only fair seeing as we don't want to vanquish our children's' new friend. " Paige said as an after thought. Phoebe smiled for the first time in two days.

"You're a genius Paige!" Phoebe shouted. She had been so filled with rage and fear that he was lying, she hadn't even stopped to find a magical solution to their problem. Paige nodded as they heard Piper mumbling while walking down stairs.

"Why is she a genius? Also, Pheebs why are you so loud in the morning!?" Piper grumbled as she took a seat next to them in the sun room. Paige told Piper about their plan and Piper only half nodded her agreement, still groggy from just waking up.

---

San Francisco Bay Hyatt Hotel

Cole paced around the room as he shot looks at the clock. Paige had mentioned that his 'trial' would be completed this afternoon, and Cole was not good at being patient and the whole waiting game. He glared at the empty room and then turned again to pace to the other side.

"You know if you pace enough you might burn a track where your pacing. Are you going to pay for that?" Lillith said to her charge trying to use humor. She had realized in the last month that Cole was very impatient and when combining that with his temper it wasn't always a pretty sight. He turned back from the window and started pacing back in the direction of Lillith while glaring at the Soul Guardian.

"Great my guardian thinks judgment day is a joke." Cole shot heatedly at her. She sat on the bed and shrugged.

"No I…" She paused as they both felt the twinge in their heads. Cole looked at the clock it was only 9 in the morning, they couldn't possibly be ready to tell him to return to Limbo this early. Lillith didn't finish her statement but instead simply said " Maybe they want to talk to you some more?"

With that Cole shimmered out with Lillith soon following suit after locking the door, she orbed out of the hotel room and went to the Halliwell Manor on Prescott street.

---

Halliwell Manor

Cole and Lillith arrived at the same time only were surprised to find they were being greeted by Paige instead of Piper.

"Hey guys. I thought I would give it a try and see if it really worked like it did with Leo." She said with a smirk on her face. Lillith laughed at her comment and glanced to see Cole looking nervous as ever.

Paige then continued "Tell me Cole you are completely confident that you were honest? We'd like to find out for sure you understand." Cole nodded hesitantly and was unsure of what the youngest Charmed sister was talking about.

"For those who want the truth revealed

Opened hearts and secrets unsealed

For now until it's now again

After which the memory lends

Those who now are in this house

Will hear the truth from other's mouths"

Cole and Lillith both turned around to find they had been called in to an ambush. Phoebe was chanting a spell, when she finished both Cole and Lillith erupted in a soft glimmering glow.

"Sorry about that guys. We just had to be sure and you should feel special we changed memory ends to lends. So you can keep your knowledge of this happening and it will lend to our final decision." Paige explained after the spell was finished. The two turned back to stare at Paige as Piper walked in and shrugged her shoulders.

"Shall we begin? I have a pot of coffee on." Piper suggested as she walked in to the living room with her sisters and the other two following.

"This is great." Lillith muttered to herself. Cole just shrugged his shoulders and took a seat next to her at the table with the three sisters sitting on the other side. The seats at the two ends of the table remained empty.

"Ok I will ask this first. What makes you think this time is any different?" Phoebe asked with a calm tone as she stared in to Cole's green eyes. He looked at her and a smile cracked on his face.

"Balance. Before it never worked because I was completely evil, then forcing myself to be your idea of what a good person is, then the whole possession thing. Then I went crazy you remember that period of time. I never tried to find a balance of both my halves so I wouldn't lose control." Cole stated as he started on his honesty high from the spell. Lillith turned to him surprised but his answer made sense.

"There's my next question. Did you even try to fight The Source off? Why did you take the Hollow in in the first place?" Phoebe began again and realized she didn't even give Paige a chance to get a question in. She glanced to her two sisters who just motioned for her to keep taking the lead.

"Phoebe I told you I was possessed. I did try to fight it, once I was almost successful. You remember the Wizard don't you?" He shot back at her and this caught the woman by surprise. Her deep brown eyes shot open wide as she shook her head yes and began to tap her nails against her mug of tea.

