Oscar Wilde"

After watching Phoebe storm upstairs, secure in the knowledge she had won that round in this particular battle, Cole stood in the hall contemplating following her upstairs for round  two or was it really three when the front door bell rang. He waited hopefully but there was  no sudden rush from the kitchen and as he assumed everyone there was lying low to avoid getting caught up in the fight between Phoebe and him, he went and answered it.

At the door was a female in her late 20's early 30's. She was sensibly dressed for work, attractive in an efficient, no nonsense away, and showed just a little bit of frivolity by wearing ear rings shaped like candelabras.

As Cole opened the door, his hair ruffled, his unbuttoned shirt revealing a hairy chest and firm taut belly, the woman's efficient no nonsense air fell away and she gulped three times trying to find her voice.

'Yes" he said as she stared at his chest. "Yes" he said again "Hello"

"I'm "she swallowed then smiled almost artfully. "I'm" she swallowed again "I'm here'' she said

"Yes" Cole said impatient. "I see that."

"I'm here to see" she stared at his bare chest and took a small shuddering breath "um "she said  thinking hard "I'm here" she said lifting her eyes to Cole's face and shuddering then looking at the chest that was at her eye level "I'm here" she repeated.

"I see that" said Cole wondering what was going on in the world of women lately and why in he hell he had chosen to live in it. "Why?" he asked blocking the door. "Why are you here?"

"Paige I  ... Paige." said the woman fighting hard to find the words "I work with her "she said "I'm Anne we were going to work with here today" with an effort she looked at Cole's face and gasped just a little.

Cole nodded "Okay "he said and Anne breathed very hard as he spoke. He half stood back and motioned her into the house. He called calling loudly "Paige Visitor."

Anne sighed as she stepped past him close enough to touch him. Her hand lifted and she made a movement as if she was going to  run a finger on his bare chest, stopped herself, sighed and then swallowed and entered the house.

Cole motioned her towards the lounge as Paige came out with a smile and said "Hi Anne."

"You going to work? " Paige demanded as Cole stepped around her, avoiding the still gaping Anne.

'Midsummer makes women nuts" he muttered to himself, thinking of Margaret going nuts the previous day.

"What?" said Paige.

"Nothing" Cole said hastily.

As he went upstairs he heard Anne asked in a dreamy voice "Who was that, what's he doing here?"

"Just my brother in law, he lives here." Paige told her.

"He wasn't here last time I was here "said Anne still looking up the stairs hopefully

"Busy working "  Paige explained to her. "Phoebe's husband. Lives here  "she added. "Anne," she prodded Anne to move.

"How can you live with …him and not just ….die "sighed Anne "I mean even if he is your sister's husband. I mean in the house with that. Every day. Especially looking that ."

"He's just Cole, never notice him" Paige said primly, conveniently forgetting all the times that she had accused Phoebe of being besotted with Cole because of his great butt or body and the god almighty crush she had had on him before she discovered the demonic self hidden under the charm.

Cole, seriously irritated with women,  went upstairs to find Phoebe half dressed for work and doing her makeup. As he entered the room she turned her nose up and moved enough so he recognised she was turning her back on him. And it just crossed his mind that his lot was not an easy one.  Then he caught Phoebe's reflection in the mirror eyeing him carefully, a funny little girl, expectant and very nervous expression on her face. And his heart missed a beat.

He walked over and put his hands on her shoulders turning her toward him caught her chin and turned toward to him.

"I hate you" she said looking into his eyes .

"You love me "he told her and "I love you for who you are."

"I'm not  high maintenance" Phoebe insisted defiant to the end.

Cole laughed at her "You are Baby. But from now on I'll keep your secret if it worries you."

Phoebe opened her mouth and shut it making Cole laugh again.

"I'm the one who is allowed to know what goes on in your soul, "he told her "all the dark little secrets that you're scared to let anyone else see. We're married."

Phoebe looked up at him as he gently pushed her face so she had to look up to see his face. She saw smile on his face, the one for her alone. And she sniffed.

"I am not high maintenance'" she told Cole defiantly and spoilt the effect with another sniff.

"Have it you own way "he bent down to kiss her. "But you're wanted the way you want to be wanted and you're stuck with it" he said into her lips.

She nodded very little girl.

He stood up "There's something I have to ask you" he said carefully.

