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Chapter 14
"Wanted: Baby Demon." Part III
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
She felt lighter and lighter as she started coming out from her own body. It was a different and interesting experience, one she wasn't used to. Pier was usually the one having 'death's experiences'; the farther she had experienced herself had been Astral Projections, but this was totally different. She didn't feel any vital sign, any weight or the physical expression of any emotion; all she could feel was a deep silence and an intense sense of peace. A peace she had never felt before. It was strange; she felt so many different and beautiful things, and she didn't have any little bit of remorse or any negative feeling. Everything felt such peaceful.
She then noticed. She was standing in front of her lifeless body. It had worked, she thought. She really was dead, she realised. She just stayed there, watching the scene that was playing before her eyes.
Her body in a sitting position on the couch and Cole was still on his knees right next to the body, still holding her hand and crying silently while her other hand was hanging down still open after the little container of the potion had fallen when she had died. Died. She was dead on her own decision, to try and make it to save Cole and to protect his sister and their daughter.
"Cole…" she called for him. He just kept weeping silently still holding her hand tight. "Cole…" she tried again louder, but nothing happened. He didn't turn to her. He couldn't listen to her.
He was deep in thoughts himself. He couldn't forgive himself the fact that she had killed herself to save him. He couldn't forgive himself that he had let her go through with it. But it was too late now to go back, he had to stick to the plan and finish this.
"Forgive me for make you do this." He said with tears in his eyes. "But I swear, that you'll live, and you'll be back with our daughter and everything will be fine, even if it costs my own life." He promised her. "I love you." He said while passing his hand on her cheek.
He sighed, then laid her on the couch. He put her hands on her sides and her hair behind her ear. He looked down at her and kissed her on the forehead.
Phoebe had witnessed and had been touched by the whole scene, and she couldn't feel happier. She could feel all the love and care Cole felt for her. And it was something beautiful.
"Cole I think we're ready to-" Paige started announcing as she entered the attic and cut herself shocked. "What… Phoebe?" she then ran to her sister. She took her sister's hand. "What happened to her? What's going on? Piper!! Leo!!!" she yelled. "Come now!"
Immediately Piper, Alex and Leo who was holding Prue came running to the attic. Cole was still quite; no word came out of his mouth.
"What is it- Phoebe!" Piper ran to her. Leo gave Prue to Alex and did the same and tried to heal her.
"It's too late." Cole informed them sadly.
"What the hell happened here?" Piper asked madly. Then Paige picked up the little bottle that had fallen from her hand. "I think this is what happened." She said.
"She took the potion to extract her soul from her body, so I'd take the body to them, to buy some time while we vanquish them…" he explained looking down.
"You made her you son of a bitch!" Piper accused furious.
"NO!" Phoebe yelled. But no one listened to her. It had been her decision. She didn't understand why they couldn't see her or listen to her or even sense her, maybe it was part of the spell.
Piper tried to blow Cole up, but Paige avoided it.
"Piper don't!" Leo said.
"I didn't want her to do it, but she wouldn't listen." Cole said sadly. "Now, we have to get to work, otherwise, this will be for nothing." He stated.
"What's the plan now?" Paige asked.
"She took the potion, she said something about some spirit in Alcatraz…" he started.
"Yes, the spirit in Alcatraz, I remember, Prue did it that time." Piper said.
"We got less than four hours. I'll take the body to them and I'll try to buy some time, while you get the rest of the demons with the potions." Cole explained. "Phoebe will be back." He stated.
In that moment Prue started crying. Alex tried to calm her down, but it didn't work. "Come on, pretty little girls like you don't cry…" Alex said rocking her. Even thought they all were going through a hard time, Prue didn't have to feel that, so Alex tried to keep her easy, but she didn't know that somehow, the baby could feel all the tension. Prue kept weeping and then Phoebe turned to her and smiled at her. Prue calmed down after a little while.
The rest kept working on the plan to take the Brotherhood for some more minutes.
"Ok, I think we're all set, but we don't have enough potions to take them all. We need to make more, but we're out of… you know, the principal ingredient." Paige said referring to demonic blood from a member.
"You mean demon flesh?" Cole asked coldly.
Paige nodded. "You can take some of mine. I'm still a member after all." He said.
"I think that I won't need a flesh, just blood will make it." Piper said.
"It's alright." He nodded and extended his hand to Paige who had an athame in her hand.
"You can take some of mine as well…" Alex intervened. "I'm a not pretty popular member right now, but still a member." She said.
"Let's do it in the kitchen." Paige said.
They all went downstairs and Phoebe's spirit followed. She understood now that since she was a ghost, no one could listen to her or see her.
Once everyone was in the kitchen, Paige cut Cole's arm and put his blood directly with the rest of the ingredients for the potion.
Prue started to cry and Alex rocked her gently.
"It's okay baby, it's not hurting Daddy, he's strong you know." She said but it didn't seem like working and the little girl kept crying.
Cole took a napkin and used it to dry the blood and make it stop. He walked next to Alex and kissed Prue on the cheek.
"I'm okay honey." He told her in baby voice and with a smile.
Prue stopped crying at the second Cole had approached her. It was amazing for Phoebe to see how much Prue loved her father and how much Cole loved her in return.
"Hey, why don't you hold her for a while? I'm sure she wants to be with you." Alex said, handing Cole his daughter.
"Hi little one." He said, kissing her on the head.
The little girl giggled and rested her head on her father's chest, she was feeling good in his arms and all the family could notice it. No doubt they belonged together, they were part of the same puzzle, Phoebe's puzzle. Prue made her possible to catch her father's attention, tugging on his shirt, cooing, giggling and smiling. Cole smiled at her and held her tiny hand in his, to the baby's delight.
"Do you have enough blood?" He asked to Paige.
"Yes, it'll be ready in some minutes." Paige replied.
"Good. Before we all go, I want you to listen to me carefully. First, I'll go down there with Phoebe's body and deal with the master, make him think she's really dead. After that, you'll have to come there and fight with me. If we want them to leave us alone for good, we'll have to kill them all." Cole explained.
Everyone nodded and he added: "I don't have any plan to kill them, we'll have to fight and be careful. Leo will stay here with Prue."
He looked at Leo and said: "If you feel that there is something wrong, I want you to immediately orb up there and make sure Prue is safe."
Leo nodded and Cole sighed and said: "Okay, I think that's all. I'm going to check on Phoebe. Call me when everything is set."
Phoebe smiled, he was so confident, so secure of himself, he was the leader and see him so certain that everything would work out was making her feel better. Even when they weren't together, she still trusted him and she knew that he would figure it out to solve everything. She had faith on him.
He looked down at Prue and kissed her on the forehead.
"You stay with your Uncle Leo and behave okay? Be nice with him. Mommy and Daddy will be back soon. I love you." He whispered to his baby girl before handing her to Leo and with a last goodbye kiss on the cheek, he walked in the attic and he sat down next to Phoebe's lifeless body.
"How can I be sure I'll bring you back in time?" He asked.
He was so scared, he didn't know how everything would end up, he didn't know if he'd have enough time to bring her back, he didn't know if Piper, Paige and Alex would survive, he didn't know anything and that was scaring him to death.
"I'll do everything I can, I swear." He added, but still not certain of fact if he really would be able to make it. He was damn scared.
In that moment, he didn't feel Phoebe's ghost walking next to him.
"I trust you Cole, you'll manage to save us all." She whispered in his ear. "I love you and I trust you." She empathised.
Cole couldn't hear her words, but somehow, after she'd said them, he felt more secure. Maybe, somehow the strength of her spirit had some effect on him and reached him when she had said this, the fact was that he felt it. She was counting on him, and he wouldn't fail her.
He took Phoebe's hand in his and gave her a small peek on the lips.
How much Phoebe wanted to be in her body right now, to kiss him back. She smiled when she realised the tenderness of this scene, Cole was perfect, she loved him and she wanted him back, not only back from the brotherhood battle but also back in her and Prue's life, back for good. But that thought was only a nice dream, a nice and beautiful dream.
"Cole!" Paige called for him.
"I'll bring you back." He repeated, brushing Phoebe's hair out of her face and giving her a last kiss on the forehead.
He took her in his arms and shimmered downstairs.
