Shadows Of the Night
part 4
"Okay. Just how many pairs of socks did you pack, sweetheart?"
"As many as you told me to, Daddy," Alexandra Turner proclaimed, throwing her father a huge smile.
"And I did not say we'd be on this cruise for a year," he objected.
"You said pack lots. So I did."
"Honey, I didn't mean stuffing your whole suitcase full of them. I simply meant- is your drawer all cleaned out at home?"
"You never said how long I would be away."
"Still can't say that Mrs. Kellerman was entirely happy about it though," he mused. "But I suppose we can catch you up when we get back. I just hope she isn't completely bald by then."
"Mrs. Kellerman says I'm not proguessing with the other kids," Ally told him proudly.
"Oh, honey, that's progressing, and it's not a good thing."
"What isn't good?"
"When she says you're not progressing, it means you're a little bit behind, because you don't keep up with the work. Your mom and I haven't decided what-"
"But I don't wanna do what the other kids do, Daddy. I wanna get a job to use my powers."
"Ally, that's not possible, sweetie. Because a secret like this? It stays a secret for your entire life. They don't hire people with powers."
"But they hired you for the DAA."
"I was an ADA," he told her, a small smile creeping over his features. "But close enough. And beides that, I was evil, so it was acceptable- because I was in disguise."
"Well, then I'll go in disguise then too."
"Nevermind that for now," he urged. "We still have to find out where to put all of those socks while we're here."
"I know!" she suggested happily. "I'll give some to Melinda."
"Ally, You can't just give socks away to your cousin for nothing." He raised an eyebrow. "Mmmm...we'll charge by the hour."
"Why didn't Aunt Piper pack a lot for her?"
"Because Aunt Piper has a lot to remember these days. She's not exactly keeping up with everything lately."
"Why?"
"Because the baby is on the way, and it's an even bigger-"
"Daddy, why didn't you like that man?" she suddenly offered, staring up at him thoughtfully.
"What man?" Cole returned, as he brushed through his belongings upon the bottom bunk.
"That Billy man," she emphasized. "Was he bad, Daddy?"
"Ally, I- no. You know, I just kind of...I just wanted to scare him a little."
"Why?"
"Because I just didn't trust him," Cole told her softly.
"And because he was also minding our business," Phoebe added, as she entered through their cabin door then, her feet bare on the padded carpet below.
"Mommy, you look beautiful!" Alex exclaimed brightly.
Cole turned to look at his wife then, a pair of jeans falling from his grasp. She was clothed in a very revealing long black dress, its straps incredibly thin, and settling upon her slender shoulders. Her long hair was done up in a fairly loose conglomeration, small strands falling to frame the sides of her face. "Beautiful falls short," he whispered, his lips forming a slow smile.
"It's for that dance thing tonight. I mean, I wasn't going to go all out- but then I thought, why not? We should be having fun, and well, dancing is fun, right? It's...extravagent."
"And so are you," he sided, moving closer to her. "Guess this means I should go for something that matches."
She giggled. "Well, if you want to share a few dances with your wife, I think it might be a good idea."
"You think so?"
She grabbed his shirt roughly, pulling him towards her. "Oh, I know so."
He pressed his lips to hers, placing his hands atop her face, as he planted gentle kisses upon her, ever so softly.
"You know, I don't even know if I remembered to pack a suit."
"Cole, you're a lawyer. It should be habit by now to pack a suit."
"Well, if it's any consolation, Ally's doubled up on socks."
Phoebe grinned. "I think I'd still prefer you in a suit than a pair of socks."
"Really?"
"In fact, a tux works even better."
A brief sound at the door echoed about the room, as the voice briefly cleared her throat, her slender arms crossing her chest.
Cole let his hands rest upon Phoebe's back, turning toward their visitor. "Your room is down the hall."
Paige rolled her eyes. "No, I'm just here because I love to watch you two get all lovey dovey with one another."
"What's wrong?" Phoebe asked. "Is it Melinda?"
"No. No, she's fine. I just...I just wanted to tell you guys that I'm not going to be going to that....well....whatever it's called tonight. Melinda and I are going to explore the ship."
"You're not-"
"Nah. I'm not really much for crowds in places like this, so I thought I'd call it a night."
"You'll be missing out on a lot of fun."
"And so will you," Paige advised, grinning. "Because I'm guessing there's a lot of room to cover."
"You know, she has a point," Cole said quietly. "We could pass up the-"
"I didn't get this dressed up for nothing," Phoebe reminded him.
"Like I said, go...you guys. Have a great time. It'll be okay. I'll be alright. Honest."
"Can I go to?" Alex cut in, clapping her hands together.
"You...are going with your mother and I," Cole told her gently. "We can go on a little adventure later on."
"But you're going to fall asleep later on, Daddy," she weakly protested.
