Heaven's Mistaken Gift
by: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell
Co-written by: That70sShoLova
Chapter 9: Accepting His Dangerous Relations
Cole lay awake pondering his current predicament as Phoebe opted out her pillow for his chest and rolled over onto him, wrapping an arm around his waist. He reached over and turned off the lamp. Darkness was easier for him to think out his problems in.
He couldn't love her! Zepar was right. It would never work out. What would he do? Confess his feelings to her and then steal her baby? What was worse though was that he knew Phoebe cared about him too. How could he just ignore that? He sighed. This charade was going to be the end of him and he knew it.
But maybe it doesn't have to be this way, his conscience told him, maybe we could run away. But to where? There's not a place the Brotherhood won't be able to find us. Except maybe Purgatory, but that's no place to raise a kid. Not to mention a kid that's not even mine…
He was brought out of his thoughts by someone walking downstairs. He looked at the clock which read 3:02 a.m. and hoped Zepar would have enough common sense not to wake his very weary, hormonal girlfriend who was scared out of her mind because of him.
But when he heard uneven foot clomps outside the room, he knew they weren't that lucky. For coming up with this plan, you're genius. For disturbing her now, much less for no good reason, you truly are an idiot.
The next thing Cole knew, his door burst open, making the girl cry in her sleep and clutch him tighter. He turned on the lamp. "What do you want, Jared? Can't you see she's trying to sleep off the nightmare and soreness you caused her?"
Jared walked, rather unevenly, over to where Phoebe lay on Cole's chest and pulled Phoebe's arm away which, of course, caused Phoebe to wake and pull away. "Come on! Come to bed."
"No!" she replied, trying to pull her arm away. "You're crazy! You hit me and tried to kill her!"
"No I didn't!"
"Yes, you did!" she said, wrenching her arm free, finally and wrapping her arms around Cole."You kicked me!"
"You're still coming to bed," he said, picking her up, "with me."
Phoebe tried to squirm out of his embrace, but he was strong. "Cole, I don't wanna go! Please!"
Cole stood up, grabbing him around the neck. "Let. Go." He said with a growl. "She doesn't want to go with you."
"Of course she does!" he countered.
Cole shook his head. "No. she doesn't. She's scared of you." He said while cutting off his airway more and more, until Phoebe was dropped with a thud to the floor.
"Ow!" she stood up, and sat on the bed.
"Are you okay, Phoebe?" Cole asked.
"I-I think so," she said, voice shaking slightly and being on the verge of tears.
Cole sighed. He had to get Jared out of here. If he went crazy and attacked her again, nothing good would come of it. "Jared, it's early and you're still very drunk. Phoebe's okay. She can stay with me."
"But she's mine! I'm the father of the little demon, not you!"
"Get. Out." He said threateningly, his eyes turning to fire briefly.
"Make me!" he shot back.
Cole grabbed his 'friend' by the shirt collar, and threw him out of the room. He them shut the door, locking five deadbolts and muttering something in a language Phoebe could almost understand, but figured it wasn't from this time.
He turned around, but didn't move, sensing now her fear of him. "Phoebe?"
"Wh—What are you? H—How can you make your eyes turn to fire and then back?" she asked, panicking as she wrapped her arms around her stomach.
"I won't hurt you. I promise." He walked forward, slowly. "But what I tell you, you're not going to like, maybe not even believe. Okay?"
"O-Okay."
He reached the bed. "Can I sit down?"
She stared at him, slightly excited, but she wasn't sure why. She nodded.
He sat down next to her and looked away. He moved closer to her and coaxed her into lying down with him. He held her in his arms, and sighed, putting it off as long as he could.
She looked him in the eye, wondering when he was going to explain.
"I'm not human," he finally stated.
"I figured that much when your eyes turned to flames," she retorted sarcastically.
"Yes, but the thing is, Phoebe, we aren't allowed to be together," Cole explained sadly.
"Why?" Phoebe demanded.
"We can't be together because," he sighed as he sat up, swinging his legs over the edge. "Just because," she looked hurt that he didn't give her some kind of answer. Finally, he decided on truth. "I'm a demon, Phoebe. I've killed countless people just because they got on my last nerve."
"So? That doesn't mean everyone is going to. Doesn't mean I'm going to. So what's the problem?" she sat up beside him. "I mean, you looked creepy in red and black and… Actually, was that real? 'Cause I know I fainted and I could've dreamed it all up."
He stood up. "Do you really want to see?" he asked hesitantly.
"Why don't you want to show me?" she asked, taking his hand.
