THIRTY-SEVEN

She looked around the room trying to figure out what had happened. Had they been able to unfold the timelines? Had Nostradamus been returned to the past? Was everything back the way it was supposed to be or was everything still jumbled up?

"You okay? You look like you're pissed about something."

Phoebe looked up to see Paige standing in the doorway to the attic. She was wearing the same clothes she had been wearing before the whole folded timeline had begun.

"What?" Phoebe questioned.

"I said you look like you're pissed about something. Are you okay? You sound like you're kind of out of it."

"Oh, uh, no, I'm fine. Just kind of lost in thought I guess. What are you up to?"

"I'm off to work. No rest for the wicked. What are your plans for today?"

"I'm not sure," said Phoebe. Apparently the timelines had unfolded. In the altered timeline the manor was a restricted zone. If that were still the case, Paige wouldn't be there. "Hey, I have a question. Did you ever think about going into journalism?"

"You mean like a reporter?" Paige asked. "Yeah, once. But I figured I'd be able to do more good going into social work. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," said Phoebe.

"Okay. Well, I'm off to work. I'll see you when I get home."

"Yeah. I'll see you tonight. Paige?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, Paige."

"I love you, too," said Paige, a look of confusion on her face. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine. You'd better get to work. You don't want to be late."

"Right. I'll see you tonight."

As Paige left the attic Phoebe thought how she didn't say that enough to her sisters. They were always so busy fighting demons and saving the innocent and some things just seemed to fall through the cracks. In the altered timeline she could have lost all those dear to her. That would have to change in the future.

Phoebe looked at the book and decided to head to her room. If things had been set right – if Nostradamus had returned to the past – then she should be able to find the same information on him on the Internet that she had found before. As she headed to her room to research him she though about the best way to tell the others exactly what had happened.

"That's an interesting story," said Leo that night at dinner. "But, Phoebe, you know it's not possible to change the past. Paige learned that when she went back to see her parents. Even though she tried to change things she didn't. Not really. Her parents still died."

"I didn't say the past had been changed," said Phoebe. "Tempus said that a point of time in the past and the present had folded over each other. Apparently elements from both kind of infected the other. He said the past hadn't been altered really. The overlapped caused the past in the altered timeline to be the real past."

"It still sounds like changing the past to me," said Paige.

"It sounds like it to me, too. But time can be a funny thing sometimes. And no one knew more about it than Tempus."

They all looked up to see Cole standing in the doorway to the living room.

"What are you doing here?" Piper asked. "I thought we made it clear that you weren't welcome here any more."

"I figured Phoebe might have trouble making you guys believe her," said Cole. "I just thought I'd lend her a little moral support."

"You remember everything?" Phoebe asked.

"Every horrible minute of it," said Cole. "When things changed back I found myself back in my office. I can't tell you what a relief it was."

"So, you're saying that the story Phoebe told us is true?" Leo asked. "That somehow she cast a spell that altered the past?"

"Not altered exactly," said Cole. "The explanation Tempus gave was very long and very complicated. And as I said, no one knew more about time than Tempus. If he said it then I'd bank on it."

"So how come you kept your memories but I didn't?" Piper asked. "According to Phoebe you simply had your memories suppressed. Mine were changed to conform to the new timeline."

"Your unborn child," said Cole. "You're invulnerable because of her. The two of you were sharing your powers so you aren't as powerful as I am by yourself. With my increased power I was able to partially protect myself from the changes. Lucky for you I was otherwise you might still be in that awful camp."

"So you really saw Prue?" Piper asked. "And mom?"

"Yes," said Phoebe. "I know I really didn't get to know her that well when we went back to 1975 but she seemed to be just like she was then."

"She was exactly like she was when she was alive," said Cole.

"How would you know?" Leo asked.

"I'm well over a hundred years old," said Cole. "I've met lots of people in the last century."

"You met our mom?" Piper asked.

"Let's just say that my first contact with the Halliwell family wasn't with you at the courthouse," said Cole.

"When did you meet Patty?" Leo asked. "I wasn't aware of that."

"That's a story best saved for another time," said Cole. "Right now my only purpose is to corroborate Phoebe's story. So you won't think she's off her rocker."

"I appreciate it," said Phoebe nervously. "I wasn't sure they were going to believe me."

"You can relax," said Cole. "I'm not going to use this to try to get you back. I figure you've been through enough over the past few days."

"Thanks," said Phoebe.

"It does explain one thing," said Cole. "Everything that happened."

"What's that?" Paige asked.

"Nostradamus," said Cole. "His 'predictions' were based on an altered timeline. That could well explain why some people see them as prophecies while others just see them as the ravings of a madman. The histories he read in the hospital would not have been completely accurate based on the actual timeline. Some of the stuff would have been the same but some of it would necessarily have been changed. So I guess he wasn't psychic after all."

"I guess not," said Phoebe. "Just someone who had a glimpse of the future."

"I just wanted to back up Phoebe's story, for what it's worth," said Cole. "I know I'm not exactly you're favorite person but I have no reason to lie to you about this. I just don't want you thinking Phoebe was deluded or anything."

