Life Changes too Quickly

Disclaimer: I don't own Rent.

Gen sat on her bed holding onto her worn stuffed puppy, Sammy. She had, had him since she was ten. She stared across the room, yet she stared at nothing. Her sister walked in. "Gen?"

Gen looked up. "Whatcha need?"

"Is something up?"

"Slightly."

"What?"

"Mission's Office called yesterday, they want me back in two weeks."

"I thought you had to wait."

"I thought I had to as well."

"You can't just leave!"

"Why?"

"Aaron just died for God sakes Gen, stop being so selfish!"

"I'm not being selfish Fi, Aaron would want me to go back."

"What about Mark?"

"I...I don't know."

"You'll just abandon him? Just run off to some distant country and totally forget about him? Is that it? Is it?"

"I'm not running off anywhere, he'll understand."

"Sure he will."

"You aren't being helpful."

"Do I look like your damn fairy god-mother."

"No, but your acting like a heinous bitch, you know what this means to me."

"Let go of him."

"Of who?"

"Jeff, that's who!"

"Don't. Don't you dare bring him into this, he has nothing to do with this."

"You're a fucking liar." Gen got of her bed and slapped Fi with all of her might.

"You have no say in what I do with my life, and you have no idea what Jeff meant to me. You also have no idea what Mark means to me now. You presume too much. You stand up there on your golden throne and judge. Well judge me all you want. I'm tired of being 'Fi's baby sister' I am tired of living in your shadow. I'm sorry that you have done nothing in your life, but I have. I'm sorry that you haven't made something wonderful with your life, but I'm working on it. Look into your own mirror and judge your own self before you go and accuse me of lying. You've been doing so much more of it than I." Gen stalked out of the room.

"Where are you going?"

"To talk to Mark."

"When will you be back?"

"Late." And Gen slammed the front door. She ran upstairs and knocked on the door. Roger opened it. "Is Mark here?"

"He's in his room."

"Thanks." She walked in and made towards the rooms before stopping. "Which one is that?" She asked, turning to face Roger.

"That one."

"Thanks." Gen knocked on Mark's door before opening. Mark sat on the bed reading a script before he noticed Gen, he quickly pulled on a white t-shirt and reached for his sweater. Gen sat down on the bed next to him, her legs next to his. Mark stopped what he was doing.

"What's wrong?"

"They want me to go back."

Mark closed his eyes. "When?"

"Two weeks."

"How long will you be gone?"

Gen looked over at him in surprise. "What? No reprimands, no angry retorts of abandonment? No pleads?"

Mark shook his head. "I'd put up a fight, but I'd lose. I'd plead, but they'd go unheard. I'd physically lock you in a cell, but I'd be crushing your dreams. I can't stop you from going, I've known that all along, and I want you to go, but I want you to come back." Gen looked over at him. She then kissed him soundly. Mark's hand went to the back of her head as he pulled her in closer.

"Thank you for understanding how much this means to me." She whispered. Mark nodded.

"I think you have a phone call to make." Gen nodded.

"I do." She got off the bed and walked out to and down the stairs to her apartment door. She opened it and went to the phone:

"Yes, this is Genevieve Blake calling, may I speak with Josephina Pertelli? Yes I'll hold." Gen curled the phone cord around her fingers. "Yes Mrs. Pertelli? This is Genevieve. I just wanted to let you know that I will be coming on the trip. I'll leave on Friday after next? What time? 7:00 am? No that's fine. No thank you. God bless." Gen hung up the phone and covered her face.

Fi listened from her room and fell against the door. She had lost her best friend, now her sister was leaving. What next?


Roger and Fi walked through the park and sat down at their dubbed "spot." Roger leaned over to Fi. "Fi?"

"Yes."

"What's going on?"

"Gen's leaving."

"When?"

"In two weeks."

"Does Mark know."

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too. She isn't even talking to me."

"Why?"

"I may have...tried to talk her out of it...rather unkindly."

"Fi..."

"I know, I know, I don't need a damn lecture from you."

"Have you apologized? I don't know how."

"Just do it." Fi sighed. "Fi?"

"Hm."

"I love you."

"I love you too. What's this about?"

Roger shrugged. "This is going to be so shitty, but here I go. Fi, I don't have much to offer, I can't give you a long line of years, I can't give you a life you deserve, but I want you by my side until I die. Will you marry me?" Fiona did not answer. "Fiona?" Roger's heart then dropped as he watched Fi shake her head violently as she ran from the room. "I guess that's a no." He whispered, closing the box.


Collins stood in front of the class he taught lecturing. He didn't know what he was saying, and realized the student's knew even less. Still he continued. He had fallen into Roger's pattern after April's death, much to everyone's dismay. He was tired of it all. The class ended, not soon enough, and as Collins was collecting his papers, Gen walked in. The two had grown very close since Aaron's death. She held out her hand for him, which he grasped as a lifeline.

"How you feeling?"

"Eh."

"I'm sure you've heard I'm leaving soon."

"I had."

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too."

"That's why I'm here."

"Elaborate."

"I'm determined to see you on the road to self-healing before I leave. Aaron did not want to leave you in this state."

"I did not want him to leave at all, sometimes we have no say in the matter."

"Sometimes we do."

"Everyone is worried."

"I'm sure."

"I'm worried."

"I know."

"You can't hide forever."

"I know. I'll hide, then die."

"What a depressing thought."

"Probably."

"Collins this isn't you."

"Who is to say what is and is not me."

"You. The Collins I knew was a witty, intelligent, nice guy. Now you're a depressing, angry, pessimistic guy."

