chasingangela | Room 304, Wednesday night (Reply)

Angela was not in the most birthdayriffic of moods as she unlocked the door to her room Wednesday evening.

Having a nightmare, getting slimed, having a test, and finding out one of your favorite teachers is leaving will do that to a girl. Unable to deal with people, she spent most of the afternoon after class on the beach, watching the waves and thinking. But even if her day had gone much, much better, she still would have felt something -- make that someone --important had been missing.

She bit her lip and hoped he was okay, somewhere, as she turned her doorknob.

Apparently, he was okay, because he was standing in her dorm room, grinning like an idiot.

...and all thoughts of tests, slime, or nightmares fell out of her head. It's a good thing Angela lives on a fairly quiet floor, because her squeal of delight would have brought at least half her class running if she lived on two.

"You'rebackyou'rebackyou'reback!" she said, crushing him in a hug.

Marty winced slightly at the crushing hug, but happily returned it.

"Miss me, birthday girl?"

"More than anything," she said, then went back to attempting to hug him so tightly that she would actually fuse into his skin.

"So glad you're safe..."

"Well... for the moment I am," he said kissing her gently on the forehead. "I missed you so much."

"You too," Angela said. "Everybody did. Everyone was so worried, and now..."

She leaned back and looked up to kiss him. "You're here."

She managed to completely block out the part about "For the moment."

Marty gazed at her face happily before leaning in to give her a long lingering kiss.

"I forgot how much I missed holding you," he said burying his face into her shoulder.

"'S only been ten days," Angela said. "I didn't forget anything."

But she didn't let go, as her face crumpled into happy tears.

"Felt like a hell of a lot longer," Marty said wiping some tears away from Angela's face. "Oh. Happy Birthday."

"Thanks," Angela said. "Good timing for you to come back, huh?"

She sniffled. "You better have brought me a good present, mister."

"Yeah about that, um... I'm kind of broke at the moment," Marty said looking a little embarrassed. "Will you settle for me being here for tonight?"

Angela pouted. "Just tonight?" she asked, hoping he was joking.

"I know. I'm sorry, but I've got a few more things to take care of," Marty said holding her close. "After I get my Mom to a safe place, and get Marcella and myself set up with a new identity I'll be back as soon as I can."

Angela's face started to collapse, but she forced it to stay firm. "I know," she said, making herself breathe.

Swiftly, she turned to close the bedroom door, which was still standing ajar. Her face was determined when she turned back to Marty.

"Let's make it count."

Marty slowly took Angela into his arms. "It'll be okay. I'll be back soon and it'll be like I was never gone."

"I'll try to believe that," Angela sniffled. "You came back for my birthday. You'll come back for real."

And then she took him by the hand and sat down next to him on the bed. She looked at him with wonder. "How did you get back here?" she asked. "Are you sure you're safe?"

"I've been laying low. I was in DC checking in on a few contacts I had here," Marty said stroking Angela's face. "When I remember it was your birthday? I had to come and see you."

He leaned in to give her a tender kiss. "And I'm safe right now. So far everything is going well."

"So far..." Angela said, thinking about what he had told her. "Thank you. For risking it." She sniffled again. "I never wanted to do stupid Romeo and Juliet. 'If my kinsman see thee, they will murder thee,' and the lark that isn't a nightingale, and all that."

Then she shrugged it off, kissing him.

"I had to see you I-" Marty swallowed the lump in his throat. "I missed you like crazy. After this? I'm taking you someplace nice. I swear."

"Don't worry about that," Angela said urgently, dropping kisses over his face. "We have now. Let's just ..." she made a vague gesture. "Enjoy it."

Marty cupped Angela's face in his hands and gave her a long passionate kiss, gently pulling her down on to the bed with him.

Angela followed him, tasting sorrow mingled with his kisses.

She tried to ignore the bitter, and almost succeeded. "I love you," she exhaled.

"I love you too," Marty said while brushing hair out of Angela's face. "It'll be fine. Give me another week and I'm yours forever."

Angela's stomach fell into her toes, and she managed not to squeak about the f-word.

"Take as long as you need," she said. "Not going anywhere."

Marty gave her a genuine smile and pulled her closer to him. "That... is a good thing to know."

He then reached over and turned off the lamp on the beside table so that they both literally and metaphorically faded to black.

[OOC: Preplayed with