"You'll go down there in 5 minutes, that will surprise them, they won't expect you to appear and fight with me." He ordered.
Once again, everyone listened his orders and recommendations.
"Be careful." Alex told him.
"You too." He replied and with that, he shimmered away.
After a while all had gone to play their parts. Everyone had gone to the Underworld and just Leo and Prue had been left at the Manor. Phoebe then decided to walk around the house, after all, no one could sense her. So she passed the living room, the sunroom, the kitchen, and it wasn't like all the time, this time, she could see past scenes of herself and her sisters, old memories came back. She walked upstairs to her bedroom and nice and sad memories came to her, she went up to the attic and mostly memories related to magic were remembered. She found herself in the living room again, where Leo was sat right next to Prue's crib.
Then she directed and stood right next to the crib and starred down at her daughter. Her beautiful daughter; how proud and happy she felt. She smiled at her and Prue smiled back. It was as if the baby could actually see her. It was strange.
Leo was right next to the crib, keeping and eye on Prue, but was at the same time concentrate and alert, in case any of the sisters called him. He was aware in case something came up.
Suddenly his meditations were interrupted by Prue's giggles. He turned to her and starred down at her. He noticed she kept giggling and laughing like she used to do when someone was playing with her, and it was strange since no one was there.
Phoebe kept talking and playing with Prue making her laugh, but Leo couldn't even feel it.
Leo starred at Prue with a questioning look, and noticed how she kept laughing more.
"What? You wanna play?" he questioned his niece friendly.
She kept giggling, but not at Leo. "Oh, you wanna play with Uncle Leo?" he asked her smiling at her. "Come here." He took her in his arms and rocked her for a while.
Phoebe stood in front of them, and kept eyeing her daughter, while she was playing with her uncle.
Maybe it was her magic; maybe it was the fact that she was still an innocent little girl not a grown up; maybe it was the combination of the witchy and demon genes that made her magic stronger; the reason Phoebe couldn't figure, but it was for sure that Prue could see and listen to Phoebe when no one else around could, and that fact was really magical for her, after all she was person Phoebe cared the most.
*-*-*-*-*
He slowly and carefully laid her on the table that was destined for her. He ran his hand on her cold cheek and his eyes filled with tears when he realised he was standing before her soulless body.
"Just in time. I like it." the chief said as he came closer and examined the body. "Oh… what a piece of work. No marks, no blood… have you softened on your torture methods?" he sarcastically questioned Cole.
"She's dead, that's what matters." He replied with regret in his voice.
"Yeah, now that I think of it, you're right; the power of three is broken anyway." He replied satisfied.
"Now, I want to take her away so that her family can bury her properly." Cole said.
"Sure, whatever you want, she's your... huh... sorry was... your witch." The demon said between chuckles.
Cole clenched his teeth and fists, he wanted to hit that bastard, to kill him, but he had to wait for the girls.
"I'd like to know... is it good screwing a witch? Is it better than screwing a demon?" The demon asked.
'You can not even imagine how it's good to be in love and to feel alive.' Cole thought.
"That's not to bad, we had some wild times." He coldly and quickly replied.
"Lucky Belthazor." The demon said.
"No, lucky you." Piper said as she orbed with Paige next to Cole. She didn't wait to throw the potion at the demon and see how he burst into flames.
"Nice Piper." Alex said, she had shimmered in the same time that Paige had orbed in.
"That's too easy." Cole whispered, looking around.
"Stay on your guard, I'm taking care of Phoebe." He stated.
He walked next to the table and started to give Phoebe CPR. "Come on Phoebe." He told her.
She wasn't reacting.
Suddenly, a lot of demon shimmered in the room, they where a lot more than 5, but Cole didn't notice it, he was too engrossed with saving Phoebe that he didn't see the demon stabbing him in the back. He cried out in pain and stumbled back. He managed to throw a fireball at a demon who was struggling with Paige. His vision started to blur but he blinked several times and it all went away. He was trying to breath normally, to breath through the pain and once he did that, he wasn't feeling the pain anymore, he was up for the battle. Of course, he was having a hard time fighting like he was used to but it was enough to kill some demons. Piper, Paige and Alex were fighting as well and the demons were all dying one after the other, to everyone's relief. Things got harder when Cole met a more powerful demon. This time it got more complicated for him, specially when the demon stabbed him in the stomach, hopefully for Cole and thanks to his skills, the athame just cut him. Followed to that punches, kicks and fireballs. He didn't even realize that there were only 4 demons left, each one fighting with someone from the Halliwell family. Alex was the first one to kill her demon and help the person that was closer to her, who was Piper. Once Piper's demon had been killed, Piper went to help Paige and Alex ran next to Cole to fight by his side. In less then 30 seconds, the two last demons were burning in hell. Cole immediately ran towards Phoebe.
"You go back home, I'll take care of her, don't worry, she'll be fine." He stated.
"Cole, you can hardly stand, you're hurt." Alex protested.
"I'll be fine, don't worry, go now." He said.
As Paige, Piper and Alex left, he took Phoebe's hand in his and shimmered away.
When he reappeared, he gently laid Phoebe on the grass. He had shimmered the two of them in another realm. They were surrounded by flowers, trees and birds; it all looked like they were in a Disney's cartoon. He knew that it would be the only place where he could save her. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He was shaking because of the pain, he had troubles concentrating but he had to do it, he had to save her, for Prue for the rest of the family. He was kneeling down next to her and slowly raised his hand above her chest. He squeezed his eyes shut and concentrate even more. His hands started to glow and just when Phoebe woke up and gasped for air and he fell on the grass unconscious.
Phoebe had felt a strong pull upon her. One moment she was watching Prue and the next she was lying in the grass, she looked around and saw Cole lying unconscious next to her. She realized that he had brought her back to life.
"Cole?" She called, shaking him.
"Come on Cole." She called again.
"Leo!!" She yelled when she understood that Cole was too hurt to wake up.
"Wake up. You promised me you'd make everything alright. You have to wake up, you can't leave us, you hear me? Not now, not ever, you're part of my family, we are a family, you can't go away." She said while she was crying.
She wanted to throw up, all the blood was making her sick, he was bleeding a lot; he was bleeding too much. She was scared, scared to loose him one more time, one more time because of her. She knew how he had brought her back to life, he hadn't heal her as a white lighter could have done it; he had taken all the strength he had left and somehow passed it to her. He had sacrificed his life to save her.
"Leo!" She yelled again.
"What's wrong?" The white lighter asked as he orbed next to her.
"Heal... Cole... fast." She said.
"I can't." Leo said.
"Please... he's good, he saved me... please don't let him die." She begged.
Leo nodded and to Phoebe's relief, he started to heal Cole. Even if it partially healed him, it was good enough for him not to die, but he was still unconscious. Once Leo was done, he orbed Phoebe and Cole in her room and went downstairs to tell to the others what had just happened.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Cole was laying in Phoebe's bed and Phoebe was laying next to him. Leo had told her that he would be fine but she was still scared. She had cut all his clothes because it was full of blood, he was now only wearing his boxer but Phoebe had put a cover on him because she was afraid that he might be cold, so he was covered up to the waist. She propped herself on one elbow and looked at his bruised face. She brought her free hand on his face and gently caressed his cheeks and lips. Her hand wandered to his chest. She missed him, she missed being close to him, being in his arms, kissing him, waking up in the morning with him. She missed his smile, his muscular chest, his strong arms. She missed everything about him. She kissed him on the lips, inhaling his scent. She pulled back when she heard a knock on the door.
"Come in." She said as she got up.
"Hey." Alex said as she stepped into the room, holding Prue in her arms.
"Hey." Phoebe said with a smile.
"This little one can't stop crying, maybe she'll feel better with you." Alex said.
Phoebe picked up her daughter and she noticed that Alex was looking at Cole.
"He'll be okay, you don't have to worry." Phoebe told her.
"I know, I know you'll take care of him. I know you love him." Alex said.
Phoebe looked down and Alex added: "He loves you too."
"But we can't be together." Phoebe stated, rocking Prue who was still crying.
Alex didn't know what to say . "I'll leave you alone with him for a while." Alex said.
"Thanks. I'll let you know when he wakes up." She replied.
