Chapter 4

One year later…..

"Hello? Daddy?" Phoebe said as Fredrick handed her the phone.

"Hi Pumpkin! Can you hear me? I am on the train, I need to see you and your mother. I will be there this afternoon!" He had to shout over the train engine.

"Do you think that is a good idea?" Phoebe asked smiling to herself feeling butterflies in her stomach.

"I know what you are thinking, but me and your mother have some things to talk about. I am tired of not seeing my family! Don't tell your mother, I want it to be a surprise! I love you Phoebe! I…."

"Dad? You are cutting out! I can't hear you!"

"I have to go Phoebe, they are telling us something!" He shouted and then the phone went dead.

"Daddy?" Are you there?" Phoebe said and shook her head. "He must have went through some trees" She said to Fredrick and hung up the phone.

She was so excited to see her father. She got butterflies in her stomach again and giggled to herself. She could imagine her mother's face when her father walked in. She was so excited she wanted to squeal like a child.

Dallas walked in the room with Phoebe and Fredrick.

"Who was that Phoebe?" Her mother asked taking off her glasses.

"Oh, just a guy I saw a while back" Phoebe said trying to keep a straight face looking at Fredrick.

"Oh, will you be going out tonight?" Dallas asked smiling at her.

"Yes" Phoebe said casually.

"Good! It is about time you moved on sweetheart!"

**********

Cole and Piper walked into a small fancy shop in town.

"Wow, there is no way I can afford this place!" Piper said as they looked around inside.

"It is perfect!" Cole said putting his arm around her.

"It's expensive!" Piper whispered.

"Nothing is too expensive for your big night! Now come on!" He said pushing her to shop.

**********

"Freddie would you mind driving me to town, I will be only a few hours" Phoebe said sophisticatedly.

"Of course, Mademoiselle" He said winking at her. "I will be waiting out front" He finished and went for the car.

Phoebe winked back at him and grabbed her coat. She wanted to find something for her and her mother to wear when her father arrived. Of course it was a secret between her and her father. Dallas and William had not spoken for years, and Phoebe knew if her mother knew he was coming she would fall all to pieces.

**********

Piper was trying on some dresses for the opening of her new club and Cole was supposed to be looking for dresses for her to try on. He wandered through the shop and he saw a small snow globe with a lake that looked a lot like his and Phoebe's lake. Cole smiled and sat it down on the shelf. He had not spoken to or seen Phoebe since that night. He did try to contact her but she did not answer his calls.

"Hey lover boy? What do you think?" Piper said as she came out twirling in a black satin dress.

Cole just stared at her with a blank stare. He remembered the dress. It was the one that Phoebe was wearing the night he left her standing in the rain.

"Hey, if it looks that bad, I will just not get it!" She said sarcastically.

"No, no, it is beautiful, it just reminded me of something." He said shaking his head and smiling at her.

"Cole, it has been a year, honey if she wanted to see you she would have called you back. You were in jail for six months you know?"

"Yes, you don't have to remind me. Come on, let's pay for the dress and go, I'm starving!" He said turning her around and pushing her back to the dressing screen.

**********

Phoebe got out of the car and she walked in to the shop. The small bell rang as she walked in. Cole and Piper were at the counter and the woman behind the counter looked at Phoebe.

"I will be right with you Mademoiselle Halliwell" The woman said and went back to wrapping Piper's dress.

Cole felt his insides grab as he looked at the woman and then around the store. He saw Phoebe wave her hand at the woman and then look back down at the dresses. She had her sunglasses on and she had her hair pulled back in a loose ribbon. She had on a long gray wool coat. She looked the same as when Cole first saw her. She looked so young and innocent. His heart raced as he stared at her. She looked so beautiful and her skin looked so soft. He wanted to run up to her and grab her in his arms. He took a deep breath and decided to walk over to her.

Phoebe had her back to him and she held up a dress to inspect it. Cole walked up behind her and pulled a black dress out and held it up beside the one Phoebe was holding.

"I like this one, how about you?" He said in Phoebe's ear.

"Cole" was all she could say as she felt like her knees would give out and her heart would jump right out of her throat.

"Hello Phoebe" He said staring down at her.

"It has been a long time....How are you?" She asked smiling up at him.

"Surviving" he said smiling down at her.

