Piper's POV
"Umm Daddy?" I licked my lips as I gripped the steeling wheel a little tighter than I had before.
"Yes darling?" Dad turned sideways so he could look at the side of my face.
"Ummm nothing …" I tailed off as I changed my mind about asking daddy my question.
"Dimples …." Daddy said in a knowing voice.
I sighed deeply and I turned to face him as a long train was passing in front of my car. "It's just before Sam went back into the shack he looked at me …. With what I must admit was love in his eyes." I shook my head. "Is he truly an ok guy daddy?"
"Yes he is." Daddy sighed deeply as he blew gently out of his nose. He seemed to be weighing his words before he opened his mouth to speak again. "I can't tell you what it is all about; it's my place or my truth to tell, Piper, you have to wait for Sam to tell you it himself."
"It involves mom doesn't it?" I asked in a knowing voice as I turned back in my seat as the last train car finally made its pass; I put my foot on the gas once more as soon as the train rail lifted.
Dad didn't answer. So I had my answer.
Darryl's POV
I opened the door to "Wolf Gang Puck" and allowed my new partner to pass ahead of me. I sighed through my nose as I followed the much younger man inside and allowed the door to close behind me. I looked around for a free table when my face lit up at the site of Paige Bennett sitting with a young man. "I want you to meet someone." I said to my partner.
"Sure. I'll follow you." He said moving to the side and allowed me to pass before him. I walked over to the table and said "Hello there Paige."
Paige looked up at me and smiled. She stood to her feet and moved from underneath the table and quickly gave me a hug and a peck on my right check. "Hello Darryl, I haven't seen you for a while." She moved back and sat down in her seat.
"I have been busy; and thankfully I haven't needed to send any children or homeless people your way." I said. I turned to see who the young man was. "Hello Glenn; I didn't know you were back in town."
"I got in late last night, Paige is the first friend that I have made contact with." Glenn grinned up at me. "It's great to see you again, Darryl." He held out my hand and when I reached over we shook hands firmly.
"Paige and Glenn I would like you to meet my new partner, Henry Mitchell. Henry these two are two are of my favorite people in the world, Paige Bennett and Glenn Ballard." I said looking at my right side at Henry. I saw that Henry only had eyes for Paige.
"Hello Paige, my name is Henry." Henry said holding out his hand for Paige to take.
"Hello Henry." Paige smiled and shook hands with Henry. I noticed that they held hands for longer than necessary. I hid a grin as I saw that young Mitchell had fallen head over heels. Well he couldn't have found a better woman to love; Paige Bennett was a total prize.
Victor's POV
I sighed deeply as Piper pulled into the manor's driveway; after our little talk next to the train tracks we had been silent. I turned to Piper to talk with her once more to find her with her hands on the steering wheel and her eyes looking out of the car window with a very deep confused look on her face. I leaned over and turned the key to cut the engine; I had a feeling that her battery would have died out otherwise; I knew this look of Piper's and I knew that Piper wouldn't speak of it again; not until she had it figured out in her head.
"Time to get inside so we can help your sisters gather information on the water demon." I nodded towards the manor.
"You are right." Piper finally said as she pulled the key from the engine and unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car. I followed suit and I walked side by side silently next to my second born daughter up the walk towards the front steps where we were met by a pretty pissed off Prue.
Henry's POV
Wow she's beautiful, and not just on the outside but on the inside too. Yeah she's a total knockout outwardly appearances but her looks will go in about forty years or so; but her spirit will be beautiful for all time. I must get to know this woman better. "So Paige …." I smiled down my sexiest of all smiles.
Paige smiled back up into my face as a …. Friend. Ok that's not good. I'm totally in love with this woman all ready; she's my soul mate; my princess and all she feels for me is friendship. I need to amend that and quickly. I wiped the sexy smile off my face and put on a friendlier smile; I saw Paige respond to that a little better, little is the key word here; but at least the friendly smile on her lips got matched with her eyes. Ok I know how to handle the situation now.
Prue's POV
"This is a witch matter now Victor, out," I commanded, pointing my finger towards the front door.
"Prue," Piper said aghast.
"Piper," I said in a stern voice, then turning back to Victor's face. "Get out Victor," I said, once again.
"I promised I wouldn't leave you girls again, and I won't," Victor said in a calm voice, closing the front door behind him.
"I don't mean out of our lives," I spat, "even though you'd probably love that wouldn't you?" I growled. "But in the mean time Victor, go home. You'll only slow us down,"
Victor's POV
"I'm not going anywhere, Prue." I held up my right hand for her to silence. "No matter how many times you use your powers on me; I won't leave you. I have successfully protected Paige trough out her childhood; so I'm ready to protect and help you girls in this and all magical fights."
