I'm back. Hi. Sorry it took so long. I have been really busy andI just got back from Memorial Day Break. I onlu update at school, so yea.

Also, my high school put on Leader of the Pack: Ellie Greenwich Musical. It was really good. i was in it. And I just found out we were nominated for 10 awards by the Helen Hayes Theater Company! For everyone who doesn't knwo much about theater, that is a big accomplishment. So congratulations to the entire cast.

So I really hope you continue to read and review. And enjoy the sequel!

Can We Start Over?

Roger sat on the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room of the ER. Mark sat next to him. Maya had gone to look for a cafeteria with Collins. Maureen sat next to Mark, holding his hand.

Roger stood up for the tenth time and began pacing. Maureen watched him with sad amusement. Mark continued to stare at the floor.

"Mr. Davis?" said a voice. They all turned and stared at an old man in a white doctor coat.

"Is she alright?" Roger said, practically knocking the man over.

"Your wife is in stable condition and conscious," he said. Roger was about to correct him and say, "my girlfriend," when the doctor continued speaking. "You can see her now."

Without another word, he followed the doctor down a long row of hallways. Once they stepped into the room, all he heard were monitors beeping all around him.

Mimi was lying on the bed. She had many wires coming out of her arms. Her hair was sprawled out around her and she was deathly pale.

Roger sat down on a chair that was set up by the side of the bed. It made a loud squeaking noise, which caused Mimi to open her eyes.

"Rog," she whispered.

"Oh Meems," he cried. "I thought I lost you. How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she said. "What happened?"

"You collapsed on the bathroom floor," he said.

"I had a dream. About death," she whispered.

"You aren't going to die," he said sadly.

"I wasn't the one that was dead," she said. "You were. And I thought to myself. How am I going to handle this? I cannot go on without Roger. So I willed myself not to fight anymore, because I wanted to die first, but than I remembered your song and a voice said to me, 'let him play for you once more before you go.' Then, I woke up."

"You died again?" Roger asked shocked.

"No," she sighed. "I was just dreaming."

"Angel," he said. "It was her voice wasn't it?"

"I think," she said.

"Mimi, I don't ever want you to go first. At this point I don't think any disease can kill you."

Mimi smiled and looked at him, "eventually it will happen, just not today."

"Good," he leaned down and kissed her. "I would be so lost without you."

"What are you looking at," she said. Roger's eyes had glazed over and he was staring at Mimi.

"Your eyes... I thought I would never see them again."

Mimi lifted her hand and touched his cheek. "I am here. Don't worry. I am not leaving anytime soon."

Mark and Maureen entered the room, slowly.

"Mimi," Maureen shrieked. Roger took a step back and let Maureen get by him. That was the first time he had just stepped back and let someone else enjoy her friendship. He smiled internally.

"Mr. Davis," the doctor said. "A word?"

Roger followed the doctor outside and stood near him. He was eye level with the man, but he still felt intimidated. He sighed, he hated doctors.

"Miss Marquez's blood was filled with a poison called Botulinum Toxin. It is a deadly poison and we are not sure how it got there."

"Are you blaming me?" he asked furiously.

"Well," he said. "We need to know her alibi and what she ate."

"I think she went to the Life Café this afternoon, but other than that, all she takes is her AZT."

"We checked her stomach and the last dose of AZT was around 11 last night."

"Son of a-" Roger was cut of by the doctor's large hand on his shoulder.

"Is there any other form of medication in the house?" he asked.

"Mine," Roger mumbled. "I just recently got it and haven't used it yet." He pulled the bottle out of his pocket and gave it to the doctor.

"Who prescribed this to you?" he said suddenly, reading the bottle.

"You guys," Roger said feeling confused. "I got a call about two days ago, I believe. I came here and a doctor gave it to me."

"We do not hand out medication here," the doctor said, flipping through his clipboard. "We give slips of paper and then you pick it up at the pharmacy. You aren't on record to get another bottle for a while, I believe. Who saw you in?"

Roger pointed to the young girl behind the counter. The doctor briskly walked over and spoke sternly with the girl. She looked as if she was going to cry when the doctor came back.

"Look Doctor………." he looked down at the nameplate, "Hanlon, I don't understand. Are you saying I got the wrong prescription?"

