Chapter 10

Struggling to pull both boys in the sled with her up the short slope – perfect for easy skiing and sledding – Phoebe heard her name called out, and raised her eyes to the ridge to see Cole's tall figure outlined against the sky.

"Phoebe?"

"We're okay," she assured him. Then she caught the trace of tension in him and grew a bit wary. "There was a Shapeshifter in the house, wasn't there?"

"Yes, but he's gone for now. We'd better get back inside, though. He will be back."

"Noo!" Wyatt objected. "Just one more time. Pleeease, Auntie Phoebe?"

"I don't think we can, sweetie. It's getting dark and…"

"Please, please, pleeease!" Two pair of imploring eyes looked up at her from the sled.

"Pjitty please?" Chris lisped.

Melting, Phoebe gave Cole a pleading look. "Maybe just one more time?"

"You can come too," Wyatt offered generously in the hope that no one could withstand an offer to go sledding.

Cole shook his head. "I don't think that sled is big enough for the four of us."

A mischievous smile glinted in Wyatt's eyes and suddenly the sled grew longer. "Yes, it is."

Cole gave up. "Okay," he chuckled. "But just one ride."

"Yeah!" Excited, Wyatt and Chris scrambled forward to make room for the grownups, but Phoebe found herself hesitating at the thought of having Cole that close behind her with his arms around her waist. 'That's so silly', she told herself. 'It's just a ride down the slope.' Still, she hesitated.

"Something's wrong?" Cole's voice said right behind her and she jumped a little.

"No. I just…"

"Yes," another voice cut in sharply. "Something is very wrong."

Swinging around, Phoebe was shocked to see another Cole standing there.

"Cole?" Not knowing what to think, she looked from the one to the other. She couldn't tell who the imposter was. None of them felt right.

"Get into the sled," the first Cole snapped at her. "I'll get us all out of here."

"Step away from him, Phoebe," the second Cole said. "Don't let him touch you!"

"Don't listen to him, Phoebe!" Eyes on the second Cole, Cole number one held out his hand to her.

At a complete loss for what to do, Phoebe almost took it, when she spotted the werewolf coming out from between the trees. "Tes!" she shouted at once. "Help us!"

Involuntarily, the second Cole threw a glance over his shoulder. Next moment an energy ball hit him in the shoulder, knocking him to the ground.

"Good thinking!" the Cole closest to her said. "Come on, while he's down!" Grabbing her by the arm, he started to pull her with him, but she pulled back.

"Tes?"

Momentarily confused, the werewolf had skidded to a near halt, but now she sneaked up to the limp form in the snow and sniffed at it. Her teeth showed for a second and then she trotted over to Phoebe and the other Cole, tail wagging. "I'm glad you're safe!"

Before Phoebe could brace herself, the large animal had jumped up at her, easily placing both paws on her shoulders and pushed her backwards with such force that when she landed in the sled, it took off down the slope with full speed.

"Hey!" Cole shouted angrily, but before he could go after them, Tes – who had kicked off from Phoebe's body – landed on his chest with a ferocious growl, and then it wasn't a wolf that bore down on him, but Cole.

"Isn't shape-shifting a fun game?" The new Cole snarled, and plunged the Athame deep into the other's chest.

With a howl worthy any werewolf, Cole number one shifted shape into a thin lipped, gaunt man who stared at Cole with blood shot eyes. "You can't stop this," he hissed, spitting dark blood. "It's gone too far. You have to take the witch to her."

"Maybe so, but it will be on my terms." He thrust upward and the Shape-shifter gurgled with pain as his heart was skewered, and then his head fell limply to the side.

Getting off the Shape-shifter before he went up in flames, Cole got to his feet to look for Phoebe and the kids. The sound of laughter carried up to him, and as he looked below, he saw the sled had crashed in a snowdrift, throwing its passengers in a heap of tangled arms and legs. With a faint sigh of relief, he watched Phoebe entangle herself.

"Are you guys okay?" he called down.

Phoebe's laughter died immediately. "Prove to me that you are the real Cole!" she shouted back putting her arms protectively around Wyatt and Chris.

"Will my assurance do?" Tes rose from the ground, shook the snow out of her fur and came to stand next to Cole.

Phoebe's face contorted in a frown. "Did you two…?"

"Shift shapes, yes. We thought we should play their game."

"But you…I mean she was hit by an energy ball."

Tes' tongue lolled out in what could only be a wolfish grin. "I'm a werewolf, remember. You need something made of silver to hurt me."

