Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me but of course everyone knows that. I'm not sure if I should go on b/c the subject matter has been done and beaten to death but- oh well! I have chapter 2 done but I'm not sure if I should post it. Read and review please.


Prologue:

"Hi April."
Mark sat down on the bright green grass and touched the cold gray gravestone with his hand. He outlined her name with one finger and took a deep breath, inhaling the cool spring air into his lungs.
April Dylan.
April 10th, 1974 - February 5th, 1995.
"Happy birthday." he whispered.
He put his camera down next to him and stared at her name. "You would have been twenty eight today. Remember when we thought that was old? I always thought we'd live forever. Or at least, you would."
He lowered his hand and touched the ground beneath his legs. It was warm and soft beneath his palms.
"You were the one that believed in fairytales, remember?" he said. "You believed in happily ever after, long after all of us gave up. You're probably up there now, living a fairytale. Somewhere in Never Never Land, young and happy."
Mark took a deep breath, trying to control the tears that threatened their way down his face.
"You believed in magic, April. I remember I used to tease you about reading that old children's book."
He closed his eyes briefly and smiled.
"You believed in magic. I believed in you."
For a moment he sat still, studying his surroundings with his watchful, bright blue eyes. If anyone else had seen him, they would have thought him to be a child. His lips were softly set in a smile and his skin was pale and unusually smooth. A soft breeze ruffled his blonde hair and he grinned at the feel of it on his cheeks.
Mark touched the cheerful looking daisies in front of the gravestone. He played with their delicate white petals.
"Roger brought these for you earlier." he said after awhile. "He remembered they were your favorite. He remembers everything about you, April. He still loves you. We all do. Even Mimi does, even though she never met you. I told her about you. You would have liked her- you liked everyone."
Mark paused and listened to the wind blow through the trees. When he looked back at her headstone, his eyes were filled with tears.
"I miss you so much, April." he said quietly. "Not a day goes by that I don't think about you. Sometimes I wish that I'd never met you. That you never met Roger. Sometimes I wish I'd never gotten the chance to love you. We ruined you, April, We killed you. In the end, we lost you."
"In the end, I lost you."



Chapter 1- Once Upon A Time
(9 years earlier)

"Whoa, who is Roger talking to?"
Benny sat up and craned his neck, leaning forward. His dark brown eyes were focused in one direction.
The club was packed and Mark, Maureen, and Benny were sitting at the bar, fighting off the droves of people that threatened to push them off of their stools.
"What?!" Maureen yelled over the din.
"I said, who is Roger talking to?!" Benny yelled. "He's been talking to her all night!"
Mark and Maureen looked at him blankly and Benny rolled his eyes.
He pointed towards the end of the bar and both of them turned their heads to look.
"I can't see!" Maureen whined loudly. She turned around and tugged at Mark's sweater, pouting her shiny red lips at him. "Forget Roger! Let's dance, Pookie!"
Mark shook his head. "Uh-uh. You go ahead." he said. "You always make fun of the way I dance anyway."
Maureen shrugged, not really hearing his softly spoken words, and dove into the dark mass surrounding them. Mark watched her as she disappeared and sighed heavily.
Benny laughed and leaned forward so Mark could hear him better.
"Man, you are such a sucker!"
Mark winced. "Shut up, Benny!"
"You know she's fucking around and you still stay with her!"
"I love her!"
"Well, you're an even bigger sucker than I thought you were!"
Benny's eyes shifted from Mark's face back into the crowd.
"Hey, here comes Roger! Check out the piece of ass with him!"
Mark turned around to see Roger and a small woman walking towards them. Roger's face was beaming and still flushed from his recent performance.
Mark knew how important this particular gig had been for him. It was the largest venue he had played at and the crowd had worshipped him. Through his camera, Mark had watched Roger on stage screaming into his microphone. He knew that Roger had loved every sweat soaked chord of each song.
This was Roger's night.
Which was why Mark had gone to the club, despite his dislike of crowds.
"Hey guys!" Roger said, smiling at Mark and Benny.