Alex left the room and Phoebe laid down in bed next to Cole with Prue who stopped crying. The little girl crawled next to her father. She stopped to examine him and then she looked at Phoebe.
"Daddy is hurt baby, but he's gonna be fine." Phoebe said to her little girl.
Prue looked back at her father and climbed on him. Phoebe let her baby girl rest on her father chest and cuddled next to the two of them.
A moment later, Cole woke up. He didn't move but looked around to know where he was. He smiled when he realized that he was in Phoebe's room and that Prue and Phoebe where both next to him. He noticed that Prue was watching him and she giggled when she saw him open his eyes. Cole's whole body was aching, but he was good to be with his family. He brought his hand to Prue back and patted her gently which caused Prue to giggle even more. Phoebe look up and noticed that Cole was awake.
"Are you okay?" He asked in a low raspy voice.
Phoebe smiled and said: "You've been the one bleeding like hell and you ask me if I'm okay?"
"Yeah, are you okay?" He asked again.
Phoebe nodded and said: "I'm fine, thanks to you, you saved my life."
"I promised I'd bring you back, I couldn't fail you, I couldn't let this little one loose her mommy." He replied pointing at Prue who was still giggling.
"Are you okay?" Phoebe asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine, a little tired but fine, thanks to you, you saved my life." He told her.
"We're even then." She said looking in his deep blue eyes.
Phoebe smiled; she was so happy that he had finally woke up.
"I think Alex is waiting for you downstairs." She told him.
"Yeah, probably, but I'd like to stay here with you and Prue for a while." He said.
Phoebe nodded, it didn't bother her at all. All she was asking for was to be with him.
"Good." He said, wrapping one of his arms around Prue.
"Come over here." He said to Phoebe. She raised a little, enough for him to slide his arms under her neck. He gently pressed her to him so that she could rest her head on his chest. This moment was perfect; they both wanted it to last Forever. In that very moment, they were a family. Family. They felt good together, like a family and they wanted to stay like this, without worries, just the three of them.
It was Magical
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
It had been a hard day, Piper, Paige, Alex and Leo were all in the living room waiting for any change. Cole, Phoebe and Prue were upstairs, spending some time together, but they were all wondering whether Cole was okay or not.
"It's been a hard day…" Piper commented from the couch.
"Hard week I'd say." Her husband added.
"Why hasn't he woken up yet?" Alex asked concerned.
"Cole was badly hurt, he'll be fine, but it'll take some time." Leo replied.
"At least Prue, Phoebe and Cole are all alive, after all that happened. They've gone through worst." Paige said with a little grin.
"You sound like you're used to it." Alex said.
"Oh we are." Piper stated.
Then they all stayed quite for a while, like everyone was deep on their own thoughts.
"I was thinking…" Alex was the first who spoke. "Will they ever get back together?" she questioned.
Everyone looked up to face her. "I mean Phoebe and Cole…" she clarified.
Piper looked away, it was a delicate subject for her, she got irritable every time people talked about it.
Alex starred around them looking for an answer. Leo just opened his mouth but no word came out of it.
"Well, you guys have been longer in this than me, so seeing things like this, I ask you, do you really think they'll get back together, again?" Alex insisted.
Paige and Leo looked at each other like looking for and answer.
"I don't think so." Leo shook his head.
"Why?" Alex asked. "I mean, my brother might be a demon but he's a good guy, and well they obviously love each other and they have a daughter together…" she commented.
"Well, It's more complicated than that. They've been through to much, and I don't think they'll ever go there again." The white lighter explained putting his hands together.
Paige shook her head.
"No, never." He ratified.
"I'll show you a little bit." Paige thought the best way to answer this question is with an improvisation, so she stood up and started an imitation of Phoebe. So she dramatically tells the air. "Oh Cole. I know that I am a witch, and you are a demon, and it is impossible for us to be together. But-"
Then Leo jumped and continued. "But my evil demon half sometimes prevents me from seeing the truth." He squinted up at the ceiling and gasped. "Oh Phoebe!." He dramatically said.
"Yes, Cole?" Paige dopily asked imitating Phoebe.
"I love you so much I that I don't even care about the awful way you dye and cut your hair!" Leo intensively said.
"Oh Cole…" Paige put her hand in her heart as if she had just got a compliment. "I'll always love you and nothing will ever change that but it's not meant to be." She said acting sad.
Even thought the subject was annoying to Piper, she could help but turn and laugh at the play. Alex was looking with round eyes. It wasn't right, but this couldn't be ignored, it was funny somehow.
"Phoebe, I won't give up on us. Ever!" Leo replied trying to imitate the light Aussie accent, Cole sometimes showed.
"Cole…"
"Phoebe…"
"Just because I sent you to hell that one time doesn't mean that we still could fight evil together." She proposed.
Then Leo impulsively took Paige's arm and suggested. "Or possibly more." Trying to reach that deep seductive tone Cole had.
Paige turned away like playing the hard. "No! We mustn't!" she said shaking her head.
Leo took her by her shoulder and whispered. "Vanquish me, witch!"
"Kiss me, demon!" Paige said and Leo bonded over Paige and shoved his face in her neck like pretending to kiss her.
What they hadn't noticed while immersed on their faked passion was the new watchers the play had just gotten, that were standing on the edge of the stairs.
"Cole, why don't you call one of those dark lighters friends of yours, they could attend to a party here." Phoebe coldly cut off and Paige and Leo immediately broke apart.
"Cole…" Alex ran to her brother and hugged him. "Damn you, you scared me so much." She told him, hugging him even tighter.
"Alex... I won't be fine for too long if you keep squeezing me." He said.
"Sorry." She apologized as she let him go.
"So, having fun?" Phoebe asked, she was obviously mad at Paige and Leo.
"We're sorry, Phoebe... we didn't mean to..." Paige tried to say, but she was feeling bad.
"Hey, we're going to celebrate!" Piper threw, she didn't want things to get out of hand, they all had had a hard day, they didn't need a fight to end up this crazy day.
"Good idea! I love P3!" Alex exclaimed cheerfully. In fact it was an excuse, she couldn't wait to see Mike.
Cole gave her a look. "With your permission…" his little sister added and he regretfully nodded.
"I think I'll pass this one." Paige said. "I'm tired, I'm going to bed." She added. "Good night." She said before going in her room.
"Well, I guess Leo and I are going to P3, but don't worry Alex, we won't bother you." Piper said.
Alex smiled and said: "I'm going home and get changed." "Bye, everyone." She said before shimmering away.
"Let's go Leo." Piper said as she took his hand in hers. Leo understood what she wanted and he orbed them out.
"You should go home and rest." Phoebe said as she looked at Cole.
"I guess you're right." He said.
"Bye." He added before placing a kiss on her cheek. He then went to Prue and did the same; then he shimmered away.
Phoebe was now almost alone but it was good, she had things to do. She walked upstairs to change Prue and put her to sleep.
*-*-*-*-*-*
"I'm so glad you could make it to come tonight." Mike Kauffman said smiling at her while they both leaded back to sit in their table at P3 after they had dance a little.
"Yes, so am I. I'm really sorry about last night, it was a family emergency." Alex explained smiling back.
"It's ok, the important is that you could make it today." He replied.
Alex just kept starring at him and smiled again. She was so nervous, she had been when she knew she'd see him, she didn't want to give a wrong impression or to screw it, but deep down, she felt comfortable and that she could be herself with this guy. There was something about him that intrigued her, and she definitely wanted to figure it out. Maybe the fact that he was older or that he was different, but he treat her with such respect and in such a gently way that fascinated her even more.
"So what are you doing tomorrow?" he asked her casually and took a sip of his drink.
'Oh god he's actually gonna ask me out.' She thought cheerfully. It fact, this moment wasn't an actual date, it had been like she said she'd be there and he said he'd stop by to chat and hang out.
"Nothing, I think I… I'm free." She said smiling, openly expecting him to ask her out.
"Oh, well I'll be in a plane by this hour." He said.
"Excuse me?" she questioned confused as her smile banished.
"Oh right, I think I forgot to tell you. This is like my 'Goodbye Party', I'm leaving for New Jersey." He informed.
"New Jersey?"
