“Cole, what the hell are you doing? I told you not to come here!”

Phoebe had woken up with a start at 3am to find Cole standing in the middle of her room.

“I needed to see you Phoebe, they’re after me.”

The middle Halliwell sister stared at him wide eyed and told him to keep it down. She wasn’t ready for Her sisters to know he was back yet. To tell you the truth, she didn’t think she would ever be ready. Cole sat down on the end of her bed and smiled at her. She sighed and shuffled along to join him.

He continued. “I’m just scared Phoebe, I don’t want to loose you and Brooke again.”

“You’ve never met Brooke” Phoebe said, “not really.”

“But I’ve seen her though, and I love her.” He paused. “She’s my little girl.”

“Yeah, well” Phoebe shrugged. “She doesn’t know that so what difference does it make? She thinks Lewis is her father.” Phoebe pulled away from him slightly and folded her arms. “You know, I still haven’t forgiven you for what you did. Changing my memories so I would think that Lewis was…”

“Honey, please.” Cole seemed to shrink into himself and Phoebe relented.

“All I’m saying is that if I feel like this, think how Piper and Paige will react. I just don’t want you coming here and jeopardising their trust of me.”

“I’m sorry. I just came to say goodbye.”

Phoebe gasped. “What?”

“If I don’t find a way to get them off my tail, I’m going to be finished. I went to a seer, she said I had 48 hours to change my future. Or The Dagons will make damn sure I don’t have a future”

Phoebe stared at the all in shock, trying to comprehend what he was saying, finally learning who was after him. “But they brought you back, why would they go to all that trouble just to kill you again?”

“No, they brought Balthezor back to kill your Nephew! He’s still a part of me, I can’t escape. What they sent me to do is not going to happen, I love you too much, I wouldn’t want to hurt you. They have no use for me now. I thought I might be able to keep my feelings from them but I guess I didn’t give them enough credit, they’re not stupid.”

Phoebe was still trying to comprehend everything that she was hearing. “I can help you get rid of them. Surely the Power of 3 can…”

“No, I don’t want you to put yourself in danger for me. This is something I have to sort out myself, I have a plan. I was just coming to see you again incase…”

Phoebe opened her mouth to tell him not to worry, but he seemed to hear something then shimmered out without a word. Phoebe sat back against her headboard and pulled the quit up to her face. Tears were pricking the backs of her eyes but she swore to herself that she wasn’t going to let them fall. He was going to be fine, he wasn’t going anywhere.

* * *

Cole stood over Brooke and smiled as he watched the little girl sleep. She softly breathed in and out in her deep, calming sleep. He gently brushed her light brown hair out of her face and tucked her in tighter under her duvet. He wanted nothing more then to lean down and hug her with everything he had, but he could not risk waking anyone, or letting Phoebe know he was there.

He sneaked a glance over at Wyatt. He saw how much is parents loved him, he just couldn’t find it in himself to carry out the task he was assigned to do. With one last pain filled sigh, he left.

* * *

Phoebe was still awake the next morning as sun began to stream through her drawn curtains. She yawned. She was so exhausted; she had been before her late night visitor. But after Cole had come to her, there was no hope of her getting back to sleep. She stretched and swung her legs over the side of her bed, reaching for her dressing gown.

Last night’s events had really got to her. She had no idea how she was going to act normally with her family with all that Cole told her weighing heavily on her mind. 4 months. That’s how long he had been back. This time. He had appeared back into Phoebe’s life on and off for the past 2 years. She had managed more or less to keep things to herself. It never seemed much of a problem before. But now she had to ask Piper and Paige to help her save a man they both despised. And who could blame them.

What’s more, she’d have to admit all the lies she had told them. Well, not lies exactly, more like important facts she had neglected to mention. But, all the same, she didn’t want to do it.

Walking out of her room, she heard Meg whimper from the nursery then Piper gently trying to soothe her. Phoebe walked up to them and hovered in the door way for a moment, debating whether or not to confide in her older sister and lift everything that was bothering her at least partly from her shoulders.

“Shhhh, it’s OK Meg…” Piper cooed over her daughter, oblivious to Phoebe standing behind her. “I’m here now.”

Phoebe smiled, remembering hat it was like with her when Brooke was born. Getting up in the middle of the night to see to her, taking it in turns with Lew…

She sighed, not wanting to travel down that road again.

“Piper, I need to talk.” Straight after she’d said it, she wondered where she had found the courage.

Piper turned around and smiled. She didn’t seem to jump. If she did, she hid it well. “Sure, just give me a minute. Leo can watch Meg.”

“Ok” Phoebe replied, sighing and turning to leave. “I’ll be in my room.”

* * *

“Wyatt, do you think my Mommy looks tired?” Brooke turned to her cousin as they sat at the breakfast table.

He shrugged. “I dunno, why?”

“She’s just acting weird.”

“Parents are weird” Wyatt replied and ate another spoonful of cereal. “Maybe you could ask Meg.” Bits of chocolate covered cornflakes flew everywhere.

Brooke bit her lip, she wasn’t sure what to do. She wasn’t sure if anything was even wrong. But she was going to find out.

* * *

Phoebe sat upright on the edge of her bed, staring at the wall. The first time she had moved from that spot in 10 minutes was when Piper knocked and walked into the room. She raised her head and attempted to ease the worry on her older sister’s face with a small smile.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Piper was still worried and sat down next to Phoebe, pulling her into a hug. Phoebe dropped her head in shame. If Piper knew she had been lying to her for all these months she probably wouldn’t be this understanding.

They pulled apart. “This is difficult…” she began, trying desperately to find a way to break this to her gently. “I don’t really know how to tell you this.”

“What’s wrong? Are you OK? You’re not in trouble are you?”

“Not me exactly…”

“Phoebe, you can talk to me.” Piper gave her shoulder and little squeeze and grinned at her. “I’m your big sis, you can tell me anything.”

Phoebe nodded. She wasn’t totally sure. After 36 years of being sister’s, she still was never sure how Piper would react. She’d been understanding before but then nothing she had the right to get mad about was nearly as big as this.

Phoebe took a deep breath and turned to face her. “It’s Cole, he’s back.”