Chapter 6

Phoebe and Paige orbed to the beach a short distance from where Cole was kneeling

crumpled on the edge of the water, his head buried in his hands. As her eyes caught the

sight of Cole, Phoebe's heart ached for him; she turned to Paige and nodded for her to

leave, without hesitation she orbed out, feeling for the first time sorry for the man who

had helped her find a place in the family. Phoebe was too focused on Cole to notice that

not too far from where she was standing, her mother and sister were watching the entire

scene. Phoebe advanced toward Cole; slowly she knelt down and reaches out to him.

Cole was so absorbed in his own pain and thoughts that he did not sense anyone approach

and was about to go into defensive motion when he heard her say his name.

Phoebe: Cole….. Cole….I am so sorry, please baby, look at me.

Cole: (slowly realization crept into his mind and he was brought back to reality, slowly

turning toward the voice and feeling the warm hand on his shoulder he stared) Phoebe, is

it really you or am I dreaming?

Phoebe: (a slight smile on her face) No your not dreaming Cole, it's really me and I am

sorry that I left you here earlier, I am so sorry that I abandon you again.

Without hesitation he reached for her and pulled her into his strong waiting arms and held

her tight, as if she was a life preserver and he was about to go under. He could feel the

warmth of her body close to his and knew she was real, she felt his heart beating rapidly

in his chest and for the first time in a long time felt a sense of safety. Cole slowly

lightened his grip on Phoebe and pulled back slightly, staring into the face of the woman

he loved, the one person who meant everything in the world to him, the person who he

went to hell and back for and saw for the first time since he had returned from the

Wasteland love radiating back at him. On impulse he leant his lips into hers and they

were immediately welcomed by hers and the hurt and pain were momentarily pushed

aside and they each put all the passion and love they had for each other in that kiss.

Phoebe's lips parted to invite Cole's tongue to enter and explore her mouth which he did

with great pleasure, lighting a fire in him that he had not felt in a long time. Phoebe's

hands started to roam through his dark wavy hair and down his back, taking in the feel of

his tight, strong upper body. Cole moved from her lips to her neck and slowly reaching

lower, before stopping himself and pulling back.

Cole: (in barely a whisper) Phoebe, we can't do this, not here, not now

Phoebe: (breathless) Oh Cole, I want you, right here, right now (she then presses her lips

to his once again, before he pulls back)

Cole: Phoebe, I want you, god – you have no idea how much I want you right now but I

don't want to hurt you or the baby; we can go somewhere else where we will both be

more comfortable (he smiles at her but it quickly fades as he see the reaction on her

face).

Phoebe had been caught up in her emotions and was cruelly shocked back by those two

words "the baby", her face went pale and she hastily turned toward the sea pulling her

knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Cole abruptly felt like he had just

had the wind knock out him, a pit forming in his stomach and panic setting in.

Cole: Phoebe…. (not getting a response, he reaches his hands to her shoulders and she

flinches, he looks down – he had thought that she had come back to him but why was she

pulling away now) Phoebe…. please baby, talk to me, why did you just pull away from

me. I thought we already established earlier that you need to stop running from your

feelings. Maybe we are moving too fast, (then in an attempt to lighten the mood) but I

guess what I read in that pregnancy book is true about hormones and your sex drive ….

Before Cole could finish Phoebe broken down in loud sobs, trying to tell him what

happened but he could only make out a few words.

Cole: you need to calm down and breath, this is not good for either one of you, now

please just breath in and out, that's good sweetheart. Now tell me again so that I can

understand you.

Phoebe: Cole, I…..I don't know how to tell you….. I … the seer…..said…..the baby….

and then she said some dark spell……he destroy her and everyone in the chamber….he

saved us…..but she said he wasn't……oh Cole how could.

She broke down again in his arms and he held her and rubbed her back with one hand and

holding her head close to his chest with the other. Cole's mind was racing trying to

process what she had said, which was not very clear but if he understood it, the Seer had

her and most likely her sisters in some chamber and the baby used some powers to

destroy the Seer and the others, but that can't be right because she is so upset, why would

she be upset unless it is because she is afraid the powers the baby used were demonic, that has to be it.