"Oh, sweetie." Phoebe gave her daughter a worried look, kneeling down beside her on the bed. "We'll get to see the ship. It's just that, your Daddy have to talk to a very important man tonight, and we don't want to risk missing him. We're still a little unsure as to why we were chosen for the cruise, and we just need a few more details."
"And I don't want to meet that man."
"I can take her," Paige sided. "I mean, I'm sure it wouldn't be any trouble. If she'd rather look around...."
Phoebe stood, scrunching her nose up, as she glanced at her half sister. "I would just rather she stay with us in case something should go wrong-"
"Whoa. Wait. Put that on rewind," Cole cut in, staring hard at his wife. "What's going to go wrong?"
"I didn't mean-"
"Because I was actually starting to have some fun here for a minute, and now you just had to go and break it up."
"Look, all I'm saying, is that it's a strange environment for her, and I'd prefer it if she were in our care. It's not that I don't trust my own sister, and you above all people should know that. I just- you know, I thought we were in agreement here."
Cole shot a brief gaze in Paige's direction, as he moved to place his hands upon the door. "Can we just have a second here, please?"
"So you couldn't go a few hours without fighting about something. I figured as much," she quipped. "I mean, I thought I'd be the responsible one this time and check in. Instead, you two are behaving like immature-"
"If it's anybody who's immature here, you get the prize," Cole started, his voice raising, much to the dismay of his wife.
"So what did I not do now?"
"It's not what you do, it's what you're doing," he responded.
"Oh, and that's still so typical of you, Cole. Listen, I was just trying to do you a favor. But if you'd rather keep an eye on her, and deal with Sterling, well....that's your choice, alright? Frankly, this guy already creeps me out just a tad and we haven't even met him. So you just go do whatever is you're going to do, and I'll be on my merry way. Okay. Problem solved, and have a great evening." Turning her back on them, she was gone in an instant, motioning to Melinda across the hall, as the two of them took off further down the length of the ship.
"Now look what you did," Phoebe moaned.
"Was she under a spell?" he asked confused. "I mean, I think that was the first time she's addressed me as another human being in awhile."
"No. But I'm starting to think you are."
"I'm what?"
"Either way, I still don't even think it was smart of us to just leave the Book in the manor while no one is there. I was thinking about it earlier, and I was remembering how we both doubted this at some point. Piper's not there, and there's no one to watch over it. But I was so wrapped up in work, and you were wrapped up in Ally, and-"
"And we're going to leave in a bit to go to that function, and everything is going to be okay. Look, Phoebe, if I didn't think it was safe for us in terms of our magic- if I didn't think we could defend ourselves, I wouldn't have completely agreed to this in the end. But...but now that we're here? It shouldn't be taking time away in doing something we'll both enjoy. We can meet new people, go upstairs and get a great view of that ocean...."
"I had no idea you really did love the ocean this much," she murmured softly. "Maybe it wouldn't have been so farfetched to make you a merman afterall?"
Cole laughed nervously, his handsome visage displaying an expression of puzzlement. "That was a joke, right?"
"You pulled me away from all of it, and-"
"And like I said, you were using it to escape, because you didn't want to face me. Believe me, all discussion of the past ends here and now."
"Well, let's not forget once again how you became the Source of all evil and tried to kill all of my sisters."
"And being consumed by a priestess named Dantalian meant nothing?" he asked, mocking surprise, as he pulled her close, despite her current sounds of protest.
"Mommy, you were a mermaid?" Alex asked excitedly, having been seated directly behind them, her hands propped curiously beneath her chin, as she stared up at her parents thoughtfully. She inched herself closer to the edge, a half smile taking shape.
"Yes, she was, and she liked it," Cole answered his daughter, now grinning from ear to ear. "And from what I heard, she was dead serious on becoming one with all of those fish. Hey....you know...maybe that's even where you got that reference at work from. Maybe you should've told Elise your background story there to fill her in on where your true feelings lie."
"You are really trying my patience, Cole Turner. You know that?"
"Oh, I do."
She pressed her nose to his cheek, as he bent down his tall frame to her level. "You're impossible."
"No. That sister of yours is impossible, but thank you for thinking of me," he offered, with a straight face.
"I just don't see why-" But she halted in speech suddenly, as the light above them strangely flickered a moment, dimming the glow around them. It tottered back and forth a bit more, clothing the room in a faded haze. Cole immediately headed towards the bed, where Alex had quickly cuddled herself up into a small ball, pulling her tiny legs to her chest.
"Daddy? Mommy?"
"We're right here, sweetheart." Phoebe reluctantly pulled away from her husband, right behind him. A small shake cascaded about the room then, sending them all toppling to one side, as they clung to one another. Items spilled to the floor from the bags perched upon the counter near the sink, as they made a loud clatter to the wood floor below. Cole grasped his daughter in his arms, as his free hand went to steady Phoebe, pulling her closer to him.
