Chapter 2:

"Who did this to you?" Roger said between clenched teeth as he ran his finger tip over the bruise. "Who the hell did this to you?" he yelled. Taylor turned her back to her brother, and began to cry. Roger sighed. "Listen, I'm sorry for yelling. I hate seeing you like this. Who did this to you?" he said calmly. Taylor turned around, and buried her face in Roger's shirt.

"My ex-boyfriend Frank. I've been trying to leave him for three months. He finally left me for a hooker, but not before he hit me one final time," she said between sobs. Roger wrapped his arms around Taylor's shaking body. Mark backed away, giving the siblings their space.

Just as Roger planted a brotherly kiss on Taylor's head, Mimi opened the door to the loft. Her eyes grew as wide as saucers, and she threw her shopping bag in fury. Before anyone could offer any sort of explanation, she stormed out of the room. Roger groaned loudly.

"Go take care of Mimi, I'll take care of Taylor," Mark said. Roger looked reluctant to leave his sister.

"Go," Taylor said. "I'll be fine." Roger gave Taylor one last hug before running after Mimi.

"Mimi! Mimi, please just listen!" Roger pleaded as he bound down the steps after his angry girlfriend.

"Why? So you can tell me some bullshit like, 'we're old friends' or 'she came on to me'? why not go with the classic, 'she's not my girlfriend'?" Mimi snapped. Roger grabbed her shoulder, and spun her around.

"She's not my girlfriend." Mimi rolled her eyes. "You're the only girlfriend for me. I love you, Meems, and you mean more than the world to me. Up there, that's my twin sister Taylor." Mimi stared at the ground.

"Some first impression huh?" she mumbled. "She probably thinks I'm an asshole now." Roger tipped her face up, and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

"No, no one can ever think that," he replied in a husky whisper. Mimi smiled. The couple entwined fingers, and went back up to the loft.

Taylor was sitting next to Mark with her head resting on his shoulder and her eyes closed. Mark had wrapped his arm around her, and she was still crying softly. Mimi and Roger sat down on the table across from the two.

"I'm sorry I flipped out," Mimi said. Taylor opened her eyes and sat up.

"Don't worry about it," she replied. "Mark explained to me that you're Roger's girlfriend. I understand."

"Do you want some ice for that black eye? It looks pretty bad." Taylor shook her head.

"It's fine. Could I possibly have a glass of water though?"

"Of course." Mimi got up, and went to the kitchen in search of a cup for Taylor.

Roger turned his attention to Taylor. He still had some questions for her. Taylor stared at her hands folded in her lap. Mark's arm was still wrapped around her shoulders.

"Okay, Taylor," Roger said slowly. Mark could tell that his best friend was trying to control his temper (A/N: Which is funny cause that's what he tells Mimi to do in Another Day. Okay, I'll stop interrupting now). "Tell me what happened from the beginning." Mimi handed Taylor a glass of water before sitting down next to her boyfriend. Taylor took a long drink out of her glass, and seemed to be collecting her thoughts. Everyone waited patiently.

"When we first started out, everything was great," Taylor said quietly. "Frank made me fell like I was the world to him. Then, about a year and a half ago, he hit me while we were fighting. I tried to fight back at first, but he was much bigger than me. Pretty soon, I began to believe that every time he beat me, I deserved it. Three months ago, I tried to leave, but he locked me in a bathroom with no food for two days. I was os afraid of him; of what he would do to me. So, I put up with it for three more months. When I got home from the store this morning, I found a note. He found a hooker that really appreciated him, and left. I found your address, and left too."

The three Bohemians remained silent during Taylor's entire story. Mimi was the first one to speak.

"Oh honey," she breathed as she got up and gave Taylor a comforting hug. "Nobody deserves to go through something like that."

"Taylor, where are you staying?" Mark asked.

"I don't' know. Maybe I could find a cheap hotel room or something around here."

"Good luck with that," Roger said sarcastically. "You're staying with us." Mark and Mimi nodded in agreement.

"Oh no, I couldn't. I don't want to be a bother."

"It's not an option, Tay. We have an extra room here, but it's completely empty. We'll borrow Benny's car, and go get your stuff tomorrow," Roger told his sister firmly.

"Where will I sleep?" asked Taylor.

Mark replied, "My room. You can sleep in my room, and I'll sleep on the couch."

"Thanks you guys. You all are being so nice to me," Taylor said. Mark squeezed her closer to him.

"It's our job," he replied.