Faded Fragments
part 7
"Beautiful day outside, isn't it?"
Patrick Redmond remained silent, merely crossing his arms over his chest, as he bent slightly forward in his chair, his eyes glancing briefly at his opponent, who stood near the wide, office window, gleefully enjoying the view from up above, his face creased into a tight smile. "It's wonderful, Sir."
Seth Kellerman stuck his hands into the pockets of his dark pants, as he took a deep breath, thoughtfully letting it go, his hair fluttering for a moment upon the small breeze. "You don't sound too enthused, my friend."
"And it isn't about what I think," he uselessly mumbled, slightly gritting his teeth.
"You're just as deep as I am in this, so if you have something to say, I want to hear it."
"Mr. Kellerman, you can't even begin to comprehend the consequences. In fact, if I'm being entirely honest here, I'm starting to think it wasn't such a good idea."
"Oh, come now, Patrick, you're spoiling my moment to shine! How can something this exciting, something this extraordinary not be a good idea?"
"Would you like the long version or the short version?"
"Why the sudden change of heart?"
"You do realize that this includes us, just as much as it does them now."
"Well, of course it does. We have the pleasure of seeing them plummet right before our very eyes- to become nothing more than a speck of dirt on this earth, if not completely vanquished. Have you lost your humor in this?"
"Maybe I forgot to inform you of what could happen, should they prevail."
"And just how will they prevail, Patrick, when only one of them is conscious of what's going on around them?"
"No, see, you don't....understand, Sir. Had Miss Halliwell undoubtably had another future, she would also have shared her fate with another man. This being so, a sister who previously existed on this plane, but rather came into her life unexpectedly- would ultimately retain her memory to the fullest. He has help there, Mr. Kellerman."
"Oh, cut the crap, Patrick. That's impossible."
"I'm afraid it's not. We miscalculated, and we can't trust him."
Kellerman frowned. "By the time he catches on, his downfall is already carved in stone. So if you're letting his earlier display of hatred get to you, you're sadly mistaken."
"Am I?" He stood up, stretching his hands out in front of him, as he made his way over to the desk, a slight grin creeping up across his features, as he suddenly slammed a hard fist into the wood, his eyes blazing with seething anger. "Then why the hell are you still here? Why the hell are you still waiting around, Seth? Why don't you get off your ass and see for yourself, hmm? You see for yourself, and you come back and tell me I was wrong."
"I hope you're not threatening me, Patrick. Because harmless as it may seem, I've about had my fill of threats."
"And this is our world too now," he whispered. "We made it our own when we did what we did, and I don't think there's any way to stop this future from coming to pass-"
"Yes, and Tempus resets time, what of it?"
"If we let time go on as it is, The Charmed Ones will join forces again, regroup....and for all intents and purposes, we're doomed."
"Why don't you just relax and leave it all to me?"
He nearly laughed. "That's what I'm afraid of. I suspect you've already destroyed us."
"Need you forget, Patrick, that this was your idea? In fact, let it be said that I merely went along for the ride. Should Rickman question us upon our intentions, you'll be held entirely responsible for your actions, while I'll get off without so much as a scratch. I'm too highly respected here to take the plunge for your miscalculations, as you deem them. Are we clear?"
"No. We're not," he replied simply, the corners of his mouth finally relaxing into a wide smile. "But if it makes you feel any better, I'm not about to challenge you. I wouldn't dream of it, because it's honestly not the kind of man I am."
"Turner will fumble. He'll lose his ground. You just wait and see." He calmly cleared his throat. "It's much too early for him to screw up....but he will. He didn't exactly become The Source of all evil because he was smart, did he?"
"And The Charmed Ones still defeated him. I mean, who cares if he came back and married one of them, they're still the be all end all of our entire existence!"
"Is it Turner you want, or a Charmed One, Patrick?"
"We need to remove his powers," he offered, ignoring him. "Without his ability to use a little magic to help himself out of a bind, he'll have to go about everything like a normal human being, and win everything like a normal human being. Now, correct me if I'm way off here, but wouldn't that just drive him crazy? Wouldn't it really push him to the brink? Cole Turner never did enjoy comparing himself to the likes of a....potted plant, did he?"
"See, this is why we work together, Patrick. You may be a little arrogant and untolerable, but you certainly weave a good maze around those who are so very deserving of it."
"Well, can I say? It's ultimately my pleasure to bring chaos to those who are most deserving of it, sir."
"I need you on this. Understand? You're valuable to this entire operation."
Patrick stepped closer to him, eagerly clasping his hands together behind his back, as he tilted his head ever so slightly. "Just how valuable, Mr. Kellerman?"
"Valuable enough for me to keep you on. We have to let nature run its course, and if we do that, maybe some small imperfections aren't really so bad."
"No, they could only ruin everything we've built up after Celia's death."
"Mr. Kellerman? Your eleven o'clock has arrived." JoAnn beckoned to him abruptly on his machine, as she let out a long, narrow sigh, her voice clicking off, as she impatiently awaited a response that would let her get back to her work, her cublicle already piled sky high with new material.
