Cole watches as Phoebe walks away from Eli after sharing a kiss with him. He stares at Eli, filled with rage, and starts to approach him, but then stops himself. Making a mental note to deal with him later, Cole shimmers out of the park, and to the back yard of Halliwell Manor, where he waits in silence for Phoebe's return.
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"How is she doing?" Phoebe asks, entering Paige's room. Paige is asleep but restless, and Piper is sitting on the edge of the bed, holding her hand.
"Phoebe, she's getting weaker every minute. I don't know what's going on, Phebes. It's not like she's in any physical pain -- it all seems like it's in her head. But it's real." Piper says. "I know this is hard on her emotionally, but -- Paige is tougher than this. I know we haven't had her in our lives that long, but she's never struck me as a weak person."
"I don't think it's her Piper -- I think it's the baby that's doing this to her. There's something about Ben that -- scares me. Anytime that something happens to Phoebe or to Cole, it's like he -- he takes over. Haven't you noticed that? And with how she's gotten weaker every time something bad happens -- there's just something that's not normal about him." Phoebe says.
"Did you really expect ANY of our children to be normal, Phoebe? I practically have to wear a suit of armor every time I go into Melinda's room; now that she's discovered one of her powers I never know WHAT I'm going to find flying around in there!" Piper tells her.
"But Ben is different, Piper; it's like he's taken over Paige's entire being at times." Phoebe says.
"But Paige isn't afraid of him; if he were dangerous, she'd sense it by now. So would you." Piper says. "The way she talks about him, it's like he feels everything that she and Cole are feeling, and -- oh my god."
"What?" Phoebe says.
"Phoebe -- remember when Prue received those empath powers, and it almost killed her because she couldn't handle it?" Piper asks.
"Of course -- why?" Phoebe asks.
"What if Ben is an empath? Empaths take on other people's emotions and pain -- especially of those that they love the most. Paige is devastated about Cole, and if Ben is an empath he must be feeling that pain even stronger. If you couple that with his own pain of not understanding why Cole hasn't been around, and Paige trying to comfort him which just makes things WORSE because then that brings out her pain of not knowing what's wrong with him -- it's killing her. Ben is trying to help but he's too young and he doesn't understand what to do, and if we can't get his emotions under control we're going to lose them both." Piper says, squeezing Paige's hand.
"We've got to find a way for Cole to get his memory back -- he can save them. Paige's pain over Cole will be gone if he remembers her, and he's always been the best at getting little Ben to calm down. That little boy adores him. Our first problem though is -- we have to find Cole." Phoebe says.
"What do you mean 'find Cole'?" Piper asks.
"I mean, he's gone -- I went to the hospital, and he wasn't there. They have no idea how he got out, when he could barely stand up. I'm really worried, Piper -- I'm worried that Lilith might have --" Phoebe begins.
"Cole." Paige whispers, starting to wake up.
"Shhh, honey, it's okay. Cole isn't here right now." Piper tells her.
"Ben wants his daddy. He thinks he did something wrong -- he doesn't understand why his daddy doesn't love him anymore." Paige tells them.
"Ben -- your daddy loves you very much." Phoebe says, touching Paige's belly. "I'm going to find him, okay? He'll be here very soon -- you need to calm down, little guy. Let your mommy get some rest."
"Find him? What do mean find him?" Paige asks worriedly.
"Honey -- Cole is missing from the hospital." Piper tells her.
"Missing? He can't be -- he's hurt, he's sick -- he could barely get out of bed. Piper, what if someone . . . . what if Lilith --" Paige starts to say, her voice growing weaker.
"Don't you worry, sweetie -- Cole will be fine, and I'll bring him back to you. I promise." Phoebe tells her, and then she looks at Piper. "I'm gonna take a quick shower and change, and I'll start looking -- you'll stay with her, right?"
"Yeah -- Phoebe, please hurry. I don't know how much longer she can last like this." Piper tells her.
"You hang on, Paige -- Cole loves you, you just hold on to that." Phoebe says, squeezing Paige's hand, and she leaves.
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Phoebe steps out of the shower, wrapped in a towel. When she turns around, she is stunned to see Cole standing in front of her. "Cole! What are you doing here? You're healed, how did you -- no, no please don't tell me that Lilith --"
"Lilith helped me get back to you." Cole says. "But I guess you were telling me the truth -- you've moved on. I saw you with him, Phoebe -- in the park. Who is he? Is that who you dumped me for?" Cole asks, an angry tone in his voice.
"Cole -- I know none of this makes any sense right now. Whatever Lilith did to you -- you have to fight it. I'm going to go get dressed, and you need to go see Paige, she's not doing well -- she really needs you Cole." Phoebe says, and she goes into the bedroom, and Cole shimmers into the room just as she enters.
