AN: Sorry this took awhile. But you know, I have school, and I'm writing about God-knows how many fics, but anyways.

To my constant reader BohemianCane04, you rock! I seriously love you because you love this complete piece of junk…I take that. It's not all that bad.

* * *

Mark sat against the wall. Some things never changed. Tara was too good to be true for him.

"Marky?" Oh, God, he knew that screech anywhere. Could this day go any worse?

Maureen stood over him. "Mark, why are you sitting the middle of the lot?"

"Because I feel like it. What do you want, Maureen?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Shoot."

"Well…" She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "Po- I mean, Joanne and I decided that it wasn't working out."

"And?" He was hoping there was some point to this conversation.

"I've realized my mistake. I love you, Mark."

He stared at her. "Bull, Maureen."

"What?"

"That's a load of bullshit. You never went lesbian, you just wanted to make me feel jealous."

"Mark, honey, that's not true!"

He got to his feet. "And now that I've-" He paused. "See ya around."

"Pookie!" The pet name followed him down the street.

"Mark!" Tara came out of the Life. "Hey, what took you so long?"

"What were you doing in there?"

"Huh?" Tara squinted her eyes. "You mean with Benny? He just wanted to-"

"To what? Give you free rent or something?"

"Mark, listen, it wasn't anything like that."

"Yeah, right. I know what I saw." He began walking away.

"Mark!" She grabbed his wrist. "Please listen."

He looked into her eyes. "Bye, Tara."

* * *

Maureen threw her keys across the room. "That bastard." Marky had gotten a new girlfriend. Now he was too good for his old one. "Thicker than blood…fuckin' bullshit."

At least Joanne had made the very wise decision to move all of her stuff out of Maureen's place. Then again, that was Pook-Joanne's way.

She picked up a silver heart frame. The one reserved for her special pictures- her and Marky on his birthday a few years ago, her and Joanne at that St. Patrick's day, every single important lover since college.

Maureen fingered the curved sides, then hurled it against the wall.

She didn't bother to pick up the broken pieces.

* * *

Tara threw her pen down. She and Mark had broken up two weeks ago, and this was the thanks she got. "I hate writer's block."

All she wanted was Mark back. The poor guy had lost so much, and he was probably tearing himself up inside.

"Tara?"

She looked up from her piece of paper. "Hi, Mimi."

"I heard what happened."

"I know." Tara sighed. "If he had just listened to me…"

"Everything would be okay? Doesn't exactly work that way."

"How do you know?"

Mimi sat across from her. "Roger and I broke up because of Benny."

"Why? What happened?"

"I was young, stupid, and broke. Benny gave me a place to stay. And then he used that against Roger."

"Wow. I can see why you all hate him."

Mimi smiled. "Look, I just came down to see if you were all right."

"Yeah. I'm fine." Tara took a deep breath. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure."

"Tell him I'm sorry."

Mimi got up from her seat. "Okay. You know where I'm-"

"Yeah, I know." Tara turned her head away. She blinked back tears as she heard the door shut.

It was too hot in the room. Tara got up and opened a window. Screw the window; she felt like sitting out on the fire escape.

Pen and notebook in her hand, she sat on the grille. About two floors above, she could hear "Musetta's Waltz." On the guitar no less. Tara craned her neck upwards. "Hey vibes man, hey jazz man, play me your serenade," she sang. And two tears dropped from her cheeks.

* * *

"Benny?!"

The former mogul stood in the doorway. "Listen, guys, I just wanted to ask you if-"

"If what?" Not only was Mark ready to deck the man, but also he had a good feeling that Roger wouldn't waste a minute to join him.

"Can I stay here? For a while?"

Roger looked up from his guitar. "Aren't you the landlord?"

"Yeah. Why would you want to stay with us lazy bums?" Mark asked.

"I've got nowhere else." Benny's eyes looked like he had been crying. "C'mon. It'll be like old times."

"Yeah, right," Roger mumbled.

* * *

PS: Gotta give serious props for my "Serenade" reference (man, am I that pitiful? I'm taking quotes from my own fics).Anyway, why is Benny back in the loft? And how are Meems and Rog gonna deal with that? And how's Dave gonna take living with HIV? And, most importantly, will Mark and Tara get back together? Review, and I'll tell you.