Roger wonders why Marky is acting so funny- he knows he'll come back, and eventually, he'll get out what is going on with him- but right now, he is most worried about Mimi.

Mimi would never in a million years just leave- especially to go see her family- She hasn't talked to her family in a very long time- I'm not even sure if they know she has Aides... "Well they must- I think. If anyone knows about it- it would be her brother, Gregorio. He is just a little younger than her- about 1.5 years. She tells him everything, well everything until she escaped from her family's tight grip. But, she might have occasionally given him a call or two."

"I really miss her," Roger thinks to himself, "I haven't talked to her in about a day- and I miss her smell, her taste, her voice, everything about her. I would never think that I could ever fall in love again after April- and yet, I have- even more in love then I was with April, or, at least a different kind of love."

"If she doesn't come home tonight- or no, if she doesn't come home anytime soon- I'm going to search for her. I know she isn't with her family- I know she isn't, something must be wrong!"

Where-ever Mark is:

"Oh God," he thinks, "What if I never find her? It will be all my fault - Rog will never ever forgive me- what have I gotten myself into?"

Mark searches everywhere he thinks of- even the park where Maureen and Joanne found her that Christmas Eve. He didn't know where else to look- he knew he had to get Collins to help him- even though it wasn't the best choice when he wanted this whole thing to be kept a secret- but that was probably the only way for him to find Mimi, only way to get out of this whole mess.

Mark pulls out a pink cell phone out of his gray GAP sweatshirt's front pocket. Maureen gave him that cover- she forced him to put it on, otherwise, she would probably do something ridiculous to him- like make him join her protest class and sing her next protest song. Mark dials the number: (111) 674-8361... "Hello? Collins?"

"Yeah man- what's up?"

"It's about Mimi- look, it's a really long story, I'll tell you when you get here, she's gone and I need you tell help me find her ok?"

"Yeah man, anything, where are you?"

"Oh, just meet me in front of Life, ok?"

"Yeah ok, I'll be there as fast as I can! Bye"

"Bye!"

Mark knew he could always count on Collins- a true friend. He was always there for him. Mark envied him- how he was always in the right place at the right time, and even if he wasn't- he would still get there, how he was such a great lover to Angel- or anyone he is with, - just everything about him.

Collins arrives out of a taxi about a block away- running as fast as he can to get to Mark

Collins: What happened bro?

Mark explains the whole story to Collins- Collins is blown away

"Roger and Mimi- - - never ever came to his mind!" he thought to himself

Mark: ...so that's it- yeah, I know- It's messed up.

Collins: No- not messed up- just unexpected.

Mark: yeah, um, we have to go look for her-

Mark and Collins search the whole night- till about 3 am

Mark starts to wonder if she really did take off and leave for Florida

Collins: Hey, Mark? (he nudges his shoulder lightly)

Mark: yeah?

Collins: We should really stop searching for tonight- I got a class tomorrow- I'm really sorry-

Mark: NO- Collins you're right, we should stop...um- thanks for helping- I needed you hear.

Collins: Anytime man...don't sweat it-

Mark: And um- thanks for listening, I needed to get that out of my system

Collins: Yeah- I know, I know, um- I'll talk to you later- call me tomorrow all right?

Mark: Yeah, ok. Bye.

Collins walks over and gives Mark a tight hug and a kiss on the head- he hated seeing him this stressed out and upset- It worried him.

Mark sits on the bench of the park, alone. The sounds of the city seem oblivious to him- all he hears is his thoughts- the sounds of what happened today all locked inside of his head. He wonders if tonight will ever end- wonders if there will be a tomorrow. "No Day but Today," he mutters to himself.

About ten minutes later, he feels a hand on his neck- he turns around Mimi! Can it be? She comes over and touches his face with the back of her hand-

"It's going to be ok Mark- everything is going to be ok."

She stands there silently, just smiling- suddenly her face turns into Angel- which turns into Roger- which turns into Collins, Maureen, Joanne, and ends with Benny punching him...

*Gasps/jumps* "It was a dream?" Mark finds himself in the park- he is cold- shivering- "I must have drifted off, God I have to get back home," he looks around him- nothing except for the sounds of the city.

As he walks back to the loft, he hears a loud "No!" It sounds like Roger! Mark turns around and sprints towards the sound he is heard. Finally he sees a skinny man, holding a woman around his shoulders

"Roger," Mark finally says

"Mark- oh thank God, - Mark help- she- she is bleeding!"

"Oh Roger- it is all my fault- oh God, I'm so sorry!"

"Your fault- how? Where were you?"

"I was looking for Mimi- I couldn't find her. Where did you find her?"

"She was next to her brothers front steps of his apartment- right behind the bushes. She had a pocketknife in her hand, there was- there was blood all over her outfit- I think she- she was slitting her wrists- Oh Mark, I can't do this again- I can't!"

Roger buries his head into Marks shoulder

"OH God, Roger, I'm sorry- we- we have to take her to the hospital!"

They get run to the nearest hospital- on the way there Mimi starts to wake up

Mimi: Mark- Rog? Where am I?

Mark: You're going to be ok- we are taking care of you- it's going to be ok.

It hurt Mark to see her like this- this sick- it just made him want to kill himself

They get to the hospital- Mark calls Collins- because he is the only way they can pay for her.

Mark, Roger, and Collins all sit in the waiting room- just waiting for everything to be ok again- everything to go back to normal- how things used to be-

Roger just wanted Mimi in his arms- as did Mark, they both just wanted her warmth- her touch. They couldn't live without her.

The nurse came out- she looked young, about 23, Mark, Collins, and Roger assumed she was new around here.

Nurse Stevens: Roger- Roger Davis?

Roger: (jumping out of his seat) Yes!

Collins and I followed. Nurse Stevens looked very seriously at all of us. It made Mark nauseous.

Nurse Stevens: We had all of our best doctors and nurses on her- we tried everything we could to save her-... I'm so sorry... but Mimi- Mimi Marques has died. You may go see her, to say your last goodbyes.

You could see the tears filling her eyes when she said this- she stuttered when she talked- this was definitely her first time doing this- ever!

Roger just clutched his stomach and sat down, tears filling his eyes immediately- he couldn't hold them...neither could I, I sat next to Roger- Collins following me- we just held each other- all of us. Collins trying to comfort us- but failed, he knew we would never be comforted- but it was the best he could do.

Nobody wanted to believe this happened- we didn't know how Rog would- could, go on...Collins went to the payphone- whipping his own tears off his cheek- he called Joanne and Maureen.

"I need to get away from this- all of this insanity- it's not real! It can't be real!" Mark thought- and yet- it was the most piece of reality thrown at him in his entire life- like a wake up call-

Mark was the first to go into Mimi's hospital room- he had no idea how he got the courage to go- but somehow- he went- just walked into the room to see a pale Mimi, lying silently on the bed, she looked so unreal- so scared...Mark walked over and grabbed her hand- as if it was going to make things better.

Suddenly, Mark heard a faint woman's voice- a familiar voice- "Marky, Marky, Marky," she called. Mark heard this over and over and over again...