Chapter 9

Back at the Manor

Paige is banging on the attic door trying to get in when Leo and Piper realize that they still have the block on. Quickly Piper says a spell to remove the block and Paige falls to the floor of the attic as she was pushed the door to open with great force. "What are you guys doing, I couldn't get the door to open and I couldn't orb in either" rubbing her arm, "man that hurts". Leo and Piper tried to hide the amusement on their face having witnessed the fall. "Sorry, Paige, we had to have a little 'privacy'", Piper said while motioning upwards so Paige understood what she meant. "Oh, okay, I get it but next time let someone know so they don't get hurt". Smirching Leo tells her he they will remember for next time.

Just then Cole and Patty fade into the attic. Piper is shocked to see her mother "alive" and even more so that she is with Cole. "What, how" were all Piper could manage to get out before the sound of orbs alerted them to Prue and Phoebe's appearance in the attic. Piper's mouth dropped as she was trying to quickly deal with a "dead" mother and sister appearing in the manor, while Paige was staring at the scene, slowly backing up to the door. "Piper, I have missed you so much", Prue said as she ran to her sister and embraced her. "Okay, you feel real, but I don't understand how you are here, I thought you weren't allowed to come?" "Oh, that well, it's a long story which we will tell you as soon as we make sure it is 'safe', okay". Piper nodded, knowingly walked over to the book and recited the cloaking spell. "Alrighty, now that we are all protected, how about someone tell me how my mother and sister are here and corporal none the less". Patty smiled at her daughter thinking what a strong woman she had become. Phoebe looked over at Cole and met his gaze, locked eyes momentarily before Cole looked away.

Patty started by telling everyone to sit down and get comfortable because it was not a short story. Piper and Leo moved to the couch along with Prue, while Phoebe sat on a near by stool and Cole leaned again an old desk. Patty looked around and noticed Paige very close to the exit not making any movement. She walked over to her baby girl who she had to give up at birth for her own protection and held her hand out to her with a shy smile on her face. "Paige, I am so happy to see you, please come sit with me, its okay, really". As she heard her mother's soft soothing voice she could feel the tears fighting to come forth from her eyes. She took her mother's hand and walked with her over to the lounge where they made themselves comfortable. Knowing the huge amount of emotions flowing in the room, Patty decided to take the lead and started. "Now, as much as I would like to sit and catch of with all my sweet girls, there are more important matters that we need to address." Patty informs everyone of what she and Prue had witnesses, everyone in the room having heard or lived as was Cole's case, a portion of the story but now they all learned the 'outside' view including Patty's plea to Gideon for assistance and how Prue and herself were magically bound so that they could not interfere with the "grand design". Leo was in shock to hear of Gideon's involvement and after Patty had given them her knowledge Leo spoke up. "I have some addition information that did not make sense at the time but (looking a Piper who nodded toward him) now seems to fit into this puzzle. Leo informs them of his conversations with Gideon including the elder's orders that Leo instruct the Charmed Ones to vanquish Cole, providing the spell and potion.

Up until this point Cole had remained quiet, listening and keeping his focus on the floor unable to bring himself to look at anyone for fear he would see anger or pity looking back at him. Phoebe could not take her eyes off of Cole, watch as his body involuntarily flinched at various times during the story. Prue and Patty had witnessed their exchange at the beach and understood the unspoken tension between the couple each hoping that they could help mend the damage and help them find a way back to each other. Cole finally spoke. "So, I guess we should get it over with, right". All eyes fell on Cole, Piper being first to comment. "What are you taking about Cole?" "Vanquishing me of course, isn't that way we are all here, why there is a seal on this room, so I can't escape?" Prue jumped to her feet, walking over to him "you are really pathetic, you know, the block is on the room so that the Elders can not over hear what is going on, no to vanquish you". Cole met her hazel eyes showing not expression on his face. "Cole, we wanted everyone in this family, which by the way includes you, to know what happened and help come up with a plan to stop the Elders from hurt anyone else again". Piper then moved toward Cole and put her arms around him, "I'm so sorry, Cole", tears in her eyes, he hesitated then returned the embraces, "me too, Piper, me too, I wish I could have been stronger to stop him, but". "No, you were strong, and we should have seen the signs but we ignored them because we did not want to see them, we were wrong to vanquish you, we should have tried to find a solution and not jump in before having all the facts."

Patty did not want them to waste time accepting blame and getting side tracked and go the group's attention. "No one is at fault except the Elders, there has been enough blame and guilt", now looking directly at Phoebe who she new was carrying the most because of the baby. "We need to find out why he directs the girls to vanquish Cole and then find out if he is working alone or if there are more Elders involved". Leo spoke up, "Gideon took me into a private meeting room and directed me not to talk to any one else about it, implying that only the Elder Council was involved but it did not feel right because he called me back so quickly, there could not have been enough time for him to meet with them and then come up with this plan, so I believe that he is acting on this alone". "I thing you are right but we still need to confirm it", Prue said. The room looked toward Prue, never being known for her ability to think before acting while alive, "what, it may take a lot for me to learn a lesson, but I have learned that I can't act first and ask questions later". There were chuckles and smiles from the group, all thinking of how strange that statement was coming from Prue.

"Okay, I can go up and see what I can find out without raising too many questions and report back", Leo advised. Piper reached out to Leo, "are you sure you can do that without Gideon becoming suspicion, I don't want anything to happen to you, me and the baby need you". Leo smiled, "I will be careful." At the mention of the word baby, Cole looked at Piper and asked if she was pregnant, she nodded and rubbed her belly while Phoebe looked on at her older sister with longing, wishing she was still carrying her child. The magic block was removed from the room so Leo could orb out and Paige, Piper and Prue left the room to give Cole and Phoebe some time to talk, Patty stayed behind.

Knowing they were both hurting, Patty suggested that they have a ritual to bless the baby's soul and walked over to the Book of Shadows and flipped the pages until she found the one in question. Cole and Phoebe watched and listened as Patty set up the circle and explained the ritual, basically when a soul moves on it takes its last known form however since the baby was still in the womb it would resemble a white "ball or orb". Cole nodded and explained briefly about his father's soul and how he had fought to get it back to set him free. Phoebe and Cole, still not talking to each other, followed Patty's directions and called for their child's soul to bless it and help them each find peace. The three wait but nothing happens so again they recite the spell to "bring a lost soul" but nothing happens. Phoebe asks her mother if she is sure that it can be done since the baby was not born and Patty said, "Yes, a baby has a soul from the moment of conception and your child most definitely had a soul". "Well then why isn't it working, what does that mean? Cole responded quickly, "it means someone has our baby's soul and he will never rest in peace until we find it and set him free like I did with my father". Phoebe looked at Cole and then her mother, "I am afraid to say that Cole is right my dear, it is the only explanation". After hearing this, Phoebe collapsed and Cole rushed to catch her before she hit the floor. Cole held her tightly in his arms, everything else forgotten as she carried her come the attic to and placed her on her bed. Patty let them alone and went to find the others and fill them in on what had happened. She knew that Cole and Phoebe needed each other right now, and only hoped that they would admit that and not continue to deny it.

TBC

Next chapter, Cole and Phoebe will talk and make some decisions about what they are going to do as the search begins to find baby Turner's soul. But will they find the soul or something unexpected??