"Yes, to Princeton. In fact I'll be working at the University." He said.
"So, it's permanent?" she asked shocked.
"You could say so." He nodded.
She tried to hide her disappointment and cleared her throat.
"Are you ok?" he questioned concerned.
"Yes, I'm fine." She said and faked a smile. She didn't understand. Maybe she misunderstood his intentions, and he hadn't actually hit on her, just the gently flirt, but nothing else, maybe it wasn't even flirting, she thought. Maybe he didn't even like her, or at least the way she wanted to. "I'll need to go to the ladies' room." She excused herself.
"Oh, I'm really sorry, but it's kinda late, so I think I should go." He excused himself.
"Oh… yeah." She said. "I understand."
"I had a great time, I wish we had met before, we had become great friends." He said smiling at her.
'Friends…' she repeated mentally. "Yeah…" she said softly.
"Uh… here, this is my card, my phone will change, obviously, but you can email me whenever you want." He explained as he handled her a business card.
"Yeah.." she nodded. "Sure."
"Good Bye." He said smiling.
She hugged him and he welcomed the embrace. "Good Luck." She said.
"Thanks. Bye." He said and walked off.
As he walked off the club, one piece of her heart fell down. For some reason, she felt incredibly wrong and bad for the fact he had gone.
"Friends…" she whispered the word again with her eyes wet with tears, and for the very first time in her life, she felt like she wanted to just cry. He was gone and it hurt, even if they hadn't gone into anything serious, just a couple dances, few chitchatting and a few class, and she was totally hit. There hadn't been so much physical contact that you could say, they hadn't kissed or anything, but there sure had been a deeper contact, a spirit contact, or at least she felt it that way.
She stayed like that for a while, with her wet eyes starring at the crowd, till she just went home.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
It was late, and she was tired, but she was grateful that everything was back to normal. She was alive and had her soul back in her body, Prue was safe sleeping in her crib and Cole was back on his life and probably on his own apartment. Of course, everything wasn't good as it was before, because all her problems were still there, but at least she thanked god for being safe.
She was on the sunroom surrounded by papers and bills. She took off her glasses and sighed. 'God help me.' She thought. She took the little velvet jewelry bag that was resting on the sunroom table. She took out the only items that were inside. The last of her jewelry that was left. The necklace that used to be her Grams', the engagement ring Cole had given her and her wedding band. In the last month she had been selling her jewelry to pay for bills, things for Prue. She had sold jewelry her parent's had given her when young, pieces her sisters had bought her, others that Cole had bought her when they were dating or during the time they'd been married and other ones that she had worked really hard to pay for. But in her reality and situation, she didn't care about those if she could use the money to cover her daughter.
She put on her glasses again and reached for a piece of paper, as she read the number she reached for the cordless phone and dialed.
"Hey, Tom? Good night, how are you? It's Phoebe Halliwell." She nicely greeted as she grabbed her engagement ring and looked at it.
"Hey Pheebs, how you doing?" the guy greeted back.
"Good. Uh, look, I'm calling you because I hope you could help me." She said
"Ok, what do you have for me now?" he asked.
"I'm gonna sell…" she started still eyeing the ring. "I'm gonna sell an antique necklace… uh. Silver and gold, shine, one sapphire in the middle." She explained.
"It isn't broken right?" he asked.
"No, it's in good condition. I'll take it to you tomorrow, first thing in the morning." She said.
"Ok, got any date?" he asked as he wrote down on a pad.
"I think it's from the 1950's…" she said. "I'm not really sure. But you hadn't had any trouble with any of the other pieces, right?" she asked then.
"No, of course not, I'll just have to take a look at it and then see what I can do." He replied.
"If I took it to you tomorrow, when can I have the money?" she asked.
"I don't know, all depends of the piece." He informed her.
"Oh, I understand, but please, just try to get a quick sell, I really need the money…." She said.
"I know the feeling. I'll do my best." He promised her.
"Thanks, I really appreciate this." She thanked him.
"Hey, what kind of person would I be if I didn't help the person who helps everyone on the city?" he commented smiling. "Good night, Pheebs."
"Good night, thanks." She hung up.
"I didn't even imagine about this…" a voice softly spoke.
"Cole…" she said as she turned. "I didn't hear you come in…" she said.
"Why didn't you tell me you had money troubles? I mean, you're alone, you got Prue why didn't you just ask-" he started.
"I don't need anyone to help me support my daughter." She reacted a little harsh.
"Phoebe I'm not saying that-" he tried.
"No, I don't wanna hear it. I'm fine and I don't need anyone to give me anything, I can take it myself." She said. It was a pride issue.
Cole looked down and nodded, then he looked at her. "There's something important I want to talk to you about." He said.
"Ok, I'm listening." She said calmer as she offered a sit.
They both sat and the silence was heavy. Cole was the first one who spoke. "I've been thinking about this, and I've made a choice." He started.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
He looked down and up again and continued. "You know, these last days have been hard for me… uh, you'll probably think I'm stupid but I couldn't see a baby in somewhere because I automatically thought about Prue; I ended up imagining myself playing with her, feeding her, getting her to sleep… and it depressed me, but I knew that's the way it was meant to be-"
"Cole I-" she cut him off.
"No, let me finish." He asked and she nodded. "So I thought that if I stayed away from her, she'd be safe. Then when I knew that she'd been taken by the brotherhood, I drove totally crazy and I was willing to do anything to get her back. I couldn't conceive about something bad happening to her. I got desperate." He explained.
"You saved her." She remembered him.
"Yes, and when I had her in my arms again and I knew she was safe, I wanted to change things, but it was too late, or at least I thought." He looked down. "Then when I was able to get out of there and get back here, when everything was over, I realized I had another chance."
"What are you talking about?" she was quizzed about this and his words and tone.
"At first I didn't want to get involved in her life, because I was afraid I would put her in danger, but after what has happened with the brotherhood, I'm afraid I can't prevent her to be in danger anyway because of who she is…" Cole said. "But I will protect her with my own life if I have to… I just… I want to be a part of her life, I want to be there for her…"
"Cole I-" she tried again.
"No, I understand our situation… I understand that we've gone through too much and it's probably impossible for us to get back together. All I'm asking is time with my daughter; I want to spend time with her, I've missed so much already, but I hope, if you let me, to make it up to her. I don't know anything about this, but I want to try to be a father for her."
"You already have…" she said amazed by what she was hearing.
"So maybe we could agree and she could be a couple of days during the week with me or I don't know… I want to give her everything she needs, I want the best for her… I'll give you a support for-" he suggested.
"You don't have to give me money to-" she complained.
"I want to." He cut her off. "I know it's hard to raise a child and it's my responsibility as well; Phoebe I don't want you selling your jewelry if I can perfectly support you." He said.
"Cole, as I told before, I don't want or need any-" she said a little mad.
"It's not about pride, Phoebe." He cut off again. "It's about me wanting to be a father, giving her the best I can…" he insisted. "So we'll have to agree on terms of custody, just like a support and the name thing-" he said.
"Sorry, but the women of this family keep the Halliwell." Phoebe said.
"Too bad, because she's changing it." He stated with a grin. "That if you accept?" he slowly pointed.
Phoebe just nodded and smiled a little; it was the least she could do after she had hidden the baby from him for so long.
"So what do you say?" he asked again
"What there is to say?. You have all the rights, you're her father, I'm no one to decide against it, even if I did it in the past, I'm really sorry about it." she said.
"All that matters is a new start." He said
"Yeah, why don't you come in the morning and spend the day with her? That while we agree and decide about when will she be with me or with you." She said.
"Thank you, Phoebe." He said smiling from ear to ear. He couldn't be happier. "Good night." He said and walked out, then walked back. She had given him the biggest thing on earth. She had given him the chance to be a daddy. "Phoebe…" he called for her again and she looked at him with questioning eyes.
"Thanks for making me a daddy." He said smiling and shimmered out.
She had tears in her eyes. "Thanks for making me a mommy." She whispered smiling at the point where he had been. With that she smiled again, and got back to her papers.
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So guys, what do you think? We'll try to be back as soon as we can make it. Thanks!!!
Thanks for the unconditional support, for the wait, for all the amazing mails and reviews….