"How would you feel if your beau died."

"I do know."

"What?"

"My fiancée, Jeff, he died when I was in Africa."

"I didn't know."

"I didn't tell you."

"How?"

"He was murdered."

"Why?"

"He was protecting the girls at the camp."

"Is that why you won't..."

"Tell anyone what happened that night? Maybe in half."

"Well then why?"

"I watched a young woman beaten while her home was robbed. It was after Jeff's death, a couple of us were helping to move some people when a couple of rebels captured us. They robbed the woman's home, then beat her, then raped her."

"Were you..."

"Raped? No. We were rescued before that happened."

"Was anyone else.."

"Just her."

"And that's why..."

"I won't tell anyone? Yes."

"Wow."

"I want you to have this." Gen pulled out a leather book.

"What's this?"

"My journal."

"Why?"

"You may find the answers you seek. Please read it." Collins nodded.


A week and a half had passed, and Gen was frantically making sure she had everything she needed. One night had passed, and Gen looked up to see Fi at the doorstep. "Hey." She said casually.

"Hey." Fi replied. "Can we talk."

"Uh...sure." Gen said distractedly.

"I want to apologize."

Gen looked up, "For what?"

"For what I said earlier."

"Oh that? I had forgotten about it."

"Really?"

"Well some parts. What I don't understand is why you were so angry, you understood the first time I went, why not now?"

"Because the more you leave, the lesser the chance you'll return to home."

"And..."

Fi shrugged. "Roger proposed."

"What did you say?"

"No."

"I thought so."

"Why?"

"You'd have been more excited if you had had said yes. Why?"

"I don't want him to worry about a wedding when he should worry of his health."

"Your scared."

"What?"

"Your scared."

"How do you know that?"

"You don't want to loose him."

"I'm going to anyway."

"You don't want to. Fi, your married to him already except for the name. You love him, and you two are good for each other, it's your decision, but base your decision on things that are substantial. Don't let your fear navigate your future courses."

"When'd you become so wise?" Gen shrugged. "Need help?"

"That would be wonderful."


Friday came far too quickly for Fi and Mark. The five of them stood at the airport at Gen's departing gate, they still had thirty minutes till boarding. Fi and Gen hugged for a while. "Don't do anything stupid."

"I won't."

"You always do."

"I love you too Fi." Gen said, laughing. The two quieted down and Fi looked over at Mark.

"I think he wants to talk to you." Fi said turning Gen around to face Mark. Gen walked over to him.

"Hi." She whispered.

"Hey." Gen smiled, then looked to her feet, tears began to form, and no matter how much she commanded herself, she could not make them disappear. It was just her luck when Mark lifted her eyes to meet his. He saw her tears and smiled.

"I love you." Gen looked surprised as the words registered, then she smiled.

"And I love you."

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you. Wait for me?" Gen asked, her tears backing up in her throat. Mark nodded, his own tears beginning to fall.

"Of course I will Genevieve. I'll always wait for you." His voice croaked out. He then kissed her with every ounce of passion, love, and strength he had in him. The tears mingled within the moving lips, and Mark picked her up, needing the closeness before she left for eight months. Eight long months till he would be able to hold Gen in his arms again. Gen's hands mussed Mark's hair. Finally they broke apart, and Gen looked over to Roger. She kissed Mark quickly and walked over to Roger where she hugged him.

"Life is changing too quickly around here." Roger stated.

"She'll come around."

"I hope."

"I know, she loves you, and above everything, fears for you."

"Perhaps the proposal was too fast."

"Perhaps. Stick with what you have Roger, I promise you, you two are closer than some married couples." Roger nodded.

"Return to us safely."

"I will." She kissed Roger's forehead. Collins tapped her shoulder, and Gen spun to face him.

"You came!"

"Of course I came."

"Did you read it."

"I did. Thank you."

"I hope it helped."

"It did. Part of me still longs for Angel, and the other part for Aaron, but I'm working on it."

"It's okay to miss them."

"I know."

"Don't stop living."

"I won't."

"Bye Collins."

"Goodbye." The announcer called for boarding, and Gen sighed. She turned to her friends.

"I guess that's me." The group nodded. Gen put on a smile. She started singing softly to break up the monotony. "Grey skies are gonna clear up, put on happy face..." Fi laughed.

"Go."

"Should I be offended."

"Just go."

Gen curtseyed. "Yes ma'am." Gen headed over to the attendant who was taking the tickets. She smiled at the woman and headed for the plane. Once fastened into the seat she stared out the window. Doubts began to flood her mind. A man sat next to her and she smiled and nodded to him. Twenty minutes passed, then thirty, each moment her doubts grew heavier and heavier. The plan soon began moving and Gen silently cried as she left the world she had grown to love.

A/N: And....scene. Okay so I will be putting up an epilogue but there you have it, my first entire fan fic. Review please. They help to break up high school monotony. Homework, German projects, AP, it's a wonder my mind still functions. I love you all, you have been fantastic. I hope my silent readers have enjoyed this as my voiced readers have.

Thank you:

EMI

Katie

The-fraulein

Liz

Mana the Magician Girl

Emotional-Static

InsominiacBorder

By the way: I have a few other stories up. One is a fairy tale about Annika-it's called A Simple Fairy Tale. A young woman living in Marchendorf, Germany, takes a journey to find her own self worth.

Two harry potter fics: One Lily/James, Remus/OC fic, and a Ron/OC, and Im writing a Harry/Ginny fic that has yet to be published. You kids rock!