Eye of the Storm

Chapter V

The sound of another projectile coming toward them shook Phoebe out of the quasi paralysis the first hit had provoked. She almost tripped on her way down, while Paul stayed at the top of the stairs, obviously watching the unfolding events. There she found her anxious sisters, who greeted her with a mitigated relief.

After the terrible storm that they had gone through, this was just too much. Paul finally came to them and urged them to follow him. He harbored a very tense expression that did nothing to reassure them. They were almost to his quarters, when the next cannonball was heard, but this time it found its target…

Captain Turner was watching the other ship with a very serious expression. Nevertheless, he was careful not to show how truly worried he was. His men needed their Captain to look confident now.

However, what he felt inside was a different matter. He trusted that his men would do what they were trained for, but the situation might be too much for all of them anyway. Still, there was a bright point to this. Had it not been for McKail's warning, they probably would not have stood a chance at all. As it was, they had managed to maintain the distance until now. However, it was obvious that the pirate ship was picking up speed and the projectiles fell closer and closer. His own men were prepared to riposte, but they knew better than waste shots while out of range.

Maybe those pirates were not all that good after all, or most likely they used the premature attack as a demoralizing tactic. Cole had to admit that it did have an effect. He could not only feel it, but also see it on his officers' expressions.

When the hit came, he almost had a movement of panic. The projectile entered the deck not far from where the cargo hold stood, and he half expected the ship to be filling with water already. By some miracle however, it seemed that the damage was only internal, and his men started shooting in turn, galvanized by fear.

As the battle unfolded, he could not help worrying about Phoebe, not knowing exactly where she was. He had seen them run toward the lower deck with McKail, then nothing since… He could only hope that they were nowhere near the hit…

Paul and the girls were thrown to the floor when the cannonball struck. It took them a moment to get back up and Paul saw that Prue was bleeding from her forehead with a slight panic. He went to her first, worrying that she could be hurt even worse. However, she pushed him away, assuring him somewhat rudely that she could take care of herself. Even now, she could not forget what she considered a rejection in the end. She knew that she was being unreasonable, but the hurt was too much. Still, she was grateful that he was with them under the circumstances. Her sisters were getting up as well, thankfully unhurt. Nevertheless, looking back down the hallway, they saw thick smoke coming toward them and knew that they had only escaped by a hair. Out there, they could still hear loud noises, telling them that the battle still raged. They cringed for each explosion, expecting each one to hit and finish them…

Leo caught himself more than once losing his concentration for the task at hand and looking back toward the gaping hole in the deck. He was going crazy with worry, and yet he could not leave his post, no matter how much he wanted to.

Captain Turner gave him a look that he assumed was of reproach once more. He was unable to hide his worries, and was certain that the Captain thought of this as a weakness. Nevertheless, he believed that he read something else in the man's expression. Particularly after he saw him looking toward the devastation on his ship for a brief moment… "Could it be that he cares," thought Leo. "But most probably, he is just worried about his cargo," he continued for himself, bitterly.

Another shot had resounded from one of their cannons at this point, and they all turned suddenly when they heard the distinctly different sound…

In spite of her fear, Phoebe could not help worrying about the slaves, which were obviously the ones that had been hit the most. For the last month, she had devoted a lot of her time in taking care of them. First, convincing the handlers to let her in at great efforts, and then bringing them as much food and necessities that she could gather. There was one that she cared particularly about… Her name was Li, and she was with child. However, her pregnancy was a difficult one. The conditions might have been relatively good in there, but it was no place for her. Even with the sounds of the battle, she could still hear the clamors and cries coming from aft. She could not help imagining them hurt or dying. Her heart went to them and she suddenly moved toward the thick smoke, almost before anyone could stop her.

Prue called to her imperatively. "Phoebe, where are you going? Are you crazy?"

Phoebe turned reluctantly toward her sister. "I have to go help them Prue. They're hurt…"

"Of whom are you talking about," she said, having somewhat forgotten about the black people trapped in there. Phoebe answered impatiently:

"The slaves… They were underneath the worst of the hit. They will need assistance."

Piper and Prue hesitated only a moment before they followed their sister.

Paul looked at them as if they were truly crazy. Then, he simply sighed and followed them as well. Only then did he notice that the battle seemed to have stopped, at least for the moment. He truly hoped that the Captain had succeeded in distancing the pirate ship, as they all entered the worst part of the hallway, their hands covering their mouth but barely succeeding at filtering the smoke.

