As Phoebe handed Ben over to him with a tired sigh, Cole stood up and started to pace back and forth while gently rocking his son, just like she had been doing for the last fifteen minutes. They had tried other ways to lull him, but so far all had failed: every time they tried to stop walking, the toddler would start to cry angrily again.

"Is he okay?" Paige asked, watching with some concern as Ben whined and hid his face on Cole's shoulder.

"Well, he's unharmed," Phoebe said, running her hands through her hair, dejected. "But he's also cold and tired. He didn't sleep properly in the car, and I intended to feed him and tuck him in early when we arrived at the hotel. Now, he can't sleep because he's too excited, and he obviously senses that something is deadly wrong."

She sighed heavily, and Paige nodded in understanding, patting her arm comfortingly. They were all tired and frustrated by then. It was past 7 p.m., and they were still stuck in that forsaken house: the snow still hadn't stopped, Leo and Paige couldn't orb and the cell phones didn't work. Also, they still didn't know what -- or who -- had taken away their powers, or what else was in store for them. The dead didn't answer, and the living couldn't be reached.

"The poor thing just wants his PJs and his cozy, warm crib," Phoebe added.

"Can you blame him?" Piper said, gently fondling Leo's hair, and giving a bitter look around, to that place where someone seemed to hate them, yet refused to let them leave.

Leo was leaning back on the two-seat couch, with his eyes closed, breathing slowly and trying to save energy; still, it was clear to everyone that he was getting weaker each minute. Every now and them, one of the others would cast a worried glance towards his unnaturally pale face, but no one dared to say what they were all thinking: Leo seemed to be slowly fading away, looking more and more like a ghost as time passed.

"How can our powers be gone?" Paige said, throwing her hands up in frustration. "Is there some kind of Hollow here, too?"

"Don't say that. Not even as a joke," Cole promptly said, shuddering as he thought of his very own experience with the Hollow.

He turned his head slightly to look at his son: Ben's head was resting on his father's shoulder, his eyes were closed and the steady pace of his breathing indicated that sleep had finally taken the best of him. Not daring to stop his pacing just yet, though, Cole just nodded at the inquisitive look Phoebe gave him, and this one silently mouthed the words "Thank God".

They all remained in a disheartened silence for a moment, until Paige sighed heavily and said:

"We can't just stay here like sitting ducks! Can't we cast a spell to try and bring our powers back? After all, they're our powers!"

"I'm up for anything," Piper said, shivering and moving closer to Leo. The unimpressive fire he had managed to light didn't do much to warm the large room.

"Phoebe, do you think you can come up with a spell?" Paige asked, turning to her other sister.

"I don't know, but I'm willing to try," Phoebe said. "Does anyone have a piece of paper and a pen?"

"In my purse," Piper said, pointing at it. "It's right there next to yours."

"I'll get them," Paige said. After handing the objects to her sister, she moved back to the chair, while Cole sat next to Phoebe and gently laid Ben between them on the sofa.

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

"Walked in the light, to the darkness was taken
Meant to stand proud, now forsaken
What Good once had, Evil can't own
Bring back the magic to where it belongs."

As Piper, Phoebe and Paige finished chanting, they exchanged uncertain looks.

"So... what do you think?" Piper said, looking at her sisters with a doubtful expression.

"I hate to say this, but I don't feel any different," Paige said.

"Well, we didn't feel anything when we first received our powers, either..." said Phoebe, without much conviction.

"Try using your powers," Leo said, with his eyes still closed.

"Pillow," Paige called, pointing at it. When it became clear that nothing was going to happen, there were some heavy sighs and frustrated moans. Suddenly, Piper waved her hands angrily towards the pillow, not exactly feeling surprised when it didn't explode.

Cole ran his hand across his face, fighting the urge to scream in frustration. He had taken off his jacket and covered Ben with it, and the cold seemed to be going straight to his bones. For the first time in several months, the old rage and frustration over his lack of powers flooded him again: his family was hungry and cold, being kept hostage by some evil power, and there was nothing he could do for them.

"Baby," he said, struggling to hold back the anger that wouldn't do them any good, "I know it'll probably be useless, but why don't you try a fireball? God knows we could use a..."