"Yea well my human half saw how much pain you were in after you found out that I was the source. I fought back against him when the Wizard came along and I knew he could strip the Source's powers from me. You however decided your new destiny was to be queen and killed the only shot I had at being free. You remember that to right? Me saying that was our last chance!" His temper rose but his voice still rang with truth. He met Phoebe's gaze and realized something in that moment.

"You still haven't ever really tried to think about or talk to anyone about that time. Have you? You give advice and console to millions as 'Ask Phoebe'. But you never tried to deal with things yourself. Have you?" Cole continued on his rampage as Lillith sat quietly. She began to fidget hoping that none of the questions would be directed at her as she watched the two begin their duel of words.

Phoebe stared at her ex-husband with shock as her cheeks began to turn red. He was absolutely right that she still never tried to talk to anyone about the short time she was his queen. But she never realized what the Wizard was doing when she killed him.

"Do you really think it would have worked between us if I hadn't done that? Oh and let's not forget the Seer's role in that." Phoebe shot back angrily. She placed a hand on her stomach now as she recalled the time she was pregnant with The Source's demonic spawn and a chill ran up her spine. Cole eased back in his seat as he thought about her question. He looked the woman directly across from him up and down taking in every aspect of her appearance. She still looked as beautiful as the day he met her, even in her pajamas and her hair pulled back in a quick pony tail.

"I don't know. I want to say yes but I can't. I do think that you need to talk about it and hopefully someday you will be willing to talk to me about it so we can move past it." Cole answered forcing a calm tone. Phoebe looked up and met his hurt gaze and took a deep breath. She to was unsure of the answer to her own question and knew that his answer was sincere he even admitted that had she not cast that spell, he would have said yes he did believe it.

"Why are you here? I mean why do you personally want to be our protector person?" Paige spoke up finally.

"That one's simple Paige. I still love Phoebe and everyone in this family. I also see it as a way for me to finally finish what I set out to do earlier in that year before I was possessed by The Source." Cole responded sadly.

"Which was?" Paige continued questioning.

"To make up for my evil past. I can't change it or make it go away. Nor do I want any of you to just ignore it. But I do want a chance to change who I am in your lives. I don't want to be remembered as the worst person your family has ever been related to." He responded simply as he now locked eyes with Paige. She looked at her middle sister, who glared at him saying he still loved her.

Phoebe spoke up again after hiding her own feelings that were now rushing around in her mind. "Why does Patricia respond so eagerly to you? What is your connection to my daughter?"

Cole shut his eyes before blurting out his hidden connection "She can see me even when I am in Limbo. I think she has received you Cupid's power to sense great love. That transcends every boundary that there is. So she can see me and even hear me. With that and the fact for short periods of time I can materialize long enough to pick up things I got involved in a couple of the kids' games. The first time was an accident I just wanted to keep her levitated ball from waking up Paige's twins." Paige looked at him and recalled when she first saw Patricia mumbling to what looked like her twins when they were sleeping in the playpen. That was right after the new threat showed up and her eyes widened in amazement.

"So she wasn't talking to my girls, she was talking to you?" Paige asked.

Cole replied frustrated this time "Yes Paige. She was asking me to play ball!"

Piper began to laugh at the coincidence of it all, shortly after Paige began to start laughing as well. It was ironic to the two that because of Phoebe's current husband it is how their daughter was able to see the demonic ex even when no one else could.

"That's just great. Tell me something Cole when did you get so good with kids?" Piper laughed. She didn't need to question Cole with serious stuff because she already trusted him. Cole titled his head and stared at her curiously.

"I really don't know. I mean the closest I ever came to caring for a child was that robotic baby thing Paige got you and Leo that one day. When you guys went to talk to Morris and look at the crime scene I got bored and so tried to help Leo to get it to shut up. That and watching you two care for Chris and Wyatt is really the only experience I have." He responded. Lillith was the one now laughing as she tried to picture Cole and Leo taking care of a baby, even if it was an animatronics one.

Phoebe was keeping quiet through this last little exchange as she to tried to picture her brother-in-law and ex-husband caring for a baby. A smile crossed her face at the mental picture. She tried to fill her mind with reasons why she should hate this man that sat in front of her, but this confrontation was heading in the opposite direction of what she thought. Then the guilt came when she recalled her own role in his possession and then when he returned from the wasteland. She never gave him a real chance to explain and just assumed he was evil.