Out there, the men looked in amazement as the other ship fell behind, badly hit in its middle. One of their own projectiles had hit the mast and caused serious damages to the pirate ship as well, crippling it.

Now escape was possible, but none of them breathed easier until the other vessel was not even a point on the horizon. Captain Turner did not wait for this however. As soon as he thought it safe enough, he left the bridge abruptly and went aft.

There, he could see that some of his sailors were already working on the damage. Some were coming out of the gaping hole, coughing as one or another thing had caught fire. He immediately inquired about it, but was soon reassured that the fire had been contained. The news about the cargo hold was not so good however.

"Captain, we found many wounded down there, and some are still buried under the rubble." Captain Turner only nodded very seriously before starting toward the access hatch and going down quickly.

He ignored the looks of him men as he did so.

Leo saw his Captain leaving without a word, and almost followed him right then. However, he knew that one of them had to stay on the bridge, at least for now. Reason was not much help however in the face of his worries. After only a few minutes of debating his feelings against his duties, the former won and he left the bridge to the ensign on duty. This one seemed a little shaken, still, but did not argue with his superior.

Cole started toward the quarters immediately, expecting that the girls had been there. He found none of them however, and the slight panic that he had felt earlier increased exponentially. Almost running now, he went back on his steps, fearing what he would find. He almost bumped into his first officer in the semi darkness caused by the thick smoke. Cole looked down at him with irritation.

"What are you doing here? You were supposed to stay on the bridge."

"Sir, with all due respects, I will not return until I know that the ladies are ok." Leo said firmly.

Cole almost argued, but instead, he shrugged and turned away from him, continuing on his way. Leo realized then that maybe his first impression had been the right one. Normally, the Captain would have threatened him with severe punishment for his obvious dereliction of duty. Yet, he believed that he worried about the same thing as he, which made him a little more understanding of Leo's plight.

Cole stopped and turned toward him again, when he realized that this one was not following him. "They're not in the quarters, come with me."

This not only confirmed what Leo had assumed, but he could now hear the anxiety in his voice.

Without a word, he followed Cole, his throat constricted by his fear for Piper.

What they found was a horrible display of destruction and pain. At first, they could only distinguish the slaves, either lying down moaning and some screaming or crying. Then, both of them breathed easier when they spotted the girls, all busy with the most wounded apparently.

When they had arrived to the hold, Phoebe had spotted Li almost immediately, and although she did not seem to have been hurt by the blast, she was obviously in pain. Phoebe had feared that the baby might come prematurely. An older woman had been by her side, simply holding her hand and seemingly at a loss as to what to do. Phoebe sighed sadly, wishing then that there were a competent physician on hand. In front of her, the misery was palpable. The slaves were in a panic, some trying to get out of the still locked enclosure. Not even the quieting down of the battle seemed to calm them. It did not help that they could not understand a word of English. No matter how reassuring they were trying to be, the people stuck in there were not very receptive to it.

A few sailors had arrived almost at the same time as they, and the girls had turned toward them expectantly. Obviously, they had intended to care about their own first, and to tend to the slaves later, but Prue had stopped them on their way when they did not pay attention to her. "Hey, there are people gravely wounded in there, they need help!"

One of them answered rudely:

"They will be taken care of later, stay out of the way."

Prue's temper had flared at this. She came closer to the man, not caring how much bigger and stronger than she:

"You will open the doors and let us in right now," she had almost screamed in his face.

Her bold attitude had startled the man, and it was possibly the only reason why he had agreed to let them in the cells. No matter why, he had shrugged and opened it for them. In spite of their insistence however, the girls had hesitated slightly at entering the enclosure, as the slaves were still very agitated. Prue was again the one taking the initiative, as she entered cautiously, with her hands in front of her in an appeasing gesture. Some of the men had tried to use this opportunity to escape, but the sailors stood fast behind the girls, guns at the ready.

Soon however, seeing Phoebe, the woman called to the men, obviously telling them that they were here to help, because they calmed down and stepped back.

Paul had followed them in apprehensively, as he knew how volatile the situation was, and he cringed when the sailor closed the cell door behind him…

Cole and Leo found them already in the process of tending to the wounded and the former could not help being worried at seeing Phoebe once more in the middle of those people. There was no telling what they might do to the girls, although, from the look of things, the slaves seemed to show respect toward them.

