Disclaimer: I don't own anyone, don't sue me.
Summary: Cole leaves San Francisco after the Season 4 final. Five years later, will fate step in (as it always does . . .) and throw us loyal Cole/Phoebe fanatics a bone? No demon action. Just soppiness to the max - it's what I do best.
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, they were much appreciated. It's weird how many of you are already guessing how this is going to end. Expressing my story line before I even type it into the computer. Is it that predictable?
I wanted to make this a much longer story - it's what I had in mind. But instead, I'm going to shorten it, because one week into school and I'm already under pressure. So I'm thinking only a couple more chapters including this one. But it won't alter in any way how I was going to originally end it.
* * * * *
"The meeting must be over by now." Phoebe informed Cole, as they headed towards Jason's office. She knocked on it lightly before opening the door, not waiting for an answer. Linda was sitting in the chair behind his desk, which Jason was perched on top of. He spun around.
"Phoebe." He said, in an unusually high voice. "What are you doing back so soon?"
Phoebe frowned at his apparent discomfort. "Uh. . ." She paused, glancing at Cole who shrugged mildly.
"We thought you'd still be on the tour." Linda piped in, standing and heading over to Cole. Jason nodded in approval, his face a slight tinge of pink. "How was it?" Linda asked, kissing Cole lightly on the lips. Phoebe turned away.
"It was good." She replied. "Managed to throw in all the important sites in record time." She decided to let the initial tension in the room pass.
"Yeah, that was a pretty bridge. . .what was it called again?" Cole added. Phoebe through a half amused, half unimpressed look in his direction, and he smiled in return.
"Well, that's good." Linda said, taking no notice of their interaction. "Because I didn't want you to leave without seeing the city." She looked up at Cole, a smile playing on her lips like she had god news. "I booked our flight home."
Phoebe was taken aback, almost as much as Cole looked. His mouth dropped open slightly, before his mask of indifference replaced the shock. "We're leaving?"
"Tomorrow afternoon." She said taking his hand. Cole took in a breath, not looking at Phoebe. She was glad, she didn't want him to notice the look on her face - that would have told him plainly that she didn't want him to go.
"So soon?" Cole questioned, trying to seem unconcerned. Linda frowned.
"I thought you wanted to leave. You said you had work. . ." She paused.
"I do, I do." Cole said, trying to calm her. "I just thought you wanted to stay here for longer." Linda smiled again.
"The truth is, honey, there's nothing more for me to do here. I've seen everything I need to. . .so we can leave anytime now." She explained.
"Okay." Cole replied. He finally glanced at Phoebe, and they shared a moment of eye contact before Jason spoke.
"So we're going out for drinks tonight, just to say goodbye." He said, taking hold of Phoebe's hand. "It'll be great."
"Great." Phoebe muttered, trying to sound enthusiastic. "Great. . ."
* * * * *
"You okay?" Cole asked gently, watching as Jason and Linda headed towards them, each holding two drinks.
"Fine." Phoebe replied quietly, not even able to persuade herself. "You?"
Cole nodded after a moment. "Fine." He replied softly. There was a deafening silence before Jason and Linda made it to the table. Jason placed the white wine in front of Phoebe, and she stared at it. Five years, he still didn't remember that she drank red wine, not white. Cole hadn't seen her in five years, and he had remembered that.
"Anything wrong?" Jason asked. Phoebe looked up at him, plastering a smile on her face.
"Not at all. . ." She lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip, trying not to grimace at the taste. She hated white wine. She met Cole's eyes, and she recognised his amused stare. She looked away. The ringing of a mobile phone interrupted the silence, and none of them seemed to mind much as Jason retrieved his phone from his pocket and answered it.
"Hello?" He said, seeming to notice that none of them had anything better to do than listen to his conversation. "Now?" He questioned into the phone, disbelievingly. "Okay, I'll be right there." He hung up, looking at them. "I have to go, they're having a crisis with the paper." He gave an apologetic look at Phoebe, then at Linda and Cole.
"Wait a second. . .I'll come with you." Phoebe said hurriedly. She wasn't eager to sit here with Linda and Cole. Uncomfortable would be an understatement.
