Time Is Not The Enemy

[deeperwonderment]

Title: Time Is Not The Enemy
Author: not_from_stars
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Charmed/Twilight Crossover
Character(s): Phoebe Halliwell, Bella Swan, Cole Turner, Edward Cullen, Jasper Cullen, Alice Cullen
Word Count: 4,005
Summary: Phoebe gave her a very steady look. "Death is not enough to stop true love or soul mates, Bella. Cole died, but he found his way back to me."
Notes: Ever have a story muse reach out and latch onto you in a very aggressive fashion? That's what happened with this one. I had this idea of a conversation between an older Phoebe and Bella circa between New Moon and Eclipse. After all, who better to understand supposed forbidden love than Phoebe?





When the call from Rosalie had come in -- seconds after Alice's vision -- there had been a flurry of activity and panic.

Activity on the parts of Jasper and Alice as they got things packed up to go -- and panic on Edward's part.

Bella was confused about his panic until her burst out with "Victoria is still hunting her!"

Alice stopped and looked at both he and Bella. "Edward, with Esme and Carlisle away, we need you with us on this. "

"Bella is not safe here," he said.

"Jacob can --" Bella started to say something, but she was cut off by Jasper.

"So we bring her with us." His voice was calm.

"What? Are you insane? It's no place for her."

Alice frowned at Edward. "Look, we're going to go get Bel's help anyway. We can leave Bella with his wife."

Edward looked undecided and Bella was even more confused.

"Who is Bel?"

Edward ignored her, looking at Alice. "Are you certain she'll be safe there?"

Jasper laughed. "Edward, are you serious? No one trying to hurt Bella will get past her. In fact, I'd love to be there if someone did try to do so. You know what his wife would do." His tone sobered. "Emmett needs us, Edward."

Edward nodded. There was no way he wouldn't be going to help his brother, and there was no way he could leave Bella here unprotected.

"Phoebe will keep her safe, Edward," Alice said softly. "You know she won't let anything happen to her."

"All right," he nodded. "Let's get going."

When all four of them were in the car heading south, Bella again tried to get information out of the determined vampires.

"Who's Bel and who's Phoebe?"

"Cole and Phoebe Turner," Alice responded, turning to look at her from the front seat. "Although, when we first knew them, he was known as Belthazor. They're good friends of our family."

"Are they vampires, too?"

Jasper made a choking noise, but didn't respond. Alice gave him an irritated look, but shook her head. "No, they're not vampires."

"Then what are they? They're not human if you're so sure that this Phoebe person can keep me safe from Victoria."

"Phoebe is human," Alice argued. "Mostly."

"Mostly? How is one mostly human?"

Alice shrugged. "She's a witch."

Bella was quiet and then looked at Edward. "Seriously?"

He nodded. "She's a witch and her husband is a demon."

"A demon," Bella repeated.

This time Jasper did laugh. "You accept vampires and werewolves, but not demons?"

"I didn't say that," she said grumpily. "Just give me a moment to think and deal with it, okay?"

Alice gave her a serious look. "I meant what I said, Phoebe will keep you safe while we're gone. She'll put her life on the line to protect you."

"What?" Bella gasped. "No. We can't ask her to do that."

Edward shook his head. "We won't have a chance to ask her or not ask her, Bella. It's what Phoebe does. She protects innocents."

"And Bel protects her." Alice smiled. "You think you and Edward have a strong bond? It's nothing compared to Phoebe and Bel. He just always knows where she is -- and she's the one that has the premonitions."

"Like you do, Alice?" Bella was curious now.

"No, not like me. When Phoebe has a premonition, it's going to happen unless she stops it. With me, things changes as decisions change." Alice shrugged. "It's part of who she is."

"How do you guys know these people?"

"We know a lot of people," Alice said with a cheerful smile. "Don't worry, Bella. You'll like Phoebe. She has as much of a knack for getting into trouble as you do."

Edward groaned. "Alice..."

