This fanfic begins at the very end of the episode "Sympathy for the Demon", where Cole has just taken back his powers from Barbas.

I originally started this fanfic with the INTENTION of having a Cole/Paige/Phoebe triangle, but the more I wrote, the more I decided to stick with going the Cole/Paige direction. If a Cole/Paige pairing isn't your cup of tea, this fic isn't for you.

Disclaimers: The characters of Cole, Paige, Phoebe, Leo, Piper, Miles and Darryl are all created by the writers of "Charmed" and I am simply borrowing them for use in my story.

The character of Elizabeth was named by the writers of "Charmed" but was never developed on the show, so her existance in this story is my own perception of what I feel she would be like. The character of Melinda Wyatt existed on "Charmed" but not the version of her that I have created.

The character of Lilith is based on a well-known legend that has existed for centuries. I have tried to stay true to her legend via my research in this fanfic, but have added my own creative touches to make the character my own.

The characters of Elias and Nicholas Warren and Ben Turner are my creative property as they are written in this fanfic.

Cole looked up at them, not knowing what to say. In one split second, Barbas was gone, and he felt a sudden surge of power enter his body. He felt the strength, the temptation, and the rush of so many desires tearing through him. He was no longer an innocent; he was no longer just a mortal.

They stared at him, not saying a word. All of them -- Piper, Paige, Leo -- and Phoebe. Phoebe looked at him as if she were looking at a stranger. And in that instant, he realized that HE was looking at a stranger. He knew that this time, there was no second chance. He had lost her. It was over. Alone and defeated, Cole knew he no longer belonged there. He hung his head in utter defeat, and he vanished.

Piper and Leo started to head downstairs in silence, while Phoebe walked over to the Book of Shadows and closed it slowly. "Well, shouldn't we do something?" Paige finally asks, stopping them all as they turned to look at her.

"What is there to do? It's over. Barbas is gone." Phoebe states, her voice cold and hardened.

"I don't mean about Barbas. I mean about Cole." Paige replies.

"Cole? Cole is a demon, Paige." Phoebe states, letting no emotion come through in her tone.

"Cole just saved our lives. Are you really that ungrateful? All of you! Cole was an innocent -- don't you see what we've done? We sacrificed an innocent to save ourselves!" Paige shouts.

"Cole was never an innocent." Phoebe retorts.

"Actually -- she's right. Cole did save us by taking his powers back." Leo replies.

"But Leo, that was his choice." Piper states.

"Was it really?" Paige asks. No one says a word. "I'm sorry -- I just can't stay here right now." Paige tells them, and she orbs out of the room.

Alone in his apartment, Cole picks up the photo of Phoebe and stares at it longingly. "I really thought we had a chance this time." Cole says. To his surprise, one single tear begins to fall down his cheek, burning into his flesh as his human side fights for control over his entire being. Consumed with emotion, Cole takes the photo and hurls it toward the wall, just as Paige orbs into the room, straight into the path of the flying photograph.

"Hey, watch where you're aiming that!" she says, quickly ducking just in time. The frame slams against the wall, shattering onto the floor.

"What do you want, Paige?" Cole asks, pouring himself a drink.

"Well, first of all I wanted to say 'thank you' -- for saving us back at the house." Paige replied. Cole looks up at her from his drink, and just stares at her for a moment, then finishes his drink.

"You're welcome." Cole finally replies, pouring another drink and downing it quickly. "You can go now."

"Cole, I also just wanted to say that --"

"What? What did you want to say, Paige? That you were right about me all along? All those months you spent hating me and trying to destroy my marriage and Phoebe's love for me? That I'm evil, that I'll never be any good to anyone or anything? Well, congratulations, Paige! You WIN! I LOSE! Are you happy now?"

"Would you just shut UP!" Paige shouts, interrupting Cole's tirade. "I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Oh -- she's sorry. Well, that just changes everything now, doesn't it?" Cole replies in a sarcastic tone.

"Cole -- I understand now. You were possessed -- it wasn't your fault. The Source had --"

"Look, I really have no desire to talk about The Source right now, to you or anyone else. You did your good deed for the day, Paige. Now go whip up a potion or orb off to Rio or whatever it is you do with your free time when you're not vanquishing demons or saving innocents and just stay the hell out of my life -- you AND your sisters. If you won't bother me, I won't bother you -- how does that sound?" Cole asks, with a defeated tone in his voice that Paige had never heard before.

"Well I think it sucks." Paige replies. "Cole, I've seen a side of you now that I didn't know was there. Or maybe I did -- I just didn't want to see it. It's your human side Cole -- you're a good man." Cole doesn't respond. "Cole -- I think it's terrible, the way our family has treated you. Especially when we all know what it's like to be possessed by a force that we have no control over." Paige says, touching his shoulder as he turns away from her.

"And what exactly is possessing YOU right now, Paige?" Cole asks, turning around.

