Thanks soo much for all those kind comments about the fic.... I'm working on the next chapter already... but I still accept comments, ideas, suggestions and even petitions... Thanks guys for your support!!!!
Chapter 8
"Over the case, over the affair."
*-*-*-*-*
"... as I told you before, the other part will try to lead your declaration, remember to stay calm. If in any moment you feel any pressure, don't speak, let me do the talking." He advised and she just nodded with her head on his shoulder and kept tracing invisible circles on his bare chest with her finger as he kept explaining and reading from a document. He then managed to turn the page with one hand since the other one was busy caressing the back of a naked Phoebe barely covered with the sheets of the bed in a Hotel room. "In the last hearing, I don't know what in the hell she said but for some reason it wasn't good for her, so you just try to follow my recommendations and we'll hit her." He said and kissed her temple.
Still in her comfortable position in his embrace, she asked: "What would happen if I loose?"
"Why would you loose?" he asked back eyeing her.
"I don't know, that could happen..." she replied in baby voice.
"Again, why would you loose?" he questioned her again. "Come on, you have to trust me, you're not gonna loose." He added in a confident.
"How good are you in court?" she asked him.
"Very, very good." He replied emphasizing on the 'good' part.
"As good as you're as a lover?" she questioned.
Cole chuckled. "I wish... I'm a lot better in courts." He replied.
She smiled. "Then we're gonna win." She said and kissed him on the lips and she put her head on his chest; he was running his hand on her hair as they shared a deep silence.
The trial would start the following day, so they were preparing for it; they had met in his office but somehow they had ended up making out, and then for some reason they were in a hotel room, with their clothes thrown everywhere and making love.
After some passionate, lustful, breath taking, inspirational and relaxing lovemaking, they felt in the mood to catch up on the last details for the trial.
"Sometimes I hate this job." She broke the silence.
"I thought you loved it." He said.
"Why would you think that?." She asked him.
"Because you said so." He replied.
"Yeah, yeah. But truth I've been thinking in finding another job." She said.
"Why that?"
"Because at first it was interesting, but now, letting aside the fact that I could get in trouble constantly, I feel like I'm loosing my way. It's more journalism than psychology... among the deadlines and redaction I really miss the contact with people and helping them find the right way. Here I just read letters from strangers and try to find a 'well written' solution." She sincerely explained.
"Well, I've only been a lawyer and it's worked pretty good for me." He said.
"This kinda was the first job I found and I took it." She said.
"I say we focus on this case now, and then we'll focus on finding you a job that really keeps you happy." He said.
"Ok." She nodded. "Speaking about advising people there's something you should know and I know it's not my business but I'll tell you anyway." She started.
"What are you talking about?" he questioned. For her tone it sounded serious.
"When I arrived to your office yesterday I found Emma crying." She said.
This caught his attention. "What? Why was she crying?" he asked concerned.
"She said she had heard you and Susan fighting the other night. She said you guys were fighting all the time." She replied.
"Oh." Cole stayed quite. "It's just that it's hard to not loose my temper, it's not easy the situation between us is-" he added.
"Yeah, I see that, but children at that age have this tendency to feel responsible for things. What I tell you is to try not to be to lousy and the yelling and cursing make her feel bad, because you usually fight when she's out of sight and she feels is about her." She explained.
Cole closed his eyes and sighed. It made him mad the fact that his little one was sad because of him and his stupidity. "I love Emma, you know that and it pisses me that she might be sad for my... because of me." He said.
"It's not just your fault." She reminded him.
"I know, but it still makes me piss." He said. "What can I do?" he asked her.
"Talk to Emma, I got the impression she'll listen to you, tell her she has nothing to do with it and make her know you love her." Phoebe suggested. "And about the other thing, I say Marriage counselor or divorce." She added.
"I haven't filled for divorce because of Emma." He said.
"I know that." She replied. "What about the counselor?" she asked
"Counselor is useful when there's something to save, feelings and there's not any of them." He clarified.
"But you can't live like that for ever, it might get even worst with the time."
