•••

“I know what you are.”

The resonant, emotional voice stopped Cole in his tracks. “What?”

“I know what you are—from after the Hollow.”

The lawyer swore under his breath. He never should have thought he could hide it for any length of time. Hell, he shouldn’t have even tried.

Betrayal haunted the next words he heard. “Why?”

Eventually, Cole answered. “It was part of the deal.”

“The deal? What ‘deal?’ The one you made with the Seer?”

“No, the one I made with them,” Cole gestured toward the ceiling. “The deal where I get to be human if I protect the Charmed Ones.”

“But you aren’t human anymore.”

Cole snarled in frustration. “Trust me, I know.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Do? What can I do? There are demons after me, witches after me, you after me…” a familiar hand on his shoulder stopped the tirade. He leaned into the touch, his tensions released, for the moment at least.

“It’ll get better, you know.”

The demon snorted. “Can’t get much worse.”

“Sure it can.”

“Yeah, like tonight, when I get to bed Phoebe—again.” Cole shuddered at the thought.

Leo groaned. “At least you didn’t get Piper the obsessive-compulsive.”

Cole turned around, draping his arms around the shorter White-Lighter. “The things we do for love.”

“It’s worth it, though. We have now, you know. They won’t be home for hours.”

“Fine by me.” Cole grinned, dragging the blonde toward the stairs. “Tell me again why they made you marry Piper? And did I ever mention that was an inspired bit of acting?”

•••

I Hate My Life

•••

“So why can’t Phoebe just vanquish Balthazar again? It worked the first time.” Leo asked, curling into Cole.

The demon pulled his lover back up to the head of the bed. “Because the Seer will just find another way to make me a demon.”

“Oh. Does she know…”

“About us? I doubt it. Not even she can see the outcome of our destinies. Hell, your bosses can’t see much either, you know.”

“Yeah, but more than she can, apparently. They haven’t made me stop seeing you.” Leo whispered.

“Could they?” Cole asked quietly, hoping.

“No.”

“Then it doesn’t matter, does it?”

“I guess not. But still, it’d be nice…”

Cole rolled over, pulling Leo under him. “Yeah, it would.”

•••

Why Does Shit Always Happen To Me?

•••

“Man, she popped you but good,” Leo muttered, daubing at the blood covering Cole’s face.

“I was lucky. You managed to hold Piper back.” Cole winced as the alcohol stung the cuts on his face. “You don’t need to do that, you know. I heal pretty fast, considering…”

Leo grimaced. “Don’t remind me, Source-in-Training.”

Cole reached up, stilling the White-Lighter’s hands. “I’m sorry. I know it bothers you, but—“

“You’re still here?” Piper snapped, walking into the kitchen. “Leo, go check on Phoebe. Now.” Leo rolled his eyes, orbing out.

“You—you mean evil bastard. How could you do it to her? Again?” Piper shouted, pacing as best she could in the tiny kitchen.

Cole slumped down in the seat. “I couldn’t help it…”

Piper hmmphed. “Right. Like I believe that. Phoebe’s making the vanquishing spell again, not that I know why. But this is your last chance. You so much as break a plate from here on out and I will personally make sure you go back where you came from—painfully.”

“Right.”

•••

Requisite Happy Ending

•••

Cole leaned against the retaining wall, watching the blonde man. He could see that he’d been crying, something that wrenched at Cole’s heart. It had been more than a year.

The sound of crackling leaves brought Leo out of his reverie. He’d been thinking about Cole. It hadn’t been but a few weeks after Phoebe had vanquished Balthazar a second time that a demon had caught Cole—a lucky shot, to hear Piper. Leo knew better. Piper and Paige hadn’t been particularly careful in guarding Cole after they found out about his demon, not even when Leo reminded them that Cole was now truly innocent—he’d never done much wrong as a human.

Cole watched Leo wander back toward the house. He wasn’t sure if this was a good idea, but his new bosses had given him the ok. He’d been waiting, almost since the moment he’d died, but they’d made him wait until his training was finished with. Bolstering his resolve, he took a step forward.

Leo heard leaves crackling again and turned around. “Cole?” He whispered.

The brunette shifted his weight from foot to foot. This was looking like a bad idea. Leo had turned deathly pale. “Um…yeah, it’s me.”

The White Lighter stared. It looked like Cole, and sounded like him too. But how? “Wha..how?” He took a step forward, eyes searching wildly.

“Long story,” Cole replied, watching Leo hopefully.

“I’ve got time,” Leo muttered, reaching out to almost touch his former lover.

“I died.”

“I noticed.”

“I’m back.”

“I noticed that too.” Leo was obviously growing impatient, and had stopped mere inches from Cole.

“I’m a White Lighter.”

“No way.”

“Way.” Cole demonstrated by orbing out, then orbing in behind Leo. The blonde spun around.

“Shit. How?” He moved closer to Cole, a grin threatening his somber face.

“Apparently I did that destiny thing right,” The new White Lighter replied.

“Ah. So…you’re here,” Leo said.

Cole frowned. “Nearby. I’m watching a coven in the Napa Valley.” He took a step forward, closing the remaining distance between them. Leo still smelled like limes, grass, and spice.

He couldn’t stand it. Crying softly, Leo reached up, pulling Cole tightly against him and burying his face in the taller man’s neck. Cole clutched at him tightly.

“Damn you. I missed you. Every day. Every night.”

“I know. I missed you too. Knew you were here, but I couldn’t see you.”

After a few minutes, Leo pulled away. “So, you going to drop in on the girls?”

Cole cringed. “I don’t think that would be wise.” They both laughed.

Leo sobered. “This is going to be hard.”

“I know. But we’ve got their seal of approval.” Cole gestured in his normal, irreverent way toward the heavens.

“It’s enough, then,” Leo replied, smiling. “Come on. They’re all at work, and we’ve got all the time in the world.”