Precious memories

A/N: Oops! A few chapters back, Jordan told the crowd that he was 33...he's actually 34. I went back and changed it. I still own nothing...

Angela is standing in the kitchen on Friday morning when Jordan's cab pulls in the driveway. He and the boys are taking a few days off for July 4th. She walks over to the counter and starts making a pot of coffee for him.

Maddie must have heard her dad pull up because she comes running down the stairs. When Jordan walks in the door, she launches herself at him. He wraps her in a big hug and picks her off her feet. "How's my girl? Did you miss me?" He kisses her on the cheek.

"Duh, Dad. You were gone for over a month! I wanted to come with mom on your birthday, but she wouldn't let me. She said she wanted to surprise you. Why couldn't I surprise you, too?" Maddie wraps her arms around his neck and lays her head on his shoulder.

Angela walks down the hall and Jordan looks at her and smiles. "Well, Mad, your mom just wanted to spend some time alone with me. She wanted it to be a surprise between me and her." He winks at Angela and they share an intimate smile. "You can come with her to New York to see our show next month, ok? It can be part of your birthday present. How about that?"

"Ok, Daddy. I'm glad you're home." She kisses him on the cheek before he sets her on the floor. "I'm gonna go next door and see if Kaylie can come out and play. Is that ok, Mom?"

"Sure, honey. Have fun." Maddie runs by Angela and out the back door.

"Hey, you." Jordan whispers as he pulls her into his arms. "Come over here and show me how much you missed me." They share a tender kiss before he buries his face in her hair and pulls her tight. "I've missed you, Red."

"Me, too. Jordan. I'm glad you're home. Just think, you only have to leave us one more time, then you get to stay home with us." She pulls back and kisses him. "I made you some coffee and there are some bagels. Want one?"

"Nah, coffee would be good, though. I'm just going to carry my bags upstairs. I'll be right back." He turns and heads up the stairs as she goes into the kitchen to fix his coffee.

She's carrying his coffee into the den when the doorbell rings. She walks to the front door and pulls it open to find Rayanne standing there. They haven't seen each other in years. "Oh my god, Rayanne! Come in!" Rayanne grabs her in a tight hug.

"Angelica! Look at you! Catalano keeping you barefoot and pregnant while he's out touring the country?" They both look down at Angela's bare feet and laugh. She puts her hands on Angela's stomach and looks her in the eye. "I'm happy for you, Angela."

Both women start to tear up as Jordan walks down the stairs. "Hey, Rayanne, don't be making my wife cry. Geez, woman! You've just got here and both of you are bawling." He hugs Rayanne and kisses her on the cheek before turning to Angela and pulling her to his side.

"Oh, shut it, Catalano! I was just telling our Angela that I'm happy for you guys. I love you both, ya' know? Even if you are a pain in the ass, Jay." They all laugh. "Mr. Rockstar, you better keep her smiling."

"Don't you worry about that, Graff. I think I got it covered." Jordan squeezes Angela and kisses her on the lips.

"Jordan, Rayanne is going to stay with us. Will you help her get her things and take them up to the guest room?" Rayanne, who is in between Broadway shows, lives in New York with Ricky and his partner, Simon. Ricky couldn't make the trip with her because he was in the middle of choreographing a pop video in LA. "Raynie, do you want a cup of coffee, or maybe some tea?"

"I'll take some coffee, please." She and Jordan head out to her car to get her bags as Angela heads back into the kitchen to fix Rayanne's coffee with a smile on her face.

Angela VO: I'm so glad those two are getting along. We've spent way too much time over the years dealing with the awkwardness of what happened between them. We've all grown up since then. Jordan loves me. That's what's important.

Later that night, Jordan, Angela and Rayanne are sitting in the den talking. Maddie is already upstairs asleep. Jordan is sitting in the corner of the sofa with Angela leaning back against him and his arms around her. He keeps rubbing her belly and she can't help but blush.

"Jordan, would you please stop it! Rayanne doesn't want to see you fondling me." Rayanne, who is sitting across the room in the recliner, just laughs at them.

"Angelica, this ain't nothing compared to the way you guys used to be. You guys were so sickening back in high school." She just shakes her head. "The way you guys used to make out in the hall made me gag. I thought Catalano was trying to eat your face."

