Centennial Charmed Redux

(For those of you who have been awaiting the update to "Twice Charmed," forgive me.  Chapter 5 is in the works, but being a full-time college student has drained both time and energy, so I hope to have it completed soon.  On one night of inspiration, though, I came up with the idea for this story.

I've often wondered what might have happened if Cole had been thinking a little more clearly and had chosen a different event in time to alter, one that actually would have changed things for the better.  Many moments in the show filtered through my head, but I think there is one that stands out more than any other.  And so begins Cole's last chance...)

CHAPTER 1:  Temporal Displacement

            Cole sighed morosely as he leaned back against the elevator wall.  Another year in his life had come and gone.  'So what?' he thought.  He had nothing of value in his life.  He did have a well-paying job at Jackman, Carter, and Kline, but it only served his material needs.  Mentally, spiritually, Cole was dead.  He had no purpose to be alive.  'I should have died six months ago,' he thought bitterly.  'At least then, maybe Phoebe wouldn't be so pissed off at me for being alive.  Damn you, Seer!  Damn you!'

            The elevator bell dinged, jerking Cole from his musings.  He walked into the penthouse and dropped his keys on the table.  He paused there, staring at the picture of him and Phoebe smiling at each other.  'Those were the days,' he thought.  He shifted his gaze to the mirror above the table.  "Happy Birthday..." he said to his reflection.  'Quite a switch...last year at this time, Phoebe and I were fucking like there was no tomorrow.  Now, she'd sooner vanquish me than fuck me.'

            As Cole threw his tie down on the coffee table, he didn't sense the sudden shimmering of the air behind him.  Suddenly, he screamed, as he felt pain inside like never before.  He pulled at his clothing, trying to figure out where the pain was coming from, but to no avail.  Without warning, Cole felt his body explode into millions of particles.  Temporarily in spirit form, Cole watched as he saw the shimmering form materialize into Paige.  "I did it!" she said gleefully when she didn't see him.  Cole growled in sudden rage as his body started to reform.  "Oops..." Paige mumbled as Cole pushed with his power and blasted her into orbs out of the balcony window.  Cole reformed completely on the balcony and let out a scream of rage.

            'What the fuck is it with her?' he thought.  'Now, Paige is going out of her way to try and vanquish me?  That does it.  This is going to end once and for all.'  Cole turned and went back into the penthouse.  As he prepared himself for sleep, he affirmed his decision.  Tomorrow, he would begin his last chance to set things right.

****

            "My problems are none of your concern," Cole snarled.  It was the next day, and one of the Avatars had come to him.  "All that should matter to you is that I'm willing to join your kind, become an Avatar."

            "I understand, and we're pleased to hear it," the Avatar replied smugly.  "Still, I cannot but wonder why now, after all this time?"

            "You have unlimited powers, don't you?" Cole questioned.

            "We have the power to elevate powers such as yours, to raise them above the restraints of Good and Evil," the Avatar answered coolly.

            "Which makes them unlimited, yes?"

            "Yes," the Avatar confirmed.

            "Then that's why for now," Cole said, not wanting to reveal too much.  "Which means, I assume, that I can use these powers to manipulate, say, time...reality even?"

            "Understand, Cole, these powers are not meant to be used for personal vendettas," the Avatar warned.  "They're meant to be used with others like us.  To shape a future we control."

            "Oh, I understand very well indeed," Cole said, grinning inwardly.  "And believe me, I'm all for it.  But I need to take care of something first and to do that I need unlimited powers."

            "I'm afraid that can't be allowed."

            "Then I'm afraid I can't join you," Cole said, allowing the grin to come to his face.  "Who are you kidding?  You need me.  Otherwise you wouldn't have come to me in the first place.  Just one favor, that's all I ask.  Then I'm yours."  The Avatar nodded in acquiescence and blurred out.  Cole sighed and flopped down on the couch.  If the Avatars figured out what he was up to, he knew he was as good as dead.

