here's another one. this is ahrd fic to write, but i'm trying. i hope its not too bad. and thanks to aspirer for the word castrated. i improved my vocabulary!
"But where is he? Where did he go? I need him, I need Roger!" Mimi clung to Angel's hands, her face white and her own hands trembling. Angel freed one hand and rubbed Mimi's back soothingly.
"It's okay, honey, he'll be here soon…I think he needed a minute alone. We all did." Mimi sighed and leaned back in the hospital bed, settling onto her pillows. Her giant brown eyes were raw and pained, as though there was something horrible inside her that was growing and growing and growing…and she could not fight it.
The abortion had been hard on Mimi. It can be traumatic for anyone; but for Mimi, both the reasons behind the pregnancy and the abortion were overwhelming. Roger leaving her alone was too much; she was jumpy and scared, and the nausea in her stomach did not help matters. One thing had happened though; her fear of contact with others seemed to have vanished temporarily. Her hands were still curled tightly around one of Angel's as though she was afraid Angel might try to leave her too. Her muscles were tense and her breathing was raspy. She needed Roger, and now.
Maureen and Joanne were sitting on the window ledge in Mimi's room, although the curtains had been drawn because Mimi felt a little more comfortable without the bright sunlight hitting her face. Maureen had wound down from her tantrum a while ago and now she leaned against Joanne, eyes closed. Joanne stared at the opposite wall, one hand gently stroking Maureen's arm. The two of them were also a little overloaded; they had drawn into themselves, where they were slowly healing the pain of the last few weeks.
Collins was leaning against a wall, his head back and his eyes fixed on the ceiling. He too was regenerating from the inside; he especially needed it, after helping Angel through her breakdown during Mimi's abortion. Angel was the only one present enough to be with Mimi. Although the others knew that they should be with her too, it was obvious who she really wanted and needed. They would be almost rubbing it in to try to replace Roger with themselves.
"Why did he leave me? I can't do this without him, Angel; I can't go through this without Roger! Get him for me, please!"
"I don't know where he is, girl. Just relax and take deep breaths, he'll be here soon." Inside, Angel cursed Roger with everything she had. Leaving her alone with three new catatonia patients and hysterical post-abortion Mimi; he was going to be paying for this big-time.
"…Mimi? Angel?" Angel turned to see Mark, weary-looking and bedraggled, walking through the door. She clicked her fingers at him, and he walked over to her with a stride that suggested he would rather be curled up in a fetal position.
"Where the hell is Roger? Mimi needs him bad, and I don't know where he's gone to. Get him, damn it!" Mark's eyes widened, and he tentatively shook his head.
"I can't."
"WHAT! You—" Angel controlled herself. She turned back to Mimi, who was beginning to shiver nervously. "Honey, relax. I'm just going to go talk to Mark for a minute, don't—"
"No! You can't leave me either!" Mimi squeezed Angel's hand so tightly that the veins stood out sharply. Angel winced and pushed a strand of Mimi's hair behind her ear gently.
"Ok, I'm not going to leave you calm down, girl. I'll just stay here, you relax." Mimi nodded and leaned back, closing her eyes. Angel whirled back to face Mark, who looked even more tired.
"What the hell do you mean, you can't get Roger?"
"I mean I took him home, because he would have done something bad to himself if I hadn't." Angel's eyes widened. Mark sighed and leaned in close, speaking in a soft voice. Not that it mattered, sine everyone else had been and was completely unresponsive to him since his entrance.
"Roger tried to get Mr. Grey. He…he tried to hurt him bad." Angel frowned.
"You mean…beat him up?"
"No, I mean cut him. Or worse. He had a switchblade, Angel. He was going to use it, I saw it happen. But I just couldn't…I couldn't watch Roger do that to himself or to Mr. Grey. The man may be an asshole, but Roger would start a whole shitload of trouble by cutting him. And…I don't know what it would do to Roger." Angel's mouth had dropped open, and her face was pale. She gasped slightly.
"He was really going to do it? Are you sure?"
"Positive. I jumped him in time and I managed to stop him, though. He was crying and sobbing and…I don't know, he was just shattered. Mr. Grey had fainted, which was good luck. I got him a bottle and hoped to god that he would think he just passed out drunk in the alley where we left him. Then I took Roger home. I know Mimi needs him, but he's in no position to help her." Mark finished talking and stood there, his eyes dull behind his glasses. Angel stared at him in shock.
"Oh my god…I didn't realize that he would do something like that. You were right to stop him, Mark. As much as I'd like to know that Roger at least castrated that son of a bitch, it wouldn't really help anyone in the end."
"Mr. Grey couldn't have anymore kids. That would save the world and lots of women a ton of grief." Angel raised her eyebrows and looked back at Mimi, who seemed to have fallen asleep. She gently stroked the Latina's smooth cheek. Mimi stirred slightly, as though she wanted more of that comforting, soothing contact. Angel looked up at Mark with bright eyes, and he looked back. The two shared a moment that neither would forget. Then they looked away from each other.
"Well, I have to get back to Roger. I'm nervous about leaving him for even this long…" said Mark uncomfortably. Angel nodded.
"Give him…I don't know, give him a hug from me. And tell him that I'm glad he didn't do it. Well…sort of glad." Mark smiled slightly and touched Angel's arm.
"I will." With that, he turned and left the hospital room. Angel watched him go. Then she turned back to Mimi and leaned down, kissing her forehead. Mimi moaned slightly and curled up in the bed.