Disclaimer: If I owned the show Cole would still be on it, and he would be with Phoebe. But I don't, so boo hoo for me.
Summary: See chapter #1
Author's notes:
Refresher: Began this story based on some events in Centennial Charmed, as a way to bring Cole back from the dead.
"" Dialogue, '' thoughts
C.O.S.: Change Of Scenery
Italics: Letter/email
Chapter #9: Lessons Learned- Our Universe
Phoebe woke up the next morning, and gazed at the picture on her dresser. As she got dressed for work she uttered the same question with which she had fallen asleep: What happened between us? The answer was of course that she and Cole had drifted apart. The question followed: How had the drifted apart? That one was one that was harder to answer.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized that he wasn't the only one that allowed that to happen. Sure, he lied to her, lied to her sisters. He manipulated her at every turn and did harm to her family. But… She still found that she loved him, that she wanted him in her life more than anything. Wanted him so badly, that when he went wrong, when he did those unthinkable things to her, and her sisters, and regretted them afterwards she forgave him. Not only did she forgive him, but also she tried to change him into the man that would conform. If that meant giving up his powers, because he loved her he would do that.
And that! That was the problem. Cole without his powers was half a person. He was vulnerable not only to wounds of the physical kind, but to temptation and manipulation. The realization dawned on her that she had denied him part of himself, and that whatever actions he took afterwards, he was only trying to get that back. She continued with train of thought and realized that: he never felt good enough for her after his powers were taken away, no matter how much she reassured him that she loved him it was never enough. And so, they drifted apart. After taking one last glance in the mirror to make sure her makeup and outfit were perfect she took a last brief glance at the picture:
"What have I done?" She muttered out loud. Phoebe put on a happy face and mad her way downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast. As she neared the bottom of the stairs she took a deep breath:
"Yummy, I smell pancakes." Phoebe called out. She walked into the kitchen:
"You must have been up early." She remarked to Piper.
"I couldn't sleep very well. His child (she pointed to Leo) has been taking great pleasure in using its mother's kidneys as soccer balls." Piper responded. Leo came up behind her, and put a protective hand on belly and said:
"Okay little one, I told you that mommy's organs are not to be used as soccer balls. If you stop now, I promise you I will buy you your very own soccer ball." Leo told the baby. Before he could take his hand away the baby gave one last good kick.
"Bribery is such a wonderful way to raise a child." Piper commented sarcastically. Phoebe piled a plate high with pancakes and took her place at the table and began to eat, the conversation taking place around her.
"I'm going to teach Cole to shimmer today. He already knows a little bit about it so it shouldn't take that long." Leo said.
"Okay, but only in the house. I'm going to the club this morning, and then we have a doctors appointment at 2 pm." Piper reminded.
"Don't worry I haven't forgotten." Leo answered. Paige walked into the room:
"Good Morning mi familia, is everyone ready for another day of fighting evil?" Paige greeted, as she grabbed some pancakes and sat down.
"You seem rather cheerful this morning. Here's some coffee." Piper poured a cup for her sister. Paige took one sniff and noticed a difference, it was decaf: "Real coffee." She whispered, and the other coffee pot appeared in her hand. She took a sip and smiled:
" I am in a good mood, because I have a new placement this morning. I have a feeling it's destiny."
" Well good for you Paige." Leo said encouragingly. Phoebe meanwhile had finished her breakfast and rose:
"I have to get to work. Good luck with your placement Paige." Phoebe said, and walked out of the room, grabbing her briefcase off the hall table and left the house.
C.O.S: Newspaper.
Phoebe got to work late, and just as she walked in, the morning staff meeting was letting out.
"I know what the traffic was like on the way, so I'll give you a break. Get to work on that column though." Alyise said, noticing her making a beeline to her office.
"Thank you. And I will." Phoebe promised. She walked on into her office and set the briefcase on her desk. She looked at the mounting letters on it, and picked one out of the file and leaned back in her plush chair and began to read:
"Dear Phoebe,
My long-term boyfriend is a junior partner in a law firm here in the city.
There is a spot open for a senior partner in New York, and his name is up for it.
He wants it, and is so excited when he talks about it. He would be good at it I know that.
But I'm afraid that once in New York he will be too successful that he won't have time for me.
I don't know that I want him to take it, but if I discourage him it would be like denying a part of himself.
What should I do?
-Confused
Noticing the parallel to her own life Phoebe turned on the computer and began composing a reply:
"Dear Confused,
Talk to him about your doubts and fears regarding this.
Trust that your relationship is strong enough to survive whatever pressures this new position throws at you.
When he says that he loves you, trust him that he does, that he will always have time for you.
Whatever you do, do not discourage him from taking the position because that will be a sure way to lose him.
Remember: You'll be in New York! The shopping capital of North America.
C.O.S: Placement Agency
Paige approached the front desk and waited to be noticed. A few moments later her placement agent came up to her:
"Matthews. Today I want you at a daycare center out in the suburbs. It may end up being for a few days, but that is based on your performance today."
"Okay." Paige responded. She glanced down at the piece of paper that had the address written on it, and saw that it was near where she grew up. She made her way to her car, and drove up to the daycare center. 15 minutes later she pulled up in front of a rundown building. She looked up and noticed the hole in the roof, as she walked up to the double doors, and noted how one swung off its hinges. She entered the building to the sound of noisy children, and waited quietly until approached.
"Oh, thank god you're here. I thought the agency had forgotten about us. I'm Anna" A young black woman detached herself from the chaos around her stepped forward with a crying baby in her arms.
"I want to take them outside to a playground for a while. You can help me supervise." Anna instructed.
