Faithfully Yours Part 5: A Time in the Affairs of Witches   Chapter 35 "The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means."   Oscar Wilde

Phoebe put the phone down and winced hard. She glanced at the photo of Cole and Patsy on her desk was furious with herself because George had talked her into lunch. She knew should have said no and somehow he had coaxed her into saying yes. She was angry with herself because she was seriously concerned with what Leo and Glock had said to her last night and as a truth speaker was somewhere deep in her soul able to recognise truth when it was said to her. She knew what evil magic was doing to her, yet she could not control her fantasies and hormones, and she was worried where the magic was taking her.

She was getting heartily sick of feeling guilty all the time and she was missing her lover who spoilt her. And she was nervous that Glock may say something to Cole in one of their chats that perhaps he thought she was not …well good enough for Cole. Because Cole did respect Glock. And if there were enough nails in the coffin, he may finally decide their relationship was dead.  Only this morning Cole. had barely noticed her let alone moved across the room to be close to her.

When she thought about it, he had sat on a chair opposite her last week when the family had been talking. He always sat on the sofa with her or the arm of the chair she was sitting on. When she thought about it, twice this week he had walked past her without touching her hair.

And when was the last time he ha smiled the smile that was special for her. Well last night she agreed but she had had to ask for it.  

And that really pissed her off. Cole wasn't perfect and you only had to be married to him to know that. Phoebe had a long, long list of grievances about Cole. His untidiness, his habit of starting family feuds at breakfast. He drove to fast, he never bothered to try and keep his temper with the family, just let fly with anything he felt. Particularly irritating was his belief in his own intellect, his inability to fix anything in the house with magic without stuffing up something else; his hatred of non man made fibres in his clothing; his refusal to sleep on the side of the bed where the door wasn't; his irritating habit of clearing his throat when he was nervous; he would not clean his teeth until after he had shaved. And worst of all the fact that he towered over her by a foot and used his height to step into her space and claim her.

Then Phoebe smiled as she thought of Cole smiling and leaning down into her space and decided she really did not want lunch with George. With purpose she dialled George's phone number.

As Phoebe dialled she became aware of the time slowing and before she could take a breath, seven spites appeared arms linked, dancing through her office in their translucent gown as they chanted their spells. Phoebe hissed her breath and muttered little bastards and whipped out the spite vanquishing spell that lately she had made sure was within grabbing distance.  The spites disappeared in a satisfactory blast of goo but not before Phoebe felt and unwelcome burst of heat in her body.

"What "said George as he answered his phone.

"Just making sure you're coming to lunch" Phoebe whispered huskily.

………………………………………………..

Glock awkwardly eased his large frame into the front passenger seat as Piper checked the children and started to turn on the engine when the dinging noise stopped. She turned to Glock.

"Seat belt" she said.

Glock looked confused, his skin going dark orange, as it often did when he was out of his depth in the realm.

"Seat belt stops you hitting the wind screen …the glass" Piper explained "when you stop the car suddenly'" She leant over to help Glock who noticeably trembled as she touched him.

"Do you stop the vehicle suddenly very often?" Glock asked trying to hide his concern.

"It's illegal to drive without wearing them" Piper explained," wearing a seat belt. And I'm a damned good driver" she added. "Not like Phoebe."

"Illegal" Glock asked examining the seat belt

"Yes you get a fined, don't g to gaol" she explained. "pay money as a penalty.'"

"Gaol?" said Glock

"Gaol" she said "Where you go if you break the law, seriously "she told him "so anything illegal.  You don't have gaols in Burvjara."

"I believe it is necessary to have laws before you have the concept of illegal and places to put you if you do anything illegal" Glock said a touch grimly.

Piper drove down the hill and took the tourist view of San Francisco, driving around downtown and over the bridge then back and around the Presidio and near the boats while Glock said very little watching the water and cars and streets.

"I suppose it’s different" Piper said to break the silence "to Burvjara.

