Cory and Mark had been best friends ever since they were eight and Cory's mother left her at the playground. Mark, an awkward little blond boy with freckles, and glasses was sitting in the sand box playing with his action figures alone, when he heard a whimper coming from behind the slide. He got up, thinking it might have been a small animal. Mark was the only kid at the playground, so he was startled when he saw a little girl sitting in the dirt behind the slide. She had pretty long auburn hair that was tied in messy pigtails. She also had freckles scattered on her face, that was now streaked with tears.

"What's wrong?" Mark asked.

The little girl replied between sobs, "My . . . mommy . . . forgot about . . . me."

"Are you sure she forgot?"

"Yeah."

"Where do you live?"

"That way!" She pointed down the street.

"Why don't you just walk home?"

"I . . . can't. I . . . might . . . get hurt." She was finally calming down.

"Well, what if I walk you?"

"I'm not allowed to talk to strangers." The little girl finally stopped crying. She starred up at Mark all wide-eyed. She had a little smirk on her face.

"Well, I'm Mark. What's your name?" Mark bent down to help the little girl up.

"I'm Cory," she said as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand then stuck it out to shake his. Mark ignored it. The little girl had torn leggings, and one of her braids was coming undone.

"Well, we're not strangers anymore, so I can walk you now."

"Okay!" Cory grabbed Mark's hand and they walked across the street.

"My house is that way." She said.

"Really? Mine's on the other side of the street!" Mark replied, hoping to have a new friend, or just a friend in general.

"We're neighbors! Want some gum?" She dug into the pocket of her skirt and pulled out two grubby pieces of bubble gum.

Mark and Cory continued to walk back to Cory's house. They found out that they went to the same school. Cory didn't let Mark come in because she knew her mom was probably passed out. Cory's mom was a drunk. Ever since that day the two were inseparable. They did everything together.

Mark was there for Cory when her father left her, her mom and her sister when Cory was twelve. He was there for her when her sixteen year old sister got pregnant. He was there for her when she found her mother lying unconscious in the gutter. She'd been dead for three hours. He was even there for her when her last boyfriend broke her heart.

"Mark? Mark? He asshole!" Mark was inturrupted by Collins. "Dude, what are you doing?" He pointed to his hand. Mark didn't realize this whole time, but he had the loaf of bread Cory tossed him, cupped in his arms, cradling it like a baby. He snapped out of his trance and dropped the loaf on the couch. Cory and Collins were both laughing at him. Mark blushed as Cory brought over a plate of cheese, fruit, and bread. Along with a glass of water for each of them.

"To our December feast!" Cory yelled.

"To our December feast!" The others repeated.

"Just twenty days before Christmas guys," Cory said while rubbing her hand. Mark noticed this and turned to his worried mode.

"Cory! Oh my God! What happened?"

"Nothing. I just ran into someone on my way here and he just so happened to have a nice, healthy cup of scalding hot coffee."

"Ohmygod Cory! We need to get you some ice!"

"Mark, I'm fine."

"You're not fine. You could have a first degree burn!"

"Mark, I'm telling you, it's okay." Mark ignored Cory, grabbed her wrist delicately and dragged her to the bathroom. He carefully washed her hand in cold water, dried it off, put some medicine on it, and wrapped it with gauze.

"Oh mommy, can't I please have the band-aid with the pretty pink dinosaurs on them?" Cory laughed, making fun of Mark's motherly instincts. He just smiled at her. He loved taking care of people, especially Cory. Ever since he found her alone in the park, he couldn't help but feel a little protective of her. He finished wrapping her hand and cupped it in both of his with one hand on the top and the other hand on the bottom. He stared into her eyes. Mark had never seen such beautiful eyes. He could stare into them all day. He kissed her forehead and let go of her hands. But she never took her eyes off of Mark.

"That better?" He asked her.

"Much," she said dreamily, then changed her tone to that of a joking one. "Thanks mom."

They walked back into the living room. Cory sat down on the couch and Mark sat right next to her.

"What," Collins began, "no pink dinosaurs?"

Cory remembered how wonderful Mark had been when her last boyfriend broke her heart. It was about three years before, when Roger was still in his band. Cory and her friends were at a show and as she was watching her friend perform, she kept locking eyes with the drummer. After the show, Cory met with him and they talked for hours. She and Ray dated for a few months, but Cory's morals, and Ray's hormones tended to clash.

Cory was raised by her parents to wait until marriage to sleep with someone. Even though, they both left her at a young age, she still remembered that rule. She fell hard for Ray and everyone knew it, especially Ray. That was the main reason he could never break up with her. He didn't have the heart. So he began fooling around with other women behind Cory's back. Eventually because of that, Ray contracted AIDS and was forced to tell Cory what he had been doing. She broke up with him and after a few months, Cory got word that Ray died. She didn't know if it was the AIDS or if he killed himself like Roger's girlfriend April did.

That was around the time Mark's ex girlfriend Maureen dumped him for Joanne. Mark was there for Cory when Ray broke her heart, and Cory was there for him when Maureen did the same. Mark's breakup was bad, but they both knew Cory's breakup was worse. Mark helped Cory as much as he could. Mark would stay up with Cory every night when she didn't want to go to sleep, and when she would cry herself to sleep, he'd calm her down when she'd see Ray with another girl, and he'd hold her hair back while she threw up after getting drunk. Cory didn't know how she could ever repay Mark. He was always there for her. She didn't understand why he was always so wonderful to her. Just then, the door to the loft opened and Roger and Mimi entered.

"Hey guys!" Roger said cheerfully as he sniffed the air, "do I smell cheese?"

"You do," Cory said proudly.

"Hey Cor. How's my girl?" Mimi said as she ran over to the couch and snuggled up next to Cory.

"I'm great. What have you two been up to?"

"We were down at The Space. Maureen and Joanne are getting ready for another protest," Roger said eating a big chunk of cheddar.

"Another one?" Mark whined, "what's this one about?"

"The mistreatment of the homeless and other Bohemians," Mimi said while playing with Cory's Hair.

"Again?" Cory asked.

"Uh. I guess this means I better go help her," Mark said as he began to put his things away.

Cory jumped up from her seat on the couch and ran over next to "No. Don't go. She can handle it without you."

"But I have to."

"Please?" Cory reached out and grabbed Mark's hand. Mark looked down at her huge eyes.

"I have to."

"Fine," she said angrily as she stomped off back to couch. Mark turned away to leave. He hated leaving Cory mad at him. Before he left, he heard Cory sneer, "tell Joanne I said hi." Without turning back around, Mark left.

"He always runs to her every beck and call," Cory said as soon as he was gone. "I don't understand. It's been like, what? Two years? Get over her already! She has a girlfriend."

"It's okay honey. You know he's not in love with her anymore," Mimi said trying to soothe her friend. It wasn't working. Cory let out a long sigh. Roger attempted to change the subject. "So, how did your audition go today?"