"I know, but it's hard, I don't know what to do, I'm just afraid to loose Emma." He said.
"You won't. Believe me, you won't." she stroked his cheek in a confident way.
It was weird the way they could talk and share. They were close more than in a physical but emotionally.
"Thank you." He smoothly said and he cuddled her in his arms. She felt so warm, so safe with him, even if she knew it wasn't her place, even if she felt that somehow she belonged there.
For Cole it was so comforting to feel her with him that he wished they could just stay like that.
They comforting silence was broken by a ring.
"I think it's my cell phone." She said and leaned to the nightstand. "Hello." She said.
"Phoebe?." Miles asked.
"Yes, it's me. What is it?" she asked.
"Where are you?" he asked.
"I... uh... well you know I'm going to trial tomorrow, so I'm still stuck with my attorney setting up details so I won't screw up on court." She said.
"Oh ok, I'm asking because your sisters will be here tonight, they wanted to take dinner with you to show you support." He explained.
Phoebe looked at Cole. "What time?"
"8 o' clock. What time are you coming?" he asked her.
"Probably it'll take me another hour or so." She replied.
"It's ok, take care, bye." He said.
"Bye." She said and hung up. "My sisters will be home for dinner tonight." She said to Cole.
"Looks like they want to make things right." He said, he was aware of the troubles Phoebe and her sisters had had lately.
"Yeah, well, it's not pretty comforting. I could almost hear Piper complaining about everything and Prue and Paige fighting and blaming each other for any little thing." She said.
"It must be hard. I was an only child." He said.
Phoebe just shrugged. "You said something about it would take another hour. What did you mean?" he asked.
"I don't wanna go home." She stated as a little girl who didn't want to leave the park to go home.
"OK, so we have another hour. What do you want to do?" he asked.
"We could, I don't know, maybe catch up on the case." She said grabbing the folder on her hands.
Cole took the folder from her hands and threw it on the floor. "What about we catch up in a specific kind of case?" he said and started kissing her neck.
"That would be good." She said liking what he meant, and they started kissing passionately as he came on top of her.
And for the next hour they catch up on that specific 'case' till they had to get off bed, dress and go home...
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"That was a pretty good pizza, you know? The one you ordered." Piper sarcastically commented.
"Piper!" Paige elbowed her.
"Guys I said I was sorry, it got late and well..." Phoebe tried to apologize. She couldn't get in time to fix anything and Miles didn't know how to cook.
"It's ok, honey..." Prue hugged his little sister. "We know you've been busy trying to fix this whole lawsuit thing."
"You don't even imagine." Miles said. "My poor sweetie has had to be stuck with this attorney guy she doesn't even like." He added. It was clear that Miles was convinced Phoebe didn't even like Cole.
"How's that?" Paige asked.
"Yeah, I thought your lawyer was this Turner guy I've heard about." Prue commented.
Phoebe didn't know what to say.
"Yeah, but she doesn't really like him. It's strange, he's a nice guy." Miles commented. "You guys are going to the trial?"
"I'm afraid I can't, sorry Phoebs." Prue apologized. "I have a photo shoot tomorrow."
"Neither can I." Paige said. "Got work."
"What about you Piper?" Phoebe asked.
"Sorry, got some stuff to do for the club." She replied.
"It's ok guys, I understand, I'll be fine." Phoebe said.
"I'll be with you tomorrow, but I don't know about the other days." Miles said to Phoebe and she nodded. Then a cell phone rang. "Excuse me." He apologized and walked out of the room. "Miles Smith."
The four sisters looked at each other silently in the living room.
"I'll go to wash this." Phoebe spoke first, taking a few dishes and heading to the kitchen. Paige followed her. While Piper and Prue, stayed glancing at each other on the living's couch.
"So, Phoebs... how are things? You know with Miles?" Paige asked her sister confidently.
"The same." She replied. Paige was the only one Phoebe could talk to, she told her about her things and she didn't judge her unlike her older sisters.
"Why don't you try something? I don't know therapy?" Paige suggested.
Phoebe looked down. "I don't know. I just feel really confused right now." She said.
