Faded Fragments
part 1
Cole Turner made his way up the basement stairs, curving around a slight bend, as he entered the quiet kitchen, grabbing the morning paper on his way in. Phoebe trailed a safe distance behind him, as she reached for a hooded sweatshirt draped carelessly over a chair, unzipping it to throw across her tired, cold shoulders. Alex already sat entirely occupied at the table, a bowl of cereal positioned directly in front of her, as she scooped a handful of it into her mouth rather casually, her eyes glued to a small little booklet she'd received at school, a group of men staring back at her with rather solemn faces in print. She eagerly looked up then, a slow smile spreading over her features. "Was the training good?"
Cole stopped a moment, offering an amused smile in his daughter's direction, as he proceeded to the coffee pot. "It went wonderful, sweetie. I don't blame all of those demons for not wanting to mess with your mom now."
His wife playfully hit him across the chest, as she quietly grabbed a bagel from the counter, reaching for a napkin to her left. "Practice makes perfect."
He slyly raised a eyebrow. "And you're already as perfect as perfect can be to me, dear."
"Hey, you got an extra cup in there?!" Andy Trudeau helped himself down the stairwell, his steps increasing with rapid strength as he finally entered the room, stopping briefly to adjust his tie in front of him, as he calmly secured his weapon at his belt loop. "Been running a little late this morning."
"No problem," Cole offered, pouring him a bit, as he lightly took a sip of his own. "Rough night on the job?"
"Yeah. String of robberies about twenty minutes from the station. Morris thinks it's the same guy, but I still think he's got a buddy of his working with him. There's no way one man could've pulled all of those off. Even criminals have to work themselves into exhaustion sometime."
"Want me to toss a few energy balls their way?" he suggested randomly, laughing softly, as he reached for the spatula, scooping a handful of warm eggs onto a plate. "I always find that tends to work really well on the scum of the earth."
"Unfortunately, these guys stop at nothing until they're old and gray," Andy commented, shrugging. "Think we just might get a break in the case tonight, if we're lucky."
"Uncle Andy, do you have to shoot a lot of people while you're on duty?" Alex brought forth curiously, her attention completely focused.
"Alex, I...really don't think this is the best time for that discussion," he told her honestly, forcing a small smile.
"Okay, so how did she do it?" Phoebe asked.
"Do?" Andy returned, clearly baffled.
"Get you the job back?" she pressed. "How did she manage to work that in there, when practically every cop on the force attended your funeral?"
"Magic?" he quipped, shrugging. "All I know, is that Morris is currently the only one over there that seems to acknowledge the fact that I was ever gone. Weird, huh?"
She nodded. "Hmph. I'll say. Speaking of which....is Prue still home?" she inquired briefly, grabbing for the orange juice, as she carefully opened the cupboard and searched for a glass.
"No. No, I think she had that interview scheduled for today. Something about photography."
"You don't think she'll try and get her old job back, do you?"
Cole turned around. "Yeah, I guess that would be kind of hard when you've been dead for a few years, wouldn't it? Too bad for her."
"Wait. She was a....photographer before?" Andy cut in, obviously puzzled again. "Did Buckland's fall through?"
"That's a really long story I'd rather not get into," Phoebe sided, nodding, as she lifted herself up onto the countertop with little to no effort, sticking the bagel into her mouth.
"That, and she's developed a really bad temper since you've been gone," Cole observed, raising his eyebrows.
"Hey," she advised him, holding up a finger. "You would be wise to be quiet about that, should she walk in here at any minute."
"Daddy, these guys at a firm like yours are coming to speak with my class," Alex spoke up, glancing at him with hopeful eyes.
"I'm sorry, Ally?"
"But it's okay, because I already told my teacher that you're the best. Your firm, Cartman, Jackson, and Klein is very well known, aren't they?"
"Mmm...close enough," he added, chuckling slightly at her mispronunciation. "But yes. That's right. We're one of the most elite here in San Francisco."
"That's what I told her," she assured him. "I said you always get your job done, and you haven't gotten fired yet."
"How comforting," he quipped, his gorgeous visage filled with a faint bout of amusement.
