Thank you to all of you who reviewed me on my last chapter. Please keep it up. I need the reviews to go on. Anyway, here's the new chapter. Leading the story a little further towards the title of the story. Enjoy! And don't forget to review. I need to read reviews, like I need breathe the air. (Wow, that's almost poetic.)

And for those of you who asked about 'Unfolded'. I'm kind of on a block right now. I'm not really sure where I want to go with the story, or how to get there. If any of you guys have an idea to bring it back to life, please tell me? Send your idea to the story (unfolded) review it and let me know what to do next. I could really use some suggestions.

On with the show!

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Leo opened the door to his and Piper's bedroom. He found Piper sitting on their bed, holding a photograph in her hands, crying. The image went straight to his heart. Penetrating it, hurting it. It wasn't hard to guess who it was in the photograph.

"Piper..?" Leo asked softly. He wasn't sure Piper wanted him in here right now. He carefully stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind him. He then walked closer to his mourning wife.

Piper swiftly looked up from the photograph, only for a second meeting his eyes with her teary gaze. She had known it was Leo who had entered. But she had looked anyway, just to be sure. She then turned back her attention to the photograph before her.

It had been a week since Prue had been buried. The memory of her coffin, covered with beautiful flowers, was still fresh in her mind. Piper suspected it always would. It had been two weeks since Prue had left them, since she had left her. Piper had never felt so alone in her entire life. So lost. Maybe it was foolish of her to believe so, but Piper had always thought that Prue would always be there for her. She had never thought Prue would abandon her this way. But she had.

How could she just go off and get herself killed? Prue always risked her life. It had only been a matter of time until the inevitable would strike. Didn't Prue care for Piper's feelings? Didn't she know what it would do to Piper once she left her? Didn't she care at all?

Piper stared at the photograph in her hands. It was a picture of Prue, Phoebe and herself. She remembered the day it was taken, like it was yesterday.

* * *

"Come on, Prue!" Piper urged her older sister. "I'm not standing around like this forever." It wasn't that she had a problem holding Phoebe, but as the minutes slipped away, so did Piper's patience. Only Prue could put her up to something like this.

Prue wanted to take a picture of the three of them. She said it was to develop her photographic skills. Which was indeed necessary. Prue had stood behind her camera for minutes, trying out different buttons. Trying to set it up for the three of them.

"Oh yes you are." Prue replied, confident from behind the camera. "It's my birthday, so I get to set the rules." She added as she glanced up at Piper, realising she was loosing all her patience. She had been standing in that position for a few minutes now, faking a smile for Prue.

"You wouldn't mind speeding that up, would ya'?" Phoebe asked Prue, speaking through a stretched smile. She was positive her lips would sore after this, in the morning. If it wasn't Prue's birthday, there was no way in hell, she would keep up this charade.

"Come on!" Prue smiled as she studied the buttons. "You both know you want this picture as much as I do."

"NO!" Piper and Phoebe chimed together.

"You do." Prue insisted. "And one day, you'll look at this picture, and you'll thank me for forcing you to do this." Prue was absolutely convinced she was right. In her opinion, there could never be enough pictures of the three of them. Even though she had the entire place covered with them. Once, when Prue was only a young girl, her mother had told her something Prue still believed, with all her heart. 'Pictures were memories, frozen in time.' How right she had been...

"I highly doubt that." Piper sneered, still frozen in her smile. Her bitter voice waking Prue from her thoughts.

"You'll see." Prue replied, locking eyes with Piper for a moment. Convincing her with the look she sent her. Prue then focused on her camera, pushing another button to prepare the big birthday picture. "I did it!" Prue exclaimed, proud over solving the mystery with the uncooperative camera. She then realised there were only seconds until the flash would go off. She immediately hurried up to her sisters, squeezing in, in-between them.

"You better be smiling." Prue said, flashing the biggest smile of her own as she placed her arms around her younger sisters, resting them on their shoulders and she squeezed them tighter.

The action caused both Piper and Phoebe to break out into genuine smiles. It was amazing. Prue always managed to piss them off. But then, just as quickly, she always made them forget all about it. She definitely had her way with them.

Maybe I will thank her one day, Piper thought to herself, right before the flash went off.

* * *

A tear fell upon the glass of the picture, sliding down it, leaving a wet mark upon it. It hurt so much - to remember. And yet, that was all she had left of Prue; memories. Piper clung her fingers tighter around the wooden frame as Leo sat down beside her.

"It was like she knew." Piper said through her tears, barely audible. She then leaned over to place the photograph on her nightstand, where it belonged.

"Knew what, honey?" Leo asked softly, confused.

"The picture." Piper explained. "She said we'd thank her for it, one day."

"I'm sure that's not what she meant." Leo whispered.

"What was she suppose to mean?" Piper cried as she turned to look at her husband. "What? Did she think she could risk her life, day in and day out, without suffering the consequences of it?"

Leo stared at Piper in shock. Her sudden outburst taking him by surprise. She hadn't talked much about Prue since the funeral. And if she had, nothing but kind words had left her lips.