This time, he did not try to conceal himself, but rather went straight to the sailor left on guard, demanding the door opened for him and his first officer.

The noise level was still too high for the girls to notice the new arrivals, but Paul saw them coming in and wondered what they intended to do. Even more so, he believed it odd that the two highest ranked officers were down here rather than on the bridge. However, seeing their worried expression, he figured that they had the same motivation as he.

He could not help a little smile at the thought of how much these sisters were apt at capturing a man's heart. He saw the Captain's expression soften noticeably while watching Phoebe. He had stopped just inside the cell, obviously worried to provoke the very riot that Paul, himself, had feared.

Indeed, the slaves were now turning their attentions toward the newcomers, but they obviously thought better of acting against them, particularly for the guard, who stood at the ready, his gun trailing on the crowd.

From his vantage, Cole could now see the extent of the damage. One side of the cell had collapsed but left an enormous pile of rubbles, pieces of it strewn all over the cell floor. Under the rubble, he could see that indeed, there were some of the most unfortunate slaves, most probably dead. Only by what he called luck was the gaping hole giving directly on the hull and did not allow the slaves to escape. Had it happened, this level of damage might have been the least of their concern…He turned back toward Phoebe once more, as she was kneeling by a young woman, which looked up at her with panicky eyes.

Her other sisters were using torn pieces of their own clothing to bandage wounds. The air was reeking of blood and smoke. A very pitiful sight, indeed…

Leo found himself just as apprehensive once in the cell. He did not know what to expect, although, his first response would have been to go and help Piper. The fact of the matter was that officers in uniforms were definitely not welcome in this environment, as he could clearly read the slaves' angry expressions.

Cole felt something indefinable at the sight. Afterward, and without being sure why, he turned to the guard and ordered men, and the medic to be sent in… It was either because of some hint of compassion; the fact that he was somewhat humbled by the girls' action; or simply that he wanted to preserve what was left of his cargo. He could not even decide for himself what had really motivated it.

The guard hesitated, looking toward the slaves, and then toward his captain. Cole pulled out his gun and signaled him to give his to Leo, letting him know that they could take care of themselves. Only then, did the girls notice Cole and Leo. They turned questioning stares toward them, but at the moment, these were rather busy keeping their distance from the slaves. Soon, however, men carrying bandages and tools came around, entering the cell in turn. Some went to pick up the rubble and search for possible survivors, while a few others, following the Captain's orders helped care for the wounded. Captain Turner and Leo finally made their way cautiously toward the girls, as these had returned to their grim task.

Cole found Phoebe back by the young women's side. He had seen her helping others while waiting, but she seemed genuinely concerned about this one in particular. He observed the girl without noticing any wounds, but then realized that she was pregnant and obviously in pain. This made him even more uncomfortable, but he did not go away. However, he could not bring himself to say anything and just stood there, waiting for something without knowing exactly what it was.

Phoebe surprised him then.

"Thank you," she uttered without looking back.

He was taken aback, as he had not realized that she knew of his presence.

"No need to thank me," he answered curtly, "I… have a personal stake in these people's wellbeing," he continued, but this time more hesitantly.

Phoebe shrugged and turned to him without smiling.

"Nevertheless, thank you."

She observed him for a moment without showing her true feelings on the matter, and her scrutiny augmented his discomfort.

"What is the matter with her?" He asked suddenly, trying to break the tension. Again, he berated himself for his brusqueness, as he saw her flinch at his tone of voice.

"As a matter of fact, Captain, this young woman should not be here, and should not have been here in the first place. She is very weak and in need of medical attention." She said this as she was turning back toward Li and put her hand lightly on her forehead, in a compassionate gesture.

"I'm sorry," he replied, slightly softer, "but she has to stay here. My men will take care of all of them. You and your sisters should leave now," he added somewhat nervously.

Phoebe glared at him and her disappointment disturbed him.

"We will stay here for as long as we're needed."

Unable to sustain her disapproving stare, he turned back saying:

"Suit yourself," with again a harsher tone of voice than he had meant. Then, he went back outside the cell, and once there, he stopped. He looked back toward her from afar, and took a long time before finally leaving the lower deck, frustration mixing with an odd and undefined remorse.

