Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed! Brad Kern and other TV execs and such do! Not me! However, I do own Tomika. And the character Thursday.

I suffer from the procrastination virus, meaning I don't update nearly often enough. Sorry! I'm undergoing treatment, but it's a long and painful process. Reviews and feedback are my medication of choice

Twenty minutes later, Cole arrived at Frannie's Flowers and Gifts, having survived traffic jams, overzealous police officers, and a disgruntled fellow driver. He shut off the truck and sat back, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes to fight off his burgeoning headache. He had forgotten what a pain driving in San Francisco could be, especially without his regular sports car, courtesy of Jackman, Carter & Klein.

"Tom?"

Cole looked up in surprise at the short, brown haired woman standing next to the door. He hadn't even heard her approaching, a slip that would have been fatal in his Belthazor days. I'm losing my edge.

"Hmm?" Cole made a noncommittal noise to buy time and got out of the truck, wondering how he was going to bluff through this one. He didn't even know this woman's name. Then again, bluffing was once of Cole's major talents.

"Are you okay?" The woman gently put her hand on his arm in a familiar gesture of concern.

"I'm fine, sweetheart," Cole blustered, patting her hand like the arthritic old man he was supposed to be. "Just a little tired."

The woman adopted a stern expression as she steered him towards the service entrance of the shop. "Don't try that with me, old man," she scolded firmly, "we both know you need a break. Why don't you take a vacation, Tom?"

Cole harrumphed and shook his head, hoping no further comment was needed. He took careful note of his surroundings as they strolled though the cramped corridors between tall shelves. He didn't want to get lost; his companion seemed concerned enough about his mental state as it was. He took a discreet glance of her nametag when she looked away for a second. Marie Landvik. Flower and gift distribution supervisor. Cole barely repressed a disbelieving snort. Who came up with these job titles?

Marie wasn't about to give up on her diatribe just yet. "Just a few days off to rest, Tom! When was the last time you took a vacation?"

Drop it already! Cole gritted his teeth as she looked at him expectantly. "Ah, I don't really remember. It's not important." He tried to wave her off, hoping to get this entire ordeal over with quickly.

They emerged from the storage rooms into the shop, which was brimming with colors and bright displays. A cluster of balloons hovered near the counter, upon which stood a cash register and telephone, along with several key ring and magnet displays. Marie looked like she hadn't given up on her argument, and Cole was grateful when the telephone rang, granting him a temporary reprieve. Marie rushed to the phone and Cole took the opportunity to study the shop further.

It was a deceptively small shop at first glance, crammed full with card racks, shelves of stuffed animals, and glassworks. There was a low wooden table lined with chairs and covered in flower catalogs along the other side of the wall. Behind the counter was a row of glass display cases, revealing model corsages, bouquets, and boutonnieres.

Gradually, Cole's attention shifted to Marie herself as she chattered on the phone and scribbled in a nearby appointment book. She was quite a bit shorter than he was, around 5'4", with curly, dark brown hair and brown eyes. She had a short, businesslike haircut and dressed conservatively, with plain black slacks and a simple blue blouse. She was trim but not skinny, and wore a simple gold wedding band along with a pair of dangling gold leaf earrings. She looked to be in her mid-thirties.

Cole's inspection was interrupted by a sudden noise from behind. He turned in time to see a large woman wearing a bright pink blouse barreling towards him and looking distinctly displeased.

"What took you so long? You're ten minutes late! And what are you doing just standing here? We have twelve orders waiting!" The woman's oversized, elaborate earrings and necklaces trembled with the force of her umbrage. She towered over him through sheer force of will, disregarding his nearly foot's worth of advantage in height. Flummoxed, Cole looked to Marie for help. Thankfully, she had finished her phone call and she quickly came to his rescue.

"It's my fault, Frannie," she explained calmly as she picked up a clipboard of papers and came out from behind the counter. "He didn't know the orders yet, and I got tied up with that phone call..."

Frannie irritably waved away the explanation. "Fine. Get him the orders now and send him off." She brushed past them both and settled behind the counter, leaving behind the scent of heavy perfume behind.

Marie gently urged Cole towards the back room as she perused the list on her clipboard. "Go on, I'll meet you at the truck with the orders."