"Are you talking about the guys from Kellerman and Rickman?" Andy questioned, his blue eyes falling to her booklet. "Because...I think that just may be the picture of them right there."
"It is," she volunteered. "They keep saying that they know a lot about what people want."
"Typical," Cole murmured, a faint trace of impatience in his voice. "And just for the record, I never heard of them, nor would I like to. No offense, sweetheart."
She laughed. "None taken."
"Still, it's a pretty strong coincidence they're choosing her class over any of the others," Andy said softly. "As a matter of fact....I really would love to stay and chat about it some more, but I think I'd better leave if I don't want a lecture. Morris says I'm springing for donuts today. Lucky me."
"Have a good day," Phoebe offered, smiling.
"Believe me, I'll try!" he called back, as she heard the door shut swiftly behind him, abruptly turning to her husband.
"So. Do you actually plan on leaving the house at some point, too?"
"And what's that supposed to mean?" he breathed, as he moved closer to her, strong hands gathering themselves loosely around her waist, as her feet continued to daggle below her, a hand finding his chest. Faintly, she traced a rough outline around his face, her fingers halting at the stubble. "Not that I'd object, if you...decided to stay home and spend the entire day with me, of course. In fact, I'd be quite touched."
"I don't shop," he whispered. "But I do like to kiss."
She giggled. "What's gotten into you?"
"Excuse me?"
"I mean, you've just been so happy lately. I rarely ever get to see you that way since work's gotten heavy. You seem...relaxed."
"I think you forgot to include that my sanity is often a little off base because I live with too many women," he muttered, his smile brightening, as she impulsively brought him close for a soft kiss. "I still stand for my hut idea."
"Yes, well this woman loves you a thousand times over, and believe me...it'll be the end of the world before she stops."
"Is that to be taken literally? Because, you know....we're actually specializing in that line of work part time around here, if you haven't noticed."
"You can't deny that Prue has also helped us vanquish some pretty bad demons since she's been back."
"Funny, that slipped your mind downstairs, did it?"
"Well, when you have such a wonderful distraction there...."
"Morning, Turner. Morning, Mrs. Turner. Beautiful outside, isn't it?"
Cole gently shut his eyes, the moment lost on him, as he dropped his hands into fists around Phoebe upon the counter, his body tensing, as he fought with everything he had not to look behind him. That voice....he knew it. He knew it, and he still didn't trust it worth a damn. Slowly, with careful precision, he parted his lips, bringing himself into an upright position, as he reluctantly pulled away from Phoebe, a deep anger starting to build behind those blue eyes. "Merrick, so help me. When I turn around, you better be gone."
"See, that's the difference between you and me, Turner. You're more than likely to overreact to nothing, while I maintain a level-headedness that's rare these days."
Cole allowed himself to face his opponent, his eyes widening when he saw that the other man's attire only consisted of little more than a beige bathrobe, his feet merely covered in a pair of loose socks. His hair was a tad bit damp, as it hung in random tatters around his head, a small towel slung across his shoulders. "Unless I happen to give you a personalized invitation, I think I reserve the right to kick your ass out of my house on my terms."
"Yeah, but it's certainly not what Paige wants, and I know it's not what I want."
"Yes, but Paige isn't here right now, so that makes me- you know, what am I talking about? Out. Just get out- and take your robe with you. As of now you're trespassing, and if the only cop that lives here didn't leave just now, I'd have you arrested."
"I didn't think spending the night with someone was a crime these days," he muttered, as his eyes narrowed briefly.
"And I didn't think trying to get friendly with a Charmed One was either. But these days? Anything goes, right?"
"Look, just because I was all bad news before, doesn't mean that what I said wasn't-"
"Yeah, and you've given me absolutely no proof of that."
"So what's irritating you more? That Paige has some feelings for me, or that you're left hanging with the next evil of all evil that strolls into town, demanding your heart?"
"Actually, a little bit of both," he managed coolly.
"Cole, just let him go," Phoebe whispered. "He hasn't done anything."
"Yet," Cole whispered back. "He hasn't done anything yet."
