Chapter 20

Legal disclaimer- Jonathan Larson's estate owns, I just rent without paying.

Author's Note-Thank you all for the reviews and patience in my delays in updating. Over 100 reviews just isn't a goal, it was a dream fufilled by all of you and I do appreciate it. Happy New Year-I had quite the one at my job. Yeah! Parades done, sigh. Oh, please, oh please review this one. I'm not too sure the way this is going.

Mark and Mary entered Mickey's tavern looking like a typical New York couple on a date. Mark had his arm around her waist, hers around his, and the look of contentment you only see on a happy couple. Mary's dark mood had lifted.

Roger's band was already deep into their first set. He was deep into a Billy Joel cover and the crowd was dancing. Mimi found them as they entered and got them up to the front. Roger turned toward them, caught Mark's eye and smiled. Mary grinned at him and he winked, keeping up with the band.

"Baby," Mark leaned into her, "What do you want to drink?"

"Vodka," Mary replied, "On the rocks."

Mark also took Mimi's order and headed to the bar. The joy of getting paid that week meant he had a little money and he was going to spend it on a little fun. It had been too long. When he looked back at Roger, the band had gone into "Piano Man" one of Roger's favorites to sing, and when he added "And Mickey at the bar is a friend of mine." The bartender took a moment to ring the bell. Mark laughed, it was a scene you couldn't film, it was just to perfect to be put on film, and it only had to stay in memory.

He got the drinks, and returned to where the ladies were dancing. Luckily he had dispensed the drinks when a hearty slap on the back came out of nowhere to include a large bear hug from Collins. He and Chang had joined the girls when he was at the bar. Mark knew in a moment he would wind up see Joanne and Maureen, the group usually showed that way.

Maureen's smile lit the room moments later. They were all dancing to the songs that the band played, and stayed together. Mickey knew that Roger was inviting the gang and made sure that they had a reserved table, so they all wound up at it. Maureen and Joanne were hand in hand at the table, Collins was dancing with Chang as Roger sang, while Mark and Mary were dancing like no one else was on the dance floor.

Mimi sat were Roger could see her. They had talked about tonight, knowing how good it would be to get the gang together. Since Angel's death and the drama that followed it, it was becoming more and more important for them to have fun times, they needed the happy thoughts to keep them all going. She also found herself watching Mark and Mary. Mark had been so serious in the past few months, making sure that Roger and Mimi took care of themselves, it was perfect to see him so blissfully happy with Mary. It was hard to believe that they hadn't had sex, they danced like they knew each other's bodies perfectly, and Mary was great to watch with him. They were a couple in love.

Mary kissed Mark gently, her hands running along the back of his neck.

"You gonna tell me about tonight?" he asked.

"I've been taking too much time off," Mary replied, "It's noticed. They're upset with me, and I'm a bit upset with myself."

"Oh," Mark response included him dipping her, "I guess this means I won't see you for a while, back to classes' right?"

"Yeah," Mary replied, "Life of a ballerina, class, show, class, show, rehearsal."

"I'm still in there, right?" Mark asked.

"I'll probably see my paus de deux partner more than you for the next few days, but," Mary laughed, watching him mock frown, "Hell yes, Mark. You are a huge part of my life."

"Good," Mark kissed her, "I don't think I could handle it."

"You and me both, baby," Mary said, "I am going back into all of it tomorrow, but, I do get some time off after Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to me?" Mark laughed, "I like this present."

"Aren't you supposed to get eight of them?" Mary tilted her head and applauded as the song ended, "This is just one of them."

"It is?" Mark asked, "I can't wait to see what the others are."

Roger's band stopped and announced their next set time. The usual silence occurred as the crowd headed for the bar and the jukebox restarted. Mark and Mary headed for the table, joining the other couples. Roger was already there, Mimi in his lap.

"Well, they finally join us," Roger teased, "How you doing Mary?"

"Great," she said, downing her vodka, "Nice set."

"A little bit of our stuff, a little of local folk," Roger smiled, "How was tonight?"

