I LOVE YOU, PIPER

A/N: Thank you very much!!! I'm trying to finish this story. I've written many fics, but it seems I've never finished any of them :( :( :( Please keep reading and reviewing!!!

An idea in this chapter belongs to Blue eyes6!!! Thank you very much for transfering it to me!!!

Part 18

Parley

19 days left

Prue and Phoebe were making coffee for breakfast in the kitchen. Since none of them was good at cooking, they both had dined out 3 last days. They're waiting for Piper to come home. Leo orbed in.

"Where's Piper?" – asked him.

"Visiting her old friend." – answered Phoebe.

"Is she ok? Can you sense her?" – asked Prue warily.

"Yes. But who's the friend?"

"The one in high school. What's up?" – frowned Phoebe sipping her coffee.

"You shouldn't've let her go alone." – grumbled Leo.

"C'mon." – grinned Prue, she changed her sitting position – "We've vanquished The Source of All Evil. Except our invincible problem, it's nearly demon-free. I think the invincible one even has solved himself out. We haven't seen him around recently, have we? Time to enjoy our own lives."

"Yeah." – agreed Phoebe.

"Are you sure she's with her old friend? And who's the guy exactly?" – Leo shook his head.

"Actually we haven't seen her since last weekend. We just got a note, then a call." – said Phoebe.

"Cole can be considered as an old friend." – Leo muttered to himself.

Prue and Phoebe exchanged their look.

"You must be too much suspicious." – said Prue – "She had no reason to go see him. She made her decision."

"If she did, she wouldn't cast the spell to listen to her heart." – reminded Leo.

A minute of silence passed on.

"Don't scare me." – murmured Phoebe.

"She wouldn't. I know her." – said Prue.

None of them wanted Piper to take Cole back. They had done many things to prevent it from coming true. Then a spell ruined all of their efforts. In the meantime, Piper silently walked in the living room. She had stayed at the penthouse 3 days, happily with Cole. Now she had to let her family know and cancel the wedding with Leo. Cole suggested to go with her but Piper thought it's better for three sisters talked to each other. She guessed everyone was in the kitchen, however, before she reached them, a high voice shrieked out:

"It's all your fault, Prue." – screamed Phoebe – "You supported her to do the spell."

Piper paused, they seemed to have known it. She wouldn't expect them to agree with her on the spot. It'd be a hard talk. Piper inhaled a deep breath.

"I do hate that bastard, and never be up on accepting him. But Piper's our sister. I couldn't see her in despair."

"What should we do now, huh?" – challenged Phoebe.

"Talk to her. We're sisters." – Prue tried to calm down – "She knows right from wrong."

"I'm afraid she doesn't." – uttered Leo – "Hadn't I asked The Elders to erase her feeling for that demon, she would've been in his embrace now."

Phoebed gasped.

"I'm sorry. What do you mean?" – asked Prue.

Piper's heart sank down. That was why she had felt nothing seeing Cole come back. She had wondered several times how come she had been so stony, how come she could ignore him easily. After her feeling being awaken, she felt pain, and lost torturing her endlessly and urging her to reunite with him as well as put everything else aside. She could imagine how painful Cole had been suffering while his feeling for her was never fainted.

"Dry her love for him up. Keep her from growing a passion with him." – said Leo.

"Without her coinsciousness??? Did you know what you're doing? It's very ruthless." – Prue raised her voice – "You son of a bitch!"

"You think it's a bad thing?" – retorted Leo – "I also asked them to do the same on you."

Prue raised her hand ready to send him against the wall.

"Remember the time you love me?" – asked Leo quickly, Prue paused – "Our marriage wasn't happy, you're not happy since the only one I love was Piper. After we got divorced, I asked them to sooth your feeling making you forget me and we still can live in peace with each other, no hard feeling. It helped you start dating again and meet Bane."

So it had a good side. Prue recalled she had just wanted to kill herself after finding she wouldn't able to replace Piper in his heart before. Then all of a sudden, her love for him became vague and she had no hesitate leaving him behind.

"You mean if they stop the effect, I'll. . . change back to love you?" – asked Prue worrily.

"No. They just made you forget me." – said Leo – "You love Bane after you yourself really forgot me. They can't manipulate you to love someone you don't."

Prue sighed of relief. But Phoebe looked confused.

"It means Piper doesn't really forget Cole by herself and she doesn't love you?" – infered her.

"You're right." – Piper showed up.

"Pi. . ." – Leo turned around with his wide-opened eyes. He didn't finish calling her name when she flung her hands blowing him up. Leo was scattered into orb dust, then pieced on together.

