Author's Notes: So, I'm home for the weekend. I had a writing bug and just couldn't stop, hope you all like it. Just FYI for you all, this story is a big part of my life, especially a lot of the little details. Only a few things are turned around. Anyway, hope everyone is having a great weekend!

I OWN NOTHING (only the story & add-ons).

Please read, review and enjoy!

Italics are thoughts.

Chapter Ten

The group didn't stop until they arrived at Collins' grandmother's house. The house was on a quaint street, very homey and very friendly looking. Angel awoke to the nervous squeeze of Collins' hand as he tensed, seeing Granny's house come closer and closer into view. "It's okay lover." She whispered into his ear, as she kissed him sweetly on the cheek.

Benny looked about him, trying to find a parking space. "Should I park in the driveway?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Collins replied as his palms started to sweat, Angel rubbed his arm lovingly. "It's alright sweetheart."

Mark woke as he felt the car coming to a stop. "We here?"

Benny chuckled, slapping him on the knee. "Yes Mark, we're here. Get out of the car."

Mark grabbed his camera as he got out of the car, going over to see how the rest of the girls and Roger were doing. Mimi held onto Roger who had a good grip on the dancer so she wouldn't fall.

Maureen sat on the edge of the car, as Joanne continued to text whoever the hell it was. "Who the hell do you keep texting Joanne?"

"A couple of guys from the office, they're brainstorming on our next case." She mumbled as she walked over to a very distraught Collins who was sitting inside the car, his legs hanging out of the car. Angel kneeled down trying to help as much as she could. "Is there anything I can do?"

Collins lifted his sweat ridden face, trying to give his girl the best smile he could muster. "I'll be alright; I just can't believe I'm here."

Benny had been watching Collins for a while and figured he should take the lead in the situation. "Tom, do you have the keys? I'll get us in there."

Angel looked worriedly at her man as she answered for him. "Thank you Benny." She took the keys from Collins and handed them to Benny never taking her eyes off of him.

"Roger! Get the hell over here and help me with these bags will ya!" The rocker kissed Mimi in her hair as he walked over to his ex-friend, taking two heavy bags away from Joanne's car. "What the hell is in these things Johnson?"

"I didn't know how long we were saying so I figured I should pack for a little while." Maureen said as she ran her fingers through Joanne's curly hair.

Benny took his bag as Mark and Roger followed him up the walkway. As he began to unlock the door, a woman hurriedly opened the door scaring the businessman a bit. "Ya'll here!"

"Oh God!" Benny shouted startled, dropping the bag on the floor.

At the sound of the woman's voice, Collins' weak head shot up her way. His sick face went away to pure hatred. Angel watched the change in her man, she knew for a fact that Collins never hated anyone and if he did, it was a good reason for it and they usually deserved it.

"Are you one of Tom's friends? I'm Tom's Aunt Doris." She warmly shook Benny, Roger and Mark's hand with no question, even if they didn't answer her. Roger knew the deal with Collins and his aunt so he said nothing as he loosely shook her hand.

The woman looked around the three men, staring at Maureen who was currently hugging Joanne closely. "I suppose I'll be meetin' the rest of you when you come in. I've got beds set up for everyone, come on in."

Mimi ran over to Collins and Angel, rubbing her arms for warmth. "You guys comin'?"

Angel looked pleadingly at her best friend. "We will Chica, just give us a minute."

The dancer nodded her head as she leaned in to give Collins a quick peck on the cheek before grabbing her bag and running towards the house. Joanne placed her cell phone into her pocket as she walked over to Collins, kneeling next to Angel. "You're gonna be fine Collins, we're all here. Don't worry."

Maureen blew the professor a kiss as they walked towards the house as well. Collins looked up at his friends as they entered his grandmother's house. "I really appreciate that they all came."

"They know you do sweetie, they love you and so do I." Angel took a handkerchief from her purse, wiping his brow with it. "Ready to go in? Or do you want to stay out here a little longer?"

Collins finally stood out of the car, helping Angel in the process. "I think I'll stay out here for a little while if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't lover."

"You know, my grandmother loved roses. She had a line of roses in the driveway right over – Oh God."

The drag queen eyed her lover alarmingly as he stopped mid sentence. "What is it Tom?"