So as always, any comments, requests, suggestions, petitions, ideas… all welcome… now to read.
Chapter 14
"Wanted: Baby Demon." Part III
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She felt lighter and lighter as she started coming out from her own body. It was a different and interesting experience, one she wasn't used to. Pier was usually the one having 'death's experiences'; the farther she had experienced herself had been Astral Projections, but this was totally different. She didn't feel any vital sign, any weight or the physical expression of any emotion; all she could feel was a deep silence and an intense sense of peace. A peace she had never felt before. It was strange; she felt so many different and beautiful things, and she didn't have any little bit of remorse or any negative feeling. Everything felt such peaceful.
She then noticed. She was standing in front of her lifeless body. It had worked, she thought. She really was dead, she realised. She just stayed there, watching the scene that was playing before her eyes.
Her body in a sitting position on the couch and Cole was still on his knees right next to the body, still holding her hand and crying silently while her other hand was hanging down still open after the little container of the potion had fallen when she had died. Died. She was dead on her own decision, to try and make it to save Cole and to protect his sister and their daughter.
"Cole…" she called for him. He just kept weeping silently still holding her hand tight. "Cole…" she tried again louder, but nothing happened. He didn't turn to her. He couldn't listen to her.
He was deep in thoughts himself. He couldn't forgive himself the fact that she had killed herself to save him. He couldn't forgive himself that he had let her go through with it. But it was too late now to go back, he had to stick to the plan and finish this.
"Forgive me for make you do this." He said with tears in his eyes. "But I swear, that you'll live, and you'll be back with our daughter and everything will be fine, even if it costs my own life." He promised her. "I love you." He said while passing his hand on her cheek.
He sighed, then laid her on the couch. He put her hands on her sides and her hair behind her ear. He looked down at her and kissed her on the forehead.
Phoebe had witnessed and had been touched by the whole scene, and she couldn't feel happier. She could feel all the love and care Cole felt for her. And it was something beautiful.
"Cole I think we're ready to-" Paige started announcing as she entered the attic and cut herself shocked. "What… Phoebe?" she then ran to her sister. She took her sister's hand. "What happened to her? What's going on? Piper!! Leo!!!" she yelled. "Come now!"
Immediately Piper, Alex and Leo who was holding Prue came running to the attic. Cole was still quite; no word came out of his mouth.
"What is it- Phoebe!" Piper ran to her. Leo gave Prue to Alex and did the same and tried to heal her.
"It's too late." Cole informed them sadly.
"What the hell happened here?" Piper asked madly. Then Paige picked up the little bottle that had fallen from her hand. "I think this is what happened." She said.
"She took the potion to extract her soul from her body, so I'd take the body to them, to buy some time while we vanquish them…" he explained looking down.
"You made her you son of a bitch!" Piper accused furious.
"NO!" Phoebe yelled. But no one listened to her. It had been her decision. She didn't understand why they couldn't see her or listen to her or even sense her, maybe it was part of the spell.
Piper tried to blow Cole up, but Paige avoided it.
"Piper don't!" Leo said.
"I didn't want her to do it, but she wouldn't listen." Cole said sadly. "Now, we have to get to work, otherwise, this will be for nothing." He stated.
"What's the plan now?" Paige asked.
"She took the potion, she said something about some spirit in Alcatraz…" he started.
"Yes, the spirit in Alcatraz, I remember, Prue did it that time." Piper said.
"We got less than four hours. I'll take the body to them and I'll try to buy some time, while you get the rest of the demons with the potions." Cole explained. "Phoebe will be back." He stated.
In that moment Prue started crying. Alex tried to calm her down, but it didn't work. "Come on, pretty little girls like you don't cry…" Alex said rocking her. Even thought they all were going through a hard time, Prue didn't have to feel that, so Alex tried to keep her easy, but she didn't know that somehow, the baby could feel all the tension. Prue kept weeping and then Phoebe turned to her and smiled at her. Prue calmed down after a little while.
The rest kept working on the plan to take the Brotherhood for some more minutes.
"Ok, I think we're all set, but we don't have enough potions to take them all. We need to make more, but we're out of… you know, the principal ingredient." Paige said referring to demonic blood from a member.
"You mean demon flesh?" Cole asked coldly.
Paige nodded. "You can take some of mine. I'm still a member after all." He said.
"I think that I won't need a flesh, just blood will make it." Piper said.
"It's alright." He nodded and extended his hand to Paige who had an athame in her hand.
"You can take some of mine as well…" Alex intervened. "I'm a not pretty popular member right now, but still a member." She said.
"Let's do it in the kitchen." Paige said.
They all went downstairs and Phoebe's spirit followed. She understood now that since she was a ghost, no one could listen to her or see her.
Once everyone was in the kitchen, Paige cut Cole's arm and put his blood directly with the rest of the ingredients for the potion.
Prue started to cry and Alex rocked her gently.
"It's okay baby, it's not hurting Daddy, he's strong you know." She said but it didn't seem like working and the little girl kept crying.
Cole took a napkin and used it to dry the blood and make it stop. He walked next to Alex and kissed Prue on the cheek.
"I'm okay honey." He told her in baby voice and with a smile.
Prue stopped crying at the second Cole had approached her. It was amazing for Phoebe to see how much Prue loved her father and how much Cole loved her in return.
"Hey, why don't you hold her for a while? I'm sure she wants to be with you." Alex said, handing Cole his daughter.
"Hi little one." He said, kissing her on the head.
The little girl giggled and rested her head on her father's chest, she was feeling good in his arms and all the family could notice it. No doubt they belonged together, they were part of the same puzzle, Phoebe's puzzle. Prue made her possible to catch her father's attention, tugging on his shirt, cooing, giggling and smiling. Cole smiled at her and held her tiny hand in his, to the baby's delight.
"Do you have enough blood?" He asked to Paige.
"Yes, it'll be ready in some minutes." Paige replied.
"Good. Before we all go, I want you to listen to me carefully. First, I'll go down there with Phoebe's body and deal with the master, make him think she's really dead. After that, you'll have to come there and fight with me. If we want them to leave us alone for good, we'll have to kill them all." Cole explained.
Everyone nodded and he added: "I don't have any plan to kill them, we'll have to fight and be careful. Leo will stay here with Prue."
He looked at Leo and said: "If you feel that there is something wrong, I want you to immediately orb up there and make sure Prue is safe."
Leo nodded and Cole sighed and said: "Okay, I think that's all. I'm going to check on Phoebe. Call me when everything is set."
Phoebe smiled, he was so confident, so secure of himself, he was the leader and see him so certain that everything would work out was making her feel better. Even when they weren't together, she still trusted him and she knew that he would figure it out to solve everything. She had faith on him.
He looked down at Prue and kissed her on the forehead.
"You stay with your Uncle Leo and behave okay? Be nice with him. Mommy and Daddy will be back soon. I love you." He whispered to his baby girl before handing her to Leo and with a last goodbye kiss on the cheek, he walked in the attic and he sat down next to Phoebe's lifeless body.
"How can I be sure I'll bring you back in time?" He asked.
He was so scared, he didn't know how everything would end up, he didn't know if he'd have enough time to bring her back, he didn't know if Piper, Paige and Alex would survive, he didn't know anything and that was scaring him to death.
"I'll do everything I can, I swear." He added, but still not certain of fact if he really would be able to make it. He was damn scared.
In that moment, he didn't feel Phoebe's ghost walking next to him.
"I trust you Cole, you'll manage to save us all." She whispered in his ear. "I love you and I trust you." She empathised.
Cole couldn't hear her words, but somehow, after she'd said them, he felt more secure. Maybe, somehow the strength of her spirit had some effect on him and reached him when she had said this, the fact was that he felt it. She was counting on him, and he wouldn't fail her.
He took Phoebe's hand in his and gave her a small peek on the lips.
How much Phoebe wanted to be in her body right now, to kiss him back. She smiled when she realised the tenderness of this scene, Cole was perfect, she loved him and she wanted him back, not only back from the brotherhood battle but also back in her and Prue's life, back for good. But that thought was only a nice dream, a nice and beautiful dream.
"Cole!" Paige called for him.
"I'll bring you back." He repeated, brushing Phoebe's hair out of her face and giving her a last kiss on the forehead.
