Faithfully Yours Part 8: I'm always true to you darling in my fashion..   Chapter 66 "The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means."   Oscar Wilde

The next morning Cole went to work and Leo went off to sooth the latest magic creatures that the guardian Durand had offended. Paige had been awake all night waiting for Mark to return and was becoming more and more frantic when he did not show. Phoebe and Piper had lain awake listening to her restless movements, then got up to share camomile tea with Paige and exchange nervous worried glances while Paige kept saying she was not concerned.

When Mark had not appeared by morning Paige rang in sick to work and so did Phoebe. A clearly not convinced Alex took Paige's phone call and Phoebe was very disturbed when her assistant, Cheryl, told her the paper was gone to hell.

"What's happening?" she asked concerned.

"Seems like an amped Peyton place" Cheryl told her "Relationships breaking up. Things pretty nasty between people who have … had it on. Just things."

"Spite aftermath" said Piper when Phoebe told her. "I can wait with Paige if you want to go."

"One spite related drama at a time" Phoebe sighed and talked Paige into at least having a shower and then trying to rest.

With Paige upstairs Piper took Wyatt into the kitchen for some 'mom' time and Phoebe holding Patsy and Melinda's hands stood in the archway staring at the mess in the conservatory.

"Mess" said Melinda "Big mess. Bad Unca Cole" she said happily.

"Unca Cole very bad" Phoebe agreed.

Phoebe busied herself on the conservatory, deciding as she was in part to blame the least she could do was try and fix what she could. Patsy plonked himself down in the archway and telekineticed some of his toys around him.

Patsy seemed much better than he had been so clearly the worst of this teething was over. He carefully arranged his toy blocks in intricate patterns while Melinda decided she would help as best as she could by carrying mostly destroyed objects around the room and putting them where Phoebe did not want them, then telling Auntie Phoebe she was a good girl.

"Back to normal" Phoebe thought apprehensively then she shuddered as she looked at her precious son lost in the patterns he was making. Somehow they had survived this teething. Which as a mother left Phoebe grateful enough to her detested mother in law to have no regrets whatsoever that her deal with the devil, or the next best thing in this case, was the right thing to do. She was not entirely sure she, Cole, the family or Patsy were going to survive the next one.

Phoebe had carefully felt Patsy's mouth and to her relief she could finally feel a normal tooth coming through but she shuddered to think there were more to come and what her baby would face if she could not convince Elisabeth to hand over the complete potion. Patsy was going to get that cure she told herself. If it was the only choice Patsy had for any peace in the coming months she decided that Cole not knowing where the cure came from was a small price to pay.

Phoebe wandered around the room, contemplating whether or not it was going to be possible to recover cushions or just give up on the whole thing and redesign the conservatory when she was startled by a shimmer in the doorway.

She spun around as the light faded to see the laughing blue eyes of her not in the least bit beloved mother in law behind her.

Elisabeth, wearing a very tight short black suit, peek a boo honey blond hair falling forward meandered into the conservatory.

"My sisters are here" Phoebe snarled. "Power of Three."

"You don't think I am foolish enough to come visit my beloved daughter in law unprotected" smiled Elisabeth. "Against the mere Power of Three."

"Cole" Phoebe started to say.

"Isn't here" Elisabeth pouted "Could he do me harm?" She asked sweetly "When is one of you going to tell me what he can do."

"What do you think?" Phoebe demanded hands on where her hips used to be

"Would he do me harm?" Elisabeth asked with a small catch in her voice. She tossed her head, so the honey blond hair moved. The naked evil of her blue eyes flashed for a moment as she aw Phoebe's expression.

"Its a sad thing Chickadee to be rejected by your own flesh and blood. Unnatural" Elisabeth said. "I hope you never find out that part of a mother's pain" she added as Phoebe still said nothing.

Elisabeth flicked her honey blond hair again and went into the conservatory. She looked around with a malicious laugh then wandered around to examine the damaged room while Phoebe pushed Melinda behind her.

