ELEVEN

"I don't understand," said Kempac. "How could he not be your brother?"

"My guess would be that he's the Charmed One's White Lighter," said Baldasor. "They have the ability to glamour. It would be a simple matter for him to assume Belthazor's form. And he is quite convincing. But not convincing enough."

"What are you talking about?" demanded Belthazor. "How dare you impugn my word. I should vanquish you for your impudence."

"Save it, Leo," said Cole. "Baldasor is probably the only demon, aside from my mother, who would know that you aren't the real Belthazor. He's my brother by blood."

Belthazor looked at Cole for a moment and then glamoured into Leo.

"We should get out of here," said Leo. "We have what we came for."

"Attempt to orb, White Lighter," said Kempac, "and you will not live to reach your destination."

"I don't see a Dark Lighter around," said Leo. "And without a Dark Lighter you have no chance of killing me."

"We have no quarrel with you, White Lighter," said Baldasor. "It is Cole we wish to have back. Leave him with us and you are free to leave."

"How did you know?" Cole asked Baldasor. "What made you suspect?"

"It was when your White Lighter impersonated Belthazor the last time he was here," said Baldasor. "When we planned the ambush on your witch and her sister. I wasn't sure then. But he said had escaped from their crystal prison because he still had a few secrets. I found that odd. I taught Belthazor much of what he knows."

"But not everything," said Cole. "I have been taught many things by a lot of other people."

"You also gave me a bit of advice," said Baldasor. "You said never tell anyone all of your secrets. That was a bit of advice I gave Belthazor when he was still young. I found it extremely odd that he would give me that advice since I'm the one who gave it to him."

"I had to think fast," said Leo. "I couldn't very well tell you that I wasn't really Belthazor and that we still had him trapped in that crystal cage."

"Of course," said Baldasor. "But what clinched it for me was that Belthazor walked into and out of the chamber. He didn't shimmer. The Belthazor I know would never have done that. Shimmering is a typical demonic power and he used it whenever possible. To prove he was as much a demon as any other demon. There would have been no need for him to leave the chamber to return to the manor. Not unless he wasn't able to shimmer."

"We knew there was a risk with Leo impersonating me," said Cole. "But it was worth the risk. Like Leo said, we have what we came for."

"I assume that Belthazor is still a prisoner in your crystal cage," said Baldasor.

"The last time I looked," said Cole. "Oh, and your little ambush isn't going to be successful. Phoebe and her sisters never went to Jordan's. They're at the manor right now keeping an eye on my alter ego."

"As I suspected," said Baldasor.

"We still have Cole," said Kempac. "And the White Lighter. When Teltrick and the others return we can go retrieve Belthazor. The witches will die and our brother will be returned to us."

"That's not going to happen," said Cole. "That's not who I am any more. Even if you should somehow kill Phoebe, I'll never return to the Brotherhood." He looked at Baldasor. "You remember when I was growing up. How hard I tried to prove I was as much a true demon as any full blooded demon. How even the most innocent remark could set me off if I thought someone was accusing me of not being a demon."

"I remember," said Baldasor. "You even attempted to fight me when you were ten, even though I believe you knew you had no chance against me."

"I remember," said Cole. "Well, that's how serious I am about this. Nothing you can do can change that. I'm not the demon I used to be. Phoebe's love has changed all that. I still consider you my brother but I can't go back to being what I was. Can't you see that?"

"Return the crystal," demanded Kempac. "It is time that Belthazor returned to us."

"No," said Baldasor. "If Belthazor is to return to us he must do so willingly. We cannot force him to return. Brothers remain because of the bond between us. He is still a brother but it must be his choice."

Kempac bowed slightly and stepped back. Even though he was second in the Brotherhood he understood that Baldasor knew his brother better than anyone. And Baldasor was right. If Cole was to return to them he had to choose to return.

"Take the crystal, brother," said Baldasor. "It is clear our current course of action will not return you to us. It will serve no purpose to continue. One day you will return to us, Cole. You cannot deny what you are. Your love for this witch has colored your judgment for the time being. But eventually you will come to see that you belong with us."

"You're wrong, Baldasor," said Cole. "I don't belong here any longer."

"We should be going, Cole," said Leo. "We need to get this back so the girls can figure out how to use it to put you back together."

"Destroy the crystal," said Baldasor. "That will end the magic that has separated my brother and restore him."

"And why should we believe you?" Leo asked.

"Because he's my brother," said Cole. "He may be a demon but he'd never lie to me."

"Once a brother," said Baldasor.

Cole slowly nodded his head up and down. He knew that Baldasor understood about Phoebe. Teltrick would not be happy that they had let him escape. But Baldasor would make him understand. Leo took Cole's arm and orbed them out of the Underworld. Neither Baldasor nor Kempac attempted to stop them.

"And you say they just let you orb out?" Piper asked. "Without even trying to stop you?"

"Yes," said Cole. "Once they realized I wasn't coming back to them they had no reason to keep us."

"But their demons," protested Paige. "It doesn't make sense that they'd just let you walk out of there."

"Well, they had no beef with Leo," said Cole. "And their plan was to get me to return to them. I wasn't their enemy. It would have served no purpose to keep us there."

"Excuse me," said Piper, "but doesn't the Source have you under a death sentence?"

"Yes," said Cole patiently, "but the Brotherhood is different. It's hard to explain. Let's just say that it was in their best interest to let us go and leave it at that."

"I'm just happy to have my Cole back," said Phoebe, hugging him. "For a while I wasn't sure what we were going to do. And I wasn't real crazy about having Belthazor after us again."

"Well you never have to worry about that again," said Cole. "Like I told Kempac and Baldasor, that's not me anymore. And I have no intentions of ever going back there again."

"That's good," said Piper. 'Because I don't like Leo going down to the Underworld for any reason. Especially when his cover is blown and there's a demon wanting to kill him."

"I was fine," said Leo. "I could have orbed out of there any time before Kempac did anything."

"Let's just not let it happen again, okay?" questioned Piper.

"You know," said Cole to Phoebe, "I saw an outfit at the store the other day I think you'd look fabulous in. Want to go back tomorrow and see how it fits? My treat."

"Am I hearing you right?" Phoebe asked. "Are you actually saying you want to go clothes shopping with me?"

"Well, after the last couple of days I figure clothes shopping with you can't be worse than what we just went through," said Cole. "Besides, I have to get used to it sooner or later. And I've never backed away from a challenge before."

"Okay," said Phoebe, "but this time no wandering off. The next time they may decide to just take you out of the mall."

"No wandering off, I promise," said Cole. "This time we stay together the entire time."

Phoebe just squealed as she hugged Cole close. Piper also hugged Leo, glad to have her husband back safe and sound. As the only single one in the room, Paige decided she suddenly needed a glass of water.

The End

If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed" stories at my website, Creative Passions, listed in my bio. You can also post your own "Charmed" stories or other stories if you like to write fan fiction.