Disclaimer – I own nothing of RENT. Everything belongs to the wonderful Jonathon Larson (RIP). I can say I own my original characters – aka the kids. Most of the kids – Sara, Jenniferand Tiffany (to name a few), are based on me and my friends.
Italics are songs, memories, flashbacks and thoughts
A/N: after finishing No Day But Today and Another Day, I decided to write another kids fic, so I hope you enjoy. Don't worry, I will update The New Bohemian and RENT: Take Two.
Summary: AU: Meet the new RENT kids!
Genre: Drama/Romance
Rating: T
There's Only Now, There's Only Here
By TangoAida
CHAPTER ONE
(chapter title – Introductions)
Kids:
Sara Elizabeth Davis (11) – Roger and Mimi's daughter. Looks like Mimi, but has Roger's green eyes and pale skin. Plays the guitar and rides horses. She was born with HIV
Jennifer Anne Cohen (12) – Mark's daughter. Has long blond hair and blue eyes. Sara's best friend. Films and loves to swim.
Christopher Jacob Collins (14) – Collins' son. Has dark hair, dark eyes and a dark complexion. Is learning about philosophy from Collins.
Tiffany Dawn Johnson-Jefferson (14) – Joanne and Maureen's adopted daughter. Has fiery red hair and hazel eyes. Loves to swim and cause trouble.
Hannah Michelle Coffin (15) – Benny and Allison's daughter. Has Allison's pale complexion and brown hair with Benny's dark eyes. Loves to go out on her own and takes horseback riding lessons with Sara.
-----------
"June 14, 2006, 9 AM Eastern Standard Time. Zoom in on my best friend, Sara competing in her first horseback riding competition of the summer." Jennifer narrated into her dad's camera. Her family – Roger, Mark, Collins, Joanne, Maureen, Tiffany and Christopher were seated in the stands at the New York Fairgrounds watching Sara and her horse, Tidbit, go over the jumps in the Baby Green jumping class. Sara had started riding Tidbit last year and the two were inseparable. Sara cleared the last jump and trotted Tidbit out of the arena and to where her family was.
"Hi daddy!" she greeted Roger as she dismounted Tidbit. Tidbit nudged Roger – looking for a treat.
"You two were awesome!" Roger told her as he fed Tidbit a carrot from his pocket. The chestnut mare ate the carrot greedily.
"She really is a nice horse." Mark said, patting Tidbit's shoulder.
"Thank you uncle Mark!" Sara thanked him, taking Tidbit's reins and waited for the results. She had come in third in the competition. Handing Tidbit's reins to Roger, she went to collect her ribbon.
"Nice job, Davis." Hannah Coffin said as she collected her first place ribbon. Her dad, Benny, was holding her horse, Dustin's reins.
"Thanks." Sara, being the youngest of the family, didn't quite get why Hannah was so mean to her.
"Better luck next year, I guess." With that, Hannah flung her long brown hair over her shoulder and walked over to where her parents were standing. Sara sighed and walked back to where her family was gathered around Tidbit.
"If you guys don't mind, I would like to walk Tidbit back to her stall alone." Sara told the group, taking Tidbit's reins from her dad.
"Are you sure, sweetie?" Roger asked, putting a hand on Sara's shoulder. She looked up into his kind green eyes and nodded.
"Okay. If you change your mind, let me know." Roger kissed her cheek and watched her walk off with Tidbit.
"Poor Sara. She's not used to losing these kinds of things, is she?" Collins asked. Roger sighed and shook his head.
"It's only the first day of competition. Maybe she'll do better." Tiffany and Jennifer said together. Maureen and Mark looked at their daughters and smiled.
"Maybe, sweetheart. Hey, why don't you kids go see how Sara's doing – we'll be right there." Joanne told the kids. Together, Tiffany, Jennifer and Christopher raced each other up to the stables – Mark, Joanne, Maureen and Roger walking behind them.
