This story takes place one year after the end of Season 4 and Season 5
never happened. All Charmed characters are in here but this is a Cole and
Darryl centered fic so be warned if you don't like Cole then go no further.
Is this an AU. probably. A new twist and many secrets of Cole's past are
revealed within. The writer's didn't give him a past so I am. Hope you
enjoy and please review and let me know if I should continue. Thank you and
the usual disclaimer : I don't own Charmed or any characters from the show
or the known backstory. Any and all original characters and ideas are
solely the property of the author and may not be borrowed or used for any
reason. I make no money for this and I promise to return everyone none the
worse for wear. Enjoy.
Darryl couldn't believe how much his life had changed over the past year and as he walked around the crime scene that he and his partner had been called to he somehow felt that his life was about to change again. When he caught sight of the witnesses he was supposed to interview he knew his life and his partner's life were about to change in a major way. The Charmed Ones stood to one side of a patrol car, waiting. Could this day get any worse? He thought to himself. I hope Simmons has enough already to keep him busy until they leave. Please. Who would have thought that after everything I've seen since the Charmed Ones came into my life I would be the one with the biggest secret. He chuckled to himself at this thought but sobered quickly as his mind replayed the events of 11 months ago. the very events that changed his life and his destiny. ________________________________________________________________________
The Source had been vanquished a little over a year ago and with him the man called Cole Turner. A few months later Cole Turner returned from the Wasteland with new powers and no evil, as Darryl was to find out rather quickly. Darryl ran across Cole quite by accident, during an investigation no less. At first he didn't know exactly what to make of Cole but as Cole began explaining, Darryl found himself listening. He listened as Cole told him how he had come back with hopes of getting back with Phoebe, but after watching the girls from a distance he realized that showing himself would only hurt them and maybe the Power of Three as well and he couldn't risk that. Needing to do something with his life he decided to go back to the only thing his was really good at, being a lawyer. With the help of his powers he got his old job back as an ADA, this being the only time he used his powers for personal gain, and threw himself into his work.
As Darryl had listened he had also watched the man's eyes, his body language. Being a cop he had learned to read people and to trust his instincts and what he saw surprised him. He didn't see the Source of All Evil, he didn't even see the self-assured demon Cole had once been. All he saw a man, a somewhat lost man who looked like he was about to be told to go away and never come back. Darryl found himself making a snap decision, one he somehow knew he wasn't going to regret. He made a deal, as long as Cole did nothing demonic he promised not to tell the girls about him. The look of relief in Cole's eyes did not go unnoticed and Darryl got the feeling he had just made Cole's day by simply listening to him instead of summarily dismissing him.
The case took almost three weeks to solve and Darryl had logged quite a few hours with Cole. During this time he head started to see different facets of a man that he had known for two years but apparently had never really seen. This was a man who took his job seriously and definitely knew what he was doing. There was also the added bonus that having Cole around was like having their very own profiler on the case given the unique insights he had given them. It was with the help of these insights that they finally solved the case and caught a serial killer, one that Cole, as First Chair prosecutor, then proceeded to put behind bars for life without parole.
By the time the case was over, Darryl realized that he had started thinking of Cole as a friend. So when the case was over he continued to hang out with Cole, much to the other man's surprise. They continued to meet after work for a few beers and to hang out at each other's place on their days off or sometimes even to catching a game together now that they had the time. The first time they did this though Darryl realized that there were certain aspects of mortal life that Cole knew little about and he found himself enjoying the childlike enthusiasm that usually flowed from his friend when he explained the different games and rules. When he explained football however, it was pain that flowed form his friend and even though he had hidden it quickly Darryl picked up on it. When he asked Cole what was wrong he was startled by his friends answer.
Cole explained that the game sounded like one of his training sessions when he was around 7, only it was an energy ball that was tossed around between fifteen trainees and if you failed to catch the ball when it was thrown at you there was a penalty. Darryl didn't think it sounded too bad until Cole explained the rest. The penalty was one energy ball thrown from each trainee that you weren't allowed to defend against. Darryl commented that it sounded painful and Cole told him he had no idea. He was smaller than the rest and a half-breed so the other trainees made sure that he missed, a lot. He never made it past three misses, after that he would just wake up back in his cell and await his punishment for not finishing the days training session. Darryl, seeing his friend's pain, quickly changed the subject and never brought up football again.
Things continued like this for another few weeks until a bullet hit the wrong target and changed their lives forever.
