Paige was sitting on the couch, reading a book and drinking some tea. Phoebe set her purse down on the side table in the hallway and looked for Piper. Not seeing her, she figured that she was upstairs with the baby. It was unusually quiet in the Halliwell Manor, too quiet for Phoebe to stand. She plopped down next to Paige for a while, just sitting on the couch while Paige continued to read her book and drink her tea. It wasn't unusual for Phoebe to just sit and think for a while, so Paige thought nothing of it. When she finally looked up from her book, Phoebe was still sitting there with a weird look on her face.

"Where have you been? You look like a deer in the headlights of an eighteen-wheel truck." Paige commented sarcastically. "Someone just come back from the dead?"
Phoebe chuckled nervously. "Funny you should mention coming back from the dead."
"Care to explain?" Paige set her book down on the table and moved closer to her sister in curiousity.
"Well, I kinda need Piper here before I start. This is kind of important and pertains to all of us; as in The Charmed Ones."
"Okay?" Paige got up and began to head towards the stairs. "I'll go get her and be right back."

Once Paige was out of sight, Phoebe began to breathe deeply to clear her mind and prepare herself for the hell that was about to break loose in their living room. She was almost sure that hell would freeze over faster than her sisters accepting Cole back into their lives after what he had done. But, that was the past and this was now. Perhaps, she hoped, they would take things a little differently now. She began to wring her hands when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs and into the living room. Piper came in first, with a confused and unhappy look, followed by Paige with an equally confused look on her face.

"Phoebe, what is this all about?" Piper asked, annoyed.
"That's what I'd like to know too." Paige chimed in.
Phoebe sighed, "You wouldn't believe me even if it happened right before your own eyes."
"Try me." Piper put her hands on her hips.
"Here goes..."

With that, Phoebe proceeded to explain how Cole appeared before her with his ultimatum and how she sent Leo up to the Elders to confirm it. She told her sisters of how she had gone to the park to clear her head when Leo told her that the offer was true. Piper and Paige's expressions were difficult to read. They went from surprised to angry to confused all in seconds. It got harder for her to speak when it came time to tell them her decision.

"Piper, Paige...I...I know that you don't like Cole..."
"Correction...we absolutely despise him." Paige butted in.
"I know that, but I just want you to see how much I still love him." Phoebe could feel her emotions rising.
"But Phoebs, Cole tried to kill us! That doesn't exactly put him in my favorite people list." Piper tried to reason with her baby sister.
"Yes, but that is in the past Piper. There are such things as second chances."
"And Cole used all of his." Paige added.
"Guys, you're my sisters and you are supposed to support me in whatever decision I make. Cole was given the chance to be redeemed and I have given it to him."
"You allowed him to live?!" Piper started to get angry.
"Knowing that he could very well turn on us again!" Paige was not happy either.
"Consequences be damned, I love him. He deserves a second chance and I believe that he won't turn on me. Whether or not you guys believe me is a different story." Phoebe walked out of the living room, grabbed her purse and went out the door of the Manor in less than fifteen seconds.
Paige and Piper were left to stand there, utterly confused by what had just happened.
"What do we do?" Paige asked.
"Phoebe will be back once she cools off," Piper calmly answered.
"Let's just hope she doesn't bring that bastard back with her."
"If she does, then we will handle the situation as unhostle as we possibly can."

Paige scoffed, but nodded in agreement. Piper went back upstairs to check on Wyatt and Paige was left to her own devices. She plopped back down on the couch and began to think of how all this could possibly pan out. Phoebe had always been drawn to Cole and Paige picked up on that from the moment she met her sisters. Deep down, Paige knew that it was going to be next to impossible for Phoebe to forget him because she truly did love him. Paige saw that.

After she stormed out of the Manor, Phoebe went straight back to the park where Cole was waiting for her. When she got to him, tears were streaming down her face and she buried her head in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her to comfort her. Without one word, he already knew what had happened. For several minutes, he just held Phoebe close while she cried. After she calmed down, they sat down on the nearby park bench. She wiped the tears from under her eyes.

"They reacted just how I thought they would," she explained.
"It's alright Phoebe. Just give them some time and space. It's not the right time for them to understand, but they will come around. They're your sisters and care about you."
"They just don't understand how much I love you."
"In time, they will. Once they see that I am just a human, things will be alright."
"What are we going to do until then?" Phoebe looked into Cole's eyes with genuine concern.
"Well, I still technically own the Penthouse. We could go there for the night and see how things are in the morning."
Phoebe nodded. "Okay, let's go there."

Phoebe and Cole caught a cab over to the Penthouse. They went up the private elevator. It seemed odd for Phoebe as the last time she went up this elevator, Cole had just died the first time. She was with her sisters and pregnant with a demonic being that was not even her and Cole's child. Now she was going up that elevator with Cole with her. It all seemed odd. The elevator dinged when they reached the top floor, the Penthouse. The doors opened to reveal the Penthouse exactly as Phoebe remembered it over a year ago. No one had touched it, other than the cleaning ladies. They walked in and slowly walked around the room.

