Chapter 8

Cole and Phoebe were walking up to the helicopter in each other's arms. Phoebe noticed Levi's pack on the ground and wondered where he was, or why the helicopter was not ready to lift off. Then they heard a voice coming around the helicopter, and it stopped them in their tracks. Cole pulled Phoebe tight to him, they waited to see. The voice was unmistakable and it wasn't Levi's

Two men came around the helicopter with Levi in front of them. They had guns on Levi's head. Phoebe flinched at this and lept forward but Cole pulled her back and held her in his arms.

"Going somewhere kitten?" Abe said, as he walked out from behind the helicopter as well.

Cole tightened his grip on Phoebe.

"What the hell are you doing Abe, let him go! It's not him you want!" Phoebe yelled in a sober tone.

"Yes kitten, this is true…but since you both betrayed me, someone must pay, and I would rather it be him and not you…But if you insist?" He said as he walked close to Cole and Phoebe.

He aimed a gun to Phoebe's head. Cole put Phoebe behind him and glared down at Abe. Cole was like a large Grizzly defending his territory from a pack of vicious and hungry wolves.

"She's not going anywhere." Cole growled staring intensely at the fat man.

Abe just cackled in a wicked tone.

"Oh, isn't that sweet… I don't have time for your brave nonsense Turner, you have no control. If you haven't noticed, we are the ones with the weapons." Abe snapped back.

Phoebe saw the knife in the back of Cole's pants and remembered that he had grabbed it off the guard.

Just then a gun went off behind them. Abe whirled around to see what it was, and Cole snatched the opportunity. Cole reached for the knife and grabbed the back of Abe's suit collar sticking the knife deep into Abe's side. He twisted the knife as he shoved harder. Blood come spilling out of Abe, as Cole let him fall to the ground.

Levi had kicked the gun out of the man's hand and it went off causing the distraction. Cole took the gun from Abe's hand and shot one of the men holding Levi. Phoebe ran inside the helicopter and untied the bound and gagged pilot, so he could immediately start the helicopter. Levi had got the gun from the second man and finished him off. Cole towered over the fat man's body in triumph as he watched Abe choke and gag on his own blood.

"You were mistaken, you fat prick, I am the one in control." Cole said angrily, clenching the bloody knife tight in his hand and the gun in the other.

He knelt down by Abe who was struggling to breath, and sprawled on the hot sandy heliport. Abe's rage kept him from shutting his eyes.

"Before you die, know that the life you took from me is now mine again, and the last words you hear will be mine, so now you know, you lost your game." Cole finished, as he spit on Abe's chest, throwing the gun down and climbing in the helicopter.

Phoebe threw her arms around Cole, and he held Phoebe tight shutting his eyes in relief.

"It's ok baby…it's ok. He said stroking the back of her head. He was covered with blood from the stabbing.

Levi walked up to Abe and looked at the dying man. Levi threw Phoebe's gun at Cole and said,

"Thanks."

Cole nodded at him as he caught the gun. Abe's eyes were set on Levi. Levi motioned for the pilot to lift off, and took the side rail of the helicopter to jump in, but a gun went off. Levi's eyes met Phoebe's. He looked down at his chest and blood started running out. Cole reached around Levi and shot Abe between the eyes. The fat man slumped over lifeless.

"No… Stop the helicopter! Phoebe screamed in terror. But Levi waved the pilot on.

Cole grabbed for Levi but he stepped back.

"Go, get out of here!" Levi said choking on the blood that ran from his mouth. He fell to his knees and waved the rising helicopter to go.

"Levi, I'm not leaving you!" Phoebe screamed.

"Come on man, Get in here!" Cole said, as he started to go for Levi again.

Levi aimed the gun at Cole and cocked it.

"I said go…! Get her out of here!" Levi choked.

Cole stared at Levi's eyes and understood what Levi was doing. Phoebe went to reach for Levi but Cole stopped her, and held her tight.

"Levi…don't do this!" Phoebe was now sobbing. The helicopter was lifting higher now.

"Levi! Levi!" Phoebe tried again.

"Go Phoebe, I love you!" Levi yelled to her as the helicopter lifted off.

Cole held Phoebe close while she shook in his arms. Cole was stricken by what happened as well. He knew why Levi did it and admired him.

"Why did he do this?" Phoebe said in a disterbed voice.

"I think you know why baby." Cole wiped her tears.

"He didn't have to though, he was my friend Cole." Phoebe said looking at Cole.

"Yes, he did Phoebe, he couldn't live knowing you didn't love him back. Believe me, I understand. When the woman you love is with another man, you beg for death to come to you. It is the only way to end your suffering."

This upset Phoebe. She knew what Cole was referring to.

"Did you… ask for death Cole?" She finished saying in a teary voice.