"What"? Phoebe answered suspiciously.

"Is there something about this midsummer that makes women go nuts?." Cole asked.

Phoebe puffed up outraged, to Cole's pleasure. He explained "I just answered the door to this friend of Paige's and she was acting.. very odd," he said. "And yesterday when Margaret came to pick up Victor she was… decidedly odd too. "

"Odd?" asked Phoebe swallowing..

"Affectionate" Cole said .

"You weren't naked or anything? " Phoebe asked looking at his bare chest and sucking her breath in a pleasurable little sigh.

"Ν had a towel on" he said "was in the shower when I got called to the phone."

"This midsummer isn't having any affect on women, baby" Phoebe told him after a few seconds with her face against his chest "Just pheromones in your … aftershave."

"I hadn't shaved when I saw Margaret" he said not fooled.

"Maybe its in the soap "Phoebe suggested. She hesitated "I  assume you didn't return Margaret's…. affection?""

"Phoebe" sighed Cole

Paige sat at her desk in the employment agency very distracted.  She has spent most of the morning with Anne at the manor working on the Archbishop's project. At least Paige had worked. Anne had spent the morning drooling about Phoebe's gorgeous husband.  To the extent that Paige had wondered if there was something wrong with the manor, particularly after the way Margaret had been behaving yesterday. Cole was good looking but that was ridiculous. Paige knew Anne was in a very happy live in relationship and she finally went into the employment centre to finish all the things she had to do there just to keep it running, feeling very irritated with women who betrayed their partners, they loved, by fantasising about other men.

Paige  looked around the employment centre. The place was not so different to what it was the first day she had met Mark there, nearly two years ago. The carpet was still shabby and the fittings were still the same more than  20 years old ones. However thanks to the project that they had running with archbishop the agency had  access to a brand new computer network and  some nearly new computers, only because she had made the management committee realise the project would be sabotaged if they unable to communicate with the diocese system and the management committee would look like fools to an archbishop who did not suffer them gladly.

The centre  also had a new coffee machine, new second hand really. It was also passed on from the diocese and the office in the back that Mark had used had been converted into a conference room/ private consult room, using once again second hand furniture from the diocese.

Paige half smiled. She had been so annoyed with Anne that morning drooling over Cole and here she was just as lost in thought about Mark. Which is not quite the same as drooling over some-one else's husband she assured herself hastily.

Paige, even though she now ran the centre, had kept her old desk which meant she shared her office space with the other people who worked there. The four of them who had worked with Mark had clung to each other when he had passed over.

It had come as a shock to her co-workers at the time but now almost 18 months since Mark had gone the other three had managed to move on. Not that he was forgotten, Paige knew they were often forced to face his loss, when an old client or contact  who had not heard of his passing called and asked for him. Even Paige's knowing he was in her life again still shared a little of their grief because Mark was still lost to a certain part of her life, even if he shared another.

She also felt guilty about knowing that Mark existed when her colleagues genuinely mourned him when he was not really dead . Her guilt only eased a little when she told Mark this and he had smiled in his gentle way and said he was glad to be mourned and for them he was and must be dead.

Paige's concern was slightly helped by her colleague Ella's professed belied that passing on meant that that. Passing on.

"I could not believe the universe is so badly planned "Ella told Paige some six months after Mark died when Paige had been hanging on his memory, without any real hope of seeing him "that some-one as good as Mark is lost to it" Ella explained "Ν choose to believe that the universe has found a higher calling for him.  I mean he did what he had to here. And he  then found you and his work  here, its continuing, changing, growing …. well different, which is good,  so I choose to believe e was called to places where he can do other things and leave you to carry on. Which is not to say I don't miss Mark " Ella had said with a small sniff.

Of late, since Mark's return to her life Paige had found it better not to talk about him at all for fear of giving away what he meant to her. Then she felt guilty again when it was clear her colleagues cared enough about her not to force the issue because they thought she was still missing him.

Paige had returned to centre for a  couple of hard interviews with two of the centre's most difficult clients, one a woman who was so terrified of strangers she came off as super aggressive and the other a man who was so convinced he was unemployable he had created a history of doing everything he could to sabotage every job chance he was given. Paige was not convinced either was a lost cause but both tried her perseverance and her patience and she was always drained after dealing with them.