"Prompt," Seth murmured. "Send him in."
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
"Of course not. Please, we're anxiously awaiting his entrance."
"Speaking of destroying what we've achieved thus far, I don't think bringing him into this is a good choice," Patrick mumbled, clearly affected.
"On the contrary, I'm afraid it's all too flattering on our behalfs."
"I beg your pardon, sir?"
"A connection."
"Yes, and by what means will he prove a connection to us?"
"For heaven's sake, Patrick, do you always strain your thinking this much?"
"I just can't comprehend why we aren't killing him right now."
"Well, what's that saying? You have to....keep your enemies closer? Is that it?"
He merely closed his eyes. "I still think he's a worthless cause. My opinion hasn't changed, nor will it ever."
"Mr. Merrick!" Seth exclaimed, immediately pushing his associate aside, as he made his way quickly to the office door. "Glad you could make it on so short notice!"
"Oh, please." Nick Merrick lazily reached into the pocket of his jeans, drawing out a pack of cigarettes, as he calmly chose one from the pack. Smiling sweetly, he proceeded to retrieve his lighter, eagerly setting it ablaze, as he carelessly drew in a puff of smoke. "So what is it this time? Because with all due respect, Kellerman, I know you're not gonna get down on those pesky hands and knees and beg me to come back here. Not after what I pulled."
"No, you'd be right there."
"Then what is it? Because truth be told, I haven't got all day. And if you think for one minute I'd even seriously consider any of the garbage that comes out of your mouth, I think you've also got another thing coming. I work for them now....but, on the other hand, I think you already know that."
"I do," Seth agreed quietly, slowly nodding.
"Then why am I here?"
"So many questions."
"Yeah, well, ever since I discovered both of you were scum, I've spent this better part of my life avoiding it."
"Fair enough."
"It's also fair to say that friends don't give their friends away."
"You would lower yourself to Turner's expectations?"
"Oh, it's not just Turner. I've got someone I care about now, and I'm not about to let her go at any cost you might be proposing."
"So you've gone just as weak as he has, is that it?"
"Alright, see, if you're planning on killing me here today, you might as well just do it and get it over with. Otherwise, you might fancy getting to the Goddamn point before I take my little token here, and gently rub it into your carpet with a pretty big stain."
"No need to get upset," Seth argued, forcing a brief smile, "is there?"
"Well, I don't know. You tell me."
"And I was going to do that," he countered. "But before I do, I also want to make sure I have your full attention."
Nick shrugged, laughing softly, holding out his arms at his sides, as he took a step forward. "You have it."
"Good. Then let's begin, shall we?"
**********
"Are you sure this is the place?" Paige Matthews asked rather tiredly, as she slumped her exhausted form against a two story house painted a pastel yellow in color, the trimmings perfectly executed on the front lawn, a pair of twin bushes baring the exact same identical shape to them. She frowned at the absurdity of it, and gently tapped a finger upon the siding.
"I'm just going by what the phone book told me."
"Yeah, and it doesn't bother you that they have her listed under Halliwell yet?"
He shrugged. "Maybe it was outdated."
"Way outdated, because this place is so not Phoebe's style. Moreover, how could she move this quickly without telling us? It makes no logical sense that I'm aware of. There has to be a big misunderstanding in this, and-"
"Paige, we came this far, didn't we?"
"And I know you're determined to find out what's what with her, but I still don't think this house is going to give us any answers- at least not any we've spent time searching for....I've never even seen it before."
"It's only a few blocks over from the manor," he argued.
"So maybe we should've definitely hit the manor first."
"And need I remind you that-"
"I get the fact that we should be careful, but I'd also love to find my sisters and figure this out, okay? We work better when it's the three of us."
"Four," he corrected.
"What?"
"You forgot to add the increasingly annoying Prue to your list."
"And you're still not too fond of her."
He smiled. "I don't hide it well, do I?"
"No, you really don't."
"And weren't you the one trying to calm me down and have patience back at that motel?"
She rolled her eyes. "So what's your point?"
"If we're going to find out what's going on, we can't just rush into it."
"Well, no, not if you suspect foul play."
"Come again?"
"Demons have the ability to mess up events, right? I mean, you could manipulate stuff when you were The-"
"Don't say it."
"Source," she finished happily, unable to surpress a satisfied grin.
"Yeah, and I haven't been The Source in well over five years. So I don't know how this has anything to do with what I was capable of."
"Maybe it doesn't. But like you said, something isn't right, and I-"
"So you're opting to agree with me, and had to insult me first?"
"I guess you could say that," she mused thoughtfully.
"You're really too good to be true, you know that? I'll bet Nick will consider willingly submitting himself to the asylum when you're done with him."
"Oh, here comes the Nick seeing Paige bashing fest again," she sided, taking a deep breath, as she threw him a mindless glare.
"If I were bashing I'd already have launched into full blown insults. But as you just reminded me, that's what you're here for."
