Faithfully Yours

Part 6: War is hell

 

Chapter 46

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

Some time later as the Burvjarian light faded. Glock acknowledged they could go no further and settled in an old dead trunk huddling his clean and patched robe around him."

 

Cole who had borrowed Leo's parker and ski cap, as well as one of Leo's flannel shirts which he wore under his made up Burvjarian robe, shivered. Glock with a sigh stood up and moved his hand over some stones to heat them with Burvjarian magic and they huddled there surrounded by darkness.

 

"You have no tobacco "Cole commented as Glock sat silently in front of the heated stones.'

 

"No" he said. "I am used to being without in Burvjara." He was silent "It feels …safe being without."

 

"You really missed Burvjara" Cole commented finally.

 

"From the softness of your green realm you find it strange I could miss a place like this?" Glock asked. “But“ he said "your green realm has...temptations." After a long silence where Cole stared at the heated stones and huddled deeper into Leo's parka but said nothing Glock finally explained "It tempts a man's honour. I am ... I have ...very little in my life. My honour means… I value it and I have never questioned the value I put on my honour. Before... to… part with it. Except when I was in your green realm."

 

Cole did not answer still. He could think of nothing to say.

 

"You blame me for loving" Glock said hidden in the darkness "Yet you were prepared to kill, to destroy anything in your path, magic, structures… your realm …to retrieve your love. " The cold of Burvjarian night made his voice deeper, harsher than usual.

 

"I was pretty pissed with Therold" Cole answered eventually "I am pretty pissed."

 

"But not …um… pissed at your love?" Glock asked "Your love is not perfect". He added.

 

Cole took a deep breath. "Neither is yours" he said deliberately

 

In the dark Cole could see Glock move quickly and defensively.

 

"It was never my intention to do anything about ...my love " Glock said. "I love. This I cannot help, but I never intended…"

 

"But by god you were tempted" Cole bit out. He stood up "You know I never thought that Phoebe was… attracted to Therold. I know her. She was just enjoying ... having fun with the flirting. It's her way" he said "I know Therold was tempted not to... screw her but to love her. I resent it" he snarled "I resent it" he took a deep breath. "I hate him for it, I curse him for it. "Cole spat out "Damnit she's mine and he stole her and I want to do something about it …so badly."

 

"You did some thing about it" Glock murmured

 

"I did not" Cole retorted "I was stopped" he muttered resentfully and stalked off. Finally the cold became to much and he slide back onto the ground beside the warming stones.

 

'"Leo did not" Glock said after a while.

 

"Do what?" Cole asked huddling into is robe.

 

"Do something about me" Glock said into the darkness.

 

"Just in case you don't know" Cole told Glock. "Leo is as pissed at you as I am with Therold and he had reason to be... Piper wasn't flirting. Piper doesn't flirt. Piper … returned your admiration. "

 

"Leo helped me" Glock said and Cole did not have to see him to recognise his tension. "He gave me a gift."

 

"Well Leo is an angel." said Cole dryly "I'm not. And it was a parting gift" he added.

 

The two sat in front of the warming stones silently, neither able to do more than think their own thoughts

 

Some time later Glock spoke "When you talked of your imperfect love" Glock confessed "I felt superior to you. I thought you a fool for your love for her... such an imperfect being."

 

"And now you are in love, you carry in your heart a part of an imperfect love, so welcome to the club of fools" said Cole staring straight into the stones. "Only damnit "he said "Phoebe is mine. She belongs to me. And that bastard bloody well took her.“

 

"I did not think ownership of a love was permitted in your green realm" Glock mused smacking his lips clearly missing his tobacco. "To primitive "said Glock "something felt in places …such as Burvjara when all rule is lost and nothing exists but what a ... being can find in himself.'

 

"Well I have heard you say, some things are not that different." Cole muttered. "In Burvjara to my realm."

 

"In Burvjara you would need to guard your imperfect love well. For the sake of those who... respond to her imperfections, as much as her sake" Glock said. "You my friend are a dangerous fellow when crossed" he told Cole

 

Cole smiled in the dark "Unlike Leo" he replied.

 

Glock leant back against a rock and closed his eyes shut but from his breathing, it was clear he was not sleeping.

 

After some time Cole said "Glock?"

 

Glock moved slightly.

 

"It is good advice" Cole said

 

"What is good advice?" asked Glock.

 

"It is good advice to guard my imperfect love" Cole said. "For the sake of those who misunderstand her imperfection."

