I'm going to go see RENT tomorrow! I'm so excited! So excited actually, that not only am I updating two chapters (cuz they're so short) but that I actually finished this story. One more chapter to go (16 in all) and then the end!

Chapter 14: Truths, Lies and Ultimatums

No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes

No one knows what it's like
To be hated
To be fated
To telling only lies …


No one knows what it's like
To feel these feelings
Like I do
And I blame you

-Behind Blue Eyes, The Who

Roger froze. "What?"

"I trusted you! I trusted that you would get your act together, get off the drugs and then keep Mark safe. And you didn't. How did you let this happen?" Collins repeated.

"I didn't let this happen!" Roger said sharply. "You weren't here Thomas! He needed all of us, you, Maureen, Benny and none of you were there for him. It's not my fault you failed him."

Collins took a deep breath to calm himself down. He neither rejected nor accepted Roger's statements but instead began talking again.. "You are going to go and get him," he said slowly. "You are going to haul ass to get to that place," he spat the word out as if it were dirty, "and you are going to pull Mark out of there. Do you understand me?"

"You don't have the right to tell me what to do Thomas. You have a job you love, a boyfriend you fuck, a life that's rooted back in Massachusetts. If I bring Mark back, who's gonna take care of him? Huh? You need the money, NYU isn't busting down your doors. I can't take care of Mark, but rehab can."

"So that's your excuse for sending him there, that you couldn't handle him? God Roger, how can you be so stupid? The first sign of trouble and you ship him off-"

"First sign of trouble? Did you hear me? He was fucking people for money Collins! Do you know what that's called? A whore. Mark was a fucking whore! I couldn't help him when it came to shit like that!"

Collins looked Roger dead in the eye. "You could've tried."

Silence pervaded the room in the moments that followed before Collins began to speak again. "I'm not going to blame you anymore, but I am not letting Mark stay there another night. Either you go down there and bring him back to the loft, or I'm going to get him."

"You can't do that," Roger scoffed.

"Watch me."

"Where will you bring him?" Roger asked, a little more scared.

"I'll take him back to Massachusetts with me. What's it going to be?"

Roger looked at his friend, betrayal written on his face. "You can't ask me to make that decision."

"I can, and I am. What's it going to be Roger?"