"Paige, can't you do this any faster?" Cole asks worriedly, as he keeps glancing around the room.
"Cole, would you please just CHILL! You know, you could try and help me." Paige tells him.
"I can't get within ten feet of that book and you know it. Anything yet?"
"Nothing -- Cole, there IS no potion in here for vanquishing any lilim demons! There isn't even any MENTION of lilim demons in here! How is that even possible?"
"The lilim are very good at staying underground -- few outside of the demon realm even know about them. Most that do are too afraid to actually do anything about them." Cole tells her.
"Well, Phoebe's not exactly being subtle about herself." Paige says.
"That's because they want something from her -- Phoebe is just a tool that called on them at the right time."
"Well, what am I supposed to do if I can't find a vanquishing potion?" Paige asks.
"There's nothing you CAN do, dear." Lizzie says, shimmering into the room. "Phoebe is MY sister now." Lizzie goes over to Phoebe and puts her arms around her -- Phoebe un-freezes.
"What's going on?" Phoebe asks.
"You let GO of her, you bitch!" Paige shouts, and produces an engery ball, which she flings at Lizzie.
"No, Paige, DON'T!" Cole shouts, but it's too late -- Lizzie fires back at Paige within a split second with a fireball triple the size of Paige's energy ball. The fireball crosses the path of the energy ball, and they fuse together, rushing toward Paige. The force of the massive fireball shoves Paige backward -- she falls out of the attic window and crashes to the ground outside. "PAIGE!" Cole screams, and shimmers out of the room, and to Paige's side. "No -- Paige, please, no, don't do this to me." he begs as Paige lies still and motionless. He wraps his arms around her and shimmers out and into his apartment, where Leo and Piper are waiting.
"What happened?" Leo asks, rushing to Paige's side.
"My mother -- Leo, please tell me she's going to be okay." Cole begs, tears forming in his eyes. Leo begins to heal her.
"She's hurt really bad. Did she fall?" Leo asks.
"Out the window of the attic. My mother pushed her. I -- I couldn't stop her, she was too fast." Cole says, still holding Paige in his arms. Piper kneels down at Paige's side.
"Leo, is she healing?" Piper asks worriedly.
"She has pretty extensive internal injuries -- it may take awhile." Leo tells her.
"Where's Phoebe?" Piper asks.
"I -- I left her there." Cole replies, never taking his eyes off of Paige.
"You LEFT her there with your demon mother?" Piper says angrily.
"What the hell did you expect me to do, Piper? I had to get Paige here to Leo. We'll just have to find another way to save Phoebe." Cole says. Paige finally begins to stir.
"Owwww." Paige says, opening her eyes.
"Hey -- it's alright, you're gonna be just fine." Cole says, stroking her cheek gently.
"What happened?" Paige asks, still a bit dazed.
"Didn't I tell you not to play 'toss the energy ball' with my mother?" Cole asks jokingly.
"Where's Phoebe?" Paige asks.
"We're gonna have to come up with 'Plan B' regarding Phoebe." Piper tells her. "How is her healing coming along, Leo?"
"She's getting there -- that was some fall you took, Paige. You're lucky Cole was there to get you to me so fast." Leo says.
"Great -- now I have a whitelighter AND my very own guardian-demon." Paige teases, and she smiles at Cole. "You saved my life."
"No, that was Leo. I just brought you here." Cole says. "Will she be okay?"
"Her internal injuries seem to be healed now. How are you feeling, Paige?" Leo asks.
"I've had better days." Paige says, trying to sit up with Cole's help, wincing a bit.
"You're gonna leave her in pain like this?" Cole asks, looking very upset with Leo.
"She should rest right now -- with this much trauma her body can only heal so much at one time. Paige -- that was just too close of a call. I think you need to stay away from Cole's mother from now on." Leo tells her.
"What you WANT to say is I should stay away from COLE, isn't it, Leo?" Paige asks angrily.
"Hey -- no arguing right now, okay? Let's just get you into bed -- you should be back to your old, perky self by morning." Piper tells her.
"I'll take her to my room." Cole says, lifting Paige into his arms. He shimmers out of the room with Paige and into his bedroom, laying her gently down on the bed. Cole sits down on the edge of the bed, and kisses her softly on her forehead, then on the lips. "Can I get you anything?" he whispers.
"No -- I'm fine, Cole." she tells him. "I just wish you could have gotten Phoebe out of there, too."
"There was no way I could have saved you both -- it had to be you. Phoebe was still alive, and you were more than half dead. It's not like I had a choice in the matter." Cole tells her. "Don't worry -- I'll get Phoebe out of this mess somehow. All of this is my fault."
"Cole, you don't know that. You don't know why your mother and grandmother have come lurking around after all these years."
