A/N: Chapter 5. Wow! Anyway, this is six months after Benny comes back into the picture, Angel and Mark have been together fo eight months, and are experiencing something in their relationship that they don't know how to deal with, read on to find out what that is. *grins evilly and pats her Markie muse on the head*
DISCLAIMER: Don't own RENT, Angel, Mark, Roger, Benny, or Collins(who will arrive in the next chapter).
Angel and...
By Me

Angel unlocked the door to the loft and walked, calling softly for Mark. He walked out the bedroom that he and Benny shared, rubbing his eyes and muttering about it being too damn early. Angel wrapped him in a tender hug, kissing him softly, making Mark forget that it was only 6:30 A.M.
"Good morning, sunshine,"Angel said, softly, thinking that Mark might have been hung over from the night before.
"Hey, baby. Why are you up so early?"Mark asked, trying to ignore the pounding in his skull.
"Well, I haven't been to sleep, yet," Angel replied. Ignoring the dark look from Mark, he continued,"I had too much on my mind to sleep, I was thinking about us, and whether or not we should take the next step in our relationship, and I had to talk to you before I went nuts wondering if you wanted to the next step, too."
"What next step?" Mark asked, walking to the kitchen area to make a pot of coffee.
"The next step, where we get a place together,"Angel replied, as if it were plainly obvious.
"Oh, that step,"Mark answered dully, still trying to figure out how to make the coffee maker work.
He turned to Angel and was about to ask for his help, when Benny stumbled out of the shared bedroom, into the kitchen, and got the coffee going in less than two minutes, earning a look of gratitude from Mark. Benny went and sat at the table, grumbling about the time, and no respect for the hung over. When the coffee was done Benny and Mark each had cup, and two aspirin. Mark was starting to feel better, when the realization of what Angel had been talking about smacked him in the face. He was still, after eight months, trying to get used to the idea of being in love with a man. He looked at the ceiling and groaned.
Angel knelt beside him, and asked,"Are you okay, honey?"
"No,"Mark said, near tears."I don't know how to deal with this next step thing. I love you, baby, I really do, but I'm not sure if I'm ready for us to live together yet."
Angel smiled, relieved, that was what he had been hoping Mark would say, because he wasn't sure if he was ready either. "That's okay, baby, I'm not sure, either."
Mark looked at him, and smiled,"Are you serious? Then why did you bring it up?"
"Yes, I am serious, and I only brought it up because our relationship is moving at such a rapid pace, I thought that would most assuredly be the next thing to happen."
Mark wrapped his arms around his beloved Angel, grateful that he wasn't trying to force Mark into something he didn't want. He whispered into Angel's ear,"So, I guess the next step we're taking is to slow down some."
"I guess it is,"Angel replied slowly. He stood up and was preparing to leave, when a thought occurred to him, a thought he didn't want to voice, but knew he had to,"Mark, honey, why don't we just take a break from each other for awhile? My sister has been wanting me to go visit her, maybe I'll go spend a couple weeks with her and my aunt."
Mark was dumbfounded, he didn't know what else to say besides,"Okay, if that's what you want."
Angel felt himself beginning to cry, and ran out the door before Mark even had a chance to stand up. He ran down the stairs and outside, crying the whole way, he collapsed on the steps outside, and cried until there was nothing left in him. Angel thought, how could he so easily agree to that? The expression on his face didn't even change. Angel stood and brushed the dirt off his backside, and slowly made his way back to the Rainbow Connection.

Meanwhile, back in the loft, Mark was still in shock over what Angel had suggested. He didn't realize that he had said anything back to him until the door slammed shut, and he heard Angel's sobs echoing in the hall. What have I done? He thought. You just lost the greatest thing that has ever happened to you, he answered himself. Then he got worried, because he was holding conversations with himself, inside his head.

Neither Angel, nor Mark realized that it would be seven years until the next time they saw each other.

A/N:Hate it? Love it? Shall I write the another chapter, describing how Collins comes into the picture?