Faithfully Yours Chapter 17

Faithfully Yours

Part 3: Witches behaving worse

Chapter 17

"The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means."
Oscar Wilde

Phoebe came storming in the front door of the manor after Cole parked in the street because three cars were already parked in the driveway. She let the front door fly back so hard it narrowly missed smacking Cole in the teeth.

They had not spoken all the way home. After stalking out the hotel, Phoebe had gone to get her car, which was parked in a nearby parking building, leaving Cole to shimmer home alone. He chose to follow her, catching up just as she reached her car and was pulling her keys out.

"I wouldn't walk down the street with you, let alone drive with you, you demon bastard "Phoebe told him her voice echoing in the parking area.

"Well what you want and what you get don't always match" Cole retorted "Keys please" he said holding his hand out.

Cole started to flick his fingers to take the keys from her. Phoebe threw the keys in the nearest drain, eying him off, her expression furious.

Cole sucked his lip as the keys fell down the drain, then finished flicking his fingers and the keys appeared in them.

"I. am . not. driving. anywhere . with you" Phoebe bit out and turned to stalk out of the parking area.

Cole nodded and moved toward the car. He got in and cursed the narrowness and forward seat while Phoebe stopped and stared at him in disgust and continued to stalk away, Pookie thrust way out in front of her. Cole backed the car out using one hand to steer and then went forward so fast the tyres squealed. He slowed down slightly as he passed her, then sped off while Phoebe found the tears starting to come as she watched him leave her, in her car. He stopped further on and her nose in the air she walked past the car and gasped as she found herself in a shimmer.

Cole accelerated fast as she fell in a heap on the front seat. He flicked his fingers and her seat belt did up.

"You bastard" she started to yell as he braked hard and threw his credit card at parking attendant.

"You stinking…." Phoebe bit out struggling to undo the seat belt which stayed done up "You keeping me a prisoner? What if we crash?" she demanded.

"Shut up" Cole said accelerating hard out of the parking building, roaring the car down San Francisco streets as if he was were stunt driving for the film Bullitt. Phoebe clutched the dash board with one arm and put the other around Pookie and determinedly keep quiet, biting her lip in order to stop herself begging him to slow down.

"You're paying for any damage to the car" Phoebe hissed at him as they swung into Prescott St.

Cole just avoided the door in his face as Phoebe stamped upstairs. He followed her shaking his head. The house was in darkness although it was not yet midnight. There was a light under Paige's door and a few giggles coming from there. The night light was on in Melinda's room, as was the one in the boys' room. Patsy and Wyatt were sound asleep. Melinda was restless making little hiccup noises and whimpering while Big Cat cuddled close to her.

There were no lights under Leo and Piper's door or the guest room. Cole was tempted to knock and see how Glock was and decided if Glock was already pissed enough at him. Waking Glock would not make him less pissed.

He went into the bedroom and Phoebe flounced into the bathroom. Cole could hear the shower running. He opened the door and caught Phoebe lathering herself and Pookie as if she was trying to wash off a layer of skin.

He ignored her and cleaned his teeth. He started to shave and Phoebe sucked her breath

Phoebe just stared at him, then stalked off into the bedroom dripping water. As Cole followed her out she dragged on her towelling robe which was struggling to meet around Pookie. She was so irritated she missed Cole leaning on the bathroom door half smiling at her.

Phoebe caught her breath with a little whimper and went across the landing where she went into the boys' room and gently touched Patsy and kissed him, then felt their diapers. Patsy was fine but Wyatt needed changing. She did this with Cole across the landing, just watching her, his eyes narrowed.

"You could help "she muttered as she dropped the talcum and it splattered across the floor.

Phoebe shook with anger, cuddled Wyatt who barely woke up as she put him back in his cot and covered him. She then despite herself, smiled as his thumb found its way back to his mouth.

"Why in the hell are you being a bastard?" she said to Cole who had not moved from the door.

