Roger knew the pain of withdrawal. He knew all too well how it felt to shake out of control, dripping sweat. He knew how it felt to stab yourself in the arm with something to recreate the sting of the needle. He especially knew how difficult it was when you were stopping half as not to disappoint someone else. Roger knew that Mimi was hurting, but it didn't lower his expectations.

At least she had him to hold her through the pain and to keep her sane. Roger had had no one but Mark. The filmmaker was a great friend…but he wasn't the kind of person whom Roger would prefer to hold him through the night. He had a little too much genitalia for Roger's tastes. The struggling rocker could give Mimi the kind of support that Mark couldn't give him.

His biggest fear was, though, that she wasn't really doing this. Maybe she'd put up the needle when he was watching, but then drop her pretenses the second he stopped his hawk's watch on her. The thought that she didn't really want to stop scared him too, like maybe she was only doing this to please him—which was assurance that her drug purge would never last. Quitting wasn't enough. She had to mean it.

"Roger! Come back to bed!" Said clean girlfriend called from his bedroom. He had come out for a glass of water.

"I'm coming."

She looked so beautiful lying in the bed, brown eyes looking up at him. "'m cold," she whispered.

Roger climbed in next to her, and she took the opportunity to curl up to the warmth of his body.

"You're quiet."

"I'm just thinking." Just thinking about those never-ending trains of tragic thought that swirled round and round in his head whenever possible.

"'bout what?" Mimi slurred a lot when she was tired.

"Stuff."

"Wot kinda stuff?"

He looked down into her half-opened eyes. "Do you really mean it?"

"Mean what?"

Roger shook his head. "Nothing. Nevermind. Forget that I said anything."

Maybe it didn't matter if she meant it or not. At least she loved him enough to try.

Besides, he wasn't sure if he really wanted to know.

0----0

Here it is.

A miracle.

My first RogerMimi.

And also my first RENTfic without Angel in it.

It feels so naked without her…

But still, I like it. Even though its short.

I don't own RENT.

Constructive criticism/feedback is yummy—especially in reviews. With honey mustard, of course. Can't forget the HM.