Darryl was snapped back to the present by a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, no wool gathering partner, unless you want to spend all night here." Cole Turner said, giving his friend a curious look. He could tell something was bothering Darryl and he didn't need the link the two men shared to tell him that. He also knew that Darryl would tell him when the time was right, of that he had no doubt.
"Hey, partner. Sorry and no I have no intention of spending the night here so why don't you hook up with Simmons again and collect everything from the first on the scene and I'll take care of the witness interview, this way we're out of here in half the time." Darryl hoped Cole went along with it because he really didn't want the Charmed Ones anywhere near his partner. Fortunately luck was with him for once.
"Perfect, because I for one am getting hungry. See you in a few." Cole turned on his heel and weaved his way back to Simmons. He could have talked to the first officers on the scene without an escort but he knew Darryl would feel better if he was with Simmons. The fact that he had already planned on sticking with Simmons was a given and Darryl knew it but sometimes his partner slipped into mother-hen mode without realizing it, the thought made him smile.
Darryl waited till Cole was with their watch-dog Simmons before turning to face one of his worst nightmares, namely the Charmed Ones in such close proximity to his friend. Taking a deep breath, he slowly exhaled as he walked towards them.
"Hey, Darryl." Phoebe's voice called out as Darryl got close enough for them to identify him.
"Hey girls, Leo." He replied as he pulled out his notebook and prepared to take their statements. "All right, let's get some statements."
"Is something wrong Darryl? You seem nervous and you don't usually get nervous unless something witchy is going on." Piper said, noticing his hurried behavior.
"Yeah, Darryl," Paige added, "So what do you know?"
If you only knew he thought to himself. Before he could say anything though another officer called out to him.
"Hey Morris, your ADA is looking for you."
It was one short sentence but one that held a lot of pain for him. The whole department had taken to calling Cole 'his ADA' because the same bullet that changed their lives 11 months ago also made them permanent partners and Cole a member of the Blue Fraternity. All the guys on the force knew and respected Cole as well as looked out for him now. Not that Cole was totally defenseless all the time, but thanks to the bullet there were times when he was. It was at those times that he was grateful to his fellow officers for keeping an eye on him and his Captain and the DA for allowing Cole to be his partner. The fact that he was the only ADA who also had a badge once again made him unique, but this time Cole hadn't minded.
"So Darryl, what have we got?" Cole hadn't looked up from his notepad as he walked up behind the witnesses. When he heard 3 familiar squeals though he did and he immediately wished he hadn't. He froze on the spot with his mouth hanging slightly open and his eyes wide. Even when Piper raised her hands he couldn't move, his fear had him rooted to the spot and it never even occurred to him to simply flash away. A second later the option was taken away as he frozen by Piper's power.
Darryl saw Piper raise her hands, he also saw the fear in his partners eyes. Knowing that Cole couldn't and wouldn't use his powers against the girls or Leo he tried to stop Piper from using hers. He didn't make it and he saw and felt Cole freeze, at the same moment his heart froze in his chest.
"By the Gods what have you done," Darryl cried out as he quickly moved around the girls to stand next to Cole. He had spent so much time with Cole that he had picked up some of Cole's sayings, and vice versa.
"Saved your sorry butt, that's what Darryl." Paige practically shouted. "What the hell is he doing here, or alive for that matter?" she demanded.
Darryl wasn't paying her any attention though. He was supposed to be watching out for his friend not letting him get frozen by a Charmed One. "Piper, unfreeze him right now." He commanded.
"What are you talking about Darryl, he's." she never got to finish.
"No threat to any of us so unfreeze him right now and hope you haven't done any damage." Darryl didn't know what freezing Cole would do to the bullet in his head and the longer he remained frozen the more frightened he became. "Now Piper." He shouted when she didn't move fast enough. This time he got through to her as she raised her hands and waved them at Cole, unfreezing him.
"What" was all Cole said before crying out in pain as he grabbed his head and fell to his knees. He went down so fast Darryl didn't have a chance to catch him this time. Darryl already had his hand in his pocket and even as Cole's knees were hitting the pavement Darryl was using his other hand to pull Cole's collar away from the back of his neck. In one smooth move Darryl placed the specially loaded air hypo against his partner's neck and pulled the trigger. Quickly putting the spent hypo back in his pocket he kneeled down, wrapping his arms around Cole who was still rocking back and forth, his hands still grabbing his head in pain.