"Well, clearly it's not to catch up on old times. Paige, in case you haven't figured it out already -- my mother doesn't like you very much." Cole tells her.
"Gee -- you think?" Paige says sarcastically.
"Paige, the truth is, my mother has never liked ANY of the women I've been -- involved with. Most of them she's killed or -- worse." Cole informs her. "And the thing is, these women didn't even mean that much to me, they were just -- there. So I can't even begin to fathom what she'll want to do to a woman that I'm falling in lo--" Cole stops for a moment.
"What were you just going to say?" Paige asks.
"Nothing -- you need to rest, okay? Try to get some sleep -- don't worry, I'll be right here."
"Okay." Paige says. "Cole -- just so you know -- I think I'm falling in love with you, too." she tells him, and she closes her eyes. Cole climbs into the bed with her and takes her in his arms, holding her tightly as she falls asleep.
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Phoebe is in Lilith's lair going through letters as Lilith watches her. "Dear Phoebe, my husband has cheated on me three times now and I just don't know what to do . . ." she puts that letter in a pile and picks up another. "Dear Phoebe, I just found out my husband got another woman pregnant . . . ." she puts that letter aside as well and continues to leaf through the letters. "Another cheating husband, husband gambled away their vacation money, found her boyfriend in bed with her sister, hey there's one I can really relate to . . . . well, here you go. Lots of potential in this stack for you -- looks like you'll be busy." Phoebe hands Lilith the stack of letters. "Was I seriously this pathetic before I met you?"
"Oh no, dear, you were just -- lost. Now -- we need to discuss our plans for Cole."
"Oh, don't worry -- I know exactly how to get to him." Phoebe says.
"Good -- because his powers are stronger than ever right now. And he's much more astute than I anticipated him to be. But in order for our plan to work, you HAVE to distract him from that little girlfriend of his. I knew I shouldn't have trusted Elizabeth with the job, she can be so impulsive when it comes to her son."
"Oh don't worry -- I won't let you down." Phoebe says, smiling. "Well, I better get back -- I have some damage control to do, I guess." Phoebe leaves. Elizabeth enters the room.
"I'm not sure I trust her, mother." she says.
"YOU have no right to talk. You failed miserably yesterday. And you also failed to tell me that one of the Charmed Ones was having a child." Lilith says.
"I didn't know -- I swear mother, I had no idea." Elizabeth says.
"Well -- you realize this changes everything. I just wanted to get Cole's new powers and harness them for myself, but now -- the child of a Charmed One and a whitelighter? A girl -- Elizabeth, if we can take that child, with her powers already . . . . and if I can get Cole's powers and give them to her . . . . why, we could take over the underworld, and no one could ever stop us. Not even the Charmed Ones."
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"Good morning." Piper says as Paige enters the kitchen. "I made you your favorite breakfast -- and you seriously need to take Cole grocery shopping, Leo and I had to go make a midnight run to the store, there was absolutely nothing edible in this place."
"Yeah, well Cole doesn't entertain much." Paige says, sitting down at the table. "Where is he, anyway?"
"I don't know -- he and Leo said they had an errand to run." Piper tells her.
"An ERRAND? Together? Piper, you don't think they --"
"Um, no, Cole's not his type." Piper jokes.
"That's not what I meant, ew! I mean do you think they went after --"
"After who? You know, Cole won't tell me anything, you won't tell me anything, now LEO won't tell me anything -- I am so sick of these secrets. Come on really, how bad can Cole's mother be?" Piper asks.
"Piper, you didn't see what she was like. She's just ONE demon, and she almost killed me within two seconds. If there's a whole army of them out there just like her -- how much of those powers do you think Cole inherited?" Paige asks.
"Paige -- Cole doesn't have the same powers he inherited to begin with. I don't think HE even knows what powers he has -- not completely, anyway."
"Oh god, what am I getting myself into here?" Pagie says, putting her hands between her head. She looks up at Piper. "Piper, last night I told Cole I think I'm falling in love with him." she says, making a face.
"Yeah, well -- I have a feeling it's mutual. I think Cole was actually crying when he brought you here last night."
"Crying? Demons can cry?"
"Half-human demons can -- and as we've seen, they can love, and they can get their hearts broken. Paige, I think Cole is more human than he is demon. Did I just say that?" Piper asks herself.
"I just don't understand how this happened. I mean, one minute I'm ready to vanquish his sorry ass, and the next I'm in his bed. And then I thought okay, this was just a one-time fling thing, and then it became two times, and then four, and then --"
"Okay, I get the picture, Paige. Are you sure though that this isn't just about -- the sex?"
"Well, at first I thought it was -- and by the way, that man is sex-on-a-stick, you wouldn't believe what he can --"
"Okay, Paige -- I don't need that much information." Piper says, cringing at the thought. Paige sighs.
