A/N:Okay, I know I haven't updated in awhile, but I've been super busy. So this is Chapter 6, special thanks to Angel of the First Degree for input on this chapter.

DISCLAIMER: Don't own, don't sue.

Angel and

By Papi

Mark slammed the door to the loft, pissed at himself because of the way he had treated Angel's suggestion as if it was no big deal. To Mark it was a big deal, because of his attitude he had lost the best thing that had ever happened to him. In his heart he knew he would never find another Angel. Lost in thought, he didn't pay attention to what he was doing. He opened the door to the building and ran into a young man who was just coming in. The man was a little older than Mark, he appeared to be about twenty-two or twenty-three. Mark mumbled an apology to the other man and continued down the street, he had gone about half a block before he realized that the other man had been walking beside him.

"Look, pal,"Mark said to him,"I don't want any trouble. I bumped in to you and I apologized. Please, don't make this any more than it is."

Mark was fully expecting to get hit in the face, and was shocked when the other man laughed and said,"Hey, man, I'm not trying to start anything. You look like you need a friend right now, or at least an impartial third party with a friendly ear."

Mark looked at him in utter disbelief, and said,"You don't even know me and you're offering your services as a friend? For all you know i could be some homicidal maniac, just waiting for the oppurtunity to jump someone and slit their throat."

"Well, if you wanted to slit my throat you would have dragged me into that dark alley over there and done it already," the other man said with a smile that was almost o smirk.

"Good point," Mark replied, then,"I'm Mark, by the way."

"Collins. Tom Collins," the other man said, extending his hand.

Mark shook his hand, grateful the man had turned out to be pretty cool, unlike most of the other people he had met in his time living in the East Village.

"Have you ever been to the Life Cafe?"Collins asked.

"Never even heard of it,"Mark answered.

"You wanna go? They have the best fries in the city, and it's not too far from here."

"I'm broke,"Mark told him.

"It's on me,"Collins answered.

"I couldn't ask you to pay for me to eat,"Mark said.

Collins laughed, and said,"You're not asking me, I'm offering you. I know you've got to at least want to sit down for a little bit. I'm starving, so even if you don't eat, you can keep me company while I do."

Mark agreed to go with Collins, and to eat on the condition that next time it was on him. On the short walk to the Life Mark let his thoughts wander back to Angel, and what they would be doing right now if he hadn't been such a dick. Collins, sensing that there was something wrong with the younger man, put his hand on Mark's shoulder and asked if he wanted to talk about it.

Mark, being the person that was, said,"No, it's just some personal stuff that happened earlier today."

"Who was it?"Collins asked.

"Who was who?"

"The one who broke your heart?"

Mark was flabbergasted, no one had ever been able to read him that well, not even Benny. He asked,"What makes you think I got my heart broken?"

"Because I recognoze that look. The one that pretty much says,'I lost the love of my life today'. So I was just wondering who it was that gave you that look," Collins explained.

"His name is Angel, we were together for eight months, and because I don't think before I speak, I lost him this morning," Mark explained, holiding back the tears as well as he could.

"Oh. Was he your first? I don't mean to pry, but if I'm gonna make you feel better I need to know a little background."

"Yes, he was my first, and my last for all I care. Relationships with guys are bad news. Now I understand why my sister always dogs on guys. Oh, and you don't have to worry about making me feel better. I'm a big boy, I'll be fine," Mark told him.

Collins was worried about his new friend, and said as much,"Mark, I know we don't know each other very well, but I really would like a chance to be your friend and make you feel better. I'm worried about you, and I kind of like you, and in the world of me, that is enough to make me try to make you feel better, if you'll let me."

Mark looked at him, the tears he had been holding all day finally escaped. He whispered,"Thank you. I don't know why you decided to be my friend, especially after the way I talked to you, but I appreciate it. I really do."

Collins wrapped his arms around the now sobbing filmmaker, and said in soothing tones,"Let it out, just let it all out. It's okay, we'll fix this."

They stood on the sidewalk for half an hour, Collins holding Mark, and Mark sobbing into Collins's chest. Finally, they broke apart, Mark wiping his eyes, refusing to look at Collins.

Collins tilted Mark's face up, so he could get a better look at the young man. He told him,"You know, Mark, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship."

A/N:That's it, now please, review and let me know which one is better.