Barely noticing the officer who came running up to them in response to Cole's cry of pain, Darryl had all of his attention focused on his partner. As the medication finally kicked in and put Cole out, Darryl guided his friend's now limp body to rest against his legs. When he finally looked up, after making sure Cole wouldn't fall over, he found Simmons looking both contrite and angry; contrite because he had let Cole wander off on his own when he knew the Charmed Ones were in the area and angry at the Charmed Ones for acting so recklessly and vindictively.
"Inspector, is everything all right?" Simmons knew everything wasn't all right but he didn't want to say too much in front of the Charmed Ones and their Whitelighter. Instead of saying anything else he simply waited for Darryl to tell him what he wanted him to do.
"Simmons, take these witnesses and get their statements and then escort them home." Darryl knew Simmons wouldn't let the girls out of his sight now until he had them back at the Manor and for that he was grateful. Carefully he put Cole's arm over his shoulders and slowly stood up bringing Cole with him. He had intended to simply take him home but then he saw the blood coming from Cole's right ear. "Simmons, first grab my cell and hit the speed dial." Simmons did as he was told and held the phone up for him.
"Doc, it's Darryl. Cole's in a bad way, he had an episode and now he's bleeding from the right ear again." Darryl listened for a second and then checked Cole's chest. It wasn't moving. "No Doc he's not." He listened for another few seconds. "Yes he does. We'll meet you there."
"Simmons, put my cell away and get me his tags." Darryl said as he returned his attention to their watch-dog. Simmons quickly replaced his cell and grabbed the tags that were around Cole's neck. "Just rip them and hurry." Darryl told him when he saw Simmons struggling with the tags. He saw Simmons' eyes grow wide as he broke the chain holding the tags around Cole's neck, he knew that Simmons now realized why every second counted, Cole wasn't breathing anymore. "Don't worry Simmons, I'm not about to let anything happen to my partner." Darryl reassured Simmons as he placed the tags in Darryl's hand. "Now go." Darryl barely waited for Simmons to step between him and the girls when he snapped the tags between his fingers and he and Cole disappeared.
A second later they reappeared in the lower levels of San Francisco Memorial Hospital. Dr. B was standing next to an exam table as she called for her people. Darryl quickly brought Cole to the table and with the help of a nurse and Dr. B, he got Cole's jacket and shirt off.
"Darryl." Was all Dr. B said or had to say.
"Yeah I know I'll only be in the way so I'm going, I'm going." Darryl knew she was right but it was hard for him to leave his partner, especially now. Taking one last look at his partner's unmoving form, he carefully slipped Cole's badge into his pocket as he walked out to the waiting room to wait, not something he was good at even under the best of circumstances. He couldn't sit so he did what he always did, he paced and he remembered. His mind went back to that night, the night that almost cost him his best friend.
Darryl couldn't believe how much his life had changed over the past year and as he walked around the crime scene that he and his partner had been called to he somehow felt that his life was about to change again. When he caught sight of the witnesses he was supposed to interview he knew his life and his partner's life were about to change in a major way. The Charmed Ones stood to one side of a patrol car, waiting. Could this day get any worse? He thought to himself. I hope Simmons has enough already to keep him busy until they leave. Please. Who would have thought that after everything I've seen since the Charmed Ones came into my life I would be the one with the biggest secret. He chuckled to himself at this thought but sobered quickly as his mind replayed the events of 11 months ago. the very events that changed his life and his destiny. ________________________________________________________________________
The Source had been vanquished a little over a year ago and with him the man called Cole Turner. A few months later Cole Turner returned from the Wasteland with new powers and no evil, as Darryl was to find out rather quickly. Darryl ran across Cole quite by accident, during an investigation no less. At first he didn't know exactly what to make of Cole but as Cole began explaining, Darryl found himself listening. He listened as Cole told him how he had come back with hopes of getting back with Phoebe, but after watching the girls from a distance he realized that showing himself would only hurt them and maybe the Power of Three as well and he couldn't risk that. Needing to do something with his life he decided to go back to the only thing his was really good at, being a lawyer. With the help of his powers he got his old job back as an ADA, this being the only time he used his powers for personal gain, and threw himself into his work.
As Darryl had listened he had also watched the man's eyes, his body language. Being a cop he had learned to read people and to trust his instincts and what he saw surprised him. He didn't see the Source of All Evil, he didn't even see the self-assured demon Cole had once been. All he saw a man, a somewhat lost man who looked like he was about to be told to go away and never come back. Darryl found himself making a snap decision, one he somehow knew he wasn't going to regret. He made a deal, as long as Cole did nothing demonic he promised not to tell the girls about him. The look of relief in Cole's eyes did not go unnoticed and Darryl got the feeling he had just made Cole's day by simply listening to him instead of summarily dismissing him.
