"Am I good father?" he asked, barely a whisper.
Max approached him slowly, knowing he was putting himself through turmoil. Men. Bloody emotional, all the time.
"Of course you are," she told him "the best" "Your mother.. Who is she.. Were we together?" he asked
Cole regretted asking the question after he did. He saw the pain on her face, and wished he could take back those words.
"She died" Max said "And I couldn't save her"
Cole heard the first words, but couldn't make out the rest. He wondered what had happened, but didn't ask. He decided to change the subject. "You're not American.. the accent.. where did you grow up?"
She smiled. "Paris. You loved France" "Then you speak French?" "Of course I do, what kind of kid grows up in France and doesn't know French?" she laughed.
Cole's cell phone rang, and he answered. It was the office. "I know, I know. 2 weeks holiday.. I just lost track of time," Cole told his boss. The last few weeks he just couldn't go to work.. and after everything that happened he wondered if he could go back. Knowing he'd lost her, for good. There was no doubt in his mind that she wanted him gone.
"Of course. I'll be there" he replied. "Work tomorrow" he sheepishly grinned. Max smiled.
"I'm gonna go out" she said, grabbing her purse "You stay put and do not get out of bed.." "But --" "No buts!" she snapped "Are you telling me what to do?" "Get used to it pal" "Hey I didn't ask you to --" "What? Save your life? Your ungrateful, sliming--" she saw he was upset again. I swear that guy goes through enough mood swings to bring on a freaking tornado.
"I was joking. What now?" she sighed "Nothing" he said, staring at the ceiling
She sat on the bed. She was used to the Cole that had spent 20 years without Phoebe.. Can't he just get over her already?
"Tell me"
"You're so assertive.. confident.. stubborn even" he said "Phoebe's like that. Are you sure your not her daughter?"
Max picked her words carefully. "I know you love her more then anyone in the world" Max bit her lip as she remembered various times in her childhood when she saw what he was going through and could do nothing to help him "but it will get better."
"I have no chance with her" he said. It wasn't a question, he was confident he knew. "If I've learnt anything from you, it's that anything's possible" she said as she stood up. "You get some rest"
"Max?" "Yeah?" "Be careful"
Max smiled briefly and then turned and walked out. Cole was confused. He had just met his future daughter.. that will never be. If he had died then, how was she even born? He had so many questions for her.. about her life.. his life.. And then there were questions neither could answer. What happens now? How does he move on? Should he even move on? He new he would do anything for Phoebe, maybe when she saw the good in him she would take him back.
This final attempted vanquish hit him hard. He loved her though she didn't love him.. Did she? He'd felt it, when Paige cast the spell when he first came back. He knew she loved him, once. "Phoebe.." he whispered to the empty room. He needed her. Cole had lived knowing she was the love of his life for so long, giving up seemed impossible. He didn't like doing the obsessed stalker thing. If she was given time, she'd come around.
And if she didn't? Where are you then, Cole Turner?
He didn't know. All he knew was that he hurt all over and the soft pillow was inviting him to float away to somewhere he could be happy.
--
Max stepped out into the night. She frowned as she wondered how long until the Avatars realized she had slipped past them yet again. She hated them for all they had done. She should probably do an anti-locator spell so she could slip under the magical radar. She didn't need others snooping around.
She was surprised. In her reality you wouldn't get so many humans on the street. Only demons dared ventured into the night. A power of hers was to identify what type of being each was. She even spotted a witch and a Whitelighter. There were soft glows, auras, around them and she had learnt to identify the colors with the type of being she was looking at.
Hunting time she thought and laughed. There was a war going on, and mortals didn't even realize. Oblivious to it. Even though many were killed in the crossfire. How many unsolved murder cases would there be before they realized it was demons roaming the streets not human scum?
She didn't like it here. She liked Los Angeles better. Better demons were there.
And even better ones in Paris. The demons in Europe were an embarrassment, pathetic creatures. Most of them anyway. If you were half good, you were a legend because you stuck out from the pathetic wimps like a sore thumb. America was the place to be.
Max just walked. She needed to think. She found herself in the more dangerous parts of town. The only things that resided here were murders and rapists. Human scum. She thought bitterly.
This might be fun she giggled to herself as eyes followed her. Some voices even called out to her.
How long until someone decided to follow me? She laughed in the fun of it all. She felt safe at night, alone. It was strange, finding peace in what most would find terrifying.
