"You sure do missy", Paige threw in. But Phoebe was not to be distracted.
"I suggest we all sit down then and I'll explain it, ok?" Phoebe asked and looked at each of her livid family members for approval.
"I'm sure as hell not sitting next to him", Paige murmured to Wyatt as she turned back to the table to sit next to Matt. Leo dragged Piper and Wyatt back to their places. That was when Victor suddenly got up.
"Cole", he said, strolling towards the approaching couple,"You maybe have never been my first choice as a son in law, but it sure was you who always brought the brightest smile to my daughter's face".
With that Victor stopped in front of them and extended his hand to Cole. Phoebe gave a thankful smile to her father and pushed Cole soft in the side, because he was staring at Victor's hand without any reaction.
"Sorry", he blurted out and coming to his senses he took Victor's hand and shook it, a somewhat embarrassed smile on his face, "I was just surprised".
"That's ok boy", Victor said fatherly, patting Cole lightly on the shoulder, "you can sit next to me." He threw a glance in Paige's direction and moved back to his seat.
"Boy? Cole?" Piper whispered to Leo unbelievingly. "Now I'm really afraid Dad is senile."
Cole started to move towards Victor when Phoebe tugged on his hand to stop him. He looked at her questioning one eyebrow raised.
"You should get a proper introduction to the family members you don't know yet", Phoebe stated. Cole nodded without enthusiasm, "as you wish."
With that Phoebe led him towards her daughter. Phila caught her breath. Now she was really in trouble. Would Cole blow her cover and let the others know that he already knew her? Her heart was beating rapidly and cold sweat started to form in her hands. Nervously she got up from her seat and looked at her mother and Cole. She couldn't think of him as her father at all.
Phoebe recognized her daughter's nervousness, but she was sure it was because Phila saw her father for the first time in her life.
"Cole this is Phila, my daughter", Phoebe introduced them, "Phila that's Cole Turner, your father."
It was weird for Phoebe to have to introduce father and daughter to each other. They two should have known each other naturally. But, what was normal in the Halliwell life anyway?
Cole and Phila were staring at each other for some time neither of the two made any movement. In the end Cole extended his hand to Phila, searching her eyes.
"Good to finally meet you", he said politely. But Phila didn't miss the small smirk that played on his lips and eyes as he said it.
She stared down at his outstretched hand. So it looked like he wasn't going to expose her. That gave him a small plus on Phila's list. She reached out to take his hand and shook it hesitantly.
Phoebe was content, in her opinion this whole "the family meeting Cole again" went much better than expected.
"Good", she said, "now there are some more to go."
Cole followed her towards Wyatt and Chris. Wyatt got up first and Cole studied him carefully. Wyatt was already tall for his 17 years but he missed the build of a grown up man. He was thin and lanky. This especially attracted attention compared to Cole's muscular and broad-shouldered form. Wyatt wore white trousers and a light yellow shirt which contrasted sharply to Cole's dark appearance. Wyatt didn't wait for Phoebe to do some formal introduction.
Without extending his hand he said, "The Source of all Evil I wasn't looking forward to seeing you at my home." Paige smirked at Wyatt's comment.
"The twice blessed spoiled child", Cole taunted with the same cold voice Wyatt had addressed him with. The dislike between the two was instant.
Wyatt tensed and snarled through gritted teeth, "This kid will teach you not to be so bold".
"Don't tempt me", Cole warned raising his hand in a gesture as to summon a fireball.
Wyatt was intimidated and wished to raise his shield, but that would have given the Source too much satisfaction. So Wyatt fought the urge and just glowered back at Cole, ready to react should Cole attack.
"Drop it Wyatt", Piper's sharp voice cut the quiet.
Phoebe broke the dangerous moment by pushing Cole forward to Chris. Cole reluctantly allowed her to. Wyatt had always been the bold one of the boys, ready to brag about and try out his powers whenever possible. Phoebe had already feared that he would jump at the opportunity to match his powers with the Source.
"I'm Chris", Chris said extending a hand to Cole.
Chris was trying to relax the situation. In his opinion anyone else could be the source, as long as it wasn't Wyatt. His mother had told them the story of his future self coming back to save to world from evil Wyatt. So from what he had been told they weren't so bad off with the current source.
Chris had always been the cunning one of the brothers. To stand up to his gifted brother, he had to develop a quick mind and had worked hard on his knowledge of tactics. From what he knew from his mother Cole had excelled at it at the time he had been good and lived in the house with the Halliwells. To bad he was on the wrong side. Chris was sure he could have learned a lot from Cole.
Cole was still fighting the compulsion to turn back to Wyatt and knock him down. He exhaled deeply, shook it off and then took the offered hand.