Leo watched Piper with a mix of joy at seeing her unhurt, and awe at her endeavor. He wanted to help somehow, but his station prevented him from it. He could still feel the black people staring at him suspiciously and he stood quietly aside. At one point, she turned to him with a weak smile, and he had the distinct impression that she was simply happy that he was there. This gave him a warm feeling, as his affection for her grew by the moment. Only when he saw the Captain leaving did he tear himself away from her:

"I have to go," he said, with a reluctant expression.

Piper turned toward him.

"That's ok, I am just glad that you're fine." Leo smiled happily:

"And I am happy that nothing happened to you." He hesitated some more, then added softly: "I will be back later…"

She simply smiled and he turned away, feeling oddly content in the face of this tragedy.

For the rest of this day, the girls and Paul worked tirelessly, helping the grateful people there. Paul gave a hand to the men who were digging out the bodies and clearing up the debris, for his part.

At some point, a few of the slaves, still wary of the white people, had tried to take advantage of the comings and goings by rushing the cell door again. They had quickly been dispersed, but not long after this, Prue noticed that Phoebe was gone. She worried about her, but told herself that maybe she simply had become too tired and gone back to the cabin. Her illness had left her a little weaker than before, even after a whole month. She intended to go have a look but the work was still unfinished, and she simply hoped that everything was fine with Phoebe.

Captain Turner distractedly oversaw the repair work already under way. Then he returned to the bridge, no closer to understand his own feelings.

He spent the rest of the afternoon trying to concentrate on his duties, but it was to no avail, as his mind was wandering back toward the cargo hold, and to what she might be doing… He had given up trying to deny this, and he was about to go back there, when one of the sailors came on the bridge with the casualty count. They had lost at least ten men in the blast, which was bad. However, in a way, it was a relief considering what might have happened. On the other hand, the man had odd news about the slaves' count.

"Sir, it appears that there are two missing slaves," he said with a hint of hesitation.

"How can you be so sure that those two are not still buried under the rubble?"

"Sir, we have searched thoroughly and found no others. Thirty slaves are dead and have been taken away from the cell. A few more are in bad shape and not expected to survive…" Cole did not like this one bit, but he still believed that they had miscounted the slaves.

"I would recount if I were you. After all, where would they have gone," he replied dubiously.

Dismissing the man, he went out of the bridge and spotted Phoebe, apparently on her way back to the lower deck. He wondered for how long she had been up there, but at this point he simply followed his impulse and went after her. It was almost nightfall and most of the workers had left, since the best part of the repairs was already accomplished. For some reason, he did not call to her, but simply waited for her to go down before going in himself.

Once there, he almost turned toward the cargo hold, but something made him look back. That is when he thought that he saw her, just before she took a turn out of sight in the opposite direction.

Again, he moved toward her, wondering even more what she was doing, but expecting to find her in McKail's quarters.

After he lost sight of her, he went all the way there, but found none of them. He was coming back on his steps in puzzlement, when he heard a muffled scream on his left. There, he saw a small door giving on a storage room. He heard nothing more afterward, but was certain that someone was in there, and after only a moment of hesitation, he barged in the room, stopping short at what he found.

Phoebe was kneeling by the same young pregnant girl that he had seen earlier. Another older woman was with them and they all looked up in fear at seeing him there. He stood paralyzed, stunned to find her there, with them. After the first shock, Phoebe became irate at his arrival. She knew that he would be angry with her, but she still thought that she was doing the right thing and she stood up resolutely putting herself between him and the other two. Throughout his anger, he could not help admiring her courage and determination. Still, he reacted in the only way he knew how:

"What on earth do you think that you are doing?"

Phoebe took only a second before answering as firmly as she could:

"This girl needs constant care. I could not leave her behind in this place. She needs calm to recuperate."

He started to protest but suddenly stopped himself.

Looking back and forth between Phoebe and the other women, he made a decision.

"If you really think that it is necessary, I will allow you to care for her. But, were you really intent on keeping her in this closet?"

Phoebe breathed easier, although his response had stunned her.

"You mean, you agree?"

"That's what I said, is it not?" He replied, somewhat uncertain.

Phoebe observed him some more and he felt strangely pleased and embarrassed at the same time. When he met her eyes, he saw the same sweetness that had been there a month ago, albeit more hesitant. No matter the reason for it, he knew that for the first time in a month, he had done the right thing in her eyes, and he was simply happy about it. He wanted only to take her in his arms again, to feel her against him, the memory of this morning's kiss still imprinted in him. Yet, he held off, afraid that he would once more be wrong and lose this tenuous connection with her. Li's little scream pulled them out of the magical moment. He looked back at her, still seeing the fear in her eyes, but also her face contorting in obvious pain.

