Mark was scared. Terrified actually. His best friend, Roger Davis, was going through the scary process of withdrawal for his heroin addiction. After April's death, Mark had agreed to help him get clean. Collins was currently out running errands, and Mark had guaranteed that he could handle Roger himself. He had been dead wrong.

Roger was currently chasing Mark around the loft, set on getting his stash back that was tucked away into Mark's pocket. Mark, being smaller, and able to dodge the bigger man's attacks, had been safe so far. Roger was only getting more angry, his green eyes blazing in rage, and his threats becoming worse by the minute.

"Roger! snap out of it!" yelled Mark, moving out of his friend's path. Roger approached him slowly.

"I want my stash back. Now." Mark swallowed a lump in his throat, and with a shaky voice, he responded defiantly.

"O-over my d-dead body." A sickening grin spread across Roger's face, and Mark had to remind himself again that this wasn't really his roommate.

"If you insist…" he snarled, cornering the albino. Mark, in his panic, stepped out onto the fire escape, and closed the window behind him, holding it shut.

Roger slammed his fist against it, trying to force it open. Mark went pale, praying the musician wouldn't be able to get to him. Mark heard footsteps down below, and looked down, spotting Collins. He was so happy to see him, he could have cried.

Mark leaned over the fire escape. "Collins!" he called, and the anarchist looked up.

"Mark? what are you doing up there? wheres Roger?" Mark was about to answer, until he heard the slam of the window being opened. In his effort to call Collins, he had taken his hands off the glass, allowing Roger to force his way in. He felt a pair of strong arms wrap around his torso, and with a scream, he was dragged into the loft.

"Mark! i'm coming!" yelled Collins, using his key to open the bottom door.

Mark was thrown to the floor, and he landed with whimper of pain. Roger was soon on him, pinning him down, and landing repeated punches to the filmmakers face, and sledge hammer blows to his side. Mark screamed in pain as two of his ribs cracked. The vicious beating continued until the loft door slid open, and Collins ran over, dragging Roger off Mark.

Collins growled, holding Roger up with ease, and slamming him against the loft wall. Roger didn't like being the one pinned, and his feet were above the ground. Roger started to snarl and protest, but a stern glare from Collins soon silenced him. He could be intimidating in general, but when he was angry, it was enough to even make Roger shake.

"You're going back to your room until I help Mark. You aren't off the hook yet, big guy. We have some talking to do." he hissed, carrying him towards a door with a lock on it. The lock was on the outside of the door, so it kept Roger in. Roger started to kick and tried to attack Collins, who kept him in control easily. He set Roger down, and quickly slammed the door, locking it. The blonde's yells were heard as he tried to beat the door open, but to no avail.

"Mark! are you okay buddy?" he asked, quickly running to his side. Mark was curled in the fetal position, his face battered and bleeding from Roger's attack. He whined in agony, holding his side. Collins nodded sympathetically, helping him to his feet. "Don't worry… i'll take care of you…"

After about an hour of helping Mark, patching up his wounds, and cleaning him up, Collins sat him down at the table with some tea, and looked at him.

"Mark… we cant keep having this happen…." he began. Mark looked down. He knew what was coming.

"I'm not sending him away Collins… those people don't know him… he would be so scared.. i cant do that to him… I care about him too much!" Collins sighed.

"Mark, he could have killed you today if I didn't show up when I did! you cant handle him by yourself, and i'm not always gonna be here to save you!"

"I'm not sending him away. I promised him. Collins, I know where you're coming from, but please… just give him another chance.."

"Mark, he gets one more chance. If I find out he hurts you one more time… i'm taking him to get help whether you approve or not."

Mark took a sip of his tea. "Okay, deal. He gets one more chance then, he wont screw up."

Collins rose to his feet. "I better go talk to him. He hasn't yelled in an hour."

"That's because he's listening…" whispered Mark. Roger, with his ear pressed to the door, heard Mark's comment. He had snapped out of his rage, and realized what he had done to his friend. He fell back onto the floor, bringing his knees up to his chest, and burying his face in his arms. He said nothing as Collins slipped into his room.

"Roger…." he began.

"Don't say it. I heard…" Roger whispered, his eyes watering. Collins sat down beside him, rubbing circles into his back. "I don't wanna hurt him… I'm sorry…. I love him… I don't wanna go away… I want Marky…." a choked sob escaped him, and he began to cry,

"Come on Rog, it's gonna be okay… you need to control yourself. Mark only wants to help you. You could have really hurt him today, you know that?" Roger nodded. "You have one more chance. If Mark is hurt again, we're gonna have to send you away. Get some rest, if you need anything, i'm in my room."

Collins left Roger alone, locking his door so he wouldn't be able to sneak out. Mark lay on the couch, snoring softly.

About three weeks later, Mark's ribs, and wounds, were healed. Roger had been avoiding him, too afraid to speak to him, and when Mark had to watch him, he locked himself in his room, and fell asleep. Mark only wanted things to be normal between them, but Collins had told him it would take time.

"Collins, I don't know… what if he needs something?" asked Mark worriedly. Collins had been asking him to go out and film, take some time to himself, and to not worry about Roger for once.

"Mark, i'll be watching him, don't worry! go out, take your time, enjoy yourself!" He practically shoved Mark out the door, and made sure the man went to film. He then turned his attention back to Roger.

Mark let out a sigh of content, winding up his camera, and walking around, he got lost in his work. He was out filming for almost four hours. Sitting on a park bench, he watched the night slip by, and for the first time in weeks, he was relaxed. He soon made his way back to the loft. It was the middle of the night.

He climbed the steps of the apartment, and walked into the loft, sliding the door closed behind him. He looked over at the couch, Roger was crying, and Collins sat beside him, trying to calm him down. Mark set his camera down on the table, and walked over, standing in front of his best friend.

"Roger, whats the matter?" he asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. Roger looked up, sniffling. Mark raised an eyebrow. The rocker quickly reached out, pulling Mark into his lap, and hugging him tightly, nearing squeezing the air out of his lungs and crying into his shoulder.

"Marky, i'm sorry…. i'm sorry… why did you leave me? i'm sorry…" he whined. Mark wheezed, returning the hug as best he could, and trying to calm Roger down.

"I didn't leave Roger, I just needed to film for awhile…" whispered Mark. Roger said nothing, only held him tighter, refusing to let go. Collins spoke up.

"He went through one of his mood swings… he went from being pissed, to being upset… and obviously clingy." he chuckled as Mark tried to get out of Roger's grip, but was only held tighter.

Mark sighed. "Yeah… I can tell…" he patted Roger on the back gently, the bigger blonde closing his eyes and smiling. "He reminds me of a grizzly bear sometimes." murmured Mark, running his fingers through Roger's hair, and petting him. Roger grumbled with content, and kissed Mark's neck. A deep red spread across Mark's face.

"Ive never seen him so sweet before." commented Collins, smiling at Mark's blush. Mark nodded in agreement.

"Id rather be snuggled than nearly beat to death…" he replied, and at his comment, Roger held him tighter, rubbing his side silently, as if saying "I'm sorry for that."

Mark smiled. "It's okay Roger… I know you didn't mean it." Mark couldn't help but smile during this. He hadn't seen Roger this sweet, ever. Roger kissed his cheek.

Roger's withdrawal wasn't going to be easy, but Mark knew his friend well. As long as he was with him through it all, everything would be okay.