A/N Well like I said before, the last chapter wasn't exactly all that important. It easily could have been edited out, but once I had that image of Roger babysitting little girls! There was no way I could deprive you all of that image! So glad you all enjoyed it! And can't you just totally see Roger paying kids to behave?

Well moving on with the next chapter. Not overly thrilled with it. Truthfully, I'm not over thrilled with the entire thing. However I will persevere and eventually bring this to a final close. So don't worry about leaving you hanging. I do however have to say I've been pleasantly surprised by my reviews. I never really considered the previous chapters to be as much of a cliff hanger at times as it seems some of my readers have found them. I also hadn't intended to imply as much of a slash-ness as it seems some people have read into it (dirty, dirty minds out there!). Is it meant to be a Mark/Roger slash? Maybe. Maybe not. Will it end up that way in the end? Guess you'll have to hang in there to find out!

Thanks for reading and sticking with me. As I said, I'm not overly thrilled with this. It is however helping me get back into fic writing. And I've got some nice little juicy story lines running around my head at the moment. Hopefully we'll get some of those out there soon. For now, enjoy!

Chapter 4

"Mark you really should eat something more." Joanne said as she cleaned up the bagels she, Maureen and Collins had brought with them that morning. "If for no other reason than to have something more in your stomach than all that coffee you've been drinking."

"Yeah Marky," Maureen said through a mouthful of bagel. "You know how you get."

"Maureen will you please finish the food in your mouth before you start to speak."

Maureen gave a look of annoyance as she rolled her eyes at Joanne. She made a production of swallowing the remaining food in her mouth and then turned back to Mark. "All I'm saying is you know how jittery and nervous you get on too much caffeine and no food. It's not a pretty picture. I mean you don't want to be bouncing around spilling things all day do you? With all those people watching every move you make today? Especially while you're up there talking and all?"

Roger watched Mark's eyes go wide in a slight panic. Collins had obviously seen it too as he tried to shut Maureen up with the offer of more bagels, which she unfortunately refused.

It usually didn't take long for Maureen to annoy Roger. And today was no exception. On top of being her usual loud, obnoxious, self-centered, pain in the ass self, Roger couldn't believe she had to balls to wear the outfit she had on to a funeral. Especially one for Mark's parents. And knowing full well what kind of people were going to be at this thing today too. He also knew he wasn't the only one. She and Joanne where discussing the fact that Joanne had brought her a few 'alternate' outfits to try on in case she didn't want to button up her top more or wear a jacket today. Roger had a feeling neither of those choices would actually be happening today.

"Mark you two need to finish getting ready. Cindy and Martin will be here soon." Collins told them, looking at his watch.

"Yeah, okay." Mark stood up in his dress pants and a tee shirt. He had been afraid he'd spill something on his clothes at breakfast.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot." Maureen said, digging in her purse. "Here." She handed Mark a note. "Mimi wanted me to give this to you. She said she didn't have time to get you a card or anything."

"Oh. Thanks." Mark took the note and scanned through the few lines written on the notebook paper. "Yeah, that was nice of her. Okay. I gotta get dressed. You too Rog."

"Huh?" His head snapped up from where he had been looking at the note Mark had laid on the table. "Yeah, I'm coming. Just let me finish my coffee and brush my teeth."

"Okay." Mark said as he headed out of the kitchen and down the basement stairs. Roger looked to Maureen. "So you um, you saw Mimi?"

"Yes I did." Maureen told him defiantly as she stood up, placing her hands on her hips. "And I don't want to hear it from you! I can be friends with who ever the hell I please!"

"Maureen settle down." Joanne told her.

Roger was about to tell Maureen what a bitch he thought she was but he realized Collins knew what he was thinking and was silently shaking his head to tell him not too even start with her.

"How is she?" He asked softly, taking Maureen by surprise.

"She's doing okay. Not great, but okay. She's living with a couple of girls from the club." She dug into her purse. "She wanted me to give you this." She handed him a folded up piece of paper.

"Oh. Um, thanks." He looked down at the note then back at his friends. "I gotta go finish getting ready." As he headed towards the stairs he heard Joanne start in on Maureen about her outfit again. As he reached the bathroom the last thing he heard before closing the door was Collins informing Maureen that if she intended on going to the funeral and being supportive for Mark, not only was she changing her clothes, but she was also going to keep her mouth shut today as well.

Roger knew the only person Maureen has ever listened to was Collins. And hearing him tell her that would usually amuse him to no end, but not right now.

He leaned against the sink as he stared down at his own name written in Mimi's loopy, messy writing. Slowly he opened it up. The handwriting had a slight quiver to it and he knew immediately she was starting to hurt when she was writing it. He took a deep breath and started to read.

Roger,

I'm sorry. I'm sorry for a lot of things.

Take care of Mark. He'll need you. You owe it to him anyway,

but he still needs you. As, much as you need him. And you've never been

able to see how much you needed someone to need you. I'm sorry I

couldn't need you that much.

Take care of Mark.

--Mimi

That was it? Take care of Mark? You need someone to need you? What was she talking about?

Roger realized he didn't have time to try and figure out what was going on in the strung out mind of his ex-girlfriend right now. He quickly brushed his teeth and went into the den where he and Mark had been sleeping.

Mark was yanking his tie loose as he talked to himself while pacing around the room. As Roger put on the tie that went with his suit he realized Mark was rehearsing the eulogy he was supposed to give this morning.

When Roger watched him undo his tie for the third time he finally stepped in front of him. "Here let me do it for you."

"I can't do this."

"I said I'd tie it." Holding the ends of Mark's tie Roger crossed one hand over the other before first switching them back the other way and then switching them back to the way he originally started.

"Not the tie! This! This whole thing!"

"Yes you can. I'll be right there with you. But I can't tie this with you facing me, it's all backwards. Turn around and go into the bathroom, I need a mirror."

Mark did as he was told and Roger reached around him and started to do up his tie.

"They want me to stand up there and talk about two people I don't even know! Do you know that? I don't know them! Not like all these other people will! Not like they think I should! I only know them as the people who were constantly disappointed in their fuck up son who couldn't do anything they wanted. Not that they ever cared about what I ever wanted, but still."

"You can do this. I'll be right there. I promise. So will Collins and Joanne. And Maureen. And no one is expecting you to give some incredible speech or anything. Just say a few things. It won't be as bad as you imagine. And quit being so hard on yourself. You want to hear about fuck up kids, I'll take you to see my mom. Just relax." He said as he finished the tie. "Turn around and let me see it."

Mark turned and looked up at Roger with those sad, desperate eyes. Without thinking Roger just reached out and hugged him tight. "It'll be okay. Really."