"Don't. You stay here and have fun." He turned to Linda and Cole. "I'll see you before you leave." He told them, before kissing Phoebe on the cheek and standing up. With a last look he headed towards the exit, and Phoebe watched his retreating back, before turning back around. She clenched her teeth, before grasping her glass and throwing down her wine in less than two gulps. She held up her glass, indicating to the barman that she needed a refill.
"So you two. . .tell me more about your tour." Linda broke the silence, as Phoebe eyed the barman handing her drink to a waiter. Phoebe barely listened as Cole made up something or other about their imaginary tour. The waiter made it to the table and placed the glass on the table. Phoebe threw down the drink, grabbing the waiter's arm with her free hand. She handing him the no empty glass.
"Double." She hissed to him.
". . .it was really good." Cole finished. Apparently, neither of them had noticed her expedition.
"Yeah." Phoebe muttered, wishing the waiter would move faster, "Perfect."
* * * * *
"Take her home, I'll catch a cab back to the hotel." Linda said. "I have some things to organise for the flight."
"She'll be alright to catch a cab." Cole said, glancing at Phoebe. She swayed slightly, and he threw out a hand to steady her. "Maybe not. . ." He muttered. "Are you sure?"
"Positive." Linda replied. "Do you think she has an alcohol problem at all?" Cole tried to smother his smile.
"I don't think so." He replied. "I'll see you later." He kissed Linda on the cheek, before leading Phoebe in the direction of his car. Phoebe stumbled, and he placed an arm around her waist to keep her standing. She tried to shrug him off.
"I can walk fine!" She snapped, pulling away. She tripped over, and would have met the hard, concrete walkway, had Cole not caught her moments before. He half walked, half carried her to the car. When they reached it, he let her lean against it for support as he opened the passenger door, and gently urged her inside. Though completely intoxicated, Phoebe felt her heart skip a beat as he leaned over her to buckle up her seatbelt, a feeling not lost on Cole. He fumbled slightly before it clicked into place, and he pulled back, trying to avoid the unnerving feeling of being so close to her. He closed the door, before walking around the car and climbing into the driver's side. He glanced at Phoebe.
"How are you feeling?" He questioned. She glared at him, still swaying slightly.
"Is that a serious question?"
* * * * *
"I'm not completely useless. . ." Phoebe mumbled, managing to climb out of the car, pulling away from Cole's hands. Cole watched as she walked out, before swaying slightly, he caught her, steadying her, before releasing her hand. He closed the door behind her, before walking her to the stairs leading to the front door. She turned to face him, barely able to think clearly. "Thanks." She mumbled.
"No problem." Cole replied with a smirk. He watched, amused, as she turned to walk up the stairs, tripping over in the process. Before Cole could reach her, she had thrown out her hands to support herself, and clutched onto the step before her. He shook his head slightly, overwhelming relief that she was okay. "Phoebe, what is this? I've never seen you like this before. . ."
"I'm having a bad day, okay?" Phoebe snapped. She sighed as she stood up straight. She shook her head slightly. "I lied."
"About having a bad day?" Cole questioned, confused.
"About not trusting you." Phoebe corrected. "I told you I didn't trust you, and that was a lie." Cole remained silent, half shocked at her admission, half relieved. "The truth is. . .I don't trust myself. . .around you. That's why I pushed you away - because I couldn't predict how I would act if I forgave you. If I let you back into my life." She paused, avoiding his eyes. "I'm not strong enough. . ."
"Phoebe. . ." Cole started, stepping forward and urging her to look at him. "You are the strongest person I know, and that's not an exaggeration." He smiled slightly. "You'll learn to trust yourself with every choice you make."
"My choices haven't been the best in the world." Phoebe muttered.
"Your choices brought you here. You have a great life, Phoebe. What regrets could you possibly have?" He questioned, not expecting an answer.
Phoebe stared at him for a moment before speaking. "Only one. . .and it's made all the difference." They gazed at each other, a thousand words expressed in their silence. Suddenly, almost instinctively, she leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. He barely had time to react before she pulled back, slightly embarrassed as she realised what she had just done. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow." She said quickly, backing up the stairs, and surprisingly making it to the front door without faltering. She opened the door and stepped over the threshold, sparing one last look at him before closing the door behind her.
Cole watched her go, and waited a moment after she had disappeared. After a few minutes, he turned and headed back to his car. A dim confusion written on his features, mixed with slight satisfaction, and the vague tingle that still remained on his lips.
* * * * *
Well? Review and tell me what you thought. Flames are welcome.
