Disclaimer: I'm not, nor will I ever be Jonathan Larson, therefore I do not, and can not own RENT or anything affiliated with it!

I saw a few people write those, I figured I should put one in!

In this chapter: Italics means thoughts (for Collins) or Angel's dream while she is unconscious. You'll understand, hopefully, as you read! Enjoy!

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Tom Collins had always been a little, okay a lot overprotective of those he loved. Not very many people had loved him or cared about him, so he wasn't going to take any one who did for granted. He never wanted them to get hurt…or anything.

Mark led the way into the kitchen, quietly. He was wondering how he was going to tell Collins what had happened. What he saw. The bruise. Mark shuddered at the thought of it. He knew it must be a huge bruise, considering how clearly it showed. His nerves where increasing as he heard Collins, trying to calm down.

Collins just followed Mark into the kitchen. What could possibly make this day any worse? Well, Collins was about to find out.

Collins was cursing at himself inwardly. I shouldn't have left her. She needed me…and I failed her. No she's…she's…

Mark interrupted his thoughts by saying, "Collins…what exactly happened to Angel last night?"

Collins just stared at him. Where had this come from? Angel was lying on the couch, unconscious, and Mark wanted to talk about yesterday? "Uh…I already told you, she said she had been harassed, someone calling her names and things. If that's all I want to get back to—"

"That's not all. Not even close," Mark said. Collins started at him, giving him a look that said: 'What the hell is going on in that head of yours? "I don't think she's telling you the entire story."

Collins stared at him. "What do you mean?" He asked him.

"Uh…I saw something…that made me worry." Mark sighed.

Collins looked down. His own breathing was becoming shallow. Mark rarely worried, yet he was worried enough to come and talk to Collins about something. This all was getting Collins…nervous. Scared even. Collins cleared his throat. "Wh-what did you see," he whispered, as if afraid of the answer.

It was Mark's turn to look down. "Angel's whole side was bruised. A dark purplish color." He said, not looking up to see Collins expression.

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Jason was walking towards Angel. Dragging her into the alley, like he'd done just last night. Except tonight was different. Collins was there, except it wasn't Collins. It was Jason's eyes, the cold ones that burn, on Collins' face, not the warm, loving, and gentle ones she was used to.


"Collins," Angel whispered. He was going to help her this time. Jason wasn't going to get to her. Collins would protect her.

Collins just stared at her, in that cold icy way that Jason did. He didn't respond.

Jason continued to drag Angel into the alley, smirking. He found this entire thing funny.

Angel looked back and forth between Collins and Jason. "What's going on?" She asked.


Jason looked at her. "Oh…something that's long overdue," He told her. Angel stared at him, getting more and more afraid every moment. Angel tugged free of his grasp and ran to Collins. She grabbed his arm. "Collins…what's going on?" She asked, begging him to tell her.

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Collins head snapped up. "What!" He couldn't have heard correctly, could he?

Mark sighed. "Angel's whole side is bruised. I saw it when Roger picked her up and laid her on the couch. It was…horrible. It was huge and a deep dark purple." He said.

Collins just stared at him. "No…no," he said while shaking his head. "I…it…she can't be…hurt. No." Collins stated. He did not want to accept the fact that his Angel had been hurt.

Mark looked at him. "Collins…why would I lie to you about something like this? Look, I'm sorry… I didn't know how to tell you—"

Mark was cut off by Collins slamming his fist on the counter. "Damn it!" he yelled as his fist connected to the counter. He didn't even notice the throbbing pain in his hand. He was cursing at himself. How could he have been so stupid? He rubbed his face with his hands.

Mark was shocked by Collins. He had never seen him so worked up over something. "Collins…are you okay?" He asked, unsure of what else to say.

Collins shook his head. "No I'm not okay! I was trying so hard to be there for her, to get her to tell me what was wrong! And I didn't even notice that she was…that she had…" Collins started out as yelling, but her broke into a sob at the last phrase.

