518/520 Late Wednesday Night

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe helped Cole into their dorm after getting him out of the preserve.

She had quite a lot of questions and confusions going around in her mind, but she wanted to get Cole comfortable first so that they could talk and she could take stock of all of this newness.

She eased him to the couch and then sat down next to him. She was silent for a few moments, not sure what to say.

"Can I get you anything?"

Yeah, that was helpful.

Comments

[demonbelthazor]

"Feels so strange," Cole said. He wrapped his arms around himself. "I'm cold."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe got up and retrieved a blanket, which she wrapped carefully around his shoulders and then sat back down.

"Do you want to go to the clinic?"

[demonbelthazor]

He shook his head. "I don't think there's anything they can do," he said, but his body ached from fighting with Marty, bruises paining him more than they would have before.

[sensethevisions]

"You need to use ice to reduce the swelling from the fight," she suggested quietly, reaching out to rub his arm gently.

[demonbelthazor]

"I'll be okay," he insisted. He looked around the room. "But...I can't stay here. I should go."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe looked at him in shock. "What? Why? You can't..."

[demonbelthazor]

"You heard what Marty said," Cole said softly. "You heard what I...what I did. I killed a witch. They've gonna come after me, and I can't defend myself anymore."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe shook her head. "You're human now, they can't hurt you like that. You need to go to Zoe and tell her what happened and then go from there. There are people here who will help and defend you." She swallowed, hating what she was about to say. "You're helpless without us, love."

[demonbelthazor]

"Don't you care what I did?" Cole asked her. "I killed a witch, Phoebe! I didn't want to...but I did."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe swallowed hard. "You're damn right I care. You didn't just murder an innocent, you killed a witch." She ran a hand though her hair. "That alone raises a whole hell of a lot of problems and consequences. You will have to face and deal with what you did, Cole. You cannot run and hide from it. That's the first lesson of being human."

Phoebe looked at him snd tried to still her internal shaking.

"First, you are going to start at the beginning and tell me what the fuck happened."

[demonbelthazor]

"Raynor told me I had to kill the witch," Cole said, looking away from her. "I wasn't going to do it. I told her to run and hide. But then Raynor was there and...he did something to me. Made me turn into my demon form. And I...I killed her."

[sensethevisions]

"Raynor," she spat angrily. "I am so going to find a way to vanqish that asshole." She took a breath, trying to calm down. She was sort of angry that she hadn't had a premonition about the danger another witch was in. She shook her head, pushing that thought away.

"How often has he messed with your demon that way?"

She was shaken by all of this, but she was determined to stay calm and get him through this.

[demonbelthazor]

"I think he did it a couple times," Cole admittted. "I wasn't sure at first. I just felt more angry, more out of control, more...demony."

[sensethevisions]

"Why didn't you tell me? Tell anyone?"

[demonbelthazor]

"I don't know," Cole said. "I didn't want you to worry? And part of me was enjoying it...."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe managed not to do a facepalm. She realized that this was not the optimum time to lecture Cole about keeping things from her so he didn't worry her.

"That's the very reason you should have told someone. We could have helped ease the demon back without anyone getting hurt."

[demonbelthazor]

"I thought I could control it," he said quietly.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe sighed softly. "No one can control everything alone, sweetheart. You knew the demon was a threat. That's why you made me promise what I did."

[demonbelthazor]

"And now another girl is dead because of me," Cole said. He buried his face in his hands. "I blew my second chance here. Marty's gonna tell people, and they're going to come for me."

[sensethevisions]

"They're not going to come for you. However, you are going to go talk to Dean Washburn and tell her what happened. Tell her everything -- about Raynor, about what he was doing, about everything." She reached out to touch his face gently. "We'll tell people before anyone else can. Do this head-on and don't run, Cole. You cannot run from this."

[demonbelthazor]

"What about my father?" Bel said brokenly. "I can't do anything to save him now. They'll destroy him."

[sensethevisions]

Tears filled Phoebe's eyes and she wrapped her arms around him, trying to give him some comfort.

"We will figure out a way, Cole. We will free him. There has to be a way."

A way might involve her making a little trip...

[demonbelthazor]

"Raynor will just destroy him if he has no use for him anymore," Cole said. "He may just kill me."

[sensethevisions]

"No. There will be no destroying and there will be no killing of anyone," she said firmly. "We will find a way to save your father and Raynor doesn't dare come after you here."

[demonbelthazor]

"He already came after me here once," Cole said. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Or maybe I'll be off his radar now, and he won't care. I don't know."

[sensethevisions]

"Yes he did and he was stopped, wasn't he?" Phoebe bit her lip. "We'll figure all of this out, Cole."

[demonbelthazor]

"What am I going to do now?" Cole said quietly.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe squeezed his hand. "Finish school... let your friends be here for you through trying to adapt to suddenly being a human?"

[demonbelthazor]

"I've been a demon all my life, it's all I've ever know," Cole said. "Or been. What am I supposed to do now? Who am I?"

[sensethevisions]

"Most humans find themselves during high school," she said softly. "Cole, you're still the same man I fell in love with. You're the same man who fell in love with me, right? Not being a demon will give you more of a chance to try and decide what you want to do with your life. You. Not Raynor, not the Source. It's a chance to make your own choices."

[demonbelthazor]

"But I don't have a home or parents or anything," Cole said, perilously close to whining. "I don't even have my powers anymore to protect you!"

[sensethevisions]

That look she was giving him? Yeah, that would be her "Bitch, Please" look.

"You think all I cared about was that your powers could protect me? Give me some credit. You can still fight and you're still smart enough to figure things out in your head." She shook her head. "This is your home, Cole. Also, I am sure that there are any number of our adult friends who would act as parents for you. Hells, Aziraphale has already!!"

[demonbelthazor]

"I just don't know how to deal with this!" Cole exclaimed. "I mean, part of me kinda wanted it, but now that it's happened, I don't know what to do!"

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe kneeled in front of him and took his hands in hers.

"I know, love, I know. And believe me, I understand exactly. You've just had a major change occured and now you're not sure what you should do or even how. I don't know what answers to give you on that, only that you won't be trying to find your way alone and a reminder that you're free now."

[demonbelthazor]

"I don't know if I know how to be a proper man," Cole said, looking down at her.

[sensethevisions]

"But you can learn, sweetheart. This is something that you can learn."

[demonbelthazor]

"You think anyone will ever even trust me?" Cole asked.

[sensethevisions]

"If you're honest with them, yes. Explain about what Raynor was doing, both about your father and taking control of your demon and making him stronger." She swallowed. "You already have friends that believe in you, that know what was going on."

[demonbelthazor]

"But some of the people around here are shoot first, ask questions later," Cole said angrily. "Just look at Marty. How the hell did he get the potion anyway?"

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe's voice was a little bitter. "Veronica gave it to him."

[demonbelthazor]

Cole blinked. "Veronica? How the hell did she get it, and why did she give it to Marty?"

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe looked angry. "Apparently Piper did manage to come up with a power-stripping potion only she neglected to tell me about it. She must have given it to Veronica instead and I have no fucking idea why Veronica gave it to Marty."

[demonbelthazor]

"Because I told her I was having troubles," Cole groaned. "Dammit!"