A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews! It feels so good to know that you like the story and appreciate my work.
So please keep on telling me ;-) via your reviews!

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Findings

Phoebe entered her room silently. She didn't want to wake Cole. Leo had prescribed rest and sleep for Cole. She carried some clothes from Leo, bandages, a pot of warm water, some antiseptic, band-aid and Piper's handmade wound ointment.

Leo had placed Cole on her bed. It was pretty messed up because some of the wounds were still bleeding. Phoebe didn't care. She approached the bed slowly and set the pot and the clothes down on the nightstand. She sat down carefully at his side and looked at him, taking in his features. He looked so peaceful. Haltingly she reached out to caress his cheek.

She sighed and whispered, "I missed you all the time. It was easier when you were away, but since you are back..." Phoebe shook her head and pulled back her hand.

It was more comfortable to be around him when he didn't look at her like he could read her very soul.

Slowly she started to unbutton his shirt. At least what was left of it. It was wired to do that. It felt almost inappropriate. She hadn't touched him since he had stopped her in his car.

And he hadn't been in her room since she had left him running after Jason. That had been the moment she had decided not to be together with Cole again.

Despite that, she knew she loved him. She hadn't been unaware of why she had been with Cole –evil or true desire spell- regardless of what her sister thought or she had told them.

He was her sole temptation to evil, or so she had thought then. The one person that could really endanger her family. She had thought that there had to be someone else for her. Someone who was safe for her, for her sisters, and safe for the Power of Three.

She had been naïve then. Evil was in the underworld and good was in Elderland. It wasn't so easy anymore. The world wasn't just black and white it had all shades of grey.

Gideon had taught them that. And big Chris. Cole would have liked big Chris, and his secretive and witty ways. Phoebe smiled. The Avatars. Phoebe's smile vanished. Even Leo was tempted and failed at staying good. Leo had killed. Leo had hoodwinked his charges and Leo was an angel.

How could she have expected from Cole – a demon - to never fall in his struggle to be good? How could she have expected him to stay good all on his own, without her support? She and her sisters had survived none too few of the evil attacks just because they weren't alone.

Because we care for each other. She had denied Cole that safety net. She had stopped caring for him. She had only cared about her own sorrow and hurt.

She wouldn't let him down again she promised him quietly. Regardless if they reconciled or not. She wouldn't jump to conclusions again without proof or without talking with him first.

Phoebe threw the remains of the shirt to the floor and gasped. She didn't know what happened after she had passed out, but Zankou and Cole must have battled heavily.

His torso was a bloody mess. Cuts and claw marks all over it. Many of them deep and nasty. She took the cloth out of the pot and started cleaning his body cautiously from encrusted blood and dirt.

She was glad he was out cold, because her treatment surely would hurt like hell. For a moment she pondered taking off his trousers but then decided against it. That was much too intimate. They weren't that close anymore and she didn't want to embarrass him or her.

When she had finished putting ointment, stripes and bandages on him she tucked him in, placed a kiss on his temple and with one last longing look left her room. Leo had said he would wake up when he was ready. She would have to wait.

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The family was having breakfast the next day when Cole showed up. Barefoot, with unruly hair and unsteady on his feet he entered the kitchen. He walked in a way to minimize the movement to his upper body.

Leo, the sisters and all three kids were scrambled around the table. They looked up when he leaned against the doorframe, "Morning." It was awkward for him to interrupt the Halliwell family breakfast.

He had awoken in Phoebe's room. He couldn't remember a morning he had felt as safe as today since before the Source possession. Her smell was on her sheets and he basked in the beautiful memories it brought to him.

With difficulty he managed to pull on the shirt. His upper body looked like a mummy. There was almost no skin visible from all the bandages. He wondered why his self-healing power hadn't already taken care of the wounds. With the difficulties his upper body had given him, he hadn't cared to change the trousers.

Phoebe glanced at him friendly. He still looked pretty beaten up. "Do you want to join us for breakfast?"

"I'd love to," he answered, trying a smile but stopped immediately. The scratches on his face still hurt like hell.

He walked over to his daughter, who was sitting on Leo's lap and bent down to kiss her. "You want to take her?" Leo offered.

"Later," Cole refused, "Let me get to the breakfast first."

"Ham and eggs or pancakes?" Piper asked smiling at Cole.

She was in a good mood today. Zankou was gone and she and Leo had finally found each other again over their shared concern for Wyatt. They had celebrated it with a passionate night after the kids were tucked in. She hadn't slept much but felt full of energy.

"Both?" Cole asked, "Haven't had your breakfast in ages Piper. It's the best."

"How could I turn down such a charming man?" Piper teased.

Cole tried to reach for the coffee pot and flinched. Shit. Even stretching his arms hurt. Paige hesitated a moment but then poured him some in his cup.

"Thanks," Cole said to her surprised.

"I'm having my 'be-nice-to-Cole-5-minutes'." Paige wiped his thanks away. But her eyes were twinkling, "Sugar, milk?"