Cole just sighed and kissed her lips lightly.

"It doesn't matter anymore, you are with me now." He said, laying her head back on his chest.

Phoebe understood his meaning and squeezed his waist. They were headed home and in spite of everything that happened, Phoebe was relieved. Relieved to have Cole again and to be on their way home as well. This was all behind her now, and for the first time in three years, she felt free. Free from the prison of torment, and fear that haunted her every day before.

Cole laid on the hospital bed while the doctor Injected something into his arm.

"There you go son, that should help the dehydration, and the fever in your body." The doctor said assuring Cole.

"How long do I have to stay doctor?" Cole asked while holding the cotton swab on his arm.

"Well, if you rest, you should be out of here soon. I'll send the nurse to check you later. Rest now, the more you do so, the sooner your body will heal." The doctor finished and shut the door.

Cole laid back in the bed and smiled. He felt like things were finally looking up. Phoebe was with him again and the pain in his heart was no longer there.

Later that afternoon someone came to his room. He opened his eyes anxiously, and sat up in bed but was shocked to see his visitor.

"Gwen! Hi! I thought you were Phoebe." Cole said in surprise.

"Disappointed? She asked smiling, as she leaned against the doorway.

"Of course not, come here!" Cole said reaching his arms for Gwen.

Gwen walked over to his bedside and hugged him tight. She felt a lump in her throat as she hugged him.

"Gwen, you are not crying are you?" Cole joked, as he felt emotional himself. Gwen laughed and quietly said,

"I never thought I would see you again lady killer."

Gwen called him that a lot. She saw the affect he had over Phoebe, and all the women that just looked at him. Gwen would always tease Cole about his charm. He never noticed the women after he met Phoebe. His eyes were for her only. He was definitely a one-woman man, and once he gave his love there was no going back.

She let go of him and sat down beside his bed. He laid back and looked at her, unsure of where to start. Then they both went to say something at the same time. They laughed and Cole said,

"You go first."

Gwen sighed and then said with a smile,

"You know you really gave us hell Cole."

"I'm sorry sis, I was having too much fun to come home to my family!" He said sarcastically.

Gwen smiled, and then her smile faded as she looked down at her lap. Cole sensed her discomfort and reached for her hand.

"All joking aside Gwen, I really did try to come home to you guys." Cole said more seriously.

"It's not that Cole…I didn't know you were alive and I pushed Phoebe to Levi. She dragged her feet because she always had hope that you were alive somewhere and that you would find her." Cole felt warmed by this. "It was me Cole, I am responsible for Levi and maybe if I wouldn't have…"

Cole stopped her.

"Gwen you can't do this to yourself!"

"No Cole, let me finish. If I wouldn't have pushed her then maybe things wouldn't have went on so long. I was so damn set on Phoebe getting on with her life that I never thought of anything else. I wanted Dallas to have a father, and I wanted Phoebe to be happy again."

"Gwen you can't blame yourself for something you had no control over. You can't think that you had that much power over what was happening. Phoebe was just lucky that she had you to help her. You were there for her when she needed someone, and I am grateful for that." Cole said trying to comfort her mind.

"Cole…Phoebe was so lost and if it wasn't for Dallas, she might not have survived this nightmare. Dallas was born the day we got the news of your disappearance." Gwen said, as she saw his face change.

Cole looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. Gwen watched his face and squeezed his hand to assure him. He looked like a truck hit him when she mentioned Dallas.

"I know, Abe told me…. You know Gwen, I have a daughter, and I am so scared to see her. What if she is afraid of me, or doesn't want anything to do with me. I don't know if I could take that. It would rip my heart out Gwen. That is why I told Phoebe not to bring Dallas to me. I didn't want her to see me in this place, I was afraid it would scare her away." Cole admitted sadly.

Gwen just smiled sweetly. She knew that Phoebe talked to Dallas all the time about Cole, and it wouldn't matter where he was, she couldn't wait to see him. All the stories Phoebe told to Dallas about her daddy. In Dallas's eyes, Cole was a legend, a hero. She knew how excited Dallas was to finally get to see her daddy in real life.

"Cole, I don't think you need to worry about that." Gwen said, as she told him about the bedtime stories and the pictures and all the things Phoebe would tell Dallas about her daddy.

Cole smiled and thanked Gwen for helping ease his mind. They talked for a long time. About the past, the future, and now. They laughed and cried. Gwen and Cole were always very close. Cole took good care of her and she was always grateful.

She got up to leave and looked down at him. He looked so different to her. He looked like he was ten years older, and she felt like she could see the scarres on his heart. She leaned down and kissed his lips gently. Then she walked to the door and looked back.

"You take care of you." She said.

"You take care of you." He said smiling at her.

