A/N: Thanks for the reviews, everyone, I'm so glad you love my crazy story! Hope you enjoy reading the chapter as much as I loved writing it and reviews are awesome, so think about leaving one. :)

"So why are you avoiding Paul?"

"I'm not avoiding him," I tell Chris, rolling my eyes and then cursing inwardly because he knows I'm avoiding Paul and just once I'd like it if Chris didn't know what was going on inside my head. Okay, so he doesn't really know what's going on inside my head, but he can read me like nobody else can so even if he can't read my thoughts, he can certainly read my actions, at least most of them. I guess knowing that I'm avoiding someone is one of those things he can feel and yet…other feelings go by completely unnoticed, which is probably for the best come to think of it.

"You haven't called him in three days, four hours, twenty-two minutes, and fifty-three, fifty-four, fifty-five…"

"I get it, okay, you have this wonderfully masterful grasp of time, so tell me, oh wise one, when was the last time I watched…um…Space Jam, huh?" I asked him glibly, even though I know he's going to know and he doesn't disappoint me either.

"Six years, five days, six hours, and thirty-seven minutes," he answers almost immediately. "You should watch that movie again, you really liked it, I think it would hold up well, don't you think?"

"Beside the point, stop…knowing things."

"How am I supposed to stop knowing things?" he asks and he's being sarcastic and he knows he has me in a trap because he knows that I'm avoiding Paul.

There are a bunch of reasons why I'm avoiding him. For one, I'm just not ready to hear the words I know he's going to say. I'm going to feel bad when he says it and I don't say it back. I've never been one of those people who will just throw words like that around. I'm not going to stroke his ego or make him feel better by saying it when I don't mean it. That's even worse in my mind, leading him down a false path…at least right now.

I'm not sure I can love Paul. I want to, I think it would just be easier if I did, but my feelings for Chris seem to cloud over everything else in my life right now. I don't know how I can look at any guy and want them when I have this amazing man who is always there for me, who knows me better than I know myself. I know I'm projecting these qualities onto Chris because he's gorgeous and he's there for me when nobody else is, but right now, any man I meet is a pale comparison. Angels are a dangerous thing, I've decided. Chris says they're not all these gloriously beautiful creatures, so why did I get put with the most gorgeous one of all?

"By just…I don't know, stop trying to make me think!" I tell him, fed up with feeling like I know nothing and he knows everything.

"Calm down, Steph, nobody is interrogating you," he laughs at me. "I was just asking how I should stop knowing things. You surely know some things that I don't and I know some things that you don't, I think it's a fair balance, don't you think?"

"No, because you know a lot more than I do."

"Maybe, but that's just because you don't know everything I do and so you just project that you think I know more when…I probably don't," he finishes and there's something in his tone that makes me look at him, but he just gives me a charming smile. "So really, why haven't you at least called Paul? I thought you were going to take to him about his friends. I really think you should do that soon."

"You do?" I ask. "Why?"

"Because…it's fresh in your mind," he responds. "You're notorious for forgetting things, Stephanie."

"I am not!"

"That's why you write everything down," he points out.

"I do that because it's practical, not for any weird reason," I try to argue, but it's no use, "fine, okay, yes, I am notorious for forgetting things. I just don't want hi to tell me that he loves me. I mean, I don't love him and I don't want it to be this elephant in the room, you know, he says he loves me, I say, 'oh, well that's nice,' and then I can never speak to him again without feeling incredibly awkward.

"And having him sit around waiting for you to call is not awkward?"

"He has a life," I say, "I'm sure that he's out hanging with his friends or doing his weight-lifting. Besides, it's the weekend, it's not like I'm going to avoid him forever, maybe a weekend apart is just what we need. He's a very independent guy, you know. When he was with Joanie, they were together for years and he never even invited her to live with him. I think he likes the space. He'll probably appreciate that I'm giving him alone time, a ton of guys would."

"He's called you five times and you haven't answered any of them. You look at the phone with this forlorn expression on your face and then you just put the phone down. That's not giving space. Are you going to break up with him?"

"No, I'm not," I tell him and I'm so adamant about that, that I even scare myself a little. I think I'm just settling now. I'm here and Chris isn't, not really and why should I have to be alone. "I like his company."

"Wow, that smacks of a forever relationship," Chris says sarcastically. "You sound like you're talking about a dog or some acquaintance, not a guy you've been dating for a little while now. You're probably going to have to put out soon."

