Chapter 6
(Following Cole's quotes are taken from the episodes of season 5.)
"I'll keep my distance but I'm not going away. My love for you hasn't changed. It kept me alive in the Wasteland, it led me back to you."
"You don't have to say anything. All you have to do to free yourself is admit how you truly feel about me. In your heart."
"Unless you learn to trust yourself again, you'll never learn to trust me."
"You have no idea what I've given up for you."
"What happened to us, Phoebe? How'd we get here? We used to be so in love. Even without your sisters, it's not working. Why?"
"I didn't go through all this to lose you, Phoebe. If I'm going down, you're going down with me."
(Following scene is taken from the episode "Centennial Charmed".)
"The Power of Three."
"That's us!" Paige exclaims. "Potion! I do hate long goodbyes," she goes to throw the potion.
Phoebe stops her. "No!" she takes the potion from Paige.
"Phoebe, are you crazy?" Paige exclaims. "Throw it before he shimmers out!"
Cole looks at Phoebe. "She's not gonna throw it. Are you?"
"Throw the potion," Phoebe hears Paige's voice.
Cole looks in Phoebe's eyes. "We've been through so much together, haven't we? Our love is so strong, nothing can destroy it, not even this. We're meant to be together."
"I don't think so," Phoebe raises her hand to throw the potion.
"No!" Phoebe woke up with a load scream. She breathed heavily and wiped away the sweat from her forehead. "Oh, God… It was just a dream…"
Phoebe drowsily got out of her bed and went straight to the bathroom. He got a cool shower to fully wake up. She hadn't sleep well and still felt tired. She had dreamed about Cole the whole night, all kind of dreams that are possible. After a shower, she dressed up.
So, Phoebe, now only a make-up and you can put on your mask again. You can start act a happy, absolutely normal and pleased girl again. You've to convince your sisters and everyone else that you're all right. And better, if you could convince also yourself.
Dressed up, she went out the bathroom and almost fainted. Her mouth opened and her eyes became wide.
"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed.
In front of her stood Cole.
At first she thought it's a dream or at least imagination, but when the imagine didn't disappear, she had to admit that it really happens.
"Oh, my God," she repeated and instinctively started to go backwards.
"Phoebe…"
"No!" she exclaimed. "It can't be!" then she fainted in Cole's hands.
When Phoebe started to revive and faintly opened her eyes, the first thing she saw Cole's worried face right over hers.
"Phoebe, are you okay?"
"Oh, God," she mumbled. "Cole…"
Cole couldn't stop looking at her. How softly she says my name… Her beautiful eyes… Her tender lips… Would she protest if I kiss her right now?
Phoebe couldn't constrain her to get up or at least reject him. He's alive and he's so close… His soft lips are so close to mine… Will he kiss me? Would I protest?
Cole hawed. "Phoebe, listen to me."
Phoebe shivered, seeing his so well known face, eyes, lips, manful chin… Still breathing heavily from the shock, she went to her bed. "I-I think I'll better s-sit down."
Cole didn't say anything. He didn't even move. His look was like transfixed to Phoebe, and he couldn't stop looking at her. Oh, God, how much he loved her! How much he wanted to touch her!
"Phoebe, I'm alive," Cole said, understanding well how idiotic it sounds. "Some kind of angels saved my life, because my destiny has been changed. I'm different now, because my evil side stayed in the hell."
"Is that some kind of a cruel joke?" Phoebe asked, and her voice sounded almost hysterical. "Is that a trap or just a show for hurting me? Cole's dead. You can't be Cole."
"Phoebe," Cole quietly said, looking in her eyes. "Do you really think it's not me? You're the person who knows me the best. Do you really think it's a joke?"
Phoebe shivered and turned away.
"I can't believe in it," she whispered.
Meanwhile, Piper came into Phoebe's room and froze in the doorway.
"Oh, my God!" her reaction was exactly the same as Phoebe's. "Oh, my God!"
"Piper, please, just don't freeze me," Cole sighed. "Let me explain, please."
"No, no, no!" Piper nervously exclaimed. "I have no idea how you survived but GET OFF right now!"
"Piper, I have to speak seriously," Cole tried to explain.
Piper coldly interrupted her. "I already speak seriously and I warn you - if you won't vamoose away from our house, we're gonna vanquish your sorry ass once and forever!"
"I don't think so," a peacefully voice said, and they all turned to the speaker. It was Amistad.
"Who the hell are you?" Piper impatiently asked.
"Girls, could you just calm down and call Paige so I can tell you everything?" Amistad suggested. "You'll have to listen to us, you want it or not."
~ ~ ~
"That's bad," Paige declared.
"Very bad," Piper agreed.
Paige winced. "Do we really need his help?" she gave Cole a disdainful look. "Well, mister Amistad, I don't really know if you're informed that we vanquished him two times and now our main wish would be to do the same third time."
