Special thanks to tkrocks219 and RockinRaven23...love ya girlies.

(I don't own anything mentioned... the characters mentioned belong to Jonathan Larson, and Mark Schwahn)

Roger woke up that morning to the alarm and looked down at Alison who was laying on his chest, he would have never thought that they would be together. But when Benny died in a car accident one morning and she went to the loft, to see Roger, Mark, and Brooke who was now 15 and needed Alison even more than she did when she was a baby. They had explained to Brooke when Mimi died, the arrangement that she and Roger had made all those years ago. Brooke took it in stride and said she was lucky cause while most girls had either no mother or only one. She got two, Mimi, and Alison. After the divorce Alison retained ownership of the building that the loft was in, since Benny had quite stupidly on his part bought it with her money. She and Roger had started dating after years of flirtation and perverted comments over the years. No one was really surprised people have thought they've been together numerous times.

Roger gently moved Ali off of him and got up. He quickly walked over to Brooke's door and knocked on it.

"What?!"

"Munchie it's time to get up and get ready for school."

"Okay, I'm up." Brooke emerged from the room in a t-shirt that Roger could have sworn was his and a pair of pajama bottoms.

"Is that my t-shirt, you're wearing little girl?"

"Maybe." She said cheekily. "I like it's comfy."

"Go shower and change."

Roger went into the kitchen and started the coffee when Mark walked in.

"Hey what are you doing up this early?" Asked Roger.

"I have to go to work early you want me to drop Munchie on the way?"

"No, I have to go that way I have that interview at her school."

"They still looking for a Music teacher?"

"Yeah it's only part time but it's something." Said Roger.

"That's cool well I'll see you later." Said Mark grabbing his travel mug and bag leaving for Buzz line.

"What a difference 15 years makes." Said Alison coming out of Roger's room in one of his t-shirts and a pair of jeans.

"What is it with you girls and my t-shirts?" Asked Roger with a smile.

"They're comfy." Said Alison in the same tone Brooke had said it. Roger just shook his head as Brooke came out of the bathroom.

"Morning." She said.

"Morning sweetie, you want some cereal?" Asked Alison getting bowls out.

"Sure can you french braid my hair after?" Asked Brooke.

"Yeah." Said Alison.

Brooke finished breakfast quickly and ran into her room to get her hair stuff, when she came out Roger noticed she had a t-shirt on that said 'I know I'm a princess, My Mimi told me so.' Roger recalled the day she and Mimi had made a ton of t-shirts, with various messages on them. They made them all on t-shirts that were easily 3 sizes too big for Brooke at the time, especially since she was only 8 at the time. Mimi had also taught her how to sew the way that Angel had taught her. So Brooke carried on the small tradition of making all her own bedroom stuff including blankets and curtains. So much so that the trunk at the end of her bed was full of the blankets she had made and she always made sure the one that Angel made laid on top. She also would occasionally ask one of the girls to go fabric shopping with her and she would come home and make her own shirts and then run them by Roger who was extremely laid back about it but made sure to veto any thing that showed too much skin or wasn't age appropriate, it wasn't uncommon to come into the loft and see Roger on the couch playing guitar, while Brooke sat in front of him drawing out designs for fun.

"Alright Munchie it's 7 go get your bag and we'll leave for school."

"Dad why can't I walk myself to school?"

"Cause I have to go there for that interview today and you are 15. Go." Brooke went into her room and got her backpack. She came out kissed Alison bye and she and Roger left the loft.

"Wow, the sky is really blue today." Said Brooke looking up.

"Yeah it is."

They made it to the school when Brooke spotted her friend Lizzie walking down the sidewalk with her mother.

"Hey Gia." Said Roger.

"Hey Roger, Hi Brooke."

"Hi Mrs. Anderson."

"Why don't you guys head in. Ali's picking you up so meet her out here right after school okay, Munchie?"

"Can we go to the fabric store after class?" She asked.

