Chuck Finster always felt guilty. He felt guilty that he couldn't spend more time with his family. He felt guilty that he didn't always make perfect grades. He felt guilty that he was more fortunate than many, blessed with a home and loved ones to share it with. Most of the time, he felt guilty for no reason. However, tonight he felt really guilty, because, as his devoted girlfriend lay in his arms, he thought of another girl.

Once again, as she had so many times throughout the years, Angelica Pickles consumed his thoughts. He stroked Emmy's hair as she chatted softly, recounting the quiet Thanksgiving she'd spent with her sister. He nodded and offered a "Hmm" at the appropriate moments but his mind kept wandering. He felt anxious (nothing new) and angry—not even so much at her as at himself. It wasn't her fault she was back in his life. Obviously, she didn't want that. She certainly seemed to have moved on. No, it was his fault, for still having feelings for her, despite all she'd done to him. Because of her, he wasn't able to enjoy what he had with Emmy, which should be great, was great. After all, Emmy was pretty, and smart and sweet and kind and generous—she was perfect. They were perfect together. They just…made so much sense. He frowned. That wasn't terribly romantic…but it was true. The two of them just made a hell of a lot more sense than he and Angelica did.

"Chuck."

"Sorry, Sweetie…I spaced out for a sec."

Emmy grinned sleepily. "It's ok." she said. She hesitated, then let out a slow breath.

"Chuck…"

He kissed her head. "Yes?"

"I love you."

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"Thank you? You said Thank you?!"

"I know…"

"What the hell?"

"I know!"

"You're a moron."

"I know…"

"So, what did she say?"

"She actually wasn't that mad…I think she finds my complete incompetence endearing." Chuck groaned, buried his face in his hands, and mumbled something.

"Come again?" said Tommy.

"She said she understands if I'm not ready to say it back."

"Geez, talk about an understanding girlfriend…"

"I know, I'm a lucky bastard."

Chuck threw his head back on the couch and sighed. "I just don't know what's wrong with me. Emmy's perfect, absolutely perfect."

Tommy shrugged. "Can't help who you love and who you don't love, Man."

"That's for sure…"

Tommy opened a can of soda as he sat down on the chair across from his best friend. He took a swig and eyed Chuck thoughtfully.

Chuck raised two red eyebrows. "What?"

"I was just wondering…is this about Angelica? Do you still have feelings for her?"

"Maybe…"

"Aww, dammit. I knew it. 'Maybe' means yes."

"No, it means maybe….I don't even know."

Tommy sighed. "Here we go again…"

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"Um," said Lil. "What are you doing?"

"I'm cleaning up after myself, as we agreed." Phil replied.

"Putting your dirty dish in the sink for me to wash later is not cleaning up after yourself." Lil pointed to the plate. "And what is that gross, dried up gunk all over it?"

"Nacho-ness."

"That was a rhetorical question. Clean it off!"

"I'll do it later."

"Phillip."

"Lillian."

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"Phil is driving me crazy!" yelped Lil as she threw open the front door.

"Hey to you, too." said Tommy, lowering his textbook.

She tossed her bag down on the floor and plopped down on the couch beside him. "Sorry," she said shortly. "I'm just on my last nerve."

He put his book down and touched her shoulder consolingly. "I knew this was gonna happen." he said.

She laughed. "So, you knew all along? And you let this train wreck happen anyway?"

"Well, I thought you'd last a little longer than a semester….but, yeah, this always happens. I went through the same thing with Chuck, remember? People who live together always get tired of each other, eventually…but it doesn't last forever. You're just going through a rough patch."

"I dunno…I think this might be more than a patch. I dunno why we ever thought we could live together, anyway."

Tommy nestled against his girlfriend. "Because, despite all your fighting, you really love each other. And it's just so sweet!"

"Ok, now you're just mocking me."

"Maybe a little."

She put an arm around him. "You're really great, ya know. And, here I am, just complaining about my own problems, not even asking about yours…How are things going?"

"They're going."

She frowned. "Have you given any thought to what we talked about?"

"Actually, yes."

"And?"

"And…" he grinned, as though he'd been waiting a while for this, as though he were finally revealing something incredibly important. "I've decided that I haven't been 100% happy since middle school."

She raised her eyebrows. "Ok…so…you want to go back to middle school?"

"Not exactly. I want to make films again. Remember how much I used to love it? When we were still kids, really, before we all got involved in all that stupid high school drama. We used to make movies together."

"We still make movies together…"

He actually blushed before continuing. "So, I decided to do something about it. Not just talk about it, about maybe getting back into it. So…I applied to the art school."

"Wow. Really?"

"Yeah…I don't like to hide stuff from you, but I just didn't want to tell anyone until I was sure I got in."

"So…you got in?"

"Yes."

