Winds of Change
By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell
Chapter 1: Cole's Distance
"Bye, Cole," she said with a light kiss as she left the condo. He stood, staring at the doors which had closed behind her. With a sigh, he turned around, went into their bedroom, and pulled out a box from under the bed.
Opening it, he rummaged through a few old photos from his past before coming to the one of his interest. He laid on their bed, closing his eyes, with a sigh and bringing the photo to his lips to kiss, and wishing she, not Phoebe were his. Phoebe had, in a way, sought him out. She liked his dark side and how powerful he was. Not to mention he protected her and that was really nothing to scoff at, but…
The photo of the woman he held tenderly in his grasp was so much more to him than Phoebe could ever hope to be. She was strong and confident, something he'd needed for a while. He hadn't noticed her until after he'd married Phoebe. Her gentle smile and true grace and beauty just invited him in like a spider's web. Whenever their eyes met, friction could be seen between them. Yes, they passed it off as hate, to deter their lovers' suspicions, but it was more.
Though, when he met Phoebe, he was drawn to her for the same reasons Phoebe went to him. He loved her really he did, but Piper… Well, she was everything he'd ever dreamt of. She had gentle strength and softness—something he'd never seen in Phoebe.
The door opened again, and he hid his wife's sister's photo under his pillow and walked back out to the living room. "Forget something, Phoebe?" he asked, coming up behind her.
She turned around to kiss him. "Mhm, right there," she whispered, pointing to her purse. "But I … kind of came back for something else," she said, casting him a lust-filled look.
He cast his eyes at the floor. Piper's face behind his eyes didn't help this any. Phoebe was so much like her, but she wasn't who he wanted. "Cole?" he heard Phoebe's voice, though it seemed distant in his world. He did love her, and because of that, he couldn't tell her the honest truth, not yet…
She held his face in her hands, forcing him to look her in the eye. "Cole."
He stepped back. "Phoebe, you really should get to work," he said, back stepping, but it did no good as she followed his every move.
"So you don't want me to call in sick today?" Phoebe asked, wrapping her arms around him. She was making this very hard for him.
He ran a hand over his face. One more time, his conscience told him, one more memory…
He handed her the phone. "Just say you're having car trouble and will be there soon," he said, with a fake grin plastered on his face.
This wouldn't be easy… It didn't seem right, but he'd do it. He'd just have to force her sister to the back of his mind. But he knew it would be difficult. Phoebe hung up the phone and smiled at him. It wasn't a true smile to him. Phoebe walked over to him, grinning, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, jumped up, and her legs encircled his waist.
Little did he know, the smile on her lips was as fake as his. He shimmered to their bedroom, her in his arms, making the most of their last moments together as husband and wife . . .
Author's Note: What do you think? This...is a different concept than I usually do.
This was inspired by my friend Will's stories. He likes these pairings better than the actual ones.
Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell