Room 518/520, Monday morning

[demonbelthazor]

Bel woke up in his own body. For a moment he was confused, then elated. Being a girl had been weird.

Then he realized he had the memories of what "Phoebe" had done all weekend. Which shouldn't be possible. But he remembered the conversations he'd had with everyone over the course of the weekend as if he'd had them himself: Dawn, Bridge, "Hamlet", Pippi, "Briar", "Nadia", Anders, Bridge (again), "Joxer", and (*wince*) Callisto.

He facepalmed. Stupid Fandom weirdness. First Blair, then Phoebe. Who was he going to think he was next?

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[sensethevisions]

Phoebe was also waking up and on top of the headache she had, she was also remembering everything from the weekend.

She had thought she was Cole

She hid her head under the covers and groaned.

Well, as far as she knew, only Cole had witnessed her most embarrassing things that weekend.

[demonbelthazor]

"Have you figured out what I've figured out?" Cole muttered, still facepalming.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe nodded, still hiding under the blanket. "Uh huh."

[demonbelthazor]

"Can we just stay in our room forever?" Cole asked pleadingly.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe nodded. "Uh huh. That sounds like a good plan."

[demonbelthazor]

He snuggled closer. "So much for our experiment," he said lightly.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe blushed bright red. "But it was still fun... even if we weren't really switched..."

[demonbelthazor]

"True," he said, smiling.

He was silent for a moment, then hesitantly asked, "How are you feeling about...other things?"

[sensethevisions]

"You mean... about how you feel about Angel?" she asked quietly, kissing his chest.

[demonbelthazor]

He swallowed nervously. "Yes?"

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe was quiet for a moment.

"I can understand why you were worried about telling me... and part of me is afraid I'll one day lose you to him." She looked up at him through her hair. "Cole, I knew when I met you that you had a great capacity for love and for caring about others. But you gave me your heart." This is where she got nervous. "I know that there's the slight chance that you may one day go and see if there's a chance he could feel the same way as you. But right now... you chose me..."

[demonbelthazor]

He kissed the top of her head, then tilted her chin up so that her eyes met his. "I love you, Phoebe, and nothing will ever change that," he said. "Nothing."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe smiled at him softly and then she nodded. "I know. Nothing will ever change my feelings for you, either." She swallowed. "But you have to promise me something."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe stared at the blankets on the bed for a long time. She was overwhelmed with hurt that Piper had kept all of this from her.

"She knew... all of this time when I've been tearing myself up over it... she knew."

[demonbelthazor]

"She hasn't known for long," Cole said. "Just since the truth spell. That's why she cast it. But she didn't think it was her place to tell you. I told her what I felt for Angel didn't matter anymore and she was satisfied with that."

[sensethevisions]

"We promised each other, no more secrets. Wait... that's why she cast the truth spell?"

Phoebe was getting a little upset with her big sister right about now.

[demonbelthazor]

"She was trying to protect you," Cole said. "She wanted to know what I was hiding that was hurting you so much." He winced, not wanting to cause problems between the sisters.

[sensethevisions]

"And protecting me from the truth worked out so well last time," she pointed out gently. She blinked back tears. "She promised. And when I was a mer-- " The conversation she had had with Piper that first day of the spell was coming back in bits and pieces.

[demonbelthazor]

"She knew I had to be the one to tell you," Cole said. "You either wouldn't believe her or would just get angry."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe sighed, still looking down at the bed because she didn't want to show him she was trying not to cry.

"After the last time, she promised no more secrets, Cole and I made the same promise to her." She picked at the blanket. "She and I are going to need to talk."

[demonbelthazor]

"Don't be too mad," Cole pleaded. "I begged her not to tell you."

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe looked at him. "And she promised me no more secrets." She sighed and bit her lip.

"It's not anger."

[demonbelthazor]

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Cole said. "I didn't mean to cause problems between you."

[sensethevisions]

"You didn't, love." She reached for him. "You didn't."

[demonbelthazor]

He kissed her gently. "Why do you put up with me?"