Sorry for the long wait you guys but hopefully it's worth it. I got to see Rent again for my birthday and between Sebastian being super strong and Colin being the world's best Mark understudy I must say I was struck with inspiration. Enjoy!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 13: Let he among us without sin…
"I can't believe you're really leaving," Maureen said tearfully, hugging Collins yet again.
The gang was gathered at the train station, waiting for Collins's train to arrive to take him to MIT. Actually, it was the gang minus Roger, who had just crashed from a high and was too grouchy to come.
Collins sighed as he shifted his book bag from one shoulder to the other, "I'm gonna miss you guys, I really am. I wish I didn't have to go. But hey, we'll keep it touch right? I mean, I'll call and write letters and stuff."
"Yeah, of course," Mark said, turning on his camera.
"And now our good friend Tom Collins has decided to leave his predictable life and pursue an adventure at MIT," he narrated.
"You are too good at that," Benny murmured from behind him.
"Yeah I know," Mark replied, "But that's what you get when you spend every free moment writing screenplays."
Collins waved at the camera, "Yes, I'm leaving New York, but not for good. I'll be back," he finished with a terminator impression.
Mark switched off the camera and slung the strap over his neck.
"I really do need to go, my train's leaving soon."
"Please write, or call, I don't care just keep in touch," Maureen said, sniffing back tears as she hugged Collins one more time.
"Yeah, don't disappear off the face of the Earth," Benny added.
Mark hugged his friend, "Don't stay too long."
"I won't. And Mark?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't give up on Roger. I know there are times when you just want to get rid of him once and for all, but have faith. He'll come around." Collins made sure to say all this quietly so that Maureen and Benny couldn't overhear.
"Thanks," Mark whispered, pulling out of the hug and stepping back, "I hope you find what you're looking for," he said under his breath, knowing Collins wouldn't hear him.
Collins picked up his suitcase and walked off towards his train, he stopped and waved just as he was pulling out of sight. The three waved back as he turned and walked out of view.
"Well I guess we'd better head home," Benny said after a few moments had passed.
"Yeah. Probably better not to leave Roger home by himself, he might fall out a window," Maureen said. She didn't sound concerned, if anything she was sounded slightly hopeful.
"Maureen," Mark chided gently, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Oh fine," she pouted.
"Look, I'm gonna go. I promised Alison I'd take her to dinner tonight and I want to get her some sort of gift." Benny said, checking his watch.
"Well aren't you sweet?" Maureen said, "I wish Mark would buy me little gifts every now and then."
"You want a gift? Ok, I'll take you to the dollar store and you can have anything you want."
Maureen pulled away from him, sticking her tongue out.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mark walked into the apartment, Maureen right behind him.
"Roger? We're back!" he called. There was no answer.
"Maybe he's sleeping?" Maureen suggested, putting her coat down and going towards his room. Mark looked around the room; already it felt empty. There was just a feeling that somehow the place seemed vacant now that one person was gone.
Mark fingered the camera around his neck, thinking about his latest story when he heard a shriek from the back of the apartment.
"Mark!" came Maureen's frantic voice. He quickly ran into his room where he nearly collided with Maureen, who grabbed his arm and pulled him inside.
"What? What's wrong?" Mark asked, looking around. Nothing seemed to be out of place, everything was right where it was when they left, yet Maureen was obviously worried about something.
She pointed to a drawer of their dresser, "Your money."
"What about it?"
"It's gone."
Disbelieving, Mark yanked open the drawer and pulled the clothes aside; she was right, the money he had saved in there, close to two hundred dollars, was gone. He stared blankly at the empty spot; he had been saving that money to buy a new camera, not to mention to pay the rent.
"Who could have done this?" he asked out loud.
"Well I don't know how many people you told Mark, but Roger wasn't with us today and he's not here now and you said before he knew about it." Maureen said.
"Are you saying you think Roger would take it?" Mark asked, tearing his eyes away from the empty drawer.
"I'm saying it's possible. He's been dying for fixes lately and he doesn't have money. He didn't go with us to say goodbye to Collins so he had more than enough time to take and leave-"
"Roger would never steal from me," Mark said angrily, "I'm his best friend. I trust him."
