Author's Note: Okay, here's another chapter. I still have no idea where to go from here, but at least Phoebe and Cole are reconciling some. I can write one more chapter and end it, or I can continue this by involving Wyatt and Cole more. I'm undecided at the moment, because I feel like I'm writing everyone horribly out of character. I don't know, maybe it's just me. *sighs* Anyways, I'll be gone for mostly the rest of the month with vacation and camps, so don't expect a quick update after this unless I write another chapter tomorrow.

Barb: I'm trying not to give up, but if I can't find some way to get into the story again, I'm going to have to wrap it up, cause I hate feeling like I'm not writing well enough.

Evil Angel: I'll try to give Cole some peace, if I can. We'll see what happens.

Dreaming: I know what you mean, I do need to get something in here, I'm just having writers block figuring out what exactly. *sighs* I think my brain shut down when school ended.

Chapter 4: Mending Broken Hearts

"You think you can just apologize, and that will make everything okay?
You're crazier than I thought." Piper's tone was scathing, her glare
revealing a hatred that would put most demons to shame. She had put
one arm around your shoulder, and I realized just how much she loves
you. She didn't hate me because I was a demon, or because I'd tried to
kill her several times. She hated me because I'd hurt you, Phoebe.
Piper hated me because I'd made her baby sister feel pain, and that
was something I knew that she'd never forgive me for.

A familiar jingling broke the silence, and Leo looked heavenward.
"It's the Elders- it sounds urgent." He shared a look with Piper, and
then they both looked right at me. "Will you be all right alone with
him?"

"We'll be fine." Piper's tone was firm. There was a swirl of blue
orbs, and then the Whitelighter was gone. I looked back at you, and
saw one tear making its way down your cheek. You met my gaze, and I
took a step back, the intensity of it surprising me.

"I know that you haven't let go of me yet." I'm not sure why I said
those words just then- I certainly hadn't intended to. They just
slipped out. Piper and Paige looked shocked; you'd hidden your
feelings from them well enough that I doubted they had ever guessed
the extent of your grief.

"I hate you." Your words were soft, and you looked down at the floor
when you spoke them, then met my eyes again. "I hate what you've done
to me, Cole. I hate how you wrecked everything." Now the tears started
coming faster, your body shaking with sobs. "I trusted you, I gave you
my heart, and you broke it, Cole."

"And it hasn't healed yet, has it?" I knew that I was treading on
dangerous ground, but I was tired of remaining silent, of seeing you
hold your pain inside. You glared, though I knew your anger was only
covering your fear that I might reveal your secret. "Do you want to
know why it hasn't healed, Phoebe? It's not because you hate me,
though I'm sure you do. It's because you still lo-"

You cut me off, yelling at me. "Don't even say it, Cole! Just don't
say it!"

I held your gaze, feeling more sure of myself than I had for months.
This was one time neither of us was going to run away from our
feelings. "You still love me, Phoebe. Why are you so afraid of that?"

Your response was punctuated by sobs, and your sisters looked at one
another, neither of them having expected this turn of events. No doubt
you'd convinced them that you were over me- and it had been easier for
them to believe that, easier for them to believe that you would be
fine, so they had accepted it. Now they were beginning to realize that
you'd been lying all along, not only to them, but also to yourself.
"Because I shouldn't love you- you ruined my life, Cole. You ruined
everything, but I still miss you, I still remember everything, when we
were happy together, how you kissed me, the way I felt safe with you..
I can't- I can't handle this." You broke down completely, only Piper
and Paige's arms keeping you from collapsing. I watched, aware that
I'd opened a floodgate that you'd closed off for a long time.

"Shhhh, it's okay Pheebs, it's all right." Piper gently stroked your
hair, supporting you with her other arm. "Why are you doing this to
her?" She looked at me, and for the first time I saw pain in her eyes
as well, instead of just anger.

"Because we both need to find peace, that's why. Because we never got
a chance to make things right, and it's killing both of us." I spoke
the truth, straight from my heart. Without my demonic half, my
emotions were magnified in ways they'd never been when I was alive.

"Make things right? Don't tell me you're going to try and get her back
again, Cole." The suspicion and distrust was so clear that I felt a
tinge of pain, reminded of how I'd acted before.

"No." Your sobs died down some, your eyes puffy and red as they met
mine. "No, I'm not going to try that. I had my chances before, and I
wasted them. And I'm sorry for that, Phoebe, I truly am." My apology
had little effect on you, at least from what I could tell. Not that I
had expected it to do much; they were only words, and words could not
heal a broken heart.

"I hate you- I hate Balthazar." You paused, taking a ragged breath.
"But I love Cole Turner."

I couldn't begin to explain what those words meant to me, words I had
waited so long to hear you say. I stepped forward, wanting to embrace
you, and I noticed that you took half a step as well. But then you
stopped, and I realized that even though you'd finally let everything
out, you still weren't healed. Your heart was still broken, and I
hated myself for being the one to break it. But now, hopefully, you
could begin to heal. That was what I wanted for you- I wanted you to
live a happy life, even if I wasn't in it. "I love you too, Phoebe.
And I always will."

I stiffened as I felt something shift in the air. A force was pulling
me away, yanking my spirit from Earth. I struggled against it, locking
gazes with you, not wanting to leave. I knew what was happening, but I
didn't want to go back. . .