Hi everybody! Wow, I kind of really broke my updating streak there, didn't I? Many apologies; unexpected family trip to the seaside...just about the perfect vaca aside from the whole almost no internet thing. Anyways, here is my penance; it's very Phoebe/Cole centered, so I hope you enjoy! Thanks for being my so great!
ElenaMarshal: You'll see...all of your questions pretaining to Phoebe and Phoebe and Cole will be answered, I promise. As far as the other ones go: a) No, you will not go insane. b) I hope so! c) Yes, absolutely. d)Completely understand; I've been there myself and I'm very very happy that you think my story's good enough to warrent that kind of checkage:-) e) Please never shut up!
Disclaimer: No, I still have not obtained ownership of the television show Charmed. I do, however, possess a wild imagination and obsessive obsession with said show and plan to continue writing fanfiction until my fingers fall off, and maybe even after that. Cheers!
Civility
(the living room. Paige sits on the couch, talking to Warren)
Paige: Okay! Let's try something else. I'll throw this pillow (she grabs a small pillow) up in the air, and you catch it. Ready?
Warren: Ready!
Paige: Here we go.
(Paige throws the pillow high into the air. Warren holds up his arms and levitates several feet. He grabs the pillow in midair and hovering, hugs it proudly)
Paige: Way to go! (she stands up so she's level with her nephew and gives him a high five)
Warren: Do the orb lights again so I can catch 'em!
Paige: You've got it. (she holds out her hands, and several blue orbs zoom all around Warren, who laughs and tries to catch them)
(Phoebe walks into the room wearing a pair of Piper's jeans and a filmy white blouse, with her hair pulled back into a hasty yet pretty french twist. She's much calmer, and smiles at the sight of Paige and Warren)
Phoebe: Hey you two. What's going on in here?
(Piper and Cole shimmer in w/ an overnight bag, Piper holding a tattered orange and lime green stuffed dragon. Cole sees his son and Paige)
Cole: (angry) Paige! What the hel-Heck! are you doing? (he drops the duffel bag and strides over, plucking Warren out of the air.)
Paige: (airy) Oh, nothing much, Cole. Just hanging out with my—
Piper: (sensing danger) Paige! Kitchen! Now!
(she hastily passes the stuffed toy to Warrren and grabs Paige's wrist and drags her toward the kitchen. Paige shoots a haughty glance to Cole as she's pulled away.)
(Cole glares at her, turns back to his son)
Cole: (stern) Philip...what did I tell you?
Warren: (guiltily) No magic without permission. I'm sorry, Daddy.
Phoebe: (without thinking) Don't worry about it, sweetheart. These things happen.
Cole: (grits teeth) Phoebe—
Phoebe: Oh come on, Cole. Paige was with him. He was perfectly safe.
Cole: (places his hands firmly on Warren's shoulders) I will decide what is safe and what is not safe for my child, Phoebe.
(cut to the kitchen, Paige and Piper)
Paige: How did you know? More importantly, why didn't you tell us right away?!?!
Piper: (innocent) Know what? I just need some help...baking. I don't think I made enough cookies for everyone.
Paige: I get it now! You went with Cole to get him alone and then to beat out a confession!
Piper: What? No, Paige. I really don't know what you're talking about?
Paige: Cut the crap, Piper! He's our nephew!
Piper: Who's our nephew?
Paige: Philip! He's Phoebe's baby we thought was evil and dead!
Piper: (tries to laugh) Paige, that's crazy. It's imp—(Paige crosses her arms; Piper sighs) Inexplicably true.
Paige: Ha! I was right.
(Leo enters from the basement)
Leo: Right about what?
Paige: Philip is Phoebe's son.
Leo: Her what?!
Piper: Paige!
Paige: Yeah, and Piper knew!
Leo: Piper! How could you not tell us?!
(Henry enters from the basement)
Henry: Tell us what?
Leo: Philip is Phoebe's son!
Henry: How is that even possible?
(Wyatt enters from the basement)
Wyatt: How is what possible?
Adults: Downstairs!
Wyatt: Sheesh! (he hurries back down) Hey everybody, stay downstairs. The parents are being really crabby!
(Leo shuts the door behind him)
(cut to the living room. Warren wriggles out from Cole's grasp and trots over to the play pen in the conservatory to show baby Henry his dragon)
Phoebe: (throws up hands) Sorry. Just trying to help.
Cole: Well, I don't need your help.
Phoebe: Then why are you still here?
Cole: Because you kidnapped my son, brought him here, and involved your control freak of a sister.
Phoebe: Don't you say anything about Piper!
Cole: I'll say whatever I want to say! She's not my family anymore.
(cut to the kitchen. the adults are standing in a sort of huddle, whispering)
Paige: Great. Cole's back in the family. What does this make him anyhow?
