A/N Well this is a long chapter, but definitely worth it! I think you're going to like what happens, especially towards the end.
Chapter 85
"Cass are you sure that's all you want?" Deanne the waitress at the Life Café asked putting their food down on the table. "I'll have the kitchen make you what ever you want. Something off the breakfast menu even."
"Thanks. But I'm not really all that hungry."
"Yeah she says that now." Mark laughed, dumping ketchup on his fries. "Then she eats mine and Roger's"
"Well let me know if you change your mind." Deanne smiled at Cass.
"Have you noticed how much nicer they are to us now that we always have money for the bill?" Mark laughed, joined by Roger and Maureen.
"Not to mention the tip." Stephanie the other waitress added to Mark, who started to turn red. "We thought maybe you had that baby when we didn't see you guys for a few days."
"No such luck." Cass groaned.
"When are you due again?"
"Four days ago." Roger told her bluntly, reaching for the ketchup from Mark.
"Ouch. Well you guys need anything else just holler."
"Thanks Stephanie." Collins told her as they all started to eat.
The front door was opening closing as people came in and out. Nobody paid any attention as it opened again. "Is this a private party or can anyone join?"
"Joanne!" Jen said, jumping up to hug her. As everyone said hello she sat down.
From the far end of the table Maureen gave her a small smile. "Hey."
"Hey." She said back, tying to keep the awkwardness out.
"Where are you staying Joanne? You can stay at my place if you want." Jen told her.
"Or mine." Ginny added.
"I'd offer ours," Collins said, "but it's kind of a mess right now."
"Yeah." Jason gave him a slight grin.
Joanne caught the grin and laughed a little. "No it's okay. I'm going to stay at my parent's place. But I may remember the offers for next visit depending on how this one goes." She laughed.
"So I thought you couldn't come up." Cass asked eating some of Mark's fries.
"Well, I was supposed to come up for Memorial Day weekend, but then a bunch of stuff got screwed up. So I had to stay and take care of it. I figured I'd come up today and spend the rest of the week working out of the New York office. Plus I figured someone would have had that baby by now!" She laughed.
"Yeah, you and me both." Cass told her.
Joanne laughed at that. "So what are you four or five days over due?"
"Four." She said bitterly.
"Can't they induce you Cass?" Jen asked as Joanne ordered her dinner.
"Unless Cass or the baby is in distress they won't induce her till she's two weeks over due." Ginny explained.
"Two weeks!" Mark said as both his and Roger's head shot up. "I don't know if I can take two more weeks." Mark moaned as Maureen smacked him in the shoulder.
"Who cares about you! That's almost a whole week and a half from now! I can't go that long!" Cass sounded as if she was going to cry.
"Relax." Ginny told her, sipping her beer. "You'll probably go before then. It's only four days Cass." She said somewhat unsympathetically. "It's something like less then ten percent of babies are actually born on their due dates."
"Great." Cass pouted.
"Hey, Izzy offered to get out the big amp for you to sit on to see if it would help." Roger laughed picking up his burger.
"Ha ha, very funny." Cass gave him a dirty look.
"Isn't there any other way to get to go into labor?" Maureen asked hopefully.
"I thought I read that having sex would induce labor." Jen said.
"Really?" Cass' head shot up.
"I've read that too." Joanne added.
"That's all it takes?" Cass almost jumped out of her chair. "Oh we're out of here. Let's go." She told Roger who looked up at her as he chewed on a mouthful of burger.
"What?" He swallowed.
"Let's go!" She told him as everyone else started laughing.
"I'm eating dinner." Roger looked at her like she was crazy.
"Get a to go box!"
"Cass!" He shook his head. He could feel his face getting red as everyone, especially Collins, Jason and Mark laughed.
"Fine!" She whined. "I'm not proud, but I am desperate! Mark will do. Let's go Marky!"
"Me?" Mark squeaked out through a mouthful of food before glancing sideways at Roger.
"Forget it." Roger growled at him.
"Fine, make me suffer!" Cass put on a pout as she looked across the table towards Collins and Jason.
"Don't even think about it." Collins laughed, leaning against Jason who was laughing so hard he was turning red.
