CHARMED
"Bubble Bound"
by shel
© october 2005
disclaimer: the charmed ones, cole, and leo, and the rest of the cast of characters we've come to know and love, belong to spelling television, inc. and possible other copyright holders. i intended no true infringement on their copyrights; i only wanted to borrow these marvelous characters for a short time in my own scenarios and hopefully return them no worse for wear; the only things i've gained from this story are the satisfaction and pleasure of having written it and in knowing that others may have enjoyed it too…
rating: pg-13
summary: missing scenes from season 4's 'lost and bound'…
archive: please don't without expressed permission…
notes: please let me know if you enjoyed my tale and why and, if not, why not…and, please, don't bother wasting your time or mine by sending any flames…
Cole found her sitting on the window seat in her room. He tried to keep the worry from his tone when he commented, "It doesn't take you more than an hour to change into something more comfortable."
Phoebe nearly jumped from her seat. She gazed down at her outfit and realized with surprise she that still hadn't changed. She checked her watch and apologized, "Didn't realize the time."
He smiled as he approached, "I thought maybe I missed a hint or something and that you were waiting for me to come up here and have a private showing all my own." His relief at her amused reaction was short-lived when her smile faded just as quickly as it had appeared and she locked her hands around her bent knees again. "You okay?" he quietly wondered.
"I was, uh…I caught sight of the sunset and, I don't know, it was pretty beautiful," Phoebe apologized as she nodded to the window. "Didn't mean to worry you…or tease you."
She was so solemn and he didn't want to push her but there was something wrong and he wanted to know what it was. Was it still cold feet about marrying him? Or was it the fact that he'd been fired on his first day of work after only a few hours? He sat opposite her and placed his hand on her knee, lightly stroking it with his thumb. "You still feeling faint from Grams's hex?" When she shrugged in reply, he leaned against her legs and suggested, "Maybe you overdid it in the kitchen today." Again, he received a shrug in reply. "Tyler's playing some video games and Piper's fixing dinner so why don't we --"
"Of course she is," Phoebe murmured as she gently kicked him away.
"Sorry?"
"Never mind," she said as she swung her legs to the floor. She started to get up but suddenly found his hands gently pushing her shoulders down. "I need to get out of this suit."
"It waited this long…"
"Cole…"
He inched closer and wrapped his arm securely around her shoulders. "Talk to me."
She slowly met his gaze, "Will you give me an honest answer?"
Taken aback by the question, he replied, "Of course."
But she was already sorry for having thought of asking him and she quickly pulled away, "Never mind."
When she'd stood and started walking away, Cole grabbed her by the elbow, "Phoebe…What is it?"
She couldn't face him and asked in a whisper, "Am I really that bad a cook?"
"What?" Definitely not one of the hundred things he'd feared she was about to ask.
Phoebe took advantage of his loosened grip and pulled her arm free, hugging herself as she walked to the opposite side of her bed. "Stupid…" she muttered angrily to herself. She should never have opened her big mouth. Her back still to him, she sat on the edge and stared into her lap, "You don't have to answer, y'know. I guess I've known the truth all along, just didn't want to admit it."
"What truth?" How did she always manage to confuse him? "What does your cooking have to do with anything?" He'd followed her across the room but she still didn't acknowledge him. Almost as if she was afraid but why would she suddenly be afraid of him? "Hey, what's going on?" He sat next to her and firmly turned her body towards his. Surprised by the tears in her eyes that quickly spilled onto her cheeks, he softly encouraged, "Talk to me…"
While she found strength in his eyes, her voice still came out a whisper, "I know I'll never be a gourmet like her but it's not like I've ever poisoned anyone…"
"Glad to hear it?" He couldn't believe she was serious. "Phoebe, what's all this really about?"
"What're we gonna do?" she uttered in despair.
He dropped his hands in frustration, "About what?"
The dam inside her burst and Phoebe cried out, "If I can't cook for you, what am I gonna do all day?"
At a loss for words, Cole simply stared at her in surprise as she hunched over, crying into her hands. Then his instincts kicked in and he pulled her into her arms and murmured comforting phrases repeatedly. All the while he wracked his brain trying to recall if he'd inadvertently insulted her cooking today. He glanced down at his sobbing fiancé and hoped it was all simply an after-effect of the hex. Her emotions were a mess and she probably just needed some reassurance. "Honey, I love it when you cook for me. Why should that change after we're married?"
"Because I'm a terrible cook," she replied with a choked sniffle. She struggled in his arms and pulled back, "Don't bother trying to make me feel better. It's time I faced the truth. I mean even Piper thinks I'm a lousy cook."