Cole found his way back to the truck with little difficulty, to his relief. He hauled open the bay door in the back of the truck and waited for Marie impatiently. He wanted to get this over with so he could see Phoebe again. If the situation had been different, Cole would have ignored Thursday completely. As it was, Cole knew he was walking a thin line. He needed to find a way to make this "visit" to the real world permanent, without Thursday finding out and banishing him. One thing was certain; he wasn't giving up Phoebe without a fight.

The storage door opened and Marie staggered out, swaying under the weight of several packages and bouquets. Her face was hidden by a large cluster of lilies as she lurched towards the truck. Cole chuckled a little at the sight and hurried to help her. They loaded the packages quickly and Marie idly picked leaves out of her hair while she showed him the addresses. As they peered over the list together, Cole noted the dark circles under Marie's eyes.

"Next time, you let me help with those," Cole gestured to the pile of packages in the truck. "You looked ridiculous."

Marie gave him a rueful smile. "Fine. Now get going, would you? Frannie's upset enough as it is. We're expecting a lot of orders on Mother's Day, so we can't get behind."

It suddenly occurred to Cole that he didn't know what day it was, or even the year. How long has it been?

"Marie, wait!" She stopped at the door with a puzzled expression.

"Yes?"

There wasn't any help for it. He had to know. "What's the date?"

Marie's face became strangely blank. "It's Sunday, May 2nd, 2004." She disappeared through the door before Cole could thank her.

He started the truck and sat back, stunned. Two years? He couldn't believe it had been that long. Time must have passed differently for him, trapped in exile. Phoebe would have changed in two years. What if she loved someone else? Cole pounded the steering wheel angrily. That couldn't be true. They were soul-mates, they were meant to be together! She would remember that, two years or no. He just needed more time to convince her. A week wasn't nearly enough.

For the rest of the day, Cole's thoughts were occupied solely with Phoebe. He barely remembered the various houses and deliveries, lost in his plans of escape. He was surprised to find it was nearly six o'clock when he finished the last delivery. He drove back to the shop, wearied and frustrated.

Frannie was the only one waiting at the counter. She glowered at him. "Finally. There weren't any problems with deliveries?"

Cole shook his head, too tired to be irked at her haughty tone. She sniffed dismissively. "Good. Now help me close the shop, then you can go home."

Cole glanced around the shop curiously. "Where's Marie?"

Frannie eyed him suspiciously. "She went home early. Not that it's any of your business." Cole reluctantly helped her move the empty cash register into a cupboard and locked it. "Poor woman," Frannie added, with little sympathy in her voice. "It's been a year, after all, but still..."

Cole's interest was piqued. "A year since what?"

Frannie glared at his obvious curiosity. "A year since her husband killed himself," she snapped back, "on this day, if I remember correctly." She went outside and tugged at the metal gate. "Get over here and help!" Cole resisted the urge to shove her aside before he pulled the screeching gate shut in front of the dark, empty shop.

"That's it, then. Show up here tomorrow at eight o'clock sharp." Without another word, Frannie marched to her car and drove off, tires squealing.

Cole wandered back to the delivery truck, completely nonplussed. Apparently Tom didn't own a car, as Cole only found what looked like house keys in his pockets.

After a few minutes of rummaging around in the glove box of the truck, Coe discovered Tom's wallet, complete with sixty dollars and a driver's license with his address. It was within walking distance, so Cole set off along the dark sidewalks and thought about Marie.

No wonder she had become distant when he asked the date. After only a year, the memories would still be painfully fresh. Cole still didn't understand what it all meant. He had been sent here for a purpose. Was he supposed to help Marie? How?

By the time he reached the sparse, drab apartment, Cole was too tired to plan anything. He pulled off his shoes, lay back on the bed, and fell into a deep sleep.

[Hands out cookies to all] Thanks so much for the reviews!

MysteryinTheMaking: Thank you! I'm still in shock that someone actually likes this story! I'm trying to update more frequently; I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!

Maricole: Yeah, I think Cole has been the most abused character by far...which is, of course, why I'm torturing him in this fic. He really does deserve better closure than the series gave him.

Barb6: I'll try to post more often so you can avoid those painful pins 'n needles. I'm glad you like my writing, and I hope you're enjoying the story so far!

PhoebeColelovers: Will Cole end up with Phoebe? We'll see.... [laughs maniacally]