I give permission to archive.

This story is sort of a blend of the "What if?" challenge and the "Missing scene" challenge. The story combines elements of Deep Cover and Red Storm. I hope you like it.

Rollie sat at his desk in his loft and fiddled with an improvement to his electronic dog Bluey. He was adding a new voice to Blue; a tiger's growl. It was ferocious but completely unsuited for the electronic dog. It was also what Rollie did when he felt he had no control over his life...or other things. Angie had called shortly after she left for the day to say she wouldn't be in tomorrow, that she had some errands to run. There was something in the tone of her voice that made him sense there was more to her impending absence but Rollie didn't want to push her. Unfortunately for Bluey he was now bearing the brunt of his mood.

What now? Rollie had been pondering that question for weeks. He still had no clue. He and Angie were trying to get back to normal but they were between projects and so they didn't have the comfort of burying themselves in work. Rollie could feel the tenseness whenever Angie was at the loft. It was the big elephant in the room. The holidays came and went and both he and Angie were numb throughout the season, going through the motions of telling their friends Mira and Frank that they were fine. But deep down Rollie sensed they weren't fine. He could feel Angie slipping away from him and wondered if maybe that was for the best.

Whenever Angie was around all Rollie could do was try and make sure she was okay but really...nothing was okay and being busy making sure she was okay kept Rollie from dwelling on his own feelings, which were a mess. He was hiding, Rollie finally admitted to himself, alone, in the loft. Rollie was pretty sure Angie was too but after what she had been through...it was her call as far as he was concerned.

Mira answered her door as she tightened the robe around her waist. "Angie? Come in!" Mira smiled. "This is a surprise. What are you doing out on a night like this? Is everything okay?" Mira led Angie into her living room. "Can I get you anything? Some tea?"

"Yeah I'd like that," Angie smiled.

"What's going on?" Mira asked, as she considered Angie's demeanor.

"I'm thinking I might go away for a few days." Angie accepted the cup of tea Mira placed on the coffee table. "I thought I'd fly out to California and go camping."

"You picked a strange time to do that although it's probably warmer there than here. Still...." Mira remarked, shivering as she glanced out her living room window. It was snowing. Again. She sat down across from Angie, tucking her legs under her. "Is everything all right?"

Angie let out a deep sigh. "I need to think. I can't do that here. Rollie and I are trying so hard to act like everything's normal. I just...I just can't take it anymore." Angie looked deep into her cup of tea. "I told Rollie that nothing had changed. I'm just trying to make sure that's true, at least on my part."

"Okay," Mira replied. "Does Rollie know?"

Angie avoided Mira's intent eyes. "No. Um...that's why I'm here. I'm leaving tomorrow around noon. I already called Rollie and told him I wouldn't be in but I choked on telling him the truth." Angie got up and went to her coat and pulled an envelope out of her pocket. "Can you give him this? I know he'd try and talk me out of it or he'd try and tag along to make sure I'm okay and I really need some space."

"A letter?" Mira's eyes narrowed on her friend. "Rollie deserves better, Ange. Are you running away from him?"

Angie stood up and started pacing. "No but Mira—you have no idea how difficult things have been lately."

Mira watched Angie pace. "I think I have some idea. I may have tried to give the two of you the space you both claim to want but that doesn't mean I'm not concerned about either of you."

"I know." Angie wrapped her arms around herself as if she were cold and she started to cry softly. "Mira—"

Mira rose up and went to her friend. "Angie? What is it?"

Angie's sobs quieted and she looked up at Mira with teary eyes. "You just don't know." Angie began to sob again.

Mira took Angie over to the couch and sat down with her. "Tell me," she said encouragingly and as she did Angie's sobs grew louder. She was now sobbing uncontrollably. Mira held onto her and let her cry as long as she needed. Finally, after some time, Angie's sobs quieted once again and she blew her nose in a tissue.

"See why I need to get away?" Angie joked.

"Not exactly," Mira answered honestly. She didn't wonder how Rollie must have been misreading Angie's moods. She could almost laugh at how Angie must have Rollie questioning which way is up. Silence filled the room as Mira waited for Angie to speak.

Angie wiped tears from her eyes as she looked over at Mira. "Rollie doesn't know."

Mira's brow furrowed. "Know what?"

"That we really did sleep together."

Mira's jaw dropped and her eyes grew big. "What? Angie? What are you saying? How could Rollie not know? And what about Loubar? Are you saying that Loubar— no, that's not right...." Mira was now thinking out loud.