Summary: Cole leaves San Francisco after the Season 4 final. Five years later, will fate step in (as it always does . . .) and throw us loyal Cole/Phoebe fanatics a bone? No demon action. Just soppiness to the max - it's what I do best.
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, they were much appreciated. It's weird how many of you are already guessing how this is going to end. Expressing my story line before I even type it into the computer. Is it that predictable?
I wanted to make this a much longer story - it's what I had in mind. But instead, I'm going to shorten it, because one week into school and I'm already under pressure. So I'm thinking only a couple more chapters including this one. But it won't alter in any way how I was going to originally end it.
* * * * *
"The meeting must be over by now." Phoebe informed Cole, as they headed towards Jason's office. She knocked on it lightly before opening the door, not waiting for an answer. Linda was sitting in the chair behind his desk, which Jason was perched on top of. He spun around.
"Phoebe." He said, in an unusually high voice. "What are you doing back so soon?"
Phoebe frowned at his apparent discomfort. "Uh. . ." She paused, glancing at Cole who shrugged mildly.
"We thought you'd still be on the tour." Linda piped in, standing and heading over to Cole. Jason nodded in approval, his face a slight tinge of pink. "How was it?" Linda asked, kissing Cole lightly on the lips. Phoebe turned away.
"It was good." She replied. "Managed to throw in all the important sites in record time." She decided to let the initial tension in the room pass.
"Yeah, that was a pretty bridge. . .what was it called again?" Cole added. Phoebe through a half amused, half unimpressed look in his direction, and he smiled in return.
"Well, that's good." Linda said, taking no notice of their interaction. "Because I didn't want you to leave without seeing the city." She looked up at Cole, a smile playing on her lips like she had god news. "I booked our flight home."
Phoebe was taken aback, almost as much as Cole looked. His mouth dropped open slightly, before his mask of indifference replaced the shock. "We're leaving?"
"Tomorrow afternoon." She said taking his hand. Cole took in a breath, not looking at Phoebe. She was glad, she didn't want him to notice the look on her face - that would have told him plainly that she didn't want him to go.
"So soon?" Cole questioned, trying to seem unconcerned. Linda frowned.
"I thought you wanted to leave. You said you had work. . ." She paused.
"I do, I do." Cole said, trying to calm her. "I just thought you wanted to stay here for longer." Linda smiled again.
"The truth is, honey, there's nothing more for me to do here. I've seen everything I need to. . .so we can leave anytime now." She explained.
"Okay." Cole replied. He finally glanced at Phoebe, and they shared a moment of eye contact before Jason spoke.
"So we're going out for drinks tonight, just to say goodbye." He said, taking hold of Phoebe's hand. "It'll be great."
"Great." Phoebe muttered, trying to sound enthusiastic. "Great. . ."
* * * * *
"You okay?" Cole asked gently, watching as Jason and Linda headed towards them, each holding two drinks.
"Fine." Phoebe replied quietly, not even able to persuade herself. "You?"
Cole nodded after a moment. "Fine." He replied softly. There was a deafening silence before Jason and Linda made it to the table. Jason placed the white wine in front of Phoebe, and she stared at it. Five years, he still didn't remember that she drank red wine, not white. Cole hadn't seen her in five years, and he had remembered that.
"Anything wrong?" Jason asked. Phoebe looked up at him, plastering a smile on her face.
"Not at all. . ." She lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip, trying not to grimace at the taste. She hated white wine. She met Cole's eyes, and she recognised his amused stare. She looked away. The ringing of a mobile phone interrupted the silence, and none of them seemed to mind much as Jason retrieved his phone from his pocket and answered it.
"Hello?" He said, seeming to notice that none of them had anything better to do than listen to his conversation. "Now?" He questioned into the phone, disbelievingly. "Okay, I'll be right there." He hung up, looking at them. "I have to go, they're having a crisis with the paper." He gave an apologetic look at Phoebe, then at Linda and Cole.
"Wait a second. . .I'll come with you." Phoebe said hurriedly. She wasn't eager to sit here with Linda and Cole. Uncomfortable would be an understatement.
"Don't. You stay here and have fun." He turned to Linda and Cole. "I'll see you before you leave." He told them, before kissing Phoebe on the cheek and standing up. With a last look he headed towards the exit, and Phoebe watched his retreating back, before turning back around. She clenched her teeth, before grasping her glass and throwing down her wine in less than two gulps. She held up her glass, indicating to the barman that she needed a refill.
