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Chapter 11: Loyalty and Betrayal

"If Cole had known about the switch he would have told us." stated Phoebe defiantly, turning to face her sisters.

"Are you sure?" questioned Piper doubtfully, "He's back with his brothers now, maybe he's switched too."

"Come on, why all of a sudden are you off his band wagon? What's changed?" demanded Phoebe, her voice rising in anger.

"The plan blew up in our faces, that's what's changed." responded Piper.

Phoebe crossed her arms resolutely across her chest, "And Cole is responsible for that?" she challenged.

"Phoebe, not knowing the switch is a pretty big detail to miss, don't you think?" pointed out Piper, "Aside from the whole he originally tried to kill us thing that's coming to mind right about now."

"Okay, but Piper, Cole's done a lot of good since then." interjected Prue, "We have to give him credit for that."

"Thank you." smiled Phoebe at Prue, who also smiled in return.

"Come on, Phoebe," insisted Piper, "You have to admit you're a little worried about him."

"About his getting killed, yes, but not about his betraying us." Phoebe contradicted.

Leo walked before Piper could reply and said, "Pirelli's still out cold in the basement." then noticing the tension between the sisters he asked, "How are things up here?"

"Getting colder by the minute." muttered Phoebe.

"Okay, uh, we need to work on a plan, alright?" interrupted Prue, "And we need to be smart because Cole is counting on it. So the merger voting is at 11:00; that gives us two hours to figure out a way to get the demon impostor out of there."

"Anything we do could point Cole out as their leak. So we have to let him know what we're up to." decided Phoebe.

"Do we?" asked Piper pointedly.

"Yeah, he deserves to know that." replied Phoebe, "Let me tell him to get out of there."

"How are you gonna get him to meet you?" questioned Leo.

"I slipped him a note at the attack asking him to meet me at the mausoleum. Let me try." pleaded Phoebe.

"Okay, be careful and be fast. And if for whatever reason Cole doesn't meet you there, get back here right away, okay, so we can start working on plan B." said Prue.

"Okay." agreed Phoebe, leaving.

Phoebe's P.O.V

Cole hadn't betrayed us; I knew he hadn't; he wouldn't. I had to believe that. I knew my sisters would be sceptical but I had to believe in Cole. I loved Cole and I knew he loved me so he wouldn't betray us no matter what. But I was still asking myself; why hadn't he told us about the switch? Was he in danger; were the brotherhood onto him? I was worried that he might not come back.

I'm calling can you hear me,
The angels will steer me,
To your door, feel so sure,
the night is the brightest.

Cole shimmered into the mausoleum to see Phoebe waiting there. As she heard him shimmer in she looked up in relief.

"Cole." she exclaimed, relieved, "Oh my god, I've been so..."

"No, don't." cut in Cole, "It's too dangerous."

"What do you mean? What's the matter?" Phoebe studied Cole's eyes in concern.

"Just trust me." hissed Cole, "Where's Pirelli?" he asked in his normal voice again.

Unknown to Phoebe or Cole, Klea appeared nearby but only her eyes were visible. She watched as Cole and Phoebe spoke together.

"At the manor, in the basement." replied Phoebe.

"So you do have him?" questioned Cole.

Phoebe paused before answering, looking at Cole strangely "Yeah, of course."

"What's your plan?" continued Cole, unemotionally.

Phoebe paused again, convinced that something was wrong. "Our plan is to vanquish the demon that took his place, before the merger vote." she told him finally.

"No, you can't." discouraged Cole, "That will be a huge mistake."

"Why?" Phoebe asked, "Cole, you're scaring me."

"You should be scared." replied Cole ominously, "You have no idea who you're up against."

"Oh, don't I?" retorted Phoebe, in disbelief, "Cole, what's happening to you? What aren't you telling me?"

"I'm telling you to stay out of this, alright? Don't do anything. Just go back home, wait to hear from me. I mean it." Cole shimmered out abruptly, Klea invisibly following, leaving Phoebe staring miserably at the dark, stone walls of the mausoleum.

Cole's P.O.V.

It almost broke my heart treating Phoebe like that. She looked so upset at my lack of feelings I wanted to take her in my arms and promise her that everything would be ok. But I couldn't; I didn't know if it would be. The brotherhood suspected me, I knew they did, and I wouldn't put it past them to have me watched. I had to protect Phoebe from them. I didn't want to see her get hurt.

Phoebe walked into the living room after returning from the mausoleum to find her sisters looking at her expectantly.

"How did it go?" asked Prue.

Phoebe paused, "I'm not sure, actually." she replied.

"What does that mean?" questioned Piper.

"I don't know," answered Phoebe, "It was strange; he was strange; almost mean. But he doesn't want us to go after the demon; he wants us to wait here."

"What? Why?" Prue asked surprised.

"He didn't say. It doesn't make sense; the whole thing doesn't make sense. I think he's in trouble. Either that or..."

"Or he's turned." supplied Piper.

"No, I don't believe that. There's gotta be a good reason why Cole's doing what he's doing."

Phoebe ran hurriedly down to the basement, Prue and Piper close behind. Cole and Tarkin had grabbed hold of Pirelli.