"Shouldn't you be pioneering for me not having sex? I mean, isn't it supposed to be this sacred bond?" I respond with my own brand of sarcasm. Anything I can do to turn the tables on him, I take the chance. I'm in a catty mood and I know it and maybe I just don't like Chris pointing out my shortcomings, but I'm bugged and he's not helping.

"Too late for that, don't you think?" he smirks and if he were solid, I'd slap him right now. "God is far too busy to care about you having sex. What do you think he does all day, sit in front of the master computer and watch you?"

"There's a master computer?"

"What do I know, I haven't been to God's place," he tells me, "I'm kind of responsible for a life here. I don't have time to go whisking off and visiting God at his home, though I hear he has a killer surround system, I must watch movies with him someday."

"You're just being a jerk."

"I also heard he gives the best parties, everyone can come, the more the merrier since you know, heaven, great expanses and all that. He tries not to be too ostentatious, I've heard, but that's just coming from guardian angels I've happened to meet whose people had near-death experiences and they got to go up there for a few minutes. God's pad is awesome."

I roll my eyes, "Must everything be a joke to you."

"There are lots of things that aren't jokes to me," he tells me in a low voice, "believe me."

"Yeah, but you're always being a jerk to me, angels shouldn't be jerks, they should be the nicest things on earth or heaven or wherever you consider yourself to be."

"I think that actually goes to saints," Chris says and I want to strangle him. He knows this and he adds, "I'm just trying to lighten your mood, Stephanie. I think you should call Paul, at least let him know that you're alive. He's probably waiting for you to call him back."

"Do you know he is, are you in cosmic connection with his angel?"

"No, I'm not in cosmic connection with anyone except you," he answers and I hate that he can make anything sound so damn romantic. I grumble to myself and grab my phone, dialing Paul's number. He grins at me, "Good girl."

"Don't patronize me, I'm not five anymore."

"You barely even looked at me while you were five, you were too busy playing around with your friends and being a kid." I flip him off as the phone rings. "Oh, that's nice, Stephanie, flip off an angel. St. Peter is so going to bring that up when you are at the gates waiting for entrance and I'm not even going to defend you on that one."

"I'll take my chances," I narrow my eyes at him just as Paul answers and God, I hope he didn't hear me talking to an angel, "Paul, hey!"

"Stephanie," he sounds so happy to hear from me and Chris is right, I should have at least called him back. "I've been waiting to hear from you, I figured you were busy or something and just couldn't come to the phone. I was even tempted to drive over there, see if you were doing anything."

"No, no coming over necessary," the last thing I want is to have him over here, "I've just been busy like you've said, you know how it goes when your parents own the company…I mean, you don't, but never-mind. I just thought I'd check in, see how your weekend was going."

"Boring, especially boring because I can't see you…hey, thought, why don't I come over there and we can hang out tonight, just the two of us. I can bring over some food and maybe some beer or wine if you prefer and maybe a movie, I have a ton of movies-"

"Probably because he's so used to being alone," Chris says as he's leaning very close to me, he's practically in me…that sounds wrong, his being…no, that still sounds wrong, he's just standing very close to me.

"Shh," I say before realizing that Paul cannot possibly hear Chris, but he certainly heard me saying shh to something, "Sorry," he says, "did I say something wrong?"

"Oh, no, no, no, sorry, um, I thought I heard a sound outside, but it was just a tree branch brushing against the side of the house," I recover while simultaneously glaring at the chuckling Chris. Why can't I feel him again because I want to punch him now.

"Well I'm glad you're okay," he laughs, "so, me coming over?"

"Yeah, I'm really not in the mood to do anything tonight, is that okay with you? Maybe we could…do something after Raw on Monday?"

"Yeah, sure, totally, I'd like that," he agrees quickly, like he thinks if he doesn't pounce on it, it'll be forever until he sees me again.

"Yeah, I would too," I lie.

"Ask him about his friends," Chris tells me and I nod and try to shoo him away, which doesn't work because he's my guardian angel and he can't just go away, but he at least takes a step backwards as if that'll give me all the space in the world.

"Oh, yeah, can I ask you or tell you about something rather?" I say and Chris looks pleased that I'm telling Paul about this. I don't know why he worries so much…wait, he's my guardian angel, he protects me in his own way and I guess he thinks Paul can talk to the guys.

