Sorry this took so long to get out! I promise the next chapter will be out sooner. There's two more chapters left. Enjoy!

Chapter 16:

Save from Devastation

"October 19, 1991 10:30 p.m. eastern standard time. Close on Roger and his new daughter.." Mark pointed the camera in Roger's direction before getting a glare from him. Mark lowered the camera and placed a hand on Roger's shoulder.

Roger smiled, "She's so beautiful, isn't she?"

"Roger, we need to talk about something," Mark said reluctantly trying to smile.

"No, Mark, just look at her. She's perfect," he responded, bouncing the small baby in his arms. He pulled her up closer to his chest and rocked her.

"Yes, she is," Mark said, closing his eyes tightly, "Look, the nurse sent me over here to tell you that you need to fill out some paperwork and"

Roger cut him off, not taking his eyes off of his daughter, "I'll get it taken care of Mark. Just look at her."

"Rog, we really need to talk." Mark noticed the nurse inside the nursery and motioned for her to come over. The nurse took the baby from Roger's arms, which caused him to furrow his brow in confusion.

"Mark, what's going on?" he demanded, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.

"The doctors want to talk to you Roger. Mimi still hasn't woken up since the c-section. Now Roger, don't worry, but I overheard the doctors talking and they said she's very weak. The labor was a major trauma to her body. I couldn't get the doctors to tell me anything, but they just came over and asked to speak with you," Mark finally looked up to meet his eyes with Roger's. His expression was blank as he pushed past Mark and turned the corner to go back to Mimi's room.

He stood in the doorway. Mimi still was lying in the hospital bed, pale and frail, hooked up to machines and tubes were coming from her nose. Why hadn't he noticed that she looked like this only a half hour earlier? The doctor was standing over her, marking things on his clipboard.

"Are you Mr. Davis?" the doctor asked waking Roger from his daze, "I'm Dr. Landers."

"Roger," he said extending his hand to the middle-aged male doctor.

"Mr. Davis, while your daughter is doing excellent for being born three weeks early, Miss Marquez isn't responding as well as we'd like. She lost a lot of blood and didn't handle the cesarean as well as we'd hoped. Her body is in distress from the birth. Do you understand?" Roger nodded, trying to take in what the doctor had just told him.

"Will she," he took a long pause and wiped his face, "will she be okay?"

The doctor licked his lips and sighed heavily before speaking. Roger closed his eyes while the doctor spoke. "We're very hopeful, Mr. Davis. We'll see how she feels when she wakes up." The doctor offered Roger a weak smile before leaving him alone in the room with Mimi.

Roger rushed to Mimi's side. He again felt the warmth of his tears rolling down his cheeks. His rough hands stroked her face and ran through her hair, pleading with her to wake up.

Roger looked up to see Mark and Maureen standing in the doorway. Maureen rushed to his side and took the musician in her arms, rubbing his back. "It'll be okay baby. Shh, She's right there. We're not going anywhere Rog." Maureen looked back up at Mark.

Roger crawled up from his spot on the floor and took Mimi's hands in his own, kissing them and pressing his head into her arm. He looked at Mark. "What am I going to do?"

Mark walked over and sat in the chair next to Mimi's bed. He rubbed Roger's shoulder as he sobbed into Mimi's hospital gown. "Don't do this to me again," he murmured, almost pleading.

Mark pulled him up, "Come on, let's go home for tonight. She'll be awake in the morning. Then you can go see Danielle together."

"Dani," Roger corrected him as he was pulled up from his knees. Mark smiled at him, while Maureen wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Let's go home," she said resting her head on his shoulder.

They walked silently down the hallway. Mark and Maureen glanced at each other, wondering when one of them would break the calm of the scene.

Surprisingly, it was Roger who spoke first. He lifted his head. "I should have married her." No one said anything.

Two days had passed. Mark was getting worried about Roger. He wouldn't hold the baby and spent his days curled up next to Mimi in a hospital chair. She was awake but very weak.

Mark walked in to find both Roger and Mimi sleeping. His head was leaning against her bed with his hand on her arms. She stirred and opened her eyes, causing Roger to shift in his sleep.

