demonbelthazor | Hyperion, Late Saturday Night

After his night out with Angel, Bel returned to find Phoebe passed out with Veronica and Logan. He had barely refrained from immolating Logan on the spot, but he was horrified when he realized that Veronica had told Logan -- and possibly Phoebe -- about how he felt for Angel. He just hoped Phoebe was too drunk to understand what she might have heard.

	Phoebe sighed when she was set down on the bed. "I didn't think I drank enough for the couch to start walking," she murmured.
	"You're going to feel it in the morning," Cole scolded.
	"I feel nothing," Phoebe corrected. "Tequila stopped that."
	"Why did you drink so much?" Cole asked her, pulling off her shoes. So far so good, she hadn't mentioned Angel.
	"Because tequila has a relationship with poker and you cannot split them up. A strong bond there," she said, as if that made all of the sense in the world.
	"Uh, right," Cole said. "Is that the only reason?"
	"Sad... but floaty now." She gave him a smile.
	"Why were you sad, sweetheart?" Cole asked nervously.
	Phoebe sighed softly. "Nadia went away. Everyone is going away and Piper will have to leave, soon, too." She shrugged.
	He was relieved that she wasn't upset about anything related to Angel. "I'm still here," Cole said. "I'm not going anywhere."
	"Physically," she nodded in agreement.
	He drew back and looked at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"
	Phoebe looked away. With drinking comes honesty and she had forgotten that part. "You're here... but sometimes you're gone... like distant."
	Cole looked away guiltily. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," he said. "Sometimes I just get lost in my thoughts."
	Phoebe shrugged, trying to keep a cheerful facade as she picked at the blanket on their bed. "It's just... it's hard sometimes."
	"What can I do?" Cole asked, even though he knew what the answer was. But he couldn't tell Phoebe about what he felt for Angel; she wouldn't understand. And he didn't want to burden her with his other troubles. He didn't want to disappoint her.
	Phoebe didn't look up for a long moment. What she needed him to do, he couldn't or wouldn't, so she didn't ask. "Just..." She sighed and shook her head. "I'm here," she finally said quietly.
	"I know, love," he said, putting his arm around her. "I know."
	She leaned into him. "Just don't forget."
	"I won't," he promised.