AN: Ok. I'm sick. I'm crappy. I'm not best pleased. But I was hit by inspiration, so here I am.

Blech.

Disclaimer: I say again: Blech.

Falling Apart?

"Roger?"

Dave looked up and down his friend. Roger was leaning against the wall by his apartment, leather coat stretched over his crossed arms, looking very angsty. Roger very rarely looked angsty these days. When he did, it meant that he and Mimi, or Mark, had had a fight, or that he and Mimi, or Mark, had broken up. And that meant that Mark or Dave or Collins would have to keep next to him at all times to make he didn't do anything Roger-like. Namely, drop straight into self-destruction. Dave automatically resigned himself to a week or two of following Roger around like a stray dog, keeping him away from anything that would make him not sober, from skipping work, and from jumping on a bus to the nearest town that didn't remind of how screwed up their lives were. Dave was completely prepared to put everything else aside to take care of his friend.

Roger looked forward numbly. "I'm leaving New York."

Ah. This time it was the bus-hopping thing. Probably meaning it, whatever it was, was something to do with Mimi. Dave took a deep breath that accompanied a tiny sigh. "Roger, I'm sorry. I am. But don't do something stupid, ok, sweetie?"

Roger seemed jerked out of his cloudy state. He looked down at Dave in confusion. "Wait. What?"

Dave felt a little uncertain, but he surged ahead anyway. "It'll be fine, Roger. You and Mimi always work it out."

Roger's eyebrows knit together and his eyes narrowed. Suddenly, his face cleared. "Dave. Mimi and I didn't break up."

"Oh." It was Dave's turn to look confused. "Then why the hell are you next to my door looking all Marlon Brando?"

Roger sighed and looked down. "Mimi and I are moving."

Dave squinted at him, more confused then ever. He hadn't been prepared for this.

Then, his over-worked brain sprang back to life, and he remembered Mimi's dance group. Apparently, Roger was in the know. "Oh, Rog. I'm so sorry. Mimi told you, huh?"

Roger's head snapped up. "You knew? And you didn't tell me?" His temper was heating up, and Dave didn't really feel like being the target.

"She told me, but I didn't know until today that you didn't know." Dave put his hand on Roger's arm and squeezed. "You know I'm gonna miss you both like hell, right? I love you two."

Roger nodded, smiling slightly. "I didn't say anything when she told me. I just told I was going for a walk. And I got this far." He turned his head up to the ceiling. "Ya know, it's weird. I was the one who always was jumping on buses to get the fuck out of the City. But I never stayed away long." He looked back down to his crossed arm, his expression serious. "I think I belong here. That we belong here."

Dave nodded. "But it's just a few months, right? Then you'll be back here. And I'll make fun of you for being as soft as you're being right now, because you're such a sweet little rocker." He reached up and tweaked Roger's cheek.

Roger batted away his hand and rolled his eyes. "And I'll kick your ass." He grinned. "Thanks, Dave."

Dave shrugged genially and smiled. "Anytime, hon. Now you're going to have to move so I can get into my apartment."

Roger dipped his head reluctantly, and started to drag himself up the steps. Dave rolled his eyes. Typical Roger. Avoiding his problems again. Well, if he stayed down here, at least there was the guarantee that Dave wouldn't wake up in the morning to find out that Roger actually had left Mimi. "Wanna stay on the couch?"

Roger turned around and lit up. "Yes."

Dave crooked his fingers in a gesture that indicated that Roger was to follow. He opened the door, flipped the lights, and grabbed a pillow and blanket from the closet by the door. "It's scratchy," he warned, tossing the items on the plaid sofa. "You just think as much as you want." He patted Roger's shoulder, and started to leave the room.

"Me n' Mimi'll be ok, right?" Dave turned around. Roger was looking at him intently, begging him silently to have all the answers.

Dave smiled. "That's up to you, babe." Roger's face fell. Dave's smile widened. "But I'd bet on it. You two always work it out."

Roger's face lifted back up a little. "You're the best, Dave."

Dave laughed. "I know."

Roger sighed. "It's a good thing, her getting this. I don't want to ruin it. It's just ..." He dragged his hand through his hair. "Everything's been going well lately. I feel like us going will screw up everything. It's stupid, but I can't help it. Things never stay good."

Dave nodded. "And they're still good. You're taking a gamble, sure. But it's something we all have to do. No day but today, Rog."

Roger collapsed on the couch. "I know. I know." He sighed. "Night, Dave."

Dave turned to head to his room, trying not to think about life without two of his best friends, or Mark's reaction when he found out. "Night, Roger."

Dave was lying in his bed an hour later when Collins came in. "Hey, honey."

Collins shook his head, grinning. "Do ya hafta lend out our couch to every damn one of our friends with relationship problems?"

Dave's lips curled upward. "Yes. We're the only functional couple. It's almost our duty."

Collins rolled his eyes as he leaned in to kiss Dave lightly on the lips. "Whatever you say, baby. I'm gonna take a shower. I'll be back in a minute."

Dave kissed him again. "Just so you know, the hot water's still out." Collins groaned. Dave smiled a little more. "Enjoy your shower, sweetie."

Collins muttered, "Yeah. Right," before shuffling off to their miniscule bathroom. Dave looked after him, glowing. God, he loved that man. Roger was right. Stuff was going good. No matter what he'd said to him, he was just as worried about stuff falling apart.

A loud series of coughs issued from the bathroom. Dave froze, and his mind whited out. No. No. No, no, no, no. It couldn't be. It was too soon.

No!

When Collins returned, Dave pretended he was asleep. He shivered a little as Collins wrapped his around his arms around him, and pressed his lips into his hair. He listened, his heart pounding erratically, as Collins' breath slowed and turned into a light snoring. He grabbed Collins' hands with his own and kissed them. It would all be ok. If it were serious, Collins would've told him about it. He was sure. He just needed to calm down. He couldn't let any of his friends see him like this. He had known the risks, getting involved with Collins, and like hell was he going to let some coughing fit send him into a panic attack.

There. He felt better. Good. He had a lot of other things to worry about just now. Like Mimi and Roger. He'd ask Collins, and Collin's would tell him how stupid he was being.

Dave was just glad Collin's hadn't noticed the tears that had stained his pillowcase.

AN: Oh, yes, DRAMA! People really shouldn't let me write fanfic when I'm sick and on Tylenol. Apparently I get all tired and cranky, and I take it out on my poor fic characters. No throwing stuff at the sad sick fanfic writers, ok?

Oh, and by the way? This seems short, but this only because of the lack of AN. It is only slightly shorter than normal. Which I blame completely on my illness. Besides, this was more of a set-up chapter than anything, so the shortness served my purposes.

If it helps, I have spoilers for my stories on my MySpace blog. So if you want to see what's up, go check it out. Look at my profile if you want the link.

Now, I go sleep. And sniffle. And sneeze. Ew.

Love? Hate? Review, people!