A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Do you feel a climax coming on? Maybe that last part was a climax in a way... for Piper at least. There's lots more to go (I hope!)... I'm excited about that and I hope everyone else is too... :-)

Wyatt laid down in his bed, listening to his Aunt Pai climb the stairs, and walk into her room, shutting the door with a decided click. Wyatt listened for a little while longer, waiting for the comforting sounds of his mother and father walking into there room and gently shutting the door. He waited for his mother's not-so-quite tiptoeing and father's easy shuffle. He waited for his mom to whisper, Shh! Leo! and then try to shut the door quietly, but fail in a way. It would shut quietly enough, but Wyatt never went to be without hearing it tap three times on the door jamb.

Wyatt was awakened a little while later by hearing his Aunt Phoebe trip on the stairs before making it, loudly, into her own room. He waited again, listening, but he never heard his parents come in. he whimpered to himself nervously, burrowing further under the covers. And then he felt it. He knew where his mom was - in the park - and he knew how she was feeling - sad, but getting happier. he asked himself, checking to see if he wasn't just imagining. His dad was in the park too and nervous. Wyatt smiled to himself in the dark and rolled over to fall asleep.

* * * * * *

Phoebe sighed an inebriated sigh. She wrestled with her clothing. She finally got in her pajamas and fell into bed.

She had gotten trashed that night. She and Cole had taken a silent elevator ride down to the first floor, where Cole went to the car garage and Phoebe opted for the front door. She had, from there, wandered around the San Francisco streets, working herself up into a nervous fit about the lunch she would have with Cole tomorrow. She worked herself into a nervous fit and after that, upon remembering the silent elevator ride, wallowed in self-pity for a bit. She wandered around some more. She saw the most quiet residential streets and the loudest main strips.

In the loudest part she could find she found Georgia's, a dingy basement bar. There were five tables, four booth, and a long counter near the far wall. Most people congregated at the long counter. They ordered their drinks, watched the TV that looked as if it would fall from the wall, and yelled amongst themselves. One couple sat at the table, glancing at the clientele with nervous eyes, as if they would come and pounce on them at any second. Phoebe walked to the corner and slid into the booth, over the blue vinyl. What will you have, sweetie? the waitress asked, popping her gum and taking the pen from behind her ear.

Phoebe asked.

The woman laughed, shook her head, and glanced again at Phoebe. What will you have?

Um... What soda do you have? Phoebe asked politely.

Alcoholic beverage, doll? the waitress asked.

Phoebe said.

The waitress sighed, but wrote it down and, in a few minutes, the watery gingerale was sitting in front of her. Phoebe drank it down quickly, trying not to think of when the glass had been last washed.

Anything else? the waitress asked, after Phoebe finished, very disinterested.

Phoebe sighed. She was feeling low. A beer.

The waitress laughed, but served. Phoebe drank two beers before she staggered out of the bar, the waitress still laughing at her.

Phoebe rolled over to fall asleep. She decided that the next time she was going to get trashed in a state of self-pity she wasn't going to do it in a place full of heavy drinkers. Since Phoebe had not had a drink in two years the beers quickly left her drunk. She was ashamed of herself. She didn't know whether she was ashamed about getting drunk or whether she was ashamed about getting drunk after just two beers.

* * * * * *

Cole hefted his briefcase onto the table, debating whether or not he should look at the papers inside. It might be a pleasant distraction, he thought to himself. A pleasant distraction from the thought of lunch. He wasn't sure what possessed him to agree. He groaned. He already knew the conversation. He had been playing it over and over in his head.

I love you, Phoebe would say firmly, smiling a bit to herself.

Cole would asked, his eyes alight with hope. I love you too.

I know. We love each other, here's where it would come in, the word that would seal his fate, he knew that was coming and he'd brace himself for the words after, I don't think we can get back together. Ever.

Cole would sigh, deflated. I know, he would say sadly. Because he did. He did know.

You betrayed me. You kept your secrets. You cared and I cared, but it just didn't work, Phoebe would, even though Cole knew, run over his list of sins. It just didn't work, she'd repeat. Then she'd laugh desperately, void of any hope. We know we tried enough. The world knows. Everyone knows. It just didn't work. Her eyes would get teary and Cole would, against better judgment, reach out to comfort her. She would and pull away. Then, after a beat, she would look straight into his eyes. It just couldn't work.

I know, Cole would say. He'd sigh sadly because he knew. He did know.

It just couldn't work, Phoebe would say, more to herself then Cole.

It can work, Cole said to himself, pushing his briefcase on the ground for emphasis. It can work, he tried to convince himself.

* * * * * *

Piper, now calmed down, grabbed Leo's hand in the dark. She could see his smile, his face lit up by a nearby streetlight.

We'll get through it, Piper said.

Leo said.

Piper smiled, a little teary-eyed, and hugged Leo. I love you.

I love you too, he said, orbing them both out of the park and back home.

A/N: How was that? I hope you know that the conversation in Cole's part between Cole and Phoebe hasn't happened yet... he's just thinking of how it will happen. You probably do know that. I just worry when I write future-type scenes... and stuff like that. Review! :-)