****

            "Ribus uero fecit orum, bitis danae arca..." the Avatar intoned as he finished his chant.  The white light that had been shining on Cole faded away.  "Well, how do you feel?" he asked.

            "I feel alive...powerful," Cole answered as he stood up.

            "You are one of us now.  Come," the Avatar said.

            "Not so fast," Cole replied.  "First I get my wife back once and for all."

            "That's what you wanted?" the Avatar said incredulously.  "Your new powers can't affect love."

            "Maybe not," Cole said.  "But I'm hoping it'll change the one event that led to our downfall...the day that Phoebe and her sisters vanquished the old Source...the day the old Source possessed me."

            "Go back in time?" the Avatar questioned.

            "No, better," Cole answered firmly.  "I'm going to reset time to one year ago, to that night, to give myself the chance I never had."

            "You have no idea what you're getting into," the Avatar warned.  "Even if it works, you'll be erasing yourself from existence.  Unraveling the fabric of time could irrevocably damage the balance of the universe.  The ripple effect of even one small change could..."

            "I don't care!" Cole yelled, his temper getting the best of him.  "I am not spending another hundred birthdays without her."  Seeing that Cole was adamant in his position, the Avatar blurred out.  Cole took one last look around the penthouse.  "I'm doing this for you, Phoebe," Cole said, looking at the picture.  "It's the only way."  Cole closed his eyes and began to chant.  "Magna tempus dormiebat ribus," he said.  Wind began to howl and a blinding light swept over Cole.  The light spread out and engulfed the entire universe.  For a moment, Cole focused his power and sent it into the past.  Then there was a violent concussion of forces...and the universe ended.

****

(We now revisit a familiar scene near the end of "Charmed and Dangerous.")

            "I'm just looking for my potion book.  Have you seen it anywhere?" Phoebe asked.

            "I didn't think you could save Leo with a potion," Cole remarked.

            "Well, it's not just to save Leo, it's to save us all," Phoebe explained quickly...nervously.

            "Oh, yeah, how?" Cole asked.

            "I – I don't know," she stammered, "but I have to do something.  I can't just sit around and..."  Phoebe broke off as she noticed Cole holding a ring box.  "What's that?" she squeaked.

            "This?" Cole stated.

            "Yeah," Phoebe said, although she knew in her heart what it was.

            "It's just a little something I've been waiting for the right moment to give you," Cole said with a little smile.  He opened the box to reveal a diamond ring.  "It's not your Grams' but hopefully it's not cursed."

            "I – I don't think now's the time," Phoebe stammered.

            "Actually, I think now's the perfect time," he said, taking the ring out of the box and putting it on her finger.  "This way no matter what happens, you'll always know that I love you."

            "It's beautiful," Phoebe said, turning her gaze to him.  "Now you have to go."

            "No, I'm staying here with you," Cole insisted.

            "Do you want me to watch you die too?" Phoebe said, her voice rising hysterically.

            "If that's what it takes to save you, yeah," Cole said.

            "No, I'm supposed to save you," Phoebe said.  "That's why I got that premonition."

            "Not necessarily," Cole remarked shrewdly.  "You know as well as I do you're not meant to stop every premonition.  Some are just meant to prepare you for what's to come."

            Phoebe sighed.  "Well, if you're not going to leave, then can you help me come up with a plan?" she said after a minute.  Cole nodded and joined her.

****

            "Piper?" Phoebe said as she and Cole walked into the conservatory.

            Seeing that they had her attention, Cole said, "We may have a plan to get your powers back."

            "Then maybe Paige could help heal Leo," Phoebe added.

            "A spell?" Piper questioned, hopeful.

            "Remember the spell to call for witches' powers?" Phoebe asked.  "Maybe it might be strong enough to call the powers from the Hollow."

            "Could that work?" Paige asked.

            "It has to," Piper said firmly.  Turning to Cole, she said, "Could you watch Leo?"

            Cole nodded.  He shared one last lingering look with Phoebe before going back into the living room where Leo was resting on the couch.  As he was about to sit down, Cole lurched as he felt a force trying to pull him down to the Underworld.  Almost instantly, Cole felt a second force, only this one was keeping him in the room.  For a split second, Cole felt as though the two forces were going to rip him apart.  Then, the second force overpowered the first one, and both vanished.