Mary settled into her seat.

"Could have been better and got noticed," she answered, Mark sitting next to her, "You'll hear me heading off early tomorrow."

"No rest for the wicked?" Maureen asked.

"No, my technique is a bit off, nothing a few classes can't fix," Mary replied, "You know what I'm talking about?"

Maureen nodded. She did know. Joanne looked at her.

"When is the last time you took a class?" Joanne asked Maureen.

"Last week," Maureen replied.

"Honey, that was driving school," Joanne replied, smiling as the table started to laugh.

"Hey, hey, review is always good," Maureen replied, "Right Mary?"

"Right!" Mary replied, sipping on her drink, "And class just makes us perfect."

"Right!" Maureen said, "But I am no where near a perfect driver."

"Which makes having a lawyer for a girlfriend perfect," Mary grinned, "How's your hand, Rog?"

Roger held it up. The stitches were out, and it looked like it would heal nicely.

"Keep it clean, will you?" Mary continued, "Nasty infections suck."

Roger smiled. Mary was more animated than he was used to.

"Yes, Mother," he laughed, "How long you staying tonight?"

Mary glanced at Mark who was sipping on his own drink.

"I don't know how long we are staying Marcus?" she asked.

"Let's see, its 11 now," Mark began, checking his watch, "You know how long you need for sleep, so you tell me."

"What I need to do is dance with my boyfriend," Mary interrupted, "I'll sleep when I am dead."

Roger gave Mary a sideways glance. Maybe it was the vodka, but she was looser than he had ever seen her. It was great to see Mark's reaction though. Maureen had been so loud and so much the life of the party, even if she didn't need to be, to see Mary this way was unusual. She had seemed more the friendly, quiet dancer. Maybe this was a side to her personality that they were just seeing. Mark's smile made him happy. He hadn't seen this since Maureen was steadily dating him.

"Baby, you want to dance?" Mark asked.

"With you, yes," Mary grinned.

Mark jumped up and started to dance to the jukebox, Mary and the rest of the group started laughing. Roger got up and grabbed his guitar, which he knew was going to twinge to play but he knew he should. The rest of the band witnessed Mark's sudden dance and decided to provide him with live background music.

While Mark's dance was sudden and a little on the goofy side, Mary couldn't resist. She started to join him. Mark tangoed with her, Joanne and Maureen joining them. Roger kept laughing as he played the guitar, which he soon gave up, due the pain, but found himself grabbing Mimi with his good hand. They all wound up dancing to the band that was just having a little jam session. They switched from a tango to the barkeep's favorite kind of music, the Irish Jig.

Mary switched with the music as well, Mark laughing as she began to show him the steps of a jig, while she went with it herself. They soon found themselves dancing on the bar, which Mickey was actually cool with. Mary went into a full jig, lost in the music and the dance. Mark cursed himself for not bringing his camera, but knew that he would never forget the image of her dancing on the bar.

The music ended, the crowd clapped and Mary was helped from the bar by Mickey. He gave her fresh vodka and kissed her hand.

"Thank you lass," he said, handing her his glass, "Mark's a lucky man."

Mary blushed. She hadn't realized that she had gathered a crowd. She got down from the bar with Mark's ready hand. Mark drew her into a hug.

"That was fantastic," he said into her ear.

"I loved that," she said, "But we had better get home, I do need to sleep."

They left after saying goodbye to everyone. Hand in hand they headed out of the bar, toward the loft that Mary was beginning to feel was home. Mark held her closely to him and they walked as one.

The only problem was they weren't alone. As they got closer to the loft, the streets got darker, and Mark felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He knew the feeling, they were being watched. He took Mary's arm and held it hard, knowing that she was not aware of what he felt, but it was too late.

Four guys surrounded them quickly. Mark tried to run, but it was too late. Mary was grabbed quickly, her instincts a little blurred by the vodka, but she fought them. They tried to overpower her but she was like wild animal. Mark turned around, and started to help her fight them as the blackness hit.

Pavement? Mark wondered as he hit the ground.