"Cole," Phoebe murmured as she twisted under her covers. "Evil"

"I'm here," he quietly responded. He sat next to her on the edge of her bed and gently pressed a cool washcloth to her face. "I'm here, Phoebe." She moaned softly and he turned back to Paige who paced nearby, "It's been three hours. How much longer before the Elders decide it's okay for them to intervene?"

Paige stopped pacing and looked at Phoebe, "They said she's not in any danger."

"You don't sound any more convinced than Piper did twenty minutes ago," he decided.

"Well, what do you want, Cole?" Paige countered. "It's not like we can force the Elders to heal her."

"Then she belongs in the hospital," Cole stated as he dipped the cloth back in the nearby bowl of cool water.

"And tell them what," Paige commented, "that she'll probably be fine as soon as her premonition ends?"

Cole lightly patted the wet cloth on Phoebe's neck and began, "I don't give a --"

"Okay," Piper interrupted in a hopeful tone as she entered the bedroom. "Maybe this will help." She held a glass that was filled with an amber liquid. She indicated to Leo and explained, "It's only an experiment so it may not work but it's the best we could come up with under the circumstances."

Paige eyed the liquid and held her nose. "Couldn't you at least have given it a better smell? Maybe some cinnamon?"

"Who cares," Cole commented in frustration, "as long as it brings Phoebe around."

"The smell alone should do that," Paige muttered as she stepped back to let Piper pass.

"All right, enough," Piper grumbled as she pushed Cole aside and sat next to her younger sister. She carefully dabbed a few drops of the liquid onto Phoebe's lips. As Phoebe's tongue and lips automatically reacted to the liquid, Piper carefully poured a little of the potion into her mouth.

Phoebe stirred and coughed but didn't open her eyes. "Dark" she whispered.

Piper fed her a little more of the liquid and waited as Phoebe coughed again. This time, Phoebe's eyelids fluttered and Piper encouraged, "Come on, Phoebe, open your eyes. Come back to us."

"Piper?" Phoebe hoarsely whispered as she slowly opened her eyes. "Where?"

"You're home, sweetie," Piper answered with relief as she set the glass down next to the bowl of water.

Phoebe glanced around the room. "Cole?" She struggled to sit up but lacked the energy and fell back against her pillows.

Cole quickly came closer and knelt next to her. "I'm right here."

"We're all here," Paige added as she also moved in closer.

"HotBurned?" Phoebe asked in confusion.

Piper shook her head and answered, "No, sweetie, no burns. You have a fever. That's all."

"Burned" Phoebe insisted weakly.

"No," Paige corrected, "it's just the fever. That's why you're so hot."

"Home? Really home" Phoebe sighed in relief as she closed her eyes.

"Don't," Piper anxiously requested, "Phoebe, don't close your eyes." She patted Phoebe's cheeks but Phoebe didn't stir. "No," she whispered in disappointment as she brushed a few strands of Phoebe's hair, "stay with us."

********** ********** **********

"Home," Phoebe mumbled as she slowly opened her eyes. The others were gathered around her bedside. "Cole?"

"You had me worried," he breathed with relief. "It's been twenty minutes since I brought you back home."

"Home," she realized as she looked around, "I was there." She frowned. "The feeling's stronger now," she added in a worried tone. "Like I'm being pulled back."

"It's okay," Paige told her. "This was all supposed to happen."

"It was only a premonition," Piper added. "You weren't meant to stay here."

"Your advanced power linked you here with your future-self," Leo explained, "Your fever in both times was probably the key. But you can let go now. You've learned what you were supposed to."

"But I don't know enough," Phoebe shook her head, "and I won't remember. You told me yourself, Piper."

"You remembered enough," her sister assured her. "By mentioning the Avatars, we figured out what we had to do."

"But what makes you so sure it'll work?" Phoebe questioned as she carefully sat up. She brought a hand to her head as a light wave of dizziness passed over her. "We don't have the best relationship right now with Cole," she continued after taking a deep breath. "Why would he even consider helping us after everything that we'veI've done?"

Cole shook his head, "I told you before I --"

"You're so powerful," she said to him, "that whatever the Avatars have planned probably wouldn't affect you anyway." She turned to her sisters, "And why would you even listen to him? Especially if he announces that he's becoming the new Source."

"She has a point," Paige told the others. "Cole was the one who came up with the plan and I don't remember any more why we agreed to it."

Cole thought a moment and then suggested, "Phoebe, when you get back, say the word moppet,' and I'll know that my plan is the right one."

"You want her to remember Kermit-the-Frog?" Paige exclaimed. "What kind of secret code is that?"

"It's moppet and I'll know what it means," Cole stated as he glared at her.

"Why not something we all will recognize?" Paige asked in frustration. "Like Avatars are coming'?"

"Because we don't know that she'll remember anything more than a single word," Cole replied. "Look at her," he indicated to Phoebe.

"Then why not Avatars?" Paige argued. "We know she's already mentioned it in her rambling so, if she repeats the word, it'll only reinforce the plans we have to make."

"I'm okay," Phoebe softly interrupted. "I can manage the phrase."

Piper took in Phoebe's extremely pale countenance, in spite of the fevered flush in her cheeks, and suggested, "Cole's right. We're running out of time." She sat on the bed next to Phoebe, "You think you can remember?" Phoebe nodded and she squeezed Phoebe's hand encouragingly, "Trust your instincts, sweetie. You may not remember the details but you'll know what feels right and we'll trust you."

