Roger pov:

A knock on my door awakened me from my daze. Light from the sun filtered onto my face, and I blinked lazily, trying (and failing) to rub the exhaustion from my eyes. I hadn't slept, for the absence of his presence was too unsettling. I sat up, having pitifully cuddled with one of his jackets the whole night. His scent was fading from it, anyway.

"Rog? you awake? I made some fliers earlier, ready to help me put em up?"

I looked down, then the realization hit me. I quickly sprung from the covers, and started throwing clothes on.

"Y-eah! i'm coming!" I called back, digging through my drawers for a sweater. I found Mark's old hoodie that he acquired from his short time at brown, and I chuckled half heartedly. I hugged it close to my chest before slipping it on. When I emerged, Collins glanced at it, and I saw understanding flash through his eyes. He handed me a stack of papers, and we were off.

"Where do we even start?" I asked, a sigh escaping me. Collins watched me warily before responding.

"Anywhere we can, I was thinking maybe the place Mark applied first? people saw him there more recently."

I nodded. "Then the life, people will recognize him easier there."

Collins brought us to his car. Once we got gas, we spent the day handing out fliers at Mark's building. We eventually got back to our neighborhood, plastering fliers everywhere, handing them out, asking cops, junkies, and anyone else who was close enough.

It vaguely occurred to me that there was one more person who was usually out all hours of the night, who could have spotted Mark two nights ago, when he went missing.

Collins must have realized what I was thinking, for he whispered a "Be careful" before I stood at the mouth of the alley where he usually dealt. A young boy was reaching desperately for smack that the man held over his head. A sick grin on his face, and stopped the taunting when he finally looked up and saw me.

He threw the bag with a laugh, and the teen chased after it. I felt nauseous. He turned to me, with a smile.

"Lover boy! long time no see!"

I kept a dangerous look on my face.

"It's Roger, and you know that. I have to ask you a few questions."

He watched me with curiosity, and slapped his pockets.

"I'm not here for smack. My boyfriend is missing. About five foot eight, blond, skinny, glasses, scarf. You've seen me with Mark, I know you have. Has he been around here?"

He glanced away, uninterested.

"I dunno."

I felt my temper flare.

"What do you mean, you don't know!? answer my question!"

He smirked, knowing he had leverage on me now.

"Maybe I saw your little queer, maybe I didn't. Its none of your business otherwise."

I clenched my fists, and moved towards him. I stopped short when he pulled out a switch blade.

"Ah, ah, ah…. lets not be hasty…" he cooed. I felt anxiety welling up in my chest. This was the only lead we had to go from.

"What do you want?" I snarled, burning into him with disdain in my stare.

He pondered for a moment.

"What do you got?"

I looked down, becoming desperate. I dug through my pockets, and glanced back up.

"Look… I have forty bucks on me from my paycheck at the bar…" I stepped forward, stuffing the bills into his outstretched hand. "Please…" I whined. "Give me something…" Fortunately, he seemed to take pity on me.

He sighed, and locked his eyes with mine.

"Yeah, I saw him…"

I felt hope explode in my chest.

"Really!? where!?" He raised a hand to silence me, and I nodded.

"Your friend, he was lost… He pulled up into my alley looking all kinds of confused… He kept gawking at me when I was making a sale, and I had half the mind to go over there and-" he stopped when I growled. "Anyway, he was sitting there, then some big guy with black hair comes over, recognizes him? and he hugs him. I didn't hear much after that, I walked away, but i'm assuming he wanted to help him find his way."

Collins let out a confused sigh behind me. I turned around.

"Black hair? who do we know with black hair?" I asked. He shrugged, continuing to think. I turned back to the man.

"Did you happen to catch a name?" I begged. He looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Ahh… shit….. I think… Jared? no, no… Jason? Yeah! Jason…. that's all you're getting from me…" he walked away quickly, disappearing behind a corner. I stood there with Collins, dumbfounded.

"Whoever this Jason guy was, he's the last person who was with Mark…" Collins began.

"But if he was trying to get Mark home, where the fuck are they now?" I asked.

"Unless, he wasn't trying to get Mark back to you…" He responded.

I felt adrenaline ignite inside me.

"We have to check around the life again… the name Jason sounds so familiar, I know for a fact it does…" I broke into a panicked sprint.