"Why that?" her sister questioned concerned.
"I... uh... I don't know. I mean, things have been like this between us for months, and I really don't know what to do. We don't talk about it, and we both avoid the subject, we just let it pass..." Phoebe said.
"Maybe you need to spend some time and fall in love again, like you know... re-discover each other. Why don't you two take a trip?" Paige suggested. "You know some candle light dinner, some romantic love making, it might solve it." She added.
Phoebe just sighed.
"Oh, it isn't going good on the bed either...." Paige deduced.
Phoebe just nodded and looked down. "Is there something you're not telling me?" Paige questioned.
Phoebe hesitated a little. She hadn't told anybody about the whole Cole thing.
'Should I tell her? Maybe she could help me to solve this or at least it'll help me to see things clearly...' she thought.
"Phoebe, what is it?" she asked again.
Phoebe hesitated a little more and then pointed to the table, where both sisters sat.
Phoebe looked at her sister in the eyes. "What I'm about to tell you, you can not repeat again, ok?" Phoebe was a little nervous.
"Ah?"
"No one can know." She repeated.
"Phoebe, you're scaring me, what's wrong?" Paige said confused.
"This is something big. You have to promise me you won't tell anybody. Not even Prue or Piper." Phoebe insisted.
"You're not dying , are you?" Paige asked concerned.
Phoebe sighed deeply. "Ok, here we go... I ...uh... I..." she babbled. She didn't know how to say this.
"Phoebe, what is it? You're scaring me..."
"I cheated on... the trial." She finished. She couldn't find herself to talk about the Cole thing.
"What?"
"I had to black mail part of the jury to stand on my favor." She made up.
"Why are you so scared about it? That happens everyday." Paige said. "I don't understand. Are you sure this is what you wanted to tell me?" she questioned. "Is just... you know, I'm pretty attached to my principals and moral..." she lied. "Oh... now I get why Prue or Piper can't know about this..." Paige said.
"Yeah." Phoebe followed.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine. I mean I guess trial will be over in a couple days, if no one finds out nothing might happen." Paige said.
She listened to her sister; even thought it was about something else, this answer could work for what she was worried in that moment.
"Yeah, you might be right." Phoebe said nodding.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"... and then Robby, Cathy, little baby Sean and Rocko the doggy, moved to a bigger house..." he read from a very colorful book. "Of course, just this Rocko animal filled a whole room, I mean a San Bernardo?" he commented sarcastically.
"Daddy!" Emma called.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll stick to the book..." he said. He tended to read a paragraph and make a joke or a funny comment about it. Even thought Emma insisted him to stick to what the book said, she loved because she laughed at lot when her daddy was reading her bedtime stories. "... and they lived happily ever after. The End." He finished and closed the book. "Now, to sleep." He said.
"I'm not sleepy." She complained wide-awake. There were times when she could fall asleep in the middle of the tale, but there were times when she was like hyperactive and she complained about going to sleep.
"Honey, we already read two stories, it's late, you should sleep now." He said looking at her.
"But Daddy I'm not sleepy." She complained while playing with one of her brown curls. "Oh..."
"What is it?" he asked concerned.
"I have to check something..." she stated and jumped out of bed. And slipped a box from underneath her bed. "Yeah, she's fine..." she stated as she checked on Phoebe.
"See? She's sleeping..." her father showed her. "She's a little girl and she's sleeping already, you should do the same." He said.
"Daddy, she's a turtle. She doesn't sleep." She stated.
"Everyone sleeps... little girls, little boys, bears archh!!" he made a bear noise. And the little girl giggled.
"Elephants?" she asked then.
"I think they do it on their feed." He said.
"Oh..." she said impressed.
"Ok, now let's put this little baby girl to sleep again, so she can get some rest." He said and she nodded and they put Phoebe under the bed again.
"Daddy?" she asked.
"Yes, baby?" he replied.
"When I get bigger... will you love me?" she asked.
"Why do you ask that? Of course I'll love you." He replied.