Prue's POV
"Maybe Paige needed you, but we are old enough to understand and defend ourselves," I shot back at Victor. "You shouldn't even have been at the lake Victor...especially since you left again,"
"Prue when are you going to stop throwing that in my face?" Victor asked in a weak voice.
"When you get out of the manor, maybe I will," I said sarcastically.
"Dad...Prue," Phoebe started, making her voice louder to stop any more words from being exchanged, "Prue...calm down," I rolled my eyes, but I don't have any bone to pick with my sisters, and I didn't want to deal with some stupid lecture from him, trying to act like a father. I nodded, and headed upstairs, "Prue where are you going?"
"To check the Book of Shadows duh," I said, not turning around. "Since that self centered old man refused to tell us how to vanquish the demon, it is time to see if the Book has anything else to say," Phoebe sighed in relief, and she headed upstairs, and Piper reluctantly pulled away from Victor to follow Phoebe. Just as I was about to mirror their movements, Victor put a hand on my shoulder.
"Why do you resent me going to the lake with you?" he asked me.
"Maybe because I am not lying and I did see Mom, right as the coroner's zipped up the bag," I growled, shrugging his hand off of his shoulder, "then you left, and me and Grams were there for Piper and Phoebe when you weren't," I shot back at him, ripping his hand off my shoulder, and I stalked upstairs.
Victor's POV
My face paled at Prue's words. She saw her mother's body; why didn't Penny ever tell me this? I frowned as I wiped my face with my shaking hands; Penny didn't know was the obvious reason. I breathed in a deep and shaky breath. "I'm sorry Patty, I never realized." I whispered as I looked up the stairs that led to the attic. I wanted to go up there and be there for my daughters; but I had a feeling that I wasn't wanted at the moment.
I sighed and turned to walk into the living room pulling out my cell phone as I was doing it. I flipped it opened. I dialed a familiar number and waited for the person to answer. "Darryl its Victor, can you get to the manor now?" I asked.
"I'm actually on duty with my new partner Victor." Darryl said softly into his phone. "Can this wait?"
"I'm sorry but no." I looked over at my shoulders to make sure that my daughters weren't listening in. That's all I needed was for one of them to come down the stairs and realize that I was on the phone with Darryl Morris. They had yet to learn that I had known Darryl for a number of years. Or that Darryl was well versed in magic himself.
"Is it what we were talking about earlier?" Darryl asked.
"In a way." I hedged. I sighed through my nose. "Who's your new partner by the way?"
"His name is Henry Mitchell; he's actually Paige's age." Darryl softly said. "We are actually at 'Wolf Gang Pucks' where Paige and Glenn are having lunch."
"Is he the one?" I asked.
"Yes." Darryl said in a sure voice.
"Than tell him everything on your way than, Darryl. And Darryl. Thanks." I said before I hung up my cell phone because I heard footsteps behind me.
Paige's POV
"So Henry …." I said smiling up into Darryl's new partner's face. I saw that he was about my age; if not totally my age. He was cute and dateable. I quickly looked down and noticed that there was no ring on his ring finger or even a tan line. So he was totally available. Well perhaps he's in a serious real ship.
Before Henry could speak Darryl's phone rang and I heard him say daddy's name. I noticed that Darryl's voice soften as the conversion was going on. I turned my face fully on Henry's and saw with relief that Henry didn't act like he even noticed that Darryl's was hedging away from him and looking side ways at him. I decided that I had to keep Henry as far from Darryl as possible; because Darryl might be talking magic with daddy.
Before Henry could find his tongue again Darryl rejoined us and put his hand on Henry's shoulder. "Sorry Henry, but we don't have time for lunch after all. We have a call that needs to be taken care of." He nodded meaningfully towards me and I nodded.
I held my hand out for Henry to take. "It was nice to meet you Henry. We need to get to know one another when time prevents."
"Any time is fine with me." Henry softly said staring straight into my eyes. "It was a real pleasure on meeting you Paige Bennett. I look forward to our next meeting."
Henry's POV
Paige released my hand and pulled her hand back down to her lap. I was sadden when I felt the loss of her hand. "Well it was nice meeting you also, Henry ol' boy." I suddenly felt a strong hand in mine and I turned and looked into the smiling eyes of …. the lucky man who was sharing lunch with the most beautiful goddess known to man kind. I felt jealous and raw hatred for this man.
"The name is Glenn Ballard; by the way, I'm Paige's best friend. More like a brother than anything else." Glenn was saying as he kept my hand in his and firmly shook it.
I looked into his eyes and read the truth in them and I relaxed my grip on his hand. "It was nice to meet you Glenn; I hope to see you around often." I smiled at him genuine since the first time I shook hands with him.
"You can count on it." Glenn grinned as he took his hand out of mine and placed it on the table next to his other hand.
"Time to go, Henry." Darryl slapped my shoulder. "Duty calls." He turned and smiled at Glenn. "Glenn." He turned and smiled softly down at Paige. "I'm sorry to cut this so short Paige."