"It doesn't always work Cass." Ginny laughed. "It's far from a full proof method. Plus you have to do it a bunch of times."
"Really?" She asked disappointed. "Well forget it then. If sex doesn't guarantee I go into labor then it's definitely not worth even bothering."
"Oh thanks a lot!" Roger told her, half laughing as every else lost it.
********************
Roger walked into the bedroom, setting his shoes on the floor as he went into the bathroom. When he came out, he had on just his boxers as he tossed his pants and shirt onto the floor next to the hamper before climbing into the bed.
"Hey. What time is it?" Cass asked in the darkness as she rolled over into his arms.
"Just after four. What are you doing awake?" He kissed her on the neck.
"My back hurts."
"Top or bottom?"
"Bottom." She told him as he started rubbing her lower back. "I don't think he's ever coming out." She sighed, almost on the verge of tears. "I'm going to be pregnant forever."
"Maybe not forever." He grinned. "Mark and I watch a lot of TV. If somebody had been pregnant forever, we would have seen it on TV. Longest we ever saw was a year or two. You're only a week and a half over due."
"Oh very funny."
"Sorry." He leaned over and kissed her again, still rubbing her back. "Is that any better?"
"Uh huh. I've been waiting for you to get home."
"You have huh?" He grinned in the dark. Even though Ginny had said sex wasn't a full proof method to send her into labor, Roger was always willing to keep giving it a shot.
"Uh huh." She answered sleepily. "Camera boy's no good at this. All he does is push a button. I've been waiting all night for a guitar player."
"Guitar player huh?" He smiled.
"Guitar players have the best hands."
"I'll remember that."
"Yep. Strong. Plus you got big hands."
"So I've been told." He smiled again, thinking back on the night Mimi had told him that. Surprisingly, that didn't make him sad. Actually it was kinda nice. Mimi would have been proud of him. This was about the most he could have ever imagined having his life together.
He had gotten married. Was having a kid. Had a job he actually showed up for. Not to mention the fact he had been writing and had actually sold songs as well as an up and coming band wanting him to help produce them.
But there was more to it. He had grown up. He had stopped running and started taking responsibility for what he did. Instead of letting life pass him by and letting Mark and everybody take care of him, he had started taking care of them some. Like Cass. And Mark.
Mimi would have been really happy about that. She could always see what was actually going on with Mark. She knew what Mark was doing and giving up to take care of him. And then the way he was always there for both of them when they'd fight and run to him for confirmation that they were right and the other was wrong. Mimi could always see what Roger was oblivious to, and Mark was always a sore spot there. Maybe he didn't really see it. Maybe he just didn't want to. Either way, all that had changed. He had stopped taking Mark for granted.
The first night he met Mimi she had said he had big hands. Granted she didn't have the purest of motives at the time. More like the purest of stash, which was in his back pocket, and she wanted it back. But she had said that, about his hands. Part of it was the stash, part of it was just a way in. He fell in love with her that night. He was still in love with her. He always would be in love with her, but he loved Cass too.
Roger knew it took both of them to make him who he was today. He and Cass could never have had a relationship like he and Mimi had. The fighting, the jealousy and the insecurities were too much a part of what made up Roger and Mimi. Just like everything he has with Cass are too much a part of what makes up Roger and Cass. It took both of them to make him who he finally was. And he loved them for it. Both of them.
He was still rubbing her back. He leaned over and kissed her. "I love you Cass."
"Mmm huh."
He realized she had fallen asleep. Smiling he laid down next to her, wrapping his arms around her.
******************
"Roger. Roger wake up."
He rolled over, pulled the pillow over his head and held out his hand. "Just give me 'em." He said groggily.
"What?" Mark was confused, but then realized what he was talking about. "No, Rog." He grinned. "It's not time for your pills."
"Then what do you want?" He groaned. "What time is it?"
"7:30. Get up."
"Go away. I only went to sleep three hours ago."
"Roger get up."
"Go away Mark." He threw a pillow at him.
"Get up! Cass is in labor."
