Ok, so I decided to try a oneshot here. Not real sure how I like it, I hope you like it though. It's pretty much based on the idea that got in my head once I heard the song I use it the fic, So Beautiful by Idina Menzel. But the idea just wouldn't get out of my head, so I had to write it. I hope it doesn't seem to hurried/rushed. But anyway, hopefully you enjoy.
I don't own RENT or any of the characters or So Beautiful.
(Maureen's POV)
Slowly and cautiously I opened the door to the apartment. It was 3 am and I was just now getting home…Joanne was going to flip. All the way home I kept replaying our soon to be fight of where I was and who I was with. But I wasn't with anyone…well no one of romantic importance. I had recently gotten a few new gigs around the village and was just working on some new songs with Ken, he was my guitarist. Yeah I know, Maureen Johnson has a band, how cool. But anyway, I swear nothing has happened between us. I haven't ever cheated on Joanne…and even the flirting is very minimal these days.
As I walked into the apartment, I saw Joanne asleep on the couch. Just as I suspected, she was waiting up on me. She looked so peaceful and beautiful…that wouldn't be the case when she woke up realizing what time it was and that I was just getting in. Part of me didn't even want to wake her up, but I figured that might make matters worse, if she woke up realizing that I just snuck back in…might make me look slightly guilty.
"Joanne, baby," I whispered into her ear as I bent down lightly shaking her. She groaned turning over, burying her face into the pillow. "Baby, I'm home, wake up," I shook a little harder this time, my voice slightly louder.
"Huh," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
I straightened up realizing that she was now awake. "Hi," I smiled down at her. I was secretly hoping that this would make her a little less upset; my smile got me a lot when it came to Joanne.
"Where have you been?" she angrily asked, yet somehow her voice calm.
"I was working on some songs," I replied as she stood up beside me.
"You could have told me where you were at, or called or something you know. Or damn even answered your cell when I called you. Did you ever think I might worry about you?" she stormed off back to the bedroom. Ok so true I probably should have called, but I was on a roll, I was working on this new song I was really excited about and kind of lost track of time.
"My battery was dead," I replied, chasing her down the hall.
"I'm sure there was another phone nearby you could have used," she dryly stated as she climbed into bed.
"I'm sorry baby," I apologized climbing in bed beside her. I snuggled up against her; then felt her body tense as she was quickly sitting up in bed.
"Who were you with?" she matter-of-factly asked.
"What?" I was confused, where the hell was that coming from.
"The cologne, who's is it?"
I smelled my tank top realizing that you could easily smell men's cologne. "Oh it's just Ken's." I tried laughing off, laying back down.
"Just Ken's? What does that mean?"
"Come on baby, you know Ken means nothing." Maybe I should have mentioned that Joanne hates Ken. Until recently he was relentless on trying to hook up with me. I never gave in though. Joanne and I used to fight constantly about it. How I should fire him, get a new guitarist, but Ken was a very talent musician and he had connections around the city that I needed.
"Just Ken huh…you've been spending a lot of time alone with him lately," she was getting angry now, up off the bed heading out of the bedroom.
"Where are you going?" I sat up asking.
"I'm sleeping on the couch."
(Joanne's POV)
I woke up early the next morning. Had some early morning meetings and needed to get to the office early. Also, I didn't want to deal with Maureen and the earlier I was up and out of the apartment, the less likely it would be that she was awake. And I was right…she was completely out when I walked into our room grabbing some clothes to wear.
She has been so secretive lately about where she's beenand who shebeen with. And if I did get it out of her it always seemed she was with Ken…and usually with him until the early morning hours. She says nothing is happening between them, but it's hard to believe when she's being so secretive and still spending all this time with him.
Finally, I made it through what seemed like an endless amount of meetings all morning. I really needed to get out of the office for lunch. Maureen was suppose to be rehearsing with her band, meaning she was with Ken, so I decided to call Mimi and see if she wanted to meet up.
"Hey Joanne," Mimi cheerfully answered the phone, "what's up?"
"Just calling to see if you wanted to meet up for lunch?"
"Yeah sure sounds fun. See you in 10 at the usual?"
"See you soon," I smiled as I hung up the phone. Mimi and I had lately become famous lunch buddies. We have actually become very close, which at first surprised us both I think. But it works.
As I was walking down the street to meet Mimi, I noticed a familiar figure running into a local bar…it was Maureen. With a particularly familiar male figure following her in…Ken. Typically I would completely trust Maureen, but she was with Ken, so I had to be nosy. I crossed the street so that I could walk by the bar. As I walked by, I began scanning the bar through the windows, spotting my girlfriend looking rather friendly with Ken. Both of them laughing and touching each other. Then I saw her pull out a sheet of paper, writing some things down and handing it to Ken. She smiled, hugged him, quickly kissed him, and was coming towards the door. Shit…I think she saw me.
"Joanne," I hear her voice questioningly asking as I was trying to hurry away from the bar. "Joanne," I heard her scream, slightly louder and closer this time.
I felt her grab hold of my shoulder spinning me around, staring me straight into my eyes. I know I looked completely guilty.
"What are you doing here? You spying on me?" she sounded completely offended.
"Should I be?"
"No," she irritably replied. "Why would you?"
And then the fighting started. I didn't want it to, but it did. We had a crowd by the time the fight ended. It was the basic fight over Ken as usual. But this time it ended quite differently.
