To Be
DISCLAIMER: I do not own RENT or anything affiliated with it.
"It's Halloween," Roger said. He was walking around the loft in a Freddy Kruger mask. Mark sat on the couch, watching him and laughing.
"Roger, take off the stupid mask. Jeff's going to be here with the girls any minute," Mark reminded him. Roger pulled it off and sighed, throwing it into the vicinity of his bedroom door.
"Yeah, don't want to scare two little girls to death," Roger replied. He walked over and sat down on the couch. "You're going to tell them tonight?"
"Yeah. Jessica's old enough to understand now and Hannah… Hannah needs to know, too," Mark said. Roger just nodded. He jumped up when he heard the phone ring and picked it up, before grabbing the keys and running to throw them down to Jeff.
"We should really just make more keys," Roger said, coming back to the couch.
"Yeah. It would make things a lot easier," Mark replied. He slowly started forcing himself into a standing position.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. I just need to get up for a while," Mark replied. He walked over towards the windows and looked out onto Avenue B. He turned around at the sound of the loft door opening and smiled as his two nieces came running to him from across the room.
"Uncle Mark!!" Hannah screamed, latching onto his legs. Mark smiled and gently pried her off so he could sit down on the window seat.
"Hi Hannah. Jessica," he said, pulling the girls into a hug. The two girls climbed up onto the window seat and sat on either side of him. Jeff stayed across the room, talking to Roger.
"Uncle Mark, you should come trick-or-treating with us," Jessica told him.
"I'd better not," he said. He pulled both girls closer to him, kissing each of them on the forehead.
"Do you have to work tomorrow?" Hannah asked.
"No, sweetie. I'm not working any more," he replied. He sighed. "You both remember when Grandma got really sick, don't you?" Jessica nodded. "Well, Uncle Mark is sick, too." Hannah just frowned, unsure of what he meant. Jessica, on the other hand, burst into tears.
"But I don't want you to die!" she sobbed. He pulled her into another hug.
"I know, sweetie. I don't want to, either. But I'm really sick, and the doctors can't do anything else," he told her.
"You can't die, Uncle Mark! My ballet recital is next week and you promised you'd come," Hannah said. He smiled.
"I'll still be there, sweetie. I still have some time."
LINELINELINELINE
"You've made it to Thanksgiving," Maureen said, playing with the small amount of Mark's hair that had actually grown back. He was lying on the couch with his head in her lap.
"Yeah," he said, not opening his eyes. He was just too tired. Joanne walked over and sat down on the floor at Maureen's feet, since there wasn't any room left on the couch.
"Hey Mark, do you want to go lie down for a while?" she asked, noticing that he was falling asleep.
"No, I'm okay," he replied. He forced his eyes open for just a minute and smiled at the two of them. "How's work going, Joanne?" She smiled, knowing he was just trying to find a way to keep himself awake.
"It's going fine. Same as it was when you asked me that question two hours ago," she replied.
"Oh yeah," he said, closing his eyes again. "Maybe a nap would be a good idea," he said. He forced himself into a seated position, just as the door opened and Jeff came in with Hannah and Jessica. Mark smiled at the two girls, who ran over and gave him hugs before going to play on the window seat. He stood up, wobbling just a little until Maureen and Joanne both stood up and steadied him.
LINELINELINELINE
It was Christmas Eve. And it was the end. Everyone watched in silence as Mark's breathing began to slow, until it was almost non-existent. Finally he stopped completely. Maureen buried her head into Joanne's shoulder and began to cry. Jeff pulled Hannah and Jessica closer to him, and whispered to them that their Uncle Mark was in a better place. Collins and Roger just stood their in silence, unsure of what to do. After more than two years, it was finally over.
A/n: I know it's short. So sue me! I hate writing death… why do you think I didn't write Mimi actually dying?