Author's Note: Hello luverly readers! Thank you to all of you who have been reviewing! I greatly appreciate it and please continue to do so! The more reviews, the quicker the updates. Ponder that. Also, I realized I said in one place that Samantha and her family were going to the Collins's for dinner that night (Sunday) and in one place I said the next night (Monday). It should be Monday night, which is the same night of the Mark/Maureen Mimi/Roger double date, all of which will be in this chapter. Anyway, here's chapter 14.

Disclaimer: RENT + Journeynot mine.

"Honey, the Andersons are here", Mrs. Collins called, "Come downstairs and greet them".

Collins groaned, rising from his desk where he was working on a World War II paper, and trudged out the door and down the stairs. His parents were unbelievable. It was like they didn't even hear him when he had said he was gay. Collins reached the doorway and saw three people before him. The couple looked like they were in their mid-forties. Mr. Anderson had black hair that was beginning to get slightly gray at the ends and was dressed in a gray pinstripe suit to match his change in hair color. His wife had a brown bob, but the way it was styled, combined with her vintage sunflower dress, made her look like she belonged in 1955 rather 1985. Samantha stood behind her parents staring at the floor. She looked about sixteen and had long, straight brown hair that hung to the middle of her shoulder blades. She was very thin and her face was adorned with freckles. She had large green eyes and looked like she was about 5'7". Much to Collins' relief and delight, she looked just about as thrilled as he did.

"Ted, Dolly, this is my son Thomas," Mr. Collins introduced.

"Collins, I got by Collins", he mumbled, shaking their hands.

"And this is their daughter, Samantha", Mrs. Collins introduced, nudging her son not-so-subtly.

"I go by Sam or Sammy", she grunted to Collins.

"Well, Ted, Dolly, come on in and we'll talk a little while dinner cooks. Thomas, honey, why don't you show Samantha here your room?" she suggested.

"Sure, whatever", he groaned, shuffling up the stairs with Samantha in close pursuit. Once in his room, she finally spoke.

"You look just about as thrilled as I do", she remarked.

"Sorry", Collins apologized, "I mean, I'm sure you're a nice girl, but I'm just not interested".

"Hey, that's fine with me", Sammy smiled, "Trust me. You have no idea what a relief it is that you're about as enthusiastic as I am. I have a boyfriend and when my parents found out they flipped. He drives a motorcycle, so they assume he's some horrible person. He's actually very sweet. They'd love him if they could get past his exterior. Those two are so stuck in the fifties".

"I'm sorry", Collins grinned, warming up to her now that he knew she was not in the least bit interested in him, "I know how you feel. I swear, my parents are straight out of 'The Stepford Wives', and no worries, I'm taken too."

"o0o0o, tell me about her," Sammy interrogated excitedly.

"Um, him actually", Collins corrected, eyes on the floor.

"So you're gay?" Sammy clarified.

"Yeah," Collins admitted, seriously hoping she wasn't homophobic.

"Oh, okay. Then tell me about him", she stated.

"You're cool with that?" he checked.

"Yeah, you are who you are", she pointed out.

"I couldn't agree more. Anyway, his name's Angel. Angel Dummott Schunard. We've been best friends since fifth grade. He came out in eighth grade, but I hadn't realized I was gay yet. I had that realization a few months ago, when my feelings for Angel started to surface. I told him how I felt and he felt the same way and we've been together ever since. He's the most amazing person you will ever meet. I told him I loved him yesterday", Collins monologued.

"That's so sweet!" Sammy squealed, hugging him.

"Um, thank you?" Collins replied.

"So, did you tell your parents?" she continued.

"Yeah, I did. And they said that they supported me no matter what I chose and that they were there for me and all that shit. Then, they set me up with you. I suppose they thought you would un-gay me or something," Collins chuckled, causing Sammy to giggle.

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Allison Grey drove home from her doctor's appointment that afternoon torn. She had gotten the blood test and it turned out it was a false alarm. She wasn't pregnant. But, how was she going to tell Benny? What if all that talk about being there for her and loving her was just because he felt obligated to do the right thing? Because he thought she was pregnant. She couldn't lie to him and he would find out eventually if she wasn't pregnant, but for the mean time, she wanted to keep believing he loved her; to keep believing he'd be there for her. She could tell him she wouldn't find out the results of the blood test until after the holidays; put it off a little bit. After all, having a merry Christmas couldn't hurt.

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"Hey, Rog", Mimi smiled, entering Pizza Palace and planting a firm kiss on her boyfriend's lips.

"Mmmm, hello", Roger grinned, "how was dance?"

"Good," Mimi replied, "it was pretty easy today. I'm not too exhausted".