"So you two. . .tell me more about your tour." Linda broke the silence, as Phoebe eyed the barman handing her drink to a waiter. Phoebe barely listened as Cole made up something or other about their imaginary tour. The waiter made it to the table and placed the glass on the table. Phoebe threw down the drink, grabbing the waiter's arm with her free hand. She handing him the no empty glass.
"Double." She hissed to him.
". . .it was really good." Cole finished. Apparently, neither of them had noticed her expedition.
"Yeah." Phoebe muttered, wishing the waiter would move faster, "Perfect."
* * * * *
"Take her home, I'll catch a cab back to the hotel." Linda said. "I have some things to organise for the flight."
"She'll be alright to catch a cab." Cole said, glancing at Phoebe. She swayed slightly, and he threw out a hand to steady her. "Maybe not. . ." He muttered. "Are you sure?"
"Positive." Linda replied. "Do you think she has an alcohol problem at all?" Cole tried to smother his smile.
"I don't think so." He replied. "I'll see you later." He kissed Linda on the cheek, before leading Phoebe in the direction of his car. Phoebe stumbled, and he placed an arm around her waist to keep her standing. She tried to shrug him off.
"I can walk fine!" She snapped, pulling away. She tripped over, and would have met the hard, concrete walkway, had Cole not caught her moments before. He half walked, half carried her to the car. When they reached it, he let her lean against it for support as he opened the passenger door, and gently urged her inside. Though completely intoxicated, Phoebe felt her heart skip a beat as he leaned over her to buckle up her seatbelt, a feeling not lost on Cole. He fumbled slightly before it clicked into place, and he pulled back, trying to avoid the unnerving feeling of being so close to her. He closed the door, before walking around the car and climbing into the driver's side. He glanced at Phoebe.
"How are you feeling?" He questioned. She glared at him, still swaying slightly.
"Is that a serious question?"
* * * * *
"I'm not completely useless. . ." Phoebe mumbled, managing to climb out of the car, pulling away from Cole's hands. Cole watched as she walked out, before swaying slightly, he caught her, steadying her, before releasing her hand. He closed the door behind her, before walking her to the stairs leading to the front door. She turned to face him, barely able to think clearly. "Thanks." She mumbled.
"No problem." Cole replied with a smirk. He watched, amused, as she turned to walk up the stairs, tripping over in the process. Before Cole could reach her, she had thrown out her hands to support herself, and clutched onto the step before her. He shook his head slightly, overwhelming relief that she was okay. "Phoebe, what is this? I've never seen you like this before. . ."
"I'm having a bad day, okay?" Phoebe snapped. She sighed as she stood up straight. She shook her head slightly. "I lied."
"About having a bad day?" Cole questioned, confused.
"About not trusting you." Phoebe corrected. "I told you I didn't trust you, and that was a lie." Cole remained silent, half shocked at her admission, half relieved. "The truth is. . .I don't trust myself. . .around you. That's why I pushed you away - because I couldn't predict how I would act if I forgave you. If I let you back into my life." She paused, avoiding his eyes. "I'm not strong enough. . ."
"Phoebe. . ." Cole started, stepping forward and urging her to look at him. "You are the strongest person I know, and that's not an exaggeration." He smiled slightly. "You'll learn to trust yourself with every choice you make."
"My choices haven't been the best in the world." Phoebe muttered.
"Your choices brought you here. You have a great life, Phoebe. What regrets could you possibly have?" He questioned, not expecting an answer.
Phoebe stared at him for a moment before speaking. "Only one. . .and it's made all the difference." They gazed at each other, a thousand words expressed in their silence. Suddenly, almost instinctively, she leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. He barely had time to react before she pulled back, slightly embarrassed as she realised what she had just done. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow." She said quickly, backing up the stairs, and surprisingly making it to the front door without faltering. She opened the door and stepped over the threshold, sparing one last look at him before closing the door behind her.
Cole watched her go, and waited a moment after she had disappeared. After a few minutes, he turned and headed back to his car. A dim confusion written on his features, mixed with slight satisfaction, and the vague tingle that still remained on his lips.
* * * * *
Well? Review and tell me what you thought. Flames are welcome.