Cole: honey, you don't have to worry, the baby's powers are not demonic, he is not evil,

the tonics the Seer was feeding you were meant to destroy our baby's soul in order for the

Source to be able to take control of him and the combination of both powers he would

have been able to destroy the world but that is not going to happen now.

Please honey, calm down, we will get through this together.

Phoebe listened to what Cole was saying and knew he was telling her the truth, what she had known deep down all along, that the baby was their baby, hers and Cole's and that he was an innocent – not evil but good and powerful. The seer had said that she saw the baby being a "great" power but it was not an evil power which is why she wanted it for herself. Now it was starting to make sense to Phoebe and the feelings of guilt for not only allowing the Seer to take her child but for not mourning his loss were slowly started to eat her up on the inside.

Cole: Phoebe, say something, please. Should I call Leo?

Phoebe: NO, no Cole, please don't call Leo or anyone else. I need to tell you something (taking a deep breath, she continues and looking directly into his eyes) Cole, after we vanquished you, the baby started showing very strong powers, they felt evil to me and he took momentary control of my body and would use the powers on anyone who said anything "negative" about you, especially Paige. Actually throwing her out the attic window.

Cole: Wow – now that's my boy (he says with pride while reach out for Phoebe's

stomach when she grabs his hand and holds it instead) – what, I know that is wrong but it

was most likely the effects of the tonics still in his soul, like when Balthazar and I were

struggling for control. The poor little guy, having to have that fight inside himself so

early, but it should have subsided by now right, I mean I haven't seen you have any

problems since I have been back.

Phoebe: well there is a reason you have not seen any signs of out of control powers because…..

Cole interrupts her "let me guess, your sisters in all their wisdom have somehow bond his

powers before birth. I would figure they would do something like that, but we can fix it

after he is born….." it is now her turn to interrupt him. She can't allow him to go on any

longer, he sounds so excited and happy when he refers to their child.

Phoebe: no Cole, the baby's powers were bond (hold up a hand to signal him not to talk)

long story short, the Seer arranged for me to be kidnapped and placed into a magic proof

cage but instead she got Paige and I destroyed the demon with the use of the baby's

powers and when to get Paige back. The Seer had it all planned out and she froze me,

well not froze like Piper but more like I could not more but I was conscious. Anyway, she

chanted and then…… then…. she stole him, the Seer took our baby and put her inside of

herself (Cole stared at Phoebe, shell shocked but she knew she needed to finish so she

kept hold of his hand tightly and went on). The Seer had made everyone believe that the baby was the Source's heir and by doing this they agreed to coronate her as the Source

but the baby, he, well, Cole… the baby was too powerful for her, at least that was what

we thought at the time and he destroyed her from the inside and everyone else in the

coronation room …… including himself.

Phoebe watched Cole's face as he processed the information and saw the change in his

eyes, the light had gone out of them, he looked lost. The anger and rage started to

consume him, his child was taken from him – why, why – no they were not going to take

his child, he would not allow it. Phoebe did not now what to expect and in the shadows

Patty held Prue close to her, as the two were brought to tears but what they had just

witnesses. Patty stared over to the scene knowing the look in Cole's eyes; it was the

similar to the one in Sam's eyes the day they had to give Paige away, the look that could

kill. She knew all too well what could happen to a man at this point and she would not

allow Cole to destroy his life like Sam had destroyed his. Prue looked back at the scene

but at Phoebe, her baby sister was now grieving for her child, after everything that she

had to live through in her life, the loss of her mother, grandmother, sister, abandon by

their father, vanquishing her husband, and now, now she had to deal with the fact that her

own child was destroyed protecting her and she had not believed it up until now. Prue

knew her baby sister and knew that now is when Phoebe would normally run, but she was

not going to allow that, not this time. Prue would not allow Phoebe to regret her decisions and feel guilty like she had done over Andy, when she was alive.

TBC

Okay, I could have continued but I had to end it somewhere so now Cole knows what happened to the baby at least as much as Phoebe knows (sorry for the tease) and we saw that Patty and Prue each have their personal reasons for helping Cole and Phoebe through this time. Cole is not aware at this point that Phoebe had any doubts about the baby being theirs but will soon – how will he react?

I have you have enjoyed reading this chapter and I will get an update up on Monday.