Chapter 7

The girls walked out of the funeral home with red eyes, except Phoebe. She was still in shock and stunned to see her father.

Three days later, the girls sat in a line staring at the flowers on top of the casket at the funeral. The warm rain was coming down, and a funeral assistant held an umbrella over the three girls, while a man stood at the casket and said a prayer.

Phoebe looked up from her dark glasses, and saw a man standing in the distance. He was in the tall fir trees. He had on a black leather jacket, blue jeans and dark glasses. He looked like he was staring at her.

"Cole" Phoebe said quietly.

Piper nudged her.

Phoebe didn't mean to say it out loud, but it just blurted from her lips. She felt her stomach knot up, and leap around. The sight of him, was almost more than she could contain. She wanted to run to him and cry in his arms, but also she wanted to hurt him, like he hurt her.

"What is the matter with you!" Piper nudged her again.

Phoebe sat back in her seat and waited for the last of the prayer. The people started to walk away after their father was lowered into the resting place. Phoebe looked again and Cole was gone. Piper tossed dirt into the whole and the girls said good-bye to their father.

The girls walked to the cars and Prue and Piper got in the car. Phoebe paused, and looked in the direction Cole was standing.

"I think I will meet you at home" Phoebe said to her sisters.

"Are you sure?" Prue asked.

"Yes, I just need to be alone…I'll walk." Phoebe said

"Be careful Phoebe" Piper said.

Phoebe smiled at her sisters and closed the door. The black funeral cars drove off in a line.

After she watched her sisters drive off, she started walking in the rain, into the direction where Cole was standing. She walked through the trees where he was and she didn't see him.

"Looking for me?" Cole said stepping out from behind a tree.

Phoebe whirled around and faced him. She was soaking wet, and so was he. He pulled off his glasses. His eyes were red and he looked ran down.

"Cole…" Phoebe shuttered, and ran to him.

Cole wrapped his arms around Phoebe and lifted her off the ground. He took her face in his hands and wiped the rain from her face.

He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. They just stared at each other for a moment the only sound was the rain and their hearts beating.

"Phoebe I'm…so sorry about your father" Cole pleaded.

Phoebe pushed him away. Suddenly she felt the anger she had tried to burry deep in her soul.

She started sobbing. "You have to go…I am trying to move on." Phoebe said and turned to walk away.

Cole grabbed her arm, but Phoebe pulled away.

"Cole, don't make this harder than it is!" Phoebe pleaded.

"Phoebe…Listen to me, I know what I said in the letter, at the motel, but I had to make you think I didn't care for you, so you wouldn't follow me where I had to go. I couldn't put you in danger anymore…If you would have been shot at the train station, I don't know what I would have done."

"Why couldn't have you just said so, you have so many secrets, I don't even know who you are!" Phoebe shouted, as she walked away.

"Phoebe, don't say that…please…you know me better than anyone…" Cole followed her.

"Cole, how do you think I felt…I have had police in and out of my house asking me questions about your business, my father, If I know anything about who was shooting at us…!"

"I know! I know! But I tried to write you several times, and I never heard back from you." Cole said reaching for her arm again.

"I didn't want anyone to find your letters, and link me to you Cole!" Phoebe said and pulled away again.

"Phoebe I have to tell you something…" Cole said

"I don't want to know!" Phoebe said

"Phoebe it is important…" Cole said

"Cole! I can't handle anything else! I have had enough surprises these last few weeks" Phoebe pleaded.

"Ok…it can wait then" Cole followed Phoebe through the trees.

"Cole, I really thought I would never see you again…and then you show up the day I burry my father!"

"I'm so sorry Phoebe! Phoebe I have been going out of my mind with out You…I have to be with you tonight," Cole pleaded.

Cole grabbed her and leaned her against on of the big trees.

"You look terrible, Phoebe said feeling her heart melt in his arms.

"I can't sleep with out you Phoebe" Cole groaned.

"I can't fight you Cole, I'm not strong enough.." Phoebe pleaded.

"Then don't" Cole whispered.

Cole held her to his broad chest, and kissed her deeply. The force of his hand behind her head pressed her hard against his mouth. He ran his fingers through her wet hair. He pressed her harder against the tree and Phoebe wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I have to go…" Phoebe said, " My sisters will get suspicious"

Cole smiled. "After everything, you are willing to protect me" Cole said kissing her neck.

"Don't press your luck" Phoebe said sarcastically.

"Meet me tonight…on the beach…you know the spot" Cole said.

He quickly kissed her before she could say anything, and then walked away.

"Cole…don't leave me…" Phoebe whispered, then sighed heavily.

Phoebe stepped out from behind the tree with a grin on her face and bumped into someone. Phoebe looked up to her surprise, she was in the arms of the law. Literally.

"Oh…detective Hernandez…I didn't see you" Phoebe said in shock.

"Phoebe…are you alright?" The detective said still holding her in his arms.

"Yes…you can let me go now" Phoebe said feeling awkwardly toward his embrace.

"Oh, yes…excuse me…I…ahh…saw you walk away alone, and I thought I would make sure you are alright" He said releasing her.

"I didn't know you attended the funeral?" Phoebe said collecting herself.

"Well, I thought I would hang around and see if anyone showed up…You didn't see anyone unusual…did you?" He asked.