Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, don't sue me.
A/N: A huge thanks to all who reviewed, they made my day. Hope this one goes alright. . .
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Phoebe opened her eyes. Everything was white. There was nothing around her at all, just a bright, piercing white that seemed endless. Where was she?
"Phoebe?" The familiar voice asked, sounding as if it was nowhere near her. But she turned to find him right behind her.
"Cole." She replied, confused. He looked so different to how she remembered him, lying helplessly on that hospital bed. "What's going on?" She asked the question, but found that she didn't have a need to know the answer. They were here, in this strange place together. And however untrue it may be, it was as though there was no fear or anger. No expectations. And Phoebe relished in the feeling for a moment.
"I'm not sure." Cole replied, interrupting her thoughts. He gave her a look, which made her feel slightly uncomfortable, almost as though he was staring beyond her, and into her thoughts. "What are you doing here?" He asked finally.
"I'm not sure." Phoebe said, repeating his words. They continued to stare at each other, not having been able to face each other in years. "Stop it." Phoebe finally said. Cole smirked.
"What?" He asked.
"Stop looking at me like that." Phoebe said, self-consciously.
"Like what?" Cole questioned, frowning slightly.
"Like that!" Phoebe exclaimed, causing Cole to smile again.
"Sorry." He genuinely apologised. "I haven't seen you in so long, I didn't think I ever would again."
"I really don't think this counts. It's more like. . ." Phoebe paused.
"A dream." Cole finished. He nodded. "So I'm not dead yet." He said, as though speaking to himself.
"No. . .but you have to wake up. I'm not going to be able to stay for long. . .and they'll find you. . ." Phoebe said. Her own voice was sounding distant, and she didn't want to lose him.
"Stay?" Cole asked, confused. "How can you--" He started.
"Come back. . ." Phoebe interrupted, "Please." She watched helplessly as Cole disappeared from her view, as she had inwardly sensed that he would. The white around her grew dim, and slowly turned to black, until she couldn't see anything at all.
Phoebe woke up with a start. She had been laying forward, her head resting on her hand, which was still clutching onto Cole's. She sat up straight, the memories of the dream still fresh in her mind. She glanced at Cole. He was still asleep. Glancing up at the clock, she realised she had been asleep for a little over an hour. She inhaled deeply, stood up and stretched as much as her tired limbs could manage. She was contemplating leaving Cole for a moment to find a vending machine, when she noticed him stir. She sat back down beside him, her heart beating wildly. It took almost a lifetime for his eyes to open, and when they did he stared straight ahead for a moment, unable to comprehend where he was. Then, slowly, as his eyes silently interrogated the room, they fell on her. They shared this shocked gaze for a moment, neither saying a word.
"How?" He muttered, hoarsely.
"Premonition." Phoebe replied simply. Her heart was beating so fast that she feared he would hear it.
"Why am I here?" He asked suddenly. "I can't be here--" He started, sitting up and grimacing. Phoebe was immediately by his side, her hand gently on his shoulder, urging him to lie back down.
"They haven't given any signs that they know you're. . .different." She said in an attempt to calm him. 'I guess you were human enough.' She muttered inwardly.
"That's not it." Cole said. "If I'm here, then they have a record of me. . .and I'll be too easy to find." He started to sit up again, but Phoebe urged him down again.
"You didn't think we gave them your real name, did you?" She questioned. Cole looked up at her, surprised. Convinced he wasn't about to risk sitting up again, Phoebe sat back down. "We have a lot to talk about."
Cole let out a breath as he looked away. "It's a long story. . ." He said softly. "I know your wondering how I'm here. . .how I'm even alive."
"No, I'm alright with that." Phoebe said with a smirk. He gave her a questioning look. "Premonition." She said, as she had done earlier. "It's more like how, where and why."
"You know why." He said. "I couldn't stay, not after what happened."
"You have to know that wasn't me. That vanquished you." Phoebe quickly said. Cole gazed at her, holding eye contact. Phoebe had a strange feeling she had seen that look before, recently.
"I know. That wasn't what I meant." Cole said finally. "I meant everything I had done to you. I just went too far, and I had to leave, it was for the best." He paused. "And I didn't expect to ever come back. . .so I thought it would be best if you just thought me dead, without having to fear me returning." He looked as though he was recalling something he had never wanted to again. "As for how. . .it was the Avatars." Phoebe frowned.
