Cleansing part 7
This story takes place after the episode "Sam I am". I do not own any of the characters of charmed, I just write about them.
"What! I thought we were in Cole's mind!" Phoebe shouted.
"No, we are in a sort of middle ground," Other-Phoebe replied. "Here, I can draw out the memories of the subject without normally him detecting it. If we truly enter his mind, we could run the risk of him detecting it and confronting us there. In those confrontations, especially with how strong he is, we may not survive."
"Well, that's just great," Paige said sarcastically, "we get to help the ultimate evil go sane so he can help us before he stalks Phoebe again."
"I know Paige, but we have no choice," Phoebe said in a resigned tone. "We need him."
"And once this is done, we will vanquish him," Piper interjected. She was about to continue when the sisters heard a snort. They turned in surprise to look at Other-Phoebe.
For the first time, the sisters saw anger cross the face of Other- Phoebe. It wasn't a frown so much as a red spark behind the eyes. "I do not for one moment understand you. You felt and saw the same memories I did, and yet you still consider him evil. Well, let me tell the three of you something. I see a man who has been steadily pushed to the edge, and has survived more in a few years than most beings could handle in a lifetime. If you can't see that, then you obviously aren't the same people he knows."
"How dare you..." Paige began, but then stopped as Piper glared at her.
"We have a past here that you do not understand, even if you have seen his memories," Phoebe said tersely.
Other-Phoebe looked back at them, and then said, "Perhaps you are right. It doesn't change my opinion. Now, let's continue on." Other- Phoebe held out her hands, and the sisters formed a circle. Other-Phoebe's green eyes began to glow, a bright color that seemed to encompass all that is good in the world. The glow spread down her body, until all of her was surrounded by a white nimbus. As the light touched the sisters, each felt peace envelop them, followed by a feeling of movement. Soon, the world began to move away, until all that was left was the glow.
Suddenly, there was something there. It was a wall, an unattainable height that blocked there passage. The sisters felt themselves run into it, and they felt something trying to push through. The wall began to give, and hope welled within the sisters. Then, raw power slammed into them, pushing them back with a speed that left them gasping.
When the sisters could see again, they were back in the misty place. Other-Phoebe had broken the circle, and was panting heavily. As Piper and Paige moved towards her, Other-Phoebe slowly stood up. "That...was unexpected," Other-Phoebe gasped.
"What happened?" Piper asked curiously.
"Cole is hiding something," Phoebe admitted, "and everything he has is trying desperately to keep us from seeing it. If it were anyone else, I could push us all through. But he is too strong."
"Are you saying we can't get in?" Paige questioned. When Other- Phoebe hesitated, Paige continued, "What? Is there a way in?"
"I can get through, but not with all of you. Two of you would have to stay behind," Other-Phoebe said slowly.
"What! You want us to leave one of us at the mercy of Cole's mind, are you out of..." Paige began hotly, but Piper quieted her.
Piper looked at both of her sisters, and then said, "Pheebs, it will have to be you. You are the only one who could get a reaction from him. Can you handle that?"
Phoebe hesitated, and then nodded. "We need him, and if that is the only way to get him, then so be it." She walked over to Other-Phoebe and took both of her hands. "Let's do it."
Other-Phoebe nodded, and then her eyes began to glow again. This time, when they reached the barrier, Phoebe felt the wall begin to give. She felt the raw power rising again, and then a strange thing happened. It seemed to touch them, and then it paused. Suddenly, the wall was gone, and they were unimpeded.
****
When Phoebe could see again, she found herself in a room that looked frightening familiar. She was back in the MANOR! 'How did I get here?' Phoebe wondered as she looked around frantically. The last thing she remembered she and Other-Phoebe had been about enter Cole's mind...
Phoebe felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked behind her, and found nothing there. Suddenly, a voice spoke in her head. 'Relax, this is Cole's mind. Whatever is going on, whatever Cole is protecting, it is here.'
"Where are you?" Phoebe asked.