His dirty blonde hair was matted down with sweat and his face was in need of a shave but Mark knew that most of the woman who had seen Roger on stage wanted to take him home.
"Hey Roge." Mark said, smiling. "Great show. I got it all on film."
Roger grinned at him and slapped him on the back.
"Thanks Mark!" He turned to the woman and winked at her. "This is my bestfriend, Mark Cohen. He's the guy who filmed my gig tonight. The other guy is Benny."
The woman leaned forward and held out her hand. "Hi Mark. Hi Benny." she said, almost inaudibly. "I'm April."
Mark shook her hand politely but he barely looked at her. His eyes scanned the crowd of people behind her and frowned. Maureen was with a tall, dark haired man on the dance floor and it looked like she was writing something on his hand.
Shit, Mark thought, she's at it again.
"Me and April are gonna go outside for awhile. It's too fucking hot in here!" Roger said. "I'll see you guys later!"
Mark snapped back to attention and forced himself to smile. He nodded and gave a little wave.
"Yeah, it was nice meeting you, April." he muttered.
As Roger and April walked away, hand in hand, Benny hit on the back of his arm.
"You barely gave her a second look!"
"Who? Maureen?" Mark said, not looking away from his girlfriend. "She's right there."
"No! April!" Benny exclaimed. "Man, I hate Roger! He always gets the best looking chicks!"
Mark shrugged, not really paying attention. He leaned towards Benny and pointed at Maureen.
"Does that looked like what I think it looks like?" he asked.
Benny looked up and grinned, shaking his head. "If you think it looks like she's giving her number to that guy, then yeah."
Mark frowned again and turned back to the bar. Benny laughed and punched him in the arm.
"Like I said, Mark! You are a sucker!"


Mark sighed heavily as he pushed the door to the loft open.
It had been a long night for him.
When he had asked Maureen what she had written on the dark haired man's hand, she yelled at him for not trusting in her. He left the club and had taken a walk by himself through the dark streets of the city, filming the shadows that surrounded him.
He was in a dark, lonely mood.
Why shouldn't I be? he thought.
My girlfriend is cheating on me.
My career is nonexistent.
I have nothing to look forward to anymore.
He heard giggles coming from Roger's room. He set his camera down on the table and walked cautiously towards the slightly open door.
Probably banging their heads off, Mark thought sullenly. He remembered the woman he had been introduced to. He turned around to go to his room when he heard Roger call out to him.
"Mark, you're home! Come in here for a sec!"
Mark frowned and pushed the door open. He just wanted to crash onto his bed and go to sleep but Roger sounded upbeat.
Mark didn't want to ruin this night for him.
"Yeah, what is it, Roge?"
Roger's window was wide open and aside from the small lamp in the corner, the moon was the main source of light. The moonlight illuminated April as she sat on Roger's bed, awkwardly holding his guitar. Roger was kneeling down in front of her, placing her fingers on the fret board.
They were both laughing.
"Hey, check her out. She's gonna be the new guitarist for the Well Hungarians." Roger said, looking up at Mark with a big grin on his face.
April shook her head and blushed. For the first time that night, Mark took notice of her.
She had large, brown eyes and pink round cheeks. Her dark clothing was typical club attire- tight shirt and pants- but she seemed uncomfortable in them. She was tugging at the bottom of her shirt as if she were embarrassed by her bare stomach.
Her thick, brown hair was lit up from behind by a shaft of moonlight.
She wasn't Roger's average club groupie but she was extremely pretty.
"Come on, let Mark listen." Roger teased her. April laughed again and Roger winked at Mark.
"I taught her the first four chords of..."
"Roger!" April protested. She shook her head and giggled, looking up at Mark. "I think he just wants you to hear me make a fool out of myself."
Mark smiled back at her, feeling the weight of the night lift off of his shoulders.
"I'm sure you're not that bad." he said, suddenly feeling better.
