AUHTOR'S NOTE: Again, I don't own Charmed. I don't own anything for that
matter. On with the story!
Paige Belland sat staring out the window of her office at the streets of San Francisco. It was still early yet and most of her employees hadn't shown up yet, aside from the janitors and her personal assistant that was always there before she was.
Her business was a young one, started a year and a half ago, and was still struggling as most new businesses did, but was reasonably successful. Everyday she would find that they were getting more and more noticed and as of yet had placed 96 kids in foster homes and of those 96 kids 48 had been adopted. It wasn't an exactly high number, but it was reasonable enough.
A secret little wish of hers was to adopt a child of her own, and she had even discussed it with Glenn and the rest of the family. She sighed happily as she recalled her discussion with her husband the night before:
She had walked into the house, weighted down with paper work and dragging her feet. She could swear that it had been the longest day of her life, aside from the day when Danielle and Darcy had been born.
Glenn had met her at the door, a large, goofy, smile plastered across his cute, immature face and holding something behind his back. "Honey I'm home, and I've had a hard day," she said in a singsong voice, devoid of happiness.
His smile fell a little when he noticed her unhappiness and he sighed. "I guess this isn't the time then?"
"Unless you're about to tell me we've won the lottery and I'll never have to work again, then no," she replied.
"Well, not exactly, but...." he trailed off purposely.
"But?" she prompted.
"I thought you weren't in the mood," he asked, a smile playing at his lips.
Her eyes narrowed. "Okay spill, what are you up to?"
"Nothing," he shrugged. "Nothing at all."
"Glenn Belland you'd better tell me what you're up to right now mister," she declared with a wavering sense of authority.
"Oh it's nothing really, I just got us approved for making an adoption, that's all," he shrugged and turned away.
"What!" she exclaimed and dropped everything she'd been holding and spun him around to face her. "Are you kidding?"
The grin that had been threatening broke and he smiled. "I'm serious, babe, we were approved." He took the papers out and handed them to her.
She skimmed over them, knowing where to look for what and found it. A large stamp mark reading approved across the last line. "This is so great!" she exclaimed throwing her arms around him and kissing him fiercely. "You are the best husband ever! I love you so much!"
"I figured you would say something like that," he shrugged blew on his nails and rubbed them on his shirt as if he were all that.
She kissed him again and looked back at the papers, noticing the emblem on the top of the papers. "P3? How'd you get them past me?" she asked, checking the tops of the other papers to make sure.
"Your assistant manager did the checking," he replied. "I was saving it as a surprise, but I was too excited."
She smiled and threw her arms around him again. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she exclaimed again and placed a passionate kiss on his lips.
And so that had been her surprise, and had basically made the rest of her week, she was sure. She smiled to herself remembering the rest of the night, which had been full of lovemaking and all sorts of romantic stuff.
She glanced at the time and picked up the phone, dialing Phoebe's cell to tell her the news.
* * * * *
"Oh Paige that is so great!" Phoebe exclaimed upon hearing Paige's news as she got out of the car fifteen minutes later. "I get to have more nieces! Or is it nephews?"
"I don't know yet," Paige replied and Phoebe could tell her sister was smiling from ear to ear. "Yea!" Phoebe squealed.
"I know I can't wait to tell Piper," Paige replied, gushing with excitement. "I would've called you last night, but-"
"I know, I know, you were too busy thanking Glenn to even think about your sisters, I understand," Phoebe replied with a fake sniffle.
"Oh come on," Paige replied, rolling her eyes Phoebe was sure.
"Well I've been really busy lately too," Phoebe answered, seriously this time. She glanced up in her way to her office and noticed her boss walking towards her. "Oh, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later."
"Love you," Paige said.
"Yeah, I love you too," she replied and shut her phone.
"Husband?" he asked.
"Sister," Phoebe corrected.
"Right. Well anyway, you're on a tight schedule today. If you start now I think you can finish by deadline," he explained.
"Wait, you're not giving me any extra time?" she asked.
"No," he replied after a second.
"But I can't finish it in three hours! That's impossible!" she exclaimed.
"Well make it possible," he replied and walked away.
"God I hate him!" she growled after he was out of hearing distance, then turned and walked off to her office to do the impossible in three hours time.
* * * * *
"Hello?" Piper asked as she answered the phone much later that day.
"Piper?" Cole asked when she answered.
"Hey Cole what's new?" Piper inquired.
"Nothing really, I was just wondering where Phoebe is," Cole replied a little confused. "She's forty-five minutes late, she's usually never this late."
"Did you try her cell?" Piper asked.
"Yeah, it's turned off," he replied as he looked out the window of the Loft for Phoebe's car.
"Well her new boss called and re-hired her, did you call there too?"
