Love Connections
Chapter 7
"If you're going to kill me, you might as well do it now…"
Nicholas watched his brother curiously, wondering where the bravado was coming from.
"You didn't use to be so eager to die…"
"Frankly, just looking at you is enough to make me sick."
"And there I was hoping for some kind of family reunion. Oh well, I guess that there's still some bad blood between us. One would think that 140 years would be enough to forgive and forget…"
"You made your choice, and you have to live with it…"
"Wouldn't it be more exact to say that you chose for me?"
Matthew wasn't in the mood for this discussion. He was still thinking about Paige and he hoped to god that Nicholas didn't know about her… "He couldn't know about her really," he tried to reassure himself. "We didn't even know until recently."
"Why are you here?" He asked aloud.
"Actually brother, I need you…"
Before Matthew could understand what was happening, his brother threw some kind of powder in his face and everything went dark.
Coleridge greeted his son and Leo, even though he was a little surprise to see them.
"Hey, what brings you here?"
"I think the darklighter's back," Leo simply answered.
"The one that…"
"That's it… Or at least, Leo assumes that's him. He's got no actual proof of it…"
Leo turned to Cole with a frown.
"I thought that you could understand better than anyone else that sometimes you have to trust your instincts."
Cole sighed.
Coleridge on the other hand, was really interested by this news.
"What makes you think he's back?"
Leo turned to him.
"I can't really be sure, but I'm convinced that this is connected…"
"What?"
"Tonight I woke up with the definite sensation that a darklighter was lurking around the house. It was fleeting, as if he stayed only a moment. At first, I simply dismissed it, but I can't shake the feeling that we're in for some trouble…"
"I'm afraid that you might be right about this…"
Cole seemed suddenly more interested as his father described the troubling events of the evening.
"Ok, now I must admit that it's slightly more than a coincidence… You say that they don't usually give chase like this?"
"No, not usually. It's true that some of them hate us more than others, but even then they don't go out of their way to track us…" Then he added pensively:
"Of course, there are exceptions to every rule…"
"What did the Elders think of this?"
"Actually, their advice was to simply stay out of range for a while…"
"A sound advice to me…" Cole interjected.
"However, they weren't aware of Leo's news…"
"The two situations are completely different. The darklighter Leo felt went away immediately and he didn't come back," Cole added, turning questioningly toward Leo.
"It's true that I haven't felt him afterward, but I might've an explanation for that."
"Which is?"
"You!"
Cole frowned.
"You think that he's staying away because of me? How could I have been a threat to him? I didn't even know he was there…"
His voice trailed off as he remembered the chill he had experienced earlier.
"What?" Coleridge questioned, noticing his son's hesitation.
"It's nothing, I was just wondering…"
"For whatever reason, he gave up at that time. But if he pursued Coleridge, I think he will again if we give him the chance…"
Cole turned to him suspiciously.
"Then the solution would be to stay away, like the Elders recommended…"
"On the contrary, I don't wanna have to watch my back all the time, and I'm sure that neither does your father."
Coleridge nodded his approval and Cole guessed what came next.
"You're thinking of setting a trap, aren't you? Well stop now; it's way too risky…"
"We wouldn't be going into this eyes closed… And besides, you'd be there to watch our backs…"
"Maybe, but as you said, if he can feel me, it's not likely he'll show up…"
Leo insisted:
"Isn't it possible for you to observe from a different reality?"
"I guess so…" Cole replied hesitantly.
"Well that's a plan then, let's go…"
Cole stared at his father in surprise.
"Hey, one of you is more than enough as bait."
"Maybe, but if he has more than one target to worry about, you may have a better chance to get to him before he takes us out…"
"No pressure here…" Cole replied sarcastically.
"One more thing…"
"Why do I have the feeling I won't like that one either?"
"I think," Leo continued, ignoring the sarcasm, "that we should try questioning him, not vanquishing…"
Cole replied mockingly.
"That should be fun…"
Leo looked at him with irritation, but didn't comment.
"We might as well start now," he said instead.
He then orbed without wait, and the other two followed his lead…
Nicholas was leaning toward his unconscious brother, talking in a in low but steady voice to his brother, the sound of it almost hypnotic.
"You will go to Paige and bring her back here, to me. It's time…" This, he repeated many times, until he was convinced that the suggestive state he had induced was working.
After a moment, Nicholas stepped away from Matthew and thought to himself:
"I waited long enough, Paige. It's time we got reacquainted…"
Back at the house, the girls were settling down for the story, although Paige still had a few questions.
"Hey, they were twins? How do you know which one is which?"
