Chapter Twenty-Seven
"Okay, Phoebe," Ava announced as she stood up, "you're all stitched up and everything looks good though you're going to be feeling sore for a while." As if on cue, Phoebe softly groaned and she chuckled, "I'm going to join the others out back and give the three of you some private time but not too much. We need to get you and baby to the hospital."
"I thought you said he was okay," Phoebe nervously commented with a fearful glance to Cole.
"He is," Ava assured her, "but I still want you both to be monitored in the hospital for a day or so. We'll ask your father for a lift since he's the only one who came by car. Right now, though, why don't you try nursing your son?" She smiled at Phoebe's sudden panic. "There's nothing to worry about. We've gone over this at our last few appointments. And, you did say you'd been watching Piper with her daughter."
"I know," Phoebe commented as she looked down at her squirming son, "but watching is completely different from doing."
Ava laughed pleasantly and suggested, "Cole, why don't you adjust her nightgown? Don't worry, Phoebe, it's completely natural. Let your son guide you."
"You're leaving?" Phoebe nervously questioned as Ava headed into the other room.
"You'll be fine," Ava called out, "and don't worry if he doesn't seem to want much or if he falls asleep on you, he's had a tough day. I'll be back in a few minutes."
A few moments later, while she was nursing, Phoebe glanced at Cole who still sat behind her and, in a soft voice, asked, "You're pretty quiet. Is everything okay?"
Cole nodded and kissed the top of her head, "It's hard to believe he's here and that he's healthy and safe." She nuzzled his neck and he added, "I should get the camera from the penthouse."
"Absolutely not!" she stated. "I look a mess and --"
"You've never looked more beautiful," he quietly interrupted as he lightly kissed her cheek.
She sighed happily and pressed her cheek close to his, "Besides, right now, I don't want you leaving me, not even for a minute. I need to feel you close to me. To our son. I've never felt this way before. I'm not sure I even know how to explain it."
"This moment is perfection," he decided. "Never has anything been more real, more true."
"You do understand," she agreed in a tone of amazement. She watched her son and added, "I'm not ready to break that connection yet. Real-life will interfere soon enough and I don't think we'll ever recapture this moment again. Unless"
"Unless what?" he asked as he lightly traced his son's ear.
"Unless," she suddenly worried, "am I being too clingy? Do you want to leave? Has all this been too much for you? The way this day started and then the attacks and with my sisters and you haven't had any time to -- you need to get away, don't you? This whole family thing is closing in on you, isn't it? I haven't thought of -- Oh, Cole, I'm so sor--" Cole burst out laughing and she stared back at him in surprise. "What's so funny?" she asked with annoyance as she jabbed him in the side with her elbow.
"I do love you," he told her with a grin. "Only you can go from one emotional extreme to the other in the space of thirty seconds all in the same breath and still be irresistible to me."
"I hate you," she teased before tears suddenly sprang from her eyes.
"I know, I know," he sighed good-naturedly as he caressed his son's cheek. He smiled as he watched his son's tiny mouth suckle even as the newborn was already drifting off to sleep.
But Phoebe grew even more upset and began to tremble. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that."
Cole quickly, and carefully, wrapped his arms around her and their sleepy son. "I know you didn't mean it. What is it, honey," he asked in concern, "what's wrong?"
"HateThat's how we got here," she whispered.
"I don't understand," he admitted and kissed the back of her head and let his lips linger there while he waited for her to speak.
"The words just came out and I flashed back," she hesitated as she gazed down at her contented son, "to the last time"
"The last time what?" he asked when she stopped speaking.
Phoebe gently pried her son's mouth free and wiped his milky lips with the edge of the towel. She felt Cole readjust her shoulder strap and then leaned back against him. She couldn't turn to look him in the eyes when she remembered, "The last time I said those words, I meant them. That nightin the mausoleum."
"Let it rest in the past," Cole softly advised.
Phoebe shook her head, "I can't. Don't you remember that night?"
"Of course I do," he responded thoughtfully, "because if I hadn't gone there, found you there, we might not be here right nowI don't even know what drove me there at that moment. All that angerI shouldn't have wanted to go there, to that place that reminded me of you, of us, but, for some reason, I did."
"And you found me and -- How can you tell me to let it rest? How can you not think about it?" she challenged. Cole didn't answer and she slowly turned her gaze to him and whispered, "I think about it all the time."
"Because you've been in danger from Hasoaf," he suggested. "You've been afraid and it raised memories of a vulnerable time for you. But it's over now. You don't have to think about it anymore. It's all over."
"It's more than that," she insisted as she shook her head. "It eats away at me. Every time I've relaxed and enjoyed whatever good moments we've had in the past nine months, I always flash back to how it was. How horrible I was."
"You were angry and in pain," he conceded, "and so was I."
"What if it happens to us again?" she trembled. "There was so much hate"
"It won't happen," Cole lightly squeezed her shoulders and kissed the back of her head. "Look at him, Phoebe. Look at our son. Can you look at him and honestly tell me that he's a product of our hate?"
She shook her head, "But --"
"No buts," he insisted as he shifted position and sat on the edge of the lounge, by her feet, to face her. "This baby's very existence is due to our love for one another. He is in this world and is breathing and eating and sleeping because we dared to love each other." He reached out and gently brushed away her tears, "It's okay to remember the pain, Phoebe, but it's more important to remember the love. To concentrate on the love." She still looked doubtful and he ordered, "Repeat after me, I love you, Cole Turner, with all my heart and soul." She gave him a shy smile and he admonished, "I'm waiting"
Phoebe carefully removed one arm from around the baby and reached out to caress Cole's cheek. "I love you, Cole Turner, with all my heart and soul. And I will never doubt you again. I am yoursI suppose I always have been."
"And I am yours," he declared in a hoarse voice. "Now and forever."
She smiled at him with tears in her eyes and suddenly teased, "You may kiss the bride."
He chuckled and whispered in return, "With pleasure." And then he leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the lips. Mindful of the baby between them, he pulled her as close as he could and deepened the kiss.
"Watch it," Paige warned, "that's how you got here in the first place."
Cole felt Phoebe's stiffened reaction and, as he pulled away, he quickly put his index finger to her lips and told her, "Yes, it is."
She slowly nodded and, when she saw the love reflected in his eyes, she smiled back at him. "Yes, it is," she repeated in a soft voice.
"Are you ready to go?" Victor asked as he came closer to look at the baby. He bent down and kissed the top of Phoebe's head.
"I guess," she nervously replied as she turned to look at him. "Everything go okay outside?"
Piper nodded, "We planted it near the corner of the deck. Leo got some flowers from somewhere and we planted them on top."
"We even created a little blessing," Paige proudly added.
Cole looked surprised and gratefully told them, "Thank you."
Suddenly, the air opposite the group filled with tiny white and blue sparks. Everyone took a step back as a blinding white light filled the room.
Leo pulled his daughter from Piper's arms and shielded her while Piper and Paige linked hands and stood close together in front of Victor.
Phoebe had instantly cradled the baby closer to herself while Cole had immediately stood and stepped protectively in front of her. An energy ball was formed and ready in each of his hands.
"Oh my God," Ava gasped as the sparks took shape.
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