Chapter 7

Liz's Apartment

Liz finished the last word of her spell and watched in amazement as her families Book of Shadows took the entry she made and changed her normal handwriting to fancy old lettering. Around the ingredients the two herbs most prevalent in the spell were drawn and the page sketched a Celtic border around the edges of the ancient looking parchment.

"I never get tired of seeing that." She grinned. Liz wondered for the millionth time if there was a spell on the book itself or if a spirit lived inside. With her love of science she wanted to figure it out and do extensive research on it but the magic side of her realized she'd never figure it out scientifically.

Liz closed the book and gathered up her magically supplies. From behind her she heard the tell-tale sound of a shimmer. She quickly turned, knowing demons of all kinds could shimmer in, but just as quickly she calmed once she saw it was Cole. "Hey you. Just finishing up a spell. What are you—," Getting her first good look at him she set down the mandrake root at her lover's expression. "Are you ok?"

Cole smiled at the concern in her voice. "I just broke up with Phoebe."

Liz stood there at the dining room table, silent, frozen. Questions tumbled around in her head at his announcement but only one was the most important. "Are you ok?" She asked again, taking his hand in hers.

He squeezed her hand telling her without words that he was ok but the situation was still painful. "I never wanted to hurt her." He said.

Liz led him over to the couch; she sat and pulled gently on his hand coaxing him to sit. "I know that Cole." She stroked the back of his neck. Despite their on-going affair she knew that Cole would always care about Phoebe, she expected him too with everything they shared over the years. Even though she wasn't dating Max or Kyle anymore they were still in her heart because of the times they shared.

The utter faith Liz showed him would have brought him to his knees if he hadn't all ready been sitting. "Her face when I told her, she was heartbroken. She knew though."

"Knew what? About us?" If Phoebe knew about her and Cole then she was a fantastic actress because Liz never suspected a thing. Her cousin had never treated her different or with hostility.

"Not about us specifically." He pulled Liz closer to him. Cole loved the light touch of comfort she continued to give him. "But she knew or suspected anyway that I was seeing someone else. And I didn't tell her about you just that there was someone else in my life."

"Is there anything you need me to do?" She whispered.

Cole brought his hand up to her cheek and stared at her with such love and devotion that she could hardly breathe. "Just continue being you." He had to tell her. "Thank you for accepting everything I am. Demon and all. I've never had that before. My mother hated my human side, Phoebe hated my demon side, but you accept all of me." He kissed her. "I love you Liz."

Liz's lips slowly curved into a wide happy grin. "Really?" She'd had doubts about whether what Cole felt was love. She knew he cared and worried. Knew he loved having sex with her but she never allowed herself to believe that he actually loved her. "I love you too." She told him.

Returning her grin he lifted her up onto his lap. "So you love me huh?"

Liz tilted her head and sighed dramatically, "I suppose." She teased before she kissed his forehead and continued down to his eyes, his nose, and his cheeks, until she reached his lips. The two remained that way, holding each other and giving comfort, only once they moved from their spot on the couch to Liz's bedroom but they never let the other go.

Halliwell Manor

Earlier that night, after Cole shimmered out to god knows where, probably to his lover, Phoebe couldn't stand to stay in the penthouse any longer. She hurried through packing, only grabbing a few sets of clothes, her laptop, and another pair of shoes and ran out there.

Now she sat in her car staring up at her childhood home and dreaded going inside. How could she tell her sisters that her worrying about Cole's fidelity had been one hundred percent accurate? It was so embarrassing to come crawling back home, admitting to her sisters that once again she failed at life.

Unbeknownst to Phoebe, Prue had spotted her car outside from the living room window. Prue became worried when she didn't come in, so instead she came out to Phoebe.

She startled her little sister when she knocked on the passenger window. Phoebe gave a little squeak but saw Prue and let her in.

"Want to tell me why you're sitting out here instead of coming inside?" Prue gently asked. Something happened; more than likely it'd be what she feared would come to pass.

Phoebe opened and closed her mouth, starting to talk then stopped.

Prue shut her eyes in sympathy. It was what she thought. There'd be no way Phoebe would be here, sitting in her car if she and Cole hadn't broken up. If it had been an argument Phoebe would come over but she wouldn't stay in the car dreading coming inside, she'd be charging in fuming at what they fought over.

"Come here sweetie." Prue gathered Phoebe into her embrace as best she could.

As soon as her older sister's arms came around her, protecting her from the heartache, Phoebe broke down. "How could this happen? I thought we were ok." She cried. "Not perfect but ok."

"What happened tonight?" Prue prodded.

"I came home and Cole was sitting in the dark. He wanted to talk." She sniffled and the whole story poured out. Every excruciating detail was laid out in the front seat of her Mini Cooper. "He really is seeing someone else and he loves her."

"I'm sorry Pheebs." Prue held onto her tightly. "I wish I could make this better for you. Make it so you don't have to feel this pain." She kissed her temple. "I can vanquish him for you. He's Belthazor now it won't be too hard."

Phoebe laughed sadly. "I might take you up on that." She wiped her nose with a tissue. "My heart hurts Prue." She sobbed.

"I know. We'll help you get through this. When you're ready you'll meet guys ten times hotter than Cole could ever be and in a few months you'll be saying 'Cole who?' I promise." Prue stroked Phoebe's hair.

"In a few months Cole will be balding with a beer belly and look like a haggard eighty year old man vying for his youth." Phoebe predicted.

"Absolutely. And while he's going through that rabid transformation you'll still be as beautiful as you are now. If it's possible you'll be even prettier." Prue confirmed.

Phoebe, who was enjoying their game continued with, "While I'm becoming prettier and Cole uglier he's going to see that he made a mistake in leaving me and he'll come begging to have me back. He'll be lucky if I tell him to get in line behind the other thousands of candidates vying for my attention."

The two sat in Phoebe's car for a few minutes more, making predictions on her and Cole's future each more outlandish than the last. "Are you ready to come inside?" Prue asked after a few silent moments.

Phoebe sighed, "I guess."

"Come on." Prue gently tugged at Phoebe's shirt and got out of the car. Phoebe followed suit, grabbing her purse. Prue reached into the back and pulled the light blue duffle bag from the floor, she waited for Pheebs to join her on the sidewalk and the two went inside the Halliwell Manor together.

TBC