"Mr. Merrick, do you live here now too?" Alex threw in, her face a pile of confusion, as she gently tucked the booklet into her backpack, sighing tiredly, as she slipped it over her small frame.
"Paige asked me to spend the night," he replied simply.
"Oh," she mused. "Well, that's nice. Daddy, I'm ready to go to school now."
"Your Aunt Piper should be here any second now," he assured her.
"Well, I...see....I kind of wanted to go and visit Miss Franklin's grave first," she whispered, her smile dropping, as she stared at him with a pair of innocent eyes, her fingers nervously playing with the straps, as she carefully rocked back upon her heel.
"Ally-"
"I like talking to her. I know she isn't there, but it still means something right?"
"Yes," he offered calmly. "It does. But with all due respect, I don't think now would be the-"
"I can take her," Phoebe concluded.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, it's fine. I'll just call Piper and tell her to take Melinda straight to school, instead of stopping off. Not a big deal."
"Great. Then we can do lunch afterwards," he submitted, as he finished up the rest of his coffee, his arms finding their way across his chest, as his gaze shifted to Nick once again, his mouth set in a tight line.
"You know, lunch isn't such a great idea, when you've got such manipulative lawyers so close to home," he noted casually.
"And I don't think that's any of your concern."
"Kellerman and Rickman are looking to make a comeback," he continued. "Should they succeed, you'll be up to your neck in lost customers."
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, I know we discussed it before at the party, and I could have sworn you'd understood, but what can I say? You're a tough guy to convince the world's in peril. I mean, I thought you'd want to take this seriously. They mean business."
"And so do I. Only my kind of business involves you getting out of my house and staying away from my sister in law."
"So you're back to threatening me again, is that it?" He shrugged. "Cheap shot, Turner. You don't have what it takes."
"First, I'm going to kick you out- then we're going to meet up later....preferably at a place that isn't my house, and then you're going to tell me every little thing you know about these guys, starting with your employment record. Do I make myself clear, or do I need a lightning bolt to prove it?"
"And as a former employee, I have lots to tell."
"Oh, but why not just save it for a rainy day? I mean, it's already been been weeks since Celia's death and you haven't told me jack."
"That's because you're not- look, you don't know these guys. And far be it for you to actually think something good of me, I can't let you go into the battle without the armor."
"Battle?" Phoebe questioned, her curiousity suddenly peaked. "Who's going into battle?"
"Do you people listen to nothing I tell you?"
"Okay, where is Prue when you really need her?" he mumbled, throwing his hands up. "We might have to get our furniture fixed again, but he's an easy target."
"Daddy, I thought it was over," Alex told him, her gaze travelling to him rather worriedly, as her hands dropped from the straps, her brow creased with a fretful slouch.
"Well, apparently it is," a voice mouthed at the top of the stairs. "Seeing as I can't even date who I want to now."
"I thought it was about a battle," she whispered.
"Have you lost your mind?" he countered, his eyes going to The Charmed One at the stairs without hesitation.
"What's to lose when I'm already halfway there?" Paige taunted.
"I thought we already agreed that you wouldn't be-"
"Cole's he's harmless. If he wanted us dead, he would have done it by now."
"Well, that's a wonderful feeling, isn't it? Thinking I could have actually been lying there, bleeding so much sooner."
"Look, if I thought he wasn't who he said he was in any way, believe me I would have told you about it. Even Nick knows that."
"She hasn't left anything out," Nick sided. "We've already been over it all already."
"The point is, he could still be working for them, and we wouldn't even know where to begin to start."
"It's not like I was even working for them in an official capacity in the first place," he objected. "They used me for magic. I won't be used again. I figured you above anybody would know what that's like."
Cole grew quiet, a steady hand working its way over his stubble, as he studied him a moment, a short sigh escaping him, as he shut his blues, tilting back his head. "Merrick, back in Egypt, you wanted me dead. You tried to kill me. I can't just call a truce and say it's forgotten. It's just not in my nature."
"Yeah, and given that information, it would have been impossible for me to do so."
"And believe me, he's going to try to do everything he can this time," Paige urged. "Trust me, he's on our side."
