Note: Sorry this took a while to get out. Mostly the issue with this chapter was that I had no idea how I wanted the apartment scene to play out. I wrote Cole and Liz being angry and argumentative, happy and jumping right into bed, sad and avoiding issues, cute and teasing, until finally I wrote what I ended up being happy with.

Chapter 3

Halliwell Manor

Once Liz and Cole shimmered from the manor Prue turned to Phoebe who deflated a bit with their departure. "Things aren't better?"

Leo and Chris, realizing that this was a conversation for the sisters backed out of the room quietly. If they needed them they'd call.

Phoebe shook her head. "No. It's so hard Prue. Cole and I have been through so much. First he was a demon, then he was a demon who was trying to be good but it was getting to be so hard for him and for us." She rubbed her forehead, her sisters knew all this but it helped her to say it all out loud. "When he became completely human our relationship was at its best. Even though we've been engaged for three and half years our love was always there, we had obstacles that stalled the marriage plans but the love got us through."

"And now?" Piper asked.

"Now, he's a demon again. Cole loves that he has powers and is back to what he was but I'm frightened of what might happen. To us, to him…to our relationship. We're already arguing so much because of this." She and her sisters sat down on the couch.

"He's been a demon for the last six months Phoebe. So far there hasn't been anything to indicate that he's evil or going to become evil again." Piper pointed out. She understood Phoebe's concern but clearly Cole wasn't a danger. There would have been some kind of sign in the last few months.

"It doesn't change the fact that he's a demon again. I love Cole, I do, but I don't love Balthazar." Phoebe lowered her eyes so as not to see her sister's expressions. She knew what they were thinking. She'd been thinking it too.

"Sweetie—" Prue started.

Phoebe raised her gaze then. "I know. I should love Cole completely, his human half and his demon half. But I don't…or I can't."

"We understand honey." Piper held Phoebe close, giving her comfort. "If you don't love the demon side, then you don't. But is that fair to Cole or you?"

"It's not just the demon thing anymore though. We don't talk. I ask him about his day and he says 'fine'. I can't tell you how many times I go to sleep and he's not there, I wake up and he's not there. The only time he touches me now is when I initiate it and even then it's nothing more than a quick peck on the lips or cheek or a barely there hug. I don't know what to do anymore."

Prue stared at Phoebe closely, analyzing every nuance of her expression. "Is there something else Pheebs?" She asked softly.

Phoebe played with her fingers. "I think Cole is seeing someone else." She whispered as tears started rolling down her cheeks. Saying it out loud, to her sisters, made the statement so much more powerful. It made it real.

Liz's Apartment

For a few moments after shimmering in neither Liz nor Cole said anything. The two just stood in her living room holding each other, reacquainting themselves with the other, and assuring themselves both were ok after their warlock battle.

"Are you ok?" Cole finally asked.

His warm breath fanned against her hair and a small smirk hitched on her lips. "Yea, I'm fine. The warlock didn't even get near me."

Cole shook his head negatively. "No, not that. I know you're ok from that. I kept my eyes on you practically the whole time." He admitted. "I mean today, as you were leaving work there was something in your eyes, like you were sad."

"Oh, that." She took a deep breath, leaning back slightly to look up at him. "Yea, I guess a little."

"Why?" Cole caressed her upper arms, continuing to cradle her in his embrace, giving her the right amount of comfort she needed. "Is everything all right?"

She could tell him the truth about everything weighing on her mind; it mostly involved him and their affair. How long could it continue? Did Cole feel something for her besides lust? Would they tell Phoebe or just let the affair die quietly? She could start asking him all those questions and more that zoomed through her head on a regular basis but she didn't think she was ready to delve into that yet. She wasn't ready for the answers he might give. She wasn't ready for this to end.

So instead of telling Cole what weighed most on her mind, she told him her second most concern. "Everything's ok. I just got an e-mail from Alex; he's been a little heartbroken lately. With Isabel getting married next month to Jesse and having his two best friends in San Francisco while he's dealing with that…it's been kind of hard on him."

Alex had been in love with Isabel for years. The two also dated for nearly a year during his junior year and Isabel's senior year. They continued to date a bit into his senior year but Isabel broke up with him a couple months into her freshmen year of college. Alex was crushed.

Although it became a bit awkward, especially at alien meetings, the two remained friendly with each other and tried to keep their relationship, or lack thereof, away from the group as much as possible. She knew Alex had been hoping to get back together with Isabel, he even asked once if that was a possibility. Isabel, thankfully, hadn't strung Alex along and told him that she didn't see that happening for a while, if ever.

Now Alex didn't stay home and mope over Isabel but it was clear he wasn't seriously dating. Then a year and a half ago Isabel met and fell in love with Jesse Ramirez. It was a whirlwind romance that had Isabel and Jesse engaged after six months and planning a wedding that would take place next month.

Cole took her hand and led her to the couch. "I know you got an invitation to the wedding, are you planning on going?"

Liz put her legs over Cole's and he draped one arm over her legs cupping her thigh and the other curled around her back. "I don't know. Yes, Isabel is my friend but Alex is my best friend. I'm kind of leaning towards going if Alex goes to give him support, but if he doesn't want to go then having him, Maria, and I have a fun night out. Maybe take him to P3 and try to keep his mind off it."

"I'm sure he'd like that." Cole pushed a brunette lock of hair behind her right ear. "When is he coming here?"

