A/N: Wow, I can't tell you how happy all your reviews have made me! I'm glad you all are liking this story so far! For those of you reading When You Left, I'm sorry I haven't been updating recently, but I have writer's block, though it shouldn't be too long before I update again. Hopefully by the end of the week.

funluvr151: Thank you so much, I'm glad you like it. Your story is good too, sorry I haven't been reviewing. I'm reading though, and I'll get around to reviewing eventually, I promise!

Bleu Feenix: Thank you! Cole will definitely be taking care of Phoebe quite nicely, as you'll find out in this chapter.

PhoebeColefan: You'll find out the sisters' reactions very soon. And don't worry, Phoebe being evil won't change hers and Cole's love for each other.

Mama Darkness: I can tell you right now that they aren't going to be too happy when they find out. Lol. Thank you so much, I'm glad you're liking the story.

lizardmomma: Thanks a lot!

Draco's-Loyal-Longing: I'm glad you liked the chapter. Hope you like the next one!

Shadow Cat17: Thanks, I'm glad you like it. Hope you like this one!

Chapter Eight

"My liege, I'm so sorry to disturb you," came a deep voice from behind the bedroom door. Phoebe and Cole entangled themselves from each other and Cole sat up.

"What is it?" Cole asked gruffly as he pulled his black turtleneck sweater over his head and walked towards the closed bedroom door. Giving Phoebe the best apologetic smile that he could, he quietly opened it just enough so that the demon paying them a visit couldn't see into it.

Cole glared angrily at the demon as he walked towards him with his arms crossed. "You better have a good reason for interrupting us, Danill," he hissed.

The demon known as Danill cowered but stood his ground. "I...I have a message for you, sir. The innocent that the Harpie was supposed to go after? Well, she was saved. Rumor has it that it was the Charmed Ones."

Cole uncrossed his arms in shock. That he hadn't been prepared for. He had expected Prue and Piper to grieve over Phoebe and take some time off with the witch they found to replace her. The news of Phoebe's 'death' hadn't even been out for a week. While he hadn't expected the Charmed Ones to retire after Phoebe went down into the Underworld, he hadn't expected them to just jump into things either.

But he quickly covered up his surprise. He didn't want Danill to see him as weak, or that he couldn't handle the Charmed Ones. After all, aside from Phoebe and Leo, he was the one who knew them best.

"Then find another innocent and do it fast. The Charmed Ones undoubtedly have the other one in their protection," he mumbled to his second-in-command.

"But sir..." Danill protested, then took several cowering steps backward, afraid of the repercussions that Cole would bestow on him for arguing.

Cole merely rolled his eyes with annoyance. Whose bright idea was it to elect this coward of a demon to be his second-in-command? "What is it?"

"Well, some of us were...wondering...if your queen had tipped them off," the demon protested, seeming to gain some strength at the mention of the other demons so that he might not get punished alone for making such serious accusations.

Cole laughed, but it was anything amusing. "Phoebe is no more a force for good than I am. She is dead to the Charmed Ones, and that isn't likely to change anytime soon, so if you ever accuse her of acting against us, you need to remember that you are also challenging my leadership. And you'll do well to remember what happens to those who challenge me."

His eyes turned into the black pits, which made Danill shake even more. Once Cole's eyes returned to normal, the demon seemed to settle down a little bit, but the change was hardly noticeable.

"Yes, my liege. I'm sorry," he said, then kneeled in front of him as an acknowledgement of Cole's power.

Cole sighed. "Get up."

Danill did so, and Cole moved closer to him so that their noses were just millimeters apart from each other. "Get the harpies another innocent and do it fast. I want this taken care of and I want it done quietly. Understand?"

Danill nodded vigorously, obviously grateful that he wasn't getting vanquished for delivering the Source such bad news.

Cole didn't lose a beat. "Don't come to the apartment again. If anything pressing happens, you can wait for me down there. Do you think you can do that?"

"Yes, sir."

"You're dismissed," Cole said, and with a wave of his hand Danill was gone.

Just at that moment the bedroom door was thrown open and Phoebe appeared looking tired and irritated.

"What's taking so long, Cole? It is after one in the morning," she snapped, looking around the room for the cause of his delay.

"I'm sorry, baby. Just some news that couldn't wait, that's all," he said as he leaned down to kiss the top of her forehead.

"News? What kind of news?" Phoebe asked, her voice low. The argument was forgotten instantly.

"Nothing that you need to worry about," Cole said as he led her back to the bedroom. He could tell that Phoebe wasn't ready to let the subject drop, but she didn't say anything more. Cole was silently grateful for that. He wasn't ready to tell her that her sisters were back in action.

"It hasn't even been a day after the coronation, Phoebe. All this is going to take some time to get used to. That's all," he murmured into her ear as they both slid into bed.

"Just remember something, Cole. Being your queen doesn't mean I just stand by your side and look pretty. I'm in control of the Underworld too, so whatever news that someone needs to tell you, they can tell me as well," Phoebe said tiredly. With a wave of her hand the lights went out.

