CHAPTER 2: Control Factors
"Hello, Cole," said a voice. It brought chills to his spine. Cole tried to move away from the voice, but his arms and legs were bound.
"It can't be..." said Cole as the figure came into view. "You're dead."
Xorl, leader of the Devourers, leaned over Cole and smiled maliciously as he shifted into his demonic form. "Am I?" he asked. Xorl produced a serrated athame.
"No, don't, please," said Cole struggling against his restraints.
"No, Cole, you're going to suffer," said Xorl. He raised the athame and drove it into his gut.
****
Cole cried out in pain and sat up straight in bed. For a moment, he didn't remember where he was. When he felt soft arms wrapping around him, he realized he was in the penthouse, and Katrina was lying next to him in bed.
"Shhh, Cole," she soothed, gently pulling him back down to the bed. "It's ok. It was just a nightmare."
Cole nodded and pulled Katrina against him. He placed his hand against her belly, and a small smile came to his face. His unborn son was a constant reminder of what he'd given up to save them, and that the Devourers were truly gone. Cole allowed sleep to overtake him again, resting comfortably in the arms of his family.
****
Mateem sat in his chamber in the Underworld, contemplating his next move. From the observations he'd made about his opponents in battle, and from other demons he'd literally sucked information out of, he now had the ingredients to defeat the Charmed Ones. Mateem rose, closed his eyes and concentrated. Moments later, Barbus, the demon of fear, materialized in the chamber.
"What...what's going on? Where am I?" he yelled, confused. The last thing he remembered was being incinerated by an energy ball.
"I brought you back, old friend," said Mateem.
Barbus's eyes fell on the necromancer, and a smile came to his face. "Well, I'll be damned. I knew they'd never kill you, Mateem. You were the most cunning necromancer I ever met." Mateem acknowledged the compliment with a slight bow of his head. After a moment, Barbus continued, "So, why did you bring me back?"
"I need your power, old friend," said Mateem. "I need to put the fear of...me into the heart of a certain Guardian. I believe you know him. His name is Cole."
"You mean Belthazor?" Barbus exclaimed. "I never would have imagined him becoming THAT powerful, let alone on the side of Good."
"He's a thorn in my side," said Mateem. "I need to pluck him and throw him away."
"Well, I'd have to get pretty close to him first, to figure out what he's afraid of now," said Barbus.
"I already have a good idea of what scares him," said Mateem. "Oh, by the way, I only said I needed your power." Barbus had no time to react before Mateem grabbed his throat in the Grip of Death. "I don't need YOU." As Barbus's body began to disintegrate, Mateem felt the new powers rising in him. Now he had what he needed to take Cole out of the game.
****
Cole sat at his desk in the penthouse, concentrating on his latest case. Thanks to some very slight manipulation, Cole had retained his job at Jackman, Carter and Kline. Of course, they loaded him up with cases again as soon as he returned.
He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't see Mateem materialize on the balcony. Mateem made a small gesture at Cole and shimmered out.
Cole looked up from his papers as he felt something strange overtake him. Suddenly, the penthouse dissolved around him, and was replaced by the Devourers' torture chamber. Xorl stood before him, and evil grin on his face.
"No..." Cole said in disbelief. He tried to run, but he found himself bound to the wall.
"Did you actually think you'd escaped, Cole?" Xorl asked. "We were just waiting patiently. Now that you've given us the information we need, all that remains is to kill your wife and unborn child."
"NO!" Cole yelled defiantly. He gathered his strength and formed an energy ball. As he did, Xorl suddenly melted away, and Michael was standing in his place.
"Cole, don't!" he exclaimed, holding his hands up in surrender.
Cole growled in anger. "Not going to work this time, Devourer fucker," he snarled. "You can't trick me anymore."
"No, Cole, it's me! I came over here because I sensed Mateem in this realm, at your penthouse. He must have gone back to the Underworld right after. Did you see him?" Michael asked franticly.
Cole just laughed in dark glee. "You know, I'm so tired of your games. You will NEVER gain entry into the Earth realm, so give it up. It doesn't matter how many illusions you try."
Michael stamped his foot impatiently. "Damn it, Cole, you need to face your fear! The Devourers are dead, and we were the ones that killed them. They're not coming after you anymore." Michael stepped closer.
"GET AWAY!" Cole screamed. He broke through his imagined restraints and launched himself at Michael.
"Cole, STOP!" Michael yelled as he wrestled with his cousin on the penthouse floor. Cole fired an energy ball and sent Michael flying across the room. "Cole, don't do this, please," he begged as Cole stood over him menacingly.
"Too late, bastard," Cole growled. As he raised his hand to make another energy ball, Michael leapt to his feet, kicked Cole back and jabbed his fingers into Cole's neck. He hit the pressure point dead-on, and Cole dropped to the ground like a sack of wet laundry.
"Sorry, cousin," Michael apologized as he picked up Cole's unconscious form. He flamed them back to the Manor.
****
Mateem grinned maliciously. "One down, four to go," he snickered.
****
Michael flamed into the Manor's living room with Cole in his arms. Katrina, who had been visiting with Phoebe, let out a scream as Michael laid her husband on the couch. "What happened?" she asked franticly.
"I think Mateem did something to him to make him think the Devourers still had him in their castle," he explained. "He didn't think I was really me, so I had to knock him out, much against my will."
"How could Mateem have done this to him?" Katrina asked.
Michael shook his head. "I don't know. Mateem shouldn't have been able to do that."