"We'll see, I'll ask her when I get home." Said Roger. He and Gia watched the girls walk into the building. "So how's Andre?"

"He's good he has an 8 am meeting at the north tower and I'm heading into the south right now."

"Sounds good, if you want I'll have Ali grab Lizzie too, and they can hang at my place until you guys get home. Knowing Brooke and Ali they will end up at the fabric store, so you never know Lizzie might come home with some new clothes."

"That's great, hang on let me write her a quick note, so they don't object. Thank you so much Roger." Gia always has been impressed with Roger, being a single father but raising Brooke with the support of so many friends and family, she always knew if Lizzie was with them. She didn't have to worry.

"It's no problem, I've told you that. Especially after all you've done for us, especially when I was going through everything with Mimi, she didn't want Brooke to see her like that all the time. So for you guys to take her and let her be a 9 year old really helped us and I will always be grateful for that."

"I've already told you it was the least I could do, they are best friends and when stuff like that is going on everyone needs to pitch in. It takes a village Roger and I think our girls have the best one. I'm grateful to you guys knowing if something ever happens to us she's got family there to help her."

"Always."

"Well I have to go I'll see you this evening. Here is some cash for Lizzie if she wants to get something at the store."

"Cool I'll give it to Ali, but you know you don't have to give us anything we're happy to pay for it."

"I want to. Bye Roger."

"See ya Gia, tell Andre, Jets at my place on Sunday, Collins is coming too."

"Oh boy, alright I'll tell him." She knew that when Collins came over it usually meant she was dragging Andre home.

Roger made his way into the school and headed to the office. He had an appointment with Elaine at 7:30.

"Hey Clairee."

"Hey Roger, everything with Brooke okay?"

"Yeah, everything is fine, um oh Gia Anderson gave me this to give to you guys she forgot to give it to Lizzie."

"She's leaving with Alison later?"

"Yeah."

"Does Lizzie know?"

"No, we just decided out on the sidewalk."

"I'll call down to the classroom, Elaine's waiting for you."

"Thanks." Roger walked into the office and sat down in front of Elaine who still ran the school, much to her daughter's chargin.

"Hey Roger."

"Hey Elaine, Clairee told me I could just come in."

"Absolutely, now I was looking over your application and you understand this is just a part time thing with the little ones right?"

"Yeah, and it works out fine."

"Good welcome to the staff, it's Wednesday, Thursday, Fridays 9-2."

"Alright thank you so much for this Elaine, it will come in really handy, what with Brooke's fabric fetish starting to explode all over my loft, and trying to impress my girlfriend this will defiantly come in handy."

"I think Alison's already impressed with you Roger."

"Okay well what I really mean is trying to show her I'm not an ass all the time." Said Roger with a smile.

"So can I take these home and fill them out, and then I can bring them in when I walk Brooke here tomorrow."

"Absolutely. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya."

Roger left the school and headed home it was now 7:45 in the morning and all Roger wanted to do was go back to bed but he knew he couldn't. He had a few lessons to prepare and had to brush up on his kids songs that he hadn't played since Brooke was the age of his new students. He would have the kids aged preschool-3rd grade. When he got back to the loft he saw that Ali had cleaned up the kitchen from breakfast and was now watching Good Morning America on the television.

"Hi babe."

"Hey how was the interview?"

"Great I start tomorrow at 9. Brooke and Lizzie want to go to the fabric store later."

"Cool. I'll take them after I pick them up."

"Cool, oh here Gia gave me this for Lizzie's stuff."

"She didn't have to do that."

"She says she did." He said sitting down next to her on the couch. They continued to watch GMA and then at around 8:50 they broke into one of the commercials with a report that the World Trade Center was on fire.

"Roger?"

"Wow what is going on over there?"

They continued to watch the television for more reports, when Alison saw something on the side of the screen.

"Roger is that..." The second plane hit the south tower.

"Holy shit." Roger got up from the couch and shut the windows in the living room and threw his shoes on.

