Sympathy for a demon - How it should be!

How this episode played out in the wonderful world of my head...just something short. That was playing on my mind.

Have you ever felt like you are living in someone else's shadow, or questioned where you belong?

Cole looked across at the family, the one that he used to be a part of, the one he wished would once again accept him. "Um, well, I hate to break this up, but Barbas will be back soon." He spoke. His voice filled with such sadness.

Piper was the first to speak, "I'm ready. Are you?" She asked Cole.

"To take evil back? No. But I'm not doing it for me." Cole says sadness evident as he looks across at Phoebe. Phoebe turns to look at Cole. She releases Paige and walks up to him. Slowly, she sees the Cole that used to be, the guy she love and she felt sorry for him. Somewhere inside her still loved him...always would.

Barbas suddenly appears in the attic sending a force rippling with his

entrance. A blue shock wave that knocked everyone down to the floor. Along with the Halliwell sisters, Leo and Cole hitting the floor so did the newly bottle potion that Piper held, the key to there plan working hit the deck. Smashing, not only the bottle but any hope they had in defeating Barbas.

Barbas outstretches his arms and a smile crosses his face. Looking around he feels a sense of accomplishment. "Miss me, my babies?" he asked the room.

The oldest Halliwell stood to her feet, and sent a blast in the direction of Barbas, but it had little effect as he just held out his hand and caught the blast as it whimpers before extinguishing in a puff of smoke.

"Whoa! I'm a very quick study." He explains with a cocky grin slapped upon his, irritatingly calm face.

"What do we do?" Paige spoke out of fear.

"Ah, still alive, I see." Barbas confidently announced as he looked into Paige's eyes he didn't need to use his powers to see what her fear was now.

Phoebe had already allowed this monster to hurt her baby sister once tonight almost killing her she could not stand back and watch that same thing happen again, "You leave her alone!" She ordered protectively.

Barbas lifts his hands, still glaring at the youngest he contained, those either side of him in a force field of energy. One enveloping Phoebe and Cole and the other Leo and Piper. All four instantly hit with fear...

Barbas shook his head, "Naughty, naughty, naughty. Wait your turn." He spoke as if they were naughty children fighting over a favorite toy.

Phoebe looked around her eyes finally setting upon the spilt potion, "Paige, orb the potion." She shouted in desperation this was their only chance.

Paige looked down at the broken glass and blue liquid on the floor, "It's in a puddle." She stated matter-of-factly. As if her sisters were mad.

Piper watched as her baby sister was so close to death, "You can do it. Prue did." She screamed out in frustration.

Phoebe also joined in, "Paige, this is easy. PRUE did this Paige."

"Ay, there's the rub." He turns to look at Paige and speaks mockingly "You're no Prue, are you?"

Paige felt anger; it all came back to the fact that Prue was better than her. Her eyes narrow and determination flared within her. As she out stretched her arm towards the puddle of blue potion. "Potion!" Paige commanded. Blue orbs surrounded the liquid that lay on the floor and just as it was mid air Page hurled it towards Barbas who crumples to his knees on the floor. The force fields weaken and disappear.

Cole stepped forward hesitantly taking one last look at Phoebe he stepped up and as the evil powers that lay within Barbas rose from him a black mist was then taken in by its previous owner. Cole gasped deep and hard as it ripped into him as evil penetrated his soul. Barbas stood to his feet and held out his hand as if to create a fire-ball but was shocked when nothing appeared. Cole, however outstretched his hand and in it the blue ball of energy appeared and grew larger as did Barbas's eyes

"Looking for this?" Cole asked Barbas took a step back in fear. Fear that once aging he would be forced into the pits of hell and after all this time spent planning he would fail and return. Cole hurled the power-ball at Barbas hitting him in his chest Barbas cried out in pain This power-ball lingers in as the heat and power slowly consumes him, a power erupts around him.

Piper takes a step toward Leo both hold each other. Phoebe and Paige having no one to hold shielded them self's from the blast. The youngest shielding her eyes and Phoebe, diverting her view. Barbas exploded into a ball of great power.

As the blast died down they were left stood in the Attic, Cole looked at his hand then at Phoebe, his love...he saw it in her eyes she feared him. She eyed him cautiously. He never thought she would fear him. He now knew that this was truly hopeless that there was no chance, in hell literally that he would once again be apart of her family apart of her life. He looked from her eyes to the floor then around at the family members. Silently, he stood as he held back the tears before Cole looked one last time into the eyes of the only person he ever truly loved. He shimmered away. Out of her life back to his hell. His life without her.

