Author's Notes: I don't own RENT so please don't sue me. As far as some slightly important background info you might need to know. A.) I've only seen the movie of RENT never to play (That will hopefully be corrected in March) so if I screw Benny up I apologize now. Consider him an AU. B.) This takes place about four years after we leave with the movie. C.) Am I the only one who think's in the movie Roger's hair looks like Bon Jovi or Jonathan Brandis in Sea Quest? D.) I'm so excited to write this story so I hope you like and enjoy and send me lots of reviews. So away we go:

LUCKY STAR:

Chapter 1:

December 24, 1994

"Hey boys how's it going tonight?" Mark Cohen and Roger Davis looked up and Abby St.Clair their favorite waitress at Life Café. Favorite cause she would always get whatever they wanted free knowing they didn't have much money. She was pretty at 5'2" with dark hair and eyes. A little plumb, she had a nice smile and sweet soft voice that could cool the hottest heads.

"Hey Abby," Roger smiled at her. Standing at 6'3" Roger had Bon Jovi styled blond hair with green eyes that made his rock fans swoon. He was a born charmer and his rock star good looks just helped his cause. "Can we talk to you for a minute?" Abby nodded sitting down next to Roger and looked confused at Mark. If Roger was the stereotypical rock star, Mark Cohan was the stereotypical geek, but in the adorable little brother way. Standing slightly shorter then Roger at 6'1" he had strawberry blond hair that he kept short; the most amazing attribute about Mark was hidden by the dark frames on his face, his blue eyes, the color of the sky out side of New York City. They were soft and sweet, they showed all his emotion even if his face was trying to hide it. He was gangly with a body that Abby thought was too thin for his height.

"So what's up? You're acting strange." Abby smiled at her boys. "Abby how long have you known us?" Roger asked. "About two years I guess." Abby smiled. "And in that two years how much of a tip have you ever gotten from us?" Mark grinned. "Maybe a dollar but it's not a big deal. I know what's going on." Abby gave them a sympathetic smile. "Yes but, you were the only who never got annoyed about us." Mark continued. "Well your welcome I guess." Abby looked confused. "Well we wanted to say thank you and pay you back in some way." Roger handed Abby an envelope. Abby slowly opened it.

"Holy shit guys. What did you do rob a bank? You didn't, did you?" Abby looked up at the boys in shock; in the envelope sat 500 dollars. "I can't take this!" Abby cried as she tried to give Roger back the envelope.

"Oh yes you can, For the last two years we've come in here twice a week, for two hours, had a tea and a coffee, never given you a tip, never paid for the tea and coffee, and you've never complained." Roger smiled. "You guys can be entertaining when you're here. It really wasn't that big of a deal." Abby said shaking her head. "Well that thing we're always working on was a play, a musical, and a month ago we sold it." Mark grinned. Abby's eyes widened, "You sold it! That's fabulous guys! Who bought it?" Abby was generally happy for these guys. They were nice and deserved a break. "The A.I.D.S. foundation, you know they're doing a big rally in three months at Maureen's performance hall. They're bringing in all sorts of stuff and people to raise money and awareness of A.I.D.S. Well they're going to put on our play and then their going to send it on the road across country." Mark explained.

Abby knew that this was important because of Roger. It was a crime that someone so full of life was being robbed of it by a disease like A.I.D.S. It was one of the reasons she always took the guys in her section. Some of the other waitresses didn't want to serve him or any A.I.D.S. patients because they were afraid they were going to contract it. Abby always called them closed minded and went right to them and sat down to talk to them.

"Guys I'm so proud of you, I now can official say I know two famous guys." Abby grinned, "But that doesn't explain this." Abby waved the envelope at Mark. "We decided to pay back some old debts. You've been great to us." Roger smiled kissing her check. "Well you guys are dream customers and this, guys I can't thank you enough for this." Abby smiled at them she then stood wiping her eyes. "You guys still want coffee and tea?" they both nodded knowing it was an excuse for her to go regain her composure.

