Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed or any of the characters.

The future of the world rests on the shoulders of... Cole

One Last Chance

"Whoa, whoa, wait; brother and sister? You mean Brotherhood, right?" Piper tried to clarify.

"No, I mean brother and sister like... siblings." Cole knew he had blown them away, and he actually kind of enjoyed it. "Look, I really don't have time to explain my past; I came here to catch up with them. I haven't seen them once in eighty years with the exception of a couple of seconds about five years ago, so..." He left it at that.

Avril elbowed Cole in the side. "Don't be so rude to women; I'm surprised at you, Cole. You used to be so well mannered when it came to treating the ladies."

"Yes, well that was before I met the Charmed Ones," Cole told.

Kyle snickered under his breath and Cole tried hard not to laugh at his own joke. It was hard, though, because all he could do was stare and Piper's and Phoebe's priceless faces.

"Lacy, take over," Piper told the other bartender. "We're all going to have a little chat." She led them all to the back couches where the Charmed Ones would hang out when they would be waiting for someone. Cole remembered how Phoebe would always be sticking her neck out to look for him - that was before she found out he was Belthazor. He had been so mysterious back then...

...And he still was.

Phoebe, Piper, and Leo had all sat on the three different couches (surprisingly). Cole took the seat next to Phoebe even though he knew she wouldn't like it. He stretched his arm out along the back of the couch almost to where his arm was around Phoebe. She took note of this and just rolled her eyes. She knew that she would have to get along with Cole now that he was her whitelighter, but there was still so much that she didn't understand about the situation. 'Why would the Elders bring Cole back as a whitelighter? Why would they assign him to me? Isn't Leo my whitelighter? Is Leo still my whitelighter?'

Questions like those clouded her mind, and she soon became confused just thinking about them. It was so complex, so complicated. Complicated - Phoebe hated that word. It has caused much damage in her life...

"Alright, Cole, do you wanna clear things up for us?" Piper began the conversation. Cole only looked at Piper. Avril was seated next to her. Avril leaned against Billy who was on the other side of herself, and Piper looked across at Leo and Kyle.

"I know everything, so do I have to stay? This is really uncomfortable," Leo complained.

"What? Leo, you knew?" Piper questioned.

"...Maybe..."

"Leo!"

"Look, Piper, with all-do respect, Cole is good now. He's no threat. In fact, you'll be seeing a lot more of him, now, so I advise you get used to it."

"Leo, when we get home, you and I are having a talk."

"Let's talk now!" Leo screamed.

"Fine, let's," Piper returned. "What's up, Leo? What's been on your mind lately?"

"You never talk to me anymore; you're always working!"

"I never talk to you! I! Leo, you're the one always working! And it's you who's never talking to me! You are always up there and never down here!"

"Well you know what, Piper? It's not fair that you question me. You aren't the only person who depends on me!"

"No, but I do need you the most!"

Everything grew silent inside the miniature cut-out resting place. They could hear the band and the people cheering, but no one dared to say a word; no one dared to move a muscle. Even Cole knew that his sarcasm would just make the situation worse.

He looked at Phoebe who looked back at Cole. He leaned in and whispered: "And here's the uncomfortable silence..."

"Cole!" Phoebe whispered back. She playfully slapped him on the chest. She was trying hard not to crack up.

Leo and Piper excused themselves, and Phoebe felt slightly uneasy. It wasn't the fact that she really didn't know anyone around her; it was just that she was worried for Piper and Leo and where the two spouses were headed. 'They're too good of a couple to split. They're too in love,' Phoebe thought to herself.

Cole stared at the table in front of him. He then looked from Phoebe, to Billy and Avril, to Kyle, and then back to the table. Then he thought to himself: 'This is gonna be a long night...'

x x x

Paige awoke to the screams of a young baby. She knew it was Wyatt; sometimes she just wanted to smother that kid for waking her up so much. Hey, he was only her nephew! 'At least I'm not the mom,' she would think to herself, 'otherwise I'd just feel awful.'

She walked into Piper's room where little Wyatt was crying. The connection between Wyatt and his parents were weird. It's like he knew when everything was fine and when everything was just... hell.

He would cry so many times at night when Piper would have trouble sleeping and Leo would be off just somewhere - anywhere. Leo had to get away lately just to think clearly. He started to think that maybe he and Piper were too new of a couple to have had a kid, let alone a magical one - and all-powerful magical one!

