Dreams
Disclaimer: None of my various clever schemes worked; I still do not own Charmed.
A/N: AnimeAlexis—Did Phoebe lie to Coop? Read to find out!
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(The condo. Phoebe is sitting in bed, drinking a cup of tea. Coop enters w/ Melinda)
Coop: Here we are! All nice and clean and ready for bed!
(Phoebe smiles and puts down her tea, takes Melinda from Coop. She kisses the baby, looks at her, and starts to laugh)
Coop: What is it?
Phoebe: Um, Coop, honey...you put her little pajamas on inside out.
Coop: Oops. Sorry.
Phoebe: (reassuring) It's no big deal. (She hands Melinda back to Coop, who puts her in her bassinet. Phoebe yawns) Ugh. I'm so tired!
Coop: (climbs into bed) Long day. (He puts his arm around Phoebe) Are you feeling any better?
Phoebe: Yes. Thank you for coming home today; it was just what I needed. (She kisses him)
Coop: (grins) I'm glad. (He reaches over Phoebe, turns off the lamp.) Let's get some sleep.
Phoebe: (pouts suggestively, starts stroking Coop's arm) But I want to—
Coop: (chiding) Phoebe...you know what the doctor said about that.
Phoebe: (rolls eyes) Yeah, yeah. It hasn't been a full eight weeks. (Pouts again) Can we at least have a nice cuddle?
Coop: (playfully) A cuddle? I think we could do that.
(Phoebe and Coop lie down and snuggle next to each other, close their eyes, and lie silent for a moment)
Coop: (sleepily) Night, baby. I love you. Sweet dreams.
Phoebe: (nestles her head against his shoulder) I love you too.
(They sleep. The scene fades, is replaced by a different one. Phoebe is rolled over on her side, sleeping. Camera focuses on her face. A baby starts to cry in the background. Phoebe groans and clutches her pillow)
Phoebe: Ughh... go back to sleep!
Cole's Voice: (tired) Yeah, I doubt that he'll do that.
(Back in Phoebe and Cole's room. Cole pulls himself out of bed and crosses to the cradle, where he picks up a crying Warren, and brings the baby back to the bed)
Phoebe: (sleepy, sits up) He shouldn't be hungry. I just fed him an hour ago.
Cole: (yawns) Doesn't smell like he needs a diaper change, either.
Phoebe: Uh-uh.
(Cole puts Warren in Phoebe's arms, climbs back into bed and starts rubbing the infant's feet. Warren immediately stops crying and snuggles into Phoebe)
Phoebe: (sigh of relief) Ahh...silence is good.
Cole: (amused) I guess he just needed to be with Mommy and Daddy.
Phoebe: (looks at Warren, laughs quietly) Look, I think he's fallen back asleep already.
Cole: Of course he has. He's a smart kid. He knows things.
Phoebe: Like what?
Cole: That your arms are the safest, most wonderful place he'll ever find in all the worlds.
Phoebe: (affectionately) Awww, dat's so sweet!
Cole: (serious) I mean it, Phoebe.
Phoebe: (softens) I know.
(Cole reaches up and tucks a strand of Phoebe's hair behind her ear, lets his hand linger on her face. Phoebe covers his hand with hers, and they stare at each other for a moment. Cole pulls her in for a light kiss, then a deeper one. Cole takes sleeping Warren and puts him back in his crib, goes back to Phoebe, and kisses her again. It becomes more intense, and Phoebe pushes him away)
Phoebe: (slightly breathless) Cole, wait, you know what the doctor said, it—
Cole (rolls eyes) Yeah, yeah, it hasn't been a full eight weeks. (He lies back down)
(No one speaks for a moment; then Phoebe breaks the silence)
Phoebe: That doesn't mean we can't make out, though.
Cole: (perks up) Really?
Phoebe: (mischievous) Really.
(Giggling like a couple of teenagers, they grab each other and start making out. Coop's voice is heard)
Coop's Voice: Phoebe. (Louder) Phoebe!