"What? You know as well as I do that Phoebe is every bit as reckless as --"

"Bella doesn't need any more ideas on how to give me a heart attack," he warned.

"Good thing you don't have a beating heart then, isn't it?"


Bella had been stunned when she first met Cole and Phoebe Turner, as Cole looked so much younger than his wife. It wasn't until Alice explained that she realized that Cole really was much older than Phoebe. Cole had been reluctant to leave, but when the Cullens explained how much trouble their brother was in, he had nodded and then looked at his wife.

"You be careful."

Phoebe had grinned back. "Aren't I always?"

"Phoebe," he groaned.

Phoebe had kissed him and then looked into his face. "Come back soon."

With one last look at his wife, Cole had grabbed the others and they had just... disappeared.

Now, she watched the tiny beauty with gray streaks in her brown hair moving about the kitchen as she made tea for the two of them. When Phoebe came back to sit at the table with her, Bella gave into her curiosity.

"How do you deal with it?"

"Deal with what?" Phoebe asked in confusion.

"Aging while he stays young and untouched."

"Hmm." Phoebe took a drink of her tea. "Alice was right."

"Right about what?"

"You are hung up on the wrong things sometimes."

Bella glared at her. "You don't know anything about me," she snapped.

"I know more than you think," Phoebe snapped right back. "You think just Alice and Edward and Cole and Jasper can do all of these amazing things? I'm a witch, child, a Charmed One. I'm also an empath so I know what you feel."

"An empath? You control emotions like Jasper?"

"Not like Jasper," Phoebe said, shaking her head. "I can't alter people's emotions, just feel what they're feeling -- sometimes uncomfortably so."

"That doesn't mean you know anything about us," Bella said sullenly.

"I know that the idea of taking away your life breaks Edward's heart anytime the subject comes up."

Bella stared at her in shock. "How do you know that?"

"Empath," Phoebe said, taking another drink of her tea. "I know that every time you start pushing him on it, his heart hurts even more because as much as he hates refusing you anything, the idea of taking your humanity from you hurts him even more."

"I'm a liability to him as a human," Bella said quietly. "If I was like he was, he wouldn't have to worry about me all of the time. I could help them in times like these."

Phoebe's face softened. "He doesn't feel that way. Don't you realize that he sees you -- in your humanity -- as a light in his life? You love him in spite of the monster he thinks he is."

"Edward's not a m0nster."

"Niether is Cole," Phoebe said quietly.

"Huh?" Bella was now completely confused.

"Edward loves you like Cole loves me," Phoebe explained.

"That still doesn't explain --"

"Are you always this annoying when someone is trying to talk to you?" Phoebe wondered.

Bella's jaw dropped at her. "Excuse me?"

"I see a lot of myself in you. The temper, the determination not to be a liability and to help those I love." She smiled. "The stubborness when confronted with something I don't want to think about or deal with."

"How can you see all of that in me? You're a witch and I'm a human. You have powers."

"Passive powers, Bella," Phoebe said quietly. "I have no aggressive or offensive powers. I see the future and I feel emotions. That doesn't really help in a fight for my life or the lives I'm trying to protect."

"I don't understand."

"I don't have speed or extra strength or powers that help in a fight," Phoebe explained, setting her tea down and looking at her. "I've had to take martial arts training for years -- and then when Cole and I got together, he taught me to fight like demons fight."

"But Edward says you protect innocents."

Phoebe nodded. "I do and I have since I got my powers years ago. I rely on my smarts and my skills to protect the people that need me. I'm a Charmed One and we take our responsibilities to protecting the good and the innocent seriously."

"But how can you do that without powers?"

Phoebe took a deep breath. "Sometimes, who you are is about more than having powers or not having powers, Bella. There have been times that I have been without my powers -- and so have my sisters."

"Sisters?"