"When you came back. What pushed you over the edge?" Phoebe questioned and Cole returned his gaze to her. He could see her own emotions now conflicting inside of herself and shook his head.

"You rejected me. You do understand you are the only person I have ever known love from besides my father. Your love was so different for obvious reasons and all I wanted to do was try to talk to you and explain it wasn't my fault or yours for me being possessed. Except that I took in the hollow and there was a void but I told you that already. I used the hollow to protect my family." He responded and winced at the time he went crazy when he realized she was over him.

"Why did you help Piper." Paige questioned this time and caught Piper's attention as well. The two stared at Paige with a confused expression.

"I didn't want Phoebe to give up on love. Nor did I want Piper to lose the person I knew she was meant to be with. Besides could you picture Piper and I spending even a year in Limbo together?" Cole responded. He knew that because of the circumstances Piper would have been in Limbo for a little while until she would let go. Piper shot him a dirty look and he smiled.

"As I told her, you know the past is the past and all that." He added quickly. Phoebe quickly looked at him before standing up and walking over to stand in front of him. She leaned in to stare at him.

"Do you blame it all on me?" She questioned softly. He stared up in to her deep brown eyes and slowly placed his hand on her cheek hesitantly. He caught a lose tear that was slipping down her face and the realization struck the others that she had finally let her guard down.

"No. We are both to blame and you may have been right. We were doomed from the start and it wasn't meant to be I guess. But what hurt me more then anything else you have ever done when I was alive was when you told Coop at your wedding that you never knew real love until you met him. Our love was very real Honey whether you want to admit that to yourself or not." Phoebe let his hand rest there for a moment before pushing it away as well as the old emotions that they stirred in her. Lillith looked between the two and glanced over to Piper nervously. The two watched as Phoebe headed back to her seat but instead of sitting she picked up her mug and headed in to the kitchen.

Piper began to stand to go an console her sister as did Cole. He began to move from his own seat but felt a firm grasp on his shoulder pulling him back in place. He glared at Lillith who then looked at Piper and shook her head.

"Maybe I should go and talk to her. Being a third party might help also?" She questioned. Piper froze in place and when she couldn't think of a reason not to let Lillith go and talk to her she sat back down.

Lillith slowly walked over towards the kitchen and glanced back "You two should continue the questioning. I believe Paige may still have other questions." With that last comment she headed in to the kitchen after Phoebe and held her hand out.

"I want to take you somewhere more private. Your place or mine?" Lillith stated simply. The taller woman glanced down at her hand and shot her a confused look. Lillith let out a sigh "Fine we can talk here. You can ask me questions to I guess since you cast the spell on both of us but don't hold my answers against my charge."

Phoebe shook her head slowly and turned to stare out of the kitchen window. She was troubled with herself as much as everything that's happened in the last three days that she could feel her guards falling one by one.

"What are you really?" She questioned. Lillith looked up at her and then stepped to stand beside Phoebe, their gazes met with anger in both sets of eyes.

"A soul guardian. Cole gets a chance to be your protector and it is my responsibility to see he gets that fair chance."

"That's great. So you need all three of us to judge him as worthy for this chance?" Phoebe questioned and saw now that Lillith had went pale.

However because of the spell the truth still flew out of her mouth before she could fight the magic. "No actually I need all four of the Charmed ones to judge him as worthy. Since I am a Soul Guardian like I said to Piper there are perks and also down sides. The Elders' one condition was that you three as well as Prue has to give me permission. I will be meeting her tomorrow morning up there if you and Paige give your approval." Lillith pointed up but then looked away quickly and back in to the room where the other three were conversing.

"What?" Phoebe spit out in confusion and frustration. Her eyes glazed over with tears when she thought of Prue still watching over them.

Lillith returned her gaze back to Phoebe and smiled softly as she fought her own fear down out of her face "She's doing well up there you know. If that helps any or so Maria has told me." She added to the unspoken question on the other woman's face. Phoebe smiled softly at the Soul Guardian and wiped her few tears away before glancing in to the room.