"Alright, and it's nice to meet you Anna. My name's Paige." Paige introduced herself. And then in a louder voice:
OKAY, ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO GO TO THE PLAYGROUND, LINE UP QUIETLY IN FRONT OF ME." The only sound for the next few minutes was that of pounding feet as all the children lined up eager to go outside.
Anna led the way out the door and down a tree-lined street towards a park at the edge of a wide meadow. The children spread out, some running up to the swings, others climbing on the climbers. Anna sat down on a bench and put on her sunglasses preparing to enjoy the day.
Following her lead, Paige headed to a bench under a tree on a hilltop where she could see everything. She was able to see the kids as they played from her angle, was able to make sure they all played nicely with one another. And true to form, the children, knowing they were being watched behaved perfectly. So she allowed her gaze to wander and noticed that two kids were playing quietly together in corner far away from the rest. Paige approached them, and crouched down to their level:
"Hi, my name's Paige. What are yours?" She asked. Twin pairs of blue eyes greeted her:
"Amelia, and this is my little brother Alexander." Amelia responded.
"What are you guys doing playing over here by yourselves?" Paige asked. The kids gulped.
"The-the other kids make fun of us because we have no daddy." Alexander supplied.
"Well that's not very nice." Paige responded. She paused as she noticed two spare swings on the swing set.
"Do you guys like the swings?"
"Yes." The two answer in unison.
"Okay, I'm going to take you over there and the three of us are going to play on the swings." Paige straightened up and took both their hands, and led them to the swing set. She placed the two of them on swings and began to push them gently. They seemed so sad, so lonely. 'They must have one hell of a childhood.' Paige thought to herself.
"So where do you two live?" She asked making small talk.
"With our grandmother. Our mommy visits us sometimes, but she doesn't live with us." Alexander told her.
"Oh, that's sad. I'm sure she loves you though." Paige replied. She made a mental note to ask Anna about their story later. Paige continued pushing them on the swings in silence.
"We want to go on the slide now." Amelia told Paige. Paige gently stopped both swings, and the kids hopped off and went over to the slide. Paige walked up and sat down beside Anna.
"You got those two out of their tree hideaway." Anna remarked smiling.
"Yeah, they wanted to go on the swings." Paige replied smiling. She let her gaze wandered over the kids again trying to figure out how to best approach her next topic. Anna looked at her watch and noticed the time. She climbed up onto the bench:
"It's time to go back to the daycare center and have lunch. Everybody buddy up." She called. Everybody lined up at where she stood on the bench. The group walked in silence. Once back, the children seated themselves in a circle on the floor while Anna and Paige went into a staff room and brought out a tray of Peanut Butter and Jam sandwiches.
"Don't worry about peanut allergies, they aren't allergic." Anna informed Paige.
"Good to know." Paige responded as she got out an assortment of orange and apple juice boxes. Each child got one. The children ate hungrily, and finished quickly. After cleaning up, Anna read them a story, by the end of which yawns were being heard.
"I'll take the younger children into their napping room, and you stay here. The older ones will colour and draw pictures." Anna told her, gently corralling the toddlers of the group.
The children sat around the low tables some with colouring books, others with white sheets of paper. Paige made her way around the classroom, checking on the drawings. 'Some of these kinds have real imagination.' She thought to herself, as she viewed drawings of a fierce green dragon, with flames, other kids drew pictures of their families, and some others drew drawings of princesses. Paige felt a tugging on her jacket, and looked down to be met by a blue-eyed gaze.
"Hi Amelia. What would you like?" Paige asked the little girl.
"I drew you a picture." Amelia led Paige to where she was sitting, and picked up the picture and gave it to Paige. Paige looked at it, and saw the drawing of the park, with the trees. Paige looked at it up closer and saw a stick figure with dark hair in the trees, with the word scrawled below it: Mommy.
"Thank you Amelia." Paige finally replied smiling. She walked away and took a closer look at the picture. The woman was oddly familiar to her, but Paige couldn't place it.
"Do you mind if I keep it?" She asked the little girl.
"Yes." Amelia replied.
"Thank you." Paige slipped the picture in her bag that she'd brought with her. She suddenly had a strong feeling that the two children with the bewitching blue eyes were the reason she was there. The rest of the day passed without event, it wasn't until the last child had been picked up that Paige finally had a chance to talk to Anna.
"Amelia and Alex are cute kids." Paige remarked.
"Yeah, they are. It's amazing they're so well-adjusted with their situation at home." Anna replied. Paige spotted her opportunity:
"What's their situation at home like?"
"Their dad just got up one morning, went to work and never came back. Their mom repeatedly insisted that he would come back, but the weeks stretched into months. About a month after he left the mother realized she was pregnant with Alexander. That's when she really became desperate. Her behavior became erratic, and moody, she would drop Amelia off at her mother's house and disappeared for days on end. After she gave birth, her mother spoke to her, convinced her to stay and raise the children. It worked, and their mom stayed put for a few years. But it started to happen again a few months ago. Their mom would go away at first for only a period of a few days. Her mother finally decided to file for custody of the children, and only recently succeeded. But their mother still has visitation rights." Anna explained.
"What's their mother's name?" Paige asked.
"Arianna. Arianna Huffington." Anna answered. Paige paused for a moment, shocked.
"I should probably head home. Would you like a ride anywhere?" Paige asked.
"No, I just live down the street. Thank you though." Anna responded. Paige made her way to her car and drove home. She arrived home, a connection between the children's mother and the Cole situation beginning to form.
"Piper!" Paige called out as she went through the door. Leo appeared:
"She's sleeping." He told her.
"Oh. Maybe you can help me instead. What was the name of the female demon we found at the house the other day?" Paige asked.
"She called herself: Arianna Matheny Huffington. Why?" Leo asked.
The connection crystallized at once in Paige's head.
To be continued…
Up Next: A journey into the other realm.
Happy Reading
-A.B.