All comments to mysticmoon27@yahoo.com

All standard disclaimers apply. I don't own, wish I did. I'm making no profit on this. I am just borrowing the characters and am going to return them unharmed

Rated: PG-13 to R

Rollie Tyler sat in his VR chamber, trying to let Australia sweep him away. Away from all the misery of the last couple days. It had been a week since Loubar had hurt Angie in the most horrible way possible and taken away the one thing he cherished most, her love.

He leaned back against the headrest. Not even Mangela could help him now. "Rollie, my boy, you're in deep this time." He could almost feel the old man. With a despondent sigh, he shut off the video and left the chamber. He stretched, trying to rid his body of that tired, wasted feeling. Since that fateful night, he had probably had 6 hours of sleep. He contemplated taking a nap, deciding against it, fearing another terrifying dream involving Angie and Loubar. "I'd better get started on those masks," he mumbled to himself. Tyler F/X's new movie, 'Pod Racers' was due to start filming in two weeks and he had yet to start building many of the special effects they needed.

He sat down at his computer. "That's funny," he thought, "Ange usually doesn't leave the computer on." And then he remembered how she had tracked Loubar down. She had been so determined to catch him this time. Subsequent memories flooded his mind. At the restaurant where she finally told him the truth. It dawned on him that that was the moment when she stopped being Manny's little girl. He could see her sitting across the table from him. No longer was she the little pigtailed girl who looked at him with starstruck eyes. She was a woman, with big blue eyes, her soft, supple lips, her curvaceous figure. Rollie realized he was falling in love with her. No, he had always loved her, once as a friend, but now as something more. He was a tad shocked by the revelation. It scared him, to say in the least.

Shaking his head, Rollie forced himself back to the present. That's when he noticed that a program was still open. He pulled it up. It was the surveillance video of the loft from that night. He saw himself hug Angie, kiss her, make love to her.

Rollie Tyler was finding it hard to breathe. His chest felt extremely constricted. He wanted to turn away but found himself mesmerized. He shouldn't be watching what Loubar did to Angie. She had given him her all, her love, her faith, her trust....and Loubar had taken it all away.

A quiet rage was building inside Rollie. All of a sudden, he couldn't watch anymore. Rollie picked up the computer and threw it across the loft. The anger inside him exploded as he yelled, "I HATE YOU, YOU BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!" He walked into the kitchen and spotted the wine bottle and flutes on the counter. The thought that Loubar had drunk from that glass, that he had used it to seduce Angie.... He hurled them as far away as he could. They shattered against the front door, wine trailing down it in rivers.

Rollie fell to the ground and rested against the cabinets. There was nothing more for him to do as he curled up and let the tears come.

Rollie looked around him. "I'm surely in the Dreamtime. It's been years since I've been in here," he mused, "but what the hell does it mean?" He was standing at the base of a forest. It was a sunny day, but the foliage was so thick that not a single ray of light was given permission to filter through. There were steep mountains in the horizon, the sun glinting off their peaks.

"Finally, I was wondering when you would get here, son"

Rollie turned around. "Mangela, what are you doing here?"

"Surprised to see me, Rollie?"

"No, it's just that the last time you were in one of my dreams, it was before Luther Cale got me on that mountain to say goodbye to Mum........."

"Shhh, watch," Mangela pointed his finger towards the mountains and silenced Rollie.

Rollie looked up and for the first time noticed the sky. It had a beautiful azure blue tint. It reminded him of Angie's eyes. Oh, how he loved that color. The brightness startled him. It was then he saw two majestic eagles, one appearing from the east, one from the west. They met in the middle and flew towards the horizon, their wings almost entwined. Rollie could hear their wings beating, completely in sync, together as one. He watched as they flew over the horizon. Rollie didn't think it was possible, but the sky became brighter until he had to shield his eyes.

"Your songlines were broken for a while there, Rollie, but you'll be flying together now."

"Do you think she'll ever forgive me, Mangela?"

"What for, my boy?"

"For bringing Loubar into her life...for letting him do that to her, to use her."

"I see you're still blaming yourself for things that weren't your fault." Mangela looked at him closely. "I'm not the one you should be asking, Rollie. Maybe you should ask her. I hold your songlines here," the aborigine placed a hand over his heart, "both your songlines. And right now, they both need to be healed. She's the only one who can restore your songline to its original path. And you are the only one who can restore hers." Mangela paused for a second and smiled. "Only then will you realize what your heart desires but your mind has yet to see."

"What are you talking about?" asked Rollie.

"Matters of the heart reveal themselves when the time is right, Rollie."

"Rol....Rollie, wake up"

"mmm.........Angie"

Rollie looked up hazily. That had been the most peaceful sleep he had ever had. And then it hit him. "Oh, god! Angie, what are you doing here?" he sat up in shock.

"Rol, relax, I know you said I had the week off and I didn't have to come here but when you didn't answer the phone, I was worried," she smiled and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I must have fallen asleep, Ange. What were you calling about anyway?"

"What? Can't I call to check on you? Actually I needed the shooting schedule. I kinda lost mine." She smiled sheepishly.

Rollie was glad that their friendly banter continued through everything that had happened. He would have been devastated if he had lost her friendship. He looked around, realizing for the first time that he was still on the kitchen floor. He pointed to the table, "up there." Angie moved away to pick it up. Rollie got up off the floor and wandered into the living room to assess the damage. He noticed that Angie had cleaned up all the glass. Angie walked by throwing a "bye, boss" over her shoulder and leaving a stunned Rollie in her wake.