"Of course, anything you want, Steph," Paul sounds so eager to please me that it makes me feel sort of bad. I can tell from the tone of his voice that he's in love with me and only wants the best for me and I feel guilty that I'm in love with the guy in front of me and not the guy on the phone. The guy in front of me is perfect…and unattainable and yet, even when he's annoying me, I find myself falling just a tiny bit more because…I can't help it. When he's bugging me and acting like a jerk, it's more endearing to me, like we have this playful relationship. We don't, he's my angel and I know it's time to start turning towards Paul, but why settle? But then if I don't settle, what the hell kind of relationship could I have with an angel? I'd be labeled a crazy person, like those people who want to marry rocks or animals or something. Hey, come look at the girl who wants to marry her imaginary friend! Not the moniker I want really.

"Well, it's just…your friends have been…less than kind to me. I don't know how much you see, but I know that they kind of wait for you not to be around. I'm not saying they harass me or anything, but clearly, they don't like me and I don't know how to fix that. I'm not suggesting you stop hanging out with your friends, I'd never say that," Chris is nodding, agreeing with how I'm going about this, "but I just would like it more if they acknowledged that I'm not some harpy that's trying to steal you from them."

"They have? I had no idea," and he's genuine and now he's going to do something about it, "I'll talk to them, don't worry about it. I don't even know why they're worried, we don't spend that much time together and you always let me go hang out with them."

Does he have to make me sound like some great girlfriend when the reason I do those things is because I want to spend time with Chris and not with Paul. My face burns a little and I'm not sure if I'm embarrassed that I'd rather spend time with my angel than with my boyfriend or if it's because I'm ashamed because I have this great guy who is willing to do everything for me and I keep screwing it up.

"I think they're just threatened by our relationship. They don't really know me, they probably think I'm trying to steal you or something. It's just something I've noticed and I don't want to continue this relationship with all your friends hating my guts." Part of me hopes he'll right now choose his friends over me, but he loves me and he won't; he'd probably choose me if it came to it.

"I'll take care of it, don't worry."

"Thanks, Paul."

"No problem, do you want me to let you go now?"

"Yeah," I tell him, feeling the urge to invite him over, but then I look over at Chris and he's sitting (hovering? Whatever) over a chair and his chin is in his hand and he's so handsome and I feel like I keep choosing him over everything. It's a wonder I still have friends. I should invite Paul over, do something normal for once, but that's harder than it appears, "I'll talk to you on Monday, okay?"

"Okay, bye, Steph."

"Bye, Paul," I hang up the phone and smile over at Chris. "See, done, now I'm safe for another day."

He laughs, turning his eyes towards me without moving his head, "Yeah, I guess you are. Lucky for me, my work here is done for the day. Why are you so afraid of his love, Steph? I mean, I can read you pretty well, I think, I've known you since the moment you were born, but this, this I can't figure out what's going on inside that pretty head of yours. I think for the first time in your life, I'm not entirely sure what you're thinking. I know that Paul is a good, if not incredibly boring, guy, but you've never turned away guys in love with you before, not when you were in a relationship. You barely want any physical contact and I know that you like doing that-"

"Eww, Chris," I complain.

"I can't help but know!" he argues, "I'm right there!"

I cover my face with my hands, "Don't ever watch me again."

"Yeah, easier said than done, but I just can't figure out why you're with Paul if you don't want to be with Paul."

"It's complicated," I tell him, looking at him and trying to reveal everything with my eyes, but I don't think he'd understand, but I test the waters anyways and maybe it's against my better judgment, but it's worth a shot, "Chris, I love you."

"I'm your angel, you better," he says, "it wouldn't be cool with God if you rejected me, just saying, that's how some people end up…" He points to the ground and gives me a knowing look. He doesn't get it. He doesn't understand the kind of love I have for him. I think to him, love is this generic thing, something he's ingrained with for me. I don't think it has the peaks and valleys of real love. It's just this constant that he's felt since the beginning. He's never had to develop love for me, it's just…there. Everything is just there.

"Don't worry, I'm not rejecting you."

"Good, but for the record, I love you too," he tells me, "you're my Stephanie." I smile despite the growing blackness in my stomach. He doesn't even get my love for him and if he can't, he never will.

"You know, maybe I will invite Paul over."