"Well I didn't know that, but yes I did try the office just in case. You don't think anything happened do you?" he asked, now worried.
"No I'm sure she's fine, but why don't you go check on her just in case?" she suggested.
"I was gonna do that if you didn't know where she was," Cole replied, nodding to himself.
"Okay, well call me when you find her, and we've got Patience tonight so you guys have fun," Piper answered.
"We will," he replied and hung up. He waited an extra few seconds at the window, hoping maybe her car would pull in down below but he saw nothing but dark stormy rain clouds and people running for shelter. He sighed and concentrated on his wife then shimmered to where she was.
* * * * *
Phoebe sighed frustrated. It was late, she was the only one in the office other than her creepy asshole boss, and it was storming outside, making it impossible to write her column. The power had gone out twice on her work computer before she'd had a chance to save her work. Now she was working on her laptop and its juice was running low. Not to mention her boss was now standing in her doorway watching her.
She sighed and took off her glasses frustrated. "Is there something you need?" she asked him.
He pushed off the door frame with his shoulder and walked into the room, then came around behind her desk and leaned over her shoulder, looking at her work. She watched him annoyed as he watched the screen. "Aren't you don't yet?" he asked.
She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep her from telling him exactly what she thought of him. "The power has gone off twice and my work wasn't saved, I had to go to my car and get my lap top to finish my column, plus the battery is running low. So in answer to your question, no I'm not done yet."
He turned from the computer and looked at her. "Why do you hate me Phoebe? I don't hate you."
"Coulda' fooled me," she replied sarcastically.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he inquired, furrowing his eyebrows.
"Oh I don't know, maybe I hate you because you fired me in front of everyone in the building, including my daughter, then called me back and basically told me to get to work or else. Then you give me three hours to finish my column when it's storming outside. And now you're pestering me to finish it!"
He stared at her, acting as if he hadn't heard a word.
"I'm sorry, I just feel really strange today," she repiled quickly, if she didn't watch her mouth she was going to get fired, again.
He turned back to her computer. "How many letters have you finished?"
"Um..." she turned to the pile of envelopes beside her and began counting. "Eight," she replied.
"It's taken you four and a half hours to do eight letters?" he repeated.
"The power went out," she replied.
"Right, okay, finish this letter and then go home," he said waving a hand. "Nine letters is enough for tomorrow's issue, but tomorrow, double the normal."
"Double? Are you kidding? I'll be here forever!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"Then I guess you'll have to take some of these letters home and start tonight," he suggested. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "I know you can do it, you're my star."
"What?" she asked in surprise. He was seriously starting to scare her.
"Finish," he replied.
She turned back to her computer and began to type. He was still leaning over her shoulder and she couldn't help but feel bad vibes emanating from him. Never the less, her boss was watching her work, so she made sure the advice she gave was the best she'd ever given.
As soon as she'd finished she gave a little laugh. "Done!" she exclaimed.
He leaned over her to the printer. "Good, remember what I said about tomorrow's column."
There was a knock on the door and they both looked up to see Cole. "Phoebe," he smiled.
"Honey, what are you doing here?" she asked, pushing out of her chair and coming around from behind her desk to hug and kiss him.
"I came to see why you were still here," he replied, putting an arm around her and pulling her closer. He had stood in the door way a few seconds before saying Phoebe's name, and he'd seen the look in the man's eyes as he talked to Phoebe, lust, and when he'd made himself known, jealously.
"That was my fault," the man replied trying to cover up the jealousy in his voice. "I kept her over time to get her column."
"I hope you're paying her over time then," Cole replied and inwardly shuttered. This man was sending off bad vibes, he wondered if Phoebe felt it too or if it was just him.
Brendan paused, glancing at Phoebe who was smiling up at the man named Cole. "Of course."
"Good," Cole nodded, then turned to Phoebe. "Are you ready to go home now?"
She looked over at Brendan for approval. He nodded slowly. "Yeah, she's free to go."
Phoebe smiled at him and grabbed her purse and laptop then turned to Cole. "Ready," she told him and they began walking out.
"So I hear we have the Loft to ourselves tonight?" Cole asked, kissing Phoebe on top of the head.
"Piper offered to watch Patience," Phoebe replied. "I couldn't resist."
"Well I'm glad you didn't," he replied with a mischievous smile. She leaned up and kissed him again, truly happy for the first time that day.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yeah, I hope I got Brendan to come off as a jerk, because that was my intent. I pretty much know where my story is going, but I'd love to hear some suggestions so feel free to put them in your review. The next chapter isn't going to be a great one in my opinion, but that's really only because I was a little shaky on writing it (it's where the whole PG-13 thing comes in if that doesn't tip you off already). Um, so please review, remember, I won't continue unless I have more than one review a chapter like I did with one of my other stories, yeah, y'all didn't need to know that, okay, shutting up now, please review, bye!!!
