To his surprise, Mark was enjoying the movie. He had been worshipping Maureen at the time he'd last seen it and had had nothing on his mind besides the fact that this incredibly sexy, talented lady was sitting beside him in a movie theatre. So it was really like watching it for the first time.

Brring. "SPEAK!"

Mark sighed. Of course. It would be just like his mother to call when he was enjoying a nice night alone…

"M-mark? It's…Maureen."

Mark sat up, suddenly alert. Maureen sounded like she was crying and scared.

"Look- Jo-joanne threw me out of the apartment and I…it's so cold and raining and I don't…"

Mark snatched up the phone. "Maureen? Are you alright?"

"Oh, Mark…" Maureen started sobbing into the phone receiver.

"Maureen, baby, where are you? I'm going to come get you."

Maureen gasped for a few breathes and managed to say, "The Life C-café. Mark, it's cold…"

"Don't worry, Maureen. I'll be right there." Mark threw down the phone receiver, wrapped his scarf around his neck, grabbed his coat and wallet, and ran out the door. For a second he considered taking his bike, but he knew getting the bike down the stairs would cost more time than he had.

Mark ran down the stairs and out the door into the street. The rain was coming down even harder than before. Within a few seconds, he was soaked. But as he ran down the familiar path to the Café, all he could think about was Maureen. A small thought entered his head. "Do you still love her?"

For a second Mark's head went numb. Then he answered himself.

"No. I'm worried because I'm her friend. I'm her friend."

He remembered how he had gone to help her with her sound equipment that Christmas Day. Collins had teased him, saying he still had feelings for her. And for a long time, Mark had been so afraid that maybe he did.

No. Not lovers, just…friends.

And I'm alright with that?

Despite his situation, a small smile came to Mark's lips as he whispered, "Yes."

As he rounded the final corner, Mark's eye caught sight of a small figure in a bright white coat by a payphone in the shadows of the brightly-lit Café. He yelled, "Maureen!" and sprinted toward her. The figure looked up at him.

Maureen's hair was soaking wet and she was shivering madly- her clothes were completely soaked through.

Mark reached her and grasped her hand. "Maureen, you're freezing! Why aren't you inside?"

Through chattering teeth, Maureen managed to say, " C-couldn't pay…not let in."

The fury Mark had for the staff of the Life Café was quickly obliviated by the need to get Maureen warm. "C'mon, honey." Honey? Where did that come from? He had never called her that before. "Let's get you inside where you'll be warm."

Mark put his arm around Maureen's shoulder and steered her to the Café. As soon as he pulled open the door, he saw the waiter walking toward them rapidly. He had held a grudge against Mark, Maureen, and many others since that Christmas, just over a year ago. Today, however, Mark pulled out a five and used it to wave away the words he knew were about to come out of the waiter's mouth.

"We can pay," he almost growled at the young man before quickly ushering Maureen to a table in the back.

"Mark…I can't…"

"Don't worry about anything, Maureen. You're going to be fine." Mark's brain raced with thoughts of what to do next. "Here, go to the bathroom and try and dry off a bit, alright? I'll order something for you for when you get back." With a nod, Maureen headed for the bathroom. Mark ordered two teas, a bowl of pasta for himself, and an omelette for Maureen. One thing he could never figure out about her- she loved eggs in any shape or form. How many times had he gotten up early on the weekend to cook her something special? No matter how much he burned it or how disgusting the extra ingredients, Maureen loved every bite.

Maureen came back just as a new, young waiter brought them their food. Mark placed his coat around her- she was obviously still not warm- and waited until the waiter had left to ask, "Maureen, what did Joanne do?"

Maureen drew a shaky breath and said, "We walked home in the rain- we got soaked, it was freezing out. The whole way home she was lecturing me about how little time I spend on her and how I take my job more seriously than I should and I take her for granted…I didn't listen to her, really. I just wanted to get home." Maureen paused and said softly, "I'm really not feeling well, Mark. I've felt terrible all day but I can't miss rehearsal so I didn't mention it to Joanne, thinking it would pass, but…"

Mark nodded. "I understand, Maureen." He felt a bit unsure of what to say next. Luckily, Maureen picked up right where she left off.

"So we get into the apartment and apparently I neglected to clean up the living room so she blew up at me, being so…anal retentive…" Maureen stopped to turn and cough to the side for a few seconds. Mark rubbed her back and said, "Here- drink some tea- it'll help." Maureen picked up the tea and sipped it for a few seconds before continuing. "She snapped when she found a message from her parents on the machine, asking why she hadn't called back after they had called on Sunday, leaving a message with me. I was on my way to rehearsal and hadn't had time to write down the message!" Maureen stopped again, this time with tears in her eyes. "And she…threw me out."

Mark knew what he had to say, and he knew Maureen knew, too. "You can stay at the loft for as long as you need to, alright?" He put his arm around Maureen and drew her close to him. "Everything will work out between you and Joanne...it always does." Mark picked up the ketchup bottle and drew a smiley face on the omelette in front of Maureen. "C'mon, eat. Drink. Be Maureen."

With a few giggles, Maureen picked up her fork and began to eat with her friend.

Thanks for the positive reviews, everyone! I'm leaving for vacation in the next few days so I won't be updating for a long time...au revoir!