Author's Note: I think someone forgot to feed the server last night, because it decided to eat part of my last chapter. If the beginning looked weird when you read it, you might want to check back again because it's fixed now. It is a very sad day for me today. I have just realized that I probably won't be able to update at all next week because of my rehearsal schedule. That's a very depressing thought for me. ::cries:: So leave me lots of reviews to make me feel better, and check back in case I *do* get to update by some miracle.

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Chapter 19: Fire

March 21st

4:13 PM

The Loft

"Mimi. . ." Roger leaned over and kissed her ear, lightly shaking her shoulder. "Mimi, wake up."

"Too early," she mumbled, slapping his hand off and pulling the covers over her head.

Roger laughed softly, then looked over his shoulder and beckoned to Mark. Mark nodded, then walked quietly into the room and took aim with his camera.

"Close up on the birthday girl who seems to be in one of her rare moods today," Mark narrated softly.

"Mimi, it's four o'clock in the afternoon. Come on, people are gonna be here soon," Roger coaxed, choking down laughter.

"Shut the hell up and leave me alone."

"Ooh, it's a fierce beast," Roger teased, starting to tickle her, "You think it'll bite me, Mark?"

"Roger, stop," Mimi whined, "You weren't sick all night. STOP."

Roger grinned.

"What are you gonna do if I don't?"

"Hurt you!"

She sat up finally and began pummeling Roger with her pillow. He leaned back to avoid a blow to the head and ended up sitting on the floor.

Mark started to laugh from his vantage point in the doorway.

"Score, Fierce Beast: one, Roger: zero."

"Shut up, Mark." Roger groaned, rubbing his head.

"What time is it?" Mimi asked finally, sitting up and yawning.

"Almost four thirty."

"Shit!"

"What?"

"I slept that late again?"

"Yeah."

"What time are people getting here?"

Roger looked guiltily at Mark.

"In about twenty minutes. I'd get dressed if I were you."

"Thanks for waking me up." Mimi grumbled, sliding off the bed and rooting through her closet for something to wear. "I'm going to take a shower."

"Okay. . .Um, happy birthday?" Roger offered lamely.

"Save it."

Mimi stalked out of the room and slammed the bathroom door behind her.

"Did you get it all?" Roger asked Mark, laughing smugly.

"Yeah. Rog, I really don't think that was very nice. . ."

"Asshole." Roger teased, walking into the kitchen and getting himself a beer from the refrigerator.

"How many have you had?" Mark asked, shutting his camera off and setting it on the table.

"Two."

Mark went over to Roger and grabbed the beer out of his hands just as he was about to take a swig from it.

"Hey!"

"No. No more until the others get here. I don't want you passing out in the middle of the party like last time." Mark answered firmly.

"But. . .you're no fun!" Roger pouted.

Everyone began arriving in small mobs, and by the time Mimi got out of the shower the party was in full swing. Maureen and Roger were having a contest to see who could throw more chips up in the air, then catch and eat them, much to the Joanne's dismay. Mark and Aimee had retreated to a corner of the living room, giggling conspiratorially. Benny was relating the tale of his latest hot date to a very bored looking Collins.

"So, Benny, what happened to Kati?" Mimi asked loudly, coming up behind him and making him jump.

"Mimi! Happy birthday." Benny attempted to kiss her hand, but Mimi shoved him away roughly. "We-uh-we're on a break right now."

Mimi nodded.

"Uh-huh. I'm sure. Meaning you just don't know how to date one woman at a time."

She spun on her heel and walked away before Benny could defend himself.

"Hey, Mark!" Roger called, "Can I have my beer back now?"

"You already finished it, Rog." Mark called back, "And another one."

"Gimme one more!" Roger ordered, laughing obnoxiously.

"I'll join you!" Collins called.

"Me too." Benny added.

"My God, do you guys know how to do anything besides get drunk and be rude?" Mimi asked sourly.

"Sure," Benny answered, "We know how to get laid, too."

Several rounds of drinks later, the laughter had grown much louder and the conversation much less intelligent.

"So this one time, I put the soup in the microwave and it EXPLODED!" Roger slapped the table and laughed so hard he nearly fell over backwards.

"My soup caught on fire once," Benny interrupted. "The pot melted and BAM! Flaming soup! All over the goddamn stove!"

"Hey, Mimi," Roger called, getting himself another beer, "Want one?"

Mimi just glared at him.

"Think before you speak, Rog. If you still know how to do that."

"Party pooper," Roger commented, then leaned closer to Collins, "There's a word for it when they get like that, you know. Bitch. But don't tell her I said that."

"You're drunk, Rog." Mark called from across the room.

"I heard that." Mimi added angrily.

"No you didn'," Roger slurred, "I'sa whipsering when I said i'."

"Hey, anybody got any matches?" Benny asked.

"Yeah."

Roger pulled out a pack and handed them to him.

"Let's burn stuff."

Collins pulled an ice cube out of his drink and slid it across the table.

"Burn that."

"Oh my God," Mark groaned. "I was hoping this wouldn't happen."

Aimee leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Yeah, it is pretty sad. Amusing though."

Back at the table, Benny had lit a match and was threatening the ice cube with it.

"Talk you rebel spy! Talk, I say! Talk!"

"Um, Benny, it can't hear you. . ." Mark muttered, looking over his shoulder at the quickly shrinking ice cube.

"It disappeared," Collins commented.

"No it din't," Roger laughed, "It wet i's pants!"

"An' then ran away!" Benny finished proudly.

"I hate men," Mimi muttered to Maureen.

Maureen looked at her like she was crazy.

"But they're so damn cute!"

Joanne cleared her throat loudly.

"As a form of entertainment, I meant."

Just then, they were interrupted by an all too familiar sound.

A fresh wave of laughter erupted from the table.

"Wow, Benny, way to cut the cheese," Collins laughed.

"Lovely aroma," Roger added.

"Did you know you can light farts on fire?" Collins asked.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Methane. Or so I've heard."

"Le's try it!" Roger shouted, jumping up and knocking his chair over in the process. "Cut us another one, Benny!"

Roger lit a match, then yelped and dropped it. It caught the rug and slowly began to burn.

"SHIT!" Roger shouted, jumping back and staring at the slowly spreading flames.

"Somebody get water!" Joanne called.

Mark grabbed the water pitcher and quickly dumped it on the fire, dousing the flames. A cloud of smoke rose a few inches off the floor.

Roger started to laugh again.

"Roger Davis!" Mimi shouted, coming over to stand in front of him. The room fell silent.

"Wha'?" Roger slurred, trying to look innocent.

Mimi reached out and slapped him hard across the cheek.

"You are such a fucking infant sometimes. I don't know how you expect to raise a child when you can't even figure out that dropping a match on the ground will set the place on fire." She started to cry. "Why can't you ever be serious?"

"I am serious!" Roger protested, still slurring his words. "I's a accident!"

"Yeah? Well maybe so was this baby!"

She turned and ran to their room, slamming and locking the door behind her.

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Review please! Cuz I'm still sick.