He jumped at the sudden warmth, looking at their hands. "It's just that most girls say 'yeah, no problem. Let's see!', but then when I show them…"
Why was this important to him anyway? If she ran away, it was for the better, but he really didn't want her to. And something told him she would.
"Then they run away?" she asked. He didn't respond and she took that as a yes. "I won't run. Not from you. You…help me. You…care about me."
"You shouldn't trust people so easily, Phoebe. Especially me."
"But you'd never hurt me. You said so!" she proclaimed, standing up and wrapping her arms around him. "You said so and I believe you."
He sighed and looked away. "I'm a completely different person, Phoebe. When I...when I'm Balthazar, it's hard to control myself. My anger skyrockets and—"
"You think you would hurt me." Phoebe realized. She shook her head with an amused smile playing at her lips. She met his gaze and simply stated, "You couldn't hurt me. You could never hurt me. Even in that weird form where you look demonic, you couldn't hurt me."
She stood on her knees so she was almost the same height as him. She pressed her hand to his cheek and took his other hand and pressed it on her stomach. "Could you harm me, right now, knowing this little baby was inside of me?"
He shook his and let out a tiny scoff at how ridiculous that question was. "Of course not Phoebe."
"Exactly!" she yelled. "You have humanity in you, Cole, even if you're this thing with black and red skin, you still have some part of you telling you this is wrong and you shouldn't do it." She looked at him with wide honest eyes. "Shift forms. Be that other person, I know you could never hurt me."
He looked away, causing her to tear her hand from his cheek and his hand from her stomach. He closed his eyes and his clothes stretched over his form as his muscles slowly formed into bigger ones. His ears started to point, and black tribal marks appeared over his face and arms. His skin colored to a red and his eyes turned to black. It wasn't painful. Not anymore.
She looked at him, frightened only a little bit. She smiled and stood up. She touched his cheek again, coaxing him to look at her. "Thank you," she uttered.
He nodded, and morphed back into his human form. "Phoebe, we aren't allowed to be together, it's forbidden."
She rolled her eyes. "I was always one to break the rules."
He chuckled humorlessly. "That you were. But I'm evil, Phoebe. You're good. It just can't work out." He decided not to tell her that she was a witch, not to mention part of the group of the three most powerful witches that will ultimately doom his kind. "Humans and demons..."
"Fine," she relented. He looked at her in surprise. "I'll just date your human half then. Problem solved. Your demon half kind of creeps me out anyway."
"Balthazar. One of the most feared demons of all time. I do the bidding of the Source." He informed.
She looked at him, as a question popped into her mind. "Did this Source thing tell you to befriend me?"
He shook his head. "No. I did that on my own. But," he took walked her to the bed, "if he found out that we were together that wouldn't be very good. The Source of all Evil…he tends to be a little temperamental."
She blinked. "What about Jared?"
He mentally cursed. How was he going to explain this one? How would she react to finding out her baby's father was half demon? And that her child was also?
"Jared...Jared is also a demon."
"So..." she trailed off, her eyes locking with her stomach.
"Yes."
"Does that mean that she'll be evil and want to kill me?" She asked innocently.
"Possibly." Cole replied sadly. "You can raise her to be good though, Phoebe." Inside though, he felt guilty. She could raise Melinda Kali to be good if Jared didn't steal the baby.
She sat back on the bed and him beside her. "So i—if she's part demon, is that why I was coughing up blood?"
He looked down at his hands. It would be easy to lie, but then what excuse could he give her? Certainly nothing that fit any disease in a medical book or that a doctor would diagnose.
Growing tired of his silence, Phoebe cupped his chin and brought him to look at her. "Is that it? Please tell me."
He grabbed her hand that held his chin and moved closer to her and he hung his head. "Yes," he answered, looking into her eyes and getting lost again. "But it hasn't happened again…has it?"
She shook her head. "No, just the one time, but do you know why it happened? Is she okay, health wise?"
"Yes, you said the doctor saw nothing abnormal. The demon part of her had to get used to you. You may, over time, develop some powers as well."
"Such as?"
"Like flame throwing or energy balls, but that's the demonic blood and has nothing to do with you," he noticed a look of panic in her chocolate eyes. "Phoebe, what's wrong?"
"What happens if I hurt somebody? Li—like my sisters or you? What then? Will I be in control of them?"
He looked away. What would happen then? What if someone came after her because of the baby? He looked back at her, noticing she was one wrong word away from an emotional breakdown—and not just pregnancy-hormone wise either. "Phoebe," he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his lap, "I, honestly, don't know exactly what's going to happen, but just know that I'll be here for you."