"Is he sincere in saying that he just wants to help protect this family?" Phoebe asked trying to change the subject. Lillith smiled at this question and nodded her head.

"He is dedicated to the role he will play. He wants to be a part of the only family he's ever known and I swear to you he will do whatever it takes to protect all of you. Including that Cupid husband of yours." Lillith responded with sincerity.

"He has a name you know! It's Coop." Phoebe shot back at Lillith who just shrugged.

"Fine. He will even protect Coop because the other thing you need to consider is his past before you. He would never want to be the cause of a kid not having either of their parents. Especially now that he has found balance or whatever the heck he was mumbling on about. Cole Turner doesn't have Belthazor in him any longer and he embraces both sides of himself as well as remembering his own childhood." Lillith responded fiercely as she met Phoebe's glare with a hard stare of her own.

"You really care about him don't you? I mean more then just a charge." Phoebe questioned as an after thought. Lillith's eyes continued to stare at her but her expression changed from fierce to awkward.

"Yes I do. I think he is a wonderful person that the world has just been cruelly unfair to." She responded simply before looking away. Phoebe nodded before Lillith continued "He is right you know. You will need to deal with the past even if it isn't by talking to him about it. It isn't all your fault or his but it's causes more pain to deny that you had any role in it at all. Do you understand?"

Phoebe stared at Lillith with anger now rising in her face but then she nodded her head. "I know. It isn't painful to just him but I am not ready to talk about it yet. He is right that I want to be able to talk to him about it in time…" She paused as she heard her own statement coming out of her mouth. Lillith had a look of triumph cross her facial expression.

"Well then, looks like you'll have to judge him worthy to stay. I also promise you it is only temporary for now until you have had some time. All of you have had time to see that he has changed and then after Lamia is defeated you will be asked whether or not he is good enough to stay and continue as your guardian or send him back to his prison shall we say." Lillith responded to Phoebe who looked her in the eye and some of the fear that had been in the Charmed middle sister's mannerisms since the day Lillith met her seemed to fade.

"So it is like a probation period for him?" Phoebe asked. Lillith just nodded her head yes and Phoebe smiled before heading back in to the dining room. She took her seat across from Cole as Lillith continued to stand.

Piper glanced at her sister and then looked across the table to Cole who was staring at Phoebe and Lillith both with a confused look. Phoebe spoke up to answer all of the questioning stares "I need time Cole. To work out my part in our past. So I say for now you have my answer." She stated with a hesitant tone. She still had some of the sadness and fear in her eyes that she had earlier and it took every fiber of Cole's will to not just stand up and try to cradle his former wife in his arms.

"Which is?" Paige questioned as she rolled her hand in front of her sister to continue with her thought.

"He stays. At least until this Lamia person is defeated and then I will make my final decision then. Also give me time to deal with everything from our past, when I am ready I will come and talk to you about it. I am sorry I didn't know that you were trying to get rid of the Source with that Wizard." Phoebe started as she tried to fight back the guilt. This was the first time she had ever actually listened to Cole's side completely and stared in to his deep green eyes that were now filled with curiosity and pain, but she knew that look all to well. It was the pain of seeing her hurting and not being able to console her.

"Don't think to much about it right now. I will give you all the space in the world and for now just remember…" Cole began before pausing then forced himself to say that last part of his thought "it's Valentine's Day. Tonight should be spent with your husband not with guilt of your ex-husband. But when you are ready I look forward to our conversation."

"Me too. That should be interesting!" Paige broke in with her two cents and smiled over at the former demon.

"So does that mean I have your approval to live?" Cole questioned sarcastically.

"Hell yeah. Well at least for now I wouldn't want to deprive myself the chance of seeing THAT." She shot back heatedly before a grin crossed her face. In that moment Cole and Paige had found a balance in their own relationship and he smiled back at her.

"Do you think in time you can explain to me though why you went back in time and altered reality by killing me?" She added on fiercely. Now was her only chance to hear his true response.

"Simple. I believed in my delirious mind that it was you who ruined my relationship with Phoebe. Now I see it was series of things that were not really connected to you at all." Cole responded sincerely as his smile faltered and he looked at Paige then to Piper. He then stared down and added "I never meant to take away your sisters. I now know how painful it is to lose family especially this crazy ass backwards one."

