Disclaimer: I don't own, I REEENNNTTT!

"Hello?"

"She won't stop crying." Immediately Maureen knew that Mark was panicked.

"Mark?"

"I tried everything and I can't get her to stop."

"Julie?"

"No, the dog. YES, Julie. I tried changing her, feeding her, she won't sleep, she won't eat, and she won't stop crying!"

"Where's Charlotte?" There was a pause…. That can't be good.

"Out. Do you hear this?" Mark rushed over 'out' quickly and changed subjects.

"Look, I'll be over in a second, okay?"

The line went dead.

Ten minutes later and Maureen was bounding up the staircase, knocking on Mark's apartment door. She could hear Mark's infant daughter crying from the bottom of the stairwell.

Mark came to the door and looked horrible. His face was red and there were dark circles under his eyes, his shirt and tie were a mess and his glasses askew. His hair was sticking up everywhere and Maureen wondered if the baby had been tugging at it or Mark had in his own frustration. And then little Julie…

Her golden hair was matted on her head from sweat and Maureen bounded into the room before Mark could speak.

"She's not warm, I checked," Mark answered. "She's racing around the apartment like an Olympic sprinter, I can't—"

Maureen picked Julie up and handed her to Mark as she continued to sob and squirm. She turned the crib around so it was facing the wall and then put Julie in the crib handing her a teddy bear.

"She won't stay in there…"

"Want to bet?" Maureen retorted and Mark fell back on his bed in a huff. Maureen hesitantly grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the bedroom and shut off the lights and door, hearing Julie's cries muffle.

"Mark…"

"Hmm?"

"Where's Charlotte?"

Mark fell back on the couch and rubbed his eyes, pulling his glasses off his face and he sighed. "She's in Europe."

"For…?"

"She got a job in Europe."

"Oh! Well that's great, when are you going?"

"I'm not."

Maureen felt her heart plummet in her chest as she saw Mark's face fall as well. He got up and began folding things around the apartment and putting toys away.

"And Julie?"

"She isn't either," he answered quietly.

Maureen hesitantly pressed the subject further. "What happened?"

"I guess I wasn't home enough? When I went to Chicago when Julie was born and didn't call every five minutes… but she told me to take that internship, right? I'm not dreaming it am I? You were against it, not her…. She wanted me to get the recognition, to get a better job here… and I came home and she was walking out the door…

"I thought she took Julie already, but she was just going to leave her here… leave our baby here and have Julie wait for me to come home rather than her. Abandon our fucking child and I can't even imagine…."

"What'd she say?"

"She was leaving and that I should get a taste of my own medicine for a change… Maureen, I can't raise Julie on my own!"

"Yes you can."

"No, I can't!"

"Yes, you can, she's your daughter and you have to."

Mark remained silent and then returned to picking up more toys and folding blankets, tossing pillows back on the couch.

"Why'd you call me?"

"What?"

"Why not Roger?"

"Mimi died three months ago, he's still unstable…. And with Collins gone now too… I don't want to strain him."

"And Cindy?"

"Imagine me telling my sister about this! She'd tell my mom who would convince me to come home to that hell hole."

"But me?"

"You were good with Cindy's kids when you met my mom… I dunno, if Mimi was still alive I would've… but I thought you wouldn't…"

"Mind? I don't."

"… Thanks," Mark finally said, sitting on the couch.

Maureen paused and wrinkled her nose. "When was the last time you showered?"

"I lost track…"

"Oh God… take a shower and I'm going to order a pizza."

"Why?"

"Because you smell, duh."

"Don't you have to go home?"

"Joanne's on business. I'm free. Besides, I'm not coming back if I'm halfway home and she wakes up."

"Thanks…"

"Go shower."

Mark is married to Charlotte. Charlotte left, Mark is left with his one year old daughter who won't stop crying. Maureen is there to help. Is this confusing? Should I continue? Feedback would be nice and is necessary. This won't be a Mark/Maureen relationship in the end if I do continue.