A/N: I do not own RENT. I wish I did. These chapters will be shorter, but anyway, you'll understand the story completely once you get to the 3rd chapter.
Maureen leaned over her book, her brown curls shielding her face from Joanne's view. She was still as beautiful as Joanne remembered, maybe more so. She squinted as if unsure whether or not she had read correctly.
"Maureen," Joanne tried. Maureen whipped her head up, a brief smile flashing across her face. Her eyes dulled when she realized it was Joanne. She turned back to the book. "Maureen, I-"
"Lauren!" called Maureen. Her voice was still loud and clear, but something had changed. A blonde skipped over to them. She reminded Joanne of Maureen before they broke up. Lauren kissed Maureen's nose and hugged her.
"Hey, Honeybear." Joanne winced. Only she was allowed to call Maureen that - not Lauren! She reminded herself that she wasn't with Maureen anymore and regained her composure.
"Hey, Pookie," responded Maureen, smiling. This caused another flinch from Joanne. "Let's go home."
"One second, sweetie." Lauren frowned for a minute, looking like a lost puppy. "Who's that, baby?" She pointed at Joanne.
"No one," muttered Maureen. "Not anymore."
"What's that?"
"I'm Joanne Jefferson; I own Jefferson and Jefferson." Seeing the smaller girls confusion, Joanne added, "I'm a lawyer."
"Ohhhhh!" Lauren said, her perky face lighting up. "Wow, you must be loaded."
"Laur, let's go!" Maureen begged, grabbing the wheels of her wheelchair and trying to roll herself forward. The book dropped off of her lap. She swore, reaching desperately for the book.
"I'm Lauren Johnson."
"Not if you don't get me out of here!" wailed Maureen, finally snatching the book, accidentally flashing Joanne the cover : Musical Scripts for the Wannabe Actress.
"Lauren J-Johnson?" Joanne asked, her voice cracking.
"Yeah," Lauren grinned. "Pookie and me just got married after the... accident." She looked down at Maureen, who was thrashing, trying to fling herself away. "Sorry, Joanne, I gotta go. Mo, come on, baby, calm down, we're going home. Bye, Joanne."
"Bye, Lauren. Nice to meet you."
"Yeah, you too, Joanne. See you around!" Lauren wheeled Maureen away.
I hope you liked it!