"It wasn't going to be adultery" Phoebe yelled so loudly there was a noise in the spare room and fumbling and the light came on under the door just before it opened. "I would never do that" she yelled.

The door to Piper and Leo's room opened and Piper came running out then she gasped as she realised Glock wearing a pair of Leo's pyjama pants and one of his t-shirts stood at the spare room door. She let her breath out in a loud hiss and started to move toward him, and was stopped by Leo catching her shoulders and hauling her back into the room.

"Piper" Leo said his voice losing all angelic resonance. "You didn't kill Phoebe" he commented in the same voice to Cole.

Leo shrugged and Phoebe let her breath out and was only stopped swearing at Cole by realising that Glock was standing awkward and uncomfortable and a little curious at the spare room door. His orange skin flushed dark and his trunk like nose twitchedbut carefully taking in the details of the love of Cole's life, everything from the sulky mouth to her hormone charged intensity.

Phoebe spun and eyed him realising at once he was Burvjarian. She took in his attire and his presence and somehow or other managed a smile and went toward Glock who after his experience with Piper suspiciously backed off, especially as he noticed the barely held together towelling robe Phoebe was wearing.

Phoebe stopped clearly wondering if she had broken some taboo, her hand hanging in mid air "Hi" she said as Cole watched her wryly "I'm Phoebe Cole's wife."

Glock hesitated then took her hand "I have heard much of you "he answered taking it. "I am Glock." he explained.

''Pleased to meet you" Phoebe answered shaking his hand warmly while Piper still being held by Leo gnashed her teeth jealously. "Cole did not tell me you were visiting" she said with a big smile, brown eyes lashing.

"I believe the invitation was a spur of the moment decision "Glock answered his tone dry. Cole winced.

"Ever since Cole went on this guardian trip, he has become a know it all bastard who won't listen to anyone else's opinions or needs" Phoebe informed Glock sweetly. "You are welcome" she added with a toss of her hair.

Glock's skin became darker and he nodded "Thank you" he said eying Cole who sucked his lips.

"Glock's had a long… day" Cole told Phoebe meeting Glock's expression. "Come to bed Phoebe" he ordered.

Piper went to open her mouth as she flushed red and struggled to get free. It was too much for Leo who hauled her into the bedroom and they could all hear Leo yelling at Piper while she told him he was an inconsiderate bastard who had some peculiar ancient ideas about marriage.

Cole met Glock's eyes and shrugged apologetically and embarrassed. "It wasn't what I planned" he told Glock "I' will fix it. I promise you." he said the guardian edging into his voice.

"Don't mistake him for god" Phoebe suggested "That's how he got to be the devil. Mistaking himself for god" she added.

Glock nodded and Cole drew his breath, as he always did when Phoebe hit on the exact truth.

"An odd greeting" Glock commented. He thought about it "Good night" he said "In Burvjara we say find sleep." He added. "It is more …reasonable, I think."

"Our good nights are not always about sleeping" Phoebe informed Glock who glanced at Pookie protruding through the robe and nodded, apparently enjoying Cole's sudden flush.

Glock nose twitching shook his head and shut the spare room door but not fast enough to miss hearing Phoebe yell at Cole. "Cole what the hell did I tell you about leaving Burvjara in Burvjara.'"

"Shut up" roared Paige from her bedroom followed by an extra special gasp of delight.

Phoebe frowned and went to Paige's bedroom. She pulled the door open and winced as she saw the pictures over the floor, several of the better ones posted on the wall and Paige lying on her bed, eyeing of f some of the favourite one, wriggling with something approaching ecstasy.

Behind her Piper hauled her bedroom door open, and shaking off Leo, came stood behind Phoebe, leaving Leo standing half way across the landing his face flushed and angry.

"She wouldn't do that if Grams had brought her up" Piper said staring at her sister.

"Piper" said Leo coming behind her and grabbing her again. "Grams would have said it was okay" he said snakily "Grams would have said go for it."

"Leo's right" said Phoebe "Grams would have said a girl needs what a girl needs."

