A/N: I was surprised at the different opinions the laster chapters triggered and like to comment on it in short.

Archangewoman: I don't think all is suddenly settled. In the last chapter it said the Phoebe and Cole didn't see each other in the meantime. The juicy awkwardness as you put it is going to appear in the next chapters.

Another disappointed fan: Just read the story to the end. Phoebe will deal with her misdoings towards Cole. Besides in my opinion Phoebe didn't murder her child, it was a casuality in the vanguish of the Seer. But I'm with you, in the show she didn't grieve enough for it.

Beca: Good to hear someone liked the turn of the events, I greatly appreaciate your review. And you are right this is a Pheobe+Cole story :-) And if you like Prue, you hopefully will like this chapter too.

Phoebe Turner Halliwell: The chapter you are waiting for is already in delivery, it will come right after this.

PhoebeLovesCole: Why did I stop? ;-) so that you feel the needto encourageme with a review.

Sehar: Glad to hear you like the way the story goes. thanks.

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Crossing opinions

Same day – Halliwell kitchen.

Prue went down to the kitchen, the best place if you were looking for Piper. As expected she was buzzing around with some pots and dishes.

"Hi Prue, what a surprise." Piper hugged her older sister cordially. "Back so soon." Her face became dark, "Is there a demonic problem?"

"Piper, everything is fine. I just wanted to talk with you and Paige. Is she around?" Prue reassured her sister.

"Paige is not here at the moment, but I can call her. Should I?"

"Yes please," Prue confirmed. She sat herself at the table while Piper called for Paige. "What are you doing?"

"Oh just a little something for Wyatt. He loves mashed potatoes with pies," Piper shrugged, "what do you want to talk about?"

"Phoebe," Prue said and Piper looked at her questioningly, when Paige orbed in.

"Hey Piper, what is the emergency? Was there a demonic attack?" Paige asked out of breath.

"No it looks more like a sister emergency." Piper pointed towards Prue. "Prue wants to talk with us about Phoebe."

"Prue hi! " Paige greeted. "Phoebe? But she is fine, isn't she?" Paige asked blankly. From her point of view Phoebe couldn't be better. Her sister had got the baby she wanted and they hadn't seen Cole since. Could life be any better?

"That's what I wanted to ask you," Prue said. "After this shock about having her daughter back so suddenly, I wanted to know how she is doing."

"She has been happier than in a long time," Paige said spontaneously, "I think we don't have to worry about her. I mean not more than usual." Paige couldn't do without a short side blow.

Piper stayed silent and just watched Prue. She knew her sister too well. Prue was onto something. Piper would play along and see where Prue was heading.

"Interesting you say that," Prue answered, "Phoebe called me down and asked my advice. And since you are living with her, I wanted to hear your opinion."

"What does she need your advice on?" Piper asked interestedly.

"Cole," Prue said indifferently watching both sisters attentively.

"Cole?" Paige asked alarmed, her voice clearly constricting, "what has he done to her?"

"Nothing," Prue appeased as she noticed how hostile Paige had become, "Cole did nothing. Phoebe just doesn't know how to act towards him, with all these changed circumstances."

"Well that's an easy one. She should ignore him," Paige commented lightly, "I mean as long as he doesn't start going after her again, what's the big deal? There are millions of divorced couples with children out there, and they all manage somehow."

Paige looked at Piper, convinced of her affirmation. Prue also sent a glance towards Piper. Piper was unusually silent.

"Piper what do you think? You haven't said anything at all," Prue encouraged her.

"I feared that your little revelation would churn up Phoebe's mind… and heart, Prue" she said thoughtfully and leaned against the kitchen cupboard.

Piper wasn't sure what was going on with Phoebe. She had been happier than before, but in a way, also more depressed. Lately it was hard to tell how Phoebe really felt. Since the Source Phoebe had become used to hide her real feelings behind a big protective wall – even from her sisters.

"Come on Piper," Paige meddled in, "Phoebe is long over Cole. They have been divorced for 2 years already. I mean she dumped Cole for Jason – even after this ohh so true desire spell, what does this tell you?"

'I'm not so sure anymore Paige," Piper mused, "it didn't work out with Jason or any of the other guys she dated. And did you notice Phoebe stopped speed dating around the time Cole reappeared?"

"Coincidence," Paige said quickly shrugging her shoulders. "I'm glad she stopped though," Paige confirmed, "I think she finally realized that it was nonsense." She opened the fridge and poured herself a glass of orange juice.