"In two weeks. The band scheduled a few gigs in Roswell, Seattle, Portland, and a few down in L.A., then after that he's free for a few weeks." She smiled widely at Cole happy that Alex was going to be coming to San Francisco and staying with her while he visited. They had managed to see each other a few times a year over her five years away from Roswell.

The two were silent for a few moments and then Cole asked. "Who's the guy?"

Liz didn't try to play dumb; she knew which guy he was asking about. "It's really no one Cole, just someone who has asked me out once or twice at the office."

Cole cupped the back of her neck and gently played with the fine baby hairs back there. "When I find out who he is I'm firing him." He said it in a teasing way but with a hint of seriousness that made Liz question whether he would or not.

Instead of getting angry or indignant she laughed lowly. "Trust me Cole." Liz lifted her body onto his lap fully. "There is only one man at the office that I want." She leaned in whispering softly. "There is only one man that I wore this outfit for." She bit his ear as Cole slid his hand up her skirt. "And there is only one man that I've given blow jobs under the desk to."

With a gleam in his eyes and a sexy growl Cole attacked her mouth with wild abandon. Hungry for more Liz met his voraciousness happily.

Kissing down her neck Cole lifted her from his lap and laid her down on the couch and covered her body with his. They made out heavily for several minutes when Cole pulled back. "Allow me to return the favor." His voice husky with desire as he moved down her body with a wicked smirk that told her exactly what was to come.

The Halliwell Manor

After a few minutes of crying Phoebe wiped her eyes with the tissues Prue gave her.

"Honey, are you sure?" Piper asked from beside Phoebe. Cole wouldn't cheat on Phoebe, he loved her.

Prue held her youngest sisters hand tightly. "What makes you think he is Pheebs?"

Sniffling Phoebe began to go through the little things that she's noticed. "At first it was Cole not being around. But there was a reason for that; we were fighting about the demon issue. Then I started noticing he was taking about ten more minutes every morning to get ready."

Piper paused for a moment. "Is that some kind code for he was spending more private personal time in the shower?"

Phoebe laughed sarcastically. "No, not that. If he was doing that in the shower with that kind of frequency that would be something I could fix with no problem." She told them with confidence.

"Noted." Prue chuckled.

"What I meant was his usual routine of showering, dressing, combing his hair, shaving, and brushing his teeth all took up to about an hour in the morning. Now he's taking longer to pick out which suit he's going to wear. Which tie it's going to be." Leaning back in the chair she continued. "You know the cufflinks that Dad gave him, with C.T. engraved on them, welcoming him to the family."

"Of course. Dad gave Leo a set too. His obviously with L.W." Piper told the girls.

"Cole doesn't wear them anymore. He use to though, almost all the time. I looked at the ones he's wearing now, he either wears a pair of sterling silver scales of justice, a pair of jeweled owls, or a pair of gold boxing gloves."

"Sweetie I know that all these things look suspicious but so far it seems to be a lot of things that are easily explainable. Maybe he just wanted a change of cufflinks, maybe he's working on some really big cases at the office and maybe that's messing with confidence a little so he's taking that extra time figuring what to wear." Piper came up with plausible explanations for what Phoebe was mentioning.

"Ok, sure. If it was just those things I can see how you'd not think Cole was cheating on me. But it's not all there is." She's gotten this fair, might as well tell them everything. "About a month ago I was separating out shirts of Cole's that I needed to take to the dry cleaners. There was what looked like a lipstick smudge near the fourth button of his work shirt. A week later I saw very faint scratch marks on his shoulder."

"Is that all you've seen so far?" Piper questioned.

"Yes." Phoebe confirmed.

Prue rubbed her little sister's back. "Then what I think you need to do sweetie is not worry about it right now. Even those two things can be explained away. I'm not saying you're wrong, you could very well be right, God knows your insight is usually right on target, but I'd wait till you have some more evidence before you make any decisions."

Phoebe shrugged. "So I should just ignore what I think is going on?" She didn't think she could do that.

"No, I'm not saying ignore it. I'm just saying don't jump to conclusions yet. Look for more clues about what's going on, innocent or not." Prue explained.

Phoebe thought it over for a few moments. "I think I get what you're saying." She pushed back the hair that had fallen in front of her face. "You want me to look for clues like a mad woman until I come up with something solid one way or the other."

Prue nodded. "And we'll help." If Cole was cheating on Phoebe he'd get a beat down so severe he'd wish he were dead.

Liz's Apartment

"I don't think this was how Grandma Claudia envisioned me using her favorite quilt." Liz teased lovingly. The quilt in question was currently draped over their naked bodies while they lay on the couch resting after their romp.

Cole kissed her lips. "From what you've told me about her, I wouldn't be surprised if she used this quilt in a similar fashion."

Liz cringed. "Ew, I don't need to picture Grandma Claudia naked, let alone having a sex life and using this quilt to cover up her and her bed buddy." Some images didn't need to be put in her brain.

"It's probably why it's her favorite." Cole teased just to get a reaction from Liz.

"Again, ew." Liz sat up and scrubbed her hands over her face. "I need a brain scrub."

From behind her Cole chuckled. "Or maybe you just need a new image dancing around in your head." He started kissing up her naked back and nuzzling his nose against her shoulder.

It didn't take long for Liz to relax and lean into him again. "Hmm, I like that idea."

Cole trailed his lips across her clavicle and up her neck; he palmed her right breast, teasing her puckered nipple, enjoying the sensual whimpers of pleasure coming from her throat. He captured her lips and brought her down on top of him as they began round two.

TBC