"Cole!" exclaimed Phoebe

Cole raised his head to meet Phoebe's eyes for a moment before him and Tarkin shimmered out with Pirelli.

"What do you think now?" asked Piper.

Phoebe's P.O.V

Despite all this I still didn't believe that Cole had turned; that he had betrayed us. It had to be a plan of his that he couldn't tell us without getting found out. He knew that I would never give up on him and would figure it out. Out love was strong enough to stop Cole from turning. I knew it was.

"Vote's in, demon guy, you lose." announced Piper cockily, as she, Phoebe and Prue stormed into the office.

At the other end of the office the chair swung round to face them but instead of the demon they were expecting, it was Cole sitting in it.

"Piper, wait. Cole." said Phoebe, reaching across to pull Piper's hands down.

"Surprised?" he asked, a smile spreading across his face.

"What are you doing here? Where's the demon?" demanded Prue.

"He sent me instead. It might be a test. I think he's onto us." replied Cole.

"On to us? You make it sound like we're working together." spat Prue, still distrusting Cole.

"Aren't we?" questioned Cole calmly.

"Hmm, who you kidding?" replied Piper, "We should vanquish you on the spot. Where's Pirelli?"

"He's safe." answered Cole standing up.

"Cole, where is he?" demanded Prue.

"Where else would he be?" said Cole, the strange smile slipping over his face again.

Phoebe watched him suspiciously, "The safest place you know; the mausoleum." she stated.

"Isn't that what we agreed to?" he asked.

"No, unfortunately, it isn't." replied Phoebe coldly, throwing the vanquishing potion at Cole.

"Phoebe!" exclaimed Prue.

As the potion hit him Cole started yelling, but as the sisters watched Cole morphed into Vornac. Vornac screamed in agony as he was vanquished and Phoebe surveyed the pile of ash, satisfied.

"But how did you know?" asked Piper, "Did you know?"

"The safest place that Cole knows is with me. He said so." replied Phoebe quietly.

Just at that moment the real Cole shimmered in. The sisters spun around ready to throw the potion.

"Easy, easy." calmed Cole, "I know I'm not very popular right now but let the condemned man have his last words. I had no choice but to play it this way. They were so suspicious of me I had to make everyone especially you believe I was evil. Or I was dead."

"Some of us still think you're evil." muttered Piper.

"Alright, so why did that demon impersonate you?" asked Prue coldly.

"He didn't trust me. Wanted to find out whose side I was really on. I knew you wouldn't fall for it." answered Cole, with a smile at Phoebe.

"What about Pirelli?" asked Piper.

"I had to make you think I'd actually betrayed you, to give you motivation to kill Vornac and me." Cole paused then turned to face Phoebe, "Forgive me." he apologized.

"I never doubted you." smiled Phoebe walking over to him. "Well, maybe just a little." she corrected before reaching up to kiss Cole.

Unnoticed by the sisters and Cole, Klea was watching near by, only her eyes visible. As she saw Cole and Phoebe kiss she shimmered back to report.

"You'd better get Leo to the mausoleum, get Pirelli back here before the merger." directed Cole.

"Can't you get Pirelli?" questioned Piper.

"No, I have to get back." answered Cole.

Phoebe shook her head, worry clearly visible in her eyes, "You can't go back now." she disagreed.

"Just to cover my tracks; I don't want those guys hunting me down." Cole reassured kissing Phoebe again, "I'll be out before your graduation party tonight, I promise." Cole smiled briefly then shimmered out, his words not alleviating Phoebe's worry.

Cole's P.O.V

I could see Phoebe was worried but I knew I had to go back. If I didn't then they would realise that I had betrayed them and they would hunt me down until they had killed me. I didn't want that and not just for my sake. I knew what the brotherhood could do and I knew they would come after Phoebe. I was only going to go back for a little while then make up an excuse as to why I was leaving. After all I had promised to be at Phoebe's graduation.

"You saw the witches kill Vornac?" asked Tarkin turning to face Cole.

Back in the underworld Cole shook his head, "No, I saw what was left. So I went to kill Pirelli but he was gone. I can only assume the witches found him."

"This is a disaster." groaned Tarkin, "What are we gonna tell Raynor? He wants a full accounting, you know."

"Tell him I warned Vornac not to go but he didn't listen. And now I have to go." Cole said preparing to shimmer out.

"Go?" questioned Tarkin, stopping Cole from going, "Where?"

"I still have to find proof for the Source to clear my name. I can't very well do that here, can I?" Cole tried to smile calmly but inside his heart was racing; he wanted to get out of here as soon as he could. "See you soon, my brother."

"You can't go. Raynor wants a full accounting from you." repeated Tarkin.

"You can fill him in. You know just as much as I do." Cole grinned briefly then began to walk off down the passage.

Behind Cole, Klea and Raynor appeared by Tarkin. They exchanged glances before Raynor powered up an energy ball and threw it at Cole. Cole collapsed to the ground unmoving.

"You were right, Raynor." said Tarkin coldly, staring at Cole's unconscious form.

"Belthazor has much to explain; and much to answer for." replied Raynor ominously.