CHAPTER 2: Resurrection
The Manor was unnaturally quiet. It hadn't been so quiet since the first days after Prue's death.
Phoebe hadn't left the Manor since Cole's funeral. 'Some funeral,' she thought bitterly. Since Cole's human persona had no official proof of existence, his body could not be buried. Instead, much to Phoebe's disgust, Cole was cremated, and his urn was placed in the mausoleum on top of his father's coffin. Phoebe felt that regardless of whether Cole was buried or cremated, that was where he wanted to be.
Phoebe walked in a determined manner up to the attic. Despite having watched Piper cast numerous spells to try and bring Prue back only eight months before, Phoebe felt that if she didn't try at least one spell to bring Cole back, the question of 'What if...' would drive her insane. Her soul had been ripped to shreds, and if there was a possibility that her soul could find the peace it needed without Cole, than she wanted to make sure there was no possibility of his return. Then, and only then, she would be able to move on.
Phoebe opened the Book of Shadows and thumbed through it, seeing if any spells jumped out at her. Finally, she saw one: To Call a Lost Love. However, the wording of the spell made it seem that only Phoebe's soul would be traveling, and it would not bring Cole back to her. Thinking furiously, Phoebe decided to use part of that spell and rewrite a part from the "To Call a Lost Witch" spell and combine them together. She took her notepad and wrote it down to make sure she got it right. Taking a deep breath and mentally crossing her fingers, Phoebe read the spell.
Whither be my love,
Wherever you be,
Heart to heart, I summon thee
Heart to heart, return to me
A wind began to gently swirl through the attic and Phoebe's heart beat faster as she dared to hope. Orbs of white light appeared and coalesced into a human form lying on the ground in the circle of candles.
****
Cole gasped for air as his heart started beating. He shot up into a sitting position, fighting through a moment of disorientation. The last he remembered, he had been lying on his and Phoebe's bed, dying from the Source's fireball. Now, he recognized the familiar surroundings of the Manor's attic. However, those thoughts came second to the woman in front of him, whose eyes had grown as huge as saucers, and whose hands were now covering her mouth in shock.
Cole stood up, praying that this was not some new torture for dead reformed demons. 'How can this be? How can I be back?' Cole squashed these questions the moment they entered his mind. 'How' was not the most important thing at the moment; what mattered most was that he was back, if he was truly back at all. In a voice barely above a whisper, Cole said uncertainly, hopefully, "Phoebe?"
Phoebe's eyes closed, and tears flowed down her cheeks in utmost joy and terrible sadness. She thought she had lost him, and that only in death would they be reunited. Now, they had another chance, and Phoebe made a silent promise to herself that never again would she take Cole's presence in her life for granted. Almost on instinct, she rushed to him, her arms going tightly around his neck, her lips capturing his in a passionate kiss.
Cole in turn wrapped his arms around Phoebe and pulled her closer. Phoebe opened her mouth to him, and Cole gladly took the invitation. Phoebe moaned as Cole's tongue expertly caressed hers. The two lovers held the kiss until the need for air made Phoebe unwillingly pull away from him. Cole could see her eyes were red-rimmed and bloodshot, telling of sleepless nights and long hours of weeping. Phoebe lowered her head and rested it against Cole's chest, pressing her ear against his heart.
Cole broke the silence. "How long?" he asked.
"A week...but it felt like a lot longer to me," she said, raising her head up to look at him. She brought her right hand up to gently caress the face she knew so well. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too...even if I don't actually remember being gone," he remarked, the all-too-familiar smirk coming to his face. His expression turned serious again as he asked, "Did you..."
"Yes," Phoebe answered, not needing to hear the rest of the question to know what Cole was asking. "I had to, even if there wasn't a chance that it would have worked. I couldn't find closure one way or the other until I tried." She smiled at him. "And I couldn't be happier with the result."
"Phoebe?" said Piper's voice. "Who are you...?" As Piper entered the attic, she cut herself short. "Oh my God...Cole?!"
"Yeah, Piper, it's me," Cole said, smiling slightly.
"But...what...how..." Piper sputtered as she tried to find the words to express her shock. Finding none, she decided to spread the news. "Paige! Leo!" Almost at once the two other Halliwell family members orbed into the room.
Not noticing Cole immediately, Paige began to rant, "What's wrong, Piper? I was on the phone with Glenn, and did not need to..." It was then that Paige's gaze shifted to the left and she noticed the tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed man standing behind Phoebe with his arms wrapped around her waist. She swallowed, blinking a few times, and pinched her own arm to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "Leo, are you seeing this?" she squeaked.
"I'm seeing it...I'm just having some trouble believing it," Leo said quietly. "I'm going to go talk to the Elders about this. Not that I'm not glad to see you, Cole. I am. It's just something about this doesn't add up. If Phoebe is responsible for you being back, and I assume she is, then the Elders would know about it. I'll be back soon." With that, Leo orbed out.
Having found her voice again, Piper said, "Well, I for one think this is something we should celebrate. Not everyday that we have a family member return from the dead."
****
P3 was bouncing as usual. The atmosphere was perfect for a celebration, so it seemed only natural that they would be there.
