I love you too."

"Oh, Angela! I love you! I'm so glad you're awake."

She smiled and wiped his tears away.

"Tony?"

"HMM?" he asked, kissing her hands.

"What happened? Why am I here?"

"You uh you were in an accident."

"An accident?"

"Yeah, look I'll tell you all about in a moment I need to tell someone you're awake. " he stood up then leaned down and kissed her on the lips.

"Don't go anywhere."

"How can I?" Angela motioned to the machines she was hooked up to.

Tony smiled and went out the door. He spotted an orderly sweeping up.

"Hey excuse me!"

The orderly turned around. "Yes sir. How can I help you?"

"Could you tell someone that Angela Bower is awake?"

"Okay." The orderly turned and walked away.

Tony went back into Angela's room and sat down beside her.

"So what happened?"

"You were in a car accident."

"A car accident?"

"Yeah."

"When?"

"About a week ago."

"A week?!"

"Yeah, you've been in a coma."

"A…coma?!"

"Yeah, we were all so worried about you."

"No wonder I feel so groggy."

"But you're awake. You're awake!"" Tony said excitedly.

Just then the on-call doctor and a nurse came in.

"Hello! So glad to see you awake Ms Bower." the doctor said.

"Hi, It's good to be awake. Although I'm a little confused. "

"Well that's to be expected." she smiled.

"Okay, I'm going to give you a brief check up "

"Okay."

"Angela? While they're doing that I'm going to go call Mona and the kids."

"Okay." he kissed her and left the room.

He went down to the nurse's station and asked if he could borrow the phone. He dialed Mona's number.

"Hello?"

"Mona! Get down here! She's awake!"

"She is? Okay I'll be right down!"

Tony hung up then called Sam."

"Hello?"

"Sam? She's awake!"

"She is? Hank! Angela is awake!" Tony heard distant mumbling coming from Hank.

"Hank said that's great news. We'll be right there." Sam hung up and turned to Hank. "I'm going to go tell Jonathan. She got out of bed and went out to the living room where Jonathan was sleeping.

"Jonathan?" she shook him. "Hey, wake up!"

Jonathan leapt up. "Sam! What is it? Is it Mom?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, she's awake. Come on!"

Jonathan got up and Sam grabbed her car keys. They got in her car and drove to the hospital.

A few minutes later they pulled into the hospital parking lot. Mona pulled in right beside them.

"Come on kids! Let's go!"

They walked in and got into the elevator and rode up to Angela's room. They exited and walked down to her room. They entered her room and saw Tony sitting down next to her holding her hand.

"Angela?" Mona rushed in and sat down on the other side.

"Hello Mother."

"Hey Mom."

"Hi Angela." Sam smiled

They walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey guys! So what's up? Have I missed anything?" Angela laughed.

They all laughed.

"It's so good to see you awake Angela. Sam said and started crying.

"Oh honey. It's okay. I'm okay. "

"And she is. The doctor gave her a check up and said everything looks good." Tony assured them.

"So will you be able to go home tomorrow?" Jonathan asked.

"No, they want her to stay here for a couple more days just for precaution."

They all sighed in relief. She was awake. She was okay.

Everything was going to be okay.

Sam wiped her eyes with a tissue she grabbed from the box on the table next to Angela.

"So Mom, do you remember anything?"

"No, I don't." she shook her head and winced.

"Are you okay dear?" Mona asked in concern.

"Yeah, just a slight headache."

"Did they give you anything?"

"Yeah, they gave her a couple of aspirin."

"I'm just waiting for it to work." Angela smiled.

"So Angela Nicky has made you about a dozen pictures. " Sam told her.

"Oh he has? Give that sweet boy a kiss for me will you?"

"Absolutely."

"Look guys Angela needs her rest." Tony said, noticing her eyes beginning to close.

"Yeah, it is pretty late. We should go home and come back tomorrow." Sam said.

"Well not me. I'm staying right here." Mona said.

"Mona, you don't…"

"I'm staying bub. And don't argue with me."

"You better not Tony. You know not to get on her bad side." Angela said sleepily.

Tony laughed. "No, I better not."

Sam and Jonathan chuckled and gave Angela a kiss goodbye and told her they would see her tomorrow.

"So I guess it's just the three of us." Mona smiled.

"It looks like it."

They both looked at Angela who was fast asleep.

"Tony?" Mona whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Our girl is back." she smiled.

"She is Mona. She is."

They spent the rest of the night watching her sleep.

THE NEXT MORNING:

"Well good morning!" Andy said walking into the room

"Andy?" Angela looked at him in confusion.

"It's good to see you awake Angela."

"Thanks. But, why are you here?"

"He was your doctor Angela." Mona informed her.

"Yeah, he saved your life." Tony said and gave Andy a smile.

"Wow, thank you."

"Hey, just doing my job." he laughed. "But seriously how are you feeling?"

Angela sighed. "Still a little tired but not as bad as last night."

"Well that's to be expected. I had a look at your chart from the night doctor and everything looks good. If all goes well you should be able to go home tomorrow."

"That's great!" Mona breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well I have some more patients to see. I just wanted to check on you and make sure you were okay." He turned to leave.

"Hey Andy? Tony stood up."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For everything." he held out his hand.

Andy held out his hand and they shook hands. "My pleasure." He smiled at them and then left the room.

"So, Andy was my doctor?" Angela said, still trying to catch up.

"Yeah, we were surprised too." Tony laughed.

"But, the most important thing is that you are awake."

"She's right. Angela, you have no idea how worried we all were."

"I know you were. And I'm so sorry I put you through all this."

"No, sweetheart, don't apologize. "

"So anything coming back to you?" Mona asked.

"No…Yes! Dr Bellows."

"Dr Bellows? Who is that?" Tony looked at Mona in confusion.

