Disclaimer: I own nothing. I do not own the characters that you recognize. They belong to the creators of the television show. Not to me, unfortunately. I just like to play with them a bit, that's all. I admit, I enjoy it quite a bit. I am making no money off of this.
Summary: A collection of one shots. They do not go in sequence, most likely, and they may not even be along the same plot line. I kind of like reading differences in stories... at any rate, here it goes. It's a challenge of "50 phrases". I got it off of the Harry Potter fanfiction challenge forum, but thought I would give it a shot for one of my favourite pairings of all time. Tony/Angela.
Word count: 739
Warnings: Character Death
Phrase # 7 – "Are you Drunk?!"
Angela sat on the window seat in her bedroom, just staring out the window as silent tears ran down her face. Her bedroom was a mess. Used Kleenex littered the bedside table and the dresser, instead of being placed in the trashcan. The bed wasn't made. There were a few articles of dirty clothing on the floor. For any other house – this might be common. But, when you had a husband who wanted things "just so" because he was a housekeeper, it wasn't a regular occurrence in the house. That was one thing that was different in the house this day. But that would change. Things would go back to normal, and in a few days, they would be, "just so" again. But there were some things about this day and this house that would never change.
The bedroom was a mess because he had let her be on her own today. She needed the space. She had asked him to leave her alone for a while; allowing her to think and take it all in but now sitting here, alone, she wished that her husband was with her. He wasn't far, she knew that. He wouldn't leave the house with her in this state, not with how much he cared about her.
He was hurting too. She knew that. How could he not be? Angela thoughts paused for a moment and her head turned as she heard the door to their bedroom open. She quickly wiped her tears and turned towards the sound. It was Tony. Of course it was Tony. Her husband was coming to see how she was.
"Hey," Tony caught her eyes and held them as he entered their bedroom.
"Hey, yourself," She quickly reverted her gaze to the window.
Without any hesitation, he quickly walked over the window seat and sat down behind her, pulling her into his arms as he did so.
She melted into his embrace, as she always had and rested her head on his chest. Without thinking, a sigh of sadness came gently across her lips.
Tony, was lost in his own little world. A world where blame thrived in his head. He blamed himself, it was his fault.
"I could have stopped him Angela." Tony whispered.
"Where are you going?"
"It's not your fault, Tony." Angela shifted her body to look into his eyes.
His eyes averted her gaze and he whispered again. "I should have tried harder to stop him. I didn't know he had the car keys. But he shouldn't have gone out in the state, with or without them."
"Out." The voice slurred and the 20 year old blonde who the voice belonged to almost fell over.
"Are you drunk?!" Tony asked his face showing his concern.
"No." The voice slurred again. "I'm perfectly sober."
"Don't you dare leave this house." Tony's glared.
"Try and stop me." And the man hit Tony. Knocking him out for a few brief seconds - but it was enough time for the drunk to walk out the front door.
"There was nothing you could have done, Tony." Angela took her hand and placed it under his chin, positioning his face to look at her.
Then there was a car starting, and driving out of the driveway.
"It was his decision. He hit you. He knocked you out. It was obviously an impaired action, but it was his decision. You could not have stopped him." Angela eyes were gentle and soothing when they looked into his.
Tony nodded as tears pooled in his eyes. "He's really dead, isn't he?"
"Yes, he is." Angela chocked as tears of her own began to form and she buried her head in her husband's shoulder, his arms circling her; protecting her. And as they clung to each other, he thought about her words and gradually believed them. It had not been his fault.
But it wouldn't change anything. He was still dead. Their son, was still dead. That what would never change in this house. That they would never again hear his voice in the hallway, or his excited laughter in the living room. He was gone. In an act of impairment, he made a decision that would cost him his life, and cause hurt to those he loved.
The funeral had come and gone, but here they were; alone. But they were alone together. They would make it through, because they had each other.