"When did you get here?" she asked, smiling at Mark.

"He woke me up around eight. He's been here for a few hours," Mark answered quietly. Mimi ran her thin fingers through his hair, causing him to open his eyes and smile at her.

"You're awake," he smiled, touching her face. "I'll be right back," he said getting up from his chair. He looked back at Mimi, who pouted and he shrugged. "Bathroom." She laughed at him and moved her eyes to Mark.

"I'm worried about him Mark. I know I'll be fine, but he's scaring me. I won't even look at the baby. He won't touch or hold her. The nurse brings her in here and he completely ignores her," Mimi said in a hushed voice.

"You should have seen him with her that night Mimi," he sat in Roger's chair and smiled. "He was amazing with her. You would have been so proud of him. Just give him some time. You know how his mind works. He's his own worst enemy."

She smiled and nodded. Roger came back in the room and kissed her forehead. Mark decided to go wait in the hallway and give them a few minutes to talk.

"Even in that blue hospital gown, you still look beautiful," Roger said staring into her eyes.

"Shut up. I saw myself yesterday Roger. I look terrible."

"You look even more beautiful than the first day I saw you standing out on the fire escape." He smiled at her again.

"Roger, that wasn't the first time you saw me," she laughed.

"Of course it was. You think I don't remember the first time I saw you? I even remember what you were wearing."

She laughed and slapped his arm, "You saw me before that. I can't believe you don't remember." It only occurred to Mimi at that moment that perhaps he didn't remember. She has only realized that it was him after Mark had shown her the film with April from Roger's gig.

"Well tell me," he said playfully.

"You were at the club Benny and a few other guys. It was probably over two years ago. It was only my third week at the club, right at the start of summer. Benny paid for you to get a lap dance because you were having a problem with your girlfriend. You were a very good tipper," she laughed trying to read his expression.

"Well you must've been a good dancer," he shook his head. "I can't believe I don't remember that. Was I drunk?" He titled his head, giving her a devilish smile.

"Were you ever. Those poor boys left you there all alone. We found you sitting at the bar alone at three a.m. Poor baby," she pouted at him, "Anyways. I went over to see if you were alright. You told me you liked my dance, grabbed my face and gave me a wet, sloppy kiss."

"I did not," he said sarcastically.

"Yes you did," she laughed, "and my friend Jill took you home. She said you, um, showed her a good time." Mimi didn't know whether to cringe or laugh. His head shot up. Suddenly things made sense. Jill. Waking up with Mark screaming at him. A loud club. Shooting up in an alley.

"You okay baby?" she asked, rubbing his arm.

"Yeah, it's just that I remember that night. It was the last time I left the loft. Mark found me in the morning all messed up in bed." He put his head down. Mimi nodded as he buried his face in his shoulder.

"Hey," she said lifting his chin up to her face, "Why don't we get the nurse to bring Dani in for us." He nodded just as the doctor walked in.

"Miss Marquez, Mr. Davis, I just wanted you both to know that you can take your daughter home tonight. Now Mr. Davis, I would like to keep Mimi here for observation for a few more days, but she's doing much better. She's a real fighter. We've increased her dosage on her medication for now, and she's responding quite well. Would you come with me to sign the release forms?" Roger nodded and stood up, following the doctor into the hallway.

That night, Mark was jolted from his sleep from the sound of Dani's wails echoing through the loft. He rushed into Roger's room to find the rocker sprawled out with a pillow over his head and the small infant screaming from her basinet. Mark scooped the baby up in his arms, trying to settle her.

"What the hell is wrong with you Roger? Didn't you hear her?"

The musician rolled over, mumbling 'Hmph' before pulling the pillow back over his head.

Mark brought Dani over to the couch and brought the bottle to her lips. She gently suckled at it for a few seconds before taking it in her mouth. She looked up at him, making him smile. He looked back at Roger's door, thinking of the way Roger had looked at his daughter for the first time.

Mark looked at the sleeping baby in his arms and set her back in her cradle. From the doorway his eyes shifted from the infant to her father, who was snoring lightly in his sleep.

