CHAPTER 7
Phoebe made it into her office the next morning, by waiting at the elevators till there was a crowd of people, and jamming in with them. She kept looking around nervously, but no female demon was to be seen anywhere. By mid morning she had attacked and reduced the pile of mail waiting in her in box, and was feeling almost relaxed, when Elise, who had been out all morning, walked in.
"This copy is really good," she told Phoebe, "I like the touch of humor that is creeping into your writing."
"Oh, thanks," replied Phoebe, "I've managed to get about three issues ahead now, so I thought I'd experiment a little with my style."
Elise nodded, and turned to leave, but suddenly turned back to say "By the way, you didn't tell me that your gorgeous ex-husband is back in town."
Phoebe froze. "What – what- what do you mean?" she asked, her large brown eyes locking in on Elise.
"I saw him yesterday, in that little pasta place by the footbridge."
"You saw C...C...Cole yesterday?" stammered Phoebe again.
"Yes, looking as devastatingly handsome as ever. He was having lunch with another man. I still can't understand why you threw him over."
"You didn't know him very well," replied Phoebe, staring blankly at her editor, her brain unable to process this information. "But it couldn't have been Cole – he's um – he's not in town, and not coming back – not ever."
"Well he did. I am sure it was your ex. Oh, by the way, the ad you did for 'Ask Phoebe' has been scheduled to appear on television tonight. It will be on two or three channels, between 8p.m and 11p.m."
"The ad.? Oh that was ages ago, I'd almost forgotten it." Phoebe muttered, her mind on other things.
Elise raised a skeptical eyebrow. "A few weeks ago, when the advertisement was to be aired that was all you could think about. I thought you'd be more exited! Jason approved it before he went back yesterday – he is very impressed. He said you are a natural on television!"
"Whatever," replied Phoebe, gathering up her things. "I have to go home, family..."
"Crisis." Finished Elise, "Yes, you seem to have them daily,"
Paige raised her eyebrows when Phoebe came bursting through the door, just after the lunch hour.
"What unimaginable bad thing has happened now?" she asked "Don't tell me – Cole is back and trying to get you to fall in love with him and rule in the Underworld all over again!"
Phoebe whirled around to face her, her own face paler than Paige's.
"How did you know?" she demanded, "How did you find out?"
Paige took a step backwards. "I was joking, Phoebe," she said – "and aren't you?"
"Where's Piper and Leo?" Phoebe asked, ignoring Paige "Are they here or at P3?"
"They have gone out for lunch, and I am babysitting so they can have time together," replied Paige – "And I have just put Wyatt down for his afternoon sleep, so if you are going to have an hysterical overreaction, please do it quietly. Start from the beginning, and tell me what's happening!"
"Elise saw Cole yesterday – in a restaurant, by the harbor!"
Paige looked at Phoebe, lifting an unbelieving eyebrow. "Is she sure it was Cole?" she asked, and Phoebe nodded.
"Yes, she's sure – I asked her the same thing, but she knew what she saw."
"I am sure Elise thinks she saw Cole," Paige said, "But did she ever meet a certain FBI Agent when he was here? Perhaps he is still here – and was having lunch yesterday in a restaurant by the harbor."
Phoebe stared into Paige's eyes for a long time, and then bit her lip uncertainly.
"I never thought of that," she said slowly, "Maybe it was John Grant that Elise saw. Let's face it, I even thought he was Cole for a moment or two," and Paige couldn't help smiling at her understatement.
"Cole has gone, Phoebe," she said softly, "We vanquished him, a year ago – and I know that he was the love of your life – but he did some terrible and evil things as well – and has paid with his life for doing them. You have to let him go Pheebs, and move on – I thought that you had made great strides, until we ran into that FBI Agent. You seem to have taken a big backward step since then. And even if Cole did come back – well he probably wouldn't be thinking too highly of us anyway. Let's face it we vanquished him twice – and his sanity was in question those last few months. He would probably come back stark raving mad – it doesn't bear thinking about."
Phoebe nodded, and flopped into the nearest chair.
"Yes, you are probably right," she said. "He was a little crazy at the end. All that power seemed to have blown a few circuits! I don't know what's wrong with me, first this female demon, and now Elise, - I am going upstairs and having a bubble bath. When I come down, I will take you out for tea. That's if you want to come with me. We will have a sister night – a single sister night – are you up for it?"
Paige nodded and smiled. "Sounds great," she said happily. "Piper and Leo will appreciate having an evening to themselves, and we can go out and paint the town red – or maybe hot pink!"
"Oh and we have to go somewhere where there will be a television on – my TV ad is being shown tonight – I can't miss that – I'll have to have a tape ready, so Piper can record it."
And Phoebe bounced upstairs, her equilibrium restored.