In another brief flash, the bulb projected itself full force, it's brightness quickly regaining its momentum. Phoebe tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, taking a deep breath. She looked over at Cole who had his eyes closed, Alex curled up completely into his chest. The little girl was shivering somewhat, her hands over her entire face.
"Dammit," he whispered.
"What the hell was that?"
"Turbulence?" he calmly suggested, his tone caked with doubt.
"I don't think turbulence can do that," Phoebe muttered, a worried expression clouding her brow. "Alex? Honey? How're you doing?"
"Is it gone, Mommy?"
"It's gone, sweetie. Trust me. Just a little problem with the ship. Nothing to-"
"Well, you were sure scared there for a minute," Cole offered.
She playfully hit him. "Shut. Up."
"You know, maybe now I'm finally beginning to realize where the free comes into this."
"Seriously, Cole."
"No, I mean it," he insisted. "They never mentioned the glitches. But they wouldn't, would they?" He picked himself up, as Alex crawled nearer to her mother, throwing her arms around her neck. Heading over to the door, he easily peeked out in the hallway. His shoes edging themselves out onto the evenly cut carpeting, he gazed down it once more. "Is everybody okay?!" he called out rather loudly.
A minute later, a random door on the opposite side was roughly yanked open, as an elderly woman stuck her head out. A pile of curlers clothed her entire head from back to front, and she had a glass of water seated in her right hand. "What? What's that you're saying, son?"
"The lights," Cole beckoned to her. "The lights went out?"
"No," she said quietly. "No lights."
"They flickered, went out," Cole explained. "The ship shook-"
"I ain't got no problem with the lights, or the ship," she claimed once again, eyeing him up quite strangely. "Are you sure you're alright, son?"
"Nothing happened to you just now?" he pressed.
"My husband and I were sleeping," she told him. "I should think we wouldn't know if somethin' woulda happened, right?"
Cole rolled his eyes then, motioning for her to go back inside. "I guess not."
"Were you having problems over there, son?"
"Yeah....yeah I was," he respinded softly. "But thanks."
"Maybe you could tell the captain?" she suggested.
"That's the plan," he whispered, as he let himself back into his room, encountering a very concerned Phoebe. "Well..."
"Well?" she pressed. "What's going on?"
He laughed a minute, running a hand briefly over the stubble upon his face. "She didn't experience any difficulty."
"Maybe it was because she's across the-"
"No. If one light's going to go, they all are. Something's...something's just not- but it's probably nothing," he abruptly concluded then. "I mean, I really don't want to jump to anything just yet, and I'm sure the ship is just having some trouble getting back on its feet again." He frowned then, staring hard at her, as his eyes crinkled at the sides. "That's all it probably is, right?"
"I guess it depends on whether or not you want to believe it. We have seen stranger things happen," she pointed out.
His gaze traveled to the ceiling above, studying it for a bit. "Ally, are you doing okay?"
"The room's all messy now, Daddy," she whispered.
He smiled. "Yeah, it is, isn't it?"
"Are you gonna clean it up?"
He clasped his hands together. "Come to think of it, I've got a better idea. Let's...well, first I'm going to put on something for that banquet, and then we're going to have a little chat with a certain someone in particular."
Phoebe crossed her arms over her chest, shivering briefly beneath her thin dress. "I wouldn't think they'd even know about something as small as this."
"Only one way to find out," he murmured.
**********
"Aunt Paige, how come it's so dark down there?"
"Down where?" she returned, as she caught herself just in time from stumbling upon the frayed carpeting. Throwing a sweater over her slender frame, she walked behind her tiny niece, as they made their way further into the confines of the large ship. The silence seemed overwhelming and the darkness appeared to close in them with each passing step. "Think we're even allowed back here?"
"It's spooky, Aunt Paige."
"You've got that right. Maybe we should have Phoebe and Co- no. Ugh. Okay. What am I saying?" She shook her head, closing her eyes. "I'm a Charmed One, for crying out loud. I can handle stuff like this. Besides, that uncle of yours only guarantees more trouble."
"How come there are no people back here?" Melinda continued. "I thought lots came on the trip with us."
"Well, they did," Paige offered. "Except, I think their rooms are all on the other floor like ours." She stopped then, as a wide spectacle of color caught her eye to her right. Turning to look upon it, she noticed it was a fairly old painted photograph, caked with mounds of dust and age. It was settled neatly in a bronze frame, and was a bit slanted upon its place on the wall. In it, a young girl sat, clothed in a beautiful dress, her hands folded neatly across her lap. Her long blonde hair was a thick mass of curls, and they had been pulled up neatly into an elaborate 'do, her eyebrows arched with a sign of pure indifference. A bright pink sash was woven around her tiny waist, brought together in a very large bow. In spite of the indifference, her bright green eyes and small mouth almost seemed to be speaking directly to their observer- the lips contorted in such a way that almost cried out to be heard amongst a kind of confusion.