"Who else could have taken it?" Maureen asked logically.
"I don't know. But I know it's not Roger, he wouldn't do that."
"Mark, baby," Maureen said gently, putting her arms around him, but Mark pulled away.
"No! I can't believe you, you accuse my best friend of stealing from me and then act like there's nothing wrong! What's wrong with you?" he snapped.
"What's wrong with me?" Maureen repeated indignantly, "I'm just pointing out a very logical explanation to this. Unless you run through the streets screaming 'I have two hundred dollars hidden in my dresser' I don't think many people knew where it was! Roger happened to be one of those people and we know he's not here right now."
Mark turned on his heel and made to walk out but Maureen grabbed his arm.
"Mark please, don't walk out on me. I'm just trying to help."
"How is telling me that my best friend is a thief helping?" he asked viciously, wrenching his arm out of her grip.
Maureen's eyes glistened, but no tears fell, "Mark…"
He stormed from the room out into the living room, where he paced around the couch. Maureen didn't come out of her room, leaving Mark free to be alone. Still angry with her, he seized his camera and his coat and walked out, slamming the door behind him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"April? Open the door, it's Roger." Roger knocked harder on the door to April's apartment, "April!"
He could hear the scuffle of a person inside so he knew she was home. He knocked louder.
Eventually she opened the door smiling, "Have some patience next time will ya?"
Roger put his arm around her as he walked in, his hand lingering on her waist.
"So what brings you here?" she asked, leaning into him.
"I missed you," he said, kissing her.
"Well aren't you sweet," she replied.
Their gentle kissing soon turned into heavy groping as they fell back on the couch.
"Ouch," April said suddenly, reaching for something in between the couch cushions.
"What is it?" Roger asked.
"Nothing," she said quickly, putting her arm back around him, but he reached around her and pulled out an old needle.
"What's this?" he asked, pulling away from her.
"Nothing," she said, snatching it from him, "I didn't even know that was there."
She quickly got up and threw it into the trashcan, her eyes carefully avoiding her boyfriend's.
"April what was that?" Roger insisted.
"Will you stop! I don't know, you know how it is with things hidden in your couch, most of the time you don't know what's there anyway."
"Please, April this is me you're talking to. Me, Mr. "You're going to kill yourself if you don't change your ways". I know what a needle looks like."
April shifted her weight from one foot to the other, staring at the ground. Roger got up from the couch and approached her.
"Tell me the truth," he said, taking her hands in his. She still refused to look at him, and settled for talking to his kneecaps.
"Fine, yes I use. It's only been for a little while though, it's no big deal."
"No big deal?" Roger said, his voice rising, "April it's-"
"Oh who are you to preach to me about using?" April snapped, "You get high every freakin day and I don't see you having a problem with it!"
"That's different, I've-"
"Oh is it different because you've been doing it longer? Does that make it better?"
"That's not what I'm saying, listen to me damn it!"
"Go ahead, I'm all ears," April said, stepping back and crossing her arms.
"Look, I'm not saying what I do is good, cause it's not, and I'll be the first to admit that. But I can't help it! You can! Stop now, before you get addicted, don't become like me, I don't think I could take it," his voice softened as he finished, his eyes pleading. April sighed.
"Look, I'm fine really. It's only a once and a while thing. There's not going to be a problem, I promise."
Roger couldn't help but smile; she was so strong. She wrapped her arms around him and whispered gently in his ear.
"You want to shoot up now? I really could use some."
He thought for a moment, the only time he'd ever really contemplated getting high. He didn't want April to do it, but denying her would mean denying himself, and he was dying for a fix. Slowly he nodded and April beamed. She pulled him into the bedroom and pulled out a clean needle.
"I've only got one," she said, "you don't mind sharing?"
Roger grinned, "After what we do? Please!"
Roger felt the needle pierce his skin, guided by April's soft touch.
Everything's going right for once, he thought as he returned the favor by inserting the needle into April's arm. What happened next Roger couldn't remember, but that was normally preferred for him anyway.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Review please!