"I am saying someone who isn't a doctor gave you the pills. They are poisonous pills that are meant for death over a long period of intakes. Perhaps someone in a hospital tampered with your prescription, because it is available in hospitals to help patients with nerve or muscle disorder. That is why she collapsed and lost body function. There was an awfully large amount of it in her body, more than any patient is supposed to take."

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Roger roared.

"Mimi took these pills. You said that you never opened them and yet the bottle is open. The poison contained in here is identical to the poison in her blood stream. Someone obviously got hold of a hospital supply and tampered with it."

"Is she go………going to……to……..di……..die?" Roger asked slowly.

"No," he said. "She only got a small supplement and if you had found her any later, than she would have probably been on her deathbed by now." Roger silently thanked the fact that he was horrible at taking pills, which led him to need water every time he had to take his AZT. He silently thanked the fact that the kitchen sink was not working. "Do you have any idea who gave you these pills?"

"Um…he said he was a doctor and he was about my height, maybe a little shorter. He had dirty brown hair and….." Roger trailed off trying to remember what he looked like.

"I will check the surveillance tapes for that day and get back to you," he said. "In the meantime, I suggest you get some rest. Your wife….she is your wife, right?"

"No," Roger said, feeling stupid. "Girlfriend."

"Forgive me," he said. "She was rambling on about marriage and a guy named Roger, I thought she might have been talking about you. Anyway, she will be in here for the next three days."

Roger went to go sit on the chair in the lobby, when Collins came running over.

"Where is she?" Collins asked frantically.

Roger pointed to the door that contained his girlfriend. He slowly closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. When he opened them, he saw Maya staring at him.

"Can I help you?" Roger asked, irritably.

"I just wanted to say thank you," she sighed. "For letting me come and everything."

"Well," he said. "You are Mimi are really close, so it made sense."

"Why are you out here?" she asked, sitting down next to him.

"Why are you?"

"I am making sure you are alright."

"I am just giving Mimi some space and being less overprotective," he said.

Maya laughed, which made Roger jump slightly. Her laugh sounded just like Mimi's. It made him want to laugh too. Her eyes twinkled like Mimi's did as well.

"What?" he said slowly.

"I am just surprised. You actually matured and listened to Mimi."

"Well Maya, I am a major procrastinator. I put everything on hold until something is at stake. I loved Mimi for a year and didn't tell her until she almost died. I don't listen to people, until the last possible moment. I am not mature, trust me."

"Yes you are," she laughed. "You could be a total jackass and give up on life."

"I am a jackass who gave up on life," he said staring at her.

"You're right. You are a jackass, but you didn't give up on life. You may not know it, but you have been fighting to the core. I bet you haven't even noticed that you have been getting deathly pale and very sick. You just keep telling yourself that you are a loser who gave up on life, but in reality you are using all your energy to stay alive. You are staying alive for Mimi and most importantly you are being strong for her. And I think deep, deep, deep, deep down you know this is true. You know that you are fighting for her." Maya stopped and stared at him.

"You know what Maya," he said. "That thought of a kid in the house scared me. My old girlfriend wanted a kid, but I said "no." This sent her into a state of depression. The thought of being responsible scared me."

"Is that why April killed herself? Cause you said no," Maya asked

"No. The thought of AIDS killed her. I loved her, but she took the shortcut in life with everything. She wanted to die her way and not anybody else's."

"Roger," Maya said, changing the subject. "Responsibility shouldn't scare you. You are responsible. Responsible for Mimi and it shows. She would definitely be lost without you."

Roger continued as if he didn't hear her. "The thought of being responsible scared me. I knew Collins would be your true father, but I knew since we were a family, a part of me would take responsibility for you. When I first heard about you though, a part me wanted to take you in and be a dad to you. Than, I thought of how that would turn out……….bad. So I pushed you and everything that had to do with you away. You know what, though, you are a great kid. And you are even starting to grow on me. I am sorry for being rude or giving you a harsh welcome. Can we start over?"

Maya smiled with a few tears in her eyes.

"Hi I am Maya," she said. "Tom's kid."

"Hi," Roger said seriously, trying to suppress a smile. "I am Roger. I am Tom's x-roommate. Welcome to the family. If you ever need anything, I am here. I just wanted to let you know that."

Maya laughed loudly and leaned over and hugged Roger.