“I don’t think I like the idea of my grandchildren being raised in a hovel" Elisabeth smirked looking at the mess in the conservatory "or is it just that the demon world should be mourning some of its more powerful members?"

Phoebe glowered at her "Cole was pissed off" she said truthfully.

"Such a lying little witch" snipped Elisabeth "Chickadee you are not going to try and convince me one demon could do all this."

"I wouldn't waste my breath convincing you of anything" Phoebe said crossing her arms.

Piper come running from the kitchen, meeting Paige at the bottom of the stair  just as Melinda stepped out from behind Phoebe and started to raise her hands defensively.

"Demon mommy" she told Piper who skidded to a halt at the archway, while Paige ran further into the room

"No Melinda" Phoebe ordered "get behind me."

Melinda started to pout but recognising the tone, for once did as she was told without arguing.

Piper caught Paige’s hand and they ran to Phoebe, pushing Melinda behind all three of them. The sisters stood there hand in hand, ready to defend and defeat if necessary.

Elisabeth laughed "Such a warm welcome" she said "especially when I bring you gifts."

She spied Patsy on the ground still interested in his blocks.

Phoebe took a harsh breath "Keep away from Patsy "she ordered sharply.

Elisabeth frowned nastily "Patsy" she spat. "You wound me using a name like that" she told Phoebe "anything but…when I think of his heritage … his … possibility."

"Don't," snapped Paige.

"Don't what?" smirked Elisabeth.

"Even think about Patsy's heritage" snarled Piper.

"Then why should I bring him gifts?" asked Elisabeth sweetly. "If I am forbidden to even think … about his heritage."

The three sisters stood arm in arm staring at Elisabeth who smirked back. Piper and Paige both determined while Phoebe nervously bit her lip.

"So what gift?" demanded Piper not giving an inch.

"Why I promised the Chickadee I would give you the ointment that keeps the little ones teething difficulties completely away if you helped me defeat the Geztalt" Elisabeth smiled maliciously and threw a small dark bottle at Phoebe. "Use it and think of me" she said.

Phoebe caught it suspiciously.

"We didn’t get rid of the Geztalt to help you "Paige said angrily.

"Shush" laughed Elisabeth "don't let that get out. When here’s me telling the Brotherhood, telling my brothers, that I have the Charmed Ones falling over themselves to help me, because of how my precious daughter in law feels about me."

"And don't do that either " snarled Piper

"Care to try and stop me" smiled Elisabeth shifting defensively. "News of my… relatives concern for me… is… helpful to my….career."

"We'll deny it" insisted Piper angrily "see what happens when the Brotherhood find that out."

"Well you would wouldn’t you witch" said Elisabeth calmly. "Evil understands the necessity of keeping face with the enemy."

"We didn’t destroy the Geztalt to help you," insisted Paige "and if you say we did….."

"You'll vanquish me" Elisabeth laughed "Chickadee wouldn’t like that," she smiled nastily as Phoebe looked disgusted "and you should worry there might be some repercussions. Like my brothers might feel some need for vengeance or something."

"Why would they care?" demanded Phoebe.

"Of course they care when I've just brought them the greatest victory in 400 years against demon enemies." smirked Elisabeth "When my star shines high, when their star shines with me, when I fall they fall."

"We didn't get the Geztalt for you" insisted Piper through her teeth "If you come near us."

"Cole will kill you himself" Paige bit out.

“And none of you want that any more than me" sighed Elisabeth "Beside you didn’t actually destroy the Geztalt. Just revealed them. That was smart thinking Charmed Ones" she laughed." Better than destroying them. They have risen out of the ashes before but it's going to take some work to talk themselves back into anything but a laughing stock this time. Naturally my brothers think that was my idea" she laughed again "Maybe better not tell them whose idea it was" she said.

The three Charmed Sisters exchanged glances.

