Third Time Charmed

Black as Cole (Part 4)

As Piper and Paige escorted Emma, their unexpected guest, to the kitchen for a debrief over some coffee, Prue held back in the parlor, preparing herself for a difficult conversation. She was furious with herself for letting Paige's adamant assertions about Cole sway her opinion of him. She was also furious with Paige, but calling her out would have to wait.

Having proof of Cole's innocence was certainly a huge relief, but with how far they had come, how could Prue have doubted him? Moreover, how could he forgive her? She wouldn't blame him for feeling resentful. Then, there was her failure to tell him about Paige's visions to contend with.

Prue let out a long, deep breath before summoning Cole, "Magic forces black and white, reaching out through space and light. Be he far or be he near, bring me the demon Belthazor here."

A funnel of vapor kicked up, and Cole appeared shortly after. He met Prue's eyes, his jaw tight, his expression blank.

"Hey," said Prue.

He didn't respond. The tension was palpable.

"First things first," Prue started. "I owe you an apology. We all do. Paige was wrong, just like I thought. We faced off with our demon, and while he resembles Belthazor, clearly...." She shrugged.

Cole remained silent.

"And about the other thing—"

"Prue, are you coming?" Piper called from the kitchen.

She looked around and rubbed her forehead. "Maybe we can discuss it later?" she suggested. "To be honest, things are getting a bit confusing, and with the way this demon looked, I think we could use your help."

"Fine," said Cole simply, his face unmoving.

***

Emma held her athame aloft. "He used this to kill my fiancé," she said, her voice low and raw, her eyes flashing with righteous anger. "It's a ceremonial knife. The demon left it behind after the struggle. I've been hunting him down for the last year and a half. It's all I care about."

Prue and Cole entered the kitchen in time to hear the woman's emotional statement.

"Err, hey, Cole," said Paige sheepishly, not sure why she was feeling reluctant about apologizing when she had gotten things so wrong. "Sorry about the mix-up, I guess."

Cole ignored her, his face composed as he proffered a hand to the stranger. "May I?" he asked.

Emma's eyes flicked uncertainly between him and the sisters. At their subtle nods, she slowly handed the dagger to Cole, who accepted it with solemnity.

"Is it familiar to you?" Prue asked.

Cole ran a thumb along the intricate sigils carved on the blade. "It's one used by the Brotherhood," he confirmed, the mention of the demonic organization casting a deeper shadow over the room.

Piper took a cautious step closer to Emma, coffee in hand. "Emma, do you know why the demon wanted to kill your fiancé?"

Emma's gaze darkened. Her memories seemed to pulse behind her eyes. "Because Andrew was a witch."

There was a beat of silence. The weight of her answer hung heavy in the room.

"Are you a witch too?" Prue followed up.

Emma shook her head, her red curls whipping about her face. "No. But after Andrew died, I studied his books and devoted myself to the craft."

"Why?" Paige asked.

"To track down his killer," Emma replied, unflinching. Beneath her pain was a sharp edge of purpose that risked becoming obsession. It hit home for all of them, not least because of Prue's recent exploits.