Leo didn't know what to do anymore. He'd try to talk to Piper about things, but she would never open up anymore. It's like she was afraid to get even closer to Leo than she already was. They were newlyweds with a new baby - and things were hard - so hard, in fact, that sometimes Leo and Piper both just felt like screaming.

Paige sighed as she reflected on Leo and Piper's past. She was happy that she got to journey back in time with Phoebe to experience it all - she felt a part of their past, now. But she didn't know why the two just couldn't get along. Lately it had been all work and no play - all fight and no sweet talk. She didn't know who was screwing up such a perfect relationship, but she wanted the fighting and bickering to stop. She was just like Phoebe when it came to Leo and Piper: she didn't want anything to screw it up. And she would stop at nothing until everything was better again.

x x x

Cole sighed deeply. The five just sat there. Cole. Kyle. Phoebe. Avril. Billy. They all ran the names over and over in their heads; they didn't really know what to do. Cole decided he should take the first step since he pretty much knew everyone.

He was about to speak when, to his surprise, Kyle jumped in: "So, Phoebe, what music are you into?"

Phoebe didn't expect anyone to talk, let alone, to her! "Well, I listen to all kinds pretty much. But Flaming Lips is my all-time favorite!"

"They're okaaaaay," said Billy. "But I've always been a U2 kind of guy."

"Guy? Billy, what are you... magically?" Cole asked. He had always wondered, but still had never asked.

"Witch," he began. "Just like Kyle and Avril."

Phoebe's heart stopped. 'If Kyle and Avril are related to Cole, then how come Cole was demon and they're witch?' she thought to herself.

As if Cole knew what she was saying, he began: "Kyle and Avril are my half siblings. My step mom, Dana, was a witch... so was my father, but I'm afraid I took after my mother's side of the family."

"You're father was a witch? But I thought he was human," Phoebe stated.

"Well, you're human, aren't you?" Cole asked. "Besides, even though witches are humans, I told you my father was mortal; I said I was half human. Never said he was human. You just assumed. He could've been... something else..." Cole trailed not even bothering to finish the sentence. He knew he had gotten his point across. "Plus, my father is a bastard who can rot in hell."

Phoebe was taken aback. She knew Cole didn't ever like to talk about his father, but she never knew he didn't like him in general. She decided to leave the subject alone and come back to it later.

"So, Cole, can I ask you a personal question?" Kyle asked his brother.

"I sure hope that wasn't the personal question..."

Kyle only rolled his eyes and took Cole's sarcasm as a yes that he could ask. "Where do you stand on your feelings for Phoebe?"

As if on cue, the Elders called him. "Ah, saved by the Elders. Now I know why Leo puts up with them; they probably get him out of situations like this with Piper." Cole winked at the four before orbing to Heaven.

x x x

"Alright, Piper, tell me what's on your mind," Leo stated as the two were in the backroom.

"What's the point" When I'm in the middle of it, they're just gonna call for you."

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"Leo, this is their way of getting back at us. They're still against us and they always will be! They're trying to break us up a different way; I know it!"

"Then we can't let them," Leo comforted. "Now tell me what's-" He paused. "Damn it!"

"They're calling, aren't they?" Piper intervened. "Oh. my. God. Just further prove my point, why don't you!"

"I'll be back. We're going to finish this," Leo said as he orbed out.

"Yeah right," Piper muttered to herself.

x x x

Leo orbed into a room filled with congregations of both Elders and whitelighters. To his surprise, Cole had gotten there at about the same time as him. They found two open seats and sat next to each other as some other whitelighters and Elders continued to file in despite the fact that they were quickly running out of room.

Cole was a little exasperated at the fact that he was attending his first to be, what he thought, a countless amount of meetings such as this. Though, taking note of the serious look upon Abraham's face, he decided this was a little different than the normal ones.

With that, he leaned toward Leo and whispered: "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure," Leo informed. "The last time we had a meeting such as this, we were up against the source of all evil... and... the... hollow..." Leo trailed as he recalled looking back on Cole's life. He remembered the truth of that situation and felt bad for bringing it up.

Cole assured Leo that he had come to peace with what had happened and was starting a brand new life. "I've gotta find a new place."

"What's wrong with the penthouse?" Leo asked.

"I'm pretty sure someone lives there."

"Why do you say that?"

"Just before orbing here, I ran back to check on something and heard... noises... from the other room..."

Cole left the sentence hanging, and Leo just figured that Cole was implying someone was getting lucky in the bedroom.

"Okay, so you'll have a new place in no time, I'm sure!"

