FOUR

Cole ordered dinner for them both and as the candlelight danced off the wine filled crystal goblets the rest of the world melted away. They were oblivious to the indulgent attention they received from some of the restaurants older patrons. Hands clasped across the table, legs entwined at the ankles beneath it, they only saw one another. They fed each other from their plates whispering and smiling, as lovers are wont to do.

When dinner had been cleared, Cole led her to the dance floor. They slid easily into one another's arms, swaying gently to the melody of the strings until dessert arrived.

"Oh, " Phoebe laughed as they finished. "If I eat anymore I think I'll explode. This has been so beautiful Cole. I hate to see it end."

He smiled at her wistful expression.

"It's not over, Love," he said softly. "But I think home is probably the best place to end this evening."

His face was mischievous as he waved the waiter over to pay the check. As they were rising to leave a disturbance from the bakery on the corner drew their attention.

The burly baker was in front of his shop, shouting madly at the young boy he held with one hand. He was shaking the boy and periodically cuffing him in the head as he bellowed. There was what appeared to be a loaf of bread on the ground at their feet. The child looked terrified as he ducked blows and struggled in vain in the large man's grasp.

He was a pale, thin urchin. Though he was clean, it was obvious even at some distance that his clothes were old, frayed and worn. His face bore an expression much too weary for what Phoebe guessed to be about ten years of life.

Cole halted them at the edge of the terrace. He turned to Phoebe, asking her to wait and headed for the man and child with a purposeful stride. Phoebe watched curiously as Cole approached the two.

She could see Cole talking to the baker, who had ceased his shouting; but appeared to be speaking rapidly and gesticulating wildly toward the bread on the ground and the boy he still held firmly. Cole nodded at the man sympathetically and then knelt to speak to the boy. He too appeared to be talking quickly and pointing up the street tearfully. Cole said something else to the child and Phoebe watched his young head drop in shame.

Phoebe watched in amazement as Cole reached out to tousle the bent head. Then standing, he addressed the baker again, removing his wallet from his jacket and handing the man several bills. The burly fellow looked from the child he held to the man beside him, and then nodding quickly, he released the boy and hurried into his shop. Cole remained standing with urchin, speaking to him quietly.

The baker returned with a bag, passing it to Cole. Cole handed it to the child and sent the child scurrying down the street with a smile. Then, with a final farewell to the baker, Cole rejoined Phoebe.

"And just what was that all that about," she asked him, though she thought she had some idea.

"Just a hungry kid, with probably even a hungrier family at home and no dad around. Not a big deal, he stole some bread, which didn't exactly please our friendly corner baker."

"So you played the knight in shining armor?" her smile grew broad with the question. "How do you know the little guy wasn't lying?"

Cole shrugged.

"Even if he didn't tell me the whole truth, he's a kid. He stole food and no child should have to go hungry."

"My hero," Phoebe whispered as she rose up on her toes to kiss him.

"Well, then, what do you say we go home so I can collect my reward," Cole's grin was wickedly full of innuendo.

Peter had watched Phoebe's face change as she spoke. Her initial tension had gradually been replaced by a misty eyed smile. The pain of recent memories fading in the face of those more distant and pleasant thoughts. He was almost hesitant to disturb her reverie.

"Well," said Peter. "I can see he was quite the romantic. I have to admit something like that surprises me. Most human men aren't that romantic."

"Cole was a very romantic person. I guess in a hundred years you learn a thing or two about romance."

"Yeah, I guess you do pick up things in a century."

"But it wasn't just his romantic side. Cole could be very caring toward other people, too. He would go out of his way to help others."

"That's not exactly in keeping with his demonic half."

"I thought you wanted to hear about the human Cole, not the half demonic Cole?"

"I do. It's just been hard to separate the two most of my life. I guess on some level I still see him as a half demon. I'm just beginning to realize that there were sides to my father I never considered before."

"Your father?"

"What?"

"You called him your father. It's not the first time, either. You've never done that before."

"I know. I guess I have accepted that he is my father. He'll never be my dad but there's no denying the biological connection."

"I think there's more than that going on here. More than just a biological connection. The fact that you're asking about him at all proves that."

"So, you're a psychologist now?"

"Well, I do have a degree in psychology. I do know a thing or two about it."

"You said he could be caring about other people," said Peter, trying to redirect the conversation. "In a non-romantic way."

"Yes, I did. And it was true. He did things that surprised even me. And some of those things I've never told Piper, Paige, or even Prue when she was still alive. Frankly, I wasn't sure any of them would believe me if I did tell them. In many ways they never saw Cole as anything other than a half demon either."

"I guess they never got to know him much better than I did."

"Well, to be fair, they weren't in love with him. And he was sent to kill us initially. That can kind of color a persons' perception. Like someone once said you don't get a second chance to make a first impression."

"That's certainly true."

"You know, I remember one time just after Cole had his powers stripped from him. Right around the time we met you in fact. He was feeling kind of useless since he couldn't help us fight demons any more. He went out and got a gun."

"He bought a gun?" Peter asked in astonishment.

"No," said Phoebe, smiling, "I said he got a gun. We all thought he had bought it, too. I made him get rid of it, of course. Demons are one thing but a gun is totally different. At least no one ever accidentally shot themselves with a demon."

"Yeah. With demons at least you're expecting an attack."

"Well, like I said, he got a gun. But I found out a little later he hadn't bought it at all. And it was the way he got it that surprised even me."

"What happened?"

"Well he had gone out to think things through. He had no powers any longer and it was quite an adjustment for him, as I'm sure you can imagine. While he was out he ended up on a deserted street. Well, not exactly deserted. There was one car on the street."