Chapter Thirty-Three
"It's a little late," Cole admonished Paige while Phoebe squeezed his arm and stiffened against him, "particularly for the demons." The baby let out a wail and Phoebe groaned as she leaned forward to take him from Cole but Cole told her, "I have him."
With pleasant surprise, Phoebe smiled back at him and then snuggled comfortably next to him. "Demons must've come here firstEverything okay back at the house, Paige?" she yawned.
"Yeah, it took a while but," Paige sighed in relief as she crossed over to the bed to inspect her nephew, "three nasties blown to bits."
"Don't," Cole warned her as the baby flailed his arms with a silent cry, "he was finally settling down."
She glanced at her sister as she stood up straight. "I think Piper actually enjoyed letting off some steam."
"Messy, huh," Phoebe indicated to Paige's splotched sleeve.
Paige raised her arm to see for herself and complained, "Dammit, I just changed into th--"
"Language," Cole cautioned when he interrupted, "there's a baby present."
Phoebe giggled but yawned before she could comment. "Sorry," she sheepishly apologized, "it's not the company, honest."
"Okay, well," Paige announced, "that's my cue to go. If everything's all right here?" The pair nodded back and she leaned over to kiss her sister, "Sweet dreams then. I'll see you tomorrow." She lightly touched the baby's head and murmured, "You too, cutie pie." Then, she indicated to Cole, "Yes, my alarm is set. I'll be there at eight."
"Be where?" Phoebe sleepily asked.
"Your house," Paige replied. "I told Cole I'd sit around in that empty house and wait for your bedroom furniture delivery."
"I told you to take your paints with you," he reminded her. "You're always complaining that you never have the chance to paint anymore."
"I am not," she complained.
Phoebe smiled and rubbed her cheek against Cole's arm, "That's so sweet, Paige. Thank you."
Paige blushed and shrugged, "It's not a big deal."
"Yes, it is," Cole quietly told her.
"Just remember what you promised meus before," she responded.
"I will," Cole nodded as he gazed down at his drowsy son.
"You have a beautiful family, Cole," Paige softly warned him, "so don't abuse their trust or their love."
"I've changed, Paige," he insisted. "I've made a lot of mistakes over the past few years. Whether they were for the right reasons or not, I've made some poor choices but I've learned from them. The same way you and your sisters have learned from yours." He quickly continued before she could retort, "I know what a gift I've been given now and I've no intention of letting it slip away."
"Probably not," she decided, "but we'll still be keeping an eye on you."
"Thanks," he smiled, "I think."
She laughed and indicated to her sister, "Looks like your son's not the only one who's finally fallen asleep."
He glanced down at Phoebe and told Paige with concern, "She hasn't slept for more than twenty minutes."
"It's been all the excitement," Paige assured him. "She'll be fine in the morning, you'll see."
"She's been having nightmares," Cole shook his head, "about Hasoaf and everything that happened. This will be with her for a long time."
Paige patted his hand, "But you'll be there to help her through it. And this little cutie will help her too."
The baby suddenly squirmed under her touch, let out a cry, and Cole told her, "I don't think he likes you."
"Don't be ridiculous," she dismissed him with a wave of her hand, "I'm completely lovable."
"Yeah, right," he muttered even as he grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Paige shook her head and stepped back, "I'd better get out of here before things get mushy."
"Why," he teased, "who'd believe you?" Paige stuck her tongue out at him. "Eight o'clock," he reminded her. "I'll be here if you need to reach me and I'll let you know when I go back to the penthouse."
"You took care of Elise, right?" she suddenly asked.
"No," he grumbled. Paige looked stunned and he quickly explained, "She had the nerve to ask if Phoebe at least had finished a rough draft of her column that she could edit and use before the deadline. As if Phoebe hadn't already prepared enough columns to cover most of her leave."
"Was your office any better?" she questioned as she watched Adam calm in his father's arms. "Didn't you complain that they wanted you in the office tomorrow to report on your conference?"
He shrugged and rubbed his son's tummy just like Phoebe had done earlier, "But at least I was able to reason with them. I still had to go through Phoebe's files to e-mail her column to Elise."
Paige laughed, "Get some sleep. Coming back from the dead can be exhaustingI'll talk to you tomorrow."
Just as she was about to orb out, Cole called out, "Thank you, PaigeFor everything."
She smiled and, as she orbed away, added, "You still owe me two hundred bucks."
"That's right, buddy," he whispered to his son after she left, "we've got to stick together or they'll take over."
"May as well buy her a new pair," Phoebe murmured as she suddenly stirred, "she's not gonna forget about those shoes."
"You're supposed to be sleeping," he scolded.
"Can't," she whispered as she leaned forward to check her son.
"Baby, you need to sleep," he quietly urged her as she leaned against him again.
"Scared," she whispered as she placed her hand on his chest and snuggled closer to him.
He awkwardly kissed the top of her head, "Of what?"
"That this is a dream," she finally admitted. "That none of this is happening. That I'm still trapped with Hasoaf, unconscious, I don't know. What if we're still in danger? I'm afraid that if I close my eyes, all this will disappear. You and Adam. I can't lose you," she told him in a higher pitched tone.
"I'm not going anywhere," he promised. "We're in this together. And Adam is safe. We're not going to let anything happen to him." But she didn't look reassured and, afraid that she was on the verge of hyperventilating, he quickly shifted Adam closer to her. "He's real and he's ours. He's made us a family, Phoebe, and I won't let anything tear this family apart."
"I love you," she told him in a hoarse voice with tears streaming from her eyes. "I can't believe I only first told you today. I'm so --"
"Don't," he gently ordered when he interrupted, "tell me you're sorry." She looked at him with a stung expression and he caressed her cheek with her free hand and smiled, "There's nothing to be sorry for. We had to work through some difficult times and we took the time we needed to make sure everything was right between us. There is no sooner or later, Phoebe, there just is."
"I love you," she sighed and rubbed her eyes.
"Now that you can tell me again," he grinned. She chuckled and he added, "I think it's time for this little guy to go into his bassinet and finally give Mommy some room."
Phoebe reached over and lightly kissed her son's forehead. She touched his tiny fingers and gave them a kiss too. "Sweet dreams, Adam. Mommy and Daddy love you."
Cole carefully carried his son over to the bassinet and placed his son down on the blanket. Adam barely stirred and Cole watched him sleep for a few moments before he rolled the bassinet close to the bed. Phoebe was half-asleep and he carefully sat next to her. He leaned back against the pillows and pulled Phoebe closer to him.
"What about the nurse?" she murmured as she rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arm around him.
"Tell her to get her own bed," Cole replied. He felt her laugh and it felt wonderful to him. "Get some sleep," he quietly ordered as he closed his own eyes.
"Love you," she mumbled.
"Love you too," he responded as he wrapped his arms tightly around her and allowed himself to finally drift off.
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He appeared in the hospital room and stared at the exhausted sleeping parents. He then focused on the nearby bassinet and gazed at the sleeping baby. "It's about time they fell asleep," he whispered. "I've been waiting for you for a long time." He stood over the bassinet and reached for the baby.
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