Note: I don't own RENT or Cabaret! Just happy borrowing. I know I said that there would be heavy April and Roger action in this chapter but I didn't count on Mark being so talkative. So that will have to bumped to another chapter. Hope you all don't mind.

"Bye-bye Mein Lieber Herr, farewell mine lieber herr it was a fine affair but now it's over!" Maureen Johnson sang in the Scarsdale cafeteria making full use of the chairs as a prop, "And though I used to care, I need the open air. Your better without me, you'll get on without me. Mein Herrrrr!" To indicate the end of the song she let her body go limp on the chair. The drama kids broke out into applause.

"Liza would be jealous!" A drama boy with a nose ring called out. Mark Cohen was also clapping for the curly haired actress who jumped up and curtsied. Roger eyed Mark and sighed. Collins just smiled eating his salad, everything was finally getting back to normal. For a few days Mark and Roger wouldn't let him be. Constantly offering their houses to him (trailer in Roger's case), but Collins would always decline politely. They also offered to beat his parents but Collins declined once again. He returned to his house the day after he crashed at Angel's. Even though he'd rather stay at 26 Zilch Street, he knew that he had to go home eventually. When he returned his parents gave him the silent treatment. They didn't even ask where he had been the night before, and Collins' mother managed to look through him as if he wasn't even there. But he was dealing, with the help of his worried friends.

"That was real good wasn't it?" Mark asked pointing to Maureen, "I bet she gets the main part in the musical this year. I mean that was great." His enthusiasm was apparently nauseating Roger who pushed his burger away.

"Really Mark please just ask her out." Roger sighed running his hands through his hair although he looked like he was going to pull his hair out by the roots.

Mark blushed, "Oh I couldn't."

Collins chewed on a cucumber and pointed to Mark with his fork, "How long have you had a crush on her? Remind me?" Collins asked knowing perfectly well how long it had been but he was trying to make a point.

Mark looked down in his lap, "Since kindergarten."

Collins shook his head at him and replied, "Sorry man but that's pathetic. Just ask the girl out! She won't bite you. She's a…somewhat normal girl, not some goddess that you think she is." Roger smirked watching Collins while Mark looked over at Maureen.

"Like you should talk, Col." Roger said putting his feet up on ShirleyNanetteGarret and putting his hands behind his head.

"Uhhh what?" Collins asked not seeing Mark's eon long crush making any connection to him.

Roger sighed, "I saw you two at the mall. You were giving Angel googgly eyes. You want to date her, ask her. Don't just stand there looking all…goggly eyed. Ask her out."

Mark's head snapped back to look at Collins a huge smile on his face, "You and Angel went goggly eyed?" He looked like he was going to do a dance of joy right then and there, "I knew you two would hit it off. After a while meeting you, Collins, I just knew it! You gotta go for it!"

Collins looked back and forth between his two friends feeling that now he was the one under fire. "I just…I don't even know if she has a boyfriend, ok?" He ate his salad hoping that they would somehow change the subject.

"Nope. She doesn't. She had one a few months before you came along but he lasted about a week." Roger explained, "Said she wasn't mature enough. Mark and I were gonna egg his car." He chuckled to himself.

Mark nodded chewing on his bologna sandwich, "If only we knew what his car looked like." Collins looked up at them and then went back to eyeing his salad. Mature enough? Collins scowled to himself wondering who the boy was so he could pummel him. Because of his aversion to violence, he thought up a good hearted prank that would cause more humiliation than a black eye.

"You should have hot wired the car and then driven it off to the football field. Release the air in the tires." Collins said as if he were giving Mark and Roger a step by step instruction in pranks. Then he snapped a piece of celery in half wishing he could have executed it.

Roger chuckled shaking his head, "I forgot we were in the presence of a master prankster. You need to do one man. And preferably on Robbie." He said tilting his head towards the jock who was guzzling can after can of soda while the rest of the jocks cheered him on. Collins glanced over at him. And I made fun of Roger's choice of intellectual partners, he thought to himself.

"Really," Roger started to say putting his feet down, "The two of you really need to get off your asses and ask them out. It's kinda sad. Two wimpy puppies."

"Oh, baby, I love puppies!" A high pitched voice said coming towards their way. April waved to Roger, "Hey there sweetie. Hi guys." She nodded to Mark and Collins before taking a seat on Roger's lap. "I missed you yesterday. You said you would call."

Roger tried to adjust his seating position but with April on his lap he had some difficulty. "Sorry April…uh…April. We have to talk later." Roger said quietly to the girl. Collins raised his eyebrow, was he finally going to break up with the girl? It was about time really. Collins picked up a tomato and tossed it in his mouth realizing that they were all putting it off making their move. At least they seemed to be.

Mark stood up from the table looking determined.

