Chapter Five
A/N: Okay, this chapter isn't as chaotic and funny as the first few, but trust me, the next day will be! There's a scene with Mark and Roger talking in this, but I just want everyone to know that this is NOT a Mark/Roger story! I just like Mark and Roger's friendship, and I wanted to show some of that. However, if you're a Mark/Roger fan, feel free to make this a Mark/Roger story in your own mind. I'm just not writing it specifically as that. Okay, I'm done, thanks!
Benny looked at the little boy dressed as Mark, the little girl with her shirt up screaming "I'm a lesbimum" and the heap of people on the floor. All noise stopped as he walked into the loft.
"Wow...you know, it's technically illegal for you to be running a day care in my building,"he said.
"They're my nieces and nephews. We're watching them for the weekend,"Mark explained, shoving Angel off of him and standing up. He quickly grabbed the camera from Sam, and pulled Kristy's shirt back down. Lucy giggled, and Benny looked down at her. He picked up the paper she had been drawing on...
"Oh yes. They're related to you all right,"he said, showing the destroyed eviction notice to the others. Roger snickered a little, quickly stopping when Joanne shot him a glare.
"Are you here to help?"Maureen asked teasingly. "I'm sure you'd be great with kids..." she snorted.
"I just came to see what all the commotion was,"Benny explained, returning the scribbled notice to Lucy, who gurgled back at him.
"Well now you know. Bye,"Roger snapped. Benny merely smiled, the way he always did when the group was insulting him, as if it were some kind of joke. He shrugged.
"I'll see you guys later then. And I'm still waiting for the rent..."he said, turning and heading towards the door. Before he left, he turned back. "Hey Roger?"Roger looked up from Greta, who he was still holding.
"Yeah?"he asked.
"You'd make a cute father,"Benny joked. And he laughed as he walked down the stairs. The others all glared after him.
"...is he the bad guy?"Thomas asked, after Benny had left. "He laughs like a bad guy."The others exchanged glances.
"Yeah. That was the bad guy all right..."Roger said, handing Greta back to Mark, obviously ashamed to be seen with her now.
"Fixed!"Joanne suddenly cried. She closed the microwave door, and the little light turned on, the tray spinning around.
"Hey, thanks Joanne! So, you wanna hold the baby now?"Mark asked hopefully. Joanne looked at her watch.
"Oh! It's pretty late. We should all probably be getting home now, so you guys can get the kids to sleep,"Joanne announced. Mark's jaw dropped.
"You're gonna leave us alone with them!"he cried.
"We could stay the night!"Maureen offered excitedly. Joanne grabbed her arm.
"Nuh uh. We ain't sleepin' over here, honey bear!"she warned. "We'll be back tomorrow to help you guys out."And Joanne and Maureen were out the door. Collins sighed, putting his arm around Angel's shoulders.
"I guess that's our cue to go,"he said.
"We'll be here first thing tomorrow,"Angel assured them.
"I'll hold you to that!"Mark called after them as the two skipped out the door.
"I've gotta get to work. See you boys later!"Mimi said, waving as she too ran out the door. Mark and Roger stood all alone, the screaming baby in Mark's arms, the other four kids sitting around the loft staring at them. It was going to be a long night...
So Mark managed to get Sam out of his shirt and glasses and make Kristy stop pretending to be Maureen, while Roger stood there awkwardly holding the crying baby. Then Roger had to get Thomas out of the corner while Mark tried to heat some baby formula. Then, once the twins and Thomas were in bed(which was their sleeping bags on the floor)they realized that they had forgotten about Lucy, and found her in the bathroom throwing toilet water everywhere. Since Mark was warming the baby food, Roger had to get Lucy into her pajamas and clean up the bathroom. Finally, the four kids were in their sleeping bags, and Roger collapsed on the couch, soon joined by Mark, who was feeding the finally silent Greta.
"Oh my God..."Roger moaned, putting his hand in his hands. "Remind me and Mimi never to have kids."
"Well, at least not five. I don't know what Cindy was thinking..."Mark said. He looked down at Greta as she sucked on the warm bottle. "Hey Roger?"
"Yeah?"
"Have you ever wondered what it would be like? You know, being a parent?"
"Not really. Why?"
"I dunno...but the thought's never crossed your mind?"
"Well, every once in a while, I guess."
"...do you think we would be good fathers?"Roger just laughed.
"We can barely handle a baby for a day,"he pointed out.
"Yeah...but it would be kind of cool. You know, having little mini-me's of yourself who look up to you and everything,"Mark said. Roger nodded.
"Yeah, I guess that would be kind of cool,"he agreed.
"Uncle Mark?"Mark and Roger both turned to see Sam standing beside the couch, looking miserable.
"Yeah Sam? What's wrong?"he asked.
"I had an accident,"Sam said sadly.
"An accident? You mean you...?"Mark trailed off as Sam nodded, tears falling down his cheeks. "Oh man..."Mark and Roger looked at each other.
"I'll get some extra blankets."
"I'll go to the laundromat..."