"Angel?"

"Hmm?"

"Angel?!"

"I said, Hmm."

"Yes, but you're not even looking at me, can't you at least look at me when I adress you?" She glared at him as he lowered the book he was reading and he shuddered at her glare. Now what did he do that deserved THAT glare?

"Is the glare just cuz I didn't look up or is there more behind it."

"Angel, are you ever gonna say it? I've been waiting for over an hour and you have yet to say it."

Angel made an audible gulp.

"What," he squeeked then cleared his throat and started again, trying to save face. "What is it that I'm supposed to say?"

Cordy sighed heavily and put her head in her hands."

"Angel, are you really THAT dense? Do I have to spell it out for you. Starts with an L ends with an E."

"Starts with an L, ends with an E?" He squeeked noticebly now, as his mind went on overload. Could it be, is it finally happening? Could it really be?

"Yeah." She looked at him expectantly.

"Cordy, I...I don't know what to say, I mean I've been wanting to say this for a long time."

"And I've been waiting to here it, just get it over with already."

"Well this is the type of thing that should be perfect, I mean it's important after all."

"Well, not really all that important, but I mean I'm really only waiting to be polite."

"Then you don't..."

"Oh no, I really want to, I'm just saying if you didn't say it, I'd do it anyway, I'm just being polite."

"Oh, ok. Cordy," He took her hand in his and patted it lightly as he gazed adoringly in them. She backed away slightly confused and alarmed at the gesture."

"Angel what is it you are doing?"

"Getting ready to say the word."

"Well I don't see why you have to do it like that? I mean, it's an over and done type situation, not some warm fuzzy thing."

"It's not? I mean I thought that is what most girls like, for it to be like that."

"Umm, no. Really for this, girls don't really like that, in fact it tends to freak them out a bit. Like I am now."

"Oh, so just say it."

"Yup that's all you have to do, say it."

"Ok, um, I don't even now how to start."

Cordy rolled her eyes, vampires were so clueless, though she didn't know why this was so hard, it's not like he's never said it before.

"How 'bout starting with Cordy, you've been here forever I think it's about time I tell you to..."

"To?"

"Yeah, to...come on Angel, spit it out, I don't wanna be here forever."

"Fine then, leave."

"Finally, you said it, so I think I will."

"What?"

"Yeah, all I wanted was for you to say it was ok to go, why what did you think I wanted?"

"Nothing, that's what I thought all along, I was just making you wait." He lied, and she seemed to buy it as his heart sank. She kissed him quickly on his cheek and smiled as she left leaving the very crushed and relieved vampire behind. He lifted up the book and began reading again with a heavy sigh and settling in for another long and lonely night. as he heard the door open and then shut again.

"Angel?" He didn't make the same mistake twice as he put down his book and looked up at her.

"Yes? I thought you left?"

"I did, but I was thinking about what just happened here. Did you really think I was talking about leaving?"

"Yeah, of course, what else could I have thought?"

"I don't know you tell me."

"Cordy, I told you I was just messing with you, I knew you wanted to leave the whole time."

"Oh, ok, because for a second I thought..."

"You thought what?"

"Maybe you were thinking of another word that starts with L and ends with E."

"Like?"

"No, not 'like.'"

"Lure, lute, lime?"

"No, no and no."

"You sure, because I do love limes."

"Angel, seriously, their is something else, but I know you would never be thinking that, because you can't, because if you did it would be way too..."

"Too what, scary? Wrong? Bad? Too what, Cordy" He took a few steps closer to her and he could hear her heart speed up with every step.

"Scary yes, wrong and bad, definatly not." She looked down at her feet.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." His voice didn't rise above a whisper, but it was enough for her to jerk her eyes up to meet his and she gave him a small smile.

"Angel? Do you know the other word that begins with L and ends with E that I want to hear?"

"You sure it isn't limes? Or maybe you'd like to hear me play the lute?"

"Angel." She giggled, suddenly aware that he had actually made a joke, the brooding serious vampire had actually made a joke, since when did he make jokes?

"Cordy, seriously, I do love you. I love you."

"Good, because I love you too."

They stared at each other a good long while before they took a few more steps closer to each other till their lips were mere inches apart. Angel closed the remaining gap as their mouths tentively met in a sweet, tender kiss that grew more heated as he let his tongue meet with hers in a sensious dance. She was in heaven, never wanting to let go of him.