"Yes, I know. I promise I'll tell you first thing in the morning, okay?"

"...sure," Phoebe yawned into her black silk pillow.

A minute later they were both fast asleep.

The female demon exploded with a side-splitting scream that pierced Piper's ears. She didn't bring her hands up, though. She still held them out in front of her, afraid that the vanquish might not hold if she moved.

Beside her, Prue's astral self jumped back into her body and she watched the Harpy explode with more pleasure than was necessary. But Piper couldn't blame her. It felt good to go on a demon-killing spree in Phoebe's name. Like they were getting justice for Phoebe's death. Not the revenge would get their sister back; still it was nice to feel like they had the upper hand again.

She also had to admit that Paige's Seeing ability was quite useful. They didn't exactly work like Phoebe's premonitions had. Instead they worked like the Elders did. She didn't exactly see what was going to happen in the future, but could sense what was about to happen.

Paige had sensed that they were going to have to fend off a demon just now, and the sisters had been prepared. Though they hadn't known which demon they were up against, Paige told them that they would need the Power of Three and that their individual powers wouldn't hold her back for long.

In the end, another demon was gone and another innocent was safe. Piper gazed on the second story landing where they had told the young woman to hide until it was safe. The woman was watching with blotchy eyes, the result of crying in fear. Piper was glad to see that she was no longer crying, though she still seemed as scared as ever.

But that came as no surprise to Piper. Watching a fight between the Charmed Ones and their Demon-Of-The-Week could get a little explosive. Piper knew she would react the same way if their roles were reversed.

"Well, I think we handled that quite nicely," Prue grinned once the Harpy was gone.

"Yeah, thank god for my powers," Paige stated, looking proud of herself.

Phoebe's powers, Piper thought bitterly, but quickly brushed the stray thought aside. She lowered her hands and focused her attention on the innocent.

"Laura? You can come down now, the demon is gone," she assured her.

Laura walked down the stairs hesitantly, as though afraid that the demon wasn't really gone. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Piper and Prue said in unison.

At this Laura grinned. "Thank you so much! If you hadn't been at that shoe store..."

Piper shrugged. "It's best not to dwell on the what-ifs. The important thing is that you're safe now."

"Can we give you a ride somewhere? Your home, perhaps?" Paige asked softly, going into social worker mode.

Laura shook her head. "No, that's okay. I think I just want to be out in the open for a while. I mean, just in case another demon is after me. They don't attack in broad daylight, do they?" she asked, wide eyed, as though that idea were just occurring to her.

Prue and Piper exchanged glances. "Most of them don't. I think you're safe," Prue answered.

Piper smiled at the woman and the sisters led her to the front door.

"I just don't know what to say. I feel like I should pay you or something at the very least," Laura put in as they reached the door.

"Oh no. We'd never take your money. Protecting the innocent is our job. The only thing we ask for in return is for you to keep our secret. No one can know what we do. If they did, we wouldn't be able to help more people," Piper explained, making eye contact with the long blonde-haired woman.

Laura nodded. "Of course. Your secret is safe with me," she promised, and with a final grateful smile, she walked down the stairs of the driveway in front of the house.

Piper closed the door after her and turned to her sisters. "Do you think we should keep an eye on her?"

Prue and Paige shook their heads at the same time. "I don't think so. Demons don't usually keep going after the same innocent. Chances are they'll just go after another one," Prue said.

Piper nodded then moved past them and headed towards the kitchen. Prue and Paige followed her at her heels.

As she began cleaning up the mess they had made from making the potion, Piper felt her sisters' concerned looks concentrating on her.

"What?" she asked without looking up. She started putting the potion ingredients back in their rightful places up in the cupboards.

"Don't you think we should scry for the next innocent instead of playing house?" Prue asked as though it should've been obvious.

"Maybe, but I don't really see the point of doing that just yet. I mean, the Harpy is dead. Don't you think that means others are safe from her?" Piper asked as she began wiping down the counter.

"But there are plenty of other demons out there. More than usual now that the Source is dead," Paige interjected.

They had found out that the Source had been killed by revolting demons the previous day, and that pretty much every demon in the Underworld was fighting to make themselves his replacement. And, predictably enough, they were all taking the same route and going after innocents.

Strangely, none of them were attacking the Charmed Ones. The Harpy had been the first demon they had come across since Shax.

While Piper and her sisters were confused as to why they were being left alone, Piper was the only one who wasn't second-guessing their luck. Prue and Paige were the ones who wanted to get to the bottom of it, and had sent Leo up to the Elders so that he could ask them why that was so.

"Yes, but we shouldn't be throwing ourselves at demons just for the sake of doing so. Why are you two so eager to risk your lives like that?" Piper asked, throwing her hands on the counter in frustration. Secretly, she was surprised that nothing blew up or short-circuited.

Prue stared at her as though she had just announced that she was moving out of the manor. "We're not just doing this for kicks, Piper. We're doing it because the innocents are in even more trouble than usual, and it's our job as protectors of the innocent to shield them from demonic activity. The demons are out in full force, which means that we need to be as well," she stated, trying to meet Piper's eyes.

