Disclaimer: I don't own, I REEEEENT. (I do own Charlotte, Molly, and Julie.)

"What the hell are you doing here?" Mark asked and Charlotte made a step forward for the door, but Mark stepped in her way.

"I want to see my daughter," Charlotte answered. Mark's blood boiled and he stepped forward, shutting the door behind him. "I have 911 on speed dial."

"Leave," Mark answered and Charlotte rolled her eyes. "I am dead-fucking serious, Charlotte. You don't need to be here. You don't want to be here. It's not fair to Julie—"

"It's not fair to Julie if she doesn't see her own mother!" Charlotte cut him off.

"You didn't care a year ago!" Mark raised his voice. "You're here so you can't say you never tried. You tried once, right now. And a monthly check I didn't cash doesn't count!"

"Let me see my daughter, Mark!" Charlotte yelled back.

"You can see her in court in three months, Charlotte," Mark yelled back.

"You can't keep me from seeing my own daughter!" Charlotte took a step back.

Mark stood there helpless. If he didn't let her come in, she'd use this against him in court and who knows? The crazy bitch could bring a cop to the apartment. That's not good for Julie.

If he let her come in, she could use Roger's presence against him in court, an ex-druggie with HIV? The judge could believe anything…

"Fine…" Mark stepped back and held the door open a little wider. Charlotte came in and Mark followed in behind her.

Roger was helping Julie stand up and she giggled, looking up at him. Roger looked over when he heard the door shut and his face fell when he saw Charlotte. Mark shook his head from behind his ex-wife and shrugged helplessly.

Mark went over and picked Julie up, turning to Charlotte. "You saw her. You can leave," he attempted and Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"You're acting younger than Julie…"

"How old is she, Charlotte? You missed her first birthday," Mark shot back.

Charlotte glanced at Roger. "Hi, Roger."

He didn't answer. Which is why Mark let Charlotte come in. Roger wouldn't take any of her shit and if something did happen, Roger would be the one to do something and pretty much read Mark's frustration to kick her out.

"Can I hold her for a minute, Mark?" Charlotte asked, looking up at him. When Mark hesitated she looked down. "Let's not fight in front of her, okay?"

Mark's blood was boiling. Let's not fight!? It was inevitable. She was trying to "be the good person". He hated that excuse. She realized she was wrong and is now desperate to ruin Mark's life by ruining Julie's in the process.

Charlotte smiled down at Julie when her daughter was in her arms. "Is her room still in the same place?" Charlotte asked, looking up.

Mark didn't answer at first and Charlotte sighed. "She's yawning. I'll put her down for a nap and then I'll leave," she cheekily promised. Mark led her to the nursery. Charlotte put her in the crib and Julie immediately sat up and whined.

"Nothing's changed, huh?" Charlotte asked, recollecting all the sleepless nights of Julie's insomnia.

Mark shook his head and grabbed the blanket Maureen had gotten her on her first birthday, going over to the crib and handing it to his daughter. She choked on her own sobs and Mark helped her open up the blanket. When she still whined and looked up at Mark, he rubbed her forehead.

Charlotte looked over as Mark went to the door. "Rog, naptime," Mark called and Roger came in with his guitar.

Mark went to the door to leave and looked back at Charlotte. "She won't N-A-P with more people in the room. I've tried," Mark warned. Charlotte kissed Julie's forehead and left the room.

When Mark shut the door, Charlotte followed him in the living room where he was picking up blankets, pillows, and toys and of course Roger's cups of coffee everywhere.

Charlotte stood in the doorway and leaned against the wooden frame. "So Maureen's the answering machine last time I called and Roger sings her a lullaby, but what happens when he's not around anymore?" she asked, noting the AZT bottle on the coffee table.

Mark stopped and turned to her. That was enough. He threw the blankets, cups, everything on the couch, and some ceramic mugs didn't make the fall.

"Get out." Charlotte raised her eyebrows. "I'm serious! I'm sick and tired of you! Popping into her life, popping out, then fighting me for custody?! You don't want Julie. You can't HANDLE Julie, so step off and get the hell out of here.

