To Save Her

written by : countertigerx (start: 6/28/04)

A/N: Hope you like this fic, and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. My birthday's coming up!!! Err......more like 2 months more, but reviews make great gifts!! This is only the first "part". There are going to be three parts, each with a different time frame, but all are part of the same story!!!

......and I'm sorry I had to kill Cole.

cries in shame

Summary: A/U fic. Starts around Season 4. Instead of going to the all the way to the alter to be intiated in as the Source, Cole sacrifices himself to save Phoebe from turning evil. He unfortunately dies in the process, and Phoebe with no choice and persuasion of the Seer, still becomes Queen of the Underworld with her baby still inside of her. Piper, Paige and Leo's failure to bring Phoebe back causes a huge impact in their lives, and they too also have no choice but to move on.

Diclaimer: I do not own Charmed or any of the characters, except for those in future chapters that are not recognized.

Part 1, New Beginnings: Chapter 1

(From "We're Off to See the Wizard")

Cole paced back and forth in front of the old and gray wizard. The wizard flipped through the pages of the black and evil grimoir, with a kind of hunger in his eyes, the hunger for more power. Cole glanced at the old man and saw how power hungry he was and shook his head for he knew that the wizard would make such a terrible leader of the underworld with the Source's powers. But it was okay for him somehow.

Because he had Phoebe.

Cole's heart finally warmed up after Phoebe's unconditional love and he reminded himself that he was doing this for her. Of course the Source still lived in him, and absolutely commanded him not to proceed with his actions. There was a war raging inside of his body, mentally and physically.

Cole's finally gained his strength from Phoebe's love to overpower the Source and to be in control of his own actions and his own love. Although he was in control, the Source still fought him off, screaming and bellowing inside the depths of his mind and fighting to break free inside of his chest but nothing right now could stop Cole from what he was about to do.

"How much longer?" Cole asked, impatiently, feeling somewhat weak and overwhelmed. Since Phoebe had found out he was the Source, and she and her sisters had tried to stop him from proceeding to the coronation, everything had gotten so unorganized and out of hand. But one thing Cole couldn't get out of his mind was Phoebe's face as soon as she touched and received that premonition. Of course Cole knew she would find out sometime, that it wasn't something you could keep a secret forever. I mean, when you're the Source of all evil and leader of the underworld and all that is evil, the Charmed ones, the greatest power of good of all time are bound to notice when they want to cut your head off.

But Phoebe's face looked at him like he was a stranger, and had felt the pain of all the deception and the lies that he had caused her. Cole couldn't take it anymore, and his heart finally broke through the evil chains and barriers the source had over him and took advantage of his own actions.

"Give me a break, will you, this is tricky stuff. It'd be a lot easier if I could do this in friendlier confines." the wizard replied bitterly. Cole glared at him, wondering how this wizard could be so careless and ungreatful. You'd think that being in line for unstoppable power makes you more apprecitive of your power and your surroundings.

"There are no friendly confines, not anymore. This had better work or youll be joining the rest of your kind and not in the way you hoped for." Cole spat out at the wizard, his voice revealing the hatred and regret of the Source. The wizard glanced up from his work and glared at Cole. "Little tip. Pressure's not the best moticating technique. If you wanna lose the Source's powers, don't rush me."

Cole felt the urge to hurl a fireball at the wizard, since his sarcasm was getting way to annoying but he knew that if he released too much anger and hate and left himself off guard, the Source would once again take over and he would be a mere voice inside of his head. "Fine, but just so we're clear, once you get the Source's powers I never hear from you again."

The wizard lit some candles on the floor and looked up at him. "Understood. Not that I'm ungrateful, but why are you so willing to do this?"

Cole looked up at the wizard and stopped his pacing. He saw the same look in the wizard's eyes as he saw before, the curiosity to know what has gotten into the head of the Source of all evil. The wizard looked as if he were getting ready to create an illusion to escape, just in case this was some kind of trick but Cole only sighed. "I lost someone I love and I want her back. That's all you need to know."

"Love? The Source can love."

"Just keep working." Cole said, revealing a tone of disgust with the wizard. The Source couldn't love, but Cole could and because Cole accepted the power unwillingly, the love in his heart still existed and dominated throughout the Source's body and helped Cole recover from his weak state inside of the Source.

"I'm done." the wizard said. Cole looked up and walked over to the wizard. "Now, if the spell's going to work, blood needs to spill." the wizard continued. The wizard picked up a dagger from the bookstand and Cole held his arm out so willingly. The wizard cut Cole's arm slowly, and blood slowly dripped down from his arm to the grimoir.

"Now me."

The wizard pulled up his own sleeve and cut his own blood onto the grimoir and smoke started to rise from the book. Cole closed his eyes, wanting the ceremony to be over already, so he could go back to Phoebe and hopefully they could raise their child in peace. Their child was the biggest symbol of their love, and even though the conception was planned and involved cheat and deception, Cole was still there with his love and knew inside of his heart that the child inside of Phoebe was his, not the Source's.

"Holus into exitus omne. Holus into exitus omne." the wizard started to chant. Cole shut his eyes tighter, feeling the pain and screams of the Source inside of him begging him to stop the ceremony but Cole concentrated on getting Phoebe's love at the end of it.

"Holus into exitus omne!! Holus into exitus omne!!"

Cole and the wizard both started to rise and they both started to glow a bright white light. Cole took deep breaths, waiting for the Source's power to be taken out of him. The wizard extended his hand towards Cole and a shadow that held the Source's power started to rise out of Cole, and Cole screamed feeling the pain of the power drainage.

A shadow of the Source's power appeared to be escaping from Cole's body and the wizard could feel the power slowly coming towards him. Cole almost smiled, forgetting his uncontrollable pain tearing out of his flesh.