"Oh lord, boy, what are you doing?" Collins mumbled to him. Mark ignored him and marched up to Maureen's table. Collins poked Roger and pointed to Mark. The rocker turned to look at his best friend despite April running her fingers through his hair.

"Oh my God." Roger murmured, "The little nerd got the nerve."

Mark cleared his throat as he reached the drama kid table. Maureen was applying some lipstick with the help of a compact which had "diva" spelt out in purple bubble letters. She seemed to take no notice of Mark. The other drama kids looked up at Mark as if he was a foreign substance. A nerd in their midst.

The filmmaker cleared his throat again, "Um. Excuse me, Maureen?"

Maureen looked up from her compact, "Yup what?" She asked looking kinda confused but then she smiled and pointed at him, "You're Mark right? We had fifth grade math together."

Mark smiled deeply, "Yeah we did…and kindergarten, first grade, third grade, fifth grade, and a current poly sci class." Mark numbered the classes on his fingers while Maureen looked uncomfortable, shifting in her chair.

"At least she knows his name…that's a plus right?" Collins whispered to Roger leaning over to him. April crossed her arms obviously not happy that Roger wasn't giving her enough of his attention.

Roger watched his best friend wide eyed, "I guess so…can't be a bad thing."

"So ummm…" Mark rubbed the back of his neck, "I was…wondering…wondering…" He stopped suddenly as if he just realized what he was doing. His face turned beat red.

"Yeah…you were wondering?" Maureen asked her patience seemed to be wearing thin with this guy she vaguely knew.

"I…was wondering…" Mark started all over again ignoring Maureen's deep sigh, "if you would be interested in catching a movie with me…or something like that." Roger and Collins grabbed each other by the shirt watching Maureen intently. They were preparing themselves for all options. Including depressed, lost Mark as well as happy, bouncy Mark. The second seemed just as scary as the first.

Maureen frowned and looked over at her friends who seemed just as interested in her response, "Oh Markie…I would like to…but I'm kinda with someone right now." A drama kid raised his eyebrow and mumbled, "Since when has that stopped you." Maureen glared at him and looked back up at Mark, "I'm really sorry."

Mark shook his head and waved his hand, "Oh no…that's fine. I…I understand." He clapped his hands together, "Ummm…it was nice talking to you…I really loved your…you know. Performance." Maureen smiled showing she appreciated his comment but then looked back at her compact.

"Ok uhh…" Mark started walking backwards and then without another word he ran to ShirelyNanetteGarett and slammed his head on the top of the table.

"Whoa Mark take it easy." Collins said rubbing his back, "I'm sorry man but…she knew your name. That's a plus right?" He said trying to be enthusiastic.

Mark didn't raise his head but he muttered, "Yeah…she did."

"It could have gone worse. She could have told you to go to hell." Roger said with a shrug although he did look slightly concerned for Mark. But then he turned to April who was picking out dirt from under her fingernails. Apparently that was all the comforting that Roger was going to offer Mark.

Mark raised his head and screamed at him, "You go to hell!" He got up out of his chair and stormed out of the cafeteria. Collins jumped up ready to follow him. But before he did that he put his palm on the table and with his other hand pointed at Roger.

"We're gonna have a looong talk about sensitivity." He grumbled at him before rushing after Mark.

"Mark!" Collins called out running into the hallway. He was prepared to search the school if he needed to, but with some thought, he was pretty sure where Mark ran to. Collins ran to the media center and pushed open the door to see Mark starting to edit one of his films. Licking his lips Collins put his hand on Mark's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, man." He whispered to him. Mark shrugged which pushed off Collins' hand. Collins stood in silence for a moment knowing that his friend was about to burst emotionally.

"Talk to me, man." Collins coaxed him gently.

Mark gulped and looked back at Collins his eyes filled with tears.

"Sometimes…I want to strangle him. He has girls falling all over him." Mark answered throwing his hands into the hair. "April adores him and he doesn't want to be bothered. And you know she's going to be replaced soon. He just uses them and moves on. He doesn't know how damned lucky he is." Mark sighed and took off his glasses for a moment to rub his eyes. "Collins…I haven't dated anyone since Nanette. Ok? Pathetic huh? It's fun to watch my best friend have girl after girl while I just…sit there. Alone." Mark replied putting his glasses back on and turning to his film not willing to look Collins in the eye.

Collins watched him carefully and said to him quietly, "I love Roger…but he can be clueless sometimes. If he keeps on this path I don't think he'll ever find true love. Just like you said one girl after another. I'm worried about him…" Collins wiped his face and then smiled, "But you I'm not worried about. Not in the love department. Cause you're a caring guy who only wants to love, settle down and have a boatload of kids. You're gonna find a girl who wants the same thing and you're just gonna fall head over heels for each other. It'll be beautiful. But you're probably gonna have to wait cause most high school girls don't have that mentality yet. Mark, you'll find love. I have no doubt." Collins said firmly, meaning every single word that came out of his mouth.