"Don't you dare laugh at us"
Max looked up. Does hygiene exist at all? Rotten teeth, smelly breath.Yuk.
"Bitch" another one said
"It's been said before" she replied simply "by less fortunate then yourselves" "Fortunate?" the leader asked then whispered to the guy next to him "what's that?" and the guy shrugged.
A patrol car was cruising down the street as it often did at the late hour. It came to a halt. "Is there a problem here?" one asked
"No, officer" the guys grumbled and walked off.
The officer looked at Max. "Got any idea where the cemetery is to this place?" she asked. "Which one?" "Any really" The officer frowned "Why would you want to go to a random cemetery?" "That's where the nasty goulies hang" she replied, "The scum here isn't worth my time. A demon or two need killing?"
--
"I'm telling you, we need to get Paige on one of Claire's charges" Elder Jake said "Paige cannot handle someone so powerful" "Claire is by the book, we need someone with a flair--" Jay sternly said "For breaking the rules?" Jake asked Jay laughed. "This new.. player.. is very powerful, and yes, needs someone with experience" Jay explained, "This player is hardly going to listen to the rules we have put in place. " "Who says this player is even going to let us assign a Whitelighter?" said a calm voice from a figure in the corner.
All turned to Nina. Everyone had a deep respect for her, and she was rarely wrong in her opinions and advice. "We can't do nothing" Jay replied "If she is swayed to evil."
She stepped forward. "If she is swayed to evil, chaos will ensure?" she asked Jay. She had a mysterious humor and seemed to mock him. Her lips curled into a near smile. "What are you saying?" Jay asked "I am saying Paige Matthews is a good candidate," she replied simply as Jake smiled at being supported by her.
"However personal influences would prove it to be too risky to assign her" she finished "Personal?" Jay asked "Through age you learn to hone the radar better. Do you know where she is located?" "I'm sure if I went to Earth.. I could get a better reading" Jay frowned "Where is she?"
"The former apartment of a certain demon.." she paused and then smiled "The demon you forecast was destined for great things"
"Who should we assign?" Jay asked "Paige" she replied "But you said.." Jay said
She sighed. "Jay, what did I say?" "Paige assigned would be too risky. I don't understand" Jay said, "We don't need to do risky things!"
She smiled. "I think Paige will do nicely"
Max approached him slowly, knowing he was putting himself through turmoil. Men. Bloody emotional, all the time.
"Of course you are," she told him "the best" "Your mother.. Who is she.. Were we together?" he asked
Cole regretted asking the question after he did. He saw the pain on her face, and wished he could take back those words.
"She died" Max said "And I couldn't save her"
Cole heard the first words, but couldn't make out the rest. He wondered what had happened, but didn't ask. He decided to change the subject. "You're not American.. the accent.. where did you grow up?"
She smiled. "Paris. You loved France" "Then you speak French?" "Of course I do, what kind of kid grows up in France and doesn't know French?" she laughed.
Cole's cell phone rang, and he answered. It was the office. "I know, I know. 2 weeks holiday.. I just lost track of time," Cole told his boss. The last few weeks he just couldn't go to work.. and after everything that happened he wondered if he could go back. Knowing he'd lost her, for good. There was no doubt in his mind that she wanted him gone.
"Of course. I'll be there" he replied. "Work tomorrow" he sheepishly grinned. Max smiled.
"I'm gonna go out" she said, grabbing her purse "You stay put and do not get out of bed.." "But --" "No buts!" she snapped "Are you telling me what to do?" "Get used to it pal" "Hey I didn't ask you to --" "What? Save your life? Your ungrateful, sliming--" she saw he was upset again. I swear that guy goes through enough mood swings to bring on a freaking tornado.
"I was joking. What now?" she sighed "Nothing" he said, staring at the ceiling
She sat on the bed. She was used to the Cole that had spent 20 years without Phoebe.. Can't he just get over her already?
"Tell me"
"You're so assertive.. confident.. stubborn even" he said "Phoebe's like that. Are you sure your not her daughter?"
Max picked her words carefully. "I know you love her more then anyone in the world" Max bit her lip as she remembered various times in her childhood when she saw what he was going through and could do nothing to help him "but it will get better."
"I have no chance with her" he said. It wasn't a question, he was confident he knew. "If I've learnt anything from you, it's that anything's possible" she said as she stood up. "You get some rest"
"Max?" "Yeah?" "Be careful"
Max smiled briefly and then turned and walked out. Cole was confused. He had just met his future daughter.. that will never be. If he had died then, how was she even born? He had so many questions for her.. about her life.. his life.. And then there were questions neither could answer. What happens now? How does he move on? Should he even move on? He new he would do anything for Phoebe, maybe when she saw the good in him she would take him back.