Before she became too lost in her dreams of Mark, the phone rang . It was the chief bean counter at Central complaining about the taxi bill that month, and when she pointed out the taxi bill was directly correlated to the success rate of the centre, which was correlated to his salary, he changed his tune and complained about the cost of coffee due to the popularity of the new coffee machine.

Paige put the phone down only just avoiding slamming it in his  ear.

She sat at her desk and it took all the words Mark had ever said to her about how they did this to help and support the dignity of the clients and appreciation they got from the clients was welcome but expecting appreciation or support or acknowledgement from The Powers that Be was not futile but destructive. He had shrugged and smiled in his gentle way and said the Powers That Be  were generally an inconvenience, a minor aggravation, just irritating gnats, and it was useless wasting energy fighting them over minor things. Save it for the big ones he advised, slide around them or ignore them but worrying about their pettiness  would destroy you".

 "So don't worry about the bastards" he said softly. "Just say yes regardless of whether you intend to do anything and learn what you can so you have a few tricks for the big battles.

Paige was convinced after four months of being their whitelighter  Mark took exactly the same philosophy into his dealings with the Elders and wondered when Piper got a little intense in her Mission to make him lose his temper or his calm whether she realised Mark was not stupid and well aware ofher games but had lifetime experience of ignoring irritating gnats to call on.

Thinking about Mark and his ability to drive Piper crazy with his refusal to get angry or even show annoyance, and wondering what information he was storing up for future use  made Paige calm down and realise the bean counter was very protective of his bonuses which could be useful knowledge for the future.

Pleased with herself  indulged herself thinking about Mark some more as a reward for not losing her temper at the bean counter and listening to Mark's advice. Mark always believed in giving yourself due reward for things well done. .Alex, the only other staff member in was totally immersed with a client so she surreptitiously opened her top drawer and pulled out a small photo album that contained some of the photos she had of Mark before he passed over. When he first went she had not wanted to look at pictures of him then later she had spent a night putting together the album.

Carefully making sure that Alex was still busy she looked at the photos, one taken in the early days t the time they were not dating, just going out, when a restaurant photographer had asked if they wanted a picture Mark had put his arm around her for the first time. He was siting with her arm around her stiff and apprehensive how she would react, and she had this funny little surprised expression on her face./. She smiled at the photo and flicked to a later photograph  taken at the same restaurant when they were definitely dating where she had practically draped herself across Mark and he had his hand casually resting across her breasts..

Some pictures taken at a party at the employment centre staff had to just assert and prove to themselves they were doing well regardless of Central. It was the first time Paige recalled  she and Mark had publicly admitted to 'dating' and both were shy but dtermindly keeping there bodies arched against each other in every picture. There were some photos of Mark and her at the Christmas dinner  he had spent with her family just before he passed on, all the famil yas couples, Piper and Leo, Phoebe and Cole, Paige and Mark. She was smiling happily  because she was part of a real couple.

Then Paige grinned. That last Christmas when Mark had gone with her to visit her grandparent in the Napier Valley the day after that Christmas one of her relatives had taken some pictures of the two when they were just happy being in love when she had dreamed of a different future to the one they had now. Her grandparents had a little uncomfortably acknowledged that she and Mark were a couple and that it was okay she and Mark shared a room in their house even though Mark offered to stay at a motel.

Because they were both aware that her grandparents were trying to be nice and pretend they were okay with their grand daughter having sex in their house Mark and Paige had been a bit silly.

Mark, stark naked, had played posing naked as a Greek statutes, laughing stupidly while Paige giggled hysterically, both of them shushing each other in case her grandparents heard. Paige laughing hysterically  had snapped photos, and not all of them were out of focus.

Paige had a  couple of the photos hidden in her album. For a 40 year old man who had receding hair, loved the good things in life like food and wine and hated anything remotely like organised and exercise sport Mark had looked pretty good. He had liked walking which kept him pretty fit.

Paige giggled to herself at the pose of a discus thrower that was only a couple of seconds off porn, showing off  Mark's his receding hair and pale body. Much as she loved him, Paige had to admit  Mark was not, had  never been, a Greek god. It was a nice body but well Mark was not perfect. Paige grinned. It was a silly picture nearly full frontal slightly off focus because Paige had been laughing so much at his antics.