"And that Phoebe managed to be at home almost every single time Cole brought Grace by?" Piper pursued.

"She was crazy for having a baby, Piper. And little Grace is really sweet. I can't blame Phoebe for playing auntie. I love to do it myself. Now at least we know why she was so drawn to the baby, she felt she was her mother," Paige countered, sipping at her glass undisturbed.

Prue watched the exchange between her sisters. It seemed Piper had the better insight of what was going on with Phoebe than Paige. Or maybe Paige just wanted to disavow it.

"Mmh," Piper murmured not convinced, "and what about Phoebe bid on Cole at that auction?"

"Phoebe already explained it to us. She accidentally tapped into the feelings of the other women present with her emphatic power. You know she still has problems to seclude herself from the feelings of others," Paige huffed but she got an uneasy feeling in her gut.

Why was Prue here and why was Piper so insistent that everything Phoebe did was associated with Cole?

"Possible," Piper granted, "but maybe just maybe she didn't want any other woman go out with him."

Paige snorted in disbelief, "You don't really mean that?" She put the glass down on the table.

"Paige, you have seen Phoebe when we thought Cole was going to die after Zankou's attack. She almost broke down. Do you think that was just compassion? Honestly I don't think so", Piper argued.

Paige looked from Piper to Prue, squinting her eyes. "Why are WE talking about this?" she asked suspiciously, "why not with Phoebe present?"

Prue interfered, "Phoebe asked me for help. She didn't have the heart to talk to you herself. She still feels guilty because of what you were put through because of Cole. And she thought you two wouldn't understand she still struggles about him."

Paige looked perplexed at Prue while Piper sighed, "I feared that."

Piper sat down at the table next to Prue, while Paige kept standing next to the fridge.

Paige felt a little bit stung that Phoebe didn't trust her enough to talk about this with her. But on the other hand, it was no secret that she didn't think much of Cole.

"What advice did you give her?" Paige demanded from Prue, "Since neither of you," she looked at Piper in a snit, "seem to agree with my opinion about it."

"I haven't made up my mind yet, Paige," Piper defended, she wouldn't take sides between her sisters, "I hoped Phoebe would work it out alone someday."

"You were right Piper," Prue told Piper nodding at her, "Phoebe worked it out herself. We talked about it and I told her to have faith in her own choices," Prue said vaguely, "and that her family was going to support her decision, whatever it would be."

Prue knew she was being bold demanding this from her sisters.

"What exactly did you tell Phoebe to do?" Piper asked. She had a very good idea, but wanted to hear it from Prue.

Prue looked first at Piper, who looked strained now and then settled her glance calmly on Paige. "I told her if she still loved Cole she should go and tell him."

A deadly silence followed Prue's declaration. Piper inhaled sharply and Paige's mouth opened several times without a sound coming out of it.

"And does she?" Piper asked quietly, holding her breath, while Paige looked daggers at Prue.

"Piper, be honest you know it as well as I do. Since the day Phoebe met Cole, she had fallen for him hard. She was never like that with any other guy. She just didn't allow herself to acknowledge it after the Source incident. But with Grace, she had to take a hard and honest look at her own feelings." Prue explained.

"And you didn't think for a second what WE think of it?" Paige exploded, "You could have asked OUR opinion BEFORE sending Phoebe right into the arms of this….this…" Paige was at a loss for words again.

"How could you?" Paige yelled when she found her words again. Her hands slammed down on the table violently.

"You don't live here anymore! You just drop by, say hello and leave us to deal with a stalking Cole and a heartbroken Phoebe again. You are not entitled to make such decisions! You are not even alive anymore." Paige was fuming.

"Hold it Paige," Prue admonished, flaring up herself, "I'm still the oldest Halliwell. And I care about the happiness of all my sisters. It's just that Phoebe needs my help more than you do. You look pretty content to me. Why do you begrudge happiness to your sister?"

"Why do you begrudge being alive to us? Just because YOU are already dead doesn't mean WE have a death wish too! Just because we managed to fight Cole off before doesn't say he won't go evil on us again or try to kill us again." Paige barked lividly.

"It is like I said. I hoped you would support the decision that makes your sister happy," Prue repeated calmly and with all self-restrain she had in her, "I would be very sorry if I was wrong about that." She looked challenging at Paige, her eyes narrowed.

"I can't believe it!" Paige muttered throwing her arms in the air in a desperate gesture.

"Prue, Paige." Piper tried to stop the forthcoming storm. She couldn't believe it, she was back at settling the dispute between her sisters again, "we all want the best for Phoebe, I think we can agree on that."