'I don't know,' the voice confessed. 'Apparently, I have no part to play here, so I cannot be seen. However, that doesn't mean we can't talk.'
Phoebe was about to answer when a new voice interrupted her. "Is everything ready?" To Phoebe's shock, Piper walked into the room. She walked over to her, and raised a brow in question.
"W - What?" Phoebe stammered.
Piper's face became more confused as she remarked, "You know, considering you planned this, it seems kind of strange that you aren't paying more attention. Come on, answer me. Is everything ready?"
"I got the gifts," Paige said as she appeared. Phoebe looked around in utter shock, trying to figure out how her sisters got here. The voice in her mind said, 'These aren't the real Piper and Paige. They are manifestations of Cole's mind. Whatever he is up to, they are going to play a part.'
"Shh...listen," Piper said softly. Everyone quieted down, and Phoebe could hear a car pulling into the driveway. "He's here, hurry, we need to get into position."
Piper pulled Phoebe into the foyer, and Paige followed. When they got there, Phoebe found Leo and Darryl waiting. They both had a smile on their face, and a sneaky look in their eyes. Soon, Phoebe heard someone putting a key in the lock, and the front door opened.
"Guys, I'm back," Cole said as he walked in. Phoebe watched as a puzzled look came over his face. He said, "Guys? Where are you?" As Cole walked into their line of site, everyone else shouted, "SURPRISE!"
When Cole whirled in shock, they began to sing, "Happy Birthday to you..." In a flash, Phoebe remembered this. It was Cole's only birthday celebrated with them, and she had wanted it to be special. She had worked for a long time to set up this celebration, and it had all been worth it, for the look that now was on his face...a look of surprise and unfathomed happiness. Cole walked over to her and pulled her into his embrace. On instinct, Phoebe began to pull away, and Cole's face became puzzled.
"What's wrong, honey?" Cole asked.
A voice in Phoebe's mind spoke, 'Don't worry. This is Cole. He is the only real 'thing' in this fantasy. Give me a moment, and I will dispel it.'
'HURRY,' Phoebe thought back. This embrace was bringing up memories and feelings that should have been dead and gone. Cole's face looked concerned, and she forced a smile on her face. "Nothing's wrong," she replied, and his face looked less anxious.
"Good," Piper intoned, "because it is time to party. So, birthday boy, do you want to open presents first or eat some cake?"
"Who made the cake?" Cole asked.
"I did," Piper replied.
"Then I definitely want cake first, because I know it will be delicious," Cole commented with a smile. That smile faded as everything began to grow blurry. He looked around in confusion as the manor and Phoebe's sisters grew more and more blurry.
"No, no, NO!" Cole shouted, but it was too late. Soon, only Phoebe and Cole were left. The Manor had changed into a barren room, and Other- Phoebe appeared. She smiled, and said, "That took more than I thought it would."
Cole whirled, and an energy ball appeared in his hand, "What do you want?" he demanded. He then looked down at Phoebe, and his eyes widened. "You're still here, which means...Phoebe?"
Phoebe nodded, and said, "Yes, Cole. It's the real me."
Cole backed away in shock, and then whispered, "You came after me?"
Phoebe saw something begin to blossom in his eyes, and she realized it was hope. On reflex, she replied, "Yes, Cole. We need your help."
The light in Cole's eyes died, and he laughed a bitter laugh. "Sorry, can't help you." He then turned and sat heavily in a chair that appeared.
"You don't even know what is going on," Phoebe commented.
Cole smiled an evil smile, and said, "I don't care. I am done being your lapdog. I will tell you what would happen if I said yes. I would vanquish whatever annoying evil you can't deal with, and then you would tell me 'it doesn't change anything' and 'we will vanquish you.' Am I right?" Cole didn't even wait for a response, he just continued on, "So, you'll have to forgive me, but I don't feel like dealing with that right now. I am sorry you wasted your time. Now, leave."
Phoebe was about to respond, when Other-Phoebe stepped forward. "Cole, look at me."