Cole managed to pull her close enough to kiss the top of her head. "I doubt that very much."
"It's true," she insisted as she gave up struggling. She just felt so drained. "Can't you drop it, please?"
Skeptical, he raised an eyebrow, "Piper told you that you were a lousy cook?"
"She told Tyler," Phoebe admitted. "He told me the cookies I made for him were very good and that he didn't understand why Piper had told him that I wasn't that great a cook when she gave them to him to try."
"Paige said it took a while for Tyler to open up," he considered, "so maybe it was just Piper's way of breaking the ice."
Phoebe shook her head, "She's teased me before….just never with a stranger."
"He's a kid, it's --"
"She meant it," she interrupted.
"And he didn't?" She seemed confused so he clarified, "He told you they were good."
"But --"
"Besides," he quickly continued, "if the cookies are so lousy, how come I just saw the kid stuffing his face with them?"
She shrugged again, "He's a boy and not very picky, I guess."
Cole kissed the top of her head again and assured her, "He was eating them because he liked them. So did I for that matter." She seemed to perk up at that and he confessed, "Good thing I can't throw energy balls anymore or Tyler might've bit the dust for hoarding them."
"Stop teasing," she requested, looking down into her lap again.
"I'm serious," he insisted, "I practically had to wrestle him for the two small ones I got."
"Really?"
"Really." She'd responded so quietly that he wasn't sure he'd broken through whatever was really bothering her. He remained quiet for a few minutes relieved she at least seemed to be relaxing in his arms. She couldn't be this upset over her cooking. He hugged her and gently rubbed her arms, "Just because you're not a gourmet like your sister doesn't mean you're a lousy cook."
"But it's not --"
"Have I ever complained about your cooking?"
"Well, no but --"
"Answer the question," he directed. "Have I ever complained about your cooking?"
Phoebe still couldn't meet his intense gaze but grudgingly replied, "No."
"No I haven't," he confirmed for her. "Just because you have a limited repertoire of dishes doesn't mean you're a terrible cook. And there's no shame in that."
"But I'm not --"
"Stop with the buts," he interrupted. "You didn't grow up in the kitchen like Piper so it's not second nature for you. It doesn't mean that you're not a good cook and it doesn't mean that you can't expand your horizons in the kitchen. And it also doesn't mean that I expect you to cook me a four-course meal every night…that's Piper's job." His tease backfired and he immediately apologized when tears fell from her eyes again, "Poor attempt at humor. I was only kidding, Piper won't be cooking for us every night."
"But if I can't --"
He tilted her chin up, "I love you but I don't expect you to be my personal Betty Crocker."
"I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be," she shamefully whispered.
He hugged and rocked her, "Well neither am I so we're a perfect match." She didn't smile and he promised, "We'll figure it out…"
"I hope so," she whispered.
So it was the marriage thing. Cole sighed. He was running out of ideas to reassure her of their future. "Look, you've had a stressful day, why don't you relax with a hot shower?" She shook her head and he suggested, "How about if I joined you?"
As upset as she was, Phoebe couldn't hide her smile. "It wouldn't be very relaxing then would it?" She saw his eagerness but regretfully sighed, "As tempting an offer as it is, I don't think I'm up for it."
He kissed the top of her head, released her, and stood, "I've got a different idea. You get undressed and I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Cole, really, I don't think I'm up for --"
"Just do it, for me…please…" When she finally nodded, he turned to leave, "Be right back…"
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"Are your eyes still closed?" he asked as he led her into the bathroom.
"Yes," she sighed. It was so sweet of him to do whatever he was doing. "Is that lavender I smell?"
Cole stood her in front of the bathtub filled with bubbles. "Open your eyes."
She complied and took in the sight of the many candles lit around the tub. "Oh, Cole, you did this for me?" When he shrugged, she quickly stood on tiptoes to kiss him, "This's so sweet. Thank you."
"I know bubble baths help you unwind," he smiled. "So," he added as he helped slide the robe off her shoulders, kissing them along the way, "step in, milady, and relax."
"Thank you, kind sir," Phoebe giggled before testing the water with her fingers. Happy with the temperature she held onto his arm while she carefully climbed into the tub. She stood there and tugged on his dress shirt collar in order to pull him closer for a kiss. "Thank you…"
He smiled and simply said, "You're welcome."
"Care to join me?" she invited.