Paige on the other hand, went into the kitchen, and using the phone in there, called Darryl. She wanted to know for sure, if the 'man' that Elise saw was indeed the FBI Agent John Grant, or someone else. She left a message for him to call her back on her cell phone, when she learned that he was out of his office. She had suffered at the hands of her demonic ex brother in law, and had every intention of being forewarned if the impossible had happened, and he had somehow come back again.
****** ******** *******
Cole lay back on his bed, flicking the control at the television. Jael had gone downstairs, to the bar, with strict instructions from Cole to just sit quietly in a corner, and watch and listen to the people who came in and out. He was enjoying his time in this realm, he had never been able to come before, and was intent on learning everything he could about fitting in.
Cole, however, was bored, and still feeling a little off color – feeling cold and almost shivering at times, then dizzy, at other times boiling hot. Being half demon, he had never felt sick before, and did not understand why he was feeling these things. He was very impatient with himself, knowing he had to help Jael before he could blur off by himself somewhere, away from San Francisco – away from thoughts and memories, away from Phoebe.
As if conjured by his thoughts, her beautiful face suddenly appeared on the television set, and he dropped the control in surprise.
At that exact moment, Jael walked into the bedroom, and opened his mouth, only to shut it quickly when Cole signaled him to be quiet. Both men watched the screen, Cole in painful memory mode, and Jael in avid curiosity, having heard so much about Phoebe, but never having seen her before.
Cole watched her make love to the camera, smiling seductively, promising to solve all his problems, all he had to do was write or email her, and she would devote all her 'expertise' to helping him – it was a promise. She had all the answers! Oh – and buy the paper too, of course.
He smiled a little bitterly – he liked her new, shorter hair, and definitely preferred it back to its natural color – or nearly, to the blonde highlights. He noticed, too, that she looked happy, confident and extremely sexy. He needed no other assurance that she had moved on - way beyond him, that even memories were not troubling her. It was like a knife in his heart.
After a long moment, he looked up at Jael. "We will go to the library tomorrow – do you think you remember exactly where the manuscripts are?" Jael nodded, and disappeared in to the bathroom. He was enjoying the shower; it was much better than washing in basins, which is what he was used to.
Cole rolled over, and lay on his side, staring at the blank wall. The pain in his heart formed into a knot that ached with a fierceness he had never known. He would help Jael tomorrow, then find somewhere he could be alone, somewhere he would never have to look over his shoulder again! Perhaps in time he would get over her – perhaps!
Phoebe made it into her office the next morning, by waiting at the elevators till there was a crowd of people, and jamming in with them. She kept looking around nervously, but no female demon was to be seen anywhere. By mid morning she had attacked and reduced the pile of mail waiting in her in box, and was feeling almost relaxed, when Elise, who had been out all morning, walked in.
"This copy is really good," she told Phoebe, "I like the touch of humor that is creeping into your writing."
"Oh, thanks," replied Phoebe, "I've managed to get about three issues ahead now, so I thought I'd experiment a little with my style."
Elise nodded, and turned to leave, but suddenly turned back to say "By the way, you didn't tell me that your gorgeous ex-husband is back in town."
Phoebe froze. "What – what- what do you mean?" she asked, her large brown eyes locking in on Elise.
"I saw him yesterday, in that little pasta place by the footbridge."
"You saw C...C...Cole yesterday?" stammered Phoebe again.
"Yes, looking as devastatingly handsome as ever. He was having lunch with another man. I still can't understand why you threw him over."
"You didn't know him very well," replied Phoebe, staring blankly at her editor, her brain unable to process this information. "But it couldn't have been Cole – he's um – he's not in town, and not coming back – not ever."
"Well he did. I am sure it was your ex. Oh, by the way, the ad you did for 'Ask Phoebe' has been scheduled to appear on television tonight. It will be on two or three channels, between 8p.m and 11p.m."
"The ad.? Oh that was ages ago, I'd almost forgotten it." Phoebe muttered, her mind on other things.
Elise raised a skeptical eyebrow. "A few weeks ago, when the advertisement was to be aired that was all you could think about. I thought you'd be more exited! Jason approved it before he went back yesterday – he is very impressed. He said you are a natural on television!"
"Whatever," replied Phoebe, gathering up her things. "I have to go home, family..."
"Crisis." Finished Elise, "Yes, you seem to have them daily,"
Paige raised her eyebrows when Phoebe came bursting through the door, just after the lunch hour.
"What unimaginable bad thing has happened now?" she asked "Don't tell me – Cole is back and trying to get you to fall in love with him and rule in the Underworld all over again!"
Phoebe whirled around to face her, her own face paler than Paige's.
"How did you know?" she demanded, "How did you find out?"
Paige took a step backwards. "I was joking, Phoebe," she said – "and aren't you?"
"Where's Piper and Leo?" Phoebe asked, ignoring Paige "Are they here or at P3?"
