DISCLAIMER: This story is based upon the series, Charmed, that was created by Constance M. Burge. All Charmed characters are the property of Spelling Productions.
THE PLACE: PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA
THE TIME: OCTOBER 15, 2009
"Well, Rex, I'd say the play was a great success." Hannah Webster said as she and Rex Buckland returned to their apartment.
"Yes, directing the Stanford production of War And Peace was challenging, but it was well worth it." Rex replied. "The cast did an excellent job and the public seemed to like it. I'm glad it was so well received."
"It was nice of you to dedicate the play to the memory of the Romanov Family, Rex."
"Well, considering that incident with their spirits, I felt it was only fitting." Rex fell silent as he recalled meeting the Earthbound spirits of the last Czar of Russia, and his family, some two weeks before. After having helped the Romanovs settle some troubling issues that were keeping them on Earth, Rex and Hannah had born witness to the Royal spirits finally crossing over.
"Yes, it..." Hannah began, but then broke off when she realized that she and Rex were no longer alone. Standing before them was the Angel Of Destiny, the same one who had returned their souls to them nearly a year ago.
"You." Rex said to the Angel. "What brings you back here."
"I have a favour to ask of you two." the Angel replied.
"After having returned our souls to us, all you need to do is ask." Rex said. "So, what is this favour."
"There is someone else whom we are considering the return of his soul to. His case has been before the Council Of Destiny for quite some time now." the Angel said.
"Why has it taken so long?" Hannah asked.
"This person is somewhat unique." the Angel replied enigmatically.
"And where do we fit in?" Rex asked with curiosity.
"The Council is expected to make a decision soon. Until then, I'd like to remand this person into your care. I hope neither of you mind."
"Of course not, we'd be glad to help." Rex said.
"Then let it be done." the Angel said and closed her eyes. Soon a swirling pattern of lights appeared and when it cleared, Cole Turner was standing there.
"What?" Cole asked and looked around. "I've been released from the void!?"
"Yes, you have." the Angel said. "Your case will finally be settled, Cole Turner.. Until then, I leave you in the custody of Rex Buckland and Hannah Webster." With those words, the Angel vanished in a swirling pattern of lights, similar to the ones that had delivered Cole.
"Well, well." Rex said. "Cole Turner. This is a surprise!"
"Rex Buckland? Hannah Webster?" Cole asked. "I've heard of you two. You're the leaders of The Insurgents."
"Actually we haven't been that for quite some time now." Hannah said. "Where have you been? We heard rumours, that were going around at the time, that the Charmed Ones vanquished you for good some years back."
"Actually they did. Twice." Cole replied.
"So, how do you know the Angel Of Destiny?" Rex asked. "Perhaps you'll be kind enough to fill me and Hannah in."
"Gladly." Cole said. "Well, it all started when..."
Some time later, the trio had moved into the living room and were drinking coffee, as Cole finished his story. "...so when I became an Avatar, I tried to change reality to be with Phoebe again, but things didn't go as well as I had hoped. Thanks to the version of Phoebe that existed in that reality, I ended up being vanquished for the second time."
"So you became an Avatar." Rex said. "They're a shifty lot."
"You've met them?" Cole asked.
"Yes, one of them approached me a few years ago and tried to get me to join." Rex replied. "Gave me some song and dance about changing the universe for the better. I told him to get stuffed."
"Yeah, I should have done the same."
"How come you didn't go back to the Wasteland, like you did the first time you were vanquished?" Hannah asked.
"I was headed there, but the Angel Of Destiny intercepted me." Cole replied to Hannah's question. "She said I still had some good in me, that I could be redeemed, so she sent my human half to the cosmic void between life and death. She said I would stay there until the Council finally decided my case."
"Sure took them long enough." Hannah said. "Six years."
"Well, don't forget that time doesn't matter much to Angels, Hannah." Rex said. "When you live forever, counting of years really becomes meaningless."
"Still, I wasn't totally idle." Cole said. "I did help Piper and Leo out of a jam a few years ago." Cole explained how he had taken drastic steps to make sure Piper and Leo were reunited, when the Elders had taken him away from Piper and erased his memory of her. "I also made sure that Phoebe never gave up on love. I wanted her to move on."
"She did, Cole." Rex said. "Phoebe is happily married to a chap named Coop. He's a Cupid."
"I thought that wasn't allowed."
"I guess they made an exception in his case, Cole."
"Yeah, I guess so." Cole sighed and momentarily thought of things that could have been. He decided to change the subject. "So, you two got your souls back?"
"Yes, the Angel returned them a year ago." Rex said. "She also gave Kira, the Seer, her soul back too."