"What!" Roger bolted up and jumped out of bed. Grabbing his pants off the floor. "Jesus! Why didn't you wake me up!" He yelled at Mark who had started laughing at him. "Okay, um, okay," he pulled on his pants. "We gotta call her doctor and go to the hospital!"
Mark laughed again. "Relax."
"Relax? Relax? Cass is about to have a baby and you're telling me to relax? Don't just stand there! And what the hell are you laughing at?"
"She already called her doctor. Apparently we got a little time. And I'm laughing at you."
"Oh great! Cass is in labor and your laughing at me!"
"Relax Roger." Maureen laughed, stepping into the room. "Mark acted the same way when Cass woke him up."
"Great. I'm so happy you two are amused. Where's Cass?"
"She went for bagels with Jen." Maureen told them.
"What?" Both Roger and Mark jumped at her.
"Don't yell at me. Her doctor said to walk around. It would get her to the next stage faster. She said to tell you to take a shower and get ready."
"I'm ready." Roger told her. Not realizing his shirt he had picked up off the floor from last night was now on inside out and backwards.
"Um, maybe not." Maureen said, pointing at his shirt. "Plus you stink like the Iguana and I know you were wearing that when you left for work yesterday. And if I don't want to smell you, Cass sure as hell won't later. We got time."
"You better be right." Roger told her, pulling off his shirt and heading towards the bathroom.
Cass and Jen had come back with bagels and coffee. Roger watched the expression on Cass' face change and he looked at his watch. "Okay that's twelve minutes."
"I got almost fourteen minutes." Mark told him.
"Well it's twelve." Roger snapped at him.
"I don't think so." Mark shook his head.
"Well it is!"
"Oh for God sake will you two shut up or it's going to be a long day. And I got twelve minutes." Maureen told them.
Jen looked at Cass. "Oh this is going to be a fun day."
"Sarcasm. Just what I need." Cass told her, nibbling on her bagel.
Afterward Jen went into work for awhile promising to meet them all at the hospital later. Cass was in their bedroom, leaning her back against the wall.
"Baby you doing okay?"
"Yeah…" She grimaced. "I guess. What was that?"
"Eight minutes, thirty-eight seconds. She said we could go to the hospital when you got to seven or eight minutes."
"Good." She let out a breath and stood the rest of the way up as Roger helped her. "I'm ready to get this over with."
"Okay." He realized he probably had a stupid grin on his face again as he walked over to the doorway. "Mark call the cab."
"Okay." Mark answered him. "Did you call your mom? You're supposed to call your mom when we leave for the hospital."
"Yes, I'll call my mom!" Roger snapped back at him. "Now will you get a cab!" He turned back to Cass. "I'm sorry Baby. Mark's gonna just drive me crazy today I have a feeling." Cass smiled at him as he helped her put her shoes on.
He could tell she was a little freaked out. Actually he was surprised he wasn't more freaked out. He was definitely freaked out, he was just surprised he wasn't more freaked out. And he didn't want Cass to know he was scared. Roger figured they would all be better off that way.
Roger called his mom as the cab arrived. When they got to the hospital, Mark and Maureen went to the desk to get her checked in. Roger was holding her hand when she started to squeeze it really hard. He briefly thought back to the conversation last night. "Baby you okay?"
"Do I look okay?" She snapped at him.
"Come on Baby. You're almost there."
"I know. I'm just a little antsy. Sorry."
"It's okay Baby." He leaned over and kissed her. "Love you Baby."
*******************
"What's happening?" Collins asked as he entered the waiting room.
"So far, nothing." Jason shrugged from his chair. "And I've been here for almost two hours."
"Oh I'm so sorry this isn't enough to keep you entertained." Jen yelled at him as Ginny came out of Cass' room. "What's going on?"
Ginny shrugged. "Not much. She's dilating, but not real fast."
"What does that mean?" Jason asked.
"It means it's going to be awhile before she can start pushing."
"Why can't we go in?" Maureen whined.
"Because there are already three people in there and there really aren't supposed to be more than two." Ginny told her in an all business tone. She was used to Maureen's whining. Actually, Maureen's annoying habits over the years had been good practice for dealing with the anxious people she dealt with in these halls every day.
"Well why does Roger's mom get to stay in there?"
