Disclaimer: If you don't recognize it it's mine.
Summary: See chapter #1
Author's notes: 1. Sorry for the delay: real life pressures did get in the way (essays, essays everywhere...) 2. Remember Centennial Charmed when Paige goes back in time to kill Cole? Well for the purposes of this story, she did not succeed. Instead Cole was trapped in that timeline, and to even out the balance of power, the Cole of that timeline came over. In other words: They switched places. Any other questions please email me at: angelsbabe15@hotmail.com
3. ""= Dialogue, ''= thoughts
4. A.U.= Alternate Universe:
Chapter #7: Lessons Learned AU:
"Cole honey, Cole. Wake up. You'll be late for work." Arianna advised her husband as she stood beside the chair in his study. The man in question woke up with a start, and looked around himself blankly until he met her gaze. Then awareness came flooding back to him.
"I'm sorry, I guess I must have dozed off reading." Cole answered.
"I'm sure you did." Arianna said, disgust creeping into her voice. Cole shrugged it off, and made his way past her, and upstairs to get ready for work. While in the shower, he let the hot water rinse away the fatigue. He thought about Phoebe's case, and how what he read last night related to it. Something didn't add up. Young prodigy, turned profit, then went near bankrupt. How? Bad business decisions? Possibly. Inherited bad business practices? Not likely. Bad economy? No. A combination of the three? Possibly, but Cole didn't think so. There was more to it than that. Cole's instincts told him possibly something supernatural. He wanted to discount that theory, for Phoebe and Alana's sakes. He thought about how badly she wanted a normal life free of magic for her children. But he also realized from experience that you could not fight destiny no matter how hard you tried. She was meant to be a Charmed One, she just hasn't fully realized it yet. He knew she loved her daughter more than life itself. He resolved to fight for them. He left the house, and drove to his office, his mind trying to discount the possibility that it was supernatural. But he couldn't, it was the only thing he could use to make perfect sense of it all.
When he got to his office, the phone had just stopped ringing. He went behind his desk and noticed the voicemail indicator on his phone displaying one message. He hit the play button, and Phoebe's voice filled the silence of his office:
"Hi Cole, it's me Phoebe. I j-just- we need to talk. Call me, I'm at home, my number is: 654-7321. I'll be here all day." Sensing the dejection in her voice, Cole dialed the phone number immediately. Phoebe picked it up on the first ring:
"Hi Phoebe. It's me. " Cole greeted her
"Hi. Yeah, I called you earlier, I just needed to hear a friendly voice." Phoebe told him.
"You want to talk about it?" Cole asked sensing something still off about her voice.
"I-It's just that, I'm so scared. What if I lose her Cole? I can't. She's my baby. He doesn't understand that I need my baby. She's my life, my shining light. Who will be there to sing to her if I'm not? Who will be there to hold her when she cries? To listen to her hopes and dreams? Or to teach her about her heritage? He won't understand about her. He didn't understand about me." Phoebe finished dejectedly.
There was silence on the line as Cole tried to think of something he could reassure her with. In truth, he couldn't imagine the hell she was going through. Again the thought came into his mind of the possibility that Jason had supernatural help. He decided that he had better be honest with her:
"Phoebe, you need to know that there is a possibility that Jason had some supernatural help. At this point it's the only theory that I've come up with that makes sense." Cole told her.
"How do you know so much about the supernatural?" Phoebe asked, because the Cole she knew had given up using his powers for Arianna. Cole paused. He hadn't given much thought to the question.
"I think we need to meet. Is your place okay?" Cole decided.
"Yeah, it's perfect." Phoebe replied.
"I'll see you in an hour then." Cole responded.
"An hour then. Bye Cole."
"Bye Phoebe." Cole responded. They hung up the phone, Cole settling back into his chair He knew the obvious answer to her question: He was a demon, endowed with powers, and immortality. He wondered why, what prompted her to ask it. She should have known about his past, about their past. He let his thoughts wander as he absently began gathering his files into his briefcase, and prepared to leave.
C.O.S.: Phoebe, and Piper's apartment
"Are you sure that's wise?" Piper had asked Phoebe when Phoebe called the club and told Piper about her and Cole's meeting.