 

Glock laughed. '"I do not believe Phoebe will appreciate you listening to such advice" he said finally.

 

"No" said Cole "she will be pissed as hell. If she found out." He smiled the one he saved just for Phoebe." But then Phoebe's often pissed at me" he explained. "She fell in love with me "he said "not really knowing what I am. She made some choices and some of the consequences… it's not easy on her... she has to deal with... "He took breath "Being pissed at me... being...a right little madame… It helps her keep balanced... when in reality for what I am ...the balance is not there."

 

Glock made some murmuring noise

 

Cole bit his lip and looked at Glock "I know what she is and I know you haven't seen her at her best. "I can destroy her you know "he told Glock "As a demon, I came to destroy the Charmed Ones, to find my destiny AND I found it but not what I expected. Who does expect it? .. They call it walking through the fire of your own making, walking through your own personal hell and coming out the other side. Phoebe often… feels she let me down by not walking beside me but she could not. No one could. If I could not do it myself then I could not do it."

 

Even in the pitch dark Cole was aware that Glock watched him carefully

 

"She was waiting on the other side "Cole said "the one thing that was the hardest of all to face, that nearly brought me down, was losing her and when I could face it when I knew I could do it because it was the right thing, she was waiting for me."

 

Glock made no response

 

"I know what she is" Cole said "Demanding, difficult, her way or no way. But all through it she loves me and that is not something that a…. being like me takes for granted. And it isn't a selfish love you know, she would do almost anything for me and I know it. Phoebe is Phoebe. To know Phoebe is to… want to wring her neck. But you see the one difference in her that is … when I first knew her. She is okay with being Phoebe. Only…"

 

"Only what?" asked Glock.

 

"When I first knew the Charmed Ones, I was sent to kill them, find a weakness and it isn't hard, the secret of how to destroy them. To find the weakness all you have to do is know them" Cole told him "they are vulnerable. All of them. All the Halliwell witches are vulnerable. The older sister Prue. She was a hellion on two legs, thought she was invincible and a bundle of doubt and fear at the same time. Never could convince her that she was wrong…about anything. It killed her" Cole said. "And Paige. I .. She seems…nearly normal but she was the one who grew up in a...different clan but when pressured to much how hurt, how rejected she feels, it comes out. Every time they have a sister row, it comes out. I know how vulnerable Paige is and I once hurt her badly knowing this, when the source took me over and it's taken …. a great deal for her to forgive me knowing it."

 

“And your imperfect love is vulnerable?" Glock murmured

 

"Phoebe is vulnerable "Cole told Glock. "I tried once to be... I tried to use it and couldn't.. Couldn't kill her, couldn't do anything but love her. But she is still ... vulnerable. Determined to be who she is true to herself, and then frightened of who she is, being what she is … well she knows she's difficult and is caught between being true to herself and wanting to be loved. Frightened she isn't lovable as who she is. Which is...amusing in itself because have you noticed? Her family.. me, love her because she is herself. Love her for the fits and starts and difficulties, who she is. The best of her ... and even her nonsense is… special … lovable. I owe her" Cole said "and even if ... I love her because of who she is and because she is special but I owe her for waiting for me and the one thing I can do for her because I love is to keep loving her" he shrugged awkwardly as he bared his soul.

 

Glock grunted in the darkness.

 

"You call Phoebe imperfect. Don't underestimate Phoebe's imperfections" Cole told Glock. He thought of Phoebe saving him in the mausoleum, he thought of Phoebe willing to destroy his demons to protect him and have him, not knowing the drama she set in motion. "Phoebe's imperfections made me what I am. They can be the best of her" he said.

 

Glock muttered. "You nearly destroyed Piper's home over her imperfections. Piper and Leo's home. Paige's home. Your home. I do not believe they deserved that. And surely you who claim to know justice do not either.''

 

'No" Cole agreed. "It wasn't justice. I was just pissed as hell."

 

Glock nodded "You did not mention Piper" he said slowly.

 

Cole nodded. "I know" he said '"Piper is fragile "he said "she is far more fragile than she likes to admit. She hides it pretending to be tough and bossy and sarcastic and she can be broken with a twist of the hand.'

 

"I see" said Glock.

 

"Leo knows this "Cole added. "He loves her so he won't break her. Pulling her away from Leo… I think would break her."

 

"I see" said Glock. "You believe I could break her."

 

"Not if you love her enough to leave her where she is safe" Cole pushed.

