Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, don't sue me.
A/N: Thank you for the reviews. I hope this chapter is alright, because I'm going with the flow on this one.
* * * * *
"Where are we going?" Phoebe questioned suspiciously. Cole gave her a sideways glance.
"You'll see. You'll like it." He said with a small smile. Phoebe decided not to argue against his vague answer. She found it hard to believe that he would know what she would or wouldn't like. He hardly knew her at all, or so she thought. She turned to look through the window, watching as they seemed to be heading up, to a higher altitude.
Cole tried not to look at Phoebe. As much as he tried to block out his conscience, it still bothered him. He felt guilty for what had to be done. What he had to do. He stepped on the brake as they reached their destination.
"Here we are." He said, giving her the best smile he could muster up. He climbed out of the car, and started to walk around to her side. He stopped when she opened her door and stepped out. He shrugged, figuring that she had just forgotten that she was meant to be tormenting him, and turned around, slowly heading to the edge of the fenced off cliff they were now situated on.
Phoebe watched as he turned around. She was about to let him open the door for her, but for some reason guilt got the better of her. She closed the door behind her and walked towards him, stopping by his side. She couldn't help but smile at the view. Though late, the sun still hadn't disappeared completely. Specks of colour mingled with the light, making the city buildings look slightly eerie. The coast was just visible in the horizon, under the pinkish-orange sky.
"It's beautiful." She said quietly, amazed that he had really chosen a destination that she did, truly like.
"Yeah, I thought you'd like it." Cole replied softly. Phoebe turned her head and looked at him.
"You okay?" She asked, genuinely concerned, which surprised her.
"Fine." Cole lied. He tried not to look at her. "Just fine. . ."
* * * * *
"Are you seriously trying to tell me this!?" Phoebe exclaimed. "The Yankees are clearly the best team, how could they lose?"
"Let's just change the subject, I don't like the way this conversation is going." Cole said jokingly. He handed her a can of Cola from the cooler sitting on the bonnet of the car. Phoebe was sitting cross-legged next to it, while Cole was leaning against the bumper.
"Yeah, let's!" Phoebe replied with a smile. Silence filled the air, but it wasn't at all uncomfortable. The sun had now disappeared completely, the view now consisting of thousands of lights shining on a pitch-black background. "So. . ." Phoebe began. "Tell me about your family."
Cole gave her a short glance. "Are you sure you want to get into that? I mean, this is only a one time thing, isn't it?"
Phoebe contemplated her answer. She was actually having a great time, contrary to what she had thought. But her pride took her over. "Yeah, but we're running out of conversation."
"Hmm." Cole said, not convinced. "Well, I don't have any family here, actually."
"What? Why not?" Phoebe asked, surprised.
Cole grimaced inwardly. "The rest of my family lives in Phoenix." Cole thought up. "I'm eighteen, so it's legal for me to live alone now." He said with a smile, amused by how off the truth he was. Honestly, he hadn't seen anyone in his family for almost a decade now.
"Wow, I couldn't imagine life without my family." Phoebe said truthfully.
"So what about your family?" Cole asked. Phoebe looked up with a smile.
"Well, my mum died a long time ago when I was really young. My dad left us a short while after that. So my sisters and I live with my grandmother now. I don't know much about any other family I have." Phoebe said, amazed at how easy it seemed to explain this to Cole.
"I had no idea. I'm sorry. . ." Cole began. Phoebe shrugged off his apology.
"It was a long time ago." Phoebe said with a smile. She hopped off the car and walked to the edge of the cliff, still amazed at the view. She turned around and stood opposite him. "Listen, Cole. I'm sorry if I was a bitch when we first met. . ."
Had Cole been paying attention he would have been pleased at her honesty. But his attention was drawn to the demon that had just shimmered behind Phoebe. The demon pointed at Phoebe, and then ran a finger across his throat. Cole swallowed.
"Cole?" Phoebe began. She turned around to where he was staring and saw nothing. Cole let out a breath. The demon shimmered away just in time. He looked away from Phoebe and dug his hands into his pockets. His right hand fingered the small athame he had put there earlier. He clenched his eyes shut, trying to clear away the traces of impending guilt. "Are you okay?" Phoebe asked for the second time that night. Her concern amused him, mostly because of what he had to do. He clenched his teeth and removed his hands from his pockets, leaving the athame behind.