"Maybe she did." Leo answered, wording his thoughts as they hit him. " Maybe she thought she was indestructible."

"Well then she forgot one thing." Piper replied, staring intensely at Leo.

"What?" Leo asked carefully.

"I'm not."

Piper's fierce expression faded away from her face, leaving tears and pain behind. Leo embraced her, willing her pain to go away. Piper wasn't getting any better. She was only getting worse. Maybe Phoebe dealt with her pain in a different way, but she seemed to handle it much better than Piper. Earlier this morning, Phoebe had even mentioned Prue and smiled.

Phoebe and Cole had been on their way out the door when Leo had walked up to them and asked them where they were heading. Phoebe had told him they would go off and buy groceries. Leo had warned them and wondered if it was safe for Cole to drive off to the store just like that, with bounty hunters after him.

"They wouldn't attack in public." Cole had answered.

"Maybe, but just be careful." Leo replied.

"Geez, Leo. You almost sound like Prue." Phoebe told him. "Not that Prue would worry about Cole." She then added.

"I'm sure she loved me, deep inside." Cole said.

"Of course, baby." Phoebe agreed as she patted Cole on his chest. "Deep, deep, deep inside." They all smiled over Phoebe's comment. It was the first time since she had died, that Prue's name had brought joy to their lives. It gave them the hint of the healing process approaching them, slowly.

Leo's mind came back to the current situation as Piper sobbed in his arms. What was he to do with her? She hadn't left the house since the funeral. What if something witchy happened? Would she take her responsibility then? Not that The Elders could expect her to. Leo certainly didn't.

Leo hushed his wife as he caressed her on her back in a soothing motion. "We'll get through this." He told her.

Piper lifted her head from the comfort of Leo's shoulder. "What do you mean?" She asked. "Prue died. There is no recovering from that." How could even Leo think such a thing? That she would shed her tears, wipe them off and move on. It didn't work like that. This wasn't something you just forgot and moved on from.

"Honey," Leo began as he looked deep into Piper's eyes. No longer seeing the spark he was so fond of. "I know it's hard right now, and I'm not expecting you to feel better about this, any time soon. But you will get through this." He told her. "Things will get better. You just have to have faith in-"

"Prue is dead!" Piper interrupted his peptalk, staring deep into his eyes as tears fell from her own. "Don't you understand? I will never get through this. Prue died and left me. And that's not something I'll wake up one morning and be okay with." She stared at Leo with disbelief. Didn't he know anything about her? Didn't he know she couldn't live without Prue? Not today and not tomorrow. It wouldn't matter how many days would pass, it would still hurt as much. Because Prue would still be gone.

"You know that's not what Prue would've wanted." Leo whispered softly. "She would want for you and Phoebe to live on. Move on with your lives. Prue died. And as awful as that is, it happened. Piper, you have to accept that. For you and Phoebe still have your destiny's-"

"Don't give me that crap about destiny!" Piper yelled as she broke away from his arms and stood up in front of him. She was tired of hearing that word. "Screw destiny! Destiny stole my sister. Destiny destroyed my family. I owe destiny nothing!"

Leo stared at Piper for a moment, in loss for words. Piper's grieving process was turning for the worse. It was turning into anger and fury. His sweet wife was turning into stone. Colder by the day.

"Besides." Piper added. "If there was anything Prue would've wanted, it would be to vanquish that monster that killed her. That stole her from us!" Piper thought for a moment, about Shax. He was still out there. Prue's killer was still out there. The demon that murdered her was still alive. Piper looked away from Leo as she turned to leave her room.

Leo got up from the bed and took a hold of Piper's arm to stop her from leaving. He knew where she was going. He knew what she was about to do and he couldn't let her, not in her state.

"Let go." Piper warned Leo with threatening eyes as she turned around to face him.

"I won't let you do this." Leo answered her, still holding onto her arm.

"That's not up to you to decide." Piper told him as she pulled her arm out of his grip and headed towards the door.

Leo quickly caught up to her and blocked the door, keeping her from leaving the room.

"Move." Piper winced through gritted teeth.

"You'll get yourself killed. Think about it." Leo urged his wife. "What would happen to Phoebe if you die?" He paused to let his words sink into Piper. "Could you really do that to her?" Leo asked as he searched Piper's eyes for hope, for that soft twinkle that always used to burn within them. The spark that made him fall in love with her in the first place.

"If it was me.. or Phoebe that would've died." Piper began, not moving a muscle in her face. "Do you really think Prue would've just sit by and let the killer live?"

Piper's words sank into Leo as he thought of what Prue's answer would be. He knew very well that Prue wouldn't waste a second on Shax's life. He would probably already be dead.

Beaten by Piper's question, Leo didn't say a word as Piper pushed him aside and passed by him. He lowered his head in defeat as he heard Piper's footsteps running up the stairs behind him.

She was slipping away from him and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't help her if she didn't want his help.

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"You sure you'll be okay?" Cole asked Phoebe as he tucked the last of the food into the paper bags.