Paige sighed to herself, so what if Mark wasn't a Greek god. So what if Anne would not have gone into embarrassing drooling if he had opened a door with his chest showing. So what if Margaret would not have forgotten her husband's name if Mark had been standing around talking ion the phone covered in just a towel. Mark was Mark and she loved him and he loved her.

Mark thank god was not Cole.  And then Paige guiltily remembered some years ago when she had first found her family, Cole and Phoebe had been practicing sword fighting in the basement. She thought of Cole, 6'2 muscles glistening with sweat, in just track pants falling low , as he swung the sword, Then Paige  thought of Cole yesterday standing dripping wet, trying to clutch a towel as Margaret nearly swooned. And guiltily admitted to herself that even though she had no interest in Cole as anything but a brother he was certainly worth having a good look at  with  and without  his shirt.

Paige looked at the photo of Mark she held in her hand A  deep sense of love and warmth flooded her. And because she had promised Mark she would be kind to herself she admitted to herself that it was possible to love a man for eternity, to live on the hope of a sight of him, to dream of feeling him in her and hear his voice in her sleep whispering he loved her while still appreciating a beautiful  body, even one  in which she had no sexual interest.

She was pulled out of her distraction by a noise behind he and she turned to face her colleague Alex watching her with concern as he realised she was sighing over picture of Mark.

Alex who was a psychologist quietly asked. Paige  if it was a good idea, wanting Mark.

She looked at him, her eyes wild nervous. "You finished with your interview?" she asked stalling.

Alex, psychologist that he was, nodded  "Maybe the time has come to think about another  life. Maybe not the one you thought you had with Mark" he persevered softly.

Paige put the album face down on he desk and shook her head. "No "she said quietly " Moving on I can do, moving away I cannot."

Alex looked like he wanted to argue,.

"I'm not living in the past Alex" Paige explained "I'm living in my future. I love Mark I still do, present tense. He was a very special man and I was a very special woman to be loved by him. I am not moving on. I am living with. I don’t want to look for any-one else. I love Mark and I can happily live a future knowing how wonderful that was and I don't ever need to sell myself short because he isn't around. Its what I want Alex" she said firmly.

Alex pursed his lips then clearly decided not to argue. He leant over and to Paige's horror picked up the album . As he flipped through the photos he  smiled as if recalling his own special memories. He came to the two naked ones , stared for a second and then shrieked laughing.

"God I loved Mark" he said, chuckling "You had to love him for his humour  but lord you couldn't say  he had the greatest looking body that ever walked the earth."

"I love…d everything about Mark"  Paige said loyally and then glanced at the photo and giggled sheepishly.

Alex grinned with a shared memory, then walked away as Paige's phone rang.

It was Piper demanding she come home immediately because there had been an attack of sorts.

"Now" Paige moaned.

 "Yes" Piper insisted "There was this really stupid attack Stupid but weird. Its okay but I need you."

Paige stood up and called to Alex she had a minor family emergency. He nodded without to much concern because he was used to them.

…………………………………….

Shortly before lunch, Cole wandered through the main office of the Bay Mirror. He had been tempted to shimmer in and surprise Phoebe but he only just in time remembered he would have to walk out with her or shimmer her out and then leave her explain how she had left. So he had to wait until the receptionist called her and then he was allowed to walk through the building.

He made his way through the office, received a few curious looks and a few hi's one or two sexy smiles from people who had met him at Phoebe's work functions, and from when he had been in the building before. Some women he did not know openly stared. Cole gritted his teeth and wondered again about midsummer and females.

Phoebe's office door was shut. He chose to claim his rights and did not bother to knock, just entered.

Phoebe's fingers were flying .on the keyboard. She looked up with a less than happy expression, reading glasses falling over her nose and pushed back her hair that had fallen over her face. Cole winced a little at her expression and then was relived when her glare changed to a smile as she realised it was him a

"Hi" she breathed a big smile on her face "I thought you were Elise" she explained

"Not nice "he said clearly relieved. '"Busy?" he asked.

"Just finishing this advice," she said

"It can wait "he said "I have needs.

"We have a lot in common" Phoebe whispered as he reached over her to take his time kissing her and taking everything, he wanted while she gave everything that he asked and took a bit more.

Some minutes later his eyes alight, Cole  moved back and sat on the edge of her desk.