"Different" he muttered and rested he hand on his chin, staring out the window as they passed houses and parks and shopping centers; and cars and cyclists and buses and motor bikes passed them.

Piper stayed quiet uncertain of Glock's mood.

Finally Glock took a deep breath "Your realm is different to Burvjara" he said quietly. "Burvjara is blue and orange" he said.

"San Francisco's pretty different to the rest of the realm" Piper said sucking on her lip.  "The water is blue" she said a little desperately.

Glock turned to her his nose twitching slightly and Piper reached out to put her hand on his arm. He moved his fingers to touch hers for a second then pulled them away and Piper took a deep breath.

Finally Melinda and a grizzly Patsy had enough of views and driving and wanted to move so Piper found parking near the harbor. Eventually. She pretended to ignore Glock's nose twitching as twice she tried to pull into a space and someone beat her to it.  And being on her best behaviour, she could not abuse them. The third time some-one tried to pinch a spot she was lining up, Piper was fast enough to freeze the car and beat them to it. 

"Mommy" said Melinda. "You're not allowed to do that. Daddy says so."

"Special occasions magic. Melinda. Its ordinary everyday magic Daddy is talking about" Piper muttered looking sideways at Glock whose nose twitched.

With some assistance from Glock Piper unpacked pushers, bags and other child necessities. She put Wyatt and Patsy in the pusher while insisting Melinda held her hand. Glock, after allowing Piper to carefully adjust the scarf over his face and pull the hat low over his eyes took Melinda's pusher

"You can push me when I'm tired Unca Glock" Melinda explained to him.

"It will be my privilege" Glock told her.

"What's pwivlige?" Melinda demanded.

"Glock being allowed to push you" Piper said.

"Good Unca Glock" Melinda said and Piper  smiled.

Piper once had to rescue Glock from being run over by a cable car and then from a cyclist as they made their way down to the harbour. And another time Melinda caught his hand as a tourist choo choo train appeared

He ruefully shook his head and said "I am an alien here More helpless than the offspring."

"You'll get used to it" Piper assured him but Glock shook his head.

However they had not gone far when Piper noticed, warrior instinct that had kept Glock alive in Burvjara was ever present even in an alien realm, and within a few yards, Glock had adapted to the traffic, the crowds and was negotiating his way with no further assistance.

They walked round the harbour, Piper carefully keeping an eye on Melinda running ahead to point things she thought Unca Glock might like, mostly toys in shops, kid's rides and with a sly little girl smile, chocolate shops. For a while Piper kept Patsy in the pusher but he became quite grumpy so she let him toddle. Piper warned Glock they had to watch Patsy carefully because these days he kept approaching anyone who he sensed or saw looked different and tugging at them until they noticed him and then saying hello.

"Phoebe" she explained "had had an embarrassing incident where Patsy had approached a bearded priest from an orthodox church, tugged at his robe and head cocked looking at the beard as he said hello.

Glock frowned slightly at Phoebe's name

"You haven't seen the best of her" Piper explained. "She can be pretty wonderful, just well she thinks extremes add to her personality."

Glock nodded more in disbelief than agreement."I begin to understand walking your realm is not a matter of simply putting your boots on" Glock told her.

Piper took a deep breath "Watching out for the kids is part of the fun of having kids" she said.

"It never occurred to me that caring for offspring was fun" Glock said "More duty."

"Why can't duty be something you enjoy?" Piper asked.

"I do not know "Glock conceded. "But then enjoyment is not a common concept where I come from."

"Well it is here and you're going to experience it" Piper told him. "I enjoy seeing it through your eyes" she told Glock taking his arm.

"Then I will enjoy it so you can" he said. Piper could just see his yellow eyes sparkle.

She had considerable enjoyment watching Glock's reaction to tourist shops full of decorations, knick knacks and expensive clothes and toy shops. He kept stopping shaking his head to every minute or so.

 "What do they do with all this?" he asked "How do they need it?" he asked looking at a shop that sold large wooden hand carved chests and other items.