"Well, I'm not really sure, but I think I got them apart. The name Nicholas came to me in the dream as well, although I have no idea if it was his name then or if he exists right now as a Nicholas somewhere…"
"The Matthew that you describe is very much like the one that I know, so it must mean that you're right… Come on, you've got to continue. I really wanna know what happened…"
"I have to warn you, it's not all wonderful…"
"It's ok, it's in the past. I'm sure that it won't have anything to do with the present. How could it?"
Phoebe just smiled and continued the story:
***************
'Paige got up and went toward the mansion without adding another word while Piper watched her, worrying about her and what was to come…
Cole had followed the slave inside, and only then did he notice that his law clerks had come in as well. He turned toward them at this point:
"I really don't think that we should all be talking to him. I'll do this alone. Just wait for me outside if you please…"
The twins didn't protest and simply turned back toward the front door, happy to have some free time, which they both intended to spend with Paige.
They saw her coming in then, and Nicholas pushed his brother aside in order to reach her first. Matthew stopped and gave a very annoyed look at his brother. Sometimes he wondered how this would end… And no matter what, he couldn't help thinking that it was not going to be pretty…
Paige smiled happily at Nicholas' enthusiasm. Nevertheless, even as he was taking her hand and kissing it, she turned and smiled at his brother just as happily.
Nicholas tried his best to dissimulate his resentment, but he was convinced that she must have seen the jealousy that he couldn't help showing. He didn't like the idea that he and his brother were at odds because of her, but no matter how much he tried to resist it, he was so attracted to her that no reasoning would help. He was also aware that his brother had very similar feelings…
The two men each took one of her arms and had to refrain from actually trying to pull her to themselves. Paige couldn't help being amused by this display of rivalry. Forgotten altogether was her sister's warning, as she set out to have a good time with the both of them.
Cole had spent the best part of an hour trying, yet again, to convince Victor Leighton of selling his plantations, with just as little success as before.
He was walking down the hallway, very annoyed indeed, when he caught sight of Phoebe in the library. From then on, he forgot all about the stubborn master of the house, and only had eyes for her. She was unaware of his presence and reading quietly. He saw her look at the window a few times in response to the battle sounds. He wanted so much to go to her, but he knew that it would only bring one more confrontation. A few weeks earlier, when he had arrived, she had seemed very friendly. He had sensed that something passed between them, something special. Yet, after learning of his purpose, her attitude had changed drastically. She was a world of contradictions, like only the young can be, he thought… On the one hand, she resented him for what he was doing. She thought that no one from the north should live here, and that indeed they would somehow soil the tradition of her ancestors. On the other hand, she was an ardent defender of the slaves' right to freedom. What's more, he was convinced that if her situation had been different, she probably wouldn't even be living in this house. She had been staying on this plantation for a year, and only after her mother was killed in one of the numerous battles already fought over this debate. Their home had been destroyed in the same battle, and her father had left her to join the army, even though he didn't have to. His wife's death and the loss of his home had left him bitter and sad. Unfortunately, he had fallen during his first encounter with the enemy, and Phoebe found herself completely alone afterward. Her cousins had given her shelter and love, and only now was she beginning to get over her grief. However, no matter how grateful she was for their help, she still argued frequently with Piper and her father over their use of slaves for the plantation. Cole had been present to one of those animated discussions, and wondered why they had not sent her away by now… Still, he had admired the fire in her. "Maybe," he thought again to himself, "this is what I find so darn attractive about her? Who knows?" He smiled derisively to himself as he realized that no matter what the reason was, he still was falling hard for her. She had occupied his every thought from the moment he saw her, and now he was trying to find a way to change her mind about him.
One more explosion had Phoebe looking up from the book, and in that instant, she seemed so afraid that Cole wanted nothing else but run to her and tell her he would always protect her. He had to fight this urge, knowing full well that she wasn't ready to accept him. She suddenly looked his way and he knew then that his contemplation was over.
"How long have you been here?" She asked with undisguised anger.
"Long enough to see how worried you are…"
Phoebe got up.
"This is none of your business and besides, I thought I told you not to come back here again…"
"Hardly enough Phoebe, you're not the only reason for my presence here, as you well know."
"All the more reason, as my uncle is just as tired of your insistence as I am…"
Cole smiled and it stirred something inside Phoebe in spite of her resolve.
"I'm not giving up on you Phoebe…"
"Don't Phoebe me," she said a little too loud. "It's Miss Leighton to you, mister."
"If you insist," Cole replied, still smiling in the same charming manner.
Phoebe felt in that instant that she had to get out of the room before she lost it. She tried to go past him, but he put a light hand on her arm. It was enough for her knees to buckle and she just looked away from him, stopping nevertheless.
