Chapter Eighteen
Phoebe thought she heard her name being called and she stirred. But, as she moved, she felt pain and, instead, slowly opened her eyes. She found herself lying across Cole's chest and she looked at him quizzically. But, in a flash, she remembered everything that had happened and she jerked her head up and instantly moaned.
"Another contraction?" he asked with deep concern.
She lowered her head back down to his chest and softly replied, "NoMy back. Pain just shot down my backneed a minute" Tears spilled from her eyes and she pressed her face into his chest, "I'm sorry."
"For what?" he softly asked while still frustrated that he couldn't move his hands and touch her.
"I went after him," she whispered, "and didn't even think of the baby. Didn't consider the danger."
"You tried to save us," he told her.
But Phoebe wasn't comforted and softly cried, "He'll be back and he'll take our babyIt can't end like this"
"It won't," Cole assured her even though he didn't quite believe his own words. "Honey, look at meHasoaf won't win. We'll beat him. Junior will be fine."
"We'll never see him," she whispered as she gazed back at him and shook her head. "Never see him smile or crawl or say his first words. I'll never be your wife. We'll never be a family, never have a chance for that happy life."
"What do you mean wife?" Cole suddenly asked.
Phoebe sniffled and carefully propped herself up, "Isn't that what you wanted?"
"Since when is it what you wanted?" he carefully countered. "I thought you wanted to take things slow. Hell, we're not even living together yet and you know how much trouble you had making that decision!"
"So you don't want to get married?" she asked with growing annoyance as she struggled to fully sit up.
"I didn't say that," he stated. "All I want to know is where this is coming from. Why haven't you said anything before?"
"I didn't even tell you I loved you until today," she replied with a frown. "What's the big deal?"
"Marriage," he declared, "that's the big deal. Especially to you. Or don't you remember our first time around?"
"I can't believe we're arguing about this," she muttered. "Why don't you just answer me - Do you, or do you not, want to marry me?"
"Is this a heat of the moment thing or do you mean it?" he snapped.
"Just like you to throw that back in my face," she retorted before she suddenly clenched her mouth and stiffened as the pain of a contraction came.
Cole instantly realized what happened and, in a soothing voice, instructed her, "Breathe through it, Phoebe. Just like we practiced." After nearly half a minute, he watched as her body relaxed and he asked, "Better?"
She nodded, stroked her abdomen, and commented, "If I don't have a chance to rest soon"
"Honey, you have to face the truth," he calmly told her, "you're in labor."
"I'm not in labor," she insisted. "All I need is to get out of here and get some rest."
"Phoebe, I really think --" he patiently began.
"Why won't you listen to me?" she complained. "I think I would know if I was in labor. Trust me, these're just those Braxton-Hicks contractions. And you still haven't answered my question - Will you marry me?"
"Told you, can't have a demon in the family," Piper weakly announced as she rolled onto her side and faced the pair.
"Piper!" Phoebe exclaimed as she awkwardly twisted around to see her sister.
Piper put a hand to her chest and took a deep breath. "Still bleedingnot as bad"
"Leo and Paige both tried healing you," Phoebe told her. "You were almost gone, Piper," she added in a whisper, "and they didn't have enough time --"
"Thanks to you," Piper commented as she turned her head and saw Paige chained to the wall, unconscious.
"She's been out for a while now," Cole admitted. "She wanted to help you and wouldn't let Sam heal her."
"Sam?" Piper asked with worry. "What happened to Melinda?"
"Nothing," Phoebe assured her. "She's still with Dad and Sam. It's just thatWe needed Sam."
"Leo" Piper anxiously said. "You said he tried to heal me. Where is he?"
"He was hurt," Phoebe told her as she pushed herself a few paces along the floor toward her sister.
"Your premonition," Piper realized as she struggled to sit up, "Leo had been shot with an arrow. Oh my GodWhere's Leo?!"
"He's with Sam and Dad," Phoebe assured her as she rested a moment. "Dad will pull out the arrow and Sam will then heal him. He'll be fine, Piper."
"You don't know that," Piper spat. "God, this is all your fault."
"What?" Phoebe uttered in shock.
"Hasoaf came after us because of you!" Piper exclaimed. "Because of your baby! Because you couldn't let Cole go!"
"I love Cole," Phoebe quietly said. "I thought we'd gotten past all this. I thought you'd understood."
"I did," Piper admitted, "until I saw the reality of your premonition. Until I had to kiss my baby goodbye, knowing I might never see her again. Knowing she might be orphaned. Until I felt the pain from that demon. Some protective amulets," she snarled at Cole.
"They kept you alive," he retorted. "You wouldn't have lasted this long without them."
"You betrayed us again," Piper accused.
"I didn't know," Phoebe shamefully admitted. "I thought you were both putting me in the middle, forcing me to choose. My ground rule, Piper, remember? I couldn't handle what I was seeing and I ran."
"Of course you did," Piper muttered. "I told you this morning, I'd be there for you. I'd stand by you. And you didn't trust me."
"I thought it was Cole," Phoebe whispered.
"And now we're all paying for it, aren't we?" Piper snapped.
"She came back for you," Cole informed her. "She risked everything and came back for you."
"Hasoaf would've come after us anyway," Phoebe quietly suggested. "They always come after the Charmed Ones."
"Maybe he would'veeventually," Piper briefly acknowledged before her tone changed. "But it wouldn't have been so intensive. He's had demons spying on us, coming after us, for months. All because of that baby you're carrying. Cole's baby. A demon's baby."