They stopped at a clothes shop and Glock fingered some sweaters in a rack. Piper picked out a very large blue one made of very soft lambs wool.

"Would you like it?" she asked.

Glock shook his head but ran his fingers over it. "It is soft" he said.

"It will keep you warm when you go back to Burvjara" she said "It is light to carry" she added.

Glock still shook his head.

"Do you think Uncle Glock should have a new sweater" Pipe asked Melinda.

"Yes "said Melinda and Glock laughing finally conceded he should take it.

Piper paid for the sweater with a credit card, then they stopped at an ice-cream shop and she bought them all ice-creams. They had a few sulky moments when she refused to let Melinda eat chocolate and a few worried ones as Patsy at first played with his grumpily before finally eating it.

"Not good" said Piper.

As he ate the ice-cream, carefully keeping the scarf in place, Glock leant over and took her credit card from Piper and examined it while she gave Wyatt his ice-cream.

"Credit card" Piper explained showing him her card. "It's like money. Do you have money in Burvjara?"

Glock shook his head. "We steal and scavenge" he said "How do you know how much money you have?" he asked as he examined the card.

"I have records on a computer that says I have that much money" Piper explained.

"They talk about these computers on your television" Glock said "As something to blame for many of the mistakes and errors in the realm." He added. "How do you know your wealth is anything more than a mistake on these machines?"

"The real wealth is gold is stored somewhere else and my credit card tells me how much I share of the gold." Piper explained.

"How do you know the gold is there?" Glock asked curiously

"Well I don't really" Piper said "I just assume it is."

"You are trusting" Glock said shaking his head.

"Well every one said its there, thinks its there." Piper said a little defensive;

"So if you can add to the figure in the machine, you have a bigger share in the gold" Glock asked.

"You have to work and earn it and that is how you add to the figure" Piper explained.

"Can you not find a way to add to the machine without working?"  Glock asked.

"That would be illegal" Piper said. "And you go to gaol.'

"That place again" Glock said "So" he said "the whole thing does not exist. But the belief it exists is the source of your  ... food, the reason you work, how you pay fines so you don't go to gaol, but you do go to gaol if you have more credit than some machine thinks you have. But some-one with an access to the machine can take away from you. You chose a complicated way to sustain yourselves."

"It's better than killing people to sustain ourselves" said Piper.

Glock shrugged " It sounds like a world built by demons to steal from the unfortunate; to control the lives of those who rely on the machines and to ensure they have final control over the resources."

"No it's built by economists" Piper said

"We would call such beings the enemy In Burvjara" Glock said

"That's what Phoebe said they are here" admitted Piper.

"As you say your sister is a truth speaker" Glock said his yellow eyes lighting up.

They wandered along the harbour; Patsy still refusing to sit in the pusher and Melinda holding Unca Glock's hand. Piper pointed out the boats going to Alcatraz.

"What is it?" Glock asked, leaning against the harbour rail curiously staring at the island.

Piper keeping a careful old of Patsy winced "A gaol"  she admitted. "well it was, a really famous, infamous one. It’s a museum now."

"Why did they close it?" Glock asked. "Not enough people stealing things on the machines."

"They did not have computers then. They closed it because it was to evil" Piper said "I can't take you out there. Phoebe went out there once and had some awful problems with a ghost, a really evil one. It's too much of a risk in case something evil is out there with Melinda being a witch and Patsy being so empathic. It's pretty grim and miserable."

"Then definitely not a place to enjoy today" Glock said and Piper smiled. "You realm is far from perfect, if it needs places of infamy and evil to lock people away." he mused.

"Yes" said Piper simply

Piper decided they had taken enough risks and managed to safely get all three children and Glock back to the car. She drove to the beach not far from where Cole had sat a few days earlier wondering what Glock would think of the view and the small boats on the harbour and the bridge.

