Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. All credit for RENT is given to Jonathan Larson.

Thanks everyone who took the time to read and review, I really appreciate it! Well, here's chapter 3. I hope you like. The next chapter should be up by Monday or Tuesday. We shall see!

Enjoy!

Chapter 3 What To Do

Maureen turned around and slumped to the floor. Her back against the door and her head in her hands. What have I done? She questioned herself as she wept on the floor. I was so stupid for going out last night. Stupid, stupid, stupid! She chided herself. Now I've lost the only good thing in my life! What am I going to do? Feeling helpless Maureen got up and put her jacket on. I'm not going to stay cooped up in here all day! I'll go for a walk or something.

She walked aimlessly around the streets of the East Village, unsure where to go. Her performance last night was a hit. So good, actually, that a few of her stage crew decided to take her out for a drink afterward. The bar was crowded and they downed beers like water. Maureen was one of the first to get extremely drunk. What was his name? She pondered as she continued to walk, wondering of her one night stand. Jack? No. Jim? No! JERK! She was furious that she couldn't even remember the guy's name; it was his entire fault she decided. But inside she knew that she was the one that screwed her relationship with Joanne up, not the Jerk.

Feeling helpless and down, Maureen headed in the direction of her friend's loft. He was the only one who would understand, she decided. He was the only one that would care. Head down, she tucked her hands into her jacket pocket as the wind started to pick up. Hair flailing she walked a little faster to the loft.

Once she arrived she trotted up to the top apartment in the building. To many stairs, she thought. Once she finally reached the loft, out of breathe, she knocked softly on the door. The sound echoing throughout the hallway. She heard the lock click and the knob turn, all the while her stomach churning at the thought of speaking to him. The door slowly opened and revealed a very sleepy Mark.

Wiping the sleep from his eyes Mark put his glasses back on and stared at his visitor.

"Maureen?" Mark asked sleepily. She nodded, her eyes sparkling sorrowfully.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Mark asked, suddenly uneasy at the sight of a very hurt Maureen at his door. Is she hurt? He silently thought.

"Can I come in?" She asked, barely above a whisper. Mark nodded and moved to the side to allow Maureen entrance into the loft. Maureen looked around, noting that it still looked the same since she had moved out. Mark broke her thoughts as he said:

"Roger and Mimi left a while ago. In case you were wondering, or…needed to talk." Maureen turned towards Mark, who was in the kitchen putting on a pot of coffee. He came back into the living room and sat on the couch, and padded the spot next to him, indicating for Maureen to join him. She complied.

"What happened?" Mark asked softly, watching Maureen as she struggled with her emotions. God she is gorgeous. Even when she's sad she could make my heart jump.

"Me and Joanne are over." Maureen said, her eyes beginning to water. Mark looked at her skeptically; they had broken up hundreds of times before, what makes this so different he thought. When Maureen saw his face, looking at her hesitantly, she began to talk.

"I mean it Mark; it's over…We had this huge fight and she left." That's when Maureen began to cry. Mark turned and gathered her in his arms. "It's all my fault." Reassuring her that it was going to be okay, but at the same time thinking: How could she put me through this? My god! I can't resist her. Even after she dumped me and walked on my heart, I accept her with open arms. He held her like that in his arms, as Maureen sobbed, soaking Mark's t-shirt in the process. But Mark didn't mind, he was actually hurt for her. He knew exactly how she felt, because he too was in that same place once.

"It will be okay." Mark whispered into Maureen's hair as she began to control her emotions and the crying subsided. Mark continued to rub Maureen's back gently until her breathing became steady and her eyes closed, and she feel into a content sleep. Mark waited a few minutes before he decided to get up, making sure she was really asleep. The afternoon light filtered throughout the loft and Mark, too exhausted, gave up any thoughts of getting up as soon as Maureen's arms entangled around his neck and her legs wound about his. Too dizzy to think, Mark lay there silently and drifted off to oblivion alongside Maureen.

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