Chapter Fifteen

"Get rid of whoever it is," Piper ordered from the dining room as Paige went to answer the front door.

"Cole?" Paige greeted in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I did say I was coming straight here," he answered in annoyance, "didn't I?"

"But you don't normally ring the bell," Piper replied as she stepped into the hallway.

"I'm trying to be good here," he complained. "Make up your mind. Do you want me dropping in unannounced or not?"

"Sorry," Piper apologized, "we've been on edge since this morning."

"I understand," Cole commented, "and I'm sorry. It was hell getting here." He looked past them and asked, "Where's Phoebe?"

"I finally convinced her to take a nap," Piper sighed. "She needs all the rest she can get right now."

"Why, did something happen with the baby?" he quickly asked in concern.

"No, nothing like that," she quickly told him. "But she's really close to her due date and you know the problems she had a couple of months ago. Today's news nearly sent her over the edge. Do you know I caught her packing? She was going to leave us and hide herself away?"

"What?" he exclaimed.

"Don't worry," Paige shook her head. "We convinced her it was safer to stay here. Look, are you coming in or are you gonna stand there all day?"

"If you're sure," he commented as he moved forward.

"Of course we're sure," Paige muttered as she stepped back and let him inside. "Hell, half this plan was your idea."

"This was almost too easy," he whispered as he followed Piper into the dining room.

"What was that?" Piper asked as she picked up a small bottle and inspected it.

"Never mind," he answered. "Wake Phoebe and bring down the Book of Shadows."

"What?" Piper asked in surprise.

"I've got some information we should double-check," he told her, "and we'll need her to help with a spell."

"Paige, get back," Piper nervously warned as she threw the bottle at Cole who spun around towards Paige.

"Piper, what --" Paige gasped just before she found herself flying through the air. She automatically orbed in mid-air but couldn't hold it together and solidly crashed down into the end table in the living room. She groaned as she tried to sit up. Pain burned across her chest and she was shocked to realize she was bleeding. Cole had somehow slashed her when he had spun towards her. She looked back towards the dining room and saw him twisting within green smoke.

"Paige!" Piper gasped as she tried to blow up Cole. But her power had no effect on him and while he was struggling in the cloud of smoke, she ran past him towards her sister. But, just as she neared Paige, she was hit in the shoulder with a burning sensation and she collapsed near Paige.

"I don't understand," Paige weakly said, "how can Cole do this?"

"It's not Cole," Piper told her as she gritted her teeth in pain. "It's Hasoaf"

"You sure?" Paige asked with suspicion as she reached for Piper.

"He thought the Book was still here," Piper quietly answered as she slowly got to her feet, "but the real Cole knows it's with Melinda and Dad. Can you stand? We have to get to Phoebe."

With Piper's help, Paige struggled to her feet and hunched over and tried to ignore her pain. "Leo?"

"No," her sister replied with a groan. "We can't risk him getting shot. If Phoebe uses her potion on Hasoaf and we say the spell together, the combination should vanquish him. C'mon, sweetie, you can do it"

"You can try," Cole told them as he finally worked through the smoke and stood tall as he slowly approached them.

"Do you have your potion?" Piper whispered to her sister. "It won't be enough to vanquish him but it'll be enough to let us by."

"Here," Paige said as she pulled from her pocket a small bottle, "I don't think I can throw it."

Piper took it and held onto her sister as she raised her arm to toss it. But, just as she aimed, she heard Phoebe's voice.

"Piper, no!" Phoebe shouted from the staircase. Stunned, she saw her sisters facing off with Cole.

"Get back, Phoebe!" Piper warned. "This isn't Cole."

Phoebe shook her head in disbelief and stepped forward. "Piper, pleaseplease, don't do this. Not now."

"He attacked us," Paige weakly said as she leaned against Piper. "It's not Cole. It's Hasoaf."

"Cole?" Phoebe nervously whispered as she placed a hand protectively on her stomach.

"I don't know what they're talking about," Cole told her. "I came straight here from the airport and Piper threw a potion at me. You have to believe me, Phoebe," he pleaded, "I would never hurt your sisters."

"Dammit," Piper cried, "he's lying, Phoebe. You have to throw the potion so we can say the spell."

But Phoebe stood transfixed and couldn't move.

"Please, Phoebe," Paige begged, "if we do it now, it'll all be over."

"I can't vanquish him," Phoebe whispered.

"But it's not Cole," Paige insisted. "It's Hasoaf."

"It is me, Phoebe," Cole told her as he turned towards her. "It's really me. I'm sorry I couldn't get back any earlier but Johnson insisted on driving me straight from the airport. You know I'll do anything to protect you and the baby."

"I don't understand what's going onCole," Phoebe requested as she stepped closer, "just leave them alone, pleasefor me. For the baby."

"No, Phoebe," Piper cried, "get away from him." She tossed the potion at Cole's back and he cried out in pain as blue flames consumed him.

"NO!" Phoebe screamed in horror.

"Phoebe, the spell," Piper demanded as she pressed her hand against her wounded shoulder. "Throw your potion so we can say the spell."

"No!" Cole painfully shouted as he threw energy balls at Piper and Paige.

"Cole, no!" Phoebe screamed. "Stop!"

"Help me, Phoebe," he requested as he turned back to her and stretched out his hand through the flames.

"Phoebe, please," Piper hoarsely called out from the floor, "throw your potion."

"No, no," Phoebe whispered as she stepped back. "I can't do thisNo," Phoebe cried and rushed from the house, grabbing her car key ring from the console by the front door.

"Phoebe, no," Paige whispered in defeat as she grabbed onto Piper.

"Don't worry," Cole told the sisters as the flames finally died out, "I know where she's going and I'll take care of her after I settle matters here and then with your own brat. The Warren line ends tonight."

"Melinda" Piper whispered as she and Paige watched in terror as Cole's form began to change.

"His eyes, Piper," Paige whispered as she shrank back with Piper, "pentagrams, just like Phoebe said."

"Say the spell," Piper urged. "We have to try."

"Foolish witches," Hasoaf commented as he approached menacingly, "unable to accept the truth. I've seen your end and it is now."

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