April shook her head and laughed again before looking back down at the guitar and attempting to stretch her fingers out to the proper positions. She strummed one chord and then struggled with another position, her mouth frowing in concentration. After a few minutes, she gave a big sigh and put her arms down.
Roger was laughing wildly and Mark joined him.
"Ha. Ha." April said in mock anger. She wagged her finger at Roger. "That's enough musical entertainment from me for one night, Roger."
Roger reached forward and took April's hand, bringing it to his lips.
"Okay, no more of that for tonight." he said, still smiling.
The two of them looked at each for a moment.
Mark stopped smiling and took a step back. He suddenly felt misplaced, as if he had walked into a scene from another film by accident.
Had they forgotten he was there?
He coughed loudly and they both looked up at him.
"Um, I'm pretty sleepy. I'll see you guys in the morning." Mark said, faking a yawn.
Roger nodded and then looked up, startled, when April stood up.
"Yeah, I should be getting home." she said, tugging at her shirt once more. Roger stood up, looking confused.
"I have work in about four hours. Roger, you've kept me up!"
"You're going home?" Roger asked.
April gave him a strange look and then blushed. "Yes, Roger, I am going home." She tapped him lightly on his chest. "Besides, what will Mark think of me if I stayed over?"
Roger glanced at Mark, who held up his hands.
"April, it's okay." Mark said, feeling flustered. "I'm used to it."
April looked back at Roger, arching her eyebrow. "So he's used to you bringing home random girls from the club?"
Roger looked back at Mark, his dark blue eyes telling him that he had said the wrong thing.
"Uh, no..." Mark began but Roger interrupted him.
"April, what he meant was..."
April laughed sweetly and threw her arms around Roger's shoulders, surprising both men. She hugged him tightly for a few seconds and then jumped back, walking past Mark to the door.
"It's okay." she said lightly. "I'll give you a call tomorrow. Don't screen."
She looked back at Mark and tilted her head.
"It was nice meeting you again, Mark."
Roger stared after her as she walked out of his room and when they heard the front door slam shut, he sat down on the edge of his bed and looked up at Mark.
"Well?" Roger said. "What do you think?"
"She's cute." Mark said. He hesitated. "And really sweet."
Roger stared at him. "But...?"
"But.. she's not really your type, is she?" Mark said. "I mean, what happened to the blonde Amazon wild woman from Sunday? Or that red head from last week?"
Roger shrugged. "Faded into the woodwork, like all the rest." he said.
Mark sat down on the bed next to him. "So how'd you meet her?"
"Mike, you know, our drummer. April is his sister's friend. They both just moved here a month ago." Roger said. A slow smile spread over his face. "She is pretty cute, huh?"
Mark smiled slightly. He knew Roger. Roger usually spoke less than two sentences about the women he dated.
"Did you guys spend the whole night talking?" Mark asked.
Roger nodded.
"Wow." Mark said. "Usually by now you'd be on round three. Your bed would be a sweaty mess and me and Maureen would be up, pounding on the wall..."
Roger punched Mark in the arm and Mark winced.
"Hey! You and Benny need to stop doing that!" Mark cried out. "I'm a scrawny little..."
"Come on, Mark, take it like a man!" Roger teased. Mark laughed and pushed his glasses back up with one finger.
"She looks pretty young."
"She's only a year younger than you." Roger said. He ran his fingers through his messy hair. "She turned nineteen just this past April. Her favorite color is blue and she likes Chinese food."
"And let me guess, she enjoys long walks on the beach." Mark said playfully. "Hates rude people and loves to date rock stars."
Roger grinned. "Yeah, that about covers it."
"And she's a horrible guitarist." Mark added.
"Fucking terrible." Roger said but his eyes sparkled. "Speaking of fucking terrible, where's your drama queen?"
Mark sighed and felt pure exhaustion wash over him. "She's probably still at the club." he muttered.
Roger shook his head and threw a heavy arm around Mark's thin shoulders.
"Why do you put up with her shit." he asked seriously. "She cheats on you. She uses you, Mark. You deserve better than that."
Mark shrugged and looked into Roger's face. "I can't help it." he said. "I care for her. She'll come around one day. I know it."