"I'm fine." He said, giving her a smile. "Let's get you home, it's nearly ten."
* * * * *
The car ride home wasn't half as uncomfortable as the first one. Phoebe relaxed against the seat, genuinely happy with how the night had gone. She surprised herself. The car stopped outside the manor and they both stepped out of the car. Cole walked her up the steps and to the porch.
"Well, that's it then." Cole said with a small smile. "I won't bother you again." He started down the steps, but Phoebe's hand on his arm stopped him. He turned around.
"I'll see you tomorrow." She said with a smile. Cole returned her smile as best he could, before walking to the car. He climbed inside and watched her enter the manor. He slammed his hands on the steering wheel and cursed himself for his inability to go through with a simple job.
"He wants to see you." Cole spun around. The demon he had seen behind Phoebe may minutes ago now sat in the back seat of his car. Cole let out a breath and nodded. He shimmered out of the car, reappearing in the dim halls of the Underworld. Following the demon, he ended up in a large cavern. A dark, narrow carpet led to a stone throne. Upon it sat a robed demon.
"Belthazor." The Source croaked. Cole knelt onto one knee.
"My liege. . ." He muttered.
"I'm disappointed. You never we--"
"I had good reason." Cole interrupted. The Sources eyes flamed.
"Well?" He demanded. Cole took in a deep breath and thought for a second.
"If I can get her to trust me. Then I will be able to find out valuable information, information the Underworld has tried so hard to possess." Cole said standing up. The Source considered this.
"Very well. Make sure that is all you do, I would hate for this to merely be an indication of your cowardice to kill the witch." The Source croaked. Cole held his head high.
"Of course not." He replied, knowing the Source cold see through his lie. With one last bow, he shimmered out of the cavern.
* * * * *
If some of you haven't noticed, the ages of Phoebe, Piper, Prue and Paige seem a little out of whack. Just ignore it, and try not to concentrate too hard on it. : ) Review?
A/N: Thank you for the reviews. I hope this chapter is alright, because I'm going with the flow on this one.
* * * * *
"Where are we going?" Phoebe questioned suspiciously. Cole gave her a sideways glance.
"You'll see. You'll like it." He said with a small smile. Phoebe decided not to argue against his vague answer. She found it hard to believe that he would know what she would or wouldn't like. He hardly knew her at all, or so she thought. She turned to look through the window, watching as they seemed to be heading up, to a higher altitude.
Cole tried not to look at Phoebe. As much as he tried to block out his conscience, it still bothered him. He felt guilty for what had to be done. What he had to do. He stepped on the brake as they reached their destination.
"Here we are." He said, giving her the best smile he could muster up. He climbed out of the car, and started to walk around to her side. He stopped when she opened her door and stepped out. He shrugged, figuring that she had just forgotten that she was meant to be tormenting him, and turned around, slowly heading to the edge of the fenced off cliff they were now situated on.
Phoebe watched as he turned around. She was about to let him open the door for her, but for some reason guilt got the better of her. She closed the door behind her and walked towards him, stopping by his side. She couldn't help but smile at the view. Though late, the sun still hadn't disappeared completely. Specks of colour mingled with the light, making the city buildings look slightly eerie. The coast was just visible in the horizon, under the pinkish-orange sky.
"It's beautiful." She said quietly, amazed that he had really chosen a destination that she did, truly like.
"Yeah, I thought you'd like it." Cole replied softly. Phoebe turned her head and looked at him.
"You okay?" She asked, genuinely concerned, which surprised her.
"Fine." Cole lied. He tried not to look at her. "Just fine. . ."
* * * * *
"Are you seriously trying to tell me this!?" Phoebe exclaimed. "The Yankees are clearly the best team, how could they lose?"
"Let's just change the subject, I don't like the way this conversation is going." Cole said jokingly. He handed her a can of Cola from the cooler sitting on the bonnet of the car. Phoebe was sitting cross-legged next to it, while Cole was leaning against the bumper.