"Paige, you have no reason to vanquish him one more time," Amistad shortly smiled. "As I said, he's fully good now."
"Nice," Paige winced. "So we'll have to bear him, accept him and even work together with him? Hey, mister Angel, don't you think that's too much?"
Amistad smiled patiently. He had told them everything - about Cole's returning to the life, about Underworld plans, about symbols of four elements and the oncoming mission. Halliwell sisters took all these news even better than he had expected, and Amistad didn't worry about their bad relations with Cole. He already knew a bit of the future, and that made him peaceful and smooth.
"Girls, I understand well that you're still very distracted…" he said.
"Not even the right word," Piper mumbled. "I mean, the whole last year he ceaselessly tried to spoil our lives. He is… well, at least was absolutely crazy! He even wanted a demon to mummify Phoebe! He altered reality and destroyed the Power of Three! And he did such things so soon that we even started to get accustomed! He destroyed my sister's life and tried to destroy also our lives time after time! I'm sorry, mister Amistad, as much as I'd like to help I'd like to kick his ass right now!"
Cole sighed. "Piper, I never wanted to do anything bad. When I was evil, I couldn't control myself, but it wasn't my real face. This is my real face."
"Maybe you're right," Piper agreed. "I can understand that your evil side stayed in the hell forever. I can understand that you're the Chosen for saving the world. And I can understand that you need our help, because when there's something about the crack of doom, we're always in. But the thing I can't understand is - why we have to work together with you? Maybe you're really good and so and so, and so, but it really doesn't change anything. You've maltreated us too much, and we won't ever be able to forget you."
"She's right," Paige added. "I mean, okay, we can let him live. We can acquiesce that we won't be able to vanquish him third time. We can understand that he's good, he's the Chosen and so on. But it doesn't mean that we'll let him into our lives again. No, no, no, mister Angel, that's over. I think we all would be very happy if we could never see him again."
Cole kept silence, and so did Phoebe. She didn't or couldn't say even a word.
"I understand your feelings," Amistad soothingly said. "But this is the mission, which can be done only by Cole and one of the Charmed Ones. I think it's not the real time to think about your difficulties, because the whole world is under a huge risk. Girls, calm down, it's just a mission, just a work. You have to do this and then you'll be able to start clearing things up between you all."
Piper deeply inhaled. "Alright, we're in. I think I have to do this. I'm the eldest sister, and it's me who has to do this mission together with Cole."
"No, no, no, Piper!" Paige categorically exclaimed. "Piper, are you crazy? You're pregnant, you can't take such a risk right now!" she fell silent and then quietly said: "I think I'm the one who has to do this."
"Paige, you deadly hate him," Piper disagreed. "You two will kill each other already until the end of this day. You two can't work together, that's absolutely impossible."
"I will go."
Both Piper and Paige surprised looked at Phoebe.
"Pheebs… No, no, no," Piper whispered.
"After all you went through because of him?" Paige didn't even try to cover her unbelief. "Phoebe, no, you don't have to do it."
"I have," Phoebe strictly said. "Paige, you can't go, because Piper's right - you both will kill each other earlier than find the first sign. Piper can't go, because she's pregnant. I have to do this."
"God," Paige sighed. "I'm getting a headache…"
"All will be fine with me," Phoebe gave her a short smile and then looked at Cole. "He couldn't hurt me more than he already has."
Cole felt a painful bite that overshadowed his enjoyment that Phoebe is the one who will join their mission.
Amistad hawed. "Okay, so, everything's clear, I guess. You have to start your way as soon as possible. Phoebe, pack your bags or whatever you want to take with you. Piper, make them some sandwiches or something like that. Cole, angels packed this bag for you," he gave him a small bag. "There are all things you could need on your way."
Cole nodded. "Thank you."
~ ~ ~
After a couple of hours they were ready. Piper and Paige both hugged Phoebe and gave her quiet advices what to do.
"Remember, it's just a work," Piper whispered. "You'll do it and return home to live normal life again. Just some days, honey. Will you be able to take it?"
Phoebe nodded. She was pallid but decisive.
"Alright," Amistad said. "You've to go away right now. Cole, take her hand and shimmer… somewhere. I mean, don't choose a goal, just let the wind bring you somewhere. Remember, follow the signs and everything will be alright."
"Okay," Cole agreed and looked at Phoebe. He tried to make his voice sound normal. "Hold my hand."
Phoebe put her hand in his, trying not to look at him. They shimmered away.
Amistad smiled. "So, so, so… I've no idea how are they gonna make it… But I'm sure they will find the right way… Bless you, my children."
Paige sighed. "Know what, mister Angel, we hadn't any other choice, but if this bastard hurts my sister one more time, we'd kick his ass no matter how good or evil he is!"
