Author's note: Okay, the official decision is in. The Mommie Saga is officially a quintet. After I finish the fifth one, the only RENT related piece I'm doing is going to be Deep, Dark, Beautiful, Deadly. Alongside that is Siblings: The Next Generation. But don't worry quite yet, because I have several chapters left here before the fifth one can even go up.

Roger waited outside Allison's attorney's office for over an hour. Finally, Abraham Farrelburg –a stout, Jewish man and Allison's attorney- opened the door. "Mr. Davis. Please, come in, sit down." He closed the door behind him. "So, Mr. Davis –I'm sorry, will your lawyer be present?"

"No, Mr. Farrelburg, I can speak for myself."

Farrelburg nodded. "Yes, well. Ms. Grey is prepared to make an out-of-court settlement. To the tune of three thousand dollars?"

"Absolutely not." Roger frowned. "I'm pushing this all the way."

"In that case, Ms. Grey is countersuing for the rent owed to her. Forty-two thousand dollars."

Roger nodded. "Fine. Please inform Ms. Grey that the charges my lawyer and I have decided on will be kidnapping and assault."

Farrelburg nodded. "Very well. If that's all…"

"It is." Roger stood. "Thank you for seeing me."

"Where've you been?" Benny glanced up from his desk. "You were supposed to be here an hour ago."
"Allison's attorney was running late. Benny, how mush rent do we owe you?"

"Um…fourteen thousand dollars. Why?"

"Damn!" Roger slammed his fist into the wall. "That bitch is tripling what we owe her. She's countersuing."

"Can she do that?"

"According to Farrelburg she can."

Benny thought a moment. "I'll front you the money if she wins."

"Benny, you don't have forty-two thousand dollars."

"Neither do you! Okay, how about I provide documents stating that you don't owe that much?"

"Maybe. I'll think about it."

"How's Mimi?"

"Miserable." Roger chuckled. "She hates being confined to our room. Hey, can I ask your advice?"

"Shoot."

"I'm trying to convince Firefly to attend a better college than NYU."

"You want my advice? Okay, here. Don't. Don't try to change her mind. She's as pigheaded as you. You'll lose."

Roger laughed. "Maybe I won't. I mean, she really wants to go to Sarah Lawrence. She could. It is in New York."

"Money. SLC costs money. Do you have money?"

"There are scholarships! Any school would give here one!"

"Roger." Benny looked at him. "Drop it. You've lost. Go home, get some rest. The prelim trial is in a couple days."

Roger nodded. "Yeah, you're right. See you."

"Later."