But Piper stared at the counter, purposefully avoiding her older sister's judging stare.

"I just don't want to end up where Phoebe did, Prue. I would think that of all people, you would be able to understand that," she murmured, then gave up on the kitchen and walked into the conservatory, hoping that her sisters hadn't followed her.

Leo chose that moment to orb in, and his worried expression caused Piper to forget the discussion she had just had with them.

"What's wrong?" she asked immediately, hurrying over to him.

"You have no idea what I just found out from the Elders. You, Prue, and Paige all need to hear this. Where are they?" he asked anxiously, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"We're here," Paige said from behind as she and Prue entered the conservatory.

Both of them were staring at Leo in concern, and Piper matched their looks with one of her own.

"Well, I was speaking to the Elders when they received some news from their counterparts in the Underworld. Apparently the Source wasn't killed by demons like they thought. He was killed by...someone else," he began, and Piper could see the worry in his eyes. She couldn't remember him ever looking this concerned before. Except maybe when he was telling them that Phoebe was trapped in the Underworld.

"Who was he killed by?" Paige asked, speaking for all the sisters.

Leo took a deep breath and continued. "Well, from what the Elders understand, he was killed by a powerful force of good."

"Who?" Piper asked, thinking for a second that it might've been Phoebe, but that was impossible since she had been killed by the Source, not the other way around.

Leo shrugged, though it was apparent that he was thinking along the same lines as Piper. "I don't know who else from our side was down there except for Phoebe."

"And she was one of the Charmed Ones. She certainly had power enough to do some real damage," Piper continued, feeling her hopes rise despite her common sense.

"But that doesn't make sense for a number of reasons," Prue cut in. "First of all, while Phoebe was a Charmed One, she didn't exactly have the most firepower. She levitated and had premonitions. Those powers alone aren't enough to kill the Source. And second of all, she died. Remember?"

Piper shuddered at how callous Prue sounded, and wanted to call her on it when Leo spoke up. "Yes, it doesn't make sense, but we're forgetting that she was with Cole. We haven't heard that he is dead, and it's entirely possible that he vanquished the Source in revenge for killing Phoebe."

Prue scoffed. "I thought you said that he was killed by a force for good. Cole is about as evil as demons come."

"Yeah, but Prue, we have to remember that Cole was trying to be good. He wouldn't have turned evil with Phoebe there. But there is another reason why it seems like Cole did it," he said, and at this he sat down on one of the white wicker chairs.

"What?" the sisters asked together impatiently.

"The Elders think that the Source has been reborn somehow into another person. And they believe that that person is Cole."

The sun was slowly setting on the city, coloring the sky a bright shade of orange. Phoebe had made it a point of watching the sunsets, remembering how dark it had been in the Underworld. While she may be Queen of the Underworld, it didn't mean she had to live her life in darkness. She had discovered a new appreciation of the sun and the world it helped to support.

She had been alone in the apartment all day since Cole had business he had to attend to back in the Underworld. He had asked her if she wanted to come, honoring her wishes from the argument they'd had the previous night.

Phoebe turned him down, however, deciding that she wasn't quite ready to go back down. She wasn't afraid though; far from it. But at the same time, she loved her new apartment too much to abandon it for dreary caves and their depressing surroundings.

So she had waited all day for Cole to shimmer back. She could imagine being the Source required so much work. Weren't there demons to do their bidding? Cole had the power to dismiss them whenever he wanted. Unless there were really pressing matters at hand, she didn't understand what the hell was taking him so long.

She considered calling her sisters but immediately quashed the idea. They still thought she was dead, and if they knew she were alive they would try to save her and bring her back to her old life. And they'd probably try to vanquish Cole while they were at it. Both of those things she wouldn't tolerate. She wouldn't go back to living in her sisters' shadows, and she would never forgive them if they vanquished Cole.

It was better for them to believe that she was dead. Safer for them and better for her. They probably had no idea why demons weren't coming after them, and they never would. They had no idea how lucky they were that Cole was the Source and not some vindictive demon willing to go after them at every turn.

Phoebe had to admit that it was tempting to spy on them to find out who they had found to replace her with. It still made her blood boil remembering how easily they had shut her out of their lives. The fact that they thought she was dispensable just irritated her to no end. It certainly made it tempting to cross them off her Christmas list.

Phoebe pushed Prue and Piper out of her mind and walked into the kitchen to make herself a cup of herbal tea. As she was taking it into the living room, Cole appeared.

He was standing in front of the sofa and was glowing.

"What do you look so happy about?" she asked, setting her tea mug on the coffee table.

He grinned and took a small, maroon colored velvet box out of his pants pocket. "I had an epiphany when I was down there. I realized how weird it was that I hadn't yet asked you a very important question."

Phoebe's heart thumped madly, and she couldn't help but smile eagerly when she realized what he was getting at.

Cole dropped to one knee and held the box out to her. He opened it, revealing a gorgeous, sparking diamond rock.

"Phoebe Halliwell, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"