"The truth." Paige replies. "Leo told me not too long ago that I should always go with my instincts. And right now, my instincts tell me that you're a good man, and that you need someone right now. That's why I'm here."

"And just where were these superb 'instincts' of yours when I was possessed by the Source?" Cole asks, becoming more curious.

"Clouded -- probably by jealousy, confusion, being new to the world of witchcraft -- Cole, I said I was wrong, and I said I was sorry, and --"

"Jealousy? Of what, exactly?" Cole asks, interrupting her.

Paige hesitates for a moment. "Cole -- do you know what it's like being the third wheel? I spent how many MONTHS watching my sisters being in love with men who adored them, and there I was -- alone. I just wanted -- what they had. You know -- a LIFE would have been nice." Cole is quiet. "You were always there for us, Cole -- and the one time you needed us the most, we let you down." Paige pauses for a moment. "We were WRONG, Cole -- we were wrong about you."

"Yeah, well -- tell that to Phoebe." Cole replies.

"Phoebe's not here, Cole -- but I am." Paige says, with a look in her eyes Cole had never seen before -- at least not toward him. Cole stares at her for a moment, contemplating what she has just implied.

"Paige -- you need to go." Cole finally tells her.

"And what if I said I don't want to?" Paige asks.

Cole sized Paige up and down in a way he never had before. He slowly pulls her close to him -- first in an embrace, then he lifts her chin up with his hand and gently kisses her on the lips. "Is that what you wanted?" he asks, then pushes her away.

Paige hesitates for a second, stunned by Cole's unexpected advances, but within moments she pulls him into an embrace, and locks her lips onto his. As she feels his tongue slowly enter her mouth, she maneuvers her hands down the inside of Cole's shirt, slowly unbuttoning every button with one hand as she reaches around his back with the other. Cole tears her blouse off of her, and tosses it onto the floor. Totally lost in their passion, Paige and Cole disappear together into his bedroom. Cole pulls her close as they topple onto the bed, kissing the entire time as they undress one another.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Cole asks, stopping their kisses for a moment.

"Just shut up and kiss me, Cole." Paige replies.

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Piper is in the living room trying to read, as Phoebe comes storming down the stairs. "Do you know where she is now? She's still at Cole's place, that's where she is! It's after midnight, and she's at Cole's place!" Phoebe shouts, pacing as she reaches the bottom of the stairs.

"Well gee, thanks for the update -- that makes about a dozen rounds of same report from you in the last two hours. Phoebe -- Paige is a big girl, she can take care of herself. Look, would you put the scrying board away and just -- call Miles or something -- you're driving me crazy obsessing over this!" Piper tells her, clearly irritated.

"Well, it's just that it's getting late and Paige is never out this late." Phoebe replies. "What do you think he's done to her? Because Piper, who knows what he's capable of --"

"Cole would never hurt Paige." Piper tells her.

"You don't know that." Phoebe replies.

"Well, YOU should! You were married to the man! And frankly, I'm starting to think that maybe I had Cole pegged wrong. You heard what Leo said -- we let Cole suffer to save our OWN lives. Paige is probably just trying to help him get through this, since you're obviously not going to do the job." Piper says, an angry tone in her voice. "I'm going to bed -- you do whatever you want to do Phoebe, just leave me out of it. You and Cole can work out your drama on your own for a change." Piper storms up the stairs.

"Fine. Fine -- I'll go find our sister and save her by MYSELF!" Phoebe shouts, and she grabs her coat and heads for the door.

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"I should go." Paige says, starting to get out of bed.

"No -- stay with me." Cole whispers, pulling her back into his arms. He kisses her softly on the cheek. "I have to admit, this isn't exactly how I pictured MY day ending today."

"Me either." Paige says, laughing a bit. "Do you know how much I hated you?"

"Yeah, you made that perfectly clear -- numerous times, in fact." Cole quips in response.

"So -- what do we do now?" Paige asks.

"Well, I don't know about YOU, but I'm exhausted. Why don't we sleep on it and figure it out tomorrow?" Cole says, closing his eyes.

"Okay -- we'll figure this out tomorrow." Paige says as she rests her head on Cole's bare chest. She closes her eyes as Cole pulls her into his body tightly.

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Phoebe arrives at Cole's apartment, letting herself in. She turns on the light and scans the room -- she sees the photo of herself that Cole had flung against the wall, surrounded by the shattered frame. Phoebe then notices the blouse lying on the floor -- Paige's blouse, which is torn. "What have you done with my sister, you bastard?" Phoebe says to herself, picking up the blouse. She starts to move slowly and silently through the apartment, looking in every corner. Finally, she enters Cole's bedroom, and notices in the dark the form of someone lying in the bed. "Where is she?" Phoebe shouts, turning on the light. Her look of anger turns to shock as she turns on the light, and Cole and Paige, lying naked in bed together, awaken to see Phoebe standing in front of them.