Chris coughed and sat up. He looked around for his family members. They were getting themselves together and slowly sitting or standing up. Nobody seemed hurt.
In the centre of the pentagram lay face down the motionless ghost of Cole, his body had apparently been consumed by the explosion.
"It worked", Chris announced satisfied.
"The Source is gone", Phila said touching a small cut on her forehead, "I don't sense any demonic energy".
Curiously they surrounded the figure on the ground.
"You can't kill a ghost with a blast, can you?" Paige asked. She kicked Cole's leg with her shoe to spur some reaction from him but it went right through.
"I'll go up and inform the Elders about what happened", Leo said looking at Wyatt/Phoebe. "Hopefully with the vanquish of the Source they take a lenient view on what you did." He orbed out.
"Since the job is done, I am back to Phoebe's funeral", Piper said, "Do you want to join me Paige?" Her sister nodded and together they orbed out.
Cole was dizzy and disoriented. From far away he heard voices but didn't understand their meaning. He opened his eyes with effort. It took some time for him to comprehend that he was still in the mausoleum. And worse, the Halliwells were obviously standing around him.
It was humiliating to be at their feet so he wanted to get up. But all he could manage was to turn over on his back. Shit. Now they were starring right into his face. Why couldn't they just vanquish him? Did they need to torture him endlessly? He tried to push himself up from the ground but his hands found no resistance. He looked at them.
"Great", he muttered sarcastically, "Now I'm a ghost."
He tried to concentrate on standing up. It finally worked. He crossed his arms on his chest and starred at the remaining Halliwells challenging.
"Looks like your vanquish didn't work all too well", he taunted.
"Quite the opposite", Chris proudly disclosed, „It worked exactly as I planned it."
Cole raised an intrigued eyebrow. "Care to explain that?"
Chris loved to gloat about his plan. "We needed to rescue your soul from the vanquish. Believe me – it wasn't easy to get Aunt Paige's agreement to that". He smirked.
"So Phila and I cast a spell to rip the soul from your body before the vanquish was complete. Phoebe agreed to lure you down here", Chris looked at Wyatt/Phoebe, "and onto the Pentagram"
"A Pentagram?" Cole scanned the ground of the mausoleum. That partly explained why the cage had been strong enough.
"Yeah we also strengthened the crystals. And some Whitelighters took our places at the funeral so we could come here without raising your suspicion. But the most important part was Phoebe possessing Wyatt so we could reconstitute the Power of Three momentarily."
"I understand." He had to admire their inventiveness. "I have to give you credit for that one. I never expected anything like that, and I'm not fooled easily".
"But what do you need me for? Why not vanquish all of me?" Cole asked leery.
Before Chris could answer him, Wyatt/Phoebe stepped closer to Cole. "I thought I could protect my family from you like that."
Cole glared hard at Wyatt/Phoebe. "You betrayed me. You used my love for you against me. You disgraced what we had", he growled becoming louder with every word and then turned away.
"Cole, let me explain!" Wyatt/Phoebe was stirred deeply. He tried to grab Cole's arm but got only air. "Damn ghostly existence", he cursed under his breath.
Cole turned around and said heatedly, "You lied to me all the time. Why should I believe anything you say now?"
Wyatt/Phoebe followed Cole to the other side of the mausoleum. "Just hear me out", he pleaded.
"Go ahead", Cole sighed reluctantly. He knew Phoebe wouldn't give up until she had said what she wanted to. "I preferred it if I hadn't to look at him all the time. Couldn't you just get out?"
Wyatt/Phoebe shook his head embarrassed. "I can't. I'm too nervous right now. I can't concentrate on getting out." He was fidgeting at his place.
"God", Cole shook his head in disbelieve.
"Cole", Wyatt/Phoebe started babbling, "It is true, I lured you down here today. You yourself told me that you couldn't spare my family after my death. I had to protect them from you. But I never lied to you during the last weeks. Everything I did and said to you was genuine. I married you not only to bind your soul to mine, I really wanted to be connected to you again."
He stretched out his hand to touch Cole's face but pulled back as he remembered that it wasn't possible to touch a ghost.
Cole wasn't placated easily. "Why bind my soul to you?" he asked impatiently. It annoyed him to no end to discuss these things with Wyatt.
"I thought your soul would be ripped from your body when I died", Wyatt/Phoebe admitted, "then the Source's powers would be weakened and my sisters would have a better chance of defeating it ..you.. whoever."
He gestured around helplessly then bent nearer towards Cole and whispered conspiratorially to his ear, "and you would be with me, forever, up there". He motioned towards the ceiling.