She shrieked. "You got in?! That's great!"

"So, you think this is a good idea?"

"I think whatever makes you feel happiest has got to be the right choice."

He grinned. "Well, this makes me happiest….I already finished up all my gen eds here, so, in just a few short weeks, I'll be starting my first semester as a film student."

She hugged him. "Oh, I'm so excited for you!"

He rubbed her back. "There's one more thing."

She pulled back to look him in the face. "Hmm?"

"I've been thinking about something else, too. And you complaining about living with Phil just seems like a sign that I've got the right idea…."

"What?"

"I think that, while I'm making changes, I might as well go ahead and start anew in other aspects of my life, too."

"Such as?"

"I've talked to Chuck about it, but I dunno how Phil would feel about it…"

"Tommy! What is it?"

"Do you wanna move in together?"

She smiled. "Yes. Most definitely."

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"Angelica?"

Angelica snapped out of her trance. "What?"

"I said I'm flying my parents in for Christmas. I'd love for you to meet them."

"Oh…Yeah. Of course…"

Peter frowned. "Darling, you seem…preoccupied."

"I'm fine." she said flatly. She looked into the vanity mirror and touched up her already perfect lipstick just to have something to do.

"We don't have to go to this party if you don't want. It's just a bunch of boring people I work with."

"Of course I want to go," Angelica insisted, setting down the lipstick. "I want to mingle with all the important and beautiful people."

"None of them are as beautiful as you." he said, indicating her pink Oscar de la Renta ball gown, professionally done make-up, and perfectly coifed hair.

She forced a smile and stood, turning toward the window, so that he wouldn't see her smile fade. The window was long, taking up a whole wall of the penthouse suite. Outside, the red and white lights of the city twinkled in the deep, dark night. Superimposed against the cityscape was her reflection. She saw perfection looking back at her. Swirls of honey colored hair were topped precariously high on her head, her big, blue eyes were framed in smoky eyeliner and the low cut dress clung to every curve. But neither Angelica smiled. He sidled up behind her. "I've noticed that you've been feeling down lately."

She neither confirmed not denied this.

"And I thought this might help you feel a little better." he whispered into her ear, as he reached both hands around her, to place a very large, very beautiful diamond necklace around her neck. Angelica was stunned. Never had she seen anything like it. She raised a hand to touch the glittering stones, disbelieving.

"I actually bought this sometime ago," he said. "I felt bad about missing Halloween, so I went looking for something to make it up to you."

She looked at the window, at the reflection of the ostentatious thing on her slender neck. Four ropes of sparkling diamonds hung there. A pale pink stone, followed by two yellow ones, culminating in a large silvery pendant, lay against her chest. Her heartbeat thudded against them.

"And when they showed me this one, I knew it was meant for you. Because of your Halloween costume. They call it the Marie Antoinette Necklace. It has over 181 carats of diamonds…it's not quite as beautiful as you, but it's a start."

He finished clasping the necklace and then kissed the back of her head. "What do you think?"

The tears welled up in her eyes. She was grateful that he had his face buried in her hair and could not see her crying reflection now, as he embraced her tightly, waiting to hear how much she loved his gift. Dark eye make-up ran down her cheeks as the silent tears fell. She wished that they were tears of joy, of gratitude. But they were not. They were genuine tears of sadness, of desolation, which was something that Angelica did not experience very often. She looked up at the silvery moon and pressed her fingertips against the cool glass of the window. She felt so far away from everyone, especially from Chuck.

"Hmm?" Peter said expectantly, his face still buried against her.

"I love it." she lied.

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Chuck opened his eyes to the sight of the full moon, whose silvery light filtered in through the sliver of window between the dark curtains. He blinked, and grabbed his glasses from the bedside table. As he put them on, things began to focus around him—his dresser, the posters on the walls, all of his comfortably familiar surroundings. However, the moon still held his attention. Something about it—her luminous sheen, her curve, the way she consumed the night sky. He usually didn't believe in such nonsense, but The Moon was trying to tell him something, no doubt about it. Maybe Angelica was looking up at that same moon, at that very moment…

He kicked the twisted sheets off of his body in frustration. This was no good. He couldn't do this anymore. He had to decide who he wanted soon, for once and for all, Emmy or Angelica.

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I was reading through my reviews (not just for this one, but for the whole Angel series) and you guys make me so happy! even if there are only a few dedicated fans, that makes it all worthwhile. i hope you enjoy this chap; only a few more! and ive just finished the first two chaps of the next part. it will be much shorter and less complex, so should be up (very) soon. this time, i PROMISE it wont be months, heh.

~Summer

p.s. the marie antoinette necklace is real and boy is it flashy. i wonder how much it costs...

go to debeers. com and search for it. it should be the first result, the one with all the yellow diamonds.