"Because everyone loves kids when they're little babies.." she said sadly. She could say it, because she had felt that when she was with her cousins; everyone went all around her new born and baby cousins and usually the adults ignored her and her other cousin Sally because they were older. Besides, the fact the doubt about her parents really loving her.
He understood where this was going. He remembered what Phoebe had told him before.
"Come here, honey..." he said hugging her as they both laid on the bed. "Look, I know that sometimes I can't be with you the whole time, and that you mother and I sometimes don't give you all the attention... but that doesn't mean we don't care about you." He said.
Emma just listened to her father.
"I know that mommy and I have been fighting lately, and I want you to know that doesn't have anything to do with you, honey." He said.
"Do you really love me?" she asked. Insecure; four-years old insecurity crisis.
"Of course I love very much." He said looking at her. "Mommy and Daddy love you baby... never forget that." He assured her.
"I love you too daddy." She said and he kissed her on the cheek.
"How much do you love me?" she asked. She liked this game.
"Big." He replied.
"How big?" she asked.
"Very Big."
"Like a Dumbo elephant?" she asked innocently.
"Bigger." He assured her with a smile.
"Oh.." she said impressed.
"Ok, now to sleep." Cole stood up and tucked her in the covers and kissed her one more time on the forehead. "Good night baby." He said.
"Good night Daddy." She said. He was about to leave when she spoke again. "I love Phoebe, you know." She said.
"Yeah, me too. She's a cutie little green girl." He replied playfully, thinking she was talking about the turtle.
Emma smiled. "No, I was talking about the real one." She said. "She's a good friend."
He smiled. "I like the real one too." He nodded and he meant it.
"Good night Daddy."
"Good night baby, I love you." He said and turned off the light.
*-*-*-*-*-*-* .
"...this court declares Phoebe Halliwell-Smith innocent and this case closed. Good afternoon." The judge finished reading the benedict as he walked off the courtroom.
Cole and Phoebe shared a triumphal smile afterwards. "Congratulations." Cole told her.
"Thank you. Although I wouldn't have done it without a pretty awesome attorney." She said with a grin.
"Well, I think-" he started.
"Listen you 'I give crappy advise' bitch!, you might have won the lawsuit, but I promise it's not over!" a hysterical woman threw in Phoebe's face.
"Excuse me? Did you just threaten my client?" Cole slowly directed to her. "Because right now she could ask this court for an order to forbid you to get close to her." He informed with his 'lawyer tone.' The woman just rolled her eyes and walked out.
The courtroom was almost empty now and there was a deep silence and tension between them. Phoebe had to attend by herself at court that day because even though Miles had gone with her the two days before, today he had some important class, at the college he taught in, he couldn't miss.
"Well I guess this is it." Phoebe was the first in speak.
"Yes, I guess so. The case is over." He nodded.
"Yeah." She really didn't know what to say. She just looked down.
"Phoebe..."
"Cole..."
They called each other at the same time. They knew there nowhere else to go, no more excuses, it was over...
"I'm grateful, for everything." She started. "But you do understand we can not see each other anymore."
"I know, we can not keep with this. Even if it feels right." He said.
"We would be living a lie, I couldn't do that." She affirmed sadly.
He nodded. "Good luck, Phoebe." He said and he really meant it.
"Good luck, Cole." She wished as sincerely as she felt it.
Then she couldn't resist it, and hugged him tight one last time. It was like she wanted stay in his embrace to memorize his scent, and that feeling of belonging she had found in those arms. He welcomed the embraced and hugged her. After a few minutes, even if she wanted to keep feeling the comfort of his arms, she broke apart. They looked each other in the eyes, and he kissed her on the forehead.
They shared one last sad smile; she then turned and left. It was the right thing to do, and it was the way meant to be. They would come back to their lives, and they would always remember each other deep down on their memories, as a hot flash, as a dark secret, as that book someone never confessed to have read, as a wild adventure and as a sweet memory of a time where they really felt and found comfort, friendship, passion, desire, confident, all in one person. But it was over now.
*-*-*-*-*-*
So, what do you guys think? Should it be continue?? Or we just leave it there, like this... I mean, here you got a closed chapter, should they got back to their lives and never see each other again? it's the right thing to do, you know what you have to do as well...