"Because she's his mother and a nurse, so we made an exception." She told her bluntly.
"But-"
"Drop it Mo." Collins cut her off. "How's Cass?"
"Hot, sweaty and tired. She's getting frustrated and I don't think Mark is currently helping. You guys want to do something? Get those two out of there for a little while and give Cass a few minutes."
"Why? What are they doing?" Collins got a slight grin.
"Well, you know how Mark gets when he's nervous. And well, that's not helping Roger any."
"Yeah. Roger didn't get home till about four, and Mark woke him up a little after seven, so I know he's tired. Plus it's almost four. He's gotta take his pills and he won't even think about it I'm sure, especially with his mom in there."
"Right. Okay, I'll take Roger, you take Mark and Mo you stay with Cass."
"Okay. Roger's mom is in there with her too." Maureen told them.
After a few minutes of convincing and some pushing from Ginny, Collins got Roger to go get some coffee. After they left Jason just came in and got Mark, dragging him and his camera out.
"Thought you could use a few minutes without Heckle and Jeckel." Ginny told her. "Besides I don't think Roger would make it though seeing them give you an epidural."
"Thanks Gin." Cass told her as she walked out. She felt another contraction come over her.
"Don't hold you breath Cass. It's easier." Joanie told her. "You're doing great sweetie. Once they give you that epidural, you can get a little rest."
"That's got to hurt when they put that needle in your back."
"Well, a little, but once you get it, you won't care anything about that."
After a few minutes the anesthetize came in for the epidural. Cass sat up on the edge of the bed, her hands on Joanie's shoulders. "Okay Cass you'll feel a little pinch." He told her.
"Owww!"
"Give it a few minutes Sweetie." Joanie told her helping her lay back down. "How do you feel?" She asked after a few minutes.
"Better. Weird." She got a small smile on her face. "Probably a good thing Roger missed that."
"He's still scared of needles?"
"I'm sure he would prefer a different word than scared, but yes."
"I used to wonder about that. After I found out how bad he had gotten and what he had gotten himself into." She shook her head. "I guess I tried convincing myself it couldn't really be that bad. Roger was scared of needles, he couldn't really be shooting up but he was. And there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it."
"Nobody could of Joanie. Not until he wanted to. I know that for a fact, so don't blame yourself."
"I know. But he's my little boy." She got a sheepish grin on her face. "He may be about 6'2" and as stubborn as a mule and pigheaded beyond belief, but he's still my baby. You'll see. Just you wait. You never stop worrying about them. No matter how old they are."
"Great."
"Okay, well you try and get some rest. That hard part comes in a little bit."
************
"Okay Cass, on the next one, give me a real good push."
"Come on Cass, you're doing great." Joanie told her. "Mark, push her knee up when it's time."
"Okay Cass, here we go. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Okay relax."
"You're doing great Baby." Roger told her, letting her lean back down.
"Roger I can't do this." She cried.
"Sure you can baby."
"No I can't!"
"Come on Cass. You're almost there." Mark told her.
"Shut up Mark!" She sobbed.
"Baby you can do this. You're almost there."
The monitor beeped and the doctor looked up. "Okay Cass, here we go again. Hold it as long as you can." She started counting again as Mark and Joanie pushed her knees back and Roger pushed her up into more of a sitting position. "You're doing good Cass."
"I can't do this anymore." She cried.
"Come on Baby. You can do it. You ran a marathon remember?" He smiled at her, wiping off her face. "You've done harder stuff than this."
"It was a half marathon. And right now I'd sell my soul for a couple of really good lines."
Roger couldn't help but laugh at that. He knew exactly what she meant. "It's okay Baby."
"Okay here we go again Cass. Everybody ready?"
"NO!" Cass snapped as the doctor started counting.
"Okay, you're crowing." The doctor announced.
"What's that mean?" Mark asked worriedly.
"It means the heads about to come out." Joanie explained to him. "Okay Sweetie, you're almost done."
"Give me a big push Cass." The doctor said.
"Come on Baby!" Roger whispered in her ear.
"Aghhh!"
"Come on Baby!"