(Following Cole's quotes are taken from the episodes of season 5.)
"I'll keep my distance but I'm not going away. My love for you hasn't changed. It kept me alive in the Wasteland, it led me back to you."
"You don't have to say anything. All you have to do to free yourself is admit how you truly feel about me. In your heart."
"Unless you learn to trust yourself again, you'll never learn to trust me."
"You have no idea what I've given up for you."
"What happened to us, Phoebe? How'd we get here? We used to be so in love. Even without your sisters, it's not working. Why?"
"I didn't go through all this to lose you, Phoebe. If I'm going down, you're going down with me."
(Following scene is taken from the episode "Centennial Charmed".)
"The Power of Three."
"That's us!" Paige exclaims. "Potion! I do hate long goodbyes," she goes to throw the potion.
Phoebe stops her. "No!" she takes the potion from Paige.
"Phoebe, are you crazy?" Paige exclaims. "Throw it before he shimmers out!"
Cole looks at Phoebe. "She's not gonna throw it. Are you?"
"Throw the potion," Phoebe hears Paige's voice.
Cole looks in Phoebe's eyes. "We've been through so much together, haven't we? Our love is so strong, nothing can destroy it, not even this. We're meant to be together."
"I don't think so," Phoebe raises her hand to throw the potion.
"No!" Phoebe woke up with a load scream. She breathed heavily and wiped away the sweat from her forehead. "Oh, God… It was just a dream…"
Phoebe drowsily got out of her bed and went straight to the bathroom. He got a cool shower to fully wake up. She hadn't sleep well and still felt tired. She had dreamed about Cole the whole night, all kind of dreams that are possible. After a shower, she dressed up.
So, Phoebe, now only a make-up and you can put on your mask again. You can start act a happy, absolutely normal and pleased girl again. You've to convince your sisters and everyone else that you're all right. And better, if you could convince also yourself.
Dressed up, she went out the bathroom and almost fainted. Her mouth opened and her eyes became wide.
"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed.
In front of her stood Cole.
At first she thought it's a dream or at least imagination, but when the imagine didn't disappear, she had to admit that it really happens.
"Oh, my God," she repeated and instinctively started to go backwards.
"Phoebe…"
"No!" she exclaimed. "It can't be!" then she fainted in Cole's hands.
When Phoebe started to revive and faintly opened her eyes, the first thing she saw Cole's worried face right over hers.
"Phoebe, are you okay?"
"Oh, God," she mumbled. "Cole…"
Cole couldn't stop looking at her. How softly she says my name… Her beautiful eyes… Her tender lips… Would she protest if I kiss her right now?
Phoebe couldn't constrain her to get up or at least reject him. He's alive and he's so close… His soft lips are so close to mine… Will he kiss me? Would I protest?
Cole hawed. "Phoebe, listen to me."
Phoebe shivered, seeing his so well known face, eyes, lips, manful chin… Still breathing heavily from the shock, she went to her bed. "I-I think I'll better s-sit down."
Cole didn't say anything. He didn't even move. His look was like transfixed to Phoebe, and he couldn't stop looking at her. Oh, God, how much he loved her! How much he wanted to touch her!
"Phoebe, I'm alive," Cole said, understanding well how idiotic it sounds. "Some kind of angels saved my life, because my destiny has been changed. I'm different now, because my evil side stayed in the hell."
"Is that some kind of a cruel joke?" Phoebe asked, and her voice sounded almost hysterical. "Is that a trap or just a show for hurting me? Cole's dead. You can't be Cole."
"Phoebe," Cole quietly said, looking in her eyes. "Do you really think it's not me? You're the person who knows me the best. Do you really think it's a joke?"
Phoebe shivered and turned away.
"I can't believe in it," she whispered.
Meanwhile, Piper came into Phoebe's room and froze in the doorway.
"Oh, my God!" her reaction was exactly the same as Phoebe's. "Oh, my God!"
"Piper, please, just don't freeze me," Cole sighed. "Let me explain, please."
"No, no, no!" Piper nervously exclaimed. "I have no idea how you survived but GET OFF right now!"
"Piper, I have to speak seriously," Cole tried to explain.
Piper coldly interrupted her. "I already speak seriously and I warn you - if you won't vamoose away from our house, we're gonna vanquish your sorry ass once and forever!"
"I don't think so," a peacefully voice said, and they all turned to the speaker. It was Amistad.
"Who the hell are you?" Piper impatiently asked.
"Girls, could you just calm down and call Paige so I can tell you everything?" Amistad suggested. "You'll have to listen to us, you want it or not."
~ ~ ~
"That's bad," Paige declared.
"Very bad," Piper agreed.
Paige winced. "Do we really need his help?" she gave Cole a disdainful look. "Well, mister Amistad, I don't really know if you're informed that we vanquished him two times and now our main wish would be to do the same third time."
