Chapter 4

"How'd your day with Mark go?" Angel asked as Phoebe entered the apartment.

Phoebe smiled while shutting the door. "Great we are hanging out tomorrow night too!"

Angel smirked sensing the happiness in her voice. "Good."

Just then Collins walked out of the bedroom, greeting Angel with a kiss on the cheek. "Hey Pheebs, some guy called for you today."

Phoebe froze in her stop. "What?"

Collins nodded as he flopped on the couch flicking on the TV. "Yeah."

Phoebe walked in front of the TV blocking Collins view forcing the professor to make eye contact with him. "Did he leave a name?"

"No he just said he would call back later." Collins said, now trying to look past the frighten Latina.

"Is everything alright?" Angel asked.

Phoebe nodded as she headed for her room. "Yeah…I just don't understand how anyone got this number."

"My guess…the phone book." Collins answered.

Phoebe just rolled her eyes as she shut the bedroom door. Angel moved over to the couch and joined Collins.

"I think something is up with my sister." Angel confessed. "Don't you think she's acting weird?"

Collins turned off the TV and nodded. "A little."

"I tried talking to her today but she got all defensive." Angel said with a sad look.

Collins wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Give her time I'm sure she'll come to you when she is ready."

Angel sighed and relaxed into the touch, enjoying the comfort Collins was radiating, but also fretting about her sister.

The next day Mark and Phoebe walked along the side walk enjoying each others company.

"Want some ice cream?" Mark asked nervously.

Phoebe smirked brightly. "I love ice cream."

Mark glanced towards her. "So I'll take that as a yes?"

Phoebe nodded in agreement while looping her arm with Marks. "Lead the way."

Mark treated Phoebe to some ice cream, after paying for it they decided to walk and talk while they ate.

"Thanks Mark." Phoebe suddenly said.

"For what?" Mark asked.

"Spending time with me, I feel bad for intruding Angel and Collins, and one can only watch them make out for so long. You keep me occupied, and not to mention are a lot of fun."

Mark smiled cheerfully. "You're welcome, and thank you for keeping me occupied while all of my friends couple up in front of me."

"You are welcome!" Phoebe said.

As they walked down the sidewalk a little more, Phoebe noticed a familiar face coming towards her; a familiar face she didn't want to see.

"Uh Mark," Phoebe said while looking around for an escape route. "Want to head back to the loft?"

Mark noticed the change in mood. "Sure what's wrong?"

"Nothing I just want to hang out there." Phoebe said moving a little closer to Mark for safety.

"Okay." Mark said as he turned to walk toward the loft, but was caught off guard when Phoebe dragged him down an alley.

"This is the wrong way." Mark stated.

"Is it?" Phoebe asked as she peered out of the alley. "Can't we get back from here?"

"We can but it will take longer." Mark explained.

Phoebe turned her attention back to Mark. "I don't mind I like spending time with you."

"Okay." Mark said kind of throwing the thought at how weird Phoebe was acting behind him.

Once at the loft Phoebe clasped on the couch, silently sighing with relief. Mark soon joined her oblivious to how she was acting.

"So…" Mark said.

Phoebe glanced towards him, a sense of security and comfort coming over her. She gave him a smirk and leaned in a little. "So…"

Mark moved in on instinct.

They then both started moving in slowly, their eyes now closed, and their lips about to touch. Just as their lips were about to connect the loft door slid open.

"Hey bitch!" Collins shouted, causing Mark and Phoebe to jump apart.

Mark fixed his glasses and looked up to see the other six saunter into the room. "Hey."

"Were you two just kissing?" Roger asked with a smile.

Mark and Phoebe glanced towards each other, shaking their heads in denial. "No."

Roger nodded as he flopped in the chair next to them, Mimi sitting on his lap. "I think you were."

"Roger stop teasing." Mimi said.

"Are you teasing my sister?" Angel asked with hands on her hips.

"Not at all." Roger said. "I'm teasing Mark."

"Are we teasing Mark with out me?" Maureen asked.

Mark huffed at the sudden interruption and at his friends nagging.

"Maybe you should work on your manners more rather then teasing Mark." Joanne jumped in.

Mark watched as Maureen rolled her eyes, actually thanking god that Joanne and Maureen were having an argument.

"Are you kidding me right now?" Maureen asked.

"Roger should do the same thing." Mimi said. "I think you two need to take a manners class."

Maureen eyed Collins and Angel who were snuggling each other, then eyed Roger. "I'm never going on a triple or double date with them again!"

Roger nodded then eyed Mark. "Yeah word of advice Mark, if you ever find a girlfriend never going on a double date with Collins and Angel…they definitely make you look bad."

"It doesn't hurt to pull out my chair…why can't you be more like Collins?" Mimi asked.

"Why can't you pull out my chair?" Roger shot back.

Mimi sighed as she leaned against him eyeing Joanne. "Men."

Joanne sneered. "Women."

Mark and Phoebe eyed each other. Mark eyed the fire escape then Phoebe who nodded. They then both stood up and headed out the window, while the other six were unaware of there where about as they argued about random couple things.

"Sorry about that." Mark said as he leaned against the railing.

Phoebe leaned next to him. "It's okay."

They both moved a little closer to each other both smiling.

"I can settle for holding hands." Phoebe said.

Mark looked down at their hands a bit confused.

"Since we can't kiss…" Phoebe explained.

"Oh." Mark said, and then he moved his hand over hers and interlaced their fingers.

"I could get used to this." Phoebe said with a smirk.

Mark nodded. "Me too."