Chapter 21 - "Yeah, i'm a real catch."
(Cole's Place)
Phoebe and Cole awoke to the sound of the phone ringing.
"Don't get that" Phoebe said.
"It might be important." Cole said back, as he leant over her.
"As important as me?"
"No but someone might need my help" he smiled.
"Yes, what would the world be like without Cole Turner. Go on, answer it then."
"Hello?" "Now?" "Can't it wait?" "Yes, i did say i would." "I didn't mean straight away" "I'm
busy at the moment, a few hours longer won't hurt." "Well if you put it that way...okay okay i
said i would help you so i will." "I'll be there soon, bye." Cole got up and put on his clothes.
"What was that all about??" Phoebe asked.
"Business is all." Phoebe felt angry. "Important business Phoebe, i have to go."
"Are you going to tell me what that business is at least?" Phoebe was up and dressed.
"I told a friend i would help him with a personal matter, i just didn't realise it would be so
soon." Phoebe now looked sad. "I never expected for you to fall for me, i thought you'd say no
if i asked you out. You did and i don't want to leave your side, but i have to." Cole packed
his suitcase.
"I know...will you be gone long? you're talking as if this will be a long time." Phoebe walked
up to him.
"I have no idea how long, but i promise you i will get back as soon as i can okay?" Cole hugged
his girlfriend.
She looked into his eyes, "Okay" Phoebe kissed him goodbye, left his place and headed for home.
(Leo's place)
The lovers were asleep in each others arms and had been for a while. The stars had just started
to appear in the sky. A coyote howled in the distance and it woke Leo up. He stared across at
the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life and he was glad she was his to have. Piper
started to wake and gazed across at her man.
"Did you have a good sleep?" Leo said, stroking her long beautiful hair.
"Best one i've had in a while," Piper smiled brilliantly. "You?"
"Best sleep i've had in my entire life."
A cool breeze swept over them from the bedroom window that was partially open. It was a relief
since the day had been so damn hot, the hottest one in a long time.
"Come look at this." Leo got out of bed, approached Piper's side and wrapped the sheet around the
both of them. Then he lead her to the window and opened it. "See the stars? They remind me of the
twinkle in your beautiful eyes."
"Oh Leo." Piper's cheeks went pink, even the though she had a nice glow to her already.
"I mean it Piper, you're the most beautiful girl i've ever seen."
Piper kissed Leo so romantically that his cheeks went pink too. "These stars are beautiful, i've
never seen them so bright anywhere, not even from my place." Piper looked back to Leo.
"That brings me to the conclusion that your eyes and the stars shining brightest here now is a
sign. A sign that this is where you're supposed to be, where we're supposed to be."
"You mean us together tonight?" Piper smiled.
"Yes." Leo smiled back. "But not only tonight. Piper," he took her hand "I want us to live
together, here. My life has never been the same, ever since i met you i've wanted nothing else
but to be with you for the rest of my life. Please say yes." Leo looked her square in the eye.
Piper wanted to be with Leo so bad, even from the start. She wanted to say yes and she was going
to say yes...but in the furthest part of her mind she knew that if the Charmed Ones were to work,
then she had to stay home, like her other sisters did. *Why do i have to be a damn Charmed one??*
"Piper are you there?" Leo asked, Piper snapped out of it.
"Yeah i am, Leo...i want to, more than you know"
"But you're not going to say yes are you" Leo looked so disappointed that it hurt Piper.
"Leo, i...just...can't," Leo's gaze strayed away from Piper's. "say yes at the moment. I have to
run this past my sisters first."
Leo said nothing. *Why? Why do you have to ask your sisters if you can move out or not??*
"I know what you're thinking, you're thinking why the hell would a grown woman have to ask her
sister's permission to move out. I don't have to get permission Leo, i just have to tell them
and work out a way for us to..do what we do without ruining things."
Leo turned back to Piper. "What things?" he didn't know of her secret and Piper didn't know why
she hadn't told him already.
"It's compli...it's something that i will explain later - i PROMISE"
"Promise?" Leo had some hope in his eyes.
"Promise. Leo i love you, and we WILL be together, just not right now. I love you."
"....i love you too Piper." Leo kissed her and felt better at the fact that she didn't reject him
and that she loved him just like he loved her.
(Halliwell home)
Prue and Bane had arrived before the stars set over the night sky. They were sitting on the couch
together. Phoebe just got home too, grabbed something to eat, said hi and then went off to bed.
"I'm sorry i doubted you Bane."
"It's fine, you had every right to. I'm just glad that you understand now."