"She's uh well she used to be my therapist."

"Your therapist? You never told us you were seeing a shrink."

Angela sighed. "Well it wasn't really something I wanted to advertise."

"Why not? You are in advertising after all." Mona joked in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Tony and Angela looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"Well I see that the two of you have no sense of humor." Mona shook her head and stood up.

"Well you always call us a couple of stiffs." Tony reminded her.

"And I was right. But, hey you're my two stiffs" She leaned down and hugged Angela then walked around the bed and gave Tony one as well.

"I'm going to go home now. I'll be back later."

"Okay. Bye Mother."

"Bye baby." Mona smiled and left.

"Wow! You were seeing a therapist. So what for? Wait! I'm sorry it isn't any of my business."

"No, Tony, it's okay. Actually I do want to tell you. After all, you were the reason I went in the first place."

"I was?"

"Yeah, do you remember when we all went to Brooklyn for the neighborhood beautification fundraiser?"

"Yeah, I do. I volunteered my housekeeping services. And… oh Frankie."

"Yes Frankie. Tony, when you told mother and me that she had proposed to you I got so scared. And I couldn't figure out why. So I looked up a few therapists and came across Dr Bellows."

"Okay. And?"

"And she made me realize that I loved you."

"You loved me?" I mean of course I know you do now. But, back then?"

Angela nodded. "Yeah, I was so confused and afraid. "

"That was the day you came home in the middle of the afternoon and said you decided to play hookey."

"And I was about to tell you that I loved you but then Sam came bursting in."

"Ah yes about Elvis's step sister getting food poisoning."

"That would be it."

"So then why didn't you tell me?"

"Well you told me that you saw Frankie earlier and that you weren't going to marry her. Which I was surprised at. After all she was an Italian beauty who was a Harvard graduate and drank beer from a bottle."

"But, I didn't love her. And love is important." he said with the same intensity he had then.

"So, I figured the crisis was averted. I mean you weren't leaving and I really had nothing to worry about. Well until…"

"I know. Kathleen." Tony said. The shame was still with him.

"When you told me that you didn't know if it was over with her. I was just… heartsick. And so I went to her because I needed an objective opinion. I know there was Mother but she has never been objective about us."

"You can say that again."

"So we talked through it."

"I'm glad. Well actually I'm not since it was my stupidity that made you go back there. But, I'm glad she was there for you."

"Yeah, she was a few other times as well."

"When?"

"When you and Kathleen broke up. I was so confused. On the one hand I was so happy and so relieved but I was dating Andy at the time."

"Yeah, I remember."

"And I didn't think it would be fair to end things with him just because you were no longer dating Kathleen."

"Hey, I understand. I do. You did the right thing. I mean it hurt seeing you go out with him but considering what I had put you through I deserved it."

Angela didn't contradict him. There was no reason to.

"So any other times?"

"Yeah, when you were living in Iowa and I was thinking about moving out there to be with you."

"What did she tell you?"

"To follow my heart." she smiled. "And I did."

Tony smiled back and leaned over and kissed her on the lips.

"So what about this time?"

"I went to her to talk about everything that has happened the last few months. You coming back to tell me you were engaged to Teresa. You coming back to work at Ridgemont…"

"And me telling you that Teresa and I broke up and I wanted us to try again.."

"That would be it. And I told her that I felt like I was your second choice."

"Angela, I told you, you were never my second choice."

"I know. And Dr Bellows made me see that. I guess my insecurity got the better of me. I do think too much, you know!" she winked at him.

"Tell me about it." he groaned and shook his head.

"Then she asked me if I loved you and I said I did. She then told me that it shouldn't matter why or how you came back the important thing was that you were. And that I should stop with all the doubts and questions and go tell you that I want to be with you."

"You do?"

"Yes, with all my heart. That's what I was doing. I was driving back home and was at a stoplight and… that was when I was hit wasn't it?"

"It was. And Angela when Sam told me that the hospital had called and you were here. I was…" he couldn't go on. The stress of the past week catching up with him.

Angela reached over and stroked his cheek. "Tony, look at me. I'm fine. "

"Oh you're better than fine. You're perfect." Tony smiled and once more leaned over and kissed her.

"Well Jonathan I guess we can't leave them alone for a minute can we?"

"I guess not."

"Hardy Har Har!" Tony shot them both a look causing Angela to laugh.

"So how are you feeling?" Jonathan asked.

"Better."

"You look it. Your color is coming back." Sam smiled.

"Yeah the doctor, well Andy said she could go home tomorrow."

"That's great!"

Tony stood up. "Hey kids, could you stay here for a few minutes? There's something I need to go do."

"Sure Dad."

"Okay. Thanks. I'll be back later. He leaned down and gave Angela another kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too."

He said goodbye and left the room.

THE NEXT MORNING:

Angela was released late the following morning with strict instructions to take it easy for a while. Angela and Tony talked about it and it was decided- with Mona ,Sam, and Jonathan's blessings that Tony would move in and take care of her.

Angela was happy. Tony was happy, The whole family was happy.

Tony drove Angela back home after everything was taken care of at the hospital. He felt like a little boy at Christmas. He was so excited. He had a surprise for Angela at the house and he couldn't wait until she saw it. After a few minutes he pulled into the driveway, cut the engine and removed his keys from the ignition.

"You stay right there." he ordered her.

"Yes sir!" Angela saluted him.

Tony got out and went over to her side. He helped her out and without another word lifted her up in his arms.

"Tony? What are you doing? I can walk, you know." she laughed.

"Yeah, I do. But, I thought this would be more fun."

Angela smiled and kissed him. He walked up to the front door and got the spare house key Mona had given him out of his pocket. He unlocked and opened the door.

Angela gasped when she saw them.