As Cole pointed at the fireplace, the agonizing flames suddenly turned into a quite impressive fire.

For a moment, they all just stood there, looking at the fire in dead silence, too stunned to react.

"Cole, what have you done?" Piper finally asked, warily.

"Nothing," Cole said, quickly lowering his hand. "I did nothing."

Everyone was looking at him now, and he added nervously:

"I don't know how that happened; I didn't mean it to happen."

"That's okay, baby," said Phoebe, placing her hand on his arm, reassuringly. "We know you..."

She was taken aback when Cole pulled away from her and abruptly stood up.

"It's not okay, Phoebe," he said, taking a step away from the group gathered around the now luxurious fire. "It's not okay at all, it's... it's just like last time."

She stood up and made a move towards him, but he held up his hand and said, taking another step back:

"Don't."

"Cole..."

"The void isn't in this house," Cole said, tensely. "The void is inside me. It's been here ever since Belthazor was gone."

Piper opened her mouth to say something, but he didn't give her time to speak.

"That's why the Source was able to possess me, because there's a void in me that can only be filled by evil." His shoulders fell as he finished, dejectedly: "It's happening again."

"Baby," Phoebe reasoned, "this is a different situation. It was black magic then; today it was white magic, and if white magic gave you this power, it means it's a good power. Isn't it?" she asked, turning to Leo.

"Yes," Leo said, but in his weakened, dizzy state he lacked the necessary assertiveness.

"Whatever," Cole said, stubbornly. "Can you undo this?"

"First, I don't think we could," Phoebe said, "and second, I'm not sure we should. This power was given to you for a reason."

The look of genuine fear in his eyes made Phoebe's heart wrench. "My poor love," she thought, "I can only imagine what a nightmare it must have been to you, feeling the Source slowly take control of your body, during all those months." She fought the urge to run to him, as she was afraid that it'd only make him back away further. He looked almost frantic and it scared her not because she believed he'd hurt her, but for what he might do to himself. She looked at Piper for support but, surprisingly enough, the answer to her silent request came from Paige:

"Damn it, Cole!" she snapped angrily, standing up. "We don't have time for this! What do you intend to do? Walk through that door and get lost in the storm?"

Her sudden outburst dumbfounded Cole, and he just looked at her in silence as she proceeded:

"We've asked the Powers That Be for help, and if that's their answer, you'd better get over it! By pulling away from us now you wouldn't be doing us -- or you -- any good: that's exactly how you got yourself into trouble last time. We're not gonna let evil drag you away again, but you need to stay with us if we are to help you. Now, sit your butt back on that sofa," -- she pointed at the three-seat sofa -- "and let's find out what power is this that you've received and how it's supposed to help us."

As Cole sat down by Phoebe's side again with some reluctance, Leo said, wiping away the cold sweat from his face and sitting up with some effort:

"Cole, since you had no powers to be stolen, you were the only one who wasn't affected by the house. Maybe that's why they had to use you to send us new powers."

The others waited as he painfully caught his breath, since even this short speech seemed to have worn him out.

"Now," he proceeded, "what exactly did you do to the fire?"

"I don't know," Cole said, "I just pointed at it and..."

"Please, leave it as it is," Piper promptly said, extending her hands towards the fire and relishing the heat, "if you must experiment with fire, light a match, will you?"

"Okay, I'll..."

Cole reached out for the matchbox resting on the coffee table, and his hand accidentally bruised the soaked towel, on which the partially thawed ice had pooled, thus causing the ice cold water to spill down to the floor. "Damn!" he said, and the water froze. Literally.

"What the..." he hesitantly reached out his hand and flicked the ice.

"You know, Cole," Piper said, examining the ice with a critical expression, "when I freeze stuff, I don't actually..."

"I know what you do, Piper," Cole said, with a hint of impatience. But now his curiosity had been pricked, in spite of himself. "What kind of freaky power is this?"

"Try unfreezing it," Phoebe suggested.

Cole waved his hand towards the ice without much conviction, and nothing happened. He waved it again. And again. Finally, he gave the ice an annoyed look.

"So I can freeze, but not unfreeze? That's kinda tricky, isn't it?"