"I've heard about you", he said amicability, "Came back from the future to save your brother." He shot a nasty glance towards Wyatt, "Sure he was worth it? Anyway, I guess I should thank you for it, otherwise Wyatt would be after my job."
Chris didn't answer and just shrugged his shoulders. Cole had just spoken his mind.
"And he is the latest addition", Phoebe smiled and turned towards Matt.
"Cole, this is Matt, Paige's husband", she introduced, "Matt that's Cole".
The two men shook hands rather shortly. Cole was unsuspecting that Paige had married. In his opinion who could ever get that crazy to marry Paige?
Matt felt rather uncomfortable. Paige hated Cole and what Darryl had told him before didn't make him any fonder of Cole. On the other hand Cole's reaction was somewhat understandable even if excessive. Wyatt could be a pain in the ass and he had wished sometimes to have the authority to restrain him.
"So Phoebe, your story", Piper demanded, "We have been waiting long enough."
Cole settled down next to Victor, Phoebe on his other side. Phoebe poured Cole a glass of wine and then took his hand in hers.
"It is fairly easy Piper", Phoebe answered, "Cole somehow got the information that I wasn't feeling so well and popped in to check on me. I was already wishing for some time to see him once more. So it just fit." Phoebe shrugged her shoulders, "
I will go with him to spend some time together", she glanced at Cole lovingly.
Cole was sitting nonchalantly next to Phoebe playing with the wine glass in his hand. But he stayed quiet. It was her family. After all they had never really listened to him if not for Phoebe.
Phoebe's answer wasn't what the family had expected. There were several intakes of breath. Matt silenced Paige by hugging her tighter. Phila's eyes got large. Her mother was going away with him? So she obviously still loved this stranger in front of her. Leo was the first who recovered from the shock.
"Phoebe", he tried to reason with her, "you can't just go with him, its dangerous", he looked at Cole, "HE is very dangerous. You know that. That's why you divorced him in the first place."
"Things have changed, Leo", Phoebe answered calmly, "he could never hurt me, you know that. And even if he would, what's the big deal? I'm going to die anyway".
Leo was silenced by her answer. Also Piper couldn't come up with something smart to reply to this. Paige was still in shock. Thankfully Victor prevented an awkward silence.
"Have you decided where to go for your holiday", he asked. Phoebe smiled at the question.
"No, but I think I'd like to go to the sea, where it is warm, the sun shines all day, you can lie in the sand", she started babbling and cast a questioning look at Cole.
"What about Hawaii", Cole volunteered, "have you ever been there?" He pressed a kiss on Phoebe's temple.
"Hawaii", Phoebe squeaked with delight, "that sounds soo great."
Phila almost got embarrassed with her mother. She was acting like a schoolgirl with a big crush when Cole was around. She wondered if they had been like that when they were together. She would have to try some time travel spell sometime to investigate this.
"So Hawaii it is. You surely will need this then", Cole teased and summoned a delicate red triangle bikini with a flick of his wrist. He gave it to Phoebe with an impish smile.
"I sure would love to wear that", Phoebe said to Cole with a sad smile, "but I'm afraid I'm in no condition or age for that anymore."
She looked longingly at the bikini passing with her hand over the silky fabric.
"Aunt Phoebe really wore things like that?" Wyatt asked his mother incredulously starring at the sexy and very small thingy in Phoebe's hands.
"Oh yeah, Phoebe always liked to wear rather sexy and revealing clothes", Piper confirmed, "but so did your Aunts Paige and Prue. Hey even I did. We were only some years older than you then." Piper smiled at the memory.
"You looked great then", Leo purred into Piper's ear, "You still do honey." Leo was rewarded for his charms with a kiss from Piper.
"Oh please, mum, dad, do we have to see this?" Chris complained – looking away embarrassed. He didn't like to watch his parents snuggle.
"What are you thinking about", Phoebe asked Cole, who looked somehow distracted in the far distance.
"I was thinking about a possibility how you could wear this nice swimwear for me",
He answered grinning wickedly.
He then started murmuring some words in a language which had to be demonic, because of all the guttural sounds. At the same time he was drawing patterns with his finger on Phoebe's forehead. She looked at him expectantly and not the least afraid.
Paige on the other hand was alarmed.
"What are you doing Cole? Stop this spell now!" she ordered sharply. But it was too late.
A dark shadow engulfed Phoebe and whirled around her. Victor looked inconveniently at the place his daughter had been some seconds before.
"Mum!" Phila cried out. She jumped up and raced over to Cole, "What did you do to her?"
Phila attacked Cole, trying to hit him with her fists. She was too disturbed to think of her powers to use on him. He got up to defend himself against his raging daughter.
"Will you calm down", he tried to get through to her, shaking Phila violently at her shoulders. Phila's trashing fists at his chest were making no impression on him at all.