He took her in his arms and shimmered downstairs.
"You'll go down there in 5 minutes, that will surprise them, they won't expect you to appear and fight with me." He ordered.
Once again, everyone listened his orders and recommendations.
"Be careful." Alex told him.
"You too." He replied and with that, he shimmered away.
After a while all had gone to play their parts. Everyone had gone to the Underworld and just Leo and Prue had been left at the Manor. Phoebe then decided to walk around the house, after all, no one could sense her. So she passed the living room, the sunroom, the kitchen, and it wasn't like all the time, this time, she could see past scenes of herself and her sisters, old memories came back. She walked upstairs to her bedroom and nice and sad memories came to her, she went up to the attic and mostly memories related to magic were remembered. She found herself in the living room again, where Leo was sat right next to Prue's crib.
Then she directed and stood right next to the crib and starred down at her daughter. Her beautiful daughter; how proud and happy she felt. She smiled at her and Prue smiled back. It was as if the baby could actually see her. It was strange.
Leo was right next to the crib, keeping and eye on Prue, but was at the same time concentrate and alert, in case any of the sisters called him. He was aware in case something came up.
Suddenly his meditations were interrupted by Prue's giggles. He turned to her and starred down at her. He noticed she kept giggling and laughing like she used to do when someone was playing with her, and it was strange since no one was there.
Phoebe kept talking and playing with Prue making her laugh, but Leo couldn't even feel it.
Leo starred at Prue with a questioning look, and noticed how she kept laughing more.
"What? You wanna play?" he questioned his niece friendly.
She kept giggling, but not at Leo. "Oh, you wanna play with Uncle Leo?" he asked her smiling at her. "Come here." He took her in his arms and rocked her for a while.
Phoebe stood in front of them, and kept eyeing her daughter, while she was playing with her uncle.
Maybe it was her magic; maybe it was the fact that she was still an innocent little girl not a grown up; maybe it was the combination of the witchy and demon genes that made her magic stronger; the reason Phoebe couldn't figure, but it was for sure that Prue could see and listen to Phoebe when no one else around could, and that fact was really magical for her, after all she was person Phoebe cared the most.
*-*-*-*-*
He slowly and carefully laid her on the table that was destined for her. He ran his hand on her cold cheek and his eyes filled with tears when he realised he was standing before her soulless body.
"Just in time. I like it." the chief said as he came closer and examined the body. "Oh… what a piece of work. No marks, no blood… have you softened on your torture methods?" he sarcastically questioned Cole.
"She's dead, that's what matters." He replied with regret in his voice.
"Yeah, now that I think of it, you're right; the power of three is broken anyway." He replied satisfied.
"Now, I want to take her away so that her family can bury her properly." Cole said.
"Sure, whatever you want, she's your... huh... sorry was... your witch." The demon said between chuckles.
Cole clenched his teeth and fists, he wanted to hit that bastard, to kill him, but he had to wait for the girls.
"I'd like to know... is it good screwing a witch? Is it better than screwing a demon?" The demon asked.
'You can not even imagine how it's good to be in love and to feel alive.' Cole thought.
"That's not to bad, we had some wild times." He coldly and quickly replied.
"Lucky Belthazor." The demon said.
"No, lucky you." Piper said as she orbed with Paige next to Cole. She didn't wait to throw the potion at the demon and see how he burst into flames.
"Nice Piper." Alex said, she had shimmered in the same time that Paige had orbed in.
"That's too easy." Cole whispered, looking around.
"Stay on your guard, I'm taking care of Phoebe." He stated.
He walked next to the table and started to give Phoebe CPR. "Come on Phoebe." He told her.
She wasn't reacting.
Suddenly, a lot of demon shimmered in the room, they where a lot more than 5, but Cole didn't notice it, he was too engrossed with saving Phoebe that he didn't see the demon stabbing him in the back. He cried out in pain and stumbled back. He managed to throw a fireball at a demon who was struggling with Paige. His vision started to blur but he blinked several times and it all went away. He was trying to breath normally, to breath through the pain and once he did that, he wasn't feeling the pain anymore, he was up for the battle. Of course, he was having a hard time fighting like he was used to but it was enough to kill some demons. Piper, Paige and Alex were fighting as well and the demons were all dying one after the other, to everyone's relief. Things got harder when Cole met a more powerful demon. This time it got more complicated for him, specially when the demon stabbed him in the stomach, hopefully for Cole and thanks to his skills, the athame just cut him. Followed to that punches, kicks and fireballs. He didn't even realize that there were only 4 demons left, each one fighting with someone from the Halliwell family. Alex was the first one to kill her demon and help the person that was closer to her, who was Piper. Once Piper's demon had been killed, Piper went to help Paige and Alex ran next to Cole to fight by his side. In less then 30 seconds, the two last demons were burning in hell. Cole immediately ran towards Phoebe.
"You go back home, I'll take care of her, don't worry, she'll be fine." He stated.
"Cole, you can hardly stand, you're hurt." Alex protested.
"I'll be fine, don't worry, go now." He said.
As Paige, Piper and Alex left, he took Phoebe's hand in his and shimmered away.
When he reappeared, he gently laid Phoebe on the grass. He had shimmered the two of them in another realm. They were surrounded by flowers, trees and birds; it all looked like they were in a Disney's cartoon. He knew that it would be the only place where he could save her. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He was shaking because of the pain, he had troubles concentrating but he had to do it, he had to save her, for Prue for the rest of the family. He was kneeling down next to her and slowly raised his hand above her chest. He squeezed his eyes shut and concentrate even more. His hands started to glow and just when Phoebe woke up and gasped for air and he fell on the grass unconscious.
Phoebe had felt a strong pull upon her. One moment she was watching Prue and the next she was lying in the grass, she looked around and saw Cole lying unconscious next to her. She realized that he had brought her back to life.
"Cole?" She called, shaking him.
"Come on Cole." She called again.
"Leo!!" She yelled when she understood that Cole was too hurt to wake up.
"Wake up. You promised me you'd make everything alright. You have to wake up, you can't leave us, you hear me? Not now, not ever, you're part of my family, we are a family, you can't go away." She said while she was crying.
She wanted to throw up, all the blood was making her sick, he was bleeding a lot; he was bleeding too much. She was scared, scared to loose him one more time, one more time because of her. She knew how he had brought her back to life, he hadn't heal her as a white lighter could have done it; he had taken all the strength he had left and somehow passed it to her. He had sacrificed his life to save her.
"Leo!" She yelled again.
"What's wrong?" The white lighter asked as he orbed next to her.
"Heal... Cole... fast." She said.
"I can't." Leo said.
"Please... he's good, he saved me... please don't let him die." She begged.
Leo nodded and to Phoebe's relief, he started to heal Cole. Even if it partially healed him, it was good enough for him not to die, but he was still unconscious. Once Leo was done, he orbed Phoebe and Cole in her room and went downstairs to tell to the others what had just happened.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Cole was laying in Phoebe's bed and Phoebe was laying next to him. Leo had told her that he would be fine but she was still scared. She had cut all his clothes because it was full of blood, he was now only wearing his boxer but Phoebe had put a cover on him because she was afraid that he might be cold, so he was covered up to the waist. She propped herself on one elbow and looked at his bruised face. She brought her free hand on his face and gently caressed his cheeks and lips. Her hand wandered to his chest. She missed him, she missed being close to him, being in his arms, kissing him, waking up in the morning with him. She missed his smile, his muscular chest, his strong arms. She missed everything about him. She kissed him on the lips, inhaling his scent. She pulled back when she heard a knock on the door.
"Come in." She said as she got up.
"Hey." Alex said as she stepped into the room, holding Prue in her arms.
"Hey." Phoebe said with a smile.
"This little one can't stop crying, maybe she'll feel better with you." Alex said.
Phoebe picked up her daughter and she noticed that Alex was looking at Cole.
"He'll be okay, you don't have to worry." Phoebe told her.
"I know, I know you'll take care of him. I know you love him." Alex said.
Phoebe looked down and Alex added: "He loves you too."
"But we can't be together." Phoebe stated, rocking Prue who was still crying.
Alex didn't know what to say . "I'll leave you alone with him for a while." Alex said.