"Kira." Cole said. "She was the apprentice of the original Seer, the one that tricked me into becoming the Source. Kira and I never actually met though."
"Yes, when the Charmed Ones vanquished the original Seer, Kira was "promoted" to take her place." Rex said. "Although, she was not driven towards evil like her predecessor was. In the end, she wanted to become human again, and approached the Charmed Ones to make that wish a reality. However, before that happened, she was vanquished to the Wasteland by Zankou. A year ago, with the help of the Charmed Ones, Hannah and I rescued her and the Angel appeared and offered to return her soul. Kira accepted."
"I see. Where is she now?" Cole asked.
"She's staying at Halliwell Manor until she finds her way." Hannah said. "They have room now, since Phoebe and Paige no longer live there."
"Paige is married now too." Rex added.
"You two and the Halliwell sisters seem to have become quite good friends." Cole said. "Considering that you originally tried to kill them."
"Yes, and it's because of that incident that we are friends now." Rex replied. "The Charmed Ones defeating us led to our being punished by the Source. That led Hannah and myself to see the truth and turn against him. We and the other Warlocks formed The Insurgents and began our rebellion."
"I heard about you guys." Cole said. "When the Source possessed me, I had access to his mind. He planned to track you down, once he had finished with the Charmed Ones. Of course, that never happened."
"Yes, and when the Charmed Ones took out the last of the Upper Level Demons, the Triad, we finally were able to liberate our kind from Demon rule forever."
"The Triad." Cole said, shaking his head. "I should have known they'd come back."
"Well, the Halliwell sisters got rid of them again." Rex replied. "For now at least." he added.
"So true." Cole said. "Listen, speaking of the Halliwell sisters, , I'd like to visit them."
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Cole?" Hannah asked. "Considering that things between you and Phoebe didn't end so well."
"I know." Cole said sadly. "I was thinking of visiting Piper first. Since I helped her and Leo stay together, I think she might give me a chance."
"Perhaps she will." Rex said. "Very well, tomorrow, we'll pay Piper a visit."
"So, I guess I'm staying here tonight." Cole said, looking around. "Got a guest room?"
"No, but our living room couch pulls out into a bed." Hannah replied.
"Fair enough." Cole said. Maybe it's not the best accommodation, but after six years in the void, I am not one to complain. he thought.
SAN FRANCISCO
OCTOBER 16
"This should be interesting." Rex said as he rang the doorbell of Halliwell Manor. He, Hannah, and Cole had arrived just seconds before.
"Rex, I..." Piper Halliwell said as she answered the door. "COLE!?"
"Hello Piper." Cole said. "How are things between you and Leo?"
"I... Uh..." Piper stuttered.
"Perhaps you should let us in." Rex said. "Then we'll explain."
"Er, sure." Piper said and stepped aside for the three of them to enter.
"Wyatt and Chris are down for their naps." Leo Wyatt said as he came down the stairs, having just put his and Piper's two sons to bed. "Now we can... Cole? What's going on here?"
"That is what we're about to find out." Piper replied.
"Okay, here goes..." Cole said and began his story.
Some time later, the group were in the living room as Cole finished telling his story. "So, it was the Angel Of Destiny that sent you to that void." Piper said.
"Yeah, she did." Cole replied.
"Well, that would explain why Cole didn't end up back in the Wasteland that time." Leo said, nodding his head.
"Yeah, when that alternate version of Phoebe vanquished him." Piper said. "Paige told us what happened."
"An alternate reality." Rex said. "Of course, none of us would remember it, since it was wiped out when Cole was vanquished that second time."
"Except Paige and myself. We both remember it." Cole said.
"Cole, I've been meaning to ask something about that." Rex said suddenly. "Why did you choose Paige being introduced to her sisters as the key event that caused you and Phoebe to break up? From what you told us, that event had nothing to do with it."
"Yeah, how come you didn't pick the moment when the original Seer tricked you into taking the Hollow?" Hannah added. "That led you to become that Source, and that ultimately led to you and Phoebe breaking up."
"Well, I..." Cole began, but then realized he had no answer. "Now that you two mention it, I really have no idea why I picked that event, Paige meeting her sisters. Phoebe and I would probably have still broken up, Paige or no Paige. What was I thinking!?"
"Perhaps other forces were at work." Rex suggested. "The Angel Of Destiny perhaps. Maybe she saw the good in you all along, and somehow got you to pick an event so that the alternate reality would only be temporary."
"You think so?" Cole asked.
"Yeah, it did put you in a position to help Leo and Piper when they needed it." Hannah said. "Consider that."
