Duality
By Risa
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Author's Notes: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, especially to Cindy. Your comments have given me quite a few ideas – thanks!
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Chapter Five
"There is absolutely nothing of use here!" Phoebe said, slamming the Book of Shadows shut in frustration.
"Easy on the book Phebes," Piper said, taking the book away from her.
Phoebe sighed as she sat down on the small step. "It's just so frustrating. Just when everything seems to be going well, something just has to happen to screw it up. The story of my life, basically."
"The story of all our lives," Piper said wryly as she sat down beside her. "We'll find a way to help Cole, Phoebe," she said, serious. Cole had left them in the attic to check on Fortuna and Darien and to relieve Leo.
"Can we?" she said bleakly. "It's the Source we're talking about here. And if even such a powerful charm as the one Fortuna gave us can only keep him from taking over for a month, how much can we do?"
"I don't know," Piper confessed, "but we have to try."
"I'm not saying that we shouldn't," Phoebe said, "but knowing that doesn't make it any easier."
"Honey, no one said it would," Piper said gently. "Have you talked with Cole yet?"
"Sort of. He's blaming himself for everything. I'm trying to stay as positive as I can for him."
"Well, if you need anyone to talk to, I'm here," Piper said.
"And so am I," Paige said, entering the attic. She sat on the floor in front of Phoebe. "I know that I wasn't that accepting of Cole in the beginning 'cause of that demon thing, but I don't want to lose him either. I mean sure, he can be irritating and everything, but he's saved our lives and he loves you."
"And he's like family now," Piper finished.
"Thanks," Phoebe said, smiling gratefully.
"Now, shall we look at the spell you created to get rid of Cole's demonic half?"
"Piper, we've looked at it twice already and we found nothing," Phoebe said.
"Well, Paige's here now, maybe we can get a new perspective."
Pain. Anger. Desperation. Frustration. Sadness.
That was all Fortuna felt as she relieved every moment of torture she had faced when she had been captured by Darien's family. Dimly, she knew something was wrong, but she had no idea what. She felt captured, suffocated, trapped.
Fortuna?
Fortuna blinked, for a moment losing focus of what the scene in front of her. Someone was calling her…
Darien?
It couldn't be.
Fortuna, the voice said, sounding stronger and more forceful.
Darien, she called out in her mind. However impossible it seemed, it had to be him.
Then, blindingly bright in her mind, she saw a rope in front of her. The scene around her vanished, but she was surrounded by tall and large thorns that seemed to be closing in on her, threatening to consume her.
Hold on, Darien said urgently.
Fortuna held on to the rope and felt herself being pulled out of the hell that she was in. All she saw was a swirl of colour and images that went by too fast for her to make any sense out of them.
Cole walked into the room quietly. Leo was sitting on the chair near the door. He saw Darien, sitting by the bed, eyes shut, with Fortuna's hand held tightly in his. "How is she?" he asked Leo softly.
Leo turned towards Cole and shook his head. "No improvement, Darien has been sitting there like that for the past hour."
"The girls sent me down here to relieve you."
"Thanks," he said, "I'll stick around here for a little first." He paused before continuing, "So how are you holding up?"
"As well as I can, under the circumstances."
"I'm not going to tell the Elders anything for now," Leo said. "Zimei had a point. They will rather see you dead. And I know all too clearly what it's like to lose someone you love."
"Thanks," Cole said. "I just hope that when the time comes, she'll be able to vanquish me."
"She will," Leo said, "however much it hurts, she will."
Cole stared at the bed in silence. He knew that he was a time-bomb just waiting to go off. Granted, Zimei had said that the charm should last for at least a month, but he couldn't be sure. He was frustrated and angry. He was happy for the first time in more than a hundred years and evil had to screw everything up.
Again.
Then, he saw a frown appear on Darien's face and saw him grip Fortuna's hand tighter. Suddenly his eyes sprang open.
"Are you ok?" Cole asked Darien.
Darien did not seem to hear him. He sat on the side of the bed and bent over Fortuna, caressing her forehead, waiting for a reaction.
Slowly, Fortuna's eyes fluttered open. A look of immense relief appeared on Darien's face.
