CHAPTER 6
Phoebe had pulled away from Piper, and just as they turned into the corridor, she turned and went back into the office where the two FBI agents were. She opened the door in time to see John Grant take Rachel in his arms, and kiss her thoroughly. Neither of them was aware of Phoebe standing devastated and desolate in the doorway. She backed out of the room, and caught up with her family in the car park.
Piper looked at her in concern. "Oh sweetie, are you all right? What a shock for you. But it's o.k., he isn't Cole, Cole is gone, and gone for good. You can move on with your life." Phoebe didn't answer, she stared ahead in almost a zombie like state, and Piper exchanged worried glances with Leo. Paige also gave Phoebe a hug, and tried to get a response from her. "He was really cute," she said, "But she was a bitch. I can't see what he could see in her!" Phoebe still gave no response, but sat in the back of the car, next to the baby, just looking out of the window. Leo turned to Paige, "I guess you couldn't see what he saw in her, but she is very beautiful. And they are obviously in love," he said, and Piper thumped him on the arm. "Enough with the love talk," she whispered to him, "I think Phoebe is in shock or something - I mean look at her." When they arrived back at the manor, Phoebe allowed them to lead her inside. She sat in the sunroom for a long time, ignoring offers of hot drinks, or even alcoholic drinks, and stared out of the window. By the time her sisters were really really worried, she finally left the sunroom, and walked up to the attic. Piper and Paige followed her and she turned to face them, standing next to the Book of Shadows.
"I was wrong," she said slowly, "I was arrogant, and unfeeling, and totally wrong," "What are you talking about, sweetie?" asked Paige, worried. "Cole," Phoebe replied. "I didn't give him a chance. I didn't allow him the opportunity of explaining what happened to him."
"Phoebe, you gave him every chance," said Paige "He just kept screwing up. He was evil, Phoebe, you know that, and he couldn't change that." "No," replied Phoebe. "I kept telling him he was evil, but he wasn't. Piper, you know how much good he did. He didn't want what happened to him - he didn't want to be the Source. He absorbed those powers to protect us. He did a lot of things to protect us. And I ignored them all. I failed him, in the end, not the other way around."
"It doesn't matter now Phoebe," said Piper, coming forward to put her arm around Phoebe. "Cole is gone - don't torture yourself like this. We did what we thought was right at the time. We can't change that. You have to move forward." "Yes," said Phoebe, dry-eyed. "But I am going to do what I should have done before. I am going to have a memorial service for him, just me - I don't want you here. Leave me alone, I'm going to light a candle for him, a candle of remembrance, and ask for his forgiveness. And also - also for my baby. Because he wouldn't have been evil, if it hadn't been for that potion the Seer gave me to drink."
Piper looked at her for a long time, then nodded, and started to leave. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" she asked, turning back "I will light a candle also, Cole saved my life more than once." "You may stay, if you want to," Phoebe replied, and looked at Paige. "Not you, you didn't really ever like Cole, did you?" "Honestly, no," Paige replied, "Because he scared me. But I understand you needing to do this, and will support you if you want me." "Very well, but please, empty your heart of any pre-conceived ideas about Cole, and help me with this. I should have done this a year ago."
And they formed a circle, each holding a candle, and began an age-old ceremony, to say goodbye to a loved one, and finally the tears Phoebe had been holding back burst forth, and she cried in her sisters' arms for a very long time.
**** ****** ****
Phoebe Halliwell stood at her window, and looked out over the bright city lights. It was the day after the day after her birthday. She had told Jason she needed time to herself for a while, she needed to allow herself to mourn, to come to terms with Cole's death. She needed to be able to get past the fact that there was a man out there, who was Cole's double.
She had seen the future; she had met the bitter old lady she was to become. She had hoped to change that particular future, but now she was scared it was too late. She had cried herself dry yesterday, and last night, and most of today. Now she just stood at the window, wondering if this was the hurt he had felt, when he was trying to kill himself, if this numbness would ever go. The breeze picked up a little, her curtains lifted and swirled around, she cocked her head to one side, not sure if she was hearing her name whispered or not. Her heart began to beat faster, and she felt suspended in motion, she knew there was someone behind her, but couldn't turn, was afraid to turn around, in case it wasn't him, but her heart was suddenly singing. The End
Phoebe had pulled away from Piper, and just as they turned into the corridor, she turned and went back into the office where the two FBI agents were. She opened the door in time to see John Grant take Rachel in his arms, and kiss her thoroughly. Neither of them was aware of Phoebe standing devastated and desolate in the doorway. She backed out of the room, and caught up with her family in the car park.