Chapter 8
"Over the case, over the affair."
*-*-*-*-*
"... as I told you before, the other part will try to lead your declaration, remember to stay calm. If in any moment you feel any pressure, don't speak, let me do the talking." He advised and she just nodded with her head on his shoulder and kept tracing invisible circles on his bare chest with her finger as he kept explaining and reading from a document. He then managed to turn the page with one hand since the other one was busy caressing the back of a naked Phoebe barely covered with the sheets of the bed in a Hotel room. "In the last hearing, I don't know what in the hell she said but for some reason it wasn't good for her, so you just try to follow my recommendations and we'll hit her." He said and kissed her temple.
Still in her comfortable position in his embrace, she asked: "What would happen if I loose?"
"Why would you loose?" he asked back eyeing her.
"I don't know, that could happen..." she replied in baby voice.
"Again, why would you loose?" he questioned her again. "Come on, you have to trust me, you're not gonna loose." He added in a confident.
"How good are you in court?" she asked him.
"Very, very good." He replied emphasizing on the 'good' part.
"As good as you're as a lover?" she questioned.
Cole chuckled. "I wish... I'm a lot better in courts." He replied.
She smiled. "Then we're gonna win." She said and kissed him on the lips and she put her head on his chest; he was running his hand on her hair as they shared a deep silence.
The trial would start the following day, so they were preparing for it; they had met in his office but somehow they had ended up making out, and then for some reason they were in a hotel room, with their clothes thrown everywhere and making love.
After some passionate, lustful, breath taking, inspirational and relaxing lovemaking, they felt in the mood to catch up on the last details for the trial.
"Sometimes I hate this job." She broke the silence.
"I thought you loved it." He said.
"Why would you think that?." She asked him.
"Because you said so." He replied.
"Yeah, yeah. But truth I've been thinking in finding another job." She said.
"Why that?"
"Because at first it was interesting, but now, letting aside the fact that I could get in trouble constantly, I feel like I'm loosing my way. It's more journalism than psychology... among the deadlines and redaction I really miss the contact with people and helping them find the right way. Here I just read letters from strangers and try to find a 'well written' solution." She sincerely explained.
"Well, I've only been a lawyer and it's worked pretty good for me." He said.
"This kinda was the first job I found and I took it." She said.
"I say we focus on this case now, and then we'll focus on finding you a job that really keeps you happy." He said.
"Ok." She nodded. "Speaking about advising people there's something you should know and I know it's not my business but I'll tell you anyway." She started.
"What are you talking about?" he questioned. For her tone it sounded serious.
"When I arrived to your office yesterday I found Emma crying." She said.
This caught his attention. "What? Why was she crying?" he asked concerned.
"She said she had heard you and Susan fighting the other night. She said you guys were fighting all the time." She replied.
"Oh." Cole stayed quite. "It's just that it's hard to not loose my temper, it's not easy the situation between us is-" he added.
"Yeah, I see that, but children at that age have this tendency to feel responsible for things. What I tell you is to try not to be to lousy and the yelling and cursing make her feel bad, because you usually fight when she's out of sight and she feels is about her." She explained.
Cole closed his eyes and sighed. It made him mad the fact that his little one was sad because of him and his stupidity. "I love Emma, you know that and it pisses me that she might be sad for my... because of me." He said.
"It's not just your fault." She reminded him.
"I know, but it still makes me piss." He said. "What can I do?" he asked her.
"Talk to Emma, I got the impression she'll listen to you, tell her she has nothing to do with it and make her know you love her." Phoebe suggested. "And about the other thing, I say Marriage counselor or divorce." She added.
"I haven't filled for divorce because of Emma." He said.
"I know that." She replied. "What about the counselor?" she asked
"Counselor is useful when there's something to save, feelings and there's not any of them." He clarified.
"But you can't live like that for ever, it might get even worst with the time."
"I know, but it's hard, I don't know what to do, I'm just afraid to loose Emma." He said.
