DISCLAIMER: I do not own RENT, or (sadly) any of its characters. Just playing around with them.

It was her first night with him. They had rented a rather nice hotel room and had just had amazing sex. Mimi was curled up tight to Benny's side, the blankets covering her chest. She pulled them tighter to feel Benny slide his arm around her. She felt rueful. Mimi glanced at the bright clock.

"Shit…" She murmured. Benny awoke, pulling the sheets closer to him. Mimi got out of the bed, sore from the friction of their bodies, but mobile.

"Mimi, what are you doing?"

"I have to go." She said quickly, fastening her bra. She ran her finger underneath the strap and adjusted it.

"Where?"

"Work." She replied, quickly again. Mimi pulled her short shorts on. She had lied to Benny about leaving. She had gotten drunk and went with him. There had to be an excuse…

"But you just left there…" Benny commented.

"Extra shift…I need the cash." She murmured.

"I can give it to you. Please, baby, stay with me." He begged. Mimi huffed…she just wanted to be away from this guy. She was becoming ashamed of the night and wanted to get away as soon as possible.

Mimi buttoned up her tight belly shirt. It pushed her breasts together, giving her the extra cleavage needed to be sexy while dancing at the Cat Scratch Club. She threw her hands down at her sides.

"I have to go…" She repeated with a more anxious tone. Benny huffed, rubbing his eyes.

"Look…I don't want to treat you like a whore…but if you insist, then leave. Otherwise, stay with me. Mimi…I love you. I don't ever want you to leave me. Please, stay." He pleaded. The words grazed Mimi's ears. This guy was putting up a fight with her to stay. Most of the time they'd make her leave. Mimi didn't like to prostitute herself, but when times get rough she did what she could to make money.

Mimi shut her eyes and sighed. As much as she wanted to leave, she stayed. Benny smiled at her and motioned her to come back to bed. She did so, and they made more love. It was around three in the morning when Benny's pager went off. Benny woke up, fumbling with the pager before cursing underneath his breath and rolling out of the bed. He picked up the telephone and dialed star-sixty-seven first. Then he began to dial the rest of the number.

"Who are you calling?"

"Nobody." He replied quickly. Mimi threw her head against the pillow hard, forcing her eyes shut and falling asleep against her will. Before she fell asleep, she heard Benny's smooth voice slurring over the phone. When she awoke a few hours later, he was gone.

A few days passed, and after Mimi's shift, Benny met her at her booth with a bouquet of flowers.

"Aw, Benny! These are beautiful! How did you know pink roses are my favorite?"

"I can read your mind…" He commented jokingly. Benny wrapped his arm around her and sauntered out of the Cat Scratch Club with his girlfriend dancer. They made it to the usual hotel. Mimi and Benny took the elevator. She leaned into his strong arms and pressed her lips firmly against his. He slipped his tongue into her mouth. Mimi pressed harder against him. She could feel the warmth from his body against hers through the clothes. The elevator stopped, the doors opened. They didn't break the kiss, but remained lip-locked until they reached the door. Benny pulled away, but Mimi was on him like peanut butter on jelly, which made it difficult for him to unlock the door. Once inside, Mimi laid her roses on the table and rushed Benny to the bed.

Things were a bit rougher that night then they were the night before, but Mimi was feeling a sense of security with Benny now. When he rested his arm around her, she'd hold onto him. Around four that morning, Benny's pager went off again. Benny was startled out of sleep, and grabbed the phone. He went through the process of star-sixty-seven again and then called the number on the pager. Mimi was curious about who had been calling Benny at this hour for the past two nights they were together.

"Al? Yes…I got your page…I fell asleep at the office. I'm sorry. I'll be there in a bit. I have to take care of a few things. Yeah…yeah…okay. Bye." Benny rambled. Mimi sat up, holding the sheet against her chest. Tears welled in her eyes, her face spiraling into grief.

"It's her again…isn't it?" She asked, referring to Allison. He was married, but didn't tell her that. He didn't respond. "I can't believe you…" She murmured, throwing her clothes on hastily.

"No, no, no, no, baby, wait!" He yelled, grabbing her bare arm. Mimi turned to face him.

"What? I know you're going back home to that slut! If you cared about me you'd stay with me!"

"Mimi, it's a little bit harder than you think it is…"

"Really? How, Benny? How the hell can it get any harder than it already is? Cheating on your girlfriend? Which one, Benny? Which girlfriend are you really cheating on?"

"Allison is not my girlfriend!"

"Then what the hell is she?" Mimi asked, amber fires whipping behind her brown eyes. Benny looked away, ashamed of what he was about to say. "Well…I'm waiting!"

"She's my wife, okay? Jesus…I thought we'd have a great life together, but I was wrong…I was so wrong! I don't know what happened…it was the wedding, and then everything went down hill from there. Mimi…when I'm with you…I know what love is. When I'm with Allison…everything goes cold…I should have told you earlier…I know…it was wrong of me—"

"Wrong? Benny…it's unspeakable! Your wife? Oh my God…I'm just your little whore, aren't I?" She asked. Benny wouldn't say anything further. He could see the fire growing in her eyes. "Aren't I?"

"No, baby—"

"Don't your DARE call me baby!" Mimi yelled. Benny moaned. Mimi looked at him straight in the eye.

"You want me to call you my whore?" He asked hatefully. Mimi's mouth dropped open, her mouth quaked as if she was going to say something, but nothing came out. She slapped him across of his face, knocking his head to the side. Benny took it like a man; he deserved it after all.

A week passed. Benny tried to get in touch with Mimi, but couldn't reach her. Calling the Cat Scratch Club, they said she had shown up every night, looking healthy. Benny was worrying himself sick over her. Little did he know Mimi was staying in the building on Avenue A of Tent City. She had scraped up just enough money to pay for cheap, over used bedding and dining. Benny awaited her at her booth in the back of the Cat Scratch Club for her, but she never went back there. He knew she was in the building, for all of her belongings were scattered around.

Benny finally snuck up on her one day and made her listen to him. He apologized and tried to re-explain the situation. Mimi didn't stick to it. She overlooked his ignorant pleas and rolled her eyes at him. Mimi ended the relationship, only to take him back a few months later.

Their newly found relationship kicked off much like their old one. Benny had gotten rid of his beeper, and claimed that he and Allison didn't talk much. Mimi was borrowing the money he provided her with to secretly buy smack. When Benny found out, he ended the relationship again. Weeks later, Mimi decided to up and quit her problem with drugs and asked Benny for his help. He wanted to send her to rehab, but she refused. Thus, they fell back in love, and, with Mimi being clean of drugs, things were at their best.

Months went on…maybe even a year. Benny and Mimi's relationship was slowly fading. Benny was trying to play both sides of his life; the money verses the love. Then, all of the sudden, Mimi took a turn for the worse. She fell back into the pit of drugs, sex, and lust, prostituting herself to buy the drugs. Then she became fatally ill. Benny had her admitted to the hospital, who helped her through addiction recovery as well as recovery from the disease she had. Upon another examine with the doctor, Mimi and Benny learned she had contracted HIV. Benny was weary of Mimi now. When she was released from the hospital, Mimi tried to get closer to Benny. After her second relapse to drugs, Benny decided he couldn't put up with her anymore. Mimi then spiraled out of control, falling even deeper into the pit than she had been.

That's when she met Roger on the fire escape that fateful Christmas Eve. She thanked Benny for matching her up with Roger. But she still had an eternal hate for him…after three in and out sex filled relationships she decided she'd never be able to accept Benny again.