Disclaimer: RENT and its characters do not belong to me.

Author's notes: Thanks for the reviews. That's about it. Except that I am closing in on the end of this fic, because after I go as far as what I have planned, there really isn't anywhere else for me to take it.

Bold italics like this are sound effects, i.e. signifying that the answering machine beeped with out saying "The answering machine beeped."

Italics like this are the messages on the machine.

Roger looked at the blinking red light of the answering machine, as he entered Collins' apartment for the first time in about four months. When he had first shown up at Collins' after walking out on Mark, they were in the apartment together for about three days before Collins left to teach two semesters in Maine. He had told Roger that he could stay at the apartment as long as he needed to, which is what Roger had intended. But this didn't last. Instead Roger found himself working his way across the country, where he stayed for a while, and then realized that he had to go back, so he worked his way back to the city, bringing him to where he was now. In Collins apartment, with an answering machine full of messages.

With a sigh, he placed his things on the floor and pressed the machine's button.

Beep

"Roger, it's Joanne. I know you're staying there while Collins is out of town, and I know it's because of what happened with Mark. And I got the whole story. I'm not gonna tell you the whole thing, 'cause it's something that you need to hear from him, but you should just come back and listen to him. Don't turn this into one of your fights with Mimi."

Beep

"Roger, it's Joanne, again. I don't know what the hell you think you're accomplishing by not coming back here, or even talking to any of us but snap out of it. You aren't making the situation any better. Mark needs you. I don't care what kind of thoughts you've got stuck in that thick skull of yours. Mark needs you to be here for him. Now get your ass back to the loft."

Beep

"Hey Rog, it's Collins. Just thought I'd check in with you and see how things are going with everything. Have you made up with Mark yet? Things here in Maine are…damn cold. Seriously. It gets really cold up here. But the students, might actually get my theory. Yeah, I know, scary thoughts. OK, well call me back and fill me in. And if you don't call me back I'm assuming it's 'cause your already back across the city snuggling with Mark. Oh and Rog, if you haven't gone back to Mark yet, I understand. I figure everyone else is probably telling you to get your head out of your ass, so I thought I'd let you know that I get why you're upset."

Beep

"Roger Davis I swear to god if you don't get your head out of your ass I'm coming over there and murdering you in your sleep! Mark is completely screwed up without you. He's moody and silent, I swear it's like Joanne when she's PMSing. He isn't going to his therapy anymore and I think it's really messing with him. He won't talk to any of us, and he's not even filming anymore and it's all your fault! Oh yeah…this is Maureen."

Beep

"Roger, hey. It's Benny. I know that there's this thing between you and Mark right now, but I thought you should know that his dad came into the city. He went to the loft and tried to force Mark back to Scarsdale. Something he said got Mark real worked up and there was a fight…I got to the loft and Mark was getting the shit kicked out of him. I kicked his dad out, and brought him to the hospital. He's gonna be fine…he just has a broken collarbone and some broken ribs. I put everything on my insurance, so everything is covered, but I just thought you should know.

"Look man. I didn't spend that much time with him or anything, but I think he's pretty messed up. It's kind of like he was right after the hold up. I know you think the thing to do is to just leave it alone, and you were right that time, so I'm respecting that, but I really think you should just come back over here and see what's going on."

Beep

"Yeah, so according to everyone you aren't back at the loft and now I'm starting to wonder what the hell is going through your head? Everyone gets the point. You're upset that you weren't kept informed. And I thought I got it, but you're dragging this out too far, man. From what everyone's told me, Mark is losing it. Get back there before things get any worse."

Beep

"Roger, I don't know where you are but come back. Mark is getting really bad. I don't know what's going on with him, because I hardly ever see him. His behavior is really erratic. I'm worried that he's gonna do something bad if he doesn't get help soon, and he's not letting us help him. Call me as soon as you get this message."

Beep

"Hey man, it's Benny again. I really think you need to get back here. Mark is in a real bad place. All of these charges for pain meds and sleeping pills are coming up on my insurance. I'm don't want to say that he's addicted or anything…I'd like to think that he knows better than that…but Allison isn't buying them, and I'm not, and Mark is acting a lot like you did back in your drug days. I'm worried that if he doesn't get help soon he's gonna get into a lot of trouble, and I think you're the only one that's gonna get through to him."

Beep

The tape ended leaving Roger in a dumfounded silence. He hadn't known, and now he had the feeling that he had messed things up horribly. He had the feeling that he needed to find Mark, now.

Roger was really starting to regret the fact that he had somehow lost his key to the loft. He had gotten to the loft door to find it locked. He tried for about twenty minutes to get Mark to open the door, to no avail. He would have given up and gone back to Collins' until another day, figuring that Mark was out, but he had heard someone shuffling around in the loft.

Instead, he went downstairs, and got into Mimi's old apartment, still unoccupied, and unlocked. He went out the window and climbed up the fire escape until he was at the familiar windows of his loft, which were never locked. From there, it was easy to push a window open and for him to climb into the loft.

The first things that he noticed were the absolute mess and the biting cold. Even when they had six people living in the loft it hadn't been this messy. Mark had always seen to it that there was a semblance of organization. And he had always been meticulous about keeping something to heat the loft going.

"Mark? Mark, I know you're in here." He called out searching through the loft. First he ducked into Mark's room, and didn't find him. He also didn't receive an answer. "Mark?"

Then he ducked into his room, which proved to be a good idea. Sitting on his bed, pushing himself into a corner was Mark. And then he saw the way that Mark had his arm extended, with a belt wound tightly around the forearm, and a needle in his other hand.

It's a little short, but I wanted to end it there.

All of those voices mails were in order, but keep in mind they're spread out across the four months that Roger was gone.