"It's quite all right, Darryl, I completely understand." Paige said reaching up with her right hand and placing it on Darryl's arm right above his elbow. "I'll be seeing you and Shelia later on than."
"Of course." Darryl said with a nod before he turned and started to walk towards the entrance, I sighed as I nodded one more time to Glenn and turned and stared once more at Paige before I turned my back on her and followed my partner out "Wolf Gang Pucks". I Henry Mitchell had officially just met my soul mate.
Phoebe's POV
"Hey...I thought you were going to leave," I said in a surprised voice, glad to see him here still. Whatever Prue had said to him, I had thought it would have finally drove him away.
"Oh...no, I just got a phone call," he said.
"Ah..." I wonder who it was that called him, but I do not know if it would seem too weird if I would have pressed on. "So...you aren't leaving are you?" I asked, just making sure that he wasn't in fact still going to leave now that he was off the phone.
"Of course not," he said, giving me a smile. I returned it, and let out a sigh of relief.
"Good," I said with a nervous chuckle. We headed upstairs, and saw Prue and Piper engrossed in the Book of Shadows.
Piper's POV
I looked up and saw in surprise daddy walking into the attic beside Phoebe. "I thought you left." I said in a worried voice.
"Never darling." Daddy said. "Never again that is. I'm here to stay. So how is going?" He asked walking over to Prue and I.
"No luck so far," I blew the air out of my eyes. "I'm about to give up."
"Perhaps Darryl might have some ideas." Daddy said titling his head.
"Why would Darryl Morris have any leads on the supernatural?" Prue growled looking up in anger.
"All the men and women whom have drowned must have records at the police station; you know what they did in their lives, whom the surviving families are. Perhaps the water demon is targeting certain people for some reasons." Daddy shrugged his shoulders. "It's worth checking out at least."
Darryl's POV
I opened the drives side to the police cruiser that the department had assigned us and I waited for Henry to come out of the restaurant. I sighed deeply thinking that Victor may not be ready for Paige to fall in love and get married. I knew he wasn't ready for his biological daughters to fall in love and get married. And Paige was only his adopted daughter at that.
Henry walked out to the parking lot and opened passenger side with a huge smile on his lips and he got in. I followed suit and buckled my seat belt. "Darryl why didn't you tell me that you had a friend like Paige Bennett hidden away?" He said as he put his right arm to rest on his door just above the crack of the window.
I started the engine not answering Henry's question. "Henry we need to talk. Before we get to the Halliwell Manor … there's things that you need to know before you meet the Halliwell sisters." I said in a serious voice as I turned out of the parking lot.
"What's the MOA on the Halliwell sisters, Darryl?" Henry asked in his serious voice as he turned his full attention on me.
I sighed as I drove a little ways and I turned into the Wal-Mart parking lot. I parked the car and shut off the engine. I turned sideways and I faced my new partner. "Well there's no easy way of saying this so I'm just going to come out and say it. The Halliwell sisters are witches."
Henry just looked at me before he started to laugh loudly. "Good one, Darryl. Nice joke on the new guy."
"I'm telling the truth, Henry. They are bona fired witches." I sighed. "So is Paige. Well she's half witch and half white lighter." I said noticing Henry's laughing wide eyes slowly turn serious once more.
Henry's POV
"Paige is a witch?" I softly said shaking my head as I still tried to believe that Darryl was pulling a huge practical joke on me, seeing how I'm the new guy and all. But the more Darryl talked the more the truth hit me. I just stared at him with wide eyes as I realized that the woman after my own heart was a well witch. With powerful powers inside her. I couldn't believe it. I refuse to believe it; but my heart broke never less as it accepted the truth.
"Yes Paige is a witch. Well she's actually a witchlighter. Which is a witch and a whitelighter." Darryl shook his head. "I'll let Paige explain that to you herself when she is up to telling you her story. She's the awww …. The adopted daughter of Victor Bennett who is the father of the Halliwell sisters. The sisters know that Paige is a witch but they know that her powers are inactive at this time; they don't know that she's a whitelighter; and Paige doesn't want them to know right now."
"Why?" I finally found my voice.
"It's complicated and it's not my truth to tell." Darryl said. "I had known about Paige since Victor adopted her when she was two and half years old; I had also known about the Halliwell sisters since that time; although they themselves don't know that I had known the truth about them or that I am friends with Victor and Paige." He saw the questions in my eyes. "Like I said it's complicated."
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.
"Because I need your help with helping the Halliwell sisters and protecting Paige." Darryl said. "I was partnered with Andy before he died during a demon attack…"
"So that's how Andy died." I said with a deep frown on my face.