Prue and Paige glowered at each other but both nodded in agreement. Prue was the one to pick up the conversation again.

"Piper didn't you anticipate something like that when you accepted to be godmother of Grace? Didn't you think about the possibility that Phoebe and Cole would rekindle the old flame?" Prue asked incredulously.

"I did," Piper admitted, "that's why I made the rule up, that Cole mustn't get involved with her again. I wanted to avoid exactly THIS situation," Piper sulked.

"I guess I crushed that rule." Prue smirked.

Piper shot her an angry look, "you had no right to do that, Prue."

"When did you become such a Cole fan?" Paige demanded heatedly from Prue, "I thought I was told you hate his guts."

Prue still found it unbelievable herself that her perception of Cole had changed, but being up there gave you a different view on many things. She hated to admit it but even some decisions of the Elders seemed more reasonable if you saw the greater picture. And having a certain distance had allowed her understanding one thing. If Cole had ever really wanted to destroy the Charmed Ones or kill one of her sisters, he could have done it anytime. At first because they trusted him and then because he was so powerful. The only logical conclusion which followed was he never really tried to.

"I'm not. I really don't care if he is happy or not. But Phoebe's desperation touched my heart. I want my baby sister to be happy. She has been through so much and it wasn't all her fault or Cole's. Destiny toyed with her so much. I wanted to make it up to her," Prue said.

Maybe she had overestimated her ability to turn the opinion of her sisters. Prue sighed heavily. She felt the need to explain herself.

"When I talked with Phoebe in the attic today, she was shattered. It reminded me that she never had any luck with the people she loved. Dad left us when she was 2, Mum died when she was 4. I guess that is the reason why she never let a guy come close, out of fear he would eventually leave her alone again. Before we became witches, we weren't so close either, she didn't want it. But with Cole it is different. He would never turn his back on her, no matter what. I think she searched for this kind of security all her life. And I don't think any other guy can stand up to these expectations, especially not with us being witches."

"Piper found Leo," Paige contradicted nastily.

"We struggled a lot too," Piper admitted, "before we married and still, the Avatars nearly brought us apart."

Paige rolled her eyes but didn't let go of the subject, "You make Cole sound like a damn savior. Let me remind you Prue, for as it seems up there in fairy tale land you lost your grip on things. He is a fucking demon, he killed countless people, he tried to kill you, not to mention me several times and he will always have an inclination to evil."

"I don't say it will be easy Paige," Prue admitted, "and you are right. Cole can be dangerous. That's why Phoebe needs your support, yours and Pipers, not your rejection. But honestly I see no choice, not if we want Phoebe to be truly happy and not just act happy for us."

"I won't live in the same house with him again," Paige stated her voice final. "Just let Phoebe go and live with her demonic spouse in hell again, she can have her way. But don't count on me if he falls back to his wicked ways and she comes running to us again. I won't be there to pick up the Phoebe fragments again."

"Paige," Piper soothed Paige, "I understand your concerns completely. I'm not thrilled to have Cole in the house again. But I feel worse about the idea of Phoebe marching off with Cole alone to god knows where. I want to keep an eye on him. It was a bad idea when she moved out last time. If she hadn't we maybe would have found out about the Source earlier."

"He can't be in this house again Piper. It's him or me," Paige said stubbornly, "absolutely no way." Paige but her foot down.

"I don't want you to move out Paige," Piper pleaded, "we will find a solution you are satisfied with too. We won't trade the happiness of one sister for the other, Prue?" She asked her older sister for confirmation.

"Absolutely right Piper, "Prue agreed, "I just never realized how deep your grudge against Cole is Paige," Prue somewhat apologized.

"Surprise," Paige quipped sarcastically, "because you have no idea, completely no idea what he put me through."

"I understand now why Phoebe left it to me to carry out this conversation," Prue murmured to herself, studying Paige's rigid posture.

"For all that was said, we have to have an answer for Phoebe when she comes back. I promised her you would be all right with it." Prue said tiredly but wasn't about to give up.

Paige just shook her head in disbelieve, sneering at Prue, "Did no one teach you to not promise things you can't keep?"

"That's not helping Paige. I guess we don't have to expect Phoebe home before tomorrow," Piper tried to be practical. "That is all the time we have to work something out."

She threw a glance at both of her sulking sisters, "something we all can live with – including Phoebe."

tbc
Next chapter is about Phoebe meeting Cole...