2002
"Are you sure?" Piper looked at her sister, concerned.
"Yes!" Phoebe was pacing the living room. "I just touched the picture and I saw Cole throw a fireball at some demon, and the Seer was there, and that bitch of a secretary, and then the elevator doors started to open and they shimmered out. And then I came out and kissed him, not suspecting anything. And that was just one of the things I saw!"
"And you're certain it was in the past?" Paige asked.
"Of course I am!" Phoebe finally stood still. "That was the day I told him I was pregnant." She sighed and sat down on the couch, head in hands. "It's all such a mess. I mean, what am I going to do?"
"There's only one thing we can do," Paige said. She had that look on her face, the one she got when she was about to say something she didn't like. "We have to vanquish him."
"No!"
"We don't have enough power anyway," said Piper, not wanting to sit down in spite of being eight months pregnant.
"Why not?" Paige looked perplexed. "We did it before."
"No we didn't!" Phoebe raised her head and glared at Paige. "If we had, this wouldn't be happening. Anyway, I'm not going to vanquish Cole, he's my husband!"
Paige glared right back. "He's evil, Phoebe!"
"She does have a point," said Piper.
"Not all of him is evil! There is still some of Cole left inside, he hasn't been completely taken over by the Source. If he had we'd all be dead by now."
Paige took a breath to calm herself down. "Okay," she said. "What if, we could write a spell to just vanquish the Source out of Cole's body?"
"You think that would work?" Piper asked.
"It's got to." Phoebe was already on her feet and on the way to the attic.
The other two followed quickly.
* * *
"You ready?" Piper asked.
Phoebe nodded.
"Okay." Piper gave her sister a hug. "We'll be right here, waiting for your call."
"Okay." Phoebe nodded again and turned to Leo. "Are you sure you'll be okay with Pyralis?"
"We'll be fine, Phoebe." Leo jiggled his niece up and down. "I'm more worried about you."
"Well don't be. Cole won't hurt me." Phoebe looked around. "I guess I'll see you later."
"Good luck," Paige said, going over to give her a hug too.
"Thanks." She let go of Paige and turned to put her hand on the door handle. She took a deep breath. "Okay," she said again. Then she left.
Phoebe walked down the street at a brisk pace. She was afraid to slow down, if she did she might stop altogether. But she had to do this. She had to.
The plan was this: Phoebe would go back home to the penthouse and wait until Cole was asleep before calling Piper and Paige. Then they would make a magic circle and say their newly rewritten spell to vanquish the Source from Cole's body.
Simple enough, in theory.
It was the practical part that worried Phoebe.
* * *
Phoebe forced herself to stop wringing her hands as the elevator doors opened. Cole was sat at the table working on the computer. He looked up when she entered.
"Hi honey!" Phoebe said brightly, a fake smile plastered on her face.
"Hi!" Cole smiled and got up. "Where have you been?" he asked as he walked over.
"At the manor. Leo and Piper offered to take Pyralis tonight."
"Really?" his smile widened as he put an arm round her. "In that case..."
He lowered his head to kiss her, and she responded, but only for a second. Then she pushed him away.
"No, Cole, um, I'm not feeling so good. That's why Leo and Piper have Pyralis."
Cole looked at her. "You okay?" he asked, concerned.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine. Just need to lie down." She headed for the bedroom.
"Do you need anything?"
She turned around. "A little company might be nice."
Cole shrugged and followed her into the bedroom. He took off his shoes and jacket and got into bed. Phoebe snuggled up to him.
"Any better?"
Phoebe nodded. "A little. Thanks." She closed her eyes.
What was she doing?! She was lying in bed with the Source of all evil, voluntarily! There must be something wrong with her. She wasn't even scared. Then again, she was positive that Cole wouldn't hurt her. In fact she felt safer in his arms than anywhere else. This was strange.
She almost felt bad that she was lying to him, even if it was to save him from the Source. But she knew she had to do it. She just hoped it worked, because if it didn't Cole would die. If the spell worked too well he would die along with the Source, and if it didn't work at all Phoebe would have to read the other spell with her sisters, which would definitely kill him. She hoped it wouldn't come to that, because she didn't know if she could do it. She loved Cole. And she wasn't sure if that love wasn't stronger than what she felt for her sisters.
* * *
Phoebe woke up a few hours later. Cole was fast asleep beside her. She carefully got off the bed and tiptoed into the living room. She picked up the phone and dialed.
"Phoebe?" Piper picked up almost immediately.
"Yes, it's me," she said quietly. "You can come over now."
The phone went dead. A second later Paige orbed in with Piper.
"Geez, what took you so long?" asked Phoebe, raising her eyebrows.
"What took you so long?!" Piper hissed, ignoring her sister's attempt at humor. "It's past midnight!"
"Well I had to wait until he was asleep, didn't I? Come on, let's do it."
The three sisters snuck into the bedroom and silently put the crystals into position around the bed. Energy shot up out of them as Phoebe placed the last one.
Cole woke up. "Phoebe?" he asked, half asleep. He stood up and tried to take a step towards her, but was stopped by the circle.
Phoebe looked at him. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, before going to stand with her sisters.
"Prudence, Patricia, Penelope, Melinda..." she started, trying to keep her voice steady.
The other two joined in.
