Author's Note: Okay, I know I promised more Cole/Phoebe moments in this
chapter, as well as Piper/Leo, and all that other stuff; unfortunately,
what I meant to be an introduction to the chapter turned out to be
extremely long. I figured uploading this chapter now was better than
waiting a few more days for me to get around to writing the rest of the
chapter, so here you go, and I apologize; the next chapter will definitely
include Phoebe/Cole in it for those of you who are fans. Please please
please review! If I get 5 reviews by 3:00 tomorrow, I will make sure to put
in a new chapter tomorrow night, and that's a promise!
Chapter 7: Sisters Forever
"All right Pheebs, open up!" Piper's voice was accompanied by loud knocks on Phoebe Halliwell's bedroom door. Groaning, the Charmed One rolled over to look at her clock. She was shocked to see that it was already 10 o'clock; way past her normal waking hour. Apparently, the events of the night before had drained her more than she had thought.
"Phoebe, if you don't open this door right now, I'll-" Piper halted in mid-sentence as the door opened and revealed Phoebe in the clothes she had worn the night before, her hair in disarray, and her eyes suspiciously puffy.
After Phoebe's surprising confession the night before, Cole and her had both agreed to go home separately. When they got back to the Manor, Phoebe had gone straight to her room, refusing to say anything to her sisters. She'd locked the door and, without really knowing why, she had cried herself to sleep.
"No need to put a dent in my door, Piper." Phoebe's attempt at humor was weak, as was the fake smile that she fixed on her face. Neither of her sisters were fooled.
"Don't change the subject, missy." Piper's tone was harsh, but it softened quickly as she took a good look at her younger sister. "Phoebe, about last night, are you sure that you really-"
"Am I sure that I really love him?" Phoebe broke in, her false mask fading away. Her shoulders slumped forward, and she didn't protest when her two sisters gently maneuvered her to sit on the bed. "If you want the truth, I'm not sure of anything any more. All that I know is that, for all these past months, I haven't been able to get Cole out of my mind. I hid it from you and Paige- even from myself, because I didn't want to believe that I could still love someone who had hurt me - hurt us- so badly. But now that he's back, I can't help wondering if maybe it can work out. After all, his demonic half is gone. . . and I can't live my life wondering 'what if?'"
Silence followed Phoebe's confession, as both Piper and Paige tried to come to terms with the fact that Cole still held part of Phoebe's heart, despite all he had done to them. Each of the three sisters were occupied with their own thoughts, thoughts that were laden with differing emotions and memories.
Paige was confused, and more than a little frustrated. After all, she had been the one who had traveled to the alternate reality; she was the one who had directed their attack. Since she had joined her sisters to reunite the Charmed Ones, Paige hadn't seen much of the good side of Cole; she couldn't understand how Phoebe would want to go back to the man who had endangered all of their lives so frequently. What did she see in the ex-demon, the man who had hurt her over and over again? For the millionth time, Paige wished that she had been with her sisters from the beginning.
Piper's memories on Cole were more broad than Paige's; she could remember times when Cole and Phoebe had been together, and how they had simply clicked, despite the trouble that came up when the sisters found out that Cole was really Balthazar. Of course, after Prue's death, Piper's opinion on Cole had changed. She had been on congenial terms with him before, but when he started to turn evil and took Phoebe with him along for the ride, she any affection she might have had for him. Piper had a hard time getting over Prue's death, and ever since then she had been frightened of losing another sister. In her opinion, Cole's past actions spoke for themselves; he was a liar, a traitor who had hurt her baby sister, and she didn't trust him one bit
Phoebe waited anxiously for her sister's response. Her feelings about Cole were still mixed, despite the events of the night before. Although she did believe that he was telling the truth about being mortal, she couldn't help remembering all the things that he had put her through in the past; how could she be certain that it wasn't Balthazar who betrayed her, but Cole as well? Still, she knew that she couldn't live with the feeling of emptiness in her; she couldn't live with a broken heart that had never healed. One thing, however, she was sure of: a relationship with Cole would not last long if she didn't have her sister's consent; they had been through too much together for her to bear the thought of them being on uneasy terms with one another.
"Please say something." Phoebe avoided her sister's eyes as she spoke, pretending to be studying the design on her comforter. There were a few more moments of uncomfortable silence, before Paige decided that it was time for her to put aside her own experiences, and support her sister.
"If you think it's the right thing, then I won't object, Phoebe. If there's one thing I've learned after I found out you guys were my sisters, it's that people can change; if that wasn't true, then neither of you would have accepted me." Paige hesitantly smiled at Phoebe, who managed a nod of thanks; both of them then turned their attention to Piper.
"I want you to know that I think you're crazy, Phoebe. I think that you're crazy to go back to Cole, and I'm not going to hide that." Piper started out, her facial expression serious. "But I know that you didn't think Leo and I should get together, either. If you hadn't finally given in, Wyatt's birth wouldn't have been possible. Maybe it is true what they say about love- that it makes people act crazy. I won't stand in your way, if you really do love Cole." Piper held up a hand to show that she wasn't finished. "But, if he ever hurts you again, I swear to God that I will kill him, Phoebe, whether he's an innocent or not."
