Faithfully Yours Part 8: I'm always true to you darling in my fashion..   Chapter 70 "The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means."   Oscar Wilde

Some days later Cole sitting at the dining room table and pretending he was reading about the intricacies of evidence procedures, because several large tomes were piled on the dining room table. What he was really doing was enjoying himself being 'Unca Cole' because while Melinda kept him company sharing her views about the lives of her play farm animals, Wyatt slept in his day cot beside him and Patsy was slamming a drum as hard as he could, and every so often, pulling Daddy's sleeves so he could admire the latest noise pattern.

Cole looked up as orbs twinkled and Francesca appeared, dressed in her best slacks, hair in a chignon and a very dressy blouse. She was carrying several of Phoebe's books

"What are you doing here?" Cole demanded “I felt nothing."

"Not everything is about you" Francesca said school marm. "How did the court appearance go the other day?"

"Justice was served" he said.

"You all right" she asked genuinely concerned.

"Surprisingly yes" he said "there is some safety in knowing you did everything you could."

She nodded.

"Hello Mrs Winaldi" said Melinda properly.

"Hello dear" Francesca said "are you a good girl?"

"Yes but not allowed choc'late" she pouted. "Mommy says it bad."

"These aren't bad" Francesca told her producing a small box of Turkish delight "Share them "she said firmly. "Magically speaking they are not as bad a chocolate" she said as Cole raised his eyes.

"Yes Mrs Winaldi "Melinda said clearly working out how much 2/3 of the box was.

"She's gifted with arithmetic "Cole smiled. "I'll thank you after I deal with the sugar overload." he added.

"Hello Patsy" Francesca said ignoring Cole. Patsy looked at her nodded and went back to his drum.

Francesca touched Wyatt as he slept "Everything normal?" she asked.

"For the moment" Cole said "why are you here?"

"Not everything is about you" Francesca said primly and enjoyed Cole's wince. She relented a little. "I offered Phoebe a ride to Therold's party" she said "Phoebe finds being a third shared in an orb with Piper and Leo or Paige and Mark uncomfortable and she has my sympathy there."

“I could take her" Cole said a touch pugnaciously.

"I believed Proctor is already there" Francesca cut in, her voice very determined.

"You think that could stop me getting there." Cole pushed.

"You have demonstrated your power adequately" Francesca said firmly "You have destroyed his house. You are not going to annoy Therold by trying to destroy this one or ruin his party.

"As long as he knows I could" Cole pouted while Francesca rolled her eyes

"I'm curious. If it annoys you that much. Why did you tell Phoebe to go?" Francesca asked.

Cole shrugged "Therold wanted it that bad, I could have enjoyed letting him cry, then Paige reminded me he helped Mark. And I owed him. Family business" he said "And I dislike being in debt to creatures I dislike."

Francesca frowned.

"Beside" said Cole "With everyone worrying what I might do if they... didn't behave." He smiled demonically, "more fun knowing they are scared than being there."

"When are you going to grow up?" Francesca asked.

Cole grinned "Do me a favour?" he said seriously.

"What type of favour?" asked Francesca suspiciously.

"Keep Phoebe .supervised while she's there" he said "Protect her from acting in her instincts to be.. to … nice to Therold"

Francesca eyed him with her school marm expression.

“Its better" Cole started to say.

“I'll do it" Francesca she said "but as a favour to the universe not to you." she added severely "It was my intention to do it anyway when I offered her a ride" she said "For all our sakes.

"Good" Cole said "I mean it." he added before Francesca could gather her school marm expression again.

"'Thank you" Francesca smiled complacently. She wandered over to where Phoebe had let another four books on the table, recent purchases from a second hand bookshop. She shook her head slightly and then read the descriptions with interest. "Oh MY" she said out loud then deliberately put two to one side and frowned slightly as Cole watched her with amusement. She laughed suddenly "On the subject of Phoebe, there is something I have wondered" Francesca finally said "Tell me" she said "You know Phoebe."

“I do" said Cole trying not to be smug and failing.

Francesca glowered at him, then decided she could ask "Phoebe says she knows men" Francesca said.

"Not as much as she thinks" Cole said slowly "She knows some things but… she misses some damned dangerous bits."

"That is what I am asking" Francesca shook her head "Why is that what Phoebe knows about men, is the parts that make them … irrational? " Francesca asked. "It would be considerably easier on everyone of she learnt to understand the more dangerous.. rational parts. She might even start recognising the odd demon or two."