"Which is what usually happens once you go to bed with someone who-" He stopped, when he felt Phoebe's gaze fall upon him in a slightly annoyed state, immediately regretting it, as he painfully winced, his face reflecting the hurt. "Look, this has nothing to do with your past, and I'd advise you to take that into consideration."
"Paige is right," she said, ignoring him. "We need as many of the good guys as we can round up. And if that means that Nick is willing to help, I say so be it."
"Daddy what should I do about Rickman and Kellerman at school today?"
He smiled, in spite of the situation, kneeling down to her level, his heart catching when he realized he nearly forgot about her being there, her green eyes touching his with a soft intensity. He carefully gave her hand a short squeeze, his other tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Ally, they're not going to try anything- I.....look, it's me they're going to be looking for, okay? This has nothing to do with you. I don't want your thinking otherwise. They're not after you."
"Does that mean I'm safe?"
"They've probably already considered that scenario," Nick told him. "These guys aren't stupid. You can pretend it all you want, but they've always gotten what's coming to them."
"Yeah, well they can't have me," he said sternly, his handsome face masked in complete seriousness.
"You're feeling some doubt," he noted. "You won't say it, but I can sense it. You still fear the unexpected."
"And it's the holidays," Phoebe cut in. "You would think that even these big, high-level demon guys could just enjoy it instead of getting their kicks by some childish revenge tactics."
"Well, it's far from childish to them," Nick countered. "And if what I suspect is true, it'll be the best Christmas present they ever gave themselves- all wrapped up in a big shiny bow."
"Great," Paige mumbled, rolling her eyes. "The first guy I get involved with in a long time just happens to be associated with one of the most demonic firms of all time."
He shook his head. "Not all of them are demonic. Some of them are very human."
"And with that said, I'd still very much like you to get your butt out of my house right now."
"Turner, look-"
"I'm not really in the mood to talk about this anymore, and I've actually been enjoying the days I've been able to spend with my family. Unless they make a move first, we're not lending ourselves as bait."
"And if they can't get to you, they'll find a way to get through you," he commented briefly.
"What?"
"To the heart," he managed. "It's common practice for them to aim for the heart. It's the place where you keep all those feelings bottled up inside you, and the only thing they want is to break them all down. Each and every one of them. Until there's nothing left."
"So I'm suddenly Mr. Most Wanted, hmm? Boy, don't I feel extra special today."
"They know you've got skills, and I'll bet that position still remains open yet over there. They wouldn't dare offer it to someone who bears a slight descrepancy."
"Which means I'd have to be loyal at all costs."
"When they're a positive threat, you'll know."
"The Source's right hand man is hard to fill then, isn't it?" Phoebe offered lightly, widening her eyes. "Gee, I never would've thought."
"Anything else you care to add, or do you want to be a good empath and find your way out of my house?" Cole continued. "And just so we do have that understanding? You're not invited to Christmas dinner, either."
"Oh, yeah....and um...I'll need Leo's robe back," Paige spoke up, her nose scrunching, as she became a tad bit embarassed, shrugging absentmindedly, as she frantically ushered him back up the stairs.
"I guess you can take a great comfort in the fact that she thought too much of you to raid your closet," Phoebe added thoughtfully, a small smirk covering her pretty face.
"I don't like the guy."
"I know."
"And I don't want him to be leading Paige on if he's got other intentions."
"Oh, you mean like the time you tried that with me, and I just assumed it was a typical guy gesture on your part to break up with me after lunch?"
"Phoebe-"
"Never take a lunch date," she murmured, still smiling.
"I take it this is your way of listening to your own advice?"
"You know, there is....one way to find out if these guys are really after you or not," she murmured, her mind once again in deep thought.
"You said they came to you before, right? The same-"
"I don't know. It could have been anyone. They didn't want to kill me, and it seemed perfectly legit at first glance."
"And clearly they must have power if they're still standing, and the Source is dead."
"Not true," he whispered. "Look at what became of Celia, and she was their one and only lifeline."
"Yeah, and I think I have an idea."
"Why do I still get the feeling that's a very bad statement to make, even now?"