A/N: Sorry it's been a while since the last update.
Shel, you never know what my Muse will decide to do next, so the further adventures of Junior the Purple Sailboat may just show up soon. Although lately she's rediscovered her love of the Rocky Horror Picture Show and it could be scary to have her writing about Junior while singing "I can make you a man!" LOL.
Then again, it may not bode well for Cole and the girls in this story if I can't get her to move onto something else...RHPC meets the Charmed Ones...eeks!
"So, do you really think the Source will give up on trying to turn Paige?" Piper asked as she gave Cole a second helping of enchilada casserole. She smiled at the knowledge that he enjoyed her cooking that much.
"Yes," he managed to say between bites. "Piper, this is the best."
"You always did appreciate my cooking," Piper said, "unlike some others who take it for granted."
"Hey! I appreciate your cooking," Phoebe protested.
"I just wish we could all sit down as a family and have a normal meal once in a while, you know?"
As if on cue Leo orbed in with Paige, who looked like she had been crying. "What happened? Paige, what's the matter?" Cole asked.
"Shane…he woke up and he…he just knows that something bad happened to him, and he said that he doesn't know who or what I am but he thinks we should stay away from each other for a while."
"I'll still be able to keep an eye on him, and the spell should protect him," Leo said before any of them could ask how they were going to ensure that he was safe from the Source.
"It isn't easy to date a mere human when you're part of the supernatural world," Cole commented while motioning towards the empty seats at the table. "Join us and have something to eat. There's no problem that Piper's cooking can't temporarily make better."
"Come on, let me get you a plate," Piper said, taking Paige's hand and gently pulling her over to the table. "Leo, will you be joining us as well?"
"Pass up your cooking, honey? Never," Leo said before giving Piper a kiss.
Paige ate in silence, except for commenting that Piper's dinner was delicious. "I guess I should be getting home," Paige said, but Phoebe stopped her.
"Don't be ridiculous. You can stay here, so we can protect you in case anything happens."
"Phoebe's right. You can stay in…in Prue's room." Piper hadn't expected it to be so hard to say that, and Paige immediately saw the pain in Piper's eyes.
"No, that's okay. I'll just sleep on the couch."
"No, Paige, you are our sister, and you will not sleep on the couch when there is a perfectly good bed upstairs that isn't being used."
"Piper is right, and I'm sure one of my nightgowns will fit you fine," Phoebe told her.
"Well…okay."
After dinner, Cole and Phoebe did the dishes so that Piper could show Paige up to Prue's room and Leo could check on some charges. "So, are things going differently then they did the last time?" Phoebe asked as she handed Cole a plate to dry.
"They certainly are, Phoebe."
"Different better? Or different worse?"
"Better, I think. All that matters to me is that you and I are together."
"Did something happen to…to us?"
"I don't want to talk about that," Cole quickly replied, setting the plate down. It was the last of the dishes to be washed, so he folded the towel and hung it over the oven door to dry.
"Cole, please don't do this. Don't push me away."
"I'm not pushing you away Phoebe, I just…don't ask me to talk about it. It's too painful."
"I hurt you that badly?"
Cole closed his eyes and took a deep breath before answering her. "Yes, Phoebe," he said, feeling the tears start to sting his eyes. "Yes, you did."
"Oh god…Cole, I never want to hurt you."
"I know, but…things change. People change. We changed."
"This time will be different."
"How can you be so sure? You don't know what happened before."
"But I know you. And I know that there is a pain so deep in you that it will never completely go away, but I am going to spend every second loving you and trying to make up for whatever happened to you. I swear, Cole, I never want to hurt you."
"I know Phoebe."
She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest, listening to the beating of his heart. I hurt you? Why would I hurt you? What happened to us? I need to know…
"What do you say we head up to bed? I'm kind of tired after all that's happened."
"Good idea. Come on, I'll tuck you in myself," Phoebe said with a sly grin.
"You understand why I can't tell you about it, don't you?"
"Yes, Cole, I do understand that some things just hurt too much to talk about. But that doesn't mean that I'm not going to smother you with love and affection all the same."
"I love you so much, Phoebe."
"It's going to be okay. I mean, Prue went to the Fates to save you, which is a pretty big vote of confidence."
"You two still washing dishes?" Piper asked as she came into the kitchen.
"Just finished," Cole told her. "Paige?"
"Getting ready for bed. I found one of Prue's nightgowns that fit her, so you don't have to get her one, Phoebe."
"Thanks. We were just about to head up to bed ourselves."
"Goodnight, then. Sleep well." Piper hugged her younger sister and kissed her cheek like she did every night, then surprised Cole by doing the same with him. "Sweet dreams, okay?" she said softly.
"Thank you, Piper. Sweet dreams to you, too."
