Part One

Coop didn't respond to her cry any more than he had to her earlier ones and, with horror, Phoebe realized she truly couldn't feel him. It wasn't some momentary weakness. Their connection was gone. Her knees buckled and she sank onto one of the chairs. 'I can't be here!' The nightgown! That's what was wrong! She didn't own it anymore. 'Not since I threw it in the garbage a few weeks after it ended.' She hadn't wanted any reminders. 'Stupid, even without it, there were reminders of him, of us.' Her heart pounded as she scanned the room and realized it all looked the same. 'This isn't happening!'

The penthouse. The site of so many bittersweet memories. The site where she'd been forced to vanquish her husband.

She unconsciously stroked her belly, recalling ironically how she'd also been pregnant back then. 'Omigod, I've gone back in time!' She leapt from the chair as more details, long buried, sprang to mind. Cole had left her at breakfast and the doctor had called, confirming the pregnancy. And she had fainted. 'Somehow my faint this morning at breakfast triggered a portal that linked me to my faint here in the past.' She took a deep breath, "I've got to get back. Coop!"

But their broken connection meant he couldn't hear her, couldn't travel back in time to get her. So she focused on the next best person, "Leo! Leo, I need help!" She darted away from the table and all the memories and practically collapsed in Leo's arms when he orbed in front of her. "Thank God, Leo, you've gotta help me! I've gotta get back!"

"Calm down, Phoebe," Leo suggested as he glanced to his wife who had orbed with him and Paige. But Phoebe was trembling so he guided her to the sofa in order to seat her.

"No," Phoebe resisted as she clung to him. No way was she sitting where she and Cole had once, no, many times… "Just send me back. That's all I want."

"Send you back where, honey?" Piper asked as she approached her sister. 'She's way too pale.' She glanced around the room, "Cole left already?"

"You wanna come home with us?" Paige asked hopefully.

But Phoebe shook her head, groaned from the movement, covered her mouth, and ran past them for the bathroom.

Piper stared after her sister and kept her voice low, "Do you think she knows what we've been talking about?"

"How could she? She's been living here…with Cole."

Piper kept her gaze on the shut bathroom door, "I don't know, Paige, maybe this wasn't a good idea. We were gonna wait a few days to talk to her about Cole."

"But we're here now," Paige persisted, "because she called Leo for help. For help, Piper. Something's wrong and we can't let it wait one more day. Phoebe has to know that Cole's a demon again."

"We don't know that," Piper snapped before apologizing. "Look, Paige, Phoebe loves Cole and we don't have any proof. It's one thing to tell her we suspect he's working with demons again, it's another to --"

"Keep in mind," Leo cautioned both as he interrupted, "that she's obviously sick and the news will be a shock no matter how you phrase it."

"I think she's already in shock," Piper murmured. "Did you see her?"

Phoebe returned to the others, her face damp from the washcloth she'd used to cool it, and she made her way back to the sofa. 'Why do I have to relive this nightmare?'

"Feeling better, Pheebs?" Piper asked while brushing some bangs off Phoebe's forehead after Phoebe wearily sat down.

"Why'd they send me back?" Phoebe whispered, closing her eyes.

"Send you back? Who?" When Leo caught her eyes roll to the ceiling, he told her, "The Elders didn't warn me about anything like that happening."

"You're from the future?" Paige acknowledged with surprise. Maybe they could use the information to their advantage in how to deal with Cole.

"Maybe we should call Cole," Piper suggested. 'Maybe it's not as bad as we think. They still love each other, that has to count for something.' But when she saw Phoebe panting heavily, she immediately sat next to her sister and grabbed Phoebe's hand, "Deep breaths, sweetie. You're not in danger. Slow deep breaths. Leo, why don't you try Cole's cell?"

But Paige watched Phoebe's reaction. 'She's freaking out even more.' "Honey, did Cole do something to you?" she gently questioned. "It's okay, you can tell us," she added, ignoring the glare Piper shot her way.