            Cole staggered back and sat down on the couch.  He wasn't sure about exactly what had happened, but he was sure somebody was trying to keep him from interfering, somebody who knew he was still alive.  But who...Cole suddenly had a flash of intuition as he realized that only the Seer could have known about him, since she was the only demon remaining with the power to see the future, and that meant that she'd needed him for something.  Cole knew that he had to do something to help.  As quietly as he could, Cole crept up the stairs to his and Phoebe's room.

            Cole picked up Phoebe's purse and withdrew two athames that she carried for protection, just in case a demon happened to catch her out in the open.  One was the athame Phoebe had taken from him the night she discovered he was Belthazor.  The other was the one Emma had tried to use on him after he'd lost his powers.  Cole held one in each hand.  If the Source was coming, then Cole was going to make sure he went straight to Hell.

            Cole's ears pricked up as he heard the sisters chanting.  Moments later, the house started to shake, and Cole heard the distinct sound of flaming.  The Source had arrived.

****

            "Seems almost anti-climactic after all this time, doesn't it?" the Source snarled.  He telekinetically threw Paige behind him.

            "Piper," Phoebe hissed, trying to rouse her injured sister.

            "Say hello to Prue for me," the Source said, sneering at her.  He raised his arm back to throw a fireball, but Phoebe levitated into a kick that took her around the fireball and slammed her foot into the Source, who staggered to the ground.

            "Phoebe!" Paige called, getting her attention.  Paige tossed her some of the crystals.  Phoebe had just finished putting hers down when the Source levitated up.

            "Your power was always the weakest, hardly worth the taking," he said dismissively.  "Your life, however, is."

            "Paige, now!" Phoebe yelled.  Paige slammed down the last crystal and the energy field leapt up at once, imprisoning the Source.  Phoebe and Paige used the opportunity to fall back and protect Piper.

            The Source smirked at them as he said, "Crystal."  One of the crystals orbed out and into his hand, and the energy field fell.  "Now for the moment we've all been waiting for."  The Source formed another fireball and drew his hand back to throw it at Phoebe.  At the same instant, Cole ran into the room from the stairwell where he'd been hiding, waiting for the right moment.  Without hesitation, Cole put himself between Phoebe and the Source, and let out a scream of pain as the fireball slammed into his back.  With the pain came a rush of adrenaline, and Cole looked up into Phoebe's eyes, which were now full of fear.

            "Belthazor..." the Source hissed in rage.

            Cole pushed the pain out of his mind and turned to face his former master.  "Belthazor is dead," he said in a strained voice.

            "Yes," the Source said.  He strode forward and picked Cole up by his shirt.  "And now I can finish the job."

            "No!" Phoebe yelled.

            The Source looked over Cole's shoulder to sneer at her.  "Revenge is truly sweet, witch.  Say goodbye."  Before Phoebe could utter a word, Cole reached into his pockets and pulled out the athames he'd been carrying and shoved both of them into the Source's chest.

            "Goodbye," Cole said coldly.  The Source dropped Cole to the ground and clutched his hands to his chest.  Cole turned to the sisters and rasped, "Hurry, the spell!"

            The Charmed Ones chanted:

            Prudence, Penelope, Patricia, Melinda,
            Helena, Astrid, Laura, and Grace,
            Halliwell witches stand strong beside us,
            Vanquish this evil from time and space.

            The Source screamed in pain as flames leapt up around him, and he exploded a moment later.  The Seer materialized with the Hollow's box in her hands.

            "Seer," Cole said hoarsely.

            "Belthazor," she replied with a curt nod.

            "Cole?" Phoebe questioned uncertainly.  She could tell Cole was in great pain.

            "Don't worry about me," he growled.  "Trust her...if you want your powers back."

            Phoebe walked next to the Seer.  "Say the inscription with me."  Together they chanted, "Abolio exume ga ume to eternius."  The Hollow's box floated up into the air and vanished in a flash of light.

