"Um…I love you?"
The words, spoken so hesitantly, take a moment to register in Jeff's mind. One minute he's shooting lasers at a stupid monster and the next those words are coming out of Annie's mouth. As soon as Jeff has registered what she has said he snaps his head back and looks at her, as if to confirm that she really had spoken. The look he receives - the hesitance, the quirked eyebrow – all confirm that yes, Annie Edison has in fact said I love you to Jeff Winger. In that moment Jeff forgets the fact that he has a stupid white wig hanging off his head, two cotton balls taped to his eyebrows, and a giant sash that says MAYOR strapped across his chest, all that matters is Annie. Annie, in her ridiculously tight outfit which displays her cleavage in a way that makes Jeff simultaneously drool and want to cover her up to protect from (other) wandering eyes; Annie, with those beautiful blue eyes that are looking at him as though she is checking to make sure she hasn't made a huge mistake; Annie, the woman he has been hopelessly in love with for at the very least the last year (though Jeff is willing to admit that he has deeply cared about her since their debate kiss their freshman year) has just said the three little words that he has been working towards saying these last few months. He looks at her and the words he hasn't said to anyone but his mother fall out of his mouth.
"I love you"
He looks at her and immediately registers the relief on her face. They both lean forward and soon she is in his arms, her small body pressed tight against his own, and goddamit if that didn't feel fucking fantastic. All he wants to do is kiss her, and he's contemplating it until Britta interrupts. She reminds them that Annie is supposed to be her sister (his daughter) and suddenly he feels kind of gross and annoyed (though he still isn't letting go of Annie) and wishes Britta had just kept quite. Annie pulls away slightly (though just slightly) and soon the walls stop caving in and Abed is telling them to cheer for Chang saving them. They all do so, Annie moving even farther away from Jeff as she cheers, and Jeff can't help but turn and look at her, hoping she will understand that he meant every word but Annie has already looked away and is arguing with Britta over improvisation and continuity. Jeff just watches her as they walk away and can't help but admire how intelligent, fiery, and fucking beautiful this woman is and goddamn he is actually some love-struck idiot and how the hell is he going to make it through the rest of this film (let alone school year) with her going around pulling laser bombs out of her shirt and saying things like "I love you" to him. Suddenly he feels someone next to him and turns to look at Abed who has obviously been staring at Jeff staring at Annie.
"Most people don't improv that, you know."
"What?"
"Most people don't improv 'I love you'. It's too emotional, too meaningful. It's not something one would normally blurt out."
Abed's words make Jeff's stomach flip and flop around and though he looks away from him and grunts in his direction, Jeff can't help but be grateful for Abed and his (oftentimes creepy) observations.