 

"My honour is important" Glock said "But you have you imperfect love and I have left mine and the pain is…. very bad."

 

"I thought I had lost Phoebe a few times" Cole said after a few moments "I know... the pain."

 

Glock swallowed "But you had some hope and to hope or my love is to destroy my honour.

 

Cole turning watching Glock's shadowy form huddled in the robe Piper had cleaned and repaired. "I have an…aqua ...a… friend" he said "I ... he loves beyond the grave, beyond good and evil, a woman who is ... beyond him... and he knows it and yet he loves her, and he devotes himself to her protection and care. And do you know she has no idea. He says there is no sin in loving. Only in acting on it when the action can cause nothing but grief.'

 

"Your ...friend is a wise ... being" Glock said.

 

"He claims not" Cole answered seriously "But I disagree."

 

'So you think I should live on the memory of love." Glock said "because I cannot have my love. For her sake I must not have my love."

 

"Live on the memory of having done right by your love" Cole answered carefully '"Yes."

 

Cole was silent for a while. "Glock " he said "I take your message and thank you for stopping me doing something ..I would ….be regretting right now… for stopping me destroying … others who did not deserve it."

 

"We have no debt to each other" Glock murmured and made a small noise as if he was trying to sleep. :"There is some pleasure for me, sharing words over the warming stones." He said "Something I doubted I would do again. One more time regardless of what happens, I have shared words under a Burvjarian night."

 

"Glad to be of service." Cole said. He moved uncomfortably against his rock. "I think I did destroy Therold's house. 'he said "He did deserve it.' he added.

 

Glock grunted.

 

………………………………………………………………………..

 

Phoebe came out of the orb with Mark still lightly holding her hand.

 

She was frowning because she was still seeing Therold's face as he stood in the ruins of his cottage, begged her not to go. "You do not have to be a heroine" Therold assured her as Mark held his hand out to take her to join the Minions of Good. "You don't have to join their battles and unjust wars. Don't listen to their minions" he pleaded looking at Mark.

 

"I have explained this to Phoebe" Mark said softly "Advised her not to go."

 

"So your conscience is clear" Phoebe told Mark, her nose in the air.

 

"You have some wisdom whitelighter" Therold told Mark. "Phoebe if you must go, keep away from Belthezor." he pleaded with Phoebe. "Don't be a heroine." he said again.

 

"Cole would never hurt me" Phoebe assured Therold brightly.

 

"You are innocent my dear'" Therold told Phoebe sadly as Mark orbed her away. Her last sight of the guardian was him turning back to the ruined stones looking for his cats.

 

"I'm not a heroine" she told Mark mid orb. "I'm not a made up fantasy, a fairy tale. I'm me" she assured Mark.

 

"You certainly are you" Mark said quietly "Only you could get some-one's home destroyed and have them beg you to stay."

 

Phoebe sniffed.

 

"I wish Therold would damn well stop saying that. Making me his fantasy" she told Mark as they came out of the orb in a part of "up there" that Phoebe had never seen before. "It freaks me out, having some-one make up some stupid future for you. Destiny is a fairy tale.

 

"Does it?" asked Mark softly. "When you told me I was destined to be a whitelighter, freaked me too" he added gently.

 

Phoebe's expression clearly showed she was not falling or it. "You are a whitelighter" she said

 

"It's freaking the hell out of me "Mark said as the strange mists of 'up there' burst of disapproving rainbow lights.

 

"Hell" said Mark again grinning as the lights flashed "I like doing that "he told Phoebe. "Pisses a lot of the by the rules guys off."

 

He had barely said it when a whitelighter, with a hood pulled low and a walk that could only be described as sanctimonious appeared from the mists and whispered in Mark's ear.

 

Mark nodded but raised his eyes toward Phoebe, and the whitelighter started to move primly away

 

"I told Glock he was a messiah" Phoebe whispered to Mark.

 

"You can be a right little bitch can't you Phoebe?" Mark commented evenly. The rainbow light crashed and flashed and Mark grinned as the whitelighter froze shuddered in pain then walked on.

 

Phoebe giggled.

 

"Most of the time I don't really mean to be" she told Mark “It just comes out."

 

"That makes it okay" he said quietly and Phoebe eyed him, not certain whether he was being sarcastic or agreeing.

 

Phoebe, as she peered around through the mists, realised the place they were in was one of the lower levels of 'up there'. The mists did not have the same intense and brilliant transparency of the higher places 'up there' she had seen. They were more of a dark misty nothingness.