"Paige, you have no reason to vanquish him one more time," Amistad shortly smiled. "As I said, he's fully good now."
"Nice," Paige winced. "So we'll have to bear him, accept him and even work together with him? Hey, mister Angel, don't you think that's too much?"
Amistad smiled patiently. He had told them everything - about Cole's returning to the life, about Underworld plans, about symbols of four elements and the oncoming mission. Halliwell sisters took all these news even better than he had expected, and Amistad didn't worry about their bad relations with Cole. He already knew a bit of the future, and that made him peaceful and smooth.
"Girls, I understand well that you're still very distracted…" he said.
"Not even the right word," Piper mumbled. "I mean, the whole last year he ceaselessly tried to spoil our lives. He is… well, at least was absolutely crazy! He even wanted a demon to mummify Phoebe! He altered reality and destroyed the Power of Three! And he did such things so soon that we even started to get accustomed! He destroyed my sister's life and tried to destroy also our lives time after time! I'm sorry, mister Amistad, as much as I'd like to help I'd like to kick his ass right now!"
Cole sighed. "Piper, I never wanted to do anything bad. When I was evil, I couldn't control myself, but it wasn't my real face. This is my real face."
"Maybe you're right," Piper agreed. "I can understand that your evil side stayed in the hell forever. I can understand that you're the Chosen for saving the world. And I can understand that you need our help, because when there's something about the crack of doom, we're always in. But the thing I can't understand is - why we have to work together with you? Maybe you're really good and so and so, and so, but it really doesn't change anything. You've maltreated us too much, and we won't ever be able to forget you."
"She's right," Paige added. "I mean, okay, we can let him live. We can acquiesce that we won't be able to vanquish him third time. We can understand that he's good, he's the Chosen and so on. But it doesn't mean that we'll let him into our lives again. No, no, no, mister Angel, that's over. I think we all would be very happy if we could never see him again."
Cole kept silence, and so did Phoebe. She didn't or couldn't say even a word.
"I understand your feelings," Amistad soothingly said. "But this is the mission, which can be done only by Cole and one of the Charmed Ones. I think it's not the real time to think about your difficulties, because the whole world is under a huge risk. Girls, calm down, it's just a mission, just a work. You have to do this and then you'll be able to start clearing things up between you all."
Piper deeply inhaled. "Alright, we're in. I think I have to do this. I'm the eldest sister, and it's me who has to do this mission together with Cole."
"No, no, no, Piper!" Paige categorically exclaimed. "Piper, are you crazy? You're pregnant, you can't take such a risk right now!" she fell silent and then quietly said: "I think I'm the one who has to do this."
"Paige, you deadly hate him," Piper disagreed. "You two will kill each other already until the end of this day. You two can't work together, that's absolutely impossible."
"I will go."
Both Piper and Paige surprised looked at Phoebe.
"Pheebs… No, no, no," Piper whispered.
"After all you went through because of him?" Paige didn't even try to cover her unbelief. "Phoebe, no, you don't have to do it."
"I have," Phoebe strictly said. "Paige, you can't go, because Piper's right - you both will kill each other earlier than find the first sign. Piper can't go, because she's pregnant. I have to do this."
"God," Paige sighed. "I'm getting a headache…"
"All will be fine with me," Phoebe gave her a short smile and then looked at Cole. "He couldn't hurt me more than he already has."
Cole felt a painful bite that overshadowed his enjoyment that Phoebe is the one who will join their mission.
Amistad hawed. "Okay, so, everything's clear, I guess. You have to start your way as soon as possible. Phoebe, pack your bags or whatever you want to take with you. Piper, make them some sandwiches or something like that. Cole, angels packed this bag for you," he gave him a small bag. "There are all things you could need on your way."
Cole nodded. "Thank you."
~ ~ ~
After a couple of hours they were ready. Piper and Paige both hugged Phoebe and gave her quiet advices what to do.
"Remember, it's just a work," Piper whispered. "You'll do it and return home to live normal life again. Just some days, honey. Will you be able to take it?"
Phoebe nodded. She was pallid but decisive.
"Alright," Amistad said. "You've to go away right now. Cole, take her hand and shimmer… somewhere. I mean, don't choose a goal, just let the wind bring you somewhere. Remember, follow the signs and everything will be alright."
"Okay," Cole agreed and looked at Phoebe. He tried to make his voice sound normal. "Hold my hand."
Phoebe put her hand in his, trying not to look at him. They shimmered away.
Amistad smiled. "So, so, so… I've no idea how are they gonna make it… But I'm sure they will find the right way… Bless you, my children."
Paige sighed. "Know what, mister Angel, we hadn't any other choice, but if this bastard hurts my sister one more time, we'd kick his ass no matter how good or evil he is!"