Shadows Of the Night
part 9
"So why did you feel you had to keep all of that from me? I mean, seriously. And don't say it was because you wouldn't think I'd understand. I'm your wife, Cole. I married you, because I understood you...because I thought we shared something special between the two of us- a connection.... And here you are, filling me in on a part of you I never even knew."
"Phoebe, it has nothing to do with you- and you know, I guess everything, all at the same time. I know you weren't as close to your mother as Prue was. But I also know that what happened to her, had to have caused some pain for you at some point too. And more than anything, I hate to see you like that. I didn't want you to feel sorry for me then, and I certainly don't want you to feel sorry for me now. I've done enough of that over the years for both of us."
She felt him lean over her, his arm securing itself around her waist, as she smiled out into the still waves of the ocean, seemingly at a kind of peace for the moment, her hands hung lazily over the ship's metal rail, her body slanted ever so slightly. She breathed a small sigh, as her eyes washed over the sunset starting to take shape ahead of them, the sky turning a bright hue of orange, as a brief mix of red chose its time to intertwine. "Remember...remember when you said you could give me the happy ending I wanted? You know, the one where we could get that horse and-"
"Well, we got a ship instead," he joked quietly, his smile matching that of her own. "And in all honesty, I like this idea a hell of a lot better. I mean, setting aside the discrepancies, of course."
"And why did you finally agree to marry me?" she questioned curiously. "I...I mean, after all I'd said and did- why did you decide to do that?"
"Because I knew," he sided, his voice a hint above a whisper. "I knew that you were still in love with me, and it was just going to take more convincing on my part."
"And we have a little girl."
"That we do. And she turned out to be quite the little handful, didn't she?"
"Oh yeah. But the scary thing is, I really wouldn't mind having another one."
"Another one?" He moved his face in closer to hers, as he gently planted a series of kisses upon her cheek.
"Don't act so shocked," she added, softly laughing. "I know you'd probably get along a extremely well if Alex had a baby brother."
"Yeah, you know, speaking of which- what is Paige doing telling our daughter he's already on the way?"
"She said that?"
"Yep."
"Really?"
"Oh, I definitely heard it. Clear as day."
"Well, my guess is that Paige just likes to get under your skin a little too much, and you're too gullible not to let her."
"That's your full explanation?"
"Do you remember a time when she actually trusted you?"
"Actually, yes...I do. It was right before she found out what Belthazor really looked like, and what I'd been capable of. Your lovely little Book did me in with giving her a good rundown. Great, in fact."
"And I'll bet you were surprised to find out Paige had a past of her own that she concealed. I mean, no matter how you want to play it, you guys aren't that different. She was able to overcome it, and stop blaming herself, and I think you're just about at that point yourself."
"Okay. Exactly how am I still blaming myself?"
"This fear of water- you know it's not your fault, and yet...."
"It's not really a fear of the water itself. It's more along the lines of fearing what's beneath the waves."
"What lies beneath," she mused thoughtfully, craning her neck to meet his gaze.
"The wise thing to do would be to get out of here now," he advised. "But then again, we shouldn't let all of those innocents in there die because of my past. We have to stay and help them."
"I agree," she whispered. "But I still worry about you, and where this is headed."
"Don't."
"I can't help it, Cole."
"Would it help if I gave in and became evil again to defeat her?"
"You've been there and done that," she reminded him, sighing. "Think of the price in all of this. The consequences are too much."
"But I'm still not sure what she wants."
"Well, I think we've ruled out all the possible suspects here. You, Alex, me, Paige...."
"No, it's something I own," he told her. "Something I'm supposed to have had all this time. That she somehow knows I have."
"The athame?" she hopefully suggested.
"Athame? Well, that depends. I've had a lot of athames in the years I was evil. Pick a decade."
"It would certainly help if we knew where she was coming from."
"Mmmm....see, that's where it ends. I honestly couldn't tell you. Her ability to shapeshift kind of takes away the three lucky guesses too."
"What about that amulet?"