'Phoebe.....we'll be okay now.....' Cole thought.

Suddenly, Cole felt the power half way out of him jolt right back into his chest and he fell to the ground. Opening his eyes just a little bit, he saw the wizard get hit by a stream of fire and he exploded into an absolute nothing.

"No...." Cole hissed, disappointed. He rolled over and saw Phoebe with her arm extended towards to where the wizard was. Cole took a final breath and felt as if he were losing himself. He then fell into an everlasting reality of darkness.

The Source had taken over his body once more.


"Cole is the source." Phoebe whispered. She said it with such acceptance. She felt as if she should have already known that Cole had turned back to evil. She had definitely sensed a big change in him since they had vanquished the last source, when Cole had absorbed the hollow.

Cole had gotten more obscure and protective. Before, when he was still a mortal, he had been more cautious about his own safety, but then it seemed as he...had a little more confidence into himself. Not to mention, he had gotten more seductive than he was before.

Was that what their love was then? Lust? With all the cheat and deception, Phoebe didn't know what to think but inside she was heartbroken and scared. She touched her stomach lightly, feeling afraid for their son, wondering what would happen now that Cole was evil.

"Yes." the Seer said. Phoebe looked away and started to pace around their dark, cave like surroundings. Having the Seer repeat the facts to her seemed to confirm that it was real.

'So it's true.' Phoebe thought. 'Cole is truly evil....'

"And he needs your help if he hopes to survive." the Seer continued. "He needs your love. You can't keep fighting it. The maternal bond is too strong, listen to your body, Phoebe. Listen to your unborn son. He takes after his father."

Phoebe felt angry, at Cole and herself. She hated herself for being so foolish and naive that all this was happening under her nose, and she had been in denial of it all. She glanced to the Seer. She had a convincing look, but Phoebe still didn't want to hear the Seer's words. What did the Seer think she was....stupid? She didn't want to listen to her lies anymore.....her lies of evil. She wasn't going to fall for anything.

"His father lied to me...." she whispered. She took a deep breath and turned away from the Seer's deep eyes. The Seer then walked up closer to Phoebe.

"He never lied about his feelings for you. And despite my best efforts, he never stopped loving you." She said. Phoebe's head jerked up, as if she had heard what she had wanted to hear. Her mixed emotions suddenly started to come back to her. The Seer smiled, and knew that she was getting to Phoebe. She touched Phoebe's stomach lightly.

"Oh, your son was conceived in love, you know that. It's time to stop fighting it."

Phoebe closed her eyes, and couldn't think clearly. She was terribly confused with everything, but mostly confused with herself. Just seconds ago, she was telling herself not to believe anything the Seer was saying, but how could the Seer have gotten through to her that easily. She didn't want to give in, but as the Seer touched her stomach, she began to think about her son.

"It's time to embrace your new family, your new destiny......" the Seer continued.

'New family, new destiny .....' Phoebe repeated mentally. Could this really be history repeating itself? Cole had been evil, but still had fallen in love with Phoebe. She accepted his love, even if it came from a demon and later, Cole had sacrificed himself to turn to Phoebe's world of "good." Maybe it was her turn to sacrifice for Cole, and to turn to evil. Maybe it was her destiny.

"......otherwise Cole and your son will die."

Phoebe's head jerked up, and she turned to face the Seer. She shot a look of disbelief and shock towards the Seer. The Seer nodded to confirm her premonition.

"All of demondon will rise up against them to destroy them.....and you." the Seer stated.

Phoebe's heart fell. Something inside of her was telling her that it was too late. She had already gotten herself too involved to back out now. She was in danger, more importantly her son and her husband were in danger. It was too late to force herself to turn her back on Cole's love.

'This is my destiny. It has to be. I have to sacrifice myself to save Cole and our son.' Phoebe thought. She nodded towards the Seer.

The Seer slowly smiled.

'Perfect.' she thought, as she held her hand out to Phoebe.

Phoebe took her hand, and they both disappeared into the darkness.


"Maybe you should go back down to the underworld." Piper said, facing Leo. She rubbed her forehead, showing apparent signs of worry. The attic was quiet, except for the faint sound of Paige swinging the scrying crystal around the map of San Francisco.

Leo stared at Piper, knowing inside of him that the whole thing was useless. From the minute that Phoebe demonstrated her newfound fire power, he had figured it all out. Cole had already been evil when he and Phoebe conceived their child, and the child inside of Phoebe was turning her into the demon she was starting to become.

He knew that even if Cole was a demon, there was a higher probability that Phoebe may choose Cole over "good" because of their unborn child. After Phoebe had shimmered out, Leo gained doubt that Phoebe would be coming back. Something inside of him was keeping him from wanting to try and find and save Phoebe.

"I already tried......I-I can't sense her anywhere...." Leo said, hestitantly.

He looked at Piper, knowing that Piper never gave up hope on saving one of her sisters. Paige was the same as Piper. Paige's eyes were set on the map, and she was focused on finding Phoebe.

Piper stopped to think for a moment. Leo could see she was desperate for an answer, and she was desperate to save Phoebe from anything that was happening. All three of them didn't really know what to expect with Phoebe and Cole now that both of them showed demonic abilities.

"She's gotta be somewhere! Doesn't she??" Piper said, already anxious.

The sound of a falling crystal startled Piper and Leo. They both turned towards the scrying table where Paige sat. The crystal had found Phoebe and was pointing to somewhere on the map.

"Got her." Paige whispered. Piper and Leo stared at Paige in silence, waiting for Paige to find the location. "She's at.....the penthouse."

Leo closed his eyes and he didn't have to sense anything to know that something terrible was about to happen.

To be continued....stay tuned for Chapter 2 of Part 1.

A/N: Really hoped people read and liked it!