Frowning nervously, he turned back toward Phoebe questioningly:

"Is she having the baby," he asked, with obvious trepidation.

Seeing that strong man apparently afraid of a very natural process finally brought a smile to Phoebe's lips. This time, he squirmed, while knowing full well that she was gently mocking him.

After a moment she decided to get him out of his misery:

"No, I do not think so. I believe that she's having muscle cramps and those have become more intense because of the stress."

He sighed in relief, making her smile wider. Then he wondered:

"How do you know for sure? Does she speak English?"

He was incredulous, as he had never heard any of them speak English, or French for that matter, other than the ones who had been among Europeans for a long while.

"No, but Li and me have found ways to communicate," she then said, returning by the young girl's side.

He just nodded. "Ok then, if I agree that you may take care of her, you must agree to keep it a secret." Phoebe looked back in surprise:

"Why? Are you not the Captain of this ship?"

"This could cause dissention among the men. I am the one who is supposed to maintain discipline, not the one who should break the rules. This is non- negotiable…" "Alright…! But as you pointed out, I can't keep her here…"

Piper, Prue and Paul could finally go back to the cabin. They had lost a few of their charges, and they were very depressed about it. At this point, however, they only longed for some rest and tried to focus on the people that they had helped.

Piper entered the cabin first while Prue lingered outside with Paul. They still had some unfinished business, she knew.

This one seemed uncomfortable now that the tensions of the day were somewhat behind them. He feared what she might have to say.

Before she could reject him completely, he felt like saying something.

"Miss Halliwell," he started, "Prue, I just want you to know that there is nothing that I would want more than to be with you. I never felt this way about anyone else."

He saw her about to interrupt, but took her hand and continued quickly:

"However, it's for this very reason that I can't impose on you. I have nothing to offer you but a life as a fugitive. This would be unfair to you. I know you think that I treated you badly, and you have a right. I was the one who was out of line by taking advantage this morning."

He was about to continue but Prue did not let him this time. "Can I say something?"

"I'm sorry, go ahead…"

"I have had time to think about it. Even throughout this day…I am not angry with you. I even understand. I…"

Piper coming out of the cabin in panic stopped the conversation short.

"Where is Phoebe?"

Prue turned to her sister with a hint of panic and remorse. She had assumed that Phoebe was there…

Cole felt a strange thrill at sneaking up like this. He had gone ahead of them, looking out for any sailors who might spot them. Outside, it was becoming very dark and he knew that this would provide them with the cover they needed to move the slaves out of the lower deck. However, some men were still busying themselves with the repairs in spite of the late hour. He did his best to avoid them, going ahead and making sure that no one would notice their passage. It reminded him of the rare occasions where he had broken the rules as a boy, notably by sneaking up in the neighbor's orchard to steal a few apples. The thought brought a rare smile to his lips in spite of the tense situation. He had also been worried about Phoebe's sisters, but she assured him that they would agree to keep the matter quiet.

As he was going up, certain that no one was in sight, the girls and Paul coming down startled him. Before he realized who they were, he signaled nervously for Phoebe and the slaves to hide quickly.

Prue and Piper came to him resolutely as soon as they saw him:

"Where is Phoebe," Prue asked curtly, certain that he must have something to do with her disappearance. Phoebe recognized her sister and showed herself immediately. She had heard the anxiety in Prue's voice.

"I am here, don't worry."

Prue looked disapprovingly from the Captain to Phoebe and it was clear to see what she was thinking.

Cole sustained her stared, but Phoebe protested quickly:

"Prue, it's not what you think…"

Prue retorted rhetorically.

"How do you know what I'm thinking," even though she knew that there was no mistaking her attitude.

Phoebe disappeared for an instant and came back with the young girl supported by the old woman.

"This is why…"

Prue and Piper looked at them in amazement, wondering what this meant.

Cole was becoming increasingly nervous of being discovered, so he interrupted the explanations: "She will tell you all about this, but for now let us move away from here…"

Although startled, they still followed him to the cabin, luckily meeting no one else on the way. There, Phoebe put Li in bed, and was happy to see her obviously feeling better. The young girl fell asleep almost immediately, and Phoebe turned back toward her astounded sisters.