"Oh, c'mon now, Graff. It wasn't that bad! We always saved the good stuff for the boiler room." Jordan chuckles, remembering all the times he and Angela skipped class to meet down there to be alone. "None of you got to witness that."

"Oh, please. You're forgetting who you're talking to. I know how long she made you wait. Still, you guys were so hot for each other. I don't know how she held out that long." Jordan and Rayanne are cracking up, while Angela is hiding her face.

"Hello. She is still sitting here. Can we please not talk about how long it took Jordan to finally get my pants off? Enough already!" Angela smiles softly to herself as she thinks back to that day.

Jordan is having similar thoughts of his own...

September 1995

Jordan, Shane and Tommy were practicing at the loft. They had been working on the same song for over an hour and something wasn't right with it, so they decided to take a break. Jordan walked over and sat on the sofa with his guitar, playing the chorus over and over to himself trying to figure out why it wasn't working. Getting frustrated, he sits his guitar down on the floor beside him and leans his head against the back of the cushions.

He was missing Angela. They hadn't spent much time together lately outside school. She was working in her dad's restaurant at night and he was still working at his uncle's garage and their schedules never seemed to match up. He closed his eyes and pictured her smiling face.

Jordan VO: Damn it. Maybe I should just go by the restaurant and see her tonight. We're not getting anything done around here anyway.

He opens his eyes and looks around the loft. Shane is standing in the corner talking to some chick he doesn't know and Tommy has his head in the refrigerator. Tino and Graff are sitting together in the hammock. Even though Tino isn't with the band anymore, he still comes to the loft to hang out. Over on the other side of the room he sees Cynthia Hargrove hanging around with some of her friends.

"Shit," he mumbles to himself. Angela's going to be pissed when she finds out Cynthia was here when she wasn't. Angela had a good reason not to trust that girl. Every chance she got she threw herself at Jordan, no matter how many times he told her no. One time, she came on to him at a party in front of Angela.

He gets up, grabs his guitar and puts it in it's case. He decides to head out so that he can swing by the restaurant. As he's walking over to tell Shane and Tommy, Cynthia steps into his path. "Where ya' going, Jordan? You leaving so soon?"

"Move, Cynthia. I'm not in the mood for your crap tonight." He tries to step around her, but she puts her hand on his chest. "What the hell, Cyn?"

"C'mon, Catalano. You know you want what I'm offering. I know that little girlfriend of yours is holding out on you. You should hear her going on about it to Graff. 'Oh, Rayanne, I so want to do it, but I'm scared.' Whatcha you want a scared little girl for, anyway? I'll give you what you want." She laughs and stands closer to him. "You know that I know what I'm doing."

"Cynthia, how many times do I have to tell you I'm not interested? Why can't you just accept that I'm with Angela? Why do you gotta say shit about her, huh? Do you want me to embarrass you in front of all these people?" Jordan takes a step back from her and goes to move around her again.

Cynthia chuckles and takes his hand. "She wouldn't even have to know. I won't tell her, if you don't."

Everyone has stopped what they were doing and is now watching Jordan and Cynthia. Rayanne starts to get up, but Tino stops her. No one seems to notice that Angela had walked in the door. She'd come in right about the time Jordan was telling Cynthia that he was with her now and that she should accept it.

Jordan pulls his hand away and pushes it through his hair. "Why are you doing this, Cyn? Do you think so little of yourself? I DON'T WANT YOU. How else do I need to say it?"

"Oh, I think that was pretty clear, Jordan." Everyone turns to look at Angela. "Cynthia, why don't you leave my boyfriend alone? He just told you in a room full of people that he doesn't want you. Please don't embarrass yourself anymore than you already have."

Cynthia laughs out loud. "Honey, I'm not embarrassed. I've already had him and when he gets tired of waiting around on you to give it up, he'll come to me." She steps right up to Jordan and runs her finger across his cheek. "You know where to find me, Catalano." He stepped back again out of her reach.

Angela walks across the room, straight over to Cynthia and grabs her by the hair. She pulls her around and punches her right in the face. For a second, no one moves. They can't believe that Angela Chase just threw a punch. Once they all get over the shock, Angela and Cynthia are rolling around on the floor pulling at each others hair.

