A/N: Great… only two votes. One for Les & one for Cole! Arghhh! Well, hopefully, this will make everyone happy.
Special thanks to:
Prissy-Lady: I'm glad the vacuum thing worked for you. Thanks for all your reviews!
Tima: I have to harass Cole. It's my job. Plus Paige is one of my favorite characters to write about, because my personality is so close to hers. Thanks for all your great reviews!
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Chris and Wyatt orbed into the living room, unknowingly dropping in on their parents sharing an intimate kiss.
"Ugh… Well, Wy, I don't think the demon vanquish was quite as nasty after seeing this." Chris turned his eyes away, embarrassed.
Piper laughed. "Sweetie, relax hun. Your dad has to leave anyway. You're not going to see the good stuff." She tousled his hair as Leo chuckled at his youngest son's embarrassment.
"I'll be back soon. It's just a short meeting. We're assigning new whitelighters their first charges." Leo smiled at his family. He started to orb out, and stopped halfway through. "By the way guys, nice vanquish. You did good."
Wyatt and Chris stood still, completely silent staring at their father's disappearing orbs. While Leo loved them and always encouraged them with their magic, he had always focused more on the whitelighter halves of their work, tending to overlook the witch side. In fact, this was the first time he'd mentioned a vanquish since their first vanquish together when Chris had been 14. They worked together to save Piper and their aunts from the future that the Future Chris had warned them about so many years ago.
Piper walked up to her boys, ready to give them both a hug. Even though they were fully grown and capable, they were still hers, and she had to cuddle and take care of them when they got back from fighting evil. She took a quick step back. "Oh my God, boys. What is that smell?" Her eyes were watering at the stench coming off her boys.
"Well Mom, it was a particularly gory vanquish. We had ooze, demon blood, puss, and smoke. It wasn't a fun day." Wyatt explained.
"Yeah, Uncle Cole even turned green for a minute or two. I thought he might pass out!" Chris gleefully added.
"Uncle Cole?" Piper questioned.
"Oh. Um. I mean, Cole. Sorry. I have a hard time separating the Cole from my other life with this Cole." Chris said softly.
"You knew Cole in your other life?" Wyatt questioned, wondering why Chris hadn't brought it up before.
"Yeah. He and Phoebe were married. They were blissfully happy, at least until the Shenzy demons killed Aunt Phoebe. Then Cole just dedicated his existence to keeping the family safe."
"We were married… and happy? Really happy, Chris? Not the fake happy that you show to everyone even though inside you're miserable? Cole was good?" Phoebe spoke up, having come down the stairs without anyone hearing her.
"Aunt Phoebe. Yes to all of it. You were truly happy. See in the other lifeline, Les didn't exist. You never took a break from 'Ask Phoebe' and he never came to town. You were still in love with Uncle Cole. You guys were married for almost 20 years. You both were completely and utterly devoted to each other. In fact, your love was legendary throughout the magical community. A demon and a Charmed One- blissfully happy."
Wyatt hugged his aunt as they listened to Chris. Hearing about the changed future always gave him goosebumps as he heard how he had treated the people that he cherished in this lifetime.
"Then after mom got killed, and Wyatt turned evil, things just changed. A demon killed Aunt Paige and then another killed you. Without the Power of Three, your powers failed you. Since Cole was technically still a demon, Evil Wyatt expected him to be under his rule. But Uncle Cole knew that even though he might be part demon, it was truly Wyatt who was wholly demonic. After Wyatt stood by and let our cousin, Penny be killed by one of his messenger demons as a , Uncle Cole actively joined me in the Resistance against Wyatt. When I came to the future, Uncle Cole was killed protecting my portal. A demon called Timkus killed him as Cole protected me. Uncle Cole was good and honest. You had a life that you were proud of. Whatever happens in this lifeline, you had an everlasting love in another timeline- one where love was unheard of in the midst of evil and deception." Chris was slightly hoarse by the time he was done. His throat was thick as he fought the tears that threatened.
"Chris. Thank you. You just helped me more than you will ever know. Thank you." Phoebe was crying, but smiling at the same time.
"Chris… Aunt Phoebe. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Wyatt choked out, unable to believe that he'd let one of his cousins be killed to prove a point.
"Wyatt. Knock it off. You didn't kill our cousin, and you didn't hurt anyone. That other you wasn't you. I've told you that before. Quit apologizing. You did nothing except be a good brother, nephew, cousin & son this time. So don't worry about the past, we've already fixed it." Chris stated, annoyed.
"You fixed it Chris. I don't know if I've ever said thank you for that, but in case I haven't. Thanks, bro. Thanks for not letting me be evil." Wyatt gave his younger brother a crooked grin.
"Yeah, well, dirty job, but someone had to do it." Chris joked flatly, internally still shuddering at recalling catching his mother with Greg the Fireman in his stay in the past.
"Ok, guys. Not to be a mom or anything here, but Upstairs. Now. Showers. Both of you. I can't stand the smell of either of you anymore. Go!" Piper scooted her boys out with a wave of her hands, just like she did when they were still shorter than her.
Chris and Wyatt nodded and grinned, heading up the stairs to the showers. Piper glanced at her sister. "Are you ok?" She asked quietly.
"Yeah. I think for the first time since Cole showed up, I am. Thanks, Piper." The sisters hugged, and Phoebe walked into the kitchen.
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Cole approached the door to the Halliwell Manor slowly. He wasn't totally sure he wanted to go back in. But he had given Wyatt & Chris his word. Even though he was a demon, he really didn't want to break it. He rang the doorbell.
Piper opened the door, a surprised look on her face. "Cole? Why didn't you just shimmer in?"
He snorted. "What? And give your baby sister and her little witchlings a chance to blow me up?"
"It's not like it kills you. You always come back." Piper reasoned.
"Maybe so, but it still hurts like hell. And I know hell remember? You three sent me there!" he burst out.
"Cole…You're here. Piper, can you leave us alone for a few minutes, please?" Phoebe asked.
Piper nodded, and headed upstairs to look for Paige. She didn't need to be telepathic to know that if Paige saw Cole downstairs, she'd immediately start a fight with him.
"Phoebe. I can't stay. I just wanted to let Chris & Wyatt know that their vanquish was real. The sextet is gone for good."
"Good, good. That's good. Listen, Cole. I just wanted to tell you something. Chris told me earlier that we were in love and married in his other lifetime. You were good. And we were happy. Looks like our love really is true." Cole started to smile.
"Wait, I'm not finished. My love for Les is also true. That one is in this timeline. I'll love you forever, Cole. But for now, at least, I have Les and my kids. That has to come first. Maybe sometime… I mean, you're immortal. You're not going to die anytime soon. But for now, I have to stay here with them."
Cole swallowed hard. "I know. And I'll be waiting. Like I said before, you can't kill what you most love. And I most love you, Phoebe. You let me know when we're ok to be together. Just call me. I'll be here." He kissed her forehead softly, and shimmered out of the Manor.
Phoebe started to sob until she felt arms go around her, hugging her tightly. "It's ok, Aunt Phoebe. Nothing is set in stone in this family. You'll have Cole again. It's only a matter of time. I should know." Chris gave her his trademark grin and hugged her again.