Collins pulled himself together. "I fell awful, for not noticing that she was hurt. What kind of person does that make me?" He said quietly.

Mark now felt incredibly guilty. Here was a distraught Collins who was upset because he didn't notice something that Angel had clearly hidden from him. But yet here he was, here everyone else was, not even noticing she entered the room, let alone wasn't feeling well. Mark sighed. "Collins…it isn't your fault. She hid it from you—" He tried, but Collins wasn't going to hear it, any of it.

He shook his head firmly. "No…I should have noticed something wasn't right. Now look at what happened." Collins had tears rolling down his face. He pressed both his palms on the counter, leaning on it for support. Mark stood there unsure of what to do. "Mark…what if she doesn't wake up," he whispered. Mark didn't know how to respond, so he just patted Collins back, trying to say everything he wanted to say without words.

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Angel clung to Collins' arm as Jason approached her. "He won't help you…who would?" Jason asked, tauntingly. He started towards her again.

What was going on? Why wasn't Collins doing anything? She looked up at him, pleading, "Collins…baby…what's going on? Please…don't let him—"

She was cut off by a slap across the face from Jason. She grabbed her face. "Jason, what are you do—" Angel was cut by a shove to the ground. She lay on the cold ground, staring up at Jason, and then she shifted her gaze to Collins. He was just standing there. Why wasn't he doing anything? She looked at Collins, and it was clear…this wasn't Collins. It couldn't be... he would be doing something...right? She started sobbing. "Collins…what's going on?" She cried out.

Jason smirked while Collins remained emotionless. "He's finally seeing what you are…and what you deserve," Jason told her, as if it was obvious. "Collins here finally realizes you're worthless and deserve nothing, except this." He kicked her in the stomach.

Angel began screaming. "No…what are you talking about?"

Jason looked up at Collins and smiled wickedly. "Ready man?" He asked Collins.

Collins nodded grimly and took a step forward. For the first time, Angel didn't see the love and kindness in her lover's eyes. Instead she saw cold hatred in his eyes, like she used to see in Jason's. Collins pulled his foot back and kicked her in the side…

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Angel screamed. There was a massive amount of pain in her side. She pushed it away and off of her, which would mean she pushed Mimi off of her side. She couldn't see anything, because her eyes weren't focusing.

Then she remembered. The dream…Collins…Jason…everything. Angel began sobbing, hugging her knees to her chest. Where was she? Was Jason here? What was going on?

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Collins jumped at the sound of Angel's scream. "Angel…" He whispered. Collins ran from the kitchen and was at his lover's side in a heartbeat. He looked at her. Angel's shoulders were shaking, and she looked so fragile. Collins knew she was crying. He approached her and sat down next to her.

Angel didn't know where she was. Her mind was spinning. She moved away from…whoever it was who had sat down beside her. She pulled her knees closer to her chest.

Collins noticed that she had moved. He didn't know what was wrong. May be Mark was right about the whole, there's more to the story than what Angel was saying. "Angel…baby…it's me, Collins," He whispered. "What's the matter baby?"

Angel looked up, her eyes still not in focus, but she would recognize her lover's voice in any circumstance. "Collins," She said her voice barely audible. She fell into him sobbed, clinging to him.

Collins immediately wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. He gently kissed the side of her head while rubbing her back gently. "Baby…what's wrong?"

Angel pressed her face into the crook of his neck as she cried. "I...I don't know where I am…what's real and what's not…I-I don't know what's going on!' She said through her tears.

Collins pulled her into his lap, keeping his arms around her tiny waist. He kissed her forehead while she kept her head buried in his neck. His heart broke when she started crying like that, even more so when she said those things. "Baby…it's okay. You're with me at the loft…you kind of…passed out, but it's okay now," He told her. "It's okay, you'll be alright." He kissed her forehead again. "You're awake now."

