It had been over a week since Cole was prisoner to the Halliwells. He had explained his absence to his client with a contagious illness and was now catching up on the proceeding. Since he had missed an important hearing and without him it had gone really bad for his client.
He was browsing through the evidence of the case when the elevator chimed. He got up and started for the elevator door. He still hoped Phoebe would come to her senses and talk with him. He was sure she had felt the same as him, when she had taken the potion. Why did she have to deny what he felt so clearly? She had never been the person to admit a mistake easily.
To his frustration it wasn't Phoebe who stepped out of the elevator but Paige. She looked nervous, her hands burrowed in her jacket's pockets.
"Hi Cole," she greeted, an uncertain expression on her face. She didn't dare to make more than some small steps into his apartment.
Cole stopped in his tracks. Paige was the last person he had expected to come by.
"Paige? What are you doing here?" he asked ill-tempered, "feel like playing with knives again?"
A guilty expression twitched over her face, but she regained her composure quickly. "No, In fact I'm here to apologize," she said her voice wavering.
Cole was surprised. "Come again?"
Paige had taken her hands from her pockets and was now entangling her fingers, but she held his gaze, still standing just in front of the elevator.
"I want to apologize to you for trying to kill you and for torturing you. I know it was wrong what I did to you and I won't excuse it with the spell I was under. I just want you to know I'm deeply sorry I did this to you."
Paige stopped waiting for his reaction. He looked well, she realized. He was in a suit, shaved and calm.
Cole was stunned by her statement. He broke out of his paralysis and motioned to the couch, "Wanna sit down?"
Paige nodded and sat down at the edge of the couch. She didn't feel really comfy. She looked around the apartment. It was tidy and everything was in order. It looked like Cole had finally managed to get his life under control without Phoebe.
He placed himself opposite her in the elbow chair, the files between them forming a safe wall.
"I'm really surprised you came over," he started, looking at her expectantly.
He had never really talked with Paige, he realized. In the good times they had bantered with each other, in the bad times he had targeted her because she had been the suspicious one.
"I am too," Paige admitted, "It wasn't easy for me to come here."
"I guess," Cole acknowledged. He had no intention to make it easy for her since she had given him a real hard time.
"So," Paige gathered her guts, sitting straight up and crossing her legs, "I not only came to apologize Cole, I…" Paige was searching for the right words.
"Try to vanquish me for a change?" he teased. He felt safe and sound on his own ground, enough to challenge her.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Paige growled. She was having a hard time detaining her normally sarcastic nature, and Cole's behavior was no help.
"I do," he admitted. "When do I ever get the joy to hear a Halliwell say she did something wrong? I have to relish it." He lent back in his seat, his arms crossed at his chest, starring at her observantly.
"Bastard," Paige cursed shooting him a glance.
"Seems like the real Paige is coming out. But you here to apologize, remember?" Cole smirked.
Paige exhaled deeply. "Despite the fact that I don't like you at all, it was wrong what I did. Despite the fact that you probably deserve punishment for your evil deeds, it's not my turn to do it."
"Really, now that is a change in attitude," Cole said leery.
"I ask you to forgive me for what I've done to you in the attic," Paige finally managed to get out. She wasn't going to be distracted by his interruptions. She wanted to get this matter straight.
"Are you kidding?" Cole asked unbelievingly, leaning forward, eyebrows raised.
Paige looked him straight in the eyes. She felt much better now that everything was out. She couldn't do anything more than ask his forgiveness. If he gave it or not, it was not within her power.
"No I am serious Cole. I did you wrong. I regret it and ask for your forgiveness," she repeated calmly.
Cole felt uncomfortable. Only one person had ever asked an apology from him. And this had been Phoebe. It was easy for him to forgive her. But Paige. He cleared his throat.
"I don't know what to say Paige," he started.
"I totally understand if you can't forgive me," Paige interrupted him quietly, eyes cast down but looking up again with a bitter expression, "I haven't forgiven you for trying to kill me either."
"You mean when I was the Source?" Cole asked gently.
As far as he could remember he hadn't done anything to her since he came back from the wasteland. He had tried hard to be good then and without the evil presence of the Source's powers, he had the opinion he had done pretty well. Too bad the sisters couldn't see it this way. He had had relapses like with the Siren, but overall it had worked.
"Yes," Paige confirmed.
"Since we are putting everything on the table now, let me say I'm sorry too for what I did to you as the Source, even when I wasn't doing it willingly," Cole offered.
Paige wriggled in her seat. "That's not a trade Cole." She was getting angry with him. He had the talent to drive her mad instantly.
"Why not?" He asked. "I beg your pardon for the times I tried to hurt you when I was the Source. In exchange I forgive you for trying to kill me. I think that evens out."
Besides the sisters, no one who had come after him lived to tell about it. So in his opinion his offer was very generous. Besides, going to war against the Charmed Ones wasn't on his agenda. He still held much too much affection for them.
"You have to be sorry if you apologize to someone," Paige advised him, outraged, shaking her red mane.
"I am truly sorry," Cole insisted, "I never meant to hurt any one of you. The Halliwells are the only family I ever knew."
Paige was taken aback by his openness. Normally Cole held his thoughts and feelings to himself, at least as far as she knew him.
"Why didn't you say it earlier? If you see us as your family – which we are not by the way – you could have come to us, me - on your own," Paige demanded. How could he say sorry so easily when it had cost her quite an effort to come here?
"None of you ever wanted to listen to me or talk with me after I came back," Cole said with an angry voice. "You are so sure I can't be good, you wouldn't even give me a chance to explain."