"But I know who could," said Phoebe quietly. "Mateem must have brought back Barbus."
"The demon of fear," Michael breathed. "Mateem must have killed him again and taken his power. That's the only way he could have gained the ability to manipulate Cole like that."
"How long will he stay out?" Katrina asked.
"I'm not sure," said Michael, "and unfortunately he may have to stay this way for a while. I don't think he'll be back to normal until we vanquish Mateem."
"I sure hope Piper and Paige can find something in the Book of Shadows," said Phoebe. "Mateem might become too powerful even for you if he brings back any more demons."
Michael nodded absently, lost in thought. Suddenly, Michael smacked himself. "Of course...why didn't I think of it before?" His expression had brightened dramatically.
"What is it?" Phoebe asked.
"The Elixir of Life," Michael said quickly. "It was one of the components used to make the Stone of Creation. It was part of the Lady of the Lake's waters. It's supposed to have the same properties as my powers, which means that it can raise the dead back to life."
"What good would that do us?" asked Piper. She and Paige had been coming down the stairs.
"Well, on the undead, bringing them back to life means that it would restore their lifeforce, and in the process..."
"...make them MORTAL," Paige finished.
"Exactly," said Michael. "If it weren't for the fact that I can't get close enough to Mateem to avoid him touching me, I would have done it myself."
"So, I'm guessing the Elixir is in England," said Phoebe.
"Yes, so if we have any potion vials to spare, I can procure it and bring it back in a few minutes," said Michael.
"Way ahead of you," said Paige. "Empty potion vials!" she called. Five empty vials appeared in her arms. She handed them to Michael.
Michael put the vials in a small bag. "I won't be gone long," he said, addressing everyone, but looking at Phoebe.
She took his hand briefly. "Just hurry back, ok?" she said, more than a hint of anxiety in her voice.
Michael winked at her. "I don't make promises I can't keep, remember?" He flamed out.
****
"Thank you for your information," said Mateem as the demon informant was incinerated. He now knew how to deal with the Charmed Ones and the Life-bearer.
A smile of triumph passed over Mateem's face before he proceeded. For all his knowledge, Michael had no idea how important his Life-bearer powers actually were, and that he had a rather interesting Achilles heal. Absolute victory was now within his grasp.
Mateem concentrated, and then three forms materialized in front of him.
"What the hell?" exclaimed Prue.
"How did we get down here?" wondered Patti.
"So good to be back," said Damien, stretching his arms. "I must thank you, necromancer. Because of you, I can become the Source again."
"Perhaps," said Mateem. "However, I need all of you to do a service for me."
"Uh, sorry pal, but we witches don't work for demons," Prue said defiantly.
"I'm afraid you don't have any choice," said the necromancer. He gestured at Prue and Patti. They both doubled over and gasped for air. After a moment, they opened their eyes again, and there was darkness behind them.
"We serve only you, Master," they said as one.
"Good," said Mateem. "I want the two of you to fight the Charmed Ones. Damien, you are to face your brother. Lure him down here, and then I will deal with him myself." Prue and Patti bowed and joined hands with Damien as he flamed out.
****
Michael flamed back into the room. "I told you I wouldn't be gone long," he said, smiling. He opened the bag and pulled out a vial. The liquid inside glowed a faint silver.
"So, now what?" asked Phoebe.
"Now, you die," said an all-too-familiar voice. Michael felt an icy chill run through him as he saw Damien materialize with Prue and Patti.
"Oh, great," said Piper. "That bastard has our mother AND our sister under his control."
"Prue, Mom, please," begged Phoebe. "You have to fight this."
"We serve only the Master now," Prue said tonelessly. She raised her arm and telekinetically threw Phoebe against the wall. Patti tried to blow up Paige, but she managed to orb out in time.
Meanwhile, Damien and Michael were slinging fireballs at each other, neither of them having dealt an injury yet. "You want me, brother?" snarled Damien. "Come and get me." Damien flamed out, and without thinking, Michael flamed after him.
****
Damien and Michael reappeared in the Underworld. "I'm not half-demon anymore, Damien," Michael said calmly. "I feel nothing for you now, no hatred. I have no regret about vanquishing you."
"Too bad you'll never get the chance," said a voice. Michael barely felt the chill which indicated the necromancer's presence before a hand grabbed his throat from behind. Michael felt his strength draining almost instantly. He gritted his teeth against the intense pain that was now sweeping through him.
Damien walked over to them, an evil smile on his face. "Now you know what it feels like, to have your strength slipping away from you, and you know there's nothing you can do to stop it. I want you to know, Michael, that I..." Suddenly, Damien exploded in a bright flash of flame.
"I think that's quite enough out of him," said Mateem, lowering his arm. "You know, Michael, there is some irony here. You're about to die, and yet I know more about your powers than you do. You see, as the Life- bearer, you are interconnected to all living things, and all living things are also interdependent on YOU. If you die, then ALL LIFE dies with you, and I become a god. How does it feel to know that you will be responsible for ushering in a new era for Evil?"
Michael raised his eyes as his legs started to give out. "It's...not over yet," he gasped. Michael focused his energy and tried desperately to preserve his lifeforce.
****
"All right, I've had enough!" said Piper, raising her arms. She gestured, and Prue and Patti froze in place.
"Wait...where's Michael?" said Phoebe, looking franticly around the room.
"I think he and Damien took their battle someplace else," said Paige.
"The Underworld," said Phoebe. Without another word, she and Paige joined hands and orbed down while Piper called for Leo.