            "I don't know who you are, but whoever you are, we thank you," Phoebe said.

            "Oh, I didn't do it for your future," the Seer explained.  "I did it for mine."  She gave Cole a passing glance which only he noticed.  "All is as it should be.  Time to return to my side."  With that, the Seer vanished.

            Cole took a breath, the relief that the danger had passed flowing through him.  As it did, the adrenaline rushing through his system subsided, and the pain intensified.  Cole's legs gave out and he fell to his knees.

            "Cole!" Phoebe yelled, rushing to his side.  She helped Cole to his feet and he leaned on her for support.

            "Phoebe...it hurts," he grunted.

            "Piper, you and Paige go downstairs and get Leo healed up," Phoebe said.  "I'm taking Cole to my room.  Have Leo come up when you're done, ok?"

            "Sure thing, Pheebs," Piper said as she led Paige out of the room.

****

            "Come on, Cole, lie down," Phoebe said as she led him into the bedroom.

            Cole eased himself onto the bed.  A moment later, he felt a searing pain in his chest and cried out.  "Ph-phoe-oebe," Cole stammered, squeezing her hand tightly.

            "Piper, hurry!" Phoebe yelled franticly.  Turning back to Cole, she said.  "Just hang on baby, Leo will be here soon."

            "Sorry, baby," he said, looking into her eyes.  "Fireball...scorched through my back...all the way to my heart."

            "Leo will heal you, and everything will be fine," Phoebe assured him.

            Cole shook his head sadly and grimaced.  "Not enough time," Cole said.

            "What do you mean?" Phoebe demanded.  The look in Cole's eyes said it all.  Phoebe's eyes filled with tears.  "No, no, NO!"

            "Sorry, Phoebe," Cole said.

            "Damn it, Cole, I told you to stay away, and you didn't listen to me!" Phoebe yelled angrily.

            "Couldn't let you...die," Cole gasped.  "Told you...some premonitions can't be stopped...meant to prepare you for what's to come."

            "Don't leave me, Cole," Phoebe sobbed, her anger having given way to sadness.  "Please don't die."

            Cole smiled slightly, and words came to him as though in a dream.  His voice was steady and clear as he spoke.  "I was dead before I met you.  I was born the day you loved me.  And my love for you will keep me alive...forever."

            Tears flowed freely down Phoebe's cheeks.  "I love you so much, Cole.  As long as my heart beats, I'll always love you."

            "Love you, too, baby," Cole whispered.  "Hold me...so cold."  Phoebe leaned down and wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him softly.  As she pulled back, Cole whispered, "Until we meet again, my love."  His eyes closed of their own accord, and his head sagged back against the pillows.

****

            Paige had been trying to heal Leo for almost a minute.  She threw up her hands in frustration.  "I can't do it, nothing's happening," she said.

            "Hold his hand," Piper instructed.  As Paige did so, she continued, "Let his power to heal flow through you."

            Paige closed her eyes and concentrated.  This time, the healing light came, and Leo woke up a moment later.  "Paige, Piper," he said as he saw them.

            "Leo," Piper said, gratefully embracing her husband.

            "I did it!" Paige said excitedly.

            "Come on," Piper said, "we've got to get to..."  She was cut off as Phoebe wailed in pain from upstairs.  They charged up the stairs to find Phoebe crying hysterically and cradling Cole's head in her arms.  "Phoebe?" she questioned cautiously.

            Phoebe turned red, puffy eyes to her family and sniffed.  "He's gone, Piper," she said in a soft voice.  "He's gone."

            Piper brought a hand to her mouth, and she couldn't stop the sudden rush of tears.  "It's not fair," she ground out between clenched teeth.  Looking up at the ceiling, she yelled, "How many people have to die before it's over, huh?  How many loved ones do we have to lose before it's enough?"  Piper broke down in tears and pulled Phoebe into her arms.  Paige and Leo joined them in grief, and the four wept until they could weep no more.

TO BE CONTINUED...