Roger patted Mark on the back. "I hope so." he said. "But I doubt it. I'm just looking out for you. Hey, why don't I ask April to hook you up with one of her friends? I'm sure she has knows some wholesome type girl you'd like."
Mark laughed and stood up, shaking his head. He paused at the door and turned around.
"Don't hit me again but... she really doesn't seem like your type." he said.
Roger shrugged, indifferent.
"Yeah? Well, Maureen doesn't really seem like your type."
"Okay, touche." Mark said. "Good night, Roge."
"Night, Mark."



"Good morning, Mark."
Mark staggered out of his bedroom. He put on his glasses with one hand and blinked up at the childish voice.
"Hey April." he said in a hoarse voice. "What time is it?"
April sat on the couch. Her legs were covered with a blanket. A large red book lay on her lap and she waved one small hand at him. He walked to the refrigerator and swung the door open.
"Three AM." she said.
He took out a small bottle of milk and flipped off the cap.
"Aren't you up kind of early?" he asked, after taking a sip. "Is Roger still asleep?"
Mark shuffled towards the couch, still holding the milk bottle in his hand. He sat down next to her.
"Roger's still sleeping." she said quietly. Her large doe-like eyes were bright and wide awake. "I wanted to read a little bit but I didn't want to turn on the light. You know how he is with not being able to sleep with the light on."
Mark nodded and smiled at her.
It had been a month since Roger and April had started to see each other on a regular basis and she was already a fixture at their loft. Since Benny had moved out the week before, there was more space anyway. Maureen was barely home most of the time and Mark doubted if she even noticed April when she was there.
Mark didn't mind April's presence.
He liked her.
She was one of the kindest people he knew. She had even begun to bring out the gentler side of Roger, something Mark rarely saw. When Roger was with her, the cold, hard edge that Mark had grown accustomed to seeing over the years melted away. He smiled more often. He laughed more.
The difference in Roger was apparent to Mark's keen eye, if not to everyone else.
"Nice shorts." April said, her smile growing wide.
Mark looked down and blushed furiously. He had forgotten that he was wearing only a thin white shirt and bright yellow shorts.
He crossed his arms over his thin chest and nodded at the book in her lap.
"What's that?" he asked, trying to redirect her attention.
She smiled and lowered her head. "It's a book of fairytales I've had since I was a kid." she said. She pushed the book towards him. "I never leave home without it."
Mark put the bottle down on the floor and took the book carefully in his hands. The edges were frayed but the dark red leather cover was still in good condition. The gold edged pages were thin and Mark turned each one carefully.
"It's beautiful." he said softly. He looked up at her. "How old were you when you got this?"
"I was seven when my dad bought it for me. He used to read a story from it every night at bedtime. I guess I never really grew out of believing in them. I read it now whenever I get homesick."
"You miss your home?"
She nodded, placing her hand on the book. "Yeah. My entire family is still in Connecticut. I miss my mom, my dad... even my brother and my baby sister."
"Sounds like you have the typical American family, including the two point five children."
April smiled sweetly. "Yeah, I know, right? I love my family but I knew I couldn't stay home forever. Everyone supported me moving out. They didn't even complain when I told them I wanted to delay going to college. Actually... I don't plan on going at all."
"Why don't you want to go to college?"
She blushed and looked away. "I'm sure I won't get in anywhere. My grades in high school weren't good enough." she muttered. "But my parents never made me feel bad about it. They were always so supportive of me. It's funny though. I couldn't wait to leave home and get out into the real world. Now that I am in the real world, I wish I was home."
She sighed and drew her knees up to her chest, hugging her legs tightly with her arms.
"You're lucky, April." Mark said. "You're the most well adjusted one out of all of us here at the loft. I mean, I'm sure you know about Roger's childhood and..."
April's face changed slightly making Mark wish he hadn't said anything.
"Well adjusted is just another word for boring." she said stiffly. "And no, Roger hasn't told me about his childhood. He doesn't talk about his past."