"I don't know, Piper. I mean, on one hand it feels like I'm rushing into this, and then on the other hand, it's not like he's a stranger to me. But he was the source of all EVIL for heaven's sake, but really, he was possessed, so in retrospect I really can't blame him for that, but then I think about how many times I thought he was such an arrogant JERK and I just wanted to strangle him, but now with all the time I've been spending getting to know him, there are even more times when he's just so --"
"Hey -- how are you feeling?" Cole asks, entering the room carrying two dozen red roses. He puts his arm around her and kisses her on the lips.
"Wonderful." Paige says, finishing her last sentence, and looking up at Cole and smiling.
"Oh yeah, you two have got it BAD." Piper comments under her breath.
"Here -- one is for you, Piper. I mean, it's kind of my fault that you and Leo were stuck here all night." Cole says, handing her one of the bouquets.
"Thank you." Piper says, surprised.
"Oh, that was so sweet of you, Cole." Paige says, giving him a hug. The hug turns into a long, passionate kiss between the two of them.
"Um -- excuse me! Pregnant lady who gets nauseous very easily standing here watching this." Piper comments.
"Sorry." Paige says. Leo orbs into the room.
"Hi -- I have something for you." Leo says to Piper. He hands her three large amulets on a silver chain. "Put them on." Leo tells her.
"Gee -- thanks honey." Piper says, not impressed. "Cole brings me flowers and you bring me this -- thing. Oh come on Leo, you don't have THIS bad of taste. You seriously think I'm gonna wear this."
"Oh, you'll wear it -- and we have a smaller one for the baby once she's born, too." Cole tells her.
"You helped pick this out? This was your big 'secret mission' this morning?" Piper asks.
"It was my idea." Cole says. "Hey, we went through a lot of trouble to get those."
"And they're supposed to do what? Clash with my wardrobe?" Piper asks.
"Piper -- they're amulets of Semangelaf, Sanvi, and Sansanvi." Leo tells her.
"Who, who and what?" Paige asks.
"They're angels whose job it is to guard pregnant women they feel are in danger." Leo tells her.
"Danger from what?" Piper asks.
"Put the amulets on and we'll tell you everything." Cole says. Piper grudgingly puts them around her neck. "That's better. Piper, my grandmother is Lilith, a demon that preys on two things -- women who are angry at men, and women who are pregnant. And she hit the jackpot with your family. I don't know what she wants, but it's not good, whatever it is. I think you can go back to the house and be safe now, but -- you CANNOT take those amulets off. Not for one second, do you understand?" Piper looks at Leo worriedly.
"Leo, is this true?" Piper asks him.
"I'm afraid so. Honey -- Lilith could possibly be the most dangerous demon you've ever encountered. And we're ALL going to keep you protected from her." Leo tells her.
"Of course we will. So -- what are we going to do about Phoebe?" Paige asks.
"WE aren't going to do anything. I am going to deal with my mother and Phoebe, and YOU are going to stay here." Cole insists.
"No! Phoebe is MY sister, and we may not be on the best terms with one another right now, but I'm going to help her!" Paige demands.
"The hell you are! Paige, I swear I will turn you into a potted plant if that's what it takes to keep you away from my mother, so don't make me do it." Cole tells her.
"Leo, maybe we should give them some privacy. Let's go home." Piper says. Leo puts his arm around Piper, and they orb out of the room, then orb back within seconds. Piper grabs the flowers that Cole gave her. "Can't forget these -- try not to kill each other, okay?" Piper and Leo orb out again.
"You are not going to stop me from saving my sister." Paige says, crossing her arms. Cole faces her and grabs her shoulders.
"Hey -- I am NOT going watch you almost die in my arms again, Paige. Because next time I might not be able to get you out of there." Paige orbs out of his arms and into his bedroom. She starts going through his closet and pulling things out. Cole shimmers into the room. "What are you doing?"
"Leaving -- I'm just getting some of my things that I've left here." Paige says. Cole just stares at her for a moment, fuming.
"Fine. Fine -- leave. I guess you Charmed Ones are all alike, the minute something happens that doesn't suit you, you're out the door. I shouldn't have expected anything less from you." Paige throws the clothes she was gathering onto the floor.
"Are you SERIOUSLY comparing me to Phoebe? Cole -- you were the source of all EVIL, you can't blame a girl for being PISSED!"
"It wasn't MY fault, I was POSSESSED, remember? But your sister held a grudge like nobody's business, and I tried SO hard to just get her to LISTEN to me, but she wouldn't hear it. She just -- shut me out." Paige notices a change in the tone of his voice from anger to hurt. Cole sits down on the edge of the bed.
