Howdy! Thank you to EVERYONE who has reviewed! If you had a signed review, I tried to reply. If I missed you, I appologize! Here's chapter four for you guys. It's a bit shorter than the others, but I wanted to end it where I did. The next chapter we're going to get some real insight into Mark, Cindy, and Josh's past. You get a glimpse of it in this chapter! I hope you like it! As always, reviews are not only welcomed, they are LOVED! Mwah! Oh, and I haven't posted a disclaimer in a while, but I still don't own it. Well, I own this version of Josh, but that's all!

Mark knocked softly on the door before opening it and letting himself in. Cindy was sitting on the bed, clutching at the baby's blanket. "Cin, he's gone." Mark assured her. She looked up at him. It was the first time he ever saw her truly frightened. He took a step toward her and sat down next to her. "Don't worry Cindy, I won't let him find you."

"We won't let him find you." Came a voice from the door. Startled, they both looked up and saw Roger standing in the doorway. He looked directly at Cindy. "Mark is your brother by blood. He's my brother by friendship. We've been through a hell of a lot together. There's nothing I wouldn't do for him. And by extension, that means you, too. Your family now, Cindy." Roger said. She gave him a watery smile.

"Thanks...that really means a lot." She told him. She glanced over at Mark. "Both of you." Cindy had gathered from the reception she received yesterday that her brother's friends didn't know too much about them. And she wasn't about to tell them anything because clearly Mark didn't want them to know. Mark gave her another hug and followed Roger out of the room.

The two boys sat down on the couch. "Are you going to tell me what that was all about?" Roger asked him.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Mark said. Roger looked directly at him and Mark looked at his feet.

"Bullshit Mark. I know you and I know that Josh scared the crap out of you. My question is why. You've lived in New York for close to six years now. You live in fucking Alphabet City. You aren't scared of muggers or anything. So tell me why, when a scrawny little NOBODY shows up at your door, you flinch and freak out. And don't you dare tell me it's because of what he did to Cindy. I've seen muggers do worse to you without you panicking like that." Roger demanded.

"I didn't 'flinch and freak out'. I paused for a second and you came charging in like I needed rescue. If you need someone to save Roger, go into your bedroom and save Mimi. She's the one who needs it, not me!" Mark said, jumping off the couch. He grabbed his camera bag and his keys. "I'm going out to film." he said, walking out the door, ignoring Roger's protests.

Cindy heard the conversation and when the door slammed, she let herself into the livingroom. Roger was running his hands angrily through his hair. He looked up at the familiar squeak of Mark's door. "Oh...hey Cindy." he said.

"I'm really sorry, Roger. I don't mean to cause problems between you and Mark." she said, fighting back tears. He smiled wanly at her.

"Don't worry about it. Mark will calm down." He looked up at her. "What happened between Mark and Josh?" he asked her.

"I...I don't know. Our family has known Josh's family since we were kids. Josh and I grew up together. We went to school and to temple together. We started dating in high school. Mark's never liked Josh." She chuckled humorlessly. "He used to try and get me grounded so we couldn't go out. I guess the animosity went both ways. I don't think Josh liked Mark much either."

"Mark doesn't just hate people for no good reason!" Roger exclaimed. "Something HAD to have happened between them." Cindy looked at him blankly.

"I really don't know." She smiled a little. "Mark's always been overprotective of me. Even though I was the older one. I just assumed that he worries too much." Roger nodded, accepting Cindy's answer. But in his gut, he felt like it was wrong. Yes, Mark was overprotective, but he didn't simply hate people. In the entire time Roger had known Mark, he had never hated anyone. Well, in the end he hadn't been too fond of April, but he still never hated her. He retreated back to his room and rubbed a sleeping Mimi's back.

Mark walked down the street, camera in hand, not filming anything. His mind kept flashing back to when he was thirteen. Mark was just finishing up his bar mitzvah class. His sister's boyfriend, Josh, was teaching the class. Mark stayed after class because Josh was driving him home. Mark didn't like Josh. He hadn't liked him for a long time. But now Cindy was dating him and he kept quiet about it. Besides, their parents were in love with Josh. It was always Josh this and Josh that. Mark suspected that if they could, they'd adopt Josh. That would put a fast end to him dating his sister. Mark smirked at the thought. "What are you smirking at?" Josh demanded.

"What the hell?" An angry bicyclist shouted as Mark quickly jumped to the side. He shook his head to clear the thoughts. He was angry with himself. He hadn't thought about Josh in a very long time. He had put him out of his head completely.

Without warning, Mark felt something wet on his cheek. He looked up at the sky, expecting rain clouds. The moon shone brightly, not a cloud in sight. Belatedly, he realized he was crying. "FUCK!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, angry at Josh, at himself, at the world.

"Well boy, you gonna stand there screaming at the world or are you gonna look around you and realize you're in the middle of alphabet city, begging to be mugged?" Came a voice from behind him. Mark spun around and came face to face with anarchist professor...

"Collins!"