"Three of us. There used to be four... but Prue was killed by a demon. That's how Piper and I found out we had another sister." She ran a hand through her hair. "The Charmed Ones are the major weapon on the side of good. We fight evil. This includes demons, warlocks, evil vampires... My sisters and I have had targets on our heads since we came into our powers."

"Wait. I thought your husband was a demon."

"He is."

"But you just said that you guys fight demons."

"We do."

"Then how..."

Phoebe smiled faintly. "Cole's my soul mate, Bella. He was originally sent by the Source of All Evil to kill my sisters and I, but he and I fell in love."

"I bet your bosses loved that," Bella said, looking at Phoebe in a different light.

"Not exactly," Phoebe said, chewing on her bottom lip. "My sisters weren't fond of the idea, either. At first, when I found out who he was, I felt betrayed and accused him of playing a game. But, he really did love me and proved it when he killed the demon that was about to kill me."

"Oh wow."

"That didn't make things any better at first, though," Phoebe explained. "I was still a witch and he was still a demon. By all rights, I should have vanquished him before he killed us. But I couldn't. I believed he loved me and I believed that he wouldn't hurt me. So, I let him go and lied to my sisters."

Bella winced in sympathy. "I know something about lying to your family about where your heart is -- or what your heart is."

"Cole and I tried to stay away from each other in the beginning, Bella. I told him that I didn't want anything to do with him because of who he was. Cole... well, Cole had other plans. He loved me and he was going to prove himself, no matter what. But then, I got hurt. I was dying and nothing that our Whitelighter -- a guardian angel for good witches -- did was helping me. Cole had sworn off using his demon powers before that, but when I lay dying, we realized he was the only one that had the power to save me. He risked a lot to use his powers to save me, but he did it without a second thought. I knew afterwards that there was no way that I could be without him."

"That's a wonderful story," Bella breathed. "The princess got the prince and they lived happily ever after."

"You're forgetting the part where the princess had to kill the prince to protect her sisters after he was possessed by the evil wizard."

Bella gaped at her. "No way."

"Yes way," Phoebe corrected softly, her eyes saddening as she thought about that time in their lives. "Remember the Source of All Evil? Well, he came back and he possessed Cole -- something that Cole was tricked into doing to save my life. In the end, I had to make a choice -- the life of my soul mate and my happiness, or the lives and safety of my sisters. I chose my sisters. It was the hardest choice I have ever had to make, but it was also the right choice."

Bella was at a loss for words for a moment. "But... he's here with you."

Phoebe gave her a very steady look. "Death is not enough to stop true love or soul mates, Bella. Cole died, but he found his way back to me." She smiled. "That's why I can look at you and tell you that you need to stop being so hung up on aging or on fears of dying before Edward. Alice told me that a lot has happened since you and Edward fell in love -- and I understand the fears and the worries you have. However, you need to stop letting the fears or hang ups become so important that you lose sight of what's really important -- you and Edward having a happy relationship. You guys need to also work on making it healthier and have more trust with each other."

"I trust Edward," Bella said, somewhat offended.

"You trust him with your heart, but not enough to accept his feelings and his reasons for not making you a vampire at this point in time. You're eighteen, Bella, and you shouldn't be so hung up on this right now -- especially when you know how much it upsets him when the subject comes up."

"He's determined to leave me human and let me grow old while he stays with me," she said quietly.

"Maybe that's his intention right now, but things are always constantly changing. I know it doesn't seem like it, but it always is. Back off on him about this and let things progress a long a more natural course. He's just as stubborn as Cole is and if you keep fighting him on this, he'll just dig his feet in even more and become more determined."

Bella let out a breath. "Why can't things be easy," she complained.

"Because the things that are the most important to us are never easy, Bella. I wish they were, but they never are. You fight for the ones you love and you learn to make compromises. The things that can't be compromised on? You learn to pick your battles." She gave Bella a gentle smile. "Cole and I have been together fifteen years. I've learned what I can be stubborn on, and what I need to give him ground on. Give Edward time, Bella. You're very important to him -- his heart and his soul."