"And to talk about Roger, god dammit. He's helped me a hell of a lot more than anyone! If that's all you have against me, then use it. Don't try and get custody of our daughter in spite of me. Do you know that she hasn't said her first word? Taken her first step on her own? What he favorite game is, or what time she gets cranky? No. You don't care, Charlotte." Mark finished and Charlotte slammed the door behind her.


"Should I get the phone?" Roger yelled and Mark shook his head.

"Don't bother," he answered with a laugh as Julie squirmed and giggled. It was two o'clock and Julie woke up from her nap. Mark just finished changing her diaper and was now tickling her to death.

She whined and giggled in protest. Mark smirked and picked her up, raising her up high and then lowering her down to blow a raspberry on her cheek. She giggled wildly and reached her arms down when Mark lifted her up again.

"Ehh!" she whined and pouted.

"She could beat Mimi's pout with that face," Roger answered from the doorway.

Mark looked over with a small grin and cradled Julie in his arms, but she ripped off his glasses and he pressed a kiss to her forehead, grabbing the glasses and putting them back on.

"Gah," she whined.

"Gah?" Mark questioned and Roger rolled his eyes.

"You're a geekier dad than a boyfriend. You and Maureen were disgusting." He knew not to mention Charlotte, though that was almost as bad as Benny was with Alison. He acted like she was a goddess.

"Thank you?" Mark answered with a eyebrow quirk.

"Mark? It's Molly… You left you're um… wallet here. I guess it fell out of your jacket. You said you were working today, so you can pick it up tomorrow or something… or I can drop it off, you told me around where you live…" She paused and seemed embarrassed. "I'm not good at voicemail, so yeah… bye."

Roger laughed and Mark rolled his eyes. "I could've sworn I had my wallet with me…"

"Well you took off for the day, why don't you go get it and I'll watch the kid?" Roger suggested.

"Nah, I want to spend the day with Julie. Besides, I don't need my wallet until tomorrow," Mark answered and just then, thunder boomed and the lights flickered. Julie burst into tears and cries and Roger and Mark glanced at each other.

"I'll get the candles."

"I'll get the matches."

Mark hushed Julie and rocked her back and forth, pulling out a huge Ziploc bag of candles. "How is it that I've gotten a decent paying job, and a decent apartment and I still don't have flashlights?" Mark questioned aloud and Roger laughed, coming into the kitchen.

"I'll take the candles, you shut the baby up," he said, grabbing the Ziploc bag as the lights went out.

Julie whimpered and Mark somehow found the couch, sitting down. "Shh, it's just rain," Mark cooed and Julie buried her face into his shoulder, standing up in his lap. He rubbed her back soothingly and her legs went weak. Mark cradled his daughter in his arms.

Roger came in with a candle and there was a knock at the door. "God damn—Roger, get the door," Mark called from the couch and Maureen's voice flooded the apartment.

"I was coming to steal the kid while Mark was at work and then the power went up while I was coming up the stairs, but I can still—ah crap he's home!" Maureen squinted behind candlelight.

"Good, be useful and put some candles everywhere. Maybe some light will help Julie relax," Mark answered and Maureen mimicked him in a nasally voice as she obeyed.

After the living room was illuminated with candles, Mark set Julie on the floor with a teddy bear and leaned back in the couch keeping a close eye on his daughter. Roger was frustrated with the song he couldn't truly find in his mind. Maureen was bored, but luckily brought nail polish.

An hour or so passed and it was still dark. Mark heard a crash outside his door and looked over at Maureen. "I'm not getting that! It's a stormy night and there are loud noises out there. Have you never seen a horror movie?"

Mark sighed and hesitantly got up, going to the door as there was a faint 'ow' along with numerous curses. He opened the door and his heart skipped a full beat.

"Molly?!"


Suspense again! :) Review? Next chapter is written. I'll post it when I get three-five reviews.