Chapter Four

"Hey, I'm back!"Roger called, walking into the loft that he and Mark shared. Mark was laying on his bed, rolling some of the film on his camera back, looking sad and pathetic. Roger frowned at the depressed look on his friend's face. "What happened to you?"

"Maureen..."Mark replied solemnly.

"What? You still pining after her?"Roger asked.

"I'm not pining!"Mark insisted, sitting up.

"Okay...then what happened?"Roger questioned.

"I was making a documentary about her...and Joanne got the idea that we were on a date, and...they had a huge fight. And it's all my fault, and now Maureen hates me!"Mark sighed sadly.

"Wow...nice going,"Roger commented sarcastically.

"I didn't mean to ruin everything! I was just making a movie!"Mark defended.

"Well, I wish there was some way I could help, but...I think you're stuck in this one yourself, pal,"Roger shrugged.

"Yeah, I know..."Mark grumbled. "So what are you up to tonight? Going to Mimi's?"

"Nah, I'm going out with Collins. He's been kind of lonely lately."Mark nodded. Their friend Angel, and Collins' lover, had just recently died of AIDS. So the group had been doing their best to try and make Collins feel better whenever he was feeling down, taking turns to spend time with him, visit Angel's grave with him, and just make him remember old times.

"Tell him I say hi!"Mark called as Roger headed out the door.

"Sure!"Roger called back. And he closed the door. Mark turned his attention back to his film...

About a half hour later there was a knock at the door. Mark, who had been filming his bed, testing out his camera, jumped in shock, the camera flying out of his hands...he caught it, breathing deeply. He carefully placed it back on his bed, as there was another knock.

"Coming!"he called. It was probably Mimi, coming to look for Roger. She usually showed up at odd hours of the night, after her shift at the Catscratch Club where she worked as a dancer. Mark opened the door...

"Hey, Roger's not here-"He stopped when he saw who it was.

"Well that's good, 'cause I'm not looking for Roger,"Maureen replied, grinning at Mark. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to decide what to say.

"Er...hi Maureen,"was all he could come up with.

"Hi,"Maureen replied. "I came to apologize for earlier. You know, just ditching you like that at the café."

"Oh! No, really, I should be apologizing. I didn't mean for this to get in the way of you and Joanne, I feel terrible."Mark decided not to ask if she and Joanne had broken up...he figured he already knew the answer anyhow. There was an awkward sort of pause.

"Um...you wanna come in?"Mark invited. Maureen shrugged.

"Sure,"she said. So she walked into the loft. "Huh...haven't done much decorating since I was last in here."

"We've kept it from becoming a total pig stye. I think that's enough of an accomplishment,"Mark replied.

"Yeah. So where's Roger anyhow?"Maureen asked, casually flopping onto the couch as if it were her own bedroom.

"He's out with Collins tonight,"Mark replied, continuing to stand awkwardly at the door.

"Oh...how's he been dealing lately?"Maureen asked, pulling off her jacket and tossing it on the floor.

"Better, I guess. It's tough, you know. But he's moving on with life,"Mark explained.

"I guess that's all we really can do,"Maureen sighed.

"Can I get you a drink or anything?"Mark offered.

"You got any beer?"Maureen asked hopefully. "Joanne threw out ALL my alcohol the other day..."

"I think Roger had some out back. I'll check."As Mark left the room, Maureen began to stride around curiously. She picked up Roger's guitar, playing with the strings a bit. Then, deciding that probably wasn't a safe idea, she moved on to Mark's bed. There was his camera, and all sorts of pictures he had taken, scattered on the floor. There were lots of odd pictures of Roger, probably taken while Mark was goofing around. There were some of Mark and Roger together, some of Collins and Roger, Collins and Angel...a few more of Angel, posing and laughing...one of Mimi and Roger hugging...a folded, bent picture of Roger, Mark and Benny together, obviously taken in earlier times...Maureen wandered over to a nearby desk, as she spotted more pictures...

There on top was a picture of her and Mark from when they were dating.

Maureen picked it up...and noticed another picture of her and Mark underneath. As she flipped through the pictures, she realized they were ALL pictures taken during their relationship...her and Mark hugging, her and Mark kissing, a few head shots Mark had taken for her, a picture of her posing, a picture of her and Mark running down the sidewalk together, a picture of her on Mark's back. 'Wow' she thought to herself as she flipped through the photos 'I really looked good back then!' She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something in all of these pictures that made her look exceptionally beautiful. 'Maybe I shouldn't have straightened my hair so much...'she thought, examining the picture of her and Mark running...

"I found some Bud Light in the back!"Maureen quickly tossed all the photos back into Mark's drawer, quickly running back over to the couch. Mark frowned as she came running over.

"Where were you?"he asked.

"Oh, just snooping a little,"she answered. Mark stopped.

"Snooping where?"he asked.

"Around your bed...I saw some of your pictures,"she said. "Of Angel."She quickly added. Mark seemed to relax a little.

"Oh yeah...I've been trying to decide what to do with them. I mean, should I hold on to them, or should I give them to Collins?"

"Why don't you make a scrap book?"Maureen suggested. Mark laughed.

"I take the pictures, I don't organize them,"he said. "I'm terrible at scrap-booking."

"I'll help you! It can be our little project for Collins. You know, to cheer him up!" Maureen said, suddenly rather excited. Mark shrugged.

"Sounds nice,"he said. "But, er...will Joanne mind that we're spending so much time together? I mean, she kind of flipped out just because we were having dinner together..."

"Joanne and I...aren't exactly together any more,"Maureen admitted. "So we can do whatever we want!"

"Okay..."Mark said, deciding not to discuss that matter any further.

"Come on, let's go look for some good pictures of Angel!"Maureen said, grabbing Mark's hand and pulling him over to the bed. Mark grinned, following her, the tingling sensation in his stomach again...

Thanks for keeping the reviews coming guys! I'm glad so many of you are enjoying this story, and that there are so many other Mark/Maureen fans out there! Haha I'm SO sorry if you have to wait until January 5th to see the movie! Anyone who has to wait has my sympathy!