A/N- So yeah this is a bit longer. The ending gets a little funny. Sorry if the story is going slow. My life has been slow lately so I have really had very little inspiration.. Please review

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Mark had left at 5:30 that morning. He only had a half of a day of work. After he got out he headed to the grocery store and picked up stuff to make dinner that night with Melissa like he had promised the headed back to the apartment, arriving around 2. He unlocked the door and stepped in, seeing Roger sprawled out on the couch watching TV and playing his guitar.

Mark carried the bag over to the kitchen table and started putting things away in the refrigerator. Roger looked over the back of the couch as a commercial came on and said," Melissa wanted you to call before you go down. She didn't get much sleep last night and she didn't know if she was going to sleep late or not. She wanted to make sure that she put on makeup and looked pretty for you." Roger laughed.

Mark grabbed a beer and sat down on the chair, resting his feet on the table looking at the TV," She okay? I mean her dad sounded furious last night and I heard a lot of crashing around down there in the mid-"

"She said that she was fine when I saw her this morning," Roger cut in, trying his hardest to keep to the deal him and Melissa had made.

"But how did she look?" Mark spat out, looking at Roger from the corners of his eyes.

"Dude, you're going to have to judge that for yourself tonight when you see her. I really can't speak for her, nor do I wish to. She is my song buddy, has been for 6 years. She is a woman Mark; I can't speak for a woman." Roger said as he focused his attention back to the TV.

"How old is she?" Mark asked then took a gulp of his beer.

"18 as of 2 weeks ago," Roger rested his head back.

"Where does she work?"

"You'll have to ask her for yourself."

"Why can't you tell me?"

"Because that question is fully up to her to answer when she wants and how she wants," Roger paused for a second then continued," Don't be so demanding of her- and stop drinking. I know for a fact that she will kick your ass out of her life and will never speak to you again if you keep it up."

Mark cocked his head and looked over at Roger," Why exactly did she want me to leave so quickly last night?"

Roger got up, setting his guitar on the couch and moving to the window," You have always been the wise one. Always knowing what to say in tough times; always having the right advice, ya know?"

Mark nodded his head.

"Well now is my chance," Roger continued," To be the wise one. She is delicate. You have to be gentle, patient, understanding, and never forceful. If you are those, she will be fairly open with you, Mark. If you're demanding, forceful, and drink, she will not want anything to do with you."

Roger opened the window and stepped outside closing the window behind him.

Mark sat back in the chair, thinking, and feeling like a complete jerk. Mark got up and walked to the sink and dumped out his beer then headed out to the fire escape where Roger was talking to Mimi, who was on her escape.

"Hey, Mark," Mimi said as Mark stepped out into the bitter cold.

"Hi Mimi, how're you feeling?" Mark asked as he sat on the railing.

"I'm pretty good, a little tired." Mimi responded as she looked at Roger like she was trying to get a point across to him.

"Mimi, if you have a problem with it, go talk to her yourself. God know she isn't listening to me." Roger rolled his eyes and climbed down to Mimi's escape and held her in an embrace.

"Lighten up on her a little- last night went on for hours. I'll give her a day or two, maybe she will be more willing to leave."

"Will you explain to me what you are talking about?" Mark asked, purely confused.

Mimi looked to Roger then back to Mark," Go to the other side of the escape and look into her window. She is asleep because she is exhausted and sore. Lots of shit happens to her Mark, and she doesn't like to talk about it, but it is visible on her everyday."

Mark got off the railing and moved over to the other side, looking at Melissa through her window. She had been fast asleep, curled up into a ball, through her whole body was tense, but she seemed to be somewhat peaceful.

"What happens?" Mark asked as he moved back over to the other side and looked down at Mimi and Roger," What kind of shit?"

Mimi shrugged," Honestly, I should leave it up to her to tell you when she's ready. But believe it or not, it had to do with her family and she is the scapegoat."

Mark nodded," Alright, thanks Mimi… Roger."

Roger nodded as Mark went inside. He was overwhelmed, thoughts filling his mind as he grabbed his bike and carried it down, outside and headed towards the upscale side of Manhattan. He needed to thing, needed to figure out what he could do to make things better for the girl he desired most. He needed to clear his mind.

Mark finally stopped as he neared the shopping district. There was a lot of hustle and bustle- it was the day after Christmas which probably explained it. He hopped off his bike and walked it to the nearest light pole and chained it there.

Mark was in a loving, caring mood. He wanted to make everything that night perfect and romantic. While he usually sucked at it, he remembered how his father had always brought his mother flowers to cheer her up. He decided that it was what he needed to do. He walked down about a block till he came upon a flower shop and went in. He didn't know exactly what he was looking for but he just roamed the store, looking for anything that caught his eye.

Suddenly he got a shiver; it didn't faze him much until a familiar voice piped up from behind him.

"Marky… how nice to come upon you; It's been what… 3 Christmases now? You do realize that mom is getting pissed."

It was Cindy, his overbearing older sister.

Mark turned around warily not really wanting to confront the one who caused him all the distress he felt when he was younger." Cindy- hi," Mark put on a fake smile and a forced cheerful voice," How are you?"

"Just fine," his sister responded ash she pulled her long blond hair up into a ponytail. She looked just like Mark- only with a bit more femininity to her. "We missed ya the last 3 years."

Mark shrugged," I've been busy."

"Too busy for your own family?" she responded, her eyebrows lifting, giving him a stern look.

"Yeah, pretty much."

Cindy let out a gasp of exasperation," You always have been impossible."

Mark shrugged as he looked at a bouquet of red and yellow roses," What do you think of these?"

"Ketchup and mustard- who are they for?"

Mark moved on and picked up a dozed white roses," A girl- a woman- how about these?"

"Those are wonderful. What's her name?"

"Melissa," Mark picked up the flowers and took them over to the cashier.

"Jewish?"

"Don't know. Why does it matter- only dad cares?" Mark replied as he paid for the flowers. He turned and looked at his sister straight in the eyes," I am gonna go. DON'T tell mom about it- I am still stuck on the theory that she is the ultimate reason that Maureen went lesbian on me." Mark grabbed the flowers, turned away, and left before his sister could say anything.

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A/N- PLEASE REVIEW!