Chapter 14:

To loving Tension

Before Mark could even survey the situation, Mimi had run past him and to Roger's motionless body. She shook him, tears in her eyes, saying his name over and over.

Mark slowly walked down the stairs to put a hand on her shoulder, and in a second she crumbled in his arms, sobbing freely into his sweater. "Roger, God Roger, please don't do this to me," she chanted as Mark rocked her.

Roger's eyes flickered open, "Wh-what happened," he murmured. He tried to lift his head but instead moaned and dropped back onto the floor.

Mark put his hands under the bigger man's arm pits and dragged him up the stairs, yelling at Mimi when she tried to help him lift his feet. "He's okay," Mark told her reassuringly as he felt his pulse and threw him onto the bed.

His eyes opened slowly nearly an hour later. "Mimi," he breathed weakly. She hated the way that her name came out of his mouth so desperate and fragile. She dabbed his cheek with a cool cloth and smiled briefly before turning away and walking to the window.

"You feeling ok?" she asked, barely looking at him, patting the cloth on his cut cheek.

"I guess," he said looking around to realize that he was in his own room. Mark was sitting in the chair with a worried look on his face. "Thanks Mimi," he said smiling.

"Well Mark couldn't very well clean up your cut," she said dryly and without emotion as she pressed the band-aid onto his cheek.

Mark got up from his seat when he saw the discomfort in Roger's eyes. "Mark stay," he said quickly.

"I'll just let you two talk," he said from the doorway.

Mimi nodded and started, still sitting next to Roger on the bed. "Mark told me what happened with Haylie. You should have told me. I'm sorry I over reacted, really, but I'm still angry." She looked down, waiting for him to respond.

"But why? I swear Mimi, nothing happened. It was all her. I know you two had gotten close, but you really need to trust me," she said desperately, grabbing onto her shirt.

"That's just it Roger," she said holding onto her stomach, "I believed it. I should trust you enough not to, and it scared me that I might not be able to."

"Mimi, you make it sound like I took her hand and put it down my boxers," he said with the usual Roger Davis sarcasm.

"She what?" Mimi's head shot up. Roger shook his head and took her hands in his own. He kissed her fingers lightly and placed her hand on his heart. She smiled back and nodded.

"I love you," he said. As he went to brush a hair out of her face, she backed away from him and closed her eyes.

"I," she paused and got up from the bed, "I can't do this Roger." He blinked, but when he reopened his eyes, she was gone from the room. Mark entered slowly and sat on the chair sitting next to his bed, saying nothing.

Roger lifted his head, "Mark my head is killing me."

Mark looked at him confused and grabbed the glass of water and an aspirin from the nightstand, handing it to him.

"You gonna be ok?" Mark asked sliding back into his chair and crossing his arms.

Roger took a gulp of water and swallowed. "I hope so Mark." Roger closed his eyes and let himself fall asleep.

For the next six nights, Roger slept on the chair in the middle of the loft. He found it nearly impossible with Maureen moving all night and Collins' snoring. He got up out of the chair and walked over to the window, letting himself onto the fire escape.

He lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. The air was cool yet refreshing, and he almost liked the way it created goose bumps on his bare arms. He shivered a little as the night breeze washed over him and closed his eyes.

The window opened, and Collins smiled at the boy. "I heard you tossing and turning boy. What's up?"

"It's Mimi. I can't stand that she thinks I'd cheat on her," he bit his lip and shook his head. "I mean, Collins, we're having a baby in less than two months. We can't keep doing this."

Collins nodded and took a joint from his pocket. "First of all, here," he said handing the joint to Roger, "you need this." Roger smiled as Collins wrapped an arm around him. He had always been like a brother to Roger. He was the first person he met when he moved to New York almost six years ago.

"And about Mimi," Collins continued, "She's young Rog, younger than you remember sometimes. She's confused about everything that's going on right now. Think about everything you're feeling and then imagine all of that plus giving birth to a watermelon." The comment made Roger laugh lightly.

"Thanks Thomas," Roger said, handing the joint back to his friend.

"Anytime man," Collins smiled and turned around to see Mimi peek her head out the window. Collins smiled at her before heading back inside.

Mimi's arms wrapped around Roger and she kissed the back of his neck. "I can't take being mad at you anymore." He turned to face her and put his hands on either side of her stomach.

"I'm sorry," he said resting his chin on her head, making her giggle slightly.

"How's your arm doing since your fall?" she said running her hands up and down his bruised flesh.

"It's better now." He smiled again and kneeled down in front her so his face was level with her round stomach. "I'm sorry," he said again, resting his head against it. She ran her fingers through his hair while he wrapped his arms further around her back. It seemed as though they stood still for a lifetime.

He spoke again, "In two weeks, there's some guy who manages local bands coming to see me play. I know you're not supposed to be going out, but I want you to go. There's something I want you to hear."

She lifted his head and put a finger under his chin to raise his face, pulling him off the ground. She took his hand and lead them back into their bedroom. For the first night in a week, Roger slept soundly, with his fiancée in his arms.

Mark smiled when he saw the couple emerge from the bedroom in the morning holding hands. Maureen got up from the couch and flipped through one of Mimi's bridal magazines that were sitting on the coffee table.

"The wedding's still on Halloween, right?" she asked looking up at Mimi. Mimi nodded. "Well I was thinking," she paused and smiled, "Roger's birthday is next week. We should do something all together for one last time before the big day."

"Us being married isn't changing anything Mo," Roger said in between sips of his coffee. She smiled at the name he used for her. To this day, he was the only person that she would to use the nickname.