"Roger where are you going?"

"I'm going to the school to get Brooke."

"Roger, Brooke will be fine there they have a shelter in the basement."

"I want her here with us. Oh my god."

"What?"

"Gia and Andre, Gia mentioned this morning that Andre had an early meeting at one of the towers and that she was heading over there."

"Oh god, Lizzie. Roger go get them."

"I'm going, I love you. I'll be right back." Said Roger giving her a kiss.

"I love you too."

Alison got on the phone to call everyone but found that the phone line wasn't working. She sat there waiting for her boyfriend and the girls to come back, she jumped when the door opened and she saw Collins standing there.

"Hey I was on my way to NYU when it happened, where's Rog?" He asked hugging her.

"He went to get Brooke and Lizzie. Andre and Gia were on their way to the towers last we saw them. Roger ran into Gia when they were dropping the girls off at school.

"Alright, so we'll just wait for them we should get a few things going I have a feeling everyone is going to make it here somehow."

"I tried the phone but it's not working."

"The lines are probably tied up with emergency calls."

"Hey are you guys okay?" Asked Mark running in.

"Yeah, we're just waiting for everyone and Roger went to get the girls, we think Andre and Gia were in the towers."

"Oh shit."

"Yeah so we're trying to put together a brunch and get Brooke's room ready for Lizzie."

Maureen and Joanne then came running in, hugs were shared all around and they sat and watched everything unfold on TV while waiting for Roger and the girls.

Roger meanwhile was running down the street to the school, when he got there he was a little comforted by the fact that he wasn't the only parent there. He quickly ran into the office and almost collided with Clairee.

"Roger." She said startled.

"Hey I need to get Brooke and Lizzie."

"So doesn't every other person here."

"Clairee." He said pulling her aside. "Gia and Andre Anderson might be in the towers, she told me this morning that was where they were heading just let me get the girls."

"Go, room 115."

"Thank you."

Roger quickly made his way down to the classroom and knocked on the door. The teacher who's name he couldn't recall at the moment opened the door nervously.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm Roger Davis, Brooke's dad. I'm here to get her and Lizzie Anderson."

"Daddy!" Brooke heard his voice and ran over to him hugging him as tight as she could.

"Shh, it's okay Munchie I'm here. Me, you, and Lizzie are going home so go get your guys stuff."

"Daddy, Lizzie's crying and not talking or moving."

"I got her, just go get your guys' stuff okay?"

"Okay." Roger walked into the room and found Lizzie being comforted by one of her and Brooke's friends, Jake. At least that's what Roger thought his name was.

"Hey Mr. Davis. She hasn't said anything since it happened."

"I know Brooke told me, Lizzie honey. It's Roger come on honey we're going to go to my loft okay." Lizzie looked at Roger and jumped into his arms crying hard. "Shh, it's okay I'm here, I'm here."

"Daddy?" Brooke came with their bags.

"Let's go. Lizzie can you walk?" She nodded, Roger looked at the teacher and nodded. "Thanks."

"Be careful."

"We will."

Roger and the girls left the room and headed outside. Lizzie took a deep breath and clung to Roger more.

"It's okay sweetie." He knew it was cause outside the school was the last place she saw her mother. Roger then spotted a cab driving down the street.

"TAXI!" The cab pulled up to the curb.

"Where are you heading?"

"Alphabet City Ave. B."

"Get in."

"Thanks, girls get in." The girls slid into the car and the driver headed towards the loft.

The driver pulled up to the loft and Roger attempted to pay him. But he just shook his head.

"No, I'm just glad I could help someone get home safe to their family. Good luck."

"Thank you. Good luck to you too."

Roger and the girls got out of the car and quickly went upstairs. And went inside.

"Oh thank god you guys are back." Said Alison walking over to them.

"I got here as soon as I could." Said Roger hugging her. Alison then turned her attention to the girls. "Okay Brooke why don't you take Lizzie into your room for a minute and put your stuff away." She said tightly hugging both girls.

