Chapter 2: 'Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive'

A/N: Sorry it's a bit short, longer next time…comments appreciated!

They worked in silence for several minutes, Phoebe diligently chopping the herbs according to Cole's Instructions, Cole stirring them into a giant pot, mixing in a few drops of Phoebe's blood, his eyes darting toward the door occasionally as if he were waiting for someone.

"Expecting company are we?" Phoebe asked. "You don't have to worry, the others won't be back for a while yet."

"It's not that" Cole glanced toward the door again "I didn't get chance to vanquish the guy who did it, he'll probably come back to finish the job."

"Vanquishing one of your fellow demons? That's not very sporting now is it?"

"Things change"

"How very philosophical of you"

"Don't be sarcastic Phoebe, it doesn't suit you."

"And being chivalrous, doesn't suit you, so what gives?"

"Finished" Cole declared, side stepping her question. He decanted a little of the potion into a tumbler. Leaning over the table he began to shake the little boy softly. "Come on superman, I need you to wake up for me"

"Huh?" the little boy opened his eyes slowly. "Where am I?"

"Don't talk big guy, just drink this for me"

"No, Daddy, I don't wanna,"

Daddy? Phoebe looked between Cole and the child and back again.

Cole could feel her eyes on him, but chose to ignore her." Please, just for me"

"You said...you said we could go and visit mummy"

"And we will, but I need you to drink this first"

"And then we can go see mummy?"

"And then we can go see mummy, just like I said"

"Promise?"

"Promise!"

"'kay"

The boy drank the crimson liquid slowly, screwing his face up at the bitter taste. He handed the empty tumbler back to his father. "Done"

"Do you feel better?"

"A little"

"Good. I just need you to take a little nap for me ok? It will make the medicine work better"

"But mummy..."

"Mummy will still be waiting; she's not going any where I promise."

"Alright" the Boy snuggled back down into the blankets and closed his eyes. Cole remained there, stroking his hair until the breathing became slower and slower and soon he had drifted back to sleep.

"He's your son?" It was a statement not a question.

"Yes" Cole replied simply, preparing himself for the barrage of questions that were bound to follow, and how best to answer them without giving too much away.

"Huh, you didn't waste much time then did you?"

"What?" Of all the opening lines he had expected, this was not one of them.

"Get kind of lonely in the wasteland did you? Needed someone to keep that cold heart of your's warm? Or is that you have a girl in every port? Or in your case, every spiritual plane?"

"You've really lost me"

"Come on Cole, don't play the innocent, I'm not deaf you know, or stupid, contrary to popular belief. I much doubt that he was an immaculate conception"

"I seriously don't know..."

"His mother" Phoebe enunciated each word "the woman who you were on your way to visit when you got ambushed by the demon, Look at him, he's Wyatts age, which means you soon got over loosing me, quick enough to get some bit of fluff, knocked up within months of our divorce."

"Oh" It suddenly dawned on Cole, Phoebe was jealous.

"Do you love her?"

"Who?" careful, careful, ice.very.thin.skating.on.

"You know who. The mother of your son"

"You don't want to know"

"Yes I do"

God she could be so stubborn on times, too stubborn for her own good.

"Yes" a look of sadness flashed across her face, and Cole hated himself for answering. This was not why he had come here. He had not wanted to upset her.

"More than me"

"Look Phoebe, I… "There was an underlying tone of pity in his voice. However this served to infuriate Phoebe more, how dare he? how dare he pity her? If he could move on with his life, find some other woman and have a child then, so could she! She would show him!

"Well for your information I have a new man in my life too and it's going great thank you very much" The desperate need to show Cole that she was perfectly happy in her life without him meant that the lies were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"Ha" Cole smirked, relieved to have momentarily moved the conversation away from him. "Does this poor sucker have a name?"

"Yes of course, and he's not a sucker, he's the love of my life, I've never felt this way about anyone before, not even you"

"Touché, but please, do enlighten me so I can pass on my condolences, that is if he is real of course"

"Alright! If you must know, his name is Robert Clune..happy now?"

Cole froze "you're lying"

"No I am not" Phoebe was indignant

"yes you are"

"No I am not" she repeated. There was no way on earth she would back down, and admit that she hadn't met the man yet, especially not in front of Cole of all people. Besides Chris had said himself that her and Robert were destined to be together, it was merely a technicality, a little white lie so to speak.

"you always were a terrible liar Phoebe"

"For god sakes Cole, why is it so hard for you to believe that I might actually have found another man to love apart from you? You found someone else evidently, so why not me"

A smile flickered across Coles face, disappearing as quickly as it came." Robert Clune" he said slowly "ROBERT Clune"

"Yes, Cole, well done! You can remember his name! now can we drop it?" Phoebe wanted to change the conversation before she got herself tangled into a web of lies that it would be difficult to escape from.

"No, not until I prove that you're making it up"

"OK then, if this is going to give you a little kick, why do you think I am making it up? What evidence could you possibly have?" Calling his bluff, was a gamble but it was all Phoebe had left.

The smile returned. "Oh Phoebe, this would be so much easier if you would just admit that you were wrong," He quoted.

"COLE!"

"Do you really want me to spell it out for you?"

"Yes, why don't you just do that?"

"Fine, I will" Cole looked around the kitchen for a piece of paper and a pen, any kind of writing implement. Finding none to be within reach he stalked over to the fridge and began rearranging the alphabet magnets. "Is this how you spell it? R-O-B-E-R-T -C-L-U-N-E"

"Yes" Phoebe was exasperated.

"And you really want to know, how I know this boyfriend of yours doesn't exist..."

"Yes Cole, if it will shut you up, I really really want to know"

Phoebe watched as her ex-husband took a step back from the fridge, flicked his hand and the alphabet letters quickly rearranged themselves, so that they were now reading something all together different:

"COLE B. TURNER"

He looked at her, pulling his face into a mock frown "dear me Phoebe, didn't Grams ever tell you that it's wrong to lie?"

TBC