Piper looked at her in concern. "Oh sweetie, are you all right? What a shock for you. But it's o.k., he isn't Cole, Cole is gone, and gone for good. You can move on with your life." Phoebe didn't answer, she stared ahead in almost a zombie like state, and Piper exchanged worried glances with Leo. Paige also gave Phoebe a hug, and tried to get a response from her. "He was really cute," she said, "But she was a bitch. I can't see what he could see in her!" Phoebe still gave no response, but sat in the back of the car, next to the baby, just looking out of the window. Leo turned to Paige, "I guess you couldn't see what he saw in her, but she is very beautiful. And they are obviously in love," he said, and Piper thumped him on the arm. "Enough with the love talk," she whispered to him, "I think Phoebe is in shock or something - I mean look at her." When they arrived back at the manor, Phoebe allowed them to lead her inside. She sat in the sunroom for a long time, ignoring offers of hot drinks, or even alcoholic drinks, and stared out of the window. By the time her sisters were really really worried, she finally left the sunroom, and walked up to the attic. Piper and Paige followed her and she turned to face them, standing next to the Book of Shadows.
"I was wrong," she said slowly, "I was arrogant, and unfeeling, and totally wrong," "What are you talking about, sweetie?" asked Paige, worried. "Cole," Phoebe replied. "I didn't give him a chance. I didn't allow him the opportunity of explaining what happened to him."
"Phoebe, you gave him every chance," said Paige "He just kept screwing up. He was evil, Phoebe, you know that, and he couldn't change that." "No," replied Phoebe. "I kept telling him he was evil, but he wasn't. Piper, you know how much good he did. He didn't want what happened to him - he didn't want to be the Source. He absorbed those powers to protect us. He did a lot of things to protect us. And I ignored them all. I failed him, in the end, not the other way around."
"It doesn't matter now Phoebe," said Piper, coming forward to put her arm around Phoebe. "Cole is gone - don't torture yourself like this. We did what we thought was right at the time. We can't change that. You have to move forward." "Yes," said Phoebe, dry-eyed. "But I am going to do what I should have done before. I am going to have a memorial service for him, just me - I don't want you here. Leave me alone, I'm going to light a candle for him, a candle of remembrance, and ask for his forgiveness. And also - also for my baby. Because he wouldn't have been evil, if it hadn't been for that potion the Seer gave me to drink."
Piper looked at her for a long time, then nodded, and started to leave. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" she asked, turning back "I will light a candle also, Cole saved my life more than once." "You may stay, if you want to," Phoebe replied, and looked at Paige. "Not you, you didn't really ever like Cole, did you?" "Honestly, no," Paige replied, "Because he scared me. But I understand you needing to do this, and will support you if you want me." "Very well, but please, empty your heart of any pre-conceived ideas about Cole, and help me with this. I should have done this a year ago."
And they formed a circle, each holding a candle, and began an age-old ceremony, to say goodbye to a loved one, and finally the tears Phoebe had been holding back burst forth, and she cried in her sisters' arms for a very long time.
**** ****** ****
Phoebe Halliwell stood at her window, and looked out over the bright city lights. It was the day after the day after her birthday. She had told Jason she needed time to herself for a while, she needed to allow herself to mourn, to come to terms with Cole's death. She needed to be able to get past the fact that there was a man out there, who was Cole's double.
She had seen the future; she had met the bitter old lady she was to become. She had hoped to change that particular future, but now she was scared it was too late. She had cried herself dry yesterday, and last night, and most of today. Now she just stood at the window, wondering if this was the hurt he had felt, when he was trying to kill himself, if this numbness would ever go. The breeze picked up a little, her curtains lifted and swirled around, she cocked her head to one side, not sure if she was hearing her name whispered or not. Her heart began to beat faster, and she felt suspended in motion, she knew there was someone behind her, but couldn't turn, was afraid to turn around, in case it wasn't him, but her heart was suddenly singing. The End