Phoebe had to be honest with herself: she wasn't sure that it was in fact wise, all she knew was that it seemed like a good idea at the time it was suggested. She also knew that there was something off about Cole. There seemed to be a new glint in his eye, and she needed know what was behind it, and some instinct told her this was the way to go about it. She heard the door buzzer, and moved to answer it: "Phoebe, it's me Cole." In response Phoebe pressed the button that would gain him access to the building. Moments later she heard a knock at the front door. She frantically looked in the mirror as she checked her hair, and makeup. She opened the door just as he was about to knock a second time.
She took a second to look at him: broad shoulders, a white dress shirt, with a silver tie- that brought out his incredible blue eyes. She breathed in the musky scent of him, and blushed as she remembered the last time she was close enough to do that.
"May I come in?" Cole asked. Phoebe moved aside in response. She led the way into the kitchen where Cole set his briefcase down on the table.
"Would you like anything to drink?" Phoebe asked her guest.
"Some coffee would be great thanks." Cole replied, as Phoebe moved to plug in the coffeemaker. There was an awkward silence.
"So how are the children, and Arianna?" Phoebe asked making nervous small talk.
"They're good." Cole answered. There was silence, as neither knew where to take the conversation. Finally Cole broke it.
"Listen, there is something about me I feel you should know, you deserve to know. I'm a.." Cole began.
"Demon. Yes, I know but you gave up your powers for love, for Arianna at the end of high school, don't you remember?" Phoebe said. Cole looked her with a shocked look on his face. Phoebe took a moment to recover.
"I'll take that as no, you don't. You know, for a while now I've felt that there's something off about you." Phoebe paused, searching for words.
"Off, how?" Cole asked
Phoebe bit her lower lip as she chose her words carefully: "Off in a good way, don't worry. What I've noticed about you is a new confidence, a comfort level. Something very different from the Cole I knew. The aura around you demands respect, and shows that you have a strong sense of self- you know who you are, and you're comfortable with it. The Cole I knew was awkward, insecure. He always had a defeated posture, hunched shoulders. I could tell he was denying himself something, but not what exactly. He had a restless quality about him. I think that's why we started an affair. Of course, his shrew of a wife didn't help any..." Cole caught up Phoebe's wrist.
"That's enough. You can go right ahead and insult me but leave Arianna out of this. She's a good woman. She's loving, and beautiful and caring. She is what is good in this world to me." Cole told her indignantly.
"Tell me something Cole. Does a beautiful caring woman ask you to deny a part of who are? Does she brand all demons as bad, as evil things to be avoided at all costs? Is someone who truly loves you repulsed, and unaccepting of who you really are?" Phoebe paused for breath before continuing:
"You what another reason the Cole I know liked being with me? I was showing him his true self. I was teaching him that he was a good man and a demon at the same time. I was showing him that his powers weren't curses like he, and that wife of his thought, but they were gifts used to help mankind." Phoebe finished.
There was a deafening silence that lasted for at least five minutes. Cole didn't know what to make of it, this impassioned defense of himself, or the put-down of his 'wife.' 'I guess this guy isn't as lucky as I thought he was.' He gulped:
"So what did you want this meeting for?" He asked his tone turned completely business-like.
"I wanted to discuss the theory you had about Jason- the fact that maybe my ex-husband had some super-natural help. I wondered what you thought that might be?" Phoebe asked. Cole cleared his throat before answering:
"I hadn't thought that far ahead, I was actually hoping that maybe you had some ideas." Cole responded Phoebe chewed her lip thoughtfully for a moment.
Cole's voice took on a speculative tone: I think it may have been The Seer. I've had dealings with her in the past. She offers him unheard of powers; in exchange he takes down the Charmed ones, and gets his revenge on you. If that is the case, you will need the power of three." Cole answered.
"There's just one problem though. The power of three hasn't existed for since Prue died 3 years ago." Piper said a note of sadness creeping into her voice.
"What about Paige?" Cole asked, and the suggestion was greeted by twin blank looks from the sisters.
"Who's Paige?" Piper, and Phoebe asked in unison. Cole groaned in response. 'This is going to be harder than I thought. I have to reunite the Power of Three, and figure out my own situation. Maybe they'll respond to a deal...' Cole thought.
"I'll make you guys a deal, it's obvious I don't belong here, so I'd like you to help me figure out how to get back to where I do belong. In exchange, I will introduce you to Paige, and help you get your daughter back. Deal?" Cole proposed.
"I'm in." Phoebe said immediately.
"Alright I'm in too. It will be nice to have the power of three back again." Piper agreed.
And so ends, another chapter in my crazy alternate world of Charmed.
To get another chapter, please review- I only act upon constructive criticism.