"Okay Mom." Said Brooke hugging her back just as tightly. Brooke led Lizzie into her room with their backpacks and then came back out into the living room where they sat on the couch next to Collins. Lizzie then did something slightly unexpected she leaned into Collins and just rested her head on his chest and stared at the TV that had the footage of the day on. Collins put his arm around her and just sat there. Brooke went back into her room and opened her trunk she took out her Rainbow Brite blanket that Angel made her and brought it out into the room, she sat on the other side of Lizzie and placed the blanket over both of their laps. The others saw the blanket and knew this was a comfort way of Brooke's to have her Auntie Angel with her whenever she was sick that was all she wanted was her special blanket.

When the towers collapsed Alison buried her head into Roger's chest as Brooke sat on his lap. Lizzie started crying even harder into Collins' chest. He just hugged her as tight as he could whispering that everything was going to be okay. That they would take care of her and that she was never alone.

"What's going to happen to me, if they're gone?" Lizzie asked quietly.

"Hey we'll figure that out when we cross that bridge." Said Collins.

"Joanne can you get a signal yet on your phone?" Asked Roger.

"I got nothing." She responded sadly. "Why?"

"I was thinking we should get the girls out of the city for a couple days. Go to my parents' house."

"That's a good idea babe." Said Alison.

"That is if you can even get out."

Later on in the evening a few phone lines had opened up and they were able to get a signal. Roger decided to call his parents.

"Hello?" Answered Marty worriedly.

"Hey Mom."

"Oh thank goodness, Roger, honey where are you? Are you okay?"

"Yeah we're okay. We're all at the loft. Hang on Munchie why don't you and Lizzie go into your room."

"Okay, come on Lizzie." Brooke gently grabbed Lizzie's hand and guided her into her room.

"Alright I'm back sorry."

"What's wrong?" Asked Marty.

"Um, there's a good chance Lizzie's parents didn't make it. I saw Gia this morning at the school and she told me that she was on her way there and that Andre had an early meeting. So when I went back to get Munchie, I got Lizzie too."

"Oh my goodness."

"Yeah, but other than that we're all okay."

"Good."

"Listen, I was thinking if we can get out, I could bring Ali and the girls up there for a couple days?"

"That's fine honey, come up here as soon as you can. We'll have stuff ready and waiting for you."

"Thanks Mom."

"No problem honey. Give everyone my love."

"I will, I'll see you soon."

"Okay, bye sweetie."

"Bye."

Roger looked at everyone and just sat down on the couch. Roger and Collins' beepers went off and Roger slowly walked to the fridge and grabbed 2 bottles of water and grabbed his pill box. His meds had changed quite a bit over the years. Now he took 4 other meds, multiple times a day to keep his viral load so low it was almost undetectable.

"So if it turns out that Gia and Andre are both gone, what's gonna happen with Lizzie, you gonna take her?" Asked Collins.

"I don't know we have to see if they left wills and contact family members. I don't know." Said Roger. "I mean they manage to share Munchie's room for weekends but longer I don't know."

"We'll cross that bridge." Said Collins, he then heard the sound of the sewing machine Ali had gotten Brooke for her birthday in March come to life. "I wonder what she's making?"

"I don't know, but maybe she's trying to engage Lizzie. They usually sit in there and talk about random stuff while Brooke works on whatever project she's taken to. That's a good noise."

"Yes, it is." Said Collins.

That night everyone had gone to bed Collins being the lucky one to get the couch and also be the closest to Brooke's room just in case. It was about 2:30 am when he was jolted out of sleep by a loud scream. He quickly got up and went into Brooke's room.

"Munchie, Lizzie?"

"Uncle Collins something is wrong with Lizzie." Said Brooke with tears rolling down her cheeks. Roger then came into the room hearing the commotion and saw that Collins was already trying to help Lizzie, so he immediately went to Brooke and just held her while she cried for her friend. Lizzie was in the middle of a full blown nightmare.

