Paige orbed out with the kids but didn't notice that Wyatt had let go of her. Wyatt orbed right next to his mother.
"Wyatt," Piper said surprised, "you should have gone with auntie Page." She reached out to stroke his head.
Every time she saw her children she was reminded why she fought evil every day. It was for them.Wyatt looked at his mother with his innocent big blue eyes. His mother looked sad. Auntie Phoebe was sobbing heavily across from him. And also, his Dad looked very grave.
Wyatt could feel that something was dying in here. His White lighter senses were screaming at him. He looked around to find the source of the pain. It was the nice man with the dragons. He was lying very still on the floor. Wyatt reached out with his small hand and touched the man's arm.
A lightning of bright white light flashed between Wyatt and Cole. Leo was thrown to his butt as was Phoebe, Piper jerked up her hand to protect her eyes from the light. They all felt the energy crackling through the room. At the place where Wyatt touched Cole a beam of white light was connecting them. It was pulsing with all colors of the rainbow. Phoebe and Leo were back on their feet in an instant.
"What is he doing?" Phoebe asked, wiping some tears from her eyes with the palm of her hand.
"I think he's trying to heal Cole," Leo answered astonished. He hadn't known his son had already had the power to heal, or the consciousness to understand it.
Piper watched her son attentively. "Do you think he can heal Cole?" she asked Leo.
"I don't think so Piper," Leo answered, "he is just a baby."
Phoebe kneeled down opposite Wyatt. "You are a very good boy. Very brave trying to save Cole," she encouraged. A small trace of hope was in her voice. Maybe Cole wasn't lost.
"The fading has stopped," Piper observed, amazed.
Leo and Phoebe eyed Cole's body closely. It was true. He didn't fade anymore. But he hadn't gained any solidity either. It looked like Wyatt's power had set off the fading but wasn't strong enough to reverse it.
"I fear it is just postponing the inevitable," Leo said carefully, looking at Phoebe.
"Maybe Wyatt just needs some more time," Phoebe disagreed stubbornly.
Piper watched her son, concerned. He had never shown his magic for such a long period of time. The strongest thing they had seen from him was his force field.
Wyatt's face was concentrated and severe. He didn't look like a child at the moment. The energy was flowing from his hand continuously into Cole and it started hurting him a little. His blue eyes got glassy and then Wyatt started weeping softly. Big shiny tears were running down his cheeks. But he didn't let go of Cole's arm.
Piper got nervous and very worried. She exchanged some glances with Leo. Phoebe was hanging on Wyatt's every move.
Piper reached for her son, "Honey, don't hurt yourself. Cole wouldn't want that."
Piper wanted to take Wyatt in her arms. Just before she reached him, Wyatt's force field appeared and shielded him against his mother. She looked at her son, dumbfounded. He had never ever brought up the shield against one of the family.
"Wyatt," Piper exclaimed, "put this shield down immediately."
Wyatt didn't react to her at all.
"Leo, do something," she urged her husband.
Leo went over to scoop Wyatt in his arms. But the force field didn't falter. Wyatt didn't allow his father to touch him. Instead, the light coming from his hand intensified, coating the whole attic in a warm white shimmer.
With fearful beating hearts Phoebe and Piper watched the energy exchange. Piper wished for her son the come out safe, and Phoebe praying for Cole to stay alive.
Wyatt started crying loudly. It looked like he was in pain. His little arm shook from the sobs or the effort but he didn't break the contact. The three adults watched in awe at the change in Wyatt.
His hair grew slowly but steadily until it reached his shoulders. Long blond curls were surrounding his face now. He looked like a gothic angel. His nails grew to a length that made them look like claws. His whole body stretched in length. The trousers he wore now barely going over his knees, the sleeves of his jumper not really covering his elbows any more.
Some blood was dropping from his mouth as his teeth were pushing through the gums much to fast. His face was changing slightly, something from the baby-fat disappearing.
Then suddenly the magic stopped. Wyatt sank down slowly, still sobbing. Leo quickly bent down to take his son into his arms. He was heavier and taller then the last time he had held him. He scanned for any injuries but didn't find anything bothersome.
"He is fine," he told Piper who was looking at him fearful.
"He did it," Phoebe whispered awestruck, again clutching Cole's hand. Now it was warm and solid. Cole's body still showed the cuts and bruises but he breathed steadily.
Leo and Piper looked blankly at Phoebe.
"Wyatt saved Cole," Phoebe explained, pressing a kiss on the back of Cole's hand and then got up to kiss Wyatt too.
"You saved Cole, Wyatt. You are such a good boy."
Phoebe hugged Leo and Wyatt alike and showered kisses all over. Wyatt wriggled to get out of the reach of his exhilarated aunt.
"Now that Phoebe's precious Cole is safe, would someone please heal me?" Piper demanded impatiently.
Immediately Leo shoved Wyatt into Phoebe's arms and kneeled down next to Piper. Phoebe looked down on Cole.
"Why doesn't he wake up?" she asked Leo. "Can you check on him to see if he is still hurt?"
As soon as he had finished healing Piper Leo turned to Cole again and examined him. Piper got up and took Wyatt from Phoebe.
"Wyatt what did you do?" she asked her son, inspecting him closely, "You are so much bigger."
Wyatt just laid his head against his mother's shoulder and closed his eyes. He was totally depleted but felt so good at the same time. He knew he had saved the man from dying. It was a wonderful feeling.
"I can't find anything wrong, Phoebe," Leo said looking up at Phoebe, "Physically he is faint but ok. I guess Wyatt hadn't any energy left to heal the superficial wounds. Maybe Cole just needs to rest. He was nearly gone."
"Can you orb him to my room?" Phoebe asked almost shyly, "please?"
Leo threw a look at Piper and when she nodded he touched Cole's shoulder and orbed out with him.
"May I have some of Leo's clothes for Cole?" Phoebe asked Piper.
Piper just nodded watching Phoebe closely. "What are you up to?"
"Nothing," Phoebe defended, "I just want to fix him up. All these cuts and bruises need some ointment and bandages. I'll take care of that. We owe him, don't you think? He saved us. We couldn't have conquered Zankou without him."
"Right," Piper agreed, "We owe him. But that's not what I meant. You almost had a nervous breakdown when you thought he would die. For once, you awakened to your feelings towards him. If you need closure, try to find it. If you want to start anew with him, I won't stand in your way. If you want to finally let him go, do it. But please, Phoebe, don't deny yourself the truth about your feelings for him any longer. Make a decision. It does no good going around it all the time. Not to him and certainly not to you."
Piper looked at her sister intensely and then she turned and left the attic. She had said all there was to say. Now it was up to Phoebe to finally decide which way her life should go from here.
Phoebe couldn't answer Piper, her throat was too choked to mutter a single word. She was moved deeply, her heart in her mouth. Piper had just blessed a potential relationship with Cole. Phoebe had never thought that would happen. She spurred into running after Piper and down to her room.
tbc