Once again thanks so very much for all the great reviews...very gracious ones from the last ch., glad you are enjoying this fic so much! I think I got the most reviews for any ch. with the last one. This is yet another long ch...switches POVs a few times. Oh and I'm glad to hear that so many of you enjoy Idina's singing outside of Rent...that makes me happy, I don't know why but it does. Anyhow,enjoy!
(Joanne's POV)
Oh no, of all people why must it be her at our door. Doesn't she realize this probably isn't the smartest place for her to be right now? I look up at Maureen rolling her eyes. She hasn't moved off of my lap and her warm hands are still against the bare skin of my back. To say the least she does not look happy right now. Then again another round of pounding at the door followed by Eden yelling for me.
"You have to be fucking kidding me," Maureen furiously spouts off as she pulls her body off of me. She storms over to the front door to let Eden in; mumbling something the entire way that I could not make out.
She swings open the door to reveal Eden looking rather panicked. "Oh Maureen," by the shock in her voice and expression it wasapparent seeingMaureen answer the door surprised her. "Is Joanne here?" Her voice much softer, thankfully, than it was just moments ago. Maureen just pointed over at me sitting on the couch; Eden taking that as Maureen's way of inviting her into the apartment.
As she walked over into our living room, she got a rather surprised and embarrassed look on her face. "Oh sorry did I interrupt something?" I think the fact that I was still trying to straighten my ruffled clothes caused by Maureen's roaming hands may have tipped her off that we were in the middle of something.
"Actually yes you did," I heard Maureen sarcastically say as she walked past her to come join me over on the couch.
"Umm…" I stared over at Maureen trying to get her to calm down just by giving her a look. I don't know if that was going to be enough, she just shrugged her shoulders at me and sat down beside me immediately wrapping her arm around me. I'm sure her way of staking her territory.
"Come on in Eden, have a seat." I was trying to be as nice as possible; hopefully making up for how rude Maureen was being towards her at the moment. Can I blame her though? I pointed over to an empty chair and watched as Eden nervously made her way into the living room. "What's the big emergency?"
"Well," she paused making notice of Maureen's hand rubbing up and down my thigh and her occasional kisses on my neck. She snapped herself back into reality, looking back at me and continuing her story. "I told Mark about….well you know," she was now apparently wanting to play serenades, pointing back and forth from me to her; it wasn't hard to figure out what she was trying to say without having to saying it aloud. "About us," she got really quiet when she said this; I think hopefully thinking that Maureen wouldn't hear her say it. She did though; I was sure of it because her hands became a little friendlier towards me.
"Well Eden, what are you doing here then?" I was rather confused. I'd figure that she'd want to be with Mark and not with Maureen and me, her presence wasn't really making much sense to me right now.
"I thought maybe Mark came here. Because when I told him this evening he stormed out of the apartment all pissed off and upset." This statement caused Maureen to stop; now becoming interested in what was going on. "I don't know where he went," she had started crying now. Being that she was my friend I wanted to get up and go over and hug her; try to comfort her in some way. But knowing what all had happened today I figured that might not be in my best interest as far as Maureen is concerned.
"Did you call Mimi or Roger?" Maureen actually had said something to her; and not in a rude or sarcastic fashion. Even though Mark and Maureen hadn't been quite as close lately, I knew she still really cared about Mark. She told me once that Mark was like her big brother. "Or even Collins?"
"They didn't answer," her tears were more frequent now; her voice shaky.
"Let's just go over there. If he's not there at least Roger and Mimi can help us find him, they have to be around there somewhere." I got off the couch and went to quickly grab Maureen and my coats from the bedroom. I was praying all the while that Maureen wouldn't say something to her. Thankfully when I returned it didn't seem that she did; didn't seem they had spoke at all which actually may be better. I found them both by the front door looking rather impatient for my return.
We each bundled up to head out into the cold New York City night. This was so not what I had planned for tonight…this outright sucks quite frankly. After I locked the front door, Maureen grabbed tightly to my hand and lightly kissed my lips. Eden was walking in front of us; so obviously not being able to see us. I think she did cause she loves me; I couldn't help but smile.
(Joanne's POV)
"Roger…Mimi…anyone…you guys home?" We all three were screaming down from the street below trying to get someone's attention.
Finally Roger appeared out on the fire escape, "what's going on?" Apparently we too had just interrupted them. He was standing there in boxers and a t-shirt; not typically attire for him to just be wearing around the loft.
"Just throw us the keys, its cold out here." Maureen's body was shivering against mine; with good right though, it was freezing out tonight.