Angie stood up and walked to the window. She looked at the snow falling in a big white maelstrom to the ground. It mirrored the storm in her mind. "As many questions as you've just asked Rollie would ask more...and he'd probably level some accusations as well. Probably justified." Angie's chin quivered.

Mira watched her friend struggling with her emotions. She didn't say anything.

"I kept the truth from Rollie," Angie continued. "I though it was for the best. How do I tell him now Mira? How?" Angie pleaded with Mira, as she looked at her Angie realized...Mira had no idea what she was talking about. Angie took a deep, calming breath and sighed. "Rollie and I were in London for a movie. It was a great experience," Angie smiled at the memories. "Everything about the film, about being in London, had been great. It was one of the most enjoyable films we've ever worked on . At the end of it, the director invited the cast and crew out for the wrap party, which was actually a pub-crawl. I've never been so drunk in my life and I've never seen Rollie so drunk either. It's like we both let the stress of the last few months, of losing Leo and Rollie nearly dying by snake poisoning— we let it go. At least that's my excuse." Angie rubbed her arms as if she were cold.

"What happened?" Mira asked, prompting her friend to look over at her with tears brimming in her eyes.

"I woke up the next morning in bed with Rollie." Angie gritted her teeth to keep the tears at bay. "I don't remember how we got there but when you wake up naked in bed with a guy...you kind know what's what." Angie wiped a tear that streamed down her cheek. "I um...fumbled out of bed, managing not to wake Rollie and ran out of there as fast as I could. I didn't know what Rollie would remember but I just couldn't wait for him to wake up."

"So...Rollie still doesn't know?" Mira asked.

"No. I don't think so," Angie's chin quivered. "I don't think he had the chance to dwell on it actually. An FBI agent Rollie knows by the name of Elena Serrano showed up. I don't even know when they met. All I know is she was involved the first time Rollie tangled with Loubar," Angie grumbled and Mira noted the spark of jealousy in her demeanor. "Anyway, Serrano showed up wanting Rollie's help in getting one of her agents safely out of London. I ended up helping and that's...when...." Angie's voice grew more tentative, "I sort of met...Loubar."

"What? How?"

"Loubar killed Elena's agent and took his place," Angie explained. "It turns out we helped Loubar get out of London and into New York with a biological weapon. We were able to catch the buyer and got the weapon away from Loubar before he managed to get away from Elena again."

"That's just great," Mira grumbled. The FBI had let Loubar slip through their fingers twice. Well, the NYPD didn't do any better. Loubar's body was never found after Angie shot at him at Central Park. He was still on the loose. She also deduced that that was when Loubar noticed the relationship between Rollie and Angie and decided to exploit it. "Damn."

"Yeah," Angie agreed under her breath. "When Loubar impersonated Rollie...when he seduced me I thought it was him," Angie's voice cracked and her voice sounded small. "I thought it was Rollie. I thought this time...we'll both remember," Angie bit her lip. "Only it wasn't Rollie. The jokes on me." Angie cried bitterly, tears streaming down her face as she sat down on Mira's couch.

Mira went over and hugged Angie's shoulders. She let her cry for a few minutes before brushing some of the hair from covering Angie's eyes. "You're in love with him, aren't you?"

"What? No! No— I don't know," Angie stammered. "Do you see why I need to get away?" Angie punched her head softly. "I need to figure this out. I've put Rollie in an unfair position when he just wants things to be normal. When I come back...things will be normal." Angie promised.

Mira looked over at Angie, her shoulders and neck tense from the burden she had been carrying. "You poor kid. You've been carrying that secret around all these months in addition to what Loubar did."

"So...will you give Rollie the letter?" Angie chanced a small smile.

"Yesss." Mira sighed. "I wish you would talk with him but I can understand the need to get away and think this through. I think you're underestimating Rollie though. He's compassionate and understanding...."

"I know," Angie agreed.

"He's got a good heart—"

"I know Mira— Oh my God!" Angie looked at Mira as if a light bulb had gone off in her head. "You're in love with him too!"

"Don't be silly." Mira pinched Angie's arm.

"I'm not. You are!" Angie accused Mira again. "This is perfect. You can be with Rollie. Maybe I don't even have to tell him about what happened. Mira!"

"Oh no you don't!" Mira stood up and moved away from Angie. "You have to tell Rollie even if you can't admit that you love him. And besides," Mira turned to Angie. "Any fool can see how much you two care about each other. I care about Rollie but I'm smart enough to know not to come between you two."