They set up a picnic on the beach, isolated enough so Glock could remove the scarf and far enough away from the water for the children to play on the sand safely. Patsy was building some sort of castle arrangement of his own fantasy, and Melinda distracted from chocolate, was watching seagulls, anything animal always caught her attention while Piper held Wyatt letting him dig bare toes in the warm sand.

"What do you think of this realm?" Piper asked.

Glock looked at the blue sea and sky and the waving grass on the edge of the sand that Cole had watched a few days before. "It is very blue" he said "it is very green" he picked up some sand and ran it through his fingers. "It feels alien" he said. "Evan the orange is alien."

"Burvjara would be alien to me" Piper told him.

"True" he agreed. He began to bang in his pockets

"You are not smoking near my children" Piper told him firmly. "Anyway it's very bad for you." she added.

"Also this place lacks......freedom" he muttered.

"Freedom to kill yourself" snorted Piper.

"Freedom to choose" said Glock. He stared at the boats and sea for sometime. Finally he said. "I find some peace in watching the blue water. It has been a good day" he added.

"So" said Piper "Nothing has happened, no-one even paid attention to you. So much for Cole and Leo bitching about you coming out."

"I have found in battle" Glock said "the fear of what might happen can be more deadly than the battle. It can paralyse you into not acting" he said "worrying what could happen. But I suspect nothing happening will not ease the …annoyance Cole and Leo feel that we came.

"Males can be arrogant bastards" she told Glock You're male, so tell me why males can act s damned superior when they do just as many stupid things. Why they always have to feel in control, in charge, why they feel so damned pleased with themselves when they are in charge?" Piper asked

"Well" said Glock.

"I can tell you" Piper told him before he could say anything else "Its goddamn testosterone. They act like it's a gift to the world and it’s a god damn curse.

"Testosterone" said Glock

"Damned male hormone; making it is the only reason they have balls," Piper told him

"Oh that "said Glock" we don't call it testosterone."

"It sure as hell is only to make their egos match what they dream their dicks look like "said Piper on a roll. "Use it to make wars, someone has to win, can't talk it out, can't back off, testosterone kicks in and they have to came out on top, be number one Do you know how many wars have been fought and how many people have been lost because of testosterone, because they can’t think or act or reason with anything higher than their testicles and dick?"

"No "said Glock his face serious.

"Just about every goddamn one" said Piper.

"then perhaps if you can find a cue for testosterone" I can take it back to my realm" Glock smiled his yellow eyes alight" Should I ever return to my realm" He added.

"I have one" Piper said glaring "Castration"

"I have a feeling that may not work in my realm" Glock said with a shudder.

Piper touched his knee and looked at the sea. "Maybe not every war" she conceded. 

"Burvjara is the certain proof that you cannot stop a war by trying to win it' Glock said. "You can only win battles."

Melinda and Patsy had a fight over the way Patsy was building the castle and nearly destroyed all the work as they waved hands around and sand blew everywhere. Piper stood up and separated them after she handed Wyatt to Glock.

She sat back down. "I pray they never know war" she said

"They have powerful magic" Glock commented. "I will join your prayer."

"I suppose if they had that sort of magic in your realm, they would be using it to fight instead of play." Piper said

"Soon they would" Glock agreed.

"Cole gets really nuts about the kids not using magic to fight until they are old enough to choose" Piper said " says when they learn to fight they learn to kill and when they learn to kill, they loose their innocence, their childhood."

"Cole has some wisdom" Glock agreed. "except when he tries to keep me locked away from the realm."

"Yeah "Piper agreed. "Mostly he's a know it all pain in the butt."

"Yes" agreed Glock and Piper laughed.

Piper and Glock watched the children enjoying each others company in silence, Glock staring at the view and Piper surreptitiously staring at Glock.

The silence was suddenly interrupted by an unmelodious clang and four spites appeared between Piper and Melinda, they started to dance around as Piper jumped to her feet.

"Oh no you don't " she called  freezing the spites while Glock also jumped to his feet.