Cole turned to look at this mysterious woman, and asked, "Who the hell are you?" A bright green beam shot from the woman's eyes, and slammed into Cole. Cole slammed against the back of the chair. When the light was done, Cole slumped in his chair.
"What did you do?" Phoebe demanded.
Other-Phoebe ignored her, and instead walked up to Cole. She leaned in and whispered, "Open your eyes." When Cole did, she continued, "There she is, the source of all your pain. She is here, ready to listen. Tell her how you feel, what is going on with you. Let it all go, Cole. Just let it all go."
As Phoebe watched, a look of intense anger came over Cole's face. He shot to his feet, and yelled, "YOU BITCH!" He waved his hand, and Phoebe was slammed and pinned against the wall.
"Cole, what..." Phoebe began, but Cole cut her off.
"Do you have ANY idea what I have SACRIFICED?" Cole was shouting at the top of his lungs, and Phoebe winced at the sheer volume. "I HAVE BEEN THROUGH MORE PAIN AND TORMENT THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE, AND YOU HAVE TRIVIALIZED IT ALL!"
That did it. Phoebe lost her temper. "What YOU have sacrificed. You put ME through more than you could ever believe. I became evil for you. Do you have any idea how repugnant that is to me? You made me the QUEEN OF ALL EVIL! You gave me a son who now hates me. You had me betray my sisters, and all I believed in. So, don't talk to me about sacrifices."
Cole sneered, and said with utter contempt in his voice, "I did not DO that to you, the SOURCE did. I have told you more times than I can count I was being controlled. But you never once believed me, did you? Well, I am sick of it. FEEL WHAT I FELT!"
Suddenly, there was another presence invading Phoebe's mind. She tried to push back, but discovered in horror that she could not stop it. It ran through her like a whirlwind, crushing all resistance. When it was done, Phoebe was a prisoner in her own body.
Cole smiled, and said, "How does it feel, Phoebe? That is what I felt. Now how about I have you kill some people, maybe betray the ones you love. Would you understand then how I felt, when I became evil?"
Phoebe tried to reply, tried to scream, tried to do anything, but her body was not hers to command. In an instant, the presence was gone, and Phoebe was back in control. She looked at Cole in hatred, and said, "You..."
"Don't care anymore, Phoebe," Cole interrupted. "I can never forgive you for what you did to me."
"And what was that Cole, huh? What was it?" Phoebe yelled back.
"You awakened the soul in me, and destroyed me," Cole replied. "You introduced me to all the great things in life. Friendship, Understanding, Family...Love. You gave me all those things, and then you took them back. You ripped them from me as if they were really yours all along. And I have been in torment ever since."
"I didn't 'rip' them from you. You lost them when you betrayed us," Phoebe said angrily.
Cole's look of contempt deepened as he commented, "When did I betray you? When I killed the witch as Belthazor? You know I was under Raynor's control. All I needed was one little bit of faith from you, and Prue would still be alive. Isn't that interesting? You killed Prue."
"HOW DARE YOU!" Phoebe shouted.
"It's true, and you know it," Cole said with a sneer. "You didn't have enough faith in me to let me drink the first power stripping potion. If you had, you would never have gone to the Underworld, and would have been there to face Shax. Instead, you were with me, and Prue paid the price for your lack of faith."
Tears began to form in Phoebe's eyes, and she wondered why Cole would deliberately hurt her like this.
"And shall we talk about my second 'betrayal'," Cole continued. "Which was it? When the Source had me under his control, or when I single- handedly kept the Source from killing you. Of course, I should have just accepted that I was meant to be evil, and let the Source kill you. That would have been so much simpler, and if I had known you could be so shallow as to forget me, I would have."
Phoebe tried to say something, but her throat was closed for some reason. She tried to deny it, but everything Cole said was hitting her like knives.