****
Phoebe and Paige orbed in to see Mateem kneeling over a very pale Michael.
"It's over, Michael," said Mateem confidently. "You're dead."
"NO!" Phoebe screamed. She reached into her purse and threw the Elixir of Life at Mateem. It shattered at his feet, and smoke rose immediately.
Mateem coughed and gagged. "What exactly was that potion supposed to do?" he asked.
"Uh, oh," said Paige.
"No matter," he said. "I'll just...WHAT THE HELL?" he exclaimed. Mateem had tried to form a fireball, and nothing happened.
"You're alive now, bastard," Phoebe said. "And that also means you're vulnerable. This is for my husband, you SON OF A BITCH!" Phoebe formed a fireball and threw it at Mateem as hard as she could. He exploded several seconds later.
Phoebe ran to Michael's side. "Baby, can you hear me?" she asked. She shook him, but nothing happened. "Oh, God, please wake up, Michael. Please," she begged, breaking into tears.
Paige put her fingers against his neck. "He's alive," she breathed. "Just barely, but he's alive. Come on, honey. Let's get out of here." She wrapped her hand around Phoebe's wrist and they orbed out.
****
Cole groaned and opened his eyes. "Whoa...tell the guy with the jackhammer to lay off, would you?" he said, pressing his hands to his head.
"Oh, honey you're awake!" said Katrina, rushing over and wrapping her arms around him.
"What happened?" Cole asked weakly.
"Mateem brought Barbus back from the dead and used his powers to bring your nightmares to life. Michael had to knock you out to stop you," Katrina explained.
"I guess that explains why my skull is pounding," said Cole. He then noticed that Patti and Prue were in the room, along with Leo, Piper and Paige. They all had somber expressions on their faces. "What's wrong? Where's Michael?"
Katrina shook her head sadly. "He's in a coma," she said softly. "Mateem almost killed him, but he somehow managed to preserve enough of his lifeforce before he lost consciousness to stay alive."
Cole nodded weakly. "He has to pull through, Katrina. He has to."
****
Phoebe sat on the edge of the bed. Michael lay next to her, breathing so shallowly that it was almost impossible to tell he was breathing at all. Phoebe sniffled as tears unabatedly rolled down her cheeks.
She took his cold hand in hers. "Michael...I don't know if you can hear me, but I...I love you so much, baby, so much that it's tearing me apart right now seeing you like this. I know what I'm feeling now is nothing compared to what the other me must have felt when you were in the coma for two years, but it hurts so much." She broke down on a sob, and anger welled up inside her. "You cannot die on me, not like this, you hear me!" she yelled. "Not like this..." she said more softly, lying down next to him.
'It'll be ok, Mom,' a little girl's voice said in her head.
'Who said that?' Phoebe asked.
The voice giggled. 'Who do you think?'
'You mean...' Phoebe looked down at her belly.
'That's right, Mom,' said the voice. 'Listen to me. I think I know how we can bring Dad back.'
'How can we?' Phoebe asked.
'Dad lost his anchors to his consciousness,' the voice explained. 'He didn't have enough strength in his lifeforce to keep himself bound to his reality. If we can focus on him, we might be able to lead him back.'
'What do I do?' she asked.
'Close your eyes, and concentrate,' the voice instructed. Phoebe did so, and she was instantly aware of her daughter as though she was standing right next to her. 'Ok, now, slowly allow your mind to drift away, but not too much. You don't want to lose your anchors too.' Phoebe reached out for Michael, and she felt him on the bare edges of her mind.
'Baby, can you hear me?' she asked. 'If you can hear me, follow me back. Please, follow me back.' Phoebe allowed her mind to settle back into its proper rhythm, and she opened her eyes.
'You did well, Mom,' said the voice. 'Now, we wait.'
Phoebe absently ran her hand through Michael's thick hair. Suddenly, Michael opened his eyes and started coughing.
"Michael, oh, baby," Phoebe sobbed happily, wrapping her arms around him.
The coughing fit subsided, and Michael breathed in the sweet fragrance that was Phoebe. "Hey, beautiful," he said weakly. "You didn't think I'd die that easily, did you?"
"The thought had crossed my mind," Phoebe said, smirking.
Michael smiled as he lay back down on the bed. "Thank you, Phoebe, for bringing me back. And thank you, little one," he added, rubbing his hand against Phoebe's belly.
"Hey, Michael...what would you think of naming her Prudence Melinda?" Phoebe said suddenly.
"Isn't that what Piper and Leo were going to name Wyatt if he'd been a girl like they'd thought?" he asked. Phoebe nodded. "Well, I don't know why, but somehow I get the feeling that we're not going to end up with any competition for names. In fact," he said, looking at Phoebe's belly, "I think she's already chosen it for us. Haven't you, Prue?"
Phoebe giggled. "You think she planted the suggestion?"
"Knowing the Halliwell women as well as I do, I wouldn't put it past her," he said, grinning.
"Hey, just because you nearly died does not mean I can't have my wicked way with you," she said, rolling on top of him.
"When have I ever objected to that?" he retorted, pulling her head down for a kiss.
Phoebe moaned breathlessly when they finally pulled apart. "You realize what I'm going to have to do to you now, don't you?"
Michael nodded. "I'm not going to be able to move tomorrow, am I?"
"That depends if we do this the easy way or the hard way," Phoebe said, pulling her shirt over her head.
"Is there a difference?"