"Well, where am I gonna stay until then?"

Before Leo could answer, Abraham called the meeting to begin. "Silence," Abraham spoke. There was an immediate silence among the room, half comfortable and half nerve-wrecking.

"I've called you all here on important business regarding several areas.

"You Elders know already of the first order of business. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new whitelighter among us - Coleridge Turner - let us welcome him with open arms."

Murmurs spread throughout the crowd, and Cole knew what they were thinking. They all knew of Cole Turner - though still, they called him Belthazor. Some of the whitelighters were appalled at the idea, and some tried to hush those so that they could hear why Abraham decided this.

He continued: "Cole is an important aspect to us for the upcoming... e... event..." He paused to let the whitelighters, once again, whisper among themselves. When he saw the blank look on Leo's and Cole's faces, he cut the gossip time short and continued yet again. "There are events in Cole's life. These events and happenings are vital to us all. With Cole on our side, we will survive; if he is on the other, we will all die."

Cole and Leo both drew their attention back to Abraham. Once Abraham noted he had theirs, he spoke: "Cole is the son of Benjamin Turner. You all know of him. He was a witch at a point in his life; and after that, an Elder - just like me..."

x x x

Phoebe nervously fiddled with her fingers. She had left P3 about an hour ago and was back in her room. She was nervous - nervous about Cole - which she thought to be strange. 'For Pete's sake, get over him!' she thought to herself. Why did things have to be so difficult when you want something so simple? It was love that she wanted and love that she craved for, yearned for - and not just any love, but the love of Cole. Although, love wasn't so simple - it should be, but not when it came to her and Cole. In fact, nothing was simple when it came to her and Cole.

She continued to rant and rave to her sisters that she was over him, but it was clear that she wasn't. She only wished her sisters would see that. They should've figured it out; maybe they had and just wanted to let Phoebe play her little game. 'Maybe not...' Phoebe pondered.

Phoebe laid her head on her pillow. It was cold that night, and Phoebe was so tired. But she couldn't sleep. All she could do was think about...

"Cole," she whispered.

All of the sudden, a man flamed into the room - much like the source did. He looked familiar to Phoebe but it was slightly dark, and the tears caught in her eyes were blurring her vision.

He came upon her without warning, and Phoebe knew the demon was trying to rape her.

Trying to fight back, she began to kick. She began to yell for help, but the evil being muffled it with a hard, cold kiss.

She didn't know why it was happening or what she should do. And the harder she fought the weaker and helpless she became until he was sexually satisfied. He had released himself within her, and she felt it - and she wanted it to go away: that feeling of being used. She ached for help.

And the first person that came to mind was Cole. She closed her eyes and pictured his face; she was calling to him through her heart.

x x x

Abraham dismissed the meeting after he felt they had covered everything from start to finish.

Cole was crying. He had just seen the most crucial parts of his life.

"And one final thing before all of you leave." Abraham had forgotten one important detail. "A new source has risen: Big B."

Cole felt his heart drop. Big B was the most feared demon in all of history - the most powerful, too - and now that he was the source, there was no telling what he could do. Then he felt as if something was wrong - something with Phoebe. He orbed without waiting around for his tears to stop, for his heart was aching with pain.

x x x

Phoebe felt fear and anxiety. Then she saw Cole orb into the room. He saw the man straddling Phoebe and the tears falling from her eyes.

Cole dove to knock the man off, only to realize it was none other than Big B getting sexual thrills off of the one woman Cole has given himself to fully. Big B flamed out before Cole could take a swing at him.

Cole climbed on the bed next to Phoebe, who was crying hysterically. "He raped me..." she told in between breaths and tears.

Cole nodded in affirmation. He wrapped his arms around her and let the tears fall from his cheeks. All Phoebe did was curl up in his arms. She finally felt safe. She finally felt right. But she didn't say anything. She only let him hold her - she let him hold her all night.

And Cole thought to himself: 'It has indeed been a long night.'

x x x

Leo orbed into his and Piper's bedroom. He found her sitting, waiting... for him. "Piper," he spoke, though as much as he tried to talk regularly, it came out as a whisper.

"Leo," she answered, tears falling from her face. When Leo saw her like this, he couldn't help but cry, also. She was his wife, and he was never around. Leo kicked himself for never being around.

When Piper noticed how beaten up Leo looked over their situation, she stood and walked over to him. They couldn't confront each other - they knew each other so well that they didn't have to. Instead, they began with a kiss - a passionate one - which led to making love for the entire night.