"I didn't say I love him," Angie argued.

"You don't have to," Mira smiled. "Look, I'm not saying it has to be anything more than platonic between you two but...there's something there Ange. Even you have to admit that."

Angie bit her lip as she considered Mira's words. Finally, she rose up. "Will you give Rollie my letter?"

"I will." Mira agreed, all talked out.

"You can give it to him any time after 10:00. That's when my flight leaves." Angie put her coat and hat on. "Tell him...just tell him I'll be okay. Everything else is in the letter."

"Have fun camping. Don't get eaten by any bears." Mira smiled.

"I won't." Angie smiled back. "Thanks."

"You are coming back, right?" Mira asked, a question that had been nagging at her since Angie told her she was going away.

"Yeah. Of course." Angie replied but so unenthusiastically that she left Mira unconvinced of her response.

Rollie puttered around his loft the next morning knowing Angie wasn't going to be in. He just couldn't find anything to preoccupy his mind in her absence. Bluey was now growling at him with a fierce Tiger's growl and that had been fun for the first few hours but now it was getting old. Rollie smiled inwardly as he wondered about experimenting with odour on the electronic dog and how Angie would react. Then he remembered...Angie wouldn't be in today. Bloody hell, he thought. He looked at his watch. It was almost 8:00 am. Rollie drummed his fingers on his desk then he rose up and grabbed his coat.

"Bluey, secure the loft. I'm going out," Rollie called to his electronic pet.

"Growwwll!" Bluey replied.

Mira hopped to the door on one foot as she struggled to put on her other shoe. She was already running late and now she had an early morning visitor to contend with. She wondered if it was Angie again, rethinking her plan to leave. She opened the door and was surprised.

"Tyler! This is a surprise," Mira smiled. "Come in." she held the door open for him to enter.

"Are you heading out to work?" Rollie asked as he entered her apartment. He had never been to her apartment and he noted how neat and complimentary everything seemed.

"Yeah, I'm running a little late actually," Mira explained. "I've got time for a coffee though if you'd like?"

"Yeah, yeah, that'd be great." Rollie smiled. Rollie watched Mira disappear into the kitchen, calling after him to make himself comfortable.

"So what do I owe the pleasure?" Mira called from the kitchen.

"Oh— um...I've a little time on my hands and Angie's not coming in today. I find myself with nothing to do...." Rollie's voice trailed off. Rollie took his coat off and sat down on the couch, pulling his scarf off and folding it up on his knee. It was then he noticed the envelope addressed to him on the coffee table. Rollie picked it up.

"Mira, what's this?"

Rollie's voice as she appeared in the kitchen doorway startled Mira as she was busy preparing the coffee. "What?" she gasped.

"This letter. It has my name on it but it's Angie's handwriting," Rollie explained, the letter in his hand. "What's going on?" Rollie demanded.

"Just read the letter Rollie," Mira implored him. She could tell that a dozen wild possibilities were running through Rollie's head as he wondered what Angie couldn't tell him in person. "Angie wanted me to tell you that she's fine. Just read the letter."

"You know what this is about?" Rollie asked, his chin quivering as he looked up at Mira. He fingered the envelope in his hands.

"Yeah, I do." Mira sighed. "Here's your coffee. I'll be in the other room."

Rollie took a deep breath and steeled his shoulders. Then, with shaky hands he opened the envelope in his hands.

Dear Rollie,

First of all, I'm fine. I know you're going to worry about me and I wanted to get that out of the way right away. I'm going away for a few days. I knew if I told you, you would want to come or try and talk me out of it but I really need the space right now Rollie. I know that I told you nothing had changed a while back but things have been so different between us and I know you've noticed it too. I wish I could tell you what you want to hear, what you need to hear but...I can't. Not yet. I wish we could go back to the way we were before everything happened but I don't know if that's possible anymore. I want you to know that I will be okay Rollie and so will you. Try to be happy Rollie. You deserve that.

Angie

Rollie folded up the paper and returned it to its envelope. His heart was racing. He felt like he did when Loubar mentioned Angela's name and he felt a prick of fear but he didn't know what that meant. Unshed tears pricked at his eyes. He stuffed the envelop into his pants pocket and walked into the living room where Mira sat drinking her coffee.

"She's gone then," Rollie said through clenched jaws. He wrapped his scarf around his neck and picked up his coat.

"Are you okay?" Mira asked.

"I'm fine." Rollie cleared his throat, avoiding Mira's eyes. "You know me. I always bounce back. I'm sorry I made you late for work. I'll see you later." Rollie put his coat on.

