Hello, my wonderful readers! Such a response to the last scene! It made me very, very happy:-)

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To my reviewers I couldn't reach through email:

belcur: Glad you liked it! Thanks so much and take care:-)

ElenaMarshal: Oh, I know the happy dance…I've done it many a time, and I did it when I read your reveiw! Thanks so much for the fantastic compliment and I hope you enjoy! Take care :-)

Question Mark: True, a hit from an energy ball would hurt her, but empaths can channel the powers of others, like in the episode Used Karma, where Phoebe channels the fireballs thrown by the hive demons back at them. But thanks for keeping me on my toes though; it makes me work harder and better. Take care :-)

Shirin: Thanks! Yeah, that was a little more emotional than Piper usually gets; don't worry though, she hasn't gone completely soft yet. Thanks again for the fab review :-)

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Disclaimer: The day that I gain possession of the tv show Charmed will be so joyful that the sun will forget to set.

A/N: There's a little more language in this scene...sorry if it offends anyone.

Issues

(the fight in the foyer. Phoebe and Cole stand opposite each other. Leo, Henry, Paige, and Coop flank Phoebe protectively. Eventually discernible words emerge from ex-lovers screamfest)

Cole: Give him back!

Phoebe: What makes you think we're going to let you take that beautiful little good boy and raise him to be an evil monster?!

Cole: (seething) I'm not evil! He's my son. You had no right—you have no right to take him!

Phoebe: I had no right? You know, you've got a point there. I didn't have a right to take him—I had a duty!

Cole: That's bull—

(Piper whistles loudly. Everyone turns to look at her. Warren balanced on her hip, she walks down the stairs)

Piper: (cheerful) Okay then! We obviously have some issues to work out, so here's how it's gonna go: Cole and W-Philip will be spending the night.

Cole: But—

Piper: Let's save comments for later. And energy balls out, mister. Phoebe and Paige, go clean up dinner.

Paige: But Piper—

Piper: If peace talks get heated I want my dishes and sharp eating utensils safely put away. Henry, Coop and Leo, take Philip (she hands Warren to her husband, raises a warning hand to Cole, who seems ready attack) and go get the rest of the kids ready for a slumber party in the basement. Cole and I will go back to his place and pack an overnight bag for him and Philip.

Phoebe: Are you crazy?

Piper: No, I think that I'm actually the sanest one here at the moment. (she walks to Cole and takes his arm, surveys the group) Go on. (no one moves.) You people are just asking to get yourselves blown up. Think I'm kidding? (She whistles shrilly again. Everyone scrambles. She looks up to a confused Cole) Well, come on. Your place. Let's go! (she smacks him lightly. Startled into submission, Cole obliges)

(Cole and Warren's house. Piper and Cole shimmer in)

Piper: (takes in the room) This is very nice. Where are we exactly?

Cole: Boston.

Piper: Ah...that's what, a three hour time difference? No wonder you panicked.

Cole: Piper, do you think you're doing?

Piper: Packing, of course. At least I'm trying to. Where are the bags?

Cole: Philip and I aren't spending the night.

Piper: Oh yes you are. (she spots a toy at her feet and picks it up) And I really think he'd feel more comfortable if we all called him Warren. Kids his age need consistency.

Cole: (grabs her arm and spins her to face him) Excuse me?

Piper: Good job with the Philip, by the way, nice P name to continue the tradition. And I really don't know why Leo and I never though of Warren as a name for Chris; could have started a whole new Halliwell tradition...Wyatt, Warren...Grace could have been Wendy or something.

Cole: (grips her arm tightly) I don't know what you're talking about.

Piper: Ow! (pulls her arm away, rubs it) You'd better be careful. I'd hate to get mad and accidentally blow up my nephew's father.

Cole: Your nephew's father? (laughs) Your sister and I are divorced. Therefore, my son is in no way related to you.

Piper: He is by blood.

Cole: Piper, let it go. War—Philip, is not your nephew.

Piper: Oh come on, Cole. You gave him a P name, and the name Phoebe gave him in her delusions six years ago. He can shimmer—

Cole: Which he gets from me.

Piper: He can "see the things he wants" in his mind, he can levitate—

Cole: Phoebe isn't the only psychic levitating witch in the world, you know.

Piper: (on attack) Then what, pray tell, is this psychic levitating witch's—yes, I noticed that you said witch, not warlock or demon—name? And what about this "Big Fight with lots of bad magic" business? Was it bigger than the last two times we vanquished you?

Cole: (swallows) He isn't Phoebe's. He's mine.

Piper: Cole...

Cole: (loses it) I'm the one who saved him!

Piper: He's a little boy, and he needs his mother—

Cole: Oh yeah? Well, what did his mother do after the Seer stole him? Nothing! Where was his mother when her son's helpless little soul was trapped in limbo?

Piper: We didn't know that there was a soul to save! The Seer said—

Cole: The Seer said a lot of things, Piper, and everything she said was carefully calculated trickery she used to gain more power! No. I saved my son. His mother abandoned him; she has no rights, no rights...(he starts pacing, agitated)

Piper: (quietly) You do realize that you just admitted that Phoebe is Warren's mother?

Cole: (turns to her, eyes blazing) Not a word Piper. She is not to know.

Piper: Even if I don't tell her—

Cole: Because you won't.

Piper: She'll figure it out sooner or later—

Cole: I'll take him away. Far away—

Piper: And when she does neither hell nor high water or even you will be able to stop her from claiming him.

Cole: I...I...(yells) Damn it! (he fires a series of energy and fire balls into a nearby couch, turning it to a pile of ash. He stops, strides to the window and grips the ledge and speaks, voice shaking) This wasn't supposed to happen. Without Phoebe, Warren wouldn't exist. I realize that. So I paid my dues. Our son carries her family name. But that's it. Other than that, he's all mine.

Piper: (gently) I'm a parent too, Cole, and believe me, I understand what it feels like to have someone take away your child. (she stands next to him) But I'm not going to lose my nephew again. (Cole starts to speak) Just listen. You and Warren will stay with us tonight. Our kids love him, and he was having a great time until you and Phoebe...reunited. We refurbished the basement a couple of years ago, turned it into a playroom for the kids. They'll play down there, and while they do you and I will team up and convince Phoebe and everyone else that you're a fit parent, not evil and that Warren is safe with you. (she places a comforting hand on his shoulder) We'll work something out, okay?

Cole: (suspiciously) Why?

Piper: I don't know...extreme guilt over letting a situation like this even exist, worrying about how screwed up this could potentially make my nephew...(Cole glares at her, she ignores him) Maybe it's just shock...(gives herself a small shake) but whatever it is, it's not going to last much longer; so cooperate or risk me loosing patience. Because even if I can't vanquish you on my own, I can still make it hurt.

Cole: (after a moment) Fine. I'll go along with this on one condition: you will not tell anyone, and I mean anyone, the identity of Warren's...biological mother.

Piper: Cole, she's—

Cole: Promise, or no deal. Because I can be just as big a pain in the ass as you when I'm pissed.

Piper: (sighs) Fine. I'll even call him Philip.

Cole: Good. (he holds out his hand; they shake awkwardly) Okay. War's room is that way (he points behind Piper) Be sure to grab the bright orange stuffed dragon. He can't sleep without it.

(With that he turns and goes to his own room. Piper watches him, a bemused, reluctant smile creeping across her face.)

Hope you liked it! Thanks for reading and please R&R:-)