((A/n: Thanks for the reviews again, spesh you Kelly, it was so spontanious) ))
((Disclaimer: I do not own any of the charmed characters!))
Chapter 12 – Imperfect Proposal
It was a month later at the Halliwell Manor, Paige was getting through the first months of her pregnancy pretty well with the help of Henry and her sisters. Phoebe and Luke were very busy with organising their wedding. It was now a month ago that Cole had disappeared and Paige was starting to get worried about him, Not letting hear anything from himself for about a months was just not like him. Paige walked towards the window she hadn't told Henry about what had happened between her and Cole and she kept feeling sorry, but if she felt sorry because she didn't tell Henry or that she felt sorry because she pulled back when she and Cole had kissed she didn't know. Paige let out a small sigh, she was in trouble, she was in love with two guys and she couldn't make a choice. Paige's eye caught Piper's SUV which pulled up outside, she smiled slightly to herself and she let her hand run down the curtain. Maybe she just had to tell henry, if she wanted a future with him then she had to be honest. Suddenly she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder and she spun around.
Paige gasped slightly when she saw Cole standing in front of her, bags forming under his eyes and his clothes messed up, ''Cole!'' she said. Cole looked at her, ''Paige, you have to - my..''Paige interrupted him, '"Calm down hunny, What's going on?'' she asked worriedly. ''My half-brother, he's going to attack you three in about four days.'' Cole explained breathing deeply. Paige put her hand on his shoulder, ''I'm taking you to your house.'' She said. Cole looked at her, but he didn't argue, he felt too tired. He closed his eyes as he felt Paige orbing out with him. A few seconds later she orbed with him into his bedroom, Paige pushed him down on the bed gently, ''Just sit down, explain what happened.'' Cole looked up at her and smiled weakly, he had missed Paige in the month he was held captive in the Underworld, ''My brother, he knocked me unconsious with an energyball, the morning after that engagement party.'' He said as he watched how Paige took his jacket off. ''Your brother?'' she asked slightly surprised. Cole nodded, ''Half-brother, my mother had an affair with another mortal and she got pregnant from him.'' He replied. Paige took his loose hanging tie off, ''What did you say about him going to attack us?'' she asked. ''He..'' cole coughed slightly, ''He us planning on attacking you and your sisters in four days.'' ''And he's your brother so he's just as strong as you?'' she questioned. Cole nodded, slightly surprised about how quick Paige figured things out,''If not stronger.'' He answered. Paige sighed slightly, ''Well, I'll tell Pheebs and Piper about it later, but right now you need to rest.'' She said.
Cole nodded and laid back, ''Thanks Paige.'' She smiled at him, ''No problem Cole, do you want anything else?'' she asked, but Cole shook his head and closed his eyes, was it possible to feel so deep for someone who didn't even return his love? Cole knew the answer on that was yes, although he didn't know about the feelings that Paige secretly had for him. He let out a heavy sigh and Paige looked at him, ''Are you okay sweety?'' she asked as she sat down on the bed carefully. ''Hmm, yeah.'' Cole replied, he moved slightly. Paige lifted her hand up a bit, she kept looking at him and she ran her finger down his chest. A smile played on Cole's lips, ''Paige..'' He mumbled. She moved closer to him, deep inside she knew that what she wanted would be cheating, but she wanted to follow her heart, not her common sense, ''I want you Cole.'' She whispered. Cole opened his eyes, ''What?'' he said looking into her eyes. ''I want you.'' Paige repeated quietly as she kissed him. Cole smiled slightly and kissed back moving his hand to the back of her neck. Paige deepened the kiss and started to unbutton his shirt, he returned the kiss and pulled her on top of himself gently. Paige took Cole's shirt of and moved her hand to his chest as Cole's moved his to Paige's waist. He wasn't sure if Paige was really having feelings for him or if she was just messing with his head, but at the moment he couldn't think properly, he just wanted to go along with his feelings. He watched as Paige took her top off, Cole smiled slightly and ran his finger down her arm. A shiver spread throughout Paige's body and she lowered her lips back to his. She didn't want to admit it, but Cole was definitely a great kisser.
Henry moved his phone to his left ear and his fingers played with the small box, ''When do you think she's coming back?'' he said to the phone. (…) ''Okay, thank you Piper.'' (…) ''Yes, okay, bye.'' (…) Henry smiled slightly and hung up. He closed the little box and pushed himself up from the couch. He couldn't believe he was actually going to do this, but it was for the best, Paige was pregnant from him and he loved her, so why not ask her if she wanted to marry him? Henry walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge he grabbed a bottle of water and screwed the top of the bottle whilst closing the fridge with his foot. He laughed slightly as he heard Paige's voice in his head, telling him not to forget to put the top back on the bottle. Henry took a sip from his water, Paige was definitely the girl he could see himself being married with. However, he didn't know about what was going on at that same moment in Cole's penthouse.