"Grams would have had something to say about the mess in this room" Piper told them.

"Bed " said Leo realising this argument was one he could not win. He pulled Piper back across the landing before she started panting at Glock's door.

'"Bed "Cole said catching Phoebe and taking advantage of her watching Leo and Piper curiously.

As he shut the bedroom door Cole let Phoebe go and went to sit on the bed. Phoebe stood at the door to their bedroom looking at Cole "I would not have slept with him, had sex with him" she said, "When the reality hit, when the fantasy stopped, the second it stopped "she stamped her foot "I stopped."

"I figured that "Cole answered slowly. He watched her face "I know that Phoebe nut…Phoebe I mind not being the fantasy" he said honestly "I mind. I mind. I mind… quite a bit" he said.

She came over and sat on the bed beside him, sitting close against him. "I know" she said "But if you were my fantasy, you know when you did things that my ..that weren't my fantasy .. I would never have forgiven you" she said seriously.

He nodded "I still mind" he said moving to pull her under him as she arched toward him.

Some time later as she lay against him, just about to sleep Phoebe asked "What's up with Paige and Piper . What did the spites do to them?

Phoebe was barely asleep when she was woken by a pissed Piper saying Mark was here with a message to go fight some Geztalt. Phoebe dragged herself out of bed while a less than happy Cole watched her pull on some clothes and a really pissed Piper warned her that demons could see her without her makeup when she headed toward her mirror.

"I'm coming" Phoebe muttered, fiddling with the top of a moisturizer bottle as Piper slammed the door.

A few minutes later as Phoebe stepped onto the landing, Glock, if he had been asleep at all, was awake and had again come to the door of the guest room.

Leo also standing on the landing in boxer shorts and T shirt said "In the attic"

"You keep hard hours" Glock commented. "You do not go to protect your mate?" he asked Cole.

"It's neither advisable nor necessary" Cole told him. "Phoebe can take care of herself."

Glock's yellow eyes narrowed but his trunk like nose twitched. "I believe you," he said.

Phoebe, tired, cranky and still feeling guilty as hell which always made her bitchy, slipped into the attic, as much as Pookie would let her slip anywhere. Piper and Mark, were with various stages of interest, flicking through the Book of Shadows.

Paige further away from where he was standing, was sending dagger looks at Mark. The looks became almost lethal as Mark quietly ignored them.

"I thought the Elders weren't that keen on us going any where near Geztalts" Phoebe asked .Mark shooks his head. "Noni's whitelighter asked me actually. Not the Elders."

"Well" he said "Noni reported they were going after witches' tax records and the Elders don't seem to think problems with Internal revenue is such a big deal. Personal gain and all that. So if you don't want to do it."

Paige looked at Mark apprehensively, forgetting her pictures. "You need to be careful crossing the Elders" she said seriously.

Mark shrugged. "Just a newbie doing what fellow whitelighter asked. How am I to know?" he said softly.

"So if we go help at the Tax office we would be upsetting the Elders?" Piper asked

Mark waited. The Charmed Ones had met the witch Noni when they were planning to get the Geztalt from the Internal Revenue. Noni who worked in the LA office was a witch whose power was logic. She and Phoebe had not got on.

In a more and more, soft voice Mark explained that the Noni had contacted her whitelighter to explain that she was working very late because of a computer failure and come across a large amount of activity that should not have been happening at the office. Most of it seemed to be about doing a nation wide search for women of certain profiles, witches.

"I guess not" said Paige "Although if some-one had been doing his job instead of getting pissed at me," and she glared at Mark "you know, we might have."

"Mark got pissy about the pictures?" asked Phoebe "Just catching up" she said as Paige glowered at her nastily.

"Just because you're a whitelighter and my lover does not mean I'm entitled to privacy," Paige informed him. "And what I do privately is my damned business."

"I don't believe I ever said I was" Mark answered her softly but looked at Paige.

"And don't tell me either of you haven't kicked Leo and Cole out of the room or slammed the bathroom door to get a bit of privacy" Paige interrupted, "because I've heard you both bitch about privacy often enough."