Roger went back in and quickly returned throwing us his keys. We were quickly running in the apartment and up the stairs. Not that it was going to be much warmer in their place, but it had to beat standing outside. Mimi was standing in the door way, holding the loft door open for us when we arrived at the top floor.
"What's wrong you guys?" She was questioning us before we even had made it into the loft. She sounded worried, yet a little peeved at the interruption; I completely understood where she was coming from.
"Is Mark here? Have you heard from him?" Eden was frantically rambling on. Maureen of course was rolling her eyes as she made her way over to sit down on the almost completely broken couch. Mimi was quickly joining her on it, trying to get the story out of Maureen.
"Calm down Eden," Roger was grabbing hold of her shoulders attempting to calm her in some way, "what's wrong with Mark?"
"Well, you see…" she was glancing back and forth from Maureen and me. I'm not sure why she was so nervous to tell them for. She should have been more nervous to tell Maureen not Roger and Mimi.
I soon heard Maureen filling them in on the story. "Eden and Joanne knew each other before she met Mark," her tone rather harsh.
"So? Why would Mark be upset about that?" Mimi was looking at me with this confused look on her face. This same confused look had come over Roger's face as well.
"Cause they kissed each other and Eden tried to get Joanne to leave me." Maureen was saying all of this so nonchalantly is was almost scary. She wasn't even looking at anyone rather playing with her fingernails while she said it.
I think Roger almost choked from shock and I think Mimi quit breathing. Both of them slowly turned their heads towards me; their eyes widened with their jaws on the ground. I was speechless; what do you say.
"So that's why Mark is mad?" Roger was nodding his head in approval of Mark's state of anger. "Well let's go see if we can find Mark….then will figure out this whole crazy mess." Roger was clearly trying to avoid making Maureen any more agitated at the situation. "Collins is asleep in Mark's old room, I'll go wake him. I'm sure he'll go with us to look for him." Roger slowly walked passed me to wake Collins; giving me a sly grin as he walked by.
Soon thereafter, Roger and Collins were emerging from the bedroom. Apparently Roger had filled Collins in on what he had just learned because when Collins walked by me he nudged me with his elbow and I heard a soft, "Joanne Jefferson," as he walked by.
"So now what? Where do we go?" Eden was pacing the floor; rightfully worried about Mark. "Let's split up and look for him. Some people can stay here incase he would decide to come here to talk to Roger…cause that's a good chance right Roger?" she didn't even give him a chance to respond. "So where should we look?" She was rambling on so fast that no one could even understand her.
Collins walked over to her, capturing her in his grasp. "Calm down Eden we'll find him ok." He was trying to be calm and rational; typical Collins. He looked over at Mimi and Maureen sitting on the couch, looking like they could almost fall asleep. "So Mimi, how about you and Maureen stay here in case he does show up here." Neither of them seemed to mind the idea of not having to go search for Mark out in the cold.
"That's good," Eden chimed in. "And then Roger and you can go look some places and Joanne and I can." Roger, Collins, and I all froze, staring at each other in disbelief of what Eden had just suggested. I was afraid to look over at Maureen.
Quickly though I was speaking up, "well how about I go with Roger and you go with Collins. That way we will each have one of the guys with us because it might not be good if you and I find Mark together." I looked over at Maureen who mouthed me a thank you from the couch. I smiled back at her and sent her a long distance kiss.
Eden realizing just how ridiculous her idea must have sounded quickly fumbled out the words, "ok yeah whatever, let's just go."
So with that the four of us bundled back up to head out in search of Mark. While I was waiting on Roger and Collins to get ready I walked over to the couch, pulling Maureen to her feet. "Let's go outside real quick to talk." I led her out onto the fire escape closing the window behind us.
She had taken her jacket off already so I opened mine up inviting her inside to hopefully warm her up. Plus, it was nice to feel her body against mine again. She wrapped her arms around my waist holding on for dear life. I was rubbing my hands up and down her back in attempts to keep her somewhat warm. She laid her head on my chest, resting it right below my chin; I could hear her teeth chattering.
"Maureen," I softly began saying, "I just wanted to say sorry that this evening didn't turn out like I, or we, had planned. I promise I will make it up to you somehow. Tomorrow just us, all day ok; I'm completely yours."
She looked up at me smiling, "I'm going to hold you to that you know?" She leaned towards me; her lips making contact with my neck once or twice before reaching my lips. The kiss warmed my entire body, must have Maureen's as well because both of our bodies stopped shaking.
"Get a room," I looked over realizing that Roger was pounding on the window, laughing, motioning for me to come on. We let go of one another and walked back into the room; Mimi smiling from ear to ear at us. "Come on love bird number one, we gotta go." I gave Maureen one last small kiss and headed out the door with Roger, Collins, and Eden to find Mark.