"Yeah, let's!" Phoebe replied with a smile. Silence filled the air, but it wasn't at all uncomfortable. The sun had now disappeared completely, the view now consisting of thousands of lights shining on a pitch-black background. "So. . ." Phoebe began. "Tell me about your family."
Cole gave her a short glance. "Are you sure you want to get into that? I mean, this is only a one time thing, isn't it?"
Phoebe contemplated her answer. She was actually having a great time, contrary to what she had thought. But her pride took her over. "Yeah, but we're running out of conversation."
"Hmm." Cole said, not convinced. "Well, I don't have any family here, actually."
"What? Why not?" Phoebe asked, surprised.
Cole grimaced inwardly. "The rest of my family lives in Phoenix." Cole thought up. "I'm eighteen, so it's legal for me to live alone now." He said with a smile, amused by how off the truth he was. Honestly, he hadn't seen anyone in his family for almost a decade now.
"Wow, I couldn't imagine life without my family." Phoebe said truthfully.
"So what about your family?" Cole asked. Phoebe looked up with a smile.
"Well, my mum died a long time ago when I was really young. My dad left us a short while after that. So my sisters and I live with my grandmother now. I don't know much about any other family I have." Phoebe said, amazed at how easy it seemed to explain this to Cole.
"I had no idea. I'm sorry. . ." Cole began. Phoebe shrugged off his apology.
"It was a long time ago." Phoebe said with a smile. She hopped off the car and walked to the edge of the cliff, still amazed at the view. She turned around and stood opposite him. "Listen, Cole. I'm sorry if I was a bitch when we first met. . ."
Had Cole been paying attention he would have been pleased at her honesty. But his attention was drawn to the demon that had just shimmered behind Phoebe. The demon pointed at Phoebe, and then ran a finger across his throat. Cole swallowed.
"Cole?" Phoebe began. She turned around to where he was staring and saw nothing. Cole let out a breath. The demon shimmered away just in time. He looked away from Phoebe and dug his hands into his pockets. His right hand fingered the small athame he had put there earlier. He clenched his eyes shut, trying to clear away the traces of impending guilt. "Are you okay?" Phoebe asked for the second time that night. Her concern amused him, mostly because of what he had to do. He clenched his teeth and removed his hands from his pockets, leaving the athame behind.
"I'm fine." He said, giving her a smile. "Let's get you home, it's nearly ten."
* * * * *
The car ride home wasn't half as uncomfortable as the first one. Phoebe relaxed against the seat, genuinely happy with how the night had gone. She surprised herself. The car stopped outside the manor and they both stepped out of the car. Cole walked her up the steps and to the porch.
"Well, that's it then." Cole said with a small smile. "I won't bother you again." He started down the steps, but Phoebe's hand on his arm stopped him. He turned around.
"I'll see you tomorrow." She said with a smile. Cole returned her smile as best he could, before walking to the car. He climbed inside and watched her enter the manor. He slammed his hands on the steering wheel and cursed himself for his inability to go through with a simple job.
"He wants to see you." Cole spun around. The demon he had seen behind Phoebe may minutes ago now sat in the back seat of his car. Cole let out a breath and nodded. He shimmered out of the car, reappearing in the dim halls of the Underworld. Following the demon, he ended up in a large cavern. A dark, narrow carpet led to a stone throne. Upon it sat a robed demon.
"Belthazor." The Source croaked. Cole knelt onto one knee.
"My liege. . ." He muttered.
"I'm disappointed. You never we--"
"I had good reason." Cole interrupted. The Sources eyes flamed.
"Well?" He demanded. Cole took in a deep breath and thought for a second.
"If I can get her to trust me. Then I will be able to find out valuable information, information the Underworld has tried so hard to possess." Cole said standing up. The Source considered this.
"Very well. Make sure that is all you do, I would hate for this to merely be an indication of your cowardice to kill the witch." The Source croaked. Cole held his head high.
"Of course not." He replied, knowing the Source cold see through his lie. With one last bow, he shimmered out of the cavern.
* * * * *
If some of you haven't noticed, the ages of Phoebe, Piper, Prue and Paige seem a little out of whack. Just ignore it, and try not to concentrate too hard on it. : ) Review?