"Ooooh, she's really pretty," Melinda said softly, her petite figure edging itself closer to the piece of artwork, as her aunt gently placed a single hand upon her shoulder.
"But I think we can pretty much surmise that she's probably dead," the witch added curiously.
"It's a very old picture," she agreed.
"So who is she?" Paige wondered aloud, as she bent down to examine the lower half. A small nameplate stood out below, somewhat adorned in cobwebs. Scunching up her nose, Paige hesitated at first, her hand slowly moving to uncover the debris. Flinging the matter to the floor, she focused in on the neatly scripted font in black letters. "Jacqueline Graves," she spoke slowly, sounding out each syllable carefully.
"Jacqueline," Melinda repeated. "That's a nice name."
Paige nodded. "She looks so young."
"How old do you think she is, Aunt Paige?"
"Mmmm...early twenties?" she guessed, shrugging. "Seemed very well off. Wonder if her family owned this ship at one time. I mean, all things considered, it's all the more ancient with each-"
"You're not wrong," a voice sounded behind them.
Paige nearly jumped into the air from the shock, as she gripped her niece's shoulder all the more tightly. Gathering her composure once again, she turned around, nearly nose to nose with Billy Crane. Quickly taking a step back, she forced herself to meet his intent expression in her direction. "No?"
"She disappeared under mysterious- well....not exactly mysterious if you know some of the inside gossip."
"I...I didn't hear you come up," she noted, her eyes tainted with a hint of suspicion.
"You really aren't supposed to be back here. In fact, this area has been closed off to the guests for some time."
"But then wouldn't you guys, um, have a sign up somewhere or something? I didn't see any tape either."
"Well, it was part of the cruise at one time," he recalled faintly. "I mean, of course I wasn't with the Crimson Star then, but it's what happened."
"What did happen? I mean, obviously you're all still holding these free-"
"You know, you really shouldn't be back here," he repeated.
"Why?" she returned.
"It isn't a place that any of you should be snooping in."
"Well, that's great, but I wasn't snooping. I was just looking. There's a difference there. I mean, haven't you ever been somewhere really old, and then just gotten curious? It's a pretty common thing, actually."
"That picture of Miss Graves should have been taken down a long time ago," he commented, his tone void of feeling.
"Mmm. Seeing as she's already in her grave, I'd say that's a good idea. This place is not well kept."
"Her fate was a terrible one," he whispered.
"I thought you said you haven't been with-"
"Sterling told me," he countered. "But it's not something you can stand to hear at a Sunday dinnerin front of the fam," he filled in.
"Oh."
"She met her death before it was her time. Of course in this case, it had nothing to do with love, and everything to do with the jealousy."
"Was she pushed overboard?" Paige inquired, her eyes once again finding the clouded portrait.
"Not quite. And...she wasn't the only one. But Miss Matthews, this is hardly the topic for conversations- just as I said before....nobody brings it up here anymore."
"She never found her true love?"
"Let's just say he didn't want to find her."
"Okay?"
Crane raised a single eyebrow, offering her a smile. "You sure you don't want to attend the-"
"Oh, I'm real sure. I've...I guess I've just been left out of lot lately, you know?"
"Feeling distant?"
"Yep."
"I can sympathize."
"Really?"
"Well, do you really think Sterling prides himself on giving his assistants the time of day after these things start?"
"I wouldn't-"
"No, I suppose wouldn't, would you?"
"Mr. Crane, I don't know what it is, but I get a strange kind of feeling that you're stalking me now."
"Stalking?" he asked, laughing. "Hardly. It's not in my nature."
"Look, are there any more of these?" she asked, a finger going to the wall, as she indicated the picture once again. "I...I mean, I'm actually really interested in stuff like this."
"You are? Seriously? I mean, you have got to be kidding me. You?"
"It's part of her job," Melinda exclaimed brightly. "Right, Aunt Paige?"
Paige quickly shot her niece a glare, warning her not to go any further. She then shyly looked up at him, her face threatening to turn a bright shade of crimson. "Y...yeah. I...I mean, I study old artifacts as a kind of hobby. It's...it actually kind of keeps me pretty occupied back home. I'm intrigued by the subject of history. And hey...when I'm bored? I even paint sometimes, in fact. Yep."
He cocked his head to one side. "You really do seem like a complex person, you know that?"
"Oh, I am. I...I have many...layers."
"Layers, hmm?" He tugged at the earring seated upon his lobe. "Just how...thick do you consider those layers?"
"Why?"
"Because Jacqueline Graves was murdered, Miss Matthews. On her twenty-first birthday."