"Well, Cole, I'm grateful that you helped me and Leo get back together." Piper said.
"And that might help your case in the eyes of the Council Of Destiny." Leo added.
"I don't know. I did a lot of evil before that." Cole said.
"Well, so did Hannah and myself." Rex replied. "Yet our souls were returned to us. Perhaps they'll do the same for you."
"Yeah, and they gave Kira her soul back too, despite her being a Demon at the time." Hannah added.
"Did someone mention my name?" Kira, the Seer, said as she entered the room. "I was upstairs taking a nap. I didn't know we were having company." Her eyes then fell on Cole. "Is that who I think it is?"
"Yes, this is Cole Turner." Rex said. "Formally Belthazor and the Source."
"Hello Kira." Cole said. "I heard they gave you the position of your former master."
"Yeah, not that I wanted it." Kira replied. "However, they didn't give me much choice. So, why are you here?"
"Well, I guess you could say that I've been given a provisional parole."
"The Angel Of Destiny has remanded Cole into the custody of Hannah and myself." Rex added. "Apparently, they're considering whether to return his soul, like they did with you, Hannah, and myself."
"Really?" Kira asked. "Giving the soul back to one of the most feared Demons of the Underworld?"
"Well, I'm not that Demon anymore." Cole said. "My Demonic half has been vanquished for good. I'm human now, like I was before your former master tricked me into absorbing the Hollow and becoming the Source."
"Tricked you? Phoebe said you willingly became the Source."
"Phoebe was wrong, Kira." Rex said. "Cole explained what happened on our way over here. When he took in the Hollow, he took in the powers, and essence, of the Source himself. That essence gradually overwhelmed Cole's personality."
"Yeah, there were times I felt I wasn't even there anymore." Cole said sadly. "I was forced to do things, terrible things, and I could do nothing to stop it."
"I always felt there was more going on back then." Kira said. "My former master told me to stay out of it, though. She threatened to have me punished if I interfered."
"Yeah, she would have done that." Cole said, nodding his head.
"So, why did Phoebe think that Cole had willingly become the Source?" Hannah asked.
"I suspect her emotions played a bit part in it." Rex replied. "I imagine she must have felt so betrayed, she never took the time to find out the truth. She just assumed that Cole had reverted to evil of his own free will."
"Well, Phoebe wasn't the only one." Piper said. "We all did."
"Yeah, I wanted to tell you all." Cole said. "But you never gave me a chance. I guess I kine of lost it soon after. When the Angel told me I could get my soul back, I almost couldn't believe it."
"Well, one thing is clear." Rex said. "If the Angel is serious, and there is no reason to think that she isn't, then there must have been good in Cole all along. After all, beings who are evil beyond all hope are never offered their souls back."
"They probably would refuse, even if they were given such an offer." Hannah added.
"So, what do you want to do next, Cole?" Piper asked. Although I suspect that I already know the answer to this question. she thought.
"I want to see Phoebe, I want to talk to her." Cole said. "I need to make her see the truth."
"I should tell you that Phoebe is happily married, Cole." Piper said.
"I know, Rex told me. I don't intend to try and get back together with her, I just want to tell her what really happened."
"That sounds fair enough." Leo said. "I think Cole should get the chance to tell Phoebe his side of the story."
"I agree with Leo." Rex said. Hannah and Kira nodded, showing their solidarity as well.
"Well, okay Cole, I'll give her a call." Piper said slowly. "However, I'm not promising anything. Phoebe may not want to have anything to do with you, considering what happened in the past."
"I understand." Cole replied. "Yet, that is a chance I'm willing to take. Call Phoebe and get back to me when you can."
PALO ALTO
After leaving Halliwell Manor, Rex, Hannah, and Cole headed over to Rex's office at Stanford. Rex had an early afternoon class that day, and he wanted to be there in plenty of time.
"Well, Rex, you've done well for yourself." Cole said as he looked around Rex's office.
"Well, ancient languages and cultures always was a hobby of mine." Rex replied. "Mind you, I didn't have much time for it, being a Warlock and then leading The Insurgents. You could say that I'm making up for lost time."
"Also, we've had a few adventures since our insurgency days ended." Hannah added.
"True." Rex said. "Hannah and I have seen living dinosaurs, travelled through time, been to another planet, and, to top it all off, we met the spirits of the last Czar of Russia and his family, just two weeks ago."
"Wow, you have been busy." Cole said. "All this going on while I was stuck in that void."
"Well, if the Angel gives you your soul back, perhaps you can have some adventures of your own." Hannah said.
"Well, anything is possible, I suppose." Cole replied.
"Yes, and..." Rex broke off as the phone rang. He picked it up. "Hello?"
