Part Four
Phoebe shook her head and let her sister wipe away some of her tears. "I saw it, Piper." Her sister looked at her with confusion and Phoebe admitted, "For three weeks, I've been having this recurring dream." Piper was about to interrupt but she shook her head, "I saw us together. Me and Cole." She gave a sideways glance to Chris before she concentrated on Piper again and whispered, "In bed."
Piper awkwardly hugged her younger sister with relief, "Oh, sweetie, it was just a dream. Of the past or maybe, maybe, of what might've been. It's okay, you don't have to be afraid of it. You and Cole had a very special, very powerful, love and it's only nat--"
Phoebe pushed Piper back and interrupted, "It wasn't a dream, Piper. It was a vision and you know I've had them before. I'm telling you that's what it was. It's going to happen and then I won't be able to resist staying with him. You know I won't."
"Hate to burst your sister-bonding moment," Chris interjected and spoke to Phoebe, "but for it to be a vision of the future, the guy would have to be Cole and, since this guy's not, your sister's right and it was just a dream. Can we go now?"
"Not now, Chris," Piper ordered with annoyance. "Phoebe, what exactly did you -- Wait a minute, what'd you say?"
Phoebe's stomach was doing flip-flops and she knew it wasn't because she hadn't yet eaten breakfast. "Of course he's Cole," she told Chris. "Look at him. He appeared right behind me when I was on the phone and he knew exactly what buttons to push and how can I be so attra-- he, he has to be Cole."
"Has to be?" Chris pointedly questioned.
Piper glared at him, "Chris!"
Properly chastised, Chris softened his tone, "I'm a Whitelighter, Phoebe, your Whitelighter. I never sensed you in any danger and, the instant I saw him and Piper called him Cole, I checked him out. He's not Cole, I promise."
Phoebe choked back a sob and tugged on her sister's arm with her good hand. "He said he was a doctor. Christian Troy."
"Not very original," Piper skeptically commented.
"Nevertheless," Chris added with renewed frustration from her lack of trust, "he is telling the truth."
Phoebe shamefully confessed, "I didn't believe him. Oh, God, Piper, what've I done? I hit him."
"And if Paige had come, you'd probably have already vanquished him. An innocent," Chris reproached. "Maybe you'll learn not to act so rashly and not to --"
"That's enough," Piper demanded, "you've made your point." She acknowledged her sister's stricken appearance with another awkward hug. "You're doing so great, sweetie, and this's all a completely understandable mistake. Y'know, there's a saying that everyone in the world has a double and I suppose the same holds true for --"
"I was wrong," Phoebe suddenly admitted. "I was too blinded by fear and lo-- I was just wrong." She looked at her sister, "You'd better unfreeze him and go."
"As soon as Chris heals your hand," Piper assured her. But Chris shook his head and she asked in surprise, "Why not?"
"She wasn't hurt by a demon," he replied simply.
"Technically, no, but," Piper considered, "she thought it was Cole and was afraid of the trouble he could cause. You didn't know him. He lost his mind in the end, there's no telling what he'd do. Phoebe acted quickly and the only w--"
"Chris's right, Piper," Phoebe quietly interrupted. "I was aiming to hit Cole, um, Christian, and he dodged me so that I hit the wall instead. I can't ask Chris to heal something caused by my own fear and stupidity."
"Well, let me take you to the doctor then," Piper reluctantly agreed. "You need to get that hand looked at."
Phoebe indicated to the frozen Christian, "He doesn't think it's broken and wanted me to get it x-rayed just in case but I can't suddenly disappear on him. Besides, I've still gotta attend this morning's last lecture."
"You can't be serious," Piper gasped. "You're hurt, Phoebe, you can skip the lecture. Get to the doctor."
Phoebe shook her head, "I got into it with Jason a little while ago about this convention. Besides, the ice has helped. At least the cold's numbed my hand that it doesn't hurt as bad. I'll just pop a couple of Tylenol and I'll be fine."
"Phoebe," Piper said suspiciously, "what's going on in that head of yours? You're not getting hooked on this guy are you?" Phoebe didn't answer and Piper exclaimed, "He only looks like Cole, you don't even know him!"
Phoebe looked tenderly at Christian and reached out to touch his cheek, "Look at him, Piper, he's so mu--"
Piper reached for her sister when Phoebe suddenly gasped and caused the bucket of ice to fall on the floor. "What is it? What'd you see?"
Phoebe took a few deep breaths before she answered, "He's in trouble, or he will be. Chris's right, he --"
"As I live and breathe," Chris muttered. "So to speak. I certainly never expected to hear that from a Charmed One once, much less, twice in the same five minutes."
Phoebe ignored his verbal jab and told her sister, "Grams always said everything happens for a reason. Christian Troy is an innocent and I think I'm supposed to save him."
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