Author's Note: Howdy folks! Thanks for all the great reviews! It's very much appreciated. I'm glad you guys like this story, I like it a lot, too! So, we finally have the confrontation between Mark and Josh. You're going to get another look into their past. Reviews are like brownies to me (and I love brownies!) Next chapter should be up fairly soon!

In case you were somehow thinking that maybe I was the reincarnated spirit of Jonathan Larson and I owned Rent, you were mistaken.

"So you haven't seen my kids, Mark?" He said. Mark stopped dead.

"Josh." Mark's normally pale face, paled even more. Collins grip on Mason became tighter.

"Let's just go inside." Collins said, trying to keep his voice even. One look at Mark told him that he was panicking big time.

"Just give me my kids and I'll leave." Josh said, trying a smile out on Collins.

"I don't think we can do that." he said. Mason rested his head on Collins shoulder. Josh tried a different approach.

"Hey there Mason. Don't you want to come with Daddy? Daddy misses you!" He said, looking at the little boy. Mason turned and buried his head in Collins' shoulder.

"You tried to hurt Chey-Chey. I want to stay here." he said. His voice was a bit muffled, due to Collins' shirt, but he caught it just the same.

"Daddy wasn't trying to HURT, Chey-Chey." He tried to reason. "I was trying to help her. It was an accident."

Mason picked up his head. "No! You tried to hurt Chey and you hurt Mommy! Leave us alone!" He cried.

"Look, Daddy was angry. He's really, really sorry and he'll never do it again, okay buddy? Now come on, come with Daddy." Josh said, reaching for Mason. Mason fought to get away from him. Collins' caught Mark's eye and by unspoken agreement they knew what to do. Before Josh knew what was happening, Collins had put Mason down and Mark had grabbed him, running into the building. He ran as fast as he could, carrying an infant and a four-year-old boy. Collins jumped in between Mark and Josh, giving Mark a head's start on getting up the stairs.

Mark shouted as he reached the landing for someone to open the door. Roger pulled it open and Mark ran inside with the kids, both of whom were crying loudly. Mark and Roger shut the door quickly, locking the several locks.

"My God Mark! What happened?" Cindy asked, scooping up Mason.

"Josh. He was waiting for us when we got back to the building. Collins helped us get away. Oh my God! Collins! He's still down there with Josh!" Mark shouted. He handed Cheyenne to Roger and flew back out the door, yelling for Roger to lock it behind them.

He hurried back down the stairs where Collins and Josh were glaring at each other. "Where the fuck are my kids, Mark?" Josh asked, turning around as Mark came back down the stairs.

"They're safe, somewhere where their so-called father won't beat them." Mark retorted.

"Why didn't you stay with them?" Collins' asked, pissed at Mark for returning.

"I'm not leaving you alone with him." Mark replied. Collins' could have shook him. Josh he could handle. Josh wanted his kids and wouldn't attack Collins. But he had reason to attack Mark. And Mark already seemed petrified of him. Collins' moved so he was standing next to Mark. He stood half a step in front of him, trying in vain to protect him. Josh seemed to derive pleasure from this.

"So you're going to try and be a hero again, huh Mark? You don't remember the last time you tried to solve a problem that didn't involve you?" He sneered at Mark.

"Any 'problem' that involves Cindy involves me. I should have put a stop to this years ago." He said, his voice betraying the confidence the words were supposed to have. The two men were in a lock down. Neither one would break eye contact with the other.

"So, all of your friends know, right Mark?" Josh taunted. "They know what you did and what you are?"

This stopped Mark. He turned deep red. "I...I didn't DO anything." He said, stuttering over the words.

"We've been through this before. You wanted it Mark. You begged me for it. You begged for it by getting involved. It'll happen again, Mark, mark my words." Collins had enough.

"If you don't get out of here, I will call the police." He told Josh. "I'm sure they'd be very interested to talk to your wife and your son."

"I'll go for now, but I'll be back. I will get my wife and kids back." He said, turning his back and walking away. Collins turned back to Mark. Mark's eyes had glazed over and he was just staring.

"Mark?" He asked. Mark didn't move.

"We've been through this before. You wanted it Mark..." Mark slowly faded from the conversation. He was powerless to stop the images filling his head. Suddenly he was thirteen years old again...

As Josh drove to their house, he suddenly turned down the wrong street. It was dark and Mark was scared. Josh stopped the car, put it in park and turned to him. "So why do you do not like me, Mark? Your sister likes me, your parents like me, why don't you?"

"You know why I don't like you, Josh." Mark said, his voice sounding braver than he felt. Josh chuckled.

"Oh come on Marky, that was a long time ago. Besides, you liked it." Josh told him.

"I did not like it! You hurt me Josh!" Mark shouted.

"'You hurt me Josh!'" Josh mimicked. "I didn't fucking do ANYTHING back then. But now...now you're older. Now we can really have some fun."

Mark was aware that he was being shaken. Slowly, he was pulled out of his trance. He saw Collins standing in front of him, shaking him. "Mark!" He shouted, seeing Mark's eye's come back into focus. "Are you okay?"

"I...I need to sit down." He said as his legs gave out. Collins picked up the smaller boy and carried him upstairs. He called that they were alone and Roger let them in the apartment.

"What happened Collins?" Roger shouted, taking Mark from him and putting him on the couch. Cindy and Mimi were standing off to the side, watching in horror.

"I don't know. We were talking with Josh, Josh left, and Mark went into this trance. When I finally shook him out of it, his knees gave out." Collins said. Mark looked up at Roger.

"I'm going to be sick." He said, bolting for the bathroom. Roger was on his heels. He threw himself over the toilet and vomited violently. Roger rubbed soothing circles on his back as he emptied the contents of his stomach. When he was finished, he leaned against Roger, tears dripping from his eyes.