Without hesitation Piper blew up the spites.

"Bastards" she called to Glock. "Just here trying to cause more spite, more trouble."

Wyatt started wailing as the spites blew up in a cloud of black goo and Patsy and Melinda both staggered to their feet. Before Piper could go to them there was another clang and this time four troll like demons, complete with sharp teeth acid spit and claws appeared.

Two demons turned toward for Piper and two turned to Patsy and Melinda.

Melinda did as she had learnt and threw up a field around her and Patsy while Piper fought the two demons. However one of the trolls was able to piece the field and made straight for the little witch, who jumped in front of Patsy, standing as her mommy stood to fight demons.

Glock carefully put Wyatt down and looked around. He found a weapon in the sharp knife Piper has brought along to cut bread and without hesitation he deliberately moved to the trolls.

Melinda and Patsy seeing Piper occupied and Glock in combat, huddled behind the shield as the fourth demon tried to get to them.

They were dangerous demons and Piper had to duck  and weave to blow up one because they obviously knew of the dangers of facing a witch with her blowing up power because they kept behind her. One caught her and she screamed as acid spat down her side and clothing. The second demon troll then faced her to finish her but Piper was able to get her hands free and blow it up.

She struggled to get free from the troll holding her and was finally able to break free by freezing one of it arms then she blew it up also.

Glock finished one demon by calmly and deliberately sticking a knife in its back. The fourth demon just broke through the shield when Melinda lifted her hands and Patsy started to scrunch his face instinctively, Glock caught the demon by the shoulder, pulled it around.

The demon caught Glock in the shoulder with a claw, scratching huge gashes through his clothing and spat acid in his face. He barely reacted, intent on his quarry.  The demon was clearly surprised at his strength, and he and the demon tussled hand to hand for the knife, the demon clawing acid, biting and cutting into the arms anywhere it could reach until with a supreme effort Glock stuck the knife in its throat and it blew up in a cloud of goo while he rolled on his back

Dark orange blood poured from wounds to his face and Piper saw stains of orange on his body as the acid burnt through his clothes and deep into his flesh.

Glock groaned and rolled in pain as the acid ripped into his skin and the sand stained dark orange from the blood coming out of him

Piper stood over Glock as orange blood oozed out of him onto the sand. She tried turning him but he was too heavy for her. Patsy and Melinda ran to her as Wyatt, left on his own by the picnic basket began to wail. Catching Melinda and Patsy again Piper called loudly for Mark.

Mark arrived quickly sensibly did not bother to ask for explanations. With considerable effort, he turned Glock over and frowned when he saw the mass of dark orange blood.

"Heal him" Piper ordered, Wyatt on her hip and still managing to hang onto Patsy and Melinda "He's badly hurt Mark" she added "He saved Melinda and Patsy. Stopped them having to protect themselves."

"Hurt mommy" said Melinda

" 'urt" said Patsy.

Mark ran his hands across Glock the healing light coming from them. Then he stopped suddenly and squatted back on his heels.

Piper nervously asked "Is he dead?" and her voice caught in a sob

Mark squatting on his heels shook his head "Nearly" he said still contemplating Glock

"Then heal him" Piper ordered.

"Its a bit more complicated than that" he said still looking at Glock intently.

"What do you mean?'" Piper demanded.

"I can't just heal these wounds to save him, there are other things that  need to be …cured to save him. I'm not supposed to cure people" Mark said" I guess you can't live in a war zone, wit no medical help and keep fighting and be healthy" he added.

"What do you mean?" Piper demanded

"I don't think he was meant to survive very long" Mark said "there are things in his aura, things that need to be fixed to fix this".

"Then fix whatever you need too" Piper ordered.

"I was not asking your opinion or giving you a choice, Piper" Mark replied softly. "But you know the rules about only fixing what magic destroyed."

"What are you going to do?" she demanded scornfully "run to the elders and ask their advice".

"No" Mark replied gently " I was not planning on that either, because I can already guess how long that would take. Which would save me a decision but not have any other useful purpose."