Peace out, and happy reading
A.B.
Summary: See chapter #1
Author's notes: 1. Sorry for the delay: real life pressures did get in the way (essays, essays everywhere...) 2. Remember Centennial Charmed when Paige goes back in time to kill Cole? Well for the purposes of this story, she did not succeed. Instead Cole was trapped in that timeline, and to even out the balance of power, the Cole of that timeline came over. In other words: They switched places. Any other questions please email me at: angelsbabe15@hotmail.com
3. ""= Dialogue, ''= thoughts
4. A.U.= Alternate Universe:
Chapter #7: Lessons Learned AU:
"Cole honey, Cole. Wake up. You'll be late for work." Arianna advised her husband as she stood beside the chair in his study. The man in question woke up with a start, and looked around himself blankly until he met her gaze. Then awareness came flooding back to him.
"I'm sorry, I guess I must have dozed off reading." Cole answered.
"I'm sure you did." Arianna said, disgust creeping into her voice. Cole shrugged it off, and made his way past her, and upstairs to get ready for work. While in the shower, he let the hot water rinse away the fatigue. He thought about Phoebe's case, and how what he read last night related to it. Something didn't add up. Young prodigy, turned profit, then went near bankrupt. How? Bad business decisions? Possibly. Inherited bad business practices? Not likely. Bad economy? No. A combination of the three? Possibly, but Cole didn't think so. There was more to it than that. Cole's instincts told him possibly something supernatural. He wanted to discount that theory, for Phoebe and Alana's sakes. He thought about how badly she wanted a normal life free of magic for her children. But he also realized from experience that you could not fight destiny no matter how hard you tried. She was meant to be a Charmed One, she just hasn't fully realized it yet. He knew she loved her daughter more than life itself. He resolved to fight for them. He left the house, and drove to his office, his mind trying to discount the possibility that it was supernatural. But he couldn't, it was the only thing he could use to make perfect sense of it all.
When he got to his office, the phone had just stopped ringing. He went behind his desk and noticed the voicemail indicator on his phone displaying one message. He hit the play button, and Phoebe's voice filled the silence of his office:
"Hi Cole, it's me Phoebe. I j-just- we need to talk. Call me, I'm at home, my number is: 654-7321. I'll be here all day." Sensing the dejection in her voice, Cole dialed the phone number immediately. Phoebe picked it up on the first ring:
"Hi Phoebe. It's me. " Cole greeted her
"Hi. Yeah, I called you earlier, I just needed to hear a friendly voice." Phoebe told him.
"You want to talk about it?" Cole asked sensing something still off about her voice.
"I-It's just that, I'm so scared. What if I lose her Cole? I can't. She's my baby. He doesn't understand that I need my baby. She's my life, my shining light. Who will be there to sing to her if I'm not? Who will be there to hold her when she cries? To listen to her hopes and dreams? Or to teach her about her heritage? He won't understand about her. He didn't understand about me." Phoebe finished dejectedly.
There was silence on the line as Cole tried to think of something he could reassure her with. In truth, he couldn't imagine the hell she was going through. Again the thought came into his mind of the possibility that Jason had supernatural help. He decided that he had better be honest with her:
"Phoebe, you need to know that there is a possibility that Jason had some supernatural help. At this point it's the only theory that I've come up with that makes sense." Cole told her.
"How do you know so much about the supernatural?" Phoebe asked, because the Cole she knew had given up using his powers for Arianna. Cole paused. He hadn't given much thought to the question.
"I think we need to meet. Is your place okay?" Cole decided.
"Yeah, it's perfect." Phoebe replied.
"I'll see you in an hour then." Cole responded.
"An hour then. Bye Cole."
"Bye Phoebe." Cole responded. They hung up the phone, Cole settling back into his chair He knew the obvious answer to her question: He was a demon, endowed with powers, and immortality. He wondered why, what prompted her to ask it. She should have known about his past, about their past. He let his thoughts wander as he absently began gathering his files into his briefcase, and prepared to leave.
C.O.S.: Phoebe, and Piper's apartment
"Are you sure that's wise?" Piper had asked Phoebe when Phoebe called the club and told Piper about her and Cole's meeting.
Phoebe had to be honest with herself: she wasn't sure that it was in fact wise, all she knew was that it seemed like a good idea at the time it was suggested. She also knew that there was something off about Cole. There seemed to be a new glint in his eye, and she needed know what was behind it, and some instinct told her this was the way to go about it. She heard the door buzzer, and moved to answer it: "Phoebe, it's me Cole." In response Phoebe pressed the button that would gain him access to the building. Moments later she heard a knock at the front door. She frantically looked in the mirror as she checked her hair, and makeup. She opened the door just as he was about to knock a second time.