Cole had stayed by the door; again made uncomfortable by the crowd. The others were in turn casting curious looks toward him, wondering what had caused him to help free a slave. Phoebe explained to them the situation as it was and presently, Prue turned to him frankly:

"I must say that you surprise me, Captain…"

His discomfort grew and he tried to conceal it by responding grumpily:

"Do not make any mistake; I have not freed this girl and her companion. I simply agreed to let your sister take care of her until she's better…"

Unwilling to answer anymore of their questions, he turned on his heels and left without another word under their curious stares.

Phoebe hesitated, looking back toward her charges, and the now closed door.

Then she resolutely moved toward the latter.

Prue called to her:

"Phoebe, don't you think that you have been out enough for one day."

Instead of answering this, Phoebe simply said:

"Please take care of them until my return." Not waiting for an answer, she went out in turn. Prue looked the way she had left with a little reproach and even more worry.

Phoebe was walking resolutely toward the bridge, convinced that he had returned there, when she spotted him, leaning against the rail in an unaccustomed relaxed pose. She stopped for a moment, still unsure of what had pushed her to go after him. Yet, she was here, and she wanted to see this through.

Moving slower, she walked toward him and called:

"Captain?"

She saw him stifling at her voice and wondered if he was upset that she had followed him. Nevertheless, she continued:

"I wanted…I wanted to thank you again for your help."

He took a moment to answer, not looking back.

"I told you," he finally said, "You don't have to thank me."

She could sense that he was struggling with something and she came closer, leaning against the rail in turn, and looking up toward him expectantly.

"You have done the right thing you know that, don't you?"

He did not answer, but she saw him breathe deeply, and she knew right then that it was her presence that affected him. Impulsively, as he kept looking away, she lifted her hand toward his face, lightly touching the tanned cheeks. He shuddered at her touch, but did not move away. Slowly, he turned toward her instead and smiled shyly at her.

In his eyes, she could read such want now that it gave her a pleasant chill throughout. She smiled in response, moving slightly closer, while her fingers slid of their own accord toward his lips, tracing them lightly.

He reacted suddenly, taking her hand and kissing her palm while staring at her with a more purposeful expression. She saw that he still hesitated however, and in the end, it was she, who made the first move, lifting herself toward him and kissing him lightly. Before she could pull away, he wrapped his arm around her pulling her to him without any more hesitation. He could not believe that she was in his arms again, willingly. But no matter whether it was true or a wishful dream, he was not going to let her go, not now. He was looking at her with amazement now, and she simply forgot about everything else, knowing that he was far from the man that she had hoped for, and yet that he was the one that she had always wanted.

This time he moved slowly, afraid of scaring her away again. Delicately, he kissed her forehead, letting his lips slide slowly toward her eyes, now closed. She sighed against him, and he knew that it was of pleasure, as she moved even closer to him. He put his hand behind her head, reveling in the touch of her hair, the feel of her skin, still trying to convince himself that this was for real. He came to brush her lips, their salty taste almost a reminder of the only mistress he ever truly had, the sea. As she felt his hesitation, her impatience grew and she opened her lips to his, almost demanding now. He responded in kind, losing himself in the moment. The touch of her hand on his skin was like a balm and a little pain at the same time, exacerbating his need for her, as he felt the burning sensation coursing through him.

He had to restrain himself not to act upon his usual instinct to take what he needed. For some reason, he knew that what he truly wanted was to belong to her as much as she would be his. Her simple presence, feeling her trembling against him, gave him more pleasure and satisfaction than he had ever felt through his years of meandering. He would have given anything for this never to end.

Prue had to call three times, the last one loudly and very impatiently, in order to finally get Phoebe's attention. This one pulled away suddenly, with a little embarrassment, but happy nevertheless. She could see confusion in his eyes now, as he obviously had not realized that her sister was calling. Prue was now coming toward them resolutely, and she took Phoebe's arm somewhat rudely, eliciting an angry stare from Cole.

"Phoebe, it's time to come in," Prue declaimed firmly, looking directly at the Captain without flinching. Phoebe tried to protest:

"Prue, you did not have to…"

"Let's go," Prue replied even more impatiently, while ignoring her sister's comment.

Phoebe followed reluctantly, looking back a few times with a weak smile on her lips. He watched her going with growing apprehension, knowing full well that her sister would try to dissuade her from coming to him again. Try as he might however, he could not find what argument he could put in his own favor. When she had reentered the cabin, he felt empty and lost, worried like never before that he might have found paradise, and lost it forever…