Paige Belland sat staring out the window of her office at the streets of San Francisco. It was still early yet and most of her employees hadn't shown up yet, aside from the janitors and her personal assistant that was always there before she was.
Her business was a young one, started a year and a half ago, and was still struggling as most new businesses did, but was reasonably successful. Everyday she would find that they were getting more and more noticed and as of yet had placed 96 kids in foster homes and of those 96 kids 48 had been adopted. It wasn't an exactly high number, but it was reasonable enough.
A secret little wish of hers was to adopt a child of her own, and she had even discussed it with Glenn and the rest of the family. She sighed happily as she recalled her discussion with her husband the night before:
She had walked into the house, weighted down with paper work and dragging her feet. She could swear that it had been the longest day of her life, aside from the day when Danielle and Darcy had been born.
Glenn had met her at the door, a large, goofy, smile plastered across his cute, immature face and holding something behind his back. "Honey I'm home, and I've had a hard day," she said in a singsong voice, devoid of happiness.
His smile fell a little when he noticed her unhappiness and he sighed. "I guess this isn't the time then?"
"Unless you're about to tell me we've won the lottery and I'll never have to work again, then no," she replied.
"Well, not exactly, but...." he trailed off purposely.
"But?" she prompted.
"I thought you weren't in the mood," he asked, a smile playing at his lips.
Her eyes narrowed. "Okay spill, what are you up to?"
"Nothing," he shrugged. "Nothing at all."
"Glenn Belland you'd better tell me what you're up to right now mister," she declared with a wavering sense of authority.
"Oh it's nothing really, I just got us approved for making an adoption, that's all," he shrugged and turned away.
"What!" she exclaimed and dropped everything she'd been holding and spun him around to face her. "Are you kidding?"
The grin that had been threatening broke and he smiled. "I'm serious, babe, we were approved." He took the papers out and handed them to her.
She skimmed over them, knowing where to look for what and found it. A large stamp mark reading approved across the last line. "This is so great!" she exclaimed throwing her arms around him and kissing him fiercely. "You are the best husband ever! I love you so much!"
"I figured you would say something like that," he shrugged blew on his nails and rubbed them on his shirt as if he were all that.
She kissed him again and looked back at the papers, noticing the emblem on the top of the papers. "P3? How'd you get them past me?" she asked, checking the tops of the other papers to make sure.
"Your assistant manager did the checking," he replied. "I was saving it as a surprise, but I was too excited."
She smiled and threw her arms around him again. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she exclaimed again and placed a passionate kiss on his lips.
And so that had been her surprise, and had basically made the rest of her week, she was sure. She smiled to herself remembering the rest of the night, which had been full of lovemaking and all sorts of romantic stuff.
She glanced at the time and picked up the phone, dialing Phoebe's cell to tell her the news.
* * * * *
"Oh Paige that is so great!" Phoebe exclaimed upon hearing Paige's news as she got out of the car fifteen minutes later. "I get to have more nieces! Or is it nephews?"
"I don't know yet," Paige replied and Phoebe could tell her sister was smiling from ear to ear. "Yea!" Phoebe squealed.
"I know I can't wait to tell Piper," Paige replied, gushing with excitement. "I would've called you last night, but-"
"I know, I know, you were too busy thanking Glenn to even think about your sisters, I understand," Phoebe replied with a fake sniffle.
"Oh come on," Paige replied, rolling her eyes Phoebe was sure.
"Well I've been really busy lately too," Phoebe answered, seriously this time. She glanced up in her way to her office and noticed her boss walking towards her. "Oh, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later."
"Love you," Paige said.
"Yeah, I love you too," she replied and shut her phone.
"Husband?" he asked.
"Sister," Phoebe corrected.
"Right. Well anyway, you're on a tight schedule today. If you start now I think you can finish by deadline," he explained.
"Wait, you're not giving me any extra time?" she asked.
"No," he replied after a second.
"But I can't finish it in three hours! That's impossible!" she exclaimed.
"Well make it possible," he replied and walked away.
"God I hate him!" she growled after he was out of hearing distance, then turned and walked off to her office to do the impossible in three hours time.
* * * * *
"Hello?" Piper asked as she answered the phone much later that day.
"Piper?" Cole asked when she answered.
"Hey Cole what's new?" Piper inquired.
"Nothing really, I was just wondering where Phoebe is," Cole replied a little confused. "She's forty-five minutes late, she's usually never this late."
"Did you try her cell?" Piper asked.
"Yeah, it's turned off," he replied as he looked out the window of the Loft for Phoebe's car.
"Well her new boss called and re-hired her, did you call there too?"
"Well I didn't know that, but yes I did try the office just in case. You don't think anything happened do you?" he asked, now worried.