"Oh."
"I figure he will when he wants to."
"Yeah. Definitely."
April stared at him. "So why are you up so early?" she asked. "Isn't Maureen going to get cold without your big, strong arms around her?"
Mark coughed and looked down, blushing again. "She sleeps like a log actually. I was thirsty. And... I couldn't sleep."
"Hence, the milk?"
He nodded. "Hence the milk." He shrugged. "I guess I just can't turn off my brain sometimes."
"Ah, you think too much." April said. She smiled at him. "The camera in your mind never stops filming, right?"
"You could say that."
She flipped open the book and turned a few pages. "Mark, if you can't sleep, I can read you a few stories. That always helps me nod off."
He drew up his legs and she covered him with her blanket. She uncurled her legs and scooted over to him, sitting so close that Mark could feel her body warming his own.
"Once upon a time..."
"April?"
She looked up at him, her brown eyes questioning. "Yeah?"
"Do you really believe those stories?" he asked suddenly. "I mean, I know that's a weird question but..."
She lowered the book and gazed at him intently. "Are you asking me if I believe in fairytales?"
"Yeah."
"Of course I do, Mark." she said simply. "Don't you?"
"Not really." he said honestly.
"Why not?"
"I guess... with the way things are right now it's a little hard to believe in happily ever after."
"Isn't that more reason to believe?"
He stared at her, blinking in confusion.
She went on.
"Actually, I'm a little surprised that you don't believe in these stories."
"Why?"
"Because... you're a film maker. You're a modern day storyteller, Mark. I've read some of your scripts. Most of them end happily."
Mark paused.
He had never thought about it that way.
April lowered her head again, ruffling the pages of her book and Mark studied her face. The light in the loft was dim but she seemed to radiate a luminosity of her own. Without the harsh makeup she wore when she went out to the clubs with Roger, she was childlike and innocent. Her pink lips were full and soft and Mark stared at her, trance-like, as she bit her lower lip.
He suddenly found it hard to breathe.
April looked up suddenly, feeling the tension in his body against her.
"Mark, is something wrong?" she asked but before he could reply, Roger's door opened.
"Hey babe, what are you doing out here?" Roger asked. He shuffled barefoot across the floor and kneeled down next to April. His eyes were swollen with sleep and he shivered as he wrapped his arms around her. "It's three thirty in the morning. Come back to bed."
April looked at Mark and winked. She put down the book.
"Sorry, I couldn't sleep." she said. "Besides, I was having a nice little chat with Mark."
Roger blinked groggily at Mark and offered him a lopsided grin. "Hey, buddy. Sorry, but your quality time with my girlfriend is over. I'm taking her back to bed."
Mark nodded and smiled weakly. He watched as Roger pressed his lips against her neck. April turned her head and they kissed.
Mark looked away.
Suddenly he felt sick to his stomach.
Roger pulled away, still smiling, and helped April up to her feet. She held the book tightly in her hands. He wrapped his tan, muscled arms around her and kissed her forehead.
"I'll see you later, Mark." Roger said, glancing back at him. "Go back to bed. It's cold out here."
Mark watched as April and Roger walked back towards the bedroom and sighed when the door closed.
He reached up and took off his glasses to rub his eyes.
What the hell is wrong with me? Mark thought.
He put his glasses back on and stared at his hands.
What am I thinking?
Why am I thinking what I'm thinking?
I can't be thinking what I'm thinking.
I can't be feeling what I'm feeling.
Mark covered his face with his hands, trying to clear his mind. Suddenly he heard a door open again and light, rapid footsteps making their way towards him. He looked up to see April's face beaming down on him.
She had her book in her hands.
"April, what..."
She leaned down, kissed him on his cheek and placed the book in his lap.
"Page three forty two. It's my favorite one." she whispered. "Sleep tight, Mark."
She turned around and dashed back into Roger's bedroom.
Mark looked after her for awhile and then opened the book.
He adjusted his glasses, drew the blanket tighter around him and flipped through a few pages before he found the story.
"Once a upon a time..."