Disclaimer: I don't own Rent.

Note: Italics are flashbacks.

Chapter 2

Mark collapsed on his bed, his camera held tight to his chest. He buried his face in his pillow, trying to muffle the tears and whimpers. Mark's family was far from perfect. Sure, he grew up with a mom, a dad, a sister, a cat, a house in the suburbs, and he had been to Disney World. There was more to it than that. Roger didn't know that Mark's dad smacked him around when his grades weren't A's. Roger didn't know that Mark's mom had a weakness for peppermint schnapps. Roger didn't know that Cindy had given birth to four kids, not three. She got pregnant with her first at age fifteen and put it up for adoption. Roger didn't know how many hours Mark cried when Lizzie, their cat, got hit by a car when he was fifteen. Roger didn't know why Mrs. Cohen called the other day.

--

"Mark, sweetie, it's mom. You need to come home tomorrow; we need to have a serious talk. It's important. Call when you get this. I love you, dear. Bye."

Mark thought back to yesterday. It was one of the worst days in his life. It ranked right up there with the day that Maureen dumped him. He hugged his camera tighter as the unwanted memories flooded his mind.

"Cindy, Mark," Mrs. Cohen started, sipping something from a small flask. Her voice was uneasy, an unusual shakiness evident. "Your father and I have something to tell you. It will probably be a shock, but we think it's for the best."

"Wait, where is dad?" Mark cut in.

"He's upstairs," she replied, "packing."

"Are you guys moving or something?" Cindy asked.

"No, kids," Mrs. Cohen wiped away a tear. Mark knew this was bad. "We've decided to… to get a divorce."

"What?" Cindy and Mark cried unanimously.

"But you've been married for almost forty years," Mark was appalled. "I thought you guys were in…"

"You mean you never saw it coming?" Cindy looked at her brother. "It was just a matter of time."

"She's right, Marky," Mrs. Cohen nodded. "We've talked about it years ago, but we wanted to wait until you two were older. You grew up with us together, now it doesn't really matter for the two of you."

"This can't be happening," Mark muttered, taking off his glasses and pinching his nose. His eyes squinted as a headache came on.

"I'm sorry kids," the tears fell a little harder, "but it's for the best."

"For the best? How is divorce for the best?"

"Mark, I can't speak for your father, but you know I'll always love you," Mrs. Cohen touched her son's knee. "Whether I'm living here or elsewhere, you know that I'll always call you and make sure you're eating. We'll even celebrate Hanukkah together, like we talked about. Just us and Cindy's family."

Mark smiled. He missed celebrating Hanukkah with his family like he did when he was little.

"Look who decided to show his face in Scarsdale," Mr. Cohen appeared at the foot of the stairs, his suitcase making a thud as it hit the floor. "Didn't think the little queer would ever come back."

"Dad, just because I don't have a girlfriend doesn't mean I'm gay," Mark said defensively.

Mrs. Cohen decided to stick up for her son, raising her voice at her soon to be ex-husband. The vocals escaladed into a shouting match and almost something physical.

"No…" Mark just closed his eyes, wishing he was anywhere but Scarsdale.

--

"Mark," Roger knocked on the door, "you in here?"

"Yeah," he whimpered.

Roger pushed the door opened and saw Mark. "Listen about earlier, I'm… are you crying?"

Mark whimpered again in reply.

"What's wrong?" Roger sat on the edge of bed, touching Mark's shoulder. "What did your mom call about?"

Mark sat up, releasing his camera to wipe his tears. "They're getting a divorce."

Roger's eyes widened. Mark's perfect parents getting a divorce? No way. "Really? I'm sorry, man, I had no idea."

"Me neither," Mark replied. "It was all too obvious too. I was just too blind to see it."

Roger nodded. "I understand. I'm sorry I was such a dick earlier, I didn't know."

"I'm sorry too," Mark said. "You were right. I am lucky; I grew up with my parents. You didn't get that. And I guess I took that for granted."

"No, don't be sorry. It hurts no matter when it happens. I guess I just assumed your life was perfect growing up. Or perfect compared to where I come from."

"It hurts."

"I never wanted that for myself," Roger stated. "I always wanted to be a big rock star with a pretty wife and some kids. I just got lost along the way. Now with Mimi how she is and my days numbered, I guess it'll never happen."

"Don't sell yourself short," Mark said. "You can still have it all."

Roger looked up, a confused haze over his eyes.

"I think you know what you have to do."

Roger nodded. He knew.

--

A/N:The third and final chapterwill be up probably Thursday or Friday. I'm seeing Wicked tomorrow so I won't be home all day.