Despite his past reservations against it, Cole tried his hand at dancing, and found that he was actually quite good at it. Truth be told, it probably had something to do with the woman he was dancing with. Phoebe couldn't have been happier, or more turned on, and that fact reflected in her dancing. Every once in a while, she would rub up against Cole, or suggestively caress his thigh. Not that she needed to do so. The short-skirted tight red dress she was wearing was all that was needed to light Cole's passion for her.
After a while, Cole's legs started to tire, and he began to walk back toward their seats. However, Phoebe stopped him after a few steps. "Don't tell me you're worn out already?" she said.
"Just as far as dancing goes," he replied. Catching the mischievous grin on her face, Cole continued, "You're thinking evil thoughts aren't you?"
Phoebe giggled. "Would it bother you if I was?"
"Hmmm...no, I don't think so," Cole said. "What do you have in mind?"
"Come and see," Phoebe said seductively. Taking Cole's hand, she led him back toward Piper's office. As soon as they were inside and Phoebe locked the door, she threw herself at Cole, jumping into his arms. Her legs locked around his waist, and Cole slammed her against the wall to get better leverage.
Cole kissed her hard, and Phoebe moaned as his tongue danced across hers. His hands roamed over her body, inciting passion with every touch. "Oh, baby..." Phoebe panted between kisses. She needed him so much. It was the final proof that he was really back.
Cole paused for a moment to catch his breath. "I'm so sorry, baby," he said breathlessly.
"For what?" Phoebe asked, pressing her forehead against Cole's.
"Well...for putting you through so much pain," Cole said, averting her gaze.
"Cole, look at me," Phoebe said. When he didn't respond, she placed her hands on his cheeks and forced her to look at him. "I am not angry with you. You did the right thing. Sure, I was sad..." Seeing Cole's look, she added, "Ok, very, very sad. But I do not blame you for what happened. You sacrificed yourself to save me, my sisters, and probably the whole world from the Source, and that only made me love you more. And now that you're back, I can show you just how much."
Cole smiled at the petite, dark-haired woman who had her legs wrapped around his waist. "Well, I'm thinking here isn't the best place. Maybe you and I should head back to bed...I mean, back to the Manor..."
Phoebe giggled. "I think you had it right the first time, baby."
****
The Seer paced around her chamber, deep in thought. Her latest attempts at visions had given her no headway as to why Belthazor had been able to resist her pull. Her plan had been close to success, and no one should have been able to intervene. Sighing with frustration, she decided to be patient and prudent. She would recruit demons to watch the Charmed Ones. Perhaps then she could find out the truth.
****
Cole blinked open sleepy eyes, and abruptly closed them against the sunlight coming in from the bedroom windows. He lifted his head up and away from the offending glare, and opened his eyes to see Phoebe at the vanity, brushing her hair.
"Hey," he called out to her.
Phoebe immediately stopped brushing and turned around, smiling at him. "Good morning," she said brightly, walking over to the bed. "Did you sleep well?" Her smile widened.
Cole just grinned and shook his head. "You should know by now, Miss Halliwell, you don't have to ask. Now come here." Phoebe happily obliged and straddled him, laying her head on his chest. After a minute, though, Cole noticed that Phoebe's brow was furrowed, and she was chewing her lower lip, sure signs that something was on her mind. "What's wrong?"
"I was just thinking...when you were gone, I thought that'd I never feel like this again," Phoebe said with a sigh.
"How do you mean?" Cole asked.
"Like everything is finally coming together," Phoebe said softly, her lower lip trembling slightly. "Up until that premonition I had, that's how things felt. I'm just afraid that everything's going to fall to pieces at any moment."
Cole pulled her up so her face was level with his and kissed her tears away. "Things have changed," Cole reassured her. "The Source is dead, the Hollow is back in its crypt...and we're engaged," he reminded her, bringing a smile to Phoebe's face. "Don't ask me why, but I have a strong feeling that everything is going to be just fine, baby."
"Well, if you're sure, then that's good enough for me," Phoebe said, leaning down for a long kiss.
"Phoebe! Cole! Breakfast is ready!" Piper yelled up the stairs.
Phoebe groaned as she pulled away from Cole. "Her timing sucks," she said. Suddenly, her stomach growled, and she giggled. "Or, maybe it doesn't," she added, moving off of Cole and over to her dresser.
Cole followed her example and put on some clothes, and they walked downstairs hand in hand. As they finished descending the stairs, a demon suddenly shimmered into the living room. "Witch!" it hissed at Phoebe, forming an energy ball. As Phoebe charged forward on the attack, the demon shifted his position and threw a second, newly formed energy ball at Cole. It slammed into him, knocking him back.
"Cole!" Phoebe screamed. 'Oh God, not again,' she thought with horror.
Cole expected pain, but to his utter surprise, there was none. His shirt was not even damaged. "What the..." he started as he got to his feet. He looked up to see Phoebe – and the demon – staring at him in shock. Almost on instinct, Cole gestured, and an energy ball immediately formed in his right hand. His eyes widened in shock. "Oh my God," he breathed. Shaking himself, he threw the energy ball at the demon, which exploded almost instantly.
