Disclaimer: I do not own Rent.

A/N: I decided that I would write the next chapter. Hopefully people will review on this one more. I like reviews because they tell me what I need to fix. So I like to at least have a review before starting the next chapter. So please review on this one! I will love you forever!

Ladies and Gents:

CHAPTER SEVEN

The weeks went by. Then a month, then two. Finally, the producers gave the okay for Marli to start casting the film. And, of course, Mark was asked to join in on the casting sessions.

It was December, the month where the city was at it's best. Children in their winter coats and couples holding gloved hands. Flurries of snow feel on you head while walking and there were Christmas tree's everywhere to be seen.

It may have been just Marli's imagination, but she swore Mark was acting more strangely than he ever had. And she had seen him weird. Take last month at the charity ball for instance. They had both dressed up in the outfits they purchased on their first of many shopping trips to Barney's. They had picked up their place card and mingled with many of Marli's father's business associates. The Jefferson's were among some of the biggest. Talking to the older Jefferson's was one thing; they were a very sweet older couple that had made a fortune in the stock market and used the money to start a free of charge law firm. They were very big investors of her father. However, being seated with their daughter, Marli found out the funniest thing. The Jefferson's daughter was Joanne, Mark's lawyer, who was there with none other than Maureen. Also at their table were Benny and his wife, Alison. It's a very small world, isn't it? It had been outrageously awkward and Mark had been very uncomfortable. By they end of the night he had downed three vodka tonics, five flutes of champagne, two glasses of wine, and a glass of amaretto. She must say that Mark is a very funny drunk.

Still, now was even weirder than that. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, but she didn't know how. She decided to just do it and play the role of the concerned girlfriend. He may just be worried about the movie, just like she was. "Mark, babe, what's wrong? You've been acting strange ever since Christmas decorations went up."

"Nothing. It's nothing, Mar. Don't worry about it."

"No Mark! It isn't 'nothing'! It's something! And I want to know what it is. Mark, I'm your girlfriend! If you can't tell me, then who can you tell?"

He looked at her sadly. "You really want to know the truth?" She nodded at him, understanding that he was warning her; maybe she didn't want to know. "My life seems to be marked by Christmas Eves. One Christmas Eve can make my year, or break it. The past two have been somewhat bittersweet. And to quite frank, I'm afraid. My life has been going great now. I have the movie; my friends are all together and happy, despite you not being quite fond of a certain one. Most importantly, I have you. You're my angel, my lucky star. And I'm so happy you came back into my life. But you have to understand, Christmas Eve coming up, that scares me. Last one, I had just lost a good friend, and I almost lost another. The one before, we all began to form our little family. I'm just afraid this won't be a good one. And that scares me. I really hope you understand." He fully realized he was being repetitive, but sometimes, when you're nervous, you really can't help it.

"Of course I understand, Mark. You don't think anything like this ever happened to me? I hate my birthday. And not because I'm turning another year older. It's because on my sixteenth birthday, I went to get my driver's license. I got it and I was absolutely ecstatic. I came home, rushing to let my family know, and my sister, Hillary, was dead. Every other year after on my birthday, I feel empty, because she's not there, and I'm always afraid something will happen again. Absolutely petrified. I promise, I'll be here, just be there for me on my birthday."

"Don't worry. Can you tell me more about your sister?"

"Only if you tell me more about your past two Christmas Eves."

And they stayed up late telling each other. And then maybe it was sadness or a bond that neither of them fully understood, but they shared another sort of magic night, without thinking twice.

The next day, was the first casting call. They left Marli's apartment and headed for the audition site, only a few blocks away. They stopped for coffee and Marli held a large, steaming mocha in her cashmere-gloved hands. She handed Mark his tea and they headed off.

After their talk last night, and well, the other thing, Mark was feeling on top of the world. Going to the casting call for the movie he'd be directing only added to his feelings of elation. Yes, Mark was on top of the world. He had the greatest girlfriend ever and was about to be the director of a hit movie. Things couldn't be better than this.

They arrived at the casting site just on time. Marli loved to be perfectly prompt. Yeah, as if we hadn't noticed. They waited in a large, barren room to bring in the people auditioning for the main role of Libby. Libby was based off of Marli herself, so she'd be extra careful in casting this role. By the end of the day, they had narrowed it down to three actresses for the role, all of which who were called back for another audition.

By the time they left, it was dinnertime. Mark called Roger and asked if everyone wanted to meet at the Life Café for dinner. Why not? And since when did they ever turn down a chance to cause a commotion there? They'll meet you and Marli at eight, Marky boy.

Marli felt just a tad out of place with Mark's friends. Well almost of them anyway. He had a particular liking for Roger, Mimi, and Collins. She even liked Joanne. The only one she really loathed was Maureen. It didn't bother her anymore that Maureen took Mark away; after all, Maureen was a lesbian now, and Mark was with Marli. It was just Maureen's attitude to life that turned Marli off of her. She thought everyone thought they were better than her, making her think she was better than everyone else. Talk about hypocrisy.

Not that Marli wasn't a hypocrite herself. She had a theory that everyone was hypocritical in one way or another. That was the reason she believed she and Collin's got along so well. They both enjoyed making up theories. And many of their theories were the same. They genuinely respected each other in that way.

They got to the café and were the first there. After getting their table, Roger and Mimi waltzed up to them and said their hellos. Roger took Mark off to the side to talk and Mimi struck up a conversation with Marli.

"So, I hear you and Mark are getting pretty serious."

"I guess. I mean we are, but it's still so soon. We've been going so much faster than I've ever gone in any relationship. The scary part is, I don't mind it at all. Things like this used to scare me but with Mark, it just feels so right. You must know exactly how I feel."

"I do and I don't," Mimi explained, "with Roger and I we kind of have to go fast, you know? Because we both have the virus." She didn't even have to mention what the virus was, Marli already knew. "We have to rush, we don't have as much time. But still, it would scare me with anyone else and with Roger it just feels so right."

Marli smiled but before she could say anything else, the boys were back. They started talking, wondering where the hell the rest of the group was. Gradually, they came. Collins first, then Maureen and Joanne.

The dinner was quite enjoyable, Marli must admit. Apparently, Joanne was training Maureen like a misbehaving puppy. This week's lesson: Hold your tongue in front of Marli Ryan. She was going to make Mark a star and if Maureen could strike a friendship, Marli might be willing to help her out in the process. For the love of God, Maureen, shut the hell up.

They all left together and went to the loft. Mark and Marli decided to stay there tonight and just have a car service pick them up in the morning. The casting would then postpone for three days.

Christmas Eve was in two. Pray it will be a good one, for Mark's sake.

A/N: What do you think? Do you like how I've established the relationships? As always review. Read my first not again to be reminded of the purpose. I'm really proud of this chapter. It is by far the most emotionally charged of them all, or at least the beginning is. I don't really know about the rest. Hope you enjoyed!