Summary (MUST READ!): This story takes place in the third season of Charmed, before Prue's death and while Phoebe and Cole are together. Actually, it more or less takes place after the season finale, but assuming Prue lived through Shaft's attack. Also, to avoid any confusion, Cole is still a half-demon, but Phoebe believes her potion made him human. Also, Piper and Prue do not know that Phoebe and Cole are back together.

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It was late outside, barely four in the morning, when Phoebe awoke from a restless sleep. She was having terrible nightmares lately, all of them ending the same way: the destruction of Cole. Shivering from the draft outside, Phoebe slung her legs off her bed and climbed to her feet. She slid her freezing feet into warm, blue slippers, and pulled her sheer bathrobe tight around her thin nightgown.

She shut the window quietly, sighing as she looked through it. The moon was full tonight, and was glowing brightly; it's beams reflecting on the dark street beneath her. She gazed at the beautiful sight, thinking about the irony of night. Such a wonderful sight the moon made, adding it's own beauty and purity to the night. Yet at the same time, she knew many were dying and struggling for their lives, and many demons roamed about causing more pain and heartache. Perhaps the moon shown as a sign of compassion, a beacon of hope representing the way things should really be, daring to shine brightly for a time of peace and harmony yet to come.

Smiling slightly now, Phoebe slowly inched her way through her bedroom so as not to wake her sisters. There was no possible way she could fathom sleeping now, but she knew Prue and Piper would worry about her if they knew she hadn't been sleeping lately. So, she made sure she took every precaution to ensure her sisters didn't know about her nightly wanderings.

As she reached the stairs, Phoebe recalled the three trick steps that tended to squeak loudly when weight was applied to them. Not wanting to make any such sound, Phoebe grinned and used her power of levitation to allow her to hover a few inches in the air. Now able to move short distances, Phoebe soared carefully down the staircase, landing softly back onto her feet as she entered the parlor.

Phoebe quietly tiptoed into the kitchen and debated upon whether or not to make coffee. She finally vouched in favor of the coffee. The coffee maker wasn't too loud, and she was downstairs, after all. Besides, a good cup of coffee would relax her a bit. She carefully scooped out the coffee grinds and turned the coffee maker on.

She sat down at the kitchen table as she waited, lost in her own thoughts. She hadn't heard from Cole since their encounter in the underworld, when they nearly lost Piper. Now, nearly two months later, he hadn't contacted her once and she wasn't sure whether she was more worried or more angry with him. Surely in a period of two months he would be able to slip away for a second or so to come see her! If for nothing else then to tell her he was all right and hadn't been killed. Her dreams still haunted her. Perhaps since she had the power to see the future and her premonitions always came true...perhaps he...perhaps he really was dead.

Dead. The word hung on the edge of Phoebe's tongue, but she was afraid to speak it for fear that it might come true. Besides, Cole couldn't be dead. He was strong. Hadn't he told her that she was the only one in heaven or hell who could vanquish him? And she certainly wasn't about to do that.

The coffee machine's racket came to an end and Phoebe stood up, pouring herself a cup of coffee. She added some Irish crème and sugar and walked into the living room, turning on the television.

As usual, nothing was on at five a.m., so Phoebe slipped her favorite movie into the VCR. Watching "Kill It Before It Dies" had become a nightly, or rather morning tradition. Phoebe watched as the movie came on, her eyes glued to the screen. She became lost in thoughts only of Billy, her teenage crush, forgetting all about Cole and the emotional distress he had caused her. Well, almost.

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"Who made coffee?" Prue asked, confused as she entered the kitchen. She was always the first one up, with the exception of Piper on Mondays. "Pipe? What are you doing up so..."

Prue's words were cut short as she ventured into the living room to find a very alert and awake Phoebe sitting on the couch watching the Today Show. Phoebe even seemed very interested as Katie Couric babbled on about some kidnapping somewhere in Connecticut.

"Pheebs?" Prue questioned, catching Phoebe's attention. "What are you doing up so early?"

