Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, don't sue me.
A/N: A huge thank you to all my reviewers. Great to know people are enjoying it. I am aware I used the name 'Walker' for Phoebe and Cole's son in Chapter 1, but I've changed that now, so try not to get too confused if you see the name 'Wade' instead.
* * * * *
"So this guy saved your life?" Piper asked, a smile on her face.
"He didn't save my life." Phoebe replied, trying her hardest not to smudge the mascara she was putting on. She had conveniently forgotten to tell her sister that the 'heroic' guy that had been in the bank was her ex-husband, as well as the guy that had tried to kill them five years ago.
"Sounds like that to me." Paige said, looking up from the magazine she was pouring over.
There was a knock at the door. Phoebe swore inwardly. "That's Brian. . ." She muttered, putting on the last of her makeup hurriedly.
"We'll get it!" The voice of her Nephew, Wyatt sounded as both he and Wade ran past the bedroom towards the stairs.
"I'll see you too later." Phoebe said with a dismissive smile, before hurrying after the two young boys. She quickened her pace down the stairs, stopping in front of the door she plastered a smile on her face. "Hey Br-- " She stopped. Standing outside the door Wyatt and Wade were holding open was none other than Cole.
"Hey." He said, a look of uncertainty on his face.
"Boys, upstairs." Phoebe said, watching as the two boys reluctantly disappeared up the stairs. Cole stared after them, a thoughtful look on his face. "I wasn't expecting you."
"I didn't expect to get here so soon either. I should have called, I know." Cole replied.
"Why are you here, Cole?" Phoebe asked.
"Can I come in?" Cole asked. Phoebe unwillingly stepped aside, closing the door behind Cole. "You told me that you didn't expect anything from me. But the truth is I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't get to know him."
"Cole, you don't have to--" Phoebe started.
"I want to." Cole interrupted. "Five years I haven't been around for my own son's life."
"I tried to reach you. . ." Phoebe said softly.
"I know. I wasn't blaming you. I just want to get to know him." Cole explained gently. "Please." He added, and Phoebe felt an immense guilt overcome her.
"I'm going out, in a few minutes." She said.
"Can I just meet him?" Cole implored. Phoebe caved.
"Okay. Come on." She led him upstairs, stopping outside the room that the two boys shared. "Wade, come here." She called softly.
"Wade and Wyatt. I'm sensing a pattern." Cole said with a small smile.
"There are only so many names that begin with 'P'." Phoebe replied, smiling back. As Wade came to the doorway and faced Cole, Phoebe rested her hands on his shoulders. "Wade, this is Cole. Cole. . .Wade." Phoebe watched as Cole knelt down on one knee and offered her son. . .their son his hand. She smiled Wade accepted it and they shook hands.
"Nice to meet you, Wade." Cole said gently.
"Nice to meet you too. . .Mr Cole." Wade replied. Phoebe noticed Cole suppressing a smile.
"Cole will do just fine." Cole replied.
"Wade! This computer isn't going to stay on pause forever, you know!" Wyatt's voice called from inside the room.
"Gotta go." Wade said. "Bye!" With that he disappeared back into the room. Cole stood up, a half smile on his face. He turned to Phoebe.
"He seems like a great kid." He said.
"He is. The best." Phoebe replied. An awkward silence overtook them.
"Do Piper and Paige know I'm here?" He asked suddenly.
"Err. . ." Phoebe began. "Not exactly."
"Ahh. Maybe I should go." Cole said wearily.
"Yeah, may--" Phoebe began.
"Oh my. . ." Piper's mouth dropped open. "What are. . ."
"Ack! Demon!" Paige shouted.
"Paige." Phoebe warned. "It's okay."
"No, no it's not. When did he show up?" Piper asked as both she and Paige walked up to them.
"Today." Phoebe replied awkwardly. Paige through Cole a disconcerting look.
"I'll get going then." Cole said, somewhat nervously. "I'll drop by soon." Without another word he hurried down the stairs.
"Phoebe. . ." Piper hissed.
"It's okay!" Phoebe reiterated. She followed Cole down the stairs. "Cole. . ." She began. He had already opened the door. Phoebe's eyes grew wide as Brian appeared on the other side of the door.