"I can't take it anymore Maureen, either tell me what the hell is going on….or….get out!"
"You don't mean that Joanne," she had become quieter, seemed almost scared that I was being serious.
"I'm serious Maureen." I dead stared into her eyes; searching for some hope that she'd tell me and not decide to take the other option. But of course before she could answer someone was beside her, his arm on her shoulder.
"Maureen, everything ok?" Ken asked her. Neither of us said anything…and the moment that her eyes left mine without responding I knew what my answer was…I was out of there.
"Joanne, wait," Maureen screamed after me as I crossed the street. She didn't chase after me though.
(Maureen's POV)
So yesterday was the big fight. I tried going home, Joanne wasn't there. I tried calling her cell phone, she wasn't answering it. I couldn't find her anywhere. Finally though this morning Mimi called me wanting to know what in the hell happened. Joanne had went to Mimi's last night and was staying there. I told Mimi the whole story, but with Mimi I did tell her why I was spending so much time with Ken lately. Mimi warned me to tell Joanne because she had the story way overblown and she thought that I was cheating on her with Ken and if I didn't tell Joanne soon what was actually happening I'd lose her for good. But I didn't want to. Not that I wanted to loose Joanne, that's not it at all…but the reason I was spending so much time with Ken was for a surprise I was working on for Joanne, and I didn't want to ruin it seeing how Joanne would found out about it tonight.
"Mimi just make sure you bring Joanne with you tonight?" I begged.
"I'll try, but she's pretty pissed off."
"Just please don't tell her what I just told you…just bring her."
(Maureen's POV)
That night I was standing on stage ready to start my concert, scanning the audience for my friends, only to find Mark, Roger, and Collins sitting at a nearby table. When I made eye contact with them, they all just shrugged looks of pity on their faces.
I started the concert, hoping that Joanne would show up sometime soon.
With only a few songs left, I spotted Joanne and Mimi walking in the door, finding seats in the back of the bar. I smiled at Joanne, only for her to turn to Mimi saying something of course I couldn't tell what and standing up. Mimi grabbed her arm, pulling her back down. Thank goodness Joanne obliged sitting back down.
I finished up the songs on the playlist, sounding the best I had all night. Then once the audience quieted after the final song I announced that I had a final song that wasn't on the playlist that I would like to sing. See my secret meetings with Ken was about writing music to a song I had wrote…for Joanne.
Staring right at Joanne, I began introducing the song, "See I wrote this song for a the most amazing person in my life…my girlfriend. Well she was my girlfriend when I wrote it. We have broke up, I think. But she's so amazing that she showed up tonight anyway and I want her to hear this song. I want her to know that I love her and feel like the luckiest person in the world when she smiles at me, touches me, kisses me, hugs me, well just anytime I even see her." I was starting to cry so I figured I should probably start the song before I couldn't even start. "So here it is, I hope you like it." I shyly smiled, "I love you Joanne."
Sometimes I watch you when you're sleeping
I see you're having dreams tonight
And I know just by the way you're breathing.
That I'm a vision in your mind
Wherever you may go my love,
Wherever you may be.
And all that matters in this world
Is just lying next to me
So sleep tight sweetheart, you're free
So beautiful, you make me smile
So wonderful, you're in my life
Incredible, that you are mine.
So beautiful, you give me life
You bring me joy you bring me sight
I watch the way you love your family
And how everyone looks to you
And I don't want to be here standing
If you didn't hold me, Baby hold me up like you do
Wherever I may go, my love
Wherever I may be
I know my dreams will find you
Just lying next to me
So sleep tight sweetheart, you're free
So beautiful, you make me smile
So wonderful, you're in my life
Incredible, that you are mine.
So beautiful, you give me life
You bring me joy you bring me sight
You help me see
The woman that I know I am,
But always was afraid to be
You show me how live every moment like it's the last
And be all that I am
(You're so beautiful)
So beautiful, you make me smile
So wonderful, you're in my life
Incredible, that you are mine.
So beautiful, you give me life
You bring me joy you bring me sight
You're so, so, so beautiful
Baby
By the time I finished the song Joanne had gotten up and walked off. I was literally crying as I finished the song. I couldn't even say anything. I just waved to the crowd and walked off stage. I was wiping the tears from my eyes and literally ran into someone.
"Oh sorry," I apologized without even looking up at the person.
"I'm sorry…" I heard the familiar voice respond. I looked up to see Joanne standing in front of, obviously she had been crying as well. "It was beautiful Maureen." She told me, cautiously moving closer to me. "I'm so sorry baby…it was just a stupid fight. I was just mad you weren't telling me what was going on."
"I know, I should have told you pookie, but I wanted it to be a surprise." She reached over, softly wiping some more tears from my cheeks that still hadn't stopped.
She stopped her hand on my jaw line, staring at me…as to almost ask me permission to move in closer to me. But she didn't need permission; I quickly had my arms around her waist pulling her body close to me, hungrily pressing my lips against hers. We stood there backstage, sharing one of the most passionate kisses we have ever shared; holding each other as close as possible.
After awhile she pulled her lips away from me.
"Come on baby, let's go home." She gave me one of those devilish smiles of hers, that was so irresistible.
"Only if we don't go to sleep once we get there," I replied, sliding my hands into her back pockets.
"Oh don't worry baby we aren't sleeping at all tonight."
Ok so what did you think? Hopefully it was ok and you enjoyed. Please review. Thanks for reading.