Author's Note: All right, guys, this is it. I may yet do a New Year's short, but I'm not sure.

I'm going to try out posting the beginning of an Aida fic I started over the summer...look for that sometime this weekend and let me know if you guys want more.

Thanks for reading, it's been fun!

Chapter 8-Christmas Eve

(Roger)

My heart goes to my throat. I know that voice.

"Maureen?" calls Mark, opening the door and sticking his head out into the hall.

"It's Mimi! I can't get her up the stairs!"

My heart feels like it's going to explode. Everything starts to move again in slow motion around me, but I'm rooted to the spot. Mark takes one look at me and shakes his head.

"Easy, Rog, you know how much she exaggerates sometimes."

But he doesn't sound convinced. Mark turns and bolts down the hall toward the stairwell but I still can't move. Collins comes over and tries to put a hand on my shoulder, but I shrug him off, more roughly than I should.

An eternity later, it seems, the door swings open again and Maureen enters followed by Mark, who's carrying Mimi, followed by Joanne. Mark hurries over to the couch and sets Mimi down, then dashes off to the bedroom for blankets.

"She was huddled in the park," Maureen explains, "in the dark. And she was freezing. And begged to come here."

"Over here?" I whisper, trying to understand. After everything I've said, everything I've done—here. "Oh, God."

"Got a light?" Mimi whispers from the couch. "I know you—you're shivering."

And suddenly everything comes back into focus. I rush over and kneel don by the couch, then motion for Maureen to bring one of the candles over from the kitchen.

"She's been living on the street," says Joanne, as if that isn't obvious. I want to slap her. We need help, not more explanations.

"We need some heat," I demand, pressing the back of my hand to Mimi's cheek. Even in the cold, her skin feels like it's on fire.

"I'm shivering," she whispers, as if trying to apologize. She holds out a shaky hand and I grab it with both of mine.

"We can buy some wood," says Mark, holding up the wad of bills Collins brought. "And something to eat."

"It's going to take more than that," says Collins softly.

"I heard that," says Mimi, trying to sit up and collapsing in a fit of coughing.

"Collins will call for a doctor, honey," says Maureen, giving Mimi a reassuring smile, then glaring at Collins. He jumps for the phone.

"Don't waste your money on me," Mimi protests weakly.

Collins attempts to call 911 and immediately gets put on hold.

Mimi starts to shiver again, more violently this time, and suddenly I recognize the symptoms-withdrawal. I know this all too well. Suddenly I can't breathe. We need an ambulance. Now. She's not going to be able to take this. I've heard too many horror stories of people who couldn't.

"I should tell you," Mimi whispers, so softly I can barely hear. I lean closer. "I should tell you, Benny wasn't any—"

"Shh," I cut her off, not wanting to think about that now. "I know. I should tell you why I left, it wasn't 'cause I didn't—"

Mimi shakes her head and me and motions for me to be quiet. She's having a hard time even breathing now.

"I should tell you…" she breaks off, unable to finish the sentence. "I should tell you…I love you."

She collapses back against the couch, completely exhausted, eyes half open.

"Wait," I say, desperate to be able to do something, anything. "Wait."

I jump up and grab my old acoustic. There's not time to plug in the electric.

"Hold on, there's something you should hear. It isn't much, but it took all year."

I start to play, feeling utterly useless. But my song is all I have. It's all I've ever had.

Your eyes

As we said our goodbyes

Can't get them out of my mind

And I find I can't hide from

Your eyes

The ones that took me by surprise

The night you came into my life

Where there's moonlight

I see your eyes

How'd I let you slip away

When I'm longing so to hold you

Now I'd die for one more day

'cause there's something I should

Have told you

Yes there's something I should have

Told you

When I looked into your eyes

Why does distance make us wise?

You were the song all along

And before the song dies

I should tell you I should tell you

I have always loved you

You can see it in my eyes

By the time I've finished, she's completely gone. Everyone's staring at me, their eyes full of tears. I can't take this anymore. I lean forward and bury my face in Mimi's hair.

I'm too late. Of course I'm too late. My whole life I've been just a little too late for everyone and everything. This is it, I think. I'm not starting over, not again. After tonight, it's over.

But then suddenly I think I can feel her breath on my cheek again, a stir of movement against me. I jump back, silently praying with everything I have that I'm not imagining it.

"I jumped over the moon," says Mimi faintly, blinking disorientedly. "A leap of mooooo—" She tries to sit up and almost falls back again.

"She's back!" yelps Joanne, rushing to catch her.

"I was in a tunnel," says Mimi, her voice filled with wonder, "headed for this warm white light. And I swear, Angel was there! And she looked GOOD! And she said 'Turn around, girlfriend, and listen to that boy's song.'"

"Oh my God!" cries Maureen, looking starry-eyed.

I motion for Joanne to move, then sit up on the couch and wrap my arms around Mimi from behind. She's drenched in sweat, but her skin is already noticeably cooler.

Good, I think. Thank…whatever.

Mimi turns, looks at me, and grins.

"You think I'm crazy, don't you."

I start to laugh, and suddenly all the emotions I've been fighting for the past month hit me. I'm laughing and crying at the same time and I can't seem to stop.

"Crazy for coming back," I gasp at last. "But god I'm glad you did."

Mimi laughs, then leans up and kisses me. Suddenly the power comes back on.

"Look what you guys did," says Maureen jokingly.

Mimi shrugs.

"What can I say? I'm just that good."

Mark's projector has come back on and is playing on the wall above us.

"Hey," says Mark suddenly. "How about we have that screening now?"

Mimi turns in my arms and nods enthusiastically at Mark.

"No day but today."

I grin at that and pull her into my lap. She'll take any excuse to use that old Life Support mantra. But somehow it's never seemed so pertinent as it does tonight.

Review please. Merry Christmas!