Author's Note: This is a repost from an old account I use to have, ThroppFourthAscending. I'm consolidating all my stories onto one account. And since I posted my Wicked story here a while back, I thought I would repost my Rent story. Of course I don't own Rent I simply write for my own enjoyment and that of my readers. There are some dark adult themes in this one, mainly rape, but over all its a story about love and family. Enjoy.


It was an off off off Broadway show, but it was a paying gig and it was musical theater. All of which were important to Maureen. She got to be on stage, the diva drama queen, which made her happy, and she was earning a steady pay check which made her feel independent, not to mention it shut Joanne up. The two women were still working their way through a relationship. Something clicked inside Maureen that night in the loft when she thought she'd just watch Roger lose Mimi, it made her look at things a little differently. It made her see that she didn't want to be alone at the end of the day, and that if she kept playing games, that's exactly how she'd end up.

It was nearly two am when she made her way up from the subway. She stifled a yawn as she started to walk towards the loft. Joanne was out of town and she didn't feel like being alone, so she'd been staying at the loft with the guys. She'd just turned the corner when she thought she heard footsteps behind her. Clutching her bag to her chest she reached into her pocket for the can of mace Joanne made her carry. As soon as the little can was in her hand she knew something was wrong, she'd never felt the need to grab it before.

The footsteps behind her grew louder, faster. Maureen picked up her pace and was just about to break off into a run when someone grabbed her. She tried to yell but there was a hand over her mouth. She fought whoever had her but it was of little use, he, it had to be a he from the way he felt, pulled her into an alley.

Mark looked up from editing his film when the phone rang and the machine picked up.

"Speeeaak."

"Throw down your keys." Came Collins' voice.

Marc smiled. "He's home." He ran over to the window and crawled out onto the fire escape. He tossed his keys down to his friend and then went back inside. When Collins came up he had a bottle of stoli and four paper cups as was his custom.

"So where is our starlet this chilly evening?" Collins asked as he settled onto the couch.

Mark looked up at the clock and shrugged. "She's normally back by now."

"Up to her old game?" Collins asked draining his second cup.

Roger smirked. "Most likely." He held out his hand. "Pay up."

"We don't know she's out doing that, Roger." Mark frowned.

The musician rolled his eyes.

The next morning Collins was jarred from his sleep on the couch by someone yelling outside. He got to his feet stretched and staggered to the window. Joanne was on the street and without needing to think he tossed her Mark's keys and then staggered back inside.

Joanne let herself into the building and then up to the loft. When she walked in she went right to the room she knew Maureen would be in. The room was empty and the bed un-slept in. She felt awful about it but the first thing that came to mind was that her girlfriend was in bed with her ex. Stepping back out of the room she headed for Mark's. She fought the urge to just walk in and knocked instead. "Mark?"

Mark opened the door. "Yeah?"

"Please tell me she's not in there with you." Joanne said flatly.

Mark blinked and then pushed past Joanne. He checked Maureen's room and ran his hand through his blonde hair. "Fuck."

Joanne sighed. "She didn't come home last night."

"It was the first time the whole two weeks you were gone." Mark answered honestly. "And we don't know she's out there doing what we think she is."

A battle raged between Joanne's head and heart, one saying oh yes she is, and the other wanting to give her girlfriend the benefit of the doubt. Her head was in the lead. "Maybe I just expected to much. I should have known she wasn't really ready to change."

Mark couldn't believe Joanne was just willing to think Maureen was cheating again, though he couldn't figure out if he'd do the same thing if he were still the one sharing her bed. Yeah, he probably would because she had. She'd cheated on him with Joanne, why wouldn't she be cheating on Joanne with whomever? "I'm not starting an ex-Maureen club."

Joanne tried to smile but couldn't bring herself to do it. If Maureen was out there fucking someone else again this really would be it. "If she comes here tell her I'm home."

Mark nodded and then watched as Joanne left the loft.

With her hands shoved into the pockets of her coat Joanne started down the street towards her car. She was just about to unlock it when she heard something in the ally across the street. She looked, thinking it might have been a cat but when she heard it again she knew it wasn't a cat meowing it was a person moaning, and not the good kind of moaning. She wasn't sure why but she crossed the street and went into the ally. The sight that greeted her nearly killed her.

Laying in a puddle of snow, slush, blood, and other filth was Maureen. She was curled into a tight ball and only half conscious. She was muttering softly and flinched, drawing herself into an even tighter ball when she felt someone touch her.

"Baby?" Joanne called to her battered girlfriend as she carefully reached out to place a hand on her arm. "Baby? Maureen!" When she didn't get anything more then flinching and what sounded like soft muttering, Joanne straightened up and ran to the street. She screamed for help at the top of her lungs.

When they heard Joanne screaming all three guys went to their fire escape, as did Mimi down in her own loft. Once they saw her all four of them went running out of the building. When they reached her Collins looked into the ally first. He pushed a shaking Joanne into Mimi's arms while he and Mark went into the ally. He called for Roger to call 911.

Maureen wasn't sure what was going on around her all she knew was she felt fear. She'd felt it all night, but never once did she feel alone. Even when she was being attacked she felt as if someone was taking the abuse along with her.