Mark looked down on the floor for a few minutes soaking everything in what Collins just told him. He cleared his throat and turned to face Collins, "I guess you're right. I think we need to have an…intervention or something with Roger." Collins nodded, it was probably called for. "And.." Mark started to say again, "thank you…I have to say…I'm happy we're friends. Cause if you weren't there to pick me up when I fell…I don't know what would have happened."

Collins smiled gently, "You're welcome." He put his hand on Mark's shoulder again and this time the filmmaker didn't shrug it off, "C'mon. We have to get to class soon." Mark nodded and put away his equipment following Collins out of the door.

Mark put his hands in his pockets and looked over to Collins, "Are you…you have to ask her out, Collins? You have to." Collins dropped his eyes, and then glanced at his friend.

"I want to…It's just kinda weird." Collins said putting his hands in his pockets as well. Mark tilted his head wanting more of an explanation. Collins bit his lip wondering if he was going to sound naïve or stupid. "I'm in love with her already. Actually in love. Not just a crush. I love her."

Mark smiled warmly, "Then tell her, Collins. Tell her."

Collins stood frozen in front of the door of Angel's household. There was not a movement in his body for many moments as he tried to think of a way to talk to her. To make her see how he felt about her. How he fell in love with her so quickly. But Maureen's rejection of Mark stayed firmly in his mind. What if Angel didn't like him back? Collins didn't expect her to love him, that would be too good to be true. However, he did hope that there was some type of affection, just something to know he wasn't way off track. So she wouldn't turn him down and rip his heart into little pieces.

"COLLINS!" A young voice screamed in his general direction. The two ninjas quickly ran to him hugging his legs. Collins finally relaxed and chuckled at the boys pulling them off of him.

"Hey guys. What are you two up to?" He asked a huge smile on his face. Angel's ninja brothers were quickly becoming dear to his heart.

"Fightin Andrea but she gave up." One said with a shrug. In the distance Andrea lay on the grass looking more interested in getting a sun tan than being a ninja victim.

"Yeah, wanna come fight us!" The other said getting into one of his karate stances. Collins bit his lip and looked up at the door.

"Pleasse!" A ninja begging jumping up and down with a hold on the bottom of Collins' coat. Collins looked at the door again and then set down the pair of white satin gloves that he was holding all along, on the welcome mat. He rung the doorbell, Nick was there in less than a second.

"Can you get Angel for me, Nick?" The boy nodded and ran back into the house. The ninjas grew restless and jumped up and down.

"Play with us!" Collins smiled and nodded taking one ninja under each of his arms. They squealed but were obviously having fun with huge smiles on their faces. One of the ninja's kicked Collins in the butt when he walked them out to the front lawn. He carefully dropped them and rubbed his butt leaning his head back, groaning in fake pain.

"Oh you got me! On my best feature!" Collins called out before falling to the ground. The ninjas giggled and jumped on top of him wanting to claim Collins as their kill once again.

Angel stepped out onto the porch and smiled when she saw Collins playing with her brothers. She took a step forward to join them when her pumps stepped on some slippery. Looking down she saw the white satin gloves covered in a protective bag. She bent down and picked up the gloves holding her breath, tears starting to fill her eyes.

Hearing someone come out of the house, Collins turned his head to see Angel gazing at the gloves astonished. She took in a deep breath, her hands still squeezing the gloves. Blinking away the tears she whispered to herself, "That's it. I'm done. I'm in love." Angel wiped her face and walked down the steps of her house moving closer to Collins and the ninjas.

"If you would excuse me boys." She said her eyes glued to Collins. The ninjas looked less than happy but got off of Collins who sat up. Angel knelt down next to him and put the gloves down on the grass by him. Then she reached out with her hands cupping his face, leaning into him until their lips met. Collins was taken by surprise but he wasn't about to object. He kissed her back while closing his eyes slowly, letting the rush take over his whole body.

"Ewwwwww!" One of the ninja's screamed, "Why do all the good things have to be ruined by kissing? Like in Star Wars! It was so good till they kissed!" The other ninja nodded in agreement and made heaving sounds.

Andrea wandered over to the ninjas and took each one by the hand, "C'mon you two, you can go attack Laila." As she led them away from Angel and Collins a small smile on her face.

Collins and Angel parted and looked each other in the eyes. They both smiled deeply and leaned in for another kiss. Their lips eager for the new taste of true love.

Post: Awness? I gotta say I realized my love all over again for Mark and Collins' friendship in this. It was also good to get Mark talking and not bumbling. I love his bumble but the boy is serious at times too. Next Chapter: Angel meets Collins' parents and is determined to win them over. And that Roger/April stuff I promised from before.