"Yeah, no problem." Mira watched Rollie struggle with his coat and she made a decision. "She's not gone yet Rollie."

Rollie looked up. "What?"

"Her flight's at 10 o'clock," Mira informed him.

Rollie looked at his watch. It was going on 9 o'clock. "Damn!"

"Go. Go now!" Mira encouraged him.

"I know, I know! I'm coming!" Angie grumbled as she finished closing her suitcase. She had overslept and now she was running late.

Angie took one last look around her apartment before putting her coat on. She quickly wrapped the scarf around her neck and grabbed her keys with one hand and her bags with another. She opened her door and was stopped in her tracks.

"Rollie. What are you doing here?" Angie asked as she fumbled with her bags. She wondered how he had gained entry into the building since visitors had to be buzzed in. She remembered she heard her upstairs neighbor going out just before she came to the door.

"Going somewhere Ange?" Rollie asked instead of answered, his hands in his coat pockets. Once again he had forgotten his gloves in the car.

"Yeah. Yeah um...I uh...I was—" the taxi horn sounded again. "That's for me. I've got to go. I'll uh...I'll explain later," Angie stammered as she tucked some hair behind her ears.

Rollie placed his hand on Angie's arm. "I'd like it if you explained now," he said softly.

Angie looked into Rollie's deep brown eyes and found her resolve melting. Damn it!  Why did he have to show up just now? That's why she wrote him the letter so she wouldn't have to go through this!

"I wrote you a letter. Mira was supposed to give it to you later. I wasn't going to leave without saying anything but...but I—"

"But what?" Rollie pressed.

Angie swallowed and she heard the taxi's horn again. "My taxi's waiting—"

"If we need to talk Ange, then we need to talk," Rollie argued. "Catch a later flight. I'll drive you myself," Rollie promised.

Angie dropped her bags onto the floor in resignation. "Fine. Go and tell the taxi to leave."

Rollie turned and ran out to the taxi. Then, he waited as Angie had to buzz him into the building.

Rollie rubbed his hands as he entered Angie's apartment. "You weren't coming back, were you?"

"What? No. Whatever gave you that dumb idea?" Angie's brow furrowed. She took off her coat and scarf and laid them on the back of her couch.

"Because you didn't say anything in the letter that you can't say to my face," Rollie answered, taking his coat and scarf off and placing them on the back of the couch as well. "Ange, if it's space you want you've got it but why do I get the feeling if you went away...I would never see you again?"

Angie shook her head and sighed. "What is it with you and Mira thinking I'm not coming back? I never said I wasn't."

"You haven't said you will either," Rollie countered.

Angie bit her lip and turned away from Rollie because when he said that and as she looked into his eyes, she knew she was running away and probably would not have come back.

"Angie, please?" Rollie pleaded.

"You don't know what you're asking," Angie bit back her tears, her back to him.

"You said in your letter that you wished you could tell me what I want and need to hear." Rollie placed his hands gently on Angie's shoulders and turned her around. "You can. You can tell me anything, Ange. You trust me don't you?"

Angie looked up into Rollie's deep brown eyes, so soulful and kind. "Yes."

"Then you can tell me anything," Rollie assured her.

Angie thought of what she needed to tell him and she suddenly felt the urge to run. Angie gasped and started coughing uncontrollably.

Rollie ran to the kitchen and came back with some water. "Here. Drink." Rollie ordered.

Angie took a drink of the water then looked up at Rollie. "Are you sure?"

Rollie's brow furrowed and he smiled. "That you can drink? Sure I'm sure."

Angie didn't smile. "That I can tell you anything?"

"You can tell me anything, Angela." Rollie said, using her proper name when he wanted her to know he was serious.

Angie continued to look up at him, her chin quivering. "Okay. Then you better sit down," she said as she crossed her arms in front of her and walked around the couch. She gestured to Rollie sit down as she proceeded to pace in front of him.

"Ange. You're making me nervous," Rollie said as he looked up at her pacing.

Angie stopped and looked down at Rollie. "Sorry." But then she went right back pacing. "First of all," She began finally, "I never meant to not say anything for this long. After it happened— well, it was a mistake obviously. But I still should have told you and I know that. It's just that after a while it sort of became...well, why bother? Right?" Angie sighed. "I never meant to keep you in the dark, Rollie but I—"

"Ange. What the hell are you talking about?" Rollie asked, completely perplexed.