Roger smiled watching Abby walk away. "So that's the last one. How much do we have left in our account?" Roger grinned at Mark. "Not counting trying to by our building, 20,000 dollars. Between your recording contract signing bonus, my film bonus, and the profits from selling the script we're not going to have to worry about rent for awhile." Roger laughed.

"How'd Grey take it when you gave him a check to pay two years worth of rent?" Roger asked.

Mark grinned, "He wasn't as much fun as watching Benny tell Allison that he was divorcing her to go back to his Boho roots, plus the fact he's leaving her to live with his gay lover who has A.I.D.S. was a nice touch." "How'd you know about Collins and Benny anyways?" Roger asked. "Oh I knew that they had a thing for each other when we all lived together but Benny was convinced he was straight and Collins wasn't going to push him." Mark smiled. "The observer wins again." Roger said sarcastically. "Damn straight and it's about damn time." Mark smiled. "Speaking of the happy couple," Roger said nodding to two black men who had just walked in the door.

Tom Collins a proud Bohemian and revolutionist, standing at 6'3" waved at them. He had dark eyes that were always smiling and a contagious grin. He wore his ever present beanie and leather jacket that his past lover, Angel Shunard, had given him before the drag queen had died of A.I.D.S. and pneumonia. With his jeans and button down polo few would picture this man teaching at the famed, New York University, as a philosophy professor. Next to him at 5'9" with a charming smile was his current lover Benjamin Coffin the Third or Benny to his friends. He dusted the snow from the December's first fall off his black leather jacket and adjusted his green plaid button down. They were probably one of the best looking pair in the room.

Walking over to Roger and Mark they smiled, "Hey you two. We didn't keep you waiting did we?" Collins asked as he moved next to Mark pulling Benny onto his lap. "No, Maureen and Mimi aren't here either and Joanne said she'd be late." Mark said. He was generally happy for his friends. After years of being apart they deserved happiness. "Where did Mims and Maureen go?" Benny asked. "Shopping." Mark and Roger said together. "God I hate when you two do that. It's creepy." a female voice said.

Maureen Johnson was striking at 5'5" with dark curly red hair and fiery brown eyes that shined with passion. She had the body of stage actress with curves in all the right places. Most men thought it was a crime against nature that Maureen was a lesbian. Mark had grown numb to the idea, he no longer cared that Maureen had dumped him to be with a woman. Just that she and Joanna were happy together. Standing behind Maureen was her best friend and Roger's girlfriend, Mimi Marquez. She was the smallest of the group at 5'3" with satin black hair and eyes and a smile that lit up a room. She was one of the two reasons Roger kept fighting his disease. He couldn't let Mimi die of the same disease alone.

"Have fun?" Roger asks as he kissed Mimi and moved so that she could sit beside him. "Tons, thank you guys for letting me go shopping." Mimi smiled at Mark. He had such a good heart and he took care of Roger and her so well. "Any times Mims, consider it your Christmas present." Mark smiled leaning over kissing her check. "So Joanna's going to be late?" Maureen asked after she kissed both boys on the check. "Yeah, said something about the Shillings case." Mark answered. "Oh poor girl, she's been working her butt off on that case." Maureen sighed. Maureen had calmed down a lot since they had lost Angel to A.I.D.S. Mark remembered Maureen as impulsive and self-centered but Angel and Maureen's girlfriend Joanna Jefferson had curved that with Collins' help Maureen had become a revolutionist staging protest and causing anarchy.

"So have we yet to decided what to eat?" Maureen asked as she looked menu. The grouped stopped their conversation when they heard singing coming into the room. They looked at saw a group of 6 standing at the door singing, "We're not gonna pay, we're not gonna pay. Last year's rent, this year's rent, next year's rent. Rent, rent, rent, rent, rent. We're not gonna pay rent. Cause everything is rent." the group who'd been singing burst into laughter.

Maureen smiled turning she spoke, "Isn't that one of your songs Mark?" she looked at Mark whose face had gone pale. "Mark what's wrong?" Mimi asked concerned. "Lucy." was all that Mark said softly.

END OF CHAPTER 1!

I hope you guys enjoyed it. Here's some questions, who's Lucy? And why the hell is she so important to Mark? You'll find out soon. ;-) Enjoy and Happy New Year.