Sorry for the wait in updating…I've been really busy. I have exams coming up so I don't know if there'll be another long wait but I'll try my hardest to update ASAP.

Chapter 17: Love Hurts

"You fought the Banshee!" exclaimed Leo, an anxious expression forming on his face, "Are you and Phoebe are okay?"

"Yeah, fine," Piper replied puzzled at Leo's worry, "Why?"

"Because the elders just told me that Banshee's are former witches." Leo informed her.

Piper shrugged not getting the point, "So?" she asked.

"So, the Banshee's scream doesn't kill witches, it turns them into Banshees." explained Leo.

As Piper and Leo looked towards the stairs to the attic apprehensively they heard the banging of tables shuddering and the tinkling sound of vases shaking. "Piper!" yelled Phoebe.

In the attic Phoebe could hear the Banshee's call getting closer. "Piper!" she yelled. A vase shattered as it fell on the floor. Phoebe whirled around and the banshee appeared on the window sill, as all the windows shattered, filling the attic with flying glass.

Phoebe fell to the floor as the banshee screamed at the top of her voice and began to advance on Phoebe. The sound of footsteps distracted the banshee though and it spun round as Piper and Leo entered the attic at a run.

Piper raised her hands and exploded the banshee, the sudden silence very welcome.

"Huh, shut her up." Piper snorted satisfied with the kill.

"Phoebe, you okay?" asked Leo, seeing Phoebe hadn't moved from her position on the floor.

There was a moment when Phoebe just started blankly at Leo, then suddenly she transformed into a banshee.

Banshee-Phoebe rose to her feet as Piper and Leo slowly backed away from her muttering "Uh oh."

Piper and Leo looked on horrified as banshee-Phoebe ran over to the window. Phoebe let out a loud high-pitched shriek before leaping out of the window and disappearing into the night.

Phoebe's P.O.V

I screamed at the top of my voice. It felt like I was letting out my pain and anguish but it wasn't leaving me. My pain seemed to come alive and flow through me and I felt a desire to hurt; to find someone else hurting as much as I was and to pour out my pain into them. I let out another scream and sensed the pain of someone who could be my first victim. Leaving the manor behind, I leapt out of the window and started hunting.

"We don't have any other options." Piper told Leo. "The Banshees target people who are in pain, that's why it went after Phoebe, and Cole is the source of Phoebe's pain. So if we can get him to find her and eliminate that pain, then we might be able to get Phoebe back."

"Do you really think he'll help us?" asked Leo doubtfully.

"Feelings like theirs don't go away. We should know." Piper stated. She turned the pages of the Book of Shadows until she found the spell to summon Belthazor. Piper began chanting.

"Magic forces black and white,
Reaching out through space and light,
Be he far or be he near,
Bring us the demon Belthazor here."

As soon as Piper had finished saying the spell as tunnel of wind appears in the room and Cole appeared in it.

"You rang?" he asked cockily, then seeing Piper he frowned, "Piper, not the sister I was expecting."

Piper ignored this. "Phoebe's in trouble." she informed Cole, "She's been turned into a Banshee."

"A Banshee?" Cole considered "Well, that's different."

"It happened because she was hurting over you. And I think you're the key to turning her back." Piper continued tensely.

Cole shook his head "Sorry, I don't do good anymore." he told Piper cheerily.

Piper narrowed her eyes at Cole's flippant attitude but she wouldn't give up. "Not even for somebody you love?" she asked meaningfully.

"Love-d. Past tense." stated Cole flatly.

Cole's P.O.V

They wouldn't guilt me into helping them. I was over Phoebe. I was evil; I didn't need to love; especially not a witch who had given up on me when I had given up everything for her.

"I think we've heard enough." cut in Leo, looking at Cole coldly.

"Feelings like that don't just die, Cole." Piper persisted.

"Wrong. They died when Phoebe gave up on me. Now all I can do is return the favour." replied Cole.

"You've helped us before, and we've helped you." continued Piper trying not to show her desperation.

"Oh, is that what you were doing when you called me this morning. Helping me? Or trying to vanquish me?" spat Cole angrily.

Cole's P.O.V

How dare they? This morning they were trying to vanquish me and now they wanted my help. I was nothing to them. They didn't care about me. And I didn't care about them.

"Piper, the potion." warned Leo.

Piper ignored Leo, refusing to give up. "Phoebe loves you, Cole. And I know that you love Phoebe. All I'm asking you to do is find her and tell her." she pleaded.

"It's over, Piper. In more ways than one." replied Cole firmly.

"Throw the potion." instructed Leo worriedly.

Piper stared into Cole's eyes for a moment and saw only coldness. "You're right, Cole, it is over." she agreed.

Piper threw the potion but when it hit Cole nothing happened. No explosion; no vanquish.

"Surprise!" laughed Cole.

"B-But…" stuttered Piper.

"Did you really think that I would come here without magical protection?" sneered Cole, "Question is, do you have any protection for yourself?"

"Don't threaten her." warned Leo protectively.

"I suggest you orb her out of here, Whitelighter, before there's nothing left to orb." retorted Cole.

The sound of running interrupted them. Prue, as a large, white, fluffy dog, ran into the attic and barked at Piper and Leo.

"Prue?" exclaimed Piper

"Prue?" asked Cole puzzled, then, as the house started shaking, "What's going on?"

"Phoebe's home." stated Piper dryly.

There was a loud crash as all of the windows smashed and Phoebe leapt into the attic. She screamed and dove on Cole.

Cole changed into Belthazor before shimmering out, taking Phoebe with him.

Belthazor shimmered into the mausoleum, still fighting with banshee-Phoebe. Belthazor snarled as he threw her across the room but she got back up and advanced on him. Banshee-Phoebe kicked Belthazor and he fell over a crypt, landing on his back. Banshee-Phoebe jumped on him and screamed, her sharp talons slashing at his body. Belthazor pushed her off and roared in response to Banshee-Phoebe's scream. He grabbed her around the neck.

"Don't make me kill you." growled Belthazor. Banshee-Phoebe pushed him away and Belthazor exclaimed, "Damn it, Phoebe!"

Belthazor changed back to Cole.

"I love you." he stated simply.

Cole's P.O.V

No matter how much I lied to myself, every time, the truth came out. I loved Phoebe. Since the day I had met her I always had and I knew I always would. I could turn evil, transmute my blood, do anything to change that fact, but as long as my heart still beat, I would love Phoebe.

At Cole's words Banshee-Phoebe threw back her head and screamed at the top of her voice.

As the scream died away the banshee changed back into Phoebe.

Phoebe's P.O.V

Cole's words echoed throughout my head and brought me back to myself. I could feel the immense pain of being a banshee slip away as I heard him tell me he loved me. The cause of my pain was facing me but instead of making it worse Cole was removing my pain. For one brief moment I was happy. Cole loved me. After everything, he still loved me. Despite who and what he was, he still loved me. And I knew I loved him back.

This moment wasn't going to last; I knew that. But it lasted long enough to turn me back from a banshee. It lasted long enough to know that neither of out feelings for each other had died. We still loved each other and nothing could change that.