"Well," said Piper thoughtfully, "we have seen magic do some pretty incredible things. I guess it's possible that what she told us is true."

"I'll check with the Elders," said Cole. "They'll want to know about this. It might give them some new insight into time and its workings."

"I figured they'd know all about that," said Paige.

"Contrary to what you might think," said Leo, "the Elders don't know everything."

"They think they do," said Piper sarcastically.

"On that note I'll say good night," said Cole. "I can show myself out."

"He still seems as charming as ever," said Paige as Cole left the kitchen. "For a demon."

"What I don't understand," said Phoebe, "is why the Elders didn't know about the altered timeline. With all their power they should have sensed something."

"Not if the past had changed," said Leo. "To them it would be 'normal'. One or two of them might have sensed something out of the ordinary but the may not have been able to figure out what it was."

"You did tell me that Thaddeus sensed something was amiss but he wasn't sure what it was," said Phoebe.

"That sounds like Thaddeus," said Leo. "When I talk to the Elders I'll be sure to talk with Thaddeus. He might be able to shed some light on what happened."

"Thanks," said Phoebe. "I really need you guys support right now. Everything happened so fast and it was so confusing it's going to take some time to sort out. Your support is going to be a big help with that."

"That's what sisters are for, sweetie," said Piper. "I just wish the rest of us could remember what happened. It would have been nice to see Prue and mom again. We never really did get a chance to say goodbye to either of them."

"I did," said Phoebe. "I know I was never as close to Prue as you were and I never really got to know mom but at least it gave me the chance to say goodbye to both of them. As strange as it sounds it actually makes me feel better."

"It's called closure," said Leo. "And it's something I think you've needed for a long time."

"Well, I finally got it," said Phoebe. "Somehow it makes living with their deaths a little easier."

"That's what the question was this morning," said Paige. "About if I had ever thought about being a reporter."

"Yeah," said Phoebe. "I wanted to make sure the timeline had been reset and I wasn't sure how to find out. I figured that was the best way to do it at the time."

"You said you cast the spell to see if you could find out why you weren't having any premonitions lately," said Piper. "But you haven't mentioned getting any new insight."

"I never did," said Phoebe. "There was nothing about this whole experience that seemed to have anything to do with my precognitive ability."

"Maybe it didn't have anything to do with your premonitions," said Leo. "You did mention that Tempus told you that you had worded the spell wrong. Maybe the spell you cast had nothing to do with your premonitions despite what your intentions were."

"I guess that's it," said Phoebe. "But I have learned one thing. If I'm going to learn why my premonitions aren't working it won't be with a spell. After what happened I don't want to risk it happening again. We might not be able to put things back again if I do."

"Well at least you learned something," said Piper. "And I think that's a good idea. We have enough trouble with the spells that go right without tempting fate with ones that go haywire."

"No argument from me," said Phoebe. "Well, I'm kind of bushed. I think I'm going to go to bed early tonight. Can we talk about this some more tomorrow?"

"Of course," said Piper. "You've been through a lot. You need to get some rest. We'll be here when you're ready to talk."

"You really believe what she told us?" Paige asked after Phoebe had gone to her room.

"Well," said Leo, "it seems too real to be a delusion or hallucination. And despite what we may think about him Cole is right about one thing. He has no reason to lie about it. I'm willing to bet if we questioned him he'd give us the same answers Phoebe gave us."

"So you do believe her," said Piper.

"Unless there's some evidence to the contrary I think we have to," said Leo. "I should know more when I talk with the Elders but I think they're only going to confirm things. I also think it's important that we really listen to whatever she has to say. She has to be totally confused by this and she's going to need our help and support in the immediate future."

"Well, like Piper said, that's what sisters are for," said Paige.

"Good," said Leo. "I'll go to the Elders in the morning. Right now I think I should stick around her in case she needs me."

"Good idea," said Piper. "But I think what she's needs most right now is rest. So we shouldn't disturb her until she's ready to talk."

"Agreed," said Paige.

Phoebe thought about the past few days as she brushed her hair. She had a chance most people never got. She could have had her sister and mother back. But she also knew that was never an option. As much as she wanted them back the price for that was just too high. Too many innocents were at stake. And as Prue had taught her, the innocent came first.

She knew that's what Prue mean when she said the Charmed Ones always came first. No matter what happened in their personal lives there were always bigger considerations than that. While being a witch might be inconvenient at times, not being a witch could be deadly to those they were tasked to protect.

She put down the brush and climbed into bed. For a while the world of mortals had little to worry about interference from demons. But she had learned that even without it mortals could cause enough of their own problems. She had also learned that, under some circumstances, even mortal enemies could would together for a common goal.

At least with demons the danger was usually covert. Something they could see and face head on. And maybe, even though the mortal world was unaware of witches and demons, that was what brought out the best in people. They knew that real evil existed somewhere. And it spurred them to be better people. She settled in to get the sleep she desperately needed.

The End

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