"Don't think unfreeze," Leo said in a tired voice, "think thaw." Cole arched his eyebrows, giving him a doubtful look, and he insisted: "Come on, thaw."

Cole didn't look convinced, but he motioned towards the ice again, saying:

"You heard the man: thaw."

To his amazement the water immediately splashed on the floor.

"So, what is this?" Paige said, intrigued. "A magical power that obliges to the laws of nature?"

Cole gave her an odd look, then pointed at the pooled water and commanded:

"Boil."

The five of them watched in astonishment as the water started to boil and finally evaporated.

"I think," Leo said, struggling to sit straight as he watched Cole with great interest, "that you should try air and earth, now."

"You mean, like in the four elements?" Cole said, raising his eyebrows. "Fire, air, water and earth?"

"Leo, do you have any idea of what's going on or are you just taking chances?" Phoebe said.

"I'm pretty sure I've heard something about a power like this," Leo said. "God, if only my brain wasn't so numb right now! I...." -- he rubbed his face -- "It was during my first years as a Whitelighter, and even then it was already an old story. Some said it was just a legend, some said it had really happened. Or was meant to happen in the future. I can't remember."

"Like a prophecy?" Paige asked.

"Maybe," Leo grimacing as he laid back again.

"Honey, you shouldn't tire yourself like this," Piper said, tears of worry pricking her eyes.

"I don't think I actually have a choice, Piper," -- Leo gave her an apologizing look and raised a very cold hand to caress her cheek -- "If I can't figure this out so that we can't get out of here really soon, I doubt I'll last much longer."

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

"Of all people! What were the odds?"

"I told you. Someone down there loves us."

"Are you kidding? We're doomed!"

"Don't be stupid: none of them has any idea of who he is!"

"You think so?"

"Sure! This is just perfect: not only we're gonna get free, but we're also gonna get even."

"I like getting even. Getting even is good."

"Of course it is. Enough talking, now: let's freak some witches out."

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

"What was that?" Paige said.

"What?" Phoebe said, instinctively reaching out for Ben, who was still sound asleep on the sofa.

Then they heard it again: a heavy thud coming from down the corridor. Followed by a third one. And another one. Cole stood up, looking warily towards the source of the sound, and Phoebe said, nervously:

"You're not going back there by yourself."

"Well, you are not going back there at all." he said, firmly.

She opened her mouth to protest, but Paige said, standing up, too:

"I'll go with him."

Before Phoebe could object, she added, pointing at her, Piper and Leo:

"Taking care of a toddler, pregnant, worn out. I'll go: end of story."

Phoebe bit her lips, all the more frustrated because she knew her sister was right.

"Just be careful, the two of you," she said.

"We will." Cole said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. Then, turning to Paige: "You stay behind me." Without waiting for an answer he headed towards the corridor, with Paige on his heels.

In the corridor, they could see the door to the library waving back and forth, a piece of paper occasionally coming flying through it and landing on the floor. Cole cautiously approached it, followed close by Paige. He reached out for the door, held it still and they both peered inside. The floor was covered with the snow that was still coming through the window that he and Phoebe hadn't bothered to close when they had left the room. But the books, sheets of paper and notebooks flying around the room had nothing to do with wind: some of them were swirling wildly in the middle of the room, while others were being spilled from the shelves, falling heavily on the floor.

For a few minutes, they just stood there, uncertain, then Cole raised his arm and pointed towards the open window. At first, the wind blowing from outside and the wind that started to blow on the inside created a twister that only made things worse. After some time, though, Cole got a hold on it, and the wind blowing inside the room threw all the flying objects through the open window.

"Stay here and keep this door open," he said to Paige before entering the room and walking quickly towards the window. After closing and locking it, he turned back to Paige, who was nervously standing at the doorway, grabbing the doorknob so forcefully that her knuckles were white.

"So," he said, "what do you..."

Without warning, a drawer was spilled from the desk and laid on the floor between then. They watched, tensely, but nothing else happened. After a few moments, Cole carefully approached the drawer, rested one knee on the floor next to it and took a look at its contents.

"I think," he said, while browsing through the papers, most of them covered with a narrow handwriting, "that you, Piper and Phoebe should take a look at this."