"You think rational is more dangerous than irrational?" Cole asked and as he received a full school marm glare he nodded 'I'm not arguing "he said "I got told. To guard her… better… because of that."

"The universe will thank Ashina Glock for that" Francesca said. "As it appears unlikely she will learn."

"If she does it will be a hard lesson I would not wish on her" Cole said seriously. "Phoebe had lousy role models. She grew up in a house full of hormonally charged women with her grandmother Penny and her sister Prue to learn from" he explained.

"I'm not really acquainted with them" Francesca said.

"Half your luck" said Leo coming down the stairs and not even pretending he had not heard the conversation. "They taught Phoebe everything she thinks she needs to know about men. And proud of it. Bloody dangerous" he said with feeling.

"In my day it was not acceptable…women did not … boast of knowing men" Francesca said primly "Innocence was actually a virtue… even nativity was a virtue.''

"That's what the realm needs" Leo said considering it, "a totally naive Phoebe acting on her hormones and instincts."

Francesca shuddered "You have some wisdom Leo" she said primly while Cole rolled his eyes. "At least decent women pretended to be naive and called it innocent" she smiled suddenly "But as far as I could see, they made just as big fools of themselves over men, as women who claim to know them".

"Your day was some time ago." Cole said. A sly smile showed around his lips, which Francesca noted. "You're a decent woman. Did you make a fool of yourself over men?" he asked cheekily

"You think that likely" Francesca asked school marm well in place.

"So you never met your Waterloo?" Cole asked in his lawyer voice.

Francesca gave him her best stare. She sucked her lip then took a deep breath but Cole did not miss just a touch of colour in her face. She glowered at Leo who visibly shrank "Leo has a big mouth" she said finally.

"So have you" Leo muttered at Cole

“I figure you'd already been asked about reading any good books" Cole said with a smirk. He shuddered at the expression on Francesca's face "So seeing we both know what Phoebe is like getting ready can I get you a coffee while you wait."

“I am going to a party at Therold's" Francesca shook her head "He has promised a zesty little punch to get the party going, and a wide selection of oriental tea plus Devonshire scones, and cucumber sandwiches "

“I'm glad I'm baby sitting" Cole said shuddering. "I'll get you red, the good stuff

"Good "said Francesca.

"Who'll be there?" Cole asked,

"Those you know" Francesca said "Several colleagues and contacts who presumably have swallowed enough tea not to get on Therold's bad side. I gather the new neighbours who are some sort of magical lower level mystics are coming. Yorkshire seems to attract them. Therold usually uses the mystic cover when he comes into contact with other magic creatures. I assume they believe him to be a fellow traveller. The ghosts I gather."

"The new neighbours will love that" Cole said.

“I understand the ghosts have promised to behave" Francesca said and Cole rolled his eyes then went to the kitchen to reappear with a bottle of Piper's best red and 3 glasses.

Francesca accepted the glass from him but did not drink. She inspected a portrait on the wall then turned back while Cole and Leo watched her apprehensively "Truthfully there was something I wanted to say to you" she said. "Cole I need to say thank you" she said. "About Burvjara. Its ..  a damning feeling that such a terrible thing could happen and for all your magic and all your power you could not stop it. In fact fearing I had made it worse with my best efforts to stop it… to get the Elders to listen to reason… was not pleasant."

Cole nodded glancing at Leo who looked away.

"Then to know those Elders were lost. I knew them. Francesca said slowly. "They were not always so…in their time some of them did great things…they could have been great again… had they listened. And they believed they were doing the right thing"

"This is my calling. It's why I follow Durand." Cole looked down at her the guardian expression on his face. "They are told right from wrong and if they don’t listen they face …justice. I will tell you because … I can't tell most people what I feel... what the guardian feels" he looked at Leo who nodded "I know what was in their hearts "Cole said "It's the gift I have...it's the damned empathy...its the curse. If those elders ever could understand they were wrong they had long since gone past it by the time I faced them" Cole told Francesca.

She nodded.

"I saw their hearts. They were weak" Cole said "they tasted the power and were tempted they craved it again" he sat on the chair arm and sipped his glass. "When you look at the weak ones .. spites… Geztalt.. the most dangerous creature in any realm is a weak one seeking power. Because.."