"But," he continued then, "you'll change your mind about me."
She tried to keep her voice steady as she answered, still looking away.
"Not a chance sir. Please stay away from me."
"I am not keeping you here," he said, but his hand was still on her arm and she begged to differ. She could feel his stare on her and it paralyzed her. She then did the only thing that she could think of. One of the bookshelves was unsteady, and a single push of her mind had it fall with a deafening noise. This sufficed to distract him long enough that he let go of her and she ran out of the room. Cole jumped at the loud noise, wondering if the war wasn't at their doors all of a sudden, only to realize what had really happened. Then, when he turned and saw that she had left, he looked many times from the door to the fallen bookshelf in puzzlement…
Meanwhile, Phoebe didn't go very far before bumping in her long time friend Clay…
"Hey," he said, "where are you running to? I thought we were supposed to meet in the library?"
Phoebe looked up, still out of breath, and he thought that she looked afraid… Or was it something else?
"Let's go," she said, suddenly taking his arm and pulling him toward the front door.
"Where," Clay asked, a little confused.
"I just need some air, come on," Phoebe said decisively. He opted to wait until she stopped before asking what the matter was, and simply followed her…
Phoebe couldn't help looking back and wondering if the lawyer would follow, but he didn't. She got angry with herself when she realized that it disappointed her…
Nicholas and Matthew were trying to get Paige's full attention, talking fast and cutting each other off. In spite of the pleasure that their enthusiasm gave her, she was starting to get tired of the incessant chatter. They were close to the river now, and she simply pulled her arms out of their grasps and walked toward it. She had time to sit on her favorite flat rock before they came back from their surprise and turned to follow her. This had at least the effect of quieting them down for a moment, for which she was grateful. She reinforced this by saying.
"Look how peaceful this place is. It's my favorite spot to come and just admire the view…"
The two men must have understood what she wanted for they simply sat beside her. She could still feel the tense atmosphere, but at least now they were keeping silent. It lasted only a few minutes however, and Nicholas suddenly turned to her with a suggestion:
"Hey, I've seen some berries not far from here. Would you like me to pick some for you?"
Paige smiled.
"Why not? We'll be waiting…"
She was surprised that he would leave her alone with Matthew, but he must have known his brother better than she for as soon as Nicholas left, this one offered to pick some flowers for her. She presumed that he simply didn't want to be outdone by his brother as he went on his way.
The real motivation for Nicholas' suggestion became very clear only a minute later when he came back empty handed.
She smiled inwardly; utterly amused by his scheming, even as she watched him curiously, pretending not to understand how he could be back so soon.
"I'm sorry," Nicholas said then, "I was mistaken. There were no berries there…"
He probably knew that he had not fooled her, but the result had been the same. Now he had her all to himself, if only for a little while.
At first, he said nothing, just respecting her contemplation. Then he decided to take advantage of this rare occasion:
"I'm so glad that we got this time to talk. There is so much I want to say to you…"
Paige gazed at him uncertainly now that things might become serious.
"I hope that you know how I feel about you?" Nicholas asked, almost pleadingly.
"I think I know," she replied, trying not to encourage him too much. She still wasn't certain which one she liked best.
However, Nicholas didn't need all that much encouragement and those simple words were enough to convince him she was ready for him.
He leaned closer to her, and her heart raced. She wasn't certain if it was because of anticipation or fear however.
"I am falling in love with you, Paige. Desperately… I need you…"
Paige simply stared at him as he came closer. She swallowed hard, now certain that the feeling inside was more one of fear. For some reason, until that moment she had known that he was dangerous, but she never quite realized that he could be a danger to her. She uttered, in a little pleading voice.
"Please…"
He must have mistaken her plea for an invitation, because he took her in his arms right then, and kissed her hard. Paige had never been kissed in that manner. She had always thought that her first kiss would be sweet and full of love. However, all she felt at this moment was an intense desire to get away. She tried to push him but he was too strong and he tightened his hold on her, forcing her lips opened.
She struggled in his arms and it only seemed to encourage him as, still holding her tight with one arm, his other hand started toward her breasts. She wanted to scream then, but could only moan as he was still kissing her intently. She prayed silently that his brother be on his way back…
Phoebe finally stopped near the stables, still breathing too fast. She felt stupid to have risked exposure simply to escape her own weakness.
Clay was staring at her curiously, and she knew that he would want an explanation. He knew her too well to just accept the meager excuse she had given to him…
He waited a moment longer, wondering if she would speak on her own, but when she said nothing after a while he questioned her.
"You can't tell me that we have come all this way just because you wanted some air? I can see that something's troubling you…"
Phoebe shrugged impatiently. She didn't want to talk about Cole. At the moment, she was trying very hard not to think about the lawyer altogether but it was no use.
