The sound of the busy streets and the shuffling of people's feet on pavement filled Phoebe's ears as she walked out of her apartment building onto the busy avenues and boulevards of New York City. The thick city air filled her lungs as she rushed on her way to work. She had left San Francisco Three months ago to get away from the nagging and judgment of her two older sisters and grandma. Don't get her wrong she loved all three of them, but ever since she could remember Prue and her grandmother had tried to act in place of a mother she could barely remember. Piper being the older sister would usually back them up in whatever arguments took place between the trio and she felt suffocated. That's why when she hit her teens she started acting out, sleeping around, dressing provocatively, getting drunk, etc… The one thing she didn't do was ditch class even though she would pretend to, it was the only place she didn't feel constricted by her sisters. She didn't need a mother she needed a grams and older sisters. That's why she moved to New York to end the destructive tendencies she had started to get her family to listen and also to find herself not just be the less successful younger sister. She sighed as she stopped at the cafe where she waitressed to help pay her tuition as her family wouldn't help and steeled herself for another long day in the Big Apple.
On the other side of the city, Cole Turner sighed as he put aside another case file he had to take care of. He leaned back stretching to get the kinks that were lodged in his back from bending over the countless papers in the file. He looked at his watch and groaned.
"Only nine a.m., figures." He muttered to himself. Cole had been at the office since four in the morning working on this case. The Brotherhood of the Thorn had assigned him to this case as it involved one of the Source's best operatives besides himself. He despised the Source and the Brotherhood with all his being, including the demonic half, but for the sake of survival hid the disdain. He might be half demon, but he had no desire for harming innocents like others in the Underworld. The reason he started working for them is they threatened his father's soul which Cole's mother kept after she murdered him. At least in working for them Cole had secretly saved other half demons who faced a similar fate by helping them escape and hide in the mortal world.
His stomach rumbled breaking him out of his thoughts. He got up gathering his things he had court in three hours and he knew from experience it was never good to start a trial on an empty stomach. Once everything was ready to go he left his office and notified his secretary.
"Chelsea, I'm leaving and won't be in for the rest of the day due to a case. If anyone calls please take a message and leave it on my desk." He told the middle-aged woman while pressing the button for the elevator.
"Okay, Mr. Turner. Good luck on the case." she said.
"Thank you," He called as he entered the elevator. The doors closed and he leaned his head back against the wall listening to the elevator's annoyingly stereotypical music. After agonizingly long seconds the doors dinged signaling the arrival to the ground floor. Cole straightened up his posture exit the elevator and made his way to the parking garage. He found his car, a simple black Toyota Camry, and unlocked it putting the stuff for his case in the back seat of the vehicle. He then entered the car putting in his key and starting the ignition. He drove out of the garage heading to a cafe near the courthouse he heard some of his colleagues talking about.
Phoebe sighed as the breakfast rush continued to stream in a buzz of chatter filled the usually calm cafe. She headed over to her next table, there sat a lone tall, dark, and handsome man.
"Hello, I'm Phoebe and I'll be your server today," she greeted.
Cole looked at the woman in front of him, she was absolutely beautiful. He felt Belthazor stir inside of him recognizing his soulmate. He smiled at Phoebe gently taking in her appearance. She was petite with chocolate brown hair and eyes he could lose himself in.
"Hello," He greeted kindly.
"What would you like to order today?" She responded.
Cole glanced at his menu having trouble deciding what to order. He looked back up at her establishing eye contact. Phoebe's breath caught in her throat there was something about this man that drew her to him and she wasn't sure what, but she was determined to find out.
"What would you recommend?" He asked with a charming smile.
"Well, the English Breakfast Platter is our most popular," Phoebe replied with a smile of her own. "But I prefer the simple Pancake and Eggs Platter, which comes with three pancakes and two eggs, with Bacon."
"I'll take the Pancake and Eggs Platter then," Cole smiled,
"And what would you like to drink?" She enquired.
"Just plain coffee." He said.
"I'll be right on that," Phoebe jotted down the order and walked away not knowing that the wheels of destiny had changed. In the original timeline, their meeting would have taken place a lot later and any relationship between them was doomed from the start, but the angel of love would not be denied and brought them together with her blessing. The Elders could stuff it for all she cared they wouldn't find out until it was too late.