A/N: A few things--
firstly, to xxxcharmedxxx about chapter four: the person who said "You mean Mr. Wyatt?" was actually Piper. I'm sorry if i didn't make that clear.
also, to shel about chapter 3: I was actually going to put the year in her schedule, but I kind of forgot to do that. As to the answer to your other question, you'll find out soon enough. Now on with the story!

Love's Intervention
Chapter Five: The Devil Incarnate and I

As soon as Phoebe walked out of the Manor, she noticed the slick black BMW parked at the curb. Let me guess—company car? From your practice at Jack McCarter & Kline?

"Right here," Cole directed her to the BMW. "It's a company car. From my practice at Jack McCarter & Kline."

He opened the door for her and she got in without a sound. Yup, same car that he had when he became the Source. How coincidental. "Your practice? You don't strike me as the type to work for a law firm."

He got into the driver's seat and smiled that charming smile of his. "So what do I strike you as?"

Oh, I don't know, the devil incarnate set to make my life miserable?! "Oh, I don't know. An assistant district attorney?" She smiled innocently.

Cole frowned. "But I was," he said. "I was, until I got a better offer at the firm." He looked at Phoebe, as if he wanted to say something, then decided against it. "Do you have all your stuff?"

Phoebe nodded and clutched her textbook even closer to her chest. Truth be told, she had no idea what to make of these events concerning her ex-husband. She had almost declined his offer and just walk the whole damn way, but had decided that out of the three of them, she was the one who knew him for what he was, and she was the one whom he would intentionally hurt the least. Though that's saying absolutely nothing, she thought bitterly, because in the end, he hurt me the most.

She thought back to what had happened in the Manor, to what Prue had said. "You wouldn't understand." Prue, if you only knew how much I understand. It was a strange sense of déjà vu, squared. It reminded her of the same argument that had taken place right before they had found out that they were witches, but it also reminded her of the arguments that took place between her and Paige. Paige had insisted he was evil, and Phoebe had insisted he was not, because she loved him and believed in him, and wanted to spend the rest of her goddamn freaking life with him...In the end, Prue never really loved Roger. Phoebe, on the other hand...the tears that had left her sobbing in the shower threatened to come again. She swallowed the lump in her throat and fixated her gaze toward the side window.

Cole cleared his throat, making Phoebe jump slightly. He frowned again when Phoebe didn't turn toward him. This girl was sure peculiar...he tried to make some conversation.

"So, what are you majoring in?" he asked.

"Psychology."

"Psychology? That's interesting. I've studied it a little bit when I was in college. Say, how old are you anyways?" Cole winced slightly. He had not meant to ask that question, since it was such a touchy subject for most women, but it had just slipped out. He hated to admit it, but this woman was making him nervous, which was not an easy task. It wasn't only physical attraction—though only God knew how much of that was present. Of course, how she's been treating him heightens his curiosity as well. He had caught the sarcasm in her voice while she shook his hand, had seen the way her body tightened when he sat down on the stool next to her. And he didn't know if he was just imagined it—but when Prue accused her of not understanding, Phoebe's eyes shot to his, and he saw so much hurt he didn't know what to make of it. It was just for a second—a quarter of a second—but it made him desperate to know why.

Phoebe quickly calculated her age while Cole thought. Three years ago..."Twenty seven." Three years ago, Prue was dead, Paige was found, Piper was married, Phoebe was engaged..."You?" It was a challenge; so, Cole, are you a hundred and twenty or just thirty?

"I'm thirty-four." Cole squinted slightly at the windshield.

"Huh."

Cole cleared his throat again. "So, you have anyone in your life right now?"

Funny of you to ask, Cole. "No." Interested? I remember you were before. Phoebe immediately drew in a sharp breath as soon as she thought that. Since she had gained the ability of an empath, she has looked into many of her emotions and of those around her, so she was now pretty good at recognizing an emotion for what it was. So was that—jealousy? No, of course it isn't. Who would I be jealous of, Prue? How ridiculous.

"Hey, you alright?" Cole asked, turning his head toward her direction for a split second before turning his attention back to the road. Phoebe was still looking out the window, but it didn't matter; she had felt his gaze, as if she had eyes on the back of her head. Maybe she retained some of her powers after all? She tried getting a read on Cole. Nothing.

But she didn't have to rely on her witch powers to try to see what's going on in his head, did she? After all, she was his wife before...And that's where the problem comes in. See, if you knew him so well, why did you overlook the tiny little fact that he became the heir of the Source's powers? She sighed. "I'm fine," she automatically responded.

"No, you're not." They pulled up at a red light. Cole turned toward her and grasped her chin by his fingers so that she was facing him. "Is there anything I could do to help?"

Phoebe was staring into his eyes, those eyes that she knew so well and so intimately, his fingers lifting her chin...when was the last time she felt the touch of his hand? It was so long ago...

Her body suddenly froze as though Piper had flicked her hands at her. What in the Name-Of-All-That-Is-Good was she doing?! She tried to move away, but she couldn't. She tried to speak, but she couldn't either. All she could think about were his warm, concerned eyes and his gentle hand. The part of her that had only awakened slightly in her subconscious ever since she renounced Cole flared up again, as she began to drown in a sea of memories...

And like a true pro, Phoebe immediately shut that part of her down and reverted to the part she had counted on from that very day. "I said I was fine," she said, gritting her teeth. Hands off, demon. Hands off. Cole let go of her and Phoebe turned resolutely away, replacing memories of laughter with memories of his hands around her throat. How those soft fingers had squeezed until she couldn't breathe...

A few awkward minutes later, Cole pulled up in front of the west wing of the university. Cole watched as Phoebe's hand went to the door handle to pull it open. Suddenly, she hesitated and turned back to him. Cole's heart jumped slightly, though he had no clue why. Her erratic behavior was incredibly irritating, but he couldn't help it as hope coursed through his body. He bit back the urge to say something, and waited for her to talk.

"Thanks for the ride," she mumbled, her gaze fixed on the car stereo as though fascinated by the CD changer. Look at me, Cole pleaded inside, without really knowing why. He just knew, suddenly and definitely, that he didn't want her to leave.

She turned toward the car door again. Then she spun around, grabbed Cole's face in her hands, and slammed her lips against his.

Cole responded immediately, almost as if he were expecting it, by kissing back with just as much ardor, his tongue slipping into her mouth, his hands reaching for her back—

Then, just as suddenly, she broke away, practically vanishing into thin air. Before Cole had any chance to react, the car door had already slammed and she was already gone.

"Phoebe," Cole whispered, his fingers reaching up to touch his lips. "Phoebe!" He threw open his door without even bothering to check for incoming traffic and rushed out. "PHOEBE!" he called. But it was too late. She had disappeared into the crowd.

A/N(2): This chapter's a bit shorter than usual, but I know you enjoyed it! Please review—I've been missing them lately!