Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, don't sue me.
A/N: Alright, thanks for the reviews. I'm really trying to finish this story up, it's just not happening. We'll see how it goes. Oh, right. . .the Paddy/Penny thing. For some reason I used 'Penny' in the first chapter, but switched to 'Paddy' in the most recent chapters. Anyway, I think I've fixed it up. . .mostly. Sorry about that.
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"What are you trying to do?" Phoebe asked, barging into her room, a tray of food balanced on her forearm. Cole looked up from the photo he was holding. Phoebe paused, looking from the photo, then her open bedside table drawer, then back to Cole. She stormed over and slammed shut the drawer. "You're going through my stuff now?!" She shouted, dropping the tray onto the bed.
Cole sighed, before indicating to the picture. "Good photo." He said simply. Phoebe glanced at the photo that had been taken of the two of them weeks ago. She kept it safely in the drawer, she had forgotten it was still there. She snatched it from his grasp and allowed it to fall to the ground.
"What are you trying to do?" She repeated, softer this time.
Cole raised his eyebrows. "I need you to be a little less vague."
Phoebe clenched her teeth impatiently. "The Source. You helping us. What are you trying to do?"
"Exactly what you said." Cole said bending over to pick up the photo. He placed it gently on the bedside table. "I'm helping you to vanquish the Source."
"Why?" Phoebe asked frowning. "What could you possibly have to gain?"
"Oh, I don't know. . ." Cole said sarcastically. "Maybe your trust." He stood up and faced her, his arms folded across his chest.
"Don't think you'll ever get that back." Phoebe said softly.
"I'm not thinking it, Phoebe." Cole replied in a similar soft tone. "I'm hoping. Because I do love you." He paused, then looked away. "And you're all I have left now." He gazed back at her. For a moment, he saw some trace of forgiveness written in her expression, but she turned away. When she turned to face him again, whatever expression she wore previously was gone.
"I loved you too, Cole. I'm sure I still do. But none of it matters, because despite whatever I'm feeling, I know the truth. And after everything you did. . .how can I possibly look at you in the same way?" She felt a tear crawl down her cheek, and she wiped it away hastily. Cole reached out hesitantly, but she stepped back. "You do what you want to. . .but don't expect anything from me for it." She paused for a second, before heading to the door.
"Phoebe." Cole said firmly. She stopped and turned to face him. "You are the only person who knows who I am. Who I really am. Don't think that that was all a lie."
Phoebe gazed at him for a second, taking in what he had said. They held a moment of eye contact, before she broke it swiftly and exited the room. She headed down towards the staircase, pausing when she saw Piper and Prue heading towards her.
"How'd it go?" Piper queried.
"I'm not sure." Phoebe answered truthfully. "I need somewhere to stay tonight." She said quickly, changing the subject.
"You can camp out in my room." Prue offered. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"
"Yeah." Phoebe replied hastily. "I'll be--" She was cut off as she was sent flying into the wall with a loud scream. Piper and Prue whirled around. A large demon stood in front of them, his arm outstretched having just flung a fireball.
"Where is he?" The demon demanded.
"Grams!!!" Piper called, ducking as a fireball was thrown at her. Prue threw her hands forward in an attempt to injure the demon. Nothing happened. She swore. A loud splintering sound was heard, and she turned to see Cole come flying out of Phoebe's room, the door falling to the ground in front of him. He glanced from Prue's wide-eyed stare to the demon in front of him. Before anyone knew what was happening the corridor was filled with soaring fireballs. Piper and Prue threw themselves to the ground. Seconds later it was all over. Cole breathed in deeply and glanced at the piled of ashes that had been the demon. He looked at Piper and Prue, before Phoebe's limp form caught his eye.
"Phoebe. . ." He let out, kneeling by her side.
"Don't touch her." Prue warned, as she and Piper stood and advanced on him.
"She's hurt." Cole said simply, ignoring them. He took Phoebe into his arms, stepped over the broken door and laid her gently on her bed.
"I thought you were supposed to be weak." Prue said, as she hurriedly followed him. "Phoebe. . ." She said softly, taking her sister's hand.
"I was." Cole said softly, laying a hand gently on Phoebe's forehead.
"What happened?" Penny said running into the room. I was in the backyard getting some herbs. . ." She stopped when she saw Phoebe, then looked at Prue expectantly.
