He waited for her answer as he held her close. The only sounds coming from her was the occasional sniffle. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his handkerchief and gently wiped her tears away. He wished she would say something but he didn't want to rush her. She had to do this on her own. So he continued holding her breathing in her sweet scent. If he thought sadly if she tells him that it is to late for them he would always have this moment. This memory of holding her. It would keep him warm on those potential lonely days and nights ahead. He heard her sigh and pulled her even closer to him.

She in turn was a bundle of emotions. She was relieved that the whole mess with Kathleen was finally over. But, there was something else. Something that was holding her back. Something that was preventing her from telling him what he wanted and needed to hear. It wasn't anger. Yes, she was angry at him. Her outburst was proof enough of that. But, there was something else. All she knew that until she could figure out what it was it wouldn't be right or fair to tell him that she forgave him or that she loved him. She needed time. Time to sort things out. She slipped out of his arms and slid to the other end of the couch causing both of them to feel like they had just lost something special.

"Angela?" his voice cracked.

She could hear the pain in his voice. She could actually feel his heart breaking and it broke hers. She got off the couch and turned away from him knowing that if she looked into his eyes all her defenses would go down. She couldn't do that. It would be so easy to just forgive and forget but there was still that something that was holding her back. Until she knew and understood what the problem was she couldn't be with him.

He got off the couch as well. His heart was thumping so loud he was sure she could hear it. The air was crackling with electricity.

She turned around and saw him looking at her with a sad expression on his face. It broke her heart seeing him like that but she couldn't be with him just yet- not until she knew and dealt with whatever was bothering her.

"Tony, I'm sorry but I can't...."

"No, please Angela." She could hear the panic in his voice. "Please don't tell me it's to late." He walked over to her and without another word he pulled her to him. She let herself get lost in his arms. *For a moment. Just a moment* she said to herself. Her eyes filled with tears.

He felt her tears on his shoulder and pulled her even closer to him. He felt his eyes welling up as well. He hardly ever cried. He always tried to present himself as macho-in control Tony. Sure there were times in the past when he did cry: his parents' deaths, marrying and losing Marie, the day Sam was born. But other than those times he always made sure that everyone thought that he was in control. But, in this moment none of that mattered.

"Angela...." his voice cracked with emotion.

She lifted her head from his shoulder and looked into his eyes. Equal expressions of pain and despair were mirrored in their faces.

"Tony, I can't be with you. Not now. I'm sorry."

"Angela? Isn't there anything I can say or do?" he pleaded.

"No, there isn't. "

"Is it... are you saying that it's to late for us?"

"I don't know Tony. You are the one person in the world I thought would never hurt me....... "

"But, I did." he said sadly. "I did and I'm so sorry."

"I know." she said softly. "But, I just need some time."

He pulled her to him once again. He just needed to hold her one more time. He breathed in her scent. She let herself get lost in his embrace. After a few minutes she broke his heart again by her next words.

"Tony," she spoke his name so softly like a cool summer breeze. "Please let me go."

The double meaning wasn't lost on him as he reluctantly let her go.

"Okay Angela. I'll let you go. I'll give you the time you need. " "But I want you to know and remember this." He raised his hand and gently stroked her cheek. "I love you and I'll never let you go from my heart. Never." he said firmly. She clasped his hand with hers and as if on cue they both let go at the same time.

"I'm uh, I'm going to go upstairs now."

He watched her climb the stairs each step she took feeling like a piercing blow to his heart. He sat down on the couch and wrapped the blanket around him. It smelled like her. So sweet. He felt his heart breaking into a million pieces.

She found him still sitting on the couch a little while later. He looked so sad. She was still upset but she also couldn't deny the fact that she loved him. She walked over to the couch and sat down beside him. She slipped her hand in his and put her head on his shoulder.