Leo: (to Piper) I can't believe you didn't tell us right away. How long have you known?
Henry: Okay, let's save those questions for later. Right now, I think we need to be wondering how the hell he got out of Hell in the first place.
(they all look to Piper)
Piper: Don't look at me!
Henry: How's Phoebe going to react?
Leo: How can she not already know? She's an empath, for crying out loud!
Paige: I don't know. But we need to tell her, and now. (she starts for the door)
Piper: Oh no no no no! (she blocks the doorway) No one is telling Phoebe about this!
Paige: (appalled) Piper, she's his mother!
(cut to living room)
Phoebe: And I'm not his mother, I know. But Melinda's spell brought him to us for a reason, so you...you need to be civil!
Cole: Be civil???? For cripes sakes, Phoebe—
(he's interrupted by Warren, who tugs on his coat)
Warren: Daddy, I have to go to the potty.
Phoebe/Cole: Okay hon— (the look at each other, then away)
Phoebe: The bathroom's upstairs.
(Warren looks up at Cole)
Cole: Go ahead. Shimmer on up. (Warren does so)
Phoebe: (crosses arms) Continue.
Cole: (icy voice) You stole my son from me, from my home; I should be calling the cops and hitting you with kidnapping charges until there's nothing left of you to charge. Or just incinerate you with a fireball. But I'm not. So, under the circumstances, I think I'm being much more than civil. I think I'm being dammed warm and cuddly!
(cut to the kitchen)
Piper: Yes, she is his mother. But you may not tell her that.
Paige: Why not?! She has a right to know!
Piper: I am all for formally introducing Phoebe to her adorable little boy, who for some very odd reason is alive and kicking and not evil. But I made a deal with Cole.
Leo: Piper, you know those never work out—
Piper: Hush. Cole agreed not to take Warren and run if I kept his mother's identity in the dark. I don't want to lose my nephew again, so I'm willing to make some concessions to keep us from having to go on a globe-trotting, plane/reality shifting wild goose chase!
Paige: But—
Piper: No buts. It was the best compromise that I could come up with on short notice. (sternly) So everyone better keep their mouths shut!
(silence)
Henry: (somewhat timid) What about Coop?
(Coop opens the basement door, enters)
Coop: What about me?
(Piper freezes him)
Piper: Coop does not get to know. He wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut for two seconds. No. This is a secret. Besides, I have feeling that it won't be long before the truth comes out anyways. (she stares down everyone) Capice?
Paige: Fine
Leo: Fine
Henry: Fine
Piper: Good. Everyone in position? (they nod. Piper unfreezes Coop)
Coop: (confused) Hey, that was weird...did I just get frozen?
Piper: Of course not. Don't be silly.
Leo: (distracting) Coop, how are kids coming along?
Coop: Great. They can't decide on a movie, though; Philip'll be the swing vote. Where is he?
Paige: In the living room with his father and—
Piper: Phoebe. With his father and Phoebe.
(she shoots Paige a look. Paige just smirks. Phoebe's furious voice is heard)
Phoebe: Yeah, as warm and cuddly as the source of all evil!
(Coop immediately leaves the kitchen. The rest of the adults follow hurridly.)
(cut to the living room. Cole steps closer to Phoebe)
Cole: (voice soft and dangerous) Well, if memory serves me correctly, that used to be right up your alley.
(Phoebe gives him the death stare. Enter Coop and the other adults)
Coop: What's going on in here?
Phoebe: Oh! There you are, baby. I was wondering where you'd gone. (she makes a show of wrapping her arms around Coop and cuddling him.) I don't think you've been introduced. Coop, this is Cole, ex-source of all evil, ruthless demon, ex-husband that I've divorced and vanquished and is now mysteriously back with an innocent child he's no doubt raising to be evil and knowing our daughter's name and probably ready to ruin our lives, Turner.
Cole: (sarcastic) Really Phoebe, such a warm greeting, I'm touched. (looks Coop up and down, extends his hand) Great to "meet" you, Coop...what's the last name? Or is like Cher?
Coop: (forces himself to take Cole's hand) Funny.
Phoebe: Oh sweetie, don't be modest! (to Cole) He's a Cupid.
Cole: (mock disbelief) Really?! You don't say! You'll have to excuse my shock, I thought you guys were about three feet tall and came with diapers and those mini bows and arrows.
Coop: (forcing smile) Common mistake. Darn Hallmark.
Leo: (trying to break tension) So, we just came for Philip. There's a tie over the movie and we need a...tiebreaker.
Cole: He went to the bathroom. I'll—
Warren's Voice: DADDY!!!
(The adults rush to find him.)
I know, a cliffie, and right after a major trend of not updating...sorry! The next scene is almost ready though, I promise. Please don't hate me and not review!