Clay insisted.
"Come on Phoebe, you know that you can tell me anything. We've known each other long enough…"
Phoebe smiled weakly at her long time friend, but still said nothing. Instead she started walking toward the paddock, stopping only at the fence where she leaned over and seemed to be observing the horses intently.
Clay was now convinced that something was terribly wrong, and he also guessed at what it might be with a little pinch of jealousy.
For a long time now, he had wanted to be much more than a friend to her. Until a few weeks ago, he had dared hoping that she felt the same. However, ever since the lawyer had arrived, she had changed. Clay knew that no matter how much Phoebe denied it, Cole had had a big effect on her.
Clay went to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders affectionately. She seemed startled for a short instant, and then she settled down.
"Is it him," Clay asked hesitantly.
Phoebe couldn't look at him.
"It's nothing, don't worry."
"I can see how he troubles you…"
Phoebe suddenly turned to him and the fire was back in her eyes.
"I don't want anything to do with that man. He's everything I despise. He acts only for his own betterment, and doesn't care about anything else. He even told us that, unlike others from the north, he thought that slavery was necessary to maintain prosperity. The nerve of him…" Her rightful anger didn't fool Clay however.
He could see that her protests were more to convince herself than him. Still, he couldn't bring himself to tell her that. He had hopes that she would forget about the lawyer and come back to him. And of course, the more she disapproved of Cole, the more chances he had that this would happen. He would be patient, Clay told himself. He had waited a long time already, but she was worth it.
************************
"Who is this Clay?" Cole asked with a hint of suspicion.
Phoebe turned to him in surprise, as she hadn't noticed they had returned. His father was now with them.
She smiled teasingly.
"Nobody important… So did you find out anything," she asked of all of them.
Cole answered for them, still looking curiously at his wife.
"Nothing for the moment, but we're going to try something. Meanwhile, we just wanted to make sure that everything was fine here."
"We are just fine. What are you gonna try?" She asked while getting up and going to her husband.
"Just to see if my suspicions are correct, that's all. Nothing to worry about…"
Piper didn't like his vague explanation.
"Why can't you tell me what you intend to do?"
"We're just gonna investigate, nothing more. We only came to make sure that nothing had happened during our absence," he said looking toward Cole intently…
"Yes," this one continued, "that's all…"
Phoebe went to him with a skeptical expression.
"Hum, somehow I've got the feeling there's something you're not telling us…"
"We've got nothing to hide," Cole replied with a little smile. Then he asked again, in a lower voice:
"Who's Clay? You haven't answered my question…"
Phoebe teased him.
"I'll tell you after you told me what you're hiding…"
"I'm not hiding anything…"
Then he simply kissed her lightly, seemingly in a hurry all of a sudden:
"Ok we better go now; we'll be back soon," he assured Phoebe. Then he turned to Leo, who simply nodded his approval and kissed Piper as well before orbing, soon followed by the others…
Phoebe turned to her sister in puzzlement.
"What was that about?"
Piper shrugged.
"I have no idea but I don't like it. Do you think they might be thinking of doing something stupid?"
Phoebe frowned, lost in thoughts.
"Oh well," she finally said, "I suppose that we should trust them."
"I suppose…" Piper answered hesitantly.
Phoebe shook herself and went back to the couch.
"So do you wanna know the rest?" She asked, as if nothing had happened.
"Are you sure you feel like continuing?"
"Why not, better this than worrying, most probably for nothing."
"I guess you're right." Then she smiled.
"And I really wanna know what happens next…"
Paige added:
"So do I."
"Well then…"
Matthew woke up with a start. It was still dark outside and he felt really disoriented. He didn't remember going to sleep. He looked around in puzzlement and then a thought struck him. He didn't know why but right now, all he wanted was to get Paige back here. He tried to fight this urge as it went against his resolve for prudence, but the urge only grew. After a while, he couldn't resist it anymore. He took the keys to the rental and went out of the apartment. He could've orbed there, but he was not ready to tell Paige about himself. He felt terrible about all the lies, but he knew that it was better this way.
The Elders were a little upset at Coleridge' sudden departure. He had gone against their advice and they were worried about him and the others. What's more, another whitelighter had failed to report for many hours now. Matthew had been sent down at first as a backup to Coleridge after Leo had been demoted. However, even after Leo had gotten his powers back, Matthew had insisted on keeping an eye on them. The Elders had thought this a good idea, considering the danger that could befall the Charmed Ones at anytime. But now, they were worried, mostly because they wondered if he had not become the victim of the same strange acting darklighter which had pursued Coleridge…
Chapter 7
"If you're going to kill me, you might as well do it now…"
Nicholas watched his brother curiously, wondering where the bravado was coming from.