(Scene abruptly changes. Phoebe is tangled up in her sheets in her bed at the condo.)
Coop's Voice: Phoebe!
(Phoebe sits straight up. Coop is holding Melinda, who is screaming bloody murder, trying to calm her down)
Coop: Phoebe!
Phoebe: (flustered) What?
Coop: (incredulous) What? Our daughter is screaming loudly enough to wake the dead!
Phoebe: Well, sorry, I was asleep, and—
Coop: How could you not hear her? She's—
Phoebe: (looses it, yells) I DON'T KNOW, OKAY!
(Coop is stunned. Melinda's cries become louder)
Phoebe: (sighs) Look, she's probably just hungry—
(Coop wordlessly holds the baby out to her. Phoebe shakes her head)
Phoebe: No. There's a bottle in the fridge...you take her. I need to use the bathroom. (Phoebe gets up and runs to the bathroom)
(Inside the bathroom. Phoebe goes to the sink and throws water on her face a couple of times. She dries her face on a towel and rests her hands on the counter, with her head down. After a few deep breaths she looks into the mirror and jumps. Phantom Phoebe is standing behind her.)
Phoebe: Who...who are you?
Phantom Phoebe: Phoebe, I'm you.
Phoebe: Uh, no. You just look like me. But you're not me.
Phantom Phoebe: (crosses arms) In fifth grade we put rotten veggies in Prue's soup after she broke our favorite necklace.
Phoebe: Okay, maybe you are me. (Suspicious) But where are you from? What are you doing here? (Eyes widen) You're from the future. Great. Don't tell me Wyatt turns evil again—
Phantom Phoebe (impatiently) I'm not from the future.
Phoebe: Then what—
Phantom Phoebe: I'm from now.
Phoebe: Now?
Phantom Phoebe: (steps closer, speaks urgently) We've made a terrible mistake, Phoebe. This (she gestures around the room) isn't where we're supposed to be.
Phoebe: What? I don't—
Phantom Phoebe: (eagerly) You can fix it. You just have to make the right choice.
Phoebe: The right choice about what? What do I have to choose!
Phantom Phoebe: (small smile) You've already lied to Coop. I think you know what I'm talking about.
Phoebe: See, that's just it, I don't, and—
Phantom Phoebe: Accept it. (She fades away)
(Phoebe stands alone in the bathroom, looking rather sick. Dazed, she opens the door and walks back into the bedroom. Coop is sitting on the bed, feeding Melinda. He's changed into some nice slacks and a red turtleneck. He looks up when Phoebe enters)
Coop: Hey.
Phoebe: Hey. (Notices his clothes, frowns) What are you doing dressed?
(As soon as she asks the question his cupid ring starts to glow. He gets up and hands Melinda to Phoebe)
Coop: Emergency meeting. I have to go into work.
Phoebe: Now? It's after midnight. (Phoebe freezes, has a vision: flashback to Evil Phoebe at the Penthouse, telling Source-of-All-Evil Cole to come to bed b/c it's after midnight Vision over. Coop, who is searching for something on the nightstand, doesn't notice.)
Coop: (picks up his watch, puts it on.) Sorry, baby. But like I said, it's an emergency.
Phoebe: (unhappily) When will you be back?
Coop: I'm not sure; sometime tomorrow afternoon, probably.
Phoebe: (voice flat) Okay, then.
(Coop looks at Phoebe, concern in his eyes. He gives her a quick hug.)
Coop: (quietly) We'll talk when I get back?
(Phoebe nods. Coop bends and kisses Melinda's forehead, gives Phoebe a quick kiss on the lips. He steps back and hearts out. Phoebe watches him go, sighs and walks into the kitchen. She scribbles a quick note on a pad of paper, grabs her purse, diaper bag, and car keys, puts Melinda into her car seat, and talks to her.)
Phoebe: I could use some of Aunt Piper's chocolate chip cookies right now. Couldn't you?
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Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! You guys are the best! Next scene: Midnight Snacks; Henry feels out of the loop; Phoebe asks Piper a question.