"Forgive him. He loves you, Piper." – said Prue running to hold her sister's hands.

"He made me hurt Cole, and hurt myself badly." – cried Piper pulling her own hands off.

"All of us took parts in objecting you and him." – said Prue.

"So I have something to announce." – said Piper – "We're coming back together."

"No." – cried Leo – "You're not doing it. Did you talk to your future self? We're married. I'm your husband."

"Are we happy?" – asked her.

"Of course." – surprised Leo – "As long as we're together, we're happy."

"I didn't see it. My future self isn't happy."

"Don't take it wrong, Piper. You can't change it." – said Leo.

"Why not? It's my future. I can decide which way I should choose." – argued her.

It looked like Leo's going to fly into a rage. His face turned red while he gazed at her angrily and shadily. It's weird that a demon kept pleading for love while an angel was cunning enough to make tricks. Looking at her eyes, Leo couldn't find any love in them. Insteading of shouthing at her or doing something rude, he softened his tone:

"I'm sorry." – murmured him – "I committed a bad thing. But I don't always do bad things. You know I'll be willing to sacrifice myself for you. As I ignored the rules to cure you 2 years ago, and had my wings cut. Because I love you. I can do everything, anything as far as you and our love are concerned."

Piper didn't need him to remind her of that. She never forgot she would've been dead if Leo hadn't given his hand to her in time. She had never had doubt about his dignity. It's hard to believe he could do something for his personal gain and harm the others. Leo was an angel after all. But he did confess he had done a bad thing, he had broken her love with Cole, just because he loved her. It seemed the fate was offering them a reason to resolve their situation. Piper found she wasn't quite guiltless to blame him.

"I can't say I feel nothing for you. I used to love you, I don't want us to turn back on each other for the rest of our lives. I need to say sorry to you too. I thought I would take all blame you gave me when I came home and canceled everything we had planned together. Now isn't too bad. We won't hurt each other anymore at least. We'll learn to be good friends little by little."

"I'm not going to lose you." – insisted him.

"Leo!"

He orbed out before Piper could say more. She sighed, turning around to face her sisters.

"That's the end?" – asked Phoebe.

"I'll move out with Cole." – announced Piper.

"What?" – stunned Prue.

"Will you accept him to move in?" – it wasn't a question, Piper wanted to explain why she decided to leave.

"How about all of our arrangements? And you keep going around as Mrs. Turner? I'm sure everyone will enjoy the joke." – said Phoebe sarcastically.

"Leo doesn't seem to give up. Do you think he'll ask The Elders to erase your feeling again or something?" – said Prue, she felt odd that they had to think about dealing with an angel now.

"He can do anything he wants, but I'll never love him. Cole'll awake me again." – answered Piper.

"Um, Piper. I don't think I like having a demon in our family. As I said, you could consider whether you should marry Leo. But marry Cole, no discussion." – said Prue.

"We don't expect your bless."

"We?" – interrupted Phoebe – "You and Cole are a "we" now? I don't see you two can find a way to build your family between good and evil. You're crazy."

"He isn't evil. Plus, evil doings aren't animated anymore." – defended Piper.

"He's evil by birth." – opposed Prue – "He himself admited it. You can't say he's not a demon. Nothing can change that."

"Look, we'll go nowhere with this topic." – determined Piper – "He's my true love, and you're my sisters. Both are meaningful to me. Don't force me choose one and lose one." – said her in a choked voice, then she tried to sound firmer – "Since both side can't be in harmony with each other, I'll move out of this house, but not out of this family. I'll still come back here and we'll meet at P3. No more talking about Cole."

"The problem can't solve itself when you just ignore it." – resisted Phoebe.

"Any better idea?" – challenged Piper.

"I think it's the best." – said Prue. Both of her sisters turned to look at her. She smiled stretching her arms out, Piper took them into a conciliatory hug.

"Thank you." – said Piper.

"I hate him. I hate my sister being upset more." – said Prue.

Phoebe was dumbfounded for a while, then she walked to them and touched Piper's shoulder. Prue and Piper dragged her in their hug.

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18 days left

Leo stood outside the penthouse waiting impatiently for Cole answering the door. He had ring the bell twice and five minutes had passed through. It's as long as five years. He guessed Cole didn't want to see him. Leo had to repress himself from orbing directly in. He decided to ring the bell again.

Still nothing happened. Perhaps it's simple that Cole wasn't home at that time. But Piper had said to her sisters that he was. Seven minutes had lasted until now. When Leo was about to orb in, the door swung open lightly. Cole appeared in pyjamas, his hair was dishevelled though it's over 10.00 AM. Looking like he didn't leave the bed yet.

