Hi Everyone. Okay, Winter Break is coming up. Whoo-hoo. Sorry, but I have to change the name of the story. It is now called Without You I Die. Great song! Anyway, please review!

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning, Mimi woke up to freezing cold hands on her stomach.

She screamed and opened her eyes to see Roger laughing at her.

"Tu eres un idioco y muy estupido y"- Mimi was cut off by a deep kiss from Roger.

"Merry Christmas baby," he said. He lifted her into his arms and swung her off the bed. "Hurry up and get dressed. We are going to go up to the loft."

Mimi went over to the dresser and pulled out her black skirt and red tights. She grabbed her sweatshirt and threw it over her shirt.

"Ready?" asked Roger.

"Almost," Mimi said. She pulled him into a kiss and pushed him onto the bed.

o o o o o

Maureen was sitting on the bed with a Santa hat on. Mark was lying next to her setting up his camera.

"I really hate competing with that damn thing," Maureen said pointing to the camera.

"What do you mean?" he asked, distracted.

"I have been awake for 2 hours and you haven't even given me a merry Christmas kiss yet," she pouted.

For once, Mark set the camera aside. He leaned over and gave Maureen a very long kiss.

"Merry Christmas," he said dully. She laughed as he gave her a dorky smile. There was a knock on the door and Maureen bolted off the bed to answer it.

"Joy to the world," Mimi sang out.

"Mark is still in bed," Maureen sang back.

"Tell him……to get……..him ass up!" Roger sang, finishing their little song. The two other girls laughed.

Mark was standing behind Maureen.

"Merry Christmas," Mimi and Roger said at the same time.

Maureen pointed to a small shrub, sitting on the counter. It was wrapped in Christmas tree lighting.

"Like our tree?" she asked.

Mimi made her way to the couch, followed by Roger. He was carrying his guitar. Maureen sat on the floor and Mark was on the table.

"I wonder who Collins is bringing," Maureen said. "I hope he is cute." Mark sat there staring at her. "Just kidding Pookie," she answered.

A few minutes later Collins entered. Behind him was a small girl about the age of 14. She looked scared.

"Hi everyone," he laughed. "This is Maya. She will be joining us today."

Everyone sat there for a moment. Mimi stood up and took Maya's hand.

"Hi," she said. "I am Mimi. This is my boyfriend Roger. That is Maureen and her boyfriend Mark." Mimi gestured to all the people around her.

Everyone smiled and waved. Collins sat in Mimi's spot and laughed as Mimi brought Maya over to the kitchen and got her a piece of bread.

"I see Mimi likes kids," Collins laughed. The three of his friends just stared at him.

"I will explain later," Collins whispered.

Mimi looked over at him with a look that said, "Who is she?" Collins returned it with a look that said, "Take Maya out of the room." Mimi understood immediately. It was scary how she could communicate with Collins so easily.

"Come on Maya," she said. "I want to show you the fire escape." Maya gave her a weird look and followed her.

Once the windows closed, Collins began his story. "Her father, Dale worked with me at NYU. He passed away last week. I was with him when he died." Collins stopped, to choke back tears. "He asked me to take care of her. She has no mother, Dale's girlfriend fled right after the funeral and her biological parents are most likely dead. So I took her in. I had to go to court and everything for the past two days. If everything works out I am going to adopt her."

Maureen jumped up. "Oh my god! How exciting. Do you two get along?"

"Surprisingly, yes, she took to me right away. She is an extraordinary girl. She is so intelligent and she wants to grow up and be a spokesperson and spread the news about AIDS. Her father had AIDS. That is why she is so interested in it."

"Wow! Collins that is……..is…….amazing," Mark said. Roger shook his head.

"Where are you going to stay?" Roger asked.

"That leads me to my next question," Collins said. "I am doing fine at the small homes they provide for the professors at NYU. I just don't think it is an appropriate home for Maya. If I could keep her here with you guys for a little while, until I get enough money for a home for us."

"Of course she can, Collins," Maureen laughed. She can stay in Roger's old room."

Collins sighed with relief. He smiled at his friends. He was so glad they would always be there for him.

"That was the first fire escape I saw Roger on and the first fire escape I climbed up, to barge into his room," Mimi laughed, re-entering the room with Maya. Maya smiled when she saw Collins and waved to him.

"Hi Tom," she said. Collins smiled and waved her over to him.

"I have a question for you," he said seriously. "How would you like to stay here with Mark and Maureen until I have a place for us to stay?"

"Does Mimi live here?" she asked.

"One floor down," Mimi laughed.

"Okay," Maya said. "Will I ever see you again?"

"Of course," Collins said. "I will visit everyday after work and I will stay here on the weekends."

Maya smiled. Collins was so happy everything was working out. He just hoped she would be as eager as now, when she finds out he might adopt her.

Maureen stood up with a small brown bag. She handed out a milk carton to each of her friends. On the carton, was a cow jumping over the moon. Everyone laughed. It was a symbol of her last protest where her main theme was a cow jumping over the moon to get away from Bohemia.

Collins pulled out a box of Cap'n Crunch and a bottle of champagne.

"Food," everyone said thankfully.

"Cap'n crunch," Mark said dreamily.

"There is more to life than cereal," Maureen protested.

"If there was no cereal I would have no reason to live," he said. Maureen glared at him. "Except you Maur," he added.

Everyone laughed as Maureen gave him a punch on the arm.

Maya looked around at everyone. She could not believe that they were thankful for a box of cereal and wine. At her house, she was so spoiled. She was now starting to realize it. She realized what it was like to have nothing, but each other.

Roger pulled out his guitar and started playing some Christmas tune. Maureen and Mimi started dancing.

"Turn up the beat," Mimi protested. She was used to quick, fast dances. Slow dances bored her. She only danced slowly with Roger, but never in public really.

"Come on Maya," Mimi said, pulling up the little girl. She took her away from the couch and started spinning her around and dancing with her.

"Don't turn her into a whore, like you," Maureen yelled, laughing. Roger couldn't help but laugh as Mimi turned to Maureen with her hands on her hips.

"You are just jealous that I can shake it," Mimi responded.

Everyone laughed as Mimi began shaking her butt to the tune on Roger's guitar.

"Don't be rotting Maya's brain," Collins laughed.

Maya smiled. It was too late for that.