Phoebe shrugged. All the other nights that she came downstairs for coffee and a movie, she became more relaxed and tired. So she would go back upstairs after her movie and go back to sleep until at least ten in the morning. Considering Phoebe hated getting up early, she could understand Prue's surprise. "Sun woke me up a little after six, and I just couldn't get back to sleep. So I came down here, made coffee, and put the news on. Did you hear about that little girl, Diana Faraway, I believe her name is? She was kidnapped last Tuesday, but her body's just been found."

"I didn't know you were following the case," Prue said, suspiciously.

"Well, not exactly. I've read bits and pieces in the newspaper, and they just explained everything on television," Phoebe announced. "It's rather tragic."

"It always is when someone that young's killed," Prue agreed.

"Morning," Piper called happily, bouncing down the stairs to the parlor.

"Morning," Phoebe and Prue called.

"Okay, who died?" Piper asked Phoebe.

"What?" Phoebe asked. "Oh you mean Diana Faraway?"

Piper looked confused. "Who?"

Prue laughed. "Piper was joking Phoebe. She asked who died, because it's rarely ever that we see you up this early."

"Oh," Phoebe said grinning. "Sorry, I'm just too engrossed in this case, I guess."

Or something else, Prue thought. Something had definitely been on Phoebe's mind lately. She just hadn't the slightest idea what it could be. However, she sensed it had something to do with Cole.

"Is that coffee I smell?" Piper asked, trailing off into the kitchen.

"Phoebe made it," Prue told her. "So, I wouldn't trust it," she teased.

Phoebe however, didn't seem to notice and was once again glued to the television set. Prue stared at her for a while, expecting her to get up and do something or at least tear her eyes from the screen. Phoebe didn't even seem to notice that Prue was hovering over her, something that Phoebe, under normal circumstances, would scream about.

"Pheebs?" Prue asked gently.

"Hmmm?" Phoebe asked, eyes still not flinching from the screen.

"Are you okay?"

Phoebe finally peeled her eyes away and turned around to face Prue. "Yeah, why?"

Prue glared at her knowingly. "Oh, nothing. It's just that you seem to be somewhere else lately. I don't know, like you having something or someone on your mind."

"What are you implying?" Phoebe asked, getting down to the bottom line.

"Nothing," Prue said innocently. "I was just saying."

"Oh, well, nothing's been bothering me," Phoebe said. "If that's what you mean."

"Are you sure?" Prue asked, concerned and convinced that Phoebe was lying to her.

"I'm positive, Prue," Phoebe said, feeling guilty about lying to her sister. But she didn't really have a choice, now did she? Prue and Piper hated Cole and wouldn't understand what she was going through right now. It's better to lie sometimes, when the truth will just cause more pain. And she knew all hell would break loose if she told Prue and Piper what was really on her mind. It was much safer as a secret, she decided.

"Okay, well, I have to run off to work, but call me later if you want to do lunch or something," Prue said. "There's this great new Italian place that just opened around the corner, and Piper might meet me there."

"I think I already have plans, but I'll let you know," Phoebe said.

"Plans?" Prue inquired, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yes, if you must know," Phoebe began, with her normal haughty attitude, "I have a job interview."

"Really?" Prue asked in surprise. "Where at?"

"The Times," Phoebe said, referring to the San Francisco Times.

"What for?" Prue asked, shocked.

"Writing and reporting, actually," Phoebe replied. "I did minor in journalism," Phoebe reminded her. "Besides, I'm already good at investigating and reporting, thanks to all those demons we have to track down, and I like to write."

"Sounds perfect then," Prue concluded. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Phoebe smiled, turning back to the television. The Diana Faraway discussion had ended and Phoebe was no longer interested in watching the Today Show. However, pretending to watch it gave her just the opportunity to think some more about Cole.

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TBC...Sorry it's so short. Cole's point of view is coming next, and you'll get to find out exactly what everyone's favorite demon has been up to over the past few months. By the way, this is a P/C story, obviously, and is set in the third season, because I, for one, am appalled that he was actually killed off the show. Anyway, let me know what you think. Please r/r!