Cole looked at her for a few moments, and then said, "I have to thank you, for I finally understand. You never loved me. I was a pet to you, something to toy with and watch with amusement. A demon who tried to be good for you, who denied everything he was to be with you. How you must have laughed as I tried desperately to keep myself from doing evil deeds. Did you enjoy it whenever you stepped on my fingers, betrayed me, and made me evil again? Did it give you pleasure to know I would still mourn and love you, even as an evil being? Well, guess what? I'm done mourning. Leave me, and never return."
Cole started to leave, and Phoebe managed to whisper, "Cole, please stop." Cole did stop, but he didn't turn around. She continued, "The Hollow has been released again, and it is cutting a swath of destruction through magic. The demon who took it has destroyed the box, so we have no way to stop it. Only someone who has been possessed by it before is immune. Only you can stop him. Please, will you stop him?"
"Do you have any idea what you are asking of me?" Cole demanded. "Out there, I would experience more pain, more torment, and more agony. Fear, doubt, all of it would come back. No, I would rather stay here."
"But this ISN'T REAL!" Phoebe shouted.
"I DON'T CARE!" Cole shouted as he whirled, and Phoebe was shocked to see tears in his eyes. "Phoebe, even if I hate them, I still have to fill that hole in me. Here, I am accepted for who I am, I have friends, I have...love. You would have me give all that up to go back to the pain? Why, what possible reason would there be for me to do that?"
Phoebe said nothing for a few moments. Inside of herself, she felt the bitterness and hatred around her heart cracking and dissipating. Cole's words had struck her harshly, but they were a resounding truth that had penetrated the wall she had built to protect herself, to insure she would never be hurt again or more precisely, to insure she would never love again. As the wall continued to crumble, Phoebe finally saw Cole for what he was. Standing in front of her was not the ultimate evil. In front of her was a man who had sacrificed everything, including his own existence, for the greater good, and for love - for HER. A man that was willing to suffer such extremes could not be evil. As the wall of bitterness completely disintegrated, she stammered, "Because...because..."
"Because what, Phoebe?" Cole snapped.
Phoebe forced herself to look into Cole's hard blue eyes, and said, "Because I love you, Cole."
Cole stared at her in shock. "What..." he started, and then he looked into her eyes. What he saw there nearly caused him to faint. He saw the old light in Phoebe's eyes, the light he would see there whenever they were together, the light that had been there since she had discovered what he really was. He saw love and compassion, not the bitterness and hatred he had been expecting. He choked out, "But...you said..."
"I was wrong, Cole," Phoebe said quietly. "I blinded myself to everything, tried to convince myself I didn't love you, and in doing that I nearly destroyed you in the process. You were right. What I did to you was the worst kind of evil imaginable, and I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself for that. I wouldn't blame you if you couldn't forgive me, either." Phoebe lowered her eyes in shame. "I do love you, Cole. I love you for who you are and all that you did to save us. I'm so sorry, baby."
In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Cole smiled slightly. Phoebe would NEVER have called him by his favorite pet name if she didn't love him anymore. Cole walked forward and embraced her. This time, Phoebe didn't pull away, but leaned into him instead. "We'll work through this, Phoebe," said Cole. "It will take time, but eventually we can put this behind us."
"Together," she added, her voice muffled by his chest.
"But first, I think we have a demon to vanquish," Cole continued.
Phoebe pulled back slightly and said, "Cole, you don't have to..."
"Yes, I do, Phoebe," Cole said firmly. "If there was one thing you taught me about being good, it's that the greater good comes first, always." Cole sighed. "Don't ask me to be a coward for you. You know I'm not one to sit on the sidelines."
"You can truly see him now, can't you?" said Other-Phoebe. Phoebe flinched slightly, as she had forgotten Other-Phoebe was even there.
"Yes," Phoebe replied, looking up at Cole's face, which was no longer haunted by pain and rage, but was lit up with love. His eyes shined. She was interrupted and taken from her musings by Other-Phoebe, who said, "Let's go." The barren room then faded, and they were on their way back.
TO BE CONTINUED...