"No I'm sure she's fine, but why don't you go check on her just in case?" she suggested.
"I was gonna do that if you didn't know where she was," Cole replied, nodding to himself.
"Okay, well call me when you find her, and we've got Patience tonight so you guys have fun," Piper answered.
"We will," he replied and hung up. He waited an extra few seconds at the window, hoping maybe her car would pull in down below but he saw nothing but dark stormy rain clouds and people running for shelter. He sighed and concentrated on his wife then shimmered to where she was.
* * * * *
Phoebe sighed frustrated. It was late, she was the only one in the office other than her creepy asshole boss, and it was storming outside, making it impossible to write her column. The power had gone out twice on her work computer before she'd had a chance to save her work. Now she was working on her laptop and its juice was running low. Not to mention her boss was now standing in her doorway watching her.
She sighed and took off her glasses frustrated. "Is there something you need?" she asked him.
He pushed off the door frame with his shoulder and walked into the room, then came around behind her desk and leaned over her shoulder, looking at her work. She watched him annoyed as he watched the screen. "Aren't you don't yet?" he asked.
She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep her from telling him exactly what she thought of him. "The power has gone off twice and my work wasn't saved, I had to go to my car and get my lap top to finish my column, plus the battery is running low. So in answer to your question, no I'm not done yet."
He turned from the computer and looked at her. "Why do you hate me Phoebe? I don't hate you."
"Coulda' fooled me," she replied sarcastically.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he inquired, furrowing his eyebrows.
"Oh I don't know, maybe I hate you because you fired me in front of everyone in the building, including my daughter, then called me back and basically told me to get to work or else. Then you give me three hours to finish my column when it's storming outside. And now you're pestering me to finish it!"
He stared at her, acting as if he hadn't heard a word.
"I'm sorry, I just feel really strange today," she repiled quickly, if she didn't watch her mouth she was going to get fired, again.
He turned back to her computer. "How many letters have you finished?"
"Um..." she turned to the pile of envelopes beside her and began counting. "Eight," she replied.
"It's taken you four and a half hours to do eight letters?" he repeated.
"The power went out," she replied.
"Right, okay, finish this letter and then go home," he said waving a hand. "Nine letters is enough for tomorrow's issue, but tomorrow, double the normal."
"Double? Are you kidding? I'll be here forever!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"Then I guess you'll have to take some of these letters home and start tonight," he suggested. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "I know you can do it, you're my star."
"What?" she asked in surprise. He was seriously starting to scare her.
"Finish," he replied.
She turned back to her computer and began to type. He was still leaning over her shoulder and she couldn't help but feel bad vibes emanating from him. Never the less, her boss was watching her work, so she made sure the advice she gave was the best she'd ever given.
As soon as she'd finished she gave a little laugh. "Done!" she exclaimed.
He leaned over her to the printer. "Good, remember what I said about tomorrow's column."
There was a knock on the door and they both looked up to see Cole. "Phoebe," he smiled.
"Honey, what are you doing here?" she asked, pushing out of her chair and coming around from behind her desk to hug and kiss him.
"I came to see why you were still here," he replied, putting an arm around her and pulling her closer. He had stood in the door way a few seconds before saying Phoebe's name, and he'd seen the look in the man's eyes as he talked to Phoebe, lust, and when he'd made himself known, jealously.
"That was my fault," the man replied trying to cover up the jealousy in his voice. "I kept her over time to get her column."
"I hope you're paying her over time then," Cole replied and inwardly shuttered. This man was sending off bad vibes, he wondered if Phoebe felt it too or if it was just him.
Brendan paused, glancing at Phoebe who was smiling up at the man named Cole. "Of course."
"Good," Cole nodded, then turned to Phoebe. "Are you ready to go home now?"
She looked over at Brendan for approval. He nodded slowly. "Yeah, she's free to go."
Phoebe smiled at him and grabbed her purse and laptop then turned to Cole. "Ready," she told him and they began walking out.
"So I hear we have the Loft to ourselves tonight?" Cole asked, kissing Phoebe on top of the head.
"Piper offered to watch Patience," Phoebe replied. "I couldn't resist."
"Well I'm glad you didn't," he replied with a mischievous smile. She leaned up and kissed him again, truly happy for the first time that day.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yeah, I hope I got Brendan to come off as a jerk, because that was my intent. I pretty much know where my story is going, but I'd love to hear some suggestions so feel free to put them in your review. The next chapter isn't going to be a great one in my opinion, but that's really only because I was a little shaky on writing it (it's where the whole PG-13 thing comes in if that doesn't tip you off already). Um, so please review, remember, I won't continue unless I have more than one review a chapter like I did with one of my other stories, yeah, y'all didn't need to know that, okay, shutting up now, please review, bye!!!