"You won't. Believe me, you won't." she stroked his cheek in a confident way.
It was weird the way they could talk and share. They were close more than in a physical but emotionally.
"Thank you." He smoothly said and he cuddled her in his arms. She felt so warm, so safe with him, even if she knew it wasn't her place, even if she felt that somehow she belonged there.
For Cole it was so comforting to feel her with him that he wished they could just stay like that.
They comforting silence was broken by a ring.
"I think it's my cell phone." She said and leaned to the nightstand. "Hello." She said.
"Phoebe?." Miles asked.
"Yes, it's me. What is it?" she asked.
"Where are you?" he asked.
"I... uh... well you know I'm going to trial tomorrow, so I'm still stuck with my attorney setting up details so I won't screw up on court." She said.
"Oh ok, I'm asking because your sisters will be here tonight, they wanted to take dinner with you to show you support." He explained.
Phoebe looked at Cole. "What time?"
"8 o' clock. What time are you coming?" he asked her.
"Probably it'll take me another hour or so." She replied.
"It's ok, take care, bye." He said.
"Bye." She said and hung up. "My sisters will be home for dinner tonight." She said to Cole.
"Looks like they want to make things right." He said, he was aware of the troubles Phoebe and her sisters had had lately.
"Yeah, well, it's not pretty comforting. I could almost hear Piper complaining about everything and Prue and Paige fighting and blaming each other for any little thing." She said.
"It must be hard. I was an only child." He said.
Phoebe just shrugged. "You said something about it would take another hour. What did you mean?" he asked.
"I don't wanna go home." She stated as a little girl who didn't want to leave the park to go home.
"OK, so we have another hour. What do you want to do?" he asked.
"We could, I don't know, maybe catch up on the case." She said grabbing the folder on her hands.
Cole took the folder from her hands and threw it on the floor. "What about we catch up in a specific kind of case?" he said and started kissing her neck.
"That would be good." She said liking what he meant, and they started kissing passionately as he came on top of her.
And for the next hour they catch up on that specific 'case' till they had to get off bed, dress and go home...
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"That was a pretty good pizza, you know? The one you ordered." Piper sarcastically commented.
"Piper!" Paige elbowed her.
"Guys I said I was sorry, it got late and well..." Phoebe tried to apologize. She couldn't get in time to fix anything and Miles didn't know how to cook.
"It's ok, honey..." Prue hugged his little sister. "We know you've been busy trying to fix this whole lawsuit thing."
"You don't even imagine." Miles said. "My poor sweetie has had to be stuck with this attorney guy she doesn't even like." He added. It was clear that Miles was convinced Phoebe didn't even like Cole.
"How's that?" Paige asked.
"Yeah, I thought your lawyer was this Turner guy I've heard about." Prue commented.
Phoebe didn't know what to say.
"Yeah, but she doesn't really like him. It's strange, he's a nice guy." Miles commented. "You guys are going to the trial?"
"I'm afraid I can't, sorry Phoebs." Prue apologized. "I have a photo shoot tomorrow."
"Neither can I." Paige said. "Got work."
"What about you Piper?" Phoebe asked.
"Sorry, got some stuff to do for the club." She replied.
"It's ok guys, I understand, I'll be fine." Phoebe said.
"I'll be with you tomorrow, but I don't know about the other days." Miles said to Phoebe and she nodded. Then a cell phone rang. "Excuse me." He apologized and walked out of the room. "Miles Smith."
The four sisters looked at each other silently in the living room.
"I'll go to wash this." Phoebe spoke first, taking a few dishes and heading to the kitchen. Paige followed her. While Piper and Prue, stayed glancing at each other on the living's couch.
"So, Phoebs... how are things? You know with Miles?" Paige asked her sister confidently.
"The same." She replied. Paige was the only one Phoebe could talk to, she told her about her things and she didn't judge her unlike her older sisters.
"Why don't you try something? I don't know therapy?" Paige suggested.
Phoebe looked down. "I don't know. I just feel really confused right now." She said.
"Why that?" her sister questioned concerned.