"You didn't use to be so eager to die…"
"Frankly, just looking at you is enough to make me sick."
"And there I was hoping for some kind of family reunion. Oh well, I guess that there's still some bad blood between us. One would think that 140 years would be enough to forgive and forget…"
"You made your choice, and you have to live with it…"
"Wouldn't it be more exact to say that you chose for me?"
Matthew wasn't in the mood for this discussion. He was still thinking about Paige and he hoped to god that Nicholas didn't know about her… "He couldn't know about her really," he tried to reassure himself. "We didn't even know until recently."
"Why are you here?" He asked aloud.
"Actually brother, I need you…"
Before Matthew could understand what was happening, his brother threw some kind of powder in his face and everything went dark.
Coleridge greeted his son and Leo, even though he was a little surprise to see them.
"Hey, what brings you here?"
"I think the darklighter's back," Leo simply answered.
"The one that…"
"That's it… Or at least, Leo assumes that's him. He's got no actual proof of it…"
Leo turned to Cole with a frown.
"I thought that you could understand better than anyone else that sometimes you have to trust your instincts."
Cole sighed.
Coleridge on the other hand, was really interested by this news.
"What makes you think he's back?"
Leo turned to him.
"I can't really be sure, but I'm convinced that this is connected…"
"What?"
"Tonight I woke up with the definite sensation that a darklighter was lurking around the house. It was fleeting, as if he stayed only a moment. At first, I simply dismissed it, but I can't shake the feeling that we're in for some trouble…"
"I'm afraid that you might be right about this…"
Cole seemed suddenly more interested as his father described the troubling events of the evening.
"Ok, now I must admit that it's slightly more than a coincidence… You say that they don't usually give chase like this?"
"No, not usually. It's true that some of them hate us more than others, but even then they don't go out of their way to track us…" Then he added pensively:
"Of course, there are exceptions to every rule…"
"What did the Elders think of this?"
"Actually, their advice was to simply stay out of range for a while…"
"A sound advice to me…" Cole interjected.
"However, they weren't aware of Leo's news…"
"The two situations are completely different. The darklighter Leo felt went away immediately and he didn't come back," Cole added, turning questioningly toward Leo.
"It's true that I haven't felt him afterward, but I might've an explanation for that."
"Which is?"
"You!"
Cole frowned.
"You think that he's staying away because of me? How could I have been a threat to him? I didn't even know he was there…"
His voice trailed off as he remembered the chill he had experienced earlier.
"What?" Coleridge questioned, noticing his son's hesitation.
"It's nothing, I was just wondering…"
"For whatever reason, he gave up at that time. But if he pursued Coleridge, I think he will again if we give him the chance…"
Cole turned to him suspiciously.
"Then the solution would be to stay away, like the Elders recommended…"
"On the contrary, I don't wanna have to watch my back all the time, and I'm sure that neither does your father."
Coleridge nodded his approval and Cole guessed what came next.
"You're thinking of setting a trap, aren't you? Well stop now; it's way too risky…"
"We wouldn't be going into this eyes closed… And besides, you'd be there to watch our backs…"
"Maybe, but as you said, if he can feel me, it's not likely he'll show up…"
Leo insisted:
"Isn't it possible for you to observe from a different reality?"
"I guess so…" Cole replied hesitantly.
"Well that's a plan then, let's go…"
Cole stared at his father in surprise.
"Hey, one of you is more than enough as bait."
"Maybe, but if he has more than one target to worry about, you may have a better chance to get to him before he takes us out…"
"No pressure here…" Cole replied sarcastically.
"One more thing…"
"Why do I have the feeling I won't like that one either?"
"I think," Leo continued, ignoring the sarcasm, "that we should try questioning him, not vanquishing…"
Cole replied mockingly.
"That should be fun…"
Leo looked at him with irritation, but didn't comment.
"We might as well start now," he said instead.
He then orbed without wait, and the other two followed his lead…
Nicholas was leaning toward his unconscious brother, talking in a in low but steady voice to his brother, the sound of it almost hypnotic.
"You will go to Paige and bring her back here, to me. It's time…" This, he repeated many times, until he was convinced that the suggestive state he had induced was working.
After a moment, Nicholas stepped away from Matthew and thought to himself:
"I waited long enough, Paige. It's time we got reacquainted…"
Back at the house, the girls were settling down for the story, although Paige still had a few questions.
"Hey, they were twins? How do you know which one is which?"