"This is weird." Phoebe finally broke their awkward silence.
"If I remember correctly, this is where your sisters and you vanquished me the first time."
"Yeah." Phoebe stared at her feet.
"But that's in the past, isn't it?" Cole walked over and put his finger under her chin, bringing her eyes to his.
"You're right, it is." She wrapped her arms around him, finding comfort.

Cole wrapped his arms around Phoebe. He had never stopped loving her, no longer what happened to him. In his years as a demon, he had never found anyone who made him feel more human than Phoebe. She reminded him of his humanity and the feelings that accompany that. Through her, he had found the human half of himself that had remained dormant for a hundred years, and for the first time questioned his life as a demon. Through his love for Phoebe, he was now human-whole and complete. They stood in the living room of the Penthouse, finally resolving to sit on the couch and talk.

"Do you remember the day you told me you were pregnant?" Cole asked out of the blue.
"I try to block out that memory."
"Sorry, it's just when you told me that-demonic child or not-I was excited to become a father. My love grew for you even more than I ever thought it would."
Phoebe remained silent for a moment before speaking again. "To be honest Cole, I really wished we had a child. I wanted that baby so desperately because I thought he would be a piece of you with me always."
"The Seer tricked both of us so that her demon spawn could be produced and I am so sorry we were ever dragged into that world."
"It wasn't your fault Cole. The Source just took over your body without your permission because of your vulnerability. If anyone should be sorry, it should be me. I didn't protect you from the demons that could reclaim your body." Phoebe leaned over and laid her head on Cole's shoulder.
"But now they can't and we can have a real baby of our own."
Phoebe smiled. "I would love that. Since you left, I went on a vision-quest at Magic School and saw myself pregnant in the future with a daughter. Lately, she's all I can think about."
"A daughter, hmm." Cole laughed. "I would be chasing off boys for years because she'll be every bit as beautiful and smart as her mother."
"Nothing would make me happier than to see you with our daughter. She'll probably be a daddy's girl." Phoebe looked up into Cole's eyes.
"What if we were to have a boy? Piper's sons are proof the Halliwell line is capable of producing boys."
"Then we'll be chasing girls out of our house and picking up sports equipment for many years." Phoebe laughed.

Their conversation continued late into the night until Phoebe was so tired she was falling asleep on Cole's shoulder. Cole picked her up and carried her back to the bedroom and laid her on the bed so she could sleep. He went back into the living room and walked over to the windows overlooking the city. As he looked out into the lights that lit up San Francisco at night, he thought of how lucky he was. Without any strings attached, he had been given a second chance at a life with Phoebe. She was his world and there was no one else that made him feel the way she did. There had been other women he had known in his demonic life, but the moment he met Phoebe, it was different. At first, she was the target to kill, but he fell in love with her. She was so enthusiastic, full of life, and eager to succeed at whatever she did. Cole found her ambition and drive a part of her that he fell for, in addition to her desire to help others. Then there was her smile. When she smiled, Cole felt like nothing else mattered but her. The hours passed as he thought about her and before he knew it, he had stayed up all night long.

"Morning sunshine," Phoebe yawned from behind him.
He turned around and smiled. Phoebe was always adorable in the mornings. "Good morning to you too."
"Did you stay up all night long?"
"Yes, without meaning to though. I just got carried away with my thoughts." He walked over and wrapped his arms around her.
"I thought I was the one who was supposed to think too much." Phoebe teased.
"I guess not anymore." Cole smiled back.
"I'm starving."
"Why don't we go get something to eat and see if your sisters have calmed down any."
Phoebe scoffed. "You obviously didn't pay attention the first round with my sisters. They don't calm down easy, especially Piper. That woman can hold a grudge for a long time. I distinctly remember her being pissed that I stole her boyfriend from eighth grade and she brought it up when Prue was still alive."
"I get it...angry women, most likely to kill me on site."
"Mmmhmm. Bingo."
"So we nix the part where we go see your sisters. How about just breakfast for now?" Cole offered.
"That sounds good for now."

Phoebe went to the bathroom to make herself presentable. Still in the previous night's clothes, she made due with what she could. She pulled her curly brown hair into a messy ponytail and straightened her clothes out. After, she went back into the bedroom and found her shoes, which Cole removed for her the night before. She came back out to the living room, where he was waiting for her. Together, they went down the elevator and out of the Penthouse building. Thankfully it was the weekend, so Phoebe didn't have to work and they could take their time getting a cab and going to breakfast.

Cole flagged down a cab for them and they got in. From there, they went downtown to a small cafe that Phoebe liked. Breakfast was pleasant with just the two of them, sitting there and talking like they always used to when they were dating before. Life almost seemed normal. This was how Phoebe wanted her life to be. Going to breakfast with the one she loved and being able to just sit and talk without the interruption of demons. Though she loved her life as a witch and Charmed One, she wanted more. She thought of that as she sat with Cole. Everything was perfect until her cell phone rang from inside her purse. She looked at it and sighed. It was Piper.

A/N: Sorry I didn't say this in the first chapter, but Charmed is not mine. Ok...that's done. Thank you so much for the reviews. I really appreciate every one of them!