Clandestine Love

A/N: Hey everyone! It's me again! Ok so this is a one-shot fanfic that I just thought of while going through monologue choices for my acting class. There are some excerpts from "Summer & Smoke" by Tennessee Williams. And of course, it's a C/M one-shot fanfic. Hope you like it! Rate and review!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Strange Days or any of the characters. I do not own "Summer & Smoke" either. It belongs to Tennessee Williams and Strange Days belongs to Jim Rapsas and all the other wonderful people who worked on the show.

Corrine sat Indian-style on her bed in her and Josie's room. She sat tapping a pencil absentmindedly on her knee as she looked down at the sheet of paper in her hand. They had been assigned monologues in acting class and she had been assigned an excerpt from "Summer & Smoke."

Although she had been trying for the past hour to memorize the stupid thing and get it over with, she just couldn't concentrate. One reason was because the monologue she had been assigned exactly described how her love life was going. Or wasn't, really. And two, she had been so close to telling Marshall how she felt. Not that it wasn't obvious already, but for a guy who's a chemistry genius he could certainly be completely oblivious and dense at times.

"Uh…Marshall?"

"Yeah, Corrine? What's up?" Marshall met her gaze head on. They had been studying in the library for the upcoming science exam. Corrine found it hard to form words to what she was feeling on the inside. Of course part of her just wanted to blurt out, "Marshall, you idiot! Can't you see that I love you?" But then again, part of her just wanted to keep it quiet.

"I-I…uh…nothing. Never mind."

Marshall looked at her questioningly but just shrugged.

Corrine flopped backwards onto her back on her bed, huffing angrily at the ceiling. Her hand was hanging over the edge of her bed, the monologue still clutched in its grasp. She felt someone whisk the paper out of her hand. Surprised, she turned to see none other than Marshall Wheeler. He read through her monologue as Corrine sat up and crossed her legs.

"So I see you've been working on your monologue a lot," Marshall said with a bit of a chuckle. Corrine gave him an oh-would-you-just-shut-up look as she snatched the paper away from him.

Marshall raised his hands in defense of himself.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend Miss Baxter."

Corrine just gave an exasperated sigh as she pointedly tried to ignore him and memorize her monologue. Marshall sat down next to her.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you all huffy. Friends?"

Inwardly, Corrine shuddered at the word. Friends? Yeah, he's right. We're just friends.

"Ok. How about you do your monologue for me. That way you can get some practice time in."

Although Corrine didn't want to perform a monologue that said everything she wanted to say to Marshall, she reluctantly stood up anyways. She turned to face him and chose a focal point above his head. And so she began.

"It's no longer a secret that I love you. It never was. I loved you as long ago as the time I asked you to read the stone angel's name with your fingers…"

As Corrine recited the monologue, Marshall listened and watched attentively.

"…I've lived next door to you all the days of my life, a weak and divided person who stood in adoring awe of your singleness, of your strength. And that is my story. Now I wish you would tell me – why didn't it happen between us? Why did you come almost close enough – and no closer?"

Corrine finished her monologue but realized her focal point had changed from the wall behind Marshall to Marshall's own eyes. She also did not realize that her voice had gotten shaky and quavered a bit towards the end. Marshall gazed at her for a moment longer before speaking.

"That wasn't acting, was it?" he asked looking into her eyes. Corrine slowly shook her head, feeling color rise to her cheeks.

I am so stupid! I probably look and sounded like an idiot! I should have…

But Corrine didn't finish her thought because Marshall had gotten up and lovingly cradled her face between his hands. He gazed deeply into her eyes.

"Corrine…why didn't you tell me before? I thought that you didn't like me like I liked you."

"I-I…" Suddenly Corrine realized what he had just said.

Did he just say he liked me?

As if to test what he had said she leaned up and placed a kiss on his lips, a question in a way. And to answer her Marshall embraced her tightly as he kissed her passionately. Corrine naturally wrapped her arms around his neck as they kissed for a few more moments. They finally broke off as Marshall gave her a smile.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that," said Marshall. Their faces were not even an inch apart.

Corrine laughed and flung her arms around his neck and kissed him once more.

A/N: Ok so that was just a short sweet little one-shot C/M fluff fanfic. Yeah the idea just came to me reading that monologue from "Summer & Smoke" a few days ago and I just had to get it out. So hope you guys liked it! Rate and review!