Piper walked up to them and they didn't even bat an eye. They still stared intensely at each other as if they were the only ones around. Piper looked at Cole and then to Phoebe. She looked back at Cole and he didn't even notice her.

"Oh, hello! Please excuse him, he is so rude! My name is Piper!" She said reaching for Phoebe's hand.

"Oh, hello Piper, ahh Phoebe" She said waking from her trance.

"I know I have heard a lot about you!" Piper said enthusiastically.

Cole nudged her hard in the side. Phoebe smiled and shyly looked away.

"Not good things I'm sure" Phoebe said quietly looking back at Cole who was bashfully smiling at her.

"Oh no, just the opposite love!" Piper said as she started to giggle.

Cole stepped on her foot hard. "Ouch! Watch it you big ox!" Piper said

"I'm sorry are you two…"

"Just friends!" Cole quickly interrupted.

"Oh, so where are you staying now?" Phoebe asked looking back at Cole

"Well, Piper was cleaning up after me, but I got a job in Australia. I'm leaving Monday morning." Cole said stepping closer to Phoebe.

"Oh, that is in five days, maybe you should…." Piper couldn't finish because Cole covered her mouth and smiled at Phoebe.

"Ok! We have to be going now!" Cole said leading Piper out the door.

Phoebe followed them out. Cole handed Piper the car keys and she walked to the car.

"Australia is a long ways away" Phoebe said touching Cole's arm.

Cole looked down at her hand and he held it. Her hand on him made him feel warm inside. He wanted to hold her and never let her go.

"Yeah, I know…" He said waiting for Phoebe to tell him to stay with her and that she loved him and she wanted him forever.

"What is in Australia?" Phoebe asked.

"I am going to fly for a small charter company. Mostly flying in tourists and guests for a ranch owner."

"I didn't know you flew planes Cole?" Phoebe said surprised.

"There is a lot you didn't know Phoebe" He said taking her other hand and lacing her fingers with his.

"I hope you are happy there Cole" Phoebe said squeezing his hands and looking up at him.

Cole put his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes and his lips were close to hers. She wanted to tell him to take her away with him and that she loved him and how miserable she has been with out him.

He opened his eyes and kissed her hand and then turned to walk to the car. He reached the car and turned to look at her. She was standing with her hands in her coat pocket staring at him.

"I was happy with you Phoebe" He said solemnly and then he got in the passenger side of the car.

Phoebe watched as they drove off and she felt empty again. She got in the car with Fredrick and she closed the door.

"Let's find another shop please" She said sadly.

"Monsieur Turner?" Fredrick asked

"Yes" Phoebe said looking out the window.

"Ah he was looking a little lost if I may say so dear" Fredrick said looking at her in the rearview mirror.

Phoebe smiled at him in the mirror and then looked out the window again.

"Thanks Freddie, but that part of my life is over. Cole is moving on, and he is better off with out me. I only seem to cause him pain." She said solemnly.

"Well, from where I sat his face lit up when you were with him." he said smiling at her.

Phoebe looked down at her hand where he kissed it. She held it to her face. She could still smell him even in the car. She loved the way he smelled and he felt so good when she touched his arm. His kisses always tasted good and she so wanted to feel his hands on her again. Phoebe was lost in her thoughts when her phone rang. Phoebe reached in her purse and opened the phone.

"Yes…? Mother….? Calm down I can't understand you….NO!" She screamed.

**********

Cole and Piper sat at a small café and sipped on espressos and looked over the lunch menus.

"Hello? Cole? Are you there?" Piper said noticing Cole was lost in his thoughts.

"She looked good Piper" He said leaning back in his chair.

"Yes, but looks can be deceiving remember?"

"I know but…."

"Cole, no! I am not going to drag you out of the gutter again, and besides, you have moved on. It has been a year and you are just now back on your feet! I am not going to go back there Cole! Finding you in bars and…."

"Piper, Piper! I just said she looked good that's all!" He said leaning up and reaching for her hand across the table. "Calm down my friend!"

"Cole I just don't want to see you hurt again" She said rubbing her forehead in a stressful way.

"I have learned from my mistakes Piper, relax" he said leaning back and hiding his face behind his menu.

He didn't want to tell Piper he still very much loved Phoebe, and seeing her stirred his insides and ignited his fiery passion and desire for her.

***********

Phoebe and Dallas stood at the scene of the train wreckage. Dallas had her arm around Phoebe and they stood with a detective.

