It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, walking across the MIT campus. I barely got a second glance. Well, maybe a second glance, but barely a third. I had done my job. Collins on the other hand, he was getting smiles and waves. A few girls even called to him. They just said welcome back professor, but at least they remembered him. And he was just loving it, smiling and all. Some of the students must have known why he was fired, because he also got some rather rude looks, but he was smiling all the same.

When we got to his new office, and set the things down, hey smiled at me and laughed. "See? Was that really what you were so worried about? Seems a bit foolish now doesn't it?"

"Not at all. If I hadn't put so much care into this outfit, it wouldn't have been as quiet a walk. Don't you think more people would have given us weird looks if I was in a pink shirt with sparkly jeans? Like the outfit you said looked fine this morning?"

"I wouldn't have cared how they looked at us if you were in a skirt. I love you and it doesn't really matter how you dress, I'm still gonna love you." He kissed me and turned, scanning his office for the first time. "It's not very big."

"Well, I'm only one person. How much space do I need? All I really need is a desk and a book shelf, and I have both of those. Want to help me set up or are you going home?"

"Nope, I'm going to stay and help. This is kind of gonna be the first time we've spent just us together. Either Joanne and Mo were here, or you were planning your classes, so now we can talk." He handed me a box of books, which I nearly dropped, so he set them on the floor beside the bookshelf. "How did you carry three boxes of those heavy things?"

He answered me by lifting me up in his arms for a brief moment and kissing me on the cheek before setting me down. "Like that!" He went back to the papers he was sorting into files. "Do you want to put up the books?"

"Sure. So they need to be in some kind of order?"

"Alphabetically by the second letter in the author's middle name."

"And if it doesn't say the middle name?"

"I was joking Angel."

"So was I Collins." He continued to sort paper work as I arranged three boxes of books on two shelves by color. It looked very pretty by the time I was done. Collins was still caught up in his paper work when I turned back to him, so I stole a pencil and some copy paper and began making sketches of all the clothes I left back in New York. Maureen and Mimi must be having a field day with them. Once I had drawn out my entire wardrobe, I set the paper down and looked up at Collins, who happened to be looking at me, frowning. "What's wrong?"

"You miss your drag at home, don't you?"

"Ya, but I'd miss you even more if I had stayed there, so I'm okay."

"Are you sure? Because I don't have to be here."

"Yes you do, and I'm fine with the sacrifice. Now just give me something colorful to color in my sketches with and I'll be happy." Collins laughed and handed me some colored pens that I had made him buy. There were a bunch of colors he would never use, such as pink, lime, and aqua, but he had gotten them anyway. I gave him a reassuring smile and went back to coloring my pictures, every sparkle and sequin I could remember. It must have taken me about an hour to finish, because the next time I looked up, Collins was arranging the last of his pens and pencils on the desk.

I watched him pull a framed picture from his pocket and set it on the desk. "All done. You ready to go?" I nodded, straightening my pile of pictures, and he reached his hand down and pulled me up. He grabbed his briefcase and led the way out the door.

I stood about a foot away from Collins as we walked back across the campus grounds, probably being too self conscious of not wanting to embarrass Collins by walking too close. True, he said I didn't embarrass him, but I knew it would only make it harder if everyone knew he was dating a transvestite. If they were at home, I would have my arm wrapped right around his waist, and his arm would be around my shoulders, but I was almost afraid to do that here.

As if he had been reading my mind, Collins stopped me and grabbed my arm, turning me to him. He furrowed his eyebrows and lowered his voice. "Please stop looking around like spies are watching you."

"I'm not." But I was.

"And please stop walking like you're afraid to get close to me. I love you, and I care a world more about you that about what any of these people think of me."

I lowered my head. "I just don't want to embarrass you."

"Wouldn't you be embarrassed if every time we went somewhere, I walked an arms length from you and looked around like I was scared someone would see us together?"

I looked back up at him. "I'm sorry." I pouted my lip, which forced him to smile. "I'll do better, I promise."

Collins touched my chin with the tip of his finger and smiled. "Thank you." We began walking again, when he grabbed my hand, interlocking our fingers. I didn't bother looking around to see what everyone thought of the two of us holding hands, at this point, I really didn't care. I just looked ahead, smiling.