I'll admit that this chapter is slightly random, but it's helping to set stuff up.

I promise things will start to happen in the next few chapters.

Also, I would like to shill one of my other stories. Sisters Aren't That Bad After All. It never got C2-ed, and I think it's good, so go read it if you want. J

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Scotty sat steadily drumming on the table and glaring at Maureen who was standing behind Mark. They were looking at pictures of the band that Mark had just developed. Her chin was resting on his head and her arms were draped around his neck. It was driving Scotty crazy.

"I like this one." Mark said holding up a picture so Maureen could see.

"Me too, you should put it on the smaller ones."

"Yeah and I could probably fit 3 or 4 others on the big ones."

"They're really great, what do you think pookie?" She asked looking up at Scotty.

"As long as they get people to the shows. Where the fuck is Roger?"

"I don't know." Mark said glancing up and chewing on his pen. "He said he had to go get something."
"Fucking crack head." Scotty said drumming faster.

Mark tried to ignore that comment. He knew what Roger was doing. Everyone did. He never really tried to hide it. "I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"We have to be there for sound check in 10 minutes."

"He'll be here." April said. She'd moved into the loft a few days ago. Suddenly Roger burst through the door.

"Sorry." He said, out of breath. "But, I got us an answering machine."

"Why?" Scotty asked as he stood up.

"Cause you guys just let that stupid phone ring and ring and it drives me fucking crazy." He said walking toward the table and setting the box in front of Mark. "Here hook it up."

"50 bucks? That's pretty expensive."

"Stop snorting all your money up your nose Rog?" Scotty asked, kicking a sleeping Brian on the couch.

"No," Roger started as he walked into his room. "This guy stole it for me."

"Some guy just decided to rip off an answering machine for you?" Mark asked examining the box.

"Yeah," He said coming back out of his room carrying his guitar case. "Somehow I ended up in this electronics store. I don't know how I got there, but I was there, looking at answering machines. Then I started talking to this guy, who's like a professor or something, and I told him that I wanted one but I didn't have any money, so he grabbed one and shoved it in his bag and we left the store. Then he gave me a ride home."

"A professor stole an answering machine for you?" Scotty asked.

"Yep. A good one too."

"Riiight, well, that's great, we have to leave. Brian get the hell up!" He yelled, kicking Brian.

"Alright alright." He said finally sitting up.

"We've got like an hour, calm the hell down." Roger said snapping open his case and inspecting things.

"No we don't! We have to be there in 10 minutes, and we've still gotta lug all of the stuff 3 blocks. Did you not see it down there when you came in?"

Roger rolled his eyes and leaned over and gave April a kiss. "I'll see you later."

"Bye." She said quietly. Roger closed his case and went and stood next to Brian near the door. Scotty remained standing in the middle of the floor, still glaring at Maureen who hadn't moved.

"Maureen!"

"What?" She asked, not turning around.

"Will you please stop hanging all-the-fuck over him!"

Maureen broke away from Mark and turned to Scotty. "Got a problem?"

"Yes I've got a fucking problem."

"It's just Mark, calm down."

Scotty took a deep breath. "Are you coming tonight?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know, you better come."

"It's not like you're doing anything different, why should I come?"

"Because you have to."

"I don't have to do anything."

"You have to be there!" Scotty yelled, stepping closer to her.

"Dude calm down." Roger said annoyed. "Can we just go?"

"Maybe I'll try to make it for the second set."

"No! You have to be there Maureen or I swear I-"

"Fine…fine. I'll uh, go and get changed and try to get there before you guys go on." Maureen said, defeated.

"Good." Scotty said, still glaring at her. He turned and pushed his way out the door. Roger turned and saluted before pulling the door shut.

Maureen let out a sigh of relief and plopped down in the chair across from April.

"I hate men."

"Me too." Mark said quietly.

"He's such a controlling asshole Mo, why are you still even with him?"

"He's amazing in bed."

"Way more information than I needed." Mark said trying to focus on the pictures in front of him again.

"But it's true, it's just like, uhg, earth shattering."

"That's no reason to stay with him." April said.

"It's none of your business April, and least he's not a coke head."

"You know nothing about it."

"I know that he stole 40 bucks from me last week."

"He did not!

"Yes he did! He steals from everyone! Even Mark!"

"Oh come off it Maureen! As if Scotty's a prince or something."

"He might not be perfect, but he's certainly better than Roger. Him and Brian are just holding him back.