"Now that's sounds like a plan from Phoebe", Cole taunted nastily.
"What?" Wyatt/Phoebe asked offended.
"One that couldn't work." Cole teased more friendly. Admittedly the plan didn't sound so bad, but still it hadn't worked.
"Phoebe!" Leo's sharp voice attracted their attention. He looked worried and searched the room for Phoebe.
"Here", Wyatt/Phoebe waved at him ashamedly.
"The Elders are really mad at you. I've never seen them like that. We have to go up immediately. No more prowling." He stopped. "Why do you still possess my son?"
"Didn't manage to get out yet", Wyatt/Phoebe said meekly.
"Then get out now", he ordered. Leo closed the distance between him and Wyatt/Phoebe with some quick strides. He took Wyatt/Phoebe at the elbow.
Wyatt/Phoebe looked undecided from Leo to Cole. "Are we ok? Do you forgive me?" he asked Cole tentatively.
Cole gave a small smile. "Guess I shouldn't be the one being hard on you about lying."
He wasn't so bad off after all. She had created a chance for him to spend eternity not all alone but with her. Maybe even up there. Cole Turner was going to heaven – who would have thought of that?
"Out. Now." Leo repeated his command firmly, glaring at Phoebe.
"You don't help me relax, you know!" Wyatt/Phoebe complained wriggling his elbow from Leo's grip.
"Just one thing", Wyatt/Phoebe begged, "I wanna kiss Cole good-bye before we go." Wyatt/Phoebe looked expectantly from Leo to Chris and Phila. "Does someone volunteer to lend Cole their body for a minute?"
Leo and Chris shook their heads vigorously. Phila looked undecided. Finally she stepped next to Wyatt/Phoebe.
She looked at Cole anxiously. "After the kiss, you give it right back to me".
Cole nodded. "I won't hurt you or keep your body, I promise", he said kindly. But he would take the chance to get a glimpse of his daughter's thoughts.
"You are so sweet, thank you." Wyatt/Phoebe hugged Phila exuberantly.
Cole stepped into Phila's body with ease. Phila/Cole stretched her back and limbs like a cat.
"Strange to be in a woman's body", Phila/Cole acknowledged. She looked down her body a little bit confused.
"Prove that you are not mad at me anymore", Wyatt/Phoebe demanded and pulled Phila/Cole in his arms.
Phila/Cole shut her eyes firmly. Cole wasn't keen on looking into Wyatt's eyes while kissing Phoebe. It distracted him considerably from connecting with her.
For Phoebe it was new to be the taller part in the embrace and that she had to bend down to reach Cole's lips instead of tiptoeing. Also the tingling sensation not as usual all over her body but concentrated in her groins amazed her. How did guys manage to go through with any kind of foreplay if a harmless gesture as hugging tightly caused such arousal?
They shared a passionate kiss. Chris pulled a face. Watching Phila and Wyatt kissing fervently was simply disgusting. Leo concentrated on looking at the ground. He thanked god that Piper and Paige weren't here to witness this. They would have eaten him alive because he had allowed it.
"Prove enough?" Phila/Cole breathed roguishly as they parted, her eyes sparkling, cheeks blushed and her breath short.
"Mmh", Wyatt/Phoebe purred, eyelids fluttering and not wanting to let go of the comforting feeling of being close to Cole.
So that was the reason why the Elders were so uptight Phoebe thougt. Apparently if they can't touch they can't relax by being close to someone. Damn it – it looked like it was going to be a very irksome eternity.
"Finally!" Leo was enervated. He patted Wyatt/Phoebe on the back, "let's go." Leo had had enough of the delays.
Phoebe stepped out of Wyatt, who stumbled backwards, slightly nauseas. The kiss had assured her of Cole's love and forgiveness. With this solace Phoebe was ready to face the wrath of the Elders.
Cole stepped out of Phila and Leo grabbed Phila's hand in foresight. As soon as Phila had steadied herself Leo reached for Phoebe and Cole and orbed out with them wordlessly.
Phila looked at Wyatt very embarrassed. From his look she could tell he felt the same. He avoided her eyes deliberately. She had kissed her cousin in way she had never kissed a boy before. She felt overwhelmed by the affection Cole had been able to express in this single kiss.
Wyatt felt awful about the kiss. It had been very awkward to feel all the feelings his dear aunt Phoebe had for Cole. He didn't dare to look in Phila's direction. She surely had felt him become hard as her body had pressed against his.
"Hey guys, get over it already", Chris teased winking at them. "At least you learnt how to do a French kiss from the experts."
tbc