It's been nearly 2 and a half years since Mimi Marquez succumbed to her HIV. It was Christmas Day when she died peacefully at the hospital. Roger and the rest of her friends were by her side. She was only 20 years old. Roger sang the song he wrote for her, Your Eyes, until his voice was hoarse and raw, hoping it would bring her back like before. It didn't.

Collins stayed with them for about a month or so, until an out of state teaching job took him away. Dreams of opening up that restaurant in Santa Fe still on his mind. He used to call to check in every once in a while, but he's been calling less and less as of late.

Maureen and Joanne, still hurting from losing Angel, 2 months prior, saw Mimi's death as the final straw. They distanced themselves from the boys, not willing to wait for Roger or Collins to be next.

Roger didn't run away again, as Mark and Collins had expected. He stayed and continued writing. Mimi's song opened up the flood gates and he was writing like crazy. Hoping to get back on stage and start performing again, he began auditioning for bands in the area, but ultimately he decided to start his own band. It was slow going, no wanting young kids with dreams of sex, drugs and rock and roll dancing in their heads. He was looking for seasoned musicians that were like him. Looking for one last chance to make it big.

After much coaxing from Alison, Benny let go of his dreams of building a Cyber Arts and left the day to day operations of the building and the lot next door to Mr. Grey. She convinced her father to allow Mark and Roger to stay at the loft for as long as they wanted and give them a reasonable rate on the rent. A decision fueled, not only over what happened between Benny and Mimi, but his treatment of his former friends over the previous year. Roger stopped calling her Muffy after that.

Mark, after quitting his job at Buzzline, just before Christmas, decided to make a new year's resolution to start taking his film making more seriously. He got a job at a small indie production company in Greenwich Village as their cameraman, using his documentary as an audition tape. There he met a young woman named Jami Barnett. She was an assistant at the production company, but had aspirations of being a screenwriter. They began talking one day, becoming friends. He read one of her screenplays and was quickly convinced that he could make it into a film. He spoke to the studio heads and asked to film it. At a petite 5'4" with blonde hair and shocking blue eyes, she got his attention. Although she was very attractive, he put any possibility of a relationship with her to rest since were working together. Coincidentally she lived on the next block over and had a second job as a part time cashier in the grocery store on the corner. After seeing some of his films and she agreed that they should work together. She admired his raw energy and how candid and vulnerable his camera work was. They would often hold court in the Life Cafe, arguing, laughing and collaborating about her film. With Collins, Maureen and Joanne out of the picture and Roger constantly wrapped up in either songwriting or looking to poach musicians from other bands, with his former Well Hungarians lead guitarist, Nate at his side, Mark was always with Jami.

When Mark showed her his documentary, she felt herself drawn to Roger. She found his transformation fascinating. In the beginning, he appeared to be a damaged and hid from the camera. But by the end, he seemed to change. He was smiling and laughing and appeared happy. Mark informed her of Mimi's fate and she felt bad for him, losing the girl he loved like that. She didn't tell Mark that she was developing feelings for his roommate. She thought it would be too awkward if he knew.

It was a Tuesday afternoon in March and it's unseasonably warm. It's around 5:30 and Jami and Mark were at their usual table in the Life Cafe, going over shots they wanted to set up for the next day's filming as they ate dinner before Jami's shift at the store. "I think a high angle would work here." she suggested pointing out a scene in her screenplay.

"Well, considering that the lead character is contemplating the previous scene's events, shouldn't it be shown from his perspective?" Mark asked looking it over.

"You think?" she asked looking over it again.

"Don't you?" he asked as if it were obvious.

"Yeah, that does make more sense. See, that's why we're such good partners. You catch what I miss." she smiled over at him before something caught her eye. It was Roger who had just walked into the cafe. He caught a glimpse of Mark sitting at a corner table and tried not to stare at Jami. He had seen her around the neighborhood and listened to Mark rattle on about her, but he hadn't met her yet. He thought she was beautiful, but her and Mark had so much in common, that there could really be something there if they wanted there to be. He didn't want to get in the way of anything developing between them. "Hey, that's… um… that's your roommate. Roger, right?" she asked, trying to play it cool.

"Yeah, he's probably waiting for Nate. He mentioned something about going out to look at bands." he looked back at him, as she tried not to stare at Roger standing at the bar. "Do you want to finally meet him?" he offered as she looked down timidly into her coffee cup.

"Yeah, um... sure." she smiled looking over at him.

"OK. Come on." he smiled. They got up from their table and walked over to Roger at the bar. He had a beer bottle to his lips, ready to take a swig. "Roger, hey." he smiled up at his friend.

"Hey, Mark. What are you doing here? I thought you guys were working." he asked setting his beer on the bar.

"We are. I just wanted to introduce you to my partner. This is Jami Barnett, Jami, this is my roommate, Roger Davis." he smiled as she turned into a shy, timid girl.

"It's... it's really nice to finally meet you. Mark talks about you all the time." she stuttered like a schoolgirl, taking Mark by surprise.

"Yeah, you too. It's nice to meet you." he extended his hand to her giving it a quick shake. "Mark tells me that you work at the store across the street too."

"Um… yeah. Part time." she confirmed looking up at him.

"Wow, two jobs? You don't happen to play bass too, do you?" he asked flirtatiously, taking her by surprise. She froze and just stuttered as she looked up at him.

"Um no... I... I don't. Sorry."

"Oh, no problem. It was worth a shot. So, what are you guys doing here?" he asked looking back at Mark.

"We've been here most of the day working. Jami has to go to work at the store soon, so we were just having some dinner and finishing up." he explained as Jami stood by silently.