"I'll show you, baby," Phoebe said seductively as she leaned down for another kiss.
'Oh, boy,' thought Michael.
****
Michael and Phoebe finally came downstairs around dinnertime. "Nice of you two to make an appearance," said Piper. "Not that I'm not extremely grateful that my brother-in-law has recovered," she added, giving Michael a quick hug.
"Thanks, Piper," said Michael. "I'm assuming that everyone is back to normal now?" he asked. He then looked around in puzzlement, and added, "Where's Cole? I wanted to talk to him."
The group looked at each other, and then Katrina said, "We don't know. After he heard you were recovered, he just left. We tried to find him, but we didn't really know where to look."
Michael sighed, and said, "Don't worry, I'll find him. I think I know where to look." He then flamed out.
****
"How'd you find me?" Cole asked softly without turning around.
"Easy, I remembered you telling me how much you loved the view here," Michael explained. He then walked over to look over the edge of the Empire State Building, and added, "It is quite a view."
Neither spoke for several moments, until Cole finally broke the silence by saying softly, "I'm glad you're okay."
"Yeah, I could tell, since you ran off and all," Michael remarked.
"It wasn't like that, I...I'm just glad you're alright," Cole stated.
Michael stared at Cole for several seconds, and then stated, "Cousin, this wasn't your fault."
"Wasn't it?" Cole whirled and said, "I wasn't there, and you know if I'd been there you'd never have gone into a coma."
"It all worked out," Michael mentioned.
"That isn't the point," Cole shouted. He was shaking slightly, and tears were forming in his eyes as he added, "Cousin, I tried to kill you. I would have if you hadn't gotten a lucky shot in."
"Cole, I forgive you, you were under the influence of magic," Michael began.
"You may be able to forgive me, but I can't forgive myself," Cole interrupted. "I...I did the one thing I swore I'd never do again. I lost control. I'm so strong, and I lost control. I could have killed everyone if it wasn't for you, and I can't go back. Not when I'm this out of control."
"There's more, isn't there?" Michael asked shrewdly. When Cole hesitated, Michael continued, "Cole, please tell me."
Cole shuddered, and then added hoarsely, "Ever since what happened, I've been struggling. I'm...no longer sure this is real. I...I..."
As Cole trailed off, Michael added, "You are no longer sure this isn't all an illusion, one designed by the Devourers? Cole, it isn't, trust me."
Cole didn't speak for several moments, and then he added, "That's not the first time you've said that to me."
"Huh?" Michael asked in puzzlement.
"You've told me before this was real...or was it you? I'm no longer sure. That is what the Devourers did to me. They entered my mind, and gave me so many illusions, so many scenarios. They were all so real, and I almost believed them, but I couldn't risk it. I saw you die more times than I can count, and so many conversations where you told me to trust you, that it was all real. Oh, God, what am I going to do? Please, I can't go on like this." Cole began to sob as he fell to his knees, and Michael placed a hand on his shoulder as he fought not to also weep at the state of mind Cole was in.
Michael knew that if he didn't do something soon, Cole would sink into absolute despair and be beyond his reach. He searched desperately for something to say, to do, to help Cole, but his mind was blank.
"I can help," a new voice said. Michael looked up to find Phoebe standing behind him, with her eyes glowing a deep violet hue. "Dad, move aside, and let me help him," his daughter stated, and Michael moved as if commanded. His daughter walked forward and slowly placed her hands on Cole's head. Cole looked up, and found himself frozen by a gaze of compassion on Phoebe's face. A soft glow began to emanate from Michael's daughter's hands, and Cole's expression slackened.
Minutes passed, with no one speaking. Finally, the light faded, and Michael saw a dawning expression of joy and happiness spreading over Cole's face. Suddenly, Cole pulled Phoebe into a hug. He began rocking her back and forth as he wept and said softly, "Thank you, thank you so much."
After a few seconds, Cole released Phoebe and stood up. The violet glow receded in Phoebe's eyes receded and the rich mahogany returned as her unborn daughter relinquished control. Cole looked at Michael, and Michael saw the haunted expression on Cole's face was completely gone. Cole smiled, and said, "Let's go home."
****
"So, you're sure you're fine," Katrina asked in concern. "Definitely," said Cole, sighing. "My, er, second cousin, helped me more than I can say. No more nightmares and I think I've finally gotten over my torture."
"That definitely goes along with what the Elders told me," Leo remarked.
"What did they tell you? Oh and where are Prue and Mom?" asked Phoebe as she and Michael sat down at the table.
"They had to go back up, and they told us to tell you that they're sorry they couldn't stay," said Leo. "The Elders told me about the future of your daughter."
"Really?" said Michael. "What did they have to say?"
"Well, due to the specific nature of your powers, Michael, and the already high level of power that you both have, your daughter is destined to be a great healer, both physically and mentally," said Leo.
"I think we've already experienced first hand how special our little Prue is going to be," said Phoebe. "Haven't we, little one?" She rubbed her belly.
"Prue?" Piper questioned.
Phoebe nodded. "As in Prudence Melinda and you're not going to have a problem with this, right?" Phoebe narrowed her eyes.
Piper shook her head and giggled. "Of course not, Pheebs."
Leo smiled playfully and said, "Actually, I thought maybe we'd name our next child...whoa!" At that moment, Leo dove out of the way as a fireball flew past him. As he stood up and brushed himself off, he saw Phoebe lowering her arm and a smirk on her face. "Hormones," he muttered.
The next second, everyone else was shaking with laughter.