"I say it's worth a try to vanquish her" Piper snarled. "If the Brotherhood needed the Charmed Ones to get rid of scrawny little sludges like the Geztalt I don't see they are that dangerous"

"Dammed Geztalt" Elisabeth said flicking her honey blond hair back "Can only make one damned demons out of all of them, scrawny little bastards."

"You knew" snapped Phoebe.

Elisabeth laughed. "My dear Chickadee it's always the weak ones who cause the most damage, the ones who can't fight for themselves. Never worry about an enemy who has the strength to fight. It's always the ones that have to make others fight for them who can finish you off. Never know what accursed tricks they will get up too."

"Actually it was the spites idea" said Paige her head on the side and crossing her arms. "Why don't we call Cole and ask him if he wants to fight the Brotherhood?" she snarled.

Elisabeth's beautiful face contorted in anger, pain longing.

Phoebe caught her breath in panic. "Paige" she started to say "don't.."

For half a second Elisabeth's beautiful face was venomous, then she flicked back her honey blond hair and smiled "Better not call him. My boy has very little of the demon's sense of purpose left. He may just be stupid enough to risk everything in a fit of temper." She glanced around the mostly destroyed conservatory and frowned while the Charmed Ones exchanged nervous glances. "Of course those bloody little spite are claiming credit. Talking themselves up quite well" Elisabeth said " we in the brotherhood know better and bide out time. This is not about my son" she added sanctimoniously.

"Scared to find out if he hates you enough?" Piper who was a mother, asked.

Elisabeth flicked he hair again and for a second looked as if she was going to fireball Piper who raised her hands threatening

"Do you think any of us give a shit about demon politics?" snarled Phoebe intervening.

"You should Chickadee, you should" Elisabeth murmured, "when you think how much you…. and your sisters are at the centre of it."

The Charmed sisters looked at each other

"In fact if it was not for your close ties to …. Me, who knows what vengeance might be reeked for the losses in Burvjara. There are those who feel the time has come to seek vengeance. You should be grateful to me." Elisabeth smiled.

'Why?" asked Phoebe unable to help herself.

"If it was not for the importance the Brotherhood place on my … family connections." Elisabeth smirked "They just might let that fool Tempus let his bloody minded minions come after you."

The Charmed Ones exchanged glances.

"You're bluffing" Phoebe said "The Brotherhood doesn't control Tempus."

"Care to find out?" Elisabeth smiled "Where's my grandson?" she demanded "Ahh" she said in satisfaction as a toy went spinning past her head.

Elisabeth turned to where Patsy was sitting on the floor, looking very cute and very mortal in little jean dungarees, and a red t shirt. He had stopped playing with his toys and was watching his grandmother with an odd frightening intensity, then he waved his hand and sent three toy blocks into the air.

Elisabeth smiled, then laughed "My grandson" she murmured proudly.

She stepped toward Patsy

"Keep away" Phoebe warned jumping between them but before she could stop him Patsy stood up and toddled to where Elisabeth was standing. He stood on the ground watching her with interest then put his hand up and caught hold of her skirt and pulled.

"Hallo" he said

Elisabeth glanced at a fuming Phoebe as Patsy pulled on his grandmother's skirt.

"Hallo" Patsy repeated.

With a smirk of total satisfaction Elisabeth bent toward him and she did, he must have connected with one of his captured powers that allowed him to detect evil. Somewhere in her aura he recognised the evil of what she was because Patsy's face contorted and he burst into tears. Before anyone could say anything Patsy flung up a protection shield that sent his grandmother flying away, crashing into the chesterfield in the hall where she hit the floor with  fearful thump, while Patsy flew himself into his mother's arms sobbing hard.

"Good Patsy" said Paige.

"Clever Patsy" said Piper.