This story takes place after the episode "Sam I am". I do not own any of the characters of charmed, I just write about them.
"What! I thought we were in Cole's mind!" Phoebe shouted.
"No, we are in a sort of middle ground," Other-Phoebe replied. "Here, I can draw out the memories of the subject without normally him detecting it. If we truly enter his mind, we could run the risk of him detecting it and confronting us there. In those confrontations, especially with how strong he is, we may not survive."
"Well, that's just great," Paige said sarcastically, "we get to help the ultimate evil go sane so he can help us before he stalks Phoebe again."
"I know Paige, but we have no choice," Phoebe said in a resigned tone. "We need him."
"And once this is done, we will vanquish him," Piper interjected. She was about to continue when the sisters heard a snort. They turned in surprise to look at Other-Phoebe.
For the first time, the sisters saw anger cross the face of Other- Phoebe. It wasn't a frown so much as a red spark behind the eyes. "I do not for one moment understand you. You felt and saw the same memories I did, and yet you still consider him evil. Well, let me tell the three of you something. I see a man who has been steadily pushed to the edge, and has survived more in a few years than most beings could handle in a lifetime. If you can't see that, then you obviously aren't the same people he knows."
"How dare you..." Paige began, but then stopped as Piper glared at her.
"We have a past here that you do not understand, even if you have seen his memories," Phoebe said tersely.
Other-Phoebe looked back at them, and then said, "Perhaps you are right. It doesn't change my opinion. Now, let's continue on." Other- Phoebe held out her hands, and the sisters formed a circle. Other-Phoebe's green eyes began to glow, a bright color that seemed to encompass all that is good in the world. The glow spread down her body, until all of her was surrounded by a white nimbus. As the light touched the sisters, each felt peace envelop them, followed by a feeling of movement. Soon, the world began to move away, until all that was left was the glow.
Suddenly, there was something there. It was a wall, an unattainable height that blocked there passage. The sisters felt themselves run into it, and they felt something trying to push through. The wall began to give, and hope welled within the sisters. Then, raw power slammed into them, pushing them back with a speed that left them gasping.
When the sisters could see again, they were back in the misty place. Other-Phoebe had broken the circle, and was panting heavily. As Piper and Paige moved towards her, Other-Phoebe slowly stood up. "That...was unexpected," Other-Phoebe gasped.
"What happened?" Piper asked curiously.
"Cole is hiding something," Phoebe admitted, "and everything he has is trying desperately to keep us from seeing it. If it were anyone else, I could push us all through. But he is too strong."
"Are you saying we can't get in?" Paige questioned. When Other- Phoebe hesitated, Paige continued, "What? Is there a way in?"
"I can get through, but not with all of you. Two of you would have to stay behind," Other-Phoebe said slowly.
"What! You want us to leave one of us at the mercy of Cole's mind, are you out of..." Paige began hotly, but Piper quieted her.
Piper looked at both of her sisters, and then said, "Pheebs, it will have to be you. You are the only one who could get a reaction from him. Can you handle that?"
Phoebe hesitated, and then nodded. "We need him, and if that is the only way to get him, then so be it." She walked over to Other-Phoebe and took both of her hands. "Let's do it."
Other-Phoebe nodded, and then her eyes began to glow again. This time, when they reached the barrier, Phoebe felt the wall begin to give. She felt the raw power rising again, and then a strange thing happened. It seemed to touch them, and then it paused. Suddenly, the wall was gone, and they were unimpeded.
****
When Phoebe could see again, she found herself in a room that looked frightening familiar. She was back in the MANOR! 'How did I get here?' Phoebe wondered as she looked around frantically. The last thing she remembered she and Other-Phoebe had been about enter Cole's mind...
Phoebe felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked behind her, and found nothing there. Suddenly, a voice spoke in her head. 'Relax, this is Cole's mind. Whatever is going on, whatever Cole is protecting, it is here.'
"Where are you?" Phoebe asked.