"Hi." Brian said awkwardly, looking from Phoebe to Cole. When no one else said anything, he held out his hand to Cole. "Brian McCormick." It took Cole a moment to react.
"Cole Turner." He replied, taking Brian's hand and releasing it quickly.
"Cole Turner. . ." Brian repeated slowly.
"Errr. . ." Phoebe said from behind Cole. "Brian's my fiancé." She said to Cole. She looked at Brian, hesitating slightly. "Cole. . .is Wades dad." Brian raised his eyebrows at Phoebe, then looked at Cole.
"That Cole Turner." Brian said nodding slowly.
"Yeah." Cole replied impatiently.
"Wades dad." Brian said in a similar tone.
"Appears that way." Cole replied. Phoebe wondered whether or not to intervene.
"The guy that left Phoebe as soon as you found out she was pregnant." Brian spat. Cole frowned. He turned his head and looked at Phoebe, surprised. Phoebe gave him an apologetic look. That explanation had been the most logical in trying to explain why Cole had left her so soon. She never thought to reveal the truth, mostly because she never expected to see Cole again. Cole turned back to Brian.
"Yeah, I guess so." He replied. Phoebe was once again hit with a wave of guilt. Brian looked directly at her.
"Are you ready?" He asked. This caught Phoebe by surprise.
"Yeah. . .yeah." She replied. "I need to say bye to Wade first. Will you two manage?"
"Sure." Brian replied. Cole didn't turn to look at her. They continued to stare at each other silently till Phoebe was back upstairs. "So, Cole. . .where have you been?"
"Around." Cole replied vaguely.
"And you're back for good?" Brian asked. Cole frowned.
"Honestly, I was going to be here for a while, and leave before. . .anyone found out I was back. But it seems things have changed, I'll be here for a while." Cole said, plastering a small smile on his face.
"Why come back if you didn't need to?" Brian asked stiffly.
"Job description." Cole replied simply.
"Care to expand?" Brian asked.
"Not really." Cole replied, his eyebrows raised.
"Right." Brian said bitterly. "Are you going to stick around this time?"
"I don't see how that concerns you." Cole replied, his patience quickly diminishing.
"I care about Phoebe, and Wade. I don't want to see them hurt. Especially by you." Brian said firmly.
"Especially by me? What is that supposed to mean?" Cole asked, his annoyance now clear.
"Exactly what it sounds like. I know guys like you. Your type." Brian said with a slight sneer.
"My type." Cole muttered through gritted teeth. "Care to expand?" He said in a mimicked version of Brian.
"The kind of guys that get scared and take off. The kind of guy that uses women until they have to show some responsibility. People don't change, you're not an exception."
"I'm more than an exception. Don't begin to analyse me. . .you have no idea who I am." Cole said, taking a step towards Brian.
"Okay, ready." Phoebe called, jogging down the stairs and appearing behind Cole. She looked from Brian to Cole, trying to read the situation. Cole stepped back, his eyes still fixed firmly on Brian.
"I'll see you later." He said to Phoebe, before pushing past Brian and disappearing into the darkness. Phoebe looked at Brian, who had gone a slight tinge of red. Maybe dinner wasn't all that good of an idea.
* * * * *
Phoebe laid her fork down on her plate and stared at the small piece of steak that was still sitting there. She stabbed it with her knife.
"Phoebe." Brian said. Phoebe looked up.
"Hmm?" She asked.
"You seem distracted." Brian said, tilting his head slightly. Phoebe tried to smile.
"I guess I am." She said.
"Cole?" Brian asked suspiciously. Phoebe glanced at him.
"Yeah." She replied awkwardly.
"I have no reason to feel that our relationship is threatened by him, do I?" Brian asked suddenly.
"No, of course not." Phoebe replied.
"Good." Brian replied after a while. Silence overtook them. "Is it because of what he did? Leaving you and Wade?"
Phoebe hesitated. "It's because of a lot of things he did. Not just that."
"What else did he do?" Brian asked, a mixture of surprise and anger visible on his face. Phoebe held eye contact with him for a second, before looking away.
"It doesn't matter anymore. That was a long time ago." Phoebe replied softly, realizing suddenly that it was. It felt like a lifetime ago.
* * * * *
And there concludes chapter 3. Hope it was bearable. Review, give me your thoughts.