"Demon." Prue said simply. "He was looking for Cole."
Grams glanced from Cole, to the broken door. "You saved them?" She asked,
"I wasn't quick enough." Cole said, his eyes falling on Phoebe.
Grams hurried to Phoebe's side and ran a hand against her cheek. "She'll be okay. A quick potion will do it." She turned to Piper. "Piper, do you know how to make it?"
"I think so. . ." Piper replied quickly, giving a quick worried glance in Phoebe's direction before heading downstairs. Ten minutes later she entered the room clutching a glass full of a pale green liquid.
"It's done." She said to Cole and Prue, who were standing silently by Phoebe's bed. They stepped back and let Piper sit by Phoebe's side, tilting her head and gently tipping the liquid down her throat.
"How long will it take?" Cole asked seconds later, his arms tightly crossed over his chest.
"Not long. Ten minutes at the most." Piper said, sitting back and placing the almost empty glass on the bedside table. Cole felt an immense sense of relief take him over.
"Cole." Penny entered the room. "I think it's time we discussed the matter of the Source."
"Now?" Cole asked incredulously, looking from Grams to Phoebe.
"Now." Grams said firmly. "Phoebe will be fine." She added. Something in her tone told Cole not to argue, and with a last reluctant look at Phoebe they headed downstairs. Prue followed almost immediately, obviously not wanting to be left in the dark. Piper glanced at the door, but decided against following. Someone should be with Phoebe when she woke up. Almost in recognition of her thoughts, Phoebe stirred. Her eyes opened minutes later. She looked around the room, confused, before her eyes rested on Piper.
"What happened?" She asked, sitting up and groaning at the throbbing pain in her head.
"Demon attack." Piper said simply.
"I don't remember. . ." Phoebe muttered.
"Of course you don't." Piper said with a smirk. "You were unconscious before all the action started."
"Demon. . ." Phoebe muttered. She suddenly looked up. "Was it--"
"No, it wasn't Cole." Piper interrupted, realising the question before Phoebe had time to say it.
"Oh." Phoebe mumbled.
"He saved us, actually." Piper said, making Phoebe look up, surprised.
"What? How?" Was all Phoebe could manage.
"Broke your door down." Piper said as if it happened every day. Phoebe frowned.
"Okay." She said, seemingly not affected by this news. It seemed to Piper that she was still thinking hard about something else. "He saved us?" Phoebe asked again, answering Piper's question.
"Yeah." Piper replied. "Is that a bad thing?"
"I guess not." Phoebe muttered. "Where is he now, if my room is doorless?"
"Downstairs, with Grams and Prue." Piper said indifferently.
"What? He could hurt them!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"Do you really believe that?" Piper replied, shocked at her sister's outburst. Phoebe hesitated.
"I don't know." She said truthfully. "It's just that. . ." She paused.
"It's easier hating him?" Piper offered.
"Yeah." Phoebe said with a sigh. "I don't know what to believe now." She added truthfully.
"Phoebs. . ." Piper began, shifting slightly in her seat. "I'm not on Cole's side here, I'm on yours. And I'm just thinking. . .why are you so eager to push him away?"
Phoebe frowned. "It's obvious, isn't it?" Piper raised her eyebrows, and Phoebe continued. "Well, he's a demon."
"And that's it?" Piper asked.
"What else is there?" Phoebe exclaimed.
"Okay, okay." Piper threw her hands up in defense. "All I'm saying is that times have changed. I mean, if you forgot everything you've learned and went with what your heart is telling you to do, sure. . .lots of Wicca folk would be pissed off." She paused when Phoebe threw her a look. "But," She continued, "who cares? It'll probably be a common thing years from now."
"That's a terrible point." Phoebe commented when Piper had finished.
Piper frowned. "Alright, how about this. You're still in love with him." She raised her eyebrows, daring Phoebe to contradict her.
"Well, that isn't everything." Phoebe said softly.
"It depends on whose point of view you're looking at." Piper said with a shrug.
"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked with a frown.
"I mean," Piper continued, "that if Cole is truly telling the truth about all this, and he did give up everything for you. . .then love probably is everything." Silence filled the room. "Anyway. . ." Piper said standing up. "If that helped at all -"
"It did." Phoebe interrupted. She paused before speaking again. "More than you know."
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That chapter was a bit dodgy. Anyway, drop off a review. Tell me what you though about it. Flames are welcome.