"Madam Halliwell, I will need you to identify the body please." The detective said standing in front of the girls.

Dallas nodded as she squeezed Phoebe's shoulder. Phoebe had tears streaming down her face and Dallas was expressionless.

The detective led them over to where there was a group of men. The detective nodded to one of the men and the man slowly uncovered the body.

Phoebe gasped and turned away with her hand over her mouth. Dallas nodded to the detective and he had the body covered up again.

"Now Madam I know this is not a good time, but we need to speak with you about your husband."

"Yes, I understand, I will be home this evening" Dallas said as she turned back to Phoebe and walked her to the car where Fredrick was waiting.

Fredrick put his arm around Phoebe and helped her in. Then Dallas followed her.

Phoebe laid in her mother's lap on the ride home. Dallas stroked her hair as tears ran down Phoebe's face. Dallas was still expressionless. They drove home in silence and not even Fredrick had words of comfort.

The two days between the accident and the funeral were quiet and the atmosphere at the house was uncomfortable. Phoebe hardly came out of her room and Dallas drank herself to sleep at night. Phoebe did a lot of thinking. She remembered things that she had forgotten about her childhood and things that happened up till now. Her successes and her failures. Her morals and her vanity. She did a lot of soul searching and she walked through the vineyards trying to hold on to things she felt were slipping away. The warmth in her heart had faded and her appreciation of life was forgotten.

***********

Cole was lying in his bed the night before he was to leave. He drifted to sleep as he thought about all the things in his life. His father and mother and his life now and Phoebe. Where he had been and where he was going. He was thirty-four and he needed some where to start over.

He felt a warm body slip into his bed. He felt Phoebe kissing his back and her hands come around his stomach. He started to breath harder at her touch.

"Phoebe" He said as he rolled over to wrap his arms around her.

"No Cole, It's me" Piper said in a solemn voice.

Cole opened his eyes and Piper was lying next to him.

"Oh…I…thought" Cole stopped and sat up in bed.

Piper propped her head on her hand and stared up at him. Cole sat there and smiled at her shyly. Piper sat up and straddled his lap. She slid off her night gown and stared at Cole. Cole smiled at her and then he touched her neck running his hand down to her breast and back up to the back of her head. He pulled her to him and kissed her. Piper started to moan and Cole laid her down and kissed her neck. Piper pulled Cole down on top of her while they kissed.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this" Cole whispered as he pulled away and rolled off of Piper.

"Why Cole? Don't tell me you haven't thought of it?" Piper said trying to catch her breath.

"Oh I won't, I have thought of it many times, but I…I love you as a friend and I can't mess with that" He said sitting up on the edge of the bed.

"I don't think it is that at all Cole. You are still in love with that girl. Am I right?" Piper said sitting up beside him.

Cole smiled at her and reached down and picked up his t-shirt. He handed it to Piper and he laid back in bed reaching his arms out for her to lay by him. Piper smiled back at him and put the shirt on and slipped his boxers on over her underwear, then laid down by him.

"I can't get much past you can I….? Do you hate me Piper…? Because it would kill me if…"

"I don't hate you Cole! How could I?" Piper interrupted.

They laid there in silence for a while and then they started to get sleepy.

"By the way, you look pretty cute in my clothes" Cole said with a sleepy grin spread across his face.

Piper elbowed him teasingly in the side and they both started laughing.

***********

The next morning Cole boarded his flight at the airport. Cole wanted to say good-bye to Phoebe, but he realized he needed to move on. He would always love her and she would be forever haunt him. He would dream of her at night and wake up in sweats. She was a memory now that he would try his hardest to put away. His father warned him about her but Cole didn't listen. Now that his father and Phoebe were gone, Cole just wanted to leave Paris behind him.

Phoebe and Dallas sat in front of the large casket at the funeral. Dallas was still expressionless and tears streamed down Phoebe's face behind her dark glasses. She loved her father so much and now that he was gone she felt alone. Cole was also gone and she thought he would be boarding his plane by now. Phoebe wanted to tell him to stay, but she knew how much pain she caused him. She loved him so much and he deserved someone better. The thought of never seeing him again was crushing, but she owed him the chance to be happy. Cole was the love of her life and she would never love anyone the way she loved him. He came into her life and he was gone just as fast.

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