A/N: A huge thank you to all my reviewers. Great to know people are enjoying it. I am aware I used the name 'Walker' for Phoebe and Cole's son in Chapter 1, but I've changed that now, so try not to get too confused if you see the name 'Wade' instead.
* * * * *
"So this guy saved your life?" Piper asked, a smile on her face.
"He didn't save my life." Phoebe replied, trying her hardest not to smudge the mascara she was putting on. She had conveniently forgotten to tell her sister that the 'heroic' guy that had been in the bank was her ex-husband, as well as the guy that had tried to kill them five years ago.
"Sounds like that to me." Paige said, looking up from the magazine she was pouring over.
There was a knock at the door. Phoebe swore inwardly. "That's Brian. . ." She muttered, putting on the last of her makeup hurriedly.
"We'll get it!" The voice of her Nephew, Wyatt sounded as both he and Wade ran past the bedroom towards the stairs.
"I'll see you too later." Phoebe said with a dismissive smile, before hurrying after the two young boys. She quickened her pace down the stairs, stopping in front of the door she plastered a smile on her face. "Hey Br-- " She stopped. Standing outside the door Wyatt and Wade were holding open was none other than Cole.
"Hey." He said, a look of uncertainty on his face.
"Boys, upstairs." Phoebe said, watching as the two boys reluctantly disappeared up the stairs. Cole stared after them, a thoughtful look on his face. "I wasn't expecting you."
"I didn't expect to get here so soon either. I should have called, I know." Cole replied.
"Why are you here, Cole?" Phoebe asked.
"Can I come in?" Cole asked. Phoebe unwillingly stepped aside, closing the door behind Cole. "You told me that you didn't expect anything from me. But the truth is I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't get to know him."
"Cole, you don't have to--" Phoebe started.
"I want to." Cole interrupted. "Five years I haven't been around for my own son's life."
"I tried to reach you. . ." Phoebe said softly.
"I know. I wasn't blaming you. I just want to get to know him." Cole explained gently. "Please." He added, and Phoebe felt an immense guilt overcome her.
"I'm going out, in a few minutes." She said.
"Can I just meet him?" Cole implored. Phoebe caved.
"Okay. Come on." She led him upstairs, stopping outside the room that the two boys shared. "Wade, come here." She called softly.
"Wade and Wyatt. I'm sensing a pattern." Cole said with a small smile.
"There are only so many names that begin with 'P'." Phoebe replied, smiling back. As Wade came to the doorway and faced Cole, Phoebe rested her hands on his shoulders. "Wade, this is Cole. Cole. . .Wade." Phoebe watched as Cole knelt down on one knee and offered her son. . .their son his hand. She smiled Wade accepted it and they shook hands.
"Nice to meet you, Wade." Cole said gently.
"Nice to meet you too. . .Mr Cole." Wade replied. Phoebe noticed Cole suppressing a smile.
"Cole will do just fine." Cole replied.
"Wade! This computer isn't going to stay on pause forever, you know!" Wyatt's voice called from inside the room.
"Gotta go." Wade said. "Bye!" With that he disappeared back into the room. Cole stood up, a half smile on his face. He turned to Phoebe.
"He seems like a great kid." He said.
"He is. The best." Phoebe replied. An awkward silence overtook them.
"Do Piper and Paige know I'm here?" He asked suddenly.
"Err. . ." Phoebe began. "Not exactly."
"Ahh. Maybe I should go." Cole said wearily.
"Yeah, may--" Phoebe began.
"Oh my. . ." Piper's mouth dropped open. "What are. . ."
"Ack! Demon!" Paige shouted.
"Paige." Phoebe warned. "It's okay."
"No, no it's not. When did he show up?" Piper asked as both she and Paige walked up to them.
"Today." Phoebe replied awkwardly. Paige through Cole a disconcerting look.
"I'll get going then." Cole said, somewhat nervously. "I'll drop by soon." Without another word he hurried down the stairs.
"Phoebe. . ." Piper hissed.
"It's okay!" Phoebe reiterated. She followed Cole down the stairs. "Cole. . ." She began. He had already opened the door. Phoebe's eyes grew wide as Brian appeared on the other side of the door.