"Rex, it's Piper." Piper's voice said.
"Ah, Piper, so, what's the news from Phoebe?"
"She told me that she is willing to meet with Cole. But she wants it to take place here at Halliwell Manor, with both me and Paige present." Piper replied.
"I'll tell Cole." Rex said and proceeded to fill Cole in on Phoebe's conditions for the meeting.
"I accept." Cole quickly replied.
"Cole says it's okay." Rex said to Piper. "When will the meeting take place?"
"How about tomorrow afternoon." Piper suggested. "I'll call Phoebe and set it up."
"Very well, I'll tell Cole. Until then." Rex said and ended the call.
"Well?" Cole asked.
"The meeting will take place tomorrow afternoon, according to Piper."
"Sounds good to me." Cole said. "I've waited six years for this, what's one more day?"
.
SAN FRANCISCO
OCTOBER 17
"I can't believe I'm doing this." Phoebe Halliwell said as she paced around the living room of Halliwell Manor with her sisters, her husband Coop, and Kira, looking on (Piper had sent Leo and the two boys to Magic School). "I mean this is Cole! The guy who made me Queen Of The Underworld, the one who impregnated me with his Demonic spawn. You remember that guy, don't you?"
"Pheebs, I just think that you should hear Cole out. That's all." Piper replied.
"Since when are you a Cole fan, Piper?" Paige asked.
"Well, there is something you two should know. Remember that nasty incident with the Thorn Demons and when the Elders took Leo away?" Piper said. "Remember, after it was all over, I said that an old friend had helped me get Leo back?"
"I don't see what that has to..." Phoebe began, but then broke off when realization hit her. "You mean that "old friend" was Cole!?"
"Yeah, Pheebs, it was."
"Well, how did you know that wasn't just some scheme for him to get back into our lives again?" Phoebe asked.
"I initially thought the same thing." Piper replied. "However, in the end, I realized that Cole was right all along. He also said he had another mission. He didn't want you to give up on love."
"Oh, how nice of him." Phoebe snorted.
"Well, Phoebe, after Cole you did have problems finding someone new." Paige said.
"Hey, there was Jason!" Phoebe said, thinking of Jason Dean, the former owner of the Bay Mirror newspaper, where she worked as an advice columnist.
"Who freaked and ran when he found out who and what you really were." Paige pointed out.
"Well, then there was Drake, until he died and headed off to the spirit world." Phoebe said, remembering the Demon turned human who had captured her heart a few years back. Unfortunately, the same deal that had made Drake human had given him only one year to live. He had spent his remaining days in a loving relationship with Phoebe, and she had been crushed to let him go. "But how did Cole have anything to do with me finding love again?"
"I can answer that." Cole said as he, Rex, and Hannah, arrived on the scene.
"Well, look who's here." Phoebe said as she locked eyes with her ex-husband.
Oh dear, this could get ugly. Rex thought as he sensed the tension in the room.
"Okay, Pheebs, just hear Cole out." Piper suggested.
"Okay, I will." Phoebe said and turned to Cole. "Just how did you help me find love again?"
"You were talking about Drake just now." Cole replied. "He was a friend of mine. I was the one that set up the meeting between him and the Sorcerer in which he made the deal to become human."
"And then you sent him to meet me." Phoebe said, putting the pieces together. "I'm not sure whether to thank you or slap you across the face!"
"Yet you did love him, Phoebe." Coop said.
"How do you know that?" Phoebe asked her husband. "I hadn't even met you at that point."
"Because I know true love." Coop replied. "It's kind of my job, after all."
"If I may intervene." Rex said and turned to Phoebe. "You should listen, Phoebe. That Drake chap did allow you to find love again, didn't he."
"Yeah, he did." Phoebe admitted.
"And if it were not for him, you might not have ended up with Coop." Rex went on.
"Rex, where is this going?" Phoebe asked.
"It's simple. Because of Cole, you found love again, and because of that, you ended up happily married. Despite what he may have done in the past, Cole did something good in helping both you and Piper."
"Besides, evil beings have been known to change for the better." Hannah said. "Rex and myself, for example."
"And Christy Jenkins." Paige said, remembering the incident of the previous winter that saw the troubled spirit of Christy Jenkins make peace with her sister, Billie, before crossing over to the spirit world. Paige, along with Rex and Hannah, had been present during that reconciliation. "It can happen, Phoebe. Anyone can change for the better."
"And me." Kira said.
"So you see, Phoebe, perhaps you should let Cole tell you his side of the story." Rex said. "Then you can make your judgement."
