A/N: I'm really glad you liked the fight scene. I had a hard time writing it, because I find it very difficult to write this parallel and quick actions. Thanks for letting me know you appreciated it!

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Aftermath

"Leo," Piper called faintly, black spots dancing before her eyes, "Leo."

Leo orbed in immediately with Paige on his heels. It had taken some time to heal Paige. It had almost been too late the moment he had rescued her from the attic.

"Oh my God!" Paige exclaimed as she saw the destruction at the attic. She hurried to Phoebe's side.

"Leo, she is barely breathing," Paige called Leo who had scrambled down next to Piper first.

"Go," Piper advised him and waved him away, "I'll be fine. She needs you more."

Leo nodded and hurried over to Phoebe.

"Cole," Piper looked at the corner where his body was. She tried to get up but her leg gave away and she fell down again. "Damn". Piper decided to crawl on all four. She reached Cole and turned him on his back. He looked very battered.

"Cole?" she asked, slapping him softly on the cheeks, "can you hear me?"

She didn't get any response at all. He was out cold. She crawled forward some more and lent her back against the wall. She extended her legs, to get into a comfortable position somehow, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in her leg. Then she pulled on his shoulders to get his head into her lap.

"Cole," she addressed him bending down near to his head.

She watched him with growing concern. He used to be self-healing. Why hadn't the healing process started already?

His eyes fluttered open, a confused and not totally conscious expression in them. It took some seconds before he focused his glance on Piper's face.

"Hi," Piper said softly.

"Grace?" he choked out with a very quiet and faint voice.

Piper smiled assuring at him, "she is safe. Zankou is gone."

A faint smile appeared on his face. Then his face twitched and it was like he tried to move his head but was too weak for it.

His eyes found Piper's again, "Phoebe?"

Piper looked up at Leo and Paige healing Phoebe then looked back at Cole.

"She will be ok," she assured him.

"Good." It was almost non-audible and his eyes got some distant look in them. That scared Piper and she called out to Leo.

"Leo! Cole needs some healing too. Hurry up."

Towards Cole she encouraged, "Don't give up Cole. You have to fight. Fight for your daughter. She needs you."

Piper watched as his glance got glassy and his eyes rolled back. She wanted to yell for Leo again, but at this moment he kneeled down besides her, holding his hands over Cole's chest. The golden glow emitted from his hands and it looked like Cole's body was sucking it up hungrily.

Leo looked concentrated on his task. Piper watched him closely. After some seconds a concerned look came to Leo's face and he furrowed his brows.

"I don't know what is wrong. He is not reacting to my healing."

He looked at Piper. She looked back at him aghast.

"Paige, come on. You have to help Leo," she ordered her sister.

Paige let go of Phoebe, whom she had helped sit up and hurried to Leo's side.

"Take my hand Paige, let's try it together again," Leo said, taking one of Paige's hands and holding the other over Cole's chest. Paige followed suit.

The golden glow emitting this time was stronger and brighter but it vanished into Cole's body without changing his condition. But Leo was not about to give up. He closed his eyes concentrating very hard and putting every ounce of his White lighter magic into the process. Drops of sweat appeared on his forehead and his hands started shaking.

Paige looked very tense and Piper could see the effort on her determined face too. Then suddenly the light vanished and Leo opened his eyes. A sad and defeated look in them.

"We can't help him, Piper," he told his wife. Paige nodded gravely.

Piper stared at them for some moments and then down on Cole.

"He is going to die?" she asked unbelievingly.

As soon as she had finished the sentence Phoebe shrieked at the other side of the room.

"Cole!"

Phoebe had been dizzy after the healing and had stayed sitting at her place. She had only remotely noticed that Piper had called Leo and Paige to heal Cole. But Piper's words had rung through to her.

"He is going to die!"

She jumped up and ran over to them and crouched down next to Piper, looking down at Cole. Her heart was beating frantically. Hesitantly she touched his cheek. It felt cold and sweaty.

She lifted her glance at Leo pleading, "You have to heal him Leo."

Sadly he shook his head, "Its not within my power Phoebe. Paige and I tried our best. He is not responding to it. We don't know what he is exactly and what is wrong with him."

Phoebe shook her head in desperation and denial, "Leo, please." She muttered the words again and again.

"He is a magician," Piper whispered a wet gleam covering her eyes. Her hand reached out and she stroked Cole's shoulder tenderly, "and he saved us. He saved the kids."

"I thought he had betrayed us again when he blurred out with Grace," Phoebe sobbed a guilty look on her face. "How did you know Piper?"

Phoebe was more than a little aghast that Piper could read Cole better than she.

"He said kids," Piper answered still stroking his shoulder. If he was going to die at least he shouldn't feel alone. "When he blurred out with Grace. He said kids not kid."

Then her head jerked up. "He probably brought them to his apartment. Paige could you orb and get them, please?"

"Sure," Paige nodded and got up. She threw one last glance at her family surrounding Cole, then orbed out.

"Piper, look what's happening," Phoebe exclaimed, "He's getting transparent."

Piper and Leo followed her pointing. It was true. It looked like Cole was disintegrating slowly.

"No," Phoebe sniveled, "you can't do that Cole. I thought you would always be there."

But Cole didn't hear her. He lied very still and the solidness of his body was fading faster. Phoebe took his hand in hers and tried to squeeze it. But there was not much substance. It was like squeezing a sponge. She pressed his hand to her chest and started sobbing uncontrollably.

Leo threw a concerned glance at Piper, which she returned wholeheartedly. Phoebe had denied her feelings for Cole for such a long time. She thought she had all the time in the world. And now time had run out and she hadn't done anything to find closure with him.

Phoebe was swaying back and forth, hugging herself and Cole's arm with her arms. Leo feared she would have a nervous breakdown. He laid an arm around her shoulder. The sobs were shaking her body violently.

Paige orbed back in with the kids. She had Grace and Chris in her arms and Wyatt held onto her leg. Leo turned his head around.

"Cole is fading. I don't want the kids to watch this. Can you bring them to the nursery please?"

"Sure." Paige wasn't keen on watching Cole die either.

It made her heart heavy. Not for him but for his little girl who would be an orphan. She knew how it was to not know your real parents.

tbc