At the coffee shop:

"So, what's the craziest or stupidest thing you've done," Fi asked while bringing a large cup of French roast coffee to her lips.

"Honestly...a lot of shit, you'd just have to know my roommates to understand us and our antics." Roger asked, laughter dancing in eyes.

"Right, if they're anything like you, I don't think I want to know them. Collins seemed normal though."

"That's 'cause out of all of us he probably is the 'normal' one."

Fi laughed, "Good, I wouldn't want anything but the best for Aaron."

"Yeah, um about that..." Roger shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"What?"

"Listen, I don't think you should expect anything to really happen between those two. Collins, well, he lost someone who meant a lot to him, and he really hasn't let her, well him, go."

"Why'd you introduce them then?"

"Well, Aaron, he seems like a nice kid and all. I figured he probably needed a friend or something like that..."

"It's alright; Aaron has some shit going on his life too."

"Like what?"

"Like... I'm not going to tell you." Fi said as she grinned.

"No fair!"

"What? That I keep my friend's secrets. No sir. You want to know, you can ask him yourself, he'll probably tell you. Unless of course tonight sucks, then he'll bloody up that pretty nose of yours...then tell you."

"What a comforting thought." Roger stated while rubbing his nose lightly. Fi laughed at him. "What?"

"Don't worry pretty boy, Aaron wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Pretty boy?"

"You heard me."

"Well aren't you just a kind, lovely soul."

Fi just nodded at him. It was then that he actually took the time to study her. Greg was right in his first statements of her. She had long auburn hair with blonde highlights and blue eyes. She wasn't drop-dead gorgeous, but she definitely had the ability to turn heads. An even more attractive factor concerning her though was her personality. She was funny and yet she was strong. He had figured that out within the first twenty minutes of talking to her. The longer she spoke, the more entranced with her voice he became. There was some mystery behind her eyes, and he found himself wanting to know what it was immensely.

While Roger was contemplating what her "life-story" could possibly be, Fi was studying him. He was attractive, blonde hair and a clash between blue and green eyes, the kind that changed with his mood. She was also enjoying his personality a lot more. Yesterday, when they had first met, she had found him rude and detached. Now she found him kind, but still detached. For whatever reason he was, was to be found out later. Tonight was just a night for two souls to enjoy each others company. Apparently Fi had spent too much time looking at him, because Roger broke the silence with, "What are you looking at?" Not harsh or rude, just an imploring question asked by a genuinely confused man.

"Uh nothing."

"Uh huh, sure."

Fi looked down at her watch and noticed the hour for the first time sense they entered the small café. "Shit!"

"What?"

"Nothing, I need to get on home."

"Oh," Fi stood up.

"Listen, I..."

"Can I walk you back?" Roger asked cutting her off.

"What?"

"Can I walk you back, I mean we're both going to the same building, so...can I walk you back?"

Fi smiled warmly, "Sure." The two both picked up their guitar cases and headed out the door. It was nearing 3 in the morning, but Fi noticed the town still didn't sleep. As they passed a bench where two young lovers were kissing, Fi giggled and poked Roger in the shoulder.

"What?"

"Sshh, look." Fi whispered and she pointed over to the couple on the bench. Roger looked over to where she was pointing and quietly laughed. "Welcome to New York City, a town that never sleeps, no matter how much you'd wish it would."

"What do you mean?"

"Just that, they are always young people running around the city, some trying to find out who they are, some trying to find things that will make them who they wish to be..."

"And what are you?" Fi asked, she had stopped and put her right hand on his arm stopping him as well.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, are you in search of you are and what your worth is, do you know who you are, or are you in search of something that will make you into something else?"

"I know who I am."

"And who are you?"

"I'm Roger. Didn't we already have our introductions?" Fi merely shook her head and began walking again, Roger ran to catch up with her, "Hey. What's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem, but you Mr. Davis do. Sure your name is Roger, but you obviously don't know why you're here. Which is fine, most people don't know until their dying days."

Roger tried to speak up but realized he had no words to come back with. She was right, and even though these days were what were known as his "dying days" he still didn't know why he was here. Instead of just easily giving in to what she had said however, he responded finally with, "Listen, I didn't ask to walk you home to hear this huge psychological speech from a woman whom I have only known for not even two days. So excuse me if I don't plan to tell you every little detail of my life, maybe if you knew however, you would realize that I do know why I am here." Roger winced inside at the lie.

"Do you always do that?"

"Do what?"

"Attack anyone who reaches below that tough exterior of yours?"

"Is that all you have to say?"

"You're changing the subject. Answer the question Roger."

"No I wasn't, and no I don't."