 

"We near the rim?" she asked Mark.

 

"Close enough" he said.

 

As the mist seemed to lift a little, Phoebe became aware that they were surrounded by large numbers of witches and other magic creatures, all of them in little huddles, staring expectantly as other orbs sounded as more whitelighters brought witches and other magic creatures to join those waiting.

 

Phoebe was wearing Piper's long wool coat, that her sister had lent to her at Therold's, over the white dress her unbeloved mother in law Elisabeth had stolen for her, and flip flops. She pulled the coat close and huddled down into it.

 

"Up there again." She thought bitterly "I don't like up there "she told Mark. "This is the fourth time I've been here and all of them were bad."

 

Mark was not paying much attention to her as he peered through the mist looking for someone. "Paige was bringing Piper up" he said "she's here somewhere."

 

"Do you think they are keeping the mist all spooky to keep witches from questioning what is going on?" Phoebe asked Mark as she followed him through the rainbow cloud.

 

"Shut up Phoebe" he said as he searched for her sisters.

 

“I only said" she muttered indignantly.

 

"I know what you said" he retorted. "Keep your damn premonitions to yourself. When are you going to learn the truth is bloody dangerous?"

 

The light shuddered enough for Phoebe to see a large number of witches and warrior magic types all observing her curiously. And then the light settled and they faded again.

 

“I hate this place" she muttered and knew Mark in front of her was grinning.

 

Phoebe thought of the time and Piper and Prue had snuck up with Leo to rid the place of a dangerous warlock with a darklighter's arrow and when she had come 'up there' to  hide from Cole, when she was pregnant, fearfully waiting to know just what Patsy's demon heritage would be. Phoebe ran her hand across Pookie. "Thank god that is not something we worry with you." And gulped because it was only daddy's constant reassurances he could feel Pookie's aura that was keeping everyone from freaking out about Pookie.

 

"I ought to be really pissed they will believe a demon over a good witch" she sighed and noticed the mist shudder at even the word demon. "God what a bunch of prissy do-gooders, good are" she thought.

 

She remembered how glad she had been to get back to Cole after those miserable weeks protecting Patsy in what was supposed to be heaven.

 

"Heaven isn’t any paradise "she told Pookie as she trailed behind Mark. Then she bumped into a nervous group of witches who looked at her oddly, clearly having heard what she said. She smiled and shrugged. As she moved away the witches disapproving faces vanished in the mist.

 

"If you knew what I knew "she thought and sighed to herself. Somewhere in the wisdom she had learned in the last few years and had not been listening too much lately, Phoebe recognised that knowing what she did would destroy the faith in their cause of many witches. That it had not destroyed hers, was only because somewhere in her exposure to higher magic she had found a belief and a purpose that surpassed all the pettiness of some of the lower levels.

 

Keeping close to Mark as he searched, Phoebe remembered the last time she had come to a part of 'up there'. When she had been called to face a tribunal on whether she was fit to be a witch. '"That wasn't paradise then either "she told Pookie. "Much better to spend eternity with daddy : she told Pookie. If Daddy still wanted to spend eternity with her. Phoebe swallowed down a hard miserable little lump.

 

Phoebe sighed as in this place 'up there' she knew she was never going to be happy. The only time in her life she had been happy was with Cole. If he would have it again.

 

"He better have meant it" she told Pookie "when he said he would forgive me anything."

 

Phoebe smiled to herself. She knew he meant it. Okay he would be pissed and nasty and maybe she would have to behave little for a while. But as sure as any premonition she had had, she was sure he meant it.

 

"So we can safely go ahead and do what we have to do and know that Daddy will be smiling when we get home" Phoebe confidently assured Pookie. And then she swallowed.

 

"What?" said Mark.

 

"Nothing“ said Phoebe.

 

Mark moved through the mist and she was aware more and more of the Minions of Good who were gathered. She frowned and straining to see her sisters in the mist she crashed into a large ethereal being wearing some sort of armour. The being steadied her., glanced at the size of Pookie and shook its head, "Mind how you go"It said in a curious androgenous voice.

 

"I will" she replied

 

"That is good" It said and moved disappearing into the mist.

 

"Wow Pookie, that was an archangel "said Phoebe turning around and crashed straight into Piper.

 

"Phoebe" Piper said catching her "Where the hell have you been?"

 

The rainbow light shimmered.

 

"Oh shut up "said Piper. "That gets really annoying" she told Phoebe.

 

"I know "said Phoebe "I just ran into an archangel" Phoebe told Piper.

