Messages From Limbo

By: Lunara Dragon

Chapter 2: Finding Comfort

Author's Note: I am so glad that you guys are enjoying this short story so far. I hope you like this chapter to. Happy Valentine's Day everyone. As usual I do not own Charmed or any of it's characters.

On to the story.

---

Halliwell Manor

Piper sat in the living room going over book work and paying bills. Leo had taken all of the kids to Magic School. Wyatt had classes and the rest were going to the day care. Her chocolate brown eyes glanced up when a piece of paper floated and then was set in front of her, on top of the scattered envelopes and checkbook.

Piper,

Phoebe's on her way to see you. She may be a little upset with you. Just thought I would give a fair warning.

-Cole

Piper jumped up at that and then let out a deep sigh. This was becoming to much of a habit as she took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "Crossing planes from one to the next, let me pass through, going unhexed, In-between planes I ensue. " Piper felt the familiar motion as if spinning, although she herself was not moving. When the motion stopped Cole cleared his throat to let her know he was behind her this time.

"Hi Piper. What's up?" He questioned as if this were a casual conversation. Piper glared at him and then pointed to the note he had just written. "Oh that. Well I took your advice and tried to find a way to let Phoebe know there was someone watching over her. She may have casted a spell in that moment and learned it was me."

"Ok well, that does not explain why she is upset with me." Piper spit out in her astonishment. Cole shrugged his shoulders and ran a hand through his hair.

"Well there is a bit more. I wanted to be honest with her, Piper she was still so upset at the office this morning. I just had to let her know everything. So I told Phoebe about when you were in the coma thing because of the thorn demon. I even told her about Drake, how I helped him, sent him to her, and how even now I sometimes help."

"How is she now? How did she take it?" Piper spit out. This was all happening rather quickly and the shorter woman was taking deep breaths to force calm. She was also turning thoughts over in her head. She was getting prepared for when Phoebe got their. Cole stepped closer to Piper and met her look of frustration.

"Well I am not sure. She was not as mad as I thought she would be. I tell you that fire and passion is still there though. The two of us exchanged words, argued for a bit, and then she sent me back to my own plane." Cole shrugged again trying to figure out exactly how his ex-wife felt about it. He still was unsure himself and Piper felt the spell wearing off. This time she grabbed on to Cole's arm and smiled as the spell wore off.

"HAH! I wasn't sure if that would work. But if I am getting confronted by Phoebe, my defense is going to be you.

"WHAT?" Cole yelled feeling his temper rising. "Why?"

"If my instinct is right. Phoebe herself is unsure of how she feels. Cole you are the one she will need right now. Trust me." Piper said in a calm, low tone. The one Cole recognized as her mothering voice and he rolled his eyes at her without verbally answering.

---

Phoebe sat back in the driver seat of her car and stared out the windshield. Pele was in the back seat, sound asleep. The middle sister then slowly opened her door and then the back one pulling the car seat out. She walked up the steps to her sister's home, The Manor, and stood now at the front door. Reaching out she went to turn the handle but before her hand reached it the door was being pulled open. Her dark brown eyes looked up and locked with blue as Cole stood in the door frame.

"What are you doing here? I just left you at my office." Phoebe yelled in frustration. Cole stepped back and motioned to Piper who stood behind him.

"I brought him here Pheebs." Piper answered for him and then she walked closer taking Pele from Pheobe's grasp. "You didn't feel comfortable telling me or Paige about what's going on with Coop. I had to find out from your ex-husband!" Piper continued but now there was a sense of pain in tone. Phoebe looked down and took a deep sigh before nodding slowly.

"I am sorry it is not anything that bad." She responded lying to everyone, including herself. Piper caught her eye again as she moved towards the stairs taking Pele with her. "Where are you going?" She asked with unease now.

"Again you don't want to talk to me about it. Honey, I know you've been up late almost every night crying. Cole watches it and then comes to me." Piper answered quickly. Her anger was rising with herself, her sister, and Coop. Her sister turned to Cole now in surprise and stared in to the eyes she could still feel eased by. She shook her head to clear the thought and turned back to Piper.

"I know I just can't admit it to myself, let alone to you or Paige. I am married to a Cupid and still, I can not seem to make it work." Phoebe finally muttered. Cole reached out with his arms and stiffly rested his hands on her shoulders. She tensed and then relaxed as the comfortable embrace of her ex-husband overwhelmed her.

"You can't honestly think it's you all the time. Do you?" Cole questioned trying to hide the anger that was rising with in himself. It had been the reason he had not spoken much in the confrontation. He then felt his hug returned as Phoebe's hot tears seeped through his silky shirt. He felt her soft her graze his cheek when she nodded her head yes.

Through mumbled sobs Cole heard her response "It is me. First I lost you, then Jason. Dex hardly counts. Now with Coop. He's a cupid for crying out loud and ..." Her words then became more choked. Cole pulled away from her.

"Perhaps it is because you are jinxing yourself. Sweetheart have you ever dealt with what happened to us? Did you ever try to find out the truth of the matter with the Source, or talk to Jason a year after he found out your secret?" Cole questioned down to her. Her brown eyes looked up in to his again and she had a look of surprise.

"What? Hey who's the one with a Master's in Psychology here? I thought it was me." She responded her temper rising at his question and Cole smiled at her response.

"It is you. Mine's in Law remember? But you know I am right." Cole shot back and a small smile appeared across her face. She then was pulled in to a hug again as Cole kissed her forehead.

Piper smiled as she slowly crept up the stairs with Pele. She whispered down to her niece "Well that is a good place for those two to start. Don't you think?"

Cole looked over his shoulder and realized that Piper was leaving them alone and Phoebe then looked up at him. She still was unsure how she felt knowing her demonic ex had been watching her for the last five years. He had been killed, by her, she reprimanded herself in the back of her mind. She had convinced herself that she hated him but with everything going on it was weird to her. She was standing here in her old home, being held by her ex-husband. She then forced herself to step back away from him.

"Well this is strange." She mumbled and Cole smiled at her still nodding his agreement. "I am not sure how I feel about you, and everything I have found out. Then there is Coop..." She left off not finishing her thought. The taller ex-demon forced a calm and stared down at Phoebe as he pulled his hands away from her.

"Let's talk." Cole answered her and she returned his gaze nodding slowly. "That is a good place to start. I promise Phoebe I won't hurt you."

"I know. Not sure why, but somehow I know." Phoebe muttered.

To Be Continued-