Mark couldn't believe that Roger had left. He knew his friend loved Mimi, he could see it. He just wished Roger would get over his jealous feelings and tell Mimi how he really felt about her, but he knew his friend wouldn't do that. Roger had too much pain in his heart from April, and Mark knew what that pain was like. It seemed to the group of bohemian artists that Mark was the most put together of the group, especially with the way he helped Roger after April's death. But in truth it wasn't that way at all. Mark was barely keeping it together. If it wasn't for his camera he wouldn't have be able to. Roger leaving NYC for Santé Fe was the last straw. He couldn't do it anymore. After Mimi left with Benny to get help, Mark slowly walked back up the stairs to the loft. He shut the door behind him, locked it and slide down it to the floor. He sat there for a little while thinking about the scene that had just played out in front of him. Finally, the tears came. Roger had left and the pain came flooding to Mark, all the losses he had endured had been pushed back so that he could help his friend who needed him. He soon lay down on his side on the floor and curled up. It soon began to be difficult to see out of his glasses so he took them off and threw them across the room. Sleep soon fell over him as his body and mind were so weary.

He awoke to the sound of the phone ringing. He stretched a little and discovered how stiff he was. He wondered to himself how long he had been laying there. Finally the answer machine picked up with the familiar "SPPPPPPEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKKKK" that was his and Roger's voices.

"Mark, we know you're there. Please throw down the key. Mark slowly shuffles his feet and grabs the key off the counter and watches as he tosses it down to Collins, who was waiting with Maureen and Joanne below. He then left walked to the couch and laid down leaving the door to the balcony open.

A few seconds later Collins comes busting in the door with the two girls behind him. "BRRR! Mark its cold in here." Joanne goes and closes the door while stating this. Collins turns on the hot pad and gets a pot of water heating, so that he could make Mark some tea. Maureen is following Joanne around pouting, obviously trying to make up to her for something. But Mark doesn't move just lays there. He doesn't even say anything to Collins or anything nothing. He starts to shiver after a few minutes, so Collins grabs a blanket from Mark's room and lays it over him.

He goes back to the kitchen and whispers "Poor Mark, he's had to stay strong to help Roger for so long."

Joanne and Maureen nod. "It's about time he broke; I just hate seeing him like this, a shell of a good man." Collins continues as he pours the hot water into the mug to make Mark a cup of tea.

"Come on Mark, sit up." Collins said while shaking his friend. Mark hesitantly sat up so that Collins could sit next to him. He wrapped the blanket around him, pulled his knees up, and laid his head on top of his knees.

Collins hated seeing Mark like this. It tore him up inside, for he knew how much pain his friend had been holding on to over the last few years. Collins placed his hand on Mark's shoulder and rubbed his back. "Its okay, Mark. He'll come back."
With the comforting motion of Collins' hand, Mark completely looses it. He ends up laying his head in Collins' lap and sobbing again.