South Attic --- Third Period --- ((Locked to demonbelthazor)) V

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe ran from the Assistants Lounge up to the South Attic and slammed the door closed behind her. She was shaking and doing her best to not cry, but she knew she was fighting a losing battle. The scene in the lounge had driven all thought from her head and all she could see in her mind was Cole...and Piper. She felt sick...she felt crushed and betrayed.

Comments

[demonbelthazor]

Cole didn't bother with the door. Instead he shimmered into the South Attic, reaching for Phoebe. "Sweetheart, listen to me!" he said. "It was before you and I were together! It didn't mean anything!"

[sensethevisions]

When she saw Cole's face and felt the pull of emotion on their soulbond, Phoebe let tears fill her eyes finally. "Then...then it's true..." She felt sick. "You... and Piper."

"And that's supposed to make it alright?" Phoebe looked at him, feeling like she had Saturday morning, only worse, because this was real. "Did you tell her the same things you had told me before I caught you in bed with that other girl and I tried to get Jerusalem to send me somewhere to get me killed...or after I came back?"

[demonbelthazor]

"I was different then!" Cole said. "I didn't understand love, I didn't
feel it yet. You're the one who changed that."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe wanted to believe him...she did...but there was other angst, too. "So, what were your plans, then, Cole? Let Piper catch us together and..."

Okay, Cole couldn't have known that Prue had always accused Phoebe of stealing her and Piper's boyfriends, but her mind wasn't processing that fact.

[demonbelthazor]

"I didn't have any plans," Cole said softly. "I just wanted...I just cared about my own satisfaction." He looked at Phoebe pleadingly. "Can't we just put it behind us?"

[sensethevisions]

"What else, Cole? What else aren't you telling me?" She tried to wipe tears away from her cheeks. "Did Piper...did Piper love you?"

[demonbelthazor]

Cole couldn't meet Phoebe's eyes. "I think I broke her heart," he said. "She was pretty hurt when she realized you and I were together."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe felt like she had been kicked in the stomach. "How long?"

[demonbelthazor]

"How long what?" Cole asked. "How long was I with Piper? A couple weeks.... But I didn't love her, not like I love you!"

[sensethevisions]

"Did you let her believe that you loved her?" She whispered.

[demonbelthazor]

Cole nodded reluctantly. "Yeah. I did. I was a different person then, Phoebe, you have to believe me!"

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe had thought she would be prepared for that answer...but she hadn't.

"You..." she swallowed, trying to not be ill. "You bastard. What was the plan? You were going to turn Piper and I against each other?! Use that weakness to kill us and take our bodies to Raynor?"

[demonbelthazor]

"I didn't even know you were witches then!" Cole exclaimed.

[sensethevisions]

"...so...you were just being evil and seeing if you could hurt us...or were we just a game to you?"

[demonbelthazor]

"You changed me, Phoebe," Cole said. "I'm not like that anymore. You're the only one I want to be with. You're the only one I love."

[sensethevisions]

"Were you ever going to tell me," she demanded. "I...I had to find out from LOGAN of all people!"

Phoebe clenched her fists at her sides as more tears slipped down her cheeks.


"Secrets are always found out at this place." Phoebe felt another tear slip down her cheek. "You don't get it. You kept something important from me...what's more...I was used to hurt my sister...my BEST FRIEND."

[demonbelthazor]

"I didn't mean to hurt you like this," Cole said, but the words sounded weak. Back then, he hadn't cared. "I thought you'd be better off not knowing. It was in the past, so what was the point?"

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe stared at him, betrayal in her eyes. "Did you even care?" she demanded as she threw a couch pillow at him. (Well, why do you think they're called "throw pillows"?)

[demonbelthazor]

He caught the pillow and threw it to the ground. "I care now!" he snapped. "I hate that I've hurt you."

[sensethevisions]

She could feel anguish coming off of Cole, but she couldn't rationally tell if it was because he truly did hate that this had hurt her or...or that she had found out period. "Gods, how Piper must have hated me." She looked at him. "Did you have Paige, too? Collect yourself quite the collection of the Charmed Ones?! How about any of my other friends, Maia, Veronica?!"

She took a gulping breath.

"You threatened to KILL Veronica if she told me...after you promised me you'd leave her alone!"

[demonbelthazor]

"She started it!" Cole snarled, aware of how childish it sounded. "I stopped by Caritas for a drink and she got in my face. She wouldn't leave me alone. I was just trying to scare her off. As for the rest of what you said...." Cole got a disgusted look on his face. "No. I haven't, not with any of them. Give me some credit for taste."

[sensethevisions]

"You wanted my sister," Phoebe said in defeat. "You were going to kill Veronica if she told me..."

[demonbelthazor]

"You wanted my sister," Phoebe said in defeat. "You were going to kill Veronica if she told me..."

"It was a figure of speech," Cole said lamely. "She was threatening to tell you...she wanted to break us up...."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe looked at him and shook her head. "The only person who has ever had the ability to break us up is you, Cole."

[demonbelthazor]

"Phoebe...." Cole said, suddenly filled with dread about what her next words would be.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe could barely see him in front of her because of her tears.

"There'll never ever be anyone else for me but you, Cole. Ever. But you lied to me...and you hid something very important from me. How can I know you're not hiding other things?"

Phoebe was having a hard time speaking as she started walking to the door.

[demonbelthazor]

"You know I have to hide things from you because of what I am...what I need to do!" Cole protested. "You said you were okay with that."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe turned. "That's different and you know it!" She said softly. "Sleeping with my sister...breaking a promise to me...that's different."

She placed her hand on the doorknob. "We are not moving again. This place is ours until Summer. I'll move my stuff into the other bedroom." She swallowed, forcing the words out. "I can't stay here right now...not tonight."

[demonbelthazor]

"Phoebe, please, don't do this," Cole said. "I'm different now, you know that!"

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe had tears streaming down her face and she knew Cole can feel that she's tearing herself apart by doing this.

"I know," she said softly. "And I meant what I said when I said I would never let anyone hurt you. But...you promised me that you would leave Veronica alone...and then you threatened to kill her if she said something to me that you didn't want me to know."

[demonbelthazor]

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I promise it won't happen again."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe shook her head. "I'm sorry, too." ~I love you.~

Phoebe took a hitching breath and left the Attic.

[demonbelthazor]

"Phoebe!" Bel shouted after her.