Back once again! tomorrow starts my two week holiday yes! No school ha! I'll be going on a holiday but I think I'll write there. Anyway hope you like this chapter.. yes their first kiss is taking me surprisingly long but I promise it'll happe very very soon;)

Disclaimer; Too tired for this one. Just read;)

Chapter 07. Closer to trust.

''Show yourself, demon'' Cole called as he looked around the Underworld, an energyball in his hand. It was dark in the large cave and Cole had to squint to be able to see anything. He was sure the demon had run this way and he couldn't have shimmered out so fast or Cole would've sensed it.

''I know you're here. What are we, cowards now?'' He turned around and threw his energyball up in the air before catching it with his other hand.

''Come on, come on.'' A noise behind him made him spin around and he saw the demon jumping into his sight from behind the rocks. But in stead of attacking him the demon smiled and started to sing.

''Sexbomb, Sexbomb, you're my Sexbomb. You can give it to me when I need to come along.''

Sexbomb, Sexbomb, you're my Sexbomb and baby you can turn me on.

Cole Turner groaned as he started to wake. His cellphone vibrated violently on his bedside cabinet and the voice of Tom Jones was quickly starting to give him a headache. A brief glance at the alarmclock told him it was 3am on a Monday which lead to Cole cursing whoever was calling him at this ungodly hour. Reaching over he picked up his phone and flipped it open, answering with a hint of annoyance in his sleep-induced voice.

''What?'' He managed to groan before laying his head back down on the softness of his pillows.

''Cole. Thank God you're answering. Simon won't answer my calls and Piper and Phoebe are out of town and I didn't want to call Leo because well he's human so he can't orb over and he already has three kids to take care of and -''

''Who is this?'' Cole asked holding the phone away from his ear slightly so the woman's rambling voice wouldn't make his headache worse than it already was.

''What? Oh it's Paige. Listen I could really use your help, Grace fell out of the highest bed of the twins' bunkbed and she's hurt he arm and I promise I'll make it up to you if you come over and look after Henry and Daisy.'' She didn't need to ask him twice. When she heaved a sigh Cole was already standing next to his bed wearing nothing but his boxers, the slight chill in his room causing goosebumps to rise on his skin. Even if he hadn't seen her kids yet he knew they meant the world to her and he could tell by the tone in her voice that she was starting to panic, badly.

''Give me five. I'll get dressed and fade over.'' She didn't even have time to answer because he flipped his phone shut and threw it onto the bed. It bounced off and fell to the floor but Cole was already on the other side of the hotelroom and throwing on a random long sleeved shirt.

He grabbed a pair of pants and pulled them before stepping into a pair of shoes. Not even bothering to put on some socks or to bend down and tie his laces. For all he knew the girl could've severly broken her arm. Paige had sounded worried over the phone, though he had to admit that she worried too much sometimes. Cole knelt down and grabbed his phone before fading out while getting up at the same time.

When his appearance took form in the middle of Paige's small livingroom the quiet sniffling of one of Paige's daughters was the first thing he heard. Then he heard the whitelighter's soft voice trying to comfort the girl in a hushed tone. And he couldn't help but smile, she was such a caring person and he could only hope she'd want to start over. Become friends once more, and maybe take it a step further than that. Even if it was a tiny step.

''Paige..'' His deep voice startled her slightly and she looked up while she stroked Grace's long hair. A look of relief washed over her face and she pointed towards what he assumed were the kids' bedrooms.

''Henry's with Daisy I think they've fallen asleep. Could you watch after them when I take Grace to see a doctor? Just to make sure it's nothing serious.'' She'd gotten off the couch and was now kneeling next to it, trying to get her hurt daughter to put her bathrobe on. Apparently her arm hurt too much to move it and Cole saw Paige become even more worried. He could tell she was in desperate need of some help.

''Of course. Just go I'll manage until you come back, here.'' He picked up her carkeys and handed them to her after she'd placed Grace on her hip, making sure not to touch her painful arm.

''Are you sure? Because they might give you trouble because they don't know you. Just tell them I will be right back, okay? And that Grace will be fine.'' Paige was making her way to the door and Cole opened it quickly so she could pass through.

''I'll be fine. Take your time. And try to calm down.'' She gave him a nod and disappeared around the corner to head for the elevator. Taking the stairs with a five year old on her hip would be slightly too risky. Cole blew out a sigh and closed the door when a little boy's voice sounded behind him.

''Who are you?'' He turned around and found Henry Jr. standing in the middle of the livingroom, barefoot and dressed in pyjamas that had dinosaurs dotted all over them. A small smile crept up Cole's face, the boy looked so much like his mother.

