Awakening Memories at the Town House [Locked to Cole]

[phoebe_halliwell]

Phoebe had gotten a later start than she had wanted to because of trying to stop herself from starting an argument with Piper. She had taken some of her famous short-cuts and when she reached the townhouse, she had stood on the street below, looking up at it for several minutes. She hadn't been inside since the loss of the baby.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the doors and stepped into the elevator. As she rolde upwards, she prayed to whomever was listening that Cole was still there---and that it really was Cole and not a trick of some sort. The doors opened into an empty room and Phoebe stepped off of the elevator...her heart dropping.

"Cole?" she called as she stepped further into the room. "Cole?!"

Comments

[reformed-demon.livejournal.com]

His breath catches at the sound of her voice. He wasn't even sure now how much time had passed since he'd last heard it, but it seemed like an eternity. He moved to the doorway of the darkened bedroom where he'd been waiting for her. "Phoebe," he said, hoping he didn't sound as nervous as he felt.

[seesthefuture.livejournal.com]

Phoebe turned her head when she heard his voice and she stared for a long time at him. A tear traced it's way down her cheeks as she tried to take a step forward.

"Is it...is it really you? I didn't think you'd still be here..."

[reformed-demon.livejournal.com]

Cole fought the urge to run to her and take her in his arms, not wanting to move too quickly. "I was starting to get worried," he admitted. "I thought maybe you'd changed your mind about seeing me." He paused, then adds, "It's really me. I'm not entirely the man I used to be, but it's me."

[seesthefuture.livejournal.com]

Phoebe walked up to him, looking him over. She reached out to touch him, then dropped her hand, not sure if he would want her to right now.

"No...had a slight argument with Piper and then ran into a bit of annoyance on the way...nothing could have kept me away..."

[reformed-demon.livejournal.com]

He watched her raise her hand then drop it. She was still afraid of him after all, he realized, his heart sinking. He leaned against the door frame. "Bit of annoyance? What do you mean?" he said with forced casualness. Then he sighed. "As for Piper, she's been giving me a piece of her mind as well -- her and some boy claiming to be a Halliwell from the future."

[seesthefuture.livejournal.com]

Phoebe saw his eyes and realized too late what he must have though, his emotions somewhat overwhelming her. He had no idea of this new power of empathy she had.

"I'm not afraid of you," she whispered, needing desperately for him to believe her. "I'm afraid that you don't want me to touch you...or if I try to touch you, you'll disappear..."

She listened to what he said and when he asked about the annoyance, she shook her head. "Demon, thought I looked like food. Just a scratch."

She sighed. "Future? You must have met Chris."

[reformed-demon.livejournal.com]

Cole took a hesitant step closer, reaching out his hand to cup her cheek. "I'm not going to disappear," he said softly. He quickly looked her over for any signs of injury, and the gentleness in his voice turned more angry. "You're hurt? Where? Who did it?"

"And, yes, Chris," he went on. "He must be Piper's -- he had her same judgmental attitude. I didn't get sense of Paige from him." He looked at Phoebe somewhat pointedly. "And I'm certain he's no son of mine."

[seesthefuture.livejournal.com]

Phoebe leaned into his hand, gradually realizing he was touching her and that he wasn't going to disappear on her.

"It's no big deal," Phoebe said softly. "He just grazed my shoulder. It probably isn't even bleeding any longer. I don't know what his name was."

Phoebe flinched inwardly from the look he gave her when he mentioned that Chris wasn't his son. "The Seer stole our son," she pointed out. "And yes, Chris is Piper's son from the future. What did he say exactly?"

[reformed-demon.livejournal.com]

Cole winced as Phoebe flinched slightly at his mention of a son. He hadn't meant to remind her of their own lost child, only to lightly tease that Chris couldn't be Phoebe's son because no one other than him would be the father. Or so he hoped.

He drew his hand down to her shoulder, gently tracing the scratch he found there, reassuring himself the wound was as minor as she claimed it was. "He said the usual," he told her. "You're evil, stay away from Phoebe. Like mother, like son."

[seesthefuture.livejournal.com]

"Now, that would make for some interesting Halliwell witches..."

Phoebe shook her head.

"Nobody knows where Leo is, either," she said softly. "So, Piper and I have pretty much been on our own. Chris helps from time to time, but mostly, no real Whitelighter."

[reformed-demon.livejournal.com]

"Chris is Leo's son? I wonder if somehow he's from a future that doesn't exist anymore, then. Particularly since he seems to think I should be and will be dead." He squeezed his arms around Phoebe. "I can't believe you've been so alone. If something had happened to you and I'd have been able to stop it...." He let his voice trail off, unable to finish the thought.

[seesthefuture.livejournal.com]

Phoebe nodded. "Yeah, Chris is Leo and Piper's son from a point in one of the futures." She shook her head. "Cole, you couldn't have known everything that was going on. You were fighting your own battles."

[reformed-demon.livejournal.com]

"I know, but...." He let out a sigh. "You're safe now, and that's all that matters. And I'm not going to let anything happen to you now."

[seesthefuture.livejournal.com]

Phoebe nodded. "I'm safe and I'm alive...even though there have been some close calls." She laid her head against his chest again so she could hear his heartbeat.

"And you're alive...and here...and you still love me. How could anything happen to me?"

[reformed-demon.livejournal.com]

Cole gently stroked her hair, still almost unable to believe that she was here, with him, in his arms. "Nothing's going to happen to you, I promise," he said. "I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."

[seesthefuture.livejournal.com]

Phoebe was silent for a long moment, lost in thought. She was still afraid that Cole being here was some sort of a dream and that when she woke up, he would be gone.

"And I will do my best not to ever let anything happen to you, I promise." She sighed softly.

"If this is a dream, I don't ever want to wake up."

[reformed-demon.livejournal.com]

Cole held her quietly for a long moment, then hesitantly said, "The powers I took from the Wastelands -- they've made me a demon again. I know Piper's having a coniption about that, but...are you okay with it? I'm not possessed -- it's not the Source. But I'm not human, not at all."

[reformed-demon.livejournal.com]

"Mmmhmm," Cole said. He continued to kiss her neck as he said, "Dear Ask Phoebe, I'm getting back together with my wife after being separated for a long time. Should I worry about moving too fast?"

[seesthefuture.livejournal.com]

Phoebe shivered slightly as she felt his breath on her neck, followed by his kisses.

"Dear Husband, If the two of you are getting back together because you want to be with each other then I don't think there's any such thing as moving too fast. Listen to what your heart tells you."

[reformed-demon.livejournal.com]

"You're right," Cole said between kisses. "You are an excellent advice columnist." He shifted their positions on the couch so that he was stretched out along its length, and pulled her down against him.

[seesthefuture.livejournal.com]

Phoebe smiled as she kissed his chin and then his jaw. "There are times that the advice writes itself," she said before kissing him again.

[reformed-demon.livejournal.com]

"Then do you advise we go upstairs?" Cole said playfully. "We wouldn't want an uninvited nephew orbing in unannounced."

[seesthefuture.livejournal.com]

Phoebe grinned. "Yes, yes we should. If Chris shows up...he might try to protect me from your advances."

[reformed-demon.livejournal.com]

"If he tries," Cole growled, "he's grounded." He grinned at her. "Because no one can protect you now."

[seesthefuture.livejournal.com]

Phoebe ran a hand through Cole's hair and then kissed him deeply, before pulling back to look into his eyes. "I don't want to be protected from you."