I'm not very happy with this chapter, something is wrong with it. If you think the same tell me, just don't burn me alive, erkay? I can take a little pain though...a little, tiny bit...miniscule...sorry. Read and enjoy, if you're confused PM me...I'm confused about what I wrote as well.
When Leo had orbed Cole and Victor back into the manor, he immediately offered Victor a shower. Victor had laughed and accepted, returning twenty minutes later wearing some of Cole's offered clothing and looking much better.
"Alright, let's get down to business." Cole said, sitting on the couch next Leo whereas Victor sat across from them on the opposite couch.
Before Victor could explain himself, Leo and Cole were suddenly very much aware of the strong resemblance between Cole and Victor. Victor had a matching set of bright blue eyes with slightly curly, dark hair resting on his head. All that along with the strong, stubble jaw and it was no hard task to figure out which parent Victor took after.
"About twenty one years ago, which for you guys would be around this year, my father…you, Cole, set out determined to look for your son. Eventually, with the help of the sisters and Leo, you found him in Limbo-"
"Limbo?" Leo questioned, hands resting on his knees as he leaned forward.
Victor nodded, "It's another plane, where souls that are not allowed up there," he motioned towards the ceiling, "Or down there," he motioned to the floor, "When they die, get stuck."
"Why did you get stuck?" Cole asked, vaguely angered by the fact that his son was not allowed entry to the Heavens.
"I had demonic blood in me. However, I was an innocent…so that nixed the whole burning in Hell for all eternity thing."
"Not so funny…" Cole muttered under his breath.
"Please continue," said Leo, shooting a look at Cole.
"So, as I said, I was stuck in Limbo…you saved me and we lived life. People died, people came back to life, things happened, demons came and went…really the same thing going for all of you now is happening twenty years in the future."
"You're from the future…how are you back in the past? Wouldn't that cause some repercussions?" Leo questioned, suddenly worried.
Victor laughed, "It might now…look, for me it was in 2023 when I cast a spell that backfired and sent me back in this time. I thought about the consequences etcetera, and I tried to get back…nothing worked for whatever reason."
"I've lived here for at least two years, on the streets because I have no ID…no birth certificate or anything…" he continued, watching both men looking at him in confusion and awe, "I've technically given up on trying to get to my time. And again, I guess there were no repercussions because I didn't really do anything to change much of the past…till now."
"What's going to happen Leo?" Cole asked, turning to the other man.
"I honestly don't know, Cole. This is beyond anything the girls and I've dealt with." He admitted, watching Victor closely.
Victor shrugged, "I shoulda just run when I came across you guys, but truth be told I missed you guys…"
"But we've never me-" Cole started, thrown for a loop once again.
Victor held up a hand and grinned, "I know."
"Right." Cole nodded once, firmly, "Leo, do you mind…" Cole motioned towards the ceiling and Leo nodded.
"Already on it." He said quickly, orbing out as soon as he could stand up.
Cole and Victor looked at each, both shifting uncomfortably until suddenly they both stood and embraced in a father/son hug. Cole held tightly onto the younger man, ignoring the tears that stung at his eyes. They finally pulled away, Cole holding Victor at an arms length. They both smiled sheepishly, tears in their eyes.
"I can't believe we did it…we actually found you?" Cole whispered, his voice low and surprisingly even.
"Yeah, you did."
They embraced quickly once more, only to quickly be separated when Leo orbed in. They all sat down in their original spots, both men looking at Leo expectantly.
"Well the Elders are as confused as we are…" Leo started.
"Well, that's new." Cole muttered, rolling his eyes in annoyance.
"They said that it would be for the best if we find a way to send Victor back, and erase your mind Cole…"
Cole looked up once again quickly, his expression showing his complete disgust in the idea, "What? There is no way you're erasing my mind! What happens if it backfires? If I lose all of my memories…"
"Don't worry, that won't happen, we're very careful." Leo assured him.
"I was very careful too, I really don't know what went wrong." Interjected Victor.
"It doesn't matter, we're sending you back. Then we're erasing Cole's mind of this whole ordeal. Victor, it's for the best. You gave us a lot of pertinent information of the future…that could have major consequences in your time, which is going to be ours too."
Victor nodded, "I understand the fact that I must go back. What I dislike is the fact that you have to erase my father's mind."
Leo shook his head roughly, becoming annoyed. He raised his hands up in the air and muttered a few strange words underneath his breath, watching as a soft dusty glow emitted from his palms and washed over the surprised face of Cole. Cole sputtered as the tine particles covered his face, then evaporated.
"Leo! What the hel-" Cole started.