''I'm Cole. Your mummy asked me to look after you for a little bit, but she will be back soon.'' Cole told him gently and approached the young boy slowly, then knelt down in front of him so they were on the same eye level. He'd once seen a show on TV where a woman had said that being on the same eye level with your kid made them take you more serious. He figured that he would also look less threatening to the much smaller boy.

''Is the doctor gonna look at Grace's pain?''

''Yes he is and you know what else?'' The little boy shook his head.

''He's also going to make the pain go away.'' That made Henry smile and he tugged on Cole's sleeve gently.

''Are you going to read me a bedtime story? Because otherwise I can't sleep and mummy always reads me a bedtime story before I go to sleep. Or she lets me sleep in her big bed. I want a big bed too when I am growned up.'' Cole chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm and got to his feet.

''I'll read you a quick bedtime story then. Is your other sister still asleep?'' Henry nodded and motioned for Cole to follow him to what apparently was his bedroom.

An hour and a half later Cole was woken from a light slumber on the couch by a knock on the door, followed by Paige's voice asking him to open up. An hour earlier he'd finally managed to put Henry to sleep after he'd basically seen everything the boy posessed, including some toy cars, a teddy and a football.

''Hang on.'' He raised a hand and rubbed it across his face. He could already feel some stubble beginning to form and wondered briefly what time it was before getting up and heading for the door. When he opened it Paige was again holding her daugher whose arm was now in a small cast.

''Hey, and?'' He stepped aside so she could walk in and closed the door behind her.

''She broke her wrist. Needs this cast for a couple of weeks, but since she's so young it should heal just fine.'' Paige said and adjusted the girl slightly while pulling a face.

''I'm going to put her to bed quickly, okay? She's getting heavy. Wait here.'' Cole gave her a smile and heard the girl ask her mother sleepily who that strange man was when Paige carried her out of the room.

''A friend.'' Paige told her and the smile that had formed on Cole's lips turned into an even bigger one at that. If she was telling her kids that he was a friend then maybe there was hope for him after all. He took place in a chair and ten minutes later she returned sighing and tying her hair back. Slight bags were starting to form under her eyes and without some make up on her face looked even more pale than usual.

''You okay?'' Cole asked from where he was seated. He moved to get up but Paige stopped him by holding up her hand and nodding her head yes.

''Yeah, drink?''

''Please, but a water will do.'' She offered him a hint of her usual bright smile and filled a glass with water before getting herself a can of coke from the fridge.

''Shouldn't you be getting some sleep? I can go if you want.'' Cole took the long glass from her and took a sip of water, then placed the glass on top of the round dinner table. She took place opposite him and opened her can.

''I have to get up in two hours anyway. Might as well clean up a bit and take a shower before I wake the kids again. Though I think I'll let Grace stay at home, just for tomorrow. Or today actually. Oh wait – I can't. I -''

''Hey, calm down. Just finish your drink. Relax. Stop thinking for a second.'' Cole placed his hand on top of hers and looked at her, a hint of worry in his eyes. Years ago when he knew her she hardly stressed over anything. Now, with three kids, all she seemed to be doing was stress. She looked at him and then at her hand before heaving a deep sigh and running a hand though her hair.

''When was the last time you had a day all for yourself, Paige?''

''I don't know. Could be a couple of months. Every time Henry has the kids on the weekend something comes up so I can't relax. I can't even take a bath because I don't have one. My bathroom's too small.'' She drank some of her coke and watched as Cole's thumb moved across the top of her hand. She found that this gesture comforted her, made her relax a little more.

''Then how about this. In stead of me taking you to dinner, come to my hotelroom tomorrow. You take a bath as long as you like, I get someone to give you a massage and you spend the rest of the day on the couch watching soap opera's while I do everything you want. And for dinner I'll take you out to the best restaurant I know.'' To his surprise she started laughing and put her can down.

''Cole.'' She pryed her hand away from his and patted his knee soflty, chuckling slightly.

''I wouldn't do that. With Simon, yeah, I mean I don't mind taking advantage of him. But of you..''

''Well I don't mind.'' He said and grinned, then realised what he said sounded too wrong and quickly recovered.

''Helping you. You know I meant that right? Not.. something else. Yeah.'' He silently cursed the blush that he could feel beginning to form on his cheeks and sat back in his chair as far away from her as possible.

''I don't need help, Cole.''

''Would you just stop being so stubborn? I know you're supposed to be this independant supermom to prove Henry that you don't need him, but you know what? Around me you can let your guard down. I won't judge you, because I already think what you're doing is amazing.'' He was leaning forward again, had tried to grab her hand but she'd pulled it away. The look she was giving him was starting to make him feel slightly uncomfortable as if he'd said too much. Crossed the line.

''Do you really think so?'' Her look visibly softened under Cole's confirming nod and for the first time that day she smiled a genuine smile. A smile that he just had to return.

''What time?''

To Be Continued...

Ta da! Review pretty please? Thanks for reading!