A/N: I'm getting this one done first before I continue with my other story, 'Exclusively Scarsdale'. I tend to mix them up and end up confusing myself. Hahaha.

XXIV.

March 25, 1991

They had their usual gathering in celebration of Mark's birthday (Roger still couldn't believe Mark had forgotten his own birthday, but who could blame the guy, right? He was practically Atlas). All three women in the group made an effort to make Mark's favorite foods (kosher or not, since food was food and even Mark had agreed to it) and Collins had even gone out of his way to buy a cake for the scrawny filmmaker. When dinner was over and done with, the philosopher brought out the small chocolate cake with the words "Happy Birthday, Mark!" squiggled all over the top in white icing. Roger got a hold of his guitar and played a rock version of the old 'Happy Birthday To You' song. As a favor for his old bud (since he'd never ever do it for anyone else), he sang to it too, in his own rock-and-roll style.

"Happy birthdayyyy…toooooo…youuuuuuuuu!" Roger finished, belting the 'You' with a high note. Collins burst into guffaws and so did Maureen. When he finished, Mimi rewarded him with a kiss.

"Make a wish, Marky!" Joanne said as she held Mark's camera, filming the whole thing. Roger watched as Mark closed his eyes for a few moments before taking a big breath and blowing all 27 candles out on the cake.

"Wow, when did you become Superman, huh?" Roger teased. "Some lung power you got there."

"Anyone still want a piece of the cake? If you're lucky you might get one with Mark's saliva," Collins said in a singsong voice. Mark reached out and mock-punched him. "Just playin' with you, boy. And we still love you, even if you soak your own birthday cake in spit."

"Awww, Col," Mark laughed.

It was a riot. For the first time in a long while, the loft was filled with laughter and noise again. Roger grinned to himself. Over the course of the day they'd had drinking games (which was a problem because Dodge kept trying to drink the Stoli from the cups set on the floor), card games, Charades and all sorts of stuff and he was glad Mark was finally lightening up. He'd kept laughing and joking around, like it was old times and like nothing was wrong, and Roger was thankful for it. He was also thankful that he felt great. Better than he'd felt in days. He should be, given that it was his best friend's birthday and all. The last, he might add, that he, Roger, was ever going to get to attend, whether he liked it or not.

"So Collins," Joanne whipped around and pointed the camera at the philosopher's face. "What message do you want to give Mark on his birthday?"

"It ain't over 'til it's over, boy!" Collins said gleefully into the camera. "27 years…damn, you're more than a quarter of a century years old. Find yourself someone and be happy, all right? What's wrong with you? Maybe you're like Angel and me, eh…?" Collins laughed and winked. "Anyway, whatever you are and whatever you're gonna be, we'll always be there for you, 'kay? To Stoli!"

Roger burst out laughing as he listened to Collins. Collins was either high or drunk or both. The huge man had stretched himself out on the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table, blowing lazy circles into the air with his cigarette.

"You, girl! Mimi!" The camera was in Mimi's face now, who sat beside Roger, Dodge sitting comfortably in her lap.

"I love you, Mark!" Mimi squealed. "You tell me if any girl breaks your heart and I'll personally kick her ass, okay?"

"You should kick Maureen's ass, then!" Collins boomed from the sofa before he burst out laughing again. Mimi opened her mouth wide and laughed, making Dodge yap at the sudden outburst.

"Oh my God, oh yeah! Well, except Maureen, of course. Y'all know I can't win in a fight with her. Happy birthday!"

"Roger with the new sexy haircut!" commanded Joanne, whipping the camera to the side.

"Aw no, I'm not good when it comes to these things…" Roger pushed the camera away. He felt his face going red but Joanne insisted.

"C'mon, Rog, don't be such a killjoy…" she said.

Whirrrrr…

The camera was rolling. Roger sighed.

"Hey man, go get laid, all right? I swear, you need it…" he said seriously, staring straight at the lens.

"Roger!" Mimi half-squealed, half-scolded. "Don't be mean! Say something sensible!"

He laughed. "Like you made sense?"

"At least I said I loved him!" Mimi grinned. "Go on, say something nice to your best friend."

The words 'best friend' struck him. Roger relented. He looked straight at the camera and smiled.

"Hey, 'best friend'. Well, I'm not gonna say anything new. Just a Happy Birthday (jeez, man, we're old, aren't we?), and an 'I love you', with all my heart. You were my first best bud, and I hope to dear God I'm yours because if I'm not, this relationship has been one-sided the whole time and I'd die of embarrassment." He laughed before adding, "Don't you ever replace me, okay? See you around, bud."

