Rent next generation

Disclaimer: As always I do not own Rent. The most excellent and missed Jonathan Larson wrote that.

Chapter 14: Without you.

"Hey Mama!" Donna said running into Mimi's room with Randi and Cameron following.

"My girls." Mimi said smiling. She looked perfectly fine now, her fever had gone away. Donna and Randi both hugged her at the same time. Cameron hugged Mimi next.

"And my boy." She smiled.

"Actually, I'm taking Randi to dinner after this. But I'm always free to see my favorite girl over 20." Cameron said smiling.

"Where's Dad?" Randi asked.

"He went to see a doctor about checking me out." Mimi said.

"I better go find him." Randi said walking out of the room. She only had to go down the hall to find Roger and the doctor. But just as she was about to turn the corner she herd them talking, well almost.

"This isn't right, either you're screwing with me or you have the wrong patient." Roger said, even though he sounded mad, Randi could see he was crying. She hid herself, knowing if it were that bad, he wouldn't tell her on his own.

"I'm sorry Mr. Davis." The Doctor said. "These test are very accurate. And although we can't explain why, Mimi's t-cells are becoming less and less. I'm afraid she's enter end stage AIDS." Randi paused, she must herd him wrong. She was sure of it. Because she knew what he would have meant if he said end stage AIDS. Having two parents that have AIDS, and having HIV for the first year of her life, and not to mention the friends they had that also suffered from AIDS. Randi knew full well what end stage AIDS meant. It meant it was the beginning of the end. That her already limited time, would become more limited. It meant that in anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, Mimi was going to die.

"No! She's not going to die!" Roger said braking into more tears. "She can't! She has two daughters, she has me, she just came back to us a few months ago. She can't leave us again, let alone forever!" The doctor shook his head sadly.

"I'm sorry Mr. Davis." That was all he said. Roger stood there in disbelief. "I write up your forms so you can go home, no sense spending the time you have left with her here. Also the hospital's Fight HIV/AIDS program has agreed to pay for Mimi's medical bill. So you don't have to worry about that." The doctor walked away as Roger stood there. Like he was going to worry about the medical bill anyway, he had much, much, much bigger problems then that.

"Randi, I know your there." He said. Randi came out from behind the corner. Tears flew down from her eyes as she ran to Roger and wrapped her arms around him.

"He's lying Daddy." She said through heavy breaths. "He's lying!"

"No." Roger said bringing Randi closer to him. "God I wish he was, but he isn't." They stood there and cried with each other for a few minutes. Randi was far from getting her tears out, but Roger pulled away.

"I have to tell your Mother." He said. Randi grabbed his arms.

"What about Donna?" She asked.

"Randi, no." He said. "She's just a little girl."

"I think she has a right to know, so at least it won't surprise her." Randi said. Roger shook his head.

"Donna's excited and peppy. And Mimi loves that. And if we told her that in a few weeks or so her Mother's going to die, she's going to be depressed through it. I want Mimi to go with Donna excited and happy. I know it's selfish to make her be happy when she should be sad, but there will time for tears later." Randi took in what Roger said and nodded.

"Me and Cameron will take Donna and leave, you can tell Mom then." Randi said. Roger nodded as they started walking back. Roger noticed has they entered the hospital room, Randi was no longer crying, instead she looked numb.

"Cameron, Donna, let's go eat." Randi said. Cameron looked confused.

"I thought the plan was to leave Donna here with Roger and Mimi?" He said.

"Change of plans, very big change of plans." She said. Cameron was confused, but knew Randi would explain.

"Okay, Come on Donna." Cameron said. Donna gave Mimi a hug, Randi followed but her hug wasn't as warm as the hug she'd given Mimi when they walked in. As they were walking down the hall Donna was walking way in front of Cameron and Randi. She decided now was a good time to tell him.

"What's going on?" Cameron whispered. Randi almost broke down into tears, but instead remained numb.

"Cameron.." She said. "My Mom, she only has a few months to live." Cameron didn't stop walking but his face was filled with shock, and depression.

"What?" He asked. "But she looks fine."

"It's not the illness that's going to kill her. She's enter end stage AIDS. Her t-cells are so low; it wouldn't take very much to knock her down." Randi said still numb.

"Oh no…" Cameron said, now he looked like he was going to cry.

"Don't." She said. "We're not telling Donna. Cry when Donna's not around." Cameron stopped in his tracks. "I said not now." She said stopping as well.

"Randi, what's going to happen to us?" He asked, she looked at him, but the numb look never left her. "I mean, when Mimi left for Rehab we were drifting farther and farther apart until I admitted my love for you. What's going to happen when she dies?" He looked at Randi who just stood there. Even if it was fake, Cameron would have accepted we'll be just fine. But Randi just looked to the ground.

"I don't know." She admitted. They continued walking. Although now what started as depression to Cameron, now turned into fear for his relationship.

(Authors note: I'm going to do something a little different. I'm going to do a bit of a short songfic out of the last couple months of Mimi's life to the Rent song Without you. Here it is.)

"I'm sorry Mimi." Roger said after telling her she only had a few months to live. Mimi shocked eyes filled with tears.

"No..Roger, No!" She said putting her face into her hands.

"Mimi." Roger said wrapping his arms around her.

"Without You
The Ground Thaws
The Rain Falls
The Grass Grows"

Randi is seen with a note book. Out of no where she starts crying.

"No! No! No!" She throws her notebook across the room. Cameron comes from the other room.

"Randi..." He said walking towards her. But she throws her arms up.

"Leave me alone!" She shouted walking away.