"More of your empathy?"

"And the way he looks at you."

Bella looked at her and Phoebe nodded.

"Yes. If he wasn't so sure of my and what I am willing to do to keep you alive, it would have been even harder for him to leave you with me to go help Emmett."

"I don't expect you to endanger yourself for me, Phoebe."

Phoebe laughed. "It's not your decision to make, I'm afraid. This is who I am. Demons and other evil creatures have been trying to kill me since we received our powers -- and it was a demon who killed my mother."

"Your mother was a witch?"

Phoebe smiled. "The Halliwells have always been witches all of the way back to the very beginning of our line." She shrugged. "It's who and what we are. My sisters and I have tried walking away many times, but powers or not, we're not well liked by the Underworld. Even if we said we weren't going to be the Elders' weapons in their war against evil any longer, we would still be in danger."

"You're so calm about the fact that people want you dead," Bella said in confusion.

"I've had many years to get used to it." She grinned. "Besides, any time they have gotten lucky and killed me, I have always come back. I'm too damn stubborn not to."
"And Cole?"

"He'll kill anyone that hurts one hair on my head," she said. "Imagine Edward with the power to instantly teleport anywhere he wanted to. That's Cole. He will move Heaven and Earth -- and time itself to protect me or punish those who harm me. He's not someone who forgives easily -- and he's told me that I'm his soul. I taught him how to love and he will do anything to keep me safe." She smiled softly. "I'd do the same for him and we fight sometimes about the risks I tend to take."

"You guys fight?"

"Oh, we have had epic ones," Phoebe promised. "But that's how you know your relationship is strong and healthy. If you didn't argue sometimes, then you run the risk of apathy setting in and the passion fading. That will never happen with Cole and I. We've gone through to much to be together, and our passion for each other has seen us both through some very dark times."

"Do you think it will be that way for Edward and I?"

"Without question -- and besides, I never bet against Alice."

That caused Bella to laugh. "I don't think any one with half a brain would bet against Alice."

"Not even the most stubborn man I know would bet against her."

This brought up some more of Bella's curiosity.

"So how did you meet the Cullens?" She asked.

Phoebe smiled slightly. "Rosalie saved my life."

Bella gaped. "Rosalie? The very blond epitome of a goddess who has no time for humans, that Rosalie?"

Phoebe frowned. "She's not that bad, Bella."

"She sure doesn't like me."

Phoebe played with her cup. "Again, Rosalie isn't that bad. Don't judge her too harshly until you know her better."

"I'm dating her brother."

"That doesn't mean you know her." Phoebe shook her head. "Do you want to know the story or not?"

Bella thought Phoebe was way off base and too forgiving about Rosalie, but she nodded just the same. "I'd very much like to -- because even Jasper trusts you and your husband."

Phoebe smiled. "It was shortly after Cole's... death. I was coming home from work and my car broke down. Being very foolish, I decided I was going to walk to the nearest gas station and get them to bring it in to look at it. Keep in mind, I was still feeling very broken and raw from everything that had happened, so I wasn't being as careful as I usually am -- and I didn't think to pull out my cell phone and call anyone. I was ambushed by a couple of demons. I was doing my best to hold my own, but it was obvious that I was going to lose and they were going to take me back to the Underworld to torture and kill me." Her hands shook a little as she took a drink from her tea. "Rosalie, Emmett and Edward were in the area that night and heard the fighting. I guess Edward heard all of our thoughts because that's the only explanation I have for why they came to the fight. I had killed two demons, but I was hurt and bleeding. The only weapon I had left was my knife -- since I had already thrown the potions that I had on me. I was determined that I wasn't going to go with them alive." She sighed. "I didn't dodge quick enough and an energy ball from one of the demons slammed me into a wall. The three surviving demons started converging on me after they saw I was laying on the ground and hurt. I was sure I was done for, but next thing I know, there was the sound of growling coming from the darkness. I thought I was dying when I felt a pair of cold arms pick me up. My eyes stayed open long enough to see a pair of gold eyes and a lot of blond hair. Rosalie held me against her and took off running. That's when I lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes, she was sitting at my bedside... and Carlisle was there, telling me I was going to be all right."

