Could Phoebe truely move on if Cole had left willingly?

[gzv969]

What if in season 5 after Cole had returned from the wastelands, that he truly agreed to part ways from phoebe. Could Phoebe have really been able to move on knowing Cole was alive somewhere? I always thought so but after watching the beginning of "Sam I Am" again, what she said to Paige at P3 made me think that phoebe could never really leave Cole alone. Unless he was dead, there was no real end to their relationship at some level. It was either love or hate. Had me also thinking why Piper didn't tell phoebe about Cole in season 7. Maybe because phoebe would have started obsessing over cole again.

(Piper leaves. Paige walks over to Phoebe and sits down beside her.)

Paige: Breaking up is such a downer.

Phoebe: Yeah, honey, well, practice makes perfect. Well, you know, I mean, if it's not right, it's not right. Why wasn't it right?

Paige: I don't know, I could kinda just tell it wasn't really going anywhere so I thought I'm gonna cut this one off at the pass before it gets messy and he likes me too much.

Phoebe: Okay, if you say so. At least you don't have to worry about if he's gonna attack again.

Paige: Is that some sort of Cole segue?

Phoebe: Yeah, well, now that you mention him, um, he hasn't contacted me in a while.

Paige: That's a good thing, right?

Phoebe: Yeah, it is for me, I'm just worried about the rest of humanity, you know. Cole doesn't just do nothing, which means he's up to something. And now that he knows that we're definitely not together anymore, I'm afraid that something might be evil.

Then she literally tells cole to his face that next time he kills anyone else GOOD or EVIL that she'll vanquish him.

Phoebe: Back to your old self again, huh?

Cole: Get outta here.

Phoebe: Did you kill two people last night?

Cole: I don't have time for this.

Phoebe: Well, you better make time for this.

Cole: I can't be good, I won't be evil. What do you want from me?

Phoebe: I want an answer.

Cole: Yes. I killed those two criminals. And you wanna know something else? It was easy, it felt very natural. Is that what you wanted to hear?

Phoebe: You just don't get it do you? They weren't only two criminals, they were two human beings, Cole.

Cole: Spare me the judgmental crap. You have no idea what I'm going through right now.

Phoebe: No, I don't and I don't wanna know.

Cole: Then why are you still here?

Phoebe: I'm here to warn you. If you kill another person, good or evil, I will vanquish you.

(She heads back to the elevator.)

[Elle Em]

Each was obsessed with the other, and they had to be getting something out of it. Perhaps continuing to focus on Cole gave Phoebe someone to point to besides herself where evil was concerned. Perhaps she felt so guilty about turning evil in season 4 that if Cole wasn't around, her sisters might start to remember that she made her own choices. But if Cole is there and causing trouble, he's the default bad guy and Phoebe gets a pass.

And Phoebe was at once the worst and best thing that had ever happened to Cole. The good was that she got him to remember his humanity and to want to stop killing and actually help people, perhaps one day leading a more normal life. The bad was that while what she represented was good, she herself was not the right person for it. She was too selfish and immature to really be the friend and support Cole needed to turn his life around. But she was all he had, and I think once he lost his identity as Belthazor, he was lost and looking for anything familiar.

[Melinda Halliwell]

If Phoebe had accepted what happened in season 4 that she was as responsible as Cole was for what happened
e.g. choosing to be Queen Of The Underworld despite being influenced by the baby and not solely blamed him just to get a free pass and had sorted herself out afterwards in the month between that and season 5 and tried to be the Phoebe we know and loved seasons 1 and 2 then yes she would've moved on I think but the way she was when we saw Phoebe again she couldn't.

[Sadrick]

Cole did try to leave on his own, twice -- the first time occurred in "All Hell Breaks Loose" where Phoebe used a potion to get him back, the second occasion was at the start of Season 5 when Paige used a spell to manipulate his emotions and exacerbate his already volatile mindset.

We didn't see too much of Cole's perspective when he was separated from Phoebe and determined to be on his own. It would take Phoebe some time but perhaps after a period of separation she could begin to move on from the daunting thoughts of her "failed" relationship with Cole. If she's still pining over his whereabouts and activities despite the recovery time then that's on her.

[sky1]

They had a perfect opportunity in season 5 second episode as said above by Sadrick.

Paige: Cole?

Cole: Paige, you don't have to break into my apartment, I'm leaving, I'm taking your advice.

Paige: Don't. I've been known to give very bad advice.

Cole: I beg your pardon?

Paige: Phoebe needs your help.

Cole: Oh, I know, that's why I'm going away. It's the best way to help her. Now, if you'll excuse me.

Paige: No.

(She touches his arm.)

Cole: What are you doing?

Paige: Please, I can't let you leave.

Cole: What kind of game are you playing?

Paige: I'm not playing any games. I told you, Phoebe needs your help.

Cole: And you need psychological help.

Paige: Okay, that's probably true, especially because I can not believe what I am about to say but I think Phoebe's still in love with you.

Cole: Oh, yeah. "Phoebe hates you so much her body erupted in scales." That's what you said this morning.

Paige: Okay, maybe an unfortunate choice of words. I thought Phoebe was running away because she hated you but now I think it's because she loves you.

Cole: You think?

Paige: It's a theory. Her advice column has been obsessed with love ever since you left.

Cole: You told me to go away, Phoebe said it, Darryl said it, I get the message, now you're changing your opinion based on a theory?

Paige: What if I can prove it?

Cole: Only Phoebe can prove that she still loves me.

Paige: You're right. "Open Phoebe's heart to Cole, reveal the secret that it holds, spring forth the passion of love's fire, that he may feel her true desire."

(An orange ring of light circles Cole's head.)

Cole: What'd you do? (The light hits him in the chest and disappears. He starts to cry.) Phoebe.

(The light comes out of Cole and disappears.)

Paige: I guess she loves you more than either of us realised.

Phoebe: How did I get here?

Cole: I brought you here.

Phoebe: This isn't happening. This can't be happening. This goes beyond stalking.

Cole: I'm not stalking you. Paige sent me. I know why you ran, Phoebe.

Phoebe: You don't know anything about me.

Cole: You thought you could escape into this big ocean, that the waves would wash away your pain? But they won't. Not until you admit what drove you here in the first place.

Phoebe: I know what drove me here. You.

Cole: Yeah, but why? And don't say because you're scared of me, because you're not. Come on, you don't want to spend eternity alone just to avoid the truth. If not for me, be honest for your own sake. Don't lose yourself because of me.

Phoebe: What do you want me to say?

Cole: You don't have to say anything. All you have to do to free yourself is admit how you truly feel about me. In your heart.

(They are silent for a moment and Phoebe turns back into a human. He helps her up and takes off his coat.)

Phoebe: How could you be so sure?

(He wraps his coat around her.)

Cole: I had a feeling.

Phoebe: I do love you, and I always will but it doesn't change anything, it doesn't matter. It's over between us.

This is how it should have ended. Cole should have left after this scene. And not return again. They departed on good terms. And while they will always care for each other. In time they will heal and find new love and move on.

But the writers decided to go with evil/crazy Cole story which sucked. It also sucked for sisters, because the only reason Cole kept trying to win Phoebe over and over again was because of Paige's help. Once more Cole was sucked/manipulated by them only to be discarded later on! When you think about it writers ruined not just Cole's character, but sisters to here!