The lonely warrior - chapter 17

A Coffee House

"When you came back from the Wasteland, I was so confused," Phoebe said. "I wanted time to forget what happened, but you didn't understand me... You didn't give me the space I needed. So... I turned cold as stone."

Cole shook his head. "It never crossed your mind how confused I was? My love for you gave me the strength to come back from the Wasteland. All I wanted was..."

"Me," Phoebe completed. "Oh, Cole, I never doubted your love for me. But then I wasn't the Phoebe you felt in love anymore. I became Queen of the Underworld, I succumbed to evil and it almost destroyed me and my sisters. All I wanted was to forget everything... I loved you, with all my heart and soul, but what happened... The Seer, the Underworld, the baby, all that evil engulfing me... Things would never be the same between us. I wasn't prepared to rebuild our relationship. As I said, I couldn't live through that hell again, even for you..."

Cole cleared his throat. "Why didn't you talk to me about those things? You should talk to me... I would understand you, but you... you just sent me away!"

"You started to act like a crazy man," Phoebe said. "You scared me. You were so powerful and..."

"I tried to use my powers to help people," Cole defended himself.

"But in the end you didn't help people," Phoebe shook her head. "In the end, everything happened as I told you. Evil took you over and you killed people. I didn't recognize you anymore."

"You told me I was evil," Cole said with pain in his voice. "No amount of good deeds would never change that. Do you remember?"

Suddenly Phoebe felt a cold sensation in her heart. She could feel his pain and sorrow, as he repeated her words to him.

"I was trying to prove myself to you and you destroyed me," he continued. "You don't understand, you changed everything when you said those things to me. "

Phoebe frowned. What the hell he was talking about?

"I don't understand," she said in confusion.

"Forget it," Cole said, raising up.

"Wait," Phoebe said, grabbing his hand. "What'd you mean?" She knew it was something important, she could felt it. "Cole, tell me..."

Cole hesitated for a moment. Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to tell her the truth, maybe she wouldn't even believe him. "Forget it, the past is in the past. It doesn't matter, not anymore," he told her, freeing his hand from her clutching fingers.

Phoebe shook her head. "It matters to me. We can't change the past, but we can avoid to make the same mistakes. Please, tell me..."

The truth. Could she handle it?

"The Angel of Destiny told me what really happened to me," he started to explain.

"The angel?" Phoebe asked.

Cole nodded. "She explained to me what happened when you said those things to me," he approached and touched her hand. "It was a kind of spell."

"Spell?" Phoebe frowned, taking a step back.

"It was a little glimpse of your empathic power," Cole said calmly.

Phoebe looked up at him in horror. "No... No... I would never... You're wrong," she said, as a tear slipped out of her eye. She knew he wasn't lying. He was being completely honest with her, but it didn't mean it was true. "I would never do such a thing to you," she assured him.

"I know," he said softly. "I know it wasn't your intention."

"It wasn't a spell," she said, shaking her head. "I..."

Evil is inside of you

It's who you are

She said those words with such emotion, she was angry.

So angry...

"Oh, God!" she sat down in the chair again and started to cry.

"Phoebe," Cole said. "Look, you didn't know what you were doing."

"Are you okay?" the waitress approached them and asked in concern.

Phoebe looked at her and nodded. "I'm fine," she said. "Thank you."

"C'mon," Cole said softly, as the waitress walked away. "I'll take you back home."

Phoebe looked at him and smiled. "You're a little angry with me..."

"Yes, I am," he admitted.

"I am sorry," Phoebe said, caressing his face. When their lips almost touched, she felt him pulling away from her.

"Confused," she muttered. "You... you're confused."

Cole frowned. "You're reading me..."

"I can't control this power yet," she said, embracing herself.

Cole sighed heavily. "I'll take you back home, Phoebe. C'mon," he said.

Phoebe nodded and they left the coffee house together.

A/N: Thank you for all te reviews, follows and favorites.

I am really sorry for the delay. I'm trying to write more frequently.