"I'm glad that you didn't leave for good. I also am amazed at how a mortal like yourself could've
fended off a warlock to protect a friend's friend all by yourself."
"You don't believe me?"
"Of course i believe you, i just want to know how you did it."
"Well, growing up with parents who dabbled in magic comes in handy sometimes. I know the basics."
"Good to know, i'm relived that you weren't hurt. I could've come with you and helped you, my
sisters could've come too."
"Yeah but i didn't know that they were in trouble until i got there, if it weren't for the fact
that it was my friend's birthday, he and his friend probably would've died."
"Lucky you're a man who actually remembers dates like that."
"Yeah, i'm a real catch." Bane laughed sarcastically.
"No, you are. I wouldn't love you if you weren't." That was the second time Bane had heard a girl
tell him that she loved him so it was still something that knocked him off his feet.
Prue went to kiss Bane when the phone rang. "I'll be right back." Prue said and ran over to get
it. "Hello?"
"Hey Prue, it's me Colby Jones."
"colby! uh..Hey, how are you?"
"I'm good thanks...i just rang to say that i wont be able to come over this week."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, it's been a while since i've had time off so my wife and i decided to head out of town. Is
that okay?"
*Wife? I didn't know my boss was married* "Yeah sure, it's fine. You go have a good time with
your wife and i'll see you at work next week."
"Okay thanks, you enjoy your time off too. Bye Prue."
"Bye."
"Who is Colby?" Bane asked, he was standing behind her.
"Ah! Bane you scared me you sneaky bugga." Bane smiled cheekily. "That was my boss, i asked him
to come over so we could get to know each other but he is going out of town with his wife."
"That's good news."
"You jealous?"
"Me jealous of him? Hell no. That means i get to spend more time with you." Bane kissed Prue.
The front door opened and in walked Paige and James.
"James!" Prue yelled and ran over to him."
"James?" Bane was confused.
"He is Piper's old friend, Prue and Phoebe know him as well." Paige explained.
"Prue!" James hugged her. "How are you?"
"I'm great! I see you've met Paige. This," Prue signaled Bane to come over, "is my boyfriend Bane
Jessop. Bane this is our old friend James Ashton."
"Nice to meet you Bane."
"Likewise James." They firmly shook hands.
The four of them talked into the night and got along well. It didn't look like Piper was coming
home tonight. Paige was getting very attached to a certain James Ashton.
Chapter 22 -
(Cole's Place)
Phoebe and Cole awoke to the sound of the phone ringing.
"Don't get that" Phoebe said.
"It might be important." Cole said back, as he leant over her.
"As important as me?"
"No but someone might need my help" he smiled.
"Yes, what would the world be like without Cole Turner. Go on, answer it then."
"Hello?" "Now?" "Can't it wait?" "Yes, i did say i would." "I didn't mean straight away" "I'm
busy at the moment, a few hours longer won't hurt." "Well if you put it that way...okay okay i
said i would help you so i will." "I'll be there soon, bye." Cole got up and put on his clothes.
"What was that all about??" Phoebe asked.
"Business is all." Phoebe felt angry. "Important business Phoebe, i have to go."
"Are you going to tell me what that business is at least?" Phoebe was up and dressed.
"I told a friend i would help him with a personal matter, i just didn't realise it would be so
soon." Phoebe now looked sad. "I never expected for you to fall for me, i thought you'd say no
if i asked you out. You did and i don't want to leave your side, but i have to." Cole packed
his suitcase.
"I know...will you be gone long? you're talking as if this will be a long time." Phoebe walked
up to him.
"I have no idea how long, but i promise you i will get back as soon as i can okay?" Cole hugged
his girlfriend.
She looked into his eyes, "Okay" Phoebe kissed him goodbye, left his place and headed for home.
(Leo's place)
The lovers were asleep in each others arms and had been for a while. The stars had just started
to appear in the sky. A coyote howled in the distance and it woke Leo up. He stared across at
the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life and he was glad she was his to have. Piper
started to wake and gazed across at her man.
"Did you have a good sleep?" Leo said, stroking her long beautiful hair.
"Best one i've had in a while," Piper smiled brilliantly. "You?"
"Best sleep i've had in my entire life."
A cool breeze swept over them from the bedroom window that was partially open. It was a relief
since the day had been so damn hot, the hottest one in a long time.
"Come look at this." Leo got out of bed, approached Piper's side and wrapped the sheet around the
both of them. Then he lead her to the window and opened it. "See the stars? They remind me of the
twinkle in your beautiful eyes."
"Oh Leo." Piper's cheeks went pink, even the though she had a nice glow to her already.
"I mean it Piper, you're the most beautiful girl i've ever seen."
