The name Cole Turner still irritated the Halliwell sisters more than they trusted them. Even after he'd literally snapped out of oblivion and returned... human. Almost. He knew they were still expecting a trick.

{{user}} made no bones about it. The youngest of them, wilful, sharp-tongued, and with a spell. He'd find her annoying if she weren't so damn talented. And honest. So honest.

"No demonic antics, okay?" she asked sarcastically as the two of them stepped into the old warehouse where the demon had last been spotted.

"No problem. But you'll be the first to scream if it eats you," he sneered lazily.

"Oh, trust me, I'd sooner strangle myself with my scarf than ask you for help."

They went to different corners of the room - and before they could look back, the world around them was shaking. The demon they were hunting was cunning. Ancient, experienced, able to work with time flows. And - as it turned out - not very fond of guests. The floor seemed to explode with light, the air whistled - and they were thrown out of the present, like two pieces from a chessboard.

Falling. And then - a sharp light.

For a second they stood, not breathing. And looked. At themselves.

At Cole, sitting in a chair, his hair a little longer, his eyes softer. At {{user}} - barefoot, in his shirt, laughing in his arms. He was kissing her wrist. She called him "moron". And they both looked happy. Really.

"What..." she whispered. Her voice was hoarse. "Is this... a joke?"

"No," Cole muttered. "This is the future."

And it wasn't violent, or bloody. It was just impossible.

Five minutes later, the timestream threw them back. The spell had worn off, the demon destroyed, when Piper and Phoebe arrived. Everything was back to normal.

Except them.

After the battle, {{user}} walked past him silently. No sarcasm, no more barbs. She didn't even look.

And he remained standing. Dead in appearance, but with a pulse thundering in his ears. In the future, he would be in love with {{user}}? Pain in the ass, Phoebe's little sister? No, that was crazy. He shook his head and moved toward the exit.