"No, black is great." Cole felt like he was in a parallel universe. The Halliwells were nice to him. He was going to relish in this feeling for as long as it lasted. It wouldn't be too long. Reality would hit him soon enough.

"You haven't healed," Leo observed.

Cole shrugged, "I don't know Leo. I expected the healing to kick in already. Maybe it needs more time. I guess I was too far gone?"

"You could say that," Leo confirmed.

"Thanks for saving me again, Leo," Cole said sincerely, "and thanks to whoever patched me up."

He looked around at the girls. He guessed it was Phoebe since he was in her room, but he couldn't be sure. Could have also been Piper.

"I didn't save you Cole," Leo disclosed, "I couldn't. Wyatt did." He looked prideful at his son.

"Wyatt?" Cole choked on his coffee. He looked at the boy. "But…he looks older," Cole stated, "What did he do?"

"We are not entirely sure," Piper said, putting the ham and eggs on Cole's plate, "but we think he pumped some of his life energy into you to heal you. He aged. We guess around a year or so."

"I can't believe this," Cole was astonished, "He…he is just a child!"

"A very powerful and good one," Piper praised, stroking Wyatt's head. Wyatt looked up at his mother. "You did a really good deed in saving Cole," Piper told her son again.

"I'm in your debt," Cole said, "whenever you need to ID a demon, or need help with a vanquish, just call me, ok?" he offered Piper and Leo.

"Forget it Cole," Leo appeased, "you already paid it back. You saved us from Zankou. We are even."

"If you say so." Cole nodded contentedly and wolfed down his ham and eggs.

"You look like you haven't eaten in ages," Piper observed.

"Nothing like that," Cole admitted, "I live on take-out food."

Piper turned up her nose. "But you aren't feeding Grace that stuff?" she asked.

"No of course not." He looked up at her. "She gets all this baby food. You don't want me to try cooking, believe me."

"I do," Phoebe giggled. She remembered once Cole had tried to make sausages for them. They burst open along the full length. They had shimmered to a restaurant and put the sausages in the trash.

Cole glanced at her. Phoebe looked relaxed and at peace. She smiled at him. Probably she was as happy about Zankou's vanquish as all of them. Then she turned serious and said genuinely

"Thanks for saving my life Cole. I couldn't have held on much longer if you hadn't attacked him."

"Anytime," Cole answered with a soft voice and turned his attention back to his plate.

He had to hide the turmoil her nice words roused inside him. It was easier to be around Phoebe when she was unapproachable and cold towards him. She had gone back to this behavior after he had rejected her in his car.

Phoebe was probably right in acting this way. As soon as they started to be nice to each other, they would start flirting and sooner or later kissing and then? Was he supposed to deny her again and again? He knew he couldn't do it.

Paige followed the exchange with a raised eyebrow and shot a look at Piper.

"How did you defeat him anyway?" Paige asked. She hadn't been present when Zankou had met is fate.

Cole finished his ham and eggs. "Delicious." He smiled at Piper, who was working on the pancakes. He wiped his mouth with the napkin and answered.

"I had heard some rumors that some of Zankou's ancestors were vampires. And since he didn't react to any of your or my powers, but was intent on not getting a knife into him, I decided to take the chance," Cole explained.

"So you vanquished him like you would kill a vampire?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, stabbing him with a stake and beheading him. I thought that would finish him off," Cole said.

"But it wasn't enough." Piper still trembled at the thought of the headless body moving.

"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked alarmed. Piper looked rather tense.

"He wasn't dead after losing his head, the body still tried to tear me to pieces," Cole went on dryly, "until Piper blew up the head."

"Irk," Paige exclaimed, "that's gross." Phoebe looked at Cole's face in disbelief. That's how he got all the scratches!

"Why did you stop fighting him with your energy balls?" Piper asked, shoving the pancakes on Cole's plate. "I thought you were on some suicide mission, approaching him without any protection."

"He didn't dodge the energy balls as you saw. I had the impression that he liked to be attacked with our powers. I guess he absorbed the energy we put into it and used it to get back at us. Besides I wasn't without protection, I used my self healing power."

"Oh my God," Piper breathed, "so every time I tried to blow him up, he got stronger?"

"I think so," Cole agreed, "That's why I had to get close to him, without using powers. If you hadn't distracted him," he sent a thankful glance at Phoebe, "I wouldn't have made it."

"Anytime," Phoebe answered, a smile playing her lips.

It felt good to talk to Cole without yelling. It was almost like old times, she thought sentimentally, but in old times he would be sitting close to her, not far opposite the table.

"And blurring didn't come to your mind?" Paige asked confused.

"I feared blurring would also deliver power to him," Cole said, "Didn't want to take that chance. He was already strong enough without me feeding him even more power."

"I'm just thankful we got rid of him in the end," Piper said relieved, "we couldn't have resisted him much longer. We were pretty beaten up. You still are." She looked at Cole, concerned.

"I think I'm going to put Zankou in the Book with everything we know about him. You never know with demons, sometimes they come back," Paige stated looking at Cole then got up and left the kitchen.