Joanne smiled at him. "Awww, you guys are so cute."

"Isn't Mark gonna hear everything we're saying anyway?" Mimi asked, craning her head for a sign of the little geek.

"No, Maureen's distracting him for a while. This is our birthday present. Maureen's gonna have it edited and stuff…"

"Oh that's cool. That's nice," Roger smiled, remembering another particular film reel in the back of his closet. "Mark would love that. It's about him for a change."

"Yeah, that boy needs something like this more than anyone else." Joanne sighed. Then she shoved the camera in Roger's hands. "Oooh I forgot, I haven't been filmed yet. C'mon, film me, it's my turn now…"

It didn't take long for Joanne to get everything she needed for Mark's film, and Maureen came back with the birthday boy soon enough. Roger whistled as they walked through the door.

"Where've you two been?" he said, raising his eyebrows.

"Makin' up for lost time, I bet," Collins said evilly. Joanne slapped his shoulder. "Just playin', just playin', girl…"

"Maureen and I just had this little talk…about…something." Mark said, hanging his coat up (It was still raining like hell outside). The tips of his ears were bright red. Roger saw as Joanne's mouth hung open.

"Maureen you didn't ask him already, did you?" she said, flabbergasted. Roger sat up attentively and so did Collins and Mimi.

"Ask him? Ask him what?" Collins said. Roger saw Maureen flash a look at Joanne that he didn't quite understand. Somewhere between a 'Well-I-didn't-know-what-else-to-talk-about' and a 'It-was-your-bright-idea' look.

"What's up? Why's everyone so jumpy?"

"You did, didn't you?" Joanne asked, looking straight at her girlfriend. Maureen bit her lip then looked carefully at each of them, except for Mark who stood beside her.

"I've asked Mark…if he could be the sperm donor for my and Joanne's baby."

Silence filled the loft. Roger's breath seemed to freeze halfway up his windpipe.

What the fuck?

He didn't know whether he was going to laugh or gape or be amazed. Was this fucking serious?

"And…" Mimi was the first one to come to her senses. "Mark said…?"

Everyone turned to Mark, who was playing with his fingers. He looked up at them, then shrugged.

"I said…yes, of course." A small smile appeared. It took a few seconds before Roger could process anything.

Maureen…Mark…baby…no? Yes. YES. Mark had said YES.

Roger jumped up and whooped. He threw one of the pillows into the air and leapt at his best friend.

"Holy fuck, you both are crazy, but God, I'm so HAPPY for the both of you!" He hugged Mark, then Maureen. "Even you, Mo, you crazy bitch." He gave her a kiss on the forehead, which he was sure made Maureen very happy.

"A baby!" Mimi squeaked delightedly. "Oh my God! That's so awesome!"

"'Course we're granting Mark shared custody of the baby. It's only right," Maureen was grinning. Even Joanne looked happy now.

"Oh my God, thank you for saying yes, Marky. You don't know how much it means to me," she said, her hands wiping happy tears from her face.

"You don't know how much it means to us!" Collins whooped, engaging them all in a warm group hug. "Whoooo boy! This is some news! Congratulations, boy! I knew you had it in you!" He clapped Mark on the back.

"Thanks, thanks." Mark returned, grinning.

"We're not doing it until April or so…but at least you guys know it's coming!" Maureen announced excitedly. It didn't take an idiot to know that she was very very happy about the whole situation, and so was Mark, who looked simply ecstatic.

The happy balloon inside of Roger deflated after he realized he was never going to see Mark and Maureen and Joanne's baby. Hell, he wasn't going to see a lot of things because what was two months of life left? He consoled himself with the fact that at least Mark would be distracted now. If this succeeded, he'd have something to live for, and that was good. In fact, that was great. A kid would make Mark live again, and nothing delighted Roger more.

"This calls for a toast!" Collins announced, one hand clutching an empty bottle of Stoli. He raised the bottle. "For the celebration of Mark's 27 years of life, and for the coming of a new one. To a new generation of bohemians!"

They cheered loudly, even Roger, who was more than happy that his best friend was at least going to experience one of the things he knew he'd never have. He held Mimi close to him as everyone rummaged to fill their cups with something to toast with. She handed him a cup half-full of soda, grinning, knowing they couldn't have any of the alcoholic stuff. He grinned back and toasted with her.

To Mark.

TBC

A/N: You guys want more? Take a quickie to click the review button :) The faster you guys are, the faster the next chapter will come. The chapters are actually already uploaded into my document manager. -evil laugh-