Leo finally allowed his hands to drop to his sides, looking at Cole who seemed utterly confused.
"Leo? What happened? Was there a demo-nstration I missed?" he glanced at Victor carefully, unsure of whether or not he knew of demons.
"A demonstration? No, there wasn't." Leo scoffed, hiding a small smile at Cole's flustered physicality.
"So what's going on then?" Cole asked standing up quickly.
"You were about to accompany me to the kitchen to discuss how to help our guest, Victor"
"Right, I'm coming." Cole said quickly, casting a quick glance at Victor, "Excuse me Mister…?"
"Coleridge, Victor Coleridge." Victor said with a nod, going along with Leo.
"Mr. Coleridge…" Cole trailed off, only to be tugged out of sight by Leo.
Once they entered the kitchen Cole rounded on Leo and demanded, "What's going on here, Leo?"
"Calm down, Cole. Everything's fine. We need to get the girls here now so that we can send Victor back to his own time, I have no time to explain how or why he's back here just help me. Okay?"
Cole, still somewhat flustered, nodded.
"I'll get the girls quickly, you stay put here. Do not go out there and speak to that man understand?"
"I'm not a child, Leo. I'll stay." Cole snapped.
"Good." Leo orbed out quickly.
Cole sighed and perched himself onto the nearest stool. What was I doing? I was reading a magazine, Leo orbed in…that's all I can remember…I was going to talk to Phoebe about getting my son back…from where? Where is my son?
Cole muttered something to himself before standing up and taking the stairs two at a time in order to reach the attic, hoping the answer was in the book. Cole flipped through the book quickly, not before he hesitated to touch it of course. I've never got along with this old thing.
"Damn it!" Cole cursed, turning away from the book when he slammed it shut.
"You okay?" asked Victor from the doorway of the attic.
"I'm fine, kid. You shouldn't be up here." Cole waved him off.
Victor, knowing full well what happened in the past hour looked at Cole sadly. He looked around before leaning close to him. Cole shrank back in slight disgust.
"What are you doing?" he demanded.
"Listen to me, closely. The answer is Limbo. When they send me back, just remember Limbo."
Cole leaned forward, his eyebrows connecting in the middle, as he looked at the younger man perplexed. Just then Leo orbed in with the girls in tow, he advanced towards Cole quickly as he snapped, "I said stay downstairs and don't talk to him."
"Well, I didn't invite him up here, Leo." Cole growled.
"Who is he, exactly?" Paige asked.
"It doesn't matter, we need to send him back now." Leo answered quickly, ushering the girls towards the book.
After a few minutes of flipping through the book to no avail, Piper closed it and rested her forearms on it exhaustedly. She looked at Phoebe then Leo and asked, "How about Phoebe writes a spell, sends him back and we can go on our merry way?"
Leo pondered this for a moment and nodded, "Could work."
"Good, Phoebe?"
"Well, okay…uh…" she chewed on her bottom lip and scrunched her face up as she tried to make up a spell.
"Young man in front of me…
I send you back to your own time…
Mend all ripples with help from the Power of Three,
I now conclude this-"
"Stupid?" offered Paige.
"Rhyme." Piper chimed in grinning.
Victor laughed as a swirl of white lights enveloped him and he disappeared. Phoebe walked over towards Cole and gave him a tender kiss before she turned on Paige and Piper, her hands on her hips.
"Stupid rhyme?" she muttered, eyebrows raised.
"It was… that was awful Phoebe. You're getting rusty." Paige quipped, laughing.
Cole even managed a chuckle when he stood up and wrapped his arms around Phoebe's stomach, nibbling her ear. Phoebe smiled and shook her head, "Leo, you better take me back to work now before I lose track of all my senses…"
"Ew." Paige muttered as she orbed out herself, trying to work on her powers.
"Leo, me too honey!" Piper shouted as Leo started to orb out with Phoebe.
Suddenly Cole shook his head and took a few quick steps forward, "Phoebe! Wait! I need to talk to you right now."
Phoebe looked at Leo and said; "Go ahead, I'll call you when I need a ride."
"Thanks," Leo said sarcastically, although his grin gave away his tone.
Leo orbed out with his wife as Phoebe sauntered over into Cole's arms. Cole nestled his head against her collarbone as he said, "We need to have a serious talk honey. It's big…life changing…"
"What? What happened?" she questioned, starting to worry.
"It's about our son..."
The only word that reached Phoebe's perked ears was son, and she suddenly tensed in his strong embrace.
The only word that reached Cole's ears was limbo, and suddenly he knew what to do.
TBC...
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