Once gone Phoebe turned to the youngest. Who she had gutted only moments before, she went closer and attempted to hug her but Paige resisted. "Don't..." She spoke as she looked at her sister. This was a family that she thought she had truly been accepted into, how wrong could she have been?

"Paige what is it? What's wrong?"

"Oh I'm sorry. Did you usually hug PRUE after a vanquish?" Paige spat Prue's name out with such hate. "Just forget it okay. Forget it all...this sister gig, the witch gig. Forget it. I will never be good enough for you and I will never be Prue."

Piper and Phoebe looked hurt, so very hurt.

Paige turned as tears fell, tumbled down her face but Leo was too quick he took hold of her and pulled her around so there faces were meeting his forehead on hers...

"Paige, I understand...this morning, what you said. I get it."

Paige shook her head and pushed him away, back off her, "No Leo, you understand nothing. Today, today I was so close to him killing me. I was alone. You were only meters apart but I felt alone. He could easily have killed me and all you two can do is tell me how Prue could have done it better. How the almighty Prudence Halliwell would have done this. I do not need that, to hear before my possible end how Prue would have done it, You Leo Have no idea. Just like you Phoebe and Piper have no idea that every time you compare me to her, you rip me up inside."

Phoebe took a step forward, "Paige"

"No. NO. I do not want to hear it. What you two did to me there was worse than when you beat me up and gutted me Phoebe. You may have well have killed me...that's basically what you did. If I had died, what the hell would me plaque said...PAIGE MATTHEWS...Loved sister but not as good as the real thing?"

"Okay Paige you have obviously had a long day like us all. Barbas has messed with your emotions" Piper spoke as Phoebe was visibly distraught and unable to.

"Don't Pipe, do not dear blame how I feel on Barbas you did this. Take a look at this face. The Pain. You did this the moment you compared me to Prue. You did this when you failed to notice just how scared I was there. I thought he was going to kill me, and in his death my worst fear came true... I realized that I have not been excepted a Paige, I am still expected to live in her shadow. Well I can't because Prue could do no wrong. She could never disappoint."

Paige turned to head out the door but as she got to it Piper called out, "IS that what you truly think? IS IT?" She made her way forward. "Tonight I thought I was going to lose you..."

"Like you'd care" Paige screamed back. Phoebe stood back and watched as her baby sister was killing her. Paige's words ripped at Phoebe. "If you could chose between myself or Prue, who would you chose"

"You can NOT ask me that" Piper spoke, as she looked into Paige's eyes.

"I just did. I need to know so answer me... Prue or ME."

Piper placed her hand on Paige's shoulder, "I love you!" She said.

"But not as much as Prue. You will not open your heart up to me...I see the way you look at me sometimes...as if I'm not really there. Both of you, You never talk to me. When I need to talk...Really need someone you are never around. Why?"

That was a question that no one could answer, there was no reason for this it just happened...and Piper and Phoebe new it did. Paige saw doubt in there eyes...

"You can not answer" Paige spoke,

"What do you expect me to say, what do you want to hear?"

"The truth, I want to know where it is that I stand" Piper once again didn't speak, Paige looked at Phoebe who just looked at the floor as tears fell...

"I guess I know now!" Paige said sadly as she orbed out of Pipers grip, away from that place, she needed time to calm down, sort her head out. Tonight had been hard on them all. There was not only SYMPATY FOR THE DEMONED, but also the youngest sister, SYMPATHY FOR PAIGE MATTHEWS.

'We all feel at some point or another that we do not belong...belonging is something that we all need, to a family, to a friends ship. We need someone to be with who wants to be with you. A TRUE LOVE. But the feeling of belonging and security in a family or friend ship inevitably at times is tested, the key is to make it through those times and still be with that person of family. If you find yourself with them then you belong. If you need them you belong. Just take a time out. WE ALL BELONG SOMWHERE!'

Paige orbed back into the manor hours later, all the time that she was apart from them she needed them. So she went. And they welcomed. She walked over to the sofa and took a seat on the edge at first but she was soon pulled into the middle of them. IN her sisters arms she was welcomed, held and loved. No doubt now. She was loved and belonged to this family.

'Don't compare yourself to someone. Do not try and live up to someone else's success. Make your own. You are your own person...LIVE YOUR OWN LIFE. And live it well.'