'I don't know,' the voice confessed. 'Apparently, I have no part to play here, so I cannot be seen. However, that doesn't mean we can't talk.'
Phoebe was about to answer when a new voice interrupted her. "Is everything ready?" To Phoebe's shock, Piper walked into the room. She walked over to her, and raised a brow in question.
"W - What?" Phoebe stammered.
Piper's face became more confused as she remarked, "You know, considering you planned this, it seems kind of strange that you aren't paying more attention. Come on, answer me. Is everything ready?"
"I got the gifts," Paige said as she appeared. Phoebe looked around in utter shock, trying to figure out how her sisters got here. The voice in her mind said, 'These aren't the real Piper and Paige. They are manifestations of Cole's mind. Whatever he is up to, they are going to play a part.'
"Shh...listen," Piper said softly. Everyone quieted down, and Phoebe could hear a car pulling into the driveway. "He's here, hurry, we need to get into position."
Piper pulled Phoebe into the foyer, and Paige followed. When they got there, Phoebe found Leo and Darryl waiting. They both had a smile on their face, and a sneaky look in their eyes. Soon, Phoebe heard someone putting a key in the lock, and the front door opened.
"Guys, I'm back," Cole said as he walked in. Phoebe watched as a puzzled look came over his face. He said, "Guys? Where are you?" As Cole walked into their line of site, everyone else shouted, "SURPRISE!"
When Cole whirled in shock, they began to sing, "Happy Birthday to you..." In a flash, Phoebe remembered this. It was Cole's only birthday celebrated with them, and she had wanted it to be special. She had worked for a long time to set up this celebration, and it had all been worth it, for the look that now was on his face...a look of surprise and unfathomed happiness. Cole walked over to her and pulled her into his embrace. On instinct, Phoebe began to pull away, and Cole's face became puzzled.
"What's wrong, honey?" Cole asked.
A voice in Phoebe's mind spoke, 'Don't worry. This is Cole. He is the only real 'thing' in this fantasy. Give me a moment, and I will dispel it.'
'HURRY,' Phoebe thought back. This embrace was bringing up memories and feelings that should have been dead and gone. Cole's face looked concerned, and she forced a smile on her face. "Nothing's wrong," she replied, and his face looked less anxious.
"Good," Piper intoned, "because it is time to party. So, birthday boy, do you want to open presents first or eat some cake?"
"Who made the cake?" Cole asked.
"I did," Piper replied.
"Then I definitely want cake first, because I know it will be delicious," Cole commented with a smile. That smile faded as everything began to grow blurry. He looked around in confusion as the manor and Phoebe's sisters grew more and more blurry.
"No, no, NO!" Cole shouted, but it was too late. Soon, only Phoebe and Cole were left. The Manor had changed into a barren room, and Other- Phoebe appeared. She smiled, and said, "That took more than I thought it would."
Cole whirled, and an energy ball appeared in his hand, "What do you want?" he demanded. He then looked down at Phoebe, and his eyes widened. "You're still here, which means...Phoebe?"
Phoebe nodded, and said, "Yes, Cole. It's the real me."
Cole backed away in shock, and then whispered, "You came after me?"
Phoebe saw something begin to blossom in his eyes, and she realized it was hope. On reflex, she replied, "Yes, Cole. We need your help."
The light in Cole's eyes died, and he laughed a bitter laugh. "Sorry, can't help you." He then turned and sat heavily in a chair that appeared.
"You don't even know what is going on," Phoebe commented.
Cole smiled an evil smile, and said, "I don't care. I am done being your lapdog. I will tell you what would happen if I said yes. I would vanquish whatever annoying evil you can't deal with, and then you would tell me 'it doesn't change anything' and 'we will vanquish you.' Am I right?" Cole didn't even wait for a response, he just continued on, "So, you'll have to forgive me, but I don't feel like dealing with that right now. I am sorry you wasted your time. Now, leave."
Phoebe was about to respond, when Other-Phoebe stepped forward. "Cole, look at me."
