Disclaimer: Characters and everything RENT belongs to Jonathan Larson

Warnings: Rated R for situations and mild adult language

Author's Note: The absence of certain Bohemians (Collins, Joanne, and Mimi) will be explained in future chapters. And the chapter titles are all (hopefully) going to be lines from the musical.


Two months later, Roger sat in the rocking chair, strumming his guitar. He looked up at Maureen, who was tapping her foot incessantly.

"Hey, Mo—think you could either tap to the beat or stop tapping altogether?" he asked with a laugh.

"Sorry. Um, listen, I, uh…Mark!"

Mark laughed behind the camera. "What?"

"Could you put that down? Please?"

"Never. I get everything on film. Besides, you look serious and we want serious stuff on film too."

"Um…" she bit her lip.

Mark lowered the camera. "Just kidding, Mo. I'll stop if you really want."

"No, no, actually maybe it'll be better to have this on film."

"What?" Roger laughed. He set the Fender down. "What's goin' on, Maureen?"

"I'm pregnant."

Mark nearly dropped the camera. "Sorry, what was that?"

"I'm pregnant."

Roger's face paled and his eyes widened. He looked at Mark, then Maureen. "Please tell me you two slept together."

Mark shook his head slowly. "Not since we broke up…"

"You had a one-night stand?"

"Could call it that."

Roger tried to read her expression.

"Do you know who the father is then? I mean, if it was a one-night stand?"

She nodded. "Roger."

Roger shook his head. "No, no, no."

"Maureen, that would mean you guys had sex."

"Thanks, Mark. I wasn't really sure how babies are made," she said, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"But we only did it that one time," Roger said quietly.

"You had sex?" Mark asked, raising his voice.

"You know what they say, it only takes once," Maureen said with a nervous laugh.

"But we used a condom!"

"You had sex?"

"Well apparently it broke!"

"But—but that means that you—"

"I know what it means, Roger. Believe me, I've thought about what it means."

"You had sex?"

Roger stared at her, completely dumbfounded. Maureen sank to the couch, looking from Mark to Roger and back.

"Look, would you both just stop? Yeah, Mark, we had sex. It was one time and we used a condom but apparently it broke. Roger, you're the only guy I've been with, the only person I've been with since Joanne died so unless this is a miraculous conception, yeah, it's yours. Now could you guys both stop freaking out? Please? I'm scared enough as it is."

Mark set the camera down on the coffee table and stared at her. Roger sat staring straight ahead. "It's okay, it'll be fine. We'll figure this out."

"I don't know what to do."

"Are you gonna keep it?" Mark asked.

Maureen nodded. "That much, I know. I'm keeping it. I'm having this baby and I'm keeping it."

"Did you tell the doctor…" Roger's voice trailed off.

"Yeah. He did a test for me. The results should be there in three weeks or so. He said, though, that since it was only once and we did use the condom, I'll probably be okay."

"But the condom broke," Mark said.

"I know. That's why he's testing me. The baby'll be tested at birth."

Roger's eyes filled with quiet tears. "So I'm gonna be…I'm-I'm gonna be a dad?"

Maureen nodded, trying to smile. "Yep."

"I don't…I…" Roger stammered for words, but instead crossed the room to Maureen, holding her hands in his. "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"Because…I'm not going to…I won't be here…I—there's a chance…the baby…you…" Roger's tears spilled over his cheeks.

Maureen wiped at her own eyes. "Roger, it's okay. It'll be okay. I'll be fine and so will you."

"No, I won't. Don't you get it? I did the one thing I didn't want to do!"

"And what was that?"

"Fathered a kid that I'm not going to see grow up! Even if I'm still…even if I'm here when the baby's born…I—I'll be sick and I…I won't be there forever."

"I will," Mark said softly.

They both turned. They'd nearly forgotten that he was there. "You will?" Maureen asked.

Mark put a hand on her shoulder. "Always. Or as long as you want me around."

Maureen twisted around and sat up on her knees. She reached up to hug him, tears falling onto his sweater. "What about your life?"

"What about my life? Look around, Maureen, this is my life. My friends and my films."

"What if I get sick though? Or the baby? What if…what if the baby…"

"Then I'll take care of you. And the baby."

"You will?"

"I've taken care of Roger's sorry ass for years now, haven't I?"

Roger laughed, smacking Mark's head with the pillow. "Hey!"

After her tears stopped, Maureen stood and hugged Mark, kissing his cheek. "Thank you."