"Then I guess it's just me then right?"

"Right. Listen, I don't know who you think you are Fi, but you are not my friend ergo this conversation is through."

"Alright." Fi and Roger continued to walk in silence for a few more blocks, and then Fi decided to speak up. "No, I take that back. It's not alright. I'm sorry if I have offended you, but I'm not sorry for my words. I don't know what your deal is, but I'd like to know if you'd give me half the chance, I doubt you will though. It's your loss, not mine. I don't have time to deal with your inability to allow others into your head and I don't have time to deal with whatever inferiority complex you have. I've dealt with enough guys who are just like you. You have the world at your feet but because you are so detached you ignore it. You're snobbish and scared, of what I don't know. But I do have some advice for you Roger, what ever it is that has your hands chained to a wall...let it go. Otherwise it's going to fester inside of your heart and you're going to become even more bitter than you already are."

"We're here." Roger grumbled.

"You are really something Roger Davis."

"And you're really a bitch Fi... I don't even know what your last name is, how dare you accuse me of hiding things!"

"It's Fi Blake. And I never hid that from you, you never asked. It took you a day and a half to ask me for my name in the first place, so I figured you'd ask me what my last name was tomorrow night. Good night Roger." Fi said as she reached her apartment door and slammed it in his face.

"Bitch!" Roger said as he pounded his fist on the door way.

"GOODNIGHT!"

Roger continued up the rest of the stairs to his loft and stormed into his loft.

"Where have you been?" Mark asked from the old overstuffed olive green couch.

"None of your business."

"Is this the new thing with you, being as rude as possible when someone asks a simple question?"

"Shut up Mark."

"That answered my question."

"I said SHUT UP."

"You know, ever since Mimi's death you've been as surly and bitter as possible. Even worse than you were with April's death. I know you feel that everyone you love is abandoning you Roger, but there are still people that care about you if you'd just open your eyes and look around for a damn second."

"Who? Who do I have Mark."

"You have your friends."

"And who are they?"

"Collins, Maureen, Joanne, and I. We are your friends, though we are all getting tired of being verbally attacked every time we try to pry into your life. We aren't doing it out of spite. We love you, you're in our family but stop pushing us away."

"Geez, is this pick on Roger night?"

"What do you mean."

"I mean that I just got the same exact speech from a woman I just met."

"So that's where you were?" Mark asked, a change in his tone revealed his delight.

"Don't get too happy about it Mark, I doubt I am going to see her again."

"Why?" Mark's face fell.

"Because, I kind of said things that may have pushed her away."

"Well, that's your life story."

"Excuse me?"

"You always do that. You did that when we first became friends, you did that with April, and you did that with Mimi. Of course you always fail just because we were too damn nosey for our own goods." Both Mark and Roger laughed.

"Yeah, where would I be if I had succeeded?"

"In the gutter somewhere with a needle permanently attached to your right arm and another girl on your left."

"Glad to see you thought so highly of me."

"It's just how you were." Mark said with a shrug, "And don't deny it. You know you were bad."

"Yeah I know."

"Well hey, I'm going to bed. Don't worry about it Roger, it'll work out, it always does."

"Yeah, and Mark?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Thanks." Mark just smiled and walked to his bedroom.

Roger sighed as he walked out onto the fire escape. He looked down at the streets and smiled as he saw the same to lovers on the park bench walking around hand-in-hand. Roger was miserable, he knew he had been for a long time, but something about Fi sparked something in him. She was kind and wise, and he had to be a jerk and do what he always did. As soon as someone became too close he detached. He decided right then that he would no longer do it. He would go tomorrow and apologize and hopefully take her out. He smiled again as the possibilities filled his head when all of a sudden he heard a deep "hello" sound in the apartment. "Out here Collins."

"Oh hey Roger."

"How were things with Aaron?"

"Wonderful." Collins seemed as giggly as a teenager that had just been asked to Prom.

"I take it ya'll hit it off."

"Amazingly so. I was kind of distant at first, but Aaron cut out all pretenses and he opened up to me. He was wonderful Roger, thank you. I may have just found another reason to wake up in the mornings." Collins then hugged Roger, "do you mind if I crash on your couch tonight, I'm too tired to walk home."

"Yeah, that's fine." Roger said dumbstruck at Collins's acceptance of Aaron. The two both climbed back into the loft. "Goodnight Collins."

"Goodnight Roger."

A/N: I know it had a corny end, but I needed this chapter to continue the plot. Review please if you have some ideas. And thank you for those who have already reviewed. I love writing and this gives me space to go "crazy" if you will. Reviews! Hehe.