Angel clutched onto him, holding him close. "I had the worst dream…while I was out," She said. "It was my worst nightmare," She whispered. She had been afraid from the beginning that Collins would turn out to be just like Jason.

"It's over now…okay," he told her gently.

"And…when I woke up, there was this pain in my side—" She cut herself off. She had completely forgotten about the fact that Collins didn't know about her "encounter" with Jason. Not fully anyways.

Collins had completely forgotten what Mark had told him, until that comment. He looked up at Mark, who was getting everyone out of the loft. He nodded at Collins, signaling him to ask Angel. Once everyone was out the door, Collins sighed. "Why was there a pain?" He asked cautiously.

Angel tensed immediately. She knew that was coming, but she didn't have an answer for it. "Uh…I'm not sure exactly," She stated.

Collins felt her tense. He sighed and put a finger under Angel's chin, turning her head to face his. "Angel…you and I both know that you know what happened," He told her. "But you don't have to tell me…as much as I'd like you too," He said sadly. He dropped his finger from under Angel's chin.

Angel looked down. May be Collins could help…some how. The sooner she got it out, the better. "Um…well remember how yesterday I told you I got harassed?"

Collins nodded. "Yes."

"Well…it was a little more than just harassed. I was…beaten."

Collins tensed immediately, anger flooding him. Not towards Angel, it could never be towards Angel, but at whoever it was that did this to her. He would let her continue. "Oh…"

"Well…I told you I didn't know who it was, but I did. It was an ex of mine, Jason." She paused to catch her breath, but continued before Collins could respond. "He and I went out for a while. And he was," she paused, trying to collect herself. "Abusive."

Collins anger flooded from him and was replaced by concern for Angel. "Oh my god. Baby…are you okay? What did he do to you?" He asked her.

Angel shrugged. "Yeah…I'm okay. He only hit me once or twice."

Collins looked at her seriously. "Angel, will you let me take a look. I want to make sure everything's alright."

Angel nodded and slid off Collins' lap. Collins came and kneeled on the floor in front of her. She gently lifted her shirt and saw the look of mortification on Collins' face.

Collins gasped when he saw the bruise. The one covering her whole left side. There were a few others, but that's the one he focused on. He looked up at Angel. "Honey…this doesn't look to good," He said, sitting back down on the couch. "I think we should take you to a hospital."

Angel pulled down her shirt and shook her head, a look of terror on her face. "N-no…I can't go to a hospital…he'll find me," she whispered, a new wave of panic setting in.

It felt to Collins as though his heart was being twisted and mangled every time Angel said something like that. He pulled her into his arms again and stroked her back gently. "Okay…no hospitals. I promise. We'll just go home…he won't get to you, okay. I'll be there." He told her.

Angel was terrified at the moment. Just the thought of him finding her…scared her terribly. She climbed into Collins' lap, clutching him. "O-okay."

"What do you say we head home?" He asked her.

She nodded, not saying a word. All she wanted right now was comfort, security, and most importantly…protection.

Collins helped her up and got up herself. She took a weak and wobbly step forward. She almost fell over if Collins hadn't caught her. He smiled at her, wrapping his arm around her. "Come on…I'll help you," He said. He picked her up into his arms. Their apartment wasn't that far from here, he would carry her there. May be she would feel safer this way.

Angel wrapped one her arms around his neck and clutched his jacket with the other. She hid her face in the crook of his neck. That was in case Jason was out there; he wouldn't recognize her…hopefully.

And with that they made their way home…in silence.

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Next Chapter: Not sure yet! I'll think of something! Probably a lot of Angel/Collins fluff and what not!

What did you guys think? I was a little worried about the whole Angel's dream thing.

Please review! Here's to all those who have reviewed!

Thank you so much for all the great reviews! I'm so happy that you guys like it! I'm sorry for making Angel go through all this.

And to those who wanted to kill Jason in earlier chapters…go ahead! He'll get what's coming to him!