"Do you remember the last film we shot in London? The medieval gig?" Angie asked, rubbing her hands together as if they were cold.

"Yeah, I remember." Rollie answered.

"That was a great shoot, right? We had a good time." Angie smiled nervously.

"Yeah, we did." Rollie agreed, mentally recalling Elena Serrano showing up unexpectedly precipitating another tangle with Loubar. Only this time, Loubar got to meet Angie quite unexpectedly. If only he could go back in time, Rollie would make sure that never happened.

"We joined everyone for the pub crawl. Do you remember?" Angie broke Rollie's reverie.

Rollie winced. "Sort of."

"Yeah, me too." Angie began pacing again.

"Angie. What is all this leading up to?" Rollie asked. He had thought this had to do with their most recent encounter with Loubar. He had hoped that Angie was finally opening up to him.

"Rollie. I've never been so drunk in my life. Neither have you," Angie gazed meaningfully at Rollie.

"Ange, as you like to point out...there are a few years between us. I assure you I've had other drunken nights, sweetie."

"That's not my point," Angie ran her hand through her hair in frustration. "Rollie, I don't remember how I got back to the set. Do you?"

Rollie crinkled his forehead in an attempt to call up a distant memory. "No, I don't."

"Do you remember if you were alone?" Angie asked.

Rollie's forehead crinkled again only this time he did recall something. He recalled being woken up by loud knocking on his trailer door. He remembered that he must not have been alone because he found women's under things in his bed. "That is none of your business," Rollie shook his finger at Angie.

Angie sighed shakily. "It is my business, Rollie." She stared into Rollie's eyes trying to send him a mental message.

Rollie stared into Angie's eyes. She seemed to be trying hard to tell him something while at the same time not tell him something. Rollie's brow furrowed in forced concentration and he bore a serious look on his face but it was no use. He couldn't understand what Angie was getting at.

"Ugh!" Angie growled in frustration. "Could you make this any harder?" she demanded suddenly.

Rollie was stammering a response in confusion when Angie cut him off.

"Rollie! We both were blotto that night—"

"You got drunk too?" Rollie asked suddenly. He couldn't remember.

"Yes!" Angie replied in frustration. "Don't you remember anything?"

"Angie, what's this about?"

"Just answer the question."

Rollie tried shaking the cobwebs from his head. "I remember having a good time. I remember drinking a lot." Rollie replied slowly, like he was reciting a grocery list. "I remember having fun dancing with you," Rollie raised his eyebrows at Angie and he rubbed his hands over his chin. "Then...whew! I remember waking up to a pounding in my head and a pounding at the door and the next thing I know Elena Serrano is standing in my trailer." Rollie finished.

"That's not all. You weren't alone, were you?" Angie asked.

Rollie's brow furrowed, wondering if he should answer. "Angela. We agreed. What happens in our sex lives—"

Angie bit her lip nervously. "Rollie. I know you weren't alone because...because I didn't wake up alone either."

A dense fog covered Rollie's eyes.

Angie took a deep breath and dove in. "When...when I woke up the next morning," Angie started pacing again, "I was...I was in bed with you." She turned to look at Rollie. "Rollie...we...we went to bed with each other that night," Angie grimaced slightly.

"What!" Rollie stood up suddenly.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry," Angie apologized profusely.

Rollie sat down again, his head bowed as he tried to unscramble his memories of that night and morning. "How— you didn't say anything," Rollie looked up at Angie. "I don't remember a thing. But you knew. How could you not say anything? Angela?"

"I woke up in your arms," Angie's tears started to flow, "and I panicked. My head was pounding and I could only remember snippets of the night before but I couldn't remember how we ended up there. My first thought was to get out of there without waking you. I fumbled for my clothes and got out of there as fast as I could. I didn't know what you would remember...so I decided not to say anything unless or until you did." Angie kept wringing her hands. "And then, Serrano showed up and we got preoccupied with other things. I never meant to keep it from you Rollie, I swear. It's just that as time went on it became easier to not say anything." Angie started crying into her hands. "I'm sorry."

The apartment was quiet now except for the sounds of Angie's crying softly. Rollie just sat on the edge of the couch trying to wrap his mind around all of this. He looked up at Angie crying into her hands.

"It's not your fault," Rollie broke the silence finally. "I mean...you should have told me Angela but it's not your fault. We both got drunk. We both...we both went to bed with one another. I just wish...." Rollie ran his hands through his hair. "I just wish you had told me."

Angie continued to cry into her hands. Rollie reached over to the coffee table and grabbed a tissue and handed it to Angie.

