Author's Notes: This is the official sequal to Hopelessly In Love by GourgousSmile. The other stories of mine were companions or side ficcys if you will. I wanted to get use to Phoebe since it was GourgousSmile who originally wrote her. I wanted to play with her a bit as well as Mark. They're fun. Now, this is as you guessed it a PhoebeMark story. However, all other canon couples are included and yes Angel is alive! Rating is for language, abuse, character death later on, violence, and of course because it is RENT. Takes place I'd say a good year or so after HIL. Warnings: still no beta. Please forgive all errors. Inspired by the song by Kelly Clarkson with the same name. BTW: I know nothing about the legal system just to let you know so yeah, any court stuff thats wrong forgive me on that too.

"...Because of you I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I tried my hardest just to forget everything
Because of you I don't know how to let anyone else in
Because of you I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty
Because of you I am afraid..."
Because of You, By: Kelly Clarkson

Because of You: By: LOSTrocker

Chapter One

"I'LL GET IT!" Maureen declared dramatically when the phone rang that afternoon at Joanne's. The diva picked it up. "Hello, this is the awsomeness which is Maureen Johnson, how can I be of your pleasure?"

A familiar laughter came from the other line. It belonged to Jo's secratary Rachel. "Hey Mo,"

"Hey baby," Maureen replied. "So, tell me, when are you going to give your number so we can hook up?"

Joanne heard that and grabbed the phone from her girlfriend. "Maureen, how many times do I have to tell you, stop flriting with my secrartary?"

"I can't help it if she's hot."

Jo rolled her eyes and let out a laugh. "You heard that right?" Jo said to Rachel.

"It's nice to think someone thinks I'm hot." Rachel joked. "But anyway, I'm sorry to call you on the weekend and everything, but I have some bad news."

Joanne sighed. "Why can't you call me with good news for a change?"

"Are you sitting down?"

"No. Should I?"

"You might."

Jo took a seat on the sofa. "Okay, go for it."

"Remember your friend's ex husband Josh?"

"Phoebe's Josh?"

That caught Maureen's attention. She didn't like where this convo was going. "Jo, what's going on?"

Joanne put up her hand to silence the drama queen.

"That would be the one." answered Rach. "He's out."

"I'm not sure I heard you right..." Joanne told her. "What did you say?"

"You heard me Jo, the man is out."

"HOW IN THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN?!" Jo demanded. "I thought we got that bastard for good."

"So did I, but someone paid his bail."

"That was a good sum of money, who paid?"

"Here's the thing. Unknown source. One of his cars picked him up and that was it."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Joanne yelled.

"Josh is out of jail?" asked Maureen.

"Mo, be quiet please." pleaded the lawyer to her girlfriend.

Maureen pouted but she would wait. She wanted to know what was going on. If Josh was out then that meant trouble for Phoebe and Mark. This was going to get bad. Really bad.

"Thanks for the call," Joanne said to Rachel. "Listen, I'm going to be over there as soon as possible but first I have to warn my friends."

"Anytime Jo, sorry about all this."

"It's not your fault." assured the lawyer. "Bye."

"Bye." The two hung up.

"Will you care to share with the class?" Maureen demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

"I'll explain on the way Maureen, we have to get to Mark's. We got to warn Phoebe." With that Joanne grabbed her bag and her coat, and took Maureen by the hand and the two women dashed to the filmmaker and the rocker's loft.

TBC...