"Really, Malevant," said Cole, "I knew you were devious but not even I suspected that you were leading a double life. All of your magnificent plans, your apparent genuine hatred of humanity, your well-known fights with your 'brother'. Such ingenuity. Worthy of a true demon."
"I am half demon after all," said Michael.
"Of course," said Cole. "It's amazing no one suspected you before. But you were obviously extremely careful not to draw attention to yourself."
"It's true, isn't it?" Phoebe said to Cole. "Otherwise you wouldn't be with them. The Cole I know would never associate with demons. The only reason you would be with them was if you were possessed by the Source."
"Once a brother, always a brother," said Cole. "Phoebe, it's still me. I'm still the Cole Turner you feel in love with."
"No, you aren't," said Phoebe. "I fell in love with a man. You're no longer human. I know Cole is still in there somewhere. But you aren't him."
"The man you feel in love with was half demon," Cole said. "When Belthazor was stripped from me I was only half a man. Now I'm whole again. I have my demonic powers back. And more."
"You obviously have no idea what love is," said Phoebe. "I love Cole in spite of his demonic half, not because of it. He had a demonic half, that's true. We all have our dark side. And Coles' demonic half was a very strong obstacle for him to overcome. But he did overcome it. After one hundred years as a demon he had finally found his humanity. That's something you could never understand. There's no humanity in you."
"You're wrong," said Cole. "Cole Turner is part of me. I love you as he loved you. That's why I'm going to make you my queen. Every demon in the underworld will bow down to you. You will be a queen."
"Queen of the underworld?" Phoebe asked. "No thanks."
"Michael says you don't plan to kill us," said Piper. "What are you doing here?"
"I've come for my queen," said Cole. "Oh, I'm not going to kill you. Phoebe would never tolerate that. I'm just going to strip you of your powers. That will keep you safe. Without powers you aren't a threat to the underworld. No demons will ever bother you again. You'll have what you've always wanted. A life without demons."
"No deal," said Piper. "The Cole Turner we know knows that we don't deal with demons. They can't be trusted. The Charmed Ones don't make deals with demons no matter who they look like."
"You really have no choice," said Cole. "There's no way you can stand against all of us. I'm going to strip your powers and there's nothing you can do to prevent it. And as Michael has most likely all ready told you, once I've done it there is no way to reverse it."
"Except for one minor problem," said Michael.
"And what would that be?" Cole asked.
Michael suddenly cast a fireball directly at Cole. Nearly as instantly Cole shimmered and vanished from the entryway. The fireball passed through the shimmer striking the Brotherhood demon behind him. The demon was slammed against the wall behind him but wasn't vanquished.
As Michael cast his fireball, Piper raised her hand and exploded another of the Brotherhood demons. The explosion was not completely successful but had obviously hurt the demon badly. Another of the Brotherhood demons cast a fireball at Michael as he was attacking Cole. Paige called to the fireball redirecting it back at the demon. The demon was vanquished as the fireball struck him full force.
Another Brotherhood demon cast a fireball at Leo intent on obliterating the White Lighter. Leo simply orbed out and the fireball passed through him. Phoebe had turned and grabbed a poker from the fireplace. She swung it at one another of the Brotherhood demons striking him alongside the head. It caused only a slight injury to the demon but it backed away from Phoebe.
Michael cast another fireball and struck the same demon he had attacked before. This time the demon was vanquished in a conflagration unable to resist the power of the warrior White Lighter. Another demon turned on Michael striking him with its fist. Michael, although only slightly injured, stumbled back from the force of the blow. The demon Piper had attacked turned on her with renewed vengeance. It cast a fireball at her that she had to duck to avoid, making it unable for her to attack once again.
As the demon began to form another fireball, Paige called for a vase sitting on a table in the living room. She redirected the vase, striking the demon full in the face. Although it didn't harm the demon it did break his concentration extinguishing the fireball he had formed.
Phoebe struck out at the demon she had attacked and in an uncharacteristic manner, the demon backed away from her, unwilling to engage her. She swung the poker at him and he knocked it away, backing out of range at her. Michael was regaining his feet and turned to face another of the demons when Cole suddenly shimmered in behind Piper. He grabbed her, pinning one arm to her side as he placed his hand around her throat.
"Enough," he shouted. "And don't try freezing us, Piper. I chose these demons specifically because they are resistant to that particular power.
Everyone turned to face Cole as he held Piper in front of him as a human shield. The Brotherhood demons, instead of pressing their obvious advantage, backed away and took up defensive stances ready for renewed attacks. Leo orbed back into the room next to Paige.
"Don't hurt her," Leo pleaded. "Please, if there's anything left of Cole in there, don't hurt her."
"I have no intentions of hurting her," said Cole. "I never did. Like I said, I just came to get my queen. If Phoebe agrees to return to the underworld with me you have my word that the rest of you will not be harmed."
"Like Piper said," said Phoebe, "we don't deal with demons. I made that deal with you once before. And it cost Prue her life. I won't make that mistake again."
"That's because the Source wanted you all dead," said Cole. "I'm not that demon any more. Cole Turner's love for you has tempered me. I want you to rule at my side, Phoebe. To be queen of the underworld forever. If you agree to come with me I won't harm your sisters. You have my word they'll be safe. You have the word of Cole Turner."
"You're not Cole," said Phoebe.
"I am and I'm not," said Cole. "I'm more than Cole Turner. More than the former Source. I'm a joining of the two. I'm master of the underworld but with a human soul. A soul that understands you. A soul that loves you. Agree to join me voluntarily and I won't harm either her or Paige. Refuse, and you give me no reason to keep them alive."
Phoebe looked at Piper. Many demons were resistant to her freezing ability. There was no reason to believe that what Cole had said wasn't true. It would have been a reasonable precaution to choose demons resistant to their powers. And they had all ready proven they were resistant to her explosive ability.
"Don't do it," said Piper. "We don't deal with demons."
"I can't loose you like I lost Prue," said Phoebe. "I know you two were always closer than I was. But she was still my sister and I loved her. I can't risk loosing you, too."
"You have my word," Cole repeated.
"As long as my sisters remain unharmed," said Phoebe, "I'll go with you. But only to protect them. I'll never love you. I love Cole. Whatever you are, you aren't him. Don't expect me to treat you like you are."
"That will change," said Cole. He released Pipers' arm and reached out for Phoebe keeping his hand around her throat. "Come. I'll return us to the underworld. Once we are safely away, the Brotherhood will follow. And they won't harm anyone after I leave."
"How do I know I can trust them?" Phoebe asked.
"He is the Source," said one of the demons. "And he is a brother. He has ordered that we not harm the witches so long as he gets you. Once you have returned with him to the underworld our fight with them is ended."
Phoebe looked at Cole's outstretched hand then at Piper and Paige. She knew there was only one way to protect them. She would have to go with Cole to the underworld and hope that his word was good. But silently she vowed that if he betrayed her she would find a way to vanquish him even if it cost her her own life. She reached up and took Cole's hand.
"There," said Cole taking a firmer grip on her hand and releasing Piper, "that wasn't so hard, was it?" He turned to the Brotherhood demons. "Remember my promise. They are not to be harmed. Once I have returned to the underworld return as well."
Without another word Cole shimmered and he and Phoebe vanished from the manor. The others tensed as they expected the two remaining Brotherhood demons would attack the moment Cole had left. Instead, one turned to Michael.
"The Source wishes to give you a message," said the demon. "Your secret is exposed. Return to the underworld again and you will not live to leave it."
Without another word the two demons shimmered and were gone.