Title: "Haven't We Met Before?"

Author: Shaitanah

Rating: G

Timeline: Season 7, "7 Year Witch".

Summary: In the end of the "7 Year Witch" episode Phoebe is visited by a ghost from the past.

Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed. If I did Cole would either be still alive or would have died in Season 4 instead of making a fool of himself in Season 5.

HAVEN'T WE MET BEFORE?

'Think of me when you dance', Drake said and glided outdoors, no more than a memory now. Covering her eyes with her hand, she resisted the urge to give vent to her tears. She wouldn't mourn Drake; he never wanted it. These weeks were a miracle – but they were over.

Phoebe sat still for a while until she was sure her shoulders had stopped quivering completely. She took a deep breath, hugged a plump pillow, stuck her chin in it and concentrated on thinking about nothing. It was always so hard for her to say goodbye. It wasn't long before she felt somebody's presence. It surrounded her, disturbing and soothing at the same time. Rather peculiar. Phoebe twirled her head rapidly, trying to define the source of it. It was a ghost of some kind. It bothered her that she couldn't see it. Whether it was invisible by nature or blocking her vision, she could not tell.

"Come out, spirit!" she called him persistently. "I can sense you".

In his spiritual prison Cole smiled peacefully. She was always highly sensitive, his Phoebe. She even felt his presence in the manor when he was talking sense into her obstinate comatose sister. She didn't recognize him, though. It was relieving for both of them.

"I am a sinner beyond redemption", he whispered. "You wouldn't want to talk to me".

To his surprise, Phoebe heard him. Her eyes gleamed wet from under half-closed eye-lids.

"I'm not the best company myself right now. I don't fancy talking at all".

Cole tilted his head curiously. Well, if she could hear him… Sharp thrill jolted through his heart. He got what might have been his last chance to speak to Phoebe – right here and now! Their first conversation in 2 years!

"On the other hand, maybe you should", said Cole, taking a seat on the arm-rest. "It helps a lot. Especially if you've got someone to hear you out".

Phoebe sighed, half-laughing. He loved that sound very much. As a matter of fact, he loved everything about her. He stretched out his hand and touched her hair lightly. It was rolled in a tight bun on her crown.

"Are you a lost soul?" Phoebe inquired. "D'you want me to guide you to the Light? I guess I could–".

"I thought I could be your guide", Cole grinned. "You definitely need one".

She looked so beautiful. Even though she was deeply aggrieved by Drake's departure, she still managed to glow. She was Light embodies in a form of a charming woman.

"Do I know you?" Phoebe asked all of a sudden. She was staring at the blank spot slightly to his left.

"I don't think so", Cole drew out slowly. No way he'd ruin this beautiful illusion.

Phoebe got up, smoothed her suit and went to the door. Cole hastened after her. His voice rang in the corners of the illustrious hall of Magic School: "Leaving? Fine, I'll walk you to the portal, then".

"I don't fully understand! I'm a witch, I'm supposed to see spirits. Why can't I see you? Where are you?"

"Here, there", Cole rustled from different sides, "everywhere. The point is: I'm with you, willing to help, and you ignore a brilliant opportunity".

Phoebe stood stock-still and threw up her hands, flying into a temper. "Is this some freaky version of a classic fairytale? Beauty And The Beast, for example. I'm just not fond of pouring my feelings out to people I know nothing about but who seem to know a great deal about me. And could you stop whirling? I'm sick of spinning around in spot!"

They walked slowly towards the stairs. Her new friend was silent, obviously waiting for her to start. What if he was wilfully luring her into a trap? Phoebe couldn't shake off a weird feeling that that corridor was the end of some part of her, giving birth to a new, unfamiliar Phoebe.

In truth, she was glad the spirit showed up. He seemed to know her inside out and was really able to help. She wished she still had her empathical abilities to scan him to make sure he was good. She plucked up all her senses. He just didn't seem dangerous. In fact, he reminded her a bit of Drake, especially when he uttered in theatrical undertone: "So tell me, what saddens a lady fair?"

"Nothing really", Phoebe laughed tentatively. "I'm just wondering why I can't keep any relationship of mine from falling apart. I mean, take all my last correlations". She made a decision to be frank since the stranger seem to have been aware of more that she would have told him anyway. "Jason. He was amazing. What a girl wants, exactly! Save one significant fault: he couldn't stand the truth about me".

"He should have learnt it in a less violent way, that's it", Cole suggested.

"Hey, that was not my fault!" Phoebe fired off in embarrassment. "All credit to my sister's disturbed witch boyfriend. Err… then there was Les".

A total jerk, in Cole's opinion. He withheld nasty comments because the time wasn't right. Phoebe rubbed her forehead fiercely.

"I guess we just let it slip away. He left. I don't know why I didn't hold him up. Then I met Drake". Her eyes acquired a fascinating dreamy glimmer. Cole feasted his eyes upon her, allowing every well-studied detail of her image imprint freshly in his memory. Being so close to her intoxicated him. Cole wallowed in that bittersweet sensation, hoping the time would freeze, locking them up together in some fairytale vacuum.

"The demon who'd just died", he specified. "Yes, I saw him".