"I... uh... I don't know. I mean, things have been like this between us for months, and I really don't know what to do. We don't talk about it, and we both avoid the subject, we just let it pass..." Phoebe said.
"Maybe you need to spend some time and fall in love again, like you know... re-discover each other. Why don't you two take a trip?" Paige suggested. "You know some candle light dinner, some romantic love making, it might solve it." She added.
Phoebe just sighed.
"Oh, it isn't going good on the bed either...." Paige deduced.
Phoebe just nodded and looked down. "Is there something you're not telling me?" Paige questioned.
Phoebe hesitated a little. She hadn't told anybody about the whole Cole thing.
'Should I tell her? Maybe she could help me to solve this or at least it'll help me to see things clearly...' she thought.
"Phoebe, what is it?" she asked again.
Phoebe hesitated a little more and then pointed to the table, where both sisters sat.
Phoebe looked at her sister in the eyes. "What I'm about to tell you, you can not repeat again, ok?" Phoebe was a little nervous.
"Ah?"
"No one can know." She repeated.
"Phoebe, you're scaring me, what's wrong?" Paige said confused.
"This is something big. You have to promise me you won't tell anybody. Not even Prue or Piper." Phoebe insisted.
"You're not dying , are you?" Paige asked concerned.
Phoebe sighed deeply. "Ok, here we go... I ...uh... I..." she babbled. She didn't know how to say this.
"Phoebe, what is it? You're scaring me..."
"I cheated on... the trial." She finished. She couldn't find herself to talk about the Cole thing.
"What?"
"I had to black mail part of the jury to stand on my favor." She made up.
"Why are you so scared about it? That happens everyday." Paige said. "I don't understand. Are you sure this is what you wanted to tell me?" she questioned. "Is just... you know, I'm pretty attached to my principals and moral..." she lied. "Oh... now I get why Prue or Piper can't know about this..." Paige said.
"Yeah." Phoebe followed.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine. I mean I guess trial will be over in a couple days, if no one finds out nothing might happen." Paige said.
She listened to her sister; even thought it was about something else, this answer could work for what she was worried in that moment.
"Yeah, you might be right." Phoebe said nodding.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"... and then Robby, Cathy, little baby Sean and Rocko the doggy, moved to a bigger house..." he read from a very colorful book. "Of course, just this Rocko animal filled a whole room, I mean a San Bernardo?" he commented sarcastically.
"Daddy!" Emma called.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll stick to the book..." he said. He tended to read a paragraph and make a joke or a funny comment about it. Even thought Emma insisted him to stick to what the book said, she loved because she laughed at lot when her daddy was reading her bedtime stories. "... and they lived happily ever after. The End." He finished and closed the book. "Now, to sleep." He said.
"I'm not sleepy." She complained wide-awake. There were times when she could fall asleep in the middle of the tale, but there were times when she was like hyperactive and she complained about going to sleep.
"Honey, we already read two stories, it's late, you should sleep now." He said looking at her.
"But Daddy I'm not sleepy." She complained while playing with one of her brown curls. "Oh..."
"What is it?" he asked concerned.
"I have to check something..." she stated and jumped out of bed. And slipped a box from underneath her bed. "Yeah, she's fine..." she stated as she checked on Phoebe.
"See? She's sleeping..." her father showed her. "She's a little girl and she's sleeping already, you should do the same." He said.
"Daddy, she's a turtle. She doesn't sleep." She stated.
"Everyone sleeps... little girls, little boys, bears archh!!" he made a bear noise. And the little girl giggled.
"Elephants?" she asked then.
"I think they do it on their feed." He said.
"Oh..." she said impressed.
"Ok, now let's put this little baby girl to sleep again, so she can get some rest." He said and she nodded and they put Phoebe under the bed again.
"Daddy?" she asked.
"Yes, baby?" he replied.
"When I get bigger... will you love me?" she asked.
"Why do you ask that? Of course I'll love you." He replied.
"Because everyone loves kids when they're little babies.." she said sadly. She could say it, because she had felt that when she was with her cousins; everyone went all around her new born and baby cousins and usually the adults ignored her and her other cousin Sally because they were older. Besides, the fact the doubt about her parents really loving her.