A/N: Alright, thanks for the reviews. I'm really trying to finish this story up, it's just not happening. We'll see how it goes. Oh, right. . .the Paddy/Penny thing. For some reason I used 'Penny' in the first chapter, but switched to 'Paddy' in the most recent chapters. Anyway, I think I've fixed it up. . .mostly. Sorry about that.
* * * * *
"What are you trying to do?" Phoebe asked, barging into her room, a tray of food balanced on her forearm. Cole looked up from the photo he was holding. Phoebe paused, looking from the photo, then her open bedside table drawer, then back to Cole. She stormed over and slammed shut the drawer. "You're going through my stuff now?!" She shouted, dropping the tray onto the bed.
Cole sighed, before indicating to the picture. "Good photo." He said simply. Phoebe glanced at the photo that had been taken of the two of them weeks ago. She kept it safely in the drawer, she had forgotten it was still there. She snatched it from his grasp and allowed it to fall to the ground.
"What are you trying to do?" She repeated, softer this time.
Cole raised his eyebrows. "I need you to be a little less vague."
Phoebe clenched her teeth impatiently. "The Source. You helping us. What are you trying to do?"
"Exactly what you said." Cole said bending over to pick up the photo. He placed it gently on the bedside table. "I'm helping you to vanquish the Source."
"Why?" Phoebe asked frowning. "What could you possibly have to gain?"
"Oh, I don't know. . ." Cole said sarcastically. "Maybe your trust." He stood up and faced her, his arms folded across his chest.
"Don't think you'll ever get that back." Phoebe said softly.
"I'm not thinking it, Phoebe." Cole replied in a similar soft tone. "I'm hoping. Because I do love you." He paused, then looked away. "And you're all I have left now." He gazed back at her. For a moment, he saw some trace of forgiveness written in her expression, but she turned away. When she turned to face him again, whatever expression she wore previously was gone.
"I loved you too, Cole. I'm sure I still do. But none of it matters, because despite whatever I'm feeling, I know the truth. And after everything you did. . .how can I possibly look at you in the same way?" She felt a tear crawl down her cheek, and she wiped it away hastily. Cole reached out hesitantly, but she stepped back. "You do what you want to. . .but don't expect anything from me for it." She paused for a second, before heading to the door.
"Phoebe." Cole said firmly. She stopped and turned to face him. "You are the only person who knows who I am. Who I really am. Don't think that that was all a lie."
Phoebe gazed at him for a second, taking in what he had said. They held a moment of eye contact, before she broke it swiftly and exited the room. She headed down towards the staircase, pausing when she saw Piper and Prue heading towards her.
"How'd it go?" Piper queried.
"I'm not sure." Phoebe answered truthfully. "I need somewhere to stay tonight." She said quickly, changing the subject.
"You can camp out in my room." Prue offered. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"
"Yeah." Phoebe replied hastily. "I'll be--" She was cut off as she was sent flying into the wall with a loud scream. Piper and Prue whirled around. A large demon stood in front of them, his arm outstretched having just flung a fireball.
"Where is he?" The demon demanded.
"Grams!!!" Piper called, ducking as a fireball was thrown at her. Prue threw her hands forward in an attempt to injure the demon. Nothing happened. She swore. A loud splintering sound was heard, and she turned to see Cole come flying out of Phoebe's room, the door falling to the ground in front of him. He glanced from Prue's wide-eyed stare to the demon in front of him. Before anyone knew what was happening the corridor was filled with soaring fireballs. Piper and Prue threw themselves to the ground. Seconds later it was all over. Cole breathed in deeply and glanced at the piled of ashes that had been the demon. He looked at Piper and Prue, before Phoebe's limp form caught his eye.
"Phoebe. . ." He let out, kneeling by her side.
"Don't touch her." Prue warned, as she and Piper stood and advanced on him.
"She's hurt." Cole said simply, ignoring them. He took Phoebe into his arms, stepped over the broken door and laid her gently on her bed.
"I thought you were supposed to be weak." Prue said, as she hurriedly followed him. "Phoebe. . ." She said softly, taking her sister's hand.
"I was." Cole said softly, laying a hand gently on Phoebe's forehead.
"What happened?" Penny said running into the room. I was in the backyard getting some herbs. . ." She stopped when she saw Phoebe, then looked at Prue expectantly.
"Demon." Prue said simply. "He was looking for Cole."