"Thanks. I'll let you know when he wakes up." She replied.
Alex left the room and Phoebe laid down in bed next to Cole with Prue who stopped crying. The little girl crawled next to her father. She stopped to examine him and then she looked at Phoebe.
"Daddy is hurt baby, but he's gonna be fine." Phoebe said to her little girl.
Prue looked back at her father and climbed on him. Phoebe let her baby girl rest on her father chest and cuddled next to the two of them.
A moment later, Cole woke up. He didn't move but looked around to know where he was. He smiled when he realized that he was in Phoebe's room and that Prue and Phoebe where both next to him. He noticed that Prue was watching him and she giggled when she saw him open his eyes. Cole's whole body was aching, but he was good to be with his family. He brought his hand to Prue back and patted her gently which caused Prue to giggle even more. Phoebe look up and noticed that Cole was awake.
"Are you okay?" He asked in a low raspy voice.
Phoebe smiled and said: "You've been the one bleeding like hell and you ask me if I'm okay?"
"Yeah, are you okay?" He asked again.
Phoebe nodded and said: "I'm fine, thanks to you, you saved my life."
"I promised I'd bring you back, I couldn't fail you, I couldn't let this little one loose her mommy." He replied pointing at Prue who was still giggling.
"Are you okay?" Phoebe asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine, a little tired but fine, thanks to you, you saved my life." He told her.
"We're even then." She said looking in his deep blue eyes.
Phoebe smiled; she was so happy that he had finally woke up.
"I think Alex is waiting for you downstairs." She told him.
"Yeah, probably, but I'd like to stay here with you and Prue for a while." He said.
Phoebe nodded, it didn't bother her at all. All she was asking for was to be with him.
"Good." He said, wrapping one of his arms around Prue.
"Come over here." He said to Phoebe. She raised a little, enough for him to slide his arms under her neck. He gently pressed her to him so that she could rest her head on his chest. This moment was perfect; they both wanted it to last Forever. In that very moment, they were a family. Family. They felt good together, like a family and they wanted to stay like this, without worries, just the three of them.
It was Magical
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
It had been a hard day, Piper, Paige, Alex and Leo were all in the living room waiting for any change. Cole, Phoebe and Prue were upstairs, spending some time together, but they were all wondering whether Cole was okay or not.
"It's been a hard day…" Piper commented from the couch.
"Hard week I'd say." Her husband added.
"Why hasn't he woken up yet?" Alex asked concerned.
"Cole was badly hurt, he'll be fine, but it'll take some time." Leo replied.
"At least Prue, Phoebe and Cole are all alive, after all that happened. They've gone through worst." Paige said with a little grin.
"You sound like you're used to it." Alex said.
"Oh we are." Piper stated.
Then they all stayed quite for a while, like everyone was deep on their own thoughts.
"I was thinking…" Alex was the first who spoke. "Will they ever get back together?" she questioned.
Everyone looked up to face her. "I mean Phoebe and Cole…" she clarified.
Piper looked away, it was a delicate subject for her, she got irritable every time people talked about it.
Alex starred around them looking for an answer. Leo just opened his mouth but no word came out of it.
"Well, you guys have been longer in this than me, so seeing things like this, I ask you, do you really think they'll get back together, again?" Alex insisted.
Paige and Leo looked at each other like looking for and answer.
"I don't think so." Leo shook his head.
"Why?" Alex asked. "I mean, my brother might be a demon but he's a good guy, and well they obviously love each other and they have a daughter together…" she commented.
"Well, It's more complicated than that. They've been through to much, and I don't think they'll ever go there again." The white lighter explained putting his hands together.
Paige shook her head.
"No, never." He ratified.
"I'll show you a little bit." Paige thought the best way to answer this question is with an improvisation, so she stood up and started an imitation of Phoebe. So she dramatically tells the air. "Oh Cole. I know that I am a witch, and you are a demon, and it is impossible for us to be together. But-"
Then Leo jumped and continued. "But my evil demon half sometimes prevents me from seeing the truth." He squinted up at the ceiling and gasped. "Oh Phoebe!." He dramatically said.
"Yes, Cole?" Paige dopily asked imitating Phoebe.
"I love you so much I that I don't even care about the awful way you dye and cut your hair!" Leo intensively said.
"Oh Cole…" Paige put her hand in her heart as if she had just got a compliment. "I'll always love you and nothing will ever change that but it's not meant to be." She said acting sad.
Even thought the subject was annoying to Piper, she could help but turn and laugh at the play. Alex was looking with round eyes. It wasn't right, but this couldn't be ignored, it was funny somehow.
"Phoebe, I won't give up on us. Ever!" Leo replied trying to imitate the light Aussie accent, Cole sometimes showed.
"Cole…"
"Phoebe…"
"Just because I sent you to hell that one time doesn't mean that we still could fight evil together." She proposed.
Then Leo impulsively took Paige's arm and suggested. "Or possibly more." Trying to reach that deep seductive tone Cole had.
Paige turned away like playing the hard. "No! We mustn't!" she said shaking her head.
Leo took her by her shoulder and whispered. "Vanquish me, witch!"
"Kiss me, demon!" Paige said and Leo bonded over Paige and shoved his face in her neck like pretending to kiss her.
What they hadn't noticed while immersed on their faked passion was the new watchers the play had just gotten, that were standing on the edge of the stairs.
"Cole, why don't you call one of those dark lighters friends of yours, they could attend to a party here." Phoebe coldly cut off and Paige and Leo immediately broke apart.
"Cole…" Alex ran to her brother and hugged him. "Damn you, you scared me so much." She told him, hugging him even tighter.
"Alex... I won't be fine for too long if you keep squeezing me." He said.
"Sorry." She apologized as she let him go.
"So, having fun?" Phoebe asked, she was obviously mad at Paige and Leo.
"We're sorry, Phoebe... we didn't mean to..." Paige tried to say, but she was feeling bad.
"Hey, we're going to celebrate!" Piper threw, she didn't want things to get out of hand, they all had had a hard day, they didn't need a fight to end up this crazy day.
"Good idea! I love P3!" Alex exclaimed cheerfully. In fact it was an excuse, she couldn't wait to see Mike.
Cole gave her a look. "With your permission…" his little sister added and he regretfully nodded.
"I think I'll pass this one." Paige said. "I'm tired, I'm going to bed." She added. "Good night." She said before going in her room.
"Well, I guess Leo and I are going to P3, but don't worry Alex, we won't bother you." Piper said.
Alex smiled and said: "I'm going home and get changed." "Bye, everyone." She said before shimmering away.
"Let's go Leo." Piper said as she took his hand in hers. Leo understood what she wanted and he orbed them out.
"You should go home and rest." Phoebe said as she looked at Cole.
"I guess you're right." He said.
"Bye." He added before placing a kiss on her cheek. He then went to Prue and did the same; then he shimmered away.
Phoebe was now almost alone but it was good, she had things to do. She walked upstairs to change Prue and put her to sleep.
*-*-*-*-*-*
"I'm so glad you could make it to come tonight." Mike Kauffman said smiling at her while they both leaded back to sit in their table at P3 after they had dance a little.
"Yes, so am I. I'm really sorry about last night, it was a family emergency." Alex explained smiling back.
"It's ok, the important is that you could make it today." He replied.
Alex just kept starring at him and smiled again. She was so nervous, she had been when she knew she'd see him, she didn't want to give a wrong impression or to screw it, but deep down, she felt comfortable and that she could be herself with this guy. There was something about him that intrigued her, and she definitely wanted to figure it out. Maybe the fact that he was older or that he was different, but he treat her with such respect and in such a gently way that fascinated her even more.
"So what are you doing tomorrow?" he asked her casually and took a sip of his drink.
'Oh god he's actually gonna ask me out.' She thought cheerfully. It fact, this moment wasn't an actual date, it had been like she said she'd be there and he said he'd stop by to chat and hang out.
"Nothing, I think I… I'm free." She said smiling, openly expecting him to ask her out.
"Oh, well I'll be in a plane by this hour." He said.
"Excuse me?" she questioned confused as her smile banished.
"Oh right, I think I forgot to tell you. This is like my 'Goodbye Party', I'm leaving for New Jersey." He informed.