"Hi." Brian said awkwardly, looking from Phoebe to Cole. When no one else said anything, he held out his hand to Cole. "Brian McCormick." It took Cole a moment to react.
"Cole Turner." He replied, taking Brian's hand and releasing it quickly.
"Cole Turner. . ." Brian repeated slowly.
"Errr. . ." Phoebe said from behind Cole. "Brian's my fiancé." She said to Cole. She looked at Brian, hesitating slightly. "Cole. . .is Wades dad." Brian raised his eyebrows at Phoebe, then looked at Cole.
"That Cole Turner." Brian said nodding slowly.
"Yeah." Cole replied impatiently.
"Wades dad." Brian said in a similar tone.
"Appears that way." Cole replied. Phoebe wondered whether or not to intervene.
"The guy that left Phoebe as soon as you found out she was pregnant." Brian spat. Cole frowned. He turned his head and looked at Phoebe, surprised. Phoebe gave him an apologetic look. That explanation had been the most logical in trying to explain why Cole had left her so soon. She never thought to reveal the truth, mostly because she never expected to see Cole again. Cole turned back to Brian.
"Yeah, I guess so." He replied. Phoebe was once again hit with a wave of guilt. Brian looked directly at her.
"Are you ready?" He asked. This caught Phoebe by surprise.
"Yeah. . .yeah." She replied. "I need to say bye to Wade first. Will you two manage?"
"Sure." Brian replied. Cole didn't turn to look at her. They continued to stare at each other silently till Phoebe was back upstairs. "So, Cole. . .where have you been?"
"Around." Cole replied vaguely.
"And you're back for good?" Brian asked. Cole frowned.
"Honestly, I was going to be here for a while, and leave before. . .anyone found out I was back. But it seems things have changed, I'll be here for a while." Cole said, plastering a small smile on his face.
"Why come back if you didn't need to?" Brian asked stiffly.
"Job description." Cole replied simply.
"Care to expand?" Brian asked.
"Not really." Cole replied, his eyebrows raised.
"Right." Brian said bitterly. "Are you going to stick around this time?"
"I don't see how that concerns you." Cole replied, his patience quickly diminishing.
"I care about Phoebe, and Wade. I don't want to see them hurt. Especially by you." Brian said firmly.
"Especially by me? What is that supposed to mean?" Cole asked, his annoyance now clear.
"Exactly what it sounds like. I know guys like you. Your type." Brian said with a slight sneer.
"My type." Cole muttered through gritted teeth. "Care to expand?" He said in a mimicked version of Brian.
"The kind of guys that get scared and take off. The kind of guy that uses women until they have to show some responsibility. People don't change, you're not an exception."
"I'm more than an exception. Don't begin to analyse me. . .you have no idea who I am." Cole said, taking a step towards Brian.
"Okay, ready." Phoebe called, jogging down the stairs and appearing behind Cole. She looked from Brian to Cole, trying to read the situation. Cole stepped back, his eyes still fixed firmly on Brian.
"I'll see you later." He said to Phoebe, before pushing past Brian and disappearing into the darkness. Phoebe looked at Brian, who had gone a slight tinge of red. Maybe dinner wasn't all that good of an idea.
* * * * *
Phoebe laid her fork down on her plate and stared at the small piece of steak that was still sitting there. She stabbed it with her knife.
"Phoebe." Brian said. Phoebe looked up.
"Hmm?" She asked.
"You seem distracted." Brian said, tilting his head slightly. Phoebe tried to smile.
"I guess I am." She said.
"Cole?" Brian asked suspiciously. Phoebe glanced at him.
"Yeah." She replied awkwardly.
"I have no reason to feel that our relationship is threatened by him, do I?" Brian asked suddenly.
"No, of course not." Phoebe replied.
"Good." Brian replied after a while. Silence overtook them. "Is it because of what he did? Leaving you and Wade?"
Phoebe hesitated. "It's because of a lot of things he did. Not just that."
"What else did he do?" Brian asked, a mixture of surprise and anger visible on his face. Phoebe held eye contact with him for a second, before looking away.
"It doesn't matter anymore. That was a long time ago." Phoebe replied softly, realizing suddenly that it was. It felt like a lifetime ago.
* * * * *
And there concludes chapter 3. Hope it was bearable. Review, give me your thoughts.