Paige started laughing "Yeah. After being a part of this family it is hard to picture being part of a normal family. Whatever it wasn't the first time I died and probably won't be the last."

Cole responded to that quickly " Well see as long as I am around this time any person that thinks they can kill any of you will wish that a chaotic Underworld was their biggest problem." Everyone met his fierce gaze and nodded slightly taken aback by the tone of anger in his voice.

"Alright well if you two have decided to allow him to stay. Although it is early I think it's time we leave." Lillith spoke up after the few moments of silence and staring at the Cole. This time Cole had an over protective attitude about all of them. He looked up at her confused and then back to the sisters. Piper spoke up.

"Go where? The kids will be up soon and I can make breakfast. You can't just say ok he is alive again and not let me…" Piper began on one of her rampages again but was cut off by Paige placing a hand over her mouth.

"Explain. Please?" Paige shot at Lillith before using her free hand to point at Piper.

"We have to go see Maria now and Cole gets to meet her finally. There is some matters to discuss since he is allowed to stay. That's all." Lillith answered hoping that the other two would not ask about what they had discussed. She already was forced by their spell to admit about the oldest Halliwell sister. Paige removed her hand from Piper who glared at her youngest sister before looking over at Cole who was now standing and walking towards Lillith.

"Wait! Tonight is the Valentine's bash at P3. Will you be there?" Piper questioned in a tone that spoke louder then her actual words. The tone simply left no room for them to say no.

"Of course. I'll have to cancel my other plans but I will be there." Cole shot back at her with his usual confident grin.

"I mean both of you!" Piper shot back at him with a smirk on her own face. Cole turned to Lillith who fidgeted under the pressure as she usually did and Cole responded for her.

"Yes. Now will you calm down before you blow something up or wake up your children." The former demon responded smoothly in his cocky tone. With that he grabbed Lillith's hand who orbed them out of the room.

The other two sisters just stared up at Piper and laughed at the look on her face.

---

At the office of Maria Infinitia

Maria looked surprised at the two figures who entered through her door. She was not expecting them so soon and glanced from them to Telane who was sitting across from her at the desk. Telane smiled up at her friend and took in the appearance of her friend's charge.

"Oh now I see why she is fighting so hard for this charge." Telane whispered to Maria. Telane took in Cole's appearance and gave Lilith a pleasing smile. He stood taller then Lillith and had broad shoulders. His dark hair was half-way spiked and he had deep green borderline blue eyes. Maria shot Telane a look of disapproval before smiling up to Lillith and Cole. She motioned for the two of them to sit.

"To what do I owe this early visit?" Maria questioned. Lillith explained how all the sisters had agreed to the probational period for Cole to have a chance to prove himself and the conversation they had. Maria glared slightly at Lillith when she mentioned the truth spell.

"So let me get this straight on top of breaking quite a few rules with this case. You told them the truth?" She asked of Lillith. She nodded with some hesitation.

"Well the part you are worried about I only told Phoebe Cupid-Halliwell about." Lillith responded quickly.

Cole turned at this "Hey nice to meet you. Great introduction there!" He spoke up. Maria just waved her hand at him before staring at Lillith and then back to Cole.

"So do you want to know what your last task is? There is one more person who has to agree to it." Maria began. Cole stared at her and then back to Lillith as Maria added on "ALL of the Halliwell sisters have to agree to it. Whether they are living or not."

"What? You might as well just send me back to where I was now!" He yelled heatedly. He already knew exactly whom that meant and knew Prue wouldn't agree to it in a million years. Lillith shook her head and glanced at Maria.

"I am going to speak to her tomorrow. Today that isn't what you wanted to discuss. Oh by the way Telane this is Cole, Cole this is my best friend Telane well one of my grand total of three friends in general." Lillith responded. Cole looked around the room and then shook his head.

"Five you have five friends now. But that is getting a bit off topic don't you think." He shot at her with some of his anger still dripping in his tone. Lillith sent a side glance at him before nodding.