Phoebe's laugh was tinged with hysteria, "That's the understatement of the century, Paige." But she wasn't about to deal with their questions and she cut off both sisters from speaking, "Yes, I'm from the future but I'm not saying anything else. I won't risk changing it."

They'd dealt with enough time travel situations that Piper understood Phoebe's reasons so she reluctantly tamped down her own curiosity and turned to Leo, "There must be a reason she appeared here, some lesson to learn, maybe?"

"It's possible," he conceded, "but if the Elders have sent her back, they would've warned me."

"Sometimes Leo," Phoebe sighed tiredly as the room spun, "you have way too much faith in the Elders."

'Great, now we have to worry about the Elders too?' "You can't say something like that without explaining," Paige told her as Piper steadied her. "What'd the Elders do?"

Phoebe shook her head to remind her sister she wouldn't answer but that only made the dizziness worse. She took a deep breath and exhaled before saying, "I won't risk the future, Paige. My life is better than I'd dreamed and I'm happy and --"

Piper pulled her sister into her arms when Phoebe burst into tears. "Shhh, we'll figure it out. It's okay, Pheebs…"

But Paige wouldn't let the matter drop and asked, point-blank, "Are we still alive?"

"Paige!"

"I'm sorry, Piper, but wouldn't you have wanted to know you were about to lose Prue?"

"Yes," Phoebe sniffled, pushing herself back. 'I won't torture them like that.' She looked from Piper to Paige, "Yes, you're both alive and you're both very happy." But she would keep secret all the pain they suffered in order to attain that happiness. "Please, Leo, you've gotta go up There and get them to send me back. I can't, I just can't live this again."

"What's going on?"

All heads turned to find Cole standing in the room.

"What, what're you doing here?" Phoebe stammered.

"I didn't hear the door," Paige muttered with a suspicious glance to Piper.

"I got worried when I kept getting a busy signal and you weren't answering your cell so I turned around," he explained as he looked from one face to the next and finally settled on Phoebe's stricken one. "What's wrong? Are you sick again? Did you call the doctor? Leo, maybe you should check --"

"Calm down, Cole," Leo requested, "we only just got here. She's been dizzy and sick at least once that we know of but beyond that…"

"Call the doctor, it has to be more than anemia," Cole suggested with concern as he stood before her. 'Tell me you're pregnant.'

"She called for Leo," Paige declared, glaring at him from behind. "She wanted his help."

'She asked for the Whitelighter? Not good.' Cole knelt in front of his wife, "Could it be an aftereffect from the vampires? You don't have to keep it secret from me, Phoebe. I told you, you don't have to protect me from them or any demon."

"No, Cole, I don't imagine I do," she tiredly retorted. But when he reached for her hand, she scrambled away from him and slid off the sofa. "Stay away from me…"

Not understanding her reaction, he tried to steady her when she swayed but even then she slapped away his hands. 'What if she's not pregnant? What if a demon attacked?' He reached out to her and calmly said, "Honey, talk to me. I can't make it better if you don't talk to me. Did something happen after I left you?"

But Phoebe began hyperventilating again and gasped for breath, "Don't touch me!"

"I'm your husband, Phoebe," he reminded her, "I'll protect you from anything, from anyone."

'Is he insane?' Her eyes widened, "No you're not, not anymore! Just, just stay away from me!"

"What?" he uttered with genuine confusion. "Exactly what's going on here?" he demanded.

'C'mon, Cole, call for your demon buddies. Show Phoebe your true colors.' Paige was about to step in front of Cole when Phoebe hugged herself and looked up to the ceiling. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"Coop! Coop! Please, I need you! You have to come here! Please, you've gotta come get me!"

"Who the hell is Coop?"

"I don't know, Cole," Piper honestly replied. "Sweetie, maybe you should lie down for a bit," she suggested as she stood and approached her sister. "You're sick, you need to rest."