"Amulet," he repeated, and smiled then, as he squeezed his arms tighter around her small waist, offering a soft laugh in response. "Phoebe, I'm trying so hard not to remember any of this- and you seem to be wanting to reclaim- you know, need I refresh your memory to the point where you did in fact lose my trust with Raynor?"
"You told me he was controlling your actions, and I wanted to believe it. I still want to believe it."
"Either way, an amulet wouldn't give her infinite power. It merely protected the witches against some of the evil out there. Being in evil hands does nothing for something of its value."
"Cole, I'm not saying we've got anything concrete here yet. I'm just trying to-"
"I know," he sided, nodding. "But if I'm going to keep guessing, I'm probably going to have to also assume my little problem will have to be taken care of too."
"Well, that's easy. Just think of all of the nice, quiet evenings we had back at the house when our daughter was asleep, and we had that bathroom all to ourselves."
He smiled, in spite of her comment, and locked his lips with hers in a long kiss. "Mmm. I'm afraid it's not that simple."
"Cole, I'm not letting you fall. You've worked too hard to get to where you are, and there is no way I'm going to let you fail now."
"Do you think The Power of Three-"
"We've been short one before, and this time isn't any different," she pointed out. "And we have the girls. You saw what they were capable of before- all on their own."
He frowned. "But I don't think I'm exactly prepared for my daughter to go up against an ultimate evil again. Especially when this woman is comparing herself to the devil."
"Do you think the Old Ones are still trying to reclaim their throne yet?"
"They always have," he murmured. "Thing of it was, they never achieved anything because there was always something powerful enough on the side of good to stop them. That's why it bothers me that I've become the target, when she seems to want absolutely nothing to do with you or Paige. It's not adding up, Phoebe."
"I know what you mean," she agreed. "But you are a good man now, sweetie. Nothing's changed. You're still fighting in our battles and saving our innocents. They've become your innocents too."
"And I have a soul, Phoebe. It's not exactly common for an ex demon to have-"
"But you're a human with powers now. You're not Belthazor anymore."
"I know that."
"But you still think it might be the very essence that makes you human- that makes you what you are now? I'm not sure I-"
"It's not so strange," he brought forth carefully. "A soul can be taken just as easily as a power can. It can be trapped somewhere and...." He offered a brief gaze out to the water around them, his eyes slowly reaching the sky. His mouth set itself in a determined line, as he gently ran a free hand over the stubble upon his chin. Shifting his foot from one position to the other, he didn't even blink.
"Cole?"
"I think you just....I think you may be onto something here."
"What? What on earth are you talking about? I only-"
"The one thing Raynor had, that had me going along with his plans, was something I never told anyone about. Not even you."
"Cole, I-"
"No, Phoebe, just listen to me. I went along with him after awhile like I did, only because he had something I was after."
"Wait. Please don't tell me this means you killed that witch deliberately. Because I swear-"
"He has my father's soul," he whispered, cutting her off. "He had the one thing that was even remotely real to me. The one thing that was still a part of me."
"Your father's soul," she echoed, clearly surprised, as she glanced up at him with wide eyes. "What....how....well, where is it?"
"It's been kept safe," he assured her. "I...I didn't exactly know what I wanted to do with it when he handed it over to me, and it's just kind of sat there....undisturbed. For so long now."
"Is it in the-"
"It was where I spent some of my time before going back down to the Underworld when you came to get me back. I haven't touched it since."
"Well, are you even sure it's still there?"
"It's the second safest place I know," he reminded her softly. "Remember?"
She nodded. "Well, if this is in fact....I mean, if it's what she's been searching for all this time, how exactly do you plan on getting it?"
"Oh, I don't. The little this evil knows, the better. I can't give myself away. I can't betray him like that."
"But you barely knew him, Cole. You never even knew-"
"I know enough to realize right from wrong in this case. And if I even make the slightest movement, she'll be onto me."
"You do know you could probably shimmer though, and be back before-"
"I can't take that chance," he told her, his gorgeous profile forming a slight frown.
"We'll be okay here," she assured him. "Honest-"
"No," he said again, a bit more sternly. "It's not worth the risk, Phoebe. You know that as well as I do."
"But it must mean she has some sort of connection to your father- to Benjamin," she concluded. "I mean, it's the only logical assumption, right? She had to have known him at some point or another."