"Yes well if you are going to be in the living world again there are a few things that need to be decided." Maria began as a mischievous grin crossed her face. Telane and Lillith both stared at their boss knowing all to well that look on her face. Maria lived through her employees and so always liked to add weird twists to their cases for her own amusement.

"Which would be?" Cole questioned.

"First off we need to arrange for you to no longer be dead. Asmodai is taking care of that for us. But my employee here is going to need an identity seeing as she will be staying with you," Maria continued as a smirk grew and Cole noted the evil glint in her eyes.

"Great you're a demon." Cole shot at Maria with his observation. Then continued "I never knew Maria the woman of the in-between was a demon."

"Correction I am from a race that is similar to a demon but once again YOU are getting off topic now. First I have arranged for Lillith to run a small flower shop since she likes gardening so much. Second a condo for the two of you courtesy of Telane has been set up…" Maria was interrupted by Cole's sarcastic laugh that erupted.

"You sure are setting all this up before we even know if Prue will agree to allow me to live! Have you met her?" He shot at Maria who allowed her own anger to flare.

"Yes I have. You know how it is being an outside observer to events can change ones judgment all to well. Besides Lillith is very persuasive when it comes to her charges. Now here's the thing your lovely Soul Guardian needs a last name." Maria began as her smirk returned Cole shot her a confused look and Lillith began shaking her head.

"No I won't do it." She yelled in rage.

"Do you really ever have a choice in these matters my dear? Besides it's the perfect ploy of why Mr. Turner here has been 'missing' for so long. Do you really want to take away my form of amusement?" Maria responded with a faked look of innocence. Cole quickly picked up on where this was going and shook his head fiercely.
"You want her to take my last name? What about her mother?" Cole said he however wasn't angry like Lillith had thought he would be. He seemed more confused at Maria's twisted sense of humor and slightly exasperated at the idea.

"What do you suggest Telane?" Maria shot at her other employee with some rage.

"Well I think it is the perfect disguise for both of them. Cole you have to understand Lillith can not take her mothers last name with the Elders paying so much attention to her because of you. They will know right away and then it will be revealed who she is. Would it really be so bad?" Telane responded as she settled her hazel eyes filled with sympathy on her friend who was fidgeting waiting for his answer.

Then a thought stuck Lilith "I could use his last name. Or I could use my friend's last name. He's in Canada it's not like he will even know."

Maria now stared dumb founded at Lillith before responding "I am surprised you don't want to be a blushing bride Lil honey. Fine you will not be known as Lillith Turner. But it would also make sense and help you two avoid a lot of questions of your connections to Cole as well as the sisters. But if you prefer to take the other's last name…."

Cole spoke up this time "Fine great. I found my long lost sister in Canada! Will that story work and help fill your twisted game as well?" He shot at Lillith's boss trying to ease the strain on his Soul Guardian.

"I suppose that will work. Not quite what I was planning but it will do." Maria stated with a shrug. She waved her hand to dismiss them. "Go have fun tonight and Lillith, do not mess up your meeting tomorrow."

Lillith just nodded before she gave Telane a quick hug goodbye and then orbed them out of the office. Cole glanced down at Lillith and smiled slightly. He could see the anger and embarrassment written across her face.

---

Night at P3's

During the rest of the day Cole and Lillith had talked about the event at Maria's office and Cole had come to an understanding of his Soul Guardian's position. She really couldn't go against Maria's choices and Maria had a twisted sense of humor because she never left her 'office' except to go to the heavens. So the only way she gets entertainment of any kind is through her employees and the strange positions Maria places them in. That is where he saw how closely Maria's breed of people relates to the demonic race. He assured Lillith he held no fault at her for the strange position they were put in during the meeting.

He was now escorting Lillith in to Piper's nightclub and they approached the bar. Piper and Leo both greeted them with a quick wave from a booth. Cole turned and placed his hand on Lillith's back to slowly push his nervous friend in their direction.

"You don't socialize much do you?" He questioned and got a glare in response. She walked ahead of him quickly the next couple of steps and sat to also be greeted by the following figures of Paige and Henry. Everyone had left the kids with Victor for the night who happily agreed to give them a night off. Of course none of them have mentioned yet that Cole was back in the picture. Cole started looking around for Phoebe and Coop and caught a glance of them across the room.