Elisabeth lay on the floor, hovering between the red and black Elisheeva, her demon self. She flung her hand in anger connecting to her magic and Paige and Piper flung themselves in front of Patsy and Phoebe and they faced off. Growling fearfully, Elisabeth pulled back the demon until she finally materialised as Elisabeth, her beautiful face fallen in a broken sob, before she pulled herself to her feet. "He's good" she screamed in disbelief. "My grandson is good."

"What did you expect?" Piper asked sweetly.

Elisabeth looked at Patsy in his mother's arms, at the expressions of disgust on Piper and Paige's face and shook her head in pain "I never... I could not…believe. He's my grandson" she said tears forming in her eyes.

"Go" ordered d Phoebe comforting a sobbing Patsy "before Cole comes home.

Elisabeth shook her head and stood up. With considerable effort she smiled beautiful again "You haven't seen the last of me Chickadee" she told Phoebe nastily.  She glared at Patsy "That one is lost to me" with a nonchalant smirk she sauntered over and put her hand on Phoebe's belly."Time is on my side" she said as she threw a fireball at the dining room and shimmered.

Piper froze the fireball midair and then blew it up in a showered of sparks. "Bitch" she said.

"We should vanquish her" Paige said "She killed Mark."

"Mark is okay" Phoebe told Paige.

Paige's face contorted.

"I'm sure of it" Phoebe said.

"Good" said Paige with a small sniff "Premonition?" she asked and Phoebe swallowed and shook her head sadly.

"You think that bottle will work "Piper asked taking it from Phoebe's hand. She carefully opened it and sniffed. "Uhh" she said. "It smells vile enough to be a demonic cure". She put the bottle down on the table and turned to her sisters. "So" said Piper "Am I the only one who thinks there may be some problems if that damned Elisheeva, Elisabeth is going a round claiming we did what we did in Burvjara to help her."

Paige looked at Phoebe who sucked her breath

"No "said Paige "you aren't the only one."

"Mark will be okay" Piper said putting her arm around Paige.

Leo arrived home mid afternoon and after annoying the hell out of Piper following her around and being very supportive about how she managed the children finally took the hint and found something else to do in the front garden.

Leo pushed the lawn mower up the ridge on the manor front lawn. He was being very careful because these days it was not just Piper who nagged if the mowing looked uneven. There was a very real risk that Patsy would wave his hand in full view of the neighbourhood and fix it. Leo was feeling the heat and would have removed his shirt but recent events made him think maybe that was not so good an idea. Mrs Nosy Taylor opposite was carefully sweeping her driveway and watching the neighbourhood while Mr Nosey Taylor was weeding and carefully guarding Mrs Nosey Taylor.

 "Damnit "Leo thought "It was Cole Mrs Taylor had the hots for." He started to unbutton his shirt and then noticed Mrs Williams from four doors up, had crossed the street to talk to Mrs Nosy Taylor and was watching him. "Maybe someone prefers me" he thought. Hopefully

Then he noticed her attention distracted as she and Mrs Nosey Taylor moved to the pavement and looked up the street.

Leo moved to where he could see what they were looking at then smiled to himself. Up at the corner he could see Cole's new second hand car pulled over and a female cop leaning in the window, far to close.

Some minutes later as Leo and Mrs Taylor and Mrs Williams watched, they saw Cole, irritated, accept a ticket and he drove off braking hard as he remembered not to speed up the street.

He pulled up in front of the manor and was less than pleased to see the audience as Mrs Williams, a middle aged rather leathery woman whose eyes lit up, crossed the road. Cole irritably wished her good afternoon and started tapping his foot until she finally took the hint and left. Opposite Mrs Nosey Taylor licked her lips and watched.

"What happened?" said Leo.

"Bloody stop sign" snarled Cole

"Oh" said Leo because almost no-one in the neighbourhood stopped at the top stop sign, the hill was steep the view was clear and the locals all had slowing without stopping down to a fine art.

"Those bloody female cops were waiting for me"' Cole said. "Just used it as an excuse to talk to me. One asked me if I wanted to come down the station with her and discuss the ticket."