"I'm not leaving you, Phoebe -- I'm not giving up on us." Cole says.
"You have your powers back. Great." Phoebe says, and sighs. "Can you at least let me get dressed?"
"I don't need to leave for that -- it's nothing I haven't seen before." Cole tells her.
"Cole, please -- at least turn around." Phoebe says.
"Alright." Cole says, his voice cold and emotionless, as he turns around and Phoebe gets dressed.
"Okay -- come on, you need to go see Paige." Phoebe says.
"I don't want Paige." Cole says. "I want you. I can't believe that you love him more than me, Phoebe. That you've forgotten everything we are to each other." Cole grabs her wrists and pulls her into a kiss. Phoebe pushes him away, and slaps him across the face.
"Stop it!" she shouts at him. "I'm not in love with you anymore, Cole. We're over -- it took me awhile to move on, but I did -- we both did. And you have a wife and a baby who are in serious danger right now. You're the only one who can save them. You HAVE to remember her. Just focus on remembering Paige."
"I don't care about Paige!" Cole shouts. "This isn't over, Phebes. I WILL get you back. One way or another." Cole says angrily, and he shimmers out of the room.
"Cole!" Phoebe shouts, and sighs in exasperation. She picks up her cell phone and dials. "Hey -- can I come over? We need to talk."
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"Hi." Phoebe says as Eli answers the door. He gives her a kiss on the cheek.
"What's wrong? You sounded upset." Eli says.
"You were right -- Lilith got to him. She healed him, she gave him back his powers -- she's made him obsessed with getting me back." Phoebe says. "It's the same thing she did to me -- she has complete control over his mind, and he can't fight it. And Paige needs him -- she's getting weaker, she needs his strength or she won't make it."
"I'm so sorry -- I wish I could help somehow." Eli says, giving her a hug.
"That's why I'm here -- I think you can. Or -- I think Nicholas can." Phoebe says, and they sit down on the couch.
"Nicholas? How?" Eli asks.
"You said he has the power to control minds, he just doesn't know it. Maybe he could reach Cole -- reach the memories that Lilith buried. If he can help bring them out, then --"
"Phoebe -- no. I can't do that, I can't put my son at risk that way, I'm sorry. If Nick finds out he's able to do that, then --"
"Eli -- Nicholas is not evil. And doing this is not evil -- it would be doing something good. He'd be saving three lives, Eli. I think I can help him understand this gift he has -- teach him how to use it for good." Phoebe says.
"Cole is dangerous right now, Phoebe. I don't want my son to be put at risk." Eli says.
"I'll protect him. Eli, please -- I don't know where else to go, and I can't lose another sister." Phoebe says, starting to cry. Eli takes her in his arms and holds her close.
"Shhh. Alright -- I'll help you. I'm trusting you with my son's life, Phoebe." Eli says.
"I know -- and I promise, I won't let Cole hurt him." Phoebe says. "Go get Nicholas -- I think I know where we can find Cole."
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Phoebe, Eli, and Nicholas enter the mausoleum. "Dad -- I don't like it here, it's scary." Nicholas says.
"Shh. We won't be here long." Eli says. "You're sure he'll be here?" Eli asks Phoebe.
"Yeah -- I don't know where else he'd go." Phoebe says. "Wait right here." Phoebe says, moving further into the crypt area. "Cole!" Phoebe calls out. "Cole, are you here?" Cole appears from around a corner.
"Phoebe -- I knew you'd come here. I knew you'd come back to me." Cole says, smiling, as he approaches Phoebe and hugs her tightly. "You do still love me, don't you?" he says, but then pulls away as he notices Eli standing in the doorway. "You -- I should have killed you in the park when I had the chance." Cole says.
"Cole, please, just listen to me --" Phoebe begins.
"How could you? How could you bring him to our place?" Cole asks, his voice full of anger.
"Cole -- we came here to help you if you'll just let us --" Phoebe begins.
"Help me? You want to HELP me? By bringing your lover to the place where we -- if this is the way you want it, fine. You want to watch me kill him? Because I WILL kill him, Phoebe. I will NOT let him take you from me." Cole says, and he throws an energy ball at Eli, who ducks just in time, shielding Nicholas as well.
"Cole, stop it!" Phoebe screams. "You don't want to do this, we're not your enemies, we want to help you."
"You're right -- an energy ball is too quick -- I want you to see him suffer." Cole says, and he lunges for Eli and grabs his neck, starting to choke him.
"No! Dad!" Nicholas cries out, crying.
"Cole, let him go!" Phoebe begs, but Cole ignores her. Phoebe nervously reaches for her athame. "I'm so sorry, Cole." she says, hesitates for a moment, and then walks up behind Cole and plunges the weapon into him . . . . .