Darryl nodded. "It was Andy's time to go. But Victor and I both agree that it would be best if I had a partner who knew the truth about the Halliwell sisters and Paige by my side; because I need help covering up the cases that the Halliwell sisters are involved in at the station."
"Because of the magic." I nodded in understanding. "How do you know that I won't tell anyone about this?"
"Because I know you soul, Henry. When I first saw your record and I had been keeping close tabs on you." Darryl said. "Sides the Elders told me that you were the one."
"The Elders?" I asked in confusion.
Before Darryl could speak his phone rang.
Prue's POV
I narrowed my eyes at Victor, and he gave me a what look. "Fine...I'll go call Darryl," if anything to get away from Victor. I walked downstairs, and grabbed the house phone. I sighed, wondering what I was going to say to him.
"Morris," he answered the phone.
"Um...hey Darryl," I said.
"Hey Prue," surprise entering his voice. I hadn't talked to him in a while, not since I last talked to him about Andy, and he was telling me that it wasn't my fault.
"Do you think you could come over real quick?" I asked.
"Sure...something wrong?" Darryl asked.
"No...just need to talk to you about something," I said.
"Sure...I'm on my way," he said.
Darryl's POV
"So how are your acting skills?" I asked after I shut off my phone and looking at Henry.
"I'm ready too act like I don't know anything." Henry said with a firm nod of his head. "Sides I would like to meet Paige's family." A soft smile returned to his face.
I turned to the steeling wheel and turned the key and the engine roared to life once more. "Ok let's go than." I drove out of the parking lot and drove in silence to the Halliwell Manor. I parked behind Prue's black jeep and shut off the engine, "Please Henry don't let on; not even by a look that you know the truth."
"I give you my word." Henry nodded tightly as he opened his door and got out of the car; he waited for me to get out of my side and walked beside me up to the front door of the manor.
I lifted my hand and before knocking I softly said, "Here goes nothing, or should I say here's go everything." I knocked and waited for the front door to open.
Prue's POV
Hearing someone knock on the door, I went to it. I opened it up and, "Hey Darryl..." I stopped when I saw that he had someone with him. This guy was young...too young to be a police officer. He looks like he is Paige's age, and this is who they chose to replace Andy? But, I have to be polite, "So you must be Andy's new partner," I said softly, offering my hand for him to shake.
"Henry Mitchell," he said, and gently shook my hand.
"Come on in," I said, opening the door wider to let them in.
"Is me being here...going to..." Henry started to ask, but I waved him off. It wasn't his fault that Andy died.
"No...really its fine," I said, leading them over to the couches. Just as I was about to explain to Darryl why I called him, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Please tell me it wasn't Victor...I really don't need that right now.
Victor's POV
I walked down the stairs and walked into the family room, I saw Darryl and a young man stand to their feet and turn to face me. "Hello Darryl, it's good to see you again." I held out my hand for Darryl to take.
"Nice to see you too Victor, how's business?" He asked shaking my hand firmly and looking straight into my eyes.
"Business is going good, I'm still trying to put a deal together." I said. But than the young man standing silently next to Darryl drew my attention. After I let go of Darryl's hand I turned and smiled and held out my hand for the young man to take. "Names Victor Bennett." I said with a smile as the young man took my hand and shook it firmly.
"Henry Mitchell." The young man said looking me in the eyes. I could tell that Darryl had all ready filled him in on the truth about my girls; and too kept the fact that he knew the truth about witch craft too keep it form my daughters.
"Pleased to meet you Henry." I said with a smile and after one more shake of the hand I let his hand go. I crossed my arms across my chest. "So has Prue had a chance to fill you in Darryl?"
"Not yet." Darryl said with a shake of his head. "She was about to when you came downstairs."
"Let's sit shall we?" Prue nodded to the couch where Darryl and Henry sat back down; I walked over and sat in the over stuffed chair next Henry's spot on the couch.
Henry turned and smiled at me. "Bennett, you by any chance aren't the father of a Paige Bennett are you?"
"Yes, matter of fact I'm Paige's adopted father." I said with a nod. I lifted an eyebrow. "How do you know Paige?"
"We ran into her and Glenn Ballard at "Wolf Gang Puck" before Darryl got a call from Prue to come here." Henry said.
"I see." I said lifting my hand to tap my finger on my chin. Henry turned back around as Prue opened her mouth to explain what she needed Darryl to do. I don't know how I feel about Henry Mitchell's interest in Paige was. As a father I wanted the best for my daughter, and I have a feeling that Henry Mitchell is the best for Paige, but I will have to keep a sharp eye on Henry to make absolute sure of the fact before I would encourage Paige to fall in love with the young man. But I knew that Paige wouldn't easily fall in love with Henry or any other mortal man for that matter; no because she was ½ witch and ½ white lighter; and the fact that demons, warlocks and dark lighters are always after her to kill her.
END CHAPTER EIGHT