Jordan, who is closest to them, grabs Angela around the waist and pulls her off Cynthia. She tries to shake him off, but he holds on tight. Cynthia gets up off the floor and touches her hand to her mouth. She wipes at the blood running down her chin as she looks over to Angela and Jordan.

"Cynthia, stay the fuck away from my boyfriend. He doesn't want you, so keep your damn hands off him. If you don't, next time I'll make sure that he won't be there to pull me off." Angela takes Jordan by the hand and pulls him out the door, heading straight for his car. She gets in the passenger side and lays her head back on the seat.

Jordan VO: Holy shit. Angela just beat the crap out of Cynthia. There I am, trying to get Cynthia to leave me alone and in swoops Angela. Damn, I love that girl.

Jordan opens his door and gets behind the wheel. He can't help but smile as he sneaks a peek at Angela. She's not looking at him, so he thinks she must be embarrassed. He reaches over to take her hand when she turns to him and starts laughing her head off. It doesn't take long for him to join in.

"Wow, Angela. What the hell was that?" He pulls her closer to him and quickly kisses her. "I've never seen you like that before."

"Well, I couldn't take it anymore. I'm tired of that bitch throwing herself at you. And no one is allowed to touch you but me." She gets on her knees and climbs in his lap. Before long, he's got his hands up her shirt and she's grinding against him.

"Jordan, take me somewhere." She trails kisses across his face and down his neck.

He pushes her back so he can look at her face. "Angela? You're sure?"

"I've never been more sure of anything." She gets off his lap and sits beside him. "Dad let me off early. I don't have to be home until 11." She reaches over to squeeze his leg.

He kisses her on the cheek before starting the car. He pulls out of the parking lot and heads toward his house. When they get there, he cuts the engine and opens the door. Taking her by the hand, he heads in the house. "Dad's working night shift this week. We have the house to ourselves."

He doesn't stop until they're in his bedroom. He falls back on the bed and pulls her down on top of him. "Babe, I love you. We don't have to do this if you aren't ready, you know?"

"Trust me, Jordan, I'm ready. I want to make love with you. I love you." She kisses him softly.

"Oh, Babe, I'll do whatever you want me to." He rolls her over and lays on top of her. "Don't be afraid. I'll take care of you..."

Present day

"Jordan," Angela calls his name, trying to get his attention. "Jordan! Where did you go?" She turns in his arms to look up at him.

"Huh, what?" He looks down at her with a blank look on his face. "What did you say?"

"Oh, never mind that, what were you thinking about? Where did you go in that head of yours?" She playfully elbows him as she watches him blush.

"Damn, Catalano! You can't keep your mind outta the gutter even for a little while?" Rayanne laughs, enjoying his discomfort.

Not wanting to tell them what he was really thinking, he grins and says, "I was just thinking about the time Angela beat the shit out of Cynthia Hargrove."

"I don't think I've ever seen Angelica so pissed off at anyone before. It's like something came over our sweet, innocent little Angel." Rayanne chuckled. "One minute, she's telling her like it is, standing up for her man. The next minute, she's on top of her beating her ass! You made me so proud, girl!"

"Oh good lord, Jordan! What made you bring that up? That wasn't exactly the best moment of my adolescent life." She squirms around, uncomfortable and embarrassed.

Jordan pulls her tight against him and leans to whisper in her ear. "You started it. You were sitting here talking about how long it took me to get your pants off and it made me think of that night." The way they're sitting, with her practically in his lap, she can feel him getting hard. "Tell Rayanne good night and let's head upstairs, ok?"

As Angela's face turns red, Rayanne grins and gets up. "Okay. Why don't I let you kids reminisce without me. I'm going to bed." As she walks around the sofa, she stops and wraps her arms around them both from behind. She lays her cheek next to Angela's. "I seriously love you guys. It makes me so happy just seeing how happy you are together." She kisses them both on the cheek and heads up the stairs.

Angela turns in Jordan's arms and wraps her arms around him. "Jordan, I am happy."

"I know, Red. So am I." They stand up together and head up the stairs toward their bedroom holding hands.

A/N 2: Did I go too far with this one? I always thought that Angela needed to stand up for herself more. Let me know what you think...review please!