"She still needs space…" Piper began but Cole just shrugged.

"Yeah right, more like her husband wants to keep her as far away from you as possible." Paige added in. Henry laughed and glanced at Cole with a quick wave. The couple that sat with them however surprised Cole, Darryl and Sheila waved but Darryl's look was very rigid compared to his wife's.

"Whose this?" Darryl questioned as he looked at Lillith. She forced herself to smile and glanced to Cole.

"I knew you guys had started talking again. Didn't know you'd be here though! This is Lillith Turner, my long lost sister apparently." Cole quickly introduced as they finally took a seat next to Paige and Henry. This caused a shocked look on all their faces.

"Not really. Long story very shortened, my boss has a sick sense of humor." Lillith responded curtly to the group. She then pulled a box out of her pocket and handed it to Cole. He looked at it curiously and stared back at her.

"Happy Valentine's day I guess. Ummm Piper and Leo your presents are at the Manor and Paige I will take you shopping…" Lillith said hesitantly and paused. Cole stared dumb founded now and a grin broke across his face. He stood and ran out of P3.

"What the hell just happened?" Piper shot at Lillith who shrugged and watched the quickly retreating figure of her charge. Then Piper met Lillith's gaze and smiled. "Honey you didn't have to get us anything."

"Well I don't usually get to celebrate any holidays really. Lost souls usually are not in a celebrating mood. I wanted to do something for all of you." Lillith stated in a low tone as she placed her hands over the box and began to strum her fingers on the table. Cole seemed to be gone but she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"If it helps he isn't doing anything evil." Lillith smiled as she reported to the others at the table. The group began to discuss the night and Darryl as well as Sheila seemed to warm up to Lillith.

"Leo got me roses and offered to clean the house for two weeks." Piper reported happily as she glanced at her husband. He knew her all to well that a clean home is one of the things she obsessed about. Paige then responded by showing off the bracelet Henry had bought her that had the birthstones of the twins, and the expectant birthstone of what their new baby will be.

"That is sweet." Lillith responded to both of them and smiled at Paige. Piper stared dumb founded towards the door as Cole walked back to the table.

"Well I couldn't very well conjure this here. Besides I had to call for Telane, seeing as our new friend here likes gardening I didn't want to get a flower with the wrong message." Cole responded with a sly grin on his face.

Lillith looked up to see him standing there with a white Lily blossom and she couldn't help but laugh "I just got you a stupid fancy pen seeing as you are going back to work as a lawyer. Figured even a smart ass needed something for Valentine's Day."

"Aw a white Lily, it works in two ways because of her name and because it means Purity and Sweetness." Paige reported more for her husband's sake then anyone else.

"Oh great. Thanks for clearing that up as if I cared to know." Henry responded but then pulled his wife in to a kiss.

Cole shot back at Lillith before placing the flower in to her hand and returning to his seat. "Yea well it's hard to summon a Soul Guardian who isn't yours you know. Be glad Telane is a very close friend enough with you that I could call her! Your welcome by the way." He then grabbed the box and opened it to find a pen with his name engraved on it.

"Happy Valentine's day everyone!" Piper shouted over the band that was now starting to play. Lillith grinned as Cole placed the pen in his blazer pocket. Leo lead Piper towards her back office as Darryl and Sheila headed towards the bar. Phoebe and Coop were sitting in a far table away from the crowd as well as them.

"Do you uh, want to uh," Cole began before trying to finish his statement. "Dance? I mean that is what most of the people here are doing and I am not in the mood to join the drinking crowd. Last time I killed two people after drinking and I'd like to avoid that this time." He finished with a sarcastic grin on his face.

Lillith shrugged and pulled herself to stand "Sure why not."

To be continued

End Note: Ok I will eventually be bringing Prue in to it because my cousin wants to see her in the story so yeah. Besides I did like Prue in my own way I guess. I hope I didn't disappoint anyone with this chapter and I just wanted to show the relationship of Cole and Lillith growing as friends. Nothing more really and I tried to also convey Phoebe starting to deal with her own role in the past between her and Cole. Thanks again and let me know what you all think about everything ;)