Piper glared at him furiously.  "He's dying Mark." she snarled "and you're acting like....an elder's lackey."

"I'm listening to my own voices and wisdom "he said softly "such as it is." Glock moaned and his breath bubbled. "I can  guarantee there will be consequences." Mark sighed

"Hurting mommy" said Melinda

"'urt" said Patsy.

"Mark" pleaded Piper. "Bugger the consequences."

"I knew you'd say that" Mark said rocking on his heals

"Bugger it" said Mark gently rubbing his hand over his receding sandy hair. "I don’t decide who lives and dies. I can't heal the dead but I can heal the living."

He leant forward and as Glock's breathe almost rattled, he ran his hands over him and the light shone and the dark orange blood stopped running and Glock's breathing eased from a rattle.

Melinda looked up at her mother and whimpered.

Mark stood up and walked to Piper. He caught her face. "That acid is a bitch "he said running his hand down Piper's face and healing a massive and brutal looking burn down one side that she had not noticed in her concern for Glock. "And Piper" Mark said mildly "I am no-body's bloody lackey.

In a few seconds, Glock face now more orange than pale ochre, sat up.

"Death is becoming an old friend for me lately" he said as Piper clutching her children smiled at him.

Glock smiled back and Piper barely bit back her surprise and Mark winced. Glock's once yellow and ruined teeth shone pearly white.

Piper looked at Mark and he shrugged. "I did what I needed to do to heal him." He said. "So now I can go listen to the list of consequences I caused" he added ruefully.

Piper swallowed and would have bent down to Glock except a huge commotion behind her made her turn to see a disgusted Melinda rummaging through the picnic basket,  food plastic containers and plates going every where"

"Melinda" roared Piper.

"Chocolate" hissed Melinda "I want chocolate "she said almost up-ending herself into the basket trying to see if there was some in the bottom of it.

"Jeez" roared Piper "Goddamned spites".

As she went over to haul Melinda away from the picnic basket her cell phone rang .She grabbed it from her purse.  It was Paige telling Piper she had just been attacked by a number of spites.

Mark looked up and pressed his lips as he heard Paige's name

"Co-incidence.. not" Piper said and told Paige what happened.

"Mark healed Glock" Paige asked her voice soft. "Do you want me to come over."

"No "said Piper "I'll meet you at home as soon as you can" she hesitated "Unless you want to buy some porn on the way home."

Paige caught her breath "I'm thinking that concentrating on how I am going to explain that stuff I had to the archbishop, may help me resist that temptation" she said "do you think the spite dance is not as powerful now?" Paige asked hopefully.

Pipe hauled a screaming Melinda out of the picnic basket.  "No" she said 'I don't think that. I'll see you at home" she said.

She put Melinda down and thought about it then rang Phoebe's number

"Yes I saw spites" Phoebe hissed into the phone "Stupid pests. No I can't come just to talk about the little pests" she whispered harshly "I'm having an important business lunch with George. And I'm not leaving just to hear again those little pests get cured by reality." And Phoebe ended the call.

"Jeez" said Piper glaring at her cell while Mark and Glock watched her.

"We need to get home "she told them and started throwing things into the picnic basket as Melinda lay on the ground screaming she wanted chocolate and Patsy began to chomp on his jaw and make wah wah noises, and Wyatt feeling in need of attention let fly with his most earth shattering WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Glock and Mark exchanged glances as Glock groggily tried to stand.

"You keep still Glock" Piper ordered. She turned on Mark "well don't stand there Mark. Help me get these kids home" Piper ordered.

Mark looked at Glock and moved to help her. He stopped and whispered to Glock. "I'm not her lackey. Every male learns its just easier to do it than argue with the ...females in this realm."

"I have learned that since I came here" Glock whispered back "I am beholden to you. Thank you." he said to Mark "I think´ he added tightly.

Mark nodded then turned to help Piper pack up.

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