Author's Note: Look at me and my super fast updating! This is a short chapter, but it sets the stage for future events. Look forward to a long chapter coming up!

CHAPTER 26

Maureen shoved another sweater into her backpack as quietly as she could. There was no way she could fit everything into it, but she was going to damn well try. She knew that she had to get out of the loft before Mark woke up to avoid an awkward situation. Maureen zipped up the bag quickly and tossed it over her shoulder, making sure she looked presentable in the mirror before sneaking out of Mark's bedroom. Nobody else was up yet. It was very, very early. She carefully dropped her bag onto the couch and made her way into the kitchen. She felt around on the top of the fridge and pulled off Roger's cheque and April's letter before she found what she was looking for: the key to April's apartment. Maureen pocketed it and also scanned the letter again. She knew April had left her address in it in case an emergency should arise and they need to go there. Sure, April meant a fire or a robbery, but this was emergency enough. April wouldn't want Maureen living on the streets. She searched for and found a pen, and scrawled the address on the back of her hand. Placing the letter and the cheque back on top of the fridge, Maureen sighed. She'd call Joanne later today and at least she wouldn't be completely alone.

Maureen walked over to the closet and removed her coat. As she did up the buttons on the front, she slid into her shoes, too. She then picked up her bag from the couch and placed both straps over her shoulders. She took a last look around the loft and left, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Maureen couldn't believe that Mark had broken up with her. Well, yes she could. She wasn't always the best girlfriend, but it wasn't her fault. She couldn't help it. Despite the way she treated Mark, she really did love him. Having a real relationship scared her. It scared her more than anything. She had never really had a real relationship, romantic or otherwise, and such a serious one so fast made her nervous. So she reacted the only way she knew how: by distancing herself from it. She hated herself for what she was doing to him. Or, what she did to him.

Before long, Maureen found herself standing in front of a short apartment building. She glanced down at her hand to make sure it was the right place, then ascended the stairs. It was in a very nice area and the building seemed very well kept. She pushed open the lobby door and jogged up the stairs not even bothering with the elevator, knowing her track record with them. She checked her hand again and walked down the small hallway, looking for apartment 2C. She found it and dug through her pocket for the key.

The door opened to reveal a neat and tidy apartment, looking quite like a university dorm room. On her left was small kitchen, on the right there was a couch and a television set, and directly across from her were two doors, what she deduced to be the bedroom and the bathroom. Maureen dropped her bag by her feet and shut the door behind her. She looked around the apartment and leaned against the door. She had lost everything. Her head bumped against the door and for the first time in a very long time, Maureen Johnson cried.

* * *

That afternoon, Mark, Benny, Mimi, Collins, and Roger stood in the train station, saying their goodbyes. Mimi had kept her word and helped Roger find a treatment centre, and through all of this they formed a strange bond that everybody had taken heed of. They were all very proud of Roger, and besides Mark's cranky demeanour, they were all conflicted. They were sad to see him go, but they were happy that he decided to do this. Roger was going to be gone for six months to somewhere in Connecticut, having been told that the longer stay in rehabilitation, the more likely one would be to stay away from drugs. He didn't know if that was really true, but he figured he would try it anyway.

Roger punched Benny playfully on the shoulder. "Bye, man."

"See you soon, right? It won't be long," Benny reassured him, pulling Roger in for a hug. Roger patted his back and nodded.

"Yeah. Won't be too long." He moved onto Mimi, hugging her, too. "Thanks beautiful."

"Don't even worry about it. But I will expect some sort of payment in the future," she giggled.

"We'll see." He kissed her on the cheek and turned to Mark who was frowning. "Sad to see me go?"

Mark shrugged half-heartedly. "Yeah."

"Forget about her," Roger whispered as he hugged Mark. "She was a slut anyway. You can do so much better."

Mark shrugged again and smiled. "Maybe."

"Love you guys. I'll miss you."

The three waved to both Roger and Collins. Collins patted Roger on the back and smiled.

"You ready to go?"

Roger sighed and nodded. Collins told Roger that he'd take him and drop him off. That man was full of so much love and dedication, and nobody understood how or why he did it.

Roger and Collins boarded the train after Collins got the chance to say his goodbyes, even though he would be back soon.

"You want the window seat?" Collins asked Roger, who shrugged and nodded.

"I guess." They sat down and Roger stared out the window at his friends. Mimi was currently jumping up and down, waving and blowing kisses and screaming "bon voyage!" and "bye Roger!". Benny was laughing and waving, and Mark was sulking and giving small dismissive waves, smiling for his friend.

Collins laughed. "You've got a pretty pathetic fan club."

"Yeah," Roger smiled. The train began to pull out, and Collins and Roger waved as they slowly departed.

"Bye Roger!" they faintly heard Mimi shout from the platform. Collins laughed and continued to wave. Roger leaned back in his seat and whispered to himself.

"Bye Roger."