'Something's really wrong if she's even backing away from Piper.' "Phoebe, please, you need to sit down." But even as he spoke the words, Phoebe collapsed and Cole barely managed to catch her before she hit the floor. If he hadn't been holding her, he'd have incinerated the intruder, blowing his cover or not. "Who the hell are you?"

Looking in the direction he turned, Phoebe covered her mouth to smother a shriek and managed to push herself out of Cole's arms. "Coop!" She flew into his arms and sagged slightly as she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. "Oh, Coop," she cried, "I couldn't feel you before…"

Coop instinctively comforted the petite brunette and when her sobs eased off, he gently pried her free and admitted, "I'm sorry but I have no idea why I'm here."

"I'm not sure either," she sniffled before smiling at him, "but now that you are, we can just get out of here."

Coop's face brightened when he recognized the person standing closest to them, "Piper Halliwell, I can't believe it." He then realized in whose company he was, "Wow, the Charmed Ones. I'm honored."

"Who the hell are you?" Cole angrily repeated. 'Dammit, They can't have sent another Whitelighter. They're not smart enough to have figured it out.'

Coop smiled uneasily, "I'm a Cupid. Call me Coop. You must be Cole Turner." He chuckled, "Talk about couples fighting destiny to be together…"

'Then Loverboy will be easy enough to get rid of.' Cole reluctantly shook the hand the cupid had extended, "Thanks, it's good to know we've got some magical beings on our side."

"Cupids are always on the side of love," Coop assured him.

"Like I said, good to know," Cole forced a smile, "but I'm afraid we're in the middle of something here…"

"I didn't mean to interrupt," Coop quickly apologized, "but I heard, Phoebe I guess, calling me, crying for me. It was almost painful in a way." But his frown faded when he focused on Piper and Leo and he shook his head in awe, "Do you have any idea what an inspiration you are to cupids everywhere, to me?"

"Hey pal," Phoebe poked him in the ribs, "I'm standing right here."

He smiled in return, "Well, you and Cole aren't quite as inspirational as your sister but you're still pretty remarkable."

She laughed, momentarily forgetting her situation, "Get us out of here and I'll show you just how remarkable I can be." But when he seemed embarrassed, she poked him again, "You kidder, but joke's over, it's been a long morning and you shouldn't continue teasing a woman in my condition."

"Your condition?" Piper gasped.

"Phoebe, are you pregnant?" Paige exclaimed.

'Yes!' Cole grabbed Phoebe's elbow in an effort to spin her towards him, "Why didn't you tell me this morning?"

Phoebe clamped her hand over her mouth at her slip. "The doctor called after you left," she finally confessed. "Look, I want to talk to Coop…alone."

'Not a chance, I'm not letting you out of my sight.' His look softened as he smiled and caressed her cheek, "Phoebe, we're going to have a baby…"

"Congratulations," Coop happily offered. "The best reward for a cupid is to see a new life emerge from love, not that we had anything to do with your relationship but still…"

'What are congratulating him for? You know I'm having your baby.' Phoebe ignored the feel of Cole's touch and glared at her husband, her current husband, "Cut it out, Coop."

Confused, he focused on her, "I'm sorry, Phoebe, I mean I'm thrilled for you and Cole but you know your relationship was out of bounds for cupids."

"What are you talking about?" 'Why are you still pretending?'

"You worked with a cupid before," Coop reminded her. "What, about two years ago? You knew when you got involved with Cole that no cupid would your relationship. I mean a good witch and a demon? Not a relationship we promote."

"We don't need to rehash old history," Cole warned him as he shrugged off Piper's cautioning hand and tugged Phoebe closer to his side.

"All I'm saying," Coop hastily clarified, "is that the two of you did this all on your own. That's why your love is so remarkable. And now, a baby…it's fantastic!"

"Enough's enough," Phoebe told him as she slapped away Cole's hand, "take me back to the girls. Take me home, Coop."