"If you ask me, I'm here to keep you sane."
"Excuse me?"
"You have a tendancy to fly off the handle about way too little in terms of freaking out, and I'm only keeping your priorities in check."
"Which are?"
"Finding out why we woke up in an allyway in Washington, and somehow ended up in the rain in the middle of nowhere."
"Really, you don't say."
"And for starters, I'll bet you didn't know this window over here has a pretty clear shot into the house."
"If you'd just-"
"Ssshhh," she hissed then.
"What?"
"Quiet."
"Phoebe, we're gonna be late!"
"I know, I know, I'm coming!"
A man stopped right in front of them, causing Paige to suck in another breath, as the stranger remained with his back to them on the other side of the glass, his hands running through a dark mane of hair, while he held an exquisite looking jacket in the other, his composure strong and surprisingly sure of himself, his gaze directed toward the stairwell a short distance away. "You know how much this means to me."
"Yeah, I do, but I still don't think this thing does me any justice."
Cole's heart caught in his chest, as his wife walked down that same stairwell in a low cut black dress that reached her ankles, her long brown hair framing her slender frame, as part of it remained secure in a rather loose bun. A few of her fingers toyed endlessly with some loose strands, displaying a hand that was void of any rings, and revealed nothing to say she had ever committed herself to a marriage of any kind, much less a significant other. Yet that's what this man appeared to be. He slowly took her hand in his, as he placed a single kiss upon it, watching as she nervously withdrew it to herself, notably embarrassed by the sudden rush of attention he brought to her. "You look gorgeous," he whispered, as he brought her close, his lips trailing dangerously close to her ear.
"You really think so?"
"Now who's fooling who?" he teased, as he slung a casual black shawl across her shoulders, watching patiently as she picked up a matching black purse.
"You don't look so bad yourself," she whispered back.
"So we're set?"
"I think so. Think I....have everything."
"Great. I cannot wait to show you off to Parkinson. Trust me, he's going to adore you."
She giggled, a smile forming on her pretty face. "Please tell me you're not just using me to get that promotion tonight. Because if that's the case, mister, I am just going to walk-"
"I wouldn't dream of it." And with that, he calmly took her into his arms, and planted a rather passionate kiss upon her lips, cutting off all doubt, his hands settling easily around her petite waist, as he deeply sighed.
"Who is that?"
"Cole...."
"Who is that?"
"Cole, if you just try and-"
"Dammit, Paige, another man is in another house with my wife, and you just expect me to be okay with that?! He's touching her, and....dammit, he's laying his hands on my wife. She's in there, and she's acting like I don't even exist right now-"
"Oh, believe me, I saw that."
"So help me-"
"If I had to guess, I'd say this is probably his place," she reasoned. "Whoever he is."
"And there's only one thing about this whole scenario that doesn't play out."
"What's that?"
"She'd never cheat on me. I knew it since the day I first met her. She'd never even think about doing this, no matter the cost. What we have.....it's timeless. It's something she'd never risk losing. Ever."
"Yeah, and maybe the stakes just got really high."
"Listen to yourself."
"I am, but her intentions are proving otherwise," she remarked softly.
"It's a dream," he whispered, shutting his eyes. "It has to be."
"It's either that, or....welcome to your own personal hell."
"It's not Phoebe," he said again, but the tears had already started to come, a thin layer already cascading down his left cheek, as he brushed it away absentmindedly with the back of his hand. "We've been through a hell of a lot for her to give it all up now. And no matter what kind of an explanation you might have for it, I know you know that too. You have to."
Before she realized it, she was placing a hand hesitantly upon his shoulder, her face caving to an expression of pure concern, her own heart beginning to break for his. "Like I said, we're going to-"
"I think I've seen all I needed to see," he whispered, sinking down to the ground below, as life literally felt like it was draining right out of him, the sharp pain in his chest reaching an even greater depth, as he tried to fight against it. "You can't just erase something like that from your mind. You can't just pretend you never saw something like that."
She slumped down beside him, her gaze never leaving him. "And you can't quit now."
"Cant I?"
"No. And you won't be using violence against him either."
"I wasn't going to-"
"I know you too well."
"Do you? Do you really, Paige? Because right now, I'm not even sure I know myself."
"Dammit Cole, you're better than this."
"Yeah," he offered, wincing, as he laid his head against the siding, laughing to himself, as he struggled to get a film hold on his composure. "If I'm so much better, then how come she doesn't want to be with me?"
"You don't- look, we need the Book of Shadows, alright? We can't just sit here and make assumptions, when we still don't know what we're dealing with. It could be anything. It could be an illusion, she could be possessed...."
"For God's sake, she was too happy to be possessed."
"Maybe so, but we can't rule it out."
"Daddy, why are you crying?" a soft voice whispered, as a small figure calmly crept into view, her pajamas coated with a fair amount of dirt, as her bare feet waded through the flakes of grass, tiredly rubbing at her eyes, ever so gently removing the traces of sleep from them. "Is something wrong?"