She shrugged, "I know. Just thought it'd be a nice idea."

"I think it's a great idea," Mimi said joining Maureen on the couch.

"No parties," Roger commanded and then hid back behind the VillageVoice.

Collins swung the bathroom door open and took a seat near Roger at the table. "So has the Davis clan decided on a name yet for the little princess?"

"or rock star," Roger added proudly. He looked at Mimi for an answer to Collins question.

"We can't agree on anything," Mimi groaned, "We're thinking Eva, Julia, Nicholas, Jarett," Mimi paused to think.

"And possibly Isabel, Eric, Gabriella, Miguel and Natalie," Roger added from behind his paper.

"Well it looks like you guys certainly have that one narrowed down," Mark laughed.

"We still have plenty of time," Mimi spat while taking the magazine from Maureen, "Let's just get through the wedding first."

"And the party for the birthday boy," Maureen flashed an obnoxious smile at Roger and he flipped her off.

He glared at Collins and Mimi who were laughing on the couch. "I mean it," he said sternly, pointing his finger to all of them, "no parties." Maureen couldn't help herself from smiling deviously as he disappeared behind his paper.

Roger came home from work the next week to his friends shouting surprise from behind the couch. He rolled his eyes at them as Mimi greeted him by wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a light kiss.

He smiled back at her as she led him into the loft. He stared at Maureen from his seat as she excitedly poured him a drink.

"Happy birthday Rog," she said smiling as she handed him his drink. He raised his eyebrows to acknowledge her as he took a sip of the drink.

The friends sat around the couch for the next hour and laughed, remembering the events of the past year. Mimi was leaning back on Roger, and his hands were placed firmly on her belly. Mark sat next to Maureen, trying to keep her excitement in check.

"Well," Maureen paused, "we really didn't have money to get you a present, but we thought you might like it if we all were together." He smiled and leaned over to hug her.

"Don't hug me yet, Rog," she laughed, "Since you're getting married in less than a month, Collins and Mark figured that this is almost your bachelor party." She took a bowl with folded papers in it from behind the couch. "It's time we play a little game."

Roger sighed as Maureen threw his hand into the bowl. "What do I have to do now?" he asked annoyed as Maureen and Collins began giggling.

"Well, we thought it wouldn't be a birthday without embarrassing you," Mark laughed into his drink, "so we all wrote down some questions and we'll see who knows you best."

"And why is it that I'm the only one who has to answer these questions?"

"You're the birthday boy," Mimi said putting a party hat on his head and snapping the elastic underneath his chin.

He unrolled the piece of paper in his hands and laughed out loud, "You guy are unbelievable."

"What does it say Rog," Maureen taunted.

"Who did I lose my virginity to?" he rolled his eyes. Mimi laughed at him.

"I already know that answer," Mimi kissed him, "Kelly Twyler when you were sixteen after your first gig." The others in the group looked at her as the couple laughed quietly.

"I didn't know that," Mark commented.

Roger smiled and took another paper from the bowl, "Let's get this over with." He read it again and choked a little on his drink.

"What's it say Rog?" Collins asked.

Mimi grabbed the paper and read it aloud. "How many people in this room have you slept with?" Mimi laughed and continued, "Well we already know that answer."

Roger took a sip of his drink and suddenly replied, "Two." Mimi looked at him surprised.

"I knew it!" she announced, "You told me you never slept with Mark, you liar. Don't worry, I think it's kinda hot." She swatted his leg as she purred into his ear.

"I swear it wasn't me," Mark said defensively. Mimi's eyes shot to Collins.

"Hey, don't look at me," he said throwing his hands in the air.

"Well," Mimi said, "You obviously didn't sleep with Maureen."

Roger raised his eyebrows, "She wasn't always a lesbian. I was young and stupid." He said leaning in to kiss Mimi's cheek as she smiled awkwardly.

"And drunk," Maureen added. "Mimi, no worries, he's all yours. Trust me on that one." She winked at Mimi.

"I think we've had enough excitement for one night," Roger said lifting Mimi off the couch. The couple walked back to their bedroom as Mark shouted out happy birthday to him.

They lay in bed and she ruffled his hair playfully. "I can't believe you slept with Maureen," she laughed teasingly.

"Ugh, Mimi please stop. Thinking about it makes me want to throw up," she laughed pressing his face into her neck. She smiled and put a hand on his head, feeling him breath heavily as he drifted to sleep.

"Happy birthday Roger," she said quietly as he drifted off. He moaned and curled up closer to her.

The others retreated to their rooms. Mark heard his door open and the light streamed through the dark room. "Couldn't sleep," Maureen stated.

"Me either," he said hiccupping, "I guess that Stoli got to me." She laughed and sat on his bed.

"I can't believe Roger's twenty six. It feels like just yesterday we all moved in here." He nodded in agreement.

"Maureen," he said putting his hand on hers, "I'm glad you came back. I really missed having you around."

She smiled and laid next to him on the bed, he reached over to pull her hair away from her face as she spoke, "I'm glad I came back too."

Mark's hand lingered on her face, and she turned her head slightly, letting his fingers brush against her jaw. He leaned and and softly kissed her mouth. For a moment she gave into his kiss and leaned into him, but she quickly retracted and sat up on the bed.

"Mark, what are you doing," she said pulling herself up from the bed, "I-I just can't. I'm sorry." He closed his eyes and heard his door slam shut. His eyes pressed tightly together as he willed himself not to scream or cry.

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Thank you all so much for the reviews of last chapter- I love reading them! Keep letting me know what you think. The story will be picking up in the next few chapters. Hope you're liking it so far!