Phoebe looked up in his direction again, her eyes a little askew, lips pressed together forcefully. She calculated variations, uncertain of the outcome of this conversation.

"Where are you exactly?" she asked carefully.

"In Limbo", Cole admitted. "But let me remind you: you are the subject".

Dim shadows danced along the School's floors. It was chilly. They passed through a spacious suite of rooms encumbered with imposing gilt-edged volumes, ancient vessels that contained legendary substances and wonders beyond any imagination. Phoebe continued talking. Before them all there was Miles – for a very short period of time. Straining his memory, Cole found out he happened to remember him, a dull lad inferior to all of Phoebe's beaux altogether, not even worth mentioning. She had to lose him to the Angel of Death. Even before Cole Phoebe had an entire kaleidoscope of strange personalities to date. She even managed to fall for the Cupid or the guy from a horror-movie. All that took place such a long time ago. Cole noticed she didn't even mention her marriage. 'Well… that's perfectly understandable', he though sadly.

Funny how one little mistake that wasn't even his fault entirely reverberated through his whole future. Piper forgave him apparently, but then again, he never hurt her as much as he'd hurt Phoebe. He left out the part where the bloody Seer tricked him into becoming to Source of All Evil. He'd actually take the whole blame upon himself if it could help him earn Phoebe's forgiveness.

He considered telling her the truth. After all, he could never lie to her. Even before he revealed his feelings for her even to himself, when he was nothing more than the Triad's agent with a license to kill, it pained him so much to keep his secrets. Phoebe had special powers over him… But what would she do, should she learn the truth from him now? Yell at him, try to vanquish him all over again?..

He realized they had made their way down the stairs not without concern. They drew closer to the portal which would take Phoebe away from him. He could follow her, of course, but why disturb them both? He only promised to escort her to the exit…

"So, friend", Phoebe winked at him merrily. "Won't you tell me your name?"

"Ahh… no!" replied Cole, enjoying a hilarious outburst of laughter that followed. "Listen to me, Phoebe: you still have time to find your perfect love. A man that would understand you and accept both sides of your life, who'd want to star a family with you, who'd never leave you. Don't be afraid to love and lose–".

"…be afraid to never love at all", she whispered, tears gleaming in her eyes. She'd heard those words countless times, but still they sounded as new.

Straining her vision, she peered into the emptiness, trying to see him. How come he was around to comfort her when she needed it so much? It's like… like he was… someone she knew… a very long time… ago.

"Is that supposed to cheer me up?" she smiled heavily. The ghostly voice retorted at once:

"No, it's just so true. Remember, you don't know me, but I know you very well. I want you to know that somewhere in the cold depths of Limbo someone is thinking about you…"

His voice trailed off quietly.

Earlier that evening Piper told Leo 'an old friend' helped her to get him back, guided her actions so that she managed to call for him when the time was right. Phoebe frowned. An old friend who went all the way back to their early years. Who knew her by rote. Whom she dreaded and hoped to meet again someday.

"Cole…" she murmured faintly, afraid to scare the ghost off. So he was still out there, after all. What for?.. Phoebe took a deep breath, feeling her unease bottle up. "Hey, wait, you… err…"

He was gone, she sensed it. She was too late. Phoebe stood motionless for a brief moment, getting used to this unexpected sense of loss, then she entered the portal that would lead her home.

The manor was quiet. Piper came downstairs, enjoying the sudden silence. The boys didn't cry, no demons were here to spoil a sudden happy-end of a horrible day. Leo was sleeping soundly, human, forever hers. She observed him for a while, adoring every tiny detail of his kind, open face. Then something urged her to leave the room. That was how she came across Phoebe who was still pondering over her meeting with the spirit in the living room.

"Honey, what is it?" asked Piper sympathetically. Her sleepy, clouded mind still hadn't worked out the full picture. Then it hit her: Drake was gone.

"I'm fine", Phoebe said rapidly to contradict this misinterpretation of the matter. "I'll get over it, you know that about me".

Piper smiled. Yes, she knew her sister's strength. Phoebe got scorched in flames of love so many times… She deserved her Mr Right, who apparently wasn't ready to make his appearance yet. Unfortunately.

She started back to her room when Phoebe stopped her. "Piper, can I ask you something?"

Now – or never. She recalled Cole the way she preferred to memorize him once: a master of evil, the man who lured her into a trap with words of love and an image of fake goodness, the demon-king she was beside during the Coronation. Oddly, that image dissolved, transforming into a weeping demon she was supposed to vanquish – but she chose to let him go. He swore he loved her. He never lied about that.

If the spirit was not Cole, she didn't want to know about that.

Piper kept staring at her quizzically. Phoebe shrugged with false cheer. "Nevermind. Good night".

She ran up the stairs and understood that she did feel a lot better after that conversation. In a rush of excitement she emptied her nighttable, searching for one thing she used to hold dear in the days of their love. It was their photo. She hesitated, she even wanted to throw it away along with other gifts from Cole, but somehow the picture survived and ended up safely hidden amid other insignificant stuff. Phoebe cast it a deep, thoughtful glance and put it in the upper drawer.

It was Cole.

June 17 – 26. 2006