"The who?" She questioned.
"Avatars. They're not good or evil. They're just in search of power, and I had power. They wanted me." He inhaled deeply. "And after months of refusing to join them, I realised I could use them for my own use. . ."
"To get me back." Phoebe finished softly. Cole caught her gaze and nodded, somewhat guiltily.
"So I went to an alternate reality in the hope of changing things for us, but it backfired. And all I ended up doing was getting myself vanquished by you again." Phoebe started to say something, but he interrupted, "I know it wasn't you, but it may as well have been." And then as though he was talking to himself, "It didn't take long for Paige to convince you that I had to be vanquished. . ." He shook his head slightly to get back on topic.
"But you didn't get vanquished. They brought you back. . .these Avatars." Phoebe stated. Cole was taken aback.
"How did--" He stopped when she gave him a knowing look, and nodded. "Premonition." He muttered.
"I saw you when you came back. . .when you left. After you threw the ring off the balcony." She gave him a small smile at the thought of it. "And how you gave away your powers." Cole glanced away from her.
"I didn't need them." He said simply. "They weren't me." They both remained silent for a moment.
"Where did you go?" Phoebe finally spoke.
"Everywhere." Cole replied. "And anywhere. Anywhere but here." He stated. "I've been searching for any possible demons with the power to take over the Underworld." Cole added. When Phoebe gave him a strange look, he finished, "And vanquishing them. You may not believe it, Phoebe, but I am good now."
"I believe it." Phoebe said softly. "I knew it back then as well. That was never the problem."
"What was the problem?" Cole asked.
"I wasn't strong enough. For you. . .for us." Phoebe said, shaking her head slightly. Then, in a bid to change the subject, "The guy that was holding you captive, who was he?" For the first time, Phoebe saw a flicker of fear cross Cole's face. He glanced away.
"He was human. . .with contacts in the Underworld." He spoke, as though his thoughts were far away. "He devoted his life to finding and killing witches. . .except he wasn't a witch hunter." Cole shook his head. He turned to gaze at Phoebe. "He wanted you. . .and your sisters. And the glory that would come with getting rid of the Charmed Ones."
"And you were the only demonic link to us." Phoebe guessed. Cole let out a deep breath before nodding. "So he was using you to try and find us."
"And I don't know if he got anything out of me. I tried so hard--" He broke off. "He was human. . .but he had powers that he's attained from the Underworld. . .and tools. . ."
"I saw him. . .electrocuting you." Phoebe said. She felt her heart aching at seeing ole like this. This wasn't at all like she remembered. The Cole she knew wasn't afraid of anything.
"You saw that?" Cole asked, surprised.
"I thought you realised. . .you started speaking to me." Phoebe said, recalling the moment when she had had the premonition.
"I felt you there. . .but I thought I was imagining it. . ." Cole said softly. Phoebe gave him a smile.
"I was there." She said with a small nod. They shared a moment of silence, and when Phoebe looked up again, Cole was gazing at her intently. "Stop it." She warned.
"What?" He questioned, confused.
"Stop looking at me like that." Phoebe said, suddenly receiving a feeling of de ja vu.
"Like what?" Cole asked softly. He was speaking as though following a script, as though he had spoken them before.
"Like that. . ." Phoebe said. It was then that they both realised where they had heard the conversation. They both smiled. "I thought it was just a dream."
"So did I. . ." Cole said quietly. They gazed at each other. "You woke me up."
Phoebe gave him a small half smile. "I was getting bored." This pleasant moment between them that hadn't been shared for years, was interrupted as blue orbs filled the room. They disappeared, leaving Paige crouched on the ground, bent over Piper, whose shirt was soaked in blood. "Oh my god. . ." She muttered, and rushed over to them. "Piper. . ." She tried to shake Piper awake, but she didn't move.
"What happened?" She questioned Paige desperately.
"Man. . .came. . .stabbed Piper. . ." Paige managed. "I can't heal her. . .I don't have enough power. . ."
"What man?" Cole asked, making Paige jump.
"He was in a suit. . .and he had. . ." Paige broke off as sobs wracked her body. Cole and Phoebe shared a knowing look at the brief definition of the man.
"He found us." Phoebe muttered.
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Well? Review and give me any thoughts. I may not be able to update for a while, exams and all. But I will be back.