Piper kissed Leo so romantically that his cheeks went pink too. "These stars are beautiful, i've
never seen them so bright anywhere, not even from my place." Piper looked back to Leo.
"That brings me to the conclusion that your eyes and the stars shining brightest here now is a
sign. A sign that this is where you're supposed to be, where we're supposed to be."
"You mean us together tonight?" Piper smiled.
"Yes." Leo smiled back. "But not only tonight. Piper," he took her hand "I want us to live
together, here. My life has never been the same, ever since i met you i've wanted nothing else
but to be with you for the rest of my life. Please say yes." Leo looked her square in the eye.
Piper wanted to be with Leo so bad, even from the start. She wanted to say yes and she was going
to say yes...but in the furthest part of her mind she knew that if the Charmed Ones were to work,
then she had to stay home, like her other sisters did. *Why do i have to be a damn Charmed one??*
"Piper are you there?" Leo asked, Piper snapped out of it.
"Yeah i am, Leo...i want to, more than you know"
"But you're not going to say yes are you" Leo looked so disappointed that it hurt Piper.
"Leo, i...just...can't," Leo's gaze strayed away from Piper's. "say yes at the moment. I have to
run this past my sisters first."
Leo said nothing. *Why? Why do you have to ask your sisters if you can move out or not??*
"I know what you're thinking, you're thinking why the hell would a grown woman have to ask her
sister's permission to move out. I don't have to get permission Leo, i just have to tell them
and work out a way for us to..do what we do without ruining things."
Leo turned back to Piper. "What things?" he didn't know of her secret and Piper didn't know why
she hadn't told him already.
"It's compli...it's something that i will explain later - i PROMISE"
"Promise?" Leo had some hope in his eyes.
"Promise. Leo i love you, and we WILL be together, just not right now. I love you."
"....i love you too Piper." Leo kissed her and felt better at the fact that she didn't reject him
and that she loved him just like he loved her.
(Halliwell home)
Prue and Bane had arrived before the stars set over the night sky. They were sitting on the couch
together. Phoebe just got home too, grabbed something to eat, said hi and then went off to bed.
"I'm sorry i doubted you Bane."
"It's fine, you had every right to. I'm just glad that you understand now."
"I'm glad that you didn't leave for good. I also am amazed at how a mortal like yourself could've
fended off a warlock to protect a friend's friend all by yourself."
"You don't believe me?"
"Of course i believe you, i just want to know how you did it."
"Well, growing up with parents who dabbled in magic comes in handy sometimes. I know the basics."
"Good to know, i'm relived that you weren't hurt. I could've come with you and helped you, my
sisters could've come too."
"Yeah but i didn't know that they were in trouble until i got there, if it weren't for the fact
that it was my friend's birthday, he and his friend probably would've died."
"Lucky you're a man who actually remembers dates like that."
"Yeah, i'm a real catch." Bane laughed sarcastically.
"No, you are. I wouldn't love you if you weren't." That was the second time Bane had heard a girl
tell him that she loved him so it was still something that knocked him off his feet.
Prue went to kiss Bane when the phone rang. "I'll be right back." Prue said and ran over to get
it. "Hello?"
"Hey Prue, it's me Colby Jones."
"colby! uh..Hey, how are you?"
"I'm good thanks...i just rang to say that i wont be able to come over this week."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, it's been a while since i've had time off so my wife and i decided to head out of town. Is
that okay?"
*Wife? I didn't know my boss was married* "Yeah sure, it's fine. You go have a good time with
your wife and i'll see you at work next week."
"Okay thanks, you enjoy your time off too. Bye Prue."
"Bye."
"Who is Colby?" Bane asked, he was standing behind her.
"Ah! Bane you scared me you sneaky bugga." Bane smiled cheekily. "That was my boss, i asked him
to come over so we could get to know each other but he is going out of town with his wife."
"That's good news."
"You jealous?"
"Me jealous of him? Hell no. That means i get to spend more time with you." Bane kissed Prue.
The front door opened and in walked Paige and James.
"James!" Prue yelled and ran over to him."
"James?" Bane was confused.
"He is Piper's old friend, Prue and Phoebe know him as well." Paige explained.
"Prue!" James hugged her. "How are you?"
"I'm great! I see you've met Paige. This," Prue signaled Bane to come over, "is my boyfriend Bane
Jessop. Bane this is our old friend James Ashton."
"Nice to meet you Bane."
"Likewise James." They firmly shook hands.
The four of them talked into the night and got along well. It didn't look like Piper was coming
home tonight. Paige was getting very attached to a certain James Ashton.
Chapter 22 -