This is the second to last chapter of this story. Some people have asked if I'll be doing a sequal to this. Honestly, I'm not a big fan of Rent kids stories, but I will be doing a sort of prequal. It will deal with Mark/Maureen and The Roger/April situation, also with Roger meeting Mimi incident. Hope you enjoy this!

Goodbye Love

Roger opened his eyes, stretching his limbs across the bed. He smiled and looked over at Mimi, who was still asleep. It had been the first time in weeks that he hadn't woken up to the sounds of his daughter's cries.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and pressed himself onto his feet. He peered over the side of Dani's cradle and ran his fingers across her stomach. She cooed quietly, suckling on her fist and Roger pulled away, glancing back to Mimi's sleeping form.

He felt a smile reach his lips again. His bare feet jogged across the cold loft floor and into the kitchen. Mark was already awake and sitting on the couch editing film with a coffee in his hands. He could hear the shower running, meaning that Maureen must've had an early audition.

Roger poured himself a cup of coffee and blew his cool breath against the hot liquid, cautiously bringing the mug to his lips. "You should really wake Mimi up, Rog. You know Dani is getting her tests today," Mark reminded him from the couch, looking up from his camera.

Roger took another mug from the counter and filled it with the black coffee. He padded back to the bedroom, attempting to balance the full cup in his hands. He kneeled onto the bed, setting the coffee on the crate beside his bed. "Baby, time to wake up," he crooned in her ear, brushing the hair from her face.

"Mimi," he sang leaning in to kiss her. His entire body froze when his lips made contact with her mouth. He pulled back, his eyes closed tightly. When he reopened his eyes, he saw the blue tint to her lips. He brought his hand to her icy cheek, not noticing the tears streaming from his eyes.

Dani began to stir and cried lightly from her cradle. Roger stroked Mimi's hair, whispering her name over and over. They had been warned of the effects that carrying a baby would have on her body, but Roger had never once doubted her strength.

Mark would never forget the sound of Roger choking back on his tears as he rocked Mimi's lifeless body. Mark would never forget the look of helplessness in Roger's eyes as he opened the door. Mark would never forget the feeling in his stomach as he slowly walked over the Roger's room, knowing what he would find on the other side.

Mark peeled Roger away from her body. The musician wiped his eyes and lifted his daughter from her cradle, kissing her forehead and patting her bottom. Mark watched as he silently retreated to his spot on the windowsill, staring aimlessly out the window and into the New York City streets.

Mark reluctantly reached for the phone. Roger's eyes never left his daughter for the next hour. He made no noise when the paramedics came to remove her body from the loft. It was nothing like April, Mark noted.

There were no heart wrenching screams. There was no Roger pleading with her to wake up. Roger hadn't fought with the paramedics as they dragged the body bag past the loft door. Roger sat quietly, never looking up as he heard the shuffle of feet and whispers. He could see the ambulance drive away. There were no sirens or lights flashing as it disappeared down Avenue B. There was nothing to save.

Mark and Maureen watched as he retreated back to the bedroom, first taking a bottle for Dani from the kitchen. Mark stood outside the door, pressing his ear to the door. He could hear Roger's muffled cries. He could hear the sound of Roger twisting in the sheets and inhaling deeply, as if to remember her scent. Mark decided to back away, and he pulled Maureen into a tight embrace.

It was nearly four hours later when Maureen heard the door click open, exposing Roger in the doorway to his bedroom. He plopped the infant into Maureen's lap. "Take her," he said coldly, "I've had enough looking at her."

Mark rubbed his eyes at the sound of Roger's voice. "Roger, what are you doing?" Mark asked sleepily, still clutching Maureen's waist.

It was then when they both saw Roger snap. His hands clenched into fists as he eyed the bright eyed baby in Maureen's lap. "She killed her mother. I can't even look at her." The musician crumbled to the ground, beating the floor with his fists like a child. "She didn't even say goodbye. I hate her. I hate her."

"You selfish prick, how can you even say that?" Maureen screamed at him, tears running down her cheeks. Mark pushed her back.

"Just let him," Mark whispered as he watched Roger melt into a temper tantrum on the floor of the loft.

