Disclaimer - I own nothing of RENT or the songs Two Brothers & Tentin' Tonight. Both belong to their respected owners. 'Nuff said.
Italics are thoughts, flashbacks and song lyrics.
A/N: I was at choir on Thursday night and we sang this song and that's where I got this story idea.
A/N 2: Some of the names have changed, due to the time period. Mimi - Mary. Maureen - Martha. Angel - Abigail. Joanne - Johanna. The rest of the names are the same.
A/N 3: Since Maureen (aka Martha) and Joanne (aka Johanna) can't be together, I had them be mother (Maureen) and daughter (Joanne). I hope that that'll clear things up as you guys read (or don't read) this story.
Summary: AU: Roger, Collins, Benny and Mark are fighting in the Civil War and they form a bond with each other. Two-shot. All parings mentioned.
Rating: T
Genre: General/Family
CHAPTER ONE
(chapter title - Two Brothers)
We must become the change we wish to see in the world
- Mahatma Gandhi
Roger Davis and Mark Cohen laughed as they sat down on a couple of tree stumps with their supper. It was the first time the two of them had laughed all day. They had been fighting in the Civil War - so much blood, friends dying and loud noises. The two of them had lost so many friends on the battlefield, so it was good to let out a couple of laughs.
"Hey Mark, I was wonderin' if you wanted to hear a song I wrote about friendship." Roger asked, lighting a cigarette. He offered one to Mark, but he shook his head as Roger got out his fiddle.
"Sure. I would love to." Mark told him, taking a bite of his cornbread. Roger took a final drag on his cigarette, put it out and made himself comfortable on the tree stump.
"Two brothers on their way, one wore blue and one wore gray. Two brothers on their way, one wore blue and one wore gray. One wore blue and one wore gray as they marched along their way. The fife and drum began to play, all on a beautiful mornin'." Roger sang softy. As he sang, other soldiers walked over and sat down around the two men.
"One was gentle one was kind. One was gentle one was kind. One was gentle one was kind. One came home, one stayed behind." Roger continued singing. The sun had set, so it was hard to see Roger in his blue uniform, continuing to play his fiddle. Mark got out his harmonica and joined in.
"One wore blue and one wore gray as they marched along their way. The fife and drum began to play, all on a beautiful mornin'." Roger continued after Mark finished his harmonica solo. The soldiers applauded when Roger finished his song and put his fiddle away. The group headed to their tents, saying goodnight to each other as they went their separate ways. Mark and Roger's tents were next to each other, so they were happy about that.
The next morning, the troops headed to the Grub Tent and gobbled down their breakfasts - some of the soldiers would be eating their last meal.
After breakfast, Roger headed back to his tent and wrote a letter to his wife, Mary. She and Roger had two children together - Jonathon and Lara, but Jonathon had died when he caught the mumps. He was only six-years-old. Mary was expecting a baby in the spring of next year.
After Roger finished his letter, Mark entered the tent, a serious look on his face.
"What's wrong?" Roger asked his friend.
"We're moving out. Sergeant Michaels' orders." Mark answered. Together, the men packed up Roger's tent and belongings before packing up Mark's things. They then mounted their horses - Roger's a pure dark bay Quarter Horse gelding named King. Mark's was a pure black Quarter Horse mare named Liberty. The two of them heeled their horses into a gallop and followed everyone out of the campground.
It was dark by the time that the remaining soldiers made camp. The South had ambushed them. Mark, sadly, had been killed in the ambush. Roger let out a loud sob as he laid in his hammock that night.
The next morning, Roger had breakfast with two black men that had joined The Union. Their names were Thomas Collins and Benjamin Coffin. Benjamin hated being called by his full name, so he was called Benny. The three of them instantly bonded and fought side-by-side in the war.
Roger sat in his tent, his pen to a blank piece of paper. He was thinking about what to write when there was a loud explosion and a loud neigh. He ran out of his tent and saw fire everywhere.
Walking though the camp, he saw smoke coming from the paddock where the horses were kept. He spotted Thomas' bay gelding, Star, and Benny's gray gelding, Smoke, tied to the stake where all the horses were kept. Fire was everywhere around them, making the horses uneasy. Roger soothed them and led them away from the area, when he noticed that King - his horse - was nowhere to be seen.