"New Jersey?"
"Yes, to Princeton. In fact I'll be working at the University." He said.
"So, it's permanent?" she asked shocked.
"You could say so." He nodded.
She tried to hide her disappointment and cleared her throat.
"Are you ok?" he questioned concerned.
"Yes, I'm fine." She said and faked a smile. She didn't understand. Maybe she misunderstood his intentions, and he hadn't actually hit on her, just the gently flirt, but nothing else, maybe it wasn't even flirting, she thought. Maybe he didn't even like her, or at least the way she wanted to. "I'll need to go to the ladies' room." She excused herself.
"Oh, I'm really sorry, but it's kinda late, so I think I should go." He excused himself.
"Oh… yeah." She said. "I understand."
"I had a great time, I wish we had met before, we had become great friends." He said smiling at her.
'Friends…' she repeated mentally. "Yeah…" she said softly.
"Uh… here, this is my card, my phone will change, obviously, but you can email me whenever you want." He explained as he handled her a business card.
"Yeah.." she nodded. "Sure."
"Good Bye." He said smiling.
She hugged him and he welcomed the embrace. "Good Luck." She said.
"Thanks. Bye." He said and walked off.
As he walked off the club, one piece of her heart fell down. For some reason, she felt incredibly wrong and bad for the fact he had gone.
"Friends…" she whispered the word again with her eyes wet with tears, and for the very first time in her life, she felt like she wanted to just cry. He was gone and it hurt, even if they hadn't gone into anything serious, just a couple dances, few chitchatting and a few class, and she was totally hit. There hadn't been so much physical contact that you could say, they hadn't kissed or anything, but there sure had been a deeper contact, a spirit contact, or at least she felt it that way.
She stayed like that for a while, with her wet eyes starring at the crowd, till she just went home.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
It was late, and she was tired, but she was grateful that everything was back to normal. She was alive and had her soul back in her body, Prue was safe sleeping in her crib and Cole was back on his life and probably on his own apartment. Of course, everything wasn't good as it was before, because all her problems were still there, but at least she thanked god for being safe.
She was on the sunroom surrounded by papers and bills. She took off her glasses and sighed. 'God help me.' She thought. She took the little velvet jewelry bag that was resting on the sunroom table. She took out the only items that were inside. The last of her jewelry that was left. The necklace that used to be her Grams', the engagement ring Cole had given her and her wedding band. In the last month she had been selling her jewelry to pay for bills, things for Prue. She had sold jewelry her parent's had given her when young, pieces her sisters had bought her, others that Cole had bought her when they were dating or during the time they'd been married and other ones that she had worked really hard to pay for. But in her reality and situation, she didn't care about those if she could use the money to cover her daughter.
She put on her glasses again and reached for a piece of paper, as she read the number she reached for the cordless phone and dialed.
"Hey, Tom? Good night, how are you? It's Phoebe Halliwell." She nicely greeted as she grabbed her engagement ring and looked at it.
"Hey Pheebs, how you doing?" the guy greeted back.
"Good. Uh, look, I'm calling you because I hope you could help me." She said
"Ok, what do you have for me now?" he asked.
"I'm gonna sell…" she started still eyeing the ring. "I'm gonna sell an antique necklace… uh. Silver and gold, shine, one sapphire in the middle." She explained.
"It isn't broken right?" he asked.
"No, it's in good condition. I'll take it to you tomorrow, first thing in the morning." She said.
"Ok, got any date?" he asked as he wrote down on a pad.
"I think it's from the 1950's…" she said. "I'm not really sure. But you hadn't had any trouble with any of the other pieces, right?" she asked then.
"No, of course not, I'll just have to take a look at it and then see what I can do." He replied.
"If I took it to you tomorrow, when can I have the money?" she asked.
"I don't know, all depends of the piece." He informed her.
"Oh, I understand, but please, just try to get a quick sell, I really need the money…." She said.
"I know the feeling. I'll do my best." He promised her.
"Thanks, I really appreciate this." She thanked him.
"Hey, what kind of person would I be if I didn't help the person who helps everyone on the city?" he commented smiling. "Good night, Pheebs."
"Good night, thanks." She hung up.
"I didn't even imagine about this…" a voice softly spoke.
"Cole…" she said as she turned. "I didn't hear you come in…" she said.
"Why didn't you tell me you had money troubles? I mean, you're alone, you got Prue why didn't you just ask-" he started.
"I don't need anyone to help me support my daughter." She reacted a little harsh.
"Phoebe I'm not saying that-" he tried.
"No, I don't wanna hear it. I'm fine and I don't need anyone to give me anything, I can take it myself." She said. It was a pride issue.
Cole looked down and nodded, then he looked at her. "There's something important I want to talk to you about." He said.
"Ok, I'm listening." She said calmer as she offered a sit.
They both sat and the silence was heavy. Cole was the first one who spoke. "I've been thinking about this, and I've made a choice." He started.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
He looked down and up again and continued. "You know, these last days have been hard for me… uh, you'll probably think I'm stupid but I couldn't see a baby in somewhere because I automatically thought about Prue; I ended up imagining myself playing with her, feeding her, getting her to sleep… and it depressed me, but I knew that's the way it was meant to be-"
"Cole I-" she cut him off.
"No, let me finish." He asked and she nodded. "So I thought that if I stayed away from her, she'd be safe. Then when I knew that she'd been taken by the brotherhood, I drove totally crazy and I was willing to do anything to get her back. I couldn't conceive about something bad happening to her. I got desperate." He explained.
"You saved her." She remembered him.
"Yes, and when I had her in my arms again and I knew she was safe, I wanted to change things, but it was too late, or at least I thought." He looked down. "Then when I was able to get out of there and get back here, when everything was over, I realized I had another chance."
"What are you talking about?" she was quizzed about this and his words and tone.
"At first I didn't want to get involved in her life, because I was afraid I would put her in danger, but after what has happened with the brotherhood, I'm afraid I can't prevent her to be in danger anyway because of who she is…" Cole said. "But I will protect her with my own life if I have to… I just… I want to be a part of her life, I want to be there for her…"
"Cole I-" she tried again.
"No, I understand our situation… I understand that we've gone through too much and it's probably impossible for us to get back together. All I'm asking is time with my daughter; I want to spend time with her, I've missed so much already, but I hope, if you let me, to make it up to her. I don't know anything about this, but I want to try to be a father for her."
"You already have…" she said amazed by what she was hearing.
"So maybe we could agree and she could be a couple of days during the week with me or I don't know… I want to give her everything she needs, I want the best for her… I'll give you a support for-" he suggested.
"You don't have to give me money to-" she complained.
"I want to." He cut her off. "I know it's hard to raise a child and it's my responsibility as well; Phoebe I don't want you selling your jewelry if I can perfectly support you." He said.
"Cole, as I told before, I don't want or need any-" she said a little mad.
"It's not about pride, Phoebe." He cut off again. "It's about me wanting to be a father, giving her the best I can…" he insisted. "So we'll have to agree on terms of custody, just like a support and the name thing-" he said.
"Sorry, but the women of this family keep the Halliwell." Phoebe said.
"Too bad, because she's changing it." He stated with a grin. "That if you accept?" he slowly pointed.
Phoebe just nodded and smiled a little; it was the least she could do after she had hidden the baby from him for so long.
"So what do you say?" he asked again
"What there is to say?. You have all the rights, you're her father, I'm no one to decide against it, even if I did it in the past, I'm really sorry about it." she said.
"All that matters is a new start." He said
"Yeah, why don't you come in the morning and spend the day with her? That while we agree and decide about when will she be with me or with you." She said.
"Thank you, Phoebe." He said smiling from ear to ear. He couldn't be happier. "Good night." He said and walked out, then walked back. She had given him the biggest thing on earth. She had given him the chance to be a daddy. "Phoebe…" he called for her again and she looked at him with questioning eyes.
"Thanks for making me a daddy." He said smiling and shimmered out.
She had tears in her eyes. "Thanks for making me a mommy." She whispered smiling at the point where he had been. With that she smiled again, and got back to her papers.
*-*-*-*-*-*
So guys, what do you think? We'll try to be back as soon as we can make it. Thanks!!!