Leo laughed "I doubt it" he said and then raised his eyes as the cop car went passed them very slowly, the windows down and the two women clearly watching Cole. One waved.

"And "said Cole "that damned butch woman at the gas station offered to take me out."

"Better warn Phoebe to use another gas station" said Leo

Mrs Taylor danced around her garden, pretending she was checking flowers but clearly trying to catch Cole's attention.

"Are you sure the damn spite thing is over?" Cole asked nastily.

"Might take a while for the anti plague to get through" Leo smirked enjoying himself.

Cole ground his teeth and Leo laughed. Mrs Taylor jumping up and down waved hard and Cole was forced to respond and as soon as he did Mr Nosey Taylor appeared at the gateway.

Cole mutinously waved at Mrs Taylor again and Mr Taylor made it to the curb side shaking his fist.

Leo laughed. "Maybe not all of it was plague" he grinned. "Want a beer?" he asked.

"Yeah" said Cole. "I need a quiet drink, no dramas."

………………………………………………..

Mark looked at Paige's retreating form as she stalked into the kitchen. "Am I supposed to have the slightest idea about what that was about?” he asked and his voice was not as soft as usual.

Leo looked up from the book he was reading and decided this was not the time to tell  Mark his mouth was covered in Paige's lipstick from where she had positively smothered him with kisses when he had orbed into the hallway. "She was worried about you" he said slowly.

"I came to tell her as soon as I could" Mark said defensively.

'"She knows that "said Cole not looking up from the paper work he was doing at the dining room table.

"I have other charges" Mark said his voice not quite as reasonable as it usually was. "Tisha is in a hell of a mess. She needs me."

"Paige knows that "said Leo putting his book down.

"Does she really expect me not to go to charges that need me?” Mark asked running his hand through his receding sandy hair. "I wasn't making it up. Hell Tisha called me out of the damned enquiry. She was terrified. That war.."

"No Paige doesn't expect that” said Cole putting a post in on the page he was reading and scribbling a note for Erin to fix. If she showed because Erin was so angry with him for being an hour late for Correja that it was unlikely she would be even be there tomorrow,  let alone doing anything he asked her to do. And the only reason he was putting up with it besides adjusting her salary to what was not an undersell of her skills, and for which he paid from the extra work Correja was giving him, was because he doubted he would ever find anyone who would cover for him as well. If only Erin had not turned out to be a... a woman.  Which meant tomorrow would have had to spend an hour listening to one of Phoebe's witch colleagues bitching at him because he dare not leave her to aggravate Erin.

Mark, took no notice of Cole's detachment. "I used to think I had pretty good people skills” he said "But with Paige. I can't get it right.  She never used to be like this" he said sadly.

"Yes she was" Leo explained, not quite keeping a smug smile from his face  "She just did not know she was in love with you when you first knew her " he added.  "So she acted well… like a person."

Cole put his papers down and came over to Mark. "That's your mistake" he said "you keep acting with Paige like you are dealing with people.'

"What am I dealing with?" Mark asked his voice rising in exasperation.

"Women" said Leo

"Witches" said Cole.

"Halliwell witches” said Leo

"Halliwell women" said Cole.

"Oh "said Mark. He looked toward the kitchen hallway where Paige had stalked off "Guess I have a lot to learn." he said

 "You will” Leo comforted him "Survival thing "he added. "You have to keep learning…or lose her"

Cole stood up and put his hand on Mark's shoulder. He glanced at his watch "Pubs are open in Ireland" he said.

Mark took a deep breath. He ran his hand through his hair again. "Sure" he said.

"Get rid of the lipstick" Cole said .

Mark caught sight of himself in the hallway mirror. He ran his hand across his mouth. Leo shook his head pulled one of his old fashioned cotton handkerchiefs from his pocket and gave it to Mark.

"I have a lot to learn" Mark said

"You will" said Cole. "Survival thing" he added

Cole went into the kitchen, nearly falling over Phoebe and Piper who were in the hallway listening. They hastily backed into the kitchen.