"Damn you "Phoebe sighed her voice husky and catching a little in her throat. "Now you've killed everything I was writing about fantasy."

"Oh well "he said happily' "One mans fantasy is another's reality."

He looked over her shoulder to read the computer screen "So" he said "its okay to have a fantasy life, look at interesting magazines and daydream. Doesn't mean anything. Doesn't mean your marriage is falling apart.  There's no need to feel inadequate because you are not the centre of your partner's dreams?  Not sure to many guys would agree," he said.

"I was supporting the man," Phoebe told Cole,ready to defend "He's the one looking at magazines. But it is okay for women too." She told Cole firmly. "I mean this woman is getting so heat up because hubby likes looking at a few fantasy women. What's the harm, Just spices up their sex life?"

"If you say so but thank you for the permission" he grinned. "I suppose this means the crush on the Neanderthal is okay too?'

"Bastard "Phoebe said grinning." Actually the crush on .. the Neanderthal is just  a perfectly healthy expression of my sexuality."

"So I don't have to feel inadequate," he asked.

"You aren't '" Phoebe assured  him firmly  "I forgot to ask this morning. Did you fix that bowl?"

'"Yes " he said.

"I knew you would" said Phoebe grinning.

"Ν knew you knew I would" Cole told her.

Phoebe giggled "Why you here?" she asked

"I wanted to see you," he said.

"About what "she asked coyly

"Just see you' he said, "You want to come to lunch?" he asked.

Phoebe half nodded and then hesitated. "Well I am supposed to be having a business lunch" she said "with the editors and  ..."her voice trailed off. " and..."

Cole looked at her not concerned. "Okay " he said "I was just thinking how long it is since we had lunch together."

"At least you're thinking of me in this realm "she said trying to take the high ground when she was distracted by Cheryl knocking on the door, and without waiting breathlessly flinging it open. "He's here Phoebe" she breathed "I just saw. God I hate you having lunch with him. You had better have a blow-by-blow account. That man is so... Oh, hell Cole" she finished lamely flushing as she saw him, sitting on the edge of Phoebe's desk  watching her.

"Hello "Cole said politely 'Which man? he asked pleasantly

"Um "said Phoebe

"Any-one I know" Cole asked the smile turning into a smirk.

Cheryl gulped and watched Cole nervously. He smiled. properly

"They're publishing these in-depth interviews with John Cotton before he starts a column with the Mirror" Phoebe explained "The guy we saw the film" she swallowed.

"Business lunch with the  Neanderthal:" Cole answered quietly "CGI muscles, airbrushed dick and dum."'

"The muscles aren’t CGI "said Phoebe Indignantly "I saw him yesterday.'

"Really" said Cole  "and you forgot to tell me."

"Well you hardly gave me the chance, a waffling on about..." she stopped as she noticed Cheryl "your work problems "

Cole stood up. "God forbid I should come between you and your fantasy" he said with an easy grin as Phoebe reached back and elbowed him. He smiled smugly "because of course "he said reading from her screen "fantasies are a natural expression of sexuality and I should be glad that he  ... my partner is embracing their sexuality not denying it."

"Shut up "said Phoebe angrily and embarrassed as Cheryl hastily retreat.

"Bastard "said Phoebe. She reached up to kiss him this time taking what she wanted. "Arsehole smart arse, lawyer demon" She licked the taste of him from her lips "Husband" she said"

He grinned "Reality works "he said. "Wife" he added smiling the smile she loved, the one he saved for her.

"Bastard "she said arching against him.

"You really want me to go" Cole  asked as she rubbed her groin against him.

"Yes " Phoebe told him satisfied "I've got lunch with my fantasy man. I can get reality anytime I want. I'll see you out and tonight" She added

"You do know you're damned hard work" Cole told Phoebe daring her to argue.

Phoebe thought about arguing, sucked her lip then she caught his arm and hanging close accompanied him through the office. Phoebe was acutely aware of some of the interested breath gasps and odd long sighs from some of the women in the office.

"Bitches" she told Cole "You're my god damned husband" she said "and they know it. How dare they."

"I guess they're enjoying their fantasy life," he said enjoying his own reality as Phoebe arched against him and took far too long to say goodbye.

"Bastard "she said sighing and then she touched his face But I'm really glad, you know" she said pulling his head down so she could whisper in his ear,

"Glad about what?" he asked amused.

