Hey all! SO, I gave up on the zipdrive thing…it doesn't really matter too much anyways. Only about the last 300 words of this are actually rewritten, the rest is new material. Originally, the very end was actually the beginning, and what is to be next chapter, was the rest of this chapter…if you understood that. But, I wrote the beginning of this while I was bored in my poli sci class, and the rest just came to me after I finally got my typewriter case open (I lost the key, so I had to beat the lock with an iron…). It is my firm belief that my typewriter has inspiration in the very keys, and this chapter is proof of that…it all just came to me, I felt like writing because I hadn't used my typewriter in forever, and this is what came out…

It's a little longer than the last several have been, so I hope you're not too upset about the wait…although, it would've been out a lot sooner if I'd have just gotten the 10 reviews I asked for le sigh…so it may not seem like it, but this chapter is definitely leading up to the core of my story. 1…maybe 2 more, before the ball's finally rolling.

No own RENT. Only own Cookie…mmm, Cookie….aw, damn, now no own Cookie…

Missed Lips and Green Eyes

"It's just ridiculous! If people knew what the precious CIA has done, the crimes they've committed in other countries, they'd call for them to be dissolved. But nobody knows, because everything is GD classified."

"Yeah, that's true, Ty, but people mostly don't know because they don't care to know. Ignorance is bliss, and fear is power. Even if everyone knew, who can tell if they'd actually do anything about it? Yeah, they'd care, but they'd be too afraid or lazy to do a damn thing." Lillia interjected.

"I'd like to have more hope in humankind than that. I think that many people would take a stand…I just don't think it would last long. I agree with you, Tyler, I think the CIA is both powerful and dangerous…and if they can stop a revolution in El Salvador or kill a president, then stopping a movement that intends to shut them down would be too easy." Mark said.

"Exactly! It all comes down to their power. Their power to keep us ignorant and controlled." Said Tyler.

"So what can we even do then?"

Three heads turned to the new voice. "Gina!"

"'Sup guys?" she said as she walked over and plopped down on the couch next to Mark.

"You want a beer?" Tyler offered, starting to get up.

"Thanks." She turned to the filmmaker. "Mmm, you looking good today, Marky. Want to take a tumble while the boyfriend's away?" she leered, sliding her hand up his chest flirtatiously.

Mark laughed, already used to Gina's ways (although nobody ever actually knew when she was joking and when she was serious). "No thanks, G…but I'll ask Marsh if he'd like a threesome."

Her eyes lit up before she sighed. "Oh, you're joking, huh? Damn…" They all laughed.

"Oh, but speaking of Tall, Dark, and Taken, he gave me a note to give you." She reached into her blouse and pulled a folded paper from her bra.

"Um…thanks." He opened it, scanning the contents with a smile.

Babes,

What are you doing Thursday night? The quinceanera I was supposed to shoot got cancelled due to the girl getting chicken pox. Send a note back with Tyler. He has to drop off the money he owes me anyways.

Marshall

PS: We really need a new form of communication…Reye being gone makes me realize just how much we were depending on her.

Mark thought a moment before asking Lillia for some paper and a pen. Finally, he wrote down,

Marsh,

Thursday is free for me. What did you have in mind?

Mark

PS: 555-3627

He folded the paper, and handed it to Tyler. "Marsh says he'll be seeing you soon, so you can play messenger." He explained when Tyler gave him a strange look.

Gina spread herself out like a cat, stretching so half her body was over Mark and another part over Tyler, earning her a dirty look from Lillia. "So, what's going on about the CIA?" she asked, despite the pinch to her leg from Mark and the sudden warning look from Lillia.

Tyler grinned. "Well…let me go back to the beginning, and I'll explain how they've been corrupt since their creation."

Both Mark and Lillia groaned. They liked talking about things…but with Tyler, enough was enough sometimes. Mark idly wondered if anyone would notice if he took a nap…

LINELINELINELINELINELINE

Mark checked his breath and reflection one last time before leaving the loft. He hadn't seen Marshall for a few days now (eight, to be exact) and he was severely missing him. He was so eager to see him, in fact, that he almost forgot to lock the door behind him: a dire mistake that could have had him left both without the meager possessions that they did have and at the mercy of Roger's infamous temper.

As he walked the six blocks to the restaurant, he couldn't help wondering how Reye was doing in Chicago. She had been gone six days now, and he hadn't heard anything from her since she'd left. He made a mental note to ask Marshall about her that night.

Said photographer was waiting for him outside the restaurant, a smile growing over his face as he saw Mark approaching.