"I hope so," Phoebe whispered. She suddenly squeezed her sister's hand in return and admitted, "I don't feel so good."

Piper brushed her hand across Phoebe's forehead and said, "Leo may have healed your shoulder but you're still running a high fever. Come on, close your eyes. You'll feel better after you've slept for a while."

Phoebe glanced at Cole and realized, "If I go to sleep, I'll go back."

Cole knelt next to her and held her other hand. "It's okay. You're not supposed to be here yet. But you will be."

Phoebe looked at the others and asked, "Could we have a minute?"

"Of course," Piper told her as she kissed her sister on the forehead. "Get some rest."

As soon as the others were gone, tears began to spill down her cheeks. "ColeI never told youI couldn'tI'm so sorryEverything that's happenedI'm so sorry"

Cole quickly sat on the bed and pulled her into his arms. "I love you, Phoebe, and it'll all work out. I promise."

"How can you be sure?" Phoebe cried softly into his chest. "Things're so bad right now. I nearly killed you again. I can't do this anymoreCan't hurt you" Phoebe broke off in fresh sobs.

"I hurt you, too," Cole quietly admitted. "We hurt each other. But we also forgave each other and we were able to move on. Together."

"But the future's always changing," Phoebe acknowledged in a muffled voice. "We don't know that I haven't already changed this future."

"It will happen," he assured her as he continued to hold her close as she calmed down.

After a moment or two, she wondered with a sniffle, "We really got married again?"

"A little more than a year ago. In a white wedding," he promised. He gently nudged her back and smiled at her, "And only after you proposed two different times."

Phoebe gave a small laugh and hugged Cole tight. After a few moments of being in his quiet embrace, she pulled back and pushed aside her covers.

"No," Cole insisted, "you need to stay in bed."

"I don't have much time," Phoebe said in a hushed voice. She glanced at him before she stood up and told him, "I need to see them." She allowed him to steady her and help her over to the bassinet. She leaned back against him as she watched over the two sleeping newborns. "I wish I would be able to remember themlike Piper when she learned Melinda was in her future. Oh, Cole, they're so beautiful," she whispered as she, ever so gently, touched their tiny hands. "Tell me about their names," she requested.

Cole kissed the top of her head and replied, "Our son was born first and I wanted to call him Adam but --"

"I like that," Phoebe interrupted. "Adam Turner. Why didn't we call him that?"

"Because you insisted that we name him after my father," he answered quietly. "I told you it wasn't necessary but you were adamant and, after fifteen hours of labor, I was not about to argue with you."

"Fifteen?" Phoebe paled and twisted around to look at him. He nodded and kissed her lightly on the lips. Phoebe sighed, turned back in his embrace, and looked down at the twins again. "And Sam?"

"She followed her brother nine minutes later and made sure everyone in the room knew she had arrived," Cole responded with a smile as he reached down and lightly traced Sam's ear. Quietly, he added, "We were only allowed to see them for a moment before they were taken to the ICU but, in that moment, I knew what we'd call her."

"Why?" Phoebe asked before she suddenly sagged back against him.

"Phoebe!" Cole quickly lifted her into his arms. He started to carry her back to bed when she stopped him.

"Don't," she requested with her eyes squeezed shut. "Too dizzy"

"It's okay," he quietly told her as he stood still, "let go."

"Sam," she insisted as she opened her eyes. She tugged on his shirt, "Need to knowEven if I don't rememberPlease."

"I named her after your favorite witch," he replied with a smile.

"You named our daughter after a TV character?" Phoebe asked in disbelief as she closed her eyes.

Cole slowly carried her to the bed and carefully set her down. She struggled but he gently pushed her back into the pillows, "It's okay, Phoebe. Let it happen."

"Sam," she reminded him as she opened her eyes and grabbed for his hand.

He kissed her hand before he lightly stroked her cheek with his free hand. "When Sam looked at us, she sort of wrinkled her nose and yawned with boredom. I don't know why, but it made me immediately think of Samantha Stephens. Maybe because I saw so much of her near the end."

"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked in a sleepy voice.

Cole kissed her hand again and answered, "You were confined to bed-rest for the last month or so and nearly wore out the few tapes of the episodes you have. You thought it was a silly idea at first but, the next time you saw our daughter, you agreed that the name fit her perfectly." He looked at Phoebe, noticed her eyes had closed, and asked, "Still with me?"

Phoebe nodded, opened her eyes, and shyly requested, "Hold meplease." Cole sat next to her and pulled her into his arms and she unexpectedly clung to him. "I'm scared" she haltingly admitted, "don't wantto loseall thisall I've ever wanted"

"You won't," he assured her with a kiss. "Trust in our love. It is enough to see us through the hard times." She didn't answer and he repeated, "Trust in us. Believe it can happen and it will. It will take some time but it will happen. I promise."

Phoebe struggled to open her eyes. "So sorryfor everything," she barely whispered with tears in her eyes. "Love you"

"I know, baby," he assured her as he tenderly kissed her lips. "I've always knownDon't be afraid of the darkness. Let it come." Phoebe closed her eyes, sighed, and he told her, "I love you, Phoebe. Remember that. I love you."

"Remember" she repeated as the darkness overwhelmed her. "Love"

********** ********** **********