"Well, I'm not really sure, but I think I got them apart. The name Nicholas came to me in the dream as well, although I have no idea if it was his name then or if he exists right now as a Nicholas somewhere…"
"The Matthew that you describe is very much like the one that I know, so it must mean that you're right… Come on, you've got to continue. I really wanna know what happened…"
"I have to warn you, it's not all wonderful…"
"It's ok, it's in the past. I'm sure that it won't have anything to do with the present. How could it?"
Phoebe just smiled and continued the story:
***************
'Paige got up and went toward the mansion without adding another word while Piper watched her, worrying about her and what was to come…
Cole had followed the slave inside, and only then did he notice that his law clerks had come in as well. He turned toward them at this point:
"I really don't think that we should all be talking to him. I'll do this alone. Just wait for me outside if you please…"
The twins didn't protest and simply turned back toward the front door, happy to have some free time, which they both intended to spend with Paige.
They saw her coming in then, and Nicholas pushed his brother aside in order to reach her first. Matthew stopped and gave a very annoyed look at his brother. Sometimes he wondered how this would end… And no matter what, he couldn't help thinking that it was not going to be pretty…
Paige smiled happily at Nicholas' enthusiasm. Nevertheless, even as he was taking her hand and kissing it, she turned and smiled at his brother just as happily.
Nicholas tried his best to dissimulate his resentment, but he was convinced that she must have seen the jealousy that he couldn't help showing. He didn't like the idea that he and his brother were at odds because of her, but no matter how much he tried to resist it, he was so attracted to her that no reasoning would help. He was also aware that his brother had very similar feelings…
The two men each took one of her arms and had to refrain from actually trying to pull her to themselves. Paige couldn't help being amused by this display of rivalry. Forgotten altogether was her sister's warning, as she set out to have a good time with the both of them.
Cole had spent the best part of an hour trying, yet again, to convince Victor Leighton of selling his plantations, with just as little success as before.
He was walking down the hallway, very annoyed indeed, when he caught sight of Phoebe in the library. From then on, he forgot all about the stubborn master of the house, and only had eyes for her. She was unaware of his presence and reading quietly. He saw her look at the window a few times in response to the battle sounds. He wanted so much to go to her, but he knew that it would only bring one more confrontation. A few weeks earlier, when he had arrived, she had seemed very friendly. He had sensed that something passed between them, something special. Yet, after learning of his purpose, her attitude had changed drastically. She was a world of contradictions, like only the young can be, he thought… On the one hand, she resented him for what he was doing. She thought that no one from the north should live here, and that indeed they would somehow soil the tradition of her ancestors. On the other hand, she was an ardent defender of the slaves' right to freedom. What's more, he was convinced that if her situation had been different, she probably wouldn't even be living in this house. She had been staying on this plantation for a year, and only after her mother was killed in one of the numerous battles already fought over this debate. Their home had been destroyed in the same battle, and her father had left her to join the army, even though he didn't have to. His wife's death and the loss of his home had left him bitter and sad. Unfortunately, he had fallen during his first encounter with the enemy, and Phoebe found herself completely alone afterward. Her cousins had given her shelter and love, and only now was she beginning to get over her grief. However, no matter how grateful she was for their help, she still argued frequently with Piper and her father over their use of slaves for the plantation. Cole had been present to one of those animated discussions, and wondered why they had not sent her away by now… Still, he had admired the fire in her. "Maybe," he thought again to himself, "this is what I find so darn attractive about her? Who knows?" He smiled derisively to himself as he realized that no matter what the reason was, he still was falling hard for her. She had occupied his every thought from the moment he saw her, and now he was trying to find a way to change her mind about him.
One more explosion had Phoebe looking up from the book, and in that instant, she seemed so afraid that Cole wanted nothing else but run to her and tell her he would always protect her. He had to fight this urge, knowing full well that she wasn't ready to accept him. She suddenly looked his way and he knew then that his contemplation was over.
"How long have you been here?" She asked with undisguised anger.
"Long enough to see how worried you are…"
Phoebe got up.
"This is none of your business and besides, I thought I told you not to come back here again…"
"Hardly enough Phoebe, you're not the only reason for my presence here, as you well know."
"All the more reason, as my uncle is just as tired of your insistence as I am…"
Cole smiled and it stirred something inside Phoebe in spite of her resolve.
"I'm not giving up on you Phoebe…"
"Don't Phoebe me," she said a little too loud. "It's Miss Leighton to you, mister."
"If you insist," Cole replied, still smiling in the same charming manner.
Phoebe felt in that instant that she had to get out of the room before she lost it. She tried to go past him, but he put a light hand on her arm. It was enough for her knees to buckle and she just looked away from him, stopping nevertheless.