"I'm sure." Phoebe answered, knowing he was worried about her. He would never stop worry about her. And it was one of the things Phoebe loved about him. But sometimes he was a bit too overprotective. It was like he told Leo before they took off. Evil wouldn't attack in public. "I'll just run back in and buy the shampoo. You go wait in the car."

Cole lifted up the bags to his chest as he glanced at Phoebe, unconvinced. He didn't like the thought of leaving her alone. Even if it was only for a minute. She wasn't a Charmed One anymore. He had to protect her.

"I'll be right out." Phoebe promised as she titled her head up and kissed him on his cheek.

"Swear?" Cole asked as he looked questioning at the petite woman in front of him. The woman who had stolen his heart.

"I promise." Phoebe replied, smiling that heart-melting smile she knew Cole couldn't resist.

"Okay." Cole gave in, letting her smile get the best of him. He leaned in and placed a soft, quick kiss on her lips. He then turned around and left the store, walking out to the parking lot to find the car.

As Cole had found the car, he walked up to it and placed the bags in the backseat. He then took a seat in the driver's seat to wait for Phoebe to arrive.

He impatiently drummed his fingers on the flashboard as he listened to a station playing ballads on the radio. The words of 'Wind of Change by Scorpions' filled the car. He even thought about singing along in the song for a second, just out of boredom, but then decided against it. He wouldn't lower himself to that level. Not even when he was alone in a car and bored. Suddenly, Cole picked up a feeling. He sensed evil. Rational to the situation, he turned his head around to check out the backseat. There was nothing wrong with his evil detector. For it was a demon accompanying him in the car. And not any demon, but Sarvoid staring back at him with a smug smile.

"Missed me?" Sarvoid asked, finding the situation slightly humorous. Something Cole couldn't understand. Though he had never shared Sarvoid's sense of humour.

"Not really." Cole spat at him. Preferring to skip the small talk and cut right to the chase. Sarvoid hadn't come to talk about the weather. So there was no need to. "What do you want?" Cole asked, keeping his eyes locked on his passenger. If it was one thing he had learned during his years as a demon, it was to never turn your back on your enemy. Even though Cole didn't believe Sarvoid had come to kill him, because The Source needed him, he was sure Sarvoid wouldn't pass up on the opportunity to stab him in the back.

"Getting homesick yet?" Sarvoid asked, changing his tone of voice from casual to business.

"Why would I?" Cole retorted, knowing very well what Sarvoid had meant by that comment.

"He's getting impatient with you." Sarvoid told him. "If you don't join us, and I mean soon, we will kill the witches. I'll personally handle the one you're so fond of. Ph.. Phoebe, was it?" Sarvoid asked, knowing how much it upset Cole. Knowing how to push his bottons.

"I wouldn't let you near her!" Cole sneered at the smug demon. If he was to do anything to hurt Phoebe... Killing him would be Cole's reason for waking up every day.

"You can't be with her everywhere she goes." Sarvoid whispered as he leaned in closer to Cole. "The moment she's alone, I'll be there. And it wouldn't matter if you were to show up the second after. Because a second, is all I need."

Cole pictured his sweet Phoebe die at the hand of his enemy. The vision of her lifeless body, collapsing to the ground with an athame buried in her chest, flickered in his mind. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to her. If she was killed, Cole would just lay down and die. He couldn't live without her. That was something he didn't doubt. Phoebe was everything to him, his world. Without her, there was nothing.

"I'll kill you." Cole said, hatefully.

"Maybe so. But it'll be too late by then." Sarvoid smiled. "I'll be back soon. Make sure you've made up your mind by then." Sarvoid advised before shimmering out, leaving Cole alone in the car to think about their conversation.

Cole couldn't let him kill Phoebe and Piper. But Phoebe had told him that she didn't want him evil. She had told him they would fight this together. And Cole didn't want to live a life without Phoebe, because if he turned evil he would have to do that very thing. They would again live their lives on separate sides, fighting the feelings burning within them. But Phoebe's life meant much more to Cole than his. He wasn't about to risk her life over his selfishness. He loved her far too much. He really didn't care about himself, as long as Phoebe was alright.

Cole couldn't decide on what to do. There was no right choice in this decision. Either way, he would still hurt Phoebe. He had to think about it, give it some time. But he knew it wouldn't take long for Sarvoid to return. Maybe no longer than a few days. Cole decided not to tell Phoebe about it. He didn't want to worry her if he was to choose to join evil to save her and Piper.

Suddenly the car-door opened as Phoebe peeked inside.

"I told you it wouldn't take long." She said as she smiled at him. She stepped inside the car and fastened her seat-belt, placing the shampoo-bottles in her knee. As she closed the door she suddenly noticed the song on the radio. "Barry Manilow?" She asked surprised. "How did that happen?" 'Mandy'cried out through the car speakers, a song she had never expected Cole would listen to.

"What?" Cole asked, half in thoughts as he turned to look at her.

"Why are you listening to Barry Manilow?" Phoebe asked again. "Was it that boring?" She wondered.

"You wouldn't believe." Cole replied as he started the engine and backed out the car.

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