"Sara's doing wonderfully, Rog. You should be happy for her." Mark told him, smiling. Roger smiled back at his best friend.
"You don't even know she has CP while she's riding." Maureen pointed out, taking Joanne's hand. Joanne smiled and squeezed Maureen's hand.
"Thanks, Maureen." Roger suddenly got tears in his eyes. The adults stopped walking and turned to him.
"You okay, Rog?" Collins asked, looking at him. Roger nodded, but the tears kept coming.
"I just realized something – I might die before Sara graduates high school." Roger told them.
"Oh, Rog! Don't talk about that! I'm sure Sara wouldn't want to see you sad." Joanne said, pulling Roger into a hug. Roger brushed the tears out of his eyes and hugged Joanne back.
"Let's go see what our troublemakers are up to." Maureen announced as they started walking again.
"Okay." Roger smiled and walked towards the large brown barn where Sara's 4-H club East Mission 4-H club, was set up. He spotted Sara, Jennifer, Tiffany and Christopher brushing Tidbit in the aisle.
"Hey daddy!" Sara greeted him. She was standing on a step-ladder, unbraiding Tidbit's mane. Jennifer was using a soft cloth on Tidbit's blaze to keep it nice and smooth. Tiffany was unbraiding Tidbit's tail while Christopher walked around and brushed Tidbit's body. The four of them were quite a team.
"She's looking good, sweetie." Roger told her, smiling.
"Thanks daddy." Sara said, getting down from the step-ladder and ran to Roger and hugged him. He hugged her back, and kissed her forehead.
"Are you done with the competition today?" Roger asked, getting down to Sara's level. She smiled and nodded.
"That's great, sweetie. Finish up with Tidbit and then we can go home, okay?" Roger told her.
"Okay daddy." Sara kissed his cheek and went back to her friends.
"How's she doing?" Melanie, Sara's riding instructor asked.
"She's fine. Just about done with Tidbit." Roger answered, not taking his eyes off of Sara.
"She doesn't have barn duty today, but she does in the morning. Can you guys get here at six?" Melanie asked.
"Yeah. I'll get her here then." Roger told her, not looking away from Sara and her friends.
"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, tell Sara not to put Tidbit away – she needs to go to the chiropractor." Melanie told Roger, walking inside the barn and to the changing stall to relax.
"I'm ready daddy!" Sara came out of the barn twenty minutes later.
"That's great honey. Did you put Tidbit away?"
"No. Melanie wants her to go to the chiropractor."
"Do you need to do anything else before we go?" Roger asked. Sara shook her head and smiled at Roger.
"Did you take your AZT today?" Roger inquired. Sara nodded and held up a bottle of child-sized AZT.
"Good, honey. I'm so proud of you. You and Tidbit make such a great team." Roger told her, putting an arm around her shoulders and leading her to the car.
"Melanie says that this is Tidbit's last year in the competition." Sara said, her tone sad.
"Aw. Why, honey?" Roger asked, unlocking the car.
"She-she has cancer." Sara's eyes welled up with tears as she climbed into the passenger seat. Roger stroked her hair and held her close to him. He knew how special Tidbit was to Sara. He had had a similar relationship to his horse, Mikko, back on his uncle's ranch in California. His uncle ended up putting Mikko down on Roger's twentieth birthday. He had said that Mikko was just too old and couldn't make it much longer.
"I'm sure Melanie will have another horse for you next year – what about Zorro, Lucky, Charm or Buddy?" Roger asked, mentioning some of Sara's past riding horses. She shook her head and continued to cry.
"Oh, peanut. It's gonna be okay – you'll see." Roger told her, starting the car and driving out of the competition field. He turned on the radio to his favorite station. The song, Your Eyes, was playing. He had told Sara everything about her mom, Mimi, and his life in bohemia. He had also told her about Angel.
"…I should tell you, I should tell you
have always loved you."