She nodded into his shoulder, hugging him tighter. "I know. It's just…I miss everyone. My sisters, Grams, even my old room. It's just hard, you know?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I understand. You miss the comfort, the normalcy."
She laughed. "I even miss Prue barging into my room in the morning telling me that I have 15 minutes to get my act together or I'd be walking to school!"
He smiled. "I would think you were a bit strange if you didn't."
She nodded. "I wish I could see them again."
"Who says you can't?"
She pulled back. "No one, I guess. I'm just afraid to go back. Sure, my sisters are supportive, but…"
He sighed. "Your grandmother isn't."
She nodded.
"Would you like me to take you tomorrow night while he's away?"
Her eyes lit up. "Oh, would you, Cole? Pretty please? It'd mean SO much!"
He laughed at her childish antics. "Yes," he told her standing up and turning around. He had one arm wrapped securely around her and pulled down the comforter and blankets down. He then laid her back against the pillows and let go. "But now you should sleep. You've been through a lot."
"Will you stay?" she asked.
"I can't. I have something that needs my attention," he said walking over and unlocking the deadbolts.
"Please don't leave, not while he's…like this," she pleaded.
He sighed, relocking the deadbolts and turning around. "I have to go."
"The Source's orders?" Phoebe joked.
Cole's eyes turned deadly. "Yes, and you'd do well never to joke about him, Phoebe. Unless you—and your baby—want to end up in the bottom of the lake."
She crossed her arms protectively on her stomach. "No one's hurting MY baby! I won't let them!"
He sighed and walked back over to her. "I know you don't want anyone to, but now that you know about me—the real me—you have to watch everything you say. You never know who could be listening."
She nodded. "Okay, but what if they come for me while you're away?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Other demons?"
She sighed. "Or The Source. Won't he be against our—whatever we have?"
He sat down on the bed, his eyes sad even in the dim light. "Yes. He will. Indefinitely and I know, even now, that he knows about us. That's why I have to go," he said caressing her cheek. "It's not because I want to. It's to keep you safe."
She closed her eyes, relishing the feeling. They flew open when his touch left her. She held onto his hand. "Then don't go. Please," she brought his hand back up to her cheek, "don't leave me alone," she begged, tears beginning to fall.
He sighed moving to sit beside her, his hand still within her grasp. He wrapped his other around her. She released his hand and leaned back into him. "Phoebe, I have to go. I can't let you be in any more danger and if I don't go—" he stopped abruptly when she threw her arms around him and cried into his shoulder.
Holding her tighter, he kissed the top of her head. "I'll be back. I promise you."
She pulled her head up. "But y-you said he wouldn't like it, so what chance do you have?"
He made his face remain stoic for a moment. He knew she was right. The Source could have him killed instantly, if he so desired, but Cole also knew that if he protected Phoebe he would be protecting the child.
If he didn't, who would? Jared? The asshole couldn't even stop himself from drinking long enough to know he'd potentially threatened the entire plan by kicking the girl in her stomach.
He'd been staring past her at the empty wall, but was brought back by a whimper, as well as feeling her bury her face into his chest again.
"I'm very powerful, Phoebe. He knows that. That's why I'm one of the best, understand?" he asked, rubbing her back.
"Uh huh."
"It's gonna be okay. I'll be back before you wake up."
She looked him in the eye. "You're sure?"
He wiped her tears with his thumb. "Yes. This whole room—and the bathroom its connected to—all of it is under a powerful spell that won't break until I tell it to." He rested a hand on her stomach. "It'll keep you two safe. Though you're not invisible, so be careful."
She nodded. "Okay."
He smiled. "Good." He let go of her and got off of the bed. "And one last thing."
"What?"
He pointed to a closet with strange symbols written on it in red paint. "Don't open that. But you're free to borrow a shirt if you'd like."
"Okay," she said, snuggling back into the soft down comforter and satin sheets. "I'll miss you. Come back soon."
He chuckled as he transformed. He nodded shimmering out of the room.
In the Underworld
He appeared outside of The Source's Lair and looked around. Zepar was nowhere in sight. Balthazar sighed. The idiot was probably still at the house sleeping off one hell of a hangover. Oh well, someone had to report the witch's progress.
He opened the door, but stood still, mid-bow, until The Source beckoned him inside. "Leave me," he said to his servants and without a word, they nodded and disappeared.
Balthazar walked up and got down on his knee.
"Rise, Balthazar," he ordered. He did so. "Where is Zepar? Is he not coming?"
Balthazar shook his head. "No, My Liege, he is inebriated at the moment, but I know you still expect a progress report on the witch."
