{Author's Note: I've never really written a Rent fanfiction. but bored I decided I need to. DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rent or any of the characters. Enjoy. Review please.}
Sunny Santa Fe had a voice that traveled as a whisper into the cold New York air and straight into Tom Collins' heart. There was this everlasting sparkle in his eyes, the dream never ceased to exist. Life proved to be more demanding than expected. Fate appeared to have other things in mind for Collins. The anarchist had chased an empty life as a professor, but there in New York found something he could never have imagined. New York was home to Tom Collins' strictly because he was living there with the love of his life. He'd forgotten his dreams for New Mexico, he'd found everything he could ever need.
Just before Halloween, his angel flew back up to heaven.
Two years from the chilly Halloween night that Tom Collins' trudged home to his empty bed, not a think had changed. Every Halloween he would stay up all night looking at the artifacts that remained. Any photo he could get his hands on and every diary entry she had ever written. He'd flipped through them all. He couldn't hold back the tears as he read proclamations of love for him strewn across page after page. He marveled at the cute little drawings in the margins and the way his lover dotted her I's with little hearts. Her voice flew off the pages in a glorious heart-wrenching song of her life, the way she lived, and the way she loved. She documented the best times and the worst times and even then had glimmers of hope. Those damned I's were always swelling with hope.
"Tom and I talked about Santa Fe. He recounted for me the first time he'd ever been there. He told me he fell in love with the warm air and the New Mexican culture. I was impressed by the contrast in his dream and his reality. I want to take him back there. I plan on it. I want to make all of his dreams come true..." one entry read.
Tom read it over and over feeling some kind of significance in the words. Santa Fe, he remembered. He could almost hear her pretty laugh as she admitted she would have liked to go there with him some day. At the same time he could feel a bitter hatred of himself for forgetting brewing inside him. It stung to realize how drained he was. When Angel left him behind, he felt his hope and dreams soared away from him. It wasn't any fair! He flipped to the last page to read again the last, most meaningful words Angel had ever left:
"Tom Collins, you've given me the best. Now live for yourself. Carpe Diem my love."
Epiphanies often happen in strange ways. This was the soul epiphany of Tom Collins. Live for yourself.
There were two suitcases packed up and sitting in the living space. Roger walked into them and a question entered his mind. These were Tom Collins' suitcases; that was for sure. He called Mark in to see if he would have any answers for him. Mark was equally clueless. Mark was especially concerned. It was now November third, just two days after Angel's funeral. Often throughout the week Collins would mope and then return to his solemn yet average self. It was unlike him to travel, and where would he travel to? Mark was unaware that Collins had even had a passport. The two sat stumped until the door unlocked and Collins strode through. Looking up at the two he seemed surprised to see them in their own home.
"Oh, hey boys," Collins smiled. Uncharacteristic this early into the week.
"Hey Collins. What's with the suitcases?" Roger was the first one to ask.
"Oh, just moving to Santa Fe," Collins said nonchalantly walking into the kitchen.
"When did you decide this?" Mark asked.
"Halloween," Collins answered flatly.
"So that's it, you're just going to pick yourself up and move all the way to New Mexico without telling us?" Roger complained.
"I was going to tell you at some point!"
"Well when are you planning on moving?" Mark asked. His brows were furrowed with concern. It scared him when Collins made decisions in haste.
"I found a place in Santa Fe two days ago. I'm probably going to move in a couple days. I just need to tie up some loose ends."
"Bullshit! You're already all packed! You walked in here hoping we weren't home! You were just gonna leave us here without a word!" Roger yelled.
"Roger it's not like that."
"So why are you going? Hmm? Why would you possibly move all the way to New Mexico?" Roger exclaimed.
"Because I can't be in New York anymore! I've wasted all my life in New York. I'm going to Santa Fe to finally follow my dream."
"Then let us go with you," Mark arose from his silence.
"Huh? Just leave New York?" Roger asked.
"Yeah why not? If Collins is going, I think I want to go too. You never know, I might get some great footage down there!" Mark decided. Mark had unsurprisingly been caught in a rut and couldn't find away to release his film. He at that moment came to the realization that he was pitching to audiences that had lived in New York all their lives. His footage was nothing new or exciting to these people. Those in New Mexico might be fascinated by his work and the urban lifestyles that it portrayed.
"What about Mimi, Maureen, and Joanne?" Roger pointed out.
"Well we can always come up and visit. Roger, do you want to stay here? I'm sure you'd have a great opportunity. If Collins opens up that restaurant you could have gigs every night!" Mark asked.
Roger thought on that one. "I don't know. I'll talk to Mimi," he finally answered.
Mark and Collins were ecstatic that they'd gotten Roger interested but with everything moving so fast they needed to find a way to convince Mimi that a change in scenery would be a good way for her and Roger to start over new. Not to mention that Roger and Mark needed time to get their own passports, and how exactly would they finance this move? Collins insisted that he had it covered, but was he prepared for all of the effort and investments to come?
Action! Action! Action! Verbs everywhere! Collins felt changes rapidly shooting at him! He was diving headfirst into something exotic! All he knew was this sedentary life and now it was time for ACTION!
ACTION! Mark shouted as he documented the first hour of their trip to Santa Fe!