THREE
"You want to know why I fell in love with Cole?"
"Yes," said Peter still nervous. "Phoebe, you probably know more about him as a demon than I do. But I all ready know what kind of demon he was. Efficient, ruthless, very oriented to detail. But that's only half of who he was. He was also half human. I need to know what kind of man he was.
"You know you weren't the first woman he was involved with. There was my mother and she loved him with everything in her. There was also a Dark Lighter that he was involved with. She seemed to care about him a great deal. More than I would have thought was possible from a demon. I need to know how he could have that kind of affect on women. Good looks and charm will only get someone so far. There has to be something about him I don't know that would explain all this."
"I can understand that. As for why I fell in love with him, that's hard to say. I'm not sure why anyone falls in love with someone else. I can tell you that he could be very kind. And he was generous. When he wasn't Belthazor he could be a very wonderful person."
"Something that could be said about thousands of men right here in San Francisco."
"Granted. I guess that really doesn't say much about who Cole Turner really was."
"I know this is difficult for you, Phoebe. And if there were any other way for me to find out what I need to know I wouldn't bother you with it. But the only people I know who also knew my father are demons. They can't really tell me what he was like as a human."
"That's fair. Well, maybe I could illustrate what he was like if I told you about a date we had. It was just after this whole confusing incident where Paige and I accidentally switched bodies."
"Oh, that sounds interesting," Peter smirked.
"I can tell you about that another time. Right now I think I should tell you about our date after that. Cole decided it would be romantic if we had dinner in Paris."
Phoebe clung to Cole, leaning more closely into his chest, her eyes closed. It always took her a moment or two to adjust after a shimmer. As her eyes fluttered open she realized that the bright afternoon sun had been replaced by a starlit sky overhead. The sounds of birdsong had been displaced by the distinctive noises of a city. A tentative glance around her revealed little more than shadows. She looked up at Cole in wonder.
"Are we really in Paris?" She questioned quietly.
Cole nodded with a smile, amused by the somewhat bemused expression on her face. A smattering of conversation drifted toward them from a passing couple on the sidewalk beyond the shadowed recess where they stood making any further answer unnecessary. He slid his arms more firmly around her waist and dropped an indulgent kiss on the end of her upturned nose.
"Of course." His smile took on an impish quality. "I told you I was taking you to dinner in Paris. Did you think I was kidding?"
"Well…" she began with a tiny laugh.
"You did, didn't you?" He interrupted with a small shake of his head. "Yes, we're really in Paris. Now if you'll give me a minute, I'll see if it's safe for us to be on our way."
He slipped away from her, walking out of the deeper shadows of the two buildings they were between toward the street. Glancing quickly from side to side to check for passersby, he turned back and motioned her forward. As she drew close he reached out slipping her hand into his and together they stepped out on to the sidewalk.
"It's not too far from here," Cole told her quietly. "Shall we stroll, milady?"
Cole quirked an inquisitive brow at her and tugged her hand gently to draw her closely to his side.
"Cole, I'm not sure that we're really dressed for dinner in Paris."
"We're dressed just fine. Now come on my little chatterbox or we'll be late."
"We're expected? You planned this? When did you find the time?" Phoebe volleyed the questions at him.
Cole stopped walking and looked down at her, reaching out to tilt her chin up so he could look into her eyes.
"Yes, we're expected. I had to plan it if I wanted to be sure we got a good table. And I made the time. A little bird recently reminded me that I've spent so much time worrying about keeping you alive, I've neglected making you glad that you are alive. No way to treat your girlfriend," he finished with a smile.
Phoebe made a mental note to thank Paige as Cole dropped his head to brush a soft kiss across her lips. Neither of them noticed the indulgent smiles of that were sent their way by the passing residents of the city renowned for love. Cole broke the kiss and drew her close to his side once again. This time drawing her arm through the crook of his elbow.
They strolled contentedly past small shops with darkened windows. Gradually Phoebe became aware of the sound of string music floating to them on the wings of the gentle evening breeze. They turned the corner at a brightly lit bakery and she felt as though time had stopped as the source of the music came into view.
Set back off the side street was a glass-fronted restaurant overlooking a canopy covered, flagstone terrace. A string quartet on a raised dais produced the gentle strains that had been soothing her frazzled nerves during their journey. Lanterns hung at intervals from the canopy, casting the terrace in a flickering firefly glow. Small tables for two dressed in snowy cloths were scattered around the three open sides of the terrace, resembling a wreath of white flowers. In the open center of terrace a handful of couples swayed to the music while formally dressed waiters moved among the seated diners.
Phoebe gazed up at Cole in silent wonder.
"That's where we're going," she whispered, almost reverently.
Cole simply nodded, smiling softly at her awe, and led her across the street to the edge of the terrace.
"Wait here," he told her quietly, moving forward to meet the elderly waiter who had approached to greet them.
The two spoke briefly and the older man then hurried off in the opposite direction as Cole returned to Phoebe. Cole led her to a corner table. Pulling the chair from the table he handed her gently into her seat. Dropping a kiss near her ear before moving to his own chair. Phoebe looked down and saw a single red rose lying on the table in front of her. She picked the rose up and smelled it, looking lovingly in Coles' eyes.
The waiter approached again after they had been seated. Handing her a menu and Cole a menu and wine list. Bending over he lit the candle at the center of the table. As he straightened he spoke to Cole. Phoebe waited with amusement when she realized the waiter had addressed him in French. She had to struggle to contain her amazement when Cole responded easily to the man and handed the wine list back with a smile.
As he departed, Phoebe stared at Cole wide-eyed.
"You speak French?" she questioned wonderingly.
Cole shrugged and grinned at her surprise.
"Mais oui, mademoiselle."
"I didn't know that," Phoebe said quietly. Her thoughts left their fairy tale surroundings with the reminder of how much she didn't know about Cole and why that was so.
Cole watched her face change with her thoughts. He reached across the table and squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"Not tonight Phoebe," he told her gently. "Tonight there aren't any demons, no underworld, no Source. Tonight there are no battles to be fought, there's no past and no future to worry about. There's only us, nothing else matters."
Phoebe nodded, misty eyed at the love she saw shining in his face. In this time and place she could almost believe they were any other couple in the world.