"But," he continued then, "you'll change your mind about me."
She tried to keep her voice steady as she answered, still looking away.
"Not a chance sir. Please stay away from me."
"I am not keeping you here," he said, but his hand was still on her arm and she begged to differ. She could feel his stare on her and it paralyzed her. She then did the only thing that she could think of. One of the bookshelves was unsteady, and a single push of her mind had it fall with a deafening noise. This sufficed to distract him long enough that he let go of her and she ran out of the room. Cole jumped at the loud noise, wondering if the war wasn't at their doors all of a sudden, only to realize what had really happened. Then, when he turned and saw that she had left, he looked many times from the door to the fallen bookshelf in puzzlement…
Meanwhile, Phoebe didn't go very far before bumping in her long time friend Clay…
"Hey," he said, "where are you running to? I thought we were supposed to meet in the library?"
Phoebe looked up, still out of breath, and he thought that she looked afraid… Or was it something else?
"Let's go," she said, suddenly taking his arm and pulling him toward the front door.
"Where," Clay asked, a little confused.
"I just need some air, come on," Phoebe said decisively. He opted to wait until she stopped before asking what the matter was, and simply followed her…
Phoebe couldn't help looking back and wondering if the lawyer would follow, but he didn't. She got angry with herself when she realized that it disappointed her…
Nicholas and Matthew were trying to get Paige's full attention, talking fast and cutting each other off. In spite of the pleasure that their enthusiasm gave her, she was starting to get tired of the incessant chatter. They were close to the river now, and she simply pulled her arms out of their grasps and walked toward it. She had time to sit on her favorite flat rock before they came back from their surprise and turned to follow her. This had at least the effect of quieting them down for a moment, for which she was grateful. She reinforced this by saying.
"Look how peaceful this place is. It's my favorite spot to come and just admire the view…"
The two men must have understood what she wanted for they simply sat beside her. She could still feel the tense atmosphere, but at least now they were keeping silent. It lasted only a few minutes however, and Nicholas suddenly turned to her with a suggestion:
"Hey, I've seen some berries not far from here. Would you like me to pick some for you?"
Paige smiled.
"Why not? We'll be waiting…"
She was surprised that he would leave her alone with Matthew, but he must have known his brother better than she for as soon as Nicholas left, this one offered to pick some flowers for her. She presumed that he simply didn't want to be outdone by his brother as he went on his way.
The real motivation for Nicholas' suggestion became very clear only a minute later when he came back empty handed.
She smiled inwardly; utterly amused by his scheming, even as she watched him curiously, pretending not to understand how he could be back so soon.
"I'm sorry," Nicholas said then, "I was mistaken. There were no berries there…"
He probably knew that he had not fooled her, but the result had been the same. Now he had her all to himself, if only for a little while.
At first, he said nothing, just respecting her contemplation. Then he decided to take advantage of this rare occasion:
"I'm so glad that we got this time to talk. There is so much I want to say to you…"
Paige gazed at him uncertainly now that things might become serious.
"I hope that you know how I feel about you?" Nicholas asked, almost pleadingly.
"I think I know," she replied, trying not to encourage him too much. She still wasn't certain which one she liked best.
However, Nicholas didn't need all that much encouragement and those simple words were enough to convince him she was ready for him.
He leaned closer to her, and her heart raced. She wasn't certain if it was because of anticipation or fear however.
"I am falling in love with you, Paige. Desperately… I need you…"
Paige simply stared at him as he came closer. She swallowed hard, now certain that the feeling inside was more one of fear. For some reason, until that moment she had known that he was dangerous, but she never quite realized that he could be a danger to her. She uttered, in a little pleading voice.
"Please…"
He must have mistaken her plea for an invitation, because he took her in his arms right then, and kissed her hard. Paige had never been kissed in that manner. She had always thought that her first kiss would be sweet and full of love. However, all she felt at this moment was an intense desire to get away. She tried to push him but he was too strong and he tightened his hold on her, forcing her lips opened.
She struggled in his arms and it only seemed to encourage him as, still holding her tight with one arm, his other hand started toward her breasts. She wanted to scream then, but could only moan as he was still kissing her intently. She prayed silently that his brother be on his way back…
Phoebe finally stopped near the stables, still breathing too fast. She felt stupid to have risked exposure simply to escape her own weakness.
Clay was staring at her curiously, and she knew that he would want an explanation. He knew her too well to just accept the meager excuse she had given to him…
He waited a moment longer, wondering if she would speak on her own, but when she said nothing after a while he questioned her.
"You can't tell me that we have come all this way just because you wanted some air? I can see that something's troubling you…"
Phoebe shrugged impatiently. She didn't want to talk about Cole. At the moment, she was trying very hard not to think about the lawyer altogether but it was no use.