A/N: A huge thanks to all who reviewed, they made my day. Hope this one goes alright. . .
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Phoebe opened her eyes. Everything was white. There was nothing around her at all, just a bright, piercing white that seemed endless. Where was she?
"Phoebe?" The familiar voice asked, sounding as if it was nowhere near her. But she turned to find him right behind her.
"Cole." She replied, confused. He looked so different to how she remembered him, lying helplessly on that hospital bed. "What's going on?" She asked the question, but found that she didn't have a need to know the answer. They were here, in this strange place together. And however untrue it may be, it was as though there was no fear or anger. No expectations. And Phoebe relished in the feeling for a moment.
"I'm not sure." Cole replied, interrupting her thoughts. He gave her a look, which made her feel slightly uncomfortable, almost as though he was staring beyond her, and into her thoughts. "What are you doing here?" He asked finally.
"I'm not sure." Phoebe said, repeating his words. They continued to stare at each other, not having been able to face each other in years. "Stop it." Phoebe finally said. Cole smirked.
"What?" He asked.
"Stop looking at me like that." Phoebe said, self-consciously.
"Like what?" Cole questioned, frowning slightly.
"Like that!" Phoebe exclaimed, causing Cole to smile again.
"Sorry." He genuinely apologised. "I haven't seen you in so long, I didn't think I ever would again."
"I really don't think this counts. It's more like. . ." Phoebe paused.
"A dream." Cole finished. He nodded. "So I'm not dead yet." He said, as though speaking to himself.
"No. . .but you have to wake up. I'm not going to be able to stay for long. . .and they'll find you. . ." Phoebe said. Her own voice was sounding distant, and she didn't want to lose him.
"Stay?" Cole asked, confused. "How can you--" He started.
"Come back. . ." Phoebe interrupted, "Please." She watched helplessly as Cole disappeared from her view, as she had inwardly sensed that he would. The white around her grew dim, and slowly turned to black, until she couldn't see anything at all.
Phoebe woke up with a start. She had been laying forward, her head resting on her hand, which was still clutching onto Cole's. She sat up straight, the memories of the dream still fresh in her mind. She glanced at Cole. He was still asleep. Glancing up at the clock, she realised she had been asleep for a little over an hour. She inhaled deeply, stood up and stretched as much as her tired limbs could manage. She was contemplating leaving Cole for a moment to find a vending machine, when she noticed him stir. She sat back down beside him, her heart beating wildly. It took almost a lifetime for his eyes to open, and when they did he stared straight ahead for a moment, unable to comprehend where he was. Then, slowly, as his eyes silently interrogated the room, they fell on her. They shared this shocked gaze for a moment, neither saying a word.
"How?" He muttered, hoarsely.
"Premonition." Phoebe replied simply. Her heart was beating so fast that she feared he would hear it.
"Why am I here?" He asked suddenly. "I can't be here--" He started, sitting up and grimacing. Phoebe was immediately by his side, her hand gently on his shoulder, urging him to lie back down.
"They haven't given any signs that they know you're. . .different." She said in an attempt to calm him. 'I guess you were human enough.' She muttered inwardly.
"That's not it." Cole said. "If I'm here, then they have a record of me. . .and I'll be too easy to find." He started to sit up again, but Phoebe urged him down again.
"You didn't think we gave them your real name, did you?" She questioned. Cole looked up at her, surprised. Convinced he wasn't about to risk sitting up again, Phoebe sat back down. "We have a lot to talk about."
Cole let out a breath as he looked away. "It's a long story. . ." He said softly. "I know your wondering how I'm here. . .how I'm even alive."
"No, I'm alright with that." Phoebe said with a smirk. He gave her a questioning look. "Premonition." She said, as she had done earlier. "It's more like how, where and why."
"You know why." He said. "I couldn't stay, not after what happened."
"You have to know that wasn't me. That vanquished you." Phoebe quickly said. Cole gazed at her, holding eye contact. Phoebe had a strange feeling she had seen that look before, recently.
"I know. That wasn't what I meant." Cole said finally. "I meant everything I had done to you. I just went too far, and I had to leave, it was for the best." He paused. "And I didn't expect to ever come back. . .so I thought it would be best if you just thought me dead, without having to fear me returning." He looked as though he was recalling something he had never wanted to again. "As for how. . .it was the Avatars." Phoebe frowned.