"Babes, how you been?" he greeted.

Mark smiled in return, closing the distance between them with a warm kiss. "Good…you ready to eat?"

"Oh yeah, I'm starved." He murmured suggestively, kissing and nibbling Mark's neck.

Mark gasped at the hot lips, teeth and tongue against his skin, lightly leaning into the touch, he chuckled shakily. "Marsh, you are incorrigible."

Marshall slid his hand to cup Mark's cheek, turning his face so he could place one last kiss against his lips. "Si, verdad….Let's go eat."

LINE

Mark took another bite of pizza (deep dish, in honor of Reye) "Mm, so you really haven't heard anything from her?" Mark asked as he chewed.

Marshall shook his head. "Not a peep…but don't worry, she never calls that much when she goes away…she usually gets too caught up in her visits. She'll probably call in a few days…or sooner, I guess, if she runs out of money." He said nonchalantly.

"Okay…that's good, I guess…just make sure you let me know when she does call. Actually, you could just pass along my number."

The subject of conversation drifted around a bit, stopping on politics, new movies, and Marshall's latest jobs, to name a few. After a lot of talking, and all the food had been eaten…and digested as they sat (and annoyed the restaurant workers with their more than lingering presence), they finally left.

"What do you want to do now?" Mark asked as they walked.

Marshall raised the hand he was holding and kissed the knuckles affectionately. "Want? Oh, I want to stay with you, cuddle up on my couch with you in my arms, and kiss you like I never have to breathe again." He whispered, as Mark's face flushed.

Marshall then sighed. "But unfortunately, I can't always get what I want…"

Mark looked up at him with more than just a little disappointed eyes. "No?"

"No, babes. Unfortunately, I have to get up very early tomorrow. I have a baptism to shoot at nine, and so I have to be up by seven…. Spring is such a busy time for me…but I'll start having more free days in a few weeks."

Mark nodded, but still looked slightly disappointed, and Marshall felt guilty for teasing him like he had.

"Wednesday is a good night for me…actually, all of Wednesday is good for me. We can spend the whole day together."

Mark smiled, but quickly faked a pout. "Wednesday? As in, six days away, Wednesday? Well…it'll hgave to do, won't it?"

Marshall paused in his step, pulling Mark into his arms and capturing his mouth in a heated kiss. "We'll just have to make up for lost time then, won't we?" he murmured against warm lips.

"Sounds like a plan….Hey, we're close to my place now, want to finish walking me home?"

Marshall nodded, looking slightly pleasantly surprised. Mark figured that it was probably because he had never let the photographer see exactly where he lived before. They didn't talk too much more for the rest of the walk, but the silence was comfortable.

They reached Mark's building far too soon, in his opinion, and he glanced it up and down almost resentfully. Suddenly, something caught his eye, a movement maybe, and as his searching eyes traveled back up the building, he was distracted by a warm hand on his cheek, pulling his attention back down before his brain could even register what he may have seen.

"So, I'll see you on Wednesday, then?" Marshall asked softly.

"Definitely."

Marshall smiled, sliding his hand to cup the back of Mark's neck as he pulled him in for a kiss that quickly became fervent. They made out for a few heated moments before finally breaking apart, Marshall dropping several short kisses against Mark's panting mouth as they pulled away; Mark freeing his hands from where they had tangled in the photographer's shirt.

"I'll see you later, babes." Marshall whispered before he turned and walked away, Mark watching him go for a moment.

Suddenly, struck with the memory, Mark glanced up at the building, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary, not a shadow nor a soul in sight. Was probably just a bird or …something.

Shrugging, he headed up to the loft. Opening the door, he found Roger on the couch, plucking a slow Musetta's Waltz.

"Hey. You're up late."

Roger glanced up at him before shooting him a disgusted look and, getting up, he stormed over to his room and slammed the door shut behind him.

Mark winced: something about Roger seemed even colder than usual, but he only pondered it for a moment before shrugging it off, choosing instead to think about Wednesday: an eternity of six days away.

LINELINELINELINE

Comments, questions, criticisms, praise, please press that little Review button. Give me 10, I'll update the day after. 5, when I have time. Less, not at all.

Also, I didn't do this consciously, but reading back over this chapter, I think my writing style is a little different… and I think that I wrote Marshall differently than usual…but I'm happy with both… Let me know if you see what I'm talking about.

Lastly, I know that I jump periods of time in this fic, so I want to make it clear that the next chapter takes place THE NEXT DAY.