"Tony I.."

"Actually Angela, I would like to go first. If you don't mind?" Tony interrupted her.

"No. Not at all. Please go ahead."

Tony took a deep breath. "Okay. Well Frankie was over earlier."

"She was?"

"Yeah and uh she said she was here to badger me into marrying her." He chuckled nervously.

"Oh. I- I see." Angela said softly. "So did she succeed? Are you going to marry her?"

Tony looked at her. Into her warm and beautiful brown eyes. He knew he had made the right decision turning Frankie down. Even though he was attracted to her and even though they had a wonderful weekend together he just couldn't see himself married to her. The truth was he didn't love her and love was important. He did love Angela though. He loved everything about her. He loved how loving she was with Samantha and Jonathan. He loved how excited she got whenever he made her double fudge brownies with walnuts or got her her favorite butter brickle ice cream. He loved how kind and caring she was but at the same time how fiery and passionate she could be-especially when it came to her work. He loved how she sought out his advice on things and actually listened to him.

'She thinks the world of you!' Geoffrey's voice echoed in his head.

And he thought the world of her. She was…..She was amazing. She was everything he never thought he wanted in a woman. She was elegant, beautiful, and successful, But the truth was he always pictured himself with someone from Brooklyn. Someone like Marie. Gina had been like her. And even though there was an attraction between them -the love wasn't there.

The truth was he didn't want things to change. He loved Angela and he loved their life together. Sure it wasn't a typical, normal life but it was theirs. That was why he had been so afraid when Geoffrey had proposed to her. He couldn't have bared it if she had said yes. What would have happened then? Would Geoffrey have moved in and then he would have been stuck watching Angela and Geoffrey living their lives as a married couple day after day? Or would Geoffrey have wanted them to move out? On the one hand he wouldn't really blame him but this was his home-this was his daughter's home. They had a beautiful, warm, and loving home with Angela. Mona, and Jonathan and the mere thought of leaving filled him with dread.

That was why he had climbed up to her bedroom and spray-painted NO on her window. The truth was Geoffrey was an okay guy. Yes, he was a little nerdy-okay a lot nerdy but he had treated Angela like a queen. And except for when they had fought over his car being totaled their relationship had seemed to be going well. But he still couldn't stand the idea of the two of them getting married. He didn't want to lose her to Geoffrey or any other man.

He didn't want to lose himself either. If he had accepted Frankie's proposal he knew he would have. She was a terrific person but he had found his home with Angela.

'So what is it? Is it Angela?'

He had scoffed when Frankie had asked if the reason he was turning her down was because of Angela. The truth was though it was because of Angela. He couldn't live without her. He couldn't live without seeing her smiling face in the morning. He couldn't live without hearing about her day. He couldn't live without watching an old movie with her and knowing half way she would fall asleep with her head on his shoulder.

He had been quiet for a few minutes just gazing into her eyes. No it wasn't a gaze, it was more than that. It was intense. She felt like he was staring right into her soul. She felt a slight chill. She wasn't sure though if it were from fear or from excitement. Had he accepted Frankie's proposal? The sad thing was she really couldn't blame him if he had. She was a Brooklyn beauty and a Harvard graduate who drank beer from the bottle. Not to mention they came from the same place. But if he had accepted how would she be able to live without him? How would she be able to live without seeing his smiling face in the morning or hearing about his day? Or watching an old movie with him? Yes, she always fell asleep but that was only because being near him felt so comforting. She hadn't felt that way with Michael, Geoffrey, or any man for that matter. But with Tony she did. For the first time in her life she felt like she could be the real Angela. She felt like he was the only person-besides her Father- who saw and accepted her for who she truly was. That was one of the reasons why she had fallen in love with him. But if he had accepted Frankie's proposal…..well she would just have to keep her feelings a secret.

She felt her eyes welling up. She turned and walked over to the desk and grabbed some Kleenex. She wiped her eyes and stared off into space.

"Are you okay?"

"What?"

"I asked if you were okay."

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine."

She looked down and then turned around and looked at him.

"So are you going to marry her?"

"No. No. I'm not."

Angela stared at him. No?! He said no?! She didn't know what to say or to do. She was relieved of course but also surprised.

"You said no? Tony I don't understand. Why did you turn her down?"

He shrugged. 'It's very simple Angela. I don't love her."

"You don't?"

"I don't. And love is important." he said once again gazing into her eyes with the same intensity as before.

"I see."

"Yeah and the thing is Angela even though I am-was attracted to her and even though we are from the same place and everything she isn't the woman for me."

"She's not?"

"No. She's not."

"Tony I.."

"I love you Angela."

Once again she was speechless. Had he just said he loved her?

"Tony, did you just say that you loved me?"

"I did and I do. I love everything about you. I love how we made a home and family together. And the thought of moving out and never being able to see you every day well it scares me. And it scared me when Geoffrey proposed to you. But, I don't know if it scared me more to stay here and watch the two of you together every day or to move out and not being able to see you. That was why I climbed up and spray painted NO on your window. Because I love what we have Angela and even though I know I can't offer you anything I don't want things to change."

"I don't either. I love our life together too."

"Yeah. It may be strange and not your typical, normal life but it's ours you know?"

She nodded.

"So that was what I wanted to say. So now do you have anything to say?"

"Yes. Tony when I found out that Frankie had proposed to you I got so scared. I mean I felt like I was about to lose everything. The thought of you and Sam moving out and never being able to see you…well it was unimaginable. " She took a deep breath. "So I decided I needed to talk to someone. And that's where I was this afternoon. I wasn't playing hooky. I was at a therapist's."

"You were?"

"Yeah, because I guess I needed an objective viewpoint. "

"And? So what happened? I mean if you're comfortable with telling me. I know these sessions are supposed to be private and everything."

"I do want to tell you. In fact she advised me to."

"Okay. She advised you to tell me what?"

"That I love you." she said softly.

He was taken aback. She loved him? The guy who cleaned her house? How was that even possible?! How could an elegant and successful woman love him? An ex-jock from Brooklyn? But looking into her eyes he knew she was telling the truth. She did love him. And he loved her. And normally things would probably change but as of now he knew they couldn't.

"Angela, did you just say that you love me?"

"Yes. I love you Tony."

"Wow. So I love you and you love me."

'Yeah. So where do we go from here?"

He shook his head. He wanted to throw caution to the wind and take her in his arms and never let go. But he also knew this wasn't the right time for them to pursue anything beyond what they had.

"Angela, I think for now we need to just let things be."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I don't mean to hurt you. That is the last thing in the world I would ever want to do. But in this time and place I think it's best if we just you know…"

"I do."

"So I guess this will be our secret." He smiled.

"Yeah, just like kissing rock." She smiled back.

"You mean make-out rock!" he winked at her.

She laughed and shook her head.

He picked up the laundry basket.

"You sure it's love?"

"Positive."

"So am I Angela. So am I."

They looked at each other both overwhelmed with all that had been said. And even though for now things weren't going to change they both had hope that one day they would.

Because after all love is important.

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A/N: As always the lines from the show the credit goes to the writers!