His temper was flaring up and he grabbed the armrests of his chair grimly in an attempt to release some of the tension.
"You had more than one second chance Cole. Phoebe forgave you one too many times," Paige reminded him school mum like. Cole didn't like her tone towards him at all.
"So there is a counter running? You allow only for a fixed number of attempts? Who made you the judge Paige? You think overcoming over 100 years of evil is a picnic? No demon ever turned the way I did."
By now he was pacing the living room agitatedly.
"Tried not did," Paige quipped, "but Cole, I'm not here to judge you, okay?" Paige tried to appease him. "I wanted to do the right thing and apologize, but you make it complicated," she complained.
She wasn't eager of being confronted with a disgruntled Cole.
"Ever gave it a thought how I became the Source?" Cole almost shouted. He was pretty sure they hadn't and was nearly losing his temper.
"You wanted to?" Paige guessed. "Greedy for power?"
"You ungrateful bitch!" Cole spat at her. Paige jumped startled by his sudden outburst. She looked daggers at him but managed to stay at her place. Cole glowered at her a wild fury in his eyes, that made Paige feel very uncomfortable,but managed to calm down again. He exhaled deeply and continued.
"I have to grant that being without powers was hard, but I would have never done anything to endanger my relationship with Phoebe," Cole stated clearly, "Remember I was human?"
"Yeah, how could I ever forget? You were even more annoying then as a demon," Paige taunted. She wouldn't allow him to intimidate her. She smiled very sweetly towards him.
"Ha," Cole snorted rubbing his chin, "The Seer had a vision of Phoebe's and Piper's death. I couldn't let that happen. I had no choice than to go along with what the Seer wanted me to do. After Phoebe locked away the Hollow again, I felt differently. Thought it was exhaustion. But the Seer somehow had managed to keep the Source's powers in me when extracting the Hollow. When I figured it out, it was too late. I couldn't tell you anymore. The powers prevented it."
"Come on, you could have done something." Paige was not ready to believe him.
"So you could have stopped yourself from killing an innocent when you were a vampire?" Cole counter questioned, "and you were just an ordinary vampire – sorry for that – but I had the Source's power in me. And just a few days ago, if Leo hadn't come in time, you would have killed me."
Paige glared at him. She didn't want to be reminded of that. Not from him. She had to admit to herself, that there was some truth in his words, but she wouldn't admit it to him.
"Cole, let the past be the past. Nobody can change it anyway." Paige tried to end the conversion.
The implications of seeing things his way were unpleasant and very disturbing. It could mean they had killed someone innocent, namely him. She got up, and he stopped pacing.
"So no more bad feelings between us?" she asked, offering her hand to him.
"We are fine," Cole confirmed tiredly, taking the offered hand and shaking it very shortly. The Halliwells would never see their own shortcomings.
"No coming after us for retaliation?" Paige asked directly. She wasn't in the mood for beating around the bush.
Cole's face fell and he let her hand go. "That's the true reason you came over, isn't it? Make sure evil Cole Turner is not planning anything wicked."
He turned around and went to look out over the city, his hands balled into fists. He was disappointed with himself. Had he truly believed any of the Halliwells would do anything concerning him that wasn't meant to be in their own best interest? He still was a fool regarding the Halliwells. He still had the habit of slurring over their self-righteous behavior. Maybe the distance he had put in between them in the last few months hadn't been large enough.
"Do me a favor Paige, show yourself out," he said icily, not looking at her.
Paige looked at his repellent back. "You are right, this was one reason I came over. Keeping the family safe is always top priority," she admitted. "Still it's true what I told you before," she insisted but headed for the elevator.
Paige pushed the elevator button. "By the way, did you find the priestess we were searching for?"
"She'll never bother you again," Cole answered darkly.
The elevator chimed and opened. Paige stepped into it. Piper would be delighted. No further demon chasing on the agenda.
"Do you think Phoebe will come to see me?" Cole asked quietly, still watching the city below.
"Don't cherish your hopes Cole, she is with Jason. I'm pretty sure she won't," Paige said with sympathy, then the elevator doors closed and Cole was alone.
Cole kept staring over the city. It was time to pick up his former intention to leave town. There wasn't anything holding him in San Francisco anymore. Being here just added to his sorrow. Phoebe had found a new love and didn't need or want him anymore. At least she was convinced of that and too stubborn to take an honest look at her heart. He just had to finish his case first and then he was free to go away. And this time he would.
tbc
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A/N:
So how did you like Paige's apology and Cole's reaction? I think something like this was long overdue.
Ok, so now you probably think, where are Prue, Wyatt and Piper's new charge?
Don't fear they will appear soon.
I'm doing some kind of a timewarp now, skipping season 6 and jumping right into season 7.
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To my kind reviewers:
cate78: I totally agree with your feelings about Cole. I like to see him struggle but come out of it stronger than before.
PhoebelovesCole: Can't promise anything. Cole is pretty pissed at Phoebe. Maybe time can heal some wounds..
Len: so you have your answer with this chapter. I hope there are still other open questions that keep you reading ;-)
LozzieLiz: Phoebe will be reformed but give her some time.
PhoebeTurner Halliwell: I love authors too, who update fast. So I'll try to update at least once a week.
lilchick1989: Well I think Jason is not so bad. Ok he is not Cole, but in my opinion the best who came after Cole in the series. He will make a reappearance later on
sehar: Sorry, but Phoebe did go to Jason, I'm sticking with the plot of the series here
Wicked R: Hope you continue to surprise you with the way the story goes.
clegs: just doing as you wished ;-)