A/N: So I went a little crazy and joined the speedrent contest at Livejournal. You get a few prompts, and anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to complete your story. And this would be for challenge… three, I believe.
Maureen's steps slowed as she neared the lot and spotted Benny sitting on the edge of the platform she had always used for her performances. It looked incredibly bare without all the embellishment she had decorated the stage with her last performance—well, every performance—and Benny looked incredibly lonely sitting there. What the hell was he doing here? Of all people, Benny had the least reason to be anywhere near here, but… She walked across the empty lot, directly up to him, but he didn't quite look at her as she did, seemingly lost in thought.
He spoke before she could. "It would have been nice to actually have a studio here. Might clean the place up. Thanks for ruining that chance, by the way."
Maureen smirked. "Funny, I thought it was Alison who ruined it for you. Or maybe the fact that you couldn't stay away from Mimi…" The comment didn't quite have the venom most of her friends might have expected, considering who it was directed to, but she couldn't muster the anger towards him just then.
"Oh, so we're being petty then," Benny said, but with more amusement than resentment. He gave her a small smile and patted the stage next to where he sat. "Merry Christmas, by the way. Now sit and tell Santa what he's gonna have to stand in line for this year."
Maureen rolled her eyes, but she did hop up next to him, pulling her coat a little tighter around herself as she sat down. Mid-December, cold enough that her breath misted in the air in front of her, and here she sat, chatting with the man she had a year ago proclaimed the enemy of Avenue A. Stranger things have happened. "You're not going to get me a Christmas present, Benny."
"Why not?"
"You didn't last year." God, the last Christmas present he'd gotten her was the ring she now wore on her right hand almost constantly. She started to reach for it, toy with it, but stopped herself, folding her hands in her lap instead.
"Last year you hated me," Benny pointed out.
"What makes you think I don't now?"
Benny shrugged and glanced away from her for a moment, frowning thoughtfully for a moment. Maureen knew he was about to say something in a minute or two, but the question he asked wasn't one she had anticipated. "Who was the cow?"
"What?"
"Your performance last year. Who was the cow? Mark and Roger were the dish and the spoon, and you weren't exactly subtle about who I was…" He smiled a little. "Was it you?"
She stared at him blankly for a second, silently contemplating whether he'd lost his mind, but finally noticed the glint of humor in his eyes, and grinned back at him, shaking her head, coming up with the most random response she could think of to counter the apparently random question. "I wasn't the cow. I was the Wicked Witch of the West."
"I don't remember that part of the performance," he remarked teasingly.
"Well, maybe next time." The two of them sat there for a moment, neither quite looking at the other, and finally Maureen glanced over at Benny. "Shouldn't you be getting back to Westport soon? I mean, isn't Alison going to notice you're out a little late and get… suspicious?" Not without good reason, granted, and Benny had probably already thought of that, but for some reason she felt the need to remind him.
He sighed slightly and stood up, pushing himself away from the stage. "Yeah, I should. I didn't mean to stay for long anyway. Just wanted to look around…" Benny paused, then turned to face her, offering her a slight half-smile, only visible for a second or two before fading away. "If you see Mark and Roger, tell them I said hi. And that I'm sorry about… everything that happened."
Maureen hesitated before answering, and finally said slowly, "I don't see them a lot lately. And I doubt they'll want to hear it…"
Benny nodded, shoving his hands into his coat pockets. "I know it's getting old, just… tell them, alright? If you can."
"I will."
"Thank you, ba—" He cut himself off before the old fond name could escape him, and corrected himself quickly. "Maur. It was nice seeing you." Benny paused and chuckled softly. "You know, without you screaming at me or something."
She nodded and smiled, then quickly turned her eyes down to her hands folded in her lap. "It was nice. Goodbye, Benny."
Benny hesitated, just watching her for a moment as he stood there, and finally gave her a half-hearted wave before turning to walk away. Her head still down, looking at the ring she was twisting around her finger—the ring Benny had given her two years ago for Christmas—she didn't notice the quick glance he cast her over his shoulder just before he turned the corner and moved out of sight.