Phoebe digested that in silence. "Well, in that case, you need to come down here and help me. I think I have sprained my ankle."

Cole was down the slope in seconds with Tes at his heels.

Wyatt and Chris made big eyes at the sight of her. "Big doggie!" Chris laughed happily, and before Phoebe could stop him, he had tottered up to the wolf. With all the fearlessness of a two-year-old, he reached up both arms to the large animal, who – to Cole's utter amusement – simply laid down to let the child climb onto her back, where he laid down to hug her neck.

"Nice doggie!" Chris beamed happily where he lay, and burrowed his face into Tes' coarse, thick fur.

"I want to pet the doggie too!" Wyatt begged, pulling at Phoebe's restraining hands.

"Cole?" Phoebe gave him a helpless look.

"Let him." Cole chuckled. "I think they'll be quite safe."

Only a bit more respectful than his younger brother, Wyatt approached the wolf and gave her a careful pat on the head. In response, Tes flicked out her tongue and gave him a big, wet lick on his face. Wyatt giggled happily, and soon the two boys and the werewolf were playing in the snow; Chris and Wyatt trying to catch her, Tes ever so careful not to knock them over, and patiently enduring having her tail and ears pulled.

Confident that Tes would take good care of the kids, Cole turned his full attention on Phoebe, crouching down beside her to check her foot. "Is it bad?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe we should put some snow on it. Cool it down."

"Yes, let's do that!"

A heap of snow was shoved into his face, and next moment, Phoebe had pushed him back first into the soft snow to shovel handfuls of the cold, wet stuff over him. "This is for tricking me, and for pushing me, and for licking my face!"

Too surprised to fight back at first, Cole struggled to fend off her assault, desperately trying to apologize. Then he realized that she was laughing and got hold of her hands. "You little…witch!"

Soon they were engaged in a full blown snowball fight, rolling around in the snow, whooping and squealing with laughter, until they were so out of breath they ended up lying on their backs gasping for air.

Cole turned to look at Phoebe, lying next to him. Her clothes were full of snow, her cheeks were blushing, and a happiness he hadn't seen in a long time, glittered in her dark, hazel eyes.

"Hey there!" She smiled up at him.

Smiled at him.

Smiled at him.

Cole felt how something caught in his chest, and had to swallow. He had almost forgotten how it felt when Phoebe smiled like that at him.

We could've had this…

"Hey."

"We can't stay here, can we?"

"No." Heaving a sigh, he got to his feet, and offered her a hand up, which she accepted. "It's time to go."

Wishing she could stay just a little while longer, Phoebe squinted at the last rays of the setting sun, reflecting in all the beautiful, white snow, painting it in pastel shades of gold and pink. "Okay. Come on, boys," she sighed. "Let's go back inside to dad and grandpa."

There were some objections, but they ceased as Tes offered to pull them in the sled.

Dinner was eaten during a nervous silence, occasionally broken by halting attempts at conversation. Even the two little boys were quiet.

Leo and Victor had been fully briefed on the events of the day and everyone agreed that they couldn't stay in the cabin anymore. Cole wanted to leave immediately, but by now Phoebe was pale from lack of food and so it was decided that they all eat something first.

Victor had bought some ready-made turkey for Christmas Day, needing only 15 minutes in the oven, which he offered to heat up since it didn't seem likely to be eaten next day anyway.

Too impatient to sit down, Cole didn't plan to eat, but after three years without being able to taste food at all, he found the turkey delicious. Considering his objections, it was much to the other's amusement that Tes was not the only one wolfing it down.

After they had cleared the table and Wyatt and Chris had both fallen asleep on the couch, there was no longer any way to avoid the subject.

"We need to go now if we're to have any chance to save Paige and Piper." Cole, the only one standing, was pacing the floor while trying to come up with a plan.

"I think I should go instead of Phoebe," Leo stated in a way that made it clear it wasn't a suggestion to be discussed. "We don't want to give the Winter Queen any chances to force them to say whatever spell she needs them to say."

"Actually, we do." Cole stopped pacing for a moment to fasten his eyes on the ex-Whitelighter. "We need the Power of Three to neutralize the Winter Queen's spell."

"You can stop talking as if I wasn't here." Phoebe snapped angrily. "And you can also stop arguing, because I am going there whether you like it or not."

"Okay," Leo consented. "But I'm still coming with you. Victor can take the boys and…"

"And just where am I supposed to take the boys?" Victor cut in. "I don't see how we could take them to the manor or my apartment."

