Disclaimer - I own nothing except my original characters and the plot. All the rest belongs to the wonderful Jonathon Larson. 'Nuff said.
Italics are thoughts, flashbacks and song lyrics
A/N: No idea what inspired this story. I will update VIVA La Vie Boheme - it's just I have writer's block.
Summary: AU: After Mimi dies, a new girl moves into Mimi's loft and falls in love not only with Roger's music, but Roger himself. RD/OC. Takes place at the end of 2007 - beginning of 2008.
Genre: General/Romance
Rating: T
CHAPTER ONE
(chapter title - Letting Go)
Pleasure of love lasts but a moment, Pain of love lasts a lifetime.
Jean Pierre Claris De Florian
Roger sighed as he sat on the fire escape, tears streaming down his cheeks. Mimi had died three weeks ago from a combination of HIV and a cold she had caught. Looking to his right, he saw storm clouds gathering in the distance, but he didn't care. He didn't want to live anymore - he had already lost Collins, Angel and Mimi - he didn't want to lose anyone else.
"Roger?" Mark called into the loft. Even though he was married, Mark stopped by every so often to check on his friend.
"What?" Roger snapped, stepping into the loft. He shut the window shortly after thunder sounded in the distance.
"I'm just dropping off some food." Mark gestured to the box he had brought in with him. Curiously, Roger made his way over and opened the lid of the box - a large cheese pizza was inside - begging to be eaten.
"Thanks." Roger thanked his friend, grabbing a paper plate and a piece of pizza before sitting on the ragged couch and turned on the TV.
"I'm gonna go, unless you want some company." Mark said, starting to head out the door.
"No, please stay." Roger told his friend. Mark smiled and helped himself to a piece of pizza. The two men watched CSI in silence.
An hour later, Mark said that he had to go home and check on Maureen. Roger smiled and walked his friend out the door - he had to check his mail anyway.
Walking down the stairs, he stopped when he saw a raven-haired girl look up from the mail slot. She looked to be about twenty-two or twenty-three. She was wearing an orange empire-waist shirt and dark blue jeans. She had silver-framed glasses and three piercings in each of her ears. Her hair was cut short so that it barely came down to her shoulders.
"Hi." she greeted Roger, slipping a key into her pocket.
"Hi." he greeted her back. She had dropped something on the floor, so when she bent down, Roger caught a glimpse of a tattoo on her lower back.
"I'm Elizabeth - Lizzie for short." the girl introduced herself, standing up.
"Roger." he told her simply. Lizzie smiled at him and headed up the stairs, her brown flip-flops echoing behind her.
"Wait!" Roger called after her. Lizzie turned around and looked at Roger, her brown eyes sparkling.
"Yeah?" she asked, fishing for her key.
"I was wondering- never mind." Roger started to say when he remembered that he had Mimi's funeral coming up, so he wouldn't be able to do anything for a while.
"What?" she asked.
"I was going to ask you out for dinner, but then I remembered that I have plans. Would you be available sometime next week?" Roger inquired. Lizzie managed a small smile and nodded. Roger smiled back and watched her enter her loft - Mimi's old one. Taking a deep breath, he walked upstairs and thought about the mysterious woman in the loft below him.