"The who?" She questioned.
"Avatars. They're not good or evil. They're just in search of power, and I had power. They wanted me." He inhaled deeply. "And after months of refusing to join them, I realised I could use them for my own use. . ."
"To get me back." Phoebe finished softly. Cole caught her gaze and nodded, somewhat guiltily.
"So I went to an alternate reality in the hope of changing things for us, but it backfired. And all I ended up doing was getting myself vanquished by you again." Phoebe started to say something, but he interrupted, "I know it wasn't you, but it may as well have been." And then as though he was talking to himself, "It didn't take long for Paige to convince you that I had to be vanquished. . ." He shook his head slightly to get back on topic.
"But you didn't get vanquished. They brought you back. . .these Avatars." Phoebe stated. Cole was taken aback.
"How did--" He stopped when she gave him a knowing look, and nodded. "Premonition." He muttered.
"I saw you when you came back. . .when you left. After you threw the ring off the balcony." She gave him a small smile at the thought of it. "And how you gave away your powers." Cole glanced away from her.
"I didn't need them." He said simply. "They weren't me." They both remained silent for a moment.
"Where did you go?" Phoebe finally spoke.
"Everywhere." Cole replied. "And anywhere. Anywhere but here." He stated. "I've been searching for any possible demons with the power to take over the Underworld." Cole added. When Phoebe gave him a strange look, he finished, "And vanquishing them. You may not believe it, Phoebe, but I am good now."
"I believe it." Phoebe said softly. "I knew it back then as well. That was never the problem."
"What was the problem?" Cole asked.
"I wasn't strong enough. For you. . .for us." Phoebe said, shaking her head slightly. Then, in a bid to change the subject, "The guy that was holding you captive, who was he?" For the first time, Phoebe saw a flicker of fear cross Cole's face. He glanced away.
"He was human. . .with contacts in the Underworld." He spoke, as though his thoughts were far away. "He devoted his life to finding and killing witches. . .except he wasn't a witch hunter." Cole shook his head. He turned to gaze at Phoebe. "He wanted you. . .and your sisters. And the glory that would come with getting rid of the Charmed Ones."
"And you were the only demonic link to us." Phoebe guessed. Cole let out a deep breath before nodding. "So he was using you to try and find us."
"And I don't know if he got anything out of me. I tried so hard--" He broke off. "He was human. . .but he had powers that he's attained from the Underworld. . .and tools. . ."
"I saw him. . .electrocuting you." Phoebe said. She felt her heart aching at seeing ole like this. This wasn't at all like she remembered. The Cole she knew wasn't afraid of anything.
"You saw that?" Cole asked, surprised.
"I thought you realised. . .you started speaking to me." Phoebe said, recalling the moment when she had had the premonition.
"I felt you there. . .but I thought I was imagining it. . ." Cole said softly. Phoebe gave him a smile.
"I was there." She said with a small nod. They shared a moment of silence, and when Phoebe looked up again, Cole was gazing at her intently. "Stop it." She warned.
"What?" He questioned, confused.
"Stop looking at me like that." Phoebe said, suddenly receiving a feeling of de ja vu.
"Like what?" Cole asked softly. He was speaking as though following a script, as though he had spoken them before.
"Like that. . ." Phoebe said. It was then that they both realised where they had heard the conversation. They both smiled. "I thought it was just a dream."
"So did I. . ." Cole said quietly. They gazed at each other. "You woke me up."
Phoebe gave him a small half smile. "I was getting bored." This pleasant moment between them that hadn't been shared for years, was interrupted as blue orbs filled the room. They disappeared, leaving Paige crouched on the ground, bent over Piper, whose shirt was soaked in blood. "Oh my god. . ." She muttered, and rushed over to them. "Piper. . ." She tried to shake Piper awake, but she didn't move.
"What happened?" She questioned Paige desperately.
"Man. . .came. . .stabbed Piper. . ." Paige managed. "I can't heal her. . .I don't have enough power. . ."
"What man?" Cole asked, making Paige jump.
"He was in a suit. . .and he had. . ." Paige broke off as sobs wracked her body. Cole and Phoebe shared a knowing look at the brief definition of the man.
"He found us." Phoebe muttered.
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Well? Review and give me any thoughts. I may not be able to update for a while, exams and all. But I will be back.