"I've killed everything I've ever loved. Get that baby away from me, or I'll kill it too. Just like April. Just like my father. Just like Mimi." Mark picked up the phone to call Collins, who was at work already, when Roger had cried himself to sleep. He was curled into a ball, pressing the heel of his hands into his eyes.

The funeral occurred three days later. Maureen was surprised that Roger had wanted to go, especially after watching him break for the past several days. Collins supported Roger as he shakily made his way up to the casket, which Benny had offered to pay for. Mark watched from the pew as Roger fell to his knees in front of Mimi's coffin.

A round, middle aged woman with warm skin lifted the boy from the ground, taking him in her arms. Mark wasn't sure if Roger had ever met Mrs. Marquez before, but she was the only one who Roger had allowed to hold him. Roger hated feeling helpless, even during his days of withdrawal. It pained Mark not to be able to console him as he once had.

Mark looked back into the church. There were only several faces that he didn't recognize, and he assumed that they were Mimi's family. She rarely spoke of them. He saw Benny and Alison in the back, a few people from life support, and another familiar face. Haylie. She was sitting behind Benny. Mark had almost forgotten that during the time they dated that she and Mimi had become close friends. He considered going over to him until Maureen clutched onto his arm and leaned into his shoulder.

Maureen let go and went up to Roger, who was walking back from the casket, and pulled him into a hug before sitting him down. Mark took the moment and walked over to his ex-girlfriend. As much as he was angry for her over what had happened between them, they had never once talked about it. He felt a small part of his heart crack at the sight of her crying.

"Mark," she said surprised when the filmmaker touched her arm. Mark only smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Haylie offered. Mark nodded before whispering 'bye' and going back to Maureen. He sighed deeply, feeling relieved from all of the unresolved feelings that surrounded their break up. He looked back and smiled at her again. Maybe, he considered, words didn't need to be said.

Mark remembers walking back to the loft, attempting to keep Roger from falling to the ground. His eyes were glazed over and empty. Collins tightly held Dani, who playfully cooed, totally oblivious to the situation unfolding around her.

Mark didn't use his camera for the next several weeks. He called the bar and got Roger his job back, but Roger rarely left the walls of his bedroom. He refused to change the sheets. This was nothing like April. There was no anger, no regret. There was no hate or remorse. This was something different. Mark closed his eyes, letting himself grieve for himself for a moment. He felt guilty doing this.

He looked back at Collins and Maureen, playing with Dani on the kitchen table. She was almost two months old and had grown considerably. He prayed that Roger would be able to see her grow. He thought about all the things that Roger would have to do alone. He would get the test results alone. He may have to lose his daughter before her second birthday. Would Roger live to see her second birthday?

He would never be alone, and Dani would never be alone. Roger had experienced more heartache than most people his age. He was twenty six years old. He was twenty six years old, living in the city, dying in the city, raising a child in the city. Could Roger do this on his own? Would he ever be the same?

Mark picked up his camera and pointed it in the direction of Dani, who Maureen was trying to teach how to say her name. "Maureen she's only two months old," Mark laughed, looking at his friends.

Mark shifted the direction of his camera as he heard Roger stumble out of his room. He hadn't showered in days. His hair was a mess and he face covered with stubble. He walked over to Maureen and Collins, smiling for the first time in over three weeks. He took his daughter into his arms and kissed her face.

He rocked the growing baby in his arms as she smiled back up at him. Mark caught Roger's magnetic smile on camera. He looked up at the film maker and mouthed 'thank you'. Mark set his camera down for a moment, putting his arm around Maureen. The three bohemians watched Roger walk around the loft, quietly singing to Dani, rocking her back and forth until she was asleep.

Mark looked at the calendar that was on the wall. It was Christmas Eve. Mark smiled, lifting his camera back up to find Roger on the couch with his sleeping daughter in his arms. This time, Roger didn't look up to meet his eyes.

xoxoxox

Thank you guys again for the reviews of the last chapter. I really love reading them! Let me know what you think. This chapter was a little short, but I wanted it short and to the point, almost like a flashback. Keep the reviews coming, especially since there's only another chapter.