The case took almost three weeks to solve and Darryl had logged quite a few hours with Cole. During this time he head started to see different facets of a man that he had known for two years but apparently had never really seen. This was a man who took his job seriously and definitely knew what he was doing. There was also the added bonus that having Cole around was like having their very own profiler on the case given the unique insights he had given them. It was with the help of these insights that they finally solved the case and caught a serial killer, one that Cole, as First Chair prosecutor, then proceeded to put behind bars for life without parole.
By the time the case was over, Darryl realized that he had started thinking of Cole as a friend. So when the case was over he continued to hang out with Cole, much to the other man's surprise. They continued to meet after work for a few beers and to hang out at each other's place on their days off or sometimes even to catching a game together now that they had the time. The first time they did this though Darryl realized that there were certain aspects of mortal life that Cole knew little about and he found himself enjoying the childlike enthusiasm that usually flowed from his friend when he explained the different games and rules. When he explained football however, it was pain that flowed form his friend and even though he had hidden it quickly Darryl picked up on it. When he asked Cole what was wrong he was startled by his friends answer.
Cole explained that the game sounded like one of his training sessions when he was around 7, only it was an energy ball that was tossed around between fifteen trainees and if you failed to catch the ball when it was thrown at you there was a penalty. Darryl didn't think it sounded too bad until Cole explained the rest. The penalty was one energy ball thrown from each trainee that you weren't allowed to defend against. Darryl commented that it sounded painful and Cole told him he had no idea. He was smaller than the rest and a half-breed so the other trainees made sure that he missed, a lot. He never made it past three misses, after that he would just wake up back in his cell and await his punishment for not finishing the days training session. Darryl, seeing his friend's pain, quickly changed the subject and never brought up football again.
Things continued like this for another few weeks until a bullet hit the wrong target and changed their lives forever.
Darryl was snapped back to the present by a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, no wool gathering partner, unless you want to spend all night here." Cole Turner said, giving his friend a curious look. He could tell something was bothering Darryl and he didn't need the link the two men shared to tell him that. He also knew that Darryl would tell him when the time was right, of that he had no doubt.
"Hey, partner. Sorry and no I have no intention of spending the night here so why don't you hook up with Simmons again and collect everything from the first on the scene and I'll take care of the witness interview, this way we're out of here in half the time." Darryl hoped Cole went along with it because he really didn't want the Charmed Ones anywhere near his partner. Fortunately luck was with him for once.
"Perfect, because I for one am getting hungry. See you in a few." Cole turned on his heel and weaved his way back to Simmons. He could have talked to the first officers on the scene without an escort but he knew Darryl would feel better if he was with Simmons. The fact that he had already planned on sticking with Simmons was a given and Darryl knew it but sometimes his partner slipped into mother-hen mode without realizing it, the thought made him smile.
Darryl waited till Cole was with their watch-dog Simmons before turning to face one of his worst nightmares, namely the Charmed Ones in such close proximity to his friend. Taking a deep breath, he slowly exhaled as he walked towards them.
"Hey, Darryl." Phoebe's voice called out as Darryl got close enough for them to identify him.
"Hey girls, Leo." He replied as he pulled out his notebook and prepared to take their statements. "All right, let's get some statements."
"Is something wrong Darryl? You seem nervous and you don't usually get nervous unless something witchy is going on." Piper said, noticing his hurried behavior.
"Yeah, Darryl," Paige added, "So what do you know?"
If you only knew he thought to himself. Before he could say anything though another officer called out to him.
"Hey Morris, your ADA is looking for you."
It was one short sentence but one that held a lot of pain for him. The whole department had taken to calling Cole 'his ADA' because the same bullet that changed their lives 11 months ago also made them permanent partners and Cole a member of the Blue Fraternity. All the guys on the force knew and respected Cole as well as looked out for him now. Not that Cole was totally defenseless all the time, but thanks to the bullet there were times when he was. It was at those times that he was grateful to his fellow officers for keeping an eye on him and his Captain and the DA for allowing Cole to be his partner. The fact that he was the only ADA who also had a badge once again made him unique, but this time Cole hadn't minded.
"So Darryl, what have we got?" Cole hadn't looked up from his notepad as he walked up behind the witnesses. When he heard 3 familiar squeals though he did and he immediately wished he hadn't. He froze on the spot with his mouth hanging slightly open and his eyes wide. Even when Piper raised her hands he couldn't move, his fear had him rooted to the spot and it never even occurred to him to simply flash away. A second later the option was taken away as he frozen by Piper's power.