"What the hell just happened?" Piper demanded franticly, running in from the kitchen with Paige.
Cole swallowed nervously. "I don't know...I just don't know." Backing away from them in fear, Cole blurred out.
Phoebe, Piper and Paige stared at the spot where Cole had been standing with wide eyes and mouths hanging open in shock. After several seconds of complete silence, the sisters looked up and yelled in unison, "LEO!!!"
****
The Seer cursed angrily. The demon she'd sent had evidently failed in its mission. She sat down in her chair and once again tried for a vision about Belthazor. Suddenly she was struck by the most vivid premonition she'd ever received. When she came out of it, she had a malicious smile on her face. "Yes," she said softly. "Soon, your powers will be mine, Belthazor, and with them, I will become all-powerful."
****
"At first, the Elders were completely dumbfounded about what had happened," Leo said. "Cole's sacrifice redeemed his soul beyond reproach, and the Elders were prepared to let him into Heaven. However, while his soul was being brought up, it just vanished. They couldn't locate it. They didn't even know that his soul was still around until after you cast your spell, Phoebe."
"The question still remains – how did Cole get demonic powers?" Phoebe wondered.
"I don't know, and I doubt they could explain it either," Leo answered honestly.
"So typical of them," Piper remarked with a snort. "Where is Cole, anyway?"
"If I had to guess, the mausoleum," Phoebe said, sighing. "I'm going down there to talk to him. I'm worried." She reached for her car keys.
"Wait, Phoebe, let me orb you," Paige offered.
Phoebe smiled. "Thanks, Paige," she replied as she took her younger sister's hand. A moment later they vanished in a trail of orbs.
****
Cole sat in a corner of the mausoleum, his head in his hands. 'This can't be happening,' he thought. 'Not again...I will not be evil again.'
"Cole?"
Cole jumped, but then relaxed as he saw Phoebe coming down the stairs. "Phoebe, stay back," he said, his voice wavering.
"Why?" she asked, pausing in her movements toward him.
"It's not safe," Cole said, looking away from her. "We don't know what this means. You shouldn't even be near me..."
"Cole, listen to me," Phoebe interrupted in a firm voice. "You are stronger than you think you are. You were able to fight through Belthazor before, and besides, we don't know if these powers are evil. Even if they are, I'll be at your side to help you fight it." Phoebe had been moving closer to Cole while she was speaking, and she reached down and took his hands in hers. "No matter what happens, I won't leave you, Cole."
Cole looked up at Phoebe, tears trickling down his face, and he shook his head. "We can't know anything for sure, Phoebe, and until we do, I think it would be best if you stayed away from me."
Phoebe was about to protest when another voice said, "Perhaps I can be of assistance." Cole and Phoebe whirled, and their eyes widened, for standing before them was...another Cole. Only this Cole was transparent.
"Who..." Cole began in a choked voice.
The Cole smirked in the unique Cole-ish fashion. "Obviously, I'm you...well, not exactly. I'm you from an alternate future."
"Are you responsible for bringing Cole back?" Phoebe asked.
"In a way," Future-Cole replied. "To be honest, I'm only an imprint of my person, left behind to interact with you, and provide as much of an explanation as I can."
"So, these powers..."
"Were my powers, yes," said Future-Cole. "Things...did not go well for you in the future. And no, I won't elaborate," he added as Cole opened his mouth to speak.
"How did you..." Cole began.
"I'm you, remember? I think I know enough about myself to know how I'd respond to certain questions," Future-Cole said, smirking again. "Anyway, what's important is that I realized the only way to save myself, or at least, save my future, was to give my powers to my past self. They are not inherently evil, as I'm sure you feared. I won't say anything about how I acquired these powers, or the events leading up to it. You don't need to know. The events are...painful, to say the least, and I'll spare you from knowing what I know."
Cole got to his feet, supported by Phoebe. "Well, I guess reassurance from my future self is good enough."
"I'm still not entirely convinced," Phoebe said. Turning to Future-Cole, she asked, "What is the safest place you know?"
Future-Cole grinned. "I thought you were going to ask that, Phoebe. With you, of course," he answered.
Phoebe sighed, leaning against her own Cole, and said, "I'm satisfied."
"Thanks for clearing the air for me," Cole said gratefully.
"Anytime," Future-Cole replied as he faded.
Cole looked down at Phoebe and smiled. "I'm sorry if you worried."
Phoebe shook her head. "You were scared. I understand, believe me. And now we know that these powers are safe."
"Yeah," Cole agreed. "So, what do you say to going home and finishing breakfast?"
"Absolutely, I'm starving," Phoebe said.
"Did you drive here?" Cole asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nope," Phoebe said, grinning. "Actually, considering how good shimmering was, I'm curious to see how blurring feels."
"Well, this is your lucky day, Miss Halliwell," Cole said, pulling her close. As he lowered his lips to hers, Cole blurred them back to the Manor.
****
"Soon, Belthazor," the Seer crooned. "Your days are numbered."
TO BE CONTINUED...