"Yes" Francesca interrupted "Because the only way they can get it is to use abuse and destroy the strength of others. And then like the Elders, like the Geztalt, they ritualise their destruction and…"

"Use propaganda to justify and make it acceptable" said Leo. "Then demonise those who question their rituals and propaganda

"Yes" said Francesca. "It makes one fearful of the limits of  .. great power

."A great power stopped it" Cole said.

"Glock "Said Francesca "I would say a great good, the greatest good of all, someone being true to themselves. And Phoebe" she added deliberately. "And her sisters, certain witches."

Leo and Cole nodded.

"What are the consequences… up there? They failed to make Mark a scapegoat so surely some-one is thinking about why." Leo asked. "I already hear the talk up here of the rise of justice and I get quite a sense of panic."

"Not before time they understand that" Francesca said "Therold warned them over the whitelighter Mark, listen to the lore or face justice."

"It seems the one thing that controls the weak ones" Leo said sadly "when decency and good and right are ignored. the fear of justice."

Cole took a deep breath "I'm hoping "he said "a few warnings about the wrath of justice may make the decision to be good and honourable easier."

Francesca nodded. "They are certainly discussing it ... up there .. at length.. often, and of course the appearance of an Ogre … an unknown one is causing those ones to consider their options'

"They have not connected the Ogre with Belthezor?" Cole asked.

"Justice is not something they connect with Belthezor" Francesca said dryly. "I imagine many of the witches and others on the front line are going to be subject to long lectures on justice and lore to justify their new…"

"Religion" said Leo.

Francesca frowned.

"Replacing one sort of propaganda" Leo muttered as Cole nodded.

"You really did not think you had won the battle in Burvjara" said Francesca school marm. "I wanted to thank you" she said again.

Cole looked at her then inclined his head and bowed slightly. He then exchanged glances with Leo as Francesca went into the living room and carefully put back the books she brought on a shelf before selecting another three.

"There is nothing wrong with enjoying Fantasy in moderation" Francesca said over her shoulder as she put back the book with the most lurid cover of the three.

Cole and Leo looked at each other.

"Do you want another wine?" Leo asked Francesca "Phoebe had only changed her outfit twice when I came down so I think she'll be while."

Francesca shut her eyes and opened them again. "Thank you Leo "she said and gave Cole a school marm glare as she saw he was laughing.

"You get used to it" Cole said

"You spoil Phoebe" Francesca told him severely.

"Yes "he agreed "And I thank god every day I get the chance."

Piper came downstairs, her hair soft and loose and wearing a dark red and silver sweater, and very dressy grey pants, and heels, that was far less sedate than usual, for her. She welcomed Francesca, sucked her lip and smiled happily as Leo caught his breath as he saw her. She then gave Cole a long set of instructions to look after the children, which included the words  no Chocolate five times.

Piper assured Francesca that Phoebe was nearly ready and took Leo's arm smiling softly at him as he orbed.

Francesca raised her eyes at Cole who shrugged "They're trying" he said. "Long way to go" he added.

Paige called from the stairs that she and Mark were going. She appeared with Mark behind her, wearing very tight white jeans, tucked into high heeled boots and a tight fine wool black sweater. Mark wearing his least faded corduroy pants and a new cream sweater that Paige had bought for him as soon as she had money, put his hand out. As they orbed Paige assured Francesca that Phoebe was nearly ready.

"Want another glass of red" asked Cole as Francesca nodded.

Phoebe finally came downstairs wearing a full long embroidered dark purple velvet skirt that was still not quite straining over Pookie and a demure dove coloured blouse. She carried an heavily embroidered black velvet jacket and greeted Francesca cheerfully.

"Do I look like Therold's heroine?" she asked Cole.

"Yes "he said snappily "But I prefer it when you dress for me."

"I thought I did that the other day" Phoebe smirked "Got the photographs to prove it."

"Do I want to know about that?" Francesca asked.

"No" said Cole.

"Later" Phoebe told Francesca. "I don't suppose Therold's new house has central heating."

"A haunted house in Yorkshire "Francesca considered. "No dear. I understand Therold considers central heating in the same light as teabags. The end of civilisation.  Shall we go?" she said reaching her hand out.

Phoebe went over and kissed her children and then Cole "I'll be good" she promised into his ear.

"Just be you" he said holding her a little too long before Phoebe finally pulled away and took a slightly frowning Francesca's hand.

"I will be good" she said as Cole watched her go smiling as only he could, smiling the smile he saved for her.

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