He grinned as he helped Piper back to her feet. "We're taking Mark for a beer" he said.

 Paige sniffed.

"Don't get him drunk this time" Phoebe ordered.

"Other way round" said Cole "angel's got hollow leg. You didn't tell him to get out this time did you Paige?"

Paige snorted.

"Won’t need to get him drunk” Cole said. "He’s just upset.” He grinned as he left the kitchen.

"Mark's upset" said Phoebe looking at her sisters.

"He pissed me off" said Paige. "Damn it he knew I was worried."

"He has other charges" Phoebe said.

"Tisha is besotted with him" Paige sniffed "and he knew I was worried. I know Tisha has been through hell and needs him but does he expect me to be reasonable when I was worried sick." She demanded.

"Probably still does at this stage" said Phoebe "He'll learn. Just upset at the moment."

"Mark's upset” said Piper happily. She raised her hand and Paige took a high five with her. "I knew it could be done” she said. "No-one can cope that good.'

Paige grinned.

"Sisters. We do good work” said Piper.

………………………………….

Marked put the third Guinness down in front of Cole and Leo. Cole and Leo looked at each other which Mark saw.

"That stuff affects him' Leo said pointing at Cole "And he has to be in court tomorrow."

"I have to chase justice tomorrow. I'm going to enjoy myself tonight" Cole looked embarrassed. "Stuff affects you too" he retorted.

“I died when I was 18" Leo explained slightly slurring his words "Never really got used to it."

. "You're not going to use a sword tomorrow?" Mark asked Cole.

"Only metaphorically "Cole said "Justice carries a sword."

"Pity "said Mark "Most of the witches who went to Burvjara thought the sword was damned sexy. Driving their whitelighters crazy talking about it."

"Bloody spites" muttered Cole taking a long gulp of the black beer.

"That stuff affects you" Leo said.

"After getting lost in the backlands of Asia, when you're broke" Mark said "you learn to tolerate stuff. Fermented yak milk."

Both Cole and Leo shuddered.

"Talking about Yak tea got me stuck with Therold's tea rituals" Mark said.

"Turning up at Therold's gets you stuck with his bloody tea rituals" Cole said. sipping the black beer. "He likes you" he accused Mark. "Mind though you keep breaking the rules and changing the balance and he'll forget he likes you."

"What changed?" Leo asked.

"Healing Glock in this timeframe" said Cole changed his time frame. "He's" and he pointed at Mark "i damned lucky Therold didn't go after him."

"Can't" said Leo "there's a precedent. Read about it, in a middle east script."

Cole groaned.

"Methuselah " said Leo "He got healed in another time frame. So Glock will be around for 900years. Damn you Mark "he said.

"Probably Burvjarian time" Cole murmured. "Just a lifetime in ours."

"Damn you Mark" said Leo "Piper could... for the rest of her life"

"She won't.. " Mark said. "she loves you Leo."

Leo snorted into his beer. "She'll know he's there alone."

"I did what was right" said Mark taking a gulp of beer "To Glock, the girls about Burvjara. And Piper was pretty pissed when I hesitated. Scared me."

"Piper didn't tell me she scared you" said Leo.

"Hid it" muttered Mark taking a large gulp of black beer.

"Good man." Cole raised his glass to Mark "Only you're damned lucky Therold likes you" said Cole "Or you'd be recycling in limbo right now."

“Therold only likes me because I drank his damned tea” Mark said apologetically. "I'm grateful he.."

"Interfered" interrupted Cole.

Mark grinned "But I hate tea and I know I'm going to have to drink it again  to keep him liking me." He added regretfully

"I keep drinking it and he still hates me" said Cole.

"Well I'm not the villain in his perfect love story" Mark said.

Cole looked at him Mark shrugged, then grinned.

"Damn you" muttered Cole into his beer.