"R-Roger! WAIT!" yelled Collins, trying to keep up with me. He left the car behind, trying to match my pace. The life was only a few blocks away.

I burst through the doors, nearly vaulting over a table, and coming to a stop at the bar, out of breath. I couldn't believe we didn't think to come here first.

Rosie, our usual bartender watched me with worry.

"Rog? you okay?" I shook my head, and gasped out.

"Mark… here.. two nights ago… you see him?"

She reached out, and helped me to sit down and catch my breath. Once I was coherent enough, she spoke.

"I wasn't working then, sweetie. Martin was, though. It was his first night, but i'm pretty sure he'd be able to recognize him. Did you ask Manny, yet? he was waiting tables."

"I wanna talk to both of them." I concluded. Rosie nodded in understanding, walking away. Pretty soon, the flamboyant waiter, and a tall, lean bartender were by my side.

"Roggy, what's the problem?" Manny asked, an arm around my shoulders. The new guy, Martin, just looked scared.

"Manny… It's Mark… He was here two nights ago, yeah?" I glanced at Martin. "Kind of short, skinny, blond hair, blue eyes, glasses, a scarf, very quiet?"

Martin looked down, then nodded.

"Yeah… he was with some big guy.. with black hair… They came in together, alls they ordered were two whiskeys…"

I was confused. Mark hated whiskey… unless he was drinking it to be polite.

Manny piped up. "Ah, yeah! I saw them leaving." He pointed across the building. "I was over there, taking an order, and I saw Mark… he was looking sick, or out of it, or something… I tried to wave goodbye, but it was like he couldn't even see me…"

I slammed my hand down on the bar, and Martin jumped. "Mother fucker!" I screamed. Everyone looked up. "Don't you see? he must've taken Mark!"

Collins burst into the life, making his way over to me.

"God damn, Davis… you run quick… what'd I miss?"

Manny rubbed my back, and turned to Collins.

"We think this Jason, whoever he is, took Mark."

Collins sat beside me, and spoke.

"Y'know rog, I remember that name… and I think I realize why.. A long time ago, When he first came to the city, when he and I met, he told me something about an ex boyfriend with that last name, that he left behind."

"It couldn't be the same guy, could it? How would he have even found Mark?" I asked.

"I dunno man, but it's all we got. It's been long enough, and we have evidence. The cops won't do much, but we still have to get it out there. You and I are going to the precinct."

I nodded. Collins was right. He pulled a stack of fliers from his jacket, and handed them to Manny.

"Wanna spread these around for us?"

Manny nodded, and kissed my head.

"Good lucky, honey. Call us if you need anything, and we'll call you if we get any tips." I murmured gratefully, and Collins and I stood up, making our way out of the cafe.

I steered towards the alley that was beside the life, a smile on my face. Collins followed knowingly.

"This is the place, huh?" he asked.

I nodded, looking around. "Where Mark and I first got together? yep…"

"Ill put up some fliers." he answered, taping one up to the brick wall.

I glanced around at the ground, and a piece of odd fabric caught my eye. I slowly made my way over to it. Picking it up, and turning it over in my hands, my heart sank.

"Collins!" Yelled, and the anarchist came jogging over. He crouched beside me.

"His scarf…" the taller man breathed, and I nodded. I wrapped it around my neck gently. "He wouldn't go anywhere without it, Collins…. this is bad… this is really bad…" I whined, burying my face in my hands. "Mark… MY Mark… is in the hands of some.. fucking lunatic…"

I dropped to my knees. Collins pulled me into a tight hug. I finally stopped trying to be tough. Mark was gone, I had no idea where, or what condition he was in. I cried into his shoulder.

"I just want him back… I swear to fucking god, I'm gonna kick the shit out of that bastard… Collins, where is h-he…. Why did it have to be h-im… I could take it, H-e can't…"

He rubbed circles into my back. To this day, I still don't know what I would have done without Collins there. This was the second time I was breaking down, and sure enough, he was there for me both times.

"It's cold out here… lets get to the precinct… the car is parked a block from here…" he said, helping me to my feet. I leaned against him as we walked on.

"Collins?"

He looked at me. "Hm?"

"Thank you…"

He pulled me closer, keeping pace with my sluggish footsteps.

"I miss him too, Man."

I nodded in understanding. It was gonna be a long night.