"Okay his heads out! Give me one more push Cass. Here we go!" She said as the baby came the rest of the way out. "Everybody say hello!" She held the baby up.
"Cass he's beautiful." Ginny told them as she suctioned out his nose and mouth.
"You did it Baby! You did it!" Roger kissed her.
"You want to cut the cord Daddy?" Dr. Greene asked him.
"Um…"
Ginny handed him a pair of scissors. "It's okay. Right between the two clamps." She smiled.
Roger reached over, hesitated for a moment as he swallowed hard before cutting through the cord. He let out his breath only after he did it and then realized the baby was fine. He watched Ginny wipe him off a little and put a blanket around him as she set the baby on Cass' chest.
"He's gorgeous!" Joanie said, starting to cry.
"He's so little!" Roger leaned in close to her, picking up the baby's hand as it closed around his finger.
"He didn't feel that little coming out. But look at him. He's amazing."
"Yeah. So are you." He kissed her again.
"Is he supposed to be all cheesy? And what's wrong with his head?"
"Mark!" Joanie half yelled at him and half laughed. "My grandson's beautiful! And his head is fine. At least it will be in a day or two."
"Okay, I need him back for a few minutes to take care of business." Ginny told them. "Plus somebody needs to go out there. The natives are getting restless in my hallway."
"Come on Mark." Joanie told him smiling. "We'll see you in a little big Sweetie." She told Cass as she kissed Roger. "I need to go call you aunt. And your grandmother. And your brother." Joanie said, walking out.
Mark leaned over next to Cass. "That was incredible Cass. Absolutely incredible." He kissed her on the forehead as he looked at the baby. "I should um..." He gestured towards the door where everyone was waiting down the hall.
"Uh huh." Roger said, staring at Cass as Ginny took the baby.
"Go tell them." Cass smiled at him.
"Give us a few minutes to help Cass get cleaned up and changed Mark. I'll come get you guys and you can come see her and the baby then."
"Okay." Mark squeezed her hand and walked out the door, camera in hand to see everyone.
****************
Maureen flew out of her chair followed by Jen as soon as they saw Mark coming down the hall. "Well?"
The grin on Mark's face grew with Maureen's excitement. "It's a boy! That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!"
"Is he alright? Is Cass alright?" Joanne asked, almost tripping over her suitcase, having come straight from the train station.
"Yeah! Cass is fine. The baby's fine. Roger's fine. It was really amazing."
"That's great Mark." Collins grinned. "Did you get it all on film?"
"Well, most of it." He grinned. "I was only allowed to film certain things. But I did get Cass about to bite Roger's head off." He laughed. "And Roger cutting the umbilical cord. I thought for a second there he was going to pass out."
"Oh man, this sucks!" Jason exclaimed, looking at a piece of paper he had taken out of his wallet. "I had the right hour, only it was for five days ago! Damn! I guess we should call Izzy. Last I heard the baby pool was over three hundred dollars." Jason said.
"Oh very nice Jason!" Maureen scolded him.
"Huh? Oh sorry, you know what I mean." He got a slight embarrassed grin on his face.
"Can we see them? Please?" Jen almost begged.
"Yeah in a little bit. Ginny said she'd come get us."
"Wow. I still can't believe it." Collins shook his head smiling. "And you and Ginny got to be there for the whole thing."
"Yeah, it was amazing." Mark's huge grin returned. "And Ginny was really incredible too. She actually really knows what she's doing."
"Oh thanks a lot! You unemployed, no talent hack!" Ginny teased Mark, walking up behind him.
Totally ignoring her sarcasm, Maureen jumped in. "Can we see Cass and the baby? Please?"
"Yeah." Ginny smiled. "But she's really tired, so don't stay long. And no loud partying."
They all walked down the hall towards Cass' room. Mark knocked softly on the door as he opened it. Cass was sitting up in the bed holding the baby. Roger was sitting on the edge of the bed talking to her as he held the baby's hand with one finger. "Hey, can we come in?"
Cass looked up from the baby. "Hey." She said tiredly. "Come on in."
"Oh my God he's beautiful Cass." Maureen whispered.
"She's right Cass." Jen said as they crowded around the bed.
