Phoebe, unshed tears stinging her brown eyes, made her way to her bedroom slowly. She opened her door halfway, peeking in to check on her son. She pushed the door open further and stepped in calling out, "Cole? Honey are you here?"

Hearing nothing, Phoebe stepped and checked the entire floor, with each empty room her stomach fell further and further. Phoebe ran upstairs to check the attic and then downstairs to check the story before the basement. As Phoebe brushed passed Piper, Piper called out, "Everything okay, Pheebs?"

"No, I can't find Cole anywhere!" Phoebe exclaimed, exhausted.

"Uh, well honey, don't you remember? You just had an argument with him and you hurt him pretty bad by that expression of his before he shimmered ou-"

"Piper, I'm talking about C.J.! I can't find him anywhere!"

"Last I saw he was sleeping in your bed." Piper said as she waved the potato peeler she had in her hand around.

"He's not there."

"Did you try calling for him?"

"No, can you do it please? I'm a little upset over here." Phoebe asked as she sat with a huff on the nearest stool.

"No problem sis," Piper cleared her throat and shouted, "Coleridge! Get your demonic baby butt back here now!"

After a few minutes, Piper looked at Phoebe wide-eyed.

"He always answers Phoebe. You better get Cole and look for him." Piper decided; concern laced in her voice.

Phoebe nodded and swiped at her eyes, tears slipping down her cheeks as she dreaded the conversation with her husband. Phoebe clambered up the stairs, and with since she didn't want to see Cole so soon, Phoebe opted for calling her stepson.

"Cain! Cain we need your help!"

Cain shimmered in the bedroom, wanting to look cross for being interrupted but when he realized how distressed Phoebe really was he immediately ran forward and held her as she cried. He stroked her brown hair as she sobbed against his chest.

"Phoebe, what is it? What's wrong?" he asked repeatedly, deeply worried.

"C.J. isn't answering my calls." She managed to say.

"He's not?" Cain asked, immediately surprised.

"No!" she sobbed.

Cain stood up and called Piper from downstairs. Piper entered the bedroom and asked, "What?"

"Comfort her while I look for my brother?" Piper nodded, confused as to why Cain was here as Cain said thanks and shimmered out.


Cole, after being told by Cain that his son was missing (Cain rushing back to salvage his date, believing that Cole could handle this on his own), shimmered into the Underworld and tried to sense C.J., noting he was indeed down here but pretty far away. Cole shimmered again, into another cavern, in his search for his son. Finally, one shimmer later, Cole found his son in a magically protected cage.

"Cole?" he called out, stepping forward carefully towards the cage.

Cole stepped back once, knowing enough about magic that he didn't touch the cage for fear of getting hurt. C.J., who must've been sleeping, sat up and grinned when he saw Cole.

"Daddy!" he shouted, holding his arms out.

Cole tried to shush the boy's shouting, but it was too late when he was thrown against the cave wall. He fell to the ground with a groan, he tried to stand but his knees gave out and he fell down again.

"Belthazor, welcome!" shouted a figure in the corner.

The Source advanced quickly towards Cole, who was currently slouched on the ground against the rocky cavern wall. Cole grunted and tried to sit up further.

"Rayon!" the Source shouted, seemingly random to Cole until a demon appeared in the cage with a sleepy Wyatt in his arms.

Cole's eyes went wide when he saw his nephew and son in the cage together. Cole growled and threw an energy ball at the demon in the cage, killing him. The Source laughed and waved his hand, "I was going to do it anyway, but thank you."

"Belthazor, settle down. I have a proposal for you that will result in your family being freed."

"I'm not turning evil again!" he roared, though it was slightly hoarse.

"No, no… but how about mortal?"

"Mortal? That's all? Make me mortal and you'll free the children?" Cole questioned, everything happening so quick he was confused.

"Yes. Do accept this…proposal?"

"Fine, yes, I do. Let them go first."

"Really? I honestly thought you'd mull it over first but I must've underestimated you…" murmured the Source aloud.

"All Sources do." He smirked, wincing in pain.

The Source laughed and exclaimed, "Why yes they do, but not this one."


Phoebe jumped awake, realizing she had fallen asleep in her sister's arms. Piper snored softly, her brown hair blowing as she breathed in and out. Phoebe wanted to laugh and tease her but her heart felt like it was just gripped and squeezed.

"Cole? Cole tell me you're okay…" she called out softly, now remembering that Cole was still periodically attacked by bounty hunters from time to time.

"Cole!" she shouted, a bit louder than she intended. Piper jolted awake, her hands raised and hair in her mouth.

"What the hell was that?" she asked Phoebe, pulling her hair from her lips.

Cole shimmered in then, his son and Wyatt both in his arms. He set the boys on the ground carefully before falling to his knees weakly, letting out a small grunt of pain before falling onto his side on the hard wood floor.

"Cole! Oh my God!" Phoebe shouted as she leapt off the bed and towards her husband's unmoving figure.


TBC...

Sorry, 'tis a bit short and rushed but hopefully you enjoyed it still...REVIEW PLEASE!