Cole turned to look at this mysterious woman, and asked, "Who the hell are you?" A bright green beam shot from the woman's eyes, and slammed into Cole. Cole slammed against the back of the chair. When the light was done, Cole slumped in his chair.
"What did you do?" Phoebe demanded.
Other-Phoebe ignored her, and instead walked up to Cole. She leaned in and whispered, "Open your eyes." When Cole did, she continued, "There she is, the source of all your pain. She is here, ready to listen. Tell her how you feel, what is going on with you. Let it all go, Cole. Just let it all go."
As Phoebe watched, a look of intense anger came over Cole's face. He shot to his feet, and yelled, "YOU BITCH!" He waved his hand, and Phoebe was slammed and pinned against the wall.
"Cole, what..." Phoebe began, but Cole cut her off.
"Do you have ANY idea what I have SACRIFICED?" Cole was shouting at the top of his lungs, and Phoebe winced at the sheer volume. "I HAVE BEEN THROUGH MORE PAIN AND TORMENT THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE, AND YOU HAVE TRIVIALIZED IT ALL!"
That did it. Phoebe lost her temper. "What YOU have sacrificed. You put ME through more than you could ever believe. I became evil for you. Do you have any idea how repugnant that is to me? You made me the QUEEN OF ALL EVIL! You gave me a son who now hates me. You had me betray my sisters, and all I believed in. So, don't talk to me about sacrifices."
Cole sneered, and said with utter contempt in his voice, "I did not DO that to you, the SOURCE did. I have told you more times than I can count I was being controlled. But you never once believed me, did you? Well, I am sick of it. FEEL WHAT I FELT!"
Suddenly, there was another presence invading Phoebe's mind. She tried to push back, but discovered in horror that she could not stop it. It ran through her like a whirlwind, crushing all resistance. When it was done, Phoebe was a prisoner in her own body.
Cole smiled, and said, "How does it feel, Phoebe? That is what I felt. Now how about I have you kill some people, maybe betray the ones you love. Would you understand then how I felt, when I became evil?"
Phoebe tried to reply, tried to scream, tried to do anything, but her body was not hers to command. In an instant, the presence was gone, and Phoebe was back in control. She looked at Cole in hatred, and said, "You..."
"Don't care anymore, Phoebe," Cole interrupted. "I can never forgive you for what you did to me."
"And what was that Cole, huh? What was it?" Phoebe yelled back.
"You awakened the soul in me, and destroyed me," Cole replied. "You introduced me to all the great things in life. Friendship, Understanding, Family...Love. You gave me all those things, and then you took them back. You ripped them from me as if they were really yours all along. And I have been in torment ever since."
"I didn't 'rip' them from you. You lost them when you betrayed us," Phoebe said angrily.
Cole's look of contempt deepened as he commented, "When did I betray you? When I killed the witch as Belthazor? You know I was under Raynor's control. All I needed was one little bit of faith from you, and Prue would still be alive. Isn't that interesting? You killed Prue."
"HOW DARE YOU!" Phoebe shouted.
"It's true, and you know it," Cole said with a sneer. "You didn't have enough faith in me to let me drink the first power stripping potion. If you had, you would never have gone to the Underworld, and would have been there to face Shax. Instead, you were with me, and Prue paid the price for your lack of faith."
Tears began to form in Phoebe's eyes, and she wondered why Cole would deliberately hurt her like this.
"And shall we talk about my second 'betrayal'," Cole continued. "Which was it? When the Source had me under his control, or when I single- handedly kept the Source from killing you. Of course, I should have just accepted that I was meant to be evil, and let the Source kill you. That would have been so much simpler, and if I had known you could be so shallow as to forget me, I would have."
Phoebe tried to say something, but her throat was closed for some reason. She tried to deny it, but everything Cole said was hitting her like knives.