"My reality is a hell of a lot more fun than their fantasy "she sighed taking the time to run her tongue down his ear before she pulled away.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"Call Mrs Rinaldi and get some advice I may not like "he said.

"what about" she asked.

"am I allowed to think about  Burvjara when you won't have lunch with me" he asked trying to keep it light.

"Maybe"  she said  little concerned. "It isn't about acid demons and hobgoblins?" she asked suspicious.

Coe unable to resist taped her behind and avoided answering the question. He ran his hand across Pookie.

"Enjoy your fantasy lunch" he told Phoebe as he left.

"I will" she yelled after him realising he had not answered.

Phoebe walked back through the office, taking time to glare at the women who had eyed her husband off. She went into her office and carefully adjusted her dark blue top with emerald coloured diamante pattern that stretched tightly over her boobs. In the mirror in her office, she redid her hair pulled her top lower, checked her makeup and carefully licked the Cole taste off her lips and savoured it before she redid her lipstick.

Satisfied with what she saw in the mirror Phoebe headed for the door to be stopped by the phone ringing. After a brief hesitation she cursed and answered it

"You need to come home now" Piper told her. "I just had this weird demon attack."

"Now "wailed Phoebe I'm going to lunch with John Cotton"

"No you aren't"  Piper ordered her. "Home now I mean it miss . No don't argue"she added slamming the phone down before Phoebe could argue .

Phoebe really annoyed, damned Piper and cursed the phone. 

"I am so going to get to meet John Cotton" she said "Its not fair. I just have to get that man.. meet him." she corrected

Phoebe picked up her purse and told Cheryl  she had a family emergency.

"No "wailed  Cheryl "But you were going to tell me everything about John Cotton."

"You go in my place" Phoebe suggested.

"You mean it" said Cheryl pulling out her lipstick. "You're a pal Phoebe."

As Phoebe walked out the door she decide she hated being a good person and she was going to get her chance to met John Cotton no matter what obstacles were put in her way.

Cole sat in one of the high hills of the Presidio, overlooking Baker's Beach. He was eating a ham and salad sandwich with half a can of lemon soft drink beside him. It was a favourite view where he could see the harbour bridge and at this time of the year, watch some bathers and sun lovers down on the beach. He had planned to bring Phoebe for a picnic lunch there but the one lesson he had learnt since leaving his demon ways was not everything turned out the way you wanted, especially when Phoebe was involved.

As he was in a fairly isolated spot he did not jump when he heard the sound of orbs and Francesca arrived. She was wearing sensible and neat cotton pants and an expensive cotton blouse and  sunglasses. Her hair was covered by a sensible and affective cap. She looked very much like any other plumpish well off middle aged woman spending a summer's afternoon in a park. Certainly not an angel.

"Nice view" Francesca commented. She glanced at the bare  ground Cole was sitting on shook her head and sat down beside him "Why are you sitting watching the view by yourself when you should be lawyering?" she asked.

"Because my wife is having lunch with a Neanderthal " Cole answered.

"Good reason'" Francesca nodded. "Why this particular view?" she asked in her prim voice which Cole recognised as her concerned but not overly voice.

"Because the grass is green and the sky is blue" Cole told Francesca "Lunch?  "he asked  "I have a pastrami and salad, no onion on five grain bread, English mustard, no mayo and a coke." he added.

Francesca easily recognised Phoebe's favourite quick picnic lunch "Thank you" she said as he handed her the sandwich "You do know that most views have green grass and blue sky" she said amused.

"Not some of the ones I've seen recently" Cole replied, a trifle grimly.

Francesca nodded but did not answer. She bit thoughtfully into the sandwich.

"See" said Cole "If you gave advice like Phoebe this is where you would tell me to stop worrying about Burvjara when I'm here."

"You were told?" Francesca asked not keeping the amusement out of her voice.

"Yes" Cole said staring a t the view. "I was told good. Worry about Burvjara when I'm there and worry about Phoebe ..oh and the kids when I'm here."

"Good advice" said Francesca "Good for Phoebe."

"She discussed it with you?" Cole asked because he sometimes felt most of Francesca and Phoebe's friendship was based on discussing him when they weren't gossiping about well known figures, and it irritated and concerned him what they were saying. He had lived with women long enough to be very suspicious of women's talk. Maggie, a witch  friend the girls and newly married was always on the phone with one of them asking .The poor guy came to dinner one night and if he had had any idea what the girlfriends knew about his marriage he would have run screaming into the night.