"Can we talk?" – asked Leo after Cole said nothing seeing him.

Cole turned around to walk back to his living room, Leo followed him and closed the door. The room was dim with no light and all of the curtain were fallen. Cole had already sat on the couch. Leo sensed something odd, the former Mighty Belthazor shouldn't face his rival in such a situation.

"Are you ok?" – blurted Leo, he himself heard it ridiculous, what could happen to an invincible demon.

Cole flicked his hand and the curtain lifted up by themselves, sun light brimed over the place making it revived, his clothes also changed into a black t-shirt and black jeans. His powers were really handy. Leo got scared of how powerful his rival was. So Cole's ready to talk now. Leo stood still in his spot gazing at him.

"I oppose your relationship with Piper." – started Leo.

"What's new?" – muttered Cole, he didn't bother to take a look at his uninvited guest.

"You can't give her the love she deserves to get. Don't plunge her into the hell with your love." – stated Leo firmly. He knew for sure Cole was unable to kill him with all of his powers. It gave him enough strengh to go ahead.

"Pleading for my favor now, whitelighter?" – said Cole with a wry smile. Finally Leo saw his eyes, he looked quite exhausted even though his appearance was still the same. In fact, Cole had to make a false cover to hide his gauntness. He was absolutely right that Leo's there to persuade him to leave Piper. After having failed with all of their efforts, they assumed Leo could convince him to give up??? Cole thought so. It wasn't a good solution. Maybe they're out of options.

"Piper is a witch. She devotes her life to fight for good. You know that." – said Leo moderately – "So will her children."

"I support her." – answered Cole. He's aware of his own condition and worrying about how to keep Piper from grieving for him all the rest of her life. The fact that he got a terrible headache this morning and he'd had to try his best to pull himself out of the bed for answering the door. But Leo didn't "talk" to him everyday, so Cole wanted to play with him for a little while. In addition, he's not going to tell Leo that he's dying, and Leo should be relieved and wait.

"I do believe you'll support her, and her children, your children as well. So that they'll become the most evil and dangerous beings ever existed." – continued Leo sharply.

His words obviously stirred Cole up. He stood up glaring at the whitelighter. After The Source had been vanquished, the Underworld activities became quiet, most of evil forces became weak, since they couldn't find a new leader who was able to win over the others and dominated them. Cole did have this ability, so would his children. That's why the good side would consider his offsprings a big threat. It touched Cole deeply on the raw. Nevertheless, he had no children, and he would never had. Why should he get hurt with those words??? His inside fell down. It's a mistake to talk to an enemy. They would never bring joy to you.

Leo did feel strange, Cole seemed dull this morning. He was ready to receive some energy balls standing in front of the insane demon. Probably Piper had calmed him down. Actually he's not only calm. Cole was as meek as a lamb, wasn't he???

"As I checked, you're twelve year older than her great grandmother." – Leo continued again.

"Get out!" – mumbled Cole. He didn't have any energy to play with Leo. He wanted to crawl back to his bed and hopefully gain enough strength when Piper came home.

"And you're still very alive now. While Piper has 70 years left at most. I'm saying she won't be here to keep your children stay good when they have a turn." – Leo pointed out – "That's the main reason why all of us don't approve your marriage. We can't take the risk to endanger this world. Think how it would be if your children turn evil and nobody can stop them. How it would be if one or two of your children turn evil while the others keep fighting for good. They would destroy each other. Their war would ruin the world along with them. How should Piper rest in peace then? It'd be an eternal regret."

Cole turned away flicking his hand to open the door.

"Leave!" – demanded him.

"Think about it, Cole! If you really love her." – entreated Leo – "She's too young to estimate the price she might have to pay. But you're experienced to see it thoroughly."

He walked to face Cole:

"I come in and out through this door, that shows my respect, I want a talk with you like two men. I don't love Piper less than you. And if you ever think you can get rid of me, you're seriously wrong. Let her be with me, it's safer. I'll do all my best to assure her happiness. I promise."

It seemed Cole wasn't going to say anything. Leo decided to walk out. So his calculation was wrong. He couldn't convince the demon. Were his arguments not enough??? He had predicted Cole would think for Piper, and he would give up for her sake. But he didn't. Because he loved her, he just felt happy being with her, so he never left her nor destroyed his own happiness. It turned out he just thought for himself. "What do you expect?" –meditated Leo – "He's a demon after all." Leo knew he would find another way.

"Live up to your promise. Or you'll get the worst torture I can imagine." – stated Cole of a sudden.

Leo paused, then turned around.

He nodded.

Cole's eyes looked dismal and listless. . .

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