"He's right." Phoebe nodded at the sleeping boys. "It's not safe for them. Even if Wyatt can put up his protective shield it's better if they weren't subjected to any more dangers. We have to hide them somewhere where the warlocks and the Snow wolves can't find them."

"That rules out most places," Leo observed.

"There is one."

They all turned to stare at Cole.

"Please, tell me it's not what I think it is," Phoebe said slowly.

"I know it sounds crazy, but the Snow wolves can't access the Underworld and I know places down there not even other demons would dream of going – let alone warlocks."

Incredulous, Phoebe gaped at him. "And that would be a safe environment, how?"

"It would only be for a short while."

"And what if we fail? Who's going to bring them back up then?"

"If we fail, they may be better off down there," he pointed out darkly. "Any better suggestions?"

There was an awkward silence, and then Victor said: "Is 'up there' completely out of the question?"

"Piper would kill me." Leo sighed. "She refuses to have anything to do with the Elders. Not that I don't understand her."

"Would she prefer it if her sons were babysat by demons?"

Leo glanced up at his sister-in-law. "She might."

"Well, she doesn't have a say in this," Phoebe decided after another minute of silence. "We're taking them up there, and that's that. At least then, if we fail, they are in good hands."

Leo shrugged. "As long as you explain that to Piper."

"I'm more concerned about what the Elders think," Victor said. "And how do we get them there? Do we call someone down, or what?"

"I don't know if they would come if we called." Phoebe admitted her doubts. "We did tell them to back off in a rather strong way, but if Cole takes us up there…"

"Forget it!" Folding his arms across his chest, Cole leaned back against the wall.

"Why? Can't you…?"

"No," he almost snapped. "I'm not going up there."

"You can go down to the Underworld, but not up there? That doesn't make sense. What are you afraid of? What could they possibly do to you?"

"Send me back into limbo?" Cole bit his tongue – or wished he had bit it before he let that slip.

"Limbo?" Phoebe's fair features were wrinkled up in a suspicious frown. "You told me…nothing. As always. What is it you haven't told me this time?"

"It's a long story and we don't have the time."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere until you've explained how you ended up in limbo."

"Phoebe, please!" But he could tell by her look that she wasn't going to budge one inch.

"I know you were vanquished in that other reality you created, so I guess you ended up in the Wasteland again. You can take it from there."

Grinding his teeth, Cole swung away to stare out the window, It was getting darker outside, and the water color-blue hue of the twilit sky was bleeding into the snow. To the far west a thin sliver of a sickle moon hung like a minute white rent in the blue canvas. Next to it, the Evening Star had lit up, twinkling brightly in the dusky Christmas evening. Cole wondered briefly if a wish made now would stand a better chance of coming true, or if the moon and stars just laughed at all the wishes made on them.

"I never made it to the Wasteland," he said, still looking out the window. "When you van…" He stopped himself. It hadn't been her, it hadn't been the real Phoebe who threw that vanquishing potion at him. "When I was vanquished," he went on, trying, but not succeeding entirely, to keep his voice neutral, "the reality I had created vanished with me and I was left somewhere in between; neither dead nor alive in any world. Before I could find a way to escape, I was intercepted, and stuck in limbo as punishments for all my crimes."

"I'm surprised they didn't stick you in Hell," Phoebe commented, enough tongue-in-cheek to make him wonder if she was just teasing him.

"So was I," he admitted as he finally turned to face them. "I'm sure they wanted to. I had certainly earned it after 115 years as Belthazor. But, apparently, whoever decided about what to do with me, thought this was a worse punishment and that the risk of me escaping was considerably smaller than if I was in Hell."

"Apparently we were wrong," a voice said, making them all jump.

There was a swirl of orbs, and then a dark-skinned woman in creamy white garbs stood in the middle of the living room.

"Elenea!" Leo gasped, immediately getting to his feet to make a deep bow.

"Leo." The woman acknowledged the ex-Whitelighter with a kind smile. "The Elders miss you."

"Leo," Phoebe hissed. "Do you know who she is?"

"Oh, yes. Elenea is an emissary."

"What? The Elders are too lazy to run their own business now?"

Leo gave her an odd look. "Not the Elders. Elenea is an emissary for the Archangels. Or a Christmas Angel if you like."

While Phoebe gaped at Leo, Elenea turned to Cole who had taken an almost defiant stance. "Cole Turner, you're in violation of the rules. I thought we agreed that you were not to make any more attempts to influence the course of events in the mortals' plane."

"I didn't come here of my own volition."

"I know exactly why and how you are here, but that is none of my concern. I'm just here to make sure you are returned."