"He's so tiny." Joanne said as she reached out and ran a finger over his little hand.
"How you doing sweetie?" Collins asked her.
"I'm tired, really tired."
"I guess over twelve hours of labor will do that to you." Collins laughed.
"Yeah." Roger laughed. "Eight pounds, twelve hours and eleven days late." He looked back down at Cass who smiled at him.
"Is his head gonna stay like that? It's all pointy?" Jason asked.
"Jason!" Jen smacked him. "Of course his head's a little pointy! He just spent twelve hours getting squeezed through a really tight space." She laughed. "It'll round out in a few days." She gently ran her hand over his head.
"So what's his name?" Maureen asked.
Cass looked at Roger and smiled at him. "Go ahead and tell them."
Roger looked up at Mark and grinned. Mark, got excited just from the looked and blurted out "It's Quinton! Right? Just like Tarantino? Like I said?"
"Um, well, no." Roger sort of laughed.
"But I thought you guys said you were really considering that."
"Um," Roger laughed again. "We lied. Sorry."
"So what is his name?" Joanne asked.
"Collin Mark Davis." Cass answered her smiling.
"Really?" Maureen asked, wide eyed.
"Uh huh." She nodded sleepily.
"Wow." Jason said softly looking around the group of friends that for all intensive purposes was a family.
The door opened and Joanie came in followed by Larry who started talking to Roger. "Sweetie you okay? You look a little pale." She said, taking her pulse.
Cass nodded. "I'm just really tired."
"Maybe we should go." Joanne said. "We'll come back tomorrow."
"Okay." Cass said, barely keeping her eyes open.
Everyone said their good-byes and went out into the hall to wait for Mark. Larry and Joanie were saying goodbye to Cass. Roger was sitting in the chair yawning. "Hey. I'm gonna take off, unless you want anything. I'm guessing you're gonna stay here tonight."
"Yeah, I guess." He laughed. "But I'm cool. Bring me some clothes tomorrow."
"Yeah. No problem."
"I um, I, Cass said it would be too confusing to call him Mark. I mean having two of you and all. I just wanted you to know that."
"Thanks." Mark blushed.
"Really Mark. You know I would've never made it this far without you. You and Collins, but especially you." Roger hugged him.
"You're welcome." He hugged him back. "I'll see you later." He walked over to Cass and the baby. "Sweetie you want anything? Anything from home?"
"Can you get me something to eat? A sandwich? I'm so hungry Mark."
"Yeah I can do that. I'll be back in a little bit. Get some sleep." He kissed her goodbye before leaving. When he got out to the hallway he told them about going for food. They decided Jason would take the girls back to the building. Joanne was going to sleep at Jen's. Collins would go with Mark for food.
They came back from the restaurant with sandwiches for both Roger and Cass. "Do you feel weird knowing they named the baby after you?" Mark asked.
"No." Collins smiled. "It's kind of nice. A little like having a kind of legacy."
"Legacy huh?"
"Yes. Something beyond philosophical papers and films. Means you touched someone's life enough that they want their kid to reflect something of you back."
"Yeah I guess." Mark smiled.
"I knew they were going to make his middle name Mark. Cass said you both couldn't be named Mark, it would be too confusing."
"That's what Roger said." Mark looked down. "Don't say anything, but Cass was really scared of having the baby."
"That's understandable. That whole labor and birth thing."
"No, not that." Mark reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him. "She was afraid she'd hate him, the baby. Afraid everytime she looked at him she'd think of Anton. Roger told me the same thing once. But they never told each other that." Mark paused, looking Collins right in the eye, with that worried look he was infamous for. "Do you think that's possible?"
"I think it's possible for some people, but not them. You saw them. The last thing either of them was thinking about was that bastard Anton."
"I hope you're right."
Mark opened the door to Cass' room. She was asleep, holding the baby. Roger had squeezed onto the hospital bed with her. One arm draped protectively around her and the baby. Mark paused for a second to get the whole scene on film. After a minute or two he turned off the camera. He set the bag of food down on the side table then went over to Cass' bag, digging out Roger's pills he had put in there earlier. Collins stood there silently watching the whole thing as Mark turned back to Roger.