"Roger!" Thomas called from somewhere to Roger's left. Craning his head over his shoulder, he saw Thomas walking towards him with King, who was limping. The bottom of Roger's stomach dropped when he saw his injured horse.
"What happened?" Roger asked, handing Thomas Star and Smoke while he took King's lead rope. The gelding threw up his head and refused to put any weight on his right front leg.
"Some son-of-a-bitch threw a grenade at our campground, spooking the horses. King got loose, along with Liberty. King threw his shoe and injured his foot, so I don't know if he's gonna be able to use it again." Thomas explained. Roger rested his head on King's neck, crying into his horse's warmness. King had been his companion for many years and he hated seeing his horse hurt.
"What about Liberty?" Roger asked. There was some rustling, so Roger got his gun ready, just in case it was an enemy.
"Put your gun away! It's Benny." The person told Roger. Roger still kept his gun out, just in case. Benny entered the campground, leading Liberty. The black mare looked unharmed, but scared. The three of them decided to tack up their horses and go for a ride. Since King was hurt, Roger decided to ride Liberty. Roger wrapped a leg wrap around King's leg and tied him to the stake near the Grub Tent. He then joined Benny and Thomas for a short ride.
"I think I'm gonna put King down - I don't want to see him suffer." Roger told his friends. They nodded and supported Roger's idea.
When the men returned, Roger dismounted Liberty and untacked her while Benny and Thomas took care of Smoke and Star. After Roger was finished with Liberty, he walked over to where King was standing and took the leather lead rope in his hands. He had Thomas hold King while Roger put the horse out of his misery. His hands were shaking as he pointed the gun between the horse's eyes.
"I can't do it." Roger announced. Benny walked over to him and took the gun out of Roger's hands. King snorted nervously as Roger walked over to him and patted his shoulder. He had owned King since the horse was a yearling - he was now six-years-old. Tears started rolling down Roger's face as he looked into his horse's kind eyes. King nickered quietly and nudged Roger's shoulder as if he was saying, 'hey. It's going to be all right - you'll see.'
"Have you said your goodbyes?" Benny asked. Roger nodded and walked to his tent. He heard a gunshot and a horse whinny in pain. He knew that King was gone and he was never coming back.
After the three men buried King, they headed to their tents to do their separate things - Roger wrote another letter, while Thomas and Benny played a card game. All of them were in Roger's tent.
"What's your family like?" Thomas asked Roger.
"I'm happily married to a beautiful woman named Mary and we have a daughter, Lara. Mary is also expecting a baby in the spring. I used to have a son named Jonathon, but he died when he caught the mumps at six years of age." Roger answered.
"I'm also married." Thomas spoke up after a moment's silence.
"What's she like?" Benny wanted to know as he drew a new card from the deck and placed it in his hand.
"Her name is Abigail - Abby for short. We have two sons - James and John - they're six and four. Abby is also expecting in the spring." Thomas answered.
"What about you, Benny? Are you married?" Roger asked, grinning as he lit a cigarette. Benny was quiet when it came to family, so Roger and Thomas enjoyed teasing him.
"Yes, I'm married. Have been for three years. Her name is Alison and she's like an angel sent from heaven. We have a son - Daniel, who's going to be two soon. Alison is also expecting in the spring." Benny told the others. The three of them chatted by lantern light. Sergeant Michaels came in and told them lanterns out - they were to be fighting in the war the next day.
"What about your friend that was killed? What was his family like?" Thomas asked. He, Benny and Roger were straightening out Roger's tent before Thomas and Benny left to go to their own tents.
"He was married, too, to a woman named Martha. They also have a daughter named Johanna and a son named Paul." Roger told him. Thomas smiled and hugged his friend before heading to his tent, Benny right behind him.
Roger changed into his pajamas and fell asleep, thinking about his family and how much he missed them.
Deciding he couldn't sleep, Roger got out of bed and wrote a letter to his family, letting them know how much he missed them and how he couldn't wait to come home.