"You leave her alone", Wyatt had come over and was pushing Cole's hands from Phila's shoulders, "or you have to deal with me."
Wyatt shoved Phila behind him. That made him standing directly in front of Cole. They glowered at each other.
"You dare to threaten ME boy?" Coles asked condescendingly.
His self control was leaving him. He clenched his fists fighting the urge to create a fireball and throw it at Wyatt. His eyes flashed with fire and then went pitch black.
Phila gasped behind Wyatt. That was the scary man from the attic. Not the moderate guy he had been this evening.
"Leo, do something", Piper urged her husband. She had already tried to freeze Cole, but it was of no avail. Wyatt often acted ill-considered and impulsive. That had already brought them into dangerous situations before.
"Hey what's going on here?" suddenly they heard Phoebes surprised voice.
Cole didn't turn round, not with a seething Wyatt in front of him.
"Sorry to inform you boys", Victor said to them, "the duel is off."
Phoebe got up to stand between Cole and Wyatt. "Come on Wyatt", she said soothingly, "I'm ok, see", she lifted her arms and started to hug him, but Wyatt jerked back.
"Wow! Aunt Phoebe, I'm not so sure you are ok. Just take a closer look at yourself."
Phoebe turned around to find Cole smiling radiantly at her. His eyes had gone back to normal. "So what's all the excitement about?" she asked Cole.
"I don't believe that", Darryl breathed.
This had gotten much too wired for Darryl's taste. He had come over for some nice barbecue, which it had been until the moment Cole had arrived. He bid the family good night and excused himself.
Phoebe looked around and found all her family staring at her, their eyes almost popping out of their heads.
"Ok what is it today", Phoebe complained, "I already earned this look from you once. Don't you think that's enough for one day?"
"You are so beautiful", Cole flattered her as he pressed a kiss on her bare shoulders and embraced her from behind.
That startled Phoebe. As far as she knew her shoulder hadn't been naked some seconds before. She finally looked down her body and held her breath. She looked at her arms, touched her face and head with her hands. She found long blond hair between her fingers.
She also knew the outfit she was wearing. These were the clothes she had been wearing the evening at P3 when she and Cole had shared their very first kiss. But the best part was it wasn't only the outfit. She looked exactly like she had looked then.
"That's not fair", Paige protested, "I'm the youngest, and I should look the youngest."
"You look hot", Chris grinned and Matt whistled, which got him a slap from Paige.
"Turn her back Cole", Piper demanded, "What sick joke of yours is this?"
"Now I feel really old", Victor muttered.
"What's the problem", Phoebe asked innocently, "I love it. I mean I love me. And it doesn't hurt anybody."
"And what about personal gain?" Wyatt considered. He was stunned how his aunt looked. Of course he had seen pictures of all of the sisters when they had been young. But in the flesh it was something completely different. Phoebe was the kind of girl he would love to ask out, but wouldn't dare to.
"I'm all about personal gain", Cole informed them and put an additional kiss on Phoebe's neck, "Never experienced any backfire. That's the advantage of being evil. You do as you please."
Cole got slightly aroused by the sight before his eyes. From behind Phoebe he had a perfect view at her inviting décolleté. He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled her scent deeply, his heart beating faster.
"I think Cole is right", Leo said, "Since Cole cast the spell, there will be no backfire on Phoebe. "
"Just great", Paige snorted, "so she gets away with it, just like that!"
"Don't get so exited Paige", Phoebe calmed her down, "I won't be running around the neighbourhood like this. I just hold on to this appearance as long as I'm with Cole."
She leaned deeper against his chest and turned her head to invite Cole to kiss her. Without hesitation he captured her lips fervently. She reached up to grab his head and pulled him down by his hair, while his hands started running up and down her body giving her shivers.
Phoebe hadn't felt like that in a long time. A hot desire ran through her body and made her skin tingling. Since her illness had started she hadn't had any interest in intimate activities, besides her last relationship had ended some time before she even had learned about the cancer.
"Ahem Phoebe", Victor cleared his throat; "There are still teenagers here. So maybe you could postpone your reunion?"
Phoebe blushed. She had really forgotten about the whole family watching their encounter. She withdrew herself from Cole, whose eyes burnt with unconcealed lust, his breath faster than usual and his hair ruffled now.
"Looks like we are back to old times", Piper sighed.
Phoebe and Cole making out in the open in the Halliwell manor had been an unpopular habit in the past. They used to tease Piper about being prudish, if she had complained about that.
Phila had watched her parents in amazement. Cole turned her mother into a totally different person. She appeared to be carefree, wild and so alive and happy. Phila had to admit Phoebe looked gorgeous. Her red top emphasized her full breast, delicate shoulders and small waist. Phoebe's big brown eyes were on Cole and her still blushed cheeks made her look even younger.