"Phoebe will be back this evening." She said as she blew him a kiss and walked out.

Cole shut his eyes again and thought on all the things that Gwen told him, and he told Gwen. Then he fell asleep again. Even though the hospital beds were not ideal comfort, they felt like sleeping on a cloud to Cole. It was a lot softer that the sandy stone he was used to.

That evening Phoebe slipped into his room. He was facing the window with his back to her. She walked up to him and kissed his ear softly. This gave Cole chills and his insides felt warm instantly. Her kisses were familiar and soft, and they could always make him feel better. Cole rolled over and pulled Phoebe on top of him. His eyes were still shut, and he smiled happily.

"How did you know it was me and not some nurse?" Phoebe joked.

"Oh sorry, I thought you were my nurse!" Cole teased, as he opened his eyes to look at her.

Phoebe reached under his blankets and grabbed him. He flinched as he laughed at her reaction.

"Oh you think you are funny do you?" She said as she massaged between his legs.

"Phoebe…" Cole said breathing harder. "What took you so long to get here?" He finished as he laced his fingers behind his head and watched her stroke him.

"I had to get Dallas settled before I left. She was asking for you." Phoebe said as she let go of him and came closer to his face.

"I'm nervous Phoebe, I don't know what to say to her?" He said as he put his forehead on Phoebe's.

"Cole it's ok to be afraid, but I'll be there baby. And you will do fine, we will do fine together. We are a family now baby, and family can get through things together." Phoebe said as she kissed him tenderly.

"Phoebe…. Will you say that again?" He said closing his eyes.

"Say what baby?" She said as she kissed his neck.

"Say we are a family." He said enjoying her caress and wet kisses.

"We are a family, and always will be. Nothing or no one will ever take that from us." Phoebe whispered in his ear.

She raised his hospital gown and kissed his stomach. He put his hands on her head and gently pushed her down farther. He moaned pleasantly and she felt his grip tighten on her head as she reached his groin. She slid up and down on him, and then came back to his lower stomach, then to his chest trailing her tougue along his body. She looked up at him, and he was watching her work. She smiled seductively and sat up to straddle him. He never took his eyes from hers as she raised her hips and slid down on him. He roughly grabbed her thighs and squeezed them, while he arched his back and grunted, closing his eyes again.

"Phoebe… stay with me, I don't want to be away from you another night." He said heavily.

"Ok baby." She said smiling, then kissed him passionately.

The next morning Phoebe woke up and looked at Cole. He was sleeping sound and she tried to slip out before the nurse came in. She got to the door and Cole stopped her.

"Honey, where are you going?" He said lazily.

"I'm going to see what I can do, to get you out of here."

"Not without telling me good morning are you?" He said, as he propped himself on his side and smiled his best smile to lure her in.

She walked over to him and sat down on the bed. He kissed her breast through her thin short dress, and pulled at her buttons. Then she looked at him funny as something came to her. She remembered something from long ago.

"What is it baby?" He said looking at her curiously.

"Cole this is weird, does this remind you of something?" She asked waiting for it to hit him.

"Yes! It reminds me how bad I want you naked, like last night!" He whispered on her neck, as he kissed it.

Phoebe smiled and she shivered feeling chills run up and down her body.

"No baby, I mean this place, remember?" She said trying to resist his motives.

He laid her down underneath him and climbed on top of her.

"Yes, but I was the one taking care of you!" He admitted spreading her legs with his knee.

He unbuttoned her dress and kissed her breasts enticing her all the more. He knew this drove her mad, and she could never resist it. She ran her fingers through his hair and moaned, while she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him inside her. He was breathing heavy through their kisses.

"You were so charming and sexy, I couldn't tell you no!" She said short of breath.

"You were the one that took advantage of me, and you knew what you were doing to me. I was hard for you as soon as I rolled you over and saw you were not a boy, but a very sexy girl. And your body didn't feel bad under me either." Cole said struggling not to loose control.

Phoebe smiled and kissed his lazy lustful lips, which hung over her mouth.

"Don't think I didn't notice that either. You were almost molesting me." She said as she let loose of his lips.

He smiled and said, "I couldn't help it honey, I wanted in your pants as soon as I saw you." He said trying to catch his breath. They both smiled and remembered this first time they were in the hospital together. Only Phoebe was the one that was recovering, from a bump on her head.

Just then the nurse walked in. Cole dropped flat on Phoebe. They both held their breath and froze.

"Oh…! Oh…! I...I'm sorry!" The nurse said as she hurried out the door and shut it.

Cole and Phoebe still lay frozen. They looked at each other and a smile came across their faces, and then all at once they burst out laughing.

"Shit!" Cole said cracking up.

"That poor woman!" Phoebe struggled to say, she was laughing so hard.