 

"All over the place "Piper said. "and other beings floating around in cloaks, some of them carrying swords and others in all sorts of armour. I think they are justifying all this by claiming higher magic is involved. So it looks like they mean business."

 

“And the business being war" Phoebe sighed. "You don't think the archangels being present means this is a just war."

 

"No" said Piper nastily "I just think it means the Elders have just talked the greater powers into believing it is."

 

"Stay together" Mark said and disappeared into the mist before Piper could do anything but roll her eyes.

 

Piper caught Phoebe's arm and pulled her over to where Paige was huddled with a frightened and concerned and very over awed Leslie who clutched on to Paige's arm. There were also two other witches, an older woman wearing sensible slacks and a concerned expression, and another young woman who w as shaking her head overwhelmed by where she was.

 

"This is big" Piper said "Looks like they are just going to overwhelm with numbers, and all the whitelighter types are the warrior ones. No pacifists here"

 

"Except Mark and a few others who are just transport. Looks like they are figuring the odds on how many will be lost" Paige said bitterly "one of the reasons to use overwhelming force."

 

Paige indicated another group of witches further away, where Matilda Riggs, the witch who had been so anxious to get Leslie to come to war was loudly making noises about the victory to come. Matilda shadowed by a small, plump, dark witch, whom Phoebe suddenly recalled was Matilda's best friend Sara. Sara's powers were not strong, a very low level ability to create smoke shields but she and Matilda were friends who did everything together. Many of the group with Matilda and Sara was jumping about shaking with excitement about where they were.

 

"Do you think they understand they are here for vanquish fodder?" Paige asked.

 

"Want to tell them?" said Piper.

 

Matilda looked toward the Charmed Ones and gave them a superior smirk. "Surprised to see you here Paige" she called as her friend Sara smirked.

 

Paige shrugged

 

"Knew the Charmed One's would not resist a good battle" called Matilda and turned back to her group and Sara laughed.

 

Leslie still clutching Paige's arm "I'm frightened" she whispered "why aren't they?'

 

"To stupid to understand" Paige reassured her.

 

"I don’t want to die" Leslie whispered back. "I don't want to see people…witches I know die. Even Matilda."

 

"Maybe we can find a way not to let that happen" Phoebe whispered.

 

"You really think that" asked the older woman who had joined them in a matter of fact voice. "They want this battle pretty bad from what I can see. Figure what they want is worth the cost."

 

"The damned magic pole isn't worth a pin prick of blood." Piper answered bitterly. "Elders can't control it, they can't change it and the people who own it aren't evil. They just have talked themselves into a war because they want a war."

 

"I'm Edna" the woman said "come from Brazil. Are we supposed to talk about what we are fighting for? Mark said we were going for that" she added. "Said he had to come to tell me I was being asked to fight for a great magic battle, not supposed to tell me what we were fighting for but he said I needed to know to make a choice."

 

Piper introduced her sisters and Leslie

 

'"If I had a choice why did you come?" Paige asked curiously.

 

"I have a power to slice demons like razors apart, just the lower level ones" Edna said "think I could let sister witches go fight those sort of monsters and not protect them."

 

The other witch who was nervously standing with her arms wrapped around her them sucked her breath "Mark told me too" she said "because he said I had a right to know. I'm Tisha "she said from Serbia. "Tisha whispered. "When Mark said it was on, I did not want to come. I come from somewhere where… I grew up with war…in Serbia. Mark said I had a choice. But I can throw shields, protect from demon weapons, well the ones like acid spits and flame throwers, the lower level ones and that is what the demons will be sending to fight. So having grown up in a war" she said 'how could I not protect sister witches. I'm pretty scared" Tisha admitted. "Never seen anything like this. Never thought I would see this and not be dead. See what heaven is like."

 

"It's not much of heaven" Phoebe said matter of fact "just the tip near the rim."

 

"What is the rim?" said Edna.

 

"The edge of nothing, where the realms meet:" Phoebe explained.

 

"You must know a lot about high magic to know about 'up there' and not be dead,“ Edna commented.

 

"To damned much" said Piper and tossed her head, pony tail flying as the rainbow shimmered. "That doesn't scare me" she told them loudly.

 

"It scares me" said Tisha nervously.

 

"If you're so scared you didn't have to come" Paige assured her.

 

"I know "said Tisha "but Mark is so wonderful. I had a whitelighter before …Hester, She was all business. Made me feel like I was not good enough. Mark makes me feel like I really … matter…so I did not want to let him down." She sighed a little giddily.

