Messages from Limbo

By Lunara Dragon/Dragonstar

Chapter 1: Letters Among Old Friends

Author's Note: Well I have finally given in and I am writing a Phoebe/Cole story. I love them and so I am doing this story in celebration of Valentine's Day this year. The chapters will be shorter then I am used to writing. But it means I will be able to update this and hopefully finish it by the time the end of February comes. :) I am just going to work on it between writing the last chapter of Guardians and the Chameleon King. As usual I do not own Charmed in anyway or any of it's original characters.

Phoebe walked around her condo getting ready for work in a hurry. Coop was already gone, thankfully. He had taken their two older daughters over to Piper's to play with Chris and Wyatt. Phoebe then walked and picked Pele up out of her playpen. Their oldest daughter was now three, and Pele was five months being their youngest. She was going to take Pele to the daycare at work for the morning, while Phoebe worked a half day catching up on her column. The middle sister of the Charmed ones walked quickly out the door while smiling down at her baby. She had her father's complexion and eyes, but wore Phoebe's nose.

"Let's hope daddy isn't so stressed from work tonight. I really do hate arguing with him so much." She whispered down to the bundle in her arms. The two had been arguing it seemed like every night to Phoebe Halliwell, since the start of January. Coop always blamed it on it being his busy time of year with getting couples together. He never had much time to be at home long enough to talk. But lately Phoebe felt like it was more then just work getting in the way of the two.

----

Halliwell Manor

Piper walked around the kitchen preparing breakfast while Wyatt, Chris, Patricia, and Penelope played with Leo in the sunroom. Wyatt was now six years old and in magic school. She was humming softly when she turned to see a dry erase marker scribbling out her grocery list and she jumped at the sight before relaxing when she realized what was happening. She walked over reading the words that seemed to magically appear on the board. But as the phantom writer finished his message, a look of pain passed through her chocolate eyes.

Piper,

We need to talk.

Phoebe was crying again late last night.

-Cole

The woman in her late thirties glanced at the sun room and forced a smile for Leo. She whispered something under her breath before turning to the stove, turning the burners off, and walking out of the room. Piper then walked up the two flights of stairs to the attic, rummaged through her chest of hidden spells. She wrote a few that she had hidden from Billie and her sisters over the past couple of years and then found the one that she was looking for. The top read "To cross planes"

"Crossing planes from one to the next, let me pass through, going unhexed, In-between planes I ensue. " Piper chanted as her voice rang with the power of the spell. A swirl of lights danced over her body before she felt like she was spinning. When the room stood still again she was standing in front of a man. He stood six feet tall, with deep bluish-green eyes, and dark spiky hair. "Alright Cole. Make it fast you and I both know I can't stay here long." She then said with exasperation.

Cole met her gaze and forced a smile at her comment. He then cleared his throat "Piper I do not like watching Phoebe cry every night. I said I accepted my fate but only if she is happy. This Cupid is a moron."

"Cole I know. But until Pheebs actually talks to me about it. I can't tell her that I know. Why don't you find a way to talk to her if you are that worried?" Piper asked Cole staring up in to his face. Over the past few years Cole had become strong enough to grab physical objects for a small period of time. Cole would leave small noted for her or Leo when her sisters weren't around, or play with the kids. Wyatt's powers had grown so sometimes he could see Cole and had told his mom about it.

Lately however, Cole's notes began to involve Phoebe crying more and more at night lately.

Cole finally answered shaking his head "Oh because that is going to go over well. Piper I am surprised you even answer me. Somehow, I do not think that notes on a piece of paper from her ex-husband will be of any comfort." His temper rose as he felt powerless to help his ex-wife and the only woman he ever loved. Still loves, he corrected himself in the back of his mind.

"I am not so sure. You might be the one person she would actually talk to about this. But be cautious in revealing yourself to her." Piper finally spoke as she felt the tug of the spell wearing off. She awkwardly reached up putting her hand on Cole's shoulder for reassurance before he disappeared from her vision.

"Yeah right. Sure." Cole muttered in response but knew his answer went unheard. His eyes glanced down at Piper's hand that set on his shoulder. He could no longer feel the physical pressure there anymore.

----

The Bay Mirror

Cole now stood in Phoebe's office watching her work. She was shifting between typing up her column on the computer and pulling the chosen letters out for today's section to answer. Her eyes still held that look that he knew all to well lately. It meant that her mind was else where, she was probably thinking about her husband. She leaned back in her seat and stared blankly at the screen.

Cole leaned in and forced his hand through the barriers of planes. He reached over the monitor and opened the drawer that he knew is where his ex-wife kept a small box of tissues. He pulled a piece out and he sensed that her tears were on the brink of coming again. He set it on her desk as her brown eyes stared in amazement at the floating white tissue. She jumped up from her seat and looked around.

Then she glanced at the screen as her column vanished and a new document opened. Words slowly began to appear Please do not cry again. I do not think I can bear it. Just remember that love, even with a cupid, takes a lot of work.

Love always,

Someone watching over you.

Cole forced his eyes back to Phoebe's face as her eyes then looked up from her computer and she took a piece of paper from her pile of Post-It's. She forced herself to calm as she focused now on the energy in her office. She then quickly scribbled a spell and read it quietly as Cole watched in horror.

"Lock the spirit here, allow me to see, the spirit watching over me." Phoebe said quickly and Cole felt his body stopping the ashy blur. Before he could go unseen by his ex-wife her brown eyes were staring in to his and she stood from her desk quickly. He looked around then as the quiet became an overwhelming living being of it's own. Elise then walked in and stared at Phoebe with curiosity.

"Is your column finished? Also is there a reason your ex-husband is here?" She asked with impatience filling her tone and then Cole looked at the short sandy haired woman in surprise. Apparently Phoebe's spell made him visible to more then just her. Phoebe moved back in to motion and pulled her printed column from her printer passing it to her boss.

"He stopped by for a visit." Phoebe lamely answered trying to force her voice to be a normal tone. Cole smiled at Elise who just looked between the two before taking the paper from Phoebe and walking out leaving them alone again.

"Well this is unexpected." Cole muttered as he continued to stare at Phoebe forcing a smile. The woman however did not share his smile and glared in confusion to his comment.

To Be Continued-