She glared at Mark, then deliberately flipped through the magazine she had been hiding behind her back.

"I don't get the way these Geztalt operate" Piper said finally as she peered at the Geztalt page of the Book of Shadows. "Its…damn near impossible to find a logical sequence. We go in one direction, about face, go in another, and suddenly go back. Like now at the tax office."

"Camel" said Phoebe '"a horse designed by a committee. If the leader is only a front, and the whole faceless tribe of them are trying to get their voices heard, things can get pretty erratic."

"Shut up 'Phoebe" said Mark with a wry smile. He had developed the family habit of saying that when Phoebe hit on the truth for no reason. Only this time the smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

"Nothing "she repeated only this time she flushed guiltily. "He didn't have to because nothing happened."

"I know the difference between fantasy and reality" Phoebe said indignantly and a touch to aggressively. Then she sighed "I hate it when a fantasy turns out to be a bag of hot air.'

"Your fantasy looks … quite ..out of place actually " Phoebe told Piper who curled her fingers and then suddenly grinned .

They orbed to find the witch Noni who was in her other incarnation was an IT specialist, locked in her office at the LA internal revenue office. She was carefully monitoring computer activity. From past experience the Charmed Ones knew that Noni, a small very petit blond witch in her mid twenties, could get very intense about her job and her witchcraft.

The offices, part of a tall building in LA, were light up on several floors and seemed to be something of a hive of activity.

"I just love it when government officials are so devoted to their jobs they work this enthusiastically this late." said Phoebe. "Just making sure I don't over claim on my travel costs.''

"Why do you think this isn't normal?" Piper asked quickly as Noni frowned, first at Phoebe then at her monitor.

"We had a big programming problem "Noni explained in a whisper "happened when we checked records after your last encounter with the Geztalt in San Francisco office a few days ago. It left things a bit vulnerable, still not quite fixed but operational. Then suddenly all these people are doing all nighters." she shook her head. "We have the regulars who work late." She looked up "Like me" she said "But this crew aren't the regulars even though they have high up approval. Most of them are people who have transferred in from other places, or not been here that long. I checked the logins and they are all legit but some of them haven't been used much. This place is not that generous with overtime" she added.

"You sure its demons" said Paige staring through the mirrored glass of the IT office into the hive of activity in the outer office. "They don't look much like Geztalt minions."

The people in the outer office appeared to be very efficient humans intent on watching computer screens, keyboarding at high speed, printing and occasionally using the photocopying.

"Geztalt usually use cheap rate disposal bottom end disposal minions, not very good" Paige said "even in human guise."

Then she moved away, her attention distracted by a pile of men's heath magazines in the corner. She wandered away to pick them you and flip through them, stopping at some interesting pictures of artistic nudes.

Piper seeing Paige and the magazines frowned "What are they doing in a work place?" she asked.

"Harassment is in the eye of the beholder "said Noni unconcerned. "People here have an artistic bent."

"Whole new side of Internal Revenue" said Phoebe thinking she could never fantasy anyone who worked for the tax office as she leaned over Noni's shoulder looking at the screen.

"Only males around her are creeps or ones who read those magazines. I like basketball player's" she said "Tall basketball players. Really tall. And those loose baggy pants, leaves you wondering what's under them, and have you ever seen the way they move. Like gazelles. Big gazelles" she said "and they have big feet" she added.

"Why LA?" asked Phoebe. "Geztalt hit San Francisco the other day. They must have all their contacts in San Francisco. Why change?"

"Because they were defeated by the Charmed Ones in San Francisco" said Noni logically, clearly irritated with Phoebe.

"No, why?" said Phoebe as Paige curled up in a \corner and hugging herself sighed over the magazines.

Noni nodded and reluctantly came back to business. "I got suspicious at all these 'outsiders' working. Well after what was happening in San Francisco I've been monitoring profile searches. 'And sure enough its witches they are looking at."