This final attempted vanquish hit him hard. He loved her though she didn't love him.. Did she? He'd felt it, when Paige cast the spell when he first came back. He knew she loved him, once. "Phoebe.." he whispered to the empty room. He needed her. Cole had lived knowing she was the love of his life for so long, giving up seemed impossible. He didn't like doing the obsessed stalker thing. If she was given time, she'd come around.
And if she didn't? Where are you then, Cole Turner?
He didn't know. All he knew was that he hurt all over and the soft pillow was inviting him to float away to somewhere he could be happy.
--
Max stepped out into the night. She frowned as she wondered how long until the Avatars realized she had slipped past them yet again. She hated them for all they had done. She should probably do an anti-locator spell so she could slip under the magical radar. She didn't need others snooping around.
She was surprised. In her reality you wouldn't get so many humans on the street. Only demons dared ventured into the night. A power of hers was to identify what type of being each was. She even spotted a witch and a Whitelighter. There were soft glows, auras, around them and she had learnt to identify the colors with the type of being she was looking at.
Hunting time she thought and laughed. There was a war going on, and mortals didn't even realize. Oblivious to it. Even though many were killed in the crossfire. How many unsolved murder cases would there be before they realized it was demons roaming the streets not human scum?
She didn't like it here. She liked Los Angeles better. Better demons were there.
And even better ones in Paris. The demons in Europe were an embarrassment, pathetic creatures. Most of them anyway. If you were half good, you were a legend because you stuck out from the pathetic wimps like a sore thumb. America was the place to be.
Max just walked. She needed to think. She found herself in the more dangerous parts of town. The only things that resided here were murders and rapists. Human scum. She thought bitterly.
This might be fun she giggled to herself as eyes followed her. Some voices even called out to her.
How long until someone decided to follow me? She laughed in the fun of it all. She felt safe at night, alone. It was strange, finding peace in what most would find terrifying.
"Don't you dare laugh at us"
Max looked up. Does hygiene exist at all? Rotten teeth, smelly breath.Yuk.
"Bitch" another one said
"It's been said before" she replied simply "by less fortunate then yourselves" "Fortunate?" the leader asked then whispered to the guy next to him "what's that?" and the guy shrugged.
A patrol car was cruising down the street as it often did at the late hour. It came to a halt. "Is there a problem here?" one asked
"No, officer" the guys grumbled and walked off.
The officer looked at Max. "Got any idea where the cemetery is to this place?" she asked. "Which one?" "Any really" The officer frowned "Why would you want to go to a random cemetery?" "That's where the nasty goulies hang" she replied, "The scum here isn't worth my time. A demon or two need killing?"
--
"I'm telling you, we need to get Paige on one of Claire's charges" Elder Jake said "Paige cannot handle someone so powerful" "Claire is by the book, we need someone with a flair--" Jay sternly said "For breaking the rules?" Jake asked Jay laughed. "This new.. player.. is very powerful, and yes, needs someone with experience" Jay explained, "This player is hardly going to listen to the rules we have put in place. " "Who says this player is even going to let us assign a Whitelighter?" said a calm voice from a figure in the corner.
All turned to Nina. Everyone had a deep respect for her, and she was rarely wrong in her opinions and advice. "We can't do nothing" Jay replied "If she is swayed to evil."
She stepped forward. "If she is swayed to evil, chaos will ensure?" she asked Jay. She had a mysterious humor and seemed to mock him. Her lips curled into a near smile. "What are you saying?" Jay asked "I am saying Paige Matthews is a good candidate," she replied simply as Jake smiled at being supported by her.
"However personal influences would prove it to be too risky to assign her" she finished "Personal?" Jay asked "Through age you learn to hone the radar better. Do you know where she is located?" "I'm sure if I went to Earth.. I could get a better reading" Jay frowned "Where is she?"
"The former apartment of a certain demon.." she paused and then smiled "The demon you forecast was destined for great things"
"Who should we assign?" Jay asked "Paige" she replied "But you said.." Jay said
She sighed. "Jay, what did I say?" "Paige assigned would be too risky. I don't understand" Jay said, "We don't need to do risky things!"
She smiled. "I think Paige will do nicely"