A/N: Disgustingly short chapter, pretty much Angel and Joanne talking. I'm a lazy bum and I just didn't want to add anything,
Joanne was just crossing the street when she heard her phone ringing in her coat pocket. Muttering a curse word, she made it to the opposite corner and set down her bag, digging through the crap in her pockets before finally finding the bulky cell phone. Hefting it in one hand, she barked, "Hello?!"
"Jo? It's Angel."
Joanne sighed internally. Only Angel, she couldn't know yet. "Hey, Angel. Listen, can I call you back later? I'm a little harried right now."
As she said this, she was power-walking down the street, nearly knocking over the smaller people in her way. A blonde man swore at her, but she ignored him. However, as soon as Joanne heard Angel's next words, she stopped dead in her tracks.
"Joanne, we have to talk about Maureen."
"Oh…um, what do you mean?" Joanne asked, her voice shaking. She swallowed and shook her head to clear it. Now people swore at her as they hurried past her immobile body. A little boy swiped a sticky hand across her pant leg as his mother dragged him past. She didn't notice.
"You know, Joanne. Mark called, I know."
"Fuck…fuck, fuck, fuck!" Joanne moaned, now walking quickly. She made it to a bus stop and sank onto the bench, pushing aside an old lady who was laden with shopping bags. The lady glared at her, and Joanne ground her teeth together. She was just pissing everybody off today, wasn't she?
"Look, Angel—"
"Joanne, don't. I don't want a case for your defense. You made a mistake. I get that. The thing to think about now is how you're to solve it."
"I…I know," Joanne whispered, suddenly choked up. This terrible secret was out now, and she was going to suffer. It didn't even matter that she'd broken up with Maya, or that deep down, Joanne knew she really did love Maureen. All that matter was she'd slept with someone else, and after that there was really nothing else to say.
"Angel…are you disappointed in me?" Joanne asked slowly. She couldn't bear to have Angel hate her; let the world condemn her and cast her out, let everyone else shun her, but not Angel. Angel had compassion when no one did, and if she had none for Joanne, everything was done. Finished. Wrecked forever.
After a soft sigh and a short pause, Angel answered. "I don't think so, Joanne. At least…I don't want to be. I love you, Jo, and I know that you're a good woman, a good person. I know there must be a reason…but it was still a nominally stupid thing to do."
"I know, oh God, I know…"
"Just calm down and tell me what you're planning to do."
"Um…" Joanne felt a blush creeping into her cheeks, even though Angel could in no way see her. "I hadn't really thought about that too much. I was just going to…tell her."
Angel sighed. "I hate to say it, but that might be the best possible option. Don't butter her up or try to make it seem better than it is…she'll get even madder. Just…let her know and get ready to run."
"And if she tries to kill me?"
"Make sure there's a weapon on hand. Do you know kung fu?"
Joanne rubbed her temples with two fingers. She was getting a major migrain from this. Without really realizing it, she stood up and started down the street, her cell phone still clampe to her ear. A sudden thought sparked in her head.
"Angel! What about Mark and Collins?"
Angel chuckled in her ear.
"Just leave them to me, sweetie."
Short, I know. I suck, I know!