THE END
"Hello, Cole," said a voice. It brought chills to his spine. Cole tried to move away from the voice, but his arms and legs were bound.
"It can't be..." said Cole as the figure came into view. "You're dead."
Xorl, leader of the Devourers, leaned over Cole and smiled maliciously as he shifted into his demonic form. "Am I?" he asked. Xorl produced a serrated athame.
"No, don't, please," said Cole struggling against his restraints.
"No, Cole, you're going to suffer," said Xorl. He raised the athame and drove it into his gut.
****
Cole cried out in pain and sat up straight in bed. For a moment, he didn't remember where he was. When he felt soft arms wrapping around him, he realized he was in the penthouse, and Katrina was lying next to him in bed.
"Shhh, Cole," she soothed, gently pulling him back down to the bed. "It's ok. It was just a nightmare."
Cole nodded and pulled Katrina against him. He placed his hand against her belly, and a small smile came to his face. His unborn son was a constant reminder of what he'd given up to save them, and that the Devourers were truly gone. Cole allowed sleep to overtake him again, resting comfortably in the arms of his family.
****
Mateem sat in his chamber in the Underworld, contemplating his next move. From the observations he'd made about his opponents in battle, and from other demons he'd literally sucked information out of, he now had the ingredients to defeat the Charmed Ones. Mateem rose, closed his eyes and concentrated. Moments later, Barbus, the demon of fear, materialized in the chamber.
"What...what's going on? Where am I?" he yelled, confused. The last thing he remembered was being incinerated by an energy ball.
"I brought you back, old friend," said Mateem.
Barbus's eyes fell on the necromancer, and a smile came to his face. "Well, I'll be damned. I knew they'd never kill you, Mateem. You were the most cunning necromancer I ever met." Mateem acknowledged the compliment with a slight bow of his head. After a moment, Barbus continued, "So, why did you bring me back?"
"I need your power, old friend," said Mateem. "I need to put the fear of...me into the heart of a certain Guardian. I believe you know him. His name is Cole."
"You mean Belthazor?" Barbus exclaimed. "I never would have imagined him becoming THAT powerful, let alone on the side of Good."
"He's a thorn in my side," said Mateem. "I need to pluck him and throw him away."
"Well, I'd have to get pretty close to him first, to figure out what he's afraid of now," said Barbus.
"I already have a good idea of what scares him," said Mateem. "Oh, by the way, I only said I needed your power." Barbus had no time to react before Mateem grabbed his throat in the Grip of Death. "I don't need YOU." As Barbus's body began to disintegrate, Mateem felt the new powers rising in him. Now he had what he needed to take Cole out of the game.
****
Cole sat at his desk in the penthouse, concentrating on his latest case. Thanks to some very slight manipulation, Cole had retained his job at Jackman, Carter and Kline. Of course, they loaded him up with cases again as soon as he returned.
He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't see Mateem materialize on the balcony. Mateem made a small gesture at Cole and shimmered out.
Cole looked up from his papers as he felt something strange overtake him. Suddenly, the penthouse dissolved around him, and was replaced by the Devourers' torture chamber. Xorl stood before him, and evil grin on his face.
"No..." Cole said in disbelief. He tried to run, but he found himself bound to the wall.
"Did you actually think you'd escaped, Cole?" Xorl asked. "We were just waiting patiently. Now that you've given us the information we need, all that remains is to kill your wife and unborn child."
"NO!" Cole yelled defiantly. He gathered his strength and formed an energy ball. As he did, Xorl suddenly melted away, and Michael was standing in his place.
"Cole, don't!" he exclaimed, holding his hands up in surrender.
Cole growled in anger. "Not going to work this time, Devourer fucker," he snarled. "You can't trick me anymore."
"No, Cole, it's me! I came over here because I sensed Mateem in this realm, at your penthouse. He must have gone back to the Underworld right after. Did you see him?" Michael asked franticly.
Cole just laughed in dark glee. "You know, I'm so tired of your games. You will NEVER gain entry into the Earth realm, so give it up. It doesn't matter how many illusions you try."
Michael stamped his foot impatiently. "Damn it, Cole, you need to face your fear! The Devourers are dead, and we were the ones that killed them. They're not coming after you anymore." Michael stepped closer.
"GET AWAY!" Cole screamed. He broke through his imagined restraints and launched himself at Michael.
"Cole, STOP!" Michael yelled as he wrestled with his cousin on the penthouse floor. Cole fired an energy ball and sent Michael flying across the room. "Cole, don't do this, please," he begged as Cole stood over him menacingly.
"Too late, bastard," Cole growled. As he raised his hand to make another energy ball, Michael leapt to his feet, kicked Cole back and jabbed his fingers into Cole's neck. He hit the pressure point dead-on, and Cole dropped to the ground like a sack of wet laundry.
"Sorry, cousin," Michael apologized as he picked up Cole's unconscious form. He flamed them back to the Manor.
****
Mateem grinned maliciously. "One down, four to go," he snickered.
****
Michael flamed into the Manor's living room with Cole in his arms. Katrina, who had been visiting with Phoebe, let out a scream as Michael laid her husband on the couch. "What happened?" she asked franticly.
"I think Mateem did something to him to make him think the Devourers still had him in their castle," he explained. "He didn't think I was really me, so I had to knock him out, much against my will."
"How could Mateem have done this to him?" Katrina asked.
Michael shook his head. "I don't know. Mateem shouldn't have been able to do that."
