A/N: Wow, I got to 100! I feel like I've reached a milestone. Thanks so much to those of you who have read and reviewed, you have no idea how much I appreciate it! I've been feeling sick lately and I have a horrible headache. Reviews would probably make me feel much better! Well, that and meds, of course.

Cole + Phoebe = Love Forever: Well, if you somehow managed to get to Piper, she'd probably back down after your threat! Lol. Glad you like it, and as for the children bit, I haven't decided what's going to happen. But they might get pregnant very soon.*wink*

Angelspot: Thanks...I think. Lol. I'm so glad you like it! Hopefully you'll like this next chapter.

Shadow Cat17: Thank you! Hope you like this chapter!

PhoebeColefan: Yay another update! Glad you like it, hopefully you'll like this chapter too.

lizardmomma: Yes, it was only a matter of time before they faced each other again. Glad you liked it, hope you like this next chapter!

BellaCullen666: It's about time. Lol. Hope you like this chapter!

Rahl's beloved Queen Kahlan: Oh yes, it'll definitely be worth it...*wink*. Hope you like the next chapter!

Draco's-Loyal-Longing: Thank you! I try to get into the character's heads, and I'm glad to see that you're liking it!

Rocky: We'll see how the whole evil power of three thing goes, though I have to admit that it's a good idea. Hope you like the next chapter!

thaatgirrl: Glad you like it! Hope you like this next one!

qtgirl: I know, I was trying to portray that even though Phoebe is evil, she's still the same character. You know, what would've happened if Phoebe turned evil willingly. Hope that makes sense. Anyway, glad you like it! Hope you like the next chapter!

Chapter Fourteen

Later that night Prue and Leo convinced Piper to go to P3. It was a vital source of income, and a good distraction. Piper had to admit that taking her mind off of the last twenty-four hours would be a welcome change. Plus she had booked one of her favorite bands for that night. People would think it strange if she didn't go.

The sisters and Leo decided it would be best if they all went. After the bad mood that Phoebe had left them in was lifted, they all thought that they wouldn't let her or Cole ruin their lives.

But P3 hadn't proved to be the welcome distraction that they had all hoped for. The band was great, and the place was packed as usual. But something was off about the whole thing, and it wasn't until they were driving home in their now-typical sullen states that Piper realized she hadn't been to P3 without Phoebe.

Piper tried not to show just how much this new realization had hit her. That would only gain her even more sympathy, something she was up to her eyes in.

When they reached the manor around two in the morning, Piper had already forgotten all about P3. She was looking to passing out on her and Leo's kind sized bed too much. She had to convince herself to change into her pajamas. As she settled down into bed with Leo, she realized just how long this day had been. So much had happened. They found out that Phoebe was alive, they summoned her, found her, and lost her all in one day.

Piper fell asleep with dreams of the Underworld, demons, and a bunch of other stuff she would spend the next day trying to forget.

The first thing she noticed when she woke up the next morning was Leo's comforting presence gone. She didn't think too much of this. He had plenty of other charges who needed his help, and he'd been spending more time Up There consulting with the Elders ever since Phoebe disappeared. Now that they knew for a fact that Phoebe was married to the Source, Piper suspected that they were going through every magical spell they could think of to get her back to their side.

When she finally managed to pull herself out of bed, she put on her robe and sauntered tiredly down to the kitchen, mentally willing Prue to have made coffee already.

But when she reached the kitchen, she discovered the sister she hadn't been expecting.

Paige was sitting at the kitchen table reading the front page of the newspaper, a fresh cup of coffee in her hands. She didn't look up as Piper entered.

"Morning, sunshine. Why aren't you at your place?" Piper asked as she poured herself a cup of her own.

Paige barely glanced up as she regarded Piper. "I never went home last night. By the time we got back here, I was too exhausted to even think about driving across town."

"Fair enough. So what're you reading?" Piper asked, changing the subject.

"I don't want you getting the wrong idea. It's not like I actually read the newspaper when turning the TV on to a news station is much easier. But I figured this would be an easier way of spotting any unusual demonic activity in the city," Paige explained simply.

"And you didn't think scrying would help?" Piper asked, looking at Paige in amusement.

Paige shrugged. "I'm still kinda new to this whole witch thing. Plus, doesn't scrying for evil usually result in finding more than you were looking for?"

"I guess. It's a smart plan, Paige. Really. I just don't think that looking in a newspaper for any sign of what Phoebe and Cole are up to is really going to help. Evil is usually more insidious than that," Piper replied, now turning her attention on the entryway to the kitchen. "Did Prue ever get up this morning?"

"I don't know. But the coffee was already made when I came down this morning. Maybe Prue left," Paige suggested half-heartedly, not fully engrossed in her newspaper again.

"But she wouldn't..." Piper trailed off as she realized that Paige was probably right. Whenever Prue was feeling overwhelmed or at a loss over what to do next she usually went to work.

"...wouldn't what?" Paige asked distractedly.

Piper shook her head. "Never mind. I know where Prue went. Shouldn't you be at work?"