No wonder Phoebe always had so many admirers Phila thought. But still from all the men her mother had charmed, it was him she had never been able to forget. Somehow Phila could understand it better now, after she had seen the sparks flying between them.
Wyatt on the other hand hated to see his favourite aunt making out with the demon. He was really disgusted. And he could tell from the look on Paige's face, that she felt the same. But a look at his mother's face refrained him from saying or doing anything against it.
Phoebe ordered herself to take her eyes off Cole and she faced the family again.
"I will leave with Cole now", she said determined not to be interrupted again, "and I won't come back."
Phoebe was relieved. Finally it was all out. She had dreaded this revelation since she had decided to do it. Phila got scared.
"What do you mean, you won't be back?" she panicked. Phoebe sighed heavily and went to her daughter to comfort her.
"I will spend my last days with Cole. I don't have much time left, much less than you all know", Phoebe disclosed.
Phila starred at her mother. She couldn't believe it. Phoebe favoured being with Cole over being with her and her family. Her mother preferred being with the most evil creature instead with the people who had loved her the last 20 years. Tears started to spill out of her eyes.
"You love him more than me!" Phila cried, broke away from Phoebe and ran into the manor, the backdoor slammed shut behind her.
From the moment Cole had appeared at the manor, Piper had dreaded that he was back in their lives. At least as long as Phoebe would be alive. Now it looked like he was taking Phoebe away from them. She didn't want to push Phoebe further away from the family so she asked warily "Are you serious?"
Phoebe sat down on Phila's chair and looked up to the manor where her daughter had to be.
"Yes, Piper", Phoebe answered exhausted, "I have been thinking about it for some time, and decided I earned some time with Cole. I spent my life saving innocents and working for the greater good", she explained, "I put my personal happiness with Cole aside for we were on different sides. Now this doesn't matter to me any more. I will be gone soon and I want to spend my last days with him. Can't you understand that?"
Because neither Piper nor anybody else said something, Phoebe continued.
"And I don't want you to see me in that much pain. It won't be pretty in the end. I know it. I have visited a hospice myself. I want to spare you going through this" , Phoebe begged for her family's understanding, "Cole agreed to bring back my body for the funeral."
"But we would love to care for you", Piper opposed, "we love you."
"I know Piper", Phoebe walked over to her older sister and hugged her. "I love you too. That's why I'm doing it. I want you to remember me like I was this evening. Happy and well. I wanted you to arrange this farewell party for me, so that you have a beautiful last memory of me."
"So you planned it all from the start?" Paige spoke at last.
"No, as I said, Cole popped in some days ago, that's when the idea started forming in my head", Phoebe said.
Cole was standing on the same spot where Phoebe had left him, following the conversation attentively. He knew it wasn't easy for Phoebe to leave her family, but it had been her own idea. Of course he had been delighted when she had told him. He had arranged his absence in the underworld for some days. His underlings thought he was on a secret mission.
"Do you give me your blessing?" Phoebe asked her sisters.
It was very important for Phoebe that her family supported her decision.
Piper had tears in her eyes but she said, "You have my blessing Phoebe. Be happy."
Paige fought with herself. She hated Cole. But if it was he who could relieve Phoebe's last days, who was she to disobey.
"I can't say I like it, but I love you and want the best for you. And if you think this is him", she looked at Cole bitterly, "so be it."
"Thank you Paige", Phoebe whispered gratefully, "Will you look after my daughter?"
"Of course Phoebe", Paige assured her, "I'm her godmother, that's what I'm here for. I'll care for her as if she was mine."
"I have to talk to Phila", Phoebe said and stood up, "Cole will you wait for me please, I won't be long. And no fighting while I'm away". With that she walked towards the manor and disappeared into the house.
Cole nodded and went back to his place next to Victor. He sat down and stared at the embers of the barbecue. No one was in the mood to talk. Everyone was pondering their own thoughts. Piper and Paige had taken shelter in the arms of their husbands seeking comfort. Wyatt and Chris whispered to each other about the implications of Phoebe's decision.
Victor sat lost in his chair. His youngest daughter, his sunshine, was leaving him. He felt old and worn out. A parent shouldn't have to watch his own child die. That wasn't the right order of things. He had already lost Prue and now Phoebe was going before her time. Victor touched Cole's arm and roused him from his thoughts.
"You be good to her, promise me", Victor said.
"Promised", Cole answered.
A while later Phoebe came out of the manor again. Her eyes were red. Cole could tell she had been crying. He met her halfway and she fell into his arms.
"I'm ready Cole, let's go", she told him with a husky voice.
She waved a last time at her family and then they flamed out of the manor's backyard and out of the life of the Halliwell family.
tbc