Clay insisted.
"Come on Phoebe, you know that you can tell me anything. We've known each other long enough…"
Phoebe smiled weakly at her long time friend, but still said nothing. Instead she started walking toward the paddock, stopping only at the fence where she leaned over and seemed to be observing the horses intently.
Clay was now convinced that something was terribly wrong, and he also guessed at what it might be with a little pinch of jealousy.
For a long time now, he had wanted to be much more than a friend to her. Until a few weeks ago, he had dared hoping that she felt the same. However, ever since the lawyer had arrived, she had changed. Clay knew that no matter how much Phoebe denied it, Cole had had a big effect on her.
Clay went to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders affectionately. She seemed startled for a short instant, and then she settled down.
"Is it him," Clay asked hesitantly.
Phoebe couldn't look at him.
"It's nothing, don't worry."
"I can see how he troubles you…"
Phoebe suddenly turned to him and the fire was back in her eyes.
"I don't want anything to do with that man. He's everything I despise. He acts only for his own betterment, and doesn't care about anything else. He even told us that, unlike others from the north, he thought that slavery was necessary to maintain prosperity. The nerve of him…" Her rightful anger didn't fool Clay however.
He could see that her protests were more to convince herself than him. Still, he couldn't bring himself to tell her that. He had hopes that she would forget about the lawyer and come back to him. And of course, the more she disapproved of Cole, the more chances he had that this would happen. He would be patient, Clay told himself. He had waited a long time already, but she was worth it.
************************
"Who is this Clay?" Cole asked with a hint of suspicion.
Phoebe turned to him in surprise, as she hadn't noticed they had returned. His father was now with them.
She smiled teasingly.
"Nobody important… So did you find out anything," she asked of all of them.
Cole answered for them, still looking curiously at his wife.
"Nothing for the moment, but we're going to try something. Meanwhile, we just wanted to make sure that everything was fine here."
"We are just fine. What are you gonna try?" She asked while getting up and going to her husband.
"Just to see if my suspicions are correct, that's all. Nothing to worry about…"
Piper didn't like his vague explanation.
"Why can't you tell me what you intend to do?"
"We're just gonna investigate, nothing more. We only came to make sure that nothing had happened during our absence," he said looking toward Cole intently…
"Yes," this one continued, "that's all…"
Phoebe went to him with a skeptical expression.
"Hum, somehow I've got the feeling there's something you're not telling us…"
"We've got nothing to hide," Cole replied with a little smile. Then he asked again, in a lower voice:
"Who's Clay? You haven't answered my question…"
Phoebe teased him.
"I'll tell you after you told me what you're hiding…"
"I'm not hiding anything…"
Then he simply kissed her lightly, seemingly in a hurry all of a sudden:
"Ok we better go now; we'll be back soon," he assured Phoebe. Then he turned to Leo, who simply nodded his approval and kissed Piper as well before orbing, soon followed by the others…
Phoebe turned to her sister in puzzlement.
"What was that about?"
Piper shrugged.
"I have no idea but I don't like it. Do you think they might be thinking of doing something stupid?"
Phoebe frowned, lost in thoughts.
"Oh well," she finally said, "I suppose that we should trust them."
"I suppose…" Piper answered hesitantly.
Phoebe shook herself and went back to the couch.
"So do you wanna know the rest?" She asked, as if nothing had happened.
"Are you sure you feel like continuing?"
"Why not, better this than worrying, most probably for nothing."
"I guess you're right." Then she smiled.
"And I really wanna know what happens next…"
Paige added:
"So do I."
"Well then…"
Matthew woke up with a start. It was still dark outside and he felt really disoriented. He didn't remember going to sleep. He looked around in puzzlement and then a thought struck him. He didn't know why but right now, all he wanted was to get Paige back here. He tried to fight this urge as it went against his resolve for prudence, but the urge only grew. After a while, he couldn't resist it anymore. He took the keys to the rental and went out of the apartment. He could've orbed there, but he was not ready to tell Paige about himself. He felt terrible about all the lies, but he knew that it was better this way.
The Elders were a little upset at Coleridge' sudden departure. He had gone against their advice and they were worried about him and the others. What's more, another whitelighter had failed to report for many hours now. Matthew had been sent down at first as a backup to Coleridge after Leo had been demoted. However, even after Leo had gotten his powers back, Matthew had insisted on keeping an eye on them. The Elders had thought this a good idea, considering the danger that could befall the Charmed Ones at anytime. But now, they were worried, mostly because they wondered if he had not become the victim of the same strange acting darklighter which had pursued Coleridge…