"But I know who could," said Phoebe quietly. "Mateem must have brought back Barbus."
"The demon of fear," Michael breathed. "Mateem must have killed him again and taken his power. That's the only way he could have gained the ability to manipulate Cole like that."
"How long will he stay out?" Katrina asked.
"I'm not sure," said Michael, "and unfortunately he may have to stay this way for a while. I don't think he'll be back to normal until we vanquish Mateem."
"I sure hope Piper and Paige can find something in the Book of Shadows," said Phoebe. "Mateem might become too powerful even for you if he brings back any more demons."
Michael nodded absently, lost in thought. Suddenly, Michael smacked himself. "Of course...why didn't I think of it before?" His expression had brightened dramatically.
"What is it?" Phoebe asked.
"The Elixir of Life," Michael said quickly. "It was one of the components used to make the Stone of Creation. It was part of the Lady of the Lake's waters. It's supposed to have the same properties as my powers, which means that it can raise the dead back to life."
"What good would that do us?" asked Piper. She and Paige had been coming down the stairs.
"Well, on the undead, bringing them back to life means that it would restore their lifeforce, and in the process..."
"...make them MORTAL," Paige finished.
"Exactly," said Michael. "If it weren't for the fact that I can't get close enough to Mateem to avoid him touching me, I would have done it myself."
"So, I'm guessing the Elixir is in England," said Phoebe.
"Yes, so if we have any potion vials to spare, I can procure it and bring it back in a few minutes," said Michael.
"Way ahead of you," said Paige. "Empty potion vials!" she called. Five empty vials appeared in her arms. She handed them to Michael.
Michael put the vials in a small bag. "I won't be gone long," he said, addressing everyone, but looking at Phoebe.
She took his hand briefly. "Just hurry back, ok?" she said, more than a hint of anxiety in her voice.
Michael winked at her. "I don't make promises I can't keep, remember?" He flamed out.
****
"Thank you for your information," said Mateem as the demon informant was incinerated. He now knew how to deal with the Charmed Ones and the Life-bearer.
A smile of triumph passed over Mateem's face before he proceeded. For all his knowledge, Michael had no idea how important his Life-bearer powers actually were, and that he had a rather interesting Achilles heal. Absolute victory was now within his grasp.
Mateem concentrated, and then three forms materialized in front of him.
"What the hell?" exclaimed Prue.
"How did we get down here?" wondered Patti.
"So good to be back," said Damien, stretching his arms. "I must thank you, necromancer. Because of you, I can become the Source again."
"Perhaps," said Mateem. "However, I need all of you to do a service for me."
"Uh, sorry pal, but we witches don't work for demons," Prue said defiantly.
"I'm afraid you don't have any choice," said the necromancer. He gestured at Prue and Patti. They both doubled over and gasped for air. After a moment, they opened their eyes again, and there was darkness behind them.
"We serve only you, Master," they said as one.
"Good," said Mateem. "I want the two of you to fight the Charmed Ones. Damien, you are to face your brother. Lure him down here, and then I will deal with him myself." Prue and Patti bowed and joined hands with Damien as he flamed out.
****
Michael flamed back into the room. "I told you I wouldn't be gone long," he said, smiling. He opened the bag and pulled out a vial. The liquid inside glowed a faint silver.
"So, now what?" asked Phoebe.
"Now, you die," said an all-too-familiar voice. Michael felt an icy chill run through him as he saw Damien materialize with Prue and Patti.
"Oh, great," said Piper. "That bastard has our mother AND our sister under his control."
"Prue, Mom, please," begged Phoebe. "You have to fight this."
"We serve only the Master now," Prue said tonelessly. She raised her arm and telekinetically threw Phoebe against the wall. Patti tried to blow up Paige, but she managed to orb out in time.
Meanwhile, Damien and Michael were slinging fireballs at each other, neither of them having dealt an injury yet. "You want me, brother?" snarled Damien. "Come and get me." Damien flamed out, and without thinking, Michael flamed after him.
****
Damien and Michael reappeared in the Underworld. "I'm not half-demon anymore, Damien," Michael said calmly. "I feel nothing for you now, no hatred. I have no regret about vanquishing you."
"Too bad you'll never get the chance," said a voice. Michael barely felt the chill which indicated the necromancer's presence before a hand grabbed his throat from behind. Michael felt his strength draining almost instantly. He gritted his teeth against the intense pain that was now sweeping through him.
Damien walked over to them, an evil smile on his face. "Now you know what it feels like, to have your strength slipping away from you, and you know there's nothing you can do to stop it. I want you to know, Michael, that I..." Suddenly, Damien exploded in a bright flash of flame.
"I think that's quite enough out of him," said Mateem, lowering his arm. "You know, Michael, there is some irony here. You're about to die, and yet I know more about your powers than you do. You see, as the Life- bearer, you are interconnected to all living things, and all living things are also interdependent on YOU. If you die, then ALL LIFE dies with you, and I become a god. How does it feel to know that you will be responsible for ushering in a new era for Evil?"
Michael raised his eyes as his legs started to give out. "It's...not over yet," he gasped. Michael focused his energy and tried desperately to preserve his lifeforce.
****
"All right, I've had enough!" said Piper, raising her arms. She gestured, and Prue and Patti froze in place.
"Wait...where's Michael?" said Phoebe, looking franticly around the room.
"I think he and Damien took their battle someplace else," said Paige.
"The Underworld," said Phoebe. Without another word, she and Paige joined hands and orbed down while Piper called for Leo.
