Author's note: I know this chapter is short, but I had to stop it at this point, else it would have been too long and I certainly couldn't have finished it tonight - or this week... For those who are interested: Chris will play an important role in this story. After watching the sixth season for real (because after the many stupid things they did in season 5, I was so fed up and angrywith 'Charmed' that I stopped watching it regularly) I decided that he was quite an interesting character. (But they killed him off as well - I absolutely don't understand those people!)But never mind me - on to the story!

Chapter 3.

"Hey! Is somebody home?" Piper shouted as soon as she walked into the house.

"What happened?" Paige ran down the stairs.

"Uh… I'm glad it's you!"

"Why? What happened?" she asked again.

"I'm not sure… but I need you to come with me right now… Chris!" she shouted then and their whitelighter showed up instantly. "I need you to take care of Wyatt for a while."

"I'm not your babysitter…" the young man grumbled but took the baby from Piper, anyway. "Where are you going?"

"We have some business to attend" she answered and waved at Paige impatiently. "Can we go?"

"Of course" her younger sister seemed to be surprised by her flagrant behavior but she followed her obediently. Only outside did she start to ask questions.

"What's going on? And where are we going?"

Piper told her quickly what happened earlier.

"I think that man might be Cole…"

"You mean as in Phoebe's Cole?"

"Yes."

"But…"

"I know."

"I don't understand… if he's alive then why wouldn't he show up for a year?"

"I don't know Paige! I'm not even sure that it was him… but he didn't really look like himself. That man looked rather ragged and strange. Like there were not everything all right up there, you know."

"Maybe it was a demon. This might be a trick, as well."

"Do you think that a demon would give Wyatt back just so? And Wyatt wouldn't orb to a demon in the first place. It was as if he had wanted to show me that stranger."

"But Wyatt can't remember Cole!"

"Sometimes I think that he knows more than anyone of us. Anyway, it's worth a try… I couldn't be calm if I didn't take a better look at him."

"Okay, and how do you want to find him?"

"We are here!" Piper stopped suddenly in front of the tunnel entrance.

"Here?"

"Yes. I saw him go in."

There were two elderly men sitting next to entrance on a rock, smoking.

"Excuse me!" Piper addressed them. They looked up and it was obvious that they had a few drinks already. "We are looking for somebody: tall man, has long dark hair and a beard."

"Every single man has a beard here, lady" one of men chuckled. "We don't have a bathroom for shaving."

The other one laughed loudly.

"I see. Never mind."

Piper stepped inside determined and Paige followed her with little bit more hesitation.

"Do you think that this is a good idea?"

"I could freeze them any moment" she whispered.

"Oh, right."

Inside were quite a lot of people and Piper stepped to a woman this time, asking the same question. The woman only shook her head in answer. The third guy didn't know anything either.

Then a man in his fifties, who looked more sober and more clean than the others spoke up.

"I think I know the guy you're looking for!"

"Really? Could you lead us to him?"

"He's my neighbor" he said with a bitter smile. "I mean he sleeps next to me. Not a fun companion, if you ask me!"

"And why is that?"

"He's not too great at conversations… Do you know him?"

"Maybe, we are not sure yet. How long has he been here around?"

"Not long. Few weeks maybe… we are here."

They stopped next to a small tabernacle, the ground was covered with papers and some rags and there was an open and halfway eaten can of something.

"This is his place, but he isn't here" he stated the obvious.

"We will wait then" Piper decided.

The man only shrugged and sheered off.

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They've been waiting quite long in the dimly illuminated tunnel and Paige started to get a headache. Piper was pacing back and forth impatiently while Paige sat down on a piece of newspaper.

"Maybe we should come back another time."

"I don't know. Let's wait half an hour and then we can go, okay?"

"Why not? I have nothing better to do than sit in a dark, wet and stinking tunnel…"

In that moment they heard approaching footsteps and both looked in the direction. A man appeared at the corner, carrying a small paper bag. Then he saw the two women and stopped abruptly. Paige thought for a moment that he would turn and run away. He looked like a deer caught in the headlight.

"Please, don't go away!" Piper said quietly, she obviously thought the same as Paige. She slowly stepped closer and studied the stranger in the dim light.

"It's really you! What are you doing here? Why didn't you come home? Do you know how Phoebe is suffering because of your death!"

Paige saw that Piper lost her nerves but also saw the panicking look on the man's face. He took a step backwards and the paper-bag fell from his hands. An apple rolled out of it.

"Piper! You will scare him away" she said quietly, stepped closer and put a hand on her sister's shoulder. Then turned to the man. He really looked like Cole, she had to admit.

"Cole?" she asked in her best social-worker voice, nice and sympathetic. "Do you recognize us?"

He turned at her and she almost could read the question from his eyes: Should I know you? But he didn't say a word.

"Can you understand what I'm saying?" she asked next.

That strange look in his eyes, that was quite familiar – she saw this in drug-addicts… and also in traumatized people quite often during his time at the social-service. This confused, lost and frightened look. She didn't know what could have happened to him, but Piper was right: he was not like his old self.

This time he answered with a slight nod, then bent down and picked up the apple and the bag, but meanwhile he didn't take his eyes off of the women. As if they would oppose some danger to him. He walked to his sleeping place, carefully avoiding to go too close to them.

"You could come home with us… You would be safe there…"

He didn't react just started to rummage around in his things.

"Hey, Cole!" Paige tried again. "Wouldn't you want to sleep in a bed? Taking a shower maybe? You don't have to stay there if you don't want to…"

"Phoebe would be there" Piper put in and hearing the name Cole visibly tensed.

Then he must have found what he was looking for because he turned to them again with a small, mussy piece of paper in his hand. He hesitantly held it out to the girls. It was some drawing.

"What is that? Did you draw it?" Paige asked.

Piper took it carefully and gasped. Paige bent over to see it clearly. It was a drawing, not a masterpiece but recognizable. It was a portrait of Phoebe.

"So, you remember Phoebe?" Piper asked gently. "She is there, just come with us. You know that she is a friend…"

Cole slowly nodded. His continuing silence was rather disquieting for Paige.

"Then come" Piper said and touching his arm she led Cole out of dark tunnel.

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