"I'm glad," Roger stated as the two seated themselves at a booth with a perfect view of the Scarsdale Town Square.

"So, what have you done today? After all I haven't seen you in a whole four hours," Mimi gasped in mock horror.

"Very funny. I worked on that bio project with Angel. Ha, Collins is on his 'date' right now", Roger laughed, "God, his parents are idiots, have they heard of acceptance?"

"Oh, I so know", Mimi concurred, giggling. In the meantime, Mark and Maureen entered the restaurant.

"Ohmigod," Roger interrupted, "Mark! Hey!"

"Hey, Roger. What a surprise to see you here! I never would have guessed it", Mark responded, walking toward the young couple with Maureen.

"I have an idea, Mark. Why don't you join us?" Roger suggested, getting up and moving to sit by Mimi.

"Why thanks, Roger", Mark smiled, sitting down. Maureen and Mimi glared at each other before Maureen slid in next to her boyfriend.

"So, Mimi how was dance today?" Mark asked.

"Good. Great. Fabulous. I love my dance teacher. She doesn't treat me unfairly at all and understands the definition of constructive criticism", Mimi glared, causing Roger to give Mark a cautious glance.

"Well, Roger, are you coming to see 'Chicago'? I have to tell you it's coming along greatly, now that no one in the cast are self-absorbed, jealous, bitches who can't take constructive criticism," Maureen retorted with a glare toward her former best friend.

"Um, I don't think so", Roger muttered.

"So, um, Mimi, Roger, I got tickets to a Journey concert for next week. It's your guises Christmas present, but the concert's before Christmas, so I have to give it to you early. I have my own ticket, and am going. We can all three go, or you two can go as a date and I'll go separately. It's up to you," Mark invited.

"I hate Journey", Maureen muttered.

"Serioulsy?" Roger gawked.

"Thanks Marky, of course you can come with us," Mimi grinned.

"Yeah," Mark replied.

"Thanks, dude, Journey's awesome! You listen to them?" Roger exclaimed.

"Of course! Like you said, they're the best band ever! 'Don't Stop Believin'' is the best song ever!" Mark shouted, "What kind of music did you think I listened to?"

"I dunno…I always took you for the kid of guy who wished Buddy Holly never died", Roger smirked, "And by the way, 'Faithfully' and 'Open Arms'' are way better than 'Don't Stop Believin''".

"What? Are you kidding me? First of all, my mother listens to Buddy Holly, and second of all 'Don't Stop Believin'' is the greatest Journey song bar none", Mark argued.

"Sorry, babe, I have to agree with Marky", Mimi concurred, taking a break from the glare fest she and Maureen were having.

"Thank you, Meems", Mark grinned.

"Whatever, I think Journey sucks. How you can listen to that whiny music I will never know. The Bangles are way better", Maureen disagreed, and then went back to glaring at Mimi. And so, the night passed in the same fashion. Mimi and Maureen spent the entire time glaring at each other, only occasionally adding to the conversation Mark and Roger were having about Journey.

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"Thank you for coming over", Mrs. Collins smiled.

"Night Sam," Collins smiled, hugging her.

"Goodnight, tell your parents how you feel", she whispered in his ear, "They just need to accept that you're gay and get over it". With that, the Andersons, left the Collins home, shutting the door behind them.

"What was that, mom?" Collins interrogated.

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Collins naively stated.

"What the hell do you mean 'what do you mean?'. I tell you I'm gay and you're reaction is to set me up with some girl! Sam's really sweet, but I am gay! What do I have to do to get that through your head?" Collins hollered.

"Honey, listen, I discussed it with your mother, and we feel maybe you should see a psychologist", Mr. Collins informed his son.

"I'm not seeing a fucking psychologist! Do you understand? I am gay! You're not going to change that!" Collins yelled before stomping upstairs to his room.

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"Nice try, Rog", Mimi giggled as the two sat on her porch.

"What do you mean?" Roger innocently asked.

"Listen baby, it was sweet of you and Mark to try and get Maureen and I got make up, but it's not going to happen", Mimi mumbled.

"Meems, come here," he stated, pulling his girlfriend into his warm embrace, "I know how much Mo's friendship means to you and Mark knows how much yours means to Maureen, so we thought we'd try and get you guys to make up, but apparently that didn't work. It's just sad to see your friendship fall apart after you've been through so much together".

"I know, Rog. I know you meant well, it's okay," Mimi sighed, tears welling up in her eyes. They just sat that way in silence for several minutes, Roger stroking her hair. And, the best part was, it wasn't the least big awkward.

A/N: Well, that was chapter fourteen. I hope you liked it. Please review even if you didn't!