"What are you talking about?" Cole shouted, unconsciously echoing Phoebe's previous outburst.

Coop placed his hands on Phoebe's shoulders and reminded her, "You are home, Phoebe."

'Why are you doing this? My home's with you!' Her eyes filled with tears and she pleaded, "Stop it, Coop. It's not funny anymore…"

"I'm sorry but I have no idea what's going on. I've never even met you before."

"How can you say that? I'm your wife! I'm mother to your three little girls," she grabbed his hand and pressed it to her abdomen, "this baby! I don't know what I did to piss you off but enough, Coop! Take me home now!"

"Enough is right, Phoebe," Cole snapped as he yanked her away from the cupid.

"Watch it, Cole!" Paige warned. She reached for her sister, "Come home with us, Pheebs. You really need to lie down before you faint or something."

But Phoebe jerked her arm free, "Doing that's what got me into this nightmare."

"I'm going to check with the Elders," Leo whispered to Piper. "See if you can get her to calm down."

'This is insane. I need to confer with the Seer.' Tapping Piper on the shoulder, Cole told her, "I don't know why I seem to be upsetting her so I'll go into the kitchen and make her some tea. Maybe she'll talk to you if you're alone."

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No sooner had he arrived in his private chamber than the Seer appeared before him. "My liege…"

"Phoebe's pregnant."

She smiled knowingly, "I told you the timing had been right. This child will be --"

"Something's wrong." He turned from her and stalked the room, "Phoebe's acting strange. She's been throwing up and she fainted after I left her this morning."

"But that is to be expected, my liege. The beginning stage of a woman's pregnancy includes fainting and nausea. In a few months, it will pas--"

"It's more than that," he angrily interrupted. "She's hysterical, irrational. She claimed to be married to a cupid and mother to his four children!" He caught the look in her eyes, "What? Have you seen that? I should have incinerated him on the spot!"

She bowed her head, "Forgive me, my liege. I should have prepared you."

"For what?" he growled.

She raised her eyes to meet his, "I'm afraid the witch will not be strong enough to withstand this pregnancy. This child, your son, is a powerful magical child and she --"

"Are you saying she'll miscarry?"

"Possibly," she admitted, "but more likely will be that she will collapse emotionally under the strain. But I am convinced, that even with her shattered mind, we will be able to monitor her and see that she carries the child to term. And after the baby is born, I will help you raise hi--"

"Not acceptable!"

"It's already begun," the Seer calmly told him. "You've said yourself she's irrational and she is but a few weeks pregnant. Do you believe she'll truly be able to withstand the power as the child grows stronger within her?"

"Phoebe will survive. She must."

"That's Cole talking, my liege," she cautiously commented. "This is a dangerous time for you. You cannot let yourself be weakened by human emotions surrounding this pregnancy."

His eyes flamed as they met her gaze, "Package deal, you know that. I need Phoebe to remain Source. Now what can be done to protect her during the pregnancy?"

"Nothing," she apologized.

"I told you, that is unacceptable!" He turned from her, "Surely there's a spell or potion…"

"Perhaps…"

He spun back, "Perhaps what?"

"There is a tonic I've been working on," she murmured. "Something I created on the chance she would have trouble later in the pregnancy adjusting to the evil flowing through her. Perhaps if I added some of my blood, it would give her the strength she needs now to cope with the changes to her body and mind."

"Do it."

"As you command," she nodded. With a wave of her hand, a crystal goblet on a silver tray appeared on a nearby table. Holding open her hand, an athame appeared in her palm and, nicking her fingertip, she let several drops of blood fall into the amber liquid. She stirred it with a spoon and presented it to the Source.

"Once Phoebe's calm, I'll get rid of her family and I'll get her back to sleep," he informed her. "Then you and I will discuss the coronation. It must proceed as quickly as possible. I don't want Phoebe back under the influence of her sisters."

The Seer smiled and, as she disappeared, assured him, "I live to serve…"

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