Apparently, that was good enough for Phoebe, who finally looked up with tears of relief in her eyes. "Thank you Piper, Paige. You have no idea what this means to me." She smiled through her tears, and the three sisters embraced in a group hug, each of them comforted by knowing that, no matter what, they would be together.
Chapter 7: Sisters Forever
"All right Pheebs, open up!" Piper's voice was accompanied by loud knocks on Phoebe Halliwell's bedroom door. Groaning, the Charmed One rolled over to look at her clock. She was shocked to see that it was already 10 o'clock; way past her normal waking hour. Apparently, the events of the night before had drained her more than she had thought.
"Phoebe, if you don't open this door right now, I'll-" Piper halted in mid-sentence as the door opened and revealed Phoebe in the clothes she had worn the night before, her hair in disarray, and her eyes suspiciously puffy.
After Phoebe's surprising confession the night before, Cole and her had both agreed to go home separately. When they got back to the Manor, Phoebe had gone straight to her room, refusing to say anything to her sisters. She'd locked the door and, without really knowing why, she had cried herself to sleep.
"No need to put a dent in my door, Piper." Phoebe's attempt at humor was weak, as was the fake smile that she fixed on her face. Neither of her sisters were fooled.
"Don't change the subject, missy." Piper's tone was harsh, but it softened quickly as she took a good look at her younger sister. "Phoebe, about last night, are you sure that you really-"
"Am I sure that I really love him?" Phoebe broke in, her false mask fading away. Her shoulders slumped forward, and she didn't protest when her two sisters gently maneuvered her to sit on the bed. "If you want the truth, I'm not sure of anything any more. All that I know is that, for all these past months, I haven't been able to get Cole out of my mind. I hid it from you and Paige- even from myself, because I didn't want to believe that I could still love someone who had hurt me - hurt us- so badly. But now that he's back, I can't help wondering if maybe it can work out. After all, his demonic half is gone. . . and I can't live my life wondering 'what if?'"
Silence followed Phoebe's confession, as both Piper and Paige tried to come to terms with the fact that Cole still held part of Phoebe's heart, despite all he had done to them. Each of the three sisters were occupied with their own thoughts, thoughts that were laden with differing emotions and memories.
Paige was confused, and more than a little frustrated. After all, she had been the one who had traveled to the alternate reality; she was the one who had directed their attack. Since she had joined her sisters to reunite the Charmed Ones, Paige hadn't seen much of the good side of Cole; she couldn't understand how Phoebe would want to go back to the man who had endangered all of their lives so frequently. What did she see in the ex-demon, the man who had hurt her over and over again? For the millionth time, Paige wished that she had been with her sisters from the beginning.
Piper's memories on Cole were more broad than Paige's; she could remember times when Cole and Phoebe had been together, and how they had simply clicked, despite the trouble that came up when the sisters found out that Cole was really Balthazar. Of course, after Prue's death, Piper's opinion on Cole had changed. She had been on congenial terms with him before, but when he started to turn evil and took Phoebe with him along for the ride, she any affection she might have had for him. Piper had a hard time getting over Prue's death, and ever since then she had been frightened of losing another sister. In her opinion, Cole's past actions spoke for themselves; he was a liar, a traitor who had hurt her baby sister, and she didn't trust him one bit
Phoebe waited anxiously for her sister's response. Her feelings about Cole were still mixed, despite the events of the night before. Although she did believe that he was telling the truth about being mortal, she couldn't help remembering all the things that he had put her through in the past; how could she be certain that it wasn't Balthazar who betrayed her, but Cole as well? Still, she knew that she couldn't live with the feeling of emptiness in her; she couldn't live with a broken heart that had never healed. One thing, however, she was sure of: a relationship with Cole would not last long if she didn't have her sister's consent; they had been through too much together for her to bear the thought of them being on uneasy terms with one another.
"Please say something." Phoebe avoided her sister's eyes as she spoke, pretending to be studying the design on her comforter. There were a few more moments of uncomfortable silence, before Paige decided that it was time for her to put aside her own experiences, and support her sister.
"If you think it's the right thing, then I won't object, Phoebe. If there's one thing I've learned after I found out you guys were my sisters, it's that people can change; if that wasn't true, then neither of you would have accepted me." Paige hesitantly smiled at Phoebe, who managed a nod of thanks; both of them then turned their attention to Piper.
"I want you to know that I think you're crazy, Phoebe. I think that you're crazy to go back to Cole, and I'm not going to hide that." Piper started out, her facial expression serious. "But I know that you didn't think Leo and I should get together, either. If you hadn't finally given in, Wyatt's birth wouldn't have been possible. Maybe it is true what they say about love- that it makes people act crazy. I won't stand in your way, if you really do love Cole." Piper held up a hand to show that she wasn't finished. "But, if he ever hurts you again, I swear to God that I will kill him, Phoebe, whether he's an innocent or not."
Apparently, that was good enough for Phoebe, who finally looked up with tears of relief in her eyes. "Thank you Piper, Paige. You have no idea what this means to me." She smiled through her tears, and the three sisters embraced in a group hug, each of them comforted by knowing that, no matter what, they would be together.