"Glock fell in love with Piper" Leo said into his beer.  He took a long drink "Damnit Cole why the hell did you have be the hero with swords. Now Piper expects me to be one.'

"You can use a sword pretty good" Cole said.

"You can?" said Mark "I thought you were a pacifist, Leo."

"Leo saved the girls that time" Cole said "when they got stuck in Paige's past."

"You did" said Mark "Think Paige would start being reasonable again if I learnt to use a sword and saved her?" he asked.

"No" said Leo and Cole

"That was then” said Leo. "Now she wants me to be a hero again. Prove it. He swallowed more beer. "Be a hero like …Glock. Not like you get that many chances to be sword fighting hero these days."

"Take 'em when you can" Cole said swallowing beer.

"Yeah I will” Leo agreed. “I guess in the meantime I better not let the kids freak me and" he swallowed more beer, "bitch at Piper because I'm freaked."

"That would be good "said Cole, taking another mouthful.

"Yeah well you need to look at what you're doing with Phoebe" Leo accused.

"What?" said Cole

"Maybe you need to… keep an eye on her. Stop treating her like she ...isn’t Phoebe" Leo said. "House won't stand up to another session."

"I figured that” Cole said “I mean about keeping a better ..guard or Glock sort of convinced me"

"Glock" snorted Leo into his beer. "You know bringing him into the house. Didn't help."

“It wasn't Glock coming into the house" Mark said

"What do you mean?" Leo demanded.

"Glock didn't make the problem you and Piper are.. were.. had" Mark said calmly.

Leo caught his breath “I can understand Glock falling in love with Piper” Leo said "But it hurts. She … got interested. Piper loved me, always has, dumped Dan for me. Can't understand when she loved me why she.. got interested.'

"Saw something in him she felt was missing in you" Mark said. "He thought her pretty damned perfect" he added.

"If he lived with her for much longer he'd know she wasn't " said Leo.

"Maybe you need to forget she isn't perfect" said Mark into his beer.

"Phoebe loves me and she nearly screwed two shits." Cole said.

"Phoebe always screwed shits” said Leo.

"Paige just likes to look" Mark said. "Because I'm not perfect."

"Scares Paige when she fell in love with real flesh and blood" Leo said "sorta real when she fell in love" he added. "Not one of those pretty toy boys she used to date" He looked at Cole "Remember that pretty boy when we first met her, the one the source took over."

"Yeah" said Cole "I remember that pretty vampire she ran off with too" he said "Course they all dumped her" he said.

“I won't "say Mark.

"You better not” said Cole. “I care about Paige."

Mark put down his beer and looked at Cole challengingly.

“I should not have told Phoebe I'd forgive her anything" Cole said ignoring him.

"You will” Leo said.

"Telling her was a mistake." Cole said.

"Wasn’t at the time” Leo said.

"Mistake now" Cole said "wasn't then."

"I was only trying to help Piper not freak about the kids, telling her to take care." Leo said "Piper freaks just trying to help her."

"Not what she wanted." Cole said.

"Do you think maybe I should have chosen the body I had when I was hiking around the Himalayas" said Mark. "Was in pretty good shape. Had more hair” he added.

"Nah "said Leo putting his hand on Marks's shoulder "she’d just find something else to bitch about.'

"I got to go execute justice tomorrow" Cole muttered. "You know how much I hate that."

"Execute" demanded Leo concerned.

"Metaphorically" said Cole into his beer.

Mark drained his beer. “At least Cole deserves the screwing around he gets" he said

"Why?" said Cole putting the glass down hard.

"You're the repenting demon, penance is part of the deal. What did Leo and I do?" Mark grumbled.

"Got involved with Halliwell witches" snarled Cole.  "Got to keep proving you're worthy.  Once more round?” he asked.

"Girls will be pissed if you go back pissed again" Mark said.

Cole and Leo looked at him

"Bugga the girls" said Leo.

"Bugga the girls" said Mark

"Bugga the girls” said Cole "my round."

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