Disclaimer: I don't own RENT, Johnathan Larson does (may he rest in peace).
It seemed strange to him. He'd never felt this way, at least, not since Maureen. And now to feel this towards her? It confused him. After all hadn't they started off as enemies? Hadn't they fought over this very feeling many times before? Hadn't that brought them closer? Still it confused him. Yet, there it was. Clear as day. And even though it seemed very strange to him, he knew what he had to do. He had to tell her.
"Hello?" her voice spoke out over the phone. Just that one word made his heart skip a beat. "Um, hi. It's Mark. Meet me at the cemetery in five minutes? I need to tell you something." He stuttered. He thought the cemetery would be the best place for them to meet. At least then he would have Angel's moral support. "Sure Mark. I'll see you soon." She spoke softly and then he heard her hang up. He grabbed his scarf and headed off for the cemetery.
He saw her standing by Angel's grave. Her curls were swaying lightly in the breeze and it made him shiver. Then she turned around and he saw her eyes. Oh her eyes. Her beautiful brown eyes that captivated him. He began to walk towards her, getting more nervous with every step. He stopped when he was standing right in front of her. "Hi Mark. So, what did you want to tell me? You seemed rather nervous on the phone." She asked him, concerned. "Uh, well. How can I put this? I, no. You…" he stopped. "Mark are you.." "I love you!" Mark cut her off. "What?" she asked confused. "Joanne, I'm in love with you." He repeated more slowly. "You…. You love me? But Mark, I'm with Maureen. You know that." She replied. "I know. I just thought I'd tell you, just so you know." he sighed. Joanne just nodded and Mark turned to leave. This hurt more then he thought it would. He really needed a drink.
She put him out like the burning end of a midnight cigarette.She broke his heart. He spent his whole life trying to forget.
We watched him drink his pain away, a little at a time,
But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind.
Until the night.
It was one of those bad nights. One of those nights when Roger and Collins weren't there to stop him from drinking until he was sick. They were out with Mimi, Maureen and her. Even after all these months he still couldn't stop thinking about her. So on nights like this he let go of all his pain and drank. Still, ever since that day in the cemetery he hadn't had the courage to look her in the eyes. Oh those beautiful eyes. How he adored them and how they haunted him. He needed another drink. Or maybe..no. He had told himself he wasn't going to sink that low. But, this pain. It was too much to take. No one could stop him. Maybe that was just what he needed……
He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger.
And finally drank away her memory.
Life is short, but this time it was bigger,
Then the strength he had to get up off his knees.
We found him with his face down in the pillow,
With a note that said "I'll love her till I die"
And when we buried him beneath the willow,
The angels sang a whiskey lullaby.
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la,
La la la la la la la.
Her tears fell as she listened to Roger tell yet another story about Mark. It was almost her turn to speak. She just couldn't believe he had done this! Why would someone like him just die like that? Although it wasn't as if there weren't signs that he was going downhill. He drank a lot and she had hardly seen him since….that day at the cemetery. Wait. Could this all be because of her? Was this all her fault? "Joanne, didn't you want to say something?" Mimi asked pulling her out of her trance. She noticed that Roger had just walked back to his seat. Joanne stood up and walked towards Mark's grave. "Mark was one of my best friends. He was a great man and a great filmmaker. I don't have many funny stories to tell about him, but I do know I, as all of us, will miss him.". After saying this she turned to look at the picture of him that was sitting on top of his grave. "I'm sorry." She whispered. She thought she heard her name spoken among the crowd.
The rumors flew but nobody knew how much she blamed herself.
For years and years, she tried to hide the whiskey on her breath.
She finally drank her pain away, a little at a time,
But she never could get drunk enough to get him off her mind.
Until the night.
Maureen had gone out with Roger, Mimi and Collins. She was all alone in the house. Just her, her whiskey and his memory. Ever since his funeral she hadn't been able to take the guilt she felt. She had lately been feeling more and more responsible for his death. He had loved her and she had just pushed him away. She didn't love him back but she could've at least acknowledged his feelings. Now he was dead and it was all her fault. Tonight the guilt was especially horrible. She felt as if it was swallowing her whole and she couldn't take it anymore. She really couldn't take it.
She put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger.
And finally drank away his memory.
Life is short, but this time it was bigger,
Than the strength she had to get up off her knees.
We found her with her face down in the pillow,
Clinging to his picture for dear life.
We laid her next to him beneath the willow,
While the angels sang a whiskey lullaby.
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la,
La la la la la la la.
"We don't know why she did this to herself. We may never know. Although some people think it may have something to do with Mark's death a few months ago. We all know she took that pretty hard. But whatever the reason, we'll miss her." Roger spoke. Maureen was crying as they lowered Joanne's grave into the ground. There she would lay beside Mark. After all everyone believe the deaths were linked. Her grave reached the bottom and they began to fill the hole up. Maureen continued to cry.
La la la la la la laLa la la la la la la.
La la la la la la la,
La la la la la la la.
The End