He understood where this was going. He remembered what Phoebe had told him before.
"Come here, honey..." he said hugging her as they both laid on the bed. "Look, I know that sometimes I can't be with you the whole time, and that you mother and I sometimes don't give you all the attention... but that doesn't mean we don't care about you." He said.
Emma just listened to her father.
"I know that mommy and I have been fighting lately, and I want you to know that doesn't have anything to do with you, honey." He said.
"Do you really love me?" she asked. Insecure; four-years old insecurity crisis.
"Of course I love very much." He said looking at her. "Mommy and Daddy love you baby... never forget that." He assured her.
"I love you too daddy." She said and he kissed her on the cheek.
"How much do you love me?" she asked. She liked this game.
"Big." He replied.
"How big?" she asked.
"Very Big."
"Like a Dumbo elephant?" she asked innocently.
"Bigger." He assured her with a smile.
"Oh.." she said impressed.
"Ok, now to sleep." Cole stood up and tucked her in the covers and kissed her one more time on the forehead. "Good night baby." He said.
"Good night Daddy." She said. He was about to leave when she spoke again. "I love Phoebe, you know." She said.
"Yeah, me too. She's a cutie little green girl." He replied playfully, thinking she was talking about the turtle.
Emma smiled. "No, I was talking about the real one." She said. "She's a good friend."
He smiled. "I like the real one too." He nodded and he meant it.
"Good night Daddy."
"Good night baby, I love you." He said and turned off the light.
*-*-*-*-*-*-* .
"...this court declares Phoebe Halliwell-Smith innocent and this case closed. Good afternoon." The judge finished reading the benedict as he walked off the courtroom.
Cole and Phoebe shared a triumphal smile afterwards. "Congratulations." Cole told her.
"Thank you. Although I wouldn't have done it without a pretty awesome attorney." She said with a grin.
"Well, I think-" he started.
"Listen you 'I give crappy advise' bitch!, you might have won the lawsuit, but I promise it's not over!" a hysterical woman threw in Phoebe's face.
"Excuse me? Did you just threaten my client?" Cole slowly directed to her. "Because right now she could ask this court for an order to forbid you to get close to her." He informed with his 'lawyer tone.' The woman just rolled her eyes and walked out.
The courtroom was almost empty now and there was a deep silence and tension between them. Phoebe had to attend by herself at court that day because even though Miles had gone with her the two days before, today he had some important class, at the college he taught in, he couldn't miss.
"Well I guess this is it." Phoebe was the first in speak.
"Yes, I guess so. The case is over." He nodded.
"Yeah." She really didn't know what to say. She just looked down.
"Phoebe..."
"Cole..."
They called each other at the same time. They knew there nowhere else to go, no more excuses, it was over...
"I'm grateful, for everything." She started. "But you do understand we can not see each other anymore."
"I know, we can not keep with this. Even if it feels right." He said.
"We would be living a lie, I couldn't do that." She affirmed sadly.
He nodded. "Good luck, Phoebe." He said and he really meant it.
"Good luck, Cole." She wished as sincerely as she felt it.
Then she couldn't resist it, and hugged him tight one last time. It was like she wanted stay in his embrace to memorize his scent, and that feeling of belonging she had found in those arms. He welcomed the embraced and hugged her. After a few minutes, even if she wanted to keep feeling the comfort of his arms, she broke apart. They looked each other in the eyes, and he kissed her on the forehead.
They shared one last sad smile; she then turned and left. It was the right thing to do, and it was the way meant to be. They would come back to their lives, and they would always remember each other deep down on their memories, as a hot flash, as a dark secret, as that book someone never confessed to have read, as a wild adventure and as a sweet memory of a time where they really felt and found comfort, friendship, passion, desire, confident, all in one person. But it was over now.
*-*-*-*-*-*
So, what do you guys think? Should it be continue?? Or we just leave it there, like this... I mean, here you got a closed chapter, should they got back to their lives and never see each other again? it's the right thing to do, you know what you have to do as well...