"Roger. Roger wake up." Mark whispered in his ear.
"What?"
"Here's your food. And you need to take your pills." He held out the dosage and a can of soda to him.
"Thanks." He took the pills, still half-asleep, returning his arm around Cass and the baby. "Love you Baby." He mumbled into her hair in his sleep.
Mark and Collins walked back out to the hall. "I don't think you need to worry about any of that stuff Mark. Any of it." Collins smiled at him as they started home.
*********************
When Mark got back to the loft, it almost amazed him how quiet it was. No computer humming or printer running. No guitar playing. No Cass and Maureen laughing. No Roger grumbling. Nothing.
He walked over to the bathroom and got ready for bed. When he opened his bedroom door he found Maureen sitting on his bed in the dark with the TV turned on low. "Hey."
"Hey. I was waiting for you. How are you?"
"Okay." He sat down next to her on the bed. "Today was really wild huh?"
"Yeah." She smiled. "I can't believe they named the baby after you and Collins."
"Yeah. It's a little surreal."
"I mean I understand it."
"You do?"
"Of course." She looked him in the eyes. "I mean you and Collins saved Roger. Especially you. And you and Roger saved Cass. First you, then both of you. But if you hadn't saved Roger the first time," she shrugged her shoulders in the dark, "who knows what would have happened. It took you saving him so the both of you could save her. It's simple."
"Right. Simple." He smiled, trying to hold back a yawn.
"I didn't mean saving them from themselves was simple. I meant understanding why they did it was simple."
"Got it. God I'm so tired."
"Me too. Can I sleep in here tonight?"
"Yeah if you want." He climbed into the bed.
"Did you see Cass and Roger today? They really love each other."
"Uh huh." Mark said sleepily, rolling onto his side away from her.
"Yeah, they really do." She paused. "So, um, night."
"Yeah. Night Mo." They laid there in the dark for a few minutes. Mark was almost asleep, but something was keeping him awake. He realized it was Maureen and she was crying. "What's wrong?" He rolled over towards her.
"Nothing." She said into the wall.
"Mo…" He placed his hand on her shoulder for a second.
"It's just, you know once upon a time you used to look at me like that. The way Roger looks at Cass. Before I went and fucked everything up."
"You didn't exactly fuck up everything…"
"No, just everyone." She said into the wall.
Mark didn't say anything. He couldn't. There was no answer to that. She was right sort of. He couldn't deny that. He knew it was true. She knew it was true. And she knew that he knew it by his silence, but he couldn't say anything.
"I just… I'm sorry okay. I'm sorry I screwed everything up. I just miss what we used to have, you know?"
"Yeah I know." He told her rolling onto his back, staring at the ceiling.
"And now, you can barely stand to touch me!"
"Don't get dramatic." Mark told her with a slight grin he was glad she couldn't see in the dark. Dramatic was one of the things that made Maureen Maureen. It was one of the things he loved about her. He always had. Even if it made him crazy sometimes. "You want a completely honest answer? Okay here it is. Last time around you ripped my heart out and stomped on it."
"Marky…"
"No let me finish. You hurt me real bad Mo. Real bad. And if we lived normal lives that would have been easier to get over, but we don't. I just, I just don't want to go through all that again."
"I know." She said softly. "Me either."
Mark rolled over, putting an arm around her, tucking a piece of hair off her face and behind her ear. "Mo…"
"I don't want to go back to that Mark, ever. I just want to be different. I am different now."
"I know you are Mo."
"I still love you you know. I always have. Even when I was with Joanne. I mean I loved her too, but it was different. Not the same as with you. And I loved you the whole time too."
"I know. I loved you too. And I know you're different."
"You do?" She looked up at him.
"Yes, I do. Really. I really do love you."
Maureen wiped a tear off her face. "Really?"
"Yes. Really." He looked down at her for a second before leaning in and gently kissing her lips.
A/N Don't worry, this isn't the end yet, but we are starting to wind down. There are a few twists yet to happen, but things start to move a little faster and a little differently from here on, so stick with me. And tell me what you think. About the baby thing? And Mark and Maureen? Let me know. Thanks. Kelby