"Profiling" said Noni casually, "Certain occupations, incomes, deductions and once you recognise a few, well the odds have to be that." "Only " she said

Noni sighed '"Don't you just hate having to wait until October before you get another Lakers match" she asked. "Have you ever notice how beautiful those NBA guys are, not like footballers?"

"Not until now" Piper said with a certain sarcasm in her voice. "Don't like that evil can just locate us using tax office.'" Piper said and glared at Paige who was holding the magazine at just the distance to get the right focus.

"Is why they can't play basketball in summer, the court's are air-conditioned?" Noni told her.

"They need a break from playing like the rest of us" said Phoebe getting irritated. "The demons" she demanded her voice tight.

"I mean the demons" said Noni indignantly "Just you got them for doing this "said Noni "Why try again? They must know you will come to get them again."

"Well be careful what you wish for." said Piper flexing her fingers "Let's go get them."

"Can you keep monitoring to let us know what is going on?" Phoebe asked Noni "And not get distracted by sex fantasies?" she added nastily.

"Yep" said Noni efficiently, narrowing her eyes and clearly deciding she did not like Phoebe Halliwell one little bit. "Wait a minute" she said then Noni started playing with her keyboard. "Got it" she said.

"Wait "said Noni digging around in her desk drawer. She pulled out her purse and found a credit card then hastily typed the number.

"There's a Laker's legend game in two weeks "said Noni scanning her screen. "I got front row seats."

Phoebe ground her teeth and Piper made a rumbling noise in her throat then went to the corner and hauled a resisting Paige to her feet.

Paige yanked her hand free and then ripped several pages from the magazines before reluctantly allowing herself to be dragged away. She glanced back at the busy scene in the outer office. "You sure they're demons" she asked. "They seem damned good imitations of humans for low level Geztalt minions."

"Well if they aren't demons, it's only a few less internal revenue sneaks" said Phoebe practically.

"You just make sure its demons" hissed Noni "Some of us are doing a job that needs to be done." She scribbled on a post-it note. "Phoebe audit' and then smiled maliciously.

"Funny they haven't got sentries about looking for us "said Paige. "If this was a set up by the Geztalt you'd think there would be."

Paige orbed them into the middle of the office. The people in the office all stoped what they were doing and stared in total surprise, and for about three seconds the witches and workers eyed each other off.

"I'm sorry" Piper started to apologise, then ducked as three of them proved they were demons by throwing fireballs at the witches. Paige nearly got hit as she stopped watching the demons and patted her pocket, making sure she had the magazine pictures. She half orbed as Phoebe chanted the cover all demon vanquish spell on a couple of demons who were trying to corner her and nothing happened.

It cost Phoebe an awkward upside down flip to avoid them, as she tried to protect Pookie, and they were stopped by Paige orbing a printer at them. It had no effect but they instinctively ducked.

Piper managed to blow up a few demons but she was finding her powers erenot quite as accurate as they should be and once she confused her blow up power with freeze and some demons were left as frozen statues rather than black goo. In the middle of the fight she was shaking her head because this had not happened for years and powers being off were always a sure sign of emotions out of control.

Fireballs were whizzing across the room and the Charmed Ones were finding themselves outnumbered and fighting an enemy who were not vulnerable to standard spells.

"Hell" yelled Phoebe who was finding she could barely levitate straight and had had to hid behind several desks as fireballs disintegrated everything around her. "I thought fireballs were upper level demon powers."

Fortunately Piper's blow up and freeze seemed to work on most of the demons and some were driven away by Paige orbing sharp objects at them. She missed quite a few and orbing sharp objects became nearly as hazardous as the fireballs.