"I really couldn't say. I mean, it's just like you said. I barely knew the man. I don't even know if I could have admired him for anything. He's...he's just a shadow to me."
**********
"Go fish, Aunt Paige."
"Hmph. Are you cheating by any chance, Alexandra Turner? Because if you are-"
"Nope. Not me. Never," the little girl insisted, as she quickly hid her stack of cards from The Charmed One's view, offering a small giggle in response.
"You're cheating, I saw you," Melinda agreed, putting her cards down upon the wooden table, her tiny arms crossing over her chest. "It's not fair."
"Okay, one. How can you cheat with Go Fish, and two- did it ever occur to you as their aunt that there is evil still afoot, and this might not be the best time to be doing this?"
"Well, someone's cranky," she observed, shrugging. "Alex happened to have a deck of cards in her suitcase, so we thought it might be fun. I mean, all we'd be doing is sitting around and waiting anyway. And where's the fun in that?"
"How about staying alive?" he returned.
"I didn't exactly see you and Phoebe running for cover out there. More like cuddling for cover."
He frowned. "As a matter of fact, we actually did our homework."
"Daddy, are you mad?" Alex asked, her voice shaking, as her handful of cards gently slid back onto the table. "I hope you're not mad."
"No, sweetheart." He knelt down beside her, as he gently reached out a hand to smooth her hair, calmly forcing a smile. "It's just...I'd rather you not do this when we have something serious on our hands."
"I'm sorry," she whispered, slowly training her eyes to the ground.
"She was only trying to lighten the mood, which is more than I can say for you," Paige snapped.
"You know what, Paige? I don't know which one of us started this little string of arguments in the first place, but it's been this way a little too long, don't you think?"
"Um...excuse me? Have you forgotten what's happened over the last few years?"
"I've got a better idea. Why don't you remind me? I mean, God knows you do it enough already."
"Aunt Paige, I'm tired," Melinda complained quietly.
"You have to be on the lookout for her," he told his sister in law. "You have a responsibility. A bigger responsibility. You can't let them out of your sight. Understand?"
"Why? What's wrong?"
"Her motives are what's wrong," Phoebe spoke up, as she entered the room, her eyes trained intently upon a rather old and crumpled piece of map that lay within her grasp. "And according to this, I'd say we're in a lot more trouble than we thought possible."
"Well, where did you find that?"
"Right here in this very room. Safely tucked away in the jewelry box in the back room."
"Snooping around?" her sister questioned, curiously raising an eyebrow.
"I was just emptying out my suitcase, and I happened to find the....okay, so maybe I was. But if you-"
"So what's going on? I think I seem to be kept out of everything a lot around here lately. And normally that's fine, except I'm not exactly looking to find anymore trouble."
"Think it's a little too late for that," Cole offered, offering a short laugh.
"What do you mean? What does he mean?" She asked her sister, her eyes narrowing in Phoebe's direction, as she shifted slightly in her chair.
"It means we think we found out what this demon....sorceress...whatever, is after."
"So..."
"Benjamin Coleridge Turner."
"Eww...is that, like, your full name or something?" she asked him, scrunching up her nose, as she began to collect the cards scattered about her, stacking them neatly into a small pile to her right.
"My father," Cole explained. "She wants what's left of-"
"But your father's dead," she reminded him.
"Thank you, Paige, for being so well educated on my family history. But I was just going to get to that part, and if you'd let me get more than 7 words into a conversation, maybe I could attempt it, hmm?"
"Sorry," she mumbled, looking away.
"She probably wants his soul," he countered. "Why, I haven't the slightest clue yet, but it seems probable. It's something I have...something that's close to me, and something I've kept in the dark for a long time now."
"His soul? I...I didn't know it could be contained. I mean, is that even-"
"It is," Phoebe nodded. "And the best plan of action now, would be to not let on to her that we do in fact have it. Well, that Cole does, at least."
"So what does that make her?"
"Still don't know yet."
"Oh. Well, that's a relief."
"Look, we're learning as we go. Which is more than I can say for you."