Over the next two days, Mark found himself doing the same thing over and over. Dani would cry, and he would pick up the infant, feeding her, cuddling her, and changing her. Roger would sit on the windowsill with his guitar. Maureen had tried talking to him several times with no luck. Mark wished that Collins had been home. He was in Baltimore for the week at a teacher's conference.

Mark wrapped his scarf around his neck and placed the baby back in the cradle. She started to cry when he left her. Mark went over to Roger and shook him. "I'm leaving," he said still shaking him.

"Where are you going?" Roger asked rubbing his eyes. "Does she ever stop crying?"

"No, Roger. She's a baby. That's what babies do. They cry and you hold them. I'm going to work. Remember, I have a job. You should probably go beg for your's back too while you can."

"Well you can't just leave me alone with, with this," Roger motioned over to the cradle as if it was a distraction.

"I'm sick of this. Take care of your daughter. Try calling Maureen at the restaurant if you need help." With that, Roger heard the door slam shut and stood over Dani. Her face was red and wet. He huffed and walked out into the kitchen, pouring himself the coffee that Mark had made earlier.

'Won't you be quiet?' he thought picking up his guitar and sitting on the couch. He tried to strum a few notes, but was distracted by the wails coming from his room. He sighed, setting his guitar back on the couch.

He peered over the side of the cradle. He hadn't truly looked at her since the night she was born. Only four days old, she already looked bigger. He caught himself smiling and quickly brought his lips back together. He lifted the baby up and cradled her in his arms so she was against his chest.

He rocked her gently, walking around the loft. Her cries quieted as he patted her bottom with his right hand. 'So this is how Mark gets you so quiet', he thought. He looked down and smiled at her again. This time, his smile didn't fade.

Mark held Dani as Roger looked back into the hospital room for one last time. Everything was white. The sheets were made neatly on the bed as if no one had ever been there in the first place. There were no more flowers or get well cards lining the windowsill. There was no Mimi lying in the bed. He took one last look before shutting the door.

"Let's get you home," he smiled down to Mimi as he wheeled her down the hall. He prayed that they would never have to go back to that room again.

Voicemails

SPPEEEEAAAAAK

Roger, this is your mother. Honey, I just got your card in the mail. A wedding? I didn't know that you were seeing anyone. A baby? God Roger, I hope everything is alright. Please call me sweetheart. I miss hearing your voice.

You've reached Joanne Jefferson of Franklin, Barnard and Jefferson. Please leave a message and I'll return your call as soon as possible.

Hi, Joanne. It's Mark. I was just calling to let you know that Mimi had the baby. It's a girl. They're both home and doing well. Just thought you'd want to know. Bye.

SPPEEEEAAAK

Guys, it's Benny. I saw Maureen today and she told me about Dani. I just wanted to say that you can call me if you need anything. I hope Mimi's doing better. Roger, take care of them. Call me if you need anything. Yeah, well bye.

SPPEEEEAAAK

Holy shit guys, it's Collins. I'm out of town for a week and junior can't wait? I hope everyone's okay. I should be home sometime tomorrow. Roger, you owe me thirty bucks. I knew it was gonna be a girl. See you tomorrow.

This is Joyce Davis. I can't come to the phone right now, but please leave your name and number and I'll call you back. Thank you.

Hi, um, Mom, it's Roger. I got your call. It's been a long time. I'm sorry. There's a lot going on right now. I, I probably shouldn't- Nevermind. Just call me back okay? I, I love you Mom.

SPPEEEEAAAAK

Mark, Roger? Maureen, are you there? It's, well it's Joanne. Mark called me about the baby. I hope you guys are doing okay. I miss you. Just give me a call if I can do anything. Congratulations guys.

Hope you all liked this chapter. If the flashback part confused you, reread the first chapter. It was suposed to refer to that night, but I wanted to be alittle discrete to see if anyone would pick up on it. Thank you for the great reviews on the last chapter- I hope you all understood the significance of the name Danielle. Let me know what you think and keep up the awesome reviews. I love reading them! A new chapter should be up in a few days.