"Phoebe, I know there are no words I can say to make up for what happened between us." Cole said. "I just want you to know one thing, I did not become the Source of my own choice."
"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked.
"I meant that the original Seer tricked me. When I took the Source's powers from the Hollow, I also took his essence as well, although I didn't know about that part. That essence gradually took me over. In the end, my own personality was totally suppressed. It was the Source, not me, that impregnated you, Phoebe. I had no control over those actions."
"I never knew that." Phoebe said slowly. "Why didn't you say something after you came back from the Wasteland?"
"You never gave me a chance." Cole replied. "In the time it took me to get back, you made up your mind that I had been evil all along. You tried and convicted me without hearing my side of things. Is it any wonder I went a little bonkers after that. I got so desperate to get you back that I went so far as to become an Avatar. I just wanted you back, Phoebe, because I loved you."
"He's telling the truth." Coop said. "I don't condone his actions, Phoebe, but he did love you. He can't hide that from me."
"So if I had listened..." Phoebe said. "If I had only listened, then maybe..." she broke off as she considered choices made and paths not taken.
"Maybe we're both at fault here." Cole said. "Maybe we were both victims of circumstances beyond our control. I know that I can never get you back now, Phoebe, you've moved on. I just needed to set the record straight, to let you know I was not the evil creature you thought me to be."
"Oh man." Phoebe said as she sat down on the couch and looked at Cole. "How could I have been so wrong about you? How could I have been such a selfish bitch?"
"You were hurt, Phoebe." Coop said, before Cole could reply. "In your mind, Cole had betrayed you. So you wanted to hurt him back. As Cole said a moment ago, both of you were victims of circumstances. Perhaps you should leave it at that."
"Yeah, Coop, you're right." Phoebe said and looked at Cole. "Can you forgive me for being so closed minded?"
"I can." Cole replied and the two of them hugged. No longer lovers, but just friends.
"Now is the moment." the Angel Of Destiny said as she appeared among them. "Cole Turner, the Council has made its decision."
"And?" Cole asked.
"Your soul will be returned to you." the Angel said and raised her hands and a bright glow enveloped Cole. "It is done." the Angel said, after the glow had faded. "You are fully human now, Cole Turner. Have a good life." With those words, the Angel vanished.
"Well, that was different." Cole said. He turned to Coop and said. "You married a good person. Take good care of her."
"Don't worry, I will." Coop replied as the two of them shook hands.
"Well, I guess all is well." Rex said as he watched the scene in front of him.
PALO ALTO
OCTOBER 18
"Are you sure about this, Cole?" Rex asked as he and Hannah walked Cole to the door of their apartment.
"Yes, you're free to stay here as long as you need to." Hannah added.
"Yeah, I sure of this. I have to leave." Cole replied. "I have to go and find my own path. Now that I'm human, I have a new journey ahead of me."
"Where will you go?" Hannah asked.
"I'm not sure. I might stick around San Francisco and perhaps even get a job at a law firm. I am a lawyer, after all. I did go to law school and pass the bar, even if Demons paid for it."
"Well, good luck, Cole." Rex said as the two of them shook hands. "Keep in touch and let us know where and when you get settled."
"I will. Thank you both." Cole said as he headed out the door.
"You think he'll be okay?" Hannah asked, once Cole was gone.
"Yes, Hannah, I think so." Rex replied. "I'm not sure how, but I think things will work out okay for Cole. It's just a feeling I have."
EPILOGUE. SAN FRANCISCO
A FEW DAYS LATER
Cole was in a café, buying a cup of coffee, when he ran into a familiar figure. "Kira?" Cole said.
"Uh, yeah, hi!" Kira said. "Funny, running into you again."
"You come here often?"
"Yeah, I do. Ever since I became fully human, I always get this craving for coffee at moments notice." Kira replied, laughing. "Piper almost flipped out when I drank their whole supply one day. So, I started coming here instead when the cravings hit me."
"Well, in that case, can I buy you a cup?" Cole asked.
"Sure." Kira said. He sure is cute, despite what he has done in the past. I can see why Phoebe was so attracted to him. she thought.
"Is something wrong?" Cole asked, noting that Kira had gone quiet. I hope I haven't scared her off. he thought.
"No, nothing." Kira said. "Why don't we talk for a while. I think we'll both have interesting stories to tell each other."
"That I'm sure of." Cole said. The two of them got their coffees and headed for a nearby table. Soon the two of them were deep in conversation and neither noted the passing of the hours around them.
Nearby, but unseen, the Angel Of Destiny stood and watched. "So it happens, as predicted. A new magical union begins..."
THE ADVENTURES OF REX AND HANNAH CONTINUE!