"Astrid, Elena, Laura and Grace
Halliwell witches, we call upon thee
The Source to help vanquish
And Cole to free"
As they chanted, a transparent figure was ripped from Cole's body. It was the old Source, the one they'd thought they'd vanquished. The figure was drawn upwards as if being sucked, and then, just as it was about to reach the ceiling, it exploded with an ear shattering bang.
Cole slumped to the floor.
"Cole..." Phoebe knelt down beside him. He was unconscious. "Paige, get us back to the manor."
"Sure," Paige said kindly. She and Piper knelt down next to them and they orbed out.
* * *
Leo was on the living room floor playing with Pyralis when they arrived at the manor.
"Leo," Phoebe said, lifting Cole onto the couch with the help of her sisters. "Help him." She saw Pyralis. "What's she doing down here at this time of night?" she asked.
Leo shrugged as he went over to them. "Didn't want to go to bed. She missed you." He held his hands over Cole. Nothing happened. He looked at Phoebe. "There's nothing wrong with him, Phoebe. I can't heal someone who's in perfect health."
"But if he's in perfect health how come he's still unconscious?"
"Maybe his spirit is so weak it's not ready to cope with consciousness yet," said Paige.
"That's possible," Leo said. "But whatever's the matter I can't do anything for him. I'm sorry."
"That's okay." Phoebe took Cole hand and squeezed it. "At least he's himself again now." She straightened. "I guess I'd better put Pyralis to bed."
"Not so fast."
Leo and the sisters turned around at the sound of the voice. The Seer was standing in the hall, smiling. Behind her were a dozen or so demons.
And a darklighter.
Leo was shot before they had time to react. And then the demons attacked.
The Charmed ones punched, stabbed and blew them up, and in the middle of it all the Seer stood, watching, smiling calmly.
Paige caught an energy ball and threw it back at the demon, who stumbled backward and knocked over two more. Piper froze the energy bolts coming out of another's eyes and leapt out of the way before unfreezing them and letting them hit the demon coming at her from behind, then blew him up. Phoebe levitated in order to avoid a knife being thrown at her.
Unfortunately this wasn't such a good idea. Several demons threw things at her now exposed body and she fell out of the air with a thump.
"Hey!" Piper shouted. Several demons looked in her direction. "Pick on someone your own size," she said, blowing three of them up at the same time.
Paige came at one from behind and broke a plate over his head.
The one next to him threw an energy ball at her, but she caught it and threw it back. Then she was hit from behind.
Piper blew up the demon coming at her then turned to face the one who'd attacked Paige. He was the last.
He grinned at her. She grinned back. Then she blew him up.
She rushed over to Paige and felt her pulse. She was still alive, but out cold.
"Piper..." Phoebe said weakly.
"Phoebe." Piper stood up. "Are you okay?"
"...Seer..." Phoebe looked in the direction of the couch.
Piper turned around. The Seer was advancing on Pyralis, who had climbed onto the couch and was clutching Cole's arm with all her might.
"Hey!" Piper walked forward briskly. "Leave her alone."
"Oh, don't worry." The Seer turned to face Piper. "I won't hurt her. I may have lost the Source... But the world can always use another demon.."
"If you lay one finger on her..." Piper warned.
"You'll what? Vanquish me?" The Seer grinned smugly. "You can't." She nodded at Paige. "Not without the Power of Three." She took a few more steps towards the couch.
Piper prepared to rush her, but she turned around again, this time with a dagger in her hand.
"You wouldn't want to hurt her, would you?" she asked Piper.
Piper hesitated.
"I didn't think so." The Seer smiled and went to take Pyralis' arm. "Come on now, little one." She tried to loosen her grip on Cole's arm.
Pyralis didn't appreciate this. She let out a cry.
"Now now," the Seer said, pulling a little harder.
Pyralis let go of her father. The Seer smiled. Pyralis cried again and pointed at her.
The Seer went up in flames. Pyralis latched back onto Cole's arm and put her thumb in her mouth.
"Oh my God." Piper blinked her eyes in astonishment. "Phoebe, did you-"
Phoebe was unconscious.
"Oh no." Piper looked at her sisters, both lying on the floor, and wondered what to do next.
"Piper." It was Leo, the darklighter's arrow still stuck in his chest. "Bring...Paige..." he croaked.
Piper heaved Paige over to him. Wincing in pain, his extended his arm to heal her.
Paige groaned as she came round. "What happened?" she asked.
"I'll explain later," said Piper, helping her sit up. "Right now we need to help Leo."
They didn't notice the demon on the floor next to Phoebe shimmer away.
* * *
Cole awoke with a start. He felt... different. And then he realized why.
The Source was gone. He was free.
"Cole..." Phoebe was squashed between him and the back of the couch, her head on his chest.
He smiled at her and leant in to kiss her.
Then he heard a noise.
It was a quiet chuckling sound, and it was coming from the shadows.
"I've always wanted to kill the Source," said a voice. A demon emerged. "And now here he is, completely powerless, and I get a Charmed one into the bargain. You really should have done a body count."
"Don't you dare hurt her." Cole sat up.
The demon grinned. "Funny, I don't think there's anything you can do about it." He raised his arm.
And was hit by a fireball.
Cole looked at his hand, confused. He hadn't really done that, had he? He turned to Phoebe, who was staring at him, mouth open in shock.
The spell obviously hadn't worked quite the way she'd planned...
Author's note: First, I'm really sorry it took me so long to write this chapter (don't you just hate homework?). Second, what did you think of that? I personally thought it was kinda fun. Hehe.
