"Do you even like her?" Cole asked. As he and Prue watched Paige leave the room with Phoebe.
"Who?" Prue asked back.
"Paige, I see how you seem to fixate on her when she is in the room, and I can't tell if it's because you hate her or like her" Cole replied.
"It's not that simple" Prue responded.
"Alright, simplify it" Cole said back.
"It would take too long" Prue stalled.
"Yes and we have so much that needs to get done today, come on Prue stop stalling and explain" Cole snapped good naturedly at her.
"Well it's just that I don't know how I feel about her. I mean part of me wants to hate her for being there with my sisters, taking my place doing what I should be doing; seeing her getting to do all I can't. Seeing them love her and make her a part of their lives, letting her have my room, and even some of my powers. But at the same time I know that's not fair. I mean it's not her fault, she did not kill me and I know she certainly doesn't want to replace me; she's terrified of having too. Or of being held up against me. And I know she saved my sisters and I should be grateful, but it's hard, you know?" Prue said.
"Ya, I know. I kinda feel the same. I mean I see Phoebe with these others guys and I really do want her to be happy, to move on and find the family she wants so much. But at the same time I hate them for being there when I'm not, for taking my place and such" Cole said sadly.
"Exactly" Prue said and they shared a look of such profound sadness and both looked away quickly.
"Not to mention its just torture having to watch it all, her falling in love and having her heart broken. Although, it may be worse once she gets a guy that doesn't break her heart and she stays with him." Cole told her.
"You don't have to watch her" Prue responded.
"Ya, because I have so many other friends to watch over" Cole muttered sarcastically.
Prue looked embarrassed and said "Opps, ya I guess your right. But you seem to have some kind of relationship going on with Piper, although I can't seem to figure out the exact nature of that relationship."
At this Cole laughed and told her "Ya, Piper and I have struck up an unlikely friendship ever since I saved her when she was here in limbo. It's odd, I don't know, I'm like her private diary and invisible friend all rolled in to one. And she's gotten amazingly good at knowing when I'm around. And I just kinda find myself answering and responding to what she says even though she can't actually hear me, it's like she can feel at least my concern and caring or something. I don't actually know what sustains our little friendship."
Prue looked intrigued and finally said softly "Faith."
Cole looked surprised and said "ya, I guess that would be the closest thing."
They shared another smile and Prue said "Well I'm glad you're there for her, she seems to need someone right now."
"Ya, she is going through a rough patch right now with Leo and everyone" Cole said with a sigh.
"Well at least she knows she has someone to talk to" Prue said with a grateful smile.
"Always, I do what I can to help them" Cole told her quietly.
"I know" Prue replied.
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"Cole, I really don't know about this whole fake identity thing, it's just so strange. I feel like I'm lying to everyone. It's just so fake and I hate how hard it is to not slip up and all the awkward moments when we do. And I absolutely hate hate hate everyone telling me how I'm doing the best I can, with my sons, telling me that I can't expect to be as good as a real mother. I want to kill them and yell at them that I'm doing the same things I was doing before when they knew I was his real mother and they did not mind then. It kills me Cole; to have them thinking that suddenly my care of my children is less." Piper said quietly to the air. She looked ready to cry, and she paced back and forth clearly upset.
Finally she sat down and looked ready to crack and said "I just wish I could be me again, be Piper. Or at least have people see me again. But at this point I don't even know if we will ever be able to get our identities back, and that kills me. I want to call my sons my sons again"
Piper got up and glared at the ceiling and yelled "Why, why can't we be allowed some normalcy in our lives, why does the universe have to throw these things at us again and again!"
And then she fell on her bed sobbing her heart out.
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Cole and Prue stood there in silence. Neither one knowing what to say and both feeling helpless to help Piper through her pain. They stood silently together watching as Piper completely broke down.
Finally Prue said softly "This happen often?"
Cole sighed and said equally softly "Often enough, the stress and pain of it all seems to be getting to her a lot. And since Phoebe, Paige and Leo are all going through it too right now, she doesn't seem to have anyone to turn to, which just seems to add to it."
Prue sighed and turned away, but not before Cole saw the single tear that drifted down her face. He bit his lip unsure of what to say. With Piper he could excuse his inability to comfort her as due to that he couldn't talk to her, but with Prue he had no excuse like that but still felt helpless to help.
Finally Cole said "Are you alright?"
Prue looked up in astonishment, her face wet with tears. She finally chocked out "Alright? Of course not, my sisters in pain and I can't be there to help!"
He sighed and reached out a hand to place on her shoulder, hoping it might in some way comfort her. She looked surprised but quickly seemed to fall apart as well and fell on his shoulder crying softly.
Cole stood rigidly patting her back awkwardly. He had never been good at making people feel better. With Phoebe he always just kissed away the tears, but obviously he couldn't, and didn't want to, do that here. So he stood watching the two women he considered sisters as they sobbed and decided that feeling helpless was one of the worst feelings in the world.