Quickly, he walked over to roses that once were blooming and beautiful, but now were wilted and dead. "She didn't even bother to water the roses." Finding the whole scene so sickening, Collins walked over to a nearby bush vomiting violently.

"Tom!" Angel cried out as she ran behind him rubbing his back as he spewed all of his stomach contents into the shrub.

"What happened?" Benny asked as he jogged over to the professor who could hardly talk as he continued to throw up.

"He got sick. It's okay honey, its okay." She cooed to him as he began to lurch from the pain in his stomach. "There goes your AZT love."

The professor finally got a hold of his stomach as he slowly rose from his position. Sighing heavily, Collins almost fell back but luckily Benny caught him. "He's exhausted Angel; let's get him into the house."

The three of them made their way up to the house, Collins falling in and out on consciousness. "Oh my Lord, Tom! Are you alright?"

"He just needs a rest. Where did you put him to sleep?" Benny exclaimed as he carried a weary Collins to a nearby chair.

"Right in that room." Aunt Doris said pointing down the hall. "Very last door to the right. Tom knows where it is."

"Hi, I'm Angel." Angel said outstretching her hand to Collins' Aunt, who hesitantly made eye contact with her. She'd never been very pleased with how successful in college Collins was, but the whole gay thing upset her even more. Aunt Doris was the jealous type, always was and always will be. None of her children had ever even seen a college, not because they couldn't but because they wouldn't. Even her grandchildren didn't even stand a chance. So whenever she saw Collins or saw Granny making a nice comment about Collins, she dismissed it immediately. And Angel could smell it right away. Jealously has an awful stench.

"She's my boyfriend." Collins muttered as he slouched tiredly in his chair. If there was one thing he would be able to tell someone even if he was as sick as he was, was that Angel was his and no one else's.

Aunt Doris stopped for a minute, thinking about what her nephew had just said.

Now he's into the ones from the street.

"I see. Well I showed all your friends their rooms; did you want me to get you some medicine?"

Angel stood next to her man, throwing her hair out of her face. Collins waved no to his Aunt as he tried to stand up.

"Careful." Benny said as he helped his friend up.

"Goodnight ya'll." Aunt Doris said coyly as she sat in the living room, finishing up her fingernails. That was her way of escaping the world, through her manicures. Once, Aunt Doris was a licensed manicurist, taking a plain nail and turning it into a work of art. But when a man she was in love with took over and clouded her mind, she stopped working at the salon and never looked back.

After Angel got Collins settled into bed, she walked over to Benny giving him a hug. "Thanks for everything Benny."

"Anytime."

The businessman walked down the hall and turned around when Angel spoke to him once more. "Tom has never stopped considering you one of his best friends you know."

Benny turned around, his hands in his pockets. "Neither have I."

As the house finally began to settle, Angel walked around the old house looking at old pictures that were just about everywhere. Collins was everywhere. From a picture of Collins when he was in kindergarten to Collins' senior portrait, there wasn't a table without a picture of Collins. Angel smiled at a picture of Collins and an older girl; they looked a like so she figured they were cousins. Collins was smiling on top of a horse as the teenager held the reigns. This was before all of hardships, the boyfriends and the AIDS. A time of pure innocence. Angel closed her eyes, trying to remember a time in her life before she met Collins, but for some reason she couldn't remember. Collins was all she could see when she closed her eyes, he was all she could remember.

"What are you doin' Miss Angel?" Collins asked leaning on the wall, smiling.

Angel smiled back. "Looking at your old pictures. They're wonderful." Collins sighed as he walked over to his girl, putting his arm around her petite waist. "She loves you so much."

"Yeah, and I loved her."

"She's watching over you, she'll never take her eyes off of you, you're too amazing. She in you and around you, I can feel her. She's definitely in your smile."

Collins blushed slightly as Angel put the picture back in its place on the shelf. "You'll have to tell me who these people are in the pictures."

"I'd love to."

Angel grabbed Collins hand kissing it gently. "Come on, let's go to bed. We have a long day tomorrow, I can feel it."

The professor nodded, squeezing Angel's hand as they walked down the hall towards the bedroom they were sharing for their stay. "Wow! The curtains are amazing!"

"You know, I have a feeling you and Gran would get along great together." Collins chuckled as he wiped away a quick tear.

"I agree she's got wonderful taste in curtains, and grandsons."