"Angela, wait we need to talk."

Angie turned around, slightly stunned by his use of her full name. He usually reserved it for special times and when she was in trouble.

"Yeah?..."

"Angie......" Rollie started, feeling dazed and confused. He stopped and gathered his thoughts for a moment. He couldn't believe he was doing this. With a sigh, he walked up to Angie and led her to the couch. They both sat down and Angie turned to him expectantly.

"How are you doing, Ange?"

She looked at him with a strange look. "I'm fine, Rollie, really."

"Are you?"

"Look, I told you, I'm Marta Ramirez's daughter. It would take a lot more than Victor Loubar to keep me down."

Rollie smiled slightly. "Aren't you going to ask?" he gestured to the wine-stained carpet and damaged computer.

"Rol, whatever happened here, you're going through something you don't want to share yet. I'm not going to pry until you want to tell me what is bothering you. Besides, there's no real permanent damage. We'll need a new computer, but there's some good models out there. We have been talking about updating some of this stuff and I think our bank account could handle it. Besides, change is good."

A sudden thought occurred to Rollie. "Angie," he asked seriously, "what did you mean when you said 'nothing's changed' ?" Angie knew he would ask about that sooner or later. She chewed her lower lip nervously. Should she tell him the truth?

"Angie...." Rollie slid off the couch and onto his knees in front of her. "Tell me."

"I just meant, everything's still the same for me."

"Angie, how can you say that? Loubar violated you. He took away everything you hold dear to you. He hurt you! And it's all my fault. If I had never gotten involved with the cops this never would have happened. Angie, I'm so sorry......." His eyes had a glassy look, tears threatening to fall.

Angie put her finger over his lips, effectively stopping his tirade of words. "Rollie, it's not your fault. There were times, when you got hurt and I would wish you had never gotten involved but think of all the people you saved." Angie ran her fingers through his soft, brown hair. "Right after it happened, I was angry, but never at you. He used you the same way he used me and I hate him for that. Loubar is the one I hate, not you Rollie." She looked him straight in the eye. "It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is. How could you not hate me?"

"No, it isn't. I dread to think of the number of people who would have died if we hadn't stopped him. Why should I hate you? You weren't the one who hurt me. In fact, you were hurt yourself. No, Rollie, you have been there for me from the beginning. Whenever I needed someone, you were there. Even this past week, whatever I needed, you gave it to me. I will never think of it as your fault."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Rollie looked at her and smiled. "Thank you."

"But Ange, I still want to know, how can you say that everything is the same?"

"Well, there are some things that are different, but I didn't mean it in that way." Rollie had a puzzled look on his face, trying to figure out what she meant. Angie shook her head and couldn't help smiling at his lack of understanding. She chewed her lip again. "I meant about me loving you." The words were spoken in a tone that was a little over a whisper.

Rollie's mind was reeling. "You love me?" he choked out.

"Rol, I loved you when I was an 11-year-old little girl in pigtails, a 15-year-old teenager, a 20-year-old college student and I'll love you until I am old and gray." Angie looked away, suddenly feeling shy over this enormous confession.

Rollie smiled. He finally realized what Mangela was talking about. He wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "Well, this is good," he laughed, "loving you until I'm old and grey sounds great. But having you next to me sounds even better." Rollie cupped her face in his hands. "I love you, Angela Ramirez."

Angie felt like she could drown into the brown depths of his eyes. "Really, Rollie?"

"What do you think?"

He pulled her to him and kissed her. They both released a sigh as they melded into each other. Angie moaned as she gained entrance into Rollie's mouth. Their passion ignited as she pulled him onto the couch, straddling him. She trailed kisses along his jawline, up to the tender spot behind his ear. She bit his earlobe and then soothed it with her tongue. Rollie moaned. How did she know every way to arouse him? He decided against slipping into the passive role. Rollie kissed the crook of her neck as his hands slid under her shirt. Angie momentarily lost her concentration when Rollie's hands moved along her back. She groaned. She could feel the fire building inside her. Angie seared his lips to hers as they let the passion consume them.

The sound of Bluey barking cut through their passionate haze. They pulled apart, chests heaving, bodies trembling from the effort it took not to fall back in each other's arms. It was then they realized the phone was ringing.

"I should probably answer that."

"Yeah, you should."

Neither one moved for a couple seconds. They enjoyed the feeling of having the other close. Finally, Rollie made a move to get up, and Angie moved off of him. He got up and answered the phone. From what Angie could tell, it sounded like Bob Ingrams, the director for their next movie. Rollie came back and sat on the couch.

"What did Bob want?"

"Nothing important, he just wants to change some scenes. Also, he wants us to run through some of the stunts with Jake." Jake Evanston, the lead in the movie, a former stuntman, had insisted that he do his own stunts and that was of great worry to Bob. They couldn't afford to have one of the hottest new actors hurt during filming.

"Okay."

"Yeah..." Rollie sounded distracted.

Angie noticed his distraction. "What, Rol?"

"It's just that....Ange, look," he clasped her hands, "I want to take it slow. I'm glad that phone rang. If we hadn't stopped, nothing would have kept me from making love to you. I want to take you out on a date. Do romantic things. Things a normal couple would do."

Angie realized that that was what she wanted too. She had spent so much time with guys who only wanted to get her in bed. It was wonderful that Rollie wanted to do this.

"But not too slow, right?"

Rollie laughed. "Definitely"

"I love you, Rollie."

"I love you, Angela Ramirez, forever and eternity."

Angie smiled. Forever and eternity.