Tango Lessons

By: Ethiwen

Disclaimer: I don't own RENT; but I have bought some more incense to keep trying. The gods like perseverance, right?

Summary: Two months later. Joanne has continued to schedule regular appointments with Mark at Ambiguous. She has used the tango studio as a release from pressure, and she and Mark have become good friends. She looks forward to the weekly appointments, though she has yet to tell Maureen about them, simply saying she has a meeting to attend every week…which is the truth…just not all of the truth. Joanne reflects on how Mark has helped her. Joanne finds a surprise at home.

Ships: MoJo references…will be MarkJoanne soon…I promise!

Author's Notes: Okay…so…I was having a bit of trouble deciding which direction to take with this chapter…but that's not out of the ordinary. Heartfelt thanks go out to The Versatile Scarf who helped me figure out what I needed to do to continue the story…it would've died without her help! A short chapter used for a set-up of the next chapter.

Warnings: Maureen and one of her notorious exploits…yes it's sexual.

Chapter 4: Acceptance with failing.

Joanne walked home, feeling extraordinarily good. Her day at work had been wonderful, she's won three cases, and her new intern had won a fourth. Ever since she began to take lessons at the Ambiguous things had begun looking up. Work, she found, had become easier to deal with, now that she had a mid-week stress reliever. She no longer came home tense, and she and Maureen were arguing less. Joanne finally figured out what caused all the strain between them…she was jealous. She was jealous that Maureen could do something that didn't include her. Jealous that Maureen could enjoy herself without her. So Joanne coped by overreacting to every little detail. It used to be Maureen would come home 10 minutes late and Joanne would accuse her of being out flirting with no evidence to back it up. Lately Maureen had been coming home late, but that was because she had gotten a role in a small production. And for once Joanne wasn't nervous, she was happy for her. Joanne had her own escape now.

Joanne thought back to her last meeting with Mark. When they danced, her world had faded, and she felt like she was floating. She had never felt that way. Mark had become her closest friend. He took away all the worry that she amassed during the week. With Mark, she always felt as though she had accomplished something. He made her feel important, needed. It was the best she'd felt all year…and it was all thanks to Mark.

She would have never dreamed that she and the scrawny filmmaker would get along so well. At first it had there had been tension, they danced awkwardly trying to forget that Mark was Maureen's ex who got dumped for Joanne. Not exactly information good friendships are usually built on, Joanne mused. The relationship continued on icy foundations until the fourth visit.

--Flashback-- (Fourth Visit)

"Joanne…you might want to be careful today…I just waxed the floor." Mark looked at the floor beaming. "It took me two hours," he sighed, "but I finally finished."

Joanne watched him, surprised at the pride she felt in him… she shook herself. This was Mark…-Mark-. He was the pathetic little cameraman who she was jealous of. Well…not really -jealous of…it was more of a…an…uh…okay. She was jealous. Finally admitting it made Joanne face the harsh reality; she, Joanne Jefferson, was jealous…of Mark. This didn't ease her nerves any, and as they were dancing Joanne took a more-aggressive-than-needed step and wound up on her back. Mark looked down on her and laughed out loud. "Oh yeah, Mark? Think this is -funny?" she seethed. "Yes, actually." Mark snickered.

What happened next was something Joanne hadn't even expected. She seized Mark's arm and pulled him down with her. "There how's that?" she giggled. The met each other's eyes and burst out laughing.

-- End Flashback--

They had been friends ever since. They shared secrets, told stories, and bonded during their appointments. Mark, she had realized, actually had quite the charming personality, when he didn't have his camera fused to his face.

Joanne had often speculated on why this day was different than the others; why, this day had broken the ice. Because, Joanne thought, I laughed at myself. I gave myself permission not to be perfect.

Joanne had finally found in Mark what she had needed all along: Consent to be flawed; Acceptance even with failing.

-------

Joanne heard Maureen giggling inside the apartment that they shared. Joanne smiled. She loved when Maureen laughed. Joanne turned the key in the door and opened it.

"OH MY GAWD, YES!" she heard Maureen scream from the bedroom--their bedroom.

Joanne made her way to the bedroom, afraid of what she knew she would find.

"You like that, huh? Tell me what you want." a deep raw male voice growled.

"YES! Oh, Gawd. DANIEL!' Maureen shrieked.

Joanne inaudibly pushed open the door, watching her lover tangled in a very compromising position with a stranger. "Maureen," she whispered, "how could you?" "Pookie, you're home early," Maureen said. "Pookie, wait! I can explain!" Please…"

Tears streamed down Joanne's chestnut face, and she turned and left the apartment, not knowing where her feet were going.