7.

After the way Cole stormed out of the manor the night before, Phoebe thought she would never see him again. Normally, Phoebe was nothing if not stubborn. It was this trait that helped her succeed in many things in her life when everybody told her otherwise. But after seeing her soul-mate turn away from her, Phoebe had never felt so defeated. To hear Cole say he didn't want to be with her shattered her heart. If she didn't know better Phoebe would've thought her heart had literally broken into a million little pieces for all the pain she was experiencing. She wondered if this was how Cole felt when she told him she hated him.

Phoebe knew her demeanour scared her sisters. Gone was the confident, vibrant, never-say-die attitude; replaced by a quiet, introverted shell of her former self. After their failed attempt to scry for Cole she was at a lost for what to do. He was clearly keen on not letting them find him again. She presumed he had used his powers to shield himself from their tracking. If Cole didn't want himself to be found, Phoebe really couldn't fault him for it after the way she had treated him. Maybe this was another form of cruel cosmic justice, to give her false hope only to take it away in an instant.

That is why she could not believe the scene before her now as she stands at the bottom of the stairwell. Cole standing frozen in the middle of the living room, her two sisters in front of him pretending there was nothing amiss.

Having recovered from their initial shock of getting caught off guard, Piper and Paige rush over to Phoebe's side each holding one of her arms while escorting her over to the couch as if they were afraid she might faint.

"Phoebe, I can explain everything." Paige began.

"Why don't I go get some tea going while Paige explains." Piper said leaving for the kitchen.

As Piper brings back a tray a few minutes later, Paige was just wrapping up telling Phoebe the morning's events at social services. "So you kidnapped him?.!"

"Well... kidnapped is such a strong word." Paige stutters in the face of Phoebe's incredulous exclamation. "More like grabbed and orbed." She finishes with a small laugh.

"Phoebe, Paige was just trying to help." Piper said in defence of their younger sister. Paige looks at her gratefully. "We both want your vision to come true just as much as you do. Cole was about to run off again, Paige did the only thing she could given the situation. At least now we've got him here, it'll give you a chance to talk to him. Work things out. Tell him of your vision."

"No, I don't want to do that."

"WHAT?" Piper and Paige were flabbergasted at Phoebe's statement.

"I don't want to use that to hook him. I don't want him to feel obligated to stay simply because of it. I have faith we can re-claim our bond and our love. What we have cannot just disappear like that, I should know. As much as I tried to deny it, it was always there. I will tell him when we work things out." Phoebe lets a smile spread across her face, feeling like her old-self again. "I'm sorry for snapping at you Paige."

"No worries, I understand." Paige said as the two sisters hug. "Hey, I want in too!" Piper pouts in mock indignation. Phoebe and Paige laugh as they open up their arms to let her in.

"Okay enough of that. Let's get back to the problem at hand." Paige said after the brief moment of sisterly bonding. "How are we going to get Cole to stay long enough for you to talk to him properly? The second he unfreezes he's going to bolt for the door again."

"Maybe I can just unfreeze his head?" Piper offers.

"That sounds a bit morbid and creepy somehow."

"Well what do you suggest then, Ms. Grab-and-orb?"

"How about a crystal cage?"

"And a demon-trapping cage is not morbid? Phoebe, it's up to you."

"Either way, Cole is going to blow a gasket when he realizes he can't leave. He's as stubborn as I am and when he's prevented from doing something he's intent on doing..." Phoebe shakes her head, she'll deal with that when the time comes. "But I think the cage might be a slightly better option. I can't see myself having a heart to heart with the love of my life while he's a head with a frozen body."

"Crystal!" Paige yells extending her hand out as the crystals orb into her palm. Quickly she walks around Cole putting the clear stones down in even spacing as she goes.

"You ready?" Piper asks holding up her hands ready to unfreeze.

"Yeah." Phoebe takes one last deep breath as she prepares for Cole's reaction.

As he became animated again Cole opens his mouth about to give Paige a few more choice words when he realizes Phoebe was now standing there as well. Knowing that can only mean he had been frozen by Piper, he eyes the sisters wearily. He slowly steps back away from them not sure what to expect, only to find himself being pushed back by the cage's force field. Looking around, Cole sees the crystals surrounding him; trapping him in place. He had dreaded this moment, it seems clear to him that his worst fear had come true. That the Charmed Ones brought him back to torture and toy with him.

"So this is how it is." Cole stated flatly. "You summon me back to use as your target practice? No doubt to prepare yourself to fight the demon you saw in your premonition. I'm sorry to disappoint you but I'm not as durable as I once was. I'm sure Paige has already told you, one shot and I'm gone. You should've resurrected a hardier demon if you wanted a longer training session."

"Cole no! That's not the reason why I brought you back at all." Phoebe is devastated that Cole could think her capable of such a callous act. "I really need to talk to you. I want us to work things out. Nothing more. Trust me?" Beyond his accusations, Phoebe was slightly disconcerted by Cole's lack of emotions. She had expected fireworks and rage but it seems like he had resigned himself to the fact that Phoebe and her sisters had ulterior motives at bringing him back.

"You can't abduct somebody." He glares at Paige, getting angry again. "Hold them against their will and ask them to trust you. It doesn't work that way sweetheart!"

Phoebe visibly flinches at the last word. How can a term of endearment sound so cold? "Alright, fair enough. If I disable the trap, will you promise to stay and hear me out?"

"Fine." Cole said after a moment of contemplation.

Phoebe steps towards him, bends down and picks up one of the crystals. As she got up again, she found a pair of world-weary blue-hazel eyes staring intensely into her brown ones. The two former lovers were inches apart, yet it felt like there was a chasm between them.

Feeling somewhat like voyeurs, Piper made an excuse about checking on Wyatt and Chris and heads up stairs; while Paige orbs out after saying she needs to get back to work.

Barely aware that they're now alone in the room, Cole breaks eye contact after what seems like eternity. Stepping away from Phoebe to gather his thoughts, Cole looks back at her from across the room. "I'm listening."

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A/N: Okay, so I lied. This is more the prelude to the confrontation than the confrontation itself. I really thought this was going to be the last chapter. Have them fight and make up and ride off into the sunset, but it's taking a little longer than anticipated. I said before I'm a slow writer. Next chapter I swear!