The situation was becoming dangerous. Piper blew up three computers and Paige telekineticed badly missing her direction and nearly sent a fireball into Phoebe's head. Phoebe's levitation skills were sluggish and she escaped one near annihilation when two demons miscalculated how slow she would be and sliced each other up

"Concentrate "Phoebe called thinking a real fantasy man would be here protecting her and fighting with his own fireballs, like Cole use to be before he got sucked into this whole Great plan, balance of the universe, good and evil thing ,and just acted because he loved her and wanted to protect her no matter the cost. It made Phoebe angry to think about Cole no longer being around to protect her. It mad her madder when one of the demons shredded her blouse. She spun around and kick boxed it into a flying paper knife that Paige had missed orbing into another demon. She pulled her levitation together and kicked another one into some shattered glass from one the now broken photocopiers and the other one went into line of Piper trying to blow up another demon. Piper pulled herself together enough to freeze one side of the room and Paige re-orbed some of the flying objects at them.

The fight ended finally, not because the Charmed Ones won, but because these demons clearly realising they were not going to be able to achieve the aim of setting witches up with diversions from internal revenue. Calculating the cost in losses, unlike minions that fought because they were ordered, the demons shimmered away cut their losses, using fire power to unfreeze a several comrades. One even risked shimmering across the office to do it.

As the air lit up with the shimmer light, the Charmed Ones carefully making sure no last minute fireballs did any damage stood in the middle of the office and surveyed the damage, of sparking electric cords, smashed desks and broken machinery.

"They weren't minions" said Piper. She bent down to pick up a small badge that had fallen off one of the demons. It had an insignia of a thorn on it. She handed it to Paige, who frowned

The witches went back into the IT office where Mark and Noni accompanied by a small bespectacled male who looked about 15 were waiting. The Charmed One's realised this was Noni's whitelighter.

Mark was a little uncomfortable "Sorry "he said I thought this was a Geztalt thing, especially when the Elders were so .. .. well determined you shouldn't have anything to do with it. Figured they were selling out the troops for the greater good again.'"

"Same problem, just different opposition." Piper said "needed fixing. Just as well it was the Charmed Ones with the Brotherhood involves. They're all upper level demons."

"I hope to god that is not the Charmed Ones best" said Noni "Because Good is in big trouble if it is." And she smiled sweetly in Phoebe's direction.

"Have you any idea why the Elders are trying to stop us fighting the Geztalt?" Phoebe asked ignoring Noni. "We've been taking them on for 3 months."

"I don't know "said Mark softly, the three small frown creases appearing in his forehead a sure sign he was telling the truth "newbie whitelighter" he smiled.

"Bigger things than witch's fights, going on with the Geztalt" said the bespectacled whitelighter. "I got the greater good, witches are soldiers, their sacrifice blah blah, that's why I asked Mark for help. Elders told me it wasn't like the tax office stuff would get the witches killed"

"Just thrown out on the streets when their houses are repossessed "hissed Piper clearly pissed.

"I know the Charmed Ones by reputation" said the bespectacled whitelighter, not saying his name.

Mark smiled, apparently being familiar with that reputation, then the smile disappeared as he watched Paige pull out the magazine pages from her pocket.

Piper nodded, her expression seriously annoyed. She looked at Phoebe who shrugged.

Piper sighed. "Can you clean this up? She asked Mark indicating the messed up offices.

Mark nodded "Can make it look right" he said "Not sure what I can do about making them the stuff "

"I'll do my best" Mark promised "That was not the most effective fight I've seen'" he commented softly concern on his face.

"Spites" said the bespectacled whitelighter his expression horrified. "Oh god, not again. I barely survived the sixties."

"All these witches kept getting crushes on me.'" The bespectacled whitelighter sighed.

"Its damned contagious" said the bespectacled whitelighter with a shudder then groaned as he saw all the pictures of the Laker players on Noni's screen.

"There's another legends game" she informed them banging on the keys "What?" she said looking up then she shrugged "At least we saved all those witches from unjust audits because I bet somehow it would have been those demons that did them."

"We better go" Piper said hastily shaking Paige to make her pay attention. Paige shoved the pictures back in her pocket, smiled sweetly at Mark and took her sister's hands.

As she orbed they heard the bespectacled whitelighter say to Noni "You know what we discussed about using audits to get back at people no matter how much they deserve it.