"No Phoebe didn't discuss you with me" Francesca told him firmly. She opened the coke and drank straight from the can. "I just think it is good advice."

"The sort of advice you would give me?" Cole asked speculatively.

"No "said Francesca very school marm "My advice would be to stop worrying at all and do something about it. Why did you call me?" she asked.

"Do you know about  the Geztalt?" Cole asked.

"Yes" said Francesca ". Have they arisen? Tempus does know how to play power games doesn't he?" she added conversationally

"You wouldn't consider it just a co-incidence that the Charmed Ones fought the Geztalt or fought their vanquish fodder yesterday, acid fighters and hop goblins, the same type of demons I threw out of Burvjara." Cole replied.

"No I would not" Francesca replied brusquely  "which I am sure you already are well aware." she added school marm.

Cole smiled "I am "he said. Then he hesitated before telling Francesca "When Phoebe was blasting at me about not asking her about her day, being more wrapped up in my problems…. Some of the things she told me about the Geztalt that the Elders passed on, were …. incomplete and well things I would have thought it was not hard for Good to find out at a certain level. Things that would make it easier to fight the Geztalt if the Charmed Ones knew about. "

"So" said Francesca letting him tell her.

"Charmed Ones have been battling the Geztalt for about three months." Cole told her "They got caught up in it accidentally through Phoebe at the newspaper and the damned archbishop Paige works for and I can't remember who else.  About the same time I've been involved in Burvjara, only this is the first time it was the same sect. "

He waited for Francesca to say something but she put the coke can down and stared out to sea.  "If you listened to Phoebe about her problems instead of fretting about Burvjara, you would know" Francesca said finally. 

Cole raised his eyes and caught his breath "Good must know more about the Geztalt" he persisted "It isn't that secret and the only reason I can think is that they are only passing on enough to allow the Charmed Ones to win the odd battle, not enough to win or even start a war."

"And why does this bother you?" Francesca asked her voice flat.

Cole glanced sideways at her but she was staring at the harbour bridge, her prim middle age face she showed the mortal world almost a blank, hidden behind her sunglasses.

"Because if the demons coming into Burvjara aren't random, if the Geztalt are planning control of that magic pole, and Good knows it and is planning on stopping it, it makes sense...at a certain level that they fight them in Burvjara and justify destroying the place by claiming they are protecting the other realms. Bugga the poor Burvjarians" Cole said bitterly "Casualties of war. Some must be sacrificed for the greater good of Good."

When Francesca said  nothing he narrowed his eyes then continued. "The only reason I can think of why Good is limiting Charmed Ones fight here is they don't want the fight here ." Cole drew a deep breathe taking in the salty air. '"Anyone who read any history knows the surest way to loose a war is to battle it on two fronts." he said." And if it is going to get dirty better some-one else's backyard gets destroyed."

"Yes "Francesca agreed still staring at the sea. "I take it you want me to discover if the Elders are keeping things back."

"I would suspect it is being directed at a higher level "Cole told Francesca. He stood up.

 Francesca looked up at his face, seeing the dark hard guardian expression.

"I can tell you this "Cole told her "Good is not going to use Burvjara as a battle ground to go to war with the Geztalt." His expression, held Francesca's eyes daring her as an agent of Good to contradict him.

"That would be evil "she said easily meeting his stare.

Cole nodded, held out his hand which Francesca took and he pulled her to her feet. She dusted off her behind and he smiled. There were just some mortal actions that did not seem angelic.

"I'll ask"  Francesca told him, her voice a little flat. She started to say something then stopped. "What are you going to do now?" she asked after a short silence

"Go over harbour and buy Phoebe some of her favourite chocolates, the.. reaction to all the effort from her good advice only went two rounds this morning. I think I may need something for … a few more peace offerings" Cole explained.

"How did you set Phoebe off? "Francesca asked because she had a fair idea she would hear Phoebe's side of it and wanted to be prepared.

"She overheard me calling her a high maintenance lady" Cole sighed.

"Lord Cole you can be stupid" Francesca told him severely as she glanced around, saw no-one around and orbed.

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