Paige looked at Piper as though she was crazy. "Are you kidding? After that crazy day yesterday? I'd never be able to concentrate."

But her eyes opened wide in horror as she realized something she had obviously forgotten. "Oh my god! The placement hearing! Mr. Cowan is going to have my head if I'm not there!"

Paige left the newspaper on the kitchen table as she ran out of the manor still in a borrowed pair of Prue's pajamas. Suppressing an amused laugh, Piper decided to take her coffee into the living room, hoping that the TV would be enough to keep the events of the previous day out of her mind.

She purposefully avoided the news, deciding on watching some soaps instead. It was nice to think that maybe there were some families out there that were more whacked out than theirs. But then again, the people in the soap operas didn't have to worry about whether their siblings would turn evil.

Piper hadn't even noticed that she had drifted back into sleep until the ringing phone snapped her out of it.

"Hello?" she said groggily, too lazy to look at the caller ID.

"Piper? God, you sound terrible. Did you get any sleep last night?" Prue's worried voice asked in her ear.

Piper flinched, Prue's tone too loud to sound casual. "You just woke me up," she replied matter-of-factly.

"Sorry, Piper. I just didn't want you to wake up, see that I was gone, and start to panic. I wasn't really sure how you would react, ever since..." Prue's voice trailed off, and Piper let the conversation hang for a moment.

"Is that all?" she asked after a while.

"Yeah, why else would I be calling?"

Piper sighed. She was obviously still a little peeved that she had been woken up by Prue's phone call, and for a moment she felt a slight fraction of guilt for even bearing a bad thought towards her older sister. She just supposed that she was still feeling on edge after Phoebe's visit.

"No reason. Just thought that maybe you had gotten some inspiration on what we're supposed to do next regarding the Source," Piper said quickly, trying to cover up her small hesitation.

"The Source? We aren't even calling him Cole anymore?" Prue wondered.

Piper shook her head, then realized that Prue couldn't see her and said, "Why would we? He isn't anything to us other than the Source."

"How about our brother-in-law?" Prue blurted out, and Piper had the sense that she hadn't intended on saying that.

Still, Piper couldn't help feeling a swift stab of betrayal. "Are you saying that you're having second thoughts?"

"No, no of course not!" There was a pause and then, "Okay, well maybe a little bit. Piper, just hear me out for one second," she said, her words coming out faster since she could sense Piper's disbelief. "We're trying to save Phoebe, right?"

She waited for Piper to confirm this.

"Right," Piper muttered.

"And we know that, despite everything that has happened, she loves Cole, and probably always will. There's nothing that we can do to change that. So, if we know all this, then what's the one surefire way to keep Phoebe away forever?" Prue continued.

Piper could see where her older sister was going with this but she didn't want to agree with her. But Prue was obviously waiting for an answer. "Vanquishing Cole," she mumbled, hoping that she was able to portray just how unwilling she was to put this theory to the test.

"Right. But then this also got me thinking. We all believe that there is a way to get Phoebe back on our side. So why can't the same be said for Cole?" Prue asked, sounding excited by this theory.

"Well, for one thing, Cole is the Source of all Evil, and I've never heard of a Source who renounced his evil ways to become good. I just don't see how it can be done," Piper replied.

"But why not? Just because it hasn't been done before doesn't mean that it can't work! How is being Queen of all Evil any different than being the Source?" Prue argued.

Piper sighed, not really believing that Prue of all people was having this conversation with her. "Because as far as we know, there has never been a Queen of all Evil. Which means that no rules have been written about her duties. And besides that, most demons know who we are, so they probably know who Phoebe is. Or at least, who she used to be."

"So?" Prue quipped.

"So they probably don't want Phoebe ruling over them any more than we do."

"And what do you think we should do about that? Call on a demon to help us? They may not like the idea of Phoebe being the Queen of all Evil any more than we do, but they definitely won't be willing to go against the Source's back like that."

Piper didn't say anything at first. She waited for Prue to elaborate since she obviously felt so strongly about her theory.

She didn't have to wait very long for Prue to speak up again. "The Elders think that there is a way to turn Phoebe back on our side. So why can't the same be said for Cole? I don't like the guy any more than you do, Piper, but vanquishing him and then expecting Phoebe to just jump back into her Charmed duties without a second thought is like telling a child to get over the loss of his parents a day later. It's just not possible."

"Well, then that's a chance we're going to have to take because I don't trust Cole. Not even a little bit. Who's to say he won't try the exact same thing again should we succeed?"

Prue remained silent at this.

"We all want Phoebe back. That's not the question. But she's gotten over guys before. We all have. She'll do it again, and we can help her through it!"

Piper could practically feel Prue shake her head. "This time is different, Piper. We both know it. We have to at least try. And if it doesn't work, then I will be the one to vanquish Cole myself. You have my word."

As a response, Piper let out an exasperated sigh and hung up. How on earth did she always manage to let Prue talk her into these crazy ideas?

When Phoebe opened her eyes the following morning, she nearly forgot where she was. For a split second she thought she was back in her bed at the manor, but when she felt Cole's bare chest beside hers, the events of the previous day came rushing back to her.

