Disclaimer: The Charmed Characters are the property of Aaron Spelling and Constance Burge. I just borrow them for your enjoyment and my writing addiction.

This was another challenge to me that I penned under another name...enjoy. This takes place at the end of and immediatly following All Hell Breaks Loose.

The Darker Side of Life

He laughed at the thought of his final revenge. He would finally be rid of the Charmed Ones once and for all, and he would have his revenge on the traitor as well. "Today is a good day." He bellowed in laughter, a laughter the echoed through the dark chambers.

Cole looked at Phoebe as she got her thoughts together. Piper was dead and she had just made a deal with the Source to save her. But at what cost? The cost of never seeing them again? She had to believe that her sisters would somehow figure everything out and save her.

"Phoebe you can't do this." Leo looked at her with worry and concern.

"I have to Leo. It's the only way to save her. And I already agreed to stay. I can't go back on my word."

Cole stepped to her and took her in his arms as he tried his best to comfort her. He had loved her from almost the first moment he had seen her but he didn't think he loved her any more then he did at that moment. She had made the ultimate sacrifice by staying in the underworld. She sacrificed herself for her sisters.

"Well isn't this cozy. The demon and his witch."

Phoebe looked up from her spot against Cole's chest to see the demon at the entrance to the cavern. Behind him stood four other large demons.

Cole pushed her behind him protecting her from an eminent attack. "What do you want Crause?"

"Oh I just came for the witch. She is staying after all. The Source wanted her to get comfortable in her new home."

"She stays with me."

"Oh no I don't think so." He said motioning to the other demons forward.

Cole stepped back as the demons advanced towards him. What was the Source trying to pull? They had a deal. But then again he knew all to well that deals made with evil were never honored. After all he had done it countless times himself. But now the tables were turned as he was now on the receiving end of a broken deal with evil. He reacted quickly with an energy ball thrown at the first demon. Though missing him, the battle was soon in full force with both Leo and Phoebe doing their best to ward off the demons. But as Cole fought with Crause he realized what had happened.

It was then he saw one of the demons making his way through the cavern entrance. With Phoebe in his arms as she kicked at him trying everything in her power to get away. Fearing what would happen to her if she left the safety of Cole and Leo.

"Leo get out of here."

"Not without Phoebe." Leo yelled back as he held off another attack from a demon.

"It's a set up Leo. You have to go help Prue and Piper. They kept you and me here so we couldn't warn them of Shax coming. I'll get Phoebe. just go!" Cole quickly explaining to Leo what he feared had happened. "Without my warning they will both die and the Source will kill Phoebe. That was his plan all along."

The realization of Cole's words sank into Leo as he pushed away the demon he was fighting and quickly orbed to the Manor.

Materializing in the living room he soon felt the erieness of the still quiet around him.

"Piper!" he called out to his wife not knowing what had happened as he recalled the first encounter with the demon Shax. Prue and Piper almost died. And even as he thought of that, he remembered seeing her lying there in the hospital dead. With Prue crying in hysterics tell him to fix it. Yet it was Phoebe that had fixed it and he was here again praying that he had gotten there in time.

As he entered the front entrance he was once again met with the hole in the wall and both Prue and Piper lying there in a pool of their own blood.

"Piper. Oh god please." He prayed that his healing power worked as he held them over both Prue and Piper. He knew how close they had come to death last time and with him being later this time he feared he might be to late.

He had seen the Dr. hanging out the window and knew just by looking that it was to late for him. He could feel his power surging through him, but something was wrong. It was like it was only half working.

--- ----

Pain was the first thing she felt. But as it slowly started to dissipate she could still feel where she had crashed through the wall. "Augh. Did someone get the number off that truck." She said as she sat up slowly. "What happened?"

"You almost died." He said as she looked down at her.

As she remembered what happened she looked over to where here sister lay beside her. The pool of blood still surrounding her body.

"Leo! Heal her." she yelled as panic set in. She was fine, but her sister lay there bleeding to death and Leo just sat there with a saddened look on his face.

"I can't. I can't heal the dead."

His words stung her as none had ever before. Dead. No she couldn't be. "No she's not. Leo heal her, you have to help her."

"I'm sorry. I really am." As his own tears escaped as he watched the two women before him. One torn apart and the other; the other cut down in the prime of her life. To young in his mind.

She lifted her sisters' head to her lap as she bends over and hugs her. Her tears are flowing non-stop as she rocks back and forth denying that what was real had not happened, its just a dream a nightmare.

She heard Leo speaking to her but it was in here distant mind. All she cared about then was her sister. She felt his hand on her shoulder trying to get her to let go but she couldn't.

"Honey the police are here you have to let her go."

She didn't care her sister was dead. Leo couldn't fix it, no one can. "I can't Leo. She's my sister."

"I know sweetie just let her go and we can sit in the living room." He coaxed her gently as he helped her to her feet. Guiding her to the couch he sat down beside her as he held her close to him. Her tears were gone, dried up. She didn't think she could ever cry that much, but she had.

--- ----

Darryl ran into the Manor and quickly surveyed what was going on. Speaking briefly to an officer he walked into the living room. "I came as soon as I heard the address. Are you two ok?"

"She's gone Darryl." Leo said as his own tears once again cascaded down his face.

Gone. Gone was the only word he could hear. After everything they had been through how could this happen. He had a feeling that he didn't really want to know how it happened, but he knew it had to be demonic.

"I'm truly sorry. She was like family to me as well. How's Phoebe taking it?"

Phoebe. Oh god Phoebe. "Leo where's Phoebe?"

"She's with Cole. That's why we couldn't get back in time. The Source made a deal with Phoebe to save your life but then he welched on the deal and I almost didn't get here in time to even save you. He had some demons attack us in the cavern." He spoke quietly so no one else would hear.

"So you left her down there?! How could you? You were suppose to protect her." she pulled away from his embrace and yelled at him

"I had to come back. Cole knew it was a trap to delay one of us coming back her to warn you two of what happened the first time." He said with remorse. He had seen the demon taking Phoebe out of the cavern and hoped that Cole would get her back.

Leo explained about them being exposed as witches after Phoebe had gone to the underworld to save Cole. How they had made the deal to re-set time. Cole was going to come back and warn them about Shax attacking and Phoebe would stay down below.

"She sacrificed herself for us?"

He just looked at her and nodded.

"Leo you have to get her back." She said as a tear threatened to fall. "I lost one sister I can not lose the other one."

Leo looked into her eyes. And then he looked up to Darryl. "As soon as the police leave I'll go."

"No! Leo you have to go now. Who knows what that bastard will do to her if he gets his hands on her? I need her here Leo I need to know she is safe. Our big sister is gone and I need to know that my baby sister is alive and well."