"They have gone out for lunch, and I am babysitting so they can have time together," replied Paige – "And I have just put Wyatt down for his afternoon sleep, so if you are going to have an hysterical overreaction, please do it quietly. Start from the beginning, and tell me what's happening!"
"Elise saw Cole yesterday – in a restaurant, by the harbor!"
Paige looked at Phoebe, lifting an unbelieving eyebrow. "Is she sure it was Cole?" she asked, and Phoebe nodded.
"Yes, she's sure – I asked her the same thing, but she knew what she saw."
"I am sure Elise thinks she saw Cole," Paige said, "But did she ever meet a certain FBI Agent when he was here? Perhaps he is still here – and was having lunch yesterday in a restaurant by the harbor."
Phoebe stared into Paige's eyes for a long time, and then bit her lip uncertainly.
"I never thought of that," she said slowly, "Maybe it was John Grant that Elise saw. Let's face it, I even thought he was Cole for a moment or two," and Paige couldn't help smiling at her understatement.
"Cole has gone, Phoebe," she said softly, "We vanquished him, a year ago – and I know that he was the love of your life – but he did some terrible and evil things as well – and has paid with his life for doing them. You have to let him go Pheebs, and move on – I thought that you had made great strides, until we ran into that FBI Agent. You seem to have taken a big backward step since then. And even if Cole did come back – well he probably wouldn't be thinking too highly of us anyway. Let's face it we vanquished him twice – and his sanity was in question those last few months. He would probably come back stark raving mad – it doesn't bear thinking about."
Phoebe nodded, and flopped into the nearest chair.
"Yes, you are probably right," she said. "He was a little crazy at the end. All that power seemed to have blown a few circuits! I don't know what's wrong with me, first this female demon, and now Elise, - I am going upstairs and having a bubble bath. When I come down, I will take you out for tea. That's if you want to come with me. We will have a sister night – a single sister night – are you up for it?"
Paige nodded and smiled. "Sounds great," she said happily. "Piper and Leo will appreciate having an evening to themselves, and we can go out and paint the town red – or maybe hot pink!"
"Oh and we have to go somewhere where there will be a television on – my TV ad is being shown tonight – I can't miss that – I'll have to have a tape ready, so Piper can record it."
And Phoebe bounced upstairs, her equilibrium restored.
Paige on the other hand, went into the kitchen, and using the phone in there, called Darryl. She wanted to know for sure, if the 'man' that Elise saw was indeed the FBI Agent John Grant, or someone else. She left a message for him to call her back on her cell phone, when she learned that he was out of his office. She had suffered at the hands of her demonic ex brother in law, and had every intention of being forewarned if the impossible had happened, and he had somehow come back again.
****** ******** *******
Cole lay back on his bed, flicking the control at the television. Jael had gone downstairs, to the bar, with strict instructions from Cole to just sit quietly in a corner, and watch and listen to the people who came in and out. He was enjoying his time in this realm, he had never been able to come before, and was intent on learning everything he could about fitting in.
Cole, however, was bored, and still feeling a little off color – feeling cold and almost shivering at times, then dizzy, at other times boiling hot. Being half demon, he had never felt sick before, and did not understand why he was feeling these things. He was very impatient with himself, knowing he had to help Jael before he could blur off by himself somewhere, away from San Francisco – away from thoughts and memories, away from Phoebe.
As if conjured by his thoughts, her beautiful face suddenly appeared on the television set, and he dropped the control in surprise.
At that exact moment, Jael walked into the bedroom, and opened his mouth, only to shut it quickly when Cole signaled him to be quiet. Both men watched the screen, Cole in painful memory mode, and Jael in avid curiosity, having heard so much about Phoebe, but never having seen her before.
Cole watched her make love to the camera, smiling seductively, promising to solve all his problems, all he had to do was write or email her, and she would devote all her 'expertise' to helping him – it was a promise. She had all the answers! Oh – and buy the paper too, of course.
He smiled a little bitterly – he liked her new, shorter hair, and definitely preferred it back to its natural color – or nearly, to the blonde highlights. He noticed, too, that she looked happy, confident and extremely sexy. He needed no other assurance that she had moved on - way beyond him, that even memories were not troubling her. It was like a knife in his heart.
After a long moment, he looked up at Jael. "We will go to the library tomorrow – do you think you remember exactly where the manuscripts are?" Jael nodded, and disappeared in to the bathroom. He was enjoying the shower; it was much better than washing in basins, which is what he was used to.
Cole rolled over, and lay on his side, staring at the blank wall. The pain in his heart formed into a knot that ached with a fierceness he had never known. He would help Jael tomorrow, then find somewhere he could be alone, somewhere he would never have to look over his shoulder again! Perhaps in time he would get over her – perhaps!