Darryl saw Piper raise her hands, he also saw the fear in his partners eyes. Knowing that Cole couldn't and wouldn't use his powers against the girls or Leo he tried to stop Piper from using hers. He didn't make it and he saw and felt Cole freeze, at the same moment his heart froze in his chest.
"By the Gods what have you done," Darryl cried out as he quickly moved around the girls to stand next to Cole. He had spent so much time with Cole that he had picked up some of Cole's sayings, and vice versa.
"Saved your sorry butt, that's what Darryl." Paige practically shouted. "What the hell is he doing here, or alive for that matter?" she demanded.
Darryl wasn't paying her any attention though. He was supposed to be watching out for his friend not letting him get frozen by a Charmed One. "Piper, unfreeze him right now." He commanded.
"What are you talking about Darryl, he's." she never got to finish.
"No threat to any of us so unfreeze him right now and hope you haven't done any damage." Darryl didn't know what freezing Cole would do to the bullet in his head and the longer he remained frozen the more frightened he became. "Now Piper." He shouted when she didn't move fast enough. This time he got through to her as she raised her hands and waved them at Cole, unfreezing him.
"What" was all Cole said before crying out in pain as he grabbed his head and fell to his knees. He went down so fast Darryl didn't have a chance to catch him this time. Darryl already had his hand in his pocket and even as Cole's knees were hitting the pavement Darryl was using his other hand to pull Cole's collar away from the back of his neck. In one smooth move Darryl placed the specially loaded air hypo against his partner's neck and pulled the trigger. Quickly putting the spent hypo back in his pocket he kneeled down, wrapping his arms around Cole who was still rocking back and forth, his hands still grabbing his head in pain.
Barely noticing the officer who came running up to them in response to Cole's cry of pain, Darryl had all of his attention focused on his partner. As the medication finally kicked in and put Cole out, Darryl guided his friend's now limp body to rest against his legs. When he finally looked up, after making sure Cole wouldn't fall over, he found Simmons looking both contrite and angry; contrite because he had let Cole wander off on his own when he knew the Charmed Ones were in the area and angry at the Charmed Ones for acting so recklessly and vindictively.
"Inspector, is everything all right?" Simmons knew everything wasn't all right but he didn't want to say too much in front of the Charmed Ones and their Whitelighter. Instead of saying anything else he simply waited for Darryl to tell him what he wanted him to do.
"Simmons, take these witnesses and get their statements and then escort them home." Darryl knew Simmons wouldn't let the girls out of his sight now until he had them back at the Manor and for that he was grateful. Carefully he put Cole's arm over his shoulders and slowly stood up bringing Cole with him. He had intended to simply take him home but then he saw the blood coming from Cole's right ear. "Simmons, first grab my cell and hit the speed dial." Simmons did as he was told and held the phone up for him.
"Doc, it's Darryl. Cole's in a bad way, he had an episode and now he's bleeding from the right ear again." Darryl listened for a second and then checked Cole's chest. It wasn't moving. "No Doc he's not." He listened for another few seconds. "Yes he does. We'll meet you there."
"Simmons, put my cell away and get me his tags." Darryl said as he returned his attention to their watch-dog. Simmons quickly replaced his cell and grabbed the tags that were around Cole's neck. "Just rip them and hurry." Darryl told him when he saw Simmons struggling with the tags. He saw Simmons' eyes grow wide as he broke the chain holding the tags around Cole's neck, he knew that Simmons now realized why every second counted, Cole wasn't breathing anymore. "Don't worry Simmons, I'm not about to let anything happen to my partner." Darryl reassured Simmons as he placed the tags in Darryl's hand. "Now go." Darryl barely waited for Simmons to step between him and the girls when he snapped the tags between his fingers and he and Cole disappeared.
A second later they reappeared in the lower levels of San Francisco Memorial Hospital. Dr. B was standing next to an exam table as she called for her people. Darryl quickly brought Cole to the table and with the help of a nurse and Dr. B, he got Cole's jacket and shirt off.
"Darryl." Was all Dr. B said or had to say.
"Yeah I know I'll only be in the way so I'm going, I'm going." Darryl knew she was right but it was hard for him to leave his partner, especially now. Taking one last look at his partner's unmoving form, he carefully slipped Cole's badge into his pocket as he walked out to the waiting room to wait, not something he was good at even under the best of circumstances. He couldn't sit so he did what he always did, he paced and he remembered. His mind went back to that night, the night that almost cost him his best friend.