fandomassistant | Assistants Lounge -- Friday, February 10

Uh oh.

She placed a hand on his chest and pulled back to look at him.

"Cole... I thought we agreed that we had some things we needed to work on before we could be back together?"

He frowned. "I thought the other night meant that we were back, we just had to work stuff out, too?"

Okay, now she had tears in her eyes. He didn't get it.

"Cole, I love you more than anything and you and everyone in this school knows it. But just because I want to be with you, doesn't mean that we can just because we're talking and trying to work things out between us." She lay her hand against his face. "I love you so much, and I miss you so much that it hurts, but even you have to admit that we have miles of things that we have to work through."

Pouting, he said, "What am I supposed to do until then? What about Valentine's Day? I want to be with you, Phoebe. Why can't we be together while we're working things out?"

Phoebe was in danger of letting tears fall and throwing caution to the wind... but there was so much more at stake than her heart.

"I would like to be with you on Valentine's Day, Cole," she said softly. "But... beyond that? I don't know if I can be in a relationship where I will always come second place to the wishes of a psychopatic killer."

Bel was struck almost speechless. "But...you're not!" he said. "Just because I want my friend back doesn't mean I don't want you to be happy and safe!"

Phoebe looked at him and this time tears did escape. "I will always take second place to him, Cole, and you can't deny that," she said softly. She shook her head. "No matter what happens, you won't stop until either he's brought back or... or someone else is killed. Nothing matters to you more than bringing Angelus back and I can't handle taking that. I'm not prepared to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder wondering when Angelus is going to kill me."

"What do you want me to do?" Cole exclaimed. "Forget about my friend and break my promise? Do you want that kind of boyfriend? I can protect you from Angelus, sweetheart. He won't hurt you."

"Beloved, this isn't about protecting me, but I don't think you can from him, I'm sorry. He would tell you I had to die because I was a threat and that's all there would be to it."

She shook her head, wiping her eyes. "And even if you could protect me, you can't protect Kiki or Lana or Piper or Paige or Veronica or Angela... or any of the other people that would be hurt or killed."

She looked into his face. "I can't have a boyfriend that doesn't have respect for the lives of innocents, Cole. I know you miss Angelus, and I know he was your best friend. But does friendship like that outweigh things like innocence and life... and love?" She swallowed. "If you do bring him back? I hope you can't protect me. I hope he kills me first... because then I won't have to watch the destruction of the man I love."

"I'm a demon, Phoebe," Cole protested. "You knew that when you got involved with me. You knew the things I have to do and have done."

"Yeah, I did and I do," she said softly. "That has never made me love you any less. But I can't put my happiness above the lives of the people you are determined to have killed."

Phoebe laid a hand against his afce. "I wouldn't be the person you love if I did that."

"So what now?" Cole said miserably. "What are we supposed to do?"

Phoebe stroked his face. "Do you believe that I love you?"

"Yeah..." he said, nodding.

"And you love me, no matter what we have to do?"

He nodded again. "You know that."

Phoebe nodded. "Alright. First you need to accept that I need to work some things out and figure out what I need to do, Cole. First, you come with me to Camulus' party tonight - or to Carita's with Lana and I. I need to be at the hotel party with Crowley on Monday night, but on Valentine's Day..." There was a question in her eyes.

"Have you told Crowley about us?" Bel asked sullenly. He sighed. "Can we still do Valentine's Day then?"

"I haven't had a chance to, but I doubt he'll be upset or anything. He told me that he wasn't going to try to keep me from you. As long as I honour my vow, if you and I do get back together, it's fine with him."

She nodded at him. "I'd like that," she said softly.

"I won't share you with him," Cole growled.

Phoebe shook her head, biting back her temper. "Do I really need to say anything, Cole? You made a promise. I made a promise."

"I'm going to find a way out of that contract if it kills me," Cole said.

Phoebe shook her head. "No, you won't. This is my responsibility, not yours."

"We'll see," Cole grumbled, crossing his arms.

Phoebe narrowed her eyes at this. "Cole, please, don't make me play dirty when it comes to this."

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