Hello!
Happy New Year to everybody! I've finally finished the next chapter. I hope you'll like it!!
9. Chapter
When Prue woke up next morning, she didn't know, where she was. She looked up and saw rays of sun shining into the room. There was a crammed chair in front of the window and Prue immediately remembered last night. She tensed up, she couldn't believe what had happened. She had the unrealistic hope, that everything was just a nightmare. She pinched her arm carefully and found out, that she wasn't dreaming. Why did she let herself in for something like that? Since she moved to New Orleans, she hasn't had sex, but that was not nearly a reason for this madness. She pulled a face and wished, that she would have the chance to leave this room discreetly at least. If she could orb into her room, it would help her a little bit out of a difficulty. She hoped that Cole was still sleeping at least, but when she looked aside carefully, her hope went up in smoke.
Cole already looked at her with a satisfied grin. "Good morning." he said and wanted to kiss her on the shoulder.
Prue pulled the blanket up to her chin angrily. "I wouldn't call it good."
Cole grinned. "Why? Didn't you enjoy last night?" he asked amused.
Prue could hardly believe, what she was hearing and decided to vanish as soon as possible. "Don't dare to talk about it." She took the blanket and jumped up. But she didn't take into account, that she would let Cole back on the bed without his bedding.
"Hey, that's my blanket." he told her laughing, but Prue couldn't laugh about it.
She tried hard to ignore him and rushed to the door. But then she turned around again and took care not to look at him. "Nothing of this has happened." She told him as cool as possible. "It was a terrible mistake, a unique experience, that won't ever repeat." She made sure.
Cole looked at her sceptically. "Unique? Well I can remember more than once."
"What on earth has got into you?" On a sudden impulse Prue raised her arm and threw the alarm clock, which was lying on the bedside table, at him.
"Ouch!" Cole held his arm. "Now I'll have to buy a new alarm clock again." He said and looked at her surprised. "I thought you may just use magic against evil."
"Well then I couldn't have used it any better." Prue snapped at him and looked at her hand confused, she couldn't believe, what she had just done.
"I've already tried to tell you, that magic works here, too." Cole said and stood up, to look for his clothes.
Prue looked up and her look passed him. She couldn't think about magic in this moment, God knew, she had worse problems. "If you ever talk about it with someone." she threatened him.
"About what? Magic?" He asked cooly.
"You know very well, what I'm talking about." Prue explained still furious.
Cole, who had already got dressed, turned around. "Oh, you are talking about the last night, we spent together." he said with pleasure.
Prue looked at him angrily, it seemed as if he really enjoyed it, while she couldn't imagine anything worse. "I just warn you, don't dare to talk about it with anyone and keep your distance."
Cole walked to her and said. "What's the problem Prue? You wanted it too, or do you really want to deny it?"
Prue stepped back and smiled. "Yes!" She said. "I thought I had to, because I was so sorry for you. It was just out of pity."
"Pity?" Cole looked at her hardly convinced. "Well that was a very passionate pity."
Prue flashed at him angrily. What was this idiot thinking of? She'd love to just threw him back into his room, but before she could put it into action, she heard that somebody opened the garden door. It suddenly struck her, that Dianne would come to take Sarah this morning and they forgot to close the door to the garden last night. Prue looked around and saw their clothes lying everywhere on the ground of the hall. She started to pick up her clothes quickly, before Dianne would enter the house.
Cole watched her amused. "What's the rush?" He asked.
Prue cast him a quick glance. "Dianne will be here for Sarah soon. So hurry up and pick up your clothes." she urged him. "Because I don't think that you want Dianne to find out everything about our private life to analyze it later."
Cole looked at her sceptically but then he decided to pick up his clothes, too. Prue was right, he didn't want another analysis of Dianne. Her alcohol - grief-theory was more than enough.
Meanwhile Prue had found all her clothes and ran to the stairs. She turned around quickly once again. "Hold her up for a while, until I'll be ready." she ordered Cole before she went upstairs without another word.
Cole looked after her and just wanted to bend down again, when Dianne entered the hall.
"Good morning." she said, not as happy as usual. "You've forgotten to close the door to the garden."
Cole dropped his clothes behind his back on the ground and pushed it behind a cupboard with his foot. "Well we've probably forgotten it last night." he told Dianne, who was standing in the hall lost in thoughts.
"Is Prue already up?" She asked and looked around.
"No, she isn't. But you can wait with me in the kitchen. She'll come soon." Cole led her into the kitchen and Dianne sat down at the table.
"I know, I'm a little early." she excused. "But I couldn't sleep anymore."
Cole looked at her sceptically. "Do you want some coffee?"
Dianne nodded and sighed.
"What's wrong?" Cole asked, while he put water into the coffee-maker.
"I also don't know, what it was." she said. "But after we came home last night, I felt an inexplicable urge to call my mother-in-law to give her a piece of my mind." She looked at Cole with a sad smile. "Usually I restrain myself, because I know, that Scott loves his mother, and it would just cause problems. But yesterday, I couldn't care less about the consequences. After Scott went to bed, I stayed in the living-room and dialed her number. She lives at the west coast, therefore it wasn't too late and she answered the phone."