Grams glanced from Cole, to the broken door. "You saved them?" She asked,
"I wasn't quick enough." Cole said, his eyes falling on Phoebe.
Grams hurried to Phoebe's side and ran a hand against her cheek. "She'll be okay. A quick potion will do it." She turned to Piper. "Piper, do you know how to make it?"
"I think so. . ." Piper replied quickly, giving a quick worried glance in Phoebe's direction before heading downstairs. Ten minutes later she entered the room clutching a glass full of a pale green liquid.
"It's done." She said to Cole and Prue, who were standing silently by Phoebe's bed. They stepped back and let Piper sit by Phoebe's side, tilting her head and gently tipping the liquid down her throat.
"How long will it take?" Cole asked seconds later, his arms tightly crossed over his chest.
"Not long. Ten minutes at the most." Piper said, sitting back and placing the almost empty glass on the bedside table. Cole felt an immense sense of relief take him over.
"Cole." Penny entered the room. "I think it's time we discussed the matter of the Source."
"Now?" Cole asked incredulously, looking from Grams to Phoebe.
"Now." Grams said firmly. "Phoebe will be fine." She added. Something in her tone told Cole not to argue, and with a last reluctant look at Phoebe they headed downstairs. Prue followed almost immediately, obviously not wanting to be left in the dark. Piper glanced at the door, but decided against following. Someone should be with Phoebe when she woke up. Almost in recognition of her thoughts, Phoebe stirred. Her eyes opened minutes later. She looked around the room, confused, before her eyes rested on Piper.
"What happened?" She asked, sitting up and groaning at the throbbing pain in her head.
"Demon attack." Piper said simply.
"I don't remember. . ." Phoebe muttered.
"Of course you don't." Piper said with a smirk. "You were unconscious before all the action started."
"Demon. . ." Phoebe muttered. She suddenly looked up. "Was it--"
"No, it wasn't Cole." Piper interrupted, realising the question before Phoebe had time to say it.
"Oh." Phoebe mumbled.
"He saved us, actually." Piper said, making Phoebe look up, surprised.
"What? How?" Was all Phoebe could manage.
"Broke your door down." Piper said as if it happened every day. Phoebe frowned.
"Okay." She said, seemingly not affected by this news. It seemed to Piper that she was still thinking hard about something else. "He saved us?" Phoebe asked again, answering Piper's question.
"Yeah." Piper replied. "Is that a bad thing?"
"I guess not." Phoebe muttered. "Where is he now, if my room is doorless?"
"Downstairs, with Grams and Prue." Piper said indifferently.
"What? He could hurt them!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"Do you really believe that?" Piper replied, shocked at her sister's outburst. Phoebe hesitated.
"I don't know." She said truthfully. "It's just that. . ." She paused.
"It's easier hating him?" Piper offered.
"Yeah." Phoebe said with a sigh. "I don't know what to believe now." She added truthfully.
"Phoebs. . ." Piper began, shifting slightly in her seat. "I'm not on Cole's side here, I'm on yours. And I'm just thinking. . .why are you so eager to push him away?"
Phoebe frowned. "It's obvious, isn't it?" Piper raised her eyebrows, and Phoebe continued. "Well, he's a demon."
"And that's it?" Piper asked.
"What else is there?" Phoebe exclaimed.
"Okay, okay." Piper threw her hands up in defense. "All I'm saying is that times have changed. I mean, if you forgot everything you've learned and went with what your heart is telling you to do, sure. . .lots of Wicca folk would be pissed off." She paused when Phoebe threw her a look. "But," She continued, "who cares? It'll probably be a common thing years from now."
"That's a terrible point." Phoebe commented when Piper had finished.
Piper frowned. "Alright, how about this. You're still in love with him." She raised her eyebrows, daring Phoebe to contradict her.
"Well, that isn't everything." Phoebe said softly.
"It depends on whose point of view you're looking at." Piper said with a shrug.
"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked with a frown.
"I mean," Piper continued, "that if Cole is truly telling the truth about all this, and he did give up everything for you. . .then love probably is everything." Silence filled the room. "Anyway. . ." Piper said standing up. "If that helped at all -"
"It did." Phoebe interrupted. She paused before speaking again. "More than you know."
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That chapter was a bit dodgy. Anyway, drop off a review. Tell me what you though about it. Flames are welcome.