"So I gather all of these secret passageways still exist," Phoebe interrupted, changing the subject, as she placed her finding down upon the table, shooting both of them an annoyed glance. "Or should I write it in pre-school level for the two of you to make sense of it?"
"How do you know that's even real?" her sister asked. "I mean, anyone could have put it there."
"Looks pretty authentic to me," Phoebe responded, tilting her head, as she studied the names printed upon the faded material.
"And wow. Would you look at that. Copyright to an S. Sterling too. Don't suppose that name is familiar, do you?"
"What?" Cole inquired, confused, as he struggled to find the Captain's name scrawled upon the document, as the tips of his fingers began to slowly run over it.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say he's pretty close to your age," she finished smuggly, smiling up at him. "If not much older..."
"Farfetched, yes," Phoebe agreed. "But possible...also a yes."
"I'll be damned," Cole whispered.
"You think?" Paige added, raising her eyebrows.
"It's a game," he realized. "He's playing us."
Phoebe let her attention wander to him, as she gently bit her lower lip. Hands on her hips, she nodded. "Each time we find a piece....discover a piece...we get to move to the next level. I...I mean, that sounds about right, doesn't it? The lights, the photo, the demon."
"Maybe it's all just illusions of the mind, afterall," Paige muttered.
"What is an illusion?" Alex sounded out, looking thoughtfully up at her father. "Is that bad, Daddy?"
"It's very bad," Melinda agreed, nodding knowingly, as she slowly propped her tiny hands beneath her chin.
"An illusion is often something you want to see," he cleared up. "Something someone else could be well aware of. But the truth of it is, I think all of this is real. The story isn't complete, but I think that's what they want us to find...all on our own. I think we're meant to solve some kind of hundred year old tragic event upon this ship."
"What, you mean that love story?" Paige returned, frowning. "I highly doubt-"
"Don't you get it? It goes beyond that now. Beyond all we thought we knew. I'm thrown into their plan, and it complicates things."
"Far away, sailing high, treading down, by and by....far away, oh they die, they can't try and find, the watchful eye...."
"Alright, Paige. Cut it out, alright? This isn't the-"
"But it wasn't me!" she protested, a bit too loudly.
"It's not funny anymore," he insisted, his voice raising itself a notch. "You're scaring the girls."
"Look, I swear that wasn't me. Honest. I can't carry a tune for the life of me. Besides, why would- how would I know that one? I couldn't even memorize the songs for my fourth grade choral concert, for crying out loud."
"Faded dreams, setting sun, they come for us, and then we're done....faded dreams, desperate skies, the beast will come, and show us lies. Far away...sailing high, treading down, by and by...."
"Okay, now I know I heard that this time, and it wasn't me. See?"
"It's coming from outside, Daddy," Alex whispered.
"It is," Melinda echoed her cousin. "Why...why don't you go out and see what it is, Uncle Cole."
"She....sounds so sad," Paige concluded, her eyes completely focused upon the doorway.
"It could be a trick," Phoebe told him. "Don't...."
"A ship of trial, a ship of dread, if you don't behave, they shall cut off your head....far away, oh they die, they can't try and find, the watchful eye..."
"I'll be right back," he whispered, clearly intrigued by the intricate vocals, as they continued to tragically penetrate the space around them. "Stay here. All of you. Don't move."
"Cole," his wife hissed. "You're crazy."
"Oh, I was for a time, but I'm over that now," he deadpanned, still refusing to meet his wife's concerned stare. "But I want to put a stop to this, and I want to put a stop to it now. Okay?"
"It could be the bad lady," Alex tried, nodding, as she looked at him with big eyes. "Don't go, Daddy. She'll hurt you."
"Stay here," he instructed them again. "Just stay quiet, and stay here. Do I make myself clear?"
"Who died and made you the Captain of the ship?" Paige quipped.
He threw his hands to the knob, slowly edging it to the left. "Curiousity killed the cat...."
"And Cole's going to get himself killed, how about that?"
"Paige, so help me-"
"I wish I could, but I don't know anything witty that rhymes with that one," she drawled, rolling her eyes.
He ignored her, carefully stepping out anonymously into the shadows in front of him.