Cole was still sleeping, and Phoebe didn't want to wake him. Slowly she sat up and slid out of bed, covering her naked body with a black bathrobe that she had luckily remembered to drape over the desk chair on her side of the room.

She tiptoed out of the bedroom and once she was satisfied, she closed the door. She walked quietly to the other side of the apartment and made herself some herbal tea. She didn't feel like coffee, and something was telling her it wasn't a good idea anyway.

Once her tea was made she went to her computer and contemplated whether or not to write something. It didn't really matter what, but it had been something she'd done as a kid whenever she was bored or having a bad day. She would usually write poetry, particularly if she'd just come out of a bad fight with Prue or Grams. It never mattered which one she'd fought with; the result always came out the same. A rather angsty teen poem about loss and whatever else she could think of at the time.

It hadn't been something she'd done recently. The closest she had ever come to writing poems were her spells.

Phoebe had to admit that spell-writing was something she missed. Not enough to get her to go back, but enough that she felt as though a part of her was missing. And it was true enough; she was no longer a Charmed One so there wasn't any need to write spells anymore.

Still, she found her hands opening a new document on the laptop and she began typing words into verses filled with feelings she hadn't even known she'd had.

As she read her finished product ten minutes later, she couldn't help but notice little to no changes between the poem she had just written, and the poems she'd written as a teenager. They were still about loss and love, and were full of angst.

She heard the bedroom door open and she quickly deleted her poem before Cole could read it.

Cole emerged in a pair of black sweatpants. His dark hair was disheveled, and he was rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Phoebe knew he hadn't slept like that in a long time.

He spotted her at the computer and smiled. "Hey, babe. How long have you been up?"

"Not long. Maybe thirty minutes or so," Phoebe replied, standing up from the table and walking over to meet him back in the kitchen.

Cole grabbed himself a granola bar and took Phoebe's hand in his free one and led her back to the dining table.

"I want to apologize for what I said last night. I was way out of line, and I want you to know that I didn't mean what I said. I trust you completely," he started.

Phoebe noticed that he hadn't opened his granola bar. "I thought you more than made up for that last night..."

"Yeah, well, I just wanted to clear the air, just in case there is any leftover tension. I want to put this whole thing behind us," he continued, looking at his lap as though ashamed of how he had acted before.

"Cole, forget about it. It's ancient history. I probably would've said the same thing as you," Phoebe said, causing Cole to frown.

"No, you wouldn't have," he said.

"How do you know?"

Cole smiled and brought his wife closer to him. "Because you are the sweetest, most forgiving person I know."

Phoebe frowned. "Sweet? I'm the Queen of the damned Underworld, and you still think of me as sweet?"

"Oh come on Phoebe, you know what I meant. It's not in your nature to hold grudges."

Phoebe turned away, the conversation she'd had with her sisters replaying in her mind. "Tell that to Prue and Piper."

"What?" Cole asked, moving so that he was looking right into her eyes. "What exactly did you girls talk about?"

Phoebe pulled away so that she could start to pace. "Nothing, really. They summoned me and although they didn't exactly tell me why, I'm pretty sure it was so they could see whether I had really turned against them. Anyway, we started talking...a little heatedly...and they said exactly what I thought they'd say."

"Which was...?" Cole pressed when Phoebe had stopped talking.

"They wanted to know if it was true that I had married you, and if you really were the Source. And they..." she trailed off, Piper's words coming back to haunt her mind again and again. 'Tell me that I'm wrong, that Cole brainwashed you so that he could become some all-mighty powerful Source. Tell me that you want us to save you.'

Cole stared at Phoebe in concern. "Phoebe, what did they tell you?"

Phoebe met his eye, and for the first time since coming back, she felt guilty for what she had said. "They wanted to know whether or not I wanted them to save me."

"What?" Cole exploded, shooting up out of his seat.

Phoebe stared at him cautiously, not sure whether he was about to do something stupid.

"What did you tell them?"

"That I didn't need saving! I married you with my own free will. If I wanted to leave you, I would've done it already. I've sacrificed everything to be with you Cole, and I just can't believe that you can't see that!" Phoebe exclaimed in outrage.

Cole calmed down a little bit upon hearing Phoebe's words, and she could've sworn she could see remorse in his eyes. "I know that, Phoebe. And I'm sorry. I guess I'm just paranoid that your sisters are going to find a way to split us apart."

Phoebe's expression softened, and she sat back in his lap again. "We won't let them. Nothing can keep us apart, no matter what."

Cole didn't look convinced. "I know you believe that, but witchcraft is a powerful thing. Especially Charmed magic. I haven't seen your Book of Shadows, but I'd be willing to bet that there is something in there to break apart evil love."

"Not if I can help it!" she exclaimed, her eyes flashing over with an idea. She looked to Cole to see if he was thinking the same thing as she, but he only looked confused.

"Uh, Phoebe, what exactly are you getting at?"

"Don't you see? I can't believe we didn't think of this before! All we have to do in order to make sure my sisters don't get in the way anymore is to steal the Book of Shadows!"