Cole moved off Paige breathing deeply, he pulled the covers up slightly and looked at the ceiling, ''That-was..'' ''Amazing.'' Paige finished his sentence, she laughed slightly and looked at him. Cole smiled and looked back at her, ''Yeah it was.'' He replied as he moved a strand of her dark hair out of her face.'' She nodded slightly and moved closer to him as he put his arm around her. Cole looked back at the ceiling, ''Are you okay?'' he asked carefully, he didn't want to give her a guilt feeling after this, of course he knew it was wrong, but on the other hand it had felt really good and it still felt good. Paige let out a small sigh and rested her head onto Cole's bare chest, ''Yeah, I am.'' She replied and she smiled slightly as she heard the sound of Cole's heart pounding fastly. Cole stroked her back gently and he closed his eyes, being here with Paige like this was all what he had wanted, he had just wanted to feel this again, the love and the passion. He couldn't imagine that he had been happy in the Underworld, more than a century without love, yes he had slept with some, or actually a lot of female demons, but that mostly was because they wanted to form a strong couple with him, they had always been after his power. Cole's thoughts drifted off, his first time with Phoebe had been great, it was an amazing experience for a demon to feel loved.
'Don't think of Phoebe now Cole.' He thought to himself, 'It is something from the past, you're with Paige now.' But he wasn't a 100 sure of that either, what if it was just a one night stand? Maybe she had just slept with him because she had felt sorry for him, Cole didn't want sympathy. He moved slightly and looked at the top of Paige's head, he wanted to know, but he couldn't ask her he knew that it would ruin the moment so he kept his mouth shut. He felt Paige breathing deeply and he figured that she must had fallen asleep, ''Paige?'' he said quietly. Paige moved slightly but she didn't asnwer. 'Yes, asleep.' Cole thought and he let out a quiet laugh, 'And then women complain about guys falling asleep after having sex.' He closed his eyes again and pulled Paige slightly closer into his embrace, he didn't want to fall asleep yet, but he was really tired and in the end he gave in as he let the sleep taking over.
The next morning Paige woke up early, she moved slightly and she looked around the room trying to remember where she was, this didn't look like her own or Henry's bedroom at all. Then it all came back, she was in Cole's bedroom and she had slept with him, a feeling of confusion and guilt hit her, why had she done it? What possibly made her so stupid to cheat on Henry? She sat up slightly and looked at Cole and the feeling of guilt disappeared again, he looked so cute asleep, so innocent. 'No paige, you're with Henry and what you did last night was wrong, very wrong.' She thought. Paige let out a quiet moan and sighed, why did everything have to be so confusing? She got up quietly, wrapping one of the sheets around herself. She saw that her clothes were scattered throughout the room and she started to collect them, 'Damn it where's my bra?' she thought and she looked under the bed, nothing there. She decided to look for that later and she got dressed quickly. She wanted to be out of here before Cole woke up, not that it was likely he would wake up soon, she was sure that he was worn out after that month and then last night.. Paige put the sheet down on the bed and she made her way to the livingroom, she picked a note and a pen up from Cole's desk and left him a quick message, then she orbed out, leaving only her bra under one of the pillows on Cole's bed.
Paige orbed into her bedroom, she let herself fall down on the bed. How could she have been so stupid? Why did she sleep with Cole, she had Henry. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes, this was getting too confusing. Cole was, according to paige, better in bed, but she was carrying Henry's baby and it was Henry she was having a relationship with. She couldn't end that just because Cole was better in bed could she? She let out a sigh and stood up, she made her way into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. Her hair was hanging loose and the curls were almost gone and her make-up was messed up, paige let out a sigh of relief, she was happy that she didn't orb into the livingroom looking like that, what if one of her sisters would have been there? She turned the taps on and splashed some cold water in her face to remove the make-up and then she picked up a clip and put it in her hair, ''Much better.'' She murmered as she looked into the mirror again.