Bella just stared. "Rosalie --"

"Rescued me from a few male demons who had very definite plans about what they were going to do to me when they got me to the Underworld," Phoebe said softly, but with a hint of steel in her voice.

"How did they explain what they were?"

"They didn't need to. Part of my powers is that I can sense demons and I knew not only what they were -- but that I didn't have anything to fear from them. We called my sisters, who showed up with our white lighter, and our families have been friends ever since." Phoebe shrugged. "We've helped each other out over the years and there's no family outside of my own that I trust with my life as much as I do the Cullens."

Bella bit her bottom lip as she processed everything she had learned. "You've definitely given me a lot to think about," she said finally.

Phoebe smiled. "I'm glad. Be as patient as you can, Bella. You're young and time doesn't have to be your enemy."

Bella smiled back, liking the older woman. "You never said why it didn't bother you that Cole stays the way he is and you get older," she reminded her.

Phoebe nodded. "It used to bother me a long time ago," she admitted. "But it doesn't any longer. Cole loves me know matter how old I get or what I look like. With all of the other perils and challenges that life is going to continue to throw at us, it seems silly to get hung up on and upset about such a small thing as time and aging. He's the other half of my soul, Bella. It doesn't matter how old I get or what he looks like. Age and time don't sever the ties like I have with Cole -- or you have with Edward."

"Fairy tale love stories," Bella mused. "But even fairy tales end or run out of time on the last page."

"Not every fairy tale has a final page, Bella," Phoebe said quietly. "Even after the princess is rescued and married to her prince, the story isn't over."



A few hours later when Cole shimmered back in with Edward, Alice and Jasper, Phoebe was up and his arms only a little quicker than Bella was in Edward's.

"Emmett and Rosalie?" Phoebe asked, concern coloring her words.

"They're safe," Cole reassured her, holding her close again. "Every one on our side is safe. Jasper was the only one that got scratched."

That caused Bella to look up in alarm.

"Relax, Bella," Edward murmured into her hair. "He's fine. He was paying more attention to Alice's fight than his own."

"As usual," Alice said, giving her true love a look of affectionate annoyance.

"Would you guys like me to shimmer you home?" Cole asked, looking at their friends.

"No thank you," Alice chirped cheerfully. "We'll drive. Phoebe needs to spend some time making sure for herself that you don't have any new marks on you."

"Alice!" Bella gasped, embarrassed for her new friend, but all Phoebe did was laugh.

Detaching herself from her husband, Phoebe hugged each of the Cullens and then hugged Bella.

"Remember what I said, Bella," Phoebe whispered into her ear. "And make sure you call me if you need anything."

Bella nodded, hugging Phoebe just as tight.

After a moment, Phoebe stepped back and looked at Alice, Edward and Jasper. "And you guys! Don't let it go so long without visiting me. I'm not getting any younger you know."

"Make sure you extend the invitation to the rest of the family, too," Cole added. "It's been too long since Emmett and I had one of our wrestling matches."

Everyone groaned at that and Phoebe shook her head. "Boys will be boys."

After the goodbyes were said and they were in the car, Edward leaned down to kiss Bella's hair.

"What did you and Phoebe talk about?"

"Doesn't Alice already know?"

"She wouldn't tell me -- and Phoebe was blocking her thoughts from me."

Bella smiled. "We talked about how fairy tales can always go on and how time doesn't have to be an enemy."

Comments

[stargatejunkie.livejournal.com]

Can I just say aww? And also, that was wonderful.

[year-of-rabbit.livejournal.com]

*giggles* I can *see* just this convo happening! Wonderful...thank you!

[kajivar]

You are very mean for making me read Twilight fic. :P <3