"Without You
The Seeds Root
The Flowers Bloom
The Children Play"

"Watch me, are you guys watching?" Donna said, they were at the park. Roger and Mimi looked up at the slide where Donna was.

"We're watching." Roger said. Donna slid down the slide and ran to Mimi and Roger.

"Let's go to the swings." Donna said. Mimi starts coughing.

"I think we should go home." Roger said taking his coat off and wrapping it around Mimi.

"But we just got here." Donna said.

"I know, but Mama's not feeling well Babes." Roger responded. "Come on lets go."

"The Stars Gleam
The poets dream
The Eagles Fly
Without You"

Fay is seen talking with some friends, when she looks over to Harris who is leaning against a statue. He looks at her and gives her a sad look. She stares at him for a moment.

"Fay?" One of her friends asked. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah..." Fay said as she started walking again. Harris sighed and walked away.

"The Earth Turns
The Sun Burns
But I Die
Without You"

"Hey Belles." Beckon asked holding a photo album.

"What is it buddy?" Isabella asked.

"Who's this?" Beckon pointed to a picture of Angel in a dress she made. Isabella froze.

"Come on Honey…" She herd a voice say.

"Just a friend." She responded.

"Without You
The Breeze Warms
The Girls Smiles
The Cloud Moves"

The gang was at the live café. Celebrating Mimi and Roger anniversary.

"To Mimi and Roger." Mark said rising a glass.

"The mother and father of bohemia." Fay threw in before she sat down. She looked over and saw Harris sitting with Maureen and Joanne. Harris looked at her; he got up and went to her chair.

"I think we need to talk." Harris said.

"I have nothing to say to you." Fay responded.

"Fay…" But Fay still looked away. Harris shook his head and walked away.

"Without You
The Tides Change
The Boys Run
The Oceans Crash"

Still at the party, Brooke walks up to Reese.

"Hey buddy." She said.

"I'm not your buddy." Reese said.

"Reese, soon you're Dad and I will be married, and you guys are coming to my house. You know that don't you?" Brooke asked.

"Oh so not only do you want to take my Mom's place, but you also want to take me away me away from the only home I've ever known?" Reese asked.

"Reese…" Brooke said, but Reese got up and ran away.

"The Crowd Roars
The Days Soar
The Babies Cry
Without You"

Isabella is cleaning up the living room, when drops a box. She reaches to pick up the contents of the box and comes across a picture of Collins and Angel. She stares at it for a moment.

"I love you honey…" Isabella herd, she stood up.

"Who are you?" She asked. "Leave me alone!"

"The Moon Glows
The River Flows
But I Die
Without You"

"Mommy, Maureen." Gina said. "After me and Nicky graduate. We're going to get married.

"Pookie, that's wonderful." Maureen said jumping up and hugging Gina, Joanne hugged her next.

"The World Revives…..

Colors Renew

But I Know
Only Blue
Lonely Blue
within Me, Blue "

Randi's outside on the fire escape crying. When Cameron comes out.

"Randi…Please talk to me." Cameron pleaded.

"You can't help me, no one can. Because my problem can't be solved!" Randi said.

"I can't see you like this, not again." Cameron said kneeling down with her. "I want to help.

"I can't be saved like you seem to think I can, and if you can't understand that. I'm wasting my time on you." Randi plainly said.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Cameron asked.

"I'm braking up with you." Randi said. Cameron looked shock and heart broken.

"Randi you're not thinking clearly…" He said.

"I'm thinking just fine." Randi said. Cameron tried to wrap his arms around her but she pushed him away. He sighed, got up, and walked away. Randi started crying harder.

"Without You…….

Without You
The Hand Gropes
The Ear Hears
The Pulse Beats"

Mimi is in the hospital. Donna runs in and hugs Mimi. Randi just waves as she comes in with Roger.

"Mama, I can't wait for you to come home." Donna said. Randi stood there shocked.

"I can't wait to go home." Mimi responded hugging Donna again. Randi opens the door.

"Randi…" Roger said, but a door slam was his only answer.

"Without You
The Eyes Gaze
The Legs Walk
The Lungs Breathe"

"Happy seventeenth birthday Randi!" Brooke says coming into Mimi's room with Derek and Warren following. Everyone was there for Randi's birthday.

"Thanks guys." Randi said holding her Mother's hand. She smiled but then frowned as she looked at Cameron. Who stared at her for a moment before looking away. Mimi weakly squeezed her hand. Randi smiled again, but felt like crying.

"The Mind Churns
The Heart Yearns
The Tears Dry
Without You"

"Bye Mom." Randi said after their visit.

"Bye Mama." Donna said.

"Bye girls, I'll miss you." Mimi said.

"We'll be back tomorrow." Donna said, but Randi pushed her out the door.

"Life Goes On
But I'm Gone
Cause I Die…"

Roger sits by Mimi's side as she slowly grows weaker.

"Roger…it's time." She whispered.

"No, no not yet." He pleaded.

"Goodbye Roger…" Mimi said as she closed her eyes and her breathing slowed to a stop. Roger herd the long beep of the machine as he burst into tears.

"Goodbye Mimi..." He said kissing her forehead.

"Without you…Without you…Without you…"

"I'm sorry girls." Roger said after he told Donna and Randi.

"What?" Donna asked braking into tears. "She can't be…I didn't say goodbye." Donna reached and hugged Randi as they cried together. Roger started crying as well and joined them as they cried together for Mimi.

"Without you…"

This is by far the saddest chapter I've ever had to write. Sorry once again guys, but that's how the story goes. Please don't be mad.