Chapter 4: Fundamental Pandemonium

Cole cast an probing glance at Piper and Phoebe holding the cataleptic Paige's hand as he recognised the evil spirit materialising in the middle of the crystal circle, becoming aware of why the sisters wanted him back. The momentary lapse in his concentration was all his attacker needed to jump on him in a glint, wrapping his arms and legs around him in a vice like grip. Now in close range, Cole didn't have to aim his fireball, but simply smashed it onto the imprudent demon's back, killing it with it. Now he stood in the absence of any more foes for the moment, looking in awe at the sisters chanting, evoking all those memories he tried so hard to forget.

"Ashford, Helen, Laura and Grace..." Phoebe said, looking up at him for a second, momentarily flashing a small sympathy smile at him, or was he imaging it or confusing it with recollection?

"Halliwell witches stand strong beside us," all the pain he felt back then when he heard that at his apartment hit him once again and he had to check for his own peace of mind that he wasn't the one standing in the middle of the circle. Nevertheless, the pain kept sinking deeper and deeper, that he felt he had to restrain himself from dropping onto his knees and crying.

"Vanquish this evil..." Phoebe chanted, making his head pound to the extent his vision became unclear. By the time the two witches got to "from time and space," his breathing became shallow, and his mind wasn't registering other than the pain.

"Are you okay?" Piper touched his shoulder, shaking her head.

"What?" Cole looked around, surprised that he was lying on the floor once more, Saroruka was gone, along with everybody else. He was in the room alone with Piper.

"You blanked out," she explained, "what's the problem?"

Cole rubbed his forehead, perplexed, struggling to call to mind how he got there. Some fragments seemed to have been missing, no matter how hard he tried to put everything together, "I...don't get it," he said as soon as he found he was able to utter the words.

"That's understandable," Piper encouraged him softly, "you were dead for a year."

"No, it's not that," Cole knelt up, "that spell, I felt it, maybe it affected me in some way. I think...something is missing. My powers."

"I don't know about that Cole. Leo said it would take a while until you find them again."

"No, I don't think so. The heinous powers I got from the wasteland, they are gone, all I have are innocuous ones. I don't feel them corrupt ones nagging at my soul to use them."

"It would have had such a side effect? We should use that spell a lot more often," Piper joked, smiling at his momentary exhilaration that fleetingly dominated his mood over the sorrow.

"Where's everyone?"

"Oh, Leo is where ever he is nowadays, Paige reversed back to normal as everybody else and went to find Richard, Phoebe went to get hold of Ja...to see if everybody is ok from her work."

"Everybody forgiven, huh?" Cole scorned with some disdain, "for being demons I mean."

"They were only demons for a few hours the most," Piper said quietly, "can you stand? I would offer a seat, but Paige left in a hurry, without using her cleaning up magic. Any housekeeping powers of yours left?"

Cole shook his head, "I 'm afraid I didn't have any."

"I didn't think so. Ah, Chris! Where have you been? If I didn't know that the wayward always come back, I would've sent a search party after you."

"And thanks for derailing Paige," Chris filled in for Piper what she was supposed to say.

"Oh, Cole, this is Chris, our whitelighter, Chris, this is Cole, Phoebe's big bad you must remember from history class."

"Little more than that," Chris gave his hand to the demon and shook it with enthusiasm, pulling him to his feet, "I'm so happy you're here now."

"At least somebody is," Cole looked at Piper questioningly.

"Don't ask me," she shrugged, "he is from the future and not supposed to tell us anything about it. But I would put money on the fact that he was happy to see you," she smiled mischievously, "Chris, you have slipped. Will you be so humanitarian to tell us why is Cole good news? No offence," she glanced on Cole.

"Eee..." Chris started, "let's just say I'm pretty much in a good relationship with...I don't think it would change anything if I said this, Cole's daughter, Grace."

"Grace," Cole echoed, "amazing...not Prace, or anything."

"No," Chris giggled, "but you'll figure it out. Now if you'll excuse me, I need a shower," he orbed out.

"Maybe I should go too," Cole suggested.

"Where would you go?" Piper jumped, "it's late and you're tired. Well, even if you are only alive for an hour or so, you look tired after all that fight and that spell gutting you. I don't wanna be responsible for you going out and doing something you'll regret tomorrow."

"I can see you trust me. But what about Phoebe? She will vanquish me on spot if she sees me."

"What about her? Phoebe is the centre of the universe...not. She'll just have to put up with it. Leo made some deals to get you out and we need you around to implement them."

"Deals, right. It's nothing for free. What do I have to do to atone for everything? Again," he said sardonically.

"There are few demons they want eliminated."

"Oh, great. So now I'm a contract killer. Again."

"Well, not just. They also want you to be a negotiator for reclaiming some property in the Colorado Canyon that is not clear whether it belongs to the underworld or not. And the honour of some whitelighter from the sixteenth century who they maintain was a fierce demon and not a guardian angel."

"You mean Jonathan Phyla? He wasn't exactly a fierce demon, but a passionate one..."

"Oh, for...! Leave it Cole, for now. We're both tired, we both need sleep. And I really need you to do as you are told and go to my room before my son wakes up and I'll have no time for sleep."

"You're room?"

"I think the bedrooms up there are still intact and I don't think anybody else would like to snooze with you. Leo left you in my care, please Cole, I'm all-in."

tbc