"I'm getting damned tired of this happening," she muttered as she tried to sit up. Darien rushed to help and propped a pillow behind her back. She was sick of being made unconscious and having to relive the same memory over and over again. Once was enough, three times was just too much.
"So am I," Darien said. Then he hit Fortuna lightly, "Don't you dare scare me like that again."
"Ouch!" Fortuna shouted. "You say it like it's my fault," she said sourly. "You didn't have to hit me, my head hurts enough as it is."
"Glad to see you back in the world of the living," Leo said as he walked over to stand by the bed, with Cole following behind him.
"So am I," Fortuna said, smiling.
"What did you do to get her back?" Cole asked curiously.
"Telepathy," Darien said, yawning slightly, tired by the mental exertion, "and the soulmate bond. I had to wander around her rather vacant mind for a while before finding anything though."
Fortuna glared at him. "Not any more vacant than yours is."
Leo grinned. "Ok, I'm going to go upstairs to the attic and check on the girls. You get some rest, Fortuna."
"I will if someone would stop baiting me," she said, still glaring at Darien.
He grinned at her. "I'm just happy you're back. I needed to make sure that it's the real you." His face turned serious and soft. "Get some sleep, I'll see you later."
Fortuna nodded as she lay back down on the bed. As her eyes shut, Darien kissed her on the forehead. "Let's go," he said to the Cole, as the two of them left the room and walked towards the kitchen.
"I should get something to eat but I left the blood bags in the hotel…" Darien thought out loud. Then he realised that Cole was with him and grinned sheepishly, "Sorry about that. People tend to get a little uncomfortable by my dietary habits."
"Don't worry, I'm not your normal human," Cole said, "I've met demons with weirder dietary habits."
"I guess you would've," Darien said. "It must have been difficult adjusting to being human."
Cole nodded. "I'm used to being able to protect myself. Quite well actually. The feeling of vulnerability wasn't that great. Plus, Belthazor had been a part of me all my life and even though I didn't miss him, I still felt a little lost. It was rather strange actually. I didn't feel particularly different – just that I didn't have the voice of Belthazor tempting me towards evil in my head anymore. I didn't feel like I had become good," he laughed, "it sounds rather cheesy actually."
"Hey, you just became human. Nobody made you the servant and follower of goodness and light." He grinned. "Zimei's actually a little worried about Fortuna – thinks she's becoming too good. She's worried that it might compromise her neutrality."
"No danger of that happening in their family," Cole said. "They might tend towards good or evil, but they never let anything affect their neutrality. Even if it means that they remain isolated from both sides."
"The Ji family are ostracised by both good and evil – it's a rather lonely and difficult job actually. Yet, ultimately, they continue doing what they do. The sense of duty and responsibility is extremely strong."
Cole nodded. "So how did you meet Fortuna?"
"By chance actually," he said, smiling at the memory. "I was in China running some errands for my father. Fortuna was there visiting her cousins and she was staying in the house next to mine." His expression turned thoughtful. "Despite the fact that we're soulmates, our relationship had its own problems. She used to be uncomfortable when I fed in front of her. We also used to have a few arguments about my feeding habits. I think its ok for me to feed off a human so long as consent is given. She doesn't think so. Fortuna thinks that if I feed on a human, it's the beginning of a slippery slope and I'll start feeding and end up killing humans. Rather extreme in my opinion." He laughed, "and it doesn't help that my opinion of humans can still be rather condescending at times. I've been brought up to think that humans are vermin, which still rears its ugly head every now and then."
"I know a little about what you mean," Cole said. "Once, not long after I became human, I went out to buy a gun. When I told Phoebe about it, she and her sisters demanded that I return it and tried to explain to me why it was wrong. Even now, I still don't quite understand it. To me, it was just for self-protection, not that different from me having my demonic powers."
Darien laughed. "I guess there are still parts of our bad guy past that we can't shake off. Maybe with time…"
"That's if we have time," Cole said, sighing.
"We'll do all we can to make sure of that," Darien said, determined. Then he glanced up at the clock. "I think I should go back to the hotel to pick up some stuff for Fortuna, I'd rather she stays put tonight, if it's ok with you guys?"
"There shouldn't be a problem," Cole said. "Do you want me to go with you?"
"Sure, I wouldn't mind the conversation."