 

Paige swallowed "When he said you did not have to come, he meant you really did not have to feel guilty or pressured. He was giving you a choice."

 

"I know "said Tisha. ''But he makes you want to…be brave, be good, be the best witch you can, and hat means taking risks to protect sister witches. No point having the powers and hiding under the bed. Mark is wonderful" she added, her expression quite dreamy.

 

Paige glanced at Phoebe and frowned.

 

Phoebe grinned smugly. '"You sound like you really love Mark" she told Tisha

 

"Who wouldn't?" said Tisha and fortunately was so lost in her vision she did not hear Paige's indrawn breath.

 

"Do you think we should be talking about what we will fight?" Edna said in her matter of fact voice. "You have to think that if the Powers that Be wanted people to know they would tell them. You could get Mark into big trouble. They will tell us when they think we know." She sounded worried.

 

"If they tell us at all'" Piper put her hands on her hip "Maybe they don't want to tell us is because what they are asking us to do is invade another realm. And take control of it because they don't feel safe with the real owners controlling it."

 

Edna and Tisha both exchanged glances and became silent, considering what Piper said. Piper reached out and caught Phoebe's hand

 

"It's the waiting I can't stand" Leslie broke the silence passionately. She looked over to where and her cronies were still working themselves into an excited frenzy. Sara and Matilda were hugging each other with excitement. "They aren’t frightened" she said bitterly.

 

"You should feel sorry for them" Tisha told Leslie "they have no idea what they will face. They are not prepared for ...how evil war is. If they had lived in Serbia, they would know," she added.

 

She had barely had the words out when the mist seemed to lift above their heads and from feeling isolated in a cloud the witches found themselves staring at an army of witches, flanked whitelighters whose robes seemed to resemble armour. Archangels in bright armour, not even a pretence of a robe appeared on the edges of the group.

 

"Definitely not the average whitelighter types" Phoebe whispered.

 

The whitelighters types must have known what they were doing because despite the seeming haphazard arrivals of the witches, as the mists lifted the witches found themselves standing in ranks of about 50. Each group had armoured whitelighter types hovering close by. The ranks were clearly separated into a discernable pattern.

 

"Wouldn't you know organising the masses into blind obedience was the one thing they could do well" Piper whispered to Phoebe who nodded.

 

"Still not as good as we are at disrupting it" whispered Phoebe.

 

"So "whispered Paige as Leslie clutched into her arm and looked in awe at the assembled witches and magic creatures who whispered amongst themselves, most in wonder of their surrounding, some concerned, some anxious. "We have a job to do. How do we go about this?'

 

"Don't think we can just say hey don't do this" Piper whispered back "not without giving them a good reason."

 

"We have a good reason" Paige hissed "We are being asked to invade a realm that does not belong to us, to protect the rightful owners out of control of some of the most powerful resources in magic. Because our side is too frightened to trust them with the ownership." She sucked her breath "we are being asked to steal and rob and not questioning it because the Powers that Be know best". She looked around. "If not doing that is not a good reason I don't know what is.'

 

"Not sure a good reason is enough" Phoebe muttered as Matilda, Sara and her group who were part of their ranks started to clap with excitement as they saw the warrior whitelighters and archangels.

 

"Maybe some of them will not understand that it is wrong" Piper whispered "might believe the Powers that Be are right that Burvjarians can't control and protect the pole."

 

Edna and Tisha looked at them concerned.

 

"They would believe us if they knew the Elders like I do" said Phoebe.

 

Mark appeared out of the mists with two more charges.

 

"Look after them" he asked the Charmed Ones and smiled as Tisha caught her breath and Edna's matter of fact expression softened.

 

Paige pursed her lips.

 

Not far away from where they, several whitelighter types seemed to be closely observing the group.

 

"Why are they watching us?" Piper asked suspiciousl..

 

Mark grinned “I warned them how disruptive you could be" he said calmly as Piper took a deep breath "warned them how Phoebe has connections to higher magic and how her premonitions can be … deadly. I told them how much you trust her outbursts." he explained softly. "No matter how it pisses you off."

 

Piper eyed him off "Smart ass" she said appreciatively.

 

"Least I could do" he said straight faced while the witches who were his charges positively panted, and Paige sucked here breath.

 

"What happens now?" she asked.

 

"The Elders screw a battalion of witches" Piper answered and the rainbow light all but fractured.

...................................................................