AN: One-shot, and one-shot only! Otherwise, eight months pre-Rent.

Also this is kinda confusing because I switch perspectives a lot. So to keep track beforehand it goes Roger & April, then to Collins, then Mark & Maureen, then Mimi, then Benny, then back to Collins, and then to Angel & Mimi, and we end with Angel. Got it? Good.

Billy, he's down by the railroad tracks,

sittin' low in the back seat of his Cadillac,
Diamond Jackie, she's so intact,

she falls so softly beneath him,

Roger pulled the needle out from his arm. April watched him, eyes open wide. They've done this dozens of times, but the first thrill always felt good.

"So much better," he mumbled, and then held out the syringe to her. "Your turn."

She hesitated before taking it and pierced her arm. The adrenaline rushed through her body. "Oh my fuckin' God."

Jackie's heels are stacked,

Billy's got cleats on his boots,
Together they're gonna boogaloo down Broadway

and come back home with the loot,
It's midnight in Manhattan, this is no time to get cute,

it's a mad dog's promenade,
So walk tall, or baby don't walk at all.

Collins opened the door to find the two, and just shook his head. "I'll stick with weed, thanks very much." He threw his bag across the room, scattering papers. "I'm going over to the Life, if you need to know." He shut the door behind him, doubting that Roger heard him. Mark had better watch out for him. There's only some much he could do in Massachusetts.


Fish lady, fish lady, fish lady

she baits them tenement walls,
She won't take cornerboys,

ain't got no money, and they're so easy,

"Got the chains, Pookie?" Mark sighed and held them up. "Great," Maureen said, "now, tomorrow, you can post these fliers up all right?"

"I thought you were going to post them up on the way to your audition."

"I want to get there as early as possible." She grinned at him.

I said, "Hey baby won't you take my hand,

walk me down Broadway,
I'm a young man and I talk real loud,

yeah, baby walk real proud for you.

Mark pushed the 'Record' button. "April 20, 10:44 A.M: Yet another Grey Communications protest rehearsal."

Maureen pouted at him. "Where's your spirit, Pookie? Held captive by corporate monsters?"

So shake it away, so shake away your street life,

shake away your city life,
And hook up to the train,

hook up to the night train,

hook it up hook up to the, hook up to the train,

She handed over a few twenty, sweaty from just getting off stage. "Thanks, Cutie Pie. Pleasure to do business." The Man grinned at her, brown stains gleaming at her.

Mimi stuffed the stash in her coat pocket. "Thanks a bunch." At least now she could go home, face the number of messages from her mother, the ones about where she disgraced the family.

Yeah. Whatever.

But I know that she won't take the train,

no she won't take the train,
No she won't take the train,

no she won't take the train

She had Dominic though. After he got out the withdrawal. Or when she brought home the smack. Or this month's rent. Or whenever they had sex.

Anytime she made him happy.

She's afraid them tracks are gonna slow her down,
And when she turns this boy'll be gone
So long, sometimes you just gotta walk on.

Benny walked out of the apartment complex, and stroked the little felt box in his pocket. Alison Grey. The soon-to-be Mrs. Benjamin Coffin the Third. That is if she accepted, and then he would be able to get CyberArts on the ground. If old Dad could see him now.

Then again, the man walked out years ago. He probably didn't give a shit about Benny's production dreams.


Hey vibes man, hey jazz man

play me your serenade
Any deeper blue

and you're playin' in your grave

He noticed an old man with a bundle of roses. "Hey, you." The man looked up at him. "How much?"

Benny left the flowers with the doorman, with strict instructions to have them delivered to the Grey apartment right away.

Save your notes,

don't spend 'em on the blues boy,
Save your notes,

don't spend 'em on the darlin' yearlin' sharp boy,

Collins walked down Avenue A, pausing for a second. Were those drums? Sounded more like a plastic barrel. He kept walking on, past the drummer and their friend.

"You see him, Meems chica?"

She nodded. "Yeah, lives in my building."

Angel fixed his wig. "Set me up with him, and I'll take you shopping."

Mimi smiled a little. "Thanks, but I can barely pay rent alone from work."

"Honey, who said anything about you paying? Consider it a gift."

"I'll think about it." She checked her watch. "I gotta go. Dom's waiting for me."

Straight for the church note ringin',

vibes man sting a trash can
Listen to your junk man,

listen to your junk man,
Listen to your junk man,

listen to your junk man,

Angel watched her walk down the street. "That girl has more troubles than the whole world."

He picked up his sticks and started playing again. That man will be his.

"Today for you, tomorrow for me," he whispered.

He's singin', singin', singin', singin'.
All dressed up in satin, walkin' past the alley.
Watch out for you junk man, watch out for your junk man,
Watch out for your junk man.

PS: REVIEW! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!