She took a second to look at him: broad shoulders, a white dress shirt, with a silver tie- that brought out his incredible blue eyes. She breathed in the musky scent of him, and blushed as she remembered the last time she was close enough to do that.
"May I come in?" Cole asked. Phoebe moved aside in response. She led the way into the kitchen where Cole set his briefcase down on the table.
"Would you like anything to drink?" Phoebe asked her guest.
"Some coffee would be great thanks." Cole replied, as Phoebe moved to plug in the coffeemaker. There was an awkward silence.
"So how are the children, and Arianna?" Phoebe asked making nervous small talk.
"They're good." Cole answered. There was silence, as neither knew where to take the conversation. Finally Cole broke it.
"Listen, there is something about me I feel you should know, you deserve to know. I'm a.." Cole began.
"Demon. Yes, I know but you gave up your powers for love, for Arianna at the end of high school, don't you remember?" Phoebe said. Cole looked her with a shocked look on his face. Phoebe took a moment to recover.
"I'll take that as no, you don't. You know, for a while now I've felt that there's something off about you." Phoebe paused, searching for words.
"Off, how?" Cole asked
Phoebe bit her lower lip as she chose her words carefully: "Off in a good way, don't worry. What I've noticed about you is a new confidence, a comfort level. Something very different from the Cole I knew. The aura around you demands respect, and shows that you have a strong sense of self- you know who you are, and you're comfortable with it. The Cole I knew was awkward, insecure. He always had a defeated posture, hunched shoulders. I could tell he was denying himself something, but not what exactly. He had a restless quality about him. I think that's why we started an affair. Of course, his shrew of a wife didn't help any..." Cole caught up Phoebe's wrist.
"That's enough. You can go right ahead and insult me but leave Arianna out of this. She's a good woman. She's loving, and beautiful and caring. She is what is good in this world to me." Cole told her indignantly.
"Tell me something Cole. Does a beautiful caring woman ask you to deny a part of who are? Does she brand all demons as bad, as evil things to be avoided at all costs? Is someone who truly loves you repulsed, and unaccepting of who you really are?" Phoebe paused for breath before continuing:
"You what another reason the Cole I know liked being with me? I was showing him his true self. I was teaching him that he was a good man and a demon at the same time. I was showing him that his powers weren't curses like he, and that wife of his thought, but they were gifts used to help mankind." Phoebe finished.
There was a deafening silence that lasted for at least five minutes. Cole didn't know what to make of it, this impassioned defense of himself, or the put-down of his 'wife.' 'I guess this guy isn't as lucky as I thought he was.' He gulped:
"So what did you want this meeting for?" He asked his tone turned completely business-like.
"I wanted to discuss the theory you had about Jason- the fact that maybe my ex-husband had some super-natural help. I wondered what you thought that might be?" Phoebe asked. Cole cleared his throat before answering:
"I hadn't thought that far ahead, I was actually hoping that maybe you had some ideas." Cole responded Phoebe chewed her lip thoughtfully for a moment.
Cole's voice took on a speculative tone: I think it may have been The Seer. I've had dealings with her in the past. She offers him unheard of powers; in exchange he takes down the Charmed ones, and gets his revenge on you. If that is the case, you will need the power of three." Cole answered.
"There's just one problem though. The power of three hasn't existed for since Prue died 3 years ago." Piper said a note of sadness creeping into her voice.
"What about Paige?" Cole asked, and the suggestion was greeted by twin blank looks from the sisters.
"Who's Paige?" Piper, and Phoebe asked in unison. Cole groaned in response. 'This is going to be harder than I thought. I have to reunite the Power of Three, and figure out my own situation. Maybe they'll respond to a deal...' Cole thought.
"I'll make you guys a deal, it's obvious I don't belong here, so I'd like you to help me figure out how to get back to where I do belong. In exchange, I will introduce you to Paige, and help you get your daughter back. Deal?" Cole proposed.
"I'm in." Phoebe said immediately.
"Alright I'm in too. It will be nice to have the power of three back again." Piper agreed.
And so ends, another chapter in my crazy alternate world of Charmed.
To get another chapter, please review- I only act upon constructive criticism.
Peace out, and happy reading
A.B.