"What?" Phoebe burst out, jumping out of the armchair. "You can't do that! Can she do that?"

Leo had a troubled look on his face. "I'm afraid so."

"And how am I supposed to save my sisters, and Christmas, if she takes away the only one who can help me do that?"

"Not my concern," Elenea stated calmly. "Cole Turner, I order you to give up your wish, and come with me!"

Hands balling into fists, Cole felt the sweat breaking out on his forehead as Elenea's willpower squeezed him like an anaconda, holding him in place. "No!" he gritted out, trying to fight it. "I'm not leaving them defenseless."

"There is much magic in the children. They will find a way."

"They are kids," Phoebe sputtered. "Toddlers. I can't use them to fight ancient evil. I won't!"

"I am sorry, child," Elenea said without taking her eyes off Cole. "But as I said; that is none of my concern."

"And what exactly is your concern?" Phoebe lashed out. "Destroying our lives? And here I thought lack of empathy was a demonic trait."

"Phoebe!" Leo fretted.

"No! I am sick and tired of all these omnipotent beings assuming they can run our lives as if we are pawns in some game. When did they ever lift a finger to help out, while we were giving up everything to save the world? We've gotten more help and cooperation from the Underworld, so screw your rules!"

"Harsh words," Elenea remarked gravely, although an amused smile played in the corner of her mouth. "Maybe I should put you in limbo too."

"Go ahead!" Phoebe snapped, too angry to care about what she was saying. "And then you can explain to everyone how this world was taken over by the Snow Queen and warlocks because your precious rules had to be upheld. Know what? I think I'd rather be in limbo when that happens."

Eyes suddenly flashing with impatience, the emissary raised her hand as if to smite the insolent witch. "That can be arranged."

"No!" Cole struggled against the force field that held him more or less immobile. "Leave her alone! I'll come with you. Just leave Phoebe alone."

Elenea lowered her hand. "That's much better," she said calmly. "I knew you would be sensible."

"Cole, no…"

"I'm sorry, Phoebe." He swallowed hard at the sight of her desperate face. "It's better this way."

"Better? How can this be 'better'?" Crestfallen, Phoebe stared as Elenea started to wrap Cole inside a hazy cocoon of magic.

"Now wait a minute!" Victor, who had tried to keep up with the turn of events, got to his feet. "I have watched my daughters sacrifice love and loved ones for the sake of what they thought was a greater good, risking their lives in the process; and this is how you treat them in return? Giving Evil the upper hand?"

"No." Pausing in her spell-making, Elenea turned toward the upset Victor. "We are just preventing the course of events from being influenced by an outside source."

"So how come you can tamper with the course of things?" Victor insisted.

"We don't tamper. We only uphold and act to enforce the universal laws when they are at risk."

"So the Winter Queen's plan to destroy the Spirit of Christmas isn't a breach of those laws?" Leo filled in, suddenly seeing where Victor was going with this.

For the first time since she arrived, there was a crack in the presumptuous facade of the emissary. "Well, yes," she admitted with a trace of hesitation. "It is a grave and unforeseen one, but it will be dealt with accordingly, I'm sure."

"Yes, accordingly!" Leo pressed on as he saw how Elenea was growing uncertain. "Tit for tat is a basic rule in magic. Has it ever occurred to you that in order to fix the first breach of the laws, another violation is required? That means if Cole's presence is needed to fix this, then you are tampering with events by removing him. That is not allowed."

Elenea let her eyes travel from the one to the other. "I see what you mean," she said slowly. "I need to discuss this with my superiors."

"We can't wait for that," Phoebe burst out. "We only have a couple of hours."

"I can't let him go with no insurance of his return."

"Then take me with you instead," Leo offered.

"Leo, no!" Phoebe grabbed him by the arm, but Leo gently removed her hand, squeezing it in reassurance.

"Victor, my sons and I will all go with you. We'll be your insurance and I can help explain everything to your superiors."

The emissary gave it a long thought. So long that Phoebe thought she would turn the proposal down. "The mortal will have to remain unconscious in the upper realms," she said at long last. "Are you willing to undergo this, Victor Bennett?"

Victor gave the people around him an uncertain look. "I don't seem to have much choice. Just as long as Wyatt and Chris are safe."

"Very well, then. Cole, you are released to stay until the wish has run its course." The mesh disintegrated, leaving Cole to almost stumble to his knees before he caught himself on the window sill. "Leo, take your sons and come with me!"