Downstairs the doorbell rang, Piper made her way to the front door and answered it, she smiled, ''Hey Henry, I think she just got home from a charge.'' Henry smiled back, ''Hi, thanks Piper.'' Piper stepped away from the door, ''Good luck by the way.'' She said. Henry walked in and closed the door behind himself, ''Thank you.'' He replied and he looked at the stairs, ''Should I just go upstairs?'' he asked a little nervous. Piper nodded, ''Yeah, go ahead.'' Henry nodded and made his way upstairs, Piper watched him and a smile played on her lips when she couldn't see Henry anymore she walked back into the kitchen. Henry reached Paige's bedroom door and he took a deep breath before he knocked, he straightened his clothes and knocked softly on the door. ''Yeah?'' paige's voice said. Henry smiled slightly, ''Can I come in hunny?'' he asked. The door opened and Paige looked at him a little surprised, ''Henry, what are you doing here so early?" she asked. Henry smiled and kissed her cheek, ''Surprise.'' He replied. Paige smiled weakly and let him in, ''Why are you here?'' she said as she walked to her bed. Henry walked into her bedroom and closed the door, ''I need to ask you something.'' He answered and he walked closer to her. ''Okay, go ahead.'' Paige said. Henry smiled nervously and took the small box out of his pocket, ''I know that we haven't been together for that long, but I'm sure that we can make it as a couple, I've been thinking about this for a while and I love you more than anything so Paige..'' Henry got down on one knee and opened the box to paige, ''Will you marry me?''
Paige looked at Henry in shock, it was a ring, he was asking her to marry him, but she had cheated. Her eyes filled with tears, ''Henry I'm sorry..I can't.'' She managed to get out and she brushed past him and ran downstairs tears running down her cheeks. Piper walked into the hallway from the kitchen, ''Paige congr..hunny what's wrong?'' she asked surprised. Paige shook her head and grabbed her coat, she opened the door and ran out, not bothering to close the door again. Piper stood in the hallway as if she had frozen herself, why had her baby-sister ran out on a proposal? She looked up as she heard Henry coming downstairs, he looked disappointed and confused, ''Hunny..'' piper started. ''What's wrong with her? What happened? I thought she loved me.'' Henry said. ''She does Henry, I'm sure she does, I don't know what happened.'' Piper replied. Henry sighed and closed the little box, he was sure that Paige would've said yes, ''Something must have happened.'' He said. Piper nodded slightly, ''I'll go after her, you just wait here.'' She said as she took her jacket from the coat rack. Henry nodded in agreement, ''Okay.'' He replied. Piper looked at him, ''It will be okay, don't worry.'' She said and she left the Manor. Henry smiled weakly and walked into the livingroom he sat down on the couch and played with the box he was still holding, he didn't understand why Paige didn't want to marry him, maybe something had happened to Cole, she was pretty worried about him after all, he hadn't let anything heard from himself since a month. He looked down at the floor at the same moment Cole shimmered into the livingroom, holding Paige's bra.
He spotted Henry and quickly hid it behind his back as Henry looked up, ''Cole, what are you doing here, where were you? They were all worried about you.'' Henry said as he got up. Cole shuffled his feet slightly, ''I..erm – I was held captive in the Underworld, but I'm fine now.'' He replied. Henry nodded, ''Do Paige and her sisters know that you're back?'' he asked as he put the box with the ring in his pocket. ''Kind of..Paige knows.'' He replied. '''How?'' Henry questioned. ''Well, I called her.'' Cole lied as he looked at the window. Henry spotted Paige's bra behind Cole's back and recognized it as Paige's, ''Cole, why are you holding that?'' he asked as he started to understand what was going on. Cole looked at Henry innocently, ''Holding what?'' he asked. Henry nodded towards the bra and Cole looked at it, ''Oh this? Well, I don't know it was in my house and I thought it was from one of the sisters.'' He said. Henry looked at Cole in unbelieve, he was lying, Cole had slept with Paige that was why she couldn't say yes to his proposal, ''Oh let me guess, from Paige?'' ''Erm..'' Cole said. ''How dare you doing this, she's in a realtionship!'' henry called out angrily. Cole held up his hands innocently, ''She wanted me, okay I kissed her once, but I apologised for that.'' He said, he knew that wasn't true he wanted Paige as well, probably more than she had wanted him but he didn't feel like end up fighting with Paige's boyfriend, he watched as Henry came closer and he took a step back.
