Author's Notes: Sorry for such a short chapter, I promise I'll write some more when the time comes to me. Thanks so much for keeping up with this story.

I OWN NOTHING.

Please read, review and enjoy!

Italics are thoughts or in this case phone conversations...

Chapter Four

Four hours of sleep was all Collins had gotten. He had to go on four hours of sleep, and the day wouldn't be getting any easier. His body still racked with sleep, Collins' body creaked and cracked as he patted into the living room where Angel sat, a beam of sunlight right in her eyes. Mimi was completely knocked out, snoring slightly as she slept on Angel's lap.

One of the most comfortable places on earth.

Collins faintly smiled, he'd spent many a night on Angel's lap.

"Ang?"

Angel continued to stare; she had obviously slept with her eyes open a feat all in itself.

Collins went to reach for his lover and immediately she swatted his hand away. "I'm not asleep. I was afraid you'd leave again."

The professor looked at Angel, it was 6 in the morning and he knew that when Angel saw the size of those bags underneath her eyes, all hell would brake loose.

"Okay Ang." He said placing a light kiss on her cheek. "You hungry?"

"No, I'm not fucking hungry." She said bitterly, which made Mimi stir.

As Collins took out a bowl for cereal, he sighed. "Okay Ang."

"Stop fucking saying that."

"Angel please don't start babe. I've got to go view my grandmother's body in two hours and I'd appreciate it if you just give me a break until AFTER." Collins said as he poured some milk into his bowl. How long was she going to be mad at him?

When the professor had sat down, he grabbed the funeral home pamphlets that the hospital had given him. "I can't believe that I have to do this on my own. No one else will do it."

Angel knew she should be comforting her man right now, but could get herself to let go of the fact that she had almost had a panic attack about him not calling.

"It's just after all these years; they talk about me behind my back and try to exclude me from the family. Now they want me to take care of Granny's funeral plans. With what fucking money?" Collins rubbed his head, exhausted and overwhelmed.

"I'd have to go to her house to find the papers. I remember her saying that she had all of this planned out already, I just don't have the money to…God dammit." When Collins began weeping into his cereal, Angel looked down at the sleeping Mimi. She wanted to shove Mimi out of the way, run over to Collins and hold him tight, but her bitterness held her even as it pained her.

Collins realized that Angel wasn't coming to his aid and he looked over toward her in between his sobs. "Angel, don't you care?" He felt like a child wanting love from a mother that was reluctant to give it to him. "Angel?"

"What?" Angel said coldy.

"I…I could really use your support baby." Collins said wiping his eyes.

"I could have too…"

"Is this about last night! My grandmother died Angel how do you expect me to act!"

Tempers began to rise again, and Angel moved Mimi from her lap. The dancer didn't even stir, that girl could sleep through anything. "Tom, I love you. But I asked you to call me when you were going to be late. I was so worried-"

"I knew you would be worried Angel, I just couldn't think right at the time…I just….I don't know Angel, I don't have one damn clue."

Letting her bitterness melt around her, Angel reached for Collins as he sobbed into her chest. "It's okay baby, you'll be fine. I'm right here."

"She's gone Angel, she really is gone."

It wasn't until the phone began to ring that Mimi actually woke up. "What's wrong Collins?" She said sleepily.

"Nothing Mimi." Angel said holding a crying Collins.

The dancer turned toward Angel. "Is it nothing Mimi I don't want you to know or nothing Mimi he's just pmsing?"

"Mimi please."

"Fine, since you seem to be Collins' only friend I'm going to go home." Mimi said as she grabbed her jacket from the bedroom. "Feel better Collins we love you. Answer the phone."

Angel glared at her best friend and looked down at Collins. "Tom, I need to answer the phone."

"The phone?" Collins sprang up, his eyes red. The tall man ran over to the phone and picked it up quickly. "Hello?"

"May I speak to Tom Collins please?"

"This is he."

"Hi Mr. Collins, this is the coroner's office and I wanted to make sure that you would be able to be down here-"

"Yeah, I can. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Okay, because one of the things that we'll need to discuss is payment."

The professor rubbed his face roughly. "Of course. Thank you so much for calling."

After hanging up, Collins looked up at the ceiling trying to find a way to pay for everything. If indeed Gran paid for everything already, all he would have to do was get a dress and pay the coroner.

"How the hell am I going to pay for this?"

Angel looked up from the kitchen table. "Doesn't a little bulldog owe you some pretty big favors?"