"Alright, well I won't keep you. I just came out for a beer and wait for Nate. We're going around to some of the old dives to check out bass players." he said looking over at Jami curiously. He had been watching her since she and Mark started hanging out and he wanted to talk to her more, but he was afraid to. He didn't know if Mark and Jami had a thing, but if they did, he didn't want to get in the way.

"OK, I'll see you later." Mark said beginning to walk away when Jami finally spoke again.

"See you later, Roger. It was nice meeting you." she called out nervously.

"Yeah, it was nice to meet you too, Jami. Maybe I'll see you around some time." he smiled before picking up his beer bottle and drinking from it again.

"I, um… I hope so." Jami smiled up at him.

"What is wrong with you? Were you flirting with Roger just then?" Mark asked looking over at her.

"Um… no. Can we drop it please? I have to go soon." she was blushing as they walked over to their table.

"Oh man. You like him." Mark quietly accused.

"Yeah, he… he seems like a nice guy." she said avoiding his gaze.

"No, I mean you like him, like him." he taunted looking over at her.

"Fine, OK. I like him, like him. Are you happy now? I admitted it. What are we in high school?" she asked avoiding looking at Roger again.

"Apparently so." he laughed looking over at her. She was giving him a dirty look. "Jami, it's not a big deal. He's good looking and he's a musician. Girls tend to like him for that." he smiled at her before looking back at Roger.

"Don't look at him. God Mark, he'll think we're talking about him." she grabbed his arm firmly.

"We are." he laughed looking over at her.

"But I don't want him to know that. God, why do you have to be like that?" she leaned down closer to the table avoiding Roger's glance.

"What is wrong with you? You're acting weird." he laughed finding her behavior amusing.

"Apparently, I have a thing for Roger Davis, who doesn't even know I exist." she mumbled looking down at the papers strewn all over the table.

"He does too know you exist. You just met him. I was there. He said your name and everything." he smiled down at her.

"Yeah well, I'm sure he didn't even notice me. The last thing he needs is another girl falling all over him like a groupie or something anyway." she groaned leaning back in her chair.

"You're no groupie, believe me. He'd be lucky if a smart, beautiful woman like you fell all over him." he muttered looking over at her.

"Mark, I..."

"It's not like that, Jami. I'm just saying that he could do worse. Hell, he has done worse. I've seen it with my own eyes." he told her looking over his shoulder casually seeing Roger finishing his beer as he stood with Nate, who had arrived while he was talking to Jami.

"I don't know what's wrong with me. I mean, ever since I saw him in your documentary... I don't know, I just saw that he was more than that guy in the beginning who was pissed off at the world for what happened to his life."

"There's nothing wrong with you, Jami. There is a lot more to him than that guy. Sure, he's good looking, he's a great singer, an amazing songwriter and a pretty good guitarist..."

"Do you have a man crush on your best friend?" she giggled looking up at him.

"No wise ass. I'm just saying, he's a good guy who has a good heart. You should get to know him and see for yourself. You could do worse too." he smiled reaching over to touch her hand.

"Thanks Mark." she smiled looking over at him.

"Is that Mark's girl?" Nate asked looking over at Mark and Jami.

"I don't know, I guess it's possible. I mean, they do spend a lot of time together." he shrugged finishing his beer.

"If she's not, you should ask her out. She's cute. Come on, we got bass players to look at." Nate finished his beer as well before tugging Roger's arm, who was staring at Jami. If she and Mark were together, he didn't want to get in between that. Losing Maureen to Joanne was bad enough. The last thing he needed was to lose a girl to his best friend. Someone he had done so much to save. He gave Mark and Jami one last glance before leaving the cafe with Nate. His eyes met Jami's as Nate dragged him out the door.

"Are you gonna tell him you like him, or am I gonna be subjected to this high school flashback for a while?" Mark teased as Roger left the cafe.

"How am I gonna tell him anything? I can't even speak around him." she complained looking over at him.

"Listen, I happen to know he puts his pants on one leg at a time like everyone else." Mark joked.

"You're not funny, Cohen. I'm being serious. He would never look at me that way, would he?" she sat slumped down in her chair scratching the edge of the table with her finger nail.

"Of course he would. Why would you say that?" Mark asked, confused.

"Look at me, Mark. I'm not the kind of girl who dates a guy like him." she looked over at him.

"Look, Roger's a nice guy. He's a little awkward around women. And if it helps, I think he likes you too." he smiled over at her, trying to make her feel better.

"How could you possibly know that? I mean, we only met for 2 minutes and he talked to you the whole time." she asked folding her arms across her chest.

"I just… I saw the way he was looking at you. I happen to think that I know my best friend." Mark felt like he was 19 years old again. Girls would approach him, knowing he was friends with Roger and they would try to get an introduction or an invite back to their table, just so they could get close to the lead singer.

"I'm sorry. I'm being pathetic. I shouldn't be thinking about making the moves on your best friend. We're partners and it would be awkward if I was dating your roommate." she said looking over at him.

"How would it be awkward? You'd be hanging around us all the time? I don't think you've noticed, but we've been hanging out constantly for a while now. I like hanging out with you. The only difference is that Roger would be joining us." he smiled at her.

"But me dating your best friend?" she looked at him.

"You're my best friend too. I wouldn't mind if you dated Roger. Actually, it would make me really happy if you guys got together. You both deserve to be happy, so why not together? It could be great. And who knows, maybe Roger will find a female bass player and I'll be dating her. How screwed up would that be?" he smiled looking over at her.

"It wouldn't be screwed up, Mark. You're a great guy too." she smiled reaching over the table to touch his hand.

"Thanks Jami." he smiled at her before they packed up, so Mami could go to her other job.