"Dry your tears," He instructed softly. "Angie. This is nothing to run away for. I mean, it's a bit of a shock but it's—"

Angie blew her nose in her tissue and looked down at Rollie. "There's more Rollie."

"Okay," Rollie encouraged her to go on warily.

Angie sat down on the coffee table across from Rollie. She gripped the edge of the table and took a deep breath before continuing. "When Loubar kidnapped you and took your place...when we were at the loft and he...seduced me— Rollie, I thought he was you. I thought...I thought," Angie bowed her head, "or maybe I hoped that that night wasn't a fluke and that maybe you really wanted to be with me. I was so dumb. I let that blind me to realizing that he wasn't you. I let him seduce me Rollie because I thought he was you," Angie fought back the tears. "And I thought that if it happens this time...we'll both remember. Some weird cosmic joke, huh?"

Rollie sat there stunned with the realization that Angie and he had spent a drunken night together and that Loubar had been able to rape her because she wanted to sleep with him. Loubar had taken advantage of Angie's vulnerability. Rollie knew that Loubar must have picked up on her vulnerabilities when he was masquerading as Elena's dead agent. For his part, Rollie only realized Angie's attraction once she had come clean with Rollie about the rape but he had no idea about the history behind everything. Still, there was a stubborn little part of Rollie that was fighting admitting that he too felt there was an attraction there. How could he? She was Manny's little girl. Rollie looked across at Angie. A woman. Manny's child all grown up and she is beautiful.

"Things have been so weird between us these last few months Rollie," Angie broke the silence. "I was being unfair to you. I told you nothing had changed but I was keeping this huge secret from you and it was eating away at me. I know that I've been distant and that's why I wanted some space. I thought that if I could find a way to put all this behind me we could get back what we had lost."

"And if you couldn't?" Rollie asked. "I have this feeling in the pit of my gut Angela that if you left I would never see you again. Were you going to come back?"

"It was my intention to." Angie sighed. "But I'll be honest with you. I um...I was going to check out a couple offers I've had at ILM and some other places. I guess it was an escape hatch at the back of my mind."

Rollie fell back against the back of the couch, his long legs splayed out in front of him.

After a few moments Angie stood up and folded her arms across her chest. "So, now you know everything. Care to drive me to the airport?"

Rollie remained silent.

"Hey, we made a deal," Angie tapped her foot against Rollie's, knocking him out of his reverie. "Airport, remember? I can probably get on an afternoon flight," Angie said, looking at her watch.

Rollie watched as Angie wrapped her scarf around her neck and put on her coat. He lost sight of her as she picked up her bags and dropped them over near the door.

"Hey buddy! Let's get a move on!" Angie called from the door.

Rollie slapped his hands on his knees and stood up slowly. In an automatic move, he wrapped his scarf around his neck.

Angie picked up her bags and opened the door and waited for Rollie to go through. She placed her bags on the floor in the hallway and dug in her purse for the keys to her apartment. She had just inserted her key into the lock when suddenly Rollie's hand covered hers. Angie looked up at Rollie.

"Don't go," Rollie whispered.

"What?" Angie gasped, Rollie's hand still covering hers.

"Don't go," Rollie repeated, his hand moved and cupped her cheek and turned her face to his. Slowly, his lips came down on hers.

The kiss was slow and deep, gentle and full of unexpected longing. Angie's purse dropped to the floor and they turned so that Angie's back was now against her apartment door and the kiss continued. Rollie had her crushed against him, while Angie's hands were at the back of his neck, pulling him down to her.

"Rollie," She whispered when she could breathe.

"Angie," Rollie whispered back. Finally, he pulled away from the kiss and looked down at her. "I can't lose you, Angie."

Angie smiled softly, as tears brimmed her eyes. "You won't," she promised.

Rollie smiled too, venturing another quick kiss. "No more airport?"

Angie smiled a sly smile. "No more airport."

They started kissing again, forgetting where they were until they heard several footsteps sounding on the stairs. Then, they heard giggles.

"Hey Angie, is that your guy?" One of Angie's female neighbors from upstairs asked.

Angie pulled away from the kiss as she and Rollie blushed. "Yeah, something like that." Angie bit her lip. "Bye Kim."

"Bye Angie!"

"Something like that, huh?" Rollie smiled down at Angie, his eyes intent on her lips. "Can we um...can we go back inside? I'm not up for an audience right now."

Angie blushed and buried her head on Rollie's shoulder. "I'd like that," she answered softly.