(Maureen's POV)
So all four of them headed out to go in search of Mark. The way I see it New York City is a big place, he'll probably find them before they find him. Mark running out like that really didn't surprise me too much though; I completely understood where he was coming from. And I'm sure it made it worse for him because now a second girlfriend of his was telling him that she was attracted to women….can't be good for a man's ego.
"So Maureen," Mimi was curled up in a little ball on the couch. I was preparing myself for like a million questions and comments to come rambling out of her little body. So I walked over to the couch and sat at the other end, staring at her, awaiting her questions. "What is up with Joanne and Eden?" I could hear the slightest bit of confusion in her voice.
"Well they knew each other before Eden met Mark." I said it very matter of fact.
"I got thought," she rolled her eyes at me, apparently not happy with my lack of detail. "Like what happened with all of that?"
I took a deep breath before I started. I'd rather not have to relive it all by telling Mimi, but she was one of my best friends and she'd find out sooner or later all the details anyway, so why not it be me who tells her. So I just started rambling out the story. "About two months before Eden met Mark, she met Joanne at a bar. Joanne and I had a fight and she had run out of the apartment. They started talking about what was happening with them both and apparently Joanne kept on about how difficult and dramatic I can be," Mimi shrugged her shoulders obviously agreeing with Joanne, I just ignored it and went on. "So Eden took her back to her place with her and after a while, Eden kissed her." I looked away from Mimi now, "it wasn't just a friendly kiss either. The way Eden explained it she was on top of Joanne trying to take her shirt off." Tears were beginning to well up in my eyes at the thought of this happening; trying to keep the mental picture of another woman on top of my girlfriend out of my head. I was trying to hold the tears back, but finding it very difficult.
Mimi must have realized how bad it was bothering me; she reached over and took hold of my hand. "Maureen, you don't have to tell me anymore, I'm sorry." Her voice was very tender and sweet; I felt very lucky to have Mimi in my life.
I wiped away a tear that had managed to escape, "no that's ok. Joanne stopped it from going any further," I heard Mimi take a sigh of relief, "she told Eden that she loved me and couldn't hurt me like that."
Mimi was now rubbing my shoulder, trying to calm me down; the tears escaping from my eyes more frequently now. "That should tell you that she really does love you, you know? Even though she did kiss her, she did stop it Maureen…and she stopped it because of you."
"Yeah I know. I'm not mad at her now, if that's what you are thinking." And truthfully I'm not. She was mine and I wasn't letting her go; I loved her too much. "Joanne ended up staying there that night, but leaving before Eden woke up. But then Eden started calling Joanne trying to get her to leave me," that bitch, saying it aloud made me even more pissed off at Eden.
"Wow," Mimi was in complete shock, "So everything is ok with you and Joanne though right?"
"Yea," for the first time since Mimi and I started talking about this I smiled.
"Good, because I love you guys and you two are just way too cute together," we both started giggling like school girls. "I've seen you two when you guys don't think anyone else is watching…too cute…and sweet." The giggling continued between the two of us, like we were little school girls talking about our crushes.
"You think?" I wasn't doubting Mimi's statements; I just wanted to hear over and over how cute and sweet Joanne and I were together.
"I've seen the way you two look at each other even when the other one isn't noticing," Mimi had a huge smile on her face, truly happy for the two of us. "You've got something special with that one Maureen."
"I sure do," a slow grin crept across my face from the thought of her and me together.
Mimi and I sat and continued talking. Mainly being all girly girls together. We talked about everything and anything we could think of. Occasionally my mind would wonder off to Mark and if anyone had found him yet or where he may be. I hope they find him soon.
(Eden's POV)
"Collins where else could he be?" We had looked almost anywhere I could think of that he may have gone. We'd been to his favorite places to shoot footage to random little diners he likes to hang out in. Still no sign of him. I had called Joanne on her cell phone a few times and they weren't having any luck either. I've made such a mess of things. I never wanted to hurt anyone; not Joanne, not Mark, not even Maureen…but I have.
"Hey Eden," Collins face lit up with an idea, "how about the park where you and Mark met?" I'm actually surprised I hadn't thought of this. Mark was always the romantic and sentimental type with me; made complete sense to me that he could be there.
"Well let's go." I grabbed hold of Collins' hand and we raced to the subway station to get to the park.
As we neared the park, I could see Mark sitting on a bench. He was messing with his camera, not shooting anything, just tinkering with it. I could see even at a distance his body shaking in the cold. I can't believe I've hurt him like this; he doesn't deserve it.