****
Phoebe and Paige orbed in to see Mateem kneeling over a very pale Michael.
"It's over, Michael," said Mateem confidently. "You're dead."
"NO!" Phoebe screamed. She reached into her purse and threw the Elixir of Life at Mateem. It shattered at his feet, and smoke rose immediately.
Mateem coughed and gagged. "What exactly was that potion supposed to do?" he asked.
"Uh, oh," said Paige.
"No matter," he said. "I'll just...WHAT THE HELL?" he exclaimed. Mateem had tried to form a fireball, and nothing happened.
"You're alive now, bastard," Phoebe said. "And that also means you're vulnerable. This is for my husband, you SON OF A BITCH!" Phoebe formed a fireball and threw it at Mateem as hard as she could. He exploded several seconds later.
Phoebe ran to Michael's side. "Baby, can you hear me?" she asked. She shook him, but nothing happened. "Oh, God, please wake up, Michael. Please," she begged, breaking into tears.
Paige put her fingers against his neck. "He's alive," she breathed. "Just barely, but he's alive. Come on, honey. Let's get out of here." She wrapped her hand around Phoebe's wrist and they orbed out.
****
Cole groaned and opened his eyes. "Whoa...tell the guy with the jackhammer to lay off, would you?" he said, pressing his hands to his head.
"Oh, honey you're awake!" said Katrina, rushing over and wrapping her arms around him.
"What happened?" Cole asked weakly.
"Mateem brought Barbus back from the dead and used his powers to bring your nightmares to life. Michael had to knock you out to stop you," Katrina explained.
"I guess that explains why my skull is pounding," said Cole. He then noticed that Patti and Prue were in the room, along with Leo, Piper and Paige. They all had somber expressions on their faces. "What's wrong? Where's Michael?"
Katrina shook her head sadly. "He's in a coma," she said softly. "Mateem almost killed him, but he somehow managed to preserve enough of his lifeforce before he lost consciousness to stay alive."
Cole nodded weakly. "He has to pull through, Katrina. He has to."
****
Phoebe sat on the edge of the bed. Michael lay next to her, breathing so shallowly that it was almost impossible to tell he was breathing at all. Phoebe sniffled as tears unabatedly rolled down her cheeks.
She took his cold hand in hers. "Michael...I don't know if you can hear me, but I...I love you so much, baby, so much that it's tearing me apart right now seeing you like this. I know what I'm feeling now is nothing compared to what the other me must have felt when you were in the coma for two years, but it hurts so much." She broke down on a sob, and anger welled up inside her. "You cannot die on me, not like this, you hear me!" she yelled. "Not like this..." she said more softly, lying down next to him.
'It'll be ok, Mom,' a little girl's voice said in her head.
'Who said that?' Phoebe asked.
The voice giggled. 'Who do you think?'
'You mean...' Phoebe looked down at her belly.
'That's right, Mom,' said the voice. 'Listen to me. I think I know how we can bring Dad back.'
'How can we?' Phoebe asked.
'Dad lost his anchors to his consciousness,' the voice explained. 'He didn't have enough strength in his lifeforce to keep himself bound to his reality. If we can focus on him, we might be able to lead him back.'
'What do I do?' she asked.
'Close your eyes, and concentrate,' the voice instructed. Phoebe did so, and she was instantly aware of her daughter as though she was standing right next to her. 'Ok, now, slowly allow your mind to drift away, but not too much. You don't want to lose your anchors too.' Phoebe reached out for Michael, and she felt him on the bare edges of her mind.
'Baby, can you hear me?' she asked. 'If you can hear me, follow me back. Please, follow me back.' Phoebe allowed her mind to settle back into its proper rhythm, and she opened her eyes.
'You did well, Mom,' said the voice. 'Now, we wait.'
Phoebe absently ran her hand through Michael's thick hair. Suddenly, Michael opened his eyes and started coughing.
"Michael, oh, baby," Phoebe sobbed happily, wrapping her arms around him.
The coughing fit subsided, and Michael breathed in the sweet fragrance that was Phoebe. "Hey, beautiful," he said weakly. "You didn't think I'd die that easily, did you?"
"The thought had crossed my mind," Phoebe said, smirking.
Michael smiled as he lay back down on the bed. "Thank you, Phoebe, for bringing me back. And thank you, little one," he added, rubbing his hand against Phoebe's belly.
"Hey, Michael...what would you think of naming her Prudence Melinda?" Phoebe said suddenly.
"Isn't that what Piper and Leo were going to name Wyatt if he'd been a girl like they'd thought?" he asked. Phoebe nodded. "Well, I don't know why, but somehow I get the feeling that we're not going to end up with any competition for names. In fact," he said, looking at Phoebe's belly, "I think she's already chosen it for us. Haven't you, Prue?"
Phoebe giggled. "You think she planted the suggestion?"
"Knowing the Halliwell women as well as I do, I wouldn't put it past her," he said, grinning.
"Hey, just because you nearly died does not mean I can't have my wicked way with you," she said, rolling on top of him.
"When have I ever objected to that?" he retorted, pulling her head down for a kiss.
Phoebe moaned breathlessly when they finally pulled apart. "You realize what I'm going to have to do to you now, don't you?"
Michael nodded. "I'm not going to be able to move tomorrow, am I?"
"That depends if we do this the easy way or the hard way," Phoebe said, pulling her shirt over her head.
"Is there a difference?"
"I'll show you, baby," Phoebe said seductively as she leaned down for another kiss.