His gaze traveled appreciatively up and down her body but he shook his head and echoed her earlier statement, "As tempting an offer as that is…" He gave her a quick peck on the lips, "I think you need time to unwind. Now, sit down," he ordered and waited for her to listen, "and relax. And I'll go tell Piper that there'll be two less for dinner."
She leaned forward in the tub, ready to push herself up and get out, "But aren't you hungr--"
"Uh, uh, uh…" Cole quickly knelt and gently pushed her away from the edge, "After you're nice and relaxed we'll reheat your dinner and eat together."
"My dinner?"
"You spent all day in the kitchen cooking for me and I don't even get to eat it?" he glared playfully. "I'm hurt."
"I love you," she happily sighed as she slowly sank down into the water.
"Good," he replied with a wink as he stood and left the room.
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The click of the lock startled Phoebe from her daydreams and she lurched forward, splashing bubbles and water all around. "Cole, you scar-- uh, what're you doing?"
He looked down at the shirt he was unbuttoning and shrugged, "Oh, well, I decided that, all things considered, I had a pretty stressful day myself and needed to unwind."
She giggled, "You did, huh."
He nodded as he peeled off the shirt and hung it on a hook, "Thought I might give this bubble bath idea a shot."
"Never had a bubble bath before, huh…"
"First time for everything," he commented as he unbuckled his belt and pulled down his zipper.
She glanced at the bubbles around her, "Lucky you, there just happens to be a bubble bath all ready to try."
"Really, now," he commented as he stripped out of his pants, "I wonder how the water is."
"Getting hotter by the minute," she murmured as her amused smile turned into something more when his underwear joined his pants in a pile on the vanity. The sight of him always thrilled her, "Oh, Cole…"
He stood next to her, "I don't know…there doesn't seem to be much room." He turned away.
"Wait!"
He grinned as he heard splashing from the tub and, when he turned back, he found her scrunched at the far end of the tub. "Hmmm, maybe it'll work." It was a little slippery and but he managed to slide down and he reached for her.
"Trust me," Phoebe murmured as she scooted back against him, "you'll love it." She rested her forearms along his thighs, bent on each side of her, and lazily washed some of the bubbles over them.
Still trying to make himself comfortable, he wrapped his arm securely around her waist and pulled her up, jerking slightly, "Watch your elbow…"
"Sorry," she giggled as she gave him a fond pat.
Cole pressed a kiss to her ear, "You will be if you misbehave. You're supposed to be helping me relax."
She pulled his arms across her chest, snuggling in their embrace, and lightly kissed his bicep. "I am, huh…"
He kissed the top of her head and gently squeezed her between his thighs. "Only fair since you seem so relaxed now yourself."
Her playful mood gone, she glanced up at him, "I'm sorry about before. The past couple of days. I don't know, I guess I've been a bit overwhelmed. And then being under Gram's hex…"
He wiped away some of the bubbles before kissing the tip of her nose, "Have you thought about it, the hex I mean?"
She nodded but settled in his embrace, "You first. I heard Paige call you to the phone. What was that about?"
He leaned back in the tub, "The case I was working on when I was fired."
Phoebe felt his chuckle and turned slightly, "What's so funny?"
"Even fired, I won the case," he told her before kissing her soundly on the lips. "You are going to marry the best damned lawyer in the world."
"I thought I was marrying you," she teased.
He splashed her, "Admit it, I'm a great lawyer."
"Uh, uh," she shook her head, nudging his hand away.
"Say it, Phoebe," he demanded with a laugh as he splashed her.
Gasping in surprise, she tried to move away. But Cole's arm was still locked around her and she shrieked when he purposefully splashed her again with his free hand.
"Cole!"
"Say it! Say I'm the best lawyer…"
She refused and shrieked again when he didn't let up with splashing her. But two could play that game and she began to retaliate. And she enjoyed it. It was carefree and loving and she could outlast him. "I love you!"
He knew she'd said it to distract him but Cole suddenly realized this really was love and he stopped splashing and held her tight. Love was being unsure and confused. Love was doing for one another and supporting one another when instincts said to run. Love was a bubble bath where all the problems of the world were locked outside the door.
"I love you," she repeated as she snuggled him. For all their playfulness, this was the truth. The truth was that it didn't matter how she'd spend her day after they'd be married. The truth was that it didn't matter if he was still trying to find himself. The truth was that they were together and would be there to support and stand by one another no matter what marriage would bring. She gazed up at him, matching the love she saw in his eyes with her own. She caressed his cheek and grinned, "But I'm still not gonna say it."
And the splashing continued amidst more demands and shrieks of laughter…
The End