I took a deep breath and walked over to him leaving Collins behind. This needed to be just me and Mark talking; no one else. As I neared him he looked up to see who was approaching him. He didn't look all that happy to see it was me. He didn't even speak to me, just went back to his camera.
I sat down beside him, looking at the ground; ashamed of what I have done. "Mark," I was being so quiet that I wasn't even sure if he could hear me. "Look I'm sorry. I don't know what else to tell you but that I'm sorry. It was before I met you. It's not like I cheated on you or even wanted to. After I met you, Joanne was never again someone I wanted to date; no one was." He just sat there, silent. He hadn't even looked over in my general direction. Since he wasn't talking, I figured I'd continue; at least he was listening, or at least I thought he was. "I love you Mark. I should have told you…"
I was cut off by Mark finally speaking, "yea you should have." Surprisingly his tone was soft, not harsh at all like I was expecting. "Why didn't you tell me?" He finally looked over up at me. I could see streaks down his cheeks where tears had previously been.
"Cause Joanne and I thought it would be best if no one ever knew. Nothing came of it, so why make a big deal out of it." We sat there a few moments longer, in complete silence.
He finally got up off the bench. To my surprise he reached down and took hold of my hand, linking his fingers in between mine. "Come on let's go home." He was actually forgiving me without too much resistance. I smiled and held tightly to his hand. We walked back over to meet Collins, who too was smiling seeing our hands linked together.
"Hey you should probably call Joanne and Roger, tell them we found him." I'm glad Collins had said something, I'd forgot about them out looking for Mark too. I called them and told them that we had found him and that Mark and I were headed back home and that Collins was going back to Roger's.
(Maureen's POV)
Finally after about two hours after they left, Collins returned to the loft. Eden wasn't with him; a good sign that they had found Mark and that they had made up.
"So where did you find him?" Mimi asked.
"At the park that he met Eden at," Collins was taking off his coat and joined us. He looked exhausted.
"Where are Roger and Joanne?" Mimi was just filled with questions.
"Oh yeah right," apparently there was something Collins was suppose to tell us. "When we found Mark, we called to them. They were over by Joanne and Maureen's so Joanne told me to tell you," of course he was now looking in my direction, "to catch a cab and come home. That she was just going to go back to your alls place since they were already over that way." Collins reached into his pocket and handed me some money, "here Mark gave me this to give you for the cab. Joanne said she'd payhim back tomorrow."
I took the cash, bundled up, said my goodbyes and headed out the door. I'm glad that everything was ok with Mark, but my evening had sure been shot by all this drama.
(Maureen's POV)
I made it back to the apartment; it was about midnight or so by now. Joanne had this whole romantic evening planned out for the two of us and we hadn't got to enjoy any of it. Thinking about it just made me more upset. Oh well, tomorrow she's all mine, that's what she told me and I'm holding her to it.
When I walked into the apartment I found Joanne curled up in the chair asleep. She looked so cute and peaceful sleeping there. But there was no way that I was leaving her there. We hadn't got to really sleep in the same bed for quite sometime. Sure we'd both slept in the bed, but not touching whatsoever; the bed might as well been empty.
I stood there for a little while, just watching her sleep. Finally, I gently shook her and kissed her forehead trying to wake her up. She squirmed a little, mumbling something. I continued shaking her and kissing her trying to wake her up; she could be so hard to wake up sometimes.
"Oh sorry baby, I was trying to stay awake, guess it didn't work," she finally mumbled as she woke up.
"That's ok, let's just go to bed." I reached down and helped her up. Immediately her arm going around my waist and her head resting on my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and walked her down the hall to our bedroom.
We both got ready for bed and climbed in and for the first time in what seemed like forever she curled her body up against mine. She intertwined her legs between mine, laying her shoulder on my chest. I wrapped my arm around her; my hand resting on her hip. She pushed my shirt up off my stomach resting her hand on my bare skin. She was lightly running her fingertips all across my stomach. I reached down and kissed her on the forehead; this was how it was always supposed to be.
"Goodnight my beautiful angel," and with that she was asleep in my arms.
Good? Bad? What? Let me know please. And no this isn't the last ch. if that's what you are thinking...however I think it's getting close to the end for this one. Spoiler - next ch. is going to be Maureen/Joanne fluff :) Figure it is about time. So do you guys prefer these longer chs. like this one or would you like them shorter with possibly quicker updates? Hopefully my next ch. will be up quicker than this one was...I have a few slow days coming up in my schedule so it's a possibility. Thanks for reading!