'Oh, boy,' thought Michael.
****
Michael and Phoebe finally came downstairs around dinnertime. "Nice of you two to make an appearance," said Piper. "Not that I'm not extremely grateful that my brother-in-law has recovered," she added, giving Michael a quick hug.
"Thanks, Piper," said Michael. "I'm assuming that everyone is back to normal now?" he asked. He then looked around in puzzlement, and added, "Where's Cole? I wanted to talk to him."
The group looked at each other, and then Katrina said, "We don't know. After he heard you were recovered, he just left. We tried to find him, but we didn't really know where to look."
Michael sighed, and said, "Don't worry, I'll find him. I think I know where to look." He then flamed out.
****
"How'd you find me?" Cole asked softly without turning around.
"Easy, I remembered you telling me how much you loved the view here," Michael explained. He then walked over to look over the edge of the Empire State Building, and added, "It is quite a view."
Neither spoke for several moments, until Cole finally broke the silence by saying softly, "I'm glad you're okay."
"Yeah, I could tell, since you ran off and all," Michael remarked.
"It wasn't like that, I...I'm just glad you're alright," Cole stated.
Michael stared at Cole for several seconds, and then stated, "Cousin, this wasn't your fault."
"Wasn't it?" Cole whirled and said, "I wasn't there, and you know if I'd been there you'd never have gone into a coma."
"It all worked out," Michael mentioned.
"That isn't the point," Cole shouted. He was shaking slightly, and tears were forming in his eyes as he added, "Cousin, I tried to kill you. I would have if you hadn't gotten a lucky shot in."
"Cole, I forgive you, you were under the influence of magic," Michael began.
"You may be able to forgive me, but I can't forgive myself," Cole interrupted. "I...I did the one thing I swore I'd never do again. I lost control. I'm so strong, and I lost control. I could have killed everyone if it wasn't for you, and I can't go back. Not when I'm this out of control."
"There's more, isn't there?" Michael asked shrewdly. When Cole hesitated, Michael continued, "Cole, please tell me."
Cole shuddered, and then added hoarsely, "Ever since what happened, I've been struggling. I'm...no longer sure this is real. I...I..."
As Cole trailed off, Michael added, "You are no longer sure this isn't all an illusion, one designed by the Devourers? Cole, it isn't, trust me."
Cole didn't speak for several moments, and then he added, "That's not the first time you've said that to me."
"Huh?" Michael asked in puzzlement.
"You've told me before this was real...or was it you? I'm no longer sure. That is what the Devourers did to me. They entered my mind, and gave me so many illusions, so many scenarios. They were all so real, and I almost believed them, but I couldn't risk it. I saw you die more times than I can count, and so many conversations where you told me to trust you, that it was all real. Oh, God, what am I going to do? Please, I can't go on like this." Cole began to sob as he fell to his knees, and Michael placed a hand on his shoulder as he fought not to also weep at the state of mind Cole was in.
Michael knew that if he didn't do something soon, Cole would sink into absolute despair and be beyond his reach. He searched desperately for something to say, to do, to help Cole, but his mind was blank.
"I can help," a new voice said. Michael looked up to find Phoebe standing behind him, with her eyes glowing a deep violet hue. "Dad, move aside, and let me help him," his daughter stated, and Michael moved as if commanded. His daughter walked forward and slowly placed her hands on Cole's head. Cole looked up, and found himself frozen by a gaze of compassion on Phoebe's face. A soft glow began to emanate from Michael's daughter's hands, and Cole's expression slackened.
Minutes passed, with no one speaking. Finally, the light faded, and Michael saw a dawning expression of joy and happiness spreading over Cole's face. Suddenly, Cole pulled Phoebe into a hug. He began rocking her back and forth as he wept and said softly, "Thank you, thank you so much."
After a few seconds, Cole released Phoebe and stood up. The violet glow receded in Phoebe's eyes receded and the rich mahogany returned as her unborn daughter relinquished control. Cole looked at Michael, and Michael saw the haunted expression on Cole's face was completely gone. Cole smiled, and said, "Let's go home."
****
"So, you're sure you're fine," Katrina asked in concern. "Definitely," said Cole, sighing. "My, er, second cousin, helped me more than I can say. No more nightmares and I think I've finally gotten over my torture."
"That definitely goes along with what the Elders told me," Leo remarked.
"What did they tell you? Oh and where are Prue and Mom?" asked Phoebe as she and Michael sat down at the table.
"They had to go back up, and they told us to tell you that they're sorry they couldn't stay," said Leo. "The Elders told me about the future of your daughter."
"Really?" said Michael. "What did they have to say?"
"Well, due to the specific nature of your powers, Michael, and the already high level of power that you both have, your daughter is destined to be a great healer, both physically and mentally," said Leo.
"I think we've already experienced first hand how special our little Prue is going to be," said Phoebe. "Haven't we, little one?" She rubbed her belly.
"Prue?" Piper questioned.
Phoebe nodded. "As in Prudence Melinda and you're not going to have a problem with this, right?" Phoebe narrowed her eyes.
Piper shook her head and giggled. "Of course not, Pheebs."
Leo smiled playfully and said, "Actually, I thought maybe we'd name our next child...whoa!" At that moment, Leo dove out of the way as a fireball flew past him. As he stood up and brushed himself off, he saw Phoebe lowering her arm and a smirk on her face. "Hormones," he muttered.
The next second, everyone else was shaking with laughter.
THE END