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Cole woke with a slight gasp. Opening his eyes to the darkness of the bedroom he now shared with Phoebe, he struggled to take in his surroundings. Realising where he was, he turned to check on his lover. She was still there, and Cole breathed a sigh of relief. He'd had a dream -- more like a nightmare, really -- of an attack at the Manor.
He had watched as the energy ball raced towards Phoebe, powerless -- literally -- to save her. The ball then hit her, causing her to scream in agony as she was jolted backwards.
Her legs would no longer hold her, and she collapsed to the ground, but didn't die instantly. She was writhing in agony as he ran to her, taking her badly burned form in his arms. He held her, unable to do anything to ease her suffering as the unseen assailant laughed, a sound that sent chills through Cole as he remembered.
Phoebe had looked blankly in Cole's direction, her body shaking from the shock and her eyes unseeing. She only had breath enough for one more thing. "Why?" she asked.
And as her body went limp in his arms, Cole had awakened, terrified by what he had seen.
Carefully slipping out of bed so as not to disturb Phoebe, he walked over to the window. The logical part of him was saying it was just a dream. A collection of thoughts that were bound together by his subconscious and allowed to manifest themselves as he slept. The other part of him, the one he allowed to rule him when it came to Phoebe, knew what it really was. It was Cole's worst fear since he had become completely mortal. That something would happen, and without his shimmering ability or his other powers, he would be unable to help, and Phoebe or even one of her sisters would pay the price. It was something he'd been worrying about ever since the reality of what Emma had done to him had sunken in. But in truth, it had never disturbed him as much as it did now. Because tonight was the first time he'd had a real taste of the posibilities. When he had seen Phoebe pale and injured, Cole had felt his mortal heart skip a beat.
It had only been a minor wound this time, but what about the next? There was no way that he could stop Phoebe from continuing her destiny and saving innocents, but he was terrified of the consequences. He remembered what had happened to Prue. Granted, she had been unable to save herself even with her powers, but if he had been there when Shax attacked, things could have turned out differently......if only Raynor hadn't screwed everything up the way he had!
None of this might be happening right now. To be truthful, it wasn't even his fear for Phoebe's physical safety he was solely concerned about.
When they had fallen in love, he had been a powerful demon, with abilities. He could shimmer them to France on a whim, give her the information he had found in the underworld. But now.....he couldn't even get a job. Couldn't drive, pay for things. How long would it be before she realised that he was worthless now?
He sighed, his eyes closing and his head falling back on his shoulders until he faced the ceiling. He was mortal now, and he had to deal with it......Darryl did. Obviously it wasn't the same, but he knew that the cop thought of the sisters as -- well, his sisters. He had survived in the world of the witches for a while now, and had even helped them out on occasion, saving their lives.....if one cop with no real knowledge of the supernatural could deal with it, then surely a former upper level demon with over a centuries worth of knowledge, tactics and expertise could. Phoebe loved him....that was what mattered. She wasn't bothered by the fact that he was mortal....or the fact that she had to help him now. Phoebe loved him.
Feeling a little better, Cole went back to the bed, crawling in as carefully as he had gotten out. As if she sensed his presence even in her unconscious state Phoebe rolled over, half lying on him and snuggling her head into his chest, causing him to smile. He had to be careful. If he concentrated on his doubts, then he would be squandering his time with Phoebe. Because no one knew when that time would end. It made him feel helpless, and while that was a new experience for him, he knew there was no changing it.
***************
Cole woke with a slight gasp. Opening his eyes to the darkness of the bedroom he now shared with Phoebe, he struggled to take in his surroundings. Realising where he was, he turned to check on his lover. She was still there, and Cole breathed a sigh of relief. He'd had a dream -- more like a nightmare, really -- of an attack at the Manor.
He had watched as the energy ball raced towards Phoebe, powerless -- literally -- to save her. The ball then hit her, causing her to scream in agony as she was jolted backwards.
Her legs would no longer hold her, and she collapsed to the ground, but didn't die instantly. She was writhing in agony as he ran to her, taking her badly burned form in his arms. He held her, unable to do anything to ease her suffering as the unseen assailant laughed, a sound that sent chills through Cole as he remembered.
Phoebe had looked blankly in Cole's direction, her body shaking from the shock and her eyes unseeing. She only had breath enough for one more thing. "Why?" she asked.
And as her body went limp in his arms, Cole had awakened, terrified by what he had seen.
Carefully slipping out of bed so as not to disturb Phoebe, he walked over to the window. The logical part of him was saying it was just a dream. A collection of thoughts that were bound together by his subconscious and allowed to manifest themselves as he slept. The other part of him, the one he allowed to rule him when it came to Phoebe, knew what it really was. It was Cole's worst fear since he had become completely mortal. That something would happen, and without his shimmering ability or his other powers, he would be unable to help, and Phoebe or even one of her sisters would pay the price. It was something he'd been worrying about ever since the reality of what Emma had done to him had sunken in. But in truth, it had never disturbed him as much as it did now. Because tonight was the first time he'd had a real taste of the posibilities. When he had seen Phoebe pale and injured, Cole had felt his mortal heart skip a beat.
It had only been a minor wound this time, but what about the next? There was no way that he could stop Phoebe from continuing her destiny and saving innocents, but he was terrified of the consequences. He remembered what had happened to Prue. Granted, she had been unable to save herself even with her powers, but if he had been there when Shax attacked, things could have turned out differently......if only Raynor hadn't screwed everything up the way he had!
None of this might be happening right now. To be truthful, it wasn't even his fear for Phoebe's physical safety he was solely concerned about.
When they had fallen in love, he had been a powerful demon, with abilities. He could shimmer them to France on a whim, give her the information he had found in the underworld. But now.....he couldn't even get a job. Couldn't drive, pay for things. How long would it be before she realised that he was worthless now?
He sighed, his eyes closing and his head falling back on his shoulders until he faced the ceiling. He was mortal now, and he had to deal with it......Darryl did. Obviously it wasn't the same, but he knew that the cop thought of the sisters as -- well, his sisters. He had survived in the world of the witches for a while now, and had even helped them out on occasion, saving their lives.....if one cop with no real knowledge of the supernatural could deal with it, then surely a former upper level demon with over a centuries worth of knowledge, tactics and expertise could. Phoebe loved him....that was what mattered. She wasn't bothered by the fact that he was mortal....or the fact that she had to help him now. Phoebe loved him.
Feeling a little better, Cole went back to the bed, crawling in as carefully as he had gotten out. As if she sensed his presence even in her unconscious state Phoebe rolled over, half lying on him and snuggling her head into his chest, causing him to smile. He had to be careful. If he concentrated on his doubts, then he would be squandering his time with Phoebe. Because no one knew when that time would end. It made him feel helpless, and while that was a new experience for him, he knew there was no changing it.
***************