True to her word, Phoebe had Cole tucked into bed before she changed into her own pajamas and sat on the bed beside him, on top of the covers.
"Phoebe, what are you doing?"
"Taking care of you. Now you just relax and go to sleep, okay? You've been through a lot."
"Why aren't you getting under the covers?"
"I just wanted to sit up for a while and make sure you're okay."
"You're not going to go anywhere are you?"
"I'll be right here." Seeing that Cole wasn't going to relax, she slid under the covers and snuggled up against him. "It's okay, baby. We're all going to be okay."
He wrapped his arms around her and finally felt like he could go to sleep, knowing that Phoebe was there and would be there when he woke up. Just as he was drifting off, though, he whispered in her ear, "Never give up on us, Phoebe."
"Piper, could I talk to you for a minute?" Cole asked after he had seen Leo orb out to check on Shane and another charge. Phoebe was still sleeping and he had managed to slip out of their bed without disturbing her.
"Sure." She frowned briefly but motioned for Cole to follow her into the sunroom. "Is something wrong?"
"Why does something have to be wrong for me to talk to you, Piper?"
"Well, you got out of bed early enough that Phoebe would still be sleeping, but you waited until after Leo was gone to approach me. Unless you want help planning a surprise party for my sister and my husband..."
"Okay, okay, I can see where you might be suspicious. I just wanted to see how you were doing. Being thrust into the role of eldest sister can't be easy."
"No, it's not," she said with a small smile, "but it helps to know that I can lean on you and Leo for help keeping my two little sisters safe."
"Always," he replied, setting a hand on her arm. "But you have to let us help keep you safe, too. You are the heart and soul of this family, Piper. You always were."
"I used to feel sometimes like I was the only grown up in this house, and I wondered if Prue and Phoebe would ever get along, and now it seems like so much time was wasted fighting."
"Are you angry with Prue?"
"No, not anymore. Not since Lachesis said what she did about Prue playing a role in things still. And I do believe what you said before about only Shax and the Source being to blame for her death. Is that why we hurt you in that other reality? Did I blame you for Prue's death?"
"No, at least I...I don't think you did. You blamed Prue, though, and that unexpressed anger made you reckless and vulnerable. I can see that you aren't the same Piper, though. You're going to be okay."
"We're all going to be okay. You want some breakfast?"
"I should get back up there before Phoebe wakes up and wonders where I am."
"Okay. And Cole?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
"For?"
"Just thank you."
He stood there and watched as Piper made her way back into the kitchen, followed by the sound of her preparing breakfast for the family. Piper seems much more at peace this time. Surely that will make things better in the long run.
Cole went back to bed but he knew that he wouldn't be getting back to sleep. Soon the smell of Piper's cooking reached him and Phoebe.
"Mmm...blueberries..." Phoebe mumbled as she woke up smiling.
"I think Piper's fixed breakfast, so what do you say we head down there while the food is still hot?"
"I love how your mind works," she said, turning onto her side and giving him a little kiss. "And I love waking up next to you. I'm so glad that you've stuck around instead of going off to hide. I don't think I could sleep at night if I was by myself."
"You're not alone, baby. No one's going to be alone, okay? Now let's go get breakfast."
"We should let Paige know that breakfast is ready. I'll knock on the door and let her know while you go down and let Piper know that she's about to have a kitchen full of hungry people." Phoebe kissed him again, then slid out from under the sheets, put her slippers on and padded down the hall in her flannel pajamas to get Paige up.
"Phoebe's getting Paige up so she can have breakfast with us," Cole said, yawning.
"Did someone get up a bit too early this morning?" Piper teased.
"I guess so."
"Why don't you go back up to bed and get some sleep? Go on, it'll be a girls-only morning, give us some time to bond with Paige."
"That's probably a good idea. Just don't let me sleep through all three meals today, okay?"
"Wouldn't dream of it. And Cole...thank you again."
"I didn't do anything, Piper."
"You care. And you've been here when we've needed you – when I needed you."
"I'll always be here for all of you. You'd better turn your attention back to breakfast, I think the pancakes are burning."
"What? I...oh no!" Piper rushed over to the stove and flipped the pancakes over, sighing when she saw that one side of them was now a very dark brown. "Oh well, they'll never look on the bottom," she said to herself as she waited for the cakes to finish before stacking them onto a plate.
"Mmm, something smells good. I'll bet it's blueberry pancakes."
"Does she do this every morning?"
"Just about, so plan on eating a lot."
"Maybe I'd better go back to my apartment before I can't get into my own pants."
"Don't be silly, honey, fighting demons keeps you trim. Piper! Did you make pancakes?"
The sound of her sisters' voices reacher her, and Piper smiled. "Some things will never change, will they Prue?" said asked quietly before picking up the plate of pancakes and heading for the kitchen table to feed her hungry siblings.