"And?" Cole asked curiously.
Dianne hanged her head on the table. "Oh my God, I don't want to think about all the things I've told her." she sighed.
"Well, she can handle it." Cole said convinced.
Dianne looked up thoughtfully. "Do you think so?"
Cole nodded and was lucky, when he noticed Prue entering the kitchen at this moment.
"Good morning Dianne, I didn't expect you so early." She told her neighbour.
"Well you know, I couldn't sleep." Dianne explained again.
Prue looked at the coffee-maker, but she decided. "Let us go into Danny's room first."
Dianne nodded and stood up. "I have to tell you, what a stupid thing I did last night." she told Prue, who was looking at her sceptically.
Cole had to try hard to keep a straight face. After Prue and Dianne went upstairs again, Cole entered the hall and searched for his clothes. They were lying on the ground and when Cole picked them up, he noticed something else. Amy's box has fallen out of his trousers pocket. He took it into his hand and went into his bedroom. He sat down on his bed and looked at the box thoughtfully. If the powder was responsible for Dianne's and Prue's actions? He wondered. Okay in their eyes both acted rather strange, but Cole didn't feel guilty. They had just done something, they normally hadn't done because of their own rules. That didn't mean, that they didn't want to do it. Nevertheless he wondered, why Prue needed a powder with an disinhibiting effect, while he has enjoyed last night even without any powder. Okay, it was crazy, but nevertheless pleasant crazy. He just hoped, that Prue would never find out, what had been on the little cakes. He wouldn't survive it. But as far as he remembered, luckily the guests had eaten up all cakes.
After Dianne had gone, Prue took a long shower, but it couldn't wipe out last night's traces. Why had she acted so stupid, that wasn't like her at all. She didn't lose control of herself normally. She shouldn't make such a mistake, everything was already too complicated. She sighed and looked into the mirror. She couldn't recognize herself, when she reminded all the things she had done last night. Oh God, she didn't want to think about it. She had to go immediately, she decided. She needed some time to straighten out her thoughts. She went back into her bedroom and searched for her phone.
Two hours later, Prue waited for Judy in a cafe around the corner. After the heavy rain last night, the sun was shining again and it would be another hot day. Prue sighed and wondered, if the stifling heat was good for her. Judging by what happened last night, it probably wasn't the optimal sort of weather for her.
Soon after Judy appeared, wearing dark sunglasses. She sat down on a chair and looked at Prue dismal. Although Prue couldn't see her eyes, she knew, that something was wrong with her, too.
"Oh Prue, you won't believe, what I've done last night." She explained groaning.
"It can't be worse than what I've done." Prue said in a low voice, because she didn't want to tell Judy about her last night's adventure.
But Judy had a good ear and grinned. "I'm dying to find out about it. But you have to listen to my horror experience first." Judy shook her head. "Oh my God, it was awkward." she said. "And you know, I don't feel embarrassed very easily. Okay, last night Robert and me felt an urgent need to do something crazy." She stopped, when the waitress put the coffee on the table. But when she was gone Judy continued. "Therefore we parked near the city park and decided to take off our clothes. It has started to rain and we wanted to run naked through the rain."
Prue looked at her grinning. "And did you really do it?" she asked amused.
"You bet!" Judy nodded. "And it was very funny in the beginning. It was so hot and the rain was a wonderful cooling. It was so exciting, we jumped into the puddles like children. But then we met an old couple." Judy looked at Prue unlucky. "We thought nobody would be there in this weather."
Prue laughed and shook her head unbelieving. "It's nothing to get upset about." She said.
"That's what you think! They are our neighbours, Mr. und Mrs. Clemens and nevertheless we didn't care, if they could see us. And then they caught sight of us and they were totally shocked." She drank some coffee. "The worst thing about it was, when I met Mr. Clemes this morning. And this time I wished the earth would open up and swallow me."
"Oh Judy, when they were young, they surely were up to mischief, too." Prue tried to calm her down.
"Would be nice." Judy said. "But Mr. Clemens is an old fossil and his wife, too. They don't stand for any nonsense. And the worst thing about it is, that Mr. Clemens is a policeman in retirement. I don't want to think, what would happen, if he told anybody from Robert's police office about our escapade. It would be sheer hell for Robert."
Prue leaned back laughing. "I wished, I'd seen it."
"Ha, ha." Judy said and looked at Prue curiously. "But now tell me, what you've done last night."
From one minute to the next Prue was back in her real life. "Oh, it isn't so interesting." She tried to wriggle out and looked into her cup of coffee.
"Come on. It can't be worse than what I've done. Tell me what it was." Judy looked at Prue encouraging and then she started to grin. "You slept with Cole, didn't you?"
Prue stared at her horrified. What made Judy think of it? Did she act telltale anyhow? she wondered furiously, but before she could contradict, Judy already leaned back satisfied.