Collins got down on the floor next to Lizzie and carefully and quietly woke her up. She woke up with a gasp and looked around quickly. Collins pulled her into his arms and whispered to her.

"You're okay honey, you're here with us in Brooke's room. You're okay."

"I want my mom."

"I know honey, I called the number they gave us on the TV, but there wasn't any information yet. I'm going to go down to the precinct later and make a report okay?" Lizzie nodded.

Alison woke up a short time later and noticed that the bed was still empty, she got out of bed and went in search of Roger. When she reached Brooke's room she quietly laughed at the site, both girls were asleep on the bed, and then she looked to the floor and spotted Roger and Collins sound asleep. She walked over and gently shook the boys.

"Hey babe, you might want to wake up or you are going to be awful sore later."

"Hey what time is it?" Roger said squinting.

"Late. Now come on get up and come back to bed."

"But the girls?"

"Know where we are if they need us. Now come on let's drag Collins to the couch."

"I'm glad you added couch to the end of that sentence, cause the only person I want to wake up to is you. I've woken up to Collins a few too many times."

"I heard that pretty boy. Let's get out of here." Said Collins with a smile.

Everyone slept through the rest of the night. When he got up as promised he headed down to the local precinct armed with a photo Mark had taken of Gia and Andre. When he got down there he spotted one of his former students.

"Hey John."

"Hey Professor, what brings you down here?"

"My niece's friend might have lost her parents at the towers, who do I see about filing a report?"

"We're all helping out with it, come to my desk. How's your niece doing?"

"She's good, she'll be 16 in March. Scaring the hell out of us guys."

"Man time flies."

"You're telling me, I remember reading 'Cinderella' and watching 'Snow White' with her. She's the reason Rog and I are still here."

"Well keep it that way. You got a photo and information?"

"Yeah, right here." Said Collins handing John the paper he wrote down the information on with Lizzie's help.

"Okay Gianna and Andre Anderson. What's Gianna's date of birth?"

"Um, April 18th, 1962 and Andre's is August 8th, 1962." Answered Collins. He and John went through the rest of the information needed for the posters. John then asked Collins about Lizzie.

"So you said they have a daughter?"

"Yeah Elizabeth, or Lizzie. She's staying with us at the loft. She's Brooke's best friend and we don't know any of Gia and Andre's family, all they ever said was they didn't see eye to eye on things."

"Did they leave a will?" Asked John.

"Not that we know of yet. We haven't been to the the apartment yet, that's my next stop to grab some stuff for Lizzie and look through their papers if I can, Joanne's meeting me in a bit."

Collins finished with John and left the precinct. As he walked down the street he posted the missing posters on the lamp posts and windows as he walked. They quickly joined the rest of the missing posters hung up by other families, looking for loved ones. He soon made it to Andre and Gia's apartment and saw Joanne standing outside waiting for him. She had gone to the office really fast to check her messages and tell them she wouldn't be in for a few days due to the fact that she was helping take care of Lizzie.

"Hey, honey." Said Collins.

"Hey, did you get to the precinct?"

"Yeah just left, here could you post some of these some where?"

"You got it." Said Joanne taking the posters and sticking them in her briefcase.

"You ready to do this?" He asked.

"No. Shouldn't Lizzie be here?"

"I just want to find the paperwork for her first, besides I talked her about it she's not ready."

They headed up to the apartment and Collins unlocked the door.

"Alright, I'll go into the office and see if I can find anything." He said.

"Good, I'll go pack some stuff for Lizzie." The two friends went on with their separate tasks.

Collins ran into some trouble when he tried to get into Andre's computer.