Cole looked at her for a few moments, and then said, "I have to thank you, for I finally understand. You never loved me. I was a pet to you, something to toy with and watch with amusement. A demon who tried to be good for you, who denied everything he was to be with you. How you must have laughed as I tried desperately to keep myself from doing evil deeds. Did you enjoy it whenever you stepped on my fingers, betrayed me, and made me evil again? Did it give you pleasure to know I would still mourn and love you, even as an evil being? Well, guess what? I'm done mourning. Leave me, and never return."
Cole started to leave, and Phoebe managed to whisper, "Cole, please stop." Cole did stop, but he didn't turn around. She continued, "The Hollow has been released again, and it is cutting a swath of destruction through magic. The demon who took it has destroyed the box, so we have no way to stop it. Only someone who has been possessed by it before is immune. Only you can stop him. Please, will you stop him?"
"Do you have any idea what you are asking of me?" Cole demanded. "Out there, I would experience more pain, more torment, and more agony. Fear, doubt, all of it would come back. No, I would rather stay here."
"But this ISN'T REAL!" Phoebe shouted.
"I DON'T CARE!" Cole shouted as he whirled, and Phoebe was shocked to see tears in his eyes. "Phoebe, even if I hate them, I still have to fill that hole in me. Here, I am accepted for who I am, I have friends, I have...love. You would have me give all that up to go back to the pain? Why, what possible reason would there be for me to do that?"
Phoebe said nothing for a few moments. Inside of herself, she felt the bitterness and hatred around her heart cracking and dissipating. Cole's words had struck her harshly, but they were a resounding truth that had penetrated the wall she had built to protect herself, to insure she would never be hurt again or more precisely, to insure she would never love again. As the wall continued to crumble, Phoebe finally saw Cole for what he was. Standing in front of her was not the ultimate evil. In front of her was a man who had sacrificed everything, including his own existence, for the greater good, and for love - for HER. A man that was willing to suffer such extremes could not be evil. As the wall of bitterness completely disintegrated, she stammered, "Because...because..."
"Because what, Phoebe?" Cole snapped.
Phoebe forced herself to look into Cole's hard blue eyes, and said, "Because I love you, Cole."
Cole stared at her in shock. "What..." he started, and then he looked into her eyes. What he saw there nearly caused him to faint. He saw the old light in Phoebe's eyes, the light he would see there whenever they were together, the light that had been there since she had discovered what he really was. He saw love and compassion, not the bitterness and hatred he had been expecting. He choked out, "But...you said..."
"I was wrong, Cole," Phoebe said quietly. "I blinded myself to everything, tried to convince myself I didn't love you, and in doing that I nearly destroyed you in the process. You were right. What I did to you was the worst kind of evil imaginable, and I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself for that. I wouldn't blame you if you couldn't forgive me, either." Phoebe lowered her eyes in shame. "I do love you, Cole. I love you for who you are and all that you did to save us. I'm so sorry, baby."
In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Cole smiled slightly. Phoebe would NEVER have called him by his favorite pet name if she didn't love him anymore. Cole walked forward and embraced her. This time, Phoebe didn't pull away, but leaned into him instead. "We'll work through this, Phoebe," said Cole. "It will take time, but eventually we can put this behind us."
"Together," she added, her voice muffled by his chest.
"But first, I think we have a demon to vanquish," Cole continued.
Phoebe pulled back slightly and said, "Cole, you don't have to..."
"Yes, I do, Phoebe," Cole said firmly. "If there was one thing you taught me about being good, it's that the greater good comes first, always." Cole sighed. "Don't ask me to be a coward for you. You know I'm not one to sit on the sidelines."
"You can truly see him now, can't you?" said Other-Phoebe. Phoebe flinched slightly, as she had forgotten Other-Phoebe was even there.
"Yes," Phoebe replied, looking up at Cole's face, which was no longer haunted by pain and rage, but was lit up with love. His eyes shined. She was interrupted and taken from her musings by Other-Phoebe, who said, "Let's go." The barren room then faded, and they were on their way back.
TO BE CONTINUED...