"I should be going too," Cole said standing up and taking Grace to him. He looked at the kitchen clock. "Shit. It's already 10 am. I have a client appointment at 11 am. I have to hurry. Thanks for the breakfast."

He nodded to the Halliwells and blurred out. Only he didn't blur out. Cole looked around confused. "I'm still here?" He asked himself.

Wyatt giggled at his surprised face and Phoebe had to muffle her laughter behind her hand. Leo and Piper watched him attentively.

"Something wrong, Cole?" Piper asked, she couldn't quiet hide the amusement in her voice.

"No, no, I .. never mind," Cole denied and left the kitchen hastily.

He had to try blurring again. But he wouldn't do it front of the whole family. He wouldn't make a fool out of himself.

When he reached the hall he concentrated on blurring again. Nothing happened. Slowly he got an uneasy feeling about it. He put Grace in his left arm and tried to conjure an energy ball in his right hand. Again Nothing.

"Not good," he muttered to himself.

He tried to conjure a pacifier for Grace. Nothing. Had Zankou weakened him that much? Cole couldn't quite believe it. He tried to use some of his other powers. It was the same with every single one. Not to forget, his healing power still didn't work.

"You are still here?" Phoebe's voice startled him and he turned, abashed.

"Yes, I just was … ahm…looking for her pacifier," Cole lied uncomfortably. The moment he said it he knew it was a mistake to lie to her.

She scrutinized him critically. "You are lying," she stated. The former warmth from her voice gone.

Cole looked at her cold gaze. He didn't want to go back to this phase of their relationship. Never again. He overcame his pride and decided to tell her.

"Phoebe…I…something is wrong with my powers," he admitted.

"What do you mean?" Phoebe wasn't placated easily but her features softened a bit.

"It looks like they are gone," Cole said, his voice slightly cracking, "I hope it's just for the moment." Cole tried to calm himself down.

Phoebe's eyes almost bulged out of her head, "You are kidding me."

"Nope. Unfortunately it's all too true," he said, irritable.

"What are you guys chatting about?" Leo came from the kitchen, "Cole I thought you had an appointment?"

"I do," Cole confirmed unnerved, "I just can't get there on my own at the moment."

Leo looked questioningly at Phoebe.

"Could you check if Cole is a human?" Phoebe asked Leo out of the blue.

Leo looked at her flabbergasted, as did Cole. "Phoebe we know that Cole is everything but a human," Leo said confused.

"Just check him, please!" Phoebe ordered impatiently.

"Okay, back off Phoebe." Leo raised his hands in a calming gesture and went next to Cole, "with your permission?"

"Sure, go ahead," Cole said casually.

Leo held his hands over Cole, and after a short scan, an incredulous expression came to his face. "He is human. I can't find the slightest trace of magic."

"Damn," Cole cursed violently and hit the wall with his free hand.

Immediately he regretted his outburst. Not only his fist, but his whole upper body reacted with a searing pain. He had forgotten that without his healing power, his wounds would batter him for weeks to come.

"No cursing in my house." Piper joined them with Chris on her arm, Wyatt at her side, "and no damaging of the walls, thank you very much."

Seeing Leo's and Phoebe's dumbfounded faces she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Cole lost his powers," Leo informed her, "he is human."

"Whaaat?" Piper exclaimed, "But how?"

"Zankou," Cole growled. He was sure about that.

"How?" Phoebe asked totally astonished.

"I don't know!" Cole yelled angrily at her, pacing around like a caught animal. Anger was the only thing that kept the slowly creeping fear in check. Fear that he couldn't protect his daughter.

"Don't yell at me!" Phoebe shouted back, flaring up, putting her hands on her waist.

"Guys, back in your corners," Piper intervened. Phoebe and Cole were staring angrily at each other.

"Cole you have an appointment. Leo will take you there. Grace can stay with me. While you are gone, I'll check with Phoebe to see if we can find anything about losing powers after being attacked with some red beam or something. Ok? Good. Go!" Piper took control of the situation.

Cole stared at Piper for some seconds. He wasn't used to being ordered around by anybody. He thought about retorting, but Piper was right and he probably needed them to get his powers back. So he bit back a nasty comment.

"I need to change before the appointment," Cole told Leo, who nodded.

Phoebe took Grace from Cole and Leo orbed out with him.

"I can't believe it," Phoebe let out her breath when the men were gone.

"Me neither." Piper shook her head. "One moment Cole is invincible and next he is a human. He didn't do well as human the last time," Piper remembered darkly.

"Don't remind me," Phoebe agreed, "But I'm not sure if we should try to get his powers back. They are demonic after all. Maybe it's a blessing that this happened?" Maybe I can be together with him when he is human, Phoebe's mind suggested.

Piper looked at her sister undecidedly.

"I don't know either. We should talk with Paige about it. Besides, where are we supposed to find demonic powers for him? It's not like they are lying around on the streets. And I guess the elders don't think it is part of the job description for the Charmed Ones to give a former demon his powers back."

"I don't think Cole cares what the Elders think," Phoebe said thoughtfully, "I'm going to call Paige."

"I think Paige will find this very funny," Piper smirked.

tbc