"That's enough, Piper!" Cole ordered as he watched Phoebe suddenly stiffen and twist back towards him.
"This baby isn't evil," Phoebe haltingly spoke as she inhaled sharply and squeezed her eyes shut, "he's good. You'll see."
"No matter how good you try to raise him, that baby will always have evil inside," Piper went on, "and evil will always come after him to sway him. And the rest of us will be caught --"
"Damn it, that's enough!" Cole shouted as he pulled on his chains.
Piper suddenly looked at her sister's back and finally realized something was wrong. "Phoebe?"
Phoebe let out a breath and gazed at Cole. "It's just stress," she quietly told him, "that's all."
"Phoebe, are you in labor?" Piper asked in a worried tone.
"No," Phoebe answered sharply.
At the same time, and just as sharply, Cole answered, "Yes." But he gazed at Phoebe and gently ordered, "Take Piper and go."
"I'm not leaving you or Paige so save your breath," she stated as she lightly stroked her abdomen. "Hasoaf's been hit with all three potions. Piper's awake now," she confidently added, "so all we need is Paige and we can end this. Once and for all."
Suddenly, three demons blinked into the attic close to Phoebe and Cole. Two dressed casually in black while the third wore a black robe.
"Phoebe, look out!" Piper warned.
The robed demon indicated to Phoebe and the two grabbed her by the upper arms and hauled her up and across the floor.
"Phoebe!" Cole shouted as he helplessly watched her struggle in their grips.
The robed demon waved his hand and an altar appeared in the room. He indicated to it and the two others pushed Phoebe on top. One pinned her while the other spread her feet apart. She twisted and tried to kick him but the demon still managed to tie each of her ankles to a post at the bottom corners of the altar. Once her legs were secured, the demon then tied her hands to the posts at the top corners of the altar.
The robed demon pulled the hood over his head, bowed his head, and recited some barely intelligible words. He held out his hands in front of him, palms up, and a small dagger appeared. He brought it to his lips and lightly kissed it. One demon pushed down on Phoebe's shoulders as he approached.
"No," Phoebe uttered as she tried in vain to twist herself free.
"Phoebe, go!" Cole shouted at her. "Get out of here!"
She knew exactly what she meant but, as she gathered the energy to shimmer, another sharp contraction took hold and she whimpered, "Cole"
The robed demon grinned as he watched her lower body convulse. "Good," he commented, "the child comes on his own."
"Shall I alert the Master, Luron?" one demon asked.
"No doubt he will be pleased by this unexpected development but," Luron answered, "I must prepare her first." He gripped the dagger and ordered the demons, "Hold her still." They obeyed and one pressed Phoebe's face still, between his palms, while the other continued to press down on her shoulders. Luron then took the dagger and sliced a line diagonally across Phoebe's left eye. He ignored her scream and sliced again.
"No," Piper whispered in horror. She cringed at her sister's screams and struggled to sit up.
"Phoebe!" Cole shouted as he strained forward and pulled on his chains. Each of her screams cut through him and, enraged, he screamed, "NO!" as he finally broke free.
"Not my sister," Piper muttered as she waved her hands and caused one of the demons that held Phoebe to explode.
At the same time, Cole destroyed the other demon that held Phoebe.
Stunned, Luron spun towards them but, before he could react, Cole had already tackled him.
Filled with rage, Cole wrested the dagger from Luron's grip and stabbed Luron with it. Luron was dead but Cole kept stabbing him. He didn't feel Piper's arm trying to stop him. He didn't hear her call his name. Phoebe's screams echoed in his head and he raised the dagger again but he suddenly didn't have the strength to stab Luron's body and he dropped the dagger.
Piper rested her head against Cole's arm and whispered, "We have to get Phoebe and Paige and get out of here."
Cole nodded and slowly got to his feet. He immediately helped Piper up and held her when she swayed. She put her hand to her head and pushed away his hand. He looked around and found the sword. He quickly picked it up and went to Paige's side and cut her chains.
Piper darted to Paige's side when her sister dropped to the floor.
While Piper comforted Paige and urged her sister to awaken, Cole ran to Phoebe. "Oh, baby," he whispered as he gently turned her face, "what'd that bastard do to you?" He was horrified to see that Luron had cut a pentagram around her left eye. Blood was dripping down her cheek and he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it to her eye.
She slowly opened her good eye and shrieked.
"It's okay," he quickly assured her, "it's me, Phoebe." While locking eyes with hers, he untied her hands and quickly pulled her into his arms.
"I couldn't shimmer," she sobbed, "and he cut."
"I know, baby," he whispered, "but you'll be okay. Leo will heal you."
"Get me out of here," she begged. "I don't care about Hasoaf, just take me away."
"I will," he promised as he hugged her tight.
Phoebe pulled back to allow Cole to untie her ankles and she saw Luron lying on the floor. She looked at him.
"Never underestimate the power of a demon in love," Cole solemnly told her.
"Never underestimate the power of premonition," Hasoaf countered as he suddenly appeared behind Cole in a cloud of smoke.
"Cole!" Phoebe screamed.
"Nor the power of a strong blade," Hasoaf continued as he pushed Cole forward.
Cole looked at Phoebe and opened his mouth as if to say something but fell to the floor and Phoebe screamed again when she saw the sword sticking out of his back.
*********** ********** ************