The Source raised an eyebrow. "Inebriated? How irresponsible! I would have thought he was smarter than that," he said. Then he smiled and the human part of Balthazar flinched at the emotion. "But I suppose I cannot say he does not have a reason to, can I, Balthazar?"
He shook his head. "No, you cannot. I was simply looking out for—"
"Silence!" he shouted. "I saw all that transpired! You have human feelings for this girl."
"No! I do not! He was jeopardizing the plan. That is the only reason I—"
The Source threw a fireball which silenced the half-demon. "Yes you do! But I know that you believe our plan is of the utmost importance and that being so, I give you full protection over her."
Balthazar knew his human side was dumbfounded by this new opportunity and was glad it couldn't show.
"But DO NOT get any more involved. Once we wipe all their memories it will do no good, Balthazar."
He nodded. "Yes My Liege. What about Zepar?"
The Source thought a moment. "I will deal with him. Do not fret. He will no longer interfere."
Balthazar bowed, shimmering out.
The next morning, Cole shimmered in and sat on his bed next to Phoebe. He lifted her shirt gently and hissed angrily at the bruises he saw on her stomach. He pulled away and clenched his fists. He almost wanted to go down to the Underworld and torture the healer slowly and painfully. But, he didn't. It was not his fault. Maybe it was hard because she was good and he was a demonic healer.
Phoebe's head lifted up groggily and she sent a questioning glance towards her bare stomach. "C—Cole?"
He shifted closer to her and she cuddled into his side. "Go back to sleep."
It was true that she hadn't had a nice rest. She had been up half the night worrying, so she snuggled closer to him and fell into a dreamless slumber.
Later on, her eyes fluttered open. She felt movement in her hair and looked up to see Cole running his fingers through her chocolate colored locks.
She looked at Cole. "Hey."
He smiled. "Good evening. Sleep well?"
She nodded. "Y-Yeah." She sat up and stretched, her hand immediately going to her baby as soon as she was done.
"When would you like to go to your Grandmother's?"
She smiled and her eyes widened in anticipation and excitement. "Now? Can we go now?"
He chuckled. "Of course. Get dressed."
She paused in her movement. "Is Jared gone?"
Cole nodded. "He left about an hour ago, livid."
She shut her eyes. "Why?"
"He..." he paused. "He was angry about us..."
She rolled her eyes and got up. She walked out of the room and up the stairs to where her clothes were. It didn't take long. She grabbed what still fit her. A pull-over sweatshirt still fit, but her jeans wouldn't. She sighed, knowing this was going to happen.
Cole was waiting downstairs. Resting against the wall, she called down. "Cole?"
"Yeah?" he asked walking into view. "What is it?"
She looked at her hands, slightly embarrassed. "You wouldn't happen to have a pair of sweatpants I could wear, would you?"
He chuckled. "Forget how much you've changed, have you?" he asked, grabbing a pair of red sweats and throwing them up to her.
She caught them. "Yeah, I have, but I haven't really been out much either."
"True."
"I'll be right down," she called from the upstairs bathroom.
He smiled. "Take your time. We're in no rush."
"Okay. I need a shower anyway."
Thirty minutes later, she rushed down the stairs. Her hair was still damp from her shower and rested on her shoulders, her sweatshirt covered her upper body and his long and slightly baggy sweatpants covered her legs with the black drawstring loosely tied.
She bounced on her toes, impatient.
He smiled and grabbed her hand. "Ready?"
She tilted her head, "Do you have a car?"
He chuckled quietly. "No."
"Then..."
He wrapped his arms around her then they were outside the Manor. He squeezed her hand. "It's called shimmering."
Suddenly, she felt her stomach roll. She clutched a hand on her baby bump and steadied herself against Cole when they landed. She leaned over and dry heaved.
He winced and hugged her. "I guess I didn't really think that through, did I?"
She shook her head. "I-It's okay." She looked up and saw the lights were on in the living room. "Wh-what time is it?"
"About 7:30," he answered.
"Okay, everyone is still awake, definitely."
"Yeah, but Phoebe, you can't tell them about me or Jared, or exactly what Melinda is."
She smiled. "Okay, so nothing about demons or suspicious powers. Anything else?"
"Yeah, watch how high you stretch. Your stomach still hasn't healed yet."
"An-and if I do by accident, what do I say?" she asked. "How am I supposed to explain it?"
"Worry about it if and when it comes."
She took a deep breath as they walked up the steps. "Here goes nothing…"
Author's note: So what do you think?
Reviews are much appreciated. Please?
Review thanks to: That70sshowlova, SyndiDowell & HalliwellMB
Thanks to my co-writer: That70sShowLova!
Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell & That70sShowLova