The sleeping Chris was lifted gently from the couch and into his father's arms, while a sleepy Wyatt took his hand. "Where are we going, dad?" he asked around a huge yawn.

"We're going to see some old friends of mine," Leo assured his son with a smile. "This nice lady will take us."

"Up there?"

"Yes, 'up there'."

"Cool!"

"Leo…" Cole's hoarse voice made them all look over. "Are you sure about this?"

The ex-Whitelighter nodded. "Like I said; I owe you a big one. Save my wife, and Christmas, and we'll call it even."

The cabin was eerily quiet after Elenea had left.

Phoebe was standing in the middle of the floor with her arms wrapped tightly around her body, staring blankly in front of her.

With effort, Cole pushed away from the window and took a couple of careful steps toward her, steadying himself a little on the back of the armchair. When he was standing just in front of her, he stopped. "Are you alright?" he asked. "You look tired."

Straightening up, Phoebe tried to push some hair out of her face. "It's been a long, eventful day," she murmured.

The strands of dark hair fell back across her face, so he reached out to carefully lift them back behind her ear, his fingers brushing lightly across her cheek on their way back. "It isn't over yet."

"I know, and…" Gathering courage, she raised her eyes to his. "I'm actually grateful that you are here." Suddenly unable to face him, Phoebe looked away again, an embarrassed smile nesting in the corner of her mouth. "I never thought I'd say that."

Neither did I.

In the silence that followed, she caught herself falling into his gold-flecked, strangely ocean-colored eyes – always an indeterminable green-blue-gray hue; always shifting with his mood; always so full of emotions. "But…it doesn't change anything…" she managed.

"Understood."

His voice was steady and calm, but his eyes betrayed him, and she had to fight the urge to put her arms around him. "Cole, I…"

The door flew up and Tes, who had gone outside after dinner to keep watch, trotted inside. "We need to go! I can sense them gathering around…" Alarmed, she skidded to a halt and looked around. "Where are the children?"

"Safe, for now." Cole hurried over to close and lock the door, and get their coats. "Time's up. Are you ready, Phoebe?" Once more, he held out his hand and after only a brief hesitation, she placed hers in it.

"I'm not sure what I'm ready for."

"Something very cold."

Pulling her close, he took hold of Tes with his other hand and shimmered them all away.

"How can there be trees at the North Pole?" Phoebe remarked at the sight of the twisted, malformed firs that hid them from the sight of the castle not far ahead. "That's just not possible."

"This is Faërie; nothing's impossible here."

"I'll keep that in mind. Do we even have a plan?"

"Well, so far I've been making it up as I go along." The grin he flashed at her, died as Phoebe's eyes flashed back. Sighing a little, Cole grew sober again. "Soon as we're inside you must find your sisters. I'll try to create some kind of diversion; give you time to break the spell on them, so you can…"

"Vanquish the Winter Queen."

"Actually, that's the one thing we can't do."

"No?" Phoebe looked all confused. "Why not?"

"For the same reason she mustn't kill Santa. If it were as simple as just blasting her away, I would have done that this morning. This time you don't get away with a simple vanquishing spell and some blasting power."

"Just so you know; those spells aren't 'simple'."

"Killing is always the simplest solution to any problem. You can trust me on that."

And there it was again, she thought; that glimpse of the darkness inside of him. Like a dark cloud, passing in front of the sun, he let it cloak him for a brief moment to emphasize his words. "Okay," she muttered, grudgingly admitting he was right. "So we have to come up with a spell to counteract the Winter Queen's, and free Santa?"

"Yes. Can you do that?"

"We just have to, don't we?" Shivering with the bitter midwinter cold, Phoebe wrapped her arms around her for some extra warmth. "What kind of diversion will you create?"

Cole shrugged. "I have no idea – yet. First I need to find Erin. Hopefully, he can help us get in unnoticed too."

"You're not leaving me here alone, are you?"

"Tes will keep you company. Don't go any closer to the castle, or the Snow wolves prowling around for trespassers will sense you. And you," he turned to the wolf, "you just have to turn white."

Tes gave him an affronted look. "I'm a werewolf, not a chameleon."

Smiling briefly, he waved a hand at her. "Now you're a Snow wolf." Satisfied he had done all he could, Cole made to leave, but Phoebe put a restraining hand on his sleeve.

"What if you don't come back?"

Dark hazel brown eyes gazed up at him with a concern that wasn't necessarily all for herself.

You still care? Then not all hope is lost.

Oddly invigorated by that thought, Cole winked at her. "Don't I always?"

Before she could answer, he had shimmered away.