"She really hurt you, didn't she?" Paige asks, sitting down next to him. "You still love her, don't you?" Cole hesitates for a moment.
"I'll always love Phoebe. But I don't want her back. I don't think it could ever be the same for us again." Cole tells her.
"You don't ever get over a love like that, do you?" Paige asks.
"No -- you don't. The best you can do is move on. And if you're lucky -- you'll find something just as good. Maybe even better." Cole says. Paige reaches over and kisses him on the lips. After a minute, Cole pushes her away.
"What's wrong?" Paige asks.
"Paige -- I don't want to be hurt again. I don't think I could take it." Cole tells her.
"I won't hurt you, Cole -- I promise." she tells him.
"I just -- I need to know that you believe that I'm not evil anymore. And if anything like that ever happens to me again, you have to save me because it's not my fault, Paige -- promise you'll always believe that it would never be my fault or my choice."
"I promise." Paige says. Cole pulls her into a kiss and pulls her down onto the bed on top of him. He slowly starts unbutton her blouse, kissing her the entire time. Paige unbuttons his belt and pulls his shirt out, starting to unbutton it from the bottom up. Cole kisses Paige on the neck several times, and then leans back and smiles at her.
"I love you." he whispers.
"I love you too." Paige replies, and they continue to make love . . . .
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"What a mess." Piper says, looking around the attic. She looks out the shattered window to see how far the drop is. "Leo, how did she even survive that fall?"
"The only thing that saved her was her neck wasn't broken. It was one of the few bones that wasn't." Leo says. "I guess Paige has a pretty strong will to live."
"Yeah, well so does this baby -- and no psycho-demon is going to take her from us, either. I guess I should start looking through the book and see if I can find something to vanquish her. I know Paige didn't have any luck, but maybe she missed something." They hear the doorbell ring. "Why don't you go get that." she tells Leo.
"Oh no, I'm not leaving you alone up here."
"Hey, don't worry, I've got Svengali, Shrek, and Steve protecting me, remember?" Piper says jokingly.
"That's Semangelaf, Sanvi, and Sansanvi, and I'm still not going to stop worrying about you." Leo tells her.
"Just go get the door Leo -- all five of us will be fine." Piper says. Leo grudgingly orbs downstairs and answers the door -- it's Darryl.
"Hey -- Darryl. What's going on?" Leo asks.
"Is Phoebe here?" he asks.
"No -- why, have you seen her?"
"I haven't -- but she's in a heap of trouble, Leo. That guy she was dating -- Miles."
"What about him?" Leo asks.
"He's dead -- his landlord found him this morning in his bed. His neck was broken. No one has heard from him in almost 48 hours, landlord saw him a couple nights ago going up to his apartment -- with Phoebe." Darryl tells him.
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Cole and Paige are lying in bed together, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. "You know, I think I kind of like that orbing thing you do when we're together. I have to admit it annoyed me at first, but -- it's kind of a turn-on now." Cole tells her.
"Oh yeah? I'll have to remember that." Paige says, reaching up and kissing him. "So -- are we gonna lay around here all day or are we gonna get up and kick some she-demon butt?" Cole sighs.
"Yeah, we really do have to deal with my mother before she becomes an even bigger problem." Cole agrees reluctantly.
"WE? So -- you're actually admitting that you need my help with this?"
"Unfortunately, I can't handle my mother on my own. But you need to promise you'll be more careful from now on." Cole says.
"I will -- and I'm sure Piper's doing research right now about her and your psycho granny. Don't worry -- they're no match for us. I'm gonna go take a shower -- want to join me?" Paige asks him, getting up out of bed with a sheet wrapped around her. Cole hears the doorbell ring.
"Let me get rid of whoever that is and I'll be right there." Cole says. He puts his jeans on, and goes to the door and opens it. "Phoebe." he says, stunned.
"Oh Cole, I'm so glad you're home -- you have to help me." Phoebe begs, wrapping her arms around him, acting terrified. Cole pushes her away gently.
"Okay -- everything will be okay, Phoebe. None of this is your fault -- let's take you home, we're gonna fix this whole mess, I promise." Cole tells her.
"Cole, I'm so sorry -- I'm so sorry for everything." Phoebe says, starting to cry. Cole suddenly becomes suspicious.
"I need to go find Leo." he says.
"I don't need Leo -- I need you. Look at me, Cole." Phoebe says. She touches his face and turns his head so that his eyes meet hers. Cole becomes locked in a gaze with her, unable to move.
"Paige is in my bedroom." he tells her in a monotone voice.
"I don't care." Phoebe says. Cole pulls her close and kisses her, as Phoebe moves her hands up his body slowly until they are finally positioned firmly around his neck . . . . . .