Piper walked towards the bench Paige sat down on, ''Paige hunny.'' She said as she sat down next to her baby-sister, ''What's wrong?" she looked at her. Paige looked up and wiped her tears away, ''I've done something very wrong.'' She sobbed quietly. Piper moved some of her hair out of her face, ''What have you done then?'' Piper asked worriedly. Paige bit her lower lip slightly, ''Promise you won't give me a lecture please.'' She said. Piper nodded slowly in agreement, ''Okay, I won't.'' She promised. Paige looked at her hands in her lap, ''I slept with Cole last night.'' She said quickly and she let out a sigh, it felt good to share it with someone. ''Paige..you what?'' Piper asked in shock, ''But you're with Henry, Cole is Phoebe's ex-husband.'' She said ''Like I don't know that Piper, you promised me to save your lecture.'' Paige replied not looking at Piper. Piper looked at Paige, ''Sorry Paige, but why did you do it? You're with henry.'' ''I know, I don't know, I think I'm in love with Cole.'' Paige said quietly. Piper sighed slightly and put her hand on Paige's, she didn't really know what to say, ''Hunny, it will be okay, come back home you have to tell Henry.'' She said, but Paige shook her head, ''I can't, I don't want to hurt him.'' Paige replied and she looked up at Piper, she hoped that her oldest sister could figure something out, of course she knew that it was her own fault but she didn't know what to do anymore. Piper got up, ''I'm sorry Paige, but I think you'll have to tell him, if you want to stay in this relationship I think it's best if you're honest and tell him that it was a mistake.'' Piper said. Paige looked up at her, ''I don't know if it was, I can't choose between them Piper, I made such a mess.'' She replied. Piper shook her head and held her hand out to Paige, ''It will be fine Sweety, trust me.'' She said as Paige took her hand and got up.
A 15 minutes later Paige and Piper walked into the Manor, the sound of a picture frame falling onto the floor was heard and then a loud crash. Piper and Paige exchanged looks annd runned to the livingroom, they found Cole and Henry beating each other up and Henry had Cole pushed against the wall ready to punch him again, ''Henry don't!'' Paige called out she hurried over to him, but Henry didn't listen to her and punched Cole in his face. ''Henry stop it!'' Paige grabbed Henry's arms and pulled him away from Cole. Cole held his nose which was bleeding badly and he looked at Henry, he wanted to hurt him, but Piper put her hand on his chest, ''Don't Cole, Don't be stupid.'' She said. ''He started.'' Cole said angrily. Henry shrugged Paige off, ''You slept with Paige.'' He said. Paige put her hand on his arm, ''Henry please..'' she begged. Henry shook his head and turned to Paige, ''Have you got what you wanted? I thought you were against cheating, but I know better now.'' He took the velvet box out of his pocket and threw it at Paige's feet, ''It's over.'' He said. ''But Henry I'm pregnant..'' she said trying to fight her tears back, this was a whole other side of Henry and she hadn't seen him this angry before. ''You didn't care about that when you slept with him did you.'' He replied and he stormed out. ''Henry..'' Paige said, but she was too late already Henry had slammed the front door shut behind himself. Paige looked at the floor, she didn't want to look at Cole or Piper. Cole was the first one to talk, ''I erm..I've found your bra.'' He said. Paige's head snapped up and she gave him an angry look, ''Is that all you can say?'' she asked in unbelieve, she walked towards him and grabbed her bra, ''Why are you so stupid to shimmer into the Manor like that with it?'' ''I don't know, I didn't think really.'' He replied. ''Well maybe it's time that you start doing that then!'' Paige said and she stormed upstairs.
Piper looked at Cole, he smiled slightly, his bruises and cuts had self-healed except for his black eye, ''Don't blow me up please.'' He said trying to lift her mood. Piper shook her head, ''Why did you do it Cole?'' she asked. Cole shrugged slightly, ''He started hitting, I couldn't just let him do that.'' He replied. Piper rolled her eyes, ''I mean why did you sleep with Paige?'' Cole looked at Piper, he had slept with Paige because he was in love with her, but he wasn't sure if he could tell that to Piper. ''Because..'' he started, he decided it was for the best if he just told the truth, ''Because I've fallen in love with her.'' He said. Piper let out a sigh, ''Look Cole, you've already hurt her, leave her alone.'' She demanded. Cole looked back at her, ''But she..'' he said, Piper interrupted him, ''She loves Henry and she's still got a chance to make up with him so please leave.'' ''Fine.'' Cole said, but he only said it to keep Piper satisfied, he was not going to give up. He straightened his tie and shimmered out.
((quite proud, I've finished chapter 12! I'd never thought I would come this far without getting bored, neways, I know there are some grammar faults in it (or however u say that) but i got distracted and couldn't find 'em back so sorry for that.. I'm going to start chapter 13 now and sorry for the ppl who wanted Paige to stay with Henry, but i think that writing her to get together with cole is a bit more of a challenge.. Xxxxxxxx - sas))