"I knew it." she said triumphantly. "Don't look so sceptically. I knew it as much."
"What?" Prue asked as calm as possible.
"The atmosphere is electric between you and him."
"Are you crazy!" Prue wanted to know furiously.
"No, it was so obvious, I've felt it at once and that's wonderful." Judy said effusive. "You were always looking for somebody, who is cute but at the same time dangerous. So you are the perfect couple."
Prue looked at her confused. "Have you gone mad? He was married to my sister and I even don't like him."
Judy grinned. "Tell me another one." she said convinced. "I've noticed, that you were happy, when he turned up."
"He is Danny's father and he was the last connection to my former life. That's all." Prue said and sighed. "I can't understand what's got into me. How could I act so stupid, it'll make the whole situation more complicated than it already was."
"Did you enjoy it at least?" Judy asked grinning.
Prue ran her hands over her face. "Don't ask me." she said sighing. "We haven't drunken so much last night, have we?" she asked and looked hesitating through her fingers at Judy.
She shook her head. "Not that I know of. I also can't believe, what happened with us last night."
"The best thing will be to forget it immediately. And don't tell anyone about it." Prue urged Judy.
"You've got to be joking, my lips are sealed." Judy said and added "But I really think that you should give him a chance."
Prue shook her head. "No way." The mere thought of Cole and her was ridiculous. "Not on your life, I don't want to have anything to do with him." she said forcefully.
"Why? Just because he was together with your sister in past?" Judy asked interested.
"You don't have a little sister, therefore you can't understand that. But just to think of him together with her and me...." Prue pulled a face, she didn't want to start thinking about it. But that was not nearly her main problem. "And apart from that I know too much about him." she explained forcefully. She still couldn't believe, why she has acted so stupid, even more foolish than her little sister. Prue shook her head, she had always been more reasonable than Phoebe. What had happened? "Cole is just one thing, complicated, complicated, complicated. And I'm already complicated myself." She looked at Judy "It was just a stupid one-night-stand, without thinking. And unfortunately he is living in my house. Nevertheless, I'll forget it, that's the only solution. And therefore I've called Paul and we'll meet tonight."
Judy looked at her sceptically. "Do you really think, that that's the right solution?" she asked and looked serious. "Paul's been through a lot. He hasn't had an easy time, when his marriage ended. I don't want him to be hurt again."
"Don't worry." Prue said confident. "That won't happen."
Cole didn't see Prue all day. It was obvious, that she shunned to meet him. Therefore Cole looked after Danny and read the reports about Amy's case. He decided, that he would have to visit the church, where Adam Boucher had worked. It was the Elisabeth church, Shelly Carey had mentioned, too. And he wanted to inspect the plantation, where the corpse was found. He was practically sure, that the three young ladies had tried to perform witchcraft.
It would be great, if Prue came with him to take a close look at the place, Cole thought, but he had his doubts, that she would come with him after last night. He listened for some noise in the house thoughtfully. But Prue had left the house more than two hours ago and she wasn't back yet.
When Prue was back at home, late in the afternoon, she saw Cole and Danny through the open door. They were sitting in the winter garden. Prue pulled a face and took a deep breath, she wouldn't let him put her off. She would face the situation, and cope with it. She entered the room energetically and told Cole without wasting any time. "I'll go out today, so it will be your turn to look after Danny."
Cole looked at her surprised. "But I can't, I've a date, too." he told her and thought about the problem. "Do you think Dianne would look after him tonight?"
Prue shrugged her shoulders. "Just ask her, but I've my doubts that she'll help you. She didn't feel good this morning." She cast Cole a sceptical glance. Could it be pure chance, that Dianne and Judy had acted strange last night, too? "Can you tell me, if you put anything in the wine last night?"
"No!" Cole said in accordance with the facts and looked at her innocently. "Why do you ask?"
"Mm, too many crazy things happened last night." Prue said suspicious, still looking at him searching.
Cole didn't avoid her eyes and smiled. "Well I liked it." he explained satisfied.
Prue turned around furiously. "Do what you like, I won't be here tonight." she said and left the room.
When Cole asked Dianne, if she would look after Danny this night, she was unflappable again. She agreed and told him, that Danny could sleep in Sarah's bedroom tonight. Then she explained, that she had it out with her mother-in-law. She has found out, that a honest conversation could help to settle some problems. "I've always made a point of being friendly. I've always tried to please her." she explained. "But she didn't want it." Dianne smiled satisfied. "If I knew that before, we would have less trouble."
Cole left Dianne's house satisfied and went home into his bedroom to get dressed for his date with Vivian. When suddenly he heard that the entrance door slam shut. He looked through the window and saw Paul Hennen waiting in front of his house. Prue walked to him. She was wearing a short pale lilac dress and when Paul kissed her on her cheek for welcome, Cole wondered, why he couldn't be in his shoes. But why did he really care? He would be damned if he got involved with a Halliwell again. Let her go out with this deadly boring policeman, Cole thought, finally he had a date with Vivian Wingrove.