Phoebe dug around in her pockets for the number of Charlie's hotel. She pulled out pens, mints, a lighter, one twenty, two tens, a five, and three ones, but no number. Oh, wrong pocket, Phoebe thought as she laughed at herself.
There it is, Phoebe had just found the small piece of paper that Charlie had scribbled. He gave her the number before they got in their separate cabs. "Call me if you need anything, I am available twenty-four seven for you," Charlie had told her.
Phoebe was in a daze while she was dialing the numbers, and the next thing she knew, the phone was ringing. She held her breath as she heard the other line being picked up. "Hello," Charlie answered the phone.
"Charlie, it...it's Phoebe," Phoebe managed to get out.
"Phoebe, how are you doing?" Charlie asked sincerely. "I was hoping to here from you last night. I got a little worried when you didn't call."
No, I...I'm fine. I just had a rough, long night, that's all," Phoebe explained to Charlie. She felt physically and mentally exhausted. Between coming back home, seeing her sisters, and having to face Cole, Phoebe had been having nightmare's of her time in the underworld for a while now. She hasn't told anyone because she thinks that once they know what happened, they will feel differently about her.
Anyway, "Well then, what can I do for you today?" Charlie asked Phoebe. Charlie always thought of Phoebe as the daughter he never had, even when Clay and Phoebe were just starting to date.
"Um,...I was wondering if you could come by and teach my sister some of your specialties?" Phoebe asked. She had tasted Charlie's cooking, and no, it didn't compare to Piper's cooking. However, Phoebe knows that if Piper were to cook Charlie's recipes, they would come out incredible. Charlie knew he was no cook, so he agreed to show Piper, if he ever met her, his recipes.
"That would be great. I just got finished taking a shower, and I know I have the address around here somewhere," Charlie told Phoebe as he began searching everywhere for the piece of information.
"I could just..." Phoebe started.
"Here it is," Charlie said cutting Phoebe off. "It was in the pocket of those dark gray-green jeans. Oh, is there anything you want me to bring?" Charlie wanted to know.
"Um, no, you don't need to bring anything." Phoebe turned her head and saw Piper standing their, waiting to know if Charlie was definitely coming or not. Which meant that Phoebe couldn't say everything she wanted to tell Charlie. So Phoebe whispered, "When you get here I need to talk to you." Phoebe knew that this would get Charlie's attention and would most likely do as she asked.
"Okay, sure, no problem," Charlie replied back. "I'll be there as soon as possible. See you in a little while, and hey, take care."
"Okay, see you in a little while," Phoebe spoke as she hung up the phone. She put the receiver down and turned to face Piper. "He said he would be here in a little while."
"Great," Piper exclaimed. "Thanks Phoebe, that should probably give me enough time to get ready." Piper rushed off to get ready for their guest.
Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Leo were all ready and waiting for Charlie to arrive. Andy and Paige had to go to work, leaving the rest of the gang behind to clean up P3 later. Which Phoebe was actually kind of glad of, she had no clue how she felt about Paige. She was beginning to get upset that they were never told that they had another sister.
The Manor was quiet, no one knew what to say. Everyone just sat there in their own thoughts.
Prue and Piper were both thinking the same thing basically, just that they were glad that Phoebe was home and safe. The trouble was, they weren't sure how to get her to tell them what happened. They didn't know how to get her to open up.
Leo knew the whole story. He was also trying to figure out how to get Phoebe to open up. Leo was mostly trying to get Phoebe to tell Prue and Piper the truth about what really happened.
Phoebe was thinking about how nice it was to be home again when she was interrupted from her thoughts by the doorbell. So, she walked over to the door, opening it for their guest. "Hi Charlie," Phoebe greeted and was immediately embraced in a hug.
"Hi," Charlie whispered, not making a move to untangle himself. He was waiting for Phoebe to start explaining what it was she wanted to talk to him about. He knew from being with her the last four months that you had to let Phoebe make the first move. He knew that she needed to be in control. You have to wait until she feels comfortable enough talking about it with you.
Phoebe pulled back out of the hug. She was looking down at her shoes, waiting to build up enough courage she needed for what she was about to ask Charlie to do. She finally looked up, "I haven't told them. They don't know anything, and I want it to stay that way, at least for a little while longer," Phoebe blurted out.
Charlie looked at Phoebe with concern in his eyes. "Phoebe, I know you just got back last night, but you need to tell them," Charlie said as he still studied Phoebe. "No," Charlie replied as he began shaking his head, "don't tell me that they don't about what happened with Clay?" Phoebe didn't say anything; in fact, she put her dead down again,
"Alright, I'll keep your little secret for now, but you'd better tell them soon got it?"
Phoebe looked back up with a little smile creeping up on her face. "Thank you Charlie," Phoebe squealed, light enough so that no one would hear; she gathered Charlie in for a quick, light hug before they went inside the house to face Phoebe's sisters.
Phoebe walked into the living room with Charlie at her side. "Prue, Piper, Leo, this is a friend of mine Charlie. Charlie, this is Prue, Piper, and Leo," Phoebe said, holding her hand out to each person as she introduced them. The four exchanged their hi's in the living room.
"Well, why don't I show you the kitchen," Piper suggested and stood up, making her way to the kitchen.
Prue and Leo followed, intrigued about what Charlie was going to show Piper how to do. Even though they didn't cook, Piper usually cooked for them and they just wanted to know what was going on. Phoebe made her way into the kitchen because, hey, she just got home.
Piper and Charlie were cooking up a storm. Prue, Leo, and Phoebe were continually complementing them on the smell of the food. Prue and Leo were both reading different parts of the newspaper. Then they would rotate the different parts each had. Phoebe sat there staring off into space. Thinking about the last four months, Cole, her sisters, her feelings, everything.
"Hey Cole," Phoebe heard Piper reply. Phoebe looked up and saw Charlie throwing death glares at Cole. Charlie looked like he was about to lung at Cole.
"Charlie," Phoebe called out. Charlie just stood there unmoving. "Charlie," Phoebe said a little louder, rising and moving towards Charlie. She put a hand on Charlie's shoulder and was sucked into a premonition.