"Holding them back? I could play the drums better than him! Roger and Brian could be awesome with someone else."

"Whatever."

"Roger could probably do better on his own."

"He's got the look." Mark said in a barely audible voice.

"Please! He writes some of the cheesiest lyrics I've ever heard!"

"At least he can form a sentence."

"Can you two please shut the hell up!" Mark yelled.

Maureen rolled her eyes and stood up. "I have to go home and get dressed anyway, I'll see you later Mark." She grabbed her purse and headed out of the loft.

"She drives me crazy!" April yelled standing up. "I swear if she ever moved in again, I'd kill myself. I'm serious."

Mark laughed. "She can be a little nutty at times."

"Yeah. Are you going tonight?"

"I dunno, I should probably work on the posters while the place is quiet."

"Come on, it'll be fun, maybe we can get you laid."

"I doubt it."

"Please Marky?" She pouted. "I might need you to hold me back if I get the sudden urge to bitch slap her."

"That might be entertaining."

"Well, then you have to come to be entertained."

He sighed. "Fine."

"Alright, well go get dressed."

"Either I'm going like this, or I'm not going at all."

"You're impossible. Give me like, 20 minutes, and then we can leave."

Mark nodded as April went and shut herself in her and Roger's room.

-----

A few hours later Mark stumbled back to the loft. He wasn't drunk, he was just tired. The bar hadn't been anything special. Dark, loud, and smokey. And as much as he loved Roger, his voice was just not on tonight. Though, the sound was completely screwed up, so unless you were really paying attention, you probably wouldn't of noticed.

He turned to head inside of the building, and tripped over someone into the door.

"I'm so sorry." The man said standing up.

"Don't worry." Mark said regaining his footing. It wasn't the first time that he'd tripped over some homeless person. Though, this guy didn't look homeless.

"Does this guy named Roger live here? Spikey blonde hair, kind of out there?"

Mark smiled. "Yeah but he's not here now."

"Oh, see I met him earlier today. He said that if I ever needed a place to crash, I could come here, and the place I was supposed to stay kind of fell through, so it's here or my car, which isn't too comfortable."

"Are you the guy that stole the answering machine?"

"Yes, that would be me."

"I thought he said that you were a professor or something, do they not pay you?"

"I just got to town today."

"Oh. Well uh, like I said, he's not here, but you can come up if you don't mind sleeping on the couch." Mark said opening the door.

"Better than the car. I'm Collins by the way." He said following Mark into the building.

"I'm Mark." He said as they began to climb the stairs. Mark started to wonder if it was smart of him to let some random stranger up into the loft. What if he was going to rip them off? He was the one that stole the answering machine. Though, if was going to rob them, he wouldn't get away with much. Maybe he was some drug dealer who wanted to kick Roger's ass?

Mark glanced over his shoulder at him. He didn't look like a drug dealer, or a professor for that matter. He seemed nice though.

"Here we are." Mark said opening the door to the dark loft. He quickly went and turned on one of the lamps. "I'll go get you a pillow and stuff." He said going into Roger's room. He was the one who told this guy he could stay here, so he could suffer for a few nights. He emerged from Roger's room and set a pillow and blanket on the couch next to where Collins was sitting.

"Where is Roger anyway?"

"His band just got done playing, and they usually go out after to do whatever, and I usually come home."

"How do you know him?"

"We went to High School together and stuff. There's other people that live here too. Brian, the bass player from his band and April, Roger's girlfriend."

"He has a girlfriend?"

"Yeah."

"Oh….shit! What time is it?" He said jumping up.

"No idea." Mark said following him into the "kitchen".

"Can I have some water?" He asked digging around in his pockets.

"Yeah, there's cups in the sink I think."

Collins nodded. He filled up a glass of water, popped a pill into his mouth and took a big gulp of the water.

"What was that?"

"AZT."

"Oh." Mark said quietly.

"What?"

"Nothing, I've just, never met anyone…with it."

"Well now you have."

Mark just nodded.

"Don't worry, you're not going to catch it by just standing next to me."

"Oh no, I know, it's just…yeah. I'm tired."

"Then go to sleep."

Mark smiled. "Yeah, I think I will. Uh, I guess I'll see you in the morning or something? Roger and everyone will be back on a few hours, don't let them freak you out when they come in."

"Don't worry. And thanks for letting me up, it'll only be for a few days, I promise."

"I'm sure you could stay as long as you need to."

Collins nodded and Mark turned and went into his room.