South Attic, Wednesday morning after Sociology

[demonbelthazor]

Cole didn't linger after Sociology; he headed immediately for the attic, pacing as he waited for Phoebe. The demonic kittens were curled on the couch, watching him through half-closed eyes. The contract Phoebe had signed with Crowley lay on the coffee table in front of the couch. He'd destroy it in front of her and let her be done with this nonsense about marrying Crowley.

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[sensethevisions]

Phoebe had dodged people after class in order to get to the attic. Something was wrong with Cole and she was worried.

Considering their argument yesterday, Phoebe didn't just let herself into the attic. Instead, for the first time since they had started dating and then broken up, Phoebe knocked lightly on the door.

[demonbelthazor]

"It's open; come in," Cole called.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe entered quietly and shut the door behind her. She leaned against the door.

"Cole? What's going on? What's wrong?"

[demonbelthazor]

"I wanted to talk to you about this." Cole picked up the slightly crumpled contract and held it up so she could see it.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe paled and then opened her bag, searching through it. When she realized it wasn't there, she looked at him.

"How... how did you get that?"

[demonbelthazor]

"Freed you," he said simply. "No more contract, no more stupid wedding."

[sensethevisions]

When she finally looked at him, her eyes were sad.

"Cole... you've just... if the contract is broken... I die.."

Phoebe moved to sit on the couch because she was afraid she would fall over. She stared at the ashes on the floor and swallowed.

"I know you wanted to save me..."

[demonbelthazor]

"What?" Cole seized her by the shoulders. "You're not going to die. That's just another lie Crowley's told you. He wanted you afraid to try to break the contract."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe looked at him sadly.

"Then explain to me why Aziraphale said there was nothing to be done, Cole?" she asked flatly.

She pulled away from him and started pacing. She wrapped her arms around her waist. "James said I should give you the contract and let you decide if it was worth my life... he said we had Choices and that I could give you the choice and hope that you gave me the choice..."

[demonbelthazor]

"Then the contract was mine and I ended it," Cole said firmly. "Still think Crowley is such a great guy when he tried to convince you he put your life on the line? You're a lot of things, Phoebe, but stupid isn't one of them. I don't understand your obsession with Crowley, but it ends now, got it?"

[demonbelthazor]

"Yeah, and I've felt it up close and personal, yet you're so affectionate with him like that doesn't matter," Cole snarled. "You keep telling me to make a choice, Phoebe. How about you make one, too?"

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe stared him in the eye.

"So have I... up close."

She shook her head. "I made the choice to try to protect you... and this was before I knew you were going to try to hurt my friends again." She looked at him. "People are talking about hurting you Cole. I don't want that to happen."

[demonbelthazor]

"They can try," Cole growled. "I'm not that easy to hurt. Except for you. You hurt me worse than anyone with what you're doing. And you're hurting yourself, turning your back on your duties as a Charmed One and letting yourself get corrupted. It will spread to your sisters and your Book, you know. And then the Source won't kill you because you'll be serving him."

[sensethevisions]

"Marty shot you full of drugs... next time it might be bullets. I'm begging you to stop this, Cole."

Phoebe shook her head.

"I haven't turned my back... just ask Piper." She sighed and reached down to grab her bag.

"You desroyed the contract, so we see what happens now. But don't expect me to be all gleeful about you condemning my Choices to try to protect those I love when you want to kill them."

[demonbelthazor]

"You didn't sign the damn contract to protect your friends," Cole said. "You said you did it to protect me, and I don't want that kind of protection, not at that price. You save me, I lose you? Not worth it."

[demonbelthazor]

"I'm going to, Phoebe. The Source will have my head for this," he said. "Unless one of your friends kills me first."

[sensethevisions]

"There's got to be a way I can save you," she whispered.

[demonbelthazor]

Cole shook his head. "You're not strong enough to face the Source," he said. "You don't know how to use your powers against him yet."

[sensethevisions]

"Let Piper and I look something up? Cole... I can't let you die... I can't."

[demonbelthazor]

"You don't understand the power of the Source," Cole said. "But Angelus -- he wasn't afraid of him. He can help me. I don't wanna die, Phoebe."

[demonbelthazor]

"And you're mine," Cole murmured. "You brought mine to life."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe touched her forehead to his. "I love you, soulmate. We'll fix this... all of this."

[demonbelthazor]

"Love you, too," he whispered, giving her a gentle kiss.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe held him to her as they kissed. She kept repeating to herself that she'd find a way to save him.

[demonbelthazor]

Reluctantly he broke the kiss. "I gotta get to Magical Theory," he said.