"Come on Andre what's your password?" Collins tried quite a few different combinations including Lizzie's name, her birthday, Gia's name and birthday. Until he remembered the debates him, Roger, and Andre had had during football games. So on a hunch he tried 'kickjetsass', low and behold it worked. He quickly scanned the desktop looking for any files that would help him in locating the information he needed. He finally came across a file titled 'I.C.E.' In Case of Emergency. He opened the file and saw what looked like all the documents he needed he pulled out a disk from Andre's stack and copied the entire folder to the disk. He then shut down the computer and went to join Joanne in helping her with Lizzie's things.

"You got everything?" Joanne asked.

"Yeah, once I figured out his password which Rog will get a kick out of, I found the folder titled ICE. I copied it to a disk so we should be able to look at it later."

"Good. I'm almost done getting her stuff." Said Joanne.

Joanne and Collins finished grabbing Lizzie's things and headed back to the loft.

"Hey." Said Collins entering the loft.

"Hey, how'd it go?" Asked Alison.

"Good, we filed the report and got the documents we needed off the computer. Where are the kids?"

"In Munchie's room watching a movie with Mo."

"I'm gong to bring Lizzie's bag into her." Said Joanne.

"Hey you got your laptop here?" Asked Collins to Alison.

"Yeah, why?"

"We need to look at the documents on the disk that I copied."

"It's in Rog's room, let me go get it."

"Where'd Mark and Rog go?"

"To see if they could find something for breakfast and a newspaper." Responded Alison as she booted up the computer.

Collins inserted the disk and waited for Joanne to come out of Brooke's room. When the loft door opened.

"Hey, did you guys find breakfast?" Asked Alison.

"We decided not to try to go further than the Life." Said Roger.

Joanne came out of the room and sat on the couch in front of the computer.

"They're watching '10 Things I Hate About You' with Maureen."

"So I found an ICE folder on Andre's computer once I figured out the password. Which was 'kickjetsass'."

"Disappointing Andre." Said Roger jokingly.

"I'm going to get Maureen." Said Alison.

A few moments later Maureen had joined them in the common area. Joanne read the files starting with the financial stuff, the trust fund that was left for her was substantial. There was also an education fund set up to pay her tuition for the rest of high school and the college of her choosing. Joanne's jaw dropped when it stated that her and Alison were named executors of Lizzie's trust. Joanne decided to leave the rest of the financial stuff for later. She then clicked on the file that stated 'guardianship'. Joanne quickly read through it and smiled. She decided to read out loud.

"Guys listen to this. 'We Andre and Gianna Anderson leave our only child Elizabeth Kathryn Anderson in the custody of Joanne Jefferson and Maureen Johnson...'." Read Joanne and smiled at Maureen. The couple had been talking about adopting for a few years. The women in their group had had many discussions about raising kids over the years. The papers went on to state that all of their possesions were to be distributed at the discretion of Lizzie including the apartment.

"I think we should call the girls out here and tell them." Said Roger knowing the girls were worried about that.

"Good idea." Said Collins as Roger got up and headed to Brooke's room.

"Girls could you pause the movie and come out here please?" He asked gently.

"Sure Daddy." Answered Brooke grabbing for the remote. "What's going on?"

"Sit down. Okay you guys know that Joanne and Collins went and got some stuff from your house today Lizzie." Roger said as Lizzie nodded. "Well we went through your dad's computer and it stated that they set up some accounts for you, and Joanne and Ali are in charge of that, but they also left instructions that you were to live with Maureen and Joanne."

"Really? But I can still come over here right?" Asked Lizzie.

"Of course honey, you are welcome here any time, you know that." Said Roger.

"Are you guys going to adopt me?"

"There's some things we need to work through first, but eventually we'd like to yeah. If that's okay with you?" Said Maureen.

"I want you too, if you can